Palo Alto
Vol. XLII, Number 10
Q
December 11, 2020
County prepares COVID-19 vaccine plan Page 5
w w w. P a l o A l t o O n l i n e.c o m
Donate to the HOLIDAY FUND pages 7, 12
Pulse 21
Spectrum 22
Arts 24
Q Upfront Restaurants brace for impact of takeout only Q Upfront Bol Park welcomes new donkey Q Eating Out The ultimate food & drink gift guide
Page 8 Page 9 Page 26
dependable health care in uncertain times It is as important as ever to get the care you need. Stanford Health Care is taking every precaution to keep you safe. To protect your health, we are: • Sanitizing exam rooms after every patient U.S. News & World Report recognizes Stanford Health Care among the top hospitals in the nation. Ranking based on quality and patient safety.
• Testing patients for COVID-19 before most procedures • Screening everyone for COVID-19 risk before entry • Providing and requiring masks for patients and staff • Monitoring employee health, including regular COVID-19 testing Don’t delay your care. Appointments are available at our locations across the Bay Area and remotely by video visit.
To learn more, visit: stanfordhealthcare.org/resumingcare
Page 2 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
SOLD WITH ALL CASH IN 4 DAYS
JLEE REALTY 65 KIRBY PLACE PALO ALTO 5 bedrooms | 3.5 Bathrooms Living space: 2,485 sq.ft. Lot size: 16,131 sq.ft.
Listing Price: $5,250,000
Before you sign a listing agreement, interview Juliana Lee, the most veteran, experienced bilingual realtor and the one who achieves the most desirable result. She will promote your home to 35,0000 buyers instantly.
Listing Commission As Low As 0.0% (Almost Free) JLEE REALTY SPECIAL
julianalee.com/zero-percent-commission The Highest Sales Price Isn’t Always The Best Price • Your net proceeds are what is important! • Professional remodeling companies estimate the increase inhome value from any improvement. The increase is almost always less than the cost of the remodeling.* • The more you spend on improvements, the higher your salesprice will be but your net proceeds can suffer. • While your home is being remodeled, you are incurring significant costs. • A higher sales price makes your listing agent look better but the cost of getting it also often makes your own bottom line worse.Juliana will get you the best bottom line. Do you really want to remodel your home to be the best home, no matter the cost, just so your agent can sell it? (You are paying for the remodeling.) Advertisements
• Importantly, Juliana has both branded and unbranded websites. She has over 500 custom multi-property websites created by her team, which have been constantly expanded and updated for years... and they are helping promote her listings. • JulianaLee.com already ranks on the first page of Google search results for roughly 170 targeted key words and ranks forthousands of organic keywords. • Juliana also advertises in newspapers, radio, email, and more, but most buyers are looking online. • Juliana doesn’t want to separate buyers from their own buyer agents. She encourages all 10,000 plus local agents to bring their own buyers.
Selling A Home That Is Loved • Reduce uncertainty! • Make it easy for a buyer to proudly call your home their own home. Marketing Your Home • Advertise to agents who are helping buyers. • Work with buyer agents who really want to get their clients a new home. • Even before Covid-19 most buyers wantedto get help from their own agent. Thereare no open houses now. Buyer agents areextremely important. Presenting Your Home To Buyers • Juliana knows what attracts buyers. Shedoesn’t want to own and manage furniture.She manages top professional serviceproviders. She makes certain you get agreat presentation of your home. • Juliana’s team includes a professionalphotographer, a CPA, a former bankingprofessional, and others. Her team usestheir expertise and connections toevaluate, manage, and when necessaryto step in and provide results. Her teamabove all else sells real estate. Negotiations And Closing Escrow • Negotiations... are as much a searchfor solutions as for anything else. Themore “solutions” Juliana offers to aprospective buyer, the better his offerwill be. A former client who was an ivyleague college graduate with a stronginterest in negotiations told Julianathat she couldn’t match her in the realestate field. • The best professor of solving escrowissues is experience. Juliana’s 30+years of experience, her passion for realestate sales, and her tightly knit teamare unmatched in Silicon Valley. *Come meet Juliana and see published results.
Juliana Lee
650-857-1000
MBA/LLB Certified Residential Specialist DRE##02103053
homes@julianalee.com julianalee.com
Call Juliana Lee for• Palo free market analysis www.PaloAltoOnline.com Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 3
Private School Previews GIDEON HAUSNER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL
ÞĞ óƙĞ Ăł fÄžÇŽĹƒĆĄÄž ĆĄÄ?ĞŲŲś ĆÄžĂłĆ Ä?Ć™ĹƒĹŚÄˇĆĄ Ĺ˛ĆľĆ ĆĞĞ ĂłĹ¤ĂłÇžĹƒĹŚÄˇ ĹƒĹŚ ǔŲƾƙ Ä?ÄžĹƒĹ›Ä—É”
450 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto
Hausner students explore STEM, the arts, and project-based learning. They ask “Why?� and “Why not?� to find answers and explore more questions. They discover the joy of giving back.
žĞĞǔ Ä?ÄžÄ?ŲŤĞ óśś ǔŲƾ ėƙĞóŤ ĆĞĞǔ Ä?óŌ Ä?Ğɔ
Join us for an
OPEN HOUSE Saturday, January 30
Now by appointment! Meet our campus team and explore Stratford’s balanced and intentionally designed curriculum.
v‚Þ 1vŠ‚jjUvI 7.Ȃ WK JUDGH
1R DSSOLFDWLRQ IHH LI \RX DSSO\ EHIRUH
ΖQTXLUH 7RGD\ KDXVQHUVFKRRO RUJ DGPLVVLRQV
School Success Without the Stress
A Unique and Unrivaled 1:1 Education Year-Round Enrollment
Education personalized to YOU and your schedule All classes available one-on-one IN REAL-TIME ONLINE!
• Full-Time Middle/High School, Courses on Demand, & Tutoring • High-quality curriculum UC/CSU approved • Classes on your time, at your pace, and customized for you.
Enroll today at lydianacademy.com Join our community for a Virtual Open House monthly at 10am, check website for dates.
815 El Camino Real, Menlo Park • 650.321.0550 www.lydianacademy.com Page 4 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Palo Alto Campus Preschool – Middle School 870 North California Avenue (650) 493-1151
Pre-register online StratfordSchools.com/about-us/events Preschool State License Numbers: 434408056. Copyright Š 2020 Stratford Schools, Inc.
Upfront
Local news, information and analysis
Experts: Economic recovery could take years As COVID-19 batters the local economy, Palo Alto plots a comeback by Gennady Sheyner
A
s the number of COVID-19 cases continued to spike across Santa Clara County this week, Palo Alto’s city leaders found themselves staring at two distinct but related assignments: manage a raging
health crisis and try to save the local economy from falling into a rapid downward spiral. The county’s shelter-in-place orders, which have been in effect since mid-March, may have prevented a deeper public health
crisis in the region, but they have also taken a heavy toll on the business sector. Scores of restaurants and retailers have shut down. Some eateries pivoted to outdoor dining, only to find the activity suddenly prohibited under the county’s most recent stay-at-home directive (See story on page 8). Other businesses, including gyms, hotels and entertainment venues, face an even more uncertain
future as residents curtail their travel plans and the work-fromhome model continues to stick. So far, the effects of the economic recession on the Peninsula have been significant but geographically uneven. In some areas, sales tax revenues have remained relatively flat; in others, they have plunged steeply. Palo Alto and Mountain View both fall in the latter category, according
to a report from Thomas Adams, whose firm Avenu Insights and Analytics serves as Palo Alto’s sales tax consultant. In the third quarter of 2020, sales tax revenues in Palo Alto dropped by 23.2% from the same period in 2019. In Mountain View, the decline was 24.2%. By contrast, sales tax revenues in Redwood City and San (continued on page 14)
PUBLIC HEALTH
County leaders plan for COVID-19 vaccines Also, PAMF fined for insufficient tests by Sue Dremann, Bay City News Service and San Jose Spotlight
S Olivia Treynor
Paula Rantz, left, Debbie Nichols, center, and Margaret Lawrence, right, stand next to one of the trees they’ve brought to the neighborhood of Old Palo Alto on Dec. 1.
NEIGHBORHOODS
Spreading light and joy, Christmas Tree lanes are popping up all over town Fulton Street’s holiday tradition is now being replicated in other neighborhoods by Sue Dremann
I
f 2020 has been a year of darkness, some Palo Alto residents aim to create a pathway of light in their neighborhood and, perhaps, beyond. The streets are lined with small, brightly lit Christmas trees in those old-fashioned, large colorful bulbs that many who grew
up in the 1950s and 1960s will remember. Christmas Tree Lane, the holiday tradition on Fulton Street dating back to 1940, is spreading throughout the city, with little lanes and whole blocks now lined with holiday cheer. Fulton Street’s claim to fame
began spreading in 2011, when one of its previous residents, Debbie Nichols, moved back to her childhood home in Old Palo Alto. Nichols realized she didn’t know many of her neighbors, so she decided to get residents to decorate their street with the colorful trees
during the holiday season. “I lived on Christmas Tree Lane for about nine or 10 years. I loved it. I got to know all of my neighbors because of the event. I missed that. It was so dark here when I moved,” she said. She noted that when Judge Hardy started the original Christmas Tree Lane in 1940, he wrote a letter saying he hoped the idea would spread from Fulton Street throughout Palo Alto. “I took it to heart,” she said. Nichols, with neighbors Paula Rantz and Margaret Lawrence started knocking on
anta Clara County could receive the first 17,550 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc. and 39,300 doses from Moderna Inc. this month as soon as the manufacturers gets emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for distribution, county health leaders announced this week. The Pfizer vaccines are expected first and will be given to acute-care health workers and residents of long-term care facilities but are not likely to cover all eligible recipients in those groups, Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, head of the county’s COVID-19 testing task force, said during a press conference in San Jose on Dec. 7. With immunization requiring two doses, some 28,425 people would be able to be vaccinated with the first shipments of the drugs. Fenstersheib noted that while neither Pfizer nor Moderna had approval just yet, both companies are meeting with FDA officials: Pfizer on Thursday, Dec. 10, and Moderna on Dec. 17. The vaccines require very low storage temperatures. Hospitals and the county are preparing to receive the shipments and the county Public Health Department has purchased freezers, he said. Patients in skilled nursing facilities are being prioritized because they are the most seriously at risk.
(continued on page 20) (continued on page 11)
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 5
Upfront 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
PUBLISHER William S. Johnson (223-6505) EDITORIAL Editor Jocelyn Dong (223-6514) Associate Editor Linda Taaffe (223-6511) Sports Editor Rick Eymer (223-6516) Arts & Entertainment Editor Karla Kane (223-6517) Home & Real Estate Editor Heather Zimmerman (223-6515) Express & Digital Editor Jamey Padojino (223-6524) Staff Writers Sue Dremann (223-6518), Elena Kadvany (223-6519), Gennady Sheyner (223-6513) Chief Visual Journalist Magali Gauthier (223-6530) Visual Journalist Intern Olivia Treynor Editorial Assistant/Intern Coordinator Lloyd Lee (223-6526) Contributors Chrissi Angeles, Mike Berry, Carol Blitzer, Peter Canavese, Edward Gerard Fike, Yoshi Kato, Chris Kenrick, Jack McKinnon, Sheryl Nonnenberg, John Orr, Monica Schreiber, Jay Thorwaldson
I wonder how many of my business comrades are going to make it through this period. —Michael Ekwall, La Bodeguita del Medio co-owner, on new restaurant restrictions. See story on page 8.
Around Town Courtesy Deanna Wong
ADVERTISING Vice President Sales & Marketing Tom Zahiralis (223-6570) Multimedia Advertising Sales Elaine Clark (223-6572), Connie Jo Cotton (223-6571) Real Estate Advertising Sales Neal Fine (223-6583), Rosemary Lewkowitz (223-6585) Legal Advertising Alicia Santillan (223-6578) ADVERTISING SERVICES Advertising Services Manager Kevin Legarda (223-6597) Sales & Production Coordinator Diane Martin (223-6584) DESIGN Design & Production Manager Kristin Brown (223-6562) Senior Designers Linda Atilano, Paul Llewellyn
AmiCare
To place an ad call 650.223.6597 or email digitalads@ paweekly.com.
SERVICES INCORPORATED
Quality and affordable caregiving services right at the comfort of your home.
Designers Kevin Legnon, Amy Levine, Douglas Young BUSINESS Assistant Business Manager Gwen Fischer (223-6575) Business Associates Nico Navarrete (223-6582), Suzanne Ogawa (223-6543)
CALL FOR A FREE NURSE ASSESSMENT
ADMINISTRATION Courier Ruben Espinoza
(650) 709-8900
Sign up today at PaloAltoOnline.com/express
EMBARCADERO MEDIA President William S. Johnson (223-6505) Vice President Michael I. Naar (223-6540) Vice President & CFO Peter Beller (223-6545) Vice President Sales & Marketing Tom Zahiralis (223-6570)
Employment The Palo Alto Weekly offers advertising for Employment, as well as Home and Business Services. If you wish to learn more about these advertising options, please call 650.223.6582 or email digitalads@paweekly.com.
Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Frank A. Bravo (223-6551) Director of Marketing and Audience Development Emily Freeman (223-6560) Major Accounts Sales Manager Connie Jo Cotton (223-6571) Circulation Assistant Alicia Santillan Computer System Associates Chris Planessi, Mike Schmidt 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 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. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Palo Alto Weekly, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306. ©2020 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, ads@paweekly.com Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Email circulation@paweekly.com. You may also subscribe online at PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $120/yr.
