Seton Hospital sale to Prime Healthcare receives State approval with conditions

The Daily Journal/Associated Press/Don Thompson , 2/21/15.  "AG approves sale of hospitals:  Kamala Harris' decision requires Prime to operate five of the six for at least 19 years."

Seton Medical Center in limbo,
its not over yet

Seton Medical Center, or not

SACRAMENTO — Attorney General Kamala Harris approved the sale of six nonprofit Catholic hospitals to a for-profit corporation on Friday, while imposing conditions that could unravel the deal.

....  But Harris’ decision requires Prime to operate five of the six for at least 10 years, and imposes other “strong conditions to ensure continued community access to essential healthcare services,” said a news release from her office.

Harris’ conditions “are extensive, and many are unprecedented,” Prime Healthcare said in a statement. The two health care systems “will need to evaluate the viability and future stability of the DCHS hospitals under these conditions.” Read article.

Related article - The Daily Journal/Austin Walsh, 2/21/15.  "County officials llaud decision, hopeful Seton remains open."  .... "Should the sale ultimately be approved by Prime, Horsley said that contracts between the county and health care outlets would remain in place, but $11.5 million in funds drawn from the county’s half-cent Measure A tax offered to Daughters of Charity would be halted.

... A spokesman from Prime Healthcare said in an email it was too early for the health provider to commit to agreeing to the sale, under the conditions stipulated by the attorney general. “Given the complexity and extent of the conditions imposed, we need time to evaluate the conditions and their effect on the viability of the hospitals and the system,” said Fred Ortega, a spokesman from Prime. “We expect to reach a decision in a matter of days.”  Read article.

Referenced decision - State of CA Dept of Justice/Office of Attorney General/Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General."Non-profit Hospital Transaction notices." The Attorney General's Decision (pdf pages 78), granting conditional consent to the change in control and governance was issued on February 20, 2015.  HealthCare Impact Statements:  St. Francis Medical Center, St. Vincent Medical Center, O'Connor Hospital, Saint Louise Regional Hospital, Seton Medical Center and Seton Medical Center Coastside. Daughters of Charity Health System Board of Directors’ meeting minutes for 10/3/14.

Referenced hospital - Seton Medical Center.  Wikipedia/Seton Medical Center.  Note photographs.  Seton Medical Center by John G. from Yelp, 6/1/10.  "Save our hospital" from Natiuonal Nurses United, face photograph to CA Nurses Association protest, attempting to prevent Doctors Medical Center, San Pablo, CA Press Release, 8/12/14.

Posted by Kathy  Meeh

Planned opportunity to fix congested Highway 1 is now

Alternative NIMBY plan,
aka: there is no plan.
No horizon, and no funding.

Pacifica Tribune/Letters to the Editor, 2/17/15,  "Highway 1" by Frank Vella

Sure an emergency vehicle can
get through, just move over.

"Editor:  Highway 1 congestion is bad for all. No truer words have been spoken about the commute, safety and environmental harm caused by the Highway 1 congestion. Per John Maybury's column last week: "UNCLOGGING IT Scott McKellar says that according to Google, cars stuck in traffic waste 1.9 billion gallons of gas per year in the United States."

And here in Pacifica, we have had 30 years of wasting gas in the Highway 1 congestion trap running from Fassler to Reina Del Mar. It's bad enough I'm in my car wasting gas and missing appointments. Just think if you were in an ambulance stuck in traffic! Let's fix Highway 1 NOW. The gallons of gas you save and maybe something a lot more valuable (your life!) are worth it."

Referenced comment -   Pacifica Tribune/John Maybury columnist/"Wandering and Wondering, 2/11/15. "Unclogging it." "Scott McKellar says that, according to Google, cars stuck in traffic waste 1.9 billion gallons of gas per year in the United States.  All the more reason to drive defensively and not cut people off, which causes traffic backups and road rage. ..."

Note:  the photograph is from an article by Executive in Sweatpants/Matt Keener, 4.30/13," The cost of driving to work." Chihuahua dog standing on hamburger shoes from The sheep whisperer, 3/2/14.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Annual Sports Hall of Fame event, February 28, 2015, tickets in advance

Pacifica Tribune/Horace Hinshaw, Sports Writer, 2/16/15. "Four selected for induction into Pacifica Sports Hall of Fame."

