Opinion

Open letter to San Benito County residents, Nov. 8:  I am writing to share my gratitude for your engagement in our recent election and to provide a brief update on how the day unfolded. Thanks to your participation, the election was a resounding success, with...

What do retired teachers mean to San Benito County? A lot!  After years, sometimes decades, in the classroom giving back to their students, retired teachers continue to give back to local communities through their pocketbooks and their passion for volunteerism.  The week of Nov. 3-9, 2024,...

San Benito County Registrar calls for respectful election among neighbors.

In a lot of ways, the battle against developers strongly mirrors that of the battle against fracking fought 10 years ago. Many of the same people who pushed for the ban on fracking are now pushing for the liberation of our county from the...

My name is Thomas J. Hawkins, a fourth Generation San Benito County cattle rancher. I was named for my locally famous great grandfather, Thomas S. Hawkins, who settled here in 1867, 157 years ago, at the age of 31. Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital saves lives,...

Re: Healthcare or Health Insurance Is it a horse or a zebra?, is a question we never ask because of evident stripes. But trying to identify healthcare from health insurance becomes more difficult because stripes are not easily identifiable.  Let’s make health insurance a zebra and...

I’ve been thinking a lot about how best to express my strong belief in the value of preserving working lands and open space here in San Benito County and, ultimately, to express my conviction that Measure A is right for San Benito County.  I have...

Beware of bandits Re: Out-of-area construction firms spend heavily to influence bond votes, Free Lance, Oct. 11, 2024.  This is a stick-up. We are looking right down the barrel of a gun. Some construction firms are not the only bandits who want our vote. A healthcare...

You have to just love how using websites can make life so easy. You no longer have to leave the house to shop for a new car or dress. Instead, the internet has also become the breeding ground for those targeting small business owners...

Re: Legislator’s unwritten rule, Free Lance, Sept. 27, 2024 Because of the need for discussion and debate voiced by a concerned California legislator we need to discuss our November ballot. Measure X’s wording is carefully crafted to deceive the voter. Similarly, the electric car was...