The Almanac 10.26.2011 - Section 1

ATHERTON council votes 3-2 for library in park, but the issue is not settled yet. Page 5

T H E H O M E T O W N N E W S PA P E R F O R M E N L O PA R K , AT H E R T O N , P O R T O L A V A L L E Y A N D W O O D S I D E

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Memorial Sunday for former principal ents, Teachers and Students.

In retirement, Mr. Carrico had a shop in his backyard where he spent hours with his William Carrico children and grandchildren teaching them how to run power tools, how to fix their cars, how to use a slide rule, and take care of the many dogs that came into their lives, say family members.

William Carrico was born in Sidney, Montana. He grew up in Glendive and attended Dawson County High School, where he met his future wife, Lucille.

He served in World War II at Fort Winfield Scott in San Francisco in the Coast Artillery and, later, at the Fort Sherman Canal Zone in Panama as a staff sergeant. Returning home to Montana, he married Lucille Carlson in 1946.

Mr. Carrico graduated from the University of Minnesota

with a degree in horticulture and received a bachelor of science degree in education from Eastern Montana College. He received a master’s degree in education from San Jose State University.

His first teaching job was in a two-room country school in the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District in 1950. He was a teacher and principal for grades one to six, and also the janitor.

The Carricos later moved to Sunnyvale, where they lived for more than 40 years. After Ms. Carrico died, he returned to his hometown of Glendive, where he enjoyed spending time with old friends and family. In 2006 he married Mary Lou Jones.

Survivors include his children, William N. Carrico Jr., Thomas Mark Carrico, and Mary Kay Carrico Davis; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille Virginia Carlson Carrico, and son, Raymond Scott Carrico.

Donations may be made to Montana State University at Bozeman.

M

PRESCHOOL THROUGH 12TH GRADE ON ONE CAMPUS

Rigorous academic program Coeducational Average teacher/student ratio 1:16 &RPSOHWH ¿QH DUWV SURJUDP

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE Middle School (Grades 6-8) Nov. 5, 2011 - 10:00 a.m.

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223-6525 223-7525 854-2626 854-3650 854-0858

Fast.

Ms. Fast is survived Mr. Fast’s by her husband of 24 years, career in the Patrick Fast of Seal Beach; aviation induschildren, Patrick, 20, a try ultimately senior at UC Berkeley, Lauled them to Seal ra, 18, a freshman at UCLA, Beach, where and Lisa, l6, a junior at Los they lived and Alamitos High School in raised their three Michele Los Alamitos; her parents, Daschbach Fast children for the Howard and Lenore Daschpast 16 years. bach of Atherton; sisters As an adult, Ms. Fast played LeeLee Cusenza of Pleasanton, tennis recreationally and was and Lisa Fuerst and Laura an enthusiastic swimmer. She Pitchford, both of Atherton; was a life-long San Francisco and brothers Rooney of Sunset Giants fan and a dedicated Beach and Mark of Atherton. supporter of all the teams on Donations may be made which her children competed, to Ms. Fast’s favorite charity, say family members. She also smiletrain.org. took pride in the scholastic Visit tinyurl.org/Micheleand athletic success of her 111 to see the Michele Daschmany nieces and nephews, bach Fast Memorial Charity they say.

Fund page.

N E-mail news, information, obituaries and photos (with captions) to: editor@AlmanacNews.com N E-mail letters to the editor to: letters@AlmanacNews.com

To request free delivery, or stop delivery, of The Almanac in zip code 94025, 94027, 94028 and the Woodside portion of 94062, call 854-2626.

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

Lower School (Grades 1-5), please call 650.473.4011 for appointment.

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MARSH MANOR

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Newsroom: Newsroom fax: Advertising: Advertising fax: Classified ads:

Outstanding athletic programs Community service opportunities Beautiful 63-acre campus Financial assistance available

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Michele Daschbach Fast, sports enthusiast ichele Daschbach Fast, the youngest daughter of the well-known Daschbach family of Atherton, died Oct. 12. She died in a shooting rampage that took eight lives in a beauty salon in Seal Beach, a community in Orange County. She was 47.

Services were held Oct. 22 at the Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park.

Ms. Fast attended St. Raymond School in Menlo Park and graduated from Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton. In her youth and throughout high school she played tennis competitively for the Menlo Circus Club and Sacred Heart. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara, where she met her future husband, Patrick

Where scholarship and values matter.

MARSH RD.

W

illiam Noel Carrico, who served as an administrator and teacher in the Las Lomitas Elementary School District for 25 years, died Sept. 27 at the Eastern Montana Veteran Home in Glendive, Montana. He was 90.

A celebration of his life will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, at the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum, 570 East Remington Drive, in Sunnyvale.

Mr. Carrico came to the Las Lomitas Elementary School District in 1956 as a fifth-grade teacher at Ladera School. He worked in all four of the district schools and acted as principal at La Loma School for the 14 years the school was open. He also served as principal at Ladera School.

He directed classroom work in remedial math and science and also served as district director of maintenance for six years and, later, director of curriculum. In 1981, he received a Continuing Service Award for recognition of outstanding service and youth by the California Congress of Par-

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www.MarshManor.com October 26, 2011 N The Almanac N 3

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A L L E Y

Atherton council votes 3-2 for library in park ■ But the council wants to discuss a master plan for all town facilities before committing.

By Barbara Wood Special to the Almanac

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topic that’s typically as traditional as the flag and apple pie has split the town of Atherton and its City Council — a new library.

In a meeting Oct. 19 that was standing room only, the council decided by a 3-2 vote to choose town-owned Holbrook-Palmer Park as the “preferred site” for a new library. The council chambers were packed to capacity with chairs, and other rooms in the building were filled with those who came too late to grab a chair and listened in via speakers.

Before voting for the park as the probable site for the new library, and perhaps indicating the depth of confusion and split opinions this issue has caused, the council took another action that had been requested by those who want the town to

get more information before deciding on a library site.

Council members voted unanimously to request a special meeting to discuss conducting a master plan study of town facilities and buildings.

Petitions bearing at least 300 signatures asking for the master plan were presented to the council at the start of the meeting by former council member Didi Fisher. Signatures on the petition included those of five former mayors of Atherton: Didi and John Fisher, Jim Janz, Chris Cobey and Malcolm Dudley, according to Ms. Fisher.

“A good master plan would, I hope, lead us to a town discussion,” she said.

The petition requested a study include sizing and location of all town facilities, including administration, finance, building, public works, police and library, before making any

City Council acts to avoid pressure from Facebook

By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

T

he latest council appointments came wrapped in an agreement to not allow Facebook to pressure subcommittee members during negotiations over how the social networking company can develop its new Menlo Park headquarters.

Mayor Rich Cline and Vice Mayor Kirsten Keith were elected by the council at its Oct. 18 meeting to serve on the subcommittee, which is meant to serve as a liaison between the council and the negotiating team, without the subcommittee members doing any actual negotiating themselves. The negotiating team is made up of the Menlo Park city manager and other city staff.

Before the selection, the mayor

N MEN LO PARK

commented that he was worried about subcommittee members being “buttered up” with goodies from Facebook, such as lunch with the company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. He said the subcommittee should be “fully invested, but not targeted” as there was already enough pressure from Facebook.

While City Attorney Bill McClure cautioned that the council couldn’t prohibit individual council members from holding private meetings with project applicants, he acknowledged that the members themselves could agree not to do so.

“By council members having direct interactions with people on the other side of the table, See FACEBOOK, page 8

Drawing courtesy Atherton Library Building Steering Committee

A drawing of the proposed site for a new Atherton library in Holbrook-Palmer Park, with a conceptual version of a one-story 9,800-square-foot building that could be placed there.

decisions to move the library to Holbrook- Palmer Park.

Under town rules a special meeting must be set if requested by a petition bearing 100 signatures. The council asked for the meeting to take place within two weeks.

Mayor James Dobbie, Vice

Mayor Bill Widmer and Councilwoman Kathy McKeithen, who was on the task force that recommended the park site for the library, voted for the park site. Council members Elizabeth Lewis and Jerry Carlson voted against it. The vote also asked for a master plan for

the park and stated that the size of the new library must be approved by the City Council.

