Politics

The city will pay Stephanie Atigh six months of salary and health benefits after recently initiating termination proceedings with her.

Hollister City Council members Monday night approved the final piece to the puzzle on a long-discussed fire contract involving Hollister, San Benito County and San Juan Bautista.

In light of City Attorney Stephanie Atigh’s upcoming departure, Mayor Ignacio Velazquez indicated he wants to move toward a contract arrangement for legal services instead of hiring a new, permanent city attorney.

The California State Assembly on Thursday passed Assemblyman Luis Alejo’s bill proposing to increase the minimum wage and attach it to an inflationary index.

In a preliminary budget presented to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors at a special meeting Tuesday, County Administrative Officer Ray Espinosa called for keeping the “status quo” in most departments.

The first edition of Hollister’s quarterly newsletter came out last week and the glossy publication included three brief items for upcoming events, along with a slew of shorter announcements and city advertisements.

Assemblyman Luis Alejo, author of a bill hitting the Assembly floor this week proposing to increase the state’s minimum wage, said the legislation would assist lower-income families in keeping up with escalating costs and that it would dissuade municipalities from passing local rates.

It looks like the party is over for Purple Cross Rx, the medical marijuana dispensary embroiled in a legal battle with the county since opening on Bolsa Road in late 2010.

Local residents in the cattle industry were taken aback by environmental goals included in the county’s long-developing general plan – a document that will act as a blueprint for future development – which called for an 80 percent reduction to the local herd by 2035.

San Benito County supervisors were forced to delay approval of an updated oil and gas well ordinance Tuesday due to a public notice requirement.