Santa Clara County Local News

Morgan Hill’s 2024 citywide pavement rehabilitation project began this week and will continue through October, according to city staff.

Despite temperatures rising into the triple digits (again) this week, work proceeds on the downtown Gilroy Gourmet Alley project.

With more than two weeks to go in the nomination period for local candidates for the Nov. 5 general election, a total of seven people have pulled papers to run for mayor and three city council seats, according to Gilroy City Clerk Beth Minor.

With more than two weeks left to go for the official nomination period for candidates for local offices in the Nov. 5 general election, the list of potentially interested names on the ballot is growing.

San Jose may be widely known as a tech hub, but it's also a city defined by its public art.
With a city of nearly 1 million people, San Jose is also home to hundreds of murals. In a multi-year effort to revitalize public spaces, beautify the city and make it more pedestrian-friendly, officials have focused arts funding on public works such as murals — art that enlivens the city and speaks to its past, present and future. About 1% of the city's capital improvement project budget is allocated for public art, so expenditures vary yearly. This year, the forecasted amount is $677,000.
Randy Schmidt is the creator of the blog 825mph.com, where he documents his art and nature-focused excursions into San Jose and the surrounding area.
“If you have to have a wall, why not make it beautiful?” Schmidt told San José Spotlight. “We are fortunate to have so much art around us here to explore, appreciate and to think about.”
The ever-increasing number of murals brightening the walls of San Jose is thanks to the contributions of hundreds of artists, as well as nonprofit organizations such as Local Color, 1 Culture, San Jose Walls and the San Jose Downtown Association that helps organize and fund public art — including the recently added mural at San Pedro Square.
WEEDS Project mural by Mona Caron visually grows out of the previously barren wall in the San Jose Convention Center parking lot. Photo by Kassia Bonesteel.
Murals are essential to the beautification of a city that has been referred to as “Tan Jose,” a jab at the less-than-exciting paint color chosen for countless public buildings and offices.
“Public art plays an important role in placemaking, and making a space feel exciting, vibrant, and safe — especially when it activates a space that didn't have much attention before,” Alyssa Wigant, the artist behind the iconic San Jose logo mural in downtown, told San José Spotlight.
San Jose logo mural in downtown by Alyssa Wigant. Photo by Kassia Bonesteel.
Wigant said murals are impacted by where they are located and play a role in reflecting the cultures present there.
“​​With this in mind, it's all the more important that public art is created by artists that are representative of the area the art resides in, and crafted with intention,” she said.

Fans of fresh, ripe and local fruit will want to venture to Andy’s Orchard in east Morgan Hill before the short stone fruit harvest is complete in a few weeks.

Fans of fresh, ripe and local fruit will want to venture to Andy’s Orchard in east Morgan Hill before the short stone fruit harvest is complete in a few weeks.

After the Los Gatos Meadows senior living project was slammed, in 2022, by Town officials over height concerns and not taking heed of requests to rejig the hill-perched site to allow in more lower-income residents, Covia Communities—the developer—disappeared.

This week, Jews around the world began the period of the Three Weeks, a time of national mourning leading up to the commemoration of Tisha B’Av (literally the ninth day of the Hebrew month Av), the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.On the secular calendar, this year Tisha B’Av begins at sundown Aug. 13 and ends at sundown Aug. 14. It is a day of fasting and mourning, in remembrance of the many calamities that happened to the Jewish people on that day, most notably the destruction of the First and Second Holy Temples in Jerusalem, in 586 BCE (before the Common Era) and 70 CE (after the Common Era).

This week, Jews around the world began the period of the Three Weeks, a time of national mourning leading up to the commemoration of Tisha B’Av (literally the ninth day of the Hebrew month Av), the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.On the secular calendar, this year Tisha B’Av begins at sundown Aug. 13 and ends at sundown Aug. 14. It is a day of fasting and mourning, in remembrance of the many calamities that happened to the Jewish people on that day, most notably the destruction of the First and Second Holy Temples in Jerusalem, in 586 BCE (before the Common Era) and 70 CE (after the Common Era).

