High-Speed Rail talks to Union Pacific… The recent judicial smack down has dueling rail advocates chatting. Rod Diridon, Sr. hopes the final ruling from the judge is a request for “remedial action” and not a death knell. High-Speed Railers complain this is a stalling tactic by Union PacificaP as they up the ante.
Whoops! Before Silicon Valley’s former HP CEO Carly Fiorina can go after Senator Barbara Boxer she needs to spin (illegal) sales to Iran. The usual “I dunno” isn’t likely to work, Democratic Party Chair John Burton scoffed at the suggestion saying “...it’s always somebody else’s fault...” As to reports of Fiorina’s previous lack of interest in civic engagement, it probably wouldn’t hurt if Fiorina’s spokesperson didn’t have to say “…she regrets not voting...”
After 36 years in the Oak Grove School District, including 10 as Superintendent, Manny Barbara is off to the non-profit world. Unlike other superintendents' departures, Barbara’s leaving pulled at the heartstrings of everyone he touched.
Morgan Hill Unified Schools are celebrating. A $25 million federal grant means solar panels on two schools – no word (yet) about where the remaining $24.5 million (give or take) goes…
That thud heard in Gilroy and at the Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) was the report from the County Office of Education asking District Attorney Dolores Carr to investigate “…apparent illegal fiscal practices and misappropriation of funds...” MACSA’s interim CEO, Maria Elena De La Garza says they are (now) in the midst of 100% change in leadership, closing their charter schools, and letting someone else do the books. We know some folks that are probably not excited about a prolonged investigation...
San Jose is hoping the new San Jose Parks Foundation (a la Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy) will pay for programs and playgrounds. Councilmember Nora Campos said it’s a great direction and it should keep “…kids off the streets and safe and feeling productive in society...”
Gruesome Economy + Panicked Homeowners = An “Overwhelmed” Tax Assessor Larry Stone
For a personal tale of panicked homeowners, turn to the Merc’s Scott Herhold who follows Mountain View’s Lisa Burns through the nightmarish Making Home Affordable and 2 cents that nearly cost her a home.
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG... what a name!) had some cheery weekend news for San Jose’s Mayor Chuck Reed… They’re coming… Roughly 400,000 new residents over the next quarter century. Reed promises San Jose’s sprawly past doesn’t portend its future.
Less than a month after surgery San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant will hit the stage for Scott and Shannon Guggenheim’s (re)opening of the Retro Dome. The Merc’s Sal Pizarro also reports Arts Council CEO Bruce Davis is giddy over Adobe grants, Evergreen’s Samantha Worrall “…Has Talent” and lawyers from Robinson & Wood (along with co-workers) traded briefs for paint buckets at Sacred Heart Nativity School. On a final note, it’s goodbye COMPAC hello ChamberPAC.
San Jose Police busted David Conklin for lacing baby food with powdered aspirin – then sticking it back on shelves at CVS and Walgreens. The Police want to hear from you if you think you may have found contaminated baby food call 911 or the San Jose Police at 408-277-8900.
Showing posts with label oak grove. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oak grove. Show all posts
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Morning News Round-Up -- 6.3.09: Big Buzz at City Hall...
The 49ers are one step closer to ending a 6 decade relationship with the City by the Bay. In the wee hours this morning, the Santa Clara City Council agreed on a $114 million subsidy, well below what the 49ers originally wanted. Next up, a March 2010 election. (We wonder how this will play into the politics of the 49ers...)
San Jose’s Drunk Task Force recommendations were heard by the City Council last night. Among the recommendations is to release people after they get a chance to sober up, offer up the breathalyzer (and document results), properly documenting arrests, and enhanced officer training. Well, the six months (plus) had some real results, we guess. Too bad nobody thought of these things months ago...
Which leads us to what was all the buzz around City Hall yesterday...
San Jose Police (apparently) felt compelled to seek out the (negative) limelight. Police Officers' Association head Bobby Lopez and SJPD retiree/Councilmember Pete Constant defended a controversial POA video saying Raj Jayadev (of the obscure De-Bug) used poor grammar. Seriously? Making fun of folks at a Council meeting. What's worse, POA actually paid for their video. San Jose Revealed adds to the stupidity calling it a phony controversy concocted by POA advisor Jude Barry. Watch Dog doubts that, but we do have a different theory, perhaps this was Lopez's clumsy attempt to divert attention from the Drunk Task Force findings. Here is the POA video:
The folks that the POA made fun of also put out their own video... perhaps the video editing software on Apple computers is too easy to use?
