A state bill from a Silicon Valley legislator could bring hope and help to homeless high school students. Introduced by state Sen. Dave Cortese, Senate Bill 1341 provides $50 million to $75 million in aid to homeless youth. The bill aims to uplift about 15,000 high school seniors with guaranteed income of $1,000 per month for...
Negative campaign ads bombard Silicon Valley voters
As Silicon Valley inches closer to the June 7 primary election, an onslaught of negative political ads are popping up in voters’ mailboxes, forcing candidates to dispute these smear tactics. Candidates in San Jose and Santa Clara County races have spent big bucks to get their names in front of voters. These efforts has been met recently...
Reader Panel: San Jose voters share candidate selections
San Jose voters are already casting their ballots for the primary election next week, but some aren’t excited about their choices. Residents who spoke with San José Spotlight said they’ve voted for many key offices up for grabs on June 7, including San Jose mayor, City Council, Santa Clara County sheriff, district attorney and county assessor. This news...
Santa Clara County leaders want office to track hate crimes
Santa Clara County officials want to create a department focused on hate crimes, but local leaders have questions about how it would work. The Board of Supervisors recently directed county workers to come up with a plan for implementing dozens of recommendations for addressing hate crimes. This would include developing a reporting system for hate-based...
San José Spotlight nets 8 wins in annual California Journalism Awards
San José Spotlight has won eight California Journalism Awards in the annual contest sponsored by the California News Publishers Association, including four first place honors. The yearly competition highlights the best print and digital news reporting and photography in the state. News organizations compete based on size and circulation. San José Spotlight took part in...
Panel: Lack of housing is main cause for San Jose homelessness
The lack of affordable housing, systemic racism and weak safety nets continue to be the leading causes for Silicon Valley’s homeless crisis, a panel of experts last week. Hosted by San José Spotlight and nonprofit Destination: Home as part of an event series on the issue, the Thursday panel examined the root causes of homelessness—and...
COVID boosters suggested for Santa Clara County youth
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending COVID-19 booster shots for children ages 5 to 11, time will tell whether parents take their children to get the jab. In Santa Clara County, as of May 26, about 60% of children ages 5 to 11 are vaccinated and 70% of children ages 12+...
How Silicon Valley gun rules changed after the VTA shooting
When a disgruntled employee fatally shot nine coworkers at a VTA rail yard last year, Silicon Valley officials vowed to take action. The May 26, 2021 VTA mass shooting is the deadliest gun massacre in the Bay Area’s history, where nine transit workers died from the attack. Another worker, haunted by the event, died by suicide months later. A...
Never forgotten: VTA commemorates fallen San Jose workers
The VTA community gathered Thursday to mourn workers killed in a mass shooting one year ago—and to find a path toward healing. Speaking at the Guadalupe light rail yard in downtown San Jose shortly after dawn, General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot addressed a group of workers and families who lost their loved ones in...
San Jose VTA faces lawsuit from family of shooting victim
One year after a disgruntled worker killed nine colleagues at the VTA rail yard in downtown San Jose, the family of one victim is suing for negligence. The family of Lars Kepler Lane filed a lawsuit Thursday against VTA, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and Universal Protection Service, VTA’s private security contractor. The suit, filed in...