Capitol Expressway has turned into a traffic nightmare near the light rail connector expansion — and local businesses are looking to transportation officials for relief. San Jose business owners say construction from VTA’s Eastridge to BART Regional Connector has been driving customers away, with intermittent lane closures, redirected traffic, blocked driveways and construction debris along...
East San Jose councilmember runs for reelection
District 5 San Jose Councilmember Peter Ortiz has officially launched his reelection campaign to hold onto the seat he first won in 2022. Ortiz is making the case that during his time in office, he has demonstrated leadership that is bringing “transformational change” to a district he argues has been poorly served by its past leaders....
Santa Clara County DA looks into alleged misuse of school funds
Parents in an East San Jose school district are calling for county officials to investigate a trustee who was reimbursed thousands of dollars by the district for college courses. Andres Quintero, board vice president of the Alum Rock Union School District, is facing criticism for a $22,700 reimbursement he received from the district for taking...
San Jose politician’s rival runs for D7 seat
An alleged abuse of public resources. A mocking Facebook video. A series of unusual dramas has marked a bitter feud between the office of District 7 San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan and East Side Union High School District Trustee Van Le. Le said she will run against Doan when he’s up for reelection next year —...
Downtown San Jose Planning Commission seat still vacant
Not long after Anthony Tordillos won the June special election for the District 3 San Jose City Council seat, he had to vacate his role on the Planning Commission. His commission seat has been vacant for nearly three months, leaving downtown without a voice on an influential government body that helps steer the city’s land-use...
San Jose parents want school trustee to return funds or resign
Community members of an East San Jose school district are demanding a trustee repay funds or step down from serving on the board. Alum Rock Union School District parents and advocates are demanding Board Vice President Andres Quintero reimburse funds he received from the district to pay for academic courses to earn his Ph.D. —...
East San Jose school district changes how leaders are elected
An East San Jose school district is changing how and when its board members are elected. The East Side Union High School District board of trustees on Oct. 3 unanimously approved switching from at-large elections to district elections and adopted a final district map. The board also determined what years trustees would be up for...
Damaged East San Jose youth center demolished
A vacant former youth center in East San Jose has been demolished more than a month after a fire halted plans for its restoration. Excavators knocked down what remained of the Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) building Saturday, breaking the hearts of community advocates who fought to save it. Trustees with the Alum Rock...
Retired East San Jose advocate leaves lasting legacy
When Rose Amador took over as the director of San Jose nonprofit ConXión to Community 43 years ago, it was a flailing organization on the brink of shutting down. Through Amador’s grit and determination, the organization survived budget deficits, a housing market crash, the pandemic and current grant cuts. Her steady hand helped the nonprofit...
Silicon Valley Latina wage gap worst in nation
Latinas in California experience the greatest wage gap in the nation — and it’s unlikely to change soon with the federal government stripping the country’s social safety net. That doesn’t bode well for Latinas in Santa Clara County who haven’t seen much upward movement in wages over the last few years, despite having the largest...