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Upfront
1ST PLACE
BEST LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE California Newspaper Publishers Association
Local news, information and analysis
‘Quakeville’ tent city to test disaster preparedness Sept. 11 event at Briones Park will be neighborhood’s dress rehearsal for the ‘Big One’ by Sue Dremann he ground is shaking violently. live in the hours, days and weeks Family heirlooms and knick- after a major disaster will become knacks are flying like projec- their No. 1 concern. tiles off walls and shelves. Glass is The scenario is the focus of a Sept. shattering, and the rolling motion 11 disaster drill planned for Barron seems to go on forever. Park residents, who will erect a tent When the “Big One” strikes, resi- city at Juana Briones Park. dents could find their homes uninIt won’t be a neighborhood picnic. habitable, and figuring out how to People will have to bring their own
T
tents, water and food. Grills won’t be allowed. There will be no electricity for the duration of the event, which runs from 3:30 p.m. till 10 a.m. the next day. Some surprise incidents, mimicking possible real-life disaster scenarios, are planned to test people’s responses, according to event coordinator Lydia Kou. Dubbed “Quakeville,” the drill is designed to shake people out of their denial. Quakeville will kick off a series
of citywide disaster-preparedness events throughout September and October. Palo Alto Mayor Pat Burt and the Palo Alto/Stanford Citizen Corps Council have declared September as Emergency Preparedness Month citywide. Other organizations have piloted tent-city disaster preparations. The Bakersfield Memorial Hospital created a tent city earlier this year as part of its emergency drills for an H1N1 virus surge, according to the California Hospital Association.
Quakeville will put disaster preparedness into the hands of the citizenry, who will be the first on the ground to deal with neighborhood emergencies, Kou said. “It’s exciting because it involves all citizens. In the past, drills involved emergency volunteers only,” said Kou, who also is co-chair of the Palo Alto Neighborhoods blockpreparedness-coordinator program and is a Barron Park Neighborhood (continued on page 6)
TECHNOLOGY
Facebook unveils new ‘Places’ feature Users can share their real-time locations — but not everyone ‘Likes’ new function
Jiffy Lube on El Camino Real in Palo Alto has had its employees wave signs at passing drivers in the mornings to bring in business. Mancini’s Sleepworld in Mountain View hires outside help, usually friends or family members of employees, for $16 an hour to dress up in a mattress and advertise major holiday sales. Jake Hand, manager of Mancini’s, said the sign wavers help bring in customers. But an increase in sign spinners may not be good for business, he said. Hand once saw four sign wavers within one city block.
by Chris Kenrick acebook Wednesday unveiled its much-anticipated “Places” feature, allowing users to share their real-time locations as well as to identify friends who are there with them. Even as privacy advocates complained the new service lacks safeguards to protect sensitive information, the Palo Alto company’s officers said it will connect people and build community in new ways. The service will “help people share where they are in a really nice and social way,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. “It can help people stay connected not just at home but everywhere they travel in the world.” Zuckerberg said he knew the service was ready to launch when he was showing a prototype to his girlfriend while dining in a Menlo Park restaurant and they could see that a Facebook colleague and his fiancée were dining at a nearby restaurant. “It was at that moment, when that kind of serendipitous thing happened, that we knew the product was ready to go,” Zuckerberg said. Zuckerberg was joined Wednesday by executives of other placeoriented Web companies — Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp and Booyah — who said they were pleased to have the social media giant enter the arena. Facebook has more than 500 million active users, according to its website. “This is a great thing for the still-
(continued on page 5)
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F
Galen Stolee
Judith Ponse, an employee of Ducky’s Car Wash in Menlo Park, stands on the corner of El Camino Real and Valparaiso Avenue, taking her turn in the duck costume as a “human directional.”
BUSINESS
Spinning for attention Are street-corner sign wavers an effective advertising method or over-saturated fad? by Ryan Deto
O
n the corner of El Camino Real and Glenwood Avenue in Menlo Park — surrounded by traffic, pedestrians, gas pumps and street lights — stands a 5-foot-tall yellow duck. When the temperature is cool, the duck dances and waves while holding a
large banner advertising $6.99 car washes at Ducky’s Car Wash half a block down the road. What compels this waterfowl to shamelessly plug sudsy, vehicular cleanses? “When we have the duck out there, people come in and want
to know about our car washes,” Ducky’s manager Karen Nickolai said. According to Nickolai, the duck has brought in hundreds of customers. Random residents will stop Nickolai on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park to ask: “Where’s your duck?” Sign-spinning advertisements, also known as “human directionals,” are frequent sights on street corners throughout the Midpeninsula. Once relegated to unsold condos and new home developments, sign spinners now point to a variety of business activities, such as oil changes, mattress sales or restaurant openings.
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450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER William S. Johnson EDITORIAL Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Jocelyn Dong, Managing Editor Carol Blitzer, Associate Editor Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, Express™ and Online Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Dale Bentson, Colin Becht, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Renata Polt, Jeanie Forte Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Contributors Katia Savchuk, Carolyn Copeland, Robin Migdol, Ryan Deto, Georgia Wells, Angela Chen, Sophie Stid Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Raul Perez, Assistant Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Gary Vennarucci, Designer PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Samantha Mejia, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators ADVERTISING Walter Kupiec, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Judie Block, Esmeralda Flores, Janice Hoogner, Gary Whitman, Display Advertising Sales Neil Fine, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, Inside Advertising Sales Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Asst. Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Assistants Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst. EXPRESS, ONLINE AND VIDEO SERVICES Rachel Palmer, Online Operations Coordinator BUSINESS Penelope Ng, Payroll & Benefits Manager Elena Dineva, Mary McDonald, Cathy Stringari, Susie Ochoa, Doris Taylor, Business Associates ADMINISTRATION Amy Renalds, Assistant to the Publisher & Promotions Director Janice Covolo, Receptionist Ruben Espinoza, Courier EMBARCADERO PUBLISHING CO. William S. Johnson, President Michael I. Naar, Vice President & CFO Walter Kupiec, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Frank A. Bravo, Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Connie Jo Cotton, Major Accounts Sales Manager Bob Lampkin, Director, Circulation & Mailing Services Alicia Santillan, Circulation Assistants Chris Planessi, Chip Poedjosoedarmo, Computer System Associates The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every Friday by Embarcadero Publishing Co., 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 326-8210. Periodicals postage paid at Palo Alto, CA and additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for Santa Clara County. The Palo Alto Weekly is delivered free to homes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, to faculty and staff households on the Stanford campus and to portions of Los Altos Hills. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 326-8210. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. Copyright Š2010 by Embarcadero Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Printed by SFOP, Redwood City. The Palo Alto Weekly is available on the Internet via Palo Alto Online at: www.PaloAltoOnline.com Our e-mail addresses are: editor@paweekly.com, letters@paweekly.com, ads@paweekly.com. Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Call 650 326-8210, or e-mail circulation@paweekly. com. You may also subscribe online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $60/yr.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
‘‘
SPRING INTO SUMMER!
Upfront
‘‘
The duck is on our payroll. — Ducky’s Car Wash manager Karen Nockolai, referring to the “human directional� out front on El Camino Real. See story on page 3.
Around Town ODDEST HOUSE? ... Think your house (or a neighbor’s) is really special, unusual or just plain quirky? The website www. TopTenRealEstateDeals.com is seeking nominations for an upcoming Top Ten Homes Web feature. “We are looking for homes that are truly different — the kind of homes that make you say, ‘Wow, look at that’ or ‘What were they thinking?’ or ‘I wish I were that brave,’� Jason Wakefield, Web design director for the real estate website, stated in a news release. “Homes can be in any style or price range. The important thing is the home’s ‘out-of-the-norm’ quotient.� Nominations, with photos and a brief description, can be sent to homes@toptenrealestatedeals. com. SUFFRAGETTE CITY ... It’s been 90 years since American women earned the right to vote, and the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto will celebrate that landmark anniversary Aug. 26 with a free meeting at the Garden Court Hotel, 520 Cowper St., from 7 to 9 p.m. Back in the day, Palo Alto had many strident suffragettes fighting for the vote, including Virginia (Jennie) Arnott, Anna Zschokke and Alice Park. “It’s time to remember the courage of those who undertook the long fight for women’s voting rights,� Phyllis Cassel, league president, said. The celebration will feature entertainment with special guests, and participants are asked to RSVP at 650-327-9148 or lwvpaoffice@gmail.com. FINALS BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS? . . . The hot-button issue of scheduling final exams before or after the December holidays will soon come before the Palo Alto Board of Education as it considers the school district’s calendar for 2011-12 and beyond. Until now — and at least through the upcoming school year — Gunn and Paly students have taken first-semester exams in January, after the holidays. But several area high schools, including Menlo-Atherton, Castilleja and St. Francis, have switched to finals before the holidays as a strategy to dial down student stress. “I think we need
to look at a calendar that gives kids some breaks,� Superintendent Kevin Skelly told school board members at a recent twoday retreat. A possible calendar change is no simple matter, since it also must be negotiated with the district’s two employee unions, the Palo Alto Educators Association and the California School Employees Association. Skelly said a decision needs to be made by November. BUCKING THE TREND ... Who says the real estate market has slowed down? Alain Pinel Realtor Mary Gullixson, who works in the company’s Palo Alto office, ranked fourth nationally in real-estate sales volume for 2009, according to the Wall Street Journal. Her sales? Nearly $149 million, making it no surprise that she’s surpassed $2 billion in career sales. Other APR agents on the list included Kathy Bridgman at No. 21 and Judy Bogard-Tanigami at No. 56, both from the Los Altos office. From the Menlo Park office, Carol Carnevale and Nicole Aron ranked No. 58 on the Top Teams by Sales Volume list, with $78 million. The Journal’s Top 400 survey was tallied from 7,000 brokerage firms, Realtors associations and individuals in the field. TO INFINITY ... Cosmic Cosmos and Beam Me Up Martinis were among the drinks of choice this past weekend at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara. Mountain View’s SETI Institute — which searches for extraterrestrial intelligence — was hosting its first SETIcon. Speakers at the gathering included scientists, science-fiction writers and actors such as Tim Russ, who played Tuvok on “Star Trek: Voyager.� Two popular events were the panel discussion “Warp Eight, Mr. Scott: Will It Happen? The Future of Space Travel� and astronomer Mike Brown’s talk “How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming.� Unlike at sci-fi conventions, popularized and satirized over the years, SETIcon failed to attract throngs of folks wearing pointy ears and Klingon garb. It was a mostly T-shirtsand-blue-jeans crowd, one attendee reported. N
Upfront
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING of the City of Palo Alto Historic Resources Board
UTILITIES
Palo Alto slab-foundation homes at risk for gas leaks September house explosion caused by gas buildup, report concludes by Chris Kenrick
H
omes with gas lines beneath slab foundations — commonly built in Palo Alto in the mid-1900s — are at risk of gas leaks similar to that which caused a Maureen Avenue house to explode last September, fire officials said this week. Acting Palo Alto Fire Marshal Gordon Simpkinson said corrosive action of soil can lead to leaks in 50- or 60-year-old gas lines. “If (homeowners) don’t take care of it, it could reach the point where it causes a problem similar to what happened on Maureen,” Simpkinson said, adding that, if residents smell gas, the Utilities Department has a program to inspect homes free of charge. Before their Maureen Avenue house literally exploded last September, Andrew and Yvonne Ware had consulted with their furnace installer about a natural gas-like odor. The installer, from the now defunct Dahl Plumbing, did not smell natural gas and told the couple the
Sign wavers (continued from page 3)
“I think it was more effective when less people were doing it,” he said. “When people are doing it more often, it becomes less special.” Sign spinning has become so popular that advertising companies, such as AArrow in San Diego, have formed specifically to offer highly trained spinners. Their employees are like break dancers, capable of doing backflips while tossing their signs into the air. Some of their employees have been featured in commercials for McDonald’s and Ford. Skill comes with a price, however: AArrow sign spinners charge $25 to $50 an hour. Other advertising companies that don’t offer such highly skilled spinners, such as Allure Advertising and Media Nation, pay $8 to $15 an hour for human directionals, according to each company’s website. Some businesses consider the cost relatively cheap — and highly targeted — in comparison to other forms of advertising. According to gaebler.com, a website providing resources to entrepreneurs, a billboard ad costs $700 to $2,500 a month and a full-page ad in a major newspaper costs 10 times that amount for one day. If a business were to hire a sign spinner for four hours a day during rush hour and for five days a week, the cost would be between $640 and $1,200 a month. At places like Ducky’s, where current employees take shifts holding signs on street corners, additional
odor probably emanated from a dirty-diaper pail, the Wares told fire inspectors. On Sept. 30, Andrew Ware was finishing up his morning shower when he heard a big boom and saw smoke, flames — and blue sky where his bathroom roof had been. He escaped the burning home through a bathroom window. Yvonne Ware already had left to take the couple’s child to day care. Investigators determined the fire had been fueled by a gas leak. “That’s the only thing that can lift the roof of a house like that,” Simpkinson said. However, inspectors listed the fire as “undetermined” in their final report because they were unable to pinpoint precisely the source of ignition. They speculated it could have been a water heater cycling on to supply hot water during the shower. Another possible cause could have been the thermostat of a wall furnace. Inspectors estimated property
loss to be $375,000 in the Maureen Avenue fire, with another $100,000 in contents loss. The fire, which quickly consumed most of the house, could be seen from the sixth floor of City Hall, more than 3 miles away. For residents concerned about possible gas leaks, Simpkinson said, “If somebody’s got something where they occasionally smell it, they’re not quite sure, they can call the Utilities Department and they will come out with gas-detection equipment and go through the house room-by-room. This is free of charge to the homeowner.” However, if residents notice a strong smell of gas, they should call 911 so the fire department can immediately come and turn off the gas, Simpkinson advised. For easier repair, leaky underground gas lines can be disconnected, capped off and re-routed through garages or walls, he said. N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be e-mailed at ckenrick@paweekly.com.
costs are nothing. “It is free marketing. Billboards can be very expensive, while the duck is on our payroll,” Nickolai said. Some customers voice their concerns about the health of the people inside the duck costume, Nickolai said. But workers rotate wearing the costume and are not out on the street corner for more than an hour at a time. “All of the employees want to be the duck,” she said. At Ducky’s, workers are paid only when they are doing actual work, such as washing, cleaning cars and being the duck. Beni Guillen, an employee at Ducky’s, said he enjoys wearing the costume and feels it’s effective. He listens to Reggaeton while waving his arms. With music he can dance to, he does not get bored. “I try to entertain the little kids because they seem to like the duck costume the most,” Guillen said. Though city ordinances regulate free-standing signs, Palo Alto City Attorney Donald Larkin said ordinances do not apply to sign spinners. Placing private signs on public property is illegal, but human-held signs are allowed as long as they don’t interfere with pedestrian traffic. Robert Goldman, professor of sociology at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., and author of “Sign Wars: The Cluttered Landscape of Advertising,” isn’t sold on human directionals yet. “They might have been successful initially, but I haven’t seen any data on this,” he said. “If an advertisement is supposed to be seductive and luxurious, then these don’t
achieve that. They draw people in only if they were already thinking about it.” Goldman said that more and more businesses are doing it because “labor is so cheap and abundant right now.” One of those laborers is Elizabeth Foster of East Palo Alto, who took a job holding an 8-foot-tall red sign for Woodland Apartments because it was all she could find. She works 40 hours a week on the corner of University Avenue and Donohue Street in East Palo Alto in four-hour blocks, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 to 6 p.m. “I never thought I would be doing this,” she said. Before holding signs, Foster was in the U.S. Navy and worked at Macy’s. She graduated from beauty school and is waiting to get her license. During her shifts she places her hand inside a small, round hole in the sign that gives her leverage to tilt it back and forth. She said she enjoys the work. “It’s great. I don’t have to worry about co-worker drama,” she said. The only co-worker she sees is her manager, who comes out during each shift to take a picture of Foster standing on the corner, proving to Woodland that she is in fact working. Foster has a young son to care for and said that she is looking for a more typical office job that would provide a more normal schedule. “Until then, I will work here as long as I can.” N Editorial Iintern Ryan Deto can be e-mailed at editor@paweekly. com.
Please be advised the Historic Resources Board shall conduct a meeting at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 in the Civic Center, Council Chambers, 1st Floor, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, California. Any interested persons may appear and be heard on these items. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 7, 2010 NEW BUSINESS Public Hearings 1. Public hearing to take testimony on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed 405 Lincoln Avenue Single-Family Residential Replacement Project, for recommendation by the Historic Resources Board on the Demolition Delay process for the existing residence at 405 Lincoln Avenue listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure in the Professorville Historic District and for review of the proposed replacement residence for compatibility with the Professorville Historic District. Questions. If interested parties have any questions regarding the above applications, please contact the Planning Division at (650) 329-2441. The files relating to these items are available for inspection weekdays between the hours of 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM and staff reports will be available for inspection at 2:00 PM the Friday preceding the hearing. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn more about the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), please contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 650.329.2550 (voice) or by e-mailing ada@ cityofpaloalto.org. Steven Turner, Advance Planning Manager
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING of the Palo Alto Planning & Transportation Commision Please be advised the Planning and Transportation Commission (P&TC) shall conduct a special meeting at 6:00 PM, Wednesday, September 1, 2010 in the Civic Center, Council Chambers, 1st Floor, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, California. Any interested persons may appear and be heard on these items. Staff reports for agendized items are available via the City’s main website at www.cityofpaloalto.org. and also at the Planning Division Front Desk, 5th Floor, City Hall, after 2:00 PM on the Friday preceding the meeting date. Copies will be made available at the Development Center should City Hall be closed on the 9/80 Friday. NEW BUSINESS. Public Hearing: 1. 610 Los Trancos Road: Request by John Lerch on behalf of Scott McNealy for Site and Design Review of a new roof structure over an existing hockey/tennis sport court facility and the addition of new landscape material as screening for the new roof. Environmental Assessment: An Initial Study is being prepared in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements. Zone District: OS (Open Space) 2. Green Building Study Session: Discuss changes to the PAMC Section 18.44, Green Building Regulations, to reflect the release of the California Green Building Code (CALGreen) and to include sustainability requirements for large development projects. Other Item: 3. Appointment of Liaison to Rail Corridor Study Task Force Questions. Any questions regarding the above applications, please contact the Planning Department at (650) 329-2440. The files relating to these items are available for inspection weekdays between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This public meeting is televised live on Government Access Channel 26. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn more about the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), please contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 650.329.2550 (voice) or by e-mailing ada@cityofpaloalto.org.
