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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...

Girls flag football began in many areas of California in Fall 2023. In the two years of competition, Hollister’s teams have excelled.  The fall 2024 squad won the Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division title with a 13-1 record and was 19-6 overall. Although several...

More than 50 community entries—including a herd of cattle, marching bands, floats, horsemen and horsewomen (some in the Vaquero tradition), 2025 Miss San Benito Rodeo, wagons and many community groups—marched through downtown Hollister June 21 to kick off this year’s San Benito County Rodeo. The...

As vineyard manager at the 7,000-acre Paicines Ranch in San Benito County, Kelly Mulville has a rather significant task: he’s trying to practice organic, regenerative farming on 25 acres of vines while surrounded by hundreds of acres of vineyards being conventionally farmed.  “Our underlying philosophy...

A multitude of elected officials, workers and law enforcement officials from Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties gathered at the Government Center in Salinas last week to send a message to the community and the federal government. “Today we stand together, locally, statewide and...