Morning News Round-Up -- 5.19.10: a very peloton Wednesday to you all...

The good news is that Patrick Marleau had two goals last night for the Sharks... the bad news is that the Chicago Blackhawks had 4... Deja vu?

Speaking of deja vu... Commie Gate turned into LA Gate yesterday... Remember the mailers that were sent out against San Jose City Council candidate Magdalena Carrasco last week calling her a communist. According to the latest fake mailer, she is also part of an evil plot to bring LA to SJ. Watch Dog has to wonder, the folks that are lined up against Carrasco, which is it? Is she a communist or an LA-o-phile? Either way, the story continues... and the bigger question remains, who is going to get caught for doing this. Watch Dog can assure you: We didn't work for candidate George Shirakawa's campaign in 2008 and our office has nothing to do with this mailer against Carrasco...

And by the way, Mr./Ms. Author of this stupid mail piece, we have traffic, gangs, and smog already in San Jose...

Perhaps the Sharks management doesn't have their eye on the ball... because they are still fighting San Jose's plans to bring Major League Baseball across the street from the arena... and it is an uphill battle because the Planning Commission is slated to approve the environmental impact report on the stadium tonight. Perhaps the Sharks management have other things to worry about? Like stopping playoff history (the curse) in its tracks...

As if the San Jose City Council wasn't rolling over enough to keep the San Jose card rooms in San Jose (Measure K = More tables)... they are going the extra mile. And it is a big extra mile. Garden City is moving right next to 101 to create the San Jose Strip near the airport, including a 600 room hotel... with full support from the City Council.

The Merc Editorial Board gives some props to the San Jose unions who put forward a plan to help with the budget... it isn't enough, but it is a good start -- according to the folks on Ridder Park Drive...

And the budget challenges in Los Gatos seem to be managable, or perhaps they have a more fiscally prudent, cooperative City Council. Either way, their budget plan moved forward yesterday... Watch Dog loves this, the libraries take a hit in the plan, they will still be open 7 days, but only 50 hours, not 54. Perhaps San Jose could run a shuttle from their closed libraries to Los Gatos' open ones...

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.8.10: Full body scanner...

Is Steve Poizner now the most pathetic politician in California? He is trying to sell himself as another person with his initials: Sarah Palin. Can you imagine a conversation between the two?

Poizner: Governor Palin? It's Steve Poizner from California

Palin: Ah shucks Steve, we have the same darn initials, don't we.

Poizner: Yes ma'am, I guess we do, but I'm calling to see if you'd consider endorsing my candidacy?

Palin: Are you calling because we have the same initials?

Poizner: No ma'am, I am the true conservative in the race and I thought you'd like that.

Palin: SP endorses SP... that would be a cool headline. Do you like guns?

Poizner: I didn't use to, but I kind of do now.

Palin: Are you pro-life?

Poizner: I wasn't, but I can be if it helps.

Palin: Have you read my book?

Poizner: I did.

Palin: Did that ebay chick?

Poizner: I don't think so...

Even though they can't seem to pay for their grand opening, once SJC does open its new doors, there will be full body scanners greeting you.

Speaking of Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio...

Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio will get his day in the sunshine this week when his idea to get affordable housing developers to pay park fees, which they haven't had to do before in San Jose. They haven't done so because it was seen as a burden to pitch in for parks (or build parks) for affordable housing developers in the past, but money is money and parks are parks and Oliverio has been pit-bullish on this...

Perhaps affordable housing developers can also pay to keep The Rep afloat... because nothing else has seemed to work. This could be it for the theatre...

Is downtown Palo Alto the center of the (incredibly whacky) "open carry" movement? Before you write something edgy in response to this story online or on Facebook, remember what happened to the East Palo Alto Police Officer who did... We wonder if the open carry folks are smart enough to realize that Palo Alto is different than East Palo Alto...

Don't worry too much, because Palo Alto is also where Dr. Phil will be shooting... not guns, but a television show. But City officials are asking Dr. Phil not to focus too much on Palo Alto's string of teen suicides.

Voters in Los Gatos will be going to the ballot to vote on a $3.9 million school bond. $3.9 million? Isn't that the same as the average home price in Los Gatos?

