One South County city and a family-owned skate rink are at odds over the business’ attempts to expand its operation. Mikey Gaeta and Yanessa Cruz, husband-and-wife owners of Skater Things Clubhouse in Gilroy, said their efforts to move into a larger facility a block south of their current location at 7050 Monterey Road are fading...
San Jose approves new union contract, but holdout remains
While the San Jose City Council has approved new contract agreements with several public sector unions, a protracted labor dispute that has brought the city government dangerously close to a major worker strike will continue, after one bargaining group’s members rejected the deal. Councilmembers on Tuesday unanimously approved updated three-year contracts that will cover roughly...
Santa Clara County report shows increased property values
Santa Clara County property values have increased faster than last year, although overall growth has remained below 5% as economic uncertainty and changes in the real estate market continue to shape the region. The total net assessed value of all real estate and personal property — known as the assessment roll — reached a record...
San Jose data center advances after pushback
A proposal to reclassify a research facility in North San Jose as a data center is moving forward, after the San Jose City Council rejected an appeal attempting to block the project on environmental grounds, amid a citywide backlash against data center developments. Councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday — with Councilmember Peter Ortiz absent and Vice Mayor...
San Jose ranks No. 1 for U.S. cities with highest household bills
San Jose residents pay more for household bills than residents in any other major U.S. city, according to a new report — with annual costs reaching nearly $45,000 when housing is included. San Jose ranks No.1 among the 50 largest U.S. cities with households spending a median of $44,947 a year on 13 common household...
Gilroy extends moratorium on data center projects
The Gilroy City Council has extended a temporary ban on new data center projects in the city for more than 10 months. Councilmembers on Monday unanimously approved a longer moratorium than it set last month as employees work to create objective zoning, development and operational standards for projects similar to an Amazon data center previously...
Silicon Valley Black business group gets first female president
The Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce has made history by choosing its first female president — a longtime member with an empowering personality. Alicia Owens is the new chamber president and executive director of entrepreneurial development, and plans to waste no time upping the presence of the organization. Owens said she wants the Silicon...
San Jose’s draft data center development standards fall short
San Jose is creating development standards for future data center projects, but residents and advocates said they don’t go far enough to protect their health and the environment. City officials presented the draft standards for the first time Thursday in front of a packed audience at City Hall. Dozens of residents spoke during the public comment...
San Jose self-checkout reform effort gets grocer pushback
A union-backed push to impose staffing requirements for grocery store self-checkout areas in San Jose faces fierce pushback from local retailers. Taking inspiration from a handful of Southern California cities that have already adopted such measures — including Costa Mesa, Long Beach and Santa Ana — councilmembers have asked staff to draw up regulations for...
Resident poll shows mixed feelings on living in Bay Area
Bay Area residents overwhelmingly think their lives are headed in the right direction, even as they see the region moving down the wrong track. That’s one of the key takeaways from the annual Silicon Valley Poll, released last week by local think tank Joint Venture Silicon Valley, with 81% of the 1,800 adults surveyed in...