Cheers for track team; jeers for water rates
THUMBS UP: To the San Benito High School track team breaking the school’s records. On Friday last week, Amanda Boyd broke the school’s 3,000 meter record set in 1993. And, one day later, the men’s 4×100 relay team broke the 1987 school record for the event. Congratulations to the relay team of Jeff Weltz, Chuck Thompson, Jesse Rice and Chad Tungate, and Boyd for their impressive performances. Hopefully, these aren’t the last records to fall this season.
THUMBS DOWN: To the possibility of water rates doubling in San Juan Bautista. Though rates haven’t increased in the Mission City for at least five years, it’s still no excuse to double costs for San Juan residents all at once. Hopefully, as the city council reviews its rate structure, council members will also include language that puts a moderate water rate increase on the table at least every other year so San Juan residents won’t be smacked with another huge increase in their utility bills.
THUMBS UP: For the Oak Woodlands Conservation Act, which has set aside $10 million in grants to protect California’s waning oak population. Across the state, the trees are falling victim to urban encroachment, habitat destruction, age and disease. About one million acres of oak savanna and woodlands have been wiped out by residential development in California since 1945, and there is a dearth of young oaks up and down the state. While there is no organized effort in San Benito County to snag some of those funds, neighboring Santa Clara County is poised to preserve their trees. We hope to see that spirit spread to our area. San Benito County’s oak trees are ecologically important, worthy of preservation and just plain beautiful. We’re sure there must be some treehuggers out there who want ensure the oaks’ future. If so, get the information to get started at the Wildlife Conservation’s Board’s link on oak woodlands conservation at www.wcb.ca.gov.
THUMBS UP: For the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s decision to release a captured great white shark back into the wild after shattering the record for holding the magnificent creature in captivity. The shark delighted visitors to the aquarium for 198 days. The previous record for a great white in captivity was only 16 days. Wildlife biologists at the aquarium have learned a lot about the elusive sharks’ behavior over the months it was an aquarium attraction. And, releasing the shark so it can spend the rest of its life in the wild was a noble action indeed.
