As we say farewell to 2019 and hello a new year (and a new decade), a slew of new laws will go into effect that could significantly impact Silicon Valley residents’ lives. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first year in Sacramento was a momentous one: He signed 870 landmark bills, impacting everything from cannabis use to circus...
Tombstones at San Jose City Hall remember homeless deaths
Tombstones stood in row after row at San Jose City Hall on a chilly Saturday afternoon. Each tombstone, cut out of foam, had a name painted on its surface. The years under the names all ended in 2019. The 161 tombstones represent the number of homeless deaths that occurred in Santa Clara County within the...
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo raises eyebrows with Mike Bloomberg endorsement
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s announcement Tuesday that he’s endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg, just one week after his last pick, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., dropped out of the race is raising eyebrows from critics. Some are questioning the Silicon Valley mayor for backing a billionaire after Harris dropped out because she didn’t have enough capital...
San Jose: Annual UnThanksgiving event highlights dark side of the holiday
Hours before the sun rose and turkeys went in the oven, a ceremonial fire illuminated traditional dancing and drum at the Mexican Heritage Plaza early Thursday morning. Organized by local Aztec dance group Calpulli Tonalehqueh, the 8th annual UnThanksgiving event in East San Jose was a way to honor the history of indigenous peoples in...
Silicon Valley LGBTQ icon Thaddeus Campbell dies
Thaddeus Campbell, the LGBTQ icon credited with bringing back the Silicon Valley Pride parade, died on Sunday, the organization announced Tuesday. Campbell served as Silicon Valley Pride’s CEO and board president for the past six years. “The Silicon Valley Pride board is heavy-hearted on the news of the recent passing of our beloved Board President,...
Sam Liccardo endorses Jim Zito over his colleague Sylvia Arenas
Self-described fiscal conservative Jim Zito is eyeing San Jose Councilmember Sylvia Arenas’ seat and a powerful coalition of endorsements — including from Mayor Sam Liccardo — might help him score a spot on the 11-member council. The mayor joined Zito to officially kick off his campaign to unseat Arenas last week at the Curry Pizza...
Groundbreaking for Vietnamese service center in San Jose kicks off with a bang
The Vietnamese American Service Center in San Jose kicked off construction in a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday morning, marking a milestone in Vietnamese American history after the first wave of immigrants came to the U.S. nearly half a century ago. The 30,000 square-foot center, located on Senter Road, is slated to open its doors in late...
San Jose education leader revokes City Council endorsement
In a stunning move Sunday night, a leading Evergreen education leader revoked her endorsement of San Jose City Councilmember Sylvia Arenas, who is facing re-election in 2020. Evergreen School Board President Bonnie Mace announced she’s withdrawing her support for Arenas and opting instead for a sole endorsement of her challenger Jim Zito, also an Evergreen...
Dueling endorsements in San Jose City Council race
San Jose Councilmember Sylvia Arenas and her opponent Jim Zito have nearly nothing in common. She’s a progressive Democrat. He’s a fiscally-conservative Republican. He’s earning the backing of the business lobby, including the Silicon Valley Organization, while she continues to be a labor union favorite. They differ ideologically on some social issues, how the city...
San Jose approves plan to double electric charging stations
As greenhouse gas emissions hike up the earth’s temperature, San Jose leaders eagerly push for greener energy initiatives to combat the region’s increasingly warmer climate. As a result, the City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of implementing the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP), a state-sponsored program that allows qualifying cities across California to...