Food lines grow as feds suspend food assistance
Food pantries across South County are experiencing unprecedented demand following the suspension of SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown, with lines wrapping around blocks and new families seeking assistance at rates not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Reach Out Food Pantry in...
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...
Health officials urge public to vaccinate against measles
With the recent rise of measles cases in areas across the U.S., Bay Area health officials are urging everyone to get the measles vaccination if they are not sure if they have been vaccinated, or if they did not have measles as a child....
Magical Bridge playground set for June 4 opening
The idea of the Morgan Hill Magical Bridge inclusive playground started out nearly eight years ago as the brainchild of local couple Ron and Shirlee Locicero. The new park—which is home to a variety of swings, slides, sensory features, musical installations and an outdoor...
Apply for grants from Gilroy Assistance League
Gilroy Assistance League has announced the opening of its 2026 Grants Program, with applications available beginning Jan. 5.
The annual Grants Program supports local youth-focused organizations and programs that provide meaningful services to children and teens throughout the Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill communities, says...
County health takes steps to end illegal disposal
Santa Clara County supervisors —and the public—on Dec. 12 got their first public explanation from county officials on the explosive revelations a week earlier that county-run hospitals had for at least a year illegally dumped medical waste, drugs and patient data into dumpsters.
Healthcare officials...
Public can comment on Anderson Dam project environmental study
Valley Water, the local water district that is in charge of rebuilding the dam at Anderson Reservoir in Morgan Hill, recently released a draft environmental study of the seismic retrofit project.
The district is now accepting public comment on the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project...
Julie Hutcheson named executive director of Green Foothills
Julie Hutcheson, a longtime Morgan Hill resident and environmental advocate for the South Bay, is the new executive director for Green Foothills.
Hutcheson has been on Green Foothills’ staff for more than 12 years and has taken an active role in leading the organization, most...
County supes approve multi-faceted approach to fentanyl crisis
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved amping up services and resources to combat the fentanyl crisis with money from opioid lawsuit settlements and other grants.
San Jose has been dubbed a “fentanyl hub,” and Supervisor Cindy Chavez established the county’s...
Doctors’ union is largest donor to sales tax measure
A union of physicians earning up to $1 million a year is the biggest funder of the ballot measure to raise local sales taxes. A week after the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to raise county taxes, the county’s largest...























