Politics

Rural San Benito County homeowners could pay up to $150 annually after a state board's recent approval of a fire fee to help offset budget cuts that are expected to affect Calfire's suppression efforts.

The idea of having an elected mayor in Hollister became closer to reality this week as the City Council reached tentative agreement on some of the terms of the transition away from the current five-member, rotating mayor system now in place.

Purple Cross Rx, the medical marijuana dispensary that is battling San Benito County in order to stay open on Bolsa Road, is conducting a holiday toy and food drive through Christmas Eve.

Hazel Hawkins Hospital is considering following the lead of local schools by adding solar panels to offset energy costs.

A project to re-pave a nearly two-mile portion of a frontage along San Felipe Road in Hollister should be done by the start of December, a city engineer confirmed.

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors received a presentation Tuesday on a 10-year plan to end homelessness in the San Benito and Monterey county area – the outcome of 14 months of planning and meeting between stakeholder agencies in the region.

Supervisors on Tuesday found out San Benito County faces a shortfall of more than $400,000 due to an employee filing late claims for in-home support services.

Recreational vehicle rules that are acknowledged by City of Hollister staff to be "difficult for the public to locate and understand" are being re-evaluated with an eye toward removing confusion.