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Despite San Jose’s lofty goal to reduce its carbon footprint, City Hall is eliminating a program that incentivizes people to drive electric vehicles. The city’s clean air parking permit program that provides free parking for electric vehicles at city-owned parking lots and on-street parking meters, is sunsetting at the end of June. The program began in 2001. But...
Should your child get a COVID vaccine? Santa Clara County officials answer FAQs
After years of anxiously awaiting their turn, parents can now give their infants the COVID-19 vaccine — but many questions remain about getting the jab. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week approved vaccinations for children ages six months to 5 years old, but some parents remain unsure. Questions range from side effects to...
Latest effort to help homeless Silicon Valley students: Guaranteed income
Homeless high school students in Santa Clara County may soon receive an income lifeline. State Sen. Dave Cortese is working to bring guaranteed income to local homeless high school seniors through a pilot program, after a similar bill, SB 1341, failed in the state Legislature. He’s asked Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg to help...
New leadership coming to this powerful San Jose commission
One of San Jose’s most important legislative bodies will begin its next term with new leadership. The San Jose Planning Commission, a powerful panel that oversees development and advises lawmakers on the city’s planning policies, will add two new members. The City Council is expected to approve the appointments on Tuesday. Chair Rolando Bonilla is terming...
Tiny homes are coming, whether San Jose lawmakers like it or not
Tiny homes in San Jose are being hailed as a fix to a growing homelessness crisis. But two policymakers are saying the sites in their districts won’t work. The City Council this week voted 8-2 to approve a plan that would add 400 transitional homes, as the region’s housing crisis continues to push more people...
A San Jose temple’s latest adversary? A former planning commissioner
A former city commissioner is behind a new push to stop a Sikh temple from expanding in a suburban San Jose neighborhood — but his attempts, like many before it, have failed. Jim Zito, who sat on the San Jose Planning Commission and unsuccessfully ran for City Council in 2020, filed an appeal in April to...
What the overturning of Roe v. Wade means for Silicon Valley
The outrage is palpable with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but women in Santa Clara County will not be impacted. “Absolutely nothing is changing,” Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez told San José Spotlight. “In fact, not only are we continuing services, but we’re going to be expanding them.” On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court...
San Jose refreshes its approach to abandoned vehicles
The San Jose Department of Transportation has recalibrated its approach to vehicle towing. Post-pandemic, the Parking Compliance Unit of the transportation department is working smarter in how it responds to public reports. New policy prioritizes cases based on a vehicle’s condition and likelihood to be towed. Reports of abandoned, non-working vehicles will be investigated over...
Probable monkeypox infection reported in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County is investigating a possible case of monkeypox, a rare disease that has some on edge two years into the COVID-19 pandemic. A resident who recently returned to the area after traveling abroad has preliminarily tested positive for monkeypox virus, county officials said late Thursday. The Stanford Clinical Virology Lab confirmed it tested the case...
County commission rejects plan to demolish old San Jose City Hall
A proposal to demolish San Jose’s former City Hall has encountered resistance from a county commission and local preservationists. The Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission voted unanimously last week against an application to demolish the old City Hall at 801 N. 1st St. The recommendation will be referred to the Board of Supervisors, which will make...
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