January 26, 2007

NEWS BRIEFS

City Hall photos for Coto

The San Jose/Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce delivered six photos of San Jose’s City Hall to District 23 Assembly member Joe Coto during an open house the legislator held on Friday, Jan. 19.

More than 200 guests attended the three-hour soiree, including the four shown here with Coto. Among the political names in the guestbook are San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, District 10 council woman Nancy Pyle, Saratoga Council woman Kathleen King, Campbell Mayor Dan Furtado, Campbell Council member Evan Lowe, Sunnyvale Vice Mayor Tony Spitaleri, Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss, Randy Okamura from San Jose Evergreen Community College and numerous others.

Pictured above, from left are City Auditor Jerry Silva, Coto, the Chamber’s Director of Community Relations and Public Affairs Kymberli Brady, who delivered photos, District 2 city council man Forrest Williams and Santa Clara County District 4 Supervisor and former San Jose Council member Ken Yeager. Photo by Carol Rosen

Rebuilding Together accepting applications for free repair work for low income homeowners
Rebuilding Together brings together communities and volunteers to rehabilitate the homes of low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly and disabled. All work is provided at no cost to the applicant. Repair work focuses on providing warmth, safety, and independence. Safety improvements are made throughout the year and one and two-day repair projects happen each April and October. To apply, call (408) 578-9519 or download an application at www.rebuildingtogether-sv.org.

Cortese appointed to Metropolitan Transportation Commission

Mayor Chuck Reed recently announced that Vice Mayor Dave Cortese was appointed to the nine-county, bay area Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) by the executive board of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).

“It is gratifying to know that Vice Mayor Cortese will be advocating for San Jose’s priorities and fair share of resources at the MTC such as BART and highway congestion relief,” said Reed. “Dave has a wealth of regional experience and Silicon Valley will benefit from having his voice at this agency. MTC holds tremendous power in allocating billions of dollars in funds for crucial transportation projects around the Bay Area.”

Created by the state Legislature in 1970, the MTC is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area and is guided by a 19-member policy board. It is responsible for regularly updating the Regional Transportation Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the development of mass transit, highway, airport, seaport, railroad, bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The Commission also screens state and federal transportation project grant requests from local agencies to determine their compatibility with the plan.

Most recently, the MTC took action on programs associated with Proposition 1B, approved by the voters in the November 2006 election and comprised of nearly 20 billion dollars in recommended funds for public transportation, congestion reduction and other major transportation system improvements.

“I am excited at the opportunity to continue to work with my counterparts across Silicon Valley to make sure our county and our region are being duly represented in the allocation of funds,” said Cortese. “My experience at the City of San José and at ABAG, working to balance housing, jobs and transportation, will be valuable in my additional role as an MTC Commissioner.”

Cortese was elected to the San José City Council in 2001 and reelected in 2004. He was recently approved as the City’s Vice Mayor and currently serves as president of ABAG.

Craige Edgerton announces resignation from Santa Clara County OSA Board

Craige Edgerton, a member of Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) Board of Directors for the past six years, announced that the Jan. 11 board meeting would be his last.

Edgerton represented District 7, which encompasses a portion of southern San Jose east of Monterey Highway and the Evergreen area.

During his time on the board, Edgerton served as both Chairperson and Vice Chairperson and also represented OSA in the Santa Clara County Habitat Plan development process. He called his tenure as a director, “one of the best experiences of my life.”

Involved in land preservation as a volunteer for more than 15 years, Edgerton is currently the Executive Director of Silicon Valley Land Conservancy.

At its meeting on Jan. 25, the OSA Board of Directors is expected to consider establishing a process for filling the vacancy created by Edgerton’s resignation. To qualify for the position, an applicant must be a registered voter at least 18 years old and live within the boundaries of District 7.

The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) is an independent special district created in 1993 to help preserve, protect and manage urban and non-urban open space in the areas of Campbell, Milpitas, Santa Clara, San Jose, Morgan Hill, and southern Santa Clara County. The OSA has protected over 10,000 acres of land through purchase or easement and contributed to conservation easements covering an additional 2,180 acres.

Almaden pedicure infection victim to appear on Tyra Banks Show Feb. 6

Brittany Welby, a 20-year-old college student who lives in Almaden Valley, has taped a segment of the Tyra Banks Show which deals with the South Bay outbreak of an infection over one hundred women suffered after receiving pedicures in 2004 and 2005. The infection, mycobacterial furunculosis, is believed to have been contracted when the women put their feet into whirlpool footbaths, which are common at many salons. The Almaden Times Weekly uncovered the outbreak in its November 24, 2004 issue. The infection leaves painful boils on the victim’s legs which can take anywhere from weeks to years to fade and many of the victims will require plastic surgery to repair the damage. The family of one South Bay victim is suing a salon and the manufacturer of the whirlpool bath claiming the woman died from the infection.