Morning News Round-Up -- 4.19.10: When in Munich...

The Sharks won game two... but lost game three in OT...

Speaking of Silicon Valley professional sports... The Merc's Editorial Board loves Measure J: "...The site near highways and rail is perfect for football, and Santa Clara is a well-run city that can capably handle this project..." So does the Merc's Scott Herhold, who says the 49ers' stadium makes sense, even if it didn't make cents... (Mission City Lantern is happy...)

This will make everyone at Protect San Jose very, very angry. (As if they weren't angry enough!) The Merc won a bunch of awards at the California Newspaper Publishers Association annual contest, and the stories that Sean Webby wrote about the use of force by the San Jose Police Department are now "award-winning stories by Sean Webby"...

Oh, and this: Sean Webby has a profile of LaDoris Cordell as she gets ready to move into the Independent Police Auditor's office in San Jose. We learn about her background, her time on the bench, her time in Palo Alto City Hall, and how she will approach the IPA job. We also get a choice quote from Councilmember Pete Constant, who along with the Mayor and Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio, voted against her appointment: "...I have concerns that her star power may overshadow the role of the IPA..." Because why would we want an Independent Police Auditor that is independent or that audits the police?

Patty Fisher of the Merc dives into the deep end with her column today criticizing the firefighters unions in Palo Alto and San Jose. And even calls out the San Jose firefighters union and their ideas to help close the budget deficit in the city: "...Their idea of concessions is to defer some vacation and their $495 annual uniform allowance. Hey heroes, let's get real..."

It was Sunday yesterday, which means the Merc's Internal Affairs is reason enough to get the paper... usually. This week we learned that San Jose Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio gets more girls without the beard, even if it is the NHL playoffs and that Dr. Phil is helping State Senator Leland Yee get a bill passed in Sacramento...

Who said that only Southern California could have a 3rd Street Promenade? Not Morgan Hill... their's opened up this weekend to much fanfare... at least a lot of fanfare for Morgan Hill...

There was a brutal attack during a home invasion in Gilroy on Tuesday. The two victims are still in the hospital and one is still in critical condition. Police think the home, and the victims, were targeted.

A group of musicians from Los Gatos High School had a great trip to Europe to play some concerts... on their way back home, they had a layover in Munich, which is where they have been since Friday because of the volcano in Iceland. Don't worry, they are having a great time in Germany and they are enjoying missing class too. Thank you Luftansa! Here is some advice for you high schoolers, from Rick Steves...

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.20.10: Rubber Boots Wednesday...

It is going to rain really, really hard today... in case you've been living under a very wet rock.

San Jose Inside has some good "deep-throat" sources in the Merc's newsroom, and those sources are prepared to dish about how they are being kept in the dark about the Merc owner's bankruptcy. Kudos for San Jose Inside's Fly for covering this story even though the Merc isn't...

Speaking of the Merc newsroom...

The Merc's Patty Fisher gives us a little insight into some grassroots watchdogs (NIMBYs) doing work on High Speed Rail... we also learn that Fisher lives near the tracks, which should probably disqualify her from writing further on the subject...

Los Gatos is knocking down some buildings and building an affordable housing apartment complex near downtown. (You did not misread the previous sentence.) Now Supervisorial Candidate/ Los Gatos Councilmember Mike Wasserman can claim to be an affordable-housing advocate... even in his own backyard.

In other Los Gatos news, retiring City Councilmember Steve Glickman is not riding off quietly into the sunset... in fact, he is being a pain in the ass to his Council colleagues and upsetting folks all over town -- according to the Los Gatos Observer. He is criculating two ballot initiatives (one for term limits and one for stopping the library reconstruction). In his own words, Glickman is "...kind of cleaning up some unfinished business..."

The Morgan Hill Times reporter Natalie Everett got assigned a great story... one that she probably never imagined in journalism school. She tested how difficult (not very) it would be to get a doctor's note and get medical marijuana from one of the local dispensaries... Her next assignment, describe how delicious In-and-Out Burger is.

Mission City Lantern criticized us yesterday for using the word fuck. We are all grown-ups Mr. Rowen, but I will try to stay away from using it... unless I get really, really pissed.

