Politics

Facing corruption probes and a potential trial that could expel her from office, Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said Thursday she will not run for reelection and will retire when her sixth term ends in January. Smith, who was the first woman to be...

Following a months-long discussion that grew increasingly contentious, the Morgan Hill City Council last week narrowly voted to approve a new elective district map that could expose the city to a lawsuit. But late in the March 2 council discussion, it became clear that the...

Gary Kremen last weekend withdrew from the race for Santa Clara County assessor, dropping his aggressive challenge to 27-year incumbent Larry Stone and promising to return thousands in campaign donations. Kremen’s surprise announcement to local media the afternoon of Feb. 26 came several hours after...

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., sentenced Mariposa Castro, of Gilroy, to 45 days in jail Feb. 23 for her participation in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Castro, also known as Imelda Castro, was also ordered to pay a $5,000...

The Morgan Hill City Council has narrowed down its potential new district boundaries to a choice of five draft maps, but officials disagree on whether all of them would stand up to state laws regulating the electoral redistricting process. In recent months, the council and...

A series of housing laws signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in recent memory has prompted an organized group of city officials from throughout the state to gather signatures for an initiative they say will help bring land-use decisions back to local jurisdictions. The “Our Neighborhood...

The deadline to submit a City Council redistricting map for consideration by the elected council is 5pm Jan. 31, according to city staff. All draft maps are available for public review on the city’s redistricting webpage at http://www.morgan-hill.ca.gov/2182/Draft-Maps. A City Council workshop will be held at...

UPDATE: The City Council on Jan. 19 voted 3-2 (with councilmembers Yvonne Martinez Beltran and Rene Spring in dissent) to approve the following city staff recommendation: Approve the proposed Traffic Mitigation Plan Implementation Schedule to supportthe Monterey Road Lane Reduction Program; Approve the re-design of...

As Santa Clara County lawmakers prepare to approve new political boundaries, some local politicians are raising complaints about the process. The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 earlier this month to advance a proposal for redistricting the county's five political boundaries, choosing the so-called Yellow Map...

The 2022 election season for City of Morgan Hill offices is already underway, as two local residents have already declared their candidacy for seats on the city council. Among the races scheduled for the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot are Morgan Hill Mayor, City Council District...