VERY REAL LOCAL NEWS
Print or online subscription starts at only $5 /month Visit: PaloAltoOnline.com/join
#PressOn
Page 6 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Become a Paid Subscriber for as low as $5 per month Sign up online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com/join
BUON APPETITO! ... Tessa Berney’s Italian dinner kits consist of three simple ingredients: pasta, pasta sauce and a positive note for the recipient all packaged in a Ziploc bag. In about a month, the sixth-grader managed to gather enough donations for a total of 145 sets that were donated last week to Peninsula Family Service. It’s her way of helping out people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I can’t write them a check, I’m only 10, so I want to help them in a different way,” she said. Tessa was inspired to launch the project after watching a video of a family of four who lived in a small, one-bedroom apartment and received help through the nonprofit. She reached out to her neighbors in Old Palo Alto and surrounding areas through Nextdoor and her school, Silicon Valley International School, to support her food drive. To keep things safe and contactless, donors left their contributions in a bucket set up outside of her home. Then, Tessa and her family would pick them up and wipe everything down. The notes in each kit varied in messaging, from a holiday greeting to simply “Buon Appetito!” She chose to center her food drive on pasta dishes because they’re filling meals and the receiver could make their own additions, such as a protein or vegetables (plus, it’s popular among children, Tessa added). The project caught the attention of Palo Alto Firefighters Local 1319, which gave her a $1,000 check. She plans to spend a majority of the funds to assist firefighters in the Bay Area. Looking forward, Tessa intends to make dinner kits every holiday season. “It just felt good to give back to my community and to help others ... in such a difficult year.” RICH IN KINDNESS ... As Aesop once said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” The Greek fabulist’s words rang true for the people
behind this year’s on Silicon Valley Philanthropy Day. The Nov. 19 event by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Silicon Valley Chapter showed appreciation for a handful of locals who have stepped up to serve the needy. Among the recognized locals were Palo Alto City Council member Alison Cormack, Megan Swezey Fogarty and Lynne Russell for their work in helping low-wage workers with rent and other expenses for basic needs. The organization also recognized Evelyne Keomian, founder of The Karat School Project, a Palo Alto-based nonprofit that works to educate women and girls. Keomian has assisted people who live in recreational vehicles parked on El Camino Real. For a full list of this year’s honorees, visit bit. ly/2K5OkML. TOP OF THE LINE ... Presidentelect Joe Biden has wasted no time since the general election was called in his favor. Over the past few weeks, news has circulated of his Cabinet nominees and picks for agency review teams, some of whom have ties to Stanford University. One of the most notable choices was announced this week. State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who received his undergraduate and law degrees from Stanford, has been tapped to serve as the secretary of Health and Human Services. Becerra would be the first Latino to serve in the role if confirmed, according to Biden and Vice Presidentelect Kamala Harris’ transition team. Five Stanford scholars have been picked to serve on Biden and Harris’ agency review teams. The appointees are Linda Darling-Hammond, an education professor; Colin Kahl, senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Pam Karlan, professor of public interest law; Arun Majumdar, director of the Precourt Institute for Energy; and Ramin Toloui, the Tad and Dianne Taube policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “These teams are composed of highly experienced and talented professionals with deep backgrounds in crucial policy areas across the federal government,” the Biden-Harris transition team said in an announcement. Q
Upfront HOLIDAY FUND
In times of grief, a culturally understanding support network Kara’s Spanish Services Program reaches out to those who are underserved by Sue Dremann
W
significant losses, I can relate with some of the struggles the Latin communities have,” Ramirez wrote in a statement celebrating the program’s five-year anniversary this past June. “Helping normalize a person’s feelings is so powerful. I also believe that being able to speak their language provides a sense of comfort, too. We use phrases, poems and words that help us connect with one another, but most importantly, we listen with compassion,” she wrote. Since January, the program has provided peer-based and consultative support to more than 200 people. Kara used a $7,500 Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund grant it received last year to train five
of the volunteers in its expanding program. The expansion is needed more than ever. “The program is at capacity” in terms of the number of clients the volunteers can serve, Santucci said. The Spanish Services Program was started by Maria Berardi, a Kara outreach volunteer who did research on grief in the Spanishspeaking community. She found barriers to grief support services and saw that the existing services lacked cultural sensitivity to the Latino community. Now directed by Rosario Puga-Dempsey, the program reaches its clients through partnerships with community organizations that include East Palo Alto Senior Center, Menlo Park Senior Center, Community Health Awareness Council in Mountain View, On Lok in East San Jose, Redwood City School District and Samaritan House Redwood City. Puga-Dempsey is also part of the National Alliance for Grieving Children Spanish Services workgroup. Kara has seen “an increased,
Courtesy of Kara
hen Maribel Ramirez lost her baby in pregnancy several years ago, there wasn’t a program available with cultural sensitivity in Palo Alto to help process her grief. “The cultural and socio-economic factors influence how we process grief. Grief is a difficult topic in general, but for the Latin community, it becomes a bit more challenging due to all the myths we have about grief,” explained Ramirez, who went on to volunteer with the Spanish Services Program of Kara, a Palo Alto nonprofit grief-counseling agency. Ramirez learned about the thenfledgling Spanish program in 2016 and immediately wanted to help. Today, she is part of a team of 20 peer-support volunteers who work with Kara’s Spanish-speaking clients. The program added six trained volunteers this year to try to meet the need. “Being part of Kara, and supporting the Latin community, has been challenging and rewarding at the same time. As an immigrant and as a person who had many
The Day of the Dead display is one of the culturally sensitive events put on by Kara’s Spanish Services grief-counseling program at 457 Kingsley Ave. in Palo Alto. continuous need for services and even more so for the Latinx community,” Executive Director Jim Santucci said. While working to meet the growing challenge, the organization has also pivoted from many face-to-face services due to the COVID-19 crisis this year, Santucci said. In response to COVID-19, Kara is regularly conducting peer-based, one-toone support by phone or Zoom video for its clients, including in the Spanish Services Program. It began weekly blog posts in Spanish to support Spanish-speaking community members; created a
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Palo Alto looks past harassment allegations, inks new deal with Downtown Streets Team Despite some unease, City Council agrees to enter a one-year agreement with nonprofit
S
Courtesy PA Chamber of Commerce
etting aside their concerns about numerous allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against top executives at the Downtown Streets Team, Palo Alto City Council members agreed on Monday to sign a new deal with the nonprofit to maintain the cleanliness of downtown parking lots, alleyways and sidewalks. By a 6-0 vote, with council member Alison Cormack absent, the council voted to continue its relationship with Downtown Streets Team, a nonprofit that provides outreach services and support to homeless individuals. But rather than sign the three-year, $323,244 contract that City Manager Ed Shikada was recommending, council members opted for a one-year deal for $107,748. In approving the contract, council members chose to trust the nonprofit without verifying the assertion of Owen Byrd, chair of the organization’s board of directors, that the Downtown Streets Team has already investigated the allegations that were brought forward against CEO Eileen Richardson by five former female employees. Byrd claimed that most of these complaints were deemed
by Gennady Sheyner unfounded over the course of the past, he cited on Monday privacy concerns as a reason not to release investigation. When questioned by the council, even a redacted version of the report to the city. Byrd asserted Byrd also emphasized that none that the nonof the former employees had filed profit has found lawsuits against the Downtown “absolutely no Streets Team. He characterized evidence” of their complaints as “entirely alleharassment or gations brought in the press,” alpay dispariluding to investigations that were ties based on published by San Jose Inside and, gender. At the later, the Weekly. same time, he Eileen His assurance notwithstanding, told the council Richardson the nonprofit did in fact face a lethat since these allegations were made, the non- gal challenge from a former emprofit instituted new governance ployee, Zia MacWilliams, relating measures, including a strengthened to unemployment benefits that she Human Resources Department was set to receive after she quit her with a director who reports direct- job. In 2018, the California Unly to the board and increased man- employment Insurance Appeals Board sided with MacWilliams agement and employee training. The Downtown Streets Team and granted her the unemployboard had also commissioned in ment benefits after it concluded 2018 an independent investigation that she had good cause to quit. Byrd falsely maintained Monof allegations from five former employees by The Law Offices of day that the legal challenges that Amy Oppenheimer. While Byrd the nonprofit has faced — includclaimed that the investigation ing an ongoing dispute over wages found no evidence that supported — have nothing to do with the numost of the complaints, he has merous claims of misconduct, inconsistently rebuffed the city’s at- cluding allegations that Richardson tempts to obtain the document and facilitated a hard-drinking culture to verify its conclusions. As in the and that she made advances toward
an employee who was intoxicated and unconscious at a 2014 holiday party. In fact, the Appeals Board’s ruling explicitly stated: “Based upon the claimant’s (MacWilliams’) sworn testimony, which was provided in a manner which caused the administrative law judge to conclude her testimony credible, it is found that the claimant was subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.” When asked by Vice Mayor Tom DuBois about the Appeals Board rulings, which the Weekly previously reported on, Byrd said that the news organization “got it wrong” when it linked the pay dispute with the sexual harassment allegations — notwithstanding that the ruling itself stated exactly that. In considering MacWilliams’ testimony, the two judges also concurred that it should be accorded “greater evidentiary weight” and “probative value” than the sworn testimony from the employer witness, which according to the judges was “lacking in conviction and frequently non-responsive to questions posed to her regarding the issue of sexual harassment.” The only public investigation that Byrd said remains ongoing
six-part video series for clients produced by the director and volunteers; presented a four-part online workshop for Sunday Friends Foundation in San Jose, an organization working to lift people out of poverty; trained seven new volunteers in an online format in September; conducted an online mindfulness-based stress reduction course for more than 20 clients and volunteers in the fall; and celebrated the traditional Day of the Dead with an altar at the Kara building in the Professorville neighborhood, where community (continued on page 13)
was a dispute over whether the agency did its “record-keeping correctly” when it came to hourly employees. “That’s a wage and hour dispute that is separate from the allegations of harassment,” Byrd said. The council’s approval of the Downtown Streets Team contract came a week after some members expressed reservations about providing funding to a nonprofit that continues to withhold the investigative documentation that the city has been seeking. Several council members indicated Monday that they remained uncomfortable approving additional funding for the nonprofit, notwithstanding the valuable services that its team members provide. Council member Liz Kniss said that the group’s failure to release the Oppenheimer report — even with redactions — makes her “uneasy.” She noted that numerous people had complained about the Downtown Street Team executive culture and that they had “apparently had some justification for their complaints.” “I’m not worried about what the Downtown Streets Team does in our city — it does a good job,” Kniss said. “What I’m concerned about is the overall reputation that was altered at Downtown Streets Team as a result of the allegations.” Council member Lydia Kou said that after recent discussions with Byrd, she came away “pretty disappointed” by the city’s (continued on page 11)
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 7
Upfront BUSINESS
Restaurants brace as outdoor dining ban kicks in Santa Clara County eateries return to takeout, delivery only by Elena Kadvany local businesses,” Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said. “However, if we act quickly, we can both save lives and reduce the amount of time these restrictions have to stay in place, allowing businesses and activities to reopen sooner.” It’s a blow — though not an altogether surprising one given mounting warnings about unprecedented levels of COVID-19 in the region — for restaurants that have been relying on outdoor dining to bring in revenue, particularly during the holidays when their dining rooms would usually be booked for parties and corporate events. Many invested in parklets and extensive outdoor dining set-ups, particularly in streets that have been closed to traffic like University Avenue in Palo Alto, Castro Street in Mountain View and Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park. In the wake of the news, several restaurants announced temporary closures, including Steins Beer Garden & Restaurant in Mountain View.
“Going back to takeout and delivery, it’s going to be really hard. It’s not a model we can survive on,” said Anu Bhambri, who owns Rooh on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. “Without any stimulus package or any help from the government it’s going to be very hard to survive.” Rooh’s landlord paid to build the restaurant’s parklet, Bhambri said, but she recently purchased additional heaters and new tents to prepare for the winter. She immediately thought of the implications for inventory at Rooh, where outdoor dining sales outpace takeout. Patio heaters are just one of the additional costs Zareen Khan has incurred for outdoor dining at her eponymous restaurants in Palo Alto, Mountain View and Redwood City. Heaters that used to go for $150 are now as expensive as $400 and much harder to come by, she said. She’s frustrated by the new restrictions, which she said are penalizing small businesses that
Magali Gauthier
B
ay Area officials’ Dec. 4 announcement that they would expedite the state’s new stay-at-home order meant that Santa Clara County restaurants had just two days before outdoor dining would be shut down temporarily. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Dec. 3 that all sectors other than retail and essential operations would be closed in regions of the state where less than 15% of intensive care unit beds are available under a new stay-at-home order. But five Bay Area counties — Santa Clara, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties — and the city of Berkeley decided to implement the new order this week rather than wait until local hospitals are near crisis. Santa Clara County restaurants had to revert to takeout and delivery only starting on Dec. 6 and through at least Jan. 4. “We understand that the closures under the state order will have a profound impact on our
Palo Alto has temporarily reopened University Avenue to traffic while outdoor dining is shut down. have already been barely treading water for eight months. She’s reduced prices at Zareen’s and feels like she’s constantly advertising discounts to bring in more business. She told her employees on Dec. 4 that they would have to start taking turns taking time off to manage staffing levels with the loss of outdoor dining. “I request the county be more creative in how to control COVID,” Khan said. “Closing businesses is not a solution.” During a press conference on Dec. 4, Contra Costa Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said, “Any kind of activity that involves taking off your mask to eat or drink — even though outdoors is safer — even outdoors poses a risk for COVID spread. With the high risk
of transmission in our communities, outdoor dining is more risky than it was two months ago.” Lars Smith, co-owner of State of Mind Public House in Los Altos, felt a grim kind of resilience in the face of the news. He feels better equipped to help his restaurant navigate another shutdown, having done it before. He knows now that he can keep on more staff than he did in March, when in a panic they laid off front-of-house staff and cut employees’ hours — and then were overwhelmed by a spike in takeout business. At La Bodeguita del Medio in Palo Alto, however, co-owner Michael Ekwall was facing the (continued on page 13)
Thanks for trusting transit. #WeGotYou
Julie VTA Rider Since 1979
vta.org (408) 321-2300 (408) 321-2330 TTY
Page 8 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Morgan VTA Rider Since 2014
Upfront BARRON PARK
After companion’s death, Perry the donkey gets a new buddy The new, 21-year-old miniature donkey was donated by a Woodside resident by Sue Dremann Whereas Miner Forty Niner, Perry’s companion prior to Jenny, was the alpha donkey, Jenny let Perry believe he was superior. Buddy seems like he won’t take over, Kiratli said. When Perry displayed his dominance, Buddy retreated to a more secluded spot in the paddock and just kept an eye on things, but the two also began playing, running and kicking at each other, as donkeys do: one bites and kicks and then runs off, she said. But Buddy has his own way of communicating his presence. “He has a little bray,” Kiratli said. For now, Perry is the one hogging the paddock gate, the place where the donkeys greet visitors. “We need people to give Perry lots of attention. When Jenny came, he was kind of ignored. Everybody was excited to meet the new donkey,” she said. On Sunday, Dec. 6, donkey handlers Michael Holland and Stephanie Kaplan took Perry and Buddy for a walk in Bol Park where the donkeys greeted people. Kiratli
was there, giving them hugs. “He’s a very cuddly, friendly donkey. He’s super child-friendly and he was led on walks. He won’t kick or bite,” she said. Woodside resident Kerry DeBenedetti donated Buddy, who was one of two donkeys she owned. She heard that handlers at The Donkey Project, which cares for the animals, were looking for another companion for Perry. DeBenedetti owned Buddy for three years. She adopted him from a friend in town who was moving away, she said. Buddy was cuddly and affectionate, but Curly, her standard-sized donkey, never warmed up to him. A friend asked DeBenedetti if she knew of any donkeys that might be adoptable by Barron Park. “I thought of loaning Buddy to Perry as a temporary companion,” she said, but after talking to some people who work with donkeys, she decided to donate him, she said. “The setup there is a donkey paradise. There are lots of places to explore. I thought for Buddy, it was a better place for him,” she said.
Courtesy Jenny Kiratli
A
fluffy, chocolate-colored donkey has moved into Barron Park. Named Buddy, the 21-year-old miniature donkey arrived to share the paddock adjacent to Bol Park with the neighborhood’s other famous miniature, Perry, on Dec. 5, according to lead donkey handler Jenny Kiratli. Perry’s previous companion, a female standard-sized donkey named Jenny, was euthanized on Nov. 18 after an extended illness. Perry had been braying for his lost companion since then, as donkeys are herd animals and need to be around others of their breed, Kiratli said. So far, it looks like the two will get along well. “When they first met, they went right up mouth to mouth and they nuzzled muzzles for a long time. They circled each other for minutes,” Kiratli said. In typical donkey style, Perry then had to let Buddy know who was boss of the paddock. “Perry rushed him. He’s a little Napoleon,” she said.
Donkey handlers Michael Holland, left, with Perry, and Stephanie Kaplan, right, with Buddy, visit Bol Park on Dec. 6. DeBenedetti, who also has horses, said that it wasn’t practical or safe for her to walk the two donkeys at a time. The affectionate Buddy would benefit from being around children, she said. Her only concern is that people will feed the donkeys. “There’s nothing worse than overfeeding a donkey. They need high-fiber, low-nutrient food, not carrots and apples,” she said. DeBenedetti was at the paddock on Dec. 5 and watched the two donkeys interact, prepared to take Buddy back if they didn’t get along. Seeing them together, she was confident that Buddy has found a suitable place in Barron Park, she said. “I have a feeling that’s going to
be his new home,” she said. The Donkey Project has incurred many veterinary expenses over the past few months while caring for Jenny. After she died, people made donations. “We’re really appreciative of the donations that have come in,” Kiratli said, noting that quite a few people opened their wallets and hearts to help defray the costs. But the project still has a way to go to make up the costs. Donations are the only source of support, she said. Anyone who wants to make a donation can visit barronparkdonkeys.org. Q Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@ paweekly.com.
Keep Moving Forward With more than 35 online degrees & hundreds of courses, work towards your goals from home this winter.
Registration opens Nov. 16 Classes start Jan. 4
foothill.edu/apply www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 9
To our Stanford Medicine Community For months, we have faced the challenges of living through this pandemic together. And while we have more reasons to hope with each passing day that we will eventually defeat this virus, it is clear the crisis is far from over. The number of COVID cases in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as much of California, has soared over the past few weeks. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to avoid large gatherings in an effort to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19. Hospitals across the nation are filling their beds more quickly, and our frontline healthcare workers are facing exhaustion. This is a dangerous situation to be in, and we need everyone’s help to fix it. Even with so much uncertainty, the science is clear. We know what works to stop the spread of COVID-19: • Wear a mask. Masks can save lives, including your own. • Wash your hands. Thorough handwashing stops the virus from spreading. • Keep your distance. Avoid gatherings and stay 6 feet apart from those you don’t live with. We know you have heard all of these recommendations before, but they are more important than ever. Stanford Medicine is here for you, as always, and committed to being a part of the solution. We know you are counting on us, and we have mobilized everyone—our care teams, researchers, students, and staff—to rise to this challenge. But we need you to know that we are counting on you, too. It is your help that will make the difference and determine whether or not we can slow the spread of the virus in the weeks and months ahead. It is your care and thoughtfulness that will save lives and shape the future. We are here for you and with your help, we will get through this together. Lloyd Minor, MD Dean, Stanford School of Medicine
Page 10 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
David Entwistle President and CEO Stanford Health Care
Paul King President and CEO Stanford Children’s Health
Upfront
COVID (continued from page 5)
Although they make up 5% of COVID-19 cases, they account for more than 45% of the deaths, Fenstersheib said. The county plans to stick with state and federal guidelines for the priority of who receives the vaccines, but the county also plans to meet the equity requirements so those who are most impacted can receive the vaccine, he said. The rollout of the vaccines is expected to be gradual and could take well into spring or summer 2021 to complete for all residents, he said. The vaccines can’t come soon enough, as the county is in the midst of a COVID-19 surge that eclipses the initial outbreak. On Wednesday, the seven-day rolling average of new daily cases was 683, up from 510 one week prior. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients numbered 414, an increase of 118 from the week prior, and only 14% of the county’s ICU beds — or 45 beds — remained available.
County fines hospitals over testing
State unveils COVID-19 notification app California will make a mobile app available to the public this week that will notify users when they encounter someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. The CA Notify app, developed by Apple and Google, uses Bluetooth technology to notify users who are near someone who has tested positive for the virus. People who test positive for the virus will receive a verification code to enter into the app. Other app users will then be anonymously notified if they have been within 6 feet of the infected user for at least 15 minutes. App users must voluntarily activate the app, according to the California Department of Public Health, and it does not show the coronavirus-positive user’s identity or exact location, nor does it collect, store or transmit identifying user information. “This is not contact tracing; this is notification technology,” Newsom said Monday during a briefing on the pandemic. “You can choose to participate in leveraging this technology to allow people that you have been in contact with or have been in contact with you to be notified of potential exposure.” CA Notify is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. It was piloted for several months at seven University of California campuses by some 250,000 students, faculty and staff. The app technology was also tested at universities in Colorado,
Nevada, Washington and Oregon. According to Newsom, more than 60 positive test verification codes were issued to people at the universities over the last eight weeks. “The more people that participate in it, the more that opt-in, the more effective this program can be,” Newsom said. “Another tool in our toolkit in terms of impacting the spread and transmission rate of this virus.” Newsom said he did not expect millions of state residents to opt into using the app, noting that he’s cognizant of the paltry participation rates in other states’ exposure apps. Other countries, like New Zealand, launched similar app technology months ago, which has helped them curb the virus’ spread. “This is only as good as people’s adaptation and utilization,” he said.
