Morning News Round-Up -- 5.25.10: 2-40-2 Head line Bold herej head line bold goes here and here's more headling bold jyg

San Mateo County loves LOVES trying to consolidate things... trash, water, sewer, police, fire... and now the San Mateo Fire Chief Dan Belville is also going to be the Fire Chief in Foster City. Why pay two dudes when you can pay half a salary? That seems to be the thinking... and it may just be tip of the San Mateo/Foster City Fire Department iceberg...

The former Hillsdale High student who planned to pipe bomb the school last year was indicted by a grand jury Friday. Alex Youshock now awaits psychiatric evaluations about whether he is fit to stand trial...

Caltrain's spokesman Mark Simon writes a piece for the Daily Journal today about electrification... and he uses the word "diminishment," which looks funny.

Yesterday there was a story about how Belmont just launched their red-light cameras, and today there is a story about how Burlingame is abandoning theirs. Does Belmont not pay attention?

A two-pronged bond approach will be hitting voters in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District this November. One for the elementary schools and one for Ralston Middle.

Some of you were probably at the big Stanford Hospital/ Palo Alto public meeting last night at the Palo Alto City Council... well, it is a busy week for the NIMBY set because tonight there is a big public meeting on the Bohannon "Menlo Gateway" project...

Finally, does pointing out the Merc's technical difficulties ever get old? (Remember the re-launched County Times?) Watch Dog doesn't think so... this was a headline for a breaking news story last night:

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.25.09: A gloomy local news day...

Hillsdale High School remains closed today after Police arrested a 17-year-old former Hillsdale student on suspicion of detonating two bombs inside the school before being tackled by a teacher and arrested. San Mateo resident Alex Youshock was armed with 10 pipe bombs on a vest, a chain saw, and a 2-foot-sword. News reports suggested he might have been angry with teachers. According to San Mateo Union High School District officials the school’s disaster plan operated “smoothly.” The plan, of course, didn’t include a teacher tackling Youshock, putting themselves in danger, but that’s what happened anyway and it worked out fine.

The woman who had a massive eucalyptus branch fall on her while driving Friday afternoon died from her injuries Saturday. Lisa Fellini died after a massive eucalyptus branch fall onto her gold 1997 Lexus and impaled her as she took a connector ramp from northbound Highway 101 to eastbound State Route 92.

Rocked by the Friday night suicide of a 13-year-old girl, Palo Alto Police plan "a large presence" at schools and at train crossings this week to reach out to the community's young people, Sgt. Dan Ryan, a police-department spokesman, announced Monday morning. Caltrain officials addressed the recent spate of suicides with some advice for the community: address mental health issues and tone down the media coverage of the recent Caltrain deaths.

A "motorist shooting at pedestrians" in East Palo Alto shot one resident in the right thigh late Sunday night when the resident said he was walking in the 1300 block of East Bayshore Road, police reported. In an unrelated incident, a bicyclist was injured after he was hit by a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck while crossing El Camino Real in Palo Alto's College Terrace neighborhood Monday afternoon.

Union workers plan to hold a rally today to call for an independent audit of the San Mateo County Superior Court's finances after court officials said they may lay off 60 employees to plug a recently discovered $3.89 million deficit in last year's budget. Members of the Service Employees International Union Local 521, which represents 250 court workers, are expected to turn out for a noontime rally in front of the courthouse in protest of the possible layoffs.
Court officials initially placed blame for the shortfall on state budget cutbacks, then said Friday that "internal accounting, tracking and analysis deficiencies" had made them unaware of the $3.89 million deficit in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

In his first year in state government, Assemblyman Jerry Hill, a San Mateo Democrat, knows how to get on the Governor's good side: Make government more efficient and green. He recently had two bills passed and signed into law that well, do just that. Perhaps Hill can give some advice to the San Mateo County courthouse folks...

San Bruno Police know how to share the pain… they will take a 1.15 percent salary reduction, equivalent to a three-day furlough, as part of a one-year contract that goes before the City Council tonight for a vote.

A 65-year-old San Bruno woman who was arrested several years ago in a large-scale federal drug investigation dubbed Operation Urban Harvest has been sentenced for stashing more than $10,000 in an offshore bank account. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered the woman to turn over roughly $24,000 and a 2000 Mercedes SUV. Not the wheels!

