Santa Clara County health officials are preparing for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine — which could be within two weeks — with a detailed plan to store, deliver and distribute it. “We have to be prepared for whatever comes out. We can’t be deciding on what to do with them once we’re told which...
San Jose mayor apologizes for violating COVID-19 guidelines at Thanksgiving dinner
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo violated state public health regulations by attending a Thanksgiving dinner at his parents’ house alongside four other households. An updated state requirement issued Nov. 13 prohibits Californians from hosting private gatherings with more than three households, although it does not limit the number of people at a private gathering. The...
San Jose to vote on extending natural gas ban
Eyeing an all-electric future, the San Jose City Council will vote Dec. 1 on whether to expand its existing natural gas ban to include new commercial developments. San Jose’s current ordinance, passed by lawmakers last year, bans natural gas in new residential buildings including single-family homes, low-rise apartments and condos — but incoming office and...
Santa Clara Unified, San Jose in nearly $5 million dispute over development fees
A project to build a massive school complex in San Jose is at the center of an almost $5 million dispute between the Santa Clara Unified School District and the city. At issue is $4.87 million that the school district paid the city for “traffic impact mitigation fees” related to construction at the Agnews School...
Santa Clara County sees 760 new COVID-19 cases, increases restrictions
Despite increased pleas and restrictions for people to stay home over the past two weeks, Santa Clara County’s case rate and hospitalizations are even worse after the first two days of Thanksgiving weekend. As of Nov. 28, health officials tallied 760 new COVID-19 cases within 24 hours, a new record for the county. Hospitals have...
How right-wing extremism moved into mainstream America
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Proud Boys were treated with deference as they walked along the capital’s streets earlier this month during the Million MAGA March. A handful of other attendees asked the group if they would pose for photos — the members happily obliged — while others cheered when they saw the pack approaching in...
Santa Clara County sees record 512 COVID-19 cases in single day, issues 76 business fines
Santa Clara County tallied a record 512 COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period the day before Thanksgiving, and wasted no time cracking down on businesses violating health orders. As of Nov. 27, Santa Clara County had 32,985 COVID-19 cases and 476 deaths. In addition, 222 people were hospitalized with the virus. Of these, 68 were...
Pavement conditions, safety concerns blamed for drop in trail use in San Jose
When Liz Sewell moved to the area, she said she marveled at the number of trails San Jose has close to downtown. Sewell, the city’s trail manager, came to the South Bay from Philadelphia, a city that’s quickly transformed itself into a bike-friendly community. But she said San Jose’s push to encourage more biking across the city, particularly for commuting, interested...
Alarming spike of fentanyl deaths reported in Santa Clara County
Fentanyl deaths are on the rise in Santa Clara County, striking both young and old. As of early this month, Santa Clara County has recorded more fentanyl-related deaths than there were in all of 2019. Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Michelle Jorden said there are even more deaths under investigation that are likely to...
Businesses to face immediate fines for violating COVID-19 rules in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County businesses that violate COVID-19 safety protocols over Thanksgiving weekend will face immediate fines as health officials struggle to control the spread of COVID-19. Unlike before, businesses will have no grace period to fix the violation if they are cited Nov. 26 to Nov. 29. Individual fines range from $250 to more than...