The Burlingame Voice

Restaurant Review - La Corneta

BARGAIN BITE - La Corneta (San Francisco Chronicle)

Things have been hopping at the Burlingame branch of this popular San Francisco taqueria ever since it opened last month. Bright and attractive, with a boldly colored sculpture of the Virgin of Guadalupe and a mural of a trumpeting angel, the look is several steps above the typical burrito joint. Much of the food is, too. There's the standard selection of meats and fillings, along with items not often found outside of Latino neighborhoods, such as silken lengua (tongue) soft taco ($2.25) served open faced and topped with a slice of fresh tomato.

Some combination plates include the usual suspects, but the portions are generous, and other combos -- carne asada and prawns ($9.95) or corn quesadilla, prawns and taco ($9.55) -- go well beyond standard fare. The chile relleno ($2.95 solo, $8.95 in a combination plate with enchilada and flauta, or $6.55 wrapped up in a super burrito) is plump and properly squishy, with just the right balance of chile to egg to cheese. Grilled salmon shows up in various forms, including a fish quesadilla or burrito (either, $6.95). So do prawns, which are especially good grilled to order with quartered fresh mushrooms, green onions and a fistful of dried arbol chiles in the prawn special with rice, beans and guacamole-topped salad ($9.75). Burritos are the usual hefty size, topping out at $8.95 for super steak and prawn. But they're scaled down, too, with several choices of "baby'' burritos ($3.50-$6.75).

The place is run as most taquerias are, with customers ordering at the counter, then moving on down the line to the cashier. Tables are polished wood, though, and a couple are set on the front patio. Those are the ones to grab if you want a little conversation -- the interior can be pretty noisy when it's full, which is often.

Vitals: 1123 Burlingame Ave. (near Lorton), Burlingame; (650) 340-1300

- Written by Fiona

Sierra Club's Cool Cities Program

BURLINGAME (Examiner)

Residents to show support for global warming program

Burlingame residents will gather Sunday to form a local campaign that will push the city to sign up for the Sierra Club's Cool Cities program, which centers on global warming.

The campaign provides cities with a framework and information on advocating and investing in renewable energy programs. Five hundred cities have signed the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement so far, including Atherton, San Mateo, San Bruno and South San Francisco. The gathering is planned for 3:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information on the location of the meeting, contact Mike McCord at michael.mccord@rcn.com.

- Written by Fiona

BHS Band Members WELCOME for Parade

Sent to me by email:

Good news! The BHS Band will still be leading the Centennial Parade this Saturday! Even though the Burlingame High School seniors are not expected due to graduation the night before and quite a few other students will be taking the SAT on Saturday morning, Band Director David Kimura will rally other band members for a quick practice session early Saturday.

To help fill out the ranks, we are asking you to spread the word that all former BHS Band members are most welcome to join them in the parade! It doesn't matter if they graduated in 2006 or 1936! Please ask them to wear red and white or their red BHS Band windbreaker, if they still have it, and report to the band room at Burlingame High on Saturday, June 2, at 7 a.m. Mr. K reports that he has some extra windbreakers available and may be able to supply you with a loaner instrument.

After the practice session, band players will be directed to the area near City Hall (501 Primrose) for the start of the second leg of the parade, following a brief welcome ceremony from 9:40 to 10 a.m. (The first leg of the parade consists of a motorcade departing from Roosevelt School at 9:15 a.m. and proceeding down Broadway to California, turning right at Floribunda, and pausing at City Hall.)

The parade will be a lot of fun! Residents of Burlingame over age 90 will serve as grand marshals and will ride in the oldest bus in the state. Among the more than 2,000 participants expected are a U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard, the county's sheriff's mounted patrol, the Los Trancos Community Woods Marching Band, the BIS Show Choir, Scouts, antique cars, old fire engines, Irish dancers, the 49er mascot and local dignitaries some dressed in old-fashioned 1908 costumes.

