The Almanac 08.03.2011 - Section 1

T H E H O M E T O W N N E W S P A P E R F O R M E N L O P A R K , A T H E R T O N , P O R T O L A V A L L E Y A N D W O O D S I D E

REDISTRICTING still splits Menlo Park, but along U.S. 101. Page 7

A U G U S T 3 , 2 0 1 1 | VOL . 46 NO. 49 WWW.THEALMANACONLINE .COM

14th Congressional District - Jackie Speier

14th District in earlier map

18th Congressional District - Anna Eshoo

DowntownMenlo Park Palo Alto

Belle Haven

East Palo Alto

Sharon Heights

ley

Atherton

irst look facebook’s new home from the inside out | Section 2

2 The Almanac August 3, 2011

June 22, 2011

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P R I N T & O N L I N E

By Alison MyorakuSpecial to the Almanac

Most young children dedicate their early years to master the

art of walking, but for Jordan and James Shaw, even walking fell second to their true pas-sion: volleyball. From a young age, the sib-lings were content with bump-ing around a volleyball and participating in Shaw family games. This comes as no surprise, as they are the children of vol-leyball coaching legend Don Shaw, and his wife Carolyn, of Woodside. From 1980 to 2007, Don focused his energy on coach-ing the women’s volleyball team at Stanford University, and later the men’s team as well, leading the former to 10 final fours, eight champion-ship matches, and four NCAA championships. His overall collegiate record of 523-154 speaks for itself. “They would come to Stan-ford practices with me, grab a ball, and go down the hall where they’d start practicing and playing together,” Don recalls. This early exposure to the sport, coupled with guidance from their seasoned father, allowed both children to excel on the numerous teams they played on. Jordan, the eldest, started playing volleyball on a club team when she was 14, and went on to play at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View. According to Mr. Shaw, girls usually start playing on teams around age 12, but he disagrees with this practice. Starting too young can lead to premature injuries later in life, he points out. Also, he wanted volleyball to be something his children chose to participate in, not something their parents forced them into. Currently, Jordan attends

Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California, where she will be a sophomore come fall. After attending try-outs, she landed a spot as an outside hitter on the National USA Women’s Junior A2 Volleyball Team. This team is generally made up of women who recently finished their senior year in

high school or their freshman year in college, Don says. The national team, for women out of college, competes in the Olympics, while the junior national team prepares to advance to the national level. On July 17, the Junior A2 team competed in the 7th Annual Global Challenge in Croatia, where, after playing teams from Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Montenegro, and Roma-nia, the team triumphantly seized first place. “She’s a leader, and one of the most experienced players on the team,” Don says of his daughter. “She doesn’t always stand out to a point where she gets recogni-

tion, but coaches really appre-ciate her because she’s a solid player.” Jordan is not the only member of the family traveling inter-nationally to play volleyball. Younger brother James, who is 6-foot 7-inches tall, has seen his fair share of tournaments, the most recent in Mexicali,

Mexico. James began his vol-leyball career at the age of 6 when he attended the Stanford boys vol-leyball camp. He joined the Bay to Bay club at age 12, and later earned

a place as a setter on the var-sity team at Saint Francis High School, where he will be a senior this fall. Since his freshman year, the team has consistently placed third in the CCS champion-ships. This summer, the Youth National Team selected James to be one of 12 players to partici-pate in the Pan American Cup in Mexicali. The team competed on July 16, and won bronze after battling it out with the Mexican team. James and his teammates head down to San Diego for train-ing before embarking on a trip

August 3, 2011 The Almanac 3

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Children should wear outdoor eyewear that not only shields their eyes from damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays, but also protects their eyes from sports-related injuries. The fact is that more than one-third of the sports-related eye injuries that occur in the United States each year happen to children. As a result, eye injuries are one of the leading causes of visual impair-ment in children. To prevent permanent vision loss and blindness in active children, parents should encourage

their kids to wear sport-specific protective eyewear that has lenses made of polycarbonate or trivex, which can withstand the impact of a projectile traveling 90 miles per hour. There is activity-specific eyewear for baseball, basketball, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, paintball, and other sports and activities.

One pair of glasses will not suit all the needs of children. If your child participates in outdoor sports, he or she needs eyewear to protect the eyes from both harmful UV rays and from flying objects. Bring your eyewear prescription to MENLO OPTICAL at 1166 University Drive, on the corner of Oak Grove Avenue and University Drive to browse through our display of frames. We fill prescriptions for athletic, occupational, and computer eyewear. Call us at 322-3900 if you have questions about eyewear.

P.S. Sports-specific eyewear that incorporates prescription lenses helps improve a child’s eye-hand coordination.

Mark Schmidt is an American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners Certified Optician licensed by the Medical Board of California. He can be easily reached at Menlo Optical, 1166 University Drive, Menlo Park. 650-322-3900.

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By Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writers

The third session of the Menlo Park Planning Commis-sion’s review of the pro-

posed downtown/El Camino Real specific plan inspired more than two hours of volatile public com-ment on July 28. Suggested features of the re-envisioned downtown zone include

wider sidewalks along Santa Cruz Avenue, a permanent farmers’ market with covered stalls, two parking garages in plazas 1 and 3, and blocking off Chestnut Street to create a pedestrian-friendly paseo. The crowd ignored Chair Vin-cent Bressler’s repeated requests to stop applauding after each speaker, as one person after anoth-er told the commission that the plan threatened their livelihoods.

Wider sidewalks meant less street parking, some said. “Having to walk to a parking garage won’t encourage custom-ers to shop,” said furniture store owner Mark Flegel. “It will drive them away.” Some speakers, however, such as former councilman John Boyle and commissioner Henry Riggs, speaking as an individual, empha-sized the positive possibilities of a

more vibrant downtown, one with fewer vacancies than the current 10 to 14 empty storefronts on Santa Cruz Avenue. Mr. Boyle said that in going door-to-door to talk to merchants about the plan, he’d heard that some felt bullied into signing a petition from the Downtown Alli-ance, a group of local property and business owners that opposes the specific plan’s vision.

“They felt like they couldn’t say no to their landlord,” he said, and in the background, boos drowned out the applause. Mr. Riggs said he shared some concerns about the parking garages, but believed the plan could respond. He suggested an incremental approach toward implementation, one that would need support from

By Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writers

Start saving your quarters: In three months, plazas 1 and 5 in downtown Menlo Park will

sprout multi-space parking meters. You enter your money and parking space number in the machines, and you can park beyond the two hours of free parking. The City Council voted unani-mously on July 26 to buy six pay-by-space meters from vendor Parkeon for $53,364 — four for Plaza 1 (off Oak Grove Avenue between El Camino Real and Chestnut Street), and two for Plaza 5 (off Menlo Avenue between Evelyn and Crane streets). An additional $2,000 will let the city install modules to allow the meters to take coins as well as

some type of credit or transit cards, if that option seems necessary. The first two hours of parking will still be free. The third hour would cost $1; the fourth, $1.50; and additional time, $2 per hour. Engineering Services Manager Chip Taylor said enforcement hours will be the same: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The meters give the city a way to test whether the capabil-ity to pay to park longer than two hours will resolve the unhappiness expressed by downtown merchants and their customers, who complain that the current two-hour limit doesn’t leave enough time to run errands and enjoy a meal.

“The biggest feedback we had was that people were losing customers because they couldn’t get three hours (of parking),” Mayor Cline noted during the meeting. “Los-ing customers at that clip wasn’t sustainable; we’ve had some restau-

rants actually leave and say that was the reason.” After five years in business in downtown Menlo Park, Boutique 4 closed its Santa Cruz Avenue location in February. At the time, Tamara Michel, co-owner of the boutique, cited the city’s extremely

aggressive parking enforcement as a factor. “We had many customers who refused to come downtown to shop,” she told The Almanac. Mayor Cline thought meters would give the city the flexibility to adjust the plan if it doesn’t work out.

A veteran of the battle over downtown park-ing, he said at one point, “You can do a great thing with parking, and people won’t think it’s a great thing.” Councilman Peter

Ohtaki explored whether leasing the meters instead of purchas-ing would be a wiser option, but discarded the idea after the city attorney explained that a leasing contract with Parkeon could not be canceled. The city also considered simply

extending the parking limit to three hours, but staff concluded that would only lead to more downtown employees taking up parking spaces, leaving fewer available for shoppers. Mr. Taylor estimated that the meters would go live by October at the latest; the city will need to paint numbers on each park-ing space and install signs. One month before that happens, the city plans to hand out fliers to downtown businesses, custom-ers, and drivers explaining the change. A one-month grace period and a telephone hotline open during the first six months will ease the adjustment, according to staff. A

Go to tinyurl.com/plaza-163 to see a map of the parking plazas.

