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Commission counters Beltramo's proposal
The ball's back in the developer's court after the Menlo Park Housing Commission unanimously agreed on a counterproposal last night (Sept. 1) to Beltramo's Investment Co.'s request to reduce the number of below-market-rate apartments required for its planned townhome project. (Thursday, 10:13 AM)

Rail CEO: Peninsula design not 'predetermined'
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has sent out a letter to Peninsula communities seeking to quash fears that the plans for the proposed high-speed rail line have already been determined. (Thursday, 8:21 AM)

Sept. 4-5: Irving Berlin music at Menlo School
"The Music of Irving Berlin" with vocalists Steve Gill and his daughter, Anne, will be performed Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 4 and 5, at Menlo School in Atherton as a benefit for the Lighthouse for the Blind. (Thursday, 8:18 AM)

Atherton calls on feds to halt funding for state's high-speed rail project
The proposed elevated high-speed railroad would be akin to a six- to eight-lane freeway bisecting Atherton -- "a blight" on the community, say members of the Atherton City Council. (Thursday, 8:16 AM)

SHP's Dunlevie commits to Stanford for water polo
PREP ROUNDUP: Sacred Heart Prep senior Robert Dunlevie has verbally committed to play water polo for the Stanford University men's team next fall. Dunlevie, a two-time All-Central Coast Section and All-West Catholic Athletic League selection, helped lead the Gators to WCAL and CCS championships in both 2008 and 2009. (Thursday, 8:14 AM)

Police calls
Crime and accident reports from the Atherton and Menlo Park police departments and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. (Thursday, 8:10 AM)

Sept. 4-6: Kings Mountain Art Fair
The Kings Mountain Art Fair will be held at 13889 Skyline Boulevard in Woodside on Labor Day weekend, from Saturday through Monday, Sept. 4-6. Pancake breakfast with the artists starts at 8 a.m.; the artist booths are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. (Thursday, 8:09 AM)

Obituary: Conrad Welling, naval aviator
Conrad G. Welling, a resident of Atherton for 51 years, died Aug. 20 after a short illness. He was 91. At age 17 he joined the military and earned his wings as a naval aviator. During his 20-year career with the military, he flew a wide range of aircraft, including carrier landings with the S2-F. He also served at the Pentagon, where he contributed to the development of the Polaris missile program. He formed a company to investigate the potential of marine minerals. (Thursday, 8:08 AM)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Board OKs temporary lights at M-A for sports
Let there be light, said the governing board of the Sequoia Union High School District on Wednesday (Sept. 1), and, within certain limits, there will now be lights for four night football games per season at Menlo-Atherton High School. The temporary lights also will be used for soccer and lacrosse games, and practices. (Wednesday, 8:29 PM)

'Spare the Air' day declared today
With light winds and warm temperatures predicted to linger throughout the Bay Area until the end of the week, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has declared Thursday (Sept. 2) another Spare the Air day, the fourth of the summer. (Wednesday, 6:31 PM)

Bronze horse descends on Woodside hill
"Spring," a bronze mare sculpture that weighs 1,200 pounds, is hoisted into place Tuesday (Aug. 31) on Village Hill along Woodside Road in Woodside. Spring and a 300-pound bronze foal named "Sprite" are now anchored to concrete slabs on Village Hill, thanks to donations approaching $108,000 over two years from Woodside residents. The Woodside Landscape Committee is welcoming donations toward the final $4,000 needed. Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac. (Wednesday, 5:27 PM)

Tonight: Beltramo's townhomes on agenda
The Menlo Park Housing Commission will hear a presentation by Beltramo's Investment Company tonight (Sept. 1) regarding the number of below-market-rate units will be part of the planned office/townhome complex at 1460 El Camino Real. (Wednesday, 11:56 AM)

Gateway ballot measure argument criticized
Menlo Park City Council candidate Chuck Bernstein inspired a look at how ballot measure arguments get written last week when he challenged the accuracy of a rebuttal argument supporting the proposed Bohannon Gateway office/hotel project. (Wednesday, 11:33 AM)

Firms to compete for city attorney position
The Atherton City Council agreed in principle, in a unanimous vote on Aug. 18, to invite area law firms to make their cases in a competition for the position of city attorney. (Wednesday, 11:31 AM)

Parking changes coming to Menlo Park
The New Year will herald new parking rules for Menlo Park. The City Council voted 4-1 to test a plan that changes the configuration of time restrictions on downtown parking areas after the holiday season. Two-hour parking on Santa Cruz Avenue will be cut to one hour, with 15 to 20 minute spots added at each corner. (Wednesday, 10:42 AM)

Police calls
Crime and accident reports from the Atherton and Menlo Park police departments and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. (Wednesday, 7:13 AM)

'Spare the Air Day' alert issued
Shifting weather patterns mean sunnier skies and poorer air quality across the Bay Area, triggering the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to declare today (Sept. 1) a Spare the Air Day. (Wednesday, 7:09 AM)

