Morning News Round-Up – 11.10.09:

San Jose Redevelopment Agency chief Harry Mavrogenes took a beating Monday afternoon when County Executive Jeff Smith said the Agency is “so highly leveraged they cannot pay off their bills or even their operating expenses…” Smith was joined by Councilmember Sam Liccardo who hoped his cautionary tone might prove to be “off-key.” No doubt, Mavrogenes was thinking the same thing...

The Santa Clara Open Space Authority is breathing a sigh of relief, and keeping nearly $30 million from an “illegal assessment.” The agency now gets to figure out how to spend the ill-gotten gain, open some of that open space, hire a few rangers, build trails or purchase more parkland. Maybe Taxpayers Association Doug McNea could look somewhere more interesting next time...

Sporting a new t-shirt Morgan Hill resident/Medical Marijuana dispenser Batzi Kuburovich stands proudly next to Gilroy's shiny new medical marijuana dispensary. Councilmember Cat Tucker was pissed the dispensary opened in “blatant disregard” to the law and council decisions. We’re happy we now know where to go to get our doctors note for pot…

San Jose Insider/San Jose Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio was mighty pissed last week when colleagues ditched his idea to open labor negotiations for popcorn eating entertainment. Oliverio hopes to increase taxes on the city’s gambling joints and adding a pot tax for good measure.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold talked (government staff) layoffs with a friend over the weekend and offers a few ideas of his own for cost savings. Don’t let folks with skin in the game decide who pays their retirement shortfall (police and firefighter pension trustees – that would be you), don’t send San Jose economic geek Paul Krutko to Portugal – send him to Palo Alto, and, when you see your lawsuit going down in flames – stop throwing money at it (Santa Clara County’s “ludicrous” GIS battle).

Ooops. The Santa Clara Valley Water District is in a little hot water of its own. A trial began Monday that could have the district providing refunds to thousands of water drinking fans. Great Oaks Water Company hired forensic accountant Thomas O’Rourke to track the dollars collected and follow their flow.

If you love your Whole Foods you’ll be happy to hear construction is underway again in Almaden Valley. Sadly, if you live in San Jose’s Rose Garden, you have to wait for construction to resume – Blossom Hill has priority.

Mountain View High’s principal Keith Moody overcame tough odds and was a football star before his passion for education kicked in. Last month Moody was inducted into the Syracuse Hall of Fame.

Hoofers around Mountain View will be happy to hear MV wants to hear from you. Google maps are helping online walkers tell the city what works and what doesn’t.

Mission City Lantern sends a love note to Watch Dog with a reminder that Stanford trounced the Ducks. OSU Beavers bested the Cardinals. (Watch Dog (mistakenly) read the Mission City headline “Stanford Defeats Oregon…” with a giant beaver and was (apparently) too hung over to remember which wildlife was present.)

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.24.09: San Jose's lost lover is back...

Tesla Chronicles Continue... Tesla nailed a loan from the Feds to the tune of $465 million and has plans to announce where in the Bay Area a battery production plant will land. San Jose’s Nanci Klein is thrilled and confident San Jose will land the electric fish gushing “Tesla’s success is our success.” Really? Even though they left San Jose at the alter previously? Let's hope that the on-again/off-again San Jose/Tesla romance continues for a while. Or at least until they burn through taxpayers' $465 mill...

San Jose’s City Council moves closer to reforms for the beleaguered Employee Pension Funds. Consultant Cortex Applied Research said the existing Boards lack expertise and have little incentive to save taxpayer money. Perhaps that, coupled with the economic melt-down, explains the billion (plus) dollar losses...

San Jose’s Planning Commission landed in hot water last month with accusations of a Brown Act open government violation. City Attorney Rick Doyle lowered the temperature and is requiring a re-vote in the election of a new Commission Chair. Watch Dog prediction: one of the four alleged co-conspirators Xavier Campos, Chris Platten, Hope Cahan, or Thang Do lands in the center chair.

Santa Clara County Open Space Authority mails notices to hundreds of thousands of property owners fessing up to an illegal tax and offering a refund. Sierra Club’s Melissa Hippard suggests refusing, others suggest taking the $130 and donating it back (read tax deduction). The Open Space Authority loses $51 million for their screw-up. The winner is Tony Tanke, a Davis attorney, who walks away with $7.4 million in legal fees.

Former Los Altos Police Chief Bob Lacey may be “crude” and “inappropriate” but the Judge says porn on a flash drive, fat jokes for a pregnant lady, discussions of testicles, and photos of a naked transgender person did not make for a hostile workplace.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold likens the ongoing squabble between NASA and the Navy over who is responsible for Moffett’s Hangar One to an officious clerk making your life miserable. Herhold says it’s time to cut through the nonsense and call in White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Congressmember Anna Eshoo agreed it was “absolutely absurd” for the Navy to move forward without an end game but wasn’t so sure about calling Emanuel. (Watch Dog doesn't blame Eshoo... here's why.)

While the rest of the Valley is grilling and hanging out for the fireworks, three Monte Sereno Councilmembers have local fireworks to deal with. The recall effort over the (very badly timed) Council salary decision heads into high gear on the 4th of July. Recall proponent Fred Hawkes doesn’t want his Councilmembers wasting their time or money on Countywide groups like the Association of Bay Area Governments or the Santa Clara Cities Association.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is all over the news. He’ll get his dream mansion, Woodside keeps parts of an historic home, and Jobs ill health was confirmed when a Tennessee hospital confirmed Jobs’ liver transplant. We guess is that he'd rather be in the news discussing the latest and greatest iPod...

Saratoga Planning Commissioners approved plans to relocate a San Jose business (Demetri's the Hair People) onto Saratoga’s main drag. Commissioner David Reis was impressed with plans to update the exterior. Also approved, enlarging outdoor seating for Cinnabar Winery. Expensive hair cuts and expensive wine... perfect for Saratoga.

Sunnyvale’s newest City Manager, Gary Luebbers, says patience is his biggest challenge. Mayor Anthony Spitaleri likes that Luebbers isn’t “analyzing to death” and is hopeful this bodes well for Sunnyvale’s (Albatross) Town Center project.

What do Halle Berry, Paris, New York, Monte Carlo, and Palo Alto have in common? Doris Payne and It Takes a Thief, of course.

Busy times in South County: Gilroy had more gang problems, an “elaborate” car theft, and big robbery last week. Trustees for Gilroy Unified hired a new principal for Gilroy High and three new administrators to see them through tough times ahead.

Upscale Los Gatos hopes you’ll join them for Jazz on the Plazz but doesn’t want your crummy turf damaging blanket and has a slew of rules for those lawn chairs. Welcome to Los Gatos, don't leave a mark...

San Jose Insider/Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Joseph DiSalvo weighs in on class size reduction standing firmly on the fence. DiSalvo also continues his push for increased teacher salaries. Thank you (?) Joe.

Bucking the trend towards cheap, Cisco Systems handed out $1.26 million in grants including to 53 local non-profits.

Morning News Round-Up – 5.29.09: Vegas, Fries, Sewage... Happy Friday

Mayor Mike Wasserman is not a happy camper saying it “fries” him to learn the Governator may take almost $1 million as punishment for failure of the May 19 election.

The Great Recession is the pain that keeps on aching. San Jose’s city council was visited by janitors who got ditched by Cisco. Janitorial rep Guadalupe Antolin hopes the city council will throw its weight around at Cisco and get them back to work. Watch Dog is (pretty) sure Antolin didn't mean ...

Sunnyvale School Superintendent Ben Picard is joining the ranks of Silicon Valley school districts heading to the ballot box. Paraphrasing a little Vegas ditty, Picard says what’s raised here, stays here. First step, a poll…

Sunnyvale residents, nice job cutting back on water, as appreciation, and in the spirit of the booming economy – your rates are going up!

Silicon Valley is ready to launch the next big tourist attraction… the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant hopes the $1 billion overhaul will turn it into the next California Academy of Sciences.

It’s the feel-good cop story San Jose police have been waiting for. Police officers Luan Nguyen and Manny Vasquez were winging their way home from a much needed vacation in Vietnam when mile high circumstances required their expert police skills.

The Merc’s Barbara Marshman kept the conversation going at a Silicon Valley Leadership Group panel with local green experts. Read all the gory details.

The Merc’s Editorial Board joins Sierra Club’s Melissa Hippard to call on Silicon Valley homeowners to ditch the offer of a $130 refund. Let the Santa Clara Open Space Authority keep the ill-gotten gain, unless you’re among the pink slip proud or hate the great outdoors.

The Merc’s Joe Rodriguez sat with a very lucky man to learn how failed assassinations brought Mexico’s rising political star, David Figueroa, to San Jose. Now safe with his family, Now the Mexican Consul General, Figueroa sees the crease of a bullet each time he looks in the mirror.

