Morning News Round-Up -- 2.16.10: Lobbying Sacramento finally pays off for San Jose...

It has been a very long weekend... but we'll try to remember what the news was on Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Here we go. Let us know what we missed -- which you usually do anyway...

Well, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmembers Pete Constant, Ash Kalra, Nancy Pyle, and Judy Chirco's lobbying Assemblymembers Paul Fong and Joe Coto paid off... Fong and Coto are pulling their request for a State audit into the San Jose Police Department. With that success rate, we wonder if Reed/ Constant/ Kalra/ Chirco/ Pyle should head back to lobby for school funding. (San Jose Inside had the scoop first, then the Merc... for those of you keeping score at home.)

Speaking of folks who don't like others looking over their shoulders...

Diversity in Silicon Valley companies was all over the news this weekend. Some folks (Google, Yahoo, Apple, Oracle, and Applied Materials) don't really like to share their diversity data with folks... folks like the Mercury News. Don't be evil... ahem...

The San Jose Police Officers Association has been working overtime... with the Mayor's very public and very strongly worded letter to Assemblymembers Fong and Coto to call off the audit dogs in Sacramento. Followed by the aforementioned lobbying trip to Sacramento by the Mayor and four Councilmembers. Then, in Sunday's paper, the POA got former Mayor Tom McEnery to chime in against the newspaper and activists. But Watch Dog's favorite line was this:

But questions long avoided by the media must be asked. How do a few politically connected mega-nightclubs, with their hand-picked lobbyists, put thousands of alcohol-infused young men on a collision course with our police? And why let clubs that generate hundreds of calls for service each year, stripping the city's neighborhoods of cops, be subsidized by everyone else?

Watch Dog has asked those questions Mayor McEnery, we really, really, really have...

The Merc chimes in on the City of San Jose budget -- and they think employees need to step it up, cut their salaries, or expect to lose their jobs... There is a study session today in San Jose to talk about the budget. That should be fun...

There was a revised report about baseball in downtown San Jose that re-did the numbers on noise and traffic. If you start from no noise and no traffic, like in downtown San Jose, of course there will be more if you add something fun to do... No doubt NIMBYs are meeting at the Peet's on the Alameda today to discuss what to do next...

And while San Jose looks for a MLB stadium and Santa Clara looks for an NFL stadium, the good folks in Morgan Hill are just hoping for a proper football stadium at Sobrato High School... but unlike in San Jose and Santa Clara, the charge is being led by high school seniors in Morgan Hill... One small problem, the stadium would actually be in San Jose's 'greenbelt' and Councilmember Ash Kalra isn't having any of it.

Tom Campbell switched races... and raised some money too!

The good folks at Internal Affairs in the Merc must be getting inundated with campaign stuff... because their column was very, very full this weekend:

• Larry Pegram of censorship fame is considering a run for San Jose City Council District 9... didn't Watch Dog hint at that recently?
• Madison Nguyen's re-election campaign is full of challengers... and one of them is Andy Diaz. Are you surprised?
• The San Jose Police Officers' Association gets an airing and IA runs down their questionnaire and the "correct" (or pandering) answers.
• Whitman didn't push Tom Campbell out of the Governor's race... money did
• And it became very clear that IA reads our sister blog, Watch Dog San Mateo, because they go into Watch Dog-esque detail about San Mateo County's big name departures from the political scene, including Warren Slocum...

Not only was IA on their political game... the Merc's Scott Herhold was also on the political beat and wrote an incredibly long breakdown of local races. He touched the big ones (Governor, US Senate), the medium ones (Sheriff, DA, Supervisor District 1), and the little ones (San Jose City Council Districts 5, 7, and 9).

Finally...

Raj at DeBug, this headline is made for your snickering: Normal police presence planned for Mardi Gras... We guess that is open to interpreting the word "normal"...

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.25.09: The Mardi Gras Hang-Over Edition...

San Jose survived the annual Mardi Gras madness. San Jose Police Officer Jermaine Thomas reported this year's celebration netted fewer than half the arrests of 2008 – most of those for weapons and probation violations. Sounds like a good time was had by all...

Bye, bye, Birdie! Lew Wolff has officially called off the wedding with Fremont. Wolff’s Dear John letter is a study in restraint, sending love even to those who disagreed and acted “…in a reasoned manner.” The Merc’s Marc Purdy chimes in on the Fremont loss saying it’s a no-brainer, bring the A’s to San Jose.

