Hey there, San Mateo! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Bay Area Connect Conference and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: How do billboards talk? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Car Fire Shuts Down Road In San Mateo: Police (patch.com) — Drivers in San Mateo faced a closure on 31st Avenue after a vehicle caught fire between West Hillsdale Boulevard and 28th Avenue, prompting a full emergency response. Police urged motorists to avoid the area while firefighters extinguished the blaze and cleared the scene, and no injuries were reported. The road remained shut with no immediate estimate for reopening, affecting neighborhood traffic.
2. San Mateo County Students Lock Phones Away, Then Panic Hits During Lockdown (newsbreak.com) — Students at San Mateo High and other district campuses now must keep their phones locked in signal-blocking pouches all school day, and a recent shelter-in-place at Aragon High has intensified worries about staying connected in emergencies. District leaders say they'll unlock pouches in evacuations but want phones silent during active threats, as they comply with California's new Phone-Free School Act.
3. Terence Frances Wenzl (padailypost.com) — Family and friends in San Mateo are invited to honor Terence Frances Wenzl at a funeral Mass on Friday, October 16, at St. Bartholomew Church on Alameda de las Pulgas, with a Rosary beforehand. Wenzl, remembered for his work for justice, housing for the poor, and his storytelling and music, died peacefully in Daly City last month and leaves a large, loving family.
4. San Mateo Co.: Former 49Ers Executive Charged In Alleged $1.4M Kickback Scheme On County Construction Projects (newsbreak.com) — San Mateo County residents are learning that a former San Francisco 49ers executive and a contractor have been charged in an alleged $1.4 million kickback scheme tied to construction at the San Mateo County Event Center, home of the county fair. Prosecutors say county tax dollars were involved in the projects, while both men have pleaded not guilty and remain jailed on substantial bail.
5. Deadly E-Bike Crashes Shaped 3 New California Safety Laws. Here's What They Do (patch.com) — San Mateo County will launch a new pilot law letting authorities fine parents $25 if children under 12 ride certain lower-speed e-bikes, following two tragic local crashes. Alongside this, statewide rules will add speedometers, lights, sidewalk speed limits, and crackdowns on high-speed e-motos, raising questions about enforcement and whether these measures improve safety or over-police young riders.
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Ok San Mateo! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "How do billboards talk?" — Sign language (Thank you Ellen S. for sending it in!)
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