Palo Alto Weekly 07.20, 2012 - Section 1

Palo Alto

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City workers to pay more for pensions Page 3

w w w.PaloA ltoOnline.com

a league trying to get

ahead Pacific Art League reinvents itself for the future Page 20

Connoisseurs Guide inside this issue

Title Pages 11

Spectrum 18

Eating Out 25

ShopTalk 26

Movies 27

N Arts Fascinating rhythms at Menlo Hub

Page 23

N Sports Gunn grads hold Paly polo hopes

Page 29

N Home Time to tour bountiful, delicious gardens

Page 33

She’ll pick her birthday.

You pick her birthplace.

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital is devoted exclusively to expectant mothers and children. s &ULLY INTEGRATED /" AND NEWBORN SERVICES UNDER ONE ROOF s .ATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MATERNAL FETAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST s 3UPPORT FOR YOUR PERSONAL BIRTH PLAN s .EWLY RENOVATED POST PARTUM ROOMS s #LASSES AND VIDEOS FOR PARENTS GRANDPARENTS AND SIBLINGS

To learn more about the beneďŹ ts of giving birth at Packard Children’s, call (650) 497-8000 or visit deliver.lpch.org.

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Upfront

Local news, information and analysis

City workers to foot larger share of pension costs City of Palo Alto set to approve agreement with largest labor union Monday afternoon

by Gennady Sheyner mployees in Palo Alto’s largest labor union will have to start paying a greater share of the city’s pension and health care costs under a new contract that the City Council is scheduled to adopt Monday night.

The proposed contract, which the city made public Wednesday afternoon, would apply to the 580 full-time employees represented by the Service Employees International Union, Local 521 — about half the city’s workforce.

These employees were the first to accept benefit cuts in 2009, when the council first started making structural changes to employee contracts.

The changes are meant to address the

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steeply rising costs of pension and health care benefits — obligations that have helped lead Vallejo, Stockton and, most recently, San Bernadino into bankruptcy. In Palo Alto, the council plans to hold a broad public discussion in September to consider ways to reduce these costs.

According to a new report from the Human Services Department, the city’s medical costs have more than doubled and pension costs have tripled in the last decade, exceeding the city’s revenue growth. “The City cannot continue to absorb all increases in future years and has been negotiating with all bargaining units since 2009 to make permanent, on-going structural change

to put in place cost sharing programs instituting employee contributions to medical and pension plans,� the report from Kathryn Shen, the city’s Human Resources Director, states. “This contract makes progress toward meeting the City’s goals in both areas.�

The new contract, which the SEIU voted to ratify on July 17, increases the employees’ share of health care costs from the current level of about 6 percent to 10 percent of total premium costs. The city’s recent contracts with police and firefighter unions resulted in similar concessions from public-safety employees. At the same time, the city will drastically reduce the monthly allowance it gives to employees who don’t participate in the city’s

medical plan. The allowance would drop from $820 to $284.

The SEIU workers will also now be required to pick up the full employee portion of the city’s contribution to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), which administers pension plans for the city. The city had traditionally picked up the full employee share, though that changed in 2009, when the workers began paying 5.75 percent of the pension contribution. With the new contract, employees will have to pay the full share of CalPERS’ “employee contribution� — which ranges between 7 percent and (continued on page 6)

HEALTH

ELECTION 2012

Hungry in the summertime

City Council to lose its two youngest members

Stanford physician takes action after patients say they don’t get enough to eat

Yeh, Espinosa decline to seek second terms

by Chris Kenrick

identify families most in need. “We know who our homeless families are, who our foster families are, who’s in need,� said Woods, who volunteers with the lunchtime food distribution following her mornings of supervising summer school at Cesar Chavez.

The summer school, which offers an academic and enrichment program to 290 students, also serves its own federally funded free-and-reduced-price lunch to enrolled students.

Ninety percent of Ravenswood’s 3,000 students meet income guidelines for the federal breakfast and lunch program.

But Chamberlain and Woods stressed that the Stanford program focuses on whole families. “I can’t feed the children and not their parents,� Chamberlain said.

Each weekday at noon, a truck from vendor Revolution Foods delivers 600 prepackaged lunches that include a healthy sandwich —turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, peanut butter and jelly or chicken salad — and a fresh piece of fruit, pita chips and water.

Chamberlain typically arrives to help with

by Gennady Sheyner he race for four seats on the Palo Alto City Council further opened up this week after Mayor Yiaway Yeh announced that he would not seek a second term.

Yeh, who this year became the secondyoungest mayor in Palo Alto’s history, made his announcement just days after his friend and mayoral predecessor, Sid Espinosa, said he would not run again. Both Yeh and Espinosa joined the council in 2007. Councilmen Pat Burt and Greg Schmid were also elected that year, and both have said they intend to seek fresh terms on the nine-member council.

The announcements by Yeh and Espinosa could create opportunities for new candidates to jump into the race. The city’s most recent council elections, in 2009, attracted 14 candidates, only one of whom (Larry Klein) was an incumbent.

So far, only two new candidates have opted to enter the race. Former Mayor Liz Kniss, who is concluding her final term on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, announced her decision to run in January. She served as mayor in 1994 and in 2000.

Kniss was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2000 and was re-elected in 2004 and 2008. Despite her more than decade-long hiatus from the council, she has remained a familiar figure at City Hall, updating the council on various regional issues, most notably Caltrain.

Kniss has twice served as president of the Board of Supervisors (most recently in 2010) and has chaired various committees focused on health and land-use policies.

She also encouraged the city last year to switch the council elections from odd to even years to save money and spur greater voter participation. The council put Measure E on the 2010 ballot, and it passed overwhelmingly.

More recently, attorney Marc Berman de-

(continued on page 6)

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orried about rising hunger among her patients, a Stanford University pediatrician has launched a summer food program at an East Palo Alto school.

Lisa Chamberlain, an assistant professor of pediatrics who has practiced medicine at the Ravenswood Family Health Center in East Palo Alto since 2004, said a growing number of patients have been answering “no� to the standard question asked of all: “At the end of the month, do you have enough money for food and rent?� “I’ve heard it over and over,� said Chamberlain, who said the uptick began in 2009.

One patient, with a nursing 6-week-old on her lap and her 3-year-old sitting in the exam room, told Chamberlain: “I’m hungry right now.� “I know this family really well,� Chamberlain said. “Her husband is a day laborer, and he hadn’t found work. They’re hardworking. “As pediatricians, we’ve never seen a time of more material deprivation for children. I’ve never had so many patients telling me they’re hungry. “We’ve never had this many people, nationally, on food stamps. It’s happening, and it’s really profound.�

About 45 million people — nearly one in seven U.S. residents — received food stamps in 2011, a 70 percent increase from 2007, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

About 70,427 schoolchildren in Santa Clara County and another 21,590 in San Mateo County qualify for the federally subsidized school breakfast and lunch program.

To qualify, a family of four may earn up to $29,965 for free lunches and up to $42,643 for reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches for their children.

Ravenswood Family Health Center has worked with the Ecumenical Hunger Program and other local groups to help feed children and families.

Last Thanksgiving, Chamberlain found

Volunteers Yajaira Garcia, left, and Pip Sanders stack sandwich boxes for families in need during the Summer Food Program at the Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto. The program is run by Lisa Chamberlain, a Stanford University pediatrician. herself in the back room of the Ecumenical Hunger Program’s turkey distribution, spreading the food out across more boxes so there would be enough to go around for the people lined up outside. “Then some people started coming back with their turkeys to ask for help cooking them because they were living in their cars.

We realized we should have had pre-cooked options,� she said.

Over the December holidays Chamberlain began thinking ahead to summer when the federal school lunch program, which supplies free or reduced-price lunches to the 3,000 K-8 students in the Ravenswood City School District students, would go on break.

She consulted with the school district before deciding to seek funds for summer food, raising enough to distribute about 600 packaged lunches a day in the cafeteria at the K-8 Cesar Chavez Academy. She raised funds from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford University and three anonymous local donors.

Ruth Woods, a former teacher and principal who now directs student services for the Ravenswood district, helped Chamberlain

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Upfront

A free event for seniors

PUBLISHER William S. Johnson

A fresh approach!

Saturday, July 28 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Palo Alto Medical Foundation 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Hearst Conference Center & Courtyard Come enjoy: ‡ Educational Seminars* ‡ Music & Art by Seniors ‡ Gardening Demos ‡ Vendor Booths ‡ Food Tastings ‡ Raffle Prizes

*Special movie screening

from 2:30 - 4:15 p.m. of “How to Live Forever� sponsored by LYFE Kitchen

*Limited seating! To guarantee a seat at an educational seminar and/or the movie, RSVP to pamf.org/successfulaging or call (650) 853-4873.

Partnering together for better health!

EDITORIAL Jocelyn Dong, Editor Carol Blitzer, Associate Editor Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, Express™ and Online Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Tom Gibboney, Spectrum Editor Sue Dremann, Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers Eric Van Susteren, Editorial Assistant, Internship Coordinator Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Dale F. Bentson, Colin Becht, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, Chad Jones, Karla Kane, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Jeanie K. Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Contributors Helen Carefoot, Junesung Lee, Maytal Mark, Bryce Druzin, Lauren-Marie Sliter, Dean McArdle Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Lili Cao, Designer

avenidasvillage.org

pamf.org

pamf.org/successfulaging (650) 853-4873

PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Samantha Mejia, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators ADVERTISING Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Adam Carter, Elaine Clark, Janice Hoogner, Brent Triantos, Display Advertising Sales Neal Fine, Carolyn Oliver, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, Inside Advertising Sales Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Asst.

Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst.

Wendy Suzuki, Advertising Sales Intern EXPRESS, ONLINE AND VIDEO SERVICES Rachel Palmer, Online Operations Coordinator Rachel Hatch, Multimedia Product Manager BUSINESS Susie Ochoa, Payroll & Benefits Elena Dineva, Mary McDonald, Claire McGibeny, Cathy Stringari, Business Associates ADMINISTRATION Janice Covolo, Doris Taylor, Receptionists Ruben Espinoza, Courier

www.menloparkchamber.com

July 21-22, 10am-6pm Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park s Contemporary Fine Art & Crafts s Fabulous Food & Wine s Home & Garden Exhibits s Green Products Showcase s Artisan Specialty Food Purveyors s Health & Wellness Displays s Microbrew & Wine Tasting Tent s Chefs’ Demos Under A Shady Tent Celebrity Chef/Author Joanne Weir, 12:45 p.m. Saturday

s AutoVino Collector Car Show s Action-Packed Kids’ Fun Zone

ree, New Get Our F bile App! o Festival &MANDROID DEVICES LE FOR APP

s Stellar Lineup of Rock’n Roll, Blues, Jazz & Party Music s Saturday Twilight Concert Featuring THE BIG DIG, Sensational Party/Dance Band, 5:30 - 8 p.m. in Fremont Park

s Radio Disney Road Crew Games, Music and Prizes s Bicycle Parking in the Coldwell Banker Lot, 930 Santa Cruz Ave., Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Menlo Park s Free Admission

Info-line: 650-325-2818 | www.miramarevents.com

EMBARCADERO MEDIA William S. Johnson, President Michael I. Naar, Vice President & CFO Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Frank A. Bravo, Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Connie Jo Cotton, Major Accounts Sales Manager Bob Lampkin, Director, Circulation & Mailing Services Alicia Santillan, Circulation Assistant Chris Planessi, Chip Poedjosoedarmo, Computer System Associates The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 326-8210. Periodicals postage paid at Palo Alto, CA and additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for Santa Clara County. The Palo Alto Weekly is delivered free to homes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, to faculty and staff households on the Stanford campus and to portions of Los Altos Hills. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 326-8210. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. Copyright Š2012 by Embarcadero Media.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

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450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210

Residents have no more right to a space than workers.

— Don Barr, a Stanford University professor and downtown resident, on why a permit-parking program in Professorville was a bad idea. See story on page 7.

Around Town END OF THE ROAD? ... Few things galvanize, frustrate and anger the Palo Alto community like California’s highspeed-rail project, a $68 billion effort that the city has been fighting since 2009. The system, which the City Council unanimously opposes, gained traction earlier this month when Sacramento lawmakers approved by a razor-thin margin an appropriation bill that will enable construction of the line to begin in Central Valley. But Palo Alto critics aren’t defeated. The city, along with its neighbors Menlo Park and Atherton, remains still involved in litigation against the California High-Speed Rail Authority. And this week, the Palo Alto council plans to take another strong but largely symbolic stance against high-speed rail: endorsement of a citizen initiative that could effectively stop the project in its tracks. The council is scheduled to consider approving the “Revote High Speed Rail� initiative, spearheaded by state Sen. Doug LaMalfa and retired U.S. Rep. George Radanovich. The petition, which has been posted at www.revoterail.com, would prevent the state from selling any more bonds for the project. Palo Alto officials have consistently maintained that the project, as it currently stands, bears little resemblance to the one voters approved in 2008, when they passed a $9.95 billion bond for construction of what was then a $33 billion rail system.

THE NEXT BATTLE ... After a long and winding discussion that stretched from Monday evening into Tuesday morning, Palo Alto officials concluded this week that there’s no easy way to resolve the tussle over parking spots between downtown employees and residents in nearby neighborhoods. In rejecting a proposed parking-permit program in Professorville, the City Council opted to explore broader long-term solutions. But the topic of parking woes is still on the council’s collective mind. This week, the council is scheduled to approve the design for a new hotel and restaurant at 180 Hamilton Ave., a building that once housed Casa Olga, a care facility.

Though few people have a problem with the planned 86-room boutique hotel, the impact of its parking is causing some concern. Ken Alsman, a Professorville resident who has long advocated a permit-parking program in his downtown neighborhood, has filed an appeal asking the city to overrule the Architectural

Review Board’s recent approval of the project. Though he acknowledges that the project’s parking proposal complies with law (the site belongs to the Downtown Parking Assessment District and will be assessed for 195 parking spaces), Alsman claims the city’s approval process fails to consider the real parking impacts of the new development. “This lack of commercial parking spaces will force yet more cars and parking deeper and deeper into the neighborhoods,� Alsman wrote. “Neither the City nor the business community is doing anything effective to protect our neighborhoods or to stem more intensification or to provide the additional parking needed to support downtown uses, their clients and especially their employees.�

Margaret Sloan, an attorney for the project developers, Casa Olga and Joie de Vivre Hospitality, rejected this argument and noted that the project already includes measures to reduce parking problems, including a valet parking system. She urged the council not to hear the appeal, which she attributed to “one angry resident who admits he is only appealing the decision in order to advance his own ideas about a residential parkingpermit program.�

A LIGHTER TOUCH ... Palo Alto’s effort to revamp its massage law has been a rough and bumpy ride, spanning more than a year and featuring a litany of criticism from local massage therapists and reflexologists. As a result, the ordinance the City Council is scheduled to adopt Monday bears little resemblance to the one initially proposed. Gone is the controversial requirement for massage establishments to keep logbooks of clients — a proposal that was widely panned by local masseurs as an unnecessary infringement on customers’ privacy.

The proposed law also now exempts reflexologists, whose practice consists largely of massaging the feet of fully clothed patrons. What the new law does do is raise the educational requirements for therapists from 100 hours to 200 hours, forces all establishments to get liability malpractice insurance and requires permits to be displayed in conspicuous locations.

The Police Department drafted the latest proposal after months of community meetings and hearings in front of council committee, where several council members argued that the initial proposal was too stringent and demanded a lighter touch. N

Upfront NONPROFITS CITY SERVICES

Sea Scout building in Baylands launches new life

Palo Alto eyes staff cuts, fee hikes at animal shelter

Environmental Volunteers open new headquarters Sunday as center for science education

City unveils plan for reducing costs of popular operation by nearly $450,000

by Helen Carefoot

by Gennady Sheyner

A

K

Veronica Weber

t the ship-shaped EcoCenter in the Palo Alto Baylands, portholes serve as windows on the marshland home of the California clapper rail and the sand piper. Above the windows, the poet e.e.

Cummings’ words dance: “The world is mud-luscious and puddle wonderful.�

It’s a sentiment the Environmental Volunteers, a nonprofit organization that teaches science through handson education, hopes to instill in children and adults in the Bay Area.

This Sunday, the 40-year-old nonprofit will open its new headquarters in the former Sea Scout building following an eight-year, $3.8 million effort to restore it.

The center boasts wooden decks that provide an allencompassing view of the surrounding marshlands. Inside, four huge, touch-screen monitors in the capacious Fenwick Hall, the center’s main group-learning space, feature colorful, interactive displays on topics such as “Sky,� “Earth,� “Sea� and “Change.� On one screen, there’s a quiz on bird-beak identification. Another features live streaming of the tides outside.

The new headquarters will help the Environmental Volunteers reach a wider audience, according to spokesperson Kristi Moos. “We’re able to expand our mission to serve as environmental educators in the local community, and we’re excited to call upon the wonderful natural resources available to us,� she said. “We will use this wonderful teaching tool to bring the public into a greater appreciation and respect for wetlands and the species that inhabit them.�

The center’s first exhibit will focus on the marsh and feature a “marsh-cam,� a camera that streams video of the marsh and its inhabitants 24 hours a day. A variety of other habitats, ranging from the tundra to the forest, will also be the subject of the center’s activities.

Each year, the Environmental Volunteers serves about 13,000 children and adults in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Ten thousand of those are taught through schools. The organization trains volunteers to teach natural science through interactive classroom presentations, day camps, nature walks and field trips. “Our programs are hands-on because kids don’t learn in a museum setting. They need to have a personal experience with nature,� Executive Director Allen Berkowitz said. “We teach in small groups and keep it inquiry-based

Kristi Moos of the Environmental Volunteers, left, talks with Ariana Gaxiola, 11, about wildlife in the Baylands while Matthew Jones, an intern with the nonprofit, tests out tutorials on the digital touchscreen science displays at the new EcoCenter. so kids arrive at the answers to their questions. We want them to develop an intellectual methodology that will allow them to better understand the world in general.�

Teaching children to be comfortable with science is essential, he said. “Especially in California and the Silicon Valley, science is such a key economic factor. ... Science is an (continued on page 10)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Police use Taser on mirror-breaking youth

eeping Palo Alto’s financially troubled animalservices operation afloat will require a slew of fee increases and staff cuts, according to the city’s latest proposal.

The plan, which the City Council is scheduled to consider Monday night, July 23, aims to save nearly $450,000. The financial crisis at Palo Alto Animal Services was prompted by Mountain View’s decision last year to withdraw from its partnership in the operation, depriving Palo Alto of about $470,000 in annual revenues.

The plan calls for increasing fees for spaying and neutering by an average of 22 percent — to about $95 — for residents of Palo Alto and its partner cities, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.

For non-residents, who make up about three-quarters of all customers, the fees would go up an average of 50 percent, to $125. “The costs for these increases are still substantially lower than private veterinarian rates and competitive with other local low-cost providers,� wrote Ian Hagerman, the performance auditor for the city’s police department, which oversees Animal Services.

The animal shelter, located on East Bayshore Road, would also extend its hours with the expectation of booking an additional 3,000 appointments every year, a 25 percent increase. These moves are expected to increase the revenues from the spay-andneuter operation by $131,810 in the current fiscal year and by $143,793 every year after that.

Though the changes to the spay-and-neuter operation are by far the largest component of the city’s plan to raise revenues,

staff also propose to increase most vaccination rates by $5 and dog-licensing rates by $2 to $5, depending on the type of dog and duration of the license.

Adoption fees would go up by 25 percent for all customers.

Rabies vaccines would remain at the current level, according to the report.

Proposed staffing changes are not as drastic as ones the city had previously contemplated. However, 2.6 full-time-equivalent positions would be cut from the 13-person staff, including the animal-services supervisor and one of four animal-control officers, along with the part-time volunteer coordinator.

The loss of an animal-control officer would likely reduce response times when there are simultaneous calls for services.

This impact, however, would be slightly mitigated by Mountain View’s withdrawal from the local operation, the report states.

Daily calls for services are expected to drop by about 10 per day to seven or eight between November and April and to decline from 13 to about 10 during the busier period of May to October. “Lower priority calls, such as decreased animal pickups, (could) experience a delayed response and could be held over for the following shift during particularly busy days,� Hagerman’s report states.

The proposed staffing reductions are expected to save the city $284,426 annually starting next year.

Altogether, the cost reductions would constitute about 60 percent of the funding gap while the revenue increases would make up the other 40 percent. N

Back-up officers, called to Mitchell Park in case of riot, not needed, Palo Alto police say

by Gennady Sheyner and Sue Dremann

A

teen who police said punched a police officer and destroyed side-view mirrors on at least three cars was stunned with a Taser and arrested at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto last Friday, July 13.

Police received a call at 4:15 p.m. regarding the 17year-old youth, who was allegedly breaking the sideview mirrors off vehicles at Mitchell Park. Police Lt. Dave Flohr said a security guard had called the police.

Police found the youth mingling with a group of people at a musical event at the park, a concert put together by various Tongan churches from the area.

When police approached, the youth punched an officer on the side of the head, Flohr said. The officer took the youth to the ground and, after deploying a Taser, took him into custody.

A large crowd gathered during the altercation, and officers requested more squad cars as a precautionary measure. Emergency medical personnel were staged at a distance, as police initially considered the situation dangerous, according to dispatch reports.

However, Flohr said, the crowd remained peaceful,

and officers left within a short time.

