Almanac 01.04.2012 - Section 1

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The year in pictures. Page 12

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

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Remembering

MARION SOFTKY Page 5

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MENLO PARK | 1550 El Camino Real, Suite 100 650.462.1111 WOODSIDE | 2930 Woodside Road 650.529.1111 2 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

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Almanac photo by Michelle Le

Goat Hill Farm is at a temporary location in Woodside.

Goat farm finds temporary home By Kate Daly

N WOODSIDE

Special to the Almanac

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isa Green is hoping the new year will bring Goat Hill Farm a more permanent home. Right now she and her son, Stone, 16, are keeping their herd of 21 goats, one llama, 20 chickens and seven water fowl at an “extremely temporary� location adjacent to Skyline Boulevard in Woodside. Originally, the rescued and donated animals grazed on a hill next to the gas station in central Woodside. When the property changed hands in 2009, the animals relocated to La Honda. They’ve been back in Woodside for a couple of months now, and are expecting to move again in the next two months. “We need to get these animals back on pasture,� Ms. Green says. “We’re looking actively with open space and Stanford,� she explains, trying to stay “in Woodside, La Honda, San Gre-

gorio, Pescadero and the greater coastal area.� “We’re open to almost any possibility; we can live on the property and rent a cabin or cottage,� or act as caretakers for other animals, she says. She works as a massage therapist in the Woodside area.

‘We need to get these animals back on pasture.’ LISA GREEN

She admits it may take awhile, but her goal is to create a nonprofit organization centered on the herd “to bring the healing education and education value that animals can provide back to the community.� She tells how her son had health issues years ago and that his contact and interaction with a goat helped him with his heal-

ing. That’s what gave her the idea to use animals for therapy. She enjoyed the attention the animals attracted when they lived on Woodside Road, and would like to see more groups interact with them in the future, but that’s not possible at the current location. She says she’s grateful for the “very generous� people who have recently made room for the animals in their backyard. The corral and animal shelters are nestled in the redwoods. The fence runs right along a public hiking and riding trail just north of the intersection of highways 84 and 35. A sign posted on the fence encourages friends and fans to show their support by going to the GoatHillFarm Facebook page, emailing her at joywithintao@yahoo.com, or calling her at (650) 533-2828. Aside from a new pasture, her wish list includes a truck and trailer, and legal expertise to help develop a nonprofit. A

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THE ALMANAC (ISSN 1097-3095 and USPS 459370) is published every Wednesday by Embarcadero Media, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 940256558. Periodicals Postage Paid at Menlo Park, CA and at additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for San Mateo County, The Almanac is delivered free to homes in Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside. Subscriptions for $60 per year or $100 per 2 years are welcome. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025-6558. Copyright Š2012 by Embarcadero Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

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4 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

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Marion Softky covered community for 40 years The longtime Almanac writer died on Christmas evening

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n a business where the news is here today and gone tomorrow — or, in the Internet age, more like here at 10 and gone by 11 — Marion Softky devoted her 40 years at the Almanac to subjects of more enduring value, from portraits of characters who played a role in local history to examinations of environmental issues and scientific developments, all from the local angle. Ms. Softky, who had written thousands of such stories for the Almanac, died at The Sequoias in Portola Valley on Christmas evening of complications from long-term abdominal cancer. She was 84. “During the previous week, countless visitors from as far as Texas had massaged her feet, helped moisten her mouth, sang Christmas carols, brought flowers and cards, and mostly listened to re-told stories of her childhood, marriage, and Open Space (!),” her son Bill Softky said in an email. Open space and the environment were some of her favorite topics. Among the many others: local history and people, the

COVER PHOTO: Marion Softky working in the old Woodside office of the Country Almanac, back in the days of rotary phones, typewriters and pencil on paper.

town of Portola Valley, science, San Mateo County government, and just about any other subject of significance in the Almanac area. “Marion is one of those rare people who are not replaceable,” said Almanac Managing Editor Richard Hine. “She played such an important role in the Almanac community for so many years. She will be greatly missed by friends and colleagues, the many people who knew her in the community, and the many more who read her stories in our pages.” Born on Sept. 1, 1927, she grew up in a stone farmhouse outside Philadelphia, the youngest daughter of Edward Feild Harvey and Lurline Mosely Harvey. She enjoyed an early childhood of horses, servants, and country clubs, but the family’s fortunes plummeted in the Great Depression. She attended the all-girls Springside School and studied at Bryn Mawr college (in Pennsylvania) on scholarship, ultimately earning a bachelor’s degree in

physics in 1949 and a master’s in physics from the University of Minnesota a few years later. She was acquainted with several influential figures in technology. As a young girl, she played with local technologist Severo Ornstein (author of “Computing in the Middle Ages”), who helped construct the first Internet node and worked at Xerox PARC. When Ms. Softky was in college, her family entertained Presper Eckert and John Mauchley, inventors of the first digital computer ENIAC (represented for fun by a cardboard box with blinking lights labeled MANIAC). She briefly dated Bill Shockley, inventor of the transistor, and explained rock-climbing to him using friction-force vectors. The Washington Post ran a photo with a caption about a pretty young brunette next to a battleship-gray industrial console of huge dials. “Physicist Marion Harvey teaches professors to use the new Mark II Research Reactor,” that caption read. Another article profiled her as the only female spelunker in the area. She married a fellow nuclear physicist, Sheldon Softky, and Almanac photo by Veronica Weber

See MARION, page 8

Marion Softky wrote thousands of stories, large and small, for the Almanac for more than four decades.

Left Bank hires architect Ruling shuts down redevelopment agencies ity to create redevelopment wasn’t a total victory for the govfor new Menlo steakhouse agencies, it also had the power ernor. The agencies were elimiBy Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

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he new year will welcome a new Left Bank steakhouse at 898 Santa Cruz Ave. in downtown Menlo Park, the former location of Marche restaurant at the corner of University Drive. According to spokesman Tom Walton, the restaurant plans to debut in the first quarter of 2012. Designed by architect Mark Stevens of Architecture & Light, the restaurant will be Left Bank’s second in Menlo Park, and is based on a similar establishment on San Jose’s Santana Row. Roland Passot, proprietor and chief culinary officer of Left Bank Brasserie, is leading the project. Signature dishes may include

a 24-ounce steak with a choice of sauces, and macaroni and cheese spiced with truffles. The exact date for the grand opening of LB Steak will be determined by how long it takes to get through Menlo Park’s permitting process, Mr. Walton said. The restaurant takes the spot formerly occupied by Marche, which closed in March after failing to negotiate a new lease, according to the restaurant’s general manager William Redberg. In an interview with the Almanac shortly before Marche closed, Mr. Redberg noted that the current Left Bank restaurant in Menlo Park served about three times the number of diners as Marche, attributing that to the more casual and affordable atmosphere. A

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enlo Park bid farewell not only to 2011 this week, but also its redevelopment agency (RDA). The California Supreme Court upheld a bill that shut down the nearly 400 RDAs scattered around the state in a ruling issued on Dec. 29. Redevelopment agencies were formed to fight blight, but Gov. Jerry Brown pushed for their elimination, arguing that diverting $5 billion in property tax revenue to RDAs left the state short on money needed for schools. The operating budget for redevelopment-related programs in Menlo Park, including affordable housing and codeenforcement programs, is about $2.7 million this fiscal year. According to the court, since the Legislature had the author-

to dissolve them. “Today’s ruling by the California Supreme Court validates

‘... the bottom line appears to be the elimination of all redevelopment agencies in California, including Menlo Park.’ STARLA JEROME-ROBINSON, INTERIM CITY MANAGER

a key component of the state budget and guarantees more than a billion dollars of ongoing funding for schools and public safety,” Gov. Brown said in a statement released Thursday. However, the court ruling

nated by AB-26, but another bill, AB-27 — dubbed “extinction or extortion” by staff — let agencies stay open by making hefty annual payments to the state. The League of California Cities and the California Redevelopment Association filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of both bills. The California Supreme Court ruling declared AB-27 unconstitutional based on the passage of Proposition 22 in November 2010, which made it illegal for the state to take money from local funds such as redevelopment revenue. Losing its RDA will cost Menlo Park about $17 million in redevelopment reserve funds, and an ongoing $1.4 million a year, according to city officials. Paying to keep the agency open See RDA, page 9

January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 5

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New mayor wants to boost technology, public access

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By Barbara Wood and Renee Batti

N ATH ERTO N

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ill Widmer, who was the in an interview top vote-getter when he after the meetwas elected to his first ing. “I’d like to term on Atherton’s City Coun- move as quickcil a little over a year ago, was ly as we can,” appointed mayor Dec. 21 by he said. “I’d his fellow council members. like to bring in Elizabeth Lewis was named vice a search firm Bill Widmer mayor. and start lookBoth received the unanimous ing at candivotes of their fellow council dates” after the council formally members. approves such a move. It was Mr. Widmer who “It’s important that we get nominated Ms. Lewis as vice started — we can’t keep kickmayor, but only after saying he ing the can down the road,” he had been lobbied to nominate said. someone else. “I think there’s Mayor Widmer’s ideal candia situation with fairness and date would be “somebody who’s I think there’s also a situation got city government experience, with effectiveness,” he said. “I but I’d like (him or her to have) think I’ve come down on fair- some business experience as ness.” well,” he said, adding that the Mayor Widmer, who served town “is a services business.” the past year as vice mayor, Other management positions said he has being held by several goals interim staff for the year, are those of the ‘It needs to be a year including trypolice chief, the of settling things down.’ finance direcing to replace the tow n’s tor, and the COUNCILMAN B ILL WIDMER many interim public works employees with director. permanent Mayor Widones. “It needs to be a year of mer also said he wants to make settling things down,” he said. good on his campaign commit“We need to pay more attention ments to improve citizen parto detail in our operations.” ticipation and access to inforInterim staff members include mation through technology. He the top decision-maker in Town told the Almanac that he will Hall: John Danielson, whose explore webcasting, possibly tenure as interim city manager even televising, council and began Jan. 3 of last year, and committee meetings. Another whose contract will expire Jan. technology he wants to look at is 2. one in which residents can “dial Because the town has yet in” during a meeting to speak to conduct a search for a new from a remote location. manager, the council finds itself During the Dec. 21 meeting, in a difficult position: Mr. Dan- Mayor Widmer promised to ielson, a retired city manager work at “improving our openof Elk Grove, cannot continue ness to the public.” He said he receiving his pension if he works might try to hold council meetmore than one year for Atherton ings in non-traditional locabecause of a California Public tions. He later said that Menlo Employees’ Retirement System College has offered its audito(CalPERS) rule. But the coun- rium for meetings, and he also cil, clearly happy with the job wants to look at high school and Mr. Danielson has done over elementary school campuses as the past year, wants to keep him other options. around until a new manager is Meeting at other venues might hired. provide better access and a At its Dec. 21 meeting, the friendlier environment for resicouncil approved sending an dents, which would encourage urgent letter to CalPERS asking more attendance, he said. for an exemption from the rule, Mr. Widmer has lived in in the hope that Mr. Danielson Atherton since 1996. He works could continue in the job for up for France Telecom’s Orange to another year. The town had Business Services as a deputy yet to learn of CalPERS’ decision vice president and has an underby the Almanac’s press time. graduate degree in computer If CalPERS approves the science as well as a master’s request, Mr. Widmer hopes a degree in business administranew manager will be hired well tion from Texas Christian Unibefore the year’s end, he said versity. A

6 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

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Study: Facebook probably won’t displace East Palo Alto residents By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

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consultant’s study of whether Facebook’s hiring expansion will push East Palo Alto residents from their homes came to the common sense conclusion that it simply depends on how many employees decide to live in East Palo Alto. The city of East Palo Alto sent a letter to Menlo Park in May that presented concern that Facebook hires attracted by the relatively lower housing prices would want to live in East Palo Alto, leaving low-income residents — an estimated 79 percent of the city’s population — struggling to afford new homes elsewhere. The environmental impact report for Facebook’s campus development did not examine this scenario since it’s a matter of socioeconomics, not physical environmental change. So an additional analysis, conducted by Keyser Marston

Associates, came out Dec. 21. The report stated, “Impacts will be minimal if a very limited number of workers seek housing in East Palo Alto; conversely, if East Palo Alto is

Consultant expects ‘minimal impact’ on housing. viewed as an attractive option by a large share of Facebook’s workforce, impacts would be greater.” Right now, despite East Palo Alto’s relative affordability and proximity, the largest number of Facebook employees — 26 percent — live in San Francisco, compared to 0.2 percent in East Palo Alto, according to the report. Free bus and shuttle service helps ease the pain of the commute. Nevertheless, Keyser Marston

Associations assumed that 3 to 5 percent of future Facebook workers may choose to live in East Palo Alto. The expected net gain of 5,800 new hires by 2018 then leaves 100 to 160 homes needed in East Palo Alto, or 16 to 26 additional units a year — about 2 percent, max, of the city’s total housing. “These percentages suggest a minimal to very minor impact,” the report concluded. With such a low percentage of employees expected to live there, Facebook hires aren’t projected to influence rental costs or the overcrowding that the report stated already exists in East Palo Alto. Also factoring into the analysis is the construction of new housing, such as the planned 835-unit Ravenswood/Four Corners development in East Palo Alto that could absorb some of the demand if the timing is right. Go to tinyurl.com/FB-EPA11 to review the study.

