Daily Post 08-18-25 by Daily Post

School supe liked to travel

BY ELAINE GOODMAN Daily Post Correspondent

The Mountain View Whisman School District has released an auditor’s report on district spending, including the hiring of an “energy healer” to help employees meditate and former Superintendent Ayinde Rudolph’s stays at luxury hotels.

The audit was conducted by a state-funded agency called the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, or FCMAT. The school board is scheduled to discuss the report on Thursday.

Auditors found insufficient evidence to indicate that fraud, misappropriation of funds or other illegal fiscal practices may have occurred during the period examined: July 1, 2022 through the end of October

2024, when Rudolph resigned. But the report sheds light on Rudolph’s activities while he was superintendent, particularly regarding travel.

In 2023, Rudolph traveled to eight conferences. Three were in California and others were in Dallas, Denver, San Antonio, Bir-

WAGE GROWTH: The wages of blue-collar workers have increased 1.7% in the first five months of President Trump’s second term, the largest increase for any administration in nearly 60 years, according to the Department of the Treasury.

MUSK VS. APPLE: Elon Musk says he plans to sue Apple for not featuring X and its Grok artificial intelligence chatbot app in its top recommended apps in its App Store.

ELECTRIC MAIL TRUCKS:

Republicans in Congress want to take back $3 billion from the postal service, which had been earmarked to buy an electric fleet of mail trucks. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, a co-sponsor of the rollback effort, has said the EV order should be canceled because the project “has delivered nothing but delays, defective trucks, and skyrocketing costs.”

REST STOP CLOSED: The Crystal Springs Rest Area on Interstate 280 will be closed for maintenance until Friday, Caltrans said.

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus, accompanied by Manjit Sappal of her executive team, listen during a court hearing last week. Starting today, Corpus will begin her appeal of a decision by the county Board of Supervisors to terminate her due to allegations of corruption. See story on page 19. Post photo by Adriana Hernandez.

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

The owner of a mobile petting zoo is suing a senior living community in Los Altos for allegedly not paying her, even though she brought 20 “adorable” animals the residents could enjoy.

Dee Morgan, of San Ramon, said her company signed a contract with the

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

replace the last of four townhomes that were torn down so she could build a swimming pool — a move that was only allowed by the city after her representatives pushed planners to beat a state law against the loss of housing. Mayer wants to replace the townhome with a

house that has a lounge, elevator, basement, music and media room and two-level “grand hall”

Terraces at Los Altos to have a petting zoo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 22. Morgan said she charged $1,095 for the three-hour session with an estimated 150 seniors at 373 Pine Lane.

Yet the Terraces at Los Altos and its CEO Preet Kaur have refused to pay her, Morgan said in her lawsuit filed on Thursday in Santa Clara County Supe-

rior Court. Morgan said she was “met with excuses and new conditions not specified in the original agreement,” and that Kaur “engaged in a pattern of deception, delay and bad faith tactics.” Morgan asked for $500,000 for her anxiety and financial hardship. Kaur didn’t return a request for

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Businesses may be razed

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

The Belmont Planning Commission tomorrow will review plans to demolish six businesses and replace them with a five-story apartment building.

FINGER LICKIN’ BBQ

Prometheus Real Estate Group will propose building 140 homes at 580 Masonic Way at the meeting tomorrow, according to Deputy Community Development Director Laura Russell.

Koriander Indian Cuisine & Catering, Tollstrup Chiropractic, a bilingual school and other offices

are currently at 580 Masonic Way. The real estate group first proposed the project in 2024, causing residents to worry.

A group of residents calling themselves Save East Belmont protested the demolition. They said the loss of businesses would hurt the community.

The city aims to create more homes to meet state housing quotas.

The five-story building will have 39 studio spaces, 68 one-bedroom apartments and 33 two-bedroom apartments. The apartments

would be designed with beige, gray, brown and tan colors.

The first and second floors of the five-story building will have a total of 138 parking spaces.

The first floor of the building will be partially parking, but also have 15 apartments.

The units will be leased at three different price points for low-income to moderate-income.

Commissioners can reject the project if they find it would impact public health and safety and doesn’t comply with the city’s general plan.

Distribution:

Letters:

Births

Readers

El Camino Hospital in Mountain View: Jan. 26

Vaani Agrawal, a girl

Ahana Athul, a girl

Sanad Ahmad Badwan, a boy

Seraphina Renee Davis, a girl

Drew Hannah Dexheimer, a girl

Declan Qian Farrell, a boy

Calvin Agustin Franklin, a boy

Olivia Guan, a girl

Noa Leia Hulovaty, a girl

Shay Shiyu Liu, a boy

Ara Patricia Longmier Spangelo, a girl

Aira Maheshwari, a girl

Rushati Maity, a girl

Zohaan Muhammad Tayyab, a boy

Aria Alex Yang, a girl

Jan. 25

Shriyansh Chamarthy, a boy

Tailong Aivan Chong, a boy

Marley Ann Friesen, a girl

Ryan Bolin Kang, a boy

Agastya Mathur, a boy

Violette Jade Ortiz, a girl

Abel Bitew Showatatek, a boy

Ronan Ishinder Sidhu, a boy

Janine Yang, a girl

Samuel Jingyun Yan, a boy

Big-shot lawyer isn’t helping sheriff

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus, who is facing removal from office on corruption charges, did herself no favors by adding former Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez to her legal team.

Perez gave a disjointed speech to the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that included a number of racial slurs, including the n-word and a term for Mexicans that ends with “back.”

I guess the point he was trying to make was that over the years Corpus had encountered cops who used such language. But that point was lost on the audience, who collectively gasped when he started using these slurs.

He apologized, but in 2025, if you’re going to quote somebody who used a slur, you never repeat the actual slur — you use a phrase like “he said the n-word.” You’d think Perez would have known better, having headed organizations steeped in political correctness. He was Labor Secretary for former President Obama and then head of the Democratic Party for four years.

Maybe you can get away with those slurs behind closed doors in D.C., but they’re not acceptable here.

Simply put, Perez can’t read the room. That’s going to be a real problem if he is the main litigator for Corpus in the hearings that begin today.

Litigators have to pay close attention to ensure the case they’re presenting is reaching their audience. Usually the audience is a jury, but in the case of the removal hearings, it will be a retired judge who is serving as a hearing officer and the five members of the Board of Supervisors who will make the final call.

