year in review 2011
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Half Moon Bay Review's Year in Review special publicationTRANSCRIPT
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ReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewA year of photos and top stories from the Coastside, plus our annual timeline of local businesses. Half Moon Bay Review
Moss Beach Distillery(650) 728-5595
140 Beach Way, Moss Beachwww.mossbeachdistillery.com
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Arcangeli Grocery Co Stage Road, Pescadero
879-0147 • www.normsmarket.com
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1898
The Half Moon Bay Review714 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay
(650) 726-4424
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Half Moon Bay Inn 401 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-1177 • www.halfmoonbayinn.com
Duarte’s Tavern 202 Stage Road, Pescadero
879-0464
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1894
Half Moon Bay Bakery 514 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-4841
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1906
Half Moon Bay Feed & Fuel 331 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-4814
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1911
Dudley Perkins Company 333 Corey Way, S. San Francisco
(650) PERKINS • www.dpchd.com
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1914
Businesses make up the heart of a community. They provide residents with goods and services needed for everyday life. A quick trip to the market or the local hardware store are Saturday morning routines for many of us. Selling your home? See your neighborhood real estate agent. Need a great restaurant to take visitors? New or old, the choice is yours. Take a minute to see who’s been around awhile ... at your ser-vice! From oldest to youngest, here are some of the businesses that have been making the Coastside unique for more than a hundred years:
A timeline of local businessesA timeline of local businesses
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1905
Miller DutraCoastside Chapel
645 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay726-4474
2011 Year in Review Coastside Business Timeline2
Volunteers, police and a wave from Japan make headlines
Coastside Business Timeline 2011 Year in Review 3Top 10 Stories of the Year
2011:The year that was2011:The year that was
Reducing an entire year to 10 stories is an exercise in futility. For every item in-cluded, there are dozens excluded. That is as true on the San Mateo County coast as it would be in Kabul, Afghanistan, or New York City.
Yet that is the annual assignment.The Half Moon Bay Review’s “Year in
Review” section should be seen for what it is — a look back, in very broad strokes.
Some reports covered shocking events, such as the gang shootings and the tsu-nami warning. Others represent more of a trend: Volunteers seem to be increasingly necessary as government dollars dwindle.
And any attempt to distill a full year into bite-sized nuggets like these will lead to oversimplification. The funding problem at our schools, the economic calamity that forced Nurserymen’s Exchange into bank-
ruptcy — these are complicated matters that don’t lend themselves to this task.
Yet that is the annual assignment.Yours is to sit back, read about the recent
past and form your own conclusions about the list and what it means going forward. Here now, in no particular order, are 10 stories that together helped shape 2011 on the Coastside.
— Clay Lambert
1010 Half Moon Bay outsources police, recreation services
Half Moon Bay shuttered its police department in 2011, putting an end to 50 years of local law enforce-ment. It was a heart-wrenching decision for the City Council and it signaled an inescapable turning point for a city that can no longer deliver services once thought basic to any municipality.
Interim Police Chief Lee Violett told the City Council that his force had been so depleted by budget cuts that it could no longer assure law and order. He said that outsourcing service was the only answer.
The decision itself came during an agonizing four-hour meeting and was presented as the only way for a city on the brink of bankruptcy to move past financial devas-
tation created by the land-use boondoggle known as Beachwood. San Mateo, Pacifica and San Mateo County all expressed some interest in contracting for policing services in the city. Over time, it became clear that only the county was positioned to patrol Half Moon Bay city streets. The Sheriff promised to hire existing police department employees and to maintain a presence in the old police station. The five-year contract was said to save the city more than $700,000.
That wasn’t the end of the city’s bid to outsource services. It also turned over recreation services to the city of San Carlos (which, ironically, had recently contracted with the Sheriff for police services too).
El Granada Hardware & Café85 Avenue Portola, El Granada
(650)726-5009
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1960
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
HMB Chamber of Commerce235 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-8380 | www.hmbchamber.com
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1963
Half Moon Bay Fish Market99 San Mateo Road, Half Moon Bay
726-2561
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1964
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
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1946
Romeo Packing Co.106 Princeton Avenue, Half Moon Bay728-3393 • www.romeopacking.com
Talbot’s Toyland 445 South B Street, San Mateo
931-8110 • www.talbotstoyland.com
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19531890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1955
Curley & Reds215 San Mateo Road, Half Moon Bay726-4949 • www.curleyandreds.com
99Unusual gang shootings rattle Coastside
Half Moon Bay is not the sort of place that comes to mind when you think of street gangs. The very name of the place resists images of crime that is typically perceived as an urban problem.
That image was shattered on Aug. 14 when six shots disturbed the Sunday quiet of an Arleta Park neighborhood.
