Politics

Hollister officials are reexamining joint-use agreements with the local school district for athletic facilities after noticing the annual costs have jumped considerably over the years.

With help from a federal grant, the local fire department is getting necessary funds to pay for a new fire tender costing nearly $600,000.

Someone has agreed to donate money to the local healthcare district so it can open a diabetes center in Hollister, the healthcare district president confirmed to the Free Lance.

San Juan Bautista council members Tuesday approved support for a new three-year contract with the City of Hollister for fire services with amended changes, but also had some adjustments for their counterparts to weigh before making it official.

San Juan Bautista council members Tuesday learned that their city code includes prohibitions against growth and delivery of medical marijuana, and they upheld the ordinance while continuing to also ban dispensaries.

U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, who has represented San Benito County the past 23 years in Congress, announced he will not seek reelection next year.

County and Hollister officials approved increased bed space at the seasonal homeless facility to deal with potential weather conditions in an El Niño winter.Hollister council members Monday approved $47,000 in general fund money toward increased bed space. The county approved the remainder of the funding, $150,000 in grant dollars, on Tuesday.Government leaders plan to add space for 40 additional beds on top of the 20 to 30 homeless families served each winter at the Southside Labor Camp, according to a county board agenda report.Last year, the shelter served 28 families from December to March, according to a county report. Overall, a point-in-time survey earlier this year showed there were about 650 homeless people in the county.Look back for more.

The Hollister Police Department has won a string of awards for traffic enforcement.

A strip mall store in Hollister where people played electronic gaming machines and won prizes shuttered its doors this weekend shortly after the Free Lance published a story about it Friday evening.