Remote Surveillance Trailer in San Jose, CA

Jtown Pizza owner Jordan Trigg touched off a firestorm against San Jose’s historic building protections — and a push for reform — after calling out preservationist red tape leading to the closure of his restaurant last year.

His former employees say that’s not the whole story.

In statements to the media, Trigg said he was drowning in rising costs after pausing renovations on a newly purchased property he claims he later learned was historically designated. The situation cascaded dramatically — leaving Trigg and his wife and co-owner Rina to grapple with the loss of their businesses while piled in a mountain of debt and fighting to keep their home.

But multiple former employees argue the Triggs, who operated several businesses in San Jose under their company Dipsomania, were bound to fall behind financially regardless of the historic building issue due to regrettable business choices.

Ex-workers are now balancing their sympathy for the Triggs — and appreciation for Jtown’s livable wages and benefits before things turned sour — with the frustration over how they became collateral damage. The employees provided email and text records to San José Spotlight that paint a deeper picture of what led to the Japantown eatery’s September demise.

The former workers said it was clear something was wrong for more than two years prior to Jtown’s closure. Employees’ checks were continually bouncing. Pay days were in flux. When employees asked about their pay, they said Trigg gave them one date and then another. When employees started to eye the door, they said the Triggs personally asked them not to quit despite a lack of communication about financial problems.

Some workers had been with Jtown Pizza and the Triggs’ other restaurants for years. They stayed knowing it would be hard to match Jtown’s roughly $30 an hour wages with health insurance and matching 401k. Workers said they wanted to see the restaurant thrive — so they remained loyal.

But while workers’ checks were bouncing, large inventory orders like liquor continued, according to text records reviewed by this news outlet.

The restaurant finally went belly up, and the Triggs announced Jtown’s permanent closure Sept. 3 — despite telling employees on Sept. 1 the closure was temporary, workers said. The employees said they were hung out to dry with little notice, no time to land safely and no ability to pay rent or buy groceries with paychecks weeks behind.

Jordan Trigg declined to comment for this story.

“The main issue I had was not so much not getting my money, but being reassured that I would — and being continually lied to,” Jalen Angeles, a former Jtown cashier and line cook who is still looking for work, told San José Spotlight. “It’s hard to find restaurant jobs that pay livable wages like Jtown did. If you keep telling me I’m going to be okay — day by day — and you lie, it’s affecting me mentally, my livelihood, my whole life. You’re holding me hostage.”

The Triggs, meanwhile, reaped most of the public’s sympathy upon Jtown’s closure. Former District 3 Councilmember Raul Peralez set up a GoFundMe on the Triggs’ behalf. It’s since racked up nearly $100,000 in donations.

Yet workers said they faced backlash from the Triggs when they started their own online fundraiser for the restaurant’s general manager, Jason Greer. The 52-year-old, who had extensive experience in the dining industry, underwent cancer surgery the day the closure was announced, and only found out on the drive home from the hospital his coverage had lapsed.

This was a shock to Greer.

He knew his insurance would eventually end, but not so soon. Trigg eventually paid the balance of the bill after Greer pressed him to get it done, according to text messages this news outlet reviewed. Before surgery, Greer was informed by Trigg that his pay would be reduced and his hours couldn’t be guaranteed upon his return.

Greer declined to comment on his medical situation for this story, but corroborated information, as well as key details and incidents described by other Jtown Pizza workers.

“Jordan and Rina profited off the sympathy of the community,” Krystal Kimbrough, a former lead bartender responsible for ordering liquor and coordinating events, told San José Spotlight. “But when it came to us, no one said a thing. I think in a moment like that, someone should have questioned whether the employees — who believed in Jordan and Rina and worked their asses off to see them succeed — deserved better.”

Kimbrough and Angeles said the Triggs personally threatened them with a defamation lawsuit over the original language on the fundraising flyers to support Greer.

