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UPDATE: San Jose to release mayor’s emails about advocacy group

San Jose will release emails related to Mayor Sam Liccardo’s nonprofit advocacy group after withholding the records for a year. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to grant San José Spotlight’s appeal after Liccardo advocated for the release of the records. San Jose is also considering changing its rules to better clarify the public records...

San Jose, Vietnamese residents mourn loss of community leader

The South Bay is mourning the death of a community leader who dedicated years of his life to uplifting the Vietnamese community and revitalizing downtown San Jose. Thang Do, CEO of San Jose-based architecture firm Aedis Architects and co-founding member of the Progressive Vietnamese American Organization (PIVOT), died Sunday due to health issues at the...

Los Gatos residents rally against town growth

Los Gatos residents are overall happy with their quaint upper-class town, but when is comes to growth management, sentiment darkens. Los Gatos recently conducted a community survey examining the quality of life and levels of services in town. The survey, conducted by market research company ETC Institute at a cost of $25,000, focused on where...

Loss of Gilroy Garlic Festival is a financial hit for youth groups

The loss of the Gilroy Garlic Festival brings an end to essential funding for local nonprofits and youth organizations. High insurance premiums forced the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association to discontinue the festival, leaving local groups without the once-reliable source of funding and searching for new revenue streams. Since 1979, the annual food festival has raised...

San Jose homeless advocates say sweeps solve nothing

San Jose says its multi-prong plan to manage homeless camps will improve the quality of life for both the unhoused population and general public. But advocates and lawyers say nothing in the plan will bring meaningful results as the city continues to displace people through sweeps. “The treatment of people living outside has always been terrible,”...

San Jose city workers must wear masks once again

With concerns about COVID-19 infections on the rise once more, San Jose city workers are required to wear masks for the next two weeks. The temporary measure is in place from Friday until May 20 and only affects workers at city facilities. The decision comes one month after the City Council voted to rescind the...

San Jose business tourism takes major hit

Business travel is down across the United States due to COVID-19, but San Jose is suffering worse than other major cities. Business leaders laid out the city’s rough situation at a news conference held at the San Jose Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. According to a report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), revenue from...

San Jose throws a lifeline to struggling small businesses

San Jose launched a new grant program this week to help small business owners with their back rent as a commercial eviction ban winds down over the summer. About $2.6 million in federal funds will be allocated to provide up to $15,000 in grants to small businesses or companies still reeling from the economic impacts...

After jail, Santa Clara County reentry program can change lives

By providing job training, college education and counseling, Santa Clara County has found a way to help people from getting caught in the revolving door of incarceration. With county departments on site and partnerships with community organizations, the Santa Clara County Reentry Resource Center provides a critical service in addressing recidivism. The resource center offers...