My new hero is Ed Tewes, Morgan Hill city manager, who actually attended the water district's night rate hearing last week and spoke out against the latest rate increase by speaking up for the residents. What's this, a public official actually trying to get the bloated water district to control its runaway spending? Tewes gets the newly initiated Patrick Marleau Courage Award - please read his comments to the left on this page and the other answer is that no Gilroy officials were there.

From courage to public cowardice we go … there's amendment to a bill in the state legislature that seeks to hide police salaries, AB 1855 is authored by Assemblyman Anthony J. Portantino from southern California. Under the bill, police officer salaries, badge numbers and individual identities would be private and could not be publicly disclosed. A police lobbying group - the Peace Officers Research Association of California - is spearheading the misguided effort that seeks to avoid public scrutiny. Excessive pay, overtime abuse and discrimination would all be hidden from view. Might as well create a secret police society. Police officers are trained to be scrupulous and operate with high integrity. The foundation of respect for officers of the law is embedded in public trust. Above all, they should accept the scrutiny that comes with the power bestowed upon them. What we pay them and how they operate should remain an open book in a free society.

That said, I did get a chance to meet new Police Chief Denise Turner downtown at Sue's Coffee Shop.

First blush: genuine, sharp, straightforward and her down-to-earth nature will be a good fit for Gilroy.

BTW, with apologies to the owner, Sue's Coffee Shop should really be named, Karen's Coffee Klatsch after our favorite barista and just think what graphic designer Katherine Filice could do with the new logo - two Ks flanking the C … maybe a consortium of investors will help our favorite Karen buy the place one day.

And buying places will be high on the interest list this Sunday as the South County Housing Cannery project puts new single-family homes and townhouses up for auction in San Jose. The units are attractive, affordable and hopefully alluring. In relation to the "usual" housing market in south Santa Clara County, these places are real bargains. Auction bids start at $295,000 for a townhouse. There's still time to get your paddle ready. If you're at all thinking that "now's the time to buy" check out the homes at 7661 Forest St. The units are attractive, modern and situated in a well-designed urban community setting. Hopefully, they'll sell like hotcakes at a Sunday church breakfast because putting people within walking distance to downtown is the key to accelerating the area's transformation.

Transforming the economy is going to take a while and charitable concerns like Gilroy High's Grad Night celebration are having a rough go. Grad nights are like a seatbelt for our young people who are, unfortunately, prone to misjudgment. It's important work to stage an all-night party that takes drinking and driving out of the equation. If you can donate or help out call Camille Reimal at 426-0264 or Chairman Dan Gilleland at 607-3484 (daniel_gilleland@hotmail.com). The next meeting is Tuesday, May 13 at 7 p.m. in the GHS library. For calendar hounds, GHS graduation is on ... yoweee … Friday, June 13.

It's an omen that we've written this far without mentioning MayorAl, who voted Monday for changing the election cycle in Gilroy. Residents will get a chance to agree or disagree on November's ballot.

Around the block and sticking out like a sore thumb is the lone home built in the lot-slicing development on Miller Avenue so loudly protested by many neighbors. Wasn't the house fronting Miller Avenue restricted to a single story in order to lessen the neighborhood-changing impact? Sure it was, and that illustrates a problem: post-development oversight. The game is to get the project approved then proceed with changes that won't be scrutinized. So, how does the city change the rules so that what gets promised is what gets done?

A promising young Gilroy journalist attending college at USC has a feather in her writing cap after authoring a featured national news piece in the spring issue of Ms. magazine. Doreen Filice, daughter of Ernie and Patty, penned "Truth Serum" a story about a new Maryland law and crisis pregnancy centers. The magazine is coming to newsstands near you.

And the final newsstand bite: It appears the lengthy and venerable run of the Harvest Time Bar and Restaurant downtown is, if not over, in serious jeopardy. It's closed, and it we understand the liquor license is no longer valid. I'll miss the western cowboy heritage mural over the bar.

Mark Derry Mark Derry is the executive editor of the Gilroy Dispatch. Reach him at (408)847-7010 oreditor@garlic.com.