Economics? We don’t need no stinking economics… Experts on the financial returns of baseball stadiums (there’s a gig for that?) aren’t sure moving the A’s to San Jose paints the same rosy picture. Redevelopment Agency assistant executive director John Weis disagrees saying holding out for offices could lead to 20 years of empty land.
Also thinking about sports, Sunnyvale wants more time to mull over Santa Clara’s 49er impact report. Worried about traffic Sunnyvale Councilmember Melinda Hamilton said “it is not our problem” to fix.
Union leader Brian Ward accused Palo Alto city officials of hiding $22 million in the cookie jar while crying poor. Administrator Lalo Perez says that money is all but spent on approved projects.
Give it up or dish seem to be the options facing text-addict San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant. Texting is “a way of life” complains Constant when faced with a possibility of council meetings becoming a no-text zone. San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed countered pointing to Saratoga where Mayor Chuck Page shrugged “we owe it to our citizens to pay 100% attention.”
Santa Clara County will scrounge their cookie jar for $3.7 million to pay builders for the Morgan Hill courthouse. More interesting, (apparently) no one knows the final tally for courthouse costs.
San Jose Councilmember Nora Campos hopes you’ll be there for a groundbreaking on a new East San Jose park. The Merc’s Sal Pizarro also dishes Applied Materials vice president Joe Pon is ditching the corporate life to move to San Francisco’s James Irvine Foundation while philanthropists Michael and Susan Eckhardt chided Silicon Valley residents for being chintzy.
Cupertinites can look forward to more creative signage aimed at “people traveling 50 mph” but don’t bother asking for any “tacky” signs, those are still a no-no.
Los Gatos Mayor Mike Wasserman hopes to “…help Los Gatos on a larger scale” and is tossing his hat in the ring to replace termed-out Supervisor Don Gage. The Merc noted the Supervisors oversee county jails, health and human services and the Valley Transportation Agency.
Congressmember Anna Eshoo hosted a lively town hall on healthcare. Pointing to hidden costs of emergency care Eshoo told the rambunctious crowd overall costs would drop. Not everyone agreed and the normally polite residents from the toney towns of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Palo Alto hurled accusations of liar at Eshoo.
Los Altos Hills joined the top 10 on Forbes list of expensive places to live. With a median home $3.28 million Los Altos Hills landed 8th on the list of toney zipcodes.
Los Altos Hills resident/former San Jose fire protection engineer Ed Munyak landed a spread in Metro for the growing support of his theory that the World Trade Center couldn’t have come down without pre-planted explosives.
San Jose’s 20th homicide of the year happened in a parking garage while the Dub Show Tour ’09 raged above. San Leandro’s Lake Eric Calvin was covered in so much blood paramedics didn’t know how many times he’d been shot. Protect San Jose’s Officer James Gonzales (apparently) thinks the link between the E-40 event and the shooting is more obvious. Anyone with information is urged to contact Sgt. Dave Tindall or detective John Barg of the San Jose Police Department's homicide unit at 408-277-5283.
Metro’s Fly did the math on the failed recall effort… A recall election in Monte Sereno would cost the taxpayers $200,000 while paying those pesky councilmembers $300 runs $21,600. Fly followed San Jose’s City Council discussion on budget busting golf courses.
A plethora of screw-ups landed the Live Oak High School theatre project in the rarified air of having a 2nd state inspector. Sanchez Inc’sNancy Sanchez pointed at the engineer and architect for things like an (un)disinfected drinking fountain and other screw-ups.
San Jose Insider/De-Bug coordinator Raj Jayadev reappeared to chat with students about President’s virtual visit. According to Jayadev, students without textbooks were unimpressed.
Showing posts with label pete constant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pete constant. Show all posts
Thursday, September 10, 2009
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…
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Morning News Round-Up – 6.17.09:
Yes, that was President Obama in San Jose’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez…. Sort of…
San Jose’s big news, there is a budget… At least until the State starts their annual grab-fest. The Merc suggests labor agreements will close the (current) $73 million gap. Former council colleague/South Bay Labor Council Executive Officer Cindy Chavez suggested the Mayor should have come to unions earlier. Chavez’ first time back in chambers included a poke at the Mayor..
San Jose’s Mayor is green, with envy… Gilroy’s Fire union overwhelmingly approved a city council offer that closes one fire station for an unknown number of days, the Police Officers Association put a deal on the table to cut $1.1 million from the budget and other unions are following suit.
Assemblymember Paul Fong is getting support from the Merc’s Patty Fisher in his quest to get reparations for mistreatment of the many Chinese who helped build this country. Fisher does suggest that an actual apology would be more useful than a monument.
San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant has found a new calling, grill-meister. Sal Pizarro reports Constant spent two days preparing ribs before sleeping in his car to baste overnight. The payoff? County Supervisor Ken Yeager, Assistant Fire Chief Teresa Deloach-Reed and Mission College’s Scott Brunson declared Constants ribs tops at the Winchester Business Association cook-off. Next stop no doubt a spot at Way Out West BBQ Championships…
Santa Clara County Supervisors are recommending a 24% cut to the “social safety net” affecting the county’s poorest and most vulnerable.
In her own, inimitable, way, Santa Clara County District Attorney Dolores Carr makes it clear what she thinks about sunshine. Saying nothing “legally or factually extraordinary” was found during the initial investigation of Daniel Pham’s death, Carr is keeping the Grand Jury closed.
Meanwhile, in East San Jose a man was shot in the leg during a shootout in an apartment building.
Although foreclosure rates had been declining May saw more Silicon Valley homeowners losing their homes at the years highest rate.
(Former) San Jose Aquatics coach Andy King has perv charges being thrown at him from San Jose, the East Bay and now, thanks to a Merc investigation, Oak Harbor, Washington. USA Swimming has some explaining to do…
In a cost cutting measure the Mountain View police are recommending deregulating taxi companies. Councilmember Mike Kasperzak made a comparison to flying in unregulated airplanes. Councilmember Tom Means, apparently not understanding the analogy, shot back “Are we going to ask the police department now to regulate the number of coffee shops in town?” Regulate the Watch Dog’s lattes? Say it ain’t so.
The Merc’s Editorial Board sends the Milpitas Unified School board to detention. You remember this story from last week, foster child Shontale Taylor is one of the few foster children to graduate high school. Except, she stopped a fight. The school board (of course) stopped her from walking the stage with her peers.
The families of accused gang murderers are pissed off the DA is using the “provocative act murder theory” to try gang members that didn’t pull the trigger. Monica Fernandez, mother of the murdered boy, said “those boys are like my son’s brothers… this was no planned attack.”
San Jose’s big news, there is a budget… At least until the State starts their annual grab-fest. The Merc suggests labor agreements will close the (current) $73 million gap. Former council colleague/South Bay Labor Council Executive Officer Cindy Chavez suggested the Mayor should have come to unions earlier. Chavez’ first time back in chambers included a poke at the Mayor..
San Jose’s Mayor is green, with envy… Gilroy’s Fire union overwhelmingly approved a city council offer that closes one fire station for an unknown number of days, the Police Officers Association put a deal on the table to cut $1.1 million from the budget and other unions are following suit.
Assemblymember Paul Fong is getting support from the Merc’s Patty Fisher in his quest to get reparations for mistreatment of the many Chinese who helped build this country. Fisher does suggest that an actual apology would be more useful than a monument.
San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant has found a new calling, grill-meister. Sal Pizarro reports Constant spent two days preparing ribs before sleeping in his car to baste overnight. The payoff? County Supervisor Ken Yeager, Assistant Fire Chief Teresa Deloach-Reed and Mission College’s Scott Brunson declared Constants ribs tops at the Winchester Business Association cook-off. Next stop no doubt a spot at Way Out West BBQ Championships…
Santa Clara County Supervisors are recommending a 24% cut to the “social safety net” affecting the county’s poorest and most vulnerable.
In her own, inimitable, way, Santa Clara County District Attorney Dolores Carr makes it clear what she thinks about sunshine. Saying nothing “legally or factually extraordinary” was found during the initial investigation of Daniel Pham’s death, Carr is keeping the Grand Jury closed.
Meanwhile, in East San Jose a man was shot in the leg during a shootout in an apartment building.
Although foreclosure rates had been declining May saw more Silicon Valley homeowners losing their homes at the years highest rate.
(Former) San Jose Aquatics coach Andy King has perv charges being thrown at him from San Jose, the East Bay and now, thanks to a Merc investigation, Oak Harbor, Washington. USA Swimming has some explaining to do…
In a cost cutting measure the Mountain View police are recommending deregulating taxi companies. Councilmember Mike Kasperzak made a comparison to flying in unregulated airplanes. Councilmember Tom Means, apparently not understanding the analogy, shot back “Are we going to ask the police department now to regulate the number of coffee shops in town?” Regulate the Watch Dog’s lattes? Say it ain’t so.
The Merc’s Editorial Board sends the Milpitas Unified School board to detention. You remember this story from last week, foster child Shontale Taylor is one of the few foster children to graduate high school. Except, she stopped a fight. The school board (of course) stopped her from walking the stage with her peers.
The families of accused gang murderers are pissed off the DA is using the “provocative act murder theory” to try gang members that didn’t pull the trigger. Monica Fernandez, mother of the murdered boy, said “those boys are like my son’s brothers… this was no planned attack.”
