Your Man Around Town! - September 07, 2016
A B C
It's easy as, 1 2 3
As simple as, do re mi
A B C, 1 2 3
- The Jackson 5
Do U LOL? We all have our morning routines. Some might get the kids ready for school. Some of us go to the gym. Others go to work, etc. Well, the other morning while eating breakfast before going to work, I read the August 29th issue of Sports Illustrated (SI). What caught my attention was a story (I read SI for the articles…really!) written by Steve Rushin, entitled, Initial Impressions. The basis for the article is how acronyms have become standard in today's world. Examples include: POTUS (President of the United States), LOL (Laughing out Loud), NBC (during the last Olympics - Nonstop Bob Costas), and in all of sports, it seems: RBI, IBB, WHIP, PAT, INT, FGM… The list goes on and on and on! The article suggests that because of texting shorthand, we are not always sure what each acronym stands for. Just ask the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)! In the end, it is inferred that texting may be rewriting our brains to value speed over accuracy. JMO!
Go Green! A while back, I wrote in one of my Council Corners about Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), and how all the cities in San Mateo County have joined together to form a JPA and provide energy to San Mateo County at a lower cost than what PG&E can offer. All while using no less than 50% renewables and 75% carbon-free! Good for us. Good for the environment.On September 6th, the City of Foster City, the City of San Carlos, and the County of San Mateo cosponsored a workshop for the community to learn more about Peninsula Clean Energy. Additional free workshops will be held throughout the county over the next month. All interested Foster City residents are invited and encouraged to attend! To get more details and to become an early adopter, visit www.peninsulacleanenergy.com.
Back to School Safety. Now that school is in full swing, we ALL need to be aware of kids walking or riding their bikes to and from school. As a part of this initiative, on September 22nd, from 8:25am to 3:00pm, the Foster City Police Department will be hosting a Bicycle Safety Event at Bowditch Middle School. The event will consist of seven 45 minute courses, taught to 100-150 students per class. If you are like me and many others in Foster City, we spend a lot of time in our cars - going to work, driving our kids to school or just running errands. So when we are out and about, please be aware of kids and all who ride bikes in our city and beyond. Be alert. Don't text while driving. We all thank you!
Community Bike Ride. It's that time of year again, the 26th Annual Foster City Community Bike Ride! Brought to you by the Parks & Recreation Department, Parks & Recreation Committee, and Police Department, the event is scheduled for September 20, 2016, beginning at 10:00am at Boothbay Park. We invite individuals of all ages and sizes to come – from tots to teens to adults – join in on this ride! Don't forget, bike safety first! Free bike and helmet safety checks will be provided, along with water and treats at the halfway point and finish line.
Play (Bocce) Ball! As I write this Council Corner, our bocce team, the Winos (Wining Is Not Our Strategy), consists of three couples with a common goal. No, not drinking wine! We are an enthusiastic group of long-time Foster City residents ... living in the wonderful area of Northern California where wine is abundant. We enjoy each other's company with many nights of dinners with excellent wine!! Why not enjoy some of the best views of Foster City's while enjoying a game of bocce with our favorite drink! A great way to get a bit of exercise, get to know some other Foster City residents, and continue to nature our long standing relationships with additional fond memories, and, win or lose – we all have fun.A special thank you to Oz Jimenez who has worked for our Parks & Recreation department for many years and runs a great bocce program!
A Little Light Reading. I am delighted to announce that the Foster City Chamber of Commerce just released, via their website (www.fc-livinglocal.com), the exciting 2016-2017 edition of theliving!LOCAL City Guide. As the City Council liaison to the Chamber and a long-time resident, I am very proud of the look and feel of this award winning publication. Foster City is very proud of the businesses we have in town - big and small! They are important to our future and we should support them. Remember to shop local!
Knowing Is Half the Battle. September is National Preparedness Month. A proclamation will be signed at the September 19, 2016 City Council Meeting, proclaiming September as National Preparedness Month in Foster City. "The City of Foster City is committed to educating the community about hazards in Foster City and providing the tools and strategies needed to prepare for those disasters," says Jenelle Masterson, Foster City's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. "If individuals, families, and organizations take just small steps to prepare an emergency communication plan, assemble necessary items into an emergency kit, or obtain basic disaster skills training through our free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program, then we will have a community that can help each other, rather than needing help, in a disaster."
No One Fights Alone. September is also being recognized as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. At the September 19, 2016 City Council Meeting, a proclamation will also be presented designating September as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Foster City is joining communities across the nation to bring increased attention on this frequently occurring malignancy. As the second-leading cause of cancer death in men, it is important that we advocate for greater education on prostate cancer, encouraging men to make informed health decisions, including regular testing/screening for early detection.
Class of 2016. The Sports Wall of Fame (SWOF) located in Sea Cloud Park is dedicated to recognizing outstanding contributions and commitment to Foster City in the spirit of sportsmanship, athletics, and teamwork. On September 24th, at 10am, come to Sea Cloud Park to celebrate the 14th annual ceremony as we celebrate our newest inductees: Rick Barrientos, Dennis Millstein, Michael Pangalos, and Reynold Zalles. Congratulations to the class of 2016!
ICYMI or JOOT, there are a lot of good things happening in FC. You can find out by going to www.fostercity.org.
If you wish to comment or share your thoughts, please contact me at gpollard@fostercity.org or 650-286-3505.
BFN!!
Gary
