Santa Clara’s City Council received bad news while they approved the 49ers environmental impact report, the happy folks at Great America will sue. Adding to the confusion were different community groups offering a voter initiative to avoid environmental reviews. 49ers spokesperson Lisa Lang said the team “is not prepared” to talk about going directly to the voters.
With 200 pissed off college employees watching, Trustees for the San Jose/Evergreen Community College District ditched (immediate) plans to lay off 106 people. An investigation into District finances uncovered (suspected) financial abuse by Chancellor Rosa Perez. (now) Retiring Chancellor Perez will temporarily be replaced by Vice Chancellor Jeanine Hawk.
Calling conventioneers response an “overreaction” San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed joined colleagues in sending Team San Jose back to the drawing board to fix the problem of pissed off (San Francisco) Teamsters and conventioneers. Councilmember Sam Liccardo expressed dismay over the problem saying “didn’t anybody say to you… ‘Hey, this could be a problem’?”
There’s a new Chancellor coming to town. Foothill-DeAnza Community College District has selected Arizona’s Rio Salado college president Linda Thor to fill the hole created when Martha Kanter heard the siren call of the Obama Administration.
Palo Alto Unified School District Trustees had a busy night. A mail-in ballot is (likely) on tap to increase parcel taxes to an annual $598. Trustee Barb Mitchell said bluntly not receiving voter approval would mean the loss of 95 teachers. Teachers or taxes...
The Merc’s Editorial Board wants to see the sun shine on arbitration hearings between the city of San Jose and unions. Mayor Chuck Reed adds hearings in the dark might be illegal and a violation of the Brown Act.
When you head out to grab a bite today, local elected officials will gather for a memorial service recognizing the 67 men and women who died living on the streets this year. The annual EHC LifeBuilders memorial service is open to the public.
San Jose Insider/Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Joseph DiSalvo wants all jailed kids to learn to FLY. Fresh Lifelines for Youth offers kids alternatives and saves taxpayers 10 times the money it costs to run the program, according to DiSalvo who had his eggs served with FLY graduate testimonials.
Mission City Lantern posted their top ten ways to prevent Santa Clara Councilmember Jamie McLeod from becoming the next Mayor. Including are such gems as asking McLeod’s friend/Campbell Mayor Evan Low to declare her “uncool” and preventing seniors from voting.
PoliticonValley notes San Jose’s Mayor Chuck Reed joined Councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Madison Nguyen to create an “unconventional” approach to keeping homeowners from being tossed on the streets.
Showing posts with label palo alto unified. Show all posts
Showing posts with label palo alto unified. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Morning News Round-Up -- 11.12.09: Economic good news... and bad...
The good news is the economy just might be at the very beginning parts of a recovery... maybe. The bad news? Well, Silicon Valley companies are using this opportunity to keep cutting their workforce... the latest is Applied Materials. Adobe was last week. Sun and Electronic Arts the week before. Expect more folks spending the day at Starbucks and Peet's...
In other economic news... current tech giant HP is buying former tech giant (?) 3Com.
More details are coming out about the 25th homicide of the year in San Jose was a sophomore at Santa Teresa High School. He was stabbed to death in his own backyard. There don't seem to be a lot of details about what happened or who did it.
There is at least one really good job that will be opening up soon: The Chancellor at San Jose/Evergreen Community College District will step down at the end of the year. The official cause of the soon-to-be-vacancy? Health reasons. The unofficial/ unmentioned cause? Financial problems and union issues. Between the Mountain View-Whisman School District, the Los Altos School District, and the San Jose/ Evergreen Community College District -- there will be a lot of new faces in Silicon Valley education circles next year...
Scott Herhold gets in on the "Berlin Wall 20 years later" action. He has his own interesting twist about being approached to be a spy, but it does remind Watch Dog of this...
There is an Opinion piece in the Merc today about how prosecutorial misconduct costs taxpayers money and hurts credibility of law enforcement. Yup. At least the San Jose Police Department aren't mentioned in the story...
