Dear Editor, We have only been mildly successful with the only
available cable, Charter. We have found that the customer service
has been horrible, as all errors were always blamed on us:
Pixeling, down service, Internet slowdowns, Internet down, delays
for home service etc, and poor customer phone service that was
nonresponsive to any requests. However, the ways to pay our bill
were well serviced! While customer service for problems went
through phone trees to be disconnected, the bill paying has a
plethora of options available.
Free yourselves from Charter Communications, go satellite
Dear Editor,
We have only been mildly successful with the only available cable, Charter. We have found that the customer service has been horrible, as all errors were always blamed on us: Pixeling, down service, Internet slowdowns, Internet down, delays for home service etc, and poor customer phone service that was nonresponsive to any requests. However, the ways to pay our bill were well serviced! While customer service for problems went through phone trees to be disconnected, the bill paying has a plethora of options available.
Besides the above issues, we have missed many San Francisco Giants games due to not having Comcast Sports Net Plus and there has been no response to our requests to get this channel. Now, there will be a total of four broadcast San Jose Sharks games on Versus and there is no expectation for any resolution for Comcast Sports Net California to be broadcast via Charter.
I am fully aware of being spoiled as many countries do not have the television at all, however we are held hostage by this cable company that is now in bankruptcy. Certainly the lack of service and lack of customer care is apparently taking its toll. I am positive that we have finally reached a breaking point in our home when our San Jose Sharks season will not be broadcast.
I suggest all Charter cable hostages free themselves. Direct TV/Verizon Internet, here we come.
This is San Jose Sharks territory!
Greg Morrill, Morgan Hill
Highway expansion will ruin productive and beautiful ag area
Dear Editor,
No one argues that the San Juan Valley between Hollister and San Juan Bautista is one of the area’s gems both for its beauty and productive agriculture. It is representative of many of the reasons we choose to live in a place with rural character and charm. But, also, no one argues that Highway 156, which transects the valley, needs improvement to make it safer.
That said, the six-lane road between San Juan Bautista and Union Road planned by Caltrans for Highway 156 is not the answer to safety or retaining what we most cherish. For years Caltrans has been trying to move the train down the track as fast as they can on the Highway 156 project. They framed the project as having only four alternatives, but never allowed the community to show an alternative that would make the road safer but not bigger.
Caltrans’ interest has been solely to move inter-regional traffic between Highway 5 and U.S. 101. But Caltrans has not addressed the movement of traffic, especially truck traffic, as an inter-regional problem. Most everyone agrees with the San Benito County Board of Supervisors’ unanimous policy of routing traffic between the coast and I-5 north of the Flint Hills to Highway 152. It seems bizarre that all of Caltrans’ alternatives are focused on Highway 156, and consist only of massive four to six lanes of roads, which will undermine the economy and overwhelm the quality of life.
The good news is we have a good chance to stop Caltrans, if we act now. You should care because this new highway means:
n an outrageous use of public funds to build a road that is not necessary and that will degrade the San Juan Valley and the entrance to San Benito County;
n the loss to San Benito County of $10 million dollars in future impact fees as its contribution to the total cost of the project;
n exorbitant costs to San Benito County for road maintenance because Caltrans will turn the current Highway 156 into a frontage road which will be maintained by the county;
n the loss of annual agricultural revenue of $2 million due to the taking, elevating and paving of almost 200 acres of prime farmland;
n an unsafe road design causing cars to cross traffic and merge into the fast lane similar to the crossings on U.S. 101 between Highway 156 and Salinas;
n the construction of a road to nowhere that runs only five miles to deliver travelers once again to 156’s two lanes just east of Union Road!
Caltrans has given short shrift to our concerns and run roughshod over their own process to produce an incomplete EIR. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, Save San Juan Valley, with support from the San Juan Bautista Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, has brought suit against Caltrans on the grounds that their EIR is woefully inadequate.
To assist the Save San Juan Valley effort, call Richard at 623-2133 or (831) 524-4137.
Julie Morris, San Juan Bautista
