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Murdered Pleasanton man wins GOP central committee seat

Ernie Scherer of Pleasanton, who was found brutally murdered with his wife on March 14 in their home, has been elected posthumously to the Alameda County Republican Central Committee.

Scherer had received 4,758 votes as of Monday’s tally at the Alameda County election web site.

Voters were to choose six people among nine candidates and Scherer came in third place behind David Latour and Douglas Miller.

The Central Committee must now vote to appoint someone to fill the vacancy.

In order of votes, the other candidates were: Brian Eschen, Deslar Patten, Christopher Kuhn, Daniel Byards, Andrew Latour and Gregg Byars.

The police still have no arrested any suspects in the Scherer murder case, according to a recent story in the Contra Costa Times.

Posted on Monday, June 9th, 2008
Under: 2008 June primary, Alameda County, Republican politics | 3 Comments »

2008 Election: Primary candidate list

Here’s an updated candidate list for the June 3 primary election.

The list that appeared Tuesday in the Contra Costa Times was incomplete because the election clerks were still finishing up the signature verifications over the weekend and on Monday as we prepared our list for publication.

This list is still considered preliminary. The counties will issue their certified list on March 27 but the names probably won’t change.

ON THE BALLOT
The following people have qualified to appear on the June 3 primary ballot. In the partisan races, the top vote-getter in each party will advance to the Nov. 4 general election. In the county supervisor races, the candidate that receives 50 percent plus 1 vote will win the seat outright. If not, the top two-voter getters will hold a run-off in November.

(I) indicates incumbent

CONGRESS
U.S. Rep., District 7: (Pittsburg to North Richmond and portions of Solano County from Vacaville to Benicia) George Miller, Democrat (I); Virginia Fuller and Roger Petersen, Republicans; Camden McConnell, Libertarian; William Callison, Peace and Freedom
U.S. Rep. District 9: (Eastern Alameda County from Berkeley to Oakland to Castro Valley) Barbara Lee, Democrat (I); James Eyer, Libertarian; Charles Hargrave, Republican
U.S. Rep., District 10: (Lamorinda, Walnut Creek, eastern Contra Costa County, portions of Solano County from Dixon to Suisun City and Livermore) Ellen Tauscher, Democrat (I); Nicholas Gerber, Republican; Eugene Ruyle, Peace and Freedom
U.S. Rep., District 11: (San Ramon Valley, portions of the Tri-Valley, western San Joaquin County and a sliver of western Santa Clara County) Jerry McNerney, Democrat (I); Dean Andal, Republican
U.S. Rep., District 13: (Southern Alameda County from San Leandro to the countyline and eastward to parts of Pleasanton) Fourtney “Pete” Stark, (I); Democrat; Raymond Chui, Republican

