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Palo Alto Weekly 10.21.2011 - section 1
Section 1 of the October 21, 2011 edition of the Palo Alto Weekly
www.PaloAltoOnline.com City pondering electric-car policy Page 3 Battle over the Baylands Compost facility? Parkland? ut? hat's `E' really abo W page 16 SUPPORTLOCALJOURNALISM.ORG Spectrum 14 Movies 25 Eating Out 28 Puzzles 45 Page 22 Page 29 Page 33 Arts Art that's larger than life, full of life Sports `Tree's Company' a triple threat Home Just how smart are Sunset's new homes? Perinatal Diagnostic Center Obstetric Anesthesia Packard Children's Hospital Center for Fetal Health Stanford School of Medicine TOGETHER WHAT DREW US HERE AS DOCTORS, DRAWS US BACK AS PATIENTS. www.lpch.org Obstetricians Karen Shin and Mary Parman spend their days caring for pregnant patients and delivering babies. Now that each doctor is pregnant with her first child, the choice of where to deliver is clear: right here where they deliver their patients' babies, at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. "At Packard, every specialist you could ever need is available within minutes, around the clock. When you've seen how successfully the physicians, staff and nurses work, especially in unpredictable situations, you instinctively want that level of care for you and your baby." To learn more about the services we provide to expectant mothers and babies, visit lpch.org Page 2 Upfront City eyes new charging stations, greater outreach to support emerging trend by Gennady Sheyner Local news, information and analysis Palo Alto charges forth with electric-vehicle plan W ithin 10 years, as many as 10,000 electric vehicles could be cruising Palo Alto's streets. That statistic from the California Energy Commission is one reason for the city to take the lead in planning for the emerging trend of electric vehicles, Mayor Sid Espinosa said Tuesday afternoon at a celebra- tion of new charging stations in the underground garage at Palo Alto City Hall. Moments earlier, Espinosa and Planning and Transportation Commissioner Arthur Keller had silently pulled into a parking space in Keller's blue Nissan Leaf. "It's an exciting time," Espinosa said. The city has recently installed five new charging stations, including two in the top level of the City Hall garage (others were installed at the Bryant Street and Alma Street garages). The private sector has already set an impressive precedent in the field of electric transportation, with pioneering companies such as Tesla, Better Place and Fisker all establishing a local presence. Other companies, including HP, SAP, Westin, Creekside Inn and Stanford Shopping Center became early adopters in installing vehicle-charging stations for their employees and customers. Now, city officials want to make sure City Hall doesn't get left behind. To that end, staff has put together an ambitious plan aimed at making the transition to electric vehicles easier for the local population. The plan includes installing charging stations, simplifying the permitting process for customers wishing to install chargers at their homes or businesses, providing outreach about the environmental benefits of switching from gas to electric and encouraging developers to include charging stations in their projects. The City Council's Policy and Services Committee discussed and unanimously endorsed the plan Tuesday night. Debra van Duynhoven, assistant to the city manager for sustainability, said the trend toward electric vehicles (EVs) has been gaining momentum in Palo Alto, with about 20 customers requesting permits for charging (continued on page 10) URBAN FOREST Thirty-three trees planned for removal at Greer Park Replacements to better tolerate reclaimed water by Sue Dremann plan to remove 33 dead or dying trees at Greer Park will add species that are better adapted to handle reclaimed water and the salinity of the park's soil, city officials told Midtown neighborhood residents on Tuesday evening. The Midtown Residents Association organized the meeting with city staff to calm fears of another tree-cutting "debacle" such as the removal of 63 trees in one day that occurred on California Avenue in 2009, leaders said. Greer Park has 313 mature trees and 74 trees that were planted in 2010, according to Peter Jensen, a city landscape architect and certified arborist. Irrigation with reclaimed water for the past 15 years and the underlying baylands soils have contributed to the demise of at least 24 trees, and others are in peril, he said. "The park is a microclimate in itself. ... The topsoil there is not deep. The stuff underneath is salt marsh," he said. Jensen said the Public Works arborists are selecting species of trees that are already thriving in the park despite the water and soil conditions. Most will take about 8 to 10 years to become large trees, he said. Residents can view the trees proposed for removal by visiting the park, where each tree is tagged. Public Works also has a map of the tree plan and a list of trees planned for removal and their condition on its website at www.cityofpaloalto.org; click on Public Works, then "tree removal" and scroll to the bottom. The city plans to add trees that offer a variety of color, shape and texture to the park. The new species would include Pyrus, or Eastern A The sun also rises A bird paddles the placid waters of the Baylands on Tuesday at sunrise. Moussavian was in fourth grade when her family moved to Palo Alto and she was placed in special education at Barron Park Elementary School. Later, she was mainstreamed into regular classes, usually assisted by a classroom aide. She has had multiple surgeries for congenital problems and has difficulty using her hands, walking and pro cessi ng lectures. "I think the teachers were very understanding -- and to some extent, the students Sara Moussavian were as well," she said of her overall experience. But bullying became something (continued on page 6) EDUCATION Palo Alto student finds her voice Gunn graduate spreads the word on Disability History Week by Chris Kenrick s a Palo Alto student with disabilities, Sara Moussavian thinks history books should tell about Ed Roberts just as they tell about Martin Luther King Jr. Moussavian has been persistent in contacting local educators to let them know that, starting this year, California officially observes Disability History Week every October. "People should know about inspirational leaders like Ed Roberts," said Moussavian, a Gunn High School graduate who now studies at Foothill College. Roberts, who died in 1995, is a hero in the disability-rights movement. Severely disabled from polio, A he shunned the role of victim while a student at UC Berkeley in the 1960s, asserting his right to accommodations needed to live a productive life. Roberts went on to launch Berkeley's Center for Independent Living, a prototype for hundreds of such centers now active around the world, including the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center. Like Roberts, Moussavian endured bullying in her younger years in Palo Alto schools but developed strategies that helped her ignore it. And like Roberts, she has begun to find her voice as an educator and advocate for people with disabilities. pear, which is covered with white flowers in spring; London plane; Shamel or evergreen ash; Tristania or water gum; Nichol's gum and Swamp mallee, which has reddish or russet foliage. The largest tree to be removed has an 18-inch diameter, with a few in the 10- to 12-inch range. Most are in the 4- to 6-inch range, according to a public works report. The greatest visual impact would be around the baseball diamond in the park's center and an eastern path, according to the city. Ten trees would be taken out adjacent to home plate and seven would be removed along the path. Another cluster of trees would be removed near the basketball courts. The species to be planted at the baseball field -- Shamel ash and smaller water gum -- will provide shade for visitors who come to watch the games. Jensen said the trees will be removed in the coming weeks and the city will replant by the end of the year. The 20 residents who attended the meeting said they are satisfied with the tree choices, but expressed concerns about the process. Resident Pam Radin said staff had plans for elevation, irrigation, a budget, plant size and other prepared materials for previous projects, such as at Sterling Canal, that "are not in place now." Others expressed worry that the city would not have enough money to implement the replanting, adding that they don't want to wait for a long time before the trees are replaced. Jensen said the estimated project cost would be about $5,000 to (continued on page 5) Veronica Weber Page 3 Upfront PUBLISHER William S. Johnson EDITORIAL Jocelyn Dong, Editor Carol Blitzer, Associate Editor Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, ExpressTM and Online Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Tom Gibboney, Spectrum Editor Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Dale Bentson, Colin Becht, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, Chad Jones, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Jeanie K. Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Contributors Yichuan Cao, David Ruiz, Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Raul Perez, Assistant Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Gary Vennarucci, Designer PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Samantha Mejia, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators ADVERTISING Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Judie Block, Janice Hoogner, Gary Whitman, Display Advertising Sales Neil Fine, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, Inside Advertising Sales Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Asst. Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Assistants Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst. Wendy Suzuki, Advertising Sales Intern We believe education can be engaging and joyous. 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Bravo, Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Connie Jo Cotton, Major Accounts Sales Manager Bob Lampkin, Director, Circulation & Mailing Services Alicia Santillan, Circulation Assistants Chris Planessi, Chip Poedjosoedarmo, Computer System Associates The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 326-8210. Periodicals postage paid at Palo Alto, CA and additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for Santa Clara County. The Palo Alto Weekly is delivered free to homes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, to faculty and staff households on the Stanford campus and to portions of Los Altos Hills. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 326-8210. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. Copyright �2011 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 e-mail addresses are: firstname.lastname@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com. Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Call 650 326-8210, or e-mail circulation@paweekly. com. You may also subscribe online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $60/yr. Saturday, 11:00 a.m. 29 Oct Saturday, Dec 11:00 a.m. 10 SCHEDULE A SCHOOL TOUR OR STUDENT SHADOW TODAY! Contact Marissa Lockett, Admissions Assistant 408.481.9900 x4248 or firstname.lastname@example.com 562 N. Britton Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 www.tka.org -- ACSI and WASC Accreditation Page 4 Support your local newspaper by becoming a paid subscriber. $60 per year. $100 for two years. Name: _________________________________ Address: _______________________________ City/Zip: _______________________________ Mail to: Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610. Palo Alto CA 94302 SUBSCRIBE! `` Peninsula School 450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210 QUOTE OF THE WEEK `` If you need help, they'll be there for you. --Faauuga Saofanua, a senior at East Palo Alto Academy, who boosted his GPA from 1.2 at Carlmont High School to 3.7 at the Stanford-affiliated high school. See story on page 5. Around Town UNPLUGGED ... When Palo Alto's leading developers and city officials unveiled the new Lytton Plaza in downtown Palo Alto two years ago, they envisioned a bustling neighborhood hub with farmers markets, concerts and community events. Not everything, however, has panned out as planned. The city's Farmers Market fizzled because of lack of demand, and the concerts that accompanied the weekly markets ceased to exist. Now, city officials are confronting another problem: People are using the new electrical outlets, which were installed as part of the renovation, to play amplified music at all hours of the day and, occasionally, late at night. The city's Community Services and Police departments have been receiving complaints from businesses around the prominent plaza, according to a new report from Daren Anderson, division manager for Open Space, Parks and Golf. Attempts to talk to musicians weren't always successful. "In some cases there has been cooperation, but not enough to adequately address the problem," Anderson wrote. Staff tried to address the problem by locking the outlet covers, but this strategy was reportedly foiled by vandals. Furthermore, Palo Alto's attempts to enforce the existing ordinance, which bans electrical devices in parks without permits, also fell short as several musicians brought battery-powered amplifiers. Now, staff is proposing a new rule that would ban amplified music at Lytton Plaza without a special permit. Even with permission, operation of amplifiers would be limited to between 5 and 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The city wrote up the ordinance after discussions with Russ Cohen, president of the Downtown Business and Professional Association, who consulted businesses around the plaza. Acoustic music, meanwhile, would still be welcomed at the plaza without any permits. "Staff believes that prohibiting amplified sound without a permit will be a useful tool in reducing noise complaints and will help keep the park and surrounding area enjoyable for everyone," Anderson wrote. The city's Parks and Recreation Commission will discuss the proposed ordinance Tuesday evening. WHAT'S SHAKING? ... Palo Alto's Architectural Review Board was delving into the details of a proposed two-story building at Stanford Research Park at 10:20 a.m. on Thursday when a voice from a City Hall speaker shook the board members out of their routine. The voice was part of a statewide drill, the "Great California ShakeOut," a statewide exercise in disaster preparedness. The Federal Emergency Management Administration called the drill the largest in the nation's history, with an estimated 8.5 million Californians participating. The voice instructed listeners on what to do in case of an earthquake: namely, drop, find a cover and hold on to something. The suggestion puzzled board member Judith Wasserman, who couldn't find anything firm to hold on to behind the Council Chambers podium. "There's nothing out there but cables to hold on to," Wasserman observed. "We're going to lose the entire city government!" Neither the board nor the applicants dropped or panicked. Instead, unflappable as ever, they waited out the drill and proceeded with their discussion of signage and parking designs. PRAISE FOR PATTY ... Palo Alto resident Patty Fisher will be honored by nonprofit Momentum for Mental Health, which offers services in Palo Alto, at the Shining Stars Rising Above Stigma Benefit Nov. 17 at the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel. Fisher, currently a director at The Health Trust, worked for decades as a columnist for the San Jose Mercury News. "She serves as a role model to all in our community who strive to eliminate mental health stigma and improve the effectiveness and accessibility of mental health resources and services," Momentum CEO Paul Taylor said in a press release. The event's keynote speaker will be Jessie Close, sister of actress Glenn, and information is available at www. momentumformentalhealth.org. NAME THAT TUNE ... Palo Alto's new labor agreement with the firefighters union felt like music to the ears of the City Council, which approved the contract Monday night. Councilman Larry Klein evoked the Beatles song "Long and Winding Road" to describe the 16-month period of negotiations. Councilwoman Karen Holman, paraphrasing the country star "Mac" Davis, said she wished another song could be as accurate: "Happiness is a Difficult Labor Agreement in My Rear View Mirror." Unfortunately, she said, the economy remains tough, and the city's effort to get concessions from its labor unions remains an "everevolving situation." Upfront CITY HALL Inspirations a guide to the spiritual community Audit finds `breach' in city's business operation Palo Alto urged to strengthen its security policies after a `powerful account' was left open by Gennady Sheyner T he City of Palo Alto's business operation had a significant security breach that left sensitive employee and customer information open to outside access, an investigation by the City Auditor's Office found. According to the audit, which was released last week, the firm SAP failed to secure a "powerful account," allowing the auditor's office access to sensitive and confidential information for what the report called an "extended period of time." The report also found that the Administrative Services Department, which oversees the city's finances, failed to effectively manage SAP user accounts to ensure security. "Such access could have allowed a motivated and sufficiently capable person to destroy or modify data, expose sensitive employee and customer information, or defraud the City," City Auditor Michael Edwards wrote in the report. The SAP Enterprise Resource Planning application, which the city has been using since 2002, supports the city's accounting, finance, purchasing, human resource and utilities functions. The auditor's office made its finding about breached security after a January incident in which the office was able to use a "default" password to tap into an account that should've been sensitive, including employees' Social Security numbers, payroll records and credit information. The account also granted the auditor's office access to create vendors and approve invoice payments, according to the audit. Further investigation found that the account is usually "locked," but an SAP administrator "opened" it because of a technical issue during software installation last December. After the installation was completed, the SAP employee did not secure this account, the audit found. `Such access could have allowed a motivated and sufficiently capable person to destroy or modify data, expose sensitive employee and customer information, or defraud the City.' --Michael Edwards, city auditor The report also stated that the Administrative Services Department "did not have adequate policies and procedures to secure these powerful standard accounts," the audit stated. The department has since taken steps to identify and secure these accounts. The report also found that the department "violated two critical security principles by not properly restricting access for all user accounts." The audit recommends that the department adopt formal policies addressing user access and implement procedures "to either prohibit or control the use of all other powerful system-provided SAP profiles." In a response to the audit, Lalo Perez, director of the Administrative Services Department, wrote that staff has "made it a top priority to rectify" the security problems and has "taken action to address many of the findings in the audit." The security breach, he wrote, was limited to a very small number of city employees. Outside users, he wrote, would have to first breach a firewall and the SAP security system to access the account. "While it is unacceptable that sensitive information was exposed, the limited number of staff with the ability to access the information is trained to access sensitive information while upholding confidentiality standards," Perez wrote. He noted that over the past few months, his department has been working with the City Auditor's Office in developing a system to monitor the SAP system -- a process that he said "has significantly improved the security of the SAP system." Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com. Inspirations is a resource for ongoing religious services and special events. To inquire about or to reserve space in Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 223-6596 or email email@example.com Proposed tree removal at Greer Park Courtesy City of Palo Alto A City of Palo Alto map of Greer Park shows the locations of 33 trees scheduled to be removed due to poor health. Tree removal (continued from page 3) $10,000. Eugene Segna, interim public-works managing arborist, assured residents that funding in the city budget is available. Some residents said tree replacement is not enough, however, and that they want more trees added to the park. "What is a city park without trees?" Ed Aguilar said, noting the wide expanses of grass that are used as regional playing fields. "We could come back with an alternate plan to enhance this one" at a later date, Senior Public Works Engineer Elizabeth Ames said. Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at firstname.lastname@example.com. Page 5 Upfront Disability week (continued from page 3) of a problem at Barron Park and later at Terman Middle School. "At the beginning it hurt, but after awhile I learned to kind of let go of it," she said. "I developed a support system for myself -- other friends who ... knew me for who I am." But it wasn't until two summers ago that Moussavian decided to get active in speaking out for herself. She and fellow students in a 2009 summer program in Sacramento decided to push a legislative resolution proclaiming the second week of October Disability History Week. The campaign was coordinated with similar efforts in 23 other states, which now recognize some form of "disability awareness" in October. In California, a joint legislative resolution proclaiming Disability History Week each year during the second week of October passed last year. Moussavian has followed up by spreading the word to local schools WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS Eye care and Eyewear in Your Home Proudly serving our community since 1984 and news outlets. She recorded a radio show in Oakland, which is yet to be broadcast, and got an article in the Paly online publication The Voice. "I wasn't much of an advocate in high school, but now I have a passion for making a difference for folks," she said. Moussavian, who now lives with her family in the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, hopes to move into a campus dormitory next year when she transfers to a California State University or a University of California campus. For inspiration, she looks to people like Micah Fialka-Feldman, a special-education student who won a legal battle to live in on-campus housing at Oakland University in Michigan. Moussavian plans to become a social worker to advocate for other people with disabilities. "When I was in high school, I had teachers and aides who were kind of advocates, but going forward that's going to change," she said. "In a four-year college and in the workplace, I realize that the advocate for me is going to have to be me, myself and I." Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly. com. News Digest Welch Road becomes one-way road Welch Road in Palo Alto was converted to a one-way, one-lane road between Quarry Road and Pasteur Drive earlier this week, beginning with plastic traffic delineators that will be replaced with concrete barriers on Nov. 7. The change is being made as part of the massive Stanford University Medical Center Renewal Project and will be in effect for two years, according to a press release. Construction work along Welch will include widening of the road, planting of new trees, replacement of utility services, and installation of planted medians and street lighting. Access to the buildings at 730, 750 and 770 Welch will be via Vineyard Lane to the rear. More information about the project is available at stanfordpackard.org. -- Palo Alto Weekly staff 408.739.6200 www.eyelink.com Kindergarten through 8th Grade OPEN HOUSES Primary Grades Thursday November 17 7:00 - 8:30 PM Palo Alto sees good news on revenue front Rising revenues and savings in a new firefighter contract have brought Palo Alto a rare bit of good news on the financial front -- developments that should stave off personnel cuts in the current fiscal year. The City Council Finance Committee discussed on Tuesday (Oct. 18) the latest updates for the 2012 budget and agreed that the latest projections have made it unnecessary for the city to consider staff reductions this year. The projections show that a number of key revenue sources have done better than the city had projected when it approved the budget in June. Revenues from the documentary-transfer tax and from sales tax are each $1.2 million above projections; hotel taxes have exceeded expectations by $600,000. At the same time, the city will save at least $1.1 million thanks to concessions in the new contract with the firefighters union, a contract the council approved Oct. 17. The new agreement includes a second pension tier for new employees and worker contributions toward retirement and medical costs. Staff expects to save additional funds, about $1 million, from revisions to staffing levels -- revisions made possible by the abolition of the minimumstaffing requirement in the firefighter contract. This means that the $4.3 million hole in the city's current budget is no longer as daunting as it was when the document was adopted in June. The city plans to cover the balance of the deficit by taking money from the budget stabilization reserve (which increased by $2.7 million) and by obtaining concessions from other public-safety unions. -- Gennady Sheyner Middle School Sunday November 6 1:00 - 3:30 PM RSVP: Aileen Mitchner, Director of Admission 650.494.8200 ext. 104 email@example.com www.hausner.com 450 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto CAIS and WASC Accredited C U S T O M S O L U T I O N S F O R E V E R Y S T Y L E A N D E V E R Y B U D G E T Stanford a top contender for New York campus A Stanford campus in New York City would help the country, enhance the university's influence and promote technology innovation, Stanford President John Hennessy told the Faculty Senate last week. Hennessy updated faculty members Oct. 13 on Stanford's competitive bid to develop a science and engineering research center in New York. The bid is in response to more than $400 million in economic incentives, including land, from the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Stanford and Cornell University have emerged as top contenders among nearly 20 institutions that indicated preliminary interest, the New York Times reported, adding that both universities hired political and publicrelations consultants to woo city officials and New York media. The deadline for proposals is Oct. 28, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said he'll pick a winner, or winners, by the end of the year. Hennessy envisions a 10-acre Stanford campus on Roosevelt Island, a narrow island on the East River that is a two-minute subway ride from Manhattan. The $1 billion to $2 billion construction costs would create housing, classrooms, labs, offices, business-incubator space, fitness centers, shops and restaurants, he said. The campus would grow in phases, from 2016 to 2038, eventually accommodating 100 faculty members and 2,000 masters and doctoral students. When built out, it would have 1.1 million square feet of academic space; 575,000 square feet of housing; 175,000 square feet of amenities and 50,000 square feet of business incubator space. -- Chris Kenrick $35 0 IN ACC W I T ESSORY H PU UPG SOM E RE RCH RAD STR ASE ES ICTI ON FREE CERTIFIED GREEN MANUFACTURER'S DIRECT PRICING L A M I N AT E & R E A L W O O D M AT E R I A L C H O I C E S VISIT OUR CAMPBELL SHOWROOM 1 1 9 0 D E L L AV E N U E LICENSE #782217 SINCE 1973 408.370.1041 W W W. VA L E T C U S T O M . C O M WALL BEDS CLOSETS GARAGES HOME OFFICES MEDIA CENTERS Page 6 � S AP P LY Upfront These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news or click on "News" in the left, green column. Online This Week Speaker: Wealth no guarantee of good parenting Families with high levels of wealth are not necessarily good at raising resilient kids, a motivational speaker warned Palo Alto parents and teachers Wednesday (Oct. 19). (Posted Oct. 20 at 9:53 a.m.) Restore Fiscal Responsibility... ESon D! Y P ublic safety spending in Palo Alto increased by 80% in the last decade. The spending for other departments is basically flat. Repeal Binding Arbitration City of Palo Alto Operating Expense Increases 2002�2010 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Stalled development may spur another lawsuit A developer whose long and litigious quest to build a three-story building on Page Mill Road suffered a major setback earlier this month is now considering filing another lawsuit against the city, according to a letter he submitted to the City Council. (Posted Oct. 20 at 9:43 a.m.) Man, 23, shot in East Palo Alto A 23-year-old man was found shot on an East Palo Alto sidewalk Sunday (Oct. 16) and East Palo Alto police are seeking the public's help to solve the crime. (Posted Oct. 20 at 9:20 a.m.) Fire Police All other Campaign signs go missing -- so does cell phone Who will be elected to the Menlo Park Fire Protection District (MPFPD) Board of Directors is not a question keeping most people awake at night, but some are taking it very, very seriously. (Posted Oct. 20 at 8:33 a.m.) El Camino Real smashup pins man in car With help from some large pneumatic cutters, firefighters carefully extracted a man from his Toyota sedan after his car was pushed into a tree by a large pickup truck Wednesday morning (Oct. 19) on El Camino Real in Mountain View. (Posted Oct. 19 at 2:10 p.m.) Moving of Edgewood Plaza buildings approved The proposed redevelopment of Edgewood Plaza Shopping Center took another step forward Wednesday morning (Oct. 19). Members of the Palo Alto Historic Resources Board voted 6-1 that the proposed relocation of one of the buildings in the Eichler developed shopping center and addition of 10 homes would not significantly alter the historic nature of the site. (Posted Oct. 19 at 9:56 a.m.) M-A teacher, school district settle dispute Menlo-Atherton High School algebra teacher Manuel Delgado has settled out of court with the Sequoia Union High School District in a dispute over teaching assignments and classroom accommodations. (Posted Oct. 19 at 8:39 a.m.) . Arbitration eal Binding s on D. Rep e Editorial: Y every one of ay as virtually ns the same w and police unio .... g communities 14, 2011 our neighborin October vior of the ive union beha nt and ineffect al by the tula not erase the pe st year 's Measure R, a propos la reement, it does an ag included That behavior last two years. sure D. e need for Mea ntract change th w co Nor does the ne nst these public it is a vote agai ted to suggest is should not be tw ng rights. and Measure D llective bargaini ainstream of against co back into the m servants or y get Palo Alto pl at long last sim actices. Measure D will r negotiation pr ee labo public employ Editorial: Edito Yes on rial: Con D-- trol C `Yes' on D--Contro ity Spending October 15, 2011 l city spending. Superintendent: district still on track to buy land The Palo Alto school district remains on track to acquire a coveted 2.6-acre parcel on San Antonio Road, school officials said. Meanwhile, a housing developer Monday (Oct. 17) obtained City Council approval to build 10 large homes on the site in case the school deal falls apart. (Posted Oct. 18 at 9:54 a.m.) Girl, 16, reports sexual assault in Mountain View Local law enforcement officials are asking for the community's help in tracking down two men accused of sexually assaulting a 16-yearold Mountain View girl in Whisman Park late last month. (Posted Oct. 18 at 1:31 p.m.) have the ability to co ntrol these soaring ex it belongs." penses.... the city council where Council OKs 10-home proposal for south Palo Alto A proposal to build 10 large homes at a highly coveted south Palo Alto site cleared the finish line Monday night (Oct. 17) when the City Council voted unanimously to approve it. (Posted Oct. 18 at 9:54 a.m.) VIDEO: El Camino Park set for reservoir, renovation Palo Alto Mayor Sid Espinosa and City Manager Jim Keene spoke at El Camino Park Monday (Oct. 17) during a special groundbreaking ceremony as work begins on a 2.5 million emergency water reservoir at the park. (Posted Oct. 18 at 8:25 a.m.) Palo Alto approves new firefighter contract Palo Alto's tortuous struggle with its firefighters union over a new labor deal came to an official conclusion Monday night (Oct. 17) when the City Council voted unanimously to ratify what one member called a "watershed agreement." (Posted Oct. 18 at 12:49 a.m.) hold by Scott Her re D. o's Measu r Palo Alt alo Alto : A vote fo bitration in P and Herold of binding ar f police 33 years advantage o "In practice, much to the very has worked is one ... Measure D their income. resounding yes." percent of a much as 90 s: It deserves re no-brainer of those ra RepealBindingArbitration.org Man arrested after assault at Palo Alto nightclub A man was arrested early Saturday morning (Oct. 15) in Palo Alto after reportedly hitting another man with a bottle during an altercation on California Avenue, Palo Alto police said. (Posted Oct. 17 at 11:11 a.m.) Want to get news briefs e-mailed to you every weekday? Sign up for Express, our new daily e-edition. Go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com to sign up. Repeal Binding Arbitration -- YES on Measure D 360 Iris Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303 FPPC#1340875 ESon D! November 8 Y Page 7 YOU ARE INVITED to come meet our teachers, tour our beautiful campus & participate in a student Q&A panel Upfront CityView A round-up of Palo Alto government action this week October 22, 2011 10:30-12:00 noon OPEN HOUSE Contract: The council approved a contract with the city's firefighters union. Yes: Unanimous California Avenue: The council directed staff to explore a "modified hybrid option" for the California Avenue streetscape-improvement project and asked that the new design does not result in a net decrease in parking. Yes: Unanimous. California Avenue Plaza: The council also directed staff to consider a new central plaza and a parallel-parking design for California Avenue. Yes: Espinosa, Price, Scharff, Schmid, Yeh No: Burt, Holman, Klein, Shepherd City Council (Oct. 17) Board of Education (Oct. 18) Land acquisition: The board met in closed session to discuss the school district's pending acquisition of 2.6 acres at 525 San Antonio Road. Action: None Council Finance Committee (Oct. 18) Letter: The committee discussed and accepted an actuarial report detailing an increase in medical costs for retirees. Yes: Unanimous Finance: The committee discussed the Fiscal Year 2012 budget and considered ways to close the $4.3 million deficit in the budget. Action: None Council Policy & Services Committee (Oct. 18) responsible students Electric vehicles: The committee approved a staff proposal to establish a policy for electric vehicles, which includes new charging stations at city garages and incentives for developers to provide charging stations at new projects. Yes: Unanimous Historic Resources Board (Oct. 19) Edgewood Plaza: The board reviewed and recommended approval of the proposed plan for Edgewood Plaza at 2080 Channing Road. The plan includes building 10 homes, relocating one building and rehabilitating two retail buildings. Yes: Bernstein, Bower, Di Cicco, Kohler, Maikinen, Smithwick No: Bunnenberg Planning & Transportation Commission (Oct. 19) Density: The commission discussed the Residential Density Bonus Ordinance and its compatibility with Senate Bill 1818. Action: None WWW . MID - PEN . COM Ongoing Enrollment contact the Admissions Office Architectural Review Board (Oct. 20) We invite you to experience our Lockheed Martin: The board voted to approve a proposal by DGA Architects on behalf of Stanford and Lockheed Martin for a two-story building in an office park at 3251 Hanover St. The approval included conditions that the applicant provides more details about materials, parking, retaining wall and signage. Yes: Lew, Malone Prichard, Wasserman, Young Absent: Lee beautiful residential community Take a stroll down our walking paths and lovely landscaped gardens. As you tour our spacious apartments enjoy the view from the balcony or patio. Take advantage of our many amenities and concierge services. We offer independent and assisted living options with six levels of care available. Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to interview candidates for the Library Advisory Commission, the Planning and Transportation Commission and the Architectural Review Board. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss installation of a restroom at Juana Briones Park, concepts for improving connectivity between the Main Library and the Palo Alto Art Center; Palo Alto Golf Course Reconfiguration Project; and a proposal to limit sound amplification at Lytton Plaza. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). BOARD OF EDUCATION ... The board will hear a report on collegepreparation trends among high school students and an update on prekindergarten programs, including Springboard to Kindergarten. Members also will discuss possible interim uses for land at 525 San Antonio Road that the district is under contract to purchase. The meeting will begin 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the boardroom of school district headquarters (25 Churchill Ave.) Palo Alto Commons is a privately owned and managed senior residence in Palo Alto. Here you'll find a warm and vibrant environment with a loyal and committed long-term staff and management. Please call for a personal tour and be our guest for lunch. We look forward to seeing you. Short term stays are available. 4075 El Camino Way, Palo Alto, CA 94306 PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss Edgewood Plaza, a proposal to build 10 homes, renovate three retail structures and relocate one of the retail structures at 2080 Channing Ave. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). INFRASTRUCTURE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE ... The committee will continue its discussion of the city's infrastructure backlog and ways to pay for the items on the list. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Lucie Stern Community Center (1305 Middlefield Road). LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMISSION ... The commission plans to establish rules of conduct at commission meetings; discuss the Main Library and Palo Alto Art Center connectivity plan; and see a presentation on "percent for art project" at the Main Library and Art Center. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Downtown Library (275 Forest Ave.). 650-494-0760 www.paloaltocommons.com License #435200706 Accommodations starting from $3,000 per month. 