Week in review

The event was timed to coincide with the deadline for filing federal income taxes.

The crowd milled about past booths selling T-shirts, and many carried American flags.

Just before 3 p.m., congressional candidate John Dennis, a Republican running for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s seat, had just wrapped up speaking and the crowd was waiting for former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina to take the stage.

Fiorina, also a Republican, is seeking to unseat U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-San Francisco.

A tea party event was also held in San Francisco’s Union Square from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Another event took place at the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo.

City yanks red-light camera

The city of San Carlos will lose its sole red-light camera in 18 months after the City Council Monday night unanimously agreed that it wasn’t needed at the current site and there is nowhere else they want to put it.

The council voted in favor, with councilmembers Andy Klein and Bob Grassilli dissenting.

Not to ignore potential public safety risks, councilmembers were quick to offer up alternatives. Klein suggested a dummy camera — "We put up fake owls” — while Councilman Omar Ahmad joked about using a hair dryer to mimic a radar gun.

But the council said their contract with Redflex, Inc. is no joke — especially when the city is losing more than $2,000 per month on a device that has done little good.

The camera sits at westbound Brittan Avenue and Industrial Road, an intersection that Mayor Randy Royce said had 11 accidents prior to the camera installation and 11 in the 17 months since.

Handyman guilty of murder

A former Menlo Park handyman prosecutors say fatally shot a Redwood City cabbie and attempted to kill a fellow passenger during a botched robbery six years ago is guilty of murder, a jury decided Tuesday.

The jury found Lousa Mataele, 37, guilty of first-degree murder with the special allegation it was committed during a robbery, attempted robbery with a firearm and attempted murder with a firearm  — charges that when taken together will send him to prison for life without the possibility of parole.

In finding Mataele guilty, the jury rejected the defense argument that Mataele was actually unaware during the shooting of driver Davinder Singh, 21, because of an epileptic disorder.

"I’m glad the 21st century version of the Twinkie defense did not win out,” prosecutor Joe Cannon said.

Defense attorney Gerritt Rutgers could not be reached for comment on the verdict. During the trial he also argued Mataele did not attempt to rob Singh and passenger Jaime Torres because items like money and cell phones were left in the cab when he fled.