It wasn’t long after the Red Phone arrived this week the calls
came chiming in asking the Crimson Crusader for justice, or at
least answers to the minutia plaguing life in San Benito
County.
It wasn’t long after the Red Phone arrived this week the calls came chiming in asking the Crimson Crusader for justice, or at least answers to the minutia plaguing life in San Benito County. Yes, the 24-hour digital defender heard you. Here is what was said:
Gassed by gas retailers
Some locals seem to care more about their automobiles than the wheels of Justice. The Red Phone answered calls about gas retailer Dassel’s lawsuit accusing grocery-giant Safeway of undercutting local stations with a three-cent per gallon discount for Safeway Club Card holders. Dassel’s court documents say the grocery giant is operating their pumps at a loss with the intention of driving out smaller competition.
“Dassel’s should wipe their eyes over Safeway selling cheap gas,” a caller said. “It’s better for the consumer, and if Safeway can keep their doors open and sell the cheapest gas in town, so be it!”
Another astute reader questioned why stop at suing Safeway – why not take on the entire gas empire?
“A lot of companies offer discounts to people who use their gas cards to buy fuel on credit,” he said “Giving people a better price during rising costs should be a good thing.”
Who cares what gas costs?
The Red Phone rang while another caller questioned the nationwide outcry over rising costs and all the reports focusing on where the best deals were.
“What’s the big deal if gas costs a couple cents more at one pump than another? When I fill my 20-gallon tank, the difference of a nickel between two pumps only costs me a dollar more. So even if gas prices are climbing it really doesn’t affect my billfold too much. I spend more on a bottle of water at the convenience store than I do when gas prices bounce up and down.”
And speaking of water
Only one caller was awash with anger over rising water rates in Hollister, but the red phone expects the calls to come “pouring” in any day. The Free Lance reported this week that water rates will climb approximately 30 percent and sewer costs could double. That hits right where it hurts, our pocket books.
“I can’t believe local residents are expected to pay an incredible price increase for water you’d have to be crazy to drink. The city should use some of the rate increase to improve the water quality coming from the tap.”
A road constantly traveled
Highway 25 from Hollister to Gilroy has two callers questioning when construction will end and when it will help.
One caller wondered when the bumpy railroad tracks in front of Christopher Ranch will be smoothed out. There is a plan in the works to take care of the tracks, but it is quite a way down the road. Phase three of the Highway 25 Corridor Improvement Project includes building an overpass above the tracks. Caltrans just needs to find the funding, an estimated $224 million, by 2009 when the construction is estimated to begin.
However, that answer offers little solace to another caller who complained Highway 25 construction makes for a long journey for evening commuters. He said traffic often stalls while only one lane moves through the construction area.
“Huge lines of traffic are building up on 25 during the evening when construction crews work on improvement projects,” he said. “If they are already doing the work at night, why can’t they wait another couple of hours until the evening commute is over before starting work?”
According to Caltrans, the lane closures are included in the construction contracts contractors bid on and are decided by the Traffic Manager Coordinator based on historical data identifying peak traffic periods. It would be difficult to change the lane closure times, according to a Caltrans spokesperson, but not impossible “if enough calls came in.” The project is managed by Caltrans District 4. The phone number is 510-285-6444.
Goodbye Citizens Voice, don’t let the door hit you on the way out
Before the first Red Phone column, praise has already arrived for the new Red Phone and for the decision to bury the Citizens Voice column. Not only was the move heralded by Hollister Mayor Tony Bruscia at the City Council meeting Monday night, a Red Phone caller said, “I’m glad the Free Lance has stopped Citizens Voice and its anonymous attacks on people in the community,” he said.
Cold clocked
Red Phone learned from a caller that downtown Hollister operates on its own schedule, at least it does if you’re looking at the clock on the corner of San Benito and Fourth streets.
“Why is that stinking clock downtown always off by at least 15 minutes?” a caller asked. “When is somebody going to climb up there and fix it?”
The building is owned by the Masonic Temple, which only meets once a month. No one answered when the Red Phone called, but, fear not, the answer is out there and Red Phone is searching.
