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As of Dec. 23, Santa Clara County reported 59,923 confirmed coronavirus cases and 632 deaths. The county saw another massive spike — 1,311 new cases recorded in one day. California had 1,964,076 positive cases and 23,284 deaths as of Dec. 22. However, health officials have warned recent figures have been underreported due to issues with...
South Bay hospital won’t receive more COVID-19 vaccines after it allowed affluent school district to skip the line
Santa Clara County will not provide Good Samaritan any more doses of COVID-19 vaccine unless it follows the rules, a sanction issued by health officials after this news organization reported hospital leaders allowed an affluent school district to skip the line and get vaccinated ahead of seniors and other vulnerable populations. “Good Samaritan’s actions are...
San Jose funeral homes struggling to keep up with COVID-19 deaths
Tom Beddingfield prides himself in being a yes man. In the funeral industry, it’s a must: With families grieving, the last thing some families want to hear is no. “In all the years I’ve been doing this, my biggest thing that I’ve always told my staff is that never tell a family no, whatever their...
South Bay hospital allowed teachers to skip the line for COVID-19 vaccines
Teachers and staff at an affluent South Bay school district can skip the line and get a COVID-19 vaccine — by pretending to be health care workers — at the behest of Good Samaritan Hospital, according to an email obtained by San José Spotlight. Teachers can’t get vaccines in Santa Clara County yet. The county...
Santa Clara County gives green light for previously paused Moderna vaccine
County health officials are now instructing local hospitals to begin administering a lot of Moderna vaccines paused earlier this week due to a potential increased risk of allergic reactions. Santa Clara County received about 21,800 doses of the Moderna Lot 41L20A distributed at the beginning of January, and more than 330,000 of these doses were...
Santa Clara County has yet to post data on the demographics of people vaccinated
Despite a pledge to ensure equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Santa Clara County has not posted data on the race or ethnicity of the people it inoculates. Advocates say after COVID-19 took a disproportionate toll on communities of color — including those in Santa Clara County — local health officials should be recording the race of...
Kaiser moves vaccine eligibility back up to patients 75 and older
The only private health care provider in Santa Clara County to vaccinate people under 74 has changed course. After vaccinating people 65 and up for several days, Kaiser Permanente has changed its COVID-19 vaccine age eligibility back to patients 75 years and over — despite California allowing people 65 and up to get vaccinated. The...
San Jose lights up landmarks to remember COVID-19 victims
Five of San Jose’s most recognizable landmarks lit up in a warm amber light Tuesday night to honor the lives lost to COVID-19. The remembrance was part of a national movement as part of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. The sites included San Jose City Hall, Earthquakes Stadium,...
Amid rising COVID-19 deaths, why isn’t Santa Clara County shutting down like it did in March?
Morgues are on the brink of overflowing. Hospitals have fewer beds for patients by the day. More than 1,100 people have died. Yet, in Santa Clara County, people can still shop for perfumes, phones and clothes at the mall. It’s a stark difference from nearly a year ago when officials closed everything down — all nonessential...
San Jose man with heart failure, diabetes, HIV denied room under state COVID-19 program
Anthony Domondon has congestive heart failure, diabetes and HIV – but that wasn’t enough for a hotel room under the state’s program for COVID-19 vulnerable homeless people. “Basically they want me in a body bag before they give me a hotel room,” Domondon told San José Spotlight. Sitting on a curb outside a now-closed Office...
Santa Clara County to stop administering Moderna vaccine lot
After struggling for weeks to expand the South Bay’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Santa Clara County officials are now warning that a specific batch of doses shouldn’t be administered because of an increased risk of allergic reactions. Santa Clara County received about 21,800 doses of the Moderna Lot 41L20A distributed Jan. 5 and Jan. 12. More...
Your COVID-19 vaccine questions, answered
Vaccines for COVID-19 have been slowly rolling out for more than a month now, but questions linger about its availability, who is eligible to receive the vaccine and how much it protects you. Many residents faced confusion, long wait times and inaccurate information about how to get an appointment a day after vaccine eligibility opened...
New COVID-19 variant found in Santa Clara County, linked to large outbreaks
A new variant of COVID-19 has been discovered in Santa Clara County, health officials confirmed Sunday, and it’s linked to several large outbreaks. The new strain was rare until recently. The variant known as L452R was first discovered last year and is increasingly appearing in California counties since November, officials said. In addition to Santa...
The plight of San Jose food trucks during COVID-19 pandemic
When the pandemic first hit, San Jose’s food truck businesses took off. After all, they offered an outdoor dining experience and allowed diners to socially distance. Now, nearly a year after the county first issued stay-at-home orders in March, food trucks are joining the long list of businesses struggling to stay afloat. “It’s been a...
Santa Clara County inmates report unsafe conditions, go on hunger strike as COVID-19 cases soar
Inmates in Santa Clara County’s jails are on a hunger strike as cases of COVID-19 rage through the correctional system amid reports of unsanitary, unsafe and cruel conditions. As of Jan. 14, there were 109 active cases of COVID-19 among county inmates, a slight dip from a high of 127 earlier in the week. Silicon...
Santa Clara County expands vaccine sites, struggles with dose shortage
Santa Clara County health officials announced Friday they have vaccinated more than 16,000 people since Monday and plan to give 6,000 more shots today in a major effort to ramp up sluggish vaccinations. County leaders also announced expanding vaccine clinics to six more sites, including one on Berger Road and a new site in Mountain View...
‘It’s kind of nuts’: Hours of waiting, inaccurate information about COVID-19 vaccines in Santa Clara County
A day after local health officials expanded COVID-19 vaccine access to elderly people, Santa Clara County residents faced hours of delays, long waits and inaccurate information about getting vaccinated. It took three separate phone calls and more than five hours of waiting for Alyssa Galvan to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination for her 66-year-old dad. “I was...
Santa Clara County COVID-19 deaths surpass 1,000
More than 1,000 people have now died in Santa Clara County from COVID-19. The grim statistic was reported by county health officials Jan. 14, as hospitals struggle to keep up with the relentless surge in cases and morgues run out of space. “One thousand deaths is a devastating and tragic milestone for our community,” said...
Santa Clara County residents 75 years or older can now get COVID-19 vaccine
Santa Clara County officials announced Wednesday that people who are 75 or older can now get a COVID-19 vaccine. Even though the state released new guidelines encouraging everyone 65 and up to get vaccinated, Santa Clara County isn’t there yet — it doesn’t have enough vaccines yet for people under age 75. Eligibility for COVID-19...
Santa Clara County warns about vaccine sign-up misinformation sent via texts
Residents of Santa Clara County on Tuesday might have received a text message that said local medical providers had “extra” COVID-19 vaccines and to register for an appointment. According to the county, these texts originated from “unofficial sources” and health providers are still only vaccinating residents in the state’s vaccination Phase 1A, which includes health care...
Morgues at capacity while Santa Clara County sets lofty COVID-19 vaccine goal
Local morgues are running out of space to hold those dying from COVID-19. Three hospital morgues are completely out of space while four more are nearing capacity, Santa Clara County health leaders said Tuesday. The county has brought in three refrigerated trailers, each with a capacity for 60 bodies. Two have been placed at the...
Santa Clara County proposes plan to obtain more vaccination data
Santa Clara County has used less than half the vaccines the county received, but county leaders say the real problem is a lack of data from hospitals on how many shots they’re giving. The Board of Supervisors proposed a plan on Jan. 5 to receive data from every hospital and clinic administering vaccinations in the...
Santa Clara County has given less than half its vaccines, blames skeptical health care workers
Santa Clara County has used less than half of the COVID-19 vaccines it’s received. The county has vaccinated more than 47,000 people after receiving 110,000 vaccines so far, said County COVID-19 Testing Officer Marty Fenstersheib. At least 122,950 Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been allotted for the county, according to its website. The 47,000 people...
Officials won’t say how many COVID-19 vaccines have been given in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County health officials won’t say how many vaccines have been administered so far in the county, despite repeated attempts by this news organization to obtain that information. County health officials are pointing to the state for that data. The state is pointing right back at the county. And the public is robbed of...
How COVID-19 is straining Santa Clara County’s 911 system
The rise in COVID-19 cases isn’t just straining hospitals — it’s also taking a toll on the county’s 911 system. Santa Clara County officials on Wednesday shared a sobering picture of Silicon Valley’s ambulance system crumbling under the pressures of the pandemic. “Our health care system is inundated with patients. This also includes our 911...
As COVID-19 cases surge, San Jose extends paid sick leave protections
As COVID-19 cases shatter records in Silicon Valley and hospital capacity dwindles, San Jose lawmakers took steps to ensure essential workers receive paid sick leave until June. In the absence of federal COVID-19 paid sick leave protections, the San Jose City Council unanimously voted Jan. 5 to is extend local sick leave benefits until mid 2021. Under...
Santa Clara County considers penalties for inequitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Santa Clara County officials are publicly worrying whether area health care providers will stick to the guidelines when it comes to distributing COVID-19 vaccines, and deliberating what the county could and should do if they don’t. Already, in at least two cases so far, private health care providers in California — including one in the...
New COVID-19 relief fund dedicated to East San Jose businesses
East San Jose businesses and nonprofits struggling to survive may have gained a new lease on life through a new community COVID-19 relief fund. San Jose Planning Commissioner Rolando Bonilla said the East San Jose business community, which has experienced difficulty accessing government aid, was left out of conversations about solutions to help them weather...
Study: Silicon Valley is mostly working from home — and service industry is paying the price
In non-pandemic times, Voyager Cafe in downtown San Jose would be teeming with customers, often workers lined up looking to get their morning coffee or something to go with their lunch. Not anymore. Revenue is down 40% to 50%, according to co-owner Sameer Shah. Voyager’s location inside the San Pedro Square Market means it’s walking...
Businesses must close employee break areas in Santa Clara County under COVID-19 restrictions
Santa Clara County health officials kicked off 2021 by adding new restrictions on businesses — they must now close their employee breakrooms. While officials told San José Spotlight they had issued previous “guidance” on breakrooms, an earlier version of the county’s directive did not include any language about closing indoor employee breakrooms. There are new...
