Morning News Round-Up -- 5.3.10: Grade the Mayor!

Sharks win again. Now they are up 2-0 against the Hockey Town Red Wings... As Sharks history proves, this is when it gets exciting.

The Merc's John Woolfolk talked to "friends, foes" about San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed's grade for his first year... Woolfolk talked to Chavez (who apparently IS still talking to the paper) who said bad things, Terry Christensen who said pretty good things, Raj Jayadev who said bad things, some average voter-types who said pretty good things, and Supervisor (and loser to Reed in 2006) Dave Cortese who said, "What he promised is what he delivered..." which reads to Watch Dog like a back-handed compliment, considering Cindy Chavez has often criticized Reed for promising very little...

The story about the SJPD beating of Phuong Ho took another turn we learned on Friday. Mr. Ho, the Vietnamese national San Jose State student filed a federal lawsuit against the San Jose Police officers, alleging that the Police violated his civil rights by using excessive force... $6 million is being sought. Mr. Webby's importance to the Mercury News continues...

Say it ain't so... the head of the San Jose Police Officers Association thinks that cuts and layoffs to the SJPD would hurt morale and public safety... Right, because having officers sued in federal court and on the front page of the paper is good for morale...

2,600 undeveloped acres near the water treatment (sewage) plant would be perfect for... sports! According to a lengthy, and no doubt boring, public meeting this weekend...

If it's Sunday (and it was yesterday) it is Internal Affairs day in the Mercury News. And in the midst of a campaign season, the "tips" must be flying fast and furious to the Merc reporters who contribute to IA... this week's stuff:

• Steve Poizner was on the New York Times Best Seller list with his anti-Mount Pleasant book... or was he,
• Carly Fiorina has some ex-husbands,
• Facebook or not to (mention) Facebook, that is the question for Chris Kelly, and Kamala Harris, and
• The Golden Spiggot gets criticized again... again... again...

Speaking of politics...

The Merc gives a run-down of the Supervisorial candidates running in District 1 to replace one of the two pro-fast food County Supervisors...

Speaking of speaking of politics...

The Merc has an editorial that actually questions a parcel tax at a local school district (Alum Rock) for their exclusion of charter school in their parcel tax... This is not the Ed Board's normal reaction to parcel taxes, as we've mentioned before, from April 16th's Watch Dog

Shocking! The Mercury News says vote "yes" on the school district parcel tax elections on the (mail-in) ballot this May...

Continuing on politics...

Scott Herhold and the Merc Editorial Board agree on Proposition 16. More importantly for sports fans, Herhold gets the Rosie Ruiz analogy wrong. If memory serves from Watch Dog's marathoning, Rosie "ran" and "won" the Boston Marathon, not New York... "How can we trust anything he writes when he get such simple things wrong," Cindy Chavez (probably) said as she read the paper yesterday...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.22.10: Opposed versus Opposing...

The San Jose Police Officers' Association has opposed the gambling measure on the San Jose ballot in June since it was put on the ballot a few months ago. Of course, they didn't oppose it enough to actually write an "argument against Measure K" for the ballot guide. Instead, they blogged about. So I guess we can say the POA are "opposed" but they aren't really "opposing."

But inside the story in today's Merc there are even more interesting details, if you read between the lines:

• Cindy Chavez still isn't talking to the Merc, but answered a question on Measure K through her spokesperson with a "no comment" -- thus violating Rule 1 of press relations.
• Even more interesting in the story is this: Ed McGovern pushing a yes on Measure K campaign on behalf of the card clubs and Jude Barry is a political consultant for the Police Officers' Association, which is opposed to the measure. This is interesting because Ed McGovern and Jude Barry are working together in Santa Clara on the 49ers' stadium campaign. Politics makes strange bedfellows... (No Councilmember Oliverio, we don't mean that kind of bedfellow...)

Here we go again... again. Senator Maldonado is gunning for Lieutenant Governor. Can't we all just get along?

While we are in Sacramento... Mr. Smith (well, Mr. Guardino actually) went to Sacramento, and got a piece written in the Merc about their trip... which we are sure will make the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce less than pleased because they went to Sacramento this week and got nothing written...

Speaking of Mr. Guardino, he comes to the defense of Cindy Chavez with a Letter to the Editor in today's Merc. He makes no mention, however, of why she has been in the paper lately: heavy-handed political tactics. But Cindy should send Carl flowers today...

Wouldn't it be great to buy alcohol and Advil in the same place? That way, you can get the cause and the cure for a hangover in one space... Well, the Campbell City Council doesn't think it is such a good idea and denied Walgreens' the proper permits...

The City of Palo Alto hired a consulting firm to see how it might be able to see how to trim costs from the fire department... of course, they forgot to find out if the consulting firm had every actually recommended reducing staffing levels of fire departments ever. The answer? No. Never. Not once. Well, that was money well spent by the City of Palo Alto...

A woman was violently attacked and robbed at the Gilroy outlets on Wednesday in the bathroom. Scary.

What a buzz kill... and during the week of 420: Mountain View Police busted a grow house with $100,000 of pot plants...

On the blogs...

San Jose Inside lets us all know about Sam Liccardo's birthday cake at his campaign kick-off, and that Zoe Lofgren was there. We also learn that candidate Tim Hennessey has "friends" on Facebook that are mad at him...

The way we (almost) were...

There has been a lot written lately about the South Bay Labor Council and their heavy-handed political tactics. Specifically, these three high-profile issues:

1. Cindy Chavez had Jude Barry placed on the California Labor Federation's "do not patronize" list,
2. Cindy Chavez and Neil Struthers sent a nasty/ threatening letter to Democratic Assemblymembers who wrote checks to San Jose City Council candidate Magdalena Carrasco, who is running against Councilmember Nora Campos' brother/ Neil Struthers' brother-in-law Xavier Campos. (Carrasco's ex-husband is State Assemblymember Kevin De Leon), and
3. Cindy Chavez tried to rally her Labor allies to endorse Republican District Attorney Dolores Carr over challenger Democrat Jeff Rosen.

Scott Herhold wrote about all this today in the Mercury News...

Labor would like to get their political way 100 percent of the time so they can get their policies passed 100 percent of the time. So, perhaps we should look back at how things could have been if Labor had their way 100 percent of the time.

Here is the City Council now:

Mayor Chuck Reed

District 1 Pete Constant

District 2 Ash Kalra

District 3 Sam Liccardo

District 4 Kansen Chu

District 5 Nora Campos

District 6 Pierluigi Oliverio

District 7 Madison Nguyen

District 8 Rose Herrera

District 9 Judy Chirco

District 10 Nancy Pyle

And here is how the City Council would look right now with if Labor had their way...

Mayor Cindy Chavez

District 1 Jay James

District 2 Ash Kalra

District 3 Manny Diaz

District 4 Chuck Reed

District 5 Nora Campos

District 6 Clark Williams

District 7 Terry Gregory

District 8 Rose Herrera

District 9 Christian Hemingway

District 10 Nancy Pyle

Let that sink in for a bit... the way were (almost) were...

