Pescadero One of California’s Last Frontiers has been invaded by Silicon Valley Billionaires

                                                

The Stars and Stripes flies above the rooflines of Pescadero, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Growing up in San Jose California, I have seen a lot of change over the years. I remember my parents taking my siblings and me on day trips to places like Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco and Pescadero. My dad had an aunt who lived in Pescadero on a small farm with horses, pigs, chickens and a couple of cows. I loved going there because we got to ride the horses. There was nothing like playing hard and eating the delicious food. Pescadero was like stepping back in time, back then.

Pescadero has remained a little part of nostalgia for years. Say it’s not so.  Pescadero one of California’s last frontiers has been invaded by Silicon Valley Billionaires. Locals say there are some problems to the invasion of tourists and outsiders, some of the Moneybags are committed to maintaining the agricultural character of the place. Where goat cheese-makers, artisans, intellectuals, farmers, ranchers and other rugged individualists exist in rustic harmony. Are they really?

I don’t think so. Tom Steyer retired hedge fund manager and ecological activist and his wife, entrepreneur and contributor Kat Taylor, own a 1,800-acre grass-fed cattle ranch in Pescadero. They consider it a learning laboratory for sustainable animal agriculture. Steyer said, “It is kind of magic, I think, the idea that there would be that much open space, that much wild space, that close to Silicon Valley and San Francisco,”.  “It’s pretty incredible. So we feel a lot of responsibility to make it available to as many people as possible.”

Okay, that’s all good but what about the middle class and the farmers in the area. Are they going to be push out to make way for other CEO’s? One of Google’s top executives is said to have a 1,500-acre ranch in Pescadero, where he has partnered with Pie Ranch. Where he sources food for the Mountain View campus from the sustainable Pescadero farm. What about Signe Ostby, the wife of Intuit co-founder Scott Cook? She breeds horses on her 2,220 acre ranch. Why didn’t she respond to the interview requests? What does she have to hide? Venture capitalist John Doerr owns nearly 1,400 acres. This is another community where gentrification will push out non wealthy people and families. The end of an era. In 5 years you probably won’t recognize the town of Pescadero and the rents will be out of this world.

LM
 http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/10/16/silicon-valley-discovers-the-south-coast-the-peninsulas-final-frontier/

Millennium Tower

San Francisco is a famous city in California, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world visit the city by the bay in a year. It’s is known for its attractions like, Lombard Street the crookedest street in the world. Then you have the world famous Fisherman’s Wharf, China Town and Alcatraz. Now it has the Leaning Tower of Millennium. Not!

This 58 story building was completed in 2009 on Market Street on the Southside. It was supposed to be the tallest building in San Francisco. Since its completion it has been sinking and leaning. It has sunk 16 inches and it has titled 2 inches. What the heck! In 2009 Raymond Lui chief building Inspector at the time, sent a letter to the Millennium Towers engineering firm. Concerned about the “larger than excepted settlements” and “what was being done about the sinking and if the building’s structural safety could be affected.” Just like those big firms being greedy and all about the money. They sent a reply from DeSimone Consulting Engineers, that the building had already unexpectedly settled 8.3 inches. But the engineering firm concluded, “It is our professional opinion that the structures are safe.” When Aaron Peskin the City Supervisor convened a hearing on the matter and asked Lui why the building was then certified safe for occupancy. He said, “We felt they had it under control.” Now 8 years later the founding partner of Millennium Chris Jeffries said, “We did this building the right way,” and “The building is 100 percent safe.” Now it’s the blame game. Jeffries blames the building’s problems on a neighboring building site where a city rail terminal is being built. He says the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, the public agency is building the $4.5 billion transit hub, dug a 60-foot hole to create a dry construction site and forced out millions of gallons of groundwater that wound up compressing and weakening the soil under the Millennium Tower. Transbay says the tower’s “inadequate foundation is the sole cause of the excessive settlement and tilt.” It released a statement saying the building had sunk 10 inches and started to lean before the agency broke ground in 2010. All those wealthy ones who couldn’t wait to own a piece of the Millennium Tower are probably thinking twice. Like Jerry Dodson, an attorney and engineer who paid $2.1 million in 2009 for his two-bedroom apartment on the 42nd floor. The Penthouse sold for 10 million.

