An ambitious plan laying out the future of San Jose’s urban forest is riddled with errors, omissions and a lack of vision, according to stakeholders who say they were left out of the process. In March, the city published a draft of its community forest management plan. The document, which reflects two years of work...
South Bay workers allege ‘unstable’ workplace, petition to unionize
Retaliation, discriminatory treatment and job loss: those are the working conditions employees say they’ve faced for years at FIRST 5 Santa Clara County. Now some workers are pushing to unionize to improve those conditions. “Our turnover rate says it all—we have lost so much amazing talent due to the maltreatment that has become commonplace,” said Eula Idemoto,...
‘We’re losing everything’: The fight to keep San Jose homeless camp
Federal officials are demanding a 40-acre homeless encampment outside San Jose’s airport be dismantled. Protesters fought back at a rally Tuesday, urging the city to keep the encampment open. But the Mineta San Jose International Airport could stand to lose tens of millions of dollars if it doesn’t clear the homeless camp. Residents are pleading with city...
Former San Jose council candidate sentenced to jail
A former candidate for San Jose City Council has been sentenced to six months in county jail for killing Santa Cruz resident, Timothy Starkey. On Tuesday, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Jose Franco ordered Jennifer Higgins to surrender herself on Sept. 24 for her six-month jail sentence. He also ordered her to serve two years...
Water shut off for East San Jose tenants without warning
Tenants at Foxdale Village Apartments in East San Jose went without water for two days after management failed to tell them of a ruptured water main. According to several residents, taps went dry at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday with no notice for when they could expect to bathe or flush their toilets. Mayra Peterson, director of asset...
Which San Jose industries received the most PPP money?
San Jose businesses received more than $2.3 billion in federal funding to keep workers on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Business Administration (SBA) approved more than 11.8 million loans through three rounds of Paycheck Protection Program applications, with California having the most loan money approved out of any state, according to federal data....
CPA latest to challenge Santa Clara County assessor
Silicon Valley’s high housing costs are personal for certified public accountant Andrew Crockett. He’s running for county assessor to help fix it. “One of my Masonic brothers lives in a two-car garage and he considers himself lucky to have a non-insulated, two-car garage to call his home,” Crockett, a member of San Jose Masonic Lodge No....
Old campaign debt trails San Jose councilmember
An old debt to a campaign consultant is raising questions about why a San Jose councilmember hasn’t paid it off. District 5 Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco owes $25,719 to a consultant through her committee, Friends of Magdalena Carrasco for East Side Union High School Board of Trustees 2012, according to a campaign statement filed in February this...
San Jose restaurants have tough time hiring workers
Some San Jose restaurants are having a difficult time hiring employees, despite the state easing coronavirus restrictions. Ronald DeVries, owner of Pizza Bocca Lupo in San Pedro Square Market, said he’s noticed fewer applicants applying for jobs at the restaurant. Rather than seeing 20 applicants a month as in pre-pandemic times, the owner says he now sees...
Dewan: Early care and education is key to our recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a troubling impact on children and their families. As workplaces and schools resume in-person operations, it is key that we keep our youngest learners and their families top of mind. Early care and education are foundational to the long-term health, education and wellbeing of children. Quality childcare, preschool, transitional kindergarten...