24 Hour On-site Licensed Nurse Services Page 8 Page 9 Upfront Ecole internationale de la P�ninsule Electric car (continued from page 3) stations every month -- a number that she says has been growing. Van Duynhoven estimated there would be about 25 electric or hybrid models on the market by 2012. In a new report, she wrote that the city "recognizes EVs as a potentially important part of the solution for reaching its greenhouse-gas emission-reduction goal, and so has an PRE-SCHOOL Outstanding fullday program. WHEN IT'S YOUR CHILD, EXPERIENCE MATTERS. TEACHING MANDARIN CHINESE IMMERSION FOR 15 YEARS. A LEADER IN FRENCH IMMERSION IN PALO ALTO. ACCEPTING PRE-SCHOOL APPLICATIONS. LANGUAGE Longest running bilingual immersion school in the area. Experienced native-speaking faculty. RSVP FOR A TOUR! PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE NOVEMBER 12, 2011 Support Palo Alto Weekly's coverage of our community. Memberships begin at only 17� per day Join today: SupportLocalJournalism.org/PaloAlto ACADEMICS Established English curriculum. Rigorous program in a nurturing environment. Low student-to-teacher ratio. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE PENINSULA ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AWARENESS Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm problem, affecting over 2 million Americans. Without detection and treatment, atrial fibrillation can affect quality of life and cause stroke and heart failure Expert Stanford physician specialists will discuss the signs and symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation and the options for evaluation and treatment, which may improve quality of life and decrease complications. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 9:30AM � 11:00AM Sheraton Palo Alto (Justine Room) 625 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA To RSVP, email: firstname.lastname@example.com Please register, seating is limited. MODERATED BY: Paul J. Wang, MD, FACC, FHRS Professor of Medicine Director, Stanford Arrhythmia Service For more information: www.stanfordhospital.org/afib-event interest in encouraging the use of EVs throughout the community." "We are the high-tech center; we are the innovation center; and everybody likes EVs," van Duynhoven told the committee Tuesday. In some ways, the city is preaching to the choir. Van Duynhoven and Assistant City Manager Pamela Antil said residents have been contacting the city in recent months and proposing ideas to support the trend. One recently placed a charger in the planting strip by his house and held an open house to showcase his innovation. Staff is now considering whether the city should allow such installations on a wider basis. "We are in fact leading the effort and we want to decide if we want to be at the cutting edge," Antil said. "We do have folks in the community, because of the nature of this community, who have a lot of great ideas." The committee, while backing the proposed Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Policy, acknowledged that the road to adopting this policy is fraught with uncertainties. Councilman Larry Klein voiced skepticism about a proposal to explore allowing curbside charging stations in residential neighborhoods. Klein said he was "leery about maintaining the sanctity of our R-1 (single-family residential) neighborhoods," given the added traffic these facilities could generate. These impacts would be greater if the charge were provided at no cost to the driver (as is currently the case at the city garages). "With people from all over migrating to his station -- if I'm his next-door neighbor, I'm not happy with this," Klein said. Councilwoman Karen Holman had a different concern: the aesthetics of the charging stations. She called on staff to proactively explore design guidelines for the new stations. While Klein disagreed, saying it should not be the city's role but the private sector's to come up with the best design, the other two committee members -- Chair Gail Price and Councilman Pat Burt -- agreed with Holman that aesthetics should be an important consideration. "Trying to do good does not need to instill negative feelings or negative reactions," Holman said. Burt also said the city should expect "unanticipated consequences" and cited Denmark, where an aggressive push toward promoting electric vehicles led to a steep decline in gas-excise taxes -- an important source of revenue. "I think this is a great opportunity," Burt said. "We want to be real smart about it -- that's why I want to, upfront, have us look at the unanticipated consequences and make sure we aren't trying to reinvent the wheels that others have invented." Klein noted that "there aren't going to be neatly tied answers for years to come" but said the new technology is well worth supporting and said he hopes the city will "go forward expeditiously" with the new policies. "I think this is an area that's going to be fast-moving -- at least I hope it is," Klein said. "I'm pleased that we're a leader." Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com. Page 10 ANNOUNCING T H E 2 6 TH A N N U A L PA L O A L T O W E E K L Y JUDGES: ADULT/YOUNG ADULT Tom Parker, Award winning novelist and short story writer, UC Extension and Foothill College Instructor and former Stanford Instructor Meg Waite Clayton, is the nationally best selling author of The Four Ms. Bradwells, The Wednesday Sisters, and The Bellwether Prize finalist The Language of Light. She lives with her family in Palo Alto, and is at work on a fourth novel to be published by Ballantine in 2013. Pamela Gullard, Pamela Gullard's stories have appeared in the North American Review, Arts and Letters, The Iowa Review, TriQuarterly and other journals and anthologies. With co-author Nancy Lund, she has written three nonfiction books; the latest, Under the Oaks: Two Hundred Years in Atherton, appeared in 2009. Pamela teaches personal narrative and literature at Menlo College. PRIZES FOR ADULTS: $500 Cash - FIRST PLACE $300 Cash - SECOND PLACE $200 Cash - THIRD PLACE FOR YOUNG ADULT/CHILDREN/TEEN: $100 Gift Certificate - FIRST PLACE $75 Gift Certificate - SECOND PLACE $50 Gift Certificate - THIRD PLACE Certificates are from co-sponsoring area bookstores. Bell's Books (*ages 15-17) Kepler's (*ages 12-14) Linden Tree (*ages 9-11) *age as of entry deadline CHILDREN/TEEN NE DEADLI ED ENTRY DEADLINE: EXTEND Writers: December 2, 2011, 5:30 p.m. All Katy Obringer, Former supervisor of Palo Alto Children's Library Caryn Huberman Yacowitz, Playwright and Children's book author Nancy Etchemendy, Children's book author All adult winners and first place young winners in each category will be announced in the Palo Alto Weekly in February 2012. All winning stories will be published online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com 1. The contest is open to anyone who lives, works or attends school full-time in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Stanford, Portola Valley, Woodside, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and East Palo Alto. 2. Limit of one entry per person. 3. Stories must be typed, double-spaced. Maximum 2,500 words. Longer stories will be disqualified. 4. $15 entry fee, along with hard copy, for all ADULT stories; $5 entry fee for YOUNG WRITERS under 18. Make checks payable to "Palo Alto Weekly." 5. Entries may not have been previously published. 6. Signed entry form must accompany story. Author's name should NOT appear anywhere on pages of story. 7. All winners are required to email their story to the Palo Alto Weekly in a Microsoft Word Document as an attachment. Mail manuscripts to: Palo Alto Weekly Short Story Contest, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302 or deliver to 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto Questions: firstname.lastname@example.com CONTEST RULES Good for Business. Good for You. Good for the Community. When you shop locally, good things happen to make our community stronger: For more information call 650.223.6587 or email email@example.com Page 11 & Pulse POLICE CALLS Palo Alto Oct. 12-18 Violence related Assault with a deadly weapon . . . . . . . .1 Assault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Child abuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Domestic violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Theft related Check forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Commercial burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Identity theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Shoplifting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle related Abandoned auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Auto recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Bicycle theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . .8 Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle accident/major injury . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .6 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .8 Vehicle impound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Alcohol or drug related Drunk in public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Possession of paraphernalia. . . . . . . . . .1 Under the influence of drugs . . . . . . . . .1 Miscellaneous Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Lost property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Misc. penal code violation . . . . . . . . . . .1 Misc. municipal code violation . . . . . . . .6 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Outside investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Psychiatric hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .3 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Warrant/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Warrant arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Menlo Park Oct. 12-18 Violence related Assault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Theft related Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft undefined. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle related Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . 10 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Reckless vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/non injury. . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/prop. damage . . . . . . .1 Vehicle fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Alcohol or drug related Drug activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Miscellaneous Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Information case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Juvenile problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Located missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Other/misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Psychiatric evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .3 Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Violation of court order . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Atherton Oct. 12-18 Violence related Child/elder abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Credit card fraud. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle related Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Parking problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Road/sidewalk/other hazard. . . . . . . . . .2 Traffic details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/non injury. . . . . . . . . . .6 Vehicle code violation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Vehicle/traffic hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Alcohol or drug related Driving under influence of drugs . . . . . . .2 Miscellaneous Animal call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Building/perimeter/area check . . . . . . . .3 Citizen assist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Construction site checks . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Disturbing/annoying phone call . . . . . . .1 Fire call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Information case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Medical aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Meet citizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Other/misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Property for destruction . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .2 Suspicious vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Town ordinance violation . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Tree blocking roadway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 A weekly compendium of vital statistics After all other discounts & coupons. Cannot be combined with any other 'Free' or '$ OFF' Country Sun coupon. One coupon per household per day per purchase of $25 or more. EXPIRES 10/31/11 PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL CIVIC CENTER, 250 HAMILTON AVENUE BROADCAST LIVE ON KZSU, FM 90.1 CABLECAST LIVE ON GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL 26 ***************************************** THIS IS A SUMMARY OF COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS. THE AGENDA WITH COMPLETE TITLES INCLUDING LEGAL DOCUMENTATION CAN BE VIEWED AT THE BELOW WEBPAGE: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/knowzone/agendas/council.asp (TENTATIVE) AGENDA-SPECIAL - COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM October 24, 2011 - 6:00 PM 1. Interviews of Candidates for Library Advisory Commission, the Architectural Review Board, and the Planning and Transportation Commission Transitions Memorial Services A memorial service for Bernard Cohen will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. at the Stanford Faculty Club. Friends and colleagues, as well as members of the Palo Alto Cardiac Therapy Foundation, are invited to pay tribute to Cohen's contributions to the community. A memorial service for Diana Steeples will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Palo Alto, 505 E. Charleston Road. Memorial gifts in her honor may be sent to Avenidas, 450 Bryant Street, Palo Alto 94301, or Abilities United, 525 E. Charleston Road, Palo Alto 94306. Our new Palo Alto Financial Center at 490 S. California is now open Stop by and take advantage of our GRAND OPENING specials! $100 for every new Checking/Savings Account opened * EL CAMINO REAL STANFORD AVE. S. CALIFORNIA AVE. PAGE MILL ROAD Palo Alto Financial Center 490 South California Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 326-6445 www.techcu.com 1.10% APR on a 7-month CD ** Stop by for a visit. Tech CU has been serving Silicon Valley for 50 years and we'd like to get to know you. *Must open in person at Palo Alto location starting 9/15/11. Offer will close at Tech CU's discretion no later than 10/31/11. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Not available on UTMAs, HSAs, IRAs, business accounts or accounts opened in the name of a person under age 18. New accounts only. To qualify Page 12 Juanita Elizabeth Boyett Juanita Elizabeth Boyett, 92, died peacefully in Palo Alto on October 11, 2011. Born in Elk Prairie, Missouri to George and Olivia Wilson, Juanita earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri where she met her husband, Theodore Roosevelt Boyett. Throughout her life, she held positions as teacher, tax assessor, homemaker and librarian. She is survived by 9 children, 12 grandchildren, and a multitude of great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Juanita will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all who knew her as "Mama Boyett." Arrangements entrusted to Roller & Hapgood & Tinney Funeral Home in Palo Alto. PA I D OBITUARY Agnes "Aggie" Marina Bliss Agnes "Aggie" Marina Bliss, 83, Born on April 21st, 1928, passed away on October 11th peacefully at her Los Altos home. Aggie, wife of the late Richard Kendall Bliss, had an enormous heart, and always put family and dear friends first. She is survived by sons Gary and Kendall, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Aggie was known for her cheerful and vibrant spirit and gave generously to all. The Bliss family will miss her deeply but is grateful for all of the wonderful times spent with her and for her long and happy life. The services will be held on Tuesday, October 25th, at 11am: Gate of Heaven at 22555 Cristo Rey Drive in Los Altos. Immediately following we will hold a reception at Los Altos Country Club at 1560 Country Club Drive in Los Altos from 12:00pm-2:00pm. Please RSVP to either email@example.com or to Jennifer at 650.380.8890 PA I D O B I T UA RY Find out how help is just one phone call away! Attend an Open House & Receive a Free Gift! Monday, October 24, 2 - 4 pm Thursday, October 27, 10 am - 12 noon 24/7 support for every need Emergency preparedness review Legal referrals Medical advocacy Home safety checkup Network of trusted vendors Transportation assistance Reassuring check-in calls Karen Anne Lewis Karen Lewis, 64, a long time resident of Palo Alto, passed away October 5, 2011. She is the eldest of three sisters. God worked through Karen as she touched many lives through her active involvement with such groups as Care Ministry at PBC, Landmark Education and organizing theatre groups. Her spirit was always vibrant, alive and loving. Children adored her. She was the proud and grateful godmother to both Nicholas Woehrle and Jack Hermann. The Lewis home was their playground. Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. In 2009, it metastasized. Karen was surrounded by a diverse community of friends and family who loved and supported her. She is survived by her husband Jim Lewis, her two sons, Anthony and Robert VanFredenberg and sister Diane Prienitz. Memorial donations may be made to the Peninsula Bible Church, Breast Connection Connect www.bcconnections.org or the charity of your choice. PA I D OBITUARY RSVP to (650) 289-5405 or email@example.com www.avenidasvillage.org Your life, your way, in your home The First Congregational Church of Palo Alto United Church of Christ invites you to experience our New 5:00 p.m. Worship Vibrant, Engaging and Arts-based Every Sunday Launching on October 16! If you are looking for a church... Where all people are welcome, no matter their gender, race, sexual identity, or abilities, Where deep questions are valued more than simple answers, Grounded in tradition but seeking new ways to understand and live out our faith, With vibrant programs for children, youth, and families, Where people are committed to serving their community, Where music and the arts thrive, Then we hope you will join us! We also worship every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. with outstanding music and education programs for children and youth. 