ANNIE JR. P8 | PASSPORT IN REVIEW P16
THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
MAY 18, 2018
UT & ABO R OF NDA CALE TS EVEN
OUT
A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance
Natural attactions impress at Pinnacles National Monument
Formed Earth
Pining for Pinnacles SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
BOOK SIGNING P6 | WINNING ROSÉS P10
THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
MAY 18, 2018
UT & ABO R OF NDA CALE TS EVEN
OUT
A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance
Homes and gardens of Aromas and Gilroy
Mother’s Day Tours
San Benito Magazine INSIDE THIS ISSUE
THIS WEEK: Poppy Jasper screens Luis Valdez’s ‘Ceasar’s Last Fast’
ANNIE JR. P8 | PASSPORT IN REVIEW P16
HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
A New SV Media publication
Friday, May 18, 2018
sanbenito.com • Vol. 145, No. 20 • $1
Gavilan weighs a bond to build campus BOARD MEETS MAY 21 IN GILROY ON NOVEMBER BOND VOTE Scott Forstner Reporter
Robert Eliason
An 80-acre piece of land referred to as Fairview Corners on Fairview Road near the Ridgemark Golf Club and Resort in Hollister has sat vacant for more than 10 years since being purchased by Gavilan College. While the goal of building a San Benito County campus on that parcel remains a high priority for the Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees, the fate of the site depends on more money, possibly from a new bond measure being discussed for the Nov.6 ballot. The parcel was bought with $8 million from a 2004 bond referendum “It’s fair to say that for every board member,
RIDING HIGH Hollister police chief and vice president of local high school rodeo district, David Westrick steadies Barbara on a mock bull,
with student Tucker Burdett (right) along with others learning rodeo skills.
Ranch meets needs EL CAMINO CLUB HOSTS ITS FOURTH SPECIAL NEEDS RODEO EVENT
➝ Gavilan, 8
May 12 to experience a Day out on the Ranch. The fourth annual event was hosted by the El Camino Club—a local nonprofit comprising members of the Gilroy-Hollister California Highway Patrol (CHP). “It’s just about providing a fun day for adults and children with special needs who reside in the local community from south Santa Clara County and San Benito,” said El Camino Club
Debra Eskinazi
Magazine and Features Editor Robert Eliason
SADDLE UP Elijah prepares to mount a horse with the help of mom Monica Soldana at Thorson’s Arena in San Martin.
More than 200 specialneeds adults and children donned cowboy hats and ventured to Thorson’s Arena in San Martin Saturday,
president Chris Miceli. “It’s about live music, a petting zoo—giving those folks an outlet and an opportunity to experience something they don’t normally get to experience.” The El Camino Club, which sells fireworks in Gilroy each year to raise money for the community, will be holding a chili cook off and car show Saturday, June 2 to benefit Operation Freedom Paws.
2,550 more housing units are rising CITY RESIDENTS WORRY ABOUT TRAFFIC AND MORE GROWTH Bryce Stoepfel Reporter
How much growth do people in San Benito County want? Based on the crowd at a public meeting early this month,
the answer is, “None, nothing.” But housing developments that already have been approved or are pending would continue the steady pace of housing and population growth in and around Hollister. The May 1 meeting at The Vault restaurant was convened by Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez and San Benito
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County Supervisor Mark Medina on the heels of a cross-county argument between the officials over the growth in Hollister and San Benito County. The heat from the mostly anti-growth audience was at times red hot. “We don’t want people to start pointing fingers at each other; we want to come up with solutions,” Velazquez said. “But with
good planning, and working together, we can come up with good solutions.” As much as residents may not want to see any new homes built in Hollister and San Benito County, 2,550 units of housing already have been approved and are “shovel ready.” “These are shovel-ready projects, meaning, they're ready to go,” Medina said.
The shovel-ready projects, which have already been approved, surround Hollister on county land: • San Juan Oaks, near Highway 156 and Union Road will build 1,074 age-restricted units. • Brigantino/Sunny Side, south of Union and Enterprise Roads, will build 200 single-family homes. ➝ Growth, 11
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