*** Curtis Williams, Director of Planning and Community Environment
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Association disaster-prep leader. Kou said Quakeville will help give residents a sense of what they might encounter, and need, when forced out of their homes and into close contact with many other people. “Will you need earplugs in case the person sleeping in the tent next to you snores? Will you need hayfever medicine? How will you entertain yourself and your kids?� Quakeville could become an integral part of Palo Alto’s emergency-preparedness training in future years, if successful, according to Kelly Morariu, Palo Alto’s assistant to the city manager. The Palo Alto City Council named emergency preparedness as one of the city’s top priorities for 2010. Morariu and some City Council members are expected to attend. “We’re very supportive. It’s a good test run. It’s hard to know what will happen in a disaster,� she said. Quakeville residents will also get a tour of the city’s new $300,000
mobile emergency-operations command unit, which will play a key role in communications and coordination when a disaster strikes and other communication systems fail. The council will hold a study session on Sept. 13 on emergency preparedness and will discuss the mobile-command vehicle and its capabilities, Morariu said. Annette Glanckopf Ashton, chair of the Palo Alto Neighborhoods committee for disaster preparedness, said the city’s participation in Quakeville signals new support for community-based preparedness. Palo Alto Neighborhoods’ block-preparedness coordinator program, which has been funded almost entirely by residents, received a $20,000 grant from the city in late June. “Sept. 11 is a very appropriate day for people to come together to commemorate friendships and lives lost,� she said, adding that the city is encouraging other neighborhoods to hold block parties on Sept. 11 to build community connections. “It’s an act of remembrance,� she said. Residents will have a block party
focusing on block preparedness in her Midtown neighborhood, she said. Kou said she hopes to expand the annual drill, with sites at Mitchell and Rinconada parks next year. Barron Park residents interested in joining Quakeville must pre-register. On drill day, they’ll check in and set up tents at reserved spots. For volunteer block-preparedness coordinators and other volunteer responders, Quakeville will be a golden opportunity, Kou said. “Volunteers never had this opportunity. It will be an eye-opener for us,� she said. One area she hopes to resolve is what to do with pets. For the Sept. 11 event, organizers are encouraging people not to bring their animals. But at tent city they’ll look for ways to resolve that concern, she said. Palo Alto residents who aren’t part of Quakeville will have opportunities in the coming weeks to take part in disaster-preparedness events (see sidebar). N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be e-mailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.
Upcoming disaster preparedness events
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small location-check-in industry that Facebook is entering this market because it validates that we’re onto something, that we’re actually adding value, that this will be a much bigger thing going forward,� Gowalla Chief Technical Officer Scott Raymond said. But not everyone “Likes� the new feature. In a statement, the ACLU of Northern California said the new “Places� feature does not go far enough to protect privacy. “Facebook made some changes to its regular privacy practices to protect sensitive information, such as limiting the default visibility of check-ins on your feed to ‘Friends Only.’ “But it has failed to build in some other important privacy safeguards. “‘Places’ allows your friends to tag you when they check in somewhere, and Facebook makes it very easy to say ‘yes’ to allowing your friends to check in for you. But when it comes
Council. The free fair focuses on family preparedness. There will be give-aways, demonstrations and lectures by USGS. Sept. 21: Palo Alto Neighborhoods will offer a new two-hour class, “Personal Preparedness,� at Friends Meeting Hall, 957 Colorado Ave. Information: www.paneighborhoods.org. Sept. 25: Community Disaster Drill for the Palo Alto Neighborhoods Block Preparedness Coordinator Program using Community Alert Notification System (CANS)
to opting out of that feature, you are only given a ‘not now’ option (aka ask me again later). ‘No’ isn’t one of the easy options.� Zuckerberg and colleagues stressed the friendlier aspects of the new service, even suggesting the new “Places� technology can bolster civic engagement by restoring the importance of what sociologist Ray Oldenburg calls the “third place� — public gathering spaces. “What we’re doing is keeping the ‘third place’ alive and well,� Facebook vice-president Chris Cox said. “Technology is the thing that pulls us away from the TV and out to the nightclub, concert, theater or bar. Technology does not need to estrange us from one another.� Cox said Places can help friends find one another not only in real time — such as at a crowded Lollapalooza concert in Chicago — but over decades. “Our collective stories are going to be pinned to a physical location,� he said. “Maybe one day in 20 years our children will go to Ocean Beach in San Francisco and (the technology will tell them), ‘This is where your
Sept. 26: Annual Midtown Ice Cream Social, from 1 to 4 p.m. in a local park, featuring emergency preparedness information and supplies. Information: www.midtownresidents.org Oct. 3: Gamble Garden Community Day, with a neighborhood and emergency-preparedness focus Oct. 21: Awards Ceremony and keynote speaker at City Hall to honor key volunteer emergency coordinators Date uncertain: Open house for the city’s new Mobile Emergency Operations Center. N
parents had their first kiss. This is the photo they took afterward, and this is what their friends said about the photo.’� The announcement came in what was billed as a “press event� but which morphed into a “launch night� at Facebook’s California Avenue headquarters. Reporters who turned up at 4:30 p.m. waited 30 minutes before being asked to board shuttle buses to a different Facebook location. There they were ushered into a large lounge and joined by hundreds of others, including Facebook employees and partners. Zuckerberg finally took the microphone at 5:25 p.m. “It’s great to have everyone come together and have a launch night,� he said. “This is going to be a really fun and interesting summer. We have a lot of new products that we’re building and that are coming out. “We have a lot of other interesting launch nights coming up this summer.� N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be e-mailed at ckenrick@paweekly.com.
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A roundup of neighborhood news edited by Sue Dremann
AROUND THE BLOCK
SQUIRRELS AND RATS — OH MY ... “Is it just me, or does it seem like we have more rodents now than we did 10 years ago?,� a Crescent Park resident recently asked other neighbors via e-mail. Neighbors agreed that rodents seem to be on the rise. Some said the voracious squirrels and rats are gobbling up all the peaches, plums, cherries or figs on trees this year. Russ Parman, acting district manager for the Santa Clara County Vector Control District, said his office has no evidence of a county-wide population explosion among rodents. Since 2003, the number of calls the district has received regarding roof rats has declined by roughly 50 percent, he said. The district offers free home and yard inspections. Where there are reports of high populations of roof rats, the district can set up a baiting program. Residents with concerns can call 408-918-4770 or visit www.sccvector.org. N
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“Edgewood Eats,� a community event designed to get neighbors together to enjoy mobile gourmet food, is planned for Sept. 13 in the Edgewood Plaza parking lot.
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EDGEWOOD RETURNS ‌ Preliminary plans for redevelopment of the Edgewood Plaza shopping center will come before the Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission on Sept. 1, including a request to rezone the property to Planned Community (PC). Zoning of the Embarcadero Road property is currently Neighborhood Commercial (CN). The new zoning would allow for denser development that includes 10 single-family homes and the renovation of three Eichler retail buildings. The redevelopment would include a small “pocketâ€? park as part of a required “public benefit.â€? An article about the new Edgewood plan is posted at www.PaloAltoOnline.com.
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Weekly file photo
GARDEN SWAP ... Too many zucchinis, but not enough tomatoes? Local gardeners may come to Common Ground Education Center, 559 College Ave., Palo Alto, on Saturday, Aug. 21, from 11 a.m. to noon to trade food, flowers and herbs from their gardens. Eggs, honey, fruits and vegetables may be traded in this “free� backyard farmers market. The community swap is supported by Acterra, Barron Park Green Team, Barron Park Garden Network, Barron Park Association, Slow Food South Bay, Transition Palo Alto and Common Ground. Information: 650-328-2723.
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Crescent Park resident organizes Sept. 13 ‘foodie’ event in Edgewood Plaza parking lot by Jocelyn Dong
W
hen Susie Hwang looks at the nearly vacant Edgewood Plaza shopping center, she envisions a place where neighbors might gather, chat and get to know one another. But she’s not waiting until the Embarcadero Road center is redeveloped for that to happen. The Crescent Park neighborhood resident is organizing an event for Edgewood neighbors on Sept. 13, a 5 to 7:30 p.m. event that she and her children playfully refer to as “Edgewood Eats.� With the permission of landowner Sand Hill Property, Hwang has invited a handful of mobile gourmet-food vendors to sell dinner in the parking lot in front of the now-defunct Albertsons store. The hope: that residents of Crescent Park and Duveneck/St. Francis will come, mix and mingle — and also breathe a little life into the vast expanse of asphalt and half-centuryold retail buildings. “There’s this opportunity. There’s this vacant lot,� Hwang said. “No matter how you feel about (the shopping-center redevelopment), we can all agree something is better than an empty parking lot.� She’s invited vendors who specialize in rotisserie chicken and salads, Korean-inspired wraps, modern organic Filipino cuisine, Indian street food and locally made ice cream sandwiches. The meals will be freshly prepared and priced between $5 and $10, she said.
People can bring their picnic blankets and chairs and hang out — or just pick up dinner and walk back home, she added. In the quest to help people connect with one another, Hwang is tapping into a growing urban trend — mobile food carts. Gone are the limited culinary offerings of food trucks of yore. These days, mobile-food purveyors sell everything from crème brĂťlĂŠe to curry. The company Off the Grid hosts an Asian and Latin Street Food market every Friday night at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. In Los Angeles, Korean taco trucks have gained enormous popularity, the Los Angeles Times reports. In downtown Palo Alto, online fashion firm Moxsie invites two street vendors every Friday at lunch for “Moxsie Street Eats,â€? an event open to the public, according to its website. It’s a trend that resonates with Hwang. “My family loves good food,â€? she said. “And we love trying new good food that may not be represented in Palo Alto currently.â€? But the September event is primarily about strengthening the neighborhood, she emphasized. “I want people to start thinking about (Edgewood) as ‘our place.’â€? Although she’s been working (continued on page 9)
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Barron Park holds yearly ‘get-to-know-you’ event Aug. 29 by Karla Kane eing the new kid on the block can be daunting — for kids and adults alike — and even longtime residents can feel isolated from their neighbors at times. Coming together to be greeted by smiling faces, affable donkeys, free ice cream and familiar tunes could help make even the shyest of residents feel more at home. That’s the idea behind the Barron Park Association’s annual gettingto-know-you gathering, scheduled this year from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 29, at Bol Park. Realtor and longtime Barron Park Association member Gwen Luce heads the gathering, which has been held for the past four or five years, she said. “It’s a very informal way for members of the community to meet and mingle,� she said. “It’s a friendly, free event.� The focus of the event is simply neighbors meeting each other and socializing in a casual setting. Driftwood Deli donates ice cream (this year, six flavors will be featured) and volunteers take turns scooping the frozen treat into cones and cups. Sometimes, the scoopers are local celebrities, such as Palo Alto Unified School District Superintendent Kevin Skelly, who took a turn when he first moved into the neighborhood a few years back. And of course, Barron Park’s most beloved and well-known residents, neighborhood donkeys Miner and Perry, will be dropping by for petting and visitation from
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2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Nametags will be offered in various colors identifying newcomers, “in betweens� and “long timers,� some of whom are original homeowners who’ve lived in Barron Park for 50 years, Luce said. Residents will also share their talents and expertise at the party. One table will be dedicated to a neighborhood babysitting list, where families can find sitters for their kids or offer their sitting services. Another table will be set up by neighborhood historian Doug Graham, showing photos of the neighborhood from its early days and offering background historical information on the area. Musicians Gary Breitbard (who plays accordion, banjo and fiddle, among other instruments) and Jena Routi (accordion) will perform acoustic music under the name “Side by Side.� Song sheets with lyrics to classics like “You Are My Sunshine� and “Oh, Susannah!� will be distributed so everyone might sing along. “We do a sing-along so that everyone becomes part of the performance,� Breitbard, who also organizes music for the annual May Fete, said. “I’m not crazy about just singing at people; I like participation. We do a mix of old pop songs, kids’ songs and folk songs.� The capstone event will be the family soccer game, scheduled for 4 p.m. The game is led by resident Louis Lehot, a native of France, (continued on page 11)
NOTICE OF A PUBLIC MEETING of the city of Palo Alto Architectural Review Board (ARB) 8:30 A.M., Thursday, September 2, 2010 Palo Alto Council Conference Room, 1st Floor, Civic Center, 250 Hamilton Avenue. Go to the Development Center at 285 Hamilton Avenue to review ďŹ led documents; contact Alicia Spotwood for information regarding business hours at 650-617-3168. 998 San Antonio Road (Palo Alto Mosque) [09PLN-0000000003]: Consent calendar Architectural Review of minor exterior modiďŹ cations to ARB-approved plans for a mosque, including the deletion of parking structure and parking adjustments to replace 12 on-site parking spaces with 12 off-site parking spaces and defer three on site parking spaces as landscape reserve, and of plan changes and details addressing ARB approval conditions. Stanford University Medical Center Facilities Renewal and Replacement Project- Request by Stanford University Medical Center on behalf of Stanford University for Preliminary Review of the new Stanford Hospital landscape plans. Environmental Assessment: An environmental impact report has been prepared. Zone District: Medical OfďŹ ce Research (MOR). Amy French Manager of Current Planning
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Upfront
News Digest
Mobile food
Barnes & Noble opening in downtown Palo Alto
on the idea for about two months, Hwang, who has volunteered with the PTA, said she’s been interested in community for much longer. In her home, she has the poster “How to Build Community,” which offers more than 40 ideas, including “Know your neighbors” and “Sit on your stoop.” She reasons that the event will appeal to all involved: “These vendors — they’re trying to get themselves going with wonderful, exciting food. Busy parents need a break from cooking. And how
Bookstore giant Barnes & Noble is moving into downtown Palo Alto, but shoppers will still need to head to Redwood City because the new space is not for retail. Instead, the new offices are expected to house the company’s electronic book reader, or “Nook,” software-development division, according to Palo Alto Deputy City Manager Steve Emslie. The book seller is renovating 10,000 square feet of office space on the second and third floors of 300 Hamilton Ave., at the corner of Bryant Street. The improvements are projected to cost $835,000, according to city records. Barnes & Noble has not yet released its expected move-in date. The Nook became available for pre-order October 2009 and sold out before Dec. 25. Stores began stocking it in February. Barnes & Noble now sells the Wi-Fi model for $149 and the Wi-Fi and 3G model for $199. According to Gizmodo and other tech blogs, Barnes & Noble plans to release an updated and improved Nook 2 later this year, though Barnes & Noble has not confirmed these reports. N — Georgia Wells
Police investigate small fire at Jordan school Palo Alto police are searching for two teenage boys suspected of setting fire to a beach towel at Jordan Middle School Sunday evening (Aug. 15), the fourth blaze at a Palo Alto public school or park since July 7, Palo Alto police Officer Mariana Villaescusa said. The teenagers allegedly fled from Jordan after a bicyclist raced over to stomp out the flames. The bicyclist relayed details about what he witnessed to a neighbor who had also come to help extinguish the blaze. The cyclist then left and the neighbor called police at 7:49 p.m., Villaescusa said. Villaescusa said there was no danger of the isolated fire spreading to nearby buildings. There were no accelerants, such as gasoline, used on the towel, she said. The suspects were described as white males between 15 and 18 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with one wearing a red shirt and the other wearing a gray shirt. Police have not determined if the fire is related to other school and park fires reported in the last month and a half, Villaescusa said. A play structure was set aflame on July 7 at Hoover Park, a wood-and-plastic fire was started at Ohlone Elementary School on July 25 and a Dumpster was torched at Gunn High School on Aug. 3. A $2,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in relation to the Hoover Park fire. N — Ryan Deto
Parents of EPA plane-crash victim sue pilot, firm The parents of a man who died in a plane crash in East Palo Alto in February filed a lawsuit Aug. 17 alleging that the plane’s pilot, who also died in the crash, was negligent in taking off even though heavy fog created dangerous conditions. The suit was filed by Paul and Barbara Ingram, the parents of 31-year-old Andrew Ingram of Palo Alto, and seeks unspecified damages from the estate of 56-year-old pilot Douglas Bourn and the company he ran, Air Unique Inc. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the twin-engine Cessna 310 that Bourn piloted struck power lines and a PG&E tower at 7:54 a.m. on Feb. 17. The plane was about 50 feet above the ground and had just departed from the Palo Alto Municipal Airport. It was heading to Hawthorne, Calif. All three men on the plane — Ingram, Bourn and 42-year-old Brian Finn of East Palo Alto — died in the crash. They all worked for Tesla Motors of Palo Alto. No one on the ground was injured. The lawsuit, which was filed in San Mateo County Superior Court by Burlingame attorney Frank Pitre, alleges: “This crash was foreseeable and avoidable had the owner and operator of the aircraft (Bourn) demonstrated concern for the safety of his passengers, instead of blatant disregard for his lack of recent flying experience, poor weather and the condition of his aircraft before deciding to embark on a risky take-off.” The suit also states: “Bourn knew that the airport and surrounding area was shrouded in dense fog, with visibility limited to one-eighth of a mile.” Joshua Cawthra, lead aviation accident investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), told the Weekly on Aug. 11 that the investigation into the cause of the crash is still ongoing. A report is expected by the end of the year, he said. N — Sue Dremann and Bay City News Service LET’S DISCUSS: Read the latest local news headlines and talk about the issues at Town Square at www.PaloAltoOnline.com
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nice for Edgewood to get some buzz going.” Sand Hill Property Project Manager John Tze has been more than supportive, she said: “He’s been enthusiastic.” If “Edgewood Eats” is well-received it may continue on a regular basis until construction on the center begins, Hwang said. No date has been announced for start of construction, but preliminary plans for a new center are scheduled to be considered by the city Planning and Transportation Commission in September. N Managing Editor Jocelyn Dong can be e-mailed at jdong@paweekly.com.
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These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news or click on “News” in the left, green column.
