Morning News Round-Up – 1.04.10: The Brownstein Report...

Starting the New Year on a high note. San Jose’s controversy mired pension systems board heard the bad news about more retiree overpayments and one retiree not receiving enough. Oops.

The Merc sends props to two new years day babies.

Sunnyvale’s (rotating) Mayoralship is turning into a catfight. Councilmember/Community Administrator Ron Swegles issued a surprise statement saying the “critical issues” facing Sunnyvale (almost) require a “full-time mayor… I think I have more time” than fellow candidates Vice Mayor Melinda Hamilton and Mayor/Retiree Tony Spitaleri.

(rotating) Mayors are also on the minds of Palo Alto’s City Council as they welcome newcomers and elect the new Mayor.

Palo Alto wants to keep its geek-chic and proposes becoming a living laboratory exploring wages. Neil Struthers, CEO for the Building and Construction Trades Council, argues offering a “prevailing wage” doesn’t come with hidden costs and (probably) looks forward to the experiment.

Parents are hoping active courtship will bring Summit Preparatory Charter High to San Jose’s Eastside. Summit CEO Diane Tavenner calls it “wonderful” that parents are pushing and sends a reminder the competitive process continues.

Match fancy new Taser International CopCams with police accused of excessive force, sue Ferrari for not changing your life, and give Working Partnerships’ Bob Brownstein his own, very special, report are among the Merc’s Scott Herhold’s 2010 kickoff.

The Merc’s Joe Rodriguez kicks off the new year on a positive note. Former Teatro Vision director Raul Lozano’s career change helps put food into the yards of Eastside residents. With friends like the Health Trusts Fred Ferrer and Poncho Guevara from Sacred Heart, Lozano is well on his way.

Rough kick off to the new year in San Jose. Two dudes landed in the hospital after a knife fight. After the burning death of a homeless man was ruled murder, San Jose’s 2009 murder toll reached 28.

Thanks to the Merc, government watchers have a list of options this week…

• The County’s Juvenile Justice Systems Collaborative appoints a group to review the disproportionate number of kids of color landing in juve. Funny, this sounds familiar…
• San Jose City Council’s Rules and Open Government Committee looks at ways to push biofuels, makes appointments and offers changes to public meeting rules.
• Santa Clara’s Historical and Landmarks Commission considers a property tax break in exchange for a historic building.
• The Los Gatos Union School District digs into an audit report.
• Sex (education) is on the minds of the Milpitas Unified School District trying to fill the Sex Ed Advisory Committee.

Protect San Jose adds a new name to their blogroll, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney/Candidate Jeff Rosen pens his opposition to the open grand jury and offers it’s the District Attorney’s job to decide whether to prosecute an officer following the use of deadly force. Strong words for a Police Officer Association blogger.

Mission City Lantern pokes Santa Clara Councilmember Jamie MacLeod to dish on meetings with Santa Clara Plays Fair.

Morning News Round-Up – 12.28.09: Club Scarlett, where the cool kids hang...

Senator Dianne Feinstein made the call, the President agreed and the Senate confirmed it. San Jose U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Seeborg has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate to sit on the U.S. District Court.

It has all the earmarks of a dirty story, complete with mudslinging. San Jose paid contractors McGuire & Hester $3 million, and hope to recovery some money from RMC Water and Environment for a sewer screw-up before paying for work to start over.

The Valley Transportation Authority hit the bicycle jackpot with a grant kicking off a bike-share program for Silicon Valley. San Jose Councilmember/VTA Chair Sam Liccardo pushed for bike share as part of the bicycle master plan doubling San Jose’s bikeways.

The Merc’s Internal Affairs hits the 2009 highlights with a year-end review. Complete with embarrassing drunk arrests, embezzlement and conflict of interest – what a political column wouldn’t give for a year like this. Too bad San Jose Revealed is no longer...

Scott Herhold reminds us it’s not just a year-end review but the end of the first decade in the 21st century. Herhold provides a decade review of the top 25 with the good (Google), the bad (De Anza rape) and the ugly (economic crisis).

Club Scarlett… The Merc’s Editorial Board extends a welcome to non-profit leaders at Working Partnerships as they join the club filled with lawyers, engineers and, yes, lobbyists wearing the Scarlett L.



