San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres was denied bail on Thursday amid an ongoing child sex abuse investigation. Torres, who resigned from City Council effective Nov. 27, faces a maximum 24 years in jail if convicted on three felony counts of child molestation, which came after his Election Day arrest. Police are continuing their investigation of...
Silver Taube: San Jose janitor sues Molecular Devices and subcontractors
On Aug. 8, I wrote a Spotlight column entitled “Project 2025 will gut worker protections.” In the coming months, I will discuss the roll out of the labor and employment provisions of Project 2025, the impact of immigration enforcement on the workplace and important developments at the local government level to protect worker rights. Today,...
San Jose prefab homeless housing delayed by mounting flaws
A troubled San Jose modular housing project for homeless residents has hit another snag. The opening of a temporary housing site on Branham Lane has been delayed over difficulties ensuring the homes are structurally safe. The project was supposed to be done in April, then June and then October — but is now anticipated to...
Santa Clara official’s perjury trial sheds light on alleged lies
Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s perjury trial is underway, with witness testimony alleging he leaked a 2022 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report. Becker is on trial for allegedly lying about whether he leaked an early copy of a grand jury report about the 49ers’ relationship with the Santa Clara City Council to former...
UPDATE: San Jose hospital meeting ends without community benefits commitment
San Jose health advocates said Good Samaritan Hospital leadership has refused to commit to a community benefits proposal as part of its $1.2 billion bid to expand the hospital. Members of the Rescue Our Medical Care campaign rallied in front of City Hall on Wednesday to call on HCA Healthcare, the parent company of Good...
Diridon: The future is sidetracked, but still possible
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, with numerous Nobel laureates and other internationally renowned climate scientists, reported in 2018 that global warming was occurring because of humans — and rapidly advancing. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared, in 2018 and more firmly in 2023, that climate change was advancing more rapidly than projected. By...
Santa Clara County elections may bring historic changes to leadership
It’s an election year like none other, including the races for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. The board is set to have an Asian American majority for the first time, with Betty Duong and Margaret Abe-Koga leading in Districts 2 and 5 respectively, slated to join Supervisor Otto Lee. Duong and Abe-Koga will be...
Why these Santa Clara County officials have AR-15s
A state transparency law is shedding light on the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s cache of semi-automatic weapons – and publicizing the lesser known police agencies inside California’s top prosecutor offices. District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office this year disclosed the possession of 20 AR-15s since 2022, reporting that none were used and 10 were purchased...
Cash-strapped San Jose school district narrows down closures
Hundreds of North San Jose parents, students and teachers are joining forces to fight school closures in their community. The Berryessa Union School District board met Tuesday night to discuss the potential closure of three schools due to declining enrollment and decreased federal and state dollars. The schools on the chopping block have not been...
Santa Clara mayor may have violated city rules serving another term
Eight years ago, Santa Clara approved a policy to prohibit anyone from serving more than two terms on the city council or as mayor. But the city’s top political leader — Mayor Lisa Gillmor — might have broken that rule. New questions are swirling about whether Gillmor was eligible to run for reelection in 2022,...