Speaking of prosecutors... the suspects accused of killing Mark Achilli in Los Gatos are going to be in court on Monday to possibly get their trial date. The prosecutor in this high-profile case? Jeff Rosen. Does that name sound familiar Dolores Carr?
Palo Alto Unified is looking to April 2010 to renew their tiny ($493) parcel tax... They must be encouraged by these results... and these...
In other economic news... current tech giant HP is buying former tech giant (?) 3Com.
More details are coming out about the 25th homicide of the year in San Jose was a sophomore at Santa Teresa High School. He was stabbed to death in his own backyard. There don't seem to be a lot of details about what happened or who did it.
There is at least one really good job that will be opening up soon: The Chancellor at San Jose/Evergreen Community College District will step down at the end of the year. The official cause of the soon-to-be-vacancy? Health reasons. The unofficial/ unmentioned cause? Financial problems and union issues. Between the Mountain View-Whisman School District, the Los Altos School District, and the San Jose/ Evergreen Community College District -- there will be a lot of new faces in Silicon Valley education circles next year...
Scott Herhold gets in on the "Berlin Wall 20 years later" action. He has his own interesting twist about being approached to be a spy, but it does remind Watch Dog of this...
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Legends of the Wall | ||||
| ||||
There is an Opinion piece in the Merc today about how prosecutorial misconduct costs taxpayers money and hurts credibility of law enforcement. Yup. At least the San Jose Police Department aren't mentioned in the story...
Speaking of prosecutors... the suspects accused of killing Mark Achilli in Los Gatos are going to be in court on Monday to possibly get their trial date. The prosecutor in this high-profile case? Jeff Rosen. Does that name sound familiar Dolores Carr?
Palo Alto Unified is looking to April 2010 to renew their tiny ($493) parcel tax... They must be encouraged by these results... and these...
Monday, September 21, 2009
Morning News Round-Up -- 9.21.09: A South Bay Stadium... or two... or three...
Stadium news from around the South Bay...
Paul Krutko, San Jose Chief economic dude, says a (nearly) 8 decade old stadium is the youngest outdoor stadium the “Capital of Silicon Valley” has to offer. Earthquakes/A’s owner Lew Wolff is hoping to change that with a sparkly new Euro style stadium – if he can round up the bucks.
A Santa Clara Citizens Review Committee is in for the coin toss and supports amending Santa Clara’s City Charter to allow the 49ers to hire a football-centric design team. But, only if the Guvernator doesn’t sign State Senator Elaine Alquist's bill by October 11.
San Jose talks plastic bags this week while the Merc’s Patty Fisher reports it was a non-event when Palo Alto went plastic-free. San Jose’s hang-up is the cost of an Environmental Impact Report while Fisher sings the praises of the reusable bag.
With a single school and a mere 566 students you would think the Luther Burbank School District would keep itself below the radar. But you would wrong. A recent Civil Grand Jury report accused District Trustees of conflicts of interest, secrecy, intimidation, questionable spending, and election malfeasance. This week, the Luther Burbank Board was supposed to respond... but they got a 5-week extension. Watch Dog guesses that it is sort of like getting a few extra weeks to do your homework... Brand new Superintendent-Principal Becki Cohn-Vargas likens fixing problems to “…rebuilding a train while it’s going 100 m.p.h.” Yes, but if the train is about to run off the tracks, perhaps slowing it down to fix it would be a really good idea...
Speaking of trains... Those annoying Caltrain whistles will begin relocation to the underside of the train, making nearby (sleeping) residents very happy.
Mountain View is considering the PRT (personal rapid transit) as the dream commute alternative for Google/NASA/Moffett. Unfortunately, jet-packs may never happen.
San Jose’s City Council gears up for a rehash of the City Executive home loan discussion this week. Redevelopment Agency Director Harry Mavrogenes benefited from the practice when he moved inside FROM San Jose TO San Jose.
And while we are on housing...
