Schools are back in session

Public elementary schools start classes Aug. 17. 

Belmont Police would like to remind everyone that beginning next week, schools will be back in session. 

Be prepared for more vehicle and pedestrian traffic near schools during drop-off & pick-up times.

Please remember to yield to pedestrians and use caution when driving in school zones. 

Be a Local Hero
CERT Training Starts in September

Belmont needs you. When a major catastrophe or a community emergency hits, our community needs trained volunteers who can assist first responders by helping their neighbors. 

Those trained volunteers are known as The Community Emergency Response Team aka CERT. 

Our hometown fire personnel, San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department, along with veteran CERT trainers, rely on nationally recognized FEMA curriculum to train and ready all CERT volunteers in the event of an emergency. 

The next CERT Course (it's free) begins in September -- all classes are in person, with hands-on demonstrations and group tasks, taught in the evenings in Foster City -- and after just eight classes you will have a CERT certificate, ready for deployment.

Be advised that the final class is a full Saturday. 

Registration is open now at:  www.smcfire.eventbrite.com.

Once registered, you will be trained alongside your neighbors and together you will build a strong bond with fellow trained CERT members in Belmont. CERT training is free, though registration is required. Minimum age is 16.  

For more details and to see a complete class list, click here: https://bit.ly/3SFz7B6.

Movies in the Park Starts Aug. 19

We're proud to host -- and welcome all Belmont residents -- to our annual Movies in the Park. 

On Friday, Aug. 19 at sunset (7:45 p.m.-ish), we'll light up the night in the Twin Pines Park Meadow with the scent of popcorn and the delightful, "Encanto" up on the screen. 

REMEMBER: Bring something to relax on, but if it's a high-back chair, be mindful of your fellow movie-watchers. Make sure people around you can see the screen, too. 

On Aug. 26, this time at McDougal Park, we'll have "Luca" on the big outdoor screen.  

Thank you to our generous sponsors, Belmont 4-H and the Belmont Library, for making these events possible. 

New Off-Leash Hours at Barrett

7-8 a.m., Weekday Mornings
Aug. 15 - Nov. 30, 2022

The evening off leash hours at Barrett Community Center are ending tonight, Friday, Aug. 12, and starting Monday, Aug. 15 will begin a new schedule of weekday mornings only. 

From Monday, Aug. 15 through Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, the off-leash hours will run weekdays from 7-8 a.m., look for new signage to reflect these changes. 

Limited hours cramping your doggy and me time? Don't fret, bring your pet to our Cipriani Dog Park, 2525 Buena Vista Ave, where every pooch can parade from dawn to dusk each day. The fenced-in area -- and double fenced entrance -- is a great location for doggies at all levels of recall. Yes, there is a small dog area for the mighty, but tiny, too. 

Friendly Reminder: 
Open Space Etiquette for All

Our spectacular weather makes our open space even  more inviting. As autumn begins its arrival, we remind all to kindly follow our etiquette rules for open space enjoyment. 

WHEELS YIELD TO HEELS: Riders yield to walkers & runners; descending riders yield to ascending riders
ANNOUNCE YOURSELF & STAY ALERT: Runners and Riders, maintain safe speeds, callout when passing on a trail & be aware of your surroundings; may we recommend only use one earbud.
TAKE OUT YOUR TRASH: Water bottles, dog poop, food wrapping, poetry drafts -- those all go with you when you leave.
ENJOY THE PEACE & QUIET: Please NO amplified sound, let others enjoy the serenity.
RESPECT DESIGNATED TRAILS: Stay on the trail--don't make shortcuts or alterations you never know what species might be struggling to survive; stay off wet trails. 
DOGS ON LEASH: Manage your herd; keep your dog(s) leashed at all times; pick up their poop and discard in trash cans, keep your dog on the trails and don't let them eat the plants. Need some off-leash time? Visit Cipriani Dog Park. 
ONLY VISIT DURING THE DAY: Open space closes at sunset to all visitors.
GIVE BACK: Love our open spaces enough to give back? We are always seeking volunteers who are passionate and our outdoor spaces. Visit our volunteer page for opportunities. 

Students Invited to Apply for Youth Climate Ambassadors Leadership Program

Applications are now open for a yearlong leadership program for high school students in San Mateo County who are interested in learning about climate change and motivated to take action within their schools and community.

The Youth Climate Ambassadors (YCA) Program is offered by San Mateo County’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Citizens Environmental Council of Burlingame, which piloted the project in 2018; the county’s Office of Education; and Peninsula Clean Energy. Students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible.

The deadline for applications is Monday, Sept. 5.

The program is offered from October 2022 through May 2023, with twice-a-month Thursday meetings on Zoom and three in-person retreats on Saturdays. Students will build their knowledge of climate change, explore various climate solutions and develop a final project to create positive environmental change in their school or local community. The schedule and online application are available at https://tinyurl.com/SMCYouthAmbassadors.

The Youth Climate Ambassadors will receive a stipend of up to $500, and additional funds will be available for students living in households with limited financial resources. Students who are part of the program can also apply for funding of up to $500 for their final project.

Details are available at https://tinyurl.com/SMCYouthClimate2022. 

Pavement Preservation Project Concludes

If you're following our social media, you saw the latest news that our Pavement Preservation project, funded by Measure I, finished this week. 

Not only did the work crews on the street take their time to add the finishing touches, but our engineers interpreted the work being completed with a technical explanation of the paint and adhesives being used. 

Check out the Twitter post for a full description of these final steps of our summer road improvement project. 

Are you following Caltran's 101 Express Lanes news? 

The project continues with temporary, overnight freeway lane closures on US 101, and sound wall work in the City of San Mateo. 

Watch for detour signs and workers on or near the freeway. For recent updates, Click here for current freeway closure information.