M E N L O P A R K | A T H E R T O N | W O O D S I D E | P O R T O L A V A L L E Y


Paying for ‘overtime’ parking downtown

Amid volatile comments, city may take ‘phased approach’ to downtown plan

‘The biggest feedback we had was that people were losing customers because

they couldn’t get three hours (of parking).’

MAYOR RICH CLINE

■ City approves multi-space meters for plazas 1 and 5.

By Barbara WoodSpecial to the Almanac

It’s an issue that refuses to die, despite the fact that the San Mateo County’s Board

of Supervisors has voted twice to reject a Stanford University offer to pay to widen and improve a trail along Alpine Road between Menlo Park and Portola Valley. On July 26 the supervisors voted unanimously to go back to residents of neighborhoods near the trail, including Ladera and Stanford Weekend Acres, to see if time has changed their opposition to the proposed trail improvements. Citing changes in the finan-cial and political climate, and the deterioration of the existing trail, the supervisors agreed to take one more look at the proposal before it expires at the

end of December. They rejected a staff recommendation to ask Stanford for a one-year exten-sion of the deadline for making the improvements, saying that if an extension is needed they can ask for it after hearing from the public. If San Mateo County rejects the offer and lets the deadline pass, the money will go to Santa Clara County. When the San Mateo County supervisors ini-tially rejected the money they asked that Santa Clara County use it to form a regional grants program for recreational uses. The offer, which was valued at $8.4 million in 2006 but with inflation, is now up to $10.5 million, originated in condi-tions put on Stanford by Santa

See TRAIL, page 8

It’s back: Stanford’s offer to improve Alpine trail

See PLAN, page 8

Almanac photo by Michelle Le

Recapturing the pastThe renovated carriage room museum at the Folger Stable in Wunderlich Park at 4040 Woodside Road is open again. The museum attempts to capture in one 2,400-square-foot room the essence of local equestrian life from days gone by with new displays by industrial designer Stephanie Schaefer, left, seen here talking with Susan Lang, co-chair of the stable’s renovation project. Visit tinyurl.com/folger-163 for more information. See another picture on Page 9.


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Election update: No contested elections so far in this areaBy Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

With a little more than two weeks left to reg-ister as a candidate for

the November election, there are no contested elections so far in the Almanac circulation area. A contested election occurs when there are more candidates than seats to fill on a council, school board or special district board. Below is a roundup of local election activity.

High school board Three of five seats on the governing board of the Sequoia Union High School District are up for election. Two incumbents — Olivia Martinez and Lorraine Rumley — have confirmed to the Alma-nac their plans to seek re-elec-tion. Ms. Rumley has “qualified,” according to a report from the office of the San Mateo County Registrar of Voters, meaning that she has completed the formal nomination process. Sequoia board incumbent Don Gibson has not announced his plans and has not begun the nomination process, the report shows. These incumbents have three challengers so far, including two who have qualified: San Carlos School District board member Carrie B. Du Bois, and Stanford University law school lecturer and Menlo Park resident Allen Weiner. Larry James Moody, a minister in East Palo Alto, is listed as not yet qualified. The filing period closes at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, unless the election includes an incumbent not running for re-election. In that event, the deadline is extended five days to Aug. 17.

Portola Valley With Town Councilman Steve Toben not running, and Coun-cilwoman Ann Wengert saying she plans to run, Jeff Aalfs, a member of the Architecture & Site Control Commission, is the only candidate so far who has pulled papers for a council seat, according to Town Clerk Sharon Hanlon. Mr. Aalfs’ candidacy would be uncontested if no one else comes forward before the filing deadline, which in Portola Valley is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Papers are available in Town Hall at 765 Por-tola Road on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m. There are no changes so far in the election for governing board of the Portola Valley school district. Of the two incumbents whose terms expire this year,

Jocelyn Swisher has qualified and Steven Humphreys has not yet begun the process, the report shows.

Woodside Woodside resident Eldona Hamel has begun the nomina-tion process for the Town Coun-cil seat being vacated in Novem-ber by Sue Boynton, according to Assistant Town Manager Kevin Bryant. Ms. Boynton represents Dis-trict 3, the neighborhood bor-dered by Mountain Home, Man-zanita, Woodside and Portola roads. Candidates must reside in the district they are running to represent, but the election is town-wide. Council incumbents who plan to run for re-election are Mayor Ron Romines and councilmen Peter Mason and Dave Burow. Papers are available in Town Hall at 2955 Woodside Road on weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. In Woodside Elementary School District, Kevin P. B. John-son has taken out papers to run for the school board, but there is no activity from incumbents Ellen Ablow and Ginger Bam-ford, both of whose terms expire this year.

Other races Two candidates have qualified for the Menlo Park Fire Protec-tion District board, incumbent Bart Spencer and Robert Silano, a security consultant who ran unsuccessfully for the board in 2009. Incumbent Peter Carpenter is not running for re-election. In the Woodside Fire Protec-tion District, incumbent John Gardner has qualified while incumbent Patrick Cain plans to run for re-election, Fire Chief Dan Ghiorso told the Almanac. In the San Mateo County Com-munity College District, the three incumbents — Dave Mandelk-ern, Patricia Miljanich and Karen Schwarz — have qualified for re-election. Jaime Diaz has taken out nomination papers but not yet returned them, the report shows. Incumbent David Alexander Walker has begun the re-election process for his seat on the board of the West Bay Sanitary District, the report shows. No activity yet for two seats each on the boards of the Ladera Recreation District and Los Tran-cos County Water District. A

E L E C T O N2 0 11

By Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission has divided Menlo Park

into two congressional districts, but the border will be U.S. 101 under the latest proposal released Friday, July 29, not the broad swath that had run through the center of the city under an earlier proposal, running from 101 and stopping roughly just east of Sha-ron Heights. If the commission approves the latest proposed map on Aug. 15, the new 18th Congres-sional District, represented by Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park, will include Menlo Park west of U.S. 101, Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley. The Belle Haven neighborhood of Menlo Park and unincorpo-rated North Fair Oaks will be represented by Jackie Speier, D-San Francisco, as will East Palo Alto and Redwood City. “I think that’s just a horrible shame,” said Menlo Park Coun-cilwoman Kirsten Keith in an interview. “Belle Haven is Menlo Park. (The representation) needs to be all of Menlo Park.”

Ms. Keith had already written a letter to the redistricting com-mission protesting the original plan assigning central Menlo Park and Belle Haven to one con-gressional district and Sharon Heights to another. “It doesn’t make any sense. I am hoping they will revisit this,” Ms. Keith added. Would grouping Belle Haven with East Palo Alto and Red-wood City, cities with similar demographics, give the residents more clout with their congres-sional representative? “I don’t know,” Ms. Keith replied. “I think it’s disgusting, myself,” said Belle Haven resident Matt Henry. “Belle Haven is part of the city of Menlo Park. ... Belle Haven always gets cut out.” The redistricting commission had as one of its objectives to comply with the 1964 Vot-ing Rights Act to “ensure that minorities have an equal oppor-tunity to elect representatives of their choice.” Wouldn’t Belle Haven have more of a voice with this realignment? “To me, it makes more sense for our community to be part of

this city. It’s better for us,” Mr. Henry said. “We have the same politics as Menlo Park,” he added. “We might argue and squabble, but we’re the same family. We have the same objectives and financial base. I think this is just another layer of complexity for us. I think it’s awful.”

Other representation As for the redrawn state Assembly and Senate districts, the significant change for this area is that Portola Valley and Woodside, now represented by Sen. Leland Yee, would move to the Senate district that includes Menlo Park and Atherton, and is represented until November 2012 by Sen. Joe Simitian. Rich Gordon, who represents these four communities in the state Assembly, would continue to under the latest proposal. He would see his long and thin dis-trict no longer stretch south to Los Gatos, but stop around Santa Clara and expand westward to include Half Moon Bay, San Gregorio and Pescadero.

Use [email protected] to comment on the map via email. For more information, enter in your search engine: California Citizens Redistricting Commission.