Friday, May 29, 2009
Morning News Round-Up – 5.29.09: Vegas, Fries, Sewage... Happy Friday
Mayor Mike Wasserman is not a happy camper saying it “fries” him to learn the Governator may take almost $1 million as punishment for failure of the May 19 election.
The Great Recession is the pain that keeps on aching. San Jose’s city council was visited by janitors who got ditched by Cisco. Janitorial rep Guadalupe Antolin hopes the city council will throw its weight around at Cisco and get them back to work. Watch Dog is (pretty) sure Antolin didn't mean ...
Sunnyvale School Superintendent Ben Picard is joining the ranks of Silicon Valley school districts heading to the ballot box. Paraphrasing a little Vegas ditty, Picard says what’s raised here, stays here. First step, a poll…
Sunnyvale residents, nice job cutting back on water, as appreciation, and in the spirit of the booming economy – your rates are going up!
Silicon Valley is ready to launch the next big tourist attraction… the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant hopes the $1 billion overhaul will turn it into the next California Academy of Sciences.
It’s the feel-good cop story San Jose police have been waiting for. Police officers Luan Nguyen and Manny Vasquez were winging their way home from a much needed vacation in Vietnam when mile high circumstances required their expert police skills.
The Merc’s Barbara Marshman kept the conversation going at a Silicon Valley Leadership Group panel with local green experts. Read all the gory details.
The Merc’s Editorial Board joins Sierra Club’s Melissa Hippard to call on Silicon Valley homeowners to ditch the offer of a $130 refund. Let the Santa Clara Open Space Authority keep the ill-gotten gain, unless you’re among the pink slip proud or hate the great outdoors.
The Merc’s Joe Rodriguez sat with a very lucky man to learn how failed assassinations brought Mexico’s rising political star, David Figueroa, to San Jose. Now safe with his family, Now the Mexican Consul General, Figueroa sees the crease of a bullet each time he looks in the mirror.
It’s the Silicon Valley Dream… Judy Dugan and Julia Murphy began a hike as friends and ended it as entrepreneurs for Jumping Cracker Beans greeting cards. Within a year they were shipping underwear elastic, making lemonade and winning the Louie…
Mr. Roadshow, aka Gary Richards, asks the knuckleheads from Stanford not to use Highway 280 as a vehicle for protest…
A Morgan Hill police officer’s Glock was stolen from his home. There’s a $1,000 in it for you to help get the gun back. Call Morgan Hill police at 408.779.2101 or the anonymous tip line at 408-947-STOP (7867).
The Metro dishes on kids and porn. From “sexting” to surfing, kids seem to have a grip on new technology. An anonymous “Jane” reports mobile computing is the preferred source for education and maybe a little test cheating. Watch Dog can hear the howls from the BFF’s…
Los Gatans are asked to chime in on land use next week, if you dig figuring out what to do now that Los Gatos car dealerships are out, this is for you…
The Great Recession is the pain that keeps on aching. San Jose’s city council was visited by janitors who got ditched by Cisco. Janitorial rep Guadalupe Antolin hopes the city council will throw its weight around at Cisco and get them back to work. Watch Dog is (pretty) sure Antolin didn't mean ...
Sunnyvale School Superintendent Ben Picard is joining the ranks of Silicon Valley school districts heading to the ballot box. Paraphrasing a little Vegas ditty, Picard says what’s raised here, stays here. First step, a poll…
Sunnyvale residents, nice job cutting back on water, as appreciation, and in the spirit of the booming economy – your rates are going up!
Silicon Valley is ready to launch the next big tourist attraction… the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant hopes the $1 billion overhaul will turn it into the next California Academy of Sciences.
It’s the feel-good cop story San Jose police have been waiting for. Police officers Luan Nguyen and Manny Vasquez were winging their way home from a much needed vacation in Vietnam when mile high circumstances required their expert police skills.
The Merc’s Barbara Marshman kept the conversation going at a Silicon Valley Leadership Group panel with local green experts. Read all the gory details.
The Merc’s Editorial Board joins Sierra Club’s Melissa Hippard to call on Silicon Valley homeowners to ditch the offer of a $130 refund. Let the Santa Clara Open Space Authority keep the ill-gotten gain, unless you’re among the pink slip proud or hate the great outdoors.
The Merc’s Joe Rodriguez sat with a very lucky man to learn how failed assassinations brought Mexico’s rising political star, David Figueroa, to San Jose. Now safe with his family, Now the Mexican Consul General, Figueroa sees the crease of a bullet each time he looks in the mirror.
It’s the Silicon Valley Dream… Judy Dugan and Julia Murphy began a hike as friends and ended it as entrepreneurs for Jumping Cracker Beans greeting cards. Within a year they were shipping underwear elastic, making lemonade and winning the Louie…
Mr. Roadshow, aka Gary Richards, asks the knuckleheads from Stanford not to use Highway 280 as a vehicle for protest…
A Morgan Hill police officer’s Glock was stolen from his home. There’s a $1,000 in it for you to help get the gun back. Call Morgan Hill police at 408.779.2101 or the anonymous tip line at 408-947-STOP (7867).
The Metro dishes on kids and porn. From “sexting” to surfing, kids seem to have a grip on new technology. An anonymous “Jane” reports mobile computing is the preferred source for education and maybe a little test cheating. Watch Dog can hear the howls from the BFF’s…
Los Gatans are asked to chime in on land use next week, if you dig figuring out what to do now that Los Gatos car dealerships are out, this is for you…
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Morning News Round-Up – 5.28.09: Please, Sir, may I have some more...
The aftermath of the May 19 special election is starting to hit home. Will Lightbourne, Santa Clara county social services director, said the Guvernator’s proposed cuts were Dickensian and would remove a safety net for children that “every first-world nation has.” San Jose Assemblymember Jim Beall said the CalWORKS demise would result in “a lot of little kids begging on the streets.”
Foothill-De Anza will cut 65 positions, 34 people and 31 empty gigs are gone. D.C. bound Chancellor Martha Kanter said the aftermath of the May 19 election is “devastating news for all of education.”
San Jose is moving forward on freezing salaries for the Operating Engineers after failed contract negotiations. Union representative Bill Pope said medical co-pay and how long the freeze would last were stumbling blocks, and the city was too rigid.
Speaking of frozen salaries…
San Jose Revealed dug through City Hall archives to bring new quotable moments, and another nickname, for Councilmember Pete Constant. Revealed is all over the councilmember’s new found determination to “lead by example.” Watch Dog is flattered Revealed is a loyal reader…
The screw-up could cost the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority $57 million, but they’re hoping you won’t ask for your $130. Sierra Club director, Melissa Hippard, calls turning down the dough “a no brainer.” Really?
Teen blogger/artist Katy Hughes and her Mother Elizabeth won’t be getting any money from the Open Space, they are looking for permanent housing, again. The story is a familiar one to Jennifer Van Every of EHC LifeBuilders, “it’s reflective of the economic crisis.”
Seven and a half years after San Jose police officer Jeffrey Fontana was killed in Almaden Valley, DeShawn Campbell was convicted of his murder. Judge Diane Northway called the jurors “shining stars,” while Police Chief Rob Davis and District Attorney Dolores Carr sent props to prosecutor Lane Liroff.
Swim coach Andrew King was on his way to court for charges related to “inappropriate relations with a child” when he was busted by the San Leandro police for the same thing. King had swim meets as far as Canada so expect more fallout.
There’s another perv on the loose in Gilroy. Police are looking for a man in a white SUV who circled around sisters 5 times before taking off.
The Merc’s Scott Herhold has a couple of choice words for San Jose police after withholding the 911 tapes. Pompous and manure. San Jose Insider/De-Bug’s Raj Jayadev reflects on teaching moments lost in time…
Mountain View residents can expect a call from pollsters for the school district. Mountain View Whisman trustee Ellen Wheeler calls the poll necessary saying even she doesn’t know where she stands on the proposed bond. Gene Bergman & Assoc and political consultants Tramutola are happy as well…
The Los Altos Planning Commission is recommending the city council approve expansion of the Pilgrim Haven retirement community following a stream of Los Altans worried about traffic and time. Commissioner John Baer encouraged opponents to take “another shot” saying “council likes to hear from all the residents,” as he laughed.
Los Gatos town manager Greg Larson is celebrating the efforts of employees who used pedal power to get to work earlier this month. Town attorney Orry Korb rode his bike from Santa Cruz. Also using pedal power Mayor Mike Wasserman, police Capt. Alana Forrest, town finance director Steve Conway . Watch Dog hopes Larson provided them showers before the cocktails…
Some of you wish you’d been on your bike last weekend… Santa Clara County police officers busted 115 drivers for drinking, or drugging, and driving.
Caltrain riders worried about fare increases and decreasing service affecting riders from Gilroy to San Francisco were joined by Chamber of Commerce officials. There’s always the bike, just ask Orry.
If you tweet much you were probably already at Mountain View’s Computer History Museum when Twitter’s Anamitra Banerji denied the making of a Twitter TV show.
Foothill-De Anza will cut 65 positions, 34 people and 31 empty gigs are gone. D.C. bound Chancellor Martha Kanter said the aftermath of the May 19 election is “devastating news for all of education.”
