The following events, organizations and people deserve either a
Thumbs Up or a Thumbs Down this week:
THUMBS DOWN: Residential burglaries in Hollister increased 73 percent in 2006, according to crime statistics released this week by the Hollister Police Department. Local residents were understandably feeling a little uneasy about this rise in crime, which police said could be a result of increased drug use in the city. Police urge people to take make sure doors and windows are locked and also recommend getting to know neighbors and immediately reporting any suspicious activity as good ways to prevent burglaries.
THUMBS UP: San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill this week received a $330,000 state grant to help fight the local methamphetamine problem. His department will use the money to hire a new deputy, Hill said, and will target manufacturers and high-volume meth dealers. Hill also said he is sharing the grant funding with the Hollister Police Department, which will get a new officer to work in conjunction with the regional United Narcotics Enforcement Team. Such collaboration makes the grant more effective in fighting a communitywide problem.
THUMBS DOWN: More than twice as many students dropped out of San Benito High School during the 2005-2006 school year as during the previous year. According to statistics released this week by the school district, the number of dropouts rose from 26 two years ago to 61 last year. Administrators blamed the new California high school exit exam, noting that 20 students who failed to pass the test were counted as dropouts. But even without counting those students, the school’s dropout rate was still up by more than 50 percent.
THUMBS UP: City public works officials this week said work at Hollister’s new wastewater treatment plant is progressing on schedule – perhaps even a little ahead of schedule. The city is planning to start advance talks with the Regional Water Control Board, the state agency that imposed the moratorium on new sewer hookups in 2002, to facilitate lifting of the moratorium as soon as possible.
THUMBS DOWN: Gophers are making a mess of the playfields at several Hollister schools, but R.O. Hardin, Rancho San Justo, Calaveras and Margaret Maze seem to have the worst infestations. Teachers are having to cancel outdoor activities for kids because of the danger posed by gopher holes and mounds. Solving the problem isn’t easy or cheap. The school district is having to spend an extra $5,300 a year for weekly visits to the four schools by a pest control company, which is for good reason limited in the types of chemicals it can use and when it can use them at the schools.
THUMBS UP: Four Hollister churches held a joint service this week to pray for peace. Members of Hollister United Methodist Church, Sacred Heart/St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, First Presbyterian Church and Abundant Life Foursquare Church were joined by others from the community and by at least a few local elected officials.
