San Benito County Local News

Valley Water and the National Weather Service urged the community to prepare for winter storms during a news conference held Nov. 13 at a sandbag distribution center in San José.

Information provided by Caltrans District 5. Lea este artículo en español aquí.A project to remove eucalyptus trees along a one-mile segment of US 101 north of Prunedale near Rocks Road continues with overnight lane closures. Overnight tree removal will result in the closure of a single lane of both northbound and southbound US 101 from the junction of US 101 and Hwy 156 East to San Juan Road. Overnight Lane Closures on US 101One lane of southbound US 101 will be closed on the following schedule:Thursday, Nov. 14 from 8 pm to 6 am.Friday, Nov. 15 from 10 pm to 7 am.The overnight closure of one lane of northbound and one lane of southbound US 101 will take place on the following schedule:Thursday, Nov. 14 from 8 pm to 6 am.Friday, Nov. 15 from 10 pm to 7 am.Sunday Nov. 17 from 9 pm to 5 am.Monday Nov.18 thru Thursday Nov. 21Northbound 7 pm to 5 am. and Southbound 8 pm to 6 am.Friday Nov. 22 10 pm to 7 am.In addition to the overnight lane closures, CHP will be present to conduct traffic breaks as needed on an intermittent basis. During overnight hours travelers can expect a delay of up to 30 minutes. Message and directional signs will alert travelers in advance of the project area.Once crews make progress in the southbound direction, they will be able to perform tree removal on the opposite side of the roadway and similar overnight single lane closures will go into effect on northbound US 101. Updates will be provided on the scheduling of these overnight lane closures on northbound US 101.As this project advances there is a possibility that crews will need to perform overnight closures of both lanes of travel in either the north or southbound direction. Should a closure of two lanes in one direction be required, timely notification will be given, and alternate routes will be announced.About This ProjectThis tree removal project is designed to reduce the risk posed to the traveling public by falling trees that could partially or completely block the north or southbound travel lanes.This section of US 101 has experienced collisions involving trees which have fallen onto the roadway. While Caltrans maintenance crews have assessed and maintained these trees, the workload has exceeded maintenance resources and required work to be performed by a contractor.In addition to enhancing safety, the removal of defective trees will allow for trees in good condition to thrive by removing competition for limited space and water. This will result in a more resilient vegetated roadside environment and enhanced safety for travelers. These trees are not considered a stopover for overwintering Monarch butterflies.An update on an estimated completion date will be provided as work progresses and crews are better able to determine production rates. The contractor for this $2.6 million project is Community Tree Service of Pájaro, California.Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.The post US 101 tree removal project advances with overnight lane closures in both directions appeared first on BenitoLink.

Christopher HS Football (9-1 overall, 6-0 BVAL Mt. Hamilton Division)

Recently the American Psychological Association released a study where more than 7 in 10 adults (77%) reported the future of our nation as a significant source of stress in their lives. The economy was the second most common, with 73% of adults having reported it as a significant source of stress and the 2024 U.S. presidential election followed closely at 69 percent.

Information provided by PG&E. Lea este artículo en español aquí.Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is deploying Atomic Canyon’s artificial intelligence-powered solutions for the nuclear energy sector at PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant. This marks the inaugural commercial installation of the first on-site generative AI deployment at a U.S. nuclear power plant.Atomic Canyon’s Neutron Enterprise generative AI solution, built and running on NVIDIA’s full-stack AI platform, is being deployed at Diablo Canyon to transform document search and retrieval, and deliver significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency. The Neutron Enterprise offering sets a new standard for information access and analysis in the nuclear energy sector.As California’s only remaining nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon provides nearly 9% of the state’s electricity and generates 17% of its zero-carbon energy. With the California Energy Commission estimating that power demand across the state will rise roughly 43% in the next 15 years, Diablo Canyon will only become a more critical clean, reliable energy asset.Demand for nuclear power is growing worldwide, driven in part by the growth of data centers and the electrification of industry and transportation. However, efficiency and innovation are key for maintaining compliance in a rigorous regulatory environment and achieving the levels of productivity needed to ensure the industry's growth.Federal and state regulations require utilities that operate nuclear power plants to manage billions of pages of technical documentation, which are spread across multiple systems. Power plant personnel must spend both time and resources to retrieve this essential data accurately and reliably.Having access to Atomic Canyon's pioneering Neutron Enterprise solution means Diablo Canyon will revolutionize its approach to managing these vast datasets. Neutron Enterprise will integrate seamlessly with Diablo Canyon's systems, using the latest optical character recognition (OCR), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and AI-powered search technology to cut search times from hours to seconds. Teams will be able to access critical information faster and more reliably, allowing them to focus on high-value tasks and decision-making.Maureen Zawalick, Vice President of Business and Technical Services at Diablo Canyon Power Plant, says, “As the first nuclear power plant to implement Neutron Enterprise using the NVIDIA platform, we’re proud to lead the way in bringing cutting-edge innovation to our operations. Atomic Canyon’s AI solutions will enable faster data retrieval, boosting collaboration and ensuring continued safe, but more efficient operations. Accessing critical information in seconds will let us focus on what truly matters—delivering reliable clean energy safely and affordably.”The Neutron Enterprise solution is powered by Atomic Canyon’s FERMI family of AI models, developed in collaboration with the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and specifically designed for the nuclear energy sector. With FERMI’s domain expertise, Neutron Enterprise leverages cutting-edge generative AI and RAG to revolutionize how nuclear facilities access, draft, and collaborate on critical documentation.Trey Lauderdale, Founder and CEO of Atomic Canyon, says, “The commercial launch of ‘Neutron Enterprise’ at Diablo Canyon marks a pivotal moment for the nuclear energy sector. With skyrocketing energy demands and increased support from tech leaders, we are witnessing the growing excitement and need for nuclear energy in real time. This is the future of nuclear plant operations, and we’re just scratching the surface.”This deployment uses NVIDIA’s full-stack AI computing platform, including NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, NVIDIA Triton Inference Server software and NVIDIA Hopper architecture GPUs, which accelerate Atomic’s Neutron Enterprise solution. With billions of data points to process across multiple repositories in structured and unstructured formats, the nuclear industry can tap into NVIDIA AI and accelerated computing for more efficient workflows.Marc Spieler, Senior Managing Director of the Global Energy Industry at NVIDIA, says: “AI is unlocking new possibilities in highly regulated industries like nuclear energy. PG&E’s deployment of the Atomic Canyon solution, built with NVIDIA technologies, showcases how AI can contribute to increased operational efficiency by enabling utilities to focus on delivering critical services safely and effectively.The post PG&E launches generative AI solution for nuclear energy sector at Diablo Canyon appeared first on BenitoLink.

