At the height of Black Lives Matter protests this spring, Breanna Contreras was marching among the crowds in downtown San Jose when chaos suddenly broke out. People scattered and started running past her in the opposite direction, many with eyes streaming from tear gas. A moment later, Contreras heard “Pop! Pop! Pop!” and felt something...
UPDATE: San Jose endorses measure to bring back affirmative action
The San Jose City Council unanimously endorsed California Proposition 16, the divisive ballot measure that would repeal the state’s 24-year prohibition on race- and gender-based affirmative action. Assuming voters approve it in November, supporters on the City Council say Prop. 16 will allow the city to “revitalize” its affirmative action programs from the 1990s. “Eliminating...
UPDATE: San Jose extends ban on evictions during COVID-19
As the county’s shelter-in-place order shuttering the local economy puts more residents at risk of losing their homes, San Jose leaders voted unanimously to extend the city’s eviction to Oct. 17. The moratorium now coincides with the local emergency declaration, also set to end Oct. 17. Still, the debate about how to balance challenges faced...
UPDATE: San Jose advances high-tech ideas to connect transportation hubs
Driverless vehicles zooming through underground tunnels and electric mini trains could be in San Jose’s future. City leaders voted unanimously on Aug. 25 to advance projects connecting Diridon Station, Stevens Creek Corridor and the Mineta San Jose International Airport. Councilmember Maya Esparza was absent. Many of the proposals — including one from Elon Musk’s The...
San Jose hotels lower rates for fire evacuees
Residents near the outskirts of San Jose are advised to pack their bags as wildfires sparked by last weekend’s lightning storm continue to surround the valley. But while evacuation orders are still east of city limits, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo announced Aug. 23 more than a dozen local hotels are offering discounted “San Jose...
Former San Jose city attorney Rick Doyle dies at 65
After celebrating a recent retirement and two decades of service to San Jose, former City Attorney Rick Doyle died Aug. 23 at age 65 from cancer. “San Jose has lost one of its greatest champions in Rick Doyle,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said. “Rick made a career out of fighting for our city, but through the...
San Jose mayor leaps into state’s ride-share fight
When Uber and Lyft threatened this week to stop operating in California over a state law to reclassify gig workers, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo joined ranks with a Republican counterpart to take a stand. Liccardo said he entered the debate because departure of the ride-sharing giants in the state would hurt workers even more during the present...
San Jose officials support densifying single-family neighborhoods
San Jose took the first step to approve “opportunity housing,” an initiative to increase housing density in single-family neighborhoods — and it could be enacted citywide. “We are voting to explore a process,” said task force member Juan Estrada, who called the motion that was voted on hours later. “We can do better to undo...
Access to San Jose’s parks a thing of privilege, study finds
San Jose residents love their parks, according to a recent study, but the data shows people of color and low-income individuals have more trouble accessing them. According to a Knight Foundation study titled, “Community Ties: Understanding what attaches people to the place where they live,” recreational spaces were found to be one of the biggest...
San Jose lawmakers aim to increase financial accountability
San Jose is strapped for money during the local emergency — $72 million to be exact — but a new plan unanimously approved Aug. 19 aims to ensure the City Council tightens its purse strings and uses taxpayer dollars wisely. Despite the growing deficit, the council must continue providing necessary services to the public. Councilmember...