$1 • Friday, November 24, 2017 • Vol. 123, No. 47 • morganhilltimes.com • Serving Morgan Hill since 1894
LOCAL SCENE Apply for grants to nonprofits Applications are open for Community Action Grants for 2017–18, funded by the American Association of University Women Morgan Hill chapter. The application deadline is Oct. 31, for grants of up to $1,000 each. These grants are awarded to local nonprofit organizations in support of projects that are in alignment with AAUW’s mission, including broadbased education programs, education programs targeted at underserved segments of the population and programs targeted at equity for women and girls. This year, grants totaling $3,000 were given to Learning and Loving Education Center for ESL class supplies; Central High School for its Chef’s Garden; San Martin Gwinn Elementary Home and School Club for its mariachi music program and Discovery Counseling Center for Bold Journey. The grants are funded through AAUW’s annual Wildflower Run. For grant criteria and information on how to apply, visit aauw. org, and click on “community” in the navigation bar on the home page.
‘Act One’
Celebrate Morgan Hill nominations The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the annual Celebrate Morgan Hill awards. The chamber will honor the winners at a dinner and awards ceremony March 3, 2018. Awardees include Woman of the Year, Man of the Year, Educator of the Year, Student of the Year, Large Business of the Year (more than 20 employees), Small Business of the Year (20 employees or less) and Nonprofit of the Year. The latter two are new categories for the 2018 awards. Send nominations by Nov. 17 to brittney@morganhill.org.
➝ Local Scene, 10
THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF MORGAN HILL, GILROY & SAN MARTIN
NOVEMBER 24, 2017
Toy
Drive A section of the Gilroy Dispatch & Morgan Hill Times
St. Joseph puts gifts under the tree
OUT & ABOUT CAL END AR EVE NTS OF
CHRISTMAS TREES P19 | ROCCA’S MARKET P20 | REALTOR VAHLYA EDREDGE P23
Inside this issue: St. Joseph’s toy drive
Scott Hinrichs
The South Valley Civic Theatre presents Act One, a classic Horatio Alger adapted for the stage by Moss Hart. The performance is a “funny, heartbreaking and suspenseful play.” Showtimes are 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30pm Sundays Nov. 17 to Dec. 9 at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse, 17000 Monterey Road. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit svct.org.
IN THE FAMILY From left, Tim Downer, Anthony Downer, Suzanne Downer and Ryan Downer. Tim, a drummer, and Suzanne, color guard, played
for the Emerald Regime in the ‘80s and later married. Their two sons, Anthony (trumpet) and Ryan (drummer), are currently on the Regime.
Regime tradition runs deep LIVE OAK HIGH BAND PLAYERS TRAVERSE GENERATIONS Scott Forstner Reporter
At her first practice with Live Oak High School’s Emerald Regime marching band in July 1983, Suzanne Passantino was introduced by a friend to an upperclassman on the drumline. That night, Suzanne, who was an aspiring
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“You work so hard to create so much precision in a show and you’re so proud of that,” described Tim of the pride he felt in being a member of the Emerald Regime (his drum section won best in state in 1984). “We worked really hard to be as good as we could be.” Suzanne, whose brother Mark and sister Raeanne also played in the Emerald Regime, graduated in 1986 and went on to earn a degree in early childhood
education. Meanwhile, Tim shifted career paths and attained his teaching credential from San Jose State University. Somewhere along the way, a romance blossomed between the two high school friends—who had continued to hang out with their Emerald Regime brethren even after graduating Live Oak, and still do to this day. They were married in 1995. ➝ Emerald Regime, 18
ANDERSON LEVELS WILL BE LIMITED EVEN MORE THAN REQUIRED Michael Moore
With the approach of winter harkening memories of devastating floods downstream from Anderson Reservoir’s northeast Morgan Hill spillway, officials have assured locals that precautions are
underway to minimize the risks that became reality earlier this year. Santa Clara Valley Water District staff visited the Morgan Hill City Council Nov. 15 to provide an update of the Anderson Dam seismic retrofit project, construction of which is scheduled to start in 2020 and continue until 2025. During that discussion, city officials also wanted to know about the district’s plans for operating
LEARN AT TOP COMPANIES WHILE EARNING YOUR DEGREE.
Anderson, the county’s largest reservoir, this coming winter. During a series of heavy storms in February 2017, Anderson Reservoir filled beyond capacity. Water gushed over the dam’s spillway into Coyote Creek, flooding thousands of people out of their homes downstream in San Jose, and resulting in about $100 million worth of damage. ➝ Anderson, 17
Robert Eliason
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leader by his senior year, graduated in 1984. “I loved it. I didn’t know how to read music, so this is how I got in,” said Suzanne pointing to her old wooden rifle that she used to twirl around in color guard. Tim went on to attend UC-Santa Barbara, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, while still remaining close to his high school bandmates and connected to the Emerald Regime as a percussion instructor.
Water district improves flood protections
Editor
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member of the band’s color guard section, logged in her diary: “I met Tim Downer and know he will be a major part of my life some day.” The two began hanging in the same circle of friends throughout their high school years, but never went out on a date or got romantically involved. “It was just a feeling I had at the time,” said Suzanne, who had two years still remaining when Tim, a snare drummer and percussion section
KEEPING DRY Water officials are operating under
the “40 percent exceedance rule” to keep levels down before rains overwhelm.
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