This Memorial Day weekend we remember all of the servicemen who
gave their lives for the price of freedom and democracy throughout
the world. It is easy to be critical of the politics and
politicians who lead the United States into controversial
situations in foreign lands. But we should remember and thank those
who have served and sacrificed their lives and the cost of grief to
their families as we celebrate this holiday. I always wish I could
do more.
This Memorial Day weekend we remember all of the servicemen who gave their lives for the price of freedom and democracy throughout the world. It is easy to be critical of the politics and politicians who lead the United States into controversial situations in foreign lands. But we should remember and thank those who have served and sacrificed their lives and the cost of grief to their families as we celebrate this holiday. I always wish I could do more.
One way to pay our respects and celebrate as community is to attend local Veteran’s of Foreign War ceremonies this weekend at the Vets Hall and the VFW cemetery in San Juan Bautista this weekend. This holiday is the most somber reminder of the high cost of freedom that we enjoy from tyranny and terror and the United States is the leader in helping to spread democracy throughout the world.
Congratulations to the San Benito County Water District Board of Directors and General Manager John Gregg for securing a $245,000 grant from the State of California Department of Water Resources to study groundwater desalination this past week. Water is the life blood of every community including San Benito County. Most of the tap water produced in the county comes from wells, has high concentrations of salts and minerals, and is of poor quality for drinking, bathing and crop irrigation.
The data from the study will allow SBCWD staff and directors to make the best decisions possible to invest in our water infrastructure including the design, building and operation of water treatment facilities to improve water quality to municipal and industrial users in specific areas of the county.
San Benito County artists will be meeting with tourism committee members from the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce to discuss collaborating on promoting the arts and tourism for 2006. Still in the planning stages, the meeting is tentatively scheduled for late June at San Juan Oaks and may introduce representatives from the California Travel and Tourism Council, the California Assembly of Local Arts Agencies and the California Arts Council. San Benito County could benefit from promoting cultural tourism with an emphasis on local artists making our community a destination for tourists interested in our fine wines, fine arts, geographic environment, recreational activities and cultural heritage. All that and a boost to our local economy as well.
Of course, we will need the interest and support of local governments and elected representatives who will have the opportunity to improve services to their constituencies and benefit from increased tax revenue. But from my perspective, it looks like a win-win scenario all the way around. Stay tuned for more information about this interesting opportunity.
And speaking of win-win scenarios, in my opinion it is time that the Hollister Rainbow Theatre and the San Benito Stage Company sit down together and settle their differences. Having said that, I am supportive of the agendas and programs that both nonprofits offer to the community but both groups could do better than to air their differences in the press through letters to the editor. This situation is a good example of why we need to work together to promote the arts rather than continue a divisive, counter productive environment of unresolved conflict. Perhaps this conflict resolution meeting could be facilitated by local elected officials or staff. And the community would probably benefit from a better understanding of the services and opportunities that each group offers to participants and audiences. Yes, I founded the San Benito Stage Company but I take a neutral position on this issue. The bottom line is that we all need to work together to cast a positive light on the arts in our community.
Mike Smith lives in Hollister and is interested in public policy, music and the arts. He works in the water utility industry in Salinas
