THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF MORGAN HILL, GILROY & SAN MARTIN
A supplement to the Gilroy Dispatch & Morgan Hill Times
JULY 6, 2018
Local bookstores work to stay out of a bind
SOUTH VALLEY MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The$1 •changing Scouts ofMorgan America Friday, July 6, 2018 • face Vol. 124, No.of 27 •Boy morganhilltimes.com • Serving Hill since 1894
SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Bountiful Books Two South Valley bookstores help patrons rediscover the beauty of paper
SPOKING MY MIND P8 | MARTIN RANCH P12 | TIME TRAVEL P16
THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance
JULY 6, 2018
Girls have a new den
Salute to Equality
Children’s drownings prompt pool safety warning SPOKING MY MIND P8 | MARTIN RANCH P12 | TIME TRAVEL P16
TWO-YEAR-OLD MORGAN HILL GIRL DIED ON JUNE 23 Michael Moore Editor
➝ Drowning, 12
Robert Eliason
Since May 10, eight children in Santa Clara County have been treated for drowning, and three of these young victims have died as a result of their injuries—including a 2-yearold Morgan Hill resident. The rash of drownings prompted authorities to issue a safety advisory to parents as the peak of summer approaches. Three of the recent drowning incidents occurred on June 23, according to the county’s June 28 advisory. All three were treated at the Emergency Department of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Two of these children died as a result of drowning. One was pronounced dead shortly after being admitted to the hospital. The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office identified her as Audrey Sorrentino, age 2, of Morgan Hill.
PARADE PROS Dwight Dorsey and Aaron Gallego of Morgan Hill-based Paramit Corporation in front of their completed parade entry for the 2018 Morgan Hill Freedom Fest.
Float for freedom INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE SPECTACULAR RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN By Debra Eskinazi Magazine and Features Editor
Maureen Hunt, who along with her husband Bob has been overseeing the annual Independence Day parade for three decades, is thrilled with this year’s theme for Morgan Hill Freedom Fest.
“It’s a great theme: Happy Birthday, America,” said Hunt. Hunt said from the comments they received prior to the parade and by the entries themselves, it’s apparent that participants were in a “Happy Birthday” mood. “(they’re) making terrific floats and having great exhibits,” she said. “Everybody is in a party mood.” Hunt said the parade had about 100 participants this July 4, but there
were several with multiple vehicles per entry including the military vehicles, which according to Hunt has 16 cars as part of its entry. Several bands were also in the mood for celebrating America’s birthday. “We have four high school bands, a middle school band, two adult bands; we have a high school jazz band, the Morgan Hill Alumni drumline as well as the Sandoshin Taiko drummers.”
Katie Roslund, marketing specialist with the Morgan Hill-based Paramit Corporation, said they like to be part of Freedom Fest because they have deep roots in the community and have many employees who call Morgan Hill home. With its headquarters in Morgan Hill for the last 10 years, Roslund said the company’s CEO “has lived in Morgan Hill for a long time. He’s very active in the community.”
This year, Roslund said, 10 to 15 people helped create the float. “They have a present pulling a birthday cake, since the theme is America’s birthday.” With so many community organizations having joined in on the fun, Hunt said they were honored to celebrate the United States and its veterans, including World War II veterans Lawson Sakai and Justin Fash.
Staff failed to report complaint? Michael Moore Editor
The Morgan Hill Unified School District for several years has annually trained its faculty and staff on their responsibilities as mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse.
But officials are refusing to explain why employees failed to call police in 2014 when a student complained that Kevin Cole had touched and spoken to her inappropriately at Sobrato High School. Cole, 36, of Newark, was found guilty in June of misdemeanor annoying and molesting a child in relation to an incident in late 2017. He was on trial for three counts that he inappropriately
touched three teens backstage during a production of “The Nutcracker” at the high school, and was found not guilty of two of the charges. The crime Cole was convicted of is unrelated to the 2014 complaint that stayed within the district. Cole was a theater lighting and sound technician contractor for MHUSD at the time of his December 2017 arrest, and had been working for the district
in similar capacities since about 2013, according to authorities. The district is now going to be sued for failing to report the 2014 allegation to police, according to the attorney who represents three of Cole’s accusers. Two of these teens are also preparing to sue the dance company that produced the performance during which Cole committed the crime at Sobrato High
School, said the attorney, Lauren Cerri. Under California law, any adult who works with children at a public school district is considered a “mandated reporter” of child abuse or neglect. Whenever such an employee “reasonably suspects” a child has been a victim of child abuse or neglect, that employee is required to report their
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MHUSD FACES LAWSUIT OVER KEVIN COLE INCIDENTS