Although Santa Clara County was one of the first in the nation to create a behavioral health court, criminal offenders with mental health and drug problems sit in jail for months before getting treatment. That could change this week. County officials on Monday launched a pilot program with a separate court calendar that could fast-track...
San Jose leaders push Proposition 36 as critics fight back
A coalition of elected officials that Gov. Gavin Newsom dismissed as “just a couple mayors,” is raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to reverse lenient rules on retail and drug crimes. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan announced the “Yes on 36” ballot measure committee with Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and Sacramento...
San Jose officials want rebate for electric leaf blowers
Advocates and politicians have worked for years to ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in San Jose. A new incentive could be the answer. Although the state has banned the purchase of new gas leaf blowers as of this year, the city is pushing to get existing gas-operated leaf blowers out of circulation. The program...
Sunnyvale officials delay vote to ban artificial turf
The debate between using artificial turf or natural grass on government-owned athletic fields in Sunnyvale has been pushed into the future, leaving environmental activists and youth sports groups in limbo. The Sunnyvale City Council declined to decide on banning artificial turf after a 4-2 vote, with Mayor Larry Klein and Councilmember Richard Mehlinger dissenting and...
East San Jose gets funds to clean lake
Arvind Kumar and his husband Ashok Jethanandani spend their Saturday mornings pulling weeds and protecting plants native to California, but not in their yard at home. Instead, they’ve spent the last 20 years volunteering at Lake Cunningham Park in their East San Jose neighborhood — working to undo years of neglect and unsafe water. For...
Silicon Valley schools implement cell phone restrictions
San Jose schools are limiting cell phone use during classes in an effort to steer students away from the ongoing stress of screen time toward better academic performance and wellness. In response to students distracted from learning by social media, texts and notifications, local schools are stepping up cell phone policies. This follows State Superintendent...
San Jose congressional candidate hit with federal complaint
A federal elections complaint against state Assemblymember Evan Low is intensifying Silicon Valley’s hottest congressional race and putting attention on the political role of nonprofits. A complaint filed over the weekend by former Federal Elections Commission Chair Ann Ravel alleges Low, who is running for Congressional District 16, used the email server and contact list...
San Jose could lose thousands of trees to invasive beetle
An invasive beetle killing a dramatic number of Southern California trees has found its way to San Jose — and it could threaten the urban forest that shades and cools Silicon Valley. Santa Clara County officials aren’t sure when or how the species, known as the shothole borer beetle, arrived in San Jose. The non-native...
Santa Clara County to buy Regional Medical Center
After months of fighting to save Regional Medical Center’s services, Santa Clara County leaders figured out how to stop the owner of the hospital from gutting them: they plan to buy it. County officials today announced their intent to buy the hospital from HCA Healthcare, the nation’s largest hospital corporation, for $175 million. County Executive...
San Jose officials juggle transit design with city disruption
Silicon Valley transportation leaders are closer than ever to turning San Jose’s doorstep into one of the West Coast’s largest mass transit hubs. They just have to come up with billions to pay for it and get residents on board with the ongoing effects of major construction over the next few decades. The San Jose...