Palo Alto Weekly 08.03.2012 - Section 1 by Palo Alto Weekly

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PaloAltoOnline.com

Tongan men carve out a new life in East Palo Alto page 20

Inside: CLASS GUIDE page 14

Transitions 10

Spectrum 12

ShopTalk 26

Movies 27

Home 33

Puzzles 54

N News Bike-sharing project questioned

Page 3

N Arts Rockin’ jazz violinist coming to center

Page 23

N Sports Palo Alto Oaks head to World Series

Page 29

City of Palo Alto Presents the 28th annual

5K walk, 5K & 10K run — Great for kids and families A benefit event for local non-profits supporting kids and families

Corporate Sponsors

5K walk 7:00pm, 10K run 8:15pm, 5K run 8:45pm. Race-night registration 6 to 8pm at City of Palo Alto Baylands Athletic Center, Embarcadero & Geng Roads (just east of the Embarcadero Exit off Highway 101). Parking — go to PaloAltoOnline.com to check for specific parking locations.

COURSE 5K and 10K loop courses over Palo Alto Baylands levee, through the marshlands by the light of the Harvest Moon! Course is flat, USAT&F certified (10k run only) on levee and paved roads. Water at all stops. Course map available at www.PaloAltoOnline.com.

REGISTRATIONS & ENTRY FEE

Event Sponsors

Adult Registration (13 +) registration fee is $30 per entrant by 9/14/12. Includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. Youth Registration (6 - 12) registration is $20 per entrant by 9/14/12. Includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. Youth (5 and under) run free with an adult, but must be registered through Evenbrite with signed parental guardian waiver, or may bring/fill out a signed waiver to race-night registration. Late Registration fee is $35 for adults, $25 for youth from 9/15 - 9/26. Race night registration fee is $40 for adult; $30 for youth from 6 to 8pm. T-shirts available only while supplies last. Refunds will not be issued for no-show registrations and t-shirts will not be held. MINORS: If not pre-registered, minors under 18 MUST bring signed parental/waiver form on race night.

SPORTS TEAM/CLUBS: Online pre-registration opportunity for organizations of 10 or more runners; e-mail MoonlightRun@paweekly.com.

DIVISIONS Age divisions: 9 & under; 10 - 12; 13 - 15; 16 - 19; 20 - 24; 25 - 29; 30 - 34; 35 - 39; 40 - 44; 45 - 49; 50 - 54; 55 - 59; 60 - 64; 65 - 69; 70 & over with separate divisions for male and female runners in each age group. Race timing provided for 5K and 10K runs only.

COMPUTERIZED RESULTS BY A Change of Pace Chip timing results will be posted on PaloAltoOnline.com by 11pm race night. Race organizers are not responsible for incorrect results caused by incomplete/incorrect registration forms.

AWARDS/PRIZES/ENTERTAINMENT Top three finishers in each division. Prize giveaways and refreshments. Pre-race warmups by Noxcuses Fitness, Palo Alto

PALO ALTO GRAND PRIX Road Race Series — Moonlight Run, 9/28; Marsh Madness, 10/27; Home Run, 9/11, for more information go to www.paloaltogp.org.

BENEFICIARY Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund. A holiday-giving fund to benefit Palo Alto area non-profits and charitable organizations. In April 2012, 55 organizations received a total of $353,000 (from the 2011-2012 Holiday Fund.)

MORE INFORMATION Call (650) 463-4920, (650) 326-8210, email MoonlightRun@paweekly.com or go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com. For safety reasons, no dogs allowed on course for the 5K and 10K runs. They are welcome on the 5K walk only. No retractable leashes. Bring your own clean-up bag. Jogging strollers welcome in the 5K walk or at the back of either run.

Friday

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Community Sponsors

Upfront

Local news, information and analysis

Palo Alto bike-sharing program hits speed bump Architectural Review Board questions bikes-to-nowhere pilot program by Sue Dremann bicycle-sharing program will 1,000-bike regional project along be doomed to fail in Palo Alto the Caltrain corridor, would bring unless planners place the rent- 100 rental bicycles to Palo Alto and al stations in locations that people Stanford. Its purpose is to encourage actually want to bike to, members people to get out of their cars and of the Architectural Review Board use public transportation, namely said Thursday morning, Aug. 2. Caltrain, by making bicycles availThe pilot program, part of a able near transit hubs.

Palo Alto would have four bike stations initially — three downtown (at City Hall; 501 Emerson St. near Lytton Plaza; 528 University Ave. near Cowper Street) and one at the plaza at 140 California Ave. adjacent to the California Avenue train station. Two bike racks at the University Avenue Caltrain station are under consideration by the Caltrain board of directors and three on the Stanford University campus are under

consideration by the university, city Transportation Engineer Rafael Rius said. People renting bicycles could pick them up at one location and drop them off at another. After an initial fee is paid, the first half-hour of rental would be free, with bicyclists paying for additional time, said Aiko Cuenco, transportation planner for the Valley Transportation Authority’s Congestion Management Agency, which is mounting

the bike-share program. On Thursday, the review board was asked to vote on the four Palo Alto bike-rack locations. But Vice Chair Clare Malone Prichard was the first to raise concerns about the pilot’s potential success since three of the locations are downtown. “Why would someone pick up a bike (at the train station) to go to Lytton Plaza when they can walk 1 (continued on page 6)

UTILITIES COMMUNITY

Pipeline work to impact Palo Alto traffic

A measure of his heart Paralyzed Palo Alto man to take on 100-mile bike ride

PG&E ordered to inspect, replace parts of Line 109 along Foothill Expressway

by Sue Dremann

awrence Viariseo has survived falling off a 100-foot cliff and breaking his back, paralysis from the waist down and bladder cancer. At 53, the Palo Alto native is voluntarily embarking on another challenge — a 100-mile bike trip to raise money for cancer research. Viariseo will bike in the Canary Challenge, a Sept. 29 fundraiser for the Stanford Cancer Center. The ride will take him from Palo Alto to Skyline Boulevard, through Pescadero and San Gregorio, onto state Route 1 and back down to Palo Alto. Despite his paralysis, Viariseo is able to control the quadriceps in his upper thighs and one knee. To cycle, he shifts his upper-body muscles to move his hips and propel the pedals; plastic braces support his paralyzed legs. When he needs to stop, he rides up to posts, stop signs, fences and lights that he can hold on to. He can’t put his feet down to stop as other cyclists do because his legs cannot support his weight. Viariseo said he always regarded doctors’ prognoses as setting “a pretty low bar.” “I didn’t accept my disability on my doctors’ terms. I accepted it on my own terms. Doctors can’t tell you who you are going to be. They can’t measure your heart,” he said early Wednesday morning outside Peet’s Coffee and Tea on Homer Avenue. Viariseo recalled the 1981 skiing accident that put him in a wheelchair. He was 21 then, an aspiring emergency medical technician/ firefighter. He had moved to Lake Tahoe after graduating from Cubberley High School. Studying for his career and working on the ski slopes at Squaw Valley, he did “extreme skiing” into the far side of the valley, skiing alone, on his days off. “I skied off a cliff and fell 100 feet and broke my back,” he said. Laying face up, with multiple broken bones, Viariseo tried to lift himself from the snow, but

major, three-month-long Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) pipelinereplacement project in Palo Alto is expected to impact traffic and will start this month, PG&E has announced. The project involves excavating, removing and replacing parts of Line 109, which is one of the major transmission lines the state required PG&E to inspect for leaks after the deadly 2010 San Bruno explosion and fire. Segments of aging pipeline underneath Miranda Avenue, which parallels Foothill Expressway, and along Junipero Serra Boulevard from Page Mill Road to Alpine Road in Palo Alto are expected to be replaced, according to the utility company. Work could last until early November, although weather and other factors affecting safe working conditions could change the schedule. Traffic lanes will be closed going northbound on Miranda, from the Palo Alto VA Healthcare System to near Page Mill, and on Junipero Serra from Page Mill to Alpine during construction. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times, and flaggers will direct traffic, according to a PG&E statement. It is expected that the work will cause minor traffic delays. To minimize traffic problems during peak commute hours, crews may work in the evening and early morning hours. Gas service will continue without interruption in most cases, PG&E officials stated. If an interruption is necessary, a PG&E representative will contact

Veronica Weber

(continued on page 9)

Lawrence Viariseo, who is partially paralyzed, stands by his bike on Old Page Mill Road in Palo Alto. Viariseo plans to ride 100 miles in September to raise money for cancer research.

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Upfront

Grand Opening Saturday, August 4, 3 – 5 PM As the critical Nov. 6 election nears, a one-stop headquarters for campaign volunteers in north Santa Clara County and south San Mateo County.

(650) 327-2923 www.demvolctr.org or mike@demvolctr.org

PUBLISHER William S. Johnson EDITORIAL Jocelyn Dong, 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 Tom Gibboney, Spectrum Editor Sue Dremann, Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers Eric Van Susteren, Editorial Assistant, Internship Coordinator Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Colin Becht, Dale F. Bentson, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, Chad Jones, Karla Kane, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Jeanie K. Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Contributors Helen Carefoot, Maytal Mark, Dean McArdle, Lauren-Marie Sliter, Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Lili Cao, Rosanna Leung, Designer PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Samantha Mejia, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators ADVERTISING Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Adam Carter, Elaine Clark, Janice Hoogner, Brent Triantos, Display Advertising Sales Neal Fine, Carolyn Oliver, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, Inside Advertising Sales Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Asst. Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst. Wendy Suzuki, Advertising Sales Intern EXPRESS, ONLINE AND VIDEO SERVICES Rachel Palmer, Online Operations Coordinator Rachel Hatch, Multimedia Product Manager BUSINESS Susie Ochoa, Payroll & Benefits Elena Dineva, Mary McDonald, Claire McGibeny, Cathy Stringari, Business Associates ADMINISTRATION Janice Covolo, Doris Taylor, Receptionists Ruben Espinoza, Courier EMBARCADERO MEDIA William S. Johnson, President Michael I. Naar, Vice President & CFO Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Frank A. Bravo, Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Connie Jo Cotton, Major Accounts Sales Manager Bob Lampkin, Director, Circulation & Mailing Services Alicia Santillan, Circulation Assistant Chris Planessi, Chip Poedjosoedarmo, Computer System Associates The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 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 ©2012 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. The Palo Alto Weekly is available on the Internet via Palo Alto Online at: www.PaloAltoOnline.com Our email addresses are: editor@paweekly.com, letters@paweekly.com, digitalads@paweekly.com. Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Call 650 326-8210, or email circulation@paweekly. com. You may also subscribe online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $60/yr.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘‘

Democratic Volunteer Center 350 El Camino Real, Menlo Park

450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210

If nobody uses them because there is nowhere to go, your project is going to tank. — Judith Wasserman, chair of the Palo Alto Architectural Review Board, on the proposed bikeshare pilot program. See story on page 3.

Around Town NO PROBLEM TOO BIG, OR SMALL ... This year’s Edtech Expo, scheduled to be held Aug. 3-4, is the chance for Stanford students from the learning, design and technology master’s program to show off solutions to challenges in education and learning. Many of the projects are brimming with heady idealism and lofty aspirations. Chalk allows educators across school systems to communicate with one another about issues and solutions they’ve uncovered, while Amplify Ghana seeks to educate Ghanaian farmers on ways to fix dire agricultural problems such as a collapsed well or unfamiliar pests. Other projects are, well, less lofty. Barup.mobi pits users in rap battles using “tweet-like raps” called tracks. Users build respect and sell tracks for virtual cash to grow a virtual rap empire “to the likes of Diddy or Jay-Z” and, hopefully, learn a little about writing creatively and understanding the financial aspects of selling records. Presumably they will espouse different values than Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin’” or Diddy’s “When Thugs Die.” Some projects, like Super Laces, are content to seek solutions for the most basic of problems. It uses shoelaces embedded with magnets and color-matching activities to teach young children the superhero skills needed to tie their shoes. These include mastering “gravitational force fields,” “incredible flight” and “superhuman strength.” The superhero mask, the project’s website says, is included. LIVING HISTORY ... Gary Fazzino knows Palo Alto. The former two-time mayor has been a close follower of city government for decades and is widely recognized as Palo Alto’s “unofficial historian,” always ready to contribute quirky trivia or clarify a vote that was taken 20 years ago. Now, Fazzino is preparing to bring his wealth of knowledge to the city’s masses. He told the Weekly that he is completing a book tracing the political history of the city, which includes a synopsis of every City Council election since 1894. “It’s everything you want to know about the City Council — who they

were, how many votes they got.” Fazzino said he has been compiling notes and gathering data since the 1970s. “I just finally got my act together,” he said. The book will also cover elections for the school board. But eager history buffs will have to wait at least a few more months for this offering. Fazzino plans to end his book with this November’s council elections, in which four seats are up for grabs. While his former council colleague Liz Kniss is looking to retake a seat on the council, Fazzino said he harbors no such ambitions. “It will not include my final campaign,” Fazzino said of the book. LET THE SUNSHINE IN ... Palo Alto’s data-hungry residents and app-makers now have plenty to feast on. The city this week unveiled the latest step in its “Open Data” initiative — an effort that officials say aims to make the government more transparent. Following the lead of other cities, including San Francisco and New York City, the city has partnered with Palo Alto company Junar to post on its website a variety of data sets, including ones pertaining to rainfall, Census data, street trees, bike paths and park locations. The city’s Chief Information Officer Jonathan Reichental said in a statement that the new cloudbased platform “has enhancement and visualization capabilities that make the data useful even before it is downloaded or consumed by a software application.” City Manager James Keene called the new platform “a natural complement to our goal of becoming a leading digital city and a connected community.” But he also hopes the data can have practical applications, as was seen in February when a group of Stanford hackers used city data to make a searchable online index of Palo Alto’s street conditions. “Using this data, through challenges and hackathons, non-city employees can develop applications that can be of use to the community at no cost to the city,” Keene said at the July 23 meeting of the City Council. The new platform is available at data. cityofpaloalto.org. N

Upfront HEALTH

BUDGET

Network helps kids, families ‘seize diabetes’

County voters may face tax question

Picnics for families, coffees for adults offer support and friendship by Chris Kenrick t may look smooth from the outside, but there’s nothing simple about managing diabetes, with the round-the-clock need to regulate ups and downs in blood sugar — especially for a kid. When her daughter Tia was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes three and a half years ago at the age of 8, Tamar Sofer-Geri was taken by surprise. “This came totally out of the blue for us, as it does for many families,” the Los Altos resident said. “We have no family history of Type 1 diabetes.” Hungry for information about a diagnosis that could change meals and other aspects of daily life for the whole family, Sofer-Geri joined a Yahoo group for parents of kids with Type 1 diabetes and began networking. “With diabetes, if you’re two weeks ahead of someone in the journey you can already help them out,” she said. “Very quickly we were mentoring newly diagnosed families, just as people had helped us out.” The new situation brought out the organizing instincts in Sofer-Geri, who worked at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and was born in the United States but raised and educated in Israel. She emailed the parents group for a “carbs and coffee” gathering at Esther’s German Bakery and turnout was strong. That group of parents and caregivers now meets twice monthly — once in the morning and once in the evening. At Tia’s request, Sofer-Geri launched “carbs in the park,” a monthly gathering for families in public parks and other recreation venues, including Winter Lodge and bowling alleys. Last year Sofer-Geri launched a full-blown nonprofit organization, naming it Carb DM — a play

Sierra Duren

Tamar Sofer-Geri, right, launched a group for families whose members have diabetes. Her daughter Tia Geri has the illness. on the Latin phrase “carpe diem.” events occur in the East Bay, and The “DM” in the title is for “diabe- Sofer-Geri also is working on oftes mellitus” ferings in or “diabetes Spanish. management” “We’re al— people can ways learn‘To me, diabetes is like choose, she ing — every brushing your teeth.’ said. time I go to Wit h a —Tia Geri, 12, diabetes patient something I mailing list learn,” she of more than said. 400 families, “The adults adults and who have health care providers, the group been living with diabetes for 40 runs about seven programs a month years can actually learn from the for toddlers, kids and adults. Some newbies because they have new in-

formation that older folks may not be keeping up to date on. “I don’t know anyone who considers themselves an expert, even the doctors,” she said, describing the disease as “non-linear, not logical and an art more than a science.” This past week, Carb DM sponsored an evening about living with diabetes as a college student, featuring a panel of students, recent college graduates and parents, who shared their experiences. On Aug. 14, the group will sponsor a talk about living with diabetes in schools, with information about the right to accommodations of rules surrounding eating, bathroom breaks and test-taking. Palo Alto’s Parents Place, a program of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, has provided a venue for many of the events and has been “very supportive,” SoferGeri said. But she yearns for a space the group can call its own — with a lending library, a lounge and product samples — along the lines of Palo Alto’s Blossom Birth or Breast Cancer Connections. “What we really need is a resource center, a physical space where there’s always someone to talk to,” she said. As for Tia, she’s 12 now, about to enter seventh grade at Blach School in Los Altos and managing her diabetes with an insulin pump, which she wears everywhere. She spent part of her summer attending two different camps for children with diabetes. “To me, diabetes is like brushing your teeth,” she said. “At the beginning it is something new and different, but after you have been doing it for some time you get used to it. It becomes part of your life.” N Staff writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly. com.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Stanford’s hottest major: computer science Stanford student interest in the field follows curriculum redesign, outpaces national trend

tanford University’s computer-science department last year broke its all-time record for students declaring computer science as their major. More than 220 students in a class of about 1,700 chose to major in computer science — a 25 percent leap from the previous record in 2000-01. Though computer-science enrollments are up nationwide, Stanford is outpacing the broader trend, according to a recent report from the Stanford School of Engineering. In the most recent spring term, computer science had more majors than human biology — long the most

popular major at the university. The computer-science bump at Stanford follows a major restructuring of the program over the past several years, overseen by the department’s Associate Chair for Education Mehran Sahami, a former research scientist at Google. The goal was to cast a wider net, allowing computer-science students to see how their skills could be applied in a variety of fields. The previous core curriculum, described in the engineering report as “monolithic and inflexible,” was pared down to just six core courses, three with a theoretical focus and three with an emphasis on program-

ming and systems. The six courses provide a foundation that is built upon in a series of tracks that students can choose from in order to focus on their greatest personal interest. Among the tracks are artificial intelligence, systems, theory, graphics and human-computer interaction. A number of courses from other departments — including biology, psychology, product design and studio art — can be included as part of a student’s program in computer science. “Virtually every field is touched by computer science in some way,” Sahami told the Engineering Report.

