San Jose officials have homed in on a stretch of waterway to clean up debris and ban homeless encampments. A 12-mile stretch along Coyote Creek is slated to be cleared of homeless people starting in January and an encampment ban will be reinforced following that. The areas include Tully Road to Capitol Expressway, O’Toole Lane...
Silicon Valley minimum wage bump barely makes a dent
Next month will bring a minimum wage bump to workers in Silicon Valley, but it’s barely enough for these earners to survive in one of the most expensive places in the country. Once a trailblazer in increasing minimum wage, San Jose now lags behind six cities in Santa Clara County, going up by just 40...
State bill would protect Silicon Valley students from deportation
California lawmakers want to protect students and their families from deportation amid threats from the incoming federal administration. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond is sponsoring a bill from state Sen. Lena Gonzalez to protect immigrant families from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. If approved, Senate Bill 48 will establish a one-mile radius safe zone...
San Jose police recruit died by suicide with city gun
A San Jose police academy recruit died by suicide using a city-issued handgun in late September — secretly rattling the department and highlighting the risk of arming cadets. The unusual tragedy has also prompted questions about whether higher-ups missed any warning signs. It’s unclear why the recruit decided to take their own life. But multiple...
San Jose allows housing development in business districts
The dynamic in three San Jose neighborhoods is about to shift, with a greater focus on residential development. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to change the neighborhood business districts of Japantown, Willow Glen and 13th Street to allow for new housing. The updated zoning code will enable development of 50 to 65 homes per acre at heights...
Silicon Valley health care provider plans two medical campuses
One of Northern California’s largest health care providers has plans to build two medical campuses, as patient overflow is straining Silicon Valley emergency rooms with long wait times and life-threatening delays. Sutter Health is investing $800 million to renovate two large, vacant offices in Santa Clara into non-hospital, outpatient rooms for a range of medical...
Los Gatos resident aims to erase racist language in property deeds
Los Gatos resident Gordon Yamate remembers overhearing a conversation between his parents when he was in third grade. They had decided to move back to the West Valley from San Jose, but didn’t feel comfortable returning to his mother’s hometown of Los Gatos. The rejection by developers was subtle but clear — Asian American families...
Santa Clara County still lacks state approval on housing plans
Santa Clara County is nearly two years behind on receiving state approval for its housing plans, allowing developers to push projects forward in unwanted ways. County officials submitted their fourth draft of the housing element on Nov. 1 and expect to hear back from the state Department of Housing and Community Development by Dec. 31. Lacking...
Nearly 200 homeless people died this year in Santa Clara County
Eyes welled with tears as people lit candles and spoke the names of Santa Clara County homeless residents who died this year at a Friday memorial — a reminder of the harsh reality of living on the streets and the urgency to get more people housed. From Dec. 1, 2023 to Nov. 30, 197 homeless people died...
San Jose mayor backs deputy chief of staff for District 3
A high-ranking official in the San Jose mayor’s office has plans to run for City Council — and he’s got his boss’s backing. Mayor Matt Mahan stood in support of Matthew Quevedo, his deputy chief of staff, as he announced his candidacy for the open District 3 seat on Friday at St. James Park. A few dozen supporters...