R EAL E STATE Q&A by Monica Corman

Winter Is a Great Time to Sell Dear Monica: Now that winter has begun and it gets dark early, do you think it is a bad time to put my house on the market? Ellen G. Dear Ellen: You may be surprised to hear that winter is a very good time to put your house on the market. If the timing suits your needs, you should

not hesitate to try and sell your home during the dark days of winter. There is less competition than at other times of the year and this can be an advantage for you. Buyers have to be efficient to evaluate properties in limited daylight hours. They seem more focused and decisive than during other selling seasons. It may be one of the smartest decisions you will make.

For answers to any questions you may have on real estate, you may e-mail me at mcorman@apr.com or call 462-1111, Alain Pinel Realtors. I also offer a free market analysis of your property. www.MonicaCorman.com

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Menlo Park Blockbuster to close its doors By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

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t’s lights off for Menlo Park’s Blockbuster video store at 3532 Alameda de las Pulgas in West Menlo Park. The store plans to shut its doors on Feb. 19. The closure follows in the wake of others across the United States after the franchise filed for bankruptcy and sold its assets to DISH Network in April for an estimated $320 million. DISH spokesman Aaron Johnson said the franchise remains committed to maintaining only those stores that can turn a profit. In general, he said, “Stores can close for a number of reasons, such as the store reaching the end of its lease, a

N BRIEFS

store may be too large in size, or property owners may be unwilling to reach a reasonable lease renewal.” As many employees as possible — each store employs 8 to 12 on average, according to Mr. Johnson — will be relocated to other stores, he said. The manager of the Menlo Park store declined to comment on how many employees the closure will affect and said the store’s inventory is being sold.

Art in Action wins honors for education Art in Action, the nonprofit

art education organization based in Menlo Park, has been selected as the recipient of the Diamond Award for the Arts Organization of the Year by the Peninsula Arts Council. The Peninsula Arts Council is a nonprofit founded to advance the arts in San Mateo County. Each year it presents the Diamond Awards to recognize local contributions to the arts by artists, educators, volunteers, foundations and corporations. The award ceremony will take place Feb. 2 at the Kohl Mansion in Burlingame. Art in Action, founded in 1982, helps students at local schools learn art history, appreciation and skills. A

Salvation Army donation in Menlo Park may set record By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

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hen an unidentified woman dropped a $10,000 check into a Salvation Army kettle in Menlo Park on Dec. 23, she may have set a record. “This $10,000 check is the largest single donation to a red kettle that we can remember,” said Salvation Army spokesman Max Solomon. However, the money won’t

stay in the neighborhood. “Typically any money put into a kettle would stay local,” Mr. Solomon said. “However, the Salvation Army takes donor intent very seriously, and in this specific case, the donor requested in the memo line for their money to go specifically towards the Monterey Corps.” The annual red kettle campaign runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. In 2010 the campaign netted $142 million nationally. According to the Salvation

Army, last year local kettles raised $52,000 and this year’s preliminary count shows an increase of about 20 to 25 percent, not including the $10,000 check. The donations support the charity’s food pantries and other service programs. Why use a red kettle? Mr. Solomon said the fundraiser started in 1891 in San Francisco when Army Captain Joseph McFee decided to use something that resembled a crab pot to collect donations. A

January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 7

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Marion Softky covered community for four decades MARION continued from page 5

started a family in the Felton Gables neighborhood of Menlo Park in 1961. When government cutbacks shuttered Sheldon’s research work, Ms. Softky took two part-time jobs in addition to the job of raising two small boys — “more hours than full-time, for less money” — working as executive secretary of the Environmental Quality Coordinating Council and part-time reporter for the Country Almanac, a job she kept for 40 years. Those jobs exposed her to the issues and people involved in local environmental protection and land-use planning. She was involved with the founding of the Committee for Green Foothills and the Peninsula Open Space Trust, and proudly showed off many parcels of parkland (Edgewood Park, Coal Mine Ridge, Bair Island, and various wetlands) that were acquired by the sustained and concerted efforts of her friends. N

MORE INFORMATION

■ Visit tinyurl.com/Softky-101 to see a story about Marion Softky by fellow longtime Almanac writer, Marjorie Mader. ■ Visit tinyurl.com/Softky-102 to see some of Marion Softky best articles and interviews in the Almanac. ■ Visit tinyurl.com/Softky-103 to see a 121-minute video of Marion Softky being interviewed by Portola Valley historian Nancy Lund (recorded by Virginia Bacon). During the interview, Ms. Softky discusses her 50 years of covering county planning issues.

Almanac photo by Veronica Weber

Marion Softky surrounded by well-wishers and clippings of many of her feature stories at a party in 2009 observing her 40 years of writing for the Almanac.

The most prominent, Windy Hill, a favorite family gatheringspot, was visible from her room at The Sequoias in Portola Valley, where she lived for the last eight years. (Her family frolicked on and enjoyed the panoramic views from a private parcel of open space on Skyline Boulevard, now the site of Thomas Fogarty Winery). As a reporter, she was proud to have interviewed world-class scientists, business people, diplomats,

even royalty, along with storied local old-timers, and blended their individual personalities into her reportage of their accomplishments. Sheldon died in 1993, three months after backpacking with Marion and their son Bill across the Sierra. Bill and her other son, Ed, both attended Menlo-Atherton High School and ultimately earned physics degrees. Ed died in 2008, while Bill still lives in the Menlo

Park house that’s now shaded by a giant redwood tree, grown from a seedling Ms. Softky received in appreciation for her work on a county logging committee. She is also survived by grandchildren Sophia (17) and Benjamin (14) Softky. Anyone who knew Marion is welcome to the “Remembering Marion Softky” gathering at her family house on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 3 p.m. (Please RSVP by email

if you were contacted that way; otherwise contact drbill@softky. com directly.) Donations in her name to the Peninsula Open Space Trust are appreciated in lieu of flowers. “Marion’s last week alive was in many ways surprisingly intimate and graceful,” her son said. “Her mantra, even to her last day, was her husband Sheldon’s last words 18 years ago: ‘It’s been more than wonderful.’” A

Local historians, environmentalists remember Marion Softky By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer

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arion Softky, a newspaper reporter for decades, had a way with her own words. But she also had a way, in interviews, of getting her subjects to choose words that revealed themselves as more interesting people than they might have appeared had someone else been interviewing them, her friends and associates said. Ms. Softky created a “remarkable legacy” for our area from all the interviews she did, “and she did it so well,” Portola Valley historian Nancy Lund said. “She had a way of bringing out the personality. She wrote fascinating articles.” Ms. Lund said she accompanied Ms. Softky several times on interviews. “(After) listening to her do this a few times, I probably learned a lot about doing interviews myself,” said Ms. Lund, who has co-authored several books on 8 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

the history of Peninsula communities. “From the beginning, I respected all her Over 40 years, Ms. Softky witnessed abilities and the way she shared them with and participated in raising environmen- others, in the Almanac especially, throughtal awareness on the Peninsula, and had out her lifetime,” Ms. Lane said. “We’ll plans to write an account of those years, miss her. She was really very much a part but her illness had sapped her energy, Ms. of Portola Valley from the beginning.” Lund said. Regional environmental activist Len“Virginia (Bacon) and I feel extremely nie Roberts said: “I think Marion’s lucky that we did (a video) interview reporting on both environmental issues with her,” Ms. and her interLund said. “We est in interesting have that wonpeople on the derful record of ‘She was really very much a part of Peninsula has her talking. She Portola Valley from the beginning.’ been a hallmark ended up seeing of the Almanac. JEAN L ANE the DVD at the “She could very end of her capture the life.” importance of Go to tinyurl.com/Softky to see the the issue, along with a lot of the details. 121-minute video. (Her articles) were always interesting to “She did a wonderful job all those years read. It’s a talent that we don’t have a lot that she worked for the good of Portola of anymore. Valley,” said Jean Lane, a resident since “I don’t think (her stories) ever came the town’s founding in 1964. out as biased. She did a very good job at

having well-rounded stories.” “Marion is a person who will never be replaced,” said Onnolee Trapp, an environmental leader and resident, like Ms. Softky, of The Sequoias retirement community. “Her contributions were huge.” Her news stories “translated for ordinary people” the relevance and importance of the person being interviewed, Ms. Trapp said. “Readers saw the person as a person and not just a big name. She contributed a lot that way by just bringing those (insights) into our homes. “She was good at keeping things in front of people. That was very important.” George Mader, a planning consultant to Portola Valley and its former town planner, said he spoke many times before the San Mateo County Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. There to cover what happened was Ms. Continued on next page

N E W S

Remembering Marion Softky from the Almanac’s early days By Jane Knoerle Almanac Lifestyle Editor

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arion Softky and I were colleagues for 35 years. She started working for the Almanac in 1969. I came aboard six years later. In those early days, the Country Almanac was an “all girl band,” a newspaper founded and run by women. Most of us had similar backgrounds. We were well-educated married women with children, proud to be writing about the communities we lived in. In the 1970s, the Almanac was located in a cramped little building in Woodside, where locals often wandered in and engaged reporters in conversation. Copy was due at 1 p.m. Thursday for the weekly publication deadline. Marion, who usually worked at home, would rush in at the last minute before deadline, her arms filled with papers. She was always excited over her latest story, considering it “the most important.” After deadline we would troop out for lunch, maybe a sandwich on the deck of the Book and Bean, or a hamburger down the street at the Little Store. Through the years we got to know each other’s families, including Marion’s mother, who in her 80s would take long walks around Woodside when visiting from Philadelphia. We brought broken lamps and such for young Ed Softky to repair at his “fix-it shop.” We heard about

Ed’s and Bill’s involvement with the Menlo-Atherton Jazz Band. In the 1980s, the Country Almanac (as it was known then) moved to Menlo Park under its new owners, Mort and Elaine Levine. Marion often rode her bicycle from her home on Encinal Avenue to our offices on Oak Grove Avenue. The “lunch bunch” still got together after deadline. La Luna restaurant, Siam Garden, and Yuen Yung were favorites. As the years passed, we attended our children’s weddings, mourned the death of a parent, a divorce, or the loss of a spouse. Marion’s husband, Sheldon, died 18 years ago, shortly after the paper became part of Embarcadero Publishing, and two years before it moved its offices to the Alameda de las Pulgas in Menlo Park.

