San José Spotlight

A crowd of 50,000 Coldplay fans reveled at a Sunday concert at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara—later than usual. In November, the Santa Clara City Council voted to allow an exception of five events to its noise ordinance ban at Levi’s Stadium. The noise ordinance started when...

On Saturday May 14, a horrific tragedy struck a predominantly Black community of Buffalo, New York. Ten people lost their lives and three were injured during routine trips to their neighborhood grocery store, gunned down by one person, barely out of his childhood years, who acted on the racist, murderous hatred that consumed his soul.

San Jose officials are weighing a work plan for advancing several key infrastructure and public safety projects using voter-approved bond dollars. The City Council will meet Tuesday to discuss recommendations for using funds from Measure T—a $650 million bond measure approved by voters in 2018 to pay for disaster preparedness, public safety and infrastructure projects.... The post San Jose plans to spend millions on public safety, infrastructure appeared first on San José Spotlight.

In an effort to raise awareness and prevent fentanyl deaths, on May 10 communities across the country came together for National Fentanyl Awareness Day. Last year, overall drug overdose deaths among all ages increased to more than 100,000. An important goal of the campaign is to ensure communities know about...

San Jose officials will likely green light a $65 million spending plan intended for affordable housing and homeless services. City councilmembers will meet Tuesday to discuss how to spend revenue raised through Measure E—a property transfer tax approved by voters in 2020 to pay for affordable housing, safe parking and programs to support the unhoused. The measure... The post San Jose officials weigh spending plan for Measure E funds appeared first on San José Spotlight.

Rallies for reproductive rights took place nationwide Saturday, including in front of San Jose City Hall. For some residents, it was their first time protesting. For others, it’s a reminder of a much older battle. “We’re going back in time,” attendee Caitlyn Garsh told San José Spotlight. She attended...

More than any other issue, the upcoming June 7 primary elections in Santa Clara County are revolving around what to do about homelessness. The explosion of this humanitarian crisis in the richest area in the world has made it impossible to ignore, and since the majority of the unhoused are people of color, it is also central to our quest for racial equity. Although unfortunately, few candidates’ platforms get to the root causes of homelessness, some of them are definitely better than others.

The national baby formula shortage is hitting the South Bay, prompting some stores to limit purchases as parents scramble to stock up on supply. The months-long crisis has reached new heights in the last few weeks—with the national out-of-stock rate hitting 43% as of last week, according to retail data service Datasembly. California is seeing a better rate... The post Santa Clara County stores put purchase limit on baby formula appeared first on San José Spotlight.

Although Valley Water aims to educate the public on conservation, it might start issuing fines for water wasters. Residents could see water enforcers in their neighborhoods this summer, and offenders being slapped with fines up to $500 after repeated warnings. Valley Water board member John Varela said in a statement...

San Jose is moving forward on plans to reimagine and rename Columbus Park, near the location of the city’s largest homeless camp. Through public meetings and surveys, residents are helping shape development of the 12.5-acre site, located at Asbury and Irene streets in San Jose. On Thursday, residents requested beautification, safe bicycle paths leading to the park, roller skating space and asked city officials about plans for keeping homeless individuals out of the area. The latter is a major hurdle in the reimagining process.

There are many things to admire about the Miro Towers apartments, San Jose’s newest and tallest high-rise building project that occupies the north side of East Santa Clara Street between Fourth and Fifth streets. A whimsical moniker We begin with the tongue in cheek project name that pays fond, absurdist tribute to Barcelona-born Catalan surrealist artist... The post Pastier: On the design of Miro Towers appeared first on San José Spotlight.

Almost every candidate for San Jose mayor is pledging to rebuild the city’s police department, which is still recovering from staffing losses that happened a decade ago. Their strategies are largely similar, with some differences. In recent forums, mayoral candidates Supervisor Cindy Chavez, San Jose Councilmembers Dev Davis, Matt Mahan and Raul Peralez and former... The post How will San Jose mayor candidates improve the police department? appeared first on San José Spotlight.

The rent burden grew heavier in Santa Clara County during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s no sign it will get any lighter this year. Rents in Santa Clara County increased 6.3% between the end of 2020 and end of 2021, according to a recent report from California Housing Partnership, which provides housing... The post Rent burden growing worse in Santa Clara County appeared first on San José Spotlight.

Although the 2020 election was filled with fears and fallacies, Santa Clara County election officials say there is nothing to worry about here. With less than one month until the June 7 primary, several measures are in place to ensure a safe and accurate election cycle. This week the Registrar of Voters released a security report to... The post Santa Clara County elections office preps for June primary appeared first on San José Spotlight.

For more than a year after Tafhari Siyani Benjamin Franklin moved into a fourplex on Reed Street in San Jose, the Navy veteran’s clothes were still in bins and bags. He’d watched as developments sprung up nearby and worried the property—home to formerly unhoused veterans—would be sold next. If that happened, he’d be unable to... The post South Bay land trust saves residents from displacement appeared first on San José Spotlight.

I write today to highlight an example of egregious abuse of the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Since being elected in November 2020, I have received more than 69 Public Records Act (PRA) requests, including 49 from just one individual who has stated in emails that he is “fond of” Mayor Lisa Gillmor—and it’s widely known there is a bitter divide on the Santa Clara City Council with me opposite Gillmor. On April 20 alone, I received seven PRAs from this individual, in addition to 16 in a 10-day period in March.

Almost two years after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd and set off protests across the country, San Jose officials received hundreds of recommendations on how to reform the city’s police department. The City Council received a report Tuesday from the Reimagining Public Safety Community Advisory Committee. The committee, composed of representatives from numerous South... The post San Jose citizen committee proposes police reforms appeared first on San José Spotlight.

After a decades-long ban, San Jose may ease the brakes on cars cruising city streets. On Wednesday, the Rules and Open Government Committee unanimously approved exploring ending fees and fines associated with cruising—arguing it’s inherently discriminatory. The ban, which prohibits lowriders and other decked-out cars from driving slowly through city streets, was implemented in the 1990s to curb gang violence. David Polanco,... The post Car cruising could return to San Jose streets appeared first on San José Spotlight.

Holding signs saying, “Justice delayed is justice denied,” “Hire Title IX Staff Now” and “Justice for Survivors,” San Jose State University students are protesting for a safer campus. Students Against Sexual Assault are demanding the university’s Title IX office be fully staffed, more transparent...

An anticipated landmark in downtown San Jose isn’t going to be a breeze to install. The City Council unanimously voted last May to install an iconic landmark, dubbed “The Breeze of Innovation.” The design beat out nearly 1,000 submissions in an international competition launched in 2019 for creating a new landmark at Arena Green, where the... The post Path to planned downtown San Jose landmark unclear appeared first on San José Spotlight.