Does the sound of “76 Trombones” make your feet stir and, perhaps, you want to do a little tapping or a little marching? If so, you might be interested to know that we had the predecessor of the famous Henry Hill, the “Music Man,” right here in “River City,” San Jose. He lived here about 40 years before Meredith Wilson wrote the wonderful hit Broadway musical, “The Music Man.”
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57,000 lb. Logos for Sale
The sale of Knight Ridder to McClatchy Newspapers (for $4.5 billion) is well documented this week in all the news media, including the Mercury News, which describes its own fate of being purchased on one day and then sold (by McClatchy) as soon as possible thereafter to the highest bidder. McClatchy is keeping some of the daily papers owned by Knight Ridder—the ones considered “cream of the crop”—and auctioning off the others—the ones that don’t make enough money (real money or the stock market kind).
The Future of Our Paper
All those concerned about the future of our community should be concerned about what is happening to our newspaper. Knight Ridder has been sold to the Sacramento-based McClatchy group who says it will sell the Mercury News. While rumors abound about who will be the final owner, our paper and its staff are going through an excruciating period in limbo.
The Incredible Shrinking State of the City
The mayor’s annual State of the City speech just seems to get smaller and smaller. Where will it stop? When I moved from the old Parkside Hall to the new Fairmont in 1989—for what I hoped was a new, new State-of-the-City era—I thought it was going to be a great day; and it was, for a bit. After the Unity Breakfast, as we used to call it, the fire marshal—in a fit of pique—cited the event for overcrowding; not quite the ending I had hoped for. (The citation inspired a few negative articles and cartoons, including one depicting a dog with my head on it urinating on a fire hydrant labeled “FIRE CODE.”)
Christmas in San Jose
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.
Royal Trip Ends With Visit to San Jose
Chuck and Cami Want “Authentic Experience” in Silicon Valley
After a successful few days in San Francisco trumpeting organic farming and environmental stewardship, Prince Charles and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and future HRH The Princess Consort, expressed the need to “let down our hair and slum a bit.”
Capital of Silicon Valley?
There have been a number of questions since San Jose adopted the title of “Capital of Silicon Valley” in the eighties. Some say we were undeserving or that we just assumed the title. There was truth to both accusations. I like to quote the words of our late and unlamented Senator, S.I. Hayakawa, who, when roused from his slumber during the debate over the return of the Panama Canal, shouted out: “Give it back? Hell, we stole it fair and square!” It was a pithy, accurate comment, analogous to the current situation with WiFi in our city.
A Second Downtown
In Development 101 we discussed the great growth area of Evergreen. There are three others: the virgin Coyote Valley, North First Street’s rich industrial base, and our downtown. What happens in each affects the other, but perhaps none so much as our spiritual, cultural and historic center of Downtown San Jose.
Soaring Gas Prices Kill San Jose Grand Prix
Running of the Supervisors to Replace Defunct Car Race
Organizers of this summer’s downtown San Jose Grand Prix have alienated a supportive San Jose community by canceling the much-anticipated Champ Car race, citing “inflated gas prices.” A stunned city council has wasted no time though in replacing the race with a unique event combining Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls and the county’s wellness program.
