On Jan. 27, California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will vote on a revised set of rules applying to Net Energy Metering (NEM 3.0). If you care about climate change, are considering investing in solar or are one of the approximately 28,500 Net Energy Metering customers in San Jose, NEM 3.0 will impact you. Under current...
Former San Jose assistant police chief jumps into sheriff’s race
A former police officer is stepping into the increasingly crowded election for Santa Clara County sheriff. Dave Knopf, former assistant chief of the San Jose Police Department, filed papers last week to run for sheriff. Knopf began his career in law enforcement working for the Morgan Hill Police Department in 1988. He transferred to SJPD in...
San Jose requires COVID boosters for workers, visitors at city facilities
San Jose is now the largest city in the state to require its employees and visitors of events at city-owned venues to show proof of a COVID-19 booster shot. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to impose a new mandate requiring city workers and visitors of city-owned facilities, such as the SAP Center and San...
UPDATE: Developer drops proposal for 6-story hotel on Winchester Boulevard
A controversial plan for a 6-story hotel on Winchester Boulevard in San Jose will not move forward after strong opposition from nearby residents. On Tuesday, councilmembers unanimously approved rezoning a 0.69-acre parcel at 1212 S. Winchester Blvd. from residential to commercial development, but rejected a plan to build a 119-room hotel on the plot. The...
Op-ed: San Jose’s new district map silences some communities of color
Last month, the San Jose City Council voted on a new electoral district map—carving out boundaries that will impact how our communities are represented for the next 10 years. While the district map adopted by the City Council attempts to address a legacy of racial segregation that continues to impact our region in areas like...
VTA approves pay bump, bonuses for Santa Clara County workers
Some VTA workers will see wage increases and a large bonus following approval of a new union contract with the public transit agency. VTA’s board of directors voted 11-1 in favor of an agreement that establishes a 10% pay raise over the next three years for members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265. The agreement...
Police reform, other new laws to watch in Santa Clara County
As the new year begins in California, so do a set of laws designed to better regulate police departments across the state. This comes in the wake of protests in 2020 that targeted police misconduct and violent crowd control tactics. Residents in Santa Clara County will also see a handful of other significant laws coming...
Santa Clara County looks for volunteers to tally unhoused population
After canceling the homeless count in 2021, Santa Clara County is looking for volunteers to help gather census data next month. The biennial count is critical for understanding the homelessness crisis and identifying the needs of people on the streets. The county opted to defer the 2021 count due to COVID-19. Advocates said the lack of information has...
San Jose mayoral candidate Matt Mahan leads pack on fundraising
Cash is flooding into San Jose’s mayoral race—a sign the election is going to prove costly for all contenders. Councilmember Matt Mahan leads the way, raising $504,000 from roughly 1,000 donors during the first 23 days of San Jose’s fundraising period. Mahan, a tech entrepreneur who announced his mayoral campaign a little over a year after...
San Jose committee halts Charcot Avenue extension
Contentious plans for the Charcot Avenue Extension project in North San Jose are reaching the end of the road. San Jose’s Rules and Open Government Committee on Wednesday unanimously recommended the city halt plans to build an overpass that would cross over Interstate Highway 880 from Paragon Drive to Oakland Road and divert the remaining...