Fire Evacuation Drill This Saturday

If you haven't already seen it, you'll soon be receiving a signed memo from Mayor Clarke Conway notifying the community about this Saturday's Wildland Fire Evacuation Drill. This is actually the fourth time where North County Fire Authority (NCFA) and the Brisbane Office of Emergency Services have come together to simulate an ordered evacuation of an area in upper Brisbane. This year, Sierra Point Rd. (between Humboldt & San Benito Rd.) will be evacuated, although all residents of Brisbane are heavily encouraged to participate.

Why take the time, you may ask? Well a couple years ago, residents didn't have a chance to wait for the Evacuation Drill to come around the following weekend to see what an evacuation in town would look like. A little before 7:30pm on Sunday, June 22, 2008, a fire that would end up requiring 30 fire companies to come from all over the Penisula ignited on the northern side of San Bruno Mtn.

Homes on Trinity narrowly escaped the flames, with the blaze quickly licking up the steep pitches of Owl and Buckeye Canyons. Click here to read the rest of the story...and the reason why participating in a Drill likes this is so important! If you're interested in reading more about the 2008 fire on San Bruno Mtn., click here for the recap.

Starting at approximately 9am, Police will start the evacuation of Sierra Point Residents using loud speakers. Listen for the evacuation order and head to either the Sierra Point Yacht club (if you choose to evacuate by car, 500 Sierra Point Parkway), or to the Community Park (if you choose to evacuate on foot) where you will be checked in at a Residential Assembly Point.

And if you haven't done so already, all residents are encouraged to sign up for SMC Alert. SMC Alert is an alert notification system the City will use to immediately contact all those subscribed during an emergency situation. To sign up, click here.

We hope to see many Brisbane residents out and participating this Saturday! Should you have any questions before then, please contact our Director of Emergency Services, Randy Breault at (415) 508-2131 or Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Frank Panacci at (650) 991-8138.

Great Feats

It was a beautiful sight in Brisbane yesterday, with bicyclists seen riding down Bayshore Blvd., Old County Rd., and then some over Tunnel Ave. Bridge towards Lagoon Rd., and then along Sierra Point Parkway. They were all participating in Bike to Work Day, which was again a fabulous success in Brisbane. 682 bicyclists passed through Brisbane's Energizer Stations...an increase of over 36% from the year before! These four bicyclists are on their way to the Energizer Station located at Tunnel Ave. & Lagoon Rd. (accompanied by a northbound Caltrain!).

Volunteers distributed goodie bags, snacks, and water to keep everyone hydrated and feeling good.

(L to R): Carlos Babcock, Community Advocacy Coordinator from the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Susan Maynard Sullivan, avid cyclist who bikes to work regularly, Mitch Bull, Executive Director from the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce, and Brisbane residents Nancy Lacsamana and Dee Sano volunteered their time at the event.

Thank you to all who helped to make the 16th Bike to Work Day such a great experience to all those who participated! May 2o11 draw even more participants!

And if you want to make biking a bigger part of your life, then take part in the Car-Free Challenge.

The Car-Free Challenge is a weeklong event from June 1-7 where people from California and around the country set and reach a personal low mileage goal. It raises the awareness of the need for better options for walking, biking, and public transportation and it also raises funds for TransForm, an award-winning nonprofit, to fight for world-class public transportation and walkable communities at the regional, state, and federal levels. Register by May 20th and you may be rewarded for going car-free or just driving less. For more information, click here.

May 16th-22nd is National Public Works Week, a celebration of the tens of thousands of men and women in North America who provide and maintain the infrastructure and services collectively known as public works. They are the ones responsible for ensuring your toilets flush, water comes out of your tap, your roads are sealed and safe for driving, trash receptacles are emptied, lawns and bushes are kept trim, and your kids have a safe walking route to school across Visitacion. Though their shirts are bright yellow, the service they provide is meant to be "invisible" - no news is good news to them! But in the coming week, let them know you recognize their great work and service to the community!

And last but not least, we wanted to make you aware of two events taking place at the Marina this weekend. On Saturday, May 15th from 8am-4pm, the Bay Area 02 Swap and Show is coming to Brisbane. This is the group's 10th year putting on the event, where BMW enthusiasts can come show their vintage BMW models and spectators can stroll along the grassy area at the Marina and share in the fun, enjoy some tacos, and the great weather!

If Saturday fun at the Marina wasn't enough, then come back on Sunday between 8am-4pm, where there will be a benefit car show for UCSF's Pediatric Epilepsy Center. The Sierra Point Yacht Club will also host an open house during those times. Both events are free and open to the public, so take advantage of all the great opportunities to enjoy Brisbane!