The California Highway Patrol on today will conduct the second zero-tolerance enforcement this month of the State's hands-free cell phone law. A similar campaign on Aug. 11 resulted in 300 Bay Area drivers being cited by the CHP, and more than 350 other drivers being cited by other Bay Area law enforcement agencies, according to the CHP.

Young adults from HOPE Services continue to clean up the beaches and pier on Tuesdays. The time is changing to 9.30-11.00 a.m. and you are invited to join them. The beaches are big and the job larger than they alone can cover.

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 -- 8.19.09: Foster City vs. Schools... the battle continues

Foster City versus the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District. We have seen this before. Well, here is a new twist: The City Council mentioned maybe building a new elementary school on the 11.5-acre Boothbay Park -- the pleasure of the school folks. Of course, this has sparked a new grassroots effort to maintain the park as is. That of course prodded the school advocates to further pressure City leaders to build the school.

No murder charges filed against the 21-year-old man arrested on suspicion of shooting another man in front of his son in San Mateo last weekend.

Belmont former Mayor Dave Warden wants back on the City Council.

Students are scoring better in English and Math, yet the achievement gap between white or Asian children compared to Hispanic or black children is stark even in San Mateo County, according to the Daily Journal.

The man who drove into a group of Girl Scouts in front of Burlingame’s Mollie Stones market in March is not a criminal. The DA decided it was nothing more than a tragic accident.

Smokers are now second-class citizens at Skyline College. The College has banned smoking, sending puffers to designated areas near parking lots. Brownsville Station has a solution for all you smokers out there... so does Nikki Sixx.

Burlingame Avenue area shoppers and workers are no longer entitled to free parking. The City Council agreed to start charging for parking at Lot H, which is located at the end of the downtown shopping drag of Burlingame Avenue, on the opposite side of El Camino Real. Relax it is only $1 for 10 hours.

The San Mateo County Fair is taking the lead on health care reform. Instead of the usual artery-cloggers, fairgoers can opt for vegetarian chicken nuggets, samosas, and organic ice cream at one of several food vendors that focus on healthful, organic foods. Nothing says "good time" like a vegetarian chicken nugget...

The public is much happier with the way police in Palo Alto are treating minorities, according to Rev. Anthony Darrington, pastor of the Jerusalem Baptist Church. Darrington was one of the first local leaders to call for former Police Chief Lynne Johnson to resign after she made statements in a television interview that many construed an endorsement of racial profiling. How could anyone forget that chapter in Palo Alto's history?...

A man described as 5'11" and wearing a dark jogging suit with white shoes is believed to have burglarized four vehicles near El Camino Real and Vista Avenue in Palo Alto's Barron Park neighborhood just after 5 a.m. Monday. What would Lynne Johnson do? (Or do-rag...)

A cross-country coach at Menlo-Atherton High School lost his cool with the kids and is now facing misdemeanor charges for threatening two 12-year-olds and an 11-year-old after the kids bounced a soccer ball off his house. The kids said it was an accident. The coach allegedly told the kids he hated “your kind” and Mexicans in general. He allegedly pushed one of the kids and said he could “kill” them. Very nice.

Cyclists are invited to join the 2009 Tour de Menlo, a scenic ride over Peninsula roads that benefits Rotary Club tutoring and scholarship programs. No word yet if the M-A cross-country will be cheering folks on...

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is looking forward to her Town Hall – sans healthcare. Eshoo has picked another thorny subject to keep constituents hopping – High Speed Rail. On the Peninsula, she may want to have a healthcare Town Hall...

A wildfire at the back of Montara has been contained to about half an acre, as of shortly after 4pm yesterday, the Coastsider reports.

There is this little unincorporated area on the Peninsula called Broadmoor. There are two open seats for the Broadmoor Police Commission. Watch for Hanley Chan, according to PP Examiner.

The Woodside Council is holding a Special meeting on August 19th at 6:00 to decide whether to appoint the three uncontested candidates for the town council Districts 2, 4, and 6 or to allow the election to go forward as scheduled on November 3, 2009. Election! Election! Election!

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.17.09: (Fugitive) Karma Edition...

