You can download the discussion draft of the Pilarcitos Creek integrated watershed managment plan from Coastsider.

For the next three weeks, motorists should expect one way traffic control between Montara and Gray Whale Cove as PG&E upgrade the electrical transmission system along Highway 1.  Day and night work is scheduled and one way control will be in effect Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm and Sunday through Thursday 9pm to 5am.  

Expect minor delays if you are traveling on Highway 1 during these periods and please allow more time for your journey.

Reece Computer Systems is running a promotion designed to encourage Coastsiders to donate to local charities. During the holiday season of October through December, 2007, Reece Computer Systems are offering a 10% discount to anyone who presents a valid receipt, for a donation in any amount, to a non-profit organization from the following list:

Coastside Family Medical Center
Coastside Hope
La Honda Pescadero Unified School District
USO at the SF Airport
Hope Services
Coastside Childrens Programs
Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Senior Coastsiders
Coastside Farmers Market
G.R.A.C.E., Grassroots Alliance for Community Education
County of San Mateo Farm Bureau
Cabrillo Education Foundation

The city of Half Moon Bay and the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce are holding an "official" ribbon-cutting for the new Peet’s Coffee & Tea. There will be complimentary brewed coffee and tea.

The new store was the center of controversy because it occupies the site formerly occupied by Raman’s coffee and Chai shop and a laundromat serving low-income Coastsiders.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 5:00pm-6:00pm
Peet’s Coffee & Tea
142 San Mateo Road, Half Moon Bay

This Pumpkin Festival weekend was challenging; as it seems more so every year. The challenge was looking through the mix of the crowd and vendors to see what resemblance the event now has with what attracted local residents in a gathering of community spirit 37 years ago. This year I noticed at least two remote sets of twin ATM machines. And, not unlike parents who park their kids in front of the multi-channeled electronic babysitter, there was the super wide screen TV (maybe 6 x 10ft) showing a ball game to a group of about 30 or 40 in front of the Adult Day Care Center amid the hot dog, sausage, and beer booths. Out on Main Street, there were booths for rain gutter sales, travel and vacation packages, two newspaper subscription booths, do-it-yourself Comcast installation kits, a mobile Starbuck’s van, and I assume that next year there’ll be concessions for Peet’s Coffee, Jamba Juice, and (God forbid) Popeye’s Chicken. If one were to inquire of those who intentionally left their homes for the weekend, it would probably remind them of the beach town scenario in "Jaws", where actor Murray Hamilton’s preoccupation with tourist perception far outweighed any concerns for any individual swimmer’s personal safety. 

One queried former vendor said it was just getting too expensive to get a booth here anymore. What we are left with is many  professional artists from around the country who make their living running the circuit of national events—in other peoples’ communities. And the ratio of local to non-local artisans has gone from 80/20 to having to reassess that ratio to accommodate those concessions which don’t represent any art interest at all—at the "Pumpkin and ART Festival," no less.

I sat by the gazebo at the south end on Saturday with a blind date from Hayward, a former resident who hadn’t been back here in decades. It was a bit surreal. Throughout the rest of the concessions to the north that we saw earlier, it more resembled a trip to the Tanforan Mall, yet down at the gazebo was an older band playing bluegrass, Janice Joplin, some light gospel, and some tunes that seemed genuinely befitting of the "cute and quaint" image that some here believe might again be possible for HMB. And that made me wonder why we even had a gazebo crammed into an area surrounded by brickwork, so close to a residence, and in a barely used section of town.

This story appeared last week, but we wanted to make sure you saw it.

You’re invited to provide input to the San Mateo County Vision 2010 Plan. This is one of several meetings scheduled throughout the county in September and October. The meeting will be Monday, October 22, 7 to 9 p.m., IDES Hall, Half Moon Bay.

Residents will be asked to identify what they want the future of San Mateo County to look like: What is our most important challenge? Will we be able to sustain our rich cultural and economic diversity? How do we ensure our youth will succeed? What can we do to better protect our environment? In short, what do we want San Mateo County to look like in 10 to 20 years?

What vision do you want to share?

