San Benito County News, Traffic & Weather


All the San Benito News, Traffic and Weather, with directories of local Government, Community Groups & Nonprofits in one place!
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Image caption: The council chambers in Santa Cruz City Hall has been the scene of countless heated political battles, and at least one melee.
It Takes a Village to Run a Village: Developing Leadership

As some municipalities struggle to find people to run for elected offices and advisory boards, we look at the civic engagement pipeline.

Image caption: A relaxing nap can be a good way to spend the holiday which honors workers.
Happy Labor Day to All Who Celebrate

In which we salute the hard workers who make California the fifth largest economy on the planet.

Image caption: The Memorial Rose Garden at McKinley Park in Sacramento. Built and maintained by everyday citizens as a gift to their city.
How Citizenship is Like Gardening

For one thing, "citizen," like "garden," can be used as a verb.

Image caption: Gov. Gavin Newsom walks through a homeless camp with a garbage bag.
California Cracks Down on Homeless Camps & Crime

In the midst of charges that California, and its favorite daughter Kamala Harris, are soft on crime, lawmakers step up in the name of public safety.

Image caption: You know it's bad when they need to lock up the baby formula.
Proposition 36, AB 2943 & 1179: California Cracks Down On Crime

Californians are fed up with flash mob shoplifting, smash and grab theft and an alarming uptick in Fentanyl deaths.

Image caption: Humpback whales lunge feeding in Monterey Bay.
Biden Comes Through for the Monterey Bay Area

Joe Biden visited the Santa Cruz County beach towns of Aptos and Capitola following bad storms a couple winters ago. Last week, his administration delivered a big pile of money to help these communities and their neighbors build resilience.

Image caption: Robert Mazurek, who helped launch the globally influential Seafood Watch program for the Monterey Bay Aquarium 25 years ago, is now overseeing a historic climate resilience grant, and working on even bigger stuff.
Robert Mazurek Q&A: Preparing for Climate Change

The Santa Cruz-based California Marine Sanctuary Foundation receives a historic $71 million climate resilience grant from Biden Administration.

Image caption: Board of directors come in all shapes and sizes, but by and large, the job is the same.
Anil Dash Explains: What Does a Board of Directors Do?

The writer and Internet dynamo shares his experience and reveals what happens in the board room.

Image caption: A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained

What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.

Image caption: A screenshot of the CalFire active incidents web page from August 4, 2024. Yikes.
California Fire Season Grinds On

As July goes down in the history books as the hottest ever recorded, the 2024 California fire season has already burned more than 30 times as much acreage as in 2023.

Image caption: A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
Getting Acquainted With AQI

Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.

Image caption: A CalFire tanker aircraft drops a plume of fire retardant on a forest.
Building Community Resilience in North Tahoe

The Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation develops partnerships to prepare and respond to emergencies with its COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster).

Image caption: Will Kamala Harris become the first Californian since Richard Nixon to lead the nation?
Statecraft takes time: Kamala Harris & Gavin Newsom

This week: Two examples of ways people in and around government and politics worked behind the scenes, and in the state house, to make things better.

Image caption: Heather Cox Richardson interviewing President Biden in 2022.
‘Letters From an American:’ A Newsletter for Those Who Choose to Remember the Past

Heather Cox Richardson provides historical context for everyday civic events.

Image caption: A homeless camp in Santa Cruz, California in 2022, since disbanded.
California Weighs In on Homeless Camps

Following the June 28 SCOTUS ruling on homeless encampment removal, Newsom brings the hammer down—but only after years of the state’s efforts to cushion the blow. Will it be enough?

Image caption: Look! The government is spending our money! (Courtesy 'Atlas Shrugged III,')
Money and Politics: The Good News

If you've ever wondered how your governments raise and spend your tax money, here's a primer.

Image caption: The county budget process is complex, involving a lot of moving parts. And holy cow, a lot of money.
Follow the Money: How California Counties Draft Their Annual Budgets

The total combined revenues and expenditures of California's 58 counties are astronomical. And getting astronomicaler every year.

Image caption: Los Angeles county can get a little grabby at meal times…
Easy as Pie: California Government Budgets at a Glance

Where does all that money come from, and where does it go? It's easy to find out.

Image caption: View  north over Highway 140, El Portal, and the Merced River canyon as a summer storm rolls on by. Screenshot from a time-lapse courtesy of ALERTCalifornia-UC San Diego.
Heat Waves, Mountaintop Cameras, and Municipal Budgets

The public process that determines who stays cool and who does not—and many more urgent issues. Plus a virtual escape to the high country.

Image caption: The 2024-2025 City of Sacramento budget is dry reading, but worth it. $1.6 billion worth. Courtesy City of Sacramento.
Show Me the Money: How California Cities and Towns Fund Their Annual Budgets

Local democracy is a complex, expensive process. We explain.

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07/15/2024

The Many Roads to Gilroy A Historical Journey through Gilroy’s Past

With beautiful rolling hills and verdant valleys, redwoods and oak trees, streams and hot springs, and proximity to both mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Gilroy has been an essential crossroads [...]

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07/11/2024

Hidden Fortress Opens Cafe at Cruzioworks

Hidden Fortress Coffee, known by many as the coffee vendor at Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets since 2013, has just opened their first downtown Santa Cruz location. The new spot is inside the ...

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