English
Spanish
Vietnamese
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...
Collins: What 2023 will bring for the local housing market
This is the time of year where we all like to pull out our crystal ball and make some speculations about what the local housing market will look like in 2023. This year, the Federal Reserve has been aggressive in raising interest rates at 0.75 basis points for four consecutive periods since June, in an...
Robinson: The election is over, so stop the campaigning
News flash: The 2022 campaign is over. It’s time for our public leaders to govern. The next election year—2024—will come soon enough, but there’s no need to continue the silly season now. The worst manifestation of our current body politic lies at the national level, but our local politics are not immune from the personal...
Santos: Valley Water resumes in-person tours at advanced purification center
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...
Sandoval: Looking back and ahead at how our elected leaders approach homelessness
Last month, I popped into the community room at Vela, East San Jose’s newest affordable housing community developed by Affirmed Housing, to find dozens of residents laughing over a friendly game of Blank Slate. The residents waved when they saw me—welcoming me, a stranger, to join them. They chatted warmly about their first days in...
Martinez: Three reasons to shop small this holiday season
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....
Zimmerman: In the middle of the climate crisis, California turns its back on solar
The California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted 5-0 last week to change the existing net energy metering (NEM 2.0) rules to reduce the reimbursement rates for rooftop solar by 75%. The new rules (NEM 3.0) goes into effect in April, and will supplant the existing rules where excess energy produced by rooftop solar was credited...
Dewan: Public school accountability system restarts
The COVID-19 pandemic affected education services and student learning worldwide. It also interrupted the statewide data collection, assessment and accountability systems for our public schools. Last week, the California Department of Education released the 2022 California School Dashboard. The dashboard is one part of California’s comprehensive accountability system for schools. The dashboard reflects data from the...
Editorial: San Jose ‘landmark’ is a waste of time and money
For decades San Jose has tried to find its identity through an iconic landmark. The latest quest is an art installation called Breeze of Innovation, culled from nearly 1,000 international submissions. The 500 flexible, 200-foot rods are designed to sway in the wind and light up the sky at night. In renderings the idea looks like...
Silver Taube: New laws in 2023 advance workers’ rights
This column is my end of year summary of important new employment laws coming in 2023. California is at the forefront of groundbreaking laws. This year is no exception. AB 257—Fast-Food Council that sets industry standards The bill creates a state Fast-Food Council that will establish sector-wide minimum standards on wages, hours and working conditions...