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...
Meet the candidates for Los Gatos Town Council
There’s a lot at stake in Los Gatos this election season. The West Valley town is facing contentious plans for growth, meeting its housing production goals and scrambling to become more affordable. It’s become ground zero for political fights over growth, with one group taking to the ballot to suspend aspects of the town’s general...
Election 2022: Los Gatos candidates focus on budget woes
Three candidates for the Los Gatos Town Council all agree the town has a financial problem on its hands, with a projected roughly $4 million ongoing budget deficit beginning next year. While the candidates, who took part in a forum focused on town finances Tuesday night, all noted difficult choices lay ahead, they mostly avoided...
Los Gatos faces multi-million dollar budget shortfall
Multiple tax increases may be required in the town of Los Gatos as a budget deficit looms in the near future. While the Los Gatos Town Council voted last week to put a measure before voters in November to raise about $1 million annually by sharply increasing business license taxes, that may not be enough...
Los Gatos residents rally against town growth
Los Gatos residents are overall happy with their quaint upper-class town, but when is comes to growth management, sentiment darkens. Los Gatos recently conducted a community survey examining the quality of life and levels of services in town. The survey, conducted by market research company ETC Institute at a cost of $25,000, focused on where...
Affordable housing in Los Gatos faces uphill battle
Los Gatos has an ambitious plan to add thousands of homes in the next two decades, but some town officials and experts say it’s not doable as designed. Los Gatos, with a population of 33,000, has barely grown in the past decade. In its drafted 2040 General Plan, officials recommend building 3,783 housing units in the...