Santa Clara County is requiring masks to be worn in hospitals and other high-risk settings, days after the state relaxed COVID-19 restrictions. County Executive Jeff Smith sent an email to staff Tuesday evening informing them that workers and visitors must continue to wear masks at county facilities including hospitals, clinics, long-term care homes, jails and...
Beloved Bay Area journalist suffers severe injury
For more than 50 years, Mike Colgan’s distinctive voice filled Bay Area airwaves—from headline-grabbing political scandals to national sporting events, Colgan was there. He retired from journalism in 2020 and moved to Arizona to enjoy a quiet life with his wife, but retirement was cut short. Colgan, a longtime fixture and icon in local journalism,...
Could Cindy Chavez say goodbye to Silicon Valley?
Longtime Silicon Valley labor leader Cindy Chavez may be leaving the Bay Area for an executive role down south—a shocking move for the local powerhouse. Chavez, who represents District 2 on the Board of Supervisors, is being considered for the San Diego County chief administrative officer position which oversees day-to-day operations of the county. The prospect of her...
State lawmaker to run for Santa Clara County supervisor
After decades in local and state politics, Sally Lieber is ready to be a bridge between county government and the residents it serves. Lieber is running for the District 5 seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, which will be open in 2024 when current Supervisor Joe Simitian terms out. The district includes Mountain...
A double life for some Silicon Valley politicos
Three Santa Clara County politicos lead a double life as policy advisors and researchers by day and elected officials at night. Omar Din, J.R. Fruen and Lucas Ramirez help San Jose councilmembers research and implement policy, while also governing in the cities where they live. Din serves as Sunnyvale vice mayor, Fruen as a Cupertino...
Santa Clara County relaxes COVID rules
Santa Clara County is grappling with how to implement the latest COVID-19 changes, as the state lifts rules on masking and vaccinations in April. The county will follow new state guidelines starting Monday as California loosens requirements, but officials are cautious a month after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the state’s COVID-19 emergency over. Starting next...
Longtime Santa Clara County politico looks to make history
Betty Duong is no stranger to being the first. Now, the longtime community advocate has her eye on being the first Vietnamese supervisor in Santa Clara County. Duong, 42, said she’s running for the District 2 Board of Supervisors seat and plans to make the announcement official in downtown San Jose this Sunday. Experts and...
San Jose police union office manager charged in fentanyl scheme
The longtime office manager of the San Jose police union is being charged with attempting to illegally import a form of the opioid fentanyl, in connection with an international scheme to bring synthetic drugs into the U.S. and distribute them, federal officials said. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco announced late Wednesday it filed...
Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna is staying put—for now
Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna will remain in the House of Representatives, announcing over the weekend that he will not run for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat, after months of weighing his options. Instead, Khanna will take on the role of campaign co-chair for longtime East Bay Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who is one of three Democratic...
State to audit Santa Clara County public transit agency
Santa Clara County’s largest public transit agency will be audited by the state as one lawmaker looks to change up how it’s run. A state committee voted Wednesday to have the California State Auditor review the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) related to concerns about the agency’s governance structure, planning and fiscal management. Assemblymember...