News

So, have you made your New Year’s resolution yet? It’s a go-to question, often intrusive, asked of people at the start of the New Year, and one that can lead to much self-reflection—even stress. But now that 2018 is here, you may be asking yourself: What...

Hollister, San Juan Bautista and San Benito County faced numerous challenges this year that ranged from rampant growth in the cannabis industry to tainted water to wrecked roads. In the second part of this multi-part series, your elected officials shared their thoughts with the Free...

Adam Mendolla remembers when he got the call from Ginger Swartz. It was the spring of 2015 and he was serving as the Vice President of Hollister Little League’s (HLL) Challenger Division, which accommodates softball players with physical and intellectual challenges. Swartz, who was the...

The end of the year, especially one as chaotic as 2017, is often a time for reflection. The Free Lance asked all members of the Hollister City Council, San Juan Bautista City Council and San Benito County Board of Supervisors to share their thoughts on...

Q: Can you briefly talk about your involvement with and why you got involved with the cannabis industry? A: Initially my experience around cannabis was on the public policy side. I spent years working for the City of San Jose. As many know, San Jose...

Hollister’s new year-round homeless shelter will get an influx of money from the city. Last week, the Hollister City Council approved $129,000 towards the Homeless Opportunities Meals and Empowerment (HOME) Resource Center. Located on 1161 San Felipe Road, the 50-bed facility opened Dec. 1...

Remains believed to be of missing Hollister woman, Yoon Ji, the proprietor of a local laundromat, have been found, according to the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office. “Through investigative leads we were able to locate who we think is the victim,” said Operations Captain Eric...

Retired educator and current San Benito County Office of Education governing board vice president, Joan Campbell-Garcia, has been elected new board president. The move comes after former board president, Mitchell Dabo, did not seek to be reelected by his fellow trustees. Dabo’s second one...

Former San Benito County Board of Education President Mitchell Dabo said on Dec. 1 he will resign his school board seat, citing fallout from a civil court ruling last month that he illegally took money from a charitable trust. “I know this has been hard...