117-577: Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County , California , United States , approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Francisco . Its population was 11,795 as of the 2020 census . Immediately north of Half Moon Bay is Pillar Point Harbor and the unincorporated community of Princeton-by-the-Sea . Half Moon Bay is known for Mavericks , a big-wave surf location. It is called Half Moon Bay because of its crescent shape. Originally an agricultural outpost to Mission San Francisco de Asís ,
234-409: A firearm . There is no widely accepted definition, and different organizations tracking such incidents use different criteria. Mass shootings are often characterized by the indiscriminate targeting of victims in a non-combat setting, and thus the term generally excludes gang violence , shootouts and warfare . Mass shootings may be done for personal or psychological reasons, but have also been used as
351-482: A motive , for failures in school, career, romance, or life in general. Homicide Studies, Vol 8(1), pp 125–145.</ref> Additionally, or alternately, they could be seeking fame or attention, and at least 16 mass shooters since the Columbine massacre have cited fame or notoriety as a motive. Fame-seekers average more than double the body counts , and many articulate a desire to surpass "past records". There are
468-602: A terrorist tactic. The perpetrator of an ongoing mass shooting may be referred to as an active shooter . In the United States, the country with the most mass shootings, the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012 defines " mass killings " as three or more killings in a single incident. In its definition, a Congressional Research Service report from 2013 specifies four or more killings on indiscriminate victims, while excluding violence committed as
585-483: A 2013 article, "those who feel nameless and as though no one will care or remember them when they are gone may feel doing something such as a school shooting will make sure they are remembered and listed in the history books." In a 2019 op-ed for the Los Angeles Times , Jillian Peterson and James Densley of The Violence Project think tank presented a new, hopeful framework to understand mass shootings. Based on
702-404: A defensive infrastructure to combat terrorism are constructive, they do not address the greater issue, which is "we have a lot of really angry young men in our country and in the world." Author Dave Cullen , in his 2009 book Columbine on the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and its perpetrators Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold , described Harris as an "injustice collector." He expanded on
819-600: A department store downtown. Spanishtown was officially renamed Half Moon Bay in 1874. The area grew very slowly, even after the Ocean Shore Railroad began serving the community in 1907. The construction of Pedro Mountain Road in 1914 provided better access to San Francisco and probably contributed to the railroad's demise by 1920. The USS DeLong ran aground at Half Moon Bay on December 1, 1921. During Prohibition "rum runners" took advantage of dense fog and hidden coves in
936-611: A large impact from random chance, outliers , and the specific time frame chosen for analysis. The United States has had the most mass shootings of any country in the world. There were 103 deaths in mass shootings in 2021 (excluding the perpetrators) using the FBI 's definition, and 706 deaths using the Gun Violence Archive 's definition. The FBI's definition refers to "active shooter incidents" defined as "one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in
1053-423: A mass shooting can be averted. In considering the frequency of mass shootings in the United States, criminologist Peter Squires says that the individualistic culture in the United States puts the country at greater risk for mass shootings than other countries, noting that many other countries where gun ownership is high, such as Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Israel...tend to have more tight-knit societies where
1170-500: A mass shooting. It is common for mass shooting survivors to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and survivors guilt . In 2019, Sydney Aiello and Calvin Desir, both survivors of the Parkland high school shooting , committed suicide as a result of survivors guilt. Meadow Pollack was killed in the shooting and was friends with Aiello. The overwhelming majority of mass shooters in
1287-447: A means to an end, such as robbery or terrorism . Media outlets such as CNN , and some crime violence research groups such as the Gun Violence Archive , define mass shootings as involving "four or more shot (injured or killed) in a single incident, at the same general time and location, not including the shooter". Mother Jones magazine defines mass shootings as indiscriminate rampages killing three or more individuals (not including
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#17328514262641404-483: A mix of profound hopelessness and deep-seated resentment." Jillian Peterson , an assistant professor of criminology at Hamline University who is participating in the construction of a database on mass shooters, noted that two phenomena surface repeatedly in the statistics: hopelessness and a need for notoriety in life or in death. Notoriety was first suggested as a possible motive and researched by Justin Nutt. Nutt stated in
1521-539: A period from 1982 to 2019 involved white shooters (who are 65% of the population). According to a database compiled by Mother Jones magazine, the race of the shooters is approximately proportionate to the overall U.S. population, although Asians are overrepresented and Latinos underrepresented. In a study of 55 mass shooters from Mother Jones' mass shooting database, researchers found that 87.5 percent of perpetrators had misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated or undiagnosed and untreated psychiatric illnesses. According to
1638-529: A political party preference. Every city, town, and unincorporated area of San Mateo County has more registered Democrats than Republicans. On November 4, 2008, San Mateo County voted 61.8% against Proposition 8 , which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages. The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense . A July 2013 Wall Street Journal article identified
1755-809: A populated area", while the Gun Violence Archive's definition counts incidents where at least four people (excluding the perpetrator) were shot, but not necessarily killed. In a 2016 study published by criminologist Adam Lankford, it was estimated that 31 percent of all public mass shooters from 1966 to 2012 attacked in the United States, although the U.S. had less than five percent of the world's population. The study concludes that "The United States and other nations with high firearm ownership rates may be particularly susceptible to future public mass shootings, even if they are relatively peaceful or mentally healthy according to other national indicators." Criminologist Gary Kleck criticized Lankford's findings, stating
