Politics

Hollister’s David Maynard led off Tuesday’s public hearing over a proposed fracking ban with a poem, telling residents in attendance, “Don’t be like Judas Kiss – unleash the abyss.”

Citadel Exploration this week received a state permit to use steam injection technology to extract oil from the Project Indian site in the Bitterwater area.

The county auditor Tuesday announced a sampling showed that 63.2 percent of signatures were deemed valid in the petition effort for a countywide fracking ban, which also includes barring all oil activities in rural designations.

County supervisors Tuesday voted 4-1 in sending a group’s proposed ordinance to the November ballot that would ban fracking and limit oil activities.

Hollister City Council members Monday approved the purchase of surveillance cameras for downtown.

The owner of a shuttered marijuana dispensary is continuing his pursuit of ballot measures proposing to legalize up to two pot shops and implement a tax on sales.

South Santa Clara County's first legislative summit hosted by the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce on April 25 included input from two key San Benito County representatives. The event was a chance for Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Salinas, and Congressman Sam Farr, D-Carmel, to share their views to the local crowd. Alejo and Farr each represent San Benito County.

Hollister City Council members Monday are scheduled to weigh buying video surveillance cameras for downtown.

Steve Wittry has resigned from his position as county public works administrator nearly five years after accepting the post.

Hollister School District board trustees increased pay of substitutes, discussed the possibility of restoring stipends for after-school sports programs and addressed goals and plans for next year at the regularly scheduled school board meeting Tuesday.