After months of negotiations, rallies and protests, the fate of the San Jose Flea Market now rests with the San Jose City Council. San Jose released Friday its final plan for the Berryessa BART Urban Village, a 3.4 million square foot project on the flea market site. The San Jose City Council is expected to approve...
Iconic San Jose watering hole to become a honky-tonk bar
A longtime downtown San Jose fixture—Dive Bar—is the latest victim of the pandemic and a shriveling nightlife in the city. But one man sees opportunity in the dusty old building near San Jose City Hall. He’s bringing a honky-tonk vibe to downtown with Cash Only, a new nightspot preparing to open this summer. It’s the...
Several South Bay businesses sued for lack of closed captions
One woman’s quest for plastic surgery ended in 16 lawsuits across California, including several South Bay clinics, for allegedly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. Megan Erasmus, who lives in Seattle, said she couldn’t access the businesses’ online videos because some didn’t have closed captions. That’s a problem for Erasmus, as she’s part of the...
San Jose-Google advisory group is years away
A community advisory group will oversee how to spend millions of dollars allocated to education, affordable housing and rent stabilization as part of Google’s Downtown West development. But selecting advisors will take a couple years, and distributing funds could take up to a decade. Community-centered organizations such as SOMOS Mayfair, Amigos de Guadalupe and Working Partnerships...
Another round: To-go alcoholic drinks continue in San Jose
After a year of relying on take-out sales to stay afloat, bars and restaurants in San Jose can continue selling alcoholic beverages to-go through Dec. 31 thanks to a recent extension of state rules. Five Points, a cocktail bar in downtown San Jose, closed in March 2020, but was able to resume operations two months...
San Jose aims to be friendlier to small businesses
While some tech heavyweights are leaving the region citing unfriendly taxes and business practices, small businesses in San Jose are starting to see more support. Business owners still have to deal with complicated fee structures, differing tax rates and red tape. But San Jose’s small business incubators, pro-business mayor and its proximity to wealthy tech...
Plan aims to revitalize East San Jose small businesses
Small businesses in East San Jose struggled more than most during the pandemic, but a new plan aims to invest in the community and support local merchants. Representatives of San Jose Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco’s office and small business leaders announced the East San Jose Rescue Plan Friday outside Infante Wireless, a family-owned smartphone business along Alum Rock Avenue. Carrasco...
Will Google hire San Jose workers? It might be too early to tell
Two weeks ago, San Jose approved the largest development in its existence: Downtown West, Google’s 80-acre campus near Diridon Station. Google estimates that up to 25,000 people will work at the downtown offices. Just how many of those will be local hires is still unclear. According to Google spokesperson Michael Appel, it’s too early to...
Declining unemployment buoys Silicon Valley’s economic recovery
Silicon Valley’s unemployment rate is dropping after the economic roller coaster of the COVID-19 pandemic. But some business sectors could take years to rebound. Local unemployment was below 3% prior to the pandemic, said Bige Yilmaz, economic data analyst for San Jose. After a turbulent year, it now sits at about 5.5%. “In terms of...
San Jose workers prepare for new mask rules
In a little over a week, the state will lift its mask mandate after nearly a year of requiring face coverings indoors. But in certain workplaces, employees will still have to cover their faces according to new rules adopted this week by the board of the California Division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or Cal/OSHA....