The Silicon Valley housing market is “…picking itself up from the bottom” according to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal. San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo said the City will kick in another $2.7 million to help first time homebuyers get into the condo, or house, of their dreams.
From the Merc’s Internal Affairs…
Mission City Lantern enjoyed the Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival until arriving in the “Free Speech” area to find anti-49ers fans. Mission City also posts (un)love notes to Justin Schall, Philip Bump, Bill Bailey, and Brian Darby... again.
Local lawmakers in action, for your Watch Dog pleasure, thanks to the Merc's crack staff…
Paul Krutko, San Jose Chief economic dude, says a (nearly) 8 decade old stadium is the youngest outdoor stadium the “Capital of Silicon Valley” has to offer. Earthquakes/A’s owner Lew Wolff is hoping to change that with a sparkly new Euro style stadium – if he can round up the bucks.
A Santa Clara Citizens Review Committee is in for the coin toss and supports amending Santa Clara’s City Charter to allow the 49ers to hire a football-centric design team. But, only if the Guvernator doesn’t sign State Senator Elaine Alquist's bill by October 11.
San Jose talks plastic bags this week while the Merc’s Patty Fisher reports it was a non-event when Palo Alto went plastic-free. San Jose’s hang-up is the cost of an Environmental Impact Report while Fisher sings the praises of the reusable bag.
With a single school and a mere 566 students you would think the Luther Burbank School District would keep itself below the radar. But you would wrong. A recent Civil Grand Jury report accused District Trustees of conflicts of interest, secrecy, intimidation, questionable spending, and election malfeasance. This week, the Luther Burbank Board was supposed to respond... but they got a 5-week extension. Watch Dog guesses that it is sort of like getting a few extra weeks to do your homework... Brand new Superintendent-Principal Becki Cohn-Vargas likens fixing problems to “…rebuilding a train while it’s going 100 m.p.h.” Yes, but if the train is about to run off the tracks, perhaps slowing it down to fix it would be a really good idea...
Speaking of trains... Those annoying Caltrain whistles will begin relocation to the underside of the train, making nearby (sleeping) residents very happy.
Mountain View is considering the PRT (personal rapid transit) as the dream commute alternative for Google/NASA/Moffett. Unfortunately, jet-packs may never happen.
San Jose’s City Council gears up for a rehash of the City Executive home loan discussion this week. Redevelopment Agency Director Harry Mavrogenes benefited from the practice when he moved inside FROM San Jose TO San Jose.
And while we are on housing...
The Silicon Valley housing market is “…picking itself up from the bottom” according to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal. San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo said the City will kick in another $2.7 million to help first time homebuyers get into the condo, or house, of their dreams.
From the Merc’s Internal Affairs…
- A report from California’s Fair Political Practices Commission reports that our local folks in Sacramento spent as much time on the fundraising circuit as they did making laws... perhaps they are sticking to what they are best at...
- Palo Alto State Senator Joe Simitian could be paying more attention to Assemblymember Ira Ruskin’s replacement that you’d think – he’s planning an Assembly redux in 2012.
- San Jose Councilmember Rose Herrera is hearing from opposing sides on proposals for a new library.
Mission City Lantern enjoyed the Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival until arriving in the “Free Speech” area to find anti-49ers fans. Mission City also posts (un)love notes to Justin Schall, Philip Bump, Bill Bailey, and Brian Darby... again.
Local lawmakers in action, for your Watch Dog pleasure, thanks to the Merc's crack staff…
- Santa Clara County’s Committee on Children, Seniors & Families tries to lessen disproportionate impacts of child welfare on African-Americans and Latinos.
- Alum Rock School District holds a team-building session on governance... that sounds like a barrel of laughs...
- Cupertino Union School District studies special education and state test scores...
- Palo Alto Unified School District looks at a parcel tax and the budget...
- San Jose Unified School District looks at approving Gann appropriations limits for 2009-2010.