All I know I couldn’t live in something like that and especially in San Francisco. With the big earthquake that is bound to come. Look what happen in the 1906 earthquake 3000 people lost their lives. I couldn’t even imagine how many loss of life there will be. They better fix this problem before something horrific happens.

LM

http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/10/24/tilting-sinking-san-francisco-high-rise-raises-alarm/

Projectile Bolt Size of a Baseball Kills Man while Driving Northbound on Highway 101 in Palo Alto

Driving on the highways is always an uncertain thing for drivers now days. You’re literally at the mercy of other drivers and not to mention all the debris that litter our highways. Drivers have to avoid this debris, while driving at a high rate of speed. Then there are somethings that are unavoidable.

Unfortunately on September 16^th around 1 p.m. 82-year-old Louis Schaefer was a victim of a projectile bolt the size of a baseball. He was struck in the neck, when a bolt came crashing through his windshield killing him. He was driving his van on highway 101 northbound in Palo Alto, like he probably did numerous times. CHP is asking anyone that saw anything thing to please contact the CHP.

This tragic incident could have happened to anyone. I work for Streetwise Special Delivery Courier Service as a dispatcher. One of our drivers happened to see the aftermath of this accident. He said he saw a Cal-Tran water truck broke down on the highway by where the accident occurred. You never know what’s going to happen while driving on the highways or driving period. All I can say is be safe and hope for the best.

LM

http://abc7news.com/traffic/man-killed-in-freak-accident-in-palo-alto-identified/1515410/

Train Derailment In Alameda County Due To El Niño Weather

Mother Nature is beautiful and she can also be very destructive. This year she is pissed off, so she brought us El Niño. El Niño has brought floods, strong winds, rain down pours and mudslides to California with a vengeance. Mother Nature is so unforgiving.

On Tuesday March 8, 2016 the last commuter ACE train No. 10 was headed from San Jose to Stockton, with stops in Fremont, Pleasanton, Livermore, Vasco, Tracy and Lathrop. The 214 passengers on board were traveling home after a long work day in the San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Mt. View areas. Probably thinking what they were going to have for dinner, how was the family and how they had to do this again tomorrow. Little did they know they would be in a train derailment? The train was traveling on the Altamont pass between Fremont and Pleasanton.Then all of a sudden the lead train car hits a mudslide derails and falls into the Alameda Creek 1 mile west of Sunol. The second train car is also derailed but not into the creek. Out of the 214 passengers on board, it’s a miracle no one was killed. Nine people were hurt. Four people suffered serious injuries and five people suffered minor injuries. The passengers on board who weren’t hurt showed compassion and courage. By helping their fellow passenger escape the derailed train. It was first thought that a down tree or human error caused the derailment. Upon further investigation the cause was a mudslide on the tracks.

El Niño Weather is truly here, some people are already complaining about it. California needs all the rain El Niño is bringing and then some. So all you who are complaining stop it, could get worse.

LM

http://www.kcra.com/news/officials-mudslide-likely-caused-train-derailment-in-alameda-county/38398440#comments

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_29613003/ace-train-derailment-passengers-recount-harrowing-night-fear?source=infinite-up

97 Year Old Marie Hatch Cancer Patient of Burlingame Gets Evicted after 66 Years

                                 

Living in someone else’s property and paying rent is a terrible thing. I say this because your living situation is literally at the mercy of the landlord. You don’t know when you are going to be evicted. It doesn’t matter that you have been renting for years and have been a model tent. This happened to my family in 2007. In the mail came an eviction notice out of the blue. It was because new owners and the property manager wanted the apartment we were living in. I just received a double hip replacement and was on Dialysis but that didn’t matter. We had to go. This is a common occurrence for families living in California.

