Tribune Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Deirdre Martin does not deserve a place on Pacifica City Council. Rather than respecting the will of Pacifica voters, and in a tactic criticized by Congresswoman Jackie Speier, State Senator Jerry Hill, and State Assemblymember Kevin Mullin, Martin assured herself a seat on council by using an obscure provision of the federal Hatch Act to force Veterans Administration employee Mary Ann Nihart to resign from the race.

Martin tries to spin this as an unfortunate set of circumstances beyond anyone's control, but Martin and her supporters worked to force Nihart out. The Hatch Act says federal employees cannot run in partisan elections. Unlike Nihart and Vaterlaus, Martin pursued an endorsement from the San Mateo County Democrats, which turned the election from non-partisan to partisan. Martin's backers used that opportunity to appeal to the government agency that oversees these matters to eliminate Nihart from the race.

This is one of those laws that's only enforced if someone complains. Former Councilmember Jim Vreeland was an EPA employee who also ran in partisan council elections, yet his opponents never stooped to the level of Martin's backers and appealed to have him removed.

Recognizing the way the provision was abused, Speier has promised to try to get it removed from the Hatch Act.

So when Martin is giving the requisite platitudes about how she wants to represent and listen to all Pacificans, ask yourself why she didn't let you, the Pacifica voter, decide who would be on council?

Steve Sinai

East Sharp Park

Posted by Steve Sinai

Disgusted with election tactics

"Disgusted with the election." by Robert Hutchinson

Once again, NIMBIES breach ethical
boundaries, negate civic accountability,
and propagandize this City.

"I’m very disgusted. This election was a huge win for scoundrels using lies and deceit to get their way. It affirmed Lincoln's adage about fooling all of the people some of the time. The top office taker in D.C., the anti quarry campaign, and Mary Ann Nihart being forced to pull out, all based on deception. The strategy is to scare voters with statements such as 'the quarry developer can build 206 four-story-high housing units in Rockaway' - John Mayberry 11/2/16. 

And locally, the Tribune?

And did our hometown paper attempt to correct any of these mistruths, lies and distortions?  No, it seemed they did the opposite by allowing a 'reporter' with no growth bias, and a no growth 'opinion writer' to write a string of slanted and untrue pieces, while the reporter and the newspaper itself failed to ask hard questions. Example, did city council candidate Deirdre Martin believe in planned retreat which involves abandoning Beach Blvd similar to their last candidate John Keener? It turns out she does. 

Don’t even get me started about these same opportunists taking no steps to try to save Nihart from having to withdraw.  They didn't even try by asking the Dems to withdraw the endorsement, or by asking Nihart what they could do. The Chronicle reported that Nihart would still win if she got the most votes, and that city council could then appoint her to council. But the Tribune failed to inform voters of that.  Now a third term popular incumbent candidate who has done so much for this city lost by about 100 votes. Disgusting.

The old Tribune of the 80’s & 90’s is alive and well. If nothing is done to the people responsible I won’t be renewing and paying them to spread disinformation. I would call for all advertisers and readers that feel the same way to email the Tribune Publisher shermfrederick@gmail.com ."

Submitted by Robert Hutchinson

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Note:  the above Letter to the Editor was rejected from the Pacifica Tribune.  Photograph/graphics. Breaking News.. by Getty from US News and World Report/Rachel Dicker, 11/14/16, "Avoid These Fake News Sites at All Cost."  Anderson Cooper CNN news, from Epictrap.com, Ed Ward, MD's Blog: US tyranny & treason.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Reminder City Council meeting tonight, Monday, November 28, 2016

Item 10. Camera worn
above shoulder (one version)

Attend in person, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor. Or view on local television or live feed Pacific Coast TV. If you missed meetings, view on PCT26 YouTube!  The city council meeting begins at 7 p.m., or shortly there following. City Council updates and archives are available on the City Council website.  

Fix Pacifica article, City Council Agenda, 11/28/16.      City Council. Agenda, 11/28/16.

Public hearing. 

8.      Adopt updated CA Building Standards Codes.

Consideration. 

9.     July 4, 2016 activities report.

10.   Police body worn camera implementation plan report.

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Note photograph from the Baltimore Sun (video) from Police Technology, 10/27/15, "Baltimore PD Begins Body-Worn Camera."  

