During the pandemic, government meetings went online to allow for greater public participation and compliance with social distancing guidelines. But with COVID-19 on the decline, some are wondering when meetings might return to an in-person format. Hybrid meetings may be the answer. Both the San Jose City Council and Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors...
South Bay leaders weigh-in on federal relief funding
As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the nation, many cities and towns took a financial hit as tax revenue dried up and public health expenditures increased. But now the federal government is doling out funds to help communities recover. San Jose and Santa Clara County are receiving approximately $212 and $374 million, respectively, from the American...
How Santa Clara County residents can prepare for fire season
With warm temperatures, dry vegetation and little rain in the past year, parts of San Jose and Santa Clara County are at risk of wildfires. Here’s what residents can do to prepare for this year’s fire season. Buildings near the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) are most at risk, said Erica Ray, spokesperson for the San...
Q&A: What San Jose businesses need to know about masks, COVID vaccines and social distancing
Differences between local and national COVID regulations are causing confusion and placing the burden of enforcement on businesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear masks or social distance “in any setting.” But in Santa Clara County, everyone is still required to wear masks...
Demand for Silicon Valley food pantries remains high
As California recovers from the pandemic job loss, the demand for food pantries in San Jose remains at a record high with no signs of declining. “We are not seeing a significant decrease (in the need for food pantries),” said Cat Cvengros, spokesperson for local food bank Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. “The biggest reason...
Santa Clara County cracks down on student absenteeism
More than 25,000 Santa Clara County students are chronically absent from school each year. Elected officials want to change that. The county Board of Supervisors this week voted unanimously to create a plan and funding options to address the issue. County leaders hope that contracts and a work plan are ironed out for the start...
South Bay panel discusses violence against Asian Americans
Violence against Asian Americans has increased since the start of the pandemic, but isn’t new to American history. That was the focus of a panel hosted earlier this month by Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian and Asian Americans for Community Involvement. The panel on violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County adopts Laura’s Law
Twenty years after California gave counties the option to create court-ordered psychiatric treatment programs, Santa Clara County supervisors have “opted in” to the legislation. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to opt in to Laura’s Law and begin creating an assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) program that legally requires individuals struggling with severe mental illness...
Santa Clara County sweetens the deal to get vaccinated
Boba, professional athlete meet-and-greets, live music and Starbucks gift cards are a few things you might expect to see if you’re getting vaccinated nowadays in Santa Clara County. Now that more than 1 million county residents are fully vaccinated, officials are offering a carrot for the rest of the population to get at least 85%...
Santa Clara County pilots program to combat wage theft
Santa Clara County is doubling down on its efforts to eliminate wage theft following a report showing $128 million in unpaid fees. Earlier this month, the county launched a pilot program that proactively identifies contractors working with the county who have outstanding final judgments against them and determines whether to disqualify the contractor from doing...