Lightning triggers four wildfires across three counties
Lightning caused four small wildfires in Santa Clara, Monterey and San Benito counties as thunderstorms rumbled across the area Sept. 9, the National Weather Service said.
A fire in Santa Clara County charred about one acre west of Coyote Creek, the weather service said. A...
Hollister school logs big improvements in test scores
With 99% of state results tabulated, Hollister School District’s Accelerated Achievement Academy has shown double-digit improvements in its 2023 state-sanctioned performance scores.
The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) exam is the state’s and federal government’s top measurement of student achievement, says a...
County services make temporary move after Sept. 6 fire
A San Benito County government office building is uninhabitable after a recent fire, and public services housed within the structure have been temporarily moved, according to county officials.
Firefighters responded early in the morning Sept. 6 to a report of a fire at the county’s...
Local Scene: Climate change mitigation
Reps announce $1M in funding for climate mitigation efforts
U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Anna Eshoo (CA-16), Ro Khanna (CA-17) and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will distribute $1 million to Santa Clara and San Benito counties to develop...
Wildfires and climate: a vicious cycle
Wildfires and climate change are locked in a vicious circle: Fires worsen climate change, and climate change worsens fires.
Scientists, including those at the World Resources Institute, have been increasingly sounding the alarm about this feedback loop, warning that fires don’t burn in isolation—they produce...
Resources, permissions available for local storm cleanup, preparation
San Benito County held a town hall meeting Sept. 5 on storm cleanup to inform local homeowners of a new executive order signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that grants emergency permissions to accelerate debris removal related to the atmospheric river storms earlier this year.
The...
New Maze leaders aim to bolster attendance, engagement
New leaders at Maze Middle School want to ensure all students feel like they belong.
Principal Christian Woods delivered the message as she entered her first year at the helm of the Hollister School District site. She is joined by new Assistant Principal Shanieka Richard...
Local Scene: Latin Night Dance Parties; Saving for college
Latin Night Dance Parties continue
The San Benito County Arts Council’s new series of Latin Night Dance Parties take place at Grillin & Chillin Alehouse, 401 McCray St., #B24 in Hollister.
Attendees can learn Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and Cumbia. All levels of dance experience welcome, no...
Council moves to ask voters to increase Hollister hotel tax
The Hollister City Council voted last week to put a proposed occupancy tax increase on the ballot for the November 2024 general election. If passed, this would be the first time since 1986 that voters will decide to increase the tax on hotel stays...
Wrongful death lawsuit filed against Hollister rehab facility
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...
