Morning News Round-Up -- 5.3.10: CaliJersey, the home of the Garbage Saga...

Could this be the end of the Garbage Saga in San Mateo County? First, the South Bayside Waste Management Authority, the mouthfully-named organization that oversees much of the garbage collection and recycling in the County has changed its name to RethinkWaste. Second, we learn that the transition between the old company (Allied Waste) and the new company (Recology) will be fast-tracked to this summer, rather than next January -- sort of. The new carts will start this summer, but Recology's collection of them won't start until January. Confusing much?

Perhaps a new garbage saga is brewing... the County Times has a piece about "illegal trash dumpers" who put stuff in front of other folks homes...

Caltrain is in deep, deep financial doody. On Thursday, they are going to declare a "fiscal emergency" which helps them cut service quickly and avoid all the screaming and yelling at public meetings... or at least concentrate the screaming and yelling to a few public meetings...

Speaking of financial problems... the County is still trying to get millions of dollars of jet fuel sales tax, but an appellate court judge said they have to appeal to the Board of Equalization, not a regular court. (It would help to yell and scream at Oakland too...)

The Esplanade Apartments in Pacifica have been evacuated... can we really call this "news" anymore?

Lee Duboc is going ot the City Clerk... sort of. The petition to qualify a pension reform measure for November. The City Clerk will now start counting...

While we are in Menlo Park, the Bohannon project will be heard by the Planning Commission in Menlo Park. NIMBY alert... NIMBY alert...

Sue Lempert gets her day in the Daily Journal today and coins a new term: "Calijersey"... and it isn't good...

A day without NIMBYs is a day without sunshine... today it is Daly City and cell phone towers...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.28.10: The Lowest Bidder?

The San Carlos Police Department is up for bid... sort of. The City of San Carlos is fielding proposals to take over their police services. They got a bid from the Sheriff's office for $6.7 million but then got underbid by Redwood City, which can do the job for $6.4 or $6 million... which begs the question: is a police department the thing you want to give to the lowest bidder?

The lawns in Menlo Park might get a little brown this summer... the City Council took another step toward a water conservation ordinance. It didn't even raise lots of public concern, apparently. The story only mentions 2 members of the public that were even in the room. There is a 100 percent chance that once this ordinance goes into affect, the Menlo Park Council Chambers will start to fill up...

Watch Dog has to wonder if the water ordinance will help with the MP's deficit, which the Almanac put into a pretty graph for everyone...

It was deer versus mountain lion last weekend in Portola Valley... and the deer lost. Watch Dog loves this part of the story: Residents are advised not to approach mountain lions, and to try to appear large and make noise if one is nearby. The cats are most active at dawn, dusk, and at night... Too bad the deer didn't get the same advisory...

What was once going to be a big new housing development (500+ units) in San Bruno will now be a rebuilt old development with 300+ units. Instead of tearing the Treetops Apartment complex down, it will be rebuilt. Why? Because of money, of course...

When the financial times get tough (like now in Daly City) fees get going (up)...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.14.10: iMansion friends...

Menlo Park onced loved the Bohannon project and especially the money that will come from it... but it may not be smooth sailing after all for Mr. Bohannon

based on the tone of a meeting this week.

Speaking of unpopular developments: The iMansion gets another friend... the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation should not expect their Steve Jobs' check this year...

San Carlos will mandate businesses recycle starting next January... While that doesn't sound groundbreaking, it really seems to be. San Carlos Councilmember Matt Grocott voted against it, he hates recycling. (Just kidding MG.)

A woman fell into an open manhole on Stanford's campus yesterday. No word if Senator Simitian is a looking to pass a "no texting while walking" law...

A woman in San Mateo has been voted as "Exhalted Ruler"... and we aren't talking about the Klan. Rather, that's the hightest position in the Elks Lodge in San Mateo. Congrats Jeanne Atno... cool hat...

The Daily Journal Editorial Board gets its third bite at the apple with the Medical Center. The rapes caused the Editorial Board to write last Friday, the Medical Center chief wrote yesterday, and the Editorial Board writes again today to give props to the Medical Center chief who wrote yesterday...

Daly City mobile home residents vs. mobile park owner will face off in federal court... that should be fun.

Here we go... Senator Leland Yee is dumpster diving (sort of) to get to the bottom of the Sarah Palin speech as CSU Stanislaus. You go Leland...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.12.10: John John John Johns goes to Disneyland... on your dime

The John Johns wrongful termination settlement appears final in Atherton. The long, Town nightmare is finally over... interestingly, Johns gets his job back for one day as part of the deal and collects a bunch of cash ($225k)... and we learn that he is going to Disneyland. Impressively,the Town of Atherton blog actually has an update on this topic.

