Morning News Round-Up – 10.12.09:

Senator Joe Simitian breathed a sigh of relief, the Governor took time to sign his SB19 bill that puts California in line for as much as $4.5 Billion in federal Race to the Top dollars. Also a winner in the Schwarzenegger signing frenzy was San Jose State Senator Elaine Alquist (digital textbooks/health information/instructional materials). Not faring as well were Assemblymembers Joe Coto (pawnbrokers), Paul Fong (community colleges), and Jim Beall (aging). There's a joke in here somewhere about aging pawnbrokers....

(soon to be retired) San Jose Police Officer Association president Bobby Lopez is pissed Dr. Rajiv Das wants injured retirees to have doctors sign a 2 page form. The Merc dug deep to uncover statistics : San Jose has the highest rate of retired police and firefighters on disability in the state and saying “No” isn’t part of the Trustees game plan. (un)Surprisingly, Lopez is calling for Das’ ouster…

The Merc’s Internal Affairs was sniffing around the San Jose Police Officers Association website and found president Bobby Lopez talking retirement, and encouraging his colleagues to do the same. Suggestions that Lopez may be trying to strip San Jose of experienced officers as a bargaining ploy caused Lopez to respond “am I being disingenuous?” Also in IA blogger/former South Bay Labor Council political director Philip Bump landed in his hometown paper as juror #3 causing a stir at a San Jose Downtown Association confab according to San Jose Inside, and IA boredom and annoyance at the NASA Ames LCROSS lunar bashing.

Sports loving San Jose is adding the Sacramento Kings to the list of San Jose hopefuls.

“It’s so much cheaper… to give somebody a flu shot than to let a child make a whole classroom sick,” according to Health Trust spokesperson Nicole Kohleriter at Saturdays free Flea Market health clinic. With 400 volunteers the Health Trust poked and prodded the thousands showing up for free medical care this weekend.

Also thinking healthcare… The Merc’s Scott Herhold took pity on Congressman Mike Honda for never having tasted the delights of a Gilroy Garlic Milkshake. Herhold, without claiming culinary expertise, mailed a shake to D.C. for the Congressman’s enjoyment – or not. All Watch Dog can say is we’re glad Herhold doesn’t experiment in the kitchen on our behalf…

The Merc’s Sal Pizarro offers an invitation to “golf with a shotgun” benefitting the San Jose Police Foundation, rent a shotgun for $175, or bring your own, to shoot clay pigeons out of the sky. Also in Pizarro news… A Bert George wine tasting treat, boot camp for event organizers and Santa Clara University’s Professor Francisco Jimenez is honored by the Governor of Jalisco.

On to the week in government…

• San Jose’s Elections Commission looks at changing city campaign finance and lobbying laws as well as forbidding anonymous complaints.
• The Los Altos School District considers parcel-tax renewal and talks about funding retiree health benefits.
• In Mountain View the Mountain View – Los Altos School District talks tests with SAT/ACT results.
• Fiscal manager reclassification is on tap for the Los Gatos Union School District.
• The tiny, one school district, Luther Burbank, considers a response to grand jury reports spanking the district and approving a contract with preschool teachers.
• Budget reductions and pre-school programs are on the minds of the Palo Alto Unified School District Trustees.
• Mountain View – Whisman considers approving site plans for Crittenden Middle and Bubb Elementary schools.
• Trustees in San Jose’s East Side Union High School District listen to the public on proposed audit committee guidelines.

Protect San Jose’s Open Forum Friday is on tap with complaints of speeders in Willow Glen and PAL salaries…

Morning News Round-Up -- 9.21.09: A South Bay Stadium... or two... or three...

Stadium news from around the South Bay...

Paul Krutko, San Jose Chief economic dude, says a (nearly) 8 decade old stadium is the youngest outdoor stadium the “Capital of Silicon Valley” has to offer. Earthquakes/A’s owner Lew Wolff is hoping to change that with a sparkly new Euro style stadium – if he can round up the bucks.

A Santa Clara Citizens Review Committee is in for the coin toss and supports amending Santa Clara’s City Charter to allow the 49ers to hire a football-centric design team. But, only if the Guvernator doesn’t sign State Senator Elaine Alquist's bill by October 11.

San Jose talks plastic bags this week while the Merc’s Patty Fisher reports it was a non-event when Palo Alto went plastic-free. San Jose’s hang-up is the cost of an Environmental Impact Report while Fisher sings the praises of the reusable bag.

With a single school and a mere 566 students you would think the Luther Burbank School District would keep itself below the radar. But you would wrong. A recent Civil Grand Jury report accused District Trustees of conflicts of interest, secrecy, intimidation, questionable spending, and election malfeasance. This week, the Luther Burbank Board was supposed to respond... but they got a 5-week extension. Watch Dog guesses that it is sort of like getting a few extra weeks to do your homework... Brand new Superintendent-Principal Becki Cohn-Vargas likens fixing problems to “…rebuilding a train while it’s going 100 m.p.h.” Yes, but if the train is about to run off the tracks, perhaps slowing it down to fix it would be a really good idea...

