Another Utility Box Mural

The utility box on the corner of San Benito and Fifth Streets now wears a fun mural honoring the biker history of Hollister. It's the third of five utility boxes that are part of a mural art project funded by the City of Hollister.

The murals are painted by local artists Joel Esqueda and Roland Resendiz. Each utility box sports a theme that represents the culture and history of Hollister and San Benito County. Click here to see two other utility box murals already completed in Downtown Hollister.

If you're interested in learning about Hollister's biker history, click here.

I'm participating in Monday Murals, hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from around the world, click here.

A Sunday Flashback: The Man-in-the-Moon Swing

Once upon a time, the playground on top of Park Hill featured a very cool swing that I knew as the Man in the Moon. As teenagers, my friends and I would go up there and take a turn on the swing. Of course, when no children were around. Round and round I went as I swung back and forth. . . .

The photo was taken in the late summer of 1973. It was the last hoopla around Hollister for my best friend and me before we left for college, after two years at Gavilan. She to San Diego and I to San Francisco.

What fond memories of once-upon-a-time come to your mind right now?

The Mural Behind the Sports Posters

The next time you sit on the patio at the Third Base Burger Bar on San Benito Street, check out the mural on the wall behind the sports posters. This beautiful mural, titled Fruited Plains, was painted seven years ago by art students at Gavilan College under the direction of Dr. Arturo Rosette. To read more about the mural, as well as see additional photos of it, please click here.

The Fruited Plains mural in Brown Alley.

More than Just a Banner

A banner announcing a big-time coming event above San Benito Street is one of the things that reminds me, again, how Hollister is a friendly, sweet, and inviting community.

The 2015 Hollister Airshow

This year the spectacular Hollister Airshow will be on Father's Day Weekend again—June 20 and 21—at the Hollister Municipal Airport.

Aerobatic pilots Vicky Benzing, Spencer Suderman, and others will take to skies and perform such amazing death-defying maneuvers as loops, rolls, spins, and upside down flying. And, Kevin Walker of Fox 3 Jet Warbirds will demonstrate the power of a former jet trainer that was used in the Romanian Air Force. Among others scheduled to perform are pilots flying P-51 Mustang fighters and other warbirds.

Performing on land before the audience will be Jason Pullen and his colleagues, some very amazing motorcycle stunt riders.

The air show will also feature a display of historic and experimental aircraft, as well as a vintage car show. This year, it will have several kid zones that include a rock climbing wall, water rollers, a parachute rocket, and more.

The air show will have a raffle of terrific prizes including ground and flight lessons, tandem skydiving, a glider ride, and radio-controlled drones. The prize drawing will be on Sunday. Organizers say you don't need to be present to win.

For more information about the 2015 Hollister Airshow, visit its website or Facebook page.