San Mateo County Sheriff’s investigators say rival gang members — notorious Norteños and Sureños — encountered each other on Grove Street that afternoon. They drifted west, toward the beach, until a man on a bicycle unloaded a semiautomatic pistol into the opposing crowd. Days later, investigators arrested 21-year-old Christian DeLeon as the shooter. They also arrested three alleged accomplices, later releasing them.
The shooting was a wake-up call. A town hall meeting on the gang problem drew the largest attendance on the coast since a meeting over a closed health clinic two years earlier. Sheriff Greg Munks promised diligence and the attention of a multi-agency gang task force.
If city residents felt the shootings were isolated, that illusion was shattered on Oct. 7, with an-other suspected gang shooting on Willow Avenue. This time the victim in the previous assault was pegged as the shooter. Jose Monroy has since pleaded not guilty to the October shooting.
Residents remain on high alert, while the gang task force curtailed operations for the winter due to budget constraints.
2011 Year in Review Top 10 Stories of the Year4
Bob and Molly McCahonCoastside Real Estate Brokers
www.mccahonrealestate.com 726-5544 • 712-2439
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1966
Mountain ManWood Co., Inc. La Honda • 747-0574
Bob’s Car Wash 240 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-6647
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1969
Buzz Myers
Weller O’Brien Insurance 720 Kelly Street, Half Moon Bay 726-6328 • wellerobrien.com
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1965
Caring for 3+ generations over 40+ years
Cabrillo Family Dental Care669 Crespi Drive, Pacifica - Just Off Highway 1(650) 359-1646 | PacificaDentist.com
Cabrillo Family Dental Care
669 Crespi Drive
Pacifica - Just Off Highway 1
(650)359-1646 PacificaDentist.com
Caring for 3+
Generations
over 40 plus years
Half Moon Bay Auto Parts 125 Main St., Half Moon Bay
726-4461
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1965
NAPAAUTOPARTS
88Tsunami warninghas Coastsidersheading for hills
At 10:46 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, as most Coastsiders were settling in for the night, the ground shifted violently 5,000 miles to the west. A 9.0 earthquake off the east coast of Japan was only the beginning of a terrible series of events.
The quake spawned a tsunami that washed inland for miles in Japan. Thousands died in that country and many more people were injured. Meanwhile, the water rippled east.
A tsunami warning went out to the west coast of North America. Because it was nighttime, many didn’t hear of the threat until morning. By then, emergency offi cials were more than a little nervous.
In San Mateo County, emergency offi cials initially issued an evacuation order via text messages reading: "All beaches and low-lying coastal areas should be evacuated immediately." About 2,800 residents received reverse 911 calls telling them to seek higher ground. About 500 locals drove to the top of Highway 92, hoping to be safe from any inundation. Many wanted to know why emergency managers never sounded the tsunami sirens they regularly test.
The wave damaged ports to the south and north but was barely noticeable as it rolled into the low-lying areas of the San Mateo County coast. There was no reported damage here despite a full alert.
Emergency response to the potential threat raised its own questions, many still unanswered: How should warnings like this be relayed to the area’s Spanish-speaking residents? Can the Red Cross stage enough resources here for the next disaster? And how can offi cials walk the line between advising residents of the threat and creating panic?
Top 10 Stories of the Year 2011 Year in Review 5Top 10 Stories of the Year
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Half Moon Bay Golf Links 2 Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay726-1800 • www.halfmoonbaygolf.com
Pat Roma, Attorney at Law 745 Mill St., Half Moon Bay
726-5575
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1972
Coastside Books432 Main Street, Half Moon Bay726-5889 • coastsidebooks.com
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1972
Half Moon Bay Building & Garden SupplyJason, Manuel & John are here to help with all your home & garden projects.
119 Main Street, Half Moon Bay726-6696 • www.hmbbg.com
Oceanshore Hardware 111 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-5505
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1972
Alborzi Orthodontics 705 Purissima, Half Moon Bay
726-6321• www.GotToSmile.com
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1972
Braces for Children & AdultsShorter & More Comfortable Treatment
Premier Invisalign ProviderCaring and Friendly Staff
77Turbulent year washes out Mavericks contest
Never has the Mavericks Surf Contest made so much news in a year in which there was no contest at all. Terrifying accidents at the famed break coupled with acrimonious infi ghting among would-be contest organizers kept big waves in big headlines throughout 2011.
No aspect of the story was bigger — or more heartbreaking — than the death of 35-year-old Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky in March. He became the second accomplished surfer to drown at Mavericks and his death left many regular riders rethinking their hard-charging ways.
Milosky’s death followed an accident that nearly claimed the life of Southern California surfer Jacob Trette. He was saved by a photographer who was documenting the day on a personal wa-tercraft. The role of a Jet Ski in the rescue of Trette lent new urgency to a call to relax restrictions against personal watercraft at Mavericks, which breaks in a protected marine sanctuary. That bureaucratic battle continues. Lately, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Offi ce says it is working to train surfers and others in rescue technique on the machines.
