The Burlingame Voice

Running Panthers

In these days of tight school finances and new fees for athletic facilities, running on the high school cross-country team is a bargain. All the athletes need is a pair of running shoes and all the school provides are the coaches and some inexpensive uniforms. The "fields" are the streets of Burlingame and a really scenic race course high in the hills of Belmont overlooking highway 280. The B'game Panthers are an up and coming cross-country team in the county. At yesterday's meet, the varsity boys finished 4th out of 16 teams paced by Max Keleher who placed 3rd out of 107 runners. The boys frosh/soph team finished 3rd paced by Clay Friedman who finished 7th out of 91 runners. And the girls frosh/soph team placed 4th paced by Molly Donald who finished 3rd out of 41 runners. Full results can be found at HREF="http://www.directathletics.com/results/xc/1818.html#8961" Well done! And congrats to coaches Frank Hunt and Obbie!

- Written by Joe

Double Whammy for Burlingame Schools

Double whammy for Burlingame schools (by Heather Murtagh, Daily Journal) An upcoming spike in enrollment and a drop in funds for Burlingame schools means officials will need to reorganize priorities when it comes to modernizing and improving its facilities. With more students and less money, the district is now exploring both short- and long-term fixes including the possibility of repurchasing the now-vacant Hoover School. In November, voters in the Burlingame Elementary School District approved a $48.3 million bond measure to improve school facilities. Some of those funds about $1 million were lost due to the San Mateo County Investment fund holdings in the Lehman Brothers. In addition, Burlingame is expected to have 300 more students about the enrollment of Roosevelt Elementary in the next three to five years. These factors will lead to a reorganization of bond priorities to meet the district's changing needs. Details of such a priority change will be part of the discussion at the Board of Trustee's Nov. 18 meeting. The growing enrollment makes it clear more space will be needed for the next school year, said board President Michael Barber. Tom Williams from Enrollment Projection Consultants began studying the district's enrollment earlier this year. Results concluded the district growing from 2,500 to 2,800 peaking in about five years, Barber said. This estimated growth coupled with a shift in funds will result in a new plan for using the bond measure. In September, the San Mateo County Investment fund lost 4.77 percent of the $2.6 billion portfolio principal due to its holdings in Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. Of those losses, Burlingame's estimated hit is $1.225 million with $1 million coming from capital funds and $225,000 from the general fund. Most of the capital fund money from the investment of Measure A funds. The $1 million loss to our capital funding will require us to review our bond projects and priorities. But in summary, it should have limited impact over the four to five year life of the bond projects,? Superintendent Dianne Talarico wrote in an Oct. 20 letter to the community. Dreiling Terrones Bartos Architecture, which is overseeing the construction, will work with the district to adjust the Measure A plans. One option splitting the board is the potential purchase of the old Hoover Elementary School site. A property evaluation report for 2220 Summit Drive was prepared by Bruce Paris of Foster City-based CBRE and presented this week. If the district were to purchase the site, there are a number of alternatives for using the property as a new district office. It could simply be a district office. Or, it could be a district office with space leased to an education-related organization or with space used for a small school. Or, the site could be used as a new school. Although the issue still splits the board, the superintendent was directed to research the potential purchase further. To view the enrollment study or property evaluation report visit the district Web site at http://bsd.k12.ca.us.

- Written by Fiona

Burlingame Rotary Club's Halloween Safe Streets

Once again thanks to the Burlingame Rotary Club, we will be lucky enough to enjoy another Halloween Safe Streets where one block will be closed to motor traffic and therefore safe for our kids: Friday, October 31, 2008 Between 5:30 to 7:30 pm Primrose between Burlingame and Chapin Avenues Trick or Treating Story Telling Face Painting Costume Contest Music and lots more.

- Written by Fiona

Vote Once and Vote Early!

Beat election day rush (Daily Journal Staff Report) Voters are encouraged to beat the Election Day voting rush? and avoid possible lines and vote early at either of the elections offices 40 Tower Road in San Mateo or 555 County Center in Redwood City on weekdays during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Voters can also vote on either of the next two Saturdays (Oct. 25 and Nov. 1) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at these locations. There are 12 free parking spaces in front of 555 County Center and five free parking spaces along Middlefield Road reserved for voting. Voters can come in and vote or drop off their mail ballot. Directions to both Elections Offices are online at www.shapethefuture.org/contact.asp.

- Written by Fiona

An Enlightening Discussion

Yes the flyer says "Please join us for this Enlightening Discussion" as part of a Burlingame Community Forum sponsored by the City of Burlingame: Winds of Change Adapting to the Realities of the 21st Century Presented by Don Weden Wednesday, October 29 7:00 pm Lane Room Free Mr. Weden has some fascinating information about how our communities will experience major changes and challenges and how we need to (1) anticipate and understand them (2) prepare for those change and challenges which will impact our lives and those of our children and future generations. It will be an enlightening discussion for those who care about what Burlingame will be like in ten or twenty years time.

- Written by Fiona

Improv Tonight at Il Piccolo

BURLINGAME PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT'S "ACTING OUT & ABOUT"TO ENTERTAIN AT IL PICCOLO CAF THROUGH IMPROVISATION! The Burlingame Parks & Recreation Department's newly named community theatre troupe "Acting Out & About" will be entertaining at Il Piccolo Caf , 1219 Broadway Avenue, Burlingame on October 24, 2008 at 7:00 PM with an improvisation evening. The actors, all part of Burlingame Parks and Recreation Department's class "What Line Is It Now" will be improvising with "Party Quirks", "Props", "Scenes From a Hat", ""Greatest Hits", "Courtroom" "Questions Only" and many others. Audience participation is encouraged and welcomed! Join Sandy Towle, Alida Hinton, Linda Milliken, Mary Faber, Kiki Arnaudo,and Andrew Coxhead in creating this witty and comical evening. Cathy Foxhoven (Director) will be the MC. Improvisation guarantees an "anything can happen" atmosphere and "what happens at Il Piccolo, stays at Il Piccolo! Join us also this coming Winter/Spring for "Mystery Theatre" and the "Ye Ole Fashioned Radio Drama of "Sherlock Holmes. The performance is open to the public and free. For more information, please call 697-6936.

