Supervisor Cindy Chavez’s final referral to county staff asked for options to address working conditions at residential care facilities and to contact stakeholders regarding the possible formation of an advisory council. This recommendation aligns with the county’s 2024 legislative policies that recommend: “Reform of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly that increase frequency of State...
Santa Clara County wants tourism to save iconic farmlands
Fruit picking, wine tasting and weddings — Silicon Valley leaders want to preserve the romance of their farmlands through tourism as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” gives way to strip malls and tech campuses. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously moved forward with the idea of creating an economic development office...
Silicon Valley water district maintains hiring freeze
Silicon Valley’s main water supplier will maintain a hiring freeze in order to offset hundreds of millions of dollars in a budget shortfall. Valley Water officials instituted a hiring freeze in February for 72 job vacancies amid a $222 million budget deficit for the fiscal year ending in June. The skyrocketing price tags for projects...
Santa Clara County education leader accused of malfeasance
Santa Clara County’s top educator says a series of investigations into his ousted predecessor have revealed even more issues — beyond major allegations of misspending public funds and malfeasance — and now the findings are being turned over to authorities. Former superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan faces “deeply concerning” accusations of wrongdoing, according to a...
Manzo: A plea to fix California’s failed school funding model
As an educator with more than three decades of experience, including 16 years as a superintendent in the Bay Area, I’m deeply concerned about the crisis in California’s public schools. Recent school closures in the Bay Area serve as a stark reminder that the state’s education funding model is outdated and inequitable. California’s local control...
San Jose leaders approve scaled-down El Paseo redevelopment
San Jose housing advocates are expressing concern over a recently-approved development that dropped its pledge toward more than 100 affordable homes, including a former vice mayor. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a modified plan to redevelop the El Paseo de Saratoga shopping center with a 772-home apartment complex. Developer Sand Hill...
Vacant Los Gatos corner to become Tesla, Whole Foods
Two major retailers are slated to fill an empty space in Los Gatos that’s been partially vacant since 2008. Sand Hill Property Company is putting in a Whole Foods Market and a Tesla showroom and service center between 15500 and 15650 Los Gatos Blvd., where a Moore Buick General Motors Company and Chevrolet dealership were previously...
San Jose is No. 1 U.S. city for manufacturing jobs
In Silicon Valley where innovation, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship reign, a recent study puts San Jose as a leader in the nation’s manufacturing market. The study by equipment supplier company ABM ranks San Jose as No. 1 for cities with the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs in its workforce. The study bases its findings on...
Neil: The future of Stevens Creek Boulevard is in trouble, but it’s fixable
Stevens Creek Boulevard is one of Santa Clara County’s most important corridors. The boulevard hosts major schools, job centers, retail hubs and housing. Some of its biggest destinations include De Anza College, Main Street Cupertino, Santana Row, Westfield Valley Fair and the western edge of downtown San Jose. After years of hard work from employees...
Santa Clara County concealed carry permits will cost more
Santa Clara County gun owners will have to pay more for concealed carry weapons licenses — and threats of lawsuits are already rolling in. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved Sheriff Bob Jonsen’s proposal to hike the fees for new civilian licenses from $662 to $976. The standard renewal required every two years...