Agriculture

Three California assembly members on Tuesday introduced a newly minted bill which, if it becomes law, would bring financial assistance to storm and flood victims who are ineligible for state and federal assistance. Assembly Bill 513, also known as the California Individual Assistance Act, was...

The Gilroy Gardening Group held its annual plant sale April 19 at the Miller Red Barn in Christmas Hill Park. Now in its fourth year, the event featured thousands of organic plant starts for $5 each, including heirloom tomatoes, Asian vegetables, rare peppers and...

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...

I love our local wineries but have to admit I haven’t been to them all. In an attempt to spice things up and seek something new, I wanted to take a trip to Leal Vineyards near Hollister.  I decided I wanted to slow it down,...

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...

The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board of directors voted unanimously April 11 to rescind a “water shortage emergency” that was declared in 2021 during a historic statewide drought.  But Valley Water officials still want local residents, businesses and other customers to conserve water. The...

Now that a design contract has was approved this month for a new wildlife crossing in Coyote Valley, conservationists and transportation planners expect that construction on the project could begin by 2028.  The wildlife crossing is proposed to provide infrastructure for safe passage for animals...

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...

The goats at the Santa Clara County Animal Services Center in San Martin have a new source of shade: an array of solar panels that generate power for the 37,000-square-foot shelter. The county Facilities and Fleet Department completed the project last fall. It’s one of...

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on proposed management updates for oil and gas leasing and development on public lands in Santa Clara, San Benito, Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, as well as portions of Fresno,...