Morning News Round-Up -- 2.12.10: When the going gets tough...

Mavericks Saturday... Now we see what the delay was. The organizers probably wanted the combination of big waves and a weekend...

Pat Gemma is retiring... and you might too if you were him. He is the Superintendent at the Sequoia Union High School District. He is probably exhausted from fighting the Charter Schools in his District and constant cuts... But there are some real long timers getting out of the action: Buffington, Slocum, Gemma... when the going gets tough...

Well, some of the tough try to get elected to a different office... like Supervisor Mark Church, who officially threw his hat into the ring for Slocum's office.

South San Francisco Unified has a little problem on their hands... Administrators are due to receive raises and teachers are none too pleased...

The Daily Journal advocates that some school districts team up to spread resources around better... good luck with that idea.

The COWs of Woodside wrote up the City Council meeting in January -- or you could take an Ambien...

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.21.10: Dude... lawsuits are NOT cool

Weather, weather, weather...

Some Mavericks news... and not the "it's go time" type, either. More of the disagreement between Jeff Clark, Mavericks' founder, and Mavericks Surf Ventures, Inc., which runs the event (and kicked out Clark last year)... the disagreement is now in court as Clark filed a complaint in San Francisco Superior Court. Dude, this entire thing is so not cool...

Jon Mays at the Daily Journal gives his thoughts about how Matt Grocott's entrance into the race to replace Supervisor Rich Gordon is a "game changer." Shoot, with Don Horsley, Michael Stogner, April Vargas, Jack Hickey, and David Mineta already in the crowded field, a game-changer might actually be really fun to watch.

Online, Bruce at PP Examiner also chimes in on the race...

You remember the jewelry heist last week at a Burlingame hotel parking lot... well, 6 guys were arrested in LA in connection with that robbery. Very Law and Order...

Court workers in the County are protesting state cuts, furloughs, and financial mismanagement... and they are doing it in the rain, which counts for something. Home healthcare workers who are paid by the State/County are also joining the protests...

Hey all you folks in Burlingame -- get ready for your fees on just about everything in 2010 to go up: water, sewer, and garbage. Oh, and then they will up again in 2011 and again in 2010. Joy.

Morning News Round-up --12.09.09: A No-Mavericks Wednesday

Black ice and low visibility = bad driving conditions... along portions of 280 from Highway 92 in San Mateo to Larkspur Drive in Burlingame. It's that damn global warming again, no doubt.

If you think you are cold...be thankful you are not a bird.

New taxes, more taxes, new taxes… and San Mateo County Community College District doesn’t want to be the exception.

And here is one reason why we always need new taxes…

When it comes to health care reform, Washington’s Senate Dems might not get it, but San Mateo County does?

A 25-year-old man was stabbed outside a Happy Donuts in Redwood City. Not so happy after all.

Here is one from the archives: Bay Area gas prices plunge 11 cents. 'Tis the (oil) season.

Which brings us to our next point: Portola Valley ranks seventh of the 10 communities with the largest residential consumption of energy per household in the service area of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. Figures.

And still, no Mavericks today…It's too cold, people.

Bruce is back... and he gives us more Sharp Park Golf Course details to chew on.

Redwood City selected Jeff Ira as mayor. Again. And here is what he had to say about that last night: “What you can do for Redwood City?” Already passing the buck, Jeff?

Morning News Round-Up -- 12.8.09: A frosty Round-Up...

Menlo Park Police had the honors of arresting the 19-year-old son of home run king Barry Bonds for allegedly spitting in his mother's face and throwing a metal doorknob at her during an argument, Police said. Sounds like a good kid...

Speaking of beating a woman... Embattled Belmont City Councilman Bill Dickenson will step down from the council tonight, capping a four-year term in which he was arrested twice and sentenced to 20 days in jail for beating his ex-girlfriend.

No Mavericks today. Bummer dude. Those boys would have been very chilly... shrinkage much?

Community members are holding a vigil on Wednesday for 6-year-old Lisa Xavier, the Menlo Park girl who was killed last month when an alleged street racer hit the car she was riding in with her parents.

In with the new and out with the old(er) in Burlingame... City Council, that is...

It was a slippery day yesterday… three people, including a baby, were injured in a car accident in Belmont.

A solar project at San Carlos middle school could save the District some serious bucks… or maybe not.

But in Woodside, town employees are getting $1,000 bonuses?

