Letters to the Editor

Free speech doesn’t take sides
I wish to remind Sharon Hawkins (letters, Sunday Pinnacle,
6/11/06) that I have as much right to disagree with her as she has
with me. Contrary to her thought process, it was not earned for
either of us by any person in uniform taught to kill in our
name.
What a pity that our precious youth are caught in the middle of
this horrible misuse of
”
War on Terror
”
. It is now an excuse for an assault on our constitution.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution assures our right
to speak our mind. It behooves both of us to dust off and enshrine
our constitution from the behaviors of this administration, which
in the vein of upholding the constitution ignores laws against
torture, imprisonment, and warrantless wiretapping.
In the name of decency, humanity, and civilization move those
troops out of harm’s way. When will we realize that our behavior is
that of terrorism? Let’s end this masquerade for control of
resources and restore sanity to our world.
Mary Zanger
Hollister
Free speech doesn’t take sides

I wish to remind Sharon Hawkins (letters, Sunday Pinnacle, 6/11/06) that I have as much right to disagree with her as she has with me. Contrary to her thought process, it was not earned for either of us by any person in uniform taught to kill in our name.

What a pity that our precious youth are caught in the middle of this horrible misuse of “War on Terror”. It is now an excuse for an assault on our constitution.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution assures our right to speak our mind. It behooves both of us to dust off and enshrine our constitution from the behaviors of this administration, which in the vein of upholding the constitution ignores laws against torture, imprisonment, and warrantless wiretapping.

In the name of decency, humanity, and civilization move those troops out of harm’s way. When will we realize that our behavior is that of terrorism? Let’s end this masquerade for control of resources and restore sanity to our world.

Mary Zanger

Hollister

An epitaph for burrowing owls

Regarding those enchanting burrowing owls who unknowingly have been sold out by San Benito county planners to Del Web and DMB developers, will the planners and developers take turns clubbing them to death, will they be poisoned, gassed, run over with their bulldozers? Or will the pesky unprotected owls be allowed to “run for their lives” and maybe find other housing? Will there be a wake, memorial, or funeral, maybe even a candlelight vigil held for them?

If so, I would like to be there to pay tribute to them, it’s the least us prideful Americans can do.

Don Hughes

Manteca

HSD willing to step up

The sewer rate increase by the city for the Hollister School District is justified because it is an investment in the future of the community. At first analysis I was very concerned about the dramatic dollar increase from $25,443 a year to $108,727. But I reminded myself, for any community to progress on quality of life indicators an investment in capital and human resource infrastructure is necessary.

A sewer rate increase will assist in the lifting of the moratorium in which in turn will help attract business leading to the potential increased investment in programs and services for the community.

These are times when the public and private sectors must work together in a partnership for the future of Hollister and San Benito County residents. The Hollister School District is the largest or one of the largest employers in the county. Nearly 90 percent of our 587 employees live in Hollister/San Benito County. The Hollister School District has a $2.2 million monthly payroll. We want to participate and help in resolving community issues leading to an improve quality of life for everyone.

Ronald F. Crates

Superintendent

Hollister School District

Election continues to live on

Your editorial last weekend indicated that Candice Hooper was the only candidate who ran a campaign without mudslinging or negativity.

As the spokesperson for Arthur Cantu, I would like an example of any negative ad or comments made by Mr. Cantu in the past 6 months. Our goal from the beginning of the campaign was to be positive, focus on what Mr. Cantu will do if elected, and not be sucked in by local media to slander other candidates. Mr. Cantu remained true to this goal throughout the campaign, despite being the object of slanderous, false information published in this paper.

Mr. Cantu’s plan to curb gang violence is a very valid plan. He has the connections with neighboring counties to work together to identify gang members, prosecute them and send them to jail. No plea bargaining for violent crimes. If Candice is the next D.A.,  she may benefit by taking a look at Mr. Cantu’s plans. She has her work cut out for her since Mr. Sarsfield dumped the criminal case load in her lap. I wish her luck.

On another topic, why is the Pinnacle so obsessed with having an Ethics Committee?  If media outlets would verify information, some of the mud slinging can be erased. Sometimes information will come out related to a particular candidate.  Some people don’t want to read anything bad about their favorite candidate, even if it’s factual. I say, let the candidate explain.  After all, they should be accountable.

Rebecca Jones

Hollister

On the road to understanding

This letter refers to your newspaper’s June 4 article featuring Caltrans’ Transportation Workshop, which was held on Thursday, May 25, in San Juan Bautista.

The purpose of the workshop was to inform and involve the community in transportation planning, and to achieve a better understanding of the relationship between current and future highway projects. The workshop in San Juan Bautista was one of three held to discuss this subject. The county Board of Supervisors hosted the first workshop on Feb. 28 and the City of Hollister hosted one on May 22.

Planning for the future of transportation is a long-term investment. Our newsletter, Moving On, describes how studies lead to projects (such as a highway widening) and how projects are developed. This newsletter was also distributed at the May 25 workshop. Caltrans is performing an extensive analysis of the whole network of state highways in San Benito County to help shape and confirm the county’s transportation investments over the next 20 years.