San Jose Pension Fund Chair David Bacigalupi sent a letter to fellow Trustees encouraging them to take as many “due diligence” trips as needed. (Apparently $1 billion in the hole doesn't call for restraint...) Which probably isn't the best idea. The Merc’s Editorial Board calls on Trustees to “curb their lust for travel.”
Saratoga native/film producer Andrew Trapani is turning Hollywood’s bright lights on Sarah Winchester’s spooky home. Team San Jose CEO Dan Fenton isn’t afraid of the ensuing gore and says “we welcome the chance to put San Jose on the big screen.”
Last year San Jose State’s LGBT students received a home of their own, last month SJSU graduates/Los Gatos residents/philanthropists Larry Arzie and David Stonesifer made a $1 million bequest to the center. Arzie and Stonesifer don’t want anyone to suffer the same abuse they did in the 1960’s as young gay men.
School districts around Silicon Valley will open their doors for a few this summer, everyone else can head to private offerings like those from science teacher Curtis Schneider. Oak Grove Superintendent Manny Barbara said there’s no chance of summer school next year because “we are getting hammered.”
San Jose Councilmembers are unhappy with the suggestion they cut their salary to $86,625 and get (only) $350/month for a car. Councilmember Kansen Chu complained that as a “recent immigrant” he didn’t have other resources. Watch Dog notes Councilmember Chu has been here more than 3 decades, owns rental property, and sold a successful restaurant last year…
County Supervisor/VTA Boardmember Don Gage predicted last month Caltrain would keep rolling South to Gilroy. Yesterday the “cut Gilroy” proposal was off the table.
The Merc’s Sal Pizarro will be found walking the streets of downtown San Jose today checking out restaurant samples for the kick off of “Dine Downtown.”
San Jose’s Drunk Task Force recommendations were heard by the City Council last night. Among the recommendations is to release people after they get a chance to sober up, offer up the breathalyzer (and document results), properly documenting arrests, and enhanced officer training. Well, the six months (plus) had some real results, we guess. Too bad nobody thought of these things months ago...
Which leads us to what was all the buzz around City Hall yesterday...
San Jose Police (apparently) felt compelled to seek out the (negative) limelight. Police Officers' Association head Bobby Lopez and SJPD retiree/Councilmember Pete Constant defended a controversial POA video saying Raj Jayadev (of the obscure De-Bug) used poor grammar. Seriously? Making fun of folks at a Council meeting. What's worse, POA actually paid for their video. San Jose Revealed adds to the stupidity calling it a phony controversy concocted by POA advisor Jude Barry. Watch Dog doubts that, but we do have a different theory, perhaps this was Lopez's clumsy attempt to divert attention from the Drunk Task Force findings. Here is the POA video:
The folks that the POA made fun of also put out their own video... perhaps the video editing software on Apple computers is too easy to use?
San Jose Pension Fund Chair David Bacigalupi sent a letter to fellow Trustees encouraging them to take as many “due diligence” trips as needed. (Apparently $1 billion in the hole doesn't call for restraint...) Which probably isn't the best idea. The Merc’s Editorial Board calls on Trustees to “curb their lust for travel.”
Saratoga native/film producer Andrew Trapani is turning Hollywood’s bright lights on Sarah Winchester’s spooky home. Team San Jose CEO Dan Fenton isn’t afraid of the ensuing gore and says “we welcome the chance to put San Jose on the big screen.”
Last year San Jose State’s LGBT students received a home of their own, last month SJSU graduates/Los Gatos residents/philanthropists Larry Arzie and David Stonesifer made a $1 million bequest to the center. Arzie and Stonesifer don’t want anyone to suffer the same abuse they did in the 1960’s as young gay men.
School districts around Silicon Valley will open their doors for a few this summer, everyone else can head to private offerings like those from science teacher Curtis Schneider. Oak Grove Superintendent Manny Barbara said there’s no chance of summer school next year because “we are getting hammered.”
San Jose Councilmembers are unhappy with the suggestion they cut their salary to $86,625 and get (only) $350/month for a car. Councilmember Kansen Chu complained that as a “recent immigrant” he didn’t have other resources. Watch Dog notes Councilmember Chu has been here more than 3 decades, owns rental property, and sold a successful restaurant last year…
County Supervisor/VTA Boardmember Don Gage predicted last month Caltrain would keep rolling South to Gilroy. Yesterday the “cut Gilroy” proposal was off the table.
The Merc’s Sal Pizarro will be found walking the streets of downtown San Jose today checking out restaurant samples for the kick off of “Dine Downtown.”
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Morning News Round-Up -- 4.14.09: Blogs (and porn) First Edition...