Morning News Round-up --12.07.09: God is a Republican

We hope everyone is ready to "call in sick" Tuesday... Mavericks may be called because of the (expected) crazy weather. Or maybe not...

What do a San Bruno parks commissioner, a planning commissioner and a photographer have in common? They are applying to take over the city council seat vacated by Jim Ruane who was elected San Bruno mayor in November.

By the way, what’s up with the snow? It’s going to make global warming a hard(er) sell in Copenhagen. God is a Republican.

A real-life political drama is unfolding in Menlo Park as two Councilmembers (well, one Mayor and one Councilmember) try to get on the SamTrans board... the problem, it seems the Menlo Park Council only wants Heyward Robinson and not John Boyle. But Boyle isn't backing down...

Jan Epstein sat through her last (boring/thankless) San Mateo City Council meeting as she steps down and makes room for Robert Ross and David Lim... the library in San Mateo thanks you Ms. Epstein...

Menlo Park schools think they have solved its budget problems….attrition. Hopefully, there will be enough teachers to, um, teach?

People on the Peninsula don't like the sound of noise of trains... we read about the problem with CalTrain (over and over again) but now it is freight trains. Now, the Federal Railroad Administration will look into it. Leading to the obvious question: there is a Federal Railroad Administration?

The Mirabella Project in Foster City is slated to be talked about again this week as the Council meets in Closed (Secret) Session to see if they want to allow Pacific Retirement Services an extension in order to get money lined up. Perhaps the good folks in Dubai could help?

Congresswoman Eshoo opposes the Afghan troop surge. But don't worry, she is working on other important issues in D.C. -- like making sure your TV isn't too loud during the Snuggie commercials. Seriously.

Bruce? Bruce?

Malcolm Smith is no Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, but perhaps he knows how to rile a crowd in the same way (he's got the name for it). The Daily Journal gives a little insight about Smith’s job as Redwood City’s communications manager. aka: slow news day.

San Mateo County candidates are already talking about next year’s ballot…2010 is going to be a big one.

And finally...

if George C. Larsen can remember Pearl Harbor, then you can too.

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.2.09: Bridge (Still) Closed Edition...

Yes, we took Friday off. We didn't see you working that hard either...

It is a political week for those of you really paying attention and aren't totally consumed with guessing when the Bay Bridge will reopen or close again...

• San Bruno Park School District has a race...
• Portola Valley has a renewal of a utility tax and Atherton is renewing its parcel tax...
• A hotel tax (or an increased one) is on the ballot in San Mateo, SSF, Millbrae, Burlingame, Brisbane, and San Bruno...
• And then there is a race for the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board. There are three folks the Menlo Park Firefighters Legislative Action Group is supporting, but don't bother looking about how much money that group is spending to get these three elected. They seemingly believe they are above the law and not reporting their campaign finance spending. Good thing the Almanac is a good watchdog when it comes to these things.
  

County workers have agreed to a contract. They agreed on Friday. If the unions and County have any tricks of the trade, perhaps you could let your colleagues in Palo Alto in on the secret. They are locked in a pitched battle...

Speaking of contentious... the Foster City City Council is going to approve the Chess-Hatch Master Plan tonight... Here is what you need to know: 10 stories of office above 4 stories of parking and probably lots and lots of taxes to the General Fund.

Those kids at Sacred Heart Prep really know how to party apparently. Two students were expelled for "marijuana-related activities"... what the hell does that mean? Were they smoking it? Were they selling it? Or were they just having a related activity to it? The interesting part of the story is that the Atherton Police know nothing about it -- and Sacred Heart officials are pretty much keeping quiet about what went down. Just a question for the Atherton Police: Don't you have jurisdiction if there is a drug issue on campus? Just asking...

The watch-and-wait season of Mavericks has begun. So get your board and your sex wax ready...

Morning News Round-Up - 10.22.09: 420 daydream -- 8 ounces followed by a footlong...

Foster City Council candidate Herb Perez showed up to the candidate forum unannounced but only to scold a fellow candidate for launching a smear campaign against him. Drama!

Cats gone wild in San Bruno schools. Seriously. Feral cats in school...

The Millbrae BART/Caltrain Station closed after a “suspicious package” was found at the station. Officials determined the package was not a threat…

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed emergency legislation yesterday to restore $16.3 million for domestic violence shelters in the State including San Mateo County’s Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse. Finally! Maybe the State isn't as callous and messed up as we thought...

