Morning News Round-Up -- 2.1.10: Nothing to sneeze at...

Big waves were all over the coast this weekend. Unfortunately, one wave brought a Berkeley woman out to sea and she drown in Pacifica.

On a more pleasant Pacifica note, the contractor hired to save the Esplanade Ave apartments in Pacifica are making headway...

Assemblymember Jerry Hill no longer likes red-light cameras. He wants the State to look into it. Perhaps Hill could do it quickly? Like before my $271 infraction needs to be paid...

Speaking of Assemblymembers, or wannabes, a new organization has sprung up locally: the Redwood City Woodside Democratic Club. As their coming out party, they are hosting the (trimmed down) line-up of candidates for the 21st Assembly District on February 24th in Redwood City. Is it too early for the candidates to use all the opposition research they are conducting?

Watch Dog is sick of the San Carlos artificial turf issue. While the anti-turf people are bringing a lawsuit, the City of San Carlos is looking for folks to do the laying...

$2 million in grants is nothing to sneeze at during these tough times... the Peninsula Health Care District handed that much out this week. Presumably some of it will go to stopping sneezing, ironically.

(Political) Martydym hits in San Carlos... Councilmember Andy Klein is passing up his $300 per month stipend. Perhaps he wants to donate that to Watch Dog to keep this blog up and running...

Speaking of Andy Klein...

Sue Lempert's column in today's Daily Journal looks a youthful trend on the local political landscape...

COWs of Woodside has an announcement for everyone... there is a seat on the ASRB Commission... for those of you who don't know Woodside Town government well, that's the Architecture and Site Review Board.

The San Mateo Union High School District would really like to sell the "Crestmoor" site in San Bruno. The problem is that the community doesn't necessarily feel the same way and sort of feels shut out of the process. Well, tomorrow the District is going to hold another (rowdy? unpleasant? boring?) public meeting on the issue. If you miss it, however, you can watch it on San Bruno TV...

And if you are one of the 7 or 8 people who ride SamTrans (just kidding) you should bring some extra cash today, fares are going up.

If there is an election coming up (and there is, in June) then there are likely to be School Districts looking for extra cash through parcel taxes. Menlo Park City School District and the Portola Valley School District are both expected to go to the ballot.

For years the City of East Palo Alto and Page Mill Properties spent time in court fighting about the rent control ordinance in that city. Now, Page Mill Properities is in bankruptcy court seeking protection. Today was going to be the day when the 1,800 units in East Palo Alto that Page Mill Property owns was going to be on sale... but it is delayed.

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 -- 11.19.09: the most popular guy in prison?

We've been talking about horses the past couple of weeks in Half Moon Bay and riding on the beach... Well, Woodside has an long equine history too... now, 15 miniature (orphaned) horses in Woodside now have a place to call home…

San Mateo goes green(er). Unlike San Jose's Mayor... (that's a pun people...)

Speaking of green... The Louisiana man who were caught flying out of San Francisco International Airport with $35,000 worth of pot that he intended to sell to friends in the rap music industry has been sentenced to 16 months in prison. This guy will be a hero in prison...

Breast cancer experts at Mills-Peninsula Health Services are urging Peninsula women and doctors to ignore a government panel's new advice to skip mammograms until age 50. Ignore the government... heck, we should have thought of that a long, long time ago.

Speaking of ignoring... Carly Fiorina is ignoring science all together. She (seemingly) does not believe the science of global warming, but she certainly believes to pandering to the Sarah Palin base of the Republican Party...

To cyanide or not to cyanide… ask San Bruno. It turns out a vial marked "cynanide" that was dropped by the police station was not...

Bus cuts and fare increases start next month at SamTrans... which means Watch Dog might be a little late/r for work...

Coastsiders stood up to fight the ‘Big Wave’ in Half Moon Bay.

Here’s some old news: California’s budget outlook is grim. And getting grimmer by the minute.

Meanwhile, students at Capuchino High School are attempting to raise $4 grand in four weeks, all of which will go to Uganda. Here is some advice: Don’t take money tips from the State.

Morning News Round-Up -- 11.17.09: A mani/pedi with your downtown?

Burlingame wants a nicer downtown, with more trees, a creek, open space, and shorter pedestrian walkways. Spoiled, spoiled. Perhaps a mani/pedi could also be provided?

Stanley Hilton, 60, of Hillsborough is suing SFO, claiming the loud roar of jet planes over his house is responsible for his divorce. Perhaps that is something he should have considered before moving there... SFO has been an active airport since 1927. Perhaps it is Mr. Hilton's litigious nature that is responsible for his divorce...

San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District wants to ask voters to renew a tax this time with a $96 increase. Good timing and good luck...

And here is another public agency that could use a new influx of cash...

Layoffs are coming down the pike at SamTrans. Apparently cutting routes and raising fares didn’t do the budget trick.

