The seeds for Mommy’s Bánh Mì in San Jose were sown when owner Curtis Lai joked to his mother — who was obsessively pursuing the perfect Vietnamese sandwich — she was making so many she should sell them. Little did he know she would take him at his word. “She was always saying, ‘Try this,...
Hundreds of affordable homes proposed for North San Jose
A proposal for 780 affordable homes next to Topgolf in North San Jose could be the city’s largest rent-restricted housing complex. The San Jose Planning Commission held a public hearing Wednesday for Alviso neighborhood residents living near a proposed 100% affordable housing project by developer Cloud Apartments at 7 Topgolf Drive. Housing advocates with organizations...
Silicon Valley BART project gets millions in funding, but still short
VTA is finding ways to patch the Silicon Valley BART expansion’s nearly $1 billion budget gap, from extra state funding to restructuring expensive contracts. The California Transportation Commission awarded two grants to the BART expansion project on Thursday and Friday, totaling about $100 million. At the same time, the VTA board of directors has approved...
Sunnyvale hires one of its own as new public safety chief
Sunnyvale has hired a new chief for its integrated Department of Public Safety. After a nationwide search, City Manager Tim Kirby appointed Daniel Pistor, the department’s deputy chief of fire services, after former Chief Phan Ngo retired in April. Pistor started his new assignment June 22 and is charged with overseeing the city’s integrated Department...
Santos: A strong water year, but conservation and planning remain essential
This year, the water outlook for Santa Clara County is encouraging. After three wet winters, local and state reservoirs are in good shape and our groundwater basins are healthy. Valley Water expects to run a full groundwater recharge program this year, which means many percolation ponds will likely stay full through summer and fall. This...
Santa Clara crosswalk to honor LGBTQ+ community
Santa Clara plans to paint a rainbow crosswalk to show the city’s support for the LGBTQ+ community amid this month’s Pride festivities. The Santa Clara City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the crosswalk’s installation at the intersection of Monroe and Franklin streets. Mayor Lisa Gillmor recused herself because her office is at the nearby Franklin...
San Jose advocates rally against Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will create staggering losses for America’s most vulnerable families, advocates say. About two dozen protesters from the Solidarity and Unity Network (SUN) rallied in front of Robert F. Peckham Federal Building in San Jose on Thursday to speak out against the bill, which has passed the House and is...
Google failed to give notice of Mountain View layoffs, union alleges
The Alphabet Workers Union representing Google employees has filed a complaint with the state alleging that Google did not provide adequate notice of mass layoffs that occurred in Mountain View in April. The union claims that Google announced the layoff of hundreds of employees on its mobile device teams on April 11, which was reported by news organizations at...
Collins: Why is title insurance important?
When purchasing property, every penny counts, especially with the high cost of housing. It is only natural to question all the miscellaneous fees attached to the process. However, title insurance is an essential service. “Title” is the legal right to use or own property and title insurance protects you from legal challenges to your title....
Tordillos declares victory in San Jose special election
San Jose Planning Commissioner Anthony Tordillos has declared victory in the special election for the District 3 City Council seat. Tordillos, 33, made the announcement Thursday, after a Wednesday results update showed him maintaining a wide lead over Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez. Tordillos holds 64.3% of the vote, or 5,328...