Morning News Round-Up -- 12.1.09: Leave your guns at home Bill...

This is a crazy story: On Sunday night a Redwood City man, in an attempt to protect his family, grabbed his gun to chase away intruders. He did chase them off his property, but then he also took his gun (wearing only his underwear) and got in his car and chased the two dudes by car. Apparently the two would-be intruders called the police to report a crazy guy in his underwear carrying a gun was chasing their car down the street... The gun-wielding, family-protector may get charged with brandishing a weapon. (But not public indecency?)

If that story wasn't today's top story, this would have been: Remember a while back when William Ayre's new defense attorney was trying to get the first jury's contact information... well, that request was denied. (Much to the delight of those first jurors, no doubt...) Of course William Ayres Watch has the details too.

San Mateo decided to keep a public golf course publicly run and run a courier service for itself in order to save money. $560,000 in fact... That savings can help pay for an Assistant City Manager which the Council has agreed to hire as well...

In other City government news: Rich Cline will become the new Mayor of Menlo Park tonight... good night and good luck!

Here is a (very) local issue on the County's docket today: whether or not to close Los Banos Avenue between Park Avenue and Ocean Blvd in Seal Cove...

Michelle Durand (Daily Journal) goes 'rouge' about Sarah Palin going 'rogue'... well played
Ms. Durand, well played...

Don't drive drunk, whoever you are. Even if your car is full of (off-duty) police officers and you are a former officer, you are (hopefully) going to do some time... like this guy. We hear they like police in jail...

The recount that wasn't... Lisa McCaffrey who had called for a recount in the Granada Sanitary District election because her opponent won by 10 votes, called off the recount. That stinks... Kevin Spacey and Al Gore wanted to make sure every vote was counted...

Morning News Round-Up -- 10.1.09: Bucking the Recession Repercussions...

Yesterday, Watch Dog relaunched the Recession Repercussions... well, bucking that trend is Kohl's. They opened their new downtown Millbrae store yesterday... thank you Kohl's.

To trench or elevate, that is the question... sort of. Those are two options for two stretches of High-Speed Rail through the Peninsula. Watch Dog will bet all of our bones that NIMBYs will be dissatisfied with either option... heck, they are pissed about Caltrain's horns.

Dude. Medical marijuana could be making its way to SSF. Awesome.

A Redwood City candidates forum happened last night. For those that are able to stay awake through such things heard about development, High-Speed Rail, the budget, and a (possible) new jail...

And if that wasn't enough excitement for the chronically bored, perhaps a Foster City Council candidates debate was...

And if the Redwood City and Foster City candidate fora (plural of forum) got you excited, you should head over the hill tonight for a Half Moon Bay Council candidates forum...

Michelle Durand is "Off the Beat" today in the Daily Journal... way off the beat. She's getting a pedicure and discussing too-familiar small talk that insults...

Watch Dog loves the controversy brewing in Menlo Park over the Bohannon "Gateway" project. Major local developer (David Bohannon) versus former City Councilmember (Paul Collacchi).

Bruce at PP Examiner puts in his two cents about the Daly City home inspection issue: Daly City Council Buckles to Realtors. Tell us how you really feel Bruce...

Morning News Round-Up -- 9.24.09: High-Speed Rail Politics...

The would-be Hillsdale High School killer, Alex Youshock, pleaded not guilty yesterday. Expect another high-profile case in the San Mateo County Courthouse...

To leash or not to leash (your dog), that is the question in San Mateo... we await David Lim's position on this vital issue. Michelle Durand talks dogs too in the Daily Journal...

Speaking of campaign issues, is there a candidate up and down the Peninsula that ISN'T talking about High-Speed Rail. The issue probably would have been better to talk about before everyone in the County voted FOR High-Speed Rail last year...

Belmont is losing its City Manager. Jack Crist will take over the day-to-day operations of Watch Dog San Mateo... just kidding.

The Performing Arts Center at Menlo-Atherton High School will celebrate a grand opening on October 11th. Expect a wonderful building, and lots of NIMBY crying from its Atherton neighbors...

The race for the Sequoia Union High School District board is broken down by Bruce at the PP Examiner... crowded field. Who wants to take bets?

Morning News Round-Up -- 9.15.09: Mostly Redwood City Round-Up...

Here are two words that are certain to raise some eyebrows: eminent domain. This time for a vocational training facility in Redwood City as part of Sequoia Union High School District...

While one High School District talks eminent domain, another one (San Mateo Union) considers something much less controversial (solar power)...

And San Mateo Union might be on the right environmental track... because Save the Bay came out with their most-polluted local water ways. There are several and some are right down the street from you...

