Millions Flock to “Charlotte’s Web” to See Supernatural Occurrence

San Jose was hit with a much-needed Christmas miracle this season that has sent millions of visitors, tourists, and skeptical gawkers into downtown with their spin-off dollars landing in happy restaurants and welcoming hotels.

Like just about everyone else, I am glad that we have a new regime at City Hall in the mayor’s office and on the council. However, in the euphoria of the demise of the old and arrival of the new, we shouldn’t forget one of the biggest accomplishments of the past few years: the Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr. Library joint venture between the city and San Jose State University and the process that is creating the new and vastly improved San Jose library system. This is a legacy worth celebrating.

If our new mayor brings his efforts to bear on three areas of municipal government in the New Year—ethics, development and the budget, and our downtown—the citizens of our city will be very well served. 

In honor of the New Year, I thought I would come up with New Year’s resolutions for other people since setting them for myself has proven to be as successful as the Pavilion Shops. So, here is what I envision that a few select people should vow to change in 2007.

We are taking a few days off to enjoy ourselves with family and friends and hope you are doing the same. In the meantime, we are inviting you to participate in a weeklong, year-end roundup of your favorite, best, worst and most important events, people and places of 2006. Scroll down and you will find an assortment of subjects to blog on. Or, use this thread to write about anything you like or tell us what you think about San Jose Inside. But, by all means, have fun with it!

Single Gal will return from her holiday party circuit on January 2, followed by the rest of us on our usual days—maybe a little red-eyed and worse for wear, but raring to go for the New Year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Single Gal, Tom McEnery, Jack Van Zandt, John McEnery IV, Riya Reynolds, and the staff of San Jose Inside.

OK, we all agree that the 2006 local election was the most important political event of the year. But after that, none of us can agree on anything in the “top,” “best” or “worst” categories. We even asked our larger-than-life friend and bar buddy Bill Brasky what he thought, but we can’t print anything he said.

We thought it would be nice to remember those who passed away in 2006. There is also room here to remember personas, places and things, including the politically dead. We have open minds, so use this space as you see fit, but with respect.

Oh, this is really going to be fun. You get to name your own category and winner. What could be better than that?

With all the local sports action this year, it’s hard to pick a favorite event or most important story. Even after a few pints at O’Flaherty’s, our merry little group of writers couldn’t agree on a single thing (nothing new there), so we put the following short list together to get the ball rolling. We have told you ours, now you tell us yours.

“If I Misappropriated Public Funds”—A Hypothetical Conspiracy Confession

The embattled former book publisher, Judith Regan, has been rehired by Harper Collins to publish outgoing mayor Ron Gonzales’s hypothetical conspiracy confession, “If I Misappropriated Public Funds.”

The Late Ira Brilliant’s Invaluable Legacy

When real estate magnate and music scholar Ira Brilliant died at age 85 in San Jose on September 10, he left behind the most important collection of items related to the life and works of Ludwig van Beethoven in North America. Located in a cozy corner of the fifth floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies gives visitors a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of humankind’s greatest geniuses. It is open to the public from 11am to 6pm most days and is one of the best free rides in town.

It is a standard human impulse to see a brave new and optimistic world when a certain era is closing.  From the conclusion of a project, to the end of a school year, to a change in jobs, all are a time of reflection and satisfaction.  Much is leaving; much will abide.

As I was watching highlights of Ron Gonzales and Cindy Chavez at the last San Jose City Council meeting, I was wondering if anyone else felt the same way I did—that the sentiments shown in that meeting were just about as fake as a set of Lee Press-On Nails.

By Leonard McKay

Editor’s Note: As a tribute to our recently departed friend, we are repeating the piece he wrote for this site last Christmas.

Did you ever wonder how Christmas was celebrated in the past in San Jose? When our first foreign settlers, the Spaniards, were here, the birth of Christ was celebrated by going to mass at the Mission Santa Clara, the closest church. The male citizens rode their horses for the three mile trip. The women and young children went on the rough ride to the mission on a wooden wheeled, no-springs caretta. After the Americans arrived, most of the celebrations moved to the family home or local churches.

Pair File Lawsuit for Defamation of Character

Just one day after prominent lobbyists Tony Arreola and Sharanjit “Sean” Kali-Rai received word that they were the joint recipients of this year’s Papal Humanitarian of the Year Award, they filed a lawsuit against the Vatican claiming their reputations in the lobbyist community had been irreparably damaged.