Milpitas is seeking an order against its former city manager to stop him from leaking information prior to a trial, the latest saga in an ongoing legal battle. Last December, ousted City Manager Steve McHarris filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Milpitas, accusing city officials of intimidation and unethical behavior — including Mayor Carmen Montano. The city denied wrongdoing and hired...
Suspected overdose deaths add up at Milpitas apartments
People with drug and alcohol problems have for years found refuge at a long-term homeless housing program known as Hillview Court in Milpitas. But for an alarming number of them, the promise of stability and support has led to death. Residents have rung warning bells for more than a year about frequent fatal overdoses where...
Familiar face withdraws from Milpitas mayor’s race
Long-time Milpitas politico Rich Tran is bowing out of his run for mayor, citing schedule conflicts as he works on launching a tech startup. He joined the race late last year after waiting to run again, since mayors can only serve six consecutive years and officials who serve their maximum term limits must wait two...
Milpitas mayor celebrates city’s 70 years of growth
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Milpitas’ incorporation, and Mayor Carmen Montano celebrated its history and future in her State of the City speech. Her message focused on the city’s history of agriculture and industry, as well as recent investments in affordable housing, public safety, transportation and economic development. Montano said looking at the...
Milpitas police launch transparency website
Milpitas residents can review police data on crimes and other incidents with the launch of a new digital dashboard. The city’s police information dashboard came online Friday. It houses crime data, the department’s annual reports and officer misconduct information. Residents can also use the website to learn more about the department’s policies and demographics. “I...
Milpitas launches rent relief program for local workers
Some Milpitas residents are about to get a break on rent, as the city pushes to address the affordability crisis. Milpitas’ workforce rent relief program will give up to 50 households $645 a month to help supplement rent for up to two years, prioritizing low-income residents who live and work in the city. The program,...
The Biz Beat: Jun Bistro in Milpitas offers natural fusion of Chinese cuisine
The recently opened Jun Bistro in Milpitas has its improbable origins in co-owner Amy Duan’s “Chihuo” — slang for “foodie” in Mandarin — a Chinese-language food blog that currently boasts more than 1.8 million followers and a full-time staff. “I didn’t realize it at the time,” she told San José Spotlight, “but I was using...
Milpitas denies wrongdoing in city manager lawsuit
Milpitas is denying wrongdoing in an ongoing legal dispute with its former city manager, and has started investigating claims made in a wide-ranging lawsuit. A wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former City Manager Steve McHarris in December laid out several accusations of incompetence, unethical behavior and intimidation by city officials including the mayor. In a...
Milpitas to survey residents about extending sales tax
Milpitas is hoping to hold on to a revenue stream dedicated toward city services and keep its budget from falling into the red. The Milpitas City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a resident survey to gauge support for a ballot measure this November that would extend Measure F, a citywide quarter-cent sales tax which sunsets...
Milpitas city workers threaten to strike
Milpitas employees are preparing for a potential strike after months of failed contract negotiations with the city. Two of the city’s employee unions — Pro-Tech and the Milpitas Employees Association (MEA), representing about 146 workers across multiple departments — have been negotiating a new contract since last April. The previous contract expired on July 1, 2023....