Environment

Environment

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A woman working with plants at a public park in San Jose

San Jose parks face budget cuts amid ongoing work backlog

San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services continues to wrestle with budget cuts and backlogs, and the upcoming year isn’t going to be easy. The city is facing a projected 2025-26 budget deficit of $35.6 million — and the parks department won’t go unscathed. The budget is expected to decrease park funding by $2.8 million...

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A man wearing a hat looks out on a grassy field

Silicon Valley nonprofit’s purchase furthers Coyote Valley legacy

A multimillion-dollar purchase of 207 acres by the Peninsula Open Space Trust adds a critical safety facet to the preservation of  Coyote Valley in South County. The $5.5 million purchase of a former dairy farm by the nonprofit protects the northwestern ridge of Coyote Valley from future development. Coyote Valley, which provides wildlife connectivity between...

Santa Clara County leaf blower ban dropped over ICE fears

A discussion among Santa Clara County supervisors on everyday gardening tools this week morphed into concerns about immigration witch hunts. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously axed Board President Otto Lee’s proposal for banning the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in unincorporated neighborhoods. Other supervisors worried the law would send a message encouraging residents...

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San Jose parks advocates rallied outside City Hall on April 15, 2025 ahead of a City Council discussion over a potential ballot measure benefiting parks funding, with one man standing in front of a podium surrounded by supporters.

San Jose officials weigh ballot measure for maintaining parks

San Jose’s most passionate parks advocates say city leaders need to create a new stream of funding to address the multimillion-dollar maintenance backlog and ongoing disparity in park quality for residents who live in areas like East San Jose. On Tuesday, the San Jose City Council revisited the idea of a 2026 ballot measure that...

Cupertino app augments reality at nature preserve

Cupertino residents can now tour one of the city’s most historic nature preserves using augmented reality — a unique blend of a city known for its cutting-edge technology and agricultural roots. Cupertino recently soft-launched an augmented reality app, Cupertino McClellan Ranch, with the goal of teaching users about the 18-acre historic McClellan Ranch Preserve. The...

What happens to South County firefighters as district dissolves?

A fight over fire response in South County has sparked threats of service disruptions and put firefighter jobs in flux. Citing years of financial struggle and fragmented emergency response, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Jan. 14 to begin dissolving the fiscally insolvent South County Fire District. The decision will end an...