San Jose is moving forward on freezing salaries for the Operating Engineers after failed contract negotiations. Union representative Bill Pope said medical co-pay and how long the freeze would last were stumbling blocks, and the city was too rigid.
Speaking of frozen salaries…
San Jose Revealed dug through City Hall archives to bring new quotable moments, and another nickname, for Councilmember Pete Constant. Revealed is all over the councilmember’s new found determination to “lead by example.” Watch Dog is flattered Revealed is a loyal reader…
The screw-up could cost the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority $57 million, but they’re hoping you won’t ask for your $130. Sierra Club director, Melissa Hippard, calls turning down the dough “a no brainer.” Really?
Teen blogger/artist Katy Hughes and her Mother Elizabeth won’t be getting any money from the Open Space, they are looking for permanent housing, again. The story is a familiar one to Jennifer Van Every of EHC LifeBuilders, “it’s reflective of the economic crisis.”
Seven and a half years after San Jose police officer Jeffrey Fontana was killed in Almaden Valley, DeShawn Campbell was convicted of his murder. Judge Diane Northway called the jurors “shining stars,” while Police Chief Rob Davis and District Attorney Dolores Carr sent props to prosecutor Lane Liroff.
Swim coach Andrew King was on his way to court for charges related to “inappropriate relations with a child” when he was busted by the San Leandro police for the same thing. King had swim meets as far as Canada so expect more fallout.
There’s another perv on the loose in Gilroy. Police are looking for a man in a white SUV who circled around sisters 5 times before taking off.
The Merc’s Scott Herhold has a couple of choice words for San Jose police after withholding the 911 tapes. Pompous and manure. San Jose Insider/De-Bug’s Raj Jayadev reflects on teaching moments lost in time…
Mountain View residents can expect a call from pollsters for the school district. Mountain View Whisman trustee Ellen Wheeler calls the poll necessary saying even she doesn’t know where she stands on the proposed bond. Gene Bergman & Assoc and political consultants Tramutola are happy as well…
The Los Altos Planning Commission is recommending the city council approve expansion of the Pilgrim Haven retirement community following a stream of Los Altans worried about traffic and time. Commissioner John Baer encouraged opponents to take “another shot” saying “council likes to hear from all the residents,” as he laughed.
Los Gatos town manager Greg Larson is celebrating the efforts of employees who used pedal power to get to work earlier this month. Town attorney Orry Korb rode his bike from Santa Cruz. Also using pedal power Mayor Mike Wasserman, police Capt. Alana Forrest, town finance director Steve Conway . Watch Dog hopes Larson provided them showers before the cocktails…
Some of you wish you’d been on your bike last weekend… Santa Clara County police officers busted 115 drivers for drinking, or drugging, and driving.
Caltrain riders worried about fare increases and decreasing service affecting riders from Gilroy to San Francisco were joined by Chamber of Commerce officials. There’s always the bike, just ask Orry.
If you tweet much you were probably already at Mountain View’s Computer History Museum when Twitter’s Anamitra Banerji denied the making of a Twitter TV show.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Morning News Round-Up – 5.22.09: There's a new Sheriff in town?
Swine Flu alert, swine flu alert! Santa Clara County health officials reported 14 more people have the porcine peril. Before you panic, health officials want you to remember that, while new and scary, the swine flu is less dangerous than the annual fall flu.
The first San Jose union to heed Mayor Chuck Reed’s call for a wage freeze was the Association of Building, Mechanical and Electrical Inspectors. Building Inspectors union president Tom Brim said it was easy “if you care about the people you work with, you’ve got to step up.” Reed, hoping the other unions care, announced he’d spare libraries, community centers, fire stations and park rangers in the face of a $78 million shortfall and the State’s threats .
San Jose Fire Captain/pension trustee/(former) union VP Mark Skeen will be joining the ever growing ranks of the pink slip proud. Skeen is pissed, city manager Debra Figone isn’t talking and San Jose’s controversy ridden pension fund stays in the news.
San Jose Inside’s Fly reports San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant has a hankering to be Sheriff. Constant isn’t ready to make up his mind, saying “I have about two years before I have to make a decision,” on whether to run for Sheriff, Mayor, assembly or dogcatcher in 2010. Assuming Constant decides to stick with his council gig (and wins) he’ll have plenty of time to campaign as a (part-time) councilmember.
Sometimes you do your homework, sometimes you cross your fingers and pray. City attorney Michael Martello told Mountain View’s city council missing paperwork prevented them from approving developer Wayne Aozasa’s senior housing project. Councilmember Jac Siegel said $700,000 was hardly affordable senior housing. Aozasa left wondering if there’s more to it than prayer…
Also in Mountain View, Councilmembers will use federal stimulus dollars to give energy saving tools to local homeowners.
Morgan Hill teachers settled a year long battle, Federation president Donna Ruebusch expressed relief with the union contract ratification. In the end, no teacher furloughs but less teacher training.
Morgan Hill teachers can use the breathing room, now the contract is settled it’s back to the books. Morgan Hill schools showed slight improvement in the annual (dreaded) Academic Performance Index tests. The Morgan Hill Charter School dropped the most, signaling big problems to fix. School Board president Don Moody said “there’s a lot of work ahead.”
Signaling a lack of faith in promises from the Mexican American Service Agency, Gilroy Unified School District Trustees took the first step towards closing Gilroy’s only charter school, El Portal. Trustees pointed to embezzlement, possible illegalities and a lack of a balanced budget as reasons to close MACSA’s Gilroy school. Board president, Javier Aguirre, held up the school's charter saying “MACSA has not met those goals laid out in the charter."
Gilroy Councilmember Perry Woodward accused Gilroy’s labor lawyer Charles Sakai of misleading the city council on the complexities of binding arbitration, he wants a do-over. Woodward will be asking his council colleagues to put binding arbitration on the ballot and let the voters decide…
San Jose Insider Stett Holbrook let his passion for beer shine with two Inside brew pub tips. Rumors are flowing that the Tied House could be leaving downtown San Jose, hot on the heels of the rumor Holbrook follows with confirmation – Tied House out, The Hermitage is in. Yup, former Tied House brewmaster Peter Licht is opening a Belgian brewery in San Jose’s SoFA district.
Speaking of altered minds....
Silicon Valley has a new home grown, family business and it’s all about the green, money and dope not energy savings... Commander Bob Nishiyama, with the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, said Josey Shun, Phat Nguyen and Randy Gip had a pot farm in Ukiah with HQ in San Jose and Santa Clara. The rumor Mayor’s Chuck Reed and Patricia Mahan will be cheering this small business is untrue.
The Environmental Protection Agency agency has given the initial go-ahead on the Navy’s plans for Moffett’s toxic Hangar One. The EPA asked the Navy to work up a “comprehensive work plan” including prevention of toxic spread. Lenny Siegel, member of the Moffett Field Restoration Advisory board, said there’s agreement on skeletal cover-up, and “no one wants to pay for it.”
Proving it's not all about knocking heads, by day he’s a tough San Jose police officer, by night he (sometimes) grooves the brass funk with Tower of Power or Journey. Robert Payne dreams of the day when he can ditch the gun for a full time trumpet, Mic Gillette, a Tower original, said of Payne, “he delivers, man.”
The first San Jose union to heed Mayor Chuck Reed’s call for a wage freeze was the Association of Building, Mechanical and Electrical Inspectors. Building Inspectors union president Tom Brim said it was easy “if you care about the people you work with, you’ve got to step up.” Reed, hoping the other unions care, announced he’d spare libraries, community centers, fire stations and park rangers in the face of a $78 million shortfall and the State’s threats .
San Jose Fire Captain/pension trustee/(former) union VP Mark Skeen will be joining the ever growing ranks of the pink slip proud. Skeen is pissed, city manager Debra Figone isn’t talking and San Jose’s controversy ridden pension fund stays in the news.
San Jose Inside’s Fly reports San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant has a hankering to be Sheriff. Constant isn’t ready to make up his mind, saying “I have about two years before I have to make a decision,” on whether to run for Sheriff, Mayor, assembly or dogcatcher in 2010. Assuming Constant decides to stick with his council gig (and wins) he’ll have plenty of time to campaign as a (part-time) councilmember.
Sometimes you do your homework, sometimes you cross your fingers and pray. City attorney Michael Martello told Mountain View’s city council missing paperwork prevented them from approving developer Wayne Aozasa’s senior housing project. Councilmember Jac Siegel said $700,000 was hardly affordable senior housing. Aozasa left wondering if there’s more to it than prayer…
Also in Mountain View, Councilmembers will use federal stimulus dollars to give energy saving tools to local homeowners.
Morgan Hill teachers settled a year long battle, Federation president Donna Ruebusch expressed relief with the union contract ratification. In the end, no teacher furloughs but less teacher training.
Morgan Hill teachers can use the breathing room, now the contract is settled it’s back to the books. Morgan Hill schools showed slight improvement in the annual (dreaded) Academic Performance Index tests. The Morgan Hill Charter School dropped the most, signaling big problems to fix. School Board president Don Moody said “there’s a lot of work ahead.”
Signaling a lack of faith in promises from the Mexican American Service Agency, Gilroy Unified School District Trustees took the first step towards closing Gilroy’s only charter school, El Portal. Trustees pointed to embezzlement, possible illegalities and a lack of a balanced budget as reasons to close MACSA’s Gilroy school. Board president, Javier Aguirre, held up the school's charter saying “MACSA has not met those goals laid out in the charter."
