Community

The selection of a Bay Area native as presidential nominee of one of the major parties bears watching here in the bear flag state. If successful, she would not only be America’s first female president and the first one of South Asian heritage—she would...

The Great San Juan Bautista Street Festival on March 28-29 will result in temporary street closures in the historic downtown. The city sent out a notice of the weekend street closures to residents, businesses and visitors so everyone can plan ahead.  Specifically, streets to be...

The 89th annual San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo is slated to take place this weekend, June 23-25, at Bolado Park in Tres Pinos.  The three-day event features not only traditional rodeo events that are staples of the long-running festivities that promote the...

Well, as per usual, the frontrunners for the California Governor’s race includes the typical list of those individuals with lofty political aspirations, whose ultimate objective is seeking even higher office—such hubris. But there is one individual who emerges from the pack and clearly demonstrates the...

Re: Hollister council rebukes another colleague, Free Lance, May 19 If a fire occurs inside a movie theatre, the sound system does not advise attendees to remain seated. We understand the alarm must be sounded and exits opened for safety. Similarly at the May 15...

Former San Benito High School art teacher John Robrock retired in 2018 with several boxes of unclaimed works from former students. In December, he set out on a quest to reunite the pieces with their creators.  Events that followed have turned into a public art...

A group of San Benito County residents submitted more than 3,500 signatures Jan. 21 for a referendum petition that aims to reverse an end-of-the-year city council decision to expand Hollister’s sphere of influence for potential future development.  More than a dozen local residents—including representatives of...

Agreement on a new fire protection contract last week means local residents can rest assured they will continue to have high-level safety services into the future. This was a monumental win for our community.  This agreement marked the end of a collective process to extend...

Praise be to the gods of pizza and pasta, and wine. Fridays and Saturdays have already become legend at Little Uvas and DeRose Vineyards on Fitzgerald Avenue in San Martin, where the hospitality flows like wine, and the woodfired pizza oven turns out pies...

Re: Hospital proceeds with negotiations, Free Lance, April 18, 2025 Instead of the Easter Bunny, we get the Big Bad Wolf and he is trying to blow the house down.  The Easter basket from the San Benito County Health Care District over-flowed with attractive colors,...