Santa Clara County has seen a number of milestones in its effort to increase the affordable housing inventory this month, including a first in a decade development for North San Jose. The county and cities like San Jose and Santa Clara are racing to build more housing—especially affordable and supportive residences—to help address a housing crisis that...
Valley Fair parking fees a burden for San Jose student workers
A coalition of mall workers and San Jose State University college students are fighting to be heard at Westfield Valley Fair. On Thursday, the group known as Low Income Versus Elite protested in front of the mall on Stevens Creek Boulevard against its employee parking fee policy. For retail workers who make minimum wage, having...
Silicon Valley fire officials gear up for future blazes
For George Huang, the fire chief for Cal Fire’s Santa Clara Unit, the term “fire season” is no longer in his vocabulary. It’s now simply “the fire year.” “We are facing another terrible, terrible fire year,” Huang told San José Spotlight. As of last week, 95% of California—including Santa Clara County—was in either severe or extreme...
Silicon Valley residents could face fines for wasting water
Although Valley Water aims to educate the public on conservation, it might start issuing fines for water wasters. Residents could see water enforcers in their neighborhoods this summer, and offenders being slapped with fines up to $500 after repeated warnings. Valley Water board member John Varela said in a statement that if the statewide drought...
Santa Clara County elections office preps for June primary
Although the 2020 election was filled with fears and fallacies, Santa Clara County election officials say there is nothing to worry about here. With less than one month until the June 7 primary, several measures are in place to ensure a safe and accurate election cycle. This week the Registrar of Voters released a security report to...
UPDATE: San Jose approves ban on ghost guns
San Jose officials have signed off on a ban on homemade firearms, marking the city’s latest effort to tighten local gun control. On Tuesday, councilmembers unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting residents from possessing, manufacturing, selling, assembling, receiving or distributing unserialized firearms and their parts. These homemade weapons are also known as ghost guns because they’re...
COVID infections on the rise in Santa Clara County
After a recent lifting of restrictions, the number of COVID-19 infections in Santa Clara County is rising. County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said schools and workplaces are reporting upticks in infection, and that the county is starting to see early signs that could signal a future increase in hospitalizations due to the virus....
Loss of Gilroy Garlic Festival is a financial hit for youth groups
The loss of the Gilroy Garlic Festival brings an end to essential funding for local nonprofits and youth organizations. High insurance premiums forced the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association to discontinue the festival, leaving local groups without the once-reliable source of funding and searching for new revenue streams. Since 1979, the annual food festival has raised...
Santa Clara County funds abortion services as law is threatened
Santa Clara County officials will invest millions into local Planned Parenthood facilities to expand services, as the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn abortion rights. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to give Planned Parenthood Mar Monte $3 million to expand services, renovate its clinics and create a telehealth behavioral health program—anticipating an...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County expands its home kitchen industry
Santa Clara County residents running food businesses out of their kitchens will be able to come out of the shadows, following a Tuesday Board of Supervisors vote. The board authorized a three-year pilot program for microenterprise home kitchen operations that will apply to all 15 cities and unincorporated areas within the county. California established a...