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By Eric Johnson
Published Mar 20, 2023

Tiny Pajaro (center) sits across the river from Watsonville in the strawberry-rich Pajaro Valley. Image credit: Courtesy Army Corps of Engineers Public Sector

Survival and Civic Engagement

Hello and welcome to the first “statewide” issue of The Newsletter from California Local.

For the past year, my colleague Sharan Street has delivered a weekly report to our members who live in Santa Cruz County, where we are headquartered. Today I am subbing, and this issue goes to members and subscribers in the seven other counties where we operate.

If you’re a first-time recipient of The Newsletter, here’s what you're getting:

Original articles by CALocal contributors (in this case Dustin Mulvaney, Jonathan Vankin and yours truly).
A selection of news articles from members of the California Local Media Alliance.
A curated digest of news from other trusted outlets in your county.
Comprehensive access to upcoming local public meetings.

If you’re thinking “This sounds like a good way to find out what's going on around here”—that makes me happy.

This week, our lead item—and the story I would rank as most the pressing statewide—is about the flooding of the small Monterey County agricultural town of Pajaro.

Although I write to you today from my home in Sacramento, I am very familiar with Pajaro, having lived for many years in both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. And still, the depth of the tragic situation there did not hit me in full until I heard a report about the impacts of the Pajaro River flooding by a national correspondent on NPR, who put the story in context.

KQED reporter Farida Jhabvala Romero pointed out that many of the flood-displaced farmworkers who call Pajaro home are undocumented and not eligible for FEMA funds or unemployment insurance. Later, she noted that these people are the workforce that make possible Monterey County’s $4 billion ag industry.

The unfairness of this situation is obvious, yet most of us around here don’t think about it until a disaster like this occurs. If you are in a position to help, please visit the storm relief fund of the Monterey County Community Foundation, or the disaster fund of the Santa Cruz County Community Foundation.

Environmental Injustice in Pajaro

Here's how political boundaries along rivers can undermine public commitments to flood control, and why vulnerable residents and communities remain vulnerable. New levee construction was already set to begin in 2024. Too little too late for too many families.

Behind the Levee Breach

Detail from a photo tweeted by the city of Watsonville warning residents about the impending atmospheric river storm.

On March 10, the Pajaro River flooded the small agricultural town on its banks. Professor Dustin Mulvaney traces the turbulent history of the Central Coast’s second largest watershed.

Here's How to Discover, Connect, and Act Local (and Why)

Inspiration from the senior advisor to the only recent president who cut his political teeth as a bona-fide community organizer.

What Is Civic Engagement?

Valerie Jarrett with the commander in chief in the Blue Room of the White House in 2010.

President Obama’s closest advisor, Valerie Jarrett, created and ran the White House Office of Public Engagement. Because democracy.

There are No Libertarians in the Wake of a Bank Failure

Here's proof that Silicon Valley Bank laid the groundwork for its own collapse by spending $500,000 lobbying against regulations that would have saved it.

Silicon Valley Bank Collapse: the Causes and Bailout

The government has avoided calling its plan to pay off SVB depositors a "bailout." But is it?

SVB lobbied hard for bank deregulation, which may have led to its own failure. And depositors blew past limits on federal insurance, knowing they would lose their cash if the bank went under unless the government saved them. Here’s how the debacle went down.

	Santa Clara County's Homepage
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Direct your browser to santaclara.californialocal.com to catch up on the latest news in California and Santa Clara County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community!

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Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brother Big Sisters provides children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professionally supported mentorship. The organization believes that all children can achieve success when given the proper tools and resources—and volunteer mentors are among the most important of those resources.

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From Our Media Allies

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	Fentanyl ODs at Elmwood Jail Prompt Investigation,More Searches
	To combat the presence of fentanyl in the correctional facility, Sheriff Bob Jonsen has taken “extraordinary” measures, including multiple facility searches, more frequent welfare checks, and K-9 searches.

	Housing Construction Abounds
	According to Morgan Hill City Hall staff reports, there are currently eight residential projects under construction, from a small cluster of single-family homes to large rental apartment complexes.

	California Announces San Jose Will Receive 200 Tiny Homes
	The structures will help the city reach Mayor Matt Mahan’s ambitious goal of sheltering 1,000 unhoused residents by the end of the year.

	Auditions Open Soon for Large-Scale Disney Musical at Gavilan College
	In the summer, South County audiences will be transported under the sea to experience a show of such a magnitude that has never been seen before locally, says Broadway South Bay’s Ken Christopher.

	The Whole World Was Watching: Five Days in March
	The aftershocks of one bank failure are likely to linger for years, and the tremors will likely change the way companies are built in the future.

	Silicon Alleys: San Jose and Dublin Celebrate Their Sisterly Ties
	The Lord Mayor of Dublin once again brought a delegation to San Jose, enabling politicians from both sides of the Atlantic to reconnect and discuss shared values, including academic exchange programs.

	After Three-Year Pause, ‘A Statue for Ballybunion’ Opens at 3Below
	When the crew producing former San Jose mayor Tom McEnery’s play last gathered on stage, it was the day before lockdown. March 2020. A few things have changed in the world since then.

Recent Local News

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• San Jose Wants to Revive Neighborhoods Commission

A San Jose citizen commission that represents neighborhoods hasn't convened for more than six months due to a lack of members. One councilmember has an idea how to revive it.

(03/16/2023) → San Jose Spotlight

• Josh Becker Revisits Police Radio Encryption

After falling just short in the final days of last year's legislative session, State Sen. Josh Becker is renewing his push for a law that would require law enforcement to make radio communications accessible to the media.

(03/16/2023) → Mountain View Voice

• Should San Jose Require Nonprofits to Register as Lobbyists?

Nonprofit leaders meet regularly with San Jose officials to influence policy decisions. But though they are often awarded millions in city contracts, nonprofit reps don't have to disclose their meetings like other lobbyists.

(03/16/2023) → San Jose Spotlight

• Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Hits Nonprofits

The abrupt closure of Silicon Valley Bank has hit dozens of local nonprofits, raising concerns about making payroll and being able to provide direct services for the disenfranchised residents who rely on them.

(03/15/2023) → San Jose Spotlight

• Palo Alto Looks for New Economic Strategy

Faced with high vacancies and fewer daytime workers to support businesses, Palo Alto is moving toward adopting a new economic development strategy aimed at revitalizing core commercial areas.

(03/14/2023) → Palo Alto Online