The following events, organizations and people deserve either a
Thumbs Up or a Thumbs Down this week:
THUMBS UP: Just as they did at Thanksgiving, a dedicated local group is lifting holiday spirits and keeping the legacy of the late Marley Hotle alive by organizing a Christmas Day feast for the community. Years ago, Holte – who died earlier this year – and his wife decided stop buying one another Christmas gifts and start a tradition of offering the needy a sumptuous holiday meal. Over the years, the free Holte holiday dinners at Thanksgiving and Christmas evolved into a true community event open to anyone who wanting to break bread with their neighbors. We raise a cup of eggnog to the good folks who are continuing this tradition.
THUMBS DOWN: Burglars have been extra busy this month, hitting 29 Hollister homes in the first 18 days of December. That’s up from 10 residential burglaries in all of December 2005. Most break-ins have occurred during the daytime, when residents were away at work or off Christmas shopping. The thieves have taken stereo equipment, televisions, jewelry and anything else that could quickly be turned into cash. Police are urging residents to make sure all of their home’s doors and windows are locked when they leave and asking them to keep a watchful eye out for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. Sounds like good advice.
THUMBS UP: The Galivan Kennel Club donated a specially fitted body armor vest for the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office’s K-9, “Deputy Dix.” The police dog’s job – the two-year-old German shepherd is trained for narcotics detection – sometimes puts the animal in dangerous situations. Deputy Dix has been responsible for many arrests in his 15 months with the department, according to Sheriff Curtis Hill. For the dog’s handler, Deputy Matt Soto (who himself wears body armor), having a vest for his K-9 partner means peace of mind. “When I have to wear my vest,” Soto said, “I like for the dog to be protected too.”
THUMBS DOWN: California voters stayed away from the polls in November in near-record numbers. According to the secretary of state’s office, only 56.2 percent of the state’s 15.8 million registered voters bothered to do their civic duty on Nov. 7. It was the second-lowest turnout for a regularly scheduled November election going back to 1912. What’s worse, those numbers translate to only 39.3 percent of adult Californians who were eligible to vote if registered. We did a bit better locally, with 59.6 percent of registered voters (42.9 percent of eligible adults) turning out on Nov. 7.
THUMBS UP: San Benito County Youth Services usually focuses on administering grants to local nonprofits that serve children and educational needs in our community. This year, Youth Services took a more direct approach to serving kids by buying toys and other Christmas gifts for some of San Benito’s neediest youngsters. “Project Christmas Child” gathered $2,000 in donations to buy bikes, dolls, sneakers, books and more at Kmart, where employees wrapped the gifts at no charge. On Wednesday, the presents were delivered to Emmaus House and Chamberlains’ Children’s Center. Come Christmas morning, kids there will have brightly wrapped packages to open. Merry Christmas!
