Guest View

As the year comes to a close, it is fitting to reflect on what has been achieved in and around Hollister and at City Hall. The City Council has been very focused on strategic planning, getting the city staffed up and improving operations.  We had...

I’m pleased to announce that due to my consistently vocal advocacy, the county is moving forward on plans to repave the segment of San Juan Highway that runs along Anzar High School.  This long overdue project could start as early as this summer, but the...

State data compiled by SchoolDigger allows educators to compare the “Top 60” California Middle Schools, and Accelerated Achievement Academy’s results are exceptionally telling. Based on 2023 CAASPP and state demographic data, AAA can claim the most unique academic success of any high performing California...

As the name suggests, “small” business means the owner is, most likely, working. So, to see around 18 Hollister downtown business owners together at the Oct. 17 meeting was an unusual treat. Thanks to the Hollister City Manager, David Mirrione, and Development Services Director,...

Throughout the fall, San Benito High School District has engaged in an outreach effort to encourage community feedback regarding the need for a second high school.  To date, as we enter the second half of our K-8 Parent Listening and Awareness Sessions at 10 local...

Autumn is here and your garden does not need as much water in October as it does in July.  Lawns require watering a maximum of three times per week in the hot summer months and one or two times per week in the spring and...

Water softeners reduce the “hardness” of the water in your household, which can have several benefits for consumers. Less soap and detergents are needed for laundry and cleaning. There is less staining, spotting and scaling on appliances. Clothes last longer and there are energy...

One of the more encouraging recent announcements at a San Benito County Board meeting happened Aug. 8 when supervisors learned about a new partnership to provide local residents the option to buy annual memberships for air and ground ambulance needs if they arise.  Of course,...

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors at the latest meeting initiated efforts to significantly strengthen the county’s illegal dumping ordinance to deter those activities.  Supervisor Dom Zanger and I had requested this formal consideration, and I have been pushing for more action with regard...

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,...