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Santa Clara, South Bay candidates debate redistricting, racial equity, housing

Candidates for state and city government for Santa Clara debated police accountability, racial equity and voting rights on a San José Spotlight virtual forum co-moderated by Editor Ramona Giwargis and Michael Lane, the San Jose director for the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR). Seven candidates for City Council districts 1,...

Union blames lack of overtime for San Jose’s fire inspection backlog

Despite having filled nearly all of its vacant positions, San Jose’s Fire Prevention Bureau will likely fall behind in conducting fire inspections — and largely because of its failure to pay overtime. “There’s a short-term solution to try to bring down the backlog and that is to reinstate the allowance of (paid) overtime,” said Matt...

Santa Clara County supervisors pump $13 million to help people quarantine

Santa Clara County residents who are exposed or have contracted COVID-19 are getting more financial help to cover the cost of isolating and quarantining. Supervisors on Sept. 22 approved a $13 million infusion to the county’s cities to pay for motel costs, at-home support and financial assistance related to mandatory quarantine if residents get the...

San Jose lawmaker makes case for racial equity in criminal courts

As a public defender, Ash Kalra said he experienced firsthand the impact racism has had on communities of color in the court system, including jury selection, the use of racially discriminatory language and disparities in charging and sentencing. The San Jose assemblymember said his answer was to author Assembly Bill 2542, the California Racial Justice...