English
Spanish
Vietnamese
Mayor Sam Liccardo caught heat on social media after Dana Loesch, a vocal and controversial spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, took aim via Twitter at his newly-unveiled gun laws overhaul proposal. “Think of the craziest gun control law out there, and I guarantee you that California lawmakers can come up with something more ridiculous,”...
Santa Clara looks to extend ban on recreational cannabis
Silicon Valley is home to some of the first recreational pot shops in California. But not in Santa Clara. The Mission City passed a moratorium on commercial pot two months ago — after voters approved a measure legalizing recreational sales — and now lawmakers want to extend the ban. “There’s not enough time, really, to do all...
San Jose homeless families living in cars receive new shoes
It started with a single pair of shoes. A student in North Carolina cut holes in his sneakers in an attempt to extend their usefulness after he outgrew them. His school nurse took a picture of the battered footwear and sent it to her husband — sparking an idea. After receiving the text message, John...
Ann Ravel witnessed wage disparity working in fruit orchards
Working in a fruit orchard cannery in San Jose as a school girl gave Former Federal Election Commission chair Ann Ravel a startling glimpse at income inequality, gender and racial disparities. White men were treated and paid better than white women, Latinos and Latina workers, she said. “I was a member of the union for the workers...
Roberts: H is for Holiday, Hair, Health… and now Homeless
Her name is Lily. She has strawberry-red hair and pink cheeks. She is a muppet on Sesame Street. A few years ago, Lily was introduced as a child in a family struggling to put food on their table. Today, she is portrayed as a child with no home. Traditional media and social media around the...
The price of growth: Alum Rock businesses at risk of displacement
From the outside, nothing stands out about the mid-size commercial lot home to about a dozen businesses on the corner of Alum Rock and Foss Avenues. But inside these businesses, a vibrant Latino presence takes place. Busy shopkeepers toil, taco-truck patrons laugh and cheer at the soccer game during lunch and local neighbors stop in just to...
San Jose City Council to consider ‘co-living’ housing in downtown
Big cities like San Francisco, New York City and Los Angeles have rolled out what some are calling “dorms for adults.” And now San Jose could be next to approve the trendy new living model that’s all the rage in other cities and is designed to help alleviate the growing housing crisis. The “co-living” concept revolves around the...
Pat Dando sculpture in the works to honor lawmaker’s memory
Pat Dando, a former San Jose vice mayor remembered for her advocacy and tireless work ethic, will be honored with a bronze sculpture at the Almaden Library and Community Center next year. The idea for the sculpture took shape at Dando’s memorial service held after the beloved politician and community advocate died from lung cancer in July 2017...
‘Spotlight Series’ features robust debate over height limits
Above a noisy jazz cafe in a small, packed room, a crowd sat attentively Thursday evening as a panel of experts –an advocate, a policymaker, and an industry professional — spoke on raising building height limits in downtown San Jose. The first-of-its kind educational forum, hosted by San José Spotlight, touched on the hot policy debate dividing...
Santa Clara County receives over $21 million for homeless housing
Santa Clara County will receive more than $21 million in federal grant funding for homeless housing programs, county officials announced Friday. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Competition. The award includes more than $1 million in new federal funding for housing assistance and supportive services...