After nearly four months of closure, Santa Clara County gyms, spas, hair and nail salons are set to reopen later this month — if the state says yes. But things will look much differently inside those businesses than before the COVID-19 pandemic closed their doors in mid-March. Personal care businesses are among the last to reopen....
Poll: Californians trust public health officials, fear economic impact
A new poll shows that Californians support public health officials’ efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but believe that the virus disproportionately affects people of color and that the worst is still ahead. Released on Thursday and sponsored by The California Endowment, a nonprofit health organization, the poll surveyed 1,240 California voters to gauge...
Dine-in restaurants, bars will again close in 19 California counties, Newsom orders
As cases and hospitalizations from COVID-19 have increased in recent days, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday is again closing businesses in California counties that have seen the worst spikes. For the next three weeks, Newsom ordered indoor operations for restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, family entertainment, zoos, museums and card rooms to close in 19 counties...
Carl Guardino’s next move finally revealed
After Carl Guardino announced in January he is stepping down as CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group, speculation swirled about the powerful business leader’s next move. “I truly do not know what is next, as I did not believe it was appropriate to start searching in any way while I was still being entrusted to...
Vulnerable Californians place coronavirus fears ahead of the economy: survey
As the region begins to reopen, the threat of the coronavirus remains firmly among the top three worries for many of the most vulnerable people in the Bay Area, according to a recent survey. The survey, commissioned by nonprofit health foundation, The California Endowment, polled 813 Californians who are people of color, Spanish speakers or...
Retail returns in Silicon Valley, but challenges and changes loom
Long before the coronavirus spread, retail was changing as big box stores’ popularity sank and experiences became the new must-have. But the pandemic flipped the industry on its head in a new way. Those changes are being felt across businesses in Silicon Valley, a region with several shining examples of retail hotspots that serve as...
Downtown task force pushes San Jose to help businesses survive post-coronavirus
Downtown San Jose community leaders this week gave city officials a to-do list to help the groups limping back to an economic equilibrium following the coronavirus shutdown. The nine recommendations, compiled by a 40-person coalition of downtown business, arts and community organizations, ask officials to create a new marketing program, extend free parking in the...
San Jose lawmakers extend eviction moratorium, expand Wi-Fi hotspots
As the county’s shelter-in-place order extends into its third month and many industries remain closed, San Jose lawmakers extended an eviction moratorium Tuesday to help renters facing hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic. The City Council voted unanimously to extend an eviction moratorium until Aug. 31 for tenants who cannot afford to pay rent because of income loss...
Despite outbreaks, officials say Silicon Valley construction sites are safe
Across Santa Clara County, restrictions on a wide-reaching shelter-in-place order are loosening, employees are getting back to work, residents are dining out again and new buildings are rising. But the slow reopening of the region — a constant balancing act between mitigating the damage of keeping the economy shuttered versus reducing the spread of the...
The land of inequality: New research highlights Silicon Valley’s wealth gap
San Jose State leaders on Tuesday called on tech companies and other institutions to address white supremacy and inequality, which are seeped into nearly every aspect of Silicon Valley life, according to new research unveiled this week. A new report, called the Silicon Valley Pain Index, is shedding a glaring spotlight on wealth and income...