SJSU Unveils Filipino History Mural; NASA Ames Tests Artemis Lander

San Jose State University unveiled a permanent four-sided panorama mural honoring Filipino American history on Friday, Oct. 30 on a pillar in front of the Diaz Compean Student Union, capping a $100,000 community fundraising campaign spearheaded by the university's Filipino Alumni Network (San José Spotlight).

Painted by artist Francesca "ChiChai" Mateo with assistance from community paint-day volunteers, the mural features Filipino American leaders of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee behind the 1960s Delano grape strike—Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz, and Pete Velasco—alongside panels depicting Santa Clara Valley's "Valley of Heart's Delight" orchard era and notable SJSU alumni including aerospace engineer Robert Ragsac Sr., LEAD Filipino Executive Director Angelica Cortez, Emerita professor Estella Habal, journalist and former Asian American Journalists Association national president Lloyd LaCuesta, and Filipino American National Historical Society Museum executive board president Erwin Mina.

SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson, Filipino Alumni Network founder and president Alan Gouig (who noted about $50,000 of the $100,000 raised is dedicated to long-term preservation while the group seeks an additional $30,000 for a documentary and project costs), Akbayan club president Faith Castro, alumna Kayla Taduran, and Asian American Studies assistant professor Wayne Jopanda marked the unveiling during Filipino American History Month and the 50th anniversary of the Akbayan student organization.

NASA Ames Vertical Motion Simulator Prepares Astronauts for 2028 Artemis Landing

In Mountain View, engineers at NASA Ames Research Center's Flight and Guidance Simulation Laboratories showcased how the center's Vertical Motion Simulator—described by NASA as the largest motion simulator of its kind in the world—is being used to test spacecraft displays, flight handling, and landing profiles for the Artemis Moon mission scheduled for 2028, the first crewed lunar landing since 1972 (ABC7 News).

Human spaceflight simulation research integrator Haroon Khan and NASA astronaut Doug "Wheels" Wheelock explained that data gathered from lunar lander simulations inside the Mountain View tower structure is shared with mission teams in Houston to refine cockpit instrumentation and crew training before astronauts descend to the lunar surface.

Menlo Park Measure P Campaign Spending and Woodside Stable Permit Review

On the Peninsula, campaign finance filings covering activity through Oct. 17 show proponents and opponents of Menlo Park's Measure P—which would require voter approval for significant alterations to eight city-owned downtown parking lots—spending more than $420,000 combined ahead of the Nov. 3 election (The Almanac). The No on Measure P campaign, coordinated by Housing San Mateo, reported spending $217,400 total ($75,600 in the latest period) and entered the final stretch with a $120,000 cash advantage, holding $179,066 cash on hand compared to $59,000 for Save Downtown Menlo's Yes on Measure P campaign, which has spent $203,400 total ($98,700 through Sept. 19) and carries $87,000 in loans ($48,000 from Alex Beltramo and $39,000 from Draeger's Supermarket). In Menlo Park's City Council races, District 1 candidate Wonman Lee reported raising $7,200 and spending $7,600 against James Rohr; District 2 incumbent Drew Combs ($13,000 spent) and challenger Vamsi Velagapudi ($18,300 spent) each reported roughly $18,000 in contributions and loans; and District 4 candidates Charlotte Reed ($24,700 raised, $18,500 spent, $6,700 cash on hand) and Laura Melahn ($25,800 raised including a $4,300 loan, $6,700 spent, $19,100 cash on hand) competed in the city's costliest council contest.

In neighboring Woodside, the Town Council voted unanimously on Oct. 28 to deny an appeal by resident John Clark seeking to revoke neighbor Munish Manrao's stable exception for keeping two horses, Bling and Billie, on his 0.45-acre Glencrag Way property under Woodside Municipal Code 115, which requires a minimum of 1 acre for two horses (The Almanac). After Councilmember Dick Brown noted that Woodside's horse population has declined from 800 or more eight years ago to 500 or less—and following comments from Councilmember Jenn Wall, Trails Committee members Rick DeBenedetti and Maggie Mah, and trainer Nicole Fava—the council directed the Livestock and Equine Heritage Committee and Planning Commission to review updates to the town's equestrian and stable permit transfer rules.

Watsonville's Tierra Linda and Pajaro Court Reopen With 28 Renovated Affordable Homes

Further south in Santa Cruz County, Eden Housing, the City of Watsonville, and South County Housing celebrated the reopening of two newly rehabilitated affordable housing communities originally built in 1994: Tierra Linda at 490 Beck St. (19 homes) and Pajaro Court at 170 Pennsylvania Drive (9 homes) (Hoodline). Together, the two properties provide 28 renovated rental homes for families with upgraded HVAC, electrical, and mechanical systems, windows, kitchens, and bathrooms, with monthly rents ranging from $1,228 for a two-bedroom apartment to $3,129 for a three-bedroom unit. Eden Housing CEO Linda Mandolini, Tamara Vides, and Felipe Hernandez spoke at the reopening as Eden Housing—which took over 23 properties from South County Housing's 41-project portfolio in 2015—deploys a recent $10 million U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund grant aimed at leveraging roughly $718 million across at least 990 affordable apartments.