Published in the April 26 – May 9, 2017 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

We love our local wild animals and also the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center, a nationally recognized nonprofit located in South Valley. And they’re so proud of their bobcat buddies they take care of they wanted us to share the news about two orphaned young kittens who came to the center.

The little guys recently received an acquisition exam by Dr. Suzanne Colbert at Princevalle Pet Hospital in Gilroy.
Five-week-old Diego and 7-week-old Beaumont arrived at WERC Saturday, April 8, after being transported from Southern California at the request of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, volunteer Colleen Grzan told us.

The kittens are raised, trained and cared for entirely by “foster” mothers, humans who dress in full-body fur costume scented with bobcat urine and native herbs and work in complete silence to prevent any positive association with humans.

After spending at least a month in an indoor bobcat “nursery,” Diego and Beaumont will transfer to an outdoor enclosure at WERC and join older bobcat, Harry, until they are at least 6 months old, the age when wild bobcats strike out on their own.

They will each be returned to an appropriate area near where they were found.

Best of luck in your survival training, Diego and Beaumont.

• • •

Toni Julian

Local woman Beth Wyman told us she’s very proud of Toni Julian, whom she describes as her “other daughter.” The Live Oak grad, a former neighbor of Wyman’s, owns Toni’s Kitchen located on Joleen Court and is being recognized as one of the top 100 Women of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal at an awards banquet May 18.

“To be honored this way is so meaningful beyond simply receiving an award for past accomplishments,” Julian told us. “Women, of all ethnicities and diverse backgrounds, need to sit at the table equally with men, and if there’s no room at the table, create your own opportunities so you can make your mark, fulfill your life purpose and give back to the community.

• • •

We’ve sure got smart young women in our Morgan Hill Unified School District. And we hope to see many of them grow into the scientists and techies of America’s tomorrow. Competing against hundreds of students from across Santa Clara County, eighth-grader Molly Waddington from Britton Middle School and sixth-grader Natalya Sanchez from San Martin/Gwinn Environmental Science Academy took home honors from the 2017 Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship, Waddington earned a BBC Microbit development kit from TechLab Education and an Honorable Mention: Certificate of Achievement from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Intelligent Systems Award in the Physical Science and Engineering category for her project “Robo Garden.” Sanchez competed in the Biological Science and Engineering category, taking home an Honorable Mention for her project “Eggshells vs. Fertilizer.”

Overall, MHUSD was represented by 18 students in two categories, Physical Science and Engineering and Biological Science and Engineering.

“Participating in a science fair inspires curiosity and discovery, but also yields mature, self-confident, and competitive students at the end,” said MHUSD Superintendent Steve Betando of the students’ accomplishments.

• • •

At the invitation of Matthew Wendt, a lawyer at law firm Sweeney, Mason, Wilson & Bosomwort, Morgan Hill Life publisher Marty Cheek was attending an employment law seminar at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center plaza April 13. Waiting for the workshop to start, he had an egg-citing close encounter with the Easter Bunny.

Younglings with the Morgan Hill Recreation Pre-school were busy searching for plastic candy-filled eggs on the plaza grass when they met the world’s most famous giant hare — well, actually a costumed Nick Calubaquib, recreation manager for the city. The kids crowded around the funny bunny for photo ops and hugs and pats on the head.

Here’s “hopping” you and your family enjoyed an egg-cellent Easter holiday weekend.