New state law keeps medical debt off credit report
‘Everyday people across the country skip medical care because of cost. Those who do seek medical help may end up with a balance they can’t pay off. That debt can hurt people’s credit scores, resulting in long-term financial burdens.
Starting Jan. 1, a new state...
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...
A guide to state propositions on the Nov. 5 ballot
With election day approaching, voters have several state propositions from which to choose. Below is a brief description of each of them. For a deeper dive, visit voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions.
Proposition 2
Public School and Community College Facilities
Under Prop. 2, the state would sell a $10 billion bond...
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...
First West Nile death reported in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County health officials on Aug. 14 reported the first local death attributed to West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne illness.
The death this month of an immunocompromised adult at a local hospital “after experiencing West Nile virus symptoms” is the second reported human case...
Gavilan College opens food pantry on Hollister campus
To ensure students get basic nutrition, Gavilan College opened a food pantry with a ceremonial ribbon cutting Feb. 25 on its Hollister campus.
The well-stocked room is a collaboration between the college and the Community FoodBank of San Benito. Annette Gutierrez, Gavilan’s director of basic...
Gun buyback is ‘one tool’ to prevent deaths, injuries by firearm
Gun violence is a public health crisis in the United States, and an upcoming firearms buyback event in Morgan Hill aims to address the problem by keeping unwanted weapons out of the wrong hands, according to county law enforcement and government officials.
Some of that...
Donate blood in South County
The American Red Cross is urging people to mark the fall season by donating blood or platelets to help the Bay Area’s supply strong.
Upcoming blood donation events are scheduled at locations in Gilroy and Morgan Hill in the coming weeks. From 10am-4pm Oct. 9,...
Pedal power in Gilroy
Last week on Bike to Wherever Day, May 16, the city’s Parks & Recreation department hosted an “energizer station” on the levee at Christmas Hill Park.
The PRC has been a sponsor of Bike to Wherever Day for the past three years, according to city...
Hopes raised for promised pay increase
Cristina Cortez earns just $20.70 an hour running dialysis procedures for older patients suffering from kidney failure in the city of Gilroy. Because of her husband’s serious work injury in 2017 and their need to economize, her family of five moved an hour away...























