Morning News Round-Up -- 7.28.09: Mistrial... but is it over?

We updated late yesterday afternoon, but here is the coverage of the Ayres mistrial: Daily Journal, San Mateo County Times, the Chronicle, the Mercury News, and William Ayres Watchdog. It may not be over, however. The DA may refile, or settle, or not refile, or, or, or...

The Daily Journal launched 2009 Election Journal to cover races (and ballot measures) this November. Today's 2009 Election Journal highlights include:

• San Carlos: City Council incumbents Matt Grocott and Bob Grassilli are in, but incumbent Brad Lewis is not... yet.
• Sequoia Union High School District: Two incumbent Trustees (Gordon Lewin and Sally Stewart) will not seek re-election, but Alan Sarver and Virginia Chang Kiraly aim to fill their shoes. Presumably, these two electeds-to-be will have their hands full with the Sequoia/ Everest legal battle...

Here is something for next year's Election Journal... except it comes to us from the San Mateo County Times: Lee Buffington, the County's long-time Treasurer, will not seek re-election next year. Let the games begin to replace Treasurer Buffington. Names already in the hopper: Buffington's deputy Sandra Arnott and former Burlingame elected official/ Accountant Joe Galligan.

More Election Journal news that didn't make it into the Election Journal... (because it is a different County.) Palo Alto's ever-growing list of folks that want to serve on the City Council is ever-growing still. Gregory Scharff (lawyer), Nancy Shepherd ("school activist"), and Brian Steen (land-use consultant) are all throwing their hats in the ring. They join Planning Commissioner Karen Holman, Gail Price, realtor Dan Dykwel, realtor Leon Leong, business-dude Tim Gray, and man-about-town Victor Frost. Oh yeah, current Councilmember Larry Klein is also running. They are all vying for four seats.

The San Mateo-Foster City School District versus the City of Foster City battle gets some first-hand ink today via an Op-Ed in the Daily Journal. The School District's Superintendent and the President of the School Board go into exhaustive detail about how the process has moved forward with the City to identify what to do with rising enrollment. Why did they write this Op-Ed now? I'm glad you asked...

...the School District is about to do a poll to gauge voter support for a renewal of their parcel tax. Clearing up outstanding issues (like the battle with Foster City) is important for a School District (like San Mateo-Foster City) to do when moving forward with an important vote, we'd guess.

We know that the battle about the Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica is pitting San Mateo County versus San Francisco... well, revenge is a dish best served cold. San Francisco aims to get two, newly allowed off-track betting (OTB) facilities thanks to Berkeley's Golden Gate Fields. The problem? The two OTBs are less than 20 miles from the County-run OTB in San Mateo which violates a new State law. Our OTB lawyers are trying to stop SF from opening an OTB. Take that SF Supervisor Mirkarimi!

Palo Alto's College Terrace Centre project took an important step forward yesterday when the City Council approved a requested zoning change for the site. Two "public benefits" that the neighbors were looking for were a JJ&F subsidy and affordable housing. They'll get both -- and probably a little more office space than neighbors wanted too...

While we are in Palo Alto... the three Police Chief finalists have been announced: Interim Chief Dennis Burns, Fairfield Police Chief Kenton Rainey, and San Carlos Police Chief Gregory Rothaus. (To remind us all how we got here.) Perhaps the Fairfield Police Chief is concerned that SF Supervisor Chris Daly is now in his back yard?

Bruce at PP Examiner is apparently back from vacation and posts the obvious-titled blog update: State raids local coffers. Welcome back Bruce...