In January 2025, the Palisades Fire grew from 10 acres to 200 acres in 20 minutes. More than 11,000 people had to evacuate at once on roads designed for ordinary traffic. Cupertino is not Los Angeles. But Linda Vista Drive sits in an area Cal Fire designates as a Very High Fire Hazard Zone, and...
Bramson: Stopping the fall before it begins
Every day, thousands of Americans lose their homes. But the moment we notice the crisis is almost never the moment it begins. We see the tent on the sidewalk. The car parked overnight on a quiet street. The person waiting outside a shelter door. By then, the fall has already happened. What we rarely see...
Higgins: San Jose students deserve evidence-based decisions
San Jose Unified School District’s “Schools of Tomorrow” initiative proposes closing up to nine elementary schools that act as community hubs for generations of San Jose residents. As a district parent, I am following the initiative with concern and frustration. It is framed as a process to create ideal schools to develop “the thinkers, leaders,...
Mallon: Six years later, speeding up San Jose transit is finally paying off
In 2019, I learned about transit signal priority — a technology that gives buses priority at intersections so they don’t sit at red signals unnecessarily. At the time, I was a 22-year-old college student who rode VTA every day and wished the buses would run faster. At the time, there was a lot of discussion...
Urbanowski: March movies, music and arts mania
While Nvidia GTC and NCAA March Madness may capture the initial headlines in San Jose this month, arts and entertainment activities will be extensive and accessible to local residents and visitors alike. San Jose is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the U.S., and its creative community is vital to the city’s authentic...
Paz-Cedillos: Culture is civic infrastructure
On Friday night in Mayfair, the Mexican Heritage Plaza was full — not just of art, but of memory. Timeless Art Collective presented ¡La Cultura Vive! — a showcase rooted in San Jose’s Chicano art scene and grounded in the history of this neighborhood. What unfolded made visible something we too often overlook: Culture is...
Collins: Multigenerational living can be a strategic housing choice
The continued rise in the cost of living has compelled many families to reassess what homeownership entails. An increased number of families are considering pooling their resources for the greater good of all, and that’s where multigenerational living has become an attractive option for some. Multigenerational living is no longer viewed as a fallback option,...
Jayadev: The Super Bowl is over, but ICE is still in the South Bay
The week leading up to the Super Bowl may have been one of the most significant displays of unity against an external threat Santa Clara County had seen in generations. From elected politicians speaking at podiums, to high school students belting “ICE Outta the Bay!” from bullhorns during walk outs, Santa Clara County made our...
Cantrell: Is California’s ‘justice’ system just slavery by another name?
The next “Dying to Stay Here” podcast will feature a panel discussing what we call our criminal justice system. The panel reflected on a recent election in California, where voters were asked, in plain language, whether they wanted to remove slavery from our constitution, where it’s still allowed “as punishment for a crime,” and voted...
Robinson: Congressman Ro Khanna protects Epstein victims with floor speech
Local Congressman Ro Khanna used his immunity from the House floor to out child-rapists and protect the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. His courage must acknowledged. To date, very few victims have come forward with names of individual perpetrators. They are literally scared to death. Katie Johnson in a taped deposition described in detail how Donald...