A growing coalition of social justice leaders is demanding San Jose City Hall release text messages between councilmembers that allegedly include racist and derogatory remarks, two weeks after San José Spotlight broke a story about the inflammatory conversation. The Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet of Silicon Valley and AFRO-Upris joined the NAACP of San Jose/Silicon Valley...
San Jose clinics push Black health to the forefront
For many, stepping through the doors of Ujima Adult & Family Services and Roots Community Health feels like a Black oasis. Portraits of important Black figures — Malcom X, Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and Marcus Garvey — greet visitors when they walk through the halls. African symbols such as masks and the...
San Jose bans homeless people renting RVs
A new San Jose policy intended to target individuals who rent RVs to homeless residents is being extended to penalize people sleeping in their vehicles. The San Jose City Council voted 9-1 on Tuesday to approve the “vanlording” policy, as it was written last week, to ban the advertising and renting out of RVs to...
San Jose cancels Almaden Lake Park 4th of July festival
San Jose resident Cathie Bacosa woke up around midnight last year to a fire ravaging her backyard in the neighborhood she’s lived in for 28 years. She thinks it was likely from fireworks. It was July 4, and more than 30,000 people had crowded into the small neighborhood to watch the annual Almaden Lake Park...
UPDATE: San Jose leaders say “No” to stronger police oversight
San Jose’s independent police auditor wants to review every use-of-force case — a level of oversight the county sheriff already accepts. But city officials unanimously rejected the idea at Police Chief Paul Joseph’s request. Out of 400 total incidents where San Jose police used their weapons or hands on people in 2024, 13 resulted in...
San Jose allocates money for immigrant defense
San Jose officials have squeezed funding out of the 2025-26 budget to support education and legal services in defense of the city’s immigrant community. The San Jose City Council on June 10 unanimously approved $1 million going to immigrant defense organizations like Amigos de Guadalupe and the Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN) —...
San Jose to clear Columbus Park — again
San Jose is moving forward with plans to clear large camps of homeless people and prevent them from returning. Sweeps are planned from June 16 to June 30 to clear encampments where dozens of people are living in tents along the Guadalupe River from West Taylor Street to Interstate 880. The city plans to sweep...
Tordillos leads in fundraising for San Jose District 3 race
Money is pouring into the race to represent San Jose’s downtown District 3 on the City Council, with less than two weeks before Election Day. Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos has a fundraising lead of more than $90,000 over his opponent, Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez. Campaign finance documents filed Thursday...
San Jose restaurant to be replaced by Chick-fil-A
Neighborhood-wide efforts to save a San Jose restaurant have been quashed in favor of a new fast-food eatery. Planning Director Christopher Burton on Wednesday approved a Chick-fil-A at 255 Race St. off West San Carlos Street because the location is considered underused — despite a longstanding family restaurant operating at the site. The decision solidifies...
West Valley residents angry over hotel turning to homeless housing
More than 100 people packed the Camden Community Center Wednesday to speak against a West Valley hotel converting to temporary homes for homeless women and children. They stood against the walls when seats ran out, booed, shouted over each other and yelled at San Jose officials, “You’re our elected officials! You need to listen to...