Since Santa Clara County declared a mental health crisis in January, little has changed to combat the problem, supervisors said in a pull-no-punches memo to County Executive Jeff Smith. Local officials are frustrated with county’s lack of progress in addressing its mental health crisis, and are demanding an acceleration of several projects—including the construction of...
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County
UPDATE: Santa Clara County to overhaul plans for new jail
After more than a decade of planning, Santa Clara County is poised to go back to the drawing board to redesign its new jail, while criminal justice advocates call to abandon the plan altogether. The Board of Supervisors voted 3-1-1 Tuesday to pump the brakes on a plan to construct a new $689 million jail,...
Santa Clara County dam faces growing opposition
The opposition against the Pacheco Dam expansion in South County is growing—and so is the list of plaintiffs suing Valley Water over the project. This week, the environmental advocacy group Sierra Club and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band have added their names to the Stop Pacheco Dam Coalition, which is suing Valley Water. The lawsuit, first...
Santa Clara County doctors ‘stressed out beyond belief’
Santa Clara County could see an exodus of primary care doctors, as physicians say they’re at a breaking point after years of heavy workloads and dismissive leadership. Primary care doctors at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center said they’re being asked to prioritize quantity over quality health care. All physicians in the division, roughly 75 people, signed...
High-speed rail to San Jose passes another hurdle
With a recent vote, high-speed rail moves one step closer to rolling down the tracks in the Bay Area. When completed, passengers will be able to travel by train from San Francisco to Los Angeles in under three hours. On Thursday, the California High-Speed Rail Authority board voted unanimously to approve the environmental impact report...
Santa Clara County offers more monkeypox vaccines
Even as the monkeypox vaccine supply is falling short of the need nationally, Santa Clara County is preparing to offer more appointments for people seeking a dose due to a change in vaccination requirements. Under new federal guidelines, health care providers can use less of the vaccine for each person, increasing the number of people...
Santa Clara County schools help stamp out hunger
Any San Jose student could receive a free school meal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now California is making sure that doesn’t stop with the start of this school year. California is the first state in the country to pass the Universal Meals Program, which requires schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to students regardless of...
Election 2022: Santa Clara County cities see several contests
Residents across the South Bay will elect some new representatives this November, as a number of seats are up for grabs. Local races were expensive and competitive in the June primary election, with many incumbents seeking reelection and new candidates jumping in to shake up the status quo. Candidates vying for council seats in smaller...
Santa Clara County to study public contract disparities
Santa Clara County wants to level the playing field for minority-owned businesses that have no skin in the public contractor game. The county plans to conduct a vendor diversity study to examine how the process can be improved. It will collect data to review how businesses are selected for county contractor jobs and analyze it...
Silicon Valley law to end unruly behavior on Newsom’s desk
A California bill that would allow public officials to remove disruptive individuals from meetings is poised to become law after gaining bipartisan support. State Sen. Dave Cortese and Assemblymember Evan Low introduced a bill earlier this year to update and strengthen the 69-year-old Ralph M. Brown Act, California’s open meeting law. The state legislators say...