Elks donate almost $100K
The Hollister Elks Club No. 1436 recently submitted its annual charitable giving report to the National Elks headquarters, showing a grand total of $93,755 in donations for 2022, according to a press release.
“This is an impressive contribution from a club mainly known as a fraternal and social organization,” says the press from the Hollister Elks club, which has a membership of more than 400 people.
The breakdown of contributions includes $2,650 given to local youth programs; $17,330 donated for those with disabilities and/or special needs; $500 for patriotic programs; $8,500 for veteran service programs; $59,775 for community service programs (including health fairs and blood banks); $4,500 to the Elks National Foundation (supportive of various charitable needs); and $500 toward miscellaneous community needs.
Hollister Elks lodge is located adjacent to the Hollister Airport at 351 Astro Dr., and has been in local operation for just over 100 years, says the press release. Its facilities are often rented and used for functions by local organizations and families for private events.
The lodge also has an RV site with space for 12 rigs, available to Elk members from throughout the U.S. Members enjoy weekly meals at the lodge, plus occasional special meal nights throughout the year.
Construction resumes on Highway 156 projects
With drier conditions prevailing, construction is resuming on two large-scale projects along Highway 156, according to Caltrans.
Winter rains slowed construction efforts on the Highway 156 Corridor Improvement project in northern San Benito County, but crews have resumed work stabilizing the drying soil with lime treatment, Caltrans said in a press release.
Crews have also continued clearing the project area between The Alameda and San Juan Creek.
Over the next three weeks, crews will build a trestle over San Juan Creek, continue treating the soil and continue clearing and earthworks, says the press release.
During the first week of May, and with weather permitting, crews will start excavation at Union Road Hill and haul material across Union Road with flagging operations.
Contractors will install electronic and directional signs along Highway 156 to alert travelers of a possible delay at the highway’s intersection with Union Road. A flagging operation will stop vehicles on Union Road during those times when trucks and equipment need to cross, says the press release. A full traffic plan will be announced during an update next week.
The San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project will construct a four-lane expressway immediately south of the highway’s existing alignment, according to Caltrans. This 5.2-mile project will begin in San Juan Bautista at The Alameda and continue to just east of Hwy. 156 Business Route (Fourth Street) in Hollister.
Updates for the San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project can be found on the Transportation Updates page of the Council of San Benito County Governments at:
http://sanbenitocog.org/transportation-updates/. The project is expected to conclude in Summer 2025.
Also resuming construction now that the weather has turned dry and cooperative is the roundabout project at Highway 25 and 156. Crews have returned to construction at this site over the last two weeks, widening the northeast and southeast quadrants of the intersection grading inside these areas. The northeast quadrant will be graded, and a level of base rock will be laid down in the coming weeks, says a press release from Caltrans.
By mid-May, crews are expected to begin paving and striping in the northeast quadrant of the intersection in advance of a traffic shift, which will move vehicles on Highway 25 to the south as workers continue with the next phase of construction, says the press release.
Speed limits throughout the construction zone are reduced to 35 mph for the safety of construction crews and the traveling public.
This roundabout project is designed to reduce the number and severity of collisions at the intersection of State Routes 25 and 156, where the previous signalized intersection had been experiencing a pattern of broadside and rear end collisions, says the press release.
The contractor for this $10.7 million construction project is Graniterock of San Jose, CA. This project is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2023.
Mattress Initiative addresses illegal dumping
San Benito County Integrated Waste Management Regional Agency has joined the Mattress Recycling Council’s Illegally Dumped Mattress Collection Initiative to help proactively address illegal dumping in Hollister, according to a press release. MRC’s Initiative is an effort to collect data from across the state about illegal mattress dumping activity and provide communities with information to develop and evaluate local solutions to combat the issue.
Each year, MRC allocates $1 million to fund the initiative, says the press release from MRC. Participants are compensated for reporting the number and location of illegally dumped mattresses and box springs removed from the public right‐of‐way. MRC analyzes and shares local data with participants, so that they may aid their community in decision-making and resource allocation.
“MRC values working together to develop interventions and clean up neighborhoods,” said Taylor Grimes, MRC’s California Special Projects Coordinator and the Initiative’s administrator. “MRC is proud to collaborate with organizations like Hollister to create solutions and combat the toll illegal dumping is taking on communities throughout the state.”
Since the program began, MRC’s Illegally Dumped Mattress Collection Initiative has tracked the removal of more than 390,000 improperly disposed mattresses from alleys, sidewalks and other public spaces.
Highway 25 curve alignment project begins in south San Benito County
Construction on a project to perform restoration on the curve alignment along State Route 25 near Pinnacles National Park will begin on April 27, according to Caltrans. The roadwork will result in one-way reversing traffic control with flaggers in place beginning this week.
Motorists will encounter a daytime lane closure in each direction of State Route 25 over the next several months from just north of the San Benito Lateral to two miles south of State Route 146 near Pinnacles National Park, approximately 32 miles south of Hollister, according to Caltrans.
The daytime lane closures will be in effect 8am-5pm Monday through Thursday, and overnight from 6pm-6am. Construction will also take place each Friday from 8am-3pm. Night work will also take place Sundays from 7pm-midnight.
Travelers can expect delays of less than 15 minutes, Caltrans said. Commuters should allow for extra time traveling through this area.
Electronic message and directional signs will be in place to alert travelers of this work.
The contractor for this $4.3 million construction project is Teichert Construction of Salinas. The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2023, Caltrans said.