Burlingame says 'see ya' to one of its political fixtures… Rosalie O’Mahony.

Rancho Corral de Tierra near Montara is $5 million closer to being a National Park.

Two men armed with semiautomatic handguns confronted a resident outside his Menlo Park home, forced him inside, and held him and his girlfriend at gunpoint while they looted the place, taking gadgets and cash. That's scary...

Morning News Round-Up -- 10.23.09: Sarah Palin for San Carlos 2012...

A gigantic "Palin for President 2012" sign could soon be erected in San Carlos... seriously. Lord help us all...

'Tis the season for campaigns... so:

The Sequoia Union High School District endorsements have been coming fast and furious. The one constant, Editorial Boards up and down the Peninsula are continuing their love affair with Chris Thomsen... We are sorry we missed this earlier, but Bruce at PP Examiner broke down this race and the San Mateo Union High School District race previously...

We've been following David Lim for sometime here on Watch Dog and his (second) bid for the San Mateo City Council... and the money is now flowing in to his campaign. We don't believe that is a coincidence, but perhaps it is...

Pedro Gonzales is also raking in some cash for his campaign for SSF City Council.

And in Half Moon Bay, Sofia Freer and Deborah Ruddock are leading the fundraising pack (or PAC, as the case may be...)

SamTrans is entering 2005 with a new idea: GPS on buses so people can know when they are coming... (That is no typo. GPS on buses is hardly a new idea...)

The Fox Theatre in Redwood City received a stay of execution yesterday for a month. (It isn't actually being executed, the sale has been delayed...)

If and when the Fox Theatre gets sold, when you go shows you'll be able to pick up In-N-Out on the way there (or the way home) because the Redwood City Planning Commission approved a plan for an In-N-Out on Veterans Boulevard... animal style please.

Morning News Round-Up -- 9.11.09: A happy ending to the week...

Sometimes a massage is just a massage. And sometimes... well, sometimes it is a bit more than a massage. A new State law as San Mateo Police Lt. Mike Brunicardi concerned that the "bit more than a massage" might be harder to crack down on...

Just in time for the new school year, funding for the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District dropped $5.7 million. Thank you Sacramento. I guess Whitney Houston was wrong, children aren't our future...

Big political stuff is happening in Foster City... sort of. Five folks are competing for two City Council seats in November. Please, please, please sling mud on Watch Dog!

The thieving baggage handlers at SFO are flying off to jail. At least they will be used to wearing jump-suits...

If you were on 280 yesterday afternoon you know about this: there was a three-fatality crash in Millbrae.

Gun show or no gun show, that is the question at the Cow Palace... the bill is on the Governor's desk.

"That dead body stinks..." Really. A dead body at the morgue smelled like chemicals and they evacuated the joint... The Coroner didn't say, "Usually people are dying to get in there, but we had to run like hell..."

Fairs up, routes down. Thank you SamTrans...

Morning News Round-up --9.10.09: Burlingame will see Christmas and Sunshine this year.

It’s official: SamTrans cut bus routes and raised fares. San Bruno, Millbrae and paratranist riders got screwed.

Forget about the recession….Christmas will live on in Burlingame this year. The city has decided to bring back the old tree lighting celebration at city hall, which was eliminated years ago because it was too expensive. But it’s not now?

San Mateo police Sgt. Dave Peruzzaro is getting the Medal of Valor, California’s highest honor for law enforcement. Peruzzaro was the cop who reached into a window of a home and rescued a 3-year-old boy from his mother who was being held hostage inside. Congrats!

A judge decided that Tyler Hutchinson, who is charged with beating to death 88-year-old Albert Korn, is healthy enough to stand trial. Hutchinson managed to get one last jab in when he spit on his attorney during the proceedings.

Here’s the latest chapter of the Page Mill Properties saga: the landlord might soon lose control of its 1,700 apartments in the Woodland Park neighborhood to a court-appointed receiver. Why? Wells Fargo in a statement said something about the quality life and safety of the residents living there are a priority.

If you are bored Saturday, Palo Alto is teaching residents about the design process for the high-speed rail train. It should kill about six hours of your day. Zzzzzz.

Burlingame city leaders have decided to ask elected officials and council appointees to make their contact information public to the public. Sunshine, sunshine.

Many Skyline College students said they didn’t hear the message that was announced on the PA system at the time of the shooting on campus. That’s because the PA system is only installed in the college's newer buildings. Hmmm.

Morning News (Multi-Day) Round-Up -- 9.9.09: Poachers beware...

If you have been looking for Watch Dog San Mateo at www.watchdogsanmateo.com, we apologize, but thank you for finding us. Some asshole poached our domain name and we are trying get it back. We are posting on this blogspot.com for the foreseeable future. Sorry for the inconvenience and make sure you tell your friends.

Now, onto a delayed, multi-day Round-Up...

