Week in review

The move, while still extremely preliminary, could spell the end for the society's $1 a year lease for a patch of county-owned land at 12 Airport Blvd. just north of Coyote Point. It could also mean the end of the animal control contract between 20 cities and the county with the society.

In August of last year, the county revoked the lease and served the society a three-year eviction notice as the approximately $4.4 million yearly contract was negotiated. The current contract expires in 2006 and the county and PHS are in the midst of negotiating a two-year extension to 2008. The extension could be voted on by the Board of Supervisors by the end of the year.

A nonprofit, private agency, the Peninsula Humane Society takes in, rehabilitates, treats and adopts stray animals while providing some veterinary services. It also provides animal education and rehabilitates wildlife. With the animal control contract, it also oversees officers who pick up stray and injured animals.

'Stolen' dog, owner reunited

A San Mateo dog recently taken from his condominium complex is home and safe, his owner reported this week.

A witness reported seeing a brunette woman call Rusty by name just before driving off with the fluffy friendly dog in her gray sedan.

Wednesday, the mystery woman came forward, returned the dog and apologized to Phaler.

Following her morning routine, Phaler let the dog out on the grass in front of her Edgewater Isle condominium about 9:30 a.m. Nov. 22. Within 10 minutes, Rusty went missing.

One of Phaler's neighbors told her he saw a woman in the visitor parking area drive off with Rusty. The neighbor at first was not alarmed because he assumed Phaler knew the woman.

A woman identifying herself as "Justine" called Phaler and confessed that she had the dog. She told Phaler she had seen Rusty chasing a squirrel and was worried he would be hit by a car, so she took him home to play with her own terrier.

SpongeBobs snatched

Some greedy landlubbers are responsible for the recent theft of two gigantic inflatable SpongeBob SquarePants from Burger King restaurants in Redwood City.

And it just might be part of a national epidemic.

The two 9-foot by 4-foot inflatable TV character, who recent made the jump to the big screen in his own movie, were stolen from Burger King rooftops on Middlefield Road and El Camino Real.

The popular kitchen sponge who lives under the sea is number five at the box office and a big hit with thieves across the nation. Reports that people are sneaking onto the roofs of Burger Kings and stealing the lovable character to sell them on eBay are popping up across the nation.

The SpongeBob from the top of the El Camino Real Burger King disappeared on Nov. 12, a day after the release of the movie.

If caught, the thieves could face felony grand theft charges.

Finances in trouble, but school won't close

The San Mateo-Foster City School District Board told a standing-room-only crowd of parents Thursday night its money troubles extend beyond the possible closure of Beresford Elementary, citing it as one of many options to help bridge next year's $2 million budget gap.

The board put off a decision on the school's fate until at least next year. About 70 parents and teachers, mostly from Beresford, gathered at the meeting to urge the board not to close the school, and were told by the board that financing is a district-wide problem.

Its revenue is about $2 million short of its expenses next year and about $5 million short the year after, but figures are partly based on an undecided state budget.