When Perez began firing off these slurs, I wondered if he had run this speech by his client first? Had she approved it?

Ironically, witnesses have said that Corpus had twice used the n-word to describe her predecessor, Carlos Bolanos, a Latino. And she twice sent text messages using a homophobic slur to describe an elected official who is a lesbian, according to a report by outside investigator and a firm hired to verify that the messages came from Corpus.

Perez, with his national Democratic credentials, was hired for one reason: making the all-Democrat Board of Supervisors worry that they might not have a future in party politics if they go against his client. But Perez

destroyed any credibility he might have had in these hearings with those racial slurs.

Video coverage denied

You won’t be allowed to watch a video stream of the hearings that begin today on whether Corpus should keep her job.

Retired Santa Clara County Judge James Emerson, who is serving as the hearing officer in these proceedings, has said that people can observe the hearing in person if they want to go to the Hall of Justice, 400 County Center, Redwood City, in Courtroom 2M on the second floor.

But he has denied a request by the Daily Post to televise the hearings, though he will allow still photography.

I’m disappointed with his ruling because Corpus has claimed all along that all of her accusers — and it’s a list of more than 40 people — are liars. She says she’s the only one telling the truth. With video, people can judge for themselves who is telling the truth.

Allowing the public to watch the proceedings would have promoted transparency in the removal process. San Mateo County’s charter previously didn’t allow the Board of Supervisors

to replace the sheriff. But voters in March approved a temporary change in the charter to allow the supervisors to remove her. It passed overwhelmingly, 84-16%, which says to me that the public has a strong interest in watching these proceedings.

On the other hand, if Corpus is being railroaded by the “Good Old Boys” network, as she has often claimed, that will come out in the hearings, too. If she believes in her case, she ought to be insisting that these hearings are seen by as many people as possible.

In fact, she said in a July 24 letter, “The people of San Mateo County deserve to hear the truth directly, not filtered through political agendas, biased narratives, erroneous reports, or closed-door deliberations.”

She concluded her letter by saying, “Let the public see the facts. Let them hear the truth. …”

Dial-up service ends

AOL announced last week it is ending its dial-up internet service on Sept. 30. I suspect this means we will be getting fewer letters-to-the-editor at the Post.

Editor Dave Price’s column appears on Mondays in the Post.

Dave Price

PEREZ

Change the name

Dear Editor: Regarding your headline last Monday, “Zuckerberg angers neighbors,” keep it. It’s a handy headline. All you have to do is change the name from time to time — Jobs, Ellison, McNealy, T.J. Rodgers, etc. I think I see a pattern.

Richard H. Dwiggins Menlo Park

Shift on SRI project

Dear Editor: Housing or office development? It can’t be too hard to figure out which is better for a town. One is needed and one is not. Cities get punished when they approve office projects but don’t approve housing for the new office workers. Jobs and housing must be in balance or the state arrives with new requirements for housing that must be met.

OPINION

The Menlo Park SRI/Parkline office project will bring close to 5,000 office workers but the housing in the project has only 800 units. This is what the state looks at. So hats off to Lane Partners, who has announced a change to their proposal at SRI (Parkline) by reducing the office size. Lane says this change is due to community’s concern about the 15,000 daily car trips their project produces. Business publications are warning of alarming increases in office vacancies on the Peninsula and San Francisco. Could Lane be reading the tea leaves?

Housing is in demand. Office is not. Could housing be more profitable than offices? Have cities and developers found a common goal? Reduce offices and add housing. There is time to get SRI/Parkline right. Jobs equals office workers

and these folks need housing. I am going to keep my fingers crossed that this project can be fixed. The city of Menlo Park and a developer could agree on an appropriate and beneficial project for the legacy SRI site.

Steve Schmidt

Former Mayor Menlo Park

Taller buildings

Dear Editor: Between today and Sept. 12, the California Senate and Assembly will take their final votes on whether to pass Senate Bill 79 (SB79). This bill would permit housing in six- to 14-story buildings by right anywhere within a half mile of any Caltrain stop, including neighborhoods and the many historic downtowns up and down the Peninsula.

There are no exceptions for historic buildings or districts. This

[See LETTERS, page 8]

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LETTERS –---

means, for example, Mountain View’s Castro Street historic buildings, which are adjacent to the Caltrain tracks in blocks 100-300, could be torn down and the Mountain View City Council would have no ability to stop this destruction. All cities with homes and historic downtowns along the Caltrain line could face a similar fate.

Furthermore, any neighborhood within one-half mile of a train station, light rail station or frequent bus stops will be rezoned to permit five- to 14-story buildings by right.

Mid-Peninsula residents can call Sen. Josh Becker and Assemblyman Marc Berman and say “I live in your district and oppose SB79.” Or you can use their websites to send them a short note saying you oppose SB79.

Robert Cox and Louise Katz Mountain View

For the Steering Committee of Livable Mountain View

Loving tax hikes

Dear Editor: To my friends south of me in Santa Clara County, you folks must love paying taxes. Your county Board of Supervisors has you down for a .5% “regional” sales tax increase for “regional” transportation, which will fund BART and SF Muni, bailing them out of their financial plight. Keep in mind, most of this money will not benefit Santa Clara County and yet you are expected to pay the bills. Then your supervisors have you down for an additional .625% sales tax increase for your poorly run county hospitals, bailing them out. You good

people are either the most generous and philanthropic citizens there are, or you are getting the wool pulled over your eyes by your elected officials. Or possibly both are true.

Christopher P.

Conway San Mateo

A new slush fund

Dear Editor: I urge you to vote “no” on Measure A in Santa Clara County — it costs too much, does too little and solves nothing. The county should tighten its belt, not reach into your pocket.

Measure A is a regressive sales tax. It hits low- and middle-income families the hardest. It’s an open-ended slush fund with no binding oversight.

Vote no on Measure A because it is:

A bailout for failure — The county’s recklessly expanded hospital system lost $600 million last year, is projected to lose $1 billion next year, and $1.4-$3 billion by 2030. Measure A will only raise $330 million per year, guaranteeing future tax hikes.

Proof the county can’t fix its problems — A civil grand jury found the VTA has lost billions over the years, covering only 7–10% of costs through fares. Yet county leaders refuse to fix these failing programs before demanding more money from taxpayers.