There’s a fire sale in the City of San Jose. With roughly 40 properties on the initial "For Sale," the City of San Jose hopes to raise as much as $137 million. Deputy Public Works Director Phil Prince said "It is urgent that we see what we can get out of here because of our budget situation." Nothing like selling land at the bottom of a market...

San Jose’s City Council was super busy Tuesday as 9 of them gave their blessing to $6 million in grants and loans to the much ballyhooed San Pedro Market (a.k.a. The McEnery Market). The lone dissenter (unsurprisingly) was Councilmember Nora Campos, who attempted one final shot at colleague Sam Liccardo over the proposal. Campos hoped City Attorney Rick Doyle would slap Liccardo for a legal violation - but the City Attorney said no ma'am. San Jose Revealed isn’t any happier than Campos and snarls through today’s column. Mayor Reed should find Campos' frequent frequent and lonely opposition flattering -- after all, imitation (of Reed's days on the Council) is the sincerest form of flattery...

San Jose Councilmembers asked nightclub owners to help cover costs of policing. Amazingly, not only did business owners agree but are delighted with the changes. Dan Doherty (Mission Ale & Smoke Tiki Lounge) said, "When elected officials trust small businesses, good things will happen." Councilmember Sam Liccardo gave credit to Police, City staff, and local businesses for working the deal out over the past 2 years.

The Santa Clara County Supervisors are giving $100,000 to the Public Defenders Office to re-examine 1,500 sexual assault cases whose (previously denied) videotapes have suddenly appeared. Public Defender Mary Greenwood called the move “extraordinary” and said, "The importance of the tapes is that with this new evidence, we need to see if there are people who were wrongfully convicted who are incarcerated." The DA Saga continues...

Sometimes, reform happens…and sometimes it doesn’t. The drama-shrouded Santa Clara Valley Water District voted to support a bill by Assemblymember Joe Coto which allows all 7 members of the Water District to retain their seats (in spite of a recently enacted law) but pushes reforms on the Water District Board. "I think these are fair," Coto said. "The public deserves these type of laws to make sure we rebuild the confidence in one of our important public institutions." Director Sig Sanchez (who has been on the Board for 29 years) disagreed with allowing the State legislature to define Board policy saying, "It would demean this district to where we were relegated to the role of some small district in the Central Valley." Ouch. Nobody replied, "Sig, get a new job..."

San Jose's Thomas Green, Jr. was the Finance Director for a local hospital, now he’ll be another perv behind bars. Green pleaded guilty to trading kiddie porn in chat-rooms according to U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello.

San Jose Revealed reports San Jose Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio is growing forgetful, or perhaps he’s in denial. Oliverio blogged for San Jose Inside details of a meeting then feigned surprise when people showed up. Revealed includes a video clip from the meeting with Oliverio and cohort Councilmember Pete Constant denying complicity in getting (partially informed) community members in the room. C’mon boys, you should take pride in getting the troops to turn out. You might, however, make sure they’re fully informed first.

San Jose Inside blogger/Santa Clara County School Board Trustee Joseph DiSalvo advocates the introduction of democracy, or at least a cessation of violations of the California Voting Rights Act. Local legislators received a call to action following a court decision last year – allow school district candidates to be elected by those they represent. DiSalvo points out at-large elections hurt minority (and women) candidates.

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.24.09: Will the real Andre Charles please stand up...

Recall Update: the Santa Clara County Registrar’s office has received more than 7,100 absentee ballots. Councilmember Madison Nguyen’s Campaign Manager, Melanie Jimenez, is confident these are mostly Nguyen supporters saying, "This is really indicative of what we've been seeing from the beginning. The residents of District 7 do care about this election. Madison has represented all of the district." Nguyen’s opponents are equally confident with spokesman Andre Charles (this Andre Charles or this Andre Charles?) indicating their goal is to bring a non-traditional audience to the polls. Either way, it’s all over Tuesday, March 3 at 8 p.m. Word on the street is that both poll-watching parties will be in Little Saigon...

Speaking of Andre Charles...Presuming it is the latter and not the former Andre Charles -- does that mean the same people are working for and against the recall?

Santa Clara County Water District Director Sig Sanchez has made a career of service with nearly 29 years on the Board. The newest Director was appointed after Director Greg Zlotnick was hired by the District – without any public discussion. Today the Board (finally) considers term limits. Assemblymember Joe Coto is loudly insisting that before he pushes a bill that would allow all to stay on the Board, reforms are required, including: a revolving door policy on employment, travel approved in public, and some transparency – but no term limits. A report released by District Counsel Debra Cauble likely provided some relief – term limits require voter approval, which requires the (unmotivated) Board to place a measure on a ballot. In this disastrous economy it should be easy for the Board to cry fiscal responsibility and avoid an election, preventing a public decision. Largely out of view public agencies are the ones you really must watch (dog) out for...

