Showing posts with label SCOTT HERHOLD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SCOTT HERHOLD. Show all posts

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Morning News Round-Up – 11.5.09: The pleasant edition...

The San Jose City Council said this time the 911 recordings should be released. You can listen in starting next Friday. Police Chief Rob Davis argued against release of 911 tapes citing concerns the neighbors voice would be recognizable. Of course, just knowing it was the neighbor making the initial call… Chief Davis also worried the police report is too “nonlinear” and “not chronological” and might mislead readers.

The race is on for District Attorney of Santa Clara County. Deputy District Attorney Jeff Rosen officially announced his desire to boot the boss. This promises to be the most interesting of all races. Shortly after Rosen’s announcement (ethically challenged) Carr shot back Rosen was tagged for making an error in a trial 8 years ago. Ouch, that has to hurt.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold digs into the Halloween shooting and stabbing of kids in East San Jose. Gang members asked the 12 and 13 year olds which gang they sided with before shooting/stabbing and stealing their popular Nikes. Herhold wonders if a pair of tennies is worth a child’s life.

Pissed off at neighbors for building on their border, Sunnyvale ponders rule changes allowing them to comment on (possible) non-Sunnyvalians in their midst and on their streets.

The Merc’s Editorial Board pokes at San Jose’s Pension Board suggesting they seek realistic returns on investments, pointing out the taxpayer makes up the difference.

Rumors of dealings in smoke-filled backrooms while weighing the merits of (medical) marijuana are unfounded (we think). Looking at a possible $10,000 fee per dispensary, Councilmember Nancy Pyle said “I’d like to get all the facts.” Perhaps a book is in the Councilmembers future.

The Elite Chinese School where a teacher ran over, and killed, a 5 year old boy, is in more hot water. Seems the school had a business license from Cupertino but not the required state license.

Protect San Jose’s Kathleen Flynn calls on San Jose’s City Council to stop allowing “special interest groups” to march on City Hall. Flynn suggests residents join police on a ride along and when you see a police officer “…thank him or her and ask them to stay safe.” Pocket the bad attitude that “can turn an easy-to-handle situation into an unpleasant one.” Stay pleasant out there...

San Jose Insider Pete Campbell suggests San Jose civic leaders have no sense and argues “Unions Control San Jose’s Budget.”

Meanwhile, Pete Campbell gets his own bit in Mission City Lantern as the “Constable of San Jose.”

Monday, July 6, 2009

Morning News Round-Up – 7.6.09:

District Attorney Dolores Carr was not happy to hear Superior Court commissioner Gregory Saldivar would not take the stand in the mysterious case of the (fraudulent) tow operator. The DA’s office is pinning hopes on seeing Saldivar on the stand if/when the tow operating family finds itself in court.

San Francisco blogger Joe Eskenazi, aka “The Snitch,” follows up on the growing interest in San Jose Assemblymember Joe Coto’s bill for Da Mayor. Eskenazi wonders if media attention gave legislators the chutzpah to challenge Coto in the Senate.

The Merc’s Editorial Board takes a jab at San Jose’s planning department for proposing hotels in North San Jose while celebrating a proposed influx of big box retail – think Target on steroids.

Willow Glenites are forming their own latte toting vigilante group in response to a rash of (wannabe) ganglike graffiti on cars.

Clocking in as the Nation’s oldest 4th of July parade the Morgan Hill stream of red, white and blue saw more than 45,000 bystanders. The Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation center shared the road with the National Rifle Association while Water District Director/Supervisorial wannabe Rosemary Kamei became Rosie the Riveter.

Mercury News columnists were on a roll…


Mission City Lantern sends props Watch Dog’s way, figures the Mercury News staff must be depressed (bored), and offers a prize for sniffing out San Jose Revealed now in the 4th week of a grueling bout of "pneumonia."

And, finally, in the post celebratory round-up… San Jose Inside’s Rants & Raves began on a high note “Happy Birthday, USA!” before quickly deteriorating into accusations of Grinchy fireworks thievery before concluding Silicon Valley lawmakers must not be working because SteveO didn’t see them.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Morning News Round-Up – 6.29.09: Council raises meet economic reality...