No, it is:

Another victims of State budget cuts: California State Parks is canceling the 137th anniversary celebration for Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park.

Burlingame is soldiering through this recession, despite a 15 percent drop in sales tax revenues. 15% drop in revenue, 10% unemployment, $5 footlong...

Did you know that you are permitted to carry 8 ounces of marijuana at SFO? Just make sure you have that card to back it up. And once you smoke that 8 ounces, you'll need that $5 footlong...

Speaking of weed... High surf advisory today… bad for swimmers, good for surfers. Remember, Mavericks opens November 1st -- so get your thick wetsuit ready...

Belmont residents can Tweet Police today to ask questions about crime trends in their neighborhoods. I would like to Tweet the Police about driving while Tweeting while driving... (Go ahead, read it back slowly, it makes sense...)

Morning News Round-Up -- 10.20.09: Under-the-Radar Politics...

An under-the-radar race is happening for two open seats on the Sequoia Union High School District Board. We wrote about it here previously when the Daily Journal endorsed Chris Thomsen and Alan Sarver. But things are heating up. Check out the message board on the Almanac website about a controversy involving the Superintendent, some District staff, and a confidential leak of information to some candidates but not others... there are 100 comments! The Almanac also profiles the candidates and does some curtain-raising on the race.

San Mateo City Council voted last night to get its money back from the State, which took $2.8 million to cover its own budget deficit. Wow. The State government screws local government? Say it ain't so... Assemblymember Ruskin, can you spare a dime?

The trial begins for alleged cop killer Alberto Alvarez, accused of shooting an East Palo Alto Police Officer...

You remember this story about the Redwood City DUI checkpoint and the actions of a City Councilmember who had it shut down... Councilmember Barbara Pierce didn’t do anything wrong (technically). Case closed.

A body was found at the bottom of a steep cliff near Pacifica. Yikes!

And poor, poor Fox Theater owners… they are trying desperately to hobble together a deal that would save the historic theater from being auctioned off in a few days. “It’s not over til it’s over,” according to owner Mike Monte.

South San Francisco celebrated the groundbreaking of the new ferry terminal that will help people get to and from their jobs… at least the very few of you who have jobs.

Mavericks surf contest starts early this year. Let's hope the weather cooperates...

Another Palo Alto teen commits suicide on Caltrain tracks. Scary.

If you got a flat tire driving along Highway 84 on Sunday, this is why...

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.28.09: $5 to swim is a problem. $5 for chili is just yummy.

Parents worried a $5 monthly increase in the cost to use South San Francisco’s Orange Memorial Pool would be hard to manage. Pools ain't free...

Yet people are willing to pay to eat chili. Lots of it...

And here is the obligatory reminder to not eat chili and then go swimming in the pool. You MUST wait 30 minutes, at least.

Financial regulators in Washington, D.C. have decided to start doing their job. They have barred a Redwood City woman from the securities industry after she allegedly took more than $850,000 from customers of the brokerage firm where she worked. That would be great if everyone on Wall Street who bilked customers got the same treatment...

Mills-Peninsula Health Services will likely move its acute rehab unit where stroke, brain injury, and spinal cord injury patients go to make room for behavioral health services.

An elderly couple were found dead today inside a home the Woodside Hills neighborhood. It was an apparent murder-suicide by handgun. Yikes.

The County’s southern cities are making their mark in the solar industry.

Mavericks Surf Ventures Thursday released the names of the exalted 24 surfers invited to the 2009-2010 Mavericks Surf Contest. Big wave.

Pacifica residents want term limits…

Sea lions are dying in record numbers from Chile to Oregon, that includes Pacifica where there has been a large number of stranded sea lion pups wash up on its beaches. Sad.

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 -- 6.24.09: Atherton Politics...there is no substitute

The trial of accused molester Dr. William Ayres officially started. William Ayres Watch has this intro to the coverage that they will be providing on the trial:

"...If you are looking for strictly mainstream coverage of the Dr. Ayres trial, please go to the SF Chronicle or the San Mateo County Times. But if you are looking for a more complex and richer back story to the case, you will find it here..."

The Ayres' trial moves forward without one accuser testifying, however...

(While this trial could be viewed by some as a circus waiting to happen, there is a real circus (Circus Vargas) happening in San Mateo County...)

