Standard Blog

Palo Alto backs away from plan to let RVs remain in neighborhoods

Palo Alto officials deferred a controversial pilot program on Monday that would have concentrated occupied RVs on certain streets in south Palo Alto, following significant uproar from residents. The City Council unanimously approved the other half of the two-pronged approach and will create a pilot parking permit program for RVs on Coyote Hill Road in...

Kayak tours highlight San Jose river’s restoration

Years of neglect and festering pollution problems have left San Jose’s Guadalupe River with a toxic reputation among locals. But one former councilmember says the best days are still to come for the long-benighted waterway — and he’s leading by example. Local entrepreneur Carl Salas has been waging a quiet crusade over the past decade...

San Jose neighborhood improvement program is back

A popular San Jose neighborhood improvement initiative that strengthens tenant rights and encourages better relationships with landlords has returned. The Responsible Landlord Engagement Initiative (RLEI) took a two-year hiatus after funds for the program ran out. The city is providing $250,000 for one year to fund the program, which is hosted under the umbrella of...

Eight candidates compete for Cupertino council seats

Cupertino voters are facing another high-stakes City Council election between the community’s pro-growth and slow-growth factions. Eight candidates have qualified for three council seats on the Nov. 3 ballot, with seven newcomers and one councilmember — J.R. Fruen — seeking a second term. Vice Mayor Liang Chao terms out in December and Councilmember Sheila Mohan...

Santa Clara ditches idea to hold council meetings at libraries

Santa Clara has shelved plans to explore holding City Council meetings at locations outside City Hall after staff estimated it could cost up to $260,000 to install the audiovisual equipment needed at two libraries. Councilmembers unanimously voted Tuesday to maintain its current practice of holding meetings in the council chambers. The discussion stemmed from a...

Jayadev: Santa Clara County shouldn’t invest billions of dollars in its jail facilities

In the midst of an unprecedented budget crisis which has caused devastating cuts in healthcare, housing, education and employment needs, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is considering investing billions of public dollars into the worst possible response to a community in need — incarceration. The proposal from the County Executive’s Office to be...