San José Spotlight, the city’s first nonprofit newsroom dedicated to independent political and business reporting, turned two in January and announced an exciting new partnership to expand its award-winning coverage. The news organization, founded by Ramona Giwargis and Josh Barousse in Jan. 2019, will partner with Oakland-based Post News Group, which operates 8 Black and...
How lawmakers plan to make East San Jose safer for cyclists and pedestrians
A new plan seeks to transform East San Jose into a pedestrian-friendly transit haven by reducing the need for cars and connecting residents across the city. The En Movimiento — Spanish for “In Movement” — plan proposes an expanded network of sidewalks, bike lanes and bus lanes alongside a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) line,...
Search for San Jose’s police chief halts to recruit more external candidates
In an effort to bring fresh ideas to San Jose’s police force and attract more outside candidates to be the city’s top cop, City Manager Dave Sykes has put a two-week pause on the selection process. The city is looking to replace former Police Chief Eddie Garcia who retired in December after 24 years with the...
San Jose grocery store clerks and other essential workers could get $5 boost
As new strains of COVID-19 circulate across Santa Clara County, South Bay leaders are taking action to ensure essential workers get a pay boost for putting their health on the line. San Jose leaders this week discussed creating an emergency ordinance that would guarantee select retail food workers an extra $5 per hour in hazard...
‘Unfair’ zoning in San Jose comes under fire by Alum Rock advocates
In East San Jose, developers can get projects approved without a vote from the City Council or extensive public input using a special zoning rule — a process that doesn’t happen anywhere else in the city. Community leaders and advocates say the policy is unfair and needs to end. In a letter to Mayor Sam...
Fate of Thomas Fallon statue launches public forum on San Jose art
Some consider Capt. Thomas Fallon an important part of history. Others call him a symbol of oppression and have long called for the removal of the downtown statue depicting Fallon on horseback raising the U.S. flag in San Jose in 1846. People on both sides will get a chance Jan. 29 to have their say...
Tenants mount courthouse protest to end evictions in Santa Clara County
Dozens of tenants and their advocates blocked the entrance to the Santa Clara County Superior Court in downtown San Jose this morning to protest ongoing evictions during the pandemic. Nine protesters were arrested after sheriff’s deputies declared the demonstration unlawful. The demonstrators successfully shut down the courts in the morning but judges resumed hearing cases...
Google’s plan to reduce car traffic, address homelessness at center of public feedback
As the city of San Jose and Google move toward transforming the city’s downtown, residents are casting wary eyes on their plans to reduce car traffic and address homelessness in the area. Downtown Councilmember Raul Peralez, whose district encompasses downtown, hosted a community meeting for San Jose’s Diridon Station Area Plan (DSAP) and Google’s Downtown...
UPDATE: Meet the seven finalists vying to be San Jose’s next police chief
Seven finalists will now vie for the San Jose Police Department’s top job. After putting a two-week pause on police chief recruitment to find candidates from outside San Jose, City Manager Dave Sykes announced two new contenders. The first is Larry Scirotto, a retired assistant chief from Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The second is Anchorage...
UPDATE: San Jose approves extending eviction ban to protect renters
San Jose leaders aren’t waiting for California to make a move this week to protect renters and acted quickly Tuesday to halt local evictions during the COVID-19 crisis. Since the state’s eviction ban is set to expire Jan. 31, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously to enact an eviction ban until March. In the...