Stanford seeks testing volunteers Taking a coronavirus test could be easy as spit if an at-thome test by Stanford Medicine pans out. The test, which could cost as little as $5, involves boiling some water, reading the instructions and spitting into a funnel, according to an announcement by Stanford Medicine. The test takes no more than 10 minutes to self-administer, and results will show in 30 minutes. Stanford Medicine is seeking volunteers for a study of the test, which can detect the presence of the coronvirus within 30 minutes. Its accuracy rate is similar to clinical nasal-swab tests performed in hospitals. The test was invented by Manu Prakash, associate professor of bioengineering, and his group with support from the Stanford Medicine Catalyst Program. The test is also designed for easy, large-scale manufacture, Prakash said in the announcement. “The world needs rapid-screening kits now, and at a very large scale. If the study is successful, our goal will be to manufacture tens of millions of them per day. We’re already building industrial partnerships to generate that capacity,” he said. The research team is assembling nearly 10,000 test kits for the study. The pilot study seeks to determine whether the test can achieve clinical-grade detection results. It began on Dec. 2 and should be completed in December. “Our hope is to prove this works in the real world and then scale to hundreds of millions of tests to help open schools, universities and businesses as we wait for the vaccines now in development to come online,” said Euan Ashley, associate dean in the School of Medicine who co-directs the Catalyst Program. For information about participating in the study can be found at snapdx.org. Q Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@ paweekly.com.
Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to meet in a closed session to discuss the existing litigation, Miriam Green v. City of Palo Alto pertaining to utilities fees. The council will then consider changes to the zoning code pertaining to retail and consider a colleagues memo about safe firearms storage. The closed session will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14. The rest of the virtual meeting will take place immediately after the closed session. Those wishing to participate by Zoom can do so by dialing 669-900-6833 and using Meeting ID: 362 027 238. BOARD OF EDUCATION ... The school board will hear updates on reopening schools, special education, budget assumptions and an absenteeism report, among other items. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15. The meeting will be broadcast on Cable TV Channel 28 and midpenmedia.org. Those wishing to participate by Zoom can do so by going to pausd.zoom.us/j/97888498129 or dialing 669-900-6833 and using Meeting ID: 949 9734 6242. COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE ... The committee plan to discuss the Fire Departmentís ambulance subscription program, consider updates to impact fees for the Park, Community Center and Library Development Fee program; review the financial forecast for the fiscal year 2022 general fund. The virtual meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Those wishing to participate by Zoom can do so by dialing 669-900-6833 and using Meeting ID: 992 2730 7235. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to approve a park improvement ordinance for Ramos Park and consider a dog off-leash area at Ramos Park. The commission also plans to discuss best practices for outreach. The virtual meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Those wishing to participate by Zoom can do so by dialing 669-900-6833 and using Meeting ID: 999 3789 9745. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD ... The board plans to hold a public hearing to review the proposed replacement of the Pope-Chaucer Bridge. The board also plans to elect a chair and vice chair and discuss its policy on ex parte communications involving board members, applicants, developers and other individuals. The virtual meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17. Those wishing to participate by Zoom can do so by dialing 669-900-6833 and using Meeting ID: 964 1982 2906 CITY/SCHOOL LIAISON COMMITTEE ... The committee is scheduled to review recent City Council and school board meetings; discuss COVID-19 coordination; and hear updates on Project Safety Net, grade separation planning and other ongoing matters. The virtual meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17. Those wishing to participate by Zoom can do so by dialing 669-900-6833 and using Meeting ID: 739 622 589. HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss its response to receipt incidents of hate in Palo Alto; hear a presentation from an ad hoc committee on a report on the history of Black and brown communities in Palo Alto; and discuss the commission’s retreat. Those wishing to participate by Zoom can do so by dialing 669-900-6833 and using Meeting ID: 919 9454 8701.
Sammy Dallal
Santa Clara County has issued more than $40,000 in fines to private health systems for failing to comply with its coronavirus testing order, according to reporting by San Jose Spotlight. County Counsel James Williams announced in September the health care providers would need to provide adequate access to COVID-19 tests — or else. “Private providers are still lagging significantly behind the county in the COVID-19 testing that they are providing to patients,” county officials said. “Private health care systems are required under the Revised Testing Order to educate patients about their rights to COVID-19 testing.” According to the county, private hospitals can accomplish this through their website, promotional materials and notices posted at physical locations. “Once patients know their rights and providers are consistently offering tests to all categories of patients covered by the Revised Testing Order, we would expect to see a substantial increase in testing by providers,” county officials said. Among those issued fines for not posting enough signs at facilities notifying patients of their right to a COVID-19 test was Palo Alto Medical Foundation, whose Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and San Jose centers were found to be giving inadequate notice to patients. The county issued an $8,250 fine. Palo Alto Medical Foundation did not respond to a request for comment. Santa Clara County’s public hospitals have conducted vastly more COVID-19 tests than those of private health systems, according to a report the county’s public health department presented to the Board of Supervisors Nov. 10.
Between Nov. 2 and Nov. 8, the county conducted 18,402 tests, while Kaiser Permanente of Northern California conducted 9,370 tests. Stanford Health Care Hospital conducted 5,416 tests, Sutter Health and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation conducted 1,928 tests and El Camino Health conducted 1,245 tests. Dr. Christina Kong, medical director of pathology at Stanford Medicine, said the health care provider has not received any messages from the county that it needs to increase its COVID-19 testing. Kong said Stanford Health is currently waiting on FDA approval to issue at-home self-collection kits that will be tested at their clinical virology laboratory. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said widespread testing is critical to informing public health officials on how the virus is spreading so they can advise on best practices and issue adequate health orders. “We use testing in a variety of ways,” Benjamin said. “If we’re doing random testing, and we see a large number of people in the community who have a particular disease, we can advise those people to get tested and avoid risky activities.”
A Downtown Streets Team member works along Emerson Street on Nov. 21, 2019.
Streets Team (continued from page 7)
inability to perform due diligence and to fulfill its fiduciary duty as the agency providing the contract. Given the nonprofit’s decision not to release the Oppenheimer report, Kou requested that the City Attorney’s Office obtain and provide to the council any publicly available documents pertaining to the complaints from former employees. Kou cited reports that at least 11 former employees had come
forward with allegations against Downtown Streets Team executives, a number that she called “substantial.” While Kou suggested last week that she might vote against the contract, on Monday all six council members supported the deal after agreeing to cut it from three years to one. “Seems like we’ve reached somewhat of a compromise that the city can continue working on in the next year,” Kniss said. Q Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 11
Support our Kids with a gift to the Holiday Fund Last Year’s Grant Recipients 49ers Academy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$20,000 Able Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Acknowledge Alliance (Cleo Eulau) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Ada’s Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Adolescent Counseling Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 All Students Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,000 Art in Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Art of Yoga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Bayshore Christian Ministries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Big Brothers Big Sisters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Buena Vista Homework Club (Caritas). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 CASA of San Mateo County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 CASSY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 DreamCatchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$20,000 East Palo Alto Academy Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 East Palo Alto Kids Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 East Palo Alto Library (formerly Quest) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Ecumenical Hunger Progam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Environmental Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Family Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Fit Kids Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Foundation for a College Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Friends of Junior Musuem & Zoo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Health Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Heart and Home Collaborative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,000 Hidden Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Jasper Ridge Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Kara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Live in Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Marine Science Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Music in the Schools Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Musikiwest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 New Voices for Youth (Social Good Fund) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,000 Nuestra Casa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Palo Alto Art Center Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Palo Alto Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Palo Alto Music Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Peninsula Bridge Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Peninsula College Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Peninsula Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Ravenswood Education Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Rich May Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Rise Together Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Robotics for All. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,600 Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Silicon Valley Urban Debate League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 St. Francis of Assisi Youth Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 TheatreWorks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Vista Center for Blind & Visually Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 WeHOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,000 YMCA - EPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 YMCA - PA Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Youth Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$20,000 Youth Speaks Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000
Child Care Facility Improvement Grants Gatepath (Abilities United) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 All Five. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Grace Lutheran Preschool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 The Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Palo Alto Community Child Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Palo Alto Friends Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$6,000 Parents Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000
E
ach year the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund raises money to support programs serving families and children in the Palo Alto area. Since the Weekly and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation cover all the administrative costs, every dollar raised goes directly to support community programs through grants to non-profit organizations. And with the generous support of matching grants from local foundations, including the Packard, Hewlett, Peery and Arrillaga foundations, your taxdeductible gift will be doubled in size. A donation of $100 turns into $200 with the foundation matching gifts. Whether as an individual, a business or in honor of someone else, help us reach our goal of $400,000 by making a generous contribution to the Holiday Fund. With your generosity, we can give a major boost to the programs in our community helping kids and families.
Give to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund and your donation is doubled. You give to non-profit groups that work right here in our community. It’s a great way to ensure that your charitable donations are working at home.
As of December 8, 194 donors have contributed $137,551 to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund. 15 Anonymous................................................ 4,445
New Donors Mike & Cathie Foster ..................................... 1,000 Lawrence Yang & Jennifer Kuan..................10,000 Richard Johnsson ........................................... 5,000 Chris & Anna Saccheri ...........................................* Judith & Hans Steiner ....................................... 100 Carolyn Caddes ................................................ 200 Merrill & Lee Newman...................................... 250 Anne Williams .................................................. 200 Jim & Valerie Stinger ......................................... 100 Art & Peggy Stauffer......................................... 500 Stuart & Carol Hansen ...........................................* Nancy & Jim Baer...................................................* Marilyn, Dale, Rick & Mei Simbeck ........................* Betty W. Gerard .................................................. 50 Tom & Nancy Fiene ........................................... 150 Diane Finkelstein............................................... 200 Beth & Peter Rosenthal..................................... 500 Susan Benton ........................................................* Carol & Hal Louchheim..........................................* Christina Kenrick ........................................... 2,500 Fruchterman Family .......................................... 250
In Memory Of Leslie Smith ............................................................* August L. King .......................................................* Duncan L. Matteson ...................................... 1,000 Thomas W. & Louise L. Phinney.............................* Leo & Sylvia Breidenbach.......................................* Emmett Lorey ........................................................* Chet Brown ...........................................................*
Please consider donating online, which enables your gift to be processed immediately. The secure website is: silconvalleycf.org/paw-holiday-fund Enclosed is a check for $_______________ Name__________________________________________________________ Business Name __________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________________________________
All donors and their gift amounts will be published in the Palo Alto Weekly unless the boxes below are checked.
Email __________________________________________________________
T I wish to contribute anonymously.
Phone _________________________________________________________
T Please withhold the amount of my contribution.
I wish to designate my contribution as follows: (select one)
Please make checks payable to: Silicon Valley Community Foundation
T In my name as shown above
Send coupon and check to:
T In the name of business above OR:
T In honor of:
T In memory of:
T As a gift for:
High school scholarships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8,000
Non-profits: Grant application & guidelines at PaloAltoOnline.com/holiday_fund
Harriet Roeder ............................................... 1,000 Carol Hubenthal ............................................... 300 Dr. Fatima Malik, MBA ..........................................* Roger Warnke .................................................. 300 Dena Hill ........................................................... 500 Keith Clarke ...........................................................* Jeanette Kennedy .......................................... 1,000 Susie Richardson & Hal Luft ...................................* Peter Danner..................................................... 200 Chantal Akerib ................................................. 500 Alice Fischgrund ............................................... 100 Carli Scott ......................................................... 100 Thomas Rindfleisch................................................* Jeff Dean........................................................... 345 Sallie & Jay Whaley ................................................* Hoda Epstein .................................................... 250
_______________________________________________________________ (Name of person)
Application deadline: January 11, 2021
Page 12 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
01 – Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund c/o Silicon Valley Community Foundation P.O. Box 45389 San Francisco, CA 94145 The Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund is a donor advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. A contribution to this fund allows your donation to be tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
CLICK AND GIVE
Donate online at siliconvalleycf.org/ paw-holiday-fund
Businesses & Organizations
Julie & Jon Jerome .................................... *
Palo Alto Business Park ............................. *
Leif & Sharon Erickson .......................... 500
deLemos Properties .............................. 200
Edward Kanazawa................................ 200 Scott Carlson & Katharine Miller .....10,000
Previously Published
Stephen & Nancy Levy .......................... 500 Mike & Jean Couch .............................. 250
Janis Ulevich.......................................... 125
Karen & Steve Ross ................................... *
Tess & Eric Byler....................................... 75
Katherine & Dorsey Bass....................... 500
Robyn H. Crumly ...................................... *
Lani Freeman & Stephen Monismith ........ *
Stephanie Klein & Larry Baer .................... *
Harriet & Gerry Berner .......................... 350
Sue Kemp ............................................. 250
Judy Palmer ............................................ 25
Judy Kramer.......................................... 150
Teresa Roberts....................................... 500
Barbara Klein ............................................ *
Carol Uyeno............................................ 50
Tobye Kaye................................................ *
Mark Cairns & Amanda Martin ............ 100
Michael Kieschnick ............................... 500
Sally & Craig Nordlund ......................... 500
Bruce Campbell .................................... 250
Christine Min Wotipka & Anthony Lising Antonio .................... 100
Cathy Kroymann .................................. 250 Werner Graf ............................................. * Dorothy Deringer.................................. 250 Amy Crowe .......................................... 500 Gary & Karen Fry .................................. 250 Bill Reller ................................................... * Jody Maxmin ............................................ * Martha Shirk ......................................1,000 Jim & Karen Lewis..................................... * Judith Appleby...................................... 250 Vic Befera ............................................. 100 Ted & Ginny Chu ...................................... * Penny & Greg Gallo .............................. 500 Brigid Barton......................................5,000 Brigid & Rob Robinson.......................... 200 Kaaren & John Antoun ......................2,000 Harry Hartzell ........................................ 250
Kathleen Foley-Hughes & Tony Hughes ..................................1,000 Thayer Gershon ...................................... 50 Xiaofan Lin.............................................. 50 John Pavkovich ..................................... 400 Cynthia Costell ..................................... 100 Richard Zuanich .................................... 150 Neha Choksi ........................................... 40 Braff Family ........................................... 500 Jennie Savage ....................................1,000 Bill Johnson & Terri Lobdell ................1,000 Dawes Family........................................ 250 Mary Lemmon .................................20,000 Shirley Ely ...........................................1,000 Jennifer DiBrienza & Jesse Doroguske.............................1,000
Susan & Doug Woodman ........................ *
In Memory Of
Peggy & Boyce Nute ................................. *
Ray Bacchetti ........................................ 200
Roy & Carol Blitzer .................................... *
Norman L. Frazee ..................................... *
Gerald & Donna Silverberg ................... 100
Sandy Sloan .......................................... 100
Jan & Freddy Gabus.............................. 250 Hal & Iris Korol .......................................... * Sally Hewlett ......................................3,000 Arthur Keller ......................................... 500 Bruce & Jane Gee ................................. 250 Denise Savoie and Darrell Duffie .............. * Loreto Ponce de Leon ........................... 100 Thomas Ehrlich ..................................... 500 Ron Wolf .............................................. 250 Andrea Smith........................................ 100 Bonnie Packer ....................................... 100 Michael & Gwen Havern ...................5,000 Jan and Scott Kilner .............................. 500 Daniel Cox ............................................ 200 Patrick Burt ........................................... 500 Jocelyn Dong ........................................ 100 Carolyn Brennan ....................................... * Tom & Patricia Sanders ............................. * Page & Ferrell Sanders .......................... 100
Lee Domenik ............................................ * Millie Fuchs ............................................... * David W. Mitchell ..................................... * Rudy Schubert ........................................ 50 The Zschokke Family............................. 100 Alissa Riper Picker ................................. 250 Bertha Kalson ........................................... * Er-Ying and Yen-Chen Yen ................... 250 Mrs. Elsie Yang...................................... 200 Ernest J. Moore......................................... * Tracy & Alan.............................................. * Pam Grady ............................................ 500 Lily & Philip Gottheiner ............................. * Bob Kirkwood....................................2,500 Our Loving Parents Albert & Beverly Pellizzari..................................... * Boyd Paulson Jr..................................3,000 Edward & Elizabeth Buurma..................... *
In Honor Of
Diana Diamond .................................... 300
Fairmeadow Principal Iris Wong ............... *
Dorothy Saxe ........................................ 100
Joe Simitian........................................... 220
Jeanne & Leonard Ware ....................... 500
Businesses & Organizations
Richard A. Baumgartner & Elizabeth M. Salzer ................................ *
Alta Mesa Cemetery & Funeral Home.................................2,000
Jerry & Bobbie Wagger ............................. *
Delores Eberhart, DDS .............................. *
Linda & Steve Boxer .................................. *
Hayes Group Architects .....................5,000
Nancy & Joe Huber ................................... *
Sponsors of Moonlight Run:
Jean Wu.............................................1,000 Marc Igler & Jennifer Cray .................... 200 Ann & Don Rothblatt............................ 500 Marcia & Michael Katz ......................... 200 Diane Moore............................................. * Amado & Deborah Padilla .................... 250 Pat & Penny Barrett............................... 100 Robert & Barbara Simpson ....................... * John Galen ............................................... *
Holiday Fund (continued from page 7)
members could pass by and have contactless visits, he said. Kara has also begun to see service calls specifically related to COVID-19 deaths throughout the past eight months, including among its Spanish-speaking clients, Santucci said. The pandemic has stretched the agency’s overall capacity, as volunteers have had to care for children and loved ones due to school and child care closures. Kara isn’t slowing down its commitment to the community, however. Santucci said the organization has a vision for 2021: to expand its services through a telehealth model during the pandemic and through in-person support afterward. They plan to hire a half-time Spanish service associate, add to the Spanish Services Volunteer Corps through annual training and offer additional workshops and education events. The Spanish Services Program’s importance can perhaps best be gauged by the words of the volunteers, some of whom were previously clients. “I joined Kara because someone had told me about an agency that was offering a training and I love to learn so I signed up to join,” Elvia Torres, a volunteer who began in 2018, wrote in the 5-year anniversary statement. “To my surprise, it was a training about grief. During that time, I was facing the battle with cancer of my mother and it was during the training that she passed away. I was not sure if I was going to be able to continue, but the words of comfort and the
CityView A round-up
of Palo Alto government action this week
City Council (Dec. 7)
Economy: The council held a study session to discuss economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Action: None Downtown Streets Team: The council awarded a one-year, $107,748 contract to Downtown Streets Team for maintenance of downtown parking lots, alleyways and streets. Yes: DuBois, Filseth, Fine, Kniss, Kou, Tanaka Absent: Cormack
Board of Education (Dec. 8)
Title IX: The board heard from students about Title IX policies and procedures and discussed possible improvements. Action: None
Council Policy and Services Committee (Dec. 8)
Lobbying: The committee heard an update from the city’s lobbyists in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento and voted to approve legislative guidelines for 2022. Yes: Filseth, Fine No: Kou Priorities: The committee voted to refer to the next council a memo summarizing proposals for the council’s official priorities for 2022. Yes: Unanimous
Planning and Transportation Commission (Dec. 9)
Ventura: The commission discussed proposed alternatives for the North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan and continued its discussion to Jan. 13. Action: None
LET’S DISCUSS: Read the latest local news headlines and talk about the issues at Town Square at PaloAltoOnline.com/square
way they welcomed my tears and gave me space was something that I will never forget. “I have continued my volunteering at Kara because being able to offer someone a shoulder to cry on is something beautiful. It is how I can offer our community a little bit of what Kara gave me. The volunteer group is full of wonderful people that have turned into a family for me. I am grateful for Kara and for the work that we do because there truly is nothing like it out in the community.” Q
The Holiday Fund campaign to raise $400,000 for local nonprofit agencies serving families, kids and individuals in need is now in full swing. Please see facing page for information, or to donate online to the campaign, go to siliconvalleycf. org/Paw-holiday-fund. More information about Kara is available at kara-grief.org.