N E W S

For answers to any questions you may have on real estate, you may e-mail me at [email protected] or call 462-1111, Alain Pinel Realtors. I also offer a free market analysis of your property. www.MonicaCorman.com

A Seller’s Decision

REAL ESTATE Q&Aby Monica Corman

Dear Monica: We have a lovely townhouse that has been on the market for more than a year. We are not getting any showings at all and are so frustrated that we are thinking of taking it off the market. Any advice? Caroline E.

Dear Caroline: There are a few things to look at in your case. I assume that the potential buyer is likely to be someone over 50 who is downsizing from a larger house. This group is more cautious than younger buyers are because they especially

need to see good value and economic improvement before investing. Also they may not have been able to sell their larger home yet and can’t buy until they do. Another very important factor is price. Are you priced to sell in the current market or are you priced high? If the market for your home is not active and you are priced high, I would advise you to either price it realistically and see if buyers respond or take it off the market. Nothing is likely to happen using your current strategy.

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14th Congressional District - Jackie Speier

14th District in earlier map

18th Congressional District - Anna Eshoo

DowntownMenlo Park Palo Alto

Belle Haven

East Palo Alto

Sharon Heights

Woodside

Woodside

Portola Valley

Atherton

Redwood City

Map courtesy of Google. Source: California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Redistricting still splits city, but along 101■ All of Menlo Park west of 101 would be in the district of Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park.

Congressional representation of Menlo Park has been something of a football in the statewide redrawing of political districts by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. In an earlier map, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Francisco, represented Belle Haven and central Menlo Park (in blue), but the latest map restores the blue portion to Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park.

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Clara County in 2000 when the university was given permission to add 5 million square feet of buildings on campus. To offset the loss of recreational opportuni-ties, Stanford agreed to build two trails. The location of the trails, which many had assumed would be on Stanford’s own property, were debated for years and were the subject of lawsuits. One trail, locat-ed south of Page Mill Road and Foothill Express-way and running through the foot-hills, opened this spring. Portola Valley is now working on a sec-tion of trail running from Ladera to Ford Field along Alpine Road, which is scheduled to reopen by October. Stanford’s trail proposal for the San Mateo County area was strongly opposed by neighbors, who derisively called it a “super sidewalk,” and by environmen-talists who objected to details including a massive cut into a hillside to move Alpine Road and major work on the banks of nearby San Francisquito Creek. Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss sent a representative to the July 25 supervisors’ meeting to ask that Santa Clara County be allowed to weigh in on the issue. Scott Strickland, who is a senior policy analyst for Supervisor Kniss, said she plans to ask the Santa Clara County supervisors to discuss putting the $10 million from Stanford into a regional grant fund if San Mateo County rejects the Stanford offer a third time. Mr. Strickland said the matter will probably come before the Santa Clara supervisors some time in August. If a regional fund is formed, San Mateo County could apply for money to make improve-ments in the existing trail without having to get plans approved by Stanford. County officials spent years negotiating with Stanford

trying to find a trail plan that was acceptable both to the neighbors and to the university, but finally gave up in 2008 when the Board of Supervisors unanimously rejected the offer. The rejection was reaffirmed in 2010 when the supervisors again voted unanimously against it. New supervisor and former San Mateo County Sheriff Don Hors-ley said he was influenced by the fatal bike accident on that stretch of Alpine Road in November 2010

to take another look at the offer in the hopes of finding a way to make the area safer. “That trail is simply not safe as it stands,” he said. “I would like to

hear what the residents say,” Mr. Horsley said. “I think there are a lot of areas we could negotiate on.” Fifteen people showed up at the July 25 meeting to comment on the proposal, and, as in the past, their opinions were mixed. Janet Davis, who lives on Alpine Road, accused Stanford of “trying to pressure local residents into something they don’t want.” She cited concerns of privacy and traf-fic hazards. Barbara Ann Barnett, who said she has lived in Stanford Weekend Acres for more than 40 years, said that getting in and out of the neighborhood is already a nightmare and the trail would make that worse. “I personally am really, really nervous about the safety issues,” she said. “I hope we do not go down this road again. Noel Hirst, who has lived in Ladera for 14 years and works at Stanford, said the existing trail has its own safety problems. “I used to bike to work two times a week during the non-rainy months,” she said. She has given it up because of the trail conditions. Now, she said, “I can’t get there and I won’t put my kids at risk to possibly not have a mom.” If the county doesn’t use the Stanford money to repair the trail, it will have to spend its own money to repair it, she said. Ellyn Rubin, who has lived for more than 30 years in Ladera, agreed. The current trail is unsafe for cycling, she said. “More and more people are bik-ing. It’s just going to get more and more dangerous if nothing is done.” A

Barbara Wood is a freelance writer, photographer and gardener from Woodside.

Has time changed the opposition to the proposed trail improvements?

Stanford is back with offer to improve Alpine trailTRAIL continued from page 5

at least half the owners of property bordering the garages. The phased approach was one the Planning Commission was willing to run with. It voted 5-0, with Mr. Riggs and Jack O’Malley excused, to temporarily close the section of Chestnut Street closest to Santa Cruz Avenue. Mr. Bressler asked to include seating, landscap-ing, and food vendors to make the space more attractive. As for the parking garages, Commissioner John Kadvany sug-gested Plaza 2 — tucked between Crane and Chestnut streets — as

a possible location, an idea backed by colleague Peipei Yu. With staff estimating a price tag of $42 million to $48 million, who would pay for the garages remains open for debate. Commissioner Katie Ferrick noted that businesses may hesitate to move into down-town if the future would require them to help pay for the structures; the commission then noted that may not be the only model to use. “I want the John Arrillaga of parking garages,” Mr. Kadvany said, referring to the local philan-thropist who has donated millions for the renovation of Menlo Park’s gym and recreation center. The commissioners then voted 5-0 again to recommend looking

at Plaza 2; preserving street park-ing while encouraging parking garage use by downtown employ-ees via discounted permits; and to make the height and aesthetics of the garages a priority design con-sideration. The Planning Commission con-tinues its review on Thursday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. in council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St. Staff will present an overview of the plan at 6 p.m. The commission will make recommendations to the City Council, which will decide the ultimate shape of the plan. A

Go to tinyurl.com/plan-163 to review the specific plan.

PLANcontinued from page 5

Charity horse show set for Aug. 9-14 The 41st annual Menlo Char-ity Horse Show will take place Aug. 9 to 14 at the Menlo Circus Club, 190 Park Lane in Ather-ton. Proceeds will benefit the Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired. Show hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Events include three ongoing arenas where jumping competi-tions take place each day. Among highlights of the show are: Tuesday morning’s pony class, Wednesday’s Ride and Drive Jumper Class (6 p.m.), Friday’s $10,000 Ryman Speed Jumping class (6 p.m.), Satur-day afternoon’s Lead Line Class for children under 6, and Sat-urday evening’s $40,000 Menlo Grand Prix. The clubhouse is open to the public, and food and beverages are available on site. Attendees can browse some 40 vendors who offer jewelry and items for the home, garden, and stable.

Tickets are $10 per day or $35 for a six-day pass. Children under 12 and adults over 65 are admitted free. Tickets may be purchased at the on-street gates to the event. The “Celebrating the Horse” gala dinner with silent and live auctions will follow the Speed Jumping Class on Friday, Aug. 12. Stephen Silver, founder of Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry, is underwriting a dinner, in addi-tion to donating a pair of rose, gold drop earrings set with 3.5 carats of pave diamonds (valued at $10,000) to the live auction. Other items to be auctioned at the show include a Baume and Mercier watch donated by Shreve & Company (value of $19,000), and an impression-ist oil painting by Dutch artist Peter Brouwer (value of $7,000). “Jump Off,” the official paint-ing for this year’s horse show created by Marnie Donaldson,

will also be up for bid. Dinner tickets, which are $225 per person, include valet parking. For information about reservations, call Pam Perez at 650-857-0422. In 2010, the Menlo Charity Horse Show raised $450,000 for Vista Center, which serves clients from San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties. Visit vistacenter.org or call 858-0202 for more information on Vista Center. Visit menlohorseshow.com or call 701-0543 for more informa-tion about the horse show. Betsy Glikbarg, founder and long-time co-chair of the event, recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the U.S. Hunter/Jumper Association, Zone 10 (California and Arizona) for her dedication to equestrian activities.

