Supervisors look to ‘vet out’ possible tax measure
Supervisors held varying views on how to proceed with a sales tax measure pushing to raise much-needed revenue in a county running annual deficits averaging $6 million in recent years.
County management still holds onto 7,300 hours in vacation time
County management and confidential employees reduced banked vacation time by 10 percent since the last update to the supervisors in December. Last spring, supervisors voted to limit vacation accrual to two times the annual accrual rate for employees.
Supes to commission impact report for ‘Empower Voters’ initiative
Study must be submitted 30 days after signature verifications
Private wells left unwatched in drought cutback
Aromas residents Andy and Mary Hsia-Coron let a two-acre pond dry, stopped washing the car and changed to watering just plants that grow things they can eat.
Updated: Officer’s ‘heroic effort’ saves collision victim’s life
A “heroic effort” by a California Highway Patrol officer who responded to a fatal accident in Morgan Hill early Sunday morning probably prevented another death in the aftermath of the collision, according to police.
About 1:45 a.m. Dec. 13, CHP officers Steven Davis and Jason Smith responded to a report of a traffic collision involving a sedan and a semi truck on U.S. 101, just north of the East Dunne Avenue exit.
When the officers arrived, they saw a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic stopped in the southbound lane, facing the wrong way and fully engulfed in flames. The burning vehicle was blocking the U.S. 101 off-ramp from East Dunne Avenue.
As Smith approached the vehicle, he saw a motionless man lying on the pavement next to the left side of the vehicle, police reported. In the front passenger seat of the Sonic, Smith saw a woman slumped over, sitting motionless inside the burning car.
Despite the heat of the flames, Smith rushed to the passenger’s side of the vehicle and attempted to open the door, which would not open, according to a CHP press release. Smith then began extracting the woman, later identified as 28-year-old Felicia Regalado of Hollister, from the vehicle through the front passenger’s side window. With the help of a citizen, Smith pulled the woman away from the vehicle to safety.
The passenger was later transported to San Jose Regional Medical Center with “major injuries,” according to police. The driver of the same vehicle, Joseph Young, 28 of Hollister, was ejected from the vehicle died as a result of injuries suffered in the collision.
“Had Officer Smith not risked his own life to extricate Regalado from the burning vehicle, she would have surely perished in the flames,” the press release states.
Officers determined that the Sonic was traveling southbound at an unknown rate of speed when it rear-ended a Freightliner semi truck traveling about 55 to 60 mph, said police, who think the driver of the Sonic was impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or the events leading up to or after the collision can contact the Hollister-Gilroy CHP Area Office at (408) 848-2324.
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Sasha is a 7-year-old cat who is sweet and loves to relax in her basket. She is a little fearful, so she would be best as an only cat in an adult only home. She has been at the San Martin Animal Shelter since February. Interested? Call (408) 686-3900. Adoptions are free through the end of August.