The youth was taken to a local hospital, where he was checked and cleared, Flohr said. He was subsequently taken to the police station and charged with battery on an officer, felony vandalism, resisting arrest and being drunk in public.

The incident was the first instance in two years since Palo Alto police have used the electroshocking Taser.

The department began using Tasers in 2007 and was involved in several high-profile instances, including a 2008 case in which a man was stunned after police allegedly lured him from his van. The city ended up paying a $35,000 settlement.

In 2010, the department revised its Taser policy, specifying the weapon can only be fired when a suspect poses an “immediate threat of physical injury.�

The last time a police officer fired a Taser was in mid-2010. Each Taser instance is reviewed by the department’s independent auditor, Michael Gennaco, who provides the City Council with twice-yearly reports. The next report, covering February through July, is expected in the fall. N

COMMUNITY MEETING Review the proposed concept designs for the Rinconada Park Long Range Plan.

Thursday, August 2, 2012, 6:30-8 PM Lucie Stern Center Ball Room 1305 MiddleďŹ eld Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301 The City of Palo Alto seeks the community’s input on the proposed concept plans.

Email pwecips@cityofpaloalto.org for more information.

Meeting hosted by City of Palo Alto Public Works, (650) 617-3183 ĂœĂœĂœÂ°*>Â?Âœ Â?ĂŒÂœ"˜Â?ˆ˜i°VÂœÂ“ĂŠUĂŠ*>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠ7iiÂŽÂ?ÞÊUĂŠ Ă•Â?ÞÊÓä]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 5

Inspirations a guide to the spiritual community FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC £™nxĂŠ ÂœĂ•ÂˆĂƒĂŠ,Âœ>`]ĂŠ*>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠUĂŠÂ­ĂˆxäŽÊnxĂˆÂ‡ĂˆĂˆĂˆĂ“ĂŠUĂŠĂœĂœĂœÂ°vVVÂŤ>Â°ÂœĂ€}ĂŠ -Ă•Â˜`>ÞÊ7ÂœĂ€ĂƒÂ…ÂˆÂŤĂŠEĂŠ Â…Ă•Ă€VÂ…ĂŠ-V…œœÂ?ĂŠ>ĂŒĂŠÂŁĂ¤\ääÊ>°“°

10:00 a.m. This Sunday Something Better Than Fishing Rev. David Howell preaching An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ

Inspirations is a resource for ongoing religious services and special events. To inquire about or to reserve space in Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 223-6596 or email byoc@paweekly.com

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Upfront

City pensions (continued from page 3)

8 percent of salary.

At the same time, the pension formula for employees in the second pension tier (those who have been hired after the 2009 contract and who receive less lucrative pension benefits) would be based on the three highest-paid years as opposed to the current system, which bases payments on the single highest year.

The city’s firefighters and police unions accepted similar conditions in their new agreements.

In exchange for the union’s agreement to raise its contributions toward pensions, the city has agreed to give all SEIU employees a cost-of-living increase of 1.68 percent. Workers, however, will no longer receive three floating holidays (they are currently the only labor group to have such holidays). They will also see the probation period for new employees increase from six months to a year.

The recent negotiations bore little resemblance to those in 2009, when the SEIU protested the city’s proposed

benefit reductions and staged a oneday strike. The council ultimately imposed these reductions unilaterally.

Shen described the most recent round of negotiations between the union and the city as “very professional, even collegial,� with both sides doing their homework and contributing data to back up their stances. “I think both the SEIU and the city were very sober about the current economic situation, and both sides know that we need to be good stewards of finances, especially as other cities are going belly up,� Shen told the Weekly.

The new contract also addresses the problem of employee turnover and the challenge retaining employees in light of the recent benefit adjustments. Before the council’s June 25 meeting, several SEIU employees talked about the heavy turnover in various departments, especially the Utilities Department, and argued that the loss of experience is threatening to reduce the quality of service.

In the new agreement, the city offers to adjust some base salaries

NOTICE OF VACANCY ON THE PALO ALTO LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMISSION (Term of Noel Bakhtian) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Palo Alto City Council is seeking applications for a volunteer on the Library Advisory Commission.

Commission Members serve without pay and are appointed by the City Council. Experience, duties, time commitments, and residency requirements vary per Commission. For detailed information, please visit the City of Palo Alto Website at www.cityofpaloalto.org/ clerk, or call the City Clerk’s OfďŹ ce at 650-329-2571.

Applications are due by 5:00 pm on August 17, 2012.

DONNA J. GRIDER City Clerk

READ MORE ONLINE

www.PaloAltoOnline.com Reporter Gennady Sheyner’s analysis of the financial impact of city workers’ pensions, with charts showing the trend over the past 10 years, is posted on Palo Alto Online. Search for “Palo Alto’s ticking time bomb.�

for employees in highly specialized fields. City officials also identified several areas in which the city invests substantial resources in training employees. In exchange for the training, the employees must agree to stay in the city for at least three years after they receive their certification (which Shen said has a value of close to $100,000). Those who choose to leave the organization after getting their certification must pay back $30,000 or a pro-rated portion of the training costs.

The new contract is expected to provide net savings of $545,569 in the current fiscal year, according to the new report. It would be effective from July 1 of this year to Dec. 31, 2013.

The City Council meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, July 23. N

Hungry

(continued from page 3)

check-in, while Woods and a group of sixth-grade volunteers hand out the allotted number of lunches per family.

Woods said 300 Ravenswood students — about 10 percent — are homeless or doubled up in apartments with more than one family. “I have a lot of families that are with grandparents, or families that are two and three families in a home or apartment,� she said.

Chamberlain said, “This is a service-providing community of gardeners and babysitters,� noting that in her daily talks with the student volunteers she realized several were unfamiliar with the term “Silicon Valley.�

Briana, one of the sixth-grade volunteers, said she and the others were recruited to help “because we’re responsible. “The people here are really nice,� she said.

Giselle, another volunteer about to enter sixth grade at Willow Oaks Elementary School, said she enjoys helping people. “And we have fun giving out the food,� she added.

The independent Ravenswood Education Foundation, which raises funds for the district, is underwriting the summer academic program and also acting as fiscal agent for Chamberlain’s lunch program.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties also has made special efforts to feed children this summer.

According to the food bank’s Caitlin Kerk, the agency is providing summer food to local programs that serve children, including Youth Community Service, Lauren’s House 4 Positive Change, Palo Alto YMCA, Youth United for Community Action, Nuestra Casa Children’s Program, Ecumenical Hunger Program, Build Peninsula, East Palo Alto Boxing Club, College Track, Girls to Women, Building Futures Now and the East Palo Alto YMCA. N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly. com.

Upfront

Neighborhoods

A roundup of neighborhood news edited by Sue Dremann

PINPOINTING CELLULAR ANTENNAS ... Want to know where the nearest cellular antenna is to your home? Barron Park resident Doug Moran has created a map of the cellular antennas in western Palo Alto, including several being proposed by AT&T. The map is at http://goo.gl/maps/sEqi. The City of Palo Alto also has information regarding cell-tower locations and antennas, including a map of existing antenna sites throughout the city at www.tinyurl.com/cellmap.

SHAKING THINGS UP ... Sept.

22 and 23 will mark the third Quakeville Citywide Disaster Exercise event. The overnight campout simulates a disaster that forces residents to move into a nearby park. The city, working with the newly restructured Emergency Services Volunteers Program and the Red Cross, will open a shelter and will provide demonstrations and education on what community members can do to prepare for the Big One. Additional information and updates can be found at http:// paneighborhoods.org/ep.

ARASTRADERO HEARING ... A trial project along Arastradero Road that changes the number of lanes along Arastradero in Palo Alto will be evaluated by the city’s Planning and Transportation Commission next Wednesday, July 25, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Ave. The commission’s recommendations, based on a proposal by city staff, will be forwarded to the Palo Alto City Council for its deliberations.

PSYCHED UP ... A series of classes will be held for residents enrolled in Palo Alto’s Emergency Services Volunteers program, including psychological first aid and radio communications, according to Lydia Kou, director of neighborhoods development, education and operations for Palo Alto Neighborhoods Block Preparedness Program.

Psychological first aid, a new class by the American Red Cross Silicon Valley Chapter, will take place July 28 at 10 a.m. RSVP deadline is July 25. A basic radio class will take place July 22 at 2 p.m. RSVP deadline is July 20. The classes will be held at Cubberley Community Center, Room H-1, and are free.

Residents interested in the Emergency Services Volunteers program can learn more through paneighborhoods.org or by emailing epvolunteer@paneighborhoods.org. N Send announcements of neighborhood events, meetings and news to Sue Dremann, Neighborhoods editor, at sdremann@paweekly.com. Or talk about your neighborhood news on Town Square at www.PaloAltoOnline.com.

ENVIRONMENT

Managing the urban forest City of Palo Alto’s new tree chief talks about his vision, community collaboration

by Sue Dremann ine weeks into his new position as Palo Alto’s first city urban forester, Walter Passmore eschewed a stuffy City Hall office interview and instead chose his number-one place to hang out: amid the trees.

On a muggy Tuesday morning under fog-blanketed skies, Passmore arrived at Mitchell Park in hiking boots, a button-down shirt, dark gray slacks and a green backpack.

Youthful, with a low-key demeanor and slow, light drawl hinting of his long tenure in Mississippi and Texas, the San Francisco native’s eyes twinkled whenever he talked trees, which was most of the time. “I can talk about trees all day long,� he said, grinning.

Passmore began his $107,869-ayear job on May 15. He will coordinate all city departments dealing with trees and tree management, and he will oversee the city’s Urban Forest Management Master Plan program, which involves trees located in parks, public rights-of-way and on private properties.

Trees have been Passmore’s passion since his Boy Scout days. And trees were his first paying job at age 16 when he taught nature and forestry merit badges lessons at a Scouts camp, he said. “I’ve always felt pretty connected to nature — perhaps in part because of my Native American heritage,� he said.

He studied natural resources and

N

forestry at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and has worked professionally with trees for 20 years: as a researcher for the U.S. Forest Service in the Sierra National Forest in California and in Starkville, Miss.; as the city urban forester in Dallas; and the urban forester for Austin, Texas, where he managed the city’s 300,000 trees. “Trees are the most visible part of the landscape. That’s the part of the landscape that has the most impact on how people interact with nature,� he said.

Among his responsibilities, Passmore, who was selected over eight other candidates, will act as a liaison between the city and the community.

The city has had communication gaffes that have outraged residents, most notoriously in 2009 when the California Avenue business district’s trees were cut down with little public notification. The forester position is necessary to manage communications and proper maintenance and care of the trees, Public Works officials stated in the city’s 2013 annual operating budget.

Passmore said he is a strong believer in community involvement and keeping people in the loop.

He’s also big on public education.

In Austin and Dallas he created neighborhood-based programs that included an urban-forest stewardship program and basic biology and tree-care classes.

PROFESSORVILLE

Professorville parking program rejected Palo Alto City Council shoots down plan to impose parking time limits in historic district

by Gennady Sheyner

P

rofessorville neighborhood residents looking to reclaim the parking spots on their streets from downtown employees will have to cope with the status quo for at least six more months after the City Council shot down a proposed parking-permit program for the historic Palo Alto neighborhood Tuesday morning, July 17.

The permit program was intended to defuse the tension between Professorville residents who have long decried the lack of parking on their streets and the downtown workers who often park in the neighbor-

hood to avoid the two-hour time limits prevalent in other parts of downtown. A group of residents has been clamoring for such a program for more than a year, claiming their quality of life has been affected.

They’ve said they can no longer find parking close to their homes, many of which are so old they have no garages.

But after a long and winding debate, the council decided not to rush into such a program. Council members voted 6-2, with Gail Price and Sid Espinosa dissenting, to scrap the permit-program proposal

Veronica Weber

AROUND THE BLOCK

Walter Passmore, the city’s new urban forester, admires a stone pine tree at Mitchell Park. “He is the reason we planted 115 trees in our park,� Austin resident Emily Wilson said by phone on Wednesday. “It’s Austin’s loss and y’all’s gain. He was our best friend.�

In Texas, where summers are very hot, having a tree to sit under means the difference between being outside or not, she said. In 2011, Austin had two months of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. “We estimate we lost 10 percent of our trees,� she said.

As in Palo Alto, many of Austin’s 1950s-era trees are reaching the end of their lives. When residents in the Brentwood neighborhood decided to adopt their local park, the Friends of Brentwood Park approached Austin parks officials with the idea of planting more trees. But they were stonewalled, Wilson said.

Department managers wouldn’t pay for water, and they wouldn’t approve the project unless the resi-

and to pursue a broader and more comprehensive strategy for solving the problem of inadequate parking downtown.

The broader analysis will include consideration of new public-parking garages and new methods to increase use of existing garages, including valet parking and different permitting processes. The council also directed city staff to analyze technological remedies such as gate controls, parking-space identification systems and zone changes.

Council members argued the process for developing the program wasn’t open enough, that the proposed pilot area was too restrictive and that the program wouldn’t solve the problem but merely shift it to a different neighborhood. “My greatest concern is that a lot of the neighbors who are not in the zone would be negatively impacted for whatever time duration we’d have the program,� Mayor Yiaway Yeh said.

The pilot area proposed by staff

would have been bordered by Addison Avenue to the north and Lincoln Avenue to the south, stretching between Emerson and Bryant Streets, along with a block of Addison between Bryant and Waverley streets.

Time restrictions would have applied on weekdays between 8 and 5 p.m. Staff proposed the program after six months of meetings with a self-selected working group of neighborhood residents and downtown employees.

But while some Professorville residents endorsed the plan, many of the speakers at the council meeting voiced major reservations about the staff proposal. “Parking on city streets is a social good that belongs to all the people of Palo Alto, residents and employees alike,� said Don Barr, a Stanford professor who lives next to the proposed pilot area. “Residents have no more right to a space than workers.�

(continued on page 8)

(continued on page 8)

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Upfront

Urban forest (continued from page 7)

dents could prove they had a plan to maintain the trees on their own for two years. “It looked like we would never do it,� she said.

But then someone suggested the group contact Walter Passmore. “Walter said, ‘Yes — absolutely.

This is what we do,’� Wilson said.

Passmore worked on the project from beginning to end. The group continued to contact him whenever they had forestry issues, she added. “He’s knowledgeable. He’s hard

Parking program (continued from page 7)

Others disagreed and urged staff to proceed with the trial, which would have lasted between three and six months. Downtown developer Charles “Chop�

Keenan’s endorsement was mea-

Sept. 28 7pm

working. He loves trees, and he likes to do projects,� she said.

Passmore said he wants to improve notification when trees must be removed in Palo Alto, and he values additional public involvement in crafting the city’s urban-forest plan, he said. “We need a vision for the future.

The urban forest is owned by the people of Palo Alto, so we want as many people as possible to be involved in the process,� he said.

Passmore also wants to create a citizen-forester program modeled after the UC Cooperative Extension master-gardener program.

And he wants to work with the schools to create internships for

students.

On this point, he became elated. “We have huge potential with the student population. The sky’s the limit on what we can get from young, excited students that want to make the world a better place,� he said.

Passmore said he also sees great new partnerships with Canopy, the Palo Alto tree-education and urbanforest development nonprofit organization. “We’re working with them to bring an open-source tree map to Palo Alto,� he said, where residents can input their own data about their property trees. “It has a huge potential to get people connected at the

sured but said the experiment would at the very least provide staff with some information about parking. “It’s a fragile parking ecosystem that can’t take radical disruption,�

Keenan said. “We don’t know how it’s going to turn out, but we’ll know more in six months.�

Councilwoman Price agreed, supporting both the trial permit program and a more comprehensive solution “Clearly, a more aggressive, a more comprehensive plan is really important,� Price said. “Along those lines, I feel for us to really be comprehensive, we do need to do a trial as one element of a comprehensive approach.�

The broad analysis will be

funded by a $250,000 contribution from developers of Lytton Gateway, a mixed-use development at Lytton Avenue and Alma Street that the council approved earlier this year. Planning Director Curtis Williams said the parking study is particularly timely, given the recent trend of offices becoming denser. “We’re seeing office occupancies that tend to be considerably more than one person per 250 square feet. The old model isn’t holding up the same way, so it’s appropriate as part of this to look at those ratios,� he said.

Staff will return to the council in six months to report on the progress of the parking study and early findings. N

level they want to be involved, and it allows us as a city to get ... a better picture of what the city’s whole urban forest looks like,� he said.

Looking around Mitchell Park with its broad expanses of lawn and evenly spaced groupings of trees, Passmore considered ways to balance the growing needs of people with enhancing the habitat of trees and creatures. “The future is not so much about trees as it is about urban-ecosystem management,� he said.

That includes water use and conservation, the role of trees and plants in climate management, shade production, habitat enhancement for urban wildlife and the addition of

complementary understory plants to make trees healthier.

Sometimes, trees in Palo Alto’s aging forest will have to be removed — a sensitive topic. Passmore said he will work on ways to replace the old, dying forest with new trees in a timely way so the lush canopy will remain.

Besides trees, there are always the human considerations in Passmore’s urban-forest design. “The fun part about urban forestry is how to connect people with nature,� he said. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.

CityView A round-up of

Palo Alto government action this week

City Council (July 16)

Parking: The council rejected the proposed permit-parking program for a portion of Professorville and directed staff to explore broader solutions, including new garages and zoning changes, to address a parking shortage downtown. Yes: Burt, Holman, Klein, Scharff, Shepherd, Yeh No: Espinosa, Price Absent: Schmid Electric: The council discussed the proposed definition of “carbon neutral� as it would pertain to the city’s electric portfolio and directed staff to present the item to the Finance Committee for further vetting. Yes: Burt, Espinosa, Holman, Klein, Price, Scharff, Shepherd, Yeh Absent: Schmid

Historic Resources Board (July 18)

411 Lytton: The board recommended that the city designate the residential building at 411 Lytton Ave. to the city’s Historic Inventory in Category 2. Yes: Bernstein, Bower, Bunnenberg, Di Cicco, Kohler, Makinen Absent: Smithwick 1213 Newell: The board discussed the proposed renovation and expansion of Main Library and agreed that the project meets the definition of “historic rehabilitation� and complies with state standards of rehabilitation. Yes: Bernstein, Bunnenberg, Di Cicco, Kohler, Makinen Absent: Bower, Smithwick

Architectural Review Board (July 19)

Main Library: The board voted to approve the proposed design for renovation and expansion of Main Library at 1213 Newell Road. Yes: Unanimous

Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to approve a new contract with the Service Employees International Union; consider the latest design changes to the California Avenue streetscape plan; discuss the new proposal for raising revenues and cutting costs at animal services; and consider joining the citizen initiative to prevent further spending of bond funds for highspeed rail The meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 23, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). The meeting will be followed by a closed session to discuss the status of the city’s negotiations with the two police unions.

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to consider a recommendation to place limits on amplifiers at Lytton Plaza and consider a recommendation to relocate the MacArthur Park restaurant as part of a development project at 27 University Ave. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).

PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss the Community Services and Facilities Element of the Comprehensive Plan and consider a proposal to permanently retain the recent lane changes on Arastradero Road. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).

COUNCIL RAIL COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to hear a report from its Sacramento lobbyist and discuss the recently passed appropriation bill for high-speed rail. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 26, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).

LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMISSION ... The commission plans to hear an update on the Mitchell Park and Main Library projects and discuss input received from the community about library computers. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 19, in the Downtown Library (270 Forest Ave.).

Page 8ĂŠUĂŠ Ă•Â?ÞÊÓä]ÊÓä£ÓÊUĂŠ*>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠ7iiÂŽÂ?ÞÊUĂŠĂœĂœĂœÂ°*>Â?Âœ Â?ĂŒÂœ"˜Â?ˆ˜i°Vœ“

Upfront

City Council (continued from page 3)

clared his candidacy. At 31, he could inject some youth into a council that is about to lose its two youngest members. While he doesn’t have Kniss’ political experience or name recognition, he has been gradually building a broad base of support through various volunteering efforts. He served in 2010 on the campaign committee for Measure A, the school district’s successPat Burt ful parcel-tax proposal. Last year, he was a member of the Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Task Force, a citizens group that surveyed the city’s infrastructural needs Greg Schmid and recommended ways to pay for the needed repairs.

Berman’s fledgling campaign has already received the support of dozens of local attorneys, professionals and residents and more than $22,000 in cash contributions. His list of contributors includes venture capitalist Steve Westly, former Mayor Gary Fazino, former school board member Carolyn Tucher and current Councilwoman Nancy Shepherd.

Yeh’s announcement Tuesday came five days after Espinosa said he won’t be running again. In announcing his decision, Espinosa called serving on the council “one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.� He also encouraged other candidates to run for what he called an “important and rewarding job.�

Espinosa, a Microsoft executive who directs the company’s philanthropic efforts in Silicon Valley, said he is weighing various opportunities in the private and public sectors and plans to spend some time between now and the end of the year figuring out which of these to pursue.

Yeh, a Gunn High School graduate who in his five years at the dais emerged as the council’s leading expert on energy issues, put his own stamp on the largely ceremonial mayoral position this year by launching a series of “Mayor’s Challenge� sporting competitions to bring neighborhoods together. Yeh, who previously worked as assistant city auditor for the City of Oakland, has also been a strong supporter of the city’s efforts to engage local youth and a leading proponent of the city’s aggressive green-energy programs.

In his announcement, Yeh listed issues the city needs to focus on in the coming months: repairing the city’s infrastructure, holding “constructive stakeholder dialogues� on tackling the city’s long-term financial liabilities, deepening the city’s engagement with the innovation community, supporting the city’s “Friends� groups and pursuing a carbon-neutral electric portfolio.