— Alison Myoraku

Photo by JumpShot

Ali Parikh of Los Altos on Freelander at the 2010 horse show.

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to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) world champi-onships for youth under 19. The competition will be held Aug. 19-28. James says the most important part of volleyball isn’t winning tournaments, but getting to know his teammates. “My favorite part of volleyball has to be the community of the sport,” he says. “Men’s volleyball is definitely not a particularly popular sport in America, so the

community of volleyball players is much more tight-knit.” Despite the small popula-tion of male volleyball players, the Mountain View Volleyball Club (MVVC), headed by Don Shaw, attracted enough play-ers for eight teams in just two years. James plays at MVVC, on a team coached by his father, which won two silver metals earlier this year at tournaments in Southern California. With college in his near future, James is currently contemplating a decision that plagues all seniors. While he has been in contact with UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles,

Pepperdine, University of South-ern California and Pennsylvania State, Stanford University pos-sesses the greatest pull. “I intend to end up at Stan-ford and hope to bring Stanford another national championship,” James says. As Jordan continues her career at St. Mary’s and James prepares for college, their father can enjoy the accomplishments of his chil-dren that are yet to come. “I’m very proud of how they are as both people and players,” he concludes. “They’ve good team players, and are always solid and consistent.” A

SHAW continued from page 3

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Physician’s buggyAmong the opportunities for time travel in the renovated carriage-room museum at Folger Stable in Woodside is this two-seat physician’s buggy. Its delicate appearance is a function of its lightness in weight so as to be less of a burden on the horse in getting doctor to patient with all deliberate speed, museum representatives said. Folger Stable is in Wunderlich Park at 4040 Woodside Road. See another picture on Page 5

Thieves takes 31 computers from schoolsBy Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

Within the space of a month, thieves have broken into computer

labs at two Portola Valley schools and stolen a total of 31 computers with a total value of $28,000, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff ’s Office. On Friday, July 22, deputies were called to the Woodside Priory, a grade 6-12 Catholic school at 302 Portola Road, after someone appeared to have cut a window screen, slid open an unlocked window, and gotten away with 10 large-screen Apple Macintosh computers with an estimated value of $12,000. On June 29 or 30, burglars

broke into Corte Madera Middle School, a public school for grades 4-8 at 4575 Alpine Road, and got away with 21 laptops with an esti-mated value of $16,000, according to the Sheriff’s Office. In this case, thieves entered via the lab door,

which they broke through. “We certainly are looking at both of these and a possible con-nection, Lt. Ray Lunny of the Sheriff’s Office said in an inter-view. “Neither of these places have alarm systems,” he added. “I find that interesting. If I had $18,000

worth of computers and it was a school, I’d have them in an alarmed room.” Residents of Portola Valley have been known to leave their vehicles unlocked in their driveways at night, and thieves have been known

to take advantage of that. Unlocked vehicles were common in a rash of auto burglaries reported in April and May of 2005. “There are no com-munities that are just communities anymore.

Those days are past,” Lt. Lunny said when asked to comment. Deputies are asking witnesses or anyone with information related to this case to call Detec-tive Ben Hand at 363-4192 or call the San Mateo County Sher-iff ’s Office Anonymous Tip Line at (800) 547-2700. A

‘We certainly are looking at both of these and a possible connection.’

LT. RAY LUNNY, SHERIFF’S OFFICE


The Department of Veter-ans Affairs plans to work with a contractor to build

new, affordable housing for vet-erans and other at-risk people at the VA medical center campus off Willow Road in Menlo Park. Over the next couple of weeks, the VA will seek bids from con-tractors to lease 1.9 acres on the 96-acre campus to build the

housing. The options include affordable and permanent hous-ing for veterans, and assisted living or independent housing for seniors. There may be retail and office space, too. The contractor, which could be a public, private or nonprofit entity, would most likely con-struct a new facility on the allot-ted land, said Kerri Childress,

communications officer for the VA Palo Alto Health Care Sys-tem, which includes the Menlo Park campus. Local VA officials discussed the plan at a public meeting on the Menlo Park campus on Thursday, July 28. The project may “provide housing for veterans returning from military service in Iraq and Afghanistan, and give them the opportunity to remain in this area while seeking advanced education and working locally,” said Kelli Emery, the project manager. The Bay Area has one of the largest populations of homeless veterans in the country, said Jason Nietupski, director of facility planning for VA. Under legislation that expires in 2012, the VA can lease out unused land and facilities for these purposes under something called an “Enhanced-Use Lease.” The lease would run for 75 years, and then the property and structures would revert to the VA. A

Go to tinyurl.com/VA-165 for more information.


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New plan for housing at VA campus MENLO PARK

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carte blanche concert iiiDavid Shifrin, clarinetAugust 8 | 8:00 p.m.

Shifrin’s Music@Menlo debut perfor-mance includes Brahms’s First Clarinet Sonata and clarinet trios by Brahms and Max Bruch performed with David Finckel and Wu Han.

the quartets in contextOrion String QuartetProgram I: August 4 | 8:00 p.m.Program II: August 7 | 4:00 p.m.

In a pair of programs, the Orion String Quartet examines the string quartets of Brahms alongside those by Beethoven, Webern, and Kirchner.

carte blanche concert ivJeffrey Kahane, pianoAugust 10 | 8:00 p.m.

Kahane returns for a collaborative program performing works by Chopin and Fauré and the rarely heard piano four-hands version of Brahms’s Organ Chorale Preludes.

P A I D O B I T U A R Y

Leonard WoollardLeonard Austin Woollard, a resident of

Atherton, has died at the age of 90.Born in London England, he immigrated

to California in 1957. As a Master Mason, Leonard worked on many building projects in San Francisco including the Palace of Fine Arts, Bank of America Center and Fairmont Hotel Towers.

Leonard was always very active dancing, playing tennis and “working out”. He was preceded in death by his wife of over 50 years Ena Rose Woollard. He is survived by his children Brenda, Julie and Michael, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to A Charity for Charities, 412 Arenoso Lane, #304, San Clemente, Ca 92672.

Grant would help homeless vets Shelter Network, a non-profit that provides services for homeless people on the Penin-sula, has won a federal grant of $753,399 for a new program to help homeless veterans and their families. Much of the support will be provided at Haven Fam-ily House in Menlo Park, said Chris Canter of Shelter Net-work. The grant is part of a $60 million national program by the U.S. Department of Vet-erans Affairs to help 22,000 low-income veterans and their families over the next year. Shelter Network works with the VA to serve homeless veterans at its adult shelter in Redwood City and four family facilities. In addition to food and board, Shelter Network helps with job and housing searches, conducts life-skills workshops, and provides medical and mental health services. Shelter Network also finances sup-port services such as child-care, transportation and rental assistance. Visit va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp for more information about the program called Sup-portive Services for Veteran Families.


Palo Alto Medical FoundationCommunity Health Education Programs

For a complete list of classes and class fees, lectures and health education resources, visit: pamf.org/register.

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with it, ranging from tendonitis to tears. Dr. Chen will discuss the surgical and

nonsurgical treatment options available for these various conditions.

Cancer Care– Eating Tips During

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Childbirth and Parent Education Classes– Baby Safety Basics

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– Introduction to Solids

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PAMF Healthy Screenings Film SeriesPanel discussion after film led by Ed Yu, M.D.,

PAMF Family Medicine

Friday, August 26, 7 to 9 p.m.

701 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View,

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What You Need To Know About Cholesterol

For Your Health Lecture SeriesPresented by Patricia Sitnitsky, M.D., PAMF Internal Medicine

Wednesday, August 17, 7 to 8 p.m.

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Feeding Your Child

Dr. Marvin Small MemorialParent Workshop SeriesPresented by Karen Astrachan, R.D.,

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Tuesday, September 13, 7 to 8:30 p.m.,

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East Palo Alto police: Outrage over homicides leads to tipsBy Sue DremannPalo Alto Weekly

After decades of adhering to a “no-snitch” culture, East Palo Alto residents

are coming forward with tips about recent murders as they never have before, East Palo Alto police are saying. That sea change, prompted in part by the June shooting death of 3-month-old Izack Jesus Jimenez Garcia, has been crucial to solving murders that have rocked the city since July

13, police Chief Ronald Davis said recently. Within 48 hours, police received several credible tips that led to the identification of three suspects in two killings and a possible connection to a third that occurred July 24, he said. Perhaps most surprisingly, the willingness to come forward is coming from young people, community leaders said. “People are drawing a line in the sand and saying they are not going to tolerate this violence.

