The day after Supreme (Courts) Tuesday (Prop 8 upheld/Sotomayor)... Watch Dog stays local...
Following the firefighters lead, Palo Alto Police Officers have given themselves a pay freeze, saving Palo Alto $800,000. Vice Mayor Jack Morton, last month calling police and firefighters “extremely wealthy and overpaid,” tried to make amends by saying he’d never doubted the police would “step up.”
Which goes hand-in-hand with this story...
San Jose Councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Pete Constant asked their colleagues to take a pay cut and ditch the $600/month (?) car allowance as the Council asks everyone else to take a hit too. Councilmember Nora Campos wants to see double-dipper (disability/salary) Pete Constant take a bigger cut saying “anything less would be hypocritical.” Ouch. To check San Jose City employee salaries, check this out.
The Envision San Jose 2040 Task Force sent a hands off message to developers eagerly anticipating development in Coyote Valley. Task Force Co-Chair/Councilmember Sam Liccardo said the next Task Force could revisit the need for build out, but for now, there was “no surge of need.”
Two “plucky” San Jose teens have been awarded Horatio Alger California State Scholarships. A big Watch Dog bark-out to Vicky D. Nguyen of Lincoln High and Abel Lujan of Independence High, both in San Jose for making the grade. Perhaps they can put their brains toward solving the State's budget mess?
Deputy District Attorney James Leonard was on fire during closing arguments in the trial of Todd Burpee for the vicious attack on a young Jane Doe. Leonard used fetishist images from Burpee’s computer along with DNA and other circumstantial evidence to lay the foundation for conviction – he hopes.
The Merc’s business writer, Chris O’Brien, takes the Craigslist killer tragedy and turns it into a discussion about the world’s oldest profession. This should make San Jose Revealed happy... or not.
Speaking of the world's oldest profession...
Morgan Hill’s City Council is poised for a temporary moratorium on massage parlors while they figure out the impact of a new State law. Police Chief Bruce Cumming reports two local parlors are alleged to provide sex acts. The City also shut one down last year.
Someone screwed up at a Gilroy Girl Scouts' e-waste collection this past weekend. Perhaps they were high... you see, when the dropped off a microwave they forgot to take their pot out. It is not true that the Gilroy Girl Scouts will be selling pot brownies next cookie season...
Mountain View’s City Council was pissed to learn they were being asked to cough up more dollars than any other Silicon Valley city for the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County. In the end, Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga abstained, Councilmembers Jac Siegel and Laura Macias voted no, and the Trust walked out with half the expected dollars.
Guerilla/Gorilla Artist Harry P. Rymate met up with the Merc’s Patty Fisher in the back yard of a suburban tract home, far from New York’s avant garde SoHo district. Geography aside, the mysterious artist sprinkles his creations around San Jose’s Coyote Valley for viewing before art lover/thieves take the work home.
Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino and wife, Leslee, went about adopting a new baby with a Silicon Valley twist. The Merc’s Sal Pizarro covers the techie search for baby Sienna while sharing the news that NBC11’s Brent Cannon and Laura Garcia-Cannon along with 1stAct Silicon Valley’s Tamara Alvarado and Julian Peeples also brought new babies to Silicon Valley. In a whole family theme, Pizarro rounds out the story with news KPIX-TV’s Len Ramierez was awarded the Ruben Salazar Journalism Award.
Silicon Valley Newsroom/San Jose Inside follows the story of San Jose police shooting Daniel Pham with police not releasing the 911 recording. More interesting, and scary, are the comments decrying the Merc and Metro for creating controversy. Creating controversy? Really?
San Jose Revealed weighs in on a multitude of issues… but most interesting they pick a new nickname for Councilmember Pete Constant...
Showing posts with label palo alto police. Show all posts
Showing posts with label palo alto police. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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