Yeh, who is the first Chinese-

American mayor in Palo Alto’s history, called serving as mayor and councilman “an adventure and honor.�

Meanwhile, Burt and Schmid decided to try to keep their respective council adventures going.

Schmid, an economist, emerged in recent years as one of the council’s most outspoken opponents of regional housing mandates. The soft-spoken and methodical councilman has even authored a white paper challenging the census projections that the Marc Berman Association of Bay Area Governments is using to support these mandates.

Schmid was also a leading force behind the recent colleagues’ memo addressing the subject of the Liz Kniss city’s pension and health care liabilities. The council earlier this month voted to hold a broad and public conversation to address these topics in September.

Burt, who co-authored the recent memo (along with Schmid, Vice Mayor Greg Scharff and Councilwoman Karen Holman), served as Palo Alto’s mayor in 2010 and has been a central player in the city’s opposition to high-speed rail and the regional effort to improve flood protection near the San Francisquito Creek.

Burt told the Weekly that if reelected, he plans to pursue his primary goals in transforming the city government into a leaner and more efficient organization; establishing Palo Alto as an environmental leader; and boosting the city’s emergency-preparedness efforts.

Burt represents Palo Alto on the Peninsula Cities Consortium, a coalition of cities working on high-speed rail issues, and serves as board chair of the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority, an agency that aims to improve flood control around the volatile creek in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park.

Burt called emergency-preparedness a priority that’s “not particularly glamorous but extremely important.�

In terms of creating a “more efficient and innovative city government,� Burt said: “Over the past four years, we’ve made great progress, but there’s more work to do.� N Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.

Online This Week

These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news

Former supe offered plea bargain

Marissa Mayer named Yahoo CEO

Tim Hanretty, the former superintendent of Portola Valley schools who is charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the school district, has been offered a plea bargain by the county District Attorney’s Office. (Posted July 19 at 8:17 a.m.)

Yahoo has appointed Google executive Marissa Mayer as its new chief executive officer, the company announced Monday, July 16. Mayer, 37, a Palo Alto resident, took the helm on Tuesday, July 17, as president, CEO and member of the board of directors.

Candidates in 30 minutes or less California State Assemblyman Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) seems like a man who really could tell you his life story in three minutes flat. He demonstrated his mastery of the elevator pitch before a crowd of about 35 people at a forum hosted by the Menlo Democrats club Tuesday, July 17. (Posted July 18 at 11:17 a.m.)

(Posted July 16 at 5:37 p.m.)

Youth re-sentenced to 16 years An East Palo Alto youth who received a 20-year state prison sentence for a 2008 shooting will receive a 4-year reduction in his prison time and will serve 16 years, a judge ruled during a re-sentencing hearing Friday, July 13. (Posted July 16 at 11:55 a.m.)

Stanford names new medical dean

Man shot in East Palo Alto Sunday

Stanford School of Medicine has recruited the provost of Johns Hopkins University to become its new dean, Stanford announced Wednesday, July 18. Lloyd B. Minor, a head and neck specialist, will join Stanford Dec. 1. (Posted July 18 at 9:51 a.m.)

ed July 15 at 3:25 p.m.)

Dishwasher sparks fire in Palo Alto A Palo Alto resident who left home with the dishwasher running returned to a kitchen on fire Tuesday, July 17. (Posted July 18 at 9:33 a.m.)

$5,400 in school computers stolen Thieves made off with three Apple desktop computers valued at $5,400 after a break-in at Palo Verde Elementary School, Palo Alto police said. (Posted July 18 at 8:05 a.m.)

A 10-acre grass fire in the baylands missed igniting homes in an East Palo Alto neighborhood by a matter of feet Tuesday evening, July 17. (Posted July

VIDEO: Clay & Glass Festival

Resident sparks apartment fire A Stanford resident moving into an apartment on Saturday, July 14, started a fire after the moving box he left on a stove ignited, Palo Alto Battalion Chief Niles Broussard said. (Posted July 15 at 1:58 p.m.)

Alleged burglar a former employee Gustavo Alvarez, who was arrested after allegedly rappelling into JJ & F Market through a skylight, is a former employee, police and one of the store’s owners have confirmed. (Posted July 14 at 10:26 a.m.)

Coliform bacteria taints city water

Grass fire narrowly misses homes

17 at 9:17 p.m.)

A 19-year-old man was shot in the leg in East Palo Alto early Sunday morning, July 15, police said. (Post-

When Palo Alto’s utility officials were testing customers’ water quality in May they uncovered something strange — an unusually high amount of coliform bacteria, a bacteria that is generally considered to be non-threatening but that can indicate the presence of other unsavory organisms. (Posted July 14 at 10:27 a.m.)

Artists and onlookers gathered Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15, at Rinconada Park for the 20th an- Want to get news briefs emailed to you every weekday? nual Palo Alto Clay & Glass Festival. Video by Bryce Sign up for Express, our new daily e-edition.

Druzin/Palo Alto Online. (Posted July 16 at 5:31 p.m.)

Go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com to sign up.

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21st Annual Palo Alto Weekly Photo Contest

DEADLINE EXTENDED! ENTRY DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, JULY 27 CATEGORIES: ĂŠUĂŠPORTRAITSĂŠUĂŠ 9ĂŠ , ĂŠ -ĂŠ UĂŠ6 7-ĂŠ 9" ĂŠ/ ĂŠ 9ĂŠ ,

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Upfront

EcoCenter

(continued from page 5)

integral part of understanding life and it leads to discoveries as well as better quality of life.�

The organization plans a variety of educational activities through the center, including speaking events, art exhibitions and guided hikes focusing on different subjects. “We expect to do lots of creative things,� Berkowitz said. “These activities could include canoeing in the marshes, bird photography or studying marsh plants.�

A complete calendar of events will be available in August.

Designed in 1941 by Birge and David Clark, the building was commissioned by philanthropist Lucie Stern as a gift to the City of Palo Alto. It was formerly used as the local Sea Scout base until the Palo Alto harbor closed and the Sea Scouts moved in 1986. In 2004, the City of Palo Alto offered the Environmental Volunteers a 40-year lease in exchange for renovating the structure and agreeing to use the space as a community resource for environmental education.

As part of the rehabilitation, the building was moved off of its old foundation onto a structure 4 feet higher than the original to prevent daily tidal flooding and vandalism,

both problems the building faced in the past. Later, the building’s interior and exterior were refurbished and landscaping added.

At Sunday’s grand opening, from 1 to 4 p.m. at 2560 Embarcadero Road, EcoCenter volunteers and staff will lead nature walks around the surrounding Baylands, as well as a scavenger hunt and a bird-watching expedition. The free event will also include tours of the center and exhibits, a raffle, music, an art show featuring local artists and a short opening ceremony. N Editorial Intern Helen Carefoot can be emailed at hcarefoot@ paweekly.com.

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Police report uptick in residential burglaries Palo Alto has seen a “significant increase� in residential burglaries since the beginning of June, police announced Monday, July 16.

There have been about 20 residential burglaries, most of them in the northern section of town, Palo Alto Police Sgt. Brian Philip said.

Unlocked rear doors and windows are the typical means of entry, he said.

Sunday morning, Palo Alto police arrested Michael Holden, 36, while he was seeking treatment in Stanford University Hospital Emergency Department after hearing from Santa Barbara County sheriffs that the man had an outstanding warrant.

Following the arrest, police Monday searched a Tanland Drive apartment where Holden had stayed with “a friend of a friend� prior to going to the hospital. There, they found laptops and cash that had been stolen from an apartment across the hall in the same building on the previous Saturday, Philip said.

In addition, police arrested one adult and two juveniles overnight between Sunday and Monday, after finding them breaking into vehicles in the 1400 block of Edgewood Drive.

Philip said police are trying to determine whether the three are linked to other recent burglaries. A map of the locations of recent burglaries has been posted on the department’s website at www.cityofpaloalto.org/ police.

Police are encouraging residents to call 911 or the 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413 to report suspicious behavior. Anonymous tips can be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent by text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984. N — Chris Kenrick

Copper thieves strike Mitchell, Greer parks

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Thieves stripping copper wiring from light poles and electrical systems at Palo Alto parks have caused thousands of dollars in damages and risked electrocution, city officials and Palo Alto police said this week.

On July 12 at 7:35 a.m. a Mitchell Park employee reported that 27 “Christy� electrical boxes were open with wires hanging out, according to Linda Clerkson, city communications manager. The thieves stole several thousand feet of copper wire from the boxes. The wires were “live� and had 220 volts/60 amps of electricity running through them at the time, she said.

The electrical wires were pulled out throughout the entire park, which cut power to the small building that includes the Tiny Tots restroom and kitchen facility, the playground water feature, and 27 of the 36 light poles located throughout the park, she said. “The city’s priority was to immediately make the area safe. This work involved locating the affected areas to shut off live electrical circuits, cover exposed wires and secure the Christy boxes throughout the park,� she wrote in an email Tuesday morning.

A similar incident occurred about two months ago at Greer Park and affected the wiring between eight light poles and the irrigation controller.

She said that cutting these wires is “an extremely hazardous thing to do. Individuals can easily be electrocuted or at minimum receive a very strong shock from these kinds of criminal activities. “Because copper theft is a crime and can also cause bodily injury and possibly death, if anyone sees suspicious activity, please notify the police immediately through the non-emergency phone line at 650-329-2413,� she said. N — Sue Dremann

City of Palo Alto website gets a brand new look After years as the subject of tweaks, complaints and frustration, the City of Palo Alto’s website finally received a dramatic and long-awaited overhaul July 16.

The redesigned website, which remains at www.cityofpaloalto.org, includes a host of new features, such as videos, slideshows, colorful departments pages and an increased ability for users to organize information and customize their homepage. It also includes a heavier social-media element, allowing users to easily share information from the site with their Facebook and Twitter networks (among others). The homepage prioritizes links by popular usage. The prior website was a topic of derision within the famously tech-savvy community for its bland layout, static interface and heavy use of stock images.

The redesign was spearheaded by city officials in collaboration with a Website Advisory Committee composed of volunteers. The city “soft launched� the beta version of the new site two months ago to solicit comments from the community before the new look became official at midnight Tuesday. City Manager James Keene said in a statement that the city’s collaboration with the citizen committee, along with community feedback during the beta period, made the “great initial redesign� even better. Nearly 5,000 users tested the beta website, according to the city’s announcement.

Even though the site launched this week, city officials emphasize that it remains a work in progress. The city plans to continue to update content and navigation features and to make further changes to keep the site consistent with the latest changes in technology and city programs. N — Gennady Sheyner

Book Talk PALO ALTO PROTÉGÉ ... Palo Altobased author Anna Caltabiano is making waves in the literary world before she is even able to get her driver’s license.

The 15-year-old’s debut novel, “All That Is Red,� is receiving rave reviews on websites such as goodreads.com and amazon.com. She self-published the young adult fiction novel through New Generation Publishing and it was released on May 20, 2012. Caltabiano’s popularity is quickly gaining steam — her Facebook page already has more than 41,000 “Likes� and the young scribe has more than 211,000 followers on Twitter.

Caltabiano was born in British colonial Hong Kong and educated in Mandarin Chinese schools before moving to Palo Alto. “Her writing reflects her concerns for her own generation as it seeks out salvation, meaning, and companionship in online communities, with pop culture as its shared language,� her website states.

AT THE CORE OF APPLE ... Longtime technology editor and writer Harry McCracken (TIME, Macworld) will moderate a discussion with author Ken Segall, a part of Steve Jobs’ creative inner circle for more than a decade. Segall will discuss his book, “Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success.� The event will be held Tuesday, July 31, at noon at the Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View. Information: www.computerhistory.org MASTERS OF MYSTERY ... Cara Black, author of the “Aimee Leduc Investigations� series, Laurie R. King, author of the “Mary Russell� mystery novels, and Heather Haven, author of the “Alvarez Family Murder Mystery� series, will be together for one evening at Books Inc. at 74 Town & Country Village to discuss their works. The event will be held Thursday, July 26, at 7 p.m.

Information: www.booksinc.net

Items for Book Talk may be sent to Associate Editor Carol Blitzer, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 93202 or emailed to cblitzer@paweekly.com by the last Friday of the month.

A monthly section on local books and authors

by Gennady Sheyner “Golden Holocaust: Origins of the Cigarette Catastrophe and the Case of Abolition� by Robert N. Proctor; University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles and London; 752 pp.; $49.95

SMOKING GUN ROBERT PROCTOR’S WAR AGAINST BIG TOBACCO

O

n Dec. 14, 1953, the world’s leading tobacco executives met at the Plaza Hotel in downtown Manhattan to discuss a rapidly approaching storm.

The secret gathering, which featured top officials from American Tobacco, Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds and other industry titans, took place at a time of widespread worry for the industry. The New England Journal of Medicine had published an editorial about a recent epidemiological study that the journal said yielded “evidence of an association between cigarette smoking and lung cancer so strong as to be considered proof within the everyday meaning of the word.�

The month before the meeting, a panel set up by Britain’s chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health concluded that there is a “real� connection between smoking and lung cancer. On a separate note, a team of scientists led by Ernest Wynder induced cancers in mice earlier that year by painting tars from tobacco smoke on their skins. These experiments took place a year after the International Union Against Cancer issued a resolution that “there is now evidence of an association between cigarette smoking and cancer of the lung, and that the association is in general proportional to the total consumption.�

These were by no means the first studies documenting the link between cigarettes and cancer. As early as 1900, Anton Brosch rubbed “tobacco juice� on a guinea pig and watched epithelial tissues grow on an old scar. Three decades later, Argentinean scientist Angel Roffo linked tar from tobacco to cancers on lab animals, sparking other studies of similar nature. But the pioneering work remained on the fringes of science. By the early 1950s, that began to change. The link between cigarettes and lung cancer, once hazy, was now solidifying in the public imagination. The industry needed to fight back.

The meeting at the Plaza Hotel, which is detailed in Robert Proctor’s new book, “Golden Holocaust: Origins of the Cigarette Catastrophe and the Case of Abolition,� didn’t focus on the health risks of cigarettes but rather on the risk to the industry’s profits and reputation. As Proctor demonstrates in this monumental and scathing work, Big Tobacco had been enjoying a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity up until this period of scientific consensus.

The practice of smoking tobacco has been around for several millen-

Sierra Duren

MEET THE AUTHORS ... Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park is still closed as the iconic bookstore continues its renovations. Plans are to re-open the store by Labor Day, according to keplers2020. com. Kepler’s will host several authors at the store despite the ongoing renovations. Upcoming authors at Kepler’s Books at 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park include Terrie M. Williams, Ph.D., “The Odyssey of KP2: an Orphan Seal, a Marine Biologist, and the Fight to Save a Species� (Aug. 2, 7 p.m.); Derald Hamilton, “The Call� and “Twice Upon a Prequel and Three Shorts� (Aug. 4, 2 p.m.); R.A. Salvatore, “Charon’s Claw: Neverwinter Saga Book III� (Aug. 8, 7 p.m.); Maria Ross, “Rebooting My Brain: How a Freak Aneurysm Reframed My Life�

(Aug. 9, 7 p.m.); Upcoming authors at Books Inc. at 74 Town & Country Village in Palo Alto include Elizabeth Percer, “An Uncommon Education� (July 23, 7 p.m.); Riya Sinha, “The Runaway Twins�

(July 29, 11 a.m.); Juliet Bell, “Kepler’s Dream� (Aug. 2, 7 p.m.); and Beth Taylor, “A Slave in the White House� (Aug. 9, 7 p.m.). Information: www.keplers.com and www.booksinc.net

Title Pages

Robert Proctor, a professor of history of science at Stanford University, and his book “Golden Holocaust: Origins of the Cigarette Catastrophe and the Case for Abolition.� nia, going back to the highlands of Peru and Ecuador, where people rolled up and smoked tobacco leaves thousands of years before the common area. Tobacco reached France in the 16th century and by the mid1800s European scientists had begun to probe its toxic and intoxicating properties. Those early cigarettes, however, had little in common with the sleek, elegant rods we think of today. They were more like cigars — wrapped in leaf, smoked by the elite and difficult to inhale.

That changed in the first two decades of the 20th century, when a series of technological breakthroughs made cigarettes sexier, deadlier and more addictive than ever before.

The most critical of these, Proctor writes, was “flue-curing� — a process in which charcoal-heated air is transferred to the tobacco leaves during fermentation. The process,

which Proctor says “may well be the deadliest invention in the history of modern manufacturing,� suddenly made smoke milder and easy to inhale. Other inventions, including matches, lighters and industrial machines capable of mass-producing cigarettes, further smoothed the cigarette’s rise to prominence. While hand-rolling allowed manufacturers to produce one cigarette per minute, the rate of production jumped to about 1,000 per minute by the mid-1920s. By the time the meeting at the Plaza Hotel was assembling, cigarettes had become what Proctor calls the “deadliest artifacts in the history of human civilization.�

Though the industry’s well-paid in-house scientists continued to toe the company line and deny the cancer connection, and the U.S. Surgeon General wouldn’t declare this link for another decade, the tide

was now threatening to turn against Big Tobacco and the industry was preparing its counterattack. Proctor called the meeting at the Plaza Hotel “the beginning of the industry’s conspiracy to deny, deflect, or distract from the hazard of tobacco.�

The solution, as Proctor tells us, was the industry’s “Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers� — a position paper that was adopted by participants of the conference and that ran in 448 newspapers. The statement alludes to recent experiments in which mice grew tumors after being painted with tar but argues that “there is no proof� cigarette smoking causes cancer. It also dismisses recent epidemiological studies suggesting a link between smoking and cancer, claiming that statistics “could apply with equal force to any of the many other aspects of modern life.�

But even as Big Tobacco questioned the link, it pledged “aid and assistance to research efforts into all phases of tobacco use and health.� Leading this effort would be a new group, the Tobacco Industry Research Committee, whose research would be led by “scientists of unimpeachable refute.�

This was the first in a series of industry groups fronting as scientific organizations. Though they hired leading scientists and contributed generously toward experiments, the work they funded consciously avoided the topic of the smoking/cancer link, as Proctor aptly demonstrates. The goal, he argues, was to distract the public with “red herring science� while continuing to push a product that kills the equivalent of two jumbo jets crashing daily.

The industry’s mastery of public relations — even before the days of Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man — was among its greatest strengths.

Television encouraged smoking with state-of-the-art ads, including “dancing cigarettes� and popular shows that were sponsored by tobacco giants (Philip Morris, for example, sponsored “I Love Lucy.�).

Proctor notes that cigarettes were the most widely advertised product on TV until 1971, the year Congress banned cigarette ads.

Hollywood and professional sports were also in on the game.

Between 1927 and 1951, at least 195 Hollywood stars (among them Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Joan Crawford) endorsed cigarettes.

Even as late as 1983, Sylvester Stallone agreed to smoke Brown & Williamson brands (Kool and Bell Air) in five forthcoming movies in exchange for $500,000. Other big names, including Paul Newman, Sean Connery and Clint Eastwood, also did their part, accepting thousands of dollars from the industry in exchange for product placement.

Leading sports figures also benefited handsomely from tobacco (continued on page 12)

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Title Pages (continued from page 11)

sponsorship. Baseball stars Stan Musial and Ted Williams plugged Chesterfields, Proctor writes, while Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle endorsed Camels. Cigarettes were branded in the context of sports as “performance-enhancing drugs that calmed your nerves, eased tension and readied you for the big game.�

There were some notable exceptions. Honus Wagner, the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop, revoked in 1911 his contract with American Tobacco out of fear that circulation of his baseball card “would influence children to purchase tobacco products.� As a result, Proctor writes, only a few dozen of his cards were ever distributed.

Wagner’s honorable stance was, in a sense, rewarded posthumously. His baseball cards are among the most sought-after prizes for collectors. In 2007, one sold for $2.8 million.

The tradition of athletes shilling for Big Tobacco continued well into the second half of the century. Tennis legend Billy Jean King began ac-

cepting money from Philip Morris in 1971 and wore “Virginia Slims� colors during her famous “Battle of the Sexes� victory over Bobby Riggs two years later. And in 1994, London’s Imperial (which makes Davidoff cigarettes) began sponsoring the Basel International Tennis Tournament in Switzerland, which featured superstar Roger Federer on its promotional materials.

More disturbing than the industry’s influence on professional sports, however, is its insidious infiltration of American universities. In the mid1930s, American Tobacco began partnering with Medical College of Virginia (later renamed Virginia Commonwealth University) to address the cancer “health scares.� Before long, some of the college’s most prominent faculty members (including successive heads of the college’s Department of Pharmacology) were on the industry’s payroll, testifying before regulatory committees and downplaying the cancer link.

This was the most obvious but by no means the only example of collusion. American Tobacco, Proctor writes, also developed close relations

with Duke University (which is still named after James Buchanan “Buck�

Duke, the powerful former president of American Tobacco), University of North Carolina, University of Texas and New York University (NYU).

Lorillard struck deals with Ohio State University and NYU, Philip Morris put two Columbia University pharmacologists on its payroll while R.J. Reynolds established a laboratory at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine (part of Wake Forest).

Meanwhile, professors from schools as prominent as Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins and UCLA took money from the industry and lent their imprimatur to the industry.

