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Aaron Hieu Tran, who attends Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill, has been named a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar. Hieu Tran was one of 161 high school seniors nationwide named to the 59th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars—who are honored for their accomplishments in academics, the arts and career and technical education fields.
Ecology Action
Listed under: Environment Transportation Water Sustainability
Happy 5th Anniversary to our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening!
Fighting Fentanyl: Mother Honors Son With Jolly10K Run
Leslie Gentry has a smile that’s so infectious it can lift your spirits. It hurts to think that the 50-year-old comic book store office manager could have lost a child to fentanyl.
Data shows slight decrease in number of unhoused people
The number of unhoused people counted across Santa Clara County dropped slightly compared to last year, according to preliminary results of the 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) homeless census. The data, released May 30 by the County of Santa Clara and the City of San Jose, shows the overall number of homeless individuals counted this year decreased [...]
From CalMatters...
The New Payday Loans? California Moves to Regulate Cash Advance Apps
In May, a video featuring a young woman named Brooklyn in heart-shaped glasses implored viewers to tell the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation how important a company named EarnIn was to their day-to-day life. EarnIn is part of a relatively new app-based industry that provides cash advances to people based on their wages.
The One Big Flaw in California’s Local Redistricting Reforms
The state Assembly has passed legislation to require large cities, counties and school districts to use independent commissions to redraw districts for their governing boards, but the measure exempts five major counties.
269 Homes Proposed in Northeast Morgan Hill Project
The Morgan Hill City Council will consider approving permits for a project on the northeast side of the city, known as Crosswinds, that is proposed by Dividend Homes.
Judge’s Ruling Delays Pacheco Dam Expansion Plans
Plans to build the new dam in southeast Santa Clara County are on hold after a superior court judge ruled that the project developer had incorrectly claimed it is exempt from state environmental laws.
From Mountain View Voice...
California Considers Reining in Security Deposits
A bill would hold security deposits to one month’s rent, not three. The California Apartment Association says it could drive up rents, making it harder to find a home.
Downtown Mountain View Struggles With High Vacancy Rates
At the corner of Castro and West Dana streets, a storefront sits empty, its windows boarded up with brown paper. It's a common sight since COVID, and a sign of changing consumer habits.
To Live and Die in Silicon Valley
At Santa Clara University, I scan the campus grounds for the wind telephone—one of many novel means for those in Silicon Valley to relate with death. Even burial itself is undergoing many changes.
A Look Back at the South Bay’s 1st World Cup
The Super Bowl will come back to Levi’s Stadium in 2026, serving as a perfect practice event for when the FIFA World Cup unfolds later that year. Which brings back memories of 1996.
From San Jose Spotlight...
How San Jose Lawmaker’s Bill Could Curb Workplace Violence
Manuel Huizar, a Safeway employee, was fatally shot by shoplifters last year. In April, Home Depot employee Blake Mohs was shot and killed while attempting to stop a robbery in Pleasanton.
San Jose Leader to Spend Night in Homeless Shelter
San Jose officials are being challenged by a formerly homeless resident to stay in a shelter before voting to open more—and one is up for the offer.
The New York Times Magazine spends an entire issue explaining why California matters, and CalMatters wins gold for giving the state the coverage it deserves.
Renewable energy sources provided 37 percent of California electricity in 2021, a new record for the state as it moves toward its 2045 goal of 100 percent clean energy. Battery storage will play a huge role in reaching that goal.
California’s new CARE Court system that compels treatment for people with severe mental illness is set to roll out in seven counties this October, despite efforts by civil liberties groups to stop it.
Let’s face some hard facts—and still be able to celebrate the beginning of the best season of the year.
A new analysis shows that the California State University system doesn’t make or receive enough money to cover its costs, even with state support. The report and lawmakers urge the system to increase tuition, but even that might not be …
More than 4 percent of death penalty convicts have been wrongfully convicted, data shows. But courts including the U.S. Supreme Court have failed to provide protections for the innocent facing death at the hands of the state.
The death penalty remains legal in California, but Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a moratorium on executions in 2019. Will capital punishment end in the state? Here’s what’s happening.
California will cut use of water from the Colorado River drastically under a new agreement announced by the Biden Administration on May 22. Nevada and Arizona have also agreed to the cuts.
You probably know that The Newsletter goes out only to California Local members and subscribers. Today I am writing to bring the good news that we have just been given two big awards.
Voting is just the beginning. Stay connected with your representatives to make sure your government is working for you.
We've made it one-click convenient for members to contact their elected representatives.
On the Santa Cruz City Council, then as mayor, and then as county supervisor, Ryan Coonerty learned to love politics.
The California Supreme Court has kept the state at the forefront of legal issues surrounding abortion, the death penalty and same-sex marriage, starting in its earliest days in the Gold Rush era.
The state’s most important industry relies on workers who are not given a chance to obtain legal status.
The future of farming in California is changing as the planet warms, altering the rain and heat patterns that guide which crops are grown where. “We’re adjusting for survival,” one grower said.
California stands as America’s agricultural powerhouse, growing half of its fruits and vegetables. Here’s how California farming has shaped the state, from the early missions to today’s “factories in the field.”
How the SF state senator was changed by California; how our great state spawned a cultural phenomenon; how many Californians are being denied life's most basic necessity.
Comics may have been born in New York, but they came of age in California. And there’s more to the story than San Francisco comix.
Members of the California Legislature took nearly $1 million worth of trips sponsored by interest groups in 2022. The California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy accounted for 40% of the travel spending. Over the years, some of its …
Ezra Klein talks to state Sen. Scott Wiener about why progressive policies have failed in a state with no Republicans in power.
Santa Clara County Newsletter
Weekly digest of curated state and local news, upcoming government meetings and community events.
New Job
Jaclyn Muro has been named executive director of Gilroy Foundation, taking over from Donna Pray, who is retiring. Muro worked for Christopher Ranch for more than a dozen years, where she was surrounded by the family’s philanthropic efforts to improve educational opportunities for young Gilroyans.
Gratitude
Not many organizations can boast a century-long longevity, but FRFG (Freely Receive, Freely Give) can. To commemorate the book and study club’s 125th anniversary, the second floor of Old City Hall was adorned with blue and white decorations for a celebratory luncheon that took place on May 5.
Congratulations
Morgan Hill resident Bryant K. Wong, who plans to pursue a career in pharmaceutical science, has been named a National Merit Scholarship finalist, according to the organization that selects and awards the annual scholars. Wong is a student at Valley Christian High School in San Jose.
The Gilroy Assistance League announced its 2023 grant recipients at a luncheon and presentation held April 19 at Eagle Ridge Golf Course. Recipients were recognized for their efforts on behalf of South Santa Clara County children. During the 2023 grant cycle, GALs awarded a total of $31,939.41 in funds to 12 local organizations.
Caltrans “complete streets” update and new draft design guidance open for public comment
Caltrans HQ is proposing new design guidance (titled DIB-94) related to "complete streets" to make design for walking and biking on certain state routes easier to accomplish. These proposed change...
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