Local News

UC Santa Cruz recently acquired and established the Strathearn Ranch Natural Reserve, a 2,400-acre oak-studded grassland property in San Benito County that will be used for field research and outdoor education for the university’s students, staff and researchers.  The UC Board of Regents approved the...

The Office of the State Fire Marshal recently established a statewide program to allow qualified applicants to support Cal Fire in its defensible space and home hardening assessment and education efforts, says a press release from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.  Qualified...

State officials announced an agreement Friday on an extension of the state's moratorium on pandemic-related evictions through Sept. 30. The agreement between Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders in the state Assembly and Senate will continue to protect tenants from being evicted due to an...

Newsom appoints Butler to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint a woman to fill the seat of the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died Sept. 29. Laphonza Butler will replace Feinstein, the Governor’s Office confirmed Oct. 1.  Butler is currently president of...

Local residents, marching bands, businesses, community organizations and youth groups celebrated and thanked San Benito County’s and the nation’s veterans at the annual Veterans Day parade in downtown Hollister Nov. 11.  Leading the early afternoon procession were the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9242 Honor...

Call for artists The San Benito County Arts Council is accepting submissions for “California Dreamin’,” an exhibition of visual artworks focused on summer nostalgia, created by local and regional artists. This exhibition will be displayed at The Art Depot at 35 Fifth St. in downtown Hollister...

The deadline to apply for direct assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was extended to July 20 for California residents in 12 counties who were impacted by winter storms.  The extension gives residents in San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and other impacted counties an...

The San Benito County Office of Education partnered with San Benito County Behavioral Health, San Benito County Public Health, Youth Recovery Connections, motivational speaker Tony Hoffman and Sean Haggett from WonderWoofs during Red Ribbon Week, which took place Oct. 23-27. Red Ribbon Week is held...

IRS-certified volunteers will be offering free income tax filing assistance—and tacos—for eligible local residents April 5 in Hollister. The event, known as “Tacos & Taxes,” will take place 1-5pm at the Jovenes de Antaño senior center, 300 West Street. Free tax services will be available,...

Ever since Hollister High School senior Jake Varnes finished his time as a student at Cerra Vista Elementary School, he wanted to find some way to give back to the school. He found a path toward doing just that with his Eagle Scout project.  Varnes...