Speaking of environmentalists... sort of. A couple in Woodside illegally cut down a tree in their yard, now they face a $10,000 fine from the Town Council. I cannot tell a lie... we await COWs response...

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times... that's how two Redwood City community groups are looking at High-Speed Rail. The Daily Journal delves deeper...

The Redwood City drunk driving check-point that was closed down in front of the Fair Oaks Community Center is getting increased attention... this issue is not going away.

The budgets for cities are getting worse before they get better. (So is Watch Dog's...) Redwood City's budget gets some ink today.

Half Moon Bay's November City Council race has been written about here, and elsewhere, before. Crowded field and a 20-something... oh, and a $20 million bill to a local developer...

We think Michelle Durand may be advocating for mild violence in her Off the Beat column today in the Daily Journal... but only for really stupid people.

The County Times highlights the possible closure of a cat shelter in Redwood City. Grrrr...

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.23.09: Hooters + San Bruno = Lots of Guys at Tanforan

A third (third?) juror was release from the Ayres' jury yesterday. The first was released for speaking about the trial, the second was released for misconduct, and the third was released because she was ill. Good thing they had plenty of alternates... William Ayres' Watch has an interesting post about legal fees...

A big fire is burning in SSF this morning... updates when available.

Big News Alert: San Bruno may be getting a Hooters at Tanforan no doubt prompting this conversation: "Honey, I'll meet you at Target in about a half hour... make it an hour."

Shared sacrifice from many Burlingame employees kept a fire station open in that City. Which is great. With the State's new money-grab, is shared sacrifice enough?

Speaking of the State's money-grab a.k.a. the budget...

• Off the Beat with Michelle Durand takes on the State budget cleverly...
• Palo Alto is the latest City to express their pissed-offed-ness at the State...
• State Parks in San Mateo County (beaches) may have been saved somewhat in the State budget deal... but details are "still murky"...

An 18 year old was shot dead in the middle of the day yesterday in East Palo Alto. No suspect was arrested.

The most recent animal abuse trial (German shepherd) entered the sentencing phase yesterday. The culprit will serve 4 days in jail. That is un-Vick-like.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.21.09: An EPA lawsuit, are you surprised?

The San Mateo Police are keeping their report of Matthew Elder's suicide two years ago on the Caltrain tracks away from his mother. The Belmont woman has been trying, unsuccessfully, to receive the report. The City has a blanket policy of not releasing reports -- slippery slope and all that.

One of the most frustrating roads in San Mateo County is Holly Street in San Carlos... well, that frustration could end, so could your ability to actually use San Carlos. This idea, and others, are being discussed in San Carlos tonight. Get your two cents in.

It is Off the Beat Tuesday for Michelle Durand at the Daily Journal. She gives a pretty funny recap of things gone wild on the campaign trail in previous local elections. Her column also speaks to her longevity covering all things San Mateo County.

Watch Dog loves this story: A 25 year old is running for an open seat on the Half Moon Bay City Council. We think Charles Hoelzel could have a pretty good argument to make to voters, given that the City is in horrible financial shape because of an expensive lawsuit settlement...

Can anything happen in East Palo Alto without legal chaos insuing? Everest Charter School, rent control, and now the grocery store Mi Pueblo. There has been a temporary injunction ordered from a San Mateo County Superior Court judge against East Palo Alto from doing anything related to Mi Pueblo.

Now we go across 101...

The Palo Alto business tax will (officially) be on the ballot this November. But the vote to put it on the ballot was 7 to 2, with Sid Espinosa and Yiaway Yeh voting against putting it on the ballot. We guess the business community will also say no to the measure. It will be interesting to see how aggressive the "NO" campaign will be. Stay tuned...

Keeping it in Palo Alto. Predictably, some folks are upset with the new composting plan put forward by Palo Alto's Composting Task Force. The angry folks are now at the Palo Alto Airport...

A "faulty flue" was the cause of the Zibbibo fire over the weekend. We hope our rotisserie dinner comes back soon.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.7.09: King of Pop Memorial Edition...

Is it ironic that San Mateo County has a high profile child molestation case that heats up today as the King of Pop is memorialized? The trial of Dr. William Ayres continues today. Too bad I can't remember who took the stand... hmmm. (Just kidding.) The real fireworks start today as the Ayres takes the stand in his own defense... or at least that's the plan.

Palo Alto Utilities Commission is about to be shook up. Two folks are stepping down and the City is thinking about adding seats to the Commission. Perhaps the added seats and new members can figure out how to avoid the Feds crashing down the doors again...