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Menlo College changes affiliation, but not goals
Coming off its best season in the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference, the Menlo College football team is hoping to build on that success. There's a solid foundation in such returning players as junior safety Beau Bussani, senior defensive lineman Damien Girard and senior linebacker Shawn Winters, who were all named first team all-NWC last season. Bussani was named an NAIA Division II preseason All-American.
(Tuesday, 8:52 PM)

Menlo Park siblings arrested in hotel robbery
A brazen late-night attack on a Palo Alto hotel worker in his room has ended with the arrest of two Menlo Park siblings. (Tuesday, 8:49 PM)

Firefighters union rejects latest offer
It's back again (and again) to the bargaining table for firefighters with the Menlo Park Fire Protection District. The union rejected the latest offer from the district. (Tuesday, 5:36 PM)

Trash pickup back on schedule
Garbage collection is back on schedule and contract negotiations are resuming after a two-day strike by landfill workers, truck drivers and clerical staff that disrupted San Mateo County's garbage collection last week. (Tuesday, 4:35 PM)

Pension initiative stays on Menlo Park ballot
The pension reform initiative will remain on the Menlo Park ballot, despite a lawsuit filed to remove it, a judge ruled on Aug. 27. (Tuesday, 11:41 AM)

Menlo's newest facility is a gym dandy one
Craig Schoof never looked forward to the first week of November, especially when it came to scheduling events. "Scheduling was a nightmare," said Schoof, Menlo's athletic director and baseball coach. Schoof's scheduling woes, however, no longer apply. Photo: The new Main Court of the Menlo School Athletic Center can be configured into three full-sized basketball courts, four volleyball courts or one main basketball court. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. (Tuesday, 11:08 AM)

RECENT HOME SALES
Home sales are provided by California REsource, a real estate information company that obtains the information from the County Recorder's Office. (Tuesday, 10:58 AM)

Massive raw sewage spill in Redwood Shores
A ruptured underground pipe leaked about 48,000 gallons of raw sewage into the Redwood Shores Lagoon last week -- nearly 10 times the amount originally estimated, Redwood City officials said Monday evening. (Tuesday, 10:54 AM)

New classes, programs at high schools
There is significant newness to be found in programs and plans for the 2010-11 school year at Woodside and Menlo-Atherton high schools, and there are more electives at the Summit Preparatory and Everest charter high schools. (Tuesday, 10:52 AM)

More light coming to Portola Valley Town Center
The Portola Valley Town Council endorsed a go-slow approach to increasing artificial light at the Town Center, which now is so naturally dark that a recent star-gazing party had a view of the Milky Way. (Tuesday, 10:46 AM)

Monday, August 30, 2010
Caltrain likely to keep weekend service
Caltrain is likely to keep weekend service and service to Gilroy, at least until next July, instead of cutting them as previously discussed to help close a $2.3 million budget gap, a Caltrain spokesman said Friday. (Monday, 12:24 PM)

Downtown parking targeted for change
Downtown parking is on the agenda when the Menlo Park City Council meets Aug. 31, and among the questions considered will be whether to shorten parking time limits from two hours to one hour along Santa Cruz Avenue, while adding 15-minute spots at the street's corners. (Monday, 10:35 AM)

Businesses caught selling alcohol to minors
Employees at four Menlo Park businesses fell for the police department's minor decoy trap on Saturday (Aug. 28). (Monday, 10:27 AM)

Las Lomitas district to explore parcel tax increase
The governing board of the Las Lomitas Elementary School District agreed unanimously to hire a pollster to test voter opinion on a possible increase in the $311 in parcel taxes that property owners pay annually to the district. (Monday, 10:23 AM)

Caltrain likely to keep weekend service
Caltrain is likely to keep weekend service and service to Gilroy, at least until next July, instead of cutting them as previously discussed to help close a $2.3 million budget gap, a Caltrain spokesman said Friday. (Monday, 9:48 AM)

Friday, August 27, 2010
Cell phone company might press PV case with fresh evidence
The Portola Valley Town Council will have a somewhat different set of facts to contend with when T-Mobile Corp. comes before it on Oct. 13 to appeal a Planning Commission decision denying the company a use permit to erect a cell phone antenna in the Westridge neighborhood. (Friday, 11:38 AM)

Con man remains behind bars; defense claims episode a 'lovers' quarrel'
As Simon Gann shuffled into the San Mateo County courtroom for a preliminary hearing this morning (Aug. 27), he looked meek and rather as if his orange jumpsuit and shackles were a size too large. He left the same way he came in, escorted by a bailiff, after the judge upheld the charges. (Friday, 11:26 AM)

Bill Lane honored at Town Council meeting
The Portola Valley Town Council honored one of its own on Wednesday, Aug. 25, by setting out the chair usually occupied by Bill Lane, the town's first mayor. Mr. Lane died on July 31 at the age of 90. This meeting was the first for the council since his death. In the audience were members of Mr. Lane's family and a number of friends. (Friday, 10:55 AM)

