Morning News Round-Up -- 5.6.10: Too...Many...Margaritas...

Oh, poor Mineta San Jose (International?) Airport. They are considering cutting positions, contracting out services, and generally driving Cindy Chavez absolutely bonkers... the proposed cuts/contracting could save a whole bunch of cash all in an effort to get airlines to start coming back, or at least to stop cutting flights...

And no amount of cutting or contracting out will bring Tapestry in Arts back this year apparently... it joins the fireworks display downtown as canceled events in San Jose...

Scott Herhold follows the County budget closer than some Supervisors do. Especially Supervisor George Shirakawa. (Remember, Herhold told the story about District Attorney Dolores Carr's car...) Shirakawa and his fiscally responsible staff, headed up by Eddie Garcia, are over budget and don't seem to know why, which is reassuring. The curious part is that Herhold's story doesn't mention the second in charge to Garcia: Xavier Campos. You'd think Campos would be able to deal with the budget in the office, y'know, because of the bang-up job he did as MACSA's Chief Operating Officer...

San Jose District 5 got the breakdown treatment this week, so did Districts 1 and 3 (from Joe Rodriguez), and now it is District 7's turn, where incumbent Madison Nguyen runs for that seat for the 17th time... John Woolfolk at the Merc has been very, very busy...

Speaking of the District 3 run-down, it seems Councilmember Sam Liccardo disagrees with some (or all) of what Joe Rodriguez wrote according to Liccardo's letter to the editor...

George Beattie, the not-nearly-as-much-fun successor to Bobby Lopez at the San Jose Police Officers' Association, writes for Protect San Jose about the back and forth and back and forth between the POA and the City of San Jose, with copies of the letters that are flying between North 4th and Santa Clara Street...

Guess what Steve Poizner's internal polls say? That he's catching up. Guess what Sarah Palin's polls said about her? That she was qualified... it doesn't make it so Steve, it doesn't make it so...

In other political news (about people way behind in the polls), Yoriko Kishimoto gets a write up in the Almanac/Palo Alto Weekly. She is running for State Assembly for Ira Ruskin's seat against Josh Becker and Rich Gordon.

Stanford Hospital and nurses still aren't getting along nicely. The hospitals just rejected a proposal from the nurses... who previously had rejected the "last, best, and final" offer from the hospital.

Just to give you fair warning, four students were sent home from school at Live Oak High School yesterday for wearing American flag t-shirts on Cinco de Mayo, it was viewed as incendiary. (Perhaps it was the t-shirts and the tight-cropped hair cuts...) This will be a controversial issue that will likely make Fox News, the Rush Limbaugh Show, and probably spark a Tea Party rally as well.

This is a story from Watch Dog San Mateo.. the Almanac actually... but it will send shock-waves up and down Silicon Valley. Menlo Park is imposing a two-tier pension system for its municipal employees. The beginning of a trend, or the shot heard round the union world?

More from San Mateo County... To Tweet (or Facebook) or not to Tweet during a City Council meeting... something that more than one Watch Dog has commented on in the past related to at least one San Jose City Council member whose name starts with P and ends in ETE. A Tweet from a Councilmember in San Carlos has stirred up the usually sleepy town...

Finally, Tom Campbell's campaign has released an online campaign video (and taken their gloves off) that you absolutely have to see. Seriously. It makes the weird sheep thing Carly Fiorina's campaign put out a while ago seem mild. Take a gander... love the head-bob...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.5.10: Garcia vs. Poizner...

First, the important stuff...

Go Stanford. Beat UConn...

Go A's. Beat Seattle (and move to San Jose...)

Now, to less important stuff...

The Mercury News Editorial Board (unsurprisingly) endorsed Jeff Rosen... But the language they used was harsh, and Watch Dog is certain that voters will see this phrase over and over again...: "...Dolores Carr has shown that she lacks the moral compass and clear judgment to serve as the county's top law enforcement official..."

Speaking of skyrocketing public employee pension and benefits cost... actually, we weren't, but this story is the result of those things: Pools in San Jose may not open as planned this summer. Swimming, swimming in the swimming pool, when days are hot, when days are cold, in the swimming pool... or not.

San Jose Councilmember Kansen Chu woke up Saturday morning to this headline: "San Jose Councilman Kansen Chu violated state, city limits on gifts..." No word yet if Chu's first call was to Sam Liccardo for advice...

Stanford and Palo Alto don't get along. If you missed that, then you are very, very new to Silicon Valley... In exchange for Palo Alto putting up a huge stink about Stanford's hospital expansion plans, Palo Alto wants Stanford to help pay for the the PAPD's new building. Usually those deals are cut behind closed doors, but this quid pro quo is right out in the public...

In other unsurprising news: Caltrain is in deep shit... and it may be taxpayers who need to keep it afloat, because riders can't afford the $50/day to ride the train what it would take to keep Caltrains running... Good times.

The folks at Protect San Jose can't type fast enough to counter this Merc profile of Raj Jayadev, the head of De-Bug and a thorn in the side of SJPD. You'll remember Raj as the dude the San Jose Police Officers' Association made fun of in their video last year. In an ironic twist, that video which mocked Raj actually gave him a bigger pedestal to blast the Police... now culminating in a (mostly) positive story about Raj and De-Bug. Good work SJPOA...

It was quite a day for Steve Poizner on Friday. Having nothing to do with his run for Governor, folks from the East Side Union High School District, and Mount Pleasant High School specifically, protested him at the mall where Poizner was signing his new book about teaching in the East Side Union High School District. In this news clip, we see Eddie Garcia getting in the face of Poizner. Poizner could have responded, "Mr. Garcia, as soon as the voters elect you to something, I will listen..." But Poizner didn't do that...

Speaking of troubled high schools... a victim of a stabbing was dropped off (or stabbed) at the entrance to Gilroy High School.

Yesterday was Sunday, which is the reporters at the Merc fun day, at least in terms of Internal Affairs. Here's the fun stuff we learned...

• The Santa Clara County Bar Association like Jeff Rosen better than Dolores Carr... so does Scott Herhold and nearly everyone who works in the DA's office...
• The East Side Superintendent that got fired before the most recent one got fired is getting fired again... from the Alisal Union School District. They sure do know how to pick 'em at ESUHSD...
• And perhaps most shocking is this: Steve Poizner had a man-crush on Ron Gonzales... Oh, as shocking, someone actually had to read Poizner's book to find out that info...

One task force to talk about tree removal and another to talk about tree planting. That's the plan for TJ Martin and Fontana Parks in San Jose because PG&E needs to remove trees and neighbors are not pleased...

The Merc Editorial Board continues with its political endorsements... beyond the really fun one for Jeff Rosen, a really not fun unendorsement for Proposition 17... which is funded by Mercury Insurance. (Note to Mercury Insurance: Please don't raise Watch Dog's rates...)

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.3.10: Scrappy or Wimpy?

Unbelievably, there is no story about District Attorney Dolores Carr today...

