Thursday, August 20, 2009

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.20.09: A Correction to Start...

We start with a correction this morning because screwed up. And boy did we heard about it from many, many people. We misread a Merc. story yesterday about the City of San Jose wasting money on cost overruns for capital projects. In fairness to us, the sentence was (somewhat) confusingly written:
...the substation is one of just three San Jose capital projects out of hundreds over the past decade or so to exceed their construction contingency budgets...
We believe one could read this sentence two ways, but we apparently read it the wrong, more cynical way. Apologies all around -- and thank all of you for reading so diligently.

On to the Round-Up...

The Merc’s Editorial Board is tickled Tesla stays in Silicon Valley with its “cool Roadster.” San Jose's Office of Economic Development is considerably less tickled... it sort of makes this press release look silly... and this one too.

It seems an Op-Ed on Sunday struck a nerve, if you believe what you read in the Letters to the Editor in the Merc. Remember, Cindy Chavez wrote (but did not text) about campaign finance reform in San Jose. Bill Baron, the chair of the Chamber of Commerce's political arm COMPAC, responded yesterday in Letters... our favorite line:
"...you're being robbed of 'sunshine' in broad daylight, one dollar and one text at a time..." Colorful language Mr. Baron...

It has been a couple days since Dolores Carr's name has been in the paper -- and her name isn't in this story either. But we sort of wonder why... There is a story in today's Merc. about a defendant that was found "factually innocent" on a burglary charge. It seems both the San Jose Police Department and the Santa Clara County DA's office made mistakes which could have screwed up one 20-year old's life (and his family's loves) for the next 6 years. No word from Protect San Jose on this issue... yet. (For those of you who are considering a run against Carr, you should cut out this story for your opposition research file. Just a helpful hint from your friends at Watch Dog.)

East Side Union High School Superintendent Bob Nunez (apparently) left his last gig with a (huge) black mark. (Un)Suprisingly, East Side Union Trustees didn’t know about it because they didn’t ask his former employer for references. Now, (un)surprisingly, similar accusations are coming to haunt Nunez. Former Trustee/Superintendent George Shirakawa, Jr. shrugged off (possible) thievery saying “…Bob brought labor peace…” So, if we get this straight, misusing District funds is ok as long as nobody is on strike? Bloggers at The Unruly Advocate are not surprised with the shenanigans… Neither are we.

Facing a $44 million deficit San Jose State University President Jon Whitmore is ditching 200 faculty members. Whitmore will share the news during his Welcome Back speech today… He probably won't say, "Welcome back, don't let the door hit you on the way out..." What he should do is blame the strong leadership in Sacramento.

Congressmember Anna Eshoo announced she’s moving forward with a healthcare Town Hall – via phone. Constituents can register online (and then Eshoo's staff can hand-pick questioners...) We aren't kidding, check out this NPR story from yesterday...

Moto Amore owner John Bettancourt is one pissed off scooter rider. Bettancourt accuses San Jose bureaucracy of forcing him out of business while code enforcement’s Mike Hannon says having a tax certificate is not the same as having necessary permits. Downtown Councilmember Sam Liccardo is still hoping to talk to Bettancourt…

Gary “Mr. Roadshow” Richards dedicates his (generally) car-centric time to the two wheelers in our midst. It’s the time of month again for the San Jose Bike Party to hit the street, cyclists ask Mr. Roadshow about trails and parking…

The Merc.’s Scott Herhold also talks bikes, this time with (bike vs. drunk driver) survivor MaryAnn Levenson. Back in the saddle, Levenson teaches bike safety when she’s not kicking ass in competition.

The Alameda (State Route 82/El Camino Real) is getting a face-lift and plans are underway to ditch the “highway” moniker.


There’s big trouble in Garlic-land… Gilroy Police, while looking for (wife beater) Joel Barnes, wound up with a meth dealing teenage girl (apparently) shacking up with machine gun toting 30 something’s Raul Maciel and Thomas Esparza. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Joel Barnes may call the Sheriff's office at 299-2311. We have to say, nothing goes with meth like garlic.

The Los Altos Town Crier caught up with the news that Pilgrims Haven is a go

The tanking economy is driving Los Altos library lovers to call for renewal (and increase) of a 20 year old parcel tax. Los Altos Hills Councilmember/library fan Jean Mordo said the (up to) $90 proposed tax “is not a lot of money” and looks forward to a June 2010 ballot measure.

It’s a booze-free (not free-booze) day for the Los Altos Community Picnic after the City Council said no to the proposed sale of donated beer. Mayor Megan Satterlee called the “novel” idea “excellent, out-of-the-box thinking” but joined colleagues in saying drinking would contradict the “family-spirited thing.”

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