Milestones: From the Ashes

Maybe the question about this column is: “Will he return?”

As you may have heard, at the beginning of July I contracted pneumonia. After nearly a week in intensive care, I was allowed to escape for home care.

The past two months would have been a challenge for better equipped people like Batman.

Thank you to my wife, Linda. She has proven to be the best nurse since Florence Nightingale. She is an amazing caretaker, which has turned out to be a wonderful remedy.

The visits, cards, calls, gifts and inquiries were most inspiring. Not because of my witty

writing but more from curiosity about my prognosis.

I’m happy to note the doctors indicate my outlook is good and that I will collect Social

Security.

Having time off has allowed me to reflect on more serious issues. Critical items like: Will I be able to walk upright again? Can I get my socks on? Where did I leave my glasses?

Hats off to Angie Tolliver, the Weekly’s Editor who continued to produce a quality paper

every week so critics had something with which to line their cupboards and/or bird cage.

If you haven’t noticed, you should. Over the past two months we transformed and upgraded our website so if you didn’t obtain our paper, you can read it online. Our new website is called Silicon Valley Voice and is growing rapidly every week. (It appears some folks really like honest in-depth news about Santa Clara.)

Part of my pastime was watching the Tuesday night fun and follies at our Council meetings.

Can you imagine? This council wants to admonish Council members Patty Mahan and Pat Kolstad after a combined 60 years of service to our City. I guess the Council just wants their cake only and…it better be served their way.

As I reviewed the politics going on in town, it almost makes me want to check out Elko.

Hmm, do they have a stadium in Elko that can stay open past 10 p.m.?

I also noticed that Measure A, (the one the voters defeated in June) is being rewrapped as an advisory referendum and presented to voters again in November. This “advisory vote” is the

Mayor’s tool to assure herself a lifetime of Council control.

Maybe this one should be called Measure B since it’s the second time around, and if it doesn’t work we call the next one C. (The Mayor could have 26 tries).

Rumor has it that two notable opponents filed for the Mayor’s job, Anthony Becker and

Kevin Park. Apparently, Park has already quit. That was quick. Becker must be really tough!

Being sick is not recommended. Consider other options like cleaning the garage, visiting

your mother-in-law or training your Doberman.

Getting well is now the challenge. Just being here makes me grateful. It would be a real

disappointment to miss the many friends and laughing/crying by watching the Tuesday night

comedy/tragedy at City Hall.

See you next week.