Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County

Coronavirus: What will it take to open more Silicon Valley businesses?

As Santa Clara County officials prepare to lift restrictions for certain businesses in the Bay Area, local health leaders say they’re basing those decisions — and future business openings — on five key “indicators” aimed at ensuring the region doesn’t see a resurgence of the virus as the economy reopens. The primary industries affected by...

San Jose Police Chief talks crime trends during COVID-19 shutdown

Serious crime rates in San Jose have dropped while the city’s nearly 1.1 million residents shelter in place, but concerns still linger, particularly for business owners and domestic violence victims, according to Police Chief Eddie Garcia. Garcia addressed some of those concerns Thursday in an hour-long webinar, moderated by the Silicon Valley Organization’s President and CEO Matt Mahood and incoming...

Santa Clara County had the first U.S. coronavirus deaths, officials say

Santa Clara County may have had the earliest coronavirus-related deaths in the nation, pointing to weeks of the virus circulating in the county before anyone realized, according to new autopsy information revealed this week. The county’s medical examiner-coroner released data on three newly identified coronavirus cases that resulted in death dating back to February 6....

Santa Clara County: basic income pilot, Civic Center homeless housing plans move forward

A wide range of residents — from business and nonprofit leaders to aged-out foster youth and property owners — could benefit from Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors’ actions Tuesday. The supervisors approved multiple items related to COVID-19, including plans to start preparing for a reopened economy, a pilot income program for former foster youth...

Homeless, advocates protest lack of protections in Silicon Valley shelters

More than a dozen homeless advocates and unsheltered individuals protested at a rally in San Jose on Friday against Santa Clara County’s approach to protecting unhoused people from the novel coronavirus. The county is pushing unhoused individuals into shelters instead of the safer option of sheltering them in hotel and motel rooms, protestors said. It...

As courts largely close to the public, advocates fear power abuses and deaths

A judge’s decision to limit public attendance to court hearings because of the COVID-19 crisis has advocates and others worried about potential abuse of power and harmful consequences for defendants. “We don’t do secret judicial proceedings in the United States,” said David Snyder, executive director for the First Amendment Coalition. “When courts or any other...