New Covid variant increases in Bay Area
The L452R variant of Covid-19—being identified by viral genomic sequencing in San Francisco, Monterey and Santa Clara counties—has been linked to the outbreak at Kaiser Permanente's San Jose Medical Center that led to several dozen infections and possibly one death, as well as other large outbreaks in Santa Clara County.
Letter: Fire services consolidation makes sense
I was appointed as an alternate to the Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) by the Cities Selection Committee for 2025-28, representing all cities in Santa Clara County. I supported the action taken in January by the Board of Supervisors to dissolve...
Impact report released on high-speed rail project
The California High-Speed Rail Authority released its Final Environmental Impact Report on Feb. 25 for the San Jose to Merced Project Section.
The Authority’s Board of Directors will hold a meeting on April 20 and 21 to consider whether to certify the report and approve...
Editorial: Earth Day is more than a celebration—it’s a call to action
People globally celebrate Earth Day on April 22, recognizing the urgent need to help our planet. What began in 1970 as a grassroots environmental movement in the United States has since grown into the largest secular observance in the world, involving more than a...
California’s snowpack continues to grow
The state’s continuous stormy weather is only making California’s large snowpack even larger, state water officials confirmed during their third snow survey of the year.
Combined with the series of winter storms that hit California in December and January, recent storms have given the state...
Editorial: Helping families heal after tragedy must be a community priority
When someone in our community is murdered, the pain reaches beyond the victim. It devastates families, close friends, neighbors and often the entire town. In the wake of such violence, our attention tends to focus on the police investigation or the court case. But...
Editorial: Justice and unity will combat hate crimes
In recent years, hate crimes have risen to alarming levels across the globe, revealing a disturbing undercurrent of prejudice, division and intolerance that threatens the social fabric of our communities. These crimes, fueled by hatred and ignorance, are not just attacks on individuals or...
South County Catholic HS plans hinge on LAFCO’s decision
The Diocese of San Jose said fundraising, a construction timetable and overall project costs have been put on hold until the Local Agency Formation Commission rules on the City of Morgan Hill’s annexation request, by mid-December at the earliest.
Proponents of a new Catholic high...
Covid-19 outbreak reported at Santa Clara County juvenile detention facilities
Nine youth detainees and four staff members of Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall and the William F. James Ranch tested positive this week for Covid-19, according to Santa Clara County officials. The outbreak is the first detected transmission of the virus in the county’s juvenile facilities since the pandemic began in March.
Composting made simple
Cole Smith goes over the basics of composting hay during a “Manure Composting Made Easy” workshop in Gilroy on Jan. 11. The workshop, presented by the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, taught attendees composting with food scraps, green waste and...























