A civil grand jury this week released a scathing report on Santa Clara’s alleged failure to comply with the state’s public records law — a report city officials are disputing. The law, known as the California Public Records Act, dates back to 1968 and allows people to look at and receive documents created and kept by government...

Santa Clara’s nightlife has been stunted because of red tape, costly regulations and outdated policies, some leaders say, but now they’re trying to change that. Mike Seitz would love to have live music at the planned Barebottle Brewery in Santa Clara, just like at the company’s San Francisco taproom, but he and his business partners...

Silicon Valley is home to some of the first recreational pot shops in California. But not in Santa Clara. The Mission City passed a moratorium on commercial pot two months ago — after voters approved a measure legalizing recreational sales — and now lawmakers want to extend the ban. “There’s not enough time, really, to do all...

After a lengthy legal battle costing more than $3 million in fees, Santa Clara is appealing a court decision forcing district elections after it was sued for allegedly violating the California Voting Rights Act, according to the plaintiffs’ attorneys. City officials are appealing despite previous unsuccessful efforts from other cities in similar California Voting Rights Act cases. “The city is appealing...

In an effort to crack down on smoking and the purchase and use of flavored tobacco products by underage youth, Santa Clara City officials unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday that enforces stricter tobacco regulations. Some of the regulations include banning smoking tobacco in new and existing multi-unit housing and requiring tenants to sign lease agreements...