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A Black Lives Matter mural spanning three blocks of San Jose sidewalk is still standing despite being painted illegally — and the city’s mayor wants to keep it. “I’d be happy to leave the mural right where it is actually, in my neighborhood,” Mayor Sam Liccardo told San José Spotlight. “I’ve got a Black Lives...
Dave Cortese scores endorsement from outgoing Sen. Jim Beall
After remaining mum for months, outgoing San Jose Sen. Jim Beall has endorsed Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese in the neck-and-neck senate race, Cortese’s campaign confirmed late Thursday evening. The highly-anticipated decision came as the race between the local veteran lawmaker and Ann Ravel, the Obama-backed attorney, heats up in the last few weeks....
Santa Clara County takes steps to connect older adults to technology
Santa Clara County leaders this week set in motion a plan to connect older adults to technology, a need that has become more urgent since widespread shelter-in-place orders went into effect. Concerns about the impact of social isolation have grown as the majority of senior services have transitioned online. The increasing use of telehealth and...
San Jose legislator’s Racial Justice Act passes Senate committee
One South Bay legislator’s efforts to assert civil rights within the California court system is moving forward in Sacramento. Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) authored Assembly Bill 2542, known as the California Racial Justice Act, to address discrimination in sentencing by allowing the accused to use evidence of systemic racism in the consideration of charges....
Bad cops: Why can’t San Jose just fire them?
“Why are you on that side?” yelled a protester at San Jose Police Officer Jared Yuen. “Shut up, b—-!” Yuen shouted back. Months have passed since Yuen’s comments during this year’s protests against the police killing of George Floyd went viral. A petition demanding the city fire Yuen has circulated since June and gathered nearly...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County approves fines for not wearing masks, flouting health order
Santa Clara County will begin issuing fines of up to $500 for not wearing face masks or social distancing in public, the Board of Supervisors decided unanimously Tuesday. In an attempt to control the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its impact, the board adopted an urgency ordinance issuing citations against residents and businesses for violating...
Silicon Valley Democrats salivate over Biden-Harris ticket
Silicon Valley politicians and community leaders reacted Tuesday to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s selection of Sen. Kamala Harris to be his running mate, with many praising her career-long dedication to California and the Bay Area. The former vice president announced his long-awaited and much-speculated vice presidential pick via text and a tweet. Harris, who...
San Jose breaks ground on emergency housing for homeless
San Jose took another step to alleviate its homeless housing shortage by breaking ground Monday on the first of three emergency interim housing sites that will accommodate more than 100 beds each. Citing building restriction waivers that made it easier to get the project off the ground, Mayor Sam Liccardo said the houses are being...
San Jose City Council waives outdoor business fees, extends free food, improves virtual meetings
As virtual meetings become the new norm, San Jose leaders voted unanimously Tuesday to make local government more efficient and accessible. Attendees of the July 28 and Aug. 3 City Council sessions might have noticed the meetings are now translated into Spanish and Vietnamese. However, to listen to the Vietnamese translation, Zoom users must select...
COVID-19 workplace complaints pile up in South Bay but lack follow-up
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated. Workers showed up to work sick with COVID-19 symptoms. Management hid positive test results from employees. Supervisors banned phones to prevent documenting unsafe facilities. These are some of the allegations many South Bay workers have made since Santa Clara County began to ease shelter-in-place restrictions to allow some businesses to...