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Top Stories: Aug. 13, 2010

Fast Trains and Nazis; Oracle Sues Google; Minaret Gets Go-ahead; Safety Questions Following Trace Fire

by Danny Wool on Aug 13, 2010
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San Jose Receives Biogas Grant
In 2009, San Jose decided that one of the best ways to become energy independent was to be the first city in the U.S. to generate its electricity through an organics-to-energy biogas facility. This vision will come a step closer when the city receives a $1.9 million grant from the California Energy Commission to construct a biomethane production demonstration project.

The new facility will be built in partnership with Massachusetts-based Harvest Power Inc. It will be located near the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant. Energy produced by the conversion of organic waste into energy will be sold to the electric power grid.
Read More at the Business Journal.
Read More at DomesticFuel.com.


Fast Trains and Nazis
Finally, there’s some agreement on California’s $45 billion high speed rail project. On Thursday, the State Senate voted in support of AB619, which should hit Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk no later than next week.

The new law states that companies seeking to win a contract with the state over the construction of the new rail line must disclose whether, 65 years ago, they were involved in any way with the transportation of Jews and others to Nazi concentration or death camps. The bill does not, however, mandate that the rail authority can reject these companies as a result of this disclosure. While the bill passed almost unanimously at 31-1, it is unclear how it helps move the project ahead.
Read More at NBC Bay Area.


Trace School Fire Raises Questions about San Jose Unified’s Safety Policies
When the devastating fire broke out just before dawn at Trace Elementary school, a local official was immediately notified … by email. To put it simply, the fire broke out, and an email was sent to the official, who was still lying in bed, fast asleep. Presumably, the official would only have found out after he woke up, had his first cup of coffee, showered, and turned on his computer, or whatever his daily schedule might be.

There was no phone call, either to him or to the school district’s Central Station, which monitors such commonplace alerts such as burglar and fire alarms when officials are off work or asleep.

The district says that officials are no longer notified by phone because there were too many false alarms in the past. In fact, the school district makes use of a legal loophole that exempts it from installing proper fire alarms and smoke detectors in classrooms, when they are built or renovated using local funding. A report in today’s Merc concludes that the San Jose Unified School District is exceptional among school districts in claiming these exemptions.

The district’s a new superintendent, Vincent Matthews, has stated that he plans to launch a thorough investigation into the failings of the fire-protection system. One possible measure that Matthews has already suggested is a review of its contract with Cosco Fire Protection and its subcontractor, California Security Alarms, the companies that provides fire alarms to the school district.
Read More at The Mercury News.


Santa Clara Minaret Gets Go-ahead
The Santa Clara Planning Commission voted unanimously to allow the construction of a 64-foot minaret alongside a mosque located in a light-industrial park. On Wednesday, SanJose.com reported that local business owner Tom Scott contested the construction of the tower, claiming that it would be an eyesore in the industrial area, and contribute to traffic and parking problems. Since the minaret would not be used for its traditional function—to call the faithful to prayer—there was no suggestion that it would also be too noisy.

Now that the decision has passed the Planning Commission, opponents of the mosque—in this case, Tom Scott—have one last chance to voice their opposition, when the matter receives final approval from Santa Clara City Council.
Read More at NBC Bay Area.


Oracle Takes on Google
Google has been getting a lot of flack lately, mostly because of the two-Internets plan it announced with Verizon last week, and its efforts to compete with Facebook. The latest challenge comes from Oracle, another Silicon Valley giant, which is suing Google for patent infringement.

In a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Oracle claims that Google's Android system for mobile phones uses patented Java technology, which it acquired the Java programming language and related technologies when it bought Sun Microsystems.

Altogether, Oracle argues, Google has infringed on seven of its patents. The lawsuit also contends that Google should have known this, since it hired a number of senior Sun engineers over the past few years.

Google spokesperson Andrew Pederson refused to comment on the lawsuit, saying that the company is still reviewing the charges.
Read More at CBS 5.
Read More at the Business Journal.


BRE Acquires Fountains
San Francisco-based BRE Properties announced that it has just acquired Fountains at River Oaks, an 8.18 acre property just off the Montague Expresway in San Jose containing 24 two and three story buildings.

The property reportedly cost $50.3 million, and BRE assumed an existing $32.5 million secured mortgage loan, which matures in 2019. The loan has a 5.74 percent interest rate. BRE said it plans to restore the community over the coming years, citing its proximity to major Silicon Valley employers as the motivation for the acquisition.
Read More at the Business Journal.



by Danny Wool on Aug 13, 2010
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