1985 Louis Road Palo Alto, CA 650.856.6662 www.fccpa.org Page 13 Editorial Yes on E, with caution Measure E will allow, but not require, exploration of innovative alternatives to trucking yard clippings and food waste to San Jose or Gilroy t is difficult to imagine any other city engaging in the kind of hardfought battle that has characterized the debate over Palo Alto's Measure E, an initiative that does nothing more than reserve 10 acres next to the sewage treatment plant currently designated as parkland as a possible site for a state-of-the-art composting facility. Promoted by environmental activists who see an exciting possibility for the city to turn yard and food waste and the sludge from the sewagetreatment plant into compost and energy, Measure E asks voters to approve a land-use change to permit the acreage to be considered for an anaerobic digester facility if it proves feasible and desirable after further study. Opponents of the measure, consisting of equally passionate and respected environmentalists, believe that parkland should never be repurposed and that the misguided supporters are infatuated with an idea that is neither clearly environmentally superior nor financially viable. So divided is the local environmental community that the Sierra Club decided not to take a position on the measure. Acterra and the League of Women Voters support the measure, while Committee for Green Foothills and the Audubon Society oppose it. Former and present elected officials have lined up on both sides of the issue. It is important for voters to realize that Measure E is not a vote on what should be done with the affected 10 acres. In spite of what each side says, passage of Measure E should not be seen as an endorsement of moving ahead with a composting facility, nor should defeat of it be seen as an outright rejection of the idea. There is a classic horse-and-cart problem with the issue, creating an ambiguous situation regardless of the outcome of the vote on Measure E. On the one hand, it can be argued that Measure E is premature since there are so many unknowns regarding the feasibility and risks of building a state-of-the-art anaerobic digester facility that can handle both our sewage sludge and yard and food waste. Why ask voters to approve undedicating 10 acres of parkland until the operational, financial and environmental details are fully known? On the other hand, what's the point of spending time and money to further study the appealing concept if the availability of the land is uncertain? Our preference would have been to wait until the City Council made a policy decision on the merits and viability of anaerobic digestion and then take the proposal to the voters in a measure that would include both approval of the facility and the undedication of the needed 10 acres. But proponents thought otherwise, and now they have put an intriguing but still-speculative idea at risk by forcing an early vote over the land-use issue. For voters adamant about preserving parkland no matter the merits of alternative uses, Measure E is an easy "no" vote. But we don't hold that view. Previous land-use decisions should not preclude the opportunity for new and innovative ideas to be considered, and the requirement of a public vote is ample protection. We don't believe a facility on these 10 acres would impinge upon enjoyment of Byxbee Park and the baylands. As technically complex as the process of converting waste into benefits like electricity and compost are, there is a reasonable chance that with further study an exciting, low-risk and financially and environmentally beneficial plan can be developed. It is not unreasonable to first determine if the needed land can be made available. Most Palo Altans are unaware that currently sewage sludge is being incinerated in the baylands, emitting undesirable pollution with no beneficial energy production. The regional facility is considering replacing this aging plant with a wet anaerobic-digestion system, a well-established process through which electricity is generated using the methane gas created by sewage sludge decomposing in a large air-sealed container. Measure E advocates argue that food waste can easily be added to this process, and hope that yard trimmings can too, possibly utilizing what is known as "dry" anaerobic digestion, where both energy and compost are the by-products. Dry anaerobic-digestion systems are new; San Jose now has such a facility under construction and it is scheduled to open in 2014 and will process 80,000 tons of waste a year and generate enough electricity to power at least 1,200 homes. With so much uncertainty, why not simply vote down Measure E and wait until a plan is fully developed, and then return to the voters for approval of the land-use change? Because we fear that the City Council may interpret a "no" vote as a vote against any further exploration of the anaerobic-digester concept. This would be no more appropriate than interpreting passage of Measure E as a vote to proceed full-speed ahead. But by casting a "yes" vote, Palo Alto residents can indicate their interest in continued exploration of innovative new technologies to convert an important part of our waste stream into environmental and financial benefits. Page 14 I Spectrum Editorials, letters and opinions Cell towers for all or none Editor, We read, over and over again, that portions of our community are telling our City Council that for one reason or another, cell phone and/ or wireless antennae should not be installed in their neighborhood. That is all well and good. However, if they do not belong in one neighborhood, they should really be excluded from the entire community. Plainly and simply stated, either we do without cell phones, iPhones, and their ilk, or we accept them. Palo Alto City Council, as you consider applications for future installations, please ask the question of those who oppose the application, should we allow this installation or require the removal of all such technology from Palo Alto? Some should not be protected from blight and health risk while impacting their fellow citizens. John Baum El Cajon Way Palo Alto 45 years ago, when waste-disposal rates were not skyrocketing and we were blissfully unaware of the global impact of greenhouse-gas emissions. Times have changed. Measure E gives us needed flexibility to adjust to those changes. Measure E promotes sensible options for Palo Alto and its neighboring cities to consider. Vote Yes on E. Keith Bromberg and Susan Simpson Channing Avenue Palo Alto Our highly educated community should be intelligent enough to reject such a false choice. The best way to do so is to vote No on Measure E, and demand that our elected officials explore a broader range of siting and partnership options. Minty Sidhu Southampton Drive Palo Alto Mailer depiction Editor, Making a decision on Measure E will be very difficult. The facts should be the decider, and the No on E "Save the Baylands" Committee's recent mailer is misleading. A photo shows a huge barren industrial site. In reality the facility would be tucked into a contained flat area behind our water-treatment plant. Also the mailer implies the prospective site is "bayfront," when it is across the road from the bay and behind existing buildings. Its location will not affect the new park's "panoramic views." Weigh the facts, and good luck deciding. Peter Fox Ramona Street Palo Alto False choice Editor, I urge voters to just say no to the false choice embodied in Measure E by voting No. There is no reason why we can't achieve both the objectives of preserving scarce park land and disposing of our waste in an environmentally acceptable manner. Why do supporters of anaerobic digestion insist on using park land? Just put this facility in a more suitable location, ideally in partnership with other local cities to gain economies of scale, and we can do both. Sukkah policy Editor, I think it is a sad day for us all when an elderly gentleman cannot erect his sukkah, a clearly temporary structure, as he has done for 11 years. It is obvious that this small structure hurts no one. Worse yet, Palo Alto Housing Corporation is using this as an excuse to ban all holiday celebrations, apparently on the advice of a nervous lawyer. What about inclusion, tolerance and community? Judith and Saul Wasserman Southampton Drive Palo Alto YOUR TURN The Palo Alto Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest. What do you think? Should "Leadership Palo Alto" be resurrected? Submit letters to the editor of up to 250 words to firstname.lastname@example.com. Include your name, address and daytime phone number so we can reach you. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, objectionable content, libel and factual errors known to us. Anonymous letters will generally not be accepted. You can also participate in our popular interactive online forum, Town Square, at our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Read blogs, discuss issues, ask questions or express opinions with you neighbors any time, day or night. Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of permission to the Palo Alto Weekly and Embarcadero Media to also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on Town Square. For more information contact Editor Jocelyn Dong or Online Editor Tyler Hanley at email@example.com or 650-326-8210. Sensible options Editor, In the Nov. 8 election, Palo Alto voters have an opportunity to improve the future of the city's waste management systems, through a ballot initiative important for economic and environmental reasons. A Yes on E vote will encourage City Council to consider sensible options for local processing of all three of our organic waste streams, sewage sludge, food scraps and yard trimmings. A council funded feasibility study has already identified significant potential savings and environmental benefits for local processing vs. any combination of export options. If local processing can save money for utility rate payers and improves the environment far more than any export option, why is anyone opposed? Parks!, Parks!, Parks!, the clarion call of the No on E campaign argues that we should never, under any circumstance, do anything to modify, even slightly, a park dedication made more than Check out Town Square! Hundreds of local topics are being discussed by local residents on Town Square, a reader forum sponsored by the Weekly on our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Post your own comments, ask questions, read the Editor's blog or just stay up on what people are talking about around town! On Deadline: Can `Leadership Palo Alto' be resurrected? Not without students S by Jay Thorwaldson ome folks in Palo Alto have talked for several years about bringing back an experiment in civic governance: a program called "Leadership Palo Alto." But as of early this week there were zero, as in 0, applicants, despite a looming Oct. 28 application deadline -- since extended to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, to allow for more intensive outreach. The program is open to just about anyone, with a big catch: Tuition is $1,200 for the 10session course. Otherwise, anyone who lives or works in Palo Alto or is affiliated with a Palo Alto-based organization is welcome. Driving through Palo Alto to get to work doesn't qualify, but perhaps. ... When it was created in 1987-1988 (under the initiative of longtime Palo Alto architect John Northway), the idea was to equip future potential local leaders -- and perhaps some already in leadership roles -- with basic knowledge about Palo Alto and a better understanding of how governance works, especially how individuals can help shape their community's future. History, theory and practice, in other words. I served for several years on an advisory panel for the fledgling program, expressing my personal conviction that knowing local history is essential for making good future decisions -- along lines of the old saw about reliving the past if you don't know it. Northway, then chair of the Chamber of Commerce board, isn't directly involved in the current effort to recreate the program after a hiatus of eight years. He overcame early skepticism that the program was an "establishment" tool of business and developers by involving a broad range of individuals, and that concern dissipated. Midtown neighborhood leader Annette Glanckopf is one of the central supporters of resurrecting the program, along with a small committee of past and present Chamber board members and others. The new effort is spearheaded by Paula Sandas, who recently stepped down as president and CEO of the Chamber. (Details of the effort were outlined in an Oct. 14 Palo Alto Online story: www.paloaltoonline.com/news/ show_story.php?id=22856.) "We want our students to understand how their city operates," Sandas said, reflecting a much more local approach than the program had in its later years. When suspended in 2003 it was known as "Leadership Midpeninsula," reflecting the program's actual service area that encompassed Stanford and neighboring communities. But the expanded perspective lost definition and focus as it moved to what some termed a "politically correct" position. Yet overall the program has to be rated a success, as hundreds of alumni will attest who are now involved in local government, neighborhood groups, community nonprofit organizations or simply individually involved in local issues. Hit by a general recession and internal budget problems of the Chamber, the program took a back seat to economic concerns. There were also concerns that students, rather than getting a solid grounding in local history, trends and practical processes, were essentially designing their own program, almost individual-study in some cases, according to participants. The tuition also had climbed from $750 per person to about double that, which put it into a "higher approval needed" for many corporate or organizational budgets. Today's tuition is bare-bones, below what the actual cost was in the early years of the program. Sandas says organizers are seeking sponsors to help balance the budget. Some individual donations from people who believe in the importance of "building community" also would help. The resurrection effort has its own history. It surfaced circa 2008 when the City Council designated promoting "collaboration for the common good" as a top priority. The staff brought up recreating Leadership Palo Alto as one way to promote that concept, which its primary champion, retired academic Ray Bacchetti, acknowledges is a bit esoteric. Just defining "common good" turned out to be a significant stumbling block to implementing a program that could be measured. So now we're at a new beginning, so to speak -- maybe. A major informational effort, or "sales pitch," has yet to be made to reach potential students, and there are no funds to defray the tuition this year. So unless some "give back to the community" funds come from individuals -- perhaps to create scholarships or "endowed chairs" in the program -- getting a couple of dozen folks to come up with $1,200 for a largely unknown program will be a tough leadership challenge. But the benefits of such a program, properly designed and implemented, are unquestionable. Some of the biggest flaps in recent city governance stemmed from ignorance of the past, such as the huge community battles of the 1960s and early 1970s over growth, traf- fic, preserving a livable environment, the foothills, the baylands and social programs. Palo Alto also has deep social traditions in which well-to-do persons (mostly of prior generations) gave both funding and personal time in terms of service on the school board, city boards and commissions and nonprofit boards. Many persons fear these commitments are being eroded or lost with the younger "entrepreneurial generation" that is preoccupied with building gizmos and companies rather than "community," or even with demographic changes. One thing Northway feels strongly about is that there is a poor understanding in America about how to achieve successful outcomes. We tend to be expert at "jumping to solutions" that sound great and simple. But we also tend to get really bored with "defining the problem" we're trying to solve. This notion has long been recognized by those who study governance and leadership, but any political campaign -- whether for City Council or president of the United States -- quickly jumps to "solutions." The late Professor Eugene Webb of the Stanford Business School explored this phenomenon, noting that the "Japanese management" approach at its peak spent an enormous amount of time doing basic research on the "problem" of how people live and what they want before trying to define solutions, such as building quality vehicles. While that seems to have reversed in some areas, the "solutions first" approach still plagues much of our community-leadership dialogue -- and perhaps a renewed, rejuvenated "Leadership" program will help balance things out a bit. Former Weekly Editor Jay Thorwaldson can be emailed at jthorwaldson@paweekly. com and/or email@example.com. Streetwise What are your favorite things to do in the area on weekends? Asked on University and California avenues, Palo Alto. Interviews and photographs by David Ruiz and Yichuan Cao. Kim Harvey Pediatrician Cowper Street, Palo Alto "I'm so blessed to live here, it's really gorgeous. I just like to stay local and see Palo Alto and University Avenue." Ryan McHenry Student Appleton Drive, Santa Cruz "I love to go to the beach. I'm a surfer, so I just like to catch some waves and then relax and grab a burrito." Carla Rosenberg Para-educator Charleston Road, Palo Alto "I like to go check out the farmers market on California Avenue." Andrea Van Niekerk College Counselor El Camino Real, Palo Alto "Going to watch Stanford Football match on a good day, if they win." Addie Klein Assistant Buyer Vasquez Court, Sunnyvale "I enjoy going hiking and taking bike rides. And I always go get a drink on a patio in downtown Palo Alto." Page 15 Cover DIFFERENT SHADES OF Opponents in Palo Alto's Measure E debate prepare for Election Day showdown by Gennady Sheyner T he brown and dusty expanse of barren land next to The battle between the two different green camps is far formerly headed, has also endorsed Measure E, along Palo Alto's water-treatment plant looks like an un- from new, but it has taken on a particular intensity in the with other organizations. likely setting for the next major battle in the city's months leading up to the election, with each side accusOn the other side are Emily Renzel and Enid PearGreen Civil War. ing its opponent of trying to mislead the public. In one son, two former council members whose conservationist It's not exactly a "dump" and it's not exactly a "park," corner stand Peter Drekmeier, a former Palo Alto mayor bona fides are so well established that each has an openthough there are plenty of local environspace preserve named after her, as well as mentalists who would use these terms to dea host of park preservationists and land-use scribe the most controversial 10 acres in Palo watchdogs. The Committee for Green FootAlto. But the argument over what to call this hills and the Santa Clara Audubon Society lumpy section of the Baylands is but a small, ON MEASURE E ON MEASURE E have added their voices to the anti-Measure semantic quibble in the furious debate over E campaign, as have former mayors Bern the land's future -- a debate that will climax Beecham, Yoriko Kishimoto, Dena Mossar, on Nov. 8 when residents walk into voting Judy Kleinberg, all of whom are known for booths to consider Measure E. supporting green causes. The measure, which was put on the ballot "We're all environmentalists, but we just by one of two competing environmental cosee this a little differently," Kleinberg said alitions, asks a simple question with implicain a recent interview, when asked about the tions so complex that almost no one fully unsplit over Measure E. derstands them: "Shall ten acres of existing enzel has fought this battle before. parkland in Byxbee Park be undedicated for For decades, she has been an outspothe exclusive purpose of building a processken critic of any city proposal that ing facility for yard trimmings, food waste threatened to shrink or degrade the city's and other organic materials?" open space preserve. In the early 1990s, she The question has caused much head supported the creation of a Utilities Adviscratching among the local populace. Aside sory Commission to oversee the Utilities from the technical uncertainties surrounding Department. According to Ward Winslow's the new facility -- including its costs, the "Palo Alto: A Centennial History," Renzel technology it would employ and its impact on emerged as a leading critic of the Utilities the environment -- the dilemma has opened Department. up the larger question of what it means to "Palo Alto has been exporting huge enbe "green." The city's green community has vironmental problems for years," Renzel is split over Measure E, with former longtime quoted as saying. To back up this claim, she allies asserting diametrically opposed viewcited such activities as "slashing through forpoints. Some of Palo Alto's greenest citizens ests" to build transmission lines, sharing in a are calling for the city to honor its promise dam project and