Here we go... it was only a matter of time before legislators on the Peninsula started listening to all the NIMBYs... and Joe Simitian is the first to crack. In the Chronicle's Matier & Ross today, Simitian raises questions and doubt about the financial projections to High-Speed Rail... but reading between the lines, Watch Dog thinks this is really about neighborhood opposition up and down the Peninsula... who's next? Jerry Hill? Paul Fong?

Sue Lempert has a good look at High-Speed Rail issues swirling about in her Monday column in today's Daily Journal...

And to San Carlos...

San Carlos is set to get in on the pot club action... sort of. Nobody has been knocking down the City's gates to open a pot club, but if they do, there will be strict rules about where, when, and how they operate. Watch Dog is sure there will also be a big financial benefit to San Carlos should the potheads move in...

If San Carlos does go down Hope Road, it might be the Redwood City Police Department that keep a close eye on the clubs... that's because Redwood City might put in a bid to be San Carlos' outsourced police department... of course, they'll have to out-bid the Sheriff, who has also put a bid into San Carlos.

That takes care of San Carlos' Police Department, but it is their shared fire service that has people very angry. San Carlos has thought for a long time that Belmont doesn't pay its fair share... and, like all break-ups this isn't going to end well. Belmont Councilmember Coralin Feierbach had this to day in the Daily Journal: "If they go through with this, I for one will never reconsider them again..." To be continued...

This is weird: South San Francisco has had a mini-scandal with their red-light cameras... San Carlos is doing away with their red-light cameras... But Belmont is moving forward to install them. Doing the same thing but expecting a different result...

Daly City is looking to raise fees to address budget challenges... who isn't?

Pacifica is facing some challenging budget times too... and they have a meeting tonight to look at raising fees and taxes. Luckily for all of us, Pacifica Riptide looks at the details, including the "800 pound gorilla in the room" - pensions.

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.25.09: A Mug Shot Wednesday...

Some elected officials in San Mateo are taking paycuts (hint: Jerry Hill) while others are getting raises... (Thank you for the press release Nathan. For the rest of you media-relations types, here is our email.)

And some are committing crimes…

Daly City Councilwoman Maggie Gomez is in the hot seat… San Mateo County District Attorney's Office has filed 12 counts of felony insurance and workers' compensation fraud. Her only defense thus far: “If you put something like this in the paper, I suggest you take the time to make sure it's true.” It is kind of awesome when there is a mug-shot of an elected official in the newspaper...

Jurors heard the final stage of closing arguments Tuesday morning in the trial of a man accused of fatally shooting East Palo Alto Police Officer Richard May in 2006.

County officials are trying hard to restrict firearms and ammunition dealers. Good plan considering 113 San Mateo County residents under the age of 21 were killed by gunfire between 1991 and 2007.

Burlingame voters will decide whether to renew a $180-parcel tax for schools. Trustees have made it clear that not passing this would be devastating…. does that ring a bell?

More homes + more cars = more traffic… in San Mateo.

Menlo Park residents are accusing Police of stepping up parking patrols to garner more money for the City during this recession. One small detail… the City collected about $253,000 from parking tickets last year but only $227,000 in 2008-09. Maybe the SUVs are fitting into the spaces a lot better this year...

And the recount has arrived… El Granada resident and Granada Sanitary District Board candidate Lisa McCaffrey is requesting a recount in the Nov. 4 election. The rumor that Kevin Spacey is on his way to the County Building is untrue...

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.24.09: Late is better than never, right?

A woman was struck and killed by a car in Redwood City early yesterday morning moments after she struck a parked construction truck herself on southbound Bay Road. Careful out there folks as the long weekend takes shape...

San Carlos plows ahead with synthetic turf. Here come the lawsuits.

San Mateo County Times columnist John Horgan admits that living on the Peninsula ain’t no bed of roses. Blasphemy!

Watch your back… crime is up in Belmont. Specifically, assaults and burglaries. Can neighborhood watches be far behind? But crime could be worse if you live in San Mateo or Daly City. According to a new report, crime rates rankings in both cities.

And here is a good time to welcome the new Police Chief of Daly City... who is leaving San Jose as that department faces tough times...

The former Chuck E. Cheese employee prosecutors convicted of helping another man rob his boss after hours by taking the man’s identification and threatening to kill his family was sentenced to seven years prison.

Multiple party-goers reportedly attacked a Half Moon Bay Police Officer and tried to steal his gun while he was trying to break up a fight at a crowded quinceañera party on Saturday night. Balls. That never happens on MTV...

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.18.09: Ayres Watch is Back...

