The following events, individuals and organizations deserve
either a Thumbs Up or a Thumbs Down this week.
The following events, individuals and organizations deserve either a Thumbs Up or a Thumbs Down this week.
THUMBS DOWN: For the news that Hollister will miss it’s deadline to build a sewer plan by at least a year. When a sewer pond broke in 2002, spilling 15 million gallons of treated sewage, the Regional Water Quality Control Board slapped a building moratorium on the city and set a series of deadlines to get the sewer system up to par. A new sewer plant is supposed to be built by October, but this week City Manager Clint Quilter told the City Council the plant might not be built until late 2006 or early 2007. The city could face $200,000 in fines for missing the deadline, but we hope the RWQCB will be lenient because Hollister has been working seriously on the matter. The real damage, however, is to the local economy which has suffered greatly under the moratorium. Now, it appears we are looking at least another year of a building moratorium that will prevent local businesses from expanding and outside businesses from setting up new shops in Hollister.
THUMBS DOWN: For City Manager Clint Quilter, who, when asked by reporter Jessica Quandt about why the city wouldn’t meet the October deadline for building a sewer plant, said, “I really can’t comment for at least another 30 days.” The building moratorium and the damage it has done to the local business climate makes developments in this issue a matter of high and legitimate interest to the public. Citizens are entitled to know what is holding up progress on a new plant, placing the city in jeopardy of having to pay $200,000 in fines and could bog down the economy for another year at least. The City Council should get the answer at their public meeting next week.
THUMBS UP: For San Benito County’s young entrepreneurs. Frank Leal of Leal Vineyards, 33, Jennifer Roybal-Marquez, 30, owner of Seal Rock Marketing and Stephen Wyrick, 36, of Pride of San Juan, all have built extremely successful businesses from the ground up. Leal Wineries earned international recognition as one of the 20 best new wineries in the world. Roybal-Marquez’s company has carved out a niche by helping hundreds of local businesses get noticed and catering to the Hispanic market. And Wyrick’s home-grown business sells its products all over North America and the Caribbean and recently partnered with TV chef Emeril Lagasse to sell its salad mixes. It’s great to see San Benito County’s young talent succeed through passion and hard work.
THUMBS UP: For the return of sunny skies above San Benito County, which is a welcome change to the stormy weather of the last two weeks. And now that all the rain has brought out the green in the hills, it was almost worth suffering through the soggy days. Of course, we’ll always take the sun over the rain, but it is amazing how much more you appreciate the beautiful weather after the ugliness subsides.
THUMBS DOWN: For the surprising spike in robberies at gun point. Three local stores we’re held up in as many days. Though police are unsure if the robberies are related, the simple fact they happened should cause local business owners to take precautions. Buy a drop-safe, train your employees that a few dollars certainly aren’t worth their life and consider video surveillance systems. The community should also report anything suspicious to the authorities to help them catch these criminals.