When I heard about 97 year old Marie Hatch was being evicted after 66 years of tendency. It really brought back awful memories. When her landlord and friend Vivian Kruse, gave her lifetime tendency it was a good thing. Marie could live in the cottage until she died. After 66 years Kruse is dead, her daughter is dead, and her granddaughter is dead. They each passed down the lifetime guarantee of tenancy to Marie. The verbal agreement died when the granddaughter died. The new landlord said that’s why he’s evicting. I don’t believe that is the reason. He wants to get thousands of dollars instead of the 900 dollars Marie and her roommate are paying. The new landlord David Kantz says “he feels terrible that he is evicting Hatch, but the trust left behind by his wife — the third of the previous landlord women who are now deceased — expires in July, and he is duty-bound to sell the property on behalf of his two sons”. Bull, he is all about the money. This is a sad situation and it doesn’t have to be this way. Friends of Hatch’s started a GoFundMe account, and by Monday evening it had raised more than $11,000. https://www.gofundme.com/mjqf7pjw

What really gets me is, that the Federal guidelines indicated rent is unaffordable when it exceeds 30 percent of a household’s income. This means that in San Mateo County, a household must earn at least $106,000 to afford the average current monthly rent of $2,648 for a two-bedroom unit, according to the county study. U.S. census data show that about 35 percent of renter families in San Mateo County are paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing. This is not the only county that people are paying more than 30 percent for housing. Santa Clara County is another one. To live here in California you have to pay to breathe the air, especially living in Silicon Valley where I live. Rents are steadily going up and it is a shame. It really has me thinking about moving out of California. I refuse to pay $2,600.00 or more for the place I’m living in, it’s not worth it.

LM

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/97-year-old-evicted-tenant-in-a-tough-spot-but-6847769.php

http://web.stanford.edu/dept/csre/reports/report_2.pdf

Tragic Greyhound Bus Accident On Highway 101 At Northbound Highway 85 Turnoff In San Jose

I woke up yesterday thinking this is sleeping weather. While I lay there listening to the down pour of rain not wanting it hit me. I had too because I had so many things to do. I turned on the news like I always do and heard that a Greyhound bus had crashed. Among the injured and deceased was one man seriously injured, nine others with minor injuries including the driver and two women were killed. I could only imagine how the passengers felt. To be so close to your destination after a long bus ride and not to get there because of a crash is frightening.

At 6:38 a.m. on January 19, 2016 a Greyhound bus coming from Los Angeles crashes in San Jose. The bus final destination was supposed to be Oakland. The roads were wet from the down pour of rain when the Greyhound bus approached the Highway 85 turnoff on northbound 101. A driver that was behind the bus saw the bus change lanes. Then unexpectedly the bus struck the impact barrels at the divider and landed on its side, the driver told CHP Officers. Officer Chris Miceli with the Hollister-Gilroy CHP office, said the Greyhound bus driver recalled "striking the median barrier and then the next thing he remembered was the bus at rest on its side and that's about all he could tell us." An investigation into what happened is underway. The two women who died were ejected out of the buses front window. According to CHP the bus had seat belts. I wonder why the two women were not wearing seat belts or were they and the belts failed?

What this meant for the people who commuted from Hollister, Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Martin on highway 101 northbound? Serious delays on all the connecting highways and roadways. I work for Streetwise Special Delivery Courier Service out of Gilroy as a dispatcher and the driver that was dispatched from Gilroy was delayed 2 hours for his pickups and deliveries. All the other commuters decided to take alternate routes and alternate routes were clogged as well.

My prayers go out to the families of the two women who lost their lives and to the others who were injured.

LM

http://abc7news.com/traffic/two-women-die-in-san-jose-greyhound-bus-crash/1165019/

San Francisco Police Officer’s Shoot Mario Woods 15 Times

San Francisco police surround Mario Woods before fatally shooting him, seen in a video screengrab shot on a mobile phone. Photo: Supplied

It has been an ongoing occurrence for decades that the African American males have to put up with racism. The racial profiling has gotten to be an everyday event. The police are killing them off at an alarming rate. It seems that once a week you hear about some police officers shooting to death an unarmed or an armed with a knife an African American male. It’s like a turkey shoot! This has to stop. U.S. police killings headed for 1,100 this year, with black Americans twice as likely to die. http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/01/us-police-killings-this-year-black-americans

On December 2, 2015 around 4:30p.m., on the same day as the massacre in San Bernardino. Mario Woods was standing up against the wall supposedly holding a 15- to 20-centimetre knife, surrounded by 6 racist police officers pointing their guns at him. Mario Woods tries to walk down the path, away from four officers but towards one officer who steps towards him, the camera turns away and at least 15 gunshots were heard. Now this was a prejudiced shooting and you can’t say that it wasn’t. These six San Francisco racist police wanted to shoot someone after what happened in San Bernardino. Watch these six S.O.B.’s will probably get away with it like they always do. It is a shame!