Federal authorities officially named former SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory employee, Silvya Oommachen as a fugitive. She is accused of having destroyed $500,000 worth of research at the federal facility in Menlo Park to reverse "bad karma.” She disappeared after being released on July 28 on $50,000 unsecured bond. Watch Dog wonders if her good karma will help her on the run...

San Mateo is cracking down on dog owners who are allowing their canines to run free with out a leash. Both citizens and park rangers have been tattling on these dog owners, complaining about potential safety concerns, aka pit bulls without a leash. (No comment from Michael Vick...)

Davina Drabkin easily won the election to the Burlingame Elementary School District Board of Trustees. She had no challenger, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t up for the challenge to grapple with education spending woes.

No strike today. It seems that BART union workers and its management finally reached a “tentative” deal Sunday night. Or perhaps union officials read this...

Seventeen middle school and high school teachers from the Bay Area recently traveled to China for two weeks hoping to impart some wisdom on their students about Chinese culture and history. The trip was co-sponsored by the San Mateo County Office of Education.

It took 10 minutes for the Palo Alto council to gave the long-awaited Lytton Plaza in downtown the final approval. What's 10 minutes more on top of many, many years?

Hopefully, your car wasn’t parked in the Emerald Lake Hills area of San Mateo County Saturday. It seems that occupants in a truck were allegedly seen throwing rocks at the windows of parked cars, damaging 19 of them. Fun for the whole familiy...

Pacifica residents are being asked to write to their Senators advocating for new legislation on food safety. Pacifica folks have never met a cause they didn't love...

San Bruno celebrated the return of roughly 100 Marines from Echo Company Saturday. They are among the first group benefiting from President Obama's withdrawal of troops in Iraq.

Cars, bikes, and pedestrians are having a bit of trouble co-habitating in Woodside. The COWS have a run-down...

San Mateo resident Joseph Ortega is in critical but stable condition a police detective shot him Thursday in a drug raid.

San Mateo County is banking on the State to let more money flow into building a new prison facility locally. Money is one issue, but locating the facility is quite another... just ask the Sheriff.

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.11.09: The economy is bad... seriously

When people can’t find jobs, they usually go back to school. If that’s what you are planning, then you can get in line. Colleges across the state are having a hard time keeping pace with the increasing demand for more schooling. San Mateo County Community College District’s enrollment increased 14 percent this summer with fall enrollment on track to grow 20 percent. More than 12,000 people are on the wait list at this time.

Another telling sign that the economy is still bad (in case you hadn’t noticed). San Mateo day labors are lingering on the streets, because well, they can’t get work. And once again, it’s pissing off the neighbors, many of whom don’t like the fact that their tax dollars are going toward a Day Labor Resource Center, a drop in center where day labors can try to find work. Councilman John Lee assured residents there was nothing more that the City can do about lingering day labors: “We can’t run them out. If anyone has better ideas bring them forward...” he said. Watch Dog's guess is that his offer to bring ideas forward will encourage many to do just that... get ready Councilmember Lee.

BART union members nixed a contract settlement Monday night. BART Managers and Board members are graciously threatening to shove a contract down the throats of any union that didn’t accept the deal. Surely, that won’t lead to a strike?

Apparently, Foster City has the best roads in San Mateo County, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Crews have started renovating the 124-year-old Emmett House in Belmont into two low-income housing units.

Another clear sign the economy is bad: The CHP writes more tickets. Tomorrow, the CHP will be cracking down on anyone gabbing on the phone while driving without a hands-free device. Thank you for the hands-free heads-up...

Portola Valley’s Town Council was hoping residents would read between the lines when it recently sent out postcard to residents, reminding them of the Town’s serious budget woes. The postcard went out three months before voters are set to decide on renewing the Town’s utility tax, which bring in 10 percent of Portola Valley’s revenue.

The long-awaited Palo Alto groundbreaking of the renovated Lytton Plaza was scheduled for Monday but then canceled, thanks to a local resident who pointed out that it would have violated City Charter. City leaders are scrambling to schedule a special meeting while downtown merchants are lamenting the setback. Only in Palo Alto...

Coastsiders say Route 17 isn’t just a scenic route that’s “nice to have.” Residents who packed the community hearing last week pointed out that Route 17 is a necessity: it is the only line serving both the Moonridge low-income community, and stops in the upper section of Montara.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.30.09: Public Transit (News) Day

It is public transit news day around the County...

