An effort to create a new historic district in an affluent part of San Jose is raising concerns the city is memorializing segregation and racism. Elected leaders voted 4-1 at a City Council committee meeting this week to nominate a new historic district near downtown called The Alameda Park/Schiele Avenue Historic District. Councilmember Dev Davis championed...
San Jose development leaves residents, local groups wanting more
Renee Heymann, owner of K9 Keep Fit, a dog daycare across the street from the Cambrian Park Plaza in San Jose, relies on the plaza’s iconic carousel sign to tell customers where her business is. “It’s nostalgic,” Heymann said of the plaza. “Everyone knows this place. It has a quaintness to it.” A massive redevelopment of...
South Bay health leaders skeptical about Newsom expansion of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility
Santa Clara County health officials greeted the announcement that all Californians will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by mid-April with caution and skepticism. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday all residents 50 years and older can get the shot starting April 1.Two weeks later, anyone over age 16 can get a COVID-19 vaccine beginning April...
San Jose commission delays decision on flea market development
With hundreds of flea market vendors holding their breath, a San Jose panel chose to pause discussions on a major development—at least for now. At the center of the debate is a plan to densify a portion of the iconic flea market on Berryessa Road in San Jose. The proposal seeks to approve up to...
San Jose takes steps to get hospitality employees back to work
Losing her job at the DoubleTree hotel in San Jose during the pandemic meant Maria De Rueda could no longer afford to send her son to college. She got laid off after 21 years of service. “We had to tell our son that we could no longer afford his university tuition,” she said. “I want to...
Winner revealed: A look at San Jose’s new iconic landmark
A worldwide contest to create an iconic landmark in downtown San Jose is over — and a winner has been chosen. After a lengthy public process, judges selected The Breeze of Innovation from nearly 1,000 submissions. Fernando Jerez, the director of SMAR Architecture Studio, which has offices in Australia and Spain, designed Breeze of Innovation....
Santa Clara County faces legal threat over jail conditions
Santa Clara County’s crumbling jail conditions, which have been described as a “hellhole” and led to hunger strikes, could land the county in court The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley on March 17 sent the county a letter demanding conditions be addressed before the end of the month — or else it will sue. “We are deeply...
San Jose police expect rise in sexual assault reports as shelter in place lifts
As Santa Clara County moves into the less restrictive orange tier, San Jose police are bracing for an alarming uptick in reports of sexual violence. Police suspect many cases of sexual violence that took place in 2020 behind closed doors have gone unreported due to shelter in place orders. “When the COVID-19 pandemic began, there was...
Local rent relief is on its way in San Jose
San Jose is one step closer to getting financial relief to landlords and tenants who’ve struggled to pay their bills during the pandemic. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously accepted $30,379,739.90 in emergency rental assistance from the federal government. San Jose is divvying the funds between community-based organizations to reach residents that state...
San Jose responds to wage theft allegations, safety hazards at homeless housing site
San Jose leaders will withhold payment on a homeless housing project after a San José Spotlight article revealed widespread allegations of wage theft and safety violations. The city also launched an investigation. The project, located at Monterey and Bernal Roads in San Jose, is one of three emergency housing sites citywide created for homeless residents...