From the archives

Drivers across the country would have been forced to lower their speeds in an attempt to save gas if Congress passed a bill introduced the week of July 12, 2008 by U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo.

Speier introduced her first bill, The Gasoline Savings and Speed Limit Reduction Act, which would have set a national speed limit at 60 mph in urban areas and 65 on less-populated stretches of highway. Speier’s introduction of the bill came on the heels of a similar suggestion by a Virginia senator the previous week.

“Americans need relief from the rising cost of gasoline now,” Speier said in a press release that week. “There is no need to wait for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries or the oil companies to help us out. Every driver can affect change simply by easing up on their right foot.”

City manager resigns

Millbrae City Manager Ralph Jaeck, 63, announced his resignation the week of July 12, 2008, after four years with the city. His last day was to be Sept. 30, 2008. Jaeck came to Millbrae in October 2004 during a time of numerous challenges, particularly financial.

“The city’s in good shape,” said Jaeck. “We’ve had a turnaround.”

A desire to spend more time with his family inspired the decision which was a surprise to Mayor Gina Papan.

“Ralph has been a tremendous asset to the workings of this city,” she said. “He has worked hard for us and at a significant personal sacrifice in that he has been separated from his family. We are sorry to lose him, but we understand his strong desire to be with his family. We are grateful for his dedicated service these many years. He has been a great asset to all of us. We will miss his exceptional skills and his diplomacy. I, personally, will miss his friendship and counsel.”

Vacant market site no more

Foodville owners in San Carlos inked a 30-year lease for the vacant Bell Market site the week of July 12, 2008, allowing the development of Bianchini’s

Brothers Chris and Kevin Bianchini, owners of Foodville on Laurel Street, signed a 30-year lease that week for Bell Market which closed in November 2006. The expanded space gave the family business a chance to create a store personalized for San Carlos.

Bianchini’s was the second location for the family which opened the first in Portola Valley in 1998.

Murder case spans two cities

A Tuesday morning shooting in Millbrae led to the discovery of dead body Thursday in Burlingame the week of July 12, 2008.

Jack Chu, 27, of Millbrae, was found Thursday morning of that week slumped in a car parked in a Burlingame neighborhood near Broadway. Police were following multiple leads, but have yet to make an arrest.

Burlingame police were called to investigate a dead body in white car at the intersection of Chula Vista and Sanchez avenues shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday of that week. They found Chu slumped over in the car, which matched the description of a car seen at a shooting Tuesday morning of that week in Millbrae, according to police.

On Wednesday of that week, police were called to investigate an early-morning report of a shooting at Lincoln Circle in Millbrae. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and seeing a person being pushed into a white car.

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