county level for relief for small businesses. This week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a small-business loan program as well as teed up a cap on the delivery fees third party platforms can charge restaurants, which they will vote on next week. San Mateo County is not participating in the stay-at-home order, but at least one restaurant — Flea St. Cafe Menlo Park — decided to shut down outdoor dining anyway and others started preparing to do so. Camper in Menlo Park posted on Instagram that it’s “clearing house of some delectables,” advertising deals on porterhouse and ribeye steaks and mussels. Across the Peninsula, local restaurateurs’ minds were quickly turning to ideas for boosting business, from social media posts advertising the final two days of outdoor dining last weekend to new takeout menus. Pavel Sirotin of Bevri in Palo Alto said he plans to revive a ghost kitchen concept he tested out a few months ago and is exploring other partnerships to stay afloat. Several owners expressed a sadly common refrain in the industry: Without another federal support package, many independent restaurants will not make it
through another shutdown. “We’re getting mostly restrictions and closures without any help to survive,” Sirotin said. Sirotin urged people to continue ordering takeout from locally owned restaurants, which he recently heard described as a “citizen’s responsibility.” “It’s really true. If we want to keep eating good and interesting food ... we need to get together and help independent restaurants,” he said. According to a National Restaurant Association survey conducted in November, 17% of restaurants — more than 110,000 establishments — have closed permanently or long-term. The vast majority of restaurants that have closed for good were “wellestablished businesses, and fixtures in their communities” that on average had been in business for 16 years, and 16% had been open for at least 30 years, the National Restaurant Association stated. Fifty-eight percent of chain and independent full-service restaurants expect continued furloughs and layoffs for at least the next three months, the survey found. Q Staff Writer Elena Kadvany can be emailed at ekadvany@ paweekly.com.
Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@ paweekly.com.
Marie & Don Snow............................... 200
Debby Roth........................................... 200
Steven Feinberg .................................5,000
Upfront
Stanford Health Care ....................10,000 Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation .....................................5,000 Sutter Health/Palo Alto Medical Foundation .....................................5,000 Palantir ............................................5,000 Facebook ........................................5,000 Wealth Architects ...........................5,000 Chan Zuckerberg Initiative..............5,000 Bank of the West ............................1,500 A Runner’s Mind .............................1,000
* Donor did not want to publish the amount of the gift. Changes or corrections to listings may be made by contacting Kali Shiloh at kshiloh@paweekly.com.
Restaurants (continued from page 8)
realization that without outdoor dining, he’ll have to cut his staff of 18 employees to about six. He’s also bracing for the stay-at-home order to last beyond early January. “It’s a challenge to have to indefinitely let most of our people go,” he said. “I don’t think realistically that we’re going to bounce back and this is going to be over on Jan. 4. I wonder how many of my business comrades are going to make it through this period.” On Dec. 6, Palo Alto wine bar Vino Locale launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for employees whose hours would be cut or who would potentially be laid off due to the shutdown. Judy Kleinberg, CEO of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, predicted there will be a spike in unemployment applications in the wake of the new stay-at-home order. “Because it’s only takeout, all those waiters and bus boys and girls are going to be laid off,” she said. “The economic downstream damage is not just to the restaurant. It’s the workforce that really takes the brunt of this.” She’s been advocating at the
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 13
Upfront constrained by regulations,” a report from Avenu states. 5%
A sudden recession
+1.3%
T
Economy (continued from page 5)
Mateo shrank by only 0.1%, while in Walnut Creek they went up by 1.3%, according to Adams. “While you can look at statewide numbers, each jurisdiction is its own entity and has its own trends,” Adams said during a Nov. 30 panel discussion on the impending economic recovery.
Prior to the pandemic, Palo Alto saw a weekday population of about 130,000; now it’s down to about 70,000.
‘There’s a lot of discussion about, “Are we trading off the economy for health outcomes?” All of the evidence from 1918-1919 suggests that that’s not a tradeoff, that if you get better health outcomes, you also get better economic outcomes.’ —Jerry Nickelsburg, economist and faculty director, UCLA Anderson Forecast Adams said he expects the city’s economic recovery to take about four years, though the exact length will be determined by factors such as a potential fiscal stimulus, the success of the vaccines and the policies of the Joseph Biden administration. Jerry Nickelsburg, an economist and faculty director at the UCLA Anderson Forecast, suggested that while high-tech sectors with highincome jobs may recover sooner, the leisure and hospitality industry may not get back to its preCOVID levels until 2024 or later. Sectors with halting recoveries will likely include tourism, restaurant, bars, live events, accommodations and retail, Nickelsburg
File Photo/Veronica Weber
In Palo Alto, the trends are looking particularly grim. City staff are currently projecting a $34.6 million drop in tax revenues, with sales-tax receipts decreasing by $13.8 million from last year’s $34.3 million and hotel-tax revenues plunging by $14.4 million, from $29.3 million to $14.9 million, as hotels still report vacancies of about 80%. With Stanford University offering remote classes, business travel virtually nonexistent and most major employers switching to telecommuting, the local demand for hotel rooms, restaurant meals and high-end apparel has shrunk. In fact, the city’s daytime population is now roughly half of what it was pre-COVID, City Manager Ed Shikada told the council in a Nov. 30 presentation on the city’s economic recovery strategies. Prior to the pandemic, the city saw about 130,000 people on the weekdays; now it’s down to about 70,000. “What was previously almost a doubling of our population during the day is no longer working here in Palo Alto on a day-to-day basis,” Shikada said. “As such, the population and quite frankly the market that businesses here in town are serving has changed dramatically in our shelter-in-place environment.” While population loss is one factor in the economic recession, Palo Alto’s retail mix is another. The city draws nearly 59% of its revenues from its 25 largest tax producers, according to
Adams. The list includes numerous department stores (Macy’s, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus) as well as purveyors of luxury goods (Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Richemont), sectors that have seen significant losses during the sweatpants-friendly era of the pandemic. Palo Alto is also a restaurant-heavy town, which makes it particularly vulnerable to health orders that ban dining in. Because of the vagaries of state law, the decline of retail in Palo Alto also means that the city is receiving less revenue from online sales. Under the existing “county pool” system, taxes from online sales get pooled from all jurisdictions in the county and then distributed to individual cities. The share each city gets depends on how well its brick-and-mortar retail is doing, Adams said. Palo Alto, which has historically received between 6% and 7% of the county pool, saw its share dwindle to 5% in the last two quarters, according to Adams. In some ways, things have gotten slightly less dismal in recent months. The city saw cash receipts drop by 38% in the second quarter of this year, when compared to the same period of 2019. In the third quarter, the loss from the prior year was less severe: 24%, according to Adams’ report. However, the most recent health orders, which further restrict business activity, are expected to further cut into local revenue. “Efforts to contain COVID-19 are paramount to public health and will have corresponding impacts on revenue streams like sales tax as certain economic activities remain limited and
he current recession is distinct from prior ones in several ways, Adams said. Normally, recessions take between six to nine months to materialize; this one happened virtually overnight. And while most recessions have a big impact on major expenditures — including auto sales and construction projects — this one is hitting sectors that typically aren’t affected as much: namely, restaurants and retail. “This pandemic recession is an artificially created recession due to constraints on regulation and consumer behavior relating to perception of safety and that sort of thing,” Adams said.
The city’s hotel industry is experiencing vacancy rates above 80%.
Page 14 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
0%
-0.1%
-0.1%
-5% -10% -15% -20% -24.2%
-23.2%
-25% Mountain View Palo Alto Redwood City San Mateo Walnut Creek Source: Avenu Insights and Analytics
told the council during the Nov. 30 discussion. “We’re expecting California to outperform the U.S. because of its technology industry. It will be generating high-income jobs, all in construction and in advanced manufacturing. But it’s going to lag in low-income jobs of leisure, hospitality and retail. So the issue of inequality is only going to get worse in California, absent policy intervention.” Nickelsburg also rejected the notion that stay-at-home orders stand in the way of economic recovery. He cited a June 2020 paper by Sergio Correia, Stephan Luck and Emil Verner, which evaluated how different cities responded to the 1918 pandemic. The researchers found that “nonpharmaceutical interventions” (NPI) such as shelter-in-place orders were associated with better economic outcomes after the pandemic, not worse. “If anything, cities with stricter NPIs during the pandemic perform better in the year after the pandemic,” the three researchers wrote in their paper, “Pandemics Depress the Economy, Public Health Interventions Do Not: Evidence from the 1918 Flu.” “There’s a lot of discussion about, ‘Are we trading off the economy for health outcomes?’” Nickelsubrg said. “All of the evidence from 1918-1919 suggests that that’s not a tradeoff. That if you get better health outcomes, you also get better economic outcomes.” Nicholas Bloom, a professor at Stanford University who conducts monthly surveys with 2,500 employees across the nation, suggested that some of the existing work trends will outlive the pandemic. His surveys show that the majority of employees — and employers — in industries that currently accommodate remote work favor a postpandemic model that entails three days of coming to the office and two days of working from home. “When you ask firms what they plan, there is a very strong consensus that post-pandemic these folks are going to come back to work in the office something like three days a week,” Bloom told the council. The lingering telecommuting trend need not necessarily spell doom for Palo Alto’s economy.
Paul Llewellyn
Magali Gauthier
A car drives by the Stanford Theatre in downtown Palo Alto on May 14.
Cities’ sales tax revenues Third quarter 2020 compared with third quarter 2019
According to Bloom, the city will continue to see demand for office space, particularly in smaller, low-rise office buildings where workers do not need to crowd into elevators or sit in tight cubicles. He also noted that some of telecommuters live in Palo Alto and, as such, could support local businesses by eating out. But while restaurants and retailers may see some signs of recovery next year, sectors such as gyms, entertainment venues, leisure and travel, may see permanent reductions, Bloom said. “For planning, things like allowing gyms, cinemas and things like that to be repurposed to be office space or something else may be something that is going to be important,” Bloom said. “Some of these things are seeing permanent demand shifts.”
What’s a city to do?
L
ike other cities in the Bay Area and across the nation, Palo Alto is striving to respond to — and shape — the new normal. Last week, Shikada unveiled the city’s Economic Recovery Strategy, a broad framework that combines short-term measures for managing the pandemic (virus testing, contact tracing and vaccine distribution) and long-term projects to help sustain — and in some cases, transform — the business sector. The recovery effort could significantly alter the city’s zoning code, its business climate and the look and feel of its primary commercial districts, which have already seen a remarkable transformation since the shelter-inplace orders first took effect in March. This week, in response to the county’s latest health order, the council suspended the most popular program of the pandemic era: the closures of University and California avenues to cars. While the council had intended to keep the streets car-free at least until Memorial Day, Shikada moved to temporarily reopen them because the latest public health order bans all forms of onsite restaurant dining, including eating outdoors, at least until early January. The City Council expects the recovery effort to dominate its agenda for the next year, and likely longer. Most members have
Upfront
proposed including it as an official priority for 2021. Shikada, for his part, has been holding regular meetings with downtown business owners as part of the city’s ongoing initiative, Uplift Local.
example, that the time is ripe to take another look at Fiber to the Home, an effort to bring highspeed Internet access to every household through the municipal dark-fiber-optic network. After three decades of exploring — and ultimately discarding — the idea, there is general consensus now that this may be the right time to finally turn this vision into reality. Vice Mayor Tom DuBois and council members Greg Tanaka and Lydia Kou all spoke in favor of advancing the Fiber to the Home program during recent meetings on the economic recovery. Shikada also listed expanding community outreach on Fiber to the Home as one of the city’s “priority initiatives.” “We really need high-speed, reliable, affordable Internet, I think, for everyone,” Tanaka said. “Especially if work-from-home is going to be more standard, which I think it is. I think it’s going to be around here longer.”
The city’s economic recovery will take about four years, though the exact length will be determined by factors such as a potential fiscal stimulus, the success of the vaccines and the policies of the Joseph Biden administration, according to Thomas Adams of Avenu, the city’s sales-tax consulting firm. Cracking the code
I
n considering the troubling retail trends, Palo Alto’s elected leaders have largely acknowledged that “business as usual”
Magali Gauthier
“We did have a discussion this afternoon with a few downtown businesses, based on the really devastating situation that they’re now confronting in additional restrictions relating to the pandemic,” Shikada told the council on Dec. 7. “One comment that resonated was that this is the time for us to start thinking long-term and to be able to — while working through today’s emergency — start to really focus our attention on what the long-term strategy is for continued vacancy both downtown, Cal Ave and citywide.” In some areas, the recovery effort may spur the city to achieve things that council members have intermittently discussed for decades but that invariably failed to advance beyond the wishfulmusings stage (the closure of University Avenue falls into this category). Council members and city staff agreed this week, for
Like many restaurants, Osteria Cucina Toscana in downtown Palo Alto pivoted to providing takeout in March, after the county’s first stay-athome order was imposed.
Magali Gauthier
Magali Gauthier
Sam’s Barber Styling Shop in downtown Palo Alto, which has been variously open or closed this year as public-health directives have changed, is closed again.
is no longer a viable option. As such, the council’s recovery plan will almost certainly include changes to the zoning code, some of which are already in the works. On Dec. 14, its final meeting of the year, the council is expected to make it easier for commercial recreation businesses such as gyms and yoga studios to set up shop downtown by removing the existing requirement for conditionaluse permits and by relaxing parking standards. The new rule would apply only to businesses with up to 5,000 square feet of gross floor area (effectively treating them like boutique “personal service” studios), and it would exclude parcels that front on University Avenue. The proposed ordinance would also remove existing conditional-use permit requirements for barber shops and salons in the California Avenue business district. In addition, medical offices with less than 5,000 square feet in floor area would no longer require a conditional-use permit to open in commercially zoned districts (currently, the threshold is 2,500 square feet). While these changes are relatively minor, the council had recently signaled its intent to consider more significant — and contentious — zoning revisions in the near future. The most controversial of these is a proposal to allow banks, law firms, architecture firms and other types of office spaces to fill downtown sites currently reserved for retail and restaurants. The city’s Planning and Transportation Commission will be considering the proposal in the coming months. The commission will also weigh a proposal to scrap the citywide requirement to reserve ground-floor spaces in commercial zones for retailers. While four council members support removing the requirement in most areas of the city (while keeping it along University and California avenues), the proposal is unlikely to advance under next year’s council: Newly elected council members Pat Burt and Greer Stone have been far less enthusiastic about removing retail protections than outgoing members Adrian Fine and Liz Kniss. Meanwhile, council member Tanaka suggested at a recent meeting that the city consider
Tables are stacked and chairs are covered inside Ettan in downtown Palo Alto while it remains closed during the shelter-in-place order. removing its longstanding prohibition on big-box retail stores. He noted during a November hearing that businesses such as Costco, Walmart and Home Depot have actually thrived during the pandemic, while small, speciality stores that Palo Alto has generally supported continue to get hammered. Other council members did not support this plan, but they generally agreed that it would be appropriate to take a fresh look at the city’s retail laws and adjust them to accommodate the new reality. “We really are at an inflection point and our businesses will be transitioning and transforming,” council member Alison Cormack said on Nov. 30. “And while we’re supporting our existing businesses, I want us to think long and hard about what it will look like in the future.”