Sunday: Opera arias at Little Store restaurant
Opera arias and Broadway favorites will be featured in "Opera and Song" to be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, at the Little Store restaurant in Woodside. (Friday, 10:44 AM)

Saturday: Drought-resistant landscaping class
Want a lower water bill without sacrificing your garden? Two free classes may show you how. The city of Menlo Park and the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency will host classes on Aug. 28 and Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon in Menlo Park. (Friday, 10:43 AM)

Council OKs refund of road-impact fees
The Atherton City Council agreed Aug. 18 to refund about $427,000 in road-impact fees to builders who engaged in major home construction or remodels between Aug. 17, 2007, and Sept. 18, 2009. (Friday, 10:31 AM)

Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tempest brews over camera in Atherton Town Hall
Corrected version Does the town of Atherton have the right to videotape members of the public doing business in Town Hall, even if they have not been made aware of the camera's presence? The question has been raised by several residents after they became aware of a camera's presence in the town's administration office for the first time this week. (Thursday, August 26, 2010, 7:04 PM)

Menlo Park opens high-speed rail meetings to public, beginning Monday
The first open meeting of the Menlo Park City Council high-speed rail subcommittee on Monday, Aug. 30, will discuss, among other items, the final environmental impact report released by the rail authority. (Thursday, August 26, 2010, 4:51 PM)

Council takes first look at cuts in Town Hall staff
The Atherton City Council is beginning to look at how to cut costs in Town Hall. Atherton is home to many wealthy residents, but is facing a long-term structural deficit and unsustainable costs -- for employee pensions and health benefits, and for police services. (Thursday, August 26, 2010, 11:46 AM)

Tonight: USGS talk on how non-native grasses fuel wildfires
Grass grows in the deserts of the American West, but increasingly these grasses are not native to the area. These invasive grasses are fueling wildfires in areas not previously prone to fire, according to desert ecologist and USGS senior scientist Julio Betancourt, who will give a talk at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at USGS headquarters in Menlo Park. (Thursday, August 26, 2010, 11:43 AM)

Council reviews red-light camera issues
Menlo Park police release accident data at red-light camera intersections, indicating collision rates are only slightly lower. (Thursday, August 26, 2010, 11:37 AM)

Menlo Park councilman chastises colleagues
Councilman Andy Cohen asks, "What is ethical for politicians and consultants in their respective roles?" (Thursday, August 26, 2010, 11:35 AM)

Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Atherton video remains online despite privacy complaint
A video of an Aug. 20 meeting in Atherton Town Hall between the city manager and three unhappy members of the public seeking public records remains on YouTube despite a privacy complaint by a town staff member and YouTube's threat to remove it. (Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 7:07 PM)

Garbage strike causes three days of rescheduled collection service
Garbage collection service provided by Allied Waste for local residents and businesses that normally have their trash and recycling picked up on Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays has been rescheduled this week, thanks to a two-day strike by garbage workers in San Mateo County. (Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 2:57 PM)

Menlo Park City Council dives into pool bids
Considering that it was a Menlo Park City Council meeting, there was little dissent among council members on Aug. 24 as they voted to request bids on the operating contract for the Burgess swimming pools. (Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 11:56 AM)

Tonight: Author Howard Norman reads at Kepler's
Author Howard Norman reads from his latest book, "What Is Left the Daughter," at 7 p.m. tonight (Aug. 25) at Kepler's bookstore in Menlo Park. The event is free. Kepler's is at 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. (Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 11:48 AM)

District delivers death to mosquitoes
Mosquitoes have dedicated enemies in San Mateo County, where the Mosquito Abatement District goes to great lengths to deny the tiny fiends their chance at a full and satisfying life. (Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 11:36 AM)

Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sidewalk re-opens at Watkins site
Through heavy rains in winter and long dry days in summer, Menlo Park pedestrians waited for the sidewalk along El Camino Real near Watkins Avenue to become theirs again. On Aug. 23, it did. (Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 3:33 PM)

Judge won't reopen high-speed-rail challenge
The case challenging high-speed rail studies and route selection has been finalized by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny despite a last-ditch effort by a coalition of challengers to get it reopened. (Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 12:03 PM)

Officials concerned about hospital expansion
Officials from Portola Valley, Menlo Park, and San Mateo County have expressed concerns over impacts that might not respect county boundaries if Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto expands facilities as proposed in a draft environmental impact report (EIR). (Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 11:33 AM)

BevMo scores permit for Menlo Park store
Second time's the charm: Beverages & More (BevMo) scored a use permit from a divided Planning Commission to open an 8,900-square-foot store at the former site of the Chili's restaurant on El Camino Real in Menlo Park. (Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 11:07 AM)

Tuesday: MP may ask for bids on pool contract
The Menlo Park City Council, which meets Tuesday (Aug. 24) after a summer recess, has three items of note on its agenda. (Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 7:39 AM)

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