Santa Clara County Local Public Safety News Articles and Digest

Public Safety

Shasta County Supervisors Vote to Allow Concealed Weapons in Local Government Buildings

01/24/2024
The Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted to allow guns in local government buildings, defying California law.

From Los Angeles Times...

Public Safety Resilience

‘Thousand-Year Storm’ Leaves San Diego Reeling From Punishing Rainfall, Floods

01/23/2024
Hundreds of San Diego homes and businesses were damaged or ruined in devastating floods after punishing rainfall fell on Jan. 22.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Public Safety Health Transportation Elections & Politics Government

Can Traffic Deaths in Los Angeles Be Reduced With a Ballot Measure?

01/16/2024
Image for display with article titled Can Traffic Deaths in Los Angeles be Reduced? Ballot Measure Aims for ‘Healthy Streets’

City council rejected the “Healthy Streets L.A” initiative. Now it’s up to Angeleno voters.

From San Jose Spotlight...

Business, Economy & Jobs Public Safety Community Service & Support Town of Los Gatos

Los Gatos Commission Wants to Create a More Inclusive Town

01/16/2024
A new Los Gatos commission is taking a look into how the town treats people who live and work there, and how it welcomes visitors.

From Los Angeles Times...

Public Safety Resilience

The 1994 Northridge Quake Was a Shock. Here’s Why the Next One Won’t Be

01/16/2024
Our understanding and preparedness have come a long way since Southern California’s magnitude 6.7 earthquake in 1994. We’re still learning from that destructive temblor.

From Palo Alto Weekly...

Business, Economy & Jobs Public Safety State of California

Real or Fake? Bill Would Force Tech Companies to ‘Watermark’ AI-Generated Content

01/15/2024
As the field of generative artificial intelligence explodes in popularity, ushering in a torrent of fake photos and videos, state Sen. Josh Becker is sponsoring a bill that would require AI companies to watermark their content.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

COVID-19 Public Safety Health Transportation Crime & Justice Government

Death on the Roads: Traffic Fatality Crisis Far From Over

01/14/2024
Image for display with article titled Death on the Roads: California Traffic Fatality Crisis Far From Over

California in 2024 has implemented two new, potentially important traffic safety laws

From Sacramento Bee...

Public Safety Homelessness Crime & Justice

SCOTUS to Hear Case with Major Implications for Homeless

01/12/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case related to whether cities and towns can ban camping on public property. The high court could overturn Martin v. Boise, a 2018 federal court decision that keeps western cities and counties from blocking public camping when sufficient shelter space is unavailable.

From Los Angeles Times...

Public Safety Crime & Justice Government

LAPD Chief Announces Departure at End of February

01/12/2024
Michel Moore, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, announced he will resign. The departure of Moore, who has been in the job since 2018, will spur the appointment of an interim chief and a nationwide search for his replacement, according to Mayor Karen Bass.

From Morgan Hill Times...

Business, Economy & Jobs Public Safety Crime & Justice City of Morgan Hill

City Accepting Bids for Morgan Hill Police Station Expansion

01/10/2024
Image for display with article titled City Accepting Bids for Morgan Hill Police Station Expansion

The city of Morgan Hill is getting ready to expand its police department headquarters on Vineyard Boulevard to allow more space for detectives, traffic officers and training.

From LAist...

Public Safety Crime & Justice

Hate Crimes Rising in Los Angeles

01/09/2024
Cal State San Bernardino’s Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism found that hate crimes rose 12.9% between 2022 and 2023. The spike follows a particularly stark increase in crimes against Jewish people.

From San Jose Spotlight...

Public Safety Elections & Politics City of San Jose Town of Los Gatos

Silicon Valley Lawmaker Targets AI Political Misinformation

01/09/2024
Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who represents District 28, plans to introduce a bill in the coming weeks to ban political advertising materials deceptively altered through AI.

From CalMatters...

Public Safety Crime & Justice Government

Kinder, Gentler Prison Guards Key to Newsom San Quentin Reform Plan

01/05/2024
California correctional officers train like ‘they are going to war’ to work in state prisons. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to transform San Quentin could require a kinder approach.

From San Jose Spotlight...

Public Safety Homelessness Transportation City of San Jose

San Jose Wants to Curb Spike in Homeless Traffic Deaths

01/05/2024
A five-year data analysis conducted by the Vision Zero Task Force, a San Jose traffic safety program, shows a sharp increase in homeless traffic fatalities from 2018 to 2022, with five deaths in 2018 that grew to a total of 51 by 2022.

From SFGate...

Public Safety Environment Transportation

Snow Shortage Followed by Potential Whiteout in Sierras

01/05/2024
Heavy snow is projected in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Previously, warmer storms had been bringing precipitation mainly to higher elevations in the Sierras.

From Los Angeles Times...

Public Safety Environment Water

WWII-Era Dump Site Found Off LA Coast

01/05/2024
Munition boxes, depth charges and smoke floats have been found 3,000 feet underwater off the coast of Los Angeles. More than 100 square miles of ocean might be contaminated.

From Morgan Hill Times...

Public Safety Transportation State of California

New Law Allows Cruising and Speed Cameras

01/04/2024
Image for display with article titled New State Law Allows Cruising, Speed Cameras

Two new laws taking effect Jan. 1 could affect safety on California’s roads.

From Sacramento Bee...

Public Safety Housing Government

Repairing Sidewalks Can Cost Property Owners Big in California

01/04/2024
California state law dictates that property owners are responsible for repairing damaged sidewalks. In Sacramento, this has left some owners facing bills of thousands of dollars or tax assessments from the city.

From Palo Alto Online...

Public Safety Sustainability

New Firefighting Device Helps Mountain View Extinguish Electric Vehicle Fires Faster, Using Less Water

01/04/2024
Electric vehicle battery fires are known to burn hot, long and occasionally reignite. But they may have met their match with a new tool specifically designed to put out electric vehicle fires faster.

From San Jose Spotlight...

Business, Economy & Jobs Public Safety

‘Disgraceful’: San Jose Struggles with Records Law Years After Landmark Case

01/04/2024
In the six years since San Jose made national headlines for losing a pivotal lawsuit that changed state transparency laws, the city's been sued over public records numerous times and paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle.

Santa Clara County Local News: Public Safety