Everyone talks about saving agriculture, but the truth is that
talk is cheap and the words often are not aligned with actions
The following organizations and individuals deserve either cheers or JEERS this week:
JEERS: For assault on our local farmers. It’s a trifecta of trouble lately. Gas prices are through the roof. Agriculture-related crime is skyrocketing. Overzealous “greenies” are trying to land a petition on the ballot to further restrict land use. It’s a tough row to hoe anyway, and the latest developments are really putting a damper on the business. Throw in incessant water rate hikes by the Santa Clara Valley Water District, unfounded cries of perchlorate contamination attributed to mushroom farmers and lack of a bona fide guest worker program, and it’s no wonder local farmer frustration levels are probably at an all-time high.
cheers: For the San Jose Sharks – hey! The Tank is rocking with playoff madness, and it’s been great watching a professional organization in the Bay Area make the right moves to build a real team that plays together.
cheers: For the California State High School exit exam. Having this test in place – and sticking with it as a benchmark for earning a diploma – has put pressure on our public schools to examine weaknesses and work toward improvement. The passage rate for Morgan Hill Unified School District sophomores has increased slightly over the past few years, but the CAHSEE is a basic-skills test that nearly all high school sophomores should pass. So there’s work to do – especially at the middle school level.
cheers: For little Kaley McDaniel who saved her diabetic grandmother’s life at Easter time, showing children are smart, often underestimated and not fully appreciated for their intelligence and willingness to learn. Remembering what she had learned in Brownies, she tested her grandmother’s blood sugar, kept her calm and asked her mother to call 911 to help her survive a diabetic comma.
Jeers: For Morgan Hill’s average single-family home prices reaching $1 million, pricing out low- and median-income residents. City leaders need to increase the percentage of affordable projects through the Residential Development Control System or Measure C. The 20 percent allotment for such critical projects must be revised.
Jeers: For the South County Dayworker Center closing and center leaders not receiving the necessary support to keep it open for the safety and health of the “jornaleros.” Donor fatigue and the expiration of the lease were issues that the entire community, not just Hispanic leaders, but everyone should have addressed long ago. Allowing the center to close is shameful and now presents a dangerous situation for the laborers who have nowhere to go to get translation services, advocacy and a place to turn when facing exploitation or other problems in the community. More disgraceful has been the timing of the facility’s closure, when anti-illegal immigration sentiments are at an all-time high.