A legal loophole — The county has known about this deficit for years, yet rushed Measure A onto the ballot with just 24 hours’ notice as an “emergency” general tax. Not a dime will be dedicated to healthcare. The funds can be spent on anything. It can pass with just 50% plus one vote (instead of the two-thirds required for a dedicated tax)

and has no binding oversight to ensure promises are kept.

Measure A isn’t a plan — it’s a last-minute Band-Aid that hides decades of fiscal mismanagement. Demand real reform, fiscal discipline, and leadership that lives within its means. Vote “no” on Measure A. Rishi Kumar, Saratoga Chair of the No on A Committee

Stanford admissions

Dear Editor: I am disappointed that Stanford has reinstated standardized testing requirements and will continue using legacy admissions despite California’s forthcoming law disincentivizing the practice.

Stanford has long stood as a beacon of academic excellence and innovation. It is difficult to reconcile that reputation with a move backward into exclusionary practices that have been widely criticized for perpetuating inequality.

Standardized Testing: The decision to once again require SAT or ACT scores comes at a time when studies have shown that these exams reflect socioeconomic status more than academic potential. Standardized tests continue to disadvantage students from low-income backgrounds and underresourced schools, particularly students of color. After several years of test-optional policies, which expanded access and encouraged a more diverse applicant pool, why would Stanford choose to reverse course?

Legacy Admissions: Even more troubling is the university’s decision to maintain legacy preferences — an inherently inequitable practice — despite the state’s decision to withhold Cal Grant funding from institutions

that prioritize family connections over merit.

Data from your peer institutions shows that eliminating legacy preferences does not diminish alumni giving. More importantly, it sends a powerful message that the university values equity and achievement over privilege and lineage. Institutions like Amherst and Johns Hopkins have led by example.

Stanford has the resources, the platform and the moral responsibility to lead with integrity. I urge Stanford’s leaders to reconsider these decisions and take meaningful steps toward building a more inclusive and equitable admissions process.

Jim Lawrence Former Mayor, Foster City

Rail versus bridge

Dear Editor: As your newspaper reported, Sicily has cleared the way to begin construction of what would be the world’s largest suspension bridge, linking the island to mainland Italy.

With an estimated cost of 13.5 billion euros (roughly $15.8 billion U.S. dollars), the project has faced years of delays over earthquake risks, environmental concerns and fears of mafia involvement. Preliminary work is expected to begin in the coming months.

It will be interesting to see whether Sicily’s mega-bridge or California’s high-speed “train to nowhere” reaches completion first — and at what final cost.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the bookies are already accepting bets!

Oscar Lopez-Guerra San Mateo

Vacation Bible School

Putin agrees to Ukraine security

Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed at his summit with President Trump that the United States and its European allies could offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO’s collective defense mandate as part of an eventual deal to end the war, a U.S. official said yesterday.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, who took part in the talks Friday at a military base in Alaska, said it “was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that” and called it “game-changing.”

“We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,” Witkoff said on CNN.

Major shift for Russia Witkoff offered few details on how such an arrangement would work. But it’s a major shift for Putin and could serve as a workaround to his deep-seated objection to Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, a step that Kyiv has long sought.

It was expected to be a key topic today as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and major European leaders meet with Trump at the White House to discuss ending the 3½-year war.

“Big progress on Russia,” Trump said yesterday on social media. “Stay tuned!”

What is Article 5?

Article 5, the heart of NATO, says an armed attack against any of the 32-member nations is considered an attack against them all.

What needs to be hammered out at this week’s talks were the details of any security guarantees, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukraine and European allies have pushed the U.S. to provide that backstop in any peace agreement to deter future attacks by Moscow.

“How that’s constructed, what we call it, how it’s built, what guarantees are built into it that are enforceable, that’s what we’ll be talking about over the next few days with our partners,” Rubio said on NBC.

It was unclear, however, whether Trump had fully committed to such a guarantee. Rubio said it would be “a huge concession.”

Witkoff also said Russia had agreed to enact a law that it would not “go after any other European countries and violate their sovereignty.”

Further, Russia agreed that it would not go after any more of Ukraine than the 20% of the country it has already captured, Witkoff said.

Real Estate

The Post prints the latest real estate transactions.

PALO ALTO

4385 Miller Ave., 94306, 3 bedrooms, 1670 square feet, built in 1953, Seiter Trust to Anusha and Abhijit Hota for $3,180,000, closed July 16

821 E. Meadow Drive, 94303, 5 bedrooms, 1963 square feet, built in 1956, Radwin Living Trust to Wang and Zhang Trust for $3,550,000, closed July 17 (last sale: $1,350,000, 12-24-08)

405 Spruce Lane, 94306, 5 bedrooms, 2893 square feet, built in 2007, Perry Living Trust to Yu Trust for $3,800,000, closed July 18 (last sale: $1,575,000, 09-13-07)

MENLO PARK

675 Sharon Park Drive #216, 94025, 1 bedroom, 739 square feet, built in 1968, Utt-Szelog Trust to Jad Ghaddar for $665,000, closed June 23

21 Willow Road #45, 94025, 2 bedrooms, 704 square feet, built in 1976, Joseph Fleming to Hoyem Family Trust for $875,000, closed June 26

675 Sharon Park Drive #231, 94025, 2 bedrooms, 1098 square feet, built in 1968, Aziz Trust to Khamsi Trust for $1,050,000, closed June 24 (last sale: $590,000, 03-28-05)

1135 Sevier Ave., 94025, 5 bedrooms, 1652 square feet, built in 1947, Sriya

and Srinivasa Rajagopalan to Jonathan and Olivia Wong for $1,600,000, closed June 25 (last sale: $1,630,000, 01-26-24)

MOUNTAIN VIEW

184 Athena Court, 94043, 3 bedrooms, 1664 square feet, built in 2016, Wenlin Chen to Tianyu and Georgios Georgiou for $2,200,000, closed July 17 (last sale: $1,758,000, 11-21-17)

747 San Clemente Way, 94043, 5 bedrooms, 1950 square feet, built in 1964, Diane Hayes to Edward Lee for $2,928,000, closed July 16

