San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has plans to end homeless camping and appeal to California’s center-right political sphere. But his efforts hinge on the City Council’s help to pass his policies — and some question whether the District 3 special election has exposed cracks in that support. Early election results have been shaky for Mahan’s...
San Jose retail growth among slowest in U.S., report says
A recent report ranks Silicon Valley among the slowest growing retail markets, though experts say there’s hope for the region’s economic future. A report compiled by banner company Printastic compared retail growth for the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas. The report lists the San Jose metropolitan area as No. 45 and found there’s been a...
San Jose safe parking site full one month after opening
A San Jose safe parking site for homeless people living in their vehicles is at capacity one month after opening — and two people have already moved into permanent housing. The safe parking site at 1300 Berryessa Road offers 86 spaces for individuals and families to live without fear of getting swept or towed. It’s the city’s...
UPDATE: San Jose special election is a race for second place
A Wednesday election results update shows Gabby Chavez-Lopez maintaining her lead in the special election for the District 3 seat on the San Jose City Council, but the second place vote getter has flipped. As of 4:02 p.m. Wednesday, Chavez-Lopez still holds on to a solid 29% of the vote, but Anthony Tordillos has leaped...
San Jose recycle company accused of labor violations settles
An East San Jose recycling company agreed to settle unfair labor practice charges with drivers who said they were wrongfully laid off for trying to unionize. But it wasn’t exactly the deal they were looking for. Drivers at waste management company Premier Recycle went almost three years without a labor contract and faced a “vicious...
Ex-San Jose official pleads ‘no contest’ to child sex abuse charges
Disgraced former San Jose councilmember Omar Torres has pleaded “no contest” to charges he molested a minor relative in the 1990s – on the same day downtown residents vote for his replacement in a special election. Torres made the plea in Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Sevely’s courtroom Tuesday. The 43-year-old ex-councilmember faces...
San Jose police and fire unions want reserve funds to fill vacancies
Union leaders representing hundreds of San Jose police officers, firefighters and other workers said they shouldn’t be dealing with service and staffing cuts when the city has millions in reserve funds. Leaders with the San Jose Police Officers’ Association and San Jose Fire Fighters Local 230 are arguing the city has the necessary funding to...
San Jose special election PAC spending tops $800K
Spending has skyrocketed on the eve of San Jose’s special election, which will determine who will represent downtown on the City Council. Heading into Election Day, Matthew Quevedo, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Matt Mahan, is holding on to his fundraising lead with about $271,000 raised, according to recent campaign filings. Among the seven...
Proposed San Jose Chick-fil-A would be first in West San Jose
The largest fast-food chicken sandwich chain in the U.S. wants its next San Jose location to be the city’s most pedestrian-friendly restaurant. Chick-fil-A is seeking approval from city officials to add another eatery in San Jose with outdoor seating and no drive-thru at 1301 West San Carlos St. A spokesperson previously told San José Spotlight they...
San Jose homeless people say police citations are harassment
San Jose police continue to issue handwritten tickets to homeless people even after the department switched to electronic citations — a practice that is raising questions. Four homeless residents encamped near Cherry Avenue along the Guadalupe River said police regularly patrol the area and give out tickets for trespassing and littering. The behavior has those...