Politics

As most Californians know, there is only one consolidated city-county in the state, San Francisco. The other 57 counties have 481 cities and towns within their borders; San Benito County has only two, Hollister and San Juan Bautista. A good case can be made for making San Benito the second consolidated city-county in the state to improve our economic and political future and to ensure that the residents of Hollister are fairly represented at the county level.

Hollister City Council members Tuesday will discuss proposed annexations of private property into the city, including such locations as Dassel/Mackie Rental; Gay Lee Products, Inc.; and Award Homes, Inc.

Opponents of the Resource Recovery Park project south of the John Smith Landfill are holding two open community meetings at the end of the month to inform supervisors and residents about their concerns.

The process to select a contracted city attorney – a crucial position in giving legal advice to Hollister officials – took an unusual path locally due to the specialized type of hiring.

Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Salinas, will be leading a workshop Jan. 30 in Hollister on the Cal Grant application process as well as a "Middle Class Scholarship initiative."

Ratepayers are about to start absorbing those hotly debated increases to water rates.

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, announced Wednesday farmers in San Benito County would be eligible to apply for federal disaster relief funds due to the region’s recent drought.

The Bureau of Land Management is conducting meetings as part of a scoping process in examining use of oil and gas resources on federal land, and whether to involve areas beyond the Hollister Field Office, according to an announcement from the agency.

Ratepayers are about to start absorbing those hotly debated increases to water rates.

The San Benito County Free Library will now be open for part of the day on Fridays – a departure from those days being closed since October 2012.