Local News

Longtime educator and consultant Elizabeth “Betsy” Dirks has been appointed to the San Benito County Supervisors District 1 seat. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the appointment Oct. 28. County staff revealed the appointment in a press release. Dirks, 44, will serve the remainder of former Supervisor Mark...

Anthony Botelho accused of stealing signs opposing Strada Verde project

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital—whose administrators earlier this year declared a state of fiscal emergency—recently requested $10 million in the form of emergency bridge funding from the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, according to the Hollister hospital.  The hospital sent the proposal for a $10...

Dozens of vendors lined the downtown streets for the San Juan Bautista Art & Craft Festival on March 29-30. Booths offered a wide range of goods, including clothing, lotion, jewelry, perfumes, wood carvings, African baskets, ceramics, pillows, homemade pies, face painting, herbs and spices...

A two-day striping operation on Highway 25 near Hollister between Best Road/South Ridgemark Drive and Plaza Drive began on Tuesday, Jan. 11. Work is expected to continue Jan. 12 between 8am and 5pm, says a press release from Caltrans. Travelers will encounter alternating lane closures...

Federal regulators issued their full approval Jan. 31 of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, the second approval of a Covid vaccine outside of its emergency use authorization.  The FDA issued its full approval of the vaccine after considering data from roughly 14,000 vaccine recipients and 14,000...

Measure Q, a hotly contested ballot question that would have required future voter approvals for many new construction projects in San Benito County, appears headed toward defeat.  Early, unofficial results of the Nov. 8 election, posted to the county’s elections site, show that “No” votes...

San Benito High girls tennis coach Ed Cecena didn’t know what to expect entering the fall 2021 season. After all, some players who would’ve usually participated last year opted out in the Covid spring season.  But Cecena and trusted assistant coach Rick Espino have been...

It took nine hours for Jesse James Guerrero to drive from Gilroy to Tijuana, the site of his third professional boxing match on March 5.  His ring time was all of one minute. Guerrero, a senior at Mount Madonna High, won via knockout just 1...

San Benito County invites the community to celebrate Earth Day this Saturday with environmental education and recycling programs, awards and interactive activities for people of all ages. The festivities will take place 1-4pm April 23 at Carl Martin Luck City Library and Park in San...