On a recent sunny, 80-degree afternoon, downtown San Jose started to regain its foot traffic. Small businesses, restaurants and coffee shops settled into new routines after months of shutdown. Their patrons, nevertheless, are getting used to a new summer accessory: A face mask. “It’s necessary,” said resident Rylee Dietz with a bandana over her face...
Divide between Santa Clara County and California grows over reopening, outdoor dining
There appears to be a growing schism between Santa Clara County and the state over plans to reopen more local businesses and even keep outdoor dining in the South Bay, particularly in light of recent actions by state agents to shutter South County restaurants over the Independence Day weekend. Santa Clara County is no longer...
San Jose: Illegal fireworks complaints more than triple amid pandemic
There was no escaping the cacophony of bangs, pops and crackles in San Jose on Saturday as cooped up residents let off steam during Independence Day by putting on their own fireworks displays. Some residents admired the amateur pyrotechnics. “East side San Jose (is) putting on a better show than professionals ever have,” one Twitter...
San Jose leader faces heat for suggestion to drop word ‘race’ from office name
San Jose Councilmember Johnny Khamis faced criticism this week for trying to remove the word “race” from the city’s new Office of Racial Equity. Khamis, who was rebuked by the City Council’s Latino members, defended his argument by saying race is a term people have used to divide each other for centuries. The dispute sparked...
Lawmakers take defunding off table, but San Jose activists and police see need for more social workers
Shifting money from San Jose’s police budget to pay for social service workers may be a fierce debate but the two sides agree on one issue. The city’s police officers respond to far too many emergencies for which they lack training such as dealing with homeless people and mental health crises. “We’ve been asking for...
July 4th in Silicon Valley takes on different meaning with COVID-19 pandemic
Patriotism has taken on a different meaning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ahead of Independence Day weekend, officials have made more forceful steps to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus as confirmed cases, hospitalizations and intensive care numbers have jumped in recent weeks in Santa Clara County. The Association of Bay Area Health Officials issued a...
Property assessments reach $551.5 billion, peak of Santa Clara County economic growth
The valuation of properties on Santa Clara County’s assessment roll topped $551.5 billion – likely a peak of Silicon Valley’s decade of economic growth. The net valuation of all real and business property, which determines property tax rates, increased by $35.5 billion – a 6.87 percent increase from 2019’s $516 billion valuation, with the help...
‘A new stage’: Santa Clara County issues new order asking state to reopen nail, hair salons
After nearly four months of closure, Santa Clara County gyms, spas, hair and nail salons are set to reopen later this month — if the state says yes. But things will look much differently inside those businesses than before the COVID-19 pandemic closed their doors in mid-March. Personal care businesses are among the last to reopen....
UPDATE: In a split vote, San Jose council approves drafting ‘strong mayor’ measure
San Jose councilmembers voted 6-5 to approve a November ballot measure to expand Mayor Sam Liccardo’s power, extend his term until 2024, shift mayoral elections to presidential years and enact a slew of campaign finance reforms. Liccardo, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones, Councilmembers Johnny Khamis, Pam Foley, Dev Davis and Lan Diep voted in favor of...
Santa Clara County program may help ‘defund police’ response to mental health crises
As calls to defund the police in the wake of the killing of George Floyd sweep the nation, the focus has turned to how law enforcement handles calls related to mental health crises. At its most basic level, “defund the police” is a demand for money to be moved from police budgets and reinvested into...