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE
Senate, District 7: (Most of Contra Costa County except Richmond) Mark DeSaulnier, Democrat; Christian Amsberry, Republican
Senate, District 9: (Richmond and stretches south through Berkeley, Piedmont, Oakland and eastward to Castro Valley, Dublin, Livermore and the county line) Marsha Feinland, Peace and Freedom; Wilma Chan, Democrat; Loni Hancock; Democrat, Claudia Bermudez,Republican
Assembly, District 11: (Northern Contra Costa Costa County from Antioch westward to Pinole) Tom Torlakson, Democrat; Elizabeth Hansen, Republican
Assembly, District 14: (Richmond and stretches eastward to Pleasant Hill, Lamorinda and Berkeley) Tony Thurmond, Nancy Skinner, Kriss Worthington, Phil Polakoff, Democrats
Assembly, District 15: (Portions of Sacramento County from Elk Grove south, western San Joaquin County, far eastern Contra Costa County, Livermore and the San Ramon Valley) Joan Buchanan, and Ted Ford, Democrats; H. Abram Wilson, Robert Rao, Scott Kamena and Judy Biviano Lloyd, Republicans.
Assembly, District 16: (Oakland, Alameda and Piedmont) Sandre Swanson, Democrat (I); James Faison, Republican
Assembly, District 18: (Dublin, portions of Pleasanton, Castro Valley, Hayward and San Leandro) Mary Hayashi (I); and Jason Termamoto, Democrats; Lou Filipovich, Republican
Assembly District 20: (Fremont, Union City, Newark, Milpitas, and portions of Hayward, Castro Valley, Sunol, Pleasanton, and San Jose): Alberto Torrico (I),Democrat; Jeffrey Wald, Republican.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, District 2: (Lamorinda, portion of Walnut Creek, Hercules, Pinole, Crockett and Rossmoor) Gayle Uilkema (I)
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, District 3: (Portions of Walnut Creek, San Ramon Valley, southern and far eastern Contra Costa County) Mary Nejedly Piepho (I) and Guy Houston
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, District 5: (Bethel Island, Antioch, Pittsburg, Bay Point and Oakley) Federal Glover (I); Don Parscal, Erik Nunn, Gary Agopian and Mary Rocha.
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 1: Patricia Scanlon (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 2: George Spanos (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 3: Charles Treat (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 4: Lewis Davis (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 5: Suzanne Fenstermacher (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 6: Diana Smith (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 7: Harlan Grossman (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 8: Cheryl Mills (I)
Contra Costa County Superior Court, District 9: Bruce Mills (I)
Contra Costa Democratic Central Committee (includes only districts for which more candidates have filed than seats open):
District 2 (vote for 5): Robert Nolan, Linda Kilday, Herman Blackmon (I), Diddo Clark (I), John Hall, Rich Verrilli (I), Maria Alegria, Robert Klein, Kathy Klein, Craig Cataline, Michael Menesini, Christine Kiernan.
District 3 (vote for 4): Christine McGinnis, Barbara Rainwater, Ellen Nelson, Frank Quattro (I), Raymond Link (I), Rao Kaza and Penny Denenberg
n District 4 (vote for four): Marie McDonald (I), Carlyn Obringer (I), Rebecca Barrett, Brian Lawrence, Chuck Carpenter (I)
n District 5 (vote for four): George Van Hasselt (I), Greg Enholm (I), Richard Mossman, Angel Luevano (I), Rosa Davila-Luevano,
Contra Costa Republican Central Committee (includes only districts for which more candidates have filed than seats open):
District 1: (vote for two) Derek Daniels (I), Richard Hallock (I), Ted Hudacko
District 2: (vote for six) Steve Le Gardeur (I), Stephen Sonaty, Tom Del Beccaro (I), Edward Gorzynski Jr. (I), Tom Fryer (I), Virginia Fuller, Jonathan Del Arroz
District 3: (vote for six) Jo Anne Erickson (I), Christopher Becnel, Terri Tonge (I), Matthew Del Carlo, Greg Poulos (I), Eugene Kreps (I), Joseph Rubay (I), Ken Hambrick, Becky Kolberg, Larry Kaye, Yvette Abreu (I), Gretchen Medel, Michael Caporusso, Charles Handwork, Sean Ackley
District 4: (vote for 4) Elizabeth Hansen (I), Phyllis Stout, Patty O’Day (I), Bill Gram-Reefer, Grace Ellis (I), Karen Luethke, Barry Cunningham, Darcy Linn (I), Jun Dam, Sean Brennan

