Health

Since San Benito County’s first two cases of the coronavirus were reported in early February, no new cases have been identified in the county. Local health officials—public and private—aren’t taking any chances. The county Board of Supervisors on March 10 proclaimed a “state of emergency” to...

San Benito County has drastically increased fines in an effort to combat the scourge of illegal dumping on roadsides, public property and other unauthorized locations.  The new fines, which became effective Sept. 21, are $2,500 for the first offense (previously $100), $5,000 for the second...

Thousands of households in San Benito County who have received extra CalFresh benefits due to pandemic-related hardships will see a reduction in their monthly allotments as of April 1, according to authorities.  During the Covid-19 pandemic, households receiving CalFresh benefits received temporary emergency allotments or...

Local CalFresh recipients will see a delay in their benefits in November due to the federal government shutdown, says a notice from the San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency.  San Benito County currently serves 7,742 people and 3,794 families with CalFresh benefits, which...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its approval Monday of the first non-prescription at-home Covid-19 test that also detects the flu.  The test allows users to swab the inside of their nose and send the sample to the test's manufacturer, Labcorp, for analysis. In...

San Benito County’s April 20 Earth Day celebration will offer a variety of fun and games, as well as numerous chances to learn about how attendees can help keep the planet green and clean for themselves and future inhabitants.  The Earth Day event is scheduled...

Pumpkin giveaway event set in Hollister Gonzalez and Jones Law is hosting a community event on Oct. 7 to give away pumpkins to families in need in Hollister. The event will be held at 905 San Benito St. in Hollister from 1-4pm. All families who are in...

Managers of California’s two main water storage and delivery systems on March 22 announced increases to forecasted water allocations for millions of people and vast tracts of farmland. The state Department of Water Resources, which runs the State Water Project, said its anticipated water deliveries...

Wildfires and climate change are locked in a vicious circle: Fires worsen climate change, and climate change worsens fires. Scientists, including those at the World Resources Institute, have been increasingly sounding the alarm about this feedback loop, warning that fires don’t burn in isolation—they produce...

Avian influenza, a “highly pathogenic” viral disease that infects poultry and birds—and is potentially transmissible to humans—has been detected in San Benito County, according to local public health officials.  The disease, also known as “bird flu,” was found recently in poultry flocks in a number...