Minding the Future

May 3rd marked the start of the 2010 summer ozone seaon. During the summer months when ground-level ozone, or "smog," concentrations exceed federal health-based standards, the Bay Area Air District declares a Spare the Air Day, encouraging individuals to reduce their carbon emissions by such acts as carpooling and taking public transit. The Spare the Air Alert Status Box to the left will indicate each Spare the Air Day. You may also sign up to receive Spare the Air Smog Alerts sent to you via e-mail. Whatever method you choose, mind the environment, and spare the air, every day.

Another way you can mind the air, is by biking to work! And next Thursday, May 13th, thousands of Bay Area residents will be doing just that as they celebrate the 16th Annual Bike to Work Day. Brisbane will have two Energizer Stations, one at Tunnel Ave. & Lagoon Rd., the other across the way at Bayshore & Old County Rd. Click here to view a map of all the Bay Area Energizer Stations, where you can refuel and pick up other bike-friendly swag.

Starting on Monday, May 10th, the City will begin its annual weed abatement program. To ensure the continued safety of our City streets and public walkways, contractors will working throughout the month of May trimming and maintaining the weeds, shrubs, and trees along our City streets and public trails. To check the locations and maintenance dates, please click here.

Please get your Community Surveys in to City Hall as soon as possible. We've begun tabulating the responses and need to hear from as many residents as possible! The survey was mailed with your most recent water bill. If you need another copy mailed to you, please come to City Hall or e-mail Caroline at ccheng@ci.brisbane.ca.us to have one e-mailed to you.

Some Brisbane youths are getting their first chance to perform on stage before a live audience in BDW's Spring Performance, Kas Ka Ra, and they will be doing so before a SOLD OUT HOUSE. All four performances are now sold out...but look for more information in the coming months about their annual fundraising event...set to take place sometime this Fall. It's BDW's one fundraising event of the year, and by donating, you'll be minding the future of arts in Brisbane!

**Please see the previous post to see an update to the date of the Police Department's Town Hall Meeting.**

A Time to Gather

A reminder about tomorrow's Bike Safety Workshop taking place in the Community Center (bottom level of the Library - 250 Visitacion) at 7:00pm. A 90-min. interactive bicycle safety presentation will be presented by a certified bike instructor from the League of American Bicyclists. Register by email to victorino@smcl.org. And don't forget to show up on time to score one of 25 goody bags!

With summer rolling in, it's never too early to save dates on the calendar. Make sure you mark June 14th down for a Town Hall Meeting, hosted by the Brisbane Police Department. Come to the Community Meeting Room located at City Hall at 7:00pm that Monday to engage in conversations about traffic safety, parking issues in town, and any other concerns you'd like to raise with your BPD officers. This is an open, "round-table" discussion, so take advantage of it!

There's a City Council meeting taking place TONIGHT, and looking at the agenda, there is much to discuss. Come and be informed on what's going on in your City! And if you can't make it, remember that you can always tune in online on the City's website, where Ch. 27 is streaming 24/7. Click here to start watching now!

Putting Our Best Foot Forward

If you've ever spent any time around Cub Scouts, you'd know that their motto is "Do Your Best". And whether they're focusing on citizenship training, character development, or personal fitness, you can bet that they're doing just that.

Brisbane's Cub Scout pack #134 led the flag salute and Pledge of Allegiance at a City Council meeting earlier this year, with 2010 marking the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. In case you haven't heard how the Boy Scouts got started, Chicago publisher William D. Boyce in 1909 lost his way in a dense London fog. A boy came to his aid, but refused a tip. He explained to Boyce that as a Scout, he was doing a Good Turn. This gesture by an unknown Scout inspired a meeting with Robert Baden-Powell, the British founder of the Boy Scouts. As a result, William Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910.

And it's with this kind of civic duty in mind that Brisbane's Cub Scout pack #134 operates, which it has been since its inception in the early 1940s. The Skyline Pacific Council, of which pack #134 is a part of, teaches 8,000 young people the importance of duty to our Country, service to others, learning life skills...and couldn't do so without the support of over 2,500 volunteers. If you would like to support Brisbane's active Cub Scouts pack #134, please contact Nancy Lacsamana at (415) 467-1364.

Speaking of volunteers, we want to extend a big THANK YOU to the many volunteers who made it out to last weekend's Habitat Restoration Day at Costanos Canyon.

To view more photos from last Saturday, please click here.

It's time for the Brisbane Dance Workshop's Spring Performance!

