Santa Clara County Public Safety Digest

The Mountain View City Council approved plans to reduce the number of lanes on El Monte Avenue from four to three to improve bike and pedestrian safety.

After several years of devastating wildfires, California lawmakers want to give hefty raises to Cal Fire firefighters. The deal could tie the governor’s hands in contracts.

City officials have long sought to renovate or replace the building that houses police, fire and emergency dispatch staffers. The project, expected to cost between $160 and $165 million, may need a ballot measure.

Cal Fire announced the suspension of all burn permits for outdoor residential burning in Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties as well as western portions of Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

The State of California will provide new protections for prescribed fire and cultural burning practitioners. The $20 million allocated for the Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot will cover losses in the rare instance that a prescribed or cultural burn escapes control.

After California’s largest home insurance provider said it wouldn’t issue new policies, consumer and insurance industry groups have ideas for what they’d like to see California do. Here’s how the debate over four of those ideas shakes out.

Later this month, Valley Water will host an event to celebrate the completion of the Lower Penitencia Creek Improvements Project in Milpitas.

Californians accused of crimes spend an average of five days waiting to see a lawyer. Shortening that time can help them keep their jobs, and spend less time in jail.

An ambitious plan to replace the flood-prone Pope-Chaucer bridge between Palo Alto and Menlo Park is on the verge of faltering after the agency overseeing the project concluded that project would place downstream areas at risk.

Although Fire Chief Jason Schoonover stepped into this role just a few months ago, he’s long been a familiar face at the Milpitas Fire Department.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana ruled the U.S. Forest Service can continue to use aerial fire retardant to fight wildfires while waiting on a Clean Water Act permit.

In May, a video featured a young woman named Brooklyn imploring viewers to tell the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation about the importance of EarnIn, part of a relatively new app-based industry that provides cash advances to people based on their wages.

After unanimously clearing the Senate, a bill expanding first responders' access to workers’ comp for PTSD moves to the Assembly.

At a Los Altos City Council meeting, the city agreed to further refine its license plate reader policy in response to feedback from the staff's ALPR regulations review.

Towering weeds and grasses are blocking the line of sight of motorists trying to use freeway on-ramps and off-ramps throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Caltrans says it’s working to clear the weeds, but it’s slow-going.

The Santa Clara County Vector Control District completed its first drone flight last week to carry out mosquito larvicide. The Board of Supervisors approved the method in April to reduce the risk of West Nile Virus outbreaks among residents.

Since 1987, the San Jose Conservation Corps has enlisted thousands of young adults in job training programs, but nothing prepared them for what they uncovered while cleaning up parks and trails. A recent city audit found that some of young adults weren't trained to handle used needles, broken glass and other dangerous materials.

In an effort to improve safety and efficiency on Shannon Road, the Los Gatos Town Council returned plans that fit the rural feel of the area. Goals include installing sidewalks and bike lanes.

The area in East San Jose around Story Road and Keyes Street is about to be transformed from a danger zone to a safe corridor with a new influx of cash.

Members of Congress, public and private partners came together to take on fire season.

The City Council is preparing to take a fresh look at Palo Alto's tree-protection ordinance after numerous properties sustained severe damage during recent storms.

Caltrans recently authorized fixes on a stretch of El Camino Real that runs through Los Altos. Residents hope the work will resolve the potholes and other road hazard issues.

Valley Water is shelling out millions for San Jose to clear out homeless residents living along Coyote Creek. The $4.8 million contract with the city comes as the water agency prepares to build out mandated flood protection measures along a nine-mile stretch of the creek.

After concerns from residents on the use of military equipment by the Los Altos Police Department, the city has reaffirmed its policy and also promised transparency.

Temporary closures are scheduled to begin March 30 for Highway 101 and 17. An old freeway overcrossing will be removed from 101, while 17 will be closed to remove fallen trees and debris from recent storms.

For most Californians, the sight of aircraft spewing neon pink liquid over flaming trees and brush has become a hallmark of aggressive wildfire suppression campaigns. But some forest advocates say the substance does more harm than good. A federal lawsuit could reshape how the U.S. Forest Service battles wildfires throughout the western United States.

Sprawl has allowed Californians to live closer to nature and buy homes where it is cheaper to build. But it has also left millions vulnerable to wildfires and flooding.

Milpitas Deputy Fire Chief Jason Schoonover was named the city's new fire chief on March 26. He has been with the department since 2013.

The Mountain View Police Department has launched Live911, a real-time call monitoring program for off-duty officers. The city reports faster response times since this was implemented.

Strong wind gusts topped more than 45 mph just before 1 p.m. on March 14, snapping at least six power poles and destroying the famed Mariani’s Restaurant sign on El Camino Real.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan's top issues—homelessness, public safety, growth and blight—haven't changed since he took office, but tackling them is going to require an aggressive approach.

After new state guidelines thwarted housing developments in high fire hazard zones, the Saratoga City Council adopted a process to bypass some of those restrictions. The process calls for a review of housing developments in these zones on a case-by-case basis.