Gilroy Councilmember Perry Woodward accused Gilroy’s labor lawyer Charles Sakai of misleading the city council on the complexities of binding arbitration, he wants a do-over. Woodward will be asking his council colleagues to put binding arbitration on the ballot and let the voters decide…
San Jose Insider Stett Holbrook let his passion for beer shine with two Inside brew pub tips. Rumors are flowing that the Tied House could be leaving downtown San Jose, hot on the heels of the rumor Holbrook follows with confirmation – Tied House out, The Hermitage is in. Yup, former Tied House brewmaster Peter Licht is opening a Belgian brewery in San Jose’s SoFA district.
Speaking of altered minds....
Silicon Valley has a new home grown, family business and it’s all about the green, money and dope not energy savings... Commander Bob Nishiyama, with the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, said Josey Shun, Phat Nguyen and Randy Gip had a pot farm in Ukiah with HQ in San Jose and Santa Clara. The rumor Mayor’s Chuck Reed and Patricia Mahan will be cheering this small business is untrue.
The Environmental Protection Agency agency has given the initial go-ahead on the Navy’s plans for Moffett’s toxic Hangar One. The EPA asked the Navy to work up a “comprehensive work plan” including prevention of toxic spread. Lenny Siegel, member of the Moffett Field Restoration Advisory board, said there’s agreement on skeletal cover-up, and “no one wants to pay for it.”
Proving it's not all about knocking heads, by day he’s a tough San Jose police officer, by night he (sometimes) grooves the brass funk with Tower of Power or Journey. Robert Payne dreams of the day when he can ditch the gun for a full time trumpet, Mic Gillette, a Tower original, said of Payne, “he delivers, man.”
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Morning News Round-Up – 4.21.09: It was an interesting fact...
It's been a fun filled month in San Jose with Porn BFF's Larry Pegram and Pete Constant battling for headlines over Mayor Chuck Reed's "clownish" IPA mishap and the ongoing Drunk Task Force drama. Rep's from the rest of Silicon Valley are breathing a deep sigh of relief as San Jose stays firmly in the spotlight.
San Jose’s IPA screw-up continued. Unless you were under a rock you saw this one coming…
- The newly appointed Independent Police Auditor Chris Constantin quits under the growing outrage.
- San Jose officials sheepishly admit newly appointed Independent Police Auditor Chris Constantin would be auditing his own brother.
- Watch Dog posted the early rumor about the eminent demise of Chris Constantin as Independent Police Auditor.
- Mayor Reed : When asked about the brother “It was an interesting fact and probably should have been in there. But it was one of a whole series of facts about the man.''
- Councilmember Nora Campos stomps her foot saying she received a promise from the Mayor.
- Merc Editorial : Constantin did not disclose the brotherly love in his application. City leaders did not tell a citizen review panel about Constantin’s brother, those same leaders did not ask the city attorney about any conflict.
- Scott Herhold : Mayor Reed’s staffers were unenthusiastic about Constantin, it was a clownish affair. Way to turn on the boss...
- San Jose Revealed : That was quick, followed by a public spanking of Constantin and Mayor Reed.
Tonight San Jose’s city council will decide whether to back the guy with limited punctuation skills!!!! Or, library proponents, Books Not Filters. For all your (unfiltered) viewing pleasure…
- The Spartan Daily revisits the redux of the decade old proposal. With millions of visitors and internet sessions were the handful of complaints worth all the hoopla?
- A Watch Dog tipster sent the message Pegram had his army storming city hall, much to the dismay of the folks on the 18th floor. (Thanks, tipster, if you see them today shoot Watch Dog a note)
- Watch Dog shares Exclamation Points from the Loudest Filter Screamer, the Rovian Larry Pegram!!! Exclamation point count: 5.
- A pissed off library patron shared Pegram’s (not so) well designed flyer. Exclamation point count: 8.
- Pegram sends email with dire warnings. Exclamation point count: 5.
- The Merc Editorial Board appears bored with the ongoing BFF Pegram/Constant drama.
- Newsweek takes a shot at Pegram with the End of Christian America.
Watch Dog spies at city hall, keep us informed…
If you live in Mountain View, well, you probably can’t afford it, or anywhere else in Silicon Valley. The Environmental Planning Commission hears the grim news this week. Mountain View planner Scott Plambaeck was philosophical saying “yeah, housing’s expensive here.”
Morgan Hill’s Measure A advocates are leaving nothing to chance. They’ve got their own blogging and mixers with movers and shakers, including Mayor Steve Tate and former Mayors John Varela and Dennis Kennedy. Without any organized opposition the measure depends on voters optimism about the future.
A few of Gilroy’s finest received raises over 30% in the last few years. Councilmember Craig Gartman is getting pissed at slow disclosure from city administration and wonders if he should keep turning over rocks or ignore them. This is one case where ignorance is not bliss…
Yesterday’s 420 was largely ignored by the local press but Watch Dog bets the Beer Tax will get pot brewing. Assemblymember Jim Beall is hoping the second time around will help to fill the state’s empty coffers. Prepare for marches from pissed off grape stompers and hops swillers…
Los Gatos town council is proposing more new and higher fees to help raise funds. You know that safe where you hide your guns to protect you from thieves, count on it costing you…. Mayor Wasserman wants to charge for false alarms and you might end up paying more for using that park.
Open space in Mountain View is about to become a Summerhill Homes construction zone. The Los Altos NIMBY’s are getting support from Los Altos councilmember David Casas who says “I will be encouraging the neighborhood ... to vocalize and coordinate their activities to make sure that their interests (are represented).”
Julie Packard, yes, that Packard, was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Morning News Round-Up -- 3.16.09: Great chefs are within SF's territorial rights?
Lew Wolff sent a big raspberry to Oakland on Friday saying thanks for the memories but it’s time for the A’s to hit the road. (Baseball San Jose's blog channeled Sarah Palin's "thanks, but no thanks"...) The move was predicted by former San Jose Insider Jude Barry four years ago. It looks like Barry may have been more prescient than he knew. Inside's Eric Johnson gleefully quotes sports experts Gary Radnich and Bruce Jenkins agreeing with Barry. The Chronicle's Matier & Ross fill us in on who’s fighting to keep the A’s where they are…some heavy hitters. Watch Dog hopes that Senators Boxer and Feinstein remember that folks in Santa Clara County voted for them too (oh yeah, and funded their campaigns...)...
The Merc’s Sal Pizzaro had a yummy task as Iron Chef America hit Silicon Valley. Los Gatos’ Manresa chef (and Michelin 2-star chef) David Kinch whirled around Kitchen Stadium with cabbage as his secret ingredient. In the end, it was Kinch over renowned chef Bobby Flay. The viewing party at Manresa cheered. It is unclear if Senators Boxer and Feinstein think that good chefs are actually within the territorial rights of San Francisco...
Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Jay Boyarsky (former candidate for Judge) thinks a surge in anti-gay hate crimes is related to the passage of Proposition 8 -- increased visibility translates to increased “gay-bashing.” No doubt worried straight, white men might feel left out, Boyarsky added "We're not playing political favorites. Certainly, we've had Christian victims of hate crimes."
Speaking of the DA's office. Santa Clara County DA Dolores Carr has to be wondering why she wanted the job of top prosecutor. A national report released by the Innocence Project accuses the DA’s office of improperly investigating crime lab errors. Hoping to make the case that the fox can guard the hen house, DA spin-meister Nick Muyo says it is not true that they can’t properly investigate themselves.
NASA has asked the Navy to pay for re-skinning Hangar One. In exchange, NASA offered to clean up the toxic soup left behind by the Navy. To sweeten the pot for neighbors, NASA announced Friday a collaboration with the Foothill-De Anza Community College District to provide a $1 billion research facility focusing on renewable-energy and resource-conservation. Foothill-De Anza Chancellor Martha Kanter is giddy about the possibilities...
El Camino Hospital officials are starting to dish on their plans to expand services at their new Los Gatos home (the hospital formerly known as Community). Silicon Valley men will be happy to hear a fancy machine that turns kidney stones to dust is in the works. The League of Women Voters has joined forces with El Camino Hospital execs to host a forum at the end of the month.
The Merc’s Internal Affairs is dishing on the goodies our elected take home from their loyal (lobbyist) fans. Senators Elaine Alquist and Joe Simitian enjoyed a spa retreat in Lodi...(hopefully not at the same time). Senator Simitian reported his wife’s business brought in a healthy chunk of change. Assemblymember Joe Coto went to a charity ball courtesy of Verizon and got an unhealthy supply of liquor thanks to Diageo...he must have been preparing for St. Patrick's Day. (Coto should be careful if he plans to drink that stuff in San Jose...)
Prospective candidates hoping to replace San Jose’s Pete Constant should call the San Jose Police Officers Association. They are not happy that one of their own has “turned a deaf ear” to them.
His friends call him the Don Quixote of San Jose’s Clock Tower, but Naglee Park resident John Mitchell is determined to see his 30 year obsession brought to a happy conclusion. The tower, built in 1892, stopped working in 1906 when that pesky earthquake toppled the tower. (How very Back to the Future...) Mitchell calls it the heartbeat of San Jose. It is unclear if the clock tower would need to 1.21 gigawatts to get going again...
