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Friday
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Feb.28, 2014
•
Vol XIII,Edition 167
Oyster Point Marina95 Harbor Master Rd. #1South San Francisco, CA 94080Pillar Point Harbor1 Johnson PierHalf Moon Bay, CA94019
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STATERULING
STATE PAGE 6
‘THIEF’HASA FEW GEMS
WEEKEND PAGE 17
COURT:DRIVERSCAN READ CELLPHONE MAPS
By Angela Swartz
DAILY JOURNAL STAFF
With improved economic times,San Mateo County CommunityCollege District board membersunanimously decided Wednesdaynight to not renew a parcel taxthat helps fund its colleges. Since the district has been ableto grow its offerings back intoplace and hasmoved to takingmore money inas a basic aiddistrict — thosefunded by prop-erty taxes — theparcel tax is nolonger neces-sary, saidTrustee DaveMandelkern. In 2010, San MateoCounty voters approved MeasureG, a $34 annual tax per parcel,which expires June 30.“We went for the parcel tax whenwe were in deep financial crisis,”Mandelkern said. “The state wascutting money left and right andwe needed the money. It reallyhelped and now, four years later,the situation is pretty different. …We appreciate the support of thepeople of San Mateo County, butit’s not an emergency now. It’s theright thing to do; not to keep ourhand in the pocket.” Board President Karen Schwarzexpressed the board’s appreciationto San Mateo County on the tax tohelp the district through a fiscalcrisis brought on by years of statebudget reductions. At the time, thedistrict’s three colleges were fac-ing unprecedented demand forclasses due to the recession andwidespread unemployment. At onepoint, there were more than13,000 students on wait lists forclasses, Schwarz said.“The parcel tax — the first everfor a community college district in
No new tax for college district
Trustees say improved economy means no need for more funds
Former student suesdistrict over janitorconvicted of groping
Sequoia to decide on bond date
High school district board voting onJune or November for ballot measure
By Angela Swartz
DAILY JOURNAL STAFF
Deciding whether to put a $265million bond measure aimed atalleviating enrollment growth onthe June or November ballot is thenext step for the Sequoia UnionHigh School District Board of Trustees.Community members andtrustees have been weighing thepros and cons of going out for ameasure this spring or in the fall,with some believing it’s too soonfor it to be on the ballot sincethere should be clear public sup-port and a more complete cam-paigning committee. Most of theschool board, and some others,believe the sooner the better and aNovember ballot measure mightbe too late since it will take twoyears to construct the first set of
By Michelle Durand
DAILY JOURNAL STAFF
The Belmont-Redwood ShoresSchool District knew that a formerRalston Middle School janitor hadbeen sexually inappropriate withseveral girls before being jailedfor groping a student in 2010,according to a lawsuit by a formerstudent who claims her 2001assault would have been preventedhad officials acted on earlier inci-dents.Roxanne Pedro, now an adult,said in the suit filed Wednesdaythat the district and employeesincluding nowCountySuperintendentAnne Campbellnot only turned“a blind eye to[Andre]Edwards’propensity forabuse” but alsotook “affirma-tive steps” to hide his history suchas sealing a 1996 investigationand not contacting police.In July 2013, Edwards, 55, was
Suit claims district ignored,concealed decade of conduct
Andre EdwardsDave Mandelkern
DAILY JOURNAL FILE PHOTO
The Caltrain Modernization Project will help it save money on fuel,allow six more trains on the track per hourfor faster service and have substantial environmental benefits.
By Samantha Weigel
DAILY JOURNAL STAFF
Caltrain is a step closer tobecoming electrified after releas-ing a draft of its environmentalimpact report Friday that indicatesit could need to acquire up to 1.5acres outside of its right-of-wayfor substations and 18 acres for anelectrical buffer zone along 51miles of its tracks.The public will have until April29 to submit written commentsand attend meetings before thedraft EIR is voted on by the Joint
Caltrain electrification on track
Draftenvironmental impact report released for modernization plans
Rendering of the electrified Caltrain.