San Jose’s “huge sucking sound” comes from resident dollars landing outside San Jose according to Councilmember Sam Liccardo. To fix it San Jose had a dream of North San Jose becoming a second downtown – those dreams are now turning into visions of a McCarthy Ranch redux.

Gilroy Councilmember Craig Gartman has asked colleagues to ditch their $64,000 medical benefits in exchange for a council/mayoral raise. The part-time Councilmembers will consider their 106% raise while they ask police and fire unions to take a 15% paycut. Colleague Dion Bracco doubts the lost medical benefits will be gone for more than a year calling the move whimsical, self-serving tricky politics.

Also on the frontlines of salary wars...

San Jose Downtown Association President Scott Knies and Councilmember Nora Campos engaged in a salary throwdown. Campos wants to know if Knies really really got a 19% city pay raise. Knies salary is listed on city payrolls at $134,399 and in a report from the non-profit at $68,916. $134k + $69k = $203,000, could it be…

Our Sister Blog, Watch Dog San Mateo shares this cross over story… East Palo Alto’s Housing Director Wilbert Lee called the ongoing vandalism at the Courtyard at Bay Road unforeseen. Wheelchair bound Arnold Hart complains he can’t get in, carpets used as toilets and a crowbar modified elevator are a few of the problems giving San Jose’s Community Housing a headache.

Interim Santa Clara County Executive Gary Graves is sucking it up. although disappointed by the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Smith. Graves says “sitting in the executive chair is a whole different ballgame.” Smith said negotiations on take home pay are in the works, the last exec took home $292,000.

Gilroy’s tale of fence wars made the big time… Mercury News curmudgeon Scott Herhold heard from home invasion survivor when Chris Cote launched email to Herhold with his side of fence wars. Like Herhold, Watch Dog is sympathetic with Cote but thinks there has to be a better way than razor wire.

(Former) County Counsel/US Deputy Assistant District Attorney General Ann Ravel attended her own “wake” according to the Merc’s Sal Pizarro. Pizarro had a busy week including Falcons, interesting hands, and Teddy Bear Clinics. Los Lupenos is looking for alumni, email Barbara Perez Diaz lupenos40th@ix.netcom.com.

The Merc’s Internal Affairs entertains with various mini-soaps…

  • Where was “No-Show Ngyuen” during San Jose City Council budget discussions? IA thinks the absences were a sign of avoiding contentious labor votes. IA sends props to council colleague Judy Chirco for donning a hat and joining discussions in spite of chemotherapy. San Jose Insider’s joined in via Rants and Raves…
  • Supervisorial candidate Teresa Alvarado shot a “snarky” email to IA with a huffy retort to the implication that she and opponent Rosemary Kamei the same constituency.
  • The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office anxiously awaits a report from (retired) Superior Court Judge/(former) Prosecutor William F. Martin about a “trove of some 3,300 tapes” of sexual assault medical exams. The DA’s hope they got their stories straight for the judge…
Los Gatos Planning Commissioners delayed a decision on creekside storage asking Extra Space to come back in August with a bigger parking lot and a shorter building. Extra Space’s Scott Wyckoff offered there would be “no significant” environmental impact and the 3 story storage facility would be “gorgeous.” No doubt a big parking lot will help with the aesthetics.

The Merc’s Mr. Roadshow (aka, Gary Richards) got the dish from the California Highway Patrol that 200,000 hands free scofflaws have been busted.

Sad news from Santa Teresa County Park, a woman was found dead on the trail by another hiker. No word if County budget woes (and a lack of park oversight) had anything to do with her death.

Today marks 2 weeks since San Jose Revealed ditched blogging for pneumonia. Could it be Revealed has ditched blogging or just ditched the moniker? Give up on all that good will, nah… Mission City Lantern suggests Revealed has headed for fashion world or maybe a Sanford like liaison.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

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.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Morning News Round-Up --- 6.22.09: Something sporting this way comes....

The Gilroy father-son towing team facing 169 charges of fraud, perjury, attempted grand theft and other charges got some good news from the Judge. Santa Clara County Commissioner Gregory Saldivar, who ruled in Vincent Cardinalli’s favor on numerous small claims cases and was their Commissioner of choice, won’t be on the witness stand.

