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THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY

NOVEMBER 30, 2018

A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance

WINTER THEATER P6 FITZGERALD RESERVE P8

Apricot cookbook celebrates regional orchards

SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Fragrant Fruits New cookbook celebrates local agriculture

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SAKE MADE IN HOLLISTER P2 | SBHS STUDENTS EXCEL P11 | GAVILAN TRUSTEE HAS VISION P13

HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY

A New SV Media publication

Friday, November 30, 2018

sanbenito.com • Vol. 145, No. 48 • $1

Feds see Central Coast as source of romaine illness NEW LABELS TO IDENTIFY SOURCE OF LETTUCE, ALLOW SALES FROM SOCAL, FLORIDA, AZ By Barry Holtzclaw Managing Editor

FEED THE NEED Cub Scout Katie Wyatt helps during the food drive at Community FoodBank on Saturday, Nov. 17. Wyatt’s troop brought in a

record-setting 648 pounds.

Scouts aid Food Bank HOLLISTER EFFORT HELPS NEEDY FAMILIES AT THANKSGIVING By Debra Eskinazi Magazine and Features Editor

More than 50 scouting families came together to distribute approximately 5,200 pounds of food to needy Hollister families before Thanksgiving. The Nov. 17 event was a collaborative effort between the Community Foodbank of San Benito

and the San Benito District of the Boy Scouts of America. “Scouting for Food is an annual event that the Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts come together to collect food for our local Hollister community,” said Scouting for Food lead volunteer Julia Stephens. Stephens said the project inspires families to volunteer together. “Scouting families and their siblings can help their scout drop off fliers to advertise the event and help pick up the food donations to drop off at the food

bank,” said Stephens. Stephens said local residents are charitable and enjoy giving to others during the holiday season,donating primarily dry goods including canned goods, cereal, instant potatoes and mac ’n cheese. “The food bank gives away full Thanksgiving dinner items including the turkey for lowincome families and the dinners, and giveaway bags are assembled by staff and volunteers,” said Stephens. “The best part is helping out our local community.”

Robert Eliason

➝ Romaine, 4

Robert Eliason

Lettuce growers along the Central Coast, including San Benito County, were in the crosshairs of federal investigators Monday, Nov. 26, less than a week after the government warned consumers, grocers and restaurants nationwide to destroy all romaine lettuce. In a statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday, “Based on further discussions with the leafy greens industry and with agricultural authorities, we have begun to narrow the location in which we believe the contaminated romaine in the current outbreak was grown. “At the time of the outbreak, the vast majority of the romaine on the market was being grown in the Central Coast region of California.” As of Nov. 26, an outbreak of E.coli has resulted in 43 people becoming ill in 12 states, including 10 in Southern California, the FDA reported. The last reported illness onset date was Oct. 31, and an additional 22 people in Canada have become ill, according to health authorities.

BAGSFUL OF LOVE Cub Scout Tegan Tracy carries food to

give to needy families.

Shoppers find treasures in Hollister LOCAL GOODS ATTRACT EARLY SHOPPERS AT SB BENE Bryce Stoepfel Reporter

On Small Business Saturday, as shoppers perused the small shops and boutiques in downtown Hollister, one in particular, San Benito Bene, was the one-stop shop for everything San Benito County. Since 2011 owner Kathina Szeto has worked to

showcase the best that local artists and growers have to offer, and as it turns out, there's plenty to go around. The name “Bene” is rooted in Latin, meaning good or blessed. Szeto is very proud to call San Benito County home, and she acts on her pride by offering a wide variety of local products. From locally produced olive oils to chocolates, pottery, jewelry, soaps, spices and books, it can be found at Szeto's store at 615-B San

Benito St. It's a lot to pack into 700 square feet. “I think we’re fortunate to be able to be from a place that takes care of the land. We have an incredible agrarian culture; it’s wonderful,” Szeto said Bene offers books by several local authors, including Exit Strategy by Julie Finigan Morris, Images of America: Hollister, by Joseph M. McMahon and Peter Sonne, and Jaime the Elf by Jaime Sheridan.

The chocolate is from Marich Confectionery in Hollister; the olive oils come from Big Paw Olive Oil Company, Brigantino Olive Oil and Guerra Cellars, all Hollister companies, and Oils of Paicines on Airline Highway. Like other businesses, small to gigantic, the holiday season can be make or break time for sales. Szeto is well aware of the importance of the Christmas season, and Bene is stocked with holiday offerings.

"The holidays are very, very important to us, about 30 percent of our business is made during holidays,” Szeto said. "We're very lucky that people want to come in and shop local." To prevent their inventory from becoming stale, Bene works to rotate its offerings on hopes of attracting return customers. "When people come in they look, they shop, and ➝ Bene, 14


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