Some of the most poignant sections of Proctor’s encyclopedic work are ones in which he unmasks these secret relationships. He’s not shy about naming names and outing historians, academics, doctors and politicians who in his view sold out to the industry (including several at his own university). The book also exposes as “fraud� the industry’s various attempts to make cigarettes feel safer. Filters, ventilation slits and “light cigarettes� were invented

to assuage smokers even though, as Proctor demonstrates, these inventions do nothing to lessen the health impacts of cigarettes.

Proctor’s investigative work is comprehensive and devastating, though his tendency to reach for the top shelf occasionally distracts a reader from the impressive scholarship within. The book’s title is just one example. Proctor has no qualms about comparing smoking-related deaths to the extermination of European Jews and his one-page prologue justifying his use of “Holocaust� in the title does little to ease a sense of discomfort with the flawed analogy.

He acknowledges the “significant difference between the murder of six million Jews at the hands of the Nazis and the suffering of smokers� but justifies his title with an argument that “in both instances, though, we face calamity of epic proportions, with too many willing to turn a blind eye, too many willing to let the horror unfold without intervention.� But by this logic, the “Holocaust� label can be applied to anything from hunger in Africa to global warming — issues that are undoubtedly

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serious but that are also substantially different from the horrors generally associated with the term. Given the copious, detailed and damning evidence Proctor assembles in his book, he does himself a disservice by shrouding his impressive research behind such a loaded title.

And while Proctor’s account is exhaustive, at certain moments it also feels exhausting. Is it really critical for us to know, for example, that a 2008 Google search returned 1,950,000 hits for “smoking fetish� and 139,000 for “smoking porn�?

(Regardless of the answer, now you know). And his list of sporting events sponsored by cigarette makers between 1960 and 2000 (to cite one of many examples) runs to six pages of fine print — a prime example of Proctor’s sterling scholarship but a bit of a drag for those who like to see more “story� in their history.

But at other times, his data charts are just what the doctor ordered, like when he gives us a “selected� list of 29 poisons in cigarettes, a catalogue that includes ammonia, arsenic and radioactive polonium 210. And his account of Big Tobacco’s endorsements in the jazz industry greatly benefits a long list of American jazz greats who died from lung cancer, a catalogue that includes Lou Rawls, Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington and Jimmy Dorsey.

The most important service Proctor performs in this compelling volume is to take what many of us suspect and think we know and magnify it. He is aided in this quest by the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, an archive of more than 70 million pages that the tobacco companies had to release as part of their Master Settlement Agreement in 1998. Many of the facts and figures he cites to correct what he calls our “mass blindness� about the tobacco industry come from the industry’s own archives. “Most people know that the industry’s behavior had been less than honorable, but how many know that cigarette smoke contains arsenic, cyanide, and radioactive isotopes?�

Proctor asks in the prologue. “How many know that 90 percent of the world’s licorice ends up in tobacco, or that cigarettes are freebased with ammonia to turn them into a kind of crack nicotine? How many know that only about two-thirds of what goes into a cigarette is actually tobacco, with much of the rest being a witches’ brew of added sugars, burn accelerants, freebasing agents, bronchial dilators, and moisteners like glycerin or diethylene glycol, the antifreeze contaminating all those deadly Chinese tubes of toothpaste?

How many know about the filth sometimes found in cigarettes — dirt and mold, of course, but also worms, wire and insect excrement?�

A reader doesn’t have to agree with all of his solutions, including his impassioned call for abolition of cigarettes, to appreciate his work. And even if the abolition he lobbies for in the short final chapter doesn’t materialize, it’s heartening to know that through his efforts the industry’s long and complex campaign to confuse and deceive the American public can no longer proceed unimpeded. N Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.

Transitions Births, marriages and deaths

David Redfield David Redfield, a research physicist and longtime resident of Palo Alto, died June 30 of complications from lymphoma. He was 86.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1925, he was the younger son of Herbert and Lillian Rosenfeld. The family moved to Los Angeles in the early 1930s and California became his home.

He completed his training as a pilot in the Army Air Corps just as World War II ended, so he returned to UCLA to com- David Redfield plete his undergraduate education. After graduating in 1948 with a degree in physics, he moved to Washington, D.C., and received a master’s degree in physics from the University of Maryland (1950) and a doctorate in physics from the University of Pennsylvania (1956). Over the following years, he worked as a research physicist at a division of Union Carbide outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and at RCA’s David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, N.J., with an intervening stint as a professor at Columbia University.

His work developed in the field of semiconductors, especially the role they can play in producing electricity through solar energy. In 1976, he patented a solar cell with a grooved surface that continues to be referenced in new solar cell inventions.

During his first year in Washington, D.C., he was introduced to Barbara Leiken. They married in 1950 and stayed married until her death in 1984. During their years

together they raised their two sons, Andrew and Steven, participated in local school activities in support of their children, and traveled widely in the United States and overseas, including trips to Poland, the Soviet Union, Japan and India.

He took an early retirement from RCA in 1985 and returned to California. He took a position of consulting professor at Stanford University in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, where he continued his research and work with graduate students until his retirement in 1997.

Off campus, he spent many years doing weekly readings for Learning Ally of Palo Alto (formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic). He was recognized in 2010 for having completed 2,000 hours of reading for them.

Through a local Palo Alto bridge club, in 1992 he met Etty Korengold and the two became close companions for the next two decades, attending theater regionally and at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and traveling in Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.

He is survived by his sons, Andrew and Steven; his daughter-inlaw, Patricia Pippert; his nieces, Judy Gruen and Sharon Model; and six grand-nieces and nephews.

Gail Williams Young (1935-2012)

Gail Williams Young, a resident of Atherton since 1969, passed away on July 15th surrounded by her adoring family. Although a non-smoker, she succumbed to lung cancer after a determined ďŹ ght to extend the life she so fully enjoyed. She was 76 years old.

Gail was born in Oshkosh, WI and attended high school in Libertyville, IL. After graduating from Northwestern University in 1957, she and her identical twin sister, Gwen, were hired as “Toni Twinsâ€? and appeared in TV and radio commercials featuring hair and beauty products. Later that year, she married James Young, a Sales Engineer with General Electric. When they relocated to California in 1969 with Permag Corporation, Gail became active in the West Coast contemporary art world. She was an avid collector, generous patron and parttime consultant. Her art afďŹ liations included charter membership in the Cantor Arts Center’s Contemporary Collector’s Circle, and board member of the Palm Springs Art Museum and La Quinta Arts Foundation.

In recent years, she assisted the University of Michigan in making art acquisitions for its Ross School of Business.

Gail was a dedicated community volunteer.

She had a keen interest in mental health and was president of the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County in the 1970s. In addition, she supported the Center for Research on Women at Stanford and Planned Parenthood, and served on the boards of

the Palo Alto Junior League and the Menlo Circus Club. A “handson� parent and grandparent, she had a passion for public education and was a reliable donor to local schools.

According to her children, Gail had a “joyful, inquisitive spirit.â€? She traveled the world to learn about art, architecture and culture, and her beautiful homes reected her impeccable taste and sense of whimsy.

She often opened her home for art tours, even in her ďŹ nal days.

Known affectionately as “G.G.� to her seven grandchildren, Gail was a gifted athlete who enjoyed golf, tennis and swimming.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 55 years, Jim; her children Keith, Kim and Lynne; her son-in-law John Moragne and daughter-in-law Cheryl; her grandchildren Hutch, Tyler and Danielle Moragne; Chris, Tommy and Caroline Cummings; and Kori Young; her twin sister and brother-in-law Gwen and John Hibbard; many adoring nieces and nephews and step-grandchildren Zach, Kiley and Chase Betancourt. Contributions in her name may be made to The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI), 1100 Industrial Road, Suite 1 San Carlos, CA 94070. A private service will be held at a later date.

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Lasting Memories An online directory of obituaries and remembrances.

PaloAltoOnline.com/ obituaries

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Heinz Furthmayr, MD Heinz Furthmayr, MD, emeritus professor of pathology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, died of a heart attack on May 1 while trekking in Nepal two days before his 71st birthday.

Austrian-born, after medical school in Vienna he embarked on a research career that led him through the Max-Planck Institute in Munich to Yale University and in 1989 to Stanford. A clinical and experimental pathologist whose work advanced the understanding of the organization of the body’s connective tissue, Furthmayr contributed vital insights into the immunological and structural properties of various collagens, the composition and structure of basement membranes, the structure of membranes of red blood cells and the role of the membrane cytoskeleton in cell movement. He retired in 2005, and did adventurous travel around the world. He is survived by his wife, Uta Francke, emeritus professor at Stanford, of Los Altos Hills, and three sisters, four brothers, his mother, numerous nieces and nephews, all in Austria or Germany, and two god-children in Palo Alto.

A public memorial service will be held July 26 at 4 p.m. at Stanford Memorial Church.

For more information please go to www.PaloAltoOnline. com/obituaries.

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Pulse

A weekly compendium of vital statistics

Palo Alto July 11-18 Violence related Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Domestic violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Sexual assault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Strong-arm robbery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Attempted burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Commercial burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Credit card forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Prowler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Shoplifting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle related Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . .5 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Lost/stolen plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Vehicle accident/major injury . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .5 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .9 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Alcohol or drug related Drinking where prohibited. . . . . . . . . . . .1 Drunk in public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Scholar in Sweden and Norway. He lectured in over 51 countries, 26 of those for the U.S. Information Agency.

Dr. Grothe was the author of “To Win the Minds of Men -- a Study of the Propaganda War in East Germany� and wrote numerous scholarly articles in the American Political Science Review, Western Political Quarterly, the N.Y. Times, the Washington Post, the Christian Science Monitor, and the San Francisco Chronicle. He served with the American Field Service as an adviser, leader and volunteer.

At MIIS Dr. Grothe was a “father ďŹ gure,â€? mentor and friend who inspired, guided and cared for his students. He made a ďŹ nancial commitment to enable 145 highly qualiďŹ ed international and minority students to pursue their education.

You may honor Dr. Grothe’s memory by making a donation to the “Peter Grothe Scholarship Fund for Women in Developing Countries.â€? Checks may be mailed to: MIIS Institutional Advancement OfďŹ ce 460 Pierce St. Monterey, CA 93940

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Atherton July 11-18

POLICE CALLS

John Peter Grothe John Peter Grothe, who celebrated life with passion and enthusiasm, passed away on Saturday, June 16th in Los Altos, Calif., from brain injury caused by a fall. He was 81.

He is survived by sister Carol Stevens of Palo Alto and half siblings, Tom Grothe of Chico and Heidi Carman of San Rafael. Born in San Francisco on May 28, 1931, to Walter and Dorothy Grothe, he was raised in Hillsborough, Calif. He earned BA and MA degrees in Journalism from Stanford University and a PHD in Political Science from George Washington University.

His proudest achievement was drafting the original Peace Corps legislation and giving it the name “The Peace Corps� in 1960 when he worked as Foreign Relations Adviser and Speech Writer for Senator Hubert H. Humphrey. In 1961 he was appointed Deputy Director, U.N. Division of the U.S. Peace Corps.

For the past 31 years Dr. Grothe was an Adjunct Professor at the Graduate School of International Policy Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS), where he taught Cross-cultural Communications and American Politics and was the Director of International Student Programs.

Prior to coming to MIIS Dr. Grothe taught at San Jose State University, Odense University in Denmark, and State University of New York, Stony Brook. He was a Visiting Research

Possession of prohibited weapons. . . . .1 Report referral from Child Protective Services . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Trespassing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Warrant arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Open container. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Miscellaneous Animal call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Elder financial abuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Lodging without owner’s permission . . .1 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Resisting arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .5 Trespassing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Warrant/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Menlo Park July 11-18 Violence related Child abuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Attempted burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Vehicle related Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . .5 Driving without license . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Reckless vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .6 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Alcohol or drug related Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Miscellaneous Coroner’s case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Gang information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Illegal dumping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Information case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Lost property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Mental evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Theft related Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle related Parking/driving violation . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Suspicious vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .3 Vehicle code violation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Miscellaneous 911 hang up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Animal call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Attempt to contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Foot patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Juvenile problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Lost property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Medical aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Psychiatric hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .3 Suspicious person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Ticket signoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Town ordinance violation . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Tree down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Weapons charge/violation . . . . . . . . . . .1 Welfare check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

VIOLENT CRIMES Palo Alto 200 block University Avenue, 7/11, 1:43 p.m.; battery.

Unlisted block Middlefield Road, 7/12, 8:54 a.m.; sex crime/misc.

Unlisted block El Camino Real, 7/12, 1:36 p.m.; strong-arm robbery.

Unlisted block East Meadow Drive, 7/13, 4:12 p.m.; battery of a peace officer.

Unlisted block University Avenue, 7/15, 6:07 p.m.; domestic violence/court order.

Menlo Park 800 block College Avenue, 7/17, 9:51 a.m.; report on child abuse.

Robert Thomas Kane Aug. 17, 1939 – July 6, 2012

Robert Thomas Kane, 72, passed away unexpectedly on July 6, 2012 at his home in Florida. Born and raised in Glen Cove, New York, Robert’s education, from St. Joseph’s in Metuchen, NJ to studying in Bergamo with Mario Montessori, was as varied as his interests. Montessori was Robert’s professional passion for over 40 years. He founded and operated many Montessori schools in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area, educating thousands of children. Florida was Robert’s current home but Portola Valley, California was the center of his life for many years.

Never at a loss for ideas or words, Robert was a strongminded, kind, and very generous person. His are for the out-of-the-ordinary was a source of much amusement to all who knew him — from oversized Christmas trees in the living room to rope swings and that long blue van carrying a generation of children to soccer or swimming.

Robert was devoted to his family.

He is survived by his three children; Jeremiah (Beth Ferreira), Caitlin (Justin Davis) and Meaghan (Vasco de Andrade) and by Beth Bement Kane of San Francisco, his wife for 31 years. He was ‘Grandpa’ to Rowan and Declan Kane; Taylor, Anna and Hudson Davis; and Tomas, Caroline and Frederick and a son (due 11/2012) de Andrade. Bob was also survived by his brother, Richard Kane (Marilyn).

A funeral service will be held at Woodside Priory School’s chapel in Portola Valley on Sunday, July 22 at 2:00pm. In lieu of owers, the family requests donations to the Father Martin Mager Scholarship at Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA. PA I D

PA I D

O B I T UA RY

O B I T UA RY

City of Palo Alto Presents the 28th annual

5K walk, 5K & 10K run — Great for kids and families A benefit event for local non-profits supporting kids and families

Register online: PaloAltoOnline.com/moonlight_run TIME & PLACE

Corporate Sponsors

5K walk 7:00pm, 10K run 8:15pm, 5K run 8:45pm.

Race-night registration 6 to 8pm at City of Palo Alto Baylands Athletic Center, Embarcadero & Geng Roads (just east of the Embarcadero Exit off Highway 101). Parking — go to PaloAltoOnline.com to check for specific parking locations.

COURSE 5K and 10K loop courses over Palo Alto Baylands levee, through the marshlands by the light of the Harvest Moon! Course is flat, USAT&F certified (10k run only) on levee and paved roads. Water at all stops. Course map available at www.PaloAltoOnline.com.

REGISTRATIONS & ENTRY FEE

In-Kind Sponsors

Adult Registration (13 +) registration fee is $30 per entrant by 9/14/12. Includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. Youth Registration (6 - 12) registration is $20 per entrant by 9/14/12. Includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. Youth (5 and under) run free with an adult, but must be registered through Evenbrite with signed parental guardian waiver, or may bring/fill out a signed waiver to race-night registration. Late Registration fee is $35 for adults, $25 for youth from 9/15 - 9/26. Race night registration fee is $40 for adult; $30 for youth from 6 to 8pm. T-shirts available only while supplies last. Refunds will not be issued for no-show registrations and t-shirts will not be held.

MINORS: If not pre-registered, minors under 18 MUST bring signed parental/waiver form on race night.

SPORTS TEAM/CLUBS: Online pre-registration opportunity for organizations of 10 or more runners; e-mail MoonlightRun@paweekly.com.

Community Sponsors

DIVISIONS Age divisions: 9 & under; 10 - 12; 13 - 15; 16 - 19; 20 - 24; 25 - 29; 30 - 34; 35 - 39; 40 - 44; 45 - 49; 50 - 54; 55 - 59; 60 - 64; 65 - 69; 70 & over with separate divisions for male and female runners in each age group.

Race timing provided for 5K and 10K runs only.

COMPUTERIZED RESULTS BY A Change of Pace Chip timing results will be posted on PaloAltoOnline.com by 11pm race night. Race organizers are not responsible for incorrect results caused by incomplete/incorrect registration forms.

AWARDS/PRIZES/ENTERTAINMENT Top three finishers in each division. Prize giveaways and refreshments. Pre-race warmups

by Noxcuses Fitness, Palo Alto

PALO ALTO GRAND PRIX Road Race Series — Moonlight Run, 9/28; Marsh Madness, 10/27; Home Run, 9/11, for more information go to www.paloaltogp.org.

BENEFICIARY Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund. A holiday-giving fund to benefit Palo Alto area non-profits and charitable organizations. In April 2012, 55 organizations received a total of $353,000 (from the 2011-2012 Holiday Fund.)

MORE INFORMATION Call (650) 463-4920, (650) 326-8210, email MoonlightRun@paweekly.com or go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com.

For safety reasons, no dogs allowed on course for the 5K and 10K runs. They are welcome on the 5K walk only. No retractable leashes. Bring your own clean-up bag.

Jogging strollers welcome in the 5K walk or at the back of either run.

Friday

Sept. 28 7pm ĂœĂœĂœÂ°*>Â?Âœ Â?ĂŒÂœ"˜Â?ˆ˜i°VÂœÂ“ĂŠUĂŠ*>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠ7iiÂŽÂ?ÞÊUĂŠ Ă•Â?ÞÊÓä]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 15

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Editorial

Heading off looming pension crisis City’s leaders seek ways to bring rising employee retirement costs under control

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riven by increasingly higher pension and benefit costs, employee compensation now makes up 63 percent of Palo Alto’s General Fund budget, an unsustainable situation that could cripple the city in the years ahead.

But as the Weekly’s cover story last week described, it will not be easy to reduce these pension obligations and the potential big impacts on all other parts of the city’s budget.

The proportion of dollars paid for employee benefits to salaries is up from 23 percent in 2002 to 54 percent in 2010 and will be 63 percent by fiscal year 2012. Employee benefits alone now comprise 27 percent of the general fund budget.

This snowballing crisis is not unique to Palo Alto, or even small cities.

Earlier this week a federal task force found that many states, including California, are facing higher health care costs and underfunded pensions while revenues are sliding backward. Many have resorted to budget gimmicks and borrowing to make ends meet. And some cities, including Stockton and San Bernardino, are opting for bankruptcy as a solution.

In Palo Alto, the pension problem has been growing for years, but high investment returns lulled most municipalities into a false sense of comfort.

For example, in 2007 the city made a deal with the Service Employees International Union to trade a less generous health care plan for a bump in the pension formula that raised the pension benefit from $60,000 to $81,000 a year for an employee retiring with $100,000 a year in income after 30 years of service.

It is deals like this that will push the cost of 2013 pensions to $23.1 million, up from just $3.8 million in 2002 and $2.4 million in 2003. Health care expenses are expected to reach $24 million this fiscal year and to be near $30 million in two more years, three times the $10 million cost in 2002.

A major part of the problem is the lackluster investment performance of CalPERS, the state retirement system, whose most recent report showed a meager 1 percent return, a fraction of its 7.5 percent goal. When CalPERS earnings fall, cities are on the hook to make up the difference in retiree paychecks. This is a double whammy for Palo Alto, which already pays a large part of employee retirement contributions to CalPERS. And the city’s costs are spiraling upward for another reason: the higher salaries earned by top city employees that follow them out the door when they retire. For example, former Police Chief Lynn Johnson retired after more than 30 years in 2009 with an annual pension of $201,953, and former City Manager Frank Benest isn’t far behind with $193,351. Eighty-eight of the city’s 954 retirees receive more than $100,000 a year, which does not include the cost of health care benefits for themselves and their family.

The city is making slow progress toward rolling back this trend by negotiating two-tier, less costly retirement packages with most unions that offer new employees fewer benefits than current rank-and-file workers.

And the city is asking workers to pay more of their employee contribution to CalPERS. At a meeting in May when the council was discussing the long-range financial forecast, Vice Mayor Greg Scharff said that medical and pension costs are “running at an unsustainable rate and crowding out everything else.� “What we’re asking people to do is accept a lower quality of life so that we can fund pensions and benefits that are growing at an outrageous pace.

I don’t accept that that should be the plan.�

Scharff hopes a September city council discussion on pensions will get to the legal aspects governing the rights of employees and the city in pension matters. For example, could the city roll back a pension set at 2.0 at 55 to a 2.7 at 55 plan midway through a worker’s career? This is a legal issue that has not been tested, Scharff said. The city is also handcuffed by restrictions put in place by CalPERS, which does not allow 401k-type plans and sets stiff penalties if the city wants to withdraw from the system, he said.

Voters would probably be ready to support efforts to roll back some of the city’s pension commitments, similar to the decision to throw out binding arbitration for fire and police contracts, which was a major step for the city.

But at this time, it is not clear what options the city has to gain control of its pension costs, which are expected to grow faster than revenues in the years ahead. According to a Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report, the city’s current pension liabilities are $153.9 million and its health care liabilities are $105 million, or $259 million in all. The total gives Palo Alto the dubious distinction of having the highest debt per resident in the county, at $4,021.