- Santa Clara Unified School District considers adding students, growing Haman Elementary, and a possible new lease.
- The Franklin-McKinley School District sends props to schools for API/AYP successes.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Morning News Round-Up -- 4.1.09: A Palo Alto Four-Pack...no joke
Here is your daily dose of Lew Wolff-related news...
The Merc’s Mark Purdy provides support to the A’s move to San Jose...so does the Merc’s Editorial Board saying Selig’s panel is the best sign yet that the move is serious. Meanwhile, Lew Wolff is going to meet with Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums -- which, like everything Wolff does, will be widely covered (here and) everywhere.
Chalk up one silver lining for the down market: affordable housing could replace the old bordello on Ditto’s Lane in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos City Council hopes to replace it (and other locations) with affordable housing. Deputy Town Manager Bud Lortz said anyone in Los Gatos making less than $120,000 qualifies for the low income housing.
Here is a four-pack of Palo Alto news for all to enjoy:
The Environmental Protection Agency will be testing the air at the Stevens Creek Elementary School in Cupertino. The school is one of 62 selected across the nation for testing – in this case because it’s so close to a cement plant. Sandra James, spokesperson for the Lehigh Southwest Cement Plant said bring it on, “we do not have a chromium problem at all.” We'll see...
Dr. Winnie Lee is Cupertino’s newest Planning Commissioner and plans to put her experience as a business owner to work on the Commission. When asked if her next stop was City Council Lee said she just wanted to get a handle on the Commission. Which reminds Watch Dog of an old joke about 100 Senators in D.C. who look in the mirror and see the next President...
The tragic deaths of 6 in Santa Clara are a mystery, the killer is said to have been a good, quiet, and gentle man who started getting angry over the past weeks. Family members and neighbors remain stunned at the deaths. This story is getting a lot of coverage in the newspaper of record for the Northern Suburb of San Jose...
Sheriff Laurie Smith’s team is trying to figure out who the man is buried under a pile of boulders in a rock quarry and how he died…
The Merc’s Mark Purdy provides support to the A’s move to San Jose...so does the Merc’s Editorial Board saying Selig’s panel is the best sign yet that the move is serious. Meanwhile, Lew Wolff is going to meet with Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums -- which, like everything Wolff does, will be widely covered (here and) everywhere.
Chalk up one silver lining for the down market: affordable housing could replace the old bordello on Ditto’s Lane in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos City Council hopes to replace it (and other locations) with affordable housing. Deputy Town Manager Bud Lortz said anyone in Los Gatos making less than $120,000 qualifies for the low income housing.
Here is a four-pack of Palo Alto news for all to enjoy:
- The Palo Alto Unified School Board must have been feeling very optimistic, they’ve approved plans for $300 million in construction for Gunn and Palo Alto High Schools, math texts “from this millennium,” and new classes including computer animation.
- Palo Alto’s City Council has joined neighbors Menlo Park and Atherton in a lawsuit to stop High Speed Rail before it breaks ground. Councilmember Larry Klein said they plan to send “very clear signal that we intend to be players and think we can make a contribution to making the process better…”
- Attention Palo Alto residents and businesses: Your electricity rates are going up. Well, they are at least one step closer to that reality because the City Council's Finance Committee said so last night. I guess the legal fees are mounting and need payment..
- If world domination weren't a big enough goal, Google-geek Larry Page wants to build a massive home in Old Palo Alto...don't worry though, it will be environmentally friendly. As environmentally friendly as a 6,000 square foot home can be, Watch Dog guesses. Probably not as environmentally friendly as a home half that size would be...Watch Dog San Mateo (and others) had this story last week...the Merc. is on it today...
The Environmental Protection Agency will be testing the air at the Stevens Creek Elementary School in Cupertino. The school is one of 62 selected across the nation for testing – in this case because it’s so close to a cement plant. Sandra James, spokesperson for the Lehigh Southwest Cement Plant said bring it on, “we do not have a chromium problem at all.” We'll see...
