The reportersaEUR(TM) notebook

Who says comedy and politics make odd bedfellows needs to meet Mike Larsen. The communications director for U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, is leaving the post at the end of the month to pursue writing opportunities. His gig prior to heading to Washington? Television comedy writer.

***

Depending on whether Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi kept Congress in session late last night over reconciling the historic health care bill passed Sunday night, a handful of organizations and constituents have expressed an interest in welcoming Speier when she arrives at San Francisco International Airport this afternoon to thank her for her vote to pass the bill.

***

To alleviate the packed crowd at the San Carlos budget study session held at the library Monday night, Mayor Randy Royce told the audience it could also watch the proceedings broadcast into Council Chambers. An added bonus? Royce said they were free to sit in their seats on the dais.

At the same meeting, during a discussion about potentially outsourcing fire and police service, a siren blared outside the library. Some in the audience chuckled; maybe it was a sign.

***

The Academic Senate at the College of San Mateo voted to reconvene a Program Implementation Viability committee to review recommendations as to which courses should be radically modified, consolidated or even eliminated due to enrollment issues and state budget constraints. The committee is made up of CSM faculty members and will be tasked with reviewing previous recommendations on course offerings by mid-April and will ultimately present its findings to the San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees. Some course offerings, such as German, have already been eliminated. Journalism and other digital media classes may also be subject to elimination or consolidation based on the PIV committee’s findings.

***

The Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance is offering a "green” incentive to commuters who pledge to take public transportation during Earth Day week — a free TransLink card loaded with $10 in value.  

The Alliance’s promotion called "Give the Earth a Rest, Drive Less!” takes place April 19-23.  

Free TransLink cards, loaded with $10, will be given to the first 500 eligible participants who apply for them. TransLink cards can already be used to pay fares on Caltrain, BART, Muni, AC Transit, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry and should be accepted on SamTrans buses later this year. For more information go to www.commute.org.  

***

It’s the time of year again — seal pups start coming to shore.

The Marine Mammal Center reminds people along the California coast to leave seals be and give harbor seal pups a chance by not picking them up or disturbing them. The Leave Seals Be public education campaign encourages people to keep their distance when they see a sick or abandoned seal pup, and to take action by calling the Center’s 24-hour response hotline at (415) 289-7325 or 289-SEAL. The Center can then monitor the pup to see if the mother returns and conduct a rescue if needed.

"Our mission is to expand knowledge about marine mammals, their health and that of their ocean environment, as well as to inspire their global conservation,” said Jeff Boehm, executive director of The Marine Mammal Center. "By rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured marine mammals, such as these vulnerable harbor seal pups, we also improve our understanding of the health of the oceans and, ultimately, inspire action and foster stewardship towards the care of our environment.”

The reporters’ notebook is a weekly collection of facts culled from the notebooks of the Daily Journal staff. It appears in the Thursday edition.