Congressmember Jackie Speier speaking at Sharp Park, May 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Barbara Arietta
President - Pacifica Democrats
415-246-0775


Hot on the heels of last month's unavoidable postponement of her speaking engagement on healthcare, Congressmember Jackie Speier has announced that she will appear at the Pacifica Democrat's monthly breakfast meeting on Saturday morning, May 1st, to discuss the highly controversial Healthcare Reform Bill. The 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. meeting will be held in the banquet room of the Sharp Park Golf Course Restaurant's Banquet Room, Francisco and Sharp Park Blvds, in Pacifica.

This meeting is a special event, and is in addition to the club's regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

This will be, as before, a RSVP only event, and an excellent opportunity to hear the Congressmember speak to healthcare issues and concerns, while having breakfast with both the Congressmember and the Pacifica Democrats, as well as other Democrats throughout the coastside and north county areas.

All meetings are open to the public. One neither needs to be a member, nor a Democrat to attend. A full breakfast is available for $12; Continental Breakfast for $6; Coffee only for $3. RSVPS are strictly required. When responding, please indicate food/beverage choice. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. Due to the size of the anticipated crowd, all attendees are being asked to arrive early so that they may be seated and have their meals served before the meeting begins.

In view of both safety and comfort considerations of the meeting's attendees, as well as the need of the wait staff to move both quickly and freely in serving the attendees, there will be no standing room allowed. Seating will be assigned based upon the receipt date of the RSVPs.

All those who want to be assured of the opportunity to not only hear Speier's talk on the Healthcare Reform Bill, but to also participate in what augurs to be a vigorous Q and A on this greatly debated topic, please communicate your RSVP as soon as possible to Barbara Arietta, at 415-246-0775 or email: barietta@hotmail.com.

San Mateo County Treasurer Candidates Forum, April 17

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Barbara Arietta
Correspondent
415-246-0775


On Saturday, April 17th, the Pacifica Democrats will a host a Candidate's Forum. The event will concentrate on the contenders for the San Mateo County Treasurer's office. Joining the Democrats for breakfast on the 17th will be Sandie Arnott, Deputy Tax Collector/County Treasurer of San Mateo County; Richard Guilbault, President of Guilbault Asset Management, and David Mandelkern, Vice President of the San Mateo Community College District. The Forum will be held in the Sharp Park Golf Course Restaurant's Banquet Room, Francisco and Sharp Park Blvds, in Pacifica. The 9:30 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. breakfast forum is the second in a series of Candidate Forums being sponsored by the local Democratic club.

This particular race has heated up very quickly. Rarely, are there elections for any county administrative offices, as incumbents often serve decades, and ultimately hand off their seats to subordinates. But, the San Mateo County Treasurer's race is surely looking to be a hotly contested seat, in the wake of the 25-year Tax Collector/County Treasurer Lee Buffington announcing last August that he no longer would run for the office. For his part, Buffington has been at the epicenter of a controversy surrounding his management of the county investment pool, comprised of local city and school district funds, as well as other funds., including county transportation funds and other large sums of money held in reserve or bond funds earning short-term interest through the large investment pool. The investment pool lost approximately $155 million in the wake of the 2008 collapse of the Lehman Brothers investment firm, with which Buffington's office did considerable business.

The loss of funds has stung many cities and school districts already struggling with challenging budgets and has prompted the county to file suit against Lehman. The Lehman losses hit the Community College District particularly hard with losses on nearly $25 million in unrecoverable bond funding. The San Mateo County Transportation Authority also lost approximately $25 million in the financial failure of Lehman Brothers. Many districts and cities had additionally questioned the oversight of the county investment pool, as the $155 million loss that San Mateo County sustained was one of the hardest hit in the nation. The size of San Mateo County's Investment Pool is currently $2.4 Billion.

Neither Buffington, nor others, attribute his decision not to run again to the Wall Street bankruptcy.

All Pacifica Democrats meetings are open to the public. One neither needs to be a club member, nor a Democrat to attend the meeting. A full breakfast is available for $12; Continental Breakfast - $6 and Coffee only - $3. Doors open at 9:00 a.m.. Seating is between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. For further information, or to RSVP for the Candidates Forum, please contact Barbara Arietta, President, at 415-246-0775 or email barietta@hotmail.com.

Obama kicks off Nationals' season update

To the Party of "No" - Eat Dirt!  
But, wouldn't civility be better? 