See
CALTRAIN
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SEQUOIA
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LAWSUIT
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NO TAX
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HILLSDALEBEATS COLTS
SPORTS PAGE 11
Housing trust pulls funds from investment pool
The Housing Endowment andRegional trust yanked $1.4 millionthe week of Feb. 28, 2009, from thecounty investment pool after losing$150,000 in the Lehman Brother’sbankruptcy — approximately thesame amount of money the jointpowers authorityearned in the poolsince its inception.The HEARTBoard of Directors voted 10-2 in favor of removing all money from theinvestment pool and researching saferoptions. HEARTalso had money infinancial institutions that won’t bemoved. Dissenting boardmembersthought more research should be donebefore removing the money but wereoverridden by a majority who believesafety is the bigger issue.The Sept. 15, 2008, Lehman col-lapse rippled through the economy,particularly 19 California countieswith investments in it. San MateoCounty lost more than $150 millionfrom its investment pool whichincludes school districts, cities andspecial agencies such as HEART.Unlike school districts, HEARTisnot legally required to keep any fundsin the pool. The money was placedthere because the county gave the JPAseed money in 2002.
Toll lane idea starts up
Legislation allowing solo driversto pay up to 50 cents a mile to bypasstraffic with approximately 800 milesof Bay Area commuter lanes wasexpected to speed through the stateCapitol after its introduction theweek of Feb. 28, 2009.Assembly Bill 744 wasto authorize developmentof a comprehensive net-work of high-occupancytoll — or HOT— lanes onBay Area freeways, allowing solodrivers the option to bypass conges-tion by paying a toll to use lanes inwhich carpools and buses currentlytravel free of charge.
San Mateo ‘tightens belt’
The week of Feb. 28, 2009, it wasannounced that there will be 23 fewer jobs in the city of San Mateo and res-idents would be asked to approve twonew taxes after the City Councilapproved that week a two-phasedapproach to solving the worseningbudget crisis.The San Mateo City Council met ina special meeting on Tuesday of thatweek to discuss the budget reductionprocess. The city immediately cut $4million in jobs and services andbegan the process of placing two bal-lot measures — to increase sales andhotel taxes — on the November 2009ballot to raise another $4 million. The cuts come as an ongoing struc-tural deficit ballooned from an antici-pated $4 million to $8 million amid aweak economy. The city initially pro- jected a $3 million to $4 millionstructural budget gap between ongo-ing revenue and expenses.
Doctor takes plea deal for illegal prescription
The former Colorado doc-tor who illegally prescribedgeneric Prozac online to aStanford University studentwho subsequently killed himself pleaded no contest the week of Feb.28, 2009, to felony practicing medi-cine in California without a license.The deal settles ChristianHageseth’s case — a complicated onethat stretched over three years,including seven motions to dismiss,an appellate court ruling on jurisdic-tion and a consistent stance by thedefense that county prosecutors couldnot try him for practicing in the statebecause he never stepped foot inCalifornia.Although the decision did not bringback John McKay, the universityfreshman who obtained the drugsfrom an online pharmacy, prosecutorJenny Ow said his family was happywith the resolution.
From the archives highlights stories origi-nally printed five years ago this week. Itappears in the Friday edition of the DailyJournal.
FOR THE RECORD2
Friday
•
Feb.28,2014
THEDAILYJOURNAL
The San Mateo Daily Journal
800 S. Claremont St., Suite 210, San Mateo, CA94402
Publisher: Jerry LeeEditorin Chief: Jon Mays
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As a public service,the Daily Journal prints obituaries of approximately 200 words or less with a photo one time on the date of the family’s choosing.To submit obituaries,emailinformation along with a jpeg photo to news@smdailyjournal.com.Free obituaries are edited for style,clarity,length and grammar.If you would like to have an obituary printedmore than once,longer than 250 words or without editing,please submit an inquiry to our advertising department at ads@smdailyjournal.com.
Comedian GilbertGottfried is 59.
This Day in HistoryThought for the Day
2013
Benedict XVI became the first pope in600 years to resign, ending an eight-year pontificate shaped by strugglesto move the Catholic Church past sexabuse scandals and to reawakenChristianity in an indifferent world.
“In science,all facts,no matter how trivial or banal,enjoy democratic equality.”
— Mary McCarthy,American author and critic (1912-1989)
Hall of Fame autoracer Mario Andretti is 74.Actress Rae DawnChong is 53.
Birthdays
REUTERS
A man dressed as a demon performs with a bone during a religious procession at the Mahashivratri festival in the Indian cityof Allahabad.Hindus across the country celebrate Mahashivratri,better known as Lord Shiva’s wedding anniversary.
Friday
: Breezy. Showers and a slightchance of thunderstorms. Highs in themid 50s. South winds 20 to 30 mph.Gusts up to 45 mph in the morning.
Friday night
: Showers likely and aslight chance of thunderstorms. Lowsaround 50. Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph.
