In the News

In the World's Salad Bowl, the sun rises and sets on the production of lettuce, cauliflower, garlic, almonds and grapes, among others.

Thanks to the gradual warming of the atmosphere, though, driven by climate change, many of those crops could be at risk, as are the livelihoods of those who farm, produce and pick them, said Maribel Adonian, co-leader of The Citizens' Climate Lobby.

WATSONVILLE — Rep. Jimmy Panetta visited an elementary school in Watsonville to observe the impact of a school garden program designed to provide young children in resource challenged communities with fresh healthy food and knowledge about where it comes from.

Ocean and environmental protection have traditionally had bipartisan support. President Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican, championed national parks. Richard Nixon signed legislation that established national marine sanctuaries. George H.W. Bush, who'd been in the offshore oil business, approved the largest boundary under consideration for Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary closing the door on drilling while his son, George W. Bush, approved a 140,000-square-mile marine monument off the Hawaiian Islands, later expanded four-fold by Barack Obama.

SALINAS – Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, has introduced legislation that would enhance affordable housing resources and promote program transparency for farmworker housing, the congressman's office announced Wednesday.

SALINAS, Calif. —U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta introduced the Farmworker Housing Improvement Act Tuesday to enhance affordable housing resources for farmworkers.

"On the Central Coast of California, there is an acute need for available and affordable farmworker housing," Panetta said.

Today, Congressman Jimmy (CA-20) introduced the Farmworker Housing Improvement Act enhancing affordable housing resources and promoting program transparency.

"On the central coast of California, there is an acute need for available and affordable farmworker housing," said Congressman Panetta. "My legislation will address such a shortage by strengthening the Farm Labor Housing Loan and Grant Program, improving access to information for local non-profits, and increasing quality housing options for our farmworker community."

WATSONVILLE — It could soon become harder for immigrants who use services such as food stamps or Medicaid to become permanent residents under new rules proposed Wednesday by the Trump administration.

If the rules are adopted, thousands of Santa Cruz County residents could face a choice between continuing to use the services and maintaining eligibility to to become permanent residents.

THE U.S. Navy's top brass was in Monterey this week to announce the Naval Postgraduate School's new president and honor the outgoing head of the university.

During a ceremony at NPS Wednesday morning, Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer welcomed retired vice admiral Dr. Ann Elisabeth Rondeau to lead the school. Rondeau, a 38-year veteran of the Navy, will succeed current NPS president Ronald A. Route in early 2019. Route has been at NPS for five years.