Santa Clara County Public Safety Digest

The invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitos have been detected in more areas of Santa Clara County, prompting officials to hold meetings to discuss their response to the threat posed by the species. 

As part of a state authorized program, the City of San Jose is in the process of installing several speed cameras to test their effectiveness in improving traffic and pedestrian safety.

In their October 7 meeting, the Gilroy City Council approved moving forward on building a new fire station.

The City of Milpitas has placed a measure on the November ballot to extend an existing quarter-cent sales tax another eight years to fund emergency services, street repairs and city parks.

At a CalMatters event, California’s insurance commissioner says the changes he’s making will help homeowners and business owners. One idea: A state grant for those who spend money to protect their property from wildfires.

The City of Milpitas is the recipient of a $2.9 million grant from the US Department of Transportation program to increase pedestrian and bike safety along school routes.

H5N1 bird flu has been reported in three California dairy herds.

The City of Mountain View plans for the property transfer tax Measure G on the November ballot prioritize public safety, followed by parks and open spaces.

A plan by the City of Cupertino to reduce automobile lanes on De Anza Boulevard to increase bicycle safety is receiving pushback from residents.

Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared.

On September 3, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency reported a bat discovered in Soquel had tested positive for rabies.

Following the direction of the Federal Aviation Commission, the City of San Jose began clearing a homeless encampment from under a flight path serving San Jose Mineta International Airport.

CalFire received the first of five planes promised by the federal government, a former Coast Guard C-130 Hercules air tanker.

Early warning systems save lives during disasters, but a recent FEMA survey found that only a third of people are signed up. Use this resource to find your county’s emergency alert sign-up page.

Efforts to increase staffing to the budgeted positions continue to fall short.

The Santa Clara County Public Health reported a dead rabid bat was found near downtown Palo Alto on August 13.

A look at the burned down, boarded up and deserted properties increasing urban blight in San Jose.

The chemical, used for decades, can harm babies’ developing brains. Farmworkers and people living near fields are most at risk. The EPA issued a rare emergency order.

The City of Palo Alto is working out how to shift parking to accommodate bike lanes on El Camino Real.

Testing of wastewater shows sharp increases of COVID circulating in Santa Clara County.

So many intense wildfires all at once require an intricate chess game for maneuvering firefighters and equipment around the U.S.

About 80 Californians die every year after contracting Valley fever, a fungal disease that typically affects the lungs. A recent outbreak was traced to a music festival in Kern County.

Arson is the suspected cause of four Santa Cruz Mountain fires over 11 days.

Whether they mean to or not, people are responsible for about 95% of the state’s wildfires. While arson accounts for about 10% of the fires, others can start in a myriad of ways.

The Los Altos Hills County Fire District is urging residents to take steps to create and maintain defensible spaces around their homes.

Following the confirmation of West Nile virus in tested mosquitos, pesticide spraying was ordered for neighborhoods in the 95111, 95112, 95121 and 95122 zip codes in San Jose and unincorporated Santa Clara Valley.

In his 2018 campaign, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would create 500,000 new apprenticeships in the decade after taking office. So far, the state has registered more than 180,000 new apprenticeships. Many of them are firefighters.

After years of delay, a new California regulation to protect indoor workers from extreme heat is now in effect.

The first two human cases of West Nile virus this season were reported in Yuba and Stanislaus Counties.

Assemblymember James Gallagher speaks during the floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on June 13, 2024. Photo by Cristian Gonzalez for CalMatters

Following an increase in homeowner insurance rates earlier this year, State Farm is seeking regulator approval to raise rates again for 1.2 million California home insurance policy holders.

Almost 400 suppliers, two-thirds in communities of color, don’t meet safety and reliability standards. Fixing them would cost billions.