Morning News Round-Up -- 12.14.09: Reed Reforms Raise Ruckus...

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is either trying to “plug loopholes” or really piss off the South Bay Labor Council with proposed changes to San Jose’s ethics rules. Caught in the headlights (it would appear) are Councilmember Nora Campos’ husband (a registered lobbyist) and employees of the non-profit Working Partnerships. Reed shrugged saying “I’m not targeting political adversaries"... they just happen to be in the way… Where have we seen ethics rules used to target political adversaries? Hmmm...

But Mayor Reed isn't letting that controversy get in the way of work: Reed and Councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Madison Nguyen teamed up to help homeowners getting behind on the mortgage.

Between the $19 million gubernatorial wannabe Meg Whitman dumped into her campaign and the season of gifting, billionaire/GOP gubernatorial wannabe Steve Poizner may have been feeling a little left out. Before the end of the year Poizner aims to add $15 million of his own money to his "anemic" campaign. The battle of the billionaires is showing a different side of fiscal responsibility.

Sometimes, Watch Dog receives tips from far-flung places... like this: Tech blogger Danny Sullivan wonders how he landed on San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant's email list and sends the message “Stop Emailing Me…”. Sullivan goes on to giggle at Constant's email typos and his inability to clean up the "unsubscribe" list. But don't worry, Pete Constant posted his own comment on daggle.com to apologize...

Speaking of the Governor's race... (Apparently) Some of gubernatorial wannabe Steve Poizner’s cash is being used to pay bloggers dissing his opponent, Meg Whitman. Recently outed/ "anonymous" Sgt. York is looking for a new gig after being ditched for taking Poizner pennies. Perhaps Pete Constant should hand out some cash to bloggers and they won't bash his emails...

Controversy continues in the office of District Attorney Dolores Carr. Seems political friends/ staffers received promotions. Carr’s right-hand/ endorser Marc Bueller scoffed saying no one supporting Carr’s opponent, Jeff Rosen, had been demoted... that's one way of looking at it.

Los Altos’ Cira Nickerson is spending her money to provide bicycles to children in foster care.

The Merc’s Patty Fisher shares the love about start-ups with a heart. goodjoe puts artists and non-profits together for a little fundraising love and Silicon Valley Novel keeps the author a secret while raising a few bucks to give away.

The last hurrah of 2009 for government watch dogs -- thanks to the Merc.

• The Fremont Union High School District hears what went wrong with their November parcel tax along with budget woes.
• The Monte Sereno City Council inducts new/rotating Mayor Don Perry.
• The Mountain View-Los Altos High School District listens to the public and talks salaries.
• Parcel taxes are on the minds of the Palo Alto Unified School District Trustees as they consider an April ballot measure.
• San Jose’s Envision 2040 Task Force looks at transportation.
• Ethics and basketball are on tap for San Jose’s City Council.
• San Jose’s Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement has baseball on the mind and hopes you’ll be there for a “scoping” meeting.
• The 49ers are on tap in the Santa Clara City Hall as City Council considers a June ballot measure and costs for a special election – in light of news of a community driven ballot effort.
• The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors hears from the public on the purchase of the former San Jose Hospital.
• Trustees for the Santa Clara County Office of Education consider a memorandum of understanding to snag federal Race to the Top money.

Catching up with mild-mannered Protect San Jose…

• Blogger/mediator Kathleen Flynn calls on the pot to stop calling the kettle black and work together. Flynn questions reasons behind not listing “hate crimes… against our officers” not receiving the same respect as hate crimes against “LGBT people, religious groups and minorities.” Flynn points to a New York Post article blaming rap music, President Obama, Al Sharpton and others for officer deaths.
• Former San Jose Police Chief/Protect San Jose blogger Joseph McNamara argues San Jose’s City Council is endangering the public and police with “politically correct votes” while pointing to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for the deaths of 4 Tacoma, Washington police officers. It seems McNamara is receiving his talking points from Glenn Beck...
  