ALAMEDA COUNTY
Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 1: (Livermore, Pleasanton, most of Fremont, the eastern-most portion of Dublin and unincorporated areas of eastern Alameda County) Scott Haggerty (I)
Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 4: (East Oakland, Oakland Hills, Castro Valley, Ashland, Cherryland, Fairview and Dublin) Nate Miley (I); Steve White
Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 5: (Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont and large portions of west Oakland, Rockridge and Montclair), Keith Carson (I)
Alameda County Board of Education, District 2: DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 12. NO ONE QUALIFIED AS OF MARCH 11
Alameda County Board of Education, District 3: Ken Berrick
Alameda County Board of Education, District 5: Fred Sims (I)
Alameda County Board of Education, District 6: Eileen McDonald (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 1: Kathleen Banke (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 2: Morris Beatus (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 3: Steven Brick (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 4: Carol Brosnahan (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 5: Leopoldo Dorado (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 6: Dan Grimmer (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 7: Joseph Hurley (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 8: Morris Jacobson (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 9: Dennis Reid, Victoria Kolakowski, Philip Daly, Dennis Hayashi
Alameda County Superior Court, District 10: Robert Kurtz (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 11: Robert McGuiness (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 12: Dennis McLaughlin (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 13: Barbara Miller (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 14: Kevin Murphy (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 15: Vernon Nakahara (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 16: Stephen Pulido (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 17: Frank Roesch (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 18: Harry Sheppard (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 19: Winifred Smith (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 20: Trina Thompson (I)
Alameda County Superior Court, District 21: Alice Vilardi (I)

SOLANO COUNTY
Solano County Board of Supervisors, District 5: (Western Solano County, Dixon and Rio Vista) Mike Reagan (I); Judith Everett; Skip Thomson, James Williams

Posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008
Under: 2008 June primary, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Solano County politics | 5 Comments »

In the words of Bob Taylor …

Last week’s firestorm over the Berkeley City Council’s now-withdrawn resolution asking Marine recruiters to leave town inspired a strong reaction from Brentwood Mayor Robert “Bob” Taylor, a colorful leader known for speaking about himself in the third person.

He is inviting any military personnel in need of a meal or a warm bed to come on over to his house.

Here’s what he said:

The Mayor of Brentwood, Robert Bob” Taylor, firmly believes we should be in total support of all our people in uniform. The mayor welcomes our servicepeople to our town and should they need lodging or a home cooked meal, (they are) more than welcome to spend the time at the mayor’s home and be shown the gratitude they so deserve.

Thus, these are the words of Mayor Robert “Bob” Taylor

Amen and what’s for supper, Bob?

Posted on Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Under: Alameda County, Contra Costa politics | No Comments »

Houston still mad at Berkeley

Assemblyman Guy Houston, R-San Ramon, says he’s dissatisfied with the Berkeley City Council’s failure to apologize to the U.S. Marines for its now-withdrawn resolution to boot the military out of town. He still wants to strip the the city of its state road money.

Practically speaking, Houston’s stance means nothing. It’s highly unlikely that the Legislature will punish all Berkeley residents for the actions of its council.

But politically, Houston has gotten quite a media ride out of this controversy. He’s the last remaining Republican serving in a partisan elected office in the Bay Area and the job fell quite naturally into his lap.

Here’s what his office put out a few minutes ago:

On Tuesday evening, the Berkeley City Council revisited its controversial actions taken against the U.S. Marine Corps. The Council made no apologies for its anti-Marine Corp resolutions and will continue its policy to give public resources to Code Pink for obstructing Marine recruitment. Therefore, Assemblyman Guy Houston (R-San Ramon) will move forward with his proposal to suspend $3.3 million in transportation funding to the City of Berkeley.

“The Council did not make any meaningful changes last night. They are continuing to limit free speech while depriving people of the public right of way,” said Assemblyman Houston. “Their publicly funded streets should not be given away to Code Pink to further its own agenda. Therefore, I will be moving forward with my legislation to suspend Berkeley’s transportation funding.”

The Berkeley City Council voted to rescind an item calling for the city manager to send a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps calling the Corps “uninvited and unwelcome intruders” in the city but did not address other resolutions.

“Berkeley’s City Council has granted anti-military activists a public resource to assist in barricading the Marine recruitment office,” said Houston. “The Council let stand its violation of the public trust by setting aside a public parking spot for Code Pink.”

The City of Berkeley is scheduled to receive approximately $3.3 million in transportation funding over the next two years from Proposition 1B. The legislation will call for that funding to be suspended until Berkeley rescinds its January 29, 2008 resolution.

