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With a severe drought and the potential for early wildfires affecting Santa Clara County, Earth Day has protesters rallying to change the way people interact with the planet. Shouting “Carbon change is not a lie, do not let our planet die,” members of Sunrise Movement Silicon Valley marched from San Jose City Hall to rally...
San Jose may close San Pedro Square, Post Street to traffic
Traffic in San Pedro Square may become a distant memory. On Wednesday, San Jose’s Rules and Open Government Committee unanimously voted to move forward with plans to close off streets from cars permanently in San Pedro Square and temporarily on Post Street. The City Council is expected to consider the closures next week. The San Pedro and...
San Jose’s St. James Park gets closer to revitalization
San Jose and proponents of a downtown pavilion have been in a battle with a men’s social club over St. James Park. Now it may be coming to an end. On April 4, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County upheld an environmental impact report and historic preservation permit for St. James Park, denying a petition...
Downtown San Jose special property district up for renewal
A special district that provides extra cleaning and security to downtown San Jose property owners may be extended for another decade. San Jose’s downtown property-based improvement district (PBID) tax, which expires in December, has renewal support from more than 50% of the residents and businesses who pay for these services, according to Chloe Shipp, director...
Silicon Valley officials share solutions to growing homelessness
Downtown San Jose residents and business owners are growing frustrated and concerned at what they see as an increase of homeless people who need immediate crisis intervention and mental health help. The issue came to a boiling point this week after an unhoused person assaulted a San Jose Downtown Association worker while cleaning graffiti. “Our groundwork staff...
Google invests in San Jose homeless services, Black cultural center
Google executives joined elected officials in San Jose Thursday to announce a $500,000 grant to aid homeless services and help build a new African American cultural center. The grant will be split evenly between nonprofit People Assisting The Homeless (PATH), and a service and cultural center project for the city’s African American community, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren...
Landmark status for San Jose church is not that simple
Downtown San Jose’s nearly century-old Grace Baptist Church may receive historical landmark recognition, but not everyone in the church is onboard. Grace Baptist, located at 484 E. San Fernando St., is one of the few religious centers still standing from the early 1900s—and its claims for landmark status have merit, historical landmark commissioners said at their Wednesday meeting....
Election 2022: The race for San Jose City Council District 3
The race is on for the open City Council seat in downtown San Jose. With District 3 Councilmember Raul Peralez terming out and seeking higher office, five candidates with various political backgrounds and experiences are vying for votes. District 3 encompasses neighborhoods from Vendome and Naglee Park to Japantown and Spartan Keyes. It’s also home to San...
San Jose mayor makes first 2022 election endorsement
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo has made his first City Council endorsement—Joanna Rauh for District 3. “Joanna Rauh has the common sense, passion, intelligence, listening skills and collaborative temperament needed to be a great city councilmember,” Liccardo told San José Spotlight. “Nobody juggles more than a working mom and she has proven she can master...
San Jose Downtown Association looks for new leader
The powerful San Jose Downtown Association is preparing for its first leadership change in 34 years. The business group announced a nationwide search on Monday to find its next CEO. Scott Knies, who has led the organization since opening its first office in March 1988, will step down on Nov. 1. Applications for the job are...