Would you be surprised to know that Senator Joe Simitian scored a $3,183.20 trip to Boca Raton Florida from a special interest? We were. (Would you actually pay to spend time with Simitian?) The special interest group is the Soap and Detergent Association, which may seem squeeky clean, but I'm sure the good folks at the water treatment plants feel a little differently.

And Simitian's friends at the Soap and Detergent Association won't be able to text the Senator if a new bill passes the Legislature. Sort of a San Jose-like ordinance for Sacramento. To the bill, the Merc Ed Board says: OMG TY...

Internal Affairs is really getting into the San Jose District 9 race... did you know that Jim Cogan and Don Rocha played on the same basketball team? It gets better: Jim thinks Don was a ball hog. At least the issues are getting a fully hearing in this race. Perhaps a one-on-one game would be in order? "You and me. One-on-one. The winner gets Judy's office..."

The good folks at the Morgan Hill Times take a look at the story after the story about the Hollister-born Pentagon shooter.

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.12.10: We hardly knew you Rosemary...

Abel Maldonado was nominated by Governor Schwarzenegger to be the next Lieutenant Governor... unfortunately, he didn't get 41 votes in the State Assembly to make it so... he did get a majority -- 37 to 35. So the Governor is going to swear him on February 23rd which is about to set off a legal battle in Sacramento. This entire episode is going to make everyone look even stupider than they already do in Sacramento, which is not easy.

There was the first (in what will be a long list of) candidates' forum in District 5 in San Jose last night in the race to replace Councilmember Nora Campos. The candidates there were Xavier Campos, Manuel Hererra, Aaron Resendez, and Magdalena Carrasco. The filing deadline hasn't even passed for the race, so we'll see how things shake out. Were there any Watch Dogs there that have any inside scoop about how the forum went?

Just as candidates were talking about how to address issues in East San Jose a 15 year old was stabbed to death 2 miles away.

Rosemary Kamei, we hardly knew you. You may recognize the name -- she is on the Water Board and was a candidate in the Supervisor's race to replace Don Gage. Unfortunately, she was one of the people that couldn't raise any money in the crowded field with Teresa Alvarado, Forrest Williams, Mike Wasserman, and Peter Arellano. Leaving the race she is endorsing Forrest Williams, which is ironic because leaving the race actually hurts Williams and helps Alvarado... it's funny how politics work...

We aren't sure we re-wrote about this story earlier in the week, but ex-Superintendent Bob Nunez showed up at a special East Side Union High School District Board meeting and blasted the current Board after his name had been more or less cleared in an audit conducted by the County Office of Education. The County's audit put the blame for screwed up stuff in the District squarely on the School Board...

Silicon Valley is at risk. Silicon Valley is at risk. So says the Joint Venture Silicon Valley index...

Los Gatos is so much like San Francisco... they banned panhandling in traffic medians... we guess making the car payments on the BMW makes people do desperate things...

County Superior Court Judge Lucy Koh's nomination in being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee so her confirmation could be close... if the weather ever lets up in DC. Which would mean there could be an addition race for judge in the County this year -- in addition to the 3 that are lining up right now.

(Really) dirty dancing at Ann Sobrato High School?

Finally, from the blogosphere...

Kathleen Flynn over on Protect San Jose has some strong words to politicians and their supporters using victims' families for political purposes. Of course, this means that Kathleen probably forgot that she has invoked victims and their families in blog comments supporting JimCogan's run for Distrit 9 San Jose City Council. (Thank you City Hall Watch Dogger...)

"...was willing to give up his Saturday plans with his family to come support the family of a murder victim, as well as, gave a wonderful, caring speech during a rally at the peace march for Vahid Hosseini..."

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.22.10: More pot for Spicoli?

Storm, storm, storm... but drought not over... power out because of storm... etc., etc., etc....

The 49ers are headed for the ballot in June. Their ballot initiative qualified and the Santa Clara City Council placed it on the ballot. Good things the football playoffs aren't distracting anyone in the 49ers' organization from their pending political efforts.

Let's hope this press clip doesn't land in San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed's morning reading... or Harry's... or Krutko's... Tesla got its $465 million for their facility in Palo Alto. Ouch.

The Merc Editorial Board gives props to the (likely to be passed) Sunshine enhancement in San Jose that will include texts and personal emails. But the Ed Board can't resist taking this shot first: "...San Jose's mayor and City Council have resisted sunshine reforms for police records..."

