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San Jose residents lit up the night sky on Independence Day, ignoring weeks of pleas and threats from city and county officials to not set off illegal fireworks. The full scope of the evening’s explosive festival is not available yet, but the first batch of data is a mixed bag. The San Jose Fire Department...
South Bay government agencies won’t mandate vaccines
Unlike their counterparts in San Francisco, Santa Clara County government employees won’t be required to get COVID-19 shots any time soon. Last month, San Francisco announced all 35,000-plus city workers will be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine once one is fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “The city and county of San...
What stocks do Santa Clara County lawmakers own?
One Santa Clara County lawmaker owns stock in more than 60 companies, including tech giants like Apple, Google and Facebook as well as gas and utility companies such as Chevron and Exelon. The review of public stock holdings for Santa Clara County’s Board of Supervisors follows an April analysis of San Jose councilmembers’ stock portfolios....
When will San Jose light rail return? VTA can’t say
After more than a month without light rail service, South Bay commuters are growing frustrated with the local transit agency refusing to say when service will resume. On Twitter, tweet after tweet from residents ask VTA the same question: When will the light rail train service resume? I can’t believe you guys still haven’t resumed lightrail....
San Jose residents urged to not use Fourth of July fireworks
San Jose officials are urging residents to not launch illegal fireworks this Fourth of July, fearing a repeat of 2020 when the fire department ran out of units to respond to emergencies. Last year, the San Jose Fire Department outsourced units in surrounding cities, but it still wasn’t enough, paired with the effects of budget...
Silicon Valley transit agency brings remote workers back to the office
VTA is having its remote workers return to the office—and some say that puts them at risk. “We’re not opposed to coming back to the office, we just want to do it in a safe, logical way,” said Tammy Dhanota, a public communications specialist and VTA chapter chair at SEIU Local 521. The union includes...
Santa Clara County fears July 4th will jumpstart fire season, toxic air
Santa Clara County officials have a simple request of residents celebrating this Fourth of July weekend: Please don’t burn the county down. “Fireworks are a greater danger in Santa Clara County than ever before,” said county Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention Hector Estrada. “They result in deaths, injuries and property damage. And unfortunately, year after year,...
VTA to get $20 million from state after San Jose mass shooting
State lawmakers are set to give $20 million to VTA to help it recover from the deadliest shooting in Bay Area history. The funding is included in the state budget and will allow the transportation agency to provide mental health resources to employees and their families, resume light rail service and improve safety upgrades at the Guadalupe...
Silicon Valley transit agency publicizes dispute over alleged debt
Two Bay Area transit agencies disagree on whether one owes the other money—and local officials say the dispute could be handled better. “The more I read about it, this is clearly a power play,” said Eugene Bradley, founder of Silicon Valley Transit Users. “They’re going to have to work something out.” The San Mateo County...
Santa Clara County creates department for disabled residents
Obstacles that disabled residents deal with daily intensified during the pandemic. A new office promises to change that trajectory with a training and information center dedicated to improving services across Santa Clara County. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the new Office of Disability Affairs on Tuesday, a victory that advocates say...