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This year was eventful in San Benito County. Looking back through my calendar where I keep track of all the stories we published this year, provides me a moment to reflect on the hard work our reporters have put into keeping our community informed.
Our coverage ranged from our continued efforts to reveal who was the tenant of the 1 million fulfillment center on San Felipe Road (spoiler – we did) to following step-by-step Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital’s fiscal emergency.
With that, let’s look at what caught the attention of our readers in 2023.
January
It’s deja vu for me as this is the second year in a row I begin the year-end review citing the 1 million-square-feet fulfillment center. In January, almost a year after the project was approved by the Hollister Planning Commission, we ran a story detailing how the city and developer declined to reveal the tenant, but that all clues pointed to Amazon. Five months later, as we continued to push for answers, Amazon confirmed it would be conducting operations in that building. A question yet to be answered is as to what will go on in that fulfillment center. One possibility is robots working along with Amazon employees.
We also continued our reporting on the status of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, including the closure of its Home Health Department and took a look at other hospitals that could serve as an example of what the community could do to save it from closing. We analyzed the steps Watsonville Community Hospital went through in order to come out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital approved filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in May.
Our reporters joined emergency responders when parts of our community experienced flooding such as Lovers Lane area, the confusion in the chaos about resources for those affected, and those that stepped up to provide supplies for those in need. We also reported on the flooding at Mission Farm RV Park in San Juan Bautista and how it caught the residents by surprise.
On the more positive side of our community, we featured two Hollister residents. One who owns his uniqueness in his pursuit of becoming the best photographer and the other who published a book aimed at recording the story of her parents and their connection to the atomic bomb.
February
The controversial housing project Lee Subdivision was rejected by the San Benito Board of Supervisors following an appeal by the applicant. That area also includes the Gavilan College San Benito County campus project and the Fairview Corners residential project.
A Gilroy resident recounted how she and her brother defied a roadblock on Frazier Lake Road in order to save their horses and parents from the floods.
Hollister changed its code regarding the storage of recreational vehicles and boats, as well as the administrative citation penalties and charges related to violations of the RV and boat section. The city also dealt with the Ladd Lane project, in which construction began in 2022, as neighbors pushed back stating the design raised more issues than it solved.
We also reported on the challenges restaurants continued to face that jeopardized their survival.
March
The rain experienced through March meant local reservoirs were rising in water levels rapidly. That brought additional concerns for those leaving near the Hernandez Reservoir. Given flooding concerns, California Fish and Wildlife allowed individuals to go into creeks to clean debris, on an emergency basis.
We also reported on the community’s short supply of electricity, leaving several pending construction projects with no available power. In May, the Hollister Planning Commission approved an unmanned battery storage facility in preparation for increased power usage in the county.
In February, we reported that Hollister City Manager Brett Miller was not present in a meeting following a closed session where the city council conducted a performance review. Three weeks later, the city announced it had fired Miller. While the city said it was going a different direction, Miller said it was a difference of opinion that led to the city’s decision. The city ultimately hired David Mirrione in August, who had been hired as the assistant city manager in August 2022.
April
A report found that one in every five California hospitals were at risk of closure. Among the reasons given were that hospitals were not able to raise rates to account for increased costs.
The San Benito County Jail partnered with Growing Hearts Garden Center to have inmates participate in a new project that will train them in job skills. The program provides classes in gardening and landscaping as well as a space for a garden that is currently being designed and built.
The Hollister Planning Commission unanimously approved the development of 100 multifamily apartments in the West of Fairview subdivision. The project includes one-, two- and three-bedroom units and an on-site manager’s unit.
School violence and drug possession has led to an increased rate of suspensions and expulsions in San Benito County schools. The total number of suspensions and expulsions at Hollister High School reached an 11-year high. Anzar reported a 10-year-high 9.1% suspension rate in the 2021-22 school year.
May
BenitoLink broke the news that the San Benito County Sheriff’s office was investigating a criminal complaint at the San Benito County Free Library. After months of persistent calls and looking into what was going on in the library, we broke that the FBI was involved and in follow up calls, we found the case was related to an alleged embezzlement.
When it comes to food, our readers are always eager to read about it. That was apparent when we wrote about Smoke Point BBQ opening a satellite location in Hollister. The interest in products made in San Benito County has also made our Eat, Drink, Savor series very popular from week to week. We publish an article every Sunday. And speaking of food, our reporter followed the process of Hollister easing restrictions on food trucks, which led to a successful Food Truck Tuesdays event.
BenitoLink also reported on Hollister’s draft general plan public review period, which was followed by eight other articles on the separate sections of the document.