Continued from previous page

RDA

Softky, he said. “Most people are not at meetings,” Mr. Mader said. “They don’t know what’s going on unless it’s reported well. We lost a very valuable member of the community.” Marion “was extremely accurate. She didn’t interpret. She told it as it was,” Mr. Mader said. “It was a great pleasure knowing her and working with her in that capacity.” “What a wonderful woman she was,” said Nita Spangler, a former Almanac contributor and a personal friend of Ms. Softky. “I’m really going to miss her. “She was a very bright woman and very modest. She had a great sense of humor. She’s the kind of person you want to have for a friend for the rest of your life.” Ms. Softky was “a very charming individual,” Ms. Spangler said. “She definitely is on my sorry-to-see-her-go list.” A

Photo by Fran Dempsey

Marion Softky covering an early Portola Valley Town Council meeting.

continued from page 5

would have been expensive — in September the City Council authorized a $3.5 million payment to the state, which was due in January. The annual fee after that would have been approximately $829,000, according to finance staff. Earlier in the year the council had also unanimously approved the creation of new funding agreements and a housing

Marion was the first reporter at the Almanac to use a computer at home, but she also came into the office, where her desk featured a photo of her son, Bill, in the Peace Corp in Cameroon, and a sign saying “Cassandra was right.” At one time, her car sported a personal license plate that again referenced Cassandra. (In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a prophet whose predictions of doom were true but never believed.) Marion Softky was an original. Born and bred in the East, a graduate of Bryn Mawr, she became a true Californian, loving the outdoors and its natural beauty. She was serious about important issues, but had a lighter side, such as her fascination with Koko the gorilla she loved writing about. Despite her final illness, Marion kept up her active lifestyle. This summer she made her annual trek to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and celebrated her birthday in September at the beach. Just two weeks before her death, she drove to Berkeley to spend the weekend with a friend. They went out to dinner and attended an East Bay Open Space District dedication. On Dec. 13, eight of us Almanac “old-timers” had a Christmas luncheon. Marion came, looking surprisingly well, despite the fact she could only take chicken broth and tea. In her final illness, she showed the strength of character that made her so special. I feel honored to have had her as a friend. A

authority to transfer assets out of its RDA beyond the state’s reach, but city officials don’t know whether the state will honor those agreements. Asked how the court’s ruling would affect the city, Interim City Manager Starla JeromeRobinson said: “We are still sorting through the decision, but the bottom line appears to be the elimination of all redevelopment agencies in California, including Menlo Park. We need more time to understand the local impact.”

TOWN OF WOODSIDE 2955 WOODSIDE ROAD WOODSIDE, CA 94062 INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR COMMITTEES BICYCLE COMMITTEE Meets third Thursday of each month, 7:30 p.m.; appointed for two-year term. The Committee advises and recommends to the Town Council on the policies for planning, developing, maintaining, and usage of Town’s bikeways system. CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE Meets fourth Monday of each month, 6:00 p.m.; appointed for two-year term. The Committee advises and assists the Town Council, Planning Commission, and staff on conservation, open space, noise, public services and facilities as pertaining to the elements of the Town’s General Plan. LIVESTOCK AND ANIMAL CONTROL COMMITTEE Meets fourth Wednesday of each month; 5:30 p.m.; appointed for two-year term. The Committee advises the Planning Director on applications for commercial stable permits, dog kennel permits, and exception requests to the private stable regulations. OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE Meets fourth Thursday of each month, 5:30 p.m.; appointed for two-year term. The Committee advises and assists the Town Council, Planning Commission and staff in implementing the policies and goals of the Open Space and Conservation elements of the General Plan, specifically with respect to acquisition and maintenance of conservation easements and open space preservation. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE Meets on call of Chair; appointed for two-year term. The Committee advises the Town Council and staff on issues of community public safety, including police and fire services provided within the Town. RECREATION COMMITTEE Meets first Thursday of each month, 7:30 p.m.; appointed for three-year term. The Committee guides the activities of the community recreation programs. TRAILS COMMITTEE Meets second Thursday of each month, 3:00 p.m.; appointed for two-year term. The Committee reviews land divisions, subdivisions and conditional use permits for locations for equestrian, pedestrian and bicycle trails and makes recommendations to the staff and to the Planning Commission. WOODSIDE HISTORY COMMITTEE Meets second Thursday of each month, 10:00 a.m.; appointed for two-year term.

A

Support The Almanac’s print and online coverage of our community. Join today: SupportLocalJournalism.org/Almanac

The Committee advises the Town Council and staff regarding actions, policies and plans relating to historic preservation. Committees are volunteer positions and serve in an advisory capacity to the Town Council. Interested residents may request information and applications Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.-12 noon and 1-5:00 p.m., from the Town Clerk’s Office at Town Hall, 2955 Woodside Road, or telephone (650) 851-6790, or through the Town’s web site at www.woodsidetown.org. Deadline for applications is Friday, January 20, 2012, 5:00 p.m. January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 9

N E W S

Stanford-sponsored Menlo Park high school forges ahead By Chris Kenrick Embarcadero Media

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he Stanford University School of Education has a nationally recognized track record in research and training, but its decade-old venture in hands-on management of schools has been rough going. A Stanford-affiliated elementary school was forced to close last year after losing its charter in a vote by trustees of the Ravenswood City School District, who cited poor performance. Stanford’s remaining charter high school, East Palo Alto Academy in the Willows area of Menlo Park, has earned dismal scores on California standardized tests, failing to meet growth targets in two of the last three rounds. But the 245-student high school — serving mostly youth from East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park — has forged ahead under new leadership, which arrived a year ago. A recent visit to the academy — housed in the former Menlo Oaks School on Pope Street in Menlo Park — found an orderly campus with students in small classes, engaged in the usual high school work of algebra, English, geometry and government. Though offering extra academic support, the school

eschews uniforms, mandatory extended hours and other backto-basics features that have become standard fare for highachieving charter-school operators such as KIPP and Aspire Public Schools. Such requirements can have a perverse and discouraging effect on students who are at a high risk of dropping out, said Kevin Sved, CEO of Stanford New Schools. The university created Stanford New Schools to manage the East Palo Alto charters, combining university resources and faculty expertise for the benefit of underserved students. “Those (extra-high requirements) can have a very negative impact on students’ chances of obtaining a high school diploma,” he said. Mr. Sved said the academy’s test scores are low because many students arrive at the school poorly prepared. For example, last year’s entering ninth-graders averaged a fourth-grade reading level, and many transfer students who have been “unsuccessful” elsewhere are admitted, he said. Senior Faauuga Saofanua said he boosted his GPA from 1.2 at Carlmont High School to 3.7 at East Palo Alto Academy because “teachers here really care for you and stay after school for long hours.

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East Palo Alto Academy seniors take notes on each others’ posters about the evolution of government. From left, they are Daisy Carillotes, Marissa Williams, Ariana Maldonado, Carmen Rodriguez, Zulma Rivera, Edanet Rodriguez and Mallenci Maldonado.

“If you need help, they’ll be there for you,” said the basketball player, who took advantage of the school’s credit-recovery program to make up enough units to plan on college next year. “The many interventions we have in place for the students pay off as they reach their senior year,” Mr. Sved said, noting that 89 percent of the school’s 2011 graduates were admitted to college. That includes 52 percent accepted to four-year colleges, more than double the rate for similar students in California. Principal Yetunde Reeves, who grew up in East Palo Alto, was recruited to the academy last year from the Oakland Unified School District, where she had been principal of the EXCEL High School on the McClymond campus in West Oakland. “It’s exciting to be in a small school where we attract students who haven’t had success in other environments,” she said, noting that the academy this fall enrolled 15 students from large high schools who needed a “second chance.” “We’re trying to be strategic about how teachers give kids extra support while keeping to

grade-level standards.” She noted that the AfricanAmerican majority of her East Palo Alto youth has shifted to a Hispanic majority today. Sixty-four percent of the school’s students are classified as English-language learners. “We definitely try to build on that strength by offering Spanish for native speakers, and they do very well when they get to the AP exam, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into good scores in English,” Mr. Sved said.

Campus offers small classes, and extra support for students set on college.

The school maintains close ties with Stanford with regular faculty interaction and use of Memorial Auditorium for graduation ceremonies each year. A large percentage of the 22 teachers, as well as Vice-Principal Jeff Camarillo, are graduates of the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP), and the academy has Stanford faculty

oversight that includes nationally known names in education such as Linda Darling-Hammond. Several classroom teachers voluntarily host “Steppies,” — Stanford students getting practical training for their future careers as teachers. After losing the opportunity for charter renewal with Ravenswood last year, Stanford New Schools approached the Sequoia Union High School District, where trustees voted May 4 to charter East Palo Alto Academy beginning in 2012-13. The new charter comes with a new campus — Sequoia just completed a new facility on Myrtle Street in East Palo Alto, which will be the school’s new home starting next fall. Sequoia trustees said they were impressed with the school’s offerings and excited about the new partnership. “Our board supports the Stanford charter and, given that it’s just a high school at this point, felt Sequoia should be the chartering agency so the school can continue its work in the Ravenswood community,” Sequoia Union High School District Superintendent James Lianides said. A

‘Life Stories’ classes begin this month in Palo Alto Two sessions of the popular “Life Stories” class taught by local instructor Sheila Dunec will be offered beginning this month. Ms. Dunec, an instructor and counselor at Foothill College for 30 years, has taught the 10-week class at the Menlo Park Library and other local venues for many years.

“With the help of detailed weekly guidelines, class members will learn how to create a written record of their family’s history, review their own life experiences, and develop meaningful insights into their lives,” Ms. Dunec says in a class announcement. Beginners may sign up for Tuesday sessions, from 10 a.m.

to noon Jan. 10 to March 13, at the Avenidas Senior Center in Palo Alto. Another group, this one for women, will meet Thursdays, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 12 to March 15, at a private Portola Valley home. The course fee is $150. For more information or to register, contact Ms. Dunec at 565-8087.

N E W S

Menlo Park’s Rich Gordon reflects on his first year in state Assembly By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer

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he past 12 months have seen a great yearning for representative democracy — in North Africa, in the Middle East, in the United States through Occupy Wall Street and its manifestations around the country. California, afflicted with huge budget deficits, stark inequalities in public school funding, and an unemployment rate hovering around 12 percent, has representative democracy. How’s that going, particularly in Sacramento? “I think it’s still a fairly dysfunctional system,� Assemblyman Rich Gordon, D-Menlo Park, says during a recent interview in a Santa Cruz Avenue coffee shop. During his campaign, Mr. Gordon had used “dysfunctional� to describe state government. December marked the end of his first year in his first two-year term representing the 21st Assembly District, which includes Atherton, Woodside, Portola Valley and Menlo Park. On navigating the dysfunction, Mr. Gordon appears to have been a quick study. Of the 19 bills he introduced in 2011, 16 made it to the governor’s desk and 15 were signed into law — a success rate of 79 percent in an institution where 40 percent is typical, according to data from the Assembly’s chief clerk. It could be argued that Mr. Gordon had a leg up. The governor is a Democrat and Democrats have solid majorities in both the Assembly and the Senate, but legislative records show just four of his bills in which floor votes broke along party lines. No one in either house beat his rate of bills signed into law, he says. “I didn’t overreach. I didn’t

try to do huge change in my first year,� Mr. Gordon says when asked to explain. Priorities

Rich Gordon

Mr. Gordon says he plans to reach farther as his tenure in the Assembly goes on. Among his long-term targets for reform are the initiative process, term limits, relations between state and local government, and school funding, he says. Environmental protection is also high on his list, as reflected by seven of his 15 bills signed into law. Here are three of them: ■AB 512 increases incentives for local governments to use renewable energy projects to offset energy bills for local government buildings. ■AB 930 requires that the 11-member California Building Standards Commission include a commissioner who has experience and knowledge of sustainable practices in construction, design and operation of buildings. ■AB 1149 makes funds available to recycle used plastic beverage containers in California. The law might bring jobs to the state and reduce the 90 percent of the bottles — 250 million pounds of plastic — shipped to Asia every year. Regarding state government overall, three major initiatives are likely to qualify for the November 2012 ballot, Mr. Gordon says. ■Civil rights attorney Molly Munger’s initiative would implement a progressive income tax with the intent of increasing funding for public education. ■A group of policy leaders organized under the name Think Long are considering an initiative. They compare California’s infrastructure, indus-

try and financial reserves with those of China and predict a “trajectory of demise� for California if the state can’t “break out of gridlock� and “show the way back to good governance.� ■Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing higher income taxes on the rich and a half-cent sales tax increase. If all three qualify, voters will reject them all, Mr. Gordon says, so the governor is trying to narrow the choices to prevent that from happening.