Speaking of trains... Those annoying Caltrain whistles will begin relocation to the underside of the train, making nearby (sleeping) residents very happy.

Mountain View is considering the PRT (personal rapid transit) as the dream commute alternative for Google/NASA/Moffett. Unfortunately, jet-packs may never happen.

San Jose’s City Council gears up for a rehash of the City Executive home loan discussion this week. Redevelopment Agency Director Harry Mavrogenes benefited from the practice when he moved inside FROM San Jose TO San Jose.

And while we are on housing...

The Silicon Valley housing market is “…picking itself up from the bottom” according to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal. San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo said the City will kick in another $2.7 million to help first time homebuyers get into the condo, or house, of their dreams.

From the Merc’s Internal Affairs…

• A report from California’s Fair Political Practices Commission reports that our local folks in Sacramento spent as much time on the fundraising circuit as they did making laws... perhaps they are sticking to what they are best at...
• Palo Alto State Senator Joe Simitian could be paying more attention to Assemblymember Ira Ruskin’s replacement that you’d think – he’s planning an Assembly redux in 2012.
• San Jose Councilmember Rose Herrera is hearing from opposing sides on proposals for a new library.

San Jose Inside channels Kermit the Frog, or maybe the Jolly Green Giant, to send props to San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed for pitching the green dream.

Mission City Lantern enjoyed the Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival until arriving in the “Free Speech” area to find anti-49ers fans. Mission City also posts (un)love notes to Justin Schall, Philip Bump, Bill Bailey, and Brian Darby... again.

Local lawmakers in action, for your Watch Dog pleasure, thanks to the Merc's crack staff…

• Santa Clara County’s Committee on Children, Seniors & Families tries to lessen disproportionate impacts of child welfare on African-Americans and Latinos.
• Alum Rock School District holds a team-building session on governance... that sounds like a barrel of laughs...
• Cupertino Union School District studies special education and state test scores...
• Palo Alto Unified School District looks at a parcel tax and the budget...
• San Jose Unified School District looks at approving Gann appropriations limits for 2009-2010.
• Santa Clara Unified School District considers adding students, growing Haman Elementary, and a possible new lease.
• The Franklin-McKinley School District sends props to schools for API/AYP successes.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.20.09: School Districts Gone Wild...

The Luther Burbank School District Board of Trustees was undoubtedly (not) excited to see Board President called out in last weeks Civil Grand Jury Report. They must have spent the weekend cringing over new stories they aren’t paying teachers and they were so afraid of telling parents what they thought about the Report they delayed the discussion – after 4 hours of unrelated talk. The Luther Burbank Superintendent did not say, "Thank goodness East Side Union High School District is also in the news..."

Also vying for (negative) attention, the East Side Union High School Trustees getting some special love from a County Office of Education audit accusing District officials of financial shenanigans. Not the first time the District has been in hot water: in 2004 then-Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas took Trustee credit cards away. Can (unelected) Trustee Eddie Garcia save the day? Or did he come by his bad habits honestly through years of training from former East Side Trustee/ former Councilmember/ current Supervisor George Shirakawa, Jr.? (Click through the previous link for a memorable cartoon...)

The Merc.’s Scott Herhold sat with retired San Jose firefighter/ Author/ track star Jerry Williams to put a local face on the Sonia Sotomayor hearings. Herhold also reminds us that having a great kid isn’t always enough to avoid tragedy.

Sal Pizarro got an earful about parking from more San Joseans angry at the $3 charge for evening parking. Pizarro also reports the Pat Tillman Foundation received a $5,000 boost from patrons of the Britannia Arms and asks you to support Martha’s Kitchen when you head out to see Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire this week.

San Jose Insiders shared their parking peeves on Insides Rants & Raves while Baretta picks at San Jose Revealed with a little sleuthing work of their own.

Mission City Lantern shares details on three of their San Jose Revealed favorites...

San Jose Insider/Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio talks at length about the joys of iPods before getting to the point – no, he won’t be taking home lifetime benefits after 8 years on the San Jose City Council. Santa Clara County Supervisors make more and keep benefits after 12 years.

The flu that won’t go away is taking Twitter by storm, or so Joy Alexiou with Santa Clara County Public Health hopes. This is one viral they hope makes the top 10 Tweets.

And even though San Jose Revealed joined the San Jose City Council on hiatus, the Merc wants us to know there are still other cities in Silicon Valley and some are actually doing work…

• Palo Alto’s City Council interviews candidates hoping to join their Planning Commission.
• Santa Clara’s Planning Commission talks demolition and condo conversion.
• The Campbell Union High School District reconsiders open enrollment and how to snag some of those federal stimulus dollars.
• San Jose Unified School District looks at bringing back some of the 96 teachers they laid off.