Meeting business and community needs
W
hile the zoning changes could take months — or years — to make a difference, other proposed measures would have a more immediate impact. These include further changes to California and University, which had been closed to traffic since June and July, respectively. One idea that was proposed by John Shenk, CEO of the real-estate firm Thoits Brothers, calls for installing bollards on University Avenue. The city would be able to raise them when needed to close the avenue to traffic and lower them to make University open to cars. At the Dec. 7 meeting, both Tanaka and Shikada spoke in support of the idea, “We really see a great opportunity there,” Shikada said. “There’s clearly multiple needs along University. As such, a concept like that could be really helpful for us to be able to adapt to a variety of needs in different times of day and week.” City officials are also considering other ways to boost community morale — and business activity — despite pandemic-era restrictions. Kou recommended launching a business program in which customers can obtain gift certificates that can be used at various local businesses. DuBois noted that other cities
are holding car-based events (Redwood City, for example, holds regular drive-in movie nights at its port as part of its “Motor Movies” series) and recommended that Palo Alto find new and creative ways to host community gatherings in a safe manner. He also suggested that the city restore its recently abandoned grant program to neighborhoods, which were used in the past to fund neighborhood activities.
‘I just want to make sure that as we’re coming out of it, we don’t go back to “as is” — to what we had pre-COVID. I’d like to see it become more robust and have more diversity in the businesses that we have in town.’ — Lydia Kou, council member, city of Palo Alto Kou also supported holding drive-in events, potentially at the Palo Alto Airport. She and Cormack also recommended that the council re-engage with neighborhood associations and other community leaders to discuss the future of retail. In addition, Kou has supported hiring an economic development manager, a position Palo Alto once had, to guide the city’s recovery effort and help bring in a viable mix of new retailers. “I just want to make sure that as we’re coming out of it, we don’t go back to ‘as is’ — to what we had pre-COVID,” Kou said during the Nov. 30 discussion. “I’d like to see it become more robust and have more diversity in the businesses that we have in town and not just have plenty of just a few things.” Q Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com. About the cover: Palo Alto prepares for a long economic recovery. Illustration by Douglas Young. Photos by Magali Gauthier and Sammy Dallal.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 15
Luxurious Modern Masterpiece 121 Ash Lane, Portola Valley · Offered at $33,000,000 Beds · 6 Full Baths · 3 Half Baths · ±8,015 sf · Lot ±3. acres Livable modern masterpiece designed by Swatt | Miers Architects.Dramatic architecture, luxury finishes throughout, and cinematic bay views with San Francisco visible in the distance. 121Ash.com
#1 AGENT SILICON VALLEY Michael Dreyfus, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty TOP 125 AGENT WSJ / Real Trends Page 16 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Additional Listings SOLD
24591 Summerhill Court, Los Altos · $3,495,000
1928 Cowper Street, Palo Alto · $5,995,000
SOLD
221 Kipling Street, Palo Alto · $7,500,000
15350 El Camino Grande, Saratoga · $7,995,000
SOLD
260 Homer Avenue #302, Palo Alto · $9,995,000
Bates Ranch Vineyard, Gilroy · $13.200,000
SOLD
12160 Kate Drive, Los Altos Hills · $16,800,000
408 Eleanor Drive, Woodside · $19,995,000
15400 Madrone Hill Road, Saratoga · $20,000,000
40 Firethorn Way, Portola Valley · $28,750,000
Book Your Private Viewing Online at www.Dreyfus.Group
Michael Dreyfus
Noelle Queen
650.485.3476
650.427.9211
m.dreyfus@ggsir.com
n.queen@ggsir.com
Lic. #01121795
Lic. #01917593
Each Office is Independently Owned and Weekly Operated. www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto • December 11, 2020 • Page 17
Upfront
Holiday Waste Service Schedule
GreenWaste of Palo Alto is closed on Christmas (December 25) and New Year’s Day (January 1). If your regular collection day falls on or after one of these holidays, your collection day will be moved to the next day for the rest of the week. Regular collection schedules will resume the following week.
News Digest
DECEMBER SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY AY
FRIDAY
SAT SATURDAY
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 DECEMBER/JANUARY SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY AY
FRIDAY
27 28 29 30 31 1
SAT SATURDAY
2
Questions? Contact GreenWaste of Palo Alto at (650) 493-4894 • pacustomerservice@greenwaste.com vice@greenwaste.com
7HSV (S[V <UPĂ&#x201E;LK :JOVVS +PZ[YPJ[ 5V[PJL PZ OLYLI` .P]LU [OH[ WYVWVZHSZ ^PSS IL YLJLP]LK I` [OL 7HSV (S[V <UPĂ&#x201E;LK :JOVVS District for bid package: *VU[YHJ[ 5HTL! 7(36 (3;6 / : /> *> 707, 9,73(*,4,5; 7961,*; *VU[YHJ[ 5V 7(/>*> +,:*907;065 6- ;/, >692! The work includes, but is not limited to: Excavation and removal of existing asphalt and concrete pavement, landscaping and underground Hot Water and Chilled Water (HW-CW) pipes and control valves to be replaced with new pipes, materials, surfaces, and SHUKZJHWPUN [OYV\NOV\[ [OL JHTW\Z 7YV]PKL [YHÉ&#x2030;J JVU[YVS ZHML[` HUK ZLJ\YP[` IHYYPLYZ HSVUN [OL *HTW\Z ^HSR^H`Z YL YV\[PUN WLKLZ[YPHU MVV[ [YHÉ&#x2030;J ZHMLS` HYV\UK LHJO >VYR AVUL 9,=0:,+ +(;,:! There will be a 4(5+(;69@ pre-bid conference and site visit at ! (4 ;\LZKH` +LJLTILY and HS[LYUH[L KH[L (4 -YPKH` +LJLTILY at the =PZP[VYZ 7HYRPUN SV[ VM ;V^LY (KTPUPZ[YH[PVU )\PSKPUN ,TIHYJHKLYV 9VHK 7HSV (S[V *HSPMVYUPH Proper PPE attire required, including Masks and Gloves. Please register and respond with your date preference via e-mail to rinaldo@fs3h.com ,SLJ[YVUPJ )PK :\ITPZZPVU! 7YVWVZHSZ T\Z[ IL YLJLP]LK H[ [OL +PZ[YPJ[ -HJPSP[PLZ 6É&#x2030;JL ]PH L THPS I` ! 74 ;\LZKH` 1HU\HY` :LUK `V\Y )PK PU 7+- MVYTH[ [V ]TLSLYV'WH\ZK VYN ;V IPK VU [OPZ 7YVQLJ[ [OL )PKKLY PZ YLX\PYLK [V WVZZLZZ VUL VY TVYL VM [OL MVSSV^PUN :[H[L VM California contractorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; license(s): ( * * VY * In addition, the Bidder is required to be registered as a public works contractor with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to the 3HIVY *VKL 7\YZ\HU[ [V 7\ISPJ *VU[YHJ[ *VKL Â&#x160; VUS` WYLX\HSPĂ&#x201E;LK IPKKLYZ ^PSS IL LSPNPISL [V Z\ITP[ H IPK (U` IPK Z\ITP[[LK I` H IPKKLY ^OV PZ UV[ WYLX\HSPĂ&#x201E;LK ZOHSS IL UVU YLZWVUZP]L Moreover, any bid listing subcontractors holding C-7, C-10, C-16, C-20, C-36, C-38, or C-43 SPJLUZLZ ^OV OH]L UV[ ILLU WYLX\HSPĂ&#x201E;LK ZOHSS IL KLLTLK UVUYLZWVUZP]L Bonding required for this project is as follows:Bid Bond 10% of the total bid, Performance Bond to be 100%, Payment Bond is to be 100%. The Architectural Firm for this project is: /,+ (YJOP[LJ[Z 4VU[NVTLY` :[ :\P[L :HU -YHUJPZJV *( *VU[HJ[! *OYPZ 9HTT 79,=(0305. >(., 3(>:! The successful Bidder and all subcontractors shall pay all workers for all Work performed pursuant to this Contract not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages and the general prevailing rate for holiday and overtime work as determined by the Director VM [OL +LWHY[TLU[ VM 0UK\Z[YPHS 9LSH[PVUZ :[H[L VM *HSPMVYUPH MVY [OL [`WL VM ^VYR WLYMVYTLK HUK the locality in which the work is to be performed within the boundaries of the District, pursuant to section 1770 et seq. of the California Labor Code.Prevailing wage rates are also available on the Internet at: http://www.dir.ca.gov. This Project is subject to labor compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code section 1771.4 and subject to the requirements of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations.The Contractor and HSS :\IJVU[YHJ[VYZ \UKLY [OL *VU[YHJ[VY ZOHSS M\YUPZO LSLJ[YVUPJ JLY[PĂ&#x201E;LK WH`YVSS YLJVYKZ KPYLJ[S` to the Labor Commissioner weekly and within ten (10) days of any request by the District or the Labor Commissioner.The successful Bidder shall comply with all requirements of Division 2, Part 7, Chapter 1, Articles 1-5 of the Labor Code. Bidders may examine Bidding Documents on line at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14yG_ QJ 4U3J] AJZZ*-. IKF*Z\ R &\ZW$ZOHYPUN )PKKLYZ TH` HSZV W\YJOHZL JVWPLZ VM [OL WSHUZ HUK ZWLJPĂ&#x201E;JH[PVUZ H[ (9* +VJ\TLU[ :VS\[PVUZ *OLYY` 3HUL :HU *HYSVZ *( 7OVUL 5\TILY The District shall award the Contract, if it awards it at all, to the lowest responsive responsible bidder based on the base bid amount only. The Board reserves the right to reject any and all bids and/or waive any irregularity in any bid received.If the District awards the Contract, the security of unsuccessful bidder(s) shall be returned within sixty (60) days from the time the award is made.Unless otherwise required by law, no bidder may withdraw its bid for ninety (90) days after the date of the bid opening. (SS X\LZ[PVUZ JHU IL HKKYLZZLK [V! 7HSV (S[V <UPĂ&#x201E;LK :JOVVS +PZ[YPJ[ 25 Churchill Avenue, Building D, Palo Alto, CA94306-1099 ([[U! 9PUHSKV =LZLSPaH :Y 74 Fax: (650) 327-3588, Phone: (650) 808-7946 rinaldo@fs3h.com Page 18 â&#x20AC;˘ December 11, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Palo Alto Weekly â&#x20AC;˘ www.PaloAltoOnline.com
No consensus on Venturaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future Since Palo Alto began its quest in 2017 to come up with a new plan for a 60-acre parcel in the Ventura neighborhood, the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal was to develop a vision that would bring affordable housing and a host of community ideas to a site that has long been eyed as prime for redevelopment. But as the city is nearing the finish line, the plan appears to be in serious jeopardy, with resident stakeholders splitting over different alternatives and the largest property owner, The Sobrato Organization, proposing its own development proposal for the former Fryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electronics site at 340 Portage Ave. The schisms and challenges that now characterize the North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan were highlighted on Wednesday night, during the Planning and Transportation Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first discussion of the three alternatives developed by the 14-member working group that the council charged with the complex task. They generally agreed that dense housing should largely be concentrated on the periphery of the site, along El Camino Real and Page Mill Road, while the interior would include retail, some office space and lower density residential development. Alternative 1 would retain both the former Fryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s building and the office building at 395 Page Mill Road, which serves as headquarters for Cloudera. Alternative 2 would demolish major portions of the Fryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s building and convert parts of both this building and the Cloudera site to multifamily housing. Alternative 3 would do the same, while allowing higher density for housing development as well as additional office development. The commission didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take any action on the three proposals, which it will continue discussing on Jan. 13. Q â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto resident indicted for mail theft A federal grand jury in San Francisco has indicted six people, including a 34-year-old Palo Alto resident, on charges related to a long-running conspiracy to steal mail and commit identity fraud, U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson and Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Rafael NuĂ&#x2019;ez announced Wednesday. The 18-count indictment, which was filed on Nov. 17 and unsealed Dec. 9, is against Ashley Overton, 34, of Palo Alto, and five San Jose residents: Mark Guardado Jr., 38; Juan Dagio, 40; Brian Clapp, 37; Andrew Perez, 30; and Jaime Valencia-Arias, 23. Beginning in January 2018 and extending through August 2019, the defendants allegedly conspired to steal U.S. mail by using real or counterfeit postal keys to access mailboxes in apartment buildings. They allegedly raided mailboxes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and San Jose, according to the U.S. Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office. They allegedly exchanged text messages about using the postal keys, some of which Guardado prosecutors said he claimed to have made, to go out on â&#x20AC;&#x153;missions,â&#x20AC;? during which they stole the mail in bulk. The group allegedly took personal identifying information, such as names, addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth, from the stolen mail and other sources. They used the information to create counterfeit California state driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licenses in the victimsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names but with the defendantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; photographs on the licenses, according to federal prosecutors. Overton is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft and to commit fraud in connection with identification documents; one count of fraud in connection with identification documents and possession of five or more of the documents and two counts of possession of stolen mail. Each count is punishable by up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Q â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sue Dremann
Police roll out new online reporting system A new online system for the public to report a wide array of low-level crimes and traffic collisions without injuries to Palo Alto police debuted on Monday, the department announced. Residents and visitors can report crimes without suspect information that occur in the city, including auto burglary or thefts from vehicles; minor traffic collisions resulting in property damage and no injuries; bicycle thefts; vehicle-part thefts; identity theft involving credit card fraud; phone scams; child custody-order violations; and traffic complaints. The system, which is operated by LexisNexis Risk Solutions, is accessible by any internet-enabled device. The website is accessible at cityofpaloalto.org/onlinereports. The public can also call 833-290-3185 and enter a phone number to receive a link by text to begin an online report directly on their mobile device. Q â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sue Dremann LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DISCUSS: Read the latest local news headlines and talk about the issues at Town Square at PaloAltoOnline.com/square
69 Cornell Road, Menlo Park Offered at $1,950,000 1 Bed | 1 Bath | 793 Sq Ft Home | 4,251 Sq Ft Lot 2VWp O{KOlsWdbB_ KdssBUO Wp WMOB__| _dKBsOM db B quiet street in the coveted Allied Arts neighborhood, midway between downtown Palo Alto and downtown Menlo Park, two of Silicon Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most vibrant hubs. Charming circa 1926 period details including coved KOW_WbUpĂ&#x203A; lWKstoO oBW_pĂ&#x203A; VBoMzddM Â&#x201A;ddop BbM yWbsBUO Mddo lt__p MOÂ bO sVO KVBoBKsOo dT sVWp plBKWdtp BbM inviting one bedroom, one bath home. Enjoy it as is, oOadMO_Ă&#x203A; O{lBbM do l_Bb sd JtW_M JoBbM bOzĂ {l_doO all of the possibilities. Mature perimeter trees provide a beautiful private setting. Local shops, restaurants, parks, Stanford Mall and Stanford University are nearby as are the highly acclaimed public schools. An outstanding opportunity to move into one of Menlo Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most desirable neighborhoods! Photos and Video Available at 69CornellRoad.com
Rankings provided courtesy of Real Trends, The Thousand list of individual agents by total sales volume in 2018. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoWÂ OMĂ VBbUOp Wb loWKOĂ&#x203A; KdbMWsWdbĂ&#x203A; pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ aB| JO aBMO zWsVdts bdsWKOĂ !d psBsOaObs Wp aBMO Bp sd BKKtoBK| dT Bb| MOpKoWlsWdbĂ __ aOBptoOaObsp BbM pntBoO TddsBUO BoO Bllod{WaBsOĂ
Charming Allied Arts Cottage
Colleen Foraker RealtorÂŽ 650.380.0085 colleen.foraker@compass.com DRE 01349099 www.PaloAltoOnline.com â&#x20AC;˘ Palo Alto Weekly â&#x20AC;˘ December 11, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 19
Upfront
Christmas trees (continued from page 5)
neighbors’ doors. Many people were enthusiastic about creating a holiday lane of their own, Nichols said. “The first year we knocked on doors, one of the neighbors was taken aback. He looked at us and said, ‘Wow. I’ve lived here 27 years, and I’ve never talked to my neighbors,’” she recalled. He said he loved Christmas lights and was from the Midwest, where neighborhoods were lit up during the holidays.
