Politics

Hollister’s cost of living may be relatively low compared to its northern neighbors, but wages and benefits for its city workers place it among the top 20 percent in the entire state, according to a new report. In her annual report of Government Compensation in...

If the early results hold up, Hollister will have a new mayor for the first time in more than a decade.  As of Nov. 9, according to Nov. 8 election results posted on the San Benito County Elections page, Mia Casey is leading the race...

A group of Hollister residents who hope to unseat the mayor in a recall election are now blaming City Clerk Christine Black after their required public noticing paperwork was rejected for the second time.  The citizens group known as Recall Velazquez sent out a press...

Running for California State Assembly District 29 are Stephanie Castro and incumbent Assemblymember Robert Rivas.  The boundaries for District 29 changed considerably as a result of the 2020 redistricting process. The new district includes all of San Benito County, eastern Monterey County and portions of...

In a step toward building the first massive wind farms off California’s coast, three Assemblymembers on Feb. 12 proposed a $1 billion bond act to help pay for the expansion of ports. The bill, if approved, would place a bond before voters aimed at helping...

San Benito County’s current District 3 supervisor, Peter Hernandez, is not running for re-election in 2022. Instead, Hernandez is running for the 18th District U.S. Representative seat.  That leaves the field open for three non-incumbent candidates appearing on the ballot for District 3 Supervisor: Eddie...

Early returns from the four counties in the sprawling 30th Assembly district left no doubt about the front-runner, San Benito County Supervisor Robert Rivas. He will likely face first-time Republican candidate Neil Kitchens in a November runoff, as fellow Democrat and Gilroy City Councilman...

McGrady, Weber and Zanger makes their case to voters

Hollister police are investigating what Mayor Ignacio Velazquez calls a “hate crime” against a council member by prominent local lobbyist and former mayor Victor Gomez. Velazquez announced the investigation in a written statement to the Free Lance before the Jan. 21 city council meeting and...

San Benito County employees have not been calling local residents to urge them to vote a certain way in the Nov. 3 election, despite what some voters have reported in recent complaints.