Dr. Winnie Lee is Cupertino’s newest Planning Commissioner and plans to put her experience as a business owner to work on the Commission. When asked if her next stop was City Council Lee said she just wanted to get a handle on the Commission. Which reminds Watch Dog of an old joke about 100 Senators in D.C. who look in the mirror and see the next President...
The tragic deaths of 6 in Santa Clara are a mystery, the killer is said to have been a good, quiet, and gentle man who started getting angry over the past weeks. Family members and neighbors remain stunned at the deaths. This story is getting a lot of coverage in the newspaper of record for the Northern Suburb of San Jose...
Sheriff Laurie Smith’s team is trying to figure out who the man is buried under a pile of boulders in a rock quarry and how he died…
Monday, March 30, 2009
Morning News Round-Up -- 3.30.09: What if Lew Wolff shared his microphone with Tom Campbell?
Watch Dog has said it before, but Lew Wolff is a microphone magnet. So much so that his statements from last week about wanting to move to San Jose just keeping getting covered. As a review, Wolff came out with his stongest stance yet on the status of the A's plans:
San Jose’s firefighters have offered to give themselves a wage freeze for the next year. City Manager Debra Figone should have been happy to hear about it but was pissed off the firefighters went around her to make the offer directly to the Mayor and City Council. (Former Vice Mayor) Chamber CEO Pat Dando didn’t seem to care who heard the offer and called it a “...bold step in saving the city a great deal of money this year...” (a million bucks that is)
Residents in San Jose’s Gardner neighborhood in Willow Glen say High Speed Rail is ok, just don’t take their homes to make it happen. It wouldn’t be the first time transportation took over the neighborhood. In the early 1900’s the railroads secretly bought land to build the Southern Pacific line.
The Merc’s Charlie McCollum seeks answers to America’s burning question: How does Steve Wozniak manage to keep on dancing (with the stars)? As everyone in Silicon Valley knows: geeks rule. In this case, the computers are humming with Woz love. With a broken foot, torn hamstring, and questionable dancing skills, the Woz still has fans (voteWoz.com). Gary ‘Mr. Roadshow’ Richards continues his love for our dancing Teletubbie as well.
The Merc’s Editorial Board adds their support to Congressman Mike Honda’s efforts to open Mount Umunhum to the public. The challenge is cleaning up the old Air Force Base and radio station...oh, and the $11 million required to do it. If Honda has his way the Midpeninsula Open Space District will have a new jewel. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren said there’s an incredible vista and it would be a nice place to hike.
The Santa Clara County Office of Education hosted their annual History Day Competition, appropriately held at San Jose’s History Park. Students created, and defended, projects on everyone from famed United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta to Oprah Winfrey.
The Merc’s Internal Affairs expresses love for San Jose’s HP Pavilion after attending a Streisand concert and reading a study released from Sports Economics which says thousands of jobs have been created and millions pumped into the local economy. The lovefest is to support a theory that local sports officials are hoping to steal the Sacramento Kings. It doesn’t hurt San Jose's MLB ambitions either…Also in IA, their own list of Quick Notes this weekend…
A former Marine reservist, distraught about losing his business, threatened to kill himself in his San Jose home. Members of the San Jose Police Department surrounded the house, barricaded the neighborhood, and readied themselves for a patient siege. Turns out the guy snuck away and later called the cops from a payphone to give them permission to enter the home.
San Jose Revealed voices loud support for making San Jose’s Fire Station One a historic landmark. Apparently the best reason for giving it landmark status is to prevent former Mayor Tom McEnery from having his way with it. Others in the community also hope for landmark status and want to restore the structure and convert it to a museum.
On tap around the Valley for your elected officials:
"...We are really saying that we'd love to stay in Northern California, and go to San Jose..."Now to a local guy that has trouble finding a microphone to speak into...Tom Campbell. Did you know he is running for Governor? The Chronicle threw Campbell a bone and covered his long-shot effort to become the next Governor. Campbell's pitch? He knows the budget really, really well. In normal times, we'd advice Campbell to get a different political message, but extraordinary times may call for an extraordinarily boring messages...and Campbell's understanding of the State's complex budget is extraordinary (and dry)...