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In hopes of saving a lot of paper, three Mountain View City Council members will be ditching their inches-thick weekly reports for slim electronic readers next month in an experiment. (Posted Aug. 19 at 9:26 a.m.)
Burgess baby pool closed — ‘gaseous substance’ Two children who were playing in the Burgess baby pool in Menlo Park on Aug. 10 had reactions to a “gaseous substance” apparently due to a mechanical problem with the chlorination system at the pool, the city of Menlo Park reported Wednesday (Aug. 18) in a press release. (Posted Aug. 18 at 4:30 p.m.)
Public weighs in on Caltrain budget woes, cuts Caltrain has received hundreds of messages from members of the public about potential ways to address its budget deficit, including fare hikes and service cuts — including suspending all weekend service. (Posted Aug. 18 at 1:23 p.m.)
Traveling con man arrested in Menlo Park There’s your run-of-the-mill bad boyfriend, and then there’s Simon Gann. A Menlo Park woman suspected that the man she’d been dating was not who he said he was. Turns out she was right. (Posted Aug. 17 at 4:38 p.m.)
SLAC dedicates ‘revolutionary’ new X-ray laser Officials at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Monday unveiled a new X-ray laser they said will “revolutionize” research in energy and environmental science, drug development and materials engineering. (Posted Aug. 17 at 10:58 a.m.)
Filmmakers to document life of David Lewis Two filmmakers are on a marathon journey to record every scrap of remembrance about David Lewis, the East Palo Alto community leader who was slain June 9 in a parking garage at Hillsdale Shopping Center. (Posted Aug. 17 at 9:45 a.m.)
Ba y-F riendl y Bay -Fr iendly Gar dening W or kshops Gardening Wor ork Gr ow a beautiful g ar den. Build healt hy soil. Gro gar arden. health You can create a sustainable, healthy and beautiful garden using Bay-Friendly practices. Learn gardening techniques that work with nature to reduce waste and protect the watersheds of the San Francisco Bay.
Let Worms Eat Your Garbage Saturday August 21 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Cubberley Community Center, Room H-1 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto Worm castings are an inexpensive but highly valuable organic fertilizer for your garden. This class goes step by step through the fundamentals of composting with red wiggler worms – the best digesters in nature. Workshop elements include:
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Workshop is FREE. Attendees receive a Bay-Friendly Gardening Guide. To register go to: www.BayFriendlyCoalition.org
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Paly grad wins gold medal at math competition Recent Paly graduate Lynnelle Ye won a gold medal at the China Girls Mathematical Olympiad, The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute announced this week. Ye’s team also earned an overall second-place finish in the competition, which was held in Shijiazhuang, China. One hundred and ninety girls from 10 countries competed in this year’s event, which consists of eight complex math problems worked on individually over a two-day span. (Posted Aug. 16 at 3:10 p.m.)
Protesters gather at Google over Verizon deal Picket signs and chants were seen and heard Friday (Aug. 13) at Google’s Mountain View headquarters, where demonstrators opposed a deal between Google and Verizon perceived as an assault on “Internet neutrality” and free speech online. (Posted Aug. 16 at 2:02 p.m.)
Stanford names new director of admission Stanford University has named Bob Patterson as the new Associate Dean and Director of Admission. He joins Stanford from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was deputy director of undergraduate admission. (Posted Aug. 16 at 1:54 p.m.)
Police hunt for armed men at Menlo Park Safeway Employees at a Menlo Park Safeway store had a scare early Monday morning (Aug. 16) when police evacuated the store searching for armed men. (Posted Aug. 16 at 10:07 a.m.)
South Palo Alto power outage muffles concert A power outage Saturday night (Aug. 14) darkened a large area of south Palo Alto and temporarily silenced a city-sponsored Twilight Concert at Mitchell Park, resident and concert attendee Bob Moss reported. (Posted Aug. 15 at 9:25 p.m.)
Knife threat triggers barricade of empty house Palo Alto police and other law-enforcement officers barricaded a house in the 500 block of Georgia Avenue just before 11 a.m. Sunday (Aug. 15) seeking a man who had threatened his live-in partner with a steak knife. But a search of the house by a robot from the Santa Clara County Bomb Squad turned up only an empty house, and the barricade was ended about 6 p.m. (Posted Aug. 15 at 7:33 p.m.) Want to get news briefs e-mailed to you every weekday? Sign up for Express, our new daily e-edition. Go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com to sign up.
Upfront
Welcoming party
CityView A round-up of
(continued from page 8)
Palo Alto government action this week
Architectural Review Board (Aug. 19)
Palo Alto Art Center: The commission conditionally approved plans to renovate the Palo Alto Art Center, including a new enclosed children’s courtyard, landscape improvements, additional parking spaces and other building upgrades. Yes: Lew, Malone Pritchard, Wasserman, Young Absent: Lee In other business: The commission heard a presentation by the utilities department regarding installation of backflow-prevention devices in the public right-of-way and conducted preliminary reviews of proposals for 45 senior assisted-living apartments as an expansion of the Palo Alto Commons, a new three-story Stanford medical-office building, and renovations to Hoover Pavilion and construction of a new parking structure and medical-office building adjacent to Hoover Pavilion at Stanford. Action: None
Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The City Council is not scheduled to meet this week. HIGH-SPEED RAIL COMMITTEE ... The committee will discuss the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Supplemental Alternatives Analysis Report; a draft of the high-speed rail economic-development analysis; and a draft letter from Mayor Pat Burt to the California High-Speed Rail Authority. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 24, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave. BOARD OF EDUCATION ... The board will hear a consultant’s presentation of a study about the district’s Special Education program; appoint three new members to the Citizens’ Oversight Committee for expenditures under the $378 million facilities bond passed in June 2008; and discuss the district’s proposed “focus goals” for the 2010-11 school year. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 24, in the board room of school district headquarters, 25 Churchill Ave.
ANNOUNCING T H E T W E N T Y- F I F T H ANNUAL PA L O A L T O W E E K L Y
who organizes a game for parents and kids in the park every Sunday. “The soccer game is between adults and kids and the kids usually win,” soccer-game regular Anja Finserth said. “The families are mostly French, German, British and Danish among many others, but a couple of Americans have been sighted as well,” she said. International families are increasingly common in Barron Park, Luce said, and it is a goal of her welcoming committee to make sure people of all nationalities and backgrounds feel welcome. This year, in a nod to the different cultures represented, the poster for the event states the word “welcome” in many different languages. “We’re trying to make everyone feel like they’re part of the community in this very diverse neighborhood,” Luce said. In years past, the event included more organized games and activities, but Luce said this year it will be more relaxed, a simple gathering of friends and, she hopes, friends to be. “There’s no pressure; it’s not commercial. It’s just fun,” she said. N Editorial Assistant Karla Kane can be e-mailed at kkane@ paweekly.com.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC £ nxÊ Õ ÃÊ, >`]Ê*> Ê Ì ÊUÊÈxä®ÊnxÈ ÈÈÈÓÊUÊÜÜÜ°vVV«>° À}Ê -Õ `>ÞÊ7 Àà «Ê> `Ê-Õ `>ÞÊ-V Ê>ÌÊ£ä\ääÊ>° °
This Sunday: "Split to Pieces" Rev. David Howell preaching An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ
INSPIRATIONS
A resource for special events and ongoing religious services. To inquire about or make space reservations for Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 326-8210 x6596 or email byoc@paweekly.com
JUDGES: ADULT/YOUNG ADULT
PRIZES
Tom Parker, Award winning novelist and short story writer, UC Extension and Foothill College Instructor and former Stanford Instructor Ellen Sussman, Ellen Sussman’s new novel, French Lessons, will be published by Ballantine in May, 2011. She is the author of On a Night Like This, Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia Of Sex and Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave. Her website is www.ellensussman.com. Keith Raffel, Author of the local best seller “Dot Dead: A Silicon Valley Mystery”
CHILDREN/TEEN Katy Obringer, Former supervisor of Palo Alto Children’s Library Caryn Huberman Yacowitz, Playwright and Children’s book author Nancy Etchemendy, Children’s book author
ENTRY DEADLINE: All Writers: October 1, 2010 5:30 p.m.
FOR ADULTS: $500 Cash - FIRST PLACE $300 Cash - SECOND PLACE $200 Cash - THIRD PLACE FOR YOUNG ADULT/CHILDREN/TEEN: $100 Gift Certificate - FIRST PLACE $75 Gift Certificate - SECOND PLACE $50 Gift Certificate - THIRD PLACE Certificates are from co-sponsoring area bookstores. Bell’s Books (*ages 15-17) Kepler’s (*ages 12-14) Linden Tree (*ages 9-11) *age as of entry deadline
All adult winners and first place young winners in each category will be announced in the Palo Alto Weekly in December 2010. All winning stories will be published online at www. PaloAltoOnline.com
CONTEST RULES
1. The contest is open to anyone who lives, works or attends school full-time in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Stanford, Portola Valley, Woodside, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and East Palo Alto. 2. Limit of one entry per person. 3. Stories must be typed, double-spaced. Maximum 2,500 words. Longer stories will be disqualified. 4. $15 entry fee, along with hard copy, for all ADULT stories; $5 entry fee for YOUNG WRITERS under 18. Make checks payable to “Palo Alto Weekly.” 5. Entries may not have been previously published. 6. Signed entry form must accompany story. Author’s name should NOT appear anywhere on pages of story. 7. All winners are required to email their story to the Palo Alto Weekly in a Microsoft Word Document as an attachment. Mail manuscripts to: Palo Alto Weekly Short Story Contest, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302 or they can be dropped off at 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto Questions: email Amy Renalds at arenalds@paweekly.com *> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓä]ÊÓä£äÊU Page 11
Editorial
Palo Alto pushes ‘economic outreach’ Hiring new city economic-development coordinator hopefully signals a strengthened push for reversing city’s slumping revenue base
“I
like a challenge,” Tommy Fehrenbach says of his new job of economic development coordinator for the City of Palo Alto.
He will have plenty of it in coming months as he attempts to take on the massive challenge of reversing the decline in city revenues from sales tax and other business-related sources — more than $6 million a year at last tally. He will need to keep the big picture in mind but to deal with it on a business-by-business, issue-by-issue level. Fehrenbach is best known for chairing the Chamber of Commerce board last year after several years in business in Palo Alto. He is hungry to learn more history of the community and of the business community. He is personally aware of the struggle to survive faced daily by many locally owned stores, and of the vacant storefronts on University Avenue and elsewhere. Stores or restaurants that haven’t made it include former neighbors of Sports Gallery, the business with which Fehrenbach was involved for more than 5 years, rising from an employee to vice president/manager of the University Avenue store and a small regional chain (in Los Gatos, Carmel and Walnut Creek). He later worked for several years in the local mortgage and banking fields, for Stern Mortgage and Borel Bank, qualifying him further to speak the language of business people. Talking business, Fehrenbach quickly points out, applies to large firms with world headquarters in Palo Alto as well as to small shops and restaurants struggling to survive. Any lack in long-term business experience should be offset by his outgoing personality and enthusiasm for life and Palo Alto. His open style will go far in invigorating the city’s relationship with its businesses, which has been allowed to stagnate for much too long. Palo Alto’s economic health affects everyone in the community, residents, businesses and schools included. Fahrenbach correctly notes that if residents value having local enterprises in their community they need actually to shop there instead of at big-box chains. That’s more of a reality than a part of his job description, but it’s an important element in small-business survival and the city’s overall economic health. Beyond Fehrenbach and his formidable assignment, it is heartening to see city leaders once again recognizing the urgency of understanding the interests of businesses generally, and to see them select a high-energy ambassador to the business world.
Outage shows need for unified communications
P
alo Alto electric-utility crews members who responded to a downed-powerline outage Saturday afternoon and evening didn’t realize the outage had muffled the music at the city-sponsored Twilight Concert some distance south.
But several hundred concert goers and the band commissioned to perform one of the final weekend Twilight Concerts for the season realized it. Puzzled Fotia band members initially milled around, and the concert goers waited, spread around the bowl at Mitchell Park. Some band members began playing acoustically and people started Greek dancing, while others gave up and drifted off. “Our Operations team was not aware of the event at Mitchell Park,” city Utilities Director Valerie Fong reported this week. “However, in the future, we’ll ask the crews responding to determine whether there are big events being affected by any outage, to the extent they are able. Typically, they will be busy responding to the situation to make it safe, and in this case we had wires down when some tree branches hit our system. “ Power was restored within about two hours to about 80 percent of the approximately 1,500 homes affected, but crews didn’t know it was the night the music died in Palo Alto. “We are working on better communication lines. ... We know we can do better!” Fong said. Yet despite good intentions and efforts of many individuals, Palo Alto still lacks an overall, unified “communications system” to assure the public is informed of outages or other types of emergencies — from hazardous situations such as police manhunts to significant fires or accidents. Why isn’t this a city priority? As we’ve noted before, if the city stumbles repeatedly on small emergencies, as it has, what will happen when something big and citywide occurs? Page 12ÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓä]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ
Spectrum Editorials, letters and opinions
Environmental education Editor, Thank you for your cover story on RISE, Stanford’s hands-on summer science program for high school students. As chair of the Environmental Volunteers and a docent myself, I have seen the “wow” effect that our hands-on approach to science education has had on elementary school students in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. For almost 40 years the EV’s have been bringing science and nature kits into hundreds of classrooms (425 last school year) and leading field trips to places like the Palo Alto Baylands, the Los Trancos earthquake trail, Jasper Ridge and the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Between the work that we do and what RISE is doing, we are engendering a generation of responsible stewards of the environment. Ellen Turbow Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto
Foothills help Editor, The Friends of Foothills Park wish to thank the Palo Alto Sheraton Hotel’s management team for its help in making the park a more visitorfriendly place. Two groups totaling about 30 volunteers contributed close to 100 hours removing invasive weeds. Their cheerful enthusiasm encouraged our efforts to enhance this cherished nature preserve. Bob Roth Friends of Foothills Park Palo Alto
Rail concerns Editor, While high-speed rail is a good idea for California in general, I found that the way of presenting the method of building the railroad in Palo Alto has been confusing, misleading and intolerable. The board members (of the California High Speed Rail Authority) do not take Palo Alto residents’ daily lives into consideration at all. Therefore, why should we even bother to support them and waste each other’s time? We need to put a stop on it all together until they seriously consider our needs. Michelle Ma South Gate Palo Alto
Bland homes Editor, I am disappointed by the homes that are being built along El Camino Real on the Stanford campus. The bland designs lead to the unfortunate conclusion that even an institution of Stanford’s quality cannot be entrusted to review its own work.
As a longtime member of Palo Alto’s Architectural Review Board, I tended to believe that Stanford took the long view by promoting timeless design in the spirit of its founder. As an institution of higher learning and new thinking, I would have expected Stanford to explore creative ways to build its housing economically without resorting to the generic formulas typical of runof-the-mill spec-home developers. Reviewers of future Stanford projects should take note. David Solnick High Street Palo Alto
Fight refuse rate hike Editor, The City of Palo Alto has notified residents on private streets that they will have to pay an extra monthly refuse charge of $14.42 in addition to the rate increases everyone will pay. The only way to avoid this is if the majority of utility customers citywide write to the City Clerk before September 20 to protest this extra fee. Be sure to include your address and utility account number. This must be a signed letter sent by US mail to the City Clerk, 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto 94301.
E-mails are not accepted. Many people do not realize that they are affected, which is why I’m writing to the newspapers. If you received the rate increase notice from Public Works, read page 2 (in back of page 1) and look over the maps carefully. You can also look for your street online at the web address given in the notice. If you did not receive the notice, check to see if the property owner did. A separate letter must be sent for each parcel. Natalie Fisher Ellsworth Place Palo Alto
This week on Town Square Posted Aug. 17 at 8:01 p.m. by Outside Observer, a resident of another community: No one is suing the heirs of Joseph Eichler for this (see story “Palo Alto slab-foundation homes at risk for gas leaks”)? I’m surprised. Lawyers seldom miss such an opportunity.
YOUR TURN The Palo Alto Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest.
What do you think? Do you like Facebook’s new feature that will tell people where you are and whom you’re with? Submit letters to the editor of up to 250 words to letters@paweekly.com. Include your name, address and daytime phone number so we can reach you. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, objectionable content, libel and factual errors known to us. Anonymous letters will generally not be accepted. You can also participate in our popular interactive online forum, Town Square, at our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Read blogs, discuss issues, ask questions or express opinions with you neighbors any time, day or night. Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of permission to the Palo Alto Weekly and Embarcadero Publishing Co. to also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on Town Square. For more information contact Editor Jay Thorwaldson or Online Editor Tyler Hanley at editor@paweekly.com or 650-326-8210.
Check out Town Square! Hundreds of local topics are being discussed by local residents on Town Square, a reader forum sponsored by the Weekly on our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Post your own comments, ask questions, read the Editor’s blog or just stay up on what people are talking about around town!
Guest Opinion High-speed rail — the Great California Perpetual-Motion Machine by Don Barnby ome People of Vision decided that it would be good to build a gigantic perpetual-motion machine in California that would provide enormous wealth and be self-sustaining for all time. The idea was so glorious that with wishfulthinking numbers and intense promotion the Esteemed Visionaries convinced 52 percent of California voters to authorize a $10 billion bond to begin this wondrous machine. At first a few small voices objected, noticing that this contrivance was not only too expensive to build, but that once built it would not operate as promised. The apparatus would require continuing ever-increasing amounts of input. And it would be tremendously intrusive on the lives of thousands of residents. Not only would it fail to yield a net gain, it would become a net drain on taxpayers forever. But the vision of something-for-nothing was too strong, and its promoters on the board of the California Perpetual-Motion Machine Authority (CPMMA) rushed ahead to undertake the project. In fact, the only “perpetual-motion” evident was the escalating estimates of construction costs and fare prices. But doubts grew. The chorus of those opposed to the project increased steadily from hundreds to thousands, and anger flared as CPMMA board members refused to address the realities of the project and the concerns of the citizens. Several thoughtful state legislators requested an independent study and contracted highly
S
respected experts from a great state university to analyze the project. Their study concluded that perpetual motion violated the second law of thermodynamics and was, in fact, impossible. They reported that the numbers put out by CPMMA were, well, wrong virtually from one end to the other. Many people believed the numbers to be fraudulent, concocted to mislead the public and sell the project — no one could be so wrong so much of the time unless it was on purpose. When cities near where the machine would be built complained, they were labeled “NIMBYs” and “obstructionists” — never mind that perpetual motion was, in fact, impossible. Yet the promoters, of course, favored the wondrous machine. Consultants and engineers favored it; they made enormous profits. Construction unions favored it, even though the machine itself would be built in distant China or France and little of the specialized labor would be performed by local workers. Unions believed that the promised 600,000 “jobs” meant 600,000 individuals working, while, in truth, it meant 60,000 men working 10 years, and that figure even included the foreign workers — an example of perpetual-motion mathematics. Environmentalists favored the machine, believing it would reduce energy consumption and air pollution — never mind the findings of another independent professorial study that energy payback on construction and operation would require 71 years even if the machine performed as billed (already proven impossible). So, construction began. As is usual for such projects (such as Boston’s infamous Big Dig) the cost of construction more than doubled. The original $43 billion estimate ballooned to more than $100 billion (10 percent of a trillion dollars!).