Garbage Saga Continued: San Mateo City leaders trashed the Civil Grand Jury report that criticized the South Bayside Waste Management Authority for awarding a 10-year garbage collection contract to Norcal Waste Systems over three other bidders. You know we love this story and it keeps on giving, and giving, and giving...

Speaking of stories that keep on giving...

Page Mill Properties in East Palo Alto shut down its management offices and left the hallways littered with garbage and fire alarms malfunctioning at its apartment buildings.

Drunk drivers were everywhere over the Labor Day Weekend (except the Bay Bridge). Nobody was killed but police arrested more than 470 people for driving under the influence.

SamTrans meets tonight to raise fares, cut service, and layoff employees. A sign of the times.

But bad times aren’t plaguing everyone…

Kaiser Permanente is giving away money - $600,000 to be exact – to help struggling nonprofits. Nice.

Remember the Drano man? Thomas Waddell was sentenced 15 years in prison for attacking a Burlingame Safeway grocery store manager with a fork and a bottle of Drano. Ouch!

Caltrain officials are reading the riot act to the Discovery Channel's hit show "Dirty Jobs," which, in an episode on building locomotives, filmed host Mike Rowe walking on the Caltrain tracks near the Bayshore station. What were they thinking?

Two armed men invaded a home in Menlo Park, forcing the seven people inside the home to the ground. The men took off with cash, a cell phone, and a gold necklace.

La Honda residents don’t have to worry about any wipe-outs during landslides anymore.

Woodside High School students get to sleep in a little longer now, and Principal David Reilly is hopeful that more sleep = better grades.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys started screening possible jurors in the murder trial of 26-year-old Alberto Alvarez who is accused of shooting an East Palo Alto Police Officer.

Boy wonder Andy Klein’s longtime wish came true – to be a member of the San Carlos City Council. Good luck!

County Times columnist John Horgan nudges us to get to know our neighbors… Especially if they seem as weird as Philip Garrido.

Another reason to get to know your neighbors… 21 year old Israel Polvo was shot to death Sunday night in East Palo Alto.

Morning News Round-up --9.4.09: Good news, bad news and omens

State legislatures decided to save children’s health care after all. Just in time for the school year. Thanks Ya’ll.

And more good news…

Rehab patients will not have go to San Francisco for treatment. The Acute Rehabilitation Unit at Mills-Peninsula Health Services will stay right where it is in San Mateo.

Police arrested three San Francisco men in connection with the shooting at Skyline College earlier this week. Off to jail they go.

Meanwhile down south…

Alexander Robert Youshock, the teen accused of detonating two pipe bombs at Hillsdale High School, made his second trip to court where his lawyer asked for more time to review his case. He will be back to court Sept. 23. Stay tuned.

Don’t forget the Bay Bridge is closed this weekend.….and next week SamTrans plans to eliminate seven of its 54 bus routes, raise fares again and lay off employees. More cars on the road.

Now is the time to buy a home in Atherton. The asking price for homes dropped 23 percent. That isn’t saying much when the median asking price is $3.85 million.

A giant Oak tree fell over a wall at Menlo-Atherton High School parking lot. Nobody was hurt. Bad omen?

Morning News Round-Up -- 9.3.09: The good news: Carlmont traffic was fixed, The bad news: it still sucks...

Skyline College remains closed today after one student was shot in the butt. Thankfully, nobody was killed, but the gunman is still on the loose. A shooting and a bombing all in one month in San Mateo schools. Yikes.

Here is a news blast from past: Carlmont High traffic. Despite the recent traffic "improvements" that were made to the "improvements", traffic still sucks around Carlmont High School.

Burlingame seems to be the easiest place for minors to get their hands on alcohol. That's a good thing to promote: Burlingame, Where Kids Get Drunk...

East Palo Alto City Council passed a resolution condemning a recent court decision to allow 57-year-old Donald Robinson, a convicted rapist, to move into a home on Beech Street. Two words: Philip. Garrido.

San Carlos Mayor Bob Grassilli says increasing taxes is “normal.” We guess that definition of "normal" is relative -- and voters have a funny way of deciding what is normal Mayor Grassilli.

SFO closed security checkpoint for two hours after a “suspicious package” was found. Naturally it turned out not to be a threat. That's because the real threat was at Skyline College.

More than 1,000 people showed up to Congresswoman Anna Eshoo's town hall meeting on health care reform. Apparently, people booed and cheered in equal amounts…

While California public schools suffer, San Mateo County private schools are flourishing. Students are starting off the new school year with a new gym, a new science building, and a new football program, to name a few.

SamTrans is sparing the Coastside from losing its bus routes after all. No word on how East Palo Also will be affected or not.

The Mommy e-mail is re-circulating in South San Francisco, just in time for the election.

