The San Jose Police Department will be getting more military grade equipment, including projectile launchers that have been at the center of costly lawsuits, following approval by city leaders. But some local community groups are strongly opposed to the purchases, and are raising concerns over whether San Jose is trying to avoid attention on the topic. Critics say the city...
San Jose to consider paying six figures after woman crashes scooter
A woman who suffered serious facial and oral injuries when a scooter she was riding struck a broken lamp post base in downtown San Jose is set to receive a $337,500 payout from the city. The San Jose City Council will consider approving the tentative settlement agreement with Andrea Ortega at its Nov. 14 meeting....
Former San Jose mayor turns pro labor in PG&E battle
A former San Jose mayor is switching up his political allies to take on a common adversary, the west coast’s largest power utility. Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is leading a new labor-backed coalition to oppose Pacific Gas and Electric’s proposed rate hike of 18%, or nearly $39 per month. This hike is to...
Silicon Valley arts programs funnel millions into economy
Tech might be king in Silicon Valley but the economic effect of arts and culture on the region should not be brushed aside — it brings millions of dollars into Santa Clara County. The Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study showed Santa Clara County’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $384.5 million in economic activity...
California targets Apple, but Cupertino loses big
Cupertino may be forced to lay off dozens of workers, cut services and put new tax measures on the ballot to compensate for the loss of nearly $60 million likely to be ripped from its budget. California’s Department of Tax and Fee Administration is targeting tech giant Apple over how it allocates local sales taxes,...
San Jose sweeps homeless providing limited services
Mary Cruz Resendez has been living on and off the streets of San Jose since 2008. Her home for the last eight months has been at Four Corners, an encampment of about 40 people at the junction of Monterey Highway and Capitol Expressway. After struggling with addiction for years, Resendez told San José Spotlight she’s now...
Former Milpitas official wants to be mayor— again
Former Milpitas Mayor Rich Tran, 38, is vying for his old office in the November 2024 election. A Milpitas native, Tran was the first mayor to be elected without holding any official city office, winning in 2016 and reelected in 2018 and 2020. He obtained a Master’s in Public Policy degree from New York University...
San Jose college district election: What you need to know
The San Jose-Evergreen Community College District will be adding a new trustee to its board after the Nov. 7 special election. The community college district, which is governed by a seven-member board, has five candidates vying for the District Area 7 seat: Diego Barragán, Lisanna Dominguez, Stephen Eckstone, Clay Hale and Anthony Macias. The seat...
Loophole costs San Jose thousands of homes
The builder’s remedy has come to roost in San Jose, with a major project now planning to scale back by several thousand homes. One of the first significant projects to see a new application under builder’s remedy is on the San Jose Flea Market site. The developer plans to reduce the project size to 940...
San Jose mayor unveils ‘scorecards’ to track city’s progress
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan unveiled the first iteration of city “scorecards” to track progress in key areas, hoping this will serve as a model nationwide. San Jose City Council on Tuesday got its first taste of Mahan’s scorecard system and its focus areas: community safety, reducing unsheltered homelessness, cleaning up neighborhoods and blight, attracting...