Morning News Round-Up -- 9.30.09: Take that, Arnold... love Harry

“Take that, Arnold,” is what Watch Dog assumes San Jose Redevelopment Director Harry Mavrogenes was saying when a Sacramento Superior Court Judge ruled the hand in the cookie jar had to go. At least for last year’s cookie raid. San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed didn’t sound hopeful San Jose’s stolen cookies would return “once the state has the money…”

Santa Clara County launched a reverse 911 to let you know about life-threatening emergencies. Kirsten Hofmann with the Office of Emergency Services wants your cell because, like you know, “… land lines are so yesterday.”

We’re not making fun, really. Palo Alto’s new Police Chief Dennis Burns wants to turn his officers into a team of learners. Hopefully they will learn from Burns, not former Police Chief Johnson.

Dig deep, the Sea Scout’s need your extra coin to complete renovations to the Palo Alto Baylands EcoCenter. For more information or to donate to the project, call Environmental Volunteers at 650-961-0545.

Republican Gubernatorial wanna be Meg Whitman finally ‘fessed up as to why she waited until she was 46 (2002) to register to vote after telling Republican conventioneers she’d been registered since 1998. And, why she only voted occasionally after 2002. It was hard.

The Merc’s Patty Fisher asks questions which haunt friends of battered victims. Kathleen Kreneck with Next Door hopes you respond, they’re trying to keep the doors open after the Governor took all funding away from domestic violence programs.

Palo Alto State Senator Joe Simitian is heading to D.C. – no, he hasn’t landed that coveted appointment or a seat in Congress (yet). Simitian is meeting with the feds to talk dollars for education.

What mid-week news round-up would be complete without a few tragedies…

• (former) Boy Scout leader David Adler is now a convicted sex offender after kiddie porn was found on his computer when he returned from the Philippines and London.
• (former) Silicon Valley engineer Cecil Cox is heading to prison for running killing 2 women as they crossed Stevens Creek Boulevard. The eagle eyes of a librarian led to Cox’ arrest.
• 3 teenagers were stabbed following a “likely gang related” melee at Mountain Views Community Center where a birthday party was taking place.

Protect San Jose’s number's geek opens with a dispute of former California Employment Development Director Michael Bernicks opinion that economic recovery follows recession and concludes with San Jose must include the public in budget discussions.

Life is tough when you’re a kid. San Jose Insider/ Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Joseph DiSalvo points out it’s even harder for kids in the LGBT community. DiSalvo argues for support and protection of LGBT youth and wonders how far we’ve come after attending the annual BAYMEC fundraiser.

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.19.09: "I coulda been a contenda..."

San Jose Inside’s Fly and Watch Dog both received email from San Jose Council contender Pam Foley saying that she’s no longer a contender. Foley say that when a “thoughtful, ethical, and committed” leader does jump into the race she might endorse. Ouch… Fly anticipates Redevelopment staffer/ Cambrian School Board member/ Rose Herrera (interim) Chief of Staff and (very handsome man) Donald Rocha could leap in to fill the gap. Foley could have been the chief contender...



Earthquakes/A’s owner Lew Wolff wants those soccer fans to show their colors but doesn’t “...give a damn...” what the fans say about the Quakes losing streak. Wolff’s soccer fans (apparently) aren’t ready to cough up the $5 million in annual sponsorship (yet).

Watch Dog loves garbage, it’s nice to see the Merc’s Patty Fisher joining us in the garbage buzz. Fisher is desperately trying to recycle Styrofoam – seems no one wants the flammable, carcinogen containing petroleum product. Perhaps Manny Diaz (a.k.a. Mr. Chemistry Council) has a place for it...

An interesting note about San Jose construction projects, the (over) $9 million cost overrun on San Jose’s police substation is one of hundreds of projects exceeding cost projections. Hundreds?
That sounds like great planning. Bobby Lopez is going to be really pissed now...

San Jose “made a lot of progress,” according to Sunshine Task Force Chair Ed Rast, letting the sun shine on communications but in critical areas calls for “…maintenance of the status quo…” Translation, most of the stuff City Council will make public through City law, is already public. Next up for discussion, ths psky txt msgs. San Jose Inside follows the texting drama and fills us in that the library now takes text queries. That will be good news for lobbyists who want to use the library...

