Fire fighters from La Honda, Pescadero and CDF responded to a reported vegetation fire on Water Lane in Pescadero on Sunday about 1pm. The incident was reported from nearly three miles away by a passing motorist on Highway 1.

The fire turned out to be a large burn of excess agricultural products. Fire Fighters and a cooperative property owner decided that the fire had grown too large when stiff winds blew sparks across a road, starting a new fire.

Two fire engines, a CDF fire crew and a water tender were used in the 3 1/2 hours it took to put the fire out. Even in the winter, outdoor fires can still pose a danger when high winds blow.

San Mateo County Parks Department is holding a public meeting to discuss implementation of its Mid-Coast Recreational Needs Assessment [pdf’s]. The Needs Assessment was completed in October 2002 by the Parks Department.

Dave Holland, the County Parks and Recreation Director, and resident of Half Moon Bay, and Sam Herzberg, the Senior Parks Planner will be on hand. Holland’s presentation will cover the needs analysis with specifics on what has been done and what the plan.

December 18, 2006
7:00pm
Seton Medical Center, Fireside Room
600 Marine Blvd, Moss Beach
 
 

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary will welcome visitors aboard the new research vessel "Fulmar" at the San Mateo County Harbor District’s 19th Annual Pillar Point Harbor Boat Decorating Contest, on Saturday, December 16 from 6 to 8pm.

The R/V Fulmar, jointly owned by Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries, will be decked out in holiday décor and available for tours. Sanctuary staff will welcome the public and describe the research, education and other activities conducted by the Central and Northern California marine sanctuaries.

Montara artist, Nancy Margulies’ paintings are on exhibit for the month of December at La DiDa in Half Moon Bay. The exhibit includes a series of acrylic on canvas images based upon newspaper images of people in New Orleans during the weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. The work depicts the experience of people attempting to wade through waist high waters, being lifted by helicopter, awaiting rescue at the Superdome.

The original canvases and poster made from them are available for sale. The posters have been sold in New Orleans to raise funds for local not-for-profit organizations serving the children of New Orleans. One hundred percent of the proceeds from sales will be donated to these organizations.

High surf is expected on Coastside beaches as well as large swells at sea according to the National Weather Service.

A storm system about 700 nautical milels west of monterey is generating large swells that will arrive along the California coast by Friday evening and will continue through Saturday evening. Swells will increase to 15 feet Friday night and 16-17 Feet Saturday and Saturday night. Strong winds also accompany the storm and gale force wind gusts are expected Friday night when the storm arrives.

A high surf advisory means that high surf will affect beaches in the advisory area, producing rip currents and localized beach erosion.

It is extremely dangerous to fish or observe waves from exposed coastal structures or rocks during high surf conditions. Very large waves can suddenly sweep across previously dry areas.

Persons are advised to remain away from these areas until the waves subside.
Mariners venturing out into the water Friday night and Saturday are urged to make plans in anticipation of these rough conditions.

Preliminary long range forecasts indicate that large swells could continue through early next week. Monitor NOAA weather radio or our website at www.Wrh.Noaa.Gov/mtr for continuing updates.

The two companies that control all the daily newspapers in the Bay Area, Hearst (The Chronicle) and MediaNews (The San Mateo County Times, San Jose Mercury News, Oakland Tribune, weekly Pacifica Tribune and other dailies in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) have been planning to cooperate on national ad sales and distribution.  A temporary restraining order has stopped that for the time being by a judge who says that new evidence in the case indicates that such cooperation may be illegal, reports the Chronicle.

MediaNews purchased the Mercury News and Contra Costa Times from McClatchy Co. for $736.8 million in April. As part of the deal, Hearst bought the Monterey Herald and St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press for $263 million and promised to transfer them and other assets to MediaNews in exchange for a 30 percent share of MediaNews’ non-Bay Area newspapers. Illston questioned whether the proposed business cooperation between MediaNews and Hearst was a necessary part of Hearst’s decision to buy into MediaNews.