The project, thinly funded from the outset because private investors were too smart to put money into it, ran out of funds. Construction ground to a halt. People were horrified. Thousands of acres had been cleared of lovely trees, venerable homes and businesses had been demolished, enormous ditches had been gouged in the earth, and towering structures of concrete and steel erected. They loomed, now, over the countryside, dark, desolate and abandoned. People wailed at the blight. Some said, “Tear it down.” Others argued, “At least finish it so we can enjoy some benefit from this eyesore.” Because tearing it down would cost too much and leave egg on the face of those who had favored it, the California Legislature voted to take on more debt and continue construction. It was completed. Politicians and others in bespoke suits stood tall and proud at the ribbon cutting while their pictures were taken — pictures they would hang prominently in their offices. Then they moved out of the state; they knew what was coming. The perpetual-motion machine did not work. Yes it ran, all right, but it was not self-sustaining: It required ongoing taxpayer subsidies to keep it operating. At the outset, voters had mandated that the machine must run with a net gain without support from citizens. When faced with the truth that the perpetual-motion machine would bleed them forever, taxpayers demanded it be shut down. But legislators decided they could not simply walk away and allow these looming structures of concrete and steel, costing 10 percent of a trillion, to be abandoned to weeds, rust and decay. They found a way to bend the law and sidestep the voters’ anti-subsidy mandate. Taxes skyrocketed to support the machine’s
operating costs and to pay the enormous compounding interest on the tenth-of-a-trilliondollar construction loans. Expenditures on vital projects such as education, health care, local infrastructure and social services were cut repeatedly to feed funds into the voracious machine. The rumble of the machine was head for miles, and property values plummeted, undermining California’s tax base and further escalating everyone tax bills. With high taxes and without good education to produce bright and creative citizens, California withered, no longer a favorable place to live or do business. Unemployment increased, especially for the construction trades that depended on both education and a vibrant business environment. In cruel irony, these same construction workers had wasted their abilities on the short-term promise of the perpetual-motion machine instead of building schools, hospitals and essential local infrastructure. In the end, California became a poor backwater state bought low by clever propaganda, by the misplaced priorities of its Legislature and by a seductive but fatally flawed dream. The persuasive power of a multi-milliondollar PR campaign and derisive cries of “NIMBY” and “obstructionist” cowed the citizens and legislators, who chose in the end to lie down and be “civil.” They failed to reorganize their priorities and take timely action in order to save themselves and their once-prosperous state. Yet, their gravestones proudly proclaim, “We were civil to our end.” N A 19-year resident of Menlo Park, Don Barnby is a co-founder, director and former president & CEO of a Bay Area biotech company. He can be e-mailed at dbarnby@comcast.net.
Streetwise
What do you think of the new designs on pennies, nickels and dimes? Asked at Town and Country Village in Palo Alto. Interviews by Ryan Deto. Photographs by Georgia Wells.
Jackie McElaney
Carol McQuirk
Emily Ma
Joe Brown
Abdullah Mourad
“Change is good, bring on the change.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with the way they were.”
“They are so light they make me think of the Chinese coin Mao, which are like one-twentieth the value.”
“It’s a big flaw if you can’t tell what is pictured on the back. I miss the old coins. These look cheap.”
“I didn’t even know we had new pennies.”
College Student Rhodes Drive, Palo Alto
Stockbroker Los Altos near Blach School
Business School Fellow Valparaiso Avenue, Atherton
Consultant Downtown San Mateo
Software Engineer Rivermark District, Santa Clara
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*5.% #/"%44/ :)&& June Cobetto Ziff of Palo Alto, CA., formerly of Greensburg, PA. died on July 29th, 2010 at age 90. Wife of the late Edward M. Ziff; mother of David (Carla) of Fairview Heights, Ill., Jesse Ziff Cool of Palo Alto, CA., Daniel (Ella) of Pittsburgh, PA. and sister of Dr. Bernard Cobetto of Greensburg, PA.. June was a grandmother of ďŹ ve and great-grandmother of ďŹ ve. A celebration of her life was held on August 7th in Palo Alto, CA. with family and friends sharing beautiful, loving and fond memories of her life. Donations on her behalf can be made to: The Jewish Chaplaincy at Stanford University Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Dr. suite HG004 Stanford, CA. 94305 or Stanford Hospital Adult Aging Services, 1101 Welch Road suite C-1 Palo Alto CA. 94304 PA I D
O B I T UA RY
Transitions Joel Goldfus
Joel Goldfus, 78, died at his Orcabessa, Jamaica, home July 18 of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was born in Minneapolis, Minn. After moving to California with his parents in the 1940s he attended San Diego State University. In the 1950s he began a long career in advertising, first for BBD&O in San Francisco, and later for Foothill Community College, San Antonio Merchants Association, Rancho
+AREN *ACOBSEN ,EMOINE
Our much loved mother, wife, sister, grandmother, teacher and friend – Karen Jacobsen Lemoine – passed away on Monday, August 9th, after a year-long battle with cancer. She was 70 years old. Karen is survived by her husband of nearly forty years, Austin Lemoine, children Aimee & Peter Lemoine, sister Kathy Frank and granddaughter Sylvie Eberle Lemoine. Karen taught elementary school in Palo Alto, primarily at El Carmelo School, for over 30 years; her passion for reading, art and music lives on in the hundreds of students she taught over those years. Karen was born in Red Bluff on April 17, 1940, and
lived most of her life here in California. She received a B.A. in Music & Education from San Jose State and a Masters in Education from Stanford University. Karen was also a world traveler, having visited places as varied as the Far East, the Middle East, Central America and Europe. Because of family heritage, she had a particular fondness for Ireland, as evidenced by the diverse array of former students who came to sing her Irish folk songs while she was in convalescence. Karen spent many summers at her family’s cabin in the Sierra Nevada, swimming, ďŹ shing, cooking and enjoying nature with family and friends. Per Karen’s wishes, her family is planning a Mass at St. Ann Chapel in Palo Alto at 10am, followed by a Memorial at El Carmelo Elementary School at 1pm, on Saturday, September 11th. PA I D
OBITUARY
-!2'!2%4 6/23% 4(/-03/. 0%' Peg Thompson passed away on August 4, 2010 in Palo Alto, California. She was a bright light in her friends’ and family’s lives, modeling grace and courage in her struggle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) and ultimately heart failure. In addition to playing golf, tennis and bridge, Peg took great joy in spending time with friends and family, participating in book groups, attending lectures, skiing, gardening. Above all, she thrived in the wilderness. She and her husband, John Thompson, took their four daughters on annual backpacking trips in the high Sierras, always sleeping under the stars without tents. Peg was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 2, 1930. After graduating from East High School, she tried out for the US Olympic ski team. She had been the Inter-mountain ski champion as a junior skier. Instead of pursuing her Olympic dream she came west to Stanford University, where she was captain of the Ski Team. Peg graduated from Stanford in 1951 with a degree in political science and joined Equitable Life in their San Francisco ofďŹ ce. It was there that she met John, who had received his MBA degree from Stanford, also in 1951. Peg and John were married in Salt Lake City on Page 14ĂŠUĂŠ Ă•}Ă•ĂƒĂŒĂŠĂ“Ă¤]ÊÓä£äÊUĂŠ*>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠ7iiÂŽÂ?Ăž
June 21,1952. They moved to Lafayette in 1953 where they had their ďŹ rst of four daughters (Jane, Sally, Nancy and Elizabeth). John’s employment took Peg to Palos Verdes, in Southern California, where they lived until 1959. At that point John founded his market research company in Palo Alto. The Thompsons have lived in Palo Alto or Los Altos ever since. As John’s business grew, Peg was instrumental in its success and as a mother raising four daughters. At one point, when the girls were in high school or college, Peg developed and managed an ofďŹ ce building in downtown Los Altos, where John’s company became one of her tenants. During their 58-year marriage, the Thompsons traveled extensively throughout the US, Canada and Europe where John had business interests. They particularly enjoyed Stanford travel-study programs in Asia, Africa, South America and the PaciďŹ c Basin. Peg and John moved to a retirement community called Vi (formerly Classic Residence by Hyatt) in Palo Alto ďŹ ve years ago, where they’ve lived among old and new friends. In addition to her husband and four daughters, Peg is survived by four sons-in-law and eight grandchildren. We will miss her thoughtfulness, sense of humor and spirited engagement with life. In lieu of owers, donations can be sent to Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), 222 High Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, (650) 854.7696. PA I D
O B I T UA RY
Shopping Center Merchants Association, Loyola Corners Business Improvement District and the first Los Altos Farmers’ Market. He is survived by his daughter, Lisa Goldfus; his son, Craig Goldfus; and one grandson.
Bennett T. Scheuer Bennett T. Scheuer, 62, a former resident of Portola Valley, died Aug. 10. He was born in New York City, grew up in Larchmont, N.Y., and received his bachelor’s degree in general studies in 1972 from the University of Miami, where he also taught photography. After owning Gallery Obskura in Coconut Grove, Fla., for a few years, he attended boatbuilding school at the North Carolina Maritime Museum, then opened Knock on Wood boatbuilding shop in Miami. Eventually he built his own cruising boat, and spent the next 17 years in the Caribbean, cruising and chartering. During this time he was married to the former Judy Dickens of Miami. In the 1990s he moved to Portola Valley, where he enjoyed many years of being a very active uncle with his niece and nephew, and built a traileraccessible Phil Bolger boat that he could travel the continent with behind his car. He also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, tutored English as a second language, was indispensable in an annual community Halloween program and was a mentor to many children of his friends and relatives. In 2003 he bought a home in Camden, Maine, making a final move in 2005. There he became involved with Literacy Volunteers of Mid-Coast Maine, receiving a “Tutor of the Year� award in 2010. He also volunteered with Fishes
Today’s news, sports & hot picks
Roller
&
and Loaves Soup Kitchen and was on the board of directors for Youth Arts, providing arts enrichment to area schools. Having obtained his private pilot’s license in California, he joined the Knox County Flying Club and later the Belfast Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. In 2009, he began building his own single-engine aircraft in his backyard shop. He also enjoyed motorcycles. He was a founding member of Jabbers, a lighthearted neighborhood gang of motorcycle enthusiasts. In June of this year, he joined his brother Lee and sister-in-law Kim for a motorcycle ride from California to Maine. He was known for being a good listener, for his curiosity and knowledge of many subjects, and for his sense of humor, playfulness and ready smile, loved ones said. He is survived by his mother, Mathilda (Tillie) Scheuer of New York City; his brother, Lee and wife Kim Scheuer, of Portola Valley; his sister Lauren and husband Steven Mishlove of Phoenix, Ariz.; a niece and two nephews; and many friends and extended family members. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to WestEd, Institute for Excellence in Early Education, 1550 The Alameda #100, San Jose, CA 95126-2323; Global Grassroots,?45 Lyme Road, Suite 206,Hanover, NH 03755; or Literacy Volunteers of Mid-Coast Maine, 28 Lincoln Street, Rockland, ME 04841.
MEMORIAL SERVICE A memorial service for Ambassador Bill Lane will be held at Stanford Memorial Church at noon on Friday, Oct. 1. All balconies will be open. A reception following the ceremony will be at Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center, Stanford Campus. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lane’s memory would be welcome at Peninsula Open Space Trust, California State Parks Foundation, Yosemite conservancy, and Portola Valley Open Space Acquisition Fund.
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Arts & Entertainment A weekly guide to music, theater, art, movies and more, edited by Rebecca Wallace
e l o R E V RE
MUSEUM PAYS TRIBUTE TO L VOLUNTEER A RS WHO DOCUMENTS by Georgia Wells MUSEUM
W
(continued on page 16)
FOCUS ON HISTORY EXHIBIT TRACES EVOLUTION OF FILM CAMERAS FROM 1896 TO 1976 by Georgia Wells
T
he evolution of American photography can be traced in Palo Alto these days, through an exhibition of vintage cameras and photographs that date back well into the 1800s. Curator Beryl Self drew on the Museum of American Heritage’s collection of nearly 500 cameras to create the “Picture This!” exhibit. By tracing the evolution of film cameras from 1896 to 1976, the display showcases camera technology, elements of darkroom and film processing, and alternative processing that predates traditional film. Highlights include a camera obscura (a pinhole-camera photography technique with origins in the fourth century B.C.), several daguerreotypes and ambrotypes (the first commercial photographs), plate-glass prints and tintypes. The exhibit also includes visiting cards and larger collectible cabinet cards from the 1860s. The Boy and Girl Scout cameras from the 1950s are particularly popular, because children are drawn to exhibits about their peers from long ago, museum executive
Veronica Weber
ayland Lee has a knack for capturing detail. As resident photographer at Palo Alto’s Museum of American Heritage, Lee has spent the past 16 years documenting exhibits and events to preserve them for the public. In this volunteer position, he’s particularly enjoyed capturing images of families visiting exhibits, and of antique cars at the museum’s Vintage Vehicles & Family Festival. “We’re really lucky to have him,” said Gwenyth Claughton, the museum’s executive director. Now MOAH has found a way to pay Lee’s fine-art photography a proper tribute. Lee’s work is included in the museum’s current exhibition, “Picture This! A History of Photography.” It’s a show that not only displays vintage cameras and other historical photographic artifacts from the museum’s collection (see separate story at right), but also showcases Lee’s fine-art photos. Lee said he tends to shoot what interests him, “usually people involved in what they’re doing. This is when their personality comes out.” Influenced by American World War II photojournalist W. Eugene Smith and Brazilian humanitarian photographer Sebastiao Salgado, Lee has an eye for what could be called social-
Wayland Lee sits with his photos in the Museum of American Heritage display.
Right: A Century portable camera from 1901 on display. Far right: Visting cards from the 1860s. This pensive photo is one of many black-and-white images by Wayland Lee now on exhibit.
Veronica Weber
(continued on page 17)
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While many of Wayland Lee’s photos capture people in their familiar environment, some, like this one, are more ethereal.
Role reversal
(continued from previous page)
ly intriguing scenes. He documents people in context, in their familiar environment. One black-and-white print in the current exhibition captures an af-
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ternoon visit to his mother-in-law at an elderly day care center. As she sat quietly, Lee noticed her hands folded in her lap and focused on them. In another photo, two boys eat cotton candy at a Chinese New Year’s festival in San Francisco’s Chinatown. The exhibit includes both black-
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and-white darkroom photography from the days when Lee maintained his own basement darkroom, and more recent color digital photography. These days Lee uses a Canon Rebel T2i, “not too big or heavy,� and able to do “what (he) wants.� Trained as a graphic designer, Lee had his first job with United Press photographers in San Francisco in 1955. He later worked for the Addison-Wesley publishing company in the ‘60s in Palo Alto and Menlo Park. Despite his experience in design, Lee has never before shown his personal work. “I was a closet photographer,� he said. That is, until Roger Broussal, a retired conservator from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, saw Lee’s work and encouraged the Museum of American Heritage board to show it. “I owe this exhibit to his support and encouragement,� Lee said. The display also features a sample of Lee’s camera collection. (He owns more than 50.) Cameras on display include an Olympus from 1973 that Lee found at Goodwill for $45, and an Omega camera from 1954 that Lee bought after watching a wedding photographer carry two of them (to save time when one ran out of film). “I hope this exhibit will open visitors’ eyes to all the interesting and beautiful things around them — such as the time of day or the quality of the light,� Lee said. “People should be aware.� N What: “Picture This! A History of Photography,� an exhibit of historical cameras and prints, as well as fine-art photos by Wayland Lee Where: The Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave., Palo Alto When: Through Oct. 31. The museum is open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: Free Info: Go to www.moah.org or call 650-321-1004.
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A series of ambrotypes — negative images reproduced onto glass plates — from 1854 through 1859.
Focus on history (continued from page 15)
director Gwenyth Claughton said. “Little kids can’t believe that the children of the past were ever like them,� she said. A photojournalism display about the “glory days� of glossy magazine journalism from the 1940s and 1950s highlights the importance of photography in bringing the world into people’s living rooms. It includes photos from essays on the country’s new immigrants and on the westward expansion. A 1905 Lewis Hine photo shows Italian
A 1941 Circoflex camera on display. newcomers at Ellis Island, while a 1936 Dorothea Lange photo depicts a Texas family moving west. “Photo technology has gone from daguerreotypes, when people had to sit still for ages, to the instant digital cameras of today,� Claughton said. “Nonetheless, in looking at these photos, I see that people haven’t changed all that much.� N Info: For details on the exhibit, see previous page.
NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF THE SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING of the Palo Alto Planning & Transportation Commision Please be advised the Planning and Transportation Commission (P&TC) special meeting at 6:00 PM, Wednesday, August 25, 2010 in the Civic Center, Council Chambers has been cancelled. The items below have now been rescheduled to the Sept. 1, 2010 Special Meeting. 1. 610 Los Trancos Road: Request by John Lerch on behalf of Scott McNealy for Site and Design Review of a new roof structure over an existing hockey/tennis sport court facility and the addition of new landscape material as screening for the new roof. Environmental Assessment: An Initial Study is being prepared in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements. Zone District: OS (Open Space) 2. Green Building Study Session: Discuss changes to the PAMC Section 18.44, Green Building Regulations, to reect the release of the California Green Building Code (CALGreen) and to include sustainability requirements for large development projects. 3. Appointment of Liaison to Rail Corridor Study Task Force. *** Curtis Williams, Director of Planning and Community Environment
CITY OF PALO ALTO RECREATION PRESENTS THE 26TH ANNUAL – Palo Alto Weekly
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A community health education series from Stanford Hospital & Clinics
Arteries’ Mere Millimeters A Mainstay Until Aneurysms Raise Risk of Lethal Rupture Precision Vascular Surgery Can Repair and Restore
He could walk, but his leg felt cold and numb. He called his doctor, who squeezed him in as the last appointment of the day. That doctor took a quick look and immediately sent Lee to the local hospital. After some tests, Lee heard a verdict that shook him. “They wanted to amputate my leg,” he said. By midnight that same day, Lee and his wife, Wendy, were at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, transferred there for the higher degree of care Lee need-
ed. Quickly surveying Lee’s circulatory system, Stanford vascular specialists could easily see the aneurysm that had created a clot in Lee’s right leg. They discovered another similar aneurysm in Lee’s left leg. But they also found two other serious problems: a significant blockage in Lee’s carotid artery, in his neck, which put him at risk for a stroke and an aneurysm deep in his abdomen, in the aorta, the main blood vessel routing blood from the heart to the rest of the body. That aneurysm had swollen the aorta to four times its normal size and looked ready to rupture. An aneurysm in a limb threatens only the limb. This large aortic aneurysm in his abdomen threatened his life.
“My leg wasn’t swollen, but I felt something was wrong.” – Eugene Lee, patient, Stanford Hospital & Clinics Multiple aneurysms are not uncommon, said Ronald L. Dalman, MD, Chief of Stanford’s Division of Vascular Surgery, who accepted Lee’s transfer from the community hospital. “When you have four or five problems, it’s about setting priorities and figuring out the best sequence of treatment,” he said. “What you need is a coherent plan.”
Miles of arteries
Norbert von der Groeben
Keeping up with the family dogs is easy for Lee now. When he brings out the jar of treats, they are ready. Page 18ÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓä]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ
The network of blood vessels that delivers oxygen and nutrients, fights infection and removes waste is not, perhaps, as understood or appreciated as are other major parts of our bodies like the heart, brain and lungs. When something goes wrong with that network−when an aneurysm blows open or a stroke-triggering clot forms in the brain−then it is obvious that the circulatory system, powering around its contents 1,500 times daily, is essential to life. Vascular medicine, from the Latin word for vessel, treats the
Norbert von der Groeben
At 60, Eugene Lee’s vigor is impressive. Here is someone whose energy puts a spring in every step he takes. And he is not someone to complain about minor aches and pains. Three years ago, when his right leg became a little painful, he didn’t pay much attention until one day when it gave way completely, in mid-stride. “It just buckled under me,” he said. “For about 30 minutes I felt very uncomfortable. My leg wasn’t swollen, but I felt something was wrong.”
Eugene Lee didn’t think much about the pain in his right leg until one day when it collapsed under him as he took a step. He had no idea that the problem was not just in his leg. Stanford surgeons found and repaired two aneurysms whose rupture could have ended Lee’s life. tens of thousands of miles of arteries, veins and capillaries that convey blood to do its crucial job throughout the body. Major vascular diseases include atherosclerosis, the build-up of fat and cholesterol that slows and diminishes blood flow, setting the scene for heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. Clots in the system also impede blood flow, with similarly serious health impacts. Treatment varies, from medication to surgery, but problems can occur everywhere in the
vascular system. As a group, vascular diseases are the major cause of illness and death in the United States.
“When you have four or five problems, it’s about setting priorities and figuring out the best sequence of treatment. - Ronald L. Dalman, MD, Chief, Stanford Hospital Divison of Vascular Surgery
Aneurysms can appear at any age, but they are especially common in men beyond age 60 who have smoked cigarettes, Dalman said. The phenomenon is so closely linked to smoking that, in 2007, the U.S. Congress added an abdominal and aortic aneurysm screening benefit to Medicare. If such screening were widely conducted, Dalman believes, the mortality rate In these striking images, the distortion and bulge of Lee’s abdominal aortic aneurysm could drop by half. is clearly visible on the left. On the right, after surgery, stents that protect the aorta Aortic aneurysms artery have returned it to its normal size for proper blood flow and full function. are the third leading
special feature
How to Keep Your Arteries Healthy t Exercise−becoming more active on a daily basis−will always support good health. Some research indicates it can even repair vascular damage. Even a 15-minute session of vigorous movement gives the heart, which is a muscle, a useful workout. Increased physical activity also activates certain components in the blood to work against atherosclerosis. It can also reduce stress.
t Quit smoking−or just don’t start. Smoking accelerates the aging process of the vascular system, constricting and reducing arterial strength. t If you have a family history of vascular disease, talk to your doctor about screening tests that might be appropriate. t Maintain a healthy weight. Choose foods with special attention to cholesterol, which is an important part of keeping cell walls properly functioning. But, too much of one type of cholesterol gums up the arteries. Saturated fat, especially in meat and dairy products, can raise the amount of that kind of cholesterol. Reduce your salt intake. Too much causes the vascular system to constrict.
Center to include a focus on stem cellbased therapies.
Screening is especially important with a condition that usually does not announce itself months or weeks or even days ahead of a rupture. Once rupture occurs, its fatal effects are just minutes away.
One of the goals of this area of research, Dalman said, will be to reduce the rate of vascular disease progression by a more thorough understanding of its origins. “We need to know just what starts the cell death that causes the destruction and remodeling of the aortic walls,” he said. “We’re approaching that on multiple fronts.” Genetics also play a significant role, he said.
Breakthroughs in reliable repair Work to identify aneurysms at the earliest possible stage is intense. In addition to caring for patients, Dalman is the director and principal investigator of Stanford’s Specialized Center of Clinically Oriented Research program in aortic disease. The program, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is identifying new medical treatment strategies for aortic aneurysms to help patients avoid the need for surgery altogether. The growing importance of non-surgical management of vascular disease, Dalman said, prompted the expansion of Stanford’s Vascular
“I was lucky. I was at the right hospital with the right doctor.” – Eugene Lee, patient, Stanford Hospital & Clinics
Norbert von der Groeben
Vascular patients have benefited significantly from recent technological breakthroughs, many pioneered at Stanford, including high-speed CT and MRI angiography and 3D image reconstruction technologies used to give surgeons detailed information about what was happening in Lee’s vascular system. Lee also benefited from another Stanford strength, and one of the most important vascular treatment approaches: minimally invasive, or endovascular, techniques to repair aortic aneurysms. By reducing blood loss and time in surgery, these techniques, which employ a catheter threaded into the body through a small incision, have reduced the risk of death during surgical repair by more than 50%.
Lee’s wife, Wendy, was as shocked as he was when doctors first told Lee he would lose his right leg. The couple prayed, she said, and had faith in the Stanford physicians.
Stanford surgeons also developed the first two commercial aortic endografts, metal mesh tubes to fortify damaged arteries. Stanford’s vascular medicine team continues to work with the Stanford Cardiovascular Biomechan-
Join us at: stanfordhospital.org/socialmedia
Norbert von der Groeben
cause of sudden death in men over 65, he said.
For more information about vascular health: stanfordhospital.org/vascular (Phone: 650.725.5227)
Lee has three bikes and rides as often as he can. He enjoys the exercise for its own sake and knows that it’s good for his overall health. ics Lab, to further advance innovation in vascular treatment tools. Repairing Lee’s aortic aneurysm became the first priority for Dalman and his collaborative team, which included a cardiovascular anesthesiologist and nurse specialists in cardiovascular care. Before he did anything else, Dalman placed an endograft in the abdominal aorta. Then, with that aorta stabilized, he removed the clot blocking blood flow to Lee’s right leg. Lee recovered quickly and returned to work. Later, in a second procedure, Dalman repaired Lee’s carotid artery and repaired the left leg aneurysm with precise revascularization procedures.
Back on a healthy track Lee’s first stay in the hospital lasted 10 days, a difficult time of waiting
and hoping. “We prayed and prayed,” said his wife. “That 10 days was very important−it saved his life and saved his leg.” As soon as he was allowed to, Lee started to work on regaining his physical strength. “I walked two miles a day,” he said. “It took me two to three hours, but I did it every day and I feel much better now.” Lee takes his bike out for a ride often, and returned to work with no restrictions on what he can do. Now, it’s a question of managing his arterial disease and keeping very conscious watch on his health in a way that reflects what he nearly lost. What happened to him is never very far from his mind and he is quick to voice his gratitude. “I was lucky,” he said. “I was at the right hospital with the right doctor.”
Stanford Hospital & Clinics is known worldwide for advanced treatment of complex disorders in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer treatment, neurosciences, surgery, and organ transplants. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of “America’s Best Hospitals,” Stanford Hospital & Clinics is internationally recognized for translating medical breakthroughs into the care of patients. It is part of the Stanford University Medical Center, along with the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. For more information, visit stanfordmedicine.org. *> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓä]ÊÓä£äÊU *>}iÊ19
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Surrealist paintings take artist to many festivals — and transport her back to her native Israel by Rebecca Wallace
W
hen Ora Tamir emigrated to California in 1980, she brought Israel with her. The expanses of desert she remembered from her native country became the stark, open backgrounds in her Surrealist paintings. Tamir also brought her own language of symbols. RenĂŠ Magritte had his pipes, his bowler hats, his floating baguettes. Tamir often sets chessboards, apples and a beguiling little girl against her pale landscapes. “In my native language, Hebrew, I love to write,â€? Tamir said in a phone interview from her home near Thousand Oaks. Rather than continuing that art in English, “I’ve chosen to tell stories with paintings.â€? Next weekend, Tamir will be among about 300 artists telling their stories to passers-by at the 29th annual Palo Alto Festival of the Arts downtown. With its annual offerings of fine art, live music and food and drink, the street fair happens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29. Meanwhile, Tamir is also in another Palo Alto event that’s very much linked to the figures in her paintings. On Aug. 28, the Vino Locale wine bar hosts an Art and Wine for Autism evening, with music by the Jazz Improv Combo and art for sale by Tamir and fellow artists Pavel Chudnovsky, Yoel Pizano-Zuniga and Annmargaret Andazola. Proceeds benefit the College of Adaptive Arts in San Jose. The connection for Tamir is personal. A child who often appears in her art is her 6-year-old granddaughter, who is autistic and lived with Tamir for a time. In Tamir’s recent painting “Forever,â€? about the connection between a caregiver and a child, the big-eyed girl sits atop a giant apple, with a “heartstringâ€? linking her to a woman’s soft face watching her from the sky. “She’s absolutely the love of my life,â€? Tamir said. While the artist sells many limited-edition prints of her paintings as well as the oil canvases, the “Foreverâ€? painting isn’t for sale. “I keep the original for my granddaughter, for when she’s 18.â€? For Tamir, an apple “represents Ora Tamir everything you like in life.â€? A chessboard “is like life, the game of chess.â€? But symbols in Surrealism, of course, are always open to new interpretations. And sometimes Tamir herself isn’t sure where these images in her paintings come from, thanks to her intuitive approach. “When I paint, I do it in layers. I have a vague idea of what I want to do,â€? she said. First comes the desertlike background. Once that’s dry, Tamir adds figures that might come from her sketches. “Only when I’m completely finished with the piece, I realize what it’s trying to tell me.â€? Tamir added: “It’s fun. I always say that it’s like going to a psychiatrist, but the public pays me. It’s magical because people come up and ask me, ‘What does it mean?’ I might say, ‘You tell me.’â€? Besides “Forever,â€? Tamir’s new paintings also include “Set It Free,â€? in which a woman with feathery legs holds a bird on her outstretched arm. In the back is an empty birdcage. Older works include “Passage,â€? which was on the cover of the Art Business News magazine in 2002. It features a maze-like structure and an eerie moon or planet hanging in the orange-yellow-blue sky. Collectors of Tamir’s work include East Bay residents Denise and Patrick Cavanagh, who have five of her pieces in their Dublin home. Patrick first met Tamir at an art festival in Tucson in 1997, buying a lithograph called “Moonshine.â€? In California, the couple discovered Tamir again and started buying more of her prints, including “Essence of a Woman,â€? which depicts a nude and two faces flanking it. “It just spoke to me,â€? Denise Cavanagh said. “I used to lie in bed and just stare at it, couldn’t get enough of its beauty. The red, the oranges are just amazing in that piece. I still love it to this day; it’s displayed on my side of the bed.â€?
Ora Tamir’s oil painting “Foreverâ€? is about the connection between a caregiver and a child. Cavanagh and other collectors have compared Tamir’s work to Salvador DalĂ’s, and indeed the pioneering Spanish Surrealist was an early influence. Tamir had been painting since childhood in various styles when she walked into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and saw a DalĂ. Both the technique, “finished to the hilt,â€? and the subject matter astonished her. “I said to myself: ‘Wow. You are allowed to do something like this?’â€? Tamir said with a laugh. “I was young. I was 21. I didn’t realize that you could do your dreams in paintings. I wasn’t exposed to it before.â€? The next night, Tamir had a vivid dream about her parents’ divorce when she was young, and awoke to sketch a scene with a lonely landscape and a child holding a balloon. “That was my first Surrealism. I haven’t done anything else since then,â€? she said. Tamir became an established artist in Israel, took a hiatus from exhibiting while raising three children in California, and then returned to art more seriously in 1997. Her husband, Eli, became her business manager, and helps her promote her art. Making high-quality, limited-edition lithographs and giclee prints of her oil paintings is a major part of the enterprise, Tamir said. Prints on paper and canvas are more affordable, and also make it easier for her to earn a living. “If I produce five originals a year, how can I survive?â€? she said. She’s also been regularly traveling the festival circuit for the past 12 years, including attending the Palo Alto fair five or six times. The prospect of sitting at a booth and answering questions about her art used to make her uncomfortable, but now Tamir enjoys it. “When I work, I work very much in solitude. I don’t listen to anything. It’s just me and the painting.â€? Going to the fairs, she said with a laugh, “is like an actor going on stage and getting applause.â€? N What: Palo Alto Festival of the Arts, with fine art and crafts, music, food and children’s activities Where: University Avenue, downtown Palo Alto When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Aug. 28-29 Cost: Free Info: Go to mlaproductions.com or call 650-324-3121. For more about Ora Tamir, go to orasart.com. The Art and Wine for Autism event is set for Aug. 28 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Vino Locale at 431 Kipling St. in downtown Palo Alto. Admission is $20. For more information, go to artandwineforautism.eventbrite.com or call the wine bar at 650-328-0450.
Eating Out Gourmet toppings and a California vibe distinguish zpizza by Monica Hayde Schreiber
I
On our recent visit, a large pear and gorgonzola salad ($8.50) provided generous helpings to three adults. The only way that this nowstandard salad doesn’t work is if the balsamic dressing is too overpowering or the pears unripe. Zpizza’s version satisfied on all fronts.
Michelle Le
Tomato-basil pizza from zpizza. The Greek salad ($5.95; $8.50) was similarly familiar, a carbon copy of Greek salads you’ll find in reputable restaurants everywhere, but generous, fresh, and tangy with feta cheese. Zpizza’s oblong “rusticas� can be shared as an appetizer and also work as a one-person meal. We loved our Moroccan pizza rustica ($8.95), smoky and satisfying with basil pesto, mozzarella, roasted eggplant, feta, caramelized onions and pine nuts. Zpizza’s crust is fabulous. Granted, die-hard Chicago-stylers might not feel the vibe with zpizza’s interpretation of the thin-crust experience, but if they don’t give this crust a try, they’re missing out. Fire-baked on hot bricks, it comes out chewy and toasty, comparable to fresh-baked, high-quality bread. I was actually surprised to find myself savoring the sauce-less, bready ends of each slice. Normally I jettison the pizza ends as a mere wasted experience in carbohydrates. Not so at zpizza. Another great combination was the Tuscan pizza ($10.50; $17.50; $21.50). It was slathered with a roasted-garlic sauce, covered with mozzarella, caramelized onions, feta, truffle oil and thyme, then populated liberally with cremini, shiitake and button mushrooms.
We also tried the Provence pizza ($9.95; $16.95; $20.95), this time with zpizza’s vegan cheese. Everything about the Provence was delicious: the tangy tomato sauce, the roasted garlic, the capers, the fresh basil. But that vegan cheese was — how do I put this delicately? — kind of icky. As someone who loves dairy, but is also acutely aware that not all California cows are happy cows, I really, really wanted to like that vegan cheese. But my two dining companions and I agreed that it pretty much ruined the pizza. It melted to the consistency of Velveeta and tasted like canola oil, which happens to be a primary ingredient in the Daiya-brand cheese the restaurant uses. I appreciate that zpizza offers so many vegan and veggie alternatives and can only hope that those people better accustomed to mindful eating than I am find something to love in Daiya. A tastier alternative for vegetarians might be zpizza’s soy-based cheese. True vegans will want to know that the soy cheese contains casein, an animal protein. Zpizza also offers two copious and tasty pasta dishes: penne with meatballs and a chicken penne pesto ($7.50 each). Each day of the week brings a different special. For example, during lunch on Tuesdays you get a free 14-inch specialty pizza with the purchase of an 18-inch. On Saturdays, kids get a free slice of cheese pizza and fountain drink with a minimal adult-sized purchase. Delivery is free with a $20 minimum. It might be easy to dismiss franchises as soulless purveyors of cuisine created by committee, but in the case of franchises like zpizza, where a good concept meets good food and a good value, what’s not to enjoy? N zpizza 146 Castro St., Mountain View, 650-314-0088 zpizza.com Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat. noon10 p.m. Sun. noon-9 p.m. Reservations
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Pizza for a small planet n the history of mankind, there have emerged few culinary concoctions that can rival the perfection of pizza. An entire meal condensed into a weighty wedge of baked dough, sauce, cheese and toppings. Orange grease trickles down your hand and lactose courses through your veins as four kinds of animal protein combine in gooey deliciousness. But what if you could get the satisfaction of pizza without some of the guilt? What if a pizza dinner didn’t have to remind you of long-ago dorm-room study sessions? What if you’re a member of PETA? Those are some the questions Sid Fanarof was asking himself back in the mid-1980s. Determined to inject a dose of California consciousness into the pizza experience, the Laguna Beach resident founded zpizza in 1986. He started franchising in 1999. The chain has since expanded to hundreds of locations across the United States, with more than 50 in California. Mexico is home to several zpizzas, and if you ever find yourself craving, say, a chicken curry and yam pizza rustica while in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, you’re in luck. The local zpizza, owned by Mountain View resident Linda Su, has been serving pizza, salads, sandwiches and pasta on Castro Street for a little over two years. The simple, counter-service restaurant prepares slender pizzas with fresh, additive-free ingredients, a number of vegetarian and vegan toppings, and a whole-wheat or glutenfree crust if you desire. Of course, the restaurant has all the requisite nouvelle-California-Mediterranean ingredients you’d expect: arugula, artichoke hearts, pine nuts, roasted eggplant, gorgonzola, truffle oil and the like. But have no fear, traditionalists. They’ve got you covered, too. Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, ham, salami, anchovies — they’re all on the menu. But even some of the standard fixings take on the guise of more healthful and politically correct fare. The pepperoni is low-fat and MSG-free; the tomato sauce is certified organic; and the mozzarella is made of hormone-free milk. The franchise’s popularity can be attributed only to the fresh, flavorful food as the atmosphere — at least at our local zpizza — hews toward “corporate cafeteria.� The place feels like, well, a franchise with stark lighting and a sterile decor that only a home office could create. But the food is good.
