Last week, the federal government reported that 556 people have died of Swine Flu in the United States so far this year.  The Center For Disease Control recently cautioned that as many as 90,000 Americans could die from the disease if precautionary methods and practices are not set in place and followed

There is absolutely no magic in achieving the goal of effective schools and classrooms. Quality teachers and principals are the key ingredients to excellence for all. Strong confident leaders and teachers encourage parent participation and inspire all students to learn.

Since Sept. 7 was the Labor Day holiday, the City did not have a regular city council meeting. So, instead the Council had a “study session” on the Greenprint, which is a vision for our parks and community centers.

The city has grown in square footage both in parks and community centers. However San Jose still ranks lower then many cities in its ratio of parks to people, even when you include school property (which is where I used to play as a kid). By 2020 we will be 1,124 acres short of our goal/vision. In fact, we exacerbate this ratio every week by approving affordable housing that is exempt from park fees or land dedication.

It’s SJI’s weekly open forum, where thoughts and opinions on any topic are welcome. What’s on your mind?

Just a few years ago Ed Munyak, a fire protection engineer for the city of San Jose, seemed like a lonely, out-there figure, a sometimes-target because of his outspoken position on the events of Sept. 11, 2001. These days, hundreds of other building trade professionals have joined him in challenging the official narrative about the collapse of three buildings at New York’s World Trade Center (WTC) on that fateful, traumatic day.

Immediately following President Barack Obama’s speech to the nation’s students yesterday, a diverse mix of juniors in Mr. Mendoza’s US History class at Andrew Hill High School in South San Jose gave their reactions. By a show hands, the President did not poll well.

Even though my advocacy for school uniforms caused a major career snag when I was a middle school principal in Moreland School District nearly 15 years ago, I am still a strong and passionate proponent.  Placing an emphasis on the proper tone for learning while reducing discipline problems are two outcomes of an effective uniform policy. I believe we need a renewed county conversation about the efficacy of school uniforms, particularly for our students in middle school

San Jose’s population is officially 1,006,892! 

1,006,892—confirmed by the State Department of Finance on April 30th of this year. I thought it would be interesting to share how San Jose has grown since 1950. Take a look:

The Toyota Corporation recently announced that the NUMMI Plant in Fremont will be closed next March.  Last week, a number of NUMMI workers and a handful of politicians held a rally outside of Senator Dianne Feinstein’s San Francisco office to protest the decision to close down the plan

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.

We are living in extraordinary times. Unemployment nationally is approaching 10 percent, more troops are being requested in the war in Afghanistan, the Lion of the Senate died, and was referred to by his Republican colleagues as the best legislator in history, and the SF Giants are near a playoff berth.

Another testament to this astonishing era is the special session of the California legislature recently called by Gov. Schwarzenegger to reshape education as we have known it.

Last week, I chose to attend both outreach meetings regarding the issue of retirement board governance, so I could hear concerns first- hand instead of reading a staff report. The possibility of changing the makeup of the current retirement board was presented by the consultant. The biggest change, if adopted, would be to remove city councilmembers from the board and add “independent” board members with a finance background.

Since 99.95 percent of city residents did not attend the meetings I thought I would share a synopsis of the comments that were made by attendees

It’s San Jose Inside’s weekend-long open forum, where any comment on any topic is welcome. What’s on your mind?

If there is one word to describe the theme of this year’s San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival, it has to be “connectivity,” and not just because the festival has landed T-Mobile as its title sponsor. At this week’s press conference for the lead-up to the festival that takes place Sept. 20-27, the word “connection” and its derivatives were uttered multiple times by all three participants: festival CEO Marcela Davison Aviles, artistic director Linda Ronstadt and headline performer for the Sept. 25 concert, Joan Baez.

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.

“Recession cranks up pressure on white men.”  So reads the subhead of a front page piece that appeared in the Aug. 23 edition of the Mercury News. According to Bay Area News Group reporters Mike Swift and Josh Richman, there seems to be something brewing in our nation’s “troubled soul.”

“Many say the tempest over health care has its origin in the new administration’s breathtaking pace of change.” Who are these “many?” The article doesn’t really say.