Monday, October 5, 2009

Morning News Round-Up – 10.5.09: A little Bloody Mary with that garlic shake?

Hoping to jump start development, San Jose is ditching requirements on affordable housing six months at a time for specified developments. Not everyone is happy with the news, Kyra Kazantzis with the Public Interest Law Firm called it “a shame” San Jose gave up “45 years of affordability.”

Residents in the fancy peninsula towns of Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Atherton voiced their opinion that they should get an underground High-Speed Rail. After all, it would “tremendously increase property values,” according to architect Tony Carrasco and it would only increase the cost of the 8 mile stretch by $2 Billion… There’s no truth to the rumor Palo Alto is holding a bake sale to cover the costs…

Stanford’s Hoover Institution fellow Eric Hanushek thinks education in California so bad the state is “dragging down the nation.” Hanushek shared his opinion following the news that school leaders will sue over the states ever decreasing funding for public education with parts of the state ranked 47th in funding for public education in the state. San Jose Unified’s Don Iglesias supports the lawsuit saying “without litigation the state won’t properly fund schools.”

San Jose police put perv Jeffrey Minkin behind bars when he showed up at schools without mentioning his Megan’s Law status– and for hosting those sleepovers .

It doesn’t pay to key the car of a nerdy Silicon Valley millionaire. Howard Herships is off to jail for a month following the end of 4 years of legal wrangling over his keying of Steve Kirsch’s electric RAV4.

The Republican gubernatorial wannabe’s are having some kind of fun reminding each other of their (past) Democratic support. Meg Whitman pointed out Steve Poizner wrote some mighty big checks to presidential hopeful Al Gore while Poizner pointed out Whitman’s support for Senator Barbara Boxer.

With visions of steelhead trout in mind environmentalists are lining up support for the Calaveras Dam rebuild. The current dam, celebrating it’s 84th birthday, could be replaced as soon as 2015.

Disagreeing with the San Jose Parks representative, the Merc’s Scott Herhold says Beverly Head’s tragic death was not “an unpredictable accident.” Bike and dog owner Herhold advocates for more enlightened trail users.

Santa Clara County Tax Assessor Larry Stone is getting more than the usual “boo” in his own cafeteria. Stone’s remarks about pensions has county co-workers posting anonymous/angry signs – Stone says he’s trying to prevent the same public uproar that caused Prop 13. Labor doyenne Cindy Chavez welcomes predecessor Amy Dean next week when Dean shares insights on weaving the “labor movement into the civic fabric…

San Jose Congressman Mike Honda thinks garlic is a fine treat so it’s no surprise he was unhappy with Republican colleague John Boehner’s disparaging remarks. Honda offered Boehner a basket filled with the Gilroy treat, the fun that goes on in D.C…

Protect San Jose’s Bobby Lopez offers District Attorney Dolores Carr, and all challengers, a Police Officers Association interview. Lopez wanted to “clear the air” saying no endorsement has been made…

San Jose Insiders let loose in Rants and Raves… Pat Waite and John Galt quote Ayn Rand, James Rowen takes time off from Mission City to celebrate a Stanford win and spank San Jose City Attorney Rick Doyle while SteveO wonders about the Merc’s use of plastic bags…

Mission City Lantern wants a great Santa Clara and suggests Bill Bailey try a Mary-free Bloody. Now, where’s the fun in that?

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