Posted on Thursday, February 14th, 2008
Under: Alameda County, Contra Costa politics | No Comments »

Houston zaps Berkeley

Assemblyman Guy Houston, R-San Ramon, has joined the chorus of critics lining up to shoot the Berkeley City Council — politically speaking, of course — for its recent decision to boot the U.S. Marine recruiting station out of downtown.

The City Council will reconsider on a Tuesday a decision that has engendered backlash that even Berkeley has been unable to withstand.

Here’s Houston’s press release and you’ll find a link to his YouTube statement on the subject below:

Assemblyman Guy Houston (R-San Ramon) announced that he will introduce legislation that will strip transportation funding from the City of Berkeley until the City Counsel rescinds its January 29, 2008 anti-military resolution. On January 29th, 2008 the City of Berkeley took the extraordinary action of approving a resolution that will result in a letter being sent to the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps that their Marine recruiting office is not welcome in the City of Berkeley, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do “so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”

“I cannot stand by and do nothing while the City of Berkeley declares war on the United States Marine Corps,” said Houston. “The Marines, and all of our branches of the military, deserve the honor of our elected officials, not their scorn.”

The City of Berkeley is scheduled to receive approximately $3.3 million in transportation funding over the next two years from Proposition 1B. The legislation will call for that funding to be suspended until Berkeley rescinds its January 29, 2008 resolution.

Furthermore, the City’s approved resolution applauds “residents and organizations such as Code Pink, that may volunteer to impede, passively or actively, by nonviolent means, the work or any military recruiting office located in the City of Berkeley.” However, this “nonviolent means” has resulted in people chaining themselves to one another in order to physically obstruct people from entering that Marine Corps recruiting office.

Posted on Friday, February 8th, 2008
Under: Alameda County, California Legislature | 6 Comments »

Read dispatches from the campaign parties

The Bay Area News Group sent three reporters out into the field tonight to the campaign parties. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough room in the print edition for all their fine work.

But here are the full dispatches from reporter Ryan Huff of the Contra Costa Times, political reporter Josh Richman from the Oakland Tribune and Valley Times reporter Lea Blevins.

FROM JOSH RICHMAN AT OBAMA’S PARTY IN SAN FRANCISCO

Hundreds of Obama supporters thronged the Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel atop San Francisco’s Nob Hill, cheering each time another state was called for their candidate.

Some posed for snapshots next to cardboard cutouts of the candidate, most mixed and mingled; all looked somewhat relieved this hard-fought California battle was coming to an end.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, the first House member from California to endorse Obama and his national campaign’s western regional co-chairwoman, said seeing CNN call

California for Clinton didn’t dampen her spirits, as Obama still was projected to win a significant chunk of delegates here and had done very well in other states.

“I’m very excited, very pleased,” she said while traveling from the Fairmont back to Oakland for an unofficial Obama volunteers’ party. “I think people recognize that our nation really needs to heal.”

Tuesday’s record turnout reflects that voters “still believe in our country… they want a new direction.”

Federico “Freddy” Chavez, nephew of revered union and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, took the Fairmont Hotel party’s podium with a loud “Si se puede - yes we can!”

“Don’t be disheartened by what CNN is putting out here,” he said, gesturing to the huge projection screen behind him. “The real fight is for delegates, and we are getting delegates!”

“Tonight does not mark the end of anything,” Tony West of Oakland, a leading California fundraiser and volunteer for Obama, told the crowd. “It is not over tonight, we have a long way to go.”

Offstage, West said he’ll continue raising money for Obama and will “play any role that is helpful to him.”

That includes flying to Chicago later this week to be part of the national campaign’s discussion on “the long, hard slog to the nomination” still ahead. “Because California gave us the delebates we needed, that could prove decisive at the end of the day… We don’t know yet, it’s too early,” he said.

But, he added, the fact that all eyes were on California this Super Tuesday, and that so many states will play pivotal roles this year, is “tremendous and exhilarating.” Moments later, another cheer went up as CNN called Missouri for Obama.

