Politics

The red, white and blue of the Confederate flag located on private property off Southside Road in rural Hollister will be coming down this evening, said its owner, Michael Zgragen.

Despite concerns over a prior promoter’s $90,000 deficit owed from the 2015 Hollister Freedom Rally, council members Monday agreed to prepare a request for proposal to solicit a new organizer of the city’s signature event.

Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez has had an on-again, off-again status when it comes to making official decisions on the biker rally. On Monday, he announced he is on again and said he will avoid making money on the event so he can take part in the city's decision making.

When taking into account estimated sales-tax and business-license revenue, City of Hollister records show a net profit for the local government during the past three motorcycle rallies, according to documents obtained by the Free Lance.

Councilwoman Mickie Luna has traveled on the taxpayers’ dime during her first year in office without permission from her colleagues, according to records obtained by the Free Lance and interviews with officials.

A debate is brewing over private property owners leasing out space to sell merchandise during the Hollister biker rally and whether the city can charge special fees to those locals to help make up a continued deficit for outside promoters.

San Juan Bautista council members expressed unanimous support Tuesday night for a hillside ordinance in a city with few slopes.

Supervisors have changed course on the direction for a permanent homeless shelter three months after pinpointing an area near the airport for the 24-hour center.

A proposal for a 21-home subdivision in Tres Pinos, with a population of about 500, may come down to availability of water.

Gavilan College broke ground Friday on a major expansion that will bring thousands of students to a new campus in San Jose’s Coyote Valley and focus heavily on law enforcement and public safety training classes.