Diaz, Gregory, and Hemingway -- sort of like a bad sitcom...

United Carr Workers... and Xavier Campos

Well, we thought we were on top of our game. Not that many fun tidbits get by the Watch Dog staff. But an astute reader reminded us of something we wrote some time ago, and how it relates to last week's news...

Here's what we wrote in January:

...You remember that Dolores Carr's office is looking into potentially illegal financial practices and misappropriation of funds by MACSA in running a Gilroy-based Charter School... well, the DA's office is conveniently waiting until June to decide about whether or not to bring charges. It isn't just Watch Dog wondering if this is politically motivated procrastination on the part of Dolores Carr... the Gilroy Dispatch does too. Here is why it might be political: Carr would like to get a certain group's endorsement for her re-election campaign in June... this certain group has a favorite candidate running for City Council in June who used to be in charge of operations at MACSA... if she buries the charges until then, perhaps this favorite City Council candidate rides into office, Carr gets the endorsement, and everyone wins, except voters, of course.

Fast forward a few months, and we read on San Jose Inside/ Metro that exactly what was predicted happened, sort of... Dolores Carr got some impassioned support from Cindy Chavez, the head of the Labor Council, at the Labor Council endorsement proceedings. One can only surmise that Dolores Carr's political favor to hold off on the MACSA stuff played a role in Chavez's hard-sell of Republican Dolores Carr to the Labor Council. Chavez's plea wasn't exactly enough for an endorsement though... so that part of the Dolores/Cindy plan failed... which must have pissed of Dolores Carr to no end, as she is the one who went out on a prosecutorial limb for Labor...

Which leaves the real winner in this sad episode: Xavier Campos...

He got the double whammy: the Labor Council endorsed him (unsurprisingly, given his brother-in-law and sister) and his past affiliation with MACSA has been placed on investigative hold by Dolores Carr until after June, when he will presumably be in an election run-off.

Well, one thing you can say about Xavier Campos, luck is on his side... at least for now.

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.16.10: All Tea Partied Out...

Tea Party on Cesar Chavez Plaza (ironic?) happened yesterday. Were you there? Was Pete Constant?

Here's something that perhaps the Tea Party folks might like, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmembers Pete Constant and Sam Liccardo are taking a further big pay cut and asking key City staff leaders to take a 10 percent cut as well. What's good for the goose is good for the gander and all that shit.

Speaking of people that want to be Mayor... Cindy Chavez is in the news again (again, again). First it was her blacklisting political consultant Jude Barry. Then it was threatening Assemblymembers who gave money to Magdalena Carrasco. Now we learn that she thinks that there is some evil cabal trying to screw up her world. So pervasive is this thought that she apparently gave an impassioned plea to labor folks to endorse (Republican) Dolores Carr for District Attorney because Jeff Rosen "...is endorsed by Sam Liccardo, who is linked to former Mayor Tom McEnery and Deputy District Attorney David Pandori..."

Last week we read in a Merc OpEd why the 49ers' stadium was bad dead for Santa Clara, today we read why that was BS and how the football stadium "makes sense for Santa Clara"... or makes lots and lots and lots of cents... take your pick. It is penned by Santa Clara Mayor Patricia Mahan and Councilmember Jamie Matthews.

Emile's. Home of fine French dining in downtown San Jose and child pornography? Well, Emile Mooser, the restaurant's namesake was picked up on child pornography felony charges... and he has never even been a priest...

San Jose State is facing big budget cuts... 76 staff folks are losing their jobs. We are sure Mission City Lantern has some ideas who could be included in the 76...

Speaking of bad news for workers and institutions...

Stanford Hospitals final final offer to nurses was final. Of course, that's if you ask management. If you ask nurses, they think there is still room to move... room to move to picket line maybe.

And this, the Gilroy Unified School District has reached a "stalemate" with the teachers union: how many times can you split $0?

And remember that the Palo Alto Firefighters' Union (led by a Sunnyvale City Councilmember) was circulating a petition to get a ballot measure in November that limited (stopped) cuts to the Palo Alto Fire Department? Well, three (brave) Councilmembers are asking voters not to sign the petition: Karen Holman, Larry Klein, and Greg Scharff.

Hell hath no fury like neighbors facing school field lights...

Shocking! The Mercury News says vote "yes" on the school district parcel tax elections on the (mail-in) ballot this May...

We've seen it in San Mateo County for some time, as Watch Dog San Mateo can attest, but now some Santa Clara County cities and agencies are thinking about consolidating their police and fire departments... like Morgan Hill contracting with the Sheriff's office.

Sharpen your skates for game two tonight...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.12.10: Thinking of summer...

Because what everyone needs on a rainy day is to think about summer... and nothing says summer like Major League Baseball:

Bill Shaikin of the LA Times writes a great piece about the Oakland Athletics and their quest to move to downtown San Jose. Please Mr. Selig, at least tell us something... anything!

For those of you that remember back a few years ago know that NUMMI was opposed to the Oakland A's moving into Fremont. Well, now NUMMI is gone and Fremont might want the A's back. They got a federal grant to look at possible reuse options and the folks in Fremont might be looking at the Green and Gold again. Unfortunately for Fremont, the Green and Gold are (probably) really, really sick of Fremont...

We know that the Chronicle doesn't like the ideas of the A's moving to San Jose... but even they couldn't deny that San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed having an Opening Day meeting with Bob DuPuy of MLB was a good sign...

And from summer sports to fall ones...

The Merc goes through the "on the one hand" and the "on the other hand" economics of the 49ers stadium. Watch Dog is sticking with James Rowen's version of things and not these guys, if for no other reason than Rowen is much more interesting...

On to things not related to sports...

The task force tasked with figuring out what to do with the Mexican Heritage Plaza is almost done with their work and will send their recommendation for a school for art and culture to the San Jose City Council. Of course, they are sending their recommendation to the City Council with a $500,000 annual price tag... which may mean the recommendation is DOA...

Here's a surprise, San Jose Firefighters don't like cuts to the fire department. Of course, they don't have their own blog, so they are resigned to voicing their displeasure through the media. But when you go through the media, you let the City Manager and the Mayor tee-off on you like Phil at Augusta. The Mayor's retort: "If the firefighters gave up 10 percent [salaries], we wouldn't have to consider this [cutting services]..." The City Manager's mouthpiece Tom Manheim (he's still there?) said: "We're not in a situation that allows us to hold the Fire Department harmless..."

Here we go... it was only a matter of time before legislators on the Peninsula started listening to all the NIMBYs... and Joe Simitian is the first to crack. In the Chronicle's Matier & Ross column today, Simitian raises questions and doubt about the financial projections to High-Speed Rail... but reading between the lines, Watch Dog thinks this is really about neighborhood opposition up and down the Peninsula... who's next? Jerry Hill? Paul Fong?

Yesterday was Internal Affairs Sunday in the Merc...

Item 1: Campos the Elder (Nora): We learn that Roy Avila is not running against Nora Campos after all. (Even though he still has a website up.) Apparently he put more time into his website and initial fundraiser in Los Gatos than in actually getting his name on the ballot... or he cut himself a deal with the Campos clan...