exporting garbage. to convert this land to parkland, while others Now, ironically, she finds herself arguare pointing to the 10-acre site as the perfect ing in favor of the "export" options for local solution to the city's convoluted waste-mantrash because the alternative would infringe agement dilemma. upon Palo Alto's open space. The latter camp, which initiated Measure E, "Once undedicated, parkland is gone forspecifically calls for the city to consider buildever, and you will have little to say about ing an anaerobic digestion plant at the site -- a facility that would process local food scraps, yard trim- and well-known conservationist who helped organize how it's being used," Renzel said at an Oct. 11 debate mings and sewage sludge and convert them into energy. Palo Alto's first Earth Day two decades ago; Walt Hays, on Measure E. Renzel and her camp also stood firm on parkland preserOpponents claim the proposed facility would sully the 126- who may be the city's leading champion of sustainable acre Byxbee Park and set a dangerous precedent for future living; and dozens of volunteers who submitted more vation in 2005, the last time the two green camps clashed. At treatment of parkland. In addition, they say, Palo Alto's than 6,000 signatures to the City Clerk in April to qual- that time, an "Environmental Services Center" -- including food and yard waste are already being efficiently handled ify the undedication measure for the November ballot. in San Jose and Gilroy by the city's waste hauler. The environmental nonprofit Acterra, which Drekmeier A `YES' A `NO' Emily Renz a trail at By R Peter Drek a new com (continued on page 19) Engineers anaerobic About the cover: Illustration by Shannon Corey Page 16 Story F GREEN Analysis CHECKING THE FACTS WHAT SUPPORTERS OF MEASURE E ARE SAYING "Building a composting facility in Palo Alto would likely save the city at least $18 million over 20 years." (From official Argument in Favor of Measure E) This figure is shaky at best. It refers to a dry anaerobic digester that would take care of all three waste streams -- a largely unproven technology. Costs would rise significantly for a wet anaerobic digester or other alternatives. In fact, the city's consultant, Alternative Resources, Inc. (ARI), found that "higher cost AD technologies present costs which are significantly more expensive than either the lower cost AD technologies or the export (hauling to San Jose or Gilroy) case." The consultants concluded that a dry anaerobic digester could indeed be cheaper than the exporting options, but only if such factors as carbon adders, state and federal grants and contingency costs for exports are added into the mix. For the combination of dry and wet anaerobic digestion, the costs of building a new facility would exceed the exporting costs. Measure E, and options for handling sludge in the future include wet anaerobic digestion and other methods, according to the city's Feasibility Study. "This technology -- microorganisms in closed tanks -- is not new. Thousands of plants operate in the U.S. and worldwide." (From "Yes on E" campaign flyer) could "rededicate" the parkland in 10 years (voters could rededicate it sooner than that). Furthermore, the only facility that Measure E would allow to get built on the site would be a composting plant. City Attorney Molly Stump wrote in her impartial analysis of Measure E that "the land would sit fallow unless and until a Composting Facility were built." Analysis While it's true that anaerobic digestion is "not new," combining three waste streams into an anaerobic digestion facility is an unproven method. The city's Compost Task Force evaluated a host of "advanced technologies" and concluded that "there are few commercial facilities with operating permits in North America for advanced technologies," which includes anaerobic digestion. Public Works staff also noted in a recent report that the cheapest option in the analysis -- placing biosolids, food scraps and yard trimmings into three separate dry anaerobic digesters -- is the "least demonstrated" scenario of the ones evaluated by the city's consultant. The plant is "expensive and extravagant -- vague cost estimates range from $111 million to $268 million." (From "No on E" campaign flyer) Veronica Weber zel (left) and Enid Pearson, Measure E opponents and former City Council members, walk along yxbee Park. Analysis The $268 million figure is probably far too steep. It comes from the "high-cost" estimate in the ARI study, which applies to much larger facilities than Palo Alto is exploring. The report also includes a lowcost range for various anaerobic digestion scenarios. These options range from $96 million for a dry anaerobic digester to about $133 million for a wet anaerobic digester under the scenario favored by staff. The consultants concluded that it is "likely that the lower cost options would provide a suitable system for the City with the quantities of food scraps and yard trimmings available in the City." Utilities staff also noted in a recent report that the high and low estimates don't represent a "range" so much as a choice between two options. Kelsey Kienitz meier, Measure E proponent and former Palo Alto mayor, stands on the site where he envisions posting facility. "The current plan for handling our organic waste ... includes continuing to incinerate our sewage sludge" at the Regional Water Quality Control Plant. ( From official Argument in WHAT OPPONENTS OF MEASURE E ARE SAYING "When the government looks Favor of Measure E) Analysis Proponents of E state that incinerating sewage sludge expends more than $1 million in energy and releases "thousands of tons of harmful emissions," and then they ask, "Which option would cost the least and be the best for the environment?" This question is a red herring. A "no" vote on E would not be a vote for continuing to incinerate sewage sludge at the water-treatment plant. Planning for the regional wastewater facility is already ongoing and separate from to our parks for public works projects, and voters allow it, no park will ever be safe from such land grabs. Once irreplaceable parkland is gone, it's gone forever." (From official Argument Against Measure E) The proposed plant "provides only 1 percent of the city's power demand at a huge cost." (From official Argument Against Measure E) Analysis Opponents slightly low-ball the estimates from the city's Utilities Department, which projected in a March report that the generator from the proposed plant would produce 1.5 to 2 megawatts of electricity, enough to fulfill between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of the city's annual electricity usage. Though a small percentage of the city's overall electric load, the electricity would help the city reach its goal of drawing 33 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2015. Analysis Even if voters were to undedicate the 10acre site, the undedication would not affect any other Palo Alto parkland, nor would it have to permanently impact the 10 acres. Proponents of Measure E correctly point out that if voters pass the measure and the new facility doesn't get built, the council Veronica Weber work at the East Bay Municipal Utilities District wastewater-treatment plant in Oakland, with an digester in the background. -- Gennady Sheyner Page 17 CONSTRUCTION ZONE AHEAD Stanford University Medical Center is beginning construction work to rebuild and expand its medical facilities in Palo Alto. Please be advised of traffic changes around the medical center due to construction. CLAR K WY LEGEND S AN D H IL L R D Road/Driveway Closure Vehicle Routes VI N EYA NOTE: Traffic Changes to Welch Road 770 RD Nordstrom LN Effective Wednesday, October 19th, Welch Road will become a one-lane, one-way road going West between Quarry Road and Pasteur Drive. Additionally, access to 730, 750 and 770 Welch Road is now via new driveways on Vineyard Lane. These traffic changes will be in effect for two years, after which time Welch Road will return to its original traffic patterns. We appreciate your patience during construction. 750 780 0 Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Clinics 700 WE L C H R D 801 777 Lucile Packard Children's Hospital 725 Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Expansion MORE INFO: SUMCRenewal.org | email@example.com | 24-Hour Construction Hotline: (650) 701-SUMC (7862) Make the Switch OPEN A CHECKING ACCOUNT WITH A NO-FEE DEBIT CARD Free Online Banking Free Touchtone Teller Free Visa Debit Card Secure Bill Pay Easy Electronic Funds Transfer Convenient ezDeposit Thousands of ATMs nationwide ATMs inside 7-Eleven� stores Page 18 QU AR RY RD 730 Cover Story Measure E (continued from page 16) in its largest proposed form services such as materials recovery, refuse transfer, composting, recycling, hazardous waste and public education -- would have occupied up to 19 acres in the Baylands. The conservationist side prevailed, after the council voted 5-4 to defeat the proposal. Renzel is far from the only prominent Palo Altan making the argument that parkland, in general, should not be touched, even for reasons as ostensibly "green" as a waste-to-energy facility. The anti-Measure E movement is made up of people and organizations that emerged in the middle of the 20th century to challenge Palo Alto's development boom. Chief among them is Pearson, the Palo Altan most responsible for the fact that the parkland is dedicated in the first place. As the leader of the "residentialist" movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Pearson was the leading force behind the city's decision in 1965 to create a park-dedication ordinance (an ordinance that requires a vote of the people to convert parkland to other uses). According to Winslow's history of Palo Alto, she pursued the ordinance after "one small informal park on the old Sherman School block and part of the city's Bowden Park vanished" during the development boom of the 1950s. Her successful initiative propelled her to the council in 1965, the same year that the Audubon Society proposed creating a larger wildlife preserve in the Baylands. Pearson's commitment to protecting the Bay from new developments remains strong. Like Renzel, she has repeatedly questioned the financial benefits of the waste-toenergy facility touted by the proMeasure E side and argued against using the park for composting. "Even here, in Palo Alto, some people want to destroy 10 acres of Byxbee Park," Pearson told the council on Oct. 3. "Enlightened Palo Alto ought to be doing all it can to find and save land for parks. There is no justification for grabbing park land to construct a huge factory that is based on great expectations." Other organizations that emerged out of the mid-century conservation movement have also come out swinging against Measure E. The Committee for Green Foothills, which was founded in 1962 and which claimed the author Wallace Stegner as its first president, last month took an official stance against the proposal to undedicate the land. Jennifer Couperus, who serves on the committee's board of directors, told the council last month that the board decided to oppose the measure because it felt the loss of open space is not justi- fied by the prospect of "unproved composting techniques." The Santa Clara County Audubon Society, which according to Winslow's history has been eyeing the baylands for a bird sanctuary since 1923, has been even more adamant in its opposition to the measure. Shani Kleinhaus, an environmental advocate for the Audubon Society, joined Renzel in the Oct. 11 debate over the measure. Undedicating the parkland, she said, is not only a drastic measure but a premature one, given that the city hasn't fully analyzed the impacts the proposed facility would have. Kleinhaus also rejected the argument by the proponents of Measure E that the land in question makes up only 8 percent of the park. "If I ask you to take the nose of your face because it's a `minute' part of your body, you'd probably say no," Kleinhaus said at the debate. Former council members have also held fast to their specific environmental philosophies. Kleinberg, a former president of the Committee for Green Foothills who was one of the five council members to vote against the Environmental Services Center, hasn't swerved from her commitment to protecting the Bay from development. "We've worked so hard to reclaim our bayfronts," Kleinberg said. "To undedicate parkland at (continued on page 20) NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING of the City of Palo Alto Historic Resources Board [HRB] 8:00 A.M., Wednesday, November 2, 2011 Palo Alto Council Chambers, 1st Floor, Civic Center, 250 Hamilton Avenue. Go to the Development Center at 285 Hamilton Avenue to review filed documents; contact Diana Tamale for information regarding business hours at 650.329.2144. 433 Melville - Study Session to review preliminary project plans for historic renovation and addition to a single-family residence located in the Professorville Historic District and designated as Category 2 on the City's Historic Inventory. 668 Ramona Street [10PLN-00007]: Request by Pacific Art League of Palo Alto for Architectural and Historic Review of project details (windows, lighting, planters, bike racks, etc...) for a previously approved project for the historic rehabilitation and seismic upgrade of an existing Category 2 historic resource generating 5,000 sq. ft. of bonus floor area, 4,940 sq. ft. of which would be used on site and 60 sq. ft. of which would be available as Transferable Development Rights. Zone District: CD-C(P); Seismic Category II. Environmental Assessment: Exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act per Section 15331. 601 Melville Avenue [11PLN-00271]: Request by Aino Vieira de Rosa, on behalf of Opal Point LLC, for Historic Review of exterior renovations on an existing Category 1/ NRHP Historic Resource (Theophilus Allen House). Zone District: R-1. Environmental Assessment: Exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act per Section 15301/15331. Steven Turner, Advance Planning Manager St. Simon Parish School Pre K - 8th Grade Meditation for Modern Life One Day Course Open House Strong Christian Values 9:00am � 12:30pm Pre-School - 9:00am-9:30am Kindergarten - 11:30am-12:00pm Middle School - 11:00am-11:30am | Page 19 NOTICE OF A PUBLIC MEETING of the City of Palo Alto Architectural Review Board (ARB) 8:30 A.M., Thursday, November 3, 2011 Palo Alto Council Chambers, 1st Floor, Civic Center, 250 Hamilton Avenue. Go to the Development Center at 285 Hamilton Avenue to review filed documents; contact Diana Tamale for information regarding business hours at 650.329.2144. 3031 Hansen Way [11PLN-00096]: Request by Hoover Associates on behalf of Leland Stanford Jr. University for Major Architectural Review of a new 30,200 square foot office building for Varian in the Research Park (RP) zoning District. Environmental Assessment: A draft Initial Study has been prepared. Downtown Parking Wayfinding Banners and Signs [11PLN-377]: Request by Transportation Division of City of Palo Alto, for Architectural Review of minor design modifications to existing parking facility wayfinding signs and new banners to highlight City owned garages and surface lot locations within downtown Palo Alto. Exempt from the provisions of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 668 Ramona Street [10PLN-00007]: Request by Pacific Art League of Palo Alto for Architectural and Historic Review of project details (windows, lighting, planters, bike racks, etc...) for a previously approved project for the historic rehabilitation and seismic upgrade of an existing Category 2 historic resource generating 5,000 sq. ft. of bonus floor area, 4,940 sq. ft. of which would be used on site and 60 sq. ft. of which would be available as Transferable Development Rights. Zone District: CD-C(P); Seismic Category II. Environmental Assessment: Exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act per Section 15331. Amy French Manager of Current Planning Cover Story Measure E (continued from page 19) the bayfronts seems to be so backwards and anachronistic, I can't believe we're not all up in arms about it." For Renzel, the Baylands in her mind's eye will never include what she derisively terms "a factory." In July, just weeks before the landfill was scheduled to close for good, she and other nature lovers took a victory lap around a portion of the site and spoke in hopeful tones about the landfill's impending conversion to "the wonderful prairie that once existed," as Mayor Sid Espinosa put it. rom Walt Hays' point of view, opponents' fears about developments encroaching on the Baylands are both unfounded and exaggerated. "There are some people who believe that parks are so sacred you cannot touch them," Hays told the Weekly in a recent interview. "Some people feel that when you undedicate it once, it can be an entering wedge and you can do it again." "Frankly, if someone wanted to undedicate parkland and put, say, a fire station, I'd be on Emily's side." For Hays, who led the Measure E drive, the issue is straightforward: The city needs to take care of its own waste, not ship it to another community. He is quick to point out that the measure would not F commit the city to building anything -- merely give the council the option to consider a facility that, he says, would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Though he likes parkland as much as his opponents, the times have changed since 1965, he said, and the city has a duty to address the growing threat of global warming. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," Hays said, referring to the 1965 dedication of parkland, including the eventual conversion and addition of the dump to Byxbee Park. "But that was before anyone has ever heard of the issue of climate change. "Since that time, climate change is recognized as the most serious threat faced by humanity." Hays is the leading player in Palo Alto's robust "sustainability" movement, which emerged in the 1990s and has been ballooning since. He has been talking about climate change and "zero waste" long before the City Council began adopting "environmental sustainability" as an official priority year after year. As the co-chair of the Zero Waste Task Force in 2005, he helped formulate the city's ambitious goal of diverting almost all of its waste from landfills by 2025 through recycling and other green practices. The following year, he chaired then-Mayor Kleinberg's Green Ribbon Task Force, which was charged with finding ways to reduce the city's greenhousegas emissions. Proposed solutions included providing incentives for employees to carpooling and adding green-building code standards to the city's building code -- a policy Palo Alto adopted in 2008. Hays' commitment to sustainability had pitted him against the conservationists before. In the past decade, he was a leading advocate of building the "Environmental Services Center," which created a firestorm within the green community not unlike the present argument over Measure E. This time, Hays' side is confident it will have better luck. His coalition, the Palo Alto Green Energy Initiative, has been swelling and gathering a long list of endorsements in the months leading up to the November election. The CLEAN Coalition, the Green Party of Santa Clara County, the Silicon Valley Action Network and the Santa Clara County Democratic Party have all endorsed Measure E, as has Acterra. In its endorsement statement, Acterra noted that "balancing the goals of stopping climate change with preserving open space has put many environmental friends on different sides of this issue" but concluded that a "composting facility adjacent to the water-treatment plant could provide greater environmental benefits -- particularly reducing Palo Alto's carbon footprint -- than leaving the proposed ten-acre site as dedicated parkland." Members of the "sustainability" camp -- which includes council members Larry Klein, Pat Burt and Gail Price and a host of former elected officials -- are quick I LOVE this place! Treasures coming and going! Beautiful designer furniture, accessories and jewelry at consignment prices. CAMPBELL (408) 871-8890 930 W. Hamilton Ave. CORTE MADERA (415) 924-6691 801 Tamalpais Drive DANVILLE (925) 866-6164 1901-F Camino Ramon MOUNTAIN VIEW (650) 964-7212 141 E. El Camino Real SAN CARLOS (650) 508-8317 1123 Industrial Road www.thehomeconsignmentcenter.com Page 20 Cover Story to point out that the proposal wouldn't require the city to build anything but merely allow the city to continue evaluating its options. "Just because it's undedicated doesn't mean they have to build it," said Ellen Fletcher, a former vice mayor who is supporting Measure E. "It'll still be up to the council and the public to go through the studies that will be commissioned and see what the alternatives are. "If none work out, the council can still rededicate the land, so there's nothing lost." The measure aims to settle what Drekmeier calls the city's "chicken-and-egg" dilemma. The city would have to complete an Environmental Impact Report before any major facility is constructed. But city officials would be loath to commit millions of dollars for such a study when there is no land available for the proposed facility; a much smaller "feasibility study" was approved after heavy debate and a 5-4 council vote. At the same time, opponents of Measure E insist that the land not be undedicated until there is further proof that such a facility would be feasible -- proof that could only be furbished through a full environmental analysis. "People talk about this as a greenversus-green issue," Drekmeier said at last week's debate over Measure E. "Perhaps it is park-advocate environmentalists and sustainability environmentalists. "I have a 2-year-old son," he added. "His life will be so different than mine. He has such huge challenges. The times have changed, and we have to address our waste." he deep split between the two environmental camps has prompted a period of soulsearching among the city's greenest residents. Should one align oneself with Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring," the traditional bible of the nature lover, or with Thomas Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded," a manifesto that seeks to shake America out of its climate-change apathy (Drekmeier and Klein felt so strongly about the latter that they sponsored a special City Hall screening in 2009 of Friedman's talk about the book). Though neither side in the debate is a monolithic bloc, each has common threads running through it. Not surprisingly, proponents of Measure E tend to be in the Friedman camp. They are, in most cases, more accepting toward emerging technologies and, in many cases, more tolerant of new development. The measure has received financial support and endorsements from the city's leading developers, including Jim Baer and Chop Keenan. Jonathan Foster, who chairs the city's Utilities Advisory Commission, is supporting the campaign, as is Bob Wenzlau, who pioneered the city's curbside-recycling program. Opponents tend to be more cautious about new development. The group includes land-use watchdogs Robert Moss, Thomas Jordan and Winter Dellenbach, as well as Susan Fineberg, vice chair of the city's Planning and Transportation Commission who is known as a cautious guardian of the city's Comprehensive Plan. Councilwoman Karen Holman, a veteran of the planning commission, opposes Measure E, as do Mayor Sid Espinosa and Councilman Greg Schmid. The tension between the two green camps probably won't end with Measure E, particularly if the measure passes. The two camps have squabbled incessantly over the feasibility study for the new facility, with each side using numbers from the study to back its point of view. If voters undedicate the land and the council proceeds with further analysis, the debate will undoubtedly escalate. If they reject Measure E, the debate will likely abate at least for a little while -- at least until someone comes up with another proposal to build something with environmental benefits in the Baylands. "My sense is that when we go to the voters -- if they choose not to undedicate it, the discussion ends," Councilman Greg Scharff said during a meeting in April. "If they do -- that's the beginning of the discussion, frankly." Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com. For you. Your kids. And their kids after that. T The generosity of Stanford Blood Center donors saves lives today and allows new discoveries, helping future generations even more. Give blood for life! bloodcenter.stanford.edu | 888-723-7831 City of Palo Alto Blood Drive Monday, Oct. 31 | 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Location: Council Chambers Each donor will receive a Baskin Robbins "Pint for a Pint" coupon. Lunch served for donors. Page 21 Arts & Entertainment A weekly guide to music, theater, art, movies and more, edited by Rebecca Wallace Artist turned adventurer Bryan has an opening reception scheduled tonight, Oct. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 230 San Antonio Circle. The show runs through Nov. 27. Works will include "Ice Walls," a triptych of oil paintings depicting the chilly blues of ice walls above a river floating with ice chunks. The darknesses buried in the blues hint at the cliffs' depths, the silt in the ice and the mud in the water. "The ice has a strangeness to it," Bryan says in her studio, a converted, comfortably large garage with natural light and sweeping white walls. "It's quite beautiful." To help capture her subject's layers, Bryan starts her canvases by painting them an earthy brown. She'll spread a canvas out on the floor and go at it with large brushes. Later, she tacks it to the wall, often waiting a few days for each layer of oil paint to dry, and still later in the process it gets stretched over a frame. When a painting gets really tall, she has to climb up and down a ladder to work on it. It's a warm afternoon in the studio, but Bryan still seems to see Alaska vividly -- in her art around her, and in her recollections of her 2008 artist residency. When Bryan, a full-time artist with a master of fine arts degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art, applied for the residency, she had never been to Alaska. She certainly didn't see herself as an adventurer. Then she wound up in a cabin in a park larger than the state of New Hampshire. Bryan's husband and sons were also in Denali for vacation at the same time, but the park was so big that they were a two-and-a-half-hour drive away. Park rangers would periodically check on Bryan, but for the most part, she says, "I've never been so alone." She smiles and adds, "I was a little lonely, but it was really good for me to follow my thoughts." Bryan wasn't completely without company. There were lots of gregarious birds, and one day a small red fox stood and watched her paint. Also, her riverside cabin seemed to be "right near a thoroughfare of grizzlies going down to the water," she says. Bryan developed a habit of singing to herself as she walked in the wilderness, to alert the bears to her presence and keep from surprising them. All the while, she thought about the pristine nature of the wild, what she calls "nature's contradictory delicacy and power," and the worry about losing the glaciers to climate change. She felt she was documenting a resource that might be lost. "I hope that my work brings to "Coldfalls," a 2010 oil painting by Sukey Bryan. by Rebecca Wallace now in August. Grizzly bears pawing the moss for food. Icebergs and ice cliffs and a raucous river. In the middle of it all, there was Sukey Bryan, unscrolling thick rolls of paper on the ground to draw and paint Alaska. She was doing a 10-day artist residency in the Denali National Park and Preserve, gathering sketches and quick acrylic paintings that she would later use to create her oil paintings and prints back in her Stanford home studio. She was also taking photos, thousands of them. "It was such a profound feeling to be alone in such wild immensity. I just can't shake it," Bryan later wrote in an artist's statement. Three years later, those 10 days continue to yield rich inspiration for Bryan, as seen in her prints and giant paintings of ice formations, waterfalls, peaks, rivers and snow. She's exhibiting several works this fall at the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View in a Mohr Gallery solo show called "Glacier Works." Page 22 S Dramatic, icy images come from Stanford painter's time in a remote Alaska cabin Sukey Bryan's 2011 oil-on-canvas painting "August ice" is 112 by 47 inches. Where scholarship and values matter. PRESCHOOL THROUGH 12TH GRADE ON ONE CAMPUS Rigorous academic program Coeducational Average teacher/student ratio 1:16 Complete ne arts program Veronica Weber Outstanding athletic programs Community service opportunities Beautiful 63-acre campus Financial assistance available OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE Preschool & Kindergarten Oct. 22, 2011 - 10:00 a.m. Feb. 4, 2012 - 10:00 a.m. No reservation required. For information call 650.473.4061 Middle School (Grades 6-8) Nov. 5, 2011 - 10:00 a.m. Nov. 19, 2011 - 10:00 a.m. Reservation required. For information call 650.473.4011 Preparatory (Grades 9-12) Oct. 23, 2011 - 1:00 p.m. Nov. 20, 2011 - 1:00 p.m. No reservation required. For information call 650.473.4006 Painter and printmaker Sukey Bryan in her Stanford home studio, an airy garage turned creative space. Fire is also a common theme in Bryan's art. At its heart, her work is all about elemental subjects larger than life and full of life: fire and ice, rain and snow, oceans and volcanoes. In January, she'll have a show at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, about water. And for her next project? Bryan figures her Denali time will continue to inspire at least a few more prints and paintings. Looking at one of her paintings of snow, she says she was lucky to see a snowfall during her time there, in August. "The weather changes really quickly: rain, clouds, rainbows," she says, then pauses, struck by an idea for another series. "That's another possibility: skies." What: The exhibition "Glacier Works: Paintings and Prints by Sukey Bryan" Where: Mohr Gallery, Community School of Music and Arts, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View When: The show runs through Nov. 27, with a reception set for Oct. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. Gallery hours are weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Info: Go to arts4all.org or call 650917-6800, extension 306. Lower School (Grades 1-5), please call 650.473.4011 for appointment. 150 Valparaiso Avenue 650.322.1866 Atherton, CA 94027 www.shschools.org Inquiries and RSVP: firstname.lastname@example.com "Growler ice 2" is a monotype by Bryan. mind the importance of the small elements in nature as well as awareness of its immensity, terrible strength and all-encompassing import," she wrote in an artist's statement. "I want my work to help my audience to hold nature close, to see that we are not separate in our life experience from other life forms." At the Community School of Music and Arts, Bryan's audience will include students as young as preschoolers who attend classes and walk through the lobby gallery. Linda Covello, the art-school director and gallery's curator, said she thinks Bryan's work will inspire the painting students with its large scale and careful use of layering. Covello learned of Bryan's art when the artist sent her a portfolio. "It looked really monumental in scale. ... I thought that would be really exciting for our space," she said. Mohr Gallery has exposed concrete walls, which lend the venue an earthiness, Covello said. "Land forms look great against these walls." Other venues where Bryan has shown her art include the Palo Alto Art Center, the Hang Art Gallery in San Francisco and the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara. Her piece "The fire within," a series of 12 panels painted with blazing images, has been displayed as a "liturgical artwork" in churches including Stanford University's Memorial Church and the First Lutheran and All Saints' Episcopal churches in Palo Alto. r in a or rs Rain roinoosh ) (ind E! FREShine!! e Mo **Tots � 5th grade** n l o w e em ! A F E H3a l� 7:30 p S 5: 0 Games! ng! ck-or -Treati Tri g! Face Paintin Lytton Gardens Senior Communities 656 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto, CA (650) 328-3300 www.LyttonGardens.org ct. 3a1st nday, O u l h for our 8t ann Join us! Support Palo Alto Weekly's print and online coverage of our community. Join today: SupportLocalJournalism.org/PaloAlto Page 23 Arts & Entertainment The Roundtable at Stanford University Quite a quartet Four outstanding voices anchor West Bay Opera's production of `Samson et Dalila' by Mort Levine Education Nation 2.0 OPERA REVIEW I f the Israelis think they have a problem today with Hamas over in Gaza, they ought to reflect on the situation in about 500 B.C., when the Philistines were running the place. In those days, Gaza was a place of pagan orgies and treacherously seductive mezzo-sopranos. The enslaved Israelis did have a strongman, the Hebrew Hercules named Samson. It's all in a couple of books in the Bible. And it isn't easy to make a dramatic stage work out of it but the French composer Camille SaintSa�ns spent a decade trying in his opera "Samson et Dalila." Periodically the opera gets revived these days; San Francisco Opera has put on several productions. Plucky West Bay Opera brings its version to Palo Alto's Lucie Stern Theatre this month to herald the opening of its 56th season. The enterprising team headed by Maestro Jose Luis Moscovich packaged a beautifully seamless production for a very pleased audience at the opening weekend. The production had the exoticerotic flavor of the way the 19thcentury French envisioned the Middle East. Seemingly assuming that audiences would already know the story, the composer concentrated on shaping the conflicted characters. West Bay has assembled four outstanding voices to make this unusual musical masterpiece both an artistic success and an audience pleaser. Samson, as portrayed by Peruvian tenor Percy Martinez, evoked the stocky solidity of Enrico Caruso. Without any showpiece arias, he used powerful vocalism to guide the drama. VenezuelanAmerican soprano Cybele Gouverneur met the challenges of alternating as a seductress and a vile betrayer with aplomb. Her rich buttery contralto low register added an appropriately sultry dark tone. Two burly veteran basses, David Cox who sang the Philistine Grand Priest of Dagon, and Carlos Aguilar, an old Hebrew, proved important in giving form to the battle between good and evil. Saint-Sa�ns is actually a symphonic master, so the opera score is well worth attentive listening. He also proves that he can dish out the hits when needed. Gouverneur hit a home run with her version of the best song in the opera, "Mon coeur s'ouvre � ta voix" (My heart opens itself at thy sweet voice). And the required ballet featuring the nowclich�d bacchanal song swiped by dozens of Hollywood movies was done imaginatively by Katie Gaydos, Daiane Lopes de Silva and Bruno Augusto from the Kunst- Cybele Gouverneur as Dalila. Stoff dance company. Director Ragnar Conde moved his forces on and off the small stage effectively and in sync with the frequent mood changes in the score. Despite budget considerations, set designer Jean-Francois Revon and costume designer Abra Berman managed to capture the requisite Middle Eastern flavor and color palette. The massive Greek columns came tumbling down on cue. The chorus led by Bruce Olstad was in magnificent voice, especially in portraying the lamentations of the Israelis. West Bay has promised its audience a venturesome, ambitious lineup of rare operas, and new takes on the old standards, such as "Don Giovanni" and "Aida," which round out this season. The company has certainly delivered with "Samson and Dalila." What: "Samson et Dalila," with music by Camille Saint-Sa�ns and libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire, presented by West Bay Opera in French with English titles Where: Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto When: The remaining two performances are at 8 p.m. Oct. 22 and 2 p.m. Oct. 23. Cost: Tickets are $40-$70. Info: Go to wbopera.org or call 650-424-9999. Page 24 Movies OPENINGS Margin Call 1/2 (Aquarius) Movie critics love to trot out the term "stagy" to knock a film, but some of us consider that a compliment of sorts. And something tells me J.C. Chandor -- writer-director of the economic-crisis thriller "Margin Call" -- knows what I mean. After all, stage plays have a better batting average than films when it comes to social consciousness, well-honed dialogue and considered themes, three hallmarks of "Margin Call." Chandor sweeps away the media clutter over the 2009 market crash to give his own dramatization of a crucial 24-hour period at a fictional Wall Street investment bank, MBS, with most of the story unfolding within its glass-encircled high-rise offices. The canary in the coal mine is the bank's Risk Assessment & Management department, just gutted by a round of layoffs. Out with the trash goes the man running the department (Stanley Tucci's Eric Dale), but he leaves some data in the hands of his young prot�g� Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto), along with two ominous words: "Be careful." Sullivan, who left rocket science for finance ("the money is considerably more attractive"), extracts an inescapable conclusion from the data: The bank will tank. And so, after midnight, Peter summons high-placed exec Will Emerson (Paul Bettany), who in turn calls his boss Sam Rogers (Kevin Spacey). Soon everyone who still matters in the company (including characters played by Simon Baker, Demi Moore and Aasif Mandvi), as well as at least one who doesn't (Penn Badgley's self-centered Seth Bregman), converges on a conference room at 2 a.m. to answer to CEO John Tuld (Jeremy Irons). The devilish details don't so much matter ("Just speak to me in plain English" is a comical refrain); instead "Margin Call" consciously reflects on the bigger picture of high-stakes banking and its consequences. In true "stagy" style, Chandor explores character and theme through razor-sharp monologues. With tongue in cheek, Will explains how a $2.5 million salary gets spent. Eric contrasts the intangibility of the numbers game with memories of having made a real difference as an engineer. And Kevin Spacey -- an alumnus of the wicked business critique "Glengarry Glen Ross" -- nails a series of speeches varyingly toeing or decrying the company line as he contemplates on which side " � Peter Travers A PULSE-RACING" THRILLER. " he will (last?) stand regarding an ethically dubious "fire sale" of assets. Part of the film's distinctiveness in depicting a long dark night of the corporate soul comes in taking the individuals not only as archetypes but as individuals facing real choices in a highpressure situation. The closest thing to a villain is the survivalminded CEO, a pragmatic Machiavelli of the board room, but it's not so much any individual as big business itself that leaves little to no room for a principled stand. Chandor seems to agree with Ice-T: "Don't hate the player, hate the game." In a faultless ensemble, Tucci and Spacey deserve special attention, the latter turning in his subtlest (and thereby, his most potent) work in years. Chandor's social critique may or may not stand the test of time, but as all eyes turn to the "Occupy" movement, "Margin Call" is entirely right for this moment. Rated R for language. One hour, 45 minutes. -- Peter Canavese " � Steven Rea "GRIPPING � Owen Gleiberman PROVOCATIVE" AND MICHAEL SHANNON JESSICA CHASTAIN TA K E S H E LT E R WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY JEFF NICHOLS WWW.SONYCLASSICS.COM NOW PLAYING VIEW THE TRAILER AT WWW.TAKESHELTERFILM.COM Baby Boomers: Thinking about downsizing? Consider something different. We just received approval from the City Council and are moving quickly toward making the Mountain View Cohousing Community a reality. Already 13 households strong, we're looking for 6 more to join us. Our cohousing community, located walking Our cohousing community, located walking distance from downtown Mountain View, will distance from downtown Mountain View, will balance fellowship and shared activities with balance fellowship and shared activities with private spaces and individual pursuits. We're private spaces and individual pursuits. We're building a new "old fashioned" neighborhood building a new "old fashioned" neighborhood of upscale, energy-efficient condos, with of upscale, energy-efficient condos, with shared common facilities, open space, garshared common facilities, open space, dens and underground parking. gardens and underground parking. To learn more: 650-479-MVCC (479-6822) www.MountainViewCohousing.org Page 25 First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto presents Movies MOVIE TIMES 50/50 (R) Century 16: 11:50 a.m.; 2:15, 4:40, 7:30 & 9:55 p.m. Century 20: 11:30 a.m.; 1:55, 4:25, 6:50 & 9:25 p.m. Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 5:50 & 9:35 p.m. Century 16: Noon, 2:25 & 9:45 p.m.; Fri.-Tue. & Thu. also at 4:50 & 7:20 p.m. Century 20: 11:40 a.m.; 12:35, 2, 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 5:45 & 10:40 p.m. Stanford Theatre: Sat. & Sun. at 5:55 & 9:50 p.m. Century 20: Fri.-Wed. at 8:55 p.m. Century 16: 11:35 a.m.; 4:55 & 10:15 p.m.; In 3D at 2:15 & 7:35 p.m. Century 20: 11:25 a.m.; 4:50 & 10:10 p.m.; In 3D at 2 & 7:30 p.m. Century 16: 11:30 a.m.; 1:50, 4:25 & 7:10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9:55 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 9:25 p.m. Century 16: 11:30 a.m.; 12:30, 2:10, 3:10, 4:50, 7:40 & 10:20 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 5:50 p.m.; Fri. & Sun. also at 8:40 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 8:30 p.m. Century 20: 11:20 a.m.; 12:40, 2:10, 3:20, 4:50, 7:30 & 10:15 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. & Tue.-Thu. also at 6 & 8:50 p.m. Century 20: Thu. at 7:30 p.m. Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 7:30 p.m. Century 20: Fri.-Wed. at 8:40 p.m.; Thu. at 9:45 p.m. Century 20: 11:20 a.m.; 1:50, 3, 4:20, 7 & 9:35 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 8:10 p.m. Palo Alto Square: Fri.-Wed. at 1:30, 2:45, 4, 5:15, 6:30 & 7:45 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 9 & 10:15 p.m. Dr. Larry Rasmussen November 4-6, 1140 Cowper Palo Alto Reinhold Niebuhr Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary one of the world's foremost Christian environmental ethicists Gost Ranch associate author of over a dozen books, including the award-winning Earth Community Earth Ethics $10 donation requested for Friday lecture. $20 donation requested for Saturday study sessions. (no one turned away for lack of funds) For a complete schedule of events: http://fprespa.org/lecutre A Face in the Crowd (1957) Stanford Theatre: Wed. & Thu. at 5:15 & 9:30 p.m. Anna Christie (1930) The Big Year (PG) Black Legion (1937) Contagion (PG-13) Dolphin Tale (PG) (Not Reviewed) Fireflies in the Garden (R) (Not Reviewed) Footloose (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Ghostbusters (1984) (PG) (Not Reviewed) Grand Hotel (1932) The Help (PG-13) The Ides of March (R) Jack the Ripper and Century 16: Thu. at 8:15 p.m. Century 20: Thu. at 8:15 p.m. Butterfinger the 13th (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Johnny English Reborn (PG) Century 16: 11:35 a.m.; 2:10, 4:45 & 7:45 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 10:30 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 10:15 (Not Reviewed) p.m. Century 20: Noon, 2:35, 5:10, 7:50 & 10:20 p.m. Lang Lang in Concert Century 16: Sat. (live) at 8:30 p.m. & Mon. (encore) at 7:30 p.m. Century 20: Sat. (live) at 8:30 p.m. (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) & Mon. (encore) at 7:30 p.m. The Lion King (G) (Not Reviewed) Margin Call (R) 1/2 Midnight in Paris (PG-13) 1/2 Moneyball (PG-13) Century 16: In 3D at 11:45 a.m.; 2:05 & 4:20 p.m. Century 20: In 3D at 3:50 p.m.; In 3D Fri. & Sun.-Wed. also at 11:15 a.m.; 1:30 & 6:15 p.m.; In 3D Sat. also at 1:35 & 6:15 p.m.; In 3D Thu. also at 11:15 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Aquarius Theatre: 2:30, 5, 7:30 & 9:55 p.m. Guild Theatre: 6:15 p.m. 1/2 Century 16: 11:40 a.m.; 12:40, 2:40, 3:40, 7 & 10:10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. & Tue.-Thu. also at 5:40 p.m.; Fri.Sun. also at 8:50 p.m.; Tue.-Thu. also at 8:40 p.m. Century 20: 1, 4, 7:10 & 10:10 p.m. Stanford Theatre: Wed. & Thu. at 7:30 p.m. Century 16: 11:30 a.m.; 12:30, 1:40, 2:40, 4, 5, 6:30 & 7:50 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9:10 & 10:25 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 8:50 & 10 p.m. Century 20: 11:35 a.m.; 12:15, 12:55, 1:45, 2:25, 3:05, 3:55, 4:40, 5:20, 6:10, 6:55, 7:40, 8:30, 9:15, 10 & 10:45 p.m. Aquarius Theatre: Fri. at 2 p.m.; Mon. at 2 & 4:30 p.m.; Tue.-Thu. at 2, 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m. 1/2 1/2 Century 16: 12:20, 3:30 & 7 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 10:05 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 9:55 p.m. Century 20: 11:50 a.m.; 1:35, 2:55, 4:35, 7:35 & 10:30 p.m.; Fri.-Wed. also at 5:55 p.m. Guild Theatre: 3:15 & 8:45 p.m. Century 16: 11:30 a.m.; 2, 4:30 & 7 p.m.; Fri.-Wed. also at 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9:40 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 9:30 p.m. Century 20: 11:55 a.m.; 1:15, 2:30, 3:45, 5:05, 6:20, 7:45, 9 & 10:25 p.m. Century 16: 11:40 a.m.; 2:20 & 5:10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 8 & 10:40 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 7:45 & 10:25 p.m.; In 3D at 12:50, 3:50 & 7 p.m.; In 3D Fri.-Sun. also at 9:50 p.m.; In 3D Mon.-Thu. also at 9:40 p.m. Century 20: 1:50, 4:25, 7:05 & 9:45 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 11:15 a.m.; Sat. also at 11:10 a.m.; In 3D at 12:05, 2:40, 5:20, 8 & 10:40 p.m. Century 20: 11:30 a.m.; 2:10, 4:45, 7:25 & 10:05 p.m. On the Waterfront (1954) Paranormal Activity 3 (R) (Not Reviewed) Point Blank (R) (Not Reviewed) Real Steel (PG-13) Take Shelter (R) The Thing (2011) (R) (Not Reviewed) The Three Musketeers (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Stanford Theatre: Sat. & Sun. at 3:35 & 7:30 p.m. The Way (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Skip it Some redeeming qualities A good bet Outstanding (493-3456) Guild: 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (266-9260) Stanford: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (324-3700) Internet address: For show times, plot synopses, trailers and more information about films playing, go to PaloAltoOnline.com. Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (266-9260) Century Cinema 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View (800-326-3264) Century 20 Downtown: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City (800-326-3264) Cin�Arts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Open House Sunday, October 23 9am �1pm be it all bea Lancer � 2011 Margin Call LLC. All Rights Reserved. Fri and Sat 10/21-10/22 The Ides of March 1:30, 2:45, 4:00, 5:15, 6:30, 7:45, 9:00, 10:15 Sun-Wed 10/23-10/26 The Ides of March 1:30, 2:45, 4:00, 5:15, 6:30, 7:45 Thurs 10/27 The Ides of March No Showtimes Support Local Business www.margincallmovie.com 1885 Miramonte Avenue | Mountain View 650 968-1213, ext. 430 � 2011 Roadside Attractions LLC www.sfhs.com MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes - Text MARGIN With Your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549) Page 26 PIZZA Pizza Chicago 424-9400 4115 El Camino Real, Palo Alto This IS the best pizza in town of the week Spot A Pizza 324-3131 115 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto Voted Best Pizza in Palo Alto www.spotpizza.com Always a local favorite! AMERICAN Armadillo Willy's 941-2922 1031 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos Range: $5.00-13.00 Hobee's 856-6124 4224 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Also at Town & Country Village, Palo Alto 327-4111 INDIAN Darbar Indian Cuisine 321-6688 129 Lytton, Downtown Palo Alto Lunch Buffet M-F; Open 7 days Janta Indian Restaurant (650) 462-5903 Fax (650) 462-1433 369 Lytton Ave., Downtown Palo Alto Lunch Buffet M-F; www.jantaindianrestaurant.com POLYNESIAN Trader Vic's 849-9800 4269 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Dinner Mon-Thurs 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 5-11pm; Sun 4:30 - 9:30pm Available for private luncheons Lounge open nightly Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-6 pm Burmese Green Elephant Gourmet 494-7391 Burmese & Chinese Cuisine 3950 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto (Charleston Shopping Center) Dine-In, Take-Out, Local Delivery-Catering ITALIAN La Cucina di Pizzeria Venti 254-1120 1390 Pear Ave, Mountain View www.pizzeriaventi.com Fresh, Chef Inspired Italian Food Spalti Ristorante 327-9390 417 California Ave, Palo Alto www.spalti.com SEAFOOD Cook's Seafood 325-0604 751 El Camino Real, Menlo Park Seafood Dinners from $6.95 to $10.95 650.856.6124 650.327.4111 650.968.6050 CHINESE Chef Chu's 948-2696 1067 N. San Antonio Road on the corner of El Camino, Los Altos 2010 Best Chinese MV Voice & PA Weekly Jing Jing 328-6885 443 Emerson St., Palo Alto Authentic Szechwan, Hunan Food To Go, Delivery www.jingjinggourmet.com Ming's 856-7700 1700 Embarcadero East, Palo Alto www.mings.com New Tung Kee Noodle House 947-8888 520 Showers Dr., MV in San Antonio Ctr. Voted MV Voice Best `01, `02, `03 & `04 Prices start at $4.75 Su Hong � Menlo Park Dining Phone: 323�6852 To Go: 322�4631 Winner, Menlo Almanac "Best Of" 8 years in a row! THAI Siam Orchid 325-1994 496 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto Organic Thai Free Delivery to JAPANESE & SUSHI Fuki Sushi 494-9383 4119 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Open 7 days a Week Palo Alto/Stanford/Menlo Park Order online at www.siamorchidpa.com MEXICAN Celia's Mexican Restaurants Palo Alto: 3740 El Camino Real 650-843-0643 Menlo Park: 1850 El Camino Real 650-321-8227 www.celiasrestaurants.com Palo Alto Sol 328-8840 408 California Ave, Palo Alto STEAKHOUSE Sundance the Steakhouse 321-6798 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2:00pm Dinner: Mon-Thu 5:00-10:00pm Fri-Sat 5:00-10:30pm, Sun 5:00-9:00pm www.sundancethesteakhouse.com Page 27 Search a complete listing of local restaurant reviews by location or type of food on PaloAltoOnline.com BUY 1 ENTREE AND GET THE 2ND ONE with coupon (Dinner Only-Coupon not valid Friday & Saturday) Eating Out RESTAURANT REVIEW Family owned and operated for 17 years 369 Lytton Avenue Downtown Palo Alto (650) 462-5903 Fax (650) 462-1433 Glassy, glossy Quattro Four Seasons' East Palo Alto restaurant is polished, contemporary and dazzling by Dale F. Bentson he Quattro restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in East Palo Alto is exactly what one would expect from one of the world's leading hoteliers: stellar wine list, impeccable service and sophisticated food created by an accomplished chef. It also has tariffs that are on the high side but not absurd. Architecturally, the restaurant is a succession of intersecting glass planes. It is a comfort-controlled conservatory, chic and dazzling. Beautiful but also austere, the dining room is sparse with expensive details: a glass box with hardwood floors, bare wood tables and upholstered but straight-back chairs. It's an expense account-driven venue of angular, masculine composition. Executive chef Marco Fossati hails from a long line of professional cooks. Born in Portofino, Italy, he has worked kitchens in Italy, London, Berlin, Hong Kong and Egypt. He is responsible for the hotel's considerable business and reception catering, as well as room service, and a large restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When I last reviewed Quattro in 2006, Fossati was chef de cuisine and Alessandro Cartumini was executive chef. Fossati transferred to Egypt for two years but has been fully in charge of the East Palo Alto kitchen since November. New chefs bring change and one was simplifying the menu. There are now five appetizers, five pastas, five entr�es and eight desserts, plus cheeses. There is a four-course chef's tasting menu ($55) and a bar menu that offers more casual fare: pizza, appetizers, cheese and dessert. Every ingredient possible is locally farm-sourced. Seated in the dining room, I loved the chanterelle mushroom trifolati ($13): grilled peaches, garlic and parsley, all drizzled with a 20-year-old balsamic vinegar. The earthy chanterelles had been thinly sliced and fried with garlic and parsley, then reassembled on the plate with tiny wedges of the grilled peaches. Old balsamic is sweet and syrupy, and juxtaposed wonderfully with the woodsy mushrooms. Also noteworthy was the vitello tonnato ($12), poached top-round veal, pickled ramps, a tickle of thyme and creamed ahi tuna. Sounds a little strange but it was delicious. Vitello tonnato can be traced back to 19th-century Piedmont, where the tuna was pounded into pulp with olive oil to make it creamy. We shared a second course of smoked pappardelle ($15) with duck ragu and pecorino cheese. The kitchen happily split the order onto two plates but charged us an additional $4 for doing so. Not cool for a dinner that approached $200 for two people. I've never experienced an upcharge when ordering multiple courses. The pasta was good but not $19 good. The wild striped sea bass ($28) was saut�ed in Marsala (a fortified Sicilian wine), with sultana raisins and caponata (saut�ed eggplant and other veggies). The fish tasted fresh-off-the-line, delicate and barely flaky. The Marsala and raisins gave the dish a resonant note of sweetness but did not overpower the bass. The organic chicken ($26) came with a Meyer lemon confit (thin slices of lemon poached in olive oil) and taggiasche olives from the Italian Riviera, black, oily and sweet. It is a Mediterranean dish I will never tire of eating. Quattro's bar area is divided into two oblong sec- w w w. j a n t a i n d i a n r e s t a u r a n t . c o m T Heather Lee Parma ham pizza at Quattro. tions. One room has a modern marble and glass fireplace, stone walls and shelves of Joan Mir� art books. Flanking the fireplace are a half-dozen modernist paintings that mirror Mir�'s abstract expressionist style. The bar menu is more relaxed but some items appear on both bar and dining room menus. BBQ sliders ($13) featured Point Reyes blue cheese. The forktender meat was piled into mini-buns and the cheese oozed deliciously. A Madeira onion dipping sauce accompanied. Dungeness crab tempura roll, $6 for three rolls, was packed with crab and salmon. The dish was mostly salmon, chives, pickled ginger, wasabi and dipping sauce. Great finger food that whetted the appetite. Parma ham pizza ($14) was piled with arugula and curls of Bellwether Farms' soft-ripened crescenza cheese. The crust was magnificent: thin, crisp but not crackery, just pliant enough with a hint of sweetness to it. All desserts were $9. Pastry chef Minoru Miyazaki's sweet endings were all terrific. The Neapolitan baba al rum featured crisp almond caramel, citrus rum syrup and vanilla whipped cream. The Sicilian cannoli trio was a compote of sweet black Bing cherry with a breath of mint. The chocolate tortino was similar to a lava cake. Hot chocolate oozed from the spongy cake when the cake was pricked. A scoop of honey gelato accompanied. My favorite was the tiramisu with cocoa powder, mascarpone and espresso. The round cake was creamy and refined, chocolaty, with just a suggestion of the espresso. The restaurant manager is wine expert Claudio Villani. Quattro offers two dozen wines by the glass ($11-$25), numerous half-bottles, and an extensive list of 750-milliliter bottles: 400 labels and counting. The corkage fee is $30, except on Friday evenings when corkage is waived and the entire wine list is offered at 50 percent off. No need to be overly dressed at Quattro. It's business casual, but that's about the only thing casual about the place. Quattro at the Four Seasons Hotel 2050 University Ave., East Palo Alto 650-470-2889 fourseasons.com/siliconvalley/dining/quattro Breakfast: Daily 6:30-11 a.m. Lunch: Daily 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dinner: Daily 5:30-10 p.m. Reservations Credit cards Lot Parking Full Bar Takeout Highchairs Wheelchair access Banquet Catering Outdoor seating Noise level: Moderate Bathroom Cleanliness: Excellent Page 28 Sports Shorts KNIGHTS' DAY . . . The regular season is winding down for the Palo Alto Knights' football program, but that doesn't mean the players are getting ready to put away their equipment. In fact, all five teams are headed to the playoffs. The Knights will wrap up the regular season on Sunday at PaloAlto High with a slate of five games against the Oakland Dynamites, starting at 9 a.m. The Cadets head into their finale with a 4-3 record, the Jr. Pee Wee team is 5-2, the Pee Wee squad is 5-2, while the Jr. Midgets are 4-3 and the Unlimited squad is 7-0. This is the first season that Palo Alto has offered an "unlimited" All-American team with mostly eighth graders and a few ninth-grade students. The team has 23 players with its offensive line averaging 240 pounds. In addition to being 7-0, the Knights have allowed only four touchdowns. The Palo Alto Unlimited team will enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed and the favorite to advance to the National Championships in Orlando, Fla. The first round of the playoffs will be at Palo Alto High on Sunday Oct. 30. In related news, Stanford football great James Lofton, a 2003 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, will host an autograph session on Friday to help benefit the Palo Alto Knights' youth football team. Lofton will sign items at the AT&T Wireless store at 2825 El Camino Real from 5-8 p.m. during an ESPN Tailgate party. The event will include ESPN Radio, the XBox 360 Kinect booth, free food, games, and a chance to win great prize. COACH CORNER . . . Gunn High is looking for a boys' JV soccer coach for the winter. Interested candidates should contact athletic director Sarah Stapp at email@example.com. COLLEGE HONORS . . . Princeton's Tim Wenzlau and Ben Dearborn have been honored by Collegiate Water Polo Association's Southern Division for their performances last weekend in Princeton's three wins over 15thranked Bucknell, Johns Hopkins and 17th-ranked Navy. Wenzlau earned his second career Player of the Week honor and Dearborn was recognized as the Defensive Player of the Week. A graduate of Palo Alto High, Wenzlau netted 10 goals on 18 shots during the three games. Dearborn, a graduate of Sacred Heart Prep, made 32 saves in Princeton's three wins. He also added two steals and finished the three games with a .653 save percentage. Stanford's trio of tight ends -- (L-R) Zach Ertz, Levine Toilolo and Coby Fleener -- could be the best such group in college football this season. The three have combined for .631 percent of the team's receiving touchdowns and .458 percent of the team's receiving yardage this season. `Tree's company' a top trio of tight ends Stanford's Fleener, Ertz and Toilolo have chance to be one of the best groups of tight ends in the country by Rick Eymer oby Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo