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Lionel Bart took Charles Dickens’ story, “Oliver Twist,” and wrote the music, lyrics and book to this tale that combines tragedy and joy. “Oliver” premiered in the West End in London in 1960 and ran successfully on Broadway in 1963 with many tours and revivals. “Oliver’s” music can be haunting and enjoyable. An excellent movie version was released in 1968 directed by Carol Reed. In this production, tiny, 9-year-old gamin gal Tegan Leong flawlessly plays a captivating Oliver with a winning personality and generous energy.

Last week I discussed the size of CalPERS retirement pensions. The key point was that the there are large variations between employee groups. The bottom three groups retiring in FY 2010-11 – all miscellaneous employees – averaged $21,000 to $38,000 at 21 years service and age 61. The top two groups – local police/firefighters and the state Highway Patrol – averaged $84,000 to $92,000 a year at 28 years service and age 54. Between those extremes were other local agency and state public employees. Errata: The chart last week should have read “E-7 Sgt. First Class” – not “E-7 First Sergeant.”

After suffering an early-in-the-morning, early-in-the-tournament

Hollister Super is checking out healthy options for impulsive shoppers.

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital officially launched its new stroke program. The program, a contractual arrangement with the hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital and SAGE Neurology Group, offers patients suffering from stroke or other neurologic emergencies immediate 24/7 access to board certified, fellowship trained neurologists via telemedicine, using “InTouch TeleStroke” equipment in the Emergency Department provided by Good Samaritan Hospital.

Del Webb has resurfaced again in San Benito County – more than six years after its attempt to build the 4,400-home “Sun City” near the airport – but this time with plans to develop about a quarter of the units on property at San Juan Oaks Golf Club.

Caetano, town’s longest-serving mayor, passed away at age 87

The Starbucks in Hollister is hoping to get a jolt in business by moving to a new, larger location.

The three-year legal dispute between the San Benito County Water District and McAlpine Lake over water pumping rates went to court last week. And if the district succeeds in cutting off the lake’s underground supply, the recreation facility’s owner, Randall McAlpine, says it could force him to close the lake to the public.