The State Supreme Court struck down limits on how much medical marijuana patients and

caregivers can have for medical purposes. A ruling that will make Jeff Spicoli's day, but make the Morgan Hill and San Jose City Councils extremely angry and anxious. You know what can help cure anger and anxiety?

This story will make the San Jose Police Officers' Association a little angry and anxious... a City Auditor's report found that some Police Department desk jobs could be done by civilians rather than sworn officers. The City Council will take up the Auditor's report on February 2nd. Protect San Jose will (probably) take up the issue before that.

Speaking of Auditors and Police... San Jose Inside reports that Chris Constantin is leaving town and heading to San Diego. After being named, then un-named, as the City of San Jose's "Independent" Police Auditor, his stock sank (unfairly) locally. Unfairly because it was some other highly-placed peoples' lack of judgement that got him canned before he could actually get hired. Constantin is headed to San Diego to be the City's Deputy City Auditor. Good bye and good luck.

Yesterday we wrote that Tom Campbell woke up happy in Almaden Valley because the Governor's race which he left got more expensive right after he moved up in the ballot to the Senate race. (We got several wise-ass emails noting that everyone in Almaden Valley is required to wake up happy, it is in the deeds to their homes...) But the truth is that Tom Campbell will wake up even happier today when he checks the news on his HP computer. That's because he is leading the Republican field according to a new poll... and he is the Number 1 Republican contender to take on Senator Barbara "I heart the Oakland A's" Boxer...

Those poll results are being spun by Fiorina's team apparently. Politicon Valley has their press statement where Fiorina spins these results as positive for her camp (she's a strong candidate in the Primary and General) and opens up lines of attack on Campbell (career politician and worked in Sacramento recently). The best comes at the end of Fiorina's press person's statement: "...we expect his number to fall fast -- just like Martha Coakley's in Massachusetts..." Yes, because Carly Fiorina will be the Tea Party Candidate in this race...

Speaking of the increasingly expensive Governor's race, Steve Poizner criticized Meg Whitman's latest influx of $20 million bucks. Poizner says that Whitman is trying to buy the Governor's race... He did not say, "It isn't fair, I was going to try the Governor's race just like I bought the Insurance Commissioners office." Pot, kettle, black, irony... lots of zeros...

Hey, here's some positive news (with a downside)... home prices are up and so are sales. That's great as an economic indicator, bad if you've been saving up... Which makes this story sort of bad timing... or good timing, depending on how you look at it. The City of Mountain View is about to offer City employees $100,000 loans to buy a house in Mountain View.

Light Rail to Los Gatos? Maybe.

And while we are on rails... If State Senator Joe Simitian hosts it, anti-High Speed Rail people will come... that was the scene last night in Palo Alto when hundreds showed up to have their voices heard, or at least have their heads counted...

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 -- 1.14.10: Nothing Snarky to Write Here...

The Oakland A's desire to move to San Jose continue to light up the sports/blog/news world. Here are a few samples... from the Tri-Valley Herald, and editorial about the NUMMI site as a possibility, pointing out this: "...Ironically, it was the NUMMI plant and Toyota that helped torpedo Fremont's last pitch to the A's for a new ballpark..." And a story from USA Today, includes this gem of a quote from A's owner Lew Wolff: "It is like we are bing held hostage... We tried to make it work in Oakland. We exhausted everything we could in our area. It can't work. For us to compete, we've got to have revenue, and for us to get revenue we have to move to San Jose. It's that simple."

Andrew King, the swim coach/molester, will face his victims in court...

Here's another heartwarming story... a San Jose woman's car was repossessed because she was late with her payments. Ok, that happens all the time. But her 2-year old son was in the car. Oops.

The Mercury News Editorial board comments (positively) on the Tom Campbell political switcheroo (from Guv's race to Senate race)... The Editorial board also chimes in (positively) on Google's pulling out of China. A very positive day on Ridder Park Drive...

Nothing is easy to build/upgrade/restore in Los Gatos, but (finally) plans to rebuild/restore the Los Gatos Public Library passed the Town Council on Monday. Kudos all around.

El Camino Real and Stanford Avenue, perhaps one of the worst intersections in Silicon Valley, is going to get redesigned... thank goodness. Maybe this is the one thing that everyone in Palo Alto can agree on... it got a 5-0 vote on the Planning and Transportation Commission.

