Community

It’s springtime, and orange poppies, purple lupine and red paintbrush flowers color the hillsides at Juristac, a pristine hillside landscape in northern San Benito County and Southern Santa Clara County that is the site of a proposal for an open pit mining project.  In honor...

The new Union Bridge, years in the making, opens Thursday, March 20 to traffic, bicycles and pedestrians. The infrastructure project represents a major improvement to the local transportation system, enhancing safety and mobility for residents and visitors. “This project addresses long-standing traffic concerns in our growing...

Re: Hospital law enforcement thwart ransom ware attempt, Free Lance, March 14, 2025 That was a close call! Not when the cat resting under the car wheel dashed off warned by the starter grind when the key turned. It was not then. Not when the...

No matter where supervisors end up locating a permanent homeless shelter in San Benito County, it is clear that government officials initially pushed through the consideration with little interest in getting input from residents near the previously chosen Southside Road location.

Authorities this week identified the victim in an Oct. 23 homicide as 45-year-old lifelong Hollister resident Jacob Arballo.  About 11:44pm Oct. 23, officers responded to the 1000 block of Monterey Street on a report of a shooting victim, according to Hollister Police. When police arrived,...

The Amah Mutsun Land Trust recently announced that four new board members have been appointed to the Gilroy based nonprofit’s board of directors.  The new members are Susan True, Amanda Serenyi, Guillermo Rodriguez and Robert ‘Perl’ Perlmutter, says a press release from the trust.  “We at...

Thousands of volunteers flocked to the California coast and waterways on Sept. 21 to participate in the 40th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day.   The event, which is the largest single-day volunteer event in the world, according to Guinness World Records, invited eco-friendly volunteers across the...

A San Benito County Sheriff’s correctional officer was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence with his children in the vehicle, according to authorities.  About 6:30pm Nov. 20, a Gustine Police officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Jorge...

Re: County leaders show support, Free Lance 6/27/25 Never before has this decision by our sheriff, Eric Taylor, in union with our neighboring counties been importantly decisive.  “The direction to my staff is that hardworking migrants …must be left alone.” Because law is about being human; that...

State data compiled by SchoolDigger allows educators to compare the “Top 60” California Middle Schools, and Accelerated Achievement Academy’s results are exceptionally telling. Based on 2023 CAASPP and state demographic data, AAA can claim the most unique academic success of any high performing California...