Three homicides in a week is crazy. We should be outraged,” Chief Davis said, just days before 19-year-old Kevin Guzman was gunned down outside an East Bayshore Road pizzeria — the fourth homicide in 12 days. Chief Davis all but predicted the renewed violence after a July 6 summit of federal, state, county and local law-enforce-ment agencies, where he pub-licly vowed to shut down the

By Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

As part of its $4.6 billion Hetch Hetchy seismic upgrade project, the San

Francisco Public Utilities Com-mission starts work on a section of pipeline passing under Bay Road in Menlo Park this week. The construction, on a strip of land stretching from Marsh Road to Flood Park, may disrupt traffic on week days between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Meetings cancelled Tuesday nights in Menlo Park will be quieter than usual for the next three weeks. The City Council won’t meet again until Aug. 23. Expected to appear on the agenda that night: Wal-green’s appeal of the Planning Commission 4-3 vote just saying “no” to the drugstore’s request to sell beer and wine at its Santa

Cruz Avenue store. The Aug. 23 meeting will start at 7 p.m. in council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St.

Hazardous waste disposal Drop off paint, batteries, pes-ticides, and other hazardous waste for free on Saturday, Aug. 13, in Menlo Park. Menlo Park residents may bring household hazardous waste. Go to smhealth.org/hhw or call 363-4718 to make an appoint-ment and get the address of the drop-off site. City residents can also call 1-800-449-7589 to request pick-up at their home.

Thursday: Downtownspecific plan Three down, at least one more to go. The Menlo Park Planning Commission meets Thursday,

Aug. 4, to continue and perhaps finish its review of the proposed downtown/El Camino Real spe-cific plan. The goal? To send a list of recommended revisions to the proposal to the City Council, which will determine the final shape and vision for the plan. The fiscal impact analysis (FIA) that was supposed to accompany review of the spe-cific plan may finally be avail-able by Aug. 4, adding an extra dimension for the commis-sion to contemplate. The FIA’s release was delayed to give the consultant time to analyze the plan’s impact on school and fire protection districts. Staff will present an over-view of the plan at 6 p.m. The commissioners will then begin their review at 7 p.m. The meet-ing will be held in the council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St. Go to tinyurl.com/plan-163 for more information on the plan. A


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County stops broadcast herbicide spraying

MENLO BRIEFS

By Barbara WoodSpecial to the Almanac

San Mateo County will stop the broadcast roadside spraying of herbicides while

it waits to hear from consultants about other ways to control the weeds that grow along the county’s roadsides and in its parks. On July 26, county supervisors Don Hors-ley and Dave Pine, the two members of the Board of Supervisors’ Envi-ronmental Quality Commit-tee, authorized spending up to $25,000 to hire consultants, including a biologist and an expert in integrated pest man-agement. The consultants will look at how the county can con-trol weeds using as few chemi-cals as possible. Until that report comes back, the two supervisors asked that all broadcast spraying be stopped.

Last June the Board of Super-visors voted to try to reduce the use of pesticides (herbicides are considered a pesticide as the plants they kill are unwanted) by using integrated pest manage-ment techniques in all county operations. They cited concerns about water quality and the

effects on wildlife, including some endangered species. A plan to phase out the use of herbicides and move toward mowing only over a period of 10 years was suggested. But resi-dents of unincorporated county areas where broadcast spraying takes place protested that 10 years was too long too wait. The July 26 action came in response to those complaints. Patty Mayall, a resident of La

Honda who has been fighting herbicide spraying for years, said supervisors Pine and Horsley have been very supportive. “I was so grateful for their com-ments at the meeting,” she said. “They are listening to the com-munity and responding to our concerns about our own health

and the health of our water sources.” Ms. Mayall said the news may be even bet-ter than it appears. The California Depart-

ment of Transportation, which manages the vegetation along state roads, including Highway 84 (Woodside/La Honda Road) and Highway 35 (Skyline Boule-vard), has promised that if the county stops spraying herbi-cides, CalTrans will also stop its spraying program as it has in other places such as Marin County where herbicide spray-ing has been phased out, she said. A

Supervisors cite concerns about water quality and the effects on wildlife.

Continued on next page


For an average person, any one of these activities would be a challenge: teaching a

third-grade class through Teach for America, training for the Ironman Triathlon, landing a major role in a musical. But for Menlo Park resident Kate Blodgett, 24, any one of those isn’t quite enough. She juggles all three. Growing up in the area, Ms. Blodgett attended San Mateo High School, where she wit-nessed the effects of the track-ing system, with AP/honors courses and more “mainstream” classes creating an education gap between students. During her time at the Uni-versity of Arizona, where she received bachelor’s degrees in musical theater and business, she heard about the organiza-tion Teach for America, a non-profit that encourages promising graduates to teach in low-income communities. For the past two years, she has taught third-

graders in East Palo Alto. Calling it “one of the most life-changing experiences for me,” she says she is sure “it will affect the way I view education from now on.” Ms. Blodgett’s training for the

Ironman Triathlon stems from another personal experience. “My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was in col-lege,” she says, “so I wanted to be supportive and at least raise awareness of the situation.” She joined the Team in Train-ing for the Leukemia and Ly mphoma Society, and participated in an event in Arizona. Now, in 2011, she maintains her connection to the group and is training for the Ironman Triathlon, to be held Aug. 28 in Louisville, Kentucky. For this event, she has raised $7,922, and counting. “It has been intense, and really crazy,” she says of the training experience. “We train six days a week, anywhere from two to nine hours a day.” Although the training can take a physical toll, what with run-ning, biking, and swimming, she

describes the process as a “men-tal challenge, where the mind has to push the limits of the body.” Still, Ms. Blodgett pushes her-self farther with her lifetime

involvement in theater, and her current show, the musical comedy whodunit “Cur-tains,” playing at Foothill College through Aug. 14 When she was

growing up, she says, “everybody in my family was involved in the arts in some way. I just thought that singing, and dancing, and performing was the norm.” She started in theater at age 7, and went on to perform at Broadway by the Bay, with her debut in the romantic musical, “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Her twin sister, with whom she shared many artistic experiences, is now a professional ballet dancer. Ms. Blodgett welcomes the

challenge of stepping into char-acter as Niki Harris, the murder suspect in “Curtains.” She nor-mally takes the roles of “outland-ish, crazy characters,” she says, and she finds Niki Harris to be the most like herself. “Theater has been the most formative experience,” says Ms. Blodgett, when asked which activity has been most reward-ing. When she was in high school, theater “taught me inner personal skills and time manage-ment abilities. When I got out of school at 3 p.m., then went to dance practice until 6 p.m., and then had rehearsals from 7 to 10 p.m., if I didn’t manage it right, I couldn’t do it all.” Although participating in all of these events can be draining, Ms. Blodgett describes herself as “someone who doesn’t shy away from challenging things.” A

Visit foothillmusicals.com for more information on “Curtains” and tickets ($13-$26). The play runs through Aug. 14 at Foothill College.

entrenched Norteno and Sureno gangs. The first of the four homicides occurred a week later. Nineteen-year-old Menlo Park resident Catherine Fisher was fatally shot as she and two others sat in a car. Police said she was not the intended target. Two East Palo Alto residents, Jabari Banford, 23, and Hugo Chavez, 26, were gunned down July 18 and 19. Then Mr. Guz-man was killed and an 18-year-old was wounded on July 24. “How I feel about these recent deaths is certainly disgust,” East Palo Alto resident Whitney Genevro, 23, said in an email to the Palo Alto Weekly. “I cannot understand these killers’ minds, and how they must not have any love inside of them. I know anger is a strong emotion, but it should never be an emotion that drives the uncontrollable desire to kill a human being. “I hope others are willing to break their code of silence because they might have infor-

mation to bring justice to these murders, and we need more people to stand up and do what is right. At my age, we have a great influence on the younger children and teens. If we are good role models, who knows the types of crimes and mishaps that can be avoided?” she said. Near the spot on East Bay-shore Road where Mr. Guzman

was killed, two young men discussed the city’s homicides, including the June 5 death of the infant, Izack. It was a turning point, they said. “The killing of a 3-month-old baby — that’s just too much,” one of the young men, who asked to remain anonymous, said. The city’s faith leaders said

the turn-around goes against decades of ingrained fear. “Now there are a whole lot more people saying, ‘Enough is enough,’” said the Rev. Paul Bains, pastor of St. Samuel Church of God in Christ. “In my years of being in the community since 1961, it’s not like it was in the past, where people said, ‘I don’t want to be involved.’ The

stop-snitching culture has taken a turn. Tips from the community led to the identification of three suspects in the Fisher and Chavez homicides: Christian Fuentes, 20, Jaime Cardenas, 19, and Fidel Silva, 24, all of East Palo Alto. Mr. Fuentes was arrested recently for violating parole, police said. A


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Continued from previous page

When she was growing up, she says, ‘everybody in my family was involved in the arts in some way.’