Downtown San Jose may start looking a downtown in real city now that the City Council has allowed more electronic signs. Now the "going out of business" signs will attract a lot more attention... just kidding everyone, just kidding.

Poor Republican Gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner. Obviously not the 'poor' like he has not money, but the 'poor' like he keeps tripping over himself... In a sad piece, the Merc's Scott Herhold rips into Mr. Poizner (as the students once called him and will call him again... soon) for his weak press conference earlier in the week where he likened the 'threats' the Whitman camp had thrown at him to the Sopranos... Herhold calls him a "laughingstock"... Poizner's Last Stand got another story today about whether the press conference made Poizner look scrappy or wimpy, wimpy, wimpy... We know what Herhold thinks...

Another local rich guy is running for statewide office as well... Chris Kelly of Facebook fame, put in $2 million into his own campaign last year to lead all the Attorney General candidates in "fundraising"... of course, his rivals actually had to fundraise rather than get out their checkbooks. Leading the real fundraising is Kamala Harris ($1,247,353) then Rocky Delgadillo ($1,185,429) then Silicon Valley's neighbor Alberto Torrico ($1,125,982) then Ted Lieu ($1,023,357)... Watch Dog guesses that anyone who is willing to put $2 million into a race is probably willing to put at least $2 million more... sort of the Meg Whitman strategy. (Thank you Politicon Valley...)

In other campaign finance news...

No shock here, the 49ers are putting money into the campaign that will (they hope) get them a new stadium in Santa Clara. So far, the 49ers have spent $350k on campaign stuff... expect more, a lot more. The 49ers must be freaked out... their opponents raised $825. Plus, the 49ers have James Rowen beating up the opposition everyday at Mission City Lantern...

The East Side Union High School District had some good news in the paper today...

Eddie Garcia, the President of the Board of the East Side Union High School District, adapted his State of the District speech for the Mercury News Editorial pages today. He lays out what 2010 will look like for the ESUHSD. Which brings up the question: How did someone who voters neglected to put into office actually become President of the Board? (Remember, Garcia is a twice-appointed Board member...)

and some East Side Union High School District bad news...

"Audit blames East Side board, not former Superintendent Bob Nunez, for lapses" Perhaps the voters were right...

You remember the story of the Sarah Botill (daughter of a Firefighter) in Gilroy who died after a night drinking (at a former City Councilmembers house). Well, the toxicology report came back and it says that she only had a "moderate amount of alcohol in her blood."

Joe DiSalvo over at San Jose Inside recaps a Charter School Summit that happened last Saturday. He hopes the Summit will start to heal old wounds... good luck with that Mr. DiSalvo.

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.9.09: Chiefs of PD's Past and Present...

(Former) San Jose Police Chief/Stanford Hoover Institute Research Fellow Joseph McNamara takes issue with the Merc's coverage of San Jose's Police Department -- and uses the Merc's Opinion page to call on Sean Webby to cover the happy side of San Jose Police business. McNamara suggests the Merc's headline writers are shaping public opinion with spicy headlines. Police coming to the defense of police? Say it ain't so.

(By the way, Watch Dog does not know, and has never spoken to, Sean Webby...)

Speaking of Police Chiefs... Chief Rob Davis (apparently) dusted off his resume early this year to apply for head honcho position in Los Angeles. Davis' didn't land the gig, perhaps due to the salacious headlines in the Merc that are upsetting McNamara, or perhaps the annoying Drunk in Public scandal, or perhaps Chief Davis isn't well loved by the rank and file? The Merc's Internal Affairs tried to get the (secretive) Chief to dish details of his (possible) LA LA land visit... but no luck.

As opposed to Rob Davis who was trying to head to greener pastures, there was a Superintendent locally who was put out to pasture... East Side Union High School Trustees dished details on the ouster of Superintendent Bob Nunez. With monthly expenses running as much as $4,000 a month, auditors found sloppy bookkeeping but nothing illegal in his expensive (alleged) meals with Supervisor/(former) Trustee George Shirakawa and Trustee Eddie Garcia. The audit also found weak oversight... really?

First plastic bags now Styrofoam... Environmentalists must be celebrating in San Jose as the 10th largest city in the nation considers banning those pesky white (non-degradable) coffee cups from public events. Lauren Kates of Aunt Lali's Mobile Cafe said the free ride she's gotten on disposables was nice but she's not stressing over the changes. The same can't be said for the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers who could be looking for a mouthpiece...

The Merc's Editorial Board calls on Campbell's Planning Commission to just say no to a planned "specialty" (rich persons') hospital. Accusing the specialty doctor digs of "cherry-picking" profitable surgeries...

Two train deaths occurred Friday afternoon and both were homeless. Cheryl Mendoza and John Vincent were killed in separate accidents on the Caltrain right of way. Mendoza's death is being investigated as a possible suicide and her friends mourned the San Jose woman who had been homeless for as long as they could remember.

Smart and predatory, the success of the California gull in the Bay's wetlands could threaten wetland restoration efforts. Cheryl Strong, a wildlife biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service worries planned wildlife habitats could turn into an "expensive hotel for gulls."

And this will get firefighters' attention... in Gilroy a City Councilmember is proposing fewer firefighters per truck. Can this be the start of a trend?

Mission City Lantern sends props to Stanford football for besting the Beavers while lamenting the whipping San Jose Spartans took at the hands of Nevada wolf pack.

Morning News Round-Up – 9.4.09: For your holiday weekend pleasure...

Depending on who you believe the A’s finding their way to San Jose could be a (financial) field of dreams or field of schemes. San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is showing his dreamy side hollering “Play Ball!” San Jose Inside reiterates…

Congressmember Anna Eshoo welcomed both sides of the healthcare debate declaring she understood the passions constituents felt. Eshoo shared there are three elements of the legislation she helped write and none were about destroying the system.

Mountain View’s (retired diplomat) David Straub keeps hanging with the cool kids. Straub was part of President Bill Clinton’s dramatic rescue of journalists held captive in North Korea.

John Masakazu Tashiro, a purchasing specialist for Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, had a really sweet gig – until someone figured out those 81,000 index dividers were like the Emperor’s new clothes. A million bucks later, Tashiro finds himself on the wrong side of pissed off, high powered attorneys.

State Senator Elaine Alquist is doing the happy dance. In the midst of the financial crisis while State legislators are snarling their way through each day – the 49er bill made it to the top of the pile and got its positive Assembly vote.

Campbell is a cool place to hang and the mother-daughter team of Lorraine Laden and Crystal Mangiameli are hoping to keep the doors open on Pleasures of the Heart for years to come. Even Mayor Jane Kennedy wants to keep them saying “I don’t see where they’re a problem… I don’t want to see them go away.” Don’t tell (carpetbagger)/Congressional wannabe/porn king Larry Pegram, pleasure makes him blush.

Speaking of libraries… The economic crisis has people flocking to Santa Clara County libraries to use the internet. So many that library internet surfing is more like playing in the kiddie pool than hitting Mavericks. Help is on the way, librarians’ hope, with tech tweaking courtesy of the Joint Powers Authority.