Item 2: Campos the Younger (Xavier): We learn that labor leaders Cindy Chavez and Neil Struthers sent a threatening letter to 11 members of the State Assembly because they gave money to Xavier's opponent, Magdalena Carrasco. (If you would like to see what a threatening letter from Chavez/Struthers looks like, click here.) Sometimes it helps to have a powerful big brother-(inlaw) and sister... Mission City Lantern even chimed in on the non-Mission City-related stuff...

Scott Herhold compares the books of GOP Gubernatorial candidates Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman, becoming perhaps the second or third person in the world to read both books... Essentially, Herhold writes that Poizner is more entrepreneurial and Whitman more corporate... but he also throws in that Jerry Brown is old... which is a theme this week. (The theme was carried through to Internal Affairs, which runs down the funny jokes Republicans made about Jerry Brown's age (72)...)

Palo Alto has a budget gap of $8.3 million. They will close it the way everyone else will close it in the lesser zip codes in Silicon Valley, cutting services, laying off workers, instituting new fees, and charging residents for sidewalk repairs...

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.16.10: Bracket Tuesday...

It is fill out your bracket Tuesday today... so forget work. Start researching Murray State!

It is pink slip week at School Districts in California. Need we write any more? Send complaints to Capitol Mall, Sacramento, California...

Over the past several months (ok, the entire past year and then some) The Case Against Dolores Carr has been built by challenger to the DA Jeff Rosen. Now, The Case Against Jeff Rosen has one small piece of evidence... Mr. Rosen needs to amend his ballot statement because he misquoted the Mercury News... sort of. He quoted the Mercury News correctly, but the quote came from Scott Herhold, not the Mercury News. He's changing the ballot statement, but needs a court order to do it...

And when the Chamber of Commerce made the case against Cindy Chavez in 2006, they ran afoul of the City of San Jose's campaign spending laws that were in place at the time. Well, 4 years later, the court ruled in their favor and now they are getting their legal fees back... unless the City of San Jose appeals further, which it sounds like they will not do. Here's something: Our insiders are telling us that the Chamber has been grilling candidates that have come before them about how they would vote in closed session on this issue... classy.

Perhaps more important than the ruling itself is the author of this story from the Merc... none other than Scott Herhold. This is the second time (at least that we've noticed) that Herhold has been columnist AND reporter. They do that type of thing at the San Mateo Daily Journal, but at the Mercury News? Weird. Although, our friends at Protect San Jose think that Sean Webby has been writing a column rather the news for a long, long time...

Here's irony: A Southern California Republican Assemblywoman is becoming the best friend of all the NIMBYs up and down the Peninsula who hate High Speed Rail. Diane Harkey is introducing a bill to stop the sale of High Speed Rail bonds... Perhaps they will throw her a ticker-tape parade up and down El Camino Real...

Perhaps in response (?) Quentin Kopp wrote a pro-High Speed Rail piece for the Merc. Surprised?

With all due respect to Palo Alto, but any city should do their best to avoid this headline: Local teens describe their stresses on 'Dr. Phil.' Perhaps Dr. Phil can get Oprah to bridge the relationship divide between Stanford and Palo Alto...

When the going gets tough (and the going is tough for the Morgan Hill Police Department) the tough get going (to the Feds for more money).

When the going gets tough (and the going is tough for the City of Gilroy) the tough get going (home early for the week).

Values Advocacy Council: A deficit-ridden slush fund for Larry Pegram?

Here at Watch Dog, we aren't the smartest financial folks... heck, we run a blog that takes scores of hours a month to keep current and we don't make any money doing it.

Because we don't know much, we will share what we've learned (through a very smart Watch Dog) about Larry Pegram's right-wing non-profit, the so-called "Values Advocacy Council." Mr. Pegram just announced that he is running for City Council in District 9 in San Jose so we share it with you today because tomorrow is the filing deadline and there still time for Pegram to un-pull his papers...

(As an aside, we have been promised by three separate Watch Dogs that there is more dirt to uncover...)

Onto the Values Advocacy Council...

Did you that the only major expense for the Values Advocacy Council is paying Larry Pegram's salary? It's true, here are some numbers (click on the year to see the actual filing):

2006 - $68,455 (of a total of $99,331 raised -- or 69% went to Pegram)

2007 - $74,750 (of a total of $134,094 raised -- or 56% went to Pegram)

2008 - $78,000 (of a total of $215,018 raised -- or 36% went to Pegram)

Can you imagine another non-profit where upwards of 70 percent of all the money raised went directly to the Executive Director? Imagine if Pat Dando at the Chamber took in 70 percent of all the money raised... Or Cindy Chavez at the Labor Council took in 36 percent... Everyone would be outraged...

But at least Pat and Cindy have more than 2 other people voting on their salaries... You see, there seem to be only three "voting members of the governing body" of the organization, including Larry Pegram? Check out Part I, Line 3 on this document. "Number of voting members of the governing body... 3"

So it seems that Larry Pegram runs his own little slush fund: He raises the money, votes on where the money goes, and then collects the money he just voted on.

But perhaps the best part is that each of the past three available non-profit financials show that the Values Advocacy Council has finished the year in the red...

2006 - ($6,120)

2007 - ($7,902)

2008 - ($4,465)

At least Mr. Pegram has lots of experience dealing with deficits... that might come in handy at City Hall.

So what have we learned? Watch Dog doesn't really know... other than we still don't like Larry Pegram and that he runs a poorly-managed non-profit with little or no oversight and takes most of the money for himself...

Morning News Round-Up – 10.26.09: No singing in San Jose...

Across California, San Jose has landed in the news…

• San Jose Police Chief Rob Davis put 4 officers on leave after a videotape wound up in the hands of Attorney Duyen Hoang Nguyen.
• (apparently) Showing a brutal beating of San Jose State University math student Phuong Ho, the video is disturbing.
• Former San Francisco Police Chief/Mayor Frank Jordan joined others in asking if the beating was necessary.
• Following a yearlong series of questions about San Jose police (possibly) profiling or behaving badly, this has to sting.
• The Merc’s Editorial Board reminds San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed of his previous statements that it’s not enough to avoid breaking the law, it’s doing the right thing that counts.
• The Merc calls on District Attorney Dolores Carr to open the (inevitable) grand jury hearings on this case.
• San Jose Inside shares Mayor Reed’s comment that he is “troubled” by the contents of the video and notes Chief Rob Davis launched an Internal Affairs investigation after learning from the Merc about the video.

Following two deaths from illegal road races in San Jose, the Merc’s Gary “Mr. Roadshow” Richards did a little digging. Thousands of racers are ticketed in the Bay Area. It’s tough tracking down races. And…. California Highway Patrol Sgt. William Bradshaw says the solution is to give kids their own race track, Sonoma’s Infineon is too far and, well, kids will be kids…

Former Vice Mayor/Labor leader Cindy Chavez says calls by San Jose City Manager Debra Figone for drastic cuts will damage the city and isn’t very creative. Figone, facing a $90 million budget gap is calling for reductions in pay and benefits including elimination of “redundant compensation” to police and firefighters.