Each year four (4) athletes are chosen
to join Pacifica Sports Hall of Fame

Fun annual event, and this year is the 25th Anniversary.

"The Pacifica Sports Hall of Fame is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and four new hall of fame inductees will be joining 134 sports hall of fame members. The Class of 2015 includes a two-time All-American collegiate wrestler, an open water swimmer who loves Alcatraz Island, a former Terra Nova athlete who returned to her alma mater as Principal and a Pop Warner football coach who turned administrator.

Mario DeCaro, Gary Emich, Dorene (Lotti) Basuino and Dave Mercurio are the latest persons to join the PSHOF. They will be inducted Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Grosvenor Hotel in South San Francisco.  The PSHOF is sponsored by the Pacifica Sports Club. Helping to honor the inductees will be this year's master of ceremony Retired Judge Quentin Kopp, San Mateo County Supreme Court.

The Grosvenor Hotel is located at 380 South Airport Blvd. The program begins at 6 p.m. with a no-host reception with the inductees, followed by the awards dinner at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $50 for Prime Rib of Beef, or $45 for grilled salmon or chicken per person. Arrangements to purchase the tickets can be made by calling 650-355-1034 or email to horaceh1@yahoo.com. The dinner is a cocktail attire event. Tickets are not sold at the door the evening of the event.  Read article,  includes background information on each of the above four athletes.

Related - Listing of prior Sports Hall of Fame recipients, 1991-2014, Wikipedia/Pacifica Historical Society.   Note graphic from Pacifica, CA Tigersharks football.  Photograph by Linda Turner from San Jose Mercury News/Horace Hinshaw, Pacifica Tr5ibune Sports Editor, 3/4/10, "Horacescope:  Packed House of PSHOF". 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

City Council meeting, Monday, February 23, 2015

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 city council meeting begins at 7 p.m., or shortly there following.  City council updates and archives are available on the City website. 

Item 6. Mid-year Budget Report:
the City has a little money left over.

Interactive City Council Agenda, 2/23/15.     City Council Agenda, pdf pages 4 (see links below).   

Closed Session, 5:30 p.m. 
CA government code 54957.6.  Conference with labor negotiator. Agency Negotiator: Carol Stevens.  Firefighters Local 2400, Battalion Chiefs Local 856, Department Directors Local 350. Wastewater Treatment Plant Employees Local 856. Miscellaneous Local 856.  Managers Local 350.  Police Officers Association, Supervisors, Management Local 350. 

Open Session, 7:00 p.m. 
Consent Calendar
1.  Approval of disbursements, FY 2014-15. 1/30/15-2/13/15. 
2.  Approval of Minutes, 1/26/15, and 2/9/15.

Item 6, again. City saving these
twenties to survive another rainy day.

3.  Approval of Wilsey Ham Engineering Design Services, Milagra On-Ramp Project (Manor Drive Overcrossing Widening Project) consultant agreement.  Budgeted FY 2014-15, Fund 14, not to exceed $20,742.  Report,  Proposal (b),  Contract (a).

Special Presentations - Proclamation:  Sports Hall of Fame.

Public Hearings
4.  1) Amend and 2) introduce Article 26, "Public Utilities/Residential and Commercial Antennas" planning and zoning ordinance, TA-03-15, Chapter 4, Title 9, "Planning and Zoning",  Pacifica Municipal Code (first reading, further reading waived).  Report and Ordinance, pdf pages 15.  Proposed amendments (redline version), pdf pages 11.

Consideration
5.  Amend and introduce Article 11, Sections 4-7, 1112 and 1114, Title 4, Chapter 7,  Pacifica Municipal Code Concerning Stopping, Standing and Parking (first reading, further reading waived). Report and Ordinance, pdf pages 8:  1) In addition to current parking on streets regulations, propose restrictions would include prohibited habitation/living in vehicles. Also, 2) any trailer parked in a pubic right of way must be attached to a vehicle, see page 3.  (These city ordinance requirements are similar to other San Mateo County cities.)  
6.  Mid-year Budget Report and Resolution amending the FY 2014-15 Budget, summary update.   So far trending in the black, $568,617.  
Adjourn.   
----------
Update:  City Council rejects Item 5, the ordinance will remain as is. Also see, Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, Staff Writer, 2/14/15. "Council rejects proposed strengthening of RV ordinance."
 
