Community

Every year,  lawmakers in Sacramento introduce a flurry of bills, most of which are eviscerated during the legislative process and end up on the Assembly or Senate trash heap. A select few make it to the governor’s desk, and assuming they dodge the veto...

This past year has been a flurry of events, milestones, changes, victories and losses that shaped San Benito County. And as the region continues to face the challenges and embrace the hopes related to ongoing growth, 2026 promises to keep local communities moving and...

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors released the following letter to the local community on Dec. 23.  As we enter this joyful holiday season and look ahead to a hopeful new year, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors would like to take a...

Police arrested a suspect who tried to kill a man during a violent altercation at a Hollister motel Dec. 23, authorities said.  At about 1:30pm, officers responded to a report of two men fighting at Wiebe Motel, 1271 San Felipe Road. When police arrived they...

The Hollister School District and Legacy Church are finding ways to make Christmas even brighter for local families.  In the third year of the partnership between the district and Legacy Church, organizers changed things up a bit in 2025 with annual efforts to connect donating...

Hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights have transformed Gilroy Gardens into a winter wonderland, drawing families eager to experience the park’s North Pole Nights celebration through Dec. 31. The immersive holiday event features dazzling light displays throughout the horticultural theme park, including a 100-foot North...

The Hollister School District’s indoor air quality is on the rise.  The district has hired contractor Air Duct Cleaning Solutions, based in Hollister, to install the new technology on all campuses, with about half of the installations completed and an expectation to finish all of...

The South Valley is expecting and preparing for the strongest storms and heaviest rainfall of the season so far through the Christmas holiday, with wind and thunderstorms forecast through at least Dec. 26.  The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Hollister and...

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors unanimously rezoned 12 properties in an effort to comply with California housing requirements. Officials said the rezoning was the last step toward gaining state certification for the county’s eight-year Housing Element, avoiding costly penalties and maintaining local...

This story was published Dec. 17 by CalMatters. For three years, the fate of poor people accused of crimes in San Benito County lay in the hands of attorneys who barely spoke with their clients and seldom filed legal motions on their behalf.  While defendants...