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is looking forward to her Town Hall – sans healthcare. Eshoo has picked another thorny subject to keep constituents hopping – High Speed Rail. On the Peninsula, she may want to have a healthcare Town Hall...

The report card is in on California schools with the annual (dreaded) STAR report. Silicon Valley schools did slightly better than average. Morgan Hill and Gilroy are celebrating their “slight improvement.”

The least the nasty quagga and zebra mussels could do is make good eats. Instead, they’re a nasty pest keeping pissed off boaters cleaning, scrapping and out of Vasona Lake and Lexington Reservoir.

One step closer to a shared stadium? The 49ers and Oakland Raiders shared the scrimmage field for a work out for the second year.

San Jose (perv) dentist Benva Oshana Lazar keeps his dental practice going while Santa Clara County prosecutors look for more victims of Lazar’s special teeth cleaning/breast exams. If your teeth weren’t the only ones touched give San Jose Police Detective Dawn Marchetti a call at 408-277-4102.

The heat is on in San Jose this weekend. No, no one is calling out the City Council’s (mock) Sunshine. According to the Merc’s Sal Pizarro, it’s the time of year for Salsa to reign. Pizarro also dishes San Jose’s City Hall introduction to Bollywood has hit the big screen in Santa Clara.

San Jose Insider/Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Joseph DiSalvo “reluctantly” celebrates infusion of $2 million Federal stimulus bucks into the district.

Protect San Jose Tuesday blogger/ Sunshine Chair Ed Rast takes a stab at promoting performance service objectives for San Jose, pointing to Sunnyvale as a leader.

Monring News Round-Up -- 5.27.09: Post Supreme (Courts) Edition...

The day after Supreme (Courts) Tuesday (Prop 8 upheld/Sotomayor)... Watch Dog stays local...

Following the firefighters lead, Palo Alto Police Officers have given themselves a pay freeze, saving Palo Alto $800,000. Vice Mayor Jack Morton, last month calling police and firefighters “extremely wealthy and overpaid,” tried to make amends by saying he’d never doubted the police would “step up.”

Which goes hand-in-hand with this story...

San Jose Councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Pete Constant asked their colleagues to take a pay cut and ditch the $600/month (?) car allowance as the Council asks everyone else to take a hit too. Councilmember Nora Campos wants to see double-dipper (disability/salary) Pete Constant take a bigger cut saying “anything less would be hypocritical.” Ouch. To check San Jose City employee salaries, check this out.

The Envision San Jose 2040 Task Force sent a hands off message to developers eagerly anticipating development in Coyote Valley. Task Force Co-Chair/Councilmember Sam Liccardo said the next Task Force could revisit the need for build out, but for now, there was “no surge of need.”

Two “plucky” San Jose teens have been awarded Horatio Alger California State Scholarships. A big Watch Dog bark-out to Vicky D. Nguyen of Lincoln High and Abel Lujan of Independence High, both in San Jose for making the grade. Perhaps they can put their brains toward solving the State's budget mess?

Deputy District Attorney James Leonard was on fire during closing arguments in the trial of Todd Burpee for the vicious attack on a young Jane Doe. Leonard used fetishist images from Burpee’s computer along with DNA and other circumstantial evidence to lay the foundation for conviction – he hopes.

The Merc’s business writer, Chris O’Brien, takes the Craigslist killer tragedy and turns it into a discussion about the world’s oldest profession. This should make San Jose Revealed happy... or not.

Speaking of the world's oldest profession...

Morgan Hill’s City Council is poised for a temporary moratorium on massage parlors while they figure out the impact of a new State law. Police Chief Bruce Cumming reports two local parlors are alleged to provide sex acts. The City also shut one down last year.

Someone screwed up at a Gilroy Girl Scouts' e-waste collection this past weekend. Perhaps they were high... you see, when the dropped off a microwave they forgot to take their pot out. It is not true that the Gilroy Girl Scouts will be selling pot brownies next cookie season...

Mountain View’s City Council was pissed to learn they were being asked to cough up more dollars than any other Silicon Valley city for the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County. In the end, Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga abstained, Councilmembers Jac Siegel and Laura Macias voted no, and the Trust walked out with half the expected dollars.