San Jose firefighters are fighting back after a burning grand jury report. Union President Randy Sekany shot back at the grand jury saying the report didn’t consider all the facts.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold offers his column to a “lout” who “was no rapist.” Former DeAnza baseball player Chris Skinner’s dad asked Herhold to hear his son’s side of the story. Although the source of vomit found on the rape survivor, Skinner was passed out on the bed while the rest of the team gang-raped the underage/overly drunk girl.

The thought of a naked Hangar One pissed off the Restoration Advisory Board (and local elected officials) and they weren’t afraid of letting the Navy know. NASA and the Navy continue to point fingers and squabble amongst themselves.

In a dizzying discussion of political wonkiness, the Merc outlines Baseball San Jose’s ballot timeline options. The best news for San Jose, hints the A’s will foot the election bill… (of course, it was the Mayor doing the hinting…)

On tap around the Valley for Government watchers…

  • San Jose councilmembers consider coughing up nearly $30,000 to find a new Independent Police Auditor. There is no truth to the rumor the job description says “must be willing to succumb to pressure.” Finding a practice field for the San Jose/Lew Wolff Earthquakes is also up.
  • Big time sporting is also on the table for Santa Clara councilmembers as they review a slew of 49’ers related items, including ballot measure timetables…
  • Fremont Unified School District Trustees learn more on a one-year teacher agreement and hear the public voice on budget woes.
  • Budget hearings and decisions are also up for the Campbell Union High School District along with district energy ideas.

Does (soon-to-be-termed-out) Assemblymember Joe “Mr. Insurance” Coto want to trade his San Jose – Sacramento commute for an Eastside-Downtown one? The Merc’s Internal Affairs thinks a showdown with Mayor Chuck Reed is shaping up… The cynical among us (IA included) would say Coto hopes to keep his name in the news while waiting....

The Merc’s Internal Affairs was surprised to learn San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant spends his council meetings updating Facebook, emailing the media and texting. While colleagues quizzed city staff, Constant let the Merc know keeping up with the internet during meetings tired him out but his training as a cop “eating donuts and drinking coffee” while on the job helped. Also in IA’s sights, poking fun at supervisorial wannabe Teresa Alvarado for campaigning during the 10th anniversary celebration of the non-profit Latina Coalition.

Parents in Los Gatos Union School District want to ditch unhealthy school food and are raising the specter of Ketchupgate to make their point.

Cupertino will be the site of a summit on elder abuse this week. Organized by the Santa Clara Department of Aging and Adult Services organizer Margriet DeLange hopes to educate clergy and caregivers on signals and support services.

San Jose Inside has a new insider, Laura Fishman who updates on the (un) exciting Sheriff’s race next year. Two (former) Deputy Sheriff’s Association leaders launched campaigns to take Sheriff Laurie Smith out of office. Promising to put the fun back in dysfunctional, Joe Charvez attacks Jose Salcido while Inside readers attack Fishman, candidates and each other.

Mission City Lantern is on a roll reposting James Rowen’s Mercury News stadium comments (San Jose as a “ghetto town”) and accusing the Merc of stealing James’ “Reed ‘Montgomery Burns’” gag.

San Jose Revealed never made it back to the keyboard, can texting super-hero Pete Constant can save the day…

While waiting for Revealed to return Watch Dog checked out Police Officers Association Bobby Lopez’ promise to end video-gate… For our breathless readers, video-gate remains up on YouTube and ProtectSanJose.

Silicon Valley Geekster Steve “Twinkle Toes” Wozniak played second fiddle to hundreds of sunglass wearing duckies off for a swim at Los Gatos’ Vasona Lake.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Morning News Round-Up – 6.16.09: Nerd Birds mixing it up with America's Pastime...

Still just a glimmer in the eyes of Santa Clara leaders… The Santa Clara 49er’s stadium hopes to be a dream mashup of green, Silicon Valley and Notre Dame ideas. Architectural project director Joe Diesko said direction from team owners, the York family, was to make this the first of a new generation of the football experience. Of course, that all depends on a March 2010 election…

Gubernatorial wannabe/San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom chows down at San Jose Rotary this week. No word if he’ll pitch the 49ers bad move line to Rotarians…

State and County investigations underway, allegations of embezzlement and a closed school have led Mexican American Community Services Agency CEO Olivia Soza Mendiola to resign. El Portal School in Gilroy lost its charter and San Jose’s Academia Calmecac headed down that path as the East Side Union High School District Board began charter revocation.