1872-532: A private, forested property near Pescadero, on the San Mateo County Coast, where it was photographed by a motion-activated wildlife camera. Harold Heath, professor emeritus, of Stanford University was responsible for the 1904 sighting, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the university campus. Pumas ( Puma concolor ), also known as cougars or mountain lions, roam the county. Tule elk ( Cervus canadensis nannodes ) were native to San Mateo County and among
1989-573: A rural agricultural area, primarily used by Mission San Francisco de Asís (established in 1776) for grazing cattle, horses, and oxen. After the Mission's secularization, Tiburcio Vásquez received the Rancho Corral de Tierra Mexican land grant in 1839 and Candelario Miramontes was granted Rancho Miramontes (later known as Rancho San Benito) in 1841. The community began to develop in the 1840s as San Mateo County's first real town. Originally, San Benito,
2106-568: A settlement, an arroyo , a headland jutting into the Pacific ( Point Montara ), and a large land holding ( Rancho San Mateo ). Until about 1850, the name appeared as San Matheo . The Japanese first arrived in San Mateo County and were part of a group guided by Ambassador Tomomi Iwakura in 1872. A number of male Japanese students came to San Mateo to learn English and many other helpful skills to bring back to Japan. These students were also some of
2223-473: A strong social bond supports people through crises, and mass killings are fewer. He is an advocate of gun control, but contends there is more to mass shootings than the prevalence of guns. The Italian Marxist academic Franco Berardi argues that the hyper-individualism , social alienation and competitiveness fomented by neoliberal ideology and capitalism creates mass shooters by causing people to "malfunction." A noteworthy connection has been reported in
2340-509: A study by The Violence Project, 42 percent of all mass shooters experienced physical or sexual abuse, parental suicide, or were victims of bullying. They also found that 72 percent of perpetrators were suicidal. In a study of 171 mass shooters who attacked in the United States from 1966 to 2019, researchers Adam Lankford and Rebecca Cowan found that although the vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent, "almost all public mass shooters may have mental health problems." They suggest
2457-615: A study funded by the National Institute of Justice , Peterson and Densley found mass shooters had four things in common: This new framework highlights the complexity of the pathway to a mass shooting, including how each one can be "socially contagious," but also provides a blueprint to prevent the next mass shooting. Each one of the four themes represents an opportunity for intervention. By mitigating contagion (validation), training in crisis intervention de-escalation (crisis), and increasing access to affordable mental healthcare (trauma),
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#17328514262642574-412: A variety of definitions of a mass shooting: There are also different definitions of the term mass killing: The lack of a single definition can lead to alarmism in the news media, with some reports conflating categories of different crimes. An act of mass shooting is typically defined as terrorist when it "appears to have been intended" to intimidate or to coerce people; although a mass shooting
2691-801: Is Mexican, 2.7% Salvadoran, 1.2% Guatemalan, 1.2% Nicaraguan, 0.7% Peruvian, 0.6% Puerto Rican, 0.2% Colombian, and 0.2% Cuban. As of the census of 2009, there were 714,936 people, 258,648 households, and 174,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,753 people per square mile (1,063 people/km ). There were 284,471 housing units at an average density of 789 units per square mile (305 units/km ). 7.4% were of Italian , 7.1% Irish , 7.0% German and 5.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000 . 46.9% spoke English , 28.4% Spanish , 6.2% Tagalog , 4.0% Chinese or Mandarin and 1.1% Cantonese , and other language 4.2%, as their first language from estimate census 2009. There were 258,648 households, out of which 30% had children under
2808-564: Is a major employer. The hotel was used as the wedding venue for the 2003 comedy film, American Wedding . The Half Moon Bay Airport hosts an annual benefit event in April, Pacific Coast Dream Machines, which features aircraft and automobiles. Half Moon Bay also hosts an annual Art and Pumpkin Festival in October. The region around Half Moon Bay contains several state parks and beaches, including: At
2925-431: Is a residential school that teaches major concepts of ecology via exploration of forest, pond, garden, tidepool , wetland , and sandy shore habitats . The center's mascot is the banana slug , a large yellow gastropod . The school uses songs from the famous Banana Slug String Band . They include: Offering secondary (6–12) education: There are three community colleges in San Mateo County, all of which belong to
3042-548: Is also served by the local Catholic diocese and many other private parochial and secular schools. The San Mateo County Board of Education oversees early education, special education, and the court and community schools program in the county, as well as serves as an appeal board for the adjudication of expulsion appeals, interdistrict attendance appeals, and charter schools. Some students in San Mateo County's public schools attend outdoor education in La Honda . San Mateo Outdoor Education
3159-679: Is in the 13th Senate District , represented by Democrat Josh Becker , and in the 23rd Assembly District , represented by Democrat Marc Berman . In the United States House of Representatives , Half Moon Bay is in California's 16th congressional district , represented by Democrat Anna Eshoo . Fire protection for the city of Half Moon Bay is provided by the Coastside Fire Protection District, which contracts for service with CalFire. Law enforcement for
3276-400: Is not necessarily an act of terrorism solely by itself. The perpetrator is typically but not always excluded from the body count . The number of people killed in mass shootings is difficult to determine due to the lack of a commonly agreed definition. It is also difficult to determine whether their frequency is increasing or decreasing over time, for the same reason. In addition, there is
