THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance
FEBRUARY 1, 2019
Hot spots to watch Super Bowl LIII
SUPER BOWL EATS
SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
San Benito hot spots for Super Bowl LIII GARDEN PROBA-LEMS P7 | DRINKS REPORT P10 | TREASURED TOUCH P13
POT VOTE DELAYED P4 | JIM WEST PARK P4 | APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS P8
HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
Friday, February 1, 2019
A New SV Media publication
sanbenito.com • Vol. 147, No. 5 • $1
Approval of new city annexation for houses hits nerve on growth NEW HOUSES REKINDLE COUNCIL’S “SMART GROWTH” DEBATE Jaqueline McCool Reporter
➝ City, 12
Robert Eliason
The Local Agency Formation Committee for San Benito County narrowly approved a request from the City of Hollister to annex 49.5 acres. The committee voted to annex the property southwest of Highway 25 and extended the annexation along North Chappell Road so there were no pockets of city land outside city limits. The annexation and “sphere of influence” change passed the commission by a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Ignacio Velazquez and Jamie De La Cruz voted against the request. Commissioners Anthony Botelho, Richard Bettencourt and Dan De Vries voted to approve. The San Benito County Local Agency Formation Committee (LAFCO) is the government agency that approves or denies annexation requests from cities. Commissioners include local politicians and community representatives. Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velasquez is the chair of the commission. Other commissioners who voted at the Jan. 10 meeting include county supervisors Jaime De La Cruz and Anthony Botelho and the committee’s public members, Richard Bettencourt
CONCENTRATION Student Haley Boaz ponders a word Jan. 23 in an early round at
the 2019 San Benito County Spelling Bee at Ladd Lane Elementary School.
Kids spell success SPELLING BEE CONTESTANTS USE COMPUTERS FOR FIRST TIME Scott Forstner Reporter
Chromebook but switch to paper if they don’t feel comfortable using the keyboard, Myers added. While it seems natural to shift the bee to the digital era, Myers said it was no easy task for her staff to work out the kinks. She credited the Hollister School District IT Department for helping to set up the new computer-based format. “The (first) challenge was turning off the spellcheck feature on each of the computers. We were able to do that, but Google also indicates a misspelled word with a ➝ Spell, 8
Robert Eliason
For the first time in its storied history, the 2019 San Benito County Spelling Bee had its more than 150 student participants type their answers using a computer keyboard into a Google electronic document rather than writing them with pencil on paper. “We are switching it up this year with the blessing from the state,” said
spelling bee organizer Colleen Myers. She said state officials “are going to watch and see how it goes for us and may implement it at their level if all goes well.” Myers, county schools’ coordinator of instructional support and a selfdescribed “technology junkie,” added that each student had the option to go digital or stick with handwritten answers to the spelling words thrown at them during the two-day preliminary rounds Jan. 23-24 at Ladd Lane Elementary School. A competitor could start on the
DEEP THOUGHT ELIZABETH Elizabeth Walters
checks her spelling at countywide contest.
Pinnacles rangers face cleanup chore LONG 35-DAY SHUTDOWN TAKES ITS TOLL AT NATIONAL PARK SITE Barry Holtzclaw Managing Editor
Park rangers returned to Pinnacles National Park this week to tackle repairs and maintenance to both
manmade and natural features along the spectacular vistas left unattended during the 35-day federal government “shutdown.” The park, located in southwest San Benito County, had weathered a couple of severe winter storms, and had remained open to hikers and campers despite the absence of rangers and the presence of vehicle barricades.
Rangers and hikers this week reported that the Balconies Cave continued to be closed to visitors due to a recent rock fall, and the area remains unstable and dangerous for visitors. Rangers reported that trees had fallen across some of the trails in the 26,600acre park. Both east and west gates were reopened Jan. 28, with vehicles
encountering some obstacles on the west side, rangers said. “With the enactment of the continuing resolution, staff at Pinnacles National Park will resume regular operations on Monday, Jan. 28,” the park reported on its Facebook page last weekend. “After 35 days of closure, time is needed to clear roadways from rockslide,
clear downed trees, open restrooms and other facilities, check fire alarm systems and ensure that the park is safe for visitors.”. On social media, park visitors this week reported a downed tree on High Peaks trail, overgrown ferns at Moses Spring and some overflowing rubbish at several locations, ➝ Pinnacles, 11