The parade will be followed by a vintage baseball double-header in Washington Park, with players in costumes from the 1890s who will play according to the rules of the day. Admission is free. The Burlingame Lions Club will have food and drinks available in the park.

Come and celebrate the beginning of a yearlong celebration of Burlingame's 100th birthday!

- Written by Fiona

Easton Tree - Time Line for Next Steps

For those who have been clamoring and screaming and screeching that a proper process has not been followed here is a timeline contained in a memo from Jim Nantell to the council and handed out at the budget session tonight:

"JUNE 4 - Easton Tree is not on the agenda. PHS public hearing will be very time consuming".

"JUNE 13 - Tspoon hosts public meeting to review criteria for managing trees that impact the roadway."

"JUNE 18 - Tree Management Plan on city council agenda. Joint meeting with BC is planned that evening, we can talk about it and invite commissioners to stay for council discussion".

"JUNE 28 - BC hosts public meeting to review replacement tree list for Easton".

"AUGUST 20 - Council reviews/approves criteria for removing trees due to roadway impacts as recommended by Tspoon, the final section of the Tree Management Plan. Council then votes on adoption of the Tree Management Plan. Council reviews/approves replacement tree list for Easton recommended by BC followed by vote on the tree in front of the Branch Library"

***

The Reforestation Plan is now called the "Urban Forest Management Plan"

- Written by Fiona

Budget Session - Wednesday, May 30

City budget level, but priorities in flux (Heather's article in Daily Journal)

Burlingame will have a cut-free year, but the City Council is still faced with prioritizing projects such as a reforestation plan and costly upgrades to the City Hall sound system both high on the community's radar.

A special study session will be held to revisit the discussion of next year's budget and possible new projects the city could begin. The suggestions are all based on goals previously set by the City Council, such as a reforestation plan for Easton Drive and a business ambassador to help small businesses get started. Other options such as $190,000 for a special election are included as a safety measure to give options for funding growing storm drain needs.

Things continue to look up with revenue growth at 5 percent or more the past few years. A similar increase is anticipated next year, however most of the money is earmarked for increasing salary costs and addressing capital improvement needs, said Finance Director Jesus Nava. Since 2003, Burlingame has cut $4.8 million from the general fund. A balanced budget is now in place, but the city still isn't meeting the $4 million in annual capital improvement needs. Only $2.3 million is budgeted toward these building needs. The city's budget was $73.7 million last year. The upcoming year sees a $4.7 million, or 6.4 percent, increase of revenue with money generated covering all expenses.

One of the biggest concerns during recent months is a eucalyptus tree on Easton Drive which has roots protruding into the street. Earlier this year, an $80,000 plan to realign Easton Drive was considered, but shelved for a $40,000 reforestation master plan for the area. During the study session, a draft reforestation plan will be given to the council putting together all the information gathered thus far, said Mayor Terry Nagel. At that point, the council will decide whether to go forward with more study at an expense in next year's budget or to acknowledge the plan would be sufficient once a tree replacement list and removal guidelines for trees affecting traffic are added, said City Manager Jim Nantell. This decision should dictate when the council will make a final vote to either keep or remove the tree.

A major need not being addressed is the storm drains. Next year, $860,000 is currently budgeted for this need. Money is budgeted $190,000 just in case the council wants to study a second bond measure attempt for a special election next year. Earlier this month, the council decided to hold off on any studies to see what happens with a proposed constitutional amendment which would allow fee money to be used toward such improvements.

Burlingame currently spends $97,300 annually to clean litter and power wash the sidewalks in the Broadway and Burlingame Avenue shopping areas, according to reports presented in February. Staff is recommending adding a full-time maintenance position in charge of power washing, garbage cleanup, community volunteer and business district coordination and permit and code enforcement coordination. The new position would cost $92,000 annually which will be almost completely offset by savings in overtime.