It’s the Silicon Valley Dream… Judy Dugan and Julia Murphy began a hike as friends and ended it as entrepreneurs for Jumping Cracker Beans greeting cards. Within a year they were shipping underwear elastic, making lemonade and winning the Louie…

Mr. Roadshow, aka Gary Richards, asks the knuckleheads from Stanford not to use Highway 280 as a vehicle for protest…

A Morgan Hill police officer’s Glock was stolen from his home. There’s a $1,000 in it for you to help get the gun back. Call Morgan Hill police at 408.779.2101 or the anonymous tip line at 408-947-STOP (7867).

The Metro dishes on kids and porn. From “sexting” to surfing, kids seem to have a grip on new technology. An anonymous “Jane” reports mobile computing is the preferred source for education and maybe a little test cheating. Watch Dog can hear the howls from the BFF’s…

Los Gatans are asked to chime in on land use next week, if you dig figuring out what to do now that Los Gatos car dealerships are out, this is for you…

Morning News Round-Up – 5.28.09: Please, Sir, may I have some more...

The aftermath of the May 19 special election is starting to hit home. Will Lightbourne, Santa Clara county social services director, said the Guvernator’s proposed cuts were Dickensian and would remove a safety net for children that “every first-world nation has.” San Jose Assemblymember Jim Beall said the CalWORKS demise would result in “a lot of little kids begging on the streets.”

Foothill-De Anza will cut 65 positions, 34 people and 31 empty gigs are gone. D.C. bound Chancellor Martha Kanter said the aftermath of the May 19 election is “devastating news for all of education.”

San Jose is moving forward on freezing salaries for the Operating Engineers after failed contract negotiations. Union representative Bill Pope said medical co-pay and how long the freeze would last were stumbling blocks, and the city was too rigid.

Speaking of frozen salaries…

San Jose Revealed dug through City Hall archives to bring new quotable moments, and another nickname, for Councilmember Pete Constant. Revealed is all over the councilmember’s new found determination to “lead by example.” Watch Dog is flattered Revealed is a loyal reader…

The screw-up could cost the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority $57 million, but they’re hoping you won’t ask for your $130. Sierra Club director, Melissa Hippard, calls turning down the dough “a no brainer.” Really?

Teen blogger/artist Katy Hughes and her Mother Elizabeth won’t be getting any money from the Open Space, they are looking for permanent housing, again. The story is a familiar one to Jennifer Van Every of EHC LifeBuilders, “it’s reflective of the economic crisis.”

Seven and a half years after San Jose police officer Jeffrey Fontana was killed in Almaden Valley, DeShawn Campbell was convicted of his murder. Judge Diane Northway called the jurors “shining stars,” while Police Chief Rob Davis and District Attorney Dolores Carr sent props to prosecutor Lane Liroff.

Swim coach Andrew King was on his way to court for charges related to “inappropriate relations with a child” when he was busted by the San Leandro police for the same thing. King had swim meets as far as Canada so expect more fallout.

There’s another perv on the loose in Gilroy. Police are looking for a man in a white SUV who circled around sisters 5 times before taking off.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold has a couple of choice words for San Jose police after withholding the 911 tapes. Pompous and manure. San Jose Insider/De-Bug’s Raj Jayadev reflects on teaching moments lost in time…

Mountain View residents can expect a call from pollsters for the school district. Mountain View Whisman trustee Ellen Wheeler calls the poll necessary saying even she doesn’t know where she stands on the proposed bond. Gene Bergman & Assoc and political consultants Tramutola are happy as well…

The Los Altos Planning Commission is recommending the city council approve expansion of the Pilgrim Haven retirement community following a stream of Los Altans worried about traffic and time. Commissioner John Baer encouraged opponents to take “another shot” saying “council likes to hear from all the residents,” as he laughed.

Los Gatos town manager Greg Larson is celebrating the efforts of employees who used pedal power to get to work earlier this month. Town attorney Orry Korb rode his bike from Santa Cruz. Also using pedal power Mayor Mike Wasserman, police Capt. Alana Forrest, town finance director Steve Conway . Watch Dog hopes Larson provided them showers before the cocktails…

Some of you wish you’d been on your bike last weekend… Santa Clara County police officers busted 115 drivers for drinking, or drugging, and driving.

