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☆ Google's 80-acre San Jose mega-campus is on hold as company reckons with economic slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The city of San Jose may now be paying the price. CNBC has learned that, as part of Google's downsizing that went into effect early this year, the company has gutted its development team for the San Jose campus. By then, the company had already completed much of its multi-year land grab of downtown San Jose for the future campus. Google spent several years planning for the San Jose complex and invested significant resources in winning over the local community. "We all originally knew that it's going to be a long-term plan," San Jose councilmember Omar Torres, who represents the downtown area, told San Jose Spotlight in February.

☆ Washington D.C.'s free bus bill becomes law as zero-fare transit systems take off
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A bus is seen in Washington, DC, on December 12, 2022. - The Washington government voted to institute free bus rides for all starting in the summer of 2023. Washington, D.C., has enacted a zero-fare bus bill into law, according to the D.C. Council. Kansas City, Missouri, previously the largest city with such a law, made its own transit system zero-fare in 2019, though that city doesn't have a train system. The council officially announced the mayor's decision on Monday.

☆ 7 dead, 1 injured following separate shootings in Half Moon Bay
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Nbc Bay Area Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Seven people were shot and killed in two separate locations in Half Moon Bay Monday afternoon, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Four victims were found dead at about 2:22 p.m. along the 12700 block of Cabrillo Highway, the sheriff's office said. Shortly after that discovery, three more victims were found dead at separate scene in the area, according to the sheriff's office. The suspect, 67-year-old Half Moon Bay resident Zhao Chunli, was taken into custody at about 4:40 p.m. after he was found in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Half Moon Bay substation, the sheriff's office said. The victims are Chinese farmworkers, Half Moon Bay Councilmember Debbie Ruddock said.

☆ The zero-fare public transit movement is picking up momentum
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In late 2019, Kansas City, Missouri, became the first major U.S. city to approve a fare-free public transit system. The public transit crisisKansas City's bus system, called RideKC. Alexandria and Richmond in Virginia have successfully integrated fare-free transit into their annual budgets. Source: Kansas City Area Transportation AuthorityIn Kansas City, zero-fare transit has become a hallmark of life. The zero-fare bus started in December 2019 as a pilot program.

☆ Sheng Thao, once homeless and fleeing abuse, becomes the mayor of Oakland, California
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Claire Wang | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Thao spoke with NBC Asian American about her vision for Oakland and how her upbringing shaped her advocacy for working families. Mayor-elect Sheng Thao is greeted by supporters following a news conference at City Hall in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Nov. 23, 2022. Jane Tyska / East Bay Times via Getty ImagesNBC Asian America: You’re the first Hmong American to become mayor of a major city. The Hmong community itself is already politically engaged. That’s made a huge impact especially on our Hmong girls because the Hmong community is still quite patriarchal.

☆ Companies like Airbnb can ban customers based on a criminal background check: Here's how to dispute it if you think yours is in error
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Companies like Airbnb say they use background checks to help protect the community. Background checks have proliferated but there are common flaws in the system, experts say. Here's what criminal justice experts say about inaccurate background checks and how to file appeals. "They're not really looking at potential risk in terms of public safety, per se," Stewart told Insider. "I think part of it is companies being able to determine their own criteria," Stewart told Insider.

☆ Protesters swarm NYC library hosting Drag Story Hour for kids
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Protesters trying to shut down a reading event geared toward neurodiverse children at a branch of the New York City Public Library were met by a wall of counterprotesters. NYC Councilmember Erik Bottcher / via TwitterSaturday's protest was just the latest in a string of standoffs across the country from a fringe movement targeting drag events over unsubstantiated allegations of grooming. New York City Council member Erik Bottcher shared images and videos online of the protesters, some of whom he tried speaking with before entering the children’s reading event. “I want to show you the face of hate, right here in Chelsea,” Bottcher said in a video shared on Twitter, before showing the counterprotesters clad in rainbows. A representative for the New York Public Library said the event went on as planned and added that the library would continue to offer programs supporting diverse voices.

☆ In L.A., Kenneth Mejia is the 1st Asian American to hold citywide office and 1st Filipino elected official
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Claire Wang | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Kenneth Mejia, an accountant and leftist community activist, made history in Los Angeles when he declared victory in the city controller race Tuesday night, becoming the city’s first Filipino elected official and the first Asian American to assume citywide office. He held a 21-point lead over City Councilmember Paul Koretz when Koretz conceded Wednesday. “We have a very diverse population in L.A. and I feel very proud and honored to represent that community,” Mejia, 32, told NBC Asian America. Tenants Union, Mejia ran on a progressive platform centered around decriminalizing homelessness and holding the police and other city departments accountable. “I want to use the office to show how the status quo is not working for everyone,” he said.

