Santa Clara Councilmember Patricia Mahan has resigned from her elected position, effective Feb. 1, due to “serious medical issues,” according to Santa Clara officials. Mahan submitted her resignation Wednesday, and the Santa Clara City Council is expected to declare her seat as the city’s District 5 representative vacant on Feb. 11. Mahan has battled cancer...
South Bay attorney Sal Liccardo promotes book fighting for blind woman
It was a sleepy Sunday morning in 1969 when a 29-year-old San Jose mother of three woke up to a surging headache, unbearable to the point where she rushed herself to the hospital. The woman’s mysterious and ferocious pain perplexed doctors, who were stunned by the sight of her head swelling up like a balloon —...
Larson: Snake oil solutions to homelessness and a child’s lesson in empathy
Becoming a mother a few decades ago and a grandmother recently, I’ve come to appreciate considering the world through the eyes of a child and listening to words out of the mouths of babes. We could all learn a few things if only we would take the time to listen. But listening deeply is easier...
San Jose: Panel decides two Evergreen schools will close this spring
After several weeks of discussion, an Evergreen School District committee tasked with selecting two schools to shutter before the next school year came to a decision during a meeting Wednesday. If the school district’s Board of Trustees approves the selections at its Feb. 13 board meeting, Laurelwood and Dove Hill Elementary schools will officially close after...
Silicon Valley candidates seeking local, state offices face off
A slew of Silicon Valley candidates vying for seats on the San Jose City Council and state Senate shared their views on housing, homelessness and public safety at a forum held last week at the Santa Teresa Public Library. The candidates were each allotted six minutes to speak during the forum, hosted by Santa Teresa...
Andrews: Sacramento’s school funding formula is failing our students
As school districts throughout California return for the second half of the school year, every single school district will be forced to continue dealing with a local crisis created by Sacramento, the issue of full funding for California’s schools. As Sacramento continues utilizing its local control funding formula, the truth of the matter is that...
Owner-occupied homes in Santa Clara County has hit a 20-year low
Homeowners in Santa Clara County are living in their own houses at the lowest rate seen in more than two decades, new data shows, even as Silicon Valley faces a complex housing crisis that has pushed many out of the region or onto the streets due to a shortage of homes and spikes in housing...
National debate over universal health care spills into San Jose
Democrats — especially on the presidential debate stage — have been throwing around the term “Medicare for All” for quite some time, confusing the American electorate on the different policy proposals the umbrella phrase could be referring to. To set the record straight, a panel of elected leaders and policy experts Tuesday hosted a discussion...
‘It’s just politics’: Ann Ravel wins backing from Dave Cortese colleagues
An unusual trend of Silicon Valley lawmakers endorsing political newcomers – instead of their own colleagues – has spread to statewide races. San José Spotlight first reported on the shift last year, highlighting how San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and many other councilmembers backed outsiders over their council colleagues. And in the crowded race for...
Santa Clara officials consider phased approach for big ‘Civic Center’ revamp
Santa Clara officials will likely take a phased approach to implement a $373 million to $437 million revamp of the Civic Center campus, where City Hall is located, at 1500 Warburton Ave. Most of the municipal buildings on the 19-acre campus were built in the 1960s and today sit filled to the brim with employees....