Costs to update only the sound system in the council chambers will be discussed, although Nantell worries just going forward with one segment will mean extra expenses when other technology needs to be upgraded down the road. Updating all the technology was previously estimated at $300,000 too much for the current budget. Six residents signed an online petition asking for sound upgrades to be a high priority allowing the city to use Internet archiving of the meetings in the near future.

Creating a business ambassador position for $50,000 annually is still a priority, said Nagel. Business is a priority this year for the council, she said. A proposal outlining the part-time job of such a person who could do anything from helping new businesses through the permit process to trying to bring new businesses in town will be presented to the council at a later date.

The council meets from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 30 at Burlingame Public Library, Lane Room, 480 Primrose Road. A vote is scheduled for Monday, June 18.

Additional articles in Burlingame Daily News and Examiner

Click here for full agenda.

- Written by Fiona

Our Children's Safety - Update 2

Peninsula Police Search For Men Soliciting Minors (please see CBS5 website ("http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_149140346.html") for suspect drawings)

(BCN) MENLO PARK Police along the Peninsula are on high alert Monday after a suspect or suspects attempted to lure minors into vehicles in San Mateo County during the past two weeks.

The first incident took place in Menlo Park on May 14 when an 11-year-old girl was approached by two men in a white van on her way to school at the intersection of University Drive and Santa Cruz Avenue. The driver of the van exited the vehicle to speak with the girl, but she was able to continue to walk her normal route to school and the van eventually left the area, according to Nicole Acker, Menlo Park police information officer.

A second incident took place in the mid-Peninsula town of Hillsborough on May 22 when a 9-year-old boy was approached by two men in a brown or tan "Ford Explorer-type SUV," according to Hillsborough police Capt. Mark O'Connor. The boy, who was outside his home located on a cul-de-sac near Skyline Boulevard, said the men offered him a ride and some candy when they approached him around 4 p.m. The suspects in this case never exited their vehicle and drove away when the boy refused their offers, O'Connor said. The two suspects in this incident are described as white men in their late 20s. The driver is said to be about 27 years old with blonde, puffy hair and the passenger is described as a white man with brown spiky hair. Both were thought to be wearing gray shirts, O'Connor said. The boy told police "that the back of the SUV was opened as though it had a horizontal, mounted rear window tilted up," O'Connor said. The boy was also able to provide police with a partial license plate, reading 173.

The third incident also took place in Menlo Park on Thursday when a suspicious man approached two minors and asked them to assist him locate his missing pet. The incident took place just after 2 p.m. when a white man driving a blue, mid-sized vehicle near the intersection of Middle Avenue and Windsor Drive approached the youths, according to police.

Detectives in both Hillsborough and Menlo Park are in contact to see if these three cases are connected, although Acker said, "At this point we don't think they're related." The two Menlo Park incidents occurred "not too far from each other" with the first one occurring near the downtown part of Menlo Park, and the second less than a mile away near Arbor Road Park, according to Acker. Neither incident occurred near a school. Menlo Park police have increased patrols around the neighborhoods where the incidents took place as well as around local schools since the first report.

Hillsborough police have also stepped up patrols and have been using both marked and unmarked police units to patrol the town and schools, particularly during drop-off and pick-up periods, O'Connor said. "We have stopped many Explorers in this town this week," O'Connor said. Parents are reminded to teach their children the importance of being aware of their surroundings and urge them to contact police when they see something suspicious or out of the ordinary.

Anyone with information about the Menlo Park incident is asked to contact Menlo Park police at (650) 330-6300.

Anyone with information on the Hillsborough incident is asked to call police dispatch at (650) 375-7470.

