On Saturday, March 3, between 3:00 - 7:00 PM. I will be giving away my art work at my home in Montara. My name is Kathy Bibby and I’ve been creating art for over 30 years.

In order to make way for new, creative ventures in my life, I decided to reach out to the coastside community where I’ve lived for many years and offer my artwork [site] for free to those who would treasure and honor my creative energy by giving a piece or two a good home.
  
Recently, I became aware of the organization called Childhelp and came upon the idea of combining giving away my art AND contributing to something very worthwhile. While donations are appreciated, they are not required and the total amount will be given directly to Childhelp and is tax deductible.  The body of work includes oil and soft pastel figure studies, handmade papers, mono and block prints and photographs.

Childhelp  is dedicated to honoring childhood by meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children.  They offer many successfull intervention, prevention and treatment programs for children.  To learn more, their website is http://www.Childhelp.org.

To RSVP for my ART GIVE-AWAY, or for more information call: Kathy Bibby, (650) 278-2059 or (650) 954-8931. 

Kathy Bibby
Montara

In a letter to friends and supporters, the two property rights organizations fighting the expansion of the the expansion of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District have summarize their case, listed their accomplishments in the last two years, and announced some new directors. You can see the original documents by clicking on the link below.

Citizens for Responsible Open Space and Californians for Property Rights have announced there are four elements to their appeal.

• The trial court standard of review was too deferential to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
• LAFCO’s notice of public hearing was insufficient
• LAFCO didn’t properly respond challenges to maps and boundaries
• LAFCO used the wrong total for registered voters and was too strict in disqualifying petition signatures.

On Monday evening, February 26 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm, a public meeting on health insurance reform will be held in the Community Room at Lesley Gardens, 701 Arnold Way in Half Moon Bay.

The meeting will feature a presentation and discussion of the California Universal Healthcare Act (CUHA). CUHA will establish universal health care in California by creating the California Health Insurance System, a single payer for all health care in the state. CUHA is designed to provide affordable health insurance coverage with an extensive benefits package, while controlling health care costs and improving health care outcomes. Recent studies have shown that a single-payer system like that proposed in CUHA can provide health care coverage for all state residents and still save money on overall health care expenditures. CUHA was introduced as Senate Bill 840 during the last legislative session and passed both houses of the legislature, but was vetoed by the governor. It has been re-introduced this year.

Richard Watters, Co-Chair of the Peninsula Chapter of Health Care for All, will speak about the inadequate quality of health care and what to do about it. He will also describe challenges that patients and medical professionals encounter in the current system of care.

The meeting is sponsored by the Coastside Democrats and the Peninsula Chapter of Health Care for All-California. The public is invited and admission is free.

For additional information, call Dennis Paull, 650-712-0498

Applications are being accepted for membership in the 2007-2008 county grand jury. The deadline is April 13.  You must be a resident of San Mateo county for more than a year, a citizen of the United States, 18 years of age or older, of "ordinary intelligence, sound judgment and good character", and have "sufficient" knowledge of the English language. Elected public officials are not eligible to serve. Application forms can be obtained by writing Grand Jury Clerk, Court Executive Office, 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063 or telephoning (650) 599-1711.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District board, firefighters presented their petitions for a referendum on the Coastside fire boards’ decision to outsource fire services to the California Department of Forestry, reports the Daily Journal.

The firefighters collected between 1,800 and 2,000 signatures of residents in Half Moon Bay and Point Montara in an attempt to reverse a recent decision by the board to contract for fire services with the state. The firefighters are confident they have enough valid signatures to send the issue to the voters by way of the ballot booth, said fire Capt. Ari Delay.

For the vote to happen, the petition must include approximately 850 signatures of registered Half Moon Bay voters and approximately 150 registered Point Montara voters.

The Visionary Edge is presenting Chocolat at The Depot, by the Johnson House on Higgins Purissima Road in Half Moon Bay, Saturday at 7:30pm. After the movie, Robin Fain from the local Half Moon Bay chocolate shop Simply Delicious will talk about the healing powers of chocolate, and will have selections for sale –- as well as samples to taste.

Nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actress (Juliette Binoche), and Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Chocolat is a comedy about the power of magic to inspire repressed villagers to abandon themselves to temptation and happiness.

Located in Half Moon Bay, The Visionary Edge is "a transformative arts and media venture committed to inspiring millions—via the creativity and potency of films, music, and story—to create a wiser, more sustainable and compassionate world". Doors open 7:00 pm; starting time: 7:30pm, Saturday, February 24. Tickets $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Call 650-560-0200.

Xan is 12 years old living in rural South Africa when his father brings home the orphaned cheetah cub who is destined to become his best friend.  When his family is forced to move to the big city, Xan and Duma set off to find Duma a new home in the wild.  Xan has courage but not a lot of common sense. So he starts by heading off into the Kalahari Desert, where to get lost is, usually, to die. From the director of the Black Stallion and Fly Away Home.

"This is an extraordinary film, a wonderful adventure. The movie takes on an additional depth because Xan is not a cute one-dimensional "family movie" child.  ... These are characters free to hold surprises in the real world."  Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times Rated PG (for mild adventure peril).

Friday, Feb 23 at 8 pm
Community Methodist Sanctuary, 
777 Miramontes, Half Moon Bay Corner of Johnston & Miramontes
$6.00 donation per person
http://www.hmbfilm.org

On February 17 the La Honda Fire Dept. graduated nineteen new Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members. These new members, who were from through out the Southcoast, attended four Saturday classes on disaster preparedness. They received training in emergency medical care, search and rescue, utility control and on other topics that will be needed should a disaster strike. Over the last three years 63 residents have completed this training. A disaster preparedness drill involving past and new CERT members will be held in La Honda on March 10.

For those of you who were unable to attend the water board meeting held 02/15/07, or could not view it on MCTV, the Montara Water and Sanitary District board adopted the resolution to increase water rates as prescribed in their December 2006 communication under prop 218.
 
There were approximately 40 letters received by the board from Moss Beach and Montara parcel owners voicing opposition to the rate increases from the approximate 1950 parcels, to which the board mailed letters to, 

This does not sit completely right with me, seeing since 80 percent of these owners actively participated and voted to take control of the water system as a way to contain costs and have more of a say in their precious resources. 

I can only surmise that those 1900 parcels that did not send their concerns to the board are in either completely in favor of the rate increases; and agree that it is a necessary evil, or that the owners of those parcels did not take notice to the, seemingly, camouflaged 218 communication contained in the monthly news letter sent during the Holiday Season. 

While I was opposed to the rate increase, I realize the need for the for the cost increases, and can only hope that the board will do their best to communicate these, and the other increases required, under prop 218, better to us.

It would make me rest easier to hear what other rate payers think about this matter, being that they and the board are members of the community too. I would like to see politics and community working in unison, and not have to second guess if the neighborhood had been hoodwinked in order to advance an agenda no matter how valid the need is.

I look forward to reviewing your posts.

Thank you

Joel Colletti

HMB Review Feb 14th paper ran a picture on page 6A called "Duck and Cover", stating "This duck had nothing to complain about in the recent spate of wet weather on the coast.  Neighbors near the intersection of Filbert Street and Highway 1 say the duck was one of a pair that took to the puddle when rain started last week."

I drive by this puddle everyday and thought I would drive by today to see if the ducks were still there (I had a big clue as to why they might be).  See if you can figure it out too!

Lisa Graham
Montara