Seems that money isn’t an issue in Woodside elections. Despite the fact that all three candidates are running unopposed, the Council decided to go ahead and shell out the $12 grand to hold an election so that residents can actually vote the three unopposed candidates into office. Watch Dog likes this a lot more than appointing a Supervisor for a decade without an election... hint, hint.

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.14.09: Our Gambling Parlor Gem...

The battle over two proposed Off-Track Betting facilities in San Francisco is causing tempers to flare... again. The California Horse Racing Board will make a decision later this morning about the word "radius" -- San Mateo County's claim is that the proposed SF locations breach the radius of San Mateo County's facility. The best part of this story is that Unelected Supervisor Carole Groom calls the OTB parlor in San Mateo "a gem"...

San Mateo County Supervisors had good intentions when they, last year, created a citizens review panel, a group that would investigate misconduct of an elected official. The Supervisors established this ethics group after a San Mateo County Sheriff who was caught two years ago in a Las Vegas brothel during a police raid. (Oops...) The Daily News reports that many of the people identified as potential panel members had no idea they were placed on a list until a reporter called them. That’s because the County has yet to use the panel to investigate any elected officials, including the County Sheriff.

A San Mateo detective shot a man during a drug raid yesterday. And another robbery in San Mateo. Police believe the same person is responsible for all six robberies that have occurred since Aug. 6.

A 27-year-old Redwood City man stabbed his younger brother four times because he was using the computer without permission. He’s been charged with attempted first-degree murder. Motive = Guitar Hero...

Expect the roads to be packed with an extra 340,000 commuters starting Monday. That’s the number of people who are getting screwed by BART starting Monday morning when BART workers plan to start striking. The union announced this Thursday after the BART Board voted to shove a contract down the union’s throat.

But SamTrans will come to the rescue.

SamTrans will route its buses out of BART stations and run a commute-hour shuttle to a temporary transit center where passengers can connect with SF's Muni.

Even with more entertainment and a fireworks show, the 75th annual San Mateo County Fair is expected to be a bit quieter this year. We guess the "stay-cation" craze is dying down...

Fourteen people declared the their candidacy for Palo Alto City Council, where there are five open seats for the November race. Watch Dog can't wait!

Richard Merk, who will conclude his 13th year on the Portola Valley Town Council in December, calls it quits. Known for his politically incorrect questions and attention to detail, Merk says he has no plans to run for re-election because he’s “tired.” (No doubt some folks in Portola Valley feel the same way about Merk... tired.)

Would-be Half Moon Bay City Council candidate Kerri Lake was two sandwiches short of the picnic. The San Mateo County Elections Office disqualified her from the election because her petition has 18 verified signatures of Half Moon Bay residents. She needs 20 to qualify. In an related note, Coastside schools could use more math teachers...

If Congresswoman Jackie Speier learned anything from her Town Hall event Tuesday it’s that she needs a bigger venue. That’s why she is moving her August 23 Coastside event to a larger venue: Farallone View Elementary School in Montara. The time remains the same: Sunday, August 23 at 11:00 a.m.

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.13.09: Awesome Budgetary News Day...

And the verdict is… SamTrans is officially discontinuing several bus routes to help deal with a $28 million deficit. The Board hasn’t yet decided which routes are to go, but those who live in San Bruno, East Palo Alto, and anywhere on the Coast are the likely targets. Oh, and they may also hike fares by 25 cents for adults and increase fares for those who use Redi-Wheels from $3 a trip to $4.50 a trip.

In other awesome budgetary news...

Property taxes are declining therefore schools are running out of cash. Not a new predicament for California schools. But San Mateo Union High School District thinks it can solve its cash problem by asking voters to pass a parcel tax. Board Vice President Linda Lees Dwyer admits that the tax is “bad timing” (was she talking about her election or the economy?) yet she goes on to say “I don’t think we have any other option.”

San Bruno City offices will be closed Friday as part of a plan to close a $2.5 million budget gap, the first of six planned furlough days between now and June.

The BART Board is meeting today in an emergency session to consider imposing contract terms unilaterally on the union. It’s their way of saying let’s agree to disagree.

In news having nothing to do with budgets... The well-known and popular Monsignor Bruce Dreier at Saint Robert’s Catholic Church died after an eight-month battle with liver cancer Monday.

Thomas Harold Randall, 51, had a blood alcohol content of .27 during the weekend crash where he killed a 32-year-old woman on vacation from Italy and injured her American hosts. He’s been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated while driving on Devil's Slide.

San Bruno Councilman Jim Ruane is up against Miguel Araujo to be that City’s next mayor.

Another mountain lion was spotted last night in Woodside, according to the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services... the COWs must be scared...

Paloaltoonline.com reports that the Eden Housing development in downtown Palo Alto was once envisioned as a win-win-win situation for seniors, businesses, and low income families. Now it’s just a win. Developers drastically scaled-down the plan to 50 units for affordable families and not much else.

