A name change for one of downtown San Jose’s most recognizable public gathering places is moving closer to a decision, after thousands of residents weighed in on what the plaza should be called. The Parks and Recreation Commission on Sept. 2 is expected to make a recommendation to the City Council on renaming Plaza de...
San Jose rally to commemorate Chicano history
For more than five decades, an anti-war protest known as the Chicano Moratorium has remained a touchstone for activists who fought for greater recognition, equality and an end to discrimination against their community. This weekend, San Jose organizers will once again bring that history to the city while drawing attention to the federal detention of...
East San Jose mural honors community legends
For Guadalupe Cruz, the new mural in Alum Rock is impossible to miss. She passes it nearly every day on her way through the neighborhood, just minutes from the home where she has lived for decades. The mural, unveiled Thursday, honors three figures with deep ties to East San Jose — Heisman Trophy winner and...
San Jose artist preserves fading Mexican art form
The hummingbird hanging beside 13-year-old Autumn Medina isn’t just another painting. Its purple, blue and green feathers remind her of her grandmother, who loved hummingbirds and whose yard was filled with the tiny birds every summer. The painting is in the style of maque y la laca perfilada, a traditional lacquer art form from the Mexican state...
Annual summer jazz fest returns to downtown San Jose
For years, thousands of music fans have packed the Latin Tropical Stage at San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, turning downtown into an open-air dance floor where salsa has long been one of the festival’s defining traditions. Christian Vela, associate artistic director with San Jose Jazz, the nonprofit group that hosts the annual festival, wants to keep...
Five finalists for renaming downtown San Jose plaza
San Jose residents suggested more than 600 new names for one of the city’s oldest public spaces. City officials have narrowed the final choices down to five. Officials are asking residents to fill out an online survey ranking the five potential new names for Plaza de César Chávez in downtown. The options are Plaza de...
San Jose stadium to host first live music festival
For more than a decade, PayPal Park has drawn fans for soccer matches, championship games and international tournaments. Next month, the San Jose stadium will welcome a different crowd when thousands of música mexicana fans gather for its first-ever concert. BelicoFest, a festival featuring artists including Tito Double P, Gerardo Ortiz and Santa Fe Klan,...
Silicon Valley immigration advocates say birthright fight isn’t over
For more than a year, immigrant families across Santa Clara County have wondered whether a constitutional right that’s existed for generations would disappear after a Supreme Court ruling. Tuesday’s decision brought relief to many, but advocates said the fight over birthright citizenship is far from over. The U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 ruling rejected...
San Jose residents to help rename Plaza de César Chávez
As San Jose considers a new identity for one of its oldest public spaces, residents are beginning to weigh what — and who — the city’s downtown plaza should represent for generations to come. Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services officials held a Wednesday meeting to kick off plans to rename Plaza de César Chávez, inviting residents...
Santa Clara County looks to fund Latino ‘health promoters’
Latino community health workers in Santa Clara County, known as promotores de salud or “health promoters,” have for years knocked on doors that others couldn’t. Now the county needs them again — and has plans to make them a permanent part of the region’s public health system. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously...