People

Happy Thanksgiving from a Grateful Educator

Nov 24, 2009, by Joseph DiSalvo People Comments (28)

“Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.”
Edward Sandford Martin

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I write this week about appreciation, especially for the teachers making a difference in the lives of the children.

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Perez Retires from SJECC

Nov 12, 2009, by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics, People Comments (2)

Rosa Pérez, Chancellor of the San Jose/Evergreen Community College District, announced that she will be retiring because of poor health. Pérez has battled respiratory problems in the past. Her retirement will go into effect on June 30, when her current contract expires.

Pérez was something of a trailblazer at SJECC. She is the first Latina to serve as Chancellor on a permanent basis, and she is also one of the nation’s very few openly gay chancellors. But her tenure at the head of SJECC has not been without its controversies. She has come into conflict with the California School Employees Association for downsizing staff because of the economic crisis.

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Remembering the Kennedys

Sep 02, 2009, by Tom McEnery People Comments (17)

Ted Kennedy is dead.
Even after the funeral obsequies, how strange it is to hear; how jarring to read. Like all people, ordinary ones or acclaimed historians, I have been reviewing my connection to him and to the Kennedy family.

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Remembering Ted Kennedy

Aug 27, 2009, by Jude Barry Politics, People Comments (36)

If it wasn’t for Ted Kennedy, I’d probably be unemployed now. You see, when I was in college I wanted to be a journalist. Unfortunately and tragically, that’s not a place these days for those looking for job security. Like a scene from Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, I can see my guardian angel pointing to a cubicle in some half-filled newsroom as the place I would have toiled if Kennedy had never lived.

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Eunice Shriver: Champion

Aug 24, 2009, by Pete Campbell People Comments (2)

Very few people ever get to be called “champion.” Few deserve the label. A champion is one who lifts up others. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who passed away on Aug.11, was a champion. Here are a few comments and passages from those who sang her praises at the various memorial services.

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Longest Serving Judge Won’t Quit

Aug 14, 2009, by Silicon Valley Newsroom People Comments (7)

On a recent Friday afternoon, 93-year-old Judge Paul Teilh sat in his office the fourth floor of Santa Clara County’s Hall of Justice building, with his head buried in his hands. The office was almost empty, and his desk was covered with brownies, cake, sprinkled doughnuts, and several gifts. Throughout the day, several people passed through his office wishing him farewell, believing it would be his last day on the bench. However, Teilh was not ready to leave.

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