Silicon Valley kids will not be happy to hear this… Summer classes in algebra paid off with big improvements. According to Silicon Valley Education Foundations Muhammed Chaudhry, kids can forget the local swimming pool and plan on a little number crunching.

A pedestrian died after being struck by a Cadillac on Blossom Hill Road in San Jose. Police want you to provide details (408)277-4651.



Mission City Lantern wants your John Hancock on the 49ers ballot measure petition and reports a brisk business just North of an opponents home.

Morning News Round-Up -- 12.14.09: Reed Reforms Raise Ruckus...

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is either trying to “plug loopholes” or really piss off the South Bay Labor Council with proposed changes to San Jose’s ethics rules. Caught in the headlights (it would appear) are Councilmember Nora Campos’ husband (a registered lobbyist) and employees of the non-profit Working Partnerships. Reed shrugged saying “I’m not targeting political adversaries"... they just happen to be in the way… Where have we seen ethics rules used to target political adversaries? Hmmm...

But Mayor Reed isn't letting that controversy get in the way of work: Reed and Councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Madison Nguyen teamed up to help homeowners getting behind on the mortgage.

Between the $19 million gubernatorial wannabe Meg Whitman dumped into her campaign and the season of gifting, billionaire/GOP gubernatorial wannabe Steve Poizner may have been feeling a little left out. Before the end of the year Poizner aims to add $15 million of his own money to his "anemic" campaign. The battle of the billionaires is showing a different side of fiscal responsibility.

Sometimes, Watch Dog receives tips from far-flung places... like this: Tech blogger Danny Sullivan wonders how he landed on San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant's email list and sends the message “Stop Emailing Me…”. Sullivan goes on to giggle at Constant's email typos and his inability to clean up the "unsubscribe" list. But don't worry, Pete Constant posted his own comment on daggle.com to apologize...

Speaking of the Governor's race... (Apparently) Some of gubernatorial wannabe Steve Poizner’s cash is being used to pay bloggers dissing his opponent, Meg Whitman. Recently outed/ "anonymous" Sgt. York is looking for a new gig after being ditched for taking Poizner pennies. Perhaps Pete Constant should hand out some cash to bloggers and they won't bash his emails...

Controversy continues in the office of District Attorney Dolores Carr. Seems political friends/ staffers received promotions. Carr’s right-hand/ endorser Marc Bueller scoffed saying no one supporting Carr’s opponent, Jeff Rosen, had been demoted... that's one way of looking at it.

Los Altos’ Cira Nickerson is spending her money to provide bicycles to children in foster care.

The Merc’s Patty Fisher shares the love about start-ups with a heart. goodjoe puts artists and non-profits together for a little fundraising love and Silicon Valley Novel keeps the author a secret while raising a few bucks to give away.

The last hurrah of 2009 for government watch dogs -- thanks to the Merc.

• The Fremont Union High School District hears what went wrong with their November parcel tax along with budget woes.
• The Monte Sereno City Council inducts new/rotating Mayor Don Perry.
• The Mountain View-Los Altos High School District listens to the public and talks salaries.
• Parcel taxes are on the minds of the Palo Alto Unified School District Trustees as they consider an April ballot measure.
• San Jose’s Envision 2040 Task Force looks at transportation.
• Ethics and basketball are on tap for San Jose’s City Council.
• San Jose’s Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement has baseball on the mind and hopes you’ll be there for a “scoping” meeting.
• The 49ers are on tap in the Santa Clara City Hall as City Council considers a June ballot measure and costs for a special election – in light of news of a community driven ballot effort.
• The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors hears from the public on the purchase of the former San Jose Hospital.
• Trustees for the Santa Clara County Office of Education consider a memorandum of understanding to snag federal Race to the Top money.

Catching up with mild-mannered Protect San Jose…

• Blogger/mediator Kathleen Flynn calls on the pot to stop calling the kettle black and work together. Flynn questions reasons behind not listing “hate crimes… against our officers” not receiving the same respect as hate crimes against “LGBT people, religious groups and minorities.” Flynn points to a New York Post article blaming rap music, President Obama, Al Sharpton and others for officer deaths.
• Former San Jose Police Chief/Protect San Jose blogger Joseph McNamara argues San Jose’s City Council is endangering the public and police with “politically correct votes” while pointing to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for the deaths of 4 Tacoma, Washington police officers. It seems McNamara is receiving his talking points from Glenn Beck...