Community

Ballots and voting information packets for the Nov. 4 special statewide election are in the mail for San Benito County’s 37,000-plus registered voters.  Early voting started Oct. 6. Voters can begin casting their ballots by mail; 24-hour drop box; or in person at one of...

Thanks for these tricks and treats in the Free Lance.   The recall effort tries for the trick. Recalling a supervisor shortly after an election seems like a tricky situation. A recall seems as though voters changed their minds rather soon after voting. Since no one volunteered...

The Third Annual Hollister Powwow & Native Gathering—a three-day celebration of indigenous cultures, traditions and heritage—will take place Nov. 7-9 at Bolado Park Event Center in Tres Pinos.  The free community event hosted by the Indigenous Nations Diversity Network and Youth Alliance will feature traditional...

A Hollister man stole a truck in Gilroy and injured two bystanders while trying to flee from police, authorities said. The man was arrested following a pursuit with officers.  On Oct. 4, a patrol officer located a stolen vehicle in the area of Murray Avenue...

Three connected agricultural properties straddling the border of San Benito and Santa Clara counties were recently purchased by conservation organizations, ensuring the lands totaling more than 600 acres will remain an active link in a vital regional ecosystem.  The Peninsula Open Space Trust on Oct....

South Valley Symphony is set to embark on its 52nd season, with their opening concert set for 3pm Oct. 12 at Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill.  The special tribute concert, “Adventures Around the Globe,” promises to be a vibrant journey through music from around the...

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is celebrating a year of meaningful progress in quality and safety. The Obstetrics (OB) team earned three 2025 Quality and Engagement Awards from the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), while the Emergency Department completed BETA Healthcare Group’s Quest for...

Caltrans will hold a virtual public meeting Oct. 9 on the upcoming U.S. 101 Pavement Rehabilitation Project in San Benito County. The meeting will take place from 6-7pm.  The public and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend by visiting the meeting website at tinyurl.com/26kpsn69.  The...

Kathryn Benton was a privileged young student with every advantage money could buy, but when she suddenly becomes the target of a massive nationwide manhunt, her comfortable world crumbles in an instant in “Dead by Monday,” the debut thriller from Morgan Hill author Chuck...

A coordinated effort has been underway to make false claims about specific public officials. It’s clear their motivation is to discredit elected officials who support slow housing growth—a movement favored by a vast majority of local residents.  It’s no coincidence those behind this effort are...