Guerilla/Gorilla Artist Harry P. Rymate met up with the Merc’s Patty Fisher in the back yard of a suburban tract home, far from New York’s avant garde SoHo district. Geography aside, the mysterious artist sprinkles his creations around San Jose’s Coyote Valley for viewing before art lover/thieves take the work home.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino and wife, Leslee, went about adopting a new baby with a Silicon Valley twist. The Merc’s Sal Pizarro covers the techie search for baby Sienna while sharing the news that NBC11’s Brent Cannon and Laura Garcia-Cannon along with 1stAct Silicon Valley’s Tamara Alvarado and Julian Peeples also brought new babies to Silicon Valley. In a whole family theme, Pizarro rounds out the story with news KPIX-TV’s Len Ramierez was awarded the Ruben Salazar Journalism Award.

Silicon Valley Newsroom/San Jose Inside follows the story of San Jose police shooting Daniel Pham with police not releasing the 911 recording. More interesting, and scary, are the comments decrying the Merc and Metro for creating controversy. Creating controversy? Really?

San Jose Revealed weighs in on a multitude of issues… but most interesting they pick a new nickname for Councilmember Pete Constant...

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.9.09: Pink Slip Week...

This Morning News Round-Up delay is brought to you by Daylight Savings Time...
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Watch Dog has said it before: things just keep getting worse for San Jose’s Police Department. Turns out PD kept disagreements over fingerprint identifications to themselves. Michael Kresser, Director of the Sixth District Appellate Program was dismayed the law enforcement agency blithely broke the law. Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney David Angel got little support from his own office and encountered resistance from SJPD when he tried to correct the problem.

Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga wonders what the City’s rainy day fund is for if not to address the immediate fiscal crisis. Finance Director Patty Kong confirms the City has $37 million set aside that could be used for a budget emergencies, but warns that without budget cuts Mountain View could face a $20 million shortfall in ten years. (On an unrelated note, Mayor Abe-Koga is a sought-after endorsement, apparently. A candidate for San Mateo City Council received her thumbs up recently as reported on Watch Dog San Mateo.)

Like everyone else, the City of San Jose is facing dire times and let go 28 from their Planning Department – except, they didn’t really. All but two landed other jobs within the City. Neighborhood activist/accountant/resident-grinch Ed Rast wonders how the faux layoffs saved the City money.

San Jose’s Redevelopment Agency’s Kip Harkness has been quietly negotiating to bring an urgent care facility downtown after the Hospital Corporation of American (HCA) closed the San Jose Medical Center. The grim economy seems to have a silver lining in that the land is now affordable enough for the Gardner Health Clinic to take over. It’s certainly not a done deal but, San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo believes they are close.

The Department of Alcohol and Drug Services (DADS) is struggling to resolve a $230 million shortfall. DADS Director Bob Garner doesn’t want to end services, saying the County either pays a little through DADS or a lot with more folks heading to jail, child welfare, and hospitals.

Throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, the FBI raided homes early Sunday morning arresting 42 gangmembers calling themselves “The Taliban.” The Fed’s, working with local police, picked up enough weapons, drugs, and money to fuel a small country. Officials acknowledged that while these bad guys are going away it could make room for others to move in, they vow to remain vigilant.

East Side’s Superintendent Bob Nunez moved Tuesday’s meeting to the gym at Independence High in anticipation of a large (angry) crowd of parents and students. Maybe after they hear he won’t be shutting down swimming – at least for now – they’ll ease up. Board President Patricia Martinez-Roach thinks pool maintenance is unreasonable but is hoping a fundraising committee can raise $1 million with a 5k run/2k walk. Good luck with that.

Supervisor George Shirakawa, Jr.’s cozy lobbying of officials from the Raiders and Niners is pissing off County Assessor Larry Stone. The Assessor has been having his own meetings and stands by Santa Clara as the ideal location for. Shirakawa staffer Andrea Flores-Shelton dismisses the irritation saying Grand Poobah supports Stone’s plan but says the fairgrounds are “an ideal backup plan.”