Williams Ayres, William Ayres, William Ayres... it is back in the news. The new defense attorney wants the names of the jurors from the mistrial... apparently this isn't that unusual, but probably won't be much fun for those old jurors... Remember, you can get all the latest and greatest at William Ayres Watchdog...

Speaking of (alleged) local crimes...

The shootee in the Skyline College shooting (and presumably the shooter) will face gun charges...

And this... the Menlo Park Police are looking at a "person of interest" in the fatal hit-and-run of a first grader last week.

And to fight these crimes...

Daly City is getting a new Police Chief from San Jose. The going is tough in San Jose -- and the tough are heading north (apparently)... Watch Dog is hoping that the Daly City City Council doesn't cut the guys salary if they start to disagree with his actions...

Nothing sets people off (apparently) than thinking about selling land that belongs to a school district. That's the predicament that the San Mateo Union High School District finds itself as it looks at plans to sell Peninsula High School's campus...

If you were expecting a change in the Half Moon Bay horses-on-beach policy, you got all you needed to know in The Review's headline: 'Status quo' for horse riders...

Here is a non-shocker... the debate about the big Menlo Park project dubbed "the Bohannon Project" is "touchy"...

Speaking of touchy... When it comes to Atherton, we know from history that small-town politics can get ugly. Tonight, the Atherton Council will talk about repealing the "road impact fee" that developers pay when they are doing construction. Expect fire works, nasty words, and perhaps a hit to Atherton's budget...

Morning News Round-Up -- 10.14.09: Politics, Politics, Politics...

Local politics...

Sequoia Union High School District (a.k.a. the District that continues to try to keep Charter schools out) has an election coming up. The Daily Journal gives us all insight into the race, then proceeds to make an endorsement in the race... two actually: Chris Thomsen and Alan Sarver.

Newcomer Michael Brownrigg is taking on three heavy-weight incumbents for Burlingame City Council. We always knew Brownrigg had some balls. Burlingame Vice Mayor Cathy Baylock tattled on her neighbors and now has set a historic precedent… no pun intended. Wonder how Brownrigg would handle this one...

San Mateo Union High School newcomer Mike Loy shakes up the race. Not hard considering the District has been mired in financial problems, a.k.a: mismanagement.

Now crime...

Police arrested two men accused of stealing nine iPhones worth $5,400 from a Burlingame store. Police caught up with them after a short car chase Monday night. Perhaps the thieves should have turned off the GPS in the iPhones...

The former Daly City man authorities believed was at large in Guatemala to avoid prosecution on murder charges stemming from the 2001 fatal stabbing of his high school classmate was busted in New York Monday morning after being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving.

Menlo Park is attempting to save the Belle Haven neighborhood from facing any more home foreclosures. Groundbreaking stuff for MP...

Now rain...

The heavy storm, which left hundreds of Coastal residents without power, has come and gone, expected to taper off today. Rain, rain go away.

Now breaking story...

A bicyclist was hit by a dump truck in San Carlos this morning and killed. The driver left the scene.

Morning News Round-Up -- 9.30.09: Recession Repercussions served with 4 Rolexes...

For you loyal Watch Dog readers, you'll remember has an entire week of Recession Repercussions a while back... well, the RRs are back:

• 98 County employees are losing their job...
• The economy and taxes are topping the list of things City Council candidates in Burlingame (and everywhere else) are talking about... (And it is a good thing we know what those candidates are concerned about, because the Daily Journal just endorsed three of them: Cathy Baylock, Ann Keighran, and Rosalie O'Mahony -- all incumbents.)
• But not all Recession Repurcussions are bad... transportation projects are getting cheaper. Silver lining?
• And finally, we'll call this a Recesssion Repurcussion story: 4 Rolex watches were stolen from a home in Portola Valley. Bringing up the age-old question in Portola Valley -- Are 3 Rolexes enough?
  

This is most definitely not about the economy: A substitute teacher at San Mateo High School was arrested for sexting a student. If you don't know what sexting is -- then you are in for an eye-opening explanation and probably a rethinking of that camera phone you bought your teenager.

Speaking of inappropriate behavior of school employees and new words... the track coach at Menlo-Atherton High School who used racial slurs to threaten some students who annoyed him at home is going to trial. That's the inappropriate behavior part. The new word used in this Daily Journal story is tween.

The idea of home inspection 'police' in Daly City has been shelved for the time being. We guess when 300 folks show up to protest something, those 300 voices are heard...

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.24.09: Pay Cut Gate Revisited...

BREAKING NEWS: The Chronicle reports that San Mateo’s Hillsdale High School is being evacuated this morning and the bomb squad has been called to the scene in response to a blast. That's no way to start the new school year...

