Week in review

Early retirees, former employees who retired before 65, previously were provided health care from the same pool as current employees. Last year, the Board of Trustees decided to separate the group of about 70 people to save the district money. The decision meant dramatically higher health care costs for a small, angry group of people and now concerns current employees who were considering early retirement. Although appreciative of a number of concessions the district made in December, the group argues that the only true solution is to have one pool for health care options for all employees, current and past. In an effort to make that happen, the teachers formed READ, Retired Employees Against Discrimination.

Nanette Uribe spoke to the Board of Trustees first Thursday night announcing the group’s formation and informed the district that READ would be requesting a meeting with Laurence to discuss possible solutions.

Jewelry dealer robbed at hotel

A high-end jewelry dealer was robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Burlingame Wednesday morning, said police Capt. Mike Matteucci.

The dealer had flown in from New York and was on his way to conduct business in San Jose and Sacramento when two men approached him from behind, one with a gun and the other wearing a mask.

Matteucci described the suspects as "professional thieves.”

"It was organized, not random. It’s what they do,” Matteucci said about the jewelry thieves, who got away with about $100,000 in stolen goods.

Jewelry dealers are robbed in Burlingame about once a year, Matteucci said.

The victim was robbed at about 11:45 a.m. as he was loading items into the trunk of his car at the Airport Boulevard hotel, Matteucci said.

The dealer, 31, was approached by the two men while a third suspect waited in a getaway car. One of the suspects brandished a small, silver handgun and demanded the dealer’s jewelry. In addition to a bag full of jewelry, the dealer’s watch, cell phone, car keys and miscellaneous document were also taken during the robbery, Matteucci said.

The suspects fled from the area headed north on Bayshore Highway in a silver, 4-door vehicle with paper plates.

Parents bash idea to buy old school

Buying back a previously-closed school to meet growing enrollment and administrative needs is unnecessary and a potential waste of money that should be dedicated to bettering educational opportunities for children, Burlingame residents told school officials Tuesday night.

Talks of buying back a now-vacant Hoover Elementary School at 2220 Summit Drive began as a possible means to meet administrative needs. Enrollment projections mean the space could create another solution for the district. Residents, however, were not sold on the purchase. On Tuesday, the Burlingame Elementary School District Board of Trustees took input from the residents on the potential purchase of the site. Those in attendance thought the discussion would benefit from real numbers and said the space was unneeded. The board will discuss and possibly take action on the topic in March.

Parent Ian Frelin said the issue was simple and he offered the district the same advice he applies at home, "Suck it up and work with what you got. Don’t use our kids’ money to make your facilities more comfortable.”

Pot bill sparks debate

A bill that allows recreational pot use for adults passed out of committee 4-3 Tuesday with Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, being the swing vote.

Hill voted "yes” on the bill despite being urged to vote "no” on it by the California Police Chiefs Association, of which San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer is the acting president.

Manheimer, who spoke to the committee Tuesday, was not pleased with the vote.

"It is unconscionable that the state would try to balance its budget by approving the use of mind-altering substances,” Manheimer said.

State tax collectors have estimated the bill could bring in nearly $1.4 billion in revenue.

The assemblyman said, though, he only voted in favor of the bill so dialogue could continue on the issue in Sacramento, not because he favors recreational use of the drug.

"I would not vote for this bill on the floor, if we faced it today,” Hill said. "But it deserves a proper airing. ‘Just say no’ isn’t working.”

Hill is concerned conversation about legalizing marijuana would be clouded by messages from the group behind The Tax and Regulate Cannabis 2010 campaign.

The initiative needs 434,000 signatures to qualify for the November ballot and its backers have indicated the signatures are already in place.