Clearly identifying its options and their legal risks needs to be a top priority for the city in the months ahead. In all likelihood, changes in both state law and city policy will be needed, since the progress being made in negotiating new labor contracts only slows down the growth of the problem. We look forward to a robust council discussion on the subject in September.

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Spectrum Editorials, letters and opinions

AT&T’s chilly reception Editor, According to the web page promoting AT&T’s wireless plans for Palo Alto: “AT&T addresses community needs where we — and our customers — live and work.�

So why hasn’t AT&T addressed the community need for peace and quiet by putting adequate sound enclosures around screw compressor chillers on their Birch Street switching station roof?

Since 2008 these chillers have made frequent humming noises reminiscent of the plastic horns that annoyed many during World Cup soccer games. We hear the chillers inside our house (200 feet away) with all windows shut and outside several blocks away. An HVAC industry paper explains that screw compressor chillers produce “puretone� noises that are particularly annoying to the human ear.

After two years of complaints to AT&T, the police, code enforcement, City Council and a petition signed by 18 neighbors, a small step was taken — turning off the chillers at night. Then, sometime last year the sound mysteriously went away. That was lovely, but now the sound is back on and off, all times of day and night.

Is it a coincidence that AT&T turned off the noisy chillers while they were seeking approval for the first phase of a proposed city-wide cell phone antenna network (with potentially noisy fans) and then turned them back on after the precedent-setting first phase was approved? If AT&T wants Palo Alto residents to view the company as respectful of community needs, it is time for a permanent solution to this annoying problem.

Claire Elliott Chestnut Avenue Palo Alto

Reduction lacks support Editor, I have repeatedly spoken out against reducing the number of lanes on California Avenue.

I am a property owner of a threestory office building on California Avenue and a real estate agent handling most of the office/retail leasing on the avenue. I have participated with the merchants in sponsoring advertisements opposing the lane reduction and yet this only seems to slightly slow down efforts to reduce the number of lanes rather than to veto the idea once and for all.

I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and concerns as the California Avenue district is a vibrant and vital part of Palo Alto, but let’s make changes that are needed rather than chasing down this “requirement� that lacks popular support. Reducing lanes will harm the vibrancy of this district. Please consider apply-

ing funds to where they’re really needed such as general improvement along the existing streets and sidewalks and building up funds to provide more parking (e.g., new garages like what was done in downtown Palo Alto) to encourage patronage.

Mike L. Meffert Alhouse Deaton Management & Leasing, Inc. Palo Alto

Restore sane priorities Editor, California has plenty of money and has no need to raise taxes further. That truth was demonstrated by last week’s vote to commit $380 million per year for interest payments on high-speed rail bonds.

What’s needed in Sacramento is not more money but more responsible prioritization of spending.

Decades of democratic control in Sacramento have steadily driven California to the brink of disaster

by Democrats abandoning their traditional role as guardians of the people and wasting taxpayers’ money on boondoggle projects like high-speed rail.

To fund high-speed rail, Democrats have plundered the budgets for education, public health and safety, local infrastructure, public parks and key social services, to say nothing of damage to our environment, and destruction of farms, businesses and homes along the route.

I’m a registered Democrat, but I now believe that the only way to save California is to vote “NO� on any tax increase, and to restore sane priorities by replacing Democratic legislators with Republicans one by one. Doing so will indeed cause the pain that the Democrats have built into the current budget in order to force voters to approve more taxes for Sacramento to waste.

Once the Democrats’ hammerlock in Sacramento is broken, they can then return to their traditional role of looking out for people instead of special, big-money interests. To quote a line from the movie “Network,� “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.�

California has plenty of money; it’s only short of common sense.

Don Barnby Spruce Avenue Menlo Park

WHAT DO YOU THINK? The Palo Alto Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest.

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Will the city’s new labor contract go far enough to avert the looming pension and benefits crisis?

Submit letters to the editor of up to 250 words to letters@paweekly.com.

Submit guest opinions of 1,000 words to editor@paweekly.com. Include your name, address and daytime phone number so we can reach you.

We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, objectionable content, libel and factual errors known to us. Anonymous letters will generally not be accepted. Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of permission to the Palo Alto Weekly and Embarcadero Media to also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on Town Square.

For more information contact Editor Jocelyn Dong or Editorial Assistant Eric Van Susteren at editor@paweekly.com or 650-326-8210.

Check out Town Square!

Hundreds of local topics are being discussed by local residents on Town Square, a reader forum sponsored by the Weekly on our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Post your own comments, ask questions, read the Editor’s blog or just stay up on what people are talking about around town!

On Deadline

New leader inspires hope for ‘Free at Last’ rehab program

by Jay Thorwaldson he outlook for the financially challenged “Free at Last� substance and prison rehabilitation program based in East Palo Alto has gotten brighter with the arrival of a dynamic new executive director, Carla Harris.

And the revival of the program is just in time for an expected increase in need due to the new AB 109 prison realignment, parole and probation reform program in California. A third of all those returning from prison or jail to San Mateo County are in the Free at Last immediate service area of East Palo Alto, eastern Menlo Park or southern Redwood City. “But whoever needs help, that’s who we help,� Harris says.

The program has been struggling to survive since the shooting death of its co-founder, David Lewis, in June 2010. A former addict, Lewis became nationally known for his work after his personal recovery from alcohol and drug usage. “We have no money,� co-founder and board chair Vicki Smothers, who does mental-health outreach for San Mateo County, declared in an interview last September.

Harris emerged as the lead candidate following a search that began last August to replace interim CEO Gerardo Barragan. Stanford University’s Haas Center helped set up the search.

Harris “hit the ground running� in late March, capping more than 20 years in rehabilitation and support programs, most recently

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doing domestic-violence work in Alameda County but reaching back to 1990 in prisonrehabilitation and substance-recovery programs.

She immediately began meeting members of the community, exploring potential sources of financial support, and laying the groundwork for a strategic-planning process. “I knew it would be a challenge, but I like to fix things,� Harris said of her still-new job in a recent interview.

One of her major tasks is to change the perception about Free at Last’s basic survival as a community-based organization that over the years has helped many hundreds of individuals — men and women, older and younger — reclaim their lives after alcoholism, drug addiction, and jail and prison terms. “It’s sad that people feel it is dying. because it isn’t. We have created a strategic plan for immediate and long-term solutions. ... My vision for Free at Last is high. “I knew I would have to hit the ground running,� Harris said of her first weeks on the job. “But I have gained a lot of support. For our immediate needs for the transition period we’re appealing to individuals and to private foundations for general operations and to continue services.�

She said additional funds have started coming in, including from some sources that were former supporters but who pulled back due to the uncertainties and confusion following Lewis’ death.

The staff now consists of 10 full-time persons and 14 part-time, about half of whom used to be full-time. Restoring their hours and using the staff to increase community outreach is a near-term priority, Harris said.

“The magic of Free at Last is the dedication of the staff — and the people we help,� she said.

The core programs include a men’s residential facility with 18 beds, a women’s residential facility with 14 beds and three transitional houses with 18 beds, plus an open drop-in center and support services such as counseling, job-finding assistance and addiction programs. “We help people come back to their community, and be employed, part time or in school — so they learn to be self-sufficient.�

Benefits of helping individuals become stronger extend to their families and to the communities from which they come, she noted.

There’s also a practical realism, cited by Smothers last fall. Creating self-sufficiency and strength keeps people off the streets and away from crime — a benefit both to East Palo Alto and crime-sensitive surrounding communities such as Palo Alto and others.

Because Harris’ father was with the U.S. Air Force she was born in Madrid, Spain, spent a couple of early school years in Germany and most of her childhood in New York state.

But she was drawn to social work and social causes. “I have a passion for this work,� she said. “My father died of alcoholism at an early age.

He was in sales and it didn’t feel like a good fit.�

One of her first jobs in a prison system, in 1989, “brought up a lot of my own stuff� and left her with a strong drive to help people change and improve their lives. “My heart is really around social-justice issues, including the core issues involved in social justice, such as racism,� she said.

In the 1990s she worked on substance-abuse treatment in New York state prisons. By 1999 that had evolved into doing “re-entry work� for the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, Calif., serving the San Bernardino/Riverside region. For the past three years she has been doing domestic-violence work in Alameda County, a problem closely allied to substance abuse and to re-entry.

The Norco job included one of her greatest challenges: “I had to hire 38 counselors in two weeks� for both a men’s program and a women’s program.

She initially heard about Free at Last when David Lewis was doing research on a curriculum for an in-prison treatment program, a hybrid of Therapeutic Community, a 12-step treatment model.

She heard about Free at Last’s CEO opening on Craig’s List in 2011 when she was working in Alameda County.

Now she’s looking forward. “Once the staff is back to capacity one of the things I want to do is ‘social enterprise’ work, to partner with corporations and businesses to create employment opportunities for the people we help —and have that business be in East Palo Alto.� “There is a huge, huge need for (job) opportunities for individuals in this community.�

And there’s an immediate view: “Free at Last is such a vital, necessary entity in East Palo Alto. I can’t imagine East Palo Alto without it,� she said. N Former Weekly Editor Jay Thorwaldson can be emailed at jthorwaldson@ paweekly.com with a copy to jaythor@ well.com. He also writes biweekly blogs at www.PaloAltoOnline.com (below Town Square).

Streetwise

What is your favorite local lunch spot?

Asked on Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto. Interviews and photographs by Dean McArdle.

Jeff Salzman

Business development Midtown “Home. Whatever was left over from the night before.�

Reuben Veek

Renewable energy Mountain View “Dish and Dash. It is quick without being manufactured and has a delicious assortment of little sauces.�

Jane Urbach

Retired Barron Park “Jack in the Box.�

Edgar Brown

Lawyer Menlo Park “Bistro Elan. They have a Greek salad that is just delicious and healthy.�

Pat Bocook

Office manager Los Altos “Joanie’s. The food is just so good and I like the variety and portions and prices.�

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Cover Story

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BY REBECCA WALLACE PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIERRA DUREN

PA C I F I C A R T L E A G U E L A U N C H E S M A J O R R E N O VAT I O N O F I T S HISTORIC BUILDING, REINV ENTS ITSELF FOR T HE FUTURE

ainter Mark Garner is just the type of Pacific Art League member whom many at the league would like to see more of.

He’s an enthusiastic and prolific artist who has been painting every day of the two years he’s been retired from selling real estate. Four of his “photo-realistic� watercolors were accepted into a league exhibition last fall, and two were in last month’s show. Currently, his painting of the Palo Alto landmark Mac’s Smoke Shop, vivid and detailed as a mosaic, hangs in the league’s main gallery. “Producing art is what I want to do,� he said.

Garner is also focused on the present and the future of the art league, not its past.

Though he has lived in Palo Alto almost 30 years, he was only dimly aware of the art league before he retired. He certainly wasn’t very interested in the controversy five years ago over a plan to move out of the top two floors of the league’s historic but seismically unsafe building in downtown Palo Alto. That plan, he said, “really wasn’t on my radar.�

The current plan is, prominently. Garner has read up on the project that will dramatically shape the prospects of the 90-year-old arts organization. Next year, the group is scheduled to break ground on a $4 million renovation and seismic retrofit. The building’s size will increase by 5,000 square feet, growing by two-thirds. The revamped second floor will be leased in hopes of retiring the bank debt funding the bulk of the project. “I think the building could use some improvements. It’s dated. I hope it works out in their favor,� Garner said. Overall, he’s a fan of the art league, calling its staff and volunteers “very supportive of the art community, especially to a guy like me who is new.�

It’s an opinion the Pacific Art League (PAL) would like others to share — many others. As the nonprofit gears up for the groundbreaking, executive director Richard Ambrose, board president Joy Chase and their cohorts are planning ahead to shape its future.

Ambrose and Chase say the league has come far since the heated days of 2007 and 2008, when plans to sell its building at 668 Ramona St. sparked an angry “Vote No� campaign by some members. (The plan was subsequently dropped.) The number of league members is up to 480, after bottoming out at 300 during the most contentious days, Ambrose said. In addition, the budget is nearly balanced after “multiple years of six-figure deficits,� he added.

Many, too, agree that the atmosphere at the organization is worlds different. “PAL is back,� painter and longtime member Gary Coleman wrote recently in an email. “Once again it is a friendly, supportive art institution.�

But Ambrose, Chase and the others have big tasks yet to complete. They’ll need to keep the organization vital while its exhibitions and classes are displaced by construction. In addition, the league’s small staff hasn’t focused as much on public relations as it could, and there is no development director, Ambrose said.

Looking ahead to the league’s 100-year anniversary (it was founded in 1921), Ambrose hopes to increase membership to 1,000 by then. That will include crafting new enterprises to try to draw in the 20-something

Top: Young painters take a day-camp class on watercolor at the Pacific Art League. Left: Palo Alto city officials say the Pacific Art League’s 1926 building has retained the “great majority� of its historic character. The renovation plan wouldn’t change that.

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NOTICE OF HEARING ON REPORT AND ASSESSMENT FOR WEED ABATEMENT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on December 12, 2011, the Fire Chief of the City of Palo Alto ďŹ led with the City Clerk of said city a report and assessment on abatement of weeds within said city, a copy of which is posted on the bulletin board at the entrance to the City Hall.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that on July 23, 2012 at the hour of seven p.m. or as soon thereafter in the Council Chambers of said City Hall, said report and assessment list will be presented to the City Council of said City for consideration and conďŹ rmation, and that any and all persons interested, having any objections to said report and assessment list, or to any matter of thing contained therein, may appear at said time and place and be heard.

A tentative plan for the Forest Avenue side of the revamped Pacific Art League includes replacing aluminum “sliders� with wood-framed windows, and adding a new primary entrance for future building tenants. and 30-something crowd, who have not typically been represented. “Our challenge, I think, is to sustain our membership not only during transition and return but beyond that,� Chase said.

Ambrose summed it up: “We’re pretty much in a transformative period.�

REMEMBER YOUR LOVE OF NATURE?

6

uilt in 1926 as the Winsor Cabinet Shop, the current home of the Pacific Art League adds picturesque touches to the corner of Ramona Street and Forest Avenue.

Crowned by a castle tower with wooden strips dividing its windows into small diamonds, the three-story building is covered with off-white pebbledash stucco. Clay-tile awnings cover some of the windows on the second floor.

When the Palo Alto City Council added the building to its Historic Inventory in 1980, a staff report called it “a building of presence and strong visual interest ... that anchors the end of this commercial block and turns the corner gracefully.� The State Historic Preservation Office has also declared the building eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, according to a city staff report.

In 1965, the Pacific Art League, formerly called the Palo Alto Art Club, bought the building and moved in, the staff report reads. The organization has been there ever since, drawing many members, students and artists to its exhibitions, classes and other events.

Many regulars are fond of the historic building, with its pretty balconies and airy Norton Gallery upstairs. According to the staff report, the “great majority� of the 7,606-square-foot structure retains its historical character and integrity, despite a few alterations over the years.

However, the building does not meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act; for example, it has stairs but no elevator, and doorways need to be widened to accommodate wheelchairs. And it’s on the city’s list of structures with seismic hazards, built from concrete (continued on next page)

DONNA J. GRIDER, MMC City Clerk

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Center: One gallery view takes in both art and a warning that the building has seismic hazards. Above: Artist Cherise Thompson, who teaches a printmaking course at the art league, readies a sheet of paper for printing in the building’s print studio.

Palo Alto Weekly Photo Contest DEADLINE EXTENDED!

ENTRY DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, JULY 27 For entr y form and rules: www.PaloAltoOnline.com

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Cover Story terior comply with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s standards for rehabilitating historic structures, according to the staff report. They include repainting the building in its existing colors, adding a skylight and replacing windows and a door. The addition will incorporate existing architectural elements.

The city’s Historic Resources Board also unanimously approved the project last year.

Pacific Art League (continued from previous page)

and reinforced hollow-clay tile. “Historic and seismic rehabilitation of the building� is not a small task, the staff report states.

So in 2007, the league came up with a plan to sell the Ramona property to a developer who would revamp the building. The league would keep the first floor for classroom and gallery space, with the top two floors sold as commercial condominiums. “We’d love to stay here and do the renovations ourselves. But that’s not practical given what our assets are right now,� Stephanie Demos, the then-executive director of the league, said at the time.

The contentious plan sparked the “Vote No� campaign, and many staff and board members resigned.

Chase’s husband, architect Bill Bruner, was one of the people elected to the new board. “The new board took over in order to stop the possible sale of the historic building on Ramona Street.

It was diverse in its interests and reasons for being on the board and conflicts ensued, which took about a year to sort out,� Chase said. Demos ultimately resigned.

Chase herself was appointed, then elected, to the board in 2008 and became board president in 2010. “My guiding principle has been to make PAL ‘a good place’ for artists, members and the community. I think we are beginning to see this,� Chase said. “We tried doing without an (executive director) for a while; board members put in long hours. But in late 2009 we decided we needed someone to manage PAL on a daily basis.�

The board chose Ambrose, himself an artist who does large pencil drawings. His experience includes curating exhibits at the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley and the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in West Virginia.

H Richard Ambrose, executive director of the art league, discusses Kevin Deaton’s work “Seraphim� in the main gallery.

Starting in 2010, a building steering group including Chase, Ambrose and other board members worked on the new construction project. It was approved by the Palo Alto City Council last year.

In March the art league signed a memorandum of understanding with Oliver & Company of Berkeley and Richmond to be the general contractor and project manager for the work.

Bruner, the league’s architect of record, is architect on this project as well. Chase said that she and Bruner, who is still on the board, recused themselves “from voting on items that could possibly be to our advantage such as hiring the architect or even giving the final go on the project.�

H

he current plan for the old Ramona Street building is getting a much calmer reception than the star-crossed 2007 project. No members of the public spoke on the topic at the July 2011 council meeting–, and the council approved it 9-0.

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“Councilmember (Karen) Holman said the project was one of the nicest projects she had seen in a long time,� the meeting’s minutes read.

Under the plan, the building’s space will increase by nearly 5,000 square feet, with an addition along the south side to augment studio, gallery and classroom areas. A new elevator and other changes will bring the building into ADA compliance, and the seismic upgrade will include adding steel columns.

The project does not have any new parking requirements; the nearby parking lots and the garage under neighboring City Hall are expected to accommodate league visitors, according to the council minutes.

The art league is paying some of the design costs from its cash reserve, but the bulk of the $4 million cost will be financed by a bank loan, Ambrose said. “We can’t raise $4 million from donors, so we’ll be leasing.�

Leasing out space on the second and third floors, that is. The art league will keep its home on the expanded first floor, and the project also includes a new primary entrance on the building’s Forest Avenue frontage for future tenants. The league has hired real-estate agents and is already getting some interest from prospective tenants, Ambrose said.

A flier from Cassidy Turley Commercial Real Estate Services is already advertising the new space at 229 Forest Ave. Listed attributes include “Prime downtown Palo Alto location� and “Board room with panoramic views.�

Ambrose said the rental space could be used for technology, law or other kinds of offices. He speculated that the league could re-acquire the space down the road, if it were to need and want it. “We’re hoping we can retire the bank loan within 10 years,� he said.

In addition, the league is planning a Centennial Campaign to help pay down the mortgage.

While Ambrose wasn’t at the league during the controversy, he seems certain that the new plan is a better one: “The proposal back then didn’t have a solution� to provide the league with a new home.

Ambrose and others are also confident that the project will protect the building’s historic attributes.

Modifications to the building’s ex-

he Pacific Art League expects to break ground on the project in early January, with construction lasting 10 to 12 months.

It makes sense to start the work between academic quarters, so that fall art classes can conclude in the old space and new ones begin later offsite, Ambrose said.

At the moment, the question is where. Working with Cassidy Turley real-estate agents, the art league is looking for a place to hold classes and exhibitions while everyone is displaced by the construction. Ambrose estimates that it will take two months to prep the appropriate spaces; he hopes to find them by October.

The hope is to find a site or sites in Palo Alto or neighboring cities so that the classes in particular can continue as planned. Ambrose said it’s possible that gallery spaces may be smaller during the construction. He’s looking at other galleries, cafes, va-

family events for parents with young children are also planned. “I ran a Coffee, Art and Chocolate hour once a month for a couple of years midday, which attracted a small group of members and friends,� Chase said. “We need to engage our members with more loyalty-rewarding programs and interesting events.�

Offsite events in which the league already takes part include solo exhibitions in various Palo Alto venues.

League members display their art at the Hotel California, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the city’s downtown library and other locations.

Currently, about 40 percent of the league’s membership are artists, 40 percent art students and 20 percent others, Ambrose said. A membership costs $125 annually ($100 for seniors) and includes such benefits as discounts on classes and free admission to 500 North American museums.

Chase said many members came to the league as art viewers, or occasional artists, and graduated to exhibiting and selling their pieces.

As plans are made and the groundbreaking nears, summertime classes and exhibitions continue at the league. Petite paintings from the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society are on display in the Norton Gallery; classes on monotype and intaglio fill the upstairs print studio; and kids attend a summer camp

‘Our challenge, I think, is to sustain our membership not only during transition and return but beyond that.’ J0Y CHASE, BOARD PRESIDENT

cant storefronts and other locations. “We will have to offer discounts and do continuous and effective marketing to inform our new and continuing students and patrons of our temporary location,� Chase said.

Meanwhile, the league continues its quest to draw in new members.

The organization is good at the classic after-school model of kids’ art classes and evening courses for older adults, but it’s less adept at reaching the ages in between, Ambrose said.

