San Benito County Local News

Lea este artículo en español aquí.John Kouretas had run Paine’s Restaurant for 42 years when he decided to sell the Hollister landmark to La Catrina owner Gustavo Gonzalez in 2022. Since then, Gonzalez has been a careful steward of the 97-year-old business and its traditions.“John still comes here,” Gonzalez said. “This is still his house. So everything must remain consistent: the food, the service and the ambiance. Because Paine’s is not just another restaurant.” Gustavo Gonzalez, Jr., who manages La Catrina, said his family was looking to buy another business when they heard Paine’s was for sale. “It was a very simple transaction,” he said, “but it took around a year to work out the details. It was hard for the Kouretas family, especially John, to let go of the business. It was a personal decision; Paine’s was still running well when they sold it.”Though the family now owns two successful restaurants roughly a block apart, before moving from Mexico in 2011 they had almost no food business experience. In 2014, the family launched the La Jerezana line of cookies, and La Catrina was founded, in part, to give them a place to bake while developing their restaurant’s concept.“We had an auto parts store, a baby supply store and an office supply store,” Gustavo Sr. said. “The closest to a restaurant was a cafeteria we had for one year. Getting into the restaurant business was all an accident.”Gustavo Sr. said Paine’s regular customers were initially concerned about the ownership change, but he has been very careful about making as few changes as possible.“Some of them thought we would be closing Paine’s and moving La Catrina here,” he said. “Others thought the quality would go down. But my son and I made what I think was a good decision to keep the same style and especially keep the same staff.”For Gustavo Sr., maintaining Paine’s staff was the most important key to the transition.Gustavo Gonzalez, Jr., Gustavo Gonzalez, and chef Jorge Marquez. Photo by Robert Eliason“I love my team,” he said. “Some have been with Paine’s for 15 to 20 years. They know, more than I do what the cultural style of Paine’s is. I am fortunate that they continue to work here.”Kimberly Nichols was hired at Paine’s in 2013 and remembers Kouretas fondly.“John, to his credit, kept me here,” she said. “He was an honest man and Paine’s became a part of my life and my daily routine. Paine’s is a big part of the community, especially all of our banquets and events. Everybody comes to Paine’s.”Chef Jorge Marquez is a recent addition to the staff. He began cooking for his family in Zacatecas when he was 13. He said that working at Paine’s was initially scary because it was an entirely different cuisine from what he had grown up with.“But it has become a pleasure,” he said. “Because every day, I get to come into the dining room and see all the smiles around.”Lunch and Dinner at Paine’sJack Daniels Burger. Photo by Robert Eliason.Jack Daniel’s Western Burger – This eight-ounce burger is the most popular lunch item, and it is easy to see why. Topped with Cheddar cheese, bacon and caramelized onions, it is finished with a homemade Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce. “Everything is super fresh,” said Marquez. “The produce is only two days from the farm. The bun is super soft to handle, and everything works with the barbecue sauce.” I loved this burger. It's a great size for lunch, the meat is high-quality, the barbecue sauce has great depth, and it comes with Paine’s unique fries, which are mashed potatoes put through a form, squeezed out like pasta would be, then deep-fried. They are crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and a perfect match for the burger.