There is some shake up in Menlo Park as well, but in MP it is with key City Staffers. When City Staffers leave en masse, it is never a good sign... the most recent is Dianne Dryer, Environmental Programs Coordinator. The story says that she is in charge of the recycling and garbage stuff for Menlo Park and that she couldn't be reached for comment. Could this be a preemptive fall-out of the Garbage Saga Civil Grand Jury? The intrigue thickens... (or we are just grasping at straws...)

Belmont would like to jack up the hotel tax to cover their budget gap. Guess who is opposed to this idea?

No fireworks means no fireworks... especially in San Bruno where 39 folks were arrested over the weekend.

Too add insult to injury in terms of local governments' budget problems, local property values are falling, meaning the property taxes collected on those properties are falling too. Just ask Assessor Warren Slocum...

Michelle Durand goes Off the Beat in today's Daily Journal and she gets all clever on our asses... Ironically, Durand's piece comes at the same time that Sacramento antics continue...

Fair warning to the San Carlos School District: Redrawing school boundary lines has all the political/policy implications of redrawing Jerusalem's. Good luck...

Well, that didn't take too long. Actually, it did. The pile of rubble at Bay Meadows is gone and construction could start "soon"... Now, the breath-holding starts.

Morning News Round-Up – 6.29.09: Trouble in wave-land…

Coastside Family Medical Center Trustee, E. Lynn Schoenmann, wants to dismiss the bankruptcy protection and put record handling back on the defunct non-profit’s former leaders. Schoenmann says the non-profit “squandered resources” creating a “medical [records] disaster.” Good luck getting your own records back, for the moment they live in San Jose.

That thud you heard was the other shoe dropping as County Tax Assessor Warren Slocum told the Board of Supervisors more than half the houses reassessed were worth less. The Daily Journal’s Michelle Durand chatted with a few of the players while Pacifica Riptide rips a Realtor’s ad claiming housing inventory is low…

Ayers Watch is keeping up with weekend reports on the progress, or lack of, as well as main-stream media coverage of Watch’s own blog. Joining Ayers Watch in the courtroom is a blogger from Sprocket & Company, True Crime Reporting – as lurid as it sounds, Caligirl9 avoids the gruesome details.

Sue Lempert is back in the Daily Journal asking parents how sensible is building a new school when you can’t afford the ones you have and agrees with the Economist that Summer vacation is a “mental eraser.” Watch Dog can hear the kids screaming at the thought of year round school, while parents cheer...

East Palo Alto’s Housing Director Wilbert Lee called the ongoing vandalism at the Courtyard at Bay Road unforeseen. Wheelchair bound Arnold Hart complaints he can’t get in, carpets used as toilets and a crowbar modified elevator are a few of the problems giving San Jose’s Community Housing a headache.

Look for sparks as the Central County Fire Department pushes for independence from Burlingame and Hillsborough – and more communities move for firefighter mergers.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory scientists had a chance at one of their own as US Energy Secretary Steven Chu dropped by to talk global warming.

Palo Alto’s “Open City Hall” may be open for business but no one seems to know…

Consternation abounds. Menlo Park’s Planning Commission has a challenge ahead, will a proposed City Hall gum up parking?

Seems big wave pioneer, Jeff Clark, didn’t gracefully dismount that Mavericks stick. According to Clark there was rough surf at Mavericks Surf Ventures and he got worked after an orchestrated wipe out. Surf Ventures’ Keir Beadling called it the end of “tyranny.”

San Carlos’ Kevin Scott is schlepping through Yosemite hoping enough people care about education to put up a penny a mile to watch him do it. Big Brother, and the rest of the world, will follow Scott courtesy of SPOT.

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.23.09: "No Bail Out for You!"

And we thought the Swine Flu stories were on hiatus... the County saw its first death from the H1N1 flu. Could renewed Mask Hysteria be far behind?

This quote from Assemblymember Jerry Hill pretty much sums up what happened to the Half Moon Bay Bail Out Bill:

“I will no longer pursue the passage of AB650 this year... Unfortunately, the collective actions of the City Council last week and the recent announcement that the city would not file for bankruptcy, coupled with the $20 billion state budget deficit impacted the willingness of my legislative colleagues to support AB 650.”

Perhaps the Sheriff could be in line for a bail out then. 9 positions are being cut from that County Department...

The Mid-Peninsula Open Space District is actually taking advantage of the down economy by purchasing two prime coastal properties. You may have a new place to hike soon...

Speaking of government agencies with money to spend... Menlo Park has a big reserve fund, compared to other cities. Next year the reserve fund could be $25 million... Perhaps they could send some cash to Half Moon Bay or the Sheriff?