This year, the Old Palo Alto “lane” has grown to more than 200 trees, Nichols estimated. Midtown West resident Linda Stebbins Jensen said the concept spread to her neighborhood three years ago. “At our block party on Ramona Street, my neighbor Hal Plotkin and I were talking about how much we liked seeing Christmas Tree Lane as kids growing up in Palo Alto. My husband, Eric, and I have always been fans of decorating our home for holidays. I am also executive director at Winter Lodge, where we enjoy putting up holiday light
Patricia Birkel
September 16, 1931 – November 28, 2020 Patricia (“Pat”) Birkel passed away on November 28th with her five children surrounding her with love: Julie Birkel, Linda Birkel, Laurie Birkel McCaskill, Pam Birkel and Doug Birkel. All her grandchildren were also grateful and blessed to have spent special time with her during the last few weeks of her life: Jack McCaskill, Sam McCaskill, AJ Chaikovsky, JJ Chaikovsky, Bruce Birkel, and Eloise Birkel. She was an amazing and loved motherin-law to Tim Chaikovsky, Bryan McCaskill, John Borowczak, and Nikia Clarke. Pat’s home was full of love, and music and joy in the end as it was throughout her life. Pat was born on September 16, 1931 in Portland, grew up there and in Molalla, Oregon, attended Oregon State University, and then made Palo Alto her home after she transferred to Stanford University. She met the love of her life there, William (“Bill”) Birkel, who died in 1997. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree and then a Masters in Education at Stanford. After a stint teaching high school Speech and Debate, Pat poured her love, intellect, joy of learning, integrity, grace, and wonderful laughter into raising her children, while contributing in numerous ways to the Palo Alto Unified School District. She never stopped exploring new passions, later earning a Masters Degree in Linguistics from San Jose State, teaching English as a Second Language there, taking gourmet cooking classes, learning French in her later years and traveling to France to speak as much as she could. Children were the centerpiece of her life, and it was all about her kids (4 girls and a boy), grandkids (5 boys and a girl), their friends, and anyone who could use a loving boost. Her house was full of the music of her joyful piano playing, and renowned for after-school snacks of multiple fl avors of ic e cr eam an d homemade chocolate chip cookies. Providing a home to pets, including dogs, cats, Pokey the Tortoise, parakeets, fish, pollywogs, guinea pigs, rats, lizards, and frogs, she would crawl under the house or reach into dark holes to rescue pet mice and hamsters. She nurtured a love of learning, reading, playing games and solving mind puzzles. Having grown up as a “soda jerk” in her father’s Molalla pharmacy, Orcutt Drug Company Store, she mischievously helped her grandchildren make ice cream sundaes for breakfast. Palo Alto was Pat’s home for 45 years and she was laid to rest by her family on December 4, 2020 next to her husband Bill Birkel at Alta Mesa Cemetery. Her family is comforted knowing they are now sailing and skittering in the heavens together. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to CASA of Lane County, Court Appointed Special Advocates who provide a powerful voice for abused and neglected children. https://www.casa-lane.org/donate/ PAID
displays as well. “So, Hal had pointed out how much he liked seeing all of our lights, and we thought it might be fun to get other neighbors inspired to put some kind of lights or lighted trees out like we had started seeing in other neighborhoods around town,” she said. Jensen, who knows Margaret Lawrence, asked her about the little trees and how they organized their block. Lawrence referred her to Nichols. “I put together some flyers with the information that Debbie had given me, and my twin daughters and I handed them out in the neighborhood. We order some trees with the Old Palo Alto group for those who want them and others just get the trees on their own. Our little Midtown West neighborhood (bounded by Bryant, Colorado and Ramona streets) has been lit up for the last three years, and it is fun to see more trees every year. It started with only about 10 trees,” she said. “We have some
generous neighbors who sponsor and set up trees for older residents who might not otherwise get to participate.” Jensen said she’s seen the Christmas trees on various streets all over town. In some areas, she’s seen a little tree even in front of a single home. And the cheer is spreading. “I had someone contact me just today (Tuesday) asking how to be part of the holiday street tree tradition. I basically told them, ‘Go get a tree and put it out.’ It’s really that simple and so much fun for everyone to see.” In Nichols’ neighborhood, the festive trees are now twinkling along parts of Homer Avenue, Tasso Street between Santa Rita and Seale avenues, Waverley and Bryant streets and Santa Rita Avenue between Bryant and Cowper streets. “It’s one thing the coronavirus couldn’t take away from us this year. People say, ‘I need this more than ever,’” Nichols said. Nichols also receives calls
Ernest William Hancock April 6, 1927 – December 1, 2020
Dr. Ernest William (Bill) Hancock was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. He graduated from the University of Nebraska and Harvard Medical School before joining the Cardiology faculty at Stanford Medical School in 1960. Bill married Joan Egeberg in 1963 and had three sons, William, Nelson and Adam. They regularly spent time at the Egeberg Ranch on the California Coast near San Simeon, where he built a cabin. A lifelong pianist, Bill presented an annual two-piano recital with his colleague Arthur Seltzer, and he anchored countless Christmas caroling parties including one last year at the age of 92. When his kids were young, a highlight of Fall Saturdays was biking to Stanford Football games with the boys. In the 1960s, Bill made notable contributions to understanding mitral valve prolapse, pericardial disease, and heart disease caused by cancer radiation treatments. He was also involved in the nascent heart transplant program at Stanford, led by Norm Shumway. Bill was generally recognized as one of the first to describe a condition known as effusive-constrictive pericarditis. In the 1980s, he served as Chairman of the Cardiovascular Board of the American Board of Internal Medicine, which bestows the title ‘’board certified” to practicing cardiologists. In his later career he was best known for his work in codifying best practices for electrocardiogram interpretation. Bill retired from the full-time faculty at Stanford in 1994, but continued teaching electrocardiography and consulting on computer-based EKG analysis. In 1997, he received the Albion Walter Hewlett Award honoring his lifelong contributions to research and teaching at Stanford. In his later years, Bill and Joan spent time at the ranch, and traveling. He enjoyed following the Bay Area sports teams, especially the Giants. He had season tickets to the symphony and opera for four decades and in retirement embarked on a study of Wagner and Mahler. Bill passed away on December 1st at age 93, following a brief illness. He is survived by his wife Joan; his three sons Will Hancock and Kim Mitchell of State College, PA; Nelson Hancock and Liz Bernbach of Brooklyn, NY; and Adam and Shannon Hancock of Amsterdam, NL. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Freddy, Eliza, Lila, Sam, Leilani and Hendrix.
OBITUARY
PAID
Page 20 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
OBITUARY
from people who are interested in setting up similar festive, tree-lined streets in their neighborhoods, she said. She’s happy to tell people how they can do it themselves, she said, but she hasn’t kept track of whether they’ve followed through. It’s enough work trying to order and deliver 200-plus trees, which arrive the Saturday after Thanksgiving, she said. The next day, people get together for the distribution. It’s a neighborhood affair. “We get together and deliver them in wheelbarrows and carts with Christmas bells on them,” she said. In years prior to the COVID-19 epidemic, there would be a brunch for people who helped deliver the trees, she said. The trees require wooden stands, which are nailed into the base so they can stand up; many places don’t offer the oldfashioned stands anymore, which limits where they can be found, she said. Each tree, including the wooden stand, tax and delivery, costs $47 to $55. Some years they purchased the trees from Palo Alto High School, which helps fund the booster club; other years they purchase the trees directly from tree lots in Oregon, she said. Ace Hardware also stocks many of the big, old-fashioned lights Nichols recalls from her childhood. She purchases the lights, which neighbors buy from her. She has backup lights if anyone needs them. The colorful display gets turned on at 5 p.m. and off at 11 p.m. with automatic timers. The trees on the streets aren’t all that glow, however. Neighbors put out festive decorations at their homes. “Santa Rita between Bryant and Cowper is the best, with beautiful decorations,” she said. They also do a “fantastic job” on Tasso Street, she added. The Christmas trees have helped bring the neighborhood together in the ways Nichols had hoped. “There is more of a sense of community. We have block parties now. It’s become a very friendly neighborhood,” she said. Jensen said she hopes that sharing the story of the spreading Christmas Tree Lane idea will bring “this fun little tradition to light.” “(People) don’t need to be invited or live in any certain neighborhood to participate. All they need to do is have a little extra holiday spirit that they are willing to share with their neighbors by placing 3-to-4-foot noble fir trees out in the planting strip or the front of their yard and put two strands of the old fashioned, C-9 incandescent colored lights on the tree with a white one on top. And, now you are part of the tradition of the joy of lighting up the town!” Q Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@ paweekly.com.
Pulse A weekly compendium of vital statistics
POLICE CALLS Palo Alto Dec. 3-Dec. 9 Violence related Matadero Avenue, 10/22, 3:53 p.m.; physical child abuse. Cowper Street, 11/25, 10:23 a.m.; sexual assault/oral copulation. El Camino Real, 11/30, 9:36 p.m.; sexual assault/rape. El Camino Real, 12/2, 7 p.m.; strong arm robbery. Edgewood Drive, 12/7, 6:01 a.m.; assault w/deadly weapon. California Avenue, 12/7, 8:47 a.m.; strong arm robbery. Theft related Commercial burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Embezzlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Identity theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Prowler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Shoplifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Vehicle related Abandoned bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Auto recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Bicycle theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Lost/stolen plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Stolen catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . 2 Stolen catalytic converter attempt . . . . 1 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Theft from auto attempt . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . 3 Vehicle accident/prop damage . . . . . . 3 Vehicle impound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Alcohol or drug related Driving under influence . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Drunk in public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Possession of paraphernalia . . . . . . . . 2 Sale of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Under influence of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Miscellaneous Found property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Misc. penal code violation . . . . . . . . . . 4 Outside investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Psychiatric subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . 2 Trespassing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Warrant/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Menlo Park Dec. 2-Dec. 8 Violence related 800 block Willow Road, 12/8, 11:32 a.m.; robbery. Theft related Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Vehicle related Auto recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Bicycle theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Driving w/ suspended license . . . . . . . 1 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Parking/driving violation . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Stolen catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . 1 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . 1 Vehicle accident/no injury . . . . . . . . . . 1 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Alcohol or drug related Drunk in public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Possession of paraphernalia . . . . . . . . 2 Miscellaneous Court order violation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Found property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Info. case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mental evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Other/misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . 1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Warrant arrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
OBITUARIES A list of local residents who died recently: Ernest William Hancock, 93, a former faculty member of Stanford University School of Medicine and a Palo Alto resident, died on Dec. 1. Robert Graeme Cormack, 79, a Palo Alto resident, died on Dec. 5. To read full obituaries, leave remembrances and post photos, go to Lasting Memories at PaloAltoOnline.com/obituaries. Q
Visit
Lasting Memories An online directory of obituaries and remembrances. Search obituaries, submit a memorial, share a photo. Go to: www.PaloAltoOnline.com/obituaries
Robert Graeme Cormack October 19, 1941 – December 5, 2020
Rob Cormack, who was born in Madurai, India, passed away on the morning of December 5th in Palo Alto, with his daughters holding his hands. The cause was advanced prostate cancer. He was predeceased by his wife Ann Miller Cormack in 2016 and is survived by his daughters Alison (Tom Kuhnle) and Sara Cherry (Brian), grandchildren Megan, Scott, and Alex, and his brother Captain James P. (Pete) Cormack. Rob attended Stanford as an Alfred P. Sloan scholar and graduated in 1964 with a five-year degree in architecture. He won a Fulbright scholarship to research architecture in India and received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1971. While his early career was as an architect, he soon found that he was better at the business side of that work and spent the rest of his career in real estate management, first on the East Coast and eventually retiring from GBA in San Francisco. Rob and Ann enjoyed traveling to Italy where they met, to Africa on safari with friends, throughout New Zealand and Australia to hike, and on special trips with their older grandchildren to see whales in Mexico and to watch the Women’s World Cup in Germany. Rob cared deeply about his family and was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather. Rob created many pieces of wooden furniture for the family, starting with a crib and a rocking horse for his baby daughters and ending with a treehouse for his grandchildren. His love for architecture and wood were combined in the house he and Ann built at Sea Ranch, which hosted many happy times with friends and family. Rob had a wry sense of humor and appreciated a good trick, especially the annual Big Game hijinks that he engaged in with neighbors who were Berkeley fans. One of Rob’s other great qualities was a willingness to uncomplainingly wash however many dishes there were in the kitchen after one of Ann’s elaborate meals. He was also an avid runner and skier for much of his life. The family wishes to thank the Palo Alto Commons for the caring environment they provided during Rob’s last two years and Mission Hospice and Harmony Home Health Care for their kind assistance during Rob’s last two months. At Rob’s request, there will be no service. The Yosemite Conservancy supports one of his favorite places in the world. We invite you to remember Rob when you take a hike, pet a kitty cat, or admire a fine piece of woodwork.
PUBLIC NOTICE - In accordance with Sec.106 of the Programmatic Agreement, T-Mobile West, LLC plans to upgrade an existing telecommunications facility at 2415 University Avenue East Palo Alto, CA 94303. Please direct comments to Gavin L. at 818-898-4866 regarding site SF70319M. 12/11, 12/18/20 CNS-3421323# PALO ALTO WEEKLY
William Robert Morgan June 13, 1952 – October 6, 2020
Bill was born at Mills Memorial Hospital at San Mateo, California on June 13, 1952 to Bob and Lois Morgan of Palo Alto, California. He was raised in Palo Alto, attended local schools, excelled in wrestling, swimming, water polo and was a member of the fun-loving Fuzz Burgers Basketball Team. After graduation from Palo Alto High School he went to college at University of California, Davis where he achieved a B.S. in Agricultural Economics. After Davis, Bill married his college sweetheart, Caren Hovden. Bill stepped into the family business at Crown Industrial in South San Francisco. Here, he learned electrical engineering and worked to expand the business including system design and engineering, wholesale hardware, industrial door and gate manufacturing and installation with electric operators. Bill’s creativity meant there was never a problem too hard for him to solve. He did not give up on a challenge. Bill cherished working with family and friends at the business. His parents, sister, son, and two cousins were part of the team. Bill’s love for life was an inspiration to all those around him. He tackled every day with a smile on his face. He was best known for his total undeniable love for fun, adventure, work and his devotion to family. Sailboat racing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, snow skiing, waterskiing, playing tennis and dancing filled his weekends and vacations with pleasure. Bill, Billy, Wild Billski, BABS, Poppa, Pop Pop, Mr. Social, or Life of the Party Bill, as some would call him, would go to the ends of the Earth for his family and friends with generosity and a sense of humor that will be greatly missed by all but never forgotten. Friendship to Bill was everlasting and across all ages. Bill passed away peacefully surrounded by his family the morning of October 6, 2020 at the age of 68. He showed immeasurable strength and bravery fighting A.L.S. (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) which took his life 20 months after his diagnosis. Bill is survived by his wife of 45 years, Dr. Caren Hovden Morgan, his son, Brian Morgan and wife, Christina Morgan, his daughter, Dr. Kristen Morgan Sheaff and husband, Justin Sheaff, his parents, Bob and Lois Morgan, his three grandchildren, Charles Morgan, Julia Morgan, and Kaylee Sheaff, his sister, Beverly Morgan Kiehl and husband, Dick Kiehl, his brother-in-law, Dr. Kenneth Hovden and wife, Laura Hovden, his niece and nephew, Taira and Chase Hovden and his father-in-law, Dr. Charles Hovden. He is predeceased by his mother-in-law, Dr. Marion Motzer Hovden, grandparents, Albert H. Morgan and Florence Trowbridge Morgan, Russel Payne and Florence Jenkins Payne. Bill was a 5th generation California native dating from 1849. At Bill’s request no services will be held at this time. We hope to hold a celebration of his life when circumstances permit. Contributions in Bill’s honor can be made to the CPMC Neuroscience program at Forbes/Norris ALS/MDA clinic in San Francisco, or Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry the Hovden Family Endowment, or a charity of your choice. PAID
PAID
OBITUARY
OBITUARY
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 21
Spectrum Editorials, letters and opinions
Guest Opinion What you need to know about the Foothills Park referendum by Eric Filseth and Tom DuBois
I
n the midst of COVID-19, our national turmoil and the positive Black Lives Matter movement, Palo Alto has become embroiled in the issue of access to our beloved Foothills Park. As two City Council members who have been immersed in the details, we wanted to share what we’ve learned on the issue so that people are informed about what is actually at stake when asked to sign the petition that is now circulating for a referendum. Some view Foothills Park through a racial lens, and indeed some of Palo Alto’s history is similar to that of cities around us and across the country with the unconscionable race-based discrimination of those times. But in other important ways Palo Alto has been racially progressive over the decades, including being one of the very few Bay Area cities to oppose the rent discrimination of CA 1964 Prop 14; forming Midpen Citizens for Fair Housing, the first fair housing agency in the country; and honoring Joseph Eichler, who required explicit inclusionary agreements at a time when few others did. Yet while the historical perspective is important, the legal arguments raised with Foothills Park in a lawsuit brought by ACLU and NAACP are based not on racial equity, but instead on the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
Letters Palo Alto’s spirit of exclusion Editor, We purchased our first home in Palo Alto in 1970. Up until 1965, that house and many others in the city had covenants forbidding Asians to live there, and they had a hard time finding a place to live in Palo Alto at that time. Such was the era and spirit under which Foothills Park was made exclusionary. Now it is the only public park in California that excludes nonresidents. We used to RV around the U.S., and I can tell you that we never came across anything like that anywhere. The Baylands and Arastradero parks are open to all and not trashed. Other local, regional, state and national parks are open to all. We do not need a “pilot program.” Palo Alto’s policy has been an
Eric Filseth Tom DuBois The decision of the ACLU and NAACP to emphasize a racial storyline, which obscures the actual substance of their suit, has triggered two unfortunate reactions: • First, while it rallied their supporters, the campaign also rallied many other people who simply don’t see Foothills Park as a segregationist issue and who feel insulted at being told they are racist. As we’ve seen across our nation, this kind of it-rallies-both-sides polarization hurts our capacity for principled and thoughtful discourse, even among reasonable people. • Second, the Palo Alto community — among the most educated in the nation — is astute enough to doubt that a race-based legal case for Foothills Park admission would stick. Because the plaintiffs aggressively marketed their case on this basis, and not on the more substantial First Amendment constitutional aspect, many Palo Altans wrongly view the lawsuit as frivolous. Both these things have helped spur the petition. embarrassment to me personally and I suspect others, too. I really appreciate the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP and individuals who took on this ugly remnant from the past. Thank you to the City Council for having the guts to do the right thing. Leona McCabe DeSoto Drive, Palo Alto
