East San Jose

East San Jose

East San Jose school board member steps down

Alum Rock Union School District board member Ernesto Bejarano has abruptly stepped down as the East San Jose district deals with a sexual abuse scandal. Bejarano, first elected to the school board in 2018, submitted his letter of resignation last week. He cited personal reasons for his departure. Bejarano won his 2022 election campaign for a two-year term....

San Jose schools prioritize student wellness over cops

Two of Santa Clara County’s largest school districts took police off campuses in the wake of the 2020 killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Three years later, advocates said that decision has allowed schools to focus on student wellness. The districts have expanded mental health programs and other services in lieu of funding contracts...

San Jose parents push school on sexual assault details

San Jose parents are demanding transparency from a local school district they said has provided few details about a teacher’s arrest for sexual assault last fall. Music teacher Israel Santiago, who taught at Adelante Dual Language Academy in Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, was charged for alleged sexual assault against minors at the end...

Broken East San Jose traffic light signals disparities

A traffic signal in a busy intersection still hasn’t been repaired, and residents said it’s part of a long line of disparities in East San Jose. A temporary signal at Ocala Avenue and Capitol Expressway has been operating at the intersection since last September, after a traffic accident on Sep. 24 knocked the original signal over. While...

Storms hit farm that feeds East San Jose families

When Teresita Garcia was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, everything around her fell apart. She felt hopeless and ugly as her bones weakened and hair fell out. But a small little farm in East San Jose offered her a respite, she said, until now. Veggielution is where Garcia, 54, turned to get produce to...

San Jose tees up massive golf course development

The San Jose City Council has opened the door for a developer who wants to build thousands of homes on a massive former golf course on the East Side. In a unanimous decision this week, the council voted to loosen traffic impact policies and pave a path for possible development on large parcels of private recreation...

Why East San Jose students are missing school

One East San Jose school district is looking at how post-pandemic challenges are contributing to students skipping school, as chronic absenteeism rises in the local education system. One out of five students in the East Side Union High School District were chronically absent in the 2021-22 school year, missing class as families struggled with financial...

Low voter turnout to determine San Jose elections

Last updated 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The next update is expected by 5 p.m. Thursday. A competitive San Jose mayoral race and an open seat for county sheriff failed to inspire strong turnout in last week’s election. Poor voter participation in East San Jose neighborhoods could potentially swing two key races. County election officials still...