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Silicon Valley director faces gender discrimination complaints

Newly-elected Valley Water board Director Rebecca Eisenberg is facing a slew of workplace complaints alleging she made discriminatory remarks after she accused the agency of sexism. It’s a dysfunctional situation for the 7-member board that oversees the region’s largest water supplier—a body that’s long been plagued by deep political rifts, animosity and division. In November, Eisenberg unseated embattled predecessor Gary...

Santa Clara signs off on thousands of new homes

The Santa Clara City Council took its state mandated housing goals right down to the wire before approving an eight-year plan. Councilmembers voted 6-1, with a no from Vice Mayor Kevin Park, earlier this week to approve the city’s housing element and amend the General Plan. The state requires every city to develop a plan that...

San Jose police are getting slower at responding to calls

Despite an increase in cash and staff, San Jose police are taking longer to respond to calls. The San Jose Police Department this year has 30 more street-ready officers and nearly $20 million more in its budget compared to last year. It still failed to respond to emergencies on time. When San Joseans call for...

Meet San Jose State University’s new president

Cynthia Teniente-Matson is the first Latina and fourth woman to serve as San Jose State University president since the university was founded in 1857. Teniente-Matson, 58, the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, was born in Texas. Her father was a sheet metal worker and her mother worked in retail. She grew up inspired by her mother’s...

San Jose plans affordable housing for foster youth

San Jose is greenlighting two housing projects that would provide 145 apartments for low-income residents and youth transitioning out of the foster care system. The San Jose City Council voted 10-1 Tuesday to approve a $16.8 million loan for an 81-unit affordable housing project at 1510-1540 Parkmoor Ave. Newly-appointed Councilmember Arjun Batra cast the lone dissenting vote. The...

Can Silicon Valley congressman win U.S. Senate seat?

South Bay Congressman Ro Khanna could have a tough fight competing against high-profile candidates in the 2024 U.S. Senate race. He will need money and big-name backing to come out on top. If Khanna, who represents California’s 17th Congressional District, which includes Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Newark, Fremont and parts of San Jose, decides...

Full transcript: San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s inauguration speech

Editor’s Note: This is a transcript of San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s full inauguration address. Good evening everyone and thank you so much for being here tonight! ¡Buenas noches a todos y muchas gracias por estar aquí esta noche! Me siento honrado de  tenerlos aquí! Kin-Chow Twan Tay Qwee Vee. Cahm Uhn Qwee Vee C-oh...

How San Jose mayor will tackle trash, homelessness and crime

Like his late father who was a mailman, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said it’s time to “deliver” solutions in America’s 10th largest city – starting with the overflowing trash that’s plagued San Jose streets. During his nearly two-hour inauguration Wednesday, San Jose’s 66th mayor focused on three key areas City Hall needs to fix:...

Santa Clara County closing mass COVID vaccine and testing sites

Santa Clara County will close its mass COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites by the end of February, but the pandemic is far from over for those with compromised health conditions. County health officials gathered Wednesday to discuss the closures, which are set to happen by Feb. 28. But the pandemic’s long-term impacts on vulnerable populations cannot...