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What makes him tick?

Mr. Gordon is thorough. Every bill introduced in the Assembly gets his attention, he says. He either reads it himself or has a staffer read it and brief him. Most of his ideas for bills come from his staff, he says. He is also collaborative. Mr. Gordon made it a priority early on to meet every Assembly member one-on-one. “The value of the personal relationship is not to be overlooked,� he says. And he asked questions, including of old hands such as former Assembly speaker Willie Brown, who told him: “Talk to the Republicans. Nobody else does.� He did, and the results may have paid off. Mr. Gordon recalled a Republican phoning him to express support for a bill labeled “horrible� by the member’s party. “I know you and this seems kind of reasonable. I don’t think it’s going to cost a ton of money,� Mr. Gordon says the Republican told him. “You don’t need Republican votes,� Mr. Gordon told the Almanac. “(But) if there isn’t some kind of collaborative approach — and there isn’t on some issues — the Republicans don’t have much voice. I’m not sure that’s the best thing. I think debate is healthy.�

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Second Harvest Food Bank donations falling short bank has only raised about $4.5 million as of mid-December. Donations of food are down about 12 percent. “We truly appreciate the support we have received from the community since the recession began. Unfortunately, we are serving more people than ever before and we must meet our revenue goal to feed hungry people all year long,� CEO Kathy Jackson said in a statement. She said the number of people

served by Second Harvest has increased nearly 50 percent since 2007, to about one in 10 people in the two counties. The food bank puts peanut butter, canned tuna, beans, stew and other protein items on its most needed list, preferably in poptop cans as many of the people served are homeless or don’t have kitchens. Go to www.shfb.org for more information or call 866-2343663.

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Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties has renewed its pleas for donations to its holiday food and fund drive, which runs through Jan. 20. Second Harvest continues to be concerned about reaching its Holiday Food and Fund Drive goal of $11.3 million and 1.6 million pounds of food. The drive raises nearly half of the food bank’s annual revenue. According to staff, the food

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January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 11

Y E A R

2011

THE YEAR IN PICTURES

Above, Danny Youstra, 6, sits on his father Bill Youstra’s shoulders to get a good view of the Flight Night Electric Airshow at Portola Valley Town Center in May. At right, Antonisha Fuller, named Menlo Park Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula. Center, winemaker Michael Martella cleans out a barrel at Fogarty Winery, in the hills above Woodside.

12 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

As we welcome a new year, the Almanac looks back at 2011 by highlighting some of the memorable images captured by photographer Michelle Le.

I N

P I C T U R E S

At left, Itzel, center, rests during naptime at the Haven Family House in Menlo Park.

At left, Melissa Moody of Menlo Park uses a technique known as palming on Will Fuller to bring deep relaxation to the optic nerve and visual system while practicing at the School for Self-Healing in San Francisco. Below, Woodside School third-graders wait for their cue to perform the May Day dance in Woodside.

January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 13

Y E A R

I N

P I C T U R E S

Backstage at Amnesia bar in San Francisco, guitarist Thomas Wille, left, and mandolin player Henry Warde, both with the local band Windy Hill, hang out before a performance.

Emma Zahra Picetti dances during a slideshow featuring her father’s life. Family members and the Las Lomitas school community gathered in the La Entrada School gym for the memorial service for teacher Jason Picetti, who died in October at age 42.

David Klein, center, founder and manager of the Menlo Park Legends, leads the team huddle.

14 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

Helping increase your donations to local charities

Holiday Fund Donations As of Dec. 19, 2011, 113 donors have given $110,115 to The Almanac Holiday Fund 20 Anonymous ...................... 5,775 Vera Goldsmith........................... 40 Clay Del Secco...................... 1,000 Gaurang Desai & Nancy Paxton ......** Nanci Yuan ................................ 25 Marc and Mary Ann Saunders ...... ** James Brice ............................. 200 Bettina McAdoo ........................ 500 Catherine Cerny ......................... ** The Gibbs and Herrick Families ......** Fred C. Judd ......................... 1,000 Joan Rubin ................................. ** Katherine Linnemann ................ 150 Robert B. Flint ....................... 1,000 Marion H. Softky ........................ ** Lina T. Swisher ......................... 100 Joan F. Lane ............................ 500 Luke and Virginia Vania ............... ** Del Secco Family Partnership ........................... 5,000 Bill and Nancy Ellsworth .............. ** Andrew C. Hall ......................... 200 Donald Coluzzi ........................... ** Pamela Koch............................ 100 Gale K. Fullerton....................... 200 Jamis MacNiven ....................... 100 Catherine A. Habiger .................. ** Adele A. Carney .................... 1,000 Jaggers, Kurt ............................. ** Barbara Berry ............................ 50 Lucy Reid-Krensky .................... 200 Richard and Leslie Tincher ..... 10,000 Carmen Quackenbush ................. ** Anne Hillman and George Comstock ................. 1,000 Betty M. Jordan ........................ 100 Hal and Carol Louchheim .......... 400 Victoria Rundorff ........................ ** Robin Quist Gates..................... 250 Nancy J. Fiene ........................... ** Stephanie P. Nisbet .................... ** Thomas and Maggie Mah Johnson................................... 250 Jane M. Land ............................. ** Hamid Farzi ............................. 100 Laura M. Reed ......................... 250 Mary & Doug Heller .................... ** Tim and Perryn Rowland ........... 100 Janice E. Jedkins ...................... 400 Steve Markoulis........................ 500 Edmon R. Jennings ................... 200 Thomas Werbe ...................... 1,000 Erika L. Crowley ......................... ** Douglas E. Adams .................... 300 Nancy Davidson ....................... 250

James E. Esposto ...................... ** Kathleen P. Mueller ................... 100 Nancy L. Luft ........................... 100 Barbara C. Simpson ................... ** Joel Wells Schreck ................... 100 L. Robert Dodge ........................ ** Lorraine Macchello ................... 100 Catherine C. Eastham ................. ** Karin Eckelmeyer ..................... 100 Dorothy Saxe ............................. ** Kathy Elkins and Rick Peterson .... ** Penny and Greg Gallo ............... 500 Karen K. Sortino ....................... 100 Bob and Marion Oster ................. ** Robert P. Oliver ..................... 1,000 Mr. Bud Trapp and Mrs. Onnolee Trapp .................... ** Julie Zier .................................. 100 Andrea G. Julian ....................... 300 Barbara J. Ells.......................... 300 Gail Prickett ............................. 300 Diana M. Laraway ....................... ** Thelma L. Smith ......................... ** William A. Alfano....................... 300 Ernst & Betty Meissner ............... ** In memory of Catherine Sleight ...................... 500 Charles Holmes .......................... ** Peter and Marguerite Hurlbut....... ** Kevin J. Gilmartin ....................... ** Annie Strem ............................... ** Blair Awbrey............................... ** Esther Johnson .......................... 50 Inge and Paul Katz...................... ** John Sisson, Annmarie Sisson and Richard Sisson ..................... ** In honor of Our grandparents, from Amy, Scott & Sam Farnsworth ..... ** Businesses & Organizations Ericsson, Inc. ........................... 300 Carstens Realty ................... 10,000

** Designates amount withheld at donor request

Donate online at siliconvalleycf.org/almanac-holiday-fund

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Your gift helps children and others in need

THE ALMANAC

HOLIDAY

2011

Holiday Fund

Giving to the

FUND

ontributions to the Holiday Fund go directly to programs that benefit Peninsula residents. Last year, Almanac readers contributed more than $95,000, and with available matching grants, $138,678 was raised for 10 agencies that feed the hungry, house the homeless and provide numerous other services to those in need. Contributions to the Holiday Fund will be matched, to the extent possible, by generous com-

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munity corporations, foundations and individuals, including the Rotary Club of Menlo Park, the David and Lucille Packard Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. No administration costs will be deducted from the gifts, which are tax-deductible as permitted by law. All donations to the Holiday Fund will be shared equally among the 10 recipient agencies listed below.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula

Project Read Menlo Park

Provides after-school and academic support and activities for 1,100 youths each day, ages 6 to 18. Operates clubhouses in Menlo Parkís Belle Haven neighborhood, East Palo Alto, and Redwood City and after-school programs at schools in these communities designed to extend the learning day and supplement the schools’s curriculum.

Provides free literacy services to adults in the Menlo Park area. Trained volunteers work one to one or in small groups to help adults improve their basic reading, writing and English language skills so they can achieve their goals and function more effectively at home, at work, and in the community.

Ecumenical Hunger Program

Provides short term-shelter and transitional housing services to more than 4,500 homeless men, women and children each year. Offers a range of housing and support programs for families and individuals to become self-sufficient and return to permanent housing.

Provides emergency food, clothing, household essentials, and sometimes financial assistance to families in need, regardless of religious preference, including Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for more than 1,500 households.

Ravenswood Family Health Center Provides comprehensive primary medical, dental, behavioral and preventive health care for all ages at clinics in Belle Haven and East Palo Alto. Of the more than 30,000 registered patients, over 97 percent are low-income and uninsured from the ethnically diverse East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and North Fair Oaks areas.

St. Anthonyís Padua Dining Room

Shelter Network

Teen Talk Provides educational programs for youth and adults to help teens make healthy choices that will result in lower rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Its ìTeen Talkî program serves more than 3,500 youth at public school sites in San Mateo County.

StarVista

Serves hundreds of hot meals six days a week in a social and friendly atmosphere to anyone in need. Funded entirely by voluntary contributions from the community, St. Anthonyís is the largest dining room for the needy between San Francisco and San Jose. It also offers groceries to take home and distributes clothing to families.

Formerly Youth and Family Enrichment Services, StarVista provides many programs to help people who struggle with substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health, relationship and communications issues. Helps strengthen youth, families, and individuals to overcome challenges through counseling, education, and residential services.

Second Harvest Food Bank

Fair Oaks Community Center

The largest collector and distributor of food on the Peninsula, Second Harvest Food Bank distributes 45 million pounds of food each year. It gathers donations from individuals and businesses and distributes food to some 250,000 people each month through more than 650 agencies and distribution sites in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Provides housing assistance, childcare programs, older adult nutrition, emergency shelter referrals, legal services for low income tenants and loc-cost exercise programs for youth and adults.

Name of donor ______________________________________________Amount $ ______________ Street address _______________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________________State _______________ Zip ____________

Q I wish to contribute anonymously.

Q Don’t publish the amount of my contribution.

I wish to designate my contribution as follows:

Q In honor of: Q In memory of:

___________________________________________________

TO DONATE ONLINE GO TO: siliconvalleycf.org/almanac-holiday-fund PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Enclose this coupon and send to: The Almanac Holiday Fund C/O Silicon Valley Community Foundation 2440 W. El Camino Real, Suite 300, Mountain View, CA 94040 By Credit Card: ❏ Visa or ❏ MasterCard No. _______________________________________ Exp. Date ________________________________________________________ Signature _________________________________________________________ The organizations named below provide major matching grants to the Holiday Fund.

www.siliconvalleycf.org

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Rotary Club of Menlo Park

The Almanac will make every effort to publish donor names for donations received before Dec. 31, 2011, unless the donor checks the anonymous box. All donations will be acknowledged by mail.

