Politics

The campaign to recall San Benito County Supervisor Ignacio Velazquez has picked up significant financial support from former public officials and people representing land development related industries in recent months, according to the latest financial disclosure filings. Most of those who have contributed $1,000 or...

A State Senate bill sponsored by the City of San Juan Bautista would give small communities more flexibility when faced with state water quality fines. The legislation known as SB 1081, introduced this week by State Sen. John Laird, would allow cities to invest...

State authorities last week certified San Benito County’s latest housing element—more than six months after it was initially submitted, finally unlocking millions of dollars worth of grants that can be used for local infrastructure and services, according to county officials.  Staff from the California Department...

State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Bakersfield, introduced legislation to create a tax credit for agricultural employers to help cover the cost of paying overtime wages to farmworkers.   Senate Bill 921, co-sponsored by the California Farm Bureau and the California Association...

San Benito County Public Works Administrator Steve Loupe will resign from his post as of Feb. 27. Loupe, who has worked for the county for about 4.5 years, submitted his resignation to the county executive’s office on Jan. 28, says a press release from...

Ken Griffin is San Benito County’s first agricultural commissioner since 2021, following a recent interview and vote by the board of supervisors.  Griffin has served as the county’s Acting Agricultural Commissioner for about five years. The board voted to remove “acting” from his title on...

Days after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, Californians across the state took to the streets to voice their opposition against federal immigration enforcement tactics and President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign. Over the weekend thousands...

Two South Valley communities this week received federal funds for road safety improvements, says an announcement from Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s office. A total of $8,634,928 was awarded to California’s 18th Congressional district from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)...

The Hollister City Council this week appointed Ana Cortez as the new city manager, following a three-month search for a new staff leader at City Hall. Cortez will begin her new position in Hollister on Feb. 2, with an annual base salary of $265,000. She...

Every year,  lawmakers in Sacramento introduce a flurry of bills, most of which are eviscerated during the legislative process and end up on the Assembly or Senate trash heap. A select few make it to the governor’s desk, and assuming they dodge the veto...