- Written by Fiona

BESD - Community Input Requested

District seeks public's input on budget cuts (Burlingame Daily News)

Burlingame School District officials are seeking the public's input about what the district should trim from its budget, before any cost-cutting moves are made. District officials say they may have to cut as much as $1.3 million from the budget this year and next year to protect its 7 percent reserve and increase teacher and staff salaries. School Board President Dave Pine plans to send out a letter to members of the school community today detailing potential cuts and asking for opinions on what should be eliminated or saved. District officials presented a two-tiered list of cuts to the school board last week, but have since broken that list down into three tiers to further define the district's priorities.

Under the new proposal, the first tier of proposed cuts - or the easiest cuts that can be made, which total $363,000 - remains unchanged. The second tier was broken down into two separate tiers, worth $593,000 and $371,000. "The Tier 1 cuts are the cuts that will almost certainly be made," Pine said. "The final tier of cuts, which are by far the most difficult ... require personnel reductions, and they have a more direct effect on the classroom." School board members will vote on the cuts when they finalize their 2007-08 fiscal year budget on June 12.

Much of the first tier's $363,000 is leftover money from this year's budget that would normally be tacked onto next year's budget, school board member Marc Friedman explained. Board members said a major reason for the cuts is the uncertainty of labor negotiations with teachers and staff. "We are being proactive, which is unusual for a lot of school districts," Board Vice President Michael Barber said. "We are not in a crisis now, but we are trying to avoid going into a crisis." The Tier 1 reductions include $25,000 in textbooks and $46,581 in expenditures at the district office. Second-tier cuts include eliminating a $10,000 optional online program for GATE students, and $8,000 for communication technology.

The more extensive third-tier cuts would impact classrooms by increasing class sizes in grades 4 through 8 by one student to save $125,000 a year. That would mean a need for fewer teachers - but those reductions could come from leaving vacant positions unfilled and attrition, Pine said. Other third-tier reductions would include reducing the number of physical education teachers, library staff, custodial and other employees. The cuts would allow the district to maintain a 7 percent reserve, even though the state requires it to maintain only 3 percent, Pine said. The San Bruno Park School District, in comparison, keeps the minimum 3 percent. The Redwood City School District has an 8.4 percent reserve. "In the 1997-1998 fiscal year, the district had $165,000 in the bank as a reserve," Pine said. "The district has seen how dangerous it is not to maintain an adequate reserve."

- Written by Fiona

Easton Tree - Young Impressionable Children?

Delay, delay (John Horgan)

IF NOTHING ELSE, Burlingame has become the Peninsula's Primary Precinct of Procrastination. Nothing exemplifies the leafy burg's vexing inability to come to a decision in a timely fashion as starkly as the question of what to do about an intrusive and potentially dangerous eucalyptus tree on Easton Drive.

The powers-that-try-to-be have been wringing their hands and gnashing their collective teeth about the fate of this towering troublemaker for way too long. Its huge roots have buckled the street and made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for two vehicles to pass each other at that location. It's an accident, not to mention a lawsuit, waiting to happen, as we have pointed out on previous occasions. Some on the august but paralyzed and utterly flummoxed City Council want the annoying foliage removed entirely. Others waffle and worry, and aren't so sure. The mayor, Terry Nagel, has agonized over all this. Trying to please all sides, she has gone back and forth, one day advocating the tree's removal, the next opting for further studies and what is generously dubbed "community input."

Young, impressionable children, and even some adults who ought to know better, have gone so far as to name the tree, providing it with an almost mystical and reverent environmental aura of quasi-humanity when, in fact, the invasive, non-native plant is a clear-cut hazard.

For all practical purposes, the town seems no closer to a conclusion on this ludicrous situation than it was in 2006. It is no exaggeration to state that the United Nations was created in San Francisco in far less time just six months in 1945,in fact. At the rate the Burlingame authorities are dragging their feet on this thing, the MacArthur Maze could have been fully repaired dozens of times over. The amount of taxpayers' money spent on fretting and worrying about the fate of the tree is beyond ridiculous. The council's credibility has taken a severe hit in the process. It seems simply unable to cope, even as the hamlet prepares to observe its 100th birthday.

