Editor’s Note: This article is part of a San José Spotlight series examining the newest San Jose councilmembers and their first six months in office. If you have lived as many lives as San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan, it gives you a unique perspective on life. For Doan, he believes more than anything that people...
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The Biz Beat: Hula Bar and Kitchen a hit in downtown San Jose
Nine years ago, the Gorospe family began serving their unique mix of Filipino-Hawaiian food from their Hula Truck. It quickly expanded to concession stands at SAP Center and Levi’s Stadium, along with a regular gig at the Shoreline Amphitheater. In March, the family opened a restaurant in downtown San Jose. But no matter the location,...
On DACA’s 11th anniversary, San Jose recipients want acceptance
Immigrant rights advocates rallied in downtown San Jose on DACA’s 11th anniversary, calling for the program’s continuation as its future remains in limbo. Advocates with Amigos de Guadalupe, an immigration nonprofit, carried posters bearing phrases like “¡Actua ahora!” and chanted “Si Se Puede” outside the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on Second Street today. They want the...
Report: Silicon Valley Latinos face ongoing struggles
Latinos in Silicon Valley are facing exacerbated quality of life challenges in the wake of the pandemic, including education gaps, worsening housing conditions and health disparities, according to a new report. The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley’s 2023 Latino Report Card, unveiled Tuesday at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, shows that even as some...
Unpermitted vendors put San Jose’s Christmas in the Park at risk
Christmas in the Park is at risk of losing some of its magic this year due to unpermitted vendors crowding the streets and sidewalks—but the groups that host the downtown San Jose celebration aren’t ready to give up just yet. Event organizers said unpermitted food vendors pack the streets every year at the annual winter holiday festivities,...
‘A sense of camaraderie’: San Jose businesses bring life to downtown
When Wendy Neff heard a knock on her downtown San Jose brewery door, she was greeted by a tall stack of plastic quart containers. Tomoyo Yoshinaga, the co-owner of neighboring bar Cash Only, was dropping them off as part of the businesses’ container exchange program. Fox Tale Fermentation Project, which Neff co-owns, and Cash Only are two new...
San Jose officials address ‘racist’ Cinco de Mayo policing
San Jose officials are looking to make amends following what state officials have called a racist handling of the city’s annual Cinco de Mayo festivities. But some residents say it’s not that simple. San Jose councilmembers unanimously passed a memo in the Rules and Open Government Committee on May 24, asking the San Jose Police Department...
San Jose Starbucks the latest location to unionize
Starbucks employees at a downtown San Jose shop have won their fight to unionize after a 45-day effort. Employees at The Alameda and Julian Street Starbucks unanimously voted to unionize on May 19, despite the company’s historic opposition to unionization. The local shop is partnering with Starbucks Workers United to help complete the restructuring. Only...
Lawsuit doesn’t stop San Jose park concerts
A spring concert series kicked off last week in a downtown San Jose park, and despite an ongoing lawsuit, organizers will not be deterred. Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose, a nonprofit, hosted its first springtime concert in St. James Park last Sunday, the latest step in establishing a permanent outdoor performance venue. The shows will...
UPDATE: Downtown San Jose street to become pedestrian path
San Jose is on the road to preserving pedestrian-only access indefinitely on San Pedro Street—but it will take years and millions of dollars in long-term infrastructure improvements to make it possible. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to give initial approval for plans to repave the street as a sidewalk and reroute the...