Just The News

Montclarions Chilled – Nina’s Been Found

We are all pretty chilled by this unexpected news about Nina Reiser.  As a bargaining chip, Hans Reiser was brought back to Montclair this afternoon to show authorities where he buried his estranged wife.

Nina was located in a four-foot ditch near the West Ridge Trail, in Redwood Regional Park.  I shudder while thinking about how many times I walked right by her grave.  This was not exactly a remote spot!

CBS News Producer Paul LaRosa filed this report a little while ago.   We all remember the Hans Reiser case, and the defenses including Nina’s escape to Russia.  As LaRosa said, “that puts a lie to his story.”

I’m sickened about this visit to the Hills today.  With Nina’s body as evidence, Hans might be able to prove the murder wasn’t pre-meditated.  This means the sentence could be reduced from 25/life down to 15/life instead.  Not that this brings back Nina or changes his kids’ lives in Russia.

Do you recall when Nina first went missing?  In Montclair, we were all horrified by this disappearance for a few days and hoped for the best.  But those flyers were up long after we knew better.  Years later, Hans was convicted of her murder due to overwhelming circumstantial evidence.

Our famous murder case is no longer a mystery.  Even though this closes the sordid tale, it will remain chilling for the Reisers’ neighbors.

Reality Check To Dellums, On KQED

This morning, KQED’s Michael Krasny devoted an entire hour to Oakland Politics.  The always-measured Krasny kept the participants under relative control – but managed to share his own consternation with Mayor Dellums too.

When Ron Dellums ran for office, he promised Krasny that he would make appearances on Forum afterwards.  Since then, he’s been hiding from Krasny and the local press.  Krasny wants to interview him, and it’s frankly dumb that Dellums ignores this invitation.

Instead, a Dellums spokesman appeared on today’s program and performed very badly.  First, the other journalists and blogger below eviscerated the guy!   The callers were not kind, either.  One active Dellums supporter said he was dumbfounded by the doubletalk from the Mayor’s office.

The news that triggered today’s program was the city administration hoopla, of course.  At this point, Deborah Edgerly is working through July.  An active hunt has begun for her replacement.

When one of the Forum guests asked exactly when the replacement search began, the spokesman couldn’t respond.  He just said they hired an expensive head-hunter.  When pressed again, he still deflected the question.

During the hour, Oakland’s downtown vibrancy came up too.  The spokesman mentioned things that happened in the past two years.  He identified one developer deal by name.  The journalists pounced and explained that development happens over many years.

Finally, the city’s crime prevention efforts were discussed.  The spokesman pointed to slightly lower violent crimes and full police staffing levels.  In response, the journalists pointed to temporary Measure Y funding to get there.  They also raised the need for addressing educational opportunities, as a more structural fix.

If you have time, then listen to this Forum hour.  I’m sure you’ll agree the Mayor is hiding behind his flacks – and that he deserves “the quiet mayor” moniker bestowed by the SF Chronicle guest.

Pastor Has Good Karma

Well, the pastor has good karma after all.

Earlier this week, we learned about an unnamed pastor whose car was stolen while he went grocery shopping.  At the scene, the Safeway manager said this was a first-time event for his Montclair store.

There’s a surprising ending to this story, because the pastor’s 1993 Honda station wagon was recovered yesterday.  It’s fully intact, except for a broken window.

Apparently the thief needed some East Bay transportation, as the police found the car down in Hayward.  My take?  It pays to have a “direct line” with a higher order – you get justly rewarded.

Pastor’s Car Gets Ripped Off

When the pastor’s car gets ripped off, we have proof that Montclair Village is not “heaven on earth” anymore. His good old Honda could not have been worth much, at least intact.

The theft was reported recently on the Montclair Crimewatch Group message board.  Apparently, an unidentified pastor wanted to buy a few groceries this week and drove to Safeway.

“Our pastor went to shop at the Montclair Safeway for 10 minutes Monday afternoon.  One of the few times he felt he did not need to put a club on his 1993 Honda Station Wagon, which did not have a remote locking fob and alarm system.”

There was a Safeway guard on duty, too! The store manager said it was the first time anyone has stolen a car from the lot, and he’s been working there for ten years.

It’s too bad for the pastor, but we can learn from his misfortune.  Lock up tight if you have an earlier model car.  Or else try Lucky’s – how ironic – as an alternative market.

Experience Matters in Montclair Race

While Montclair’s Mayoral Race was tight, all ballots were counted and verified this afternoon.  The Montclarion pointed to the winner, Gracie Condon.

Gracie brings experience to the position. She’s been part of Montclair Village government for the past three years, most recently serving as vice mayor. Thus her win was well-deserved, according to her handlers.

Lee Richter, election administrator, explained that “a last-minute donation of $100 over the Internet finally put Gracie ahead by 46. It’s the closest election in the history of the contest.”

It was a competitive slate, filled with experienced politicians, newcomers and non-canines as well. Over $14k was raised for the Pet and Wildlife Fund this year.

Now what do we do at the Farmers Market…just shop?