From the archives

The cheer of the grandstand crowd drowned the sound of the race announcer and carried to nearby neighborhoods. Drivers required 45 minutes to reach the race track from Highway 101, only to be turned away at a packed parking lot. Caltrain deposited droves of revelers at the race track’s gates.

Bay Meadows opened in 1934. Reports of the track closing had circulated for at least a decade. It became an almost certain fact that it would, in fact, close after Bay Meadows sold half its land to developers in the mid 1990s and moved the stables to the infield. For the prior seven years, developers worked with the city of San Mateo to pass a massive mixed-use development, replacing the 75-year-old track.

May 9, 2008 marked the final “Friday’s Alive” where hundreds of people gathered once a week for $1 grandstand entrance, $1 hot dogs and $1 beer.

Schools dodge tax trouble

To rectify flawed ballot language limiting the San Mateo Union High School District, property owners were to pay taxes for an additional 15 years to complete the goals of Measure M after the Board of Supervisors approved the change the week of May 9, 2008.

Voters passed Measure M, a $298 million bond measure, in 2006 which included language limiting the debt to 25-year bonds. Ordinarily, districts have the option of utilizing up to 40-year bonds. The voter-approved language restricts the district’s ability to fund the promised projects, said Superintendent David Miller. That week, the district successfully petitioned the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to amend the bond language allowing the use of both 25-year and 40-year bonds. The change extended taxpayer payments up to an additional 15 years — from 2037 to 2052 — but allowed the district to finish the original renovation plans.

Storm drain fee survey, research OK’d

A potential fee was set to go before property owners to raise $39 million toward storm drains after the Burlingame City Council approved a community survey and study the week of May 9, 2008.

On Monday of that week, the council approved a $44,232 contract for Willdan Financial Service to conduct the first phase of the plan of developing a storm drain fee — including a financial engineering study and public poll.

The fee was one of three options previously discussed by the City Council in February 2008 as a means for raising funds for storm drain needs.

Anti-moth twist ties canceled

Use of pheromone-treated twist ties to combat an invasive Australian moth — a less controversial alternative to the aerial spraying sparking widespread protest and health concerns — was put on hold in San Mateo County the week of May 9, 2008.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture notified the county that twist tie treatments for the Light Brown Apple Moth would not start the week of June 2, 2008 as planned. Instead, the ties slated for San Mateo, Foster City and Belmont were put on hold.

From the archives highlights stories originally printed five years ago this week. It appears in the Friday edition of the Daily Journal.