Small town politics can be wacky... like in Morgan Hill. Years ago, a local attorney/Commissioner Bruce Tichinin hired a spy to keep tabs on the City Manager... the City Council condemned him and asked him to step down. Tichinin filed a lawsuit... yada, yada, yada... the California Supreme Court denied a legal petition by the City of Morgan Hill. Just be happy you aren't involved in Morgan Hill politics... sorry Larry Carr...

Gilroy is still obsessed with pot. We learn from today's Dispatch that there are at least 4 "quiet" dispensaries there... Watch Dog is fan of the loud dispensaries, rather than the quiet ones...

Most cities would love a downtown grocery store... heck, San Jose tried 30 years to get one and now has two. But the Mountain View City Council said no to two proposals for downtown grocery stores this week...

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.12.09: Ditch Twitter and cell-phones...

It's National Vinyl Record day...

San Jose’s City Council seems to have wrapped up the 2006 election, at least the finances part. In spite of dire warnings from their beloved City Attorney Rick Doyle and Mayor Chuck Reed who said “…we’ll be giving a gift to lawyers… and we’ll lose,” the Council retains its “soft money” cap…

Foothill-De Anza Trustee/Incumbents Pearl Cheng and Bruce Swenson got a walk on the election this year. You have till Monday if you want to duke it out to replace Hal Plotkin.

3 Meetings + Pilgrims Haven + 104,503 square feet = 37 new retirees in Los Altos Hills

San Jose’s Biblioteca Latinoamericana replaced the alleyway where Lavonna McLaughlin was murdered 15 years ago. Yesterday Deputy District Attorney Jeff Rosen painted a picture of the era as the trial for her accused killer started quietly in a Santa Clara County courtroom.

Firefighters halted a wildfire that started at Recology Pacheco Pass before it hit the methane pipes. Parent company, Norcal Waste Systems, breathed a sigh of relief but now worries over how the fire started.

Gary “Mr. Roadshow” Richards received an inbox full of email from grumpy backseat drivers. Easy people, the police asked for the warning about Cell-Phone Tuesday. You may now return to dangerous driving.

The Merc’s Sal Pizarro dishes… the yummy stuff is on order from local restaurateurs for Sunnyvale’s Saturday Jazz (green and line free, nice), Second Harvest Food Bank welcomes new CEO Kathryn Jackson, Spamalot lovers can whet their appetites at the Starlight presentation of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” last, but not least Happy Birthday Jack Aberle of San Jose State University’s Biz Admin.

Speaking of big birthdays… Los Gatos’ Betsy and David Fullagar’s 2007 birthday safari and growing friendship with Alweet Hlungwani set them on a journey that resulted this year in a library for the Makuleke tribe of South Africa.

Tweet this… That painful roller coaster ride is shut down for 2 months while engineers scratch their heads and the Twitverse keeps yakking. Stuck upside down for hours, Dominic Angel told his friends “gravity is not our friend right now.”

The Philip Bump/Revealed saga is a source of never ending fun for Mission City Lantern. An advisor to New York Public Advocate candidate Eric Gioia, Bump is getting a little West Coast love on the East Coast blogs.

Fan of students/San Jose Insider/Santa Clara County Board of Education’s Joseph DiSalvo has a few suggestions for parents checking out the neighborhood school.

Protect San Jose has joined the ranks of the anonymous blogger for a mildly comprehensible rundown on why San Jose should ditch CQ Press rankings, as the FBI did in 2004. According to CQ, they’re patiently waiting for the FBI to figure out what to use.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.16.09: More Wet News...

Barely halfway through 2009, San Jose is on track for a record number of murders. A man was shot to death in the Santee area. Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said it probably wasn’t a drive-by.

The Blue Ribbon Compost Task Force in Palo Alto has made a recommendation to keep composting. Seriously. We can't make this stuff up. (In fairness, it is a little more complicated than that...)

In other "News of the Weird" from Palo Alto... A homeless City Council candidate is being asked by Palo Alto Police not to take up residence outside Whole Foods. (Watch Dog guesses it might lead to some serious liberal guilt if he was living outside of Whole Foods...)

The Merc’s Joe Rodriguez didn’t get asked his opinion on un-doing the problems of the “monumental flop” called the Mexican Heritage Plaza, but that didn’t stop him from posting ideas from readers. Ideas for re-tooling the 1987 vision by then-Councilmember Blanca Alvarado include a Seattle-style Space Needle with a rotating Mexican restaurant.