San Jose’s firefighters have offered to give themselves a wage freeze for the next year. City Manager Debra Figone should have been happy to hear about it but was pissed off the firefighters went around her to make the offer directly to the Mayor and City Council. (Former Vice Mayor) Chamber CEO Pat Dando didn’t seem to care who heard the offer and called it a “...bold step in saving the city a great deal of money this year...” (a million bucks that is)
Residents in San Jose’s Gardner neighborhood in Willow Glen say High Speed Rail is ok, just don’t take their homes to make it happen. It wouldn’t be the first time transportation took over the neighborhood. In the early 1900’s the railroads secretly bought land to build the Southern Pacific line.
The Merc’s Charlie McCollum seeks answers to America’s burning question: How does Steve Wozniak manage to keep on dancing (with the stars)? As everyone in Silicon Valley knows: geeks rule. In this case, the computers are humming with Woz love. With a broken foot, torn hamstring, and questionable dancing skills, the Woz still has fans (voteWoz.com). Gary ‘Mr. Roadshow’ Richards continues his love for our dancing Teletubbie as well.
The Merc’s Editorial Board adds their support to Congressman Mike Honda’s efforts to open Mount Umunhum to the public. The challenge is cleaning up the old Air Force Base and radio station...oh, and the $11 million required to do it. If Honda has his way the Midpeninsula Open Space District will have a new jewel. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren said there’s an incredible vista and it would be a nice place to hike.
The Santa Clara County Office of Education hosted their annual History Day Competition, appropriately held at San Jose’s History Park. Students created, and defended, projects on everyone from famed United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta to Oprah Winfrey.
The Merc’s Internal Affairs expresses love for San Jose’s HP Pavilion after attending a Streisand concert and reading a study released from Sports Economics which says thousands of jobs have been created and millions pumped into the local economy. The lovefest is to support a theory that local sports officials are hoping to steal the Sacramento Kings. It doesn’t hurt San Jose's MLB ambitions either…Also in IA, their own list of Quick Notes this weekend…
- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to ditch his Tesla...probably because the Governor read the Tesla Chronicles on Watch Dog...
- While the classes for East Side Union High School will be taking more students, and teachers no extra pay, the teachers in Palo Alto are getting a 5% raise...proving that it’s good to be in a town where property taxes keep on giving.
- Jude Barry apparently ditched John Garamendi’s Gubernatorial race because the Lt. Governor can’t raise any money. The rumors are not true that Barry was too busy writing Watch Dog to run Garamendi's race...
A former Marine reservist, distraught about losing his business, threatened to kill himself in his San Jose home. Members of the San Jose Police Department surrounded the house, barricaded the neighborhood, and readied themselves for a patient siege. Turns out the guy snuck away and later called the cops from a payphone to give them permission to enter the home.
San Jose Revealed voices loud support for making San Jose’s Fire Station One a historic landmark. Apparently the best reason for giving it landmark status is to prevent former Mayor Tom McEnery from having his way with it. Others in the community also hope for landmark status and want to restore the structure and convert it to a museum.
On tap around the Valley for your elected officials:
- Palo Alto Unified School District talks about growing elementary schools, changing school boundaries, and the aforementioned staff raises. Get ready for some wild discussions -- school boundaries are a big deal in Palo Alto...
- Santa Clara County’s Committee on School District Organization meets to talk about moving property from Saratoga's Union School District to the Los Gatos Union School District...again, heads up when discussing school boundaries in fancy towns...
- The San Jose City Council Salary Setting Commission considers a freeze on the Mayor and Council salaries...
- Mountain View’s City Council talks about financial goals – like staying afloat in difficult times...perhaps Tom Campbell could give a Power Point Presentation on budgeting...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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).
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).
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