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Raul Covarrubias has sat in the Santa Clara County Main Jail awaiting trial since June 6, 2019. While his right to a speedy trial promised a decision by July 3, COVID-19 threw everything out the window. Covarrubias, who had no previous criminal history, tested positive in jail two days later. In an interview from the...
Bay Area transit leaders, unions butt heads on safety of public transit
A plan to address safety for public transit workers that is drawing harsh union criticism faces more scrutiny next week as transit leaders continue efforts to get people back on the roads during COVID-19. James Lindsay, international vice president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said five members have died across California in the past two...
Santa Clara City Council candidate runs into conflict with downtown redevelopment
Suds Jain’s Santa Clara home, nestled in the core of District 5, now presents an 80-foot detour in his campaign for a seat on the City Council. A resident of the Old Quad neighborhood near Santa Clara University since 1998, the Planning Commissioner’s home is just under 1,000 feet away from the edge of the...
No opening date in sight for San Jose nightclubs: ‘How long can you hold on?’
It’s been 170 days since Santa Clara County residents danced the night away with drinks in hand to their favorite live music or DJ set. While restaurants started serving food outdoors, schools took learning online and hair salons starting cutting hair inside, San Jose’s nightlight and entertainment industry remains shuttered. The industry appears to be...
UPDATE: Santa Clara City Council caps food delivery fees at 15%
The city of Santa Clara now joins San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Berkeley in capping how much companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats can charge to drop off take out. Take out has been a saving grace for restaurants across Santa Clara County, which have been shuttered for indoor dining since March 17. But when...
UPDATE: Santa Clara City Council allocates $5.59 million windfall
The Santa Clara City Council breezily approved allocating $5.59 million Sept. 1 on transportation upgrades, small business assistance, affordable housing and general fund reimbursements. The funds include $1.59 million from the CARES Act, as well as $5 million from a development settlement from 2018 with neighboring San Jose, which come at a time when the...
East San Jose is safe from fire evacuations, fire chief says
Ten days into fighting the SCU Lightning Complex fires east of San Jose, the “arrows are going in the right direction,” but there’s still months left to go before the fires are fully quelled. The most recent public safety Q&A with San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Fire Department Chief Robert Sapien and Deputy City Manager...
Websites become new focus of disability rights in age of COVID-19
As a blind man, Guillermo Robles successfully sued Domino’s Pizza because the chain failed to build a website that was as accessible to him as its brick-and-mortar restaurants. Now as COVID-19 pushes more businesses, communication and emergency services online, accessibility law experts say the sooner websites comply with disability guidelines — such as providing audio...
How did South Bay campaign fundraising fare during the pandemic?
With less than 75 days left before the Nov. 3 general election, recent campaign filings show less than $500,000 in contributions raised between six candidates for San Jose City Council and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors — a potential sign that COVID-19 is draining people’s political giving. Six-figure sums typically are commonplace for...
Empty Levi’s Stadium getting $13.3 million in equipment, upgrades
Without much discussion, Santa Clara city leaders signed off on spending $13.3 million for equipment and upgrades at Levi’s Stadium, months before any San Francisco 49ers fans will be allowed back inside. Some $157,000 was budgeted for new body-worn cameras for Santa Clara officers covering games and events, $168,000 for portable license plate readers and...