Downtown San Jose is a hub for cultural events — and with a menu of festivals on tap through spring and summer, local businesses should be able to capture some of the revenue stream. Cultural events such as Cinco de Mayo, San Jose Fountain Blues & Brews Festival, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest and South...
San Jose Christmas event nets new contract but still needs funding
As city leaders decide to keep a popular San Jose holiday event downtown under the same management through 2027, organizers say funding remains challenging. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to sign a three-year deal with Christmas In The Park Inc. to continue running the 35-day event in Plaza de Cesar Chavez —...
West Valley street festivals need city support to stay afloat
The West Valley is known for its flagship festivals that bring multicultural food, live music and dancing to the streets. Those festivals come with a lofty price tag, and organizers are asking their cities for help keeping these beloved events afloat. The Campbell City Council voted 4-1 April 15 to cover 30% of the fee costs for qualifying...
San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market returns
The San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market is returning after a three-year hiatus, with vendors planning to sell fresh corn, tomatoes, citrus fruit and more delights on Wednesdays near the Hammer Theatre. Paolo Obillo, manager and site operator of the Regional Farmers’ Market Association, said the original Downtown Farmers’ Market was put on pause in 2022...
Santa Clara politicians turn to ChatGPT for advice
Santa Clara officials said they’ve used ChatGPT at two public meetings, sparking concerns about the use of artificial intelligence to inform decision makers. Artificial intelligence tools have been growing in popularity as cities like San Jose use it to improve road safety or translate public meetings. But the technology is still plagued with misinformation problems,...
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San Jose retail growth among slowest in U.S., report says
A recent report ranks Silicon Valley among the slowest growing retail markets, though experts say there’s hope for the region’s economic future. A report compiled by banner company Printastic compared retail growth for the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas. The report lists the San Jose metropolitan area as No. 45 and found there’s been a...
Democrats accuse Trump and his allies of profiting from tariff flip
Democrats want to know whether President Donald Trump and his GOP allies financially benefited from implementing and then pausing recent tariffs — a move some said was effectively insider trading. “It happened in front of our eyes,” Sen. Ruben Gallego told NOTUS. “This hurt the economy in the end. People on Main Street are going...
Silicon Valley fast-food owners could pay for workers’ rights training
It’s been a good week for fast-food workers in Silicon Valley. Employees at local McDonald’s, Taco Bell and other fast-food franchises roared with applause Tuesday when the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved creating a training program for fast-food workers on their state-mandated labor rights. While workers support the move, store owners say it’s unnecessary...
YWCA Silicon Valley loses federal funding for rent subsidies
YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley will no longer be able to provide as much rental assistance, leaving domestic violence survivors at greater risk. Domestic violence survivors enrolled in YWCA’s rapid rehousing program received a letter March 26 informing them their rental assistance won’t be renewed after June 30. The program received money through the federal...
Federal cuts jeopardize Silicon Valley community funders
Community financial institutions are the backbone to a healthy society, providing loans for small businesses, disaster recovery, low-income families, immigrant communities and affordable housing developments. That essential service is now in danger. President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI) last month put a target on these institutions and brought...