January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 15

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N E W S

Charges filed against former Menlo coach By Barbara Wood

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Special to the Almanac

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ichael William Taylor, the 28-year-old former Menlo School assistant coach who Atherton police say stole iPads from Menlo School students, has been charged with misdemeanor theft by the San Mateo County district attorney. He is due in court on Jan. 24 at 9 a.m., District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. Three counts were filed against

Support Local Business

Mr. Taylor, Mr. Wagstaffe said, two for petty theft and one for grand theft. If convicted, Mr. Taylor faces up to a year in county jail. He cannot be sentenced to state prison for a misdemeanor, Mr. Wagstaffe pointed out. The DA’s office chose to charge Mr. Taylor with a misdemeanor based on his cooperation with the Atherton police and his lack of a previous record, Mr. Wagstaffe said. “He doesn’t need to have a felony label,� he said. “He showed remorse for what he did.� Atherton police said Mr. Taylor voluntarily came in to the Atherton Police Department on Nov. 16 and during an interview “confessed to Detective (Jason) Yoakum that he stole two Apple iPads from Menlo School students, while on campus.�

HOW ARE YOUR GLASSES SHAPING UP? The eyeglass frames that look best on your face are those with shapes that offset your facial shape. For instance, if you have a square face, try an oval or round frame that will soften the jaw line. If you want something edgier, opt for a diamond shape. On the other hand, if you have a round face, go with an angular shape. If your face is long, look for frames with a longer line (from side to side). It may also help if the bridge

The two iPads were later found in a search of Mr. Taylor’s San Leandro apartment. A few weeks earlier, however, on Nov. 1, Mr. Taylor helped to capture two campus thieves, who were seen taking students’ backpacks. He told the student newspaper that he chased one of the suspects down and turned him over to the Atherton police. “He was a suspect in the series of thefts before he was a witness in the crime which led to the arrest of the Menlo College students,� Sgt. Sherman Hall said. “Taylor had been observed loitering near an area where some property went missing,� he said. Mr. Taylor had worked as a baseball coach at Menlo School for six years, but is no longer working there, school officials said. A

falls lower than the top of the frames. As for those of us who have oval faces, this facial type can accommodate virtually any type of frame. There are many eyewear frames available, so it can be confusing to know which frame is best for you. When you visit MENLO OPTICAL at 1166 University Drive, on the corner of Oak Grove Avenue and University Drive, our attentive staff can help you select the frames that are most flattering to your facial construction and suitable to your lifestyle and personal preference. We consider the shape of the frame as well as the color and materials. Please call us at 322-3900 if you have questions about eyewear, or bring us your prescription. P.S. Thin metal eyeglass frames flatter faces by drawing attention away from the sides of the face and directing it to central facial features. Mark Schmidt is an American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners Certified Optician licensed by the Medical Board of California. He can be easily reached at Menlo Optical, 1166 University Drive, Menlo Park. 650-322-3900.

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C O M M U N I T Y

Trail riders, hikers can access Wunderlich trails year-round On horseback or by foot, year-round access is now available to the public at historic Folger Stable in San Mateo County’s Wunderlich Park. A multi-phase, all-weather trail-improvement project has winterized many of the trails in Wunderlich Park. The project was a collaborative effort by local organizations and government entities, including the Mounted Patrol Foundation, the county, the Community Horse Advocacy Program for San Mateo County (CHAPS), and the Woodside-area Horse Owners Association (WHOA). A second phase of the proj-

ect is slated to begin in the spring of 2012, with 40 percent of the $18,000 budget still needed to be raised. Trail riders can access 17 miles of trails in Wunderlich Park and connect to 24 miles of trails in Huddart Park. Equestrians can take part in trail riding activities with the Folger Stable Trail Club led by head wrangler Sam Bivins. For non-riders, there are unlimited hiking opportunities throughout the park. The Carriage House Museum inside the stable is also open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Visit folgerstable.com for more information.

N OB IT UARY

Paula Ann Zappettini Community volunteer

Paula Ann Zappettini died at her Atherton home Dec. 7 following a long illness. She was 75. A member of a third generation Bay Area family, Ms. Zappettini was born in Piedmont, grew up in San Mateo, and graduated from Notre Dame High School. She attended San Jose State University and the San Francisco Academy of Art. She met her husband, Bill, in 1961. The couple lived in Burlingame before moving to Atherton in 1970.

A businesswoman, homemaker, and volunteer, Ms. Zappettini was a member of the Peninsula Volunteers and Paula Ann the Atherton Zappettini Garden Guild. She enjoyed organizing charity events throughout the years, say family members. A devout Catholic, Ms. Zappettini and her husband were invested with high honors into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem in 1997. In 2006, in the midst of illness, she traveled as a malade

on a pilgrimage with the Order of Malta to Lourdes, France. In 2008, along with her daughter, Anna, she was invested as a Dame of Malta. In 2009, Mr. and Ms. Zappettini received the Assumpta Award from the Archdiocese of San Francisco. In 2010, she co-founded a local chapter of the Frontline Faith Project to bring prayers and spiritual support to American military men and women. She is survived by her husband of almost 50 years, William; children John Zappettini and Anna Zappettini; brother Robert Scribante; and two grandchildren. Services were held at The Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park.

Recology San Mateo County collects Christmas trees Recology San Mateo County will collect holiday trees between Dec. 26 and Jan. 31 on regular compost collection days.

All decorations and tree stands should be removed. Trees longer than 8 feet need to be cut into pieces and placed in compost carts. Apart-

ment managers and commercial customers can call 595-3900 to schedule tree pickup from a predetermined area at no charge.

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www.MarshManor.com January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 17

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

Ideas, thoughts and opinions about

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

Editor & Publisher Tom Gibboney

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

Marion Softky was a community treasure

A

s the newly installed publisher and editorial writer at the Almanac in the fall of 1993, I immediately needed to have a cogent opinion on a wide range of local issues.

ED ITORI AL The opinion of The Almanac

Design & Production Design Director Raul Perez Designers Linda Atilano, Lili Cao, Shannon Corey, Diane Haas, Paul Llewellyn, Scott Peterson

Advertising Vice President Sales and Marketing Tom Zahiralis Display Advertising Sales Adam Carter Real Estate Manager Neal Fine Real Estate and Advertising Coordinator Diane Martin Published every Wednesday at 3525 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Menlo Park, Ca 94025 Newsroom: (650) 223-6525 Newsroom Fax: (650) 223-7525 Advertising: (650) 854-2626 Advertising Fax: (650) 854-3650

That is when I met Marion Softky, then the Almanac’s longtime reporter of Portola Valley news, along with county and environmental issues. All these “beats” were important to the Almanac’s readers, who particularly cared a lot about making sure development did not overrun the gorgeous foothills in Portola Valley as well as the entire Peninsula region. For an editorial writer, Marion was a fountain of information and wisdom. In the days before Google, if I had questions about an issue or organization, I could turn to Marion, who often had

Email news and photos with captions to: Editor@AlmanacNews.com Email letters to: letters@AlmanacNews.com

the answers I needed. Often she could recall when an issue went public or an organization was formed. She also could articulate a wide range of views for me to consider. Her talent for explaining complicated environmental issues was well known in the Almanac newsroom, as were her meticulous files on a wide range of topics that she had covered over the years. Like many reporters at the Almanac, Marion worked part time, and not much of that time was spent in the office. She was out in the community, attending meetings, conferences and get-togethers, where she had one-on-one contact with the newsmakers. She wrote her stories at home and sent them to us by email. The editors loved handling Marion’s copy because it needed very little work. And if the editorial that week was on a subject she wrote about, so much the

better. When I needed a factcheck of an editorial about something she covered, Marion was always there to say it needed more work or was ready to go. When we first met, Marion was in her 60s, but she was as active, or more active, than many youngsters. She would ride a bike to the Almanac offices and frequently walked the Stanford Dish and other local trails with her friends. Vacations often included places where she could get out and hike or walk. Even after she became ill, Marion refused to relax. Shortly before her death, she drove to Berkeley to visit a longtime friend without incident. Early in Marion’s career, the Almanac saw its role as simply a purveyor of information to the community, especially about schools and local government. Editorial comment was rare in those days, but the paper was viewed as a godsend by residents

who lived in Portola Valley, Woodside, and West Menlo Park, areas that the dominant Palo Alto Times did not cover. Marion and her colleagues Marjorie Mader and Jane Knoerle, were mothers first but put much of their souls into the reports they wrote about local affairs. Marion and Marjorie retired a few years ago, but Jane is still with us and writes several stories a week. After their retirement, Marion and Marjorie continued to contribute occasional articles to the Almanac, and Marion was in the midst of a large local history of environmental and land-use issues in San Mateo County when she passed away Dec. 25. (Visit tinyurl.com/Softky to see a video interview of Marion on this topic.) We have missed her since she retired, but we are grateful that we were able to share her genius with thousands of Almanac readers through the years. A

L ETT E RS Our readers write

The Almanac, established in September, 1965, is delivered each week to residents of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside and adjacent unincorporated areas of southern San Mateo County. The Almanac is qualified by decree of the Superior Court of San Mateo County to publish public notices of a governmental and legal nature, as stated in Decree No. 147530, issued December 21, 1969. Subscriptions are $60 for one year and $100 for two years.

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

TOWN SQUARE FORUM Post your views on the Town Square forum at www.TheAlmanacOnline.com EMAIL your views to: letters@almanacnews.com and note this it is a letter to the editor in the subject line. MAIL or deliver to: Editor at the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

CALL the Viewpoint desk at 223-6507.

Get rid of Caltrain and bring in BART Editor: Regarding last week’s excellent guest opinion by my colleagues Jim Janz and Mike Brady about Caltrain’s survival, while I agree with their several premises, I don’t agree with the most basic one. Caltrain has no business surviving, with or without high-speed rail. What should survive is an effective commuter rail service on the Peninsula rail corridor. That can best be achieved without the Caltrain/JPB organization. Malcolm Dudley, with whom I agree, has recommended that the existing corridor rail service be folded within the Capital Corridor Joint Powers Board, which includes BART, thereby achieving economy of scale and a coherent commuter rail transit network that is Bay Area-wide. Commuter rail on the Peninsula is a Bay Area-wide problem and requires a Bay Area-wide

18 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

Our Regional Heritage

Atherton Heritage Association

The first Stanford Stadium was built with excavation equipment powered by mules. It opened on Nov. 19, 1921, with a capacity of 60,000, which increased over the years. In 1935, a crowd of 94,000 enjoyed Stanford’s 13-0 victory over Cal.

solution. What we now have is mismanaged and inappropriate. Caltrain only cares about its salaries and hardware, not about the commuter. They need

to change their business model and we should help them. Martin Engel Stone Pine Lane, Menlo Park

N TOW N SQ UA RE Post your views and comments on TownSquare: www.TheAlmanacOnline.com

V I E W P O I N T

Is there a place for Sequoia Healthcare District? The hospital district that won’t die By Jack Hickey

T

he Sequoia Hospital District, also known as the Sequoia Healthcare District, built, owned and operated Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City until it was sold in 1996. The district is now engaged in frantic activities to justify its continued existence. In 1946, petitions were circulated to establish a local hospital in southern San Mateo County. An election was called and voters approved the creation of Sequoia Hospital District as the vehicle. District boundaries were identical to the Sequoia High School District at the time. It was understood that there would be future bond issues to build and add to it. Property taxes were assessed by the county Board of Supervisors and the hospital was built. It opened in 1950. The district got out of the hospital business after incurring a $29 million deficit. That led to a voter-approved bailout sale of the hospital in 1996 (Measure H), with “white knight” Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) buying the right to take over hospital operations. CHW assumed responsibility for debt repayment and pension

plan funding. The board of directors at that time sought to change the purpose of the district, which no longer owned a hospital, to include powers provided in recent health-care district law. Without an election as provided for by that law, the Sequoia Hospital District “morphed” into Sequoia Healthcare District and began engaging in philanthropic activity. Property taxes continue to be collected. The 2001 county grand jury reviewed the district’s newly assumed role and recommended that “the Sequoia Healthcare District should reduce property taxes for district taxpayers unless in a future election district voters approve expenditures for purposes not approved by district voters in the 1946 measure establishing the district or in 1996 Measure H.” The 2002 grand jury found: “...since the sale of the hospital the district has assumed a role similar to that of a philanthropic foundation. This is a function of the District that was never presented to the voters for their approval under 1996 Measure H.” In November 2002, I was elected to the Sequoia Health-

