Elena Neale-Sacks
Reporter/Producer, California Local News FellowElena is an Emmy award-winning researcher, reporter, and producer. At KAZU, they cover agriculture, housing and homelessness, and the aftermath of the January 2025 lithium battery fire in Moss Landing. Their reporting and research has been featured on NPR, KQED, Netflix, Reveal, CalMatters, and more. Elena is an alum of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and UC Santa Cruz. They live in Santa Cruz.
When they aren't reporting, chances are they're either playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, camping, board gaming, or hanging out with their cat Cheddar.
Email: elena@kazu.org
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In this episode of Monterey Bay This Week, stories about an extended ban on red abalone harvesting, resisting Trump administration efforts to cancel research grants and move forward with offshore drilling and mining, and more. -
The latest sampling report on the Vistra battery fire in Moss Landing last January. And, the Trump administration is trying to halt billions of dollars in childcare funding for California and other Democrat-led states. -
After a federal grant was cancelled last year, Cal State Monterey Bay agriculture researchers will appear before a judge this week to appeal that decision. Plus, Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa has died at 65. He represented rural northeastern California. -
In this week's episode of Monterey Bay This Week, Cal State Monterey Bay hosts it's fourth annual gift drive for student-parents, a UC Santa Cruz program dedicated to preserving community history is ending just three years after its debut, and more local news. -
A new year means new laws set to take effect in California. One measure will grant certain high school seniors automatic admission to many California State University campuses. Another will make it easier to build mid-rise apartments near public transportation. -
A UC Santa Cruz program dedicated to preserving community history is ending just three years after its debut. -
The Monterey County District Attorney's office is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Soledad. And, migrant children are stuck alone in federal shelters across the country even when relatives have been cleared to take them. -
Major layoffs in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, local growers are unhappy with a Trump farm bailout, and new approaches for housing gain steam. That and more in this week's roundup. -
President Trump announced a $12 billion bailout for farmers in response to the effects of his tariffs, but it leaves out most small-scale fruit and vegetable producers. Plus, a new cohousing community is coming to Santa Cruz. -
Santa Cruz County officials approve a compromise on the long-debated Rail-Trail, Carmel bans pickleball, nonprofit Al & Friends delivers fresh fish to local residents facing food insecurity, and more in this week's local news roundup.