comprise, perhaps, the best collection of tight ends on one college football team in the nation. The trio has combined for .631 of the receiving touchdowns and .458 of the receiving yardage, while catching just .321 of all completions. Don Feria C That kind of dominance has led to a nickname, something that Fleener came up with: "Tree's company." It has a certain ring to it and shows Fleener has a wickedly good sense of satire. Kind of like the wickedly good sense of balance and speed that has led to a team-leading six touchdown receptions for him this season. Fleener also is a candidate for the Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end. He caught four passes for 128 yards and one touchdown in last week's 44-14 victory at Washington State. For that effort, he was named the Mackey Tight End of the Week. Fleener, who has 16 receptions for 383 yards, averages 23.9 yards per catch and a 63.8 average yards per game. He's making a run at Stanford's single-season record for receiving yards per catch, held by Miles Moore at 21.5 yards per catch in 1971. He is also on pace to break the NCAA single-season record for receiving yards per catch by tight ends, set in 1984 by Jay Novacek of Wyoming. Meanwhile, Ertz ranks second (with Griff Whalen) with 20 recep(continued on next page) PREP TENNIS PREP WATER POLO CCS playoffs will have a new format by Keith Peters he 2011 Central Coast Section girls' tennis playoffs will have a new look next month and local coaches are not happy about it. Instead of playing the normal four singles, three doubles format, the section playoffs will feature three singles and three doubles in a roundrobin format. The Central Coast Section Board of Managers made that decision Wednesday morning at Oak Grove High in San Jose when they voted 26-14-4 in favor of the change. A proposal to delay the new format until next fall was struck down by a single vote. M-A still has some bite in girls' PAL by Keith Peters t was only a year ago that the Menlo-Atherton girls' water polo team captured the Central Coast Section Division I title and Castilleja finished second in the CCS Division II finals. So much has changed since then. Those same teams met in a showdown for first place in the PAL Bay Division on Wednesday and it was clear that neither team was close to last year's form. The Bears, however, appear to be headed in the right direction with at least a slight chance to win a third section title in school history following a lopsided 18-5 dunking of ON THE AIR Friday Women's volleyball: Stanford at Arizona, 7 p.m.; KZSU (90.1 FM) T I Saturday College football: Washington at Stanford, 5 p.m., ABC (7); KNBR (1050 AM); KZSU (90.1 FM) Women's volleyball: Stanford at Arizona St., 7 p.m.; KZSU (90.1 FM) Keith Peters READ MORE ONLINE For expanded daily coverage of college and prep sports, please see our new site at www.PASportsOnline.com www.PASportsOnline.com (continued on next page) Menlo-Atherton senior Danielle Flanagan (right) and her teammates hope to defend their CCS Division I title this season. (continued on next page) Page 29 Sports Tight ends out the theory during a practice. "I'd like to see how far I could reach just falling down," he said. "It's also good being able to stretch tions and Toilolo averages 21.9 yards for touchdowns or first downs." a catch. Toilolo won the tight end job last "Talent is great but production year as a redshirt freshman. His wins football games," Stanford season lasted two plays. He caught coach David Shaw said. "They have one pass for 27 yards against Saca chance to be one of the best groups ramento State and was injured on of tight ends in the country." the play. "It was definitely tough to see the "Tree's company" will get to perform on national TV this weekend whole season go like that," Toilolo when the seventh-ranked Cardinal said. "I never got to get comfort(6-0, 4-0) hosts No. 22 Washington able. But we had Coby, Konrad (Reuland) and Zach and (5-1, 3-0) on Saturday at 5 it felt like any one of p.m. in a sold out Stanford them could have been the Stadium. It's the team's starter." third sellout in four home Ertz may have made the games this season. biggest jump. He stepped The Huskies represent in against the Hornets the first nationally ranked and caught his first career opponent of the season touchdown pass and then for Stanford and opens just progressively got beta stretch in the regularter every week. season schedule in which "Levine was the best the Cardinal will face Andrew Luck tight end we had last four teams with winning records, three of which have a sin- year," Ertz said. "When he went gle loss entering play this weekend. down, I was still behind guys. The combined record of the final Having to step up, I wanted that six opponents stands at 23-13, with challenge. It's a unique bond, beOregon State and California a com- ing supportive of each other after competing for jobs during training bined 4-8. Washington and No. 9 Oregon are camp." Shaw and the offensive staff have the only teams currently ranked, although both Notre Dame and USC been creative in giving all three the (which play each other Saturday in opportunity to shine, and has found ways to get all three in at the same South Bend) are receiving votes. The numbers support an efficient, time. It's helped turned a weakness effective group of tight ends and that into strength. Chris Owusu, who sustained a does not take into consideration their significant blocking skills and mild concussion after a brutal hit what that adds to the Cardinal run- against the Cougars, was Stanford's ning game, which is impressive in top returning receiver and he's been struggling. Tight end play has been its own right. "The tight end is the best of both a pleasant surprise. Whalen, who has one of the nonwide receivers and offensive lineman," Ertz said. "We do focus on tight end touchdown receptions, blocking. We go through a wide thinks the development of the tight range of work at practice every ends has made his job easier, too. "You can't concentrate on one day." All three were considered top tight guy," Whalen said. "It's obvious end prospects out of high school, al- how big a threat those guys are." though a lot of teams speculated on whether to turn the 6-foot-8 Toilolo into an offensive lineman, and many saw the fleet Fleener as a wide re- (continued from previous page) ceiver. "Through the process we have "Wow," said Menlo coach Bill been fortunate," Shaw said. "Coby Fleener was a tweener and once he Shine, when informed of the news. started packing on the weight, it "I heard it was going through, but . . came naturally. When you look at . that changes everything! I have to Toilolo, you see a slim waist and start thinking about what I'm going there's no way he's going to put on to do." With the regular season winding enough weight to be an offensive down for the girls, there is no time to lineman." Toilolo, whose stretching abilities start playing the three singles, three led to a touchdown during Stanford's doubles format, not that the coaches victory over Washington State, said would want to do that anyway. "The first round of CCS could be he made his decision to attend Stanford in part because of the chance to everybody's first match (with the new format)," Shine said. play tight end. Castilleja Athletic Director Jez "I wanted to play tight end or defensive end," he said. "I felt I McIntosh, who attended the meetwas athletic enough to do it and I ing, said the sentiment coming out didn't see myself as getting to 300 of the league commissioners' meeting was that the leagues were against pounds." Toilolo's touchdown, when he was the new format. The CCS Board of Managers, tackled on four-yard line and still managed to reach out and get the however, is made up of principals, ball over the goal line before crash- vice-principals and league represening to the ground, became an instant tatives -- no public school athletic directors and no coaches. classic on the highlight reel. "It's going to take effect immedi"We started joking that you can tackle him at the seven and he'll still ately," McIntosh said of the ruling. The new playoff format will only score," Ertz said. "It shows you he's affect those teams competing in an unbelievable athlete." Toilolo has thought about testing CCS. Menlo will be there and could (continued from previous page) Water polo 2011 NORTH-SOUTH TOURNAMENT FRIDAY At Sacred Heart Prep Game 1 -- Miramonte vs. Carlsbad, 10:30 a.m. Game 3 -- Sacred Heart Prep vs. Laguna Beach, 11:35 a.m. Game 5 -- El Toro vs. Davis, 12:40 p.m. Game 7 -- Acalanes vs. Los Alamitos, 1:45 p.m. Game 9 -- Loser 1 vs. loser 3, 2:50 p.m. Game 11 -- Winner 1 vs. winner 2, 3:55 p.m. Game 13 -- Loser 5 vs. loser 7, 5 p.m. Game 15 -- Winner 5 vs. winner 7, 6:05 p.m. At Palo Alto High Game 2 -- Mater Dei vs. Soquel, 10:30 a.m. Game 4 -- Loyola vs. Menlo School, 11:35 a.m. Game 6 -- St. Francis vs. Villa Park, 12:40 p.m. Game 8 -- Agoura vs. Palo Alto, 1:45 p.m. Game 10 -- Loser 2 vs. loser 4, 2:50 p.m. Game 12 -- Winner 2 vs. winner 4, 3:55 p.m. Game 14 -- Loser 6 vs. loser 8, 5 p.m. Game 16 -- Winner 6 vs. winner 8, 6:05 p.m. SATURDAY At Sacred Heart Prep Game 17 -- Loser 11 vs. loser 15, 9 a.m. Game 19 -- Loser 12 vs. loser 16, 10:10 a.m. Game 21 -- Winner 11 vs. winner 15 (semifinal), 11:20 a.m. Game 23 -- Winner 12 vs. winner 16 (semifinal), 12:30 p.m. Game 25 -- Loser 17 vs. loser 19 (7th place), 1:40 p.m. Game 27 -- Winner 17 vs. winner 19 (5th place), 2:50 p.m. Game 29 -- Loser 21 vs. loser 23 (3rd place), 4 p.m. Game 31 -- Winner 21 vs. winner 23 (championship), 5:20 p.m. At Palo Alto High Game 18 -- Loser 10 vs. loser 14, 8 a.m. Game 20 -- Loser 9 vs. loser 13, 9:10 a.m. Game 22 -- Winner 10 vs. winner 14, 10:20 a.m. Game 24 -- Winner 9 vs. winner 13, 11:30 a.m. Game 26 -- Loser 18 vs. loser 20 (15th place), 12:40 p.m. Game 28 -- Winner 18 vs. winner 20 (13th place), 1:50 a.m. Game 30 -- Loser 22 vs. loser 24 (11th place), 3 p.m. Game 32 -- Winner 22 vs. winner 24 (9th place), 4:10 p.m. (continued from previous page) the host Gators. Menlo-Atherton (3-0, 6-8) all but locked up the league title as the Gators (2-1, 7-7) were really the closest challenge in what has become a weak league this season. The Bears, despite having nine seniors on the team, are still only a shell of last season's 18-9 squad that lost CCS Goalie of the Year Emily Dorst and scoring leader MJ O'Neil plus the consistent Shelby Fero and Katherine Liang. "It's taken us a little time to adjust," said M-A coach Chris Rubin. "We've played a tough schedule, so we've lost a lot of games. I don't expect to be a top-four (CCS) seed this year. I feel like we're making improvement and, hopefully, we'll be all set for November when the time comes." For sure, the Bears have taken their lumps. That's the process of breaking in new players, including the all-important goalie position where Dorst dominated during the past four years. Current starter Emily Canny rarely saw any playing time in big matches last season and needs that playing time, as does backup Sierra Sheeper. Senior Emily Gran, who scored six goals against Castilleja, is just one of many returnees from the CCS championship team. Brittany Krappe is another, along with fellow seniors Danielle Flanagan and Marie-Charlotte Popp. Thus, the nucleus is there for another title run. Perhaps the only thing missing right now is confidence, Rubin says. "The girls just need to believe they can do it," he said. The tough schedule perhaps has worn away some of that confidence, but Rubin said "I always like to play the best, see where we need to adjust. We'll find out if it pays off." be joined locally by Sacred Heart Prep, Menlo-Atherton and perhaps Palo Alto. The teams will continue in the 4-3 alignment until CCS, switch to the 3-3 and then return to the 4-3 for NorCals. The new format reportedly has been pushed through by Salinas coach Bill Scott, a former tennis coach in Southern California where the 3-3 system is being used. With boys and girls tennis moving closer to a state championship, it was believed Northern California had to fall in line with its counterpart. Shine, however, said he heard that the Southern California championship match will use the old 4-3 format. "How ironic is that?" Shine said. Shine's biggest gripe is how the measure was adopted. "It's mind-boggling that they would make this decision without ever consulting the coaches," he said. No coaches were allowed to attend the CC Board of Managers Meeting on Wednesday, even though Shine and some fellow coaches wanted to appear and speak in behalf of retaining the current 4-3 system. "I was ready to go to the meeting today, but they said no," Shine said. The Bears will be up against it again this weekend at the Davis Fall Classic. In other girls' water polo: Getting off to its customary fast start, Sacred Heart Prep grabbed a 6-2 halftime lead and rolled to an 11-6 victory over visiting Mitty in a West Catholic Athletic League match. Senior Pippa Temple led the Gators (5-0, 15-2) with three goals while sophomore goalie Kelly Moran had 10 saves. Bridgette Harper, Clare Rudolph and Erin Sheridan all scored twice for SHP. In the PAL Bay Division, Menlo School grabbed a 4-2 halftime lead after charging out the blocks, but fell to host Sequoia, 8-7. Senior Isa"They probably already had made up their minds." The CCS reportedly was responding to requests by coaches over the years that something needed to be done to prevent stacking, thus ruining the integrity of the sport. The new format will have three singles players and three doubles teams from opposing squads playing one set against each other. The second matches can't start, of course, until others are finished. "It's really dumb," Shine said. "And it's confusing to the kids. You gain nothing. You actually subtract, because you lose a player off your lineup." Shine has four top singles players in junior Giannina Ong, sophomore Kristy Jorgensen, sophomore Christine Eliazo and freshman Liz Yao. At least one of those players now will have to play doubles after playing singles all season long. Shine could put all three of his top singles players into doubles if he wants because the new system fosters stacking, where a coach can move a player to a position where it's most advantageous to the team. The whole reason behind installing this new system, however, was to prevent stacking. Thus, nothing belle Stepien had a strong first half in goal and junior Kaelen Dunn stepped up for the Knights in the second half with six saves. Senior Ilana Crankshaw scored twice for the Knights (0-3, 2-11). In the SCVAL De Anza Division, Gunn senior Elizabeth Anderson surpassed the 100-goal plateau for the season by leading the Titans to a 12-8 victory over host Wilcox on Tuesday. Anderson scored three goals and now has 102 for the season. Her sister, Caroline, also tallied three goals while Maggie Sockness and Missy Barr tallied two goals each for the Titans (8-1, 15-6), win(continued on next page) Tennis has been gained by Wednesday's vote. "And you're not going to get our section ready for NorCals," Shine said. "It's a disadvantage for our section." The CCS champion and runner-up both will advance to the CIF Northern California Championships, which feature the old four singles, three doubles format. The NorCal champ eventually will advance to a state championship match and play a format that perhaps no one knows at this point -- certainly not if the SoCal finale is playing four singles and three doubles this season. Shine said not only will the new playoff format take one player out of his current lineup, but that coaching during a match will be nearly non-existent if everyone is playing just one set. The real coaching will be how one sets up his or her lineup, more of a chess match than anything else. Shine, who also coaches the Menlo boys' team, will face similar problems in the spring. "I'll be up the night before a match wondering what the other guy is going to do," Shine said. "All the other teams are in the same boat, but it just makes for crummy tennis." Page 30 Sports ATHLETES OF THE WEEK Matched CareGivers Elizabeth Anderson Gunn High The senior scored 35 goals during a 7-0 week in water polo, helping the Titans stay in second place in the SCVAL De Anza Division before scoring 21 goals in a 5-0 finish to claim the title at the Wildcat Classic. Caroline Anderson Gunn water polo Tyler McCool Sacred Heart Prep The senior running back rushed 11 times for 120 yards, picking up crucial yardage during a final drive that he capped with an eightyard touchdown with 36 seconds to play to lift the Gators to an 18-15 football win. Willy Fonua Menlo-Atherton football Honorable mention Sarah Daschbach Sacred Heart Prep volleyball When you, or someone you care about, needs assistance... you can count on us to be there. We provide Peninsula families with top, professional caregivers. Call now "There's no place like home." Nick Hale Menlo School water polo (650) 839-2273 www.matchedcaregivers.com Skylar Dorosin Palo Alto polo Leo Koloamatangi Sacred Heart Prep football Kat Gregory Priory cross country Cameron Moody Menlo-Atherton football Chloe Sales Castilleja golf Bret Pinsker Palo Alto water polo Melanie Wade Palo Alto volleyball Daniel Pugliese Menlo School cross country * previous winner To see video interviews of the Athletes of the Week, go to www.PASportsOnline.com Water polo (continued from previous page) ners of eight straight. Gunn went 7-0 last week, capped by a 5-0 mark and championship in the Wildcat Classic that wrapped up Saturday at Los Gatos High. Elizabeth and Caroline Anderson combined for 36 goals during the tourney as the Titans rolled over Valley Christian, 19-5; routed Sobrato, 19-1; outscored Salinas, 13-6; held off Mitty, 7-3; and downed Presentation in the championship match, 10-2. "In all, it was quite an impressive weekend for us," said Gunn coach Mark Hernandez. "We're starting to play better, and we're looking to improve every day as we start to look ahead to leagues and CCS." Boys' water polo Menlo School remained atop the PAL Bay Division race with an easy 20-0 romp over host Sequoia on Wednesday. The Knights (3-0, 12-2) got six goals from senior Nick Hale while senior Brad Haaland and junior Micah Rosales added four each. Senior Josh Godfrey contributed two more for Menlo, which plays in the North-South Tournament begin- ning Friday at Palo Alto High. Menlo opens up against Loyola at 11:35 a.m., with a victory earning the Knights a shot at top-seeded Mater Dei at 3:55 p.m. Mater Dei is regarded as the top prep team in the nation. In San Jose, Michael Holloway and Zach Churukian each scored three goals to pace Sacred Heart Prep to a 14-6 victory over host Mitty in a West Catholic Athletic League match on Wednesday. The second-place Gators improved to 4-1 in league (11-8 overall). Will Runkel had 17 saves for the Gators and making 17 stops in an 11-5 nonleague win over host Menlo-Atherton on Tuesday. Sacred Heart Prep will open the annual North-South Tournament on Friday at home against Laguna Beach, the No. 1 Division III team from the CIF Southern Section. A victory will move the Gators into a 3:55 p.m. match against the winner of Miramonte and Carlsbad. In the SCVAL De Anza Division, host Gunn dropped a 13-10 overtime decision to Mountain View on Tuesday despite four goals from Ari Wayne and three from Tyler Wilson. The Titans fell to 5-4 in league as they were able to convert only three of 16 man advantages. 5K, 10K and HALF MARATHON Don't miss the Event Expo with live music, BBQ, a beer garden and local vendors. Saturday, October 29 Palo Alto Baylands JOIN US Funds raised will support health programs for local youth. REGISTER TODAY www.marshmadnessrun.net PALO ALTO FAMILY YMCA A Palo Alto Grand Prix Running Series Event Good for Business. Good for You. Good for the Community. Visit Palo Alto Online for details Page 31 Page 32