Community

Bruce John Bannister, a local pastor who had a major impact on hundreds of lives, died June 9, at the age of 73 surrounded by family after a lengthy battle with cancer, his wife Dori told us.Bruce was born in San Jose on May...

It’s that time of year when cherries are ripening and families from throughout the region enjoy a stroll through the orchards selecting their favorite types. At Fairhaven Orchards in Hollister, the Rajkovich family owned business has operated for more than 75 years and proudly continues...

Thousands of local residents and visitors enjoyed a sunny weekend in celebration of the 91st San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo.  The three-day rodeo took place at Bolado Park Event Center in Tres Pinos, and featured a full slate of popular local traditions,...

The Hollister Independence Rally—a legendary celebration of motorcycles and the culture they have fostered—is returning to the city’s downtown in full force for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.  Sponsored by the City of Hollister and event promoter Roadshows, Inc., the two-day festivities include a...

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...

In an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle crashes, the California Highway Patrol Hollister-Gilroy Area will deploy additional officers July 4-5, within south Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Officers will look for violations by both motorcycle riders and drivers that make roads...

Every teacher in California wants their students to be able to read. But too often, we’re not given the tools to provide effective reading instruction.  While serving as an English language arts/English language development teacher on Special Assignment for Gilroy Unified School District, our Las...

Re: Hundreds protest on No Kings Day, Free Lance, June 20, 2025 Never before have I seen such enthusiasm before carrying out a protest or rally. People arrived with a mission to accomplish. Many arrived before noon and remained well into the late afternoon celebrating...

The following Hollister residents graduated from Stanislaus State’s Class of 2025, during commencement ceremonies held May 27-30: Ema Alfaro, bachelor of arts in sociology; Anessa Ocampo, master of social work.  “Commencement is a time of immense pride, not only for our graduates but for everyone...

Looking back at the 2024-25 school year in the Hollister School District, Director of Special Education Gabriel Gutierrez reflected on areas of focus and progress such as strengthening student achievement, stronger collaboration with the Educational Services Department and enhancing the curriculum.  Gutierrez heads the department...