The health-care district: Fact vs. fiction By Kim Griffin, RN

A

s an elected member and board chair of the Sequoia Healthcare District, I have in the past focused my energy on district projects and participating in the daily business of overseeing grants and programs; however, I am now compelled to assist fellow board member Jack Hickey in conveying the true mission of our district, which is dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of all district residents. As Mr. Hickey documents in his article here, we are succeeding in many ways, including feeding the hungry, making sure that every child in our district has access to quality medical services, funding school nurses and healthy programs for more than 25,000 students, supporting breast cancer services and fitness classes for seniors. While Mr. Hickey consistently maintains a negative and sarcastic view of those services, as a practicing health-care provider in our community I see them as a vital and basic means of keeping the community healthy and prosperous. I also know that maintaining the health of the community is cost-effective

to the taxpayer at large since it is quite simply cheaper to pay for good health versus health problems. Today the Sequoia Healthcare District is involved with more than 40 community health programs covering almost every health-care need from mental health services to hospice to hot meals for the homebound. We serve as our area’s main advocate for disease prevention and wellness, and touch the lives of more than 30,000 residents a year directly and countless more indirectly. The district’s board of directors is composed of elected community leaders with a great majority of district residents overwhelmingly in favor of our efforts on their behalf. We take very seriously our stewardship of taxpayer dollars and keep administrative overhead to a low 6 percent, almost all of which comes from earnings on our investments, as well as the diligent oversight of our executive director Lee Michelson, who is often and unfairly publicly chastised by Mr. Hickey. We have a small but outstanding staff of highly educated and experi-

Pro and Con Editor’s Note: Jack Hickey, a member of the board of the Sequoia Healthcare District, has for many years waged a losing battle to put the district out of business. He continues to press his case, and makes it here. Hospital board member Kim Griffin has a different opinion, and we present both sides here in a pro-and-con format. care District board of directors on a platform based upon the jury’s findings. I was denied a seat on the Sequoia Health Services (SHS) board intended to provide a taxpayer oversight function for hospital operations. In February 2003, SHS and the district were on a fast track to demolish Sequoia Hospital and rebuild near Highway 101. My referendum petitioning effort derailed that move, and a seismically sound major upgrade to Sequoia Hospital on the Whipple/Alameda site was agreed upon. Funding came from CHW, the Sequoia Hospital Foundation and the district. In 2007, CHW assumed complete ownership of the Sequoia Hospital campus, including the medical office building, with the district becoming a shareholder via a profit-sharing arrangement. The district employs a CEO

and executive assistant with payroll costs of more than $250,000 a year. Two standalone programs with directors and staff add $200,000 a year. These programs are: ■ HeartSafe, which distributes automated electronic defibrillators (AEDs). While other states have mandated AEDs for all schools on a state level, California has required them only for privately owned health studios. This program is not a proper function of the district. Former Atherton chief of police Glenn Nielson was chosen as project manager. ■ Healthy Schools Initiative ($4.5 million over three years), which subsidizes school district programs. School districts don’t need district program managers and staff to tell them how to use the money. The district has increased its so-called philanthropy and launched PR “branding” activi-

enced professionals who support the board’s desire to excel in all that we do. With Mr. Hickey’s vote the Sequoia Healthcare District did indeed get out of the “hospital business,” but the district also has a long history of funding healthy community programs and grants. And while Mr. Hickey likes to refer to our grants and programs as “philanthropy,” it should also be understood by the community that Mr. Hickey has very extreme views regarding all tax-funded programs, believing that public education should be abolished and the poor will be fed only by those who choose to feed them. It is little wonder that he has a problem with providing funding for a healthy schools program or life-saving equipment such as defibrillators and CPR devices now enthusiastically endorsed by our own fire departments. What is most perplexing is Mr. Hickey’s statement that we are funding an insurance program for children “with family incomes approaching five figures,” an indication he is out of touch with the cost of living, the rising cost of health insurance and simply the sheer number of dollars required to survive in the

Bay Area. Ironically, Mr. Hickey currently and consistently during his tenure on the board has collected his health-care benefit supplied by Sequoia Healthcare District. Most unfortunate has been Mr. Hickey’s criticism of district board member Arthur Faro, the former CEO of Sequoia Hospital who provided excellent stewardship of the hospital during some of the most tumultuous periods of health care. Mr. Faro is still held in high regard by physicians and nurses alike, an attribute that is admirable and rare in the current corporate healthcare culture. One would assume Mr. Hickey’s sarcastic comment regarding “white knight” Catholic Healthcare West “buying the right to take over (Sequoia) hospital operations” would indicate they did this without board approval; however, Mr. Hickey wholeheartedly agreed and voted to transfer ownership of the hospital to CHW. Clearly Mr. Hickey would like to see the health-care district dissolved, and he intentionally fails to mention that in this case taxes continue to be collected and go toward the general tax fund where our district residents derive no direct benefit.

ties costing more than $100,000 a year. The district grants $1.35 million a year to a health insurance program (which supports abortion on demand) for children with family incomes approaching five figures. The district also uses its tax dollars to fund charitable organizations like St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room ($100,000) and Mission Hospice and Home Care ($35,000). The district continues to support the CHW-owned hospital through grants to the Sequoia Hospital Foundation. The district also provided $1 million a year to subsidize 40 nurses enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program with no payback or “employment within the district” requirements. Nine nurses recently found employment in Palm Springs. The nurse’s union should fund this program. In my opinion, the Sequoia Healthcare District should be dissolved, with tax revenues dispersed among the public entities within the district boundaries. Jack Hickey is a member of the Sequoia Healthcare District board.

Similarly he chides the board for our use of public relations or “branding” while forgetting the board was strongly urged by the grand jury to provide adequate information to the public regarding district programs. The grand jury investigation was initiated by Mr. Hickey in order to advance his political dogma and eliminate the district board. And while Mr. Hickey continues to use his time to undermine the hard work of the other board members he declines to participate in any district program, never contributes his time to any of the community organizations funded by the district, and ridicules the citizens who attend board meetings to give testimony to the positive outcomes of our work. Mr. Hickey did get one thing correct in his article: He is an elected member of the Sequoia Healthcare District Board. It is my opinion that he has not provided meaningful work as a board member and does not fulfill his duty as an elected official. Kim Griffin is chair of Sequoia Healthcare District board.

January 4, 2012 N The Almanac N 19

C O M M U N I T Y field Road, Atherton. Call 415-252-1288. www.philharmonia.org

N C A L E N DA R Visit AlmanacNews.com/calendar to see more calendar listings

Special Events Genealogy Class Genealogist Richard Rands will teach a three-month series on family history. For beginners to intermediate. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 3-March 8, 10-11:30 a.m. $99 general, $90 for Little House members. Little House, Roslyn G. Morris Activity Center, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park. Call 650-326-2025 ext 229. www.peninsulavolunteers.orgt ‘Online Research on Finding Money for College’ A class on locating scholarships, fellowships and student loans, using a specific online database, Gale’s Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans. Jan. 21, 9:3010:30 a.m. Free. Woodside Library, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside. Call 650-8510147. www.smcl.org ‘Masters of Venice’ Lecture This docent lecture/slideshow covers works currently on exhibit at San Francisco’s de Young Museum, representing a range of Venetian accomplishments in Renaissance-era painting. Jan. 11, 7-8 p.m. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560. smcl.org

Concerts Symphony Parnassus The concert begins with Faure’s Ballade for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 19, followed by Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand. Both pieces will feature pianist Helene Wickett. Debussy’s Iberia from his Images for Orchestra, No. 2, will round out the program. Jan. 22, 3-5 p.m. $15-$22. Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Center, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton. Call 1-800-838-3006 . www.brownpapertickets.com/event/214218 Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Harpsichordist Richard Egarr performs with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. The program including works by Handel, Locke, Purcell, Arne and Lawes. Jan. 26, 8-10 p.m. $25-$85. Performing Arts Center, 555 Middle-

Exhibits Art at the Priory. An exhibition called “directly indirect� features abstract and representational paintings and prints, and mixedmedia installations, by eight artists. Exhibit runs Jan. 9-27, open weekdays 3-6 p.m. Reception: Jan. 14, 5-7 p.m. Free. KriewallHaehl Gallery, Woodside Priory School, 302 Portola Road, Portola Valley. kriewallhaehlgallery.blogspot.com

Kids & Families ‘Happy Birds’ Parrots will do tricks for a family audience in a show for all ages. Jan. 5, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650851-0560. smcl.org ‘Paws for Tales’ Pet-assisted therapy teams from the SPCA’s ‘Paws for Tales’ program will visit the library so that children can read to dogs. A signed release form is required each time a child reads. Participants must sign up in advance by calling or emailing. Saturdays, Jan. 7-March 3, 1-2 p.m. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560. smcl.org ‘Puppet Art Theater/Dad & Me’ This puppet show is intended for all ages, but is specially designed to be enjoyed with fathers and kids together. Jan. 10, 7-7:30 p.m. Free. Woodside Library, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside. Call 650-851-0147. www,smcl.org Hans Christian Andersen Storyteller Randel McGee brings Hans Christian Andersen and his famous fairy tales to life, creating papercuts as he tells. For ages 6 and up. Jan. 9, 4-4:45 p.m. Free. Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton. Call 650328-2422. www.smcl.org Toddler Storytime Designed for children 18 months to 3 years old, Toddler Storytime includes songs, stories, and movement activities to encourage children to listen and read. On the third Tuesday of the month there will also be an age-appropriate craft. Tuesdays, Jan. 10-Feb. 28, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560. smcl.org

Sports Menlo-Atherton Little League registration is open. Children may be registered for T-ball, A, AA, AAA and majors. The deadline is Jan. 13, 2012. Go to www.m-all.org. Royal Badminton Academy Open House The open house will feature demo sessions, badminton clinics, training (back hand, doubles rotation, footwork) and speed dating. Free entry and use of club facilities. Jan. 7, Noon-9 p.m. Free. Royal Badminton Academy, 190 Constitution Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025. Call 650-838-9318. royalbadminton.com

Et Alia Birds of Bedwell Bayfront Park Experienced birders will teach visitors about wintering birds of Bedwell Bayfront Park: ducks, geese, egrets. Visitors can bring binoculars or look through the birders’ scope. Families welcome. Meet along the entrance road. Heavy rain cancels. Jan. 14, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Bedwell Bayfront Park, Marsh Road at Bayfront Expressway, Menlo Park. Call 650325-7841. www.friendsofbayfrontpark.org Film: ‘Autumn Gem’ This documentary is on Qiu Jin (1875-1907), a radical women’s rights activist and leader of a revolutionary army. The first female martyr for China’s 1911 Revolution, Qiu Jin is celebrated as a national heroine today. Screening and discussion with filmmakers. Jan. 21, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Woodside Library, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside. Call 650-851-0147. autumn-gem.com Nature Volunteer in Local Schools Environmental Volunteers is seeking people to help kids love science and nature. In various schools, volunteers work with small groups of children and involve them in handson, discovery-based learning. Next training is Jan. 6, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Environmental Volunteers. Call 650-961-0545. www.evols.org Peninsula Women’s Chorus Auditions The 50-voice Peninsula Women’s Chorus (PWC) seeks experienced singers to join the group for its 45th-anniversary season. Auditions are Jan. 5 by appointment only, or at other times by arrangement. www. pwchorus.org

From left: John Howard, Christian Bourgeois and Kellan Draeger.

Three gain Eagle Scout rank Three Portola Valley youth from Boy Scout Troop 64 were honored recently at an Eagle court of Honor at Valley Presbyterian Church. Each boy earned more than the required 21 merit badges and each completed a service project to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. John Howard is a junior at Sacred Heart Preparatory. He coordinated the construction of two redwood tables and eight benches for the Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley. All wood for the project was reclaimed from 50-year-old redwood timbers. John also raised funds for the purchase of two market umbrellas and stands for the tables. Christian Bourgeois is a junior at Woodside High School. He worked with Abilities United of

Palo Alto to design and build three custom waterproof wheelchairs for an aquatic therapy pool. After research, design, review and approval, he and his team built a chair, and after some revisions, produced two additional chairs. Kellan Draeger is a junior at the Woodside Priory in Portola Valley. He worked with fellow scouts to build two western red cedar benches, made from reclaimed donated lumber for Our Lady of the Wayside Church in Portola Valley. The benches make it possible for parishioners to enjoy outdoor ceremonies in the church courtyard. Portola Valley Boy Scout Troop 64 is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Menlo Park. It has more than 40 active members. Kirt Williams is scoutmaster.