“In medicine and biology computational methods are used to analyze DNA, predict treatment outcomes and model drugs at a molecular level. In environmental sciences, there is need for climate modeling. In investing and finance, algorithmic approaches are widely used. “Computers have dramatically changed animation, and artists with knowledge of computers are increasingly in demand. Conversely, computer scientists studying graphics need an appreciation for art. After all, a bad picture, even one in high resolution, is still a bad picture,” Sahami said. N —Palo Alto Weekly staff

Supervisors vote to place one-eighth-of-a-cent salestax boost on ballot oters in Santa Clara County may be asked to approve a one-eighth-of-a-cent boost in the sales tax this November. Currently, retail transactions in the county are subject to a tax of 8.375 percent. The Board of Supervisors, which voted 4-1 June 26 to place the tax increase on the Nov. 6 ballot, approved revised ballot language to the tax measure Wednesday, Aug. 1. Final approval is expected at the board’s Aug. 7 meeting. Supervisor Mike Wasserman of Los Gatos cast the dissenting vote. In support were supervisors Liz Kniss of Palo Alto, Dave Cortese of San Jose, George Shirakawa of San Jose and Ken Yeager of San Jose. After 10 consecutive years of substantial budget gaps, “the county, in effect, exhausted its strategies to avoid steep reductions to direct services, and we may no longer enjoy robust growth in property tax revenues that have sustained county programs over the past 30 years,” a staff report said. The county executive’s 2013 budget message depicts “significant threats on the expense side of the budget, including paying down unfunded liability for retiree health, increased CalPERS (employee pension) costs and concessions yet to be negotiated with open bargaining units,” the report said. County retiree health costs have been funded at 50 percent of the normal cost in recent years, according to the report. For fiscal year 2013, the county funded 100 percent of normal cost ($72.2 million), but only 75 percent of it with ongoing funds. The plan for future years is to fund 100 percent of the normal cost with ongoing resources so the unfunded liability of $1.6 billion does not grow larger, the report said. The county still must negotiate $15 million in concessions with bargaining units in order to achieve the $75 million in total salary and benefit savings built into the 2013 budget, the report said. Arguing in support of the ballot measure June 26 were representatives of United Way of Silicon Valley, the Valley Medical Center Foundation and the Santa Clara County Democratic Party. One-fifth of families in the county earn less than a “self-sufficiency” income of $54,000 for a family of four, said Wendy Ho of United Way. “There’s a huge need for county services in this economic downturn,” Ho said. “People are relying on the county safety net more and more.” The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce opposed the ballot measure.

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Upfront LAW ENFORCEMENT

CityView A round-up of

Man caught after eluding police at Stanford Scott Foster arrested in connection with domestic violence

Palo Alto government action this week

City Council The council did not meet this week.

Architectural Review Board (Aug. 2)

Bike sharing: The board plans to continue the discussion of the Regional Bike Sharing Program proposed by the city and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority at its Aug. 16 meeting. Action: None Signs: The board approved a master sign program and a sign exception, with conditions, to allow two projecting signs at 3445 Alma St. Yes: Unanimous Absent: Randy Popp

Public Agenda

man who had been arrested, handcuffed and placed inside a patrol car at the Stanford Police Department early Thursday morning, Aug. 2, escaped and was recaptured three hours later after an extensive manhunt. Officers initially arrested Stanford resident Scott Foster on a domestic violence charge and took him to the police processing area at around 2:05 a.m. Foster was able to escape the car and took off running, police said. Officers set up a perimeter immediately after learning of the escape, Stanford police Sgt. Christopher

Cohendet said. Calling in help from the Palo Alto, Mountain View and Menlo Park police departments and county sheriffs, they began a K9 sweep and a grid search. Among the locations searched were Nixon and Escondido elementary schools, the Stanford Stadium, the campus cactus garden, the soccer field at Churchill Avenue and El Camino Real and the eucalyptus grove, according to a police-scanner report. Police found Foster around 5:45 a.m. near the intersection of El Camino and Galvez Street. “One of our perimeter units saw him pop his head out, and he was

apprehended without a fight,” Cohendet said. Foster will now face additional charges, including resisting arrest and fleeing police officers. Cohendet said Stanford police are investigating whether the escape occurred because of police error or because of a malfunction with the vehicle. As of Thursday morning, police were unsure how Foster was able to escape. Cohendet, who was not present for either arrest, said Foster was still in handcuffs at the second arrest. N —Eric Van Susteren and Bay City News Service

A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week

2012

3ATURDAYS PM s &REE !DMISSION July 28 – Rinconada Park

Fil Lorenz Orchestra August 4 – Mitchell Park

Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet August 11 – California Avenue

The Unauthorized Rolling Stones August 18 – Mitchell Park

Teens on the Green Presented by the City of Palo Alto Arts and Sciences Division and the Palo Alto Weekly, with additional support from Palo Alto Online, Palo Alto Community Fund, Whole Foods, The Counter, and Gordon Biersch

‘If it’s only a mile, I’ll walk. I’m not going to pick up a bike and pay for it’ — Clare Malone Prichard, vice chair, Architectural Review Board Rius said other locations were not included in the pilot because they are located too far from public transit, need buy-in by multiple public agencies, or are under construction. They include: California Avenue train station, the county courthouse, Mitchell Park Library, Main Library, Lucie Stern Community Center, the park-and-ride lot at El Camino Real and Page Mill Road, Heritage Park and the Downtown Library. Eighteen privately owned locations have been recommended for future stations, including shopping centers and the Stanford Research Park. Board member Lee Lippert suggested that bikes be distributed widely throughout Palo Alto by taking the same number of bikes but locating them in smaller groups. He

PG&E

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residents and businesses. Access to some driveways may occasionally be affected, but crews can provide access within a few minutes of a resident’s request. Residents and passersby may smell gas and hear a loud, steady

noise as PG&E vents natural gas from the pipeline. The company can notify people prior to venting; those wishing to receive a notification phone message can contact Lizz Williams at 408-282-7640 by no later than Aug. 10. PG&E has also set up a 24-hour hotline at 800-743-5000. Residents with questions may also call the City of Palo Alto Utili-

ter

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suggested a bike station at Cubberley Community Center. Wasserman said the Palo Alto Art Center would reopen in October, which could provide another public location outside of downtown. In the end, the board voted 4-0 to continue the vote to Aug. 16. Member Randy Popp was absent. City staff was instructed to add other bike locations around town and to prepare their findings-and-conditions report. The pilot program is funded through local and regional grants in combination with $4.3 million from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Climate Initiatives Grant program. Cuenco said bike-share programs have been successful in major cities, including Washington, D.C., Denver and Boston. The ongoing program would be funded through corporate sponsorships and the membership/rental fees, which would be used for maintenance and program operation and to expand the number of locations. Once the program is started VTA expects it will ramp up quickly, Cuenco said. San Jose, Mountain View, Redwood City and San Francisco are also participating in the pilot program. To track the bikes, they will be equipped with radio-frequency identification tags (RFID), Cuenco said. The technology will keep identify where bikes are available so that users can search for the nearest sta-

Web s

ilton

Should the bike-share pilot program expand to locations throughout Palo Alto or focus on the area between Stanford University and downtown Palo Alto? Share your opinion on Town Square, the community discussion forum on Palo Alto Online.

Proposed stations for bike rentals

Ham

www.PaloAltoOnline.com

Univ ersit y Av e

mile? If it’s only a mile, I’ll walk. I’m not going to pick up a bike and pay for it,” she said. Board Chair Judith Wasserman agreed. “If I look at this map, and I get off the train, there’s absolutely no reason for me to take a bike. If nobody uses them because there is nowhere to go, your project is going to tank,” she said.

TALK ABOUT IT

Ram ona St

Eme rson St Hig h St

Ca Statltrain ion

Alm a St El C am

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Nine bike-rental stations are proposed, including five downtown, one next to the California Avenue Caltrain Station and three on Stanford University campus. tion through their smart phones or computers. The Planning and Transportation Commission is scheduled to discuss the bike-share program in August, with a City Council study session in September. A second Architectural Review Board hearing is scheduled for September or October. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com. ties department at 650-329-2474 or email debra.katz@cityofpaloalto. org. PG&E has been replacing pipe around town, including along Charleston and Embarcadero roads, since June. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.

Map by Shannon Corey

Twilight Concert Series

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Ave

The City Council has no meetings scheduled this week.

Bike share

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COUNCIL RAIL COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss recommendations on High-Speed Rail legislation modification language and hear an update from Caltrain staff on the Caltrain Modernization Program. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 10, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).

Upfront

News Digest Race for Palo Alto City Council expands Perpetual Palo Alto City Council candidate and panhandler Victor Frost is again tossing his hat into the ring this year, bringing the number of unofficial candidates for November’s race to six. Finance consultant Timothy Gray this week also filed his campaign-finance statement. A seventh potential candidate, concert promoter Mark Weiss, has pulled election papers but has not yet filed them. They join attorney Marc Berman, Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss and incumbent councilmen Greg Schmid and Pat Burt in their quest to fill four open seats on the nine-member council. Frost, Gray and Weiss all made bids for the council in 2009. Last year, Frost — who often sits on sidewalks in the downtown and California Avenue districts — lost a long legal tussle with the city over its sit-lie ordinance and was fined $50 for two infractions. His campaign flier this year lists “constitutional rights, homeless rights, civil rights and developing a new democracy” as his key issues. In 2009, Gray focused his campaign on the city’s finances and its infrastructure backlog. He identified himself as an “independent voice” and also expressed concerns about the police department and highspeed rail. Most recently, Weiss has advocated for the preservation of the old Varsity Theater in downtown Palo Alto, which formerly housed a Borders bookstore, as a concert venue. In 2009, Weiss told the Weekly he would eschew both campaign committees and financial contributions. According to campaign-finance statements covering the period from Jan. 1 to June 30, neither Frost nor Gray has received any contributions for their council bids. With three months to go, most of the other candidates’ campaigns are just starting to hit the ground. Marc Berman has received $22,105 in contributions, including $100 from current councilwoman Nancy Shepherd and $350 from the Rich Gordon for Assembly Committee. Kniss has raised $5,800, including contributions from current councilwoman Gail Price and past mayors Judy Kleinberg, Gary Fazzino and Peter Drekmeier. Schmid has loaned his campaign $2,500. Burt has announced his candidacy but not officially entered the race. N — Jocelyn Dong

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Medicare Updates and Changes Tuesday, Aug. 14, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Mountain View Center 701 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View

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What is Medicare, and understand the beneﬁts and costs, understand the required and optional parts of Medicare, including prescription drug coverage and understand what the health care reform legislation means for Medicare beneﬁciaries.

Can You Hear Me Now? Tuesday, Aug. 28, 1 – 2 p.m.

Presented by Sharon Goodson, Au.D. PAMF Audiology

Sunnyvale City Senior Center 550 E. Remington Drive, Sunnyvale

No registration needed, however, email can be sent to nhextell@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us

Man nabbed for ‘window smash’ burglaries Palo Alto police have arrested a man who allegedly stole purses, bags and small electronic items from cars in Palo Alto and other Bay Area cities. Reynaldo Gomez, 48, of Los Gatos, was arrested Thursday, July 26, outside a San Jose courthouse where he was scheduled to appear for another matter. Detectives tied Gomez to the burglaries after he used a stolen credit card at Costco. The credit card, which did not match Gomez’s Costco card, had been stolen from a Palo Alto victim. A search of Gomez’s residence in the Los Gatos mountains yielded property linked to auto burglaries in other cities, including Campbell, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and San Ramon, police said. Police said Gomez targeted gym parking lots, where he would perform “window smash” burglaries. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on multiple counts of burglary and possession of stolen property. N — Palo Alto Weekly staff

Aug. 2012

Understanding hearing aids and hearing loss in aging.

Forks Over Knives – Healthy Screenings Film Friday, Aug. 31, ﬁlm starts at 7 p.m. Mountain View Center 701 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View

Discussion moderated by Edward Yu, M.D. PAMF Family Medicine 650-934-7373

This feature ﬁlm examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afﬂict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods.

El Camino facelift begins with housing project A lot left vacant at 389 El Camino Real when a car dealer abandoned Menlo Park will now come to life again as a housing development. The Menlo Park City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night, July 31, to let Matteson Companies build 17 townhomes and nine single-family homes on the 1.23-acre site. Three units will be set aside as below-market-rate housing, costing the developer about $1.45 million to build. Matteson will also pay $1.1 million in fees to the city and other agencies. Years of negotiation led to the project’s current design, meant to blend in with the Allied Arts neighborhood bordering the property. Originally, in 2008, Matteson proposed packing 48 homes onto the lot, a plan that inspired protest from the neighbors. And now: “I don’t know how you could possibly vote against this,” Menlo Park resident Preston Butcher said of the scaled-down project. “It’s absolutely magnificent.” Indeed, the council could not, voting 5-0 to approve the project after some discussion on the tree canopy and sidewalk widths. Councilman Peter Ohtaki noted that he used to live near the empty lot and expressed pleasure that the landscape would be changing in the near future. N — Sandy Brundage

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Stanford professor wins $3 million physics prize

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Former superintendent pleads no contest Looking drawn and contrite, former Portola Valley schools superintendent Tim Hanretty appeared in court Tuesday morning, July 31, to plead no contest to six felony charges, including embezzlement of $101,000 from the Portola Valley district. (Posted Aug. 1 at 8:08 a.m.)

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Family escapes house fire in East Palo Alto A 9-year-old boy who was playing fort in the garage of a family home in East Palo Alto Tuesday, July 31, accidentally started a fire that gutted the house after he dropped a candle onto a mattress, Menlo Park fire officials said. (Posted July 31 at 6:52 p.m.)

Palo Alto makes city data public Palo Alto’s data-hungry residents and app-makers now have something new to feast on. The City of Palo Alto has unveiled the latest step in its “Open Data” initiative — an effort that officials say aims to make the government more transparent. (Posted July 31 at 10:55 a.m.)

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Driver in East Palo Alto hit-and-run comes forward

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The driver of an out-of-control car that crashed into two homes in East Palo Alto Thursday, July 26, narrowly missing a baby that was sleeping in a bassinet, has come to the police, East Palo Alto police said. (Posted July 31 at 9:10 a.m.)

