San Jose streets are blighted with trash, broken windows and graffiti—and instead of waiting for residents to point it out, the city wants to find and fix it first. The city is launching a pilot program where its employees will conduct blight inspections and enforcement in downtown and other areas for six months, starting in...
San Jose school district puts safety onus on each campus
The San Jose Unified School District has denied a community petition to form a task force to shore up safety demands after a string of threats were made toward students at various schools. Abraham Lincoln High School parent Trudi McCanna and English teacher Elizabeth Neely petitioned the school board to create a communication plan and...
Silicon Valley celebrates Juneteenth
This year marks the third year since Juneteenth became a federal U.S. holiday, but one Silicon Valley group has been recognizing it for decades. San Jose’s SoFa District was home to the 42nd annual Santa Clara County Juneteenth in the Streets Festival last Saturday. The event, hosted by the African American Community Services Agency, averages...
San Jose realtors say housing advocates ‘terrorized’ their office
Tensions between local housing advocates and realtors have boiled into threats and ugly confrontations. A coalition of homeless and housing advocates protested at the office of the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors on June 7, six days before the San Jose City Council approved the annual budget. They yelled chants like, “Realtors you can’t hide,...
Long before Vegas, A’s struck out in San Jose
As thousands of scorned A’s fans lament what appears to be the imminent end of the team’s playing days in Oakland, the organization’s many past dalliances with relocation have come under a renewed spotlight. All signs now point to Las Vegas, but more than a decade ago the team and its then-managing partner, San Jose...
South San Jose motel may become a Marriott
Plans to build a five-story hotel to replace the Casa Linda Motel in San Jose are moving forward, following a favorable decision from the San Jose Planning Commission. Planning commissioners voted Wednesday to recommend the demolition of the small budget motel, located at 1669 Monterey Road on the city’s south side. The move will clear...
San Jose schools accused of ignoring LGBTQ+ students
Months after a petition was created to protect LGBTQ+ students in the San Jose Unified School District, the community is still frustrated with the district’s lack of response, claiming it has ignored their requests for a more inclusive environment. Holding signs saying “Protect LGBTQIA+ students” and “You Are Seen,” families and supporters gathered in front...
On DACA’s 11th anniversary, San Jose recipients want acceptance
Immigrant rights advocates rallied in downtown San Jose on DACA’s 11th anniversary, calling for the program’s continuation as its future remains in limbo. Advocates with Amigos de Guadalupe, an immigration nonprofit, carried posters bearing phrases like “¡Actua ahora!” and chanted “Si Se Puede” outside the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on Second Street today. They want the...
San Jose’s Berryessa neighborhood to see hundreds more homes
A San Jose developer’s plan to build up to 850 homes and a large commercial space near Berryessa BART received the green light from city officials. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved the project on Tuesday, though not before it touched off a debate about whether the city should be stricter with density and affordable...
PolitiBeat: San José Spotlight’s inaugural political festival
San José Spotlight’s inaugural all-day political festival PolitiBeat, a first for the region, brought together dozens of leaders in government, education, media and sports to discuss the successes and challenges facing San Jose and Silicon Valley. Held last Saturday at the iconic Hammer Theatre in downtown San Jose, PolitiBeat offered more than 150 attendees the...