The naming of places and the honoring of icons is an often confusing and sometimes treacherous country to enter. Walking by the empty lot on Jackson between Sixth and Seventh Streets that was once the city corporation yard led me to a number of thoughts about that problem, our government, and local history. For many years this was site of the city-owned garage and maintenance facility. Its acquisition is shrouded in a bit of mystery from the sordid days of the forced internment of Japanese Americans. It is alive in the memories of many members of that community who believed their area and property were seized during that tragic time. But the story goes back even further than the recent focus on the World War Two chapter. As L. A. Chung pointed out in the Mercury News, it goes back to the destruction of our old Chinatown in the area of the Fairmont Hotel.

SJSU teacher and sonic outlaw Allen Strange was a master of electronic music and cooking

THROUGHOUT the nine years I spent at San Jose State University, nobody taught me how to control my voltage more than did Allen Strange, who passed away last week at the age of 64. He was a true sonic outlaw, which is precisely why we got along so well. One of the original pioneers of analog electronic music, Allen wrote the first textbook on that subject way back in the early ‘70s, long before synthesizers were ubiquitous. Even today, that book is a hoot to look through.

With the recent ruling that all California homeschool teachers need to have teaching credentials, the debate that rages on about homeschooling in general will get even more heated than ever before. Many people are happy that this new mandate has come down from the state. It will affect San Jose citizens because there are charter school and homeschooling groups in this area that have had their world turned upside down.

This past Wednesday night I hosted a community budget meeting for my district. Between City Hall and my meeting I stopped at home to pick up my laptop. As I left, I saw my neighbors out in front of their homes. My next door neighbor was tossing a ball with his son. Other neighbors were working on a car, fiddling with sprinklers and carrying groceries into their home.  I thought to myself: no one is going to show up for this meeting

Untapped Pool of Buyers-Using-Offensive-Language Targeted

The San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau, under the direction of city officials, has launched an awareness campaign in expectation of a whole new wave of cussers flooding the downtown housing market in search of a more tolerant and obscenity-laced community.

Today marks a new beginning for San Jose Inside.  We have formed an alliance with Metro Newspapers, Boulevards, NBC11, Topix and the Los Gatos Observer that will create a comprehensive digital-age system to deliver local news, information and opinion, and provide citizen journalists an outlet to bring matters to the attention of the community and discuss issues of importance to residents of San Jose and Silicon Valley.

From “The Fly,” Metro Silicon Valley, March 5, 2008

Accused City Hall hacker Eric Hernandez showed up for his arraignment on Friday before Judge Jerry Nadler, represented by one of the valley’s most expensive criminal attorneys. Attorney Benjamin Williams appeared—and dropped the bombshell that Hernandez had retained his boss, superstar lawyer Steve Manchester, to handle the case.

Just about the only thing that the San Jose City Council assured on Tuesday is that they will have to deal with the Little Saigon issue again. The next time they vote on the matter, though, there will at least be a community consensus. Yeah, right. Dealing with the most thankless, no-win issue ever to come before this city council tested the character and political skills of each elected member, and it was good political theater to boot.

I attended a luncheon at City Hall yesterday honoring one of San Jose’s most notable citizens: playwright and film maker Luis Valdez. It was a wonderful and inspiring time, as all sessions with Luis and his wife Lupe are. However, it had one other element to it. Supervisor Blanca Alvarado asked Valdez a question that focused on the Plumed Serpent—Quetzalcoatl—and the meaning of art.

As I have watched the controversy over the naming of the Story Road business district unfold over the past few months, it has brought up many interesting issues about cultural sensitivities, political correctness, memories and what names can mean and represent. At first, as I watched this firestorm brew, it reminded me of the Fallon statue and the controversy that erupted over a symbol of what some called American imperialism and others called a piece of history. But in this case, it is a name that has lit a fire under many Vietnamese residents—so much so that I can’t remember any other issue in our city that has been this heated for a long time.

At the recent televised priority session, the city council and senior staff discussed the priorities for San Jose which included the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) and the dollars spent on the Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI).

Controversial Land to Become Terrorist Training Camps

Continuing their fire sale of San Jose properties, Divco West, the real estate investment and asset management company that made millions in San Jose on a scorched earth and people policy, sold their large and controversial land holdings in Coyote Valley to a branch of the Islamic Liberation Front (ILF) for an undisclosed sum.

Once again my favorite annual San Jose festival is here. The next 11 days will be filled with many exciting events and the showing of over 150 films from 34 countries. This year’s theme is “Discover” and the lineup is very impressive. The venues, as usual, are Camera 12, California Theatre and the San Jose Repertory Theatre.

San Jose does not have to be like every other place. We are unique and we are blessed. The corruption and sleaziness of politics in the national, state, and other cities’ elections does not have to be tolerated here.

This was brought to mind by the recent arrest of a former young intern who worked for a councilman and a defeated candidate for mayor, and the heavy suspicions that he was encouraged, instructed, and/or “bribed” by certain people to engage in the type of political espionage that makes most citizens hate politics and despise politicians. It does not have to be this way in San Jose.

Last week, I was fortunate to go to Hawaii with some other single gals and spend some time on the island of Oahu. As part of our trip, we were able to spend a few days enjoying the Outrigger Canoe Club right outside of downtown Waikiki. The Outrigger has an indoor gym, a private beach, a restaurant and volleyball courts among their amenities—kind of like a country club on the beach.

City Hall Diary

Many people ask what my biggest surprise has been since becoming a council member. I have shared that my biggest surprise has been closed session meetings. “Closed session” meetings are private meetings which include the mayor, city attorney and city council. The city manager and two other attorneys who record the minutes are also present. Sometimes, depending on the subject material, specific city staff will also join the meeting, but the public is not allowed to be present.