Dignitaries and sheriffs, past and present, came out Sept. 25 to the San Benito County Jail for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new $20-million jail extension.
The minimum-security extension is being paid for through two state grants, according to San Benito County Sheriff Darren Thompson. While Thompson did not make the statement during the ceremony, county supervisors had already approved Sept. 12 that the facility would be named after retired Sheriff Curtis J. Hill.
Hill attended the ceremony and told of the years and work it took to land the two grants. After comments, ten gold-painted shovels were used for repeated groundbreaking ceremony photo opportunities. The first group to take part included (in photo, left to right): Supervisor Jerry Muenzer, former supervisor Margie Barrios, Sheriff Darrin Thompson, Curtis Hill, Supervisor Mark Medina, Supervisor Anthony Botelho, and former Hollister mayor Pat Lowe.