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New state law aims to reduce racial, socioeconomic disparities of pesticide exposure

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill authored by state Assemblymember Alex Lee aimed at reducing the racial and socioeconomic disparities of pesticide exposure.“AB 652 will create an avenue for communities most impacted by pesticide exposure to be heard,” said Lee, whose district includes Milpitas, in a statement. “Historically, these communities have not had the opportunity to provide meaningful input on pesticide policies and programs, and it’s high time for (the Department of Pesticide Regulation) to create an Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. This committee will play an important role in advancing health and environmental equity in California.”Under AB 652, this committee will be formed by Jan. 1, 2026, and will recommend ways for the state to integrate environmental justice considerations into its decision-making processes. The committee will consist of up to 11 members including  environmental justice leaders who represent rural and urban communities with the most ...

Saratoga students qualify for National Speech and Debate Tournament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

Saratoga students are top debatersTwo Saratoga High School students were among the 4% of students from across the country who qualified for the 2023 National Speech and Debate Tournament held in Phoenix, AZ in June.Junior Kinnera Potluri qualified for the first time in the humorous interpretation category after placing third in the California Coastal District Tournament last spring.In his second time qualifying for the tournament, Junior Timothy Leung placed eighth as a semifinalist in program oral interpretation with his speech titled, “Tell My Story.” His speech encourages victims of child molestation to break through cultural or family norms of remaining silent, and do what is necessary for them to heal. Timothy has been an advocate for victims to heal through art and spoke on this topic during Saratoga High School’s “Speak Up for Change” event in January.Also attending the tournament was Jenny Cook, Saratoga High School’s new speech and debate coach. A National Speech and Debate...

Los Gatos home is a Silicon Valley Clean Energy showcase

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

Clean energy showcaseLos Gatos resident Justin Liu was among the winners of Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s (SVCE) Electric Showcase Awards for his efforts to go electric in her home.All 16 winners were recognized by the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors on Oct. 2.The Sunnyvale-based clean energy aggregator received more than 150 applications for this year’s awards from Santa Clara County residents and small business owners. The winners include 13 homeowners, an apartment complex, a reform synagogue and a hair salon.Many of the winners utilized rebates available through SVCE with state and federal incentives to help cover the costs of upgrading to heat pumps, induction cooktops, electric vehicle chargers and other technologies. Some have begun by replacing older gas appliances as they burn out, while others have gone fully electric.Opera lectureThe San Jose Opera Guild is hosting a Nov. 1 lecture on “Omar,” the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner for music by Rhiannon Giddens, with a libretto b...

County honors Saratoga, Los Gatos teachers at annual awards event

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

Three teachers from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District have earned recognition for their efforts in STEM education, graphic design and social justice.Saratoga High School engineering teacher Audrey Warmuth, Los Gatos High School graphic design teacher Alex Czech and LGHS English and social justice teacher Tiffany Hamm were set to receive 2023 Special Teacher Recognition Awards from the Santa Clara County Office of Education at an Oct. 23 celebration.Warmuth, winner in the Innovation in STEM category was an integral part of launching Saratoga High’s interdisciplinary STEM program.“Working tirelessly over the past seven years to help develop the new engineering lab, Audrey reiterates in every lesson that not succeeding on an attempt to do something doesn’t mean actual failure,” reads a release from the district. “She shares that engineering is all about problem-solving, and students are successful in the class if they learn what works (by successes) and what doesn’t wor...

Cupertino high school district seeks public input on trustee areas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

FUHSD districting committeeAs part of its transition from at-large to trustee area elections, the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) is forming a Community Trustee Area Districting Committee to facilitate the process of gathering input and developing draft district maps.These maps will then be considered by the FUHSD Board of Trustees for elections from 2024 and through 2032. The district is looking to create five trustee areas.The committee will be tasked with holding multiple community meetings to gather public input. The board of trustees’ goal is that the committee will represent the diverse communities, interests and experience of the residents of the Fremont Union High School District.The committee application is available at https://www.fuhsd.org/newsroom/trustee-areas/ctad. The application deadline is Oct. 30 at 4 p.m.New hub for muni codesThe City of Cupertino recently unveiled Gridics CodeHUB, a one-stop destination designed to simplify the retrieval of zoning requ...