Foster City's Mayor John Kiramis may not finish his term in office... this is big news.

Even though times are tough, it looks like the Belmont Sports Complex might see a Redevelopment Agency-funded revamp.

To nobodies' surprise, the Burlingame Safeway project got "mixed reviews" at the Planning Commission meeting last night. What else would you expect?

The Daily Journal's Michelle Durand gets in on Statue (Testy) Gate up in Sacramento. She's funny.

Over the objections of many, Palo Alto will have a business license tax measure on the ballot in November. The measure is a tax based on employee-count -- the more employees you have, the more you pay. The obvious objection to this measure stems from the first day of Econ 101 -- people, and businesses, respond to incentives. In Palo Alto, the incentive will be to NOT add head count...

There will be a public hearing about Coastside healthcare held by the Sequoia Healthcare District next Monday. This announcement was included in the Coastsider blog, which also had a piece about the (possibly political) motivations of Sequoia Healthcare District's interest in Coastside healthcare...

And two coastside rescue stories...

A 6-year old girl was rescued from the water near Half Moon Bay and flown to the hospital with hypothermia. The boat she was on had capsized.

Finally... yesterday we included a story of a surfer who went missing off Pomponio State Beach and Coast Guards were searching for him. Well, they got him, he's fine. Sometimes the news of the rescue is far less interesting and far less timely than the news of the disappearance...

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.18.09: Tone-Deaf Edition...

How are local governments going to make up the budget gap? Well, different ways in different cities. In Millbrae, a red light camera could generate $50,000 per year -- and they are going for it. Drive safe out there... (The Civil Grand Jury has never had such a big financial impact. You don't know what I'm talking about?) That $50,000 won't mean anything if the Millbrae Fire Assessment isn't passing with voters as we speak, however.

In other bad, local government budget news...

Half Moon Bay + $18 million legal settlement + No state bail out = Bonds...

And in a (related) tone-deaf move, the HMB City Council approved raises for their City Manager and Finance Director. Good timing...

The only school district that has been in the news more than La Honda-Pescadero recently is Redwood City Elementary... and school districts being in the news everyday can only mean one of two things: (alleged) corruption (La Honda-Pescadero) or severe budget cuts (Redwood City Elementary)...

Two High-Speed Rail NIMBYs (one from Menlo Park and one from Atherton) are raising money for the NIMBY lawsuit against the California High-Speed Rail Authority. On the one hand, it must be a tough time to raise money. On the other hand, if you have to raise NIMBY money, Menlo Park and Atherton are probably the best places in the entire world to start...

The Daily Journal's Michelle Durand must be reading Watch Dog (and/or watching Saturday Night Live). Really Michelle? Really...

Here's a Watch Dog San Mateo/Watch Dog Silicon Valley story for you: Gubernatorial candidates must have passed each other on 101 yesterday. Republican Tom Campbell spoke to a joint session of Congress, well, actually it was a joint session of the Burlingame, Foster City, and San Mateo Rotaries in Foster City. Democrat Gavin Newsom spoke to the San Jose Rotary. We will let you decide which event was more high-profile and we'll let pundits describe the chances each candidate has or does not have...

A good news bad news story from East Palo Alto... the good: seven folks were arrested in an EPA drug sting operation. the bad: a drug sting operation is necessary at all.

Some will call Stanford Hospital's $124 million investment in "community benefits" a way for Stanford to be a good neighbor to their Palo Alto "friends". Others will call this investment a way to buy good will... If it is the latter, the price of good will is pretty steep...

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.4.09: Paragliding?

Remember the horrible incident at the Mollie Stone's when the driver of a car hit a Girl Scout and her mother? The mother is suing. (Lucky for the driver, he works at a fancy law firm... but unlucky for him, criminal defense doesn't seem to be one of their practice areas...)

The Half Moon Bay Bail-Out Bill has hit a bit of a legislative snag... what do you expect from Sacramento? As this is happening, Pacifica Riptide asks, "Will the State bail out Half Moon Bay?"...

In a sign of the times, the Menlo Park Police Officers (and sergeants) are taking a budgetary hair cut in order to help MP's budget.

A San Carlos Transit Village... How does that sound to you? Well, the costs/benefits are being reassessed... another sign of the times.

A Tuesday home invasion/robbery in the Belmont hills has police searching the neighborhood for clues on Wednesday. The Daily Journal has pictures of the car that was stolen, and if you know anything call the Belmont Police Department (595-7400) or the Belmont Police Department Crime Tip Line (598-3000).

Two folks standing trial for animal abuse (a trend in San Mateo County?) pleaded not guilty to neglecting their 10-year old German shepherd.

