Politics

Before a final approval in an eight-year process to devise a new general plan—a required blueprint for future development—supervisors offered views focusing mostly on highway development.

The city manager is set to meet with the San Benito Foods plant manager to discuss issues related to the downtown tomato cannery, including the potential for elevated noise this summer compared with prior canning seasons.

San Juan Bautista-based Earthbound Farm is planning a phased expansion over “several years,” according to county planning documents.

The San Benito County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau launched its new website over the weekend.

Supervisor Anthony Botelho mentioned at Tuesday's meeting how he walked into San Juan Bakery—not just for the baked goods, but also to see the new visitors center looks there.

City officials have scheduled a meeting with concerned neighborhood residents complaining about elevated noise coming from the century-old San Benito Foods tomato cannery. It appeared, meanwhile, that the reverberating cannery sounds heard throughout parts of downtown in recent weeks may have subsided Monday after the Free Lance raised questions to city and San Benito Foods officials.

Hollister council members Monday OK'd a contract for Bob Martin Del Campo as the next permanent fire chief. He is set to take over at the start of next month.

Hollister City Council members Monday approved a 25 percent discount on the first tier of water use for low-income senior citizens.

Hollister City Council members Monday were set to consider paying a firm to do a peer review of the roundabout design for San Juan and Graf roads and weigh distributing educational materials on use of the intersections. Council members, however, rejected the measure in a 4-1 vote.

A city councilwoman wants to inform west-side residents about some of the changes under way on that side of Hollister.