They claimed the Triggs told them the fundraiser description was slanderous because the original post said Greer would not have a job after surgery. Kimbrough ultimately agreed to minor word changes. Workers said some flyers posted in the restaurant had been removed.

Kimbrough and Angeles said the Triggs never circulated the fundraiser for Greer amid the outpouring of community support for Jtown.

Restaurant permit woes

The former workers said they felt compelled to speak out after seeing Trigg on the news after Jtown’s closure. While publicly acknowledging that bad decisions partly fueled his family’s woes, Trigg made waves with criticisms of San Jose historic building laws.

Trigg referenced his 2022 purchase of the Cielito Lindo building on East Taylor Street, which he and his wife hoped to turn into a new eatery. He said he was never notified of the building’s historic status during the real estate transaction before tearing out the building’s interior.

He said this tied up permits, hamstrung remodeling progress and cost his family tens of thousands of dollars a month while they couldn’t even lease it for rental income because of the idle interior construction work.

State law says alterations or new construction on any building has to comply with current code, according to a spokesperson for San Jose Planning, Building and Code Enforcement.

Greer, who has 20 years in the dining industry, said Trigg sought to fully remodel the Cielito Lindo building.

“When you’re doing a full remodel, it’s going to be a couple of years to get it up and running and every year you rack up carrying costs on top of construction costs — and in my experience it usually takes about five or seven years to recoup your money,” Greer told San José Spotlight. “Whether it was historical or not, there was just no way of getting around that.”

Greer agrees San Jose’s permitting system is unduly challenging.

“That’s why people in Santa Clara County have such a hard time opening restaurants that require a remodel,” Greer said. “It shouldn’t take years.”

San Jose planning officials maintain they’re not trying to be hostile to new restaurants.

“Our community faces real challenges and we care deeply about the people behind every project,” a department spokesperson told San José Spotlight. “We are committed to upholding building safety standards while working with property owners to help their projects move forward.”

While Trigg’s historical status claims are being challenged, they opened a window last year into a real issue for Japantown community members — from the Wesley United Methodist Church to the Japanese American Museum of San Jose — that a heavy-handed approach to historic restrictions has lined Japantown’s streets with vacant facades without a cost-effective path for commercial interests to repurpose them.

After Jtown’s closure, Greer and several industry veterans got to work trying to find new jobs for all the staff, according to Angeles and Kimbrough. They described Greer making calls while recovering from surgery at home.

Former workers also started a broader online fundraiser to support the rest of the ex-employees, some of whom are still looking for jobs. Three former employees told San José Spotlight one ex-coworker has become homeless.

“To (the Triggs) — it was almost like we didn’t exist anymore,” Kimbrough said.

Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X.

As 2026 unfolds, we’re seeing urgent calls for artists, creatives and cultural leaders to step into their power and be the voice of our communities.

Artists make California vibrant, innovative and culturally rich, yet our state ranks 35th nationally in per capita arts funding. When the state budget allocates just 53 cents per person to the arts, it’s clear how little we’re investing in the creative workers who shape the state’s identity and economy.

California’s artists are delivering extraordinary value with minimal investment. Imagine what a stronger commitment to the arts could do for our communities, our economy and our future. It’s time for our funding priorities to reflect the true value of creativity in the state.

In November, the Coalition of County Arts Agencies (which includes SV Creates, representing Santa Clara County) and California Arts Advocates (a statewide advocacy organization on whose board I serve) submitted a joint budget letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom. This letter requested an increase in the California Arts Council budget — the state’s arts agency, which gives grants to arts groups — from the current $21 million to $50 million, coinciding with the arts council’s 50th anniversary.

Unfortunately, the governor’s budget proposal, released Jan. 9, did not incorporate this funding increase. While it contains significant proposals for areas like higher education, housing, homelessness and health care, it includes no meaningful new investments to sustain California’s vital arts and culture workforce.