Police warn San Mateo bikers and residents to be careful following a string of strong-arm robberies the last week. We assume they don't mean these type of bikers... these type of bikers don't really need to worry about strong arm robbers...

On a related (?) note... A woman discovered her stolen bike listed for sale on the online site Craigslist, and contacted Menlo Park Police. In a sting, Police arrested James Barry Durr in connection with two thefts.

Expect a lively race for Half Moon Bay City Council, where residents have been inundating City Hall to declare their candidacy. As of yesterday, there were nine candidates running for three open seats.

State regulators have further restricted fishing and boating in local waters, which is sure to affect the industries. California Department of Fish and Game Commissioners voted to establish 22 Marine Protected Areas that limit or prohibit fishing within three miles of the North Central Coast and around the Farallon Islands. Effective 2010, the new protections will expand from roughly 4 percent to cover about 20 percent of the area from Half Moon Bay to Mendocino.

Morning News Roundup - 8.12.09: healthcare, food and transportation

Daniel James Longorio, the accused invasion robber, tried to make a run for it when he jumped from the police van transporting him from a preliminary hearing back to the Maguire Correctional Facility. It was pretty simple: he opened the rear doors of the van and ran. He was only free for about 60 seconds before he was nabbed.

U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier was on defense last night during a teleforum she hosted where thousands of folks listened in as she fielded questions from residents who are skeptical about the health care reform legislation mandating insurance for all. Speier supports the legislation, which has drawn angry crowds across the nation in townhall meetings, because it eliminates co-pays for preventative care, protects people with pre-existing health conditions and puts a cap on out-of-pocket expenses. Oh, and she dispelled talk that the bill calls for a “death panel” for the elderly.

Thank you Bonnie and Tony Addario who have pledged $500,000 to build and equip the new Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, helping the campaign reach its $20 million goal.

Briana Nicole Balancier, the bride accused of stealing to fund her wedding, pleaded no contest yesterday to four felonies and will have to pay restitution if she hopes to avoid spending up to nine months in jail.

The City Council will study, study, study a submitted proposal to build on the Cargill Saltworks site. Hopefully, the council will then have a better understanding of things like jurisdictional rights, water, transportation, traffic and open space tax benefits.

San Mateo municipal workers said they would consider anything to help save city jobs. All employees already agreed to forgo scheduled pay raises for the rest of the year, and some workers also took furloughs to help offset the city’s $8 million deficit.

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is stepping up to try and protect the 450-acre portion of UC Elkus Ranch, an environmental and agricultural education center for Bay Area youth south of Half Moon Bay and owned by the University of California. The UC Board of Regents already has signed off on the sale and The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is expected to do the same tonight.

The Redwood City School District board will now have a healthy election. At the last minute Friday two challengers filed to run against two incumbents who will try to defend their seats.

Two burglars who were stealing electronic items from a home Tuesday were surprised by to find the resident. It took a little while to get the cops out there, because the burglars, who had run off, had taken the man’s phone with them.

A stray bullet hit a 12-year-old boy in the ankle as he was standing in front of his house in East Palo Alto Monday afternoon.

Local chef Jesse Cool is teaming up with Stanford to make hospital meals a little tastier for patients. Cool’s new program, Farm Fresh, gives patients the option of choosing a meal created from seasonal ingredients picked from within a 200-mile radius of the medical center.

Atherton resident Russell Peterson filed a lawsuit against the California High-Speed Rail Authority and Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board in San Mateo County Superior Court.

Coastsiders seem to be losing their most basic needs. First SamTrans threatens to cut their bus service and now the state eliminated funding for the community’s Second Harvest Brown Bag Program. More than 100 seniors count on that program for weekly food stipends.

BART management and its union are going to attempt to settle their differences after the union rejected the most recent contract offer. Even though negotiations are resuming, it’s not clear that management is willing to make any further concessions.

(very late) Morning News Round-Up – 8.07.09: We're back...

Caltrain CEO Michael Scanlon and Deputy CEO Chuck Harvey played defense in front of their Board of Directors about the horn-y train issue that’s got everyone on the Peninsula all riled up. They said they were sorry for the amplified horns… but it was the only way to meet federal safety requirements quickly.

Remember this duo: Amritpal Singh Dhaliwal and Kulbir Singh Dhaliwal. The San Jose guys made headlines in 2007 when Tatiana, the Siberian tiger fatally shot after the Christmas Day 2007 mauling. The 250-pound animal leapt from her enclosure over a too-short wall, injuring the brothers and killing their friend, Carlos Sousa Jr., 17, of San Jose. They made the news again after Police pulled them over along San Mateo's Peninsula Avenue where they had an open bottle of Grey Goose vodka in their car and smelled of marijuana. They are making quite a name for themselves...

