License plate reading cameras are about to become more common along Silicon Valley roadways. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved an expansion of license plate reading cameras, adding coverage of unincorporated county areas that have not been annexed into neighboring cities. The expansion was approved without funding, which the Santa...
How to participate in Cupertino City Council meetings
An easy way to keep up with your local community is to stay up to date with your city’s public meetings. In a 2022 reader survey, San José Spotlight readers told us they wanted to be more civically engaged and involved in local policymaking. Last year, we compiled guides on how to engage with public...
San Jose leaders approve new wage theft policy for builders
Construction workers could soon gain an additional layer of protection in San Jose, as city leaders supported new rules to limit wage theft violators from completing development projects. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a “responsible construction ordinance” plan Tuesday that prevents builders from receiving a certificate of occupancy from the city for projects...
Santa Clara County won’t appeal 49ers tax break ruling
A yearslong debate over whether the 49ers should be allowed a multimillion-dollar property tax break for Levi’s Stadium has come to a close. Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone says he will not appeal a recent Superior Court ruling that upheld a decision to significantly reduce the tax burden associated with the stadium for the...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County caps spending for district projects
In light of looming budget challenges, Santa Clara County supervisors will cap how much money they give to various organizations in their districts. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors today voted to cap community spending per district at $1 million. They also directed county employees to come back at a future meeting with options...
San Jose State faculty back to work as agreement ends statewide walkout
Striking San Jose State University faculty stood in the rain in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on Monday demanding fair wages, and by late last night a tentative deal was reached. After one day, the California State University strike across 23 campuses was over. The California Faculty Association and CSU management agreed...
Sunnyvale homeless resource fair draws a crowd
Sirina Paras was temporarily evicted from her home last year, and a Sunnyvale nonprofit put her up in a motel room and helped her navigate the eviction. Paras said she is grateful for the help of Sunnyvale Community Services (SCS). The 73-year-old Sunnyvale resident said she was initially evicted because a neighbor claimed she had...
Cupertino plans safety improvements for major thoroughfare
One of Cupertino’s busiest streets is on the road to becoming safer. Cupertino is receiving more than $425,600 to increase safety on Bollinger Road through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The city will match the grant with more than $106,000 from its general fund, in conjunction with San...
A historic election could split Silicon Valley’s Vietnamese voters
Little Saigon may be on the precipice of electing its first-ever Vietnamese American to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and a potential key voice in decisions on homelessness, mental health services and law enforcement spending. The two candidates seen as frontrunners in the race for the District 2 seat are Vietnamese American women: Betty...
San Jose makes a ‘mistake’ with overzealous citations, mayor says
San Jose resident Katie Wyatt’s house was full. With six people home for Christmas, including her mom and a cousin from Jamaica, she decided to store her exercise bike on her porch, with a dresser off to the side for shoes taken off before entering the house. She never expected a $250 fine from the...