Melanie Vega always knew she wanted to be a teacher. But with no guarantee of a raise going into next school year coupled with the daily stress of the job, she has decided to stop teaching and leave Campbell Union High School District. Vega, a 30-year-old English teacher who’s worked in the district for seven...
San Jose residents want city to revisit community center spending
While San Jose works to divvy up a hefty donation from Google, residents want to make sure that money goes back to supporting their communities. Part of Google’s $200 million donation to San Jose was $1 million to support the Gardner Community Center, with the goal of reopening the center with more programs for residents....
San Jose advocates want better data on missing Indigenous women
Local health care representatives and activists are raising awareness for a national issue going under the radar: the alarming rate of Indigenous women who are missing or murdered. Community members gathered at San Jose City Hall on Tuesday to raise awareness for the disproportionate violence Indigenous women face — which in certain communities is 10...
Bloomberg helped fund Silicon Valley congressional recount
New financial disclosures are peeling back the curtain on who helped fund the recent Congressional District 16 recount — starting with former New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg. A super PAC called Neighbors for Results, which Bloomberg infused with $500,000 in February, paid $102,000 to another super PAC called Count the Vote between April...
West Valley city faces multimillion-dollar shortfall
One West Valley city will be forced to tighten its belt in the coming years, as it faces a multimillion–dollar budget shortfall largely due to factors outside its control. Campbell anticipates roughly $66 million in revenue for fiscal year 2024-25, but expects to spend about $70 million, resulting in an estimated $4 million budget deficit....
Silicon Valley nonprofit shutters homeless support group
A homeless support group in San Jose is closing down, and members are unsure about whether they will be able to continue their work. Sacred Heart Community Service shuttered its homelessness organizing committee, Survivors of the Streets (SOS), and let go of the group’s organizer, citing dwindling resources. This loss comes at a pivotal moment...
San Jose Sharks tout benefits to city as lease set to expire
The San Jose Sharks’ SAP Center lease with the city is expiring next year, and the terms will be changing — opening the door for negotiations with both parties. Next year the city, which owns the arena, can hike the Sharks’ rent annually, and Sharks Sports and Entertainment leaders are hinting at a desire for...
San Jose to crack down on illicit drugs in smoke shops
San Jose smoke shops will soon be monitored more closely by the city for unregulated drugs due to a new permitting system. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to require an additional permit for smoke shops in the city, in an attempt to reduce the amount of unregulated drugs — including synthetic cannabis...
Silicon Valley official might sue San Diego County over top job
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez may pursue legal action against San Diego County after being snubbed twice for one of the region’s top jobs. Chavez’s lawyer, B.J. Chisholm of San Francisco-based law firm Altshuler Berzon LLP, submitted a letter to San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas on Tuesday — indicating Chavez is...
San Jose commission wants to split parkland for commercial use
Plans for a 40-acre park in San Jose that was previously home to hundreds of homeless residents are shrinking as officials consider other uses for the space. The San Jose Airport Commission is recommending the City Council scale back building a park on vacant downtown land south of San Jose Mineta International Airport and allow commercial...