Community

All too often in San Benito County, local government leaders have tried to push property or parcel taxes to fund initiatives or deficits caused by irresponsible budgeting. An example was the Hollister School District’s failed 2011 attempt to pass a $96 parcel tax at the depths of its financial problems, with the special election costing local taxpayers close to $150,000.

Limelight Theater will present “The Other Place,” a psychological thriller that challenges audiences to distinguish reality from delusion, opening Jan. 16. The play centers on Juliana Smithton, a 52-year-old neurologist specializing in brain disease research whose life takes a disorienting turn as her brilliant mind...

Hollister High School culinary teacher and chef Mike Fisher has been named San Benito High School District’s Manager of Nutrition Services, effective at the start of the new semester in January.  Mr. Fisher, a 2003 Baler alumnus, has led the school’s culinary program for the...

This column is probably more along the lines of what many would expect from a wine related column—this one is about a South Valley winery. This winery represents many of the aspects of my past columns, so let’s take a look. We are fortunate to...

DUI checkpoint is Dec. 15 Hollister Police will conduct a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint the night of Dec. 15 at an intersection within the city limits.  The checkpoint will start at 6pm Dec. 15 and end at 2am Dec. 16, says a press release from...

Daniel Lopez Zavala, who escaped from the San Benito County Jail on May 28, was arrested in San Jose Wednesday night following a regional manhunt, authorities said.  Zavala, 38, of Hollister, was arrested 7pm May 29 at a hotel in San Jose with his girlfriend,...

Hollister High School was recently notified by the College Board that it has been named to the Advanced Placement (AP) Program Honor Roll for the second consecutive year, earning bronze recognition for developing an AP program that creates a college-going culture and gives students...

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake was reported in San Benito County on Tuesday afternoon and could be felt in parts of the Bay Area. The quake was reported at 3:23pm April 4 and was centered about five miles northwest of Hollister and 19 miles west-southwest of Salinas,...

There are over 3,000 counties in the United States. There are 63 national parks.  Counties throughout the state of California, and the nation at large, would love to have a national park in their backyard. Pinnacles National Park is probably the most under-utilized aspect of...

Re: “Medi-Cal not the solution to expand healthcare,” Free Lance, March 29. What have we learned from the pandemic, or are we in another pandemic? The symptoms seem to be having a hunger when we are not hungry. These symptoms are not like body obesity...