I spent my summer and fall quarters interning for the Cindy Chavez mayoral campaign to support a local Latina in her journey to leadership. For many, this local election was seen as a fight between two candidates with different perspectives targeting the same issues, and ultimately one candidate lost. For minority groups, however, this battle...

In its last meeting of 2022, the San Jose City Council cemented its record as a body that has failed our city when it comes to policing and community safety. Receiving a long-overdue consultant report on whether the city has the authority to create more independent oversight and investigations of police misconduct, the council collectively...

The op-ed against COPA by Neil Collins of the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors is misleading, factually inaccurate and frankly irresponsible. The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA) is a policy that would allow nonprofit housing providers engaged with and supported by the current tenants to be able to make the first offer whenever...

San Jose prides itself on its so-called “sunshine” policies and transparency measures. But the truth is, the Bay Area’s largest city and its government are shrouded in secrecy and darkness. Six years ago, I was the plaintiff in a California Public Records Act lawsuit against San Jose, which resulted in a landmark California Supreme Court...

Recently, the San Jose Rules Committee, composed of four councilmembers, unanimously passed a motion intending to make Public Records Act (PRA) requests more restrictive and therefore likely to be unsuccessful. While we doubt any local jurisdiction is legally able to change the state’s PRA regulations, and the committee’s proclamation is consequently only a performative gesture, such shenanigans are...

The proposed Sargent Ranch sand and gravel quarry in lower Santa Clara County presents the Bay Area with a unique opportunity to help the region develop a sustainable, locally-sourced vital building material while ensuring long-term protections for ecological and tribal resources. The construction-grade sand at the site is a key ingredient for the concrete we...

A headline in the New York Times on Oct. 28 reads, “Exxon and Chevron Racked Up Giant Profits.” Is it ethical to charge outrageous prices while selling huge volumes of polluting gasoline, to maximize profits, when the world is fighting climate change and inflation? The November 2015 issue of National Geographic pulled the climate issue together...

After a 2 1/2-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one of Santa Clara County’s best in-person tours is open to the public again. I’m thrilled to announce that residents can now register for an in-person tour of the award-winning Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center in San Jose. This tour provides guests with a...

The holiday season will look different across the U.S. this year. Rising prices are hitting wallets hard and nearly a third of Americans plan to spend less on gifts and decor. At the same time, local businesses are still recovering from the pandemic’s economic impacts, while also balancing supply chain challenges and a slowing economy....

In Santa Clara County and throughout California, young mothers do not have equitable access to child care or economic opportunities. In a study conducted by the Young Women’s Freedom Center and Alliance for Girls, young mothers in Santa Clara County said their main barriers to child care were high costs, service ineligibility for parents under 18, lack...