The council was acting on the recommendation of the Atherton Library Building Steering Committee, a group that has See LIBRARY, page 8

Electric cars to recharge at Town Center

By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer

R

oadside fuel stations are coming to Portola Valley. They stand about the height of a parking meter and have the aura of a gasoline pump, which is appropriate since the electric cars that pull up to them will have to stay for while. And when they leave, it will usually be with the equivalent of a full tank.

Brandi de Garmeaux, the town’s environmental programs coordinator, is recommending that the town collect $2 an hour for using one of the four electricvehicle charging stations to be installed at Town Center at 765 Portola Road within the next 60 days and at no cost to the town.

The Town Council originally committed to four charging stations when it applied for green building certification for the new library, Town Hall and

N P ORTOLA VA LLE Y

community hall complex. The U.S. Green Building Association gave the town a platinum award in 2008, its highest recognition.

Having stations installed “is a chance for the town to become part of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure and for the council to show its continued support for greenhouse gas emissions reductions,” Ms. de Garmeaux wrote in staff report.

Over the last year, at least five Portola Valley households have installed charging stations at home, Ms. de Garmeaux said in a phone interview.

The California Energy Commission is kicking in a grant of $15,000 to install the stations in Portola Valley, said Michael Jones, director of the western region for Coulomb Technologies Inc., a Campbell-based

start-up that manufactures the stations in South San Jose. The council approved a plan to put two stations behind the library near the creek and two at the southern end of the parking lot in front of the Historic Schoolhouse.

A Department of Energy grant will, through December 2013, pay Portola Valley’s subscriptions of $230 per station per year to connect the stations in a network with others in the Bay Area, including in San Francisco, San Jose, Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto and Redwood City, Mr. Jones said.

Networked stations

Drivers of electric cars, when they’re running low on electrons, will be immersed in a mesh of factors, including: ■ Charge availability. Drivers will need maps to find the nearSee CHARGE, page 8

October 26, 2011 N The Almanac N 5

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Trash collecting: Another round of hikes in Atherton

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increase that would be needed to pay back Allied Waste and pay for higher costs under the current t’s one of those good news, bad Recology contract. news situations. The good news: But part of the money owed Trash and recycling rates prob- to Allied should come from the ably won’t be going up as much in town’s general funds, not customAtherton as had been feared. ers, he said. That’s because not too The bad news? Rates that already many years ago the town charged went up in July will go up again, too much for garbage pickups for with the total of the two increases a few years and got some money meaning many Atherton residents’ back from Allied. That money, garbage bills will have doubled in Mr. Widmer said, should go back a little more than to Allied. six months.

T h e It seems the rates will be set Two rounds mean town had for sevby the coundoubling of rates for eral years charged cil at its next its residents less many Atherton residents. meeting, on for garbage serNov. 19, after a vice than the actual cost. The public hearing. undercharges left the town with The proposed rates are: an overdue bill to Allied Waste for ■ 20-gallon can, $29, a 45 per$337,000. cent increase.

The town has known for some ■ 32-gallon can, $57, a 30 pertime that rates would have to cent increase. increase dramatically. But a public ■ 64-gallon can, $115, a 39 peroutcry last year kept the council cent increase. from increasing rates as much as ■ 96-gallon can, $170, a 36 perwas needed to fix the problem. cent increase.

Rates went up an average of 45 per■ Green-waste carts: first two cent in July and residents started free (as now); $10 each for third paying for any green-waste cans and fourth carts; and $15 each for after the first two. Previously, the five carts or more. green-waste cans were free.

Customers (but only the person At its Oct. 19 meeting, the council responsible for paying the bill) can heard a report on the issue from file a written protest against the Councilman Bill Widmer, who had rate increases and deliver or mail researched the rates with Council- them to Town Hall by Nov. 16 at 5 man Jerry Carlson and Interim City p.m. or during the City Council Manager John Danielson. meeting. If more than half of cusMr. Widmer said notices were tomers protest, the council is not sent to all customers with the allowed to approve the proposed “worst case scenario” the highest rates.

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R EAL E STATE Q&A

N E W S

Anthony Andrighetto, 21, killed in crash ■ Woodside resident was in college in Arizona.

By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer

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nthony C. Andrighetto grew up a Woodside kid in a Portola Valley neighborhood — Woodside’s Family Farm/ Hidden Valley is surrounded by Portola Valley — went to school in Menlo Park and Mountain View, and played sports wherever he went, including Little League, Pop Warner and most recently intramurally at the University of Arizona.

Anthony had recently discovered that he liked coaching, his father Steven Andrighetto said.

On his way back from coaching student basketball at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic School in Tucson on Wednesday, Oct. 19, someone made a left turn in front of the Jeep he was driving and he died as a result of the collision. He was 21.

His roommate and Delta Chi fraternity brother Sam Schmid, his passenger in the Jeep, is hospitalized in a coma, Mr. Andrighetto said. “They were good boys,” he said. “It was a horrible accident.”

Three other people were injured in an accident that ultimately involved five vehicles, but none of the other injuries were as serious, according to a report from the Tucson Police Department.

“The (university’s) Interfraternity Council is deeply saddened at the loss of Anthony and wishes to offer our deepest sympathies to the members of Delta Chi, family and friends of those affected by this tragedy,” Michael Colletti, the council’s president, said in a story in the university’s newspaper, the Arizona Daily Wildcat.

Mr. Andrighetto spoke with the Almanac in a telephone interview on Monday, Oct. 24, just ahead of an 11 a.m. funeral for his son at

Focus group seeks moms, women, seniors Peninsula Volunteers Inc. is collaborating with myKindreds. com to create a web application designed to help build friendships between people at all stages of life, according to a press release.

They are holding two free focus groups for mothers, women, and seniors to preview the application on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at Peninsula Volunteers Little House at 800 Middle Ave. in Menlo Park.

The mothers and women focus group runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m., while the seniors group runs from 2 to 4 p.m.

Contact laura@mykindreds. com to participate.

St. Raymond Catholic Church on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park.

“He was a terrific athlete,” Mr. Andrighetto said. Anthony played Little League baseball and football with the Pop Warner (MenloAtherton Vikings) program, as well as at Raymond Catholic School and St. Francis (Catholic) High School in Mountain View, his father said.

As a senior and track and field

‘He was a terrific athlete.’

STEVEN ANDRIGHETTO, HIS FATHER

athlete at St. Francis in 2009, he ran with the 400-yard-relay team that won its way into the state championship, where St. Francis placed fourth, his father said.

“He was a small guy, but he was a really spectacular athlete,” he father said. “He knew he had to work hard because he was so small. That was kind of his MO.” After making a touchdown in football, Anthony typically would not engage in antics at the goalposts but head back to his team, his dad said.

Permissive left turns

Tucson traffic intersections are notable for allowing “unprotected” left turns when a straightahead red light turns green, Mr. Andrighetto said. When that green light then turns red, a left green arrow typically lights up to allow protected left turns, he said.

“Only in Tucson,” Mr. Andrighetto said, adding that it’s a common topic among parents with kids at the University of Arizona.

“We all talk about those signals,” he said.

The accident began, according N BRIEFS

Mountain lion forum Mountain lion experts from the San Mateo County Sheriff ’s Office, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the University of California-Santa Cruz will speak at a “Living with Wildlife” forum on Thursday, Oct. 27, in Los Altos Hills.

Sponsored by the Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee, the forum starts at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the town hall at 26379 Fremont Road in Los Altos Hills. Seating is limited. Email couperus@ mindspring.com or call Nancy Couperus at 941-4808 to RSVP.

to witness accounts to Tucson police, with a van making a left turn into the right-of-way of the Jeep driven by Mr. Andrighetto, with Mr. Schmid as the passenger.

After colliding with the van, the Jeep left the ground, struck a pole and came to rest on its side.

Excessive speed does not appear to have been a factor, police said, adding that an investigation will be looking into the influence of drugs or alcohol. Such factors are highly unlikely to have had a role in this accident, Mr. Andrighetto said.

Anthony’s major at Arizona was business/agriculture, his father said. Anthony had twice worked part-time for his dad at his South San Francisco wholesale produce business and there was talk of him joining that business, his father said.

But Anthony had begun to look at coaching. “He started opening his eyes and saying, ‘I really enjoy doing this,’” his dad said.

