Toxic waste being dumped into the ground near a well that is
used for the City of Gilroy’s drinking water is unfathomable
The following organizations and individuals deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
JEERS: For Philip Transportation and Remediation Inc., which paid a hefty $125,000 fine for dumping toxic waste into the ground in San Martin. The company attributed the dumping of arsenic-, lead- and selenium-tainted rainwater to employee error. But the county environmental health inspector discovered other violations during a routine inspection including the storing of hazardous waste past the 10-day limit, improperly labeled hazardous waste and a lack of required inspections. And here’s the kicker: The City of Gilroy has drinking water ponds across the street from the facility.
CHEERS: For the environmental group CHEER, which went to work Wednesday to save more than four dozen steelhead trout that were trapped in Little Arthur Creek. The Coastal Habitat Education and Environmental Restoration group moved the endangered species to a section of the creek in the hills northwest of Gilroy where the water won’t dry up before the rains come. Restoring the native steelhead population is a noble goal.
JEERS: For the silly dismissal of stalwart Bonfante Gardens volunteer Marie Ziegel, which has led to an extended protest and resignations by many of the park’s other volunteers. There are better ways to handle such personnel issues, especially, and obviously, when it’s a volunteer. Park management just doesn’t seem to get it. They’re so worried about the “regional draw” that they forget the way to grow a successful business is to take care of the hometown clientele first. That goes for every aspect of the operation, and since founder Michael Bonfante had to let go, it just hasn’t been that way.
CHEERS: For the significant Academic Performance Index scores gains made by almost every school in the Gilroy Unified School District. Wow! … Las Animas +25, El Roble +28, South Valley Middle School +23 … it’s a very happy parade. Some schools, like Ascension Solorsano Middle School, are much closer to the magic 800 API number, but the fact is 11 of the 13 GUSD schools posted gains. That’s truly an exciting trend.
CHEERS: For Gilroy boxer Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero who will fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Saturday night for the world featherweight title. “The Ghost” by all accounts in Sports Editor Marc David’s front-page piece Friday is a humble man who takes pride in giving back to Gilroy. That’s the kind of representative we love to have – a true community champion.