June
The most-read article this month was about Hollister resident Nico Quijano writing and directing the movie “Ranger” that was being filmed in the county.
Our reporters also followed San Benito High School District’s efforts to complete its master plan at Hollister High School with the construction of a student union. We’ve also followed up on the district’s efforts to build a second high school, which included forums where the community provided input on how they envisioned that campus.
The rain experienced in the previous months caused Highway 156 costs to increase. That meant the regional transportation agency had to come up with an additional $4 million for the project.
A feel-good story this week was 104-year-old Elwood Dryden sharing his story about growing up in the county, when there were about 3,000 residents.
July
Transportation is always a topic of interest within our community. While the majority of attention goes to the roundabout project at the Highway 156/25 intersection and the Highway 156 widening project, Caltrans has been dealing with a realignment in south county and analyzing how much money the state is pouring into a project that is ⅛ miles. BenitoLink has been following up on this project since it began in 2015.
Given the Hospital’s fiscal status, the nurses union and members of the public have questioned its leadership. In response to some of the community members’ concerns, BenitoLink compared interim CEO Mary Casillas’ experience to previous Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital CEOs as well as the qualifications other hospitals are seeking to fill for the same position. The nurses union also affirmed a vote of no confidence in the San Benito Health Care District, which governs the hospital.
August
Another topic of interest in our community is housing and land use projects. BenitoLink reported on Hollister considering several projects including 157 apartments and 50 townhomes in the west side of town, which were eventually approved.
The county also is working on an application for a 204-acre quarry near San Juan Bautista, which is in the environmental review process.
This month also marked the culmination of almost two years-long efforts of Andrea Ayala-Avila’s and 11 other families building their own homes as part of the Riverview Estates II project. The move in celebration also served as incentive and motivation to the other 12 families still working on homes, who finished three months later.
A neighborhood in Hollister woke up in the middle of the night to the sounds of an explosion. A home security camera caught a mailbox being destroyed.
September
Given that the story about Hollister planners approving designs for Panera and Wendy’s was the top story of this month and ongoing conversations on social media, it is safe to assume that many residents are looking forward to their doors opening.
A county building was damaged in a night fire that caused several departments to relocate. The investigators have yet to announce the cause of the fire.
Hollister High School students experienced moments of uncertainty as the campus was put on lockdown for over an hour. It was later revealed police arrested a student and detained two more in connection to reports of drug activity that led to the discovery of a loaded firearm on campus. While police dealt with the lockdown, worried parents stood just outside the campus awaiting for information. Hollister High School student Andrew Minnis wrote a heartfelt community opinion in response to the lockdown.
October
The community was surprised and concerned about Caltrans’ plan to close Union Road, with a detour route, at the Highway 156 intersection for about seven months. After public outcry, Caltrans will spend an additional $400,000 to speed up the project to last eight weeks. It also changed the timeline of the project to prevent weather relays.
What is October without ghosts, skeletons and haunted houses? Hollister resident Eric Garthwait created a walk-through attraction for those that wanted to test their bravery.
This year, Hollister Planners considered and approved several condo and apartment projects which is something community leaders have said is needed in the area. This month planners approved an 84-condo project on the west side of Hollister.
The Office of Education approved a charter high school to begin in Fall 2024 despite opposition from several school districts and teacher unions.
November
Several parents expressed their opposition to Hollister School District not allowing overnight field trips for students. The heart of the issue is the science camp for which parents had already raised money. In follow-up meetings, the parents and students have asked the Board to reconsider their decision.
San Juan Bautista hosted five days to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos (day of the dead). The celebration included a vigil at the local cemetery, an evening parade through the town, costume competitions and a makers market.
An environmental study is underway for a truck-stop project on Highway 129 that includes a convenience store, truck service building, refueling station and cold storage facility.
In efforts to limit vehicle accidents on Highway 156 during peak hours, local agencies are asking Caltrans to prohibit left turns onto the highway from local roads, which some motorists use as a way to bypass traffic.
San Benito County residents are having a difficult time finding a veterinarian in the area. They are forced to travel to neighboring counties in search of services for their pets.
December
Brian Foucht, San Juan Bautista’s assistant city manager, was placed on paid administrative leave. The city said the leave was performance-related and that it was “gathering some information and doing an investigation.”
An unknown pathogen has been causing a respiratory infection in dogs in parts of the United States including the West Coast. No cases have been reported in San Benito County.
A group of county residents challenged the candidacy of former Hollister mayor Ignacio Velazquez who has filed for the District 5 seat on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors. However, the Registrar of Voters Francisco Diaz on a Dec. 14 analysis, “affirms Ignacio Velasquez’s (SIC) immediate eligibility” to run for office.
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