Talk about bad timing. The feds gave CORA, the County’s cash-strapped domestic violence agency, $500,000 just a few days after the agency slashed positions and services thanks to the State budget woes. To make matters worse, the money is earmarked specifically for the agency’s Expanded Transitional Housing Program, which means it can’t rob Paul to pay Peter.

San Mateo Fire officials unveiled designs for the new fire station No. 23’s at a community meeting last night. It’s going to be “roomier” and have accommodations for both men and women. Battalion Chief Mike Borean defended the current station’s shabby quarters, pointing out “There were no women on the force when this fire station was built.” That was in 1951.

Police in Burlingame are shocked and awed at the increasing number of Internet prostitute postings, with the “transactions” (sex for cash) happening too close to home. Police arrested two people Wednesday in a prostitution sting at a local motel. They assure everyone, more arrests are to come. Stay tuned -- and stay off of those ads on Craigslist for a while folks...

Speaking of good detective work. An 11-year-old girl scared off two burglars as they tried to break into her family’s Eichler Highlands home near Belmont. She spotted the two men trying to break in while she was reading. She yelled at the two men, who then ran off.

If you live in Atherton near the Fair Oaks Lane Railroad you won’t be bothered by those deafening Caltrain horns during two weekends this month. Officials announced they will close off that railroad crossing for two weekends for construction work. See if you can find something else train-related to complain about in the interim...

Some things never change… lifelong Coastside resident and elected official Naomi Patridge says she is running for re-election (again) to Half Moon Bay City Council. Along with this young guy...

The Half Moon Bay Review reports that some 138 concerned (more like pissed off) Coastside residents packed Cunha Intermediate School to hear out SamTrans officials about why they plan to cut service and hike fares. Actually, they came to protest the unpopular proposal, which SamTrans claims is due to a $28.4 million deficit.

A panel of California Fish and Game Commissioners voted Wednesday to approve changing the name of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve to Montara State Marine Reserve. According to the Review, part of a broader initiative to expand protections in coastal waters from Half Moon Bay to Mendocino.

East Palo Alto officials are trying to clean up the City’s outdated rent control law. They are on track to place a new law before voters in November, one that will close the “loopholes” in the current rent control code... (and perhaps one that will avoid costly lawsuits that drag on for years?)

Morning News Round-Up -- 8.4.09: "The best Legislature money can buy..." --Comicus

Tonight is National Night Out... so get your flashlights ready. (And no, it is not a pub crawl.)

When the economy tanks...

Fewer folks need to take BART these days. Heck, with 10 percent of folks out of work, it stands to reason ghat ridership is down 9 percent for the past twelve months.

East Palo Alto, meet your San Mateo County Coastside friends. Coastsiders, meet East Palo Alto. Why the intro? You are getting SamTrans bus services cut. Sorry, the economy and all...

Here is a headline everyone can get 'excited' about, courtesy of the San Mateo County Times: Millbrae prepares for big increase in water rates. My guess is that the preparation is really needed by the folks who are going to pay the 'big increase' not the actual City. By the way, 35 percent over the next five years is a huge increase, not a big increase...

Speaking of huge, that's the word the Palo Alto Weekly is using to describe the cost of Palo Alto public employees' health benefits. Perhaps it is a good time for some on the Palo Alto City Council to step aside and let new folks deal with the problem they helped create...

We guess the burgeoning health care costs aren't hurting the City of Palo Alto that bad. They are spending $70K because they don't trust the California High Speed Rail Authority. Really.

"Politics, politics, politics... the best Legislature money can buy..." That's what's up in the Assembly District soon-to-be-formerly-held by Ira Ruskin. Here is where we stand:

• Supervisor Rich Gordon = $109,433,
• Yoriko Kishimoto = $92,770 (including a $25,000 self-loan)
• Kai Stinchombe = $74,838
• Marc Berman = $73,869.

Good luck everyone.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.31.09: "I had pony"... in Menlo Park

Belmont City Manager Jack Crist is encouraging the City Council to hop the lawsuit bandwagon against the State led by the California Redevelopment Association. Belmont laments that the State is raiding its Redevelopment Agency, resulting in a $2.8 million loss. He told the Daily Journal that there is strong evidence that the “heist” is illegal. Regardless, it’s crippling Belmont’s rockin' downtown.

The Daily Journal reports that a four-alarm fire that consumed South San Francisco salami plant last week left 34 of the factory’s 95 employees unemployed. More importantly, the blaze destroyed 200,000 pounds of deli meats. It’s not likely a disgruntled employee or a vegetarian started the fire. Fire Marshal Luis Da Silva says arson has been ruled out.

The Exotic Erotic Ball that skipped town last year is returning to the Cow Palace in October with its costumes, exotic dancers, and adult movie stars. The Ball's organizers (no pun intended) are expecting a healthy turnout of more than 30,000 people over the two days.

