Following the death of George Floyd, Jake Tonkel attended rallies and live streamed videos on his Facebook showing protesters demanding police departments be defunded. Some protesters held signs calling cops bastards. In response, the San Jose Police Officers’ Association spent close to $100,000 on ads and messaging to defeat Tonkel, and sent an email to...
Enfantino: Lawsuits related to COVID-19 are next threat to small business
As the Business San Jose Chamber PAC continues to advocate for the safe reopening of our local economy, let’s not forget the challenges that have existed for years for our local business owners: abusive lawsuits. Our community needs protection against what could be a wave of COVID-19 lawsuits aimed at shaking down mom-and-pop businesses, and...
Exclusive Q&A: U.S. House District 17 candidate Ritesh Tandon
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republican Ritesh Tandon is hoping to replace progressive Democrat Ro Khanna in November and chip away at Democratic control of the House. Tandon is an engineer and businessman who has worked for Jabra and Cisco. He serves as an advisory board member for Uttar Pradesh Mandal of America, a nonprofit that helps underprivileged...
South Bay candidates court Latinx voters, push to get them to polls
San Jose Unified School District Board of Trustees candidate Tomara Hall does a lot more phone banking than door knocking these days because of the pandemic, but she always has a few Spanish-fluent volunteers on stand-by. “When it comes to running a campaign, you’re educating people,” Hall said. “So you need to offer materials in...
Santa Clara approves new financial tracking for 49ers, Levi’s Stadium
After years of finger pointing and court battles, Santa Clara lawmakers approved a new way to keep tabs on Levi’s Stadium and the 49ers’ financials. Most recently, the city and 49ers have clashed over who owes money to whom. The 49ers, which manage Levi’s Stadium, say the city owes $2.74 million for losses from non-NFL...
Lan Diep a Democrat? San Jose party officials say not so fast
A recent campaign mailer from San Jose Councilmember Lan Diep urges voters to support Joe Biden and himself — a “fellow Democrat” — but records show Diep joined the party just seven months ago. Before that, he had no party preference and was a registered Republican for seven years. Diep, who faces a tough re-election...
Senate candidates Cortese, Ravel vie for support in San Jose debate
State Senate candidates Ann Ravel and Dave Cortese went toe-to-toe in a debate that covered issues ranging from the economy to police reform. The candidates both supported balancing the state budget and oversight of Santa Clara County Public Health. They differ on their support of ballot measure propositions. Ravel took shots at Cortese throughout the...
Assembly candidate Bob Brunton says he will walk the walk
Bob Brunton’s campaign message is printed on his transparent face shield — a symbol of his willingness to speak with people face-to-face, including and especially those who belong to the opposing Democratic party. “Most of these issues aren’t really Republican-Democrat,” said Brunton, a Republican who is running to represent District 25 in the California Assembly....
Indoor dining, church services can resume in Santa Clara County
As COVID-19 numbers in the county slowly improve, officials gave Santa Clara County businesses the green light to begin operating indoors — but with caution. Starting Oct. 14, restaurants, churches, movie theaters and other businesses can open at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. They also can host outdoor gatherings of up to...
Santa Clara County unveils how it will make in-person voting safe, secure
Voting booths will be socially distanced, there will be one-way routes to enter and exit and you don’t need to bring a pen or pencil — the equipment will be digital. Don’t forget your mask. Those are among the things Santa Clara County residents can expect if they plan to cast their ballots at a...