Just this week the California State General Election was held, and with it thousands of registered voters in California County. Saint Matthew were able to decide on various issues that will soon have an impact on their communities, as well as choose who will take on certain local positions. It should be noted that there are still votes to be counted, and that this action is still in progress. These are the local news from November 5 to 11 that you should know to stay up to date.
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San Mateo County residents do not have to pay enrollment fees for the upcoming spring semester at any of the colleges within the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD), the district announced this week.
California Senate Bill 893, passed by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom this year, authorizes the district to use unrestricted general funds to waive enrollment fees for the upcoming spring semester.
SMCCCD schools are Canada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College.
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Faced with little progress on sanitation, East Palo Alto (EPA) has asked the San Mateo Local Agency Formation Commission (SMLAFCo) to subsidize the city's Sanitation District (EPASD) by local government.
This was announced by East Palo Alto Mayor Rubén Abrica, who through a letter addressed to the community and taxpayers specified that since 2019, the East Palo Alto City Council and other interested parties have attempted to collaborate with the EPASD to develop solutions that facilitate the advancement of development projects such as affordable housing, advance the city's objectives, and ensure that accurate information is available when the city considers future development.
The mayor noted that EPASD's request for subsidiary district status is because, according to state law, when a development is planned in the city, developers must pay their fair share of fees to cover the connection of the new building to the sanitation system.
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A pair of home burglaries in San Mateo County may be related after two homes in the city of San Carlos were burglarized Sunday night within an hour of each other, leading investigators with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department to believe the same trio is responsible for both.
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A tireless woman, passionate about art, culture and education, and always committed to her community, Verónica Escámez Martínez received the 2022 Ohtli Award, presented by the Mexican government through the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME) and the Mexican Consulate General in San Francisco.
Veronica, who was born in Mexico and has lived in the Bay Area for over thirty years, has become a point of reference not only for immigrants of Hispanic origin, but in general for the entire community of Redwood City, California. Especially since May 17, 2009, when she founded the community, cultural, educational and sports center Casa Círculo Cultural.
The recognition given to Verónica Escámez consisted of a diploma, a silver rosette and a medal.
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A series of November weather systems is bringing rain and snow to much of Northern California, serving as a reminder of the importance of winter storm safety, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) warned.
The utility noted that in addition to the rain and snow that fell early last week in Northern California, additional storm systems are expected to move intermittently through the Bay Area through at least Wednesday, Nov. 9.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center is predicting colder and wetter than normal conditions through November 15.
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The San Mateo County Probation Department is seeking qualified providers of programs and services for youth in custody at the Juvenile Services Center-Juvenile Hall and/or Camp Kemp, as well as those who have been released back into their communities.
Applicants may submit proposals for individual and group counseling services, substance abuse counseling, prosocial skills, health and physical education, academic tutoring, and vocational and employment training programs.
As well as those for art and music programs, emotion regulation and coping skills, gang prevention and intervention services, services for survivors of sexual abuse, and family therapy and reentry services.
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The City of Redwood City is updating its Consolidated Plan to address housing and community development needs, and the Housing and Human Affairs Committee (HHCC) will hold a local needs assessment workshop and public hearing at a special meeting on November 16.
To supplement community meetings and stakeholder outreach, Redwood City, along with the cities of San Mateo, South San Francisco, Daly City, and San Mateo County, have developed a Housing and Community Needs Survey.
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Preliminary results have shown that more than 60 percent of the ballots counted have voted yes to Measure L in East Palo Alto, after the Voting Centers in San Mateo County closed at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8 and the vote counting began.
According to the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder's Office update on voting through November 10, 69.14 percent of the ballots counted were for Yes on Measure L, meaning 1,156 votes in favor, while 30.89 percent were for No, meaning 516 votes.
Measure L in East Palo Alto asked city residents to vote yes or no on increasing East Palo Alto's business tax to 2.5 percent of gross receipts from all residential rental units.
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Three measures were put to the vote in Redwood City on Tuesday, November 8, in the general election held in the state of California, two of them in favor of Yes and one that was not to the liking of the electorate.
According to the update from the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder's Office, as of November 10, Measure Z received a resounding yes with 9,272 votes in favor, which meant 84.60 percent.
Regarding Measure P, 63.33 percent voted No, which meant 7,047 votes, while those who support the measure barely reach 4,081, 36.67 percent.
In school matters, Redwood City voted in favor of Measure S, a proposal that seeks to improve local elementary and secondary schools by repairing and upgrading science, technology, engineering, arts and math classrooms/labs; making safety/security improvements; improving inadequate heating, cooling and electrical systems; and constructing and acquiring sites/facilities. So far, the measure has received a yes vote with 56.67 percent of the vote ‒7,876 votes.
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