So it’s piloting and planning several new programs.

One is an Art-at-Work program, in which league artists bring art activities to workplaces, or the employees come to the league. In one case, Google called seeking an art-related team-building exercise, Ambrose said. “I said: ‘How about doing a mural? We could provide the location and materials.’�

So, about a month ago, the Pacific Art League and Google employees worked together to create an 8-foot mural on paper with flowers, images of Mount Shasta and other pictures.

The league is also trying to bring Silicon Valley workers in for brief classes in drawing or other subjects. “It’s just the tip of the iceberg,�

Ambrose said of the outreach efforts.

He is also interested in adding lunchtime brown-bag lectures for downtown-Palo Alto workers as well as gatherings for artists. More

focused on digital photography and clay sculpting.

Major changes and challenges are afoot, but several artists, like Coleman, sound optimistic about the future. “I love the old building. I am in favor of the new direction,� he said. “Becoming active at PAL puts an artist into contact with other artists to learn from their experiences. It also opens many opportunities to exhibit one’s art through the gallery and the community-outreach programs. Additionally, it is a great place for artists at all levels to take small-sized classes with accomplished teachers.�

Garner, for his part, just sounds thrilled to be active in the league and painting regularly after a longin-the-works retirement. “I’ve been frustrated for 25 years,� he said. “I’m making up for lost time.� N Information about the Pacific Art League can be found at pacific artleague.org and 650-321-3891.

Arts and Entertainment Editor Rebecca Wallace can be emailed at rwallace@paweekly.com.

About the cover: Sylvia Wuensche-Wienands paints an abstract work during an art class at the Pacific Art League. Photo by Sierra Duren.

Arts & Entertainment A weekly guide to music, theater, art, movies and more, edited by Rebecca Wallace

rhythm Local jazz pianist bolsters Menlo Park live-music scene LÞÊ >ĂžĂŒ>Â?ĂŠ >ÀŽÊUĂŠ*Â…ÂœĂŒÂœĂƒĂŠLÞÊ6iĂ€ÂœÂ˜ÂˆV>ĂŠ7iLiĂ€

Sometimes pianist Neil Adler performs with one drummer; sometimes his jam sessions at the Menlo Hub attract a crowd. In the top photo, from left, are John Higham, Rebecca DuMaine, Poh Soon Teng, Paul Getty, Adler and Rich Shah. Above: Diners watch the musicians jam. eil Adler’s rhythm is infectious.

During a piano gig at the Menlo Hub, his foot-tapping translates to the audience, as several people improvise their own accompaniment drummed on restaurant tables.

Adler has said rhythm is the most important element in music and can draw the audience in. This technique evidently works, as several diners begin to sing along to his version of “New York, New York.� The tall ceiling and open space carries the sound throughout the venue, supporting the relaxed and warm environment.

Adler is very clearly in the lead, even in his small two-person ensemble. His direction is subtle, and he maintains a wordless connection with his drummer, Alexander “Sasha�

Muchnik, through eye contact and subtle nods. “As a piano voice, you become the leader,�

Adler says later.

A Menlo Park jazz pianist, Adler calls music his avocation — something he feels com-

N

pelled to do. “It’s a strong passion, almost a drive,� he says. “When you’re a musician, and you have the skill or the talent to do it, you feel like that’s what you’re supposed to do, and if you don’t do it, you get itchy.�

A Detroit native, Adler moved to California following his acceptance to Stanford University to study physical therapy. Since then, he has played piano locally for 40 years alongside his career as a physical-therapy researcher and assistant. Adler has been a member of several local bands around the Bay Area and describes himself as a musical freelancer. He has played in Santa Cruz with Wally’s Swing World, in the Stanford CoHo as part of a jazz festival, and in other jazz and salsa bands.

The Menlo Hub in Menlo Park, formerly known as the Oak City Bar and Grill, is his latest venue. He’s been scheduled to play Wednesdays at the restaurant, emulating the supper clubs of the war era.

Mark Adams, the musical director for the Menlo Hub, says he plans to take the live music scene up a step by auditioning local acts in

Neil Adler, who also has a background in physical therapy, is serious about his music.

front of the restaurant audience on Thursday nights throughout the summer. He adds that he welcomes all types of music including jazz, salsa, R&B, flamenco and Asian styles. “We’re going around the world this coming year,� he says.

Adams knew Adler through a mutual friend, and decided to schedule him regularly about three months ago. “The variety of music he plays is exceptional,� Adams says. “He’s one of my favorites.�

Adler’s signature style is minimalist. Playing with only his keyboard and a drum accompaniment, Adler creates a full sound through experienced improvisation. He also focuses on maintaining the energy in his performance, often favoring ethnic styles over American jazz. “In many ways I’m not a traditional jazz musician,� Adler says. “I place more emphasis on rhythm and favor ethnic music like calypso, sun (Cuban), samba and American soul and R&B. They come with very strong rhythm that makes it easy for the drummer to follow along, and it gives a lot of momentum

to the music.�

Adler’s rhythmic drive was nurtured early by the booming Motown sound. “It was everywhere in Detroit,� he says. “It made a really strong impression. That’s part of the rhythmic impulse that I feel.�

Growing up, Adler met Stevie Wonder and Berry Gordy, the builders of Detroit Motown. “(Stevie Wonder) was great. He wasn’t a big star yet; he was the same age as me and he was a much different person than he is today. We didn’t know he was going to be a superstar; they used to call him ‘Li’l Stevie Wonder.’�

Studying the likes of Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and Erroll Garner, Adler was surrounded by jazz growing up. He cites his other musical influence: his family. “My mother was a good singer and my father a pianist,� he says. “My father’s LP collection I still have today, and (it) reflects the music that still defines some of the best of jazz

by George Shearing, Sarah Vaughn, Duke Ellington, etc.� (continued on next page)

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Arts & Entertainment

An unusual, universal duet TheatreWorks’ ‘Upright Grand’ sings as a touching fatherdaughter story, distinctively told

by Kevin Kirby

THEATER REVIEW

A

Tracy Martin

Renata Friedman channels her inner child as Kiddo in “Upright Grand.�

John Higham plays bass during a recent jam session at the Menlo Hub.

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What: “Upright Grand,� a play presented by TheatreWorks

couldn’t be farther from the truth.

For in TheatreWorks’ production the music becomes a character of its own: not just figuratively, but literally.

McDonough had some choices to make when it came to the show’s music. Pops and Kiddo both play extensively, sometimes underneath their own dialogue. McDonough could have put two real pianos on stage — an upright and, say, a baby grand — and searched for actors who could play with confidence

while delivering lines. Apart from the casting challenge, this would have left the actors trapped behind their instruments, struggling to connect with the audience over the tops of their pianos.

Instead, scenic designer Kris Stone has created the skeletal outlines of the two instruments: hollow frames through which the actors are clearly visible. Hiatt and Friedman do not play. Rather, they do the pianistic equivalent of lip syncing, faking it with verve while the play’s

Where: Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto

Rhythm

Adler especially enjoys his experience as a temporary organist at the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist church in East Palo Alto. “It’s really good to play gospel music because it’s the essence of rhythmic drive, generating a passion in people. I like it; I like the energy, the spirituality, the music.�

As the organist, Adler often has to improvise the accompaniment to the church songs.

His musical intuition has served him well, and he often plays unplanned sets. “I just try to feel the

moment,� Adler says. “And play.� N

(continued from previous page)

Veronica Weber

man sits at a piano in a seedy bar, gray-haired and brighteyed. He talks to the crowd, and he noodles at the keyboard as he talks, punctuating his anecdote with musical flourishes. As his story meanders into a schmaltzy song, he begins to sing in a clear, reedy baritone.

The scene is familiar, comfortable.

But, as the opening scene in Laura Schellhardt’s “Upright Grand,� which had its world premiere last weekend at TheatreWorks, it becomes something else — something new, slyly revealing and faintly magical.

Schellhardt’s new play is a funny, nostalgic, shamelessly sentimental father-daughter drama, told in a style not quite like anything you’ve seen before. Performed without intermission, “Upright Grand� spans 18 years in an unrushed 90 minutes, revealing key moments in the relationship between a dive-bar ivory tickler and his Carnegie Hall-bound prodigy of a daughter. But it’s the music — or, more precisely, the way that director Meredith McDonough has chosen to deal with the music — that makes the production distinctive. More on that later.

The playwright’s previous work “Auctioning the Ainsleys� opened TheatreWorks’ 2010-11 season. “Grand� shares many qualities with “Ainsleys.� Both plays first came to the company in the New Works Initiative, moving from readings one year to fully staged premieres the next. Both focus on family, exploring universal themes through quirky, carefully drawn characters. And both highlight Schellhardt’s nimble wit, incisive characterization and obvious love of language. (The father in “Grand� describes his own long-gone father thus: “He liked his whiskey more than his wages, and he liked his wages more than his wife.�)

The new play, though, is more serious, ample laughs notwithstanding.

The father and daughter — referred to throughout the play only by the names they give each other: “Pops� and “Kiddo� — follow a darkling path littered with sunny piano-bar standards. Their relationship has the complex texture of so many family relationships: close yet not close, simple yet fraught, supportive yet bitterly competitive. Parental selfsacrifice is central to the story, and, while her ultimate point may remain muddy, Schellhardt expertly maps the risky terrain.

The playwright’s craftiness aside, it is the performances that truly make this production shine.

Dan Hiatt plays Pops with an end-

less variety of expressions, inflections and emotional shadings. Pops is a would-be composer, so obsessed with the songs he has not written, with the artistic contribution he has not made, that he cannot appreciate the joy — his own joy or that of the patrons — that flows from his nightly sessions at the piano bar. He regales the crowd with stories about his beloved daughter, but spends so much of his home time hunched over his old upright grand that he doesn’t even know his daughter’s age, nor that she has been taking lessons for the past six years. Pops is a complex man, and Hiatt conjures his disarming smile, his childlike enthusiasm, and the underlying pools of rancor and disappointment with equal honesty.

As his daughter — the budding virtuoso who will soon overshadow Pops’ humble accomplishments — Renata Friedman gives a virtuoso performance of her own. We see her character first as a knock-kneed, querulous 12-year-old, then at 16, then 21. By the show’s end, she is a 30-year-old woman, wondering if her career as a concert pianist has been worth the things she gave up along the way.

Friedman makes the character’s growth clear, though she exaggerates the young end of the spectrum a skosh. Her 12 can feel awfully 9-ish at times, especially since McDonough has her crawling around the stage on her knees through much of her first scene (no doubt to mitigate the actress’ height). Like Hiatt, Friedman throws all of her resources into the part — posture, voice, sharp comic timing — and the result is both believable and memorable.

Tempting as it may be to think of this play as a two-hander, that

third character, The Accompanist, produces the sounds of their instruments on a real upright grand anchored farther upstage.

More than a clever gimmick, this choice adds an unusual dimension, giving the music a physical life on stage. Brett Ryback is The Accompanist. His performance is every bit as polished as Hiatt’s and Friedman’s, and his contributions to the story every bit as integral. The accuracy with which Ryback’s playing matches up with the other actors’ dialogue and faux-piano playing testifies to unimaginable hours of joint practice and a commitment to making this illusion work.

Ryback also steps away from his instrument on occasion to portray other minor characters, including a blind piano tuner and an excitable Russian tutor. These characters are clearly delineated and a pleasure to watch.

The show is nicely costumed by Maggie Whitaker and well lit by Paul Toben. Kris Stone’s set, obviously meant to be minimal, is perhaps not minimal enough. Extra piano benches are placed around the perimeter of a central, rotating structure, adding more visual clutter than functionality. “Upright Grand� kicks off TheatreWorks’ 43rd season and also ushers in the company’s 11th New Works Festival. It’s a good bet for music lovers, as well as for anyone looking for a heartfelt story with a bit of innovative staging and storytelling. N

Adler was able to explore other types of music while on a cultural exchange in the National School of Music and Dance in Cuba. “I began to study their various forms of music and play in salsa and Cuban-oriented orchestras,� he says. “The energy and passion of the Cuban people is unmatched in my travels.�

Along with his professional gigs, Adler takes time to teach private lessons and give lectures at Stanford, high schools and elementary schools. “I like to work towards making professionals out of talented amateurs,� Adler says. “Over the years, I have had many fine students and held a number of recitals in my music studio.�

When: Through Aug. 10: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m.

Cost: Tickets are $24-$73, with discounts for students and seniors.

Info: Call 650-463-1960 or go to theatreworks.org.

What: Neil Adler performs live jazz music in a small ensemble.

Where: The Menlo Hub, 1029 El Camino Real, Menlo Park When: Wednesday nights, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Info: Go to menlohub.com or call 650-321-6882.

CORRECTION An article in the July 13 Worth A Look section gave the wrong date for a concert by the Choir of Sidney Sussex College. The concert was held July 19. To request a correction, contact Editor Jocelyn Dong at 650-223-6514, jdong@ paweekly.com or P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302.

Eating Out

Music@Menlo t e n t h

a n n i v e r s a r y

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Now celebrating its tenth season, Music@Menlo—the Bay Area’s premier chamber music festival—offers an incomparable musical experience including world-class concerts and numerous free opportunities to explore classical music. The 2012 festival, Resonance, examines music’s impact on humanity—its ability to nurture mind and spirit, to transport listeners to new places, and, ultimately, to delight us all.

The grilled-asparagus salad at Calafia has baby frisee and radishes, with a lemon-olive oil vinaigrette.

Celebrating summer veggies

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Local produce inspires chefs to get creative with their menus

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alafia chef Charlie Ayers says he always keeps an attentive eye out for the season’s best when it comes to produce. “The berries were amazing this year: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries. This season also produced great asparagus, and it was a strong year for sweet English peas,� he said. “June produced wonderful peaches. You can still find some artichokes and baby lettuces out there, and the season’s corn out of Brentwood was great.�

Ayers has created an eclectic menu at his restaurant at Palo Alto’s Town and Country Village, and the majority of the ingredients are produced in California from small farms. Only items such as the sustainable salmon from Scotland are from out of the area, he said. “We get our berries from a Palo Alto grower who harvests them in his own backyard by Embarcadero.

We get our chili peppers from Happy Quail Farms located in East Palo Alto,� he said. “We get our eggs from Pescadero, tomatoes from Los Altos, and Brussels sprouts from Half Moon Bay.�

Cooking with seasonal produce can dramatically influence the look, smell and the taste of food, Ayers said. “As soon as produce is plucked off the vine, the nutritional value and freshness diminish. Year-round produce can be shipped a long distance,� he said. “The result is that the taste is obviously much better with seasonal ingredients; it just doesn’t taste the same when you get them out of season.�

Another fan of seasonal ingre-

by Junesung Lee dients is chef Gary Alinder, who cooks meals using them for the Peninsula Macrobiotic Community every week. “Seasonal is the best for you; it has the best nutritional value. It just makes sense because it’s more interesting, it’s more fresh and the flavors are better,� Alinder said.

The community meets Monday nights at the First Baptist Church in Palo Alto to share a vegan menu prepared by local chefs. The themed menu changes each week.

Chef James Holloway, who also cooks for the macrobiotic community, said he does most of his shopping at farmers’ markets, and enjoys getting to know the vendors. “You can’t build relationships like that at the grocery store.�

Alinder said he remembers a time when local, seasonal produce was the only thing you could get at the market. “It used to be that farmers brought in everything from peas, alfalfa, squash, fruits and so on. Then with the advancement of huge, mechanized agriculture, that died down and we had monoculture, or specialization of just one or two different types of produce,� he said.

At Calafia, the menu changes four times a year, with new dishes introduced each season. “It’s very special to try to use ingredients within a small window. You have a limited time to come up with a creative item,� Ayers said.

He added that buying seasonal can be kinder on the environment because the food doesn’t have to travel as far — an idea that has been

enshrined in the burgeoning “locavore� movement. “It’s better for the local community and the environment as well because of the reduced carbon footprint,� Holloway said. “Food doesn’t have to travel across entire oceans just to get here.�

For those who aspire to use seasonal ingredients to try for themselves, Ayers recommends Palo Alto’s California Avenue farmers market and Sigona’s produce markets in Palo Alto and Redwood City.

Alinder said he frequently shops at the Berkeley Bowl for his ingredients. The market carries many items but specializes in fresh produce, he said. He has created a blog at macrochef.wordpress.com

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(continued on next page)

T GREA S SHOW Y EVERT! NIGH

7/19

Vertical Vo ices â&#x20AC;&#x153;All at once, everyone in the room realized that something special was happening.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Washington Post

7/21

Houston Person

7/25

Charles McPherson

7/28

Wycliffe Gordon

Photo: John Abbott

Soak up the sounds of summer at these and other shows: 7/22 7/29

More shows, details & tickets at

Julian Lage:

7/30

Taylor Eigsti/Kendrick Scott

Le Jazz Hot

7/31

Kenny Barron/Terell Stafford/

stanfordjazz.org

Dayna Stephens

650-725-2787

Matt Wilson

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Eating Out (continued from previous page)

with information and recipes. N Info: Calafia Cafe and its adjoining market are at Town & Country Village, Suite 130, 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Go to calafiapaloalto.com or call 650-3229200. The Peninsula Macrobiotic Community holds dinners every Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 305 N. California Ave., Palo Alto. Reservations are requested; for details, call 650-5993320 or go to peninsulamacro.org.

The following recipe is from Charlie Ayers, and is currently on Calafiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spring/summer menu.

Use promo code YAY80s for $5 off single ticket purchase *use code online or over the phone

Calafiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minty English peas with butter and garlic Ingredients: 6 cups freshly shelled sweet English

by Daryl Savage

Discover the best places to eat this week!

AMERICAN

CHINESE

Armadillo Willyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Chef Chuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

941-2922 1031 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos www.armadillowillys.com

948-2696 1067 N. San Antonio Road www.chefchu.com

Cheese Steak Shop

Mingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

326-1628 2305-B El Camino Real, Palo Alto

856-7700 1700 Embarcadero East, Palo Alto www.mings.com

854-0291 3535 Alameda, Menlo Park www.luttickens.com

The Old Pro 326-1446 541 Ramona Street, Palo Alto www.oldpropa.com STEAKHOUSE

Sundance the Steakhouse 321-6798 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto www.sundancethesteakhouse.com

New Tung Kee Noodle House 947-8888 520 Showers Drive, Mountain View www.shopmountainview.com/luvnoodlemv INDIAN

Janta Indian Restaurant 462-5903 369 Lytton Ave. www.jantaindianrestaurant.com

Thaiphoon 323-7700 543 Emerson Ave, Palo Alto www.ThaiphoonRestaurant.com

Read and post reviews, explore restaurant menus, get hours and directions and more at ShopPaloAlto, ShopMenloPark and ShopMountainView

powered by

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1. Blanch peas in 12 cups of boiling salted water; once water returns to a boil, cook for one minute, turn off heat and let sit for one minute. Strain peas and transfer into a bowl of iced salted water. Once peas are fully cooled down, drain well. This step can be done a day in advance.

2. Preheat olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan, then add butter. Allow butter to lightly bubble before adding in the peas, and saute on medium heat for one minute. Add garlic, cook for another minute and add in mint and salt and pepper.

3. You may want to add grated Parmesan cheese at the end.

Serves four.

ShopTalk

PENINSULA

Luttickenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

peas (about 4 pounds) 4 tablespoons unsalted organic butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 tablespoons chiffonade of mint leaves kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

RESTAURANTS GOING AND COMING ... Some good news and some bad news for restaurant-goers: Palo Alto is losing three high-end restaurants next month, but gaining three new ones. Gone will be Trader Vicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at 4269 El Camino Real, in front of Dinahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden Hotel. The Polynesian-themed restaurant that was known for its exotic tropical drinks with elaborate garnishes is slated to close in late August to make room for The Sea by Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steakhouse. The restaurant will specialize in seafood and is a new venture for the Michelin-starred Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steakhouse, which has locations in Cupertino and San Francisco. An experienced team has been put into place to manage The Sea; some of the team works at Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and others have a long working history at both Spago and Flemingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steakhouse, according to Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chef and chief operating officer Jeffrey Stout, who will be chef at The Sea. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With The Sea sandwiched between our two locations in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, we feel this is the perfect location to support each other as a restaurant group,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The new restaurant is scheduled to open in mid- to late-October.

I have a lot of friends and investors here.â&#x20AC;? The restaurant is expected to seat more than 100 guests and open in October or November.

Next out the door is Mantra, an Indian restaurant at 632 Emerson St. that began serving in March 2006.

Incoming is the Mexican eatery Tacolicious. Owner Joe Hargrave has big plans for the site. A massive renovation is planned, with Hargrave plunking down $500,000, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just for the construction,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the new furniture, the new fixtures and the art.â&#x20AC;? The plans call for walls to be torn down to make the kitchen visible to diners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see a lot more energy here,â&#x20AC;? Hargrave said. A veteran restaurateur who has two other Tacolicious locations in San Francisco, he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been thinking about coming to Palo Alto for a while. I love this community and

NEW SUBWAY FOR SOUTH PALO ALTO ... A Subway is coming to Charleston Center at the corner of Middlefield and Charleston roads.

Construction began this week to transform a small office that was home to an insurance company into the sandwich shop. Located near Piazzaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Foods and next to Green Elephant restaurant, Subway is expected to open in late summer/early fall.