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California Sen. Joe Simitian has endorsed state Assemblyman Jerry Hill for the new 13th State Senate District seat, Hill’s campaign announced Monday, July 30. (Posted July 30 at 4:45 p.m.) A man turned himself in after being identified as a person of interest in the disappearance of a 16-year-old girl from a double homicide scene on Saturday, July 28, but his son is believed to have kidnapped the girl and may be on his way to Mexico, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. (Posted July 30 at 4:23 p.m.)

Stanford police arrest two for auto burglary Two persons were arrested on the Stanford campus early Monday morning, July 30, after they allegedly burglarized at least two vehicles, according to Stanford police. (Posted July 30 at 2:56 p.m.)

Children’s Library to hold back-to-school swap The Palo Alto Children’s Library is accepting donations for a “Backto-School Swap” of school and clothing items in good condition. Dropoffs will be accepted at the Children’s Library from Aug. 1 to Aug. 8. The swap itself will be Aug. 8 at 3:30 p.m. (Posted July 30 at 10:32 a.m.)

EPA teacher named finalist for Presidential Award A teacher from Eastside College Preparatory School in East Palo Alto is among the list of 2012 California State Finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

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Woman found drowned in Menlo Park hotel Jacuzzi The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office has identified the woman who apparently drowned in a Jacuzzi at a Menlo Park hotel early Saturday morning, July 28. She is Keri Long, 42, of San Ramon. (Posted

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July 30 at 8:19 a.m.)

First Person: A conversation with Ben Lee Ben Lee, the U.S. Olympic Badminton coach and Palo Alto Police Department Patrol Officer, talks with Lisa Van Dusen before heading to London for the 2012 Olympic Games. (Posted July 29 at 10:02 a.m.)

Upfront

Survivor

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he could not get up, he said. He did not yet realize he was paralyzed. A dentist skiing in the same area saw Viariseo fall and rushed to help him. The dentist pulled up Viariseoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shirt to let the cold snow ice his back and reduce the swelling, then lay on top of him to keep him from rising and possibly severing his spinal cord, Viariseo recalled. Viariseo spent three months in a Reno hospital and four more at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Doctors hoped he could hold his body upright in a standing frame during physical therapy. It was their best hope, he said. But it was not what Viariseo wanted to hear. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At 21, I was angry,â&#x20AC;? he recalled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When my friends were going to college, I had to wear diapers and learn to walk.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I need my body back,â&#x20AC;? he told doctors and therapists when asked what he needed. It took two years to stand up in the supporting frame. His thighs were barely as wide as their bones, he said. Eventually he was able to ride a stationary bike. His brother would slip Viariseoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feet into shoes bolted onto the pedals, he said. Viariseo stayed on the bike for three hours at a time, eventually logging more than 3,000 miles. As his thighs grew stronger and bulked up, he thought he would try riding his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bike. But after three turns of the pedals, his foot slipped off, lodging in the spokes. Viariseo crashed to the ground and broke his arm, he said. But that did not deter him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Six days later I cut off the cast and made sure I pushed down when I pedaled,â&#x20AC;? he said. He used a mountain bike with large pedals and adapted them so his feet would not slip off. In 1989 he rode solo across the country to New York. More than 20 years later, Viariseo still rides 40 to 45 miles each day.

Tax

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Three years ago life threw him another curve ball. After several months of fatigue and bladder infections, he was diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer. His bladder was removed and he had chemotherapy, vomiting every day. He has been cancer free for a year. Participating in the bike challenge is a way to give back and to show the love he feels for his doctors and medical staff at Stanford, he said. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already exceeded his goal to raise $2,000, bringing in $2,385 so far. Viariseo, who uses a wheelchair, said he understands that people look at him differently â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let life changes get in the way of exploring new frontiers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing the right thing when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m frightened. When change is OK, you end up becoming a better person. When you fight change, you regress,â&#x20AC;? he said. An artist, Viariseo has dedicated himself to portraits and landscapes in paint and pastel. This month, he will participate in Italian street painting at the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s planning an Andy Warhol-esque pastel of the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, he said. Viariseo said he feels a connection with Jobs, who also had cancer but died last October from the disease. Viariseoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stepfather had a similar personality to Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: tough, tenacious, brilliant and temperamental. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I learned a lot from him and his tenacity,â&#x20AC;? he said. On days when Viariseo doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like biking, he calls himself â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lazy Larry,â&#x20AC;? he said. But he has a remedy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whenever you have to have motivation ... you have to remember where you were at. Whenever I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like riding, I remember what it was like when I was getting needles stuck in me all the time and was in so much pain,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just know how lucky I am.â&#x20AC;? N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com. benefit reform before seeking any increased tax revenues from the businesses and residents of Santa Clara County,â&#x20AC;? Chamber President and CEO Matthew R. Mahood stated in a letter to the chairman of the supervisors. N â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Chris Kenric

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Transitions

Local concert fundraiser Elliott Bolter dies

Elliott Herbert Bolter, a longtime Palo Alto resident and fundraiser, died July 28. He was 88. He was born in March 19, 1924, in San Francisco to Herbert John Bolter and Gertrude Grace Brown. He was a World War II veteran and resided in Palo Alto for 61 years. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church

and the Ross Road YMCA, both in Palo Alto. He was a major supporter and fundraiser for the Palo Alto Summer Concert series,

collecting $20,000 in pledges to support the series in 2003. He was employed as a printing and lithography salesman at The National Press in Palo Alto for 28 years. He loved gliding, being a handyman, volunteering and fundraising, and had many other hobbies. He was husband to Betty Jane

Cecil Eugene (Gene) Duncan Oct. 21, 1921-July 27, 2012 Cecil (Gene) Duncan died in peace in Palo Alto on Friday, July 27th, 2012. All of his children and grandchildren were there. Gene and Adrienne were married in 1943 while he was still in the Army. Gene was a fighter pilot and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. He was decorated several times and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, American Defense Service Medal with 1 star, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with 1 battle star, American Theater Ribbon, E.A.M.E. Theater Ribbon with 1 battle star, as well as the World War II Victory Ribbon. Gene was born in Atascadero, Calif., then raised in Virginia where he graduated from the University of Virginia. He went on to Stanford University where he earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics. He lived for three years in Vienna, Austria, working for the CIA. He worked at Lockheed for 20 years in pure and applied research. He retired in 1978. He enjoyed flying, was an avid reader, an environmentalist, and a classical pianist. He volunteered at Avenidas helping seniors set up reverse mortgages. Adrienne and Gene were fortunate to be world travelers. They traveled through Egypt because of Adrienne’s love of sculpting, walked the city of Macchu Pichu in Peru, traveled the Altiplano through Bolivia, floated the Amazon in a catamaran, toured the four quadrants of the city of Kyoto then visited northern Japan to see the farms, learned how the children are taught dance in Bali, and walked the museums of Taipei. They cruised the inland passage of Alaska, climbed Ayres Rock and stayed with the aborigines in the Northern Territories of Australia. Our fondest memories include: staying at the giant lily pad pond on the Amazon long after the people were gone to try to identify all the different insect and bird songs; the countless hours spent at the piano learning the Lover’s Concerto by ear; the dinner rule, “No laughing at the table,” which made us laugh all the more; playing under the piano as grandfather played Beethoven; going out to dinner and learning about good food and good service; as well as plane rides to Baja and the Nut Tree. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Adrienne; his three daughters, Tana, Nikki and Michele; his three grandchildren, Shauna, Cheris and Robert; his five greatgrandchildren, Nicole, Michael, Amber, Nathan and Emma; and his great-great-grandson, Aidan. A private memorial was held with the immediate family in the home. Remembrances can be sent to Ecology Action in care of John Jeavons, 5798 Ridgewood Road, Willits, CA 95490. PA I D

O B I T UA RY

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Bolter; father to Aimee Bolter Campbell of Menlo Park and Claudette Louise Kayne (Robert) of Tucson, Ariz; grandfather to Matthew Jordan Kayne, Kevin Mitchell Kayne and Jeffrey James Hansen Campbell; and brother to Kenneth Ora (Carol) Bolter of Novato, Calif. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent in his name to the First United Meth-

odist Church or the Ross Road YMCA. A memorial celebration will be held Sunday, Aug. 5, following regular church services at the First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto. Service starts at 10:45 a.m. and the celebration with family begins in the Patio Room at the church at 11:45 a.m. Cake and coffee will be served.

Phil Sorensen (Philip H. Sorensen, Ph.D.) Phil Sorensen was a man who loved and lived his life. Sixty-two years to the day he and B.J. (Betty Jo) Lyon applied for their marriage license, Phil died. His beloved B.J., daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren were with him when he ascended his last mountain. Phil was born in Bellingham, WA on December 26, 1924, and thereafter, that became ‘the’ holiday to celebrate. The family later settled in Vancouver, WA, where Phil joined the Boy Scouts and progressed quickly through the ranks, earning his Eagle Scout by age 14. Throughout high school he was an active Scout and summer camp counselor, a member of the swim team, newspaper editor, and student body officer. Phil enlisted in Naval Officer Training in 1942, a month shy of his 18th birthday. He served as a navigator aboard the USS Adair in the Pacific until 1946 and as an Intelligence Officer in the Naval Reserve until 1985, reaching the rank of Commander. After he and B.J. married in Spokane, they settled in Portland where Phil was a teacher and counselor in the public schools. In 1952 the family moved to Manhattan, KS and Phil served as the Assistant Dean of Students at Kansas State. Daughters Chris and Carolyn were born in Portland, OR and Cathy in Manhattan, KS. Taking advantage of the GI bill benefits, Phil enrolled at Stanford University in 1954 to complete his Ph.D. in Psychology. He earned both his BA in 1948 in Education and Social Science (awarded Phi Beta Kappa) and his Masters in Educational Psychology in 1950 at Washington State University. He was a lifelong member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Phil accepted a position at Stanford Research Institute in 1956. For the next 27 years he worked as a Senior Research Psychologist and Director of the Education Research Department. He commuted to SRI from his Palo Alto home on his 3-speed bike. His work at SRI took him across the country and around the world, to Nigeria and Micronesia, and later, as independent

consultant from 1983-1990, to Saudi Arabia. On the golf course, Phil scored ﬁve holesin-one, relishing competing against himself, fellow duffers, his sons-in-law and grandsons. He was a strategic and spirited bridge player and once he gave up golf, he replaced it with lawn bowling. His ever-present pipe smoke announced his arrival and lingered upon his departure. He and B.J. were enthusiastic travelers. When at home, they cherished time with their three daughters Chris, Carolyn (Steve Balling) and Cathy (Jon Buurma). Phil was proud of his grandsons Erik and Kevin Buurma, Corey Scher, and his granddaughter, Jordan Scher. Phil loved to measure, evaluate, and report and spent hours tallying and analyzing trends and numbers on behalf of the Stanford Men’s Golf Club, the Fellowship Forum, and the Palo Alto Jazz Alliance, among many other community organizations and committees at the Sequoias. He took great joy in gardening and his expert touch with the pruning shears lingers in the gardens of homes he and the family occupied and in The Sequoia’s ‘Philoli’ Arboretum. Phil shared his remarkable memory with friends and family, describing when asked, every mountain climbed, math problem solved, story heard, and place explored. He loved his wife and dancing with her, mountain climbing, golf, his daughters and their husbands, making puns, his grandchildren, analyzing and solving problems, his sisters and their families, jazz of all kinds, his mother-in-law and her family, a generous pour of bourbon, his lifelong friends, and voting as a Democrat. A celebration of Phil’s life will be held August 18, 2012 from 3:00 pm-5:00 pm at The Sequoias, 501 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA. Gifts in memory of Phil can be made to The Sequoias-Portola Valley Tomorrow Fund Endowment, which assists residents who run short of ﬁnancial resources. Please make checks payable to Senior Services for Northern California and mail to 501 Portola Road, Box 8053, Portola Valley, CA 94028. PA I D

O B I T UA RY

Anita Christine Jackson Dec. 22, 1986-June 8, 2012

On the morning of June 8th, in Laytonville, CA, Anita Jackson was in a car accident that took her life. She is survived by her daughter, Tara Slichter; her father, Brian Jackson; her mother, Mary Nicknish; her sisters, Melissa, Kayla and Claire; her grandparents, Vern and Rose Jackson of Cedar Rapids, IA, and Tom and Barb Nicknish of Iowa City, IA; and her extended family of step-parents, step-brother, uncles, aunts, cousins, and many great friends. Anita attended Jordan Middle School in Palo Alto and graduated high school at the Mission Mountain School in Condon, MT. She was a massage therapist and founder of Shamanita Natural Personal Care Products. Anita was a free spirit and explorer. Even as a toddler, she would often venture out to explore the world on her own. She expressed her individuality and creativity in her beautiful singing, her painting, and through the making of soaps and lotions. Anita was a dedicated mother who loved her daughter, Tara, more than anything. The

strength of that love was obvious to everyone around her. How well-behaved, wel l-ma n nered and appreciative Tara is, is a direct reﬂection of how successful Anita was as a mother. Family, friends, and community were most important to Anita. She infused love, acceptance, and kindness into all her relationships. People were drawn to her sensitivity, her vulnerability, her infectious joy, her radiant smile, and her warmth. Her spirit will be carried on the hearts of the many people who knew and loved her. Celebrations of Anita’s life were held in Laytonville, CA and Los Altos, CA. Donations in Anita’s memory may be made to: College Bound Fund, co: Tara Slichter, 135 S 84th Street, Suite 135, Milwaukee, WI 53214. PA I D

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NOTICE OF A PUBLIC MEETING of the City of Palo Alto Architectural Review Board (ARB) 8:30 A.M., Thursday, August 16, 2012 Palo Alto Council Chambers, 1st Floor, Civic Center, 250 Hamilton Avenue. Go to the Development Center at 285 Hamilton Avenue to review ﬁled documents; contact Diana Tamale for information regarding business hours at 650.329.2144. San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Initial Flood Protection Project: Request by City of Palo Alto Public Works Engineering for Study Session review of preliminary plans for 1% (100year) ﬂood protection improvements, riparian corridor enhancements, and recreational opportunities along San Francisquito Creek between Highway 101 and San Francisco Bay. Request for comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report prepared by the JPA (public comment period on the EIR runs July 30 through September 13 and document may be viewed at www. sfcjpa.org). Amy French

MEMORIAL

Phillip Brock Zschokke Phillip was a fourth generation Palo Altan and great grandson to Anna P. Zschokke, Palo Alto’s first resident and the “Mother of Palo Alto Schools”. Phillip was a beloved son, brother, uncle, grandfather, friend and businessman. He was born on June 2, 1933 to the late Alice Brock Zschokke and late Fremont Older Zschokke at the Palo Alto Hospital. On July 20, 2012 at the age of 79, he passed away peacefully in the comforts of his family home in Palo Alto. As a track star he graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1951. He later joined the U.S. Air Force in 1952 where he served in the Korean War and in 1956 he was honorably discharged. Phillip owned and operated several businesses, the B&Z Precision Machine Shop in Palo Alto, a Round Table Pizza in Sunnyvale and he was a partner in the Island Food and Grog in Palo Alto. He was passionate about his garden and his tomatoes where a testament to that. He was a lifelong lover of sports who knew anything and everything about sports, past and present. He played in and coached the Palo Alto Rugby league where he made lifelong friendships, he was a 49er season ticket holder since 1971, and he was an avid fisherman. It wasn’t unusual to find Phillip sitting on the front porch with his sleeves rolled up soaking in rays of sunshine. He made it a daily habit to keep a watchful eye on the comings and goings in the neighborhood. Often

times he was joined by a neighbor or passer-by who relished in his story telling. His sense of humor along with sarcastic one liners always left his visitors in a better disposition. Phillip is survived by his wife of 42 years Jo’Anne Zschokke, his son Donald Zschokke, two daughters and their husbands Chauntelle and Joe Trefz, Alice and John Riley, and 6 grandchildren, Brandon Zschokke, Jamie Zschokke, Iris Riley, Violet Riley, Emerson Trefz and Harrison “Flipp” Trefz, his stepmother Bobbie Zschokke and her daughter Adrienne Gunari, along with many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Fremont and Alice (Brock) Zschokke, and sisters Donna Butts, Carol Ray and Sandra Williams. In beloved and fond memory Phillip was “like a million, hard to make”. A memorial service will be held at Roller Hapgood & Tinney on Tuesday, August 14th at 11:00am. Interment will be at Alta Mesa Memorial Park next to his Grandparents Arthur and Jeanette Zschokke and his mother Alice Brock Zschokke. In lieu of ﬂowers a donation to the American Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated. PA I D