PEOPLE

Photo by David Allen

Katie Blodgett in character as Niki Harris, the murder suspect in the musical comedy “Curtains” at Foothill College. She’s with an enamored Ryan Drummond as Lt. Frank Cioffi.

Katie’s trifecta: teaching, triathlon, theater

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With obesity and Type 2 diabe-tes considered national epidem-ics, nutrition professor Marjorie Freedman will talk about her

research at the Cafe Scientifique, set for Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 6 p.m. at SRI International headquar-ters at Middlefield Road and

Ringwood Avenue in Menlo Park. Ms. Freedman, a food industry veteran and now an associate

professor in nutrition, food sci-ence and packaging at San Jose State University, will “decipher the updated federal guidelines and discuss her research on envi-ronmental correlates of obesity,

portion size reduction, nutrition labeling, and food waste,” a Cafe statement said. Go to cafescisv.org for direc-tions, information on parking, and other details.


F O R T H E R E C O R D

ATHERTON

Grand theft report: Large concrete statue stolen from property, Heather Drive, July 25.Fraud report: Unauthorized use of victim’s ID to obtain credit cards, Mount Vernon Lane, July 25.

MENLO PARK

Residential burglary reports:

■ Loss estimated at $7,400 in break-in and theft of video game console and jew-elry, Terminal Ave., July 28.■ Loss estimated at $800 in cutting of metal cable lock and theft of bike from below-ground carport, 1600 block of El Camino Real, July 22.Fraud report:

Loss of $2,800 via fraudulent cashing of check drawn from victim’s account, Lin-field Place, July 28.Sexual assault report:

300 block of Grayson Court, July 22.

Brandishing report:

Someone brandished a rifle, Willow Road and Bayfront Expressway, July 28.Stolen vehicle reports:

■ Black 2006 GMC Yukon, Paulson Circle, July 24.■ Tan 2007 Lexus SUV, Seminary Drive, July 22.Indecent exposure report:

University Drive and Roble Ave., about 10 p.m. on July 22.Child Protective Service report:

700 block of Hamilton Ave., July 22.Spousal abuse report:

Sharon Road, July 23.

WOODSIDE

Fraud report: Loss of $850 in online fraud case, Manzanita Way, July 22.

PORTOLA VALLEY

Fraud report: Unauthorized use of vic-tim’s name to open new bank account, Meadowood Drive, July 22.

POLICE CALLS

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Shop Local Online Sales Representative(20-30 hrs per week)

Embarcadero Media is seeking a self-starter and motivated individual interested in helping build an innovative new online program that helps local businesses market themselves to the local community. Our Shop Local websites, powered by ShopCity.com, offer a unique and simple platform for business owners to promote their merchandise, make special offers, announce special events, maintain customer lists and engage in social network marketing on Facebook and Twitter.

The Shop Local Sales Representative is responsible for generating revenue by selling businesses subscriptions/memberships on the Shop Palo Alto, Shop Menlo Park and Shop Mountain View websites and helping to increase awareness about the program in the broader community.

Specifi c duties include:

* Heightening awareness of the Shop Local program through distribution of marketing materials to local businesses

* Directly selling Shop Local packages by phone and in-person to businesses within the local community, with an emphasis on locally-owned establishments

* Increasing the use of the site by assisting businesses in setting up profi les, posting offers and understanding the features of the site

* Assist in the marketing of the site through attendance at business and community events

* Coordinate sales efforts and work with Embarcadero Media sales team as a resource person on the Shop Local program

The Shop Local Sales Representative is supervised by the Multimedia Product Manager.

Compensation is an hourly rate plus commissions for all sales. Schedule is fl exible, but the target number of hours per week is 25 (fi ve hours per day.)

This position is currently considered temporary, exempt and non-benefi ted, but may evolve into a permanent position as the program develops.

To apply, submit a letter describing why this position is a good fi t for your background and experience and a resume to Rachel Hatch, Multimedia Product Manager at [email protected]

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ClassGuideF

AL

LKEHILLAH JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL

RSVP to [email protected]

Open Houses 2011-2012

Sun. Oct. 30 2-4 p.m.Sun. Dec. 4 2-4 p.m.Sun. Jan. 8 2-4 p.m.

KE

HIL

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KEHILLAHJEWISHHIGH SCHOOL

3900 FABIAN WAYPALO ALTO, CA 94303

www.kehillah.org

years

GROWING COMMUNITYFOR A DECADE

Kehillah means community. Join us.

KJHS welcomes students of all backgrounds who seek a strong college preparatory education

and meaningful engagement with the issues of our times.

AJ Tutoring, LLC430 Cambridge Ave. #110, Palo Alto | 650-331-3251 | www.ajtutoring.com. AJ Tutoring, LLC helps students conquer the SAT, ACT and SAT Subject Tests. Its one-on-one tutoring to improve scores, while small-group classes provide students with a collaborative learning environment that fits any budget.

Action Day/Primary Plus333 Eunice Ave., Mountain View | 650-967-3780 | www.actiondayprimaryplus.com. Provid-ing infant, toddler and preschool programs for more than 33 years. On-site dance and computer classes offered. Fully accredited staff and facilities.

Learning StrategiesPO Box 535, La Honda, CA, 94020 | 650-747-9651 | www.creative-learning-strategies.com | [email protected]. A Learning Strategies tutor will come to the home, work around vacation schedules, and set up individual learning programs cur-tailed to the student’s needs.

QWERTY Education Services1050 Chestnut St., #201, Menlo Park | 650-326-8484 | www.qwertyed.com | [email protected]. Academic tutor-ing and diagnostic educational evaluation for K-12 and college. Professional educators and diagnosticians work with students to build understanding of their learning, resulting in improved confidence and academic progress. Professional education services since 1976. Contact Michael Perez, director, for a no-cost phone consultation.

CareerGenerations2225 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto | 650-320-1639 | [email protected] |www.CareerGenerations.com. CareerGenerations offers one-on-one and group sessions to meet specific career needs. Career coaches help assess talents in the context of today’s marketplace, generate career options, improve resumes and social media profiles, design a search plan, and skillfully network, interview and negotiate salaries. Contact CareerGenerations for a free initial consultation.

American Red Cross: Silicon Valley Chapter2731 North First St., San Jose | 1-877-727-6771 | www.siliconvalley-redcross.org. In a Red Cross first aid class, students learn CPR, choking res-cue, bleeding control, and treatment of burns, fractures, seizures and more. Fee $75. Adult

Continued on next page

OPEN HOUSES:

Challenging Engaging Joyful

What school is meant to be.For Information and Open House Registration:

www.menloschool.org/admissions

Upper School

Open House

Oct. 30, Dec. 4

Middle School

Open House

Oct. 9, Nov. 6

1340 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 321-1991

www.mid-pen.com

Choose a small, caring, innovative high school

IS ACCEPTING STUDENTSIN GRADES 9-12

MID-PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL

Small class sizes (7-15)

Individualized attention and support

A strong, accepting community

An environment that supports creative thinking

Support The Almanac’s print and online

coverage of our community.

Join today: SupportLocalJournalism.org/Almanac


C L A S S G U I D E

Call now for your personal tour!

.

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Kindergarten - 8th Grade

Excellent Academics

Dedicated and Caring Faculty

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Music, Arts and Athletics

After-School Programs

Aileen MitchnerDirector of Admission650.494.8200 ext. [email protected]

www.hausner.com

Give Your Child the Gift of a LifetimeCPR and First Aid Certificates. Two locations in San Jose and Palo Alto. Call 1-877-727-6771 for dates/times or go to siliconvalley-redcross.org.