In a less high profile molestation case where a tae kwon do instructor molested a 13 year-old student in San Carlos. The case has been settled. The instructor pleaded no contest and will serve no more than a year in jail. Dr. Ayres may not be so lucky...

The Jackling House in Woodside will be demolished, thanks to a 5-2 vote of the Woodside City Council. One condition, though: the house will be deconstructed first by a preservationist whose goal will be do reconstruct the house somewhere, sometime... This is good news for Steve Jobs, but somehow we think he has more important things going on in his life, like recovering from a liver transplant...

Here are today's obligatory local government budget cutting/fee raising stories

• Parks and public works, and a bunch of other services are getting hit in the County budget...
• The Palo Alto Unified School District is preparing to plug a $7 million budget gap. Yikes...

Watch Dog has expressed our love for Atherton politics before... very cut-throat, very small-town, very good for Watch Dog to cover. There is a now a fight brewing about how to get items get on the City Council's agenda. Three Councilmembers (seemingly) want to make it more difficult, two want to make it easier. Unfortunately, it will take three votes to make it easier, so we expect the agendas in Atherton to be as sparse as they ever were...

San Mateo Union High School District, also feeling a budget pinch, is not deterred from its plans to put solar on its schools...

San Carlos Elementary will get a new (interim) Superintendent today. Craig Baker, the head of the Gardner Center for Youth in Their Communities at Stanford will be named at tonight's meeting.

The 6 year-old girl pulled from the water off the coast of Half Moon Bay over the weekend after her boat capsized is being released from the hospital. That's good news.

Speaking of HMB... PP Examiner gets in on the action describing the demise of Assemblymember Hill's Half Moon Bay Bail Out Bill. (As an aside, Watch Dog was the first to coin that phrase, we believe.)

And more HMB news.

Mavericks Surf Contest will have a longer window this coming season, and the decision to go or not to go won't be made by Jeff Clark, who invented the contest. Clark will stay on the Board, but the decision about who will make The Decision hasn't been decided.

(Slightly Delayed) Morning News Round-Up -- 3.26.09: Leaders of the Free World in South San Francisco...

Sometimes you can't make these things up. A proposal for a new Charter School is being made to the South San Francisco Unified School District tonight. The name of the Charter School organization...Free World U. And obviously, the heads of the Charter School organization are referred to in the story as "The Leaders of the Free World U"...8 Mile anyone?

Belmont is thinking about getting their own utility company. Perhaps it will go as well as Palo Alto's is going...with the Federal investigation underway and not answering the phone during outages...

Rusting scraps of metal are pretty unsightly. That's why the City of San Mateo is looking at ways to clean up Bay Meadows...

The Reporters' Notebook at the Daily Journal is taking notes from Watch Dog. They picked up on Watch Dog's piece yesterday about David Lim's ongoing campaign for San Mateo City Council...

John Horgan in the County Times writes about Millbrae and rail lines...and picks up where the Daily Journal's Michelle Durand left off with the Brazilian wax story by talking about male waxing...

Weird timing on this one. Perhaps no other candidate for State Assembly has ever had a longer roll-out announcement of their campaign than Supervisor Rich Gordon...it was announced here, here, here, and here over the course of three months and now the Almanac (finally) gets in on the action. In case you missed it: Supervisor Rich Gordon is running for State Assembly. Perhaps the real news is that he has a new website richgordon2010.com and is being endorsed by Congresswoman Anna Eshoo...and Gordon "loves California"...

Sad news...it looks like the '09 Mavericks may not happen this year...put your wet-suits away.

Morning News Round-Up -- 2.26.09: A San Mateo Surfer Scam...

Here is a true "Only in San Mateo County" story...a Maverick's surfer was due to appear at the San Mateo County Historical Museum for a bunch of events around the opening of an exhibition. The day before the event at the Museum, a man posing as surfer Grant Washburn scammed the Museum out of a couple of hundred bucks. This story is too weird to believe...No arrests have been made.

Watch Dog has been interested in the Garbage Saga forever...partly because of the intrigue, partly because of the cost, and partly because of the colorful quotes. But others have been interested too -- like the Civil Grand Jury, who took up outgoing Supervisor (now Assemblymember) Jerry Hill's call to action to look into how the 10-year contract was awarded to Norcal...the County Times gives us an update on the Civil Grand Jury investigation: nobody is talking about it...

