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News From Silicon Valley's Neighborhoods Win for Teachers Campbell--After a long contract negotiation, Campbell teachers will be getting a pay hike. According to school district representative Joyce Scilingo, salary increases are necessary in Campbell because teachers are not staying in the area and not being paid for their overtime work, and they deserve more compensation. "The students' needs and the teachers' needs were not being met with the schools so short-staffed," Scilingo says. Salary increases will apply for the 2001-2002 school year. Dangerous Roads Cupertino--In the wake of an accident which seriously injured two of its workers, Caltrans is begging drivers to slow down around work zones. Authorities say the driver struck the two employees and pinned them against a nearby garbage truck. The impact carried enough force to sever one worker's leg just below the knee and throw it out onto the road. According to Caltrans Public Information Officer Lauren Wonder, doctors decided they could not reattach the worker's leg, and had to amputate the area around the wound to a point just above his knee. On the Hot Seat Saratoga--At two separate, highly vitriolic meetings last week, citizens and firefighters from both the Saratoga Fire District and the Santa Clara County Fire Department made accusations and asked pointed questions of the SFD administration, the three fire commissioners and the fire chief. What started out as a dispute within the SFD has spilled into the community, angering locals who have become increasingly distrustful of the commissioners. Various residents accused the commissioners of trying to hide something, "stalling" on requesting a bid for fire and medical services from the county department, and being evasive in general. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]