FROM LEA BLEVINS IN PLEASANTON

By 9:15 p.m., McCain supporters gathered at the Hop Yard Alehouse in Pleasanton were already trickling home after the news that their candidate had a strong edge in California.

The boisterous alehouse setting provided a base for McCain campaign volunteers from throughout the Bay Area.

Televisions blared loudly as supporters sipped wine and congratulated one another, surrounded by McCain campaign signs on the walls.

“We’re just ecstatic,” said Don Nelson, San Francisco regional chairman for McCain. “We’re having an excellent night.” Danville resident Jeff Elfont, Contra Costa County chairman for McCain, said about 40 people from all over the Bay Area came out to watch the results in Pleasanton but many were already heading home once TV stations began predicting a win for McCain in California.

Elfont said he was disappointed to see Huckabee take the lead in Georgia and Tennessee over McCain but was staying positive.

“Often in life, you don’t get everything,” he said.

Across town in the Koll Center business park, about 15 campaign volunteers for Romney gathered to cheer on their candidate as they watched Fox News.

Campaign volunteer Leslie Barkdull of Pleasanton organized the party that included two rooms for news viewing, snacks and red, white and blue balloons.

Despite McCain’s lead in a number of states, Romney’s supporters were focusing on their candidate’s accomplishments thus far. “It’s exciting to see the results come in,” Barkdull said. “Our hard work is paying off.”

Pleasanton resident Judy Symcox likened the primary race to the Super Bowl, saying the end of Super Tuesday meant we were only headed into the third quarter.

“Did the Patriots have it won at half time?,” Symcox said. “I don’t think so.”

RYAN HUFF IN SAN FRANCISCO AT CLINTON’S CAMPAIGN PARTY

Hillary Clinton’s volunteers and supporters gathered at her Northern California campaign headquarters in downtown San Francisco. More than 150 people walked up a creaky staircase to the third floor of a commercial building to huddle shoulder-to-shoulder around two television sets tuned to CNN.

As network anchors projected Clinton as the winner of various states, the crowd waved blue signs and chanted “HILL-A-RY! HILL-A-RY!”

Clinton’s California campaign director, Ace Smith, told an energetic audience that maybe it was time to put a spin on one of Obama’s trademark chants.

“We’ve heard a slogan tonight of ‘Yes we can!’ How about a new slogan? Yes she can!” Smith shouted over a PA system.

Many Bay Area residents like Stephanie McMurtrie volunteered for the first time on a presidential campaign.

“I’ve always voted, but I wanted to do more this time to help decide who our president would be,” said McMurtrie, a San Francisco resident who has worked phone banks for the Clinton campaign. “I’m really excited it looks like she’ll win California because I thought it would be closer tonight.”

Posted on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008
Under: 2008 presidential primary, Alameda County, Contra Costa County | 4 Comments »

Polls to stay open extra TWO hours in Alameda

9:02 p.m. UPDATE: Alameda County has just said polls will stay open until 10 p.m.

The Obama campaign put out a press release that Alameda County Judge John Tiger ruled that precincts in Alameda County which ran out of ballots will stay open until 9 p.m. (SEE UPDATE BELOW ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.)
Voters who are in line by 9 p.m. will be allowed to vote until 9:30 p.m.

Expect to make your choices on a photocopy of the ballot, which won’t be counted tonight. They must be verified through the voter verification process.

State law says no county may release results while the polls remain open anywhere in the state. Contra Costa County Registrar of Voters Steve Weir said he is awaiting instructions from Secretary of State Debra Bowen before he releases his first results.

But observant voters will note that the Secretary of State’s web site does have a few results posted, about 1.4 percent of precincts. I have an inquiry into the state on this question.

Click here to visit the Secretary of State’s results page.

8:40 p.m.