Sunnyvale dentist John Licking bucked the sagging home value trend after the city of San Jose offered to settle a lawsuit and buy up property near a planned BART station for a cool $2 million. San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo said, in “technical legal terms” the deal was “twofer” noting the end of the lawsuit and purchase of needed land.

The Merc’s Internal Affairs uncovered a little gloating in District Attorney Dolores Carr’s office. Carr let loose a “final salvo” at (former) Deputy DA/Councilmember Sam Liccardo and (former) defense attorney/Councilmember Ash Kalra for supporting the dangerous promotion of Sunshine. After a Pacific Research Institute report that said Los Altos elementary school, Santa Rita, suspended 81% of their little tykes for “obscene, disruptive, hostile or intimidating behavior” IA went to the source only to find Los Altos is not a hotbed of violent crime.

Thanks to a Watch Dog tipster this blurb from last week. Porn king/Values Advocacy Council president Larry Pegram has officially tossed his hat in the ring to unseat Congressional representative Jerry McNerney. Pegram plans to ditch San Jose for Plesanton. Oddly, the Pegram press release made no mention of Pegrams penchant for censorship.

The Merc’s Patty Fisher was reminded of the importance of friends during the memorial service for former Mountain View Mayor Rosemary Stasek. Email was Stasek’s favored communications tool as she maintained lives, and friendships around the world. Still mourning Stasek, husband Morne du Preez said his wife love parties but always liked leaving while “she was still having fun.”

For your government Watch Dog pleasure…

• San Jose’s City Council talks further cutbacks and critter care.
• The Los Altos School District (not a hotbed of kiddie violence) considers renewal of a parcel tax.
• School closure is on the minds of Trustees for the Alum Rock Union School District with 5 schools facing darkness.
• The Cupertino Union School District considers technology and special education.
• In Palo Alto the Unified School District noodles over plans for student achievement and Gunn and Palo Alto High buildings. The board also considers a pre-kindergarten plan.
• San Jose’s Franklin-McKinley School District hears Rocketship Education's plans to open charter schools.

Following a weekend of bad news for local deputy dawgs, Protect San Jose leads with an invite to the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers dinner.

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.24.09: Threatened Garbage Strike + Reelection = Mayoral Trouble?

Federal mediators are on their way to San Jose in the hopes of stopping a Teamsters strike against GreenTeam garbage haulers. South Bay Labor Council leader/ former Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez says while she doubts “…anybody wants to strike...” it’s not a threat to take lightly. Something interesting about this story: This is the exact same issue that got Mayor Ron Gonzales into trouble. A threatened garbage strike coupled with fear about a looming reelection campaign. Yet Mayor Chuck Reed is not in this story. Perhaps that is the safest place to be Mayor Reed...

The latest guest at San Jose's texting party (no, not sexting) is environmentalist Ted Smith of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. Mr. Smith is going to court to get email, texts, and “other electronic communications.” Mr. Smith is pissed that the City refused his more congenial request earlier this year. While the Toxics Coalition is fighting City Hall on this front, they are likely supporting a City Hall effort on another because...

The San Jose City Council will think about San Jose’s contribution to the 19,000,000,000 plastic bags leaving California stores each year. American Chemistry Council and their lobbyist Manny Diaz are cheering on Councilmember/ proud anti-environmentalist Pete Constant who says he questions whether plastic bags should be ditched, after all they’re great for scooping poop. Fill in your own Constant poop joke here: ________.

Mr. Smith, make sure to get the emails, texts, and calendars surrounding the plastic bag issue as well... Watch Dog bets the meeting between Manny Diaz and Pete Constant was an interesting one.

Speaking of environmentalists... Larry Ames and Taisia McMahon are hoping to see you at the Planning Commission in support of the Three Creeks Trail. Worried about “trail-severing" development, Ames and McMahon shared their worries on the Merc’s Opinion page.

(so far) No one at San Jose’s Family Camp is sick but news of e-coli tainted water wells gotta be making campers nervous. Ironically, San Jose Inside reports their namesake city is behind only Virginia Beach, Virginia and Madison, Alabama for kid friendliness. Good thing Family Camp is in Yosemite…

Palo Alto is reeling after the suicide death of a 13 year old on Caltrain tracks where two other Gunn High School students died in the past several months. Former Palo Alto Mayor Victor Ojakian and Supervisor/former Palo Alo Mayor Liz Kniss are considering a committee to examine the issue.

Cupertino-ites have a few months to figure out their Council choices with 7 candidates and 3 seats open, the two incumbents are hopeful their names will float to the top. Busy times for Rich Robinson...

Swine Flu joins the back-to-school fun. Kids will learn the Dracula Cough, and hand-scrubbing while they sing Happy Birthday in an attempt to stem the tide.

The Merc’s Patty Fisher is happily chowing down on her daily coco kook as she celebrates peace in the (Psycho) Donut wars. Fisher closes by saying (cynically) “…without all that free publicity, where would Psycho Donuts be today?...” Certainly not in Patty Fisher's column...

Former Independent Police Auditor Barbara Attard’s San Jose pied-à-terre caused the Merc’s Scott Herhold to dust off his calculator and call those pesky IRS tax guys. Herhold chuckles as he reports Attard may owe as much as $6,000 in pillow taxes.

Having had one too many cheap drinks at the “dingy, punky, (puky?)” Caravan Lounge the Merc’s Internal Affairs bemoans its loss as San Jose makes way for a parking garage. Mission City Lantern chimes in on this story as well. James, you know the old adage: don't pick a fight with folks who buy ink by the barrel.

Protect San Jose dished its “Open Forum Friday” with a few (long/ oddly constructed) bits about cost over-runs, police practices, and statistical gurus.

Looking for your own government reform? Check these out…

• Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors finalize decisions on Jeffery Smith as County Executive. (Let's hope Supervisor Shirakawa remembered to check with Smith's previous employers...)
  
• San Jose talks plastic bags (Monday), Pension Trustees (Tuesday), and Pensions (Wednesday).
  
• The Mountain View-Los Altos School District gets the good/bad news about test results.
• Palo Alto Unified School District ponders the State’s budget thievery.

Morning News Round-Up – 8.6.09: Get the lint off those breath mints…

No kidding, today is National (Minty) Fresh Breath Day…

Congressmember Anna Eshoo put her foot down letting Hangar One keep its toxic siding a little longer. Mountain View City Manager, Kevin Duggan, is hopeful but not holding his (minty) breath, yet.

Guadalupe Cabrera Miranda was busted on his way to a grievance hearing after his son told the cops he was worried about Dad’s mental stability... oh, and the gun Pops was packing. Anticipated crimes, must be the preponderance of psychic cops that allows San Jose Police to clear the streets with “attitude” arrests.