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Robot delivery coming to Silicon Valley, Redwood City

Thanks for delivering lunch!

Nice toy, but are you practical?

The Mercury News/Aaron Kinney, update 11/25/16, "Redwood City ready to debut futuristic delivery robots." 

"REDWOOD CITY — Starting in a few weeks, people walking in Redwood City will notice something strange underfoot: six-wheeled robots delivering food, groceries and packages in the downtown area.  By early 2017, there will be as many as 20 of the robots, or personal delivery devices, cruising the sidewalks as part of a ninth-month pilot program approved this month between the city and a European company launched in 2014 by two co-founders of Skype.

....  The pilot project is one of two in the United States — the other is in Washington, D.C. — and the latest step in the company’s plan for a rapid global expansion. Starship Technologies, headquartered in London, has also approached Menlo Park and Sunnyvale about a pilot project, conducted an autonomous driving test with its robots over the summer in Silicon Valley and performed testing this fall in Redwood City."  Read article.

Beep, beep, don't step on robo.

Ur, careful crossing the street.

Related article, presentation to Sunnyvale. Mercury News/Victoria Kezra, 11/24/16, "Little robots delivering packages and groceries? It could happen in Sunnyvale." "Henry Harris-Burland, marketing and communications manager at Starship Technologies, gave a presentation Nov. 15 to Sunnyvale City Council members, asking them to consider allowing the company to run a test pilot program in the city using “autonomous delivery robots” that would deliver parcels, groceries and food. .... Because of their size, robots travel only on sidewalks and curbs. Harris-Burland told the council that one of the company’s robots could take as many as 10 delivery cars off the road. The robots use GPS and their own software to find their way around cities."

Related approval, US Department of Transportation. Digital Trends, Drew Prindle and Ed Oswald, 7/6/16, includes YouTube video, 1:49 minutes, "Starship Technologies' cute sidewalk drones will roll into London soon." In the U.S., Starship Technologies has gained approval from the Washington, D.C., Department of Transportation to begin tests of the (ground-based) drone. Given that D.C. is a “no-fly zone” for airborne drones, Starship’s option appears to be a solution to that problem. It is the first ever approved test for ground-based drones anywhere in the U.S., and they should begin in September and continue through to the end of 2017.  Reference. Starship Technologies:  Starship Technologies/about.   Press Release - Starship Technologies.  Wikipedia.

Note photographs, Left:  Woman eating lunch (delivery from Just Eat) from Vemtire Beat/Paul Swers, 7/5/16, "Just Eat and Starship Technologies to power food delivery in London with self-driving robots." Robot crossing the street Emirates Business, 11/28/16, "Meet Robbie, the bot which delivers your shopping." Right:  Older man viewing robot,  Robohub/Robocars/Brad Templeton, 7/7/16, "Starship delivery robots getting ready to deliver in London, Germany, Bern." Younger man viewing the robot image to Swiss Post, 8/23/16, "Swiss Post to test self-driving delivery robot."

Posted by Kathy Meeh

President-elect Trump claims he won the popular vote, right

CNN/Tom LoBianco, 11/27/16, "Trump falsely claims 'millions of people who voted illegally' cost him popular vote." 

"President-elect Donald Trump alleged Sunday, without evidence, that "millions of people" voted illegally for Hillary Clinton and otherwise he would have won the popular vote. It's an unprecedented allegation by a president-elect. Trump won the Electoral College and thus the White House, but the Democratic nominee leads him in the popular vote by about two million ballots. 'In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally,' Trump tweeted.

....  This is the first time he has alleged voter fraud in his own victory and there is no evidence of any widespread voter fraud. Trump could be referencing a series of fake stories on conspiracy websites that said he actually beat Clinton in the popular vote count. Trump's transition team did not return requests for comment Sunday afternoon.

.... ... Trump has been railing over the weekend against a recount effort led by the Green Party, that he has dubbed a 'scam.' Green Party officials filed for a recount in Wisconsin on Friday after reports of possible voting discrepancies in areas that used paper ballots versus those where electronic voting took place. Earlier Sunday, Trump launched one of his trademark tweetstorms, reiterating his previous criticism of the recount effort, taking aim at Clinton. .... ... Trump has vacillated in his support for the Electoral College. In 2012, he tweeted: "The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy."  Read more.

