Health

As Santa Clara County suffers through a third straight year of severe drought, then a historic heat wave two weeks ago, the Valley Water Board of Directors unanimously voted Sept. 13 to strengthen existing rules aimed at reducing outdoor watering.  The board amended the existing...

Food pantries across South County are experiencing unprecedented demand following the suspension of SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown, with lines wrapping around blocks and new families seeking assistance at rates not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Reach Out Food Pantry in...

UC Santa Cruz recently acquired and established the Strathearn Ranch Natural Reserve, a 2,400-acre oak-studded grassland property in San Benito County that will be used for field research and outdoor education for the university’s students, staff and researchers.  The UC Board of Regents approved the...

The California Department of Public Health is urging Californians to get immunized against a triple-threat of viruses that are expected to surge in the coming months.  Rates of Covid-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are expected to spike in the late fall and...

Caltrain service suspended for electric work Caltrain will suspend some service beginning Monday between its San Jose Diridon and Tamien stations to accommodate electrification work. From Monday to Friday (Dec. 1), the last southbound train 146 will terminate at San Jose Diridon, Caltrain said in a...

Santa Cruz and Monterey counties were included in a list of areas statewide where people have been severely sickened by Amanita phalloides—commonly known as the death cap mushroom. A group of doctors from across California warned Jan. 14 that foraging for wild mushrooms can be...

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) will attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Feb. 24 with guest Lupe Lopez, co-founder of Gilroy-based Arteaga’s Food Center. “Today marks Trump’s 400th day in office, and it has been 400 days of disaster for the American...

San Benito County public health officials are warning residents of the danger of handling or getting too close to diseased or dead birds after a number of positive cases of Avian Influenza have been detected here. County Health and Human Services officials said in an...

The Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras festival—which has raised and awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships during its 41-year tenure—will see some big changes for 2023, including a name change, admission fees and extensive safety upgrades, according to event organizers.  This year’s festival, scheduled...

California’s water storage and delivery systems are in good shape heading into the rainy season, having benefited from last year’s near-historic rain and snowfall totals, according to the state’s top water managers.  Coming off three years of punishing drought conditions, last year was the sixth...