The 49ers team offices have resided quietly in Santa Clara, now their sweetheart deal is dragging them into discussions on the teams (anticipated) southbound move. Vice Mayor Jamie Matthews says it’s not fair to say the 49ers pay roughly your mortgage annually – after all you suck up city services while they generate money.

Gilroy’s mischievous tow-truck family is heading to court with over 150 charges against them for a range of nastiness. Vincent Cardinalli Sr. represented himself during the preliminary hearing with a little coaching from Judge Gilbert Brown – including the advice to get an attorney…

California’s Superintendent of Public Education, Jack O’Connell landed in San Jose just in time for a union march on the Alfred E. Alquist State Building protesting $18 billion in education cuts. Local labor maven Cindy Chavez was (apparently) not on the scene as “penny” postcards were delivered to Assemblymembers Jim Beall and Joe Coto along with State Senators Abel Maldonado and Elaine Alquist.

It’s official, (former) Los Altos Councilmembers and Planning Commissioners won’t be volunteering at City Hall. Former Mayor Jim Thurber called the official ban an insult and illogical. No doubt these guys agreed...

Oops, that was a Past Due notice… Comcast is coughing up $100,000 in overdue fees to Los Altos…

San Jose has stayed largely unfluoridated, until that darned Tooth Mobile started promoting kids health. “We can never drill our way out…” of crummy teeth according to Health Trust CEO Fred Ferrer.

Just for fun, the Merc’s Sal Pizarro points out Friday in San Jose will be hopping. The Jazz Festival kicks off (complete with the CEO Jam showing off), South First Fridays has artist Jose Arenas unveiling a new work, and San Pedro Farmers Market gives you the chance to embarrass yourself in a pie eating contest.

San Jose Inside surfed the net to share the news that Santa Clara County will need to cough up a whopping huge check to bail the State out.

Mission City Lantern pokes at Philip “Revealed?” Bump and shares a ditty featuring San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. On an (un)related note… The web wizards helping Working Partnerships haven’t bothered with updates since former leader Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins announced her departure…

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.3.09: $20 million here, $20 million there...

San Jose employee unions can't be happy about a new audit the City Council will be hearing about this week. The audit says that the City could save $20 million/ year just be bringing employee health benefits in line with the private sector AND in line with other government agencies. Expect a backlash from labor-backed City Councilmembers. (Too bad there isn't a local blog reacting to the audit...) Local public employee unions should be glad they don't operate in San Mateo County. Up there, there is a County-wide task force looking at public employee benefits and pensions... The Merc. Editorial Board also thinks health benefits and pensions should be a priority.

The Merc's Scott Herhold must read Watch Dog. His piece in Sunday's paper was titled: DA Dolores Carr deserves a re-election opponent. Amen Brother. We even listed some potential (re-election) suspects (through links) last week.

Changes as the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International (?) Airport are being seen as a good thing by passengers. Unfortunately, as the airport gets better, the flights get fewer...

The East Side Union High School District has a new Acting Superintendent. Raising the obvious question, wasn't the last one just an "acting" Superintendent. (That's a pun people...)

Did you know that the next Secretary of State (?) is getting re-married? That's right. You just probably don't know who the next Secretary of State was going to be. But it's State Senator Elaine Alquist... and she is about to be off the market again.

Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro is under fire... and it isn't (all) about the Recall. This time he is getting dinged for cuts to public safety. Actually, this is all about the Recall -- and the saga is growing. Mayor Gage?

The Merc's Internal Affairs can't get enough of the blogwars in San Jose, probably because San Jose Inside is getting new (?) information out every Friday afternoon. This time, they SHOW ME THE MONEY... sort of.

Speaking of Phil Bump...

According to Mission City Lantern, the former Campaign Manager for Cindy Chavez for Mayor (Justin Schall) and former Political Director for the South Bay Labor Council (Phil Bump) are working on the campaign for Eric Goia for New York City Public Advocate. The Dream Team reunites... Somewhere on the 18th floor, Mr. Jansen is smiling.

While we are on the topic... San Jose Revealed seems to be down today. But Phil Bump did have time to see 500 Days of Summer this weekend and wrote a review. Whether Phil Bump is Revealed or not, he is a good writer. In short, 500 Days of Summer sucked, according to Phil Bump.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.8.09: A football field and a ben field...

And you thought the Swine Flu stories were over. Unfortunately, Silicon Valley had its first Swine Flu death. You may not have heard about it because of the 24/7 Jacko watch...

(Soon to be termed out) State Senator Elaine Alquist has a problem with public bids (for a 49ers stadium) and is angling to change State law. Alquist’s problem is with the requirement to pick the lowest bidder because the 49ers want to do the picking themselves. At least Alquist is focusing on the really important stuff in Sacramento...

As the head of the South Bay Labor Council, Cindy Chavez is wasting no time in shaking things up... a lot. Santa Clara County Prosecutor Ben Field, facing suspension for abuse of power, will join Chavez as her right hand leaving his $180,000 gig and Los Gatos digs behind.

Los Altos neighbors (NIMBYs) are really pissed at the thought of a bigger retirement home. Retirees and cranky neighbors will descend on City Hall this week in what promises to be an exciting meeting. An exciting meeting and Los Altos -- those two thing don't often go together.

Gilroy’s City Council ditched planning guidelines and ignored growth limits to approve a large hillside proposal – much to the joy of the South Valley Community Church. While agreeing the Council repeatedly makes such decisions, Councilmember Dion Bracco said it wouldn’t “…open the flood gates...”

The (volunteer) Utilities Advisory Committee in Palo Alto is growing as Palo Alto staff is shrinking. Mayor Peter Drekmeier called for the expansion to take advantage of resident expertise. (And may we suggest better oversight of the Utility...)

Santa Clara County’s Civil Grand Jury attack on local school officials made it to Mountain View. The Mountain View Voice calls attention to School District Trustee benefits, from $121,000 to Fremont Union Trustees and $0 to Loma Prieta’s.

Four developers are drooling over the thought of getting their hands on 77 acres at NASA Ames for a research park…

Morgan Hill aims to become the Silicon Valley electric vehicle retail site. San Jose’s Eco-Sparc (Sorry, not Tesla) showed off their electric cars in the Fourth of July parade and will open doors in the Downtown Mall this month.

Taking a pay cut and refusing raises was the least they could do, according to Gilroy’s City Council, to show solidarity with City employees taking paycuts. Largely symbolic, the part-timers will save the city $8,000 and keep personal benefits. (Perhaps they learned from San Jose's Kansen Chu...)

No surprises here: The South Bay ranks as the 6th most congested commute in the nation. The good (?) news, between the economy and fuel prices, congestion is at its lowest in 15 years.

Bizzare: Stanford physicist Suwen Wang took his family to Nebraska for the International Children’s Painting Competition (where his daughter won the North America division). While at the Competition, Wang and his wife were busted for child abuse. When Wang and his wife got out of jail, the kids were kept behind in foster care…

Yesterday, San Jose Inside got in on the news story about Ron Gonzales' job prospects. The weird part is that it seems Inside is getting into the news aggregation game, because they linked their "news" back to the Mercury News... then they did it again today with the story about Ben Field joining the South Bay Labor Council team.