As if taking a hint from the Daily Journal's Jon Mays' Editorial this week about consolidating municipal services, Burlingame is considering sharing fire and police services with Millbrae (along with a bunch of other cost-saving measures...)

San Mateo Union High School District is in a battle with local unions about signing Project Labor Agreements, which would (essentially) require union contractors be used for high school modernization projects.

Some local folks attended the recent California Constitutional Convention Summit, (a.k.a. the Tea Party) (a.k.a. Throw the Bums Out Meeting) that took place in Sacramento...Supervisors Gordon and Church were there...

On a (sort of) related note...

Teachers + California = Yearly Pink Slips...

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission -- the folks the dole out the cash -- has a new Vice Chair, and you may recognize her...

High-Speed Rail is coming to the Peninsula. (Some/All) Folks in Menlo Park and Atherton and Palo Alto hate it...but it seems that it is moving on a fast-track...(pun intended)...if you want to learn more (or spout off) there are two upcoming meetings, one tonight in Palo Alto and one in Redwood City...

And...San Carlos has its own Holly Street Bridge problems with high-speed rail they just (?) discovered...

Congresswoman Jackie Speier is the Woman with the Plan (and President Obama too)...Speier writes about her foreclosure plan today in the Daily Journal, and it got covered in a bunch of places as well. San Mateo County is extremely well-represented in Congress these days...

What is becoming a truism on Watch Dog, do not mess with school kids' parents. The uprising in the Burlingame Elementary School District about their lottery system meant to alleviate over-crowding, is now causing the District to rethink/scrap their plans and instead invest millions of dollars in new facilities...

As if it were a different time and/or a different place, there were protesters outside of the Planned Parenthood in San Mateo. Really? Still protesting outside of Planned Parenthood?

Surprise, surprise. A city-wide fiber optic network built by the City of Palo Alto is not likely to happen -- it seems -- after a decade of hoping and wishing and studying. It turns out it is expensive to build and maintain such things...really?

Or, perhaps it isn't the money, but the fact that Palo Alto-based utility-type things sometimes seem to be (perhaps) corrupt. The Palo Alto Utilities Department is being investigated by the US Department of Transportation for conspiracy to alter records...

Finally, Michelle Durand goes "Off the Beat" today in the Daily Journal and is right on point. Lamenting the (possible?) demise of the San Francisco Chronicle, she provides a reporter's insight into the newspaper industry. She ends her piece by asking "...if no journalists remain to cover the story, who will ask the questions?..." I'm doing my best Michelle...

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.16.09: The Jerry Hill Fan Club Edition...

Watch Dog has a crush on Assemblymember Jerry Hill today. Here's why...In discussing the Governor's State of the State, Hill (coincidentally?) channeled yesterday's Watch Dog Morning News Round-Up when he said the following about the fact that taxpayers due a refund from the State government may get an IOU instead:

“When working men and women pay taxes all year, and their refund is an IOU they will be outraged, rightly so. And I think everyone is aware of that injustice that will affect the citizens of the working men and women..." -- Assemblymember Jerry Hill

Watch Dog went a bit further than Hill yesterday, going so far as to issue a Tea Party Alert...

And speaking of Assemblymember Hill -- he will be the Chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Health Care.

When times get tough -- local governments start doing a really good job of collecting unpaid taxes. The Residence Inn in San Mateo is finding that out. San Mateo is seeking $300,000 in unpaid Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT). Good luck Mr. Residence Inn getting out of this one.

In the unsurprising news category today, people in Hillsborough think their (fancy) school district does a good job of educating kids. Apparently, there is no room for more students, however -- at least if you can believe some of the recent NIMBY protests about 25 new homes being built...

You can put your wetsuit away...Mavericks isn't happening this weekend. The swell of interest turned about to be less interesting than forecasters thought...

In case you were under a rock this week -- Steve Jobs of Apple is taking a leave of absence. Apple stock prices are feeling the pain...

Watch Dog Silicon Valley had an interesting update on everyone's favorite electric car company, Tesla. The San Carlos-based company is apparently scrapping its San Jose manufacturing plant...Does this mean that they will be permanently located in San Mateo County? Don't bet on it...rumor has it that Southern California looks more likely...

Extremely Late Morning News Round-Up 1.14.09: Taxes, Fees, and Cuts...OH MY!

Apologies for the delayed nature of this News Round-Up...