Daly City sent a letter to the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury saying the City refuses to restore the salary that City Clerk Annette Hipona got when she got elected last year. You remember the Pay Cut Gate story, right? In June, the Grand Jury concluded that the City was unjustified in slashing Hipona's pay from $101,374 to $52,988 a year and recommended that the decision be reversed.

State cut-backs are one thing, stupid accounting mistakes are quite another. Both are leading to cutbacks in the San Mateo County courthouse.

Scientists + Sharp Park Golf Course = Less and Less Golf...

What's better than Target? A bigger Target. That's what's coming to Colma, along with increased sales tax revenues to City cofers..

San Mateo and San Carlos are thinking about forcing its commercial businesses to recycle. Steve Sherman of Cascadia Consulting, which is working with the South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA), noted that while recycling is popular, “Americans, in general, do not like to be told what to do.” Good point, especially by these guys...

Jury selection starts today for the trial of the East Palo Alto gang member accused of shooting and killing a police officer more than three years ago in front of a teenage police explorer doing a ridealong. It’s the first County death penalty case in six years.

More than 300 supporters and opponents of the proposed healthcare reform bill showed up to voice questions and opinions at a relatively peaceful Sunday Town Hall meeting in Montara hosted by Congresswoman Jackie Speier. She restated her support for healthcare reform to the 300 people who showed up. She also told them that in her district there are 46,000 uninsured folks who would be eligible for healthcare under the reform proposals. All this and she managed to make her point without relying on the phrases “single-payer” or “public option.”

In case you didn't get enough: Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is having her own telephone town hall meeting tonight so residents can vent about that public option plan.

Palo Alto is reeling after the suicide death of a 13 year old on Caltrain tracks where two other Gunn High School students died in the past several months. Former Palo Alto Mayor Victor Ojakian and Supervisor/former Palo Alo Mayor Liz Kniss are considering a committee to examine the issue.

Here are two stories about how things get done (or not) in Palo Alto:

Here's a shocker... The City of Palo Alto doesn't like the design of the new Lucile Packard Childrens' Hospital.

Bowlers are hoping to spare the popular Palo Alto Bowl from being demolished. The group plans to let the City Council know how they feel about the 53-year-old alley.

Residents living near the Caltrain tracks and their intersections with Encinal, Glenwood, Oak Grove and Ravenswood avenues should buy earplugs. The next four weeks Caltrain will be working on nearby railroad crossings.

And more good news from Caltrain… higher parking fees and fewer trains starting Aug. 31. Who doesn’t love paying more for less?

Screw Caltrain and ride your bike. About 500 cyclists from all over the Bay Area took part in the fifth annual Tour de Menlo Saturday. All riders stopped at the Picchetti Open Space Preserve and Winery in Cupertino for lunch, before heading back.

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.25.09: The Civil Grand Jury Strikes Again...

NOTE: Yesterday's Round-Up got caught in the outbox... check it out for yesterday's Round-Up. Apologies...
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The San Mateo Civil Grand Jury gets off another shot at a local agency. This time, their object of affection was one that Watch Dog covered long ago... with the same contempt. The appointment of Unelected Supervisor Carole Groom. The report goes into extensive detail and comes out with the same point of view that Watch Dog had way back when in December. Could it be that Watch Dog is influencing the Civil Grand Jury?

(One question remains... where is the Garbage Saga Civil Grand Jury Report?)

The Civil Grand Jury Report notwithstanding, the Supervisors approved their (two-year) $1.76 billion budget yesterday. Watch Dog spies tell us that the Civil Grand Jury Anti-Appointment Report gossip was swirling in the room...

The County's budget is certainly taking big hits, so is Belmont's. That's why they are seriously considering taxing hotel visitors to Belmont more. When all else fails, tax those that don't vote for you...

As if public employee pension funds (especially in the City of San Jose) don't have enough problems, a Pension Trustee in San Jose was arrested in San Mateo following a domestic violence call... Patrick G. Skillsky then proceeded to attack the police that were called to the scene. Perhaps he was just really, really upset about all the market losses he didn't see coming... Ironically, the City of San Jose is considering having professionals oversee the Pension Funds rather than appointed, untrained folks. No time like the present...

In other local crime news...

Dr. Ayres' molestation trial continues... William Ayres Watch has the play-by-play... and laments the lack of coverage the trial is receiving. (Not from us...)

The fancy shmancy Olympic (golf) Club in Daly City was found liable for ($10 million) flood damage to the surrounding neighborhood. The Club Chief Groundskeeper did not say, "Heck, we thought the 18 holes were enough drainage to take care of all the rain..."

Menlo Park spends more time studying problems with consultants than fixing problems with solutions... or at least that's how some vocal folks feel...

