City leaders have agreed to spend six months hearing from residents about what they want to see happen with land in East San Jose that’s being eyed for a massive potential development. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to approve hiring a consultant to conduct a “city-led” outreach and engagement program about...
UPDATE: San Jose to transform Story Road-Keyes Street corridor
With a new influx of cash, the Story Road-Keyes Street corridor in East San Jose will be transformed from a danger zone to a safe stretch. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to secure the final funding for safety infrastructure across the 2.3-mile road project. The dollars will transform one of San...
East San Jose parents rally for principal’s return
East San Jose parents are calling for Alum Rock Union School District officials to reinstate a principal who was put on leave amid a sexual assault scandal involving a teacher. More than 50 parents, teachers and students rallied in freezing rain Thursday evening, calling on the district to bring back Maria Guadalupe Gutierrez, principal of Adelante...
UPDATE: East San Jose school district chooses a new trustee
Just two weeks after an East San Jose school board member quit, the board has chosen a replacement – and it’s a familiar face. After two hours of deliberation, Andrea Flores Shelton was named the Alum Rock Union School District’s newest trustee at a special board meeting Monday night. Flores Shelton beat out three other...
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 school district spends art grant on salaries, benefits
One East San Jose school district is receiving millions in state funding for the arts, but nearly 72% of it will go to staff salaries and benefits. The East Side Union High School District expects to receive $13.2 million in state funds but will use $9.5 million of it for “operational costs” which includes paying for retirement...