LOS ALTOS

2050 Wooded Glen Drive, 94024, 3 bedrooms, 1656 square feet, built in 1958, Miller Trust to John and Ilana Nahouraii for $3,605,000, closed July 18 1516 Wistaria Lane, 94024, 4 bedrooms, 1795 square feet, built in 1959, Victoria and Kelly Byrd to Eun and Yoonsuk Lee for $3,625,000, closed July 17 (last sale: $1,910,000, 06-27-14)

1869 Middleton Ave., 94024, 5 bedrooms, 2320 square feet, built in 1957, Charles Gray to Yizhao and Ye Li for $3,800,000, closed July 15

REDWOOD CITY

986 Governors Bay Drive, 94065, 4 bedrooms, 2550 square feet, built in 1995, Imber Living Trust to Xian-

Monterey Area Real Estate

grong Li for $2,950,000, closed June 24 (last sale: $1,270,000, 06-30-05)

12 Colton Court, 94062, 5 bedrooms, 6420 square feet, built in 1991, Staci and Jeff Homrig to Sharma Family Trust for $4,850,000, closed June 23 (last sale: $3,200,000, 09-09-15)

SAN CARLOS

2352 Howard Ave., 94070, 3 bedrooms, 2680 square feet, built in 2013, Barulich Trust to Silberstein Trust for $3,650,000, closed June 27 (last sale: $675,000, 06-18-12)

199 Kings Court, 94070, 5 bedrooms, 4340 square feet, built in 1995, Aynur and Tony Gundogdu to Hardy Trust for $3,890,000, closed June 24

BELMONT

500 South Road, 94002, 3 bedrooms, 2040 square feet, built in 1959, Shabnam and Jason Taylor to Gloria and Vincent Su for $3,115,000, closed June 24 (last sale: $800,000, 01-10-03)

610 Hiller St., 94002, 2 bedrooms, 1440 square feet, built in 1953, Donovan Trust to Sonal and Parth Vijayvargiya for $1,813,000, closed June 24

2280 Hastings Drive, 94002, 3 bedrooms, 1690 square feet, built in 1977, Potamias Trust to Sona and Darshak Shah for $2,175,000, closed June 26 (last sale: $1,525,000, 03-23-15)

Commercial Opportunity in Carmel Valley Village

67 & 69 W. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley 2 Beds, 1 Bath • $2,195,000

Positioned in one of Carmel Valley’s most vibrant corridors, this commercial property is comprised of three commercially zoned parcels and most recently utilized as a wine tasting room with accompanied food service.

Dolores 2 SW of Seventh, Carmel-by-the-Sea CalDRE #01871677

Restaurants might see fewer customers in the future as a result of the rise of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.

GLP-1 users are significantly cutting back on dining in and ordering takeout, according to a report published by Bloomberg News.

A survey of 1,000 GLP-1 users in the U.S. found 54% of respondents said they dined out “significantly less” or “less” frequently since starting the medication.

Nearly the same percentage reported ordering less takeout.

Respondents instead are choosing to eat at home, with 70% reporting they’re cooking at home “significantly

more” or “more” frequently since taking GLP-1 drugs; about half reported purchasing more groceries.

GLP-1 drugs help some users lose weight quickly. The drugs have skyrocketed in popularity.

About 4% of Americans are taking some form of GLP-1 drug for weightloss or to treat type 2 diabetes, a 600% increase in usage from six years ago, according to May data from FAIR Health.

Studies have also shown that households with GLP-1 users are spending less on groceries, with research indicating a reduction of about 6% within six months of starting the medication.

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SamTrans’ EV charging center to cost $36M

The San Mateo County Transit District has approved a $36.3 million contract to build new charging infrastructure for SamTrans’ growing fleet of battery electric buses.

The agreement with Clark Construction Group will fund high-capacity chargers, overhead pantograph dispensers and electrical upgrades at SamTrans’ South Base facility in San Carlos.

The first phase will support the agency’s 37 electric buses and lay the foundation for up to 110 more, SamTrans officials said.

“This investment is about more than

just buses -- it’s about cleaner air, healthier communities and a more sustainable future for San Mateo County,” said SamTrans Director of Infrastructure Zhiming Fan. “By building the infrastructure now, we’re ensuring that zero-emission transit will be the backbone of our service for decades to come.”

The project, which includes facility entrance improvements and a Project Labor Agreement with local unions, will be financed with state and federal funds.

Construction is set to begin later this year.

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PALO ALTO

AUG. 9

9:51 p.m. — Ryan Kauffman, 27, of Mountain View, arrested for domestic battery and on a warrant, Wilkie Way and Whitclem Drive. Arrest made by Mountain View police.

WEDNESDAY

12:20 a.m. — Jonathan Paul Bankes, 38, of San Francisco, arrested for grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia, Downtown Palo Alto Caltrain Station. Leon Al Murillo Lincoln, 37, of San Francisco, arrested for grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and on a warrant.

1:11 p.m. — Jeremy Thomas Ginsbach, 39, of Crockett, arrested on a warrant, 200 block of El Camino.

2:01 p.m. — Raeshawn Malcolm Lee, 31, of Union City, arrested for robbery, child endangerment, obstructing police and on a warrant, Lytton Ave.

2:27 p.m. — Stolen vehicle recovered, Palo Alto Police Dept.

10:51 p.m. — Kyle Manuel Franz, 31, of Palo Alto, arrested for domestic battery, 2300 block of Santa Catalina St.

STANFORD

AUG. 6

6:53 p.m. — Christopher Smith,

45, of Arcata, cited for possession of stolen property and theft of someone else’s lost property, Campus Drive and Jane Stanford Way.

MENLO PARK

FRIDAY

10:18 a.m. — Vandalism, 700 block of Laurel St.

10:43 a.m. — Eduardo Perez Zerpa, 37, of San Jose, arrested for being under the influence of drugs, 100 block of E. Creek Drive.

2:07 p.m. — Fraud, 300 block of Hermosa Way.

6:44 p.m. — Threats made against a business, Hacker Way.

10:07 p.m. — Burglary, 1000 block of Louise St.

SATURDAY

12:30 p.m. — Grand theft, 700 block of Telford Ave.

4 p.m. — Grand theft, 300 block of Chiquita Ave.

4:56 p.m. — Theft at Safeway, 645 San Antonio Road.

5:32 p.m. — Jeffrey Bagar, 78, of Mountain View, arrested for public drunkenness, 2200 block of Latham St.

