The following events, organizations and people deserve either a
Thumbs Up or a Thumbs Down this week:
THUMBS UP: Staff at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital went above and beyond the call of duty this week to help a U.S. Marine serving in Iraq witness the birth of his son here in Hollister. Lance Cpl. Jonathan Foss, who is stationed in Fallujah, was able to watch the delivery and communicate with his wife, Jerilyn, after hospital staffers Frankie Valent-Arballo, Mark Smith, Anthony Mojica and Dr. Antonio Meraz hooked up a webcam and text messaging system. “He couldn’t be there, but in a sense he could. I’m so grateful to Hazel Hawkins Hospital for that,” said the new mom.
THUMBS UP: Speaking of going above and beyond for the troops in Iraq, Hollister Girl Scout Troop 3406 is sending a sweet reminder of home to Camp Liberty in Baghdad. Eighty boxes of Girl Scout cookies are being shipped to Hollister resident Rosina Saldana’s daughter and son-in-law, Melissa Amsden and Lance R. Amsden, both of whom are stationed at Camp Liberty in Baghdad.
THUMBS DOWN: The state has a new summer school funding formula and the change is going to cost San Benito High School about $100,000 this year. California’s emphasis on the high school exit exam means that nearly all state summer school money will go for programs for students who have failed or are in danger of failing the exit exam. The local school district, left with a choice of either slashing its offering of other remedial courses and summertime enrichment classes or picking up all additional costs, wisely opted to fund a full-blown summer program.
THUMBS UP: The city’s new wastewater treatment plant, the long-delayed Highway 25 bypass and this summer’s Hollister Motorcycle Rally have all hit important progress milestones. Major excavation work and installation of supports for structures at the sewage treatment plant are wrapping up and construction of the $57 million plant appears on schedule to open late next year – meaning that Hollister’s building moratorium should be lifted at about the same time. The bypass project, which will move Highway 25 traffic off San Benito Street downtown, went out to bid this week. And organizers of the motorcycle rally gave the city another check to meet the March 1 deadline for $250,000 in up-front money to pay public safety costs.
THUMBS DOWN: While the Hollister Police Department struggles to recruit officers to fill four current vacancies, the bad guys are keeping plenty busy. Thefts of metal that can quickly be sold to recyclers have become a growing problem at local businesses and construction sites. And this week Hollister also recorded its third drive-by shooting in as many weeks.