However, this marks only the beginning of the annual state budget process. California Arts Advocates’ immediate next step is to advocate to the Legislature, urging them to recognize the value of this investment and prioritize the requested increase for the 2026-27 budget. CA For The Arts will also launch a public will-building media campaign. Additional funding for the arts council could support grants to dozens of cultural organizations in Santa Clara County, opportunities for hundreds of working artists and programs providing arts experience for youth throughout our region.

In Santa Clara County, our own elected state representatives have supported the critical role the arts play in workforce development, economic revitalization, community building and social justice. We thank them for their leadership and look forward to continuing to collaborate to advance these objectives.

A few key arguments for increasing the California Arts Council’s ongoing funding to $50 million this year include:

I invite you to sign up for the California Arts Advocates newsletter and keep up to date on the status of the arts in our state. More funding for the California Arts Council will mean more cultural resources and arts programs for our own local communities, youth and families.

Alexandra Urbanowski is CEO of SV Creates, the state and county designated arts service organization and local arts agency for Santa Clara County. She serves on the leadership committee for the California Coalition of County Art Agencies and is on the board of the statewide arts advocacy organization California for the Arts/California Arts Advocates. Her columns appear every first Wednesday of the month. Contact Alexandra at alexandra@svcreates.org.

San Jose is preparing residents for the largest technological shift since the rise of the internet.

With the launch of “AI for All,” the city signals that artificial intelligence should be accessible to everyone. But San Jose is not alone in facing this moment.

Across America, two forces are shaping the next generation. One is the rapid advance of AI and the companies building it. The other is the daily work of education: the teachers, parents and students who will inherit this transformation. Together, they define our future. The question is whether we will let these worlds drift apart or find the courage to bring them together.

AI companies are racing ahead, training smarter systems and transforming every sector of the economy. Their work drives growth, generates jobs and strengthens America’s competitiveness. Profit is not greed — it is proof of value creation, the engine that turns an idea into a global tool. Innovation has always depended on the freedom to build and take risks.

Yet as these systems enter classrooms, we are reminded that children are not test subjects or data points. Education carries a different mandate — to nurture discernment, empathy and critical thought. Recognizing this and supporting AI innovation is not a contradiction, it is essential.

The companies creating the next generation of AI systems and the educators preparing students to use them are approaching the same challenge from different directions, converging on the shared goal of expanding human potential. Innovation creates possibility, and education gives that possibility purpose.

That shared mission should guide America’s next chapter. We need a framework in which the builders of AI and the stewards of learning work side by side. AI companies should embed educators in product design before tools reach classrooms. Schools should integrate AI literacy and ethics so students learn to challenge AI rather than copy it. These steps are not barriers to innovation, they make progress sustainable.

There is also a practical reason to unite these worlds — equity. The benefits of AI mean little if broadband access, teacher training and infrastructure do not reach the schools and families who need them most. The talent of tomorrow can only be fully unlocked with classrooms equipped to teach ethics, creativity and the skills that machines can’t replicate.

The development of AI and education also have something else in common — iteration, feedback, curiosity and improvement, which are critical to both. What differs is the timeline. AI moves in quarters. Education moves in generations. Our responsibility is to bridge that gap without compromising either. We can build systems that are both profitable and principled, fast and fair, efficient and empathetic, if we are willing to insist on all of the above.

AI will continue to ask what is possible. Education will continue to ask what is right. The strength of our country will depend on how well those questions are answered together. AI builds the tools of the future. Education shapes the people who will use them. The test of our time is whether we can champion both with equal ambition and equal care.

Jason Isaac Park represents California on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and is the first Gen Z Californian elected to a four-year term on the DNC. His opinion is solely his own.

