The Smoke Signal

By: Staff Writers Chloe Velasquez and Richard Chenyu Zhou

Local – New office brings jobs to Bay Area

An increase in jobs is expected to occur in the South Bay after developers broke ground on a 500,000 square foot office park on May 23. Located in North San Jose along Great America Parkway, the office space is expected to bring in approximately 1,800 jobs. To prevent an increase in traffic in the area, the city is looking to increase public transportation. According to the city, this brand new addition to the city has proven North San Jose a viable location for tech companies to begin their businesses.

National – Freddie Gray case reaches verdict

Baltimore police officer Edward Nero was acquitted of all charges on the case of Freddie Gray on May 23. Last April, Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury while in police custody. He had been handcuffed in the back of a police van, without a seatbelt. Gray passed away a week later, sparking citywide protest throughout Baltimore. The final decision was announced after Judge Barry Williams heard the testimony a week prior to the announcement. Nero was found not guilty of assault, misconduct in office, and reckless endangerment.

International – President Obama makes historic visit to Vietnam

President Barack Obama’s visit to Vietnam on Sunday, May 22 helped normalize Cold War-era tensions between the US and Vietnam. During his trip, he announced business deals worth over $16 billion, and ended the arms embargo established during the Vietnam War. Although Obama and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang differ on many issues, such as human rights, Obama’s visit marks an important milestone in US-Vietnam relations.

Quirky – Maker Faire attracts creative minds from around the Bay

The 11th annual Bay Area Maker Faire, the largest in the nation, was held in the San Mateo Event Center from May 20 to 22, brought together tens of thousands of attendees from the Maker movement. The movement attempts to inspire young adults to invent and experiment with technology. Motorcycles shaped after dragons and a scrap metal sculpture of an octopus that was lit by LEDs were among thousands of attractions at the Faire.