Heart attack, lung failure and an induced coma weren’t the only hurdles in the life of East San Jose native Eddie Garcia. As a child of color he had to work twice as hard to succeed even before he almost died. Garcia, 58, was raised in East San Jose. His dad was a postal worker,...
San Jose fire station is 15th busiest in the nation
A San Jose fire station ranked nationally for responding to thousands of service calls, but that notoriety speaks to a larger problem. Fire Station 26 received more than 5,800 service calls in 2021, ranking 15th in the nation. But the station is just one of 34 firehouses in the San Jose Fire Department, which is...
East San Jose council candidates speak on homelessness, police
Candidates vying to represent San Jose’s East and Central districts gathered downtown to sound off on their priorities at a recent forum. The Friday morning forum, hosted by the San Jose Downtown Association, featured District 5 city council candidates Nora Campos, a former state assemblymember, and Santa Clara County Board of Education President Peter Ortiz, as...
East San Jose receives millions for road safety
East San Jose streets are on track to becoming safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike. Assemblymember Ash Kalra handed a $10 million check to San Jose leaders today for the installation of more street lights, bike lanes and other protective measures around Senter Road. The state funding qualifies the city to compete for additional grants. The...
Night market invigorates East San Jose
An idea for an open air pop up market on Tully Road is reinvigorating an East San Jose community. The Tully Night Market, located by the Tully Road Ballfields and community library, has become a local food, art and music destination for residents on Wednesday nights. Councilmember Maya Esparza pushed for the idea as a way...
Zimmerman: San Jose takes an electrifying step forward
Last month, the San Jose City Council voted to adopt the Framework for Existing Building Electrification as a step toward reducing the climate-destabilizing use of “natural” gas. All councilmembers joined Mayor Sam Liccardo in approving the framework, except Councilmember Dev Davis, who voted against it, and Councilmember Maya Esparza who was absent. The framework lays...
San Jose State track proposed for fairgrounds
A proposed track and field at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds may return a university to former glory. Assemblymember Ash Kalra requested $25 million from the state Legislature for a San Jose State University Speed City Legacy Center and Track and Field Training Facility. The Legislature approved $4 million in the 2022-23 fiscal year budget....
Crossing San Jose streets may become less dangerous
One of San Jose’s most dangerous roads will receive multi-million-dollar funding from the state to reduce accidents and fatalities. The city is receiving $10 million in state funding to install more street lights, build out bike lanes and other protective measures around Senter Road. The 4.7-mile stretch from Monterey Road to Story Road ranks sixth...
Who run the world? San Jose could have female majority council
San Jose, the 10th largest city in America, was once dubbed as “the Feminist Capital of the World.” But as the years wore on, the title faded as fewer women graced Silicon Valley’s elected offices. San Jose scraped the bottom of a Pew research study six years ago comparing men to women ratios on city...
San Jose residents see water rate hikes once again
Water rates are increasing in July for San Jose residents in several neighborhoods. This week, the City Council unanimously approved increasing drinking and recycled water rates for the next fiscal year. The increase impacts customers of San Jose Municipal Water System, which serves about 136,000 residents in the North San Jose, Alviso, Evergreen, Edenvale and Coyote...