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Patriotism has taken on a different meaning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ahead of Independence Day weekend, officials have made more forceful steps to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus as confirmed cases, hospitalizations and intensive care numbers have jumped in recent weeks in Santa Clara County. The Association of Bay Area Health Officials issued a...
Property assessments reach $551.5 billion, peak of Santa Clara County economic growth
The valuation of properties on Santa Clara County’s assessment roll topped $551.5 billion – likely a peak of Silicon Valley’s decade of economic growth. The net valuation of all real and business property, which determines property tax rates, increased by $35.5 billion – a 6.87 percent increase from 2019’s $516 billion valuation, with the help...
‘A new stage’: Santa Clara County issues new order asking state to reopen nail, hair salons
After nearly four months of closure, Santa Clara County gyms, spas, hair and nail salons are set to reopen later this month — if the state says yes. But things will look much differently inside those businesses than before the COVID-19 pandemic closed their doors in mid-March. Personal care businesses are among the last to reopen....
Santa Clara County program may help ‘defund police’ response to mental health crises
As calls to defund the police in the wake of the killing of George Floyd sweep the nation, the focus has turned to how law enforcement handles calls related to mental health crises. At its most basic level, “defund the police” is a demand for money to be moved from police budgets and reinvested into...
Santa Clara County nonprofits primed to take over policing, funding for social needs
Calls to defund the police have spread nationwide, as communities grapple with police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and San Jose’s militarized response to otherwise peaceful protesters in late May. While some support complete abolition of the San Jose Police Department’s proposed $449 million budget, the discussion for many Santa Clara...
Santa Clara County not ready for next stage of reopening, Cody says
Santa Clara County isn’t ready to seek state approval to open more businesses due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that has attracted the state’s attention, Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s top health official, said Tuesday. “At the moment, we don’t meet all the criteria on the variance application,” Cody told the Santa Clara...
Santa Clara County supports new policies for Sheriff’s Office use of force
In a direct response to curbing police violence and misconduct, Santa Clara County lawmakers Tuesday began “re-envisioning” use of force policies and daily functions of the county’s Sheriff’s Office. The Board of Supervisors unanimously supported the reform measures, introduced by Supervisor Joe Simitian, following the nationwide uproar and calls to defund the police after the...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County declares racism as a public health crisis
Amid a national reckoning over racism and civil unrest that’s swept the country, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously adopted resolutions to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and declare racism a public health crisis. “A resolution is only as good as the actions that follow it,” said Supervisor...
Santa Clara County suicide helplines see spike in calls amid pandemic
Since the start of the pandemic and orders to stay inside, Santa Clara County has seen a rise in calls to a suicide prevention hotline — a trend that is mirrored nationally. The national Disaster Distress Helpline is receiving a notable uptick in calls during the COVID-19 pandemic with a more than 900% increase in...
The land of inequality: New research highlights Silicon Valley’s wealth gap
San Jose State leaders on Tuesday called on tech companies and other institutions to address white supremacy and inequality, which are seeped into nearly every aspect of Silicon Valley life, according to new research unveiled this week. A new report, called the Silicon Valley Pain Index, is shedding a glaring spotlight on wealth and income...