English
Spanish
Vietnamese
After a disgruntled employee killed her husband more than two months ago, Terra Fritch wanted retribution. With the shooter dead she could only take money from his estate and pension through a lawsuit. But she quickly found her way blocked. “Every lawyer I talked to said by the time we get a conviction, and then...
These San Jose nonprofits received the most PPP loan money
The federal Paycheck Protection Program awarded roughly $122 million to more than 360 nonprofits in San Jose this past year to weather the pandemic, according to recent data from the Small Business Administration. As COVID-19 shuttered social gatherings and in-person services, local nonprofit leaders said the loans were vital to prevent layoffs and cuts to programming. “Getting...
San Jose Planning Commission gains equity with more members
The San Jose Planning Commission added four additional members in July following community demand for diversity and citywide representation. Rolando Bonilla, chair of the commission, says the change is needed and a long time coming. “The city of San Jose, the largest city in the Bay Area, needed to set an example of how to...
Some San Jose public workers to see wage increase
After months of negotiations with San Jose, some city employees are one step closer to receiving higher wages for the upcoming year. Municipal Employee’s Federation (MEF) 101 President Steven Solorio told San José Spotlight that union leaders and the city recently agreed to a 3.25% wage increase for the first year of a two-year contract....
San Jose mayor’s private emails spark response from watchdogs, attorney
A San Francisco law firm and a free speech advocacy group are demanding San Jose City Hall release emails from the mayor’s private account after San José Spotlight reported on his attempt to skirt public records law last month. Prominent San Francisco media attorney Karl Olson and the First Amendment Coalition separately have filed two public records...
San Jose City Hall reopens, in-person meetings resume
After almost 17 months, San Jose City Hall reopened Monday—but you’ll need a mask to step inside, even if you’re vaccinated. Also Monday, the Martin Luther King Jr. Library reopened its doors after shuttering in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All visitors to a city building, including libraries and community centers, must wear a mask regardless...
Owner of troubled San Jose apartments is a lawsuit magnet
After residents at Foxdale Village Apartments complained about their water being shut off without notice, KDF Communities offered tenants a three-day rent credit and reimbursement for hotels. This might be too little, too late. If history is any indicator, KDF and its property manager, VPM Management, may soon have lawsuits on its hands. KDF Communities,...
San Jose Speaks: A conversation with Congressman Ro Khanna
San José Spotlight hosted an exclusive conversation with Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna in the latest San Jose Speaks series, which features interactive conversations with South Bay leaders, influencers and decision makers. Khanna discussed federal gun control policy in the wake of a mass shooting at a VTA rail yard, universal health care, the housing crisis,...
Silicon Valley transit agency offers buses while light rail is down
VTA is launching a temporary bus service next week, offering some relief to South Bay commuters frustrated by two months without light rail. The buses will start Monday and run every half hour on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m, and hourly on weekends from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. These “bus bridges” or modified...
Some San Jose bar owners requiring proof of vaccination
If you want to grab a drink in San Jose, you might soon have to show you got a COVID-19 shot — just like San Francisco. Haberdasher, a speakeasy-themed bar in downtown San Jose, announced a day after the state reopened it would require proof of vaccination to enter. A banner on the bar’s website...