Politics

The new county homeless shelter is on track to be done by November, Health and Human Services Director James Rydingsword said this week. Rydingsword gave an update on homeless services at a county board meeting Tuesday and talked about upcoming grant awards, including a grant...

A PV2 Energy representative addressed speculation about downsizing the Panoche Valley Solar Farm project at a county meeting Tuesday. PV2 Energy, the corporation constructing the solar farm, has secured approximately 26,000 acres for the project, with around 3,200 acres being used for solar development. The...

Hollister council members Monday appointed Jim Gillio to the open seat representing District 4. Gillio is expected to be sworn in on May 1. Council members conducted a two-hour interview session with the nine applicants, which included Jacob Aguirre, Tim Burns, Adolfo Gonzalez, David Huboi,...

County supervisors Tuesday set a public hearing date of May 23 for applicants under the temporary cannabis cultivation ordinance. On Sept. 27, supervisors unanimously approved a cannabis cultivation “urgency” ordinance that was supposed to halt all new cultivation operations within the county. Medical plants under cultivation...

County supervisors unanimously appointed two consultants as interim directors of the Resource Management Agency at Tuesday’s meeting, and it left local union representatives showing unease. Larry Perlin and James Walgren of 4Leaf, Inc., a Pleasanton-based engineering consulting firm, will serve as co-interim directors while the...

A proposal for the 400 block development on San Benito Street is expected to go before council members in April. Council members unanimously approved going forward in exclusive talks to sell the city’s property in the 400 block for multi-use development in May 2016. Mayor...

A technical report from the City of Hollister about two 2016 wastewater spills disputes that the first spill reached the San Benito River as previously reported. On Jan. 13, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued the City of Hollister a notice of...

Hollister council members Monday opened an application process to fill the District 4 seat left vacant by former Councilman Roy Sims' abrupt resignation. Sims, who stepped down at the last meeting, moved outside of his district and was forced to resign from his seat. Sims...

County Resource Management Agency Director Brent Barnes resigned Wednesday. “He announced his retirement at the Planning Commission meeting,” Supervisor Jerry Muenzer said. “I believe he’s pretty much retired now.” Supervisor Robert Rivas said he received a call from the County Administrative Office that Barnes planned to...

San Juan Bautista council members are expected to start the development process for hiring a new city manager at next week’s meeting. Current City Manager Roger Grimsley announced last year that he intended to retire, according to Mayor Chris Martorana. Grimsley was not immediately available...