The National Weather Service forecasts gusty winds until 9pm Friday night. This could result in power outages.

Strong winds along with periods of heavy rain will likely make travel difficult at times. The combination of wet soils from recent rainfall along with very windy conditions will likely cause downed trees. This could lead to local power outages.

The Cabrillo Unified School District will cut the high school’s counselors and librarian, all athletics funding, and all class-size reduction if the proposed parcel tax does not pass.

The CUSD board voted to accept superintendent Rob Gaskill’s proposed cuts from the district’s budget, designed close the district’s forecast budget deficit for 2010-11 school year, at an increasingly emotional meeting in the Cunha Intermediate School library.

The district forecasts a $2.5 million budget shortfall if its proposed five-year $150/year parcel tax does not pass, and $1.0 million if the tax passes. Superintendent Gaskill also noted that the cuts were reduced by a one-time federal stimulus payment of $545,000 and that this money will have to be made up in the 2011-12 school year.

Superintendent Gaskill said that his proposed cuts were informed by his past experience as a high school principal during budget cuts in 1992, and that his priorities were protecting the classroom and maintaining safety.  All cuts in the first $1 million would come from administration. The next $1.5 million would cut the high school’s counselors, librarians, athletics funding, and class-size reduction.

Some cuts that were on an earlier list were not on the final version: closing Kings Mountain School, eliminating literacy coaches in the elementary schools, and eliminating all regular ed busing.

Many parents and teachers came to speak in favor of athletic programs, counseling, and the high school librarian—all of which will be cut if the parcel tax fails, but which will be saved if the tax passes. Board president Dwight Wilson reminded the speakers that they might want to work to pass the parcel tax.

In the list of proposed cuts, those items at the top of the list would be cut first. Those at the bottom of the list would be cut last and would be reinstated first if additional money or savings are found. In other words, the district’s highest priority items are at the bottom of the list.

The Cabrillo Education Foundation has given money to each school in the Cabrillo Unified School District for immediate use.

"The Starlight Soirée fundraiser far exceeded our attendance expectations, allowing for a quick cash infusion to our schools during a very critical budgeting time," said Christine Mendonca, President of the Foundation.  "We thank our community for their generosity in support of our children."  

Specific portions were determined based strictly on numbers of students attending each school.  During the past twelve months, $182,000 dollars have been raised through various community efforts and directly distributed.  In May of 2009, the High School Academic Fund was established with CEF acting as fiduciary agent, providing an additional $75,000 to the school’s budget for the 09-10 academic year.  Thus far, $37,000 has been added to the high school fund for 2010-2011.  The CEF Endowment remains untouched, continuing to grow independently of immediate use distributions.
 
The dollars distributed to each school based on student population.

The county’s closed-door meeting on the near-tragedy at Mavericks on Monday concluded with a press release from the county Sheriff that sounded like it could have been issued by the event’s organizers. The meeting was reported by Julia Scott from the County Times:

[county Sheriff’s Office spokesman] Lunny issued a news release at 5 p.m. that made only passing mention of what happened on the morning of Feb. 13, when at least 15 surf spectators on Mavericks Beach were injured by a series of heavy waves that ripped across the beach. Three of the spectators were taken to the hospital with fractures, according to public safety officials.

"The general consensus was that the event was well coordinated and with one big exception, went well. The obvious exception was the so-called ‘rogue wave’ which unexpectedly washed ashore and created a brief havoc when several onlookers as well as Maverick’s crew were swept up and pushed backward," stated the release, which did not elaborate on how the public safety response could have been better coordinated.

Not one, but several ‘rogue waves’ overwhelmed the surging crowd that morning, causing a stampede that trampled a number of victims and left many people covered in sand, cuts and bruises. Several booths and tents were swept away. The waves shorted out the PA system on the announcer’s booth, preventing contest organizers from warning people that the tide was rising and the waves were coming in.

Many spectators had ventured well beyond a protective sea wall to try to get a view of the big-wave surfers. They ignored a large warning sign erected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which reads, "Danger: extremely hazardous waves. Hazardous wave conditions exist even on calm days. Waves can wash over structure and sweep people into ocean."

The county plans to hold a public meeting about the mess in the future.

On Thursday Feb 25, from 9am to 1pm there will be a traffic delay along Highway 1 through Devils Slide. During that time, Caltrans will be intermittently closing one lane for scaling roadwork. They will be removing previous rock fall from the roadway and surrounding areas. During the closure there will be one way traffic control though the work sites.

For more information please contact Caltrans at 916-654-5266

The Charter Review Committee (CRC) is a panel seated every 8 years according to the county charter to review the very document that guides county government. The CRC is the local version of a Constitutional Convention and it is in the process of examining a variety of potential changes to the county charter.

One of the items on the CRC agenda is an examination of changing the way county supervisors are elected from an at-large system to a district based system. Last June, the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury issued an advisory letter to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors directing the five-member board to change the system under which supervisors are elected from an at-large system to a district based system through the Charter Review process.

A group of Coastside citizens are meeting Thursday night to discuss how this can impact the unincorporated Midcoast community and how to address the committee.

Click below to see the agenda, and bring your own ideas.

Supervisor Rich Gordon’s office will be holding their monthly office hours this Thursday, February 25, from 10am to Noon at the Sheriff’s Coastside Substation in Moss Beach.

This is a good opportunity to get a message to the Midcoast’s local government.

The county Planning Commission has cancelled its planned visit to the site of the Big Wave development.

The cost of updating the project’s draft Environmental Impact Report has caused a cascade of delays. Because the consultant requires more money to complete the EIR, the release of the final report has been delayed. The Planning Commission has delayed its scheduled March 10 hearing until the final EIR is completed.  This led the developer has delay putting up story poles until the minimum 10 days before the hearing, and the Planning Commission has delayed its site visit until the story poles are erected.

Two tales that prove love young can hurdle any obstacles no matter how dry or patriarchal.

short: I am Your Pirate (Tu Pirata Soy Yo)

A teen longs to win the heart of a one-eyed rake she met on Facebook. Her puritanical father will do anything to prevent their first date. Spanish with English subtitles.

feature: Absurdistan (88 mins)

"A wildly imaginative world worthy of Gabriel Garca Marquez at his most playful, drenching it in vivid color and a Slavic sense of bleak humor." Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

A comic fairy tale about water shortage, a war between the sexes, and two teenage lovers caught in the middle.

In a town so inconsequential no country lays claim to it, a young love is born.  Grandma predicts their love will reach fruition when both bathe under the light of a rare celestial alignment.  Hard to do when the local aqueduct runs dry.  Will he be able to fix the water supply in time?  Will the women of the town ever forgive their lazy menfolk?

"With a gloriously saturated palette, rich textures, a fanciful imagination and an unerring, light touch, (Director) Helmer gives Absurdistan a distinct narrative style and visual verve that seem at once ancient and new, childlike and wise. Those who prefer their cinema austere and joyless will no doubt find its humor a bit twee, but anyone looking for a break from empty nihilism should seek out this small, sparkling gem." Washington Post

The dialog is in Russian but is so spare English viewers can almost get by without reading the subtitles. 

** Winner Grand Jury Prize for World Dramatic Feature at Sundance ** 

Parental warning. Adult themes and brief nudity.
Friday Feb 26, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Community United Methodist Church Sanctuary
777 Miramontes (corner of Johnston); Half Moon Bay
$6.00 suggested donation

More info and a trailer at: www.HMBFilm.org