OBITUARY

Visit

Lasting Memories Sept. 28 7pm

An online directory of obituaries and remembrances. Search obituaries, submit a memorial, share a photo. Go to: www.PaloAltoOnline.com/obituaries ÜÜÜ°*> Ì " i°V ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÎ]ÊÓä£ÓÊU *>}iÊ11

Editorial

A dearth of candidates Non-competitive local races are a threat to democracy and to healthy debate of important issues

ith just 12 days remaining before the Aug. 15 extended filing deadline for candidates running for City Council and Board of Education, the November school board election is in danger of being cancelled entirely and the City Council race is looking uninspired. The school board situation is particularly disturbing, in light of the fact that the last election in 2009 was cancelled when only the two incumbents ran for re-election. The last contested election was five years ago, unprecedented for a community in which the school system and the education and welfare of our kids are so highly valued. It’s certainly not due to overwhelming satisfaction with the status quo. There is no lack of critics of both the school board and the City Council. Vigorous and at times acrimonious debate has occurred in the community over many issues, ranging from the new school calendar to city approval of new development in excess of zoning limits. The City Council election offers two open seats due to the decisions by Yiaway Yeh and Sid Espinosa not to seek second terms. Incumbents Greg Schmid and Pat Burt, finishing their first terms, have both announced they will run for re-election. Former councilmember and termed-out county supervisor Liz Kniss and attorney Marc Berman were the only additional candidates until this week, when three unsuccessful previous candidates, Tim Gray, Mark Weiss and Victor Frost either filed or took out papers to run. If no others step forward to file, that means that Kniss and Berman will face opposition from three candidates who have not previously been able to win any significant support in the community. Especially with the loss of Espinosa and Yeh, the two youngest members of the council, we would hope for additional qualified candidates in the race. There are many Palo Alto residents who have served on commissions or in advisory positions and who are capable of stepping up to the council, and we hope to see a few more of those faces come forward in the next two weeks. There is an even bleaker situation for the school board election, where three of the five seats are up for election and one incumbent, Barbara Klausner, decided against seeking a second term. Camille Townsend, who is completing nine years on the board and who only narrowly won re-election in 2007, surprised many by announcing she would seek an unusual third term. Melissa Baten Caswell, elected to her first term in 2007, is also running for reelection. Thus far only one person, Heidi Emberling, a Juana Briones parent, PTA leader and parent educator, has declared her candidacy. Noticeably absent are any candidates from among those in the community who have been pushing the school board to respond more aggressively to address student stress and emotional well-being, although those are among the concerns Emberling has raised. The parent group We Can Do Better Palo Alto, which has both developed impressive data in support of its positions and made many uncomfortable by its assertiveness and blunt criticisms of district administrators, has so far not put forward a candidate. We hope they will, since that is the only way to ensure a public discussion on these issues and for all candidates to clearly articulate their views so they can be held accountable. We are also anxious for a competitive school board race so that Palo Alto’s philosophy of “site-based” decision-making can be more publicly discussed. In her announcement that she would not seek a second term, Barbara Klausner cited this “strong culture of site-based decision-making and concomitant deference to the superintendent” as a source of frustration for her, as “key pedagogical and programmatic decisions are developed, refined and evaluated primarily within our schools, and the board, as reflection of our community’s values, has adapted its role to fit that culture.” Klausner has raised a very important and largely heretofore unaddressed issue: What are the roles of the school board, superintendent and school principals with regards to policy matters, how did this culture of pushing important matters down to individual schools evolve, and is this practice serving us well? How can board members provide leadership on important educational issues if our established process is for those issues to be worked on at the school site level and then wind up in front of the board when fully developed? Elections and campaigns are important, sometimes more important than who wins. They require incumbents to defend their records and votes, and allow challengers a forum for critiquing the performance of those in power. Of all places, in a city and school district where hundreds of citizens volunteer on dozens of boards and committees for the betterment of the community, Palo Alto voters deserve vigorous and substantive debate over our past and future. We hope in the next 12 days a few of these citizens decide it is their time to take their participation to the next level.

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Spectrum Editorials, letters and opinions

Not a quality course Editor, On page 3 I read (Palo Alto Weekly, July 27) that the council had unanimously agreed to spend $7.5 million on a redesign of Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course. It saddened me. I believe this is the second or third time they have spent money trying to make “a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” Some 50 years ago when I lived in Palo Alto we welcomed the idea of a new golf course — it was sorely needed. There were a number of us “golf nuts” who attended meetings describing what is going to happen. The majority of that group was against putting the golf course down by the Bay. There were several reasons: the wind factor, the nearness of the airport, but most important was the fact that the salt water level below the land would create problems in draining and the growing of trees. Proposals to use some of the land and the Palo Alto foothills parkland were immediately rejected. The cost of building a golf course in the hills was the primary reason given for rejection. We all agreed that the cost would be higher, but in the long run we felt it might be lower. But just as important it was felt that a course in the hills would be one of which the city could be proud. After playing the game for about 50 years — and having heart attacks on the golf course twice, both of which ended up in heart surgery — I gave up that both most wonderful, most frustrating game about 25 years ago. I am sorry to say that I feel the money being spent is wasted because it will still not give Palo Alto the quality golf course it deserves. Dan Goodman Menlo Park

If it ain’t broke ... Editor, There is no need for any big change on California Avenue in Palo Alto. Why waste money “to fix what is not broken?” Let’s be practical people and do only urgent things. Still, one change should be made on California Avenue: The right lanes should be dedicated for bicyclists and marked distinctively. Riding on an 11- or 12-foot-wide lane, bicyclists will be far enough from both passing and parked cars. That will be much safer than riding on narrow bike lanes the City Council plans. Yevgeniy Lysyy Curtner Avenue Palo Alto

Thanks to good person Editor, I wish to thank the good Samaritan who retrieved my handbag from the shopping cart around 5 p.m. at the Menlo Park Safeway on Thursday, July 25, and turned it into the manager. I had left it in the cart after unloading my packages and drove home.

When I realized what I had done I returned to Safeway and found it at the customer service desk. Nothing had been taken, and I shall remember this act of honesty forever and happily relate it to my friends and children. Whoever you are — God bless you! Diane Kelley Palo Alto

Splashes of speculation Editor, Thank you for your story about Matt and Brandon Johnson, Paly’s new boys’ water polo coaches. Our whole family enjoyed learning their stories. As the parent of one of the players, I’ve observed that they are competent coaches, giving instruction and direction, directly able to plan and execute the team’s needs. The future of the team seems to be in good hands. However, the author’s comment on the previous coaching staff was inconsistent and a bit perplexing. First he said that the reason for the dismissal was not made public and then he went on to proclaim that it was because of a “European-based personality, demonstrative behavior and reported lack of communication”

not sitting well with the Paly parents. I assure you, as one of the majority of the varsity parents who approached the Paly administrators about more serious issues than yelling or not emailing properly or whatever the author was implying, these had nothing to do with the dismissal. While the community will most likely never know the true reasons for the change in coaching for this team, I ask, as a parent and a member of this community to stop this ridiculous public speculation about it. Besides being completely inadequate, it is, more importantly, offensive to the administrators at Paly who made the decision. And if that isn’t reason enough, then please consider the young sports players in our town who might be led to believe that the dismissal of a complete coaching staff is justified because someone yelled or didn’t email enough or has a foreign personality. In our multi-cultured community of intelligent, divergent thinkers, I am surprised that it’s not more obvious to more people that this was a complex situation and not easily defined by those not involved. Michelle Varrin Palo Alto

WHAT DO YOU THINK? The Palo Alto Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest.

Do you think we need more candidates for City Council?

Submit letters to the editor of up to 250 words to letters@paweekly.com. Submit guest opinions of 1,000 words to editor@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. Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of permission to the Palo Alto Weekly and Embarcadero Media to also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on Town Square. For more information contact Editor Jocelyn Dong or Editorial Assistant Eric Van Susteren 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!

On Deadline

A stronger ‘Project Safety Net’ is patching holes, renewing its vision by Jay Thorwaldson wide collaboration of community groups, the city and school officials in Palo Alto — under the “Project Safety Net” banner — is evolving from a crisis-response effort to a long-term focus on youth wellness and well-being. Two new hires, one by the city and one by the Palo Alto Unified School District, are spearheading the evolution, which some call a refocus on Project Safety Net’s core mission. One deeply involved person calls it “pushing the reset button.” The Safety Net effort is a weaving together of programs that those involved hope will help young persons feel more a part of the community, both within school and beyond, and “de-stigmatize” the seeking of help when one is in distress. The crisis, of course, was the tragic loss in 2009-10 of five young persons to suicide. Amidst the grief was something akin to a community panic about that “cluster” of deaths, now subsided despite technically still being in a “contagion” period. There have been significant accomplishments thus far on many fronts, as well as some challenges common to such community reactions to tragic events — whether they be related to drunk driving, drug or alcohol deaths, traffic accidents or violence. The big challenge in most cases is sustaining the response over time, as memories fade and people’s natural desire to let things recede into the past takes hold. The new people joining the effort are Christi-

na Llerena, an experienced social worker hired by the city last April to head up Project Safety Net full time, and Brenda Carrillo hired by the school district to head up student services and be the district’s primary contact with the project. They replace Greg Betts in the city Recreation Department, who only had part-time to lead the Safety Net effort, and Amy Drolette from the school district. Llerena, plain spoken and candid, has a lengthy history of community work and helping build collaborative efforts, a relatively new field of social work for which she expressed a professional passion. She also outlined a challenging priority: to take Project Safety Net “to the next level,” moving beyond the “deficits focus of suicide prevention” toward broad wellness themes — all within the ambitious mission “to develop and implement an effective, comprehensive, community-based mental health plan for overall youth well-being in Palo Alto.” Recruiting student leadership and involvement is a large component of the new direction, including support for a student-run candidates’ forum for City Council candidates this fall, still in discussion stages. And her job includes writing grants and seeking support from both foundations and individuals. Llerena hit Palo Alto on the run, meeting with more that 55 people in the first two months, including Gunn and Palo Alto high school principals Katya Villalobos and Phil Winston. She said she heard of the Palo Alto position from a friend in Daly City, checked out the job description and thought, “Wow. This is right up my alley.” She was directing an education department for Sacred Heart Community Service at the time. She survived two major interview panels in

addition to caring for her family that includes two daughters, Isabel, 4 1/2, and Lucia, 2. Llerena received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University. Early in her 17-year social-work career she worked extensively with emotionally distressed youths in New York City. She later became involved with building collaborations, including one she developed in Daly City in 2001, creating a childhood and family resource center at John F. Kennedy Elementary School. “We were really impressed with the depth of Christina’s coalition-building experience and passion for working with youth, including her dedication to youth well-being,” City Manager Jim Keene said in announcing her hiring. She said she had some definite first impressions of Palo Alto. “I had been working in so many poor neighborhoods, I was struck by the affluence and beauty of Palo Alto — and that it’s just a very small town.” She also was impressed that “in Palo Alto people are really connected and civically engaged.” When the press announcement went out, “there were 17 voicemails waiting for me” when she got home, welcoming her to the community and reflecting a real commitment to youth, she said. Reflecting that commitment to young people will be a core challenge of her job and of the Safety Net effort. The complexity and breadth of involvement extends beyond the city and school district to include a variety of community-based nonprofit organizations, PTA groups, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

Scott Glissmeyer, head of the Palo Alto Family YMCA, said the collaboration is right in line with the Y’s longtime emphasis on youth and family well-being, and complements a new program, “Alternate Youth,” launched last year at Palo Verde, Fairmeadow and Barron Park elementary schools, which is funded by the Y’s Marsh Madness event in the baylands at the end of October. “Project Safety Net has undergone a huge process of figuring out where it is going next,” Glissmeyer said. In its first three years it has racked up solid accomplishments, he said. But there are concerns that the collaboration’s 22 specific goals “are kind of overwhelming. Everyone agrees we need to narrow the focus.” That’s actively in the works: A “narrowing” planning session was held July 26. Meg Durbin, a Palo Alto Medical Foundation physician involved with Project Safety Net, has launched a separate initiative to improve how medical and health professionals respond to young persons in distress emotionally — as a Weekly/Palo Alto Online story outlined last week. Becky Beacom, in the Medical Foundation’s Education Division and a leader of the collaborative effort, said that despite some glitches and rough spots the new emphasis on youth wellness is heartening. “I’m optimistic” about the success and continuing vigor of the effort, particularly with the new positive emphasis. “We want to grow the health that is here,” she said. N Former Weekly Editor Jay Thorwaldson can be emailed at jthorwaldson@paweekly. com with a copy to jaythor@well.com. He also writes biweekly blogs at www.PaloAltoOnline.com (below Town Square).

Streetwise

What summer movie are you looking forward to most? Asked on California Avenue and Birch Street in Palo Alto. Interviews and photos by Lauren-Marie Sliter.

Pat Siew

Web designer Sherman Avenue “The Will Ferrell movie — it just looks funny.”

Rob Syrett

Artist Chester Street “‘Moonrise Kingdom’ — it’s one of the few auteurs who is making movies for a broad audience.”

Geri Brown

Accountant Cambridge Avenue “‘The (Best Exotic) Marigold Hotel’ is the only movie I’ve seen this summer. It was good — it got me out.”

Matt Harken

CEO Park Boulevard “I think it’s called ‘Neighborhood Watch.’ It’s four really good comedians. ... It’s new comedians who haven’t worked together.”

Brian Brooks

Entrepreneur Park Boulevard “‘Total Recall’ — I liked the old one, and I’m excited to see how they make it better with new technology.”

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CLASS GUIDE FALL

all is just around the corner. That means itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back to school for kids, but there are classes available for adults and kids outside of the campus, as well. Maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time dust off the old dance shoes or brush up on a foreign language. Fall is a great time to learn a craft or an instrument. All the classes listed below are local, so give one a shot!

Fall enrollment available now Spanish Immersion Program Pre-K After School Preparation for kindergarten

650-493-4300 1611 Stanford Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306 www.amigosdepaloalto.com

The Class Guide is published quarterly by The Almanac, The Palo Alto Weekly and the Mountain View Voice.

BUSINESS, WORK AND TECHNOLOGY CareerGenerations

Your child will learn to love school again at Sand Hill School. At Sand Hill, you will ďŹ nd: s 0ERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION FOR + STUDENTS WITH LEARNING ATTENTION AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES s #ARE SUPPORT AND EDUCATION FOR FAMILIES s )NNOVATIVE TEACHING FROM HIGHLY TRAINED EDUCATORS s STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO s #URRICULUM THAT SUPPORTS A SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC LEARNING EXPERIENCE s %XPERT GUIDANCE FROM #(# SPECIALISTS 3IGN UP ONLINE FOR A PARENT VISIT 4HURSDAYS !www.sandhillschool.org 3AND (ILL 3CHOOL IS PART OF THE #(# FAMILY OF INNOVATIVE LEARNING #LARK 7AY 0ALO !LTO #!

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2225 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto 650-320-1639 info@CareerGenerations.com www.CareerGenerations.com CareerGenerations offers one-on-one and group sessions to meet specific career needs. CareerGenerations career coaches can help assess talents in the context of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketplace, generate career options, improve resumes and social-media profiles, design a successful search plan, and skillfully network, interview and negotiate salaries. Contact CareerGenerations for a free initial consultation.

FOR THE DANCER

Beaudoinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Dance 464 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto 650-326-2184 www.Beaudoins-Studio.com Tap, ballet, ballroom and jazz dance classes available for children and adults. Special classes for preschoolers.

Dance Connection

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Lucy Geever-Conroy, Flight Instructor for Advantage Aviation 1903 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-493-5987 www.advantage-aviation.com/ Offering learn-to-fly seminars, private pilot ground school and flying lessons, along with free seminars for pilots.

