The former sheriff of San Mateo County, California, Gregory “Greg” Munks enjoys staying physically active in his free time through a number of pursuits, including hiking. San Mateo County offers hikers like Greg Munks ample options when choosing where to hit the trail. According to local experts, the county’s best hiking routes include: Jean Lauer Trail A dirt-packed path accessible to people with disabilities, the Jean Lauer Trail loops for 1.4 miles through Pillar Point Bluff. Along the way, hikers can take in views of seasonal wetlands and the Pacific Ocean. Montara Mountain Trail This picturesque coastal trail offers glimpses of a number of natural wonders on a challenging seven-mile ascent. For those looking for a less vigorous workout, doubling back down the mountain using the Brooks Creek Trail shortens the route to 2.1 miles. Summit Loop Trail Summit Loop Trail leads visitors through savannas grasslands, over footbridges, and past riparian creek-side plant communities. Stretching to the top of Bitter Cherry Ridge, the two-mile hike culminates with a 360-degree view featuring the Peninsula Watershed and the Pacific Ocean.
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During his tenure as sheriff of San Mateo County, Gregory "Greg" Munks instituted numerous initiatives. One of Greg Munks' programs is Transitioning Animals Into Loving Situations or TAILS of which he and the Sheriff's Office received a President's Award from the Peninsula Humane Society (PHS) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in 2016. A collaboration between PHS/SPCA and the Sheriff's Office, the TAILS program pairs shelter dogs with minimum security inmates. The identified dogs require additional socialization and training to improve their chances of being adopted. The dogs belong to a class that will undergo an eight-week program. There is a weekly obedience class for the inmate handlers and their assigned dogs under the guidance of a PHS volunteer. Away from the weekly classes, the handlers are responsible for grooming, exercise, overall well-being, and socialization of their dogs. After the class graduates, PHS searches for these dog's permanent homes and selects a new class of dogs to start another round of the program. TAIL, which began in 2009, helps the Sheriff's Office attain its goal of reducing recidivism and providing inmates with skills that can help them become productive members of the society. As an elected official in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Mateo County Sheriff Gregory “Greg” Munks and his deputies dealt with a wide variety of law enforcement issues, ranging from vehicle theft to homeland security. Greg Munks also served on the boards of several nonprofits, such as the San Mateo County Historical Society. Founded in 1935, the Society operates the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City. Open Tuesday through Sunday, the museum provides informative exhibits in its own building and two outlying locations. The museum occupies the old county courthouse, the fourth one at the site (two of them sustained earthquake damage in the 19th and early 20th centuries). The current structure, which opened in 1910, was known as the Temple of Justice, blending Renaissance and Roman revival architecture. It contained offices for the sheriff, coroner, tax collector, and district attorney, among others. In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration added two wings. It was converted into the museum in 1998. Elsewhere, the Woodside Store dates back to the 1849 Gold Rush, when it was a supply center for miners. A replacement building was constructed in 1854 after the first one burned. Ceasing retail operations in 1909, the store became a focal point for the Woodside community, serving as a library, post office, bank, and dentistry. The county reconstructed it in 1880s style in 1994 and is operated by the Society. Located in Pacifica, the Sanchez Adobe is the second-oldest structure in the county. Built in the 1840s by landowner Don Francisco Sanchez, it later became a hotel with 20 rooms and hosted a speakeasy in the Prohibition era. The Historical Society restored it in 1953 and plans upgrades. The sheriff of San Mateo County, California, for the last six years, Sheriff Greg Munks takes a leading role in the annual North Fair Oaks Festival. The festival provides a celebration of food, music, art, and community partnership that is free and open to the public. Under Sheriff Gregory Munks’ leadership, the event has begun to feature scholarship awards for young women who otherwise would be unable to afford tuition. Since its beginning in 2002, the North Fair Oaks Festival has grown to entertain more than 30,000 citizens of the greater Redwood City area on a yearly basis. The 12th annual North Fair Oaks Community Festival will take place on Sunday, August 25, 2013, on Redwood City’s Middlefield Road. A sneak peek of the festival’s numerous music, dance, and fine art performances will be provided on Thursday, August 22, at the Sabor del Festival Preview Party. Held in the County History Museum, this event will feature great food and a variety of wine and spirits from Latin America. All proceeds go to benefit the youth programs of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. 11/6/2012 0 Comments "Making San Mateo County Safer with the Coastside Neighborhood Response Team," by Sheriff Greg Munksn response to an increase in gang-related activities, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office launched the Coastside Neighborhood Response Team in the coastside communities of San Mateo County in March 2012. To meet its mission, the organization identifies, verifies, and monitors local gang members while assisting the Sheriff’s Office with related criminal investigations. To accomplish these goals, the Sheriff’s Office has dedicated resources and personnel to create the team.
Since its establishment, the Coastside Neighborhood Response Team has identified 120 gang members and 75 associates, who have either admitted to gang participation, possessed gang symbols, or been identified by credible sources. This initiative is just one of many introduced by the Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to suppress gang activity in San Mateo County. Other programs include graffiti abatement and improved communication methods. About the author: Sheriff Gregory Munks has been an employee of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office since 1993, when he became the County’s Undersheriff. Previously he served the City of Palo Alto. |