Gilroy Dispatch reporter Chris Bone is hot on the trail of a very complex story involving millions of dollars, shady deals, and violence. Local developer Chris Cote has interests in South Africa, a development in Gilroy, owes millions to the bank and workers, was beaten nearly to death last year, and fears the assailant will return. There’s a lawsuit against school trustee Denise Apuzzo, destroyed bloodstained documents, and Superior Court Judge Socrates Manoukian. Bone does his best to lay out the timeline and the story.
Next week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will act on a proposal requesting MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to clear up the San Jose/Giants pesky territorial rights problem and help the A’s find their way to San Jose. (This is the third story in a month about Supervisors trying to stay relevant in the South Bay sports landscape...49ers/Raiders at the fairgrounds were the first two...)
County Supervisor Don Gage is cheering for an alternate route for California’s High Speed Rail – down the middle of U.S. 101. Union Pacific spokesperson Zoe Richmond chimes in saying, “we get skittish when there’s talk about putting our trains next to trains that are light, fast and carry passengers.”
Local public pools have to dump out the water in their pools in order to install a device to prevent little folks from getting trapped in public pools. Although the law took effect in 2007, folks have chosen a drought year to start dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. Susan Siravo with the Santa Clara Valley Water District calls the dumping “significant.” Dan Anderson, with Campbell’s Scuba Pool Repair, says they can do the work without dumping the water.
Silicon Valley is again seeing a star heading to D.C.. The Obama Administration has tapped Foothill-DeAnza Chancellor Martha Kanter for Undersecretary of Education. The Merc’s Editorial Board cheers the selection and calls community colleges the neglected middle child of American education.
The California Department of Education has called nine area schools exemplary with the “distinguished school” award. Here are the Distinguished Schools, by city:
- San Jose: KIPP Heartwood Academy, Sierramont Middle, Joaquin Miller Middle, Lincoln High, and Union Middle
- Cupertino: Homestead High
- Gilroy: Gilroy High (Watch Dog guesses that reviewers visiting Gilroy High who were treated to a food fight didn't allow that to influence their decision...)
- Los Altos: Egan Junior High
- Saratoga: Saratoga High
The Merc’s Editorial Board lends support to Morgan Hill’s Measure A suggesting the measure will help create a walkable community with the added benefit of allowing young people and empty nesters an ownership opportunity.
While we’re in Morgan Hill…
There’s a battle brewing in Morgan Hill over the Chamber of Commerce’s desire to move the popular Friday Night Music Series. Business owners complain moving the event to a closed location will seriously decrease their foot traffic. Downtown merchant/Chamber member Patty Curtis has started a petition to stop the move. Chamber President Chris Giusiana said the $1,500 cost to hold the event downtown was a challenge while the new cost for using the amphitheatre is unknown.
Also in Morgan Hill…
The City’s Parks and Recreation Committee will host a public workshop on the increasing costs for sports fields. Count on increased heart rates at the meeting, but not because there’s any exercise on tap.
Operation Prom Dress is in full swing. Send your new or gently used prom dresses. Councilmember Madison Nguyen is collecting them at City Hall, with other collection boxes at the Cambrian Branch Library and the Mayfair Community Center.
It’s a frat party unlike any other. Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers from the late ‘50’s are saying farewell to brother Bob Saunders who’s been given 3 months to live. From around the state and country old frat boys and their sorority sisters descended upon San Jose for the last hurrah. Thanks to the Merc’s Joe Rodriguez we have an inside seat.
Urban blight junkie/Metro/San Jose Insider Gary Singh joined marchers along the Cesar E. Chavez walkway last week and shares his discovery of San Jose’s “hidden gems” along the route.
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