Santa Clara County receives nearly 100k COVID-19 vaccines, warns against New Year’s Eve parties
In urging people to stay home on New Year’s Eve, health officials shared a grim fact: There are only 28 available intensive care unit beds in all of Santa Clara County. And while the county has received nearly 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, infection rates continue to surge. The case rate is at 50 COVID-19...
Which Santa Clara County COVID-19 vaccine tier are you in?
The approval of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States is no immediate cure for the pandemic. With Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in short supply, only a select group of people can receive the immunization — at least for now. In Santa Clara County, that means health officials must administer vaccines to people in distinct tier groups...
San José Spotlight’s top 10 stories of the year: COVID-19, homeless, hate crimes
To many people, 2020 felt like one of the longest years ever. South Bay residents contended with a deadly pandemic that got worse as the year wore on, the economic and social fallout of measures to contain the disease, civil unrest in the streets and wildfire smoke in the sky. There was no shortage of news....
Faith in COVID-19 vaccine facing uphill battle in Black community
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, something about the crisis felt familiar to André Chapman. Chapman, the CEO and founder of the San Jose nonprofit Unity Care, saw widespread misunderstanding of the disease, similar to that of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 1980s. While AIDS fell out of mainstream news, it continued to wreak...
What to know about COVID-19 vaccines in Santa Clara County
Hope for turning the tide of the coronavirus pandemic has finally arrived. People around the world are rolling up their sleeves to receive the first doses of the just-approved COVID-19 vaccines. The medicines come at a dire moment, with the epidemic raging around the county, state and country, causing record numbers of deaths. Here are answers to...
South Bay nursing students create COVID-19 book for kids
After COVID-19 scrapped their clinical rotations in 2020, five South Bay nursing students turned their focus to educating children about the virus. Elaine Pham, Liz Nguyen, Elaine Fu, Vivian Doan and Tina Tran created the 15-page book “Let’s Learn About COVID-19” containing coloring diagrams, crossword puzzles and other activities that explain the virus. Nguyen, Fu,...
Researchers turn to human waste to sniff out clues about COVID-19 in Santa Clara County
Seeking to better understand the spread of COVID-19, researchers from San Jose, Santa Clara County and Stanford University are looking at an unusual source for answers: Human waste. It turns out excrement can carry the coronavirus, which is why researchers and health officials are examining it to compile more accurate data on the virus in...
Trump signs COVID-19 stimulus package; South Bay nonprofits weigh-in
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After threatening to blow up a deal to provide relief to struggling Americans, President Donald Trump on Sunday signed a major coronavirus stimulus package along with an annual spending bill. The move avoids a government shutdown before a Monday night deadline. “I applaud President Trump’s decision to get hundreds of billions of...
How San Jose homeless shelters are adapting to the COVID-19 surge
COVID-19 has been tearing through sheltered living spaces in San Jose, but at least one operator of such facilities has managed to keep all of its women residents safe during the pandemic. CityTeam, which offers temporary housing to people in need, has so far kept its four women’s shelters in San Jose COVID-free, although it has had...
San Jose business owners hit hard by COVID-19 now have another worry — the end of an eviction moratorium
Businesses that barely survived 2020 have another tough blow ahead — the end of the county’s moratorium on evictions. The measure bars landlords from evicting commercial tenants who haven’t been paying their rent. It expires on March 31 and, when it does, businesses that haven’t paid rent are on the hook for paying all of...
San Jose restaurants still waiting for DoorDash grants — one month later
San Jose restaurant owner Jennifer Echeverri was promised a $5,000 grant to help her survive the winter amid tightening COVID-19 restrictions. One month passed. The money never came. As of Dec. 22, none of the 30 San Jose restaurants that were notified of a grant had received one. They also were not told when the...
COVID-19 tries to cancel Christmas dinner for San Jose homeless — but fails
With a COVID-19 positive case forcing a quarantine and temporary closure of CityTeam’s kitchen, the San Jose nonprofit is scrambling to make sure its annual Christmas Day feast doesn’t sour. “We normally feed the homeless every day,” said CityTeam spokesperson Darlene Tenes. “But Christmas Day is a particularly special day because we invite them all...
With Santa Clara County hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19, health officials urge residents to cancel holiday plans
With local COVID-19 cases and deaths soaring and area hospitals at risk of being overwhelmed, local officials are urging residents to cancel their holiday plans. The novel coronavirus is on the verge of becoming the third-leading cause of death this year in Santa Clara County, the officials said Dec. 23. Already, the county has recorded...
COVID-19 has led to widespread food insecurity in Silicon Valley. Thousands of volunteers are helping fight it.
The South Bay’s staggering increase in demand for food assistance during the coronavirus pandemic is being met with help from a newly raised army of volunteers. Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, which has been coordinating much of the local effort to distribute food to needy residents, has faced the dual challenge of feeding more people than ever...
Congress reaches deal on new COVID-19 relief bill as cases soar
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After months of failed negotiations, Congress reached a deal Sunday on a $900 billion coronavirus relief package. Congressional leaders announced agreement on a bill as the coronavirus pandemic accelerated and Congress came under fire for failing to pass a relief measure. The relief and funding bill is expected to pass Monday. “At...
Meet the man first in line for COVID-19 vaccine from Santa Clara County
In a matter of minutes, Cliff Roperez became the face of the next era in Santa Clara County’s fight against COVID-19. Roperez, 47, was the first person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, a moment that came after nine painful months and hundreds of deaths countywide. “I was identified by...
More than 200 get first COVID-19 vaccines in Santa Clara County
Standing in front of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on a gloomy morning, Dr. Sara Cody delivered a bright message: The county administered its first COVID-19 vaccines. “At last we have a ray of hope as we are starting to vaccinate,” said Cody, the county’s public health officer, as cars whirled past the busy street...
Food delivery fees capped at 15% throughout Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County and San Jose officials voted separately but unanimously Dec. 15 to cap food delivery fees to help businesses retain income during the pandemic. Delivery service fees charged by third-party delivery companies such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates and others will be capped at 15% of the value of an order. San...
After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, can we ditch our masks? Santa Clara County weighs in
The moment America has been waiting for since mid March has arrived. Truckloads of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines departed a warehouse in Michigan this week and made their way by truck or plane to hundreds of locations across the country. Santa Clara County received its first batch of 17,550 shots Dec. 15, kicking off the start...
UPDATE: San Jose extends paid sick leave as COVID-19 spreads
Fearing the federal government won’t help residents, San Jose leaders voted unanimously to extend local paid sick leave protections through an emergency measure. Councilmembers Magdalena Carrasco, Sylvia Arenas and Maya Esparza spearheaded the measure because they worried the federal government wouldn’t extend its Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which has provided paid sick leave...
COVID-19 vaccine arrives; San Jose mom in trial tells what it feels like
Carolyn Bauer said she wasn’t afraid when she decided to take part in a COVID-19 vaccine trial earlier this year. In fact, she thought it was just common sense. “I’m a very healthy individual, and someone has to do this,” Bauer said. “To me, I didn’t realize how big a deal some people thought that...
South Bay Vietnamese Americans wrestle with COVID-19, lack of information
On a clear December day, the glowing sun hit a scant array of faces walking toward the Grand Century Mall in San Jose. In a plaza once teeming with visitors, particularly Vietnamese Americans, there were mostly shop owners and workers tending to business: distributing supplies, cleaning facilities and fulfilling to-go orders for loyal customers. San...
COVID-19 vaccines are coming to Santa Clara County. Here’s how they’ll be distributed and tracked
With the FDA’s approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccination on Dec. 11, thousands of health care workers may soon receive immunization shots in Santa Clara County within the next week. Health officials expect 17,550 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 39,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be available in the county over the next few...
3 Santa Clara County hospitals out of ICU beds; 1,700 new cases in single day
Three Santa Clara County hospitals have run out of Intensive Care Unit beds while health officials reported 1,700 new COVID-19 cases in a single day this week. The county has hit a critical point in the pandemic, health officials said, and urged people to follow health orders, especially in light of this weekend’s Lady of...
Santa Clara County starts free COVID-19 workplace testing for transit employees
About 175 bus drivers, train operators, mechanics and administrators lined up to take COVID-19 tests at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s Guadalupe rail yard on Dec. 10. “Some of our folks weren’t getting tested for whatever reason,” said John Courtney, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265. “But when we bring it to...
Silicon Valley will recover faster from COVID-19, report says; local economists unsure
A Bloomberg report found that according to economic infrastructure and demographic metrics, Silicon Valley ranks first among the top 100 U.S. metropolitan areas most likely to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic the quickest. “Known for their information technology, electronics manufacturing, venture-capital funding and research universities, the economies in the Bay Area boast industries that have...
Santa Clara County health officials fear immigrants may not take COVID-19 vaccine over privacy concerns
Santa Clara County officials worry a federal data sharing plan may spark distrust among immigrants and discourage undocumented people from taking the COVID-19 vaccine. “We’re very concerned about the fact that any information transfer may discourage people from participating in the vaccine program,” said County Executive Jeff Smith. Assistant County Counsel Douglas Press said his...
1,450 new COVID-19 cases as hospitals fill up in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County saw 1,450 new COVID-19 cases over the past few days and hospital beds filled up as health officials announced a vaccine could be arriving next week. “We are clearly seeing increased levels of transmission in our community, and we know from historic data that about 10% of individuals diagnosed with COVID will...
Silicon Valley leaders ask for help solving the ‘poverty pandemic’
Santa Clara County elected officials, business and faith leaders are asking the community to help low-income people hit hardest by the pandemic. Through the new United Against the Poverty Pandemic coalition, formed during the pandemic by Brett Bymaster, executive director of Healing Grove Health Center, the group is working to find solutions for low-income families...
‘We don’t know what to do’: San Jose restaurants prepare to close in-person dining
Surrounded by patio heaters and tables filled with patrons dining on Mexican food, a three-person mariachi band played under the tent canopy outside Mendoza’s Taqueria in San Jose on Sunday – the last day of the year restaurants could seat people under Santa Clara County’s most recent health order. “I’m going to miss watching them...
Santa Clara County fines hospitals for failing to comply with COVID-19 testing order
Santa Clara County has issued more than $40,000 in fines to private health systems for failing to comply with its coronavirus testing order. HCA Healthcare’s Regional Medical Center in San Jose was fined $22,750 for failing to adequately notify patients of their right to a COVID-19 test. An enforcement officer inspected the center Oct. 20,...