HEALTH & FITNESS

CMAC Swim School CMAC Aquatic Center, 3805 Magnolia Drive, Palo Alto 650-493-5355 www.c-mac.us CMAC Swim School offers lessons for babies, youth and adults. Classes are a half hour long, and each class contains three to four participants.

Kim Grant Tennis Academy 3005 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-752-8061 www.kimgranttennis.com The Kim Grant Tennis Academy offers tennis classes to minis (ages 3-5), beginner (ages 5-7), intermediate I and II, advanced and elite players.

4000 Middlefield Road, L-5, Palo Alto Studio: 650-852-0418 Office: 650-322-7032 www.danceconnectionpaloalto.com info@danceconnectionpaloalto.com Dance Connection offers graded classes for preschool to adult with a variety of programs to meet dancersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. Ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, boys program, lyrical, pilates and combination classes are available for beginning to advanced levels.

American Red Cross: Silicon Valley Chapter

DanceVisions

Betty Wright Swim Center @ Abilities United

4000 Middlefield Road, L-3, Palo Alto 650-858-2005 www.dancevisions.org info@dancevisions.org DanceVisions, a nonprofit community dance center, offers classes from ages 3 to adult. Classes range from modern to hip-hop, lyrical, pilates, jazz, ballet and contact improvisation, as well as providing a performance showcase.

Uforia Studios 819 Ramona St., Palo Alto 650-329-8794 www.uforiastudios.com Uforia Studios specializes in dance (zumba, hip-hop, Bollywood, hula hooping), strength and sculpting (uDefine) and spinning (uCycle). All fitness levels and abilities are welcome.

Zohar School of Dance and Company 4000 Middlefield Road, L-4, Palo Alto 650-494-8221 www.zohardance.org zohardance@gmail.com Founded in 1979, Zohar offers classes to adults in jazz, ballet and modern dance. Under the direction of Ehud and Daynee Krauss, the studio is known for its professional instructors and inspiring classes.

400 Mitchell Lane, Palo Alto 1-877-727-6771 www.siliconvalley-redcross.org In a Red Cross First Aid class students learn CPR, choking rescue, bleeding control and treatment of burns, fractures, seizures and more. Adult CPR and First Aid Certificates. Locations in San Jose and Palo Alto.

3864 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-494-1480 www.AbilitiesUnited.org BWSCwelcome aquatics@AbilitiesUnited.org Improve health and wellness through aquatic exercise and therapy in the fully accessible, public, warm-water (93 degree), indoor pool. Classes include aqua aerobics, aqua arthritis, back basics, body conditioning, Aichi yoga and prenatal. Physical therapy, personal training, Watsu and land massage by appointment. Group and private swim lessons.

Be Yoga 440 Kipling St., Palo Alto 650-906-9016 www.be-yoga.com info@be.yoga.com Friendly community yoga studio. Small class sizes, excellent instruction, reasonable prices. Also offered are workshops on ayurveda, reiki and meditation.

California Yoga Center (Palo Alto) 541 Cowper St., Palo Alto 650-967-5702 www.californiayoga.com info@californiayoga.com

The California Yoga Center offers classes for beginning to advanced students. With studios in Mountain View and Palo Alto, classes emphasize individual attention and cultivate strength, flexibility and relaxation. Ongoing yoga classes are scheduled every day and include special classes such as prenatal, back care and pranayama. Weekend workshops explore a variety of yoga-related topics.

Studio Kicks 796A San Antonio Road, Palo Alto 650-855-9868 650-855-9869 (fax) www.studiokickspaloalto.com info@studiokickspaloalto.com Studio Kicks is a family fitness center offering high-energy cardio kickboxing classes and martial-arts training for kids 3 and 12 and up. Taught by owner/instructor Richard Branden, six-time world champion and original stunt cast member for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Power Rangers.â&#x20AC;?

Taijiquan Tutelage of Palo Alto 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-327-9350 www.ttopa.com mjchan@ttopa.com Taijiquan Tutelage of Palo Alto. Established in 1973. Students learn the classical Yang Chengfu style of Taijiquan (Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ai chi châ&#x20AC;&#x2122;uan). Beginning classes start monthly.

Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA 3391 Middlefield Road, YES Hall, Palo Alto www.california.usa.taoist.org 650-396-9244 paloalto.ca@taoist.org The Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA offers classes designed to improve balance, strength and flexibility while promoting relaxation and good health. Beginner classes in Taoist Tai Chi internal art of Tai Chi Chuan are offered for all ages and fitness levels in Palo Alto. First class is free. A nonprofit organization with nationally accredited instructors.

Yoga at All Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Episcopal Church 555 Waverley St., Palo Alto 650-322-4528 www.asaints.org Kundalini-style yoga, combining asana (physical poses), breathing exercises and meditation. Practice is best done on an empty stomach. Students should bring a mat and blanket and wear comfortable, easy-to-move-in clothes. If floor work is difficult, exercises can be modified to be done in a chair. All ages. No registration necessary.

JUST FOR SENIORS Avenidas

450 Bryant St., Palo Alto 650-289-5400 http://www.avenidas.org Avenidas offers classes from balance, line dancing and back fitness to dementia caregiving and computer. Membership costs, fees and class listing included on the website.

LANGUAGE COURSES German-American School of Palo Alto

P.O. Box 50942, Palo Alto 650-520-3646 www.gaspa-ca.org The German-American school of Palo Alto offers classes for all ages, full-immersion courses and Saturday school. No prior German knowledge is required.

German Language Class 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-329-3752 www.paadultschool.org adultschool@pausd.org Learn to speak, read and write German with an emphasis on conversation. Basic grammar and Germanic culture are

Class Guide also covered. The instructor, a collegecredentialed teacher, lived and studied in Germany through Stanford, where she later received a master’s degree.

International School of the Peninsula (ISTP) 151 Laura Lane, Palo Alto 650-251-8500 www.istp.org istp@istp.org ISTP offers extensive after-school language classes at its two Palo Alto locations. Classes offered in French, Mandarin and Spanish to preschool students (3 to 5 years old). Additional classes taught in Arabic, Farsi, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese and Russian for elementary and middle school students.

The Peninsula Parentsplace Koret Family Resource Center, 200 Channing Ave., Palo Alto 650-688-3040 www.parentsplaceonline.org/peninsula SandraSt@jfcs.org The Peninsula Parentsplace offers parenting classes on subjects ranging from strategies for managing picky eaters to making the switch from diapers.

MIND AND SPIRIT

(650) 289-0438 Cooking073@surlatable.com www.surlatable.com (Go to “cooking classes” navigation bar, and search “Palo Alto”) Classes are two to two-and-a-half hours long. Recipes and tasting-sized portions will be provided in the class. Sur La Table offers hands-on classes, demonstration-only classes, and classes for kids and teens.

The Silicon Valley Boychoir 600 Homer Ave., Palo Alto 650-424-1242 www.svboychoir.org The Silicon Valley Boychoir rehearses in downtown Palo Alto and trains boys in the art of choral singing with an emphasis on vocal coaching, music literacy, and the highest artistic standards.

We offer: t 0ERKYEKI GPEWWIW JSV EHYPXW GLMPHVIR ERH XSHHPIV TPE] KVSYT t &YWMRIWW ERH GSVTSVEXI PERKYEKI GPEWWIW t 7QEPP GPEWW WM^IW JSV MRHMZMHYEPM^IH PIEVRMRK

Questions? Visit our Open House on August 18 from 10am to 12pm Phone: 650 254 0748 I Web: www.gissv.org I Email: saturdayschool@gissv.org

2460 Park Blvd. #3, Palo Alto 650-776-8297 artforwellbeings.org me@judyg.com Art for Well Beings (AFWB) offers art classes especially welcoming people with special needs. AFWB is open to the public. Drop-in or sessions are available. All materials provided.

Art with Emily

2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 650-323-3363 www.anandapaloalto.org Ananda Palo Alto offers classes on meditation, chanting and yoga.

402 El Verano Ave., Palo Alto 650-856-9571 www.artwithemily.com emilyjeanyoung@gmail.com Emily Young teaches mixed-media, multi-cultural art lessons for children at her fully equipped studio in Palo Alto. Semi-private and private lessons available.

Sur La Table Cooking School

Interested in another language? Learn German! t +IVQER MW XLI QSWX widely spoken language in Europe t +IVQER MW essential in scientific research

Art for Well Beings

Ananda Palo Alto

MUSIC, ARTS AND CRAFTS

Saturday School for all ages

855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto

What school is meant to be.

(continued on page 18)

Open Houses: Upper School Oct. 28, Dec. 2 Middle School Oct. 7, Nov. 4 Our Preschool is an English-Japanese bilingual preschool. We provide children a great leaning experience in a warm, cheerful, and friendly environment. Our mission is to help families who are raising bilingual children as well as those who want their children to begin a second language at an early age.

701 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto (650)-493-7672 www.SoraPreschool.com

Sept. 28 Register online at PaloAltoOnline.com/moonlight_run

www.menloschool.org/admissions

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT. CAREER HAPPINESS. Getting ready to launch your career? No need to do it alone. CareerGenerations, a new career planning center in Palo Alto, is offering a Career Launch Program for recent grads that will give you the tools to jumpstart your search. We offer 1:1 sessions and small group career services. Experienced career coaches will help you: U Assess and make the most of your strengths, interests, and personality. U Generate career options and understand how they relate to the market place. U Create resumes and social media proďŹ les that really work. U Design a search plan and process that includes creating a target list of companies where you ďŹ t. U Interview with impact to land the job! To get started, contact us at 650.320.1639 or info@CareerGenerations.com. For a free initial consultation.

Does your boy love to sing?

(continued from page 15)

Art Works Studio 595 Lincoln Ave., Palo Alto 650-796-1614 www.artworkspaloalto.net artworkspaloalto@gmail.com Art Works Studio offers a variety of fine-art classes for kids.

Vocal Training â&#x20AC;˘ Music Literacy â&#x20AC;˘ Artistic Achievement

Auditions for the Fall 2012-13 season Multi-level choir in Palo Alto for boys 1st-6th grades By appointment â&#x20AC;˘ Monday, August 20 650-424-1242 or email: info@svboychoir.org www.svboychoir.org

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Midpeninsula Community Media Center

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& High School OPEN HOUSES

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(650) 520-3646 | office@gaspa-ca.org

Friends Nursery School has openings in our 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tuesday/Thursday programs! Friends Nursery School is a non-proďŹ t, non-sectarian, cooperative Nursery school. Since 1955, we have offered part-time, play-based preschool programs for children ages 3 to 5 and their families Visit our website at www.pafns.org to download an application today. Page 18Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;}Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x17D;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;Ă¤ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;*>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Â°*>Â?Â&#x153; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;"Â&#x2DC;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;iÂ°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C;

900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto 650-494-8686 www.communitymediacenter.net info@midpenmedia.org The media center offers classes every month in a wide range of media arts, including publishing media on the web, podcasting, digital editing, field production, TV studio production, Photoshop for photographers, citizen journalism and autobiographical digital stories. One-on-one tutoring is also available. Biweekly free orientation sessions and tours.

Music with Toby

www.gaspa-ca.org

P.O. Box 50942, Palo Alto, CA 94303

Palo Alto 650-456-7648 linglingviolin.blogspot.com linglingy@gmail.com Offers private violin instruction for children 7 and up and adults of all levels. Year-round enrollment. Audition required for intermediate and advanced violin players. Taught by classically trained violinist and very experienced violin teacher. Her students include award winners at violin competitions and members of PACO, CYS and ECYS.

Palo Alto 650-799-7807 www.manzanamusicschool.com ManzanaMusicSchool@yahoo.com Private and group lessons for children and adults on guitar, violin, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, vocal, arranging and music theory.

Nursery -

German-American School of Palo Alto

Lingling Yang Violin Studio

Manzana Music School

TOURS

ALL STYLES, ALL AGES & ABILITIES Classes Begin Sept 4. Register Today!

Class Guide

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Palo Alto www.musicwithtoby.com tobybranz@gmail.com Toby Branz offers private voice and violin lessons in Palo Alto and San Francisco. She received her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2010 and a postgraduate diploma in 2011.

New Mozart School of Music 305 N. California Ave., Palo Alto 650-324-2373 www.newmozartschool.com info@newmozartschool.com New Mozart provides private lessons on all instruments for all ages and early-childhood music classes for children 2-7 years of age.

Opus1 Music Studio 2800 W. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto 650-625-9955 musicopus1.com musicopus1@gmail.com Opus1 Music Studio is offering private and group music lessons for all kinds of instruments to ages 2 and up. Beginners to advanced level.

Pacific Art League 668 Ramona St., Palo Alto 650-321-3891 www.pacificartleague.org frontdesk@pacificartleague.org Art classes and workshops by qualified, experienced instructors for students from beginners to advanced and even non-artists. Classes in collage, oil painting, portraits and sketching, life drawing, acrylic or watercolor and brush painting. Sculpture. Registration is ongoing.

Class Guide Palo Alto Art Center 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto 650-329-2366 www.cityofpaloalto.org/enjoy lynn.stewart@cityofpaloalto.org Classes and workshops for children and adults in ceramics, painting, drawing, jewelry, book arts, printmaking, collage and more.

SCHOOL DAYS

T’enna Preschool at the Oshman Family JCC 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto 650-223-8788 earlychildhood@paloaltojcc.org www.paloaltojcc.org/tenna Play-based approach develops skills and a love of learning. Two, three and five day-per-week options for 18 months to five years with emphasis placed on experiential learning, family involvement, values and fun in two locations.

Amigos de Palo Alto 1611 Stanford Ave., Palo Alto 650-493-4300 www.amigosdepaloalto.com Amigos de Palo Alto is a full Spanishimmersion preschool. Offering parents a safe environment where they may leave their children, both for childcare and to begin learning from bilingual in-

structors how to speak and learn Spanish the same way their native language was learned — naturally. Preschool sessions are offered Monday-Friday (1-4:30 p.m.); Monday, Wednesday and Friday (8:30 a.m.-11:45 p.m. or 1-4:30 p.m.); and Tuesday-Thursday (8:30 a.m.-11:45 p.m. or 1-4:30 p.m.).

After-school programs for preschool, elementary- and middle-school students. Classes include French cooking, Asian cooking, chess, science, robotics, Chinese dance, art and craft, watercolor, gymnastics, soccer and multi-sports.

Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School

Milestones Preschool

450 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto 650-494-8200 www.hausner.com Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School is a kindergarten through eighth grade school located in Palo Alto. Founded in 1989, the school is committed to promoting academic excellence, community responsibility, and vibrant Jewish living. As a community day school, Hausner serves families from a wide range of Jewish backgrounds and religious practices.

International School of the Peninsula Cohn Campus (grades 1-8): 151 Laura Lane, Palo Alto Cooper Campus (nursery): 3233 Cowper St., Palo Alto 650-251-8500 www.istp.org istp@istp.org

3864 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-618-3325 www.milestonespreschool.org preschool@AbilitiesUnited.org Milestones Preschool, a developmental program, provides children aged 2-5 years a fun and educational environment that promotes their development of the social skills, independent thinking, intellectual growth, and positive self-image they need to succeed in kindergarten and later in life. NAEYC accredited. State of California License 434407984.

Sora International Preschool 701 E. Meadow Drive, Palo Alto 650-493-7672 www.SoraPreschool.com Sora International Preschool is an English-Japanese bilingual preschool. Sora’s mission is to help families that are raising bilingual children as well as those that want their children to begin a second language at an early age.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Palo Alto Adult School

50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-329-3752 650-329-8515 (fax) adultschool@pausd.org www.paadultschool.org Hands-on computer, language, test preparation, writing, bird identification,

Sand Hill School

Advertiser Directory

650 Clark Way, Palo Alto 650-688-3605 www.sandhillschool.org info@sandhillschool.org For young minds, one size doesn’t fit all. At Sand Hill School, find what fits best for each child. At Children’s Health Council. Grades K-4. 6:1 student/ teacher ratio.

Amigos de Palo Alto ...........................14 Sand Hill School .................................14 Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School ....14 German International School ..............15 Menlo School .....................................15 Mid-Peninsula High School ..................15 Sora International School ...................15 Career Generations ............................18

TEACHING. LEARNING. CARING

The Class Guide is published quarterly in the Palo Alto Weekly, Mountain View Voice and Menlo Park Almanac. Descriptions of classes offered in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Stanford, Atherton, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto and beyond are provided. Listings are free and subject to editing. Classes held in the above cities are given priority. The winter Class Guide will publish on Dec. 5-7, 2012, with deadlines approximately two weeks prior. To inquire about placing a listing in the class guide, email Editorial Assistant Eric Van Susteren at evansusteren@ paweekly.com or call 650-223-6515. To place a paid advertisement in the Class Guide call our display advertising department at 650-326-8210.

