Morning News Round-Up – 1.22.09: Bigots, Beignets, and BART...

The County’s lawyers are in trouble – again. (District Attorney Dolores Carr must keep a bottle of the good stuff ready for when the Merc. calls.) This time, Peter Waite has the dubious honor of being the first prosecutor to get spanked by the State Bar in 20 years. He pissed them off when he hid testimony in a murder trial. Oops. Waite said, "I've always agreed it was a screw-up and a mistake, and that the case would be done differently than nine years ago.'' DA Carr kept mum. The DA’s office is also awaiting results in Deputy DA Ben Fields prosecution. More recently, Carr’s office fessed up they withheld interviews of sexual assault victims and kept the doors of justice closed while investigating a police cover-up. Not so Law and Order-y, is it...

The Merc.’s Editorial board gives props to the Alum Rock Union Elementary School Board of Trustees. The Board has granted a 5 year extension to KIPP Heartwood Academy, a charter school with results. In the past, with golden parachute Superintendent Norma Martinez, charter schools were under attack. In a signal that children are more important than politics, Interim Superintendent Jose Manzo supported KIPP. Watch Dog note to Merc. Editors: her last name is not Rodriguez, unless you’ve heard about a recent name change that we missed.

In case Mountain View bigots haven’t heard – this is a "post racial" world. Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga, Mountain View’s first Asian-American female Mayor received a disturbing email, students lives were threatened, and a school sign was vandalized. Chamber CEO/Mesa de la Communidad Oscar Garcia has teamed up with failed City Council candidate/Human Rights Commissioner Alicia Crank to create “Not in Our Town,” to combat an increase in local hate crimes.

It isn’t bad enough that Steve Jobs is (maybe) fighting for his life, now the SEC is investigating when and how much Jobs and other high-ranking Apple folks knew about Jobs' health. Apparently the SEC is now on the ball -- as opposed to this...

Los Altans are celebrating now, they get to keep their precious, non-degradable/free plastic bags for groceries. The Los Altos City Council rejected joining a regional effort to charge impoverished Los Altos residents 25 cents per bag. Perhaps the local fashionistas were worried about losing the raw materials for creative/recycled ball gowns.

The Merc.’s Scott Herhold dedicates his space to the grieving family of Quy Tran, killed at a dangerous intersection by a hit-and-run driver over the weekend. Tran’s son Hung has generously (incredibly) said her killer is a good person and, “I think all his life, he'll live in suffering." This is not the first accident at Senter Road and Independence Drive, Herhold reports several seniors have been hit here where there is no crosswalk or traffic signal. No doubt San Jose’s Department of Transportation removed the crosswalk to make life safer for someone – clearly not pedestrians. Not the first time DOT has goofed, remember little Breanna Eck, DOT also thought a lack of crosswalks in her neighborhood was a good idea.

San Jose Revealed received a "tipster’s fax" with questions about McEnery's Peralta Action Plan. The "fax" asked if the 3% loan and the $400,000 developer fees being paid by McEnery is normal and/or appropriate. There’s also a rumor that Revealed was blocked from some/all City Hall computers. Perhaps Councilmember Pete Constant and Larry Pegram are to blame...

Metro/San Jose Inside’s news sleuth Erin Sherbert weighs in on San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s chances of getting Obama dollars (for BART and green-tech) because of his complete lack of support during the Prez’s race. (At least his lack of support for the guy who won...) In a break from Reed, Mayoral senior staff Jeff Janssen doesn’t share the Mayor’s optimism. If Obama dollars land in San Jose it’s more likely due to hard work by DiFi, Boxer, Lofgren and Honda – who all voted for and worked for Obama. Sherbert's story also gives a timeline of when the Mayor will be in D.C. -- the first trip is slated for late February/early March. Really? Because Watch Dog heard something about an economic recovery plan that will be done by Presidents' Day Congressional recess. Plus, these guys were in D.C. schmoozing this week while our Mayor was not...

Gilroy may not be getting Garlic Ta-ta’s but they do have beignets coming thanks to restaurateur/blues fan Dan Craig. Local developer Gary Walton will be opening a tapas and wine bar nearby. Craig said he wants a place for “mature” guests, “You know, a respectable place where you can see live music." He didn’t say “there’s no room for ta-ta’s near my beignets.” Watch Dog note to Chris Bone, you need to visit the Big Easy – it’s not “benet.”