Letters to the Editor

There are better solutions
I have to shake my head in embarrassment at the police presence
over the 4th weekend. Even though the city didn’t allow the rally I
walked downtown with my friends to look at what was happening.
Police outnumbered bikers on Saturday at about 8 to 1.
There are better solutions

I have to shake my head in embarrassment at the police presence over the 4th weekend.  Even though the city didn’t allow the rally I walked downtown with my friends to look at what was happening.  Police outnumbered bikers on Saturday at about 8 to 1.

Not only that, but they were ticketing bikers for ridiculous parking infractions and stopping club members and photographing because they were wearing their colors.  I was fortunate enough to hear about Sonny Barger being at Corbin’s for a booksigning event and went there. This was the best time I had all weekend.  All the bikers were cordial, polite and just there to get together with friends. There was food, music and even volleyball.  Now I must say Corbin knew how to treat people.

Get it together Hollister and don’t let us down on the 60th anniversary next year.  If you want to have a successful rally, why not monitor the vendors to make sure they’re not pocketing all of our cash so that the city can win and let people get together with friends from all over the country and leave saying good things about our city instead of bad.  Do you think these club members want to bring a bad name to their club?  Keep police to a normal amount and have some on call if needed. Wouldn’t that make more sense?

And P.S. Mr. Councilman, don’t try to make a dollar off people that you don’t even want in your town by selling tri-tip.

Robin Miles

Hollister

Will the tickets cover costs?

Shouldn’t the police and Highway Patrol set a good example to the community by obeying the very same laws that the people of the community get arrested for?

Example: during the bikers’ visit here the police were riding their bikes on the sidewalks yet giving out tickets right and left to anyone going on the sidewalk with a bike.

Also, riding horseback on the sidewalks – what’s with that?

Does the uniform give them the right to break the laws because they are the police? Not fair. I many times have encountered Highway Patrol and city cops as well going way over the speed limit and not chasing anyone either. The final straw was when the Highway Patrol stopped this poor woman with two small children near the Veterans Memorial Building for not having the wheels in her car turned the right way and had her car towed. That beats anything I ever saw. I do hope the police department made its quota for all the unnecessary tickets that were made to pay for all the police who were hired for no reason at all.

Barbara Bailey Valdez

Hollister

Seething with anger

After an afternoon ride on my motorbike Friday, June 30, I stopped in downtown Hollister to peruse the vendors’ booths and maybe have dinner. The time was around 8:30 p.m. (just after sunset). As I approached the corner leading to the tent a group of eight to 12 persons wearing DOJ police jumpsuits surrounded me. I began to walk around the group but they moved in front of me. I then turned to walk through and was pushed and elbowed as I passed. I entered the vendor tent until the pack of law enforcement people moved on.

I did not stay for dinner. My stomach was turned and my mind furious this was happening. At a very discreet distance I observed this group move down the street forcing people out into the road or flattened to buildings. This was law enforcement acting like a gang with weapons and clubs exposed looking for a fight. I understand the need for crowd control and the protection of the public at large but this was a gross abuse of power.

Those responsible for this fiasco should be very ashamed for authorizing and/or condoning what happened. As a Hollister resident and taxpayer I am seething with anger that I now have to pay to be assaulted in my own town by the very same people that are supposed to protect me.

Jeffrey W. Kennedy

Hollister

Disgusting display

I am thoroughly disgusted with Hollister. That is, the supervisors, council members, police department, sheriff’s department. Imagine calling in the “militia” for protection for us poor old citizens. We don’t need that.

I’ve lived here since 1927, and have never been so disgusted and humiliated, as the reception given to the visitors.

You all could have vacated town for the weekend. We could have managed I’m sure.

And you want to build a hotel? For who?

Aurelia Bozzo

Hollister

An abysmal 4th

The overabundance of police, CHP, detectives, and sheriff’s in San Benito County this weekend was ghastly and unnecessary. Never have I seen such an excessive number of law enforcement. Police were posted on every corner of Hollister and San Juan Bautista driving up and down the street in squad cars, on horseback, on motorcycles and overhead in helicopters. Who knows exactly how many undercover police could be added to the massive list.

