Opinion

On Sunday, April 16, we decided to drive Hwy. 25 to observe wildflowers. Stopping at Safeway for a few items, I was at the checkout when I dropped my wallet and all the coins landed on the floor.  I started to pick them up when...

Enlightening how certain events, photos or occurrences can influence our thinking.   The Free Lance (April21) front page demonstrated how Hollister High students engage with the robotics program to learn the mechanics of robots. This reminded me how much the same happened to my son who...

The most straightforward definition of drought is the simple mismatch between the amounts of water nature provides and the amounts of water that humans and the environment demand. This mismatch causes California to be in perpetual drought. Even when we receive a lot of rain in California,...

The Civil Grand Jury is an essential pillar of our democracy, acting as a crucial safeguard in maintaining transparency, efficiency and integrity within local government. By holding public officials and agencies accountable to the communities they serve, the Civil Grand Jury, composed of dedicated...

During December 2022, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital first notified the County of San Benito of its untenable financial status. On Dec. 10, 2022, the San Benito Board of Supervisors was given a notice requesting a $10 million loan. The Board of Supervisors and staff...

I am not a fan of Randy Logue’s too frequent publications on your opinion page. But it was this line that caught my eye: “WE ARE NOT SALINAS.” Hollister can “boast” that it has an ugly sign just like the one in downtown Salinas...

I joined the Hazel Hawkins team 26 years ago as a per diem nurse in the ED. I wanted to join a team that was small enough to be a family and help grow services in Hollister where my husband and I were raising...

Concerning our beloved hospital, the feeling is like the wager in the movie “Around the World in 80 Days.” Do we bet the difficult task of restructuring with a business plan and do we bet that it can be done in 80 days? This...

As a resident of San Benito County and the City of Hollister for 36 years, and as an elected Board Member of the San Benito Healthcare District, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past two years and shed light on...

As someone who was born and raised in Hollister, whose mom was a nurse at the original hospital when it was downtown, I feel a special connection to this community—like so many of you. I was born at Hazel Hawkins, and today, as interim...