Mentioned on Channel 5 news this morning (4/9) throwing a baseball from the pitchers position over the catchers plate without a bounce is as not so easy for most of us.

So,  here's our President having a good time throwing-out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals April 5th, while most Americans there seem to understand 1) civility, 2) baseball is bipartisan, 3) throwing-out the first pitch is a 100 year Presidential tradition, 4) such activities are a matter of State, thus representing "all the people". The event was also 5) a fund raiser for the stadium, and 6) an annual benefit honoring the Month of the Military Child.  And, when a small percentage of the stadium audience booed were they booing "all of the above"?  Their antics and lack of decorum were really not appropriate, surely Americans can do better than that.  
Description of the festivity from Washington Nationals website (be sure to check out "related coverage") http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100405&content_id=9091252&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was .  Winning the game from The Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper.  Phillies 11-1, 6 hours, 29 minutes later http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20100406_Phillies_pound_Nats_behind_Halladay.html
 
Reference: 
Photos of  4/5/2010 http://www.jdland.com/dc/quickgallery.cfm?quickdate=100405-2
Presidents throwing-out the first pitch, a 100 year tradition http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/05/ballparks.fundraisers/index.html
Month of the Military Child (an annual event)  http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=58613
Washington Nationals stadium history prior to National Park 4/2008  http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/RFKStadium.htm

 Posted by Kathy Meeh

How much is an I-pad worth?

Pacifica small crook robber couple steal an I-pod (or several) and get caught

I-pad video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyc3wCAALJs
Article 4/8/2010, San Mateo County Times  http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county/ci_14848192 

The lure of purchasing a cool I-pad from Craigslist ad puts the seller in jeopardy. Purchasing couple pepper sprays the seller in Lunardi's market parking lot and runs. A witness wrote down the couples partial auto license and police were able to trace them to their Pacifica home.  

From the Article....James and Elizabeth Limos — who are 31 and 30 years old, respectively — twice responded to Craigslist ads offering iPads for sale...but when it came time to make the purchase, they hit their victims in the face with pepper spray and ran off with the devices.  The victim wasn't seriously hurt, he said. Police believe the husband and wife committed a similar crime Monday in Daly City and that there may be other victims... they arranged to meet the victims in a public place and then pulled out the pepper spray while making the transaction...the couple planned to resell the devices online.  The couple was booked into San Mateo County jail on charges of robbery, identity theft and conspiracy, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. Elizabeth Limos was also arrested on suspicion of methamphetamine possession.  

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Pacifica Comprehensive Audit Discussion

Don't you think that a comprehensive audit should have a little discussion attached to it?
This item should be pulled from the consent calendar and brought to a public discussion.
I would recommend going to the city home page, to the finance dept., then to the CAFR's. Did you know that the Chamber and the City were vigorously promoting commercial development in fiscal 08/09? Lot's of tidbits in the notes

City of Pacifica City Council Agenda Summary Report, April 12, 2010

Jim Wagner

KPIX Channel 5 report on Vallemar Palm Trees vs PG&E

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=63858@kpix.dayport.com

BTW - too bad Pacifica's own Anna Duckworth isn't doing this report, but she took a buyout from KPIX and no longer works for them.

Posted by Steve Sinai

Critiquing Recology's new recycle/compost plan

http://www.pacificariptide.com/pacifica_riptide/2010/04/critiquing-recologys-new-recyclecompost-plan.html

Submitted by Citizen Maybury. (I happen to agree with him on this - Sinai)

Should Fix Pacifica try comment moderation or registration for a month?

What do you think? Do we need to do something about the small group of cowards who consistently hide behind fake names in order to carry out their personal vendettas? Perhaps if people had to post comments under their real names, or at least register an email address to comment, it would cut down on the rants and attacks.

People would still be allowed to say whatever they wanted. Other than occasional occurrences of commercial spam, I've never removed any comment or post from the blog, and I'd expect that to continue.

Thanks,
Steve Sinai

Sharp Park Beach signs

 

Here is a link to an article about officals intent to put up signs at Sharp Park Beach:  http://www.mercurynews.com/pacifica-news/ci_14789900  I could not find the picture shown in this Wednesday's paper of "the sign".  If you can find it, please post it with this.  I just came in from walk in that area and managed to locate exactly one sign at one of the 3 entries to the beach. Is there a  plan for more signs?  I hope so, one should be at each entry to the beach and  there should be some signs out on the berm.  It was a very windy and rough day out there today and once again some ding dong guy with two little weenie dogs was running them off leash on the beach and sure enough they ran out into the surf and he ran right in after them. He was fortunate not to drown.

