San Jose residents might get some respite from blaring trains at night thanks to new funding from the state. Senate Bill 129, authored by state Sen. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley, gives $8 million in one-time funding to partially pay for rail crossing improvements along the Warm Springs Corridor running through Japantown along Seventh, Taylor, Jackson...
San Jose vice mayor sheds stocks, keeps Palantir
After he was forced into a last-minute recusal from a San Jose City Council vote in February, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones liquidated most of his stock holdings. But he’s holding onto a handful of lucrative stocks, including a controversial one. Jones told San José Spotlight that of the 40 stocks listed on his public disclosure forms,...
San Jose to make gun owners carry insurance, pay into public fund
Gun owners in San Jose will soon have to pay for insurance to keep their firearms. The San Jose City Council unanimously passed gun control measures Tuesday that will require all gun owners in the city to carry insurance and pay an annual fee to cover taxpayer costs related to gun violence, or risk having their...
Silicon Valley transit agency publicizes dispute over alleged debt
Two Bay Area transit agencies disagree on whether one owes the other money—and local officials say the dispute could be handled better. “The more I read about it, this is clearly a power play,” said Eugene Bradley, founder of Silicon Valley Transit Users. “They’re going to have to work something out.” The San Mateo County...
Former congressional candidate running for San Jose mayor
A progressive young newcomer believes he’s got what it takes to be the next mayor of America’s 10th largest city. Former congressional candidate Jonathan Royce Esteban, 26, made his political debut last year when he ran for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District as the Libertarian nominee. Esteban is now running as a Democrat in Silicon Valley...
UPDATE: San Jose flea market decision delayed another week
The future of the San Jose Flea Market is up in the air following two days of deliberation but no decision on a proposed mixed-use development that would shrink the market by two-thirds of its current size. The San Jose City Council met Tuesday to consider plans for the Berryessa BART Urban Village, but continued...
Flores: The right thing to do
It is hard to do the right thing. But doing the right thing is always right. San Jose—and its elected leaders—have an opportunity today to do the right thing for its people. The Google project is the largest land deal in the city’s history. From the announcement to the three years of dialogue between all...
UPDATE: San Jose adopts new gun control measures
San Jose will be one of the few cities in the nation to require gun shops to record firearm purchases after a unanimous late-night vote Tuesday. The new rules will seek to prevent so-called “straw purchases,” or a firearm purchase where someone buys a gun and passes it off to someone else who should not...
How long will South Bay government meetings stay online?
During the pandemic, government meetings went online to allow for greater public participation and compliance with social distancing guidelines. But with COVID-19 on the decline, some are wondering when meetings might return to an in-person format. Hybrid meetings may be the answer. Both the San Jose City Council and Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors...
Why San Jose killed sanctioned homeless encampments
The idea of creating legal tent cities for San Jose’s homeless people — or sanctioned encampments as they’re called — once again died inside the City Council chambers earlier this year. It isn’t the first time San Jose lawmakers flirted with the idea. In 2015, then-Councilmember Don Rocha led the charge to create encampments a...