Opinion

The fentanyl crisis is ravaging communities around the country, touching lives across every socioeconomic, racial and geographic line. Yet too often, our conversations about fentanyl overdoses are clouded by stigma, misinformation and judgment.  It’s time to change that. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times...

Re: Hellertoon, Free Lance, May 30  This political cartoon coloring the Opinion page amazed me of how skillful art can deftly explain what caused an all night session of congressional words in the House to accomplish.   At first glance of the Joe Heller cartoon, it seemed...

Every year on the last Monday of May, we gather not in celebration but to remember.  Memorial Day is a day carved into our national conscience to honor the brave men and women of our armed forces who gave their lives in defense of our...

In a world increasingly shaped by technology, commerce and rapid urbanization, public art stands as a profound counterbalance—a humanizing force that elevates the collective spirit of a community. Art in public spaces does far more than decorate; it educates, inspires and connects. Public art is...

California’s legal system should be used to uphold justice—not to line the pockets of trial lawyers exploiting outdated laws. Yet that’s exactly what’s happening today under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), a criminal wiretapping statute from 1967 that is being twisted into...

As Memorial Day approaches, our community—like many across the nation—prepares for parades, backyard cookouts, and the unofficial start of summer. But at the heart of this holiday lies something far deeper and more solemn: the remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in...

May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a time not just for reflection but for action.  For decades, mental health has existed in the shadow of physical health, often stigmatized, misunderstood or simply ignored. But the truth is undeniable: mental health is an important aspect of...

Re: Hospital proceeds with negotiations, Free Lance, April 18, 2025 Instead of the Easter Bunny, we get the Big Bad Wolf and he is trying to blow the house down.  The Easter basket from the San Benito County Health Care District over-flowed with attractive colors,...

Re: Insight wants to purchase Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Trying to understand Insight is like taking a seat on a ferris wheel, where going round and round and up and down is scary. Some may find the experience thrilling, but eventually the rider gets nowhere.   Insight...

The annual Poppy Jasper International Film Festival wrapped up its weeklong celebration of film Wednesday with a tour of Hollister wineries, a final film screening and the closing ceremony and audience awards at the Granada Theater in Hollister. PJIFF executive director Mattie Scariot said this...