Morning News Round-Up – 6.17.09:

Yes, that was President Obama in San Jose’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez…. Sort of…

San Jose’s big news, there is a budget… At least until the State starts their annual grab-fest. The Merc suggests labor agreements will close the (current) $73 million gap. Former council colleague/South Bay Labor Council Executive Officer Cindy Chavez suggested the Mayor should have come to unions earlier. Chavez’ first time back in chambers included a poke at the Mayor..

San Jose’s Mayor is green, with envy… Gilroy’s Fire union overwhelmingly approved a city council offer that closes one fire station for an unknown number of days, the Police Officers Association put a deal on the table to cut $1.1 million from the budget and other unions are following suit.

Assemblymember Paul Fong is getting support from the Merc’s Patty Fisher in his quest to get reparations for mistreatment of the many Chinese who helped build this country. Fisher does suggest that an actual apology would be more useful than a monument.

San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant has found a new calling, grill-meister. Sal Pizarro reports Constant spent two days preparing ribs before sleeping in his car to baste overnight. The payoff? County Supervisor Ken Yeager, Assistant Fire Chief Teresa Deloach-Reed and Mission College’s Scott Brunson declared Constants ribs tops at the Winchester Business Association cook-off. Next stop no doubt a spot at Way Out West BBQ Championships…

Santa Clara County Supervisors are recommending a 24% cut to the “social safety net” affecting the county’s poorest and most vulnerable.

In her own, inimitable, way, Santa Clara County District Attorney Dolores Carr makes it clear what she thinks about sunshine. Saying nothing “legally or factually extraordinary” was found during the initial investigation of Daniel Pham’s death, Carr is keeping the Grand Jury closed.

Meanwhile, in East San Jose a man was shot in the leg during a shootout in an apartment building.

Although foreclosure rates had been declining May saw more Silicon Valley homeowners losing their homes at the years highest rate.

(Former) San Jose Aquatics coach Andy King has perv charges being thrown at him from San Jose, the East Bay and now, thanks to a Merc investigation, Oak Harbor, Washington. USA Swimming has some explaining to do…

In a cost cutting measure the Mountain View police are recommending deregulating taxi companies. Councilmember Mike Kasperzak made a comparison to flying in unregulated airplanes. Councilmember Tom Means, apparently not understanding the analogy, shot back “Are we going to ask the police department now to regulate the number of coffee shops in town?” Regulate the Watch Dog’s lattes? Say it ain’t so.

The Merc’s Editorial Board sends the Milpitas Unified School board to detention. You remember this story from last week, foster child Shontale Taylor is one of the few foster children to graduate high school. Except, she stopped a fight. The school board (of course) stopped her from walking the stage with her peers.

The families of accused gang murderers are pissed off the DA is using the “provocative act murder theory” to try gang members that didn’t pull the trigger. Monica Fernandez, mother of the murdered boy, said “those boys are like my son’s brothers… this was no planned attack.”

Morning News Round-Up – 6.2.09: It's a do-over...

Leading the way, our Sister blog Watch Dog San Mateo posts Silicon Valley news…

• Businesses face new taxes in November, odd time to do this... A big oops from Palo Alto officials over an ill-advised probe into Children’s Theatre
• San Jose’s Cayetano Figueroa-Fernandez used his break time to sell meth in the company parking lot
• Not related to Silicon Valley but Watch Dog couldn’t resist, senior prank day at Menlo-Atherton scores big…

Santa Clara city leaders, and the Niners, face a motley crew of anti-stadium voices. City manager Ron Garratt looks forward to lively discussion an election will bring saying “it makes for a better project when folks are involved.” Stanford economist Roger Noll says Santa Clara will end up with a “better deal than just about any other city…”

Palo Alto Unified School District Trustees aren’t waiting for the other enormous/painful shoe to drop from the State. Tonight Trustees propose a budget that keeps existing pay raises. Trustees expect September will have them sorting out the State’s disaster.

A Santa Clara County Grand Jury report slams the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). Words matter and these words paint a picture of the VTA as a petulant teenager… Unresponsive, unaccountable, disobedient and dishonest. VTA spokesperson Jennie Loft shoots back that the report is filled with erroneous information and sounds more like the “anti-BART rhetoric… rejected by voters in November,” than a Grand Jury report.

The Morgan Hill Times Editorial Board takes a shot at Caltrain’s budget cutting proposal to eliminate service to the Southern portion of Santa Clara County. The Times calls for more service and a “shuttle train.”

Bike commuter/Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager is pissed county fleet cars go unused, take vacations to Malibu, and several drivers “are racking up… parking fines,” for over $100,000. President Liz Kniss praised Yeager and called for a halt on the proposed purchase of new sheriff’s cars. The President didn’t point out the audit was decades overdue…

Shock, shock hits the streets of San Jose. San Jose Councilmember Nora Campos officially announced her plans to take termed out Assemblymember Joe “Mr. Insurance” Coto’s seat. Campos’ promised not to forget San Jose saying “my biggest job will be to make sure we don’t lose any more local money.” The surprise is that anyone thought otherwise…

Taking pity on taxpayers, the Santa Clara Valley Water District directors voted unanimously not to raise rates and to make more than $100 million in budget cuts. Director Rosemary Kamei warns the cuts come from delayed projects and rate payers will be in for a rude awakening at a future date…

This summer kids are losing their Jamba Juice jobs to unemployed old folks. Business owners like Details’ Bernie Levine are cutting staff while trying to keep mortgage paying parents off unemployment lines.

Girls Middle School students aren’t looking for Jamba Juice, they launched an eco-friendly micro business with $100. “Buckle My Jeans” co-founders Jamie Bindon, Rachael Rappoport, Maggie Brown and Jaime McConachie report their motto “we’ve got your jeans in the bag,” was a no-brainer. There’s no truth to the rumor Watch Dog was first in line for the doggie bag…

San Jose was the site of a green/labor conference with such luminaries as economist James Galbraith, Sierra Club leader Carl Pope and San Jose’s own Cindy Chavez. (Un)surprisingly, the only coverage was from an alternative/online media source out of San Francisco.

The crashing economy has a few bright spots. Palo Alto officials are looking for a place to build a new cop-shop, current negotiations could turn to their favor. Councilmember John Barton said it was an example of the council “acting in a very business-wise manner.”

The Merc’s Joe Rodriguez reports a small victory in consumer affairs. The 17 year old credit nightmare for Manuel and Luz Fausto is over and there’s a check for $500,000 in the mail. Consumer advocate Denise Richardson says the web is buzzing, “finally, some good news to report.”

Morgan Hill Superintendent Alan Nishino announced he’s outa here at the end of June. Nishino leaves a $4.1 million shortfall and a “fractured” union relationship.

Gilroy Councilmember Dion Bracco supported colleagues who said no to South County Housing’s project a few months ago. Bracco said he wouldn’t spend his own money on the project, at the time. Last night Bracco convinced colleagues a do-over was needed because the project owner was now changing the financial agreement.

