San Benito County Archives

Amid demands, Newsom introduces possibility of less restrictive county orders

May 4, 2020 10:05 PM Aaron Groff

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION) California Governor Gavin Newsom introduced a plan that would allow local governments to have less restrictive public…

San Benito County Supervisor shares letter to Governor requesting different treatment for rural counties

May 4, 2020 12:59 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County Supervisor Jim Gillio shared a letter on social media directed to Gov. Newsom requesting that rural…

Annual Hollister Independence Rally postponed due to COVID-19 concerns

May 4, 2020 11:23 AM Avery Johnson

The Hollister Independence Rally has been postponed until next year due to COVID-19…

San Benito County offers guidance for drive-in events at faith-based organizations

May 1, 2020 5:57 PM Avery Johnson

The San Benito County Interim Public Health Officer, Dr. David Ghilarducci, has issued guidance for faith-based organizations offering drive-in…

San Benito County health officer allowing Shelter in Place to expire, but following state guidance

April 30, 2020 5:56 PM Avery Johnson

The Interim San Benito County Public Health Officer, Dr. David Ghilarducci, said he will allow the county’s current Shelter in…

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital to resume elective surgeries

April 30, 2020 3:26 PM Avery Johnson

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital said it will resume scheduled elective…

Gov. Newsom expected to announce beach and state parks closure

April 29, 2020 9:05 PM KION546 News Team

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION and CBSLA) A notice sent out by the California Police Chief’s Association Wednesday said local law enforcement agencies…

San Benito County’s interim public health officer resigns

April 28, 2020 5:09 PM Avery Johnson, Aaron Groff

Interim Public Health Officer, Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, submitted his resignation Tuesday, according to county…

San Benito County face covering order goes into effect

April 24, 2020 4:33 PM Avery Johnson, Elisha Machado, Josh Kristianto

UPDATE 04/26/20 7:15 p.m. San Benito County resients will have to start wearing face coverings starting Monday morning to help stop the spread of…

San Benito County amends Shelter in Place order to allow county parks, city parks, golf courses to open

April 24, 2020 4:45 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County Public Health Officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib has amended his Shelter in Place order to allow the public to…

San Benito County supervisors host virtual town hall to discuss business resources

April 24, 2020 2:51 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County supervisors Jim Gillio and Peter Hernandez are hosting a virtual town hall Friday…

Officials in San Benito County hold face covering distribution event

April 23, 2020 5:24 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County and the City of Hollister are working with the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce to hold a face covering…

Mascot and signs support San Benito High School seniors

April 22, 2020 10:50 PM Aaron Groff

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION) The coronavirus pandemic has meant a senior year that is anything but normal for students preparing to graduate high school.…

San Benito County preparing cloth face covering requirement

April 17, 2020 6:10 PM Avery Johnson, Josh Kristianto

The San Benito County Public Health Officer is preparing a cloth face covering order scheduled to go into effect in the coming…

Nurses hold new rallies across Central Coast over PPE, layoffs

April 16, 2020 10:46 PM Josh Kristianto

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Nurses across the Central Coast came out in solidarity over personal protective equipment and layoffs at certain hospitals in…

Gilroy man on motorcycle dies after crash with big rig

April 15, 2020 1:27 PM Avery Johnson

A man on a motorcycle has died as a result of a crash near SR 25 and SR 156 Wednesday…

Central Coast cities and counties to combine forces for federal COVID-19 funding

April 14, 2020 1:48 AM Aaron Groff

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) The federal government’s $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package, CARES Act, includes billions for local governments, but the…

San Benito County offering penalty waivers for property taxes

April 14, 2020 5:42 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County announced that it is offering COVID-19 penalty waivers for property…

Central Coast airports to get more than $12.8 million in federal funding

April 14, 2020 1:10 PM Avery Johnson

More than $12.8 million in federal grants are going to be distributed to airports around the Central Coast, according to Congressman Jimmy…

3-year-old injured in suspected DUI crash after family argument

April 13, 2020 2:28 PM Avery Johnson

A woman is facing several charges when she is discharged from the hospital because Hollister police said she was the driver in a DUI crash that…

Central Coast churches offering online Easter services

April 10, 2020 3:09 PM KION546 News Team

With Shelter in Place orders in effect in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, churches are not able to meet in person this…

Central Coast colleges and universities getting funding to help students affected by COVID-19

April 10, 2020 4:48 PM Avery Johnson

Several colleges and universities around the Central Coast will be receiving federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic…

Non-essential businesses close after Shelter in Place enforcement begins in San Benito County

April 8, 2020 1:48 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County, the City of Hollister and the City of San Juan Bautista are investigating complaints about non-essential…

Engineers make masks for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital staff

April 10, 2020 12:52 PM Avery Johnson

Engineers have stepped up to help keep local hospital staff safe during the COVID-19…

Health officials encourage all to cover their face in public

April 8, 2020 12:05 PM Megan Meier

Many are showcasing their crafty side on their run to the grocery store, this week.…