Even political discontent can't stop Atherton from dipping into reserves to fix their budget gap... Watch Dog is a bit surprised the budget discussion was even put on the agenda, given the recent disagreements in Atherton...

Michelle Durand's Off the Beat in today's Daily Journal goes into the "Way Back Machine" to the beginning of the Burlingame Safeway discussion... May 1, 2003.

Morning News Round-Up -- 5.20.09: 60% of Watch Dog readers didn't vote yesterday...

Watch Dog is shocked! SHOCKED! That the State propositions failed... Actually, not so much. Expect the cuts to just keep on coming from Sacramento... is $21 billion really that much worse than $15 billion?

Their failure, and the State's horrible finances, does affect things like this: home health care workers in the County are getting a pay cut from the County.

And the failed leadership in Sacramento is not helping Half Moon Bay either. After the Half Moon Bay Bailout Bill (Yee and Hill's bill) failed, HMB explored other options last night... like becoming San Mateo County's own Vallejo (bankruptcy). Farmer/Mayor John and the rest of the City Council said no to bankruptcy, but (possibly) yes to bailout bonds...

The tough economy is also going to be tough on Pacifica. Their Measure D sales tax increase failed on yesterday's ballot. It did get 61% of the vote, but it needed 2/3.

The Belmont Chamber of Commerce may need a new Board President. Why? Because the current one was charged with 18 felony counts of child molestation. In addition to being the Belmont Chamber's President, Michael Kazarian also owns Beau Monde Flooring...

San Mateo approved their Downtown Area Plan that is replacing their Downtown Specific Plan which is very much in line with Jon Mays Downtown Plan...

How come the Redwood City Craigslist Robber isn't getting national news like this Craigslist-related (alleged) criminal? Watch Dog will see what we can do to help... Our guy pleaded not guilty yesterday.

Here's something you don't read everyday: Students are demanding healthier food choices around Jefferson High School. They are taking their case to the Daly City City Council to ask them to impose a moratorium on fast food joints near high school. Fight the power Jefferson High Schoolers...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.30.09: Sharp Park Showdown, 1 p.m. (and Swine Flu)

Local flu news: Perhaps it is just Watch Dog is sick of the sick news... Peninsula schools prepare for it, but no cases yet. Santa Clara County has 7 probable cases, including a high school student, forcing Branham High School to close down for a week...

In more important news, today is the Sharp Park Golf Course showdown in San Francisco. Get your seats early, according to Pacifica Riptide... the meeting starts at 1 p.m.

Add this to the long list of animal cruelty cases in San Mateo County in the past year... A Daly City couple were neglecting their 10 year-old German shepherd because they were financial strapped. They will face misdemeanor charges...

There are some folks that say fewer elected officials is probably a good thing. In Millbrae, the job of City Treasurer may go from being an elected post to a non-elected post. The job currently held by Mary Vella Treseler is (apparently) become too stressful in these tough times... upon her departure, the position may go in-house (as opposed to on-ballot).

The long-awaited Downtown San Mateo Area Plan is due to be discussed in the coming weeks. Housing, transit, businesses large and small, etc., etc. Sort of like Downtown San Mateo now -- and Jon Mays at the Daily Journal loves it.

California's Senator Barbara Boxer is up for re-election next year and she left it up to the "the people" to design and vote on a campaign poster... Lorene Lederer from San Carlos won (see left). You can decide for yourself if you love it or not...

Perhaps it isn't the best idea to steal $20,000 in order to make your perfect wedding... because you may spend your expensive wedding day in jail. That's what Briana Nicole Balancier did and she'll go on trial in September for the wedding-related robbery...

More Students + Less Revenue = More Crowded Classrooms in Menlo Park City Schools...

In other bad-economy-related news, unionized employees in Redwood City are taking a one-year pay freeze. That makes two of us.

The Landlords vs. East Palo Alto Saga is in the news again (again)... A Judge said that the Page Mill Properties, which has filed a complaint against the City of EPA, must refile because their filing "has failed to allege an actual controversy"... you'd think with Page Mill Properties' high-priced lawyers they'd get it right...

Steve Jobs will have to wait to demolish the historic 14-bedroom home in Woodside. The Woodside Town Council (or COWncil) delayed their action on Tuesday night. The meeting was running late, and folks in Woodside need to get to bed early. Mark your calendars for May 13th...

The Palo Alto Planning Commission said no to a $50 million project on El Camino last night, even after the developers promised to save JJ&F Market.

In the all important category of 'dog news' -- our fellow dogs may be able to roam at Foothills Park in Palo Alto on weekends soon. Currently, we can go there on weekdays, but not weekends...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.8.09: San Francisco's Imperial Supervisor...

