Three Free Community Concerts

That's right! Free music concerts will be happening in Hollister over the next two weeks. Three of them. And, each concert is free. So, no complaining about there being nothing to do in our town. You can complain that you wish you had known sooner. But, not to me.

Free Concert Number One

Tonight the Marine Corps Jazz Band will be performing at the Veterans' Memorial Building on the corner of San Benito and Seventh Streets. Time: 5:30 PM. For more details, check out Mr. O's Jazz Band Facebook page.

 

 

Free Concert Number Two

The County-wide Music Festival featuring the elementary, middle, and high schools bands in San Benito County will be taking place tomorrow evening (Thursday, April 3) at 7 PM at  San Benito High School. It will be held in the Mattson Gym, which is on the corner of Monterey Street and Nash Road. Mr. O's Jazz Band will also be performing at the festival. 

Free Concert Number Three

This year, the Watsonville Community Band is performing its 66th Spring Concert Series -- The Hounds of Spring -- throughout the Central Coast. The band will be in Hollister on Sunday, April 13 at 2 PM in the Veterans' Memorial Building. The band's members come from Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Clara counties. For more about the Watsonville Community Band, head over to its web site or its Facebook page.

No More Orchards

That's it!

The last orchard on Hillcrest Road is gone. Once upon a time -- at least when I was a kid -- apricot, walnut, and other fruit orchards stood on both sides of Hillcrest, all the way up to Fairview Road. I'm glad I got to experience it.

The Trees on Monterey Street

Dear Take 25 to Hollister Readers,

I bet you  didn't know we have sleepy octopussy trees hanging out in our sweet town.

:-)

Have a wonderful day!

Su-sieee! Mac

It's Ours Now!

Yesterday, San Benito Street in downtown Hollister was closed for the first time without jumping through hoops with Caltrans. All because the street now belongs to the City of Hollister. Whoo-hooo!

A very big Thank You to Steve Rosati and Gordon Machado for their dedication and persistence to jump through many, many hoops over the last 30 years to get our main street to be truly ours.

And, yes, after the speeches and ribbon cutting, there was dancing in the street. It also rained while we were dancing.  Double whooo-hooo!

Main Street, Not a Highway

Many years from now, the future old fogeys of Hollister will tell the young'uns how Highway 25 ran through downtown Hollister. "It used to be," they would say, "You merged from Bolsa Road onto San Felipe Road near Tiffany Motors. San Felipe Road turned into San Benito Street at Santa Ana Road, and you drove it all the way through town. You turned left by the high school and when you reached Safeway, you turned right to connect with Airline Highway."

Yup.

Until a few weeks ago, Highway 25 officially ran through downtown Hollister. The bypass was constructed with the intent that the ownership of the downtown section of the highway would be transferred to the City of Hollister when the bypass was completed.  It took a while for it to happen, but finally on March 7, 2014, the deed was done. Now, instead of a sign saying Highway 25 leading drivers through downtown Hollister, we'll be seeing signs (if they aren't up already), directing drivers to the highway.

So, what does this all mean? Hopefully wonderful things for us, citizens and businesses, of Hollister and San Benito County. Several years ago, the Hollister Downtown Strategy Plan was created to envision the possibilities for downtown Hollister. Be truly cool, if some, if not all, could become a reality. You can read the plan at this page at the Hollister Downtown Association web site.

By the way, this afternoon, the Hollister Downtown Association will be hosting a Downtown Street Transfer Party, from 2 to 5 PM, in the Veterans' Memorial Building Plaza. There will be dancing in the street. Rain or shine!