High-speed rail will add Merced and Bakersfield to initial service to San Jose

San Jose scored another win when high-speed rail comes to our city in 2025. The initial operating segment will now likely include both Merced and Bakersfield, two cities originally omitted from the first phase. Merced would require a spur track from the main operating line that will eventually go from San Jose to Los Angeles (and perhaps San Diego). Bringing Bakersfield into the network would involve choosing a different terminus station with connections to Amtrak services.

This would give even more people easy access to Downtown San Jose and further stimulate the demand to locate more jobs in or near Downtown. The main risk in adding more cities into the initial segment would be the potential for delays and funding issues. If this ends up happening in 2025, it will give us a substantial economic boost and can perhaps help to correct our jobs and housing imbalances.

Source: SVBJ

Air China is coming to San Jose International!

SJC is on fire when it comes to landing new international routes. In 2012, ANA announced their nonstop to Tokyo. Then 2013 and 2014 came and went without any additional big news. The floodgates opened January of last year when Hainan announced a nonstop to Beijing. That was followed by British Airways announcing a direct flight to London in September. Then SJC scored a surprise hat trick the following month when Lufthansa revealed a flight to Frankfurt. In November, Air Canada announced they are returning to San Jose with a twice-daily nonstop flight to Vancouver. 

While 2015 was incredible, 2016 has been off to a slow start. That all changed last week when Air China officially got the green light to launch flights between San Jose and Shanghai. The direct flight will take to the skies three times per week on an Airbus A330, bringing two of the most innovative cities in the world closer together.

Shanghai will be San Jose's 8th international route (Guadalajara, Cabo San Lucas, Tokyo, Beijing, London, Frankfurt, and Vancouver are the others). This ties us with Oakland International in terms of international routes. However, Oakland's flight to the Azores is seasonal (summer-only and it requires a refueling stop) and five of its international routes are in Mexico. If we look at unique countries, San Jose is up 6 to 4.

Source: The Merc

SVSJ Chamber hosting San Jose business tax modernization meeting

On April 27, from 7:30-9 a.m., the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce is hosting a City of San Jose Business Tax Modernization proposal meeting. The city of San Jose's business license tax has not been updated since 1986. Business owners throughout San Jose are invited to join us at this 60-90 minute morning session, where there will be a presentation by City of San Jose staff who are charged with implementing recent City Council direction to recommend how to double the amount of revenue generated by San Jose’s business tax and make it more progressive, for a November 2016 City-initiated ballot measure.

City staff will present their draft recommendation and seek feedback from business owners.

Who:  Any business that operates in the city of San Jose
When:  Wednesday, April 27th at 7:30 am to 9:00 am  (30 min networking, 60 minute presentation/Q&A)
Where:  San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, 101 W. Santa Clara St, San Jose (parking is available at 45 N. Market St. Garage)
Cost:  FREE
Please pre-register here: http://web.sjchamber.com/events/City-of-San-Jose-Business-Tax-Modernization-Outreach-2300/details

Coffee and pastries will be provided.

CROWNS presented by The Tabard Theatre Company

CROWNS is playing at the Tabard Theatre in San Pedro Square until May 1st. For a little preview or to purchase tickets, head over to The Tabard Theatre Company website.


CROWNS presented by The Tabard Theatre Company from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

SoFA Street Fair is bringing tons of live music to San Jose today

2016's SoFA Street Fair is much larger than last year's event. Over 100 live bands will play on two outdoor stages and multiple indoor stages (15 total). There will even be vendors and wrestling matches. The event is completely free and runs from 2pm to 7pm. For more information check out their Facebook page over here.

Hello Kitty Cafe at Santana Row today

San Jose, CA -- The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is a mobile vehicle of cuteness that offers yummy treats and supercute goodies, each infused with unique Hello Kitty details for all to enjoy.

The mobile cafe will feature new goodies from its last visit to Northern California, including a box set of Hello Kitty macarons that features one surprise Sanrio character macaron, a delicious 3-piece Hello Kitty cookie set, an adorable Hello Kitty Cafe mug and a supercute pink Hello Kitty Cafe t-shirt. Additional yummy treats include a 4-pack of mini cakes & a pink bow-shaped water bottle.

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is the first of its kind food service venture for Sanrio. Fans can follow the cafe truck on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter to stay updated about upcoming appearances and where to find these adorable Hello Kitty treats.

When:   Saturday, April 23     10am-8pm

Where:   Santana Row
                377 Santana Row,
                San Jose, CA 95128

Content Issue 8.1 pick up party

The latest edition of Content Magazine is called Sight and Sound and features Chris Wondolowski, Kwesi Young, B. Lewis, Christ Reed, and The International Culinary Center. The publishers are throwing a pick up party during the SoFA Street Fair on April 24th between 3pm and 6pm.

There will be live music and subscribers will get one free drink when they pick up the magazine. For more information, head over here.

Facebook will pilot a new WiFi service in Downtown San Jose

Facebook is working on a new Gigabit-speed WiFi service that will use many shoe box-sized nodes that can be placed just about anywhere. The services is called Terragraph and Downtown San Jose will be their first service area outside of their Menlo Park Headquarters. The goal of the service is to provide a low cost way to connect people to the internet that have limited access, such as rural areas all over the world.

Terragraph will piggyback off existing Downtown San Jose WiFi networks provided by Ruckus Wireless. Even if it is using the same bandwidth, the project should help improve coverage in "dead zones" throughout Downtown. If all goes well, Facebook may bring the service to East San Jose where access is more limited.

Facebook's Terragraph may end up competing with Google Fiber, but not replacing it in San Jose. Google Fiber is still on track based on the article. Mayor Sam Liccardo even mentioned that he hopes to announce a partnership with Google in a matter of weeks and that San Jose will be the largest city in the county to get Google Fiber when the announcement comes.

Source: SVBJ