Community

Community

San Jose park maintenance has multimillion-dollar backlog

A multimillion-dollar work backlog in San Jose is leaving empty spaces where playground equipment used to be, basketball courts eroded and turf riddled with holes from squirrels and gophers. San Jose’s parks department has a more than $554 million infrastructure backlog, according to a 2024 city status report — with many East Side parks in disrepair. Most of...

Fearing for safety, San Jose official gets restraining order

San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan has installed metal gates and security cameras at his house, and looks over his shoulder when he leaves city meetings at night — worried one man may get too close. That’s according to a March 14 restraining order the District 7 official has filed against prominent Vietnamese leader Hai Quang Huynh, known for his...

East San Jose school board selects interim leader after ousting predecessor

An East San Jose school board has appointed an interim leader on the heels of its sudden firing of the superintendent.  The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees unanimously appointed Imee Almazan, director of student services, as interim superintendent effective March 26. Trustee Minh Pham said Almazan is serving in an interim capacity...

East San Jose schools in jeopardy of shuttering

East San Jose residents rejoiced Thursday night when a neighborhood middle school received a reprieve from an expected closure. But that celebration will be short lived as the school district anticipates putting more campuses on the chopping block.  The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees unanimously voted to postpone closing the middle school...

East San Jose school superintendent abruptly fired

The Alum Rock Union School District board voted to fire longtime Superintendent Hilaria Bauer after returning from closed session.  The board voted 3-2 to end her contact on Thursday night, with Trustees Linda Chavez, Minh Pham and Andres Quintero voting in favor and Corina Herrera-Loera and Andrea Flores Shelton opposing it. Bauer’s last day is...

East San Jose to get long overdue light rail extension

South Bay transit leaders have approved a major contract to get construction underway on a long-planned light rail extension project in East San Jose. The VTA board of directors on Thursday unanimously approved awarding a $437 million construction contract to a joint venture of two companies to build the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector. The...

East San Jose needs more voting centers, leaders say

East San Jose leaders say their neighborhoods face a shortage of voting locations for the March 5 primary election — a problem worsened by language and transportation barriers. There are almost twice as many places to cast your vote in San Jose’s Council District 5, which has no local race, than in District 8 where...