Agriculture

After a slow start to conserving water in our community, residents started stepping up their efforts in late August. We need more of this effort, but it’s very encouraging news to see our community respond. The following data, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, was...

San Benito County public health officials are warning residents of the danger of handling or getting too close to diseased or dead birds after a number of positive cases of Avian Influenza have been detected here. County Health and Human Services officials said in an...

With the arrival of fall comes a complete season of fun, safe, family friendly events at Hollister Hill State Vehicular Recreation Area. The park’s main entrance is located at 7800 Cienega Road in Hollister.  Activities at Hollister Hills scheduled for October include: - Red Sticker Ride...

San Benito County supervisors recently decided to restrict new housing in four geographical areas that encompass significant swaths of the county’s unincorporated agricultural, open space or vacant land. But some local residents at the last board meeting decried the move as “political theater,” while voicing...

Police shot a wild mountain lion that charged toward officers who were trying to contain the animal in a residential area early Friday morning, according to authorities. The animal is being treated for at least one gunshot wound to its abdomen. About 4:42am Aug. 26,...

San Benito County will host a town hall workshop on the draft environmental impact report for the John Smith Road Landfill expansion project on Aug. 22. The workshop will start at 6:30pm, at the Veterans Memorial Building, 649 San Benito Street in Hollister.  The workshop...

Santa Clara County planning officials have released the draft Environmental Impact Report for the 403-acre Sargent Ranch quarry project that is proposed south of Gilroy. The public comment period on the EIR began July 25 and will continue until Sept. 26, according to county staff. Representatives...

Hollister Animal Control officers recently cited a local resident on suspicion of having too many chickens in violation of the city’s municipal code. The resident, however, says the citation is unfair because the city’s ordinance is not written clearly enough. Hollister Police Department’s Animal Care...

Although farm and food production workers were considered essential workers during the pandemic, many of California's food employers endangered those workers, violating Cal/OSHA's Covid-19 guidelines more often than most industries, a new report said. The California Institute for Rural Studies’ report said farm and food...

California’s severe drought continues, and mandatory water conservation measures are in place. These climate conditions, along with our limited long-term water supplies, mean it is in our best interest to use water as efficiently as possible. Not just when we’re in drought, but ALWAYS! On...