English
Spanish
Vietnamese
A powerful San Jose commission that in recent years faced criticism over its lack of diversity is beginning to look more like the city it serves. But one member is bemoaning the choice of another man to lead the majority-male panel. “It was a missed opportunity,” Planning Commissioner Pierluigi Oliverio told San José Spotlight. Oliverio,...
San Jose worker strike would shut down city services
Libraries may close, summer youth programs could be canceled and flights at San Jose Mineta International Airport could be delayed if city employees vote to strike this week over failed contract negotiations. It would be the largest strike San Jose has seen in the last 40 years, with potentially 4,500 city employees staying home. This decision to...
The Biz Beat: San Jose restaurant’s secret is in its tortillas
If you are hungry for enchiladas and burritos, Acopio in San Jose might not be the Mexican restaurant for you—they are not on the menu. But tacos? Owner Lorena Vidrio says everything can be a taco. “I’m not going to speak badly about those things,” she told San José Spotlight. “But we feature our tortillas...
Fired city worker to sue San Jose mayor
A former executive team member in San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s office plans to sue the city, claiming she was fired after being wrongfully accused of leaking confidential information. Stacey Katz Brown claims Mahan and his chief of staff, Jim Reed, declined to give her a chance to defend herself and damaged her reputation in...
Santa Clara County workers ditch picket plans after striking deal
Santa Clara County union workers struck a historic deal on Friday to increase their wages, subsequently averting a strike by these essential workers. The agreement between union workers and county officials will provide Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521 members—the largest union in the county—with the largest wage increase in more than 20 years. The...
Silicon Valley congressmember’s visibility attracts donors
Silicon Valley Congressmember Ro Khanna has been making headlines this year—and his campaign finances indicate he’s seeing a huge return on making himself more visible. Khanna said his growing contributions can be attributed to his greater visibility on high-profile issues including a number of Supreme court decisions and the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, as...
San Jose sets workplace guardrails for using AI
As more people integrate artificial intelligence into their everyday lives—from students using ChatGPT for homework to adults using AI for art—San Jose leaders are adapting it into their daily work. The city released its first set of employee guidelines on Monday for generative AI, a technology that has the ability to generate text, images and...
San Jose insider enters District 2 council race
A San Jose City Hall insider is running to replace her boss for the southside council seat. Vanessa Sandoval, chief of staff for Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, has joined the race to represent District 2, which stretches from the border of Morgan Hill and up to a portion of South San Jose, ending at Sylvandale Avenue....
San Jose’s gun law leaves officers unclear on enforcement approach
The San Jose Police Department is contending with how to train its officers to enforce the city’s controversial gun law. Details surrounding the department’s initial training and subsequent refresher courses have not been publicly shared as police work to implement the Gun Harm Reduction Ordinance, which went into effect at the start of this year....
San Jose sued over public records—again
San Jose consistently breaks state law by “perpetually extending its own deadline” for responding to public records requests, a complaint filed against the city alleges. Stacey Brown, a former employee of Mayor Matt Mahan’s office, is suing San Jose, claiming the city has taken months to respond to a records request she filed in March, and...