The Sequoia Union High School District

TOWN OF WOODSIDE

Board of Trustees

INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR PLANNING COMMISSION

‌is seeking applicants to serve on the District’s Construction Bond Oversight Committee 4HIS COMMITTEE WILL MEET FOUR TIMES PER YEAR TO MONITOR EXPENDITURES FOR THE building projects of the recently approved Measure J school construction bond. Periodically, the committee will report bond expenditures to the community. APPLICATIONS

Applications may be downloaded from the Sequoia District web site at www.seq.org or may be requested from the district ofďŹ ce by calling Assistant Superintendent, Administrative Services Enrique Navas at 650-369-1411, ext. 2218. Send completed applications to Enrique Navas Assistant Superintendent, Administrative Services Sequoia Union High School District 480 James Avenue Redwood City, CA 94062 TIMELINE

s !PPLICATION lLING PERIOD n Jan 11, to Feb 3, 2012, 4:30 p.m. s #OMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP ANNOUNCED BY THE "OARD OF 4RUSTEES ON &EB &OR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT %NRIQUE .AVAS AT EXT 20 N The Almanac N January 4, 2012

Districts 1, 5 and 7

The Planning Commission participates in the administration of the planning laws and policies of the Town. It is responsible for recommending to the Town Council ordinances and resolutions necessary to implement the General Plan and adopted development policy. The Commission also conducts necessary public hearings to administer the planning laws and policies of the Town and acts upon applications for zoning amendments, conditional use permits, variances, subdivisions and other related functions as may be assigned by the Council. The Planning Commission meets on the ďŹ rst and third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.; Commissioners are appointed for a four-year term; one member is appointed from each Council district. A listing of district addresses is provided on the Town’s web site at www.woodsidetown.org, Town Hall, Planning, Planning Commission, Districts. Interested residents may request information and applications Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-12 noon and 1-5:00 PM at Town Hall, 2955 Woodside Road, at the Town’s web site, www.woodsidetown.org, Residents, Volunteer Opportunities, or telephone the Town Clerk at (650) 851-6790. Deadline for applications is Friday, January 13, 2012, 5:00 PM.

Marketplace PLACE AN AD ONLINE fogster.com E-MAIL ads@fogster.com PHONE 650/326-8216 Now you can log on to fogster.com, day or night and get your ad started immediately online. Most listings are free and include a one-line free print ad in our Peninsula newspapers with the option of photos and additional lines. Exempt are employment ads, which include a web listing charge. Home Services and Mind & Body Services require contact with a Customer Sales Representative. So, the next time you have an item to sell, barter, give away or buy, get the perfect combination: print ads in your local newspapers, reaching more than 150,000 readers, and unlimited free web postings reaching hundreds of thousands additional people!!

INDEX N BULLETIN

BOARD 100-199 N FOR SALE 200-299 N KIDS STUFF 330-399 N MIND & BODY 400-499 N J OBS 500-599 N B USINESS SERVICES 600-699 N H OME SERVICES 700-799 N FOR RENT/ FOR SALE REAL ESTATE 800-899 N P UBLIC/LEGAL NOTICES 995-997 The publisher waives any and all claims or consequential damages due to errors. Embarcadero Media cannot assume responsibility for the claims or performance of its advertisers. Embarcadero Media has the right to refuse, edit or reclassify any ad solely at its discretion without prior notice.

fogster.com THE PENINSULA’S FREE CLASSIFIEDS WEB SITE

Combining the reach of the Web with print ads reaching over 150,000 readers!

fogster.com is a unique web site offering FREE postings from communities throughout the Bay Area and an opportunity for your ad to appear in the Palo Alto Weekly, The Almanac and the Mountain View Voice.

Bulletin Board 115 Announcements art4growth.com Dance Expressions 2012 FREE Estate Planning INDEPENDENT RECYCLER We met in our garbage enclosure on Sat 12/24. You wore a red sweatshirt. I told you to leave. You were polite & said you had been here for years. You are welcome back. I was not thinking about your work. I apologize for my rudeness. I will not trouble you again. Introduction to opera Katie Herzog, solo exhibition St. Anthony’s Free Xmas Dinner St. Anthony’s Toy Giveaway 2011 Stanford music tutoring Thanks to Saint Jude

120 Auctions Advertise Your Auction in 240 California newspapers for one low cost of $600. Your 25 word classified ad reaches over 6 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)288-6019. (Cal-SCAN)

130 Classes & Instruction

Conversation Partners needed Help cats in Willow area

345 Tutoring/ Lessons

help homeless cats

Chess Lessons for kids and adult

Fosterers Needed for Moffet Cats

French Group lesson 650-691-9863

355 Items for Sale 4 Years BOY Summer clothes$40

For Sale 201 Autos/Trucks/ Parts BMW 2008 328i Sedan - $23,988 Mini 2009 MIni Cooper - $18,300

Avent bottles,bowls,forks,spoons Big lotBOY 5Years winterclothes Box withBoyBabyBlankets/comforte BOY24mon SUMMER only clothes Jackets BOY 6mon-3 years $5 Pink BarbieJeep1998MattelRemote Size 3T suit/tuxedo jacketReniew Stuffed animals box full only$20

202 Vehicles Wanted

Toddler shoes Size 4-6Boy - 3

Donate Your Car, Truck, Boat to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. 888-902-6851. (Cal-SCAN)

Toddler Soccer cleats size13 $5

Sell Your Car, Truck, SUV today! All 50 states, fast pick-up and payment. Any condition, make or model. Call now 1-877-818-8848. www.MyCarforCash.net (Cal-SCAN)

210 Garage/Estate Sales Redwood City, Quartz St, ONGOING

220 Computers/ Electronics Brand new Apple Iphone 4S 32GB $450

230 Freebies

415 Classes 2-DAY INTENSIVE Hypnosis: Creati

425 Health Services Diabetics with Medicare Get a FREE talking meter and diabetic testing supplies at No Cost, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking! Call 888-781-9376. (Cal-SCAN) Sleep Apnea Sufferers with Medicare. Get FREE CPAP Replacement Supplies at No Cost, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, prevent red skin sores and bacterial infection! Call 888-699-7660. (Cal-SCAN)

Sales Live-Work-Party-Play!! Play in Vegas, Hang in LA. Hiring 18-24 gals/guys. $400-$800 wkly. Paid expenses. Signing Bonus. Energetic and Fun! Call 877-259-6983. (Cal-SCAN)

Business Services 640 Legal Services Auto Accident Attorney Injured in an Auto Accident? Call Jacoby and Meyers for a free case evaluation. Never a cost to you. Don’t wait, call now, 888-685-5721. (Cal-SCAN) Social Security Disability Benefits. You win or pay us nothing. Contact Disability Group, Inc. Today! BBB Accredited. Call for your FREE book and consultation. 877-4906596. (Cal-SCAN)

Instruction for Hebrew Bar and Bat Mitzvah For Affiliated and Unaffiliated George Rubin, M.A. in Hebrew/Jewish Education 650/424-1940

133 Music Lessons Barton-Holding Music Studio Accepting new students for private vocal lessons. All levels. Call Laura Barton, 650/965-0139 FUN, Piano/Guitar/Violin Lessons Hope Street Music Studios In downtown Mtn. View Most instruments, voice All ages & levels (650)961-2192 www.hopestreetmusicstudios.com Jazz & Pop Piano Lessons Learn how to build chords and improvise. Bill Susman, M.A., Stanford. (650)906-7529 Piano Lessons in your home Children and adults. Christina Conti, B.M. 15+ yrs exp. 650/493-6950

Alta Masa Plot Subdivision 7, Hillview, will negotiate. 808-280-6075

250 Musical Instruments Schimmel Grand Piano Schimmel conert chamber grand piano(CC 208LE)(6ft 10in). Purchased in 1999 and in excellent condition. Seller is moving.

Kid’s Stuff 330 Child Care Offered

SMALL GROUP CHORAL SINGING

Nanny/Au Pair

The Manzana Music School www.ManzanaMusicSchool.com Palo Alto Kids & Adults Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Violin, Cello,& Bass lessons

Part- time nanny available.

135 Group Activities

Mentor Tutor for Middle Schooler

Jan.7 Retreat

340 Child Care Wanted PT Nanny Wanted M-F in Mtn View

150 Volunteers cats volunteer at stablesbarns

Driver: Daily Pay Start out the year with daily pay and weekly home time! Single Source Dispatch. Van and Refrigerated. CDL-A, 3 months recent experience required. 1-800-414-9569. www.DriveKnight.com (Cal-SCAN) Driver: New Career For the New Year! No experience needed! No credit check! Top industry pay and quality training. 100% Paid CDL Training. 1-800-326-2778. www.JoinCRST.com (Cal-SCAN) Drivers: CDL Training Career Central. No money down. CDL Training. Work for us or let us work for you! Unbeatable career opportunities. *Trainee *Company Driver *Lease Operator Earn up to $51k *Lease Trainers Earn up to $80k 1-877-3697126. www.CentralDrivingJobs.net (Cal-SCAN) Jobs in Alaska! Work and travel Alaska!!!! Seafood companies now hiring. Airfare, room and board provided. No experience necessary. Short 2-5 month contracts. Alaskan Seafood Jobs - www. AlaskanSeafoodJobs.com (Cal-SCAN) Jobs! Jobs! Jobs Get paid to train in the California Army National Guard. Up to 100% tuition assistance. Part-time work. Full-time benefits. www.NationalGuard.com/Careers or 1-800-Go-Guard. (Cal-SCAN)

Since 1985

Insured

(650)962-1536- Lic. 020624

www.orkopinabestcleaningservice.com

Beckys Landscape Weekly/periodic maint. Annual rose/fruit tree pruning, clean-ups, irrigation, sod, planting, raised beds. Power washing. 650/493-7060

695 Tours & Travel

German language class

Bonded

Alex Electric Lic #784136. Free Est. All electrical. Alex, (650)366-6924

245 Miscellaneous

World Guitar Show 100’s. Buy, Sell, Trade. Marin Civic/San Rafael, January 14-15. Orange County Fairgrounds/Costa Mesa, January 21-22. Saturdays 10-5, Sundays 10-4. www.CalShows.TV (Cal-SCAN)

“The BEST Service for You�

% Trustworthy Detailed % Laundry, Linens % W W # Blinds % " " ! Clean-up % # Wash % Work

Classified Advertising Advertise a display business card sized ad in 140 California newspapers for one low cost of $1,550. Your display 3.75x2� ad reaches over 3 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)288-6019. (Cal-SCAN)

Retro Modern Coffee table - $100.00

560 Employment Information

Orkopina Housecleaning

730 Electrical

High School Diploma Graduate in 4 weeks! FREE Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com (Cal-SCAN)

Jobs

Olga’s Housecleaning Res./Com. Wkly/mo. Low Rates. Local Refs. 25 years Exp. & Friendly. I love My Job! Ins. (650)380-1406

Advertise Truck Driver Jobs in 240 California newspapers for one low cost of $600. Your 25 word classified ad reaches over 6 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)2886019. (Cal-SCAN)

Reach Californians with a Classified in almost every county. Experience the power of classifieds! Combo~California Daily and Weekly Networks. One order. One payment. Free Brochures. elizabeth@cnpa.com or (916)288-6019. (Cal-SCAN)

Work on Jet Engines Train for Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved. Financial aid if qualified Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888) 242-3382 toll free. (Cal-SCAN)

Maribel Hernandez

645 Office/Home Business Services

sofa - FREE

Infrared iHeater Heat your home for 5ĂŻÂż1â „2 an HOUR! Portable infrared iHeater heats 1000 sq. ft. Slashes your heating bills by 50%. FREE Shipping too! WAS $499 NOW $279 Call 1-888-807-5741. (Cal-SCAN)

magna housecleaning

Socorro’s Cleaning Service Full housecleaning, laundry. San Carlos to MV. 650/465-3765

Earn College Degree Online *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call 888-210-5162 www.CenturaOnline.com (Cal-SCAN)

240 Furnishings/ Household items

House Cleaning Services All household Cleaning. 6 yrs exp., Fair Rates. 15/HR, Refs. 1st visit 10% discount. 650-630-0606

Cyber Consumer Check out some diverse travel destinations. Go to: http://www.cyberconsumer.net

Home Services 710 Carpentry Cabinetry-Individual Designs Precise, 3-D Computer Modeling: Mantels * Bookcases * Workplaces * Wall Units * Window Seats. Ned Hollis, 650/856-9475

715 Cleaning Services

CLEANING SERVICES lic#051308 Window W ! ! W !

