The Podlight

California's primary election settled some races, set up new battles and offered clues about where local politics may be headed next. Reporter Keith Menconi breaks down the biggest results from across the South Bay, the surprises that emerged and what they mean for voters, candidates and the region's political future.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan launched an ambitious campaign for California governor backed by millions from Silicon Valley donors. But with weeks until the June primary, he has yet to break out of single-digit polling. Reporter Keith Menconi examines the state of the race, the challenges facing Mahan’s campaign and whether there’s still a path forward.

New allegations about Cesar Chavez are prompting difficult conversations in East San Jose, where he lived and began his organizing career. Reporter Keith Menconi explores how community leaders are grappling with the revelations, the tension between legacy and accountability, and what it means for a city he once called home.

From rising costs to slowing revenues, San Jose is facing a $56 million budget shortfall. Reporter Keith Menconi talks to city leaders about what’s driving the deficit, the difficult tradeoffs ahead and what potential cuts could mean for city services.

From the Super Bowl to future global sporting events, San Jose is positioning itself for an economic surge. Reporter Keith Menconi explores the strategy, the stakes and what success would really look like for the South Bay.

With federal SNAP benefits stalling, food insecurity is rising sharply across Silicon Valley. In this episode, we sit down with Leslie Bacho, CEO of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, to talk about the growing demand for food assistance, the human toll of federal funding cuts and what can be done to ensure no one in our community goes hungry.

As voters consider a measure to fund public health, host Nick Preciado sits down with Santa Clara County CEO James Williams to explain the proposal and why it matters.

Just weeks after taking office, San Jose Councilmember Anthony Tordillos sits down with editor Nick Preciado to discuss his historic election, policy ideas and priorities for the downtown district.

VTA Board Chair and Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez joins host Nick Preciado for a candid conversation about the historic VTA strike, his perspective on the labor negotiations and lessons learned by leadership.

A dramatic special election to elect San Jose's next downtown councilmember was decided by a handful of votes, sending two contenders to a June runoff. Who is poised to win the San Jose City Council seat, and how will voter turnout impact the outcome? Host Nick Preciado sits down with political expert Garrick Percival to take a closer look.

Newly-elected Santa Clara County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga sits down with host Nick Preciado to detail her legislative priorities and how she's tackling some of the region's biggest challenges.

Betty Duong made history in November by becoming the first Vietnamese-American leader elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Host Nick Preciado chats with Duong about her background and vision for the future.

In this special edition of The Podlight, West Valley reporter Annalise Freimarck takes a look at how cities in the region like Campbell, Cupertino and Los Gatos are tackling a rise in homelessness.

Guest host Josh Barousse chats with longtime Milpitas leader and former elected official Bob Nunez about the city's election results and how they'll usher in changes at city hall.

Fresh off his re-election, Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein joins us to share his plans and vision for the future of Santa Clara County's second largest city.

West Valley reporter Annalise Friemarck examines the latest election results in Cupertino, Campbell and Los Gatos -- and what they mean for voters -- in an interview with guest host Josh Barousse.

Sunnyvale & Santa Clara reporter B. Sakura Cannestra sits down with host Nick Preciado to break down the races this election season in the two cities.

In less than a month, Silicon Valley voters will elect their next president, congressional representative and vote in numerous local supervisorial and city council races. Co-host Nick Preciado chats with two political experts -- Larry Gerston and Garrick Percival -- for their predictions and analysis.

In this edition, host Nick Preciado sits down with Los Gatos' incoming town manager, Chris Constantin, to learn more about his background, ideas and vision for the town.

Silicon Valley Democrats celebrated the move to push Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the ticket in November. But will the momentum behind her run for president be enough to defeat Donald Trump? Host Nick Preciado chats with Santa Clara County Democratic Party Chair Bill James.

The dysfunction of the Santa Clara City Council is the subject of a critical grand jury report, forcing politicians to acknowledge how years of infighting and bickering have hurt residents in the Mission City. Santa Clara reporter B. Sakura Cannestra discusses the report and what's next with host Nick Preciado.

The future of the popular Pruneyard Cinemas in Campbell, an anchor for the nearby shopping center, is at risk amid a dispute over its lease. West Valley reporter Annalise Freimarck talked to business leaders, moviegoers and local businesses to understand what's next.

Despite ballooning costs and delays, BART's much-anticipated extension in Silicon Valley is inching forward as pre-construction work begins on the transit agency's Santa Clara stop. Editor Nick Preciado digs into the update with reporter B. Sakura Cannesta, who covers Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.

Cupertino spent more than $100,000 from a fund for low-income housing on attorneys to defend itself against housing-related lawsuits, San José Spotlight first reported. Editor Nick Preciado sits down with reporter Annalise Freimarck who broke the story to learn more.

Election Day is here in California. With Silicon Valley voters headed to the polls this week in the March primary election, co-host Nick Preciado sat down with two political observers and experts -- Larry Gerston and Garrick Percival -- for their predictions and analysis.