 

Sharon Smoliarz

Congratulations to Terra Nova's Ivonne CookTaylor and Terilyn Moe

For making the San Mateo County Girls basketball first team

Excerpts from the San Mateo County Times...

IVONNE COOKTAYLOR, TERRA NOVA

5-9 sophomore guard

Perhaps the quickest, most athletic player in San Mateo County, CookTaylor was explosive going to the hoop on the fastbreak and capable of outjumping taller players for rebounds, A transfer from Sacred Heart Cathedral, CookTaylor averaged 15.1 points and 11.5 rebounds per game along with 2.9 assists and 3.8 steals.

TERILYN MOE, TERRA NOVA

5-8 sophomore guard 

A tremendous penetrator, Moe led the Peninsula Athletic League in scoring at 22.0 points per game. She showed her versatility by grabbing 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 steals while dealing 5.4 assists per game.

San Mateo County Times Girls basketball first team

Congratulations also go out to county honorable mentions Ekelani Laologi, Terra Nova, 5-6 senior guard, and Cara-Mia Piazza, Oceana, 5-7 sophomore guard.

Posted by Steve Sinai

Family friend says missing Pacifica Marine is OK

 

By Sean Maher
San Mateo County Times

Posted: 04/07/2010 10:13:02 PM PDT

Updated: 04/07/2010 10:26:23 PM PDT

 

A local man who was reported missing from a Southern California military base last week called home Tuesday night and told his family he was all right, a family friend said.

Alex Lopez, a 30-year-old Marine, had recently returned to California after a tour of duty in Afghanistan and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, family friend Laura Trapani said. Friends told her they last saw Lopez on March 28 when he was leaving a Bay Area Starbucks at the end of a three-day leave from duty.

After Lopez left the coffee shop — accompanied by a woman named Vanessa Silva, about whom Lopez's family knows nothing — he failed to report back to duty the next day and appeared to have made no calls from his cell phone, which was apparently turned off, Trapani said.

"That was scary," Trapani said. "The whole family was upset. But I know they're very, very relieved now. What I'm hoping is it was just a huge miscommunication."

Lopez called his grandmother and told her he'd returned to Southern California and was fine, Trapani said.

"He had to get some things done that I don't know if anybody was aware of or not," Trapani said. "When (his grandmother) hung up, she was very relieved and crying and wanted to tell everyone."

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

City seeks 'best use' study for old sewer plant

By Jane Northrop
Pacifica Tribune

Posted: 04/08/2010 06:00:00 AM PDT

Updated: 04/08/2010 08:58:34 AM PDT

Putting their heads together during a focused meeting about the future of city owned Sharp Park property, City Council, the Planning Commission and the city's Economic Development Committee reached a consensus to seek an outside study.

The groups met March 31 to discuss what should become of City Council chambers — oceanfront property at 2212 Beach Blvd. — and the former wastewater treatment plant in the back. The last time the property came up for a city vote, council decided to allow a developer, Barry Swenson Builder, to move forward on a hotel project. That project won out over the proposed Pacifica Ocean Discovery Center, an idea generated locally to build a tourist attraction.

The groups agreed to hire a consultant to draft a "highest and best use" study on the property.
While some noted the economic climate is not yet right to pursue a major project, others said it would be good to be ready to move forward when conditions change.

Members of the public voiced ideas about what should go there. Bernie Sifry envisioned a casino, wedding hall, convention center, movie theater and restaurant.

Connie Menefee said the site had the potential of competing with what's in Half Moon Bay for places to take out-of-town visitors.

"This could jumpstart Palmetto," she said.

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

Groups make stink over S.F. 'biosolid' compost

Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

A national environmental group is focusing attention on a San Francisco program that transforms human waste into backyard compost, calling the program little more than a scheme to sling toxic toilet sludge back at the people who produced it.

The hullabaloo is over a program by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which once a month distributes biosolid compost to gardeners, school groups and homeowners for free. The commission claims the compost is heat-treated fertilizer that is as good as the stuff sold in gardening stores.

But the Organic Consumers Association insists that the sacks given out to San Franciscans contain a stew of excrement and toxic chemicals from the sewer.

"The problem with sewage sludge or the euphemistic term 'biosolids' that they use is that all of this is hazardous material that potentially contains thousands and thousands of contaminants," said John Stauber, a member of the group's advisory board and the author of several articles and a book on sewage sludge. "Everything that goes in the sewer potentially ends up in it."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/07/MNKG1CQ0KB.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0kQxEsEEm

Submitted by Jim Alex

Crystal Springs Dam

4 feet water capacity increase after 120 years and improvements. RL frogs move from temporary digs.