☆ Ten candidates in race to replace outgoing incumbent Libby Schaaf in Oakland, California's mayoral election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ten candidates will be on the November ballot for Oakland, California's mayoral race. 2022 General EmbedsIncumbent Mayor Libby Schaaf, a Democrat, is leaving office following two consecutive four-year terms, which is the maximum an Oakland mayor can serve. While Oakland's mayoral election is nonpartisan, the city has a history of electing Democrats and Democratic-leaning politicians to fill the mayoral position. Homicides in Oakland were up more than 50% in 2021, when the number of murders peaked at 100 for the first time in a decade. The nonpartisan election will be held using ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank up to three candidates, in order of preference, when marking their ballots.

☆ Republican incumbent Rep. Andrew Garbarino faces off against Democrat Jackie Gordon in New York's 2nd Congressional District election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Andrew Garbarino is running against Democrat Jackie Gordon in New York's 2nd Congressional District. NY-03NY-18NY-19NY-22NY-01NY-17 HouseRepublican incumbent Rep. Andrew Garbarino faces off against Democrat Jackie Gordon in a rare 2020 rematch in New York's 2nd Congressional District. In 2020, Garbarino defeated Gordon by a near-7-percentage-point margin in a race to replace longtime Republican Rep. Peter King. Voting history for New York's 2nd Congressional DistrictNew York's 2nd Congressional District includes the South Shore of Suffolk County and a section of Nassau County. His challenger, Gordon, has raised $1.6 million, spent $1.57 million, and has $56,000 still left to spend, as of October 19.

☆ Latino LA councilman said he won't resign following uproar over racist remarks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

LOS ANGELES — Embattled Los Angeles Councilman Kevin de Leon said Wednesday he will not resign amid an uproar over a leaked tape that revealed him participating in a meeting in which Latino officials made crude, racist remarks and plotted to expand their political power. The scandal already has led to the resignation of former City Council President Nury Martinez and calls from President Joe Biden for those involved to step down. The councilman also told KCBS-TV in Los Angeles that he would refuse to resign. “We don’t want him here because he’s racist,” said Loera, a salesman reviewing items at a local household goods shop with a view of downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles City Council members are among the highest paid in the country with annual salaries of nearly $229,000, and de Leon’s announcement also keeps his city paychecks coming.

☆ The Columbus, Ohio, Warehouse Boom: How warehouses brought stifling dust and diesel fumes — and a chance for refugees to grab the American dream
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Emma Cosgrove | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +27 min

What binds them, despite different nationalities, immigration stories, and languages, are warehouse jobs. As Columbus' warehouse development begins encroaching into residential areas, a consensus is gathering here — as it has elsewhere — that warehouses make for poor neighbors. Tariq Tarey for InsiderIn Canal Winchester, Halstead's efforts to put the question of warehouse development before voters were stymied. The town council bypassed her group's referendum by declaring a state of emergency to approve the warehouse development. There aren't clear lines between the winners and losers of Columbus' warehouse boom.

A small group of Los Angeles city leaders faced shame and castigation after an audio recording of racist remarks at a private meeting surfaced Sunday. The most egregious remarks were uttered by City Council President Nury Martinez, who seemed to verify the 2021 recording by apologizing to constituents. Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León and City Council President Nury Martinez confer at council meeting on Oct. 4. Martinez and de León and other Latino council members apologized Sunday after The Los Angeles Times reported that they had been taped making racist comments in a private meeting. The three issued a joint statement Sunday night that called past City Council support for Black Lives Matter "a facade."

☆ Georgia lawmaker comes out as nonmonogamous: 'I'm in love with two wonderful people'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

Kris Brown, Liliana Bakhtiari , and Sarah Al-Khayyal cast their vote in the 2021 Atlanta elections. Kris Brown, Liliana Bakhtiari, and Sarah Al-Khayyal hike through Arches National Park in Grand County, Utah. “There are many more ways to be nonmonogamous than there are ways to be polyamorous, and we invite and enjoy the fluidity of the term nonmonogamy,” Brown said. Liliana Bakhtiari, Sarah Al-Khayyal, and Kris Brown celebrate Christmas with Brown's family. Bakhtiari and Brown had three cats and one dog, and when Al-Khayyal joined the family she brought her two cats.

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