Residents will soon be able to view San Jose Police Department crime statistics broken down by council districts as part of an effort to expand transparency requirements citywide. Rules Committee members voted unanimously to approve a proposal by Councilmember Arjun Batra to publish public safety data by districts. Batra said his goal is to change the...
San Jose police union office manager pleads guilty to drug smuggling
The federal drug smuggling case against Joanna Segovia ended with a plea deal in court Tuesday, closing the saga of the woman known as the “grandmother” of the San Jose police union. Segovia’s guilty felony plea to U.S. Judge Eumi Lee admits she imported 17,400 doses of the opioid Tapentadol in a 17-month period between...
San Jose official warned about councilmember’s alleged misconduct
A San Jose elected official was warned that Councilmember Omar Torres was involved in child sexual misconduct – more than a year before Torres became the target of a police investigation that rocked Silicon Valley. In screenshots obtained by San José Spotlight, a tipster who used the pseudonym “John Wick” messaged one of Torres’ colleagues...
San Jose nonprofit raised funds with suspended tax-exempt status
The San Jose Vietnamese Running Club breaks a sweat to raise money for underserved children in Vietnam. But its overseas mission has become targeted by local anti-communist campaigns — and the club may have raised money illegally. State records show the California Franchise Tax Board suspended the running club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, in 2021....
San Jose police program in the spotlight after officer death
Police officers across Silicon Valley are mourning San Jose’s first community service officer killed in the line of duty — a gesture to how integral these officers have become in a city that struggles to fill its police ranks. Long Pham, a community service officer with the San Jose Police Department since 2022, was killed...
San Jose official lawyers up, blasts child sex abuse allegations
Less than 24 hours after San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres was detained and investigated for sexual misconduct involving a minor, he claims he’s being extorted and has lawyered up — and his attorney is a familiar face in political circles. Torres has enlisted Nelson McElmurry, a San Jose lawyer who earlier this year ran for...
Sources: San Jose official under investigation for child sexual abuse materials
San Jose police have served a search warrant on Councilmember Omar Torres on suspicion of child sexual abuse material and underage relationships, multiple sources have told San José Spotlight. A San Jose Police Department spokesperson confirmed Thursday night that a criminal investigation is underway into a councilmember, but declined to say why. Two sources told...
Election 2024: Labor advocate runs for San Jose District 6 seat
Olivia Navarro grew up watching her dad guide the Tamien Neighborhood Association in San Jose. This inspired her to lead groups within the Democratic Party — Chicano Latino Caucus, Stonewall LGBTQ+ and Movimiento Democratic Coalition. Toiling with the idea of running for office throughout her career in politics, Navarro, 46, said she decided to focus...
San Jose tiny home site to double beds for homeless
After months of delay, a tiny home project in South San Jose is expanding to help more people off the streets. By this time next year, 107 units will be added to the tiny home site at 5898 Rue Ferrari, with the capacity to house up to 146 homeless people — more than doubling its current...
San Jose veterans home operator dumped over poor conditions
Formerly homeless veterans living in poor conditions at a San Jose complex hope things get better with the change in nonprofit service providers. The property at 10. Kirk Ave. is home to dozens of veterans that have lived with black mildew, fire hazards and unsafe electrical systems, among other problems — issues that have been...