A lack of contest-worthy waves doomed the contest itself in 2011. In the interim, Mavericks Surf Ventures was ousted from the contest and a group of local surfers and photographers tried to take over. That effort failed to gather momentum, and, today, the contest is back in the hands of founder Jeff Clark and friends.
2011 Year in Review Top 10 Stories of the Year6
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1976
“Living, working, andserving the real estate needs of the coastside since 1976.”
Rose & Nate Serdy
Alain Pinel Realtorswww.theserdyteam.com
(650)479-1104
Rice Trucking-Soil Farm LLC 2119 S. Highway 1, HMB
726-4354
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19751890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1974
Through real estatehighs and lows, let Ara’sexperience guide you!
Certifi ed Residential Specialist
Ara CroceRealtor, Dolphin Real Estate
www.aracroce.com(650)712-1299
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1974
Helping fi nd homesand living on the coast
since 1974.
Barbara LaVey& Jan Gray
1415 Main Street, MontaraBarbara: 650-728-4503
DRE #01361161 Jan: 650-728-4506
DRE #00478786
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1977
Senior CoastsidersPromoting successful aging since 1977
535 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay726-9056 • www.seniorcoastsiders.org
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1976
Coastside Carpet &Oriental Rug Cleaners
145 Main St. (behind Ocean Shore)Half Moon Bay • 726-6676
66Civic leadersrocked by Olsen affair
Coastsiders were shocked to learn that one of their most favorite sons, the late San Mateo County Farm Bureau Executive Administrator Jack Olsen, was being blamed for the disappear-ance of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the coffers of beloved local institutions.
Olsen was a respected member of the agricultural community on the coast. He was involved in a web of civic, business and philanthropic endeavors in the years leading up to his death due to cancer in 2010. He was involved with the Half Moon Bay Beautifi cation Committee, which hosts the annual Pumpkin Festival and noted a signifi cant drop in revenues in recent years.
Committee President Cameron Palmer said that the organization had identifi ed $199,000 in losses in recent years. The group required two signatures on Beautifi cation Committee checks, but First National Bank did not enforce that organization rule.
On the heels of that revelation, leaders of the county Farm Bureau said Olsen had somehow made off with $160,000 from that private organization. Men who had known Olsen for much of their lives were now referring to him as “greedy” and “devious.”
In the wake of the scandal, a host of politicians, including Half Moon Bay City Councilmen and state lawmakers, pledged to return their portion of the $22,000 Olsen had made in campaign donations through the years. Most of them said they would divvy up the money and give it to Coastside charities.
As the new year dawned, things were looking up for organizations darkened by the scandal. The Pumpkin Festival was held despite the losses and the Farm Bureau hired a new director.
Top 10 Stories of the Year 2011 Year in Review 7Top 10 Stories of the Year
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1980
Half Moon Bay Auto Repair149 Main St., Half Moon Bay • 726-0711 • Fax: 726-0492
www.HalfMoonBayAutoRepairAndBody.com
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1979
Susan Hayward School of Dance
496 6th St.Montara, CA, 94037
650.728.7519SHaywardDance.com
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Sample This! 726-2044 • http://samplethiscatering.com
1978
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1978
C. Ray Sheppard, DMDA professional corporation. Family Dentistry
890 Main Street, Suite A, Half Moon Bay650.726.3355
halfmoonbaysmiledesign.com
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1978
Half Moon Bay Glass133 Main Street, Half Moon Bay726-9034 • www.hmbglass.com
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1977
Joyce Beckman
712-2412248 Main Street #200
Half Moon Bay
55Nurserymen’s sold following bankruptcy
For many on the coast, 2011 will forever be remembered as the day Nurserymen’s Exchange slipped from local lands.
The ornamental fl ower grower on Highway 1 had been the Coastside’s largest employer, but in May the commercial grower fi led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Company CEO Jack Pearl-stein said that he had prospective buyers in mind and acknowledged that losing the company was tough on his family. His company’s balance sheet showed assets of nearly $35 million, but debts of more than $25 million to secured and unsecured creditors made business untenable.
Pearlstein’s parents had started the business in 1941, socking away fl ower bulbs in the family bathtub. Carl and Virginia Pearlstein had turned a $500 bank loan into an agricultural jugger-naut. They moved the operation from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay in the early 1960s and for the next 50 years were respected for their business acumen and green thumbs.
The good times didn’t last, however. In 2010, faced with competition overseas and an anemic global economy, the company laid off nearly half of its workers. That was followed by a union challenge, and some of the company’s former workers marched in the streets of Half Moon Bay to protest the job action.
On Aug. 8, Floramoda Inc., a subsidiary of Monterey Peninsula Horticulture Inc., announced it had completed purchase of the Half Moon Bay business. Floramoda executives said they would retain 141 local employs and continue to produce the same fl owers and shrubs under the Nursery-men’s Exchange and Bloomrite names.
