Denise Russell hasn’t paid rent at her 3,600 square-foot San Jose beauty salon in six months. Dustin David Salon’s landlord is sending rent collectors to his home in Los Gatos. He’s several months behind. Although they’re now able to provide services outdoors, South Bay salons are reeling over the state’s months-long flip-flops on whether they...
Santa Clara County takes steps to connect older adults to technology
Santa Clara County leaders this week set in motion a plan to connect older adults to technology, a need that has become more urgent since widespread shelter-in-place orders went into effect. Concerns about the impact of social isolation have grown as the majority of senior services have transitioned online. The increasing use of telehealth and...
Santa Clara County pledges another $7.1 million to get students online
A lack of access to technology and the internet meant Sylvandale Middle School teacher Brenna Rodriguez lost communication with 80% of her students when COVID-19 shuttered schools in March. Teaching English and English Language Development within the Eastside’s Franklin-McKinley School District since 2008, Rodriguez said last year was the first time each of her students...
South Bay malls turn to open-air shopping during COVID-19
As COVID-19 shut down malls, Westfield Valley Fair reinvented shopping with an open-air market. A row of red and white popup tents beckon customers to peruse the latest fashion, watch an art demonstration or grab a snack from a food truck. Luxury brands like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Versace offer viewings by appointment in...
Food trucks thrive in age of social distancing
As restaurants around the country struggle to stay afloat, food truck operators are finding they have the perfect recipe to succeed amid the coronavirus pandemic. “The idea of contactless purchase and delivery is standard now,” said Ryan Sebastian, principal of Moveable, which organizes food trucks and other pop-ups in the Bay Area. “We’re seeing a...
Santa Clara County COVID-19 tax plan fails
Santa Clara County’s effort to tax residents to pay for COVID-19 relief measures failed after a short debate Tuesday. County leaders proposed two options for asking voters in November to approve a 5/8-cent sales tax to help close the county’s estimated $300 to $600 million budget deficit. The county has spent $165.4 million so far...
San Jose pension plans face perilous future in COVID-19 economy
The coronavirus pandemic has already wreaked havoc on the city’s financial health, with officials tightening their belts last month to make up for a $71 million shortfall in its $4.1 billion budget this year. But questions remain about how the budget crisis will affect the city’s pension system, which has an unfunded liability of $3.4...
San Jose, AT&T invest in free internet access for students
For many, the pressure to work and attend school remotely during the coronavirus pandemic has amplified Silicon Valley’s digital divide. But a new plan announced Monday by Mayor Sam Liccardo and AT&T will bring 11,000 wireless internet hotspots and 4G LTE data plans to K-12 students and low-income households lacking internet connection. “It is important...
San Jose wants voters to raise card room taxes, add more table games
When shuttered blackjack and poker tables finally reopen in San Jose, card rooms could face a tax increase city officials hope might help close a looming budget deficit. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday will consider asking voters in November to increase taxes on card rooms’ monthly revenues, earnings of third-party “prop” players and...
San Jose nonprofits receive millions in PPP loans, saving jobs and preventing cuts
Dozens of nonprofits in Silicon Valley received millions of dollars from the $660 billion federal Paycheck Protection Program, a data analysis by San José Spotlight found. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, nonprofits leaders said these dollars have been vital for their survival, especially as the demand to maintain – or increase – services continues. According to data...