Maybe Google can lend a hand to the librarians dilemma as part of the WiFi upgrades they have up their sleeves for Mountain View. Improved surfing for the 19,000 users is on the mind of Google tech Karl Garcia.

Two more murderous souls were busted for the death last month of Kristina Harris Perkins at San Jose’s Alum Rock Lightrail station. Behind bars are Eddie Manuel Rivera and Gregory Alan Lopez, investigators still won’t dish details on why Perkins was attacked.

San Jose’s San Tomas Convalescent Hospital is big trouble. The State Department of Health slapped them with a “AA” citation for the death of Hannah Lesser after a tv and dresser fell on top of her.

It’s Open Forum Friday at Protect San Jose. Send your juiciest tips and Labor Day tricks on over…

Mission City Lantern (doesn’t) talk about Bill Gissler because he’s “irrelevant” and “could have been great, except he was not very good.”

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.28.09: Political Impact

Today, we have several stories that may have long-term, political impacts...

There is another weird, but fascinating, turn in the DA Dolores Carr story. Remember, she recused herself from a murder prosecution because her husband was on contract with the victim's family for their civil trial. Now, a judge hearing motions in the case, Judge Joyce Allegro, is also backing away from the case as she, the DA, and the DA's husband are buddies. The most immediate implication of these shenanigans are that the DA may actually get the case taken away from her office and kicked to the State Attorney General... Oops.

Feeling the (not so good kind of) love from the Civil Grand Jury, East Side Union High School (unelected/ twice-appointed) Trustee Eddie Garcia has a whole bunch of questions for Superintendent Bob Nunez's vacation time pay (and probably why the Superintendent asks for reimbursements for coffee)... Watch Dog has to ask: Where was the oversight from Garcia (and his boss) during this spending-spree? Could it be for this exact reason that voters did not vote for an "incumbent" in this District.

The Merc's Scott Herhold rips into his least-favorite government agency today -- the Santa Clara Valley Water District. In the process, he provides a political Profile in Courage-scenario for Water District Board Member (Supervisorial wanna-be) Rosemary Kamei.

Palo Alto's College Terrace Centre took an important step forward yesterday when the City Council approved a requested zoning change for the site. Two "public benefits" that the neighbors were looking for were a JJ&F subsidy and affordable housing. The neighbors are likely to get both -- but also get more office space than they probably wanted.

And if neighbors are super-pissed (or super-happy) with the City Council in Palo Alto, they can let them know in November because Palo Alto's ever-growing list of folks that want to serve on the City Council is ever-growing still. Gregory Scharff (lawyer), Nancy Shepherd ("school activist"), and Brian Steen (land-use consultant) are all throwing their hats in the ring. They join Planning Commissioner Karen Holman, Gail Price, realtor Dan Dykwel, realtor Leon Leong, business-dude Tim Gray, and man-about-town Victor Frost. Oh yeah, current Councilmember Larry Klein is also running. They are all vying for five seats.

One issue these Palo Alto Council wanna-be's won't have to deal with is a big-mouth Police Chief. (In case you forgot why this is an issue in Palo Alto...) The three new Police Chief finalists have been announced: Interim Chief Dennis Burns, Fairfield Police Chief Kenton Rainey, and San Carlos Police Chief Gregory Rothaus.

Young folks in Mountain View are advocating on their own behalf to put a youth center into The Rock Church. Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga said discussions on how to use the City-owned church should start in the Fall. (The Rock Church: Is that where Black Sabbath plays?)

The Gilroy Dispatch just noticed the Civil Grand Jury report leaping in to discover Gilroy Unified Superintendent Deborah Flores is paid below most other Superintendent and doesn't get the $48,000 housing allowance that Saratoga Union dishes out.

Onto blogs...

• Blogwars continue (in the comment sections) regarding the (possible) revealing of Revealed by Inside. Revealed responded with a shot of its own... Mission City Lantern is still in the Revealed revealed game... but has plenty of free time to write a bunch of other stuff too... like the first chapter of a novel. In an interesting twist, Phil Bump recalls his conversation with Mr. Lantern/ James Rowen. In Bump's words, he "...fed the troll..." (Bump had Rowen's phone number? Weird.)
  
• Protect San Jose is stangely silent on the biggest public safety issue of the day -- the DA stepping aside in the prosecution of a high-profile murder because of her husband's (a former San Jose Police Officer) financial relationship with the victim's family. Instead, they open their blog up to Denelle Fedor for her Mounted Unit opinions... (If Fedor speaking up for the Mounted Unit sounds familiar, it's because she published a very, very similar piece in the Merc. in May...)

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.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.10.09: The Los Altos Giants

Hoping to nuke San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s “A’s to San Jose” dreams, Giants CEO Bill Neukom laid down the law at the Los Altos Rotary. “It’s our territory,” Neukom said, confident San Jose and Bud Selig take marching orders from Los Altans.

Looks like everyone has now read the recent Civil Grand Jury report on local school districts “questionable” expenses. The Merc’s Editorial Board joins the chorus calling for financial restructuring. Like zapping health benefits for Trustees. If they do, what’ll Unelected East Side Trustee/Supervisorial staffer Eddie Garcia do, after all, you might remember that he generously turned down County health benefits in exchange for a (much) larger salary…

The Merc’s Sal Pizarro sends kudo’s to San Jose Museum of Art, Children's Musical Theater of San Jose, TheatreWorks, and San Jose Jazz for landing some of those Federal dollars. Pizarro also chatted with Poor House Bistro owner Jay Meduri whose Saturday gig should raise the roof, literally.

Just in time for some of that school district re-vamp… The Foothill-De Anza College District Board is looking for a new board member. That would be where Assemblymember Paul Fong and D.C. bound Hal Plotkin got their feet wet…

Palo Alto’s College Terrace neighborhood board wants to make sure the City Council knows how they feel about the JJ&F grocery’s “inadequate” neighborhood benefits. JJ&F owner John Garcia is getting frustrated and said if they don’t want a grocery “they can keep fighting this.”

Speaking of Palo Alto... Expect the next City Council race to be a biggy. Councilman John Barton is not seeking another term. That makes three Council-folk from Palo Alto that won't be on the ballot in November: Barton, Yoriko Kishimoto, and Jack Morton. The other folks up in November are Larry Klein, who is running again, and Peter Drekmeier, who will let us all know on Monday. Hold on to your hats, it could be a real barn burner in Palo Alto in November.

Morgan Hill is tired of dumping dollars into the Cochrane Commons and is moving on to greener pastures…

Cabbie/kidnapper Tarandeep Singh “might” have had the proper papers to pick up passengers in San Jose according to Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Jerry Neumayer. After all, attorney Richard Pointer says, Alpha Cab wouldn’t let him drive “...if he was not properly permitted...”

San Jose Inside doubts BART will find its way to San Jose… But, more interesting it looks like San Jose Inside has bailed on the time honored tradition of newspaper reporters and moved to news aggregation. Imitation being the sincerest form, etc., etc.