CALL US (650)444-1399 TODAY!

Family House Service Weekly or bi-weekly green cleaning. Comm’l., residential, apts. Honest, reliable, family owned. Refs. Sam, 650/315-6681. Holiday Cleaning by Tere. Houses * Apartments * Offices. Genl. cleaning, laundry, ironing, comml./res. Excel. refs. Lic. #40577. 650/281-8637

To place a Classified adin The Almanac call 326-8216 or online at fogster.com

A FAST RESPONSE! Small Jobs Welcome. lic #545936 Bob 650-343-5125. www. HillsboroughElectric.com

748 Gardening/ Landscaping

J. L. GARDENING SERVICE % % " $ $ # % " % ! 25 Years of Exp.

650-520-9097

www.JLGARDENING.COM

Jody Horst

Artist

856-9648 $ Consult $ Dr Spray Irrigation $ Maintenance $ La! Roc Gardens $ Edib Gardens V Boxes Lic. #725080 LANDA’S GARDENING & LANDSCAPING *Yard Maintenance*New Lawns*Clean Ups*Tree Trimming*Wood Fences* Power Washing. 17 years experience. Senior Discount 650-576-6242 Leo Garcia Landscape/ Maintenance Lawn and irrig. install, clean-ups. Res. and comml. maint. Free Est. Lic. 823699. 650/369-1477. Mario’s Gardening Maintenance, clean-ups. 650/365-6955; 995-3822

Free

est.

R.G. Landscape Yard clean-ups, maintenance, installations. Call Reno for free est. 650/468-8859 WEEKLY MAINTENANCE TRIMMING/ PRUNING, TREE SERVICE, STUMP GRINDING, CLEAN UPS, AERATION, IRRIGATION, ROTOTILLING. ROGER: 650.776.8666

GO TO FOGSTER.COM TO RESPOND TO ADS WITHOUT PHONE NUMBERS January 4, 2012 â– The Almanac â– 21

MARKETPLACE the printed version of

fogster.com

751 General Contracting

771 Painting/ Wallpaper

NOTICE TO READERS: It is illegal for an unlicensed person to perform contracting work on any project valued at $500.00 or more in labor and materials. State law also requires that contractors include their license numbers on all advertising. Check your contractor’s status at www.cslb. ca.gov or 800-321-CSLB (2752). Unlicensed persons taking jobs that total less than $500.00 must state in their advertisements that they are not licensed by the Contractors State License Board

Since1990!

Gary Rossi PAINTING Free 2 gal. paint. Water damage repair, wallpaper removal. Bonded. Lic #559953. 650/207-5292 Italian Painter Residential/Commercial, Interior/ Exterior. Detailed prep work. 25 years experience. Excel. Refs. Call Domenico (650)575-9032

% ! $! % ! % " !" % !

GENERAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS

HOLIDAY SPECIAL

PL/PD STATE LIC# 608358

STYLE PAINTING Comm’l/Res. Full service painting and decorating. Lic. 903303. 650/388-8577

650-322-7930

www.cjtigheconstruction.com

754 Gutter Cleaning Carlson’s Rain Gutter Cleaning Roof cleaning and pressure washing. 20 years in business (650)322-5030

757 Handyman/ Repairs AAA HANDYMAN AND MORE

# ! ! ### ! !

650.799.8495 license #889532

775 Asphalt/ Concrete

CONCRETE REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT Driveways, Patios, Sidewalks & Foundations

Repair

650-630-5156

650-222-2517

Roe General Engineering Concrete, asphalt, sealing, pavers, new construct, repairs. 34 yrs exp. No job too small. Lic #663703 * 650/814-5572

Lic.# 468963

Since 1976 Licensed & Insured

ABLE HANDYMAN FRED Complete Home Repair Maintenanc emodelin Professional Painting Carpentr Plumbing Electrical Custom Cabine Design Deck ence An Much More

#372196

779 Organizing Services

650.529.1662 3. 27

End the Clutter & Get Organized Residential O rg a n i z i n g by Debra Robinson (650)941-5073

Keane Construction Specializing in Home

790 Roofing

30 Years Experience

Repairs

Kitchens, Bathrooms, Stucco, Dry Rot & Masonry and more! 650-430-3469 Lic.#743748

Miller’s Maintenance Plumbing, Painting, Tile and wall repair. Free Est. No job too small. Senior discount. 25 years exp. 650/669-3199

759 Hauling College Student Will haul and recycle your unwanted items and do genl. clean up. 650/641-3078; 650/868-6184 Frank’s Hauling Commercial, Residential, Garage, Basement & Yard. Clean-up. Fair prices. 650/361-8773 Students Saving Money for College Will beat most prices and haul anything. 650/207-9674

767 Movers Armando’s Moving Homes, Apartments, Storage. Full Service moves. Serving the Bay Area for 20 yrs. Licensed & Insured. Armando,650-630-0424. CAL-T190632

SHMOOVER

MOOVERS LICENSE CAL. T-118304

Serving the Peninsula since 1975/Owner-Operated!

327-5493 FOGSTER.COM

Al Peterson RooďŹ ng since 1946 Specializing in ng

650-493-9177

795 Tree Care

Palo Alto

TREE SERVICE

25 yrs Exp Lic & Ins. #819244 (650) 380-2297

Real Estate

815 Rentals Wanted PA: Room w/ Private BA Musician/writer, BA Mills College ‘60, relocating from NM seeks room w/pvt. BA. N/S, N/P. Short/long term. February 2012. 505/872-0769 Seeking Guest House

840 Vacation Rentals/Time Shares Vacation Properties Advertise your vacation property in 240 California newspapers for one low cost of $600. Your 25 word classified ad reaches over 6 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)288-6019. (Cal-SCAN) PALO ALTO ARCHITECT Palo Alto Architect Tahoe Vista Townhouse Heratage Cove 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath townhouse. Sleeps 6. Newly remodeled and on the beach. 15 minutes to Northstar. $400/night, $500 damage deposit plus $150 cleaning fee. Absolutely No Smoking or Pets. TOP RATED RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECT

855 Real Estate Services Pebble Beach & Carmel Homes Considering a second home in PEBBLE BEACH or CARMEL? Start your search at www.AdamMoniz.com

PROTECT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS If it has been 5 years since you filed your Fictitious Business Name Statement (your D.B.A.), you must file again to protect your legal rights. Check your records now to see if your D.B.A. expires this year. Then call the Almanac, 326-8210, for assistance in refiling. It’s inexpensive and easy.

Think Globally, Shop Locally

THE PENINSULA’S FREE CLASSIFIEDS WEBSITE TO RESPOND TO ADS WITHOUT PHONE NUMBERS GO TO WWW.FOGSTER.COM

1VCMJD /PUJDFT 995 Fictitious Name Statement COOK SMARTS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No.: 247940 The following Person(s) is (are) doing business as: Cook Smarts, located at 1983 Euclid Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, San Mateo County. Is (Are) hereby registered by the following owner(s): JESSICA DANG 1983 Euclid Avenue Menlo Park, CA 94025 This business is conducted by: Sole Proprietor. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein on N/A. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of San Mateo County on December 7, 2011. (Almanac Dec. 21, 28, 2011, Jan. 4, 11, 2012) NANCY’S PLAYGROUPS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No.: 248103 The following Person(s) is (are) doing business as: Nancy’s Playgroups, located at 228 Morgan Lane, Menlo Park, CA 94025, San Mateo County. Is (Are) hereby registered by the following owner(s): NANCY D. WAGNER 228 Morgan Lane Menlo Park, CA 94025 This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein on 09/05/1992. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of San Mateo County on December 20, 2011. (Almanac Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25, 2012)

997 All Other Legals ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Case No.: CIV509936 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner LYDIA CARDOZA BELLO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: LYDIA CARDOZA BELLO to LYDIA B. CARDOZA. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: January 10, 2012, 9:00 a.m., Dept.: PJ, Room: 2E of the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, located at 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA

94063. A copy of this ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: THE ALMANAC. Date: December 2, 2011 /s/ Beth Labson Freeman JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT (The Almanac Dec. 14, 21, 28, 2011, Jan. 4, 2012) NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to sections 21700 - 21716 of the California Business and Professions Code, known as the California Self-Service Storage Facility Act, that the undersigned, ALL ABOARD MINI STORAGE will sell at public auction on January 16th, 2012 at 3:00 P.M. at 1520 WILLOW RD., MENLO PARK, CA 94025 the following personal property, household goods, business property and/or vehicle to wit: 137 Tavakeoma Vailea Mataele aka. Tavakeoma Mataele aka. T Mataele Microwave, Night Stand, Clothing, Bedding, Baby's Furniture, Air Conditioner, and Approx. 20 Boxes. 204 David Allen Thompson aka. David Thompson Stools/Bar Aquarium, Clothing, Vacuum/Carpet Cleaner. Air Conditioner, Tool Box, Trash and Approx. 2 Bags. 358 Suzanne Meholic aka. Suzanne Christine Meholic 1 Chest and Approx. 12 Plastic Bins. Said sale is for the purpose of satisfying lien of the undersigned for storage fees, advertising, and lien costs. The undersigned reserves the right to refuse any and all bids. All rights to damages by reason of a deficiency on this resale and incidental damages, and any and all other appropriate remedies are hereby reserved. Dated this 19th day of December, 2011 J. Michael's Auction, Inc. State License Bond #142295787 (916) 543-1575 Dates Published December 28th, 2011 and January 4th, 2012

By: Jodi Parker ____________________ Agent for Owner Almanac Trustee Sale No. 752379CA Loan No. 3018537443 Title Order No. 110430529-CA-MAI NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 12/6/2007. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On 1/25/2012 at 12:30 PM, CALIFORNIA RECONVEYANCE COMPANY as the duly appointed Trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust Recorded 12/13/2007, Book

N/A, Page N/A, Instrument 2007175258, of official records in the Office of the Recorder of SAN MATEO County, California, executed by: EVANGELINE L. MESA, A MARRIED WOMAN AS HERSOLE AND SEPERATE PROPERTY, as Trustor, WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA, as Beneficiary, will sell at public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash, cashier's check drawn by a state or national bank, a cashier's check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a cashier's check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. Sale will be held by the duly appointed trustee as shown below, of all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by the trustee in the hereinafter described property under and pursuant to the Deed of Trust. The sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust, interest thereon, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee for the total amount (at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale) reasonably estimated to be set forth below. The amount may be greater on the day of sale. Place of Sale: AT THE MARSHALL ST. ENTRANCE TO THE HALL OF JUSTICE AND RECORDS, 400 COUNTY CENTER, REDWOOD CITY, CA Legal Description: As more fully described in said Deed of Trust Amount of unpaid balance and other charges: $699,965.29 (estimated) Street address and other common designation of the real property: 125 RIDGE ROAD WOODSIDE, CA 94062 APN Number: 067-184-230-0 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The property heretofore described is being sold "as is". In compliance with California Civil Code 2923.5(c) the mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent declares: that it has contacted the borrower(s) to assess their financial situation and to explore options to avoid foreclosure; or that it has made efforts to contact the borrower(s) to assess their financial situation and to explore options to avoid foreclosure by one of the following methods: by telephone; by United States mail; either 1st class or certified; by overnight delivery; by personal delivery; by e-mail; by face to face meeting. DATE: 12/28/2011 CALIFORNIA RECONVEYANCE COMPANY, as Trustee MARCO RIVERA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY CALIFORNIA RECONVEYANCE COMPANY IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. California Reconveyance Company 9200 Oakdale Avenue Mail Stop: CA2-4379 Chatsworth, CA 91311 800892-6902 For Sales Information: (714) 730-2727 or www.lpsasap.com (714) 573-1965 or www.priorityposting.com P906944 1/4, 1/11, 01/18/2012 Almanac

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(650) 400-1317 Brad brad.miller@cbnorcal.com January 4, 2012 ■ The Almanac ■ 23

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