Webb Isn't the Only Cover-Up

Re "Tangled Webb" (Cover Story, Dec. 6): What a great article! The statement "media noise is the new censorship" could not be closer to the truth.

The media noise on a daily basis is alive and well today. It happens right here in San Jose! Two instances that comes to mind are:

1. The fact that Cindy Chavez withheld information about the "Kroc Center," because she wanted it located in her district, and only her district; the council was unaware of the offer by the McDonald's Corp. to build a center for the needy in San Jose. Because the Salvation Army refused to displace several homeowners in the area Cindy had earmarked for the center, which was to be operated by the Salvation Army, she chose to withhold information about the center from the council until the deadline had passed. The Salvation Army obtained an extension of time but it was too late. The Mercury News reported the information last year but never mentioned it this year during the campaign.

2. Each and every year there is a "Bike Blessing" at the Rodeo Club on Coleman Avenue in San Jose, on Easter Sunday. This event has gone on for over 20 years. There have never been any problems at the bike blessing, but law enforcement in Santa Clara County has some extra money to throw away, and has almost as many police officers at the event as there are bikers. It is fun to watch the SWAT team, the uniformed officers, the undercover officers and other law enforcement officers staging their presence not only on the streets but the rooftops surrounding the event. Sure, they pick up people drinking and driving or under the influence of drugs, but not any more than on a normal day within the City of San Jose. Don't you think that the money would be better spent if they would convene in a neighborhood known by residents and law enforcement officers to be a known haven for all types of street drugs? They would make better use of the money if they would concentrate on a neighborhood's problems on a regular basis, showing up in numbers like they do at some of the biker events. What happened to common sense?

Ron Keffer, San Jose

Thanks, Froggy!

Re Logging issue at Los Gatos Creek watershed ("A Leg Up on Loggers," MetroNews, Dec. 6): Thanks so much for publishing that very informative article on a very important issue: to log or not to log. I am a longtime resident in the area in question and am strongly against this logging proposal. I believe with all the reading I've done that this logging proposal should be permanently rejected, as there are so many grounds against it. It's all about money, and the San Jose Water Co. should just do its job in providing the best water quality for the Santa Clara County Community, and not get into logging a watershed that has been protected for 100 years. Thanks to the red-legged frog for helping humans in more ways than one.

Loretta Swanson, Los Gatos

Watch for Hearing

Re San Jose Water logging proposal: I greatly appreciate your article. You mentioned many of the key elements which the public should be aware of, especially water quality and the impact of the spraying for weed control. I live in the Santa Cruz mountains and have been working hard to defeat this proposal, but it has been very hard to get articles in local newspapers until the past two weeks. The public hearing is to be scheduled soon, but the date and location are still not known. I would really like you to follow the developments and run a story to give the time and place so we can get a very good turnout for the only public hearing that will happen before the California Department of Forestry makes its final decision. Once the decision is in place, it will be in effect forever so the hearing is extremely important.

Joan Moore, Los Gatos

Monumental

Re "Erectus: Another Monument" (Silicon Alleys, Dec. 6): Thanks for your great article!! Dennis Erectus was a true pioneer and your article was right on track!

Tony Turino, Tampa, Florida

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