The Community Foundation for San Benito County this week announced its board has appointed Kathy Johnson as its interim CEO.

The local Poppy Jasper International Film Festival was recently named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker Magazine—a prestigious recognition that PJIFF producers say validates all the work and dedication that has gone into growing the South Valley event over the last 20 years.

Downtown Gilroy’s new Gourmet Alley, designed to be a pedestrian friendly corridor, officially opened to the public on Nov. 8.

Lea este artículo en español aquí.There are two things people might learn about Hollister resident Hank Anthenien as they first see him: He is a cowboy through and through, and he loves Godzilla.Though that’s an uncommon combination, the 6-year-old wears his straw cowboy hat with pride and carries his Godzilla plastic toys everywhere he goes. And for more than a year, Godzilla has accompanied Anthenien to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto for treatment. Following his stage 4 Neuroblastoma diagnosis on April 4, 2023, Anthenien has gone through many rounds of chemotherapy. Yet, he is in great spirits. According to the American Cancer Society, Neuroblastoma, which occurs most often in infants and young children, is a cancer that starts in certain very early forms of nerve cells, most often found in an embryo or fetus. Doctors found tumors in Hank’s brain and spinal cord.Dianne Jacques, Anthenien’s aunt, said children who are diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma have a 50/50 chance of survival. That number goes down to 5% if the patient relapses. A day after his sixth birthday, Anthenien and Godzilla made a trip to New York for surgery. It is one of many trips that are planned as part of getting the young man ready to partake in a neuroblastoma vaccine trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Before the trial begins, Anthenien needs several surgeries and he needs to be in full remission. The family is hopeful he can start the trial in early 2025.Hank surrounded by all things related to Godzilla. Photo courtesy of Dianne Jacques.“A long road but a more hopeful road than the trajectory we were on,” said Jacques, who grew up in Hollister but now lives in New York.Hank Anthenien’s next trip to New York is scheduled for the end of November, when he will receive a treatment called Naxitamab, an induction chemotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. Anthenien and his family are not alone in dealing with cancer in the community. According to the California Cancer Registry, in the latest data available between 2012 and 2021, San Benito County ranks 11th in the state in cancer rates per 100,000 residents for children under the age of 15. Since his diagnosis, Anthenien has taken extra precautions to avoid getting sick as his immune system is compromised. That includes minimizing contact with people outside of the household, and even eliminating contact with most of the family’s farm animals and pets, including a cat named Godzilla. “He will sit at the door with Godzilla in the glass door and sit there with the glass in between them or open a window and one of the rooms and talk to him through the screen,” Jacques said. He does, however, keep one hypoallergenic dog, Lulu, a beagle poodle mix, which the family is hoping will be approved as a social-emotional pet for Anthenien.Hank Anthenien (right) spending time at the beach with his brother Cody and Lulu. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Barrientos. For those in the household, they too have to take extra precautions—such as showering when they get home, constant hand washing and isolating at the first sign of sniffles. Despite his young age, Hank Anthenien understands that he needs to take extra precautions for his health. Even if he has to tell his aunt to not turn on the heater because it might give him a fever.“He's super mindful of his health and things he has to be aware of,” Jacques said. “I was just like, wow, this kid is really paying attention to what's happening and trying to protect himself as well.”Other challenges the family has faced are the constant road trips required to go to therapies and doctor appointments—as well as paying for the treatments. Jacques said their community has stepped up to help the family. Hollister’s chapter of Helping One Woman, a nonprofit that organizes monthly fundraising dinners for community members, honored Anthenien’s mom, Jennifer Barrientos in June 2023. The family also held a BBQ fundraiser event at San Juan Bautista’s Veterans of Foreign Wars in July 2024.While having to go through these challenges, Barrientos remains focused on her son.“I try to give him the most [normal life] we can,” Barrientos said. “We take him to the beach. When I take him to the beach he is a normal kid.”We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.The post Little cowboy putting up Godzilla-like fight appeared first on BenitoLink.

