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The San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District has its first CEO in Len Materman.

The brand new Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District launched on Jan. 1. It is a collaboration of 20 cities and the county to develop coordinated plans to address current and future coastal erosion, sea level rise and flooding, and to improve regional stormwater infrastructure.

Materman has over 30 years of experience in the government and nonprofit sectors, most recently serving as Executive Director of the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (SFCJPA), which recently completed a significant flood and sea level rise mitigation project along the creek from the Bay to U.S. Highway 101.

Before that, Materman worked at Stanford University and U.C. Berkeley and partnered with academics on books about flooding and climate change resilience, according to the County. He founded America’s River Communities Inc., a non-profit dedicated to education and outreach within watersheds across the country.

Materman has also served as a consultant to the U.S. State Department, and advised the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Clinton Administration.

“I am excited that San Mateo County and its 20 cities have come together to create this district, and I am honored to be asked to lead it,” Materman said in a statement. “The time to build resilience to climate change is now and I am confident that this first-of-its-kind countywide district can be a model for others in California and beyond.”

San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine, who chairs the Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District, called Materman a “talented public agency leader with a strong record of bringing stakeholders together and securing funding for flood control and sea level rise projects.”

“He is a respected expert on sea level rise and shoreline protection and brings to the new District the skill set we need to create a resilient San Mateo County shoreline,” Pine said.

The District, authorized by Assembly Bill 825 under Assemblymember Kevin Mullin, in part aims to position the County to more effectively compete for state and federal funding for local projects, and to work with the private sector and other key stakeholders, according to the County.

Police will continue heightened traffic safety enforcement on Hiller Street in Belmont. The city also plans to add new signage, striping and radar feedback signs on the street to address community concerns.

A recent Parking and Traffic Safety Committee meeting aimed to address calming measures on Hiller, according to the city’s latest newsletter. Residents shared concerns about speeding, lack of stop sign compliance and other examples of poor driving on the street.

In the last year, Belmont police issued nearly 100 moving violations on the street. Police will continue that enforcement. The city will also explore other community suggestions, like adding stop signs. The next community meeting is tentatively scheduled in May.

A Redwood City couple’s 28th wedding anniversary cruise aboard the Diamond Princess became a nightmare due to a coronavirus outbreak.

According to KPIX (Ch. 5), over 600 passengers tested positive for the coronavirus aboard the Diamond Princess that was docked in Japan. U.S. authorities evacuated Americans aboard the ship, including Rick and Kathy Wright from Redwood City. They were transported to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield to be quarantined.

As he was leaving the ship in Japan, Rick Wright said he was tested for the virus. Then while in quarantine in Fairfield, he was informed he tested positive. The couple shared concerning details about the way passengers were evacuated on buses and airplanes. Some were infected, they said.

On Wednesday, Rick Wright was transported to a San Francisco hospital. Meanwhile, his wife Kathy Wright remained in quarantine at the base in Fairfield, according to KPIX.

Coronavirus has infected over 77,000 people and killed over 2,000 since December. The vast majority of cases have occurred in China, where the outbreak originated.

Watch the video below for the full story.

Photo courtesy of the CDC

San Mateo County is hiring paid interns ages 18 to 21 for positions that run from June through August, about eight to 10 weeks.

The San Mateo County Jobs for Youth program is accepting applications for positions at several County departments. Internships pay $17.51 per hour with no benefits. Above all, interns earn valuable work experience and skills, according to the County.

Applicants must become a Jobs for Youth Member and complete a 1-hour job preparation workshop. After that, they must submit a resume with three references, participate in a telephone orientation and complete an online application.

Afterward, interns will be placed in departments located in Redwood City, San Carlos, Belmont, San Mateo, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, South San Francisco, Daly City and Half Moon Bay.

To find out about job preparation workshop dates, contact Chaten Berry, Internship Coordinator at JobsForYouth@smcgov.org.

Moreover, you can find more information about the program by visiting here.

Photo: San Mateo County Law Library (Rafael Lima/Climate)

Starting Feb. 22, Caltrain will suspend weekend stops at two San Francisco stations to perform construction in tunnels for the Caltrain electrification project.

The suspended weekend service to the 22nd and 4th/King streets stations will last through Sunday, March 29.

Trains will terminate at the Bayshore Station. SamTrans bus service will be provided to San Francisco stations for free. Riders can also transfer from Caltrain to BART at Millbrae. Moreover, they can also ride the SamTrans buses bound for Daly City or downtown San Francisco, among other options.

Caltrain says the station closures are “necessary to install the overhead catenary system, which will supply power to trains after the launch of electrified service in 2022.” The work schedule aims to avoid impacts to major events such as the Giants’ baseball season.

Caltrain is in the process of electrifying the corridor from San Francisco to San Jose. Electrification will replace diesel-hauled trains with electric trains. The change is expected to provide more frequent, faster train service, reduce noise and greenhouse gas emissions and improve regional air quality, according to Caltrain.

Photo credit: Rafael Lima/Climate