West Valley

West Valley

Silicon Valley town may be tied up in building rules

Hundreds of new apartments could soon spring up in Los Gatos, as town officials continue revising plans to increase housing. Regulators still haven’t approved Los Gatos’ “housing element”—the state-mandated plan that lays out how towns and cities will help accommodate the state’s affordable housing goals. But builders are still pushing ahead. The town’s initial housing...

Writers strike comes to Cupertino—Apple’s front door

While Apple held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) organized outside the company’s visitor center to protest unfair wages and job security. Members of the local guild leafletted and made speeches on Monday, voicing their frustrations over an ongoing labor dispute between WGAW and the Alliance of Motion Picture and...

District attorney drops investigation into Cupertino council

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is not moving forward with an investigation of members of the Cupertino City Council who allegedly meddled in decisions to hire and fire city staff, citing a lack of evidence. A referral from the Cupertino city attorney spurred the DA’s probe, following twin investigations that found city councilmembers...

Cupertino official faces calls to quit

A Cupertino official who repeatedly berated city employees and harassed residents may soon be booted from a powerful commission. The city council will consider removing Cupertino planning commissioner R “Ray” Wang at its Tuesday meeting. Councilmember J.R. Fruen, who was elected recently, called for Wang’s removal last month after a slew of residents expressed frustration...

Cupertino leaders accused of berating city staff

A scathing report is accusing the Cupertino City Council of creating a hostile work environment that affected the city’s ability to properly function. The Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury this week released its report, “A House Divided: Cupertino City Council and City Staff,” after investigating multiple complaints about council behavior toward city management and staff. The report showed...

Cupertino elects first gay councilmember

Cupertino is getting its first-ever LGBTQ councilmember, and advocates say it’s only the beginning. J.R. Fruen, an attorney and third-generation Cupertino resident, won a seat on the Cupertino City Council in a crowded race against seven other candidates. Fruen came in third, securing one of three council seats and receiving 15.9% of the vote, or...