City of San Jose City Council Councilmember Matt Mahan

To save money, San Jose leaders cut a critical fire department program last year that tracked the storage of addictive painkillers for cross-trained firefighter paramedics. Nine months later, the theft of opioids from nearly two dozen fire stations has raised concerns that patients in serious pain received tampered drugs.

Library advocates say they expect to ride out the upcoming San Jose budget cycle without any major cuts. But trouble could be on the horizon, with the city projecting an ongoing shortfall over the next few years.

San Jose’s newest temporary housing site will be a litmus test as to whether using private land to build shelter will be a good model for reducing homelessness.

San Jose’s political balance rests in the hands of Santa Clara County election workers who are recounting ballots in the special election for the District 3 City Council seat.

Downtown San Jose is a hub for cultural events — and with a menu of festivals on tap through spring and summer, local businesses should be able to capture some of the revenue stream.