Related article. NBC News/Phil McCausland, 11/27/16, "In tweet flurry, president-elect Trump calls election recount efforts 'sad'." .... "Trump was responding to the Clinton campaign's announcement that they intend to back the statewide presidential election recount effort taking place in Wisconsin, which was led by Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Marc Elias, a Clinton campaign lawyer, said they would involve themselves to ensure a "fair" process for all involved. .... Stein said she also intends to pursue recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, though she also stated on Twitter that she would "do a recount in any state where the deadline has not passed."      Note photographs. Trump Toilet paper by Gagster for sale, on Amazon.com, 250 sheet per roll, $12.95.  Trump in rage from Relatably.com/Trump Memes ... .

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Serving our community with distinction: recognizing Cal Hinton

Pacifica Tribune/Jean Bartlett, Features Correspondent, 11/25/16. "Travels through war and peace with former Pacifica fire chief."

Happy Birthday Cal!

"A resident of Pacifica since 1954, on the last day of November, Calvin “Cal” Hinton will turn 90. 'If I had known I was going to live this long,' Hinton laughed, 'I would have taken better care of my pickup truck.'

The former Pacifica Mayor and Councilmember was recognized for his commitment to his community by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California, 14th) in the Congressional Record on December 10, 2008.  ....  Hinton volunteered as a firefighter in 1955, was hired on in March of 1956, and made Captain in February of 1958. November of 1968 he was named Assistant Chief. In January of 1970 he was the City’s Fire Chief. He retired December of 1983. 'In 1996, Cal offered his services in a different capacity,' Speier went on to say, 'by seeking—and winning—a seat on the City Council. Twice more the voters of Pacifica returned him to office.'

....  'If we all just stop and look at all the things that we have in this country,' Hinton said, 'and all the things that we can do here that we can’t do any other place, we would know there’s so much to be thankful for.' "  Read article.

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Reference, Congressional Record, Volume 154 Part 18. "In recognition of Pacifica City Councilman Calvin Hinton/Hon. Jackie Speier of California in the House of Representatives, Wednesday, December 10, 2008."  "Ms. Speier. Madam Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to Pacifica City Councilman Calvin Hinton, who retires this month after twelve years of admirably and honorably serving his community..."   Related.  Pacifica Historical Society/Famous Pacificans/Community Members.   Council Council candidates, 2004.   Legendary Locals of Pacifica/Chris Hunter/2013, photograph of City Council, page 2, scroll down for  more chapter 1, politics pictures. 

Note current photograph of "Cal Hinton and his dog Buddy" by Jean Bartlett from her Pacifica Trubune article above.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

City Council meeting, Monday, November 28, 2016

Attend in person, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor. Or view on local television or live feed Pacific Coast TV. If you missed meetings, view on PCT26 YouTube!  The city council meeting begins at 7 p.m., or shortly there following. City Council updates and archives are available on the City Council website.  

City Council. Agenda, 11/28/16.    City Council Agenda 11/28/16, pdf pages 311. 

Open session, 7 p.m. Call to order, roll call, salute to flag.  Closed Session, none. Closed Session Report, none.  

Item 5. Linda Mar Beach bacteria monitoring.

Special Presentations.  Beautification Advisory Committee, Mayors' Beautification Awards. 
Consent Calendar

