Around Town … with Robert Airoldi: OFP clients in the running for ‘Purina Visible Impact Award’

The winner will receive $10,000 and OFP $25,000

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

We recently got word from Operation Freedom Paws that their client Ramon and his service dog Huey are one of five national finalists for the “Purina Visible Impact Award!” Now it comes down to the popular vote, so they are trying to spread the word.

The winner will receive $10,000 and OFP $25,000, that would fully fund a team in their program. You may remember last year their service dog team, Todd and Ivy, won the vote thanks to the community. Read Ramon and Huey’s powerful story and vote at www.dogchowveterans.com.

Operation Freedom Paws is a nonprofit organization doing life-saving work. For the veterans, first responders, non-veterans, and children they serve, the human-canine relationships built are nothing short of a lifeline. Their clients and dogs share a bond like no other, and this relationship opens the door to a better, brighter future.

For commuters heading north to Silicon Valley there’s some good news. Starting Sept. 25 a fourth train will be introduced to the Gilroy/Morgan Hill morning and evening weekday service, offering commuters greater flexibility and convenience when traveling by Caltrain.

The additional train aims to accommodate the growing demand for commuter rail services, ultimately enhancing the overall transportation experience.

In the morning, northbound trains will leave Gilroy at 5:52 a.m., 6:29 a.m., 6:50 a.m., 7:29 a.m.

In the afternoon, southbound trains will arrive at Gilroy at 5:19 p.m., 5:40 p.m., 6:17 p.m., 6:40 p.m.

For more information about the expanded Caltrain service and to stay updated on the latest developments, visit www.caltrain.com.

Photo courtesy Rosa Quiroz
Gilroy artist Nacho Moya hangs one of his paintings at the Center of Excellence in Diversity in Medical Education at Stanford University.

Nacho Moya, recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Award and the Poppy Jasper award, comes full circle as a Gav alum this fall semester for a free evening art exhibit at the Gilroy campus at 6 p.m., Oct. 13.

Gavilan College’s “El Centro,” the one-stop resource center for meeting basic student needs, hosts the “Nacho Moya Art Reception: From Retail Worker to Artist,” where more than 20 of Moya’s latest paintings will be displayed.

Attendees will be able to chat with Moya and enjoy light refreshments, while viewing the paintings and networking with community dignitaries.

This event is open to the entire community and those wishing to attend are strongly encouraged to RSVP: bit.ly/gavmoya

For more information email: [email protected].

Some sad news out of Gilroy as The Milias has closed its doors.

“We hope you have some great memories of the times we shared at the Milias,” co-owners and friends Adam Sanchez and Ann Zyburra told customers on Facebook in announcing the shutdown.

The hotel and restaurant — built in 1922 located on Monterey Highway at Sixth Street — attracted many famous customers, especially those driving south to Los Angeles. In 1934 humorist Will Rogers ate dinner at the bar and spent the night at the hotel above, and actor Clark Gable ate twice at the restaurant in 1945, according to Milias history.

Best of luck to you both in your future endeavors.

In response to a 35 percent increase year-over-year in incidences of sexual assault, domestic violence, and intimate partner violence in the community, Santa Clara Valley Healthcare is expanding access to medical forensic exams and support through an additional response location at St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy for the SAFE Program. SAFE is the Sexual Assault Forensic Exam program for adult and adolescent survivors of sexual assault. The program increases local community access to secure, confidential areas for examinations, treatments and evidence collection at SCVH hospitals.

The memorial at Christmas Hill Park for the victims of the 2019 Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting will be renovated.

The Gilroy City Council discussed the memorial at a recent meeting with plans to come back with a new design that will help it withstand the elements.

The memorial, designed by Gilroy landscape architect Karen Aitken and completed in September 2019, was intended as a temporary quiet space for Christmas Hill Park visitors to reflect on the tragedy. Councilmembers informally agreed during that time that a more permanent memorial would be constructed in the near future.

Conceptual plans will come back to the council at a future meeting giving the public a chance to weigh in on the plans.