On Saturday May 23, The Visionary Edge will screen the Oscar-nominated and award-winning documentary Trouble the Water. The event will be co-hosted by and presented at the Community United Methodist Church in Half Moon Bay.   

Trouble the Water takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen. It’s a redemptive tale of two self-described street hustlers who become heroes-two unforgettable people who survive the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning. 

The film opens the day before the storm makes landfall-twenty-four year old aspiring rap artist Kimberly Rivers Roberts is turning her new video camera on herself and her 9th Ward neighbors trapped in the city. "It’s going to be a day to remember," Kim declares. With no means to leave the city and equipped with just a few supplies and her hi 8 camera, she and her husband Scott tape their harrowing ordeal as the storm rages, the nearby levee
breaches, and floodwaters fill their home and their community. 

Saturday, May 23rd. Doors will open at 7:00pm, event begins at 7:30 at the Community United Methodist Church, 777 Miramontes Street (at Johnston), HMB.  The event is free to the community, however, donations are needed to cover screening expenses.  Call 650-560-0200 for information and reservations.  

Coastsiders are invited to the first public meeting to begin developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), headed up by Cal Fire and the Resource Conservation Districts of Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties.  A CWPP is a plan that addresses how communities will reduce the risk of wildfire through cooperation and collaboration between emergency response agencies and the community. 
 
All stakeholders are encouraged to be involved in the process and to provide input regarding wildfire issues and the ways that our communities can address these concerns.
 
June 2, 7:00 p.m.
Coastside Fire Protection District
1191 Main Street, Half Moon Bay

The Coastside Film Society hosts a night of films on American artistic treasures.

Always Been A Rambler (58 mins)

A documentary about the New Lost City Ramblers, arguably the most influential contemporary old-time band of all time.

The band began just before the folk boom of the early ’60s. What made the band so successful was its authentic sound. NLCR left the soft sappy folk covers to lesser artists. These guys dipped deep into the roots, serving up an authentic string-band sound that could compete with the best of the bands from the 1920s and ’30s. The popularity of the band soared and remains strong today. Through the Ramblers’ own words, “This film documents the evolution of Old Time American Music and the soulful NLCR sound, their influences, their mentors and their influence on contemporary musicians.”

A film by Yasha Aginsky, a San Francisco-based documentary film maker and film teacher whose work has twice been nominated for Academy Awards.

Above the Timberline (28 mins)

A film that honors the work of the poet, artist, and teacher, Carl Zimmermann (1950-1994). The mighty California Sierras inspired Carl to write volumes. They also inspired film maker and Film Society Board Member Warren Haack. Warren relished his time in the mountains and swore he would never sully the experience by taking the time to film it. Then he heard the music of Steve Ewert and the California Zephyr. The words and music formed such a perfect match that Warren changed his mind and set about to create this record of a place that few people have ever experienced.

Both Yasha Aginsky and Warren Haack will attend the screening and talk to the audience.

Friday May 22, 2009 at 7:30 pm
$6.00 adults, $3.00 for children and students
ommunity United Methodist Church Sanctuary
777 Miramontes Half Moon Bay

For more info see: www.HMBfilm.org

Listening set then dancing to a unique blend of swinging Jump Blues, Jazz/Funk Blues, and R&B. With Wendy DeWitt, blues piano and boogie woogie; John Boutell, guitar/vocals; John Lull, tenor sax Ray Figueroa, bass; and Luke Piro, drums/vocals.

The South City Blues Band is dedicated to the groove—a unique blend of swinging Jump Blues, Jazz/Funk Blues, and R&B. Whatever you want to call it – it will get you p and moving.  They play a variety of styles to keep it interesting, but the rhythm section keeps it in the pocket, never straying far from the source – the Blues.  Between the cutting vocals, ripping guitar lines, wailing sax, and swinging rhythm – they don’t let up.
 
Wendy DeWitt spreads the gospel of Chicago based blues piano and boogie woogie in the stylings of Otis Spann, Memphis Slim, Sunnyland Slim and Albert Ammons. She has worked with contemporary greats Steve Freund, Otis Rush and the late Hank Ballard.
 
Wendy has appeared with Charlie Musslewhite, Otis Rush and Jimmy Thackery around the country. She tours in Europe and recently returned from a Paris tour and opening for Marcia Ball.

Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society
Douglas Beach House on Miramar Beach
307 Mirada Road, Half Moon Bay, CA  94019
650 726-4143, www.bachddsoc.org

Half Moon Bay’s attorneys explained why the city must now pay developer Chop Keenan the $18 million they agreed to pay him in their April 2008 settlement in a sobering presentation to the city council at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

There were few comments or questions from the sparse audience, and no one from the public tried to argue with the high-priced attorneys on the dais.