San Carlos resident Vivian Heinzel gets to choose between a $2.4 million house near San Francisco's Golden Gate Park or take a cool $1.8 million in cash as her grand prize in the "San Francisco Dream House Raffle," a four-month fundraising event sponsored by the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Watchdog thinks she should take the cash and replace the burned salami in SSF -- or perhaps buy us all tickets to the Exotic Erotic Ball.

Three baggage handlers at San Francisco International Airport were convicted of stealing from luggage, the Chronicle reports. The baggage handlers were busted during an undercover sting that was launched in the wake of the theft of a retired police sergeant's gun.

East Palo Alto officials and residents were caught off guard when SamTrans officials announced Wednesday night that four out of six bus lines that link East Palo Alto and Palo Alto may be eliminated or cut back. Resident Sara Hassani, who has been following transit issues in South County, made astute observation: "There would be no way for people in East Palo Alto to get to the Palo Alto Caltrain. There are also no grocery stores in East Palo Alto.”

Palo Alto husband and wife have been charged in federal court in San Jose with ripping off a computer networking company when they submitted more than $80,000 worth of false claims for rebates, the paloaltoline reported.

This is for the horse lovers out there: More than 500 equestrians, including 2008 Olympic gold medalist Will Simpson, plan to compete in the 39th Menlo Charity Horse Show, set for Aug. 4 through 9 at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton, according to the Almanac.



In case you couldn’t get enough… BART and its labor unions are dragging out their transit drama. The two entities bargained through the wee hours of the morning today in hopes of reaching agreements that would save the transit agency millions and dodge a commute-crippling strike, the Chronicle says.

Cities everywhere are screwed when it comes paying their part of retirement benefits... Now its Palo Alto’s turn. According to the Mercury News, the projected cost of medical benefits for retired Palo Alto City employees has increased 28 percent in two years. Meanwhile, the City’s trust fund for paying those benefits has lost millions. The reason? It’s not just rising cost. More people are retiring from the City than expected.

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 -- 7.29.09: Conflicted NIMBYs and Saving the Plastic Bag...

This will be little solace to William Ayres' victims: Apparently the jury was leaning toward a conviction. (Does that mean they didn't have the conviction to convict...) They were deadlocked at 11-1, according to a juror. A bit of news in today's story is that Prosecutor Melissa McKowanw will likely retry Dr. Ayres. Williams Ayres Watchdog has all the details...

If you live in San Mateo County, you have heard the Caltrain horn blasts. Well, they might be doing something about it -- but they aren't going to make everyone happy. That's because Caltrain really can't win. When they have quiet horns, people are concerned about safety. When they have loud horns, people are concerned about noise. Watch Dog likes the loud horns. We think it speaks to the romantic notion of train travel...

In Foster City, it seems not a day goes by when there isn't something in the news about either the battle between the San Mateo-Foster City School District and the City or about the skate park not happening (yet). Today, it is the skate park's day in the limelight. But these two issues are now being looked at in the larger context of the City's budget as they begin to define what are "essential services"... Just a Watch Dog hunch: Schools and Skate Parks will not be two of the essential services for the Foster City City Council.

Election Journal 2009 goes in depth about the race for the San Mateo Union High School District Board this November. Six candidates, including three incumbents, for three open seats... fireworks!

The Daily Journal Editor Jon Mays takes us on a journey through his inbox... if you want to jam his email box too, he gives out his email address...

You may have noticed that the Governor signed the budget yesterday. Now the real panic in local government sets in... Coastside school districts are worried, so is everyone else.

If you care about the future of San Mateo, you should care about the (dry, boring) process to revamp its General Plan.

But if you live in Redwood City and you care about getting a massage, you can forget about it. The City Council rejected the planned massage parlor on Woodside Road (near Cypress Street). This story has no happy ending for the folks who wanted to open the parlor.

Trouble in paradise: The "deal" to preserve some of Woodside's Jackling House (that Steve Jobs wants to rip down) doesn't measure up, according to some preservationists. Of course, another preservationist actually cut the deal with Jobs and the Town of Woodside, so this is getting pretty confusing, even for Watch Dog. (Especially confusing because our window into Woodside, the blog Citizens of Woodside, has been quiet on the subject lately...)

Menlo Park NIMBYs have a busy schedule today: SamTrans is hosting a community meeting about service reductions and cuts in MP and the Menlo Gateway/ Bohannon project is due to be discussed at a separate location. We poke fun, but what if someone is concerned about SamTrans cuts AND the Bohannon project? Where to go then? I'm glad you asked. SamTrans folks can also go to a public meeting in Half Moon Bay on August 6th... Plus, you can grab dinner before (or after) at Cetrella that way.

The plastic bag war has been settled, for now, in Palo Alto. The City can't implement the bag ban without an environmental review. Incredibly, the group that brought suit against Palo Alto is called SaveThePlasticBag.com. There are somethings worth saving, like baby seals and the rain forest, but who would have thought that a plastic bag would be worth a "save"? I mean, aside from these folks and this guy -- being followed by Watch Dog Silicon Valley.

