Health

A wrongful death lawsuit filed earlier this month in San Benito County Superior Court accuses Hollister drug rehabilitation facility Bright Future Recovery of negligence related to the  2021 death of Andrew McConnell, a patient of the facility. According to the lawsuit filed Aug. 11 on...

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital has invited community members to share their voices and help shape the future of local health care by participating in its 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) online survey. The confidential survey is an important opportunity for residents to provide feedback...

The California Department of Public Health is urging Californians to get immunized against a triple-threat of viruses that are expected to surge in the coming months.  Rates of Covid-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are expected to spike in the late fall and...

Watkins graduates from Shenandoah University Branden Watkins, of Hollister, was among the 1,143 students who graduated from Shenandoah University during the 2022-23 academic year. Watkins earned a Post-Graduate Certificate in Nurse-Midwifery. Shenandoah University was established in 1875, and is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, with additional educational...

As of Dec. 5, flu tests are available at OptumServe sites in San Benito County—along with PCR and rapid antigen tests for Covid-19, according to county authorities.  The flu and Covid-19 are currently on the rise as a surge of both viruses grips the county,...

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...

The California Department of Transportation and San Benito County Integrated Waste Management are offering a free Bulky Item Recycling Event for local residents on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11, from 9am to 3pm both days at John Smith Road Landfill. Staff from Caltrans, the landfill...

The Central California Alliance for Health last week announced its collaboration with Serving Communities Health Information Organization (SCHIO), one of the oldest and most advanced multi-stakeholder health information exchanges (HIEs) in the country.  The partnership will help Alliance Medi-Cal members and providers in five counties,...

The San Benito Health Care District announced Aug. 13 that Insight Health is stepping away from negotiations on a proposed lease-to-purchase agreement for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, citing unprecedented uncertainty stemming from the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).  The federal legislation will...

Hundreds of athletes and adventure racing hobbyists traveled to Paicines Ranch in San Benito County Aug. 26-27 from throughout the West Coast and beyond—and some from outside the U.S.—for the San Jose Spartan Race.  Competitors ran, walked and crawled along numerous courses on the ranch’s...