As California starts handing out its first fines to water-wasters, new data reveals the state’s crippling drought conditions have never been worse. As of Tuesday — the same day the stricter restrictions went into effect — more than 58 percent of the state was in an “exceptional drought” stage, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor […]

State-Water-Board-ordered water restrictions began Tuesday, July 29, and will remain in effect for the next 270 days. All California residents and business owners could face a hefty fine under new water restrictions that went into effect Tuesday. The new statewide regulations crack down on excessive outdoor watering that flows down the street. Hosing down sidewalks […]

Los Gatos Creek runs from the Lexington Reservoir in the Santa Cruz Mountains to Downtown San Jose. On Tuesday, the water supply to the creek was cut by about 60 percent as South Bay water officials try to conserve what little water they have to work with. The creek runs right through the middle of […]

It’s about to get more difficult to go unnoticed if your sprinklers are watering the street more than your lawn. California’s worsening drought and mandatory new state water rules are prompting Bay Area water agencies to beef up their conservation staffs — the employees sometimes called “water cops.” Only a few cities, including Santa Cruz […]

People who heavily water their lawns in the middle of a drought could end up paying a lot of green for that emerald grass. California water authorities proposed emergency regulations this week that would prohibit wasteful lawn watering and car washing, with fines of up to $500 a day for residents who break the rules. […]

That Double-Double you’ve been craving from In-N-Out Burger just got pricier and more price hikes are on the way, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA projects that the price of beef and veal will rise 5.5 to 6.5 percent this year and that poultry prices will increase 3 to 4 percent. Dairy […]

It’s not clear if Governor Jerry Brown and his challenger Neel Kashkari will debate each other this fall. But if they do, there should be no doubt about the proper location for any and all debates: the San Joaquin Valley. In this very quiet California election year, it’s fitting that our state’s most overlooked region […]

SIERRA MADRE – Despite legal protests from developers’ lawyers and expert advice to keep water conservation voluntary, the City Council delivered a triple whammy this week to anyone seeking to develop property in Sierra Madre. About 125 people came to a Tuesday night City Council meeting, and about 30 of them sat or stood in […]