LM

http://www.smh.com.au/world/san-francisco-police-caught-on-camera-shooting-suspect-mario-woods-dead-20151204-glfcs3.html

San Bernardino California Will Be Forever Changed After The Shooting Of 35 Innocent People

                                         

Police and fire personnel secure the scene of a mass shooting at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015. Gina Ferazzi TNS

When I wake up in the morning, I always say thank you God for waking me up. I thought it was going to be a nice kick back day. Then I turned on the news and was saddened at what I was hearing. On Wednesday December 2, 2015 at 11a.m. in San Bernardino, California Syed Rizwan Farook 28 and Tashfeen Malik 27 a married couple armed with .223-caliber assault rifles, semiautomatic handguns, and explosives opened fire at the Inland Regional Center. A Social Services center that helps the disabled. They killed 14 people and injured 21. Authorities are now coming out and calling it what it is Terrorist! I believe Syed Farook went to his jobs holiday festivity for the Public Health Department determined to get into an altercation, for a weak excuse to go back. For him to go home and get his wife put on body armor, bring assault weapons, explosives shoot 35 people in cold blood was planned. After the two terrorist were shot and killed hours later in a shootout with police. Authorities went to these two sick individuals home in Redlands California and found a dozen pipe bombs, 2,000 9-millimeter handgun rounds, 2,500 .223-caliber assault rifle rounds and hundreds of tools. I think this shooting was a preview of what they had planned. Thank God they were killed before they caused any more bloodshed. I know that in the days to come we will find out more and who else was involved with this horrific act. This was the nation’s deadliest mass shooting since the assault on an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., nearly three years ago. Now will congress and the NRA going to do something about gun control? Probably not, because it is always about money. It should not be easy to get your hands on assault weapons. San Bernardino California will be forever changed after the shooting of 35 innocent people. My prayers go out to all the families that lost loved ones the injured and the City of San Bernardino.

David Bauman/Press-Enterprise via ZUMA
LM


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/us/san-bernardino-shooting.html
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/02/mass-shooting-in-san-bernardino.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-san-bernardino-shooting-main-20151203-story.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/us/san-bernardino-shooting-syed-rizwan-farook.html

San Francisco So Called Hot Cop Chris Kohrs’ Faces Felony Hit And Run Charges

Sitting here in San Jose California on a Sunny 45 degree morning listening to the news of this crazy world. One story that caught my ear, was the hot cop of the Castro in San Francisco arrested for a hit and run of two men. I thought what the heck, was this moron thinking. On November 30, 2015, 38 year old off duty police officer Christopher Kohrs was driving a Dodge Charger according police he struck two pedestrians, both were men in their 40s. This happened around 2 a.m. as the men crossed Broadway Street near Montgomery Street. What really got me was he had the never to flee the scene on foot. I know he didn’t think he was going to get away with it. Did all this fame go to his head and turn him into a complete idiot for him to forget all his police training. This moron is supposed to be a veteran. Authorities are investigating if he was in intoxicated. Da! Why else would police officer leave the scene, when he knows better? Hey, everyone wants their police to represent their communities. I guess you reap what you sow?
LM
http://www.mercurynews.com/san-francisco/ci_29187344/san-francisco-police-investigating-whether-hot-cop-accused?source=infinite-up
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_29180499/san-francisco-castros-hot-cop-arrested-hit-and?source=pkg
 

Turner Construction Fired from The Santa Clara Valley Medical Hospital Expansion Project

