Eden Rift: Where the past is present
I recently went out to visit another winery in San Benito County, where the wineries and the wines share a similar place in the world of California regions—we had a history of being leaders in winemaking going back to the 19th century, we are...
Charlie Palmer sees potential in Morgan Hill’s food, wine scene
For many, the name Charlie Palmer is immediately associated with his eponymous steak houses—and his Michelin star gem Aureole—in Manhattan.
But, it’s also synonymous with Sonoma Wine Country and Dry Creek Kitchen, a pioneering restaurant that helped establish Healdsburg’s status as an international culinary destination.
His...
Valley Water celebrates $727M in EPA loans for Anderson Dam, other projects
With a cold winter storm bearing down on Morgan Hill, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrators joined local and regional representatives Feb. 23 at the top of Anderson Dam to announce the availability of $727 million in low-cost loans that will fund the rebuilding of...
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...
Pajaro watershed focus of regional climate talk
About 80 people gathered March 10 in the historic Aromas Community Grange after the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) selected the Pajaro River Watershed as one of five watersheds to pilot the Watershed Resilience Program.
The initiative, which is supported by a $2 million...
‘Tis the season at South County’s Battaglia Ranch
The scent of fresh-cut pine fills the air as Jorge Garcia watches his children, ages 2 and 5, weave between rows of evergreens with their mother, searching for the perfect Christmas tree. It’s their first time at Battaglia Ranch as a young family, but...
Conservationists purchase 80-acre Coyote Valley property
The Peninsula Open Space Trust this week announced the purchase and permanent protection of 80 acres within an ecologically important flood plain and wildlife corridor in Coyote Valley.
The 13th such conservation purchase by POST on the valley floor, this property, which POST is calling...
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...
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...
Federal monitor moves county from ‘Severe’ to ‘Moderate’ drought
With seemingly constant rain storms pummeling the South Bay so far this winter, a federal drought monitoring program recently downgraded most of Santa Clara County from “Severe” to “Moderate” drought. But local water supply authorities warn that residents and property owners should continue to...























