Saratoga News

News Briefs

Market Days extended for six more months

Saratoga Market Days, scheduled to end Oct. 26, has been extended six months. The Saratoga City Council voted unanimously Sept. 18 to continue to allow the Saratoga Market Days Committee exemption from Saratoga sign ordinances through Apr. 26.

"[Market Days] has allowed us to hold events we would not otherwise be able to hold," said Kristin Davis, a Market Days committee member and Saratoga business owner.

But although the ordinance exemption will be continued, allowing merchants to hang signs and other attention-getting items during certain hours, city funding for the program will not. In a letter to the council, the Market Days committee told the council they only wished to keep the momentum of the Market Days program going and were not asking for more money.

Saratoga Market Days began in May, building on the concept and popularity of the Farmers Market. The event draws more than 40 Saratoga businesses together with the common goal of attracting more shoppers to the area. In April, the City Council approved advancing the Market Days committee $1,000 from next year's budget and $1,000 from the Chamber of Commerce's regular stipend.

"I think it is really important," Davis said. "Just to be able to hang banners on Saturdays is a great promotional tool."

CHP will deploy radar on Hwy. 85

Highway Patrol officers will soon begin to use radar to enforce speed limits on Highway 85, the CHP announced.

The CHP decided to use radar because of concerns over the danger of Highway 85 after six fatal accidents there.

The CHP will stop using its Napa-based Cessna plane to spot speeding drivers once the radar is in place.

Open space district releases map

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space district has released a unique map detailing the trail networks over six preserves.

Now visitors can plan trips from one preserve to another, which the district's older maps didn't allow.

Preserves included in the map are: Coal Creek, Long Ridge, Los Trancos, Monte Bello, Rancho San Antonio, Russian Ridge, Saratoga Gap and Skyline Ridge. Also included are parts of Santa Clara County's Upper Stevens Creek County Park and parts of Castle Rock and Portola Redwoods State Parks. To request a map, call (415) 691-1200. Or send email to: mrosd@openspace.org.