Legislators negotiate laws to streamline solar, wind projects
California lawmakers are crafting an end-of-session package of proposed laws that could streamline the building of solar and offshore wind energy projects, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Democratic legislators, who have shared drafts with environmental groups, industry, lobbyists and other interested parties, are...
State grants Open Space Authority $1.2M for Coyote Valley preservation plan
The Board of the State Coastal Conservancy recently authorized funding totaling $84 million for projects throughout California to protect and restore coastal lands, increase coastal resilience to climate change, improve public access to the coast and reduce the impact of wildfire on coastal lands.
Locally,...
Study: Employers fail to keep farmworkers safe from Covid
Although farm and food production workers were considered essential workers during the pandemic, many of California's food employers endangered those workers, violating Cal/OSHA's Covid-19 guidelines more often than most industries, a new report said.
The California Institute for Rural Studies’ report said farm and food...
California’s food insecurity rises as pandemic aid ends
Food insecurity in California ticked upward over the past year, bringing the share of hardship back up to levels early in the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data released by the California Association of Food Banks on Dec. 12.
“Families are buying less food,” said May...
Public health department conducts door-to-door survey in South County
Over the next few days, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department will be conducting a door-to-door survey in Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy.
The goal of the survey is to improve the county’s understanding of the community’s thoughts and knowledge on climate change,...
Conservationists secure ranchland for open space in Morgan Hill
The Peninsula Open Space Trust recently completed the transfer of 1,908 acres of Lakeside Ranch in Morgan Hill to the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency.
With the transaction, the Habitat Agency gains stewardship of one of the largest remaining intact ranches in the South Bay,...
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...
‘Aggressive’ non-native mosquito found in Gilroy
A non-native Aedes aegypti mosquito—an aggressive species that can spread certain diseases—has been discovered in a residential area of Gilroy, according to the Santa Clara County Vector Control District. A mosquito of the same species was also found recently in a neighborhood of east...
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...
Man charged with murder in overdose death of Morgan Hill woman
Authorities recently charged a man with murder in relation to the February 2023 drug overdose death of a Morgan Hill woman.
On March 1, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office charged Benjamin Nathan Williams, 34, of San Jose with one count of murder and...






