I live around the corner from Valley Medical Santa Clara Hospital in San Jose California. The company I work for Streetwise Special Delivery Courier Service in Gilroy, California has done business with some doctors there. One of the services we provide is medical courier, so we picked up blood and tissue samples and delivered for them. I remember when they broke ground on this expansion project in 2009. It has been almost 7 years now and it’s still not finished, it was supposed to be finished in September 2015. Santa Clara County officials were fighting Turner Construction Company in San Jose California, who was working on the expansion project. Turner Construction is the biggest construction company in the Santa Clara County they are accused of delays and costing Santa Clara County and its taxpayers $100,000 a day or some $36 million a year. I personally don’t care who’s at fault, they just need to get it done. Well, Santa Clara County fired Turner Construction. Santa Clara County officials have brought in the Bolt Company out of Wisconsin for $440,000. They are a general contractor reported by Santa Clara County staff to, “conduct a comprehensive assessment of the status of the project prior to engaging a replacement contractor, which will include an estimated cost to finish the job.” Santa Clara County officials haven’t hired the Bolt Company, but they have a good chance to get the project. They finished a project in 2009 which was the Sutter Health project in Sacramento. After Turner and Sutter parted ways. What I don’t understand is why Santa Clara County officials did not due their due diligence and find the right contractor in the first place. They were probably thinking Turner Construction because they are from San Jose and from Santa Clara County. Well that came back to bite them. This project has increased steadily since construction started in 2009. The original $290 million bid Turner was charging, jumped to $350 million. There were about $31 million in change orders incurred over the years and brought the budget to $380 million according to the county. It is unfortunate for us the tax payers but Santa Clara County officials were trying to do this project on the cheap. Like my mother used to say you get what you pay for. Just maybe sometime in 2016 this expansion project will get done. I guess we have to wait and see.

LM
 http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/10/06/new-general-contractor-to-examine-troubled-valley.html
http://abc7news.com/health/county-considers-firing-contractor-after-delays-in-sj-hospital-expansion/964446/

The Beginning of El Niño Is In Northern California

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Well it’s about time the rain is here! As I sit here looking out at the rain. It reminded me of the Dramatics song “I Wanna Go Outside In The Rain”. This is some good sleeping weather. San Jose is getting thunder and lightning with a steady down pour of rain, we so desperately need. Yes, the start of El Niño is here in Northern California. I have heard of El Niño over the years but I did not really know how came about. Well forensic meteorologist Jan Null is the founder of the Saratoga-based Golden Gate Weather Services consulting firm. He first encountered El Niño in 1982 and again in 1997. Null says, "El Niño, very simply, is a periodic warming of the tropical waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean," he explained. "That warming water influences some global weather patterns, and with the exception of the seasons. El Niño is probably the single most influential weather factor that happens on the planet." He also goes on to say, "The bottom line is it's a very strong El Niño. The stronger it is, the more it tilts to a wet winter in California in general," Null said. "The signal is less confident in Northern California, but as El Niño gets stronger the odds increase because a stronger El Niño pushes the boundary between at normal and above normal rainfall farther north." What does this mean for Northern and Southern California it could defiantly help with the drought situation? It is going to be mudslides and flooding in some areas in California because of all of the wild fires. Everyone get ready for a wet winter. For all you commuters slow down and take your time the streets and highways are slick.
LM
 http://www.mercurynews.com/los-gatos/ci_29072774/saratoga-los-gatos-meet-csi-weather-forecaster?source=infinite-up


 

Homeless Encampment Was Run Over By San Jose Sleepy Driver

After “The Jungle” largest homeless encampment was closed down by the City of San Jose on December 4, 2014, San Jose’s homeless population had to find anywhere they could to live. I have seen people living on sidewalks, in parks and highway off ramps. Early Monday morning October 12, 2015, a sleepy driver runs into a homeless encampment off ramp near Highway 87 and Capitol Expressway. Three people were hurt with minor injuries. It is a shame that the City of San Jose or the State of California allows the homeless to live in such a dangerous place. I was wondering when something like this was going to happen. Thank God no was killed. Next time it could be fatal consequences if the City of San Jose or State of California keeps allowing the homeless to live like this.
LM
http://www.contracostatimes.com/crime-courts/ci_27066590/jungle-san-jose-shuts-down-notorious-homeless-encampment
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_28957574/san-jose-sleepy-driver-crashes-into-homeless-encampment?source=infinite-up#disqus_thread

How Do You Fill About The End of Life Option Act?