In other blog news:

• James Rowen at Mission City Lantern has a theory about Ben Field joining the South Bay Labor Council and how that relates to San Jose Revealed's "pneumonia"...
• San Jose POA Chief Bobby Lopez is a good writer... who knew? See for yourself at Protect San Jose...
• And Bobby Lopez's BFF, Silicon Valley De-Bug checks in on the possibility of San Jose getting an "Independent" Police Auditor...

Morning News Round-Up – 6.25.09: Nothing but words, baby...

First, the Environmental Protection Agency wants to know if toxic chromium from Cupertino’s Lehigh Cement plant made its way to an elementary school. Now, proposed new rules from those pesky regulators are causing neighbors to jump for joy while Lehigh’s Tim “We’re safe” Matz is worried.

As if public employee pension funds (especially in the City of San Jose) don't have enough problems, a Pension Trustee from San Jose was arrested in San Mateo following a domestic violence call... Patrick G. Skillsky then attacked police called to the scene Perhaps he was just really, really upset about all the market losses he didn't see coming... Ironically, the City of San Jose is considering having professionals oversee the Pension Funds rather than appointed, untrained folks. It seems like there is no time like the present...

Santa Clara County Supervisors found a replacement for outgoing executive Pete Kutras. Dr. Jeffery Smith, executive director of the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center steps in during the worst economic disaster since the depression. President Liz Kniss said the supervisors were impressed by Smith’s range of experience in “medical, legal and public policy.” Smith will need his multiple degrees, and a healthy sense of humor...

East Side Union High School athletes will breath a sigh of relief, the board of trustees are expected to approve a budget that moves money from an insurance settlement to partially fund sports. The remaining $1 million is expected to come from athletes and donors who have so far stepped up with $150,000. Fundraiser/Trustee Eddie Garcia expressed rousing optimism saying “I think we’re going to get there.”

Gilroy’s divided police union approved a contract saving the city $1.1 million by just 5 votes. Police Officer Association President Mitch Madruga blamed city council saying there had been a “total lack of leadership” calling the 3 months of negotiations “ridiculous.”

Mountain View’s city council unanimously rejected a proposal to rehab a “blighted” building for reuse as affordable housing. Councilmember Ronit Bryant said the developer had provided “nothing but words.” City planning staff said it was tough to see how an existing “slum” could be rehabilitated sufficiently to remain habitable for another 55 years. Councilmembers also agreed to purchase the United Pentecostal church for $3.5 million, Councilmember Jac Siegel called it a “strategic location.”

Cupertino city councilmembers have an “economic uncertainty fund” to hold them over when the Governator comes calling with his hand out. Councilmember Dolly Sandoval reminds us the state’s budget crisis is “not going to be solved in one fiscal budget year.” No doubt Sandoval is (not) looking forward to hearing from the Guv again next year…

Updated 2010 campaigning news… A Watch Dog tipster pointed out an oversight, the Merc’s Sal Pizarro mentioned yesterday a potential candidate for San Jose’s downtown area. Nightclub owner Mauricio Mejia is contemplating a run against incumbent Sam Liccardo. Thanks, tipster.

Busted. Peter Be of Beohana Solar fleeced Silicon Valley residents of hundreds of thousands of dollars, promising a free solar system. Santa Clara County deputy district attorney Ken Rosenblatt said green minded residents got the bad news that nothing in life is free after writing big checks. Those with information on Beohana Solar may contact the District Attorney's Office at 408-792-2572

Attempted cop killer Pete Valdez III has been declared mentally unfit, for a second time. County deputy district attorney Dana Overstreet will figure out whether to go to trial, ask for a 3rd doctor or send Valdez to the rubber room; she’ll get back to us on July 8.

Caption-free artwork at the Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC for frequent flyers) is driving the Merc’s Scott Herhold to distraction. Perhaps one of the 54 Silicon Valley hand models in Christian Moeller’s “Hands” will help Herhold find the pithy comment he seeks as he opens a Valley wide competition.

Finally, one Watch Dog tipster kept their television tuned in to San Jose’s Planning Commission soap opera. Big surprise, the center chair is filled by co-conspirator Thang Do, again.

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.28.09: Swine flu everywhere (in the news...)

Swine flu is everywhere...at least everywhere in the news, the actual flu isn't everywhere...Silicon Valley is (mostly) ready for Swine Flu, however, except maybe Kaiser. Doug North stepped off the plane from Cabo San Lucas with all the symptoms and still had to lie to get Kaiser let him see a doctor. No kidding, if you flew with the Norths on Frontier last week hang on for his results. Joy Alexiou, the County’s health spokesperson said there was an increase in worried patients but so far no confirmed cases. More details are on Twitter...

The Merc’s Editorial Board, participants on San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s campaign promised Sunshine Reform Task Force, questions whether Mayor Sunshine is holding up his end of the bargain. (Add this to the IPA fiasco/mea culpa and the loss on the Internet filters issue, and this is Mayor Reed's worst month in office, by a long shot...just ask the Merc's Scott Herhold what the Mayor's problem is...)

San Jose’s East Side Union High School District got press coverage... but maybe not how they wanted. "Rumors, poor communication and a lack of leadership...” is how the Merc characterizes East Side's feeble and unrealistic sports fundraising efforts. Trustee Eddie Garcia is hopeful you’ll show up at a meeting tonight, with your checkbook. (In case you forgot...)

Morgan Hill Superintendent Alan Nishino is pulling down $206,000 while Gilroy’s Superintendent, Dr. Deborah Flores made $175,000. Worse, Morgan Hill teachers' salaries are at the bottom with Gilroy and Morgan Hill Principals take home more than Palo Alto’s. Morgan Hill Trustee Bart Fisher is hopeful Nishino will pass up his guaranteed 3% raise. Weird, since (presumably) the Board of Trustees actually gave the Superintendent the raise in the first place...

Everyone is weighing in on the Propositions in the May 19th Special Election. The Merc’s Editorial Board says ignore party loyalists, vote yes on 1A. Morgan Hill Unified School District Deputy Superintendent Bonnie Tognazzini says the State shortfall will hit $14 billion if both 1A and 1B don’t pass. Which will probably impact some salaries...

Mountain View officials just found out that they’re “jobs rich” and house poor. The Association of Bay Area Governments is asking Mountain View accept its “fair share” of housing around the Bay by building more than 2,000 new units in the coming years. Councilmember Mike Kasperzak says the City goofed and missed previous opportunities to build housing.

The best and brightest from the Mexican American Community Service Agency couldn’t dazzle Gilroy Unified School District trustees and instead went the B.S. route. MACSA leaders dumped 200 pages of class schedules and handwritten calendars in front of Trustees hoping they wouldn’t notice a lack of details about the growing financial (embezzlement) problems. Seems latest figures on MACSA’s embezzling ways at El Portal Leadership Academy is now $800,000. Trustee Denise Apuzzo demands MACSA show remorse. MACSA’s Board President, Louis Rocha said the screw-ups were made by a few administrators and steps were taken.