It’s taken four months and four State mediators to oversee negotiations between BART and its union. Carlos Rivera, the spokesman for the transit agency’s largest union, remained uncommitted when discussing the likelihood of a deal this week. He told the Daily Journal that the union is seeing the endgame. He then backpedaled a bit, saying “We’ve been here before..." and "...it’s hard to predict what will happen.”

Chalk this up to "unintended consequences"... People are happy about the twitter.com/ Caltrain feed launched in May 2008. The County Times reports that more than 2,000 Caltrain followers are now tweeting about delayed trains, slow service, etc., etc., etc.

Looks like you will need to buy a car if you live on the coast. Coastsider Barry Parr reports that SamTrans is proposing to cut the only coastside bus route. There will be a public meeting on August 6th for all you folks would like to have their voices heard...

Speaking of unresolved labor disputes, bad budget times, and difficult local government decisions... firefighters with the Menlo Park Fire Protection District are getting burned on the salary front.

Meanwhile, in SSF (where there is better bus service and a BART stop) Police have put the smack down on drunk drivers, arresting 15 drivers under the influence in the last year through a year-long grant from the State.

(Remember this?) Unemployment has certainly taken its toll. Authorities say it’s part of what drove Rosendo Cazares Abarca, the former President of the Fair Oaks Elementary School Parents Association, to pilfer money from school fundraisers, including a picture day with Santa Claus.

The Almanac reports that Menlo Park Councilman Andy Cohen was the lone and stoic dissenter on a vote to approve a new gym in Menlo Park’s Civic Center.

According to the County Times, Foster City Mayor John Kiramis persuaded Herb Perez, the owner of Gold Medal Martial Arts in Foster City, to run for City Council. Pretty good chance Herb Perez could kick anyone elses' ass who is running... as for his political skill, we'll all have to wait for November to see.

Wider streets in Palo Alto… always a battle worth fighting, especially if it means there will be room to park two cars instead of the one. Like anything in Palo Alto, neighbors fall on all sides of this issue.

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 -- 7.20.09: Day 5, with one less Juror

We knew that the William Ayres' molestation trial would be a wild one... but we thought that after the jury got the case and was deliberating, the fireworks would die down for a while... well, we were wrong. A juror was dismissed on Friday for having a personal conversation about an "inappropriate event" in her own life that made her more likely to believe the (alleged) victims' memories... An alternate was seated instead. William Ayres Watch reminds us it is Day 5 of Jury deliberations...

Here is a story that first came across the local newspapers on Saturday: A hiker from San Carlos is missing in an area near Skeggs Point in unincorporated San Mateo County. The latest updates come from the Half Moon Bay Review from Sunday afternoon and the Chronicle this morning. At that point, there was still no sign of the hiker.

If there are two issues that get folks going in Belmont it is parks and neighborhoods... so when you try to plan for a new neighborhood park, get ready for some exciting times. That's the case with a proposed park on Davey Glen Road (just off of El Camino Real)...

Speaking of parks... and housing... and industrial growth... and a bunch of other "land use" stuff, Redwood City is moving ahead with a revised General Plan. Which is pretty dry stuff in most places, but with Redwood City, land use and growth is never dry.

There was a fire Saturday at Zibbibbo Restaurant in Palo Alto... origins of the flames were undetermined at the time of this blogging... We hope we can still get our herb roasted top sirloin tonight.

Supervisors have started the conversation about new taxes and fees to help address their "structural deficit." Join the club...

It is Monday, which (usually) means that Sue Lempert gives her take on local happenings in the Daily Journal. Today she gets in on the health care discussion in DC and a health care-related Civil Grand Jury report in 2008. She also talks about the Feds with how stimulus dollars are being used locally. (And to the loyal Watch Dog reader who often sends wise ass emails, stimulus dollars are not being used here...)

The Coastside Family Medical Clinic on-again/off-again bankruptcy filing is off-again... at least until July 24th when the next hearing will take place...

There was some scary excitement over the weekend when a local bomb squad detonated an explosive devise at a Pacifica apartment complex...

0n a final, sad note, former Burlingame Mayor Don Lembi died at the age of 63 from "complications from diabetes."

