Politics

California is in a budget hole, its depth measured not in feet, but in dollars. How deep? A projected $38 billion deficit, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Jan. 10 he will declare a fiscal emergency when necessary and unveiled his initial plan to...

Some call it a lack of common sense, some say the body lacks

Car insurance costs more in Gilroy than in San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles, according to a recent study.In fact, the southernmost Santa Clara County city has the 17th highest insurance costs in the state.The average yearly premium in Gilroy is $1,882, or 13 percent above the $1,661 average price in California. For comparison, San Joseans pay $1,393; Los Angelenos pay $1,624 and San Franciscans pay $1,783.The study was done by ValuePenguin.com, a site that helps people manage personal finances. Researchers did the study using a 2011 Toyota Camry driven by a 30-year-old to determine the average in 142 California cities for $50,000 to $150,000 of coverage.Craig Casazza, who did the study in the New York-based company, said he was interested in insurance pricing because it’s a mandatory expense for car owners and can be a burden on people’s budgets.Why is Gilroy so expensive?Casazza said he could only speculate. He surveyed 20 companies for each city to determine the prices, but the companies keep their pricing methodology secret.“Generally prices are more expensive where there are more accidents,” he said. Car theft can also play a role.Big cities usually have higher prices, but Gilroy is higher than neighboring metropolises.However, it’s cheaper than Santa Clara at $1,896, Sunnyvale at $1,974, Oakland at $1,976 and Cupertino at $1,970.California’s most expensive insurance rates are in Paramount, near Compton, at $2,373 a year. The cheapest is Fullerton at $1,266.To read the study, go to www.valuepenguin.com.

In a quiet race for four seats, newcomer Dom Payne posted a

The state's broken economy and educational system are the top

Incumbent Sheriff Laurie Smith and retired Undersheriff John Hirokawa said Tuesday night, with about 41 percent of the total expected ballots counted in the June 5 election, they are both prepared for a November runoff battle for Santa Clara County Sheriff. As of 9pm, neither...

They help draw visitors to downtown districts from Santa Cruz to San Jose, now Gilroy will get its own First Friday, starting Jan. 6.

The county's controversial plan that supporters say will