In an unprecedented move, every student in four major San Jose school districts will receive a library card — providing tens of thousands of students access to books and other public library resources. The idea comes as an extension of the elimination of late fees on children’s materials adopted by the library system last year. Research...
‘No more cages’: Immigrants share detainment experiences at San Jose rally
Thousands of miles from detainment camps at the southern border, a row of young men and women sat in shackles on the steps of the Robert F. Peckham federal building in downtown San Jose. It was all part of a rally on Friday dubbed “No More Cages, No More Deportations” organized by Services, Immigrant Rights and...
The fight over Willow Glen Trestle goes back to court
A battle between San Jose city officials who want to see a long-delayed trail connection in Willow Glen come to life and a group devoted to preserving a historic train crossing made its way back into the courtroom this week. The bitter court battle has raged on for the past five years, with the most...
San Jose political leaders celebrate Independence Day in many ways
The Fourth of July wouldn’t live up to its name without a barbecue featuring hot dogs and burgers, a sweet sunburn after a long day by the pool or the beach, or red, white and blue everything — a stunning tribute to the country we all call home. But let’s not forget the can’t-miss event...
Republican challenger emerges in San Jose council race
San Jose Councilmember Sergio Jimenez who handily beat a Republican challenger four years ago is about to face another one — and he’s a familiar name in political circles. Mechanical engineer Jonathan Fleming, who unsuccessfully ran against one-term Councilmember Tam Nguyen in 2016, just moved into Jimenez’s district. And now he’s challenging the longtime Democrat,...
Major retail investor buys Campbell’s Pruneyard shopping center
The retail portion of Campbell’s newly renovated Pruneyard shopping center has traded hands for $212.5 million, according to an announcement Monday by buyer Regency Centers Corp. The purchase by the Jacksonville, Florida-based retail investor and developer marks the sale of the third and final portion of the mixed-use center since the start of the year...
Despite raise, San Jose lawmakers struggle to survive
Months before a city commission voted to raise San Jose lawmakers’ salaries by tens of thousands of dollars, Councilmember Sergio Jimenez struggled to make ends meet in Silicon Valley despite serving on the council of America’s 10th largest city. He started looking for a second gig to help supplement his family’s income. Now, Jimenez works as...
San Jose lawmaker questions whether measures led to rise in rapes
San Jose lawmakers during a recent meeting peppered police with questions about the sharp rise in rapes citywide, but Councilmember Johnny Khamis had a request — study how a pair of controversial state measures might have contributed to the increase. Proposition 47, approved in 2014, redefined several nonviolent crimes as misdemeanors, and Proposition 57, approved...
Want to remove a tree in San Jose? It’ll cost you thousands.
San Jose takes pride in its trees. So much so that if a resident wants to cut down a healthy large treeton their property it could cost them more than $2,000 to do so. Compared to other large cities in California, that cost is high. San Francisco charges its residents roughly a third of that...
Evan Low talks cannabis, holding tech accountable and higher office
A rising star in California politics and a leading voice for the millennial generation, Assemblymember Evan Low has made a name for himself advocating on behalf of passing cannabis legislation and expanding the tech world’s influence to improve Silicon Valley. The 36-year-old lawmaker from California’s 28th district is currently serving his third term, but has...