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...
San Martin ‘treasure’ Kenneth Ludewig dies
Lifelong San Martin resident Kenneth Ludewig, a local “treasure” who brought joy to countless South Valley residents as the creator and operator of the former San Martin Country Park & Pumpkin Patch, died unexpectedly on Nov. 7, according to family members. He was 74...
South Valley farm maintains Halloween fall tradition
Squeals of laughter and the scent of hay filled the air as children raced through the corn maze, picked out pumpkins nearly as big as they were, and enjoyed rides at the annual fall festival at Swank Farms—a beloved South Valley tradition marking the...
Santa Clara Valley Wineries earn gold at competition
Getting to the Sweepstakes round at the largest wine competition in North America takes a wine that outshines and outlasts 5,700 entries from more than 1,000 wineries in North America, Mexico and Canada.
The San Francisco Chronicle is not only the first official wine competition...
County revisits land use proposal that said horses are not livestock
Santa Clara County planning officials have walked back controversial proposed land use policy changes that would have reclassified animals as non-livestock, following fierce opposition from equestrians, ranchers and agricultural advocates who warned the amendments could devastate rural businesses and displace thousands of horses and...
Expansion to increase South County recycled water capacity
An expansion project underway at the South County Regional Wastewater plant will increase the treatment facility’s capacity by nearly 30%, bring advanced technology to the local recycled water production system, tighten South Valley’s commitment to sustainability and help accommodate the long-term growth coming to...
Projected cost of Anderson Dam retrofit balloons to $2.3B
Projected costs of the massive Anderson Dam reconstruction project in Morgan Hill have risen to approximately $2.3 billion, according to a report prepared by engineers for the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
Two years ago, the cost of the dam project—required for earthquake protection and...
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...
OSA announces winners of Coyote Valley photo contest
The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority last week announced the winners of the “Picturing Coyote Valley” photo contest, in which the public was invited to submit their best photos of wildlife, landscapes and people in open space areas just north of Morgan Hill.
The...
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...























