Millbrae’s Best Western El Rancho Inn, located at 1100 El Camino Real, is winding down operations and not taking any new reservations to prepare for a formal April 22 property handover and upcoming May demolition that will result in a new 384-unit housing development, City Manager Tom Willia…

The race underway to be the next assessor-county clerk-recorder and chief elections officer between a department insider and a county supervisor has become one of the most charged campaigns for the June election.

The Peninsula Health Care District, in partnership with Blue Zones, the global leader in longevity research and community well-being transformation, will officially launch a major new health initiative for San Mateo County with a public kickoff event Tuesday, April 7, at the College of San M…

Belmont residents gave mixed feedback on a neighborhood proposal during a recent Parks and Recreation Commission discussion, with the meeting also serving as a send-off for the department’s longtime leader.

A man was arrested for a series of copper cable thefts from essential telecommunications infrastructure throughout San Mateo County, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Almost three weeks since Foster City got hit with a cyberattack, it’s still in the process of regaining full access to its network, however, many services have been restored, according to a recent city statement. 

Still no change — Someone broke into a storage unit and stole a coin collection on East Bayshore Road in Redwood City; it was reported 11:55 a.m. Thursday, April 2.

A recent study shows that Highway 101 congestion has improved since the express lanes were implemented, though some leaders and experts cast doubt that the data paints an accurate portrayal of traffic patterns.

Millbrae is continuing to flesh out details of a future paid parking program for downtown, discussing potential rates, the possibility of building a parking garage and concerns around vehicle overflow in nearby residential neighborhoods. 

A full-scale renovation of San Bruno’s downtown is too expensive to occur any time soon, councilmembers said, though they expressed interests in smaller upgrades like new streetlights, a community bulletin board and new wayfinding signs. 

At local card room and San Bruno institution Artichoke Joe’s Casino, new California rules essentially banning blackjack are prompting major concerns, both for the business itself and for the city that relies on its tax revenue. 

SamTrans leadership approved increases to its capital budgets for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, adding almost $47 million to fund infrastructure upgrades for its zero-emission buses, facility repairs, safety management platforms and artificial intelligence initiatives. 

Bomb experts removed explosives from the home of a San Bruno man suspected of selling drugs and illegal firearms, police said Friday.

March Madness — Five kids threw a ball at a vehicle on North Humboldt Street in San Mateo, it was reported 9 a.m. Sunday, March 29.

The Burlingame ice cream parlor Preston’s, located in the Broadway business district, is fundraising to turn its iconic neon sign back on. 

A discussion about increasing the county’s current maximum tax rate was taken off the agenda of the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting shortly after it was published. 

They drinkin’ whiskey and rye? — Multiple people were going in and out of a blue Chevrolet on Bridgepointe Circle in San Mateo; it was reported 11:48 p.m. Monday, March 30.

A program through the San Mateo County Community College District is leading students affected by the juvenile justice system into higher education, an over-decade model for interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline throughout the state.

When a little girl came up at a park to Jessica Puccinelli’s son and showed a curiosity in learning more about how he communicates, the San Mateo-raised mom instantly recognized the importance of sharing her son’s story and experience with autism with the world. 

Began in 1860 by Thomas Hayes, the Market Street Railway ran horse-cars and became MUNI’s biggest competitor later when MUNI tried to acquire the property and right of ways for a coordinated system throughout the city.

Michael Ku was named the new fire chief for the city of San Bruno, after a long career serving the department.

A significant amount of methamphetamine, packaging materials, scales, paraphernalia and several guns and ammo were found at a home in San Bruno Tuesday morning leading to one arrest.

Firefighters worked to put out a fire outside a cargo building at San Francisco International Airport on Friday afternoon in an area away from the main passenger terminals.

Burlingame celebrated the opening of its long-awaited town square April 2, inviting residents to enjoy the new open space with Champagne, face painting and a silent disco party after councilmembers past and present cut an honorary ribbon. 

A little over a month after BART laid out its tentative plan to close 15 stations if it didn’t receive funding, Caltrain also warned it could close one-third of all stations and eventually shut down passenger service altogether. 

With San Mateo County services at risk due to impacted revenue streams, its Board of Supervisors are considering whether to ask for voter support in an increased sales tax to secure more local funding. 

Shortly after tensions exploded over a proposed treatment facility in San Mateo, the county’s Board of Supervisors are slated to discuss possibly purchasing a different property many felt would be a better location — yet the correlation is murky. 

SamTrans is rerouting one of its busiest lines this summer in preparation for construction along El Camino Real, while also evaluating updates to other routes.

NAMI San Mateo County announced the appointment of Bill Graham and Rona Yang to its Board of Directors.

First, that’s stupid — A robbery occurred at Smart and Final on Kenwood Way in South San Francisco; it was reported 11:29 a.m. Saturday, March 28.

Plans to protect the Millbrae and Burlingame Bayfront from flooding, broached by sea rise resilience agency OneShoreline, are raising questions around funding and San Francisco International Airport’s role in the plan. 

Vying to be a San Mateo County supervisor representing District 3 is incumbent Ray Mueller, with time on the job, and coastside community member Joaquin Jimenez, who believes the area needs different representation. 

A city’s community values cannot be compromised as it maintains its critical services and public safety, according to a resolution the Redwood City Council will discuss this week. 

Barking up the wrong tree — A man attempted to sell a dog on Woodside Road in Redwood City; it was reported 10 a.m. Thursday, March 26.

A father and his two children were hospitalized after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the street at the North Delaware Street and State Street intersection in San Mateo this past weekend.

A long-awaited upgrade to the region’s transit payment system launched a few months ago, but a number of technical problems have contributed to mounting frustration among riders and transit leaders.

San Bruno Police Chief Matt Lethin is attempting to reassure residents that the department will continue to provide all essential services, as concerns grow over ongoing, stagnated labor negotiations between police and the city. 

South San Francisco has completed nearly 20% of its state-mandated housing targets for the current 2023-31 planning cycle, issuing roughly 770 building permits for housing units thus far.

Kevin Kobayashi was named the city of Belmont’s new Parks, Recreation, and Culture director, starting April 27.

Good help is hard to find — A babysitter stole $5,000 worth of jewelry on East Hillsdale Boulevard in San Mateo; it was reported 12:09 p.m. Thursday, March 19.

Utility executives’ salaries could become tied to their companies keeping electricity rates from rising faster than inflation if new legislation introduced by state Sen. Josh Becker passes. 

The San Mateo Planning Commission approved a six-story, 181-unit apartment building on North San Mateo Drive, advancing the city’s robust development pipeline, particularly in dense residential and commercial areas.

The San Bruno City Council remains split on how to handle its street sweeping program, which occurs on nearly each street in the city every two weeks but is only enforced via citations on the east side of El Camino Real and the Shelter Creek neighborhood. 

Millbrae’s finances are on track and its budget is once again balanced, with an expected $45.5 million in both expenditures and revenue. 

Over the last few years, South City has started several new upgrades to its Orange Memorial Park and is continuing to move forward on additional projects as it prepares for warmer weather and larger public events.