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PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Notice of Public Hearing Tuesday, September 14, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. Board of Education Meeting Palo Alto UniďŹ ed School District OfďŹ ce 25 Churchill Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306
In accordance with Education Code §60119, the PAUSD Board of Education will receive input from the public relative to certiďŹ cation that students in the Palo Alto UniďŹ ed School District have sufďŹ cient textbooks or instructional materials, or both, for the 2010-2011 school year.
Additional information available through Educational Services OfďŹ ce @ 650-329-3709.
DISCOVER A FRIENDLY, VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE JEWISH COMMUNITY Please join us for Shabbat services and special Oneg at Congregation Beth Am on Friday evening, August 27th at 6:00
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Mandolin ace Thile and fellow acoustic virtuosos appear on the heels of a new CD, Antifogmatic.
With sensual vocals and infectious hooks, Reagon explores folk, blues, vintage rock, and more.
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Join us after the service for appetizers and dessert, meet our clergy and congregants, and learn about Beth Amâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs and activities. 5/;3:/< oC2/;/<7 AC< % <=D One of Baliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier ensembles in a dazzling performance of music and dance.
Please R.S.V.P. to Emily Osterman at 650/493-4661 or eosterman@betham.org 26790 Arastradero Road Los Altos Hills
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TakĂĄcs performs towering late works by Schubert and BartĂłk.
Schubert Recital: Ax brings his renowned mastery to the ďŹ nal sonata and other late works.
E32 % <=D Violin virtuosa Midori in an intimate evening of Bach, Mozart, and more.
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With uncanny power and precision, Harris takes â&#x20AC;?hip-hop dance to a higher powerâ&#x20AC;? (Village Voice).
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MEXICAN The Oaxacan Kitchen 321-8003 Authentic Mexican Restaurant 2323 Birch Street, Palo Alto 1 ÊUÊ ,ÊUÊ/ Ê"1/ÊUÊ / , also visit us at 6 Bay Area Farmer’s Markets www.theoaxacankitchen.com
of the week
PIZZA Pizza Chicago 424-9400 4115 El Camino Real, Palo Alto This IS the best pizza in town
AMERICAN
CHINESE
Armadillo Willy’s 941-2922
Peking Duck 321-9388
1031 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos
151 S. California Avenue, Palo Alto
Range: $5.00-13.00
We also deliver.
Hobee’s 856-6124
Su Hong – Menlo Park
4224 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Dining Phone: 323–6852
Also at Town & Country Village,
To Go: 322–4631
Palo Alto 327-4111
Winner, Palo Alto Weekly “Best Of”
Burmese
8 years in a row!
INDIAN
SEAFOOD
(650) 494-7391
Darbar Indian Cuisine 321-6688
Burmese & Chinese Cuisine
129 Lytton, Downtown Palo Alto
3950 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto
Lunch Buffet M-F; Open 7 days Janta Indian Restaurant 462-5903
Dine-In, Take-Out, Local Delivery-Catering
369 Lytton Ave., Downtown Palo Alto
CHINESE
Lunch Buffet M-F; Organic Veggies
Chef Chu’s (650) 948-2696
ITALIAN
1067 N. San Antonio Road
Spalti Ristorante 327-9390
on the corner of El Camino, Los Altos
417 California Ave, Palo Alto
2008 Best Chinese
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MV Voice & PA Weekly
www.spalti.com
Jing Jing 328-6885
Pizzeria Venti 650-254-1120
443 Emerson St., Palo Alto
1390 Pear Ave, Mountain View
Authentic Szechwan, Hunan
www.MvPizzeriaVenti.com
Food To Go, Delivery
Fresh, Chef Inspired Italian Food
www.jingjinggourmet.com
JAPANESE & SUSHI
Ming’s 856-7700 1700 Embarcadero East, Palo Alto www.mings.com New Tung Kee Noodle House 520 Showers Dr., MV in San Antonio Ctr.
POLYNESIAN Trader Vic’s 849-9800 4269 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Dinner Mon-Thurs 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 5-11pm; Sun 4:30 - 9:30pm Available for private luncheons Lounge open nightly Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-6 pm
Green Elephant Gourmet
(Charleston Shopping Center)
Spot A Pizza 324-3131 115 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto Voted Best Pizza in Palo Alto www.spotpizza.com
Fuki Sushi 494-9383 4119 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Open 7 days a Week
MEXICAN
Voted MV Voice Best ‘01, ‘02, ‘03 & ‘04
Palo Alto Sol 328-8840
Prices start at $4.75
408 California Ave, Palo Alto
947-8888
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Cook’s Seafood 325-0604 751 El Camino Real, Menlo Park Seafood Dinners from $6.95 to $10.95 Scott’s Seafood 323-1555 #1 Town & Country Village, Palo Alto Open 7 days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner Happy Hour 7 days a week 4-7 pm Full Bar, Banquets, Outdoor Seating www.scottsseafoodpa.com
THAI
Ming’s serves distinctive Chinese fare in grand fashion. With more than 200 dishes covering nearly every permutation of meat, seafood, vegetables, rice and noodles, Ming’s aims to please even the finickiest of appetites. 1700 Embarcadero East, *> Ê Ì ÊUÊnxÈ ÇÇää www.mings.com
Thaiphoon Restaurant 323-7700 543 Emerson St., Palo Alto Full Bar, Outdoor Seating www.thaiphoonrestaurant.com Best Thai Restaurant in Palo Alto 3 Years in a Row, 2006-2007-2008 Siam Orchid 325-1994 496 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto Organic Thai Free Delivery to Palo Alto/Stanford 4-6p.m. 25% off menu price M-F
STEAKHOUSE Sundance the Steakhouse 321-6798 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2:00pm Dinner: Mon-Thu 5:00-10:00pm Fri-Sat 5:00-10:30pm, Sun 5:00-9:00pm www.sundancethesteakhouse.com
Search a complete listing of local restaurant reviews by location or type of food on PaloAltoOnline.com
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Movies OPENINGS
The Switch ---
(Century 16, Century 20) Sincere relationship dynamics, solid writing and a strong performance by leading man Jason Bateman (TVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Arrested Developmentâ&#x20AC;?) help propel this sweet romantic comedy. Neurotic New Yorker Wally Mars (Bateman) enjoys a healthy friendship with best pal Kassie Larson
(Jennifer Aniston). Although Wally has long harbored deeper feelings for Kassie, several years of romantic inaction have forced him into the friend zone. Kassie confides in Wally that she is anxious for offspring and plans to be artificially inseminated, despite Wallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effusive disapproval. Kassieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quirky friend Debbie (Juliette Lewis) throws her a pregnancy party â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an â&#x20AC;&#x153;insemination celebra-
â&#x20AC;&#x153;SIT BACK AND LAUGH YOUR *** OFF,
THE OTHER GUYS IS A RIOT.â&#x20AC;?
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES
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Fresh news delivered daily
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual material, drugs and language. 1 hour, 41 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tyler Hanley
Nanny McPhee Returns --1/2
(Century 16, Century 20) When â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nanny McPhee Returnsâ&#x20AC;? premiered five months ago in the U.K., it was called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang,â&#x20AC;? referring to a somewhat explosive climax. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guess why Universal changed the title for American release. Scary intimations of scientific intellectualism? Scary intimations of nannies being naughty in the boudoir? At any rate, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nanny McPhee Returnsâ&#x20AC;? invites us back to the franchise
Fri and Sat ONLY 8/20-8/21 The Kids Are All Right - 2:00, 4:45, 7:15, 9:50 The Kids Are All Right (Second Print) - 3:30, 6:00, 8:30 Sun thru Thurs 8/22-8/26 The Kids Are All Right - 2:00, 4:45, 7:15 The Kids Are All Right (Second Print) - 3:30, 6:00
Page 24Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;}Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä£äĂ&#x160;UĂ&#x160;*>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;
tionâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; during which Wally meets handsome sperm donor Roland (Patrick Wilson) and subsequently drinks himself into an inebriated daze. When Wally stumbles into a guest bathroom where Rolandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s donation cup waits and accidentally spills the contents, he refills it with a donation of his own. Wally awakes the next morning with a wicked hangover and blurred memory of the previous night. Flash forward seven years. Kassie returns to New York after living in rural America with her 6-year-old son, Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), in tow. Kassie and Wally quickly re-spark their friendship and Wally begins to realize that little Sebastian has some very recognizable qualities. As Wally spends more time with Sebastian, memories of that fateful night seven years prior start flooding in. How to break the news to Kassie that her sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dad isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Roland â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Vikingâ&#x20AC;? but rather Wally the neurotic? Bateman shines in the lead role. The relationship that develops between Wally and Sebastian draws both laughs and tears. Several scenes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as when Sebastian shows Wally his collection of frames or when Wally has to rid the boy of a lice problem â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are tender and memorable. Anistonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance, though, is a tad too mannered. She tends to gesture a lot and speaks a bit too articulately. But her character is sympathetic and her charisma obvious. Acting veteran Jeff Goldblum nearly steals the show as Wallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tell-it-like-it-is buddy, and child actor Robinson is terrific (and adorable) in a tough role. There are poignant observations about single parenting and the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climax has serious emotional punch. The Hollywood ending is a little too neatly wrapped, though, partially deflating the otherwise honest flick. Despite a relatively predictable plot and inconsistent pacing, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Switchâ&#x20AC;? scores thanks to a perfect balance of humor and heart.
commanded by ever-clever Emma Thompson, who scripted, stars and executive-produces. One is always in good hands with Thompson, even in this kiddie franchise loosely adapted from Christianna Brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trilogy of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nurse Matildaâ&#x20AC;? novels. 2006â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nanny McPheeâ&#x20AC;? corresponded in plot to the book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nurse Matilda,â&#x20AC;? but the second film diverges from the path of the books to tell a new story with a new family. On the other hand, the new story is a lot like the old story. Again, the bulbous-nosed, bucktoothed, portly, warty Nanny McPhee spirits into the life of a needy family. Again, she imparts five lessons to unruly English moppets, her superficially unattractive features fading away to reveal Thompsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural beauty. But
this time McPhee visits the workingclass Green family on their Deer Valley Farm: mother Isabel (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and kids Megsie (Lil Woods), Norman (Asa Butterfield) and Vincent (Oscar Steer). An unspecified war means that Mr. Green is away and in danger; thus, tensions are running high (the circumstances and style suggests the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;40s, but in a modernistic time warp). Tensions run so high that the arrival of rich cousins Cyril (Eros Vlahos) and Celia (Rosie TaylorRitson) Gray, sent to the country to dodge a London blitz, triggers a civil war between the Green and the Gray. Thompson is after a lesson in harmony for adults and kids. Hence â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lesson One: To stop fighting.â&#x20AC;? Ironically, McPhee claims to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;an
MOVIE TIMES Avatar (PG-13) (((
Century 20: Special Edition in 3D Thu. at 12:01 a.m.
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Stanford Theatre: Sat.-Tue. at 7:30 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. also at 2 p.m.
Cats & Dogs: The Century 20: 12:25, 2:45, 5, 7:25 & 9:35 p.m. Revenge of Kitty Galore (PG) (Not Reviewed) Despicable Me (PG) ((1/2
Century 16: 11:25 a.m.; 1:55, 4:20, 6:50 & 9:15 p.m. Century 20: In 3D at 11:20 a.m.; 1:40, 4:10, 6:45 & 9:10 p.m.
Dinner for Schmucks (PG-13) ((1/2
Century 16: 11:35 a.m.; 2:20, 5:05, 7:55 & 10:35 p.m. Century 20: 11:40 a.m.; 2:20, 5:05, 7:45 & 10:25 p.m.
Easter Parade (1948)
Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 7:30 p.m.
Eat Pray Love (PG-13) ((1/2
Century 16: 11:10 a.m.; 12:30, 2:15, 3:45, 5:25, 7, 8:40 & 10:05 p.m Century 20: 11:20 a.m.; 12:50, 2:25, 4, 5:35, 7:10, 8:45 & 10:20 p.m.
The Expendables (R) (Not Reviewed)
Century 16: 11 a.m.; 12:15, 1:30, 2:45, 4, 5:15, 6:40, 7:50, 9:20 & 10:20 p.m. Century 20: 11:35 a.m.; 12:30, 1:20, 3, 3:50, 4:45, 5:30, 6:20, 8:05, 8:55, 9:55 & 10:35 p.m.; Thu. also at 11:25 p.m.
Get Low (PG-13) (((
Guild Theatre: 2, 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m.
The Girl Who Played with Fire (R) ((
Aquarius Theatre: 2, 5 & 8 p.m.
Holiday Inn (1942)
Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 5:35 & 9:25 p.m.
Inception (PG-13) (((1/2
Century 16: 12:10, 3:35, 7:05 & 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 11:55 a.m.; 3:25, 7 & 10:15 p.m.
The Kids Are All Right (R) ((((
Century 20: 2 & 7:15 p.m. Palo Alto Square: 2, 3:30, 4:45, 6 & 7:15 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 8:30 & 9:50 p.m.
Kismet (1944)
Stanford Theatre: Wed. & Thu. at 5:40 & 9:25 p.m.
The Last Exorcism Century 20: Thu. at 12:01 a.m. (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Lottery Ticket (PG-13) Century 16: 11:50 a.m.; 2:25, 5, 7:45 & 10:10 p.m. (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:35 & 10:05 p.m. Maoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Dancer (PG) ((
Aquarius Theatre: 3, 5:45 & 8:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 12:30 p.m.
Middle Men (R) ((
Century 20: 1:15 & 6:30 p.m.
Nanny McPhee Returns Century 16: 11:20 a.m.; 2, 4:35, 7:10 & 9:45 p.m. (PG) ((1/2 Century 20: 11:10 a.m.; 1:50, 4:25, 7:05 & 9:40 p.m. The Other Guys (PG-13) (((
Century 16: 12:05, 2:40, 5:20, 8 & 10:35 p.m. Century 20: 12:05, 2:40, 3:55, 5:15, 7:55, 9:05 & 10:25 p.m.
Piranha 3D (R) (Not Reviewed)
Century 16: 11:10 a.m.; 1:25, 3:40, 5:55, 8:10 & 10:25 p.m. Century 20: 11:25 a.m.; 1:35, 3:50, 6:10, 8:25 & 10:40 p.m.
Salt (PG-13) ((1/2
Century 16: 11:05 a.m.; 1:35, 4:05, 7:30 & 10 p.m. Century 20: 12:35, 3:20, 5:50, 8:15 & 10:40 p.m.
The Scarlet Empress
Stanford Theatre: Wed. & Thu. at 7:30 p.m.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (PG-13) (((1/2
Century 16: 11:30 a.m.; 2:10, 4:55, 7:35 & 10:15 p.m. Century 20: Noon, 2:35, 5:10, 7:50 & 10:30 p.m.
Step Up 3 (PG-13) (Not Reviewed)
Century 16: In 3D at 11:15 a.m.; 1:50, 4:25, 7:20 & 9:55 p.m. Century 20: In 3D at 12:15, 2:50, 5:25, 8 & 10:35 p.m.
The Switch (PG-13)
Century 16: 11:45 a.m.; 2:20, 4:50, 7:25 & 10 p.m. | Century 20: 11:50 a.m.; 2:20, 4:50, 7:20 & 9:50 p.m.
(((
Takers (PG-13) (Not Reviewed)
Century 20: Thu. at 12:03 a.m.
Toy Story 3 (G) ((((
Century 20: In 3D at 11:15 a.m.; 1:45, 4:20, 6:55 & 9:30 p.m.
Vampires Suck Century 16: 11 a.m.; 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:50 p.m. (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 11:25 a.m.; 1:30, 3:35, 5:40, 7:50 & 10 p.m.; Thu. also at 12:05 a.m.
( Skip it (( Some redeeming qualities ((( A good bet (((( Outstanding Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (266-9260) Century Cinema 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View (800-326-3264) Century 20 Downtown: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City (800-326-3264) CinĂŠArts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto (493-3456) Guild: 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (266-9260) Stanford: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (324-3700) Internet: For show times, plot synopses, trailers and more information about films playing, go to PaloAltoOnline.com.
army nanny ... I have been deployed.â&#x20AC;? With the loss of the farm a clear and present danger, the film touches on recession fears as well, but with faith and help from her magic walking stick, the sly governess contains the situation and helps the children to grow into themselves. Thompson and director Susanna White appropriately conspire to keep McPhee somewhat in the background (she should leave us, like the kids, wanting more). Though she plays it close to the frock, Nanny McPhee has an emotional attentiveness to kids at their best and at their lowest. Thompson nicely underplays this sensitivity as well as the comedy. She also hauls in some top British talent for potent supporting roles and cameos: Maggie Smith, Rhys Ifans, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Bailey and Ewan McGregor. For the kids, there are lots of pratfalls and fairy-tale magic, with a touch of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Babeâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farm charm (pigs that fly and do Busby Berkeley choreography). Like the kids, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re left with the reminder that Nanny McPhee is a rolling stone with one overriding lesson: You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need. Rated PG for rude humor, language and thematic elements. One hour, 49 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese For a review of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Dancer,â&#x20AC;? which Weekly critic Peter Canavese gave two stars, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/ movies.
