Letters

Happy Earth Day. Way back in Jurassic times, we dinosaurs wrote here—about respected, got-no-dog-in-this-fight scientists’ findings that high-pressure disturbance of Mother Earth’s crust triggers earthquakes —“And this is California. Who needs more fracking quakes here?” That Southern California oil company just dropped its billion-dollar lawsuit against the good citizens of San Benito County for passing Measure J. A judge had already stopped their drilling.

He sat in the bookstore, reading. His long hair, beard, lanky

Spring is coming. The weeds in my back yard are growing where the grass died last summer. The sodded area next to The Vault is growing very well. The numbers of decorated utility boxes and murals are growing. New houses are growing all around Hollister. Even the potholes on Fourth Street between San Benito and Monterey streets are growing.

I read Marvin Jones guest opinion article with great interest regarding the anti-fracking ballot box initiative proposed by San Benito Rising. Marvin and I do not agree on partisan politics, but on this issue I stand with him and affirm his position. San Benito Rising is a wolf in sheep's clothing supposing to appeal to environmental sentiments when in reality, the group is proposing another land-use initiative similar to the failed 2004 Measure G Growth control measure, adopted by the San Benito County Board of Supervisors at the time, that was ultimately defeated by voter referendum.

The rural community has borne the brunt of California’s economic downturn, including high unemployment rates and a lingering recession. Now is not the time for the California Air Resources Board to increase the cost of gas and diesel by 16-76 cents per gallon as a part of cap-and-trade regulations. While the goal of improving California’s environment is important, targeting consumers by increasing fuel prices is the harshest, most vindictive way to do so.

I was aghast to read that Hazel Hawkins CEO Ken Underwood is

In the interest of public commentary, it is worth noting that a dozen parents at a microphone does not a jury make. The teacher in question for a single slap to a child’s arm while not causing injury was labelled incapable , bully and mean and has been replaced by a substitute as per Superintendent Ruben Zepeda. Other parents expressed concern over the quality of their children’s education, and I believe they should be. Last spring I arrived at my granddaughter’s open house to find her classroom locked up. I ducked into the classroom next door and listened. There were appeals for supply donations, and a shocker, parents were told they needed to teach grammar to their children. The main topic of discussion was problem children who regularly disrupt class.

Come on Congress, insist that the president and the justice department release two documents on torture.