Morning News Round-Up -- 8.20.09: A Correction to Start...

We start with a correction this morning because screwed up. And boy did we heard about it from many, many people. We misread a Merc. story yesterday about the City of San Jose wasting money on cost overruns for capital projects. In fairness to us, the sentence was (somewhat) confusingly written:

...the substation is one of just three San Jose capital projects out of hundreds over the past decade or so to exceed their construction contingency budgets...

We believe one could read this sentence two ways, but we apparently read it the wrong, more cynical way. Apologies all around -- and thank all of you for reading so diligently.

On to the Round-Up...

The Merc’s Editorial Board is tickled Tesla stays in Silicon Valley with its “cool Roadster.” San Jose's Office of Economic Development is considerably less tickled... it sort of makes this press release look silly... and this one too.

It seems an Op-Ed on Sunday struck a nerve, if you believe what you read in the Letters to the Editor in the Merc. Remember, Cindy Chavez wrote (but did not text) about campaign finance reform in San Jose. Bill Baron, the chair of the Chamber of Commerce's political arm COMPAC, responded yesterday in Letters... our favorite line: "...you're being robbed of 'sunshine' in broad daylight, one dollar and one text at a time..." Colorful language Mr. Baron...

It has been a couple days since Dolores Carr's name has been in the paper -- and her name isn't in this story either. But we sort of wonder why... There is a story in today's Merc. about a defendant that was found "factually innocent" on a burglary charge. It seems both the San Jose Police Department and the Santa Clara County DA's office made mistakes which could have screwed up one 20-year old's life (and his family's loves) for the next 6 years. No word from Protect San Jose on this issue... yet. (For those of you who are considering a run against Carr, you should cut out this story for your opposition research file. Just a helpful hint from your friends at Watch Dog.)

East Side Union High School Superintendent Bob Nunez (apparently) left his last gig with a (huge) black mark. (Un)Suprisingly, East Side Union Trustees didn’t know about it because they didn’t ask his former employer for references. Now, (un)surprisingly, similar accusations are coming to haunt Nunez. Former Trustee/Superintendent George Shirakawa, Jr. shrugged off (possible) thievery saying “…Bob brought labor peace…” So, if we get this straight, misusing District funds is ok as long as nobody is on strike? Bloggers at The Unruly Advocate are not surprised with the shenanigans… Neither are we.

Facing a $44 million deficit San Jose State University President Jon Whitmore is ditching 200 faculty members. Whitmore will share the news during his Welcome Back speech today… He probably won't say, "Welcome back, don't let the door hit you on the way out..." What he should do is blame the strong leadership in Sacramento.

Congressmember Anna Eshoo announced she’s moving forward with a healthcare Town Hall – via phone. Constituents can register online (and then Eshoo's staff can hand-pick questioners...) We aren't kidding, check out this NPR story from yesterday...

Moto Amore owner John Bettancourt is one pissed off scooter rider. Bettancourt accuses San Jose bureaucracy of forcing him out of business while code enforcement’s Mike Hannon says having a tax certificate is not the same as having necessary permits. Downtown Councilmember Sam Liccardo is still hoping to talk to Bettancourt…

Gary “Mr. Roadshow” Richards dedicates his (generally) car-centric time to the two wheelers in our midst. It’s the time of month again for the San Jose Bike Party to hit the street, cyclists ask Mr. Roadshow about trails and parking…

The Merc.’s Scott Herhold also talks bikes, this time with (bike vs. drunk driver) survivor MaryAnn Levenson. Back in the saddle, Levenson teaches bike safety when she’s not kicking ass in competition.

The Alameda (State Route 82/El Camino Real) is getting a face-lift and plans are underway to ditch the “highway” moniker.

There’s big trouble in Garlic-land… Gilroy Police, while looking for (wife beater) Joel Barnes, wound up with a meth dealing teenage girl (apparently) shacking up with machine gun toting 30 something’s Raul Maciel and Thomas Esparza. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Joel Barnes may call the Sheriff's office at 299-2311. We have to say, nothing goes with meth like garlic.

The Los Altos Town Crier caught up with the news that Pilgrims Haven is a go…

The tanking economy is driving Los Altos library lovers to call for renewal (and increase) of a 20 year old parcel tax. Los Altos Hills Councilmember/library fan Jean Mordo said the (up to) $90 proposed tax “is not a lot of money” and looks forward to a June 2010 ballot measure.

It’s a booze-free (not free-booze) day for the Los Altos Community Picnic after the City Council said no to the proposed sale of donated beer. Mayor Megan Satterlee called the “novel” idea “excellent, out-of-the-box thinking” but joined colleagues in saying drinking would contradict the “family-spirited thing.”

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.30.09: Candidate Campos Gets a Challenger...

