Election Section

Eatery closed after one diner dies, dozens of others sick 

REDWOOD CITY – One woman died and dozens of other diners were sickened after eating at a restaurant, and officials shut Viva Mexico down after finding a number of health code violations at the restaurant. 

Constance Williams-Pennel, 53, of Sunnyvale, ate lunch at Viva Mexico last Friday. She died Monday, and at least 30 other people reported they became sick — with several requiring hospitalization — after eating at the same restaurant, county officials said Thursday. 

The Environmental Health Services Division of the San Mateo County Health Services Agency shut the restaurant down this week, less than half an hour after beginning an inspection into the establishment. 

Preliminary laboratory reports say Williams-Pennel apparently died from shigella poisoning, or shigellosis, an infectious disease caused by bacteria.  

Final autopsy results won’t be released until toxicology tests are completed later this week. 

Dean Peterson, director of the health services division, said they were alerted by a person who became seriuosly ill after eating at Viva Mexico on Friday. 

“They stay closed until we are completely confident they have the ability to provide a safe product to the public,” Peterson said. 

Inspectors said they found serious violations, including open containers of food left in a walk-in cooler; plastic tubs used to cool potentially hazardous chicken products, beef and beans; cooking and reheating temperatures not regularly checked by cooks; an inaccurate thermometer used to check the temperature of food; shrimp thawing in standing, rather than running, water; and cutting boards and food preparation surfaces not cleaned between uses. All are violations of the California Health Code. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said people infected with the bacteria develop bloody diarrhea, high fever and stomach cramps beginning a day or two after they are exposed. The disease usually subsides in about a week. 

About 18,000 cases of shigellosis are reported in the United States each year. 

S.F. supervisor promises zoning to help protect non-profits 

SAN FRANCISCO – Supervisor Michael Yaki said he will introduce interim zoning protections in the mid-Market area of the city in an effort to buy time for more than two dozen threatened nonprofit organizations. 

The legislation would limit the number of new uses in the area, a move that would forbid existing nonprofit space from being rented to commercial businesses. The measure would not prohibit evictions, but would force property owners to bring in another tenant with the same or similar use. 

The protections would last 12 months and give San Francisco time to apply long-term solutions, said Yaki, who called his plan a drastic but necessary step to stop a wave of displacements sweeping the neighborhood. 

“This tsunami isn’t going to take out an individual group, it’s going to wash out a whole village,” Yaki said. “It’s like building a temporary dam. Right now, the river is washing away nonprofits one by one and now it’s about to hit a whole group of them. This gives us time to work and figure out what to do.” 

There are about 30 or more organizations in the area that have been kicked out, face eviction or have been hit with up to 400 percent rent increases.  

Feds commit $8 million for S.F. salt ponds 

WASHINGTON – The federal government has committed $8 million for the purchase of nearly 20,000 acres of San Francisco Bay salt ponds, which have been used for salt production since the Gold Rush era. 

The salt ponds, now eyed as a wildlife sanctuary, are located mainly in Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. 

The money will be added to the $25 million that Gov. Gray Davis pledged last month toward the downpayment on the land owned by Cargill Salt Co. and estimated to be worth $300 million. 

Environmentalists worry that buying the ponds will speed San Francisco International Airport’s proposal to build new runways.  

Paying to restore the ponds to their natural condition is considered a way for the airport to mitigate environmental damage from the expansion.