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THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY

NOVEMBER 2, 2018

Dog Park breaks ground in Aromas

BEST BIKING P8 BRAIN CHANGES P12 CALERRAIN P17

Wet Nose Wonder

SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Park for pooches breaks ground in Aromas A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance

MECHANIZING FARMERS P9 | ZOMBIES PROWL HOLLISTER P14 | NFL PLAYERS HELP KIDS P16

HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY

A New SV Media publication

Friday, November 2, 2018

sanbenito.com • Vol. 145, No. 44 • $1

Upgrades ahead at Hollister Airport CITY-OWNED AIRPORT GETS SET FOR NEW RUNWAYS, RESTAURANT Bryce Stoepfel Reporter

➝ Airport, 4

Scott Forstner

You can't head down to the Hollister Municipal Airport and catch a flight to Hong Kong. What you will find is a city-owned airport that's CalFire's local airbase, a home for gliders, flying lessons, helicopter rides, and a home for private aviators who fly anything from four-seater propeller-powered aircraft to classic jet fighters. The airport is also working to refit one of its buildings to lease as an onsite restaurant, which will rent for about $3,000 a month beginning in December. And it's all done without a cent of city general fund money. With the help of Airport Director Mike Chambless, the growing facility turns a yearly profit. For a local general aviation airport, the Hollister Municipal Airport is flying high. "We have amazing things happen here almost on a daily basis," Chambless said. The Hollister Municipal Airport operates from an enterprise fund, which is separate from the city’s general fund. While city sales and a portion of property taxes go into the general fund, which goes to fund police, fire, parks, and streets, the Hollister airport is funded by its users in the form of rent and an eight-cents-pergallon tax on airplane fuel.

AIRBORNE LESSON Gavilan College instructor Mike Bonillas pilots a drone Oct. 19 as three of his students observe at the Coyote Valley campus on

Bailey Road. Gavilan is now offering a six-class drone certification program to students.

Gavilan drones fly COLLEGE IS ONE OF FEW TO OFFER DRONE CERTIFICATE Scott Forstner Reporter

When 21-year-old Gavilan College student Brandon Puthoff learned about the new drone program being offered at the Coyote Valley campus north of Morgan Hill, he jumped on the opportunity right away and signed up for several classes in the six-course certificate program. “I’m hoping to make a career out of it,” said Puthoff, of Morgan Hill, who is currently enrolled in the advanced aerial photography class after completing the introductory course last semester. “The most important thing is the classes are being taught by people

who are professionals in the field.” In the same Oct. 19 class held at Gavilan’s Bailey Avenue site, 55-yearold San Jose resident Larry Gonzales was looking to parlay his previous career in software development into a new venture in the drone industry by completing the certificate program. “I’m in the process of switching careers and wanted to learn more about this industry,” said Gonzales, who holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from San Jose State University. He started with two introductory classes and is now taking advanced aerial photography and a second in drone maintenance. Next semester, Gonzales—who had been flying drones recreationally for about five years prior— plans to take two more

drone classes: Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations as well as Sensors and Payloads. “It’s been well worthwhile,” he said. “I’ve been refocusing what I wanted to do career-wise, and this was a natural segue into the industry.” Instructor Mike Bonillas teaches the Gavilan drone program classes and runs his own “drone solutions” business called Brilliant Perspective with longtime friend, fellow instructor and business partner Anthony Olson. “We started our business four years ago as a drone photography company and realized right away that the drone industry was going to take off and became a drone solutions company,” Bonillas said. The certified drone pilot and flight instructor also teaches an afterschool introductory drone

class at Live Oak High School through Gavilan’s Career Technical Education program. “The biggest thing that people can take away is that the drone is a tool and they can add it to their repertoire of something they already do,” Bonillas added. “If they are a real estate agent or an insurance agent, a sports coach or a teacher, a biologist or somebody that does geography, search and rescue—anybody who does any stuff with the environment—it can be huge.” The possibilities are endless, and Bonillas wants to help nurture that in any person who registers for his classes at Gavilan, where about 35 students are currently enrolled in any of the six classes that allow them to pilot drones above the scenic hills on the 55 acres

of community college land. Classes, which are part of Gavilan’s Aviation Technology Department, last anywhere from three to five hours and include lecture and lab.

MORE INFO To learn more about the drone program at Gavilan College, visit gavilan. edu/academic/ aviation/Drone%20 Technology.php.

“This is a drone pilot’s paradise,” said Bonillas, looking around the Coyote Valley campus. “You get the sunset off the hills. We’re in a small bubble away from all air space. It’s an opportunity for people to just come out ➝ Drones, 10

Election officers serve their communities ELECTION JOBS GIVE CITIZENS A CHANCE TO HELP VOTERS Jaqueline McCool Reporter

Ellen Emma and her husband Vincent have been election officers three or four times since they’ve moved to Hollister. On Oct. 28 they attended a training session so they

could work at the polls once again on Nov. 6. Emma said the process is just something fun to be a part of. The Sunday morning training session was filled with volunteers, some returning to work at the polls others not even old enough to vote yet and volunteering for the first time. Angela Curro, assistant clerk for the Registrar

of Voters, who helped host the session, doesn’t think it’s the $175 stipend that makes election officers come back time and again to San Benito County polling places. “There’s a lot of pride in representing the community and the election process,” said Curro. The training session felt more like an amateur improv show than a three-hour information

session that prepares volunteers to oversee the country’s democratic process. Curro and her colleagues, Michael Parsons and Linda Parker, played out possible scenarios that the volunteers may encounter at the polls. “This is so you’re comfortable with what you’re going to experience,” Curro told the group. The group engaged with Curro as she asked

them pop quiz questions throughout the time. Most often throwing out one like, “Is anything trash in an election?” “No!,” the future election officers shouted back. Despite Curro’s reminders that all paper and packaging from the polls must be saved, the election officers will be using a tablet computer ➝ Poll workers, 2


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