When a longstanding program offering grief counseling and mental health support services in the South Bay lost funding and had to shut down in December, two women who served the organization for years began making their own plans. “We wanted to figure out a way to continue doing the work,” Janet Childs, who co-founded the...
Poll gauges support for San Jose mayor running for governor
Amid reports that San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is considering a run for California governor, someone has launched an exploratory text message poll to gauge public support. The poll — which runs dozens of questions long — describes Mahan as a Democrat with a working-class background and tech credentials, according to screenshots obtained by San...
Santa Clara County nurse navigators triage non-emergency calls
As federal funding cuts put strain on Santa Clara County resources, a nurse navigator program could help buffer some of the losses and expand access to health care. The county began a pilot program in 2024 to triage 911 calls in South County and the West Valley to a nurse call center for non-medical emergencies. Nurses...
Santa Clara County buys site of future health clinic
Don’t lease — buy. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors adopted that maxim with a unanimous vote Tuesday, opting to purchase the property where the county’s new 10-story Valley Health Center campus is set to open this year on Bascom Avenue in San Jose. The health center will expand California’s second largest public hospital system with...
Wildlife corridors planned in South County’s Coyote Valley
A land preservation nonprofit and a public transit agency in Santa Clara County are creating wildlife crossings to protect animals and motorists along Coyote Valley’s busiest corridor. In response to wildlife-vehicle collisions, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), in partnership with VTA, is constructing underpasses for animals at key points along Highway 101, Monterey Road and...
Santa Clara County fights Trump in court
Santa Clara County has taken a stand against President Donald Trump in court over the last year, challenging efforts to end birthright citizenship, disrupt federal funding for not complying with Trump’s agenda and more. The county sued the federal administration nine times in 2025 — and has won favorable rulings in five cases. During Trump’s first...
Federal child care funding freeze could devastate Silicon Valley
California and four other democratic-led states are challenging the federal government’s abrupt decision to freeze billions of dollars that allow low-income families access to child care and other social services. The freeze could have a major effect on the financial health of child day care centers across Silicon Valley, with the region already struggling with...
Heart care expands to South Santa Clara County
South Santa Clara County residents with heart issues just got a better shot at lifesaving care. Officials on Wednesday announced the rollout of cardiology care at Saint Louise Hospital in Gilroy and Valley Health Center in Morgan Hill, in a region that’s historically lacked medical access across South County’s huge swaths of farmland and open...
San Jose cuts drug oversight program days after it restarts
San Jose officials have quietly killed a firefighter drug oversight program just days after reinstating it. This comes after a paramedic drug theft scandal exposed patients to tampered narcotics and sparked backlash against funding cuts that originally dissolved the initiative. The program known as Med 30 was deactivated on Dec. 21, the same month it...
Silicon Valley lawmaker could seek East Bay congressional seat
A state lawmaker representing parts of Santa Clara and Alameda counties might be angling for a congressional seat in the East Bay. Her candidacy would leave her own seat in the California Legislature up for grabs — if she decides to jump into the race. A new federal candidate filing suggests 10th District state Sen....