Around Town … with Robert Airoldi: City appoints former police captain, acting fire chief to lead agencies

CineLux Theatres is bringing back the drive-in theater to Gilroy site

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By Robert Airoldi

There are two new public safety leaders in the city of Gilroy. Monday, Sept. 21, the Gilroy City Council appointed Gilroy Police Capt. Pedro Espinoza as police chief and Acting Fire Chief Jim Wyatt to Fire Chief. Espinoza is a veteran of law enforcement with more than 25 years of experience; 17 of those years with the Gilroy Police Department, according to a release from the city.

“The city of Gilroy is fortunate to have an incoming chief with this amount of experience and knowledge,” said Interim City Administrator Jimmy Forbis. “We are even more fortunate that he is already familiar with the Gilroy community and our unique challenges and advantages.”

Fire Chief Wyatt has lived in Gilroy for 34 years and comes to this position with extensive experience and strong leadership skills. He has worked in the fire service for 35 years, starting as a firefighter and paramedic. He has worked for the Gilroy Fire Department for 7 ½ years and has taught emergency medicine for 38 years to nearly 10,000 aspiring EMTs and paramedics.

Congratulations to both men.

Gilroy residents who for the past two years have waited for the city’s only movie theater to reopen while it underwent an extensive renovation are in for a surprise. CineLux Theatres is bringing back the drive-in theater.

The CineLux Pop-Up Drive-In made its debut Sept. 10 in the Gilroy theater’s parking lot, with “The Goonies” shown on a 40-foot inflatable screen. Capacity is limited to 50 vehicles. Tickets can be purchased at CineLux’s website at tinyurl.com/y5bfplfk.

The CineLux Gilroy Cafe and Lounge at 6851 Monterey St. was ready to reopen in March, with many upgrades, including luxury reclining chairs. However, the country went on lockdown to fight the global pandemic.

The seven-screen theater has seen a complete overhaul. The box office was removed to add a lounge area and expand the lobby. A bar will serve craft beers and local wine. Two of the auditoriums feature the CineLux Extreme Picture and Sound, featuring a massive wall-to-wall screen. The other five are equipped with luxury recliners.

CineLux owns and operates seven movie theaters in the Bay Area, including in Morgan Hill.

Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced the distribution of $104,388 in federal government grants in school safety funding to the Gilroy Unified School through the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

“Our students deserve schools with strong safety measures that can help prevent dangerous situations,” Panetta said. “I’m proud of these types of federal grants and Congress’ continued commitment to try to ensure that the classroom is a safe place for all of our kids.”

These funds can be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds. They can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.

A great big thank you is in order to the Gilroy Lions. Sept. 9, Gilroy Lions President, Lee Kalpin along with Secretary-Treasurer, Dean C. Raymond, presented Freedom Lions President Renee Skelton a check for $500. This donation is to help in the relief efforts for the damages from the CZU Lightning Complex fires. Currently, the Freedom Lions are assisting 47 families and these funds will be used for laundry facilities, clothing, food, and basic necessities for those displaced by the evacuations.

Each year, The Lions Club of Gilroy blesses 30 to 40 families with much needed vision health services. If you know of underserved families in need of vision services or if you would like to help the Freedom Chapter, contact Lion Dean at (408) 500-8626.

Valley Water will begin draining Anderson Reservoir starting Oct. 1 to the lowest level using the existing outlet. This is in response to an order by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission earlier this year.

Draining the reservoir is the first in a series of activities to make the dam earthquake safe. It sits right next to the Calaveras Fault, which, according to the USGS, has a 26 percent chance of rupturing in a large earthquake by 2043.

To keep the public safe during construction, Valley Water is closing many recreation areas around Anderson Dam and the reservoir behind it for several years, until the current dam is entirely replaced with a new dam. They include the Toyon Group Picnic and Parking Areas; Serpentine Trail; Dam Crest; and Woodchoppers Flat.

Fishing will be closed for the entire reservoir shoreline. The Live Oak Picnic Area will remain open to the public and can be accessed from Cochrane Road.