As a blind man, Guillermo Robles successfully sued Domino’s Pizza because the chain failed to build a website that was as accessible to him as its brick-and-mortar restaurants. Now as COVID-19 pushes more businesses, communication and emergency services online, accessibility law experts say the sooner websites comply with disability guidelines — such as providing audio...
New report outlines steps to economic recovery in South Bay
The South Bay won’t see significant economic recovery unless small business owners and residents hardest hit by the coronavirus shutdown receive more emergency aid and large employers increase wages, according to a new report. The report, by Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable — a consortium of leaders from tech, labor, education, government and small businesses —...
San Jose merchants in fight of their lives with COVID-19’s second wave
Less than two months ago, consumer experts predicted shoppers, diners and patrons of bars and nightclubs would return to their favorite brick-and-mortar shops by the end of this summer in numbers that matched 2019. Zenreach — a San Francisco tech firm that sells marketing software to traditional retail outlets, hospitality and entertainment venues that allows...
Former San Jose city attorney Rick Doyle dies at 65
After celebrating a recent retirement and two decades of service to San Jose, former City Attorney Rick Doyle died Aug. 23 at age 65 from cancer. “San Jose has lost one of its greatest champions in Rick Doyle,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said. “Rick made a career out of fighting for our city, but through the...
Jobs, social services take hit in Santa Clara County budget
The ax is falling on jobs and social services in Santa Clara County’s next fiscal budget. Struggling to manage a massive deficit, supervisors debated for nearly six hours Aug. 21 before approving the budget 4-1, with Board President Cindy Chavez casting the sole dissenting vote. The budget gap largely stems from decreased revenues from both...
Silicon Valley unemployment sees slight decline in July
People are starting to go back to work in Santa Clara County but unemployment is still alarmingly high. After unemployment reached a historic peak of 11.6% in April, it declined to 9.3% in July, according to a study released Aug. 21 by Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a group that provides analysis on the Silicon Valley...
South Bay families cling to hope of more aid as demand doubles at food banks
Tracy Tran and her husband fear they may soon have to file for bankruptcy. Tran works as a manicurist at La Orquidea Nail Salon and Spa in Los Gatos. Her husband runs the business, and Tran is one of 23 employees. The couple filed for unemployment benefits shortly after the salon shut down in March....
Debate heats up as vote nears on San Jose ‘linkage fee’
As the long-awaited decision to charge commercial developers fees for affordable housing heads to the San Jose City Council Sept. 1, a feasibility study — along with a global pandemic — suggest the fee could be a death knell for business growth. Nevertheless, proponents of the Commercial Linkage Fee are turning up the heat. They...
Silicon Valley donors open wallets in response to COVID-19
The ultra-rich are a dime a dozen in Silicon Valley. A recent tally counted 76,000 millionaires and billionaires living here, and nearly a third of adults are considered “upper income,” according to recent data from the Pew Research Center. Although many of those are generous to charity, it has been difficult to channel that largesse...
How a new plan could revitalize downtown San Jose storefronts
The San Jose Downtown Association unveiled a plan Friday morning at its first public meeting since February to hasten the neighborhood’s economic recovery from the devastating effects of COVID-19 — with a focus on filling empty storefronts and keeping existing commercial tenants in business. Through a grant from the Knight Foundation, SJDA hired Progressive Urban...