 Latest 49er News: 49ers Stadium Going to the BallotAfter several months of lingering discussions, hours upon hours of City Council hearings and meetings and a bevy of public input, Santa Clara City Council voted unanimously, 7-0 in favor of placing the San Francisco 49ers stadium proposal on the November 2008 ballot.
Due to CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) restrictions, the Council elected to place an Advisory issue on the ballot. In order to place a binding issue on the ballot, the CEQA review must be completed --- a step expected to take several months to a year.
Click Here for Complete Story |
|
SaveBAREC Says Defeat of Measures A&B Will Launch New Discussion of BAREC Future
If Measures A & B pass (namely, if the "Yes on A & B" side prevails), then the land will be developed with 110 single-family homes and 162 senior units). If however, Measures A & B fail (namely, if the "No on A & B" side prevails), then ...Click Here for Complete Story
|
State Favors Plan for BAREC
In February, Santa Clara voters are going to decide whether or not to go forward with the proposed Santa Clara Gardens development project for the for former UC Agricultural Research Station (BAREC) on Winchester Blvd. Click Here for Complete Story
|
 Universal FunBy Larry Sacks
On Sunday, an Easter Egg hunt took place, but on a much, much smaller scale than the City’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt. This one was for the seven exchange students visiting from Izumo, Japan and the host families with whom they will be staying. An Easter Egg hunt is definitely a slice of Americana. The idea behind Easter is easy enough to explain but the concept of why you hunt for candy, is somewhat more complex.
Common Ground
Explanations aside, one thing common across all cultures is candy. In addition, candy is the universal concept of fun. The day began with a customary award for Mr. Tom Kuwabara, President of the International Exchange Association of Izumo, from the Santa Clara Sister Cities organization. This year’s award reflected Mr. Kuwabara’s love of golf. Described by Debi Davis, President of the Santa Clara Sister Cities Association, “We were trying to find something Mr. Kuwabara did not have. He is an excellent golfer and collects anything golf related. We made a plaque with a dedication to him. In 2005 Jack Nicklaus played in his final British Open at St. Andrews Golf Course. To commemorate Jack's career, The Royal Bank Of Scotland issued a limited number of 5lb notes bearing Jack's likeness. The notes are unique in part because Jack is the first living person besides the Queen of England and the late Queen mother to appear on the Scottish note.” Click Here for Complete Story
|
 City Holds Eggstra-ordinary Egg Hunt
The morning dew on the blades of grass at Central Park was just starting to burn off when more than 1,000 people hopped out of bed to participate in the city’s 34th annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 22.
Four-month-old Robert Ray had it made. His feet didn’t even need to touch the ground. All he had to do to meet the Easter Bunny, was flash a smile and look cute. Mom Michelle Ray, made the arrangements and packed up supplies for the outing. Grandpa and Grandma maneuvered the stroller like a caravan around the numerous clusters of children.
A teacher of autistic children, Michelle recently moved back from Texas.
“I used to come here all the time when I was little,” she said. “Now this Egg Hunt will be my son’s tradition.” Click Here for Complete Story
|
 Sister City Dignitaries Visit Santa Clara
Several Sister City relationships exist between Santa Clara and other cities throughout the world. In 1986, a Sister City relationship was formed with Izumo, Japan. Fast forward 22 years and the relationship between the two cities is as strong as ever. A group of seven middle school students from Izumo arrived, along with Izumo City Hall worker, Mariko Kurosaki and most notably, Tom Kuwabara, President of the International Exchange Association of Izumo. Mr. Kuwabara has a special place in the history of the Sister City relationship, as he was the person responsible for getting the Sister City relationship established. Click Here for Complete Story |
 Unique Family History
Kirk Vartan, owner of Santa Clara’s “A Slice of New York”, wouldn’t be here if his grandfather had not survived the Armenian Massacre that occurred during and just after World War I. This genocide “is the closest parallel to the Holocaust” of World War II, according to Hebrew University scholar Yehuda Bauer. And only recently, in 2007, did the US House of Representatives acknowledge that era in the “Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.” The Republic of Turkey, the ... Click Here for Complete Story
|
 City Council Roundup
Santa Clara City Council Meeting, March 18, 2008
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
The City Council granted a one-time exception to the Championship Team Fund Guidelines and granted $10,000 to the Santa Clara Symphonic Youth Honor Band (aka "The Ambassadors") for its trip to Japan. The Council also approved the purchase of 160 City pins, donation of 12 "A Place of Promise" books and a gift for the City of Izumo. Boards and Commissions for Actions Click Here for Complete Story
|
Church Window Replacement Dispute Airs at Council Meeting
Last week the question of whether the congregation of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel can replace the windows in their 104 year-old church building reached the Santa Clara City Council.
The dispute between the church and the City planning department has been running since December 2007, when the City ordered the church to stop work on its window replacement project following a complaint. In 2007, Our Mother of Perpetual Help commissioned new stained glass windows that would reflect the church's traditional Latin liturgical style. Click Here for Complete Story
|
Four Vie to Fill Assemblywoman Sally Lieber's Seat
Perhaps the members of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) got more out of the recent state assembly candidates forum than I did. But even after listening to the 45 minute Q&A, I had difficulty finding differences among the four Democratic hopefuls aiming to fill Sally Leiber's state assembly seat -- Dominic Caserta, Paul Fong, Anna Song and Kris Wang.
They're all from Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Cupertino – three cities sharing borders and a similar character. Three of the four are in education. All have deep roots in their communities. Click Here for Complete Story
|
| Arts and Entertainment |
| | Movie Review: 88 Minutes
The story in 88 Minutes takes place in Seattle, WA. The locations seen on screen are all in Vancouver and Toronto.
|
| | Movie Review: Leatherheads
In the film Leatherheads, directed and starring George Clooney there is a score by Randy Newman. RN created one of the all time great scores for the Robert Redford baseball film The Natural.
|
| | Movie Review: Drillbit Taylor
In 1980 there was a film released with the title of My Bodyguard. It was about a kid who enters a new HS and gets bullied.
|
| | Travel: Carmel Valley and Bernadus Lodge
A Little Bit Of 'Relaxation Heaven'
|
|
| Critics Corner |
| | Razz on Wine: May 7, 2008
It appears that in almost every class at the university I am asked one overriding question; How can I tell a good from bad bottle of wine?
|
| Weekly Columns |
| | Work Daze: May 7, 2008
It isn't every day that I find fodder from a fashionista, but today I struck workplace gold. And I discovered the mother lode in, of all places, the style page of The Wall Street Journal.
|
| | Milestones: May 7, 2008
The credit crunch isn’t over. Usually when you have a credit crisis, a lot of people have problems.
|
| | No Guarantees: May 7, 2008
My friend Kathryn got married on our anniversary. Her September wedding, a traditional Jewish affair on Martha’s Vineyard, marked the end of our year-long expedition into online-dating.
|
| | Events
|
| Monthly Columns |
| | Ms. Power Plug: April 2008
I’m in the market for a new television. I want to be ready for next year when analog phases out and digital takes over.
|
|