3393-889: Is not the sole cause of mass shootings and many other factors play an important role in perpetrators' decisions to attack. Criminologist James Allen Fox said that most mass murderers do not have a criminal record, or involuntary incarceration at a mental health centre, although an article in The New York Times in December 2015 about 15 recent mass shootings found that six perpetrators had had run-ins with law enforcement, and six had mental health issues. Mass shootings can be motivated by religious extremism , political ideologies (e.g., neo-Nazism , terrorism , white supremacism ), racism , misogyny , homophobia , mental illness , and revenge against bullying , among other reasons. Forensic psychologist Stephen Ross cites extreme anger and
3510-589: Is split between three legislative districts: In the California State Senate , San Mateo is split between the 11th and 13th districts, represented by Scott Wiener and Josh Becker , respectively. The California Secretary of State, as of February 2019, reports that San Mateo County has 404,958 registered voters. Of those voters, 202,341 (50%) are registered Democratic, 60,045 (14.3%) are registered Republican, 15,834 (3.9%) are registered with other political parties, and 126,738 (31.3%) declined to state
3627-685: Is substituted by All Nighter bus service , split between SamTrans routes 397 (replacing Caltrain between San Francisco and Palo Alto via SFO) and ECR Owl (replacing BART between Daly City and SFO). San Francisco International Airport is geographically located in San Mateo County, east of Highway 101 near San Bruno and Millbrae , but it is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco . San Mateo County owns two general aviation airports: Half Moon Bay Airport and San Carlos Airport . The only deepwater port in South San Francisco Bay
Half Moon Bay, California - Misplaced Pages Continue
3744-592: Is the Port of Redwood City , situated along Redwood Creek , originally created as a lumber embarcadero in 1850. The San Mateo Harbor Harbor District manages the Pillar Point Harbor (on the Pacific coast side) and Oyster Point Marina (on San Francisco Bay). Mass shooting Note: Varies by jurisdiction Note: Varies by jurisdiction A mass shooting is a violent crime in which one or more attackers kill or injure multiple individuals simultaneously using
3861-604: Is the 'Jetty,' or as it is sometimes called, 'The Breakwater.' This is a man-made break with unusual waves shaped by reflections from the breakwater at Pillar Point Harbor . Creeks in Half Moon Bay include Frenchmans , Pilarcitos and Naples . Montara State Marine Reserve & Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area extend offshore from Montara, just north of Half Moon Bay. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems. Half Moon Bay usually has mild weather throughout
3978-647: Is via State Route 1 (the Cabrillo Highway) from the north and south, and State Route 92 from the east. The city is served by Half Moon Bay Airport . SamTrans routes 294 and 117 provide service to Half Moon Bay from the Hillsdale Caltrain station in San Mateo and Linda Mar in Pacifica , respectively. The World War II United States Navy seaplane tender USS Half Moon (AVP-26)
4095-516: The New York Daily News ' front-page headline "God isn't fixing this" was accompanied by "images of tweets from leading Republicans who shared their 'thoughts' and 'prayers' for the shooting victims." Since the 2014 Isla Vista killings , satirical news website The Onion has repeatedly republished the story "No Way to Prevent This", Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens with minor edits after major mass shootings, to satirise
4212-495: The American Psychological Association published a press release , claiming that mass shooting contagion does exist and that news media and social media enthusiasts should withhold the name(s) and face(s) of the victimizer(s) when reporting a mass shooting to deny the fame the shooter(s) want to curb contagion. Some news media have weighed in on the gun control debate. After the 2015 San Bernardino attack ,
4329-609: The County of San Mateo , is a county in the U.S. state of California . As of the 2020 census , the population was 764,442. Redwood City is the county seat , the third-most populated city in the county after Daly City and San Mateo . San Mateo County is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, CA MSA ( metropolitan statistical area ), Silicon Valley , and is part of the San Francisco Bay Area ,
4446-514: The Facebook initial public offering (IPO) as the cause of a change in the U.S.' national economic statistics, as San Mateo County—the home of the company—became the top wage-earning county in the country after the fourth quarter of 2012. The article revealed that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average weekly wage in the county was $ 3,240, which is 107% higher than the previous year: "That's
4563-509: The Gun Violence Archive 's definition. The FBI's definition refers to "active shooter incidents" defined as "one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area", while the Gun Violence Archive's definition counts incidents where at least four people (excluding the perpetrator) were shot, but not necessarily killed. Mass shootings (that occur in public locations) are usually committed by deeply disgruntled individuals who are seeking revenge as
4680-554: The Knoxville Unitarian Universalist church shooting wrote about his reaction to other mass shooting incidents. The father of a victim in a mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado , wrote about witnessing other mass shootings after the loss of his son. The survivors of the 2011 Norway attacks recounted their experience to GQ magazine. In addition, one paper studied Swedish police officers' reactions to
4797-893: The National Register of Historic Places : the Methodist Episcopal Church at Half Moon Bay , the William Adam Simmons House, the Robert Mills Dairy Barn, and the James Johnston House . The remnants of the village of Purissima , perhaps the only ghost town in San Mateo County, are four miles (6.4 km) south of the city, near the junction of State Route 1 and Verde Road. There is an artist's collective, Colony of Coastside Artists , downtown has several galleries, and there are art classes and workshops available locally. The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay, California - Misplaced Pages Continue
4914-821: The Palo Alto Transit Center in Santa Clara County and Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco. Approximately 2 ⁄ 3 of all SamTrans bus routes travel along El Camino Real , and route ECR, the primary bus route on El Camino, carries approximately 25% of SamTrans ridership. Each Caltrain and BART station has connections to SamTrans routes. In addition, Daly City station is served by SF Muni bus routes. There are many free shuttles that operate from Caltrain, BART, and Ferry stations along fixed routes to local employers during weekday commuting hours (6–10 AM and 3–7 PM). Overnight rail service
