Dear Editor,

As a resident of Burchell Road, a Gilroy commuter who drives north for work, and someone concerned about the environment, I commend your paper for publishing the March 14 article, "Potential quarry irks residents". To many residents of Gilroy and the surrounding communities, having a quarry in rural west Gilroy near Hecker Pass Highway (152 west) may not seem like a big deal. There is a quarry just south of Gilroy, why does it hurt to have another one to the west? But they should certainly worry. Besides the loss of more open space, replaced by an unsightly quarry operation; besides the noise and dust this operation would create; besides the displacement of important area wildlife (including protected Steelhead); this quarry would introduce a whopping 10,000 more gravel trucks per year on the surrounding roads. 

These trucks would have to travel through the town of Gilroy, or up Watsonville Road through Morgan Hill and San Martin, or over the narrow Highway 152 to Watsonville to get to their destinations. The roads were not designed for this type of additional load and it will further impact traffic in all of these areas.

The current quarry south of Gilroy west of U.S. 101 passed through the Santa Clara County planning process with little fanfare. But there are no homes anywhere near the quarry and no existing traffic since the road to the quarry was built expressly for that purpose. Records show that the 20-year use permit that was granted was approved after a "sparsely attended session of the Santa Clara Planning Commission." 

I am pleased that our observant neighbors discovered what was going on with this property very early on in the planning process. This gives us an opportunity to organize against this effort to ensure that it does not see the same success as it goes through the permitting process.

We encourage all Gilroyans interested in preventing additional truck traffic in west Gilroy and through the city to join in this neighborhood effort as well.

Make sure your voice is heard loud and clear, we do not need to start building quarry operations near homes anywhere in Gilroy! Please visit our Web site at www.NoQuarryinGilroy.org, you'll find more information about the community effort to stop this project and learn about upcoming Santa Clara Planning Commission meeting dates where we can make sure our voice is heard. 

Ken Pauley, Gilroy

Gavilan College cover up on stolen computers has former student mortified about identity theft

Dear Editor,

I just read your article about the Associated Student Body computer being stolen out of the ASB office at Gavilan College.

I am mortified at Gavilan College President Steve Kinsella's "laid back" attitude about the incident and his total trust in one student's word that he deleted the Social Security numbers before the computer was stolen.

I am a former student of Gavilan College and there is a good chance that my Social Security number was on that computer because I had only recently left the college to attend San Jose State University. This whole incident frightens the hell out of me!

What is even more frightening is that the president said "not one student has come to him in regards to their identity being stolen." My answer to him is maybe the students had no idea that this happened and are unaware that their Social Security numbers have been compromised because Gavilan College decided to keep this on the down low so the students would have no idea this was going on.

Shame on Gavilan College for even entrusting students with a computer that had other students Social Security numbers in it and shame on them for the cover up!

Shanna Webb, Morgan Hill  

Medical response time a concern for a resident with a child who doesn't understand the 'rules'

Dear Editor,

I am concerned about a 10-minute response time for medical help to arrive, for anyone, including crime victims.Perhaps our down town is not safe was the focus of a story, but I feel that human life, regardless of race, is sacred and that is where deepest concern should be.

Giving readers a chance to ask if that time is normal - could a human life been saved? - that hits home. My son plays baseball at the new sports park, if an accident should occur would it take 15 minutes, regardless of how quickly the police show up? Would the family be allowed to take injured to the hospital?

Also I understand that you may not have an answer to my concern, but perhaps if these questions are out there, someone who knows the answers will respond.

Esperanza Cid, Gilroy