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San Jose firefighter and police unions are pushing back on the plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for city employees by the end of the month, warning the policy might lead to worker shortages. “Our message has been consistent through all of this process,” Matt Tuttle, president of San Jose Firefighters Local 230, told San José Spotlight. “While...
San Jose mandates COVID shots for city workers, silent on vax rates
San Jose employees will have to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination by the end of this month or face suspension, the city announced Wednesday. The city will no longer allow employees to submit weekly tests instead of vaccination proof. The decision comes as the city still can’t say how many employees are fully inoculated after...
Santa Clara County sees few breakthrough COVID hospitalizations
Despite concerns about breakthrough COVID-19 infections, the number of hospitalizations among vaccinated residents in Santa Clara County remains low—and is mostly driven by older residents and those with underlying health issues, county health officials say. At county-run hospitals, only 12 of 52 patients with COVID-19 involve people who are fully vaccinated, which health experts say suggests breakthrough...
Study: Privatizing San Jose airport could solve debt problem
San Jose could cash in upward of $2.47 billion by leasing its airport to a private investor or company, a new study suggests. The study, conducted by Los Angeles-based think tank Reason Foundation and published last week, projects that 31 cities with medium to large airports could generate as much as $131 billion through leasing. Cities could...
San Jose shops fined for COVID violations can’t get grants
Over the last year, Santa Clara County has cited hundreds of businesses—big and small—with fines that now add up to more than $5 million for violating COVID-19 restrictions. The county put that money into a grant program to help struggling businesses—but those with violations say they’re not getting financial help. Dung “Calvin” To has cut...
San Jose schools report COVID cases as students return
Weeks after students returned to campus, San Jose’s three largest districts have reported nearly 120 COVID-19 cases. Officials say the low count is a sign that masks are working to fend off the virus. At the San Jose Unified School District, the largest district in the region with more than 30,000 students and 4,000 employees,...
What San Jose residents should know about COVID booster shots
As the infectious COVID-19 Delta variant continues to sweep the nation, federal and local officials are rolling out a plan to offer booster shots to vaccinated individuals as early as September. Federal officials announced a plan last week to make booster shots available by the week of Sept. 20, pending further reviews. Adults with two doses of the...
San Jose residents protest jail plans, call for sheriff to step down
Group chants and black masks: that was the scene Friday outside the Santa Clara County Jail as more than two dozen residents and advocates protested for alternatives and reforms to the current system. Led by Silicon Valley De-Bug, protesters gathered at the corner of West Hedding Street and North San Pedro Street to amplify a...
UPDATE: Santa Clara lawmaker apologizes for comparing homeowners to toddlers
The Santa Clara City Council will not censure Councilmember Kevin Park over his comment comparing homeowners to toddlers after Park publicly apologized at a council meeting Tuesday. “I do understand the need for an apology. I will repeat the intent was not to offend, but that’s not what happened, which was that people were offended,”...
San Jose consultant uses private email, causes confusion
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s use of private email to skirt public records law is raising questions about how his office handles resident complaints. A new thread of emails, obtained by San José Spotlight, shows an ex-employee of the mayor’s office—now a consultant—using a Gmail account to handle complaints made by the resident. The mayor...