Politics

An estimated 40,000 new laws, regulations and resolutions were approved by legislators nationwide in 2013, including 800 in California.

The San Juan Bautista Planning Commission on Tuesday held off on a proposed recommendation to the city council to rescind – or change – the current franchise ban.

The county board Tuesday voted Supervisor Jerry Muenzer as the chairman of the San Benito County Board of Supervisors for 2014. He succeeds Supervisor Anthony Botelho, who served as last year’s chairman.

While the city’s code enforcement division started proactive enforcement Jan. 1, it also began the process of hiring a full-time code officer.

The Library Action Committee is set to host a third forum on the future of the San Benito County Libraries, with this one focused on weekday commuters.

A 339-mega watt solar farm project to be built in Panoche Valley in southeastern San Benito County is currently on hold for most of 2014, as PV2 Energy and Duke Energy Renewables, the two companies working on the project, work to comply with state and federal environmental regulations.

Sen. Anthony Cannella is taking aim at selfies – of the pornographic variety.

One local doctor is hopeful proposed legislation will fix a disparity with county Medicare reimbursements he believes are unfair. “Because of this (rate), doctors in Hollister that see Medicare patients get paid 15 percent less than doctors in Gilroy who do the same work,” said Dr. Martin Bress of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital.

In 2013, San Benito County put on a hard hat and got to work on the future.

Mayor Ignacio Velazquez sat down with the Free Lance in mid-December for an interview, a year after the local businessman was sworn in officially as the first elected at-large mayor in Hollister’s history.