The “Right to Die Bill” is something in my opinion is long overdue. I have always felt that if I’m lying there suffering with a terminal illness, I have the right to end my own life. I watched my mother suffer and I know how hard it was on her as well as the family.

Governor Jerry Brown of California signed the End of Life Option Act. This Bill grants terminally ill patients the right to end their lives with a doctor's help. California Governor Brown said, "In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death." "I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill." "And I wouldn't deny that right to others." My sentiments exactly, we as a people have more compassion for animals. We put them down when they are suffering. How come we can’t do that for human beings? If they are lying there suffering or they know it is no hope and they are going to get sicker. Like in the case of Brittany Maynard, she had to leave California and move to Oregon in order to get help to die on her own terms. There are only five states in the whole United States that have legalized physicians-suicide, Washington, Montana, Oregon, Vermont and now California. I know a lot of people are saying the End of Life Option Act is condoning suicide. I fell this is different, because what we call suicide is an act of someone that is depressed or hurt by someone or something and they fell they can’t go on and the intentionally take their life. This is something that will have supporters and non-supporters. It is what it is!
LM
http://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_28924368/brown-signs-right-die-law
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany_Maynard
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/11/02/brittany-maynard-/18390069/
https://rbncblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/08/california-becomes-the-fifth-state-to-take-the-bold-step/

Artist Antonio Ramos Murdered

Antonio Ramos working on the West Street Mural in Oakland (Courtesy: Attitudinal Healing Connection of Oakland)

It really makes me sad as well as mad, to hear about something that is very positive that people are doing and some nut case ruins it. What the heck is this world coming to? On Tuesday September 29, 2015 just after 10:30am, the Oakland Police were called to the underpass of 580 freeway at West Street and 35th Street that someone had been shot. When the police arrived, artist Antonio Ramos was lying there bleeding to death. The other artists that had been working alongside Antonio, said he got into an argument with a man who shot him and ran away. Police have not arrested any one at this time. They are interviewing witnesses, including artists who were with the victim and will review footage from surveillance cameras in the area. Antonio Ramos was working with the Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project, which is being organized by ArtEsteem, the art and literacy arm of Attitudinal Healing Connection, a West Oakland Group that seeks to stop violence by inspiring people with art and education. ArtEsteem is raising funds to complete the remaining murals through an Indiegogo campaign at, www.indiegogo.com/projects/oakland-superheroes-mural-project   R.I.P. Antonio Ramos you will be missed, but your art will live on.

LM
http://kron4.com/2015/09/29/artist-shot-to-death-while-working-on-mural-in-oakland/
http://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2015/09/29/artist-shot-killed-while-working-on-west-oakland-community-mural/

15 year old Adrian Jerry Gonzalez Murdered 8 year old Madyson Middleton

On Sunday July 26, 2015 Madyson Middleton was playing outside of her Tannery Arts Center apartments in Santa Cruz, California, like a normal 8 year old does in the summer. Little did she know, that someone she knew was plotting to end her life? Fifteen year old Adrian Jerry Gonzalez was that person. He lured her in his apartment and murdered her. What makes a 15 year old boy have such an urge to rape and strangle a small child? What has he been exposed to in his childhood? What is wrong with our youth? Where are the parents of these children? Parent your children! Teach them when they are babies. This is terrible all the way around! This little girl suffered at the hand of a child! Madyson should have graduated, become a mother and did things she dreamed of. She had a right to live! Her life was not Adrian Jerry Gonzalez to take. He STOLE from Madyson, her parents, siblings and her future children. He robbed an entire generation! May God have mercy? God Bless you Madyson Middleton.

LM

http://www.inquisitr.com/2288562/madyson-middleton/

http://ktla.com/2015/07/30/teen-accused-of-killing-madyson-middleton-allegedly-tied-up-beat-raped-and-strangled-her-da-report/

San Jose California Residents. Are You Conserving Water?

I have lived in San Jose, California all my life and every year there has been less and less rainfall. People start to panic and talk about being in a drought. Then it rains, floods, water levels rise everyone stops panicking. Yea! We have a drought going on now and maybe it will be the longest one ever. I’m not tripping on conserving water? The reason why, I rent a duplex and there is shared water which is included in the rent. I don’t know how much the other unit is using and I can’t do anything about it. The rent continues to go up every year to compensate for the rising cost of water. I have been water conscious all my life. Growing up in a household of seven, my parents had a large water bill to pay. We all  learned how to conserve. I don’t let the water run while brushing my teeth, washing dishes, taking a shower.I wash clothes once a week to conserve water.