Santa Clara County issues COVID-19 stay-at-home order
Health officials around the Bay Area accelerated a stay-at-home order that starts this weekend for most of the region, including Santa Clara County. The order goes into effect at 10 p.m. Dec. 6 and lasts until Jan. 4. It enacts the same restrictions as the state order, requiring all nonessential operations to shut down with...
San Jose clears homeless camp despite concerns over COVID-19
San Jose started dismantling a homeless encampment this week to make way for an upcoming trail renovation, flouting health recommendations and stoking fears the action will lead to the spread of COVID-19. While placing people in housing is the best option, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends allowing people in encampments to stay...
California to face another lockdown if ICU units fill up
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state will go under a mandatory stay-at-home order for regions where available intensive care unit capacity falls below 15%. “The bottom line is if we don’t act now our hospital system will be overwhelmed,” Newsom said. “If we don’t act now we’ll continue to see more lives lost.” State health...
Free parking and to-go alcohol among ideas to keep business alive in downtown San Jose
A coalition of more than 55 San Jose businesses is pushing local and state policy recommendations to help the once-thriving downtown core survive the pandemic. Lawmakers at the city’s Rules and Open Government Committee voted unanimously Dec. 2 to bring 15 new policy recommendations to the San Jose City Council for discussion and approval. “As...
Santa Clara County unveils COVID-19 vaccine plan as hospitalizations hit records
With COVID-19 vaccines potentially arriving in Santa Clara County within weeks, health officials released their plans for distribution amid a backdrop of record-setting hospitalizations. The plans submitted to California detail how the county has assembled a task force composed of Santa Clara County health system hospitals, Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente, Palo Alto Medical Foundation and...
Santa Clara County prepares for arrival of COVID-19 vaccine
Santa Clara County health officials are preparing for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine — which could be within two weeks — with a detailed plan to store, deliver and distribute it. “We have to be prepared for whatever comes out. We can’t be deciding on what to do with them once we’re told which...
San Jose mayor apologizes for violating COVID-19 guidelines at Thanksgiving dinner
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo violated state public health regulations by attending a Thanksgiving dinner at his parents’ house alongside four other households. An updated state requirement issued Nov. 13 prohibits Californians from hosting private gatherings with more than three households, although it does not limit the number of people at a private gathering. The...
Santa Clara County sees record 512 COVID-19 cases in single day, issues 76 business fines
Santa Clara County tallied a record 512 COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period the day before Thanksgiving, and wasted no time cracking down on businesses violating health orders. As of Nov. 27, Santa Clara County had 32,985 COVID-19 cases and 476 deaths. In addition, 222 people were hospitalized with the virus. Of these, 68 were...
Businesses to face immediate fines for violating COVID-19 rules in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County businesses that violate COVID-19 safety protocols over Thanksgiving weekend will face immediate fines as health officials struggle to control the spread of COVID-19. Unlike before, businesses will have no grace period to fix the violation if they are cited Nov. 26 to Nov. 29. Individual fines range from $250 to more than...
Court employees say COVID-19 exposure and lax rules put them at risk in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County Superior Court employees say they’re not being protected from COVID-19, and they fear for their health and safety every day they go to work. Court employees are exposed to COVID-19 on an almost weekly basis. Safety concerns voiced by workers are routinely ignored. Mask wearing is not rigorously enforced. Those are some...
Local artist partners with San Jose brewery amid COVID-19 pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic first swept through the Bay Area, San Jose native Justin Engel experienced a series of unexpected setbacks. Within a few weeks of the shelter in place order in March, the 42-year-old father of two took a 20% pay cut at his day job as a technical writer, was forced to leave...
What you need to know about COVID-19 this week in the South Bay
COVID-19 cases are surging dramatically in Santa Clara County and as the holiday season rapidly approaches, the county is ramping up testing and urging residents to avoid large gatherings outside their households. According to county officials, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients increased by more than 50 percent in one week. There were 110 hospitalizations...
What the state’s COVID-19 curfew means for Santa Clara County
Despite a state-ordered curfew to curb COVID-19 spread starting this weekend, restaurants in Santa Clara County can stay open for takeout and people can still go out for walks. The only condition? Avoid contact with people from other households. When the overnight curfew ordered by the state starts at 10 p.m. on Nov. 21, it...
San Jose hospital pleads for donations to help with COVID-19 surge
As COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the South Bay, hospitals are struggling to keep up with the demand for resources. San Jose-based Valley Medical Center Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center hospital system, is pleading with charities across the valley for donations to help deal with the pandemic. Foundation...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County to look into COVID-19 workplace safety
Maria Ruiz said she lost her job at a San Jose McDonald’s this summer after reporting her employer for COVID-19 violations and refusing to work in unsafe conditions. Many others also have lost their jobs, faced harassment or suffered in silence as their employers continue to ignore health and safety guidelines every day, according to...
Minority-owned businesses having hardest time paying rent, poll finds
Justen Torres had a big vision this year: Build Get Away Games & Media, a place where players are trapped in a themed room, solving clues and puzzles before they can get out. “Escape rooms are getting popular here because it is a new way for friends, family and co-workers to bond and build relationships,”...
Santa Clara County moves to COVID-19 purple tier — most restrictive
With COVID-19 case counts rising across the state, Santa Clara County is moving back to California’s purple tier, the most restrictive. The county recorded 388 new positive COVID-19 cases in a single day on Nov. 16 and now has a total of 28,686 cases and 445 deaths. “This is a high number,” County Health Officer...
Santa Clara County COVID-19 cases double, indoor dining to halt
After seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases, Santa Clara County officials announced they are rolling back indoor activities and likely moving back into the stricter red tier. Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said the county has recorded 362 new cases within one day on Nov. 13 and has at least 110...
San Jose hospitals face pressure as COVID-19 cases surge
As Santa Clara County sees a surge in new COVID-19 cases, hospitals across San Jose are being stretched thin. Many hospital officials say they’re rising to the occasion. According to county data, 102 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Nov. 12 with about 17 new cases in the last day. There are 909 beds...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: October 13 to November 12
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 11 a.m. Nov. 11: How to know if businesses are following county health order Beatrice Santiago, Santa Clara County’s Business Compliance Unit lead, said both business owners and customers have a role to ensure health order compliance during a news briefing on Nov. 11. “When a business...
Gardner Health Services and Stanford expand COVID-19 research to East San Jose
After fighting to get testing sites in hard-hit communities, South Bay health nonprofits are now turning their attention to ensure equity in vaccine trials. In East San Jose, Gardner Health Services, a community clinic that serves disenfranchised and vulnerable communities, and Stanford Medicine are collaborating to enroll Latinx people in vaccine trials and research. “We...
Coronavirus hotspots: San Jose neighborhood unites in response
Coronavirus hotspots: Top 3 areas hardest hit in Santa Clara County, Part 3 Patricia Casteillo and her husband both lost their jobs because of COVID-19, pushing her into a state of depression. She says she found hope at nonprofit Amigos de Guadalupe which, among other things, paid the deposit and first month’s rent so her family could...
Coronavirus hotspots: Downtown San Jose’s No. 2 ranking traces back to homelessness
Coronavirus hotspots: Top 3 areas hardest hit in Santa Clara County, Part 2 A near ghost town where row after row of boarded-up storefronts now serve as shelter to a growing homeless population, downtown San Jose has one dubious distinction. Its primary ZIP code — 95113 — this month had the second-highest rate of COVID-19...
Coronavirus hotspots: East San Jose ranks No. 1 in number of cases per capita in the county
Coronavirus hotspots: Top 3 areas hardest hit in Santa Clara County, Part 1 Albert Camarena sat in a chair on the front lawn of his home in East San Jose, facing eastward toward a vacant elementary school. “Everybody’s scared,” Camarena said. “They don’t want to be sick.” Camarena’s neighborhood and its corresponding ZIP code —...
Santa Clara County sees surge in COVID-19 cases
Santa Clara County health officials made an urgent plea for people to continue to take precautions after seeing an alarming uptick in COVID-19 cases and an increase in hospitalizations. “What’s significant about the increase in case counts that we’re seeing now is that it’s different than the slow rise that we’ve seen over the month...
New San Jose job program brings hope to workers displaced by COVID-19
Angellina Duran was scheduling appointments for a cardiologist prior to the pandemic. Things started to fall apart when she and her stepfather came down with COVID-19. Her stepfather, who was her primary childcare provider, was in the hospital for several weeks fighting for his life. He returned in a weakened state. After she recovered from...
Your COVID-19 questions answered: Part Two
San José Spotlight last month hosted an exclusive Q&A webinar with Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, one of the nation’s leading health experts and the driving force behind the country’s first shelter-in-place order in March. Eight months later, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country, Cody sat down with...
Fauci tells Silicon Valley leaders: ‘We’re getting close to 100,000 COVID-19 cases per day’
As COVID-19 deaths in the United States bypass 229,000 and positive cases across the country rise above 9 million, Dr. Anthony Fauci has grim news for Americans: “Unless we do something to turn this around, we’re going to have a very difficult, very painful winter.” The head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious...
San Jose partners with food truck company to provide free groceries, meals to those at risk of COVID-19
As the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity in Santa Clara County and across the Bay Area, nonprofit organizations, food banks and government officials are working to provide food assistance for residents, ranging from workers and business owners to older adults and people with underlying medical conditions. Off the Grid, the Bay Area’s food truck...
East Side school district easing back with on-campus learning next week
East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) students are returning to in-person learning next week. Onsite learning will occur during tutorials, advisory periods, after school and on Saturdays as East Side students continue in their block schedules with distance learning. ESUHSD will continue distance learning for the remainder of the school year or until there...
Fauci to meet with Santa Clara County leaders to discuss COVID-19 response
The country’s top expert on COVID-19, Dr. Anthony Fauci, is scheduled to speak with Santa Clara County leaders next week to discuss the ongoing pandemic and logistics for lowering case numbers while establishing safe reopening plans. Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leader on the White House...
Indoor dining, church services can resume in Santa Clara County
As COVID-19 numbers in the county slowly improve, officials gave Santa Clara County businesses the green light to begin operating indoors — but with caution. Starting Oct. 14, restaurants, churches, movie theaters and other businesses can open at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. They also can host outdoor gatherings of up to...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: September 13 to October 12
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 11 a.m. Oct 12: Gardner Health Center and county increase testing at Mexican Heritage Plaza COVID-19 Testing Coordinators at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose say they aim to increase testing as they have exceeded their initial capacity....