San Jose’s budget woes seem to grow worse by the hour. The perennial bearer of bad tidings, Mayor Chuck Reed, announced last night lower sales revenues would add millions to the deficit and next year pension fund losses would add $52 million. The Merc’s Editorial Board and Downtown Association Executive Director Scott Knies are pointing an accusatory finger at the city’s labor unions. Look for more fireworks today when the Council chimes in…

The economy adds more victims to its growing list.

Brilliant, but nerdy, scientists at Stanford keeping up with Moore’s Law have found a possible silicon replacement. That’s all well and geeky but, Bismuth Telluride Valley doesn’t have the same panache as Silicon Valley.

Gilroy’s City Council will stay out of the mix as the County’s first pot shop moves through bureaucratic channels. Dude…

Morgan Hill City Manager Ed Tewes is getting ready to take Dwight Jungkeit’s Victorian home and replace it with 8 parking spaces. Mayor Steve Tate said the property was “instrumental in creating the type of parking we want downtown.” Several other properties will add to parking making surface parking all the rage in Morgan Hill.

Morgan Hill School District is hunting for a search firm, estimated cost to the district to find Superintendent Alan Nishino’s replacement is roughly $23,000. This time trustees promise to dig deeper, Board President Don Moody said the board would be more prepared and Google applicants.

The “Great American Food & Music Fest” left a sour taste and pissed off customers. Co-organizer Jim Lewi is apologizing profusely and handing out refunds.

Home invasion survivor Chris Cote stuck barbed wire on his fence, pissing off the city and garlic king Don Christopher. Cote heads to the planning commission to plead his case. Oh, and former/current sweetheart Joan Spencer is on the commission.

Watch Dog didn’t miss the Police Officers Association opinion piece, we’ll get back to that later…

Friday, May 8, 2009

Morning News Round-Up – 5.8.09:

San Jose’s Drunk Task Force, with only 3 remaining community members, ended with a whimper Thursday night. Police Chief Rob Davis said his officers, accused of arresting hugely disproportionate numbers of Latinos for being drunk or having attitude, “are not engaged in this to punish somebody.” Free of unruly community members, the Task Force agreed to a drunk tank, breathalyzers and better training for the police. San Jose Insider Erin Sherbert reports Task Force quitters are plotting next steps…

San Jose Insider Eric Johnson reports San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed has called on all city employees to put off raises and save 150 jobs. The former San Jose councilmember says he inherited the financial disaster, that he rejected raises after becoming mayor and doesn’t take his car allowance.

Tony Spitaleri, president of the firefighters union, offered Palo Alto’s city council a one year moratorium on raises. City Manager Jim Keene is hopeful Palo Alto’s police will come forward with a similar offer. The two unions could save the city $1.5 million.

Former Palo Alto police chief Lynne Johnson screwed up, sparking a racial controversy when she asked residents to be on the watch for a black man in a do-rag. Jeffrey Smith of Palo Alto was busted, and in jail, for a Menlo Park mugging when Palo Alto authorities decided to pile on.


The Valley Transportation Authority designed and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission approved a change that allows more money for BART. Cheering BART fans hit Milpitas today, because – (re)using those famous words – it’s going to happen, you like it or not. Untrue are rumors San Jose councilmember Pete Constant will throw himself in front of the groundbreaking shovels.

Caltrain, trying to put off a possible $10 million deficit, is proposing an end to weekend (party) trains, charging those pesky bike riders and raising fees – again. Caltrain Board Chair/Supervisor Don Gage said “when there’s no money, there’s no service.”

Proud of his helmet hair, bike commuter/San Jose councilmember Sam Liccardo declared the comparisons to “The 40-year old Virgin” a badge of honor. Fellow helmet head/Webcor Builders president, Andy Ball, admitted to occasionally forgetting where he’d left his bike on Caltrain.



San Jose had its 10th murder of the year Thursday afternoon. Details have not been released for the man who was killed in a drive by shooting in East San Jose.

