Opinion

The federal government’s plans to build a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in unincorporated Gilroy could bring a range of social, economic, legal and community impacts to South County and the broader Central Coast region with very few positive impacts. The proposed facility...

Meeting Luis Valdez recently was more than an introduction, it was a profound reminder of how powerful culture, storytelling and identity can be in shaping not only history, but also our personal understanding of who we are. In life, we all experience moments of reflection,...

I recently organized a show that was held at the Gilroy Center For the Arts, based on the fentanyl crisis and the artistic, creative expressions of grief from the families impacted by it. I cannot speak highly enough of Marianne and her staff. She welcomed...

In my last letter, I used conservative data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to argue that mountain lion populations are exceeding sustainable levels. But the issue isn’t just mathematical—it’s behavioral. If mountain lions were truly threatened by low population numbers, we would...

April is recognized as World Autism Month, and I write this as both a mother and an advocate. Like many parents, my early experiences with autism were overwhelming and, at times, isolating.  In our community, support can feel limited. Many autistic children are often defined by...

I’m overjoyed that Paul Reubens was honored in a way that showed his last life’s work to people who would be deeply impacted by it, at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival.  The movie “The Crown with a Shadow & the Search for Self” has...

As your State Senator representing the 15th Senate District in the California State Legislature, I am grateful to serve such an involved, engaged and strong neighborhood as Gilroy. For years, I have been committed to enhancing affordability, transportation and education in this neighborhood.  It is...

To my council colleagues, city staff and the public: I am very excited to be a part of the many changes coming to Gilroy this year. Legislating policy in house often doesn’t require budget allocations, and many of the best practices are already open...

Recently, I read something on social media that deeply affected me, that someone locally lost their life due to domestic violence. It honestly hit me hard. It is heartbreaking to think that behind closed doors, someone was suffering, and it ended in such a tragic...

Every year around tax time, I come home from a long shift, still in scrubs, and sit down with my pay stubs, trying to make the numbers work. Like most people, I don't have fancy accountants or complicated investments—just a paycheck that gets taxed...