This year's production, KAS KA RA, is an original dance/theater production written by Louisiana natives Craig Landry and BDW artistic director Camille Olivier-Salmon. Traveling to a Cajun Festival, a mother and her daughters find themselves lost in a magical swamp. With the help of talking catfish, and dancing fireflies, the journey makes you laugh and cry and wish you had another bowl of gumbo!

KAS KA RA will be performed at Mission Blue (475 Mission Blue Dr., Brisbane). Performances are Saturday May 22nd 3:30pm and the Gala Benefit is that night at 7:30pm. Show times on Sunday the 23rd are 12:30pm and 3:30pm. Advance tickets can be purchased after May 1st by calling 467-8751. Click here for more information and to read more about BDW.

And we wanted to remind you about the fundraiser this evening benefitting Citizens for a Brisbane High School. In addition to enjoying a pizza buffet at Mama Mia, you'll be able to purchase raffle tickets for the chance to win an Xbox 360. Tickets are $2 each or 6 for $10. Don't miss these fabulous and tasty happenings in Brisbane!

Mid-Week Blogworthy News

Brisbane will be featured tomorrow night on CBS's "Eye on the Bay", Ch. 5 at 7:00pm! The segment is called "Point A to B Brisbane to Miramar", and will depict Brian Hackney's road trip between the cities of Brisbane and Half Moon Bay. Tune in to see shots of our "star-studded" town, not to mention Brisbane Hardware and Lettieri & Co. (importer of fine food and wine). And should you happen to miss it, the episode will be posted in its entirety on the "Eye on the Bay" website after it airs...and most likely, here on the blog.

And we wanted to inform you of some Friday events, before our usual end-of-the-week update. A "Job Hunters Boot Camp" will be taking place Friday morning from 10am - 2pm at the South San Francisco Convention Center (255 S. Airport Blvd.). Attendees will be able to meet directly with representatives from Peninsula Works, the State Employment Development Department, local HR managers, and career coaches. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

After you've worked up an appetite on Friday evening, stop by Mama Mia (35 Visitacion Ave.) between 5:30pm-9:00pm for a pizza buffet and help support the Citizens for a Brisbane High School's fundraising efforts. $8 for 12 and older, $5 for 12 and under. For pizza, salad, and a drink...that's a good deal.

And you'll get another good deal when you purchase tickets for an All You Can Eat Cinco de Mayo Taco Night! Come to Mission Blue Center on May 5th between 6:00pm-9:00pm and help support the Brisbane Blast U13 Girls Soccer Team. They're trying to raise funds to be able to compete in the Donosti Cup in San Sebastian, Spain. The girls will be serving fresh grilled chicken and carne asada tacos, pozole (a traditional Mexican corn and pork soup), homemade salsas, rice and beans, and drinks. Contact Ken Walker at brisbane101@gmail.com or (415) 990-8005 to reserve tickets...and do so soon, before they blast out!

Ways to Get Involved (and Score Some Goodies Along the Way)!

Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow, Sat. April 24th, marks the 7th Annual Habitat Restoration Day. The site of this year's restoration project is Constanos Canyon, so please meet at Humboldt and Placer at 9am if you plan on coming! From 9am - 1pm, volunteers will be helping to remove invasive plants, thereby allowing native plants to grow and thrive. As you can see from the photos below of some of last year's volunteers, it's a great event for youths, an opportunity to spend time with your kids, and plus...you'll go home knowing you did a great work for the community (with a new t-shirt to show for it!).

Another place where the youth can spend their time is on the new new San Mateo County Library "eBranch". The site launched last week in conjunction with National Library Week. New features of the eBranch are: the Kids Site homepage, the Teen Site homepage, and the Brisbane Library Landing Page. This landing page features detailed information about the Brisbane Library's features, partnerships, and upcoming workshops. For instance, on Tuesday, May 4th at 7pm, the Brisbane Library will be hosting a Bike Safety Workshop, sponsored by the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance. It's led by a certified bike instructor from the League of American Bicyclists who will provide:

• An interactive bicycle safety presentation.
• Information on the current traffic laws for bicyclists and drivers, bicycle maintenance, maps and booklets.
• Information about Bike to Work Day, and commute alternatives and incentives for a "greener" Peninsula.

Register two days before the workshop, and be entered to win a $25 gift card from a local bike shop (must be present to win!)! Register at the Library, or call (650) 591-8286 x237, or e-mail victorino@smcl.org. Oh, and one more thing - goody bags will be provided to the first 25 attendees per workshop so make sure you register and stop by the Library at 7pm, May 4th!