With his father, Anthony Andrighetto is survived by his mother Donna of Woodside; brothers Vincent of New York City, Marco at Pepperdine University, and Dante, also at the University of Arizona; and his sister Mary at Corte Madera Middle School, his father said.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests all donations be sent using the following information in order to create the Anthony Andrighetto Gift Fund: Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, PO BOX 770001, Cincinnati OH 45277-0053, Checks should be made payable to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund. In the memo section, write Account 1041092, Anthony Andrighetto. If you send checks via overnight delivery, please mail checks to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, 100 Crosby Parkway, Mail zone KC1D-FCS, Covington KY 41015-9325.

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Film: Something Ventured Kepler’s Books will screen “Something Ventured: Risk, Reward, and the Original Venture Capitalists” on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Directed by Emmy-awardwinning filmmakers, the documentary traces the start-up history of the venture capitalists who helped created Apple, Atari, and Intel from the 1950s. A question-and-answer session will follow the screening.

The doors open a half hour before the film starts at 7 p.m. at the bookstore at 1010 El Camino Real in Menlo Park.

Tickets are $12 in advance and $16 at the door.

Go to keplers.com for more information.

by Monica Corman

Repairs Done During the Escrow Period Dear Monica: I am in contract to buy a house and the seller is responsible to have a sewer line replaced before escrow closes, which is in a few days. The work is almost completely finished but there is one more minor hurdle to pass before final approval is obtained. Should I allow the closing to happen even if the work is not finished?

Jeff B.

bill held in escrow, have the title company pay the bill, and then release any excess amounts back to the sellers when the work is finished. Or, if you want to be sure the work is done before you close, you can delay the closing until all it is completed. Or, if you trust the seller to pay the bill outside of escrow, you can allow this to happen. The risk to you is that if the seller doesn’t pay the bill, Dear Jeff: There are a few dif- the contractor doing the work will ferent ways to handle this situa- likely put a lien on the property, tion without delaying the close of which you now own, so it will be escrow. A secure way for you the your responsibility to pay it. You buyer to do this would be to have can decide which option fits your up to 150% of the amount of the needs best.

For answers to any questions you may have on real estate, you may e-mail me at mcorman@apr.com or call 462-1111, Alain Pinel Realtors.

I also offer a free market analysis of your property. www.MonicaCorman.com

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N E W S

Atherton council votes 3-2 for library in park LIBRARY continued from page 5

spent the past two years drawing up a plan for replacing the town’s current library, located near the Town Center in an 82-year-old, 4,790-square-foot building that does not meet current seismic safety standards.

The town has about $5.6 million in a fund that must be spent on the library, and that fund is expected to grow to $8.3 million by 2015.

The two council members who voted against choosing the park as the library site echoed many of the speakers who asked the council to do two things: survey town residents about their preferred site and work on a master plan.

“The most rational thing to do is to slow things down here,” said Councilman Carlson. “I think the town survey is ... a means of getting a sense of the community.

I think there’s more information we need to have in order to make an intelligent decision.”

Said Councilwoman Lewis: “We need a master plan to look at all of the city projects in town. I’m so sorry that this has become a divisive part of the town process. It’s prudent to be conservative and diligent here.”

But the other council members disagreed, especially Ms.

McKeithen.

“This library committee has done its homework. It’s done its outreach,” she said, referring to a series of public meetings that were held on the library plans.

“What more could we have done, go door-to-door?”

Vice Mayor Widmer said he had some concerns about the proposed size of a new library building, but favors locating it in the park. “I feel personally that the library in the park is a good suggestion ... not only for the Atherton of today but the Atherton of tomorrow.”

The process, he said, has not been perfect. “Mistakes were made.” However, he said, more time would not help. “I have tried very, very hard to find a win-win situation here,” he said.

“We can’t stick our head in the ground.”

Mayor Dobbie said moving the library from its current location to the park would have many advantages. “A park site would move the library away from the train and possibly high-speed rail,” he said.

A library in the park could be energy-efficient, and could help pay some park maintenance costs. “The old library building would immediately provide much needed space for town administrative offices,” he said.

“It could be absolutely a beautiful building.”

Almanac photo by Michelle Le

School celebrates life of teacher

Fehmeen Khan comforts her daughter Emma during a talk about Fehmeen’s late husband Jason Picetti at a celebration of his life on Saturday, Oct. 22, at La Entrada Middle School in Menlo Park, where he taught. He died Oct. 13 at age 42 after a long illness. More photos and information are online at AlmanacNews.com.

Council acts to avoid Facebook pressure FACEBOOK continued from page 5

you in essence potentially emasculate the power of the negotiating team and the authority,” Mr. McClure noted, creating a possible “divide and conquer” scenario.

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Open meetings?

CHARGE continued from page 5

est charging stations, whether they’re in use, when one will become available and what the rates are.

■ Electricity supply. On a hot day in a peak demand period, a station operator may raise the rate or offer a partial charge, or a discount for waiting until later when the demand is not so great.

■ User demand. As the number of all-electric vehicles grows, demand will be mobile, not fixed.

Charging stations may have to be “smart” to keep operators informed, and may have to act in concert to protect the grid from an overload in an area.

All of this requires software, servers and a network infrastructure supported by subscriptions, the prices of which will be determined by market forces, Mr. Jones said.

The town will have to take over subscription payments from the DOE in January 2014. The payments do not cover maintenance, but the charging stations are sup-

posed to be maintenance-free for 10 years, Mr. Jones said. When the time comes, market forces will determine whether there is a viable business in maintaining these devices, he added.

The manufacturer of the charging stations, Coulomb Technologies, is about four years old, is privately held, and is operating some 4,000 to 5,000 charging stations in 14 countries, Mr. Jones said.

“We’re doing pretty good,” he said when asked. “From technological and market positions, we’re probably a leader.”

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The council agreed to limit the subcommittee members’ access to Facebook employees.

So far so good, as far as limiting controversy.

But after the meeting, debate surfaced over whether the subcommittee’s meetings with the negotiating team would legally require public notice under the Brown Act. Open government advocate Peter Carpenter said yes; City Attorney Bill McClure said no. The key issue is whether those meetings constitute a meeting of a legislative body.

Mr. Carpenter said that if the

Mix to open hot chocolate bar Just in time for coming cold and dreary winter days, The Mix frozen yogurt shop at 3536 Alameda de las Pulgas in West Menlo Park is opening a hot chocolate bar in the shop on Saturday, Oct. 29.

The Mix, owned by Jamie Schein and Susannah Albright of Menlo Park, will feature chocolate from TCHO chocolate in peppermint, hazelnut, malt,

8 N The Almanac N October 26, 2011

and mocha hot chocolates with whipped cream and toppings. A kids’ version of the drinks will be made with milder Ghirardelli chocolate.

Throughout the winter, The Mix will also feature Belgian waff les, individually-brewed Verve coffee, and baked goodies from Butterscotch Bakery.

On opening day for the hot chocolate bar on Oct. 29, The

meetings recurred, that equals a legislative body that is then subject to public notice requirements and that he would take action against the city if those meetings weren’t open to the public. The city attorney countered that it’s not a legislative body because there only two appointed members, regardless of who those members meet with.

According to the Brown Act, an advisory committee made up of less than a majority of council members is not a legislative body— unless it has a fixed meeting schedule and “continuing subject matter jurisdiction,” which seems to be Mr. Carpenter’s point.

“This arrangement has all of the ingredients necessary to bring the entire process to a screeching halt after months and months of what might otherwise be productive negotiations. The Council would be wise to just trust its negotiators and then to conduct its discussions of

any proposed arrangement in a public session,” Mr. Carpenter fired back in an email.

Earlier this year Facebook signed a 15-year leaseback agreement for the 1-million-squarefoot, 11-building campus at 1601 Willow Road that used to house Sun and Oracle employees. Facebook also bought two nearby lots on Constitution Drive, linked to the 57-acre Sun campus by a pedestrian tunnel under the Bayfront Expressway.

That gives Facebook the growing room to triple the number of employees to 6,100.

Facebook now hopes to get the city’s permission to have more than the currently allowed 3,600 employees on site in exchange for limiting the number of vehicular trips to the campus per day to 15,000. Public benefit will be part of the negotiation, as would criteria for future projects, including infrastructure improvements.

