Published in the August 2 – August 15, 2017 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

A group of first- and second-grade students from Morgan Hill’s public school system got the chance to shake the hand of Mayor Steve Tate. The young people are in the YMCA’s 2017 Summer Learning Program. They arrived at City Hall recently to meet the mayor and go on a tour with him to see the behind-the-scene workings of the various departments and learn how city government operations.

The children discovered the various roles and responsibilities of the community leaders in Morgan Hill. Mayor Tate explained to students what it is to be a leader of the community, how leaders impact our society, and the need for team work to achieve our community goals.

Perhaps a boy or girl among them might have been inspired by the experience to run for local office in the future — maybe even mayor.

Robert Guerrero

We learned with a bit of bittersweet emotions that legendary Gilroy boxer Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero retired from the ring two days after suffering the first knockout loss of his career.

“I want to thank everyone, the fans included. I hope you guys appreciated the guts and glory I left in the ring. God bless you all,” Guerrero said in a statement.

In the early 2000s I worked at the Gilroy Dispatch and it was my job and pleasure to edit and read the stories of Robert as he progressed his way through the boxing ranks. He competed from 2001 to 2017 and is a three-time world champion in two weight classes. More importantly, it was the way he stood by his wife Casey’s side as she battled cancer that impressed me. First diagnosed in 2007, she received a bone marrow transplant in 2010 that saved her life. During her fight, Guerrero surrendered his world title and what would have been the biggest bout of his career to be by his wife’s side and take care of their two children.

“First, I want to thank God for allowing me to have a wonderful career. I’m a kid from a small town in Gilroy, California, who made it to the mountain top of the boxing world. When I was a young kid growing up, I always believed in myself, but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined a small-town kid like myself, would be fighting in front of millions of fans.”
Robert, it was a joy watching you. With your passion and dedication, I have no doubt you will be successful in whatever endeavor you choose going forward. Best to you and your family.

Mission Bell Manufacturing, the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year for 2017, held a contest for the Central Coast region’s high-school woodshop students. Three students won the Excellence in Craftsmanship Award.
Winning projects were selected based on complexity, elegance of design, functionality, excellence in craftsmanship and overall beauty, said Mission Bell’s human resource director Bev Stenehjem.

First place and $1,000 prize money went to Soquel High School student Keefe McFeely for his “Chest of Drawers.” Second place and $500 was awarded to Live Oak High School student Christian Agaton for a “Cooler on a stand.” And Soquel High School student Kevin Dysle received $250 as the third place prize for his “Coffee Table.”

Good job in showing off your creativity.