There are outstanding questions involving the sale. Still to be determined is whether the new owners will inherit labor complaints fi led with the state and the fate of a 28-acre plot the company owns and has been trying to sell to residential developers.
2011 Year in Review Top 10 Stories of the Year8
Real Estate Funding 700 Mill Street, Half Moon Bay
726-2179 • refsi.com
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1981
Lemos Farm 12320 San Mateo Rd. (Hwy. 92) HMB
www.lemosfarm.com726-2342
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1980
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
SpringMountainGallery.com
Custom Picture FramingPhotography
and Photo Restorations
790 Main St., Half Moon Bay726-3025
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1980
Strawflower Electronics 160 San Mateo Rd., Half Moon Bay, 726-8181
www.strawflowerelectronics.com
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1980
Tokenz 524 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
712-8457
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1981
BK Motors 108 N. Cabrillo Hwy., Half Moon Bay
726-8220
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1982
44Devil of a yearat tunnel project site
A year that started with such promise at the Devil’s Slide tunnel project site bogged down in the mud of Montara Mountain as the year wore on.
On Jan. 18, contractors announced that they had completed primary excavation work on two twin tunnels. They had removed 314,000 cubic yards of soil, clay and rock over the course of more than three years of digging.
At the time, Caltrans reiterated its intention to open the Highway 1 tunnels early in 2012. It was the last time, this year at least, that state transportation planners sounded quite so optimistic.
In February, the Montara Water and Sanitary District sued the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission over water rights to the project. It was an arcane, largely symbolic gesture designed to protect the MWSD rights going forward. In the spring, the transportation agency beat back a request to change the pedestrian crossing near the tunnels’ southern entrance. Many Coastsiders worried the proximity of the crossing to the tunnel exit would be dangerous for pedes-trians hoping to use adjacent new walking trails.
In April, engineers had to shut down tunnel work entirely for two days when routine water-quality monitors turned up chromium, which can cause cancer and organ damage.
In June, Caltrans offi cials confi rmed that they were pushing the timetable back. First they said they expected to open the tunnels in the middle of next year, then said it would be late 2012, a full year later than expected.
And that’s not all. Caltrans announced that the cost was creeping up. In July, state offi cials said they were in negotiations with contractor Kiewit Pacifi c Co. over cost overruns. Suddenly, once-supportive politicians were souring on the contractor. State Assemblyman Jerry Hill told the Review, “The company always left a bad taste in my mouth.”
Top 10 Stories of the Year 2011 Year in Review 9Top 10 Stories of the Year
2011 in photos2011 in photos(clockwise from top left): An underbelly view of a Thornback Ray taken during San Francisco State University Professor Karen Crowe's class on the beach at Pillar Point in June • Taylor Melley takes aim at the bean bag toss during the first day of the school year at Farallone View Elementary in August • Mark Brum of Clements closes in on his target during the Driscoll Ranch Rodeo in July • Lacey Nelson finished fourth in the vault at the Central Coast Section Gymnastics Championships.
Photos by Charles Russo, Lars Howlett, Lily Bixler, Mark Foyer
(middle row, from left): "Convict" Ransom Lewis launches the tether ball during Hal-loween recess at Hatch Elementary • Kevin McCurdy and Andrea Rico react to the cheers of the student body after being named homecoming king and queen at Half Moon Bay High School in October • Half Moon Bay (orange jerseys) rose above the rest of the league to win its 14th title in school history.
(bottom row, from left): The world’s largest motorcycle, “Dream Big”, towers over a toddler during the Dream Machines event in May • Lisa Green with her goat Esmerelda.
(top row, from left): The crowd reacts to one of the four heavyweight finalist at the annual pumpkin weigh-off in October • 90-year-old veteran Ray Martini was honored at the Farm Day Luncheon, in April, for his service during World War II • Mary Sanders sets orchids along the fence on Highway 1, in December, in memory of her son, Seth Koller, who died two years ago after a traffic accident in the area.
Photos by Charles Russo, Lars Howlett, Lily Bixler, Mark Foyer
(top row, from left): Pedro Ponce, foreman for the Brussels Sprout harvest on Muzzi farms, tests the ripeness of outlying crop rows in September • A surfer waits for his spot to paddle out along the rocks around Pillar Point RV Park during a September swell.
(Middle Row, from left): Addison Searcy (lower right) seems unamused by pie contest ma-nia, even as her sister Katlyn (center) goes all in, during the annual Pumpkin Festival in October • Ron Duarte shows off the berries in his garden behind his family's restaurant in Pescadero • A bouquet of daffodils is illuminated by the setting sun in January.
(Bottom Row, from left): CalFire officers and curious onlookers consider the fate of the Phyllis J., the beached crabbing boat at Half Moon Bay State Beach in January • A bicyclist rides the Coastal Trail north at sunset in November.
