A grand jury report called out several factors that make the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounding areas particularly vulnerable.

Morgan Hill officials say the city has no new plans in place following the latest annexation denial, which suspends the project indefinitely.

A new lawsuit alleges that the city of Gilroy broke the law when it approved the annexation of farmland for a planned 4000-home development.

Joe Simitian takes exception with the notion that he isn’t transparent. On Tuesday, the recidivist county supervisor waxed pedantic, crashing the Finance and Government Operations Committee meeting to argue that the county could get sunburned by a new policy of publishing county officials’ calendars. But could this all have something to do with Simitian’s perpetual fundraising?

Should it be easier to impose new taxes? Or is it a recipe to tax fatigue, given the voting public’s recent support for a water district parcel tax, county sales tax and Prop. 30 for school funding? This and other matters go before the Rules and Open Government Committee on Wednesday.