The Merc’s Editorial Board takes time to remind San Jose Councilmembers that it’s more helpful to work together if they really want the A’s to move on down. After the Fremont meltdown, Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmember Sam Liccardo expressed interest in meeting with A’s/Earthquakes owner Lew Wolff. Councilmember Nora Campos, excited about the possibility of being in the Major Leagues, shot off proposals for meetings, a poll, and having staff start negotiations with the League over territories. Wolff, no doubt flattered by the San Jose giddiness, reminded everyone that negotiating with the MLB Commissioner was his job, not their's...

Palo Alto businesses are the only ones in Santa Clara County that don’t pay a business tax, but that could end if the City Council (and voters) agree. Councilmember Larry Klein says he sees two sides of the argument – thus proving politicians can successfully be indecisive making no one happy. The economic crisis is driving City staff to make the proposal, City Manager Jim Keene points out the ballot measure wouldn’t show up until November. Apparently Mr. Keene believes the economic crisis will be long gone by then...

Four years of construction delays and a possible $15 million cost overrun but the County’s new Morgan Hill courthouse will open next month. Supervisor Don Gage looks forward to having the new facility online to handle everything from traffic to criminal cases.

The Gilroy math teacher, Alberto Gomez Vicuna, Jr., who raped a 14 year old girl was in court Friday. Vicuna met the girl, and 100 others, while posing as a 15 year old boy on an online social networking site, Tagged.com. If you have additional information on this case, you can call Detective Kendra Nunes or Detective Sgt. Randy Schriefer of the San Jose Police Department's Child Exploitation Detail at 408/277-4102.

Mountain View’s Alvaro Urbina is getting props from McDonald’s and the Merc’s Patty Fisher. Urbina is giddy after being named as one of McDonald’s top 1% of restaurant managers. Urbina arrived in East Palo Alto as a 13 year old who spoke no English and joined a gang. He took a job sweeping the floor at McDonald’s, and, as they say, the rest is history. Congratulations, Alvaro Urbina. Oh, Watch Dog note, McDonald’s is one of the few whose stock prices are rising. I guess Wall Street must read Patty Fisher...

Silicon Valley’s Raging Grannies made it to the big screen. Mountain View documentary filmmaker/director/producer Pam Walton followed the Grannies to create ‘Raging Grannies: The Action League.’

A quick review of what's on tap for our elected officials this week:

• Tonight San Jose’s Envision San Jose 2040 Task Force will discuss scenarios for future job and housing growth...
• On Tuesday, San Jose’s City Council will talk sidewalk cafés: make them permanent or let them disappear. Also on tap, raising the hotel occupancy tax...
• San Jose’s Elections Commission will weigh next steps in the pending complaint filed against the San José Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce's Political Action Committee over mailers in the 2006 mayor's race and discuss a request from former Mayor/lobbyist Tom McEnery, to reconsider procedures for the filing of anonymous complaints. I guess if you don't like the rules, try to change them...If you don't like the rules, try to change them...
• East Side Union High School Trustees will consider eliminating about 120 teaching and support-staff jobs, as well as a proposal to fund and continue after-school athletics...and
• The Mountain View-Los Altos High School Board will consider issuing preliminary layoff notices for 2009-10...and
• The Los Gatos Union School Board will consider reducing 7.4 full-time-equivalent positions...and
• The ever exciting Alum Rock School board will consider issuing preliminary layoff notices to administrators and support staff...and
• On Thursday the Campbell Union board will consider a contract with the union representing support staff...and
• Santa Clara Unified School District Trustees will consider approving a lease for Curtis Middle School, cutting adult ed staff, and a possible May parcel tax...and
• Speaking of pink slips and layoffs at schools, check this out...

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.23.09: Never a dull day in the DA's office...or at San Jose City Hall

Life at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office gets better and better. Last year, Prosecutor Marc Buller accused a Valley Medical Center nurse of lying about the existence of medical exam videotapes. This year, District Attorney Dolores Carr said she would release the tapes which could put sexual predators back on the street (from trials as long as 17 years ago). The hubbub isn’t over yet. Carr accuses VMC’s Dr. David Kerns of causing the problem for not "… consulting the District Attorney's Office," while defense attorney Lawrence Gibbs says the DA’s office still has a legal problem because they knew the tapes existed. In legal terms, it looks as if the circumstantial evidence is mounting...this time, against the Prosecutors...

