Every two years we go temporarily insane during elections while choosing the elected officials who are supposed to represent us, people who generally care about the wellbeing of our community, but who oftentimes make promises they know they cannot keep and sometimes make wild claims they know are untrue. Logical thinking is thrown out the...
Cortese: Reflections from my annual Sacramento Bus Trip for Education
The pandemic has reshaped seemingly every aspect of our lives. Creating a shock throughout our education system, the economic and social effects of the past two years have spilled over into our school settings, forcing us to acknowledge the full impact of educational inequities and rethink how we truly ensure access and opportunity for every...
Zisser: Can a public defender be district attorney?
Can a public defender be a district attorney? I am not endorsing any particular candidate. And each of the candidates for Santa Clara County DA has his strengths and weaknesses. I have met two of the candidates once or twice each. But this essential question has been floating around about whether one of the candidates, Sajid...
Philbrick: Robots rolling by transportation equity concerns
A black-and-white, six-wheeled little robot rolls by you on the sidewalk. A pole protrudes from its back, sporting a neon-orange flag. What is it carrying? What on earth is it doing on the sidewalk? In the U.S., wheeled delivery robots and drones can and are being used to reach the 4.5 million people who live in...
Ginsborg: Why re-electing Assessor Larry Stone is so important
Property taxes and school funding; one elected office on the ballot every four years has a big impact on both of these critical issues. Yet, as many people work their way through the ballot they often drift off before they get to the assessor’s race. That would be a costly mistake. Re-electing Assessor Larry Stone...
Nguyen: What talking to students about AAPI Heritage Month taught me
The entire fourth and fifth grade classes of Castlemont Elementary wait for me to speak in their school cafeteria. This year I get to give talks to six schools about Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. But it is the students who will reinforce the importance of advancing diversity and inclusion. Making an easy-to-understand...
Op-ed: On the fatal shooting in Uvalde, Texas
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Santa Clara County is deeply saddened by the horrific and senseless school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. This tragedy touches everyone in our country and impacts the mental health of our entire nation. No state, county or city appears to be safe unless everyone is looking over their shoulders. Our...
Collins: Building ADUs in Santa Clara County
Since 2016, several significant pieces of legislation have passed in California, removing regulatory barriers that created obstacles to building accessory dwelling units, commonly known as ADUs. As a result, permits for ADUs have increased more than tenfold from 1,269 in 2016 to 14,702 in 2019. With the popularity of ADUs on the rise, I want...
Editorial: VTA needs a culture change to improve worker morale
One year ago today, nine people lost their lives in a mass shooting among more than 100 workers on site at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency. They ranged in age from 29 to 63. They left families, friends and co-workers who would never hear “good morning” or “good night” again. From that moment on,...
Robinson: San Jose mayoral candidates staying in their lanes
The San Jose mayoral race offers four main candidates with two different philosophies for San Jose. On one side Councilmembers Dev Davis and Matt Mahan are dueling for votes, while on the other side Supervisor Cindy Chavez and Councilmember Raul Peralez vie for votes. The more interesting political battle is on the right. Recently, Davis...