Saturday
:Mostly cloudy. Aslightchance of thunderstorms in the morning. Achance of show-ers. Highs in the upper 50s. East winds 10 to 20 mph.Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
Saturday night
:Mostly cloudy. Aslight chance of show-ers. Lows in the upper 40s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.Chance of showers 20 percent.
Sunday
:Mostly cloudy. Aslight chance of showers. Highsin the mid 50s.
Local Weather Forecast
In 1844
, a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton explod-ed as the ship was sailing on the Potomac River, killingSecretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary ThomasW. Gilmer and several others.
In 1861
, the Territory of Colorado was organized.
In 1911
, President William Howard Taft nominatedWilliam H. Lewis to be the first black Assistant AttorneyGeneral of the United States.
In 1942
, the heavy cruiser USS Houston and theAustralian light cruiser HMAS Perth were attacked byJapanese forces during the World War II Battle of SundaStrait; both were sunk shortly after midnight.
In 1953
, scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C.Crick announced they had discovered the double-helixstructure of DNA.
In 1960
, a day after defeating the Soviets at the WinterGames in Squaw Valley the United States won its firstOlympic hockey gold medal by defeatingCzechoslovakia’s team, 9-4.
In 1972,
President Richard M. Nixon and ChinesePremier Zhou Enlai issued the Shanghai Communique,which called for normalizing relations between theircountries, at the conclusion of Nixon’s historic visit toChina.
In 1974,
the United States and Egypt re-establisheddiplomatic relations after a seven-year break.
In 1986,
Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot todeath in central Stockholm. (The killing remainsunsolved.)
In 1988,
the 15th Olympic Winter Games held its clos-ing ceremony in Calgary, Canada.
(Answers tomorrow)USURPALIAS MATTER CANYONYesterday’sJumbles:Answer:Levi Strauss’success selling denim jeans wasa result of him being a — SMARTY-PANTSNow arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, assuggested by the above cartoon.
THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME
by David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek
Unscramble these four Jumbles,one letter to each square,to form four ordinary words.
MAIDTMUTPHROCCEETOMRIP
©2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLCAll Rights Reserved.
J u m b l e p u z z l e m a g a z i n e s a v a i l a b l e a t p e n n y d e l l p u z z l e s . c o m / j u m b l e m a g s
A:
Architect Frank Gehry is 85. Actor Gavin MacLeod is 83.Actor Don Francks is 82. Singer Sam the Sham is 77. Actor-director-dancer Tommy Tune is 75. Actor Frank Bonner is 72.Actress Kelly Bishop is 70. Actress Stephanie Beacham is 67.Writer-director Mike Figgis is 66. Actress Mercedes Ruehl is66. Actress Bernadette Peters is 66. Former Energy SecretarySteven Chu is 66. Actress Ilene Graff is 65. Nobel Prize-win-ning economist Paul Krugman is 61. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Adrian Dantley is 59. Actor John Turturro is 57. Rocksinger Cindy Wilson is 57. Actress Maxine Bahns is 45. ActorRobert Sean Leonard is 45. Rock singer Pat Monahan is 45.
Lotto
The Daily Derby race winners are GorgeousGeorge,No.8,in first place;Eureka,No.7,insecond place;and BIg Ben No.4,in third place. The race time was clocked at 1:42.21.
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Friday
•
Feb.28,2014
THEDAILYJOURNAL
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CITY GOVERNMENT
• The
RedwoodCity PlanningCommission
willconsider a plannedcommunity permitfor a five-story,133 apartment building at 439 Fuller St.The development will include two levelsof below-ground parking, a fitness cen-ter, clubhouse and leasing office. Theparcel is 38,120 square feet bordered byBrewster Avenue and Winslow and Fullerstreets. The Planning Commission meets 7p.m. Tuesday, March 4 at City Hall, 1017Middlefield Road, Redwood City.
SAN MATEO
Fraud
. Awoman was reported for trying tocash a check that was not written out to her onthe 300 block of South El Camino Realbefore 6:10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Suspicious circumstance.
Aman in abeard was selling newspapers in front of anentrance on the 1700 block of South ElCamino Real before 10:01 a.m. Wednesday,Feb. 19.
Accident
. Adriver of a car opened his doorand hit a bicycle on the 2100 block of PalmAvenue before 9:22 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Theft
. Two bikes were stolen on the 100block of Crystal Springs Road before 6:32p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Threatening phone calls
. Apersonreported receiving multiple calls regarding awarrant arrest on the 500 block of MapleStreet before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Suspicious circumstances.
