The San Jose Planning Commission has given a stamp of approval to a developer seeking to gut a historic building downtown, and put up a high-rise apartment building for older adults. Despite some concerns about a lack of parking in the project, and the fate of existing businesses who will be pushed out of their...
Google could delay millions in San Jose community funds
Time is money, and in Silicon Valley, that saying is exceedingly true. So when news got out that Google could postpone construction on its highly-anticipated San Jose megacampus, it raised eyebrows and concerns. At stake is roughly 25,000 jobs and $155 million for a community fund that will be used to pay for education, job...
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...
Downtown San Jose theater faces final curtain call
A San Jose art institution in downtown is closing its curtains later this year. The Tabard Theatre is closing indefinitely on April 2, according to Jonathan Rhys Williams, executive artistic director of the Tabard Theatre Company. “After three years of battling increasing costs, decreasing ticket sales and the ongoing effects of a global pandemic, we are...
Glitches spark controversy at San Jose flag ceremony
A flag raising ceremony has sparked concern about respect for San Jose’s Vietnamese residents. The city-sponsored event was held on Jan. 25 to celebrate the previous Lunar New Year weekend. Leaders said technical glitches and a lack of communication leading up to the ceremony were signs of inattention to the Vietnamese community. Dozens gathered last Saturday...
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...
Business leader sees vibrant future for downtown San Jose
From Germany, to the City of Angels, to the Biggest Little City in the World and now to the Heart of Silicon Valley, Alex Stettinski has seen a lot of downtowns, and he thinks he can help fix San Jose’s. The new head of the San Jose Downtown Association has about four months under his...
San Jose celebrates lunar new year
San Jose’s Vietnamese community is celebrating Tết, or lunar new year, with an exuberant weekend festival. Leaders said it’s more than a celebration: it serves as a hub for community outreach. Dozens of festival-goers braved the bitter cold Friday evening to attend the first day of the festival at History Park. A live keyboardist played...