The City Council had the option of appointing a replacement for Omar Torres to serve out his full term until the 2026 elections, or to appoint an interim replacement in District 3 pending outcome of a special election in April for the remainder of the term.

Omar Torres’ attorney affirmed that the first-term council member has engaged in sexually explicit social media activities revealed in graphic detail in an affidavit filed in connection with search warrants on Torres’ property.

As expected, Mayor Matt Mahan easily won re-election, avoiding a November runoff with 87.8% of the vote, as ballot counting continued through Thursday.

In addition to outright winners in local races in the March primary, Matt Mahan, David Cohen and Otto Lee, another 10 local politicians emerged from the early ballot counts as shoo-ins for November, because they are already comfortably separated from their opponents.

We strongly encourage the US government to implore Hamas and Israel to do all they can to work toward a cessation of hostilities, protect civilian lives, and facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza residents. We also expect Hamas and Israel to release hostages and prisoners based on continued negotiations.

The city’s shifting demographics, a continuing affordable housing shortage, endemic homelessness, a looming budget deficit and the reality of five council elections – plus another mayoral ballot – in just two years create additional uncertainties.

Prior to her election to the city council in June, Kamei served as a Morgan Hill planning commissioner, a trustee of the Santa Clara Valley Water district and a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education.

Despite passionate and eloquent pleas from the City Hall audience, the Dec. 5 San Jose City Council decision wasn’t about taxpayers’ money, or voters’ rights. Cash, political power and private conversations not streamed on Zoom won the night.

The vacancies were created by the November election, when District 8 Councilmember Sylvia Arenas was elected as the District 1 representative on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and District 10 Councilmember Matt Mahan was elected mayor.

Proposals announced Wednesday by San Jose city leaders would triple emergency housing units to 1,000, quadruple San José Bridge jobs, and reduce illegal dumping.

The development shrinks the longstanding East San Jose flea market to five acres, one-third of its original size, leaving many of the 430 vendors worried that they will be squeezed out. 

Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone’s affinity for antiquated colloquialisms has turned into a hog-wild debacle.

Elected officials say the new rules will encourage brevity and stem the notoriously long City Council meetings most weeks.

The fact that Medaria Arradondo was even an option rubbed some local civil rights leaders the wrong way. 

When asked about blocking the Twitter user, Watanabe first claimed she had deleted the account, though it was still active.

At last, a sustained labor movement geared toward tech seems to be gaining real traction here in the Silicon Valley.