Gun buyback nets 289 unwanted firearms
Despite drenching rain and strong winds, people weren’t deterred when it came to dropping off unwanted guns Saturday during a gun buyback program staged by Santa Clara County law agencies and the District Attorney’s Office.
Spread out in several tents with a motor vehicle drive-thru...
Santa Clara County seeks to add resources for caregivers
Santa Clara County is moving forward with a series of actions to support family caregivers in response to a recent county survey that found caregivers need more resources.
The county Board of Supervisors accepted staff recommendations and instructed them to create ways to address caregivers'...
Cat declawing, book censorship among new 2026 laws
Every year, lawmakers in Sacramento introduce a flurry of bills, most of which are eviscerated during the legislative process and end up on the Assembly or Senate trash heap. A select few make it to the governor’s desk, and assuming they dodge the veto...
Spoking My Mind: Noticing November
Recently, I’ve begun to feel very sorry for November. It seems like every year now, just about the beginning of the 10th month, October and December start to battle for supremacy.
In more and more stores, Halloween skeletons battle Christmas trees in one aisle, while...
District offers new air quality alert system
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District on June 17 announced a new subscription service that can notify residents via text and email of incidents impacting county-level and regional air quality.
Residents can sign up for air quality incident notifications on the district's website, at...
Valley Water to expand creek cleanup program
On Aug. 22, the Valley Water Board of Directors allocated additional resources to support greater service and coordination toward cleaning up trash, debris and hazardous pollutants produced by encampments along waterways in Santa Clara County.
The board approved two new staff positions, adding to Valley...
State officials propose penalties for gas price gouging
Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Sen. Nancy Skinner announced a proposal Dec. 5 to penalize oil companies in an effort to deter gas price gouging.
The proposal would make it illegal for oil companies to charge excessive refining margins—the price difference between the cost of...
Spoking My Mind: Keeping cool when temps climb
To coin a cliché, hot enough for you? Sure, I’ve lived here long enough to know that some of the hottest days of 2024 have yet to hit us; still, we’ve already had our fair share of some terribly toasty temps.
You longtime readers know...
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz counties report measles exposure
Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties may have been exposed to measles in recent days after an infected person from outside the region visited, according to public health officials.
The infected individual traveled out of San Jose Mineta International Airport on July 2, the Santa...
County launches grant program to help extend childcare options
Santa Clara County is steering $15 million into expanding childcare services in the county, officially launching last week a grant program that was approved in February.
Funds can be used by recipients for facility improvements and operating costs, including rent and wages.
The county Board of...