The Gilroy Dispatch’s Ben Anderson pops off on the (dys)function of the Water District’s Board of Directors – complaining that the three and a half hours he spent at a meeting last week was worse than a root canal, worse even than a fundraiser for under water basket weavers. Anderson’s very funny piece skewers Director Sanchez and those who shower praise upon the Board.

The Santa Clara County Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission will discuss a 25 cent fee on plastic bags Wednesday. Commissioner (Gilroy Councilmember) Cat Tucker says that while she understands the need to reduce waste, the economic disaster will keep her from voting for the fee. The American Chemistry Council must be very proud, lobbyist Manny Diaz is convincing Commissioners not to follow the lead of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Australia, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Taiwan, and even China banning plastic bags. Most markets in Europe have charged shoppers wanting a bag for decades. (Watch Dog will get back to Manny Diaz anti-environmental crusades sometime this week...)

The Merc’s Editorial Board wants to hear from the two Silicon Valley Republicans hoping to take up residence in the Governor’s tent: How would you have balanced the budget? Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner gave a rehash of Schwarzenegger’s 2003 no-tax pledge at the GOP convention over the weekend. Schwarzenegger has said about anyone thinking the budget can be balanced without raising taxes, "… has not really looked at it carefully to understand this budget or has a math problem and has to get back, as I said, and take Math 101."

Tonight we party for tomorrow we pay penance…Translation: It’s Mardi Gras! Let loose your inhibitions – just not in downtown San Jose. San Jose Police are gearing up for mayhem while hoping that the trend over the past two years for well-behaved reveler’s continues. San Jose Downtown Association Communications Director Rick Jensen said, "I think this negative perception is becoming an unfortunate self-fulfilling prophecy. To us, Mardi Gras is just like every other night of the year, a great place to be in downtown San Jose." Mr. Jensen, meet Chief Davis. Chief Davis, meet Rick Jensen...

Morgan Hill’s City Council is hoping a do-over works out better for them. (With Councilmember Larry Carr conferenced-in and Marby Lee absent) The Council decided Friday at a special meeting to place a re-worded (and previously defeated) Measure H on the ballot in May. Councilmember Greg Sellers said, "It would truly be a huge setback downtown if this measure failed." Sellers left off the last word in that sentence...again...

San Jose Union School District’s Dartmouth Middle School is being honored as one of three California in the “Schools to Watch” program by the (awkwardly named) National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. District Superintendent Jacqueline Horejs says students, "…spend the first months afraid of being pushed into a garbage can at lunch. But the moment students enter Dartmouth, they belong and they are cared for." Horejs credits Dartmouth Principal, Carole Carlson, for creating an atmosphere of curiosity and support. (Watch Dog's middle school years were more garbage can and less belonging...)

The Gilroy School Unified School District is calling: You owe us $6 million. The District wants to mail property owners a corrected tax bill because they just discovered the Measure J tax was left off the last two tax bills -- big oops. County Supervisor Don Gage disagrees and hopes the District will let the County loan them money and then next year taxpayers would receive a tax bill (temporarily) doubling the Measure J tax. Because nothing says I love you like a double-sized tax bill...Still unknown is whether it’s even legal to send an amended tax bill. Trustees Denise Apuzzo and Francisco Dominguez said they were looking forward to hearing details at this week's meeting.

Today, the Mountain View City discusses high speed rail, environmental sustainability, and clean power. No word if Manny Diaz will be advocating burning plastic bags for energy.

The trial of accused San Jose cop-killer DeShawn Campbell got underway Monday, nearly 8 years after his arrest for the death of Officer Jeffery Fontana. On day one, defense attorney Edward Sousa made the dramatic announcement that Campbell’s friend, Rodney McNary, had shot Fontana. Prosecutor Lane Liroff countered with statements from friends of Campbell who said he’d confessed the shooting.

Mountain View’s thriving Castro Street was the scene of a racially motivated attack early Saturday morning. 4 suspects have been arrested for attacking Hindi-speaking visitors. The victims were approached by two women who mocked them and said they did not belong in America, the attackers followed up by punching one of the women. The attackers are suspected of being involved in hate crime shooting that took place earlier. A roving band of bigots...how nice.