5031-729: The San Francisco Bay estuarine shoreline, San Bruno Mountain , Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the forests on the Montara Mountain block. Several creeks discharge to the San Francisco Bay, including San Mateo Creek and Laurel Creek, and several coastal streams discharge to the Pacific Ocean , such as Frenchmans Creek and San Vicente Creek . Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area and Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area are two adjoining marine protected areas off
5148-547: The San Mateo County Community College District : Caltrain , the commuter rail system, connects ten cities in the county with San Francisco (to the north) and San Jose / Gilroy (to the south), running between the Highway 101 and El Camino Real corridors for most of the way. There are 13 stations in San Mateo County , of which 12 have daily service; the ten cities with stations stretch from Brisbane on
5265-568: The "favored foods" of the Ohlone people based on ethnohistoric and archeological evidence there. The discovery of two elk specimens made news in 1962, one a royal elk (royal elk bulls have six tines per antler) from a peat bog excavated in Pacifica's historic Laguna Alta, and now in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology collection. These may date from the time of Spanish settlement. Laguna Alta lay just south of
5382-434: The 1997 Firearms Amendment Acts, which restricted or made illegal many handguns. Since then, there have been only a handful of mass shootings in the country with relatively few fatalities. The UK has also banned the private ownership of semi-automatic and automatic weapons, and introduced stringent checks before issuing permits to private citizens to own single and low cartridge shotguns. There have been two mass shootings since
5499-588: The Board of Supervisors will cease to be elected by an at-large vote of all the voters in the county, but is instead elected only by the voters of his or her district. San Mateo County is split between California's 15th and 16th congressional districts, represented by Kevin Mullin ( D – South San Francisco ) and Anna Eshoo ( D – Atherton ), respectively. In the California State Assembly , San Mateo County
5616-553: The City of Half Moon Bay is provided under a contract with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. According to the California Secretary of State , as of February 10, 2019, Half Moon Bay has 7,549 registered voters. Of those, 3,603 (47.7%) are registered Democrats , 1,380 (18.3%) are registered Republicans , and 2,142 (28.4%) have declined to state a political party. The Cabrillo Unified School District serves
5733-822: The Interstate 280 and Skyline Boulevard intersection, east of Mussel Rock. The California Academy of Sciences also has an elk skull fragment collected one mile inland from the mouth of Purisima Creek in 1951. Additional coastal elk remains dating from the Middle and Late Periods in Northern California were found in at least five more late Holocene archeological sites in San Mateo County: SMA-115 ( Montara State Beach site), SMA-118 ( Bean Hollow State Beach site), SMA-244 ( Butano Ridge site), SMA-97 ( Año Nuevo Creek site) and SMA-218 (Año Nuevo State Reserve site). On
5850-533: The Pacific Ocean, and named Redwood City as the county seat. San Mateo County then annexed part of northern Santa Cruz County in March 1868, including Pescadero and Pigeon Point . Although the formation bill named Redwood City the county seat, a May 1856 election marked by "unblushing frauds perpetuated on an unorganized and wholly unprotected community by thugs and ballot stuffers from San Francisco" named Belmont
5967-401: The U.S. are male, with some sources showing males account for 98 percent of mass shooters. According to Sky News, male perpetrators committed 110 out of 114 school shootings (96%) in the period 1982–2019, compared to homicides in general in the United States, where 85.3 percent of homicides were committed by males. A study by Statista showed that 65 out of 116 (56%) U.S. mass shootings in
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#17328514262646084-574: The U.S. between mass shootings and domestic or family violence, with a current or former intimate partner or family member killed in 76 of 133 cases (57%), and a perpetrator having previously been charged with domestic violence in 21. Some people have considered whether media attention revolving around the perpetrators of mass shootings is a factor in sparking further incidents. In response to this, some in law enforcement have decided against naming mass shooting suspects in media-related events to avoid giving them notoriety. The effects of messages used in
6201-747: The United Kingdom , which has some of the strictest gun laws in the world. As a result of the Hungerford massacre in Hungerford , England, and the Dunblane school massacre in Stirling, Scotland , the United Kingdom enacted tough gun laws and a buyback program to remove specific classes of firearms from private ownership. They included the Firearms Amendment Act 1988, which limited rifles and shotguns; and
6318-586: The United Kingdom. China's strict gun control laws have prohibited private ownership of firearms since 1951. Japan has as few as two gun-related homicides per year. These numbers include all homicides in the country, not just mass shootings. While gun violence is relatively uncommon in India due to strict gun control laws, incidents of mass shootings and violent attacks continue to occur. Mass shootings are relatively rare in Russia, but they have occurred sporadically over
6435-714: The United States. That represents 29.7 percent. Because America had in those years approximately 4.5 percent of the world's population (according to Lott and Moody's calculations), this indicates that based on their data, the United States had more than six times its global share of public mass shooters who attacked alone (29.7/4.5 = 6.6). In a subsequent study, Lankford criticized Lott and Moody for including "attacks by terrorist organizations, genocidal militias, armed rebel groups, and paramilitary fighters" in their data and suggested they "misrepresent approximately 1,000 foreign cases from their own dataset" in other ways. Mass shootings have also been observed to be followed by an increase in
6552-420: The age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. Of all households, 23.1% were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.20. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.2% under
6669-459: The age of 18, 15.9% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 69,306, and the median income for a family was $ 77,737. Males had a median income of $ 48,342 versus $ 45,383 for females. The per capita income for
