Advocates are upset that San Jose lawmakers have spent months denying body camera footage to a survivor of domestic violence, forcing her to argue her case in a public forum. The city’s Rules and Open Government Committee agreed Wednesday to address a California Public Records Act request filed by a survivor of domestic violence in...
San Jose shop owners hope for revival as Post Street reopens to cars
A stretch of Post Street in downtown San Jose closed for outdoor dining since 2020 will reopen to traffic by the end of this week, while other streets in the Al Fresco program will remain closed. On Thursday early afternoon, the one-way street between First Street and Lightston Alley sat almost empty, as barrels used as...
Longtime political figure joins race for San Jose City Council seat
Rosemary Kamei, who’s represented Silicon Valley in a variety of public roles, is throwing her hat into the District 1 San Jose City Council race. Kamei brings 30 years of experience in local politics from having served on Morgan Hill’s Planning Commission and Valley Water board to most recently sitting on the Santa Clara County...
San Jose’s idea to launch a public bank is off the table
San Jose lawmakers explored forming a public bank a few years ago, but it went nowhere. The idea was introduced by Councilmembers Magdalena Carrasco, Sergio Jimenez and Raul Peralez in a 2019 memo, after San Jose received information that led to the city exploring a banking contract with JPMorgan Chase. The institution had been accused...
San Jose committee halts Charcot Avenue extension
Contentious plans for the Charcot Avenue Extension project in North San Jose are reaching the end of the road. San Jose’s Rules and Open Government Committee on Wednesday unanimously recommended the city halt plans to build an overpass that would cross over Interstate Highway 880 from Paragon Drive to Oakland Road and divert the remaining...
San Jose museum helps vaccinate children for COVID in playful setting
With California set to require K-12 students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend in-person classes, pending full FDA approval, the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose is stepping to help—keeping vaccination rates for Santa Clara County kids consistent with the region. Museum Executive Director Marilee Jennings was concerned about some parents taking a wait and...
San Jose: A year in pictures
After a whole year in a pandemic, many Santa Clara County residents hoped 2021 would bring something different. The world reopened, which allowed for some beautiful moments in our community. But there was also turmoil and struggle for many living in Silicon Valley. Here’s a look at photos from this year in San Jose and...
San Jose expands community use at Viet Heritage Garden, after years of dispute
After sitting empty for six years due to a lack of funding, a garden honoring San Jose’s vast Vietnamese community sprouts signs of life. San Jose announced in late December it is expanding a community garden program at the Viet Heritage Garden located at 1499 Roberts Ave. The Viet Heritage Garden, which spans four acres and...
San Jose mayoral candidate polls residents on defunding police
A San Jose mayoral candidate is taking a stand against defunding the police, even though there has been little public conversation around the topic for months. San José Spotlight obtained a picture of a flyer that appears to originate from Councilmember Matt Mahan’s mayoral campaign. The flyer asks, “Should we defund the police?” Then claims there are...
The COVID pandemic still ranks as the No. 1 issue for Silicon Valley
As 2021 draws to a close, San Jose residents share their hopes for the coming year. Many want to see an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has negatively affected their health, work and travel. They also would like to see people treat each other with more kindness. Retiree Felice Lopiccolo said although vaccination levels...