Attention San Mateo County (especially Coastside residents): San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi (pictured right) would like to take Sharp Park Golf Course away from you. It is easy for him to do this because he doesn't live near the golf course or in Pacifica or near San Mateo County. Let's see him try to take away a golf course within the City/County limits of San Francisco and run for Mayor at the same time. If you want to call and tell Mirkarimi that he is full of it, here is his office number: (415) 554-7630 and here is his email address: ross.mirkarimi@sfgov.org. One can only guess that Mirkarimi has spoken out against US imperialism...but the San Francisco imperialism seems to be ok with him. Perhaps Congresswoman Speier could place a call?

Speaking of Congresswoman Speier...

Congresswoman Jackie Speier is asking for earmarks...but not a lot of them and they have at least been vetted these folks. Her earmark asks can be seen here...it is a pretty good bet that a Bridge to Nowhere will not be built in San Mateo County on Speier's watch

Some good news for the San Mateo Union High School District, $11 million will flow once again from the Pooled Money Investment Board...whatever that is.

The cloak and dagger is intriguing...Trader Joe's may be coming to the Hillsdale Shopping Center. Shhhhh. A spokesperson from TJ's says, "I have nothing to confirm at this time..."

Dude...San Mateo County is considering more regulations on pot clubs...

Measure 1B gets reviewed in the Daily Journal. 1B is for schools...and to help bail out the State.

Speaking of elections. Bruce at the PP Examiner runs down local ballot measures coming up in the County (thank you Bruce):

May 5th

• Jefferson Elementary School District - $85/parcel tax
• San Carlos School District - $78/parcel tax
• Woodside Elementary School District - $242/parcel tax renewal

May 19th

• Pacifica $.01 sales tax hike
• Big-ass State election
  

June 2nd

• Redwood City School District - $91/parcel tax

Residence at the Franciscan Mobile Home Park in Daly City are none-too-pleased with their proposed rent hike. The owners of the Park, LINC Housing, aims to hold a public meeting with residents of the 500 mobile homes.

Yesterday, the Half Moon Bay Review wrote about (and Watch Dog covered) a story about a lawsuit a local lawyer brought against the Pescadero Unified School District's use of bond money. Later in the day, the County Times got in the action...

The huge Peninsula Park project in Redwood City may not happen after all, according to Paul Powers, the guy who was to develop the project. Blame the economy...

Big budget decision are causing (relatively) wide divides between Menlo Park Councilmembers about how to get out of the hole. Perhaps they will behave better than Palo Alto during budget discussions...

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.28.09: Stimulus (hehehe)

The County's financial picture gets more and more bleak. They are looking at another (possible) loss of $46 million. Thank you Sacramento (and the economy)...

Two things to watch out for in one story:

1. Local Governments: You need to watch out for the State trying to reach deep into every revenue stream, including money collected from parking tickets. The State budget "fix" allows the State to grab more of your money from local parking tickets...therefore
2. Local Illegal Parkers: You need to watch out because the cost of parking tickets are going to be more expensive to compensate for the State's money grab...

Again, thank you Sacramento...

A local bride wanted to get married so bad that she stole (or tried to steal) $20K to make it happen. Unfortunately, instead of a white wedding dress, she may be dressed in County-blues...

The silly-ly named Burlingame Green Ribbon Task Force is seeking your input about how Burlingame can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. As long as cutting greenhouse gas emissions doesn't stop Finance Director Jesus Nava from colorful, Texas-based quotes we'll be ok.

Federal stimulus (admit it, that phrase still makes you giggle...) can be used for increase the transit benefits employers pay to employees...

Thanks the the San Mateo Downtown Association (with a grant from the City), you'll start hearing that Downtown San Mateo has "All the ingredients"...and hopefully you'll want to go spend money on those ingredients...

Wisnom's in San Mateo has been a family business for more than 100 years. It will stay in business, just not with any Wisnoms at the helm.

A Daily Journal Editorial yells loud and clear: "Developer should clean up its mess" at Bay Meadows (a.k.a. San Mateo's newest scrap metal yard)

Councilmember Peter Drekmeier promised a green Palo Alto future. Part of the green Palo Alto future is banning plastic bags at grocery stores (over the objections of anti-enviro/former Assemblymember Manny Diaz). They are also bringing in local farmers to provide fresh, organic produce through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Speaking of green…Palo Alto along with San Mateo and San Mateo County) are getting green-bucks from the Feds to implement green job growth projects. Vice President Joe Biden said the dollars are meant to put people to work and cut energy use.

The City Clerk's Association of California sent a letter to the Daly City City Council. Guess what, they don't think that Pay-Cut Gate is fair...they are a pissed, and they aren't going to take it anymore. Read the letter here.

