Someone who attended four-hour HazMat class in Pacifica on Tuesday has written up what he learned. He took the training to become an official volunteer to help with the clean up of the oil spill. "This is the minimum training required to be able to participate in the cleaning officially," he says. 

Thanks to Pacifica Riptide for the tip.

The Coastside Fire Protection District board of directors appointed J. B. Cockrell of Montara as its ninth member on Tuesday. Cockrell told the board that he supported contracting services to Cal Fire. Union representative Tony Slimick threatened a recall as a result of the appointment.

Slimick and Alan Davis of IAFF Local 2400 addressed the Board a couple of times each. They both appealed to the Board not to promote acting Chief Cole and not to appoint a ninth member, until the new Board is seated in December.

In last week’s election, four union-backed candidates defeated four pro-Cal Fire candidates for positions on the fire board.

Directors Silva, McShane, Burke, Lees and Donovan (Cal Fire supporters) voted for Cockrell.  Directors Eufusia and Riddell (both Cal Fire critics) voted for volunteer firerighter Matt Connors of Half Moon Bay.  Director McKimmie (Cal Fire supporter) voted for Michael Gaynes, of Moss Beach.

The ninth position is the swing vote on the board. Once the newly elected board members are seated, there will be four union-backed Cal Fire critics and five Cal Fire supporters including Cockrell.

The governor issued an order suspending all fishing in Bay Area waters contaminated with fuel from Thursday’s Golden Gate oil spill, reports Julia Scott in the County Times. The ban is in effect until Dec 1, but htis oculd change if the Dept of Fish and Game decides there is no major human health risk.

The no-catch zones are expected to include all Bay Area counties from San Francisco and San Mateo to Solano County, but the California Department of Fish and Game has yet to determine the exact boundaries of the closure.
...
The ban affects commercial and sport fishermen and arriveson the cusp of Thursday’s highly-anticipated Dungeness crab season opener. Fishermen throughout the Bay Area voted to ask the governor to delay the season last weekend due to the chance that someone could become sick from eating a contaminated crab, and thus ruin the season for everyone.

There’s a lot of great detail from Pillar Point Harbor in the original story.

From Surfrider, San Mateo Chapter:

Some of the oil has now arrived in Pacifica. This might continue to spread further south. For those who can help or be prepared for cleanup effort in San Mateo area, it is important that you must be trained from the authorities and not do it on your own.

The next Haz-Mat training (mandatory to join the cleanup) will be held in Half Moon Bay on Thursday at the IDES hall, Main Street from 5-9pm. We have been advised that it is mandatory that we attend this 4-hour training session in order to be allowed onto and help clean up the beaches.

Trampling of the oil into the sand in a disorganized effort will push the oil balls deeper into the sand making it harder to clean up in the long run as more material will need to be removed.

If you would like to be prepared for getting alerts and to find out when and where trained volunteers will be needed…go to:
http://smcalert.info

The first film about the exclusive, world renowned-TED Conference will be hosted by The Visionary Edge in Half Moon Bay. The Future We Will Create: Inside the World of TED is produced and directed by actress Daphne Zuniga (Melrose Place, American Dreams, Spaceballs) and filmmaker Steven Latham.  Ms. Zuniga is also the host of the feature length documentary.

The Future We Will Create: Inside the World of TED provides an all-access pass to one of the world’s most exciting gatherings. TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an invitation-only, annual event where an eclectic group of the world’s most brilliant minds converge to share new ideas that will shape the future.

Hosted by The Visionary Edge, The Future We Will Create will be screened Saturday November 17th at the Johnson House Depot, 110 Higgins Purisima Rd, Half Moon Bay.  Doors open at 7:00, film at 7:30; discussion to follow.  Advance tickets $10, door $15.  Call 650-560-0200 for information and tickets.

With the holidays approaching, many of us will be at dinner and have an opportunity to express your thanks and love for friends and family. This year, you might consider making a toast that people will remember.

Toastmasters can help build a seemingly impromptu sort of style…and it works great in job interviews!

How many times have you been to a wedding or at a presentation, and you encounter a speaker that is clearly uncomfortable? I heard a best man speech last year, where I actually broke a sweat and was embarrassed for him.  I didn’t want to watch! 

Toastmasters can help you design and rehearse your prepared speeches…and very effective for larger groups!

Most people have trouble even saying their name, birth date and home town in front of a group. We’re here to offer a forum for improving our communication skills through practice and feedback.

We have a small, casually professional kind of group, and we’re growing.  We’ve risen from recent membership challenges, and after the new year, we’ll be going strong again.

Our meetings are conveniently located in the Sun Room at the Ted Adcock Community Center at 535 Kelly Ave. on the 2nd & 4th Thursday of every month from 7-8pm.

