Guest View

In a powerful demonstration of unity and a commitment to education, more than 100 South County residents and local leaders, including City Councilmember Yvonne Martinez-Beltran, gathered at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center Sept. 28 for a special program centered on the experiences...

We recently hosted a pop-up Jewish New York Deli experience. There were knishes, half-sour pickles, Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda, matza ball soup, and of course, hundreds of pastrami sandwiches on rye bread.  As I watched customers come and go, picking up their deli to enjoy...

With 2024 campaigns heating up, immigration politics are as well, and we can expect the election cycle to bring much fire and brimstone. Sadly, as has long been the case in U.S. history, immigrants will likely suffer as a result of the political maneuverings.    Seeking...

The South County Jewish community was shaken to its core after waking on the morning of Dec. 14 to the tragic news of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, where a terrorist attack targeted a Chanukah Menorah Lighting. The horror of the...

Three years ago, the possibility of a global pandemic took up about as much headspace for most people as the possibility of a global conflict: technically possible, but not really a “thing” in this millennium. But as it turns out, history repeats itself. And...

California enters the new year with its existential issues still unresolved, and a new one—an immense budget deficit—threatens to make dealing with them even more difficult. California has made very little progress, if any, on narrowing its shortage of housing, its levels of homelessness and...

With our nation’s democracy facing existential threats, California’s duty to protect and empower every eligible voter in the state has never been more urgent. Although we often lead the nation with innovative laws designed to defend voting rights, thousands of eligible voters continue to...

On Aug. 2, joined by my daughter, I spoke at the Santa Clara County LAFCO public hearing in support of LAFCO's staff recommendation to deny an application to expand the city limits in order to build more single-family homes.  What has Gilroy been doing over...

Gilroy has made strides to plan and promote housing opportunities for our workforce that are typically more affordable. This is needed more now than ever before.  The State recently released new income guidelines: a Santa Clara County household of one whose income is $92,250 is...

California is struggling (again) to balance its state budget. Forecasting a $31.5 billion deficit for the next fiscal year, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed cutting $6 billion from the historic $54 billion climate budget approved last summer—and the state Legislature agrees on some $5 billion...