Team San Jose’s staff traditionally concentrated our communications and conversion efforts on groups and travelers from across the state, the country and around the globe. When we host the world’s most influential thought leaders, change-makers and companies in the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, they make a huge impact on our local economy and, in...
Estremera: Moving forward on purified water
The Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a leader in water innovation in the region. Over the past decade, the center has provided purified water to enhance recycled water quality for non-potable uses such as irrigation and cooling towers. Looking ahead, Valley Water is focused on expanding purified water...
Diridon: Fight the water thief
Earth’s most valuable asset is potable water. So we store every drop we can capture in massive reservoirs like Shasta, Trinity, Folsom, Hetch Hetchy, Meade and a dozen more. But a thief has been stealing increasingly more amounts of that community wealth every summer for the past half century. That’s like your family income entrusted...
Dewan: Pathways to careers in early childhood education
As early learning program options continue to expand to meet the needs of families, Santa Clara County will need more child care providers, teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals and wellness staff to serve our county’s youngest learners. Within Santa Clara County, 89% of preschool demands are being met, according to the 2024 Early Care and Education Facilities...
Silver Taube: Proposition 6 would ban forced labor in jails and prisons
In the November election, Californians will vote on a ballot measure, Proposition 6, that would amend California’s Constitution and ban forced labor in jails and prison, one of the last remnants of slavery. If Proposition 6 passes, inmates could not be forced to work. Prop 6 does not increase wages. Compensation for any work assignment...
Op-Ed: Proposition 36 is a backward mass incarceration plan that solves nothing
As leaders of organizations and agencies that support those impacted by mass incarceration, poverty and substance use, we have a loud and urgent call to stop Proposition 36 and the irrevocable damage it will bring to our entire community if passed. The proposition is falsely guised as an attempt to reduce crime, homelessness and substance...
Stankovich: Bay Area family caregivers face financial hurdles
Family caregivers are the unsung heroes of our health care system, yet their struggles often go unnoticed. In the Bay Area, the cost of living is astronomical, making caregiving an expensive endeavor. Our family caregivers face immense challenges, from financial strain to emotional stress, and it’s time we address these issues with the urgency they...
Bramson: The experience of failure
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the essay “Experience” in 1844. Following the death of his son, the essay considers the differences between adhering to abstract theory and conventional wisdom, as opposed to direct engagement when navigating the twists and turns of life. In many ways, it’s a heartbreaking piece about the impossibility of escaping loss and...
Mallon: Caltrain electrification is a win for sustainable transit
Sept. 21 will mark a significant milestone in transit history: the start of Caltrain’s electrified service. This transition from the diesel fleet that has been used for decades to electric trains is a major step forward for sustainable transit in the Bay Area and beyond. Passenger rail service has existed on the Caltrain corridor for...
Urbanowski: Santa Clara County is steeped in rich, diverse cultures
Santa Clara County’s unique identity and greatest strength is our diversity – a diverse economy, a diverse landscape and a rich diversity of cultures. As we live and work together it is through sharing our arts and culture practices and traditions that we begin to understand each other and establish foundations for collaboration and increasing...