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The Campbell Police Department will soon move out of its small, decades-old location into a new 21st century building. The department on Thursday broke ground on its new 24,000-square-foot operation center, which is set to open in 2025. The building will be funded in part by Measure O, a $50 million general obligation bond passed...
Milpitas city workers threaten to strike
Milpitas employees are preparing for a potential strike after months of failed contract negotiations with the city. Two of the city’s employee unions — Pro-Tech and the Milpitas Employees Association (MEA), representing about 146 workers across multiple departments — have been negotiating a new contract since last April. The previous contract expired on July 1, 2023....
Former Silicon Valley pastor faces investigation for abuse
A prominent Silicon Valley leader and former pastor is under investigation after numerous families accused him of abusing their kids when he led a youth ministry at a popular South Bay church. Brett Bymaster is facing a second investigation in three years after five families at The River Church Community say a probe in 2021...
East San Jose store’s fight to sell booze takes bizarre twist
An East San Jose convenience store’s simple application for a permit to sell alcohol has spiraled into a tangled knot of controversy and accusations of foul play. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday denied a conditional use permit that would have allowed Fast Mart, a small store at 1484 S. White Road, to sell...
UPDATE: Top Santa Clara County leader lays out roadmap to community safety
The county’s top leader is optimistic about the future while acknowledging there’s a long way to go before her vision of community prosperity is achieved. Susan Ellenberg, president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, said at the annual State of the County address on Thursday that community safety requires a new definition of...
Transcript: Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg’s 2024 State of the County
Editor’s Note: This is a transcript of Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg’s full 2024 State of the County address. Read our coverage of the address. Good evening – thanks so much for making time to be here this evening to celebrate the work of our County departments, leaders and employees and to get a...
Santa Clara County to buy hundreds of acres for conservation
Just weeks after a deal fell through to buy the Richmond Ranch for development, county leaders are moving forward with turning the open space into a massive park. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to begin acquiring a nearly 1,500-acre portion of the 3,654-acre ranch, with the remaining space being...
Santa Clara County expands use of license plate readers
License plate reading cameras are about to become more common along Silicon Valley roadways. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved an expansion of license plate reading cameras, adding coverage of unincorporated county areas that have not been annexed into neighboring cities. The expansion was approved without funding, which the Santa...
How to participate in Cupertino City Council meetings
An easy way to keep up with your local community is to stay up to date with your city’s public meetings. In a 2022 reader survey, San José Spotlight readers told us they wanted to be more civically engaged and involved in local policymaking. Last year, we compiled guides on how to engage with public...
San Jose leaders approve new wage theft policy for builders
Construction workers could soon gain an additional layer of protection in San Jose, as city leaders supported new rules to limit wage theft violators from completing development projects. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a “responsible construction ordinance” plan Tuesday that prevents builders from receiving a certificate of occupancy from the city for projects...