Published in the May 11-25, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
SV Leadership Group aims to put sales tax measure on ballot
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group is looking to put a half-cent sales tax on the November ballot that will raise more than $6 billion to improve roads, trains, bike and pedestrian paths.
For more than three years, the group, which represents nearly 400 companies in Silicon Valley, has been working on a transportation plan they say will help relieve traffic, fix local streets and roads and increases transit options for county commuters.
Including big projects like the completion of the BART extension to San Jose, the proposal also includes up to $135 million in upgrades to the Santa Teresa and Hale corridor through Morgan Hill’s westside, and improvements to U.S. 101 and the 101-Highway 25 interchange in Gilroy. The proposal also earmarks $1.2 billion for street maintenance and pothole repair across the 16 county jurisdictions. Morgan Hill’s allocation of that total is nearly $24 million.
Gavilan College announces finalists for president’s job
The community is invited to meet the three finalists to replace retiring Dr. Steve Kinsella. A screening committee recommended the three. They are Interim President of Oxnard College, Dr. James Limbaugh; Gavilan College Executive Vice President and Chief Instructional Officer, Dr. Kathleen Rose; and Cuyamaca College Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Wei Zhou.
The public forums have been scheduled for Monday May 16 at Gavilan College, North South Lounge, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd., Gilroy.
Each candidate will have 45 minutes to meet with the campus community and members of the public. Questions are being gathered ahead of the forum from each constituency’s representative on the President’s Council. The search consultant will ask each candidate to address significant topics based upon the input submitted.
Dr. James Limbaugh is scheduled for 1 p.m., Dr. Kathleen Rose at 2 p.m. And Dr. Wei Zhou at 3 p.m.
SVCT asks businesses for help to make ‘Mary Poppins’ fly
Photo by Elizabeth Mandel
Heidi Oliphant, as “Mary Poppins,” performed a song at the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast May 5.
South Valley Civic Theatre will present a special “Mary Poppins” musical based on the Disney classic at the downtown Community Playhouse stage June 3 to 25.
The family-friendly show will be brought to life with flying gear and sophisticated rear-projection technology. SVCT is reaching out to the local business community to ask for help in defraying the $8,000 in extra costs in bringing this magical show to Morgan Hill.
“Promoting your business through SVCT gives you visibility to our patrons,” said Elizabeth Mandel who is in charge of SVCT’s marketing. “It also tells the community that you and your business support the theater arts in Morgan Hill.”
A variety of sponsorship packages are available. Go to www.svct.org/2016_poppins for additional details. In order to be featured on SVCT’s print materials, contact [email protected] as soon as possible to discuss your potential support.
Indie Market returns for second year in downtown
The popular Indie Market is back for its second year and this season it is all crafters and artists, said Morgan Hill Downtown Association board member Nancy Reynolds, co-owner of The Candy Parlour. Enjoy this free-spirit market on the fourth Sunday of every month from 1 to 5 p.m. April through August on the sidewalks in the downtown corridor of Morgan Hill from First to Third streets.
“This community-centric market place promotes, engages and empowers crafters, artists and artisans with home-based businesses to grow in Morgan Hill’s downtown,” she said. “Indie Market also provides residents and visitors an additional reason to hang out downtown during all of this development.”
As downtown evolves with a new parking garage and new businesses, the MHDA is doing its part to consistently offer the same popular events as in prior years, she said.
“The Indie Market was fun last year and it will be even better this year,” she said. “Come out and meet talented people and pick up some unique handmade items for yourself and/or gifts for the special people in your life.”
Study shows wildlife habitat becoming fragmented
Wildlife habitat in the Santa Clara County region is becoming fragmented due to construction of roads, housing and other types of buildings and this is putting wildlife such as mountain lion, bobcat, badger and coyote at risk of becoming geographically isolated and eventually dying out, according to a report released May 4.
The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have released the Coyote Valley Linkage Assessment Study that documents the wildlife species moving across the Coyote Valley floor between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. Located between the rapidly growing cities of San Jose and Morgan Hill, the floor of Coyote Valley is one of only two remaining land linkages in the South Bay connecting these mountain ranges and allowing for wildlife passage.
“These wildlife species depend on large landscapes to maintain healthy populations. The findings of the study confirm the importance of Coyote Valley to wildlife movement and inform actions that must be taken to prevent local extinction of these species and ensure their viability,” said Galli Basson, resource management specialist at the Open Space Authority.
The study’s findings also showed the presence of juvenile deer, coyote and bobcat traveling with their parents. This finding highlights the significance of Coyote Valley as critical habitat in that it provides food and water resources, breeding and birthing habitat and also allows the young offspring to establish their own ranges.
– By Staff Reports