6786-405: The age of 18, 48.6% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.79 and the average family size was 4.44. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under
6903-462: The age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 115.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 78,473, and the median income for a family was $ 92,204. Males had a median income of $ 60,913 versus $ 41,265 for females. The per capita income for
7020-415: The area to serve several roadhouses and inns, some of which operate today as restaurants (e.g., Moss Beach Distillery ). Real growth in the area came after World War II with the construction of numerous subdivisions, eventually leading to Half Moon Bay's incorporation in 1959. The city preserves a historic downtown district that has buildings dating as far back as 1869. In 2008, financial setbacks endangered
7137-473: The beginning. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 741 square miles (1,920 km ), of which 448 square miles (1,160 km ) is land and 293 square miles (760 km ) (40%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in California by land area. A number of bayside watercourses drain the eastern part of the county including San Bruno Creek and Colma Creek . Streams draining
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#17328514262647254-538: The cities of Belmont and San Mateo . The endangered wildflower Hickman's potentilla is found near the Pacific Ocean on the lower slopes of Montara Mountain . The endangered wildflowers White-rayed pentachaeta , Pentachaeta bellidiflora , San Mateo Woolly Sunflower , Eriophyllum latilobum , Marin Dwarf Flax , Hesperolinon congestum and the San Mateo Thornmint , Acanthomintha duttonii , are found in
7371-452: The city was $ 37,963. 6.1% of the population and 3.4% of families were below the poverty line . Of those, 7% are under the age of 18 and 6.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. According to the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: The Pillar Point Harbor at the northern edge of Half Moon Bay offers a protected landing for boats and provides other marine infrastructure. In
7488-421: The city's viability. The economic crisis severely affected tourism, which generates the most revenue, and just when the city had finalized an $ 18 million settlement over a property lawsuit. As the municipal budget was typically $ 14 million or less, city fathers had issued bonds with annual payments of approximately $ 1 million over 25 years. As a result of these obstacles, the threat of bankruptcy
7605-480: The city. Schools include Half Moon Bay High School , Cunha Middle School and Hatch Elementary School although many students are bused to other Cabrillo Unified Schools (Farallone View Elementary and El Granada Elementary) in the unincorporated area north of the City and King Mountain off Skyline Boulevard south of Highway 92. The city is served by the Peninsula Library System . Primary road access
7722-433: The climate along the coast; farther from the ocean, in places such as Pilarcitos Creek, days are often warmer and nights cooler than on the coast. For the 37th parallel north , the mild summer temperatures of Half Moon Bay are unmatched across the board. Relatively nearby inland cities see significantly warmer temperatures at the same time. Despite the low latitude and strong maritime influence, nights remain very cool, even in
7839-505: The coast of San Mateo County. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems. The county is home to several endangered species including the San Francisco garter snake and the San Bruno elfin butterfly , both of which are endemic to San Mateo County. The endangered Ridgway's Rail is also found on the shores of San Francisco Bay, in
7956-516: The coast, including the Pillar Point Harbor , major roads, and the fire department. The economy of Half Moon Bay is dominated by a handful of businesses, the biggest of which is the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay which employs 500 people and is a major source of property tax and tourism income for the city. Because of this geography, a 2022 study found that the city had over 123 buildings vulnerable to sea level rise . Half Moon Bay began as
8073-579: The concept in a 2015 New Republic essay on injustice collectors, identifying several notorious killers as fitting the category, including Christopher Dorner , Elliot Rodger , Vester Flanagan , and Andrew Kehoe . Likewise, mass shooting expert and former FBI profiler Mary O'Toole also uses the phrase "injustice collector" in characterizing motives of some mass shooting perpetrators. In relation, criminologist James Alan Fox contends that mass murderers are "enabled by social isolation" and typically experience "years of disappointment and failure that produce
8190-744: The county had also operated Werder Pier for fishermen; it had been the western segment of the original 1929 vertical-lift bridge . In addition to the county-operated parks, San Mateo County voters created the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District in 1972, administered by the Peninsula Open Space Trust , which owns several protected spaces within San Mateo County (as well as within Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties). San Mateo County protected spaces administered by POST include: As of 2012, San Mateo County had one of
8307-453: The county seat, but the state supreme court overturned that election on February 24, 1875, and the county seat has remained at Redwood City ever since. San Mateo County bears the Spanish name for Saint Matthew . As a place name, San Mateo appears as early as 1776 in the diaries of Anza and Font. Several local geographic features were also designated San Mateo on early maps including variously:
8424-452: The county seat. The election results were declared illegal and the county government was moved to Redwood City, with land being donated from the original Pulgas Grant for the county government on February 27, 1858. Redwood City's status as county seat was upheld in two successive elections in May 1861 and December 9, 1873, defeating San Mateo and Belmont. Another election in May 1874 named San Mateo
8541-486: The county was $ 36,045. About 6.42% of families and 9.51% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.01% of those under age 18 and 8.52% of those age 65 or over. San Mateo County has a five-member Board of Supervisors , representing five geographic districts, elected at-large until November 2012. On November 6, 2012, Measure B passed to amend the San Mateo County Charter so that each member of
