OF MORGAN HILL
2019 BEST OF MORGAN ★ HILL ★
OF
HILL
©
★
VOTE FOR THE BEST
Details on page 17
JAMES RANCH EXPANSION OPENS P2 | MHUSD ENROLLMENT ON THE RISE? P9 | LIVE OAK SOFTBALL P15
$1 • Friday, May 10, 2019 • Vol. 126, No. 19 • morganhilltimes.com • Serving Morgan Hill since 1894
Trump tweets, feds stonewall fast train STATE GETS NO RESPONSE FOR TWO MONTHS Jaqueline McCool Reporter
The $79 billion HighSpeed Rail that promises to connect Northern and Southern California could be stalled in its tracks by a
new obstacle: the Trump administration. The Federal Rail Administration (FRA) has refused to meet with the California High-Speed Rail Authority following a series of tweets from President Donald Trump in which he threatened to pull federal funding for the project, according to a
High-Speed Rail 2019 project update report May 1. “On Feb. 19, 2019, the FRA administrator notified the Authority of the FRA’s intent to rescind the $929 million in federal FY10 grant funds,” said the update. “The FRA also indicated that it was evaluating taking back the $2.5 billion in ARRA
funds that were awarded to the Authority and which has been fully expended in compliance with federal requirements and deadlines.” The FRA did not comment on the pulled funding, but a source in the administration told this newspaper that the FRA is still reviewing the
High-Speed Rail Authority’s response to the notice of pulled funding. High-speed rail in California has been the subject of controversy for more than a decade, but as the project progresses, the High-Speed Rail Authority has continued to modify plans and attempt to appease
critics. The train would run through Santa Clara County, which already has local officials talking about massive downtown revitalization from a new High-Speed Rail station in Gilroy which would promise a 25-minute commute to Silicon Valley. ➝Speed Rail, 12
It’s Bike Week MORGAN HILL CELEBRATES CYCLING AS PRO TOUR APPROACHES Michael Moore Editor
Robert Eliason
BIKE WEEK Cyclists set out for a Community Bike Ride Sunday morning, May 5, from Bike Therapy on Depot Street. The ride traced
Morgan Hill Bike Week (or 12 days, to be exact) kicked off last week and leads up to the May 14 Amgen Tour of California Stage 3 finish near the city’s Outdoor Sports Center. Bike Week festivities so far have included the monthly Bike Party (May 3), Community Ride (May 5), Bike to School Day (May 8), Bike to Work Day (May 9) and Bike Movie Night (May 9). Coming up on May 11 is a free Kids’ Bike Rodeo, from noon to 3pm at the parking lot at East First and Depot streets. The rodeo
the route of the 2018 Amgen Tour of California Time Trial route, which started and finished in downtown Morgan Hill.
➝ Bike Week, 9
New senior living community celebrated LOMA CLARA’S UNITS NEARLY FULL Erik Chalhoub Business Editor
➝ Loma Clara, 11
Erik Chalhoub
Morgan Hill’s newest senior community threw a grand opening bash April 30, and the apartments are filling up quickly. Residents began moving into Loma Clara Senior Living, located at 16515 Butterfield Blvd., in February. San Jose-based SBI Builders broke ground on the 62,000-squarefoot project in late 2017. The two-story, Craftsmanstyle building was designed by HPI Architecture. It consists of 67 residential units, 25 of which are for residents with memory care needs, and include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
Residents have access to amenities such as a cafe bistro, library, movie theater, fitness center, and an outdoor courtyard with barbecue. Loma Clara is owned by Irvine-based Steadfast Companies, and managed by Integral Senior Living, which is headquartered in Carlsbad, where it manages 80 properties in 18 states. Monthly rates for assisted living units range from $3,995 for a studio to $6,795 for a twobedroom apartment. Tim Batton, senior executive director of Integral Senior Living, said the demand for senior living facilities is increasing as baby boomers age.
OUTDOOR AMENITIES An outdoor patio featuring a barbecue and putting
green is available to residents of Loma Clara Senior Living.