‘I know their pain’: Study confirms toll of shutdowns in San Jose
John Zamora, owner of Zamora’s Omelette House, served the last meal at his Alum Rock Avenue restaurant at the end of August, after almost 10 years in operation. “We were trying to hold on,” Zamora said. “We felt we had to give it a try.” Zamora’s experience illustrates the results of a recent economic report...
Exclusive Q&A: Santa Clara County health chief answers San José Spotlight readers
Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody sat down Oct. 8 to answer San José Spotlight readers’ questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding of the virus has evolved considerably since Cody last answered reader questions in April. The advice, however, has been consistent: People should maintain physical distance from those outside their household, avoid...
Religious leaders plead to increase indoor services in Santa Clara County
Church members from across Santa Clara County are asking supervisors to reconsider restrictions that will limit services to 25 percent of capacity, even as the county moves into a less restrictive tier of pandemic restrictions imposed by the state. For nearly two hours Oct. 6, church members, pastors and representatives asked the Board of Supervisors...
Santa Clara County looks to allow indoor dining as early as next week
If Santa Clara County enters the lower-risk orange tier for reopening, all businesses, including restaurants and churches, can resume indoor gatherings at 25% capacity, health officials announced Monday. “The soonest the state may allow us to move into the orange tier is Oct. 13, meaning that this new order will take effect no earlier than...
Santa Clara County allows facial services to reopen
Santa Clara County is lifting restrictions on licensed estheticians and other skin care professionals who were previously prohibited from operating due to the coronavirus. County public health officials on Sunday afternoon made the change that will now allow facial services to resume. Previously, the county allowed hair and nails salons to reopen for both indoor...
San Jose’s minority-owned businesses face unique challenges with lingering shutdown
It has been six months since Liz Ruiz saw families skating around the floor of Aloha Roller Rink. The East San Jose-based business owner has watched other businesses reopen across the city without any idea about when she might be able to do the same, pay her employees or welcome back customers. Ruiz had occupied...
COVID-19 infections among Latinx seeing sharp decline in Santa Clara County
After data busted the myth that COVID-19 was “the great equalizer” and made it clear the disease has had disproportionate affects on Santa Clara County’s Latinx population, public health officials say rates finally are starting to decrease in the hardest hit communities. “The rates among the Latinx community were really soaring in July. They were...
Catholic schools gradually reopening in Santa Clara County
While most San Jose public school campuses will remain closed at least until January, Catholic schools are starting to welcome back students with sanitizing stations and wellness checks in place. “It’s been a real boost for faculty to see kids on campus,” said Principal Kristina Luscher of Bellarmine College Preparatory, which opened Sept. 23. “Overall,...
Top Santa Clara County executive leading COVID-19 response leaving
One of Santa Clara County’s top leaders and the face of its coronavirus response is leaving for a neighboring city. Deputy Executive David Campos, who also led the county’s social justice and equity programs, is joining the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office as Chief of Staff. Campos, a Guatemalan immigrant, sought to bring equity to underserved communities...
Santa Clara County supervisors pump $13 million to help people quarantine
Santa Clara County residents who are exposed or have contracted COVID-19 are getting more financial help to cover the cost of isolating and quarantining. Supervisors on Sept. 22 approved a $13 million infusion to the county’s cities to pay for motel costs, at-home support and financial assistance related to mandatory quarantine if residents get the...
Why indoor dining is still not an option in Santa Clara County
In Santa Clara County, you can walk into a business and get your hair and nails done, work out and even get a tattoo. But you can’t eat. The county recently got the OK to move into the red tier of the state’s categories that allow more businesses to reopen and is taking steps toward...
Latest eviction moratoriums a double-edged sword for South Bay tenants, landlords
New state and federal laws approved this month would punish landlords with steep fines and even jail time if they try to evict someone behind on rent. But that’s not necessarily reassuring news for tenants. While housing attorneys and tenants’ rights activists say the laws will shield more renters from property owners who want to force...
Why San Jose schools aren’t opening for the rest of the year
Saying they are ill equipped to take on the burden of testing students for COVID-19, San Jose officials extended distance learning through the end of December — and may not reopen classes until 2021. San Jose Unified School District Superintendent Nancy Albarrán said there are now more COVID-19 cases than in March when schools first closed, especially...
Private hospitals in Santa Clara County to be slapped with fines if they don’t ramp up COVID-19 testing
Private hospitals in Santa Clara County that fail to provide COVID-19 testing could face a fine of up to $5,000 under a new order. The order, which goes into effect Sept. 25, requires hospitals to test all patients who report COVID-19 symptoms, asymptomatic patients who have been exposed to coronavirus and patients referred by the...
Santa Clara County to hire 50 contact tracers from hardest-hit communities
Recognizing COVID-19 takes a disproportionate toll on Latinx and Black communities in the South Bay, Santa Clara County is set to hire 50 contact tracers with African ancestry or fluency in Spanish. Contact tracing is a public health practice to trace back the root of an infection and deduct who infected whom, according to the...
Santa Clara County business owners push to open indoors
With smoke and ash making outdoor operations difficult, a coalition of business and community leaders are demanding Santa Clara County set guidelines to reopen indoors. Last week the county moved into the lower-risk red tier of state reopening guidelines, which paved the way for more businesses to start serving customers indoors. But in Santa Clara...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: August 13 to September 12
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 3:30 p.m. Sept. 11: Santa Clara mayor recaps COVID-19 relief measures Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor on Friday recapped how the Mission City is helping residents survive COVID-19, from small business grants to food distribution programs and rental assistance. The city has also implemented a 6-month relief...
Too little, too late for some as Santa Clara County allows more businesses to reopen
California health officials announced Santa Clara County is now in the red tier reopening phase, which allows more businesses to operate indoors. The county is still under a substantial risk for COVID-19 spread, according to state guidelines, and local health officials urge people to wear masks and take social distancing precautions. Here’s a quick look...
San Jose leaders approve recommendations to address COVID-19 health disparities
San Jose leaders unanimously accepted 30 recommendations Sept. 1 from Santa Clara County’s Health and Equity Task Force to tackle growing health disparities in the time of COVID-19. The recommendations include translating emergency information, contact-tracing, extending rent relief, distributing food and adding additional COVID-19 testing sites. Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco said as of Aug. 31, more...
South Bay lawyers predict surge in bankruptcies as stimulus money dries up
South Bay attorneys are bracing for a wave of new bankruptcies from individuals and small businesses that have exhausted their unemployment benefits and federal stimulus money. The number of cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court’s San Jose division has declined precipitously over the past five years — plummeting more than 35% to 2,718...
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...
Smoky air stunts turnout at San Jose COVID-19 testing sites
Steady crowds have streamed through most COVID-19 testing sites since the start of the pandemic. But that wasn’t the case this weekend at Santa Clara County’s newest — and largest — testing site at the county fairgrounds. That’s largely due to the bad air quality fueled by massive wildfires burning across the Bay Area. The...
Santa Clara County to test 5,000 daily at fairgrounds for COVID-19
Santa Clara County opened a new drive-through COVID-19 site at the County Fairgrounds with the aim of testing 5,000 people a day — the largest in the Bay Area. Announced Aug. 18, the appointment-only, high-capacity location is expected to complete 1,000 daily tests by the end of this week and continue to expand. Tests are...
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...
Santa Clara County assessor staff wins fight to work from home
Workers at the Santa Clara County assessor’s office won a key battle Friday afternoon when they were all allowed to work from home following a decision by County Executive Jeff Smith. Assessor Larry Stone had argued he wanted more workers to be in the office on rotation, a policy that prompted more than 150 workers...
Outdoor services offer lifeline to South Bay salons struggling to survive
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...
Khanna pushes $5 billion bill to provide free masks as Biden seeks mandate
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden is urging governors to implement mask mandates to stop the spread of the coronavirus. “Every single American should be wearing a mask when they’re outside for the next three months at a minimum,” he said during a Thursday news conference in Delaware. Biden said wearing masks...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: July 30 to August 12
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 2 p.m. Aug 12: Governor announces slew of business relief plans Despite the promise of financial relief for small businesses from the Paycheck Protection Program, many people still found their hands empty after applying for the money. Gov. Gavin Newsom said he’s moving forward a plan to...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County approves fines for not wearing masks, flouting health order
Santa Clara County will begin issuing fines of up to $500 for not wearing face masks or social distancing in public, the Board of Supervisors decided unanimously Tuesday. In an attempt to control the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its impact, the board adopted an urgency ordinance issuing citations against residents and businesses for violating...
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...
COVID-19 workplace complaints pile up in South Bay but lack follow-up
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated. Workers showed up to work sick with COVID-19 symptoms. Management hid positive test results from employees. Supervisors banned phones to prevent documenting unsafe facilities. These are some of the allegations many South Bay workers have made since Santa Clara County began to ease shelter-in-place restrictions to allow some businesses to...
Silicon Valley’s COVID-19 testing guru quit last job amid pressure to reopen economy
Three months ago Dr. Marty Fenstersheib was pressured to reopen the economy in San Benito County. He knew COVID-19 cases would surge if he bowed to the pressure. Hours after a high-stakes confrontation with county supervisors, he quit. Now, he is the COVID-19 testing guru in Santa Clara County where he is credited for the...
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...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: July 16 to July 29
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 3:15 p.m. July 29: With San Mateo, entire Bay Area now on state watchlist With Wednesday’s addition of San Mateo, all Bay Area counties are on the state’s watchlist, affecting more than 7 million people in the Northern California region. Collectively, nine counties — Alameda, Contra Costa,...
Santa Clara County restaurant CEO sued by landlord for late rent — despite moratorium
Despite Santa Clara County’s ban on evictions amid the pandemic, Flights Restaurant founder and CEO Alexander Hult is being sued by his landlord in Mountain View for back-rent payments. The county ordinance allows tenants impacted by COVID-19 to pay back rent payments within a year with no late fees and prevents landlords from evicting residential and...
Why does it take so long to get COVID-19 test results in Silicon Valley?
