The Silicon Valley Voice

At its August meeting, the Santa Clara Planning Commission elected Mario Bouza Vice Chair, greenlit a use permit for the City Light Bible Church in an existing building at 2929 Patrick Henry Dr. and sent a State-mandated proposed replacement housing ordinance back to city staff for revision. The replacement housing ordinance dominated the evening, with commissioners panning its provisions as so far-reaching that it could discourage affordable housing instead of preserving it.

City Manager Tim Kirby announced the appointment of Aaron L. Bert as the City’s new Director of Public Works, effective July 20. “Aaron brings a rare combination of technical depth, diverse capital program and operational management experience, and a people-first leadership philosophy that aligns perfectly with Sunnyvale’s culture,” said Kirby.

Sunnyvale police have busted two suspects for orchestrating drug treasure hunts in a local park. On July 21, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS), in conjunction with Santa Clara County Specialized Enforcement Team (SCCSET), conducted an undercover sting, arresting two suspects accused of selling meth in Fair Oaks Park, 540 N. Fair Oaks Ave. As part of proactive enforcement efforts, police embedded undercover officers at the park to investigate suspected drug activity, according to DPS.

When Sutter Health Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Vina Jones considered whether she should take her coughing child to the doctor, in addition to consulting her own experience as a pediatrician, she also turned to Sutter’s patient chatbot Emmy to help make her decision. “Being a pediatrician doesn’t make me the expert on everything about my kid’s health,” Dr. Jones said. “It pulled up some [clinical] history to help inform my decision. Should I reach out to my clinician? Should I take them in?

The following is a calendar of events happening this weekend near Santa Clara and Sunnyvale. Want to share an event to be featured? Please email the details to info@svvoice.com for consideration. Monster Jam — Friday, Sept. 4 – Sunday, Sept. 6 at SAP Center, San José Tickets: https://www.sapcenter.com/events/detail/monster-jam-4 Sunnyvale Community Players presents “Into the Woods” — Saturday, Sept. 5 – Sunday, Sept.

Santa Clara’s Planning Commission launched its first meeting of 2026-2027 on Aug. 12 by accepting the resignation of chair Nancy Biagini, approving a 147-unit housing subdivision on Homestead Road and re-electing past president Eric Crutchlow as chair. Commissioners paid tribute to Biagini’s service on the commission. Nancy was “a champion and an advocate for labor,” and projects that respected fair and livable wages, said Crutchlow. Nancy was “the reason I’m here,” said Commissioner Qian Huang.

Santa Clara has rejected civil grand jury findings that lay blame on the city for the Valley Transit Authority (VTA) floundering in its commitments to bring more rail connectivity to the area. At a special meeting Sept. 1, the Santa Clara City Council unanimously approved responses to a Santa Clara County civil grand jury report. That report claims the city is complacent in delays and a bloated budget for a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) expansion to Santa Clara.

The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the two men killed in a wrong-way crash in Santa Clara just before noon on Aug. 26. The Medical Examiner’s Office has identified 58-year-old Stephen Hinkson of San Carlos and 39-year-old Keith Demarest, whose city of residence was not released. According to Santa Clara police, the men were in separate vehicles at the time of the crash. One was driving a GMC SUV and the other a silver Honda pickup truck.

Santa Clara once again joined communities across the country this year in celebrating National Night Out, a nationwide event aimed at strengthening the bond between residents and the public safety personnel who serve them. The city has taken part in the tradition for many years, and this year’s event, held earlier this month, drew more than 40 neighborhoods. This year, more than 70 city employees and elected officials visited more than 40 community gatherings on Aug. 4.

Another project taking advantage of state exemptions, this one containing 147 condominiums and townhouses, is coming to Santa Clara. At its Aug. 25 meeting, the Santa Clara City Council approved the proposed development, located on 5.5 acres at 3521 and 3591 Homestead Road. The development will also include 4,991 sq. ft. of commercial space. The project will feature 90 four-story stacked condos and 57 three-story townhouses. It includes 22 below-market-rate condos.