Contact HMB Toastmasters President, Jackson Robertson, for more information…650-455-6985

On Saturday, November 17th, 2007 the beacon of the venerable Pigeon Point Lighthouse, in continuous operation for 135 years, will again blaze into life to brighten the night following the unveiling of a special new interpretive center highlighting the shipwrecks, cultural heritage and natural history of the region. The focus is the famed lighthouse that stood sentinel over the area’s rocky coast, and that witnessed some of the North-Central California coast’s most dramatic episodes of its maritime history. The unveiling ceremony will take place at 4:00 p.m. at the Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, off Highway One near Pescadero, California, approximately twenty miles south of Half Moon Bay.

The exhibit wraps around the inside of the fog signal building, and with three dimensional models, banners and maps, relates the 19th and 20th century wrecks of several proud-masted barques and schooners, and 20th century steamers. Against the backdrop of the mournful sound of a foghorn, ancient illustrations and period photos bring to life California’s earliest coastal cultural heritage, from First Nation Ohlone tribes, to Spanish explorers, to European whalers and Chinese fishermen and 49ers. Moments frozen in time are recaptured, such as in one ill-fated passengers’ last correspondence, in the Point’s worst disaster, the wreck of the San Juan, that collided with another ship in dense fog.  Lost at sea along with 74 other souls, Mrs. W.J. Brown had written, "I’d rather take the train, but the boat is cheaper. The children need shoes."

A model of the famed lighthouse features cutaway walls to reveal the spiral-staircased interior, the lantern and clockwork rotation system.  On a detailed wall map, visitors can trace wrecks and lighthouses along the coast from Cambria north to Bodega Head. Other inhabitants of the mist-shrouded coast are featured, including gray whales, shorebirds, seals and sea lions, and the display offers tips for wildlife viewing.

The annual tradition of re-lighting the light will take place between 6 and 8pm. Visiting hours start at 10:00 am. and go through 8:00 pm. The new interpretive center is a project of California State Parks, NOAA’s Monterey Bay and Gulf of the Farallones national marine sanctuaries, and the San Mateo County Coast Natural History Association.

For more information contact [email protected].

Movin’ On the Coast will host it’s Third Annual "Walk With the Mayor" on Saturday, November 17th, at 9 am at Poplar Street Beach, with Naomi Patridge. The group will walk for about an hour on the coast. Here’s a chance to get some exercise and catch up with what is new in the City of Half Moon Bay.  For more information call 650-563-7121.

Commercial fisherman voted Saturday to delay Dungeness crab season until it can be determined whether local crabs are safe to eat in the wake of the Golden Gate oil spill. However, the start of the season is set by the state, reports the Daily Journal.

Aaron McLear, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger, said the governor is "looking at" the possibility of postponing crab season but hasn’t yet made a decision.

With the season set to begin Thursday, fisherman are "on pins and needles" waiting for word on what to do, said Duncan MacLean, president of the Half Moon Bay Fisherman’s Association.

Between December 7, 2007 and March 31, 2008, 24 big-wave surfers will be on 24 hour notice to appear for Mavericks, the Coastside’s world-famous big-wave surfing competition. The window was announced today by Mavericks Contest Director Jeff Clark. This is several weeks earlier than usual, according to the press release.

"We are all stoked to be back for another year," said Clark.  "The 2007/2008 season looks promising as we’ve already seen the first major swell roll through Half Moon Bay in mid-October.  The perfect contest day we’re looking for is typically a northwest groundswell between 18 and 20 feet (translating into waves faces of 30- to 40-feet)." 

When contestants receive the green light alert, they have just 24 hours to arrive for the event.

This year’s list invitees is same as last season with the exception of the alternates.  In alphabetical order: Matt Ambrose, Grant "Twiggy" Baker, Ion Banner, Ross Clarke-Jones, Kenny "Skindog" Collins, Randy Cone, Danilo Couto, Shane Desmond, Brock Little, Greg Long, Josh Loya, Garrett McNamara, Peter Mel, Shawn Rhodes, Ryan Seelbach, Evan Slater, Tyler Smith, Russell Smith, Jamie Sterling, Anthony Tashnick, Darryl "Flea" Virostko, Grant Washburn, John Whittle and Zach Wormhoudt.

There are 15 alternates, in order of priority: Dave Wassel, Nathan Fletcher, Chris Bertish, Carlos Burle, Ryan Augenstein, Dan Malloy, Rusty Long, Ben Andrews, Kealii Mamala, Mike Gerhardt, Eraldo Gueiros, Lawton Smith, Noah Johnson, Alex Martins, Jake Wormhoudt, Tim West, Mike Brummett, Doug Young and Yann Kazabjian.

This year, the invitees will compete for an exciting $75,000 prize purse. The purse breakdown awards $30,000 for first place, $12,000 for second place, $7,500 for third place, $3,500 for fourth, $2,500 for fifth and $1,500 for sixth place.