Two peoplewere seen attempting to get into a lockedlaundry room on the 100 block of DartmouthRoad before 4:18 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18.
UNINCORPORATED SAN MATEO COUNTY
Arrest
. After performing a traffic stop, anofficer found a driver and his passengers wereunlicensed and had a dagger behind the dri-ver’s seat. One of the passengers was also onparole on Highway 1 in San Gregorio before10:08 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22.
Battery
. Aman was hit by a stick after analtercation with another man regarding anaggressive dog on the 200 block of ThirdStreet in Montara before 7:15 a.m. Thursday,Feb. 20.
Police reports
Hmmmm
Awoman reported hearing an unidentifi-able humming sound that disappearedwhen police came to investigate butreturned as soon as they left on BalticCircle in Redwood City before 11:57p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18.
DAILY JOURNAL STAFF REPORT
A16-year-old girl was at her San Mateohome Wednesday night when an armedrobber entered her backyard on the 3200block of Verdun Avenue, according to theSan Mateo Police Department.Matthew Nguyen, 22, of San Mateo, wasarrested for the robbery after 5:40 p.m. onthe rainy night, said San Mateo policeSgt. Dave Norris. The young girl was inside her home ather dining room table when she was star-tled to see a man identified as Nguyen afew feet away in her backyard, Norris said.He pointed what appeared to be a blackhandgun directly at her and demandedmoney. The girl screamed and her fathercame downstairs andimmediately calledpolice, Norris said.The man did not enterthe house but was handeda small amount of money through the doorbefore fleeing, Norrissaid.More than 20 policeofficers responded andcalled nearby residentswarning them to stay inside and be on thelookout for the suspect, according topolice. “Afast call to police was really instru-mental in getting us there quickly,” Norrissaid. Within a block of the residence, Nguyenwas found with a realistic-looking airsoftpistol and other evidence linking him tothe crime, Norris said. The circumstances leading up to hisarrest were challenging due to the rainyconditions and the nearby homes being upagainst a hillside, Norris said.“These officers were doing some reallygood work under some really adverse cir-cumstances,” Norris said. Although the incident appears to be iso-lated, police are still determining if Nguyen may be involved with othercrimes, Norris said. Anyone with information should con-tact the San Mateo Police Department at522-7700.
Alleged armed robber targets teen,arrested
MatthewNguyen
DAILY JOURNAL STAFF REPORT
ASanta Barbara man who reportedlystabbed his friend during an argument afterattending a San Francisco 49ers game inSeptember will stand trial for attemptedmurder and assault with a deadly weapon.Dustin Semenza, 28, is also accused of using premeditation and causing great bodi-ly injury in the Sept. 23 attack. He haspleaded not guilty to all charges but washeld to answer Thursday after a preliminaryhearing. South San Francisco police arrestedSemenza after respondingto the Residence Inn at1350 Veterans Blvd.around 2 a.m. on reportsof a stabbing in hisroom. The victim’s brothersaid the three had comefrom Santa Barbara forthe football game. After,he and Semenza went toSan Francisco for drink-ing while the 28-year-old returned to thehotel room. The victim called them later,asking them to come back with snacks but,after they arrived, he and Semenza reported-ly got into a heated argument because theyhadn’t originally accompanied him to thehotel. The brother left for the elevator andSemenza joined him shortly after. Thebrother returned to the room to check on thevictim and found him bleeding from sevenstab wounds.Semenza remains in custody without bailand returns to court March 14 to enter aSuperior Court plea.
Accused stabber to trial for post-49ers game attack
Dustin Semenza
DAILY JOURNAL STAFF REPORT
A62-year-old woman who tried boardingthree different Hawaii-bound flights fromSan Francisco International Airport with-out a ticket was sentenced to time servedand ordered to stay away from the airportunless she has a legally issued ticket.Marilyn Jean Hartman pleaded no con-test Thursday to two misdemeanor countsof commercial burglary in return for a 16-day jail sentence withcredit for time served fol-lowed by 18 months pro-bation. After her arrest follow-ing the third attempt tosneak through security,Hartman reportedly toldauthorities she has can-cer and wanted to gosomewhere warm. Hartman made attempts to board a planeat SFO on Feb. 15, Feb. 18 and Feb. 20.The first time she got onboard but was dis-covered when the actual ticket holderarrived at the seat. The next two times,including once when she used a discardedboarding pass, she was stopped at thesecurity gate.
Woman who snuck onto planes lands plea deal
Marilyn Hartman
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