San Jose Revealed calls this week the “boringest week ever,” aside from the Merc’s Scott Herhold increasingly busy schedule and old news about Nora Campos it wasn’t worth a visit to the keyboard yesterday.

Morning News Round-Up -- 5.26.09: A Supreme Tuesday Edition...

As we come back from a long weekend, the news today will be dominated by Supreme legal stuff... California Supreme Court's decision on Proposition 8 and Obama's pick for the US Supreme Court.

But Watch Dog must ask that you don't forget the local stuff... luckily, the Merc’s Internal Affairs never forgets the local stuff…

• Supervisor/President Liz Kniss is fighting with Supervisor Dave Cortese over foster kids. (No, this isn't a custody battle...)
• San Jose Councilmember Nora Campos has a friend in the White House, Adolfo Carrion. Unfortunately, Carrion is accused of taking bribes while a New York Bronx borough president and might not be there long enough to help. (Which is ironic, since Campos' mentor was also written about in the Merc this weekend... we'll get to this later.)
• San Jose’s normally genteel Councilmember Nancy Pyle got testy over accusations she met more than once with bail bonds lobbyists Tom Saggau and Dustin DeRollo and snapped at members of the public. Saggau said if he’s riding the elevator “with someone who's reportable, and I just mention Bad Boys Bail Bonds” he reports the contact.

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is facing off (again) with labor leader/former Mayoral opponent Cindy Chavez. This time it’s a 34 page set of recommendations on how to handle the City's budget crisis. Reed did not say this, however.

San Jose Police are refusing to release 911 tapes from the fatal Mother’s Day shooting of mentally ill Daniel Pham. Santa Clara Police Lt. Phil Cooke crossed the Blue Line and sounded less convinced about the need for San Jose Police Department's secrecy saying, “Police departments live on public trust. You take that away and you have nothing.” Unfortunately, Watch Dog thinks the public trust in the San Jose Police Department may have been bruised well before this incident... (See: Drunk Task Force and IPA selection.)

The Merc Editorial Board sends kudos to the City of San Jose for helping to add Rancho San Vicente to Silicon Valley’s open spaces. The Merc credits San Jose Planners with resisting pressure from developers and lobbyists wanting to build luxury estates. (A much more contentious issue dealing with developers, open space, and lobbyists is brewing in Redwood City, for those of you interested in things north of the Santa Clara/San Mateo County line...)

It was a violent weekend in San Jose…

• A “melee” left 4 men with stab wounds at a South San Jose party. If you have info dish to the San Jose Police Department's assaults unit at 408-277-4161. (Watch Dog doubts many of our readers attend such parties, but you never know...)
• Paul Leyva was beaten and left brain-dead outside a San Jose pizzeria. Call Sgt. Merlin Newton or Detective Bill Hoyt of the San Jose Police Department's homicide unit at 408-277-5283.
• A 25 year old man was shot near McKee and Capitol. Anonymous callers can call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP (7867).

On a less violent crime note... Lincoln High School’s Jeremy Talamantes saw himself as an artist with all the walls of San Jose as his canvas. San Jose Police, and residents, didn’t agree. Talamantes was yanked out of art class when busted as a member of the Toon Goons.

Morgan Hill’s sparkling new courthouse is headed for its own courtroom battle. In a finger pointing drama, County Supervisor Don Gage says the builder blew it while Paul Thompson with West Bay Builders points at County staff for errors. At issue is $20 million which the County says it doesn't owe the builder -- and the builder kindly disagrees.

An (apparent) joyrider stole a Mountain View Police car during a Shoreline concert. Police later found the car ditched in an apartment complex parking garage. (The Officer left the keys in the car... oops!)

A Monte Sereno “good neighbor” fence was anything but neighborly for Darla Padget who says City Manager Brian Loventhal sent threatening letters. The 10 year old “fence” trial heads to the jury this week.

Here for your Watch Doggers pleasure… the week around Silicon Valley government, with mad props to the Merc's Government Watch (on-again/off-again) crew...

• The City of San Jose Rules Committee talks pay cuts for Councilmembers and management as well as the growing maintenance backlog.
• The Cupertino Union School District studies the Governor’s revised/slashed education budget.
• Franklin-McKinley School District reviews (horrible) financial projections.
• Palo Alto Unified has a full plate with talks of enrollment, boundary changes, Mandarin immersion, and a delayed reopening Garland Elementary. Oh, and the (crappy) budget.

San Jose’s Oak Grove students who come from 13 countries, speak 9 languages, and have to work while in high school, need your help. Dig deep people, send the Valley’s smart kids to D.C. to compete. Donations for the "Eaglebots" can be sent to Oak Grove High School, Attn: Jeanie Romanoff, 285 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, CA 95123.

If you were anywhere near San Jose’s downtown you couldn’t miss Fanime’s costumed conventioneers. If you missed it, you really missed it...

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.12.09: More Former Mayors in the News...

Baseball is back in the news…Mayor Chuck Reed and Company settled on an April 7 public meeting about bringing the A’s to San Jose. The decision followed input from the A's to San Jose Study Group Co-Chair Michael Mulcahy...and residents for and against a little springtime action. Metro’s Erin Sherbert weighs in on the growing excitement about the A’s. So does the Baseball San Jose blog...

The Merc’s Scott Herhold dedicates his space to musings over the Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins/Cindy Chavez shuffle at the South Bay Labor Council -- the impact to the Labor movement, to City Hall, and to local politics overall. (Herhold also mentions another Former Mayor in his piece...bringing the week's total of San Jose's Former Mayors mentioned on Watch Dog to 2, Former Mayoral Candidates remain at 3, and Current Mayors at 1.)

San Jose Inside/Metro’s Fly has been cruising Facebook (again) and found San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant's Chief of Staff, Jim Cogan, once again expressing an opinion in opposition to his boss. High on the list of all time best lines, Fly accuses Cogan of “performing rhetorical backflips” to explain his support of an anti-Internet filter group ‘Books Not Filters’. (There is no truth to the rumor that Constant is searching for his ball gag for Jim...)

San Jose Inside blogger/Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio blogs that those who “choose to live outside” (i.e., homeless) are here because San Jose is unable to put a border around itself. Tough talk for a guy with a guaranteed job…

The Merc’s Editorial Board puzzles over the "layoffs" at San Jose’s City Hall. Expect a loud (obvious) response from San Jose Revealed...

The San Jose Medical Center closed its doors in 2004, with neighbors in an uproar over the loss of a downtown hospital. The Merc’s Editorial Board lends its support to a Gardner Family Health Network urgent care facility to replace at least some of the medical services for San Jose’s growing downtown. A few obstacles lay in the path of making this real – most notably the former SJMC owner HCA who is not likely to support a competitor. (HCA also runs/owns Regional Medical Center...)

San Jose’s Elections Commission is irritated by the anonymity of a complaint against former Mayor/lobbyist Tom McEnery. (Former Mayor count is now at 3 for the week...) Chairman Fred de Funiak is irked that Commission rules allow for anonymous sources but is unwilling to change those rules in the middle of the McEnery complaint. Attorney James McManis points out the complaint is based on public information...