Mix will serve free samples of its winter offerings throughout the afternoon.

gling homeowners.

Some 50 to 60 homes and 20 to 30 community centers in San Mateo County and in northern Santa Clara County benefit each year from the work of the volunteers and corporate sponsors.

To qualify for assistance, homeowners need to meet certain income qualifications. To receive an application, call Rebuilding Together Peninsula at 366-6597, ext. 226.

Visit RebuildingTogetherPeninsula.org for more information.

Deadline to apply for ‘Rebuilding Together’ Oct. 31 is the deadline for homeowners and community centers to apply for free renovation and repair assistance from Rebuilding Together Peninsula, which mobilizes about 3,000 volunteers each April to help community centers and strug-

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N E W S

Fire board campaign sign goes missing, and so does cell phone ■ Woodell says he would never pull up signs.

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Acker, because officers weren’t sure how to classify it. She said it

By Sandy Brundage should have been included in the Almanac Staff Writer log as an informational case, and the hot potato of a phone over to had advised that in the future, ho will be elected to the the police. cases be listed in the log even if Menlo Park Fire Protec“I wish it didn’t happen to me,” they weren’t sure of the premise. tion District (MPFPD) Mr. Bernstein said. “Why did it For her part, Ms. Chang Kiraly Board of Directors is not a ques- have to be my house?” said this isn’t the only case of a tion keeping most people awake at sign gone astray. “I’ve noticed night, but some are taking it very, Not me that some of my signs have been It took five days, but Mr. Wood- missing on major streets, such as very seriously.

So seriously that campaign signs ell eventually surfaced with a Valparaiso, near my home. Unforfor Virginia Chang Kiraly seem to few terse comments in response tunately, that’s par for the course be vanishing. The Republican to multiple inquiries from the in elections.” community activist is running for Almanac about whether he’d lost In an email, she said she hopes one of two seats open this year in his phone, and if it somehow may that people understand and realthe district that serves Atherton have landed in Mr. Bernstein’s ize that signs are considered camand East Palo Alto, nearby unin- bushes. paign literature and cost money. corporated areas, “People should also as well as Menlo realize that tresAsked why the delay before responding to the passing on private Park.

As the Almais illegal. press, John Woodell replied, ‘I did not respond, property nac first reported, Most important, because this was a ridiculous accusation.’

Chuck Bernstein since I am a strong had posted her believer in the First In an email to the Almanac on Amendment, I hope people will sign in his yard. But when the candidate asked him why she Oct. 22, Mr. Woodell said: “That respect others’ right to voice their couldn’t see the sign any longer, he sign was in the bushes many hours opinion on issues and/or candidiscovered on Oct. 18 that it had before I lost my phone. I don’t dates. “ been tossed into the bushes. Lying know exactly how or where some to the right of it? A sleek, black other person came into possession Signs of support Mr. Woodell challenged claims Samsung cell phone emblazoned of my property, and identified the device as belonging to me, but I that he doesn’t also support Ms. with “Google.”

Chang Kiraly. He said he tells peoAs he studied the phone, he know when.”

Disavowing all responsibility for ple he supports both candidates. said, two incoming messages that mentioned “Woodell” scrolled by pulling up Virginia Chang Kiraly’s “When they ask me, I tell them to in the upper corner of the screen. campaign sign, he wrote in an vote for Silano and Kiraly.”

However, the candidate in quesHe wondered if that meant John email, “I would never do such a tion disagreed. “If they’re not Woodell, the husband of Vice thing.”

He didn’t clarify how he knew publicly endorsing me, and they’re Mayor Kirsten Keith, since the couple lives several houses down when the sign went missing versus not, how can they say they’re supwhen he’d lost his phone beyond porting me?” Ms. Chang Kiraly the street.

Mr. Woodell and Ms. Keith saying that the sign “was seen (and said, referring to Mr. Woodell and endorsed fellow Democrat Rob possibly reported) missing ‘long’ his wife, who both endorsed Mr. Silano instead. Calling the whole Silano in his bid for election to the before my phone was lost.”

Asked why the delay before thing “odd,” she said her supportMenlo Park fire board, and had his sign in their yard. Mr. Woodell responding to the press, Mr. ers report fending off encourageis president of Menlo Democrats, Woodell replied, “I did not ment from the couple to back Mr. described on its website (menlo- respond, because this was a ridic- Silano.

“Sounds like she doesn’t want dems.org) as a Democratic Club ulous accusation.”

Spokesperson Nicole Acker said my support, which is not the same. of Southern San Mateo County.

“I have no way of knowing that police determined it wasn’t an You should ask a more objective it IS his phone,” Mr. Bernstein enforceable crime since the sign source,” Mr. Woodell said.

While she’d prefer to see the told the Almanac, but called the was neither taken nor damaged circumstantial evidence interest- — just relocated. Eventually inves- focus return to issues facing the ing since whoever dropped the tigators decided no crime had fire district, such as pension susphone in the bushes on his prop- occurred and returned the phone tainability and school safety, Ms. Chang Kiraly would also like her erty “couldn’t be just walking by to its owner, she said.

The case didn’t appear in the campaign literature to stay put. casually.”

“I’ve only got a hundred signs!”

Worried he might be accused of daily crime log released by police stealing it, Mr. Bernstein turned on Oct. 19, according to Ms. she said.

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Vikings to play at M-A halftime Members of the Menlo-Atherton Vikings, a local Pop Warner football program, will parade their skills before an expanded audience on Friday night, Oct. 28.

Viking Mitey Mites (7-9 year olds) will engage the Redwood

SUNDAY, OCT 30

City Junior 49ers during halftime of the Menlo-Atherton varsity game with Sacred Heart Prep.

It will be the first opportunity for many local residents to witness the surprising skills of the Viking youngsters, all under 90

pounds, said Jim Gallagher of the Vikings Boosters.

With the Pop Warner regular season approaching an end, three Viking teams have assured themselves a position in the Peninsula Conference playoffs. The Viking Junior Midgets, PeeWees and Junior PeeWees have all qualified for postseason play.

Admissions Office 302 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028 650/851-8223 ■ www.PrioryCa.org

OPEN HOUSE

for Prospective Students and Families

Saturday, November 12th, 2011 at 10 a.m.

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011 at 7 p.m.

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 at 10 a.m.

For information and to R.S.V.P. contact Admissions at 650.851.8223 October 26, 2011 N The Almanac N 9

Kindergarten through 8th Grade

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Thursday November 17 7:00 - 8:30 PM

November 6 1:00 - 3:30 PM

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TOWN OF WOODSIDE 2955 WOODSIDE ROAD WOODSIDE, CA 94062 PLANNING COMMISSION November 2, 2011 7:30 PM PUBLIC HEARING 5

Mike Knych 512 Maple Way

VARI2010-0002/0003/0004/0005 Planner: Sage Schaan

Review of a request for a one year extension of four variances that were granted on September 1, 2010.

The four variances include the following: 1) Expand a balcony into the side setback; 2) Install a new water line backflow preventer in the rear setback; 3) Construct eaves/covered entry in the front and side setbacks, and; 4) Maintain one parking space when four parking spaces are required.

6.

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healthy is...

APPL2011-0006 Planner: Deborah Dory

Review of an appeal of the Planning Director’s decision to count a riding arena as Paved Area in accordance with WMC 153.056.

All application materials are available for public review at the Woodside Planning and Building Counter, Woodside Town Hall, weekdays from 8:00 – 10:00 AM and 1:00 – 3:00 PM, or by appointment. For more information, contact the Woodside Planning and Building Department at (650) 851-6790.

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sequoiahospital.org Sequoia Hospital Emergency Department

N E W S

Teacher, district reach settlement framework

By Dave Boyce

N S CHO O LS

in the lawsuit, which it is not, its involvement is “legally irrelMenlo-Atherton High evant.”

School math teacher, who settlement is completed.

In his October 2010 complaint, sued the Sequoia Union Open government laws with filed in San Mateo County SupeHigh School District on grounds respect to settlements by public rior Court, Mr. Delgado says he of discrimination, has reached a agencies might be difficult to has type 1 diabetes and an anxiframework for a settlement with apply, one of the attorneys said, ety disorder. He is qualified only the district, lawyers say. But the because the district was rep- to teach basic algebra and now terms of the settlement have not resented by an attorney work- teaches two such classes at M-A, been disclosed. ing for the San Mateo County Mr. Secrest said.

In the lawsuit, the teacher, Schools Insurance Group.

Recent school years have been Manuel Delgado, alleges disDavid Secrest, an El Grana- turbulent for Mr. Delgado. In crimination in connection with da-based attorney who repre- 2008, the administration at M-A his disabilities, his Hiscanceled a computerpanic ethnicity, and oriented math class his qualifications. He M-A math teacher alleges discrimination he had long taught, also alleges retaliation and assigned less creand retaliation by school district. by school officials and dentialed “Caucasian” claims damages that teachers to the replaceinclude medical expenses and sented Mr. Delgado, said in an ment classes, the complaint emotional and mental distress. impromptu analysis that claims said.

The settlement “has not yet paid by an insurer may be insuMr. Delgado was assigned a been finalized in writing and lated from disclosure. living-skills class and an English the timing of its completion is Attorney Jim Ewert of the class for students preparing for uncertain,” district Superinten- California Newspaper Publish- the high school exit exam, matedent James Lianides said in an ers Association commented in rial he said he was not qualified email. an email that state courts have to teach. In the complaint, he Attorneys involved in the ruled that confidentiality pro- said he asked, in light of his suit, citing a confidentiality visions with respect to public condition, to be assigned to a agreement, are not disclosing agencies are unenforceable and single classroom located near the terms of the settlement, that settlement terms are part a restroom, requests that went including payments, if any, to of the public record. In any case, unanswered.

Mr. Delgado. And they may not Mr. Ewert added, unless the By 2009, Mr. Delgado had disclose the terms even after the insurance company is named obtained a math credential to

Almanac Staff Writer

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Photo by Tim Wilkes

Kyle Larsen of the Skylonda area sails a laser radial sailboat in the San Francisco Bay. A Summit Prep sophomore, he won the California High School Laser Radial Sailing Championship, held in San Francisco Bay on Oct. 1-2. The event is sponsored by the Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association. He plans to travel to Chicago to sail against 17 other sailors from around the U.S. who qualified to vie for the High School National Single Handed Trophy, the Cressy, Oct 28-30.

reinforce his specialty in business math, but his assignments included the English classes and three algebra classes, including two for students not adequately prepared for high school work, commonly referred to as “below basic.” The “array of discipline problems” in these classes led two psychiatrists to recommend that Mr. Delgado not teach such students, according to the com-

plaint.

“Mr. Delgado is a decent man.

He has worked for the district for 15 years. He has an anxiety disorder, properly diagnosed,” Mr. Secrest, his attorney, said in a telephone interview. “He handles (his disorder) very well.

He’s a very courageous guy. He just wants to teach.”

See DELGADO, page 15

CONSTRUCTION ZONE AHEAD LEGEND

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Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Clinics

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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.

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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.

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Expansion

We appreciate your patience during construction.

MORE INFO: SUMCRenewal.org | info@SUMCRenewal.org | 24-Hour Construction Hotline: (650) 701-SUMC (7862)

October 26, 2011 N The Almanac N 11

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N E W S

Fire board candidates share views at forum

By Sandy Brundage

icy approved by the fire board last year, Mr. Spencer declared it “probably an unfair question he clear winner of the since I was on the board when it night may have been the was voted on.�

World Series, given the consider, such as implementing Mr. Silano said he thought sparse crowd of about 20 people a mandatory retirement age. the negotiating should be left to attending the forum for the five And about those challenges — professionals and pointed to the candidates running for two open in addition to financial sustain- board’s direct involvement in seats on the Menlo Park Fire ability, Ms. Chang Kiraly listed negotiating with the firefighters’ Protection District board. community outreach, while union as a contributing factor Hosted by the League of Mr. Barnum raised the issue of to the current contract impasse.

Women Voters on Thursday, how to assign resources given The other candidates, with the Oct. 20, the five fielded seven that the majority of service calls exception of Mr. Kennedy, who questions that covered pen- were medical rather than fire- wanted to review the 10 points sions, priorities, and problems related. before offering an opinion, said — or as incumbent Bart Spencer For that first year in office, Mr. they thought the policy was and fellow candidate, business Silano said he wants to bring the sound. executive Scott Barnum, put fire district into the 21st century Is morale in the district low? it — challenges. The district by increasing its technological All five agreed that it could be serves Atherton and East Palo assets, as well as getting pension better. But solutions proved Alto, nearby unincorporated costs under control. elusive. “It’s just not a piece of areas, and Menlo Park. cake, snap your fingers While East Palo Alto answer,� said Mr. Barresident Steve Kennedy num. The others profocused on the role of Five candidates seek two seats on the posed improving comthe board in evaluating munication at all levels Menlo Park district fire board. the fire chief’s perforin the hopes of getting mance, the other conthe firefighters back to tenders concentrated on financMr. Spencer said he would the negotiating table. es and communication. Defined continue to focus on operational The real stumper seemed to contributions instead of defined efficiency; Mr. Barnum felt his be a question about how much benefits represented a possible extensive financial background taxpayers pay — both in dolnew direction for the district’s would lend itself to financial lars and in the percent of the pension system, they suggested. planning, as did Ms. Chang district’s budget — for trainVirginia Chang Kiraly, who Kiraly, who said getting a con- ing and upkeep for teams to chaired a civil grand jury that tract approved for the firefight- deploy on search-and-rescue produced a report on pensions ers was a huge priority. missions. While no candidate that inspired the reform iniAsked what is the No. 1 thing had the numbers, the consensus tiative Measure L, noted that he’d work on during a first year was that the missions provided her goal was to see employees in office, Mr. Kennedy promised invaluable training. contribute more and share the to not usurp the power of the Go to tinyurl.com/MPFPDincreased future pension costs, fire chief and to develop some 2011 to view the League of but that there were many choic- political capital.

Women Voters information on es to put on the table.

When asked whether they the election and video of the National security analyst Rob understood and supported the forum, which the League plans Silano brought up other facets to 10-point labor negotiation pol- to post soon.

Almanac Staff Writer

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ELECT O N ( 11 (2 0

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Support The Almanac’s coverage of our community.

Memberships begin at only 17¢ per day Join today: SupportLocalJournalism.org

N E W S

Budgets, communication topics at forum

By Barbara Wood

N

WOODSIDE SCHOOL

Special to the Almanac

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crowd of nearly 50 people stopped by Woodside Elementary School on Oct. 19 to hear from the three candidates for two open spots on the one-school district’s board of directors, but by the end of the two-hour forum, only 20 remained.

On the ballot will be incumbent Ginger Bamford, a community volunteer and former Wall Street attorney, and two other school parents, Rudy Driscoll, an investor and business consultant and former Menlo Park police officer, and Kevin Johnson, a practicing business attorney with an electrical engineering degree.

While the candidates’ views seemed very similar on almost all issues, the questions from the audience pointed out some of the concerns that parents at the school have. Budget issues were the topic of several questions, including how the school will pay for repairs needed for the roofs of several existing buildings.

Ms. Bamford said she hopes the district will not have to extend the parcel tax that district voters approved in 2009 and that expires in 2017. “I would hope that we do not need to do extensions in the future and we do not need to ask for more money,” she said.

Donations from community members could help with the financial problems, Mr. Driscoll said. “There are opportunities to get more people to step up with donations,” he said, as well as to get more people involved and to “see the needs of the school.”

Mr. Johnson pointed out that the parcel tax provides only 6 percent of the district’s budget, but that “if the parcel tax disappears, then that 6 percent has to come from somewhere else.”

All three candidates brought up the upcoming strategic plan update for the school as an opportunity to set priorities for the school and plan for its future.

One of the hot topics in the election has been communication between board members and the community, especially the board’s practice of having only the board president respond to emails sent to any board member.

“We can only respond collectively,” Ms. Bamford said. Any written communication that comes in to board members is shared and the board president responds by acknowledging the communication, she said.

However, she said, in-person discussions are another matter.

“I find all of us are extremely receptive to being approached and discussing any school-relat-

ed topic at any time,” she said.

Mr. Johnson said he’d try to make changes. “I’d like to see the board be a little more open,” he said. “One of the most important things the board can do is listening.” However, he said, mentioning the state’s open meetings law, the Brown Act, “it may not be as timely as everyone wants. ... We’re working within constraints here.”

