Dear Editor,

Recently, my husband and I were driving to San Juan Bautista and we really took a look at that quarry off U.S. 101 past the exit for Hollister.

First of all, there are absolutely NO homes - no residential development around it at all. Also, it was at least 1/2 mile or more off the freeway and the road wound around a large hill. The quarry is behind the hill, so it cannot be readily seen nor heard even from the highway.

However, just driving by, we saw at least three trucks coming down to the highway from the back. This, to me, is the right location for a quarry. It was basically out of site and not intrusive to any residents in the area. It's a far cry from the mining operation proposed for west Gilroy where truck traffic, noise and environmental degradation would impact existing neighbors, wineries and Gilroy's theme park. Check the Web site NoQuarryinGilroy.org for the details of this disturbing proposal.

Pat Schneider, Gilroy

Memorial Day Committee working hard, 2008 grand marshall named

Dear Editor,

The Gilroy Memorial Day Committee is happy to announce the theme, "Your Freedom, Their Lives" for our 11th annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26. We encourage all community groups, businesses and organizations to join us in commemorating those who fell in the line of duty to our country.

We are proud to have selected Frank Sanchez as our grand marshall; Frank served our country as a member of the U.S. Army. The schedule for this year's commemoration/celebration is: 9 to 10 a.m. - Remembrance ceremony at Gavilan Cemetery; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Parade along 10th Street, beginning at 10th and Monterey, and ending at Christmas Hill Park; 1 to 4 p.m. - Family Fun Day at Christmas Hill Park, to include music, food, bounce-houses, climbing wall, face painting and more!

Thank you for your continued support of our endeavors to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Heide Unger, Gilroy Memorial Committee

White-knuckle ride on Sixth Street as Gilroy traffic keeps getting worse

Dear Editor,

Is it just me or is Sixth Street in the east/west direction becoming a white-knuckle ride?

I drive this route back and fourth four times daily and within the last month I could've been hit at least five times. People running stops signs, pedestrians on bicycles weaving through traffic, and the best one is the non-existent four-way stop that Gilroyans still believe there is at 6th and Eigleberry! Am I the only one?

Dee Rowe, Gilroy

Closing the rural post office targets those who are older, less fortunate

Dear Editor,

Think the move toward closing the Aromas Post Office has no bearing on you? Read on. The United States Postal Service has targeted five rural post offices in California. Why single out small post offices? Not because the most money can be saved by closing them. The reason is much sadder: rural communities are older, poorer, and less politically organized. Many go without a fight. We saw the same phenomenon when Santa Cruz County tried to put a new dump outside Aromas two years ago. The site was a few yards from the San Andreas fault, among other problems, but it was in an empty corner of the county whose few residents were unlikely to raise a fuss - or so they thought. Aromans organized, educated themselves, attended meetings, and beat back the dump. Now zoom out a little.

Big Business screams when someone threatens them. Maybe the rest of us need to scream just as loud. Take a lesson from little Aromas.

Patty Brown, Aromas