HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
A New SV Media publication
Friday, January 19, 2018
sanbenito.com • Vol. 145, No. 3 • $1
Flu claims lives of two San Benito residents LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS ENCOURAGE PUBLIC TO GET FLU SHOTS Nick Preciado Reporter
Barry Holtzclaw
Two San Benito County residents have died due from an influenza virus, according to San Benito County Public Health Services. “We regretfully announce the deaths of two San Benito County residents associated with influenza virus infection,” Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said this week. One individual was an adult under the age of 65 and the other individual was over 65. Both had other medical conditions, possibly increasing the risk of severe complications from the flu, Newell said. Although the vaccination status for these residents was not reported, California state health officials report that “of the
GROWTH Construction at the Vista de Oro subdivision in Hollister. The residential development is expected to consist of 80,
two-bedroom multifamily rental units designated for affordable housing.
➝ Flu Deaths, 4
Housing cap passes first reading
THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
JANUARY 19, 2018
OU T & CA LE AB OU T ND EV EN AR OF TS
Heart Gold
RENTALS ARE EXEMPT IN NEW PROGRAM
of
A section of the Hollister Free Lance
Hollister’s Jim Hart awarded Man of the Year
Nicholas Preciado Reporter THEATER AUDITIONS P8 | EXOTIC GARDEN SPECIMENS P14 | GETTING OUT P16
➝ Growth, 4
said Jim Brumfield, whose 14-acre horse ranch on San Juan Highway is a short walk from the site of the planned bridge. The riverbed crossing will be funded completely with federal money from the Federal Highway Administration's Toll Credit Highway Bridge Program, with construction slated for the spring of 2017. “The key to a better transportation
TURN TO BRIDGE • A8
LOOK FOR IT ON THE WEB
An advocacy organization that re college instructors across Califo symbolically walk out of the clas what they call a significant pay d
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The latest exchange of evidence—including a 217-page binder of evidence presented at a Superior Court civil trial in November—ended a back-and-forth between police and the prosecutor that had gone on for weeks. Hollister Police Department in December opened its own criminal investigation, and received the binder of evidence—canceled checks,
bank statements and court documents—from Hooper showing withdrawals of money from the Matulich Charitable Trust by Dabo. The evidence, presented at the trial of Dabo’s civil lawsuit by the Community Foundation for San Benito County, had been delivered to Hooper by the Free Lance. The binder had been
make his pizzas. In starting the business, he is also bringing a taste of his family’s home country to his family’s hometown in Hollister. The Felice family is from the Calabria part of Italy and has deep roots in San Benito County as well. With the opening of Forno, meanwhile, Hollister will once again
San Benito County District Attorney Candice Hooper said this week she has assigned a forensic accountant to look at evidence of possible criminal wrongdoing in the handling of a charitable trust by county school board member Mitchell Dabo.
say whether she would be requesting any assistance from outside agencies in the matter of the disappearance of funds from the Matulich Charitable Trust between 2009 and 2015, when Dabo was the appointed trustee of the original $750,000 fund. Acting Hollister Chief of Police Carlos Reynoso said he passed evidence in the case on to Hooper early this month, concluding a police investigation of the matter.
TURN TO PIZZA • A8
San Juan resident: ‘Like our own
****ECRWSS**** Residential Customer
PAID
HOLLISTER CA. PERMIT #48
option for affordable housing and potentially rentals,” Councilman Jim Gillio said, who had met with staff about the possibility earlier in the day. City staff explained at the meeting that while the detached units were originally left unexempt for still being single-family housing, the smaller lots offered a new, affordable by design market. “If it is the desire of the council, it does provide a
Cake, anyone?
appointed Vice Mayor Mickie Luna said. Councilman Karson Klauer recused himself from the discussion and vote for a potential conflict of interest. He said a client might be a potential applicant for the growth management program. Council members came to a consensus on adding an exemption for detached, single-family homes on smaller lots to the program. “It gives another
The San Benito County chapter of the national nonprofit organization Birthday Cakes 4 Free started last spring and group members have been bringing cakes, cupcakes and muffins to low-income seniors and children ever since then. Since the group started in June, its members have delivered about five cakes a month to the Emmaus House, Chamberlain's Children Center and the assisted living facility Whispering Pines Inn. Now they're looking to expand to individual homes in the county. A2
Solar revisions
The company vying to build a 247-megawatt solar farm in Panoche submitted a draft supplemental environmental impact report addressing plans to examine impacts under a revised, reduced proposal. PV2 Energy filed the supplemental draft EIR on Dec. 23. The prior company overseeing the project, Solargen Energy, had an initial EIR approved by the county board in late 2010. A5
SPORTS
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“We have a forensic accountant looking at it,” she wrote in response to a Free Lance inquiry. “I need to be briefed on the status.” Because of the ongoing investigation, Hooper said she could not comment further on the case. She did not say whether her office or Hollister police had received any other complaints about Dabo, a local insurance agent and financial consultant. She also declined to
Project planned for Y Road
KATIE HELLAND •REPORTER khelland@freelancenews.com
HOLLISTER
A $16 million bridge stretching 900 feet across the San Benito River is planned to connect Y Road and San Juan Bautista. But in this rural area, the number of people it will serve is small. “It's like our own bridge to nowhere,”
STATUS OF PROBE UP TO HOOPER NOW Managing Editor
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said at Tuesday night’s meeting. “I think the growth we’ve seen locally, the numbers are in that ballpark of 150, 140. We’ve been handling it. I think it’s a mistake to take it to a higher number and that’s why I’m going to be opposing this, unfortunately, tonight.” The rest of the council felt otherwise with a final vote of 3-1, with Velazquez as the sole dissenter. “I think it’s time that we move forward,” newly
Police pass Dabo evidence to DA By Barry Holtzclaw
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Soph surge
The Hollister City Council held a first reading of a proposed growth management program Tuesday that could cap the construction of singlefamily residential homes to 244 units annually. Affordable housing, senior housing, secondary or accessory units,
A year ago, Brad Sparrer was the No. 5 player in the lineup on San Benito High’s golf team. But entering the 2015 season—practice starts on Feb. 1—the 5-foot-8, 140pound sophomore will likely be the Haybalers’ No. 1 player. Sparrer’s meteoric rise came the good old-fashioned way: hard work. B1
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE
Inside this issue: Hart is Man of the Year
special needs housing, and rentals would all be exempt from the cap. The cap was previously adjusted from 164 units up to 244 at a Dec. 11, 2017 meeting, where council members took comments from the public on the growth management plan. Mayor Ignacio Velazquez was in favor of the original cap. “I just don’t see the need to go from 164 to nearly doubling to the number we’re talking about now,” Velazquez
➝ Dabo, 10
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