An East San Jose school board has appointed an interim leader — to serve for one month. The Alum Rock Union School District has hired George Sanchez as temporary superintendent to serve the struggling district during July. District leaders said Sanchez brings more than 30 years of experience in education from his time as a...
East San Jose charter school allowed to stay open — for now
An East San Jose charter school slated for closure has been temporarily saved by a court’s ruling. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Peterson issued a tentative decision directing the East Side Union High School District to keep the schools of Escuela Popular open, after the board of trustees on April 2 revoked its...
Economic plan aims to uplift East San Jose
East San Jose could soon get its first neighborhood-wide economic roadmap, as city leaders look for ways to attract investment and strengthen commercial corridors that residents and business owners say have long been overlooked. District 5 Councilmember Peter Ortiz is spearheading the East San Jose Economic Revitalization Framework, a planning effort approved through the city’s...
San Jose Vietnamese community reeling following statue theft
San Jose leaders are pledging a swift response following the brazen weekend theft of a portion of a war memorial housed at the Vietnamese Heritage Garden. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan, whose district includes the garden located in the Kelley Park neighborhood, and several police officials gathered at the site...
East San Jose school district redraws its boundaries
An East San Jose school district’s redistricting plans have left some community members frustrated. The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees has redrawn its boundaries, shifting from at-large trustees to trustees representing specific areas of the district. The board on May 20 voted 3-2 — with Trustees Corina Herrera-Loera and Minh Nguyen voting...
Bien Doan leads in San Jose District 7 council race
Early election night results show San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan with a commanding lead in the race for the District 7 seat on the San Jose City Council. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Doan has 48.5% of the vote or 3,580 votes, followed by Van Le, an East Side Union High School District trustee, in...
Peter Ortiz maintains lead in San Jose District 5 race
Early results show incumbent Councilmember Peter Ortiz leading the pack of candidates seeking the District 5 seat to represent East San Jose on the City Council. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Ortiz is ahead with 44% of the vote or 3,363 votes, while former state lawmaker and District 5 Councilmember Nora Campos is in second...
Burned East San Jose youth center could be rebuilt
An East San Jose youth center that burned to the ground last year has only made the community more determined to raise it from the ashes. The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees on Thursday voted 4-1 to enter an exclusive negotiating agreement with SOMOS Mayfair and the School of Arts and Culture,...
East San Jose neighborhood hit by stray golf balls
For residents living next to Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in East San Jose, errant golf balls flying over the course’s catch nets and into the surrounding neighborhoods is a fact of life. “I kept the basket on my patio, so when the golf balls came through, I collected them,” Donnette, a resident living in...
District 5 San Jose candidates speak on progressive priorities
Candidates in the District 5 San Jose City Council race laid out ambitious campaign policy platforms centered on reining in the city’s affordability crisis, as they took part in a Wednesday election forum. Over the course of an hour-long online event hosted by the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits and SV@Home Action Fund, the four...