Cameron’s Restaurant, Pub & InnNow offering Camping
1410 S. Cabrillo Hwy., Half Moon Bay726-5705
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1983
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
Coastside EyeCare Optometry
210 Main Street, Half Moon Bay712-1234
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1983
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1984
Arrowhead Framing 353 Main St., Half Moon Bay
726-1390
Creative Custom Framing
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1983
Coast Transmissions141 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-7507
Coastal Range Landscaping Bill Buchin
726-7024 • www.coastalrange.com
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1986
MetrofoliaLandscaping, Inc.P.O. Box 70, Half Moon Bay
726-1950 | www.metrofolia.com
Main Street Goldworks 542 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-2546 • www.mainstreetgoldworks.com
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1987
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1984
“Enhancing the quality of life forour Elderly and their Caregivers”
25 years of caring on the coast.
Coastside Adult Day Health Center 645 Correas, Half Moon Bay
726-5067 • www.coastsideadultdayhealth.org
The Paper Crane 315 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-0722
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1985
Bay World Travel Michelle, Chris, Toni, Ginger & Susan
225 S. Cabrillo Hwy. 108c, Half Moon Bay 726-7345 • bayworldtravel.com • CST#2034794-10
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1985
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ANDROC Business Services
Personal Taxes & Business Accounting726-2359 • www.androc.net
19881890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1988
Coastside Technical ServicesFurnaces Appliances Water Heaters
323 Princeton Ave., Half Moon Bay(650)712-0100
19881988
Phil’s Tire and Auto 422 Purissima St., Half Moon Bay726-5153 • www.philstires.com
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1989
Palladino Painting 102 Princeton Ave., Ste. D.
Princeton • 728-4000
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1989
Premier Termite Inc. 116 N. Cabrillo Hwy., Half Moon Bay
726-7756
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1989
LighthouseWater
45 years married23 years in business
650-726-8639Strawflower Center80 N. Cabrillo Hwy.
Half Moon Bay
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1989
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
Bill Ayres - OwnerChris Ayres - The Boss
Music Hut 329 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-8742
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1989
Your LocalIndependent Music Store for over 20 years.
1890 1900 1910
19901920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Coastside Veterinary Clinic, Inc 614 Purissima Street, Half Moon Bay726-9738 • www.coastsidevet.com
33Infrastructure improved, but bridge crumbles
The year 2011 was an uneven one for Coastside infrastructure. There were some big invest-ments in roads and sewer lines but also signs of big trouble ahead unless the community ponies up money for some big-ticket items.
The Half Moon Bay City Council received a report in February that stated 13 miles of city streets — nearly half of them — were in poor condition. Fixing them all would cost $19.8 million. Undaunted, the city began $525,000 worth of work on the Arleta Park roads, using money from a variety of sources, including county transportation funds. San Mateo County, meanwhile, has begun an ambitious program to repave some roads in Princeton.
The area’s sewer system also saw improvement this year. The Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside sent divers into the Pacifi c Ocean to repair a series of rubber valves on a pipe system that expels 1.5 million gallons of treated sewer water every day. The sewer authority also implemented a policy of inspecting the line every year. Speaking of sewer lines, the Montara Water and Sanitary District is fl irting with plans to force inspections of sewer laterals on the Midcoast any time hom-eowners remodel.
The city also pushed ahead with plans to upgrade what is now the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Half Moon Bay substation. Those improvements include the addition of fi ber optic lines from City Hall to Shoreline Station.
There was bad news for city residents too, however. Engineers say the Main Street Bridge is structurally defi cient and in danger of collapse in an earthquake. Repairing the bridge — which has cracks as wide as 12 inches in spots — could cost $6 million. And fi xing it or replacing it would be a major disruption downtown.
2011 Year in Review Top 10 Stories of the Year14
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1990
COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE
Since 1906
248 Main St, Suite 200 Half Moon Bay 650-726-1100
1890 1900 1910
19901920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
CoastalChimney Sweep
(650)728-0281 CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE!
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Tables • Chairs • Tents • Linen • DishwareAnd much more!
Serving the beautiful Bay Area since 1991!www.afestiveaffair.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1991
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
Party Rentals
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Three Bells of Montara1185 Acacia Street, Montara
www.threebellsofmontara.com(650) 728-5483
19921890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1994
Paulo’s Auto Care“Thanks for trusting us with your cars.”
129 Main Street, Half Moon Bay • 726-5969
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1994
Moonside Bakery and Café604 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-9070 • www.moonsidebakery.com
22Volunteers fill in where government falls short
You might call 2011 the Year of the Volunteer on the Coastside. In some cases, frustrated by the inability of government to get things done, local residents organized a number of high-profi le efforts to improve their own community.
