Business

San Benito County has recovered nearly $700,000 stolen from a recent vendor payment fraud scheme, according to the county Auditor-Controller’s Office.  The recovery of the funds will allow the county to “issue proper payment to the legitimate vendor,” Auditor-Controller Joe Paul Gonzalez said in a...

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is celebrating a year of meaningful progress in quality and safety. The Obstetrics (OB) team earned three 2025 Quality and Engagement Awards from the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), while the Emergency Department completed BETA Healthcare Group’s Quest for...

CVS Pharmacy will pay the state of California more than $18 million in a settlement of a lawsuit that accused the national chain of submitting fraudulent claims to the Medi-Cal public health insurance system, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced this week.  The state and the...

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 4 approved an allocation of $100,000 for the Community Food Bank of San Benito due to the disruption of funding to CalFresh.  In a press release, the county said the expense highlights the board’s commitment to...

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...

Families lined up outside the Pentecostal Church of Hollister Saturday, where about 20 volunteers handed out boxes packed with produce, pantry staples and a Thanksgiving turkey—part of the church’s second annual effort to ensure no one in the community goes without a holiday meal. Last...

With holiday mailing and shipping ramping up, the United States Postal Service gave Hollister an up-close view of local letter carrier Ed Smith’s efforts to connect with small businesses and other customers.  On Nov. 29, which was Small Business Saturday, the USPS invited members of...

A $450,000 grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation will support ongoing efforts to bring more housing to San Benito County and the Monterey Bay Region.  The grant was recently awarded to the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, which cites housing as one of its...

The scent of fresh pine drifted across Bourdet’s Tree Farm in Hollister as dozens of families wandered between long rows of Christmas trees, debating, measuring and finally cutting down the tree that would anchor their holiday celebrations. Families can make it an outing at Bourdet’s,...

The holiday season officially rolled into town Saturday night as an estimated 8,000 people lined the streets for the 35th annual community Christmas parade, a sparkling procession of lights, music and hometown pride. With families bundled in blankets and children waving eagerly from the curb,...