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San Benito County Public Safety Articles



Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
‘Governors Are Going to Have to Create a New System’: Leaders in the West Lambast Insurance Industry Over Rising Costs for Homeowners

Smoke and burned trees are pictured near Sylvan Lake State Park during a wildfire that erupted south of Eagle in the White River National Forest on June 20, 2021. With intense wildfires becoming a greater threat in the West, homeowners …

Benito Link logo LOCAL NEWS
Hollister Police to Receive $70,000 Grant for Traffic Enforcement

Information provided by Hollister Police Department. Lea este artículo en español aquí.Hollister Police Department announced it has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its ongoing enforcement and education programs to help reduce the …

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Anger Over Death of Beloved Neighbor Brings Petition for Hwy 25 Change

Lea este artículo en español aquí.On Oct. 20, after years of planning, Priscilla and Mike Jones opened the Mmm Churros pop-up cafe, sharing the space with 3 Queens Carnitas on Tres Pinos Road. That evening, in a post on Facebook, …

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
SB County Floats Options for Fire Service

The deadlock over what will replace a canceled regional fire protection contract continues, as the City of Hollister and San Benito County are still trading barbs over alleged bad faith bargaining.

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Law Enforcement: Public Safety Major Roadblock to Hosting Biker Rally

Lea este artículo en español aquí.Though the Hollister Biker Rally isn’t happening in 2025, the city is exploring its feasibility for the future. Among the options discussed at an Oct. 29 meeting were decentralizing the event from downtown, hosting at …

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Amid Fires and Red-Flag Warnings, the Future of San Benito County’s Rural Fire Protection Is Precarious

Lea este artículo en español aquí.It took the Hollister Fire Department five days to contain the fire that broke out at a local recycling company north of the city last week. For 11 years, the city of Hollister has provided …

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San Benito Community Wildfire Protection Plan Draft Out for Public Opinion

Information provided by San Benito County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Lea este artículo en español aquí.We are excited to announce that the San Benito County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) draft is now available for public comment, and we encourage …

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San Juan Bautista Considers City Manager Replacement, Fire Contract

Lea este artículo en español aquí.During its Oct. 15 meeting, the San Juan City Council discussed new city staffing and an agreement with the City of Hollister for fire services.City Manager Don Reynolds, who announced last week that he’ll be …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Glen Loma Ranch, City of Gilroy Agree on $7.2M Payment for New Fire Station

The City of Gilroy and the developer of Glen Loma Ranch this week resolved a standoff over the builder’s previous promises to pay for the construction of the Santa Teresa Fire Station.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
‘Aggressive’ Non-Native Mosquito Found in Gilroy

A non-native Aedes aegypti mosquito—an aggressive species that can spread certain diseases—has been discovered in a residential area of Gilroy, according to the Santa Clara County Vector Control District. A mosquito of the same species was also found recently in …

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San Juan Bautista Calls for Proposals for Fire Protection Services

Lea este articulo en español aquí.At a Sept. 10 special meeting the San Juan Bautista City Council approved a resolution calling for proposals for fire protection services and forming a special district to address unbalanced fire protection cost sharing. San …

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California Public Utilities Commission Approves Infrastructure Funding for San Benito County

Information provided by Monterey Bay Economic Partnership. Lea este articulo en español aquí.The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved the fifth round of recommended awardees for 10 last-mile broadband projects, awarding a cumulative $91 million worth of grants to projects …

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San Benito Gains Grant for Wildfire Prevention

California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas this week announced millions of dollars in new Cal Fire grant funding for programs including the San Benito Fire Safe Council that plan and implement wildfire prevention efforts.

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PG&E Surveying Power Lines With Helicopters

Information provided by PG&E. Lea este artículo en español aquí. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) crews will be using helicopters equipped with advanced technology to survey electrical equipment and nearby vegetation to spot and prevent potential wildfire risks in …

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County Supervisors Exploring Fire Services Options

Lea este artículo en español aquí.The San Benito County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 27 voted to investigate the feasibility of forming a joint powers authority (JPA) for fire services. The cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista are expected …

Benito Link logo LOCAL NEWS
No Hollister Biker Rally in 2025

Lea este artículo en español aquí.The Hollister City Council has declined to host the once-popular annual biker rally in 2025, citing the city’s inability to gather sufficient law enforcement staffing for the multi-day event. At the council's Aug. 20 meeting, …

Benito Link logo LOCAL NEWS
Wildfire Protection Partners Hold in-Person Meetings

Lea este artículo en español aquí.San Benito’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is being updated by a partnership among local, state, tribal, and federal officials, as well as non-governmental organizations and private citizens. Throughout the update period, residents and homeowners’ …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
First West Nile Death Reported in Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County health officials on Aug. 14 reported the first local death attributed to West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne illness.

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
Local Public Safety Agencies Host Hollister’s National Night Out

Local law enforcement and fire protection agencies hosted the annual National Night Out Aug. 6 in downtown Hollister, in an effort to encourage positive ongoing working relationships between public safety officials and community members.

Image caption: A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained

What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.

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A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained
What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.
States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained
Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health.
California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
How Not to Feel the Burn
These groups help residents preserve their property, health and life.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
Though it’s the most famous, the San Andreas Fault is just one of more than 500 active faults in California.
Battening Down for the Big One
Making it through the earthquake is easy—the hard part comes later.
Many of Robert Kerbeck’s neighbors in Malibu Park lost their homes in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which left behind lots where only chimneys still stood.
Give Your Home a Fighting Chance in a Wildfire
Wildfires are larger, more frequent, and more ferocious—so be prepared.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork
With CERT training, ordinary civilians can play critical roles in protecting their communities.
View of the flooded San Lorenzo River Park Benchlands in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Eve 2022.
Communicating During Disaster and Crisis
Recent lessons learned over days of local disaster.