In January, the Half Moon Bay City Council announced that playground equipment at Ocean View Park, on the city’s southern side, was rundown and unsafe. The city said it would close off the structure and that it couldn’t afford to replace the equipment.
Enter the Coastside Mothers’ Club, the Half Moon Bay Rotary Club and a number of individuals dedicated to making sure that didn’t happen. Eight months later about 40 volunteers assembled at the park to construct a new structure, one fi t for the children of Half Moon Bay. It was made possible with $58,000 in donations from the community.
Meanwhile, over the summer, a group of volunteers tackled an informal walkway between Hatch Elementary School and Kelly Avenue. The dirt path was a popular route to school for stu-dents and their parents, but it was riddled with gnarled tree roots and other hazards. The volun-teers raised about $1,000 to level and formalize the path. They benefi ted from generous discounts from contractors, which cut prices and loaned equipment.
The spirit of volunteerism was seen up and down the coast. In Pescadero, parents routinely clean up the high school grounds. At Smith Field, users, including Mayor Naomi Patridge, have long been responsible for maintenance of the ball fi elds. At Quarry Park on the Midcoast, commit-ted volunteers have participated in every step of the playground’s development. And organizations like the Coastside Land Trust and the Sierra Club have organized wetland restorations and beach cleanups.
Top 10 Stories of the Year 2011 Year in Review 15Top 10 Stories of the Year
Boys & Girls Club of the Coastside(650)712-9710 • www.bgc-coastside.org
600 Church St., Half Moon Bay
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1994
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1996
Selling beautifulhomes since 1970.
LindaHollister
RealtorAlain Pinel Realtors
www.apr.com(650)868-0883
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1997
Bike Works520 Kelly Street, Half Moon Bay
726-6708 www.bikeworkshmb.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1994
Klaws, Paws & Hooves Montara
728-8070 • klawspawsandhooves.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1997
All Animal Mobile Veterinary Clinic Half Moon Bay • 726-3445
Coastside Net345 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
(650)712-5900 • www.coastside.net
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1997
11Another rough year at the helm of Cabrillo schools
Cabrillo Unifi ed School District administrators can count dozens of successes in the year just passed, including improving test scores and a rising private endowment to fund programs. But it was also a chal-lenging year for the largest local school system.
A 2010 parcel tax did not offset cuts at the state level. In February, CUSD board member Charlie Gardner said, "The next four to fi ve years won't be easy for Cabrillo Unifi ed School District. We'll have to make diffi cult cuts. We'll have to take a long, hard look at ourselves. It won't be pretty."
Among the responses was removing a dedicated principal from Farallone View Elementary School. Class sizes also rose with the new school year, prompting parents to complain at a recent school board meeting.
Then there was the matter of surveillance cameras at Half Moon Bay High School. School offi cials say they are necessary to counter a spike in fi ghts and other serious offenses, but they clearly upset some students. Someone vandalized the school with graffi ti aimed at administrators and the cameras. By the end of the 2010-2011 school year the issue had died down signifi cantly.
"It's kind of how America works," then-senior Taylor Nichols told the Review. "You get riled up about something and then it dies off.
Gardner provided the district’s biggest scare. In the fall, his family announced that he would be relin-quishing his seat on the school board due to a life-threatening illness. He was replaced by former sub-stitute teacher and longtime Coastsider Mario Vazquez. There was good news late in the year: Gardner returned home and could be seen walking around town.
2011 Year in Review Top 10 Stories of the Year16
Top 10 Stories of the Year
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2000
The UPS Store
80 N. Cabrillo Hwy., Suite Q
Half Moon Bay726-3091
Unique Clothing by Margo 545 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-6062
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1998
Alifano Technologies 225 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
560-0000 • www.alifano.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2000
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1998
I Make Bells512 Dolores Avenue, Half Moon Bay
726-5022 • [email protected]
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2000
Half Moon Bay Brewing Company390 Capistrano Road, Princeton-by-the-Sea(650)728-BREW • www.hmbbrewingco.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1999
Five Star Service� � � � �Top Producer
Vita Hall Realtor
Coldwell Banker www.vitahall.com
(650)823-9248 [email protected]
Absolute Flooring 510 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay
726-8141 • www.absolutefloors.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1999
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1999
Casey’s Cafe 328 Main Street #101, HMB
560-4880
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1999
It’s Italia 401 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
726-4444 www.itsitaliapizzeria.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1997
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2001
The Posh MoonThe Coastside’s French Conection since 2001
519 Main St., Half Moon Bay • 726-3821
FeminineClothing
•DazzlingJewelry
•Wonderful
Gifts
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2001
Café Capistrano7am-4pm Mon-Thur, 8am-7pm Fri/Sat/Sun
(650)726-7699 • 523 Church St, Half Moon Bay
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2002
“Wishing you a happy and prosperous new yearfrom all of us at Half
Moon Bay Joe’s”
Half Moon Bay Joe’s
2380 S. Cabrillo HighwayHalf Moon Bay(650) 560-9260
Half Moon
2380 S. Cabrillo Highway
Half Moon Bay
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2004
Dr. Eric ShapiraClinical Gerontologist - “Aging Specialist”
Counseling/Assessments(650)728-5827 • www.agingmentorservices.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2004
Butler GolfJust Driving in the Rain! WHY? Try our 3D Golf Simulator
90 World Wide Famous CoursesCall for Tee Times 650-726-2323
Harbor Village Mall
Heidi KuiperState Farm Insurance
507-A Purissima Street, Half Moon Bay726-1108
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2001
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2006
Cooking For Friends Spanish Paella, Roast Kahula Pigand Lobster Bake cooked on site!
