San Jose will spend millions to upgrade dirty and dilapidated elevators at three downtown parking garages. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a $4.5 million contract yesterday to refurbish 11 elevators at three city-owned parking garages. About half are more than 50 years old, with two built in 1965. The typical lifespan for elevator...
UPDATE: San Jose offers to reevaluate police reforms
San Jose leaders are reopening talks on the status of hundreds of proposed police reforms to ensure they are swiftly addressed and true to their original intent. The goal is to broker a meeting between city officials and advocates pushing to modernize policing in San Jose in the next month, said Peter Hamilton, an assistant...
Silicon Valley community colleges could see enrollment bump
After years of declining enrollment due to the pandemic, community colleges across California are considering a new approach to attract more students—enrolling students before they even graduate high school. California Community College Chancellor Sonya Christian is proposing a three-pronged course of action to encourage enrollment, as reported in the Los Angeles Times last week. It...
San Jose political divide snarls mayor’s plans
The power dynamic between San Jose’s two political factions is shifting. For the first time in years, labor has the upper hand over business interests—and some believe it’ll stay that way. The political fight over raises for city workers ended earlier this month in what was presented as a united victory between the San Jose City...
Santa Clara mayor sent confidential report to private email
A day after Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor received a confidential report lambasting her political enemies, she forwarded it from her city account to her personal email. One legal expert says it raises questions about her intentions and whether she leaked the secret document—a charge that has landed her political rival in court. This news...
San Diego, Hawaii, San Jose? Top cities for babymooning
San Jose is home to many tourist attractions—whether it’s strolling through the famous rose garden or playing with gadgets at the Tech Interactive — but a new study has named the city as one of the best places to squeeze in a last vacation for soon-to-be parents. San Jose ranks No. 11 in top places...
How much are the top San Jose employees paid?
As San Jose braces for budget deficits in the coming year, the city broke its record in employee compensation last year with 63 employees earning an annual salary of more than $400,000. Of the top 100 highest-paid city employees, 93 work in public safety—69 in the police department and 24 in the fire department. The only...
San Jose closing the digital divide one home at a time
San Jose leaders are delivering resources directly to residents’ front doors to help close the digital divide. Mayor Matt Mahan and Congressman Jimmy Panetta canvassed around Edenvale in South San Jose today, where a third of residents could qualify for a federal program that subsidizes Wi-Fi bills by $30 a month. There are 30,000 households in...
Santa Clara County helps Salvation Army add housing
A long-standing homeless shelter north of downtown San Jose is planning an expansion and Santa Clara County officials are hoping to coordinate support for the project. The Salvation Army’s Emmanuel House shelter at its 359 N. Fourth St. campus is set to grow from 70 beds to 112 during a 10-month renovation project slated for...
Police shooting hits home for San Jose legislator
Assemblymember Evan Low, like other San Jose residents, first heard of yesterday’s officer-involved shooting on the news. Then he received a phone call from his older brother, Officer Ryan Low, 42, who’s been with the San Jose Police Department for eight years. “(He said) ‘I’m involved in an incident, I can’t tell you any more, talk...