On Friday, June 30 I ran into town to a local shop situated in the center of little San Juan. I was appalled to see five separate incidents involving some type of law enforcement within a two-block radius! I am sure the tourists couldn’t leave town fast enough (granted they made it out without a ticket or impound).

I feel that our local men and women in blue and brown are and were qualified and competent enough to handle the influx of people that made their way here for the Fourth of July weekend. So why the unwarranted amount of officers? Who is going to pay for all of this? Imagine the costs that will be involved in bringing the officers back when our locals fight their tickets. The financial cogwheels for this incident will spin beyond this county for the next two months. What an abysmal Fourth of July.

Grace Nutter

San Juan Bautista

SBHS needs better communication

I am writing in response to Patrick O’Donnell’s article regarding the ROTC program at San Benito High going “AWOL” and the general lack of explanation, communication, and accountability that exists at SBHS.

I am a SBHS parent. I have attended and worked at SBHS events, attended School Site Council meetings, an “eye opening” board meeting, and have met with administration and teachers to discuss my concerns. Students and support staff express frustration regarding lack of direction, support and communication. I talk to parents and community members. Nobody seems to know what is going on at SBHS.

Programs are being cut, lockers removed, proposed schedules changed, events lack proper supervision and leadership direction is poor. The negatives are beginning to overtake the positives. But there are positives.

Students who participate in ROTC, ASB, class office, band, and numerous clubs and activities are our leaders. These organizations improve the school experience for students. What is learned from participation with these organizations is vital for the future of the students. In a school of nearly 3,000 students, the programs and clubs provide a smaller group experience and support individual interests. Our athletic programs are supported by our school and community. We need to extend this support to all students.

Parents, students, faculty, administration, our school board, and our community will benefit from improved communication and involvement. We deserve to be informed of potential cuts in programs and services to our students so that we may be proactive. Let’s work together to increase awareness and involvement.

Kim Taylor

Hollister

Administration leaves a message

I am the parent of a NJROTC student who was looking forward to starting his second year in the program at San Benito High School. Although we still have heard nothing official from the school – we simply received an e-mail from the naval science instructor, retired Commander Dean Whetstine, delivering the bad news.

The decision was made by the school administration, with no warning, no chance for the cadets to creatively come up with a way to save the program. And conveniently, the decision was made as soon as school let out for the summer, when the principal and/or Superintendent Jean Burns-Slater could not be reached. In fact, a telephone call to my son’s school counselor rang through to a recording that said: “We are gone for the summer. Please don’t leave a message.”

These NJROTC cadets have proudly represented their school and their community, logging countless hours of community service. Is this the thanks they get?! What example is the school setting for them? That all their hard work matters not, and can be scrapped at a moment’s notice, without a single word of explanation from the people making decisions that so seriously affect them.

Our kids are sad, they are angry, and they feel abandoned by the entire system. Shame on the school administration for pulling the rug out from under them without a word and leaving them to pick up these pieces while “the powers that be” go off and enjoy their summer away from school!

Glynis Morehouse

Hollister

‘Stay the course?’

It is stirring to hear the president proclaim that the 2500+ brave troops will not have died in vain. He is much too modest to mention whose words and actions took us into Iraq. He also fails to point out that these troops have helped to guarantee a prosperous five years for Halliburton, Bechtel and oil companies.

He does make it clear that any brave troops that survive his stay the course policy will be brought home by a different president and Congress sometime after January 2009.

Frank Crosby

Morgan Hill

A ‘cot a day…

In the AARP bulletin “May you have a long life.”

The apricot advantage. Apricots have high levels of carotenoids, antixidants that help prevent heart disease and reduce “bad” cholesterol levels and protect against cancer.

Robert Gila

Hollister

Why waste money?

I am a little confused why our mayor would promote an event that continues to lose the city $200,000 to $300,000 a year. Also, a few local business people complain about having a good weekend. They seem unconcerned about the city, only themselves! I think we should look at what’s good for the city in the long term. How much better off would our city be if the money we lost could have been put towards the new sewer system, which would give us planned growth and would benefit the city as a whole, not the chosen few? Also, thanks to the council members that are dealing with rational minds.

John Lemos

Hollister