For all San Jose residents, it’s illegal for you to wash your car with potable water. For you that don’t know what potable water is, it is drinking water. It is illegal to top off a residential swimming pool or hot tub more than 1 foot. San Jose’s Water Conservation Board has the nerve to say you can drain a hot tub or pool to fix the leak that’s legal. This is one of the stupidest thing I have ever heard, you can buy a pool or hot tub, but it is illegal to fill them. This one is real dumb, don’t put in a new lawn between May 1 and Oct. 31 if it has a sprinkler system. You can however install new grass only if you water it by hand or a with drip irrigation or with recycled water. What about the office buildings and schools that have been around for years with the old system of using drinking water to keep their grass green? Are they paying the fines? It seems to me no matter how you conserve or don’t conserve living in San Jose, California there will always be a drought.

LM

http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27994069/san-joses-new-drought-rules-how-they-will?source=infinite

http://www.mercurynews.com/spotlight/ci_28144890/california-drought-new-poll-finds-residents-think-its?source=top_stories_bar

Zully Broussard

I have to say, that every now and then a true Angel appears. That is what Zully Broussard is, an Angel. She decided to give a total stranger one of her Kidney’s and this sparked a chain reaction for six other patients to receive Kidney’s. It took place at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, with the support staff of 40 to do these surgeries on 12 people. The patients who received these donor Kidneys were on the deceased donor lists. There were three parents and child pairs, one sibling pair and one brother and sister-in-law pair. Thanks to a computer programmer named David Jacobs who was on the deceased donor list years ago who received a Kidney from a living donor. It is much easier and faster for doctors and their staff to coordinate multiple Kidney transplants. David Jacobs created a Match Grid that genetically matches donor pairs or chains quickly. David Jacobs said “When we did a five-way swap a few years ago, which was one of the largest, it took about three to four months. We did this in about three weeks”. He is another Angel, think of all the lives is program saved.

When I was sixteen years old I got my driver’s license. Back then on your license you received a card specify that you wanted to be an organ donor. You would attach to your license. Back then I was thinking if something would happen to me, at least I would help save someone’s life. Little did I know 20 years later I would be diagnosed with Kidney failure and put on the deceased donors list? I was on Dialysis for 5 years. Once I was on Dialysis I felt better but being on it for so long it took a toll on my body. The deceased donor list is a long list and the waiting is agonizing. It doesn’t really matter where you are on the list if a match comes up. The match goes to the sickest person. In my case, I was the sickest person so I received the Kidney from the deceased donors list. It will be 8 years October 28, 2015, one day after my birthday. Now I celebrate the day I was born and the day I was reborn.

It doesn’t have to be this way if more people like Zully Broussard of Fair Oaks California would give this generous gift of life. There are currently 123,175 people waiting for lifesaving organ transplants in the U.S. of these, 101,170 await kidney transplants according to the Organ Donation and Transplantation Statistic as of September 8, 2014. I’m a firm believer we are all connected, no matter what race we are. God Bless you Zully Broussard.

LM

http://fox40.com/2015/03/06/fair-oaks-womans-generosity-prompts-six-way-kidney-transplant/

https://www.kidney.org/news/newsroom/factsheets/Organ-Donation-and-Transplantation-Stats

Chris Brown and the Wild West at The Fiesta!!