California's sunny coast may steal the spotlight, but water-based fun can also be had at the Golden State's over 3000 lakes and reservoirs. Some are household names, like the pristine Lake Tahoe, while others are unsung lakeside retreats tucked in idyllic wine regions. Only one, however, carries the nickname "The Dragon." Nestled in the Santa Lucia Mountains, the scenic, dragon-shaped Lake Nacimiento gets its name from its various coves, waterways, and arms. When zoomed out on a map, these features almost make it appear serpentine — a detail that helped the nickname stick. Initially created in the late 1950s for irrigation and flood control, this man-made loch gradually evolved into a hub for outdoor activities, particularly boating, fishing, and camping. Adding to its draws is its convenient location, which makes weekend escapes from major metropolises easy.

Lake Nacimiento is about 4 hours north of Los Angeles, a drive that also takes you through one of the most breathtaking drives of the West Coast along the U.S. 101. Alternatively, the retreat is 2.5 hours south of San Jose, and also a manageable drive away — around 2 to 3 hours — from cities like San Francisco and Fresno. So, whenever you want a refreshing change of scenery and nature fun, there's always the option to visit this lesser-known lake in California.

The reservoir's primary access point is the Lake Nacimiento Resort, which isn't a resort in the traditional sense, but rather a 1860-acre government-managed recreation area with a marina, restaurant, camping, lodges, etc. Other than that, most of the land hugging the lake's edges is private. While you can traverse the water body's 165 miles of shoreline on your watercraft to swim and fish at your desired spot, you shouldn't step on any private land. Instead, grab a map of your stay or the park to avoid trespassing and be safe.

Boating and fishing at Lake Nacimiento

With countless inlets and an 18-mile-long surface, the best way to enjoy The Dragon's private little corners is to hop on a boat; be it a jet ski, pontoon boat, kayak, paddleboard, or wakeboard, you'll find what you're looking for here. You can bring your own vessel to launch (subject to a daily launch fee and inspection), or you can rent your preferred watercraft at the recreation area's marina. As of this writing, full-day rentals range from $795 for premium pontoon boats to $90 for single kayaks. The marina also has 120 boat slips to accommodate vessels of all shapes and sizes, all available for monthly or annual rental.

Beyond a retreat for boaters, this aqueous gem is an ideal spot for anglers, too, and is widely regarded as the only legal reservoir of California to fish for white bass (a non-native species that was stocked in the lake in 1965). You will have the best success reeling them in during the spring spawning months and the fall season. Besides white bass, the lake depths are also teeming with other warmwater fish like smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, and carp.

Anglers can find all kinds of baits and lures alongside fishing licenses at the resort's general store, open Thursdays through Mondays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fishing poles can be rented at the marina. You can also stop at the highly rated Jim's Pro Bass Tackle, which sells all kinds of gear and tackle and is about 20 minutes away from the lake. "Great selection and great prices! Highly recommend!!!" wrote one happy customer on Google.

Camping, cabins, and lodges at Lake Nacimiento

Lake Nacimiento Resort operates the only public campgrounds near the reservoir, offering over 350 campsites tucked near the "head of the dragon" for gorgeous views of the surrounding wilderness. These sites are dispersed across six campgrounds and offer a range of options, from full hookups for RVs to primitive sites, reservable and walk-in sites, and one campground (Pike Knoll Campground) even has a swimming pool and laundry for some extra leisure.

The nightly fee for campsites ranges from $50 to $60 at the time of this publication and is paid in addition to the daily vehicle fee of $18. "We've camped here twice now (Oak Knoll and Pine Knoll) with a trailer and had a wonderful time!" wrote one Google visitor who also gave the reserve a 5-star rating. If you prefer a roof over your head, the recreation area also offers reservable lodges and a cabin with modern amenities, including bed and bath linens, complete kitchenware, bathrooms, and heating and cooling.

Alternatively, another solid accommodation option is the Lakefront at LandsEnd. Located on the central shoreline of the lake, this private stay features seven homes on a gated peninsula, each offering surreal lake views and furnished properties with strong internet connectivity. If you're coming in a larger group, you can also rent all seven homes for a secluded experience. "My family has vacationed here multiple times over the last few years and we always have so much fun! We love Lands End!!" wrote one Google reviewer. Once you've had your fill of the lake scenery and water sports, nearby is one of America's best lesser-known wine regions, according to Samantha Brown, for those with a vino vacation on their radar.

A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge has tossed a lawsuit seeking to block plans to bring a new Costco to a West San Jose shopping center. The decision clears the way for the hotly contested development project to move forward.

The suit, backed by a resident group known as West Valley Citizens for Responsible Development, argued the San Jose City Council had erred in approving the Costco project in October 2024. The lawsuit, filed two months after the council vote, alleged the proposed 165,000-square-foot store at the Westgate West Shopping Center violated city zoning rules and the project’s environmental review process was inadequate.

Judge Charles Adams rejected the group’s arguments in a 28-page ruling delivered Jan. 5. The plaintiffs have roughly two months to file an appeal, according to a legal expert familiar with the case.

“West Valley Citizens for Responsible Development is understandably disappointed by the trial court’s decision, and is currently evaluating all options for possible next steps,” Anthony Arger, an attorney representing the group, told San José Spotlight.

Meanwhile, City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood celebrated the ruling as “thorough and thoughtful.” She also accused the plaintiffs of using the legal challenge over environmental concerns as a pretext to “obstruct or delay” the project.

“The decision means that this project can move forward, which will serve to revitalize and reuse existing empty and vacant commercial buildings, and generate sales tax that helps provide city services for residents,” Wood told San José Spotlight.

Costco representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

Residents have been up in arms over the proposed Costco ever since development plans for the site at 5287 Prospect Road first surfaced in 2021. They have warned the introduction of such a large retailer to the shopping center, which neighbors Prospect High School, would create severe traffic safety risks in the surrounding neighborhoods.

In their lawsuit, the resident group alleged the project’s environmental impact report, a review required by state law, failed to account for all the potential impacts the development might bring. In addition to traffic, the group pointed to potential impacts related to air quality, noise pollution, strains on public services and urban decay, among other issues.

The lawsuit also contended the project is inconsistent with San Jose’s general plan and the site’s zoning designation.

The court rejected both arguments. In a wide ranging opinion, Adams dismissed multiple legal claims advanced by plaintiffs, including their allegation that the city had failed to provide adequate responses to comments from residents on a draft environmental report.

“Petitioner has not established that any error in the City’s response would be prejudicial,” Adams wrote. “When viewed as a whole, the (environmental report) reflects a good faith effort at full disclosure.”

Costco officials have previously said they estimate the project would bring 250 to 300 jobs to San Jose and generate about $2 million in annual tax revenue. In the face of public backlash, the company also made several changes to its development proposal. That includes a pledge to spend $2.5 million toward pedestrian and bike safety improvement work — such as path widening and crosswalk modifications — along Lawrence Expressway, which is west of the shopping center. Additionally, part of the shopping center’s parking area will be reconfigured to close off a driveway on Graves Avenue that opens into a residential area.

The Costco will replace buildings that have housed Ethan Allen Furniture Company, Bikram Yoga San Jose, Smart & Final and Orchard Supply Hardware, all of which will be demolished. The project will be the first U.S. location with rooftop parking, according to Costco, and will include a tire center.

Responding to the ruling, District 1 Councilmember Rosemary Kamei, whose district includes the shopping center, highlighted the expected economic benefits the Costco could bring to the city.

“The court’s decision allows a project to proceed that brings very significant public benefits — including millions of dollars for pedestrian safety supporting students in the area — and replaces longstanding blight with an economically beneficial use,” Kamei told San José Spotlight.

Costco is still in the process of obtaining building permits for the project, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement. Once construction gets underway, the project is expected to take 21 months, officials have said.

Contact Keith Menconi at keith@sanjosespotlight.com or @KeithMenconi on X.