Lea este artículo en español aquí.Santa is coming to Bolado Park, along with caroling flash mobs, dance performances, giant gingerbread houses, marshmallow snowmen and a million or two sparkling lights. It is part of “The Adventure to the North Pole,” a month-long festivity opening on Nov. 24 and running through Dec.  22. The evening celebration, billed as a “Family Christmas Light Festival,” will offer visitors an illuminated pathway through the park, punctuated by activities, performances, and themed vignettes leading up to Santa’s home—all intended to bring the Christmas spirit alive in the hearts of young and old.Santa and Mrs. Claus with friends. Photo by Robert Eliason.“We came up with the idea of doing a holiday event,” said Tarshela Haggard of Hollister’s APEX Specialty Planning Group. “We spoke to Dara Tobias here at Bolado, and she said, “I think it would be fantastic. We need something like that to put this little park back on the map.”The adventure's layout takes up most of the park's back area, incorporating the stables and permanent buildings. The entrance is through Candy Cane Lane’s tunnel of lights, which leads to sets with illuminated Christmas-themed characters and props accented by machines producing fog and snow. Multiple mirrors in some areas reflect the lights, giving the pathways extra depth.“It’s what they use in mazes,” Haggard said. “I thought, ‘Nobody uses anything like that for a holiday event.’ It is magical, and the reflections make the lights look like they go on forever.”Lit up animals. Photo by Robert Eliason.Along the way, certain scenes will be enhanced with piped-in aromas. Candy Cane Lane smells like peppermint. The gingerbread houses smell like gingerbread. The mirrored and lit trees smell like pine. And the snozzberries, if you can find them, no doubt smell like snozzberries.“I want our visitors to experience more than just lights,” said Haggard. “I would love them to take in the true feeling and sensation of everything.” On scheduled evenings to be announced, the San Benito Stage Company will perform as dancing elves, and the San Benito Dance Academy will offer excerpts from their upcoming production of the Nutcracker Suite. Gavilan College students will read “The Night Before Christmas” once an hour.The main section of the adventure takes place in the buildings usually used for exhibitions during the county fair. One building will be filled with vendors, including Hill’s Bookstore. Another will house the Elves’ Workshop, where children can engage in various activities for an additional fee. Christmas movies will be shown continuously in another. There are also outdoor activities planned, such as a petting zoo and a skating rink for those who bring skates.The final stop on the adventure is a visit to Santa’s home, where Alan Young, a former Hollister resident and veteran performer of the role, will greet his visitors.“He's just amazing,” said Haggard. “Just so cute, with a real beard and everything, and his wife is adorable. They'll be doing some readings that will be a big hit for the kids.” The adventure will also feature live music, a DJ every Friday, food trucks and themed evenings, like Ugly Sweater Night on Wednesdays and Matching Pajama Night on Sundays. “We are hoping people come several different times,” Haggard said. “Every time, it will be a new experience with different vendors, themes and activities. And we are hoping to build on the event, to make it even bigger and better next year.”Tickets for “The Adventure to the North Pole” are available through Eventbrite. General Admission for ages four and up is $25, and tickets purchased at the gate are $27. There is a $5 discount for military and senior citizens who purchase at the gate. (ID required for discount.) Note: Adventure to the North Pole will open on Nov. 24 and then close through Thanksgiving. Due to storm predictions, it will reopen on Nov. 29. Check Facebook for further changes in schedule due to weather. Bolado Park is located at 9000 Airline Hwy, in Tres Pinos, south of Hollister. 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. San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.The post Adventure to the North Pole brings Christmas magic to Bolado Park appeared first on BenitoLink.

Lea este artículo en español aquí.Following a 35-24 win over Salinas, Hollister High School’s freshman football team finished its season with a 9-0 record, dominating the opposition with only one close game against traditional rivals Palma High School.“We were excited before the season,” said Freshman Head Coach Tyler Townsend, “because we heard around town that we would have a good group of kids coming in. Obviously, we did. They all fought for each other and encouraged each other.”In his five years as the team’s head coach, Townsend said, he had never had an undefeated team before, but his players were remarkably self-confident from the beginning.“Before the season,” he said, “they told me, ‘Coach, we're gonna be undefeated.’ Every team says that, but these kids showed me they would keep fighting for every game. And what they preached came to reality.”Townsend said he told the team not to overthink things and to concentrate on one game at a time.“I had the game plan,” he said, “and they produced, I told them, ‘All I can do is tell you what to do, and you guys gotta do it.’ Every week, they impressed me and overachieved what I gave them.”Townsend said that not all schools have freshman teams, making their schedules more grueling because they compete against schools where JV and varsity do not play. But their first game, a 19-0 win against Wilcox High, was enough to assure him that his team would do well this season.“That's when the coaches were really impressed,” he said. “We knew we would be good, but we didn't know we would be that good.”Townsend said the toughest game was their last, a 35-24 victory against Salinas, a team with a high-powered, fast-moving offense. At that point, both teams were undefeated in the league. “They came to play for what was essentially the league championship,” he said, “We fell behind, then we rallied. We had some crucial stops and ran the ball for over 200 yards. It was a great overall team win on all three levels: special teams, offense, defense.”Townsend said one advantage he has as a coach is that many of his players have come up from the Hollister Rebels team, which has a training discipline much like that of the high school. “They run a similar offense to what we run,” he said, “and many of their coaches have had children on our team. So our verbiage is not that hard to learn because they've already got a head start on what we'll be teaching.”Townsend said he depended on four players in particular: Braiden Hernandez. Photo by Robert Eliason.Running Back Braiden Hernandez: “His strength is his speed,” Townsend said. “And he could carry the ball. He can take off, stop, and start like nobody I’ve ever seen.”Hernandez, 15, first started playing two years ago with the Rebels. He says he thinks the toughest game was the 14-13 win against Palma, which was decided by a blocked kick.“Our offense was struggling,” he said. “But our defense held them to two scores. That’s how we win games sometimes. The defense just does it.”Damian Aragon. Photo by Robert Eliason.Running Back Damian Aragon: “Damien led us in rushing and touchdowns for the year,” Townsend said. “He was like a grown man on the field, and nobody can tackle that guy.”Aragon, 15, began playing football when he was eight. He finds the game's aggressiveness appealing and enjoys the attention he gets when he scores. He said he felt good about the season and was unsurprised when they went the distance.“I had played with a bunch of these kids before,” he said. “The hardest part was connecting to the rest because everybody came from different teams. We were very fortunate this year.”Aragon credits the defense as the greatest strength of the team.“They would let the offense do the thing,” he said. “We have good running backs, powerful and fast, and we had a great quarterback, so we could run the ball and throw at the same time.”Nate Candelaria. Photo by Robert Eliason.Quarterback Nate Candelaria: “He was a leader,” said Townsend. “A very humble, quiet leader. He went about his business and led our offense the whole way through.”Candelaria, 14, began playing when he was 10 and has competed with the Vikings, Cowboys and Rebels. “I was always a starter,” he said. “I was always very athletic. I’ve always wanted to get the ball and be physical.”He agrees with Townsend that the hardest game was the final one, against Salinas.“It was a battle the whole time,” he said. “In the first three quarters, we fought hard. Then, in the last quarter, we scored two back-to-back touchdowns. We stopped them on defense and that was the game.”Felix Chavira. Photo by Robert Eliason.Fullback Felix Chavira: “Felix is our energy power guy,” Townsend said. “He’d have these big explosive runs that fired up the team.” Chavira, 14, began playing football at five, playing for the Hollister Vikings. “When I started,” he said, “I was scared to hit. But now I feel like I'm really comfortable with the sport.”Chavira said he thinks his physical strength is his greatest asset to the team, and he works out constantly in the off-season to improve his upper body strength.“When I run,” he said, “especially if I get in trouble, it's not easy to tackle me, so I'm just like a power runner.”Townsend said credit for the season should really go to all 63 players on the freshman team.“Rotating them through is the most difficult thing,” he said. “We had 11 guys on offense and 11 on defense, and the rest we try to get on to special teams. There’s probably three or four games where every single kid touched the field.”The undefeated season:09/04 – vs Wilcox, 19-0

