A San Jose charter school accused of not catering to Latinos and disabled students will remain open after the Santa Clara County Board of Education voted to overturn a district ruling rejecting the school’s charter renewal. The board’s decision — a 5-2 vote — Wednesday came roughly three months after the Franklin-McKinley School District rejected Cornerstone Academy’s...
San Jose congresswoman will serve as a House impeachment manager
WASHINGTON. D.C. — Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced early Wednesday that San Jose congresswoman Zoe Lofgren will serve as one of the House managers in the Senate impeachment trial. Lofgren will serve along with the six other managers from the House of Representatives: Adam Schiff (CA-28), Jerry Nadler (NY-10), Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), Val...
New transit centers bring buses and light rail to South Bay, BART service still delayed
In the hopes of boosting ridership in 2020, the Valley Transportation Authority overhauled its service plan for the first time in more than a decade — including opening two shiny new transit centers that will eventually connect South Bay commuters to BART for the first time. “The Milpitas and Berryessa transit centers, that will also...
San Jose Iranian group considers security amid tensions over U.S. attack
WASHINGTON. D.C. — On the heels of an announcement Thursday that the U.S. military had killed Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s top military leader, one Iranian advocacy group in the South Bay is preparing for heightened security risks. “Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the...
VTA’s new service plan rollout hits a few speed bumps
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority rolled out a massive overhaul of its service plan this week which provides a new light rail line and more frequent stops on some of its most popular routes. However, not everyone is happy with the changes and they will take some time to get used to, transit advocates say....
In a push to boost low ridership, VTA’s new service plan to debut with free rides
The Valley Transportation Authority’s service changes, which include greater frequency on its most popular routes and a new light rail line, debut Saturday. And, for the first four days, riders can try the new service for free. The new service plan was geared partly toward boosting ridership, which has decreased in recent years. From 2015...
Members of the military are getting a raise in 2020 and a new Space Corps
WASHINGTON. D.C. — President Donald Trump signed a defense funding bill on Friday that will provide service members a raise in salary, better housing conditions and establish a new branch of the military. Amidst the contention on Capitol Hill over the impeachment proceedings, the Armed Services committees in the House and Senate passed a final...
VTA report recommended no changes to board member appointments
The public on Friday got its first look at a long-awaited report from a consultant detailing how to improve the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, but there were no suggestions to elect VTA board members — who are currently appointed by their cities — as some Silicon Valley transit activists had hoped. A Board of Directors elected...
Silicon Valley Leadership Group appeals to business leaders on $100B transit ballot measure
A trio of Bay Area planning and business leaders are ramping up efforts to promote a years-long initiative to get a $100 billion tax measure for transit investment on the ballot in Nov. 2020, as opponents of the measure start to push back. The measure, called FASTER Bay Area, is backed by The Silicon Valley...
Zoe Lofgren’s bill to provide green cards to undocumented farmworkers passes House
WASHINGTON. D.C. — A bill that would give undocumented farmworkers a way to earn citizenship status passed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, marking a major victory for agricultural workers. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, or H.R. 5038, was a major bipartisan agreement spearheaded by San Jose Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. It passed, 260 to...