Santa Clara County is trying a unique way to intervene in drug addiction by doling out gift cards. A pilot program is launching in the next few weeks for those addicted to methamphetamine and other stimulant drugs. Participants will be given gift cards for each negative drug test they take over a 24-week period. They...
Thousands of dollars roll in for Santa Clara County candidates
As the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors races begin to ramp up for the 2024 election, campaign contributions are also heating up as candidates begin fundraising for seats that are up for grabs. Candidates across three districts have already raised more than $600,000. All contributions and donor information are based on campaign filings as...
Santa Clara County workers ditch picket plans after striking deal
Santa Clara County union workers struck a historic deal on Friday to increase their wages, subsequently averting a strike by these essential workers. The agreement between union workers and county officials will provide Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521 members—the largest union in the county—with the largest wage increase in more than 20 years. The...
Silicon Valley congressmember’s visibility attracts donors
Silicon Valley Congressmember Ro Khanna has been making headlines this year—and his campaign finances indicate he’s seeing a huge return on making himself more visible. Khanna said his growing contributions can be attributed to his greater visibility on high-profile issues including a number of Supreme court decisions and the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, as...
Silicon Valley’s AI boom could widen disparities
Silicon Valley has long been recognized as the center of tech innovation. Now artificial intelligence is pushing the region into its next iteration. The outcome could end up driving a greater wedge between the haves and have nots. San Jose and the Bay Area have become the nationwide hub for the AI industry, according to...
San Jose free food pilot feeds those in need
Residents in affordable housing across San Jose and Palo Alto have access to free food through an effort to prevent food waste and provide support to low-income families. First Community Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing developer, is offering free groceries in a pilot program at Iamesi Village in downtown San Jose and Curtner Studios near Guadalupe Parkway....
‘It’s just a matter of time’: How Santa Clara County is preparing for fires
A few embers from a fire can become catastrophic in minutes, igniting new blazes that can rip through homes, businesses and acres of land. That’s why Ali Tohidi, mechanical engineering assistant professor at San Jose State University, and his team are studying how embers, also known as firebrand showers, spread. The team at SJSU’s Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research...
Tobacco ban hurting Silicon Valley early education groups
A ban on flavored tobacco is expected to drain funds for Silicon Valley organizations that serve low-income families. Last November state voters approved Prop. 31, which bars the sale of flavored tobacco. This comes on the heels of a flavored tobacco ban in San Jose. The unintended consequences of the state measure could reduce tax...
San Jose political show says goodbye to longtime host
A local public access television show is changing the channel as a longtime political host steps away. Terry Christensen, host and executive producer of Valley Politics, retired in May after eight years leading the show on CreaTV San Jose. He’s been an expert on local politics and public policy for decades. He’s a political science...
Silicon Valley family exposes need to reform conservatorship law
When Andy was 20 years old he had his head bashed into the cement during an unprovoked attack. Severely beaten, his mother thought he was gone, but Andy survived. A month later, he started hearing unexplained voices. Andy’s symptoms worsened during the next few months, and his mother, Kathryn, took him to San Jose Medical...