The third shutdown is Lavanda, a Mediterranean Italian and Croatian restaurant and wine bar at 185 University Ave., on the corner of Emerson Street. Although owner Bruce Schmidt said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will be reopening soon at a location nearby,â&#x20AC;? he did not provide additional information. Replacing Lavanda is Campo Pizzeria, a new concept from the owners of Samâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chowder House in Half Moon Bay and Osteria Coppa in San Mateo. Sources said that Campo Pizzeria is expected to open in October.

TROUBLE AHEAD FOR TERRITORY AHEAD ... At least two of Territory Aheadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four stores are closing this month, including the one at Stanford Shopping Center. Scheduled to shut down for good on July 28, the travel and casual clothing store is currently offering most merchandise at steep discounts. Territory Ahead opened an outlet store in Midtown Palo Alto in 2004, but that, along with its companion store, Travelsmith, closed several years ago.

Heard a rumor about your favorite store or business moving out, or in, down the block or across town? Daryl Savage will check it out. Email shoptalk@ paweekly.com.

Movies MOVIE TIMES

Showtimes for the Century 16 and Century 20 theaters are for Friday through Tuesday only unless otherwise noted.

Showtimes for the Palo Alto Square theater are for Friday through Wednesday only unless otherwise noted.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Wed. & Thu. at 5:10 & 9:35 p.m.

TO ROME WITH LOVE

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY WOODY ALLEN WWW.SONYCLASSICS.COM

NOW PLAYING

CENTURY 12 DOWNTOWN SAN MATEO CENTURY 20 DOWNTOWN REDWOOD CITY CINĂ&#x2030;ARTS@PALO ALTO SQUARE 320 East 2nd Avenue, 825 Middlefield Road, 3000 El Camino Real, San Mateo (800) FANDANGO Redwood City (800) FANDANGO Palo Alto (800) FANDANGO

VIEW THE TRAILER AT WWW.TOROMEWITHLOVE.COM

PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL

The Amazing Spider-Man (PG-13) ((( Century 16: Fri.-Mon. at 3:20, 7 & 10:10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9 a.m. & 12:10 p.m.; Mon. also at 11:50 a.m.; In 3D Fri.-Mon. at 4:10 p.m.; In 3D Fri.-Sun. also at 9:40 a.m.; 12:50, 7:40 & 10:50 p.m.; In 3D Mon. also at 10 a.m.; 1, 7:30 & 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 10:55 a.m.; 2, 5:15, 8:30 & 9:55 p.m.; In 3D at 1:10, 4:20, 7:30 & 10:35 p.m.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (PG-13) (((( Guild Theatre: 2, 4:30, 7 & 9:45 p.m.

CIVIC CENTER, 250 HAMILTON AVENUE BROADCAST LIVE ON KZSU, FM 90.1 CABLECAST LIVE ON GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL 26

*****************************************

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG-13) ((1/2 Palo Alto Square: Fri.-Sun. at 4:15 & 7:15 p.m.; Mon.-Wed. at 1:15 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 1:15 & 10 p.m.

Bolshoi Ballet: Bright Stream (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: Sun. at noon; Tue. at 7 p.m. Palo Alto Square: Sun. at noon; Tue. at 7 p.m.

Brave (PG) (((1/2 Century 16: 2:20, 4:50, 7:30 & 10:20 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 11:40 a.m.; In 3D Fri.-Sun. at 9 a.m.; In 3D Mon. & Tue. at 11:30 a.m.

Century 20: 1:45 & 6:50 p.m.; Mon. & Tue. also at 10:40 a.m.; In 3D Fri.-Tue. at 10:20 a.m.; 3 & 7:40 p.m.

Cabaret (1972) (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Wed. at 2 & 7 p.m. Century 20: Wed. at 2 & 7 p.m.

The Dark Knight Rises (PG-13) (((( Century 16: 10:30 & 11:30 a.m.; 12:30, 2:30, 3, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, 7 & 8:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9 & 9:30 a.m.; 1:10, 7:30, 9:30, 10:30 & 10:55 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. also at 11 a.m. & 11:15 p.m.; Mon. & Tue. also at 10 & 11 a.m.; 1:30, 7:50, 9:20, 10:10 & 10:40 p.m.

Century 20: Fri.-Wed. at 10:30 & 11:40 a.m.; 2:10, 3:20, 5:50, 7, 9:30 & 10:35 p.m.; Fri.-Tue. also at 11:05 a.m.; 12:50, 1:30, 2:45, 4:30, 5:05, 8:45 & 10:05 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 10 a.m.; Fri. also at noon & 3:25 p.m.; Sat.-Tue. also at 12:15, 3:55, 6:25, 7:30, 8:10 & 9:30 p.m.

East of Eden (1955) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Wed. & Thu. at 7:30 p.m.

Farewell, My Queen (R) (Not Reviewed) Aquarius Theatre: 1, 3:30, 6 & 8:30 p.m.

Ice Age: Continental Drift (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 11:30 a.m.; noon, 2, 2:30, 4:40 & 10:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. & Tue. also at 5:10 & 7:50 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9 & 9:30 a.m.; In 3D Fri.-Tue. at 10 & 11 a.m.; 12:30, 1:30, 3, 4, 5:40 & 8:20 p.m.; In 3D Fri.-Sun. also at 6:50 & 9:40 p.m.; In 3D Mon. & Tue. also at 6:40 & 9:20 p.m. Century 20: 10:25 & 11:45 a.m.; 12:50, 2:10, 3:10, 4:40, 5:35, 7:05, 8, 9:25 & 10:20 p.m.; In 3D at 11:10 a.m.; 12:20, 1:30, 2:40, 3:45, 6, 8:20 & 10:40 p.m.; In 3D Fri.-Sun. also at 5, 7:25 & 9:50 p.m.

Indiscreet (1958) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Sat.-Tue. at 7:30 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. also at 3:45 p.m.

The Intouchables (R) (( Aquarius Theatre: 1:30, 4:15, 7 & 9:45 p.m.

Katy Perry: Part of Me (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 10:15 a.m. & 7:35 p.m.; In 3D at 12:30, 2:45 & 5:05 p.m.

Madagascar 3: Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Wanted (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 11 a.m.; 4:25 & 9:20 p.m.; In 3D at 12:45, 5:25 & 10:05 p.m.

Magic Mike (R) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 11 a.m.; 1:35 & 4:10 p.m.; Fri.-Mon. also at 7:40 & 10:25 p.m. Century 20: 11:50 a.m.; 2:25, 5, 7:45 & 10:30 p.m.

The Metropolitan Opera: Der Rosenkavalier (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Wed. at 6:30 p.m. Century 20: Wed. at 6:30 p.m. Palo Alto Square: Wed. at 6:30 p.m.

Moonrise Kingdom (PG-13) (((1/2 Century 16: 11:20 a.m.; 1:50, 4:20 & 7:10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9 a.m. & 9:50 p.m.; Mon. & Tue. also at 9:30 p.m. Century 20: 12:25, 2:50, 5:10, 7:50 & 10:10 p.m.

Notorious (1946) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Sat.-Tue. at 5:35 & 9:20 p.m.

Prometheus (R) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 10:20 p.m.; In 3D at 7:10 p.m.

Savages (R) (((1/2 Century 16: 10 a.m.; 12:55, 3:50, 7 & 10:10 p.m. Century 20: 10:25 a.m.; 1:20, 4:15, 7:15 & 10:25 p.m.

Snow White and the Huntsman (PG-13) ((1/2

WOODY ALEC ROBERTO PENĂ&#x2030;LOPE JUDY JESSE GRETA ELLEN ALLEN BALDWIN BENIGNI CRUZ DAVIS EISENBERG GERWIG PAGE

Century 20: 4:20 & 10:15 p.m.; Fri., Sat., Mon. & Tue. also at 10:40 a.m.

The Son of the Sheik (1926) (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 7:30 p.m.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 25th Anniversary Event (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Mon. at 7 p.m. Century 20: Mon. at 7 p.m. Palo Alto Square: Mon. at 7 p.m.

Ted (R) ( Century 16: 10:50 a.m.; 1:40, 4:30 & 7:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 10:30 p.m.; Mon. & Tue. also at 10:15 p.m. Century 20: 12:10, 2:40, 5:20, 7:55 & 10:40 p.m.

To Rome With Love (R) (( Century 20: Fri., Sat. & Mon. at 1:40 & 7:25 p.m.; Sun. at 7:25 p.m.; Tue. at 1:40 p.m. Palo Alto Square: 1:30 & 4:30 p.m.; Fri.Mon. & Wed. also at 7:25 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 10:05 p.m.

The Who - Quadrophenia: The Complete Story (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Tue. at 8 p.m. Century 20: Tue. at 8 p.m. Palo Alto Square: Tue. at 8 p.m.

( Skip it (( Some redeeming qualities ((( A good bet (((( Outstanding Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (266-9260) Century Cinema 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View (800-326-3264) Century 20 Downtown: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City (800-326-3264)

CinĂŠArts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto (493-3456) Guild: 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (266-9260)

THIS IS A SUMMARY OF COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS. THE AGENDA WITH COMPLETE TITLES INCLUDING LEGAL DOCUMENTATION CAN BE VIEWED AT THE BELOW WEBPAGE:

http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/knowzone/agendas/council.asp (TENTATIVE) AGENDAâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;SPECIAL MEETINGCOUNCIL CHAMBERS July 23, 2012 - 4:30 PM SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY 1. Recognition of Website Advisory Committee 2. Appointment of one P&TC Member for One Unexpired Term Ending July 30,2013.

CONSENT CALENDAR 3. Approval of Master Services Agreement between the City of Palo Alto and Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. for Internet Connectivity 4. Policy and Services Committee Recommendation Regarding Massage Ordinance 5. Approval of a Contract with Valentine Corporation In The Amount of $1,947,368.50 for Channing Avenue/Lincoln Avenue Storm Drain Improvements - Phase II, Capital Improvement Program Project SD11101 6. Approval of a Contract with O'Grady Paving, Inc. in the Amount of $2,135,714, the 3rd of 6 Contracts in the 2012 Street Maintenance Program Project (CIP PE-86070) 7. Adoption of Resolution Establishing Fiscal Year 2012-13 Secured and Unsecured Property Tax Levy for the City of Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Obligation Bond Indebtedness (Measure N) 8. Appeal of Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Architectural Review Approval of Site Improvements Associated with the Conversion of an Existing Building to an 86 Room Hotel with Ground Floor Restaurant and a Design Enhancement Exception (DEE) and Sign Exceptions to 180 Hamilton Avenue 9. Selection of Voting Delegate and Alternate for the Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2012 Annual Conference 10. Adoption of an Ordinance Approving and Adopting a Plan for Improvements to Cogswell Plaza 11. Approval of a Record of Land Use Action for the Reconstruction of the Historic Residence at 564 University Avenue 12. Adoption of a Resolution to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase Electricity Resource Adequacy Capacity Products for Calendar Year 2013 in an Amount Not to Exceed $2 Million 13. Mitchell Park Library and Community Center Bi-Monthly Construction Contract Report 14. Approval of an Agreement with Van Scoyoc Associates Inc. for Up to Three Years in an Amount not to Exceed a Total of $303,000 for Federal Legislative Representation 15. Council Direction to Use Secretary of State Draw for Ballot Order 16. Policy and Services Committee Recommendation to Accept the Policy for Administering the Employee Ethics Hotline ACTION ITEMS 17. Approval of Detailed Sidewalk and Plaza Design for California Avenue Transit Hub Corridor Streetscape Improvements Project 18. Finance Committee Recommendation to ReconďŹ gure the Palo Alto Golf Course, and Staff Recommendation to Negotiate an Amendment to Existing Contract with Golf Course Architect Forest Richardson & Associates for up to $341,035 19. Adoption of Resolution Amending Section 1401 of the Merit System Rules and Regulations with SEIU Local 521 20. Public Hearing: Proposed Revenue Increases and Expenditure Reductions for Animal Services 21. Public Hearing: Adoption of a Resolution ConďŹ rming Weed Abatement Report and Ordering Cost of Abatement to be a Special Assessment on the Respective Properties Described Therein 22. Adoption of a Resolution Implementing Terms for Police Managers' Association Pursuant to Government Code Section 3505 23. Consideration of a Motion to Support the Initiative â&#x20AC;&#x153;Revote High Speed Railâ&#x20AC;? (CMGR)

Stanford: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (324-3700) Internet address: For show times, plot synopses, trailers and more information about films playing, go to PaloAltoOnline.com/movies

Sign up today at www.PaloAltoOnline.com Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;°*>Â?Â&#x153; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;"Â&#x2DC;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;i°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;*>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä£Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x160;U Page 27

Movies

D I S C OV E R T H E M O S T

MAGICAL FI L M OF T H E Y EAR â&#x20AC;&#x153;A BLAST OF

SHEER IMPROBABLE JOY.â&#x20AC;?

A.O. SCOTT

Christian Bale as the billionaire-turned-Batman.

OPENINGS The Dark Knight Rises ----

EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS now playing

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21 st

CAMPBELL MENLO PARK SAN JOSE " % %(# * % # " % -& ( ! '% #+ %'& #' # $)

(Century 16, Century 20) All the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gotham City in Christopher Nolanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambitious Batman trilogy, which comes to an emphatic conclusion with â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dark Knight Rises.â&#x20AC;?

The screenplay by Nolan and his brother Jonathan takes inspiration from â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Tale of Two Citiesâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Metropolisâ&#x20AC;? (not Clark Kentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Fritz Langâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) in depicting the levels of society: the 99 percent versus the 1 percent, the skyscrapers down to the sewers. The leitmotif of Nolanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-orchestrated Batman saga is how a society, and indeed an individual, responds to a fall. In â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dark Knight Rises,â&#x20AC;? Gotham becomes subject to cleansing fires â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even a mushroom cloud â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in hopeful anticipation of a phoenix-like rise to civilized order over underworld chaos.

Nolanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third act begins with a lie, still being told eight years after the events of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dark Knight.â&#x20AC;? As far

as the people know, the vigilante known as The Batman is responsible for the murders committed by Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent, a crusader who went criminally insane. Most see an unequivocal win in the subsequent â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dent Actâ&#x20AC;?: Crime rates have dropped precipitously. But police Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) is having a hard time living with himself, especially when pressed by the idealistic and suspicious young officer John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

Trading integrity for criminal convictions seemed like a greater-good short-term bargain, but the long-term consequences loom large.

Batman has receded into billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), now a limping recluse joked about in Howard Hughes terms. How the mighty have fallen. The listless Wayne shows little interest in the good works of the Wayne Foundation or the forward-looking clean-energy project touted by Wayne Enterprises executive board member Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard). Despite the efforts of loyal butler Alfred Penny-

Call for Entries

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worth (Michael Caine), the romantically crushed Wayne resists getting â&#x20AC;&#x153;back into the swing of things.â&#x20AC;?

Pressing the point are two characters plucked from the pages of Batman comics. Fearsome terrorist Bane (a piercingly intense Tom Hardy) was trained, like Batman,

by Raâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s al Ghul (Liam Neeson) and amongst his League of Shadows. Cat burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway, credibly sly and sassy) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; also known, though not here, as Catwoman â&#x20AC;&#x201D; wants a â&#x20AC;&#x153;clean slateâ&#x20AC;? in an Internet age when information is immortal (as Raâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s al Ghul significantly notes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are many forms of immortalityâ&#x20AC;?). Aided by Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), Batmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Q,â&#x20AC;? Wayne suits up once more as Gothamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important symbol, this time taking the wheel of a flying Batmobile dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bat.â&#x20AC;?

The Cecil B. DeMille scale of the film delivers a whole lotta movie, with cast-of-thousands spectacle and giant-sized action that says â&#x20AC;&#x153;epicâ&#x20AC;? almost as much as â&#x20AC;&#x153;blockbuster.â&#x20AC;?

Almost half the film was shot in eye-popping IMAX thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entirely worth the premium price, and when it comes to the seeming oxymoron of blockbuster cinema, Nolan proves again to be uncommonly smart. The Nolans consider the issues of the day (thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big Occupy Gotham theme, with a twist); explore the role of legendary heroes (from Robin Hood to Batman and Robin) in galvanizing the public; and labor mightily to ensure that how their Batman ends dovetails with 2005â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Batman Begins.â&#x20AC;?

Rated PG-13 for intense violence and action, sensuality and language.

Two hours, 45 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese

One entry per category You may use this form to mail payment for entries submitted by email and/or to mail your images on a CD. No print submissions.

Matted prints for winning entries will be requested of the photographer for exhibition.

For questions call 650.223.6588 or e-mail photocontest@paweekly.com

Century Theatres at Palo Alto Square Fri & Sat The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 7/20-7/21 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:00 To Rome with Love - 1:30, 4:30, 7:25, 10:05 Sun 7/22 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - 4:15, 7:15 To Rome with Love - 1:30, 4:30, 7:25 Mon 7/23 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - 1:15 To Rome with Love - 1:30, 4:30, 7:25 Tues 7/24 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - 1:15 To Rome with Love - 1:30, 4:30 Wed 7/25 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel -1:15 To Rome with Love - 1:30, 4:30, 7:25

Tickets and Showtimes available at cinemark.com

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Sports Shorts

WATER POLO

Packaged deal for Paly polo

SEASON ENDS . . . Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Babe Ruth 14-year-old all-stars were eliminated from the NorCal State Tournament in a 13-6 loss to visiting Mountain View at Baylands Athletic Center on Monday evening. Palo Alto lost in the second round to Northern Solano, 9-8, in eight innings Sunday night and fell short again with a third-round ending this season. Mountain View started off its first inning with a bang, connecting for four hits â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one an RBI double into deep left off the bat of catcher T.J. Solomona. Mountain View led 3-1 after the first inning. Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bats came alive in the fourth when center fielder Alexii Sigona ripped a two-run double into left field, tying the game 5-5. The fifth inning turned out to be pivotal for Palo Alto as Mountain View struck for five runs on four hits.

Shortstop Adam Spielman had the key hit, a double over the head of left fielder Shane Stafford, who was playing shallow, bringing in two runs and putting his team up 10-5 after the fifth.

READ MORE ONLINE

www.PASportsOnline.com For expanded daily coverage of college and prep sports, please see our new site at www.PASportsOnline.com

Gunn grads and twins Matt (left) and Brandon Johnson are getting their feet wet as the new coaches of the Palo Alto High water polo teams by coaching the Palo Alto Water Polo Club during the summer, in addition to coaching at the Stanford Water Polo Club.

(continued on page 31)

PRO BASKETBALL

TRACK & FIELD

Lin takes next step in his NBA career

The greatest dual meet is turning 50

by Jason Friedman irst things first: Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be seeing no puns here in this space. Not now, not ever. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a promise. Well, maybe.

That means no more Linsanity. No more Lin Star State. No more Linsane asylum.

The fact of the matter is that Palo Alto High grad Jeremy Lin is much more than a ready-made moniker made for easy headlines. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just some Disney movie come to life. And despite what you may have heard, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also far more than a mere marketing machine.

Jeremy Lin is a basketball player. And heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty good one at that. It has just taken this long for the NBA world to discover it.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why he went from the Golden State Warriorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bench two seasons ago to commanding a $25.1 million, three-year deal from the Houston Rockets this week, after the New York Knicks declined to keep their restricted free agent point guard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A year ago, I was just trying to stay alive and fight day by day, just to be on a roster,â&#x20AC;? Lin said.

F

(continued on page 30)

(This month marks the 50th anniversary of the famed 1962 U.S.-U.S.S.R. track and field meet at Stanford Stadium. This story originally appeared in the Peninsula Times Tribune in 1992.)

by Keith Peters t was a warm, sticky afternoon. Athletes from the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two greatest nations just completed two days of competition in what would became a meet for the ages.

A journalist from the Soviet Union walked up to Stanford University track coach Payton Jordan and said of the 1962 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Track and field meet: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I doubt Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ever see another event as good.â&#x20AC;?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to say that the Russian newspaperman didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. What happened at Stanford Stadium in July, 1962 was a moment in history that never will be repeated.

Two nations, as different as their political beliefs, came together on a playing field. It was East against West. The Reds against the Red, White

I

Harjanto Sumali

COMING BACK . . . Stanford fans will get another season to watch ace Mark Appel take the hill at Sunken Diamond, as he and the Pittsburgh Pirates were unable to reach an agreement before the signing deadline last Friday. The Pirates chose Appel with the eighth overall selection in the June Major League Baseball First-Year Draft; however, many scouts listed the Stanford starter as the top pitching prospect in the draft. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After much thought, prayer and analysis of both opportunities, I came to the conclusion the best decision is to remain at Stanford continuing my studies, finishing my degree, and doing all I can to assist the Cardinal baseball team in our goal to win a national championship,â&#x20AC;? Appel said in a statement. Appel, was recently named the College Baseball Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association National Pitcher of the Year.

by Keith Peters ince they started playing water polo in the seventh grade, twin brothers Brandon and Matt Johnson have been a team.

Brandon scored goals and Matt blocked them. It was a formidable one-two punch that helped the two enjoy success at every level.

As 16-year olds in 2004, the two helped the Stanford Water Polo Club 16U Red team earn a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics. As high school juniors the same year, the two helped Gunn reach the Central Coast Section Division I finals before losing to Bellarmine.

No Gunn boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; water polo team has advanced that far since then.

And, as college students at UC Irvine, Brandon and Matt helped the Anteaters to an 18-8 record and No. 5 national ranking in their senior year. Both players earned Player of the Week honors in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation during their collegiate days and Brandon was a three-time All-American.

