A new idea in an underutilized part of San Jose could turn into a win for a variety of businesses and the residents living in the area. Midtown Immersive Night Party, created by event planners Jonathan and Linnea Gomez, is a night-time venue waiting to be discovered and an opportunity to boost a forgotten part...
Why dozens of downtown San Jose storefronts are vacant
When Khanh Chung steps out of his barbershop, he wants to see dozens of San Jose workers and residents bustling down First Street, but instead it’s a ghost town. That’s not how he envisioned it when he opened Concept in January 2022. The pandemic was waning and people were returning to work and normalcy. But his...
Time is running out for San Jose students to get food benefits
College students experiencing food insecurity need to sign up for CalFresh within the next month before pandemic-era eligibility rules expire. The state-run nutrition program, formerly the Food Stamp program, will end two temporary rules for students on June 10 that made it easier for them to access assistance. Until then, college students who qualify for a federal...
San Jose residents could pay more for clean energy
San Jose Clean Energy customers could see more rate changes—and will have less time to protest against it. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to loosen regulations for how often San Jose Clean Energy—which provides renewable power to approximately 350,000 customers—can increase rates. The city’s clean energy provider was previously capped at increasing...
Could street performers reignite downtown San Jose?
There’s something magical about walking through a city center while being serenaded to the riffs of a live guitar, then turning down an alley where the smooth sounds of a saxophone bounce off brick walls to fill the air. Spontaneous street performances have the ability to breathe life into a city. But downtown San Jose has never truly experienced that,...
Vietnamese markets are leaving downtown San Jose
Vietnamese supermarkets are moving from downtown San Jose to other neighborhoods, raising questions about access to authentic grocers as the city’s core struggles to retain its retailers. Đại-Thành Supermarket, a family-owned Vietnamese market on South Second Street that opened in 1985, closed its downtown location last December, and reopened in January at a new location in Berryessa. While Thien...
Google’s delay leaves San Jose funds in limbo
The reported delay of Google’s mega-development in downtown San Jose is shaking Silicon Valley, but one city advisory group tasked with overseeing millions in community funds from the tech giant is carrying on. The commission, comprised of 13 voting members who have lived or work experience related to the fund objectives, will have its first...
Santa Clara County residents get six-month tax extension
For most of the country taxes are due tomorrow, but Santa Clara County residents will have more time to file taxes after the onslaught of winter storms that were deemed disasters. County residents and people in 54 other counties across California have until Oct. 16 to file their state and federal taxes due to damage...
San Jose an uphill battle for small businesses
California is ranked as the 25th least expensive state to start a business, but local business leaders say entrepreneurs in San Jose face significant challenges in launching a company. A recent study by SimplifyLLC analyzed a variety of factors to rank each state, including business filing fees, labor costs, utility costs, lending rates and start...
Can San Jose create a downtown entertainment district?
Providing a fun and safe experience for visitors coming to downtown San Jose are top priorities in a new proposal for an entertainment district in the city’s urban core. Leading this development effort is real estate mogul Gary Dillabough, who believes as safety improves in San Jose it will soon be ready for a central...