San Jose Inside

Campaign Appeals for National Help

May 17, 2013 by Silicon Valley Newsroom Comments (1)

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Former South Bay Labor Council head Amy B. Dean

Former South Bay Labor Council head Amy Dean has sent out a national appeal to labor supporters, asking for financial support for supervisor candidate Cindy Chavez, according to an email forwarded to San Jose Inside. Dean, who formed Working Partnerships USA and mentored Chavez before moving to Chicago, writes that “The people of Santa Clara County need Cindy to have their back,” and asks recipients to “like” Chavez’s Facebook page if they can’t donate money.

Darcie Green Reappointed to Santa Clara County Board of Education

May 17, 2013 by Alicia Moore Politics Comments (5)

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Darcie Green is sworn in Wednesday after the County Board of Education unanimously approved her reappointment.

The Santa Clara Country Board of Education reappointed Darcie Green to a trustee seat on Wednesday after her resignation in March.

Supreme Court Ruling Spurs San Jose Pot Club Ordinance

May 17, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics, Business, Culture Comments (5)

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The San Jose City Council could soon form its own ordinance on regulating medical marijuana collectives.

Enforcement may soon get a lot stricter for San Jose cannabis retailers. Emboldened by the California Supreme Court’s recent ruling on City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center, that reinforced municipal rights to ban medical marijuana collectives, city officials are looking at ways to crack down on local storefronts and delivery services.

Why Sheriff Smith Won’t Run for Mayor

May 17, 2013 by Rich Robinson Politics Comments (13)

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County Sheriff Laurie Smith, right, has proven herself to be a strong leader. But will that translate to a run for mayor of San Jose in 2014?

We dream of the perfect candidate in our business. The right person, at the right time, with resources to win and the perfect fit for the populace and the times. Barack Obama in President 2008, Jerry Brown Governor in 2010, Willie Brown for San Francisco Mayor 1995, and Sheriff Laurie Smith for San Jose Mayor 2014. Only the last scenario won’t happen.

Park Rangers Play a Special Role

May 16, 2013 by James P. Reber Politics, Culture Comments (0)

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Almaden Lake Park is one area in San Jose that requires the oversight of the San Jose Park Rangers.

There is finally some good news on the San Jose Park Ranger front. Current plans are for the force to be increased next year. In addition to completing basic law enforcement training, park rangers have a unique set of skills and serve as ambassadors for our parks and trails.

Health Foundation Sues County

May 16, 2013 by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics Comments (3)

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Santa Clara County Superior Court by HarshLight/Creative Commons.

UPDATE: A ruling is expected by 5pm Friday. Check back for a breakdown of Thursday’s court proceedings and the judge’s decision.—Editor

The Santa Clara Family Health Foundation has sued the County of Santa Clara to stop it from releasing documents about its financial transactions. The documents were requested by Metro Newspapers 30 days ago under the California Public Records Act. The foundation’s request for a temporary restraining order goes to court this morning.

Santa Clara Family Health Foundation Fights Public Records Request

May 15, 2013 by The Fly Politics, Business, The Fly Comments (5)

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Santa Clara Family Health Foundation CEO Kathleen King, left, has an attorney challenging a pubic records request into her nonprofit’s internal communications.

The Santa Clara Family Health Foundation, a local nonprofit that helped bump up the county’s sales tax last fall, doesn’t want the public to know about its secret political activities. And now it’s lawyering up to quash Metro/San Jose Inside’s public records act requests.

Cindy Chavez Campaign Admits Coordination with SBLC, DCC

May 15, 2013 by Josh Koehn Politics Comments (10)

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Cindy Chavez is using her connections at the South Bay Labor Council and Democratic Central Committee to sidestep traditional methods of campaigning.

Cindy Chavez’s campaign manager, Ed McGovern, acknowledged Tuesday evening that his client has a found a way to circumvent state laws that prevent independent committees from coordinating with candidate campaigns.

Rules Committee to Discuss Enterprise Zones, Willow Glen Trestle

May 14, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics, Business, Culture Comments (8)

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The fate of the Willow Glen trestle has been a hot topic amongst neighborhood activists. (Photo courtesy of http://wgbackfence.net)

Since their advent in the mid-80s, enterprise zones have sparked economic development. But, in some cases, these geographic areas that provide companies a litany of tax breaks have also granted corporations a chance to game the system. Two competing bills in the state legislature could either eliminate these zones or modify their scope. On Wednesday, San Jose’s Rules and Open Government Committee will consider taking a stance on the bills, as well as discuss the future of the Willow Glen trestle.

Common Core of Standards Can Help Save California Schools

May 14, 2013 by Joseph DiSalvo Politics, Culture Comments (3)

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California is one of 45 states that have adopted Common Core of Standards for its public schools. (Image by National Geographic School Publishing)

If NY Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman is correct, and I believe he is, the world beyond schools no longer wants to know how much you know, but how you can use what you know. Our concept of schooling in America today is quite archaic if Friedman’s assertion is right. However, there is a strong and hopeful effort, the Common Core of Standards, to steer the ship of public education to a better place.

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