A private health company plans to reduce lifesaving care at an East San Jose hospital as it expands another hospital in a wealthier part of the city.
HCA Healthcare is increasing the number of acute care beds at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose’s Cambrian neighborhood on the West Side, close to Los Gatos. Company representatives said the expansion is driven by state mandates to bring the campus up to seismic standards with 200,000 square feet of new office space. At the same time, HCA is downgrading trauma, heart attack and stroke care at Regional Medical Center on the East Side, where there are more Vietnamese and Latino residents — and uninsured patients.
Community health advocates led a caravan of cars adorned in protest signs from Regional Medical Center to Good Samaritan on Thursday, and protested outside Regional the day before. Improving one hospital while divesting from another leaves more questions than answers for resident Lupe Friaz, who recently rushed her brother, who lives on the East Side, to Regional to save him from a stroke.
“If this place hadn’t been there, he would have been gone," Friaz told San José Spotlight.

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State’s highest court refuses to overturn voter-backed Prop. 22, a law written by the gig industry allowing some independent contractors.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling on local governments such as San Jose to use state funds for urgent action to address "dangerous" homeless encampments.
Newsom's executive order on Thursday suggests notifying homeless residents at least 48 hours before an incoming sweep. Locally, San Jose tends to give more notice, as officials want to enforce a scaled approach. First, the city offers resources and shelter repeatedly to homeless people living in camps. Those who refuse services will be swept and lastly, unhoused people can be cited or arrested. The city is in the process of clearing and finding housing for hundreds of people living along its waterways.
The executive order comes weeks after a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court ruled cities can legally ban homeless residents from sleeping on public property — and it could be the start of Newsom's push to appear tough on encampments as his name is floated for vice president.
"It sounds like Newsom is posturing for a role in the potential Kamala Harris administration," Todd Langton, executive director of homeless advocacy nonprofit Agape Silicon Valley, told San José Spotlight. "He knows he’s got baggage, so to speak, with California homelessness, crime and all of that. I believe he’s making this big declaration to appear more conservative."
Thursday's executive order also said state agencies should make plans to clear homeless camps from state property. Newsom is directing agencies to model their sweeps after Caltrans. California has cleared out more than 11,000 encampments since July 2021.
"The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets," Newsom said. "There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part."

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Local Kitchens has partnered with creator of New York City restaurants Balaboosta and Taim, chef Einat Admony, to create Yalla Falafel.

Willow Glen residents are one step closer to getting a new two-story restaurant and rooftop bar in their neighborhood.
A special use permit for the proposed Luke’s Rooftop Beer Garden and Restaurant was approved at a San Jose Planning Director's hearing on Wednesday, where project representatives thanked city officials for their efforts helping move the project forward. The proposed 4,765 square-foot project at 1093 Minnesota Ave. needed special review because the location is less than 150 feet away from residential areas — posing noise and traffic concerns from some in the area.
Russ Fukushima, co-owner of the restaurant Water Tower Kitchen in Campbell, proposed developing the rooftop bar after running Blush Raw Bar Lounge in San Jose's San Pedro Square for almost 10 years. The lounge was among the many restaurants to close during the pandemic.
The rooftop bar still needs approvals from the building and public works divisions, with city employees aiming to finish reviewing the project by Aug. 21. It's unclear when construction could start, but it will include the demolition of an existing building once home to the Minnesota Market convenience store.
The proposed Luke’s Rooftop Beer Garden and Restaurant at 1093 Minnesota Ave. in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood. Rendering courtesy of E2 Architecture.
The building would be adjacent to well-known chains such as Starbucks and Pizza My Heart.
“We appreciate the city staff's help to get this thing pushed through. A lot of hard work was involved,” architect Jeffrey Eaton said Wednesday.

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The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office launched a public data dashboard last week to support what they said will promote “transparency, accountability, and community engagement” within the criminal justice system.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office launched a public data dashboard last week to support what they said will promote “transparency, accountability, and community engagement” within the criminal justice system.