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.16.09: Do you have faith in HMB's financial future? Chop Keenan hopes you do...

Thanks for a loyal Watch Dog reader, we corrected a story yesterday about a proposed tax in San Carlos. Watch Dog said there was a 2/3 requirement to pass the proposed tax, which was bad news because the poll San Carlos conducted did not have a tax passing by that threshold. However, because the proceeds of the tax will go to the General Fund of the City, it only needs 50% + 1 vote. Sorry San Carlos friends, Watch Dog was wrong...
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Congrats Millbrae! Your fire assessment tax renewal passed. Now your financial situation isn't as bad as it could be.

That didn't take too long now did it? Only 4 years to break ground on a new elementary school in Redwood Shores. Congrats to you as well.

Watch Dog guesses the Sacramento beating given by the Daily Journal Editorial, at least one Michelle Durand "Off the Beat" piece, and most recently the Jon Mays/Jackie Speier criticism, Assemblymember Ira Ruskin responds with a piece in today's Daily Journal. No time like the present, we guess, for Mr. Ruskin to get his two cents in. There is plenty of 'the Governor is being a jerk' and 'we need to do away with the 2/3 requirement' in the piece. (The term 2/3 appears five times...) We do learn that Mr. Ruskin took a voluntary 10 percent pay cut in February, which begs the question: only 10 percent? We like Assemblymember Ruskin, we really do, but Sacramento is becoming more and more of a joke. Don't you think?

All is not (completely) dire in the local economy. Taking a cue from Jon Mays, new businesses are opening up in downtown San Mateo. That's pretty courageous... make an effort to check out the yogurt, the books, and the burgers sometime this week. We'll see you there.

Watch Dog loves the local political scene, mostly because it makes for good Round-Ups. Redwood City will see a hot political race this November as 6 folks vie for three open seats on the City Council. In the non-contested side of the political spectrum, the Palo Alto Unified incumbents (Barb Mitchell and Dana Tom) seem to be the only ones lining up to run.

If you have faith in Half Moon Bay's financial future, perhaps you would like to buy a HMB bond? At least they will be putting the revenue from the bond sale ($16 million) to good use... HA!

The Blue Ribbon Compost Task Force in Palo Alto has made a recommendation to keep composting. Seriously. We can't make this stuff up.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.10.09: Two local, legal battles heat up...,

Sorry to begin with, but it is certainly the quote of the day: "I've never massaged a penis..." You guessed it, that's Dr. William Ayres' speaking in his own defense.

Another very serious local legal battle is heating up. The Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia is being sued by Pez Candy Inc. for copyright infringement. (The previous two sentences are true.)

We have seen lots of reports coming out of the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury, but we haven't learned a lot about the folks on the actual Grand Jury. Until today. The Daily Journal does a write up of Virginia Chang Kiraly, the Grand Jury forewoman...

Speaking of the Civil Grand Jury... today's report says that the County is losing out on all kinds of money. And anther update on the Civil Grand Jury: the full TRASHTALK report is published for all of you with nothing to do this weekend...

On the flip side, there are folks at Sustainable San Mateo County and San Mateo Acting Responsibly Together are looking to save folks money through energy efficiency programs in your home.

We hope that the local folks in Sacramento photocopy the Daily Journal Editorial today about the dysfunction in Sacramento and pass the copies around to their colleagues.

COWs of Woodside delve into the new cost for Woodside for outsourcing their police protection to the Sheriff's Department.

A letter on Coastsider does its best to imitate the Civil Grand Jury calling for new leadership at the Coastside County Water District.

Ahhh, politics. In Palo Alto, expect the next City Council race to be a biggy. Councilman John Barton is not seeking another term. That makes three Council-folk from Palo Alto that won't be on the ballot in November: Barton, Yoriko Kishimoto, and Jack Morton. The other folks up in November are Larry Klein, who is running again, and Peter Drekmeier, who will let us all know on Monday. Hold on to your hats, it could be a real barnburner in Palo Alto in November.

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 -- 6.23.09: "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 -- 6.22.09: ChowderMobile

Call it San Mateo County's own mini-bail out program for non-profits. The County is putting $500K together for emergency funding for troubled non-profits. This is good news. The bad news? There are $2.7 million being sought by non-profits...