Chad Minnis took a coronavirus test days after his baby was born to ensure he wouldn’t get her – or the rest of his family – sick. Fourteen days later, the 32-year-old still had no idea whether he’s carrying the deadly virus. While he received several generic emails apologizing for the inconvenience and promising an...
San Jose launches rent mediation program before eviction moratorium expires
San Jose tenants suffering financial setbacks due to coronavirus have been protected by city, county and state eviction moratoriums since March. But with those temporary protections set to expire at the end of August, the city rolled out a mediation program this month to help landlords and tenants resolve rental disputes on their own. The...
Haircuts and pedicures on Santa Clara sidewalks raise new challenges
Sean Nguyen finally picked up his electric razor again. “It feels weird to be honest,” Nguyen said Tuesday after finishing his first appointment since March. “But at least I got a client.” A barber with 13 years of experience, Nguyen was in high demand. His shop, Sean’s Barber Shop, always had “a line of people waiting” but...
Silicon Valley educators worry about data privacy as classes remain online
Local educators say students could be at risk of data breaches as schools continue online classes amid the pandemic. “We need to protect our communities,” said Roxana Marachi, a San Jose State University professor of education. “Especially communities of color, who are the most vulnerable to data exploitations,” Big tech companies in Silicon Valley have eyed the...
California, Santa Clara County unemployment rates improve, but uncertainty looms
California’s June unemployment rate improved from previous months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it remains to be seen how recent statewide closures due to spiking cases and hospitalizations affect jobs across the state. In June, the state’s unemployment rate improved to 14.9%, with the state adding a record 558,200 jobs, according to figures released Friday...
San Jose nonprofits say city hasn’t coughed up money for free meals
As the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated hunger in San Jose, nonprofit food distributors say city leaders have stalled on reimbursing their costs to supply food to the South Bay’s most vulnerable residents. Nonprofit executives say demand for food has tripled since the pandemic shuttered businesses and slashed jobs in mid-March following Santa Clara County’s shelter-in-place order....
San Jose teachers don’t feel safe returning to school, district delays in-person classes
Despite pressure from President Donald Trump to reopen schools, San Jose teachers say they’re not willing to risk their lives amid a global pandemic. One of San Jose’s largest school districts — the San Jose Unified School District — announced late Thursday classes on Aug. 12 will resume online only at least until Oct. 2....
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: July 2 to July 15
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 1:35 p.m. July 15: Most California schools not likely to reopen in-person, state educational official says California’s top public school official said Wednesday most schools likely would not reopen for in-person learning due to the spread of the novel coronavirus across the state. After the state Department...
Good Samaritan nurses in San Jose protest unsafe staffing, COVID-19 risks
At war with the hospital. That’s how a top nurses union leader outside Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose on Monday described a dispute over working conditions at the hospital. Roughly 50 nurses cheered in agreement. “And by God, we have to win it, because if we don’t win it, we could end up dying...
Hours after reopening, Santa Clara County businesses will have to close again
Just hours after reopening Monday under Santa Clara County’s new health order, hair and nail salons, gyms, tattoo parlors and other personal care services have to close yet again. During his noon briefing, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced immediate closures for indoor operations of restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, movie theaters, card rooms, family entertainment centers, zoos and...
Silicon Valley leaders want employees to mostly work from home
Notably grueling Silicon Valley commutes have been slashed dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. While working from home presents its own unique challenges, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez wants to transition this aspect of social distancing into the post-COVID-19 life, a move she says will maintain productivity while decreasing climate impacts. Chavez announced a...
Outdoor dining is back on, but San Jose restaurateurs are confused and frustrated
Struggling restaurants had found a lifeline in San Jose Al Fresco, an outdoor dining initiative, but confusion stemming from the state denying — and then approving — the county’s application to reopen businesses sent many of them reeling. “Having outdoor seating has really helped bring back a little bit of what’s normal for us and...
San Jose’s general plan review hindered by online meetings
As online meetings become the new norm under shelter-in-place orders, some community leaders and advocates say meeting remotely has hampered plans to revise one of San Jose’s most critical documents: its General Plan for 2040. “(The online format) puts a lot of pressure to keep the meetings at a reasonable time,” said Jason Su, executive...
Californians worry that shelter-in-place is relaxing too quickly: poll
As the number of hospitalizations from the novel coronavirus continues to soar, Californians are increasingly worried that the state is reopening too quickly, according to a new survey. The poll, conducted between June 26 and June 30 by California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), surveyed 1,156 residents in the state who are at least 18 years old. The interviews,...
California approves Santa Clara County for further reopening, but who takes responsibility?
After an initial denial over the Independence Day weekend, state officials approved Santa Clara County’s request to reopen more businesses under a new health order set to take effect next Monday. As of Tuesday morning, the county’s 35-page application to verify it met certain criteria was added onto the California Department of Public Health’s list...
Divide between Santa Clara County and California grows over reopening, outdoor dining
There appears to be a growing schism between Santa Clara County and the state over plans to reopen more local businesses and even keep outdoor dining in the South Bay, particularly in light of recent actions by state agents to shutter South County restaurants over the Independence Day weekend. Santa Clara County is no longer...
July 4th in Silicon Valley takes on different meaning with COVID-19 pandemic
Patriotism has taken on a different meaning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ahead of Independence Day weekend, officials have made more forceful steps to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus as confirmed cases, hospitalizations and intensive care numbers have jumped in recent weeks in Santa Clara County. The Association of Bay Area Health Officials issued a...
Silicon Valley transit agency reveals new plan for safety, renewed ridership
As people slowly venture out after months of sheltering-in-place, Silicon Valley’s largest transit agency is taking new steps to bolster public trust and safety on buses and trains. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority this week unveiled a 10-point plan that includes enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of vehicles, required face coverings and social distancing on vehicles, stations and stops....
South Bay school leader tests positive for COVID-19 after in-person meeting
Nearly 40 school principals with the Santa Clara Unified School District were forced to attend an in-person meeting last month amid the COVID-19 pandemic — and one education leader tested positive for COVID-19. Sources told San José Spotlight this week that Superintendent Stella Kemp required principals to show up in person — despite other leaders...
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...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: June 18 to July 1
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 4:26 p.m. July 1: California reaches goal of amassing 10,000 contact tracers, Newsom says Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday the state met its goal to amass 10,000 contact tracers to identify cases and reduce the spread of COVID-19. In doing so, the universities of California of San...
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...
Will Santa Clara County schools reopen in the fall? The answer is unclear, but county issues guidance
Santa Clara County officials Tuesday painted a picture of what returning to school might look like for kids this fall: desks six feet apart, face coverings for everyone and canceling some activities such as choir. Officials released guidance for local K-12 public and private schools for reopening for the 2020-21 school year. The biggest question...
Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna talks police reform, COVID-19
Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna kicked off his virtual town hall on Thursday afternoon with an important update about the Justice in Policing Act. “We passed it today in the House; it passed overwhelmingly,” he said. The Justice in Policing Act is a set of sweeping reforms intended to resolve systemic racism in law enforcement....
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...
Santa Clara County not ready for next stage of reopening, Cody says
Santa Clara County isn’t ready to seek state approval to open more businesses due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that has attracted the state’s attention, Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s top health official, said Tuesday. “At the moment, we don’t meet all the criteria on the variance application,” Cody told the Santa Clara...
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...
Habitat for Humanity to build 308 new shelter beds in San Jose
San Jose is about to get more than 300 new interim shelter beds in modular housing units, built by Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley, officials announced Thursday. The new modular homes will serve as emergency housing for homeless residents and allow those who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus to isolate during the...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: June 4 to June 17
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 5:35 p.m. June 17: Most San Jose park restrooms open, Communications Hill staircase still closed Most San Jose park restrooms reopened Monday, according to a city news release. While the news release said park restrooms will be cleaned according to their use, the most frequented restrooms will...
‘It feels like Christmas’: Santa Clara County malls finally reopen
After three months of closure during the coronavirus pandemic, Westfield shopping centers in Santa Clara County, including Oakridge and Valley Fair, reopened for business Monday. “Westfield is excited to open our doors again … as we begin our initial recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Leah Heil, vice president of shopping center management. Anticipation ran...
South Bay nail salons struggle amid shutdown, despite new state order
When Tina Le first arrived in America in 2003, she took up doing nails as a part-time job. Two years later, she opened a shop in San Jose that she adoringly calls her “second child.” “I love my job, and I’m very proud of my work,” Le said in an interview. “We are here to take...
Liccardo focuses on police, inequality in San Jose’s $4.1B budget
San Jose’s $4.1 billion budget will be finalized this week, a major annual decision that comes this year in the midst of a pandemic that’s caused enormous projected deficits. But Mayor Sam Liccardo’s focus in a recently-released proposed budget was first on police reforms and inequality. Liccardo’s annual June budget proposal addresses head-on community calls...
San Jose police should wear face masks in public, officials say
As the coronavirus pandemic spread across the nation this spring, police departments in major cities began requiring officers to wear masks and gloves when interacting with the public. The San Jose Police Department added a mask requirement to its COVID-19 response plan March 30. The policy reads: “Effective immediately all personnel will wear all PPEs...
San Jose got more than $200M in coronavirus aid. Now it’ll have to up its expense tracking
San Jose has led on many of the region’s coronavirus response efforts, but officials are still figuring out how to track the related costs so the city doesn’t foot the entire bill while facing a major budget shortfall. Now San Jose officials are about to hire an outside consultant to monitor and help guide how...
Team San Jose pivots from conferences to coronavirus aid
Team San Jose – once the marketing giant for the city and the managing force behind its conventions – has pivoted its in-house catering to provide meals to shelters housing people impacted by COVID-19. The city of San Jose converted Parkside Hall and South Hall, both part of the McEnery Convention Center which is operated by...
South Bay faith leaders frustrated that churches and synagogues remain closed
Despite a new county order Friday allowing outdoor religious gatherings of 25 people, many South Bay faith leaders are growing frustrated as local churches and synogogues remain closed. In addition to the limitations of the county policy, places of worship are required to follow California’s latest guidelines, which include screening congregants for temperature and symptoms, not...
Santa Clara County health officials criticized for rollout of latest shelter-in-place order
Santa Clara County and San Jose elected leaders this month criticized local public health officials over a lack of clarity and adequate notice in their plans to ease shelter-in-place restrictions due to COVID-19. The criticism, which follows relative strong support for local measures taken to stop the coronavirus spread by health officials, began at the...
