Cover Story COMMUNITY MEETING NOTICE
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The City of Palo Alto is proposing to expand its existing 2009 plastic bag restriction ordinance (Municipal Code Chapter 5.35, Ordinance 5032) to discourage the use of single-use plastic and paper bags, and to encourage the use of reusable bags. The change would: Expand the current ordinance to prohibit the distribution of single-use plastic bags at retail and food service establishments (current ordinance is in effect for grocery stores); Require a store charge of 10 cents for each paper bag distributed by these stores increasing to 25 cents after one year; RedeďŹ ne the current deďŹ nition for reusable bag. Community meetings will be held to take input from the public regarding the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) the City is preparing for this project.
FOPAL
Teen Center FOPAL
DATES AND TIMES
10AM–NOON
Library
6PM–8PM
Room H-5
Cubberley Community Center Room H-5, 4000 MiddleďŹ eld Road, Palo Alto
al Photo Co u n An
t ntes
21 st
For more information visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/plastics, call 650.329.2117, or email plastics@cityofpaloalto.org.
my life, but I’ve been able to deal with it. I have a whole new set of challenges that have energized me in many ways. We just really love spending time together and doing the therapies at home,� she said. The Doltons are members of Avenidas Village, an online community that links people together to share resources within their neighborhood. Avenidas Village recommends services to help people “age in place� at home. A young woman comes to the Dolton’s home two times each week through a local home-care agency. “I don’t think I could’ve done this by myself. If you have to, you have to — but it would be exhausting. This is the hardest job I’ve ever had in my life because of the demands on you,� she said. Dolton cooks and shops and keeps track of Ted’s medicines. And she is watchful — always on the alert. Their family is close, but Dolton, 74, said their children live an hour away. Both are working and married with children. Even with help, the day-to-day grind of caring for a loved one builds. Thinking about their lives now, Dolton’s eyes moistened. No matter what’s happening, “there’s always 14 things to do,� she said. But she said she has learned the critical step of taking time, however scarce, for herself. “I just give myself treats,� she said recently while in the cafe/bar at Il
Fornaio in downtown Palo Alto. “I come here and get a cup of tea and minestrone, and I feel relaxed and pampered here.� The space is quiet yet near people. Dolton gets a chance to rest her mind and to think about things other than caregiving, she said. Sometimes she goes shopping or sits quietly and reads. One recent day she stopped to watch the courtship dance of two mourning doves in the backyard. If there is a silver lining to caregiving, it is in human kindness, she said. Griggs said sometimes such hardship brings people together. There are the siblings who rally around an ailing parent, or the sister one hardly spoke to who suddenly pitches in. The neighbor drops newspapers on the doorstep, or the volunteer comes to help clean the kitchen. “These are called angels that come into your life,� Sleek said. Dolton agreed. “I’ve learned to appreciate the kindness of people that comes from unexpected places. I’ve learned a lot about the caregiving side of our society,� she said. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.
On the cover Marlene Sleek visits her husband, Tom, at the home he lives in in Mountain View. Photo by Veronica Weber.
Call for Entries
21st Annual Palo Alto Weekly Photo Contest Cash and gift certificate prizes will be awarded to 1st - 3rd place winners in the following Adult and Youth categories: Portraits, Bay Area Images, Views Beyond the Bay
ENTRY DEADLINE July 6, 2012
For complete rules and submissions details go to: www.PaloAltoOnline.com/photo_contest Age: â?‘ Adult â?‘ Youth (17 yrs. or younger as of 7/6/12) Category: â?‘ Bay Area Images â?‘ Views Beyond the Bay Area â?‘ Portraits Photo Title: __________________________________________________________________________________ Photo Location: ______________________________________________________________________________ Your Name: ________________________________________________________________________________ If non-resident, work location or school you attend: _______________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Entry fees: Adult $25 per image Youth $15 per image One entry per category You may use this form to mail payment for entries submitted by email
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________
and/or to mail your images on a CD. No print submissions.
City/Zip: _____________________
Matted prints for winning entries
Day Phone: ___________________________
Entry submission implies agreement of statement below. This photograph is my original work and was taken in the past 5 years. I understand that the Palo Alto Weekly reserves ďŹ rst publishing and online rights to winning entries and those chosen for exhibition. Judges will use their discretion as to whether an image needs to be recatagorized. Judges decisions are ďŹ nal.
Photographer’s Signature _____________________________________________________________________
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will be requested of the photographer for exhibition.
For questions call 650.223.6588 or e-mail photocontest@paweekly.com