DUI arrest increase this year sends alarm about prevalence of
drinking and driving
The following organizations and individuals deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
CHEERS and JEERS: For the Avoid the 13 campaign this year which reported a 28 percent increase in DUI arrests compared to last year. The numbers are bad and good because they mean many people are drinking and driving, but our police officials are doing a good job at apprehending them and making them accountable for their irresponsible actions. The campaign, which began Dec. 15 and ended Dec. 31, reported 722 arrests, up from 562 last year, an increase of 160 arrests. The effort sends a clear and loud message about the importance of educating the public about the dangers of drinking and driving. We need to realize that every drunken driver behind a wheel can kill and badly hurt someone. While San Jose police officers issued 173 tickets, followed by the California Highway Patrol officers who gave out 108 citations, our own Morgan Hill police officer Steve Pennington made 15 arrests, aided by other officers in Morgan Hill who arrested 67 persons on suspicion of driving under the influence, coming in third place or 22 percent of the arrests made.
JEERS: For the Dec. 10 accident on Pacheco Pass Highway in between Lover’s Lane and San Felipe Drive where three people lost their lives. When are our state legislators – Assemblyman John Laird are you listening? – going to do something about this road? It’s time Laird and other transportation officials accompanied by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger take a ride from Morgan Hill to Casa de Fruta on a getaway Friday to realize what a dangerous mess this 13-mile nightmarish road has become.
CHEERS: For new San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. What a breath of fresh air to hear the leader of the largest city in our county make common sense when it comes to the development of Coyote Valley. Reed acknowledges that there’s no reason to rush the development of Coyote Valley until the economy can fully support such a move. At last, at last … intelligence.
JEERS: For the County of Santa Clara which forces troubled juveniles who need drug treatment and anger management to go to San Jose for help. It’s ridiculous that services cannot be made available here. Perhaps the county supervisors should all have to drive to Morgan Hill and Gilroy for three months for meetings. That would open a few eyes regarding the absurdity of service delivery.
CHEERS: For the push in Morgan Hill to adopt a social host ordinance that would hold parents responsible if they serve alcohol to minors in their home. It’s a necessary step in the right direction. Underage drinking should be penalized, not condoned or encouraged.
JEERS: For the delay in mediation talks between Morgan Hill Unified School District classified employees and Board of Education officials. It’s time Superintendent Alan Nishino accept both sides have reached an impasse on labor contract reopeners dealing with salary, benefits and holidays for the workers and resolve the labor dispute in a dignified manner. Nishino needs to allow the state Public Employment Relations Board to get both sides to the table and realize the workers are not going to accept the latest proposal on the table.
