The fight for an East San Jose City Council seat is bound to be one of the most contested races this election season, as five candidates compete for voter support. With District 5 Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco terming out at the end of this year, some longtime community leaders and politicos are running for a chance to...
Poll: Peralez slightly leads in San Jose mayor’s race
A new poll released Tuesday shows San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez are leading the mayoral race in the heart of Silicon Valley—with Peralez having a slight edge over Chavez. New polling data of likely June 2022 primary voters, conducted by polling firm Tulchin Research and paid for by Peralez’s campaign,...
Santa Clara County petition sparks EPA inquiry of leaded aviation fuel
Santa Clara County officials and advocates are rejoicing as the federal government agrees to reassess the use of leaded aviation gasoline nationwide. During a news conference Wednesday, County Counsel James Williams announced the Environmental Protection Agency approved a petition from the county and several environmental organizations to evaluate whether leaded fuel used by airplanes is...
FAA to investigate Santa Clara County leaded fuel ban at airports
The Federal Aviation Administration has started a formal investigation into Santa Clara County’s policy to ban the sale of leaded fuel at its airports starting Jan. 1. In a letter sent to the county on Thursday, the FAA said it will investigate to determine whether the policy is a violation of the United States Constitution and...
A look at the latest San Jose candidates running for office in 2022
In less than six months, San Joseans will go to the ballot box to pick their next councilmembers and mayor. Numerous candidates have already pulled papers, including well-known politicians Raul Peralez and Cindy Chavez, who are vying to become San Jose’s next mayor. Here’s a roundup of the candidates who have declared so far in...
San Jose residents clash over proposed redistricting maps
Bitter and passionate words marked the San Jose City Council’s first public redistricting hearing as advocates urged lawmakers to embrace two different visions of redrawn political boundaries. Mayor Sam Liccardo and fellow councilmembers refrained from discussion Tuesday, opting instead to hear from more than 150 residents. The hearing is the first of three to be...
Barragan: Bringing resident voices to our airport commissions
The last few months have been an interesting time for both aviation and community advocates related to aviation issues in Santa Clara County. The county Board of Supervisors has authorized work to close Reid-Hillview Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration is demanding the removal of a homeless encampment underneath the Mineta San Jose International Airport’s flight...
Affordable housing at East San Jose airport? Experts say it’s in the soil
Eighty-two years after Reid-Hillview Airport opened, Santa Clara County supervisors want to shut it down and consider converting it into affordable housing. For decades, advocates and elected officials have pushed to close the airport and rezone the property for housing. But whether that happens depends on the soil’s lead levels. A study commissioned by the...
Cindy Chavez confirms worst kept secret: She’s running for San Jose mayor
After leading supporters in a chant in front of her home near downtown, Supervisor Cindy Chavez announced she’s running for mayor of San Jose. “Equality has been my North Star. And so many of you here have shown me the way,” Chavez said. “I wanna live in a city of equals. A city where birth...
‘Helping people is satisfying for me’: Gabriela Chavez-Lopez takes back the power
Gabriela Chavez-Lopez learned about the power of organizing from an early age. Born and raised in the Central Valley, the birthplace of the farmworker movement, Chavez-Lopez grew up hearing stories about Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. She was inspired by their ability to mobilize the community to aid farmworkers and create policy change. “Here are these...