Mr. Driscoll said he, too, believes that as a board member he might not be able to respond to all email contacts. “I would love to have (email) ... but I may not be able to respond,” he said.

“I think first and foremost that people need to be heard,” he said.

“But the board member contacted may not be the most appropriate person to answer a question.” He suggested, “If you want an answer right away, go to a board meeting.”

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Use Permit/ Carrie Boesch for Bridgepoint Music/ 657 Oak Grove Avenue: Request for a use permit to add instrument training rooms for instruction and private practicing to an existing instrument retail and repair shop on the ground floor of an existing building in the C-3 (Central Commercial) zoning district.

Use Permit/Summit Travel Group LLC/825 Santa Cruz Avenue: Request for a use permit for a travel agency on the ground floor of an existing commercial building in the C-3 (Central Commercial) zoning district.

Use Permit/Sand Hill Foods/1140 O’Brien Drive, Suite A: Request for a use permit for the indoor use and storage of hazardous materials for the research and development of new ingredients and food formulations, within an existing building in the M-2 (General Industrial) zoning district.

Hair and Nail Services using natural products.

Online booking at www.olivehillsalon.com We carry Moroccan Oil, Paul Mitchell, Farm House Fresh and other products.

2920 Woodside Road Woodside

650.851.1150

Ample parking in front and back.

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For appointments or questions call (408) 469-1522

Use Permit/Daniel Turrini for Abbott Vascular, Inc./3885 Bohannon Drive: Request for a use permit for the indoor and outdoor use and storage of hazardous materials associated with a medical device company that develops and manufactures products to address vascular diseases.

The outdoor use and storage of hazardous materials would be limited to diesel for the proposed generator, which would be located adjacent to an existing building in the M-2 (General Industrial) zoning district.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that said Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on public hearing items in the Council Chambers of the City of Menlo Park, located at 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, on Monday, November 7, 2011, 7:00 p.m. or as near as possible thereafter, at which time and place interested persons may appear and be heard thereon. If you challenge this item in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Menlo Park at, or prior to, the public hearing.

The project file may be viewed by the public on weekdays between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, with alternate Fridays closed, at the Department of Community Development, 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park.

Please call the Planning Division if there are any questions and/or for complete agenda information (650) 330-6702.

Si usted necesita más información sobre este proyecto, por favor llame al 650-330-6702, y pregunte por un asistente que hable español.

DATED:

2920 Woodside Road Woodside Ample parking in front and back.

October 20, 2011

PUBLISHED: October 26, 2011

Deanna Chow, Senior Planner Menlo Park Planning Commission

Visit our Web site for Planning Commission public hearing, agenda, and staff report information: www.menlopark.org October 26, 2011 N The Almanac N 13

N E W S

Floy Wilking Smith Sept. 24, 1922-Oct. 9, 2011 Floy Smith passed away Sunday, October 9, 2011. Floy was a beloved husband, father and grandfather. Floy was born and raised in Enid, Oklahoma. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma as well as a Masters Degree in Nuclear Physics. He was a meteorologist in the Army Air Forces during WW II. Floy was married for 45 years to his first wife Patsy Ruth Smith and raised two sons, Mark and Marty. Floy and Patsy began their life together in Enid before moving to Texas in 1953 and then to Menlo Park, California in 1963.

Floy spent many happy years as a physicist and engineer working in the Bay Area for Lockheed and General Electric.

After losing Patsy to cancer in 1991, Floy married his second wife, May DeAngelo in 1996. They were married 14 years before May’s passing in 2010. Their marriage was highlighted with travel, family time and the time they had together.

Floy is survived by his son Marty, daughter-in-law Kristin, grandsons Jake and Ben and older sister Ernestine Lewis in Glasgow, Kentucky. Floy will always be remembered for his friendly simile, his kind words and gracious acceptance of the world around him. No memorial service is planned at this time.

PA I D

Firm chosen to recruit manager candidates

By Dave Boyce

N P ORTOLA VA LLE Y

Almanac Staff Writer

T

he executive recruiting firm of Ralph Andersen & Associates, based in Rocklin, California, is the choice of the Portola Valley Town Council to locate suitable candidates to take the place of Town Manager Angela Howard, who announced in June that she plans to retire in April 2012.

The town received four proposals in response to a request issued in July, and a subcommit-

tee of Mayor Ted Driscoll and Councilman John Richards and Ms. Howard interviewed three of them. The council agreed to the subcommittee’s recommendation on Sept. 28.

Andersen has “an excellent track record working with small Northern California cities and towns,” Ms. Howard said.

The company has offices in the Southwest, but clients all over the

country. Recent positions filled include a probation officer in San Francisco, a college president in Modesto, and an urban forester in Palo Alto, according to its website.

The website includes a prominent logo stating: “We support green government,” a convergence of priorities with government in Portola Valley, where environmental ethics run high.

See RECRUIT, next page

Courage - Community - Kindness - Love of Learning

Admissions Open House Thursday, November 10 6:30pm

OBITUARY

Harry McKeever Beck

RSVP to 650.854.4545

June 22, 1925 - October 13, 2011 Harry M. Beck died in Palo Alto, CA on October 13 after a short illness following surgery. He was 86 years old.

Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, Harry served in the Naval Pilot Training Program and the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He later attended and graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Following his graduation in 1952, he embarked on a 30 year career in commercial banking, eventually settling in Northern California in 1957. He retired in 1980 as Vice President at the Bank of California.

An avid golfer, Harry belonged first to the Sharon Heights Golf Club and then for more than 35 years to the California Golf Club.

He enjoyed playing notable courses both in the U.S. and abroad, especially Scotland and Australia. Along with reading, he also enjoyed traveling with his wife to many foreign lands and sharing those experiences with friends and family.

Harry is survived by Frances, his wife of 47 years, their three surviving children and their spouses, William (Virginia), Robert (Lee Damico), Cynthia (William) Swartz, daughter-in-law Eileen, eleven grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and his treasured dog and constant companion, Trez. He is predeceased by son Mark.

Private services have been held. Memorial gifts may be made to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, 400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 340, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

PA I D

OBITUARY

Preschool to 5th Grade Tuition Assistance Available 2245 Avy Avenue - Menlo Park - CA Amanda Perla, Director of Admissions www.phillipsbrooks.org

Isabel Marant Vanessa Bruno Rachel Comey

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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 14 N The Almanac N October 26, 2011

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

O B I T UA RY

N E W S

David Ramadanoff presents

Teacher sues school district

Re-Elect

BART SPENCER

DELGADO continued from page 11

The school administration has to juggle its curriculum with a limited number of teachers, and Mr. Delgado is qualified to teach just a single subject, John Shupe, a Burlingame attorney representing the district in the case, said by telephone. “Sometimes they could give Mr. Delgado what he wanted and sometimes they couldn’t.”

The lawsuit names as defendants Principal Matthew Zito, vice principals Steve Lippi and Simone Rick-Kennel, math department Chair Gregg Whitnah, and Debbie Moore-Washington, an assistant superintendent with the district.

The defendants would not comment on the case, but Susan Vickrey of the Sequoia district’s human resources office said in a telephone interview that Mr. Delgado is qualified to teach algebra 1, which is typically an eighthgrade class. His credentials “are extremely limiting if you’re talking about teaching high school math,” she said.

About 30 percent of Sequoia district students are considered under-prepared, Ms. Vickrey said. “It would be far-fetched to find any teachers who don’t teach below-basic and far-below-basic kids (simply) because they are so much of our population.”

Mr. Secrest noted that Mr. Delgado’s current classes include below-basic students. How is he doing? “He’s hanging in there,” Mr. Secrest said. “It’s barely tolerable.”

A

RECRUIT continued from previous page

Using funds allocated in the 2011-12 budget, the recruitment will cost the town $24,500, which includes $19,000 for professional services and $5,500 for expenses, according to a staff report.

Next up: the recruiter meets the council at its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 26, according to a schedule in the staff report. The council plans to have a list of finalists by late February, to negotiate an offer of employment in early March, and to make a choice by mid-March.