Now that Judge Kevin Murphy declared that the Santa Clara Valley Water District's fees are unconstitutional, Great Oaks Water Co wants $5 million, and then some. Water District Chair Sig “Methusala” Sanchez plans to appeal. One possible fallout from the Judge's decision, farm failure on a grand scale. (Buried in the story is the news that Supervisor Don Gage plans to run for a seat on the Water District Board next year.)

San Jose Revealed wants former Mayor/lobbyist Tom McEnery to give up his losing ways – with the Sharks – and turn over the reins to another former Mayor. The Sharks are playing golf today, in case you missed it...

San Jose’s Police Officers Association has set up a trust fund for the family of Enrique Flores, stabbed to death at Almaden Expressway and Foxworthy this month. There are leads and Sgt. Ronnie Lopez says it doesn’t look like a gang-related murder. For further information, contact the Association at (408) 298-1133.

The City Manager in Palo Alto sees big cuts on the horizon...with a $10 million budget gap, what else are you going to do...Perhaps raise taxes on businesses? They could foam-containers... but instead are just going to be ban them...

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.18.09: The Appointed One Writes...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing the once unthinkable: Consolidation of the Bay Area's daily newspapers. On a related note: Watch Dog is thriving, even though we are anonymous Mr. Herhold...

The Merc's Editorial Board stands up for Councilmember Pete Constant in his pissing match with the San Jose Police Officers Association. The union is not happy with their former police colleague because (they believe) he turned their back on them on the City Council. (They are so mad, in fact, that they are seeking candidates to run against him next year.) But reading the Editorial, Watch Dog couldn't help but notice that the Editorial Board had to distance themselves from Constant twice, while standing up for him once. Take a look at these two lines:

• "...We don't always agree with him..."
• "...Constant's calls on some issues are definitely worth debating..."

The Editorial Board also chimes in a spat between the South Bay and the Association of Bay Area Governments...

Supervisorial Chief of Staff/The Appointed One/(unelected) School Board member Eddie Garcia also graces the back of today's front section and stands up for sports in the East Side Union High School District in the pages of the Merc...(and yes, wise ass, everything is spelled correctly.)

It has been a devastating year for the young folks at Los Gatos High School. Three students have died in one school year.

Cupertino's 'green coordinator' gets profiled in the Courier...so does Sunnyvale's new Library Director in the Sun...(both papers are 'powered by the Mercury News'...Watch Dog would be petrified if we were 'powered by the Mercury News' these days...)

First Saratoga raised garbage rates to pay for road repairs...now Campbell gets in on the action. Watch Dog predicts San Jose (and other cities) will get in on the action...

This should make you feel safer...a San Jose man was arrested for stealing guns from a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Morgan Hill. Does this mean he'll never pass a background check...probably not.

San Jose Revealed has a Quick Note and a history lesson about Tom McEnery, Bill Clinton, and a sluethy phone call from Arkansas...

Mission City Lantern doesn't like baseball...or does he?

Morning News Round-Up – 3.10.09: Mr. Carr Goes to DC. Et tu Mission City Lantern?

In case you missed the news (that means you Merc. reporters) -- check out the Tesla update from yesterday.

Developers John Vidovich and Gary Gillmor have a big carrot: 1,700 acres of open space. In exchange, the City of Gilroy would annex 285 acres to be used for housing, parks, and a bigger golf course. The obscure Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) are the folks that can make this deal happen. An alternate on that Commission, Supervisor/lobbyist George Shirakawa, Jr. received $4,500 from Vidovich last year during his campaign, preventing him from voting on the proposal. But, LAFCO Commissioner/Supervisor Don Gage hasn’t received any money from the developers since 2005 – making former State Republican party official Vidovich happy. Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro says it’s too early to speculate, a previous proposal failed due to Gilroy’s financial straits two years ago. Watch Dog can only assume Gilroy's financial picture looks worse today than two years ago...

The Merc’s Editorial Board asks East Side Union High School District parents to get pissed about the loss of teachers and librarians, not simply sports. East Side Union has a high dropout rate, which is unlikely to be corrected without teachers or library access. The Merc also wants Trustees to prioritize what to restore if the Obama stimulus dollars for education comes through and encourages Trustees to look at education first. Supervisor/former football star/former Trustee George Shirakawa, Jr. hasn’t weighed in (publicly) on the Sports vs. Education drama. (unelected) Trustee Eddie Garcia is no doubt struggling with the options.

Looks like the Bay Area Mayoral collaboration helped…Silicon Valley could receive as much as $7.7 billion in earmarks for projects ranging from flood control to juvenile justice. San Jose Congressman Mike Honda has been busily working to bring $87 million to the area saying the requests will spur job growth and economic development. Of course, one person's earmarks are another person's pork. In this case, some of San Jose's earmarks/pork have caught the attention of Senator John McCain...

Every 5 years cities are required to update their housing plans. It’s never easy as NIMBY’s decry adding housing. This year, Saratoga’s Planning Commission and City Council will consider more than a dozen recommended changes designed to allow mixed-use and increased housing for extremely low-income families. Planning Commissioner Joyce Hlava said existing ordinances make some of the proposals very difficult. No doubt that some of the neighbors make new housing proposals difficult too...

Palo Alto (rotating) Mayor/environmentalist Peter Drekmeier raised a few eyebrows with his State of the City speech yesterday when he said everything from a carbon tax to a sewage-to-energy composting should be looked at.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold seems pissed the Santa Clara Water District Trustees have managed (again) to drop consideration of term limits. Herhold sends props to Board Members Patrick Kwok, Richard Santos, and Rosemary Kamei for supporting Assemblymember Joe Coto’s recent reforms. Herhold identifies the Boards longest serving member, Sig Sanchez, 88, as Methusaleh.

Morgan Hill Councilmember Larry Carr, in D.C. on business for San Jose State University, carved out a little time to lobby for the funding needed to finish a flood control project started in the 1950s. Morgan Hill’s Recreation Director, Steve Rymer, joined Carr to meet with Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein and the Army Corps of Engineers. (Watch Dog expects a Mission City Lantern critique of Carr's trip to DC sometime soon...)

Former Christian prep school softball coach Abigail Holloway was arrested in Colorado following revelations that she’d had a 3 year affair with a student. The former King’s Academy student went to a college counselor as she struggled with the aftermath.

Apple’s Steve Wozniack is hoping to prove “nerds can dance.” His first night out on Dancing with the Stars was a disaster however, with Judge Bruno Tonioli saying the Woz looked like “a Teletubby going mad in a gay pride parade...” Woz took it in stride saying it was almost a compliment.

Morning News Round-Up – 3.5.09: Santa Clara County Raiders?

Santa Clara County Supervisor George Shirakawa, Jr. continues his “quixotic quest" to toss the County’s plans for housing at the fairgrounds in order to bring pro football to San Jose. The Supervisor, referred to by the Merc. as “burly” (and by Watch Dog as Grand Poobah), met with Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask and Finance Director Mark Badain. Rumors that Shirakawa has abandoned his Supervisorial post to negotiate a coaching job for Eddie Garcia are unfounded.

