Local News

The Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors on July 9 held off on a decision regarding an ordinance that would prohibit homeless encampments along waterways in the water district’s jurisdiction. After hours’ worth of public testimony from speakers on both sides of the...

County officials recently identified three men who were found dead in separate incidents in the 1980s, including one whose body was found on the railroad tracks in Gilroy.  According to the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office, Scotty Edward Echols was found on July 4,...

Driven by increasing residential values and despite a “troubled” commercial real estate market, Santa Clara County’s overall property assessment roll grew by $35.6 billion, or 5.4% in the last year, according to Assessor Larry Stone’s office. The growth includes an increase of around 5% in...

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...

Esperanza del Valle, Pajaro Valley’s long-standing Mexican folklorico dance group, is preparing for the “Reinforcing Cultural Identity” conference coming to Cabrillo College on Aug. 15-25. The group will welcome Ballet Folklórico del Puerto de Veracruz de la Universidad Veracruzana, from Mexico, to offer a series...

Thousands of country music fans attended the June 29 Boots and Brews Country Music Festival at the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center. The concert lineup featured Lee Brice, Lee Montgomery, Michael Ray and Dasha. Fans danced and enjoyed cold beverages throughout the afternoon and evening....

The number of reported hate crimes in California decreased slightly from 2022 to 2023, but those against Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ+ people rose over the same period, according to the annual hate crime report from California Attorney General Rob Bonta.  The number of hate crimes...

Downtown Gilroy’s weekly concert series, known as Downtown Live, resumes this week with a July 4 holiday performance by California Standard.  With the stage centered at Monterey Road and Fifth Street, Downtown Live brings a block party vibe to downtown Gilroy. Streets are closed to...

The 90th San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo treated crowds to traditional competition events, performances, exhibitions, demonstrations and vendors at the fairgrounds in Tres Pinos June 28-30.  Participants from youth to seniors competed in barrel racing, bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, mutton...

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the 2024-25 budget into law on June 29, solidifying $16 billion in cuts and other moves that closed a $46.8 billion deficit.  The budget is $297.5 billion, with $211.5 billion committed from the general fund. It maintains $22.5 billion in reserve...