Some important changes are about to go into effect next month. The most significant change is how buyers can choose to compensate their agent or buyer representative for the work they do on their behalf.
Even though compensation has always been negotiable in the past, it was traditionally driven by the listing agent, who would share a percentage of their negotiated commission with the buy side agent at the close of the transaction. Moving forward, the buyer representative must negotiate directly with their client in advance and sign a buyer representation agreement that outlines the terms of service and compensation structure before showing property.
Buyer representation agreements have been around for years, but not frequently used in our area before this year because buyer compensation was listed in the Multiple Listings Service. This will no longer be the case. Hence the requirement of a buyer representation agreement that clearly outlines compensation for services rendered by your agent.
"The effects of these new business practices could be cumbersome, especially for those first-time homebuyers who are already using every dollar they have already," Santa Clara County Association of Realtors President Michelle Perry said. "It’s a wait-and-see how the market reacts to the changes that really will determine the outcome."
While this change may cause some concern, it will lead to more transparency and perhaps new business models.
"This also means buyers may have more of a freedom to pay for services whereas they had not previously," Perry said.
Buyer representatives may end up offering a menu of services starting with a most basic level of service, like showing properties and writing orders, to a more full-service concierge level. You could see some agents offer a flat fee while others may ask for a commission based on the final acquisition price of the property. Whatever the case may be, it will be communicated and agreed upon in advance.
So, what happens if a buyer can’t afford to pay their agent? After all, most buyers are struggling to put together a downpayment. One option is that the seller could offer to pay for the buyer's agent fee after they successfully close the deal. Sellers could also offer concessions to help the buyer as well. Sellers who are flexible and willing to cooperate with buyers will have access to the greatest number of buyers. Lastly, buyers could ask their representative to build the cost of representation into their offer.
Selling and purchasing a home is a complicated process. To be successful and limit liability you need to work with skilled professionals. When interviewing your representative, be sure to check out their success rate, sales volume, areas of expertise and testimonials. Not all agents are created equal. The top agents will command a higher level of compensation and could be critical to your success.
San José Spotlight columnist Neil Collins is CEO of the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors, a trade association representing more than 6,000 real estate professionals in Santa Clara County and surrounding areas. Contact Neil at neil@sccaor.com.
The post Collins: Real estate purchasing changes coming in August appeared first on San José Spotlight.

The Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office has filed more than a dozen motions over the last four years contesting racist criminal charges against people of color. Only one has been sustained in court.
The county recorded its first Racial Justice Act violation last month since the landmark California law passed in 2020. The bill, authored by San Jose-based Assemblymember Ash Kalra, calls for the reversal of convictions or reduction in charges in cases where defendants face racism. But the county’s milestone ruling may not the civil rights win advocates were hoping for.
“The finding of a violation is a positive step, but the remedy imposed fell short,” Deputy Public Defender Karina Alvarez, who specializes in cases with discrimination, told San José Spotlight.
The defendant in the case — who the public defender's office asked to remain unnamed over safety concerns — is a man of Romani descent charged with allegedly abducting and attempting to rape his girlfriend. Advocates argued the charges were overblown by the bias of a San Jose Police Department sergeant who led the investigation and called the defendant a “gypsy” in biased remarks during the case.
Superior Court Judge Benjamin Wiliams agreed there was a violation in a June 20 verbal ruling — and found the discrimination too plain to ignore. But he refused to dismiss or reduce the charges as advocates hoped, due to their gravity. Whether or not the case will end in a plea deal or go to trial is still being sorted out in settlement conferences between the Santa Clara County district attorney and public defender offices.
“This can’t be a pendulum that swings wildly one way or another,” Williams said in court last month, arguing the court should take remedial action only in the interest of justice. “You’re talking about small toxins. The cure can’t kill the patient.”
Alvarez only partially agreed.
“The cure can’t kill the patient. But the medication has to be strong enough for some symptoms to subside,” she said at the hearing.
Alvarez is concerned the ruling, while historic, might set the wrong precedent — and that it doesn’t address the Racial Justice Act’s legislative intent to root out racism in the system that’s not only overt, but implicit.

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