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San Jose kids could get COVID shots in a few days

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID-19 shots for children ages 5 to 11, opening the way to vaccination for approximately 167,000 children in Santa Clara County. A CDC advisory committee voted Tuesday to recommend the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children. The agency’s director, Rochelle Walensky, has final approval, which experts...

UPDATE: San Jose delays vote on COVID-related funds

Millions of dollars in federal funds for emergency housing and food services still hang in the balance for San Jose. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to delay plans to give out COVID-related funds from the federal government. Nearly $40 million from the city’s $212 million American Rescue Plan money may go to...

San Jose school districts struggle to find teachers

The lack of full-time and substitute teachers in San Jose schools remains problematic even as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes. Several San Jose school districts have elected to increase substitute teacher pay, and one created a new position to fill teaching holes left by the pandemic. Even those incentives are failing to attract educators back into...

Thousands of San Jose residents behind on water bills

The number of San Jose homes and businesses with overdue water bills spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many could see their taps run dry when the state ban on water shutoffs ends in December. At least 1,160 customers have unpaid bills totaling a combined $1.1 million with the San Jose Municipal Water System as...

San Jose high school locks bathrooms due to vaping

Some South Bay parents are enraged after a San Jose school closed several on-campus bathrooms because of vaping.  Administrators at Willow Glen High School temporarily closed four restrooms citing “inappropriate use” of the facilities throughout the day.  They informed parents in a letter this week that the closures will allow officials to monitor the remaining...

Domestic violence increased in San Jose during COVID pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated an already invisible problem—domestic violence. When shelter-in-place orders went into effect in early 2020, the situation for San Jose victims of domestic abuse and intimate partner violence trapped them. They were unable to reach out for help, according to YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley CEO Adriana Caldera. The shelter-in-place orders...