San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan’s request for a restraining order against a well-connected Vietnamese American businessman has been denied — capping a trial that laid bare the political rancor within Little Saigon’s older generation. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Eric Geffon ruled on Wednesday there is insufficient evidence that Hai Huynh — a bail...
San Jose official’s restraining order hearing nets notable witnesses
What started as one San Jose councilmember taking out a restraining order against a well-connected Vietnamese American businessman is morphing into a trial that has brought some of Little Saigon’s most well-known figures out to testify. Councilmember Bien Doan has requested a restraining order against business owner Hai Huynh, which set the stage for Tuesday’s...
San Jose war monument marks milestone for Vietnamese community
A long delayed monument to fallen Vietnam War fighters will finally be unveiled at San Jose’s Vietnamese Heritage Garden, a planned cultural gathering space waylaid by community divide. The life-size statue of two armed soldiers — one American and one South Vietnamese — could be ready for public viewing this month or early July. It...
San Jose Tet festival brings together community and politics
Scores of people in colorful dress basked in the light of lanterns of San Jose’s History Park, as fragrant white smoke from grilled pork skewers scented the air in celebration of the Lunar New Year, also known as Tết. The Year of the Dragon might bring greater representation to residents with the potential election of...
A historic election could split Silicon Valley’s Vietnamese voters
Little Saigon may be on the precipice of electing its first-ever Vietnamese American to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and a potential key voice in decisions on homelessness, mental health services and law enforcement spending. The two candidates seen as frontrunners in the race for the District 2 seat are Vietnamese American women: Betty...
Silicon Valley Vietnamese community organizes its political voice
Democratic members of San Jose’s Vietnamese community are building a club to mobilize its political front. The Vietnamese American Democratic Club of Silicon Valley wants to be chartered within the Santa Clara County Democratic Party to organize and empower like-minded members within its community. The party’s executive board gave approval in December, sending the the...
San Jose brings in-person translators to all council meetings
San Jose is launching language interpreter services at some public meetings after translation mishaps earlier this year. Starting today, there will be Spanish and Vietnamese translators in person and virtually at every San Jose City Council and council committee meeting. Prior to this change, people seeking in-person interpreters needed to submit a request ahead of...
The first six months: San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan
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...
Vietnamese markets are leaving downtown San Jose
Vietnamese supermarkets are moving from downtown San Jose to other neighborhoods, raising questions about access to authentic grocers as the city’s core struggles to retain its retailers. Đại-Thành Supermarket, a family-owned Vietnamese market on South Second Street that opened in 1985, closed its downtown location last December, and reopened in January at a new location in Berryessa. While Thien...
Silicon Valley Vietnamese nonprofits struggle to secure grants
Vietnamese leaders are calling for equitable funding across community-based organizations in an effort to ensure residents aren’t left behind. Santa Clara County’s Vietnamese nonprofits have faced a longstanding gap in funding and resources, despite the population’s significant presence in the region. Advocates said these funding disparities are detrimental to the organizations that provide the greatest support...