Community

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...

Investigate Botelho, Strada Verde I am very concerned by recent reports that former Supervisor Anthony Botelho was caught pulling down signs alerting citizens to the negative impact of the proposed Strada Verde development. I understand that there have been no charges against him for those...

Local sports teams and nonprofit organizations are raising money by selling “safe and sane” fireworks for the Independence Day holiday in Hollister.  Temporary stands can be seen in shopping center parking lots and other high traffic areas throughout the city. The fireworks for sale at...

The new Union Road bridge is on schedule to be completed by December 2024, replacing the aging existing bridge that spans the San Benito River between Cienega Road and San Benito Street. According to San Benito County Public Works Administrator Steve Loupe, the majority...

While I appreciate whenever an elected official takes the time to communicate with the public, especially of our San Benito Health Care District, the public should take offense at the letter from board president Jeri Hernandez, recently published (July 14) by the Hollister Free...

With sincere gratitude, I reflect on the truly historic “topping off” ceremony that took place on Jan. 17, 2024. The significance of this day marked a symbolic milestone in the construction of Gavilan College’s San Benito campus, as the last steel beam was placed....

What do retired teachers mean to the Hollister, Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill communities? A lot. After years, sometimes decades in the classroom giving back to their students, retired teachers continue to give back to local communities through their pocketbooks and their passion...

While 2023 was an eventful year for San Benito County, I am particularly excited about three endeavors coming in 2024 that will undoubtedly improve the quality of life in our community.  Those efforts include the county hitting its stride with $28 million in unincorporated road...

We deserve to know the truth No one should be above the law, that is a very important recurrent theme in our society, especially right now in this political climate that we find ourselves in. I have long held the belief that politics in this...

A San Mateo woman died in a collision with a big-rig on Highway 152 in Gilroy on Dec. 9, according to authorities. About 3:15pm, the California Highway Patrol received reports of a traffic crash on State Route 152, west of State Route 156 in Gilroy....