Richard Poncini (650)740-8726 • www.cookingforfriends.net
appetizertable @LobsterBake
Sam’s Chowder House 4210 N. Cabrillo Hwy., Half Moon Bay
712-0245 • www.samschowderhouse.com
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2006
Disturbance8:45 p.m., Aug. 2Passersby reported a strange chemical smell coming from the garage of a house. A team of fi refi ghters and Sheriff’s deputies went inside to fi nd the smell was coming from several tablets of chlorine underneath a car that were supposed to be used in a swimming pool. County health inspectors were called out to dispose of the tablets.
Assault7:05 a.m., Aug. 1For unknown reasons, an intoxicated man picked an early-morning fi ght with an Allied Waste garbage man near the San Gregorio post offi ce. The man, a 39-year-old out of Colorado, started yelling and throwing punches, but the waste collector was eventually able to pin the man and restrain him on the ground. Both men suffered minor scrapes and bruises. Sheriff’s deputies arrived and arrested the attacker for public intoxication, assault and battery charges.
Tresspassing10:25 p.m., Aug. 20A person associated with the Mariners Church was spooked to fi nd the church’s front door was left unlocked and a faucet running in the women’s
restroom. Nothing had apparently been stolen from the church.
Rescue12:32 p.m., Sept. 5An adult man and his dog both fell off the side of a beach cliff north of Francis State Beach. The Sheriff’s Cliff and Dive rescue team rappelled down to save the man and canine.
Threats7:30 p.m., Sept. 12A woman reported that employees at a rental-car company had threatened her after she complained about the cleaning job they performed on her vehicle. She wanted the incident reported, although she declined to press charges.
Vandalism8:11 a.m., Sept. 8A car owner suspected that a lawnmower may have been responsible for shattering his car windshield. The car owner believed something hard shot out of the mower at his car, and he wanted compensation for the damage.
Disturbance5 p.m., Sept. 18Three mysterious duffel bags were left on the front lawn of a house. Inside the bags were trading
Caught in the actNotable, interesting, and often baffl ing
moments from this year's police log
cards and paintball gear.
Fraud12:44 p.m., Oct. 15A resident received a call from someone claiming to be from a U.S. Embassy. The caller said the resident’s grandson was in jail and needed bail money immediately. The resident believed the story and wired $6,500 to a location that turned out not to be an embassy. He later learned his grandson was not in jail and he had been scammed.
Vandalism5:10 a.m., Oct. 16Someone scrawled graffi ti on the side of two large pumpkins and a canopy tent at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. One large tent was also knocked over by someone, causing damage to the support poles.
Missing child1 a.m., Oct. 29A 14-year-old climbed out of a window of her parent’s house. She later called home to let her parents know she was fi ne.
Delinquency3 p.m., Nov. 7A girl’s boyfriend helped her play hooky by calling up Half Moon Bay High School and saying he was her stepfather and that she was sick. Sheriff’s deputies say the young man tried the scam at least twice.
Theft1:04 p.m., Nov. 4A hardware-store customer removed a paintbrush
from its package and switched it with a cheaper brand. The store clerks caught the individual and called Sheriff’s deputies. The matter has been forwarded to the district attorney’s offi ce.
Alcohol4:50 p.m., Jan. 1Two people were fi ghting on the boat docks at Pillar Point Harbor. One of the combatants told Sheriff’s deputies that he was working on his boat when the other man came up to him and quickly became belligerent. The other man didn’t dispute that account, and he said he traveled to the harbor for the sole purpose of causing trouble with the boat owner so that police would respond. He was very drunk and uncooperative, according to Sheriff’s reports. He was taken to jail.
Missing person9:56 p.m., Jan. 13A worried man reported his wife had gone missing after attending a meeting. She was later found sleeping in her parked vehicle.
Vandalism1:11 a.m., Feb. 5A homeowner heard three loud bangs outside his home late at night. When he went outside to see what happened, he saw someone had knocked over his motion detector and had thrown toilet paper all over the front of his house.
Battery3 p.m., Feb. 15A woman phoned police to report that a man she knew had smacked her with a belt during an argument. When offi cers arrived, they couldn’t
fi nd any bruises or injuries on her to back up her story. However, the man she was accusing of abuse had scratches all over his face. The woman was arrested on battery charges.