10:58 p.m. — Home burglary, 500 block of W. Dana St.

NORTH FAIR OAKS

WEDNESDAY

9:43 p.m. — Benjamin Tafolla Cabrera, 32, arrested for identity theft and theft of someone else’s lost property, Second Ave. and Edison Way.

REDWOOD CITY

MAY 28

11:01 p.m. — John Chavez, 63, of Morgan Hill, arrested for public drunkenness at 7-Eleven, 615 S. Rengstorff Ave.

LOS ALTOS

SATURDAY

2:21 p.m. — Elder abuse alleged, 800 block of Fremont Ave.

1:03 a.m. — Vandalism, 300 block of O’Connor St.

11:47 a.m. — Jose Alejo Reyes, 46, arrested for possession and transportation of drugs for sale and on a warrant, El Camino and Middle Ave.

2:20 p.m. — Petty theft, 1000 block of Sevier Ave.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

AUG. 9

6:38 a.m. — John Chavez, 63, of Morgan Hill, arrested for public drunkenness at 7-Eleven, 1905 Latham St.

9:41 a.m. — Auto burglary, 900 block of High School Way.

9:58 a.m. — Theft at Starbucks, 565 San Antonio Road.

11:57 a.m. — Theft at City Sports Club, 1040 Grant Road.

BEAT THE TARIFFS!

Susana Mariaventura, 40, of Redwood City, arrested for possession of drugs for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia, El Camino and Redwood Ave.

Marco Salvador Castillo, 39, of Redwood City, cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, Marshall and Maple streets.

ATHERTON

FRIDAY

11:56 a.m. — Christian Williams Hernandez Apolinar, 30, of Redwood City, arrested on a warrant and for falsely identifying himself to police, Selby Lane and W. Selby Lane. A charge of bringing drugs into a jail is added later.

5:03 p.m. — Esgar Gonzales Salala, 30, of Redwood City, arrested for possession of stolen property, possession of a hypodermic needle and resisting police, Middlefield Road and De Bell Drive.

SATURDAY

9:02 p.m. — Package stolen from in front of a home, 1-99 block of Isabella Ave.

Preston Bryant Matthews, 63, of Redwood City, arrested for obstructing the business of a public agency at Redwood City Library, 1044 Middlefield Road. A charge is later added for bringing tear gas into a jail.

Carlos Alberto Cuneo Jr., 55, of Redwood City, arrested for elder abuse, 1300 block of Oxford St.

Karen Ariza Pena, 34, of Redwood City, arrested for shoplifting at Target, 2485 El Camino.

Oscar Ceballos Rivera, 30, of Redwood City, cited on a warrant, 300 block of Walnut St.

Brendan Arnold Martin, 43, of Redwood City, cited on a warrant, Main St. and Brewster Ave.

Yoselyn Flores Flores, 28, of Redwood City, arrested for

domestic violence, 3100 block of Middlefield Road.

MAY 29

Hector Gonzalez Ortiz, 42, of Redwood City, arrested for violation of a court order and probation violation, 300 block of Main St.

Christopher Kenji Ando, 48, of Redwood City, arrested for DUI that causes injuries and child endangerment. Location not disclosed.

Randy Dean Eades, 63, of Redwood City, cited for resisting police, 1500 block of Stafford St. Ever Ochoa Rodriguez, 31, of Redwood City, arrested for public drunkenness and resisting police, 1100 block of Veterans Blvd.

THURSDAY

10:46 a.m. — Caller says a homeless man exposed himself and urinated in front of the caller and the caller’s child. Location not disclosed.

11:23 a.m. — Vehicle collision causes minor injuries, Upton St.

12:38 p.m. — Vehicle stolen, El Camino.

5:16 p.m. — Man says the DMV sent him two license plates that he never received, so he thinks they have been stolen, Blu Harbor Blvd.

5:57 p.m. — Two-vehicle accident, Chestnut St. No injuries reported.

6:03 p.m. — Man steals beer from a store, Bay Road.

6:35 p.m. — Audi and motorcycle collide, Central Ave. Minor injuries reported.

6:43 p.m. — Caller says a man is riding a bike around with no shirt and with two purses around his neck and is looking into open garages, Brewster Ave. Police are unable to find the man.

7:31 p.m. — Resident says three teens tried to get into a building but drove away when he confronted them. Location not disclosed.

WOODSIDE

WEDNESDAY

1:57 a.m. — Victorino Sotelo, 40, cited on a warrant, 2800 block of Woodside Road.

SAN CARLOS

AUG. 10

7:03 p.m. — Austin James Trulove, 18, arrested for vandalism, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and conspiracy to commit a crime, Howard Ave. and Old County Road.

TUESDAY

10:18 p.m. — Derek Gerald Clark, 35, arrested for carrying a switchblade knife, possession of narcotics, other drugs and drug paraphernalia and possession of metal knuckles, 1300 block of San Carlos Ave.

WEDNESDAY

2:25 p.m. — Kenrick

Drew Carroll, 33, arrested for shoplifting, 600 block of Laurel St.

4:53 p.m. — Michael John Gunderson, 68, arrested for possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia and on a warrant, 1100 block of Industrial Road. Gilardo Molina Torres, 47, arrested for drug possession.

BELMONT

WEDNESDAY

12:14 a.m. — Jwobert Ramos Teves, 34, arrested for domestic violence, Harbor Blvd. and Old County Road. Arrest made by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.

FRIDAY

9:02 a.m. — Janette Samuela Brusil, 26, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license, 400 block of Ralston Ave.

8:44 p.m. — Thief steals groceries from a store, El Camino.

CHP

From the Redwood City office of the CHP, which covers the Mid-Peninsula.

APRIL 24

Brooke L. Hertel, 27, arrested for DUI.

APRIL 25

Anderson L. Cardoso, 27, arrested for driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs.

Diana M. Hart, 42, arrested for DUI.

SMUIN’S 32ND SEASON LAUNCHES THIS FALL AT THE MOUNTAIN VIEW CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS. “Extremely Close,” Alejandro Cerrudo’s contemporary classic, is a work of exceptional beauty and theatricality—including a feather-strewn stage—that will be a superb showcase for Smuin’s artists. Audiences won’t want to miss this Bay Area premiere alongside two other works: the “Midsummer Night’s Dream”-inspired “A Long Night” and “Partita” by three-time Tony Awardwinning choreographer Justin Peck! Performances run Friday through Sunday, September 12-14. Tickets at smuinballet.org. Shown in the photo are Smuin Company Artists Tessa Barbour and Dominic Barrett. Photo by Maximillian Tortoriello Photography.

