As 2026 unfolds, we’re seeing urgent calls for artists, creatives and cultural leaders to step into their power and be the voice of our communities. Artists make California vibrant, innovative and culturally rich, yet our state ranks 35th nationally in per capita arts funding. When the state budget allocates just 53 cents per person to...
Park: San Jose’s ‘AI for All’ is a strong start, but California must go further
San Jose is preparing residents for the largest technological shift since the rise of the internet. With the launch of “AI for All,” the city signals that artificial intelligence should be accessible to everyone. But San Jose is not alone in facing this moment. Across America, two forces are shaping the next generation. One is...
Diridon: San Jose mayor is meeting the homeless housing challenge
Compliments to San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan for his inciteful, humane and more affordable program for meeting the homeless challenge — a great first step. But the Santa Clara County Health Department estimates that 15% to 20% of the homeless population does not have the capacity to live alone and will not stay in unsupervised...
Op-ed: Roma Dawson was a force of nature
“She was such a force of nature in her enthusiasm for making our city, county and the whole Bay Area a better place.” One of many comments shared about Roma Dawson, a dynamic activist who succumbed to cancer last December. Many knew Roma as a longtime dedicated League of Women Voters and community member for...
Collins: Where is the local housing market heading in 2026?
The 2026 housing market is shaping up to be anything but predictable. With expectations that President Donald Trump’s administration will appoint a new Federal Reserve chair this year, questions remain about the potential impact on monetary policy. If the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, will mortgage lenders follow suit? Recent history suggests the relationship between...
Op-ed: Relocating Santa Clara City Hall at the cost of downtown again?
Santa Clara is on the verge of repeating one of the most painful mistakes in its history. For those new citizens to Santa Clara, the city has the distinction of being the only city in America to demolish its own downtown. In the 2017 Mercury News article “The worst local decisions of the last 50...
Guevara: San Jose’s ‘Housing Day’ is really Housing Rollback Day
On Jan. 27, the San Jose City Council will consider a slate of housing proposals branded as “Housing Day.” If the goal is to make San Jose more affordable, the name is deeply ironic — nearly every major policy on the agenda moves the city away from affordability. This matters because San Jose residents have...
Op-ed: Inclusionary for who? The quiet re-redlining of San Jose’s housing policy
San Jose is preparing to pull a slick move with its housing policy, and if you’re Black, brown or low‑income, you’re not supposed to notice until you’re already gone. The city is revising its inclusionary housing ordinance, branding the changes as “modernization” and “workforce housing.” But beneath the language, it’s the same old story: Open...
Editorial: San Jose mayor should not run for governor
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is making the rounds. He’s all over national and statewide TV news stations, splashed across the pages of California’s top news websites and flooding our social media feeds. The media circus is centered around Mahan’s not-so-subtle hints that he might run for governor. After about six years in local politics,...
López: Evergreen Valley College’s 50-year impact in San Jose
At a time when education is evolving more rapidly than any time in history, Evergreen Valley College (EVC) turns 50, and its mission has never been more relevant. When I think of 50 years, I think of accomplishments, impact and stories EVC has written. I also consider possibilities and an opportunity to imagine the next...