Santa Cruz County News, Traffic & Weather

Google may be forced to sell off its $200 billion online advertising service if a new lawsuit by the federal Department of Justice claiming that Google acts as a monopoly succeeds.

Don’t just be a spectator in the fight against climate change. Here are some small steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.

California is a leading producer of agricultural crops. So it’s not surprising to find cutting-edge ideas taking root here.

During January’s destructive storms, environmental studies professor Dustin Mulvaney created a concise, riveting timeline of the San Lorenzo River.

State and local officials are still asking law enforcement to prevent gun violence. Community leaders believe gun violence should be treated as a public health crisis, and incorporate prevention strategies that address the social factors in areas most at risk.

Kevin McCarthy has reached the top position in the U.S. House, but has still fallen short in addressing the ongoing water crisis in his owndistrict, a new CNN.com report says.

After the massacre late Saturday nigh that left 10 dead and 10 others hospitalized, on Sunday one politician after another expressed sorrow and offered condolences.

Spillways, levees, reservoirs … the list of water management-related jargon flows on. Good Times reporter Erin Malsbury explains it all.

In its first formal response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $297 billion spending plan, the Legislature offered some pointed feedback on Wednesday: The governor’s fiscal forecasters are being too optimistic and the state needs to prepare for a worsening budgetary outlook. …

Dianne Feinstein, who has been a U.S. senator from California for three decades, hasn't yet said whether she'll seek another term in 2024, but would-be successors are already standing in line.

How to effectively communicate actionable information for preparation before extreme events, and to disseminate vital information during and after disasters.

A dozen days of wet and wild weather haven’t ended the drought, and won't cure the driest period in the West in the past 1,200 years.

With a projected $25 billion deficit, Newsom proposes slashing $6 billion from climate change programs even as a historic storm likely driven by climate change batters the state.

The Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists honored CalMatters’ work.

Prepare for disaster in Santa Cruz County by keeping crucial information at your fingertips—just one touch away on your smartphone.

Since March of 202, Emily Hoeven has written and compiled a daily newsletter for CalMatters. This is from her last.

From our friends at SLV Post: A comprehensive list of locations, from Watsonville to the San Lorenzo Valley, that make sandbags available to residents. Note that some will require proof of residency.

Welcome to 2023 — a year that may prove decisive in California’s attempts to address some major challenges, from housing and homelessness to climate change.

A note from our publisher: California Local invites you to listen—and contribute.

Wherever you live in California, you are likely to have strong feelings about Lake Tahoe. I want you to know that the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s annual Give Back Tahoe campaign is at the tail end of another record-breaking year.