CALLING ALL FOODIES! CAL AVE, PALO ALTO IS THE PLACE TO BE ON AUGUST 21! The 3rdThursday Cal Ave Music Festival teams up with Vista Center for a festive night (5-9 p.m.) including delicious bites from 15+ Cal Ave restaurants, 3 fabulous bands: Whiskey Hill Billies, Past Curfew & Thea Rose Ensemble, and so much more! Proceeds

from the Foodie Walk $60 tickets, support Vista Center & 3rdThursday, a program of the Palo Alto Chamber Foundation. While the Foodie Walk is ticketed, 3rdThursday remains free and open to all. For more info: 3rdThursday.fun

A TEAM APPROACH TO CARE. Palo Alto Dermatology Institute (PADI) is the brainchild of nationally-recognized Mohs and cosmetic

dermatologic surgeon Greg S. Morganroth, MD. The Institute’s innovative and one-of-a-kind approach to dermatology, dermatologic surgery, and patientcentric care evolved from his unique and distinctive thirty-year practice journey in Silicon Valley. Their team is here to provide personalized treatment in a state-of-the-art setting. PADI’s 7,000-squarefoot, ﬁve-star setting is located at 301 High St. To schedule an appointment, visit paloaltoderm.com or call (650) 606-7234.

FOUNDATIONAL TUTORING, REIMAGINED. Mehr Sikri believes that anyone can excel in math. She has been teaching students for over 10 years (in both private and public settings in Palo Alto and Los Angeles) and for the past 7 years, she’s been working full-time on her EdTech startup: OpMath. Mehr’s goal has always been to develop a modern solution to help students eliminate any gaps in learning, build strong foundations, and grow conﬁdence in their math ability. She started OpMath in the study of her parents’ Palo Alto home, and it has organically grown to what it is today. She is excited for OpMath to help many more students in the years to come. Learn more at opmath.com.

INTERESTED IN CIVIL WAR HISTORY? Join Wayne Padgett and the Peninsula Civil War Round Table at Harry’s Hofbrau in Redwood City tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. The talk will be on “Grierson’s Raid” through Mississippi from Tennessee to Baton Rouge.Wayne Padgett is a native San Franciscan. His interest in the Civil War has been lifelong, having two greatgrandfathers and a great-great grandfather who served in the war, all in one South Carolina regiment—speciﬁcally the 2nd S.C. Artillery. Wayne joined the San Francisco CWRT when a friend said that they needed a few more bodies in order to secure a private meeting room at the Irish Cultural Center in S.F. He attended, joined, and eventually served as president for several terms. Upon the demise of the S.F. CWRT, he joined the Peninsula CWRT.

SHELDON

OF LOS ALTOS, NAMED AFTER FOUNDER SHELDON BLOCK, HAS BEEN a trusted name in design and photography for decades. While the storefront is no longer in Los Altos, the business remains very active and continues to serve clients throughout the area. Now led by Eddie Richardson, who has led the business of operations since 1989. The studio brings over 41 years of experience to every project. Known for exceptional attention to detail and a personalized touch, Eddie’s expertise spans family and pet portraits, interior and exterior

shots, commercial photography, and small product work. Whether you’re refreshing your business website, capturing special moments, or creating the perfect holiday card, Sheldon of Los Altos delivers professional results with creative ﬂair. In addition to photography, the studio also offers graphic and website design to bring your vision to life. Inquiries can be made online at sheldonla.com or by calling (650) 948-3823. CALLING

BASKETBALL

Basketball team is holding their basketball tryouts Wednesday, August 20th and Wednesday August 27th. All levels of skill are welcome. Practices are all held conveniently at all Mountain View and Los Altos courts/gyms. Go drop in

information, please email BlueDevilSV@gmail.com

Whether you spent a lifetime assembling a

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To learn more, visit our website then call (650) 324-9110 for an appointment.

TRAVEL –––––––

mingham, Ala. and Washington, D.C. From January to October 2024, Rudolph took seven trips, including two visits to New York City and another trip to Washington, D.C.

He said rental car was too small

In January 2024, Rudolph went to Palm Springs for an Association of California School Administrators conference. Auditors wanted to know why his Hertz rental car bill included a $300 upgrade charge. The total for the four-day rental was $1,119.

Rudolph told auditors that the full-size car that Hertz initially provided was “too small to comfortably accommodate both him and his luggage, especially given his height,” the report said. He upgraded to an SUV. FCMAT was satisfied with Rudolph’s explanation.

Rudolph also traveled to New York City from Feb. 18-26, 2024 to conduct research for the district’s “Re-Imagining Castro” initiative. The three-year program is intended to give extra support to students at Castro Elementary School, which has a high number of English learners, low-income families and homeless students.

Rudolph was joined on that trip by two school board members, three district administrators and a teacher, according to the auditor’s report, which didn’t name the other travelers. They planned to visit schools where the student body was similar to that of Castro.

The group stayed at the JW Marriott Essex House next to Central Park at rates ranging from $455 to $709 per night, not including taxes and fees, the report said. The rate varied depending on the attendee.

What did NYC trip accomplish?

But several of the schools the group had planned to visit were closed for winter break when the Mountain View group was there. They were able to visit at least one charter school in the area for their research, the report said.

Rudolph told auditors that the hotel was chosen because of its location near cultural attractions “that could enhance the educational purpose of the trip.”

“FCMAT did not further assess whether the stated purpose of the trip was accomplished or whether the Re-Imagine Castro initiative was a valid educational priority for the district,” the auditors wrote.

Another time Rudolph booked a luxury hotel was in late 2023, when he stayed at the St. Regis in San Francisco during the California School Boards Association conference. He told auditors that he wanted to stay in the city because the conference sessions started early and so he could “maximize participation” in the conference.

Auditors also reviewed 337 charges on Rudolph’s district credit card. For 44 of the charges, totaling $6,957, Rudolph provided no receipt to substantiate the charge. Instead, he submitted a district form that says he wasn’t able to turn in a receipt because it was lost, accidentally destroyed or wasn’t itemized. The person filling out the form writes a short explanation of the charge and agrees with a statement that “no alcoholic beverages or tobacco products were purchased.”