Filmmaker Heather Courtney brings the story of families left behind in Mexico to Mountain View this weekend. The Judicial Watch bigots from D.C. and their NIMBY Mountain View friends will likely show up to protest. Maria Marroquin, executive director for the Day Worker Center, said the center becomes local family.

Molly Cooper, a Morgan Hill sixth grader, beat 1,500 young authors with a winning essay on gang avoidance.

Riding the green wave, parents in the Mountain View Whisman School District are calling for sustainability to be built into all new construction. Some parents wanted to turn their kids into farmers by growing cafeteria food. Beans ‘n weanies on trees?

Los Gatos kids did their time for the Venue Teen Center phone-a-thon and raised a few bucks using those dialing fingers. The Alan Pinel real estate agency played host while real estate agents had the kids call their spouses for practice.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold jumps in to the Monte Sereno city council salary excitement. Herhold, while (sort of) saying he supports the modest stipend, he thinks Monte Sereno’s city council screwed up the execution.

No parent should bury their child. Friends and family of Heather Russell have asked Mountain View police to dig deeper into the suspicious suicide, to understand why the bubbly young woman went missing for three days before her death and how her abusive relationship may have played a part in her death. Friends will host a fundraiser for a battered women’s shelter in her honor.

Mountain View’s city council also heard from the Governator. An expected $2 million may disappear from the city’s coffers in the state grab. No wonder there’s a cat fight brewing.

Morgan Hill wants false alarm scofflaws to pay for those unnecessary police visits. Police Commander David Swing said responding to false alarms “creates inefficiency,” a secondary goal is to gather more details on everyone with a burglar alarm.

Pissed off water drinkers protested the Santa Clara Valley Water District proposed fee increases. District project manager Darin Taylor blamed expensive imported water for increases.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Morning News Round-Up – 12.30.08: Secret engagements, poopy fist fights and more breasts…

Watch out Morgan Hill dog lovers, scoop your poop lest you fall prey to doggie doo battles. Max Hamlin was arrested after a doody dispute that turned to fisticuffs with a fellow dog lover – who happened to be an off-duty San Jose police officer.

The Merc’s Scott Herhold weighs in on the mommy versus Facebook fiasco. Herhold points out the silliness of the battle in which feeding babies is rated XXX. He also mentions the Merc has the same feeding-babies-are-obscene policy.

Thieves have brought Watch Dog San Mateo and Watch Dog Silicon Valley together. Two men hit Apple’s Palo Alto store for about $10k of techie toys then hit Apple in Los Gatos. Palo Alto police were careful to refer to headgear as “beanies.”

In a sad (un)neighborly tale, a woman was murdered in her home in South San Jose by a man who shot her at her front door with her children there. The next door neighbor, who couldn’t be bothered to investigate or call the police, said “It’s been a challenge living next to them these past months.” The woman’s home was frequently the site of domestic violence, her challenges are over.

Merc columnist Joe Rodriguez does a “Where Are They Now” reflection on stories for the past year. Rodriguez should have included himself, three Eastside/Westside columns in 2008?

In the wee hours Sunday morning Sophie Belknap was already on the road when she lost control of her car – by the time it came to a rest, two other cars had hit her and a young life was ended. The CHP reported Belknap, a college sophomore home on vacation, was not wearing her seatbelt.

Mike Cassidy advertises a book for former colleague, Leigh Weimers. Weimers partnered with historian John McLaughlin’s to update his book on the history of Silicon Valley, published in 1995 before the resurgence of Apple and a series of bubbles bursting. Watch Dog note: a book on the history of Silicon Valley is maybe a moving target?

SanJoseInside’s Single Gal is no longer. Single that is and apparently off to live the European lifestyle. Rumors abound as to her identity and include the former Mayor in a dress - never having seen his legs Watch Dog can only wonder.


Mr. Roadshow, Gary Richards, had his own “What were you thinking?” moment when he posed for a photoshoot ala Kiefer Sutherland in 24. Readers take the normally safety-first writer to task for posing with a gun.

In case you missed it, SanJoseRevealed wants to know who Mr. Roadshow was trying to kill. Revealed also celebrates Single Gal’s new found love.

