With San Jose’s income streams being ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, city leaders are considering shaving more than $10 million off public safety in next year’s budget. The cuts would affect the hiring of police officers and firefighters, reduce access to community services, and delay the expansion of a long-awaited fire station in the city’s...
Santa Clara County extends eviction moratorium, approves COVID-19 cost tracker and outreach
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to extend a temporary moratorium on evictions for people who can’t pay rent due to the pandemic. The county’s moratorium, which was set to expire Sunday, will now be extended until Aug. 31 under a proposal authored by Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Joe Simitian. “The Santa...
It’s official: Rick Callender to be the next Valley Water CEO
Rick Callender will be the next CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Water District starting July 11. The agency’s Board of Directors on Tuesday voted 4-3 to appoint the longtime water district employee to the top position, where he’ll earn $326,352 annually to oversee the agency, tasked with the critical job of ensuring safe water...
Coronavirus fears grow for vulnerable Santa Clara County residents as economy reopens
As businesses across Santa Clara County begin to reopen, some officials worry poor communities of color hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic will experience a surge in new cases. To prevent a spike among some of the county’s most vulnerable residents, Board of Supervisors President Cindy Chavez penned a proposal to create an outreach team that...
Data gap complicates efforts to aid LGBTQ community during COVID-19
Local leaders are searching for more insights into how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting members of the LGBTQ community in the South Bay.
San Jose radio legend Bob Kieve dies
Legendary San Jose radioman Bob Kieve died Sunday, according to his closest family and friends. He was 98. Kieve owned KLIV radio station since 1967 and served as president of Empire Broadcasting Corp. The longtime radioman shut down KLIV’s operations in Jan. 2019 after more than 70 years on the air. He led the AM...
San Jose Councilmember Johnny Khamis reflects on his legacy, future plans
While Johnny Khamis’ time on the San Jose City Council nears an end, the fiscally conservative politician already has his sights set on a higher office. Following his failed state Senate bid, Khamis said he is “95 percent interested” in running for the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to replace Mike Wasserman in District...
Report sheds light on San Jose’s debt woes as it confronts pandemic
While the pandemic blows holes in city budgets across the nation, a new report released this month shows San Jose was already financially struggling before the coronavirus collapsed local economies. The annual report, released by the nonpartisan think tank Truth in Accounting, assessed the fiscal health of the top 10 U.S. cities based off each...
‘A race against time:’ Silicon Valley nonprofits face uncertain future as deficits loom
Like everyone, nonprofits are hurting during the coronavirus pandemic, but local leaders are trying to find ways keep those organizations alive until the economy starts to rebound. Nonprofits offer some of the most critical services in communities, often on the frontlines of helping homeless, hungry and mentally ill residents. But as enormous city, state and...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: May 7 to May 20
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 4:40 p.m. May 20: University of California schools will be open in the fall, president says The University of California system — with 10 schools serving more than 285,000 students — is set to open this fall using a mix of in-person and online classes, according to President Janet...