 Beginning February, 2011 completed in March 2012, the Crystal Springs Dam reservoir water will increase from the current 19.5 billion gallons of storage capacity to 21 billion gallons, 1.5 billion gallons, which represents raising the reservoir level by 4 feet.  Crystal Springs Dam was built in 1888, raised a few feet in 1891, images of the Damn http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/3Dbayarea/html/CrystalSprings.htm

From San Mateo Times Julia Scott, 3/3/10....The work, estimated to cost between $15 million and $25 million, will also involve widening the "spillway" at the top of the dam, which allows surplus water to flow into San Mateo Creek during rainstorms, and adding a newer, larger "stilling basin" at the toe of the dam. The stilling basin catches the water that comes out of the dam and tempers the flow before delivering it to San Mateo Creek.The project has been planned for a long time but only recently gained funding as part of the SFPUC's $4.6 billion Water System Improvement Program, which is intended to shore up or replace infrastructure that carries water 170 miles from the Sierra Nevada to San Francisco, spanning seven counties....The work will begin after workers remove a colony of threatened California red-legged frogs that have made their home in an improvised pond at one end of the dam. Wildlife biologists will find a new home for the frogs elsewhere on SFPUC property.The dam work will ultimately raise winter water levels on San Mateo Creek by several feet, wiping out 13.5 acres of wetland habitat for the red-legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake, another threatened species. Full Full article  http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_14768048?source=rss

Lower Crystal Springs Dam Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was released 3/2/10. The SFPUC has released a draft environmental impact report outlining the project and will hold two public hearings, at 8 p.m. April 6 at Hillsborough Town Hall and at 1:30 p.m. April 8 at San Francisco City Hall. The SFPUC is seeking public comments on the plan until April 16. http://sfwater.org/detail.cfm/MC_ID/35/MSC_ID/395/MTO_ID/652/C_ID/4941

Posted by Kathy Meeh 

Alex Lopez found

I happened to be watching KTVU Channel 2 news at 10 PM, and they quickly mentioned it.  He apparently decided he needed some time for himself.

Posted by Steve Sinai

KTVU report on missing Pacifica Marine Alex Lopez

http://www.ktvu.com/news/23063232/detail.html

Also---

this was posted by Debbie Smyser (of Pacifica Military Moms) on Facebook:

"We raised $700. tonight! Thanks so much for a great night everyone!
You can still donate through Paypal by going to this website:
http://www.wix.com/MyEventBlackBook/findalexlopez"

Jeffrey W Simons

Think there has been a lot of rain this year?

Nope, we're following a normal pattern.

April showers are helping bring most of the Bay Area to normal or above rainfall totals for the season. "Everyone's near normal for this time of year," said Steve Anderson of the National Weather Service. Points north of San Francisco, however, have below-normal rainfall totals, he said. The rain, which began this afternoon, is expected to taper off Monday and sunshine is expected later in the week. The California Highway Patrol reported about a 50 percent more crashes today than it would see during a dry Easter. A lot of people are not slowing down," said CHP Officer Scott Cakebread. Complete text from http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_14819628 .

Here are the National Weather Service Forecast Office for San Francisco Bay Area 2010/2009 http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/climate/temp_graphs.php?stn=KSFO&wfo=mtr

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Smart bugs

Smart land science - No more chopping-out non-native weeds

Now there's a solution, let the bug which like them eat them.

Bob Rich and his family are gearing up for another year of bug collecting. It's what he, his wife, his son and a few close friends do at Weedbusters Biocontrol in Missoula, Montana. These non-native plants overpower and displace much of our native vegetation and create a real problem for landowners. We find bugs that eat only these nonindigenous plants. And they are able to clear up the land." Rich said this method is natural, nonchemical and highly compatible with organic farming and ranching. "biological control," which is the use of a living organism to control a pest. The pest in this case is any noxious or invasive plant not indigenous to a particular region. Full story http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/05/bug.collecting.family/index.html?hpt=C2

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Find Alex Lopez Fundraiser Monday Night (Tonite!)

Please spread the word that there is a fundraiser on Monday, April 5th
at Cheers bar in Pacifica from 7pm to 10pm. Funds are needed to
purchase more color fliers. Please spread the word to all locals.
Adults only, no minors will be allowed inside the bar. Thanks
everyone!

