Santa Clara residents want to rebuild their downtown after tearing it down more than 50 years ago. Members of Reclaiming Our Downtown, a Santa Clara grassroots group, has led the push to revitalize the once-bustling six-block downtown. They want to return the city’s downtown to its original street grid of mixed-use businesses in the downtown area...
UPDATE: San Jose officials question statewide changes to single-family zoning
California Gov. Gavin Newsom effectively did away with single-family zoning last month with two pieces of legislation. But implementing the bills is leaving San Jose officials and elected leaders with questions as the laws come closer to taking effect. The San Jose City Council held a study session Thursday to discuss Senate Bills 9 and...
San Jose retailers won’t risk stopping shoplifters
While shopping at TJ Maxx, San Jose resident Ann Wang watched as a shoplifter walked brazenly out of the store. No one tried to stop him. “This guy walked up to a shelf with purses for sale and grabbed 4 or 5 and walked out of TJ Maxx and hopped into the car and he...
San Jose schools add programs for mental health services
Schools in the South Bay have upped efforts to help students navigate mental health challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Local schools including San Jose Unified School District, East Side Union High School District and Sunrise Middle School have implemented seven key mental health practices, which a recent Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) study described as essential tools...
Santa Clara County preparing to roll out COVID kids vaccine
COVID-19 vaccines for young children are potentially days away from being rolled out in Santa Clara County, a critical step to ending the pandemic. On Tuesday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended a low dosage of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, saying the benefits of the shot outweigh any...
A few high paid Santa Clara County officials give up COVID bonus
Thousands of Santa Clara County employees will receive a COVID-19 hazard pay bonus before the end of the year. Not everyone plans to keep the money. Assessor Larry Stone informed County Executive Jeff Smith earlier this month that he will donate his $2,500 bonus to charitable nonprofits, including affordable housing agencies and local art organizations....
San Jose increases homeless camp cleaning efforts
San Jose residents and elected officials are frustrated with the buildup of more than 200 homeless encampments. The city plans to clean up some of them by next spring. The San Jose City Council reviewed the city’s ongoing encampment management policy on Tuesday. City officials will come back with a plan to identify encampments across the...
Santa Clara County holds hearing on long COVID
Santa Clara County has led the way when it comes to managing COVID-19 infection. But now officials are grappling with a growing concern: long COVID. Long COVID is when symptoms continue for more than 12 weeks after infection. A recently published study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that one third of...
Silicon Valley Restaurant Association launches in San Jose
After being battered by COVID-19 and business closures, Silicon Valley eateries have an advocacy group—a local restaurant association. The Silicon Valley Restaurant Association, formed by San Jose consultant Sean Kali-rai and former Silicon Valley Organization (SVO) government relations director Eddie Truong, launches Tuesday. Kali-rai is a longtime policy analyst and cannabis lobbyist, while Truong rose...
No immediate transition funds for San Jose Flea Market vendors
San Jose Flea Market owners will pay millions to help vendors relocate amid looming development plans. But it will be some time before the retailers see a cent of that money. Roberto Gonzalez, president of the Berryessa Flea Market Vendors Association, told San José Spotlight he believed the Bumb family, which owns the flea market,...