Note photograph/graphics: Bag of money from Games Radar.  Twenties on clothes line from Mobile Vista. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Someone from Moss Beach is going to Mars, one way ticket-- no, not him

Moving in, open space
parking, no traffic jams.

"Several Bay Area residents and natives are among 100 people selected worldwide to begin training for a planned mission to colonize Mars in 2024. The 100 candidates were selected from a pool of more than 200,000 applicants around the world. The 50 men and 50 women selected will now begin a selection round including group training exercises and interviews.

Mars to Earth,
hello Moss Beach,
Pacifica, anywhere.

Eventually the Mars One foundation, a nonprofit established to set up a human colony on Mars, plans to set up outposts on Earth in areas like the desert or the Arctic for small groups to inhabit as part of their training.  The training would include scenarios like what they would do if the air supply unit stopped functioning correctly, or if they were running out of water. Portions of the training process could be televised and organizers hope selling the broadcast rights will help to fund the mission."The Daily Journal (San Mateo), Bay City News/Scott Morris, 2/18/15. "Moss Beach man among 100 candidates selected for Mars colonization training."

"One of the several Bay Area residents selected is Peter Felgentreff, 50, a technology worker who lives near Moss Beach in San Mateo County.  .....  He learned he was selected to be one of the 100 applicants this week and said he is ready to begin the extensive training necessary before he could potentially take the trip to Mars in less than a decade.

No waterfront to cover here.

The pool of applicants includes people from a wide range of backgrounds -- teachers, artists, engineers -- but little Earth-bound experience could prepare someone to be the first person to move to another planet. San Jose Mercury News/Bay City News Service, 2/18/15. "Mission to Mars:  Bay Area residents selected for training."   Read more, same article both newspapers.

Reference - Mars One foundation, "Human settlement on Mars." Wikipedia/Mars One.   Related article - Space.com.

Note photographs.  Astronaut from Next Trip Tourism. Spaceship landing from Space.com. Walking with a dog (lol) from Earth and other unlikely worlds.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Kevin Mullin, Democrats guest speaker, Saturday, 2/21/15

Pacifica Tribune/Meetings, 2/17/15.  "Democrats meeting."

Kevin Mullin, CA Assembly, District 22
Speaker Pro Tem

"Kevin Mullin, California State Assemblyman will provide details of his work in Sacramento at the upcoming Pacifica / Daly City Democrats Club meeting on Saturday morning, Feb. 21. 

The breakfast meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Sharp Park Golf Course Restaurant in the rear banquet room. Assemblyman Mullin represents Pacifica and other Peninsula communities.  A full breakfast is provided for $12, a continental breakfast for $6, and coffee for $3. There is no obligation to order anything. You do not have to be a Democrat to attend the meeting. Everyone is welcome."  Read more.

Reference  -Kevin Mullin, CA Assemblymember, District 22 (San Mateo County), About.  "Assemblymember Kevin Mullin, a former city councilmember and mayor of South San Francisco, a local business owner, and a former state legislative aide was elected in November 2012 to represent the  22nd Assembly District. The district includes the cities of Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Foster City, Hillsborough, Millbrae, Pacifica, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo and portions of South San Francisco."  Kevin Mullin news, CA Assembly Speaker Pro Tem. Press Release, 2/18/15. "Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Kevin Mullin introduces Bill to address congestion relief on Highway 101."

Related article - Daily Journal (San Mateo County), Bill Silverfarb, 2/19/15.  .... "Assemblyman Kevin Mullin wants to fix Highway 101." "Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, introduced Assembly Bill 378 Wednesday to address congestion relief on the 48-mile stretch of highway between San Francisco and San Jose. The bill seeks to provide a framework for addressing major congestion through San Mateo County by bringing together the business community, transportation experts and city officials to engage the commuting public on ways to alleviate the congestion. The bill calls for regional transportation agencies to take swift and decisive action to relieve commuter congestion. ....  AB 378, however, makes no mention of Interstate 280."

Note photographs/graphics - upper from referenced Kevin Mullin website; lower from Twitter.com. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh