Health

The Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased 2,284 acres of ranchland in southern Santa Clara County for $23 million, the organization announced Jan. 29. The acquisition brings POST’s total holdings at the former Sargent Ranch property to 6,114 acres and preserves sacred native land that...

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...

San Benito County public safety and health officials are sounding the alarm about the dangers of fentanyl—a powerful opioid—after a recent and ongoing spike in drug overdoses. In the last three months alone, 17 people in San Benito County have suffered opioid overdoses, requiring emergency...

U.S. Army veteran Ramon Reyes and his chocolate labrador, Huey—who are clients of San Martin-based Operation Freedom Paws—were recently recognized in an effort to highlight the life-changing impact that service dogs can have on military veterans who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder.  Huey and...

Easter festivities Gateway Hollister Church will host a free Easter egg hunt and family-friendly festivities at Cerra Vista Elementary School on April 8. The event starts at 12pm and goes to 3pm, and is free for everyone in the Hollister community.  Festivities include not only an...

The Hollister School District’s indoor air quality is on the rise.  The district has hired contractor Air Duct Cleaning Solutions, based in Hollister, to install the new technology on all campuses, with about half of the installations completed and an expectation to finish all of...

California lawmakers are crafting an end-of-session package of proposed laws that could streamline the building of solar and offshore wind energy projects, according to people familiar with the discussions. Democratic legislators, who have shared drafts with environmental groups, industry, lobbyists and other interested parties, are...

Food insecurity in California ticked upward over the past year, bringing the share of hardship back up to levels early in the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data released by the California Association of Food Banks on Dec. 12. “Families are buying less food,” said May...

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...

Transmission of the flu, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus is increasing statewide simultaneously and could lead to overwhelmed hospitals this winter, one of the state's top health officials said Thursday. Covid test positivity and case rates have climbed by roughly 25% over the last two...