DeRose Winery is steeped in South Valley history
In my last column I highlighted Rosy and Rich Bergen’s Little Uvas Vineyard (LUV) and their facility called “The Garage” at 255 Fitzgerald Ave. in San Martin. Their long range plan is to have other businesses, like other wineries and eateries, help fill the...
Rodeo heritage thrives
The 2024 Gilroy Rodeo broke records for highest attendance and the most contestants participating in the event’s seven-year history on Aug. 9-11.
More than 1,000 contestants competed and performed in the local rodeo, which is run entirely by volunteers and returns all of its annual...
Mushroom Fest raises funds for scholarships, nonprofits
The 40th Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival unfolded Saturday and Sunday at the Downtown Amphitheater grounds and Depot Street.
On May 25, sunshine mixed with a cool breeze drew thousands of locals and out-of-town visitors for a day of live music, arts and crafts, food booths,...
Gilroy FFA awarded Chapter of the Year
On Oct. 11-12, eight members from the Gilroy FFA chapter attended a Regional Leadership conference where more than 300 other students, all involved in the FFA, united at the 2025 South Coast Region FFA Chapter Officer Leadership Conference in Hollister.
As an organization, the FFA’s...
Amid fears of ICE, farmers markets see mixed impact
On a normal Friday afternoon, the farmers market in downtown Watsonville—which draws vendors and customers from Hollister, Gilroy and beyond—is a bustling, joyous event, with gaggles of children playing in a bounce house and families happily in long lines to purchase fresh produce and...
South County locals compete in Watsonville fair
As workers and volunteers put the finishing touches on the Santa Cruz County Fair, the animals raised by Future Farmers of America and other organizations—including some from Morgan Hill and southern Santa Clara County—have arrived in the livestock section.
Earlier this week, students from Morgan...
Program gives ranchers access to areas during disasters
The County of Santa Clara has launched a program that will allow ranchers and livestock owners to access restricted areas during wildfires and other emergencies to feed their animals, check their health and, if necessary, evacuate them.
The County has granted more than 40 Livestock...
Anderson Dam retrofit construction to start in early 2027
Valley Water officials shared progress updates and timeline revisions for the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project during a community meeting Feb. 20, announcing the release of the final Environmental Impact Report for the project, as well as giving a general update on the project...
More than 10K comment on Sargent Ranch Quarry study
Final counts reveal that more than 10,000 letters were submitted to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors during the public comment period for the Sargent Ranch Quarry Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) regarding a proposed open-pit mine at Juristac (Sargent Ranch) in southern...
Amah Mutsun Tribal Band acquires ancestral property
The Amah Mutsun Land Trust this week announced that by the end of 2025, it will acquire a 50-acre property near the intersection of Highways 129 and 101 in San Juan Bautista—marking the first time the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band has regained full access...