The failed recall effort against San Jose Councilmember Madison Nguyen is over...save the spin. The Merc. digs in with local wonk/SJSU political science Professor Larry Gerston and spinmeister/failed campaign manager Andre Charles. The Editorial Board offers up an opinion that it is time to move on and hopes Nguyen does indeed reach out to her opponents. San Jose Revealed also assesses the results and declares there was never any doubt about the outcome.

So much for the Smoke Police. Over 175 Santa Clara County residents complained about winter fires on Spare the Air days. Fewer than 35 firebugs received warnings. No one was slapped with a fine. Bay Area Air Quality Management District rep Kristine Roeselius said fines weren’t the focus, the goal is air quality improvement. The number of people wanting Spare the Air days email alerts doubled between September and November to 100,000.

Los Altos School District Trustees have proposed cutting their budget $2.3 million in response to the draconian budget from the State Legislature. They’ll be waving goodbye to 18 teachers and 28 support staffers.

Los Altans will be happy to know a second suspect has been arrested for the brazen November robbery of Harold’s Jewelry. The two suspects were both already in jail at the Elmwood Correctional Complex. Police warn there are other suspects still at large and hopes for a dramatic Hollywood style car chase remain.

Mountain View NIMBY’s have coughed up $346 to appeal placement of the Day Worker Center nearby. Opponents to the center include Brad Kellar who wrote "Please protect our neighborhood property values!" Appellant Vince Racifi worries the center will distract police from the growing gang problem.

There is (apparently) a big-time power outage in Palo Alto this morning. Crews are "scrambling" to get folks back online...this is the type of problem that the Utilities Department should be handling, rather than this type of problem with Federal law enforcement agents...(thank you Watch Dog San Mateo...)

Looks like the American Chemistry Association/plastic bag lover Manny Diaz has successfully convinced the Santa Clara County Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission to ignore plastic bags. The Commission had proposed charging consumers for “single-use” bags. According to Commission member/Mountain View Councilmember Ronit Bryant they’re hoping education will drag consumers away from plastics. Really?

California Lottery officials took over as undercover cops to ferret out local retailers separating lottery winners from their tickets. Owners (or employees) from Jerry’s Market on Main in Milpitas along with Mercado y Carneceria Moreno, 4th Street Bowl, and Guru’s on N. 13th have lost their lottery contracts and could head to prison. Alex Traverso with the California Lottery wants to send a message to would be scammers “…we’re coming after you...”

Sal Pizzaro, the Merc’s man about town, fills us in on San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s dinner plans in Washington, D.C. where he met with SJSU President Jon Whitmore and former San Jose Mayor/Congressman/U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta. Pizzaro muses over the selection of a bi-coastal chain restaurant for the dining luminaries.

The Merc’s Mr. Roadshow, Gary Richards, has received loads of queries asking whether BART does know the way to San Jose. Math and farm animals collide in questions about counting unhatched chickens and the weak tax projections.

The suicide death of SJSU/Sigma Chi’s Gregory Marcel Johnson, Jr. has grief stricken parents calling for a deeper investigation. The Metro’s Jessica Fromm covers all sides of the story. Mission City Lantern sends props to Metro for their coverage.

Metro/San Jose Inside’s Fly digs a little deeper into Saratoga/San Jose/Santa Maria Senator Abel Maldonado’s (conceited) demands in exchange for his support to pass the budget. Apparently the “outrageous” proposal to spend $1 million on office furniture by Controller John Chiang was just a tad less outrageous than Maldo wants us to believe. Maldonado dramatically tosses darts at former Assemblymember Fred Keely and waves his arms.

Morning News Round-Up – 2.3.09: Vegas comes to San Jose...

Watch Dog can always count on San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo for witty repartee. This time he said, "I'm glad to say that if the City Council has not sufficiently beaten this dead horse. We can always count on lawyers to do so," about the seemingly never-ending Little Saigon challenge. (Perhaps Liccardo forgot about his Harvard law degree?) Lee’s Sandwiches Henry Huong Le is being accused of tricking business owners into signing a petition against “Little Saigon.” San Jose attorney Minh Steven Dovan filed the lawsuit yesterday but (unbelievably) dismisses any thought that the timing is more than coincidental...

Ausaf “Omar” Siddiqui, the former Fry’s exec/Baccarat player/embezzler will appear in federal court this week to face charges. In advance, the Feds are raiding Vegas casinos to make sure what happened in Vegas gets into the case in San Jose.

When San Jose’s Mayor Chuck Reed was giving his Celebrity critique of the Super Bowl ads he forgot to mention the brief porn interruption that happened on some COMCAST subscribers' televisions. Apparently Eddie Garcia's absence is having an impact over there...Luckily for everyone, Pete Constant was shielded from the pornography because it only happened in Tucson. Perhaps to avoid second-hand porn in San Jose, we should ban television...

Treading close to the danger line, Palo Alto Schools Superintendent Kevin Skelly says low income/Black/Latino kids can’t compete with the kids of Stanford grads. Skelly’s colleague Santa Clara County Office of Education Superintendent disagrees. Chuck Weis says, "Teaching is more powerful than what kids bring to school with them as background.'' California’s chief educator Jack O’Connell also believes the gap can be closed. Of course, with California ranking anywhere from 43rd to 48th in the nation for education…

Letter writers ask Mr. Roadshow/Gary Richards who pays for fixes to the nasty 280-880-Stevens Creek interchange? Seems even the dismal economy can’t keep shoppers away from Valley Fair/Santana Row and the dreaded off-ramp.

The Merc.’s Joe Rodriguez shares the names of a new group hoping to turn around the moribund Mexican Heritage Plaza. Last week, the City Council appointed a baker’s dozen including San Jose Taiko’s Roy Hirabayashi, community leader Olivia Mendiola, artist/retired SJSU Professor Erin Goodwin-Guerrero, the head of Los Lupenos Maria de la Rosa and Chris Esparza with Giant Creative Services. Together with the Redevelopment Agency they hope to take the 10 year old, beautiful but rarely-used, Plaza and bring it life – and try make sure the City doesn’t have to bail it out yet again.

Mountain View Whisman and Mountain View-Los Altos School Districts may have to look at ways to slash a combined $5 million from their budgets. It looks like layoffs may be ahead.

San Jose Revealed received a mountain of email (really?) about the Merc’s “expose” on Vic Ajlouny – while thanking those who sent it reminds them there was nothing new in the story.

Morgan Hill’s Downtown Association is asking the City Council to delay a decision on a $20 million project until the Association can discuss all options with City staff. Mayor Steve Tate expressed frustration with the proposed delay and Councilmember Greg Sellers said any delay now would mean a delay later in opening. Perhaps an opening not during the Great Recession is preferable?

