The Silicon Valley Voice is dedicated to the independent community news of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. Community news, public news in Santa Clara.
In 1953, Bárbara Flores entered kindergarten at Washington Elementary School in Madera, California, a small city in the Central Valley surrounded by farm fields. Her mother and grandmother had talked it up: You’re going to learn a lot. You’re going to like it. She believed them. A little girl who would one day become a … Read more
Once again, the minimum wage will increase in both Santa Clara and Sunnyvale on Jan. 1, 2025. The City of Santa Clara said its minimum wage will increase to $18.20 per hour. The rule is that any employee who works more than two hours per week in the city is entitled to at least $18.20 … Read more
Christmas is a time when we think a lot about tradition and revel in old-timey imagery. So, we took a look back at the ghost of Christmas 1924 in the record left by contemporaneous newspapers. Charitable Enterprises Abound At the home of Mrs. C.W. Haman, reported in the Dec. 7 Mercury Herald, the Santa Clara … Read more
Decked out with light-up reindeer, angels and the traditional Nativity scene, the home at 3175 Warburton Ave. was one of many that entered the City of Santa Clara’s annual holiday home decorating contest. But to the homeowners, Rowida and George Barghouth, decorating for the holidays is a labor of love. “We haven’t done this for … Read more
In an effort to encourage more people to use solar energy, Silicon Valley Power (SVP) is offering rebates to those who purchase backup batteries. Launched this summer, the rebate program leverages solar tax credits to offer SVP residential customers money back. The battery backup rebate program is the latest in a slew of rebate programs … Read more
A Santa Clara man has pleaded guilty to charges of not paying $1.15 million in employment taxes to the IRS. According to the U.S. Attorney, John Comeau of Santa Clara served as the CEO of Vivid, Inc., a company that provided metal coating services across various industries in Campbell and other parts of the Bay … Read more
The Martinez Refining Company has agreed to pay $4.48 million to settle allegations of federal Clean Water Act violations tied to its Contra Costa County refinery, and the money will go to environmental projects, according to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Owned by PBF Energy Inc., the refinery produces a variety … Read more
At first glance, a valley dragon doesn’t seem to have much in common with a grizzly bear or a condor. Though it has a striking look, large adults can measure a very non-intimidating 15 inches from nose to tail tip. They boast pale stripes and dark spots along their backs. In summer, the males flush … Read more
Charles Dickens wrote in his immortal Christmas Carol that Christmas was the time of year when “Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices.” For 42 years, Santa Clara Soroptimists’ (SISCSV) Christmas store has helped local families in need share the holiday abundance: a holiday store where the merchandise is free, and no member of the … Read more
California’s card rooms lost a costly legislative fight this year as they sought to kill a bill that would allow their competitors, tribal casinos, to sue them. But that didn’t stop the gambling halls from punishing a handful of lawmakers for their votes after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the gambling bill into law. In an … Read more