San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia will retire in December after 28 years on the force, he announced Monday evening. Serving as the city’s top cop since 2016, Garcia’s move comes as the department faces intense scrutiny and calls for defunding months after the police killing of George Floyd and the department’s response to local...
Author: Katie Lauer (Katie Lauer)
Obama backs local State Senate candidate Ann Ravel
State Senate candidate and attorney Ann Ravel’s list of supporters now includes a prominent national voice and a former U.S. president – Barack Obama. Ravel is set to face off against Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese for the open District 15 seat, which includes San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga,...
San Jose wants voters to raise card room taxes, add more table games
When shuttered blackjack and poker tables finally reopen in San Jose, card rooms could face a tax increase city officials hope might help close a looming budget deficit. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday will consider asking voters in November to increase taxes on card rooms’ monthly revenues, earnings of third-party “prop” players and...
San Jose nonprofits receive millions in PPP loans, saving jobs and preventing cuts
Dozens of nonprofits in Silicon Valley received millions of dollars from the $660 billion federal Paycheck Protection Program, a data analysis by San José Spotlight found. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, nonprofits leaders said these dollars have been vital for their survival, especially as the demand to maintain – or increase – services continues. According to data...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: July 16 to July 29
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 3:15 p.m. July 29: With San Mateo, entire Bay Area now on state watchlist With Wednesday’s addition of San Mateo, all Bay Area counties are on the state’s watchlist, affecting more than 7 million people in the Northern California region. Collectively, nine counties — Alameda, Contra Costa,...
San Francisco 49ers and Santa Clara feud over million-dollar losses
Years-long finger pointing between the city of Santa Clara and the San Francisco 49ers has taken a bitter turn with both sides accusing the other of owing them millions of dollars. The 49ers say the city owes $2.74 million for losses resulting from non-NFL events this past year, such as the Pac-12 Championship and Monster...
Santa Clara County foster youth begin receiving $1,000 a month
Paid rent, a full stomach and freedom to pursue her dreams: that’s what Santa Clara County’s new Basic Income Program means for Nayeli Grano, one of the 72 foster youth who have already started receiving funds. As a 23-year-old sociology student transitioning out of the foster care system, Granco said she can now breathe easier...
‘Enough is enough’: Activists reimagine public safety in San Jose
Sunday was not a day of rest in downtown San Jose. Instead, a faith-based coalition of South Bay community leaders lept into action, recounting personal histories with law enforcement and reimagining public safety in San Jose. Dozens of attendees and thousands of online viewers listened to speeches from Santa Clara County organizations, including the NAACP, CAIR,...
Why does it take so long to get COVID-19 test results in Silicon Valley?
Chad Minnis took a coronavirus test days after his baby was born to ensure he wouldn’t get her – or the rest of his family – sick. Fourteen days later, the 32-year-old still had no idea whether he’s carrying the deadly virus. While he received several generic emails apologizing for the inconvenience and promising an...
San Jose takes pride in its diversity but has no in-house translators
With more than half the households in San Jose speaking a language other than English, the nation’s 10th largest city doesn’t have full-time staff dedicated to translation and interpretation at City Hall. Without full-time translators on staff, San Jose Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco, whose constituents include many monolingual Spanish speakers, has come to expect her own...