The following people, organizations or events deserve either a
thumbs up or thumbs down this week:
THUMBS UP: Much is at stake for the local medical community – and, in turn, the quality of residents’ health care – in the negotiations over Blue Cross reimbursement rates for doctors here.
Doctors and the insurance company have come to more agreeable terms in recent weeks after our hometown doctors had threatened to stop providing services for patients insured by the largest for-profit health insurance provider in California. Although the negotiations aren’t over quite yet, local doctors deserve credit for standing their ground, and the company wisely realized the impact such a move would have on its business – likely ensuring we can keep the high-quality doctors we already have here in San Benito County.
THUMBS DOWN: Yet another sign of the ruthlessness, and idiocy, of the criminal element in Hollister, vandals damaged at least 16 vehicles on South Street early this week. It was unclear precisely how many vehicles were damaged in the spree because, with the city’s budget difficulties, residents were required to self-report such types of vandalism. Much of the damage was done to windows, and at least one resident reported that their windows appeared to have been shot out by a pellet gun of some sort.
It’s unfortunate for the victims who had to walk outside and see their vehicles damaged with seemingly no motive playing into the acts, because it has become obvious it could have been any of us doing the same.
THUMBS UP: Second Harvest is one of the most efficient and effective organizations fighting hunger here on the Central Coast. And organizers are preparing for another inevitably successful Harvest-Holiday Food Drive.
While many organizations and businesses are stepping up to help combat hunger by collecting food in those highly visible bins from October 15 through Dec. 24, everyone in the community can show their charitable nature by donating as much food that can be spared to the cause. Keep in mind that Second Harvest also turns every $1 donated into $9 worth of food.
THUMBS UP: Residents received a long-awaited reprieve recently with the opening of the Nash Bridge, which succumbed to nature and was washed away in 1995. The county held a grand opening ceremony for the 285-foot bridge this week, and it was an event worth celebrating.
The $5.5 million project – the federal government covered nearly 90 percent of the cost – once again allows drivers access to Riverside Road on its south side, as opposed to detouring to Union Road.
Although it took more than a decade to get a new bridge completed, such projects show our leaders understand the value of investing in our infrastructure, especially since it is, as Supervisor Anthony Botelho put it, a “primary artery” in San Benito County.