Caltrain riders worried about fare increases and decreasing service affecting riders from Gilroy to San Francisco were joined by Chamber of Commerce officials. There’s always the bike, just ask Orry.

If you tweet much you were probably already at Mountain View’s Computer History Museum when Twitter’s Anamitra Banerji denied the making of a Twitter TV show.

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.9.09: A quarter, a dime, and four pennies...

San Jose is gearing up for a contentious battle with downtown nightclub owners. The City wants club owners to help pay for Police services in downtown, at roughly 39 cents/patron. Club owners, unsurprisingly, are complaining the request is “nonsensical” in the words of Dave Powell, owner of three downtown establishments. Councilmember Sam Liccardo believes a compromise is achievable and says, "We'd like to see a model which is more consistent with community Policing as it's understood: an officer walking the street engaging people in a friendly manner."

The Merc’s Editorial Board also weighs in and lets us know that part of the problem is a stubborn Police Chief Rob Davis and says the current proposal doesn’t address the problem – pointing to Austin, Texas as a good model and calling for smaller clubs. You can see the proposed charges to your favorite drinking hole on page 17 here.

Watch Dog will get back to this story, but the City of San Jose is considering a ban on plastic bags. That is mildly interesting. Plastic's lobbyist is wildly interesting. It seems Manny Diaz (finally) saw The Graduate:



The Merc's Internal Affairs has been prowling through local Legislator compliance and fundraising filings… Among the news:

• New Assemblymember Paul Fong has started to campaign for re-election – less than 3 months in office. (Is he scared this guy is going to run against him again?)
  
• Assemblymember Ira Ruskin is running to replace termed out Senator Joe Simitian. (Watch Dog San Mateo has some insights into who wants to replace Ruskin...)
  
• Assemblymember Joe Coto wants termed out Senator Elaine Alquist's seat. (Perhaps this guy can give Coto some (bad) advice...)

Alum Rock Board of Trustees is back in the news…They yanked the golden parachute away from resigned/fired Superintendent Norma Martinez, with an entertaining side effect – the former Super is now Super again. Board President Gustavo Gonzalez said the golden parachute was worth more than a half-million dollars, but facing pissed off teachers and community members the Board decided to reverse themselves. Is this the most disfunctional School District in the City, the State, or the World? Your call...

The Merc’s Editorial Board echoes support for the preservation of regional open space – adding that the smartest green initiative is open land. In a report from the Bay Area Open Space Council, Association of Bay Area Governments, and The Greenbelt Alliance, the recommendation is for parks to be available within 10 minutes of every home in the Valley of Heart’s Delight.

Calling it a “win-win-win” San Jose’s Department of Transportation head Jim Helmer, is excited San Jose is getting rid of the yellow streetlights and replacing them with LED lights that cut energy costs, are easily programmed, and won’t alter colors or confuse drivers. If the Mayor gets the Federal dollars he hopes for the project, it will be completed sooner – if not, look for 2022 as the date when the last of the lights are converted.

Bruce Davis, head of Arts Council Silicon Valley, is happy with the new President and says, "The President is a smart guy. He gets it. …he sees [the arts] as part of the whole economy and the whole cultural aspect of the United States' identity in the world. It's important to him." Although the proposed arts funding is less than one-tenth of 1% of the stimulus package, Lisa Mallette with San Jose’s City Lights Company says “There’s no way to go but up.” With an estimated 700% return for every dollar invested in the arts it sounds like everyone should be buying their own puppies playing poker painting.

On tap around the Valley this week…

• The Board of Supervisors will hear from Acting County Executive Gary Graves on the budget (looks grim) and year-end projections for the general fund (looks grimmer).
• In addition to having someone else pay for Police, the San Jose City Council will look at changing funding to the arts and letting parking scofflaws pay more for the privilege of breaking the rules.
• In Sunnyvale they’re talking about signs.
• Mountain View’s City Council reviews a youth program.
• The Santa Clara Water District will hear from staff about the water supply (looks grim) and what to do if the drought continues (looks grimmer).
• Alum Rock is back in session still talking lawyers – will they hire Trustee Esau Herrera’s old firm?
• The Los Altos School District will review proposed reductions and hear about a parent survey.
• Campbell is talking employee contracts.
• Cupertino’s School District will consider a parcel tax, good luck with that. During the Great Recession?

Apple’s Other Steve (Wozniak) will show off his twinkle toes in this season’s Dancing with the Stars.