Olivia Navarro grew up watching her dad guide the Tamien Neighborhood Association in San Jose. This inspired her to lead groups within the Democratic Party — Chicano Latino Caucus, Stonewall LGBTQ+ and Movimiento Democratic Coalition. Toiling with the idea of running for office throughout her career in politics, Navarro, 46, said she decided to focus...
UPDATE: San Jose approves tax breaks to fill empty office space
San Jose city leaders want to entice new businesses into filling empty office space in Downtown San Jose with perks that can save them money. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a policy for any new business looking for a minimum of 2,500 square feet to be exempt from paying city business taxes...
Election 2024: Willow Glen native seeks San Jose District 6 seat
Michael Mulcahy helped keep the curtains rising at the Children’s Musical Theater in San Jose when he took over as executive director for almost a decade in 1993 — growing the youth arts center into the powerhouse it is today. He called the experience the role of a lifetime. Now a managing partner at his...
San Jose landmark status saves church from demolition
An 83-year-old church in downtown San Jose has been granted historic landmark status after years of fighting invasive development proposals that could have demolished the house of worship. Grace Baptist Church at 484 E. San Fernando St. has been designated a historic landmark for its architectural and cultural value. The San Jose City Council’s decision...
Election 2024: San Jose official wants to keep improving District 8
Domingo Candelas has hit the ground running since being appointed to represent District 8 on the San Jose City Council in 2023. As the incumbent, he wants a chance to his continue the work he started for a full four-year term, but first he has to beat his challenger Tam Truong who came in a close second during...
Election 2024: San Jose D10 challenger wants to change the status quo
For George Casey, the impetus for him running for San Jose City Council came from an event that left him frustrated about why the city wasn’t doing more to protect its residents. A few years ago, his mother’s purse got snatched. Despite catching the incident on video, the police told them there was nothing they...
Election 2024: D10 San Jose official says he has more to do
San Jose Councilmember Arjun Batra’s interest lies in identifying the perceived weaknesses in the city’s systems — and working to fix them. The San Jose City Council appointed Batra to represent District 10 in 2023 after Matt Mahan vacated the seat to become mayor. He is vying for a chance to continue the work he...
Election 2024: Educator turned advocate runs for San Jose D2 seat
Pamela Campos said she remembers being in middle school the first time she marched with her family for immigrant rights — an experience that set her on a path toward advocating for families in her community where housing and child care are top issues. A policy and program officer, Campos, 30, is running for the...
Election 2024: Retired sheriff’s deputy seeks San Jose D2 seat
Joe Lopez said he was thrust into the world of public service when he became one of the first bilingual hostage negotiators for the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, an experience enhancing the decades-long law enforcement career that sparked his interest in city government. A retired deputy, Lopez, 71, is running for the open San Jose City...
UPDATE: San Jose officials question who controls Vietnamese garden
San Jose officials are reckoning with a political fight over a park important to the city’s older Vietnamese community. The issue reached a handful of councilmembers at Wednesday’s Rules and Open Government Committee, which voted unanimously with brief discussion for a clear explanation as to how the parks department manages access to the Vietnamese Heritage...