Foster City Councilmember Pam Frisella writes for the Daily Journal today on the topic of heroes. (Watch Dog started reading it and thought it was about the NBC show... it isn't.) She goes on to talk about the Red Cross Heroes breakfast. One note to Pam that perhaps she could pass on to her colleagues -- a school district in your town is looking for some heroes on the City Council to help find land for a school...

Speaking of the San Mateo-Foster City School District, the report card system for grading students that went into affect this past year will stay in place for next year. Perhaps the School District would like to implement a standards-based report card system for the Foster City City Council as well?

Now here is an idea Watch Dog can get behind: a Sam's Chowder House ChowderMobile! Coming to a high-tech campus near you. They cannot bring you Half Moon Bay views, but they can bring you chowder...

In an (un)related story... a Half Moon Bay fisherman was towed to safety after radioing for assistance on Saturday. It must have been rough out there because later on Saturday, a surfer at Pomponio State Beach went missing. There hasn't been an update yet online about how the search has gone.

In an ongoing theme on Watch Dog, here is your daily dose of La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District news... they named an Interim Superintendent to replace outgoing Superintendent Tim Beard. (We'll leave it to tomorrow's story to talk about lawsuits and fiscal mismanagement...)

The initial Garbage Saga has been covered in great length here on Watch Dog, but the Mini-Garbage Saga in Pacifica opens another chapter today as the Pacifica City Council starts to talk about replacing the beleaguered Coastside Scavenger... (Thanks Riptide...)

Palo Alto Police teamed up with the Sheriff's Marijuana Eradication Team to find (and smoke?) $15 million worth of weed in the foothills last week. Dude... if the weed is grown in Palo Alto, does that mean it costs more?

Watch Dog recently recapped a story about Palo Alto's Alma Plaza project which is hitting some rough times. Greenbrier Homes has pulled out of the mixed-use project but is suing to get back over $5 million in "option fees" back from the project's developer...

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.19.09: Code of Conduct Edition...

'Tis the season for horrible budgets, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut... cut, cut, cut, cut... Today's news is about the County of San Mateo, which may be hardest hit because they get most/all of their funds from the disfunctional netherworld of Sacramento. Perhaps Supervisor Jacobs Gibson could fill the budget gap with her expense account?

Here's a 'kind' way for the County to bridge the budget gap, putting a fee on marijuana clubs. Dude, that's a fee I'd gladly pay...

San Bruno also has a budget challenge ahead. $2.5 million, to be exact. So does the Menlo Park City School District. They have a cool mill to fill.

Dr. Ayres' trial is still going on. They seem to be in pre-trial motions. The latest is a decision about books taken from the doctor's office... they won't be allowed into evidence. For the latest, read this.

Safeway and Burlingame... the story that keeps on giving. But this time there is some action, at least. The plan is going before the Burlingame Planning Commission on Monday. The Daily Journal Editorial Board says that Burlingame "deserves" a new Safeway... Actually, East Palo Alto probably "deserves" a new Safeway, but Burlingame is getting one.

Speaking of stories that keep on giving. The Jackling House demolition a.k.a. Steve Jobs' house demolition, will be back at the Woodside city Council on June 23rd. If this wasn't Steve Jobs, would this story stay in the news?

In the midst of the (seemingly) biggest issue in Woodside's history... the COWs of Woodside are seeking new folks to run for City Council.

San Mateo-Foster City School District has an ongoing 'issue' with Foster City about a new site for a school. To take matters into their own hands (because the City isn't helping much) the School District is thinking about a new bond measure.

There is a new 'code of conduct' for the 4th of July chili cook-off in Palo Alto. Seriously, a code of conduct for a chili cook-off.

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.12.09: All Male Election?

There is a group of gray whales just off the coast of Pacifica and marine mammal officials warned surfers and others to stop (unintentionally) harassing them... Respect Moby...

Speaking of surfers... one saved another off the Miramar coast yesterday... dude...

Millbrae is in the middle of an "all mail" election (which is very different than an all male election) to renew its fire assessment tax. If that doesn't pass, the financial outlook for Millbrae looks a lot worse, according to Mayor Gottschalk at his State of the City address yesterday.

A Daily Journal Editorial chimes in on the school-site battle raging between the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District and the City of Foster City. Watch Dog has written about this before, and we both agree and disagree with the Daily Journal. We agree that the issue should be resolved by conversations between the City and the School District, but we disagree with the City's stand, thus far.

