Unemployment rates across California spiked last month following record lows across the state and Silicon Valley, according to data released Friday. Santa Clara County’s unemployment rate rose to 3.3 percent last month, according to the California Employment Development Department, which handles workforce services including Unemployment Insurance. While these preliminary labor market numbers lag several weeks, that’s...
Unsung heroes of Silicon Valley: Dominique Pacolba
In the midst of a global pandemic, it’s a nerve-wracking time to be over 60. But Dominique Pacolba, recreational supervisor at Seven Trees Community Center in San Jose, is determined to bring a little positivity to seniors’ lives through her nutrition program. With a nifty drive-thru system, Seven Trees serves up to 60 meals for...
Gov. Newsom stops in Silicon Valley to announce motel rooms for homeless
Standing in front of Motel 6 in Campbell, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday announced an agreement with the chain to house the homeless during the coronavirus outbreak, and possibly beyond. This deal is part of Project Roomkey, an initiative Newsom announced two weeks ago, which seeks to identify 15,000 hotel rooms throughout the state for...
Surviving the pandemic: Can’t pay rent? Here’s what you should do
Living paycheck to paycheck works well enough until the paycheck disappears and employees are left scrambling to pay rent. That’s the reality for many Santa Clara County residents who are out of work due to the shelter-in-place restrictions spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. The immense financial need in Silicon Valley came into focus last month,...
Newsom, local officials tap business leaders to plan economic recovery
Though Californians are likely weeks away from seeing restrictions loosen around the statewide mandate to stay home due to the novel coronavirus, officials are making plans to jump-start the economy. California Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday announced a new task force to “pave the way toward a fast, safe recovery of jobs.” The Task Force on...
Santa Clara County schools leader talks transition, barriers to online learning
California’s nearly 6.3 million students and 300,000 teachers officially learned April 1 they wouldn’t return to physical classrooms this year, due to shelter in place orders mitigating the spread of the contagious coronavirus. “The decision to close schools is a painful one,” said Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Santa Clara County’s Office of Education Superintendent, who...
Major San Jose State University employer furloughs hundreds of students
Hundreds of San Jose State University students lost their on-campus jobs amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic that’s shuttered schools, businesses and forced Silicon Valley residents to stay indoors since mid-March. San Jose State became one of countless campuses across the nation to shut down following government directives to shelter-in-place. Then one of the largest private...
Planning for a ‘new normal,’ San Jose launches economic recovery council
San Jose has launched a new advisory council to help map out economic recovery in the tenth-largest U.S. city, as leaders begin mulling the region’s “new normal.” The five co-chairs of the council, announced by Mayor Sam Liccardo on Thursday, will aim to jump-start the region’s economy and help bring back the 200,000 Santa Clara...
Unsung heroes of Silicon Valley: Olympia Williams
Olympia Williams is proud to call San Jose home. As program manager of Beautify SJ in the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS), she channels her pride and passion into keeping the city clean and beautiful through trash pickups, graffiti abatement, and the like — all services that continue during the coronavirus...
San Jose leaders, residents endure the rise of ‘Zoombombings’
San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez fell victim to hackers twice in one week in a new, online harassment trend. The trend, known as “Zoombombing” is when videoconferences are interrupted by unwanted visitors, who often display pornography or slurs. It has become so pervasive, the FBI issued a warning about the harassment last month. While many...