McManis is busy these days...

James McManis is pleased to see the end of the decade long gambling lawsuit. His client, Bay 101 and San Jose’s other gambling paradise, Garden City, will be able to remain open 24 hours. Gamblers must, however take a mandatory 4 hour bet-free break. One wonders exactly how that will be enforced…

San Jose Revealed uncovers the insecurities that San Jose struggles with: does anyone know the way to San Jose, does anyone really care? Revealed poses questions about San Jose’s political relevance both State- and nation-wide while wondering when San Jose Mayors will get press for something other than being a stiff, a philanderer, a criminal, or all three.

Saratoga Mayor Chuck Page calls it a victory in the making. The Council has asked staff to examine Saratoga's permitting process with an eye towards decreasing the number of eyes that have to review. Will Saratoga NIMBYs still be allowed to oppose permits?

Warning to anyone living near a Caltrain line: an improvement project will be keeping you up at night, at least temporarily. Eventually the rail grinding project will decrease the noise but for now anyone hoping to sleep between 10 pm and 4:30 am better get earplugs.

A suspicious package in Palo Alto down the street from a Jewish day school caused the school's evacuation. The make-shift package was made to look like a bomb and carried with it a menacing note...That is a scary story...

So is this...Sunnyvale as beach front property? The Pacific Institute has released a report identifying Alviso, along with hazardous dump sites, power plants, sewer plants, and communities around the Bay as being in danger as sea levels rise. Jim Wunderman, CEO of the Bay Area Council, recommends moving at high speed to resolve the problem. (Watch Dog San Mateo laments the possible loss of a blog-buddy during the rising tides...)

The City of Palo Alto and Stanford University don't always get along. Although neighbors and inextricably linked, land-use and taxes and traffic and housing cause all kinds of disputes. Take the proposed new hospital Stanford would like to build. Palo Alto is concerned about the impacts to roads, housing, etc. The City of Palo Alto and Stanford officials are set to meet to discuss the hospital and other Stanford-expansion projects in 3 days...in a thinly-veiled move to make the hospital look better to residents (and perhaps to the Palo Alto City Council as well) -- Stanford released a report yesterday pointing out that the hospital expansion would add $18 million in revenue to the City of Palo Alto...

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.11.09: "San Jose's Mayor, former Mayor, and three former Mayoral candidates walk into a bar..."

There was a lot of fast-breaking news yesterday. The two big stories involved the Current San Jose Mayor, a Former San Jose Mayor, and 3 Former San Jose Mayoral Candidates...(these folks are bolded for your reading pleasure...)

Former Mayoral Candidate Story 1:
The South Bay Labor Council broke the news that Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins would be moving to Oakland to head up Green For All a non-profit dedicated to building the green economy. Former Mayoral Candidate Cindy Chavez is taking over the helm of the South Bay Labor Council. This news has big political implications, but the roll-out of the news speaks a lot about who is covering and driving news in Silicon Valley these days:

Here’s a rundown of how the news broke.

• 9:39 a.m.: San Jose Revealed broke the news (hmmm...)
• 10:01 a.m.: Watch Dog caught the news from Revealed and published a brief piece
  
• 10:05 a.m.: KLIV broadcast the story, including props from Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce Leader/Former Mayor Candidate Pat Dando on the selection of former Councilmember Cindy Chavez as the new Labor leader...
• 11:19 a.m.: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal posted props from Congressman Mike Honda.
• 12:58 p.m.: The Merc finally caught up in the afternoon. To their credit it was a detailed story with a quote from Ellis-Lamkins that watching families earn more made “it worthwhile at 2 in the morning.”
• 1:25 p.m.: San Jose Inside’s The Fly (apparently) reads Revealed and congratulates themselves for predicting the departure of Ellis-Lamkins.
  

Former Mayor/Former Mayoral Candidate Story 2:
Former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer and Former Mayoral Candidate Michael Mulcahy are Co-Chairing the A's to San Jose Study Group. The San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee, Chaired by Current Mayor Chuck Reed will discuss baseball's prospects today. (That is different than Billy Beane discussing baseball prospects...) It’s unlikely that anyone on the Council will object, since Current Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmember Sam Liccardo first raised the issue, their colleagues “have practically been tripping over each other to demonstrate support” according to the Merc. We also re-welcome Baseball San Jose to the local blogosphere -- we like your look...

Mountain View’s City Council doesn’t share their neighbors' (Palo Alto) disdain for high speed rail. Councilmember Mike Kasperzak has asked Mountain View be considered for a station though he’s doubtful the State will agree. Councilmember Laura Macias said no to the request saying Mountain View didn’t have room for a station.

Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education is letting go 119 folks. The program serves 11,000 adults annually. I guess Watch Dog won’t be brushing up on those cooking skills after all…

The East Side Union High School Trustees will ditch 129 teachers, 116 staffers, charge $200/year/student for after-school sports, and ask students to raise $500,000 on their own. Superintendent Bob Nunez acknowledged the cuts will affect students and said “certain things just won’t get done anymore…” Like teaching?

Morgan Hill’s Ann Sobrato High School is raising the next generation of soil chemists, biologists, and agriculturists with the help of Cal Poly grads/teachers Myndi Muzik and Tanya Salo. Their enthusiasm and support have junior Tracey Salvador lusting for a career in floral design and sophomore Joey Cassibba heading to veterinary school. Muzik says her goal is teaching ag literacy which is critical when 2% of the population supports the other 98%.

Palo Alto business owners won’t easily accept the proposed business tax. Dozens of business owners showed up for a Finance Committee meeting to protest. Pat Sausedo, executive director of a local Realtors association, complained this was the wrong time to consider a tax. The Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce also took a stance against the proposal and called for a Task Force. Councilmembers Pat Burt and Larry Klein suggested a possible compromise was in the offing.

The Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits’ Patricia Gardner reports that only 7% of their 100 members are financially strong. More than half will be issuing pink slips and those who support the homeless and mentally ill are flooded with new clients.

San Jose Inside’s man-about-education, Santa Clara County Board of Education Member, Joseph DiSalvo, voices outrage that federal income guidelines aren’t indexed to the community. Welcome to the real world Joe...

The news from South County has reached San Jose. The new courthouse will be open in less than a month. Judge Edward Lee won’t miss their current digs which are filled with vermin of the 4 legged kind. Morgan Hill leaders are hoping the new digs are pedestrian friendly and everyone at the courthouse will schlep over to downtown to spend their hard earned dollars.

Khaled Hosseini’s family fled Afghanistan and landed in East San Jose when he was 15 and spoke no English. A year at Independence High paved the way for Hosseini to become a doctor and a celebrated author. Although Hosseini’s first novel, ‘The Kite Runner’ has been made into a movie and praised by renowned author Isabel Allende, Hosseini says it’s surreal to see his story come to life in a play in the town where his family lived on welfare.

Watch Dog note to Los Gatos Observer’s Dan Pulcrano – when you decide to publish news again let us know…