Remembering Leonard McKay
Oct 25, 2007 by Jack Van Zandt Comments (7)
It has been a year since our good friend, fellow columnist and in-house San Jose historian Leonard McKay passed away suddenly. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think of him and his preservation work for our community. I certainly miss the almost-daily chats I had with him the last couple of years of his life. I don’t think I ever learned so much from one person in such a short period of time. I would like to take this opportunity to remember my friend Leonard and his efforts to preserve our history—buildings, artifacts, documents and stories—for future generations of San Jose citizens. I am reprinting one of his last columns below as a tribute.
Reed’s Halo Effect
Oct 24, 2007 by Tom McEnery Comments (42)
I had hoped it would happen and it did last night. After a dark decade of flawed land-use decisions and “pay to play” mentality at City Hall, Mayor Chuck Reed, aided by two or three thinking council members, got the San Jose City Council to finally jettison the shortsighted and ruinous policy of converting our job-rich tax base lands to housing. Perhaps, just perhaps, the rump members of the “old” discredited group of Gonzales holdovers will get the “halo” effect of sound planning and begin to live up to their fiduciary responsibilities to the people of San Jose. But, as was once said of second marriages, I am, perhaps, letting hope triumph over experience. There is much left to do.
Single Gal and Creating Jobs
Oct 23, 2007 by Single Gal Comments (26)
In the news and in the city council chambers, the debate continues about housing vs. jobs in San Jose. Some argue that creating housing before jobs is a little like the cart coming before the horse, while others argue that there needs to be housing here to attract and keep new workers. Is there one that should be in place before the other can follow? I think it is an interesting debate that deserves more airtime.
Midyear Budget Review: Save More and Spend Wisely
Oct 22, 2007 by Pierluigi Oliverio Comments (43)
City Hall Diary
This past Tuesday, the City of San Jose discussed its midyear point, which is where we consider how we should spend or not spend any “extra” money that was not part of the regular budget proposal. This year approximately $13 million is up for discussion.
Wilcox Hired by Sierra Leone Diamond Miners
Oct 19, 2007 by John McEnery IV Comments (9)
Will Manage Child Labor Production
A notorious rebel group controlling several diamond mines in the gem-rich region of Sierra Leone has made a unique decision to hire former Santa Clara County school chief Colleen Wilcox to run the adolescent stone production unit of the diamond mines.
When Does a Prank Become a Crime?
Oct 18, 2007 by Jack Van Zandt Comments (33)
I was going to write about something completely different this week but my attention was caught by the incident this past weekend where two teenaged boys (16 and 17) were arrested for attacking a high school dance and a young woman’s sixteenth birthday party with homemade chemical bombs. Fortunately, it appears that there were no injuries or damage at the high school, but there easily could have been. However, the bomb tossed into the birthday party exploded in the birthday girl’s face, burning her skin and eyes. She and two of her friends were briefly hospitalized. I can’t get the image of the peaceful and fun once-in-a-lifetime birthday party celebration disrupted by fright and injury out of my mind. What compelled these boys to do such a horrible thing?
Our Police Department’s Tradition of Excellence
Oct 17, 2007 by Tom McEnery Comments (85)
A simple fact that is often forgotten—though it should not be so—is that we have the finest police department in the nation. Such things do not just happen. We have worked hard to keep that description. Chief Rob Davis has continued a tradition of excellence and community relations that began with Joe McNamara in the seventies. This is a succession of competence that needs to be recognized.
Single Gal and Those Cool Cadavers
Oct 16, 2007 by Single Gal Comments (7)
When I heard that there were some human cadavers downtown at the Tech Museum, I knew this was something I had to see. After I explained the Body Worlds 2 exhibition to friends, some of them thought it sounded interesting, while others looked at me like I just told them I was going on a tour of the local morgue. In fact, I wasn’t sure if they were that far off.
Neighborhoods of Distinction
Oct 15, 2007 by Pierluigi Oliverio Comments (43)
City Hall Diary
Early Saturday morning, October 6, I hosted a community meeting titled “Preserving Our Historic Neighborhoods: How to make your Neighborhood a Conservation Area.”
Many residents have been vocal about preserving not just their individual homes, but their entire neighborhoods as historic structures and/or areas. Therefore, the purpose of the forum was to empower and inform residents by giving them options for maintaining their neighborhoods’ character and ambiance.
High School Haunted House to Feature County Supervisors
Oct 12, 2007 by John McEnery IV Comments (6)
Politicians Will Take the Place of Mentally Ill
Just hours after the student body of Westmont High School announced that the theme of their annual Halloween haunted house would be the mentally ill, the National Alliance of Mental Health Professionals condemned the attraction as “insensitive” and put enough pressure on the school’s administration to force them to change it.
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