Saturday, May 19, 2012
Celebration at Facebook's Menlo Park office kicks off first day of trading.
Big smiles adorned the faces of Facebook employees Friday morning, as the Menlo Park-based social networking giant began trades shares on the public market. In the hours after the market opened, Facebook shares erased nearly 18 percent of their early gains, Reuters reported. But Facebook, headquartered in neighboring Palo Alto for years, still raised nearly $18.4 billion in one of the biggest IPOs in history. At their new headquarters in Menlo Park, CEO Mark Zuckerberg rang the morning trading bell before hugging and high-fiving COO Sheryl Sandberg and other employees, according to Reuters. Locally, the impact of a generation of employees becoming overnight millionaires has led to speculation about the dizzying heights of the local …
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Senator Dianne Feinstein is crushing the competition when it comes to campaign cash.
Danville's Elizabeth Emken may be California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein's closest GOP rival but, in terms of cash, everyone is eating the incumbent's dust. The San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofoli reported (April 17), "DiFi is outraising the entire Republican field by about a gazillion to one in the latest fundraising totals. That includes her closest GOP rival — Danville autism activist Elizabeth Emken, who was endorsed by the CA GOP." He says that Feinstein has, so far, raised $11.4 million, with $7.2 million cash on hand, while Emken has only $301,278, with $252,003 on hand. There is quite a difference between the two, as you can see. But, as Emken told the Chron back in February, she's not insane for running against …
Thursday, March 29, 2012
GOP Republican nominee Rick Santorum will be in Alamo Thursday for a fundraiser. Admission is between $125 and $2,500.
Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum will be in Alamo on Thursday. A fundraiser is being thrown in his honor at the private residence of Ubokia.com CEO Mark Pine and his wife, Becky. In an attempt to cover the fundraiser, Patch emailed Congressman Bill Baker and Golden Gate Tea Party founder Bridget Melson, who are among the hosts of the event. Melson said the media is not being allowed in without paying admission, at the homeowners' request. Media will have the opportunity to wait outside of the event and potentially interview guests and, maybe, Santorum. Melson added that they are doing their best to be as media friendly as possible. Admission to the event ranges from $125 to $2,500. For those who pay $2,500, the event starts at 6:45 p.m. …
Friday, March 16, 2012
Mayor pro tem rejects as 'absurd' suggestion of tilt toward Safeway.
Walnut Creek Mayor Pro Tem Kish Rajan said the Shadelands Advisory Committee process is operating in a way to protect the community interest. Rajan, responding to criticism about his role in the Shadelands Advisory Committee in a Patch letter to the editor by community activist Justin Wedel, suggested the barbs are unfair to the volunteer committee members. "I have said consistently that this process is an effort to define a potential development that could blend the property owner's (Safeway's) interests with the interests and needs of the community," wrote Rajan in an email. "We would not have insisted upon a specific plan process, with an advisory committee, if we didn't want to protect the community interest." "I am very grateful to …
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Here's what Contra Costa voters will see on their ballots in the June primary.
On June 5, Californians for the first time will vote in an open primary. The top two vote-getters in a race will move on to the November general election, whether they are from the same party or not. In addition, this will be the first election with the new congressional, state Senate and Assembly districts approved last fall by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. They officially take effect in January. You can look at the new districts at this website. The Contra Costa elections department website is here. Below are the races people in Contra Costa County will see on their June ballot. Patch will provide more coverage of these races between now the primary. CONGRESS 11th District The new district is primarily in Contra Costa…
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Emken is "definitely in," her campaign consultant says, becoming the incumbent's first GOP challenger.
Elizabeth Emken, a 2010 Republican congressional candidate and a national advocate for children with autism, has launched a campaign for Dianne Feinstein's U.S. Senate job. Emken has created a website asserting that voters want a new senator because they believe the current incumbent has failed. "Now, more than ever, America needs a new direction in Washington," Emken, 48, says on her website. The Oakland Tribune reports Emken also has formed a campaign committee and hired campaign staffers. Her campaign consultant Tim Clark told the Sacramento Bee that "she's definitely in." Emken finished fourth out of four in the 2010 GOP primary for the House seat held by incumbent Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton. Emken said she left corporate America …
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The long-time elected official says she will retire when her current term ends as Contra Costa County supervisor
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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Bay City News Service After two decades of public service in Contra Costa County, Supervisor Gayle Uilkema announced Tuesday that she plans to retire at the end of her term in January 2013. The supervisor, who also served for 19 years as a Lafayette City Council member with four terms as mayor, said she simply felt it was time to leave office. "I've been very privileged to have public support for over 30 years, and I'm grateful to the public for their faith in me," Uilkema said, stressing she plans to provide the same level of representation for constituents during her last 14 months in office. "I felt that it was important to let people know so that we can have a spirited election," she added. Over the next year, the supervisor said she …
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Women leaders join Mayor Cindy Silva for official proclamation.
The Walnut Creek City Council meeting Tuesday began with a celebration of women. Mayor Cindy Silva issued a proclamation urging citizens to celebrate Oct. 10 as the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in California. Silva was joined at the front of the council chambers by several of her predecessors as mayor and members of the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley. League President Lee Lawrence said that, a century ago, after many local suffrage organizations succeeded in winning the 1911 suffrage vote, they transformed themselves in leagues of women voters. The 1911 vote in California was close — suffrage passed by 2 percent, said Silva. "Walnut Creek would not be the city it is today without the women who — way way way…
Friday, August 26, 2011
Demonstration season heats up in Walnut Creek and Contra Costa County as 2012 campaign looms.
A doughty group of seven East Bay TEA Party/Patriot activists waved signs at Friday afternoon commuters on Ygnacio Valley Road near Walnut Creek BART. A rotation of Contra Costa sites will get the Friday commute treatment now as the 2012 election season moves into first gear, said Jane Henderson of Concord. "Because we love America," said her colleague along Ygnacio Valley Road, Carol Coates of Danville. The Friday sites are due to include Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Danville, San Ramon, Blackhawk and Bishop Ranch. "I'm very libertarian," said Henderson. "I'm interested in way less government. I'm interested in lower taxes. I'm interested in fewer regulations. I want the government to stay out of the kitchen, out of the home, away from the …
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Ygnacio Valley Rd & N California Blvd, Walnut Creek, CA
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Friday, July 29, 2011
Congressman says he will run for new district in central Contra Costa County
Congressman George Miller is ready to represent central Contra Costa County again. Rep. John Garamendi may be headed north while Rep. Jerry McNerney seeks re-election eastward. That's the scenario that has developed due to the new congressional districts being proposed by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission today. The commission is drawing up new districts for Congress, state Senate, state Assembly and the state Board of Equalization. They officially released their final preliminary maps this morning. The commission will take public input over the next two weeks. They are scheduled to approve those maps on Aug. 15. Miller's current district consists of Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg, San Pablo and Richmond as well as Vallejo …
Mary Anne Clark
3:17 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
I think there might be a serious problem in the Design Review Office and with the design review process. Once a decision is made, it is impossible to have it reversed, even if the design review was in error (we residents of Rossmoor are finding that to be true; notification process was faulty). This means that any corporate entity can slip something under the noses of the Community Development … more ›