Here’s an update from my MediaNews colleague Josh Richman, reporter for the Oakland Tribune, who is out in the field tonight:

Volunteers were trooping out of the Obama campaign headquarters in downtown Oakland as 8 p.m. approached, some headed to parties and some to polling places to ensure voters still waiting in line at closing time would still get to cast ballots.

But as the hour struck, word came down that Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jon Tigar had issued an order that any polling place which had run out of Democratic ballots earlier in the day — overrun by an unexpected wave of decline-to-state voters who chose to cast ballots in the Democrats’ open primary — would have to remain open until 9 p.m., with any left waiting in line at that hour allowed to vote until 9:30 p.m.

“We have ordered all polling places in Alameda County to remain open if anybody is in line waiting to vote until 10 p.m. at the latest — only if anybody is in line to vote — due to ballot shortages that plagued some polling places in the county this afternoon,” county registrar spokesman Guy Ashley said at 8:25 p.m.

Asked how many precincts had run short of ballots earlier, he replied he wasn’t sure: “I heard about a dozen, but that’s just what I heard in passing.”

8:45 p.m.Update from Richman:

Alameda County spokesman Guy Ashley just called back and said 14 polling places in Berkeley, Oakland, Hayward and Fremont had run short of Democratic ballots.

He also said there was no court order. Although Tigar was involved, it was actually Judge Winifred Smith who checked with the state Administrative Office of the Courts in interpreting the Elections Code, and then advised County Counsel Richard Winnie to advise the registrar’s office to extend the poll hours.

Posted on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008
Under: 2008 presidential primary, Alameda County, Contra Costa County | 1 Comment »

Alameda County runs out of ballots

Alameda County predicts it will shortly run out of Democratic ballots in many of its precincts, a sign of unprecedented turnout and exceptional interest in the outcome of today’s primary election.

“We’re seeing the problem countywide but especially in Berkeley,” said Alameda County spokesman Guy Ashley. “We printed enough ballots for every registered Democrat and more but it wasn’t enough.”

While the information is largely anecdotal so far, Ashley said the problem appears to stem from a large number of decline to state voters who are voting in the Democratic primary.

The county is also seeing larger than normal numbers of unregistered voters showing up at the polls, Ashley said, and members of other parties demanding to vote for one of the Democratic candidates. The county allows them to vote provisionally but they are disqualified during the verification process.

In California, the Democratic Party allows decline to state voters and members of the American Independent Party to vote in its primary. The Republican, Green, Libertarian and the Peace and Freedom parties do not.

In Alameda County, as the peak voting time arrives in the next few hours, many voters will instead mark their choices on photocopies of the ballot, which will not be counted tonight. Provisional ballots require verification of the voter’s eligibility and it can take days or weeks to count them.

A dozen or more Contra Costa County voting precincts were running low on Democratic ballots today, too, prompting county officials to dig out extra copies of mail-in ballots. The county also has the ability to print extra ballots.

An apparently high number of decline-to-state voters electing to vote in the Democratic primary tapped into the supply, said Contra Costa Registrar of Voters Steve Weir.

“In order for this to happen, it takes an extraordinary voter turn-out,” he said.

The shortfall was especially alarming given the relatively early hour.

Typically, one-third of voters visit the polls before 4 p.m., while the bulk vote after work and into the evening.

Contra Costa County supplies each of its 800-plus precincts with more than enough ballots to accommodate every registered member of each of the political parties plus the nonpartisan or decline to state voters.

“I don’t quite understand it yet,” Weir said. “I’m still trying to figure it out. There may be a targeted get-out-the-vote effort in this area or just high turnout.”

As a side note, I also wondered why pollworkers would allow people to vote if they aren’t registered or are not eligible to vote in a particular party. But county officials say it’s not appropriate to adjudicate voting disputes in the polling places or turn away voters. A voter may be eligible to vote but for a technical reason doesn’t appear correctly on the rolls. A subsequent investigation through the verification process will resolve the issue.

Posted on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008
Under: 2008 presidential primary, Alameda County, Contra Costa County | 1 Comment »