1.     Approval of disbursements, report.  a) 11/4/16 - 11/15/16.

2.     Approval of City Council meeting Minutes, report. a) 11/14/16.
3.     Cancellation of 12/23/16 City Council meeting, report.
4.     MOU side-letter to San Mateo County Firefighters, IAFF Local 2400, Pacifica Firefighters:  requiring each unit member to contribute one percent (1%) of his/her base salary into a pretax 401(a)(h) account (for retirement medical expenses).  No fiscal impact to the City, report. a) Side letter (final).
5.     Approval of San Mateo Resource Conservation District for Pacifica Inter-Agency agreement:  1) Pacifica State Beach bacteria monitoring services, $133,494, with 2) San Mateo County reimbursing one quarter of the monitoring and reporting cost, $33,374, report. a) San Mateo County Resource Conservation District. b) Pacfica State Beach Bacteria TMDL Monitoring Services.
6.    Resolution, approving City Manager, Lorie Tinfow's employment agreement, third amendment: base salary $224,824, (annual City budget $5,756), report/resolution. a) employment agreement, 1/1/17. 
7.     Resolution, approving the Paul and Amy Kukielka dba Chit Chat Cafe lease Agreement, 2100 Beach Boulevard, located at the Pacifica Pier, report/resolution. a) lease,11/1/16, up to 5 years. 
Communications - Public (Oral); City Council; City Staff. Public Hearings, none. 

Public hearing
8.     First reading, adopt the 2016 Edition of Calforonia Building Standards Code with local amendments, report. a) Building Standards Code with Local Amendments, pdf pages 44. b) Stormwater Management and Discharge Control, pdf pages 13. c) Sewer Lateral Compliance Certificate, pdf pages 3.
Consideration
9.     July 4, 2016 activities, report. a) Fireworks sales 2016, net proceeds $116,735.03. 
10.   Police body worn camera implementation plan, report. a) San Mateo County Superior Court report, pdf pages 48.  b)  City response to Grand Jury Report, pdf pages 3. 
Adjourn.     
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Note photograph of Linda Mar Beach from Linda Mar State Beach, Pacifica | Pacifica Beach Coalition.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Thanksgiving dinner gords, thanks to plant evolution

CNN/Jen Christensen, 11/20/16. "Thanksgiving dinner of today owes a debt to cavemen."

Thanksgiving dinner squashes evolved
from ancient people and animals.

" As you prepare your traditional Thanksgiving feast, you may want to swap out those pilgrim salt-and-pepper shakers with a mastodon and a caveman instead. We owe a lot to this ancient duo. Without them your mom couldn't bake your favorite pumpkin pie. Gone would be your sister-in-law Celia's delicious squash casserole. ...

Believe it or not, it's not your grandmother nor is it Martha Stewart who had the most influence on this part of your traditional celebration. It's your great, great, great-to- the-ten-thousandth grandmother who we should thank for saving the squashes of today from going the way of the mastodon and giant sloth. That's according to a new study running in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The authors came to this conclusion after studying something decidedly unappetizing: seeds preserved in ancient animal dung. Yes, what we know about these Thanksgiving favorites came from a probe of petrified poo. Please, impress your Auntie Mary with this Turkey Day tidbit only after she's finished with the pie course. Study authors ran genetic tests on ancient seeds for 91 plants of the Cucurbita genus -- the fancy Latin name for your squashes, pumpkins and gourds. The really wild version of these baseball-sized plants were a bit like your great Uncle Bill after a few holiday martinis.

....  Climate change, a new technology, your decision to try a different pumpkin pie recipe -- all of these factors could change food tradition for thousands of years to come. If that's too much pressure to think about this holiday, maybe you should consider another current Thanksgiving tradition that has evolved over thousands of years of heavy meals -- a nice, long after-dinner nap."    Read more.

Note graphic from Gluten free for good,"Confessions of an HLA DQ2 cavewoman."

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Happy Thanksgiving from our City

Thanksgiving made all the
happier from our awesome
City Management team!

New and wonderful, Connect with Pacifica is now posted on our City website! "The webpage with pdf links to each of the editions of Connect with Pacifica is now active.  You can access these editions directly through this link:   http://www.cityofpacifica.org/government/city manager/cwp.asp  .... We will also continue to post links to each week’s edition of Connect With Pacifica on social media via NextDoor, Facebook and Twitter." (Sara Coffey, 11/23/16).

Connect With Pacifica This Week (11/21/16) – Happy Thanksgiving!

"Greetings!  A sincere wish for a Happy Thanksgiving goes out to you and your loved ones.

As a reminder, City of Pacifica offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday on November 24 and November 25.  Following Thanksgiving holiday, the next City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 28 at 7:00 pm in the City Council Chambers at 2212 Beach Boulevard. The winners of the 3rd Annual Mayors’ Beautification Awards will be announced at the November 28th City Council meeting. This program was created by the Beautification Advisory Committee (BAC) as part of the Keep Pacifica Beautiful Program implemented in the Council-approved Beautification Plan. It recognizes local businesses and homeowners for improving their properties and doing their part in making Pacifica a more beautiful place. For more information about the Beautification Advisory Committee, click here. Join us at the City Council meeting or tune in to the meeting via Pacific Coast TV's live stream to hear more.

