Editorials

Slow growth, the movement that rocked Gilroy’s City Council two years ago with new Mayor Roland Velasco riding the crest of the Measure H vote, is alive and well. While three of four incumbents in the Nov. 6 election won re-election by solid margins, one...

There were cheers last week about the record or near-record turnout levels in the midterm elections in California, and across the U.S. While the numbers were relatively high—approaching 60 percent in some California counties— they were properly qualified by adjectives such as “midterm,” “off-year”...

Don’t be misled by so-called “safe and sane” fireworks on this holiday, or any other. These sparklers can still blind and burn skin. They can ignite housefires and wildfires. They can kill or maim pets. The “safe and sane” designation assumes another very important ingredient:...

Nearly 29,000 San Benito County adults were registered to vote in the June 5 primary. In neighboring Santa Clara County, the number of registered voters was a record, approaching 850,000. The “turnout”—the percentage of registered voters that actually cast ballots—was considered above average for...

Five candidates are running for California Assembly District 30, and two have emerged as serious contenders to represent the region’s half million residents. The district includes south Santa Clara County and San Benito County and is currently represented by Anna Caballero, who is running...

In two decades as the county’s sheriff, Laurie Smith’s legacy includes both accomplishments and mistakes, and as she runs for a sixth four-year term, her challengers have sought to direct attention to the latter. Smith’s department’s investigation led to the successful prosecution of  Sierra LaMar’s...

Two months after the death of Steven Juarez while in the custody of Gilroy police, the investigation of the exact cause of his death continues. While the police and the district attorney’s office are investigating whether police were responsible, they have said little about...

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in late March that he didn’t expect President Trump’s tariff announcements to have “a big impact on the economy.” He even went so far as to say that “what we’re doing is long-term very good for the economy.” Mnuchin...

The April 7 mobilization exercise of the South County Airport Pilot Association’s Disaster Airlift Response Team overcame heavy rain showers to expand the envelope in disaster preparedness for local emergency response agencies collaborating to alleviate potential transportation gridlocks. Organization s directly participating in concert with...

The circumstances of Steven Juarez’s death while in Gilroy police custody last month remain under investigation by law enforcement. The fact that the official investigation is unresolved doesn’t give elected city officials a pass on leadership. Police have offered no evidence to support their contentions...