Other opinions from Merc columnists... The unveiling of a piece of the Mineta San Jose International Airport drew kudos from the Merc’s Sal Pizarro who toured with “dozens of dignitaries.” Begging the question, San Jose has "dozens" of dignitaries?

Mountain View Police will soon take advantage of Google’s free WiFi. The WiFi system will also be used to enhance the water meters at the Pulte Homes' development.

Lots of Los Altos/Los Altos Hills news today...

• New (rotating) Los Altos Hills Mayor Dean Warshawsky takes the helm for a second time. His big goal, annex Hidden Villa, keep the rural atmosphere, and upgrade recreation for residents. (Translation: Better access to the Fremont Hills Country Club.)
• Neighbors in Los Altos (NIMBYs) are still pissed off about a proposed Senior housing proposal approved by the Planning Commission in May. After a contentious meeting this week where NIMBY’s grumped about the noise and dust of construction, the City Council voted to have another meeting to delay their decision.
  
• It seems inaction is contagious in Los Altos. A lawsuit is brewing between the Los Altos School District and the Bullis Charter because Bullis administrators are pissed following 5 years of talk but no action on “...equitably shared facilities...” by the Los Altos School District.

(Apparently) Worried the Los Gatos City Council might not know where they were, the Los Gatos Arts Commission has remade the Council Chambers with an exhibit called “You Are Here.” No word if City Manager Greg Larson has Facebooked about the exhibit yet... (Watch Dog spies are constantly updating us on Larson's status...)

San Jose Inside’s Fly reports Police Chief Rob Davis forced the closure of Club Wet. Apparently, the weapon used during the most-recent stabbing was the size of a pinkie finger and really, no serious wounds were left behind. Club owners dismissed the multiple stabbing as a little dance floor fight with revelers back in action after security guards swooped in. Aside from the fact SJPD didn’t close the club (club owners did), it’s nice to know that if you’re stabbed with a little knife it’s not really a "stabbing." Remember, this "stabbing" was unpreventable according to Wet's lobbyist. (A nightclub needs a lobbyist?)

San Jose Inside’s Silicon Valley Newsroom has resorted to using Watch Dog as their news source of choice having given up on reporters. The latest homage to Watch Dog is reposting the (old) news that Assemblymember Joe Coto and State Senator Gilbert Cedillo were dropped from the Minuteman lawsuit.

Inside isn't the only blog joining the news aggregating business, so is Protect San Jose...

Sadly, Revealed remains silent... pneumonia... vacation... new job?

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.15.09: What's $15 million between friends running for Governor?

Ready for business in 2014 and going for the green… From native plants on the roof to recycled water in the pipes, the 49er's proposed Santa Clara stadium would be the “greenest” NFL stadium ever. The York family is also shooting for a stadium able to host the Super Bowl or World Cup. (Of course, the stadium still needs voter-approval next year.)

Silicon Valley gubernatorial wannabe Meg Whitman plunked $15 million of her (anticipated) $150 million campaign loan. Her opponents didn’t seem to care much about the Whitman throw down. Whitman’s Silicon Valley neighbor Steve Poizner coughed up $4 million of his mega-bucks for the race (not to mention the money he put into previous races...)

The Merc’s Editorial Board offers props to the team assigned the unenviable task of making San Jose’s Mexican Heritage Plaza live up to its promise.

Now joining (formerly) homeless Victor Frost (address: Telephone Pole No. 1139) in Palo Alto’s wide open council race will be past (failed) candidates Dan Dykwel and Tim Gray. This all on the heals of the current Mayor deciding not to run for reelection.

School District races in Los Altos, Palo Alto, and Foothill-DeAnza Community College so far turning out to be the most boring with only incumbents picking up papers. The chance for excitement lasts until August 7 when the filing period closes.

California IOU’s have started landing and the Merc’s Scott Herhold has one he’s shopping around. Herhold actively sought out the IOU offering 110% of face value, now just trying to unload it for the story…

The Merc’s Sal Pizarro shares an idea from Joe Boyer on keeping people in downtown San Jose: cheap parking. (Watch Dog can only assume that Joe has never parked in another downtown, if he thinks San Jose parking is expensive.) Pizarro also lends a hand to fundraising efforts for Christmas in July and KKUP – People’s Radio - which needs your help to relocate.