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.23.09: "Pay-Cut Gate"

You read it here first. In the ongoing Daly City drama where the City Council (in a politically-motivated fit of rage) cut the City Clerk's salary by half, Watch Dog referred to this issue as Pay-Cut Gate on Friday morning. Bruce Balshone at the PP Examiner must have liked that phrase because he used "Pay Gate" in his Friday evening post. Thanks for reading Bruce...

The Summit put together to try to address the Cold War between the City of Belmont on one side and the City of San Carlos/Carlmont High parents/commuters on the other, failed to come to consensus. The groups met to recommend some solutions to the Belmont City Council, but failed to do so. The Belmont City Council will discuss the issue at their April 14th...

In the weekend Daily Journal, Keith Kreitman interviewed Quentin Kopp about high speed rail...unsurprisingly, Kopp is its biggest booster (along with the brave Rod Diridon)...

As if public schools don't have enough to worry about -- they are coming to the realization that their "not so bad" cuts in the State budget could become "horrible" if the ballot measures don't pass in May...

While San Mateo County has some of the best employment numbers in the State...they are getting worse.

The Pacifica Rockaway Quarry is for sale...again. In 2005 it was worth $90 million...that's a lot of zeros.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier's stimulus advisory group met again and heard ideas for how to spend stimulus money. Watch Dog is only looking for $40 - $50 million.

Watch Dog's favorite term: "revenue enhancement strategies"...those are tax/fee increases folks. They were discussed on Saturday morning in Millbrae.

A Friday night, East Palo Alto shooting left 1 dead and 4 wounded...this was apparently the result of a party crasher...Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were not there...

(Covered here and here last week...) Rest assured, the County Investment Pool doesn't seem to have assets at great risk...of course, this information would have been helpful to know before Lehman Brothers went belly-up...

A Pacifica resident, trying to bring attention to the wars in Afganistan and Iraq, put up signs in his yards with numbers casualties in each. His signs continue to get vandalized...

Nothing is more American than gambling......that's why Dennis Sammut of Artichoke Joe's loves his country so much that he installed a massive flag-pole with an enormous American flag flying from it...

If world domination weren't a big enough goal, Google-geek Larry Page wants to build a massive home in Old Palo Alto...don't worry though, it will be environmentally friendly. As environmentally friendly as a 6,000 square foot home can be, Watch Dog guesses. Probably not as environmentally friendly as a home half that size would be...

In an (un)related note, the "Tree House" development for low-income residents got final thumbs up in Palo Alto, but the developer needs to get an EcoPass transit pass for each of the residents who will live there. Perhaps Mr. Page wants to pick up that tab...

Here is a huge surprise: workers from the Palo Alto Utilities Department say they are innocent and that they were wrongly raided by U.S. Department of Transportation agents in February...(until proven guilty, that is...) In a (hopefully) unrelated story, on Sunday night there was a power outage in Palo Alto but residents and reporters could not get anyone at the Utilities Department on the phone to say how long until electricity would be up and running again. It has been a bad couple of weeks/months over there...

Careful driving through Burlingame...starting today, Big Brother is watching...

COW is going to have one...the Woodside fire-safe rules will go into effect on April 9th...

There will be a community meeting in Half Moon Bay on Monday to discuss the closure of the Coastside Family Medical Center. Supervisor (Assembly wanna-be) Rich Gordon will host the meeting...Remember attendees, the County revealed that it was done floating the Medical Center, even though the Medical Center was looking for more money.

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.

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.11.09: Too Much Information Edition...

First, some bad financial news...what else did you expect?

As if the drop in sales tax and construction fees weren't hurting cities and counties enough, plunging property values are hurting local governments even worse...San Mateo County's total property tax revenue could drop $2 billion...(As automatic and requested reassessments become more popular, we all get another warning about unscrupulous businesses trying to scam homeowners about getting reassessed. If you have any questions -- check out Warren Slocum's website...)

As if not wanted to miss the trend, Millbrae decided to seek voter approval to raise the hotel tax by 2 percent and re-upping the fire assessment tax. Voters will likely get a look at these votes in November...

And when politics and budget challenges come to head, we have a situation like we had last night in Daly City. The Daly City City Council cut the salary of the elected City Clerk by half. Could this have anything to do with the fact that folks on the City Council endorsed Annette Hipona's opponent last year? (Hipona won by a lot...)

It was just a matter of time before businesses in Palo Alto chimed in on the proposed (huge) business license tax...the proposed new tax could go before voters in November.

Just as Stanford University's budget crunch was a clear sign that things have tanked, here is another: Portala Valley's only gas station may have to close...don't all those SUVs (and Priuses) still need gas? (Since folks heard of the station's difficulty, it seems people have started spending more money there...)