Be Yoga1923 Menalto Ave., Menlo Park | 650-906-9016 | www.be-yoga.com. Community yoga studio. Small class sizes. Also offered are workshops on ayurveda, reiki, and mediation.

Jazzercise at Little House Activity Center800 Middle Ave, Menlo Park | 650-703-1263 | www.jazzercise.com | [email protected]. Jazzercise blends aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and kickboxing movements into dance routines set to new music. All fitness levels welcome. Classes are ongoing. Go directly to class to register.

ABC Languages585 Glenwood Ave., Menlo Park | 650-204-7908 | www.abclanguagesf.com/ | [email protected]. ABC Languages offers up to 20 language to adults and children, either in groups or privately. ABC’s teaching staff is composed of experienced instructors who are native speakers of the language they teach.

Istituto Educazione Italiana1000 El Camino Real, Room 8, Atherton | 650-868-5995 | [email protected]. Italian Language for adults in the evening on the campus of Menlo College. Courses in Italian cooking in Redwood City. Workshops in painting Tuscan and Vene-tian landscapes/cityscapes using acrylics in

Continued from previous page HELP YOUR STUDENT GET INTO COLLEGE.

improve your score, while our small group classes provide students with a positive, dynamic and collaborative learning environment

Higher SAT/ACT scores in less time.

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Over 10 years of rapid growth thanks to the enthusiastic word of mouth from thousands of clients from Paly, Gunn, Menlo, Menlo Atherton, Sacred Heart, Castilleja, Woodside Priory, St. Francis, Mountain View and Los Altos. Charismatic, professional and

CALL AJ TUTORING TODAY!

650.331.3251 ajtutoring.com

Celebrating Our 25th Year!

Palo Alto PrepSTILL ACCEPTING

APPLICATIONS FOR THE FALL

Palo Alto Prep is a unique private high school designed to help students succeed in every aspect of life. We believe that school should be enjoyable and every student experience the pride of personal and academic accomplishment.

Empowerment through Accountability

Provide 8 to 1 student-teacher ratio

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College prep curriculum

95% college enrollment

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Certifi ed by State of California as a Non-Public School

TEACHING. LEARNING. CARING4000 Middlefi eld Road, Palo Altowww.paloaltoprep.com 650.493.7071


C L A S S G U I D E

Please look at our website for further information

www.creative-learning-strategies.com

or call (650) 747-9651 and/or email at

[email protected]

References available upon request

One-on-one in-home tutoring by qualified educators. K-12, all subject areas,

specialized test prep for the ISEE, SSAT, HSPT, SAT I & II, AP,

and writing and study skills. Learning Strategies instructs through

individualized programs scheduled around you and your child’s busy lives.

Schedule private lessons in your home or at your child’s school.

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collaboration with the Pacific Art League (668 Ramona St., Palo Alto). Workshops in Florentine silversmithing at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. Full fee and schedule information can be found online.

Bair Island Aquatic Center1450 Maple St., Redwood City | 650-241-8213 gobair.org/learntorow. Learn to Row classes for adults at BIAC, a local nonprofit boathouse. No previous experience or fitness level required. Six sessions in spring and summer, consisting of two weekends of classes (9-12 Saturday and Sunday), followed by four weeks of instruction in our novice crew. Cost: $250 (includes 3 month membership at BIAC).

The Talking Playhouse595 Price Ave., Suite A, Redwood City | 650-678-9769 www.talkingplayhouse.com | [email protected]. Social-learning and social-skills classes and activities for all age groups, including theater games and writing groups.

Little House Senior Activities Center800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park | 650-326-0665 | peninsulavolunteers.org. Computer workshops, health lectures, investments, travel, self-improvement, movies, opera previews, ballroom dancing, and weekend trips for people over 50. Register in person or by phone.

Circle of Friends Preschool3214 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park | 650-854-2468 | [email protected] of Friends Preschool offers a well-rounded curriculum in a warm, personal environment. Its goal is to promote the development of the whole child: physical, emotional, social, language and intellectual. Detailed assessment of each child helps build partnerships with families to support emerging competencies. All this in a play-based program where children have opportunities to cre-ate, explore, problem-solve, learn concepts, and integrate knowledge in a hands-on environment.

German-American International School275 Elliott Drive, Menlo Park | 650-324-8617 | www.gais.org | [email protected] is an international school serving approxi-mately 300 students in preschool through 8th grade. GAIS offers a German bilingual program

through 5th grade, and welcomes English-speaking students in a new English language Middle School program that offers German, Spanish and French as additional language options. GAIS follows the academically rigor-ous, inquiry-based programs developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

Jim Gorman Swim School3249 Alpine Road, Portola Valley | 650-854-6699 ext. 100 | [email protected] and small group lessons for all ages and abilities, from water babies (3-30 months) to national champions.

Kirk House Preschool1148 Johnson St., Menlo Park | 650-323-8667 | www.kirkhousepreschool.org | [email protected] half-day preschool with both morning and afternoon classes for children 3-, 4-, and 5-year olds (Young Fives class). Kirk House Preschool is a Christian, play-based school that offers a development-oriented curriculum in a park-like setting.

Phillips Brooks School2245 Avy Ave., Menlo Park | 650-854-4545 | phillipsbrooks.org. The Phillips Brooks School, an independent co-educational day school for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The curriculum emphasizes the basic academic disciplines and their integration into everyday life.

Trinity School2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park | 650-854-0288 | trinity-mp.org | [email protected] childhood through grade 5. Trinity fosters rigorous academics grounded in child-centered content. The legacy of a Trinity education is a curious mind and a discerning heart.

Woodland School360 La Cuesta Drive, Portola Valley | 650-854-9065 | woodland-school.orgPreschool-8th grade. Woodland School’s focus is a challenging academic program with a strong enrichment program of art, music, drama, computers, gymnastics and physical education. Science, math and technology are an integral part of the 5th-8th-grade experience. Extended care is offered from 7:30 a.m-8:15 p.m. and 3-6 p.m. Call for a brochure or to set up a tour.

at Bethany Lutheran ChurchMenlo Park

LIMITED OPENINGSClasses start

Thursday, Sept. 8

2 YEAR-OLD Program9:00 am - 12:00 pm

2,3 or 5 DaysPotty training not required

3 YEAR-OLD PROGRAM9:00 am - 1:00 pm

2,3 or 5 DaysPotty training not required

PRE-KINDERGARTEN4 & 5 Year Olds

9:00 am - 1:00 pm2,3 or 5 Days

Before and After-School CareAvailable for ages 3 and older

650-854-4973www.bethany-mp.org/preschool

Since 1996License# 414000219

Join us @ 805 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (The Dancer’s Loft)

Reserve your spot at www.kampfi tness.net

BOOT CAMP -MON., WED., FRI. (9:30AM)Burn over 500 calories in this circuit style workout for every fi tness level. Using kettle bells, sandbags, medicine balls, & more.

TRX STRENGTH AND CORE - MON., WED., FRI. (8:30AM)A great core workout! This weight training class will increase your metabolism and strength, making you lean and defi ned.


Keeping Atherton’s trashbins in their placeEditor: I am delighted that the Atherton Town Council has passed an ordi-nance regarding trash bins. I cannot tell you how many times I have lodged a complaint against neighbors who roll their bins out four days before collection and leave them out a day or two after-ward. Yes, it’s a shame that it came to this, but when repeated polite requests are ignored, the town needs to do more than just send out a “pretty please” letter. We are not talking about households that will be away from home on the col-lection day and need to put the bins out a few days early and/or retrieve them a few days late; we are talking about the habitual offenders who seem to think that the curbside is a

It is rare when a town or county refuses a $10 million offer to build a bike/pedestrian trail, but that has happened on a project proposed for a busy stretch of Alpine Road between

Sand Hill Road and Portola Valley. The trail offer began as part of a Stanford agreement with Santa Clara County to build two trails near the northern and southern boundaries of Stanford property in return for a

general use permit to develop 5 million square feet of space on the Stanford campus. To settle a dispute about where the trails would be built, Stanford offered $8 million to