Los Gatos firefighters rescued Phoebe the Cat from a tree limb after nearly a week following failed attempts with a basket, tree service, police, animal control, a “creature catcher” and PG&E.

And, in Saratoga news… The Planning Commission narrowly averted disaster by approving plans for a (giant) new home complete with pool. Commissioner Manny Cappello was emphatic in over-riding city guidelines saying “...a home like this should have a pool in Saratoga...” Obviously...

The San Jose Police Officers Association blog, Protect San Jose, gives space to the 18th Floor's favorite Chief of Staff/ City Council Candidate Jim Cogan. Cogan is promoting National Night Out.

Morning News Round-Up – 7.1.09: Post Dominatrix hangovers....

Twitter it ain’t… Palo Alto’s policy committee spoke to a nearly empty room on the fate of Peak Democracy’s online Palo Alto forum. Councilmember Sid Espinosa said the forum was of “no value” while colleagues disagreed keeping the site running.

Silicon Valley De-Bug director Raj Jayadev called on San Jose’s Police Officers Association to end the “name-calling” at a rally Tuesday night. Tossing a little humor in the mix, Jaydev had a new t-shirt on declaring “Thug.” POA leader Bobby Lopez thought better of his “ticked off” response to the Merc and allowed as how he would meet with Jayadev. Psst, the video link on Protect San Jose goes straight to YouTube. Way to make promises…

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith apologized with tears in her eyes following the deaths of cyclists Matt Peterson and Kristy Gough last year. Yesterday Peterson’s family got the news the County is coughing up $2.3 million.

Joining San Jose Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio for the San Jose Stage political fundraiser were the Merc’s own Man About Town, Sal Pizarro, San Jose Inside’s Fly and Mission City Lantern. Show stealer, Councilmember Judy Chirco, kept her dignity and her seat. Fly reports more sex humor, less political satire while Mission City wants to know more about Councilmember Pete Constants fascination with the dominatrix.

The assemblymember formerly known as “Mr. Insurance” is currying favor with the Da Mayor. Joe “Gotcha Covered” Coto carried a controversial (San Francisco) state law change for former San Francisco Mayor/former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown – much to the surprise of San Francisco leaders. SF Supe’s weren’t pleased and killed the end run around State law.

Los Altos declared its NIMBY heart over Mountain View’s housing proposal with worries Mountain View residents would clog Los Altos streets. Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga pointed out neighbors share…

Good fences make good neighbors, does good policy do the same? San Jose Councilmembers Pierluigi Oliverio and Sam Liccardo are voicing support for the Distinctive Neighborhoods program which might give residents more say in who their neighbors are…

Drama runs high in the preliminary hearing for gang members sharing the defense table in Gilroy. Norteno’s defense attorney, Edward Sousa, wants his clients out since one of their gang was killed.

Santa Clara County’s new courthouse in Morgan Hill hasn’t translated to more downtown dollars – yet. Could it be the economic downturn affects even judges?

San Jose Insider/Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Joseph DiSalvo read the recently released Civil Grand Jury report hinting it ain’t the kids benefitting from education dollars. DiSalvo muses the 31 different school districts in Santa Clara County might not serve the children…

In Los Gatos the Parks Commission issued a concern that sometimes local regulations get ignored as trees are mowed down. Really? Naked hills are a problem for Councilmember Steve Rice.

Morning News Round-Up – 6.29.09: Council raises meet economic reality...

San Jose’s “huge sucking sound” comes from resident dollars landing outside San Jose according to Councilmember Sam Liccardo. To fix it San Jose had a dream of North San Jose becoming a second downtown – those dreams are now turning into visions of a McCarthy Ranch redux.

Gilroy Councilmember Craig Gartman has asked colleagues to ditch their $64,000 medical benefits in exchange for a council/mayoral raise. The part-time Councilmembers will consider their 106% raise while they ask police and fire unions to take a 15% paycut. Colleague Dion Bracco doubts the lost medical benefits will be gone for more than a year calling the move whimsical, self-serving tricky politics.

Also on the frontlines of salary wars...

