News

The tomato harvest is in full swing in the Central Valley, and locally in San Benito County, and it promises to be bountiful, in more ways than one. The California Farm Bureau reported this month that California tomato producers expect to have contracts for 11.9...

The final ballots have been set for the Nov. 6 election, and the 2018 local political season begins in earnest. In Hollister, both the mayor and city council seats are up for grabs. Two county supervisor seats also are on the ballot. The Free Lance sent questionnaires...

The Hollister City Council unanimously approved a new three-year contract with the city’s firefighters earlier this month. The contract with the Local 3395 union provides members with a 4 percent raise for each of the first two years, and a 5 percent raise for the...

In June, Darren Thompson won re-election to a third consecutive four-year term as Sheriff of San Benito County. Here are his written answers to some questions posed by the Free Lance, subject to some editing for space considerations. Question:  Tell us about yourself and your...

The City of Hollister will be charging higher fees for a wide range of services following an Aug. 20 unanimous vote by the City Council. The fees applied to four departments; the city Recreation Division, Fire Department, Police Department and Development Services Department. Many classes through...

The final ballots have been set for the Nov. 6 election, and the 2018 local political season has begun for San Benito county boards of education. The Free Lance sent questionnaires last week to each candidate. Here are the candidates at a glance: Gavilan Community College Joint...

Hollister police arrested a man who tried to dispose of a loaded handgun while he ran from an officer, according to authorities. The suspect was ultimately booked on suspicion of multiple weapons and drug offenses. About 3:37am Aug. 1, Hollister Police Officer Juan Guevara was...

A 56-year-old woman who was driving her vehicle in the wrong direction on U.S. 101 south of Hollister died after colliding head-on with another motorist, according to authorities. About 1:15am Aug. 19, Catherine Henry, 56, of San Anselmo, was driving a Toyota Camry northbound on...

Police arrested a man and woman from Los Banos who possessed drugs for sale and stolen credit cards in a Hollister neighborhood last week, according to authorities. About 11:32am Aug. 9, Hollister Police Officer Julio Martinez was on patrol when he saw a suspicious vehicle...

The 40-year dream of restoring passenger rail service—stoked by increasing population and traffic congestion—from Gilroy south to Salinas and/or Hollister has found new life in two counties. Monterey County officials this week began construction of an $81 million project to build a new train station...