In the years since George Floyd’s murder, San Jose has aimed to reform its police department, yet the number of complaints against officers has increased for the third year running, according to a new report. One out of every three of San Jose’s nearly 1,100 police officers received some type of complaint in 2022, a...
San Jose leader to spend night in homeless shelter
San Jose officials are being challenged by a formerly homeless resident to stay in a shelter before voting to open more—and one is up for the offer. Sketch Oppie, who sits on the San Jose’s Housing and Community Development Commission, recently asked the city council to experience what a homeless shelter is like before diverting funds...
How San Jose lawmaker’s bill could curb workplace violence
Manuel Huizar, a 24-year-old San Jose Safeway employee, was fatally shot by shoplifters last year. In April, Home Depot employee Blake Mohs, 26, was shot and killed while attempting to stop a robbery in Pleasanton. In May 2021, nine people were fatally shot by a transit worker at San Jose’s VTA rail yard. It was...
Hsueh: Investing in the future of water
As a former Valley Water engineer and current board member, I have tremendous appreciation for people who build and maintain our infrastructure. Every day, Valley Water employees manage and operate our agency’s complex and integrated water supply system, including dams, reservoirs, pipelines, levees, pump stations, treatment plants and recycled water facilities. Much of this water...
DoorDash ghost kitchen turns San Jose into testing ground
An opportunity to try new restaurant menus beyond a brick and mortar location is a hot concept in Silicon Valley. DoorDash plans to operate a ghost kitchen at The Plant Shopping Center off Curtner Avenue in San Jose. This pickup- and delivery-only service model lets fledgling and out-of-area restaurants test new markets while avoiding the...
San Jose limiting public’s access to city records
San Jose is abandoning its commitment to transparency by adopting controversial protocols to limit public access to city records while also cutting out the only independent party that reviewed appeals to denied requests. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously last week without discussion to advance a proposal from former Mayor Sam Liccardo to “reduce the fiscal...
San Jose officials address ‘racist’ Cinco de Mayo policing
San Jose officials are looking to make amends following what state officials have called a racist handling of the city’s annual Cinco de Mayo festivities. But some residents say it’s not that simple. San Jose councilmembers unanimously passed a memo in the Rules and Open Government Committee on May 24, asking the San Jose Police Department...
San Jose OKs six-story apartment complex in Five Wounds
Nearly 200 apartments are coming to San Jose’s Five Wounds neighborhood near a future planned expansion of a walking trail. A two-story commercial building at 70-80 N. 27th St. will be razed, and in its place a six-story, 198-apartment complex with a parking garage will be built, after getting the green light at a city...
San Jose police fail to fill vacant racial equity role
The San Jose Police Department has not hired a senior analyst to advance its racial equity goals, despite holding the position open for nearly five months. The role was created last year to help the police force advance its relationships with communities of color by analyzing use of force and traffic stop data, getting more...
San Jose flea market changes prove costly for vendors
San Jose Berryessa Flea Market vendors will have to pay more rent for their stalls as part of ongoing changes in the massive redevelopment of the property. The property owners are asking for an additional 5.5% per location. Vendors learned about the rate hike days after the first meeting of the Berryessa Flea Market Advisory...