This week, in addition to celebrating our Nation’s Independence,  I am going to celebrate a temporary bout of independence from overly long letters! 

SO—without further ado— the answer to Burning Question number 70409:

Yes! We are open on the 4th of July.  We will likely close early so everyone can get to the Parade, which starts at noon, but we will be open as usual at 9 AM.

Answer to part 2 of Burning Question Number 70409:

Nope.  We can’t change opening hours:  we would if we could, but we can’t so we aren’t.*

But if you want to make sure you get your red, white and blue potatoes so you can make a lovely tri-colored pan-full to go with your seriously independent free range chickens, or your blueberries, strawberries and raspberries for your equally gorgeous and commemorative Independence Day desserts, why come on down to Pacifica on Wednesday afternoon, where you can stock up on everything you need for a bang-up wingding. 

Pacifica’s own Jay Howlett will provide the entertainment on Wednesday afternoon, and Pacifica’s own Don Rowell Trio will light your fuse on Saturday.

And thanks to our sponsors from the Harbor- the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, Huck Finn Sport Fishing and Sierra West for your support of the Market, but also for your support of the men and women of The American Legion Post 474, to whom we all owe a huge debt of gratitude.

See you at the Market,

Erin Tormey
Coastside Farmers Market

May to December
In Half Moon Bay @ Shoreline Station
Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm •
In Pacifica @ Rockaway Beach
Wednesdays, 2:30 -6:30pm

Surfrider Foundation is holding a Montara State Beach Post-Fourth of July beach clean up on Sunday, July 5 from noon to 2pm at Montara State Beach.

Medical care on the Coastside is still a mess and it’s going to get better soon for anyone. The Sequoia Healthcare District says that if the Coastside agrees to be annexed, there would be money available for medical care in the community. Meanwhile, the records of our bankrupt clinic are tied up in the clinic’s bankruptcy. There’s lots of good detail in this story by Julia Scott and it’s recommended reading.

Under the proposal, which is still very tentative, two-thirds of voters from Montara to the Santa Cruz County line would have to approve both the annexation and a new parcel tax to fund the clinic or other projects the community would choose. The Coastside would then become eligible for generous program grants from the Sequoia Healthcare District, which is flush with cash from a profit-sharing agreement with Catholic Healthcare West, which operates Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City.

The health care district will make $8.5 million in grants this year to clinics and nonprofit programs on the Bayside and has $22 million in reserves, according to [Sequoia board member Don] Horsley. A parcel tax is a “stable and predictable” source of funding, as opposed to a sales tax increase, he said.

The proposal would take two years before delivering healthcare on the Coastside. And there is the question of control. The district’s board would control its budget.

Meanwhile, the records of the former Coastside Family Medical Clinic continue to be out of the reach of its former patients.

The records are under the care of a court-appointed trustee, who is responsible for keeping the records safe until they can be distributed. The responsibility for distributing them falls to the Coastside Family Medical Center and its former board members, who do not appear to have a plan — or the resources — to do so. ...

“That is an affirmative duty for which the debtor and its principals may be held liable to the extent they have breached that duty,” the motion [by the bankruptcy attorney] says, suggesting that former clinic patients who suffer harm as a result of being denied their medical records could sue. ...

[CFMC board member Charise] McHugh would not comment on whether the former board of the Coastside Family Medical Center has a plan to distribute the remaining records at this time.

“I will just say that there is nothing more important to any of the board members than the clinic and those patients,” she said. “You just have to trust us.”

Just wanted to invite you to bring your vehicle to Cool Harbor Nights, Car and Motorcycle Show this Thursday, July 2.  The event starts at 4 PM and goes until sunset.  We have some great gift certificates to give away to show participants so be sure to register and fill out an entry ticket at the table in from of Princeton Seafood Co.
The Senior Coastsiders will be there selling raffle tickets for their 50/50 drawing if you are interested.
Marty is putting together a Car Show Special: Skewer & a Beer for $5.00.  He will have steak, chicken or shrimp.  Yum!  Yum!
Mary Botham

A mother and her five year old daughter drowned at Montara State Beach late this afternoon, reports KTVU. Emergency crews responded at 4:20pm.

A San Mateo County Fire spokesman said a five-year-old girl was swept a few hundred yards out in a rip current that runs along the south end of the beach.

The girl’s mother was also overcome by the heavy surf trying to save the child. ...

“We had a total of seven victims on the shore,” said Ari Delay of the Half Moon Bay Fire Department. “Five of them were not transported. Two were taken by helicopter to Stanford Medical Center, both with CPR in progress in route to the hospital.” ...

“The family at some point was swept out on the south end of Montara State Beach. There’s a rip [current] that goes along the south end,” explained Delay. “It’s unknown the exact circumstances. It’s a precarious surf out here. The surf line is very dangerous.”

The daughter was found after a 30 minute search by the Harbormaster’s boat.

After an initial brainstorming session and a five-hour Saturday workshop that included a short hike to Mirada Surf, the Traffic & Trails charrette will conclude with the presentation of some concepts developed as a result of those meetings.

I had an opportunity to spend some time talking with Dan Burden, the consultant who is managing the process and saw some of the ideas they’re working on.

It includes a vision of Highway 1 unlike anything you’ve seen, perhaps in the entire state.

Come to the presentation of the concept plan, Tuesday, June 30 in the El Granada Elementary School multiuse room at 7pm.

The San Mateo Daily Journal editorializes that the city of Half Moon Bay blew its chances of getting a bailout from the state by acting like it didn’t need the money.

With the state’s attention on its own budget deficit, the bill faced an uphill fight — but it was one Hill was willing to wage. However, that fight came abruptly to an end when the council made cuts and elevated its bond rating and voted to move forward with issuing its own bonds to ensure it could meet a Aug. 29 deadline or face interest penalties in case the state legislation failed. The vote to give Dolder his raise was the nail in the legislative coffin as Republicans in the Legislature got hold of the news — giving the bill its highest negative attention. Hill saw the writing on the wall and decided to cut his losses this week while expressing disappointment the city made the decisions it did. ...

Self reliance is a virtue, and the city should make every step necessary and available to solve its own problems. But acting like a political novice is now requiring them to.

What the Journal misses is that the city wasted the entire 2008 legislative session on the cynical and hopeless AB1991.

Last night at El Granada, the multi-day charratte style workshop, Traffic and Trails on the Midcoast: What Would You Do, opened at El Granada Elementary School.  The evening began with an engaging presentation by charrette leader Dan Burden of Walkable Communities.  Dan used well framed descriptions and photographs from other projects to illustrate the possibilities locally and reviewed the design elements that will be used to develop a final plan.  Participants expressed strong support for the approach taken by the charrette to listen to and involve the community.

In a series of exercises audience had opportunity to effectively express viewpoints, vision and values.  All participants had the opportunity to vote (see photo) on most valued elements that will shape the final design.

The charrette continues on Saturday with a walking tour that will leave from El Granada school shortly after 9am.  The session continues into the afternoon and a BBQ lunch (courtesy of the Half Moon Bay Lions chapter) will be provided.

Starting on Saturday, more information on outcomes from the charrette sessions will be available at the web site:  http://mprc.sanmateo.org/charrette.html .

The county is holding Green Building workshops on Monday June 30 at 6pm, in the multipurpose room in the Library (new location), Room D-4 at El Granada Elementary School. The purpose is to discuss possible revisions to current regulations, include additional types of building, and set new standards.

Read the County’s staff report on green building [pdf] for more information on what is being considered.

The county’s Green Building Task Force and the Planning and Building Department are the sponsors.