News

A Hollister man who is charged with 28 felony sexual assault counts involving a child victim could soon find out if his case will go to trial, according to court records. Gilbert Lee Cortez, 74, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 16 at...

David Anthony Pequeno was convicted of setting fires that destroyed or damaged multiple downtown Hollister businesses in November 2020, but was declared not guilty by reason of insanity, according to authorities. Following a hearing last week, Pequeno was ordered to spend up to the...

After a solid junior season that ended with the San Benito High softball team hoisting the Central Coast Section championship trophy, Seryna Esparza entered the off-season with a renewed purpose and focus.  “Coming into senior year, I knew that came with a responsibility,” she said....

Fernando Buenrostro Estrada, 37, of Hollister, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after he pleaded no contest to felony driving under the influence, according to Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni.  Estrada also admitted that his blood alcohol content at the time of...

A grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board will help fund the creation of a wildlife crossing over Pacheco Pass on Highway 152.  The $3.125 million grant to the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency will pay for the planning, design, environmental review and permitting of...

The Gilroy Garlic Festival will not host its traditional event this year or for the “foreseeable future,” organizers announced this week. A series of smaller, more intimate events still on tap for 2022 aim to bring the festival back to its roots and turn the...

Local students named to Dean’s List Hollister residents Alissa Avina and Garret Kelly have been named to the winter 2022 Dean’s List at Palmer College of Chiropractic’s west campus, which is located in San Jose.  Rib Cook-off The Great San Juan Bautista Rib Cook-off returns April 29-30...

San Benito High lacrosse coach Chris Branon acknowledged the team might go the entire season without earning a victory. At 0-9 entering their April 20 Pacific Coast League match against Aptos High, conventional wisdom would have it that there have been few things to...

A host of local agencies, organizations, groups and individuals are working together to put on a grand celebration of the City of Hollister’s 150th anniversary. Among them is Diego Villalpando, a junior at San Benito High School, who has offered to create a public time...

San Benito County voters will have an abundance of choices for numerous local offices that will appear on the June 7 primary ballot. The local ballot features the newly redrawn 18th U.S. Congressional District, three county supervisors seats, district attorney’s office, sheriff-coroner and more. The...