The state has stepped in to help fund the initial phases of a bicycle superhighway that will make commuting between Santa Clara and East San Jose easier. The California Department of Transportation has awarded VTA a $14 million grant for the Central Bikeway project, a 10-mile stretch of protected bike lanes connecting the Sunnyvale/Santa Clara...
Palo Alto hopes to protect El Camino retail amid housing boom
When city leaders from all over the Peninsula pitched a plan more than a decade ago to transform El Camino Real into a “grand boulevard,” they ran into a gauntlet of skepticism in Palo Alto. The Grand Boulevard Initiative, a collaboration of 19 cities in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, was largely panned by...
Bramson: What federal budgets cuts could mean at home
It’s easy to miss the potential impact of federal budget cuts when you live above the fray. If you’ve got a job, a home and a cushion in your checking account, Washington’s latest budget proposal might sound like just another headline. But if you’re one of the thousands of extremely low-income or homeless residents in...
San Jose homeless population is still rising
San Jose’s homeless population has ticked up despite ongoing investments to build temporary housing. Silicon Valley’s largest city has 6,503 homeless residents, up 237 people from a 2023 point-in-time count, according to data shared by San Jose. About 60% is unsheltered, or 3,959 people, and 2,544 are sheltered. The city’s homeless population peaked in 2022...
Downtown San Jose nightclubs operating without permits
Downtown nightlife venues with ties to San Jose’s political elite have flouted city regulations by staying open past midnight without permits for more than a year — incensing other nightclub owners who pay steep to play by the rules. San Pedro Social and Kaizen Lounge in downtown San Jose have operated without conditional use permits...
Pet lovers demand leadership change at San Jose animal shelter
After two years of trying, Lisa Picho finally got the call to work at the San Jose Animal Care Center. She was thrilled to start as an animal care attendant in March. But she said she quickly felt ill-equipped due to a lack of training. She narrowly avoided a dog attack. She cleaned food and...
Hello Kitty Cafe fans line up for Santa Clara opening
The Bay Area’s first character cafe opened in Westfield Valley Fair to hundreds of excited fans. The Hello Kitty Cafe opened Friday as the mall continues to bring new stores and different businesses into its $1.1 billion expansion. The mall is planning to open 25 new stores and restaurants in 2025 and remains one of...
Cortese: San Jose deserves its first public law school
When I was in my 30s, I went to Lincoln Law School in San Jose part-time and earned my Juris Doctor degree. I was able to pass the Bar Exam and become a practicing attorney all while raising a family and working a full-time job — furthering my education at a pace and price I...
Santa Clara County immigrants are self-deporting
Across Santa Clara County, a new phenomenon is happening: immigrants are choosing to self-deport. It’s something immigration attorney Richard Hobbs has never seen in his 35-year career. There’s only been two people so far who have contacted his office to inform him of their decision — but Hobbs said other attorneys have told him people...
California lawmakers worry AI will hurt entry-level tech jobs
California lawmakers, whose state is home to the most advanced artificial intelligence developers, are concerned that Congress is not prepared to respond to a job market where AI takes over entry-level jobs in the technology sector. It’s not clear yet how often AI is replacing — or will replace — entry-level jobs, but there are...