There’s more than green beer on tap this week. Plan on a busy Council/Board week around the Valley...
You could sort of see this coming if you read this and this...but the community-wide, Palo Alto broadband project may be quickly dying. Palo Alto has no money and the company that was going to do the project, Axia Netmedia Corporation, doesn't really want any part of it anymore either...
You'll remember last-week's perfectly timed study by Stanford showing that its hospital expansion projects would bring in $18 million to the City of Palo Alto coffers. The timing was perfect because Stanford and Palo Alto had a meeting about the impacts/benefits of Stanford's development this week. Now, Palo Alto would like to see more of the "community benefits" that Stanford could/should/will do in order to get Palo Alto to stand back from its adversarial position...
The Merc’s Sal Pizzaro had a yummy task as Iron Chef America hit Silicon Valley. Los Gatos’ Manresa chef (and Michelin 2-star chef) David Kinch whirled around Kitchen Stadium with cabbage as his secret ingredient. In the end, it was Kinch over renowned chef Bobby Flay. The viewing party at Manresa cheered. It is unclear if Senators Boxer and Feinstein think that good chefs are actually within the territorial rights of San Francisco...
Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Jay Boyarsky (former candidate for Judge) thinks a surge in anti-gay hate crimes is related to the passage of Proposition 8 -- increased visibility translates to increased “gay-bashing.” No doubt worried straight, white men might feel left out, Boyarsky added "We're not playing political favorites. Certainly, we've had Christian victims of hate crimes."
Speaking of the DA's office. Santa Clara County DA Dolores Carr has to be wondering why she wanted the job of top prosecutor. A national report released by the Innocence Project accuses the DA’s office of improperly investigating crime lab errors. Hoping to make the case that the fox can guard the hen house, DA spin-meister Nick Muyo says it is not true that they can’t properly investigate themselves.
NASA has asked the Navy to pay for re-skinning Hangar One. In exchange, NASA offered to clean up the toxic soup left behind by the Navy. To sweeten the pot for neighbors, NASA announced Friday a collaboration with the Foothill-De Anza Community College District to provide a $1 billion research facility focusing on renewable-energy and resource-conservation. Foothill-De Anza Chancellor Martha Kanter is giddy about the possibilities...
El Camino Hospital officials are starting to dish on their plans to expand services at their new Los Gatos home (the hospital formerly known as Community). Silicon Valley men will be happy to hear a fancy machine that turns kidney stones to dust is in the works. The League of Women Voters has joined forces with El Camino Hospital execs to host a forum at the end of the month.
The Merc’s Internal Affairs is dishing on the goodies our elected take home from their loyal (lobbyist) fans. Senators Elaine Alquist and Joe Simitian enjoyed a spa retreat in Lodi...(hopefully not at the same time). Senator Simitian reported his wife’s business brought in a healthy chunk of change. Assemblymember Joe Coto went to a charity ball courtesy of Verizon and got an unhealthy supply of liquor thanks to Diageo...he must have been preparing for St. Patrick's Day. (Coto should be careful if he plans to drink that stuff in San Jose...)
Prospective candidates hoping to replace San Jose’s Pete Constant should call the San Jose Police Officers Association. They are not happy that one of their own has “turned a deaf ear” to them.
His friends call him the Don Quixote of San Jose’s Clock Tower, but Naglee Park resident John Mitchell is determined to see his 30 year obsession brought to a happy conclusion. The tower, built in 1892, stopped working in 1906 when that pesky earthquake toppled the tower. (How very Back to the Future...) Mitchell calls it the heartbeat of San Jose. It is unclear if the clock tower would need to 1.21 gigawatts to get going again...
There’s more than green beer on tap this week. Plan on a busy Council/Board week around the Valley...
- San Jose’s City Council will hear the Mayor’s budget message. (You’ll need lots of green beer for this one...)
- Cupertino’s Fremont Union High School District goes over their financials and meets with students...no doubt to ready them for the grim news ahead.
- The Alum Rock Union School District will consider a teachers' contract, talk about closing Pala Middle School, and revisit their policies on small schools (probably hoping to make them much bigger)...
- Palo Alto Unified School District discusses budgets for remodeling, contracts, high school master plans, and staff reductions.
You could sort of see this coming if you read this and this...but the community-wide, Palo Alto broadband project may be quickly dying. Palo Alto has no money and the company that was going to do the project, Axia Netmedia Corporation, doesn't really want any part of it anymore either...
You'll remember last-week's perfectly timed study by Stanford showing that its hospital expansion projects would bring in $18 million to the City of Palo Alto coffers. The timing was perfect because Stanford and Palo Alto had a meeting about the impacts/benefits of Stanford's development this week. Now, Palo Alto would like to see more of the "community benefits" that Stanford could/should/will do in order to get Palo Alto to stand back from its adversarial position...
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).
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
(late again) Morning News Round-Up 1.14.09: Disappointed Edition...
Sorry to disappoint you with the long delay...Watch Dog has been recovering from the Mayor's State of the City (Budget)...more on that later (or tomorrow)...
On to old news...
Garlic Ta-Ta’s closed before it ever opened. Ante Bilic withdrew his application Tuesday morning for a gentleman's club in Gilroy after news broke of the 10 year old prohibition of flaunting ta-ta’s in Gilroy. The sleuthing was uncovered by Home Depot's lawyers. No word yet if the more than $4,000 in fees already paid to Gilroy by Bilic will be refunded. Bilic did not say, "The whole experience with Gilroy was like being in a gentleman's club for an evening -- it's fun while it lasted, but we leave disappointed..."
Speaking of disappointed...at yesterday's Council meeting, San Jose City Councilmembers heard from new Retirement Director Russell Crosby. Crosby described the loss of more than $1 billion from the City employee pension funds. Mayor Chuck Reed said, "We need to restructure the [oversight] boards to bring in outside expertise..." You think? Could this be a signal that Reed-ally/pensioner/pension board overseer/Councilmember Pete Constant is on his way off the board after a dismal two years? Councilmember Sam Liccardo seems to think so, saying “…something is seriously broken here...” calling out massive market losses, a travel audit that uncovered excessive and undocumented expenses, and multi-million dollar over-payments.
Vegas hoteliers called him only “Mr. S” and catered to his every wish -- bowls of Glitterati Mentissimo, chilled Dom Perignon and Kurosawa Sake, silk socks, porn, and (of course) condoms. (Disappointed) John, Randy, and Dave Fry know him as the check-kiting/former exec/jailbird Ausaf Umar Siddiqui. Thanks to the Merc., we all know both sides of the Baccarat embezzler. We've learned that the rumors are untrue that Boots Del Biaggio has applied for a job at Fry's...
San Jose Redevelopment Agency is hoping that divided loyalties may prevent the Santa Clara Supervisors from fighting to prevent the Agency from taking a larger share of property taxes. Will former Councilmembers Dave Cortese, Ken Yeager, and George Shirakawa, Jr. side with the needs of the County and area school districts in battling with San Jose over property taxes? The hearing is set for March in San Jose, stayed tuned...Mr. Mavrogenes, don't be too disappointed if the old adage holds true that "where you stand depends on where you sit"...Dave, Ken, and George sit somewhere new now.
Once a month teachers and students descend upon Barker Elementary School on a Friday night (a.k.a. parents' Date Night) while the school gets to raise some much needed funds. Computer lab specialist Ann West said the kids love hanging out in the library, playing twister, surfing the net, and getting crafty. The funds raised help close budget gaps...
Los Altos native Sargent Binkley has been found not guilty by reason of insanity for robbing a Mountain View pharmacy at gunpoint. The landmark decision handed down by a Santa Clara County jury recognized post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following addiction to morphine as the cause of Binkley's insanity. Prosecutor Deborah Medved argued Binkley was sane and said the law does not allow for insanity based on addiction -- just insanity due to Twinkies...
San Jose welcomed it’s first Indo-American onto the City Council yesterday. Ash Kalra says he didn’t run as an ethnic candidate but is proud to represent his community.
San Jose Revealed wants you to Tweet sjrevealed from San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s annual breakfast (as if Revealed won’t be there...). Revealed also takes time to liken the Madison Nguyen fiasco to a coup in which the beleaguered San Jose Councilmember's peers are attempting to take her out – and insert a new Vietnamese leader who will obediently take orders.
San Jose Inside weighs in on the new Chief Yahoo! Carol Bartz, formerly of AutoDesk. Bartz could be a refreshing change saying she wanted to help Yahoo! “get some friggin’ breathing room.” Watch Dog likes the idea of a 60 year old, female, Yahoo! talking about kickin’ butt...
On to old news...
Garlic Ta-Ta’s closed before it ever opened. Ante Bilic withdrew his application Tuesday morning for a gentleman's club in Gilroy after news broke of the 10 year old prohibition of flaunting ta-ta’s in Gilroy. The sleuthing was uncovered by Home Depot's lawyers. No word yet if the more than $4,000 in fees already paid to Gilroy by Bilic will be refunded. Bilic did not say, "The whole experience with Gilroy was like being in a gentleman's club for an evening -- it's fun while it lasted, but we leave disappointed..."
