Dozens of San Jose firefighters have headed south to help contain the wildfires raging across Los Angeles County, while San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has called on local officials to evaluate efforts to protect our city from a similar disaster. As climate-driven events like wildfires, floods and earthquakes grow more frequent and severe and hit...
Columns
Columns
Urbanowski: Art is personal and leadership matters
There is a personal relationship and experience we each have with art. Beyond the foundational role the arts play in culture, community and civilization, individual works of art speak to each of us differently and reach us deeply. Art may bring us pleasure or comfort, inspiration or insight. A melody may lift us from sadness,...
Paz-Cedillos: America is at a breaking point
Fifteen days — that’s how long it took for the new presidential administration to unleash chaos upon the nation. We were promised stability, prosperity and safety. Instead, we are watching democracy unravel in real time. This past Saturday at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose, Congressmembers Zoe Lofgren, Ro Khanna and Sam Liccardo stood...
LaFortune: Better business through community collaboration
Running a business is tough. Running a hospitality business in the Bay Area post-COVID has been especially tough. This industry has been seriously affected in the Bay Area and our three major cities have yet to recover to pre-pandemic performance numbers. San Jose’s hospitality industry has experienced some of the country’s most radical market shifts....
Op-ed: Homeless advocates and nonprofits oppose Valley Water criminalization plan
On Nov. 25, the board of the Santa Clara Valley Water District passed a draconian ordinance imposing a $500 fine or 30 days in jail for anyone found living in an encampment on district property after Jan. 2. While claiming the intention was not to criminalize unhoused people, the board enacted criminal penalties anyway, despite...
Collins: How to make sure you have adequate homeowners insurance
For the last couple years, access to homeowners insurance has been a problem. Many carriers have left the state for various reasons, such as huge payouts from natural disasters and the regulatory climate. It’s made purchasing a home even more difficult, and now we are seeing existing homeowners having their insurance carriers deny them for...
Bramson: What we get when we count homelessness
If you ask the feds, homelessness is the worst it has ever been. In December, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released its annual homelessness assessment report to Congress. The report found that 771,480 people experienced homelessness in 2024, the highest number ever recorded in the United States. Given the continued severity of...
Silver Taube: Six new employment laws that protect workers
In an Oct. 10, 2024 San José Spotlight column, I discussed employment laws that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed to advance workers’ rights. Newsom also signed additional laws that protect workers and went into effect on Jan. 1. Driver’s license requirement prohibited in job postings Senate Bill 1100 prohibits statements in job advertisements, postings, applications and...
Paz-Cedillos: When the center cannot hold
Mental health affects us all, whether we are the ones grappling with inner turmoil or witnessing a loved one’s unraveling world. We may not realize it, but we are all just one degree away from someone enduring an invisible battle. Privilege often determines whether they can access a competent medical team, stable support network or...
Mallon: How can we make progress on transit during another Trump presidency?
As a transit advocate and writer, I’ve been getting asked how the incoming Trump administration will impact transit. It’s natural for transit supporters to be concerned about the the future of public transit as President-elect Donald Trump returns to office. Unlike President Joe Biden, who commuted on Amtrak for decades and is often viewed as...