Christy Lemire, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kevin Steincross, FOX-TV
Jeanne Wolf, PARADE
COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS A PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION â&#x20AC;&#x153;EAT PRAY LOVEâ&#x20AC;? JAMES FRANCO RICHARD JENKINS VIOLA DAVIS BILLY CRUDUP AND JAVIER BARDEM EXECUTIVE PJ BLOOM MUSICBY DARIO MARIANELLI PRODUCERS BRAD PITT STAN WLODKOWSKI JEREMY KLEINER THEBASEDBOOK ONBY ELIZABETH GILBERT SCREENPLAYBY RYAN MURPHY & JENNIFER SALT PRODUCED DIRECTED BY DEDE GARDNER BY RYAN MURPHY SOUNDTRACK INCLUDES â&#x20AC;&#x153;BETTER DAYSâ&#x20AC;? PERFORMED BY EDDIE VEDDER
MUSIC SUPERVISION BY
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Cover Story
‘Taking it to the next level’
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SHARE THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL ADVICE, HOPES AND DREAMS by Chris Kenrick photographs by Veronica Weber
Nearly 12,000 students head back to 19 Palo Alto public school campuses Tuesday. Along with the new backpacks, textbooks, school fashions and gadgets come fresh resolutions to work hard, play well and make the most of the upcoming year. Several returning high school students shared their thoughts on going back to school with the Palo Alto Weekly.
CARPE DIEM Hannah Kim: Time management is key ime management is an important skill for any high school student, says incoming Paly junior Hannah Kim. If you do it just right, there should be time to hang out with friends and do well in school. With a heavy courseload as well as extracurricular commitments, Kim herself is a test case. Aside from attending two camps — one for leadership and one for journalism — Kim has spent much of the summer tucked away in a Stanford University library, studying for the October SATs. What she most looks forward to about going back to school is seeing friends on a daily basis — and her junior-year classes. “I know they’re hard, but I think I’m really going to like them,” she said in an interview on the Stanford campus during a break from studying. “I was debating about AP U.S. History, but it’s really interesting to me, and I know the teachers are really good.” Kim also will take BC Calculus and Spanish 4 AP. A former co-president of Paly’s Youth Community Service Club, she plans to focus her efforts this year on organizing a service-oriented spring-break trip to El Salvador or Guatemala. Though she’s a regular runner, time constraints make her hesitant about joining Paly’s cross-country team. “I’ll still run but probably won’t be on the team because the meets and practices take a lot of time. I have a lot of classes, and they’re big, hard classes.” A stress reliever for Kim is participation in her church,Korean Emmanuel Presbyterian, in San Jose. “For the whole week it’s school and studying, and then on weekends I get to go to church, see my church friends. It’s really relaxing for me. It’s like a break.
T
(continued on page 30)
Page 26ÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓä]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Gabriel Ortiz: Focused on the future abriel “Gabe” Ortiz’s high school day begins at 6:50 a.m., when a bus picks him up from his East Palo Alto corner to make the 10-mile trip to Carlmont High School in Belmont. The youngest of five boys, Ortiz is determined to be the first in his family to make it to college. His older siblings reflect the high school graduation rate of East Palo Alto youth. Two of them graduated from high school but did not go to college. A third dropped out of high school in his senior year and a fourth did not make it past middle school. Ortiz envisions a more ambitious educational future for himself, largely because of mentoring he got from older students through the Youth Community Service (YCS) program. “When I was a freshman, my mentors told me, ‘Don’t go on the wrong path in high school. Don’t go to the people who smoke. Don’t go to the people who cut. “’Go to the people who want to go to class, who want to have an education and graduate.’ “That was pretty hard because there was a lot of peer pressure from socalled friends. I really felt the pressure, but basically I ignored them and stuck to what my mentors told me,” Ortiz said. By his sophomore year, he was hired by YCS to be a mentor himself. This month he begins his junior year. Ortiz recently took his two newest mentees Tiara and Serena — incoming freshmen at Carlmont and, like himself, from East Palo Alto — to serve lunch to the homeless at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. “They experienced the needy people and heard how they became homeless, and then we came home and had a reflection period. “What they (Tiara and Serena) said was that now they know to appreciate what they have,” he said. Like his East Palo Alto peers, Ortiz must travel miles to get to school because — except for two small charter schools — the community has no public high school. Teens who live in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park are scattered among four high schools in the Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton, Woodside, Sequoia and Carlmont. On a typical school morning, Ortiz is at Carlmont by 7:20 — well ahead of the 8 a.m. bell. He uses the time to eat a school breakfast and print out his assignments from the night before. His favorite classes by far are those involving computers — this fall he’s in Computer Applications 2. “I’m excited because we do Photoshop and all the Adobe products, which I love. I hope it will lead to a career.” His toughest class is math. To improve his grades, he is determined to take better advantage this year of a peer-tutoring program offered at
G
(continued on page 28)
Cover Story
NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW...
BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD
Allie Pedersen: A whole new perspective
Tremaine Kirkman: A welcoming place
eaving Palo Alto for a semester abroad last year gave Gunn High School student Allie Pedersen an entirely new perspective on her own country. “It was really eye-opening,” said Pedersen, who spent the fall semester of her junior year attending a public high school in Poitiers, France. She lived with a French family and attended school through the AFS program. “I consider Palo Alto to be pretty open to ideas but when you move somewhere else it’s a completely different experience. “They love Barack Obama. They all thought we were super-modern, and they wanted to learn English and live in America.” Pedersen is preparing to buckle down for her final year at Gunn. “I’m really excited about seeing my friends again and — I’m going to sound like a complete nerd — I’m excited about my classes because I’m really interested in them.” In particular she looks forward to AP U.S. History and Psychology. On the challenging side, she thinks, will be AB Calculus, which friends have told her is hard. Pedersen spent five weeks of her summer volunteering in the summer program at the East Palo Alto branch of the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula. She has signed up to volunteer this fall as a mentor and companion to a younger girl through the Big Sisters program. The toughest thing about going back to school, she said, is “having to start thinking about colleges and my academic record and getting all stressed out about that. You literally have no control over it — a lot of it is like a raffle, depending on what kinds of students they (college administrators) want.” She keeps her stress level under control by jogging around her neighborhood and by remembering to seek out help when she needs it. “When you don’t understand something, just ask for help. Most of the time I ask my friends, sometimes I ask my sister (in college now), or e-mail the teacher. And at Gunn we also have the AC (Academic Center).” Pedersen is attracted to the idea of an international career, either in business, the nonprofit world or possibly the United Nations. Her advice to a new Gunn student: “Take full advantage of every opportunity. “Join a bunch of clubs, do sports and take the challenging class. “You are given so many opportunities, and you only live high school once.”
aly student Tremaine Kirkman looks forward to “taking it to the next level” during his upcoming junior year, especially in athletics and extracurricular activities. Outside of class, his passions are football, track and campus unity — making sure Paly is a “more inclusive” and welcoming place for students of all backgrounds. Kirkman is the multi-cultural representative for the school’s student government. Two years ago, he launched Paly’s Student Equity Action Network (SEAN), which focuses on addressing the well-documented achievement gap between African-American and Hispanic students and their Caucasian and Asian peers. “Generally, the way Paly works is you have most of the minority students hanging out at the wall right next to the student center,” he explained. “To some extent it’s good to hang out with people you know and have grown up with — but you don’t want that to be the only place you hang out. “The way it is now, if you try to venture off from that area, you’re more of an outsider venturing into another group.” Kirkman’s goal is to promote unity-building activities — academic awards named after black literary figures like Langston Hughes or Zora Neale Hurston, for example — to make groups on campus feel more comfortable with one another.
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Band she’s currently listening to: Katy Perry Favorite YouTube video/channel: No favorite. “Sometimes when I’m procrastinating or just bored I watch random music videos.” Tech gadget she can’t live without: Cell phone — “I’d get lost.” Motto she lives by: “Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.”
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“If we celebrate other cultures and create a diverse environment where people are more accepting, hopefully the whole ‘Wall culture’ will just evaporate,” he said. On the academic side, Kirkman said, “I’ve tried to ease back on the APs because at Paly everybody kind of goes crazy. Spanish 4 AP will be my one AP class this year.”
“To some extent it’s good to hang out with people you know and have grown up with — but you don’t want that to be the only place you hang out.”
Kirkman particularly enjoys being part of the leadership class offered at Paly for members of student government. This fall, he most looks forward to the track season and working on the Student Equity Action Network (SEAN). “I’m really trying to take it to the next level in both aspects,” he said. “In track I’m trying to go far in CCS (Central Coast Section) and, hopefully, state, with the 4-by-1 team. With SEAN I want to do more outreach, get more people involved and make an impact on
getting people into colleges.” Kirkman least looks forward to what he calls “the workload.” “Junior year is going to be hard academic-wise. With all the sports and extracurriculars, it’s going to be a lot of work to do, but I’m still excited to go for it.” Sports, he said, are a great stressreliever. “Even though sports create a lot of stress because of time management, they relieve a lot of stress too. You go out there — you could’ve failed a big math test — and you go out there and tire yourself so you really don’t care how stressed you are.” For new students to Paly, Kirkman advises: “Don’t get caught up in the overcompetitiveness of Paly. ... If you get caught up in competing with all your classmates and that’s just not you, it can overwhelm you and your time at Paly won’t be fun. “If you focus on yourself and do what you can do, it will be a really fun place to spend four years.” For students of color, Kirkman offers the same advice, “but more so.” “It’s important to set your goals, and don’t let outside influences let you deviate from them either way,” he said. Band he’s currently listening to: Jay-Z Favorite YouTube video/channel: BoondocksBootleg Motto he lives by: “Be the change you wish to see in the world” Tech gadget he can’t live without: iPhone “because it can do everything ... except make a call.”
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Cover Story
Gabriel Ortiz (continued from page 26)
Carlmont. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It really does help me,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year I really need to go every single day.â&#x20AC;? Ortiz fell in love with the University of Southern California on a spring-break college tour organized by YCS, and his dream would be to attend the film school there. Between homework and fooling around, Ortiz said he spends â&#x20AC;&#x153;a lot of timeâ&#x20AC;? on his laptop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a Facebook and YouTube fanatic. I need to learn to get off Facebook and do my homework.â&#x20AC;? On the other hand, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good use for Facebook in promoting a new organization he is part of, Californians Acting to Reform Education (CARE). Ortiz learned about CARE earlier this summer when he attended the California Youth Summit. Ortizâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advice to new students at his school is this: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go down the wrong path. ... Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do drugs, because I have friends that did that and they dropped out. I know theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to struggle now because they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a high school diploma. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Work hard and explore the world, and do the career that you really like.â&#x20AC;? Band heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s currently listening to: Eyes Set To Kill Favorite YouTube video/channel: ShaneDawsonTV Tech gadget he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live without: iPod Touch Motto he lives by: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Knowledge is power.â&#x20AC;?
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KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE well in school as well as outside of Hannah Mernyk: school and the work on college apBuckling down plications,â&#x20AC;? she said.
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fter a â&#x20AC;&#x153;pretty relaxed summerâ&#x20AC;? of visiting relatives in New York, studying for SATs and organizing for a school club, senior Hannah Mernyk is excited to get back to Paly this fall to study the subjects sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chosen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had more choices about my classes this year, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really looking forward to AP Studio Art and AP Psychology,â&#x20AC;? Mernyk said in an interview at her dining room table. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fisk Guide to Collegesâ&#x20AC;? and an SAT prep manual were at her side. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like I could really like psychology if I get to learn more about it.â&#x20AC;? Mernyk also was excited about taking astronomy but thinks sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to drop it after hearing about the tough senior-year workload from students who graduated last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They really underlined to incoming seniors that you need to have at least one prep (free) period, especially first semester when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing college applications,â&#x20AC;? she said. Mernyk has a passion for photography, developed through her Paly coursework. She also will be the copresident of the Youth Community Service/Interact Club, which organizes service projects and works in partnership with the Rotary Club. Though looking forward to seeing her friends every day, Mernyk said she feels â&#x20AC;&#x153;nervous about the stress loadâ&#x20AC;? of senior year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m hoping Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to do
Asked whether she has any stressrelieving tips, Mernykâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answer echoes many teensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: sleep. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I need my sleep to function properly. I usually try to get my homework done right when I get home so I can usually get to bed by 11.â&#x20AC;? Mernyk uses Facebook for school as well as for keeping up with friends. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really helpful if you need to talk to three other people youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working with. During the school year I check up on (friends) usually once a day.â&#x20AC;? But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no time to play games on Facebook, she said. She does enjoy listening to alternative and, lately, classic rock on her iPod and computer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; rap and hiphop not so much. As for advice she would offer students new to Paly, Mernyk said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;For freshmen I would say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Enjoy the first year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot better than middle school and not that stressful.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the higher grades Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Try to buckle down and make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re keeping up with school, because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably only going to get harder.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Band sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s currently listening to: The Doors Favorite YouTube video/channel: RemiGaillard Tech gadget she canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live without: iPod Nano Motto she lives by: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Keep things in perspective.â&#x20AC;?
Cover Story
PALO ALTO COMMUNITY MEETING Join the community discussion on the Highway 101 Pedestrian / Bicycle Overpass / Underpass Feasibility Study Wednesday, September 1, 2010, 6:30 PM 2010
Palo Verde Elementary School
COMING
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AUG 27
The City of Palo Alto invites public input and comment for this phase of this potential long-range project. Meeting hosted by City of Palo Alto Public Works, Visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/101 for information.
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Your Child’s Health University Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital offers classes and seminars designed to foster good health and enhance the lives of parents and children.
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE FASTER THAN THE LION; YOU JUST HAVE TO BE FASTER THAN THE OTHER GUY.” “I had morning and afternoon Kevin Zook: practices for water polo. You learn One step at a time that if you have free time you do
I
n the fall, Kevin Zook’s days begin early — about 5:45 a.m., when he gets up, grabs a granola bar and packs himself a breakfast, maybe a couple of yogurts or a bagel. His dad usually gives him a ride to the Gunn High School pool, where he reports for the 6:30 a.m. water polo practice. When practice ends at 7:30 a.m., he showers in the locker room, downs the packed breakfast and is ready for class by 8 a.m. “I’m not an early-riser guy,” said Zook, an incoming sophomore who said the early practice is probably the toughest thing for him about going back to school. On the bright side, he said he looks forward to getting back into swing of the academic schedule. “Getting back to school will give me a chance to see my friends again, have class periods with them, study with them,” he said. “Also, I’m going to be a sophomore, so (school) will be slightly better, I guess.” As a student at Terman Middle School, Zook had heard scary rumors about high school — about freshmen “getting stuffed in trash cans and things like that.” Arriving at Gunn a year ago, he was pleasantly surprised. “I was taken aback by how nice everyone was. It was very welcoming,” he said. One skill he’s learned so far: time management.
homework so that on weekends you can relax a little bit more.” Zook first was introduced to water polo by Aileen Delaney, his PE teacher at Terman. “She said, ‘You’d be good at water polo,’ and I just kind of took to it,” he said. To stay in shape, he participates in the Stanford Water Polo Club in the winter and swims for the Gunn team in the spring. Aside from water polo, Zook said he plans to keep up with academic work — and get as much sleep as possible this year. He hopes he won’t need to see any doctors this year — last year he cracked two ribs and this summer he had surgery for a torn meniscus. Zook’s advice to new Gunn students is to “take things one step at a time. “Don’t try and focus on the big picture of everything — compartmentalize it,” he said. “Say, ‘OK, now I have to do this, and then this.’ Just go in baby steps ‘til you get it all done.” Band he’s currently listening to: Too busy for music right now, but Matchbox 20 Favorite YouTube video/channel: DudePerfect Tech gadget he can’t live without: iPod Touch Motto he lives by: “You don’t have to be faster than the lion; you just have to be faster than the other guy.”
ALL ABOUT PREGNANCY We offer an overview of pregnancy for the newly pregnant or soon-to-be pregnant couple. The program includes the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy, comfort measures, fetal development and growth, pregnancy testing, life changes and much more. - Tuesday, August 31: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
CHILD CPR & FIRST AID Designed for parents and care-givers of children 1 year of age to adolescence, this class will cover cardio-pulmonary resuscitation techniques, choking and first aid for common childhood injuries. - Sunday, September 12: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
INFANT MASSAGE WORKSHOP Learn techniques of infant massage along with tips to relieve gas, aid digestion and soothe the soreness of vaccination sites on your baby. Class is recommended for infants from 1 month of age to crawling. - Saturday, September 18: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
PEDIATRIC WEIGHT CONTROL PROGRAM Join us for a family-based behavioral and educational weight management program that promotes healthy eating and exercise habits for over-weight children and their families. More than 80% of children achieve long-term weight loss through this program — and parents lose weight too! We are currently enrolling for fall classes. For more information call (650) 725-4424 or visit www.pediatricweightcontrol.lpch.org.
Call (650) 723-4600 or visit www.calendar.lpch.org to register or obtain more information on the times, locations and fees for these and other courses.
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Where age is just a number
Cover Story
New principals, new construction to greet students
Hannah Kim (continued from page 26) “Running is also really stressrelieving. I like to run in the mornings — it kind of wakes me up — around the Stanford campus, Lake Lagunita.” Kim uses Facebook to keep up with friends and listens to music to help her concentrate and block out other noise — sometimes even the noise of her siblings playing the oboe or clarinet. Kim’s advice to new students is to learn to manage their time. “It’s possible to balance things out if you use your time wisely — being efficient, finishing all your homework, then hanging out with friends,” she said. “Junior year I will not have as much time to spend with friends, but it’s still really important to have that social part of your life.” Band she’s currently listening to: Bruno Mars Favorite YouTube video/channel: LonelyLosers Tech gadget she can’t live without: cell phone Motto she lives by: “Carpe Diem.”
