Cheers for the rodeo; jeers for the 25 bypass delay
The following people, events and organizations deserve either a Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down this week.
THUMBS UP: For the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo. From Thursday’s parade through the ropin’ and ridin’ at Bolado Park this weekend, this event is a gem that makes our area unique in the state.
With growth comes change, and often the change is a loss of the past to make way for the future. But this weekend, our agrarian roots will be embraced as they have been for 72 years. So, whether you’re new in town or have been here for generations, take time to participate in this event, which lends our county a truly unique flavor. Event information is available at
www.sanbenitocountyfair.com.
THUMBS DOWN: For the news that plans to build the Highway 25 Bypass routing traffic around downtown could be delayed for more than a year. The Council of Governments, the county’s transportation agency, is seeking new appraisals after the owners of 13 properties along the route said they were lowballed and were preparing to take their cases to court.
This setback means our downtown business owners and the city, which are desperately awaiting the bypass so they can begin to make meaningful changes on our main street, will have to wait another year. Getting the project approved is crucial to downtown business success and it’s a community safety issue.
THUMBS UP: For the Hollister City Council, which will hold a meeting Monday to formulate short- and long-term goals to create economic stability in Hollister. Hollister, in the depths of a building moratorium brought on by a sewer spill in 2002, is in desperate need of a plan to stimulate economic development. Without businesses, jobs and tax revenue, Hollister’s infrastructure will continue to crumble, people will continue to commute for hours in search of a decent wage and city services will suffer.
So, we wish the council the best in this endeavor and encourage community members to attend the meeting and give their ideas on how to improve the business climate.
The meeting is at 6pm at City Hall, 375 Fifth St.
THUMBS DOWN: For District Attorney John Sarsfield who will pursue his battle against Los Valientes Attorney Mike Pekin despite the fact that a judge threw out all the grand jury indictments against the Salinas-based lawyer. A secret criminal grand jury indicted Pekin on five felony counts including filing false documents, attempting to elicit perjury and obstructing justice. And though all were tossed out, Sarsfield plans to appeal the decision, but he won’t say on what grounds.
This is the third strike for Sarsfield’s attempts to use the justice system for his own political ends.
The others, of course, are the botched bid to keep Jaime De La Cruz off the county Board of Supervisors and the failed attempt to prosecute a woman who accidentally voted twice in the March 2005 election. Sarsfield should not waste his time or the taxpayers’ money on pursuing his political agenda.
To respond to this editorial or comment on this issue, please send or bring letters to Editor, The Hollister Free Lance, 350 Sixth St., Hollister, Calif. 95023 or e-mail to
ed****@fr***********.com
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