This column was provided by San Benito County resident Moira Casey Lea este articulo en español aqui.After running their hearts out, the girl's secured the PCAL Cypress Division Championship Title!  This is the first time in 10 years that the girl's Cross-Country team has won a division title.  Following this win, Anzar sent a full girls' team to the Central Coast Section Championships at the Crystal Springs Course in Belmont, CA.Sophomore runner, Bella Briceño led her squad with a 3rd place finish and improved her season time by 50 seconds. Senior runner, and 2nd girl: Angelina Tran placed 7th improving by 9 seconds. and both girls earned FIRST TEAM ALL-LEAGUE honors. Teammates, 3rd girl: Freshman Rory Kayne improved by 3 minutes and 53 seconds,4th girl: Junior Lea Bautista by 2 minutes and 50 seconds, 5th girl: Freshman Gracie Grio by 3 minutes and 53 seconds, and 6th girl: Junior Ava Kapadia by 18 seconds.The Anzar boy's Cross-Country team made a great showing at the PCAL Cypress Division Championship.Senior, Ian Miller, improved the most by shaving 10 minutes and 59 seconds off his previous time! The boy's top runner, Freshman Henry Murphy, improved by 24 seconds. 2nd man: Andres Gutierrez improved by 47 seconds, 3rd man: Arlo Burke-Raymond by 31 seconds, 4th man: Jason Gamble 2 minutes and 14 seconds, 5th man: Oliver Doupnik improved by 3 minutes and 18 seconds, and 6th man: Isaac Lopez improved by 2 minutes 31 seconds.Winning a championship and personal bests were not the only reward for their efforts. Coach Monica Gilmore and SJB resident, Moira Casey, teamed up with IBM and Fleet Feet to secure a grant that covered the cost of custom-fit running shoes and specialized socks for each Cross-country team member.Next season the Cross-Country team will return stronger, fitter and faster!The post It has been quite a year for the Anzar Cross Country team  appeared first on BenitoLink.

It has been an incredible privilege to serve as your advocate and representative for the past 16 years—first as a member of the Gilroy Unified School District Board, and for the last eight years on the Gilroy City Council.

U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) announced this week that Gavilan College will receive $375,000 from the National Science Foundation to support STEM education for Latino students.

U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) announced this week that Gavilan College will receive $375,000 from the National Science Foundation to support STEM education for Latino students.

In separate meetings in English and Spanish, officials from San Benito County and the state of California heard public comments regarding the long-awaited expansion of Hwy 25, which connects the cities of Gilroy and Hollister.

UC Santa Cruz recently acquired and established the Strathearn Ranch Natural Reserve, a 2,400-acre oak-studded grassland property in San Benito County that will be used for field research and outdoor education for the university’s students, staff and researchers.

Lea este artículo en español aquí. The atmospheric river that has already hit Northern California is expected to hit San Benito County Friday, Nov 22.The National Weather Service reports a 100% chance of precipitation by Friday Night.Courtesy of National Weather Service. Weather Underground reports about two inches of rain betwen Nov 22 and 27. Patchy fog will be present at times adding to poor visiblity on the roads. Caltrans predicts heavy traffic next week for the Thanksgiving holiday. It advises: Caltrans is reminding motorists to expect an increase in traffic on the Central Coast during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend. With wet and cold weather in the forecast, motorists are encouraged to remember these safety tips:Reduce your speed in rainy, foggy, icy and windy conditions. Motorists should be aware that spot flooding may occur at any time along the roadway.Slow down and/or move over when highway workers, law enforcement or tow truck drivers are working on or near the roadway.Be aware of electronic message boards and other road signs with information on incidents, changing road conditions, lane closures or detours.Make sure that your vehicle's brakes, windshield wiper blades and tires are in good condition. Motorists should also inspect vehicle head and taillights for maximum visibility.Call 911 to report any incidents or hazardous roadway conditions.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. It is expensive to produce local news and community support is what keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service, nonprofit news.The post Heavy rain expected starting Friday appeared first on BenitoLink.

Re: Local turnout exceeds 64% in Nov. 5 election, Free Lance Nov. 15, 2024

A San Benito County Sheriff’s correctional officer was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence with his children in the vehicle, according to authorities.

Christopher HS Football (9-2 overall, 6-0 BVAL Mt. Hamilton Division)

Information provided by San Benito County Sheriff's Office. Lea este artículo en español aquí.The San Benito County Sheriff's Office is deeply disappointed to announce the arrest of Correctional Officer Jorge Mendoza, 39, on charges of driving under the influence [CVC 23152 (a) and (b)] and child endangerment [PC 273a(a)]. Mendoza was stopped around 6:30 PM on Nov. 20. by the Gustine Police Department on suspicion of driving under the influence. Jorge had his children in the vehicle during this incident. The children were later picked up by their mother at the scene. Jorge was subsequently booked into the Merced County Jail and released on bail this morning.Correctional Officer Mendoza has been placed on leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. He has served with the San Benito County Sheriff's Office for a total of five and a half years.Sheriff Eric Taylor expressed the department's grave concern over this incident, stating: "This is a serious and deeply troubling matter. As law enforcement officers, we are held to the highest standards of accountability and conduct—both on and off duty. The decision to drive under the influence, particularly with children in the car, shows a significant lapse in judgment and endangered lives. We expect more from those who wear the badge and take an oath to serve and protect."The Sheriff's Office recognizes the gravity of child endangerment in this situation and is cooperating fully with any ongoing investigations. The community's safety and trust in our department remain our highest priorities."This incident does not reflect the values or commitment of the hardworking men and women of the San Benito County Sheriff's Office," Sheriff Taylor added. "We are committed to addressing this matter thoroughly and ensuring accountability at every level. We will remain open and transparent with the public, even when circumstances do not reflect well on our office and this profession."We will remain steadfast in providing information and further updates as more details become available. The Sheriff's Office asks for the community's patience as we work through the investigation and deal with the disappointment.Please contact Commander Corral at tcorral@sanbenitocountyca.gov should you have additional questions.The post San Benito County Sheriff's Office addresses arrest of correctional officer appeared first on BenitoLink.

As we prepare to gather with loved ones this holiday season, it’s important to remember that many of our neighbors are struggling to meet even their most basic needs.

The Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field Office is easing seasonal fire restrictions as of Nov. 19 for about 300,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands in Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Stanislaus counties, due to reduced wildland fire potential.

Gilroy Life goes online only for rest of year

UC Santa Cruz recently acquired and established the Strathearn Ranch Natural Reserve, a 2,400-acre oak-studded grassland property in San Benito County that will be used for field research and outdoor education for the university’s students, staff and researchers.

The first phase of construction for Gavilan College’s new Hollister campus—which includes a 34,000-square-foot building with classrooms, labs, a cafe, resource center and more—is completed.

The first phase of construction for Gavilan College’s new Hollister campus—which includes a 34,000-square-foot building with classrooms, labs, a cafe, resource center and more—is completed.