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After a disgruntled employee killed her husband more than two months ago, Terra Fritch wanted retribution. With the shooter dead she could only take money from his estate and pension through a lawsuit. But she quickly found her way blocked. “Every lawyer I talked to said by the time we get a conviction, and then...
These San Jose nonprofits received the most PPP loan money
The federal Paycheck Protection Program awarded roughly $122 million to more than 360 nonprofits in San Jose this past year to weather the pandemic, according to recent data from the Small Business Administration. As COVID-19 shuttered social gatherings and in-person services, local nonprofit leaders said the loans were vital to prevent layoffs and cuts to programming. “Getting...
San Jose Planning Commission gains equity with more members
The San Jose Planning Commission added four additional members in July following community demand for diversity and citywide representation. Rolando Bonilla, chair of the commission, says the change is needed and a long time coming. “The city of San Jose, the largest city in the Bay Area, needed to set an example of how to...
Some San Jose public workers to see wage increase
After months of negotiations with San Jose, some city employees are one step closer to receiving higher wages for the upcoming year. Municipal Employee’s Federation (MEF) 101 President Steven Solorio told San José Spotlight that union leaders and the city recently agreed to a 3.25% wage increase for the first year of a two-year contract....
Study: San Jose children near Reid-Hillview Airport exposed to high lead levels
Lead levels at the Reid-Hillview Airport in East San Jose are dangerously high for children in the surrounding area, according to a report issued by the county. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors commissioned the lead study in 2020 using 17,000 blood samples collected between 2011 and 2020 from children living near the airport....
San Jose mayor’s private emails spark response from watchdogs, attorney
A San Francisco law firm and a free speech advocacy group are demanding San Jose City Hall release emails from the mayor’s private account after San José Spotlight reported on his attempt to skirt public records law last month. Prominent San Francisco media attorney Karl Olson and the First Amendment Coalition separately have filed two public records...
San Jose City Hall reopens, in-person meetings resume
After almost 17 months, San Jose City Hall reopened Monday—but you’ll need a mask to step inside, even if you’re vaccinated. Also Monday, the Martin Luther King Jr. Library reopened its doors after shuttering in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All visitors to a city building, including libraries and community centers, must wear a mask regardless...
Masks will be required indoors in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County and seven other Bay Area counties have issued a new health order requiring masks indoors in public places. The mandate applies to everyone regardless of vaccination status. Officials announced the health order during a news conference on Monday. The order, which takes effect midnight on Tuesday, applies to most public settings, with...
Exiled Santa Clara County deputy DA considers running for office
Prosecutor Daniel Chung has excoriated Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen in print, and now he wants to take his job. Chung, a deputy district attorney on paid administrative leave, is strongly considering entering the 2022 race for Santa Clara County District Attorney. He told San José Spotlight that he intends to make a...
Housing assistance hard to obtain in Santa Clara County
When the city evicted a group of tenants from a cluster of mobile homes in south San Jose, Santa Clara County put them up in a hotel within a day. Getting this treatment doesn’t come easy, though—you pretty much need to have your house condemned. That’s what happened to several individuals who lost their homes...