THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
JULY 13, 2018
A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance
Police in Pursuit transports lives through the joy of sport
Racing for Special Needs
Police in Pursuit helps Special Olympics
SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
MY FAIR LADY P8 | SARAH’S VINEYARD P12 | WEEKEND IN SONOMA P16
HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
A New SV Media publication
Friday, July 13, 2018
sanbenito.com • Vol. 145, No. 28 • $1
Election season officially begins CITY, SCHOOL SEATS ARE OPEN FOR CANDIDATES Scott Forstner Reporter
Robert Eliason
Candidates for local government and school board offices can begin filing for election—or re-election— beginning Monday, July 16, and some local school candidates have already made their decisions about their next steps. A desire to complete several school construction projects within the San Benito High School District is a major reason why both Board President Steve Delay and Trustee Juan Robledo will be seeking re-election in November. “My experience on the board has been amazing,” said Robledo, who thanked SBHS district voters for approving two bond measures “that have made it possible to make SBHS a better, nicer place for our students and future students.” While Robledo is finishing out his first fouryear term on the local high school district’s governing
UNRALLY Hollister’s 2018 Independence Rally may have been cancelled, but bikers still showed up on Saturday, July 7 to ‘unofficially’ celebrate the birth of the country.
Bikers re-visit Hollister
➝ Election, 8
Robert Eliason
HARLEY HEAVEN Hollister visitors on July 7.
The City of Hollister earlier this year rejected plans for a Fourth of July motorcycle festival, but that didn’t stop hundreds of Harley riders from descending on San Benito Street on July 7 in an informal, impromptu communal gathering of leather-clad enthusiasts. The nearly 150 ‘hogs’ and their riders filled downtown, and visited the iconic Johnnie’s bar and other local restaurants (and gas stations) in homage to a more restless visitation by bikers 71 years ago. Police reported no increase in weekend incidents.
Plans for $1 billion reservoir advance GIANT LAKE, AND DAM AT PACHECO PASS COULD EASE STRAIN FROM FUTURE DROUGHT By Barry Holtzclaw Managing Editor
The Santa Clara Valley Water District is moving forward with plans to build a new Pacheco Pass reservoir in San Benito County, which the district
describes as a “game-changer” to ease the impact of future droughts in the Bay Area. If $485 million in state funds are approved this month, supporters they could raise the rest of the $969 million project budget from federal grants and increased water rates to build the largest reservoir constructed in the Bay Area in the past 20 years. The water district board on June 26 approved a memorandum of understanding between the Santa Clara Valley Water
District, Pacheco Pass Water District and San Benito County Water District and approved an option to buy land with the Pacheco Pass Water District for the massive dam and reservoir project, which has been in the planning stages for a decade. The board last year submitted an application to the California Water Commission for funding of the project under Proposition 1, and final hearings before the commission were held in late June. The commission’s decision
on state funding is expected by the end of July. While the Prop. 1 application is being evaluated by the water commission, the water district said it may seek federal legislative authorization for construction funding from Federal Water Infrastructure Improvements. “The Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project is a modern solution to the age-old challenges of providing a sustainable water ➝ Reservoir, 14