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ix of 19 campuses have new leadership, with major construction at Gunn, Paly and Ohlone Palo Alto students and their families will be greeted by new principals on six campuses when they go back to school Tuesday. In addition, thousands of students — particularly those at Gunn, Paly and Ohlone — will return to campuses that have become major construction sites. Principals new in their roles this fall are: Katya Villalobos replacing Noreen Likins at Gunn High; Phil Winston replacing Jacquie McEvoy at Palo Alto High; Katherine Baker replacing the retiring Carmen Giedt at Terman Middle; Jocelyn Garcia-Thorne replacing John Lents at Addison Elementary; John Lents replacing Kathleen Meagher at Duveneck Elementary; and Anne Brown replacing Lupe Garcia at Palo Verde Elementary. In addition, a spate of retirements left many shoes to fill in the district office: Superintendent Kevin Skelly promoted Duveneck’s Meagher to be district-wide director of elementary education. Holly Wade comes from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District to be director of special education. Debbra Lindo, former CEO of College Track, becomes director of secondary education and Amy Dro-
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lette has been named coordinator of student services. Major new construction also will greet students on several campuses. At Paly, the southern section of the quad was filled over the summer with 16 portable classrooms, likely to remain there until 2013, when a new, two-story classroom building and new Media Center are slated for completion. The Churchill Avenue field containing baseball and softball diamonds also is under reconstruction. It will re-open in February with brand new grass and field configurations, officials said. At Gunn, 26 portable classrooms were moved over the summer to the parking lot. The cleared space in the former “Titan Village” area of campus will be the site of a new, twostory classroom building. To make up for the parking spaces lost to the portables, new parking will be opened up on the Miranda Avenue side of campus, Villalobos said. At Ohlone Elementary School, crews will break ground this fall for a new, two-story classroom building adjacent to the school’s library and farm. All of the construction is the result of a $378 million facilities bond passed by district voters in June 2008. The bond program, which will touch all campuses, is intended to upgrade and expand facilities to meet anticipated growth in enrollment. N — Chris Kenrick
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PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL CIVIC CENTER, 250 HAMILTON AVENUE BROADCAST LIVE ON KZSU, FM 90.1 CABLECAST LIVE ON GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL 26 STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS The High Speed Rail Committee Meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 24, at 8:30 a.m. in the Council Conference Room regarding: 1) Approval of July 1, July 15, and July 29, 2010 Minutes, 2) Discussion of California High Speed Rail Authority Supplemental Alternative Analysis Report, 3) Discussion of Draft High Speed RailEconomic Development Analysis, 4) Updates and Informational Items, 5) Discussion of Draft Letter from Mayor Pat Burt to California High Speed Rail Authority, and 6) Future Meetings and Agendas
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Sports Shorts SQUASH KING . . . Menlo Park resdient Gabriel Morgan, currently the top-ranked junior player in the U.S. in the boys U13 division, helped the U.S. National Junior Team beat Canada, 19-5, in the USA vs. Canada Battle of the Border test match last weekend at White Oaks Resort in Ontario. Morgan, a seventh-grader at St. Raymond’s, won at the No. 1 spot, sweeping three games from his Canadian counterpart.
PLAYER OPENINGS . . . The Palo Alto Knights Youth Football program needs Jr. Midget and Pee Wee players, ages 11-13 to fill out the 2010 rosters. Come to Palo Alto High School Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. to register, or go to the web-site at www.paknights. com.
ON THE AIR Sunday Women’s soccer: Stanford at Boston University, 4 p.m., wtburadio.org
Thursday Football: Stanford football preview (replay), 7 p.m., Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
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Palo Alto junior Jasmine Tosky won five events at last week’s Speedo Junior National Championships in Irvine. She’ll try to duplicate that at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships.
Tosky invites herself to a Hawaiian Luau Palo Alto junior set to compete in her first international event; PASA teammate Maddie Schaefer will also compete by Rick Eymer alo Alto Swim Club coach Tony Batis won’t be there in person when Palo Alto High junior Jasmine Tosky and fellow Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics’ teammate Maddie Schaefer open the Junior Pan Pacific Championships next week at the Kihei Aquatic Center in Maui, Hawaii. He’d made plans months ago to vacation in Europe. No matter where he is, though, when the races are on he’ll be in some Internet Café rooting on his swimmers.
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Besides, his job is nearly finished. His goal was to provide Tosky and Schaefer with the environment of a big-time swimming event to help them prepare for just such a meet. He can check that one off his to-do list. “She already has a good idea of who she is and she wants to be,” Batis said of Tosky, who spent the summer getting the idea she could be one of the best. “She’s quick to learn and one of her strengths is when you give her a task or challenge she’s able to adjust to that. She’s a unique talent.”
If there was a college swimming coach in the United States who had never heard her name before, Tosky is likely at the top of their wish list by now. Tosky’s performance at the USA Speedo Junior National Swimming Championships last week was her own debutante ball, a coming-out party of the spectacular variety. “She’s a very driven kid who likes to race,” said PASA coach Ricky Silva, who worked with Tosky at the 13-14 level. The Palo Alto Swim Club won the
team title, with the girls’ team adding 304 points to the total, more than doubling the Terrapins girls’ secondplace total of 133 points. “You can point things out in the pool and adjust in the pool but you can’t recreate the environment, the stands and the surroundings of a big meet,” Batis said. “We’re trying to get both of them comfortable with the atmosphere so when it comes time to the Olympic trials, where there’s nothing but cameras, they (continued on page 34)
MEN’S SOCCER
Cardinal looking to build on its foundation
Warsaw heads an experienced group that went to the Sweet Sixteen last year by Rick Eymer he Stanford men’s and women’s soccer program will have a new look this season. While both of them look to build on last year’s success, the first steps of building a professional-looking soccer stadium have already been taken. The men would love to show they are no ordinary, one-season wonder. The new stands that will be constructed during the season will act as a reminder that the men’s soccer team has built a foundation and now looks to continue its growth. “Expectations are high,” Stanford coach Bret Simon said. “Maturity and comfort level are just as important as having the team skills. Two years ago we lost a lot of one-goal games. Last year we won a lot of one-goal games. We’ve talked a lot about understanding, and displaying, maturity.” This year Pac-10 coaches voted Stan-
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ford (4-4-2, 12-6-2 last season) to finish second in conference play, which would be a step up from last year’s third-place finish. Senior midfielder Bobby Warshaw, who led the team with six goals, four of them game winners, and 13 points last year, will likely be the face of Stanford men’s soccer this year. He’s on the watch list for the Hermann Trophy and the Lowe’s Senior Class award for his sport. He’s the first to explain, however, that individual awards are a result of good team results and that nothing happens on a soccer field without your teammates. Warsaw had a whirlwind summer, training with a pair of MSL teams and with a professional team in Norway. He’s not the only one who took it upon themselves to continue devel(continued on page 36)
Hector Garica-Molina
DIG VOLLEYBALL . . . The Stanford women’s volleyball is hosting a pre-game tailgate and chalk talk prior to its Sept. 4 match against Marquette as part of the Stanford Invitational. Stanford coach John Dunning opens the event at noon in the Maples Pavilion media room with a chalk talk. A barbeque at Jimmy V’s Sports Café follows, along with a meet and greet with the team. Advance registration (by Aug. 30) is required. Fans can mail the registration form to Stanford Women’s Volleyball, c/o Amy Brown (aebrown@stanford. edu). Cash and checks (payable to Stanford Women’s Volleyball) are accepted. The cost is $15 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. The registration form can be downloaded by visiting www. gostanford.com.
Veronica Weber
WHOSE HOUSE . . . The Stanford Football program is hosting Open House event at Stanford Stadium beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29. The event is free and open to the general public. Fans can enter Stanford Stadium through Gate 1, which is located on the south side of the stadium adjacent to the Sunken Diamond parking lot. Free parking will be available in the Sunken Diamond and Cobb Track and Angell Field lots.
Senior midfielder Bobby Warsaw wants Stanford to take the next step this season. *> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓä]ÊÓä£äÊU Page 31
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Tom helps spark a sweep last weekend in her first appearance in two years
S
tanford grads Logan Tom, Foluke Akinradewo and Cynthia Barboza have helped the United States women’s national volleyball team to the brink of the FIVB World Grand Prix final round. The final preliminary round begins Friday in Hong Kong and con-
tinues through Sunday with three pool matches. The Americans are in position to clinch a spot in the six-team World Grand Prix final round. Team USA (4-2) currently resides in fifth place with 12 points, and a combination of six points during the final weekend would assure the U.S.
Join Kara’s 5th Annual Walk Saturday, August 28 @ Mitchell Park, Palo Alto Check-in begins at 10am. Walk starts at 11am. $20 if recieved by 5pm, 8/25, $30 after, WALKER REGISTRATION: so it’s not too late sign up on the the day of the event, but it will cost a bit more. Children under 12, walk for free. Raise at least $100 in pledges and register by 8/25; and walk the family-friendly three-mile course for free. Register or donate on line to honor a loved one at www.kara-grief.org. All donations and pledges directly benefit Kara services for grieving children and adults.
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a spot in the finals. The U.S., ranked fourth in the FIVB world ranking, holds a fourpoint lead over seventh-place Netherlands (3-3 record, 8 points) and a five-point lead over Dominican Republic (2-4, 7 points). Italy is in sixth place with 12 points, but trails the U.S. in points scored ratio. The Americans play Germany, Thailand and China this weekend. Thailand (1-5) is currently in 10th place. Germany, which beat the U.S. in four sets during the second match of the tournament, is in eighth place. China, ranked second in the world, is in fourth place and being the host for the final, they have immunity through the preliminary stages. The top five teams in the overall standings, plus China, advance to the six-team FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round to be held Aug. 25-29 in Ningbo, China. Brazil leads the World Grand Prix with 15 points and a 5-1 record. Brazil has won the past two World Grand Prix titles and five of the last six events. Japan and Poland, both with 5-1 records and 15 points, are second and third, respectively. U.S. coach Hugh McCutcheon announced his roster selections for Hong Kong on Thursday, the day rosters are turned into the designated control committee. Based on FIVB rules, each team can carry 14 players on the roster for each weekend, but must designate 12 prior to each match as available. Tom stepped into the starting lineup after the U.S. went 1-2 during the opening weekend and averaged 3.64 points per set with 35 kills, three blocks and two aces. Tom added 16 digs and 31 excellent receptions on 61 service receptions. Team USA has used the block effectively in the first six matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix. The U.S. holds a 111-37 block advantage over its opponents. The Americans are averaging 4.8 blocks per set, compared to their opponents’ 1.6 blocks per set. The U.S. has four players among the top nine blockers in the tournament, including Akinradewo, who ranks ninth among the tournament’s scoring leaders with 77 points (49 kills, 25 blocks, 3 aces). Penn State grad Alisha Glass, playing just her second tournament with the national team, leads all tournament setters with a 12.61 running sets average through the first two preliminary round weekends. USC grad Nicole Davis, who was not active on the daily roster during Pool D, ranks sixth in the Best Digger category with 3.04 digs per set despite not playing the last three matches.
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USA Diving Stanford grad Cassidy Krug won a pair of titles at the AT&T National Diving Championships over the
Dr. Tyler Long D.V.M.
(continued on next page)
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Sports
USA Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Stanford grad and two-time AllAmerican center Jayne Appel was one of four players added to the USA Basketball Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Team pool, it was announced Wednesday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of more of a sigh of relief, after having gone to the camps when I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to play and having to watch on the sidelines,â&#x20AC;? Appel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It makes it even more worthwhile. It also helped me want to be a part of it even more and makes me want to be able to contribute more into the future.â&#x20AC;? Appel has twice been a member of gold medal-winning USA Basketball teams: at the 2006 USA FIBA Americas under-18 Championship
USA Swimming Stanford junior Chad La Tourette earned a silver medal in the 1,500 free at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine on Wednesday eve-
ning. La Tourette went 14:54.55 to finish second only to Olympic bronze medalist and Canadian Ryan Cochrane, who swam 14:49.47, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest time of the year. Stanford grads Tobias Oriwol
and Paul Kornfeld and sophomore Matthew Swanston all competed for Canada. Oriwol was 11th in the 100 back in 55.34 and Swanston was 24th in 56.34. Kornfeld went 26.39 in the 50 fly to place 30th. N
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USA Water Polo Stanford sophomore Annika Dries scored three goals and the United States womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national water polo team downed host New Zealand, 17-8, at the FINA World Cup in Christchurch on Thursday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They way they were playing defensively we knew that we were going to get opportunities on goal,â&#x20AC;? U.S. coach Adam Krikorian said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They played a big zone and really dared our shooters on the outside to shoot. You know if teams are going to do that we are going step up to the plate and be aggressive, get on our legs and not be afraid to shoot the ball and thatĎ&#x2013;s what we did.â&#x20AC;? The Americans finished pool play with a 2-1 mark and will meet Hungary, which finished third in its pool, on Friday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Offensively they are potent and have a lot of weapons,â&#x20AC;? Krikorian said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Their center has been playing great, and they have some of the best shooters in the world so we are going to have to be very sharp defensively if we want to come away with a win.â&#x20AC;? The Kiwis scored first but Stanford grads Lolo Silver and Brenda Villa scored goals to put the U.S. in the lead for good. Dries also scored to make it 3-1. Silver, Villa and Cardinal junior Melissa Seidemann each scored twice for the Americans, who play the Hungarians for the first time since losing to them at the Dutch Trophy tournament in 2009.
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weekend. Krug won the three-meter championship on Saturday at the Student Recreation Center on the campus of Texas A&M. It was her second individual national title, and the first since 2007. She also won her third three-meter synchronized diving title with first-time partner Kassidy Cook, who was fifth in the 3-meter event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even compete in this meet last year. When I came back, I just wanted to have fun, but now I have my sights set on 2012,â&#x20AC;? said Krug, who stopped diving following the 2008 Olympic Trials and returned in late 2009. â&#x20AC;&#x153;ItĂs two years out, and this is a good measuring stick. London is my goal.â&#x20AC;? Krug was the NCAA Diver of the Year in 2007, when she won national titles in the one and three-meter events. She is a three-time Pac-10 Champion.
team and the 2007 U.S. Pan-American Games squad. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any opportunity you have to come out and compete and play at that level is an opportunity that anyone would look forward to,â&#x20AC;? Appel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anything that coach (Gino) Auriemma
Su
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Sports JUNIOR PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS Facts What: An international competition between the top National Youth Teams from the Pacific Rim, including the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. The championships represent the top international youth competition of 2010. When and Where: August 26th to August 30th at the Kihei Aquatic Center in Maui, Hawaii. Who: Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics’ swimmers Jasmine Tosky, Maddie Schaefer, Adam Hinshaw. How did they get here? Tosky and Schaefer qualified through the Speedo Junior National Championships in Irvine, Aug. 9-13; Hinshaw qualified through the USA Swimming 10K National Championships June 4 in Long Beach.
Events Veronica Weber
Jasmine Tosky (left) and Maddie Schaefer will be representing the US at the Junior Pan Pac Championships.
Swimming
(continued from page 31)
will be used to it.” Tosky and Schaefer will participate in individual events at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships and will likely add a relay or two to
their calendars. But they won’t get to splash around with teammates Camille Cheng, Ally Howe, Sarah Liang and Rachael Acker, each of whom helped PASA set a record in a relay or two in Irvine last week. “We wanted to place an emphasis on team results,” Batis said. “In many ways, that helps take the pres-
sure off. We wanted to score well as a team. Now they are two of the 20 women and 20 men who are representing the United States.” The final medal count from last week’s junior national championships is impressive. Tosky won five events, placed third in two others and swam on three relay teams, two
that set meet records. Schaefer won two events, reached the championship final in another and participated on all three relay teams. “Everything was set up with the bigger picture in mind,” Batis said. “In a couple of years the girls will be ready for what lies beyond. This summer was a good testing for them
Tosky: 200 free, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM Schaefer: 50 free, 100 free Hinshaw: Open water More information: www.usaswimming. org
to understand what it takes to survive in that environment.” PASA’s Adam Hinshaw will also be attending the Hawaiian party. He qualified for the Open Water competition. Batis will just have to make sure to keep checking his watch and keep the time difference in mind. N
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Soccer
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oping skills at a high level. Senior forward Daniel Leon, for example, took training from an English Premiere League team. The Cardinal qualified for its first NCAA tournament in eight years last season, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to top-ranked Akron. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last year we put in the work and reached the Sweet Sixteen,â&#x20AC;? Warsaw said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to put in the work that will take us to the Final Four. We have to raise the bar. The biggest thing wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t talent, it was
The High Holy Days
the preparation. You put in the hard work Monday through Thursday. Maybe in previous years we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t train like we should have.â&#x20AC;? With nine of its top 10 scorers back from last year, including Warsaw, Leon and seniors Dominique Yahyavi, Cameron Lamming and Ryan Thomas, creating offensive opportunities should be just fine. In fact the Cardinal returns plenty of depth at just about every position, including fifth-year senior midfielder Thiago Sa Freire, who was granted a medical exception, and senior Shaun Culver, who will shore up the defense. Stanford opens the regular season at Vermont on Sept. 1. N
STANFORD MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SOCCER SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time Sunday vs. Sonoma St. (exh.) 2 p.m. Aug. 28 at Air Force (exh.) 6 p.m. Sept. 1 at Vermont 1 p.m. Sept. 4 at Harvard 4 p.m. Sept. 10 vs. UNLV 2 p.m. Sept. 12 vs. Sacramento St. 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at USF 7 p.m. Sept. 19 vs. Santa Clara 6 p.m. Sept. 24 vs. St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7 p.m. Sept. 26 vs. Denver 1 p.m. Oct. 2 vs. California* 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at Washington* 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at Oregon St.* 1 p.m. Oct. 15 vs. UCLA* 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 vs. San Diego St.* 2:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at UCLA* 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at San Diego St.* 1 p.m. Oct. 29 vs. Washington* 7 p.m. Oct. 31 vs. Oregon St.* 1 p.m. Nov. 11 at California* 2 p.m. *Pac-10 matches
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