8658-470: The county, as a Community Choice Aggregation program, an alternative to Pacific Gas and Electric . The people of San Mateo County may use the services of San Mateo County Libraries along with the Peninsula Library System and its dozens of branches, bookmobile and Library-a-Go-Go machine at the Millbrae BART/Caltrain station . The county is divided into several public school districts and
8775-629: The coverage of mass shootings have been studied. Researchers studied the role the coverage plays in shaping attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness and public support for gun control policies. In 2015, a paper written by a physicist and statistician, Sherry Towers , along with four colleagues was published, which proved that there is indeed mass shooting contagion using mathematical modeling . However, in 2017, Towers said in an interview that she prefers self-regulation to censorship to address this issue, just like years ago major news outlets successfully prevent copycat suicide . In 2016,
8892-589: The deep south and the west-central parts of the county are less densely populated with more rural environment and coastal beaches areas. San Mateo County straddles the San Francisco Peninsula , with the Santa Cruz Mountains running its entire length. The county encompasses a variety of habitats, including estuarine , marine, oak woodland, redwood forest, coastal scrub and oak savannah. There are numerous species of wildlife present, especially along
9009-516: The eastern side of the San Francisco Peninsula , elk remains were also unearthed at multiple archaeological sites along San Francisquito Creek . The County of San Mateo Parks Department operates 22 parks, trails, and historic sites spread throughout the county; the first, Memorial Park , was dedicated on July 4, 1924. The County Superintendent of Schools, Roy Cloud, had visited a one-room schoolhouse in Harrison Canyon as part of his duties; at
9126-592: The effects of sea level rise, found that both major tourism attractions, and other infrastructure would be under threat from projected Sea level rise caused by global warming . The study found at least 123 buildings, including the Ritz Carlton (a major employer for the town), Pigeon Point Lighthouse and the Pescadero Cal Fire Station would be seriously threatened by erosion if sea level were to rise by 5 feet (1.5 m). A popular spot at Half Moon Bay
9243-500: The equivalent of $ 168,000 a year, and more than 50% higher than the next highest county, New York County (better known as Manhattan), which came in at $ 2,107 a week, or roughly $ 110,000 a year." As of the fourth quarter of 2021, the median value of homes in San Mateo County was $ 1,247,070, an increase of 11% from the prior year. It ranked fourth in the U.S. for counties with highest median home value, behind Nantucket , Manhattan , and Santa Clara . Additionally, San Mateo County hosts
9360-651: The first Japanese to join American students in the Belmont School for Boys. These students had to work for their housing and food before classes and in the evenings. Many of the first Japanese immigrants were able to find jobs as gardeners and landscapers in San Mateo. Most of them had a good educational background from their homelands, but their lack of knowledge of the English language made it difficult for them to find other jobs in
9477-421: The frequency of mental health problems among mass shooters is sometimes underestimated because "many perpetrators have never been formally evaluated by a psychiatrist or mental health practitioner...and others deliberately avoid doctors, conceal their mental health problems, or lie about their symptoms due to shame, stigma, or fear of other consequences." However, Lankford and Cowan also emphasize that mental illness
9594-461: The headquarters of Visa Inc , Sony Interactive Entertainment , Electronic Arts , YouTube , Genentech , GoPro , and Gilead Sciences , as well as a hub of venture capital firms in Menlo Park and several other technology-related companies. In 2016, Peninsula Clean Energy began providing electricity to 20 percent of residential customers, all municipalities, and all small- to mid-size businesses in
9711-533: The insurers was decided in 2013 and the insurer was ordered to pay the city more than $ 13 million; the Association of Bay Area Governments partially covered the costs of the lawsuit. The city's finances improved afterward. It was able to retire the first of its two 30-year Judgment Obligation Bonds (2009A Series Bonds) 20 years early. The early retirement was expected to save the city over $ 426,000 in annual General Fund expenses starting in 2015–16. As of
9828-732: The largest Tongan communities outside of Tonga , with an estimated 13,000 Tongan Americans . The 2010 United States Census reported that San Mateo County had a population of 718,451. The racial makeup of San Mateo County was 383,535 (53.4%) White , 20,436 (2.8%) African American , 3,306 (0.5%) Native American , 178,118 (24.8%) Asian (9.8% Filipino, 9.0% Chinese, 1.9% Indian, 1.2% Japanese, 0.8% Korean, 0.5% Vietnamese, 0.3% Burmese, 0.1% Pakistani), 10,317 (1.4%) Pacific Islander (0.6% Tongan, 0.3% Samoan, 0.2% Fijian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian), 84,529 (11.8%) from other races , and 38,210 (5.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 182,502 persons (25.4%); 15.7% of San Mateo County
9945-449: The late 1980s, a new master plan was developed for the Harbor . A variety of fish species have been identified in the harbor area. At the harbor, fishermen sell crab and fish catches straight off their boats at discount prices directly to the public, and restaurants will filet the fish for purchasers. The Half Moon Bay Yacht Club has facilities at the harbor. The city has four sites listed at
10062-440: The line became the new San Mateo County while everything north of the line became the new consolidated City and County of San Francisco . San Mateo County was officially organized on April 18, 1857, under a bill introduced by Senator T.G. Phelps . The 1857 bill defined the southern boundary of San Mateo County as following the south branch of San Francisquito Creek to its source in the Santa Cruz Mountains and thence due west to
10179-426: The nine counties bordering San Francisco Bay . As of 2020, it has a median household income of $ 128,091, the fourth-highest household income of any county in the nation behind Loudoun County, Virginia , Falls Church, Virginia , and Santa Clara County, California . The county covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula . The county is predominantly suburban and is home to many corporate campuses. San Mateo County