And now other news:

The Daily Journal's Jon Mays gives his take on needed education reform...

Woodside's COWs give us an update on that town's new fire regulations...

The second local high school principal this week announced her retirement yesterday. Cheryl LeBeouf at Peninsula High is joining Sequioa High's Morgan Marchbanks in heading for greener pastures...actually, LeBeouf is looking to higher ed for her next job while Marchbanks is looking to get her Doctorate...

Menlo Park's Mayor gave his State of the City speech last night. The take away from the speech, at least according to Watch Dog and the Almanac news story, is that residents shouldn't listen to Lee Duboc...Mayor Robinson, you should probably come up with a better message than that...

Watch Dog isn't sure what this means, but it seems that folks in the 14th Congressional District (Eshoo's District) are the most "contented" in the country. Click through to the story and you'll also find out that Congresswoman Eshoo reads her Blackberry in the bathroom. TMI?

Morning News Round-Up -- 3.5.09: Yes We Can(nabis)

As much as we have written about the Garbage Saga, sometimes there are some surprises. Like yesterday, when the Board of Supervisors went against the recommendation by the South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA) about which company should run the recycling facility off of 101 in San Carlos. The SBWMA wants South Bay Recycling to handle that facility -- but the County Supervisors voted to give the contract to Hudson Baylor, a rival vendor. The Supervisor's vote, may not mean much if other members of the SBWMA vote for South Bay Recycling...but it certainly does add to the drama. The real drama will come when the Civil Grand Jury has their say on this issue...when will that report be done?

The Kmart site on Delaware Street in San Mateo is already slated for "transit oriented development" -- but now the developer wants to tweak those plans in order to best accommodate uncertain economic conditions. The new plans including more flats, fewer townhomes, and more office space.

And some crime news to start your day off right:

• The 15 year old Daly City kid who shot a stolen gun at a Lexus carrying a mom and her 3 year old is going to be charged as an adult...the 15 year old kid pleaded not guilty yesterday...
• A 20 year old karate instructor in Foster City was arrested by San Carlos Police yesterday for child molestation. Police are investigating to see if there are other victims.
• As the Republican Party on the state and national level is struggling, one California Republic Party official (who lives in Palo Alto) is not suffering and made nearly $900,000 over the past two years from the GOP...(this isn't a crime story, rather Watch Dog's attempt at humor...)
  

Usually, when Sequoia Union High School District stories appear on Watch Dog is it either about the District's views on the proposed Everest Charter School (the District doesn't like it) or about Carlmont High School parents anger about a missing traffic lane (parents want the lane back) -- today, however, it is about Sequoia High School's principal who is stepping down to get her doctorate...

There is (apparently) a big-time power outage in Palo Alto this morning. Crews are "scrambling" to get folks back online...this is the type of problem that the Utilities Department should be handling, rather than this type of problem with Federal law enforcement agents...

Yesterday the Daily Journal's Editorial pages came on line after the Round-Up was already done...so here is Editor Jon Mays' take on how screwed up Sacramento is. He details the silly bills the Legislators introduce instead of doing their jobs...

And Jon's reporter/columnist Michelle Durand's "Off the Beat" discusses Assemblymember Ammiano's Yes We Cannabis campaign...and some potential risks to having more people smoke more pot...

My goodness...if the race for the 21st State Assembly District in 2010 is going to be in the news everyday then Watch Dog will have to give the race its own daily Round-Up...so far we have San Mateo Supervisor Rich Gordon, former Palo Alto Mayor/Councilmember Yoriko Kishimoto, Community College Trustee Hal Plotkin, and...now add San Mateo County Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson. Let's see how PP Examiner examines the race now that two San Mateo County Supervisors are in (or so-to-be-in) the race...does PP Examiner still think that Supervisor Gordon has a clear advantage?

Cuts are coming to the Jefferson Elementary School District ($691,000)...and a parcel tax is going to voters in that District on May 5th...

East Palo Alto may be getting a long awaited supermarket. San Jose-based Mi Pueblo is considering a space in the Gateway 101 shopping center the was formerly Circuit City...

As some folks (in Palo Alto, Atherton, and Menlo Park) protest High-Speed Rail, some folks are still in favor of it, like the San Mateo City Council.

We often search the blogosphere for San Mateo County-centric stuff...here is an update:

• Recently, we noticed that that David Lim's desire to be on the San Mateo City Council didn't end when Fred Hansson was hand-picked by the current City Council to be their colleague. David has continued to run for City Council, he has a blog up, and updates regularly. Today we learn that David received the endorsement of Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga...congrats David and we will keep an eye on your updates...
• The Citizens of Woodside (COW) blog has an update about that city's General Plan update that is ongoing...