The current strategy of Democrats opposing the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom is to ask voters to leave the second question blank. This is a mistake. If Trumpsters are going to make a mockery of the recall system, our elections and government in general, let’s all be in on the joke. Caitlyn Jenner is a...
Collins: Rent relief still available for eligible tenants and housing providers
If you are a tenant or a housing provider, this is a must read. California has set aside $5.2 billion in rent relief for those negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible housing providers and tenants can apply for 100% of all unpaid back rent that accrued on or after April 1, 2020. Housing providers with...
Guerrero: Breaking down barriers for great teachers
The COVID-19 pandemic has made very clear the essential nature of our educators for our families, communities and economy. Every parent now knows how hard the job of a teacher is. Every parent now knows just how critical it is to have great teachers in every classroom. And every parent knows that their child thrives...
Sandoval: Vaccine outreach to the unhoused population
Santa Clara County is making great strides in our progress in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. By mid-August, arguably the height of summer season, our county reports reflected an average of 284 new cases reported in the past seven days. Sure, that’s higher than our mid-June 26-case average, but it’s also drastically lower than our January...
Klar: Senators—We are calling for federal climate action. Now.
Still reeling from the effects of COVID-19, this month humanity was further rattled by the release of the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Summarizing the 4,000-page study, carefully assembled by teams of climate scientists around the world, the UN released a statement that simply said, “This assessment of the latest...
Op-ed: Mr. Chau’s decades of service to San Jose
After over three decades of service, Chau’s Auto Repair Center, formerly known as Chau’s Automotive at 1470 West San Carlos Street, has closed permanently. My family’s shop is soon to be demolished for the construction of a new luxury hotel where it stands now. My family came to the U.S. as refugees following the Vietnam...
Zimmerman: Our underappreciated open spaces
“Disruption of nature and natural systems by humans is a major part of the climate crisis. But nature is part of the solution.” This is what Andrea Mackenzie, the general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, told me in an interview earlier this year. The authority has four public open spaces offering...
Arenas: Reid-Hillview Airport must close
Reid-Hillview Airport is poisoning the children of East San Jose and Evergreen—the children I represent on the San Jose City Council. It’s imperative that the county Board of Supervisors act now to stop this harm. For generations, the leaded fuel—still used by small planes—has sprayed down lead into the air my community breathes. The particles...
Khamis: Yes In God’s Backyard
In the past, Santa Clara County faith leaders welcomed the unhoused into their houses of worship through the Winter Faith Collaborative and allowed their parking lots to be used for overnight parking. Once again, our faith community is stepping up to help address some of our most difficult socio-economic issues. Faith leaders have now leaned...
Dewan: Back to school and COVID-19
As a lifelong learner and long-time educator, I always look forward to beginning a new school year. The energy and excitement of new beginnings often accompany the start of the school year. With the 2021-22 school year now or soon to be underway for Santa Clara County’s 250,000 young people, there is a sense of...