Week in Review: FCC Chairman Praises Fiber Optic Loop; City Employee Salaries

Here’s a brief look at the three most-read stories on San Leandro Patch this week:

Video: FCC Chairman Praises San Leandro's Fiber Optic Loop

This old town had its technology coming-out party Wednesday when Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, visited here to praise the high-speed fiber optic loop known as Lit San Leandro. His visit highlighted the fact that, thanks to local software entrepreneur Patrick Kennedy, San Leandro is developing an Internet "superhighway" to rival those of better known tech meccas like Palo Alto. In this Patch video, San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy introduces Genachowski, whose visit and speech constitute a high-level endorsement of the city's efforts to shake off its dowdy image and get some 21st Century glitter.

San Leandro has the 186th highest average employee salary among the 477 cities listed in a new public pay study. The state Controller's Office has put together a chart of city and county employee salary, benefits and pension contributions for municipal agencies throughout California. The 2011 salary list shows the average salary for municipal workers across the state is $61,059 a year. The average salary for San Leandro city workers is listed as $49,337. The total amount spent on city salaries was $32 million. Click here to see charts comparing the city with statewide averages as well as the top 10 San Leandro municipal employees in salary.

SLPD Arrest Three Teens On Neighbor's Tip

San Leandro police released another example Tuesday of how citizen tips can lead to arrests. Around noon Monday police say they received a tip that three young men had climbed over a rear fence on Lewelling Boulevard into the backyard of a residence on the 15400 block of Marne Street. Officers saturated the area and detained the three suspects nearby. They checked the residence for damage and confirmed that it had been entered through a rear window. The three youths were arrested on suspicion of burglary and taken to Juvenile Hall.