Silicon Valley’s powerful labor lobby has unveiled its 2022 endorsements—and there are a few surprises and notable snubs. The South Bay Labor Council, which comprises more than 100 unions across the valley, announced a sole endorsement Tuesday for Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez in the San Jose mayor’s race. The group didn’t back Councilmember...
Organizers say San Jose tried to shut down Black History Month event
Black organizers and activists claim San Jose targeted and tried to shut down a Black History Month event over a permit issue. Human Empowerment Radical Optimism (HERO) Tent, a local activist group formed after the police killing of George Floyd, hosted a two-day event this past weekend at Backesto Park to bring Black-owned small businesses,...
Judge won’t seal testimony in Santa Clara County sheriff case
A San Mateo County judge has refused to seal a portion of civil grand jury testimony in a public corruption case against Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith. Judge Nancy Fineman denied a motion on Tuesday to seal testimony given by insurance broker Harpreet Chadha to a civil grand jury. The Santa Clara County District...
Candidate for Santa Clara County sheriff drops out of crowded race
One candidate vying for the Santa Clara County sheriff spot is dropping out just weeks after filing papers to run. Dave Knopf, former assistant chief of the San Jose Police Department, told San José Spotlight he’s quitting the race. Knopf said he wanted to take on the challenges of the office, but believes it would...
San Jose mayoral candidate Matt Mahan leads pack on fundraising
Cash is flooding into San Jose’s mayoral race—a sign the election is going to prove costly for all contenders. Councilmember Matt Mahan leads the way, raising $504,000 from roughly 1,000 donors during the first 23 days of San Jose’s fundraising period. Mahan, a tech entrepreneur who announced his mayoral campaign a little over a year after...
East San Jose residents irked by lawmaker’s second office in library
A San Jose lawmaker failed to read the room when she set up a branch office in a local library, upsetting some residents who felt blindsided by the move. East side residents fumed on social media after learning Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco, who represents District 5, is setting up a second office at the Dr. Roberto...
San Jose mayoral candidate wins unusual endorsement from 49ers execs
Executives from the San Francisco 49ers football team are showing support for Supervisor Cindy Chavez’s mayoral campaign—an unusual maneuver for a team that isn’t based in San Jose. Chavez announced endorsements on Tuesday from 49ers CEO Jed York and President Al Guido. The duo issued statements applauding Chavez for serving San Jose and Santa Clara...
San Jose politician worked on map that would have benefited his candidacy
Questions are swirling around an East San Jose politician who worked on a redistricting map that would have helped him in an upcoming election. Andres Quintero, vice president of the board of trustees for Alum Rock Union School District, announced his candidacy for the District 5 San Jose City Council seat last week. According to an...
South Bay union fighting for telework won’t let its employees work from home
A California union is fighting with its employees over a proposed teleworking policy—a tricky position for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521, which has advocated for teleworking for its members. Members of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9423 and Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 29 are demanding their employer, SEIU,...
Santa Clara mayor gives social media silence to council colleague
Blocking people on social media is a no-no for elected officials, no matter how frustrating some trolls can get. But that didn’t stop Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor from allegedly blocking someone on Facebook. This time, it was one of her colleagues: Councilmember Anthony Becker. Becker first found out about his banishment from the mayor’s...