Opinion

There are still two weeks left in 2008 before the entire year is in the history books; even so, I'm ready to announce my first, and perhaps last, story of the year award. The story of the year for 2008 was, and still is, the worldwide economic crisis. In fact, the economic crisis took first, second and third place because its ripples have touched every aspect of our public and private lives.

There are too many questions for comfort in the dismissal of Hollister Sgt. James Egan's drunken driving charge, and it amplifies a need that off-duty officers be held to a higher standard rather a lower one when breaking the law.

In prosperous times, it makes sense to reward dedicated employees. With a national recession, a continually tumultuous local economy and a deficit-ridden general fund budget, the Hollister City Council's decision to approve 4 percent raises – at an additional cost this fiscal year of $516,000 – was fiscally irresponsible and deflates the potential service boost from the Measure T sales tax.

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Welcome aboard, Madam Mayor

BY MARI DAVIS

The Hollister City Council, seated as the Hollister