A free walk-up COVID-19 testing site opened in downtown San Jose aimed at increasing testing in communities of color. More than 200 people registered to get tested at the Antioch Baptist Church by the Roots Community Health Center, an organization founded in Oakland that aims “to uplift those impacted by systemic inequities and poverty” according...
Surviving earthquakes, recessions and Amazon, San Jose bookstore asks for community’s help
After surviving the Loma Prieta Earthquake, Great Recession and advent of Amazon, Hicklebee’s bookstore in Willow Glen is facing its next great challenge with the global COVID-19 pandemic. The 41-year-old San Jose literary institution is calling for the community’s help with a GoFundMe page that has already received more than 1,000 donors in just more...
Goodwill opens two San Jose stores to walk-in customers
With added safety measures in place such as required face coverings and daily employee temperature checks, Goodwill of Silicon Valley is now letting customers inside two of its San Jose stores. The nonprofit thrift store chain, which includes 18 stores in the Silicon Valley region, opened its Willow Glen and Alum Rock locations earlier this...
San Jose leader unveils task force to tackle COVID-19 racial disparities
San Jose City Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco alongside regional leaders at a virtual meeting Thursday announced the creation of a new task force aimed at tackling the disproportionate number of growing coronavirus cases among the region’s minorities. Carrasco was joined by Assemblymember Kansen Chu of Milpitas, Stephanie Kleinheinz, a nurse practitioner and CEO of School Health Clinics...
Demand for food assistance soars in Silicon Valley during COVID-19 lockdown
James Foster lined up at the Di Lac Temple in San Jose, waiting for a hot meal, fresh groceries and face masks. Foster’s wife lost her job as a therapist during the pandemic and his relative who supported them financially recently died. “We’re hurting … These folks provide a life-saving service, especially for someone my age,” said...
Pools to remain closed in Santa Clara County amid heat wave
As a heat wave sizzles across the South Bay, those hoping to cool off by dipping into a public swimming pool must wait a little longer. While the county this week opened cooling centers to provide temporary relief, Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody on Wednesday said public pools will remain closed...
COVID-19 pushes tele-health forward in Silicon Valley as virus holds patients back
Even in tech-heavy Silicon Valley, COVID-19 has pushed people and companies to embrace technology in new ways, a trend also true in health care as tele-health visits soar, making medical care more accessible for some. At Stanford Children’s Health, hospital administrators have been working on developing and increasing the use of its digital health program....
San Jose leaders propose sweeping cuts to public safety to close gaping budget hole
With San Jose’s income streams being ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, city leaders are considering shaving more than $10 million off public safety in next year’s budget. The cuts would affect the hiring of police officers and firefighters, reduce access to community services, and delay the expansion of a long-awaited fire station in the city’s...
Santa Clara County extends eviction moratorium, approves COVID-19 cost tracker and outreach
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to extend a temporary moratorium on evictions for people who can’t pay rent due to the pandemic. The county’s moratorium, which was set to expire Sunday, will now be extended until Aug. 31 under a proposal authored by Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Joe Simitian. “The Santa...
Santa Clara County poll places public health over the economy
When forced to choose between public health or the economy, the majority of Santa Clara County residents surveyed in a new poll said they’re more concerned about public health — despite the county’s shelter-in-place order ravaging local businesses. The poll, conducted from May 14 to May 18, surveyed 1,000 randomly selected county residents by telephone,...