They both graduated in 2011.

While Matt majored in social ecology and Brandon in criminology, law and society, water polo was still in their blood. So, they headed to Australia to play professionally during the spring season in the U.S. While they met that challenge, another was waiting for them back home. School administrators at Palo Alto High had dismissed the entire water polo coaching staff in November and the program still needed varsity and JV head

S

Keith Peters

WATCH LISTS . . . Stanford senior running back Stepfan Taylor has been included on the Doak Walker Award Preseason Candidate List. The Doak Walker Award is presented annually to the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top running back.

Stanfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Toby Gerhart captured the honor in 2009. Taylor, from Mansfield, Texas, has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons (201011). Other Stanford players named to preseason â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;watchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lists include: junior defensive end Ben Gardner, named for the Lombardi Award, which is presented annually to nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top college lineman or linebacker; Chase Thomas, Shayne Skov and Trent Murphy are up for the Butkus Award, which is presented annually to the top linebacker in college football; Thomas and Skov also have been included on preseason lists for the Bednarik and Nagurski Awards, honoring the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top defensive player; and David Yankey was named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, which honors the top interior lineman.

Johnson twins will double their efforts for Vikingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; program

Champion again

Serena Williams successfully defended her Bank of the West Classic singles title last Sunday at Stanford with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Coco Vandeweghe.

(continued on page 30)

Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;°*>Â?Â&#x153; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;"Â&#x2DC;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;i°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;*>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä£Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x160;U Page 29

Sports

Jeremy Lin

(continued from page 30)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I have now is way more than I ever would have dreamed of, and way more than I need.â&#x20AC;?

On Thursday, Lin was formerly introduced to the Houston media, and had this to say.

On the Rockets: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The biggest thing is the fact I know what this organization is about. I was in training camp with coach (Kevin) McHale, I know what he is about and what to expect.â&#x20AC;?

On the past 12 months: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an unbelievable ride. A lot of things happened that I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect to happen. I still have to keep reminding myself this is all happening.â&#x20AC;?

On former Houston star Yao Ming:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We text back and forth it was more congratulatory. When things settle down I will be talking to him.â&#x20AC;?

On his surgically repaired knee: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m almost to the point I have the same explosiveness as before.â&#x20AC;?

On free-agency and the Knicks: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coming into free-agency, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect to be anywhere beside New York. I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have signed an offer sheet if I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t excited about playing here. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m thankful for what the Knicks did for me last year. We developed a friendship on that team last year that will last a lifetime.â&#x20AC;?

On the future? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just want to focus on getting better as a person and a player.â&#x20AC;?

While there has been plenty of pros and cons regarding Lin in his brief NBA career, here are some

fore. Their teams will never be as dominant.â&#x20AC;? (continued from page 30) While the 1962 meet at Stanford wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the last meeting between and Blue. The hammer and sickle the two superpowers, its succesagainst the stars and stripes. sors never matched its intensity, It was the ultimate rivalry. And the spectatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; enthusiasm or the a two-day crowd of 155,000 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the camaraderie between athletes. largest crowd ever to watch a ttrack A year later, the event shifted to and field meet in this country â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Soviet Union. It returned to the turned out to view the spectacle.

U.S. In 1964, where 40,000 saw the For a brief time, the Cold War rivals compete in Los Angeles. In thawed. Hated en1971, a combined Soemies became close viet-Commonwealth friends. Americans team ran against the stood and actually Americans in Berkesang the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star-Spanley. The finals U.S.gled Banner.â&#x20AC;? People Soviet dual meet was cheered. And they back in Berkeley in cried.

1978, but fewer than â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a wonderful 22,00 turned out. moment,â&#x20AC;? said Jordan, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It all seemed to go the organizational downhill after Stangenius behind what ford,â&#x20AC;? said Jon Henmany have called the dershott, associated greatest track and field editor of the Mountain meet in U.S. History. Payton Jordan View-based Track and â&#x20AC;&#x153;It had more value, in Field News magazine that respect, than any Olympics and a former national track writer Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever been to. of the year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 1962, it was the â&#x20AC;&#x153;I constantly hear people say Big Red Menace, us versus them. it was the best event theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever It was long gone by the 70s. The been to in their lifetime,â&#x20AC;? said the desire and need for international silver-haired Jordan, now 75 but as dual meets just died.â&#x20AC;? physically vibrant as ever. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Quickening the demise of such never see it again. It was a one- a grand meet was the European time thing.â&#x20AC;? circuit and start up of the Grand Jordan is correct, for another Prix system. Then there was the event just took place that will as- difficulty and cost of transporting sure the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Meet its teams from Europe. permanent place in history.

Now, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a World ChamWhen the athletes marched into pionship every two years in adthe Olympic Stadium in Barcelona dition to the Olympics, giving for the opening ceremonies of the many more athletes a chance to 1992 Summer Games, the Soviet compete against the very best. In Union was only an athletic shadow addition, the track athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loyof its once powerful self. alty has changed as much as the Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political climate. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the have separated from the old URS free-enterprise system for all, on a (Soviet Union), whose 11 allied world scale. World recordholders leftovers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Commonwealth of like Carl Lewis and Sergey Bubka Independent States (CIS) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; joined command salaries never dreamed with former Soviet republic Geor- of in 1962. gia in competing under the Unified There is no time for dual meets.

Team flag.

Nor is it profitable for the indiThe old U.S.-Soviet rivalry is as vidual athletes. The call of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dead as communism, and there is country has been replaced by the no hope of resurrecting it. It has call from rich meet promoters. gone the way of the Berlin Wall Thirty years ago, however, and the sawdust high jump pit. the U.S.-Russia dual was the big â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never see it again,â&#x20AC;? Jor- meet. The East Germans had not dan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is no similar yet evolved into a power, leaving circumstances â&#x20AC;&#x201D; internationally the Americans and Soviets as the â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at this period of time. The CIS worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most dominant track and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the clout or unity as be-

numbers behind the phenomenon: The Harvard alum averaged 14.6 points, 6.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds in his injury-shortened 35-game season. During a span of 25 stars, Lin accumulated 455 points and 192 assists. The only NBA player to match both those numbers in that period was current U.S. Olympian Chris Paul, with 548 points and 226 assists.

If his points and assists were averaged out over 36 minutes last season, Linâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 19.6 points and 8.3 assists were better than former Rocket point guards Kyle Lowry (16.0 and 7.4) and Goran Dragic (15.9 and 7.2).

Lin was a very good pick-and-roll player and a spectacular performer out of the isolations last year. His Synergy stats in those categories: .797 points per possession when op-

erating out of the pick-and roll, good enough to rank him in the 63rd percentile at his position, and a whopping 1.022 points per possession in iso situations, which put him in the NBAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 95th percentile. Those numbers are downright elite. And just in case youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wondering, the bread and butter of McHaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offense is the pick-and-roll.

Lin will have the ball in his hands a ton and he, like Lowry and Dragic did before him, can be expected to thrive as the primary playmaker driving the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offense.

Lin is an excellent rebounder for his position. His 6.6 rebound rate put him 16th among all point guards last year and his 11.1 defensive rebound rate was good enough for 13th overall.

Lin gets to the free-throw line in bunches. He averaged 5.2 free throw

attempts per game last season, placing him sixth among all point guards in that category. And during his jaw-dropping January run, he bulled his way to the line more than seven times per game.

Lin is not a finished product. And that, perhaps, is the most exciting aspect of all. The world watched as his storybook tale unfolded and it was undoubtedly amazing. But what if the best is yet to come? What if the Lin saga is only just beginning?

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about to find out the answer. So forget about the puns (OK, maybe just one more). The only thing that truly matters: Jeremy Lin can play and help the Rockets win games. And thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing Linsane about that.

Jason Friedman writes for Rockets.com

Page 30Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä£Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;*>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;°*>Â?Â&#x153; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;"Â&#x2DC;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;i°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C;

Courtesy of Peninsula Times Tribune

Track meet

Stanford Stadium attracted 155,000 spectators over two days for the 1962 U.S.-U.S.S.R. track meet, field powers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It really was a summit meeting back then,â&#x20AC;? Hendershott said.

Surprisingly, the 1962 meet came about as a way to solve a budget deficit in the Stanford Athletic Department. The 1960 Stanford football team was moribund, compiling a 0-10 record and the department was $100,000 in the red.

The late Al Masters, then the athletic director, approached Jordan and asked if a track meet could create a gate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sure.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Then he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you think we could get the Russians here?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jordan said.

Jordan, of course, did.

As a track star at Southern Cal in the late 1930s, Jordan received a letter from a Soviet athlete asking for some training tips. That athlete, Gabriel Korobkov, later became the head coach of the Soviet track and field team.

When Jordan took a U.S. Team to Moscow in 1958, he met Korobkov â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and a friendship was struck.

It was Korobkov whom Jordan contacted for the 1962 meet.

Following long planning sessions to make sure everything would run smoothly, Stanford put up $125,000 to cover the cost of bringing the Soviet team to the West Coast for the first time. History was in the making. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This community went for it hook, line and sinker,â&#x20AC;? Jordan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153; They embraced the meet and the people.â&#x20AC;?

Soviet workouts attracted crowds of 5,000 to Angell Field and Stanford Stadium. After all, it was a chance to see the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Redsâ&#x20AC;?, as they were described by the media during their stay. Peninsula residents, however, discovered that these strangers from behind the Iron Curtain were hardly cold-hearted individuals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People sat thee and saw they were decent human beings,â&#x20AC;? Jordan said, recalling the moment when Soviet women shot putter Tamara Press, unable to bend down to receive her gold medal, picked up AAU official Howard Berlinger and gave him a big kiss as he placed the medal around her neck.

There were other memorable moments during the two-day meet.

Soviet high jumper Valeriy Brumel breaking his own world record with a momentous leap of 7-5; American Hal Connolly bettering his world record in the hammer with a 231-10 toss; 1960 Olympic triple gold medalist Wilma Rudolph winning the 100 meters and anchoring the U.S. Women to victory in the 400-meter relay; and future NFL star Bob Hayes winning the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 meters.

But the best was saved for last.

The planned closing ceremony was to have been a lineup of the two teams, parallel across one end of the football field. Flag-bearers John Thomas of the U.S. And Viktor Tsibulenko of the U.S.S.R. Then

were to lead the teams off and exit at the open end of the stadium.

With a band blaring a march and the teams leaving to a standing ovation, Tsibulenko turned to Thomas and said in broken English: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We go all the way around, yes?â&#x20AC;?

Thomas nodded and the teams headed for a victory lap. Then something wonderful happened.

American and Russian men and women began slipping arm through arm, putting arms around each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoulders and intertwining the white USA uniforms with the red and blue of the CCCP. They no longer were in separate lines. Instead, they were two groups of great athletes marching together.

It was an emotional scene as the 81,000 spectators stood and applauded. Many were in tears. They has all witnessed something special, something historic.

Little did anyone realize that it never would happen again.N Keith Peters first wrote this article for the Peninsula Times Tribune in 1992, for the 30th anniversary of the meet. He was among the thousands of spectators who attended the twoday event in 1962. Payton Jordan went on to coach the 1968 U.S. Olympic track and field team to 24 medals and spent 23 years at Stanford. Jordan died of cancer at his home in Laguna Hills in 2009 at age 91.

Sports OF LOCAL NOTE

Gunn wrestler pins down another title Palo Alto badminton player wins junior national title; local Frisbee players bring home world championship gold

by Rick Eymer

G Keith Peters

Twin brothers Matt (left) and Brandon Johnson, 2006 Gunn High grads, will be the new boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; JV and varsity water polo coaches this fall at Palo Alto High. The two also play professionally in Australia.

Coaches

(continued from page 29)

coaches, plus staff.

Former Paly standout Jon Barnea, an assistant on the Stanford menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s varsity team and who oversees the Stanford Water Polo Club boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; program, contacted the twins and told them they should consider applying. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since they left for UC Irvine, I have remained in good contact with them and we have always talked about the possibility of them coming back to the area to get involved in coaching,â&#x20AC;? Barnea said.

Barnea not only got the 23-yearold brothers to coach the club teams, but both got hired on at Paly as the new head and JV coaches.

Brandon, who is 21 minutes older than Matt, is the Vikingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new head coach. Matt will assistant his brother in addition to guiding the JV team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to stay in Palo Alto,â&#x20AC;? said Matt, who previously coached at Aliso Niguel High in Orange County while Brandon was assisting the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team at UC Irvine.

The brothers missed out on a similar coach opening at Gunn, which was filled by veteran Stanford WPC coach Tim Kates. The former St. Francis High and Cal goalie got the job while the twins were in Australia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coaching at your alma mater is always nice, but it is Palo Alto,â&#x20AC;?

Matt said of the new jobs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We both wanted the head coach job (at Paly), but we decided as long as we put in the same time it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really matter. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something he (Brandon) is looking to do as a career.â&#x20AC;?

The Johnson brothers, who are back living at home because they hope to return to Australia in the spring, bring a lot to an empty table at Palo Alto High. The dismissal of the previous coaching staff, reasons of which were never made public, pretty much centered around head coach Giovanni Napolitano. His strong, European-based personality, demonstrative behavior and reported lack of communication

didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit well with the Paly parents as the Vikings often struggled against teams they used to beat routinely.

When the staff was dismissed, the Palo Alto Water Polo Club was closed and its winter season canceled.

The Johnson brothers, however, have breathed new life into it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a great turnout,â&#x20AC;? Matt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Basically, our whole varsity is here.â&#x20AC;?

The brothers have been holding two-hour morning sessions at Paly, four days a week, since signing on.

In the evenings, Brandon coaches the Stanford Water Polo Club 18under White (B) team while Matt coaches the 16U White squad.

Their worlds, these days, simply revolve around water polo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paly has great athletic teams all around,â&#x20AC;? said Matt. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to make water polo a sport where kids want to come out and play. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to scream and yell and, if we do, we try to stay positive.â&#x20AC;?

Since the majority of area high school teams practice and play either together or on club squads, Palo Alto was behind everyone else. The eventual goal is to keep all the Viking players together during the summer and compete in the Junior Olympics and other elite tournaments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Paly, we have good, young players,â&#x20AC;? said Matt. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to build a team, make a run at championships and make the program one of the best on the Peninsula.

Added Brandon: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Building a program is always fun. I know where we can be and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to get them there. I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll surprise some teams this year.â&#x20AC;?

Before that happens, Brandon and Matt will coach their Stanford club teams in the SwimOutlet.com Junior Olympics, which is being held on the Peninsula next week. The boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; four-day tournament runs July 28-31, followed by the girls from Aug. 2-5. Area pools like Palo Alto, Menlo-Atherton, and Sacred Heart Prep will be used, with the medal matches set for Stanfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Avery Aquatic Center.

After that, the Johnsons will make plans on returning to Australia and continue their professional careers. The move, however, keeps the twins apart for one of the few times in their lives.

Matt plays in Brisbane and Brandon in Perth, which are on opposite sides of the continent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We only saw each other on weekends,â&#x20AC;? said Matt, who Skyped with Brandon as much as possible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was definitely an experience to wake up in the morning and not have him there. I was his goalie for 10 years.â&#x20AC;?

While both of their club teams enjoyed success, Matt said the separation was probably more difficult for Brandon due to â&#x20AC;&#x153;not having me behind him.â&#x20AC;?

Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team went 19-3 and made the playoffs while Brandonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just missed. The brothers faced each other twice during the season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My team won both times,â&#x20AC;? Matt said proudly.

Matt also did a good job of nearly shutting out Brandon, except for one occasion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brandon scored once on me, a penalty shot,â&#x20AC;? Matt recalled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was the only one he got in both games.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was fun to play against him,â&#x20AC;? added Brandon.

Each pro team in Australia can have only two imports. Both brothers had their air fare taken care of in addition of the use of a car and house. Brandon also got $125 per week. Stanford grad and four-time U.S. Olympian Tony Azevedo, meanwhile, can make a living playing in Europe.

Thus, the twins are realistic about their future in the sport.

When their pro careers end, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll shift their focus to coaching. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll try to keep this (Paly) program going year round,â&#x20AC;? Matt said.

An ambitious plan, for sure, but one thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s followed by other schools in the area. Matt and Brandon Johnson know of Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success in other sports and they want to bring that to the water polo program.N

unn High junior Cadence Lee may be out of school this summer, but it hardly has been a vacation as she continued to shine on the wrestling mat.

Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest achievement was winning the 108-pound girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cadet title at the 2012 National Freestyle Championships on Saturday in Fargo, N.D. Lee went 5-0, pinning three opponents in the first period in 49 seconds, 18 seconds and 1:55 to claim the title.

She opened with a decision, pinned two opponents, won her third match by decision (losing her first and only period in the five matches) and then won the crown.

Lee was going to compete in the Junior Division of the championships on Sunday, but an injury forced her default.

Lee next is scheduled to participate in a two-week training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., followed by participation in the Cadet World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan from Aug. 18-25.

Badminton Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stephanie Yu, a seventhgrader at Jordan Middle School, won the gold medal in girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; singles in the Under-13 division at the Junior National Badminton Championships that finished up this past weekend in the city of Orange in Southern California.

Yu went 4-0 to win the singles title, topped by a 21-14, 21-16 triumph in the finals.

In addition to winning her first Junior National title, Yu was third in doubles and fourth in mixed doubles.

She finished second in doubles in 2011.

Yu is now ranked No. 1 in doubles, No. 2 in singles and No. 3 in mixed doubles in the U-13 division.

Next up for Yu will be the 2012 Pan American Junior Badminton Championships in Alberta, Canada, (July 22-29). A total of 16 countries will be participating. This is Yuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth time attending the Jr. Pan Ams. At this meet last year, held in Jamaica, Yu took home gold in doubles and mixed doubles plus silver in singles in the U-13 division.

Frisbee Gunn High graduate Russell Wynne and eight Stanford grads helped the USA capture the Open Division at the World Flying Disc Federation 2012 Ultimate Championships that wrapped up Saturday in Sakai, Japan.

Wynne (a UC Santa Cruz grad) and Cardinal grads Robbie Cahill, Tom James, Jordan Jeffrey, Jonathan Levy, Nick Schlag, Mark Sherwood, Bart Watson and Josh Wiseman play for the San Francisco-based Revolver team that represented the United States.

A total of 19 countries were represented in the Open Division, with Team USA capturing the crown with a 17-5 win over Great Britain. The Americans edged Canada, 17-16, in the semifinals and ousted Finland,

17-7, in the quarterfinals.

Wynne, who graduated from Gunn in 2006, was a standout soccer player for the Titans before turning to Ultimate Frisbee. He played in 10 games in the tournament, scoring eight goals and adding two assists. Wiseman led the team with 17 goals with James adding three.

In the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Masters division, Palo Alto resident Jennifer Donnelly coached the USA team to a 6-1 record and the gold medal. Fellow Stanford grads Dominique Fontenette and Ashley Simons played for the winning team, which brought home the top prize following a 15-13 victory over Canada.

Team USA reached the finals with a 15-11 victory over Japan.

Golf Menlo School grad Ben Scribner wound up being the second alternate after playing 42 holes on Monday at the 2012 U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying at Marin Country Club.

Scribner appeared out of the running after firing a 6-over 78 in the morning round, but rallied with a 3-under 69 in the afternoon -- including three birdies on his final nine holes -- to finish in a four-way tie for third at 147.

Only the top three players qualified for the championships at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo., on August 13-19.

Tyler Raber of El Macero won the coveted third berth on the third playoff hole with Scribner being relegated to the second alternate spot on the sixth playoff hole.

Water polo Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still some work to be done by the Stanford Water Polo Club as its teams prepare to host the upcoming SwimOutlet.com Junior Olympics in boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; water polo.

The 16U Red team finished fifth and the 18U Red squad took seventh at last weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s U.S. Club Championships in Southern California, an event featuring the top teams that will be in town next week for the Junior Olympics. .The 18U Red went 3-2, opening with a pair of wins before falling to eventual runner-up Los Angeles Water Polo Club, 13-9, and then eventual champion SoCal, 12-11. A third straight loss, 9-6 to Lamorinda, put Stanford in the seventh-place game.

There, the 18s edged Santa Barbara, 8-7.

The 16U Red team fared a little better. Stanford again opened with a pair of wins before losing to eventual runner-up LAWPC, 12-10. After a 5-2 victory over San Diego Shores, Stanford dropped an 11-6 decision to eventual champ Del Mar. A 10-5 victory over Lamorinda wrapped up fifth place and a 4-2 finish.

The Stanford 14U Red team went 3-3 and took 10th while the 12U Red squad finished 2-3-1 while taking 15th. N

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Palo Alto Median Price â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Midyear 2012

Crescent Park

$2,200,000 Downtown

$1,801,000

Green Gables

Community Ctr

$1,697,000

$2,193,000 Professorville

$2,075,000 Old Palo Alto

Midtown

$2,558,000

$1,602,000

Stanford

$1,636,000 College

$1,429,000

South Palo Alto

$1,492,000

Ventura

$1,038,000

Barron Park

Map Courtesy of Palo Alto Weekly

$1,827,000

Green Acres

$1,800,000

Information Based on MLS Single Family Homes

Palo Alto Hills

schoelerman

$1,888,000

Call Jackie & Richard to Sell or Buy Your Home Jackie (650) 855-9700 | Richard (650) 566-8033 jackie@apr.com | richard@apr.com www.schoelerman.com DRE # 01092400 | DRE # 01413607

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