This is the first part in the Free Lance’s annual Top 10 stories
of the year for 2008. Look back Tuesday or see the print edition
for Part 2 of this year’s biggest stories in San Benito County.
The brutal economy was the No. 1 story in San Benito County and elsewhere nationally. Here, though, the turbulent times hit home hard and largely affected many local businesses and government agencies.
Longtime merchants like Fortino’s closed their doors, and short-time businesses like the Broken Wing bar closed after another rocky year of sales.
City leaders asked taxpayers to pick up some of the slack – which they had agreed to do in 2007 – and implemented the 1 percent Measure T sales tax in April to help fund Hollister services that had dwindled through the six-year sewer-connection moratorium, to help a city survive the increasingly turbulent economy and a forecast that doesn’t shine bright for a while to come.
Where it hit home hardest for most county residents, however, was in the rate of foreclosures here that skyrocketed to unheard of levels and gave San Benito the negative distinction of having the second-most properties defaulting per capita in a state ranked worst in the country. The housing market downturn not only affected countless local residents and their families, but it also rippled throughout many business sectors such as real estate and construction.
This economic swing, amplified here in San Benito County, has changed lives and the local business landscape forever. It leads this year’s list, presented in chronological order, of the top stories in 2008.
January: Water and zebra mussels
With local water supplies already lacking, state officials in January shut down the San Justo Reservoir after finding invasive zebra mussels there. They are filter feeders that destroy the food base and can severely damage piping systems.
State officials also scurried to examine other bodies of water, as San Justo is connected to the Central Valley Water System, but they found no spread elsewhere.
Already an issue in San Benito County without the mussels, sharp reductions in “blue valve” water due to the 2-inch-long Delta smelt’s problematic habitat had caused significant impacts. District representatives say the system provides water to about 400 farms here of 10 acres or more.
Farmers and ranchers in general have experienced another difficult year with drought conditions leaving agricultural and rangeland dried up most of the year. Locals have had a reprieve of sorts this month, with rain and even snow in some elevations these past couple of weeks, but they continue to face an uphill climb.
February: Courthouse site selection
It was a topsy-turvy year for local officials and other supporters of a downtown courthouse site. The state is planning to fund its $30 million-plus cost and in February announced it had chosen a local selection committee’s alternative choice on Flynn Road near the jail, while most county officials and downtown business leaders had supported using the old Fremont School.
The state, though, later opened the door for the downtown site by allowing the Hollister Redevelopment Agency to conduct seismic tests there to quell concerns about potential earthquake safety on the property. While the tests cleared use of the site and its planning looks to be moving ahead, the murky state budget situation leaves some doubt whether the project can progress anytime soon.
March: Bypass construction nears finish
After decades of talk about the project, the Council of San Benito Governments continued the brunt of its construction in 2008, a change that led to detours and delays for drivers throughout the year.
The new Highway 25 bypass, intended to draw traffic away from the downtown area and make it more pedestrian friendly, will create a six-lane road from Sunnyslope Road to East Park Street and four lanes between East Park and Bolsa Road. There eventually will be six intersections with stoplights along the 3-mile bypass.
The project hit a major delay in October, though, as COG officials discovered cracks along a significant portion of the bypass’ shoulders. Officials now are talking of a possible late February opening.
June: Rodrigues suspected of multiple rapes
The rape case of former county sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Rodrigues began in 2007 with an investigation and grand jury indictments against the 25-year veteran who lost his job last year after the probe.
In 2008, however, the biggest local court case in many years took several dramatic turns, including Rodrigues’ arrest in June and additional charges in September by prosecutors. Added to three rape accusations already pending included another rape claim and more counts alleging weapons and ammunition charges after authorities had found two handguns belonging to Rodrigues at his father’s home along with ammunition at the former deputy’s residence.
Before all that, a judge in spring unsealed the grand jury transcript, a document that included allegations from three women alleging the charges along with other testimony from four witnesses.
The case, meanwhile, is expected to progress in January before a likely trial at some point in 2009.
