A coalition of South Bay business leaders and anti-regulation advocates is urging Bay Area air regulators to halt a forthcoming ban on gas-powered water heater installations set to take effect next year. Dozens gathered in front of the Santa Clara County Government Center on Monday to take part in an event organized by the Silicon...
Santa Clara County could build bike-only park trails
The Bay Area is a paradox – both the birthplace of mountain biking and a well of local opposition. Now Santa Clara County is poised to embrace the sport in a major way. County leaders are exploring the creation of bike-only trails in county parks to avoid illegal tracks in sensitive areas and conflicts between...
Santa Clara County budget makes steep cuts to safety net programs
Santa Clara County leaders are recommending a net reduction of 464 jobs across the region’s social safety net programs to shoulder a $787 million deficit in their nearly $15 billion budget. County Executive James Williams’ Friday recommendations mark a 7.5% spending increase to the county budget compared to last year, as expenses continue to outpace...
Santa Clara County public defenders crushed by caseloads
Santa Clara County public defenders have become a model for getting poor people out of jail before their trials. But their caseloads have exceeded national standards by staggering percentages and upcoming budget talks have the ability to plug an ongoing drain of attorneys. The county has lost 33 public defenders – who are constitutionally mandated...
Silicon Valley mental health crisis team at risk of losing funding
People are seeking out Santa Clara County’s non-police mental health crisis team more than any other response program. But it’s about to run out of money. County leaders are looking for ways to keep the Trusted Response Urgent Support Team (TRUST) program alive after state funding — which gave the program four years to evolve since launching...
Report details missing, murdered Indigenous people in San Jose
Colonization, forced displacement and violence against Indigenous people in the U.S. have left years of generational trauma. Now, a first-ever report quantifies these impacts on Bay Area Native communities. The Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley released a report this month showing the extent in which local Indigenous people survived sexual abuse, have missing or...
Santa Clara County workers put on leave amid child welfare crisis
Ten Santa Clara County employees are on leave and state officials are tightening their grip as another death in the county’s child welfare system has prompted calls for criminal accountability. The alleged sexual assault and killing of 2-year-old Jaxon Juarez — who the Department of Family and Children’s Services placed in the home of a...
High gas prices gouge Silicon Valley
Surging gas prices will cut $1.1 billion from household income in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties this year and eliminate 2,600 jobs, according to estimates from a San Jose economic think tank. A recent report from Joint Venture Silicon Valley shows total economic output in the two counties will drop by $706 million if...
Silicon Valley homeless nonprofit CEO is out
One of Silicon Valley’s most prolific homeless service providers is changing leadership, after reports of its mismanagement of a large South San Jose shelter led to a terminated contract. Nonprofit LifeMoves announced CEO Aubrey Merriman is transitioning out of his role in an April 8 email sent to workers. Chief Operating Officer Nick Hodges is replacing Merriman...
Medi-Cal cuts create problems for Silicon Valley immigrants
Budget cuts to Medi-Cal are threatening the fabric of Silicon Valley’s health care system — and immigrants are among the hardest hit populations. Some immigrants have experienced delays in services, medication cuts, difficulties navigating the new health care landscape and uncertainties about available services. Others have dropped coverage completely for fear of having their information...