Santa Clara County tattoo artists itching to get back to work
Before tattoo machines begin to buzz at State of Grace tattoo shop in San Jose’s Japantown, artists’ stations are wiped down, sanitized and wrapped in plastic, while single-use gloves, needles and ink are laid out with freshly washed hands. None of that is new protocol for battling COVID-19, according to shop owner and renowned tattooer...
Santa Clara County expands child care services during coronavirus crisis
Child care providers in Santa Clara County are struggling to stay afloat as their costs have burgeoned during the coronavirus pandemic. “These child care businesses could go away if we don’t figure out a way to get them funding as soon as possible. We need these small businesses to thrive,” Supervisor Cindy Chavez told San...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: May 21 to June 3
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 10 p.m. June 3: Santa Clara County supervisors approve child care, financial assistance On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a proposal to devote more than $2.5 million for child care programs in the county, drawing from the federal government’s $2.2 trillion coronavirus...
In-store retail, outdoor dining, religious services to resume in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County health officials announced Monday they will amend the shelter-in-place order to allow in-store retail, outdoor dining, childcare for all families as well as religious, cultural and civic activities previously prohibited to reduce the spread of COVID-19. With the revised order effective Friday, Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said progress with testing,...
San Jose’s new COVID-19 walk-up clinic aims to serve communities of color
A free walk-up COVID-19 testing site opened in downtown San Jose aimed at increasing testing in communities of color. More than 200 people registered to get tested at the Antioch Baptist Church by the Roots Community Health Center, an organization founded in Oakland that aims “to uplift those impacted by systemic inequities and poverty” according...
Surviving earthquakes, recessions and Amazon, San Jose bookstore asks for community’s help
After surviving the Loma Prieta Earthquake, Great Recession and advent of Amazon, Hicklebee’s bookstore in Willow Glen is facing its next great challenge with the global COVID-19 pandemic. The 41-year-old San Jose literary institution is calling for the community’s help with a GoFundMe page that has already received more than 1,000 donors in just more...
Goodwill opens two San Jose stores to walk-in customers
With added safety measures in place such as required face coverings and daily employee temperature checks, Goodwill of Silicon Valley is now letting customers inside two of its San Jose stores. The nonprofit thrift store chain, which includes 18 stores in the Silicon Valley region, opened its Willow Glen and Alum Rock locations earlier this...
San Jose leader unveils task force to tackle COVID-19 racial disparities
San Jose City Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco alongside regional leaders at a virtual meeting Thursday announced the creation of a new task force aimed at tackling the disproportionate number of growing coronavirus cases among the region’s minorities. Carrasco was joined by Assemblymember Kansen Chu of Milpitas, Stephanie Kleinheinz, a nurse practitioner and CEO of School Health Clinics...
Demand for food assistance soars in Silicon Valley during COVID-19 lockdown
James Foster lined up at the Di Lac Temple in San Jose, waiting for a hot meal, fresh groceries and face masks. Foster’s wife lost her job as a therapist during the pandemic and his relative who supported them financially recently died. “We’re hurting … These folks provide a life-saving service, especially for someone my age,” said...
Pools to remain closed in Santa Clara County amid heat wave
As a heat wave sizzles across the South Bay, those hoping to cool off by dipping into a public swimming pool must wait a little longer. While the county this week opened cooling centers to provide temporary relief, Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody on Wednesday said public pools will remain closed...
COVID-19 pushes tele-health forward in Silicon Valley as virus holds patients back
Even in tech-heavy Silicon Valley, COVID-19 has pushed people and companies to embrace technology in new ways, a trend also true in health care as tele-health visits soar, making medical care more accessible for some. At Stanford Children’s Health, hospital administrators have been working on developing and increasing the use of its digital health program....
San Jose leaders propose sweeping cuts to public safety to close gaping budget hole
With San Jose’s income streams being ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, city leaders are considering shaving more than $10 million off public safety in next year’s budget. The cuts would affect the hiring of police officers and firefighters, reduce access to community services, and delay the expansion of a long-awaited fire station in the city’s...
Santa Clara County extends eviction moratorium, approves COVID-19 cost tracker and outreach
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to extend a temporary moratorium on evictions for people who can’t pay rent due to the pandemic. The county’s moratorium, which was set to expire Sunday, will now be extended until Aug. 31 under a proposal authored by Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Joe Simitian. “The Santa...
San Jose record stores can open under new health order, but will it be too late?
Owners and managers of record stores in Santa Clara County are relieved that curbside pickup is now an option for retail businesses after the county updated its stay-at-home order last week. However, some said curbside pickup can’t replace browsing in person, an experience that won’t be fully restored until quarantine is over. On Friday, Santa...
Coronavirus fears grow for vulnerable Santa Clara County residents as economy reopens
As businesses across Santa Clara County begin to reopen, some officials worry poor communities of color hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic will experience a surge in new cases. To prevent a spike among some of the county’s most vulnerable residents, Board of Supervisors President Cindy Chavez penned a proposal to create an outreach team that...
South Bay nurses unions file complaint, allege unsafe conditions at nursing homes
Two local unions are accusing Santa Clara County of endangering nurses by failing to inform them of coronavirus-infected patients or provide them with the required protective equipment. The Santa Clara Registered Nurses Professional Association (RNPA) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have joined forces in leveling a slew of charges against the county. The...
San Jose: Memorial Day in age of coronavirus is like no other
This Memorial Day was like no other for Oak Hill Memorial Park as it hosted its flag-raising ceremony online for the first time due to the COVID-19 crisis and shelter-in-place orders. Oak Hill Memorial Park has hosted its flag-raising ceremony at the San Jose cemetery for more than 100 years. But this year felt a...
Data gap complicates efforts to aid LGBTQ community during COVID-19
Local leaders are searching for more insights into how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting members of the LGBTQ community in the South Bay.
From tears to tests: Finding out if I have the coronavirus
Anxious tears accompanied my calls to clinics across Minneapolis on March 13. I sat alone in a friend’s apartment, where I spent the morning on hold trying to find a test for the coronavirus before going home to see my family. Did you recently travel overseas? No. Do you know anyone who’s tested positive? No....
Amid ‘unprecedented’ unemployment numbers, Silicon Valley feels blow slightly softer
California is seeing record unemployment numbers, with the largest single month of job losses ever recorded and a 15.5 percent unemployment rate in mid-April, about a month after the state began sheltering-in-place due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. But the blow has been a little softer overall in Silicon Valley, local experts say. The unemployment...
Surviving the pandemic: How you can donate to help those in need
The need for assistance – financial and otherwise – is growing in Silicon Valley, more than two months after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down businesses, workplaces and livelihoods in Santa Clara County. With a multitude of different ways to help, finding the right organizations and funds to donate to can be overwhelming, even for those...
Santa Clara County’s newest health order took effect. Here’s what’s new.
Santa Clara County’s latest shelter-in-place order took effect Friday, moving the South Bay into California’s second of four stages for allowing businesses and activities to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a quick look at the major changes that went into effect. What’s open? All retail stores can now reopen for curbside or outdoor pickup...
Small businesses feel the brunt of shutdown in Silicon Valley and beyond
Hospitality, cafe and restaurant businesses and workers are being hit the hardest by the shelter-in-place orders, according to a new survey and report of more than 86,000 people across the country. Legislators and chambers of commerce have sounded the alarm about the impact of the pandemic-related shutdowns across the country on small businesses, but the...
Local companies jump hurdles to get masks, supplies to Silicon Valley
Dozens of volunteers gathered this week in a parking garage at what was once Vallco Fashion Mall in Cupertino to pray and pick up more than 1 million face masks already making their way to hundreds of Bay Area organizations. The scarce personal protective equipment is on its way to 500 nursing homes, homeless shelters,...
Report sheds light on San Jose’s debt woes as it confronts pandemic
While the pandemic blows holes in city budgets across the nation, a new report released this month shows San Jose was already financially struggling before the coronavirus collapsed local economies. The annual report, released by the nonpartisan think tank Truth in Accounting, assessed the fiscal health of the top 10 U.S. cities based off each...
Advocates urge Santa Clara County to forgive rent as end of eviction moratorium looms
South Bay resident Chris Rios worries he’ll soon become homeless. His tutoring income dropped by half because of the novel coronavirus. His parents’ pay plummeted, too. They’re still waiting for federal checks intended to support those impacted by the virus. While waiting, they’ve fallen nearly $4,000 behind on rent for their three-bedroom Milpitas apartment. Santa...
‘A race against time:’ Silicon Valley nonprofits face uncertain future as deficits loom
Like everyone, nonprofits are hurting during the coronavirus pandemic, but local leaders are trying to find ways keep those organizations alive until the economy starts to rebound. Nonprofits offer some of the most critical services in communities, often on the frontlines of helping homeless, hungry and mentally ill residents. But as enormous city, state and...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: May 7 to May 20
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 4:40 p.m. May 20: University of California schools will be open in the fall, president says The University of California system — with 10 schools serving more than 285,000 students — is set to open this fall using a mix of in-person and online classes, according to President Janet...
San Jose produces less waste under COVID-19. But it’s not all good news.
COVID-19 has produced more complications for professionals in local waste and recycling collection. While the job has become all the more important with greater waste generation in residential areas of San Jose, waste hauling companies have felt the financial squeeze of suspended and terminated pickups by businesses plus a lapse in recycling etiquette from locals....
Contactless tech helps some Bay Area businesses thrive during pandemic
Food-delivery robots and mobile gas-filling stations are among the technologies that have found a niche in Santa Clara County during pandemic
San Jose moves forward with mandatory face coverings
San Jose leaders on Tuesday unanimously approved moving forward with a mandatory face covering requirement, despite concerns from San Jose law enforcement that it would criminalize residents. The proposal, authored by Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, would require most people to wear a mask every time they step outside. The new directive...
UPDATE: San Jose leaders approve allowing businesses to operate outdoors
Proposal authored by Mayor Sam Liccardo and Councilmember Dev Davis would allow restaurants, cafes and other retailers set up shop in public spaces.