Michelle Durand goes "Off the Beat" in the Daily Journal to talk baseball... well, not really. She is talking more about the folks that protest mascots like the Braves (and the Indians, and the Redskins)...

A paraglider was rescued off a cliff in Daly City yesterday... raising the obvious question: Paragliding?

PP Examiner gets back into the blogging world and goes into detail about the San Mateo County Supervisors' recommendations for the Coastal Commission... there is intrigue, take a read...

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Finally, in very sad news, a second Gunn High School student (apparently) committed suicide on the Caltrain tracks.

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.2.09: Great Prank Tuesday...

Cuts, cuts, cuts, taxes, taxes, taxes. Today's government agency in the headlines is the City of San Mateo, with two possible tax hikes headed to the ballot in November.

Also on the chopping block are the music programs in the Millbrae Elementary School District, prompting the headline Editor at the Daily Journal to write: The day the music died.

Let's stick with the government in crisis theme for a bit, shall we?

More State cuts mean more State beach closures, including many of those in San Mateo County. Some could be closed as soon as Labor Day. Thank you Governor Schwarzenegger, State Senators Yee and Simitian, and Assemblmember Jerry Hill... (But with the bad State news comes a (little) bit of good, the Half Moon Bay Bail-Out Bill (AB 650) has been altered and may line up an interest-free $10 million loan for HMB from a bunch of State funds. Let's hope...)

And joining San Mateo on the tax-hike train, Palo Alto is still planning on putting a business license tax on the November ballot, over the objection of the Palo Alto business community. The biggest businesses are going to be whacked with a new, $50,000 tax, which seems like a pretty bad idea these days, at least to Watch Dog.

Perhaps if Palo Alto wasted less money on stuff like this...

City officials in Palo Alto apologized to the Palo Alto Children's Theatre (and the non-profit that funds it) for a probe that the Palo Alto Police conducted last year. It turns out, the Police screwed up, at least according to Palo Alto's Independent Police Auditor. (On a separate note, in San Jose, that kind of finding gets the Independent Police Auditor booted from their job...)

In a piece that will generate hundreds of angry Letters to the Editor of the Daily Journal, Michelle Durand's "Off the Beat" praises the Menlo-Atherton High School senior prank of last week. Ironically, Watch Dog spent the weekend telling friends about the same incident, which was pretty much awesome. We guess, however, that some Daily Journal readers will write something like, "How dare Michelle Durand endorse such bad behavior?" Don't worry Michelle, Watch Dog has your back. Plus, the M-A students' phone prank is better than them doing this with their phones...

The M-A students weren't doing this either, luckily...

A San Jose man was arrested after a six-week sting operation for selling Meth out of the Safeway parking lot on El Camino in Menlo Park. I guess Safeway does have it all...

You think there is a Garbage Saga on this side of the hill, Coastside Scavengers in Pacifica are late (really late) in paying Pacifica their franchise fees... meaning the budget pain in Pacifica is not amped up a bit more to to the tune of nearly $750,000. Ouch. (Remember, they are also considering changing their garbage people like on this side of the hill. Sounds reasonable, given the tardiness of the franchise payments...)

And just because this will seemingly draw more people through our fair County, even if they only stop for gas or in traffic, the Santa Clara City Council will meet tonight to discuss a new 49ers stadium. In a war of words that is happening over San Mateo County's airspace, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom says that Santa Clara should spend its money on something other than a new stadium, like schools... which is weird, because he is trying (unsuccessfully) to build them a stadium in San Francisco with public money and Santa Clara has way better schools than San Frnacisco. Perhaps we could set up a San Mateo County-located rumble to settle this thing?

The trial of accused child molester Dr. William Ayres began yesterday... for minute-by-minute, motion-by-motion updates (and pictures), you can follow William Ayres Watch... we'll have updates periodically as well.

Morning News Round-Up -- 5.19.09: Election Day...Can you feel the excitement?

The Daily Journal's Michelle Durand wants you to vote today... (so does the County Time's Editorial Board) but I think we all feel the same way Michelle does: this election does not stir warm fuzzy feelings...

Redwood City and High-Speed Rail... not exactly NIMBYism like in Palo Alto/Atherton/Menlo Park... Instead, they want workshops and discussion and hand-holding... (Oh, and a High-Speed Rail station in Downtown Redwood City.)

Speaking of trains... Caltrain will hold a public meeting (complaint session) about proposed service cuts/rate hikes on Wednesday, May 27th in San Carlos.

