Morning News Round-Up -- 6.1.09: Football season begins early...

It is almost professional football season... at least in Santa Clara it is. The Merc’s Editorial Board offers an opinion on the (Santa Clara) 49ers – let the voters chime in. Santa Clara Unified School District Superintendent Steve Stavis is on board and sent a note to Mayor Patricia Mahan that included mention of $141 million for schools if the 49ers make their new home here… At the same time, Santa Clara City Manager Jennifer Sparacino says the proposed stadium will result in “excellent economic development.”

Calling San Jose Police Chief Rob Davis’ “just say no” policy to public requests for the 911 tapes “inflexible” the Merc’s Editorial Board also says it's bad policy. They call on the Chief to release the tapes from the death of Daniel Pham. Very Herholdian of the Editorial Board...

The economic meltdown could bring benefits to San Jose development projects. Councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Nora Campos are teaming up to support lowered fees for Mesa Development’s 360 Residences. According to Campos the biggest risk is “failing to support projects” ready for prime time.

The Campos Crew was elsewhere in the news over the weekend too...

• Mr. Insurance, otherwise known as Assemblymember Joe Coto, is handing his lucrative reins to San Jose Councilmember Nora Campos. According to the Merc’s Internal Affairs, Campos should officially announce that she is running for Assembly today. San Jose Revealed dished last week on the (un)surprising news…
• Councilmemer Nora Campos’ brother Planning Commissioner/Council hopeful Xavier Campos’ involvement in multiple “scandalous” events.
  

Assemblymember Joe Coto is focusing his legislation on the hyper-local. Legislation changing elections for the Santa Clara Valley Water District is on tap for Assemblymembers. Water District Director Rosemary Kamei calls it a good idea and says it will ensure South County of representation.

The Merc’s Man About Town, Sal Pizarro, didn’t offer to help the Institute of Contemporary Art’s Cathy Kimball with her dunk tank. But, he does ask you to offer names for the ICA’s buck a dunk fun during the SubZero Festival… Pizarro hopes you’ll head to the Fairmont for dinner with Cisco’s John Chambers and (former) Foothill-DeAnza Chancellor/D.C.-bound Martha Kanter.

San Jose brothers Kulbir and Amirtpal Dhaliwal walk away with $900,000, Carlos Sousa, Jr. and Tatiana lost their lives. The Merc’s Scott Herhold says the boys aren’t angels but the San Francisco Zoo got off easy.

Mountain View Police ended a Shoreline concert early when fighting broke out and 6 people were stabbed. None of the victims appears to have life threatening injuries.

The perv following sisters on their way to school was busted. Seems Armando Sanchez is already a convicted sex offender.

And the understatement of the day... schools in Mountain View and Los Altos didn’t do too badly in the states new API rankings.

San Jose Inside gets a giggle out of a Tesla recall…

Here to inform, the Merc’s Government Watch…

• The budget is top news for City Councils in Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, along with Fremont Union High School, Palo Alto Unified School District, and San Jose Unified School District
• Milpitas Councilmembers discuss a proposal from Vice Mayor Pete McHugh for an un-layoff of full-time City employees.
• San Jose’s City Council considers keeping/cutting their pay and hears recommendations from the (decimated) Drunk Task Force.
• San Jose’s Rules and Open Government Committee talks to the Merc about release of the Daniel Pham/911 tapes.
• Santa Clara County Office of Education talks school safety and charter schools.

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.18.09: Blog + Romance = Blogmance...

Before we get to the Round-Up, we want to assure readers that our blogmance (blog+romance=blogmance) with San Jose Revealed will not die, no matter where we cross-post. We know you are concerned Revealed, but our blogmance is long-term...unlike Brody and Spencer...as a hat-tip to you San Jose Revealed, you are Rounded-Up first today:

San Jose Revealed yesterday tweaked the Merc.’s Scott Herhold for missing the point of Assistant DA Ben Field’s punishment. (Revealed and Watch Dog are bloggers-in-arms as far as Herhold is concerned...). In addition to the Herhold bashing, yesterday Revealed also:

• Celebrated the Merc.’s support of Councilmember Campos’ drunk records request,
• Lamented nearly missing the news that the Chamber of Commerce could get fined for 2006 campaign challenges, and
• Pointed out that San Jose made the headlines of the New York Times (in not-such-a-good way)...

The blogmance continues...

Now to less important news...

Senator Abel Maldonado may regret how long he’s been toying with his Democratic colleagues (and the Governor and voters). Around midnight last night, Republicans ousted their leader, Senator Dave Cogdill. Sort of a late-night coup d'etat. A visibly upset Maldonado said, “I just can't believe in the middle of the night we would oust our leader." Senators (and Assemblymembers and the Governor and everyone else in the State) face a continued lock-down until some compromise is found. (Our very own) Senator Elaine Alquist is ready saying, "I've got my jammies, they're up in my office right now, and I have my toothbrush and toothpaste." (Perhaps she could go down the hall and grab a blanket from Assemblymember Coto.) Meanwhile, the Governor is set to layoff thousands.

In Morgan Hill’s elementary schools, kids are now given healthy choices for meals. This change has some unexpected benefits, there’s less trash after lunchtime and kids are more excited about lunch. The parents of Shae Urbina (and the aforementioned broccoli-grower/Senator Abel Maldonado) must be proud, their daughter said, “I heart broccoli…it gives me lots of vitamins and helps me stay healthy.” All parents can thank the District’s Director of Student Nutrition Scott McMillan for making the kid friendly changes.

Every recession has seen it and now it’s openly discussed: more men than women are laid off. Terry Bacon, whose husband was laid off from HP after 11 years, said “women are still underpaid.” The Bay Area Mr. Moms might not be helping with the paycheck but it seems their families are happy. Greg Hobbs was laid off during the dot com bust and says becoming a full-time Mr. Mom was good for their family, "With both of us working and three kids at home, we realized there was a void in our family by not having a parent at home, helping get them involved in extracurricular activities." (Perhaps this is the next career for the aforementioned former Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill...)

The Mountain View–Los Altos High School District is considering a “Green” bond to pay for $14 million in solar panels and possibly energy efficient pools. The District is looking at 2010 to put the measure on the ballot – no doubt hoping the economy has stopped pummeling taxpayers by then.

The Merc.’s Ann Killion is in full cycling-mode with the Amgen Tour of California, drenched though she may be. Control freak/super competitor/cycling phenom Lance Armstrong suffered another crash Tuesday, this time with teammate (and Californian) Levi Leipheimer. Killion had the chance to ask Armstrong how he stays motivated on wet, rainy days. Armstrong responded with a smile saying, "I always assume that around the corner, it's going to be sunny and warm." San Jose Inside has some nice photos from the San Jose leg with the wet racers.

San Jose Inside blogger/Santa Clara County Office of Education Trustee Joseph DiSalvo recommends Palo Alto Superintendent Kevin Skelly could learn a few things from pilot/hero Captain Sullenberger. It would seem DiSalvo doesn’t share Skelly’s belief that some Palo Alto kids are handicapped from the start. For more info abo ut Skelly's bone-headed comments, take a look at Palo Alto Weekly's comment section...