San Benito County Local News

A new study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has found that approximately 3,400 kilotons of lithium are located below Imperial County in Southern California. This could produce more than $7 billion in lithium carbonate annually, helping power significant numbers of electric vehicles.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles changed its voter registration process in 2019 to put a party selection dropdown on the same page. Since then, the number of people registering as Republicans or Democrats has jumped close to 20 points.

In 2020, the state agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit that claimed too many students were not learning to read. As part of that agreement, the state spent over $50 million on 75 schools with the lowest reading scores.

San Diego-area nonprofits and faith organizations struggle to provide for tens of thousands of migrants border agents have released on San Diego streets.

Days after barring a Berkeley-based crime reporter from a news conference, the Alameda County District Attorney’s office announced that it was shifting course. The move to bar the reporter had been roundly condemned by First Amendment and press freedom groups.

As a small group of local dignitaries and residents gathered at the corner of Washington and 7th Streets on Dec. 1 in San Juan Bautista, the artists were putting the finishing touches to the new mural.

Voters will decide next November whether future Hollister mayors will serve a four-year or two-year term. The council approved the ballot measure, with Mayor Mia Casey abstaining.

The Hollister City Council continued discussions on having a biker rally in July 2024. The city has not hosted a rally since 2017 because of public safety liability concerns and COVID-19.

Students and teachers alike are decrying the actions of the Temecula Valley Unified School District board, which became conservative in majority following the recent elections of three members. The board’s actions include banning critical race theory and mandating parental notification if their child is transgender.

One sign that a meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping might have gone well: Each left handwritten messages in the guestbook where the meeting was held near San Francisco. Jinping reportedly leaves these kinds of messages only on rare occasions.

The Orange County Transportation Authority announced that work has been completed for express lanes along 16 miles of Interstate 405. The lanes, which were part of a $2.16 billion improvement project, span from Costa Mesa to the Los Angeles County line.

Hackers stole data this week from Blue Shield of California. Historically, this type of data has sometimes wound up for sale on what’s known as the dark web, the part of the internet not typically included in search engine results.

Forty-eight of California’s 52 members of the House of Representatives voted in favor of expelling George Santos. Of the other four members, all Republicans, Kevin McCarthy didn’t vote while three opposed Santos’ expulsion.

The world is heating up at an unprecedented pace, new climate data shows, and leaders gathered for the COP28 conference in Dubai must get us out of “deep trouble,” UN chief António Guterres said.

Utility giant PG&E is set to raise its rates an average of 13% on Jan. 1. That equals an extra $32.50 a month, or $390 for the year.

A member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has asked that the county wait until 2025 to implement pending state policy around conservatorships. The policy, which goes into effect Jan. 1, makes people suffering from severe addiction eligible to receive conservatorships.

The Nov. 30 debate between governors Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis could be a win-win for both. DeSantis’s flagging presidential campaign could get a boost, while Newsom could increase his standing in Democratic circles.

2023 has broken climate records, accompanied by extreme weather which has left a trail of devastation, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Water managers in Pajaro Valley are paying farmers for water they get back into the ground. The move comes as California has grappled with water shortages in recent years.

California’s minimum hourly wage will rise from $15.50 to $16 on Jan. 1. Ahead of this, retailers like Costco and Target have raised their minimum pay in recent years.