South Valley Civic Theatre once again steps up to conquer the stage with the 2013 Revival production of “Pippin.”

South Valley Civic Theatre once again steps up to conquer the stage with the 2013 Revival production of “Pippin.”

All but one Hollister City Council race is determined, with candidates for District 4 separated by 141 votes. Candidates who campaigned on slowing growth could sweep the election and have ensured a political shift on the dais for the next two years.

After more ballots were counted over the weekend for the Nov. 5 election, Greg Bozzo has pulled ahead of incumbent Marie Blankley for the office of mayor.

Local voters have chosen to slow the growth in San Benito County, opted for a new mayor and two new city council members in Hollister and delivered mixed views on their desired future for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, according to the latest Nov. 5 election results from the San Benito County Registrar of Voters office.

After a spell of growth since its founding in 2015, the Hollister field hockey program has ascended to the heights—four straight solid years and four years of reaching the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Open letter to San Benito County residents, Nov. 8:

San Benito County voters on Nov. 5 were presented with local measures that could have lasting impacts in the community in land use, education, and healthcare. With some measures still too close to call, the controversial Measure A appears to be on its way to approval by voters.

Information provided by California Department of Parks and Recreation. Lea este artículo en español aquí.Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds is pleased to invite the public to view a selection of short films that explore the cultural practices and personal stories of local and regional Indigenous community members, including Indigenous perspectives on climate change and traditional stewardship. A discussion with the artist/film maker Kirti Bassendine and local Indigenous leaders follows the screening which will take place in the historical, Julia Morgan-designed Grace H. Dodge Chapel Auditorium at the Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds from 4-6 p.m. on Nov. 16.Following its debut at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, photographer and filmmaker Kirti Bassendine brings her important work to the Monterey Peninsula. “As an artist, Kirti is intrigued by human relationships – especially how they impact the discovery of identity and belonging within one’s culture and the wider world. By bringin Indigenous voices together, she creates a unique experience for audiences to engage with these ideas themselves.” https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/contemporary-indigenous voicesEach short film is a vignette about an Indigenous leader from California’s South Coast Range, which reaches from the Santa Francisco peninsula through the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Monterey Bay, and the lower Salinan Valley, and “highlights cultural connections between Indigenous people and their ancestral lands.”Indigenous community member. Photo by Kirti Bassendine. These topics are timely because, in Bassendine’s words, “…Rematriation, Land Back, is a big conversation. “We are here, we have always been here,” is the fundamental message.” https://www.famsf.org/stories/q-a-contemporary-indigenous-voices-kirti-bassendineFollowing the screening, artist/film maker Kirti Bassendine and regional Indigenous leaders will host a discussion with the audience.For interviews and additional images, contact Kirti Bassendine, artist/film maker 678-765 9484, kirtibassendine@gmail.comAdmission is free. For reservations: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php owner=33284597&appointmentType=69786984For more information and quotes, see the following: Kirti Bassendine Photography: https://kirtibassendine.com/Q+A: Contemporary Indigenous Voices Photographer Kirti Bassendine: https://www.famsf.org/stories/q-a-contemporary-indigenous-voices-kirti-bassendine“SF de Young Museum exhibit explores indigenous views on climate change”Com ABC News 7 https://abc7news.com/deyoung-museum-san-francisco-new-exhibit contemporary-indigenous-voices-of-californias-south-coast-range-climate change/13872599/Combined trailers for some of the short films: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4yhmui1D8AThe post Film screening: "Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California's South Coast Range" appeared first on BenitoLink.

The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County’s Empowered Aging Division announced today that it is expanding the “A Matter of Balance” falls prevention program to San Benito County, supported by a grant from the Central California Alliance for Health.

Information provided by San Benito County Cattlewomen. Lea este artículo en español aquí.The San Benito County Cattlewomen are celebrating our 70th Anniversary this year. We were formed in 1954 and have a proud history of promoting the Beef Industry. Our membership is comprised of women throughout the county who dedicate their time and energy to educate the public about beef. While our main focus is on promoting beef, we also support our community in several projects and services and provide scholarships to high school graduates.Each year we focus on new ways to get beef promotion and education out in our community. This year our focus includes the launch of our welcome banners that feature a scenic picture of cattle grazing along with our mascot ZIP. Our mascot's name was chosen for its educational message that beef gives you Zinc Iron and Protein.Please look for our banners when you travel on the San Benito County roadways heading into Hollister on Hwy 25, Hwy 156, Hwy 152, Panoche Rd, and Hwy 146 at the Pinnacles National Park entrance we hope it brings a little smile to your face and a reminder that “BEEF it’s what’s for dinner”.The post Cattlewomen announce beef promotion campaign appeared first on BenitoLink.