A rash of car fires have been going on in San Mateo. Not cars overheating and bursting into flames, rather, cars being set on fire. Yesterday was the third in three days. Which reminds Watch Dog of another thing burning in a nearby city...

And the fire yesterday didn't stop with cars... there was also a grass fire near 92 yesterday. Perhaps the County's new motto should be: San Mateo County, We're Hot!

It is a June parcel tax vote for the Redwood City School District. Watch Dog screwed up earlier and said it was both today and in June. Sorry y'all.

Morning News Round-Up -- 5.12.09: Watch Dog Middle School? Sounds good to us...

A Redwood City man's mom called authorities to have her (apparently) brain damaged, 6'5", 270 pound son transported to the hospital. Well, the son didn't seem to want to go and it took 8 or 9 officers to subdue the son after he put up a fight. 2 officers got hurt in the incident, but this quote (from the Daily Journal's story) from someone who saw the incident may be telling about where this story is headed:

“...I told the cops ‘don’t hit him, he has a medical condition.’ They hit him in the head and then in the back..."

Even though this was a bad outcome, not nearly as tragic as this outcome from our friends in San Jose...

But that wasn't the only strange story for local police yesterday...

A man was arrested yesterday for violating his tuberculosis-related quarantine in a hospital...

Here is your daily-dose of local government agencies pinching pennies and making big budget cuts:

The Belmont-Redwood Shores School District is (perhaps) going to sell naming-rights to its schools. Which got Watch Dog thinking, perhaps the Watch Dog Middle School would be a cool name. Unfortunately, it seems that only rich folks are being considered: Larry Ellison (Oracle Elementary?), Electronic Arts (It's In the Game Middle?), and Max Keech (Keech Teach School?)...

Apparently some firefighters aren't going to take big budget cuts laying down... The San Bruno Professional Firefighters Association is launching its own budget-related campaign...

But other firefighters, like those in Palo Alto, are forgoing pay raises to help with the budget mess...

San Carlos is also talking tough about what its budget is going to look like during this Great Recession...

CalTrain is looking to cut weekend service, perhaps all together. They are also going to jack up rates...

Now, back to fun stuff...

One small step for foreclosed homes, one giant (financial) leap for Menlo Park. MP approved its plan to start buying up (and renovating) foreclosed homes. Pretty ground-breaking stuff. Lee Duboc must be flipping out...

It isn't just the Everest Charter School that doesn't like its new, East Palo Alto location picked out by the Sequoia Union High School District Board as part of the Everest vs. Sequoia battle -- some folks in EPA don't like the site either... (Good move Everest leaders, get the neighbors all riled up about the site too...)

Michelle Durand's "Off the Beat" today and she goes after Miss California USA and the beauty-pageant's idiotic statement during the Miss USA event. Very Perez Hilton of you Michelle...

On the same note, Donald Trump will be making an announcement today about Miss California USA... he may strip her of her crown, or perhaps just strip her... she is 21 and that is right in the Don's date-able age range...

Morning News Round-Up -- 5.5.09: Cinco de Mayo (and Mask Hysteria and Elections and High-Speed Rail)

Swine flu - Week 2: Michelle Durand addresses the "Mask Hysteria" in her Daily Journal "Off the Beat" column... she also dons a mask in her picture... (That isn't your best look Michelle.)

In addition to the Mask Hysteria, today is also the final day to vote on a bunch of local measures (San Carlos School District, Woodside Elementary School District, Jefferson Elementary School District) and the Burlingame storm-drain measure. You should have received your ballots in the mail, but you need to return them in person today...

Here's some (unsurprising) news. The County's in-home healthcare workers are getting a pay cut. Not quite Pay-Cut Gate, but more a sign of the times...

But there is a bright spot related to County health -- the County's Health System (and Supervisor Rich Gordon) announced that the Coastside Clinic in Half Moon Bay will expand pediatric services. Some good news on a rainy day...

Speaking of things with the word "Coastside" in them... the Coastside Farmers' Market will open tomorrow at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica and run through December on Wednesdays between 2:30 and 6:30. Let's hope for sunshine...

Burlingame is mad as hell and they aren't going to take it anymore (from the California High-Speed Rail Authority)... They want a tunnel or nothing at all. According to Councilmember Jerry Deal, "...We don’t need to look at all options. We want a tunnel. We want it out of the way..." I guess the current train tracks are "out of the way" too?

Another unreasonable way to deal with High-Speed Rail emerged in Palo Alto yesterday... Palo Alto Vice Mayor Jack Morton called for the High-Speed Rail Authority to be disbanded and replaced with some other agency, like CalTrain... Really? Perhaps that would have been a stronger argument before the State (and a majority of folks on the Peninsula) voted FOR High-Speed Rail last November...

