Economy

San Benito County and its elected board of supervisors violated state environmental protection laws when they approved a conditional use permit for the Betabel commercial project proposed next to Highway 101, according to a lawsuit filed last week by two nonprofit organizations.  The lawsuit—filed Dec....

Members of Texas Masonic Lodge #46, located in San Juan Bautista, held a fundraiser on Nov. 12 to benefit local youth and homeless programs.  Texas Lodge’s Teresa Herrick and her husband, Kevin, spearheaded the fundraiser by holding  a “Legit Phở Cooking Class” and holiday floral...

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital—whose administrators earlier this year declared a state of fiscal emergency—recently requested $10 million in the form of emergency bridge funding from the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, according to the Hollister hospital.  The hospital sent the proposal for a $10...

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) last week approved $1 billion for 93 new walking and biking projects for disadvantaged communities—including $780,000 to repair a stretch of Highway 101 in San Juan Bautista, says a press release.  The funds were released as part of the 2023...

San Benito County will receive $2.4 million in state funds to purchase factory-built homes for chronically homeless people, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier this month.  The funds come from the California Homekey program, and will help the county buy a total of 11 prefabricated homes,...

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Sen. Nancy Skinner announced a proposal Dec. 5 to penalize oil companies in an effort to deter gas price gouging. The proposal would make it illegal for oil companies to charge excessive refining margins—the price difference between the cost of...

Arts Council hosts art show and giveaway The San Benito County Arts Council invites the community to Small Works: Art Show & Giveaway from 5-7:30pm on Dec. 2 at The Art Depot, 35 Fifth St., Suite D, located in the historic train depot in downtown...

Hollister and San Benito County kicked off the winter holiday season this past weekend with the annual downtown Lights On Parade and celebration. The events on Saturday, Nov. 26 started early in the morning with the Holiday Car Display, an afternoon holiday boutique that lasted...

Residents of San Benito County can now conveniently recycle their unbroken fluorescent lamps for free at True Value, located at 1260 Fourth St. in Hollister, according to a press release from the county.  The grant project also includes the distribution of more than 600 coupons...

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital issued a statement Nov. 28 assuring its employees and patients that the Hollister facility’s staff and other experts engaged by the hospital are “pursuing multiple angles to resolve” its current fiscal emergency. HHMH also emphasized that the hospital remains open and...