For The Love of Dance........................18 German American School ...................18 Palo Alto Friends ................................18 Silicon Valley Boy Choir ......................18 Waldorf School...................................18 Girls Middle ........................................18 Music With Toby .................................19 Palo Alto Preparatory .........................19

YEAR-ROUND ENROLLMENT

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

investment, hiking, yoga and certificate courses available. Hundreds of online classes are offered.

Celebrating our 25th Year! Come tour our newly built campus Enroll now for Fall 2012 Grades 8-12

2462 Wyandotte Street, Mountain View www.paloaltoprep.com 650.493.7071 ÜÜÜ°*> Ì " i°V ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÎ]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 19

Cover Story

Malakai Vimahi and Gary Feao work on Tiki sculptures in East Palo Alto. To the left stands Ku, a 12-foot-tall representation of the Tongan god of war.

Carving out a new life Tualau Tauheluhelu brings tradition and skills to Tongan men in East Palo Alto Story by Sue Dremann / Photographs by Veronica Weber

n the driveway of an East Palo Alto cottage, wearing a 3 1/2foot-tall headdress and long braids down its back, a 12-foottall redwood god of war named Ku towered above three Tongan wood carvers. Hardwood mallets pounded against chisels, the sound mingling with the rhythmic rasp of a large scraper and the rumbling of trucks on U.S. Highway 101, a stone’s throw from the Green Street home. Tualau Tauheluhelu (pronounced Too-uh-low Tow-hay-loo-hay-loo), 57, was shaping a 4-foot-tall Tiki god of good luck and peace. His large, muscular hands moved over the black acacia wood’s burled surface as if sensing a life to be coaxed from its grain. Two of Tauheluhelu’s students, Malakai Vimahi and Gary Feao, worked intently over their Tikis. They made zigzag patterns, grimacing mouths and piercing eyes by gouging out U-shaped bits of wood in shades of brown, red and

yellow. Their tools were simple, visceral: rough, calloused hands; legs forming a vise to steady their carvings. Because of the recession, regular daytime work has dried up for many Tongan men who worked in construction, said Tauheluhelu, a carpenter and master carver. So he has turned full time to the art form he has loved since his youth in Tonga: custom carving. He has started teaching other Tongan men in East Palo Alto how to carve and do carpentry so they will be able to work and maintain a strong sense of their culture. “I’m doing it for free for my people,” he said. Tauheluhelu currently teaches about 10 students and plans to add others. The men arrive at different times throughout the day, sitting in the driveway with Tauheluhelu as they work on their projects under his watchful eye. Eventually, Tauheluhelu hopes, they will get work carving custom sculptures or marketing their products through

Page 20ÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÎ]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*> Ì " i°V

galleries, stores or at festivals. The market for Tiki sculpture is thriving these days, Tauheluhelu said. There has been a resurgence ranging from collections of vintage Tiki mugs to hotel and bar decorations. Tauheluhelu gets many calls for the latter, he said. Feao said he is hoping some of that interest will turn into lucrative work for him. “Nobody has a job. I am learning so I can have a chance to make money,” he said. He has been carving for two weeks, and three of his sculptures lay at his feet on a recent Monday, awaiting a final coat of sealant. The term “Tiki” is derived from the language of the Marquesa Islands (a closely related tongue to Tongan and Samoan) and Maori in New Zealand, according to dictionary definitions. Some believe the statues of stone or wood originated as representations of creation mythology. Their size ranges from neck pendants to totem poles. Capt. James Cook’s

expedition was the first to describe them in English in the late 1700s. The humanoid statues represent gods such as the guardian of the underworld, god of war, god of peace and progenitors of birds, people and fishes. They are found in Polynesian cultures from many Pacific islands, including New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Hawaii. Tiki as a mainland cultural phenomenon began in California in 1934 with the first Tiki bar opening in Hollywood and in 1937 when Trader Vic’s opened in the East Bay. It took hold after World War II with a proliferation of Tikithemed kitsch, cuisine and drinks after servicemen returned from the Pacific, according to writer Wayne Curtis’s 2006 article, “How sex, rum, World War II, and the brandnew state of Hawaii ignited a fad that has never quite ended.” The 1990s saw a return of interest in Tiki sculpture that continues to become stronger even as the presence of Pacific Islanders has

grown in the United States. The Tongan population alone in the U.S. has increased 55.2 percent from 2000 to 2010 — the secondlargest jump of any Polynesian group. In California, the number of Pacific Islanders has increased by 29.2 percent, according to the U.S. Census. The culture of Tonga — a South Pacific archipelago of 160 islands and more than 100,000 people — is traditionally social and cooperative. Tongans emphasize extended family, interpersonal relationships and harmony. Status and relationships are determined by age and/ or role in the family, according to a 2005 study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Like many Tongans who have come to the U.S., Tauheluhelu arrived with a goal of leading a better life. He immigrated at age 18. Those in the Tongan community who know Tauheluhelu said they admire him for his dedication to craft and his desire to keep carving alive.

Cover Story

Gary Feao uses a power buffer to smooth out a Tiki sculpture. He hopes to make money from the art.

Tualau Tauheluhelu stops to look over his handiwork at the East Palo Alto cottage where he teaches carving to Tongan men. He started woodworking while still in school in Tonga, he said. “When I came home, as a little kid I didn’t have anything to play with. I started making dolls out of wood — little Polynesian people. I grew up as a carpenter in a family of builders. I worked with my father. When I got off from high school, this was something that interested me. It was my favorite thing to do,” he recalled. After about two years he graduated from carving dolls to animals and birds, and later he went on to Tikis and large sculptures, he said. As it was in his youth, carving remains a central part of his daily life. After a long day’s work he still returns home to do his beloved craft. “It makes me feel that it’s a part of me,” he said. After 42 years of steadily carving everything from gods to dolphins, Tauheluhelu can nearly complete an elaborate 4-foot piece such as Lono, the god of luck and peace, in just a day, taking another day or two more to refine it, he said. Tauheluhelu modestly does not call himself a master, but his accomplishments are many. He has done custom carving throughout the world, including stints in Rome and Florida. Last year he made 27 sculptures for Trader Vic’s restaurants, and his carvings are at Disney World in Florida. He said he will carve anything and will go anywhere to carve. Among his repertoire are bears, land tortoises and birds. “I do big fish — big marlins.

I’ve carved a lot of dolphins and pelicans.” He stopped at the thought. “When I lived in Florida, it was pelican, pelican, pelican every day. I got so tired of pelicans,” he said. But then he smiled. “One time a lady in the Chinese community wanted two pigs — a lady pig and a man pig. They were wearing clothing. The man pig had a jacket and tie,” he said.

‘These Tikis and totem poles remind people of the time before the missionaries came (to Tonga). They keep us in peace; they keep us reminded to love one another.’ – Tualau Tauheluhelu, master carver, East Palo Alto Dennis Romero, owner of The Downtown Tiki Lounge Bar and Grill in San Mateo, learned of Tauheluhelu’s talent after seeing the Tualau Wood Carvings stand in a gas station parking lot on Shoreview Avenue in San Mateo. He hired Tauheluhelu to carve banisters, doors and parts of the bar at his restaurant. “Customers like the mermaids and turtles,” Romero said. Karen Chow bought one of his carvings for her son. “Tualau is a wonderful artist and a soulful man. I met him when he

came to De Anza (College) to display his wood and whalebone carvings. I bought a beautiful carved whalebone piece for my son for his second birthday,” she said. Chow, a professor of English, women’s studies and Asian American studies at De Anza, has also found Tauheluhelu to be a repository of information on Pacific Island culture and art. Tauheluhelu has explained to Chow about how he incorporates both Pacific Islander and Maori motifs in his art, and she hopes to invite him to speak to her class next year, she said. Tauheluhelu said he enjoys talking to students about the meaning of Pacific Island cultures. San Mateo County has the eighth largest population of Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders from all islands in the country, according to 2010 U.S. Census data. Roughly one-quarter of the 10,317 county residents — 2,118 Pacific Islanders — reside in East Palo Alto. But overall they make up just 2.1 percent of the county’s population. Their children are awash in cultural influences from other groups, which sometimes have led to conflicts, Tauheluhelu said. The Tikis stand as reminders of a resilient culture that in many ways has not bent under the influences of the dominant society. At the Green Street home, Tikis will serve as portals to welcome Tongans new to the Bay Area or who want to maintain their heritage. The home, known as a fofo’anga, is a meetinghouse central to Tongan life. It is a place where traditional song and oral traditions are kept alive. Occasionally, community members will spend long days and nights drinking kava, a medicinal root-based beverage consumed during celebrations, weddings and funerals. Singing from the cottage

Malakai Vimahi pauses while carving a sculpture. He says the art form reminds him of home.

can be heard through the neigh- minder still. We understand these borhood. things as we understand there is Tauheluhelu maintains a room at one God, the Father,” he said of the East Palo Alto house, although the Christianity many Tongans he lives in San Mateo. Last year practice today. when their balloon-mortgage payTraditional Tongan cultural ments topped $4,500 a month, the values include an emphasis on original owners of the fofo’anga community that helps retain strong lost the house. Now the group cultural identity, said Malissa rents the property from its new Netane, community facilitator owner, he said. and Pacific Islander Initiative coTauheluhelu would like to see chair at the Peninsula Conflict the meetinghouse develop into a Resolution Center. place where Tongans will expand “Because of its core values of their knowledge of their culture — family, faith and culture, I don’t through activities such as making think the Tongan community is sculptures and handmade whale- in a position to be watered down,” bone and animal-horn necklaces. she said. Raising a new generation of The support of families, vilcarvers and artisans in the Bay lages and faith groups has kept Area has special meaning to homelessness low among Pacific Tauheluhelu, who had no one to Islanders, she said. Tauheluhelu teach him when he was learning, (continued on next page) he said. The importance of carving — and carving traditional imagery such as Tikis — resonated deeply when he discussed his culture and attempts by outsiders to change it. Tauheluhelu’s demeanor changed, as if trying to suppress a deep and painful personal memory. “These Tikis and totem poles remind people of the time before the missionaries came (to Tonga). They keep us in peace; they keep us reminded to love one another. The missionaries thought we worshipped these sculptures, so they burned them all. But these are symbols. We keep them in our culture as a re- Malakai Vimahi chisels the face out of wood. ÜÜÜ°*> Ì " i°V ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÎ]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 21

Cover Story

Carving

(continued from previous page)

Tualau Tauheluhelu’s Tiki sculptures adorn the bar at the Downtown Tiki Lounge in San Mateo.

has been part of a nonprofit group that welcomes newcomers here. New immigrants from Tonga are brought to the East Palo Alto meetinghouse until they have set up their own jobs and residences, he said. Netane said that what Tauheluhelu is teaching is “absolutely” beneficial to the Tongan community. Fathers teach their children their trades and traditions in Tonga, but a tradition of farming that might pass down among families might not continue in the U.S. In Tonga one doesn’t need much to survive, but farming is about all the opportunity one would have, and no more, she said. People come here because they are seeking opportunities to advance in education and work. A father might want his son to be a doctor. But Tauheluhelu is keeping something valuable alive and sharing it with other people, Netane said. “What Tualau is doing is applying something that would be traditional at home. By Tualau doing this, he’s offering an opportunity to be rekindling the tradition of carving. It’s a good preventative strategy to help youth veer away from violence and crime,” she said. Malakai Vimahi is among the younger men learning traditional carving. In his early 30s and wearing an “I’m better when I’m drunk,” sweatshirt, he dug deeply into a hardwood Tiki held across his lap, shaping elongated eyes. In just three days he would finish the 3-foot-tall Tiki. Asked about what attracts him to carving, Vimahi shrugged. “I like arts. This is supposed

to be a traditional thing, and it reminds me of back home,” he said. Tauheluhelu said Vimahi is already an accomplished carver. His family immigrated to Hawaii, where they have carved for the public for decades. When he is not carving, Vimahi cuts hair for a living and plays guitar. He performs during the meetinghouse singing ceremonies, he said. He spoke little, deferring to Tauheluhelu, his teacher. On a woven mat Tauheluhelu arranged two large tortoises, a small bear and an array of Tikis in the dappled shade. A sculpture of smoothly sanded dolphins leaping from the sea stood out on a wooden pedestal. Their sleekness and made-for-the-public feel contrasted strikingly with the more traditional sculpture. Tauheluhelu said he isn’t worried about the next generation assimilating too quickly, especially if the tradition of the meetinghouse continues. “I don’t think our culture will ever be lost. We have here a social group. We have kept this place — and this place belongs to each of us,” he said. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@ paweekly.com. About the cover: Tualau Tauheluhelu’s Tikis line the bar at the Downtown Tiki Lounge in San Mateo. Photo by Veronica Weber.

WATCH IT ONLINE

www.PaloAltoOnline.com See Tualau Tauheluhelu carve a Tiki sculpture in a video posted on Palo Alto Online.

Come join us to celebrate our

5PARTY

ANNIVERSARY SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH EXTENDED HOURS: 9am-7pm

FREE LENSES Single vision plastic with purchase of any frame with mention of this ad

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Tiki sculptures can represent anything from gods to animals.

Arts & Entertainment A weekly guide to music, theater, art, movies and more, edited by Rebecca Wallace

Petr Jerabek

A violin D

on’t be surprised if, about 10 years from now, there are a bunch of upand-coming teen jazz violinists who all say they want to do the chop just like Mads Tolling. Tolling uses the chop — a rhythmic technique that hails from bluegrass fiddling — to bring on the funk and the beat. Keeping a steady pulse, he can make that violin sound like a drum, the heartbeat of his quartet. In June, Tolling wowed an audience of tiny tots who had turned out for a kids’ concert at the Stanford Jazz Festival. It turned out to be “like an instrument petting zoo,” he said with a chuckle. “I was doing the chop, and they had these little instruments. They all tried to do the chop and were going crazy,” he said, adding modestly, “They must have liked that.” Lots of people like Mads Tolling. The 32-year-old East Bay musician, who comes from Copenhagen, has won applause from audiences, critics and fellow players for his hybrid style — and for his efforts to give the violin the same kind of prominence in American jazz that it has across the pond. Jazz violin “has been a tradition in Europe, particularly with the gypsy-jazz movement, that has existed ever since

with

In the hands of Mads Tolling, these strings can rock by Rebecca Wallace

Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli,” Tolling said, referring to the musicians who founded the pioneering Quintette du Hot Club de France in Paris in 1934. “Being from Europe, I grew up with that kind of sound. To me it’s a totally familiar kind of sound,” Tolling said. “It can be a lot of fun to play it in front of people, see the surprise on people’s faces.” Tolling, apparently, never gets tired of sparking surprise. For nine years, he played viola and violin with the Bay Area’s Turtle Island Quartet, which is known for its spirited musical experimentation. With the quartet, he won Grammy Awards for Best Classical Crossover album in 2006 and 2008. He left the group and its hectic touring

schedule earlier this year to focus on his own projects, which include his Mads Tolling Quartet: violin, guitar, bass and drums. The foursome will play a free concert at Stanford Shopping Center on Aug. 9 as part of the annual SFJAZZ series. Tolling is also an experienced composer and teacher; he currently serves on the faculty at Berkeley’s Jazzschool Institute. The violinist, a summa cum laude graduate of the Berklee College of Music, is often praised for his technical skill. But all along, from Turtle Island to his current solo concerts, he’s drawn attention for his fresh, genre-crossing approach that is diverse even for the world of fusion jazz. The 2008 Mads Tolling Trio album “Speed of Light,” for example, includes

East Bay violinist Mads Tolling, center, serenades BART with the bassist George Ban-Weiss and guitarist Mike Abraham. Drummer Eric Garland (not pictured) is also a member of the Mads Tolling Quartet. both a solo violin rendition of Miles Davis’ “Blue in Green” and a rocking, bowing version of the Led Zeppelin classic “Black Dog.” After that album, the trio of Tolling, guitarist Mike Abraham and bass player George Ban-Weiss expanded to a quartet, adding drummer Eric Garland. Drums, Tolling said, kick in “a little more firepower.” The foursome’s 2009 album “The Playmaker” features an even more pumped-up “Black Dog,” as well as an arrangement of a Danish folk song. Tolling does a lot of the arrangements for his quartet, sometimes drawing on his classical background, sometimes inspired by jazz greats like the French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. (His quartet’s latest album, which came out in May, is called “Celebrating Jean-Luc Ponty: Live at Yoshi’s.”) In his (continued on next page)

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Arts & Entertainment (continued from previous page)

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www.restorationstudio.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Dogâ&#x20AC;? arrangement, Tolling said, he was striving for a sound that rocks hard but that also contains humor and drama in its dynamic changes. You might call Tollingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music â&#x20AC;&#x153;eclectic.â&#x20AC;? Many critics have. The musician is a bit leery of that moniker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That can be dangerous, because people may feel itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strange or weird,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re probably trying to do more of is trying to play great melodies and even songs that people can hum along with ... and to hear pieces you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily connect with jazz.â&#x20AC;?

Tolling said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather describe his sound as â&#x20AC;&#x153;diverse.â&#x20AC;? The quartetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new album, he said, epitomizes that spirit, filled with music by Ponty or inspired by him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Featuring music like Frank Zappa and John McLaughlin: all these great guys from the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s, the fusion era,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It tells a little about what my band is about. ... Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very virtuosic and at the same time is very groove-oriented.â&#x20AC;? The players get to stretch, too. Tollingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrangements sometimes feature the instruments playing unusual roles. For example, in the tribute piece â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pontification,â&#x20AC;? the bass and guitar take the melody while the Mads Tolling rocks out with the bassist Stanley Clarke, with whom he has performed many times.

PUBLIC NOTICE FORMER NAVAL AIR STATION MOFFETT FIELD Restoration Advisory Board Meeting August 2012 The next regular meeting of the Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) for former Naval Air Station (NAS) Moffett Field will be held on:

Thursday, August 9, 2012, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at: Mountain View Senior Center Social Hall 266 Escuela Avenue Mountain View, CA 94040-1813 The RAB reviews and comments on plans and activities about the ongoing environmental studies and restoration activities underway at Moffett Field. Regular RAB meetings are open to the public and the Navy encourages your involvement. To review documents on Moffett Field environmental restoration projects, please visit the information repository located at the Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View, CA 94041, (650) 903-6337. For more information, contact Mr. Scott Anderson, Navy Base Realignment and Closure Environmental Coordinator at (619) 532-0938 or scott.d.anderson@navy.mil.

violin chops along with the rhythm underneath. In between performing and recording, Tolling likes to lead educational activities for kids like the Stanford Jazz one. Recently, he and some former Berklee classmates played in elementary schools as part of the San Francisco Symphonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Adventures in Musicâ&#x20AC;? program, bringing in a rich mix of classical and jazz. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about drumming up enthusiasm in young minds for the inventive possibilities in music, which are ever growing in popularity, Tolling said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were not expecting a string

quartet to play â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Night in Tunisia,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you went back 40 years ago, you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see that.â&#x20AC;? N What: The Mads Tolling Quartet plays its diverse jazz arrangements as part of the SFJAZZ Summerfest series. Where: Stanford Shopping Center between Nordstrom and Crate & Barrel, 180 El Camino Real, Palo Alto When: From 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9 Cost: Free Info: Go to sfjazz.org/sfjazzsummerfest for more on the weekly series, which ends Aug. 16 with a performance by Quinn DeVeaux and the Blue Beat Review.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming!

Visit the Navyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website: http://www.bracpmo.navy.mil/basepage.aspx?baseid=52&state=California&name=moffett

September 29th 7pm - 1am the Palo Alto

Black White Ball

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Arts & Entertainment

Worth a Look Art

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Figures and Facesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Festival Obon Festival

The 64th annual Obon Festival, hosted by the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple at

Fletcher Oakes

Among all the Olympic flurry and excitement, success and underdog stories abound. Painter Tom Montanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portrait of Julia Stamps Mallon tells one such story. While she was a student at Stanford University, the world-class middledistance runner shattered her leg in a skateboarding accident and was told she would never race again. In 2011, following years of rehabilitation and rigorous training, Mallon qualified for the Olympic marathon trials. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it onto the team she continues to train,â&#x20AC;? Montan said in an email. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Watch out, Brazil, in 2016.â&#x20AC;? Mallon became Montanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cross-country coach, and her story became his inspiration. His painting â&#x20AC;&#x153;the sound of white,â&#x20AC;? which depicts Mallon running in front of an incarnation of her former self, is part of a new exhibition, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Figures and Faces,â&#x20AC;? at the Pacific Art League. The show of 46 pieces by 35 artists opens tonight, Aug. 3, with a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The exhibitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s juror, Oakland artist Hung Liu, gave â&#x20AC;&#x153;the sound of whiteâ&#x20AC;? the third-place prize in the show. First place went to Denver art professor Mary Connellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil painting â&#x20AC;&#x153;Communion Day,â&#x20AC;? which is based on a black-and-white photo of her mother. Belmont photographer Bill Jackson, a member of the Palo Alto Camera Club, won second place with his dramatic archival digital print â&#x20AC;&#x153;Untitled #2,â&#x20AC;? depicting a seated man with his head leaning on a cane. The show runs through Aug. 30 at 668 Ramona St. in Palo Alto, open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and

the lyrics will be conveniently projected on screens throughout the venue. For those more classically inclined, Schola Cantorum is also hosting another sing-along on Aug. 6. Mozartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mass in C minor will be presented under the direction of Vance George, with the audience joining in. General admission is $15, and students up to age 25 get in free. The singalongs will be hosted in the Los Altos Methodist Church at 655 Magadalena Ave. on Aug. 6 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to scholacantorum.org or call 650-254-1700.

PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL RAIL COMMITTEE

The cast of the San Francisco Mime Troupeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the Greater Good, or The Last Electionâ&#x20AC;? calls for power to the people. Saturdays from 10 to 4. Admission is free. For more information, go to pacificartleague.org or call 650-321-3891.

Theater San Francisco Mime Troupe

While New York protestors camp out on city streets decrying Wall Streetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abuses, director Michael Gene Sullivan sits at the helm of the San Francisco Mime Troupeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s satirical musical â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the Greater Good, or The Last Electionâ&#x20AC;? in his own attempt to bring the 1 percent to justice. Known for its socially conscious theater, the troupe is on tour with its tale of banker and die-hard capitalist Gideon Bloodgood, who faces the threat of socialism and the potential ruin of the free market as the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s malcontents fight for regulations, economic equality and bus passes. Sullivan, a member of the mime

troupe for more than 20 years, directs Velina Brown, Ed Holmes and Reggie D. White, among others, in the satire, which includes original music by the mime troupeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s composer Pat Moran. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Last Electionâ&#x20AC;? will be performed outdoors at Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mitchell Park, 600 E. Meadow Drive, on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. The performance is free. For more information, go to sfmt.org or call 415-285-1717.

Music

2751 Louis Road, will again celebrate the fusion of Japanese-American culture with food, music and dance. The public event will span two days and include both Japanese and American food, a Japanese folk-dance performance, live music, tai chi and kendo demonstrations. The festival will also include kid-friendly activities and competitions, as well as adultfriendly shopping and lectures about Buddhism. Visitors can also tour the temple. The event will culminate at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Bon Odori, a communal dance around the outside gazebo for all festival-goers to watch and participate in. Events begin at 5 p.m. on Aug. 4 and again at noon on Aug. 5. Admission is free. For more information, go to pabt. org or call 650-856-0123.

CIVIC CENTER, 250 HAMILTON AVENUE

***************************************** THIS IS A SUMMARY OF COUNCIL RAIL COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEMS. THE AGENDA WITH COMPLETE TITLES INCLUDING LEGAL DOCUMENTATION CAN BE VIEWED AT THE BELOW WEBPAGE:

http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/agendas/council.asp

(TENTATIVE) AGENDA-CITY COUNCIL RAIL COMMITTEE MEETING-COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM August 10, 2012 8:30 am 1.

Discussion of Recommendations on HSR Appropriation Legislation ModiďŹ cation Languge.

Richard Rodgers sing-along

Schola Cantorumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Richard Rodgersâ&#x20AC;? event is where audience participation meets â&#x20AC;&#x153;Edelweiss.â&#x20AC;? The Los Altos choir will be hosting a sing-along to the songs of Rodgers, including tunes from â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oklahoma!â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Sound of Music.â&#x20AC;? Dawn Reyen will lead the participants on piano, and

MUSIC BY

COLUMBIA PICEXECUTIVE TURES PRESENTS AN ORIGINAL FILM PRODUCTION INSPIREDA FILMBYBYTHELENSHORTWISTORYSEMAN â&#x20AC;&#x153;TOTAL RECALLSCREENâ&#x20AC;? BRYAN CRANSTON JOHN CHO AND BILL NIGHY HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS PRODUCERS RIC KIDNEY LEN WISCREENPLAY SEMAN â&#x20AC;&#x153;WE CAN REMEMBER IT FOR YOU WHOLESALEâ&#x20AC;? BY PHILPRODUCED IP K. DICK STORY BY RONALD SHUSETT &DIRECTED DAN Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;BANNON AND JON POVILL AND KURT WIMMER BY KURT WIMMER AND MARK BOMBACK BY NEAL H. MORITZ TOBY JAFFE BY LEN WISEMAN

Tom Montanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil painting â&#x20AC;&#x153;the sound of whiteâ&#x20AC;? pays tribute to runner Julia Stamps Mallon, who recovered from an injury suffered at Stanford to qualify for the Olympic trials.

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Eating Out

ShopTalk STEALTH FITNESS STUDIO ... A casual walk past the new Xercise Lab in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village doesn’t begin to tell the story of what goes on behind the glass doors. A small retail shop that sells fitness items is all that is visible from the front door. But Xercise Lab’s space may surprise visitors who step farther inside. “It does look deceptive,” said Jenny Rowe, who opened the fitness center in June. The back portion of the 2,000-square-foot space is dedicated to a modern fitness studio. Although the fitness studio is a roomy 900 square feet, Rowe allows only 15 students per class to give everyone ample space. Another feature in the studio is the sprung hardwood floor that is built to be shock-absorbing. “It’s bouncy. We have springs underneath the floor, just like the springs in a mattress,” she said. A Los

Altos native and Palo Alto resident with three young sons, Rowe said she saw a need for children’s fitness as well as adult’s. “There’s hardly any P.E. in schools any more. They get one P.E. class a week for 30 minutes. That’s it,” she said. So part of Xercise Lab’s mission is to offer fitness to kids. One non-dance program, appropriately named Recess Lab, offers 45 minutes of intense cardiovascular and strength training “disguised as fun,” Rowe said. A 25-year veteran of the fitness industry, Rowe saved her money over the years so that she could create Xercise Lab. “I don’t have any investors. I started this from scratch. I guess I’m an entrepreneur at heart.”

— Daryl Savage

SURVIVOR: MACARTHUR PARK ... MacArthur Park, one of Palo Alto’s oldest and grandest restaurants, has shown its determination to survive throughout its 31 years. While the restaurant was once considered a Peninsula hot spot, its future is now uncertain. “Our 99-year-lease with Stanford is coming to an end on June 30, 2013,” restaurant assistant manager Matt Lavery said. But he remains hopeful. “We’re optimistic we’ll find a new location, either at the Stanford Shopping Center or somewhere nearby,” he said. Lavery, who has been affiliated with the restaurant since 2003, admitted that it has seen better days. “We definitely don’t get the crowds the way we used to,” he said. The restaurant stopped serving lunch at the end of March and is now open only for dinner. But it continues to be a popular destination for parties and celebratory events. “We actually do a lot of big events. Many of them take place on our patio,” he said. And it’s one of the few restaurants in this area that can accommodate as many as 300 diners at one time across its six rooms. But Lavery acknowledged that there remains confusion about the future of the restaurant. Recent news mentioned the possible demolition of the historic Julia Morgan building, with a

large theater complex replacing it. There’s also talk that the historic building could be moved to another location. “Because of the confusion, we’re doing different promotions to keep people aware of the restaurant, especially our happy hour. We also do a prime rib dinner on Friday and Sunday for $19.18, which is the year this building was built,” Lavery said.

— Daryl Savage BAKERY CLOSES ... Anko Bakery, which was previously known as Alison Bakery, closed its doors last week at 4131 El Camino Real, Suite 104, in Palo Alto. Neighbors in nearby Barron Park expressed concern that the Cold Treats ice-cream and frozen-yogurt shop would also close, but a woman who answered the phone at the business would not comment on the possibility. A man at the bakery also declined to answer the Weekly’s questions.

— Rebecca Wallace Heard a rumor about your favorite store or business moving out, or in, down the block or across town? Email shop talk@paweekly.com.

Inspirations

PENINSULA

a guide to the spiritual community

Discover the best places to eat this week! AMERICAN

CHINESE

Armadillo Willy’s

Chef Chu’s

941-2922 1031 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos www.armadillowillys.com

948-2696 1067 N. San Antonio Road www.chefchu.com

Cheese Steak Shop

Ming’s

326-1628 2305-B El Camino Real, Palo Alto

856-7700 1700 Embarcadero East, Palo Alto www.mings.com

Lutticken’s 854-0291 3535 Alameda, Menlo Park www.luttickens.com

The Old Pro 326-1446 541 Ramona Street, Palo Alto www.oldpropa.com STEAKHOUSE

Sundance the Steakhouse 321-6798 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto www.sundancethesteakhouse.com

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC £ nxÊ Õ ÃÊ, >`]Ê*> Ê Ì ÊUÊÈxä®ÊnxÈ ÈÈÈÓÊUÊÜÜÜ°vVV«>° À}Ê -Õ `>ÞÊ7 ÀÃ «ÊEÊ ÕÀV Ê-V Ê>ÌÊ£ä\ääÊ>° °

10:00 a.m. This Sunday Gluten Intolerance Rev. Daniel Ross-Jones preaching An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ

New Tung Kee Noodle House 947-8888 520 Showers Drive, Mountain View www.shopmountainview.com/luvnoodlemv INDIAN

Janta Indian Restaurant 462-5903 369 Lytton Ave. www.jantaindianrestaurant.com

Thaiphoon

Inspirations is a resource for ongoing religious services and special events. To inquire about or to reserve space in Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 223-6596 or email byoc@paweekly.com

323-7700 543 Emerson Ave, Palo Alto www.ThaiphoonRestaurant.com

Read and post reviews, explore restaurant menus, get hours and directions and more at ShopPaloAlto, ShopMenloPark and ShopMountainView

Palo Alto Weekly Photo Contest ENTRY DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, AUGUST 3 DEADLINE

EXTENDED! Page 26ÊUÊ Õ}ÕÃÌÊÎ]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*> Ì " i°V

For entr y form and rules: www.PaloAltoOnline.com

Movies

WINNER - SPECIAL JURY PRIZE - SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;RIVETING! A MUST-SEE.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; -Andrew Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hehir, SALON

GRADE: A .â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;STIRRING

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

AND IMPORTANT.