If you read Watch Dog, you already knew this, the next chapter in the Sequoia Union High School District battle with Everest Charter School may end up in court. From Watch Dog's perspective, this is more about Everest not wanting to be in East Palo Alto than anything else... in other words, not something that is lawsuit-worthy, but that's just one Dog's opinion...

In other (far less litigious) Charter School news, the Magnolia Educational and Science Foundation has won a State Board of Education decision to open 10 Charter Schools up and down California. One will be in San Mateo County and they want to be in East Palo Alto and are looking for space. Take THAT Everest!

Good thing San Mateo County isn't Berkeley. 100 trees are slated to be cut down to make way for CalTrain to seismically repair some bridges. No tree-sitters...yet...

Good thing Palo Alto isn't Berkley either... Six large "stone pine" trees are coming down in Mitchell Park. Again, no tree-sitters...yet...

Bruce at the PP Examiner breaks down the Sharp Park issue... again. Including details from last week's SF meeting.

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.28.09: Swine flu everywhere (in the news...)

Swine flu is everywhere...everywhere in the news, the actual flu isn't everywhere...

But just because there is a possible pandemic flu going around, doesn't mean the Belmont City Council can't continue the Garbage Saga... Belmont doesn't really like the SBWMA, the folks that run the garbage contracts in most of the County. Belmont wants to replace the SBWMA Board, which is made up of City staff from each City/Agency in the jurisdiction, with elected officials.

The on-again, off-again House of Representatives Financial Services Hearing on San Mateo County's (and other communities') losses from the Lehman Brothers' fiasco is on-again, but it won't be local. May 5th in DC.

The Safeway/Roti credit card scheme trials continue...this time, a Safeway clerk pleaded no contest to helping use stolen credit card numbers (from Roti) to buy stuff (at Safeway)...

In other Safeway news...Burlingame's Safeway plans are taking shape. Last Thursday, the Burlingame Planning Division got an official application for demolition for the current Safeway and the Walgreens.

Michelle Durand gets into the 2010 Governor's race in today's Daily Journal...Who's running...Guess?

The City of East Palo Alto and developers that own apartments in East Palo Alto still aren't getting along...surprise, surprise...

The November Millbrae City Council election is taking shape. Former Mayor Nadia Holober is in the race... with the backing of Congresswoman Jackie Speier, no less... (and just about every other political big wig...)

The City Manager in Palo Alto sees big cuts on the horizon...with a $10 million budget gap, what else are you going to do...Perhaps raise taxes on businesses? They could foam-containers... but instead are just going to be ban them...

The COWS in Woodside remind us that the Woodside Elementary School District has a parcel tax on the May 5th (NOT MAY 19TH) ballot...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.23.09: Food Stamps to the Economic Rescue...

You know the economy is bad when this is the headline of a Daily Journal story: Food stamps provide financial boon...

Apparently the economic boon that food stamps are providing aren't enough to stave off 5-10% cuts from the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department however...

And food stamp boon is also not enough to calm folks anger of the proposed business license tax in Palo Alto...Palo Alto leaders are now going to "slow down plans" for the new tax...

Speaking of quelling anger...Assemblymember Jerry "The Bearded One" Hill is hosting a Town Hall on High-Speed Rail. That should be all kinds of NIMBY fun for the family...the Town Hall is in Belmont at 7 p.m. tonight.

A "virtual charter school" (whatever that is) will (likely) be voted down by the SSF Unified School District tonight. In Watch Dog's ongoing attempt at humor, we are letting folks know that World B. Free is not the petitioner for the Free World U Charter School...

"Off the Beat," Michelle Durand gives high-praise to Gale, the Wonder Woman of the Daily Journal.

The Right Wing Tea Party that happened last week in San Mateo is getting blasted for some anti-semitic stuff on posters. It sounds like the McCain/Palin rallies of October 2008 are re-igniting...Our State Senator Leland Yee is leading the anti-Tea Party charge...you go Leland.

Some crime news...

• Remember the woman who crashed into a house in her car in Foster City in February? (We made a joke about the snow on the roads...) She won't be charged.
• The mother of a teenage girl had sex with a 14 year old boy. This happened in San Bruno last year. The woman is being charged with a bunch of crimes, obviously.
  

It isn't part of the Garbage Saga, but Menlo-Atherton High School students are dumping stuff on the lawn to show how much everyone wastes...Happy (Smelly) Earth Day...How long before Lindenwood neighbors in Atherton start complaining about this?

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.21.09: Better late than...

