Economy

As Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital administrators are courting potential buyers or partners to pull the financially ailing hospital from the verge of bankruptcy, a local political organization is calling for more transparency in the process.  HHMH spokesperson Frankie Gallagher this week said the hospital has...

San Benito County’s April 22 Earth Day celebration in downtown Hollister will feature environmental education, interactive activities, awards, giveaways and fun for the whole family, according to event organizers.  Festivities will take place from 11am-2pm, centered around 649 San Benito St. in downtown Hollister.  The Earth...

California’s severe drought continues, and mandatory water conservation measures are in place. These climate conditions, along with our limited long-term water supplies, mean it is in our best interest to use water as efficiently as possible. Not just when we’re in drought, but ALWAYS! On...

Special to the Free Lance San Benito County officials and property owners continue to seek more funding to provide more services for local homeless people, and to reduce the unhoused population.  The San Benito County Board of Supervisors discussed some of the possibilities when they met...

The Board of the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers for Monterey and San Benito Counties (CHSP) announced that Genevieve Lucas-Conwell is the new incoming Executive Director of the Coalition. Joining CHSP from the Bay Area, Lucas-Conwell has served alongside the unhoused population in both San...

Andrews named to Dean’s List Casey Andrews, of San Juan Bautista, has been named to Southern New Hampshire University's Summer 2022 Dean's List.  Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.699 for the reporting term are named to the Dean's...

Hollister Animal Control officers recently cited a local resident on suspicion of having too many chickens in violation of the city’s municipal code. The resident, however, says the citation is unfair because the city’s ordinance is not written clearly enough. Hollister Police Department’s Animal Care...

A small group of registered nurses rallied outside Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Thursday in support of adequate staffing at the Hollister medical facility, which is currently facing a financial emergency.  “(We are) focusing on safe staffing,” said Pedro Silva, an RN at HHMH and member...

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors held a special joint meeting with the Planning Commision on June 6 to discuss updates to the county’s General Plan, specifically those that deal with long-term land use and housing needs.  The board received presentations from the commission...

Firefighters and support crews from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection conducted a prescribed burn in San Benito County on Sept. 27. The burn took place on private property in the Gabilan Range, west of Paicines in the McPhails Peak area, according...