-Owen Gleiberman, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A GALVANIZING DOCUMENTARY.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; -Manohla Dargis, THE NEW YORK TIMES

OPENINGS

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If there is no free speech, every single life has lived in vain.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; -Ai Weiwei

The Imposter ---1/2

(Century 16) Atheists argue that most peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s need to believe a comforting fantasy trumps rational thought. Maybe, maybe not, but the new documentary â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Imposterâ&#x20AC;? showcases a monumental case of self-delusion. Or maybe not. The twisty tale begins, even with its title, by revealing what would seem to be its biggest plot twist: A young man claiming to be a missing 16-year-old American child is no one of the sort. Rather, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a homeless 23-year-old French con artist winning his way into a comfortable suburban life. Though it sounds at first blush not unlike â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Return of Martin Guerre,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Imposterâ&#x20AC;? quickly proves stranger than fiction. Showing levels of chutzpah not recorded before or since, Frederic Bourdin convinces French authorities that he is an abused teenager, then steals the identity of Nicholas Barclay, missing from San Antonio, Texas, since the age of 13. Immediately embraced by the troublingly credulous Barclays despite looking nothing like Nicholas (they had different eye colors, for a start), Bourdin can hardly believe his good fortune. But he happily perpetuates his growing lie as he moves in with the Barclays and even begins attending high school. British helmer Bart Layton, making his feature directing debut, takes the story at the brisk pace of a thriller, smartly using reenactments not only to tell the story but to amplify our confusion of identity. (In one clever blurring tactic, Layton puts Bourdinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice into the mouth of his younger reenactor.) What definitively elevates â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Imposterâ&#x20AC;? over other true-crime docs are the kooky characters, from the jaw-dropping Bourdin â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who manifests every form of egomania in the book â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to the delightful veteran p.i. who smells a rat to the seemingly dullwitted Barclay family. In its final third, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Imposterâ&#x20AC;? emulates its antihero by pulling off the impossible: making us skeptically reexamine a situation that already had us on the edge of disbelief. I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dare ruin that twist, but simply by presenting us with the facts as they unfolded, Layton winningly encourages more questions than answers. In the end, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re left with a grinning, madly dancing Bourdin: unsettling proof that willful cheaters can and do prosper. Rated R for language. One hour, 39 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese

Ruby Sparks ---1/2

(Palo Alto Square) Male fantasies have, for centuries, complicated womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real lives through imposed and self-imposed expectations. Dealing with â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Pygmalion mythâ&#x20AC;? hardly seems like the stuff of a date-night romantic comedy, but â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ruby Sparksâ&#x20AC;? isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t interested in perpetuating fantasies so much as challenging them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ruby Sparksâ&#x20AC;? is the brainchild of Zoe Kazan, who wrote the screenplay and plays the title role ... of a brainchild. Ruby is the perfect woman for young, frustrated novelist Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano, Kazanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real-life beau). He knows this because he wrote her, tapped her out on his manual typewriter as a therapeutic exercise meant to break through his writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s block. Conjured up with writerly detail â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;26 years old, raised in Dayton, Ohio ... because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s romanticâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ruby literally comes to life, freaking out the already thoroughly neurotic Calvin. Once Calvin (like the audience) takes the magical-realist leap and accepts that Ruby isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going anywhere, he starts enjoying life with the girl of his dreams. Prompted by his brother Harry (Chris Messina), Calvin proves Ruby is his creation by typing out instant alterations to his girlfriend, then vows never to

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The boys of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days.â&#x20AC;? do so again. But can he avoid the temptation? Though Ruby was made to spec, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now a real girl in the real world, reactive and subject to every influence, and capable of growth â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and, perhaps, discovering that Calvin leaves something to be desired as a boyfriend. The sophomore feature from â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Miss Sunshineâ&#x20AC;? directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ruby Sparksâ&#x20AC;? makes an entertaining admonishment for anyone navigating the tricky terrain between initial attraction and a lasting relationship, a lesson in seeing the real person behind the exterior that attracts us. (As a literary celebrity, Calvin has ironically suffered the same problem he inflicts on Ruby. He says of his fangirls: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not interested in me. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in some idea of me.â&#x20AC;?) Just as much, Kazanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fable stands as a rebuke to a male-dominant literary tradition adopted by Hollywood: of attractive fantasy women useful only as far as they serve to define male characters. As a young female actor, Kazan knows what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to be subject to boyfriends who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the real her and writers disinterested in real women. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also smart enough to see the connection, how culture conjures fantasies that damage the sustainability of mutual understanding between men and women. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get me wrong: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ruby Sparksâ&#x20AC;? isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as heady as it sounds. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of quirky humor (of sex with Ruby, Harry hilariously speculates, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that be like incest? Or mindcest?â&#x20AC;?). Dayton and Faris also get serious comic mileage from Calvinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life-loving mother (Annette Bening) and stepfather (Antonio Banderas), joyous contrasts to Calvinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fretfulness. But â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ruby Sparksâ&#x20AC;? proves itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something special by being unafraid to follow its premise to a dark place, the dream turning into a nightmare. In a way, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as much â&#x20AC;&#x153;Frankensteinâ&#x20AC;? to the story as there is â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Purple Rose of Cairo.â&#x20AC;? Calvin reaches a crossroads: Will he monstrously abuse his power over Ruby, or love her enough to free her from his control? In a time of mind-numbing rom coms, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ruby Sparksâ&#x20AC;? uses fantasy to get real about modern romance.

PAUL ZOE ANTONIO ANNETTE STEVE ELLIOTT CHRIS

DANO KA ZA N BANDERAS BENING COOGAN GOULD MESSINA

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A magical, MODERN-DAY LOVE STORY, one with razor-sharp edges and a tender heart.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;INGENIOUS AND DELIGHTFUL... Zany and sweet.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A SWEET, TRIPPY COMEDY.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Absolutely aces â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at once FUNNY, ENDEARING AND PLAYFUL while still speaking resonant truths.â&#x20AC;?

Rated R for language including some sexual references, and for some drug use. One hour, 44 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days --

(Century 16, Century 20) The fanboys have to face facts: The trilogy of summer movies about their favorite hero has come to its end. No, not Batman â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I speak, of course, of Greg Heffley, the middle-school protagonist of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Diary of a Wimpy Kidâ&#x20AC;? series. Like â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dark Knight Rises,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Daysâ&#x20AC;? reunites the core cast of previous entries and maintains a tonal consistency. Here again

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Movies (continued from previous page)

Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ruby Sparks.â&#x20AC;?

WOODY ALEC ROBERTO PENĂ&#x2030;LOPE JUDY JESSE GRETA ELLEN ALLEN BALDWIN BENIGNI CRUZ DAVIS EISENBERG GERWIG PAGE

TO ROME WITH LOVE

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is Everyboy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and pathological liar â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Greg (Zachary Gordon), his parents (Steve Zahn and Rachael Harris), his punky older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick) and blithering younger brother Manny (Connor & Owen Fielding), and Gregâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pudgy, loyal-to-a-fault best friend Rowley Jefferson (Robert Capron). Fear not, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wimpy Kidâ&#x20AC;? fans: Gregâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crush Holly Hills (Peyton List), nemesis Patty Ferrell (Laine MacNeil), and classmates Fregley (Grayson Russell) and Chirag (Karan Brar) also appear in this summer-themed adventure that picks up where â&#x20AC;&#x153;Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rulesâ&#x20AC;? left off, at the end of Gregâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seventh-grade year. This valedictory movie derives from Jeff Kinneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illustrated novels â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Last Strawâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dog Days,â&#x20AC;? adapted by husband-and-wife screenwriters Maya Forbes (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Monsters vs. Aliensâ&#x20AC;?) and Wallace Wolodarsky (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Simpsonsâ&#x20AC;?). As for the tone, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strictly middle-school slapstick â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like a sequence in which a mishap causes Greg to skinny-dip at the country club â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and middle-class worries, like how to dodge parental expectations and play video games instead. Even for an episodic kiddie farce, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dog Daysâ&#x20AC;? seems overly familiar in its comic premises (oh no! peeing in the municipal pool!) and conflicts (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Me and my dad have absolutely nothing in commonâ&#x20AC;?). But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll all be new to its intended audience, who are likely to lap it up as happily as the Heffleysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new mutt, Sweetie, at his water dish. Like its predecessors, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dog Daysâ&#x20AC;? offers a mostly shapeless plot, as Greg gets into varieties of trouble, shooting himself in the foot when it comes to his friendship, courtship and family life. The main thread involves Greg lying about having a job at the Plainview Heights Country Club so he can spend time around Holly; as a result, dedicated gamer Greg realizes the outdoors arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so bad after all. And so â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dog Daysâ&#x20AC;? gently imparts a lesson or two, about taking responsibility for and learning from mistakes (though Greg never seems to). Also, this entry wisely amplifies the role of the lovably goofy Zahn, as Greg and his dad come to terms. But the oddest thing about the movie isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the immediate realization that Gordonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice has irrevocably changed; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that this kid-lit adaptation hardcore disses reading. Rated PG for some rude humor. One hour, 34 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese

MOVIE TIMES All showtimes are for Friday through Sunday only unless otherwise noted. For other times, as well as reviews and trailers, go to PaloAltoOnline.com/movies. The Amazing Spider-Man (PG-13) ((( Century 16: 3:20 & 10:05 p.m.; In 3D at 12:10 & 6:50 p.m. Century 20: 1:05 & 10:20 p.m.; In 3D at 4:10 & 7:15 p.m. The Apartment (1960) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Sat.-Tue. at 7:30 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. also at 3:10 p.m. Battle Cry (1955) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Wed. & Thu. at 7:30 p.m. Beasts of the Southern Wild (PG-13) (((( Century 20: 11:55 a.m.; 2:35, 5, 7:25 & 9:55 p.m. Guild Theatre: 2, 4:30, 7:15 & 9:45 p.m. The Bourne Legacy (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Thu. at 12:01 a.m. Century 20: Thu. at 12:01 & 12:02 a.m. Brave (PG) (((1/2 Century 16: 11:05 a.m.; 1:35, 4:05, 6:45 & 9:25 p.m. Century 20: 11 a.m.; 1:45, 4:25, 6:50 & 9:20 p.m. Breakfast at Tiffanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (1961) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Sat.-Tue. at 5:25 & 9:45 p.m. The Dark Knight Rises (PG-13) (((( Century 16: 11 a.m.; 12:30, 2:20, 3, 4, 7, 8:10, 9:10 & 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 11:10 a.m.; 12:25, 1:40, 2:50, 4:05, 5:20, 6:35, 7:50, 8:55 & 10:15 p.m. DCI 2012: Big, Loud & Live 9 (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Thu. at 3:30 p.m. Century 20: Thu. at 3:30 p.m. Palo Alto Square: Thu. at 3:30 p.m. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (PG) (( Century 16: 11 a.m.; 12:20, 1:30, 4:10, 5:30, 7 & 9:40 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 10:40 p.m.; Sun. also at 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 10:55 a.m.; 12:05, 1:20, 2:30, 3:45, 4:55, 6:15, 7:20, 8:40 & 9:45 p.m. Farewell, My Queen (R) (Not Reviewed) Aquarius Theatre: 1, 3:30, 6 & 8:30 p.m. Century 20: 11:30 a.m.; 2, 4:30, 7:05 & 9:35 p.m. Ice Age: Continental Drift (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 1:50 & 6:50 p.m.; In 3D at 11:15 a.m.; 4:15 & 9:45 p.m. Century 20: 10:40 a.m.; 5:40 & 10:20 p.m.; In 3D at 4:10 & 7:15 p.m. The Imposter (R) (((1/2 Century 16: 11:50 a.m.; 2:30, 5:10, 7:50 & 10:20 p.m. The Intouchables (R) (( Aquarius Theatre: 1:30, 4:15, 7 & 9:45 p.m. Katy Perry: Part of Me (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 11:50 a.m.; In 3D at 5 p.m. Magic Mike (R) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 2:25, 7:40 & 10:30 p.m. Moonrise Kingdom (PG-13) (((1/2 Century 16: 11:40 a.m.; 2, 4:20, 7:30 & 9:50 p.m. Century 20: 12:25, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30 & 10 p.m. The Queen of Versailles (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 11:35 a.m.; 2:10, 4:50, 7:35 & 10:10 p.m. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R) (Not Reviewed) Guild Theatre: Sat. at midnight. Ruby Sparks (R) ((1/2 Palo Alto Square: 1:45, 4:45, 7:25 & 9:55 p.m. Step Up: Revolution (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 1:25 & 3:50 p.m.; In 3D at 11 a.m.; 6:40 & 9:20 p.m. Century 20: 12:30, 3, 5:35, 8:10 & 10:40 p.m.; In 3D at 11:05 a.m.; 1:50, 4:20, 7 & 9:30 p.m. Ted (R) ( Century 16: 11:30 a.m. & 6:10 p.m. Century 20: 12:10, 2:45, 5:25, 7:55 & 10:40 p.m. To Rome With Love (R) (( Palo Alto Square: 1:30, 4:30, 7:15 & 9:45 p.m. Total Recall (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 11 a.m.; 12:30, 1:45, 3:30, 4:40 & 7 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 8, 10:05 & 10:50 p.m.; Sun. also at 8:30 & 10:15 p.m. Century 20: 10:40 & 11:35 a.m.; 12:30, 1:25, 2:20, 3:20, 4:10, 5:10, 6:10, 7, 8, 9:05, 9:50 & 10:45 p.m. The Watch (R) (( Century 16: 11:10 a.m.; 1:40, 2:40, 4:10 & 7:10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 8:10 & 10:10 p.m.; Sun. also at 8 & 10 p.m. Century 20: 10:45 a.m.; noon, 1:15, 2:35, 3:55, 5:05, 6:30, 7:50, 9 & 10:25 p.m. Way Down East (1920) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 7:30 p.m.

( Skip it (( Some redeeming qualities ((( A good bet (((( Outstanding Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (266-9260)

Century Theatres at Palo Alto Square Fri-Sun 8/3-8/5

Ruby Sparks - 1:45, 4:45, 7:25, 9:55 To Rome with Love - 1:30, 4:30, 7:15, 9:45

Mon-Wed Ruby Sparks - 1:45, 4:45, 7:25 8/6-8/8 To Rome with Love - 1:30, 4:30, 7:15

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Thurs Only Ruby Sparks - 1:45, 7:25 8/9 To Rome with Love - 4:30

Tickets and Showtimes available at cinemark.com

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 address: For show times, plot synopses, trailers and more information about films playing, go to PaloAltoOnline.com/movies

Sports Shorts

OF LOCAL NOTE . . . The Menlo Parkbased Roadrunners 16U boys’ team won the bronze division at the FAB 48 tournament in Las Vegas last weekend. The team went 5-1, losing only to Deron Williams Elite of Dallas, Texas, in pool play. The Roadrunners wound up in a three-way tie for first in prelim competition along with Deron Williams Elite and Lake Show of the East Bay. Based on point differential, the other teams moved on to the championship bracket. The Roadrunners went on to defeat Game Point of San Diego by 20 points, edged a Texas team by three and wrapped up the division title with an 11-point win over San Diego Pump & Run. Team members included Cole Lockwood, Ryan White, Keesean Johnson, Scott Mitchell, Z’hir James, Joseph Pwal, Greg Naumann and Joey Williams . . . A handful of local players and incoming Stanford freshmen will compete in the USTA National Boys 18 and 16 Championships that begin Friday at Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University. Palo Alto High grad Nick Hu will be in the 18s field along with Menlo School’s Daniel Morkovine and Richard Pham, plus incoming Cardinal freshmen Nolan Paige, Anthony Tsodikov and Trey Strobel. In the 16s, Menlo School’s Victor Pham and David Ball will lead the way.

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Logan rows to gold, Ipsen dives to bronze to open London Games by Rick Eymer

Members of the Palo Alto Oaks (L-R) Jason Kleinhoffer, Matt Campbell, Bryan Beres (22), player-manager Greg Matson and Julio Cortez celebrate Sunday’s 5-2 win over Solano in the AABC Stan Musial Western Regional title game.

SEMIPRO BASEBALL

Oaks well-armed with Campbell Veteran pitcher wraps up another berth in World Series with regional title by Keith Peters wo years away from a milestone 30th birthday, Matt Campbell has no aspirations of being a Major League Baseball player. That doesn’t mean, however, that’s he’s ready to give up the game. Despite his age and the fact he has a regular job, Campbell is happy to put on his Palo Alto Oaks’ uniform every weekend and head out to Baylands Athletic Center for the team’s usual Sunday doubleheader. There are no financial rewards for the left-handed pitcher. The game itself is enough. “I think there are really two things that keep me coming out for the Oaks each summer, my competitive spirit and the camaraderie with the team,” said Campbell, one of five 28-year olds on the team. “As anyone who has been playing a sport basically their entire life can tell you, the competitive drive never really goes away. It’s still fun to get on the mound and take on the physical and mental challenges of the game. “Also, just being able to hand out with a bunch of really good guys is probably the main reason I am still out there doing this. I can’t imagine playing with a better team.” With Campbell once again leading the way on the mound, the Oaks have compiled a 19-4 record this season. Moreover, they are headed to a third straight berth in the American Amateur Baseball Congress Stan Musial World Series, which begins its five-day run Wednesday in Port Lucie, Fla. The Oaks can thank Campbell for helping them earn the trip, as he pitched a five-hitter over nine innings in a 5-2 victory over the Solano Mudcats on Sunday in the championship game of the AABC Stan Musial Western

(continued on page 31)

Keith Peters