Lawyers for Hearst and MediaNews wrote in court briefs that the companies have made no secret of their desires to pursue legal cooperation that can help both become more efficient. But they said they have no plans to act before the antitrust suit is resolved.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This isn’t exactly a Coastside story, but it is about the weird media bubble we live in. This story is news in every community in the Bay Area, except the Coastside.  With exception of the County Times’s Julia Scott, the dailies seldom deign to write about us.  This is exacerbated MediaNews sharing its stories among its papers.  I have no idea what folks in Oakland make of Julia’s stories about life on the coast.

Bored with the prospect another round of unwanted stuff to your loved ones?  Some Pacifica parents and the Livabililty Project are holding an Coastside Alternative Gift Fair in Pacifica Saturday, December 9, 10am to 3pm at Ocean Shore School, 411 Oceana Boulevard in Pacifica [Google map].

You can buy a flock of chicks for a family in Africa, veterinary care for a homeless pet, or fund a beach clean-up someone’s name—all through worthy non-profits. Donate to local, national, and international charities in honor of friends and loved ones.

Tuesday was a busy night for the Half Moon Bay City Council, which doubled the limits on political contributions, and increased the city’s growth rate from 1% to 1.5% outside the city’s core.  The council has begun the process of reviewing its park priorities.

• Oral communications: Comments from the public about issues not discussed on this particular council meeting’s agenda. Mayor Fraser dedicates the meeting to James Fitzgerald.   |Quicktime | WMP |
• Council reports: Council members report on various meetings and activities they’ve engaged in since the previous council meeting.   |Quicktime | WMP |
• Staff reports: The city’s department heads update the council on work in progress such as the Highway 92/Main Street widening project.   |Quicktime | WMP |
• Consent Calendar   |Quicktime | WMP |
• Campaign Finance reform: The council reached a consensus on the financial limits that individuals and organizations are able to contribute in local elections. The limits have been raised from $250 per person to $500, and individuals who own businesses can contribute $500 personally, plus $500 from their business. Language will be finalized by the city attorney and brought back to the next council meeting.   |Quicktime | WMP |
• 2007 Residential Building Permit Allocation and Administration System and Residential Phasing Plan for New Development (Measure A allocations): The city council voted 4 to 1 to limit growth throughout Half Moon Bay to 1.5% per year. The previous city council had limited growth to 1% per year (or 1.5% in the city’s core) in deference to Measure D, which was written into the city’s Local Coastal Program update, which was sent to the Coastal Commission.   |Quicktime | WMP |
• Parks Master Plan Matrix: The Parks and Recreation commission and city staff presented a summary of all of the park properties under city jurisdiction and information on their current status. The council resolved to prioritize the parks to focus on in the January prioritization meeting.   |Quicktime | WMP |
• Half Moon Bay 50th anniversary is only 2.5 years away!   |Quicktime | WMP |

The Chronicle ran a good story on the YMCA logging controversy Monday.  Everyone who was at the meeting describes the unfriendliness of the audience.

"I realize there is a lot of hostility here. I can feel it," said the YMCA’s vice president of property development Bill Worthington, whose Power Point presentation was repeatedly interrupted by shouting and snickering from the crowd during the community meeting voluntarily organized by the YMCA. "We genuinely want to open dialogue with the public."

...

"But I’d rather live in a dilapidated building than tear down trees in a forest," interjected one YMCA teacher to applause.

Another camp leader then asked how she was supposed to teach conservation to children while a chainsaw cuts down a tree behind them.

YMCA officials insisted that the logging was intended to improve the health of the forest as well as the safety of children, and that they are complying with regulations set by the California Department of Forestry and the Department of Fish and Game.

Worthington said that the YMCA has already changed some of its plans based on feedback from the public and experts. "We’re not trying to take advantage of the situation. We just want the property to be more beautiful, valuable and safe."

The campaign for the Coastside Adult Community Center in Half Moon Bay has raised more than $4 million toward the $7 million campaign goal. 

The planned 23,000-square-foot Coastside Adult Community Center is a joint project of Senior Coastsiders and the Coastside Adult Day Health Center.  The center will house current and expanded services that the two Half Moon Bay organizations will offer to the area’s growing population of seniors and disabled adults. The building will be located on 1.4 acres of now vacant land at the corner of Main Street and Arnold Way in Half Moon Bay, adjacent to the Lesley Gardens senior residence.