The Gilroy Dispatch wants to hear from you: Should Gilroy’s Mayor Al Pinheiro and the City Council be recalled over layoffs of City employees? Very productive Mr. Gilroy Dispatch...

On San Jose Inside, Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio pops off on the subject of campaign donations – and who should be allowed to make them. This all stems from the argument about the 'competition policy' that the Council discussed (and discussed and discussed) last Tuesday.

On a campaign-related note...

Mission City Lantern gives props and issues concerns about the Santa Clara County Democratic Party – adding that there appears to be no Republican counterpart aside from Vic Ajlouny (who actually lives in Nebraska).

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.2.09: Groundhog Day Edition...

The most interesting story in a while was in the Merc. this weekend about Mayor Reed's friend/advisor/confidant Vic Ajlouny. Tax Assessor Larry Stone calls the relationship odd and says, "Vic's style is kind of slash and burn, and it is very peculiar that Chuck continues to rely on him for political advice." Among Ajlouny's exploits, a failed attempt to fill Reed’s City Council seat with (less-than-qualified) Hon Lien. The real question is, why is this story with a byline from Josh Molina coming out now? Molina has been gone for a long, long time...

The Merc’s Scott Herhold picks his top 10 powerbrokers in San Jose... Herhold’s unsurprising list includes Bob Brownstein, Pat Dando, Chuck Davidson, Carl Guardino, Zoe Lofgren, Bobby Lopez, Tom McEnery, Chuck Reed, Bert Robinson, and Barry Swenson. He also includes the next 15 folks and a group of folks under 40...Watch Dog will revisit this list later today or tomorrow with some additional analysis...

The Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, not to be left out, is hosting a luncheon for 100 Women of Influence in March and is also seeking your thoughts on the top 40 Under 40...

They may not know how to party, but San Jose’s Drunk Task Force does know how to attack. While sending Councilmember Nora Campos to Sacramento to urge Speaker Karen Bass to change laws about drunk arrests, the Task Force urged a 6 month moratorium on the arrests in San Jose and put a host of options on the table. Latino Forum’s Pete Carrillo, a master of understatement, said "I believe there is a credibility and trust issue between the SJPD, the city administration and the city at large.''

The Tesla news keeps coming, Tesla spokeswoman Rachel Konrad said the company couldn’t raise $100 million in venture funding to make the move to San Jose and that, "It's not exactly clear when, if ever, the headquarters will leave San Carlos." So, it’ll be interesting to see what sites the Mayor’s spokeswoman, Michelle McGurk, means when she says "Our team is working aggressively to find a site that meets these new priorities here in San Jose."

Santa Clara County’s head lawyer Ann Ravel is gunning for the County’s top dog seat... Acting County Executive Gary Graves was hoping to get “acting” removed from the title and may have been surprised to hear who the competition was to replace Pete Kutras. This will be an interesting play with the new Board of Supervisors...perhaps Supervisor Shirakawa would like the job to go to Eddie Garcia?

The Merc’s Editorial Board weighs in on the recent negotiations between San Jose City Council and the Police Officers Association. Lots of numbers get tossed around but the bottom line is, don’t hand out any raises for the next contract negotiation.

Last year, San Jose’s Councilmember Nancy Pyle wanted to make it easier to bring on volunteer crossing guards, her colleagues didn’t share her spirit of volunteerism. This year, colleagues Pete Constant, Pierluigi Oliverio, and Rose Herrera want to take funds supporting dozens of non-profits to hire more crossing guards. Pyle said, "I just really think we need to do a fair process here." What’s really surprising here is the switch by Herrera, last week supporting her labor-backed friends when discussing the competition policy and this week supporting Council contrarians Constant and Oliverio.

Los Gatos Mayor Mike Wasserman will give his State of the Town speech at tonight’s City Council meeting. On deck, a look back to his previous Mayoral incarnations and a look forward at belt tightening.

In Cupertino, Mayor Orrin Mahoney will give his State of the City at a lunch meeting Wednesday. Mahoney is proud of the City’s low crime rate and says, "Basically, things are stable or have decreased. The only area that has increased is auto burglary." Mahoney will be arguing a refrain heard around the Valley -- people and employers choose places that have something to offer...

The Rise and Fall of Local Political Fortunes...a West (Chavez/Diaz) Story...

The election of Barack Obama to President has changed the national political landscape dramatically. But Watch Dog is focused locally and we want in on the action.

So today, a local political history lesson with an Obama twist entitled: The Rise and Fall of Local Political Fortunes...

For the beginning of this lesson, type "metro tony west manny diaz" into Google, and we can begin this lesson. Here are excerpts from an article you will find in that Google search from the March 16, 2000 Metro following Manny Diaz's victory over Tony West in a Democratic Primary for State Assembly...some of these names might sound familiar...

Mo' Manny

...the post-election healing process continues at San Jose City Hall. [Manny] Diaz, one regular groans, "has been walking around like a rooster on acid. He's got his chest puffed out and keeps pecking at everyone and getting in their faces." Diaz, of course, has reason to be miffed at some of his sixth-floor colleagues...To bring home the point of who was still standing after election day, Diaz and his council ally, Cindy Chavez, hung up a Merc article with the headline, "Diaz dominant player after primary win."

Well...fast forward from 2000 to this week and we learn our lesson in political fortunes are highlighted in a "where are they now" moment...

Manny Diaz: As the story says, he won the 2000 primary against West and went on to an undistinguished tenure in Sacramento. That 2000 race was the last contested race he won...he ran against Elaine Alquist for State Senate in 2004 and lost. He ran against (West's friend) Sam Liccardo in 2006 for City Council and lost. He is now a lobbyist in Sacramento representing companies that want less-strict air-quality standards...

Cindy Chavez: This article doesn't mention that Chavez beat Tony West in 1998 for City Council before the Diaz/West show-down for State Assembly. That might help explain the sign that her office hung up...But, like Diaz, that was the last contested election she won. She lost her election in 2006 against Chuck Reed for Mayor of San Jose. She is now also a sort of lobbyist for Working Partnerships as well as a teacher at San Jose State...

Tony West: Yes, he lost two elections -- to Chavez in 1998 and later to Diaz in 2000. (Although those races seemingly took a lot out of Chavez and Diaz -- because they never won a contested race again...) He then practiced law at a major San Francisco law firm, but stayed involved politically. One of his political allies and friends ran for President recently...perhaps you've heard of him. West was Obama's Californian Finance Committee Co-Chair. Now, West is headed to DC to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division in the Department of Justice.

So...as Cindy (sort of) lobbies (and teaches) and Manny lobbies...Tony West heads to DC to serve the Obama administration. It seems the political fortunes of these three folks are intertwined, but have shifted dramatically and quickly...

Like any good teacher, perhaps Watch Dog's visual will help make the point...Like Madoff investments, Chavez's and Diaz's Political Stocks are in a bit of a downswing...like Eddie Garcia's salary, West's Stock is on the way (way) up.

Morning News Round-Up – 1.26.09: A York/Davis Monday...