Hazard5:28 p.m., Feb. 16A fl are used by the U.S. Navy washed up on shore at the beaches along Miramar. The item was marked hazardous and included a warning for anyone who found it to contact police or fi re offi cials. The item was handed over to bomb experts with the Sheriff’s Offi ce.
Fraud1:45 p.m., Feb. 16A senior citizen was receiving phone calls from a man claiming to be her grandson. The caller pleaded with her to send money so he could get out of jail in Texas. Before sending the money, the woman called up her grandson and learned he actually wasn’t in jail or in Texas.
Probation violation10:22 a.m., March 11A police offi cer spotted an underage driver, known to be on probation, heading north on Highway 1. Police learned the 15-year-old had taken his parent’s car without permission, and they tried to follow him, but they couldn’t fi nd him. Police did fi nd another juvenile on probation who admitted he was hanging out with the illegal driver earlier. That teenager was caught with two cigars, which were confi scated.
Theft4:19 p.m., May 16
A homeowner invited an unfamiliar woman over to his house to eat brownies and watch TV. After a few hours of lounging around his place, two unknown men came by to pick up the woman. The two strangers left with the woman, and the homeowner noticed afterward that he was missing his car keys, cell phone and some cash. The man didn’t know the woman’s last name or where to fi nd her, but he did have her cell phone number.
Theft1:48 p.m., May 29Two neighbors were bickering over who owned a kitten. One resident told Sheriff’s deputies the cat came from a litter of kittens that her neighbor was neglecting. The kitten came to her porch with injuries, so she took the cat to the Peninsula Humane Society for help, and she later adopted it. The neighbors asked for her to return the cat, but she refused. Later, the neighbors moved away and around the same time the cat disappeared, so she assumed the family kidnapped it. But the cat was actually found at a different neighbor’s house, hiding under a bed.
Theft9:35 p.m., June 6Two people performed a “dine and dash” from the Miramar Beach Restaurant, but not before the wait staff had a good look at them. Restaurant employees called Sheriff’s deputies and gave them a description of the runaway diners. A short time later the deputies caught and identifi ed the suspects, and they were taken to jail.
2011 Year in Review Caught in the Act18
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2010
The Squash BlossomHMB Gear and Custom Embroidery
707 Mill Street, Half Moon Bay726-6300
The Squash BlossomThe Squash Blossom
Coastside CabinetsYour Coastside source for new cabinets and remodeling.
Give us a call!455 Ave. Alhambra # 1, El Granada
650-533-4330
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2008
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-25131890 1900 1910
20101920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Kellee’s Mobile Dog Grooming 650.747.0218 | 650.288.2418
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2008
Castellammare 406 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
712-1919
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Flavor Where Creativity and Comfort Collide
10151 Cabrillo Highway, El Granada726-8000 • www.flavoronthecoast.com
2011
Coastside Healing Arts 625 D Purissima St., Half Moon Bay
726-2900
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2007
Lisa Mandelbaum L.Ac, Dipl. O.M. NAET certifi ed
1890 1900 1910
20091920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Café de mi Abuelo (650)712-1456
www.coffeeofmiabuelo.com
Odyssey Pizzeria and CaféTake Out & Free Delivery, including HMB
2350 Carlos Street, Moss Beach(650)728-5151
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2009
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-25131890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2011
Patricia McKowenIndependent Beauty Consultant
Specializing in Anti-Aging Skin Careand Mineral Based Color
www.marykay.com/pattymckowen
1890 1900 1910
20071920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Raul Castillo Martial Arts 765 Main St., Half Moon Bay
560-0100 | www.raulcastillomartialarts.com
Dog Walking • House Sitting • Bonded/Insured
Posh Paws AdventuresAlana Kuiper, Owner
www.poshpawsadventures.com(650) 560-0119 • P.O. Box 2150, El Granada
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2011
Gherkin’sSandwich
Shop(650)728-2211
eatgherkins.com171 – 7th St., Montara
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
2011
Hastings HouseHastingsHouseWeddings.com
(650)726-2513
Caught in the Act
CERECO N E V I S I T C R O W N S
We are expanding our practice!
C. RAY SHEPPARD, DMDA professional corporationFamily Dentistry890 Main Street, Suite A, Half Moon Bay650.726.3355halfmoonbaysmiledesign.com
Welcome to Brian Sheppard, DDS
C. RAY SHEPPARD, DMDCERECO N E V I S I T C R O W N S
We are expanding our practice!
C. RAY SHEPPARD, DMDA professional corporationFamily Dentistry890 Main Street, Suite A, Half Moon Bay650.726.3355halfmoonbaysmiledesign.com
Welcome to Brian Sheppard, DDS
C. RAY SHEPPARD, DMD