News

The Youth Alliance based in Hollister and Santa Clara County is hosting its annual Health Squad day camp this week through Friday.  

Former elementary school teacher and Hollister resident John Loyd, who is accused of sexually assaulting four young female students, will appear at South County Courthouse Aug. 3.

At a July 24 hearing at the Morgan Hill courthouse, Loyd waived the preliminary hearing, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Tim McInerney. The preliminary hearing is when the judge would have heard evidence in order to determine if the case should go to trail. By waiving this proceeding Loyd, 52, is agreeing there is enough evidence to face a jury trial.

Loyd, a teacher at Paradise Valley Elementary School in Morgan Hill, faces multiple counts of lewd and lascivious acts toward a child, according to authorities. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Loyd has been on administrative leave from his fifth-grade teaching job at Paradise Valley since his arrest Oct. 2, when the first female victim—a student at the same school—told a school staff member that Loyd made inappropriate contact with her in his classroom, according to authorities.

Loyd has been a fifth-grade teacher at Paradise Valley since 2008. He started teaching in the Morgan Hill Unified School District in 2000 at Nordstrom Elementary, his last assignment before he was transferred to Paradise Valley.

Since his arrest, three more young female victims have been identified, authorities said.

Loyd remains in custody at Santa Clara County Jail without bail, according to authorities.

City Councilwoman Mickie Luna reacted after the fatal accident Monday—involving a bus that struck a boy on a bicycle—by pointing out that many users of the nearby skate park facility neglect to wear helmets, as required by law.

Gavilan College trustees are asking for community input for the next two weeks as they redefine the districts where board representatives are selected.

Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez expressed sadness after Monday’s bus accident on Memorial Drive resulting in a 11-year-old boy’s death.

The San Benito County District Attorney’s Office has received the police report from the July 4 incident on Brigantino Drive resulting in injuries to five people.

The county coroner's office released the identity of the 12-year-old boy killed Monday when a county transit bus struck his bicycle at a Hollister intersection.

Longtime San Benito High School Superintendent Gregory Hearn, 81, passed away peacefully last week following a five-month battle with cancer.

The Youth Alliance launched a new website that the organization hopes will improve functionality for users of the services.

Officials with the San Benito County Fair wish to remind the community of the upcoming event for small animal tagging, according to an announcement from the fairgrounds.