Speaking of disappointed...at yesterday's Council meeting, San Jose City Councilmembers heard from new Retirement Director Russell Crosby. Crosby described the loss of more than $1 billion from the City employee pension funds. Mayor Chuck Reed said, "We need to restructure the [oversight] boards to bring in outside expertise..." You think? Could this be a signal that Reed-ally/pensioner/pension board overseer/Councilmember Pete Constant is on his way off the board after a dismal two years? Councilmember Sam Liccardo seems to think so, saying “…something is seriously broken here...” calling out massive market losses, a travel audit that uncovered excessive and undocumented expenses, and multi-million dollar over-payments.
Vegas hoteliers called him only “Mr. S” and catered to his every wish -- bowls of Glitterati Mentissimo, chilled Dom Perignon and Kurosawa Sake, silk socks, porn, and (of course) condoms. (Disappointed) John, Randy, and Dave Fry know him as the check-kiting/former exec/jailbird Ausaf Umar Siddiqui. Thanks to the Merc., we all know both sides of the Baccarat embezzler. We've learned that the rumors are untrue that Boots Del Biaggio has applied for a job at Fry's...
San Jose Redevelopment Agency is hoping that divided loyalties may prevent the Santa Clara Supervisors from fighting to prevent the Agency from taking a larger share of property taxes. Will former Councilmembers Dave Cortese, Ken Yeager, and George Shirakawa, Jr. side with the needs of the County and area school districts in battling with San Jose over property taxes? The hearing is set for March in San Jose, stayed tuned...Mr. Mavrogenes, don't be too disappointed if the old adage holds true that "where you stand depends on where you sit"...Dave, Ken, and George sit somewhere new now.
Once a month teachers and students descend upon Barker Elementary School on a Friday night (a.k.a. parents' Date Night) while the school gets to raise some much needed funds. Computer lab specialist Ann West said the kids love hanging out in the library, playing twister, surfing the net, and getting crafty. The funds raised help close budget gaps...
Los Altos native Sargent Binkley has been found not guilty by reason of insanity for robbing a Mountain View pharmacy at gunpoint. The landmark decision handed down by a Santa Clara County jury recognized post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following addiction to morphine as the cause of Binkley's insanity. Prosecutor Deborah Medved argued Binkley was sane and said the law does not allow for insanity based on addiction -- just insanity due to Twinkies...
San Jose welcomed it’s first Indo-American onto the City Council yesterday. Ash Kalra says he didn’t run as an ethnic candidate but is proud to represent his community.
San Jose Revealed wants you to Tweet sjrevealed from San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s annual breakfast (as if Revealed won’t be there...). Revealed also takes time to liken the Madison Nguyen fiasco to a coup in which the beleaguered San Jose Councilmember's peers are attempting to take her out – and insert a new Vietnamese leader who will obediently take orders.
San Jose Inside weighs in on the new Chief Yahoo! Carol Bartz, formerly of AutoDesk. Bartz could be a refreshing change saying she wanted to help Yahoo! “get some friggin’ breathing room.” Watch Dog likes the idea of a 60 year old, female, Yahoo! talking about kickin’ butt...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
(very late) Morning News Round-Up – 1.13.09: What's a billion dollars between friends?
Pensioner/Pension Board Overseer/City Councilmember Pete Constant saw costs increase for the police/firefighter pensions 167% since he started his own retirement in 2000 -- a little over 7 times the Consumer Price Index for the Bay Area. When Constant joined the pension board 2 years ago he might have tried to figure out why, but he didn’t. Now that the Merc. is doing its Watch Dog best to investigate, Constant has decided, "We cannot as a council lose sight of the overall fiscal health of the city." Too bad Constant wasn’t this interested 2 years ago, or during the 6 years he received his own benefits. The Merc’s Editorial board jumps into the act pointing out the bonus checks to retirees is a problem -- um, yeah...especially when the funds lost a billion dollars recently. The Council is discussing this today...to be continued...
The Mayor Reed Drunk Task Force meets for the first time Thursday, 4 months after the racial profiling question was splattered across the pages of the Merc. Task Force member Bea Mendez, Silicon Valley Latino Democratic Forum, was concerned upon seeing this note in the staff report seeking “an expert on alcohol issues in the Latino community.” Mendez apparently thought the Task Force was all about racial profiling and San Jose’s arrest record which far outpaced the rest of the State. Why did she think that? Just because that was what the Task Force was supposed to be...but then the City's professional staff got involved. Task Force Chair/City Manager Debra Figone was quick to backtrack from the alcohol expert issue. Now, she says, "Our focus is police practices and developing noncriminal and alternative approaches to arrests (for public intoxication). It is not the issue of the use of alcohol among the Latino community." Figone’s second in command, Norberto Duenas provides proof that he has an outstanding command of the obvious: "I think we could have written it a different way.” You think? Task Force member and local ACLU head, Skyler Porras, responded, "I don't think the police department or the city ever does anything by mistake. My real concern is that the city may be moving to avoid the underlying issue." (You go girl!) All of this gives credence to what Councilmember Liccardo said the day the Task Force was set up..."[Task Forces] are where good ideas go to die..." From the looks of things, death has already started...
The Merc.’s Sal Pizzaro talks about the buzz around the South Bay about who is going to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration. Tamara Alvarado, director of 1stACT, and her husband, Julian Peeples, optimistically booked their trip in June. Also in the news, Congressmember Mike Honda’s ticket recipients included Stanford freshman Amani Green who made her own rap video to ask for a ticket.
San Jose has suffered its first murder of 2009, a young man was found shot to death in an East Side driveway. Police spokesman, Jermaine Thomas, said it’s unclear if it was a gang related shooting.
Los Gatos celebrated Police Officers Joe Romeo and Bryan Paul for rescuing residents whose car slid off the driveway and nearly 700 feet down a hillside embankment last October. Mayor Mike Wasserman, Vice Mayor Diane McNutt, Councilmember Joe Pirzynski, and Town Manager Greg Larson attended the officers' celebration. After officers freed the man, the car dragged Officer Romeo before he was able to escape, the car then slide down the hill, crashing into a tree.
Although the Morgan Hill School Board has cut $3 million from its budget, they may have to cut an additional $5.2 million. Board President Don Moody said closing a school is one of many options on the table and added, "It's premature for families to start getting emotional about it." Board Member Peter Mandel said that since enrollment is up the District may actually need another school and, "That is completely opposite to another scenario - we can't afford that, the general fund wouldn't support it, and we'll have to find ways to contract and not to expand." Britton Home and School Club President Lydie Jones has started a letter writing campaign attacking Sacramento legislators saying, "I hope (the State Legislators) understand the ramifications of their inaction." Ms. Jones, State Legislators understand the ramifications of their actions...they just don't care...
Watch Dog has followed Ante Bilic’s hopeful attempts to bring ta-ta’s to the garlic capital of the world with a club near Gilroy’s outlet mall. (Garlic Ta-Ta's would be a pretty good name for the club actually...) It looks like Home Depot lawyers have been following this issue as closely as we have. Home Depot's (well-funded) Watch Dogs have sniffed out dusty documents on file at Gilroy City Hall which prevents adult entertainment facilities in the mall. Watch Dog apology, a previous article should have said Gilroy Planners (i.e. Planning Department) not the Planning Commission, recommended approval of plans. The Planning Commission actually meets Thursday to make a recommendation. Gilroy Councilmembers meet later that night to review the mess. According to the Gilroy Dispatch poll, opinion runs 64% against Garlic Ta-Ta's. Perhaps Ante Bilic should show up with some of the future employees -- that might make things go a bit smoother...
Also on tap at Thursday's Gilroy Planning Commission meeting is a lively debate about cell phone towers and a report written by a T-Mobile engineer saying towers pose no health problems. (That's like tabacco companies testifying before Congress, no?) Also at issue is whether T-Mobile and Gilroy's City staff goofed by not looking at alternative sites for the proposed tower. Planning Commissioner Ben Anderson said, "We need an independent review at the applicant's expense," and described T-Mobile's alternative analysis as armchair engineering. "That was some guy pulling out a picture file and saying, 'Yeah, that'll work.'"
Dogs of all sizes (including us?) have a new place to play in Gilroy, the Las Animas Veterans (dog) Park. The big christening party is Saturday January 31. "I've been to dog parks in New York City to San Francisco, so it will be used. We just need to get the word out," said Donna Pray, Executive Director of the Gilroy Foundation and owner of Reggie, a yellow Labrador retriever.
The Mayor Reed Drunk Task Force meets for the first time Thursday, 4 months after the racial profiling question was splattered across the pages of the Merc. Task Force member Bea Mendez, Silicon Valley Latino Democratic Forum, was concerned upon seeing this note in the staff report seeking “an expert on alcohol issues in the Latino community.” Mendez apparently thought the Task Force was all about racial profiling and San Jose’s arrest record which far outpaced the rest of the State. Why did she think that? Just because that was what the Task Force was supposed to be...but then the City's professional staff got involved. Task Force Chair/City Manager Debra Figone was quick to backtrack from the alcohol expert issue. Now, she says, "Our focus is police practices and developing noncriminal and alternative approaches to arrests (for public intoxication). It is not the issue of the use of alcohol among the Latino community." Figone’s second in command, Norberto Duenas provides proof that he has an outstanding command of the obvious: "I think we could have written it a different way.” You think? Task Force member and local ACLU head, Skyler Porras, responded, "I don't think the police department or the city ever does anything by mistake. My real concern is that the city may be moving to avoid the underlying issue." (You go girl!) All of this gives credence to what Councilmember Liccardo said the day the Task Force was set up..."[Task Forces] are where good ideas go to die..." From the looks of things, death has already started...
