Drink your greens WEEKEND | 16 DECEMBER 13, 2013 VOLUME 21, NO. 46
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Council deadlocks on Google bridge MAJORITY BALKS AT STUDYING PEDESTRIAN, SHUTTLE LINK OVER STEVENS CREEK By Daniel DeBolt
fact-based decisions, that really bugs me,” said council member hough it might stop them Chris Clark, calling it a “misfrom meeting goals for take” to not study the bridge. A keeping cars out of North study would find out how effecBayshore, a slim majority of tive it would be, he said. “And if council members are so dead- it’s going to be effective, what are set against building a shuttle the environmental costs?” bridge over Stevens Creek that “It’s obvious this bridge touchthey refuse to allow a study of its es us in places we really care environmental impacts. about,” said council member Council members argued Bryant, who noted that it was the about the bridge late into the third meeting in which council night Tuesday, Dec. 10, in a members opposed the bridge. study session on land use and “My vision for North Bayshore transportation plans for the is nature and high tech together North Bayshore area north of in a campus-like environment. Highway 101. The mode share Originally, the (car traffic reducbridge was protion) is a tool. If posed by Google ‘It’s obvious this that tool degrades to connect the east environment, bridge touches the end of Chareslton even if it’s the Road across Steefficient tool us in places we most vens Creek to a possible, it’s not new Google cam- really care about.’ for me.” pus at NASA Ames The council RONIT BRYANT Research Center. was reminded by The bridge was consultant Jeffrey touted Tuesday as Tumlin of Nelson one of the keys to Nygaard that they getting North Bayshore employ- would have to make use of all the ees out of their cars if it were best options available to them to restricted to shuttles, cyclists and reduce vehicle traffic. Planning pedestrians — no cars allowed. Director Randy Tusda said the The bridge would provide a bridge may be needed to reach connection from the heart of the council’s goal of reducing the North Bayshore to downtown percentage of North Bayshore Mountain View and Highway employees using cars to only 101 along Moffett Boulevard — 45 percent. Google has already bypassing the Shoreline Boule- taken aggressive measures in vard gridlock. this regard, and has 61 percent of Opposing the study of the employees driving cars. bridge’s environmental and traf“It’s already an aggressive tarfic impacts were members Ronit get — our concern is we are not Bryant, Jac Siegel, Margaret Abe- going to be able to meet it” withKoga and John McAlister, argu- out the Charleston Road bridge, ing it would ruin the “character” Tsuda said. He reminded council of North Bayshore that draws that they had decided against a businesses there, and impact “hard cap” on vehicle trips into wildlife habitat in the area. See BAYSHORE, page 13 “As someone who likes to make
T MICHELLE LE
SANTA’S BIGGEST FAN Gaia Sumner, 5, gives a huge cheer for Santa at the city’s annual tree-lighting ceremony in the Civic Center Plaza on Monday, Dec. 9. Crowds of people braved the unusually cold weather to celebrate the season with music and a visit from St. Nick.
College-bound students learn life lessons PROGRAM TEACHES MANAGEMENT SKILLS TO HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS By Nick Veronin
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earning to manage money is one of the most important skills anyone can learn. But for first-generation college students working to earn an undergraduate degree, it’s all the more vital — as the ability to
budget can make the difference between success and failure. That’s why Candace Lublin is so excited about a new program that teaches money management skills to local high school juniors on track to become the first in their families to attend a four-year college. A board
member and grant writer for the Mountain View Los Altos Community Scholars, Lublin said the new class — offered during the school day and in partnership with FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.) — is giving See MONEY, page 6
Students turn into programmers for a week COMPUTER CLASS AT LOS ALTOS HIGH JOINS NATIONAL ‘HOUR OF CODE’ By Nick Veronin
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he maniacal cackle of Red — one of the most recognizable of the Angry Birds — can be heard periodically springing from laptops around the classroom. One student pumps her fists in celebration after successfully completing a challenge;
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another sighs in frustration. And Los Altos High School math teacher Daniel Oren is totally cool with it. That’s because his students aren’t playing a game so much as they are programming one. The students in Oren’s third period Algebra 2 class are all working in Blockly, a “visual programming
editor” designed to introduce the uninitiated to the basic concepts that underpin computer coding. In between exercises, the kids watch videos touting the virtues of learning to code and the benefits of pursuing a career in computer science. See CODE, page 11
VIEWPOINT 14 | GOINGS ON 20 | MARKETPLACE 21 | REAL ESTATE 23