A judge on Friday allowed a prominent Silicon Valley leader and former pastor to post bail at a reduced amount after he was arrested and charged with six felony counts of child sex abuse. Prosecutors asked Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Hector Ramon to keep former River Church youth ministry leader Brett Bymaster in jail, arguing...
McHenry: The ‘whole truth’ about East San Jose airport
Starting in 1986, there have been periodic attempts by some elected officials to close Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV). In 2018, Santa Clara County voted to stop accepting Federal Aviation Administration funds for airport safety improvements, in an attempt to angle for a possible 2031 closure. Pursuant to that, in 2020, the county commissioned a lead study of...
Former San Jose church leader arrested for alleged child abuse
A prominent Silicon Valley leader and former pastor has been arrested and charged with six felony counts of child sex abuse, after being under investigation this year for allegations that surfaced about his time as a youth ministry leader at a popular South Bay church. Brett Bymaster faces time behind bars for alleged lewd acts...
Licon: East San Jose families must fight to close county airport
My family has been distressed by Reid-Hillview Airport for decades. And it all stems from our East San Jose community being marginalized and our concerns over safety, lead and noise downplayed at every turn. The one constant: a dismissive, kick-the-can-down-the-road attitude toward preparing for Reid-Hillview’s closure and the harm the airport has done. The marginalization...
Former Silicon Valley pastor faces investigation for abuse
A prominent Silicon Valley leader and former pastor is under investigation after numerous families accused him of abusing their kids when he led a youth ministry at a popular South Bay church. Brett Bymaster is facing a second investigation in three years after five families at The River Church Community say a probe in 2021...
Latino leaders who shaped Silicon Valley
Hispanic or Latino residents make up about 31% of San Jose’s population and 24.7% of Santa Clara County, according to U.S. Census data—and the impact of local leaders is visible across the region. Activists have worked for decades to give Latino residents equity, representation and access to services. The School of Arts and Culture at Mexican...
Op-ed: FAA bill gives lawmakers a chance to prevent poisoning children
It started with local chatter about the poor health of young children living in one disadvantaged and often-overlooked area near a small airport. It can end with the U.S. Senate acting to prevent lead exposure in one of the last American industries that still sells and uses a harmful pollutant. Study concludes lead levels in...
San Jose officials want to expedite toxic spill cleanup
Toxins from a fuel spill eight years ago at an abandoned East San Jose building continue to pollute the soil, and city leaders are pushing to expedite cleanup efforts before another environmental disaster. Councilmember Peter Ortiz is rallying support from colleagues to form an intergovernmental committee to create a timeline for removing the contamination at...
East San Jose residents demand environmental justice
Contamination clean-up efforts have been slow going at an abandoned East San Jose building that was the site of a large fuel spill in 2015. Residents and leaders gathered at the site Friday demanding the city expedite the process amid growing air quality threats. Nearly a dozen community members, including Councilmember Peter Ortiz, said the contamination situation...
Full report: Silicon Valley Pain Index 2023
The Silicon Valley Pain Index is produced by the San Jose State University Human Rights Institute. The annual study focuses on racial discrimination and wealth inequality. The report was first published in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and was inspired by an index compiled about New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina....