Local Briefs

The Sequoia Union High School District just had to look across the Bay for a new principal for Redwood High School.

The district named Marshall Burgamy as the new principal. Burgamy comes to the district from the Martinez Unified School District where he served as the director of alternative and continuing education. Burgamy raised $400,000 in grants while in this position.

The position became open when former principal Denise Plante left Redwood to be the new principal at Menlo-Atherton High in January. The administration change came after the last principal at Menlo-Atherton, Norman Estrada, requested reassignment to fill the director of English language development position at the district. Estrada has been filling in at Redwood as interim principal.

South City girl detained for strong-arm robbery

South San Francisco police apprehended one juvenile girl and questioned another after another young girl reported being hit on the head and having her cellular phone stolen.

At about 8:45 p.m. Monday, officers responded to the intersection of Callan Boulevard and King Drive after hearing reports of a strong-arm robbery, the South San Francisco Police Department reported.

The victim reportedly told officers that one of the suspects hit her in the head with a closed fist while the other stole her cellular phone, according to police.

The suspects ran away, however, one girl was detained near the 900 block of King Drive in Daly City.

The victim identified the girl as the person that robbed her. The suspect was found to be in possession of the stolen phone and was booked at juvenile hall on suspicion of strong-arm robbery, the department reported.

The second suspect was later identified and interviewed. She was released to her parents.

Lantos lambastes tax cuts

U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, denounced as "a one-two punch to the gut of middle-class Americans” the new Republican budget blueprint and the president’s signing of a tax cut for the wealthy wednesday.

"The Congressional majority leadership is plunging this country into endless debt and deficits,” said Lantos. "And at the same time, the President is caving in to an inveterate urge to slash taxes for the wealthy. It is no wonder that an overwhelming majority of the American people have lost confidence in the ability of Republicans to lead our nation. This one-two punch to the gut of middle-class Americans comes at a time when many are losing their pensions, cannot afford college or medical care, and are having trouble paying for a full tank of gas.”

The president signed legislation to provide $70 billion of tax cuts skewed to benefit upper-income taxpayers, Lantos said. Those who earn $60,000 will save an average of $110 per year, while those earning $250,000 will save $4,500, and those with an income of a million dollars or more will get $41,977, he added.

Also Wednesday, the House began debate on what Lantos has called "one of the most fiscally irresponsible budget blueprints of all time.” It reduces funding for veterans’ health care by $6 billion, education by $45.3 billion, public health by $18.1 billion and environmental protection by $25 million while racking up more than $1.1 trillion in debt over the next five years.<