A progressive young newcomer believes he’s got what it takes to be the next mayor of America’s 10th largest city. Former congressional candidate Jonathan Royce Esteban, 26, made his political debut last year when he ran for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District as the Libertarian nominee. Esteban is now running as a Democrat in Silicon Valley...
UPDATE: San Jose flea market decision delayed another week
The future of the San Jose Flea Market is up in the air following two days of deliberation but no decision on a proposed mixed-use development that would shrink the market by two-thirds of its current size. The San Jose City Council met Tuesday to consider plans for the Berryessa BART Urban Village, but continued...
Flores: The right thing to do
It is hard to do the right thing. But doing the right thing is always right. San Jose—and its elected leaders—have an opportunity today to do the right thing for its people. The Google project is the largest land deal in the city’s history. From the announcement to the three years of dialogue between all...
UPDATE: San Jose adopts new gun control measures
San Jose will be one of the few cities in the nation to require gun shops to record firearm purchases after a unanimous late-night vote Tuesday. The new rules will seek to prevent so-called “straw purchases,” or a firearm purchase where someone buys a gun and passes it off to someone else who should not...
How long will South Bay government meetings stay online?
During the pandemic, government meetings went online to allow for greater public participation and compliance with social distancing guidelines. But with COVID-19 on the decline, some are wondering when meetings might return to an in-person format. Hybrid meetings may be the answer. Both the San Jose City Council and Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors...
Why San Jose killed sanctioned homeless encampments
The idea of creating legal tent cities for San Jose’s homeless people — or sanctioned encampments as they’re called — once again died inside the City Council chambers earlier this year. It isn’t the first time San Jose lawmakers flirted with the idea. In 2015, then-Councilmember Don Rocha led the charge to create encampments a...
San Jose leaders honor VTA mass shooting victims
Speaker after speaker rose to the podium outside VTA headquarters in San Jose Thursday to speak the names and stories of those lost in yesterday’s mass shooting. Pictures of all nine Valley Transportation Authority workers killed were displayed beside more than a dozen VTA leaders and allies—some struggling to hold back tears as they described the friends and...
UPDATE: San Jose council approves Google’s Downtown West project
After more than three years of community wrangling and negotiations, one of the world’s largest tech giants will have a home in downtown San Jose. The San Jose City Council Tuesday voted unanimously to approve Google’s Downtown West project, a multi-billion dollar plan by the company to expand into downtown San Jose. “Thousands of our...
San Jose tightens grip on illegal fireworks
San Jose residents could face harsher consequences for taking part in illegal fireworks this summer. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously this month to move forward with the Social Host ordinance, which would fine tenants and property owners for fireworks launched on their property, regardless of if they set off the fireworks or not....
San Jose rejects sanctioned homeless encampments
The San Jose City Council won’t be authorizing sanctioned encampments like advocates had hoped for. Councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday to reject a sanctioned homeless encampment plan. Sanctioned encampments are designated places where homeless people could live and gather without fear of being cleared out. The city would provide sanitation and hygiene services such as portable...