10296-656: The north and Purissima , San Gregorio , and Pescadero to the south. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 6.4 square miles (17 square kilometers), of which, 6.4 square miles (17 km) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km) of it (0.32%) is water. The town is situated on a bay of the same name . Major local industries include agriculture (houseplants, floriculture, Christmas trees, pumpkins, artichokes), fishing , and tourism . Historically, Half Moon Bay had been known as San Benito and Spanishtown. A 2022 study of
10413-488: The north edge of the bay is the big wave surf area, Mavericks , off Pillar Point, where surfers challenge waves over 50 feet (15 m) tall. From 1999 to 2016, it was the location of the annual Titans of Mavericks competition. Montara Mountain , located North of Half Moon Bay, is a popular outdoor recreation spot and home to the old Highway 1. In the California State Legislature , Half Moon Bay
10530-513: The north to Menlo Park on the south. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains serve San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and the northern portion of the county, paralleling El Camino Real / Mission Boulevard at six stations between Daly City and Millbrae , including the station at SFO. The only direct connection between Caltrain and BART is at Millbrae station . SamTrans (San Mateo County Transit District) provides local bus service within San Mateo County with some routes connecting to
10647-542: The notion of working for a cause – rather than mental illness – as primary explanations. A study by Vanderbilt University researchers found that "fewer than five percent of the 120,000 gun-related killings in the United States between 2001 and 2010 were perpetrated by people diagnosed with mental illness." John Roman of the Urban Institute argues that, while better access to mental health care, restricting high powered weapons, and creating
10764-463: The parking lot of the sheriff's office substation. In 2024, Half Moon Bay politicians were criticized by California Governor Gavin Newsom for repeatedly delaying approval of a 40-unit apartment building for senior farmworkers. Newsom threatened to take legal steps against the city if they continued stalling on the housing. Half Moon Bay Commissioner Rick Hernandez said that they were resistant to approving
10881-521: The past decade. Most of the incidents involve lone gunmen, although there have been a few cases involving multiple shooters. Mass shootings have become a common occurrence in Mexico, particularly in recent years. The country has been plagued by violence from drug cartels, which have been responsible for many of the deadliest mass shootings in Mexico's history . Brazil has one of the highest rates of gun violence in
10998-410: The perpetrator), and excluding gang violence and armed robbery. An Australian study from 2006 specifies five individuals killed. The number of people killed in mass shootings is difficult to determine due to the lack of a commonly agreed upon definition. In the United States, there were 103 deaths in mass shootings in 2021 (excluding the perpetrators) using the FBI 's definition, and 706 deaths using
11115-527: The popular consensus that there is a lack of political power in the United States to prevent mass shootings. Responses to mass shootings take a variety of forms, depending on the country and political climate. After the 1996 Port Arthur massacre , Australia changed its gun laws . In the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings , New Zealand announced a ban on almost all semiautomatic military-style weapons. Mass shootings are extremely rare in
11232-637: The population) lived in households, 18 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized. There were 4,149 households, out of which 1,264 (30.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,373 (57.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 293 (7.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 156 (3.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 208 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 41 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 1,067 households (25.7%) were made up of individuals, and 538 (13.0%) had someone living alone who
11349-475: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,661 people (32.3%) lived in rental housing units. As of the census of 2000, there were 11,842 people, 4,004 households, and 2,774 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,829.8 inhabitants per square mile (706.5/km). There were 4,114 housing units at an average density of 635.7 units per square mile (245.4 units/km). There were 4,004 households, out of which 30.9% had children under
11466-524: The publication of the Fiscal Year 2015–16 Budget the General Fund budget was balanced and had a structural surplus of $ 4 million. On January 23, 2023, mass shootings occurred in Half Moon Bay. A spree killer opened fire at two farms with a semi-automatic pistol, killing seven people and critically injuring an eighth person. A 66-year-old suspect was taken into custody after he arrived in his SUV at
11583-568: The purchase of weapons, but this does not seem to create an increased feeling of needing guns in either gun owners or non-owners. Even though the global COVID-19 pandemic reduced public gatherings from March 2020 onward, the number of mass shootings increased significantly over that period. It "even doubled in July 2020 compared to a year earlier". Mass shootings (and firearm deaths in general) virtually never happen in China, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and
11700-430: The rain falls from November to April. The normal annual precipitation is 26.2 inches (665 millimeters). Snowfall along the coast in Half Moon Bay has never been measurable; however, snow flurries were observed on December 12, 1972, February 5, 1976, and February 23, 2023. There is often fog and overcast during the night and morning hours, usually clearing offshore during the afternoon. Persistent sea breezes help to moderate
11817-463: The senior farmworker housing because "we love the character of our small-town community" claiming that once this proposal is approved, it will trigger more requests for other constructions. Half Moon Bay is approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Francisco , 10 miles (16 km) west of San Mateo , and 45 miles (72 km) north of Santa Cruz . Neighboring towns include El Granada , Princeton-by-the-Sea , Moss Beach , and Montara to
11934-451: The study merely shows a proportional relationship but fails to prove that gun ownership causes mass shootings. The backlash from economist and gun rights advocate John Lott also raised objections to Lankford's methodology and refusal to share his data. He speculated that Lankford had overlooked a significant number of mass shootings outside the U.S., which if accounted for would adjust the nation's share closer to 2.88 percent; slightly below