Let’s turn the page on Foothills Park Editor, To settle a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, Palo Alto advanced its plan last month to open Foothills Park to the general public. Now a petition is circulating to reverse the 5-2 City Council vote. While I have long supported a more neighborly approach than the”residents only” restriction, I did not support this lawsuit. But
Page 22 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Let us therefore try to clarify the substance of the lawsuit. The legal claim is that Foothills Park is subject to our federal First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly, overriding any Palo Alto ordinance. The argument is that even though the city owns the land, public parks, like public sidewalks, are special common areas; and unlike private citizens’ property or even many other public facilities, we can’t ban nonresidents from gathering there. Although we have the right to manage the park, limit the number of visitors, charge fees and so forth, the suit asserts we can not discriminate on the basis of residence in allowing access. So while each case is unique, this issue would be the deciding factor; not race or other social-justice concerns. The council discusses the details of lawsuits in closed session with legal counsel, including outside specialist counsel, in order to protect our ability to litigate without disclosing strategy to the opposing side. This is an important protection for residents, but is understandably frustrating to all involved. We both initially voted for the pilot program and for placing the long-term question on the 2022 ballot for voters to decide. After we understood the First Amendment nature of the lawsuit, we both changed our view and voted
for the settlement. If the petition organizers collect the 2,581 signatures needed, the settlement will be voided and the lawsuit proceeds. If the city wins the litigation, then we can do what we want. If the city loses the litigation, then Palo Alto’s “residents-only” policy, including the pilot project, is struck down. A referendum becomes meaningless; the park will be opened on terms determined in a federal court. The current settlement, which waives us paying the ACLU’s legal fees and allows a few things like residents’ priority access to facilities like campgrounds, would not apply. In this outcome, the city may also be required to pay high plaintiffs’ attorneys’ costs. The ACLU and its private firm partner are currently working pro bono, but if they win the lawsuit, they will seek to recover their full legal expenses from Palo Alto. Those expenses would divert funds from already pandemicchallenged programs like the Children’s Theater, Youth Community Services, public safety, and ironically, parks. Those considering signing the petition should consider two important factors: • First, the petition does NOT actually give residents control over Foothills Park access via a referendum; instead it revives the
that lawsuit happened. Palo Alto was pilloried in the press over it with more than 25 local and national news stories about this issue since June. The city had no choice but to respond to the lawsuit. Now, a referendum petition drive asks residents to reverse the council vote and put it on the 2022 ballot. This will very likely force the litigation to proceed. As a former mayor, previously tasked with balancing the interests of the city when faced with significant litigation, I strongly believe the council’s action is sensible. Signing a petition will plunge the city into costly litigation that it is likely to lose. As the city attorney has acknowledged, no other municipality in California “limits access to park land to residents and their guests.” Similar “resident-only” ordinances around the country have been successfully challenged as violations of First Amendment
rights to freely assemble Losing will probably cost the city millions of dollars in plaintiffs’ legal fees, plus our own costs of defense. And, the city will lose the benefits of this compromise. The settlement ensures the city may give priority to residents for reservations and any future entry fees. It also preserves Palo Alto’s right to manage the park as we see fit. Litigating against the NAACP and ACLU will be a public relations nightmare. Every filing will be followed by regional and national media, with an unfortunate glare placed on Palo Alto. Our reputation for inclusion and environmental stewardship may be irreparably tarnished. Let’s turn the page on this issue, take control of the narrative and move forward with as much local control as possible. Leland Levy Greer Road, Palo Alto
First Amendment lawsuit, which the city must first win before any referendum means anything. The petition is a high-stakes bet on that lawsuit, whose odds depend not on social justice or transparency, but on details of Constitutional First Amendment law. • Second, the decision to place this bet will be made not by majority vote but by the 4% of residents (2,500 out of 67,000) who sign the petition. Those 4% will irreversibly commit the other 96% of Palo Altans to this course. This places a significant responsibility on the 4%, and signers should understand the financial risk here. The city has posted a sizable FAQ on its web site with answers to a number of questions, and the full terms of the settlement agreement are here. Finally, let us end with a plea on a different but urgent matter. The COVID-19 situation is at a critical juncture. While we’ve all grown weary of it, we must renew our efforts to isolate in order to slow the transmission rate. Our health care system is at risk of being overwhelmed. Please do all you can to support the county and state directives now in effect. Q Tom DuBois and Eric Filseth are Palo Alto City Council members; DuBois also serves as vice mayor. They can be reached at tomforcouncil@gmail.com and efilseth@gmail.com.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? The Palo Alto Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest. Submit letters to the editor of up to 300 words to letters@paweekly. com. Submit guest opinions of 950 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 Editorial Assistant Lloyd Lee at llee@ paweekly.com or 650-223-6526 or Editor Jocelyn Dong at editor@ paweekly.com.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 23
Arts & Entertainment A weekly guide to music, theater, art, culture, books and more, edited by Karla Kane
Peninsula singing group offers The Fabulous JewelTones mix 20 years of retro style and harmony with oh-so-modern tech know-how by Karla Kane out all the dirt I can and weave their unique story into our songs,” Landergren explained. “Deanne (Tucker, the group’s musical director, also a Los Altan) helps put it together in order and how we should sing it, and the story falls in line.” The rest of the group dresses for the occasion as well, with an array of vintage and replica clothing sourced from thrift stores and attics by a particularly fashionable JewelTone. While they’ve performed for big crowds and at corporate gigs, their favorites are the intimate shows for special events such as birthdays and anniversaries. In a recent interview, Tucker and Landergren reminisced about some of their most memorable shows over the years, including a surprise proposal on Stowe Lake in San Francisco. “We all got Hawaiian shirts and leis and ukuleles and got in these paddle boats and hid in the reeds until they sailed by,” Landergren recalled. “One gal got down on her knees in the boat and all their friends jumped out of the bushes.” The proposal was, she noted, a success. Another involved a lovelorn fellow trying to win back his girlfriend. “I had to counsel him. I told him how he should dress; that he should have a rose,” Landergren said. “We sang ‘I Don’t Know Why I Love You Like I Do’ and ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find.’” And the result? “She cried,” Landergren said. “As far as I know, it worked.” Because of the vintage of the songs in their repertoire, the group
Courtesy The Fabulous JewelTones
or the past two decades, The Fabulous JewelTones have been crooning the hits of yesteryear in multipart harmony, tickling pink Bay Area audiences big and small, sporting snazzy outfits and helping to mark milestones with humor and heart. “Because these are such great old songs, everyone’s smiling back at us, so it’s rewarding for both the singers and the audience,” said co-founder and Los Altos resident Betsy Landergren. And while COVID-19 has put a stop to the group’s live shows, it can’t cramp its irrepressible style. The Fabulous JewelTones were formed as a spinoff of sorts of Peninsula Women’s Chorus, out of a desire to get together and sing barbershop-quartet-style harmonies on a casual basis. In late 1999, they were surprised by a request from a Palo Alto preschool to perform at a picnic. “We discovered all the horrible things about singing outside, on a busy street corner, with little children — nobody heard us and it was probably just as well,” Landergren said with a laugh. Nevertheless, the group enjoyed the gig and over the next year officially became The Fabulous JewelTones, specializing in jazz and pop classics from the 1920s through the ‘50s. They could not have predicted then that they’d be going strong 20 years later. A Fabulous JewelTones show isn’t just about the music, either. Landergren tailors each performance to the audience’s interests and creates individual scripts to fit the setting. “I will interview them and dig
Courtesy The Fabulous JewelTones
The Fabulous JewelTones were formed as a spinoff of Peninsula Women’s Chorus. Page 24 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Peninsula singing group The Fabulous JewelTones have been entertaining audiences for 20 years, specializing in classics from the 1920s through the ’50s. In fact, the members come from members have had many gratify- an original humorous ode to life ing encounters at senior centers during the pandemic, in which a diverse background. Tucker is pajama-clad singers describe life a retired NASA engineer, while and assisted-living facilities. “This is the music of their era. stuck at home (and for those who Landergren is a former flight atIt takes them back to happy times want to sing along, the lyrics help- tendant and book columnist. “We’ve had a physician, a prewhen they were young,” Tucker fully bounce along with the aid of said. Among the most poignant an image of a coronavirus spore school teacher, piano teachers, experiences have been at memo- in lieu of the traditional bouncing several computer nerds, molecury-care units, where the residents ball). Landergren wrote the words lar biologist, pastry chef, potter. appear at first unresponsive to the and Tucker handled the arduous — We have a little bit of everything,” but gratifying — task of blending Landergren said. “Many of us outside world. are retired. Our claim to fame “When we start to sing a song everyone’s individual tracks. “The process for making a vir- now is we always come with a that they remember, you can see their fingers starting to move, toes tual choir video, I really enjoy it golden guarantee. No song that starting to tap,” Landergren said. because it involves both audio and we sing is younger than half a cen“Oh man — that’s something to video skills,” she said. She pre- tury — much like the JewelTones know they’re still there and we pares a backing track, including themselves.” The newest video is the Jewelcan do something for them that singing all four to five harmony vocal parts as a guide, then layers Tones’ take on Cole Porter’s 1943 they can enjoy.” With membership hovering pret- in each member’s vocal tracks one tune “You’d Be So Nice To Come ty steadily at around 10 members by one, adjusting effects and vol- Home To,” a wistful wish for better times to come, just released this (with current virtual conditions ume as she goes along. “It’s up to the group to decide week and featuring glimpses of allowing some who’ve moved out of the Peninsula to stay involved, what the video will be. They have beloved pets, yummy treats, local boosting the group’s numbers by to put on their costume, get their scenes and happy gatherings intera few), The Fabulous JewelTones lighting set up, play the audio and spersed with the singers. “Here we are stuck in our COfunction as a collaborative, with record themselves singing along everyone having a say and each with it, then I strip off the audio VID jails. Wouldn’t it be nice for sharing their unique skills and and match it and arrange them in someone to come home for the the scene in order,” she explained. holidays?” Landergren said. “Well, talents. For “Bye Bye Corona Blues,” we can’t do it now but we can do it Since being unable to sing together in person, the JewelTones one artistic member created a virtually.” More information is available at have celebrated their 20th anni- claymation scene, while the “token versary by releasing three music male” and piano player/arranger jeweltones.org. Q videos, including one that directly Terry Weissman also helped with Email Arts & Entertainment computer animation and juggling Editor Karla Kane at kkane@ addresses the current situation. “Bye Bye Corona Blues,” is — a multi-talented crew. paweekly.com
Answers to this week’s puzzles, which can be found on page 31.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 25
Eating Out THE PENINSULAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ULAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S
' $X
GIFT GUIDE By Elena Kadvany
T
his holiday season, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more essential than ever to take the shop local ethos seriously. Local restaurants and businesses are looking down the barrel of a tough month â&#x20AC;&#x201D; after eight already incredibly tough months â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new stay-at-home order temporarily banning outdoor dining and requiring residents to stay at home as much as possible. Here are 17 ideas for locally made food-and-drink gifts, from handmade pasta and Filipino sweets to virtual cooking classes and a cocktail book authored by a local beverage director, proceeds of which will be donated to bar staff impacted by the shutdown. All of these gifts kill two birds with one stone: treat someone you care about while supporting a local business. And if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at a loss, a gift card to your favorite restaurant, or a donation to the 86Fund for struggling Bay Area eateries at 86fund. org â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or a subscription to your local newspaper, at almanacnews. com/user/subscribe/ â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will always make for an excellent gift with meaningful impact.
The Midwife and the Baker panettone Mountain Viewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Midwife and the Baker is making its own, naturally leavened version of panettone, the Italian holiday staple. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flavored with orange zest, candied orange and lemon peel, candied lemon peel and raisins. Preorder online by Dec. 19 for pickup Dec. 22-24, or look for panettone and other holiday specials at the bakeryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local farmers market stands throughout December. (Panettone bonus: This one isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t on the Peninsula, but you can get it delivered here and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just too good to not share: a gelato-filled panettone from Gio Gelati in San Francisco.) Visit themidwifeandthebaker.com/.
El Merkat paella kit Send a loved one to Spain (sorta) via a paella kit from Telefèric Barcelonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next-door market, El Merkat, in Palo Alto. The kits come with a paella pan, extra virgin olive oil, Santo Tomas bomba
rice, homemade sofrito and paella seasoning. There are two sizes available, one for two people and another for four. While youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at it, treat yourself with some imported JamĂłn ibĂŠrico, tinned fishes and anchovy-stuffed olives for a holiday tapas platter. Order online at telefericbarcelona.square.site or visit El Market at 855 El Camino Real #130, Palo Alto. Open Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
and Allied Arts Apiaries iaries in Menlo Park (on Instagram am under the same name), State Street Honey in Redwood City (statestreethoney. atestreethoney. com/rwc), Daveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Backyard Bees in Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills (nextdoor.com/pages/daves-backes/daves-backk yard-bees-palo-altoltoca/photos/) and Bay ay Area Bees in San n Mateo (pcfma.org// vendors/bay-areabees-san-mateo).
The Prolific Oven cake kits
Local wine
Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved The Prolific Oven has revived its cake kits for the holidays: all the ingredients to make the bakeryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular chocolate cake, poppyseed cake and rum cream cheese frosting are available for local pickup and delivery. Order at the-prolific-oven.square.site.
Fenn Coffee Give the gift of small-batch roasted coffee beans, jarred cold brew or double espresso shots from Fenn Coffee, founded by Menlo Park triathlete and coffee obsessive Max Fennell. He sources beans from fair trade, and when possible, organic and women-owned, farms around the world. Order online or look for Fenn Coffee at local grocery stores including The Willows Market in Menlo Park, Bianchiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market in Portola Valley, Delucchiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market in Redwood City, The Market at Edgewood in Palo Alto, and Burlingame Market in Burlingame. Online at fenncoffee.com.
BackAYard Caribbean Grill jerk sauces BackAYard sells bottles of its jerk sauces, which come in original, hot mango, â&#x20AC;&#x153;hell fireâ&#x20AC;? and sweet BBQ flavors. The sauces are available for purchase at BackAYard restaurants in Menlo Park, San Jose and Campbell; call your preferred location directly to purchase. Their website is backayard.net.
Local honey There are numerous options for locally made honey, including NFO Bee Co (nfobeeco.com).
Page 26 â&#x20AC;˘ December 11, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Palo Alto Weekly â&#x20AC;˘ www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Look to the Peninnsulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small, indepenpendent wineries for bottles, wine club subscriptionss and virtual tastings as gifts. Find ind a list to get you started at winesofthesantanesofthesantacruzmountains.com/wineries. om/wineries. Or, support a locall wine shop i h with a gift card â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our favorites include Vin Vino Wine and Salvaje in Palo Alto, Vineyard Gate in Millbrae and Table Wine Merchant in Pacifica.
Vina Mercato fresh pasta and sauces Vina Enotecaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Italian market, Vina Mercato, is stocked with edible gift possibilities, from imported olive oil to wine, but the fresh, handmade pastas and sauces â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tortellini filled with prosciutto, parmigiana, mortadella and pork loin, anyone? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; might be the most alluring. You can also opt for preselected gift boxes filled with wine, Baiocchi cookies, Bomba calabrese spread and other Italian goodies. Order online at vinaenoteca.com or visit the market at 700 Welch Road #110, Palo Alto. Open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Cocktails for Home: Sheltered in Placeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Eusebio Pozos-Reyes, beverage director at San Agus Cocina Urbana & Cocktails in Palo Alto, authored this book to guide the home mixologist with ideas and recipes. A portion of the proceeds will be donated back to local industry bar staff impacted by the COVID-19 closures. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cocktails
Above: El Merkat at Telefèric Barcelonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gourmet paella kit serves four people and contains paella seasoning, sofrito mix, piquillo peppers, Bomba rice, paprika, Spanish virgin olive oil and a paella recipe. Top: Eusebio Pozos, San Agus Cocina Urbana & Cocktails beverage director, uses epazote syrup and Nixta Licor de Elote to recreate the smells of a Mexico City market in the Central de Abastos in Palo Alto. Photo by Magali Gauthier. for Homeâ&#x20AC;? is available at local bookstores, including Books Inc and Keplerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Books.
Donato Enoteca cooking class If you give a friend or family member one of Redwood City Italian favorite Donato Enotecaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s virtual cooking classes, consider getting one for yourself so you can cook together, but apart. Learn how to make agnolotti del plin, pasta carbonara, cacio e pepe and zuppa di pesce in upcoming classes (which also happen to be on sale right now). Place order for pickup by the day before the class or for shipping by at least three days before. To learn more visit donatoonlinestore.com/collections/cookingwine-tasting-virtual-classes.
Local Lady Larder Peruse As Kneaded Bakeryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online Local Lady Larder (askneadedbakery.square.site/local-ladylarder) for gift ideas from local, women-owned food businesses, like truffles and milk tea brittle
from NeoCocoa in Belmont, slowroasted honey-sesame cashews from Nuts+Nuts in San Mateo and raspberry meringues from DĂŠlice GlacĂŠ in Redwood City. As Kneaded is run by Palo Alto native Iliana Berkowitz; her bread is available at grocery stores throughout the Peninsula (find a list at askneadedbakery.com/ wheretofindus) and would also make for a great edible gift.
Iacopi Farms heirloom beans The local answer to cult-beanfavorite Rancho Gordo: Iacopi Farms. The Half Moon Bay farm makes some of the highest quality heirloom legumes, from Italian butter beans to Prim Manteca, a variety from Chile. Order online at tinyurl.com/hmbbeans or pick up a couple bags of dried beans from Iacopiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stands at local farmers markets (including Mountain View and Burlingame on Sundays and College of (continued on page 28)
Here come the Holidays Give your parents a gift that helps them live better in their own home… A Gift Membership in Avenidas Village!
