A heroic El Granada man boarded and stopped a driverless minivan going in circles in reverse on Avenida Portola. A four-year-old was strapped into a carseat aboard the out-of-control car.  A nanny had left the car running and the child in the seat, says the County Times.

The Mavericks big-wave surf contest will be held on the Coastside again in 2006. Twenty-four of the best big-wave surfers will be on 24-hour call between January 1 and March 31. The organizers have added a gimmick this year, allowing fans to vote on who gets five of the coveted slots to compete. From the press release:

When Mavericks roared through Half Moon Bay last March, 30,000 spectators and two million television viewers in 70 countries watched the best big-wave riders on the planet conquer waves that crested at nearly 50 feet, frigid waters, dangerous currents, jagged rocks and the ever-present threat of the Great White Shark. Last year’s contest was dominated by 20-year-old local surfer Anthony Tashnick, who will be one of the key threats in this year’s contest. According to Contest Director Jeff Clark: “Anthony was rock-solid all day long, consistently riding the best of the big waves. He’ll definitely be a contender again this year.”

That’s right, the great white shark will be adding to this year’s excitement.

Click “read more” to see the press release.

The Examiner looks at the December 6 county Board of Supervisors meeting to discuss proposed revisions to the Local Coastal Program (LCP)for the unincorporated Midcoast (Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada). The proposal will reduce the number of new houses that can be built each year from five percent to three percent of total homes.  Over the course of thirty-three years, the number of houses will increase from 3,700 to about 7,000. Both of the Midcoast’s two water systems are already at full capacity.

The Examiner talks to Montara Water and Sanitary District directors Scott Boyd and Kathryn Slater-Carter. Both say that Montara and Moss Beach have already reached the limits of the their water supply.

Boyd, who can remember the area’s former water utility having to truck in water a little more than a decade ago, said the proposal is unrealistic. Much of the water and sewer system currently in place — including many privately owned lines — are so old and dilapidated they can hardly handle the current demand, Boyd said.

“I guess I’m disappointed,” said Kathryn Slater-Carter, vice-chairwoman of the Midcoast Community Council and director of the Montara Water and Sanitary District, of the proposal. “They’re making decisions on buildout numbers and groundwater capacity before they even have their groundwater report.” The county’s groundwater report is due in December, but officials couldn’t say Tuesday if it will be complete by Dec. 6.

“The district believes that as the community’s future need for water supply is identified, it will be able to satisfy the requirement of all applicable regulatory agencies,” Schmidt said. “The current CCWD Board of directors is committed to providing a safe and reliable supply of water to meet the communities’ future needs as identified by the County of San Mateo and the city of Half Moon Bay.”

As long as it can make more improvements to its infrastructure, of course. CCWD already buys 70% its water from San Francisco.

Neither MSWD or CCWD has new connections to sell.  New homes in MWSD must use wells.  New home builders in CCWD must either dig wells or buy connections on the open market, which currently sell for about $35,000.

Crab season, wich has been delayed on the Coastside by disputes between fishermen and processors, has now been officially put off until at least December 15.  Fisheries officials in California, Washington, and Oregon have delayed the season for three more weeks because the crabs are no ready to harvest, according to the County Times.

The larger Northern California fishery, which runs from Mendocino County to the Oregon border - along with fisheries in Oregon and Washington - will remain closed at least until mid-December. Tests conducted in Northern California found that most crabs would meet state standards calling for meat to make up 25 percent of body mass by Dec. 1, but populations near Crescent City and the Oregon border would not be ready in time, said DFG marine biologist Peter Kalvass.

Central coast fishermen are meeting Friday to discuss their tie-up, which is a response to low prices from processors.

Patrick Worden, the Santa Rosa man accused of killing two Coastside teens while driving drunk, plans to plead guilty, reports the County Times. He is charged two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. His car struck Ashley Prather, 16, and Jihan Abdel-Gawad, 18, when they were waiting for help at the side of the road.

Abdel-Gawad lived in Half Moon Bay’s Mirimar community and was attending Skyline College, where she played for the women’s soccer team. Friends said Abel-Gawad had a turbulent youth marked by gangs and substance abuse, but turned her life around to become a model student-athlete. She was Serramonte Del Rey High School’s 2005 valedictorian.

Prather was a longtime friend of Abel-Gawad who recently had moved from Half Moon Bay to Seaside in Monterey County.

The deputy district attorney requested the plea be delayed until more of the victims’ family members could be present.

Bonnie McClung now leads Mike Ferreira by 14 votes, 1,859 to 1,845 in the Half Moon Bay City Council race, according to today’s update at the County’s election site.  In the Point Montara Fire Protection District, Bruce McKimmie leads Alex King 739 to 734.

The upset in Half Moon Bay was a surprise, because when the polls closed two weeks ago on Tuesday, November 8, Ferreira led McClung 1,549 to 1,490 (51.0% to 49.0%). But in the subsequent counting of provisional and other ballots, McClung led Ferreira 368 to 294 (55.6% to 44.4%).

UPDATE: The county says this is the final vote count. I have also corrected the headline, which originaly said that King was the winner by five votes.

Someone broke into a car on Skyline by smashing the windshield and he was apparently spotted within hours nearby. A suspicious person gave a false name to a deputy and was arrested for it.

Click “read more” to see the details, including a few comments from the Sheriff’s deputy about the importance of telling the truth.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel takes a look at Brussels sprouts, which are a big crop on the Coastside. Most of the ones grown on the 1,000 acres of sprouts in Santa Cruz County go back east where the Canadians and French eat them, apparently.

You’ll be hard pressed to find Bontadelli’s sprouts in local chain stores in the area, however.

That business belongs to Cabrillo Farms in Half Moon Bay and a few smaller growers who peddle the produce, which was going for $1.99 pound at Albertson’s in Capitola

I couldn’t stand them when I was a kid, but our kids love them. Epicurious has 42 recipes for brussels sprouts.

The Monterey Herald has an AP story that has been widely reprinted about the dispute between the crab fishermen and Pacific Seafood, the Portland-based company that dominates the West Coast’s seafood industry.

Industry critics call the company the “Wal-Mart of the Seas”—a symbol of what’s wrong with the seafood business. They complain the company has become so powerful it uses its dominance to dictate lower prices for their catch and also drives small processors out of business.

“It’s the Wal-Mart syndrome,” said Pete Leipzig, who heads the Fishermen’s Marketing Association. “They are so large that they dictate to companies what to produce and what to pay.”

Bonnie McClung widened her lead over Mike Ferreira for Half Moon Bay City Council in the results posted by the County at 4:30pm today. She now leads 1,858 to 1,843 votes.  Meanwhile, Bruce McKimmie now leads Alex King 735 to 730 in the Point Montara Fire Protection District race.

It’s unclear whether these are the final totals, but there may be new totals posted on Monday at 4:30pm.