Economy

San Benito County’s homeless population has increased by 26%–or 75 people–since 2019. Much of this increase is reportedly linked to ongoing challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and county officials say there would be even more homeless residents without the availability of local resources.  Volunteers...

Citing the impact of across-the-board rising prices and economic uncertainties, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors declined to ask the voters for a 1% sales tax in the November election. And despite their ongoing search for more local revenues to fund public services, the...

Feeding the Frontline The San Benito Health Foundation on Oct. 19 will host “Feeding the Frontline: Binational Hope, Health Without Borders,” a drive-thru food distribution event to support local families.  The event will take place 3-6pm at the health foundation’s headquarters, at 351 Felice Drive in...

After celebrating the holidays with her family and recovering from a bout of Covid, Zoe Lofgren flew back to Washington, DC on Jan. 2 to begin her new term representing California’s 18th Congressional District in the US Congress. The district follows Highway 101 from...

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the 2024-25 budget into law on June 29, solidifying $16 billion in cuts and other moves that closed a $46.8 billion deficit.  The budget is $297.5 billion, with $211.5 billion committed from the general fund. It maintains $22.5 billion in reserve...

The developer of the Santana Ranch neighborhood recently gained permission to build more homes off Fairview Road, even though the embattled project is behind on its affordable housing requirements spelled out in a nearly 11-year-old agreement with the county. The San Benito County Board of...

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a stack of bills Aug. 16 aimed at curtailing organized retail, property and auto theft in California. Newsom appeared at a Home Depot in San Jose with state, business and law enforcement officials, signing 10 bills that he said go “to...

San Benito County elections officials have a total of 617 ballots left to count in the Nov. 8 election as of Monday morning. The vast majority of the uncounted ballots—498 mailed ballots—are considered “challenged,” and the voters who submitted them have until 5pm Nov. 23...

With election day approaching, voters have several state propositions from which to choose. Below is a brief description of each of them. For a deeper dive, visit voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions. Proposition 2 Public School and Community College Facilities Under Prop. 2, the state would sell a $10 billion bond...

Housing costs and inflation are the top concerns for California's 9 million Latino registered voters, according to a report issued Sept. 10 by the Latino Community Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to Latino voter engagement.  Although some blame political candidates for high costs, most blame...