San Jose Downtown Association President Scott Knies and Councilmember Nora Campos engaged in a salary throwdown. Campos wants to know if Knies really really got a 19% city pay raise. Knies salary is listed on city payrolls at $134,399 and in a report from the non-profit at $68,916. $134k + $69k = $203,000, could it be…

Our Sister Blog, Watch Dog San Mateo shares this cross over story… East Palo Alto’s Housing Director Wilbert Lee called the ongoing vandalism at the Courtyard at Bay Road unforeseen. Wheelchair bound Arnold Hart complains he can’t get in, carpets used as toilets and a crowbar modified elevator are a few of the problems giving San Jose’s Community Housing a headache.

Interim Santa Clara County Executive Gary Graves is sucking it up. although disappointed by the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Smith. Graves says “sitting in the executive chair is a whole different ballgame.” Smith said negotiations on take home pay are in the works, the last exec took home $292,000.

Gilroy’s tale of fence wars made the big time… Mercury News curmudgeon Scott Herhold heard from home invasion survivor when Chris Cote launched email to Herhold with his side of fence wars. Like Herhold, Watch Dog is sympathetic with Cote but thinks there has to be a better way than razor wire.

(Former) County Counsel/US Deputy Assistant District Attorney General Ann Ravel attended her own “wake” according to the Merc’s Sal Pizarro. Pizarro had a busy week including Falcons, interesting hands, and Teddy Bear Clinics. Los Lupenos is looking for alumni, email Barbara Perez Diaz lupenos40th@ix.netcom.com.

The Merc’s Internal Affairs entertains with various mini-soaps…

• Where was “No-Show Ngyuen” during San Jose City Council budget discussions? IA thinks the absences were a sign of avoiding contentious labor votes. IA sends props to council colleague Judy Chirco for donning a hat and joining discussions in spite of chemotherapy. San Jose Insider’s joined in via Rants and Raves…
  
• Supervisorial candidate Teresa Alvarado shot a “snarky” email to IA with a huffy retort to the implication that she and opponent Rosemary Kamei the same constituency.
  
• The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office anxiously awaits a report from (retired) Superior Court Judge/(former) Prosecutor William F. Martin about a “trove of some 3,300 tapes” of sexual assault medical exams. The DA’s hope they got their stories straight for the judge…
  

Los Gatos Planning Commissioners delayed a decision on creekside storage asking Extra Space to come back in August with a bigger parking lot and a shorter building. Extra Space’s Scott Wyckoff offered there would be “no significant” environmental impact and the 3 story storage facility would be “gorgeous.” No doubt a big parking lot will help with the aesthetics.

The Merc’s Mr. Roadshow (aka, Gary Richards) got the dish from the California Highway Patrol that 200,000 hands free scofflaws have been busted.

Sad news from Santa Teresa County Park, a woman was found dead on the trail by another hiker. No word if County budget woes (and a lack of park oversight) had anything to do with her death.

Today marks 2 weeks since San Jose Revealed ditched blogging for pneumonia. Could it be Revealed has ditched blogging or just ditched the moniker? Give up on all that good will, nah… Mission City Lantern suggests Revealed has headed for fashion world or maybe a Sanford like liaison.

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.23.09: The NUMMI A's?

There is an update today on the Councilmember Madison Nguyen recall election. The story focused primarily on Nguyen and her efforts to stay in office -- raising lots of money, walking precincts, making phone calls, putting up signs, etc., etc., etc. One thing worries Watch Dog: she has underestimated the pro-Recall folks a number of times during this long nightmare. She underestimated how strongly people felt about Little Saigon initially. She didn't think the Little Saigon folks would get enough signatures on the ballot for a recall. In a recent Metro article, she admitted as much, saying, "I never thought it would get to this point..." In today's story, she may be making the same mistake saying, "I don't see anyone walking precincts for the other side...I don't see signs." Please, please, please Madison -- don't think that no signs and no precinct walkers on the other side mean you are going to skate through this. The Recall Madison folks have raised over $100,000. That is a huge sum of money and they are waiting to spend it...

Meanwhile, San Jose Revealed takes a shot at the folks who are building Vietnam Town and provide some context to those developers and Madison's recall...

The airport is building a cool new facility...but that's just about the only good news coming out the place. Airlines are cutting back...and apparently the airport wants to join in the fun by cutting staff. That means that when the new place opens up, there may be no planes and dirty bathrooms...

A serial bank robber struck in Saratoga on Inauguration Day. The robber is suspected of robbing 8 other banks in the Bay Area...he is described as a white guy, 5'9" to 6', 200 pounds, with gray hair -- which narrows down the search to just about every dude in Saratoga...

