This is a Tough Place to Live for People with Disabilities
This is a Tough Place to Live for People with Disabilities
Editor,
I need to vent and this seems to be the best way. This county seems to consider the handicapped and infirm (people with strokes in wheelchairs etc.) last. The bus route is changed while people are on board. The transportation in San Benito County is so bad that, for example, I must go four large blocks on the street because in many cases along the way there are no sidewalks, in order to catch the bus.
The bus then goes to Gavilan College and to parking lot A – which is the north forty and about half a mile from the nearest restroom. Some days a person can only go to the Greyhound bus station which has a restroom, but locked on Saturday and Sunday. If you should like to go to Hollister to go shopping you can go to Fourth and San Benito and then go another mile or two by crisscrossing three driveways – because every corner is not dipped for wheelchairs, the construction of which I understand is waiting for the highway bypass.
I guess my question is why are we waiting – why are the majority of businesses in downtown Hollister inaccessible to the handicapped. Why do you have to have dialysis to get Dial a Ride – why don’t we have door-to- door services like Outreach in Santa Clara County – is someone afraid we might make money by doing that?
Why was the daily bus to Gilroy – Greyhound canceled – every time I rode it, it was full. People still work in Gilroy from San Benito County.
Even the Free Lance seems to discriminate. I have a brain injury support meeting sponsored by myself and the Valley Medical Center Brain Injury Institute twice monthly – on the second and fourth Thursdays at Dona Esther 6-8 pm. But each time the community calendar has more fun things to do this item gets dropped.
I have owned a home in San Juan for almost 26 years and I have always treasured San Benito County – but ever since I have returned to my home since my accident in 2001 I have become aware of how far behind the times we are. It’s time to stop worrying about the chickens, which have been here longer than you or I and the supervisors “Gang” and start worrying about the American with Disabilities Act.
Maggie Bilich
San Juan Bautista
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Free Lance publishes as many Community Bulletin items as space permits each day. We try to rotate items so everyone gets in.
Shame on the Free Lance for Printing Ivins’ Column
Editor,
Shame on you, editors of the Free lLance! Twice in as many times as you have run a Molly Ivins piece has she exposed you to ridicule!
First was her piece ripping the border control plan. She rips and snorts through print space mocking all that the government is trying to do, but eerily she has no suggestions as to how to address the issues! Now yesterday she is labeling events in Haditha a “massacre.” Maybe she’s chummy with the Joint Chiefs, or is clairvoyant in matters at the top of U.S. Marine command, but to date I have yet to see anything in the releases from our government about what occurred.
It is my understanding that the matter is still under investigation. So Ivins has tried and convicted and labeled our fine Marines without proof. It begs the question, why does Molly Ivins hate America? And as for you guys with editorial control, shame on you for the lazy mindset that doesn’t question whether what you print is either well thought-out or displays any balance.
Paul Lewis,
Hollister
via e-mail