The Merc.’s Sal Pizzaro talks about the buzz around the South Bay about who is going to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration. Tamara Alvarado, director of 1stACT, and her husband, Julian Peeples, optimistically booked their trip in June. Also in the news, Congressmember Mike Honda’s ticket recipients included Stanford freshman Amani Green who made her own rap video to ask for a ticket.
San Jose has suffered its first murder of 2009, a young man was found shot to death in an East Side driveway. Police spokesman, Jermaine Thomas, said it’s unclear if it was a gang related shooting.
Los Gatos celebrated Police Officers Joe Romeo and Bryan Paul for rescuing residents whose car slid off the driveway and nearly 700 feet down a hillside embankment last October. Mayor Mike Wasserman, Vice Mayor Diane McNutt, Councilmember Joe Pirzynski, and Town Manager Greg Larson attended the officers' celebration. After officers freed the man, the car dragged Officer Romeo before he was able to escape, the car then slide down the hill, crashing into a tree.
Although the Morgan Hill School Board has cut $3 million from its budget, they may have to cut an additional $5.2 million. Board President Don Moody said closing a school is one of many options on the table and added, "It's premature for families to start getting emotional about it." Board Member Peter Mandel said that since enrollment is up the District may actually need another school and, "That is completely opposite to another scenario - we can't afford that, the general fund wouldn't support it, and we'll have to find ways to contract and not to expand." Britton Home and School Club President Lydie Jones has started a letter writing campaign attacking Sacramento legislators saying, "I hope (the State Legislators) understand the ramifications of their inaction." Ms. Jones, State Legislators understand the ramifications of their actions...they just don't care...
Watch Dog has followed Ante Bilic’s hopeful attempts to bring ta-ta’s to the garlic capital of the world with a club near Gilroy’s outlet mall. (Garlic Ta-Ta's would be a pretty good name for the club actually...) It looks like Home Depot lawyers have been following this issue as closely as we have. Home Depot's (well-funded) Watch Dogs have sniffed out dusty documents on file at Gilroy City Hall which prevents adult entertainment facilities in the mall. Watch Dog apology, a previous article should have said Gilroy Planners (i.e. Planning Department) not the Planning Commission, recommended approval of plans. The Planning Commission actually meets Thursday to make a recommendation. Gilroy Councilmembers meet later that night to review the mess. According to the Gilroy Dispatch poll, opinion runs 64% against Garlic Ta-Ta's. Perhaps Ante Bilic should show up with some of the future employees -- that might make things go a bit smoother...
Also on tap at Thursday's Gilroy Planning Commission meeting is a lively debate about cell phone towers and a report written by a T-Mobile engineer saying towers pose no health problems. (That's like tabacco companies testifying before Congress, no?) Also at issue is whether T-Mobile and Gilroy's City staff goofed by not looking at alternative sites for the proposed tower. Planning Commissioner Ben Anderson said, "We need an independent review at the applicant's expense," and described T-Mobile's alternative analysis as armchair engineering. "That was some guy pulling out a picture file and saying, 'Yeah, that'll work.'"
Dogs of all sizes (including us?) have a new place to play in Gilroy, the Las Animas Veterans (dog) Park. The big christening party is Saturday January 31. "I've been to dog parks in New York City to San Francisco, so it will be used. We just need to get the word out," said Donna Pray, Executive Director of the Gilroy Foundation and owner of Reggie, a yellow Labrador retriever.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Morning News Round-Up – 1.9.09: Trustee (or trusty?) Garcia?
Before we begin with the Round-Up...does anyone know how the conversation went last night when Eddie Garcia was re-appointed to the East Side Union High School District Board? Just wondering...
It pays to receive a City pension in San Jose. Seems the pension system has been paying a bonus to retirees over the past few years, which doesn't seem to be a problem when the pension fund is exceeding expectations. But now the fund is losing money...so it's a bit different. Pensioner/Pension Board Overseer/City Councilmember Pete Constant said, "Multiple millions may have been distributed in error." To make up for his (apparent) poor oversight of the funds, Pete Constant may be showing up at your door asking for a refund. The last time the City made the overpayment goof, men and women serving in the military were faced further financial challenges coming home and had to pay back the City.
Late last year, County Prosecutor Marc Buller flatly denied any knowledge of videos from sexual assault interviews. Buller went so far as to use the damning “…not being truthful…” in accusing a Valley Med nurse who made the videos known. The DA’s office is now letting official spokesperson Nick Muyo sheepishly admit that the nurse is no longer being accused of lying. At risk are hundreds of convictions of pervs who assault children. Don't worry, San Jose Revealed is on the case...
It was only a matter of time before former Mayor Tom McEnery popped off on the public brouhaha that he is at the center of related to the Peralta/McEnery plan. Thursday, McEnery filed his own legal demand to force Councilmember Nora Campos to spill the beans on the identity of the secret complainer that started this thing. According to complainer John Doe’s lawyer, James McManis "… as far as I know, John Doe and Nora Campos wouldn't know each other if they passed each other on the street." She may not recognize him or her on the street, but she certainly knows what John Doe looks like online...
San Jose Unified has been installing fake grass in an effort to save water and save money. The parents at Trace Elementary have launched an all out war to, “keep plastic out of the Rose Garden.” Apparently no one thought to study the health or environmental consequences of the synthetic stuff. Really? State Senator Abe Maldonado says, "Blood, sweat, skin cells, and other materials can remain on the turf because the fields are not washed or cleaned. It's like playing on a giant used Band-Aid. I'm not against turf, but I want to make sure that it's totally safe for kids. The parents at Trace have a right to raise concerns.” Super Senator Maldonado to the rescue!
The Morgan Hill budget discussion sounds more like a corporate “cafeteria” style benefits plan, and probably is just as confusing. Councilmember Marby Lee wants to stop layoffs. Mayor Steve Tate along with Councilmembers Larry Carr and Greg Sellers want to dip deeper into reserves. Tate and Carr want to protect environmental services. They haven't said, "Ok, put everything into the hat and we'll pull stuff out as a way to decide what to cut and what to keep..." They still sound more sophisticated about the budget than our State Legislature...
Gilroy may be getting its Ta-Ta’s after all. The Gilroy Planning Commission has recommended approval of Ante Bilic’s topless bar. It’s now up to the City Council to make the final decision. 19 year old Roy Lopez is excited saying, "You can't do anything these days without getting into trouble. It would be something to keep us out of trouble." Sounds like a good strategy for the proprietors-to-be, have a 19 year old making the case for a topless club...
San Jose Revealed is giddy with excitement over next weeks’ Elections Commission meeting in San Jose. The issue is the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber's PAC (COMPAC) actions in 2006. After a lengthy court battle, the Chamber CEO Pat Dando and former Chamber-turned-Silicon Valley Leadership Group VP Bob Hines will likely get a public (well, closed session) spanking from the City. (Calm down Councilmember Constant, Watch Dog is talking about a metaphorical spanking...)
San Jose Inside’s Fly wasn't surprised that failed-San Jose Council candidate Pat Waite wanted to be on the Planning Commission. Fly was surprised (and so was everyone else) that Waite received support from Madison Nguyen for his bid. Hey Madison, it probably isn't great form to welcome your new colleague's old nemesis to spend more time in City Hall. Imagine if someone invited Linda Nguyen to the Planning Commission after Madison beat her for City Council. I'm sure Madison would have been pleased with that scenario...
It pays to receive a City pension in San Jose. Seems the pension system has been paying a bonus to retirees over the past few years, which doesn't seem to be a problem when the pension fund is exceeding expectations. But now the fund is losing money...so it's a bit different. Pensioner/Pension Board Overseer/City Councilmember Pete Constant said, "Multiple millions may have been distributed in error." To make up for his (apparent) poor oversight of the funds, Pete Constant may be showing up at your door asking for a refund. The last time the City made the overpayment goof, men and women serving in the military were faced further financial challenges coming home and had to pay back the City.
Late last year, County Prosecutor Marc Buller flatly denied any knowledge of videos from sexual assault interviews. Buller went so far as to use the damning “…not being truthful…” in accusing a Valley Med nurse who made the videos known. The DA’s office is now letting official spokesperson Nick Muyo sheepishly admit that the nurse is no longer being accused of lying. At risk are hundreds of convictions of pervs who assault children. Don't worry, San Jose Revealed is on the case...
It was only a matter of time before former Mayor Tom McEnery popped off on the public brouhaha that he is at the center of related to the Peralta/McEnery plan. Thursday, McEnery filed his own legal demand to force Councilmember Nora Campos to spill the beans on the identity of the secret complainer that started this thing. According to complainer John Doe’s lawyer, James McManis "… as far as I know, John Doe and Nora Campos wouldn't know each other if they passed each other on the street." She may not recognize him or her on the street, but she certainly knows what John Doe looks like online...
