Surrounded by patio heaters and tables filled with patrons dining on Mexican food, a three-person mariachi band played under the tent canopy outside Mendoza’s Taqueria in San Jose on Sunday – the last day of the year restaurants could seat people under Santa Clara County’s most recent health order. “I’m going to miss watching them...
Santa Clara County fines hospitals for failing to comply with COVID-19 testing order
Santa Clara County has issued more than $40,000 in fines to private health systems for failing to comply with its coronavirus testing order. HCA Healthcare’s Regional Medical Center in San Jose was fined $22,750 for failing to adequately notify patients of their right to a COVID-19 test. An enforcement officer inspected the center Oct. 20,...
Congress considering $908 billion COVID-19 relief package
WASHINGTON, D.C — A bipartisan group of senators unveiled a $908 billion coronavirus relief proposal this week as millions of Americans continue to grapple with the ramifications of the pandemic. Among other provisions, the plan designates approximately $288 billion for small businesses and $160 billion for local and state governments. It would also provide a...
Santa Clara County issues COVID-19 stay-at-home order
Health officials around the Bay Area accelerated a stay-at-home order that starts this weekend for most of the region, including Santa Clara County. The order goes into effect at 10 p.m. Dec. 6 and lasts until Jan. 4. It enacts the same restrictions as the state order, requiring all nonessential operations to shut down with...
White House report: Santa Clara County among highest in state with COVID-19 cases
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest warning of another stay-at-home order comes on the heels of a White House coronavirus report advising California to implement more restrictions to slow the recent surge of COVID-19. The state overall had 76,738 new cases, or 194 new cases per 100,000 residents, with 49.5 percent occurring in the...
San Jose clears homeless camp despite concerns over COVID-19
San Jose started dismantling a homeless encampment this week to make way for an upcoming trail renovation, flouting health recommendations and stoking fears the action will lead to the spread of COVID-19. While placing people in housing is the best option, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends allowing people in encampments to stay...
California to face another lockdown if ICU units fill up
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state will go under a mandatory stay-at-home order for regions where available intensive care unit capacity falls below 15%. “The bottom line is if we don’t act now our hospital system will be overwhelmed,” Newsom said. “If we don’t act now we’ll continue to see more lives lost.” State health...
Free parking and to-go alcohol among ideas to keep business alive in downtown San Jose
A coalition of more than 55 San Jose businesses is pushing local and state policy recommendations to help the once-thriving downtown core survive the pandemic. Lawmakers at the city’s Rules and Open Government Committee voted unanimously Dec. 2 to bring 15 new policy recommendations to the San Jose City Council for discussion and approval. “As...
Santa Clara County unveils COVID-19 vaccine plan as hospitalizations hit records
With COVID-19 vaccines potentially arriving in Santa Clara County within weeks, health officials released their plans for distribution amid a backdrop of record-setting hospitalizations. The plans submitted to California detail how the county has assembled a task force composed of Santa Clara County health system hospitals, Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente, Palo Alto Medical Foundation and...
San Jose bans natural gas in new commercial buildings
San Jose became the largest city in the country to ban natural gas in commercial buildings, but its plan to keep businesses running during a power outage was criticized by activists and lawmakers. The City Council voted 8-3 on Dec. 1 to approve the ban but in the wake of a public health crisis and...