News

In 2008 residents in the Santa Cruz Mountain town of Felton won a near eight year battle to purchase their water system from California American Water.  Today a newly formed group of Monterey Peninsula residents is hoping to do the same thing.

In this season's final forum in the Leon Panetta Lecture Series the topic was “Middle East Turmoil: Chaos or Reform?” with Secretary Panetta as moderator.  Guests for the final event included  Ehud Barak, former Israeli Prime Minister and former Minister of Defense; Joe Lieberman, former United States Senator  from Connecticut; and Richard Lugar, former United States Senator from Indiana and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.  The event took place Monday, June 10th at the Monterey Conference Center.

This week voters in Watsonville overwhelming  rejected Measure T. It would have opened the door for the city to annex land along highway 1 for development.  City officials hoped the development would help address Watsonville’s high unemployment rate.  Meanwhile there’s another project underway trying to tackle that unemployment problem. It’s a commercial kitchen incubator designed to help micro entrepreneurs launch local food businesses. 

An upcoming vote in Santa Cruz County next week pits agricultural interests against public officials who want to diversify the economy.  Measure T would allow the City of Watsonville to annex 95 acres of farmland.  It's the only measure on the ballot in a special election this Tuesday.

Children in the foster care system are often appointed an advocate to help them through this incredibly difficult time in life.  It’s a relationship that can change lives.  But right now, an advocate shortage has many local foster care children stuck on a waitlist.