This will make the Ayres Watch people happy... the rumors that there is a plea deal in the works for Dr. Ayres (on trial for child molestation) are (apparently) not true. For minute-by-minute updates, including the breakdown of witnesses, check out William Ayres Watch blog... and things should start heating up as jury selection starts today...
While we are in court discussing molestation... the Belmont Chamber Board President will face molestation charges for molesting his girlfriend's daughter. We've covered this before...
In non-crime related police news, San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer seems to be in the lead for the top post in San Francisco. Why someone would want to leave the City of San Mateo to take on a thankless job in San Francisco is beyond Watch Dog, but I guess there could be an opening at the top of the San Mateo force soon...
More police...
Palo Alto Police and San Mateo County Sheriffs are beefing up their patrols of Caltrain tracks, which have been the scene of two teen suicides and one attempted suicide in the past month alone.
We love the Daily Journal, we really do. We read it first in thing in the morning and it is often our first stop in our Round-Up... but we can't read more than two sentences of Keith Kreitman when he writes. It sounds like he doesn't really like writing his column either based on his pessimism... so between us not liking reading it and him not liking writing it...
But we love Sue: Sue Lempert makes her appearance in the Daily Journal today talking about the Translink card (which will be available on all Bay Area transit soon), El Camino Real traffic light synchronization (from Millbrae to Menlo Park by next year), Hillsborough's John Roos being named US Ambassador to Japan, a Constitutional Convention, and a new Planning Commissioner in San Mateo, Kelly Moran (who seems to be on the outs with developers...). Thanks for the check-in Sue.
Speaking of Watch Dog's love affair with local news outlets, our first love is Pacifica Riptide. Local coverage by local people covering local things that otherwise wouldn't be covered. Over the weekend, they went into incredible detail about the legal challenges for Coastside Scavenger, Pacifica's garbage company. It seems they have their own Garbage Saga over there, and it is hurting Pacifica's bottomline tremendously. Why? Because Coastside Scavenger isn't paying the City of Pacifica its franchise fee...
From garbage to wastewater... Millbrae just got a shit-load of stimulus money from the Feds... (get it?)
If you like jazz, there is one radio station that is a must-listen in the Bay Area, KCSM. But they are strapped for cash (like the City of San Carlos?) They are going to hold a benefit concert at Yoshi's in Oakland on June 30th to raise cash. If you are interested, here's where you can find more information.
Now that Civil Grand Jury has found that "Red Light Camera Increases Safety" in Menlo Park, Millbrae, Redwood City, and San Mateo, San Bruno wants in on the action. Could it have anything to do with the fact that it's also a pretty good fundraiser for cash-strapped cities?
Perhaps if San Carlos has red-light camera it wouldn't be in such a fiscal mess. Actually, it probably would be. San Carlos is now celebrating a decade of budget cuts...
Steve Jobs' desire to demolish the Jackling House in Woodside past the most recent hurdle with the Woodside City Council, but another preservationist lawsuit may hold things up a bit...
This isn't new... the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District wants to get land from the City of Foster City for their burgeoning student population, but Foster City leaders are being a bit stubborn saying, essentially, that the School District should get its own land...
Joe Carcione, the dude that sued Redwood City for their downtown plan, is due $260,000 in legal fees from the City of Redwood City. Seems like a good business model for Joe Carcione: sue a government agency and then get your legal fees (he's the lawyer) paid...
PP Examiner mixed it up in a (rare) Friday column discussing the vacancy being filled at the Peninsula Health Care District. Controversy brewing?
Finally, our local papers received awards of the weekend from the Peninsula Press Club. Palo Alto Weekly grabbed 7, the Daily Journal grabbed 14, so did the San Mateo County Times, and Watch Dog won nothing. Heck, we weren't even invited. Voice your concern here... Don't worry, they covered "new media" by awarding KCBS.com the first place award. Have any of you ever visited KCBS.com? Watch Dog's campaign for next year begins today...
1 comment:
Great summary of the Dr. Ayres case to date and an account of journalist Victoria Balfour, who blew the whistle on Ayres, being kicked out of the courtroom because she "might" be a witness.
http://www.sprocket-trials.blogspot.com/
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