Morning News Round-Up -- 8.13.09: Awesome Budgetary News Day...

And the verdict is… SamTrans is officially discontinuing several bus routes to help deal with a $28 million deficit. The Board hasn’t yet decided which routes are to go, but those who live in San Bruno, East Palo Alto, and anywhere on the Coast are the likely targets. Oh, and they may also hike fares by 25 cents for adults and increase fares for those who use Redi-Wheels from $3 a trip to $4.50 a trip.

In other awesome budgetary news...

Property taxes are declining therefore schools are running out of cash. Not a new predicament for California schools. But San Mateo Union High School District thinks it can solve its cash problem by asking voters to pass a parcel tax. Board Vice President Linda Lees Dwyer admits that the tax is “bad timing” (was she talking about her election or the economy?) yet she goes on to say “I don’t think we have any other option.”

San Bruno City offices will be closed Friday as part of a plan to close a $2.5 million budget gap, the first of six planned furlough days between now and June.

The BART Board is meeting today in an emergency session to consider imposing contract terms unilaterally on the union. It’s their way of saying let’s agree to disagree.

In news having nothing to do with budgets... The well-known and popular Monsignor Bruce Dreier at Saint Robert’s Catholic Church died after an eight-month battle with liver cancer Monday.

Thomas Harold Randall, 51, had a blood alcohol content of .27 during the weekend crash where he killed a 32-year-old woman on vacation from Italy and injured her American hosts. He’s been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated while driving on Devil's Slide.

San Bruno Councilman Jim Ruane is up against Miguel Araujo to be that City’s next mayor.

Another mountain lion was spotted last night in Woodside, according to the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services... the COWs must be scared...

Paloaltoonline.com reports that the Eden Housing development in downtown Palo Alto was once envisioned as a win-win-win situation for seniors, businesses, and low income families. Now it’s just a win. Developers drastically scaled-down the plan to 50 units for affordable families and not much else.

Police warn San Mateo bikers and residents to be careful following a string of strong-arm robberies the last week. We assume they don't mean these type of bikers... these type of bikers don't really need to worry about strong arm robbers...

On a related (?) note... A woman discovered her stolen bike listed for sale on the online site Craigslist, and contacted Menlo Park Police. In a sting, Police arrested James Barry Durr in connection with two thefts.

Expect a lively race for Half Moon Bay City Council, where residents have been inundating City Hall to declare their candidacy. As of yesterday, there were nine candidates running for three open seats.

State regulators have further restricted fishing and boating in local waters, which is sure to affect the industries. California Department of Fish and Game Commissioners voted to establish 22 Marine Protected Areas that limit or prohibit fishing within three miles of the North Central Coast and around the Farallon Islands. Effective 2010, the new protections will expand from roughly 4 percent to cover about 20 percent of the area from Half Moon Bay to Mendocino.