Santa Clara County Public Safety Digest

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

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.

Before the first official day of summer, almost 90,000 acres have been burned in California wildfires.

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District board voted to move forward with a $38 project to provide a safe crossing of Highway 17 near the Lexington Resrvoir for both people and wildlife.

A proposed new housing development of 25 single-family homes on a 72.45 acre site on Pierce Road has raised concerns from local residents about traffic and blocked wildfire evacuation routes.

In their June 17 meeting, the Gilroy City Council voted 6-1 to put a 1/4 cent sales tax on the November ballot to fund increased fire and police staffing.

In its June 18 meeting, the Palo Alto City Council approved a plan for the addition of bike lanes on El Camino Real.

With multiple fires already burning in the state, forecasters predict the coming fire season will be "very active."

A June 15 magnitude 3.1 earthquake centered east of San Jose and north east of Morgan Hill shook the area briefly at 11:29 PM.

More COVID cases are being reported and Santa Clara County wastewater samples show increasing virus levels.

A mountain lion sighting was reported near Happy Hollow Park and Zoo and Kelley Park on Senter Road in San Jose on June 6.

In his June 1 State of the City speech, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan asserted a need to find clean and safe places to move over 1,000 homeless from unsafe conditions on the streets and along waterways in the coming 12 months.

Upon the retirement of the fire chief, the Gilroy City Council reluctantly hired former police chief Scot Smithee as temporary director of the Gilroy Fire Department.

In its May 14 meeting, the Palo Alto City Council heard from the fire department chief about plans to staff an additional engine at the College Terrace station by July 1.

Updates to address improved safety and dark streets.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to reduce brush and vegetation along a 16-mile stretch of Skyline Boulevard between Los Gatos and Palo Alto.

A new license plate reader has been installed in East San Jose at the intersection of King Road and Wilshire Boulevard.

License plate readers have been placed and active in Los Altos since March 1 as an assistance in solving crimes.

A new police chief has been selected for the City of Los Altos and is undergoing vetting and background checks before being named.

The National Transportation Safety Board has determined the probable cause of the August 18, 2022 mid-air fatal collision of two airplanes over Watsonville Municipal Airport as pilot error.

A person trespassing on Caltrain tracks early Sunday died after being hit by a train. Authorities have not determined what caused the collision or why the person was on the tracks.

Mountain View is considering a number of recommendations to reduce injuries and eliminate traffic fatalities in the city by 2030.

The Palo Alto City Council voted 6-1 on a bundle of improvements, including elimination of some parking, to improve safety on El Camino Real.

A United Airlines flight from SFO to Paris was diverted to Denver when the crew of the Boeing 777-200 reported engine trouble.

Hundreds of residents in the Santa Cruz Mountains are facing limited access in and out of the area due to a creeping landslide affecting Mountain Charley Road.

A report commissioned by the City of Palo Alto noted serious safety concerns for users of CalTrans designed bike lanes based on the high speed vehicular traffic on El Camino Real.

A tornado stuck Kings county briefly, and another touched down in Madera county, as favorable conditions came together during a powerful winter storm which swept the region.

A report of a 12 month study which ended in February indicates almost half of those cited for drug usage were not residents of the city, leading to questions about city approaches to drug addiction.

One San Jose high school is stepping up its safety measures following threats to students last year. Parents, teachers and officials hope the improvements will be adopted by other schools in the district.

California’s law that requires background checks when purchasing ammunition is back in place.