Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna kicked off his virtual town hall on Thursday afternoon with an important update about the Justice in Policing Act. “We passed it today in the House; it passed overwhelmingly,” he said. The Justice in Policing Act is a set of sweeping reforms intended to resolve systemic racism in law enforcement....
San Jose libraries face $1 million budget cut
The San Jose Public Library will lose more than $1 million in the upcoming budget year, leading to reduced hours and the elimination of dozens of full and part-time positions. The move came in response to the city’s request to scale back on expenses due to the budget shortfall dealt by the coronavirus pandemic. “We...
San Jose police officers removed from East Side district campuses
The San Jose Police Department will not patrol East Side high school campuses for the foreseeable future. Following a June 11 resolution supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, East Side Union High School District Superintendent Chris Funk recommended Thursday that officers be removed from schools in the upcoming school year. “I felt like it was...
Activists petition to remove police officers from East Side Union High School District
A movement to remove police officers from schools is underway in East San Jose. Families of East Side Union High School District are calling on officials to terminate agreements with police for school resource officers and outside law enforcement on campuses. As of Monday, a Change.org petition, created under a profile called “East Side Union...
Silicon Valley leaders applaud Supreme Court narrowly upholding DACA for now
South Bay leaders on Thursday applauded the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowly upheld the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), providing relief to hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally or lost their legal status as children. With conservative Chief Justice John Roberts providing the majority opinion alongside the liberal minority...
‘It’s about time’: Ethnic studies coming to Alum Rock school district
An East San Jose public school district is set to explore bringing ethnic studies to its diverse students, a move lauded by some as being a lifeline for struggling students of color. For Adan Perez, seeing himself in the curriculum during ethnic studies courses he took made the difference between dropping out of school and going...
Silicon Valley congressional leaders tackle racism in law enforcement
During a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing, George Floyd’s younger brother implored representatives to enact law enforcement reforms that will protect minorities from police brutality. “I couldn’t take care of George that day he was killed, but maybe by speaking with you today I can make sure that his death will not be in vain;...
BART opens in Santa Clara County after 31 years in the making
It was one of the best days of former San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales’ life. “I feel like a kid at Disneyland for the first time,” he said. But instead of riding the rollercoaster on Space Mountain, Gonzales rode the first BART train departing from San Jose — a moment 31 years in the making....
Leaders push to name new BART station after ex-San Jose mayor
A coalition of powerful Silicon Valley leaders want to name the new BART station in San Jose after ex-Mayor Ron Gonzales. After all, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown gave Gonzales the nickname “Mayor BART.” Pete Carrillo, principal of consultancy Silicon Valley Advisors, this month launched an email campaign, gaining support from political leaders, activists...
Silicon Valley trade school that trains essential workers at risk of closure
A longtime Silicon Valley trade school that trains essential workers such as electricians, mechanics and nurses could soon close its doors, the latest casualty of the coronavirus pandemic that’s swept the world. But its leaders are fighting for a chance to survive another year. Officials from the Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) are asking the city of San Jose and...