Health

‘Everyday people across the country skip medical care because of cost. Those who do seek medical help may end up with a balance they can’t pay off. That debt can hurt people’s credit scores, resulting in long-term financial burdens. Starting Jan. 1, a new state...

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Jan. 16 that he would veto any bill with an outright ban on youth tackle football. “My Administration will work with the Legislature and the bill’s author to strengthen safety in youth football—while ensuring parents have the freedom to...

The San Benito Health Care District this week announced the next steps in the ongoing process to finalize the lease-to-own transaction between Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital and Insight. While progress has been made, there is still crucial work ahead to complete the transaction. In...

Covid-19 hospitalizations among California's children—especially those too young to go to school—are the highest they have been since the pandemic began. Chalk it up to the highly contagious omicron variant, kids exposed during in-person instruction at school and other public places, and infants and preschoolers...

Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance), the Medi-Cal managed care health plan for more than 428,000 residents in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, will soon serve the counties of Mariposa and San Benito, according to a press release.  Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the...

Construction contractor Teichert Inc., along with the Associated General Contractors of California and other organizations, hosted a “Mental Health Awareness Stand Down” in San Benito County May 19.  The stand down, which took place at the site of the Highway 156 Improvement Project in San...

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital’s directors last week declared a fiscal emergency that allows the Hollister medical facility to file for bankruptcy if such a step is deemed appropriate, according to the hospital. Hazel Hawkins’ board of directors declared the resolution of a fiscal emergency at...

Winged visitors alien to the area have been casting their large shadows over Contra Costa and Stanislaus counties recently.  Preservation group Save Mount Diablo said in a statement Sept. 25 they’ve tracked the paths of six California condors soaring through the skies above Round Valley...

The California State Assembly Select Committee on Fentanyl, Opioid Addiction and Overdose Prevention on Aug. 12 during an informational hearing discussed the urgency of combating the rise in overdose deaths among youth in recent years primarily due to ingesting fentanyl.  Between 2019 and 2021, drug...

Hundreds of California native pigeons have died this winter due to a parasitic disease, announced state wildlife officials on Feb. 23.   California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said they’ve noticed an increase of reported sick and dead band-tailed pigeons since early February, mostly around...