District Attorney Dolores Carr can't get a break...apparently a prosecutor kept secret evidence that would have helped Army Vet/PTSD Sgt. Binkley’s defense. Oddly, the news dropped online midnight Saturday that two of Carr’s people filed conflicting reports. Carr’s recent troubles include two attorney’s in trouble for withholding evidence and a general slap for holding back interviews with survivors of sexual assault – putting all those cases in jeopardy. Somewhere, Karen Sinunu is smirking...

By the time San Jose (barely) managed to get the signs up, San Francisco’s Little Saigon celebrated its five year anniversary with the installation of lions representing peace, happiness, and safety. (Ironically, none of those things seem to be present in San Jose's Little Saigon...) This year, SF's Little Saigon expects to bring 20,000 visitors to San Francisco to celebrate Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. “We deliberately brought the Vietnamese community into the mainstream rather than appeal to them with anti-communist rhetoric, as the leaders did in San Jose,'' said Vu-Duc Vuong, who once ran San Francisco's Southeast Asian Community Center.

Tanking retail sales will hit local cities hard. San Jose already had a $4.6 million sales tax revenue shortfall before the economy really went into the toilet. Santa Clara budgeted for $43.4 million and received nearly $2 million less. Translation: roughly $200 million less dollars were spent locally. "We are concerned obviously," said Santa Clara Deputy City Manager Carol McCarthy. "Like anyone else, we're out there, we're brainstorming and getting information." I'm not sure brainstorming is going to help the economy, but I guess it couldn't hurt.

Palo Alto may do something about their need for cash. They are looking to businesses to cover the City's budget shortfalls. Specifically, they want to impose a tax businesses via a Business License Tax (BLT). While most cities have a BLT (on rye?) PA doesn't. The difference is that Palo Alto is thinking about a gross-receipts tax opposed to a simple, annual fee that many/most cities have. Why a gross-receipts tax? More money for Palo Alto, of course. (This was part of Watch Dog San Mateo's Recession Repercussions theme today...)

Closing its doors and pissing off customers at the same time, nice going Circuit City. Circuit City is shutting down nationwide, locally in San Mateo, San Jose, and Sunnyvale. In their haste to shove merchandise out the doors they forgot to lower prices. According to customers they actually jacked up prices then shaved a little. Good news is, they expect to be hiring before closing doors permanently in March. Add to the big box closings, Home Depot is closing Yardbirds, Expo, and Design Center stores, in an announcement made Sunday night.

State Senator Joe Simitian stood in front of 200 anxious educators and parents Saturday morning who worry about the Governator’s plan to stop funding schools. Franklin-McKinley Deputy Superintendent Tim McClary said, "We have contracts we have to honor. PG&E is not going to give us electricity if we don't pay the bill.'' Simitian suggested residents “…need to let Republicans know that they think new revenue has to be part of the solution.'' Nobody responded..."isn't that what we elected you to do, Joe?..."

Mountain View’s Housing Element update is on the table for community discussion tonight. The League of Women Voters is hosting a talk with retired planner Don Weden – under discussion are how housing element updates affect climate change. No word if NIMBY-ism will be addressed.

Car as deadly weapon strikes again, for the third and fourth times this year. Exchange student Santosh Kumar Racherla was hit and killed while crossing El Camino Real. Mountain View’s Man Lai Leung was hit after a truck plowed through a fence, across a lawn, hitting several cars and finally stiking Leung while he was unloading groceries.

Thirty years ago a few looney tree huggers had a crazy dream – hiking trails to link the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific. Since then, the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District has been buying land and is poised to purchase the last four pieces of the puzzle. The Merc’s Patty Fisher doesn’t expect her aging knees to be in working order when it happens, but does write it all up. (Watch Dog San Mateo has been covering this too...)

Is Santa Clara in line to be home of trans-bay football teams? The NFL is hoping to make it so. The owners of the NY teams who share a stadium (currently in New Jersey) said in these dire economic times it makes sense for the Raiders and Niners to join forces. No word if Santa Clara Councilmember Jamie McLeod is more amenable to a two team proposition. This would mean 20 home games each year in Santa Clara -- that's a lot more traffic (presumably)...

Cupertino Union School District will interview candidates to fill the empty seat created when Pearl Cheng who was tapped to replace newly elected Assemblymember Paul Fong on the Foothill-DeAnza Board. Watch Dog would like to fill you in on the candidates background, but Cupertino lists only their names: Larry Curb, Daniel Halabe, Anjali Kauser, Jack Yang, Joyce Yee, Katherine Yu, and Ione Yuen. There is no truth to the rumor that Supervisor George Shirakawa is trying to get Eddie Garcia appointed in Cupertino...

In addition to the Cupertino appointment, here's what's happening around other elected bodies in Silicon Valley this week:

• The Santa Clara Board of Supervisors and Mountain View Councilmembers will noodle how best to ask for federal dollars...other than beg?
  
• Sunnyvale’s Council will listen to neighbors unhappy with construction and consider creating standards for construction management..sounds like a good plan...
• In San Jose, the topics include moving City jobs to private firms, a bailout for the County’s largest homeless shelter provider, the Convention Center, and elimination of 52 jobs..that should be a doozy...
• The always exciting Alum Rock Union School District will discuss the status on the new Superintendent search and “challenges related to Pala Middle School.” For those who missed it, the challenge is how to swap Pala with East Side’s Adult Ed Independence High.

The Merc’s Internal Affairs had a field day Sunday. So much (old) news so little space.

• Recently (re)elected Alum Rock Trustee/attorney Esau Herrera wants to dump the lawyers and hire the firm he used to work for. Herrera also wants the lawsuit against fellow Trustee/former District employee Dolores Marquez dropped and says, "I think it's a waste of legal fees to carry on what apparently was a personal grudge."
• Former Mayor/blogger/lobbyist Tom McEnery is being eased out of his pet blog San Jose InsideMetro's Dan Pulcrano. (San Jose Revealed reminds us they pointed out the slow removal of McEnery months ago.)
• Santa Clara County Tax Assessor Larry Stone (booo) couldn’t get into inaugural ceremonies even with a VIP ticket. But Willie Brown did, and he didn't even have his ticket...

Bellarmine boy does good. Tony West is heading to D.C. for the Obama administration. San Jose Inside sends props to litigator/Obama’s CA finance co-chair/super lawyer Tony West for landing a plum job with the Department of Justice. Check back around noon for a West update -- including what it says about the shifting political fortunes of Silicon Valley big shots.

San Jose Revealed is almost embarrassed to say they told us about the Arts Council Silicon Valley pursuit for a Poet Laureate for Santa Clara County weeks ago. Sadly, that “news” now is front page fodder for the ailing Merc. Revealed also wants to remind the Merc. that there are actual local stories and includes among them humiliated San Jose Councilmember Terry Gregory (and others) accepting gifts, the current Madision Nguyen recall fiasco, and McEnery lobbying. Watch Dog would like to add to this list Shirakawa/Garcia cronyism...