Morning News Round-Up -- 3.18.09: Visually Aided Edition...

Our County is blessed with folks who care a great deal about our community. This is especially critical during tough times...which these are. Foundations and parent groups and other non-profits are going into high fundraising gear to make up the shortfall for key agencies...especially schools.

Speaking of raising money...

Chris Anthony of San Carlos will be attempting to beat the longest drum roll ever on Saturday to raise money for MS and a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records...

Look for the "As Fresh as it Gets" sticker on locally grown produce and seafood. This is a San Mateo County thing and Watch Dog is trying to get our "Fresh" sticker (a different fresh, though). Michael Pollan would be so proud of our County...

A fire in downtown Menlo Park torched Peet's and the Calla boutique on Santa Cruz and University.

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Daily Journal's Editor Jon Mays gets in on two big national stories (and one huge local story) in his piece today.

• National Story 1: He does his best Sarah Palin impression by saying "thanks, but no thanks" to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's newspaper-coddling proposal...
• National Story 2: He asks why anyone would be surprised by AIG, and
• Huge Local Story: He (joins Watch Dog) and asks Michelle Durand to stick around...

Congresswoman Jackie Speier has a different view on AIG than Jon Mays...

Dude. The pot ordinance in San Mateo is moving forward...Seriously dude...

Colma's Interim City Manager Laura Allen is no longer Interim. We hope the Colma City Council doesn't pull a Daly City and rip away half of her salary now that she has the job officially...

Speaking of the Daly City Clerk's salary cut. Thanks the Pacifica Riptide, we found the YouTube video of Annette Hipona speaking out to the City Council...she is forced to stop speaking by the Police Officer in the City Council Chambers...the tension is palpable and Watch Dog highly recommends watching the clip. The drama comes at the 5 minute 30 second mark when Hipona begins to speak...



And speaking of videos...A 35 year old was caught video-taping a high school kid urinating, was arrested, and may face a year in jail and mandatory registration as a sex offender. This is a horrible (and creepy) story. But within some horrible and creepy stories, there is a great piece of information. Check out this detail from the San Mateo County Times' story:

"The student, then 15 years old, was not initially aware of Hill's [the creepy guy's] presence [in the bathroom], according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. But when the teen noticed the man with his camera, he grabbed Hill, put him in a headlock and walked him out to a teacher, Wagstaffe said."

Many many times Watch Dog (and everyone else) has written about high-speed rail. It is sort of our latest County past-time to either complain about the train or embrace the train. Now, those that are on the complaining side are trying to get everyone signed on to a letter to send to the California High Speed Rail Authority. This is causing a rift, which is always fun to read about. My favorite part is that San Mateo and Redwood City, who are largely in favor of the train, have a "...fear of being linked with cities such as Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Atherton..." Ha!

You remember the string of gas station robberies, the last of which was a robbery and a sexual assault in San Bruno? The (alleged) perp pleaded not guilty yesterday...on 14 felony counts.