The Bay Area Trails Collaborative—a group of more than 50 member organizations, businesses and agencies, including @railstotrails and San Mateo County Parks—recently unveiled their new map of the 2,590-mile trail network that is developing in our region. This massive network is connecting existing and expected trails to better connect the Bay Area via bike and pedestrian routes, as well as support the region’s health, economy and environment.

On January 8, 2022 the Governor issued a statewide Executive Order (N-2-22) prohibiting price gouging in the sale of at-home COVID testing kits. It is operative through March 31, 2022. It generally prohibits anyone who sold at-home testing kits as of December 1, 2021 from increasing prices by greater than 10 percent. Anyone selling testing kits who did not sell them as of December 1, 2021 is prohibited from charging 50 percent greater than what they paid for the kit themselves. Violating the Executive Order is a misdemeanor violation of Government Code section 8665, which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both. This would also constitute a violation of the Unfair Competition Law. Please report illegal price gouging in San Mateo County to our Consumer & Environmental Unit.  A complaint form can be obtained by calling (650) 363-4651.  State and spell your name and address on the recording and a complaint form will be mailed to you.  You can also fill out the consumer complaint form.  Completed complaint forms should be emailed to smda@smcgov.org, sent by US mail to San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, 400 County Center, 3rd Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063 or delivered to our office.               

On January 5th, 2022, Jose Nunez, Vice Chancellor of Facilities for the the San Mateo County College District pled nolo contendere to two counts of the Education Code section 7054 felony: Use of Community College District resources for political purposes (the election of candidate Mohr for District Board and the bond measure for District projects). The defendant’s pleas were conditioned on his testifying fully and truthfully if called to testify as a witness in any proceeding or trial related to the DA’s Office ogoing investigation of the Community College District. There was no sentence limitation and the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 3 years, 8 months in state prison for the two felony convictions. The case was continued to July 15, 2022 8:30 to set a date for sentencing. The remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea bargain for truthful testimony. The defendant remains out of custody on his own recognizance.

In 2022, the Flood Park project will transition from reimagining to realizing a new park for the community. Building upon the vision developed for Flood Park in 2015, we will ask the community to join us again to help design the 2020 Landscape Plan features. Beginning in early February and continuing to the fall, we will host a variety of events, including meetings, community events and online activities to gather your ideas.

With intensifying drought and wildfires across Northern California, officials and first responders are promoting a “Know Your Zone" campaign, which encourages residents to enter their address into the Zonehaven platform to identify the zone in which they live. The zone code will be used when alerting the public and coordinating 'hyperlocal' evacuations during fire and other extreme weather events.

Park staff patrol parking lots, but taking your own precautions against theft is always advised. Familiarize yourself with precautions you can take to protect your valuables and vehicle.

San Mateo County Parks Department’s Natural Resource Manager, Hannah Ormshaw, was recently named the department’s assistant director. Ormshaw’s extensive background in natural resource management will be instrumental as the department implements its Wildfire Fuel Management Program and develops and implements plans that protect sensitive species while also providing recreational access across more than 16,000 acres throughout San Mateo County.

The project to convert Tunitas Creek Beach into San Mateo County's newest park moves ahead as community members weigh in on aesthetic details and learning opportunities for the preferred design.

  BAY AREA PROSECUTORS JOIN FORCES TO COMBAT ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFTAs Organized Retail Thieves Turn to New Tactics,  Bay Area Prosecutors Form Alliance to Ensure Accountability STOCKTON – Today, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe announced an alliance between Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, Marin, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara counties, law enforcement, and state agencies to combat the recent increase in organized retail theft. Each office has pledged a prosecutor to collaborate and participate in the joint effort.    

Redwood City — Striving for excellence, one call at a time. The San Mateo County Office of Public Safety Communications 9-1-1 dispatch center is being recognized by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for emergency medical dispatching

At their November 9 meeting held via video conference, the Board of Supervisors certified the Off-Leash Dog Recreation Pilot Program IS/MND and approved the pilot that will introduce off-leash dog access at Quarry Park and Pillar Point Bluff, on a trial basis. At the November 16 Board of Supervisors meeting, the ordinance allowing the pilot will be read into the County ordinance code.