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A Santa Clara County supervisor wants the government to take control of a controversial cement quarry near Cupertino. Supervisor Joe Simitian said the county must find a way to acquire the Lehigh Permanente Quarry and Cement Plant property during a Thursday news conference. Simitian is introducing a referral to the full Board of Supervisors on Feb. 15...
San Jose flood victims await relief five years later
San Jose residents who suffered through a disastrous flood enjoyed a significant courtroom victory just weeks before the five-year anniversary of the catastrophe that upended their lives. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Sunil Kulkarni struck down a motion for summary judgment on Jan. 27 filed by Valley Water. The district filed its motion in...
Santa Clara County leaders to review mining company violations
Residents and elected leaders are applauding the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for taking steps to shed light on the complete record of violations at the only cement manufacturer in the Bay Area. The board voted unanimously last week on a referral from Supervisor Joe Simitian to create a report documenting all violations relating...
Troubled restrooms in North San Jose park finally open year-round
Neglected public restrooms in an overlooked part of San Jose are finally getting attention from the city. City workers recently opened the restrooms in Alviso Park next to the public swimming pool. Councilmember David Cohen, whose district includes the park, told San José Spotlight the restrooms have been mostly closed to the public for the...
Santa Clara County petition sparks EPA inquiry of leaded aviation fuel
Santa Clara County officials and advocates are rejoicing as the federal government agrees to reassess the use of leaded aviation gasoline nationwide. During a news conference Wednesday, County Counsel James Williams announced the Environmental Protection Agency approved a petition from the county and several environmental organizations to evaluate whether leaded fuel used by airplanes is...
San Jose extends Coyote Creek Trail, adds patrol program
In an effort to encourage residents to use a new section of the Coyote Creek Trail, San Jose is partnering with Valley Water to start a police patrol around the area that was once the region’s largest homeless encampment. The patrol program, which costs $800,000, is part of the city’s new safety plan for the...
State law changes what Silicon Valley residents can throw away
Scraping food off your plate into the trash just become a no-no in more Santa Clara County cities as of 2022. California’s new composting law ushered by Senate Bill 1383 aims to fight climate change by reducing methane emissions created by organic material in landfills. The bill requires a 75% reduction in organic waste disposal...
FAA to investigate Santa Clara County leaded fuel ban at airports
The Federal Aviation Administration has started a formal investigation into Santa Clara County’s policy to ban the sale of leaded fuel at its airports starting Jan. 1. In a letter sent to the county on Thursday, the FAA said it will investigate to determine whether the policy is a violation of the United States Constitution and...
Santa Clara County shields Coyote Valley from development
Climate advocates and conservationists are praising Santa Clara County lawmakers for creating protections for one of the last green open spaces in the South Bay. The Board of Supervisors voted last week to drastically limit development in Coyote Valley, preserving it for open space and agriculture and helping the region achieve climate change goals. “I commit...
How San Jose plans to be carbon neutral in nine years
San Jose pledged to go carbon neutral by 2030, but the feasibility of this ambitious goal is still up in the air. The City Council voted unanimously to approve the pledge on Nov. 9. To be carbon neutral, the city needs to either offset all carbon emissions to reach a net-zero, or eliminate carbon emissions...