Oh no. Fremont's NUMMI manufacturing plant will stop giving tours in February. The actual manufacturing at NUMMI has already slowed down...but could the halting of public tours signal the beginning of the end for NUMMI? And if that is the case, are the A's licking their chops at that enormous piece of land?

State Senator Joe Simitian thinks the State budget crisis might be close to an end...according to his interview with the Palo Alto Weekly...don't bet on it...have you ever known the folks in Sacramento to do something on a timeline that is predictable?

We know that the Community Hospital of Los Gatos is closing in April as Tenet hastily leaves town. What we didn't know, until now, is when the new folks, El Camino Hospital of Mountain View, were going to re-open. It looks like it may be a while, perhaps until Fall, to get things up and running again.

Pete Campbell at San Jose Inside has a closer look at the Convention Center expansion idea. His best line about the expansion plans: "...the City of San Jose places itself in the tenuous position of placing a big, three-layered bet that the economy will recover, trade and convention shows will continue at healthy pace, and the bookings lost during 2009-2012 will return to San Jose..."

The Morgan Hill City Council will meet this weekend to discuss 2009 goals and review 2008 accomplishments. They will also meet in a joint session with the Gilroy City Council. If you think this sounds like garlic-infused fun, they head out Saturday morning to the El Toro Room at the Community and Cultural Center on Monterey Road. Please be sure to bring your own ideas and your own ephedrine, because Watch Dog will not share...

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.26.08

There's a ghost-guest at Mission City Lantern reporting the Santa Clara City Council continues the drama over "To Recuse or Not to Recuse." The videotape of a 2004 meeting doesn't exist, the Gadfly lied, and now Councilmember Jamie McLeod is being asked about her own need to recuse. The ghost-guest might want to read earlier Mission City Lantern blogs that complain about McLeod abstaining.

San Jose State and the City of San Jose ending joint projects? The much bally-hooed soccer field on SJSU land will not be built. University spokewoman Pat Harris said, "We needed to pull back and think about our athletic program." This is the second time the a joint City/University project has fallen through -- last year Lew Wolff had hoped to build a new soccer and football facility to replace the aging Spartan Stadium.

Physicists, doctors, and attorneys line up on the ice get together each week at Sharks Ice in San Jose as part of the largest adult hockey league in the nation. Saratoga resident, team organizer, and perfect hockey-named dude Stu Slamowitz says, "Playing hockey gives us all a chance to get some exercise, and get out our aggressions." Perhaps some of the gadflies in Santa Clara should start skating…

In an effort to make life easier for the automobile, the Cupertino City Council has given its blessing to an updated Santa Clara County Comprehensive Expressway Planning Study, which includes a $5.2 million widening of Lawrence Expressway to 8 lanes. The 74 projects could cost up to $2.5 billion and extend for the next 30 years. Watch Dog just loves government-named studies – so humorless, “Comprehensive Expressway Planning Study”…how fun.

Metro's Fly questions whether the Los Gatos Town Council prearranged the election of Mike Wasserman as The Town’s new (rotating) Mayor.

Hoping to join in the neighborhood naming fun, San Jose Revealed has proposed everything from DiNapoli Town to the Tom McEnery Sphere of Influence -- and tossed in a few named BART stations for good measure.

Calling for a re-thinking of policing in San Jose, Silicon Valley De-Bug's Raj Jayadev blogs on San Jose Inside. Jayadev and calls for more police oversight and addressing issues identified in a Grand Jury report. (Not) Surprisingly, San Jose Inside comment-givers attack Jayadev

Santa Clara Valley Water District inspectors found the Gilroy Unified School District and contractor Gilbane, had not adequately prevented polluted water from gushing into Lions and Day Creeks. Big oops. Gilbane is likely to pay a $170,000 fine for dumping the dirty water.

Morgan Hill Finance Director Jack Dilles is leaving to become Santa Cruz's Finance Director. Leaving behind a $3.3 million budget deficit, Dilles faces a roughly $7 million deficit in Santa Cruz. Morgan Hill City Manager Ed Tewes wishes Dilles the best saying, "He helped bring to the city our long-range strategic approach, a forecast to help us see the future effects of today's decisions." I guess Dilles expertise was forecasting deficits, not preventing them…