- Written by Fiona

Burlingame History Museum opening at Caltrain station By Christine Morente, San Mateo County Times

BURLINGAME Ever so slowly and ever so carefully, Bob Bean backed his 1960 Plymouth Fury through the double doors of the Burlingame-Hillborough History Museum on Tuesday morning. Behind him, Russ Cohen, president of the Burlingame Historical Society, navigated. Bean wasn't nervous about scraping the sides of his car. "We always backed our cars into the garage," the former Burlingame resident said. "I'm glad it fit with a foot to spare on each side." Bean is letting the Historical Society borrow the unique sky blue and white vehicle for the new Burlingame museum's "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" exhibit. The grand opening is 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday at the Burlingame Avenue Caltrain station's old waiting room. It will display items about Auto Row, the station and San Francisco's 40-line, a trolley service that went through Burlingame on California Drive and ended in San Mateo. The society has collected and protected Burlingame and Hillsborough artifacts and memorabilia since its inception in 1975. Cohen said it has more than 125,000 pieces in its collection. A few years ago, the Joint Powers Board agreed to allow the group to open a museum at the station, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and designated a State Historic Landmark. "The train station afforded us the perfect location to have a museum that is really where Burlingame started," Cohen said. The building was constructed in 1894 by prominent members of the Burlingame Country Club. Cohen said the station is the first permanent Mission-Revival style building. At the time, the small town was made up of just a few cottages and the country club, which is now in Hillsborough. Fast forward 92 years, and the station was the site of a murder. On March 26, 1986, George Grant, a ticket agent, was killed by Cleveland Scott of San Mateo. Burlingame police Chief Jack Van Etten, who was the lead detective in the case, never found a motive for Grant's killing. Four years ago, the station stopped having a ticket agent. The Trains, Planes and Automobiles exhibit is expected to run through December. A Ford Model T also will be on display. "Not everything in historical societies has to be turn-of-the-century," Cohen said. "Midcentury is nice, too." Which is where Bean's 1960 Plymouth Fury comes in. In the past 10 years, the car has been displayed in car shows such as Hillsborough's Concours d'Elegance. Originally, the car was owned by Bean's mother, Marjorie. She drove it from their Drake Avenue home to AVR Realty, where she worked part time. She also showed it off at Burlingame Plaza, where she went grocery shopping. "That was her pride and joy," said Bean, who now owns it with his nephew Daniel. Still in "cherry" condition, the car was bought off the showroom floor decked out with chrome, trim, power steering, power brakes, and a 45-rpm RCA record player. The car's body was inspired by the 1960 space race. The Plymouth features fins in the rear, and the steering wheel resembles one on an airplane. Bean said less than 10,000 1960 Plymouth Furys were made. "It was a piece of art rather than a functional car," said the 66-year-old Hayward resident. "Now, it's a car you don't see. They're kind of a gaudy, trendy-type car." After the grand opening, the museum will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. There is no admission fee, but the Historical Society accepts donations. For details, visit www.burlingamehistorical.org.

While you are admiring the exhibits, be sure to note the improvements to the room itself. With new plaster and paint, a thorough cleaning, and new electrical and security systems the station hasn't looked this good in quite some time!

- Written by Joe

Granicus and Burlingame

At last night's City Council meeting, a Granicus representative was conducting "a dry run" of the system and it sounds like it will be up and running soon. Maybe the first council meeting in November 3rd? Looking forward to this tool for letting in more "sunshine" to how our city works and in particular "sunshining" our council members at our council meetings.

- Written by Fiona

When the Lights go on in the City

Portion of Interstate 280 to get traffic metering lights (and a heads up on 101 lights in the next 3 years) By Sarah Kwan San Mateo County Times (Edited for length)

Onramp traffic signals that regulate freeway traffic around the Bay Area will arrive this week in the northwest portion of San Mateo County. The series of lights along Interstate 280 comes courtesy of the City-County Association of Governments, which negotiated with North County cities and the California Department of Transportation to implement the system. The metering lights will be activated on five northbound onramps: Sneath Lane, San Bruno Avenue, Westborough Boulevard, Hickey Boulevard and Serramonte Boulevard. The activation of these lights follows the success of metering lights that were placed on a stretch of Highway 101 north of state Highway 92 in January 2007. "There were positive benefits at the 101," said Sandy Wong, deputy director of CCAG. "So we decided to turn on the next spot where the equipment was set up." One worry commuters have is a possible increase of traffic in cities during the wait to get onto the freeway. Like most metering lights, there will be end-of-queue detectors at the freeway ramp entrances that will cause the lights to change faster if traffic starts backing up into the city. By 2011, CCAG plans to install metering lights on the southbound side of Interstate 280 and along northbound Highway 101 from Highway 92 to Millbrae, Wong said.

- Written by Joe

K9 Demonstration Tonight before the City Council Meeting

As if there is not enough exciting agenda items for tonight's city council meeting, there will be a Police K9 Demo at 6:00 pm on the grounds of city hall before the regular city council meeting at 7:00 pm. Two new BPD K-9's were purchased through the donations, generosity and support of the public and these donors will be recognized too.

- Written by Fiona