Community

The Community Foundation for San Benito County this week announced the board of directors has appointed Cassandra Kartashov as the organization’s new chief executive officer. Kartashov will begin her new role Nov. 17.  With more than 15 years of experience in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership,...

A series of letters published in South Valley newspapers over the past several months claiming that mountain lions are dangerously overpopulated in the Santa Cruz Mountains has drawn sharp disagreement from researchers and wildlife managers who say the claims misrepresent how the species’ populations...

The California Public Utilities Commission on Feb. 26 awarded Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) $463,644 for three projects, known as “Connected Communities Hubs,” that establish free public broadband access sites in San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.  The awards are part of $3.29 million...

PG&E is listening and addressing your concerns. In 2025, customers will see more stable electric rates compared to last year. In January, most residential customers saw electricity costs drop by 4% or $11, helping offset gas price increases. This means that if your usage hasn’t...

Two men died on Nov. 16 following a domestic-related shooting at a home in unincorporated Gilroy, authorities said. Just before 3:30pm, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a shooting at a residence on Sheldon Avenue, says a press release from the sheriff’s...

Throughout the fall, San Benito High School District has engaged in an outreach effort to encourage community feedback regarding the need for a second high school.  To date, as we enter the second half of our K-8 Parent Listening and Awareness Sessions at 10 local...

San Benito County officials clarified late last week that the developer of the proposed Strada Verde Innovation Park—which was the subject of a failed November 2020 ballot initiative—has asked the county to pause its work on the project’s application.  “As a result, work on the...

The Hollister baseball team graduated several key players last year, but a young squad has not missed a beat in the competitive Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division.  Using the unusual formula of great offense with a mixed bag on defense and pitching, the Balers...

It seems to keep hitting closer to home. Two weeks ago, it was Yerba Buena High School up in San Jose. Just a day ago (Sept. 14), it was Hollister High School. And every single day sometimes two or three lockdowns at schools across...

The total value of San Benito County’s crop production surpassed $405 million in 2024, with vegetables and row crops generating the most sales among all local agricultural production categories.  The county’s annual crop report this year says the total value of local agricultural production last...