With speculation swirling that California Secretary of State Alex Padilla could be selected to fill Kamala Harris’ U.S. Senate seat once she becomes vice president next month, some local politicians are lining up to potentially replace him. Five California legislators have opened exploratory committees looking into a run for secretary of state, including two South...
San Jose school board approves agreement for police on campus
The San Jose Unified School District reaffirmed its relationship with police this week despite protests from community organizers. The Board of Education on Dec. 10 unanimously approved updated terms and conditions for on-campus police “for the purpose of maintaining a safe and secure environment for students, staff and community members,” according to a Memorandum of...
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...
New Alum Rock school trustee resigns, leaving seat empty
Newly-elected Alum Rock School District Trustee Scott Hung Pham has declined to take his oath of office, leaving the district scrambling to fill the seat just weeks after he was elected. According to district documents, Pham submitted an email about his decision to district Superintendent Hilaria Bauer on Dec. 4. But many people, including those...
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...
San Jose Councilmember Sylvia Arenas tests positive for COVID-19
San Jose Councilmember Sylvia Arenas tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday after falling ill during this Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The District 8 representative posted on Facebook this morning that both she and most of her family members contracted the virus and are exhibiting “somewhat mild symptoms compared to others.” “It appears that a member of...
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...
UPDATE: San Jose details how it is spending $650 million in Measure T funds
Two years after San Jose voters passed a $650 million disaster preparedness bond, the city says it is making headway on fixing roads, preventing floods and improving emergency response times. The City Council voted unanimously to put Measure T on the 2018 ballot after dilapidated roads, mismanaged land and lack of emergency centers threatened resident...
South Bay legislators hit the ground running in new posts
New state Senator Dave Cortese and San Jose Assemblymember Alex Lee both introduced large pieces of legislation on their first day in Sacramento. On Dec. 7, within hours of beginning his post as representative of California’s Assembly District 25, Lee introduced AB 20, called the Clean Money Act. The legislation seeks to bar all businesses...