No surprise here: Government agencies are going to be cutting back services and (in some cases) raising new revenue. San Bruno is the latest City to look at closing major budget gaps. Sounding like Ronald Reagan, San Bruno Councilmember Rico Medina says, “It’s time for the city to live within its means...” Palo Alto schools are also facing "Draconian budget cuts..." Bucking the trend however, perhaps because of a fancy new hotel coming online, Menlo Park is giving a 30 percent pay increase for police sergeants...really?

Do deal with increase costs, Belmont approved some pretty steep fee increases yesterday to pay for improvements and upgrades to the sewer and water treatment systems. I'm sure homeowners and business owners will be extremely pleased to cough up the hundreds/thousands next year...good luck Belmont electeds. Perhaps the best thing to do is spend some time in the slammer to avoid being in the voters' dog house...

San Mateo County was graced with the presence of greatness yesterday -- Gavin Newsom's hair. Newsom (and his hair) gave a speech at the Hiller Aviation Museum as part of his Hillary Clinton-esque listening tour around the Bay Area. He admitted that most folks know him for his "like it or not" comments used against him on the Prop. 8 campaign. He did not say, "They know me for that comment, but they love me for my hair..."

Daily Journal Editor Jon Mays compares two fixer-uppers that are on his mind...Obama (fixing up the Country and democracy) and Mays' new home...Mays can afford to procrastinate -- Obama can't...

No word on if Mavericks will be Saturday or not. Watch Dog's surf board is ready, waxed, and waiting for the call to action...

The City Council in Pacifica will consider a 1 cent sales tax increase to replace the current, but expiring, fire assessment. The Financing City Services Task Force recommends yes.

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.12.09: "Swell of Interest" Hoodie Edition...

Even though Watch Dog wrote about it here and the San Mateo Civil Grand Jury reported on it here, the San Mateo Daily Journal today points out that the cost of collecting garbage may go up because the profits from recycling are plummeting. (Oh yeah, and a new, more expensive contract is being considered and a new facility is being planned to sort our stuff.)

And if skyrocketing garbage rates weren't enough...

The good folks of Belmont are facing huge rate increases/taxes to pay for Belmont's portion of a new sewer treatment facility. Homeowners may see a $250 fee increase, renters $175, and condo-dwellers $200. But the real pain will come to businesses, whose fees may be based on square footage: restaurants $1,435, stores $137, and offices $89 (all per 1,000 square feet)...hold on to your hats folks, Belmont is just the first City to look at how to pay their share -- Redwood City, San Carlos, and cities in the West Bay Sanitary District all need to pay up soon...

Speaking of City finances -- Menlo Park is about to get a boost from the Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel, due to be complete in February. Expect to shell out big bucks for a room -- of which, a 10% tax will be levied and go directly to the Menlo Park General Fund...how lucky for them! Perhaps they can pay for the increased cost of garbage...or sewer...

The City of San Carlos has been talking about swapping out real grass with synthetic grass at Highlands Park. After study, public hearings, and more study, the idea may be close to being implemented. Before they go any further, though, they should check out this bit from Watch Dog Silicon Valley. Apparently, State Senator Abel Maldonado has taken up the anti-synthetic field cause for a group of parents in San Jose saying:

Blood, sweat, skin cells, and other materials can remain on the turf because the fields are not washed or cleaned. It's like playing on a giant used Band-Aid. I'm not against turf, but I want to make sure that it's totally safe for kids...

Burlingame City Manager Jim Nantell gets a nice bio-piece written about him in today's Daily Journal. The piece is good -- what isn't answered about it is...why? Watch Dog likes Nantell, and so does everyone else seemingly, but a biographical sketch of a City Manager is a bit weird...no?

As always, Sue Lempert's piece in the Daily Journal provides great background as to the political goings on around the County. She focused on San Mateo's vacant Council seat today and names names as possibles: Robert Ross, Tish Busselle, Randy Torrijos (see Watch Dog's piece on Torrijos), Bertha Sanchez, Fred Hansson, Richard Hedges, and Karen Herrel. Herrel's name comes with the caveat that she would be a place-holder until the next election when (shock!) folks would be able to elected their City Councilmember. If San Mateo did that -- it would make the Board of Supervisors look silly for their undemocratic action. Lempert also gets into the (possible) power struggle between State Senator Leland Yee and Assemblymember Jerry Hill about the San Mateo County Democratic delegates elected to the State Convention -- bottom line: Hill outmaneuvered Lee...(just like Hill outmaneuvered the SBWMA...)

