THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY
JUNE 7, 2019
A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance
CALENDAR OF EVENTS P8 COMIC CON P14
Hollister Concerts returns with full lineup
SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Popular Hollister Concerts returns with full lineup of touring bands P6
RIVAS AT CONVENTION P4 | JUVENILE HAD GUN P8 | GANG BUST P8
HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
A New SV Media publication
Friday, June 7, 2019
sanbenito.com • Vol. 147, No. 23 • $1
Hollister approves adult-use cannabis VOTE MEANS RETAIL SALES, DELIVERY CAN BEGIN IN CITY Jaqueline McCool Reporter
➝ Cannabis, 8
Robert Eliason
The Hollister City Council voted unanimously June 3 to allow recreational cannabis to be sold in the city, adopting a new cannabis ordinance without the word “medical.” The decision came after several council meetings and numerous town halls, where the council proceeded with caution and asked the city staff come back with revised versions of the proposal each time. While allowing recreational cannabis to be sold was the biggest change made to the ordinance at the June 3 meeting, there were also several minor changes to the existing ordinance that the council voted to approve. The new ordinance created three major changes: • an existing cannabis dispensary can apply for a delivery license within the city • no cannabis sales will be permitted between 10pm and 6am
ZUMBA AT THE PARK Anabel Espinoza leads class in exercise and dance at Dunne Park.
Friday is Zumba Day ARTS COUNCIL JOINS CITY RECREATION DEPT TO OFFER DANCE Staff Report
The San Benito County Arts Council and the city Parks and Recreation Department invite fun-loving people of all ages to “Dance @
Dunne” Park every Friday evening through July. This program is free and open to all ages and abilities. The exercise and dancing begins at 5:30pm every Friday with a Zumba class, followed by a second style of dance starting at 6:15pm at the tennis courts, Dunne Park, Hollister. Anabel
Espinoza led at May 31 Zumba session, which was followed by “Bhangra & Bollywood” dancing. In June, a Zumba session will be followd by Aztec Dancing with Calpulli Itzpapalotl Danza Azteca, and in July the second session after Zumba will be hip hop dancing with the Animation Dance Community.
Council nixes 400 block appeal TEMPERS FLARE AS CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT ADVANCES Jaqueline McCool Reporter
In a raucous three-hour debate before an overflow audience punctuated by tears, shouts and legalese, the Hollister City Council voted 3-1 on June 3 to allow a multi-purpose development plan in the
center of downtown to move forward. The council vote upheld a planning commission decision on the 400 block and rejected an unusual appeal by Mayor Ignacio Velazquez. Velazquez, sequestered outside of the council chambers throughout the debate because of a potential conflict of interest, had filed the appeal “as a
private citizen.” His lawyer presented arguments that the city had acted illegally when it approved plans for two buildings on the vacant “400 block” at San Benito and Fourth streets. The vote played out as expected, with council member Rolan Resendiz, a frequent Velazquez ally, offering the vote against upholding the planners’ decision. Council
members Marty Richman, Honor Spencer and Carol Lenoir voted to reject the appeal. Velazquez said June 4, the morning after the meeting, that he was not surprised about the outcome of the vote, but that he believed he had public support for his position. “If they were so confident in their decision, they would let it go for a [public]
vote,” Velazquez said in an interview. He said he is consulting with his lawyers before he decides what he will do next. The proposed development will build a headquarters for the Community Foundation of San Benito County, with room for several non-profits, and a large multi-use building ➝ 400 block, 4
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