Thousands of San Jose city workers have voted to authorize their bargaining representatives to call a strike, ratcheting up the pressure on City Hall amid a protracted contract dispute. After a week of voting, support for the authorization came in at 97%, according to a Monday announcement from IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local 101....
State bill could speed up San Jose Diridon Station rebuild
A new state bill could cut a year off the redevelopment of Diridon Station in San Jose by exempting it from California’s landmark environmental law — and the state lawmaker at the forefront of the effort is determined to keep it on track. Senate Bill 1375, introduced by state Sen. Dave Cortese, whose district covers...
San Jose residents push for data center moratorium
As San Jose hammers out local review standards for data center projects, some residents are calling for the city to follow the lead of other jurisdictions and enact an immediate moratorium on new developments. The proposed standards are expected to address widespread concerns that a glut of new projects working their way through the city’s...
Virtual public comment restored to all San Jose meetings
Following San Jose’s recent decision to return online public comment to City Council meetings, city officials have opted to restore such access for its various commissions and committees as well. Tuesday’s unanimous council vote means that San Jose’s 15 commissions — which play a hand in shaping policy, approving permits and adjudicating appeals to city decisions...
Head of San Jose’s police watchdog office is out
San Jose Independent Police Auditor Eddie Aubrey is set to retire at the end of the month, marking an abrupt end to his two-year tenure in the oversight role. The Tuesday announcement comes one week after the Mercury News reported the city had placed Aubrey on leave. City officials have not offered any explanation about Aubrey’s...
San Jose wants to set standards for data center development
As San Jose begins to create standards for building data centers, residents, advocates and researchers warn the city needs to develop robust safeguards for community health before approving any new projects. San Jose is kickstarting its community engagement process this month through September, gathering input on what these standards should look like. Outreach will consist...
San José Spotlight leader joins Knight Foundation committee
San José Spotlight co-founder Ramona Giwargis has been selected to serve on Knight Foundation’s first national Journalism Advisory Committee, joining newsroom leaders from across the country to help shape the foundation’s future investments in local journalism. The newly created committee includes representatives from Knight Foundation communities, including San Jose, Miami, Philadelphia, Detroit, Charlotte, Boulder and...
San Jose food lines grow longer as more people seek help
Across San Jose, nonprofits running food distributions are seeing their lines explode. Martha’s Kitchen, which provides hot meals and has a weekly food pantry, has seen its numbers nearly triple since June, serving between 150 to 300 people each week. Hunger at Home, another nonprofit group fighting food insecurity, has seen a 30% increase of...
San Jose mobile home residents shunned from rent increase talks
Mobile home residents say San Jose is shutting them out of discussions regarding a proposed increase on space rent that could affect one of the city’s last affordable housing options. In January, the San Jose City Council voted to delay a 10% space rent increase whenever a mobile home is sold after it was revealed...
San Jose Japantown stages ICE facility protest
Grassroots organizers and South Bay political leaders drew together for a rally in San Jose’s Japantown Wednesday in a show of unified opposition against a planned ICE facility taking shape in South County. The rally held in front of the historic Issei Memorial Building took place as state and local leaders wage a legal battle...