Hot off the presses, Roy Avila KICU’s Community Affairs Representative, has tossed his hat in the ring to replace outgoing Assemblymember Joe Coto. Avila will be hosting a campaign kickoff meeting on Cinco de Mayo at the very un-Cinco de Mayo 180 Restaurant and Fondue Lounge in Los Gatos. Avila's first political mistake is having his kickoff event in Los Gatos, outside the Assembly District -- especially at a place like the 180 Lounge... this will be one party not to miss... No word yet from Councilmember Nora Campos... but perhaps she'll swivel her sites from bashing Mayor Reed to bashing Avila.

Unless you live under a rock, you know Swine Flu mania has hit the world. Santa Clara County’s Dr. Sara Cody declared a local state of emergency but is not ready to cancel the large May Day immigration march or shut down all schools. Health officials point out that while 150 people have died in Mexico and 1 in the US, the plain old flu kills 36,000 Americans annually. Santa Clara County now has 4 confirmed cases. Morgan Hill Councilmember Perry Woodward took off for Cabo San Lucas with his family before the CDC issued travel precautions, he reports Cabo remains a party scene. (An elected official admitting he is part of a "party scene" sounds pretty dumb...)

San Jose Insider Pete Campbell demands all San Jose’s Councilmembers dish on the closed door proceedings surrounding Chris Constantin’s brotherly love. Campbell receives support from another Insider, Silicon Valley De-Bug’s Raj Jayadev who posts a letter sent to City Attorney Rick Doyle asking for public records related to the Independent Police Auditor fiasco. Mayor Reed has to be happy the Swine Flu arrived.

The Merc’s Sal Pizzaro dishes that neither the economy nor the Swine Flu are stopping this weekend’s big festivals. The GI Forum’s Letetia Rodriquez said it’s the Forum’s duty to step up and host the 27th annual Cinco de Mayo festival at Discovery Meadow. This time without controversial City funds. Over at San Jose History Park the annual Greek Spring Festival Elliniki Protomayia will have you sipping ouzo and kicking up your heels.

San Jose’s Mayor Chuck Reed couldn’t have been happy to read the biotech firm AnaSpec was ditching San Jose to set up new, bigger, digs in Fremont. Anita Hong, AnaSpec’s President, called the new digs “functionally and aesthetically light-years beyond our San Jose facility.”

Santa Clara is the first in the County to say no to big box retail (yes, Wal-Mart, that means you). Vice Mayor Jamie Matthews called it a “moral imperative” and Rev. John Sullivan said “superstores make a race for the bottom.” The Building and Construction Trades Council’s Neil Struthers supported the ban saying big box stores were “predatory” retailers. Mayor Patricia Mahan and Councilmember Will Kennedy opposed the measure worried the ban would affect the City’s ability to draw new retailers.

Steve Jobs will have to wait to demolish the historic 14-bedroom home in Woodside. The Woodside Town Council (or COWncil) delayed their action on Tuesday night. The meeting was running late, and folks in Woodside need to get to bed early. Mark your calendars for May 13th...

The Palo Alto Planning Commission said no to a $50 million project on El Camino last night, even after the developers promised to save JJ&F Market.

The Merc’s Editorial Board declares the anonymous complaint filed against former Mayor/lobbyist Tom McEnery an abuse of power and a vendetta against a friend of current Mayor Chuck Reed. The Merc calls for changes to rules designed to protect whistle blowers declaring anyone rich enough to hire attorney James McManis free of fear of retaliation from McEnery. This will send Revealed to the moon...

The Merc and Los Altos Town Crier send recommendations for the May 19 special election... a lot of yeses and one no...

Dude… that pot was $10 million down the tubes. Santa Clara County Sheriff’s were destroying a “marijuana garden” when they stumbled across San Jose resident Othoniel Rivas Buelna. Buelna sits in the pokey on $1 million bail.

The Los Altos City Council held a last minute special meeting to approve a revised plan for housing. The revisions helped make sure Los Altos complied with State law, always a good thing. Though Councilmembers were wary about increasing height limits, City Manager James Walgreen clarified they only had to “consider” height limits – not actually do anything about them.

Campbell’s Planning Commission put off a “contentious” decision for a 24 hour service station mini-mart, again. Commissioner Bob Alderete urged colleagues to make sure they had all the details when the issue returns for a third time.

If you’ve been wondering what the heck road was being built over 280, let the wonderment cease. Mr. Roadshow shares the news that the iconic white flyway is for pedestrians and cyclists with the hope that as many as 265,000 will wave at the carbon spewing vehicles below annually. John Brazil, head of San Jose’s pedestrian program calls it a landmark and Cupertino’s public works director, Ralph Qualls, calls it spectacular.

