For homeless people in San Jose, sweeps are a fixed part of their lived experience — the stress of packing up their belongings, the fear of losing their valuables and the hunt to secure another corner to camp until they are kicked out and forced to start all over again. But for residents such as...
After strike threat, tentative deal reached with San Jose public unions
San Jose has reached a tentative contract agreement with its public sector union workers, likely averting a strike and ending a monthslong standoff over demands for higher wages and workforce protections. The tentative agreement struck Thursday breaks a negotiation deadlock between city leaders and two major public sector unions, IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local...
San Jose sets rules for delivery robots
San Jose’s experiment with autonomous food delivery robots is entering a new phase as the city prepares to roll out rules governing their use, including operating fees as well as fines for companies that run afoul of the new standards. The City Council greenlit a regulatory package Tuesday that will not only set the rules...
San Jose candidates’ campaign dollars grow as election nears
San Jose’s three competitive City Council races have seen a surge in campaign donations since the June primary election, as six candidates battle it out ahead of November, according to the latest round of campaign filings. The roughly $240,000 in direct contributions raised between July 1 and Sept. 19 — which represents nearly a third of...
Judge hands San Jose win in license plate reader case
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging San Jose’s network of license plate reader cameras, dealing a legal setback to opponents of a technology used to fight crime that has divided the city’s residents over fears of dragnet surveillance. In a ruling delivered Friday, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey El-Hajj rejected arguments that...
San Jose tells food pantry it must shut down
A popular San Jose neighborhood food pantry is at risk of closing again after being hit with more zoning violations. Lighthouse Food Rescue & Distribution was cited by San Jose on Sept. 25 for hosting its food distribution on the sidewalk and for not following zoning rules, as a food distribution center is no longer...
San Jose school trustee admonished for discriminatory remarks
A San Jose school board has publicly admonished a trustee in response to his conduct, and signed a resolution supporting diversity. Franklin-McKinley School District trustees on Sept. 22 voted 4-1 to rebuke Trustee Marc Cooper for discrimination against Muslims and incorrectly stating the U.S. Supreme Court ruled America is a Christian nation. As part of...
Data center developers share plans at San Jose town hall
While San Jose is developing uniform data center standards to mitigate environmental impacts and support economic growth, two developers with projects in the pipeline said they will adhere to the guidelines once set. At a Tuesday community town hall organized by the District 2 Neighborhood Leadership Council, representatives from major data center developers Prologis and...
San Jose residents want city to stop using Flock cameras after misuse
Residents are calling for San Jose’s police chief to step down, after revelations that a police officer used license plate tracking technology to help his cousin stalk a woman she alleges abused her. In addition, a coalition of groups — including Safety over Surveillance, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), Working Partnerships USA, Electronic...
Pending San Jose airport road closure poses risk to cyclists
San Jose residents and bicycle advocates are fighting to stop a looming obstacle in their path. Recreational cyclists and bike commuters traveling from San Jose to Santa Clara and Sunnyvale on Ewert Road have been horrified to learn of a planned Oct. 1 closure. The road, which borders the airport, is an essential conduit to...