Chris Brown and the Wild West at The Fiesta!!
By. Amero
The Fiesta was very un-festive on January 11th. Controversial singer/
rapper Chris Brown was on stage performing one of his singles “Loyal” on
stage as bullets tore through the crowd injuring five people. The KMEL
hosted ‘Capricorn Bash’ was held in San Jose, Ca at the Fiesta nightclub
on Monterey Rd. The Fiesta is long known for its inadequate security
measures in the past with several incidences that have occurred at other
venues. Why do people not value other peoples lives is a mystery to me.
First off security should at least search everybody including artists &
entourage. Second who goes out to have fun and brings a gun? I don't get
it. I was surprised that Chris Brown would do such a small venue as you
can see the stage is jam packed with security. Brown was on stage and in
videos online he is seen smiling as a fight breaks out he shouts on the mic”
them ni**as gettin it in”. What later ensued was bullets and blood and in the
end five people were shot. Four were taken to the hospital on site while
one person showed up to a hospital with injuries. Police have not made
any arrests but several party goers were detained for questioning. What's
so surprising is if you watch the video it seems as if everyone had their
camera out and recording but nobody has a picture of the shooter or
shooters. Fiesta has since been put on probation and also SJPD has
revoked Fiestas entertainment permit. The shooting is one of the latest
bumps in the road for Chris Brown. A judge recently revoked his probation
and the artist faces jail time for leaving Los Angeles County to do this show.
Browns attorney told the judge that his office had incorrectly advised Brown
that he could leave. Looks like its time for new representation Chris!! This
is tough for me to grasp because I love music its just that people need to
learn to separate reality and fiction. Music is an art form not a lifestyle to be
replicated. Just think what the world would be like if you went to an action
movie and people started shooting.All because the actor portrays a
gangster role in the movie and people wanna connect with the character.
Sounds dumb don't it? At least everyone left with their life and can go
home.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE CLOSURE

By. Amero
Yes yes people its 2015 and January is rolling by. Crazy how time flies. I'm here to spread the word about the closure of the world famous Golden Gate Bridge.The Bridge will be closed to install a movable median barrier which will provide a safer and more efficient system of separating opposing lanes of traffic. The bridge will be closed starting at 12:01 am on January 10th. And reopen Monday January 12 at 4:00 am. At least they didn't do the repairs during the holidays when traffic is at an all time high but The Bridge District is issuing a ‘no travel advisory’ that weekend, but if travel between San Francisco and the North Bay Area is necessary, there are several ways to get to your destination. 1. Golden Gate Transit bus service will be allowed to cross the Bridge. 2.Golden Gate Ferry will be offering expanded service that weekend, including late night service. 3. Just use an alternate route like the Richmond bridge or the Bay bridge. You can also ride your bike or walk across the 1.7 mile span of the bridge because the eastern side will remain open to pedestrians.What crews are working on is replacing the plastic tubes used to separate opposing lanes of traffic. During the heavy morning traffic southbound lanes are expanded to accommodate commuter traffic from the north into San Francisco and in the evening the tubes are shifted to allow north bound commuters out of San Francisco. The new barrier system will provide a safer and more efficient system of dividing opposing lanes of traffic.The barrier will be installed on the 1.7-mile-long Bridge and on the approach portion of Highway 101, north of the Golden Gate Bridge,starting at Alexander Avenue. Using transfer machines, the barrier will be moved several times a day to create more lanes in a particular direction to accommodate variable traffic demands. This new movable median barrier system will enhance safety by reducing the potential for crossover collisions and will allow the Bridge District to more efficiently reconfigure lane changes to optimize traffic operations on the bridge. This could not come any sooner because of the head on collisions occurring on the bridge. Streetwise Special Delivery Inc. will be open during the weekend for all your package deliveries in the bay area.

Remembering Robin McLaurin Williams

On August 11, 2014 the world lost one of the greatest comedic geniuses of our time. When my husband told me Robin Williams was found dead in his Paradise Cay home near Tiburon, California from an apparent suicide. My heart ached for Robin Williams and his family. People in his life said he suffered from depression. It is so heartbreaking that he felt that there was no one or anything worth living for anymore. Depression is a terrible illness. Robin Williams was born in was born in Chicago, Illinois. He moved with his family to Woodacre, California when he was 16. Robin Williams called the last forty something years in the San Francisco Bay Area his home. I never had the chance to see him in person doing standup comedy in the 1970s in the San Francisco area. He was such a funny man with a warm heart. I definitely remembering watching him on the Mork & Mindy television show. My all-time favorite movie of his was 'Mrs. Doubtfire'. Rest in peace Robin William’s thank you for the many years of laughter.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Williams

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/robin-williams-found-dead-in-possible-suicide-94474962212.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr0eJKN76MU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOYNrHTDDzY