Local Scene: Students read millions of words
Between May 1 and July 31, students throughout San Benito County read 4,958,447 words and 7,724 books, County Superintendent of Schools Krystal Lomanto announced earlier this week. The results are part of the San Benito County Office of Education's 2022 Summer Reading Challenge.
Also during...
Artists selected to install two public art projects in San Benito County
The San Benito County Arts Council, along with local artists, community members and representatives from California Department of Transportation, recently selected three artists through a statewide call-for-artists to create and install new public artworks for two Clean California Projects in San Benito County.
The first...
Safety first!
In an effort to solidify their emergency response coordination strategies as reports of potentially perilous accidental gas line damage increase in the tri-county region, PG&E and local public safety agencies held a joint safety drill at Hollister Municipal Airport on Aug. 24.
During the drill,...
Local Scene: Devii Rao performs Sept. 10; Open Studios tour returns
Squires named to Dean’s List
Hollister resident Emma Squires was named to the dean's list for the spring 2022 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. Squires is enrolled in the university's Olin Business School, according to a press release.
To qualify for the Dean's List...
County extends comment period for landfill EIR
Residents, business owners and other interested parties have until Sept. 6 to submit their input on the proposed expansion of the John Smith Road Landfill, after county officials extended the comment period on the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report.
The San Benito County Board of...
Local author Larry Slonaker publishes murder mystery
Longtime Hollister resident Larry Slonaker recently published his new novel, “Nothing Got Broke,” a murder mystery that is partly inspired by his upbringing and his previous career as a Bay Area newspaper journalist.
The book’s plotline follows a “cat and mouse” conflict between two characters—one...
Dentist awards scholarships to Hollister students
Gilroy dentist Dr. Jernell Escobar DDS awarded student scholarships of $750 each to Hollister residents Devonna Rubalcava and Maliyah Escudero.
Both students will be attending college in the fall, Rubalcava at Monterey Peninsula College and Escudero at Sacramento State University.
This is the second year that...
Hospital warns Anthem PPO members may soon be ‘out-of-network’
Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital said in a statement that a major national and regional private health insurer is “refusing” to pay the Hollister hospital a fair price for health services. As a result, after Aug. 10, patients insured by Anthem Blue Cross Preferred Provider...
Nurses, hospital sign new contract
Local registered nurses and the board of directors of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital agreed to a new contract that “includes victories for patients and nurses,” according to the medical employees’ union.
Nurses represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United ratified the four-year contract on...
D&D Insurance Brokers acquires Hollister’s Calvista Agency
DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance Brokers, LLC, one of the largest independent insurance agencies in California, has acquired Calvista Insurance Agency, which was founded in 2008 in Hollister, according to a press release.
D&D has more than 250 insurance professionals throughout California, and is a member...

