A

Tickets: Gen Admission

$20

Seniors (60+)

$16

Youth

$5

Menlo Park Fire Director bartspencer.com Committee to Re-Elect Bart Spencer to Menlo Park Fire Board 2011 FPPC #1340780

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 r Palo Alto, CA To RSVP, email: events@stanfordmed.org Please register, seating is limited.

MODERATED BY: Paul J. Wang, MD, FACC, FHRS Professor of Medicine Director, Stanford Arrhythmia Service

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October 26, 2011 N The Almanac N 15

C O M M U N I T Y

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Veteran journalist Jim Newton will discuss his new book, “Eisenhower: The White House Years,� at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, at Kepler’s bookstore, 1010 El Camino Real in Menlo Park.

Mr. Newton, whose parents live in Menlo Park, interviewed John Eisenhower, the son of President Dwight Eisenhower, and had access to newly

declassified documents.

Mr. Newton began his career as clerk to James Reston at the New York Times. He has worked as a reporter, bureau chief and editor of the Los Angeles Times, where he is the editor-at-large. His biography of Chief Justice Earl Warren, “Justice for All,� was published in 2006.

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16 N The Almanac N October 26, 2011

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C O M M U N I T Y

Valparaiso Bowl raises money for Peninsula Bridge Program A friendly rivalry between two neighboring high schools in Atherton is helping hundreds of middle school students in underserved communities on the Peninsula get a leg up in their academics.

The Peninsula Bridge Program benefits from the proceeds of the annual Valparaiso Bowl, two football games — junior varsity and varsity — that pit the Sacred Heart Prep Gators against the Menlo School Knights.

Both schools have hosted the games their Valparaiso Avenue campuses. The fundraising football match was conceived of nine years ago. That bowl raised about $1,000, according to a Bridge spokesperson. This year that number is expected to be close to $70,000.

This year, for the first time, the games will be held at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.

The date is Friday, Nov. 11. The JV game will start at 4 p.m. and the varsity game at 7 p.m.

Admission is $5 for students and $10 for adults.

The Old Pro will be cooking up pulled pork and beef brisket sandwiches, hot dogs, and chicken Caesar wraps.

Menlo volunteers will be selling baked goods. Gate and concession proceeds, plus matching gifts from both schools’ Circles of Champions, will go to the Bridge program.

Last summer the nonprofit Bridge program provided 356 students, in grades 5 through 8, with courses at Castilleja, Crystal Springs, Menlo, Sacred Heart, St. Joseph’s, St. Mat-

ACLU sponsors scholarship contest The Mid-Peninsula chapter of the ACLU is sponsoring a scholarship competition with a prize of $600 awarded to the high school student who submits the best essay on: “Electronic communications: Its effect on freedom of speech, rights of privacy and government transparency.�

Entries must be submitted by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.

The award honors Christiane Cook, who died this year at the age of 91. She was a longtime professor at San Jose State University and an advocate for citizen participation in public life.

Visit aclu-midpen.org for more information.

N SPORTS

thew’s and Woodside Priory campuses. The hope is to grow that number to more than 400 students next summer. — Kate Daly

Lacrosse coach-training event in Menlo Park The Menlo Atherton Youth Lacrosse Club (the “Grizzlies�) is working with US Lacrosse, the national governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse, to bring a one-day lacrosse coachtraining event to Menlo Park on Sunday, Nov. 6. “This event will provide local coaches a rare opportunity to learn from some of the most knowledgeable lacrosse coaching instructors in the country,� says MJ Davey, founder of the local club.

This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at La Entrada School, 2200 Sharon Road in Menlo Park.

The Grizzlies’ mission is to bring the sport of lacrosse to kids in Menlo Park and Atherton, said Davey. The club currently fields teams for boys and girls ages 5-13.

Visit MenloAthertonLacrosse. com to register for the training or get more information about the local program.

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Serving Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, and Woodside for 44 years.

Editor & Publisher Tom Gibboney

Editorial Managing Editor Richard Hine News Editor Renee Batti Lifestyles Editor Jane Knoerle Staff Writers Dave Boyce, Sandy Brundage Senior Correspondents Marion Softky, Marjorie Mader Contributors Barbara Wood, Kate Daly, Katie Blankenberg Special Sections Editors Carol Blitzer, Sue Dremann Photographer Michelle Le

Design & Production Design Director Raul Perez Designers Linda Atilano, Gary Vennarucci

Advertising Vice President Sales and Marketing Tom Zahiralis Display Advertising Sales Adam Carter Real Estate Manager Neal Fine Real Estate and Advertising Coordinator Diane Martin Published every Wednesday at 3525 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Menlo Park, Ca 94025 Newsroom: (650) 223-6525 Newsroom Fax: (650) 223-7525 Advertising: (650) 854-2626 Advertising Fax: (650) 854-3650 e-mail news and photos with captions to: Editor@AlmanacNews.com e-mail letters to: letters@AlmanacNews.com The Almanac, established in September, 1965, is delivered each week to residents of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside and adjacent unincorporated areas of southern San Mateo County. The Almanac is qualified by decree of the Superior Court of San Mateo County to publish public notices of a governmental and legal nature, as stated in Decree No. 147530, issued November 9, 1969.

Subscriptions are $60 for one year and $100 for two years.

N WHAT’S YOUR VIEW? All views must include a home address and contact phone number. Published letters will also appear on the web site, www.TheAlmanacOnline.com, and occasionally on the Town Square forum.

TOWN SQUARE FORUM Post your views on the Town Square forum at www.TheAlmanacOnline.com EMAIL your views to: letters@almanacnews.com and note this it is a letter to the editor in the subject line.

MAIL or deliver to: Editor at the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

CALL the Viewpoint desk at 223-6507.

Ideas, thoughts and opinions about

local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney.

A careful tone for Facebook negotiations

W

e don’t know if there is any reason to think that a Menlo Park City Council member might be wined and dined by Facebook officials and then offer them something in return, say a way out of a pesky planning and zoning regulation. We are much more likely to see this type of corporate behavior in Sacramento or Washington, D.C. And so far, at least, we haven’t seen any evidence that the social media giant has attempted to throw its weight around with city officials or anyone else. In fact, just the opposite is taking place, as evidenced with the recent open house and outEDITO RIA L reach to various civic groups The opinion of The Almanac and service clubs to visit the company’s remodeled headquarters at the former Sun campus on the east side of the city.

From all reports, Facebook is taking great pains to become a good corporate citizen as they move more of their Palo Alto workforce into the sprawling, 57-acre Menlo Park campus. We have to keep in mind that “networking” is Facebook’s middle name, and given the instant communications available on the company’s website, there is no reason to believe that its relations with the city will be anything but forthright and transparent.

Nevertheless, we think it is entirely appropriate for the City Council to do all it can to make sure negotiations between Facebook and the city over regulations that will govern the company’s campus development going forward can proceed without interference from outside parties.

Last week a subcommittee (Mayor Rich Cline and Vice

Mayor Kirsten Keith) was appointed that will be the liaison between the council and the city’s negotiating team, which includes Interim City Manager Glen Rojas. Before he was appointed, Mayor Cline said he was concerned that the two subcommittee members could be “buttered up” with perks from Facebook like a lunch with CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

City Attorney Bill McClure said that although the subcommittee members could voluntarily avoid becoming targets of Facebook largesse, the council could not restrict them from having private individual meetings with company officials. But the council did correctly, in our view, agree to restrict the subcommittee’s access to Facebook employees.

The negotiations mean a lot to the city and Facebook, which hopes to gain approval to house more than the 3,600 employees now permitted on the former Sun Microsystems site, in return for limiting the number of vehicle trips to 15,000 a day. Public benefits provided by the company will be another part of the deal as well as rules for future projects, including infrastructure improvements.

As it continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how quickly Facebook will want to ramp up its employee count beyond the current build-out limit of 6,100 jobs on its combined campuses at the Sun site and the two large Constitution Drive lots across the Bayshore Expressway.

But with a reported 800 million users now and the outlook of continued strong growth in other countries, it is easy to see why Facebook undoubtedly considers the current negotiations crucial so that the company can accommodate much more growth here in the near future.