Please let me know if you have comments or questions, and thank you for wanting to Connect with Pacifica!"
LORENZO HINES JR, Assistant City Manager . Reference.  City of Pacifica website.  City Manager's office/Connect with Pacifica web page. Email:  ConnectWithPacifica@ci.pacifica.ca.us

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Reminder Planning Commission tonight, Monday November 21, 2016

Items: 2 done; 1 in question; 3 maybe.

Attend in person, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor.  Or, view on local television or live feed Pacificcoast.TV, (formerly pct26.com).  If you miss civic meetings, view on PCT 26 You Tube!  The planning commission meeting begins at 7 p.m., or shortly there following.  Planning Commission updates, archives are available on the City website/Planning Commission.  

Fix Pacifica article/Planning Commission meeting, 11/21/16.       Planning Commission Agenda 11/21/16, pdf pages 133.

Continued hearing from 11/7/16.  
1.  5,309 sq. ft. 3 story single family residence, with 2 detached garages, 263 Kent Road.
Hearings.  
2.  154 sq. ft. balcony enclosure, 2355 Beach Blvd, apt 202.  Recommend variance denial.
3.  2,977 sq. ft. 3-story family residence, 1570 Grand Avenue.

--------------------

Related Item 1 article.  Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, Staff Writer, 9/16/16, "Questions loom over building of Pedro Point home." .... "The planning commissioners split 2-2, John Nibbelin and Jeffrey Cooper in favor, Josh Gordon and Rich Campbell opposed, on that proposal, so the hearing was continued until Nov. 21. The first floor of the home would have the garage, mud room, bedroom and bath, wine cellar, family room and indoor swimming pool. The front door is on the second floor, which also has a bedroom, one and a half baths, family room, office, living room, pantry, kitchen and dining room and deck. The third floor would have two bedrooms, one bath, laundry room and master bedroom, with two walk-in closets, a nursery and a master bathroom. The bedrooms would all have access to their own small decks. ....  The architect, Marc Dimalanta of D-Scheme Studio, promised not to drag out the construction process. One of the owners, Darlene Lee, said there was so much damage to the existing small house, they decided to start over and build a new one, their forever home."   Note photo/graphic from The Wondrous,"17 All Time Best Funny Thanksgiving Pictures." 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

New Surf and Outdoor shop called Traveler opens up at Pedro Point

https://www.yelp.com/biz/traveler-pacifica-2

Submitted by Jim Wagner

Showers and rain this week

SF Gate/Hamed Aleaziz, 11/19/16.  "Wet, windy weather to continue over holiday week."

We can do this!

"Heavy winds and rain swept through the Bay Area on Saturday, and forecasters expected the wet conditions to continue through the weekend — and possibly resurface just before Thanksgiving.
Gusts of up to 45 mph belted the region Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service, and a wind advisory remained in effect through the evening. The Weather Service also issued a high-surf advisory for the coast from Monterey to Sonoma County through Sunday afternoon.

Showers were forecast to continue Sunday and taper off by Monday morning, said Bob Benjamin, a forecaster with the National Weather Service.  For those traveling early in the holiday week, the weather should cooperate. The majority of Monday and Tuesday is expected to remain dry, according to Benjamin. But for those with midweek travel plans, the rain could become a factor.

Another storm is forecast for the region late Tuesday, bringing scattered showers through Wednesday. Most of Thanksgiving Day should be dry, according to the Weather Service, but showers are predicted for late in the afternoon and evening.  Another system is expected to hit the Bay Area next weekend. “It’s basically an unsettled, wet weather week,” Benjamin said. The weather comes as good news for a region hit by five years of drought. In remote Venado, which is west of Healdsburg, more than 4.5 inches of rain fell Saturday morning, with more expected to pound the area through the weekend."

Note photograph of dog (Golden Retriever) by OTS photo from Adobe Fotolia. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh