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The stream of customers barely slowed at Bean Scene Cafe on Murphy Avenue in Sunnyvale, as owner Kenny Lam poured espresso shots and steamed milk for lattes. The cafe, along with all of downtown Sunnyvale, has returned to pre-pandemic levels of foot traffic and engagement. City leaders and business owners attribute the success to a...
San Jose nonprofits are food lifeline for Thanksgiving
Each year, the lines are long at Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose, as people and cars queue up for nutritious boxed holiday meals. From Monday to Wednesday, the nonprofit distributed approximately 3,500 free boxes of food. Each box, valued at $150, included a chicken, ham or turkey and all the fixings for the...
San Jose mellows cannabis rules to help industry grow
San Jose officials are relaxing cannabis regulations and instead want to refocus efforts to end the black market industry. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to reduce fines on dispensaries that violate city policy. Councilmembers also expanded hours of operation from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The move is aimed...
Silicon Valley arts programs funnel millions into economy
Tech might be king in Silicon Valley but the economic effect of arts and culture on the region should not be brushed aside — it brings millions of dollars into Santa Clara County. The Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study showed Santa Clara County’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $384.5 million in economic activity...
California targets Apple, but Cupertino loses big
Cupertino may be forced to lay off dozens of workers, cut services and put new tax measures on the ballot to compensate for the loss of nearly $60 million likely to be ripped from its budget. California’s Department of Tax and Fee Administration is targeting tech giant Apple over how it allocates local sales taxes,...
Sunnyvale wants to give residents in need monthly checks
Sunnyvale’s low-income residents might be receiving a financial boost from the city. The Sunnyvale City Council is looking to pilot a guaranteed income program to support residents who are financially burdened. The councilmembers on Oct. 24 gave input on who the program should be serving, and how they would want it organized. They discussed how...
Santa Clara County families benefit from guaranteed income, report shows
A new report bolsters the importance of guaranteed basic income programs as a lifeline for families in Santa Clara County who can’t afford the necessities. More than a quarter of working families in the county do not make enough money to cover their basic needs, according to a recent study from Joint Venture Silicon Valley....
San Jose targets retail theft with new police unit
Thieves hoping to snatch items off the shelves of San Jose retailers may have a tougher time this holiday season. City policymakers this week launched a new police team to stop retail theft after the city saw a 25% spike in the crime from 2021 to 2022. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved creating...
Beloved San Jose burger joint set to close
A Blossom Hill burger joint that has been a go-to since before fast food was even a thing is calling it quits. The Burger Pit, a South Bay staple since the 1950s, will close its doors for good next April, according to co-owner Paul Berger. He’s been working the grill and serving the eatery’s half-pound...
Santa Clara raises hotel tax to tackle deficit
Santa Clara is brainstorming strategies to improve the city’s economic future while grappling with a budget crisis. The Santa Clara City Council unanimously voted last week to raise the transient occupancy tax from 11.5% to 12.5%, up to a maximum of 13.5% within the next two years, as a way to tackle the city’s deficit....