Environment

About a year ago, the Town of Los Gatos hired Chris Todd as its “emergency manager”—a new role for the community that’s situated along the Santa Cruz Mountains. The hope is to implement safety measures, in order to save lives, property and wildlife in...

California State Parks and the Sempervirens Fund announced permanent additions to expand Castle Rock State Park in Los Gatos on Aug. 15.  The $4.21 million in acquisitions for six properties by State Parks are the first for the agency in the Santa Cruz Park District...

How much do you trust the liquid that comes out of your tap? According to the San Jose Water Quality Report for 2025, Los Gatos’ water clears the regulatory bar. But just because it meets drinking standards doesn’t mean it’s without contaminants.  The annual report...

Before you pull up any more “weeds” in your garden, you may want to consider what Alrie Middlebrook has to share about native edible plants and trees. This past Saturday and Sunday, 50 or so gardens around the San Francisco Bay participated in the...

On Saturday morning, Los Gatos Kiwanis boardmember Nancy Pearson arrived at Old Forbes Mill with coffee and donuts in-hand, prepared to guide members of the Los Gatos High School Key Club, and other volunteers, on an environmental spruce-up.  While embarking on this green clean, Pearson...

After nearly two years out of commission, Big Basin Redwoods State Park—the oldest State Park in California—is about to open to the public, once again. It was closed after being ravaged by the CZU Lightning Complex fire, (97% destroyed), but on July 22, the proverbial...

A state nonprofit that aims to reduce and eliminate the use of dangerous pesticides on agricultural fields in California plans to sue the agency tasked with regulating them. The announcement came Nov. 18 during a press conference convened in Watsonville by Californians for Pesticide Reform. Mark...

“One man’s rubbish may be another man’s treasure.” —Hector Urquhart West Valley Recycles (WVR) has an outreach team to help us learn to recycle correctly. Forget what you knew about recycling guidelines. Things have changed, and we have new laws to ensure we recycle in the most...

Heather Kelley counted 15 days the power was out last August, up at her place that’s perched atop the Santa Cruz Mountains along Skyline Boulevard. “It makes our life just a living hell up here,” she said. “It’s absolutely terrifying.” Kelley says it’s not just the...

A homeowner who sought an exception to new fire-safe rules recently rolled out by the State won over Planning Commissioners and was granted development approval. Despite Santa Clara County Fire Department representatives appearing in the special Zoom meeting on Nov. 21 to argue against allowing...