HP employees got an interesting welcome to work yesterday: Greenpeace was protesting at their facility. (Ironically) They are concerned about plastics in HP products. Perhaps Greenpeace should protest SaveThePlasticBag.com headquarters next. Here is a map.

Morning News Round-Up -- 7.17.09: Newsy Friday...

Get shot by San Mateo Police by accident collect $210,000. Seems like a low dollar amount to Watch Dog. After all, a person that was hit (by car) by accident by State Assemblywoman Carole Migden collected $300,000+.

In other police news... A Federal appeals court will allow a civil rights case to proceed against the San Carlos Police. This may cost the San Carlos Police a bunch more than the accidental shooting cost the San Mateo Police...

Watch Dog has covered NIMBYism in the area as it relates to High-Speed Rail, to housing developments, to grocery stores, and to artificial turf... but these episodes will seem like child's play compared to the NIMBY reaction Sheriff Greg Munks is about to walk into when he tries to convince the cities on the "short-list" of where to put a new jail of the following: "The jail is actually a service to the community..." Good luck Sheriff... Menlo Park is already very concerned... Half Moon Bay, on the other hand, isn't...

Here are three stories that are tailor-made to follow the previous one...

• Folks in San Mateo are getting annoyed with cars on the street that are for sale...
• 21 homes were approved for development in Redwood City...
• A decision to allow (or disallow) a massage parlor in Redwood City was delayed because of neighbors' "concerns"...

Another re-occurring story we have been tracking is the Sequoia Union High School District versus Everest Charter School. After several appeals, Everest has its Charter. Now, the battle about where Everest will actually be located is the question. Sequoia wants Everest in East Palo Alto. Everest doesn't want to be in East Palo Alto. Everest has tried to get into a building in Redwood City, and Sequoia is fighting Everest at every step... So the question is now being asked (by the Almanac) is: Will Everest Charter School open in August?

A bad (5-alarm) fire destroyed three (connected) homes in Sharon Heights/ Menlo Park yesterday.

The Daily Journal gives props to Belmont for not going forward with a hotel tax hike.

SamTrans + Bad Economy = Fare Increases + Service Cuts. (Same thing for our friends down south and VTA...)

The meth salesman that was (allegedly) operating outside of Safeway in Menlo Park pleaded not guilty yesterday...

The final escapee from Camp Glenwood was taken back into custody. Thank you HMB Review for the follow-up story...

Morning News Round-Up -- 6.10.09: Two Subaru Choices in Burlingame...

The Belmont plan to protect parks forever failed to pass the City Council. Councilmembers Bill Dickenson and Coralin Feierbach supported putting the parks measure on the ballot. Mayor David Braunstein and Vice Mayor Christine Wozniak didn't vote because they live near parks (?). But the third vote to put this on the ballot wasn't there because Councilmember Warren Lieberman refused to vote. A true Profile in Courage... Lieberman explained his non-voting through some strange logic that putting the measure on the ballot might weaken park protection.

Onto some school news... some bad, some good.

$10.7 million. That's the budget hole the Redwood City Elementary School District is trying to plug. That's a big one.

With budget holes that big (or bigger) in local school districts, one has to wonder how long this will last: Newsweek's rankings of top high schools came out and 12 local high schools were in the top 6 percent of high school nationwide. Here's the full California list.

One school that is on the Newsweek list is Summit, which is a Charter School. Why is this of interest? Because Summit is trying to open another school within the Sequoia Union High School District and has run into legal issues with the District... perhaps being on this list helps Summit make the case for Everest? (Read some history about the Sequoia/Everest battle...)

From schools to public agency budget problems...

SamTrans is has budget problems...

So does Menlo Park. But the Menlo Park Police have agreed to contract changes to help... very generous.

As if the car industry didn't have enough problems... Remember the battle between Putnam Subaru and Carlsen Subaru? Well, Carlsen sued Putnam to keep Putnam out of Burlingame. Heck, competition is only good for some businesses, but not others apparently... Well, a Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of Putnam and they'll reopen their Burlingame showroom this week. Watch Dog predicts a record drop in car sales this year...

Do you want to know where San Mateo County might locate a new jail? Check out the list... At least one of these sites is pretty close to where you live (at least if you live on this side of the hill)...

Call it ironic, call it coincidental, call it mean-spirited... call it whatever you want. Page Mill Properties (the East Palo Alto apartment owners in a constant legal battle with the City of East Palo Alto) sent 'termination notices' to residents at 4 apartment buildings because Page Mill Properties aims to sell those buildings to the buildings for low- to moderate-income housing. What's the catch? Some of the folks being evicted are also part of a class-action lawsuit against Page Mill... Ironic? Coincidental? Mean-spirited? Or just business?