San Jose Unified has been installing fake grass in an effort to save water and save money. The parents at Trace Elementary have launched an all out war to, “keep plastic out of the Rose Garden.” Apparently no one thought to study the health or environmental consequences of the synthetic stuff. Really? State Senator Abe Maldonado says, "Blood, sweat, skin cells, and other materials can remain on the turf because the fields are not washed or cleaned. It's like playing on a giant used Band-Aid. I'm not against turf, but I want to make sure that it's totally safe for kids. The parents at Trace have a right to raise concerns.” Super Senator Maldonado to the rescue!
The Morgan Hill budget discussion sounds more like a corporate “cafeteria” style benefits plan, and probably is just as confusing. Councilmember Marby Lee wants to stop layoffs. Mayor Steve Tate along with Councilmembers Larry Carr and Greg Sellers want to dip deeper into reserves. Tate and Carr want to protect environmental services. They haven't said, "Ok, put everything into the hat and we'll pull stuff out as a way to decide what to cut and what to keep..." They still sound more sophisticated about the budget than our State Legislature...
Gilroy may be getting its Ta-Ta’s after all. The Gilroy Planning Commission has recommended approval of Ante Bilic’s topless bar. It’s now up to the City Council to make the final decision. 19 year old Roy Lopez is excited saying, "You can't do anything these days without getting into trouble. It would be something to keep us out of trouble." Sounds like a good strategy for the proprietors-to-be, have a 19 year old making the case for a topless club...
San Jose Revealed is giddy with excitement over next weeks’ Elections Commission meeting in San Jose. The issue is the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber's PAC (COMPAC) actions in 2006. After a lengthy court battle, the Chamber CEO Pat Dando and former Chamber-turned-Silicon Valley Leadership Group VP Bob Hines will likely get a public (well, closed session) spanking from the City. (Calm down Councilmember Constant, Watch Dog is talking about a metaphorical spanking...)
San Jose Inside’s Fly wasn't surprised that failed-San Jose Council candidate Pat Waite wanted to be on the Planning Commission. Fly was surprised (and so was everyone else) that Waite received support from Madison Nguyen for his bid. Hey Madison, it probably isn't great form to welcome your new colleague's old nemesis to spend more time in City Hall. Imagine if someone invited Linda Nguyen to the Planning Commission after Madison beat her for City Council. I'm sure Madison would have been pleased with that scenario...
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Morning News Round-Up – 12.31.08: It's a wrap, were you there?
The end of the year is a good time to check out how well our elected officials are serving us, or whether they show up. For some of them showing up means getting paid, for the rest of us showing up, well, it’s why we elected them. Let’s get the ball rolling for a number of elected officials. Watch Dog wants to know, how do your elected officials stack up?
San Jose PD is in the news again today, if it’s true that any press is good press then Chief Rob Davis is a happy guy. Watch Dog bets Davis isn’t buying, after all it was press letting us know SJPD officers do let friends drive drunk.
First, the ugly, Officer Julio Morales was arrested on charges of sexual battery and false imprisonment after touching a woman and driving her around. The former SWAT team member is on leave and SJPD wants hear from you, call (408) 277-4102 with information. On to the good news, San Jose gangs killed two fewer this year with gang violence dropping by 16%. Mayor Chuck Reed and his off, and on Gang Prevention Task Force buddy Councilmember Nora Campos are bound to be happy with the news. The cost for this decrease is a little over $5 million, no word as to what might be the cost of ignoring the problem. In Los Angeles, with nearly 200% more murders, cost of gang violence is $2 Billion annually.
Sunnyvale Police are in the spotlight as well. In 2007 Jose Francisco Canas was killed after officers rammed his car and shot him while his wife and children watched. Sunnyvale PD said Canas was involved in a gang murder, his family said he was on the way to work. The family filed a lawsuit earlier this year in Santa Clara courts withdrawing it when Sunnyvale complained it was vague. This week the family refilled in federal courts with Greg Fox, attorney for Sunnyvale, saying "They argue that he was not involved in gang activity — we respectfully disagree."
The Merc Editorial Board weighs in on San Jose’s employee pension board fiasco, Watch Dog readers know it was revealed this week the pension fund suffered a $1 Billion loss this year. Mayor Chuck Reed is reportedly going to ask to replace the council representatives with financial advisors. San Diego (the only other city with councilmembers on their pension board) had it’s pension so badly bungled both the city manager and mayor resigned. And... c’mon back, more Watch Dog news to follow…
The Metro’s Fly gets their year end review posted early, and twice. Among the Watch Dog faves drunk Latino disaster, Little Saigon, Forest Williams musical, disappearing sunshine, and of course, Pete Constant at the painful end of a whip. Watch Dog note to Fly: the News does get worse – there were 82 homeless who died last year – 55 died on the street.
Watch Dog tipsters, let’s be careful out there … Watch Dog loves getting the buzz and doesn’t want to hear you got a texting ticket – as of tomorrow, no texting while driving. Thank you Senator Joe Simitian for getting those other drivers to stop the swerving. The Merc’s Bruce Newman wants to know – do you want to continue driving while under the influence of text?
Don’t look to your city for help during the holidays. The Merc reported last night that Saratoga would be closed until January 4, re-opening Monday January 5. The Saratoga website reports they actually closed December 23rd. Curious, the Dog snooped to discover extended closings include Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, San Jose, and Sunnyvale.
In a bit of year end cheer, not like the dog-beating, kitty-stomping stories reported by Watch Dog San Mateo.
Watch Dog salutes the efforts of a unknown pooch who, earlier this year, attempted to rescue a dog from freeway traffic. Watch Dog learned about the doggie hero from the Merc’s Linda Goldston who closes the year on a high note.
- County Supervisors were around 92% of the time with Supervisor Ken Yeager turning in the worst attendance having missed 3 meetings
- VTA boardmember (San Jose councilmember) Forest Williams had perfect attendance while Santa Clara councilmember Dominic Caserta had the worst record (for those not out on maternity leave) missing 4 meetings
- Water District directors managed 95% attendance, Director Joe Judge missing 5 meetings
- Morgan Hill council managed a 95% attendance record with 36 opportunities to meet, Councilman Mark Grzan missed 5 times
- Gilroy city council has an overall attendance record of 95%, Dion Bracco and Cat Tucker missed two meetings each
- Gilroy school trustees also has an overall 95% attendance record, Trustees Jaime Rosso and Javier Aguirre missed two meetings each
- Morgan Hill school trustees managed only 88% with trustees Bart Fisher, Shelle Thomas and newly elected board president Don Moody each missing 4 of 22 meetings
San Jose PD is in the news again today, if it’s true that any press is good press then Chief Rob Davis is a happy guy. Watch Dog bets Davis isn’t buying, after all it was press letting us know SJPD officers do let friends drive drunk.
First, the ugly, Officer Julio Morales was arrested on charges of sexual battery and false imprisonment after touching a woman and driving her around. The former SWAT team member is on leave and SJPD wants hear from you, call (408) 277-4102 with information. On to the good news, San Jose gangs killed two fewer this year with gang violence dropping by 16%. Mayor Chuck Reed and his off, and on Gang Prevention Task Force buddy Councilmember Nora Campos are bound to be happy with the news. The cost for this decrease is a little over $5 million, no word as to what might be the cost of ignoring the problem. In Los Angeles, with nearly 200% more murders, cost of gang violence is $2 Billion annually.
Sunnyvale Police are in the spotlight as well. In 2007 Jose Francisco Canas was killed after officers rammed his car and shot him while his wife and children watched. Sunnyvale PD said Canas was involved in a gang murder, his family said he was on the way to work. The family filed a lawsuit earlier this year in Santa Clara courts withdrawing it when Sunnyvale complained it was vague. This week the family refilled in federal courts with Greg Fox, attorney for Sunnyvale, saying "They argue that he was not involved in gang activity — we respectfully disagree."
The Merc Editorial Board weighs in on San Jose’s employee pension board fiasco, Watch Dog readers know it was revealed this week the pension fund suffered a $1 Billion loss this year. Mayor Chuck Reed is reportedly going to ask to replace the council representatives with financial advisors. San Diego (the only other city with councilmembers on their pension board) had it’s pension so badly bungled both the city manager and mayor resigned. And... c’mon back, more Watch Dog news to follow…
The Metro’s Fly gets their year end review posted early, and twice. Among the Watch Dog faves drunk Latino disaster, Little Saigon, Forest Williams musical, disappearing sunshine, and of course, Pete Constant at the painful end of a whip. Watch Dog note to Fly: the News does get worse – there were 82 homeless who died last year – 55 died on the street.
Watch Dog tipsters, let’s be careful out there … Watch Dog loves getting the buzz and doesn’t want to hear you got a texting ticket – as of tomorrow, no texting while driving. Thank you Senator Joe Simitian for getting those other drivers to stop the swerving. The Merc’s Bruce Newman wants to know – do you want to continue driving while under the influence of text?
Don’t look to your city for help during the holidays. The Merc reported last night that Saratoga would be closed until January 4, re-opening Monday January 5. The Saratoga website reports they actually closed December 23rd. Curious, the Dog snooped to discover extended closings include Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, San Jose, and Sunnyvale.
In a bit of year end cheer, not like the dog-beating, kitty-stomping stories reported by Watch Dog San Mateo.
Watch Dog salutes the efforts of a unknown pooch who, earlier this year, attempted to rescue a dog from freeway traffic. Watch Dog learned about the doggie hero from the Merc’s Linda Goldston who closes the year on a high note.
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.
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.
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.
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