The mood from the city council was one of acceptance—the final stage of grief. Mayor John Muller said that he’d still work to get assistance from the state, and that it was time for "some individuals who sit on the sidelines and don’t get involved" to support the city in its efforts. Naomi Patridge and Muller expressed their determination not to declare bankruptcy, but the city’s attorneys had already said that wasn’t really an option in any event.

The attorneys laid out the city’s options, or lack of them, one at a time. City attorney Tony Condotti spoke first.

Condotti said that the city can’t reinterpret its definition of wetlands because the interpretation came from state appellate court. In its decision, the court said it wasn’t bound by the city’s interpretation, and that interpreting the law is a "judicial function".

However, he believes the city may be able to change the buffer zones around the wetlands on Beachwood, which are part of the city’s zoning code. The code says that there is should be 100 ft buffer around ponds, lakes, and marshes. The city attorney suggested that the wetlands at Beachwood may not be among those that need a 100 ft buffer.

The city attorney also said that disincorporation would not remove the city’s $18 million liability to Keenan. Disincorporation would have to go before the Local Area Formation Commission, and LAFCO would be obligated deal with the city’s assets and liabilities—including its debt to Keenan.

John Knox of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe said that when the successor bills to AB1991 (SB863 and AB/SB 650) began to falter that they began to consider their options, and they have been preparing to issue bonds to pay the settlement.

The city has a very strong credit rating for a city of its size. S&P has just rated it AA-. If it issued bonds right now, it should be able to get an interest rate of 5 to 5 1/2% on 30 year general obligation bonds of $18 million. The city is not likely to ask for the full amount. It still has $5 million from ABAG and may be able to raise money from other sources.

Under those terms, the city would have to pay $1.2 million/year for 30 years to finance $18 million, and $800,000 a year to pay off $13 million.

Mark Levinson, a bankruptcy attorney with Orrick, said that the city will not be able to get out of its obligation to Keenan by declaring bankruptcy, because "you have the ability to solve the problem [by issuing bonds] and you’re choosing not to do it".

Levinson’s advice was to pay the judgement and not spend more money on lawyers, saying "John (Knox) and I are really expensive". He noted that if the city does not pay Keenan by August 29, it will owe 6% interest on $18 million going back to December 2007—another $2 million.

You’re invited to share ideas with other community members on what we can do to assure our high quality education on the Coastside is not adversely affected by future state budget cuts. In 2010/2011 our district faces a projected additional $1.2M deficit.

June 4, 2009, 7 to 9pm
Mavericks Convention Center (formerly the Harbor House), 107 Broadway Ave, Princeton by the Sea .
Facilitated by Pat Brown, with funding from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation
RSVP: [email protected] or 650-726.7871. Limited seating available.

Senior Coastsiders is about to embark on the annual Home Rehab Day on Saturday, June 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  We need volunteers to help build, repair, paint, garden, deliver materials, pound nails and generally assist in this wonderful event. Here is a letter that really sums it up:

Hello! As some of you may know, I have been involved with community organizations and this time I am asking for your support as a volunteer with Senior Coastsiders which is the only organization on the coast (from Montara to Pescadero) offering a hot meal at lunch, Meals on Wheels, minor home repairs as well as many other critical services.

For the first time in my history with the organization, they have been forced to cut-back our services. I was saddened at the last board meeting when there was a vote to reduce the lunchtime meal service from five to three days per week. For many of the clients, this meal may be the only guaranteed nutrition they receive during the day.  Like many nonprofits, the center is facing cutbacks from county (and state) funding, as well as a critical decline in donations this year.

On June 6th, I will be volunteering with a team of folks to fix-up a local senior’s home as a part of the 19th Annual Home Rehab Day organized by the Senior Coastsiders.  Together we will repair and rehabilitate the homes of low-income seniors and adults with disabilities on the coast. 

If you cannot attend the event, you might consider donating to Senior Coastsiders to promote this program and all the other wonderful services they provide.

Please let me know if you would like to pound nails, act as a gopher or just join in with me and other neighbors and make some new friends on June 6th!  You can either complete the online application by going to www.seniorcoastsiders.org and clicking on events or by contacting (650) 726-9056.  Thank you for your consideration and willingness to support Senior Coastsiders and for helping promote successful aging.

Victoria Cormack

Blue Blanket Improv—Half Moon Bay’s own non-profit comedy improv troupe—is offering several free three month internships for local youths this summer. 

This year the internship program includes a $500 college scholarship. Deadline for applications is June 1st. Please visit the website for the application and additional information on the troupe:  http://BlueBlanketImprov.com

Marc Samuels,
Performer/Director
[email protected]

Teen bands featuring Hometown, Vent and Guru perform at the American Legion Post #474 in Princeton on Saturday, May 30 from 2-5. Food, fun and tunes with proceeds from donations going to support Senior Coastsiders programs.

Victoria Cormack