Well, now we know … how to cover a story without cell or
land-line phones, sans the Internet, no-workie e-mail and an
occasional text message that somehow permeated Thursday’s
cyberspace wasteland. What a mess. It’s shoe-leather reporting and
thinking on your electronic feet
… Got the straight skinny from the folks on the street trying to
get cash from an ATM or buy groceries with a credit card. Learned
the gist of what happened from AT
&
amp;T’s PR post on Twitter and City Editor Chris Quirk updated
our Web site directly through an iPhone connection that bypassed
our South Valley Internet connection which, like everything else in
the South County world, did not work. Thanks to the city’s PR man
Joe Kline for dropping off a press release and to Gavilan College’s
information guru Jan Bernstein Chargin for delivering the quote of
the day:
”
This is definitely interesting. If there was a problem we’d have
to send smoke signals.
”
Such imagery.
Well, now we know … how to cover a story without cell or land-line phones, sans the Internet, no-workie e-mail and an occasional text message that somehow permeated Thursday’s cyberspace wasteland. What a mess. It’s shoe-leather reporting and thinking on your electronic feet … Got the straight skinny from the folks on the street trying to get cash from an ATM or buy groceries with a credit card. Learned the gist of what happened from AT&T’s PR post on Twitter and City Editor Chris Quirk updated our Web site directly through an iPhone connection that bypassed our South Valley Internet connection which, like everything else in the South County world, did not work. Thanks to the city’s PR man Joe Kline for dropping off a press release and to Gavilan College’s information guru Jan Bernstein Chargin for delivering the quote of the day: “This is definitely interesting. If there was a problem we’d have to send smoke signals.” Such imagery.
Semi-unbelievable are the letters union representatives sent to the city following the City Council’s decision to deep freeze so-called merit increases – merit increases which are, for all intents and purposes, being considered entitlements by the unions. Wrote representative Jim Buessing, secretary/treasurer for the local fire union: “The action of the City Council to unilaterally freeze performance step or merit increases in contravention of the agreement between IAFF Local 2805 and the City of Gilroy violates both the contract and bargaining obligations … Accordingly, please consider this both a grievance and a demand to bargain over the decision.” … Hmmm, how about a taxpayer grievance: the pay and benefit rates for firefighters, for example, are out of control and utterly unsustainable. We demand that our City Council courageously do something to bring about balance to the equation. Take three of our fire battalion chiefs – one went from $136,624 in 2007 to $188,666 in 2008, a $52,042 increase. Another went from $136,624 to $188,666 in the same time span and then there’s the poor brother who received $131,508 in 2007 and only got a $31,440 raise in 2008 moving up to a paltry $162,948. Goodnight, who’s minding the store?
Minding the raging debate, finally, on our comments section about City Hall employees’ salaries and benefits are ordinary Joes who’ve had enough. It’s a healthy sign that the public is very much becoming re-engaged with what’s going on locally and enraged with the answers. It’s going to be a campaign issue for every Council candidate for the foreseeable future. The public safety employees who now enjoy general good will from the public – and the City Council – should take great care not to jeopardize that. It is unconscionable that in this environment, with a rising tide of unemployment and rapidly declining city revenues, for the city’s union members to vehemently protest. Really, the choice for the City Council is to cut more public safety employees or try to hold the line on costs. They’re trying to do what’s best for residents which is clearly what the unions should be, but aren’t considering.
Considering that there are college scholarships for local students on the line, why not make the big sacrifice and have a breakfast cooked up by the Italians on Sunday, April 26 at the St. Mary Church Hall. Bring la Famiglia. For $6 – or $4 for children – you get sausage, pancakes, eggs, juice, coffee and a good feeling in your belly about helping to educate worthy young people.
Worthy young people like those Gilroy High School Chamber Choir students who sang at Carnegie Hall recently. If you want to see and hear incredibly hard-working students put on an amazing performance check out our top-notch video by reporter Sara Suddes who accompanied the group to New York. It’s on our web site.
All over the Web now is Gilroyan and NFL signal caller Jeff Garcia, who graciously chose to speak to the local newspaper after signing a contract with the Oakland Raiders this week. Good to have him close to home and I’m sure his parents, Bobby and Linda, are thrilled. Look out, here come those “JG” Raiders’ caps. No doubt they’ll be available at Stubby’s Sports Bar.
Haven’t seen “Big John” Vickroy and his brother Pat at Stubby’s, but if you happen to be in our sister city Angra do Heroismo Portugal at festival time the two seasoned – and we do mean salted and seasoned – Garlic Festival chefs will be cooking up the clove as representatives for Gilroy. No word on whether the 2009 Garlic Festival queen and her supporting cast will get to make the trip, too. But Greg Bozzo, we’re told, is going to be the advance man for the Vickroys. Now that’s a tough job.
Speaking of the Garlic Festival, the word is that what once was shall be again. The festival offices will be moving back beside the Chamber of Commerce offices apparently as the festival’s new and soon-to-be former locale at the failed 7600 Monterey residential/commercial downtown condominium project goes on the auction block. Apologies to Fest Director Brian Bowe for not calling about this item, but the phones were, in point of fact, down …
Don’t need a phone to help out the Rotary Club and brighten up your landscape with incredibly beautiful flowers. Grab a cup of Joe and head out early Saturday to Goldsmith Seeds, 2280 Hecker Pass. Festivities start at 8 a.m. Bring a Ben Franklin along.
