San Benito County Local News

Seacliff State Beach was obliterated by storms in 2023. California State Parks is mobilizing the public to reimagine its future.

Lea este artículo en español aquí.The approach of Thanksgiving marks a busy time at Paicines Ranch as the team works to fill orders for their organic pasture-raised turkeys. Tasked with preparing the ranch’s Thursday lunches at the Overlook dining hall and planning upcoming farm-to-table dinners, it is also a busy time for Executive Chef Maggie Fernandez, who recently replaced Chef Carlos Cañada.“Maggie was working as a sous chef,” said the ranch’s sales manager, Mary Rowan. “She has been doing a great job here—the spices she uses are flavorful, and they really seem to bring out the flavor of our meats.”Fernandez originally attended California State University at Chico, intending to become a veterinarian, before studying culinary arts at the Clovis Institute of Technology. She credits her family for “showing me how much love you can cook into a dish” and changing her life’s pathway.“A lot of people think it's funny that I wanted to be a vet and then got into cooking animals,” she said, “but going back home and visiting with family and seeing how passionate they were about cooking opened my eyes.”Before working at the ranch, Fernandez was a sous chef at Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos. She moved to Hollister and began looking for a closer kitchen to work in when she received an email inviting her to visit Paicines."I came here and saw how everything just was so peaceful, calm and open,” she said. “It caught my eye. It’s a bit different. You’re not constantly being rushed, and everyone's just a little bit more friendly.”She also appreciates having access to the best of what is grown in San Benito County, whether on the ranch or sourced from local farms. “I think it is great,” she said, “because many restaurants don’t have the opportunities we have here. We work closely with the farmers, so we know exactly how it is being produced and how it gets to us.”A recent Thursday lunch menu at the Overlook was a perfect example: a honey-apple braised Paicines Ranch pork chop plated with mashed potatoes, roasted sunchokes and caramelized Brussels sprouts, served with a bright cabbage salad with orange slices and a quinoa salad with cherry tomatoes. Honey glazed pork chop lunch. Photo by Robert Eliason.Cabbage Salad. Photo by Robert Eliason.Quinoa salad. Photo by Robert Eliason.Brussels Sprouts. Photo by Robert Eliason.Finished Brussels Sprouts. Photo by Robert Eliason. Chicken gravy and fried sunchokes. Photo by Robert Eliason.To complete the meal, the Overlook serves wine from wineries such as Blade & Talon, Terah and Margins, which source their grapes from the Paicines Ranch vineyard. It is an elegant yet casual execution of the start-to+finish farm-to-table concept.Fernandez has graciously shared several Fall-themed recipes, which we have made available as a PDF, Paicines Ranch Recipes. These include her Whole Mustard and Honey Glazed Pork Chops, reprinted below, Turkey Gravy, Candied Sweet Potatoes, and Mole with Turkey Leftovers, her favorite use for the leftover bird. (Former Executive Chef Cañada shared his turkey recipe in a previous BenitoLink article.)Turkeys are a particularly important part of the season for Paicines Ranch. Rowan said that, besides the turkeys being pasture-raised, the ranch harvests the turkeys in early August to avoid the high heats that have a detrimental effect on the meat. The ranch raises about 200 turkeys annually, of which 150 are for sale to the public. Whole Mustard and Honey Glazed Pork Chops, courtesy of Chef Maggie FernandezWhole Mustard, Honey GlazeYield: 1.5 Cups● Three sprigs of Rosemary● 1 cup of organic Honey● 1/4 cup of whole-grain mustard● 4 tbsp of butter● Kosher salt and black pepper to tasteInstructions:● Add honey, mustard, salt, and pepper to a pot and let it boil.● Once boiling, add in the rosemary and emulsify the butter.● Turn down the flame to medium/low heat for about 5- 10 minutes.● Turn off the flame and let the rosemary steep for another 3 minutes.Grilled Pork Chop SeasoningYield: 3/4 cup6 tbsp of kosher salt6 tbsp of black pepper8 tbsp of garlic powder8 tbsp of onion powderInstructions:● Preheat oven to 350*.● Add everything together in a bowl to season the pork.● Let the pork rest for about 8 minutes before grilling.● Grill the steaks, then brush with the glaze before adding them to the oven.● Bake until the temperature hits 145-160 degrees.Paicines Ranch is located at 13388 Airline Hwy in Paicines. Lunch is served every Thursday from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. except for the week of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. BenitoLink readers ordering a turkey from their website can receive a 10% discount using the coupon code BENITOLINKTURKEY10.Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.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 Eat, Drink, Savor: Thanksgiving dining, the Paicines Ranch way appeared first on BenitoLink.

Lea este artículo en español aquí.Plays by special teams, defense and offense led Hollister High football to victory over Capuchino High from San Bruno in the first round of the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs. Running backs Myles Statua and Cole Seymour led the offense, combining for four touchdowns on route to a 44-40 win.“Our kids played tough,” coach Bryan Smith said. Hollister was coming off a 5-game losing streak.Statua seemingly put the game away on a 10-yard touchdown run with 1:58 remaining, giving Hollister a 44-34 point-lead.However, the Mustangs put together three big plays on a 92-yard drive to stay in the game, as they had done all day. The drive gave them an opportunity to try an onside kick, but the Balers successfully recovered the ball with 35 seconds left in the game. Hollister got its biggest lead, 31-20, at the beginning of the third quarter, thanks to a 52-yard drive. Fullback Nate Alves set up the drive with a 30-yard run, and four plays later, quarterback Cruz Raquet connected with wide receiver Mohammad Farhat for a 25-yard touchdown.Racquet finished the game with two passing touchdowns, 133 passing yards, and 19 rushing yards. quarterback Cruz Raquet threw for 133 yards in eight attempts. Photo by Adam Bell.Cole Seymour rushed for 74 yards and scored a touchdown. Photo by Adam Bell.Myles Statua led the Balers with three touchdowns. Photo by Adam Bell. Jordan Quezada had a 13-yard reception and a carry for a 30 yards in the first half. Photo by Adam Bell. The Mustangs answered with back-to-back touchdown drives to take a 31-34 lead with 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter. It was the only time the Balers were behind in the score. “We fought through the adversity and came up with a W,” Seymour said. In the shootout-style game, both offenses appeared unstoppable with each team only punting once. Capuchino combined for 498 yards and Hollister for 377 yards. The Baler offense also came up with successful plays facing third downs, and needing seven or more yards to extend four drives, all culminating in touchdowns. “Everything on offense was pretty good today,” Statua said. Though the Baler defense struggled to keep the Mustangs out of the endzone, it did come up with two turnovers in the first half.The first was an interception by Savion Loza on the second play of the game. Loza caught the ball on Capuchino’s 45-yard line and returned it 11 yards to set up short field position for their offense. Hollister took a 7-0 lead seven plays later on a 6-yard run by Statua. Statua finished the game with three touchdowns, 68 rushing yards on 13 carries. Seymour led the team with 74 yards on 14 carries. The second turnover was a fumble by the Mustangs on a hand off near Hollister’s 10-yard line. Linebacker Tripp Felice jumped on the ball to end Capuchino’s scoring threat with 48 seconds left in the first half. “The defense did all they could to give us the ball back and try to score and we executed every time they gave it back,” Seymour said. Hollister’s special teams also impacted the game by blocking an extra point attempt and stopping the Mustangs on two two-point conversion attempts. “The difference in the game,” Smith said. “Four points.”Hollister is scheduled to play at Carmel in the semifinal round of playoffs on Nov. 22. Carmel is coming off a 56-46 win over San Mateo. BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.The post Hollister football outlast Capuchino in first round of playoffs appeared first on BenitoLink.

Information provided by Hollister Police Department. Lea este artículo en español aquí.On Nov. 12 Hollister Police Animal Care and Services received a report of a local resident that had failed to provide veterinary care to her dying puppy. Hollister Police Animal Care and Services along with the Hollister Police Department responded to the 100 block of Chestnut Lane. A four-month-old, German Shepherd Mix puppy was found to be in distress and actively dying upon Animal Control officer’s arrival.  Aurora Carbajal (64) was arrested for felony animal cruelty. Animal Control Officers immediately began to transport the animal to a local veterinarian  for treatment.  Unfortunately, the animal had succumbed to its injuries prior to its arrival to the veterinarian.  This marks the twenty-third arrest this year for animal cruelty related charges. Hollister Police Animal Care and Services would like to remind the public that it is unlawful for any person having charge or custody of any animal, either as owner or otherwise, to subject any animal to needless suffering, inflict unnecessary cruelty upon an animal, or in any manner abuse an animal, or deprives an animal of necessary sustenance, drink, or shelter as it violates California PC 597.  A violation of this subdivision is punishable as a felony by imprisonment, or by a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars, or by both that fine and imprisonment. The post Hollister Animal Control respond to animal cruelty report appeared first on BenitoLink.

The city of Hollister will lose significant expected sales tax revenue from the nearly complete Amazon project after the company announced on Nov. 12 that it changed how it plans to use the million-square foot facility.

A 35-year-old Morgan Hill resident died in a four-vehicle traffic accident the afternoon of Nov. 14, according to the California Highway Patrol.

With more than 50 bonded wineries in southern Santa Clara County, there are plenty of reasons to keep your wine purchases local.

The Veterans Appreciation Ceremony/Parade was held on Nov. 11. More then 14 people received VFW Post banners and about 65 organizations participated in the parade. It was the first fall rainy day, but that didn't stop the parade or the spectators in downtown Hollister from enjoying each other and honoring local veterans.

UC Santa Cruz proudly announces the establishment of the Strathearn Ranch Natural Reserve, following approval today by the UC Board of Regents. The reserve, made possible by an anonymous estate gift to the campus, will provide invaluable ecological, educational, and research opportunities for UC students, faculty, and other researchers.

This election should have been straightforward with the reelection of Marie Blankley as mayor. Marie Blankley has worked her way through a position on the planning commission and also as a city council member before becoming mayor, gaining extensive experience as to how cities run. As a CPA she continues to watch finances in Gilroy.

Did you know God is the master gardener? “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). He provided seed bearing plants (Genesis 1:29) and planted the Garden of Eden. God formed a man, Adam, from the dust of the earth and placed him in the garden (Genesis 2:8).

In a 10-hour meeting on Nov. 12, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors decided on projects and policies that have been in the spotlight for the past several months.

Lea este artículo en español aquí.On Nov. 17, Super Bowl Sunday arrives for the Monterey Bay Youth Football and Cheer League. And on that day, for the first time in their 14-year history, the Hollister Rebels are sending two undefeated teams to Rabobank Stadium in Salinas for the season's final game. “This is kind of cool for us,” said head coach Jim McShane. “We have had a couple of Super Bowl titles in the past, but we are the youngest team in the league, so it's a big accomplishment that we're doing so well.”The 9 to 12-year-old Peewee team will play at 3:30 p.m. against the North County Bulldogs, who they beat 18-14 earlier this year. The 13 and 14-year-old Midgets will follow at 6 p.m. in a game against Salinas, who they previously defeated 16-0.McShane, who also coaches the Peewees, said the previous game against the Bulldogs, who were undefeated at that point, was intense.“We are excited about a rematch,” he said. “We beat him on a blocked punt and we've worked hard and gotten better since then. We are optimistic about the same result this time.”McShane said that the team has the best offensive line he has seen so far, which is the hardest thing to coach for that age group. “They just work as a unit, he said, “and they do some things that really impress people. There are no “me” guys, just team guys, which is huge. The referees tell us they just don't see kids playing at the level these kids do.”With 10 kids moving up to the Midget division next year, McShane said he has high expectations for the returning players. “We are really excited about the future,” he said. “We think we do something special here. We are not into chasing trophies. We take the time to develop our kids.” Tony Hernandez coached the Midget team to the championship two years ago. As a feeder for Hollister High’s football program, the team was the source of many of the players on this year’s undefeated freshman team. “Our team’s strength,” Hernandez said, “is our versatility. What I love most is that we don’t have just one guy we hang our hat on. We’ll score six or seven touchdowns, and six or seven boys score those touchdowns. We have five to eight guys who can carry the ball, catch the ball and play defense.” He hopes to succeed in their final game against Salinas, who had an undefeated season until they met the Rebels. “They're a tough team to beat,” he said. “They got some big boys and will come out ready to win. But having our guys buy into that ‘next man up’ mentality has been huge. And we will be ready for everything.”Hernandez said that his 14-year-old quarterback, Cadence Smith, is one of his secret weapons, able to play at a higher level than his age group.Cadence Smith. Photo by Robert Eliason.“I think he’s thrown 20 touchdowns,” he said. “He threw four touchdowns last week, and that stands out. Most teams on this level don't throw the ball as much as we do, and it takes a pretty special kid to throw that many.”Smith has a distinct advantage. Growing up, he served as a ball boy for the Balers varsity team under his father, head coach Bryan Smith and saw countless games firsthand from the sidelines.“The first year I played,” Smith said, “I was in the sixth grade, and I really didn’t like it. The following year, I started to fall in love with the game. Watching on the field, I’ve seen the plays, and I’ve seen what people can do, which gives me more insight.”Smith said the 18-0 victory this season against Salinas was not easy, and he expects the Super Bowl game to be close.“They should be well prepared for us now,” he said, “but we have so many weapons they're not going to be ready for it. They couldn't stop our run that game, so we didn't have to bring out the pass. However, we are ready to do it this time if needed.”Hernandez also mentioned right guard and deep tackle Kadrian Bonilla, 14, who has been with the Rebels for three years.Kadrian Bonilla. Photo by Robert Eliason.“I got referees and officials asking me, ‘Hey, who is this kid?’” he said. He's just devastating on defense, blocking on the offensive line. I think he's above 15 sacks on the season. He's the guy the other teams have to plan for because he wreaks havoc out there.”Bonilla said his team’s strength is their ability to work together and stay focused.“We don’t stop the gas pedal,” he said. “We just keep pushing, and we always keep our heads up.”McShane said he knows both teams are up against difficult opponents who have improved since they last met, but he has confidence in his players.“These teams are very physical and very smart,” Jim said. “But what we're most proud of is that they are the most respectful teams out here. We stress hard work and teamwork and are more proud of that than their record.”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 Hollister Rebels take two undefeated teams to the ‘Super Bowl’ appeared first on BenitoLink.

Local land trusts receive grant funding

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.

Hollister HS Football (4-6 overall, 1-5 PCAL Gabilan Division)

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.