From the play that inspired the films ‘You’ve Got Mail" and "The Shop Around the Corner" and the creators of "Fiddler on the Roof" comes one of the most charming, romantic, and loveably funny musicals ever written.  Two feuding clerks in a European perfume shop during the 1930s, secretly find solace in their anonymous romantic pen-pals not realizing they are corresponding with each other. This a charming musical filled with songs full of melody and personality.

"She Loves Me" is begin performed by the Pacific Spindrift Players now until November 18: Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. Adults - $21 | Seniors & Students - $18

The theater is located at 1050 Crespi Dr. in Pacifica. [Click for directions]

The Midcoast Community Council (MCC) election is the most competitive election on the coast this year—with five candidates running for three seats. This is an important election for the unincorporated portions of the Coastside since the MCC represents us to the County Board of Supervisors, our true masters.

Many people—including a majority if not all of the candidates—feel that the MCC has diminished in relevance and effectiveness of late. Perhaps this election will mark a reinvention of the MCC.

Opening Statements | Quicktime | Flash |

The MCC does not have authority to make laws or ordinances, et cetera. It is advisory. How will you be effective or useful in the next four years?  | Quicktime | Flash |

How many of the Midcoast Council meetings have you attended, and the committee meetings, in the last two years? Do you think members should be required to attend a certain number of meetings in a year? Should there be alternatives—should alternatives [ed. Alternates] be elected for Midcoast Council representatives to attend when the elected representative cannot attend?  | Quicktime | Flash |

The next question concerns the Local Coastside Program [ed. Local Coastal Program, LCP] for this area that was developed by the Midcoast Council in conjunction with the San Mateo County Planning Division. Do you support this program? Do you support the changes that were made by the Board of Supervisors? If you are elected what would you do to jump-start the approval process?  | Quicktime | Flash |

Explain your position on growth versus no-growth.  | Quicktime | Flash |

Should the Midcoast Community Council have review of projects for neighbors to be able to voice their concerns—and would that include tree-cutting permits? Should there be reviews prior to permits being issued by the county?  | Quicktime | Flash |

Closing Statements   | Quicktime | Flash |

The County Elections Department is looking for a dozen or so new Coastside poll workers for this upcoming election on November 6.This also probably means that they will need poll workers for the three elections coming up next year, in ‘08, too.

This is a most critical job since poll workers see all the things that happen on election day at the precincts and are thus public elections watchdogs as well as workers. We will be using the County’s new electronic voting machines for the second time. They were first used, one to a precinct, in Nov ‘06.

The hours are long, 6 am to 9 pm with two 1 hour breaks, and the stipend (what passes as pay) is meager, $125, but just like being a juror, it is critical for the proper working of our democracy.

Both my wife and I are Inspectors, (head poll workers) and I can recommend it to anyone who has the time available.

You will need to get trained. There will be a 3 hour training session planned for Half Moon Bay. Or you can go to any of the other training sessions over the hill.

The election is just three weeks away. We need a full complement of poll workers so please consider offering to help out. Normally there are four poll workers at each voting precinct so that there will still be three when one goes on break. When we get short handed, it only leaves two poll workers which is really not enough.

I would be happy to chat with anyone who may be interested. You can call me, Dennis Paull, at 650-712-0498, or better yet, call the Elections Office at 650-286-2810 and ask for Bob Brown or Greta Mc Elroy.

Dennis Paull
Half Moon Bay

Water is an expensive commodity in Montara and Moss Beach, where it is supplied by the Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD).

The current board of the district represents the people who planned and executed the purchase of the water supply for Montara and Moss Beach. Because of the limitations of that water supply, there has been a moratorium on new residentail water hookups for decades. All new houses in MWSD—and there are hundreds of them—are served by wells.

In these videos each of the three candidates for MWSD introduce themselves to voters and share their own views of who they are, what the problems facing the community might be, and what they plan to do if elected.

Each candidate was given five minutes of screen time and their choice of location. Put aside the caricatures and listen to the candidates in their own words.

Videos by Darin Boville and used with permission of Montara Fog.