Books from Bell’s … So Elegant! • Limited and First Editions • Fine Bindings • Author Signed copies • Illustrated Collectibles An inventory of 300,000 volumes spanning hundreds of years awaits you. With free giftwrap and local delivery, we make it easy for you. Call today!
An Avenidas Village membership provides peace of mind for you and a community of support and resources for your loved ones to help them stay independent and secure. They will enjoy joining a network of active seniors sharing resources for handling life’s transitions. Act now to support the independent path your parents >Ûi V Ãi Ü Ì > «iÀÃ > âi` } vÌ ViÀÌ wV>Ìi° À Ài info or to purchase, visit www.AvenidasVillage.org/gift or call (650) 289-5405 today! Redeem by 12/31/20 to lock in lower 2020 rates.
www.avenidasvillage.org
536 Emerson Street in Downtown Palo Alto www.bellsbooks.com 650.323.7822 Open 11 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week and by appointment
RETIREMENT SALE
Complimentary Vet Concierge Service Staff will receive your pets wearing PPE to minimize contact and comply with social distancing
We are thankful for our essential workforce!
OZ BOUTIQUE AFTER 37 WONDERFUL YEARS SERVING OUR BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY
OZ BOUTIQUE IS RETIRING
11am - 4pm • Monday - Saturday
650.941.1414 • 203 Main St. Los Altos www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 27
Eating Out
Edible gift guide
Binka Bites bibingk
Romolo’s cannoli kit
(continued from page 26)
I’d gladly wake up to a box of Binka Bites’ bibingka on my doorstep any day. The South San Francisco bakery’s coconut and rice flour cupcakes are inspired by Filipino bibingka, a baked rice cake, and come in flavors like ube flan (topped with ube cream cheese frosting and leche flan) and mango cream (filled with mango and topped with vanilla whipped cream frosting and graham cracker crumbs). Order online at binkabites.com for pickup or delivery. For pickup, orders must be placed at least three days prior to your requested date.
Romolo’s has been making stellar cannoli in San Mateo since 1968 using a secret family recipe. Sigona’s is partnering with the family-owned business to offer cannoli kits for the holidays. It comes with three plain and three chocolate cannoli shells, garnishes (chocolate chips, chopped pistachios and glazed cherries) and cream to fill the cannoli. The kit has about a two-week shelf life. You can send it to someone through Sigona’s home delivery platform; order at sigonashome.com/shop/ product/romolos-cannoli-kit/.
San Mateo on Saturdays). Visit them online at facebook.com/ iacopifarms.
Noodle in a Haystack mala sauce
Gourmet Haus Staudt imported German goods Gourmet Haus Staudt’s Redwood City market is full of gift-friendly German and European goods, from Spätzle mixes, bratwurst and Milka chocolate bars to rum stollen. Plus, of course, an excellent imported and local beer selection. The store is at 2615 Broadway St., Redwood City. Open Monday noon to 6 p.m., TuesdaySaturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Online at gourmethausstaudt.com.
with locally made jam, salsa, marinara, canned tomatoes and honey. Delivery is available for Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents; others can pick up boxes at the farm on Wednesdays. People interested in purchasing the CSA boxes or other items can email lunavezfarm@ gmail.com. Q Email Elena Kadvany at ekadvany@paweekly.com
A local CSA box subscription Give a friend the gift of fresh produce — and support a local farm — with a community supported agriculture (CSA) box subscription. Oya Organic Farm, which is based in Hollister but run by a Palo Alto resident, offers boxes with seven to nine different varieties of organic produce available for local pickup on a weekly or monthly basis. Or, gift your entire neighborhood by teaming up for a CSA box pickup — if you have at
Veronica Weber
During the shutdown, Clint and Yoko Tan, the masterminds behind Daly City ramen pop-up Noodle in a Haystack, started selling their wonderfully spicy mala sauce, which they like to describe as a hybrid of chili oil and Chinese XO sauce that can be used like a hot sauce or for cooking. It’s a blend of several kinds of chile, Szechuan pepper, kelp, hemp, tamari smoked fish, garlic, scallion and sesame. The mala sauce, as well as their “vejigrette” (a vegan and glutenfree salad dressing made from carrots, sweet peppers, onions, olives, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar) are available through Fishmonger Don’s website, fishmongerdon.com. Do also follow Noodle in a Haystack on Instagram (instagram.com/ noodleinhaystack), where the couple posts when they’re selling Yoko’s pillowy Japanese milk bread and other homemade goods.
least five people interested in picking up at your house or workplace, reach out to the farm. Or, check out Luna Vez Farm, whose CSA boxes feature rotating, seasonal produce from the Los Altos Hills farm as well as lesser known farms run by people of color. For the holidays, Luna Vez is also making chili wreaths and preserves baskets
Tarun Marya, owner of Luna Vez Farm in Los Altos Hills, pulls a Korean radish from a vegetable bed.
Here come the Holidays Advent
'$ $ 2.- .% .-&(-& -# (3(-&
ALL SAINTS’ PALO ALTO JOIN US FOR
SAINT LL
P
O
CHURCH AL
Page 28 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
S’
555 WAVERLEY STREET, PALO ALTO (650) 322-4528 ~ ASAINTS.ORG
A
SUNDAY EUCHARIST 10AM PST FACEBOOK.COM/ASAINTSPALOALTO
O A LT
Don’t Go It Alone for The Holidays
997 All Other Legals
You are not alone. This time of year can normally be very stressful, let alone during a pandemic when we are asked to shelter in place and minimize contact with family and friends. If you are struggling, you can turn to Avenidas Care Partners (ACP) for help. Call (650) 289-5438 to request a crisis intervention, an elder care consult, family mediation and emotional support during these challenging times.
2
$
www.avenidas.org
We are here for you. $ 99 4
69
Kozy Brothers
Your Your You Yo ur Everyday Every veery ryddaay Farmers Farm Fa rmerers Market Maarrkketet M Farm Farm Fresh Fa Freresh sh and and nd Always Allwa A ways the the he Best Besest
DE MARTINI ORCHARD
66 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos • 650-948-0881 • DeMartiniOrchard.com
L ONG G REEN
AT SPARAGUS M S $ 99
2
ENDER
EATY
PEARS
LB
Now T Holidayaking Basket Fruit s Orde rs
uit d Fr ks e i r D t Pac ip Gif To Sh dy Rea
H OLIDAY B AKING N EEDS L ARGE S IZE S HELLED
WALNUTS R AW
ALMONDS R AW
PECANS ALMOND PASTE
2
F UYU E GGPLANT PERSIMMON
C LUSTER
$
1 # PKG
LB
F OR
O RGANIC PINACH B UN F OR
$
LB
LB
O RGANIC O RGANIC S UGAR P LUM ILANTRO OMATO BUN
1
TEM AND
EAF
LB
L ARGE S IZE D RIED F RUIT S PECIALS
1 # PKG
1 # PKG
MANDARINS S L $ 99
TOMATOES AVOCADOS BLENHEIM $
699 $ 99 2 300 $199 $199 2 300 6 $ 49 S C C 12 T $ 99 18 2 300 99¢ 2 600 2 699 $
S ATSUMA
B SK F OR
$
$
F OR
M EDJOOL
DATES O RGANIC UTIES B LACK RAISINS LB B AG F OR
$
1999 $ 99 11 $ 49 3 $ 99 4
APRICOTS
D RIED CRANBERRIES
1 # PKG
1 # PKG
1 # PKG
1 # PKG
OPEN DAILY 8 AM- 7 PM • PRICES EFFECTIVE 12/09 thru 12/15
$
9949 4
¢ $ 99
232 49
$ 79 $ 69 $ ¢00 99 $ 3 weekend starts here5 The first step in planning your
Your weekly email with tips and insights about hot events and cool activities SIGN UP AT
PaloAltoOnline.com/express/weekend Presented by
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA Case No.: 20CV372765 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: Aren Leon Zhang filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Aren Leon Zhang to Aaron Steve Zhang. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: January 5, 2021, 8:45 a.m., Room: Probate of the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. A copy of this ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: PALO ALTO WEEKLY. Date: November 10, 2020 Julie A. Emede JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT (PAW Nov. 27; Dec. 4, 11, 18, 2020) NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: RUNHSIANG YANG Case No.: 20PR188955 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of RUNHSIANG YANG. A Petition for Probate has been filed by: JUNEKANG YANG in the Superior Court of California, County of SANTA CLARA. The Petition for Probate requests that: JUNEKANG YANG be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held on January 6, 2021 at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 13 of the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, located at 191 N. First St., San Jose, CA, 95113. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority
may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Shirley Tam 111 North Market Street, Ste. 300 San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 977-7766 (PAW Nov. 27; Dec. 4, 11, 2020) NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: PATRICIA K. KLEIN Case No.: 20PR188709 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of PATRICIA K. KLEIN. A Petition for Probate has been filed by: CRAIG O. KLEIN in the Superior Court of California, County of SANTA CLARA. The Petition for Probate requests that: CRAIG O. KLEIN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held on January 14, 2021 at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 13 of the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, located at 191 N. First St., San Jose, CA, 95113. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Katherine Efting 438 South Murphy Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086-6114 (408) 732-3114 (PAW Dec. 11, 18, 25, 2020)
Call Alicia Santillan at 650-223-6578 or email asantillan@paweekly.com for assistance with your legal advertising needs. www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 29
SILI C O N VA LLE Y H O M E S
1928 Cowper Street, Palo Alto Offered at $5,995,000 Michael Dreyfus · 650.485.3476 Lic. #01121795 Noelle Queen · 650.427.9211 Lic. #01917593
555 Byron Street #301, Palo Alto Offered at $2,000,000 Lucy Berman · 650.208.8824 Lic. #01413627
50 Amador Avenue, Atherton Offered at $9,500,000 Emily Smith-Silvestri · 650.346.1361 Lic. # 01927979
2199 Clayton Drive, Menlo Park Offered at $5,500,000 Shena Hurley · 650.575.0991 Lic. #01152002
32 Palm Court, Menlo Park Offered at $4,800,000 Mary Bee · 650.343.9999 Lic. #00882849
2131 Oakley Avenue, Menlo Park Offered at $3,295,000 Penelope Huang · 650.281.8028 Lic. #01023392
682 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos Offered at $2,798,000 Omar Kinaan · 650.776.2828 Lic. #01723115
440 Sixth Avenue, Menlo Park Offered at $1,289,000 Lisa Keith · 650.703.8644 Lic. #00882247
21 Willow Road Unit #44, Menlo Park Offered at $1,225,000 Barbara Telesco Curley 650.861.2488 Lic. #01837664
679 Yosemite Avenue, Mountain View Offered at $2,985,000 The Campi Group · 650.917.2433 Lic #00600311
620 Magdalena Avenue, Los Altos Offered at $3,795,000 Chris Iverson · 650.450.0450 Lic. #01708130
25 Preston Road, Woodside Offered at $7,900,000 Shena Hurley · 650.575.0991 Lic. #01152002
6 Friars Lane, Woodside Offered at $4,800,000 Kim Hansen · 415.806.8230 Lic. #01927728
2 Acorn Street, Portola Valley Offered at $3,795,000 Chris Iverson · 650.450.0450 Lic. #01708130
3 Redberry Ridge, Portola Valley Offered at $16,800,000 The Campi Group · 650.917.2433 Lic #00600311
40 Firethorn Way, Portola Valley Offered at $28,750,000 Michael Dreyfus · 650.485.3476 Lic. #01121795 Noelle Queen · 650.427.9211 Lic. #01917593
More Listings at GoldenGateSIR.com · Palo Alto Office 728 Emerson St
Menlo Park Office 640 Oak Grove Ave
Los Altos Office 195 S. San Antonio Rd
Woodside Office 2989 Woodside Rd
Each office is independently owned and operated
Redwood City Office 555 Middlefield Rd
San Carlos Office 1250 San Carlos Ave 101
Burlingame Office 360 Primrose Rd
Los Gatos Office 663 Blossom Hill Rd
OTHER OFFICES BELVEDERE-TIBURON · BERKELEY · DANVILLE · LAFAYETTE · MILL VALLEY · MONTCLAIR · NAPA · NOVATO · OAKLAND · ROSS VALLEY · SAN RAFAEL · SAUSALITO · STINSON BEACH Page 30 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Across 1 “Breaking Bad” sidekick 6 Written test format 11 Some mainframe computers 15 Follow, as an impulse 16 Pleas 18 QUESTION, PART 1 20 Cry bitterly 21 Blows away 22 ___ St. Soul (U.K. R&B/soul group) 23 Controversial ride-sharing app 25 Fall back, as a tide 26 ASPCA part 29 QUESTION, PART 2 34 “Forrest Gump” actor Gary 35 “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for ___” (1985 best-seller) 36 “Laugh-In” comedian Johnson 37 Like many indie films 38 “Buon giorno,” in Brisbane 39 Go over the limit 40 Green Day, e.g. 41 “Sorry if ___ you down” 42 NBA team formerly from Minneapolis 43 QUESTION, PART 3 46 Charlemagne’s realm, for short 47 Device program 48 Cranberry sources 49 Greek letter after zeta 50 “Battlefield Earth” author Hubbard 52 Director Van Sant 55 ANSWER TO THE QUESTION 61 Closest to the ground, stature-wise 62 Otherworldly 63 Mgr.’s helper 64 Creator of Yertle the Turtle 65 Laundry cycle Down 1 Movie score with a famous two-note motif 2 Bounce back 3 Aimless attempt
“Shell Game”--maybe that’s why it’s green. By Matt Jones
This week’s SUDOKU
9
7
5
4 7 3 8 7 5
1
9 5 4 7 6 3 8
3
9
7
5 4 9 3 4 2 Answers on page 25.
4 Imbiber 5 Grind to a halt 6 Milne’s mopey donkey 7 Flaky precipitation 8 Comedians Gilliam and Goldsmith, for two 9 Rainbow shape 10 “While that might be true ...” 11 “___ be here soon” 12 Took the bait 13 “I really don’t care” 14 157.5 degrees from N 17 It’s a likely story 19 “You ___ one” 23 Sleep aid brand 24 Like a shopping mall on Black Friday, ordinarily
9
3 4 6
8
Answers on page 25.
25 Online selling site 26 Wall, for one 27 Playful aquatic animals 28 Dated term for college students 29 Site for reflection? 30 Prompt 31 Corvair investigator Ralph 32 “They went ___-way” 33 Actress Lauren of 2020’s “The Wrong Missy” 34 Louis Armstrong’s nickname 38 Unidentifiable cafeteria food 39 Did some karaoke 41 Repercussions 42 “Ghost Town” actress Tea 44 Irritate
4
9 www.sudoku.name
45 Fastening bars shaped like letters 49 Louisiana, to Louis 50 In ___ of (replacing) 51 Monica Geller’s brother 52 Jack-o’-lantern look 53 College team from Salt Lake City 54 “Auld Lang ___” 55 “Don’t text and drive” ad, for short 56 Acuity measures that don’t really matter 57 Questionable, in “Among Us,” slangily 58 Hustle, quaintly 59 High-jump hurdle 60 Peyton’s sibling
©2020 Jonesin’ Crosswords (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com)
Experience. Integrity. Knowledge. Home has never been more important.
Support our Kids with a gift to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund Drive. Donate online at PaloAltoOnline.com/holiday_fund
Helping buyers and sellers navigate their real estate needs during these challenging times.
Carolyn Aarts Keddington Realtor® 650.946.8122 carolyn.keddington@compass.com DRE 01490400 Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ aB| JO aBMO zWsVdts bdsWKOà !d psBsOaObs Wp aBMO Bp sd accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 11, 2020 • Page 31
REDWOOD CITY | $2,200,000 3968 Lonesome Pine Rd is a 4br/3ba split-level w/expansive views of the Bay & Peninsula. Large windows bring the outdoors inside & provide an abundance of natural light. The renovated kitchen, master & hall baths feature modern details & the flexible downstairs offers a full bath, spacious bedroom & large family room. Enjoy a terraced yard w/rock-lined flower beds, stone paths, vegetable beds & fruit trees. Michele Morhenn 650.471.9066 Michele.Morhenn@cbnorcal.com CalRE #02006379
SUNNYVALE | $2,198,000 Quintessential California, mid-century modern Eichler home. Four bedrooms, two with en suite baths, plus an office, atrium and a pool.
SAN RAMON | Price Upon Request 4br/2ba updated ranch home on large corner lot. Formal dining room, wet bar, family room w/FP & built-in shelving. Zen-like, landscaped backyard.
Teri Woolworth 650.996.1077 teri.woolworth@cbnorcal.com CalRE #01311430
Michelle Lewis 925.785.4358 michelle.lewis@cbrealty.com CalRE #01997405
MOUNTAIN VIEW | $874,900 49ShowersA238.com. Meticulously maintained and upgraded 1br/1ba unit in the much-desired Old Mill complex. Enjoy the updated kitchen & bath, balcony, FP & 2 pool areas.
CITRUS HEIGHTS | Price Upon Request Rare home in a country setting in the city features grand living spaces and good sized secondary bedrooms.
LOS ALTOS | $929,000 Wonderful, updated, one level condo on a quiet, tree-lined street in downtown Los Altos. Private deck.
Francis Rolland 650.224.4817 frolland@cbnorcal.com CalRE #00896319
Julie Rees 916.622.7337 julie.rees@cbnorcal.com CalRE #01335546
Cindy Mattison 650.279.7122 cmattison@cbnorcal.com CalRE #01052018
ColdwellBankerHomes.com
guiding you home since 1906
The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty and Coldwell Banker Devonshire are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2020 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. ®
Page 32 • December 11, 2020 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com