On with the lists… The Morgan Hill Times year end list includes crime, housing, and lost jobs as its top three. Also on the list, and a lot more fun, cheerleaders.

Gilroy’s Top 10 starts with fire and ends with applause for Police Chief Denise Turner for managing, thus far, not to layoff any sworn officers, as opposed to the police staff getting the boot. Turner has her police increasing visibility on streets in an effort to stem gang warfare (and not a bad p.r. move either).

Morgan Hill City Manager Ed Tewes is recommending the layoff of 10 AFSCME union members along with 3 police offers and a reduction in hours and no raises. The Police Officers Association offered a plan that would cut costs and keep police jobs – the POA isn’t sharing until its members and the city council have seen the plan. No doubt it means letting other (un)noticiables slip, Mayor Tate maybe you’d like to decrease gang abatement or stop responding to emergency calls?

Staying in Morgan Hill… the Redevelopment Agency wants to give Third Street a facelift, approval for a mixed use design was given in July (pre-meltdown). In December the agency met in closed session to talk about purchasing property (site of Jesus Restaurant) - one teeny problem – no one thought to ask the owner.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Morning News Round-Up – 12.29.08: Slow news, more drunks, boys gone bad...

Reporters like to take vacations too... hence the year end lists -- all of which could have been written in the past month and a half... Scott Herhold focuses on the sensational from murder to mayhem (Little Saigon) to surprise wins and includes stories of Bellarmine boys gone bad… Internal Affairs sticks to the political, always juicy, with month by month reminders of who’s (not) running and who’s spatting. Internal Affairs Year in Quotes...

The Merc’s Mr. Roadshow, Gary Richards, contributes to the list making with his ‘Dirty Dozen’ traffic hotspots. The Merc wants to know what traffic hotspots make you growl.

San Jose city retiree’s won’t be happy to hear that their employee pension fund suffered a loss of nearly $1 Billion this year, worse than similar funds. Councilmember (and pension overseer) Pete Constant, watching the decline, said “We’ve got a problem and we need to face it,”. Constant also said he would happily relinquish his seat on the board to anyone brighter than himself. (Watch Dog fans will be amused to hear this was so easy WD let it go) Retirement Director Russell Crosby said the oversight structure of the funds, with so many non-experts has probably contributed to the bad performance. pssst, there’s more Watch Dog news to come…

Kids in court might be getting a little help in the coming year. The Mercury News special investigation “Broken families, broken courts” led state officials to push for changes including a new courthouse (the abandoned garment factory is out). The legal beagles working for families have a new name but the same old folks. And, kid’s will no longer be represented by District Attorney Dolores Carr’s office.

The Morgan Hill Times reports that 528 people were arrested for DUI since December 12th. Morgan Hill police arrested 17 and Gilroy police arrested 12 of the (suspected) drunk drivers, no word if the remaining 499 were drunk Latinos in San Jose. Maybe that data will be released when the
Drunk Task Force wraps
in April.

It seems our friend Ausaf Umar Siddiqui, you know, the Fry's executive that embezzled/gambled away Fry's money? It seems the Vegas DA's knew him too...why? Because Siddiqui was kiting checks all over Las Vegas, for years and millions... The Merc appears to love Siddiqui as well – they ran 6 stories about his brazen multi-year, baccarat driven fraud and deception stealing millions over the past 3 days.

Sally Lieber (can't spell Lieber without the 'lie') is in a bit of hot water for having a fundraiser on City of Mt. View property, a no-no for public officials. She didn't respond by saying, "But I used to be a State Assemblymember...I can do whatever I want..."

Apparently breastfeeding mommies are a no-no on Facebook. No word if co-founders, Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, or Peter Thiel (or their moms/wives/girlfriends) have noticed the uproar. The mommies are fighting back with a Facebook group whose membership spiked to over 75,000 in days. Facebook billionaires shouldn’t worry, no doubt San Jose’s Pete Constant and Larry Pegram will slap a filter on the mommies.

San Jose State University artist Robert Graham passed away Saturday in Santa Monica with his wife Anjelica Houston at his side. Locally, Graham may be best known for the sculpture of the Aztec Feathered-Serpent Quetzalcoatl. Watch Dog note: Graham’s Quetzalcoatl is the result of art by committee and conservative Christians.