Most of the charges without a receipt were for food or parking while Rudolph traveled.

‘Food’ turned out to be cigars

In March 2024, there were two charges from Cigar Bar NY, for $49.49 and $64.24. Rudolph said on the form the charges were for food.

During a March 2024 trip to Washington D.C. for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development annual conference, Rudolph used his credit card to pay $76 to TG Cigar. He didn’t file a receipt for the charge, but said on the district form that the payment was for lunch.

“No tobacco or alcohol purchases using district funds were identified,” FCMAT said in its report.

On July 26, 2022, there were two charges without receipts from Shoreline Golf. Rudolph said a $3,830 charge was for “room rental for leadership retreat.” A charge of $360 was for “leadership team food for retreat.”

The Santa Clara County schools superintendent hired FCMAT to do the audit, agreeing to pay up to $65,000 for the work.

Parents started digging through district finances in May 2024 after Rudolph proposed reducing the number of periods in middle school.

One expenditure that raised eyebrows was when the district hired “master energy healer” Alycia Diggs-Chavis of Blue Violet Energy, who charged more than $1,000 a session to meditate with principals and assistant superintendents.

FCMAT said it’s not uncommon for organizations to look for ways to reduce workplace stress.

“Accordingly, FCMAT determined that, although somewhat unconventional, the retention of meditation services can best be classified as a local decision, subject to review and approval by the district’s governing board but not otherwise specifically prohibited,” the auditors wrote.

GRAND –––––––

that backs up to the pool, according to her application submitted on Aug. 5.

The proposed development at 561 Addison Ave. is next to Mayer’s main house at 551 Addison Ave.

Mayer and her company Additto LLC own several homes on Addison Avenue and Kingsley Avenue,

along with an old funeral home at 980 Middlefield Road.

Mayer has hosted President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden for fundraisers at her home, most recently in May 2024.

Crews are still actively working around her new pool, which was fenced off from the street.

Initially, city planners told Mayer that the pool wasn’t allowed because a new state law said housing units that are torn down must be replaced with an equal number or more.

Mayer turned in her application on Dec. 7, 2021, before the demolition protections took effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

Planners pressured to step it up

Mayer’s team pressured planners to review the application quickly to get approval before the new year, according to emails obtained from the city using the California Public Records Act.

“I’m sorry to make myself a pest here but we really would like to move this project forward,” her attorney Christine Wade said in an email.

“Please let us know what is needed to move this forward into review. We are anxious to do so,” said Kelly Patterson, a construction management consultant.

Mayer herself reached out to planner Henry Rafael on Dec. 8, 2021, emails show.

“I’m sorry to pester but I’m surprised we haven’t gotten any responses yet from any departments,” Mayer said. “I’m sorry, but as you know timing is essential on this application.”

Rafael responded an hour later.

“I did reach out to the assembled plan checkers earlier in the hope of helping this application move faster,” he said.

The city issued a permit to demolish three of four townhomes on Dec. 9, 2021.

The tenants left, and the townhomes were torn down in 2022, except for one that’s closest to the street and still standing today.

The city gave Mayer a permit to build a pool, water slide and hot tub on Feb. 4, 2022.

Mayer was an executive at Google for 12 years before taking the top post at Yahoo in 2012.

ZOO ––––––––---–

comment on Friday. The Terraces at Los Altos is run by HumanGood, a nonprofit that has more than 100 communities with 9,200 residents in California, Delaware, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington.

HumanGood focuses on very low-income seniors and is the sixth-largest nonprofit senior living provider in the United States, according to its website.

Morgan’s company is called Cute and Cuddlee Mobile Petting Zoo. She has different kinds of bunnies, mini pigs, ducks and baby goats.

Hearings start in sheriff case

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

Witnesses who have never spoken publicly are expected to testify during hearings that begin today that could lead to the firing of San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus for corruption.

Former undersheriff Christopher Hsiung, who resigned and never publicly said why he quit, will be one of 34 people who have been called to testify in the hearings that will last 10 days.

The hearings will be overseen by retired Judge James Emerson at Courtroom 2M on the second floor of the Redwood City Courthouse.

Hsiung, who was undersheriff from February 2022 to June 2023, was interviewed by Jan Little of Keker, Van Nest & Peters, the firm representing the county.

‘Close personal relationship’

Hsiung and others who were interviewed for the Keker report said they witnessed the “close personal relationship” between Corpus and Victor Aenlle, according to the Keker report.

The Keker reporter criticizes Corpus’s decision to hire Aenlle, who is a real estate agent, as chief of staff.

Hsiung said he saw Corpus and Aenlle sharing drinks and food at a restaurant, the report stated. He said he resigned because of Corpus’s “tendency to retaliate against personnel” and for allowing Aenlle to interfere with his duties.

Another witness who might talk about the alleged affair is Valerie Barnes, who was once a friend of Corpus and who Corpus asked to keep her alleged affair secret, according to the report.

Barnes was an associate management analyst and worked on Corpus’ campaign during the election.

Union president arrested then cleared

The Keker report also seeks her removal for allegedly arresting the Deputies’ Union President Carlos Tapia, who was cleared of the charges.

Former assistant sheriff Matthew Fox, whom Corpus made responsible for investigating Tapia for alleged time-card fraud, but resigned after Tapia’s arrest because of the “dysfunction and disarray” in the sheriff’s office, will also be called to testify.

The Keker report also alleges Corpus of retaliation against former Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan for firing him after he was interviewed for a report commissioned by the Board of Supervisors on HR complaints made against Aenlle. Monaghan was kept on the county payroll, despite his firing by Corpus, because County Manager Mike Callagy wanted to avoid a wrongful termination suit from Monaghan.

The Keker report supports the removal of the sheriff for also placing Sgt. Javier Acosta on leave after rumors of him having an inappropriate relationship with an intern started. Acosta has been subponaed to testify after filing a claim saying he was placed on house arrest without cause.

A chance for Corpus to appeal

In the hearing room, Little will argue the case as to why Corpus should be fired. On the other side, Corpus’s attorneys from the Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney firm will argue she shouldn’t be fired.

