An East San Jose school district has joined a growing effort among local education leaders in opposing a planned federal immigration facility in South County. Supporters said it reaffirms the district’s commitment to protecting immigrant students and families. The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees on Tuesday approved a resolution opposing the proposed facility in...
UPDATE: East San Jose school district delays controversial health contract
Leaders in an East San Jose school district have delayed approving a contract with a controversial healthcare provider to teach students relationship skills. At a special meeting Tuesday, the Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees voted 3-2 to postpone approving a two-year contract with RealOptions Obria to help give sixth grade students the...
San Jose artist preserves fading Mexican art form
The hummingbird hanging beside 13-year-old Autumn Medina isn’t just another painting. Its purple, blue and green feathers remind her of her grandmother, who loved hummingbirds and whose yard was filled with the tiny birds every summer. The painting is in the style of maque y la laca perfilada, a traditional lacquer art form from the Mexican state...
Silicon Valley students housed through college partnership
West Valley-Mission Community College District provides students living within its service area with free tuition, childcare and healthcare. Now it’s ensuring they have a safe place to lay their heads at night. The community college district is partnering with San Jose State University to provide beds for students facing housing insecurity. The community college district’s...
AI transparency rule from Bay Area lawmakers kicks in Saturday
After several years of delays, legislation from two Bay Area lawmakers that is being called a landmark artificial intelligence transparency law by academics and advocates is set to go into effect Aug. 1. First passed in 2024, the law will require AI-generated content like images and videos to contain easily accessible embedded details about its...
Foreign student visa restrictions to hit Silicon Valley
New federal regulations will restrict how long international students can attend U.S. colleges, and schools are scrambling to work through the problem as the fall semester begins. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has finalized a rule that limits most international students on F-1 visas and J-1 exchange visitor visas to a four-year education...
San Jose lawmaker’s bills critical to federal housing package
The largest federal housing bill in decades has the potential to increase the home supply in Silicon Valley, one of the most expensive regions in the U.S. The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, passed earlier this month, contains more than 40 provisions that include fast-tracking housing development by cutting red tape, increasing the...
San Jose school district weighs workforce housing options
A local school district is finding itself in choppy waters as it weighs the best way to provide teachers and other employees with affordable housing. In 2024, the San Jose Unified School District issued a general obligation bond, Measure R, to fund the renovation of classrooms and facilities, as well as provide affordable housing for...
VTA broke ridership record during Silicon Valley World Cup matches
VTA carried 230,000 passengers across the six FIFA World Cup matches hosted in the Bay Area since last month, setting its all-time special event ridership record. The public transit agency also reported setting its single-event ridership record on June 25 for the match between Paraguay and Australia, when nearly 42,000 fans rode transit to and...
East San Jose school district hires new superintendent
A struggling East San Jose school district has a new leader at its helm. The Alum Rock Union School District has named Marnie Hazelton as superintendent for three years through June 30, 2029. She takes the reins from Interim Superintendent George Sanchez, who was temporarily hired to lead the district for the month of July....