Economy

After five months of backroom jockeying and another six-hour meeting behind closed doors, California Assembly Democrats agreed Nov. 10 to a lengthy transition that will see Robert Rivas succeed Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon next summer. Emerging from a ballroom at the Sacramento Convention Center, Rivas,...

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...

California’s homeless population remains the biggest in the nation, but the crisis is growing more slowly here than in most of the rest of the country, according to new federal data.  The number of homeless Californians increased just over 3% last year compared to the...

The San Benito County Planning Commission held a scoping meeting Aug. 2 for the proposed Ranch 35 Quarry project near the intersection of State Route 156 and U.S. 101. The meeting’s purpose was to inform the public about the scope of the quarry project...

A project to build a new four-lane expressway adjacent to Highway 156 between San Juan Bautista and Hollister is set to begin, resulting in traffic delays for commuters and other travelers over the coming months, according to Caltrans. The San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project...

Etheric Networks, a provider of fiber and wireless internet service in the Bay Area, on June 13 announced that its newest project in San Juan Bautista is nearing completion. The expansion brings “significant new internet options to hundreds of businesses and homes in town,...

Easter festivities Gateway Hollister Church will host a free Easter egg hunt and family-friendly festivities at Cerra Vista Elementary School on April 8. The event starts at 12pm and goes to 3pm, and is free for everyone in the Hollister community.  Festivities include not only an...

California's average price for a gallon of gasoline is the highest in the United States, with Santa Clara County among the most expensive in the state, according to the Automobile Association of America. As of March 8, the average price for regular gas in California...

This past year has been a flurry of events, milestones, changes, victories and losses that shaped San Benito County. And as the region continues to face the challenges and embrace the hopes related to ongoing growth, 2026 promises to keep local communities moving and...

Take a step back in time and enjoy medieval pageantry, entertainment and fare at the Northern California Renaissance Faire. The revelry starts Sept. 17-18, and continues on weekends through Oct. 22-23 at Casa de Fruta in Hollister. The festival features merchandise from fine artisans and...