Community

The Amgen Tour of California and its local partners are preparing a week full of community cycling-related events leading up to the tour’s May 16 time trial stage, which starts and ends in downtown Morgan Hill.

Nearly four months after forming a bipartisan select committee and two hearings later, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announced legislation Feb. 15 to combat shoplifting and organized retail theft—just beating a legislative deadline to introduce new bills. The Hollister Democrat joined Democratic Assemblymembers Rick Zbur of...

Ann Sobrato High School’s horticulture students got their hands dirty April 17, planting a pollinator and harvestable hedgerow of fruit trees, herb shrubs and native plants along the western edge of the school’s two-acre farm.“We’re delighted that the students have this opportunity to learn about planting and about the many ways that hedgerows can benefit farms,” said Vera Gomes, Sobrato’s Assistant Principal and a long-time agriculture program teacher.The high school has a long-term goal to develop a 10-acre organic row crop and orchard demonstration farm next to the current farm, which mainly focuses on animal husbandry.Later in the spring, the students will plant a windbreak hedgerow of native shrubs and trees along the northern edge of the school farm. These two hedgerows—over 10,000 square feet combined—will have habitat and windbreak functions and will also be used as a teaching tool. The hedgerow design and planting is overseen by Sam Earnshaw of Hedgerows Unlimited, which has established over 400 miles of hedgerows in California.The hedgerow planting is a partnership between the high school’s acclaimed agriculture program, in which about a third of the school’s 1,500 students are involved, and Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting agriculture near cities.SAGE is working with the high school on the hedgerow and the demonstration farm planning as part of the project Revitalizing Specialty Crop Agriculture in the Coyote Valley, which is funded by a California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Block grant. This project is guided by the Coyote Valley Agricultural Enterprise and Conservation program Advisory Committee.

It was a barn burner at the Boots and Brews Country Music Festival this past weekend as hundreds of country music fans flocked to the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center on June 24. The eight-hour event featured musicians such as Dylan Scott, Randy Houser and...

San Jose police said Sept. 17 they arrested two people they think are responsible for shooting and killing a juvenile and wounding a man in July.  Police said they arrested 19-year-old Rodolfo Stagi of San Jose and a juvenile on Aug. 25 in Morgan Hill.  At...

The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (PJIFF) on Feb. 27 announced its full film lineup for its 2023 edition.  This year’s festival—which will screen at venues in Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Bautista—will take place April 12-19.  The complete PJIFF program includes features, documentaries,...

The Morgan Hill Unified School District is facing an annual budget deficit of more than $13 million by 2025, and may have to cut a number of staff and programs that have been funded by state and federal pandemic funds in recent years.  The district’s...

Live Oak High School staff are on a mission to make sure all students have something to wear to formal school dances and the prom, and they hope to expand their efforts to other high schools in South County.  The idea for “The Princess Collection”...

Editor's Note: The following is the third installment in a