About 45 people attended the workshop in San Juan Bautista. While it’s true that the proposed Highway 156 Widening Project continues to be controversial, we believe there is a heightened understanding of the specific transportation problems and needs.

We remain committed to informing and involving your community as we work hard to solve today’s most pressing transportation problems and plan for a sustainable transportation future in San Benito County.

Richard Krumholz

Caltrans Deputy District Director Planning & Local Programs

Postal food drive a success

The National Association of letter carriers said Tuesday that they collected 70,493,150 pounds of food along postal routes in all 50 states.

Robert Gila

Hollister

Enough negativity

Now that this phase of the election is over has it struck anyone yet how much money was spent by candidates both local and statewide?  Where did it all come from?  Oh my goodness!  We have some clear winners and some that will face a runoff in November.  Has it struck anyone that the very low turnout of voters makes each vote very expensive for the candidate?  It wasn’t the majority of the registered voters who voted.

It was the few.  Does anyone care that so few voted?  Could the money spent on mailers (tons and tons of mailers) have been better spent on person-to-person contact with voters?

Why was there such apathy this time around?  Why did so many stay home? I’ve heard it said by the talking heads on TV that the negative tone of campaigning turns people off faster than anything.  Here at home there were instances of juvenile behavior that showed little respect for a person’s campaign. During the political forum sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Farm Bureau there was misplaced loud cheering for certain candidates during presentations when what was the norm that evening was a polite and earnest response for each person’s favorite at the end of each group’s presentations and not during it.  Yes, negative bumper stickers, juvenile behavior, misplaced loud cheering, negative anonymous letters sent to voters in certain districts.  All for what?  They didn’t like a certain candidate?

Leave the negativity out.  There was even the quirkiness of a candidate who wasn’t content to run in his own party but wanted to be a write in on the other party’s ballot.  Wow!  We got it all right here in San Benito County and only a very few took the time to vote.

Helen Ross

Hollister

Pombo’s really a swell guy

Your June 12 editorial about dirty politics conveniently failed to mention the attacks by the extreme left on the best California Congressman ever, Richard Pombo. The annoying yellow signs (falsely accusing “corruption”) still infect this area, as does Kate Woods (per her rah-rah column about a supposed “uphill” battle), who dislikes the Congressman. Has everyone forgot how, during the Klinton regime, the EPA tried to seize the property of a Bakersfield farmer for running over a kangaroo rat? That is proof enough that the Endangered Species Act needs to be abolished, or at least overhauled. Let’s make endangered species of unions, RINOs (like McCloskey), and Democrats.

Alan Viarengo

Gilroy

Grateful parent says ‘thanks’

The faculty of Sandreas High School did an outstanding job for the Graduates Commencement Exercises Graduating Class of 2006.

I would personally like to thank Mrs. Murray for her dedicated attention to my graduate son Richard for the last year and a half he has attended San Andreas. With Mrs. Murray’s leadership and the entire faculty’s dedication to turn these young, soon to be adults, around and on the right track is truly appreciated. Thank you all.

Norm Hasenpflug

Hollister

Thanks for watching

This message is for those of you who watch CMAP, our community channels, and occasionally have a technical problem with the signal  or sound. We sincerely appreciate it when you call and let us know when and on what channel you saw the problem. This helps us track down if the problem was a particular show, or another issue. We also appreciate it when you leave your contact information, or at least what town you live in. Again, it helps us narrow down if the problem was just in Gilroy, Hollister or San Juan Bautista. I realize that technical problems can be frustrating. Believe me, they are for us  too as we do not have the resources to staff the programming department here on the weekends. It’s pretty phenomenal that a  station with our budget can have four channels running, 24 / 7, even when no one is on site. Thank you Charter cable subscribers and CMAP members for supporting us!

Suzanne St. John-Crane

Executive Director, CMAP

Who’s a conservative?

Kate Woods is such a joke. I can barely stop laughing after reading that little gem in her post election article on the 11th Congressional District: “McClosky, a traditional conservative”….what? There are perhaps two people in the state who would consider Pete a “traditional conservative,” Kate and Ariana.

Terry McGrath

San Juan Bautista

Homeless services lacking

Hello my name is David Baraby. And I wanted to speak out! There’s a homeless problem in Hollister and it seems the city really doesn’t care! The problem has gotten bigger. I wish the city would get their act together. The food pantry tries their best but it’s really not good enough, because most of the food you have you cook. They really don’t think about us who can’t do that. And maybe if a gym helped with showers! I’ll be the first to say thanks to all of those who have helped. Most people don’t want their name mentioned but they know who they are, I hope.

All I’m saying is, I myself need more help so I could get a job and not be this way. I’m only 20 years old I have NO drug issues or drinking problems. My 21st birthday is coming in July. I still won’t drink. I guess all you could say is…I’m looking for a chance to become something instead of nothing. So if anyone cares try to help me to do something about the homeless problem.

David Baraby

Hollister