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It’s been more than a year and a half since 18-year-old Elias Elhania was fatally shot at a house party in Sunnyvale, but his parents still see him in their lives. “He is with us, around us all the time. We see him around when we go shopping, we see somebody who looks like him,...
Could new San Jose policy save affordable housing?
More than 100 residents stood in front of San Jose City Hall with empty moving boxes and suitcases in hand on Monday to represent the increasing displacement rates in the city, as housing and cost of living prices remain high. About 20 nonprofits, including SOMOS Mayfair and the South Bay Progressive Alliance, organized the rally...
Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna is staying put—for now
Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna will remain in the House of Representatives, announcing over the weekend that he will not run for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat, after months of weighing his options. Instead, Khanna will take on the role of campaign co-chair for longtime East Bay Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who is one of three Democratic...
San Jose lags on language translation services
San Jose provides translation services for public meetings for those who ask for it, but those who don’t may find themselves relegated to a separate room. That’s what happened at last week’s San Jose City Council meeting during a budget discussion. Lucila Ortiz, political director at the advocacy nonprofit Working Partnerships USA, criticized the city...
Milpitas investigates confidential information leak
Amid a flurry of finger pointing, Milpitas officials plan to hire an outside investigator to look into who on the City Council leaked confidential information to a person threatening litigation against the city. San José Spotlight has learned City Manager Steve McHarris is at the center of the issue, and is threatening legal action against...
San Jose libraries boost security
San Jose’s libraries have boosted security in an effort to increase safety and reduce disruptive behavior that plagued the branches during the COVID-19 pandemic. The San Jose Public Library system now employs 12 security guards, a complete turnaround from the one guard during the pandemic. Prior to COVID, two full-time security guards and one part-time...
State to audit Santa Clara County public transit agency
Santa Clara County’s largest public transit agency will be audited by the state as one lawmaker looks to change up how it’s run. A state committee voted Wednesday to have the California State Auditor review the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) related to concerns about the agency’s governance structure, planning and fiscal management. Assemblymember...
Weather damage keeps San Jose parks closed
San Jose parks are still reeling from the heavy January rains, and the recent onslaught of wet and windy weather isn’t helping. Sixteen parks around the city are closed and it’s unclear when they will reopen. In the last three months, a relentless number of atmospheric river storms have pounded the Bay Area. Rain coupled with strong...
State to audit San Jose’s homeless spending
California is set to audit how San Jose spends its homeless funding, following a request from state Sen. Dave Cortese. The state’s Joint Legislative Audit Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the audit proposed by Cortese last year. The California State Auditor will review the success rate of various state and local programs—including Project Homekey—in...
Sunnyvale Starbucks workers feel exploited
Employees of a busy Starbucks store in Sunnyvale are working to unionize, joining a growing movement by workers at hundreds of the chain’s stores pushing back on what they call unfair and exploitative conditions. Most of the 24 partners—what Starbucks calls its employees—at the store near South Mary and Fremont avenues have signed onto a letter...