It could have been your worst nightmare, school lunch ladies from 4 different school districts gathered to cook – and assigned a “mystery” ingredient to make the dish more intriguing. This was no nightmare, this was the Iron Chef cookoff for the women who put food on your kids plates – and not a man to be seen behind the stove. Franklin-McKinley’s Elvia Ho and her team took home the grand prize for a little N’Olean’s gumbo.

Santa Clara High is struggling with mixed feelings. School nurse Eileen Bowden saved the life of Coach John Rahbar after he collapsed during practice, then she collapsed and died before arriving at the Valley Medical Center.

NASA Ames has offered over 400 employees cash to ditch their jobs by the end of June. Can Watch Dog get in line...

San Jose Revealed landed safely in Los Angeles to take a potshot at Republican Steve Mullen who took the reins of the local GOP last year. Revealed pokes fun of Mullen’s credentials, a failed attempt at school board and volunteer treasurer for the failed assembly race of Virginia Chang Kiraly before pointing out his party counterpart received an award from the Dalai Lama.

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.6.09: Fake Quotes Edition...

The Merc. was on a tear this weekend over accusations of racial profiling. (Perhaps reporters and editors are listening to the Drunk Task Force even though the folks that launched the Task Force aren't):

• A comparison between the approach of San Jose’s former (beloved) Police Chief William Lansdowne and current (not so beloved) Police Chief Rob Davis. Davis says it’s like comparing “apples and oranges” and an unfair to compare San Diego to San Jose. Davis didn't continue to say, "To compare someone who was loved and someone who isn't, isn't fair..."
  
• Up next, the Barrera family was pulled from their home and put face down in the yard before Police realized they were at the wrong house. (Big oops.) As if the story wasn't enough, the Merc. enters the digital age and has a (controversial) video posted that includes interviews with the Barrera’s and others unhappy with SJPD.
• A weekend expose on the huge number of arrests for disorderly conduct and similar "crimes". Guess what? Latinos get arrested more than anyone else.
• The Merc’s Editorial Board wants Mayor Chuck Reed and City Manager Debra Figone to demand an explanation on the large numbers arrested for disorderly conduct and similar "crimes".

In other law enforcement news: Sheriff Laurie Smith cut off access to expensive psychotropic drugs for inmates in order to save money and get folks off of drugs. Apparently some inmates pretend to be schizophrenic to get high. Spokesperson Joy Alexiou says there are other drugs that do the job but won’t cost as much. (Perhaps meth?) Sheriff Smith did not say, "If the San Jose Police Department would stop bringing us all these people that don't really belong here, we'd really appreciate it."

Tuesday is a big day for San Jose's Major League hopes. In chambers for both the County Supervisors and San Jose City Council the words “Play Ball!” will ring out. The Supervisors and Council call the Giants territorial rights nothing more than the creation of “indentured servants” of the South Bay. Not everyone agrees, Giants Executive Vice President Larry Baer says Santa Clara County is “the heart of our business.” What he didn't say was, "and the heart of business is for sale to the A's if the price is right..."

The Merc’s Internal Affairs brings us up to date on the continuing political drama around Silicon Valley -- even though some of it you know because you read Watch Dog...

• The Manuel Herrera-Xavier Campos battle for San Jose’s City Council District 5 seat is lining up. The X Man (Shirakawa staffer/Nora Campos' brother Xavier Campos) tells us that he is “seriously considering” a run at the seat. Really? Watch Dog is shocked! Shocked! (Except we wrote about on March 20th.)
  
• In the Alum Rock School District, former/current Superintendent Norma Martinez quit last year but is still pulling down the big bucks, draining much needed dollars from a cash-strapped School District, and making the District look horrible...
• GOP rivals for the Governor’s office flew together out of San Jose, which is pretty funny. But that story that both campaigns wanted everyone to know about (which Internal Affairs didn't mention) was that the two m/billionaires were both flying Southwest and the candidates want everyone to know that they are "of the people." Steve and Meg, good work -- we believe it. Whitman was not heard saying, "I like this brand new airline...Southwest."

San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo’s bad decision to take Sharks tickets might not be turn out so badly. The tickets weren’t as expensive as Liccardo thought so there’s (apparently) no violation of State rules. (Watch Dog spies have let us know that the 18th floor of City Hall is scrambling to figure out who else may have taken tickets but not reported them. Remember, Liccardo actually reported the tickets...) One spy did not say, "Everyone accepts tickets, Sam is the only one silly enough to even report it..." (Actually, someone did say that...)

San Jose Revealed amps up the angst over the Liccardo mishap but sets their aims at City Attorney Rick Doyle with a rather long tirade.

Mr. Roadshow’s Gary Richards handed the reins over to Mrs. Roadshow so he could head out for a little baseball. The Mrs. gets the chance to dish on the Mr.’s driving habits.