A "swell of interest" is not something Dr. House should see...rather, it is the (possible) precursor to Mavericks this weekend. 40-foot (!) waves are possible this weekend -- get your binoculars ready...

Congrats Half Moon Bay -- you have a new Interim City Manager. Retired Huntington Beach Fire Chief Michael Dolder got the nod for the next 6 months as Farmer John and Half Moon Bay try to figure out who to hire long-term.

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.7.09: An Undemocratic Conflict of Interest?

The culmination of an undemocratic process happened last night...Unelected Supervisor Carol Groom was official sworn in last night and Supervisor Church officially received the gavel as President of the Board.

Speaking of Groom and Church...

The County's undemocratic process is leading to another one to fill unelected Groom's City Council seat...applications are coming in and are all due on January 14th. So far, two folks have actually submitted applications: Randy Torrijos, an aide to Supervisor Mark Church and Fel Anthony Amistad, a one-time (but unsuccessful) candidate for San Mateo Union High School District in 2001. Torrijos throwing his name in the ring is interesting...he addresses the issue of working for a Supervisor and being a City Councilmember (no conflict of interest) but there is another question that Watch Dog would like to have answered: Because he works for Supervisor Church, whose vote on the Board of Supervisors opened up the seat in San Mateo, did Torrijo push for Groom to be appointed to open up a seat that he wanted? Watch Dog will try to get an answer for you...

Senator Feinstein introduced legislation to help out ailing cities and Counties who lost money from failed financial institutions. San Mateo County has been on the forefront of this effort by filing lawsuits against Lehman Brothers' executives with the help of local Super-Hero/Trial Attorney Joe Cotchett...

The City of Burlingame's budget is hurting as much as anyones. So yesterday they approved $2.3 million in services cuts and savings from delaying some projects. Expect this trend to spread far and wide throughout the County.

San Mateo County's coolest (and coldest) sporting event officially kicked off yesterday. Mavericks celebrated a "commemorative" kick-off yesterday. The competition window is open through March 31st.

Crystal Springs Pet Hospital got quite a surprise yesterday -- and it wasn't a sick puppy. A woman drove her car through the front window of their store. The woman wasn't injured, but first responders worked feverishly to save a fish that was displaced during the incident -- "There are no known fish casualties..." according to authorities on-scene...that's a relief...

The Daily Journal editorial folks chime in on the tensions mounting in Burlingame over the use of San Mateo Union High School District's fields for youth sports. Remember, yesterday Burlingame Councilmember Terry Nagel was looking to hold a summit to bring folks together to find a commonsense solution...that's the gist of the editorial too.

Forbes Magazine says that Palo Alto has the highest number of residents with advanced degrees. (That apparently doesn't mean you have a smart Police Chief...)

Morning (and weekend) News Round-Up: 1.5.09: Foie Gras Edition...

The battle to be elected...I mean appointed...to the San Mateo City Council has begun. Remember, former San Mateo City Councilmember Carol Groom become an unelected Supervisor late last year to replace Jerry Hill. The blows against democracy will continue in San Mateo. The clock starts today when Groom officially steps aside. 30 days from now, we'll have another San Mateo City Councilmember. As we get closer, Watch Dog will delve into the un/qualified candidates.

But before Watch Dog does that, Sue Lempert has her take on the changing face of political leadership in the County via her column in the Daily Journal. She gives a pretty complete run-down of what is shaking and where -- including the San Mateo City Council appointment process and possibles.

The economy is in trouble and vacancy rates are going up -- no real surprise. Econ 101 says that as vacancy rates go up, rents go down. And it is the low rent that attracted Hugues de Vernou to San Mateo. His Gourmet Corner is becoming a gourmet hit with European goodies like foie gras and Mamie Nova yogurt.

A visioning process is underway for downtown San Bruno. "Downtown San Bruno?," you ask...yes. Luckily, downtown San Bruno is described in the story as San Mateo Avenue, Huntington Avenue, and portions of El Camino Real and San Bruno Avenue.

Two 'locals' are getting ready to prepare for Mavericks. They have some distinct advantages, like surfing Mavericks all the time. (One would also presume it would be an advantage to not have to hop on a plane from somewhere else in the world and get to Half Moon Bay with 24-hours notice.)

