Local historian April Halberstadt notes that this weekend, July 12–13, all of us in Santa Clara County have a unique opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of our Japanese neighbors at the annual Obon Festival. Halberstadt also explores the difficult times and unfairness early Asian American immigrants to California had to overcome. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreArguably, the single best vista in San Jose is the lit-up electric light tower at History Park San Jose, at dusk, from upper rows of the first base line during a San Jose Giants baseball game. SJtoday explores how this exceptional park and organization came about.
Read MoreThe legacy media’s love affair with unions paints a rosy picture of Big Labor, but Maddie Dermon at National Review argues it’s more PR than reality. This glossy coverage risks sidelining concerns about corruption and overreach from Silicon Valley workers who prize independence. Are local workers buying the hype, or tuning it out?
Read MoreThor Hanson of Noema magazine describes the process of discovering new species and their lifecycles right outside his kitchen door.
Read MoreIn a recent LinkedIn post, land-use veteran Shawn Milligan argues that CEQA lawsuits, Cortese-Knox red tape, and Prop 13 tax distortions interlock into a Golden-Gate-wide deadbolt that shuts down the state’s housing supply. Wonder why the average monthly rent in most California cities is now $3,000? Milligan explores the impact of these three laws.
Read MoreIf Silicon Valley's advocacy local journalism gives you deja vu all over again, you're not alone. Political philosopher Peter Berkowitz explains how we've slapped together the “frank[ly] partisan” early American news approach and pious 20th century “objectivity” label, thanks to postmodern progressivism's subtle creep into academia. From RealClear Politics.
Read MoreThe South Bay Progressive Alliance, in a smartly argued Merc editorial, says VTA can't justify ballooning costs when newer technologies offer faster, cleaner, and more flexible alternatives.
Read MoreCarol Pefley, candidate for CA 28 State Assembly, gets to know a homeless student at SJ City College, and discovers lots of nuance in the homelessness experience in Silicon Valley.
Read MoreLocal political commentator Denise Kalm digs into Mountain View's upcoming University Basic Income (UBI) plan, and finds (not surprisingly) that previous cities' experiments give users a near-term pop but zero long-term improvement. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSVGOP's David G. Johnson notes how local leaders essentially normalize bullying and violence against local conservatives by refusing to criticize a long train of intimidating incidents launched by the local left.
Read More“Cities should be neutral when it comes to growth,” says Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis, adding that the need for an ever-expanding tax burden suggests less-than-transparent accounting of the costs. He argues that unfair business incentives further disrupt carefully planned fee structures, shifting the burden to residents and other businesses. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreThe congressman from the 17th CA district (which includes much of Silicon Valley) displays a civil, inclusive approach, which has conservative pundits worried—and taking notice. Kurt Schlichter from Townhall reports.
Read More