The community member of the Merc's Editorial Board is changing over. Teresa Alvarado is out and Michelle Lew is in. Lew is the President of Asian Americans for Community Involvement.

Vasona Park was the site of the Iranian community’s annual NoRouz celebration. San Jose Planning Commissioner/Festival organizer Matt Kamkar hopes the crowd of over 20,000 will work together to raise $100 million for a community center in San Jose. Not great timing for that fundraising effort -- but at least the weather was good.

Here’s where you can go to be a part of government in action this week:

• The County Board of Supervisors will hear Supervisor Dave Cortese’s request for more details on the lock-up of a 10 year old boy and his 11, 12 year old siblings. (Oh, and a request to have Major League Baseball let San Jose out of San Francisco's grip...)
• The San Jose City Council will also discuss Major League Baseball and a downtown San Jose stadium...and sidewalk cafes, surplus land, and fee increases for tree removal.
• Monte Sereno’s City Council (they have a City Council?) will consider pay for City Council members. Good timing for that discussion...
• The San Jose Elections Commission will consider the complaint against former Mayor/Lobbyist Tom McEnery, discuss procedures for anonymous complaints, and campaign finance and limits to contributions.
  

And in our School Districts...

• The Franklin-McKinley School District hosts a workshop to figure out how to chop $2 million out of the budget, including increasing class sizes.
• The Los Altos School District discusses removing money from programs to feed the general fund.
• The Alum Rock Union School District will consider formation of multiple committees and consider a supplemental retirement plan for teachers. Wouldn't it be great if the District had a Superintendent to guide this discussion?
• The Cupertino Union School District also considers moving money from programs to keep the general fund afloat.
• East Side Union High School District Trustees will consider approval of a charter for Downtown College Prep, lockers, and an agreement with the teachers union.

Morning News Round-Up – 12.23.08: More Drunk News...

Congratulations, Sergeant Manion and Officer D’Arrigo. You received a get out of jail free card from the secret Grand Jury, just in time for Christmas. These guys were not indicted for their part in the Sandra Woodall drunk driving cover up – they may not be so lucky when Chief Rob Davis begins his own internal investigation...but Watch Dog expects they'll be ok.

The Merc. recommends the drunk Task Force installed by Mayor Reed and Councilmember Campos focus first on the wildly disproportionate arrests of Latinos. What the Editorial doesn't say is that this Task Force won't start until 3 months after the problem was identified by their reporter Sean Webby and that the Task Force won't make any recommendations until April...six months?!

Make note of this name, Ausaf Umar Siddiqui. He managed to scam Fry’s Electronics, and vendors, for $65 million since 2005. This story includes “secret backroom” deals, masquerading as an owner, casino jets, exotic cars, and swarms of FBI agents invading Fry’s to take Siddiqui away in handcuffs. Fry’s spokesman Manuel Valerio says that while Siddiqui made off with millions “neither Fry’s nor Fry’s customers were damaged by this.” Watch Dog wonders if the Fry’s family would agree. (As an aside, does anyone out there remember rising political star Manuel Valerio? Same guy...)

It’s a big week for travelers. The weather around the country is not cooperating. If air travel is on your mind, be patient and bring your sense of humor. David Vossbrink, spokesman at the Mineta International Airport, says that the cancellation of hundred’s of flights across the country due to blizzards raging from Seattle to Chicago to Washington, D.C., were most troublesome for San Jose flights. And take it from Vossbrink -- he knows something about patience and sense of humor from his last job...

Mr. Roadshow received a request to make 2009 the Year of the Pedestrian – making travel safer for those on foot. Pedestrian deaths are on the rise, making streets more pedestrian (and bike) friendly seems a logical solution.

San Jose Revealed does a holiday rundown of the less than cheerful variety. Revealed is surprised that the ball playing skills of the President-elect’s appointees are more newsworthy than torture. Well, perhaps Revealed never saw the Bush Basketball Team -- Cheney sucked! We needed a change...

Morgan Hill looks at budget cuts that include shutting off residential streetlights, letting potholes go unrepaired, shutting down playgrounds, letting park turf die, and decreasing code enforcement. Mayor Steve Tate says, "It's not anything real dramatic that you would notice a whole bunch. Maybe if you're going to a park every day, and see half the grass gone, you'd notice that. It depends. Generally, I don't think you will." Mayor Tate -- voters have a funny way of noticing such things. You know who else notices such things?...the Morgan Hill Police showed up in force with nearly half the department at the Council meeting to protest the loss of three police officers.

The Los Gatos Observer posts photos of the Monte Sereno and Los Gatos Councils being sworn in. Watch Dog is a little confused as the Observer ran the story of the Los Gatos swearing in on November 18 – complete with photos of Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner delivering the oath of office. Is news so slow in Los Gatos that the Observer needs to rerun old news?