Chinese Americans leverage ties abroad to bring PPE to Silicon Valley
Catherine Zhang has lived in the United States 27 years, but 2020 marked the first time the longtime Santa Clara resident got a care package from her relatives in China. Inside were 100 face masks to help protect her as the novel coronavirus infiltrated and spread across the Bay Area. Zhang gave some of the...
Santa Clara County retailers to reopen for curbside pickup, but there’s a catch
After growing pressure from Silicon Valley businesses desperate to get back to work, Santa Clara County health officials on Monday made the highly-anticipated decision to allow certain retailers to open for curbside pick-up. The announcement Monday aligns Santa Clara County — along with four Bay Area counties and Berkeley — with the state’s revised shelter-in-place...
Santa Clara County jails face challenges curbing spread of coronavirus
With physical contact often inevitable inside their walls, county jails have become battlegrounds against the coronavirus pandemic. As the public health crisis continues, Santa Clara County has implemented various measures to prevent local jails from becoming the epicenters of the coronavirus. Nonetheless, infections are bound to occur, according to Roberto Potter, a professor of criminal...
Vietnamese restaurants donate thousands of meals to Silicon Valley hospitals
Most days, Tiêủ-Vân Phan’s car carries the tantalizing scents of Vietnamese shaking beef or Hainanese chicken rice, lingering from her meal deliveries to hospitals across the county. Vietnamese-owned restaurants in Silicon Valley have mobilized together to donate thousands of meals to frontline workers over the last two months during the region’s shelter-in-place orders. Phan, a San...
From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, ‘unprecedented’ deficits caused by COVID-19 pandemic
Governments from Sacramento to San Jose City Hall are facing historic budget deficits caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, often having to solve these crises in virtual meetings as the region nears its eighth week in quarantine. “We are at a time that’s simply unprecedented,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday in announcing his revised budget proposal...
Major layoffs in Silicon Valley hit Team San Jose, Goodwill and car dealers
Coronavirus-linked layoffs have soared in Silicon Valley in recent months, affecting more than 21,000 employees across 26 companies in March alone, according to a San José Spotlight analysis of data from the state’s Employment Development Department. Industries with the most layoffs were retailers, restaurants, hotels, the arts and entertainment sector, personal care services and gyms....
Child custody cases in Santa Clara County complicated by coronavirus
Sheltering in place hasn’t been easy on anyone. But for those who share custody of their children, the problem is exacerbated. Social distancing has made banal tasks like grocery shopping more arduous. Everything except essential businesses have shuttered their doors, so social endeavors like getting a drink with a friend or Sunday dinner at your...
San Jose approves a new coronavirus relief fund
With public dollars stretched thin and the need for food and shelter growing, San Jose leaders on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to create a coronavirus relief fund that will help the city receive federal resources for those affected by the pandemic. The fund will allow the city to continue operating its temporary emergency shelters,...
Coronavirus: San Jose legislator introduces bill to provide job-protected leaves
San Jose Assemblymember Ash Kalra introduced legislation Wednesday to allow Californians who are affected by COVID-19 to take a state-protected leave from their jobs, in addition to extending the leave by 12 additional weeks. The bill, AB 3216, would also allow employees to take a job-protected leave to care for a family member whose school...
Bay Area hiring dips 25 percent since coronavirus shutdowns: report
Hiring across the country is down significantly as the United States reels from the sudden impacts of the novel coronavirus, which has shuttered storefronts and office parks alike. Though some technology sectors have seen gains, the Bay Area hasn’t been spared, new data shows. The Bay Area has seen a 25 percent decline in hiring...
New California rules for restaurants cause confusion in Santa Clara County
Gov. Gavin Newsom threw struggling restaurateurs a lifeline on Tuesday when he announced restaurants can open for dine-in in certain counties. But the news won’t make a difference for Bay Area restaurant leader Angelo Heropoulos, who owns the farm-to-table Hero Ranch Kitchen in Saratoga and San Jose. After selling off the popular Greek chain Opa! three...
California has done more than 1 million COVID-19 tests, county ramps up capacity
California has now conducted more than 1 million tests for COVID-19, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday, just as Santa Clara County leaders encouraged workers with frequent public contact to get tested. “Ramping up our testing capacity is critical as we begin modifying our stay at home order,” Newsom said during his daily briefing. “In addition...
UPDATE: San Jose OKs trailers for homeless residents amid COVID-19
Already facing a severe housing shortage, San Jose leaders worry the newest crisis plaguing the region — the coronavirus pandemic — will spread among its homeless community, one of the city’s most vulnerable populations. With more than 6,000 unhoused residents in the city, lawmakers are ramping up their efforts to contain the virus. As part...
Coronavirus: Need help paying a bill or buying groceries? There’s a donor for that.
For many of San Jose’s low-income families, paying a utility bill, filling the gas tank or buying groceries is becoming increasingly difficult as stay-at-home orders stretch out. Pandemic of Love, a San Jose-based chapter of a larger organization, aims to streamline the giving process, making it easier for immigrant and undocumented communities to seek help....
South Bay activists spent lifetime fighting for worker rights. Then they got COVID-19.
Alone in her hospital room at night, Augustina “Sally” Armendariz kept the light on to counter the loneliness and fear she felt at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, where she spent four days battling COVID-19 last month. The 77-year-old lifelong Santa Clara County resident and 60-year community activist is a fighter by nature, but...
Tesla files lawsuit against Alameda County after Elon Musk’s Twitter threats
In a heated Twitter rant Saturday morning, Tesla CEO Elon Musk threatened to move his company’s operations out of the Bay Area and sue Alameda County “immediately” for not easing stay-home orders due to COVID-19 that have shuttered his carmaking business. Later, Musk made good on the threat and filed a lawsuit against the county....
‘Forgotten heroes’: The plight of Silicon Valley homeless shelter workers
Employees who work at Silicon Valley’s homeless shelters are putting themselves on the frontlines of the pandemic to protect the county’s most vulnerable residents, even as many live on the margins themselves. Two homeless service providers in Santa Clara County told San José Spotlight that, between them, six of their hundreds of shelter workers have...
Poll: Most Californians support shelter-in-place orders
A majority of Californians support continuing to shelter in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to a new poll, despite protests by some residents ready to get back to work and restart the state’s previously booming economy. About 71 percent of Californians polled by the California Health Care Foundation and survey firm...
COVID-19 testing sites open in East San Jose
After months of calls for more COVID-19 testing, a vulnerable San Jose area that is home to a large immigrant population now has two free testing sites. “This has been a population that has been vulnerable for so many reasons pre-COVID — due to rent, due to food insecurities, lack of job opportunities and educational...
Plan unveiled for reopening San Jose small businesses
Plan announced by San Jose officials and regional business leaders would allow a host of retailers and other small businesses to offer outdoor services when stay-at-home order is lifted.
Your COVID-19 questions answered: Part One
San José Spotlight two weeks ago hosted an exclusive Q&A webinar with Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, the driving force behind the nation’s first shelter-in-place order credited with flattening the curve on coronavirus infections and saving lives. We received nearly one hundred questions from Silicon Valley residents before and during the...
South Bay college faculty want more pay for more work during COVID-19 chaos
West Valley, Mission community college instructors say their workloads have increased significantly since the district switched to online learning because of the coronavirus pandemic
San Jose wants more federal help to feed struggling residents
FEMA's guidelines for reimbursement are too strict, say some city officials who are working to ramp up meal services in wake of coronavirus crisis
San Jose home sales slip in April amid coronavirus restrictions
Real estate agents are optimistic for a rebound now that they are again able to show homes to potential buyers, but long-range forecast remains uncertain
Surviving the pandemic: How can South Bay small businesses get help?
Businesses are struggling as the statewide and regional stay-home orders drag into the seventh week, and while there are many resources available, those programs are ever-changing and sometimes difficult to untangle. Health officials and elected leaders have also demurred on providing a timeline to reopen the economy. Though many retailers will be allowed to reopen for...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: April 23 to May 6
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 7 p.m. May 6: How is San Jose doing with COVID-19 outreach? The city of San Jose is asking for feedback on its public outreach amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are committed to providing you with timely, accurate information as we seek to save lives and livelihoods...
Animal shelters scramble to meet adoption demand absent volunteers, in-person visits
Adapting to the coronavirus pandemic has required staff members at Silicon Valley’s animal shelters to do work usually performed by volunteers as they rush to keep up with the heightened demand for animal adoptions amid shelter-in-place restrictions. While shelters struggle to retain volunteers, like many nonprofits, there is a silver lining. Sheltering-in-place has resulted in...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: April 23 to May 6
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 7 p.m. May 6: How is San Jose doing with COVID-19 outreach? The city of San Jose is asking for feedback on its public outreach amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are committed to providing you with timely, accurate information as we seek to save lives and livelihoods...
Silicon Valley real estate at ‘a turning point’ as construction resumes
The worldwide coronavirus pandemic has been felt in all industries, but one of the most stark representations of the virus’ impact is in the empty office buildings and rolling tech campuses in busy, work-obsessed Silicon Valley. Ripple effects of staying at home appear in small, nuanced ways in a new report, released by Joint Venture...
Newsom eases restrictions on retail, but Santa Clara County order remains
Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled steps Monday to modify California’s stay-at-home order allowing some retailers to reopen under certain restrictions, but Santa Clara County businesses will likely stay shuttered until the county’s public health officer revises her order to match the state’s direction. During his briefing, Newsom announced retail clothing, florists, bookstores, sporting goods and music stores...
Are South Bay hospitals ready to perform elective surgeries amid COVID-19?
South Bay medical centers are prepared to resume knee replacements, gall stone removals, heart catheterizations and other so-called elective surgeries after Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted the ban on these types of procedures late last month, hospital officials say. Doctors were previously barred from performing non-emergency operations amid an expected surge of COVID-19 patients. Now that...
Coronavirus: How Silicon Valley candidates are campaigning while social distancing
Door-knocking, shaking hands and kissing babies is off the table for Silicon Valley political candidates during the coronavirus crisis. And with stay-at-home orders extending through May, candidates are now devising new strategies to reach voters in a digital campaigning landscape as the November election draws near. A side effect of shelter-in-place, according to San Jose City Council candidate...
San Jose businesses, officials worry about prolonged closures
Oanh Turkenkopf and his wife closed their coffee and sandwich shop in San Jose three days before Santa Clara County issued its shelter-in-place order. At 65 and 68 years old, the couple weren’t taking any chances of getting the novel coronavirus. Three weeks later, with the closure eating into their savings and neighbors asking when...
