Local News

Marcus Hernandez, a Cal Fire veteran who began his career in 2003, was recently appointed Morgan Hill’s new fire chief.  Hernandez also now serves as Unit Chief of the Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit. He is serving in both positions as of May 5.  “We are...

Celebration continues The Friends of the Morgan Hill Library continue the celebration of its 50th anniversary with two musical events: Russell Zimmer’s jazz quartet performs at 1pm Nov. 23. Coming on Dec. 7, is Mark Gaetano, a popular local musician performing compositions by Scott Joplin,...

Robert Rivas, who represents 29th California district, was re-elected this week as Speaker of the California State Assembly.  Rivas, of Hollister, now begins his second year as Assembly Speaker following a unanimous vote by his Democratic colleagues on Dec. 2.  “I am filled with great pride...

New state fire maps released for Morgan Hill show significant shifts in wildfire risk designations, with some areas seeing decreased hazard levels while others face stricter building and maintenance requirements. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, replacing...

My grandparents lived in the small town of Provo, Utah in the 1940s. Grandpa was the city’s fire chief and both he and grandma were well known and respected in the community.  One evening while driving home from a firemen’s banquet, a drunk driver crossed...

A Morgan Hill resident and former insurance agent orchestrated a large-scale insurance fraud scheme that ripped off victims to the tune of more than $1.4 million, according to authorities.  Five people were charged recently with felonies related to the fraud scheme, says an April 10...

City officials have unveiled a new health initiative aimed at improving residents’ well-being through a coordinated approach between local government, businesses and community members. The “Healthy Morgan Hill” initiative, in development for nearly two years, will kick off May 10. During a recent stakeholder meeting,...

The California Highway Patrol has launched a new podcast titled “Behind the Badge,” giving listeners a closer look at the people and programs that make up the state law enforcement agency.  The podcast debuted on Aug. 28 and features CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee reflecting on...

California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, of Hollister, and a delegation of 14 Assembly members met with firefighters and officials in Los Angeles last week to discuss how to further assist emergency response efforts, and to fast-track recovery from the devastating and deadly wildfires, Rivas’...

Accused killer Martin Mendoza was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on Monday, following his arrest at the Mexico border on Sunday, according to jail records. He is the ex-boyfriend and primary suspect in the death of 18-year-old Marissa DiNapoli of Morgan Hill. DiNapoli’s...