Politics

State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Bakersfield, introduced legislation to create a tax credit for agricultural employers to help cover the cost of paying overtime wages to farmworkers.   Senate Bill 921, co-sponsored by the California Farm Bureau and the California Association...

Santa Clara County Sheriff Bob Jonsen announced he will seek re-election to a second term. In a characteristically low-key announcement on his LinkedIn last week, the 63-year-old former Los Angeles County deputy sheriff and Palo Alto police chief said of his re-election campaign: “This next...

Michael Doty is the new Santa Clara County Undersheriff, following the retirement in late December of former Undersheriff Dalia Rodriguez.  Doty’s return to the local sheriff’s office follows a “distinguished career and a brief retirement,” says a press release from Sheriff Robert Jonsen’s office.  “Doty's decision...

Beth Wyman, who served as mayor of Morgan Hill and devoted decades to preserving the city’s history, died Nov. 17 of natural causes. She was 92. Wyman’s death was reported by members of the Morgan Hill Historical Society, where she had been a longtime volunteer...

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the cities of Morgan Hill and Petaluma over their ordinances banning natural gas infrastructure in new construction. The complaint, filed Jan. 5 in the Northern District of California, says the cities’ bans violate federal law by restricting consumer...

Two South Valley communities this week received federal funds for road safety improvements, says an announcement from Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s office. A total of $8,634,928 was awarded to California’s 18th Congressional district from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)...

Assistant Santa Clara County Assessor Neysa Fligor early today declared victory in her bid to be elected county assessor. Fligor's victory announcement shortly after midnight coincided with a concession statement by her runoff election rival, former Saratoga Councilmember Rishi Kumar. Fligor led Kumar by nearly...

Every year,  lawmakers in Sacramento introduce a flurry of bills, most of which are eviscerated during the legislative process and end up on the Assembly or Senate trash heap. A select few make it to the governor’s desk, and assuming they dodge the veto...

As 2025 comes to a close and the calendar turns to a new year, we asked members of the community to share their resolutions, hopes and plans for 2026.  Their answers are below.  Leadership Morgan Hill President Daniel Sanidad Next year will mark the 120th year of...

The City of Morgan Hill has launched an interactive online budget simulator to engage residents in solving a $4 million structural deficit, marking a new approach to community involvement in the city’s finances. “Balancing Act” went live in late November and allows residents to experiment...