West Valley

West Valley

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...

Housing might replace shuttered Denny’s in Campbell

A 45-year-old local fixture in Campbell abruptly closed last month and could become a new housing development. The Denny’s restaurant at 2060 South Bascom Avenue in Campbell operated at the location since 1976. Two weeks ago, it shuttered with little notice. “We regret to inform you that as of 10/31/21 at 2 p.m., Denny’s has...

Campbell teachers lose trust in superintendent, board of trustees

Tensions between teachers and a local school district are boiling over as disputes over pay increases continue. Last week, teachers in the Campbell Union High School District presented the school board with a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Robert Bravo, detailing his shortcomings during his five-year tenure. The vote, signed by 380 teachers—85% of...