12051-467: The summer. January is the coolest month with an average high of 58.4 °F (14.7 °C) and an average low of 42.9 °F (6.1 °C). September is the warmest month with an average high of 66.8 °F (19.3 °C) and an average low of 51.2 °F (10.7 °C). The most rainfall recorded in Half Moon Bay in one month was 15.70 inches (399 mm) in February 1998. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall
12168-616: The time, it was thickly forested with old-growth redwoods and he was alarmed when he learned they were scheduled to be logged. He petitioned the County Board of Supervisors to purchase the land instead. The Recreation Commission was not created until 1932, and the park was improved as part of the Works Progress Administration efforts starting in 1935. Prior to the rebuilding of the San Mateo Bridge that began in 1996,
12285-406: The town was founded in the 1840s first as San Benito , and then as its Anglo fishing community grew, it was renamed Spanishtown . In 1874, it was again renamed Half Moon Bay. After rail and road connections in the early 1900s, the town grew. The foggy weather of the coast made the town a popular destination for booze-running during Prohibition . The city's infrastructure is heavily integrated with
12402-451: The town was renamed Spanishtown and attracted a thriving fishing industry in addition to its continued importance to coastal agriculture. Spanishtown became a racially diverse community, settled by Canadians, Chinese, English, Germans, Irish, Mexicans, Italians, Scots, Portuguese, and Pacific Islanders. Regular stagecoach service was established with San Mateo ; coaches also served Purissima , Lobitos , and San Gregorio . Levy Brothers opened
12519-682: The vicinity of the Crystal Springs Reservoir . In May 2014, a California condor was spotted near Pescadero , a coastal community south of San Francisco —it was the first California condor spotted in San Mateo County since 1904. The condor, tagged with the number "597", and also known as "Lupine", is one of 439 condors living in the wild or captivity in California, Baja California and Arizona. The three-year-old female flew more than 100 miles (160 km) north from Pinnacles National Park , in San Benito County, on May 30, and landed on
12636-465: The western county include Frenchmans Creek , Pilarcitos Creek , Naples Creek , Arroyo de en Medio , and Denniston Creek . These streams originate along the northern spur of the Santa Cruz Mountains that run through the county. The northern and eastern parts of the county are very heavy densely populated with largely urban and suburban areas, with many of its cities as edge-cities for the Bay Area, while
12753-466: The world average. Lankford has since followed up on his research, publishing his data and clarifying that the United States from 1998 to 2012 did have more than six times its global share of public mass shooters who attacked alone, which is almost always the case with mass shooters. Using the data from Lott and Moody's 2019 study of mass shootings, Lankford explains that "41 of all 138 public mass shootings by single perpetrators worldwide were committed in
12870-607: The world, and mass shootings have become more common in recent years. In 2022, there were at least 10 mass shootings in Brazil, resulting in the deaths of over 50 people. Furthermore, In 2017, there were over 45,000 gun-related homicides countrywide. In Africa, whilst incidents of mass violence resulting from terrorism and ethnic conflict have occurred, "mass shootings" are generally understood as rare. After mass shootings, some survivors have written about their experiences and their experiences have been covered by journalists. A survivor of
12987-453: The year. Under the Köppen climate classification , it has a cool summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb ). Hot weather is rare; the average annual days with highs of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) or higher is only 0.4 days. Cold weather is also rare with an annual average of 2.5 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. Typical of Northern California, most of
13104-415: Was 43.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 93.8 males. There were 4,395 housing units at an average density of 682.0 units per square mile (263.3 units/km), of which 2,944 (71.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,205 (29.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 1.9%. 7,645 people (67.5% of
13221-636: Was 5.33 inches (135 mm) on January 4, 1982. There is an average of 86 days with measurable rainfall. The 2010 United States Census reported that Half Moon Bay had a population of 11,324. The population density was 1,757.1 inhabitants per square mile (678.4/km). The racial makeup of Half Moon Bay was 8,580 (75.8%) White , 82 (0.7%) African American , 71 (0.6%) Native American , 490 (4.3%) Asian , 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander , 1,710 (15.1%) from other races , and 382 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,563 persons (31.5%). The Census reported that 11,306 people (99.8% of
13338-415: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72. There were 2,822 families (68.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.24. The population was spread out, with 2,533 people (22.4%) under the age of 18, 796 people (7.0%) aged 18 to 24, 2,587 people (22.8%) aged 25 to 44, 3,644 people (32.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,764 people (15.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
13455-530: Was formed in 1856 upon the division of San Francisco County, one of the state's 18 original counties established at California statehood in 1850. Until 1856, San Francisco 's city limits extended west to Divisadero Street and Castro Street, and south to 20th Street. In 1856, the California state government divided the county. A straight line was then drawn across the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula just north of San Bruno Mountain . Everything south of
13572-523: Was named for Half Moon Bay and retained the name when serving as a United States Coast Guard weather reporting ship USCGC Half Moon for more than 20 years after the war. The album Half Moon Bay was recorded by jazz pianist Bill Evans in 1973 at the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society in Half Moon Bay. San Mateo County, California San Mateo County ( / ˌ s æ n m ə ˈ t eɪ . oʊ / SAN mə- TAY -oh ), officially
13689-399: Was very real. Dozens of meetings were held to decide where to cut the budget and finally, 75 percent of municipal employees were laid off and replaced with contract workers. Employee contributions toward retirement benefits were also raised. The city council sought to regain the money paid in the settlement, believing that it should have been paid by the city's insurers. A lawsuit against
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