South Bay safety net service providers facing an increased demand and decreased funding are calling for community support. The Emergency Assistance Network, a collaboration of Santa Clara County nonprofits led by United Way, is confronting a devastating lack of financial assistance due to federal and county budget cuts. The network provides coordinated support for residents...
Sunnyvale hits pause on new smoke shops
Sunnyvale leaders want to stop new smoke shops from popping up in town, especially near schools and other youth-oriented areas. The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a 45-day emergency moratorium to temporarily halt new smoke shop permits and introduced a separate policy banning nitrous oxide sales citywide. The proposed regulations come as city...
Report shows child deaths in Santa Clara County were avoidable
Santa Clara County has seen an encouraging decline in child death rates, while simultaneously being marred by repeat tragedies and scandals as a result of bad homes and youth welfare leaders bungling foster cases. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday grappled with official findings that most deaths of children under the county’s care between 2021...
San Jose District 9 candidates ‘noncommittal’ on climate policy
Ambitious plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions mingled with concerns about San Jose’s daunting fiscal challenges and potential overregulation during a climate-focused election forum quizzing the candidates running for District 9’s City Council seat. The race’s five candidates spent an hour at the Cambrian Branch Library Saturday answering questions and sharing their visions for how...
Interest soars in San Jose female firefighter boot camp
Signing up for the San Jose Fire Department Women’s Boot Camp was one of the hottest tickets in town, filling up shortly after the Saturday event opened. Capt. Corey Condren launched the program in 2018 in an effort to increase the number of women in the SJFD. Her efforts have paid off, growing from 50...
Professional women’s hockey team to call San Jose home
San Jose is offering a warm welcome to the Professional Women’s Hockey League, which plans to launch its latest expansion team in the city. Dozens of sports fans, elected leaders and local sports legends turned out for a Wednesday announcement event held on the rink inside SAP Center, which is set to become the yet-to-be-named...
Mountain View OKs temporary closure of 13 downtown parking spots
More than a dozen public parking spots in downtown Mountain View are slated to be temporarily unavailable to make way for a construction project on Castro Street. The City Council unanimously approved the closure of 13 parking spots in Lot 2 at its May 12 meeting. The item was part of the council’s consent agenda,...
Santa Clara County nurses say no to pay raise delay
Santa Clara County displayed “Happy Nurses Week” banners across the hospitals of California’s second largest public healthcare system this month. But the nurses weren’t feeling the love. Instead, they’re up in arms as county leaders — grappling with a crushing budget deficit — have asked to delay cost-of-living wage increases that nurses went on strike for...
Cupertino sued over housing project in high fire risk area
A Cupertino resident is challenging the city’s approval of a multihome development in a high fire risk area, arguing officials failed to properly study the dangers. The lawsuit, filed May 1 by resident Mark Fantozzi against Cupertino and developer SummerHill Homes, alleges the Linda Vista Drive housing project violates state environmental and subdivision laws because...
Palo Alto leaders approve 183-apartment complex
Palo Alto city leaders have enthusiastically backed a housing project that would have likely been dead on arrival just two years ago: an 85-foot-tall apartment building in the Ventura neighborhood. The proposal from Vittoria Management is one of about 10 projects that the city received through the “builder’s remedy” process, which allows builders to circumvent...