Stanford’s strategy on Alpine trail

By Janet Davis

P

lanning takes vision and forethought, not mere reaction. With respect to Alpine Road, San Mateo County has consistently failed to: ■ Address obvious problems of capacity and drainage; ■ Leverage intersection widening or Stanford’s overuse; ■ Maintain the existing neighborhood path; ■ Insure development provided adequate access/ parking; ■ Consider the impact of allowing Stanford to designate it a truck route; ■ Control creekside GUEST development causing ero- OPINION sion; ■ Maintain bike lanes; ■ Ensure adequate traffic enforcement of illegal parking at Piers Lane ■ Failed to provide safe crossing for kids using the 85 bus line who have to run across Alpine Road when returning from school.

Stanford by contrast excels in long-term planning and strategy: ■ The Habitat conservation plan is for 50 years; ■ The General Use Permit (GUP) is multi-year ;

18 N The Almanac N October 26, 2011

■ Plans exist for faculty housing on Rural Lane and Arastradero.

Stanford is also expert at playing one jurisdiction/community against another, or relying on governmental ineptitude.

■ During Menlo Park Council meetings I argued that the city section of the Alpine “Trail” was a road.

■ An obvious prelude to forcing another trail along Stanford Weekend Acres. Stanford spokesperson Larry Horton said this was not “Stanford’s intention, but was a mere convenience to allow people to cross the road!”

■ During the zoning change for the Buck Estate I argued for a trail along the fireroad connecting Alpine Road with Sand Hill Road. Stanford promised to consider this during renewal of the Use Permit for the Conference Center. They outwitted the county by applying to renovate a “single family home.”

■ Financing the Portola Valley trail was purely to pressure San Mateo County.

Stanford has ulterior motives.

For example, Stanford is committed to “no new commuter trips.” Failure to comply could jeopardize further construction. They are required to build additional bike and pedestrian pathways. Hence the push for a “trail” on Alpine Road and in Los Altos Hills,

and the imminent virtual closing of Junipero Serra.

Access to Stanford from the Bayshore Freeway is meager. Access from I-280 via Sand Hill is at capacity despite widening. The obvious short-term, cost-effective option for Stanford is to force widening of Alpine Road. Three things prevent this: creek erosion, Bishop Lane Hill, and the Hetch Hetchy pipeline. Two of these barriers would be removed by approving the “trail.” The result would be immediate development of the Alpine corridor, as occurred on Sand Hill.

Stanford will spend $11.6 million on a Recreation Center and a series of paths/bicycle trails on the SLAC land (go to tinyurl.com/ Stanford-193). Why could those trails not be used to fulfill their self-imposed obligations under the GUP? This “trail” cannot be made safe. The suggested mitigations will not solve the inherent problems even if they could be achieved within the $10 million limit. It would serve no one but Stanford, which would get a green light for further expansion, and avoids complying with their self-imposed obligation.

It would impose hardship and liabilities on residents plus a reduction in property values, and would subject the county to future expenses. The money should go to Santa Clara and there should be no extension.

Janet Davis lives in Stanford Weekend Acres and is a frequent contributor on this topic.

V I E W P O I N T

Make a people-friendly El Camino Real

By Adina Levin

T

he Menlo Park Downtown Plan has built on four years of community feedback. Residents wanted to preserve and enhance Menlo Park’s village character, while filling ugly vacant lots along El Camino. Residents wanted to improve east-west connectivity across the city and make it safer to cross on foot or by bike.

The draft plan addressed these goals with wider sidewalks, enhanced crosswalks and improved intersections with sidewalk curb extensions. The curb extensions improve pedestrian safety without reducing safety or convenience for drivers or cyclists by making pedestrians more visible to approaching cars, and reducing the time and distance to cross the street.

These improvements would transform El Camino into a boulevard where residents and visitors want to walk, talk, shop, and enjoy life. People would feel safe walking or biking for short trips to and from downtown, the train station area, GUEST grocery stores, and schools. Instead OPINION of dividing the city, El Camino would connect it.

But during the review process, the clear vision in the original draft got muddied.

Much in the plan was improved. The City Council recommendations to include a north-south path through the Stanford property, from Roble to the Middle under-crossing, and from the Middle trail through Cambridge. This would help pedestrians and cyclists travel north and south on El Camino, off the road. For experienced cyclists, the Planning and Bike commissions recommended, and council approved, the option of bike lanes along El Camino, just as Palo Alto and Atherton had done before.

Some parts of the plan got worse. Near midnight at a Planning Commission meeting, a commissioner raised an alarm that the curb extensions would block bike lanes. But according to federal design guidelines, curb extensions cannot extend into bike lanes. Another objection to curb extensions was that

WHAT’S BEHIND THOSE READING GLASSES?

Caltrans

Sketch shows El Camino Real with median, four travel lanes, curb extensions and bike lanes.

they would prevent the widening of El Camino to three lanes in each direction. A recommendation to remove the curb extensions and consider a 6-lane El Camino was unfortunately approved 4-3.

This violates key goals of the plan, including maintaining a unique village character and making El Camino safer to cross. A 6-lane highway through the heart of Menlo Park is unsafe, uninviting, and definitely unvillage-like.

Fixing the mistake

Fortunately, council members at their Oct. 4 meeting expressed that they’d changed their minds after being presented with additional information, and wanted to keep the curb extensions for pedestrian safety. But they didn’t vote on this item because the meeting ran until 1 a.m. The vision for El Camino in the plan is now at odds with the will of a majority of council members. Council should fix this mistake, and now.

To fulfill the community’s vision, the council should move forward with the original peoplefriendly design for El Camino, with wider sidewalks, curb extensions, and bike lanes. A 6-lane El Camino does not leave space for these safety features that residents have long desired.

Adina Levin lives on Fremont Street in Menlo Park.

At middle-age, most individuals begin to experience trouble reading print. This agerelated condition (presbyopia) rests with the natural loss of the eye lens’ focusing ability. The eye lens must change shape in order to focus.

The closer we are to an object, the more the lens must flex to bring the object into focus.

However, as we age, the eye lens slowly grows larger and thicker. In addition, the ligaments that connect the lens to the “focusing� (cili-

ary) muscles become slack. Consequently, these ligaments cannot exert sufficient force to make the lens bend into the position needed to see close-up objects. To compound the problem, the lens becomes less flexible. Fortunately, reading glasses provide an effective fix to the problem.

At MENLO OPTICAL, we pride ourselves on providing personalized attention and take the time needed to provide information about the best eyewear for your vision needs and lifestyle. Please bring your eyewear prescription to 1166 University Drive, on the corner of Oak Grove Avenue and University Drive, where you will find a variety of frames in the latest shapes, sizes, and colors. We provide lightweight lenses that help wearers enjoy clear vision at all distances. Call us at 322-3900 if you have any questions about eyewear.

P.S. Because the ciliary muscles do not weaken appreciably with age, strengthening exercises would not do much to improve close-up reading ability.

Mark Schmidt is an American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners Certified Optician licensed by the Medical Board of California.

He can be easily reached at Menlo Optical, 1166 University Drive, Menlo Park. 650-322-3900.

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DWdS A]Z 1]QW\O ;SfWQO\O 2020 W. El Camino Real, Mtn. View (650) 938-2020 Specializing in the Cuisine of Puebla.

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The First Congregational Church of Palo Alto United Church of Christ invites you to experience our

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Our Regional Heritage The Peanut Farm was located on Canada Road at the entrance to the Glens subdivision, and was one of Woodsideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular â&#x20AC;&#x153;watering holesâ&#x20AC;? until 1989. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Farmâ&#x20AC;? featured peanut shells thrown on a wooden plank floor, which did not stop dancing at the popular club. The Peanut Farm has since been converted to a private residence.

If you are looking for a church... â&#x2014;&#x2020; Where all people are welcome, no matter their gender, race, sexual identity, or abilities, â&#x2014;&#x2020; Where deep questions are valued more than simple answers, â&#x2014;&#x2020; Grounded in tradition but seeking new ways to understand and live out our faith, â&#x2014;&#x2020; With vibrant programs for children, youth, and families, â&#x2014;&#x2020; Where people are committed to serving their community, â&#x2014;&#x2020; Where music and the arts thrive, Then we hope you will join us!

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1985 Louis Road â&#x2014;&#x2020; Palo Alto, CA â&#x2014;&#x2020; 650.856.6662 www.fccpa.org October 26, 2011 N The Almanac N 19

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