Questions are swirling, legal action is in the works, and Councilmembers are snapping at each other...but it looks like the San Pedro Urban Market (a.k.a. The McEnery Plan) will move forward this week. Former Mayor/registered lobbyist Tom McEnery hopes to open a public market in 2010 with $6 million in grants and loans from San Jose. Councilmember Nora Campos has launched a new (potential Brown Act violation) salvo saying she received a voicemail message from her colleague Sam Liccardo who hoped she would set aside partisan politics during the plan's initial consideration...Interesting how Campos didn't bring this up when her opposition to the plan failed to kill it. Perhaps she hopes it will now?

Armageddon is how the California Transit Association describes the outcome from the (long-delayed) budget resolution in Sacramento. VTA alone is facing cuts of $50 million. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission does not see any BART to San Jose dollars coming from their pockets, so local hopes are pinned on Federal stimulus dollars.

San Jose’s (one-school) Luther Burbank School District received a mild slap when a long-awaited second audit was released a year after it was ordered. Fernando Elizondo, the District's Interim Superintendent said, "We need to eliminate the sloppiness and tighten down the ship." You'd think keeping track of money and running a tight ship would be easier when a District only has one school...but perhaps not...

Fremont residents squawked loudly about the "Fremont" A's. So loudly, in fact, that the plan seems close to dead. The neighborhood grumpiness (and NUMMI's grumpiness) is causing Oakland A’s owner Lew Wolff to rethink his plans to move to Fremont. San Jose A's?

Joint Venture: Silicon Valley announced the formation of the Silicon Valley Climate Prosperity Council on Friday with San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed at the helm. The Merc’s Editorial Board celebrates Silicon Valley’s new color saying, “A green agenda crossing city lines and promoted by private and public sector leaders can put Silicon Valley in a better position to recover.”

The Merc.'s Mr. Roadshow/Gary Richards let readers cut loose on angry man Grant Paulson who grumpily attacks Senator Joe Simitian’s cell phone law via a well-viewed billboard on 101. Our sister blog, Watch Dog San Mateo has more on the East Palo Alto billboard.

Speaking of Watch Dog San Mateo...

Ah, lifestyles of the rich and famous…the Merc’s Patty Fisher fills us in…Sun Microsystems Scott McNeely sheepishly admitted he hadn’t bothered getting permission before building his private, blimp-like ice rink in the hillsides above Palo Alto. It looks like Ms. Fisher reads Watch Dog San Mateo, because they wrote a (really funny) piece about the ice rink last week...

The Merc.'s Internal Affairs caught Mount Pleasant School District Superintendent George Perez hopping mad. Perez cut loose about the recently approved budget saying, "It's a crime and a sin what they are doing to public education.”

Hunger striker/freedom fighter Ly Tong has turned up in Orange County splattering red paint on a photo exhibit. He really sounds like a swell guy.

On tap for local elected officials this week:

• San Jose’s City Council will consider ordering nightclub owners to help pay for the Police and try to make downtown more inviting.
• Sunnyvale’s City Council will revise the ethics code for elected and appointed officials, taking away a Board Chair’s ability to punish said officials and making sure Councilmembers know they have to listen to public speakers. Really?
• Mountain View’s City Council will hear a midyear budget report on Tuesday. That should be fun...
• Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Subcommittee on Children, Seniors, and Families will talk about the changing child welfare system Thursday. The passage of the State budget should be helpful to that cause...except it isn't...
  
• Fremont Union High School District Trustees will hear a budget update and consider setting a cap on enrollment on Tuesday.
  
• San Jose Unified School District will attempt to figure out who to fire to make next years budget.

San Jose Inside's Editor voices support for beleaguered San Jose Councilmember Madison Nguyen and calls for a no vote on the recall. Inside points out Nguyen’s mistake was one of judgment...like she misjudged that this Little Saigon thing would be a big deal, she misjudged that her opponents would rally at City Hall for months, she misjudged that her opponents would get enough signatures to recall her...let's hope she doesn't misjudge the campaign her opponents are running...

Watch Dog note to Los Gatos Observer: How about some news? Or at (the very least) some more frequent Tweets...