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In the upcoming special election on Nov. 4, voters are going to see a new measure, Proposition 50. By a vote of the majority, California voters will decide if temporary changes to our congressional district maps should be authorized.  This would allow the legislature, members...

World War II changed the face of the world and all the people in it. In California, attitudes on how to view and treat mental illness were changing as well. Growing up in post-WWII California, we didn’t have homeless people per se. Of course there...

Gilroy has a housing shortage and our low and middle-income households face historic rent burden. Undersupply of “Missing Middle” housing, or medium density housing near jobs and transit, is one of the key factors contributing to the displacement and rent burden of our residents.  In...

There’s an old adage that one must first acknowledge a problem exists before it can be addressed. It bears repeating because of a huge disagreement over the size of California’s state budget deficit. In December, the Legislature’s independent budget analyst said the state faces a...

As communities across the country grapple with racial injustice and a broken criminal justice system that is fed by a school-to-prison pipeline, leaders are taking a closer look at the impact of school police or resource officers. More and more school districts are taking...

July 28 used to be one of my favorite days of the year. On the Roman Catholic calendar, it is the feast day of a minor saint, Pope Saint Victor I, who was martyred by the Romans around the year 199 AD. Pope Victor...

When small businesses are protected in the State of California from unjust attacks, so too is the California economy. For decades, small business owners have been embroiled in litanies of legal battles that forces them to stare down the prospect of financial ruin. Why?...

When we think of monuments unfit for our current era, we draw our minds to the Confederate statues. While controversial conversations surrounding these statues are not exclusive to the East Coast, California has been largely kept out of the picture. Yet, we have a...

The first few months of this rainfall season were below average across California, with drought conditions evident statewide. Although the Golden State received a much-needed soaking in late January, moderate drought conditions remain across Santa Clara County.  Valley Water remains focused on preparing for future...

Growing up in Gilroy and coming from a campesino family, viewing such an impactful and humane story this past August, via a short documentary film, “Campesinos, America’s Unsung Heroes,” was an emotional and very moving experience. The audience reaction, many so personal, will forever...