Redwood City School District + Failure to Pass Parcel Tax = "Massive" Budget Cuts

San Mateo County's local airport is getting $15 million of new baggage screening equipment thanks to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who was in town for the photo-shoot/announcement.

It looks like San Mateo need not start looking for a new Police Chief. San Francisco's search for a new Chief seems to be winding down (in typical San Francisco fashion) but Susan Manheimer doesn't seem to be in the running anymore...

You think schools have it bad during this Great Recession, developers are also taking it on the chin. (Can you hear the violin music?) Greenbriar Homes, who were going to build 37 homes as part of the Alma Plaza project in Palo Alto, backed out of the deal. The future of the Alma Plaza project is now uncertain...

Thank goodness we can soon start covering politics as well as bad economic times... In Palo Alto, there will be a City Council race. Karen Holman just threw her hat in the ring. Holman is a Planning and Transportation Commissioner. She joins School Board member Gail Price in the election. So here is the breakdown about what the current City Council will be doing: Jack Morton and Yoriko Kishimoto are termed out (Kishimoto is running for Assembly), Larry Klein is not running again, and incumbents John Barton and Peter Drekmeier will likely run for re-election. So that means there will be three open seats and four people running, if Watch Dog's math is correct... It should be interesting.

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.9.09: Colma - A great place to be alive (and gamble)

Lucky Chances is looking to add more tables so more folks can get their lucky chances... Colma: A great place to be alive (and gamble)...

"Watch Dog will see your Mervyn's and raise you one Kohl's..." in Redwood City.

Hotel tax + Millbrae = Probable

Drop in revenue + San Bruno = Cuts (Perhaps more table at Artichoke Joe's will help...)

Bruce at PP Examiner is going to be mad. The San Mateo County Times is getting in on his story about the Pacifica City Councilmembers who are up for the California Coastal Commission.

This must be reassuring to parents, two San Carlos schools, Central Middle and Arundel Elementary, need to be seismically retrofit. Enjoy the last few days of the school year. (And ignore this story.)

And this school story...again... The enrollment at San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District is swelling. (Today's story is in the Daily Journal, but the San Mateo County Times had the same story yesterday...)

The stabbing in San Mateo on May 31st has led to the arrest of Donald Peau Fukofuka, a former Aragon High School football player. The 18-year-old apparently targeted the victim in his home.

City Unions in Palo Alto are fighting back, and packing the City Council Chambers. Last night was public Round 1, Watch Dog expects this to be a long fight...

That fight in Palo Alto shouldn't be confused with this one. Two teenagers wielding pipes fought police. Police eventually won.

Wrapping things up on a political tip... David Lim's quest for the San Mateo City Council took an (ironic but positive) twist recently. Lim was endorsed by Unelected Supervisor Carole Groom... why ironic? Read this story...

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.5.09: Kung Fu Remembrance Edition

No doubt this Daily Journal headline is true, given the Governor's speech earlier in the week: Jail faces more crowding.

Caltrain just let us know that weekend service isn't being cut but regularity of mid-week trains is... now they declare a 'fiscal emergency.' They must have learned that trick from San Carlos..

The (prolific) Civil Grand Jury took time to study an issue that seems relatively obvious to most folks who observe local governments: employee costs for local governments are high. Thank you Civil Grand Jury for proving that (sometimes) you have a keen sense for the obvious. We have to ask: where is the Grand Daddy of Grand Jury Reports?

A Daily Journal Editorial supports the San Mateo flood zone assessment for homeowners. (In case you were holding your breath for a positive Daily Journal Editorial on this topic...)

If you are one of the people that can't wait for the local gun show every year... you may need to make other plans. A bill that just passed the California State Senate (written by Senator Mark Leno) aims to ban the gun show at the Cow Palace. (Perhaps the bill will also ban the horrible fluorescent signs everywhere for the gun show too?)

Pacifica Riptide's Editor/Publisher John Maybury proposes a House of Commons-type regular series of debates in the Pacifica City Council Chambers. Let's see where this idea goes... it does sound interesting...

As two teens are mourned in Palo Alto, another train-related suicide was narrowly averted this week.

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.