By Eric Johnson
Published Apr 03, 2023

As their fundamental journalistic service, legacy local news organizations, most of which are struggling, help stop the spread of disinformation.

Democracy & Journalism

Happy Monday, and happy belated Cesar Chavez Day. Before moving on to this week’s featured news, I would like to take a moment to honor the man who tried to bring economic justice and dignity to California’s farmworkers and their families.

That work remains unfinished, and I invite you to remember that la lucha continua.

Journalism as a Force Against BS

We editors are generally happy when a news story breaks that aligns with a project we're already working on. Such a story broke this week, but it did not make me happy.

California Local contributor Graham Womack spoke this week to Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, author of a bill that would help fund the state's local news media, which is in serious trouble. The day before that story came in, we read a piece in the LA Times headlined ‘The California newspaper that has no reporters left.’

The story of the Salinas Californian, which lost its last reporter in December, was made more poignant by the floods that the region experienced in January, which went unreported. Sadly, cities throughout California and the rest of the nation find themselves in similar circumstances as their main news sources essentially disappear.

You probably already know that the internet effectively killed the newspaper industry, as most local news outlets were slow to figure out how to publish effectively online. You may also know that advertisers who once supported their local paper sent most of their money online.

You might not know that two companies—Google and Meta (Facebook)—suck up fully half of the total dollars spent on online advertising. Much of that revenue is built on content generated by legacy media outlets.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Asm. Buffy Wicks’ bill, the Journalism Preservation Act, would make the big platforms pay for the content that they suck from online news outlets—along with vast sums of advertising revenue.

Making Online Media Giants Pay for the Industry They Crushed

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks' bill would make Google, Facebook, et al, pay when their ads appear alongside content generated by legitimate news media.

Asm. Buffy Wicks' AB 886, the Journalism Preservation Act, would require Google, Facebook, et al, to share advertising revenue with news media organizations.

The Ghost of a California Newspaper

Historic downtown Salinas, California, capital of Monterey County, and the hub of "America's Salad Bowl."

James Rainey reports that the Salinas Californian, the daily newspaper serving the capital of Monterey County, has completely emptied its newsroom.

	Santa Clara County's Homepage
Direct your browser to https://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!

Here's Why We Need Local Journalism

In Placer County, three local school boards banned a nonprofit from all of their campuses because they were tricked by a malicious spreader of disinformation.

Editor Brings Truth to Placer County

Pastor Casey Tinnin has come under attack following a hit-piece by a notorious spreader of disinformation.

Last week Carol Feineman, managing editor of four Gold Country Media papers, provided her readers with an important piece of information that should reverse a hasty and ill-informed decision.

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Big Brothers Big Sisters

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From Our Media Allies

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	Cindy Chavez Called Leading Candidate for San Diego County Top Administrator
	The final decision for who gets the $300,000-plus-per-year job running day-to-day operations of San Diego County could come in the next few weeks.

	Downtown Morgan Hill Wine Stroll Is April 29
	Tickets are on sale now for the 13th annual Downtown Morgan Hill Wine Stroll. From 1-5pm, enjoy an afternoon of sipping local wines, visiting local merchants and enjoying live entertainment.

	Homeland Security Accuses Top SJ Police Union Official of Smuggling
	Joanne Segovia is accused of buying and distributing opioids for eight years, running some transactions from her San Jose Police Officers’ Association office.

	Locals Set to Open Pop’s Public House on April 14
	The Gilroy eatery will replace The Claddagh Irish Restaurant & Pub in the Hecker Pass Plaza. The concept is primarily American grill with Irish-Mexican fusion specialties.

	Concealed Carry Permits Skyrocket
	Business has been booming for Ziyad “Zip” Showket, a firearms instructor in liberal Marin County—thanks to six justices on the nation’s highest court.

Recent Local News

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• 49ers Bid for Bay Area to Host 2026 Super Bowl

The 49ers want another run at hosting the Super Bowl less than a decade after bringing the championship game to Santa Clara.

(04/01/2023) → Mountain View Voice

• Foothill-De Anza Trustee Gilbert Wong Censured

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District's board voted this week to formally censure board member Gilbert Wong over harassing and discriminatory comments that he made to De Anza College's president.

(03/31/2023) → Mountain View Voice

• Clean Energy or Open Space? Baylands Debate Involves Competing Goals

The future of Palo Alto's most disputed piece of open space will once again be up in the air next week, when the City Council considers two competing visions for sustainability.

(03/30/2023) → Palo Alto Online

• What’s Next for Blighted San Jose Theater?

A dilapidated theater is ready to be annexed into San Jose. How it will be used is up in the air. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted to annex nearly an acre of land that’s home to the 74-year-old Burbank Theater at South Bascom and Parkmoor avenues.

(03/29/2023) → San Jose Spotlight

• Aerial Fire Retardant Drops Attacked as Ineffective, Harmful

For most Californians, the sight of aircraft spewing neon pink liquid over flaming trees and brush has become a hallmark of aggressive wildfire suppression campaigns. But some forest advocates say the substance does more harm than good. A federal lawsuit could reshape how the U.S. Forest Service battles wildfires throughout the western United States.

(03/29/2023) → Los Angeles Times

• Single-Use Food Accessories Banned

Plastic utensils and ketchup packets are some examples of items that will no longer be given out by Los Altos restaurants, but will still be available upon request. The decision was made at the March 28 City Council meeting.

(03/28/2023) → Read the full Los Altos Town Crier report

• New Bill Would Limit Sprawl in Disaster-Prone Areas

Sprawl has allowed Californians to live closer to nature and buy homes where it is cheaper to build. But it has also left millions vulnerable to wildfires and flooding.

(03/27/2023) → Monterey Herald

• Palo Alto Parklet Program Morphs Again

Despite opposition from several downtown property owners and disagreement in its own ranks, the Palo Alto City Council came up with new rules—including a size limit and licensing fees—on parklets.

(03/27/2023) → Palo Alto Online

• Milpitas Community Budget Meeting to Be Held

The Milpitas City Council is asking residents to weight in on the city's 2023-24 budget to ensure it is coinciding with the needs of the community. An online survey is available to fill out until April 16 at noon.

(03/27/2023) → Read the full The Mercury News report