Morning News Round-Up -- 8.10.09: Back to regularly scheduled programming...

We were very late on Friday with our Round-Up because of a DSL issue. Then we just gave up and started the weekend early. So we posted Friday's Round-Up earlier today. Now, onto Monday...

It seems that outgoing Burlingame School Board member Marc Friedman is afraid to play with the big boys. The Daily Journal reports that Friedman is backing out of the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees race. Friedman said it would take too much time and money to try and beat the three incumbents who have filed for re-election.

The depressing economy hasn’t dampened the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s dreams for big-ticket items. The Agency issued a report that suggests that by 2035, the Peninsula will have electrified trains and State Route 92 will have an uphill passing lane. Oh, and Redwood City will have a ferry terminal and the Devil’s Slide tunnel between Montara and Pacifica will be in place. We should also expect another $ billion to be spent on SamTrans capital and operating improvements. Does that include restoring bus service for EPA and the Coastside?

The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office announced today that it will retry the case of William Ayres, the 77-year-old child psychiatrist accused of molesting several young patients. Apparently, Deputy District Attorney Melissa McKowan’s discussions, who prosecuted the case, had some discussions with jurors and found “their views that the evidence was strong and warrants conviction." This is good news for the editorial content of William Ayres Watch... the countdown to re-prosecution begins...

Another day, another mountain lion sighting. The (un)friendly feline was spotted in a semi-rural area of Woodside Sunday morning at about 4 a.m., a San Mateo County sheriff's sergeant reported.

Menlo College in Atherton picked up a “Best in the West” title from The Princeton Review. The small college was named among the best colleges and universities in the Western region, partly for its academics and partly for reviews from its students.

Local and State officers seized and destroyed (smoked?) an estimated $60 million worth of marijuana growing in the foothills of Palo Alto and unincorporated Santa Clara County on Wednesday. According to Sgt. Rick Sung of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, the two gardens contained 20,000 plants. Sung said he didn’t know the exact size of the gardens, but assured us they were "fairly large."

The Board of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District is looking to fill a seat vacated by former Trustee Hal Plotkin, who is on his way to Washington, D.C., to serve as senior policy adviser to Undersecretary of Education Martha Kanter. Last day to apply is Aug. 17 at 5 p.m. The appointment will be made Aug. 31.

Friend or foe? Union Pacific might be the only hope for residents who want the high-speed rail line to run in a tunnel or a trench as opposed to on a berm. The major railroad retained some set of rights when it sold the Caltrain corridor to the Peninsula Joint Powers Board in 1991. That includes the right to "veto any other inter-city passenger service" running along the rail line, and to prevent any invasive construction in the right of way.

If you still haven’t made up your mind whether you want to run for Half Moon Bay City Council or not… you still have some time to decide. City Hall officials say, except for incumbents, residents who want to file as candidates have until Wednesday to do so.

Seems to be the same case in Woodside’s District 6 race. Perhaps Mr. Jobs has some free time he would like to commit to civic causes?

Redwood City Council tonight will take up the controversial plan to build on the former Redwood City Saltworks site. Specifically, the Council will be considering whether City staff should study the project plans and later consider a general plan amendment. Expect fireworks...