THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
FEBRUARY 15, 2019
A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance
Mansmith’s BBQ has a new storefront
SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
DIVINE PAIRING Mansmith’s BBQ and Aroma Cellars are better together
COYOTE CREEK P10 | THEATER THRILLS P12
SPELLING BEE CHAMPS P4 | UC TOURS SBHS P8 | CITY FUNDS ROADWORK P12
HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
A New SV Media publication
Friday, February 15, 2019
sanbenito.com • Vol. 147, No. 7 • $1
Local MD arrested in Chico sexual assault HOLLISTER SPECIALIST ANNAMALAI ASHOKAN IS SUSPECTED OF ASSAULTING CHICO PATIENT Michael Moore Reporter
➝ Arrested, 2
Robert Eliason
An anesthesiologist with staff privileges at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital who was arrested in Chico last week on suspicion of sexual assault is free on bail, according to authorities. He retains his hospital privileges, according to Hazel Hawkins. Dr. Annamalai Ashokan was arrested Jan. 30 after a “lengthy investigation” at his Chico office on Jan Court, reads a press release from the Chico Police Department. He was arrested after a female patient told police that the doctor sexually assaulted her during a medical procedure in Chico. Ashokan was released from jail on $25,000 bail shortly after his arrest, and is scheduled for an arraignment hearing in early March, according to Butte County Deputy District Attorney Matt Taylor. Although Ashokan has not yet been charged, Taylor expects the DA’s office will charge him with
A NEW PAIRING David Adammo, right, has joined forces with Mike Mansmith, left, in new food venture.
New Aroma in town DAVID ADAMMO TO JOIN WITH MANSMITH BBQ IN NEW VENTURE Jenny Arbizu
When Hollister business owner and winemaker David Adammo found himself debating the fate of his year-old business, Aroma Wine Cellars, he saw only two options. “Either I’d have to
close it down or I’d have to get creative and do something different,” he says. So the Hollister native chose the latter. Not only did Adammo bring live entertainment to the establishment at 650 San Benito St., but he realized he needed a new restaurant. And he needed to erase the Aroma Wine Cellars name from it. “There’s just not enough people involved in wine in our county right now to support it,” Adammo says. He also concluded that the
restaurant’s Italian theme needed to be changed. “The thing that I already know is that we are definitely in a barbecue town, and nobody gets tired of eating barbecue food,” Adammo said in an interview. So he sought assistance from fellow Hollister native Mike Mansmith and his Mansmith’s BBQ. “We’ve joined forces to where this is now officially the first Mansmith’s BBQ restaurant,” Adammo says. Although the wine bar will be cut back, it won’t
be going anywhere. And Adammo also has plans to release a San Benito County wine under the John Blackburn label. Current Aroma Wine Cellars club members will maintain their membership, but will transition to the upcoming Blackburn label. Mansmith says Adammo will take over the business portion, adding that he will be in charge of the food at the newly named establishment. Mansmith’s BBQ will still be available at its usual
Friday take-out location at 2410 Airline Highway and at the Hollister Farmer’s Market. “But this gives people another option to not have to take it to go,” said Mansmith. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Mansmith’s BBQ is planned by the Chamber of Commerce and Hollister Downtown Association on Feb. 28 at 4pm at 650 San Benito St. Free wine tastings and appetizers will be offered to customers following the ceremony.
Supervisors OK cannabis fees HERNANDEZ IS IN OPPOSITION Jaqueline McCool Reporter
will receive a reimbursement for the phases that haven’t been completed. If, for example, the owner of a potential cannabis business doesn’t pass the necessary background checks, the business will have to pay for that portion of the process, but the remainder of the $10,650 will be repaid. District 3 Supervisor Peter Hernandez cast the only vote against the cannabis fee proposal. Supervisors Mark Medina, ➝ Cannabis, 12
File photo
San Benito County has taken another step in establishing a cannabis industry in unincorporated portions of the county. A Feb. 5 vote by county supervisors established the fees that commercial cannabis producers will pay when trying to open their doors. The fees total $10,650 and are meant to cover the cost to complete each
phase of the application, with four phases in all. Developing the fee schedule had been a drawn-out process, with staff taking direction from the former supervisors on how to proceed. Fees are not meant to contribute revenue to the county, but rather cover costs of whatever service is being provided, like the cost to conduct background checks or zoning verifications. If a business withdraws its application at any time during the process, it
CANNABIS FEES The cost of opening a cannabis business just went up.