San Jose is ready to bring back police foot patrols to address rising safety concerns and build trust with residents, a service that has not gotten consistent funding for decades. The City Council unanimously approved a proposal from Mayor Sam Liccardo last month to fund 16 police to patrol San Jose streets. The program, which costs...
San Jose sees rising property values despite economic woes
The value of taxable properties in San Jose skyrocketed last year thanks to demand for luxury homes and new construction. Experts and county officials say the growth won’t last. At the heart of wealthy Silicon Valley, the assessed value of all property grew by $15 billion over the last 12 months—a jump from $215.9 billion to $231...
Mallon: Why is it so hard to increase transit service in Santa Clara County?
A common complaint about transit in Santa Clara County is there’s not enough service. The service isn’t frequent enough, the hours aren’t long enough and there aren’t enough routes. Residents want more service, but how can we make that a reality and why is it so challenging to even maintain service? The answer is complicated,...
Safe parking set for South San Jose homeless residents
South San Jose residents are up in arms over a plan to turn a light rail station parking lot into a space for homeless people to park and live in RVs. More than 100 people showed up to a virtual community meeting Wednesday led by Councilmember Sergio Jimenez’s office to share concerns over a safe parking program at the VTA...
Eastside Dreams: Highlighting the history of East San Jose
Until this month, East San Jose’s history was a gaping hole in the city’s local libraries. The community, often overlooked and neglected, did not see itself at all reflected in Silicon Valley’s history books. That all changed with a single question. A San Jose State student was looking to learn more about the city’s lowriding culture and asked...
Rodríguez: Apprenticeships pair paid work experience with education
Apprenticeship programs are one of the most often overlooked areas of education. They may also be the key to our economic recovery and future success following the COVID-19 pandemic. Registered apprenticeship programs in community colleges pair coursework with paid work experience for the student. Most of these programs are directly tied to the traditional trade unions,...
San Jose lawmaker speaks on investigating Capitol attack
In her 28 years in Congress, Zoe Lofgren has done it all. She has led committees on immigration, judiciary issues and technology. She’s participated in impeachment proceedings for three sitting presidents, serving as a manager for that of former President Donald Trump. And now she is participating in an effort to preserve democracy in the...
UPDATE: Santa Clara delays putting business tax before voters
Santa Clara leaders are holding off on putting a business tax before voters in order to allow for more input from a local business group. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to wait until July 11 to vote on placing a measure on the November ballot to increase the city’s business “headcount” tax to close...
The Biz Beat: San Jose infrared fitness studio turns up the heat
HOTWORX-San Jose stands out from other Bay Area gyms as a unique experience where residents can do yoga and work out in an infrared sauna—in as little as 15 minutes. In 2017, Nora Heindel was attending the University of Mississippi and working part-time at a fitness studio near campus called HOTWORX. This was the company’s...
San Jose franchisees say state bill will put them out of business
Brian Hom’s work at Vitality Bowl is a labor of love and an ode to his son. Hom, 64, bought the franchise in 2016 because he was inspired by the company’s mission to provide allergy-free food options. It’s an issue near and dear to his heart. His eldest son died after going into anaphylactic shock...