Jeffrey W Simons

CRIME IS UP IN PACIFICA!

COMMUNITY MEETING

THURSDAY, APRIL 15

6:00 PM

SAINT PETERS CHURCH

700 ODDSTAD BLVD

 

Ø   HOME BREAK-INS

Ø   CAR BREAK-INS

Ø   PETTY THEFT

Ø    WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES?

Ø     WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

 

Please plan to attend and learn what we can do to better be aware of what is going on in our town.  Learn how to react to events in your neighborhood safely and correctly.

 

Pacifica Police, City Manager Steve Rhodes, Councilmember Maryann Nihart will be in attendance.  Share this date with your friends and neighbors. We all know someone that has been victimized, its time for us to push back against crime in our town.

 

If you have any questions please email Jim Wagner

wags903@msn.com

Happy holiday those who choose to Fix Pacifica!

U Can't touch this Rabbit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJHZIfs2Iss&NR=1
Some cartoons http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/E/Easter.asp

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Missing Pacifica Marine

Alex Capone Lopez : active duty Marine Sgt., Purple Heart Recipient &
family friend didn't report to base on Mon in So. Calif. after his 2
week leave. He is missing since 3/28/10. He left Pacifica Sun morning
& maybe with a friend Vanessa Silva. If anyone knows anything call
Pacifica Police 650-738-7314. He's driving a Tan 2002 Chevrolet
Avalanche, License Plate Number PH4519

There is a Facebook page FIND ALEX LOPEZ dedicated to sharing
information about his disappearance.

Find Alex Lopez Facebook Page

 Alex is on the right.













Submitted by Jeff Simons

Check out Pacifica Arrest Records News - Free Arrest Records for Pacifica

Click here: Pacifica Arrest Records News - Free Arrest Records for Pacifica


Submitted by Jim Alex

Chamber looking for new CEO

Pacifica Chamber of Commerce under Renewal

Job opportunity for the right qualified CEO professional "advocate for our business community."

From the Pacifica Tribune 3/25/10. The Pacifica Chamber of Commerce is actively searching for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to carry out the goals and objectives of the Chamber of Commerce, run the Chamber's day-to-day operations and to manage the Visitor Center. The ideal candidate for CEO will possess outstanding marketing and public relations expertise including excellent oral and written communications skills and demonstrated successful track record in finance, budgets, events, member services publications, and fundraising. A broad business acumen and government and political knowledge are also extremely important. The Chamber's Board of Directors welcome qualified Pacificans to apply for this very exciting opportunity. "The Chamber of Commerce is about commerce (business), which Chambers were originally established for. We are advocates for our business community," said Chamber President Susan Vellone. http://www.mercurynews.com/pacifica/ci_14742581

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Meeting to rebuild the Old Waste Water Treatment Plant

Follow-up comments from the 3/31/2010 meeting.

No April Fool, last night there was a joint study session of our City Council, Planning Commission and the Economic Committee to discuss what direction our city might take to begin to thinking about developing the Old Waste Water Treatment Plant one square block, located on Beach Boulevard in West Sharp Park. And, the joint session consensus seems to be to move forward with a "highest and best" use study, which includes not only the site but also the area.

All this sounds so logical, a step forward in the backdrop of an election year where Councilmember called the meeting. Researched and stated by Commissioner William Leon: 20 years, 13 proposals. Whereas, Councilmember DeJarnatt continues to insist "no one is interested in the property." It may be true that no formal regulatory agreement to build was completed, but there have been plenty of interested parties, including the 13 proposals and more.

The "highest and best use" discussion included logical assumptions of a suitable site for a hotel, restaurants, a business or mixed-use anchor compatibility with an improved Palmetto Avenue business location.

Citizen follow-up comments included several constructive suggestions leading to the need for this city to sustain itself economically. These comments were generally compatible and consistent with those of the joint study officials. Also suggested for "highest and best use" was the Ocean Discovery Center http://www.oceandiscoverycenter.org/ about.htm previously rejected in 1997 in favor of a hotel development by Barry Swenson Builder http://www.barryswensonbuilder.com/. Some of you may recall the city accepted an ongoing financial retainer from Barry Swenson project for 5 years then dropped the builder, as Councilmember DeJarnatt put it "contract terminated." Moving forward lets hope that the Old Waste Water Treatment Plant is developed as a productive commercial asset for the benefit of West Sharp Park and the entire Pacifica community.

Posted by Kathy Meeh