Morning News Round-Up – 1.20.09: Obama-rific Edition...

Apparently something is happening in Washington today...so we'll be brief...

San Jose Revealed chastises the weakening Mercury News for a possible misstep in saying Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles is the last living person to have stood on the balcony with Dr. Martin Luther King. Revealed even posts the famous photo of Hosea Williams, Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rev. Ralph David Abernathy as proof. Revealed was right on one count, facts are boring. Sorry Revealed, Rev. Kyles’ story is posted here along with the posted photo – people moved around after the photo. Watch Dog likes Revealed, but if you’re going to smack someone get your facts straight.

Revealed continues saying San Jose Councilmember Madison Nguyen remains firmly in the Labor camp – her vote for Republican/Councilmember Pete Constant’s choice for the Planning Commission not withstanding. After the Inauguration excitement today, the City Council will vote on new Commissioners for the Civil Service, Elections, and Planning Commissions along with a new Constant colleague on the Retirement board. Will Nguyen vote with Constant/Reed or toe the labor line? We'll see...

And some more Constant (don't worry, there's enough to go around...) Herhold gets in on Constant band-wagon. Herhold, who calls Constant noble and (generously) describes his frame as “husky,” provides the background leading to the battle over Police/Fire Pension Board member selection. Perhaps Herold should take a look at how often Constant is out of City Hall on Pension Board business...we hear it is a lot...Watch Dogs enjoying the City Hall escapades – drop a line to Watch Dog.

Details are emerging about the SJPD shooting in front of The Loft early Sunday. The Officer, Joseph Paolini is on leave after shooting Marcos Zuniga in the face while the two struggled. Zuniga is expected to survive, but the real question is – will SJPD survive this drama while they are trying to justify arresting record numbers of Latinos? Oh yeah, there was also another Bay Area officer involved shooting on New Years...

The Merc’s Editorial Board weighs in on the Governor’s proposal to toss environmental standards out the window in an effort to put construction workers on the job widening Hwy 101. The Guvernator wants to waive CEQA, and the ability to file a lawsuit, on ten projects statewide. Sierra Club Director Bill Magavern supports the Legislative Analysts Office's recommendation to streamline regulations on 122 less controversial projects.

Mountain View Whisman School District Trustees are moving the popular PACT (not to be confused with PACT) program at Stevenson School. Trustee Ellen Wheeler is worried about the $2 million price tag for the move along with lost rent of $363,000 for Stevenson. Mountain View Whisman will also be enacting a lottery to decide whether incoming kindergartners get their neighborhood school if school enrollment gets to high.

Gilroy City Councilmembers will meet behind closed doors to discuss layoff-prevention ideas offered up by two of the City’s labor groups. Firefighters were upset to learn their proposal hadn’t been given to Council earlier said Firefighter Jim Buessing. AFSCME and Police reps don’t have any ideas to offer to the Council Wednesday when they meet.

Gilroy School District Trustees are wrestling with the District's administration recommendation to build a new school ($20 million) or contain costs by increasing class size. Trustee Fred Tovar said he would support larger classes only if it was temporary. Trustees will continue the debate and discuss sale of a former school site at their February 5th meeting.

The Baker’s Dozen of SJSU Journalism students traveling cross country to the Inauguration by way of the Civil Rights landmarks received the good news Monday. Courtesy of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, they hold 7 of the coveted tickets to the swearing in and 6 to the parade. Rock on, Congresswoman Lofgren...as new Chair of the House Ethics Committee, she’ll have all manner of tough decisions ahead. Also Inauguration-bound, the Redwood Middle School students from Saratoga will be group #17, after the Ohio Ladies and before the Marines – get your tape ready.

Were you near Senter Road and Independence Drive on Sunday around 8 a.m.? If you were, did you see a green sedan hitting 81 year old Quy Tran while she was on her way to Mass? Tran’s son Hung is hoping the driver will turn himself in. If you know anything, give SJPD a call at 408.277.4654. Tran is on life support but doctors don’t expect her to survive.

San Jose has its second murder of year. Early this morning, SJPD officers arrested 19 year old Richard Delgado for using his car as a murder weapon. Delgado crashed into a fence. After neighbors confronted him about it, Delgado drove across a neighbors lawn to run over a 46 year old woman. "Based on witness statements, we believe it was an intentional act," Sgt. Mike Sullivan said.