Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 9:30 p.m. March 25: State leaders push Gov. Newsom to ban evictions A group of state leaders, including Sens. Jim Beall, Scott Wiener and Assemblymen Ash Kalra and Kansen Chu, urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign an executive order banning all evictions during California’s State of...
Congressmembers talk coronavirus in Silicon Valley, stalled funding bill
Silicon Valley residents are hungry for answers about the fast-spreading coronavirus as Congress fights over bills to fund America’s response to the pandemic. But on Tuesday, residents got a chance to question four U.S. House of Representative members representing parts of Silicon Valley during a “virtual town hall” to talk about Washington’s response to the...
UPDATE: San Jose lawmakers OK plan for paid sick leave during COVID-19 pandemic
While the U.S. aims to “flatten the curve,” low-wage employees without paid time off continue to show up to work — even if they’re feeling sick. But the threat of contagion has San Jose leaders worried these workers will continue to spread the coronavirus. On Wednesday, a San Jose City Council committee voted 4-1 to...
Too many people flocked to state parks amid coronavirus. Now they might be closed.
Californians were evidently feeling a bit of cabin fever this weekend when many rushed to local beaches and parks to stretch their legs days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new “stay at home” order. The order aims to get residents to stay inside except for specific, essential tasks and exercise. When outside, state...
Coronavirus: Fears, misinformation spreads in San Jose over police enforcement of orders
In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, rumors and misinformation can spread just as quickly as the disease. In San Jose, social media posts proliferated alleging police officers were stopping people in low-income neighborhoods for violating the state’s “shelter-in-place” order, which asks residents to stay inside unless they need to do essential tasks. The claims alarmed police...
Coronavirus: Q&A with Santa Clara County’s top health official
As the top health official in Santa Clara County, Dr. Sara Cody never imagined she’d be tasked with addressing a major pandemic that has taken root in the South Bay, killing 16 so far and infecting at least 375 as of Tuesday. “This is absolutely unprecedented,” she said Tuesday during a virtual “town hall” call...
Coronavirus testing numbers to become clearer in Silicon Valley, statewide
Santa Clara County residents — and Californians across the state — are set to get more information about coronavirus testing, a key piece of information needed to understand the contagious disease’s spread. Seven Bay Area jurisdictions, including Santa Clara County, announced a new order Tuesday that will increase reporting requirements for private labs doing patient...
Santa Clara council OKs renter protections, small business relief program
The Santa Clara City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an urgency ordinance that immediately halts evictions through May 8 as the financial fallout from the coronavirus continues to wallop the nation. City lawmakers, who ratified a local emergency last week, also approved a 90-day ordinance that will kick in 45 days from now and provide...
San Jose approves $2M for coronavirus homeless prevention fund
Following a statewide directive to shelter-in-place, San Jose leaders on Tuesday unanimously approved allocating $2 million to fund homelessness prevention services for low-income families at risk of being pushed into poverty. Santa Clara County’s Board of Supervisors on Tuesday also approved an additional $2 million to the same $11 million fund meant to provide rent assistance...
Silicon Valley officials, tech giants launch program to help residents pay rent
A group of local government, business and philanthropic leaders have launched a program that will help pay rent for low-income residents in Santa Clara County who have had their lives financially upended by the coronavirus. The program, part of the Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System, is being led by Sacred Heart Community Service, which...