Low pay, heavy workloads and unprecedented worker shortages: that’s the reality facing mental health professionals at one of the largest behavioral health providers in Santa Clara County. Dressed in purple shirts and carrying signs, more than 50 members of SEIU Local 521 rallied Wednesday in front of Momentum for Health’s headquarters in San Jose. They’re demanding...
How can San Jose schools address active shooter fears?
As more families learn to live with the daily threat of school shootings, San Jose residents are pushing to address campus violence before tragedy strikes. A Pew Research Center study released last week reveals nearly two-thirds of parents worry about their children’s safety at school. The study shows 32% of parents are extremely concerned about potential...
Santa Clara County lags on homeless count
Nearly nine months after volunteers finished surveying the local unhoused population, Santa Clara County is blaming a technical issue for delaying its release of a comprehensive survey of homeless residents. Santa Clara County conducted a biennial tally known as the “point in time” count in February to fulfill a federal requirement to receive funding. Officials published the...
San Jose adds cameras to surveil illegal park work
San Jose has installed two surveillance cameras in Alviso to watch over a vacant plot of city land, following residents taking matters into their own hands for a long-planned park. The cameras mark an escalation in the city’s cold war with resident Mark Espinoza, who along with his son Marcos and other volunteers, have been illegally...
UPDATE: Will Silicon Valley water official face discipline for abuse of power?
The governing body of Santa Clara County’s largest water supplier will not decide whether to discipline one of its own members found to have abused his power until at least election day. An independent investigation determined Gary Kremen, a Valley Water board member up for reelection in November, violated several district policies when he bullied,...
San Jose leaders mum on LA politician’s racism scandal
President Joe Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other top leaders are calling on Los Angeles councilmembers to resign amid a racist scandal, some in San Jose are silent. South Bay advocates say it is surprising local leaders have not condemned those involved in the LA scandal—especially because one of those involved has familial and political...
Santa Clara County races to stop fentanyl overdoses
For one Santa Clara County supervisor, the fight against fentanyl addiction is personal. About a year ago, Supervisor Otto Lee lost a 29-year-old cousin to an overdose. Lee describes him as being bright and energetic. “It’s just very sad,” he told San José Spotlight. “It was truly an awakening moment for me.” Fentanyl-related deaths in...
Silicon Valley school board races focus on mental health, drugs
Santa Clara County school board candidates zeroed in on student mental health and substance use at a recent community-hosted forum. Dozens of attendees turned out for a virtual forum last week organized by the African American Community Services Agency, SOMOS Mayfair, Vietnamese American Roundtable, Jewish Community Relations Council of Silicon Valley and Latinos United for...
San Jose hired firefighter accused of misconduct
San Jose this summer hired a firefighter recruit about three years after he lost his paramedic license for trying to initiate an inappropriate relationship with a patient, raising serious questions about the city’s hiring process for public safety workers. Brian Turner, 32, was hired by San Jose on June 26 as a firefighter recruit —...
Silicon Valley officials lead investigation of political ally
Two elected officials in Silicon Valley are investigating one of their colleagues for alleged misconduct after endorsing and donating to his campaign. It’s a move other officials say is a clear conflict of interest. Santa Clara Valley Water Board directors Barbara Keegan and Linda LeZotte told San José Spotlight that directors Tony Estremera and John Varela...