Figo restaurant is almost cool WEEKEND | SECTION 2
MAY 17, 2013 VOLUME 21, NO. 16
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MOVIES | 24
New plan for McKelvey Park NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINTS TRIGGERED REDESIGN By Daniel DeBolt
fence (20 of 37 large trees would still be removed), includes alln a major turning point fol- new Little League baseball field lowing years of discussion, facilities, a community room, the City Council approved a bleachers, dugouts, batting cages redesign for McKelvey Park Tues- and concession stands and bathday to allow it be used as a flood rooms. basin for Permanente Creek. All of it will be paid for by the The design was the result of Water District, which estimates several community meetings this the cost at $9 million. year to find a way to lower the two Neighbors threatened a lawlarge baseball fields that domi- suit over a previous design nate the park — by 18 feet — and which rotated the larger field to leave room for parking. It also more efficiently use the site but includes a long-desired mini-park increased noise impacts, they with playground and said, and would preserve dozens of have removed a row large trees around of redwood trees the edge of the park ‘We are trying that buffer their previously proposed to solve three backyards. for removal. One of those After it was widely neighbors was different touted as the best Tapan Bhat, who compromise pos- competing needs told the council sible, council memTuesday that the bers were finally perin one piece approved design suaded to approve “makes the best out of land.’ the favored design of a bad situation option, “B-1,” in a — everyone has TAPAN BHAT 6-1 vote. Member Jac given a little bit.” NEIGHBOR Siegel was opposed, Nevertheless, saying he wasn’t sure he said, “I don’t the flood basin was think it’s good necessary. enough.” The project would “I think the water district is at reduce the number of parking a point where it can say, ‘If you spaces in the lot and on the street. don’t want the (flood) protec- He complained that on Saturday tion, we’ve been working on this one Little League baseball game for three years, fine, we did what had filled the entire parking we could,’” said council member lot and cars were parked on Mike Kasperzak. “I really think Mountain View Avenue, Park we’re at that point. Somebody Drive and Miramonte. It was was complaining that they’ve later explained that this was an spent $20 million designing (the unusually big game. entire flood protection project) “We are trying to solve three — it’s because we had them go different competing needs in back to the drawing board so one piece of land. How much many times.” is it really going to protect for The new design provides a floods? I think there’s still a gap mini park the size of Mercy Bush in knowledge,” Bhat said. park (.62 acres), retains a row of redwood trees along the back See MCKELVEY PARK, page 10
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MICHELLE LE
Permanente Creek runs through Shoreline Park on its way to the Bay. A $10 million cleanup effort will remove selenium contamination from the waterway.
Lehigh agrees to huge cleanup COMPANY WILL SPEND MILLIONS TO CLEAR SELENIUM FROM PERMANENTE CREEK THAT FLOWS THROUGH CITY By Daniel DeBolt
A
fter being sued by the Sierra Club for dumping toxics from its mining operations into the upper reaches of Permanante Creek,
Lehigh-Hanson Inc. has agreed to pay for a toxic cleanup valued at over $10 million. The Sierra Club blames Lehigh-Hanson’s cement quarry operations in the Cupertino foothills for the high levels of
selenium in the creek’s water, which is detrimental to fish and other wildlife, and may be why steelhead trout no longer spawn in the creek in significant numSee CREEK CLEANUP, page 11
High school cover-up: debate over students dress code PARENTS NOT AMUSED AS MVLA DISTRICT TRUSTEE POKES FUN AT CALLS FOR STRICTER GUIDELINES By Nick Veronin
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empers were tested at a recent meeting of the local high school district’s board of trustees, as one of the
INSIDE
governing body’s elder statesmen gave a passionate, playful and at times sardonic speech, suggesting calls for stricter enforcement of dress code policy was contributing to “rape culture.”
The speech drew a sharp rebuff from the three mothers at whom it was directed. On May 13, Tabitha Hanson, See DRESS CODE, page 14
VIEWPOINT 19 | GOINGS ON 25 | MARKETPLACE 26 | REAL ESTATE 28