Sorry for the delay. Better last than never and all that jazz...the heat is going to Watch Dog's head...

"We need a larger crane..." That was the call from the San Mateo Bridge during the removal of the boat lodged there since last week. It was hauled away last night.

As one emergency gets solved...another one is issued.

The Governor declared a fishing emergency earlier today.

San Mateo has an idea to cut their budget, go after senior lunch programs. Watch Dog doesn't think this will actually happen, but is probably a good way to get folks supportive of future fee/tax increases...

San Mateo Union High School is going to hire Assistant Superintendent from Palo Alto Unified to replace outgoing Superintendent David Miller. Miller is getting out before all hell brakes loose in California when/if Props A through F fail...

Still sleepy from last week's artificial turf meeting in San Carlos, in today's Daily Journal Michelle Durand's "Off the Beat" describes some ideas for how to streamline public meetings in order make government run more effectively...and help her meet her deadlines.

The Pacifica sales tax increase is facing some opposition -- no big surprise. Riptide covers the coverage...

Morning News Round-Up -- 4.2.09: Rest assured...Riley is safe

Take THAT economic downturn. A 'new' auto dealership will open in Burlingame this week. Putnam Subaru is opening a Burlingame dealership on California Drive. Good luck Mr. and Mrs. Putnam...

In other dealership news...Menlo Park's Planning Commission will hear about a plan to put 110,000 square feet of office and retail in on El Camino Real where the Cadillac dealership used to be (before everyone started driving SUVs...)

As if the Sequoia Union High School District versus Everest Charter School weren't difficult enough for the School District, the economic downturn has also caused the District to issue 19 pink slips...and we thought Pink Friday was weeks ago...

And some good school news...the Cabrillo Unified School District is set to receive $700,000 of Federal stimulus money.

Riley got out...he's safe...Watch Dog hates to read about our friends (and Michelle Durand's dog) getting out of the yard...

County Supervisors approved $500,000 in emergency funding for local non-profits this week. A little late for the Coastside Family Health Center, however...

The County Times John Horgan offers a 'solution' the debris at Bay Meadows...

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.24.09: Bom Dia, Michelle Durand...

In case you missed it yesterday, check out Watch Dog's little ditty about a local Judge with a foul mouth...

The Garbage Saga continues...and continues...and continues. Menlo Park is the latest city to jack up garbage rates. And it's a big one. 32 percent in the next two years...Watch Dog anxiously awaits Lee Duboc's reaction.

On a related (?) note, Menlo Park is set to approve $18.8 million in new infrastructure projects...

It seems every City is updating its General Plan -- this includes San Bruno. (Remember, COW talked about Woodside's Plan as well.) San Bruno wants more parks and to bring more people (or any people) downtown. (Downtown San Bruno?)

Tonight, Belmont will consider an update to campaign finance regulations. The ordinance hasn't be updated in 20 years, apparently. No time like the present to write regulations to keep incumbents in office...You see, when sitting City Councilmembers write new campaign regulations, they almost always favor those in office, rather than potential challengers.

If it is Tuesday, it is time for Michelle Durand at the Daily Journal to go "Off the Beat"...and this one is not to be missed. She chimes in on the New Jersey legislature that was considering banning the Brazilian. Michelle doesn't like being told what to do...and it sounds like she knows a thing or two about Brazil...

The County of San Mateo is putting together its next budget...and it doesn't look good. The first draft has 40 folks getting cut and the elimination of 78 unfilled positions. It seems like the County might be listening to Menlo Park's Lee Duboc more closely than the City of Menlo Park is...

The tragic killing of 4 Oakland Police Officers last week has caused a judge in Redwood City to postpone a trial in San Mateo County where a gang member killed an officer in East Palo Alto...

There was a power outage in Palo Alto over the weekend, but that isn't the most interesting part of the story. This is:

No city utilities officials were available Sunday afternoon or evening to provide information about what was happening.

Oops...

Remember the recent fire in Downtown Menlo Park? Well, the Peet's that burned is on a fast-track to reopen. This is great news, because all the SUVs cruising apparently Menlo Park run on gasoline and caffeine...

You know you are in Atherton when...well, when people don't lock their car doors. There were 11 reports of folks cars being entered in Lindenwood -- all the cars were unlocked.

The meeting in Half Moon Bay about the closure attracted hundreds of folks...Supervisor Rich Gordon was on the hot-seat describing the County's relationship with the Coastside Family Medical Center. Gordon said they didn't know that closure was imminent and that they thought the Center could stay open "at least another few weeks..." Watch Dog isn't sure that the few weeks that Gordon referenced would have made the closure any more palatable to HMB residents...