Blog-related stuff first today:
And the rest of the news:
Supervisor Don Gage hopes regionalizing County fire services will improve services in South County and save money. With three different agencies serving South County today he’s hopeful others will share his vision.
The Valley Transit Authority is moving ahead with plans to let the few of you who still have disposable dollars ride solo in the HOV lanes. Adjusting fees according to drivers tolerance for pain, the VTA hopes to keep traffic moving.
San Jose’s Oak Grove School District promoted Assistant Superintendent Tony Garcia to replace outgoing Manny Barbara. It is unclear if Manny Barbara will go back to his former job as an animator...(I know the spelling is off...work with me people!)
Faber’s Cyclery is the subject of the Merc’s Joe Rodriguez passion this week. A San Jose cyclery since 1921, owner Alex LaRievere dreams of turning it into the cycle museum San Jose has been waiting for, one with beer. Adding to the allure, before it was a cyclery haven it was a blacksmith, stage coach stop, and saloon (complete with brothel). If you have the deep pockets, LaRievere is looking for give him a call (408) 294-1314. Perhaps if he brought back the brothel, folks would give money...
- San Jose Revealed lets loose with poetic allegory while blogging about San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant’s “porn filter fetish.” Revealed confesses to possible naiveté in thinking the fear over reason crusaders had been spanked soundly last year. While questioning Mayor Reed’s political savvy on the matter, Revealed rolls out the cynical theory that Reed is simply looking for a re-election sound bite. And in case you missed it, we tracked down Councilmember Constant and his BFF Larry Pegram's whereabouts...
- San Jose Insider/Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio engages in a little political-blogger-suck-up and writes about his Breakfast with the Chamber. Unfortunately, we also learn a little about PO's sleeping habits...
- After only 6 years in office, Gilroy's anti-blog Mayor Al Pinheiro is hosting his first “Coffee with the Mayor.” Pissed off residents blogging on the Gilroy Dispatch got the Mayor’s attention. “I will never answer on those blogs or get in there and get started in some pissing contest… Anyone who wants answers can come get a hold of me,” said the Mayor. Pinheiro is relying on charm to sooth the angry blogger.
- Palo Alto leaders see their fair city as the center of the Valley’s ultra-high-speed fiber internet mecca and is seeking federal stimulus bucks to make it happen – never mind those funds are targeted for the technologically impoverished. Councilmember Larry Klein said “it’s a 21st century technology. There are other places in the world that are doing this, and some of them do compete with us.” Oh yeah, and in February the Palo Alto City Council basically threw in the towel on this plan...
- Once fueled by double macchiato bolstered techies, Silicon Valley is hit hard by the economy. According to a Merc. analysis of new data from those folks at the Employment Development Office, tech accounted for 21% of lost jobs for the first part of the year. Why do you think we blog?...
- Furlough and layoff are the new buzzwords in Silicon Valley and it’s creating huge demand for services at local non-profits. Nancy Tivol, with Sunnyvale Community Services, gets the same questions from reports all the time, “Are you seeing the middle-class line up for bags of food?”
- Speaking of furloughs...San Jose’s annual downtown Fourth of July fireworks has been furloughed – to use the current vernacular. Fireworks organizer Fil Maresca said it was a business decision, costs for City services had increased ten-fold over the decade of operations, driving Maresca to douse the fire.
- The Merc’s Editorial Board uses a word Watch Dog has waited a lifetime to see grace the editorial pages “duh.” The big duh in this case is sick leave as retirement benefits in San Jose.
- Mountain View homes maintained a median price of just over $1 million but, according to the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, no one is buying.
And the rest of the news:
Supervisor Don Gage hopes regionalizing County fire services will improve services in South County and save money. With three different agencies serving South County today he’s hopeful others will share his vision.
The Valley Transit Authority is moving ahead with plans to let the few of you who still have disposable dollars ride solo in the HOV lanes. Adjusting fees according to drivers tolerance for pain, the VTA hopes to keep traffic moving.
San Jose’s Oak Grove School District promoted Assistant Superintendent Tony Garcia to replace outgoing Manny Barbara. It is unclear if Manny Barbara will go back to his former job as an animator...(I know the spelling is off...work with me people!)
Faber’s Cyclery is the subject of the Merc’s Joe Rodriguez passion this week. A San Jose cyclery since 1921, owner Alex LaRievere dreams of turning it into the cycle museum San Jose has been waiting for, one with beer. Adding to the allure, before it was a cyclery haven it was a blacksmith, stage coach stop, and saloon (complete with brothel). If you have the deep pockets, LaRievere is looking for give him a call (408) 294-1314. Perhaps if he brought back the brothel, folks would give money...
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