Fairview Road closed after police chase ends in crash

April 8, 2020 5:21 PM Avery Johnson

Hollister police said part of Fairview Road is closed after a…

Legislation to protect farmworkers during COVID-19 pandemic introduced by Central Coast assemblymember

April 8, 2020 3:07 PM Avery Johnson

To help protect California farmworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) introduced…

Hollister police asking for help identifying suspects in Grocery Outlet theft

April 7, 2020 12:10 PM Avery Johnson

Police in Hollister are trying to identify two suspects in a theft at Grocery Outlet, and the Police Department is asking for the community’s…

San Benito County woman in her 80s dies of coronavirus

April 3, 2020 6:45 PM Avery Johnson

Two San Benito County residents have died of coronavirus, and the most recent happened…

Central Coast counties release local coronavirus demographics

April 1, 2020 4:07 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County officials have released new demographic information about coronavirus patients in the…

San Benito County agencies enforcing halt to most construction projects during Shelter in Place

April 3, 2020 11:15 AM Avery Johnson

SAN BENITO COUNTY, Calif. (KION) San Benito County announced that several agencies will be working together to enforce a halt to most construction…

Teens arrested in connection to suspected gang-related shooting, resident hit by bullet in home

April 2, 2020 9:56 AM Avery Johnson

SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, Calif. (KION) One adult and four teens were arrested after a shooting that the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office believes is…

California schools will remain closed through end of year, distance learning continues

April 1, 2020 5:25 PM Max Tarlton

Salinas, Calif. (KION) – In an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Governor Gavin Newsome announces all public schools in the state will…

California Conservation Corps to help San Benito County food pantry

March 31, 2020 2:14 PM Avery Johnson

San Benito County officials announced that the National Guard will be helping and supporting Community Food Pantries starting later this…

San Benito and Santa Cruz counties extend shelter-in-place order

March 31, 2020 8:15 PM Aaron Groff

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) San Benito and Santa Cruz counties both announce they are extending their COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders through…

San Benito County making temporary changes to recycling service

March 31, 2020 8:34 AM Avery Johnson

To reduce the risk of exposing employees to coronavirus, Recology is making temporary changes to its…

Hollister firefighters return to work after quarantine

March 30, 2020 3:15 PM Avery Johnson

Three Hollister firefighters went back to work Monday after finishing their time in…

Pinnacles closes to day visitors and vehices

March 27, 2020 8:38 PM Aaron Groff

PAICINES, Calif. (KION) Pinnacles National Park is adding new restrictions that will limit who is able to visit the park during the COVID-19…

Nurse searches for dog stolen near Casa de Fruta

March 26, 2020 5:42 PM Aaron Groff

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION) Spreckles, the brindle female french bulldog, means the world to Kate D’Alessio. The pediatric nurse was driving home to…

YMCA adds “essential workers” child care

March 26, 2020 9:21 PM Aaron Groff

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) The Central Coast YMCA is adding an “essential workers” childcare program at many of its locations. The YMCA has been…

Hollister police looking for man suspected of taking wallet containing birth certificates, hundreds of dollars

March 26, 2020 3:14 PM Avery Johnson

Hollister police are asking for the community’s help as officers try to find a man suspected of taking a…

Police, fire and AMR crews help save Hollister 6-year-old

March 25, 2020 5:06 PM Avery Johnson

Three Hollister agencies worked together Tuesday to help save the life of a…

Gavilan College creates Student Emergency Fund

March 25, 2020 11:42 AM Avery Johnson

To help students affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Gavilan College has created a Student Emergency Fund to help those struggling…

Where to pick up food for your student during coronavirus closures

March 23, 2020 7:14 PM KION546 News Team

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) Schools all around the Central Coast are closed as Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, along with all of…

Police: Off-duty Hollister officer stops reckless driver

March 20, 2020 2:51 PM Avery Johnson

Hollister police said one of their officers stopped a reckless driver who reached speeds of nearly 100 mph while…

Another case of COVID-19 confirmed in San Benito County

March 22, 2020 7:06 PM Elisha Machado

San Benito County officials confirmed another case of COVID-19 Sunday, bringing the total to three active cases within the…

Pinnacles closes West side due to COVID-19

March 20, 2020 10:39 PM KION546 News Team

Paicines, Calif. (KION) Beginning Friday, Pinnacles National Park is closing the West half of the park, due to COVID-19. The National Park Service…

Hollister Mayor: City Council man passes away as a result of ongoing medical issues

March 20, 2020 10:58 AM Avery Johnson

Mayor Ignacio Velazquez tells KION that Hollister city councilman, Marty Richman, died Thursday…

Hollister man found guilty of wife’s 2017 murder

March 20, 2020 8:33 AM Avery Johnson

A Hollister man was found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder in connection to his wife’s death, according to the San Benito County Sheriff’s…

Panetta: More help is coming with small business aid and direct checks

March 19, 2020 7:44 PM Aaron Groff

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) “I think we all know it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) tells KION.…