Woodside will have a new Mayor this year as Peter Mason was unanimously chosen by his colleagues to take the helm. So, if you need a table at Buck's -- he's your guy.

Last week, six young people in Palo Alto were arrested for the theft of one iPod Touch. Then, over the weekend in Redwood City, a stabbing where the perps outnumber the victim by a huge number happened. This time, the results are tragic -- the victim died.

The Merc's architecture writer praises the Mid-Peninsula Opportunity Center in Palo Alto...but in Burlingame, architecture of a different sort isn't being received as warmly. The Burlingame Planning Commission has denied a permit for Walgreens to operate a 24-hour store on Burlingame Avenue and El Camino Real. Walgreens hopes that the City Council will say yes where the Planning Commission said no.

Burlingame's most unique (floating) restaurant, The Sherman, will be fined for spilling paint into the Bay during a renovation in 2007. The spill took place two weeks after the Cosco Busan hit the Bay Bridge and blanketed the Bay with bunker fuel. All this probably makes the "Raw Bar" a little less appetizing when you are out for a nice dinner...

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This affects a lot of folks locally, so I'll include it today. If you own Apple stock (and who doesn't) hold on to your hats. Steve Jobs announced that he has a "hormone imbalance" -- and not reoccurring cancer. Perhaps not since Fidel Castro has the world been so eagerly anticipated someone's health news. This will not end speculation about Jobs' health and stock jitters that come with it -- especially after Apple backed out of MacWorld.

Morning News Round-Up -- 12.31.08: Bon Ano...

A dead man was found floating in the Bay by an unsuspecting boater. The San Mateo County Sheriff 'caught' the case because of where the body was found. Watch Dog loves jurisdictional battles so much on Law and Order and perhaps we'll see one here too...the investigation into continues...

Hey, another story about the Sheriff's Office/jails in San Mateo County. (Remember these two recent stories: two kids escaped from the Log Cabin Juvenile Detention Facility and a man escaped last week from a Redwood City minimum security facility...) This one is about a cashier who was in charge of deposits of the folks the Sheriff was holding but took some personal withdrawals...

Another Mavericks story about the season starting late, diminished sponsorship, etc., etc., etc.

San Mateo Union High School District is getting with the program that college professors have been using for sometime to catch plagiarized papers. Watch out kids -- it just got a lot more difficult to cheat, now you'll actually have to read Of Mice and Men...

Morning News Round-Up -- 12.23.08: Pilfered Recycling Edition...

More garbage...not really. Less recycling dollars is the issue today. A Civil Grand Jury has been working on garbage more than we even knew about. They issued a report about the stubborn problem of peoples' recyclables getting snatched from their front yards on pick-up day and the affect that this theft has on garbage rates...Watch Dog loves the title of the report: Pilfering of Curbside Recyclables: Should We Be Concerned?...well, if the Civil Grand Jury looked into it and Watch Dog writes about it...then obviously yes!

Watch Dog has been following this issue (a bit) for sometime. There is another (another?) delay in the trial of accused child molester Dr. William Ayres. Thank you to those folks that are following this more closely than Watch Dog for keep us informed. For more information, you can always visit here: William Ayres Watch For a Watch Dog backgrounder on this case, including links to previous news stories, you can visit here.

South San Francisco is joining the fight against Lehman Brothers for being misled during the financial meltdown...but it doesn't stop there. South City is also adding to their targets Citigroup Global Markets, Suntrust Robinson Humphrey, Wells Fargo Securities, and Mellon Financial Markets...you go South City...the County is suing Lehman too...

A horrible ambulance crash in Palo Alto seriously injured a Concord woman that was being taken to a routine medical appointment yesterday. The ambulance hit a tree on University Avenue and flipped on its side.

The California Coastal Commission agreed with the City of Half Moon Bay about a home that is to be built near the contested Beachwood Property (that is costing HMB $18 million). The City and the Commission gave the Gale home a thumbs up to move ahead...

Mavericks Surf Contest will go on -- even if it opened a bit later than usual this year. Possible dates will be from January 1st through the end of March. They have a full field of big wave surfers and even some sponsors. See the details in the only newspaper that really covers such things...the HMB Review...

A Burlingame exit off of 101 gets the SF Chronicle's attention today in their widely read "What's Not Working" section...expect this to get attention soon...