Los Gatos foodies say hello to Parkside, farewell to The Palms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

There’s never a lull in the action on the Los Gatos dining scene.Parkside, in the former Boulanger space on Montebello Way, is finally open. They started dinner service earlier this month and so far, so good.“It’s going great! Really positive feedback so far,” says owner Darren Matte.As of Tuesday, Oct. 17,  Parkside is open for lunch Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., and beginning Oct. 21, they will offer weekend brunch service from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.As soon as the railings arrive and are installed, that gigantic concrete-slathered space in front will morph from a storage area for tables and umbrellas into an actual parklet. Hopefully, the weather will hold.Longtime Grocer+Goddess customers will barely recognize the new space. The seating is now couchy and cushy, with flowers on each table. The grab ’n’ go case has been moved to the side wall to streamline the process of ordering takeout items from the kitchen counter. In addition to drinks and premade lunch salads, you’ll find con...

Opinion: MetroED is one of Santa Clara County’s best-kept secrets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

In our ever-changing job market, there’s no such thing anymore as traditional pathways to success. While higher education remains a worthy aspiration for many, there is a growing recognition of the equally important role that career and technical education (CTE) plays in shaping a well-rounded and skilled workforce. More than just an alternative pathway, CTE provides myriad opportunities for fostering innovation and learning, economic growth and prosperous communities.But even CTE has to keep pace with changing times. I know a lot of folks grew up taking auto shop or wood shop or home economics. Today, though, it’s a different world—a world that requires a different set of skills and talents that are in demand. So, we have to do more.Recognizing this need, last year I proposed a one-time county grant to the Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) to establish two new CTE programs: a nursing science program to support the growing demand for healthcare workers in our county, and an ...

Data breach may have leaked full DC voter roll, exposed personal information, District says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

A data breach may have leaked all D.C. voters’ personal information, including Social Security numbers, according to the District’s board of elections.The board became said on Oct. 5 that it became aware of the data breach and said the hacking group, RansomVC, “breached DCBOE’s records and accessed 600,000 lines of U.S. voter data, including DC voter records.”Out of an abundance of caution, the board said it will be reaching out to all registered voters and are working with a cybersecurity consulting firm in regards to next steps.In the agency’s last update, it said exposed voter records contained information gathered from its canvassing process between Aug. 9, 2019, and Jan. 25, 2022.DCBOE said “it remains safe and secure to register to vote online” while their website undergoes maintenance. A banner on the website currently reads: “Website is still undergoing updates and may have missing information. we apologize for the inconv...

Springboks look into claim by England’s Curry of racial slur by Mbonambi in Rugby World Cup semi

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

PARIS (AP) — South Africa is looking into a claim by England flanker Tom Curry that he was the subject of an alleged discriminatory remark by Springboks hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi in the teams’ Rugby World Cup semifinal match.Curry drew the incident to the attention of referee Ben O’Keeffe in the first half of the match at the Stade de France, which the Boks won 16-15 on Saturday.Although the alleged slur is not audible on the referee mic, Curry’s subsequent conversation with O’Keeffe is.Curry is heard asking O’Keeffe what he should do after alleging he has been called a racial slur.“Nothing, please,” O’Keeffe replied. “I’ll be on it.”England has until Monday morning to lodge a complaint with the citing officer.The Springboks responded by saying they are “aware of the allegation, which we take very seriously,” and are “reviewing the available evidence.“We will engage with Bongi if anything is found to substantiate the claim,” SA Rugby said.When aske...

Manhunt continues for Nashville police chief’s son suspected in shooting of 2 Tennessee officers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:21:54 GMT

LA VERGNE, Tenn. (AP) — Police in Tennessee were searching Sunday for the estranged son of Nashville’s police chief as the suspect in the shooting of two police officers outside a Dollar General store.Officers in La Vergne, a city about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of Nashville, were investigating a stolen vehicle outside the store Saturday afternoon when they sruggled with the suspect, who pulled a handgun and shot them, said LaVergne Police Chief Christopher Moews. Police identified the suspect as John C. Drake, Jr., 38, who is the son of Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake.One of the officers was shot twice, in the groin and right forearm, while the other officer was hit in the rear left shoulder. Both were taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. One of the officers was released from the hospital Saturday night. The other officer was kept overnight for observation and was in stable condition, said Anne Smith, a spokesperson for the c...