Donning traditional áo dài dresses and Vietnamese heritage flag face masks, hundreds of South Bay residents joined county officials Saturday to celebrate the opening of the first-ever Vietnamese American Service Center. Ai Duong Truong came to the event with her friends from the Hội Người Việt Cao Niên San Jose (Vietnamese Senior Group in San...
Former San Jose police officer charged for illegal weapons possession
A former sworn San Jose police officer and current community service officer is being charged with gun-related crimes after garnering attention from the FBI for allegedly advocating to shoot cops. Denis Shevchenko, 40, was charged this week with three misdemeanor counts of illegal weapons possession. An investigation by the FBI, which SJPD was informed of...
San Jose Flea Market vendors upset with long-term rent option
San Jose Flea Market vendors are upset by a new agreement that requires six months of rent in advance to get a better long-term rental option. Vendors asked the market owners for something akin to long-term leases for protection against immediate displacement. But it appears they misinterpreted the flea market’s license offer as a lease. A...
San Jose’s overtime cost highlights shortage of skilled trade workers
Overtime is the only way to keep certain key services afloat in San Jose, with the search for skilled labor a constant struggle. The city relies on some employees working longer hours and picking up extra shifts to keep operations running, a practice officials and experts say is fueled by persistent vacancies and uncompetitive compensation....
San Jose commission votes to decrease mayor’s powers
San Jose already has a “weak mayor” system, but the city’s top elected office could soon see its powers diminished further. The San Jose Charter Review Commission voted Monday to “increase equitable practices,” which gives the City Council and the mayor joint power to nominate the city manager. This takes the sole responsibility away from the...
San Jose delays insurance mandate that could decimate taxi drivers
Amid growing frustration from San Jose taxicab drivers, a city committee is taking another look at regulations that could hamper the industry. The San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to delay any new requirements imposed on the taxicab industry until officials come back at a later date with an analysis on...
Proposed Costco fires up some San Jose residents
Costco wants to grow its San Jose footprint—this time in the Westgate West shopping center off Prospect Road. But the proposal isn’t sitting well with local residents. “Nobody likes seeing empty buildings for long periods of time, so it is important to fill it in with viable businesses or dense housing. But let’s get creative,”...
San Jose candidates criticize mental health hospital for kids
A mayoral candidate’s criticism of a planned psychiatric facility has drawn strong rebuttals from mental health advocates. The Board of Supervisors revealed a plan in February to build a 77-bed hospital building at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. The proposed facility, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, would include county-run...
Redistricting is firing up small business owners in San Jose
Small businesses are riled up over proposed maps from the San Jose Redistricting Commission that they say create a divide and hamper COVID recovery efforts. Groups representing small businesses across the city say maps being considered by the redistricting commission could split their neighborhoods. That could spell trouble for many small and minority-owned businesses. By...
UPDATE: No fence around San Jose homeless camp — for now
Faced with the tough choice of building a giant fence to keep homeless people out of a public park, San Jose lawmakers took no action — despite an upcoming deadline to clear the encampment. The controversy centers around a 40-acre encampment at the Guadalupe River Park in downtown San Jose where nearly 200 homeless people...