San Mateo County to build a trail on Alpine Road. Stanford recently completed a trail south of Page Mill Road. Now, after accruing interest for several years, the $8 million has grown to more than $10 million, but the offer to build the trail expires at the end of this year. San Mateo County supervisors, who oversee the road, have turned the money down twice at the request of resi-dents of Stanford Weekend Acres, a group of homeowners on Alpine Road who say they already have trouble getting into and out of their neighborhood and would have more problems if they had to cross a much wider trail as Stanford proposed a few years ago. The trail idea came back to the supervisors last week, and despite the prior controversy, might have a chance of approval depending on a survey of residents who live nearby. With two new supervisors, the prospect of the trail gaining enough votes has improved, in part because condi-tions have changed. While some residents who testified before the board last week remain adamantly opposed, others believe the current

bike path is dangerous and should be repaired. In their opin-ion, the county needs to at least take a final look at improving the trail near their homes before turning down $10 million. “If the county doesn’t use the Stanford money to repair the trail, it will have to spend its own money to repair it,” said Noel Hirst, who said she used to ride her bike in the area but stopped due to the trail’s safety problems. Early versions of the trail upgrade were elaborate and included cutting into a hillside on southbound Alpine to make enough room for an up to 12-foot-wide trail for bikes and pedestrians. And despite lengthy negotiations to make it acceptable to residents of Stanford Weekend Acres, talks broke down. This time around, however, another scenario has sur-faced that might allow San Mateo County to design a trail that would be more amenable to neighbors and still greatly improve safety along Alpine Road. This could happen due to the stipulation that requires the county to use the money by year’s end or give it to Santa Clara County for recreational use. Santa Clara Supervisor Liz Kniss, whose representative attended the July 26 meeting, said she will attempt to get her colleagues to endorse a plan that would place the $10 million in a regional recreation fund that would cover both counties. Such a fund would give San Mateo County the opportunity to apply for funding to improve the bike/pedestrian trail accord-ing to its own specifications, hopefully with a design much more acceptable to the neighbors at Stanford Weekend Acres. If such a deal can be arranged, it could improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along this busy corridor without creating any more roadblocks for residents. In this case, a less elaborate trail is the best solution. It would cost less money and still be able to link up with Portola Valley’s trail, which will make the entire section much safer for everyone.

Ideas, thoughts and opinions about local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney.

EDITORIALThe opinion of The Almanac

LETTERSOur readers write

Menlo Park Historical Association

Our Regional HeritageThis service station was a fixture on El Camino Real in 1940, soon after the state widened the two-lane gravel road to four lanes. The project pushed back many buildings on the west side of the street but the Menlo Theater, later called the Guild, was too substantial to be moved, so its spacious lobby was sliced away by workers to accommodate the highway.

Is third time a charm for Stanford trail?

All views must include a home address

and contact phone number. Published

letters will also appear on the web site,

www.TheAlmanacOnline.com, and

occasionally on the Town Square forum.

TOWN SQUARE FORUM Post your views on the

Town Square forum at www.TheAlmanacOnline.com

EMAIL your views to: [email protected] note this it is a letter to the editor in the subject line.

MAIL or deliver to:Editor at the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

CALL the Viewpoint desk at 223-6507.

Editor & PublisherTom Gibboney

EditorialManaging Editor Richard Hine News Editor Renee BattiLifestyles Editor Jane Knoerle Senior CorrespondentsMarion Softky, Marjorie Mader Staff WritersDave Boyce, Sandy BrundageContributors Barbara Wood, Kate Daly, Katie BlankenbergSpecial Sections Editors Carol Blitzer, Sue Dremann Photographer Michelle Le

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The Almanac, established in September, 1965, is delivered each week to residents of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside and adjacent unincorporated areas of southern San Mateo County. The Almanac is qualifi ed by decree of the Superior Court of San Mateo County to publish public notices of a governmental and legal nature, as stated in Decree No. 147530, issued November 9, 1969.

Subscriptions are $60 for one year and $100 for two years.

Serving Menlo Park,

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and Woodside for 44 years.

WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?

See LETTERS, next page

By Nancy H. Lemer

The July 20 Guest Opinion piece by Rep. Anna Eshoo, a Democrat, requires a

fair and balanced response. The title of her essay clearly shows the sanctimonious pedestal on which Dem-ocrats place themselves. Always “above the prob-lem” while never realizing they are the problem. First, let’s get some facts straight. Rep. Eshoo and the Democrat leadership declare that if the debt ceiling is not raised there will be economic catastrophe including government default and failure of government payouts to senior citizens, among others. These are all lies. In the past 40 years, Congress and the president have failed to agree on a debt ceiling increase nine times, yet there was no default. The truth is the 14th Amendment to the Constitu-tion requires that debt payments

come first before any other spending. In late 1996, there was a three-week period when some of the government shut down following a similar battle over

the debt ceiling. There was no default. President Clin-ton used the revenues that were coming in to pay the interest on the debt. Now, President Obama claims that he doesn’t know if there is money to send out Social Security checks on Aug. 3. In truth, he

knows very well that enough money will be available, not only to pay the interest on debt, but also to cover all Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health insurance, defense, federal law enforcement and immigra-tion, all veterans benefits and response to natural disasters. Terrifying older people may make good politics but it is unconscionable. It is interesting to note that

in March 2006, a similar debt limit debate raged in Washing-ton. As the then junior senator from Illinois, Barack Obama expressed his view on raising the debt $781 billion to a new record of $8.965 trillion. He is quoted as saying: “The fact that we are debating raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. Increasingly, America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means ‘the buck stops here. ‘ Instead, Washington is shifting

the burden of bad choices today to the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. America deserves better!” Today, President Obama’s pro-gram includes a 28 percent spending hike since 2008 and more than $3 trillion in deficits plus a proposed budget that increases debt by $10 trillion over the next decade. Never once has he publicly proposed a single structural change to any entitle-ment. It is time for President Obama, his administration and the Dem-

ocratic politicians to stop scaring people and start cutting gov-ernment spending as he prom-ised during the 2008 campaign. Heeding fiscally sound Repub-lican proposals, like HR 2560 “Cut, Cap & Balance,” which passed the House but failed in the Democrat-led Senate, would have been an excellent start.Nancy H. Lemer is past-president

of the Peninsula Republican Women. She lives in Atherton.

Editor’s Note: This article was writ-ten July 25 and edited July 29, before a possible resolution of the debt ceiling problem.


V I E W P O I N T

Republican takes on debt-ceiling issue

GUEST OPINION

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A great bike ride!

SUPPORT LOCAL KIDS

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good place to store their bins. It is an eyesore and the problem is exacerbated because most house-holds have at least three, if not more, bins lined up along the road.

Linda EricsonPatricia Drive, Atherton

Planning panel ignores dissent; referendum next?Editor: I attended last week’s Planning Commission discussion about the proposed downtown plan, which will build on some of the down-town’s open parking plazas and add an additional 400,000 square feet of commercial space. Although I had not planned to speak, I decided to do so at the last minute and first shared the fact that I live in unincorporated Menlo Park, about equidistant from Menlo Park, Redwood City and Palo Alto. As I told the commission that Men-lo Park is my shopping destination of choice because of its convenient parking, small-town charm and vibrant farmers’ market, I noticed that the commission members seemed distracted: looking at their watches, coffee, drinks, but not at me. I said that inconvenient parking and higher-density zoning will change our small-town’s unique character and questioned why such a monumental change is to be decided by a small commission and city council and not the voting citizens of Menlo Park whose lives

will be affected. Dissenting speakers after me appeared similarly ignored. Time limits seemed all that mattered to this commission that held this meeting as a matter of protocol. I regretted not mentioning to the commission their very obvious dismissal of dissenting opinions. Most of the speakers did not agree with the plan. The Menlo Park Planning Com-mission and City Council will change our town forever unless we put the plan to a vote this Novem-ber. I will do whatever I can to help make this matter a ballot referen-dum.

Richard Singer15th Avenue, Menlo Park

Correction on Regional Heritage photoEditor: I would like to make a small cor-rection to the eighth-grade gradu-ation photograph printed in the Almanac several weeks ago. The date was 1957, not 1959. The school was Portola Valley School; Corte Madera had not yet been built. The student I recognize and remember well, the young man in the last row, wearing a dark suit, white carnation and handkerchief in pocket is my son Mike Rose. Mike came to stay with me for eighth grade, and I proudly handed him his diploma. School board member Bob Paul handed out the other diplomas and saved Mike’s for me. It was pleasant surprise for us. Those were wonderful years!

Tony RoseOld La Honda Road,

Woodside

LETTERS

Continued from previous page


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Documents

The Almanac 08.03.2011 - Section 1