Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Could a state wage change wipe out Gilroy’s wildfire-fighting goat herd?

Coming up on the Gilroy Patch calendar: Zucchini Car Race

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Friday August 21st Patch AM
Friday August 21st Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Greetings Gilroy! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Could a state wage change wipe out Gilroy's wildfire-fighting goat herd?
  • What do feds now claim about detainee numbers at Gilroy-area ICE site?
  • How did Gilroy's early college high school leap into California's top five?

Also on today's calendar: Zucchini Car Race and 3 more events.

Today's riddle: What is full of holes but still holds water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Clouds giving way to sun, with a high of 86 and low of 55 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Saturday: Areas of low clouds, then sun, temps: high: 89, low: 55.
  • Sunday: High thin cloudiness, with a high of 87 and low of 57 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. State bill threatens local goat grazing business (gilroydispatch.com) — A Gilroy-based goat grazing company that helps clear wildfire fuel across the region says a lapsed state wage exemption could force it to shut down and sell off its 1,000-goat herd. Green Goat Landscapers, which employs H-2A workers and returns its animals to a Gilroy ranch each season, warns that without a legislative fix, costs could skyrocket and local fire-mitigation options shrink dramatically.
   

2. Feds say Santa Clara County ICE facility will hold minimal detainees (mv-voice.com) — Federal officials now say the proposed ICE facility near Gilroy would typically hold about 10 detainees and serve mainly as a short-term processing site. The project is still on hold while a lawsuit from California and Santa Clara County moves through the courts, leaving South County residents waiting to see whether the controversial facility proceeds.
   

3. 3 Bay Area high schools make California's top 10 in U.S. News rankings (mercurynews.com) — A Gilroy-based public high school just ranked fifth in California and 37th in the nation, putting local students and educators in elite company. Dr. T.J. Owens Gilroy Early College Academy also achieved 100% AP participation and made one of the biggest year-over-year gains in U.S. News' rankings, highlighting strong college readiness and support for economically diverse students.
   

4. Palo Alto set to begin Flock audit amid growing public backlash (sanjosespotlight.com) — Palo Alto is launching an independent audit of Flock license‑plate readers as residents raise alarms about privacy, ICE access to data, and a proposed federal detention center in South County near Gilroy. The review will scrutinize data‑sharing practices, breaches, and whether crime‑fighting benefits outweigh civil‑liberties risks, while neighboring jurisdictions have already dropped the technology.
   

5. Congressman Liccardo Partners with San Mateo County to Develop First Ordinance in Region that will Deploy its Land Use Authority Over Building of ICE Detention Facilities (coastsidebuzz.com) — Federal officials are pursuing an ICE detention facility in unincorporated Santa Clara County near Gilroy, while San Mateo County supervisors move to tightly regulate or block such detention centers through new land‑use rules. The proposed ordinance would control where and how detention facilities can operate, citing environmental, infrastructure, and public‑health impacts, and is part of a broader regional response led by Rep. Sam Liccardo.
   

📸 Around Gilroy

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Gilroy

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

    Saturday August 22
  • Zucchini Car Race →
    Morgan Hill Farmers' Market, 17295 Butterfield Blvd, Morgan Hill
    11:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Gilroy Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

    Friday August 21
  • Tiny Tot Jamboree
    Morgan Hill Library 660 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
    10:30 am
  • Itty Bitty Jamboree
    Morgan Hill Library 660 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
    12:00 pm
    • Saturday August 22
  • Mary Blair Disney Art Exhibition
    Morgan Hill Library 660 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
  • Tai Chi Class for Adults
    Morgan Hill Library 660 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
    10:00 am
  • Aromas - 16-Bit Saturdays →
    Aromas Branch Library, 387 Blohm Ave D, Aromas
    10:00 am
  • Bilingual Spanish & English Family Storytime
    Morgan Hill Library 660 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
    10:30 am
  • Dungeons & Dragons Teen Club
    Morgan Hill Library 660 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
    2:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Gilroy PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I have to send a huge shout out to our City of Gilroy Water Department!
    Our landlord had warned us repeatedly about notification he was getting that we were using too much water at our rental, I found some City workers at… (Nextdoor Gurries Dr)
  • **Taken to San Martin Animal Shelter**
    Found at Rucker and New No collar or ID. Anyone recognize him? (Nextdoor New Avenue)
  • Gavilan College posted a job opening for Part Time Construction Management Instructor in Gilroy. Apply here.
  • Babki posted a job opening for Part-Time Game Tester in Gilroy. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Gilroy here.

Ok Gilroy! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A sponge (Thank you Netty W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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