When will it be time to halt this exercise in futility? Who can tell? The council, which is driving its staff to distraction, is now making noises that, perhaps, it will come to a final call on the matter next month.

We can only hope. But no one is placing any bets. We've been down this rutted road before.

- Written by Fiona

Our Children's Safety - Update

Van puts police on alert (Daily Journal)

School officials are police are on alert after two cities had similar reports of two men trying to lure children into a gray van.

The Hillsborough School District sent a letter to parents Thursday alerting them to the two cases in Hillsborough in and Burlingame. On Wednesday, the van was following students on Burlingame Avenue. The second was reported later that day in which a young child reported two men tried to lure him into a van near his Hillsborough home, according to the letter sent by Superintendent Marilyn Loushin-Miller. At this juncture, neither incident has been confirmed by the police department ... We have alerted our schools to remind children about safe practices when approached by strangers,? Loushin-Miller said.

Hillsborough police could not confirm the multiple reports Friday. We're not sure [the van] been seen elsewhere. We've only had once actual sighting,? said Hillsborough Inspector Rob Chinca. At approximately 3:55 p.m. Wednesday, police received a report of two men driving a gray or dull-colored van who made the offer to the boy as he stood front of his home on a cul-de-sac near Interstate 280, according to a statement released yesterday by police. The driver was described as white, approximately 27 years old with blond puffy hair and possibly wearing a gray shirt. The passenger was described as white, unknown age with brown spiked hair and possibly wearing a gray shirt, according to the statement.

The van had three windows. It is unclear where on the van the windows were. The child reported the back doors of the van were open. The van had a partial license plate number of 173 somewhere on it, according to police. The suspects were last seen driving east on Chateau Drive, police said.

The investigation in ongoing. Anyone with information about the case should call the Hillsborough Police Department at 375-7470.

- Written by Fiona

Easton Tree - Lookee Here

Tom the Tree mindgames (San Mateo Times)

ATREE is officially inside the heads of Burlingame Mayor Terry Nagel and fellow members of the City Council. The council held its most contentious meeting in recent history on Monday over a Tasmanian blue gum eucalyptus on Easton Drive that boosters have nicknamed "Tom."

We wrote about the meeting earlier this week, but ill-tempered sniping that punctuated the meeting wasn't relevant enough for inclusion in the story. So let's talk about it here.

Nagel appeared rattled early in the proceedings by the aggressive tone of the criticism her colleagues had for her proposal for dealing with the tree, the roots of which have cracked and bulged the asphalt in front of the Easton Branch Library. Councilman Russ Cohen and Councilwoman Cathy Baylock were upset that Nagel had sent the council a memo prior to the meeting telling them that, if they did not support her proposal to break a 2-2 deadlock on whether to remove the tree, she would be forced to vote to cut it down. Baylock began her comments by upbraiding Nagel for sending out the memo and threatening to abstain from voting on the issue. When the first of the night's two votes on the tree came around, Nagel was unsure how Baylock had voted, so she asked her for clarification. Baylock replied that she hadn't decided whether to abstain or vote "no" on Nagel's proposal, which called for conducting a survey asking residents in Tom's vicinity if they'd support making a portion of Easton Drive one-way. "Well, make up your mind, Cathy," said Nagel, testily. "No," Baylock quickly responded. Cohen laid into the way Nagel handled the meeting, saying her resolution was "not good government" and claiming Nagel had "a gun to (his) head" with her either-or proposition.

When Nagel argued taking the tree down is necessary, because drivers who are unfamiliar with Easton Drive may not see the hump caused by Tom's roots coming, Cohen replied sarcastically, "That's why you put a sign up that says, 'Lookee Here!'"

The council will consider the topic again on June 4. Will the fireworks continue, or will cooler heads prevail? Tune in to find out.

Oh, by the way, Cohen and Nagel are both up for re-election this year.

- Written by Fiona