San Jose families carry the weight of dementia during coronavirus shutdown
Celso Castaniada often wakes up at 3 a.m. — the night has become the day. By 3:30 p.m., Castaniada becomes more confused, a symptom of dementia known as sundowning. His internal clock has gone awry since the coronavirus shutdown upended Castaniada’s routine of going to adult day care center Hearts and Minds Activity Center in...
Survival and ruin: Economic experts discuss Silicon Valley’s outlook
If Rip Van Winkle fell asleep after the State of the Valley conference February 14, Joint Venture Silicon Valley CEO Russell Hancock thinks he would be shocked at how the economic outlook flipped 180 degrees in just two months. Hancock sat down Thursday with Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone and Silicon Valley Central Chamber of...
Surviving the pandemic: Resources for seniors in the South Bay
As one of the demographics most at risk of developing life-threatening complications from COVID-19, seniors face new challenges navigating daily activities. In an effort to provide services to seniors who are sheltering at home, state and local officials are offering help through several programs that include meal programs, financial assistance, telehealth services and other community resources....
Essential workers in Silicon Valley say they feel ‘forgotten’
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the country to close many businesses, transforming how most people live their lives. But for the workers providing essential services, staying home is not an option. While many Americans have transitioned to working from home, millions out on the front lines continue to show up to work every day, often relying on...
FIRST 5 offers scarce baby supplies in South Bay amid pandemic
Before COVID-19, local families were struggling and FIRST 5 was busy investing in programs to aid the development of Santa Clara County kids in underserved neighborhoods — a big task that has only gotten bigger in recent weeks. Now the group has undertaken an additional mission: help those families get the “basics” while some supplies...
Report: Silicon Valley renters are ill-prepared for ‘eviction time-bomb’
Despite efforts to help people who have lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers say not enough has been done for renters, especially in areas that already had a housing crisis — like San Jose. Renters will struggle to pay off debt, even with measures like eviction moratoria and increased unemployment benefits from the...
South Bay community health centers struggle through COVID-19
Community health centers across Santa Clara County have served some of the poorest neighborhoods for decades, often as an entryway into health care for those who lack access, money or are undocumented and hesitate to visit larger clinics and hospitals. But many are now experiencing the same financial struggles businesses across Silicon Valley are facing...
San Jose groups take entertainment online as stay-home order drags on
ComedySportz San Jose has hosted performances in a theater downtown for 33 years, but in March began livestreaming its shows on Zoom for a fast-growing audience. In one recent show, an improv comedian was tasked with giving CPR to a “dummy,” so she looked to her right and said, “Dennis, my boyfriend, come here.” A...
Coronavirus: What will it take to open more Silicon Valley businesses?
As Santa Clara County officials prepare to lift restrictions for certain businesses in the Bay Area, local health leaders say they’re basing those decisions — and future business openings — on five key “indicators” aimed at ensuring the region doesn’t see a resurgence of the virus as the economy reopens. The primary industries affected by...
Coronavirus: Santa Clara County lifts some stay-home restrictions
Santa Clara County officials on Wednesday released details of a revised and extended shelter in place order that lifts restrictions on some industries in the region, effective May 4 through the end of the month. At a high level, the newly-revised order generally reaffirms many of the restrictions that have governed how residents live and...
Update: San Jose slashes budget, approves new sexual assault unit
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved making massive cuts to the city budget for the fiscal year, as officials brace for an expected shortfall of least $45 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s going to be a long road for us,” Budget Director Jim Shannon said. “When we released our forecasts...
Bay Area may lag behind state’s plan to lift stay-home restrictions
Californians are “weeks, not months” away from seeing some loosening of the state’s stay at home order and schools could bring kids back later this summer, Gov. Gavin Newsom and California health officials said Tuesday. Certain retailers, including those that can offer curbside pickup, manufacturers, offices where working from home isn’t possible and some public...
San Jose residents protest temporary homeless housing plan
More than 200 South San Jose residents and housing advocates spoke at a virtual town hall Monday night to express concern or applaud a plan to fast-track dozens of new housing units for homeless residents during the region’s shelter-in-place order due to the coronavirus pandemic. “As a city, we really have two emergencies on our...
Views from above: Coronavirus has a dramatic effect on the Bay Area
The shelter-in-place order issued by regional health officials March 17 aimed to decrease the spread of coronavirus, but it has also dramatically affected the look of the Bay Area. The South Bay is no exception. With traffic coming to a halt, air quality and visibility has greatly improved. Nitrogen dioxide, a key pollutant, dropped by...
Unsung heroes of Silicon Valley: Moses Arroyo
Underneath the city of San Jose runs 2,000 miles of sanitary pipe that serve more than 1 million people. Each year, those in the city’s Department of Transportation’s Sanitary Sewer division clean more than 900 miles of pipe and complete more than 500 repairs. The dangerous work is done underground with sharp tools at depths of 40...
Coronavirus: Bay Area’s stay-home order will be extended through May
Bay Area residents will continue to shelter in place through May, the top health officials across the region announced Monday, about one week before the current order to stay-home was set to expire. The official order will come “later this week,” according to a joint statement by the seven Bay Area health officers who have...
South Bay cities brace for budget cuts, layoffs after coronavirus
Governments across the country are bracing for furloughs, layoffs and service cuts in response to revenue shortfalls dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic, and experts and city officials expect the damages will be felt for some time. Findings from a National League of Cities and the United Conference of Mayors survey published this month reveal that...
COVID-19 is intensifying longstanding racial disparities in Silicon Valley
COVID-19 is hitting black and Latinx people hardest, preliminary Santa Clara County data show. Meanwhile, those same groups are the ones most in need of financial relief in the region, community groups say. The pandemic’s racial disparities show officials must center race in discussions to address the public health crisis and Silicon Valley’s economic recovery,...
Exclusive Q&A: Dr. Sara Cody answers San José Spotlight readers
Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, who led the charge on the nation’s first shelter-in-place order, is a tough person to nail down these days, but on Friday she sat down to answer San José Spotlight readers’ questions. The exclusive Q&A session was streamed online by San José Spotlight on Facebook and moderated...
Construction unions lobby Santa Clara County leaders to loosen restrictions
Statewide and regional stay-home orders have passed the one-month mark, and nearly all businesses are hurting as many employees remain unable to work, upending their finances despite a $2 trillion government stimulus package. Now, a local construction and trades union is asking the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to recommend the county to relax...
San Jose Police Chief talks crime trends during COVID-19 shutdown
Serious crime rates in San Jose have dropped while the city’s nearly 1.1 million residents shelter in place, but concerns still linger, particularly for business owners and domestic violence victims, according to Police Chief Eddie Garcia. Garcia addressed some of those concerns Thursday in an hour-long webinar, moderated by the Silicon Valley Organization’s President and CEO Matt Mahood and incoming...
Unsung heroes of Silicon Valley: Michael Catalana
From coaching high school sports to serving as a community service officer in the San Jose Police Department, Michael Catalana is a team player through and through. Since the coronavirus hit the South Bay, Catalana and his fellow CSOs have been out in the neighborhoods handling non-emergency calls, collecting crime scene evidence and interviewing witnesses....
‘Every single window was smashed:’ Asian-owned San Jose businesses targeted
San Jose Police identified Tai Van Trinh as the suspect responsible for vandalizing multiple businesses in San Jose and Milpitas on April 22. Trinh, who hasn’t been caught, allegedly smashed the glass door and windows of at least five businesses Asian-owned businesses in San Jose, including Tastea, Lee’s Sandwiches and Seven Leaves Cafe, in the...
Coronavirus: Milpitas first in Santa Clara County to require face coverings
Milpitas became the first Santa Clara County city to require face coverings this week in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Beginning Friday, workers and customers must wear masks inside essential businesses in the South Bay city. The city’s actions come as six Bay Area counties now require face coverings when in public, including...
Silicon Valley Holocaust remembrances keep memories alive — virtually
Tamar Jacobs has for years recounted memories of living in Nazi Germany alongside family, friends and Jewish community members. This year she took part in Holocaust Remembrance Day while standing in front of a camera. Sheltering at home during COVID-19 mitigation efforts in Santa Clara County, the 91-year-old Holocaust survivor was interviewed for one of...
Surviving the pandemic: How to get into a homeless shelter in Silicon Valley
With nearly 10,000 homeless residents sleeping on Santa Clara County’s streets every night, regional leaders say they’re concerned the novel coronavirus could rapidly spread among one of the county’s most vulnerable populations. County leaders have ramped up their efforts to protect the homeless community from a massive outbreak in the South Bay, which quickly emerged as a...
Santa Clara County had the first U.S. coronavirus deaths, officials say
Santa Clara County may have had the earliest coronavirus-related deaths in the nation, pointing to weeks of the virus circulating in the county before anyone realized, according to new autopsy information revealed this week. The county’s medical examiner-coroner released data on three newly identified coronavirus cases that resulted in death dating back to February 6....
Newsom loosens stay-home order restrictions as hospitalizations stabilize
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced the state’s first step in loosening the restrictive stay-at-home order that has shut down businesses, schools and kept residents inside except for specific tasks. Hospitals that were once barred from pushing forward so-called elective surgeries, or procedures that could wait, can begin doing those operations again, Newsom said Wednesday...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: April 9 to April 22
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 6:45 p.m. April 22: Santa Clara sees rise in illegal dumping Santa Clara officials said Wednesday that the city is getting “increased reports” of residents leaving things like mattresses and other bulky household wares on public streets. The dumping comes at about the time that the city...
Silicon Valley schools scramble to close enduring gaps during COVID-19
When Bay Area schools closed overnight in mid-March, Miyuki Takeda-Bajan’s daughter couldn’t afford to take time off from her studies — she had an upcoming SAT exam and AP courses. But direction from the school district was slow to arrive. The junior at Pioneer High School in San Jose’s Blossom Valley scoured the web for free testing materials...
San Jose eviction bans leave renters more confused than confident
Renters affected by the novel coronavirus in San Jose are triple-protected from evictions through May 31, following city, county and state-passed laws stopping landlords from removing residents for not paying rent. But rather than feel protected, the separate laws have created confusion for many residents and small businesses untangling the details as record numbers of Californians...