Morning News Round-Up -- 2.10.10: Say goodnight Mirabella...

The Mirabella Project in Foster City has hit an economic snag. The lending environment is "frosty" according to the developer -- and has led to the developer returning about $600K worth of deposits for folks who had already put down money down on the development. That is never a good sign...

Speaking of development... the Menlo Park City Council is officially opposing the Cargill Salt Ponds development in Redwood City... Representatives from the developer are making an interesting (?) point that the salt ponds aren't actually part of the Bay, but rather they are an industrial site. Got that?

Well, Pacifica Riptide filled all of us into the new garbage contract in Pacifica... it got approved last night. One more domino in the Recology monopoly that is San Mateo County... The story in the San Mateo County Times uses the phrase "no bid contract" and outlines the deal that gotRecology the contract. Does this sound fishy to anyone else?:

Recology offered the city an additional "assignment fee" of $100,000 in exchange for approval of the arrangement.

Budget cuts, budget cuts, budget cuts...

• The County
• and the Millbrae Elementary School District
• and KCSM...
• and San Mateo... still
• and the Redwood City School District...

Here's a little bit of good budget news for you and I, but more bad news for South San Francisco. If you were nabbed by the red-light camera at the intersection of El Camino and Westborough and Hickey -- you are going to get your money back because the SSF screwed up royally, to the tune of a cool million.

You may not remember, but there was a story way back when about a Safeway clerk who was arrested for dealing meth in the parking lot of the MP Safeway... apparently that carries an 8 month prison sentence with it if you plead "no contest." Maybe that's why the Safeway deal took so long in Burlingame, because Burlingamers were worried about meth being dealt in the parking lot...

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.11.09: Veterans Day Edition...

As we predicted, the idea for San Carlos to charge its partner in fire protection (Belmont) more money isn't being that well received... neighbor vs. neighbor. What do they say about fences and neighbors?

Here is a unique story: Folks in Burlingame are mad that there is a truck parked downtown... which normally isn't a problem. Except this truck is serving Indian food. Watch Dog does love Burlingame...

A federal lawsuit is being filed against the City of Millbrae and its Police Department accusing them of racial discrimination. And here we thought that federal lawsuits against cities and their police departments only happened in San Jose...

"Grade separation" may be coming to train tracks near you -- if you live in San Bruno. (And no, grade separation has nothing with the achievement gap in our schools...)

The commercial crab season is looking bad... which is neither good for business or for your taste buds...

From Portola Valley to Geneva... it isn't a direct flight. But that's where Portola Valley resident Eileen Chamberlain is headed. She was appointed as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council. A lot for a business card... but pretty awesome nonetheless...

Fix Pacifica chimes in with some questions about why nothing has happened with the old Waste Water Treatment Plant in Pacifica for 10 years...

In case you missed it -- Bruce at PP Examiner wrote up the election results on his blog...

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.4.09: Champagne Hangover Edition...

So many campaigns, so much champagne, such a bad headache... the winners, and losers...

• New hotel taxes are coming to Burlingame, San Mateo, Millbrae, San Bruno, SSF, and Brisbane... but a sales tax hike in San Carlos failed, so did a business license tax in Redwood City.
• Atherton passed its parcel tax extension. Portola Valley passed a utility tax. Phew... we weren't sure Athertonians or Portola Valleyians would be able to afford it...
• Speaking of Redwood City... incumbent Jeff Ira got re-elected to the City Council along with Planning Commissioners Jeff Gee and John Seybert...
• David Lim, who has been running for the San Mateo City Council for a very, very long time won. For a complete list of the results, check it out here...
• Coastside, Naomi Patridge, Allan Alifano, and Rick Kowalczyk will take their seats on the HMB City Council. Good luck.
• The Sequoia Union High School District is getting two new Board members. Remember, this is the School District that has had an ongoing battle with the two Charter Schools. As a possible rebuke by voters to how the School District has acted, Chris Thomsen got the most votes... you see, Chris Thomsen, has a kid at one of the Charter Schools. Perhaps a new day is dawning at Sequoia?

Citizens of Woodside advocate for MOOTube... and some donations...

And the San Mateo County blogosphere has new member. What seems to be an anti-Pacifica Riptide blog, Fix Pacifica, is now on the scene... Welcome Fix...