Sunnyvale’s top public safety officer is retiring after eight years of service. Public Safety Chief Phan Ngo will step down at the end of April, after steering the city through its COVID-19 emergency response and bolstering community trust in the department. City Manager Tim Kirby will appoint an interim chief while officials search for Ngo...
San Jose sets stricter rules for street vendors
San Jose police officials told city leaders they need more tools to impound the property of illicit street vendors in downtown, especially during events. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to accept Police Chief Paul Joseph’s proposal to create a new street peddler permit policy to streamline law enforcement powers and remove permitting barriers. Police...
VTA strike must end, Santa Clara County judge rules
A Santa Clara County judge has ruled against striking VTA union workers, bringing bus and light rail services back to the region. Superior Court Judge Daniel Nishigaya ruled Wednesday that members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which represents about 1,500 frontline VTA employees, must return to work — ending the union’s historic 17-day strike....
Santa Clara County considers reentry services at Elmwood jail
Santa Clara County leaders want to reduce recidivism at Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas and plan to study offering transportation and housing options upon release. Unlike the county’s main jail in San Jose, Elmwood doesn’t have a nearby resource center to help formerly incarcerated people reenter society when released. Elmwood releases often occur in the early morning...
VTA offers Uber vouchers for stranded Silicon Valley riders
Silicon Valley commuters are feeling the pain of digging deeper into their wallets on a daily basis due to the ongoing VTA worker strike. To compensate for the extra outlay, VTA is partnering with Uber to support riders while bus and light rail services are down. Starting Tuesday, VTA is providing riders with two $5...
UPDATE: San Jose officials approve charging first responder fee
City leaders have approved a fee program allowing the San Jose Fire Department’s emergency medical services to collect payments from people they treat. Fire Chief Robert Sapien said San Jose needs to join the 23 fire agencies across California that already have first responder fees for people using the fire department’s emergency medical services. While...
State law blocks potential San Jose flea market site
San Jose Berryessa Flea Market vendors say a city-owned landfill is their best option for a new home, but a state law is stopping the idea from becoming a reality. The 90-acre Singleton site, a former landfill, is the favored location. It’s close to freeways and residential neighborhoods — making it the top option out...
Lawsuit: Silicon Valley water CEO pushed funding his private group
A new lawsuit alleges Valley Water CEO Rick Callender pushed to have his agency sponsor the NAACP California-Hawaii State Conference — a private group he personally oversees — with public dollars. The conflict of interest claim comes from a civil complaint filed March 20 by Salena Pryor, an NAACP colleague who worked under Callender in his...
San Jose mayor wants to clear homeless camps near freeways
San Jose has been clearing homeless encampments along city waterways, and is looking to do the same for people living under freeways. Mayor Matt Mahan is exploring a partnership with Caltrans to accelerate sweeps near freeways through state legislation and a city pilot program. State freeways, highways and underpasses are under Caltrans’ jurisdiction. But due...
UPDATE: VTA union workers reject latest contract offer
VTA bus drivers and light rail operators turned down the agency’s latest offer, sending negotiators back to the table and leaving Santa Clara County commuters in the lurch. Roughly 83% of members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which represents more than 1,500 frontline VTA workers, voted Monday to reject VTA’s latest offer. The...