Corpus’s legal team has stated at several meetings of the Board of Supervisors that she has been targeted and discriminated against for being the county’s first Latina sheriff.

The Board of Supervisors have already voted to fire Corpus. However, they’ve kept her in office until she had the opportunity to appeal their decision at hearings that will begin today.

After both sides conclude, Judge Emerson will have time to issue a decision. Then the five-member Board of Supervisors will vote on whether to accept or reject Emerson’s recommendation. At that point, if the supervisors vote to fire her, she will have to turn in her gun and badge, and vacate her fifth-floor office at 330 Bradford St.

Purissima Hills Water District - 26375 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, CA 94022-2624

PUBLIC NOTICE

Sealed PROPOSALS for the West Fremont, St. Francis Water Main Improvements whether mailed or personally delivered, must be received by the Purissima Hills Water District (PHWD) staff by 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the District’s administrative offices located at 26375 Fremont Road, CA 94022. PROPOSALS will then be publicly opened and read aloud at the administrative offices.

PROPOSALS received after 2:00 P.M. will not be accepted. PROPOSALS will not be accepted if they are delivered by fax, telephone or other electronic means. Bidders dropping a PROPOSAL in the District’s mail slot are advised to confirm receipt by District staff via e-mail. BIDDER can contact William Lai, P.E., at (925) 224-7717 with any questions.

Project Scope: The project consists of installing approximately 5,500 LF of 8” DIP, and 30 LF of 8” FPVC to replace existing cast iron and asbestos cement pipe, cathodic protection of newly installed water main, installation of 2 combination air valves, 14 fire hydrants, 21 service connections of varying sizes, existing water main/appurtenance abandonments, various surface restorations including slurry seal (~70,000 SF), restriping, among other appurtenance work as identified in the bid schedule.

Work Location: The project is located in the Town of Los Altos Hills, County of Santa Clara, California. The work will be done for the Purissima Hills Water District (i.e., referred to herein as the “Owner” or as the “District”).

Cost Estimate: The District’s estimated total construction cost for this project is approximately $2,800,000. The estimate is intended to serve merely as a guideline of the magnitude of work. Neither the bidders nor the contractor shall be entitled to claims because of any inaccuracy in the estimate.

Contract Time & Liquidated Damages: The project is to be completed within a total maximum of One Hundred and Twenty (120) working days from the Notice to Proceed date. The District will assess liquidated damages in the amount of $2,400 for every calendar day of delay in finishing the work in excess of the contract time.

Obtaining Contract Documents: Complete bid packages, including project plans, technical specifications, bid forms and contract documents to be used for bidding can be acquired through BPXpress Reprographics at http://www.purissimawaterplans.com or by calling (707) 745-3593. Bid packages cost $100.00 per set, plus shipping and handling. This cost is non-refundable. For further information, contact Pakpour Consulting Group, William Lai, PE at (925) 224-7717.

Plan Holders List: Copies of plan holders list can be obtained from BPXpress Reprographics by calling (707) 745-3593 or online at http://www.purissimawaterplans.com

Builders Exchanges: Bid packages are available for viewing at several builders exchanges. A complete list of builders exchanges is available online at http://www.purissimawaterplans.com or by calling BPXpress Reprographics at (707) 745-3593.

Pre-Bid Meeting: A mandatory pre-bid meeting and tour is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. at the District office located at 26375 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. Please contact William Lai, P.E. at (925) 224-7717 to verify the date, time, and location and to receive further updates on this project.

BIDDER must purchase a copy of the CONTRACT DOCUMENTS and complete the mandatory prebid meeting to be considered eligible to bid the project. Plan houses and Bidders who purchased the CONTRACT DOCUMENTS will receive copies of the addendums and updates. Bidders should verify they are on the plan holders list prior to submitting a bid. PROPOSALS submitted by parties not attending the pre-bid meeting or not on the plan holders list will be rejected.

Contractor License(s)/Qualifications: The BIDDER must possess a valid Class A Contractor’s license in the State of California at the time of CONTRACT award and throughout the CONTRACT term. The Contractor must have performed work on three (3) cathodically-protected DIP water main installation projects over the last five (5) years. In addition, the project foreman must verify they were in charge of at least five (5) previous projects, three (3) of which are exclusively cathodically-protected DIP water main installation projects.

Department of Industrial Relations: This project includes public works as defined by California Labor Code section 1720. The successful BIDDER shall be responsible for the payment of prevailing wage rates, the training of apprentices and compliance with other related requirements. The prevailing wage rates for the Contract include the California Department of Industrial Relations’ General Prevailing Wage Determinations: 2025-1. Prevailing wage rates may be viewed online at http://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/ DPreWageDetermination.htm.

Contractors and subcontractors must be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) at the time of bid, or else the bid may be rejected as non-responsive. (See Labor Code sections 1725.5 and 1771.1.) Each BIDDER must submit proof of Contractor registration with DIR (e.g. a hard copy of the relevant page of the DIR’s database found at: https://efiling.dir.ca.gov/PWCR/Search). This Contract is subject to monitoring and enforcement by the DIR pursuant to Labor Code Section 1771.4.

Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22300, the successful BIDDER may submit certain securities in lieu of the Owner retaining a portion of progress payments during the Project.

The successful BIDDER will be required to furnish a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond, both in amounts not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price.

Ranting candidate in underpants arrested

The Democratic candidate for governor of South Carolina is refusing to drop out of the race even though police arrested him when they found him on a downtown Charleston street “yelling at the top of his lungs” for a half hour wearing only his underwear.

William “Mullins” McLeod, 53, was arrested on May 15 after referring to himself at separate times as “Superman” and “God,” and using a racial slur at one point.

Democratic leaders tried to brush off his arrest until the police dash cam video was released last week by the Charleston Police Department. Now that the video has hit local TV, they’re stepping up the pressure on him to withdraw, but he’s refusing to do so.

Call me Superman

On the video, when asked his name, he tells police, “It doesn’t matter, my friend, trust me. I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil,” McLeod responds.

“Superman sounds good,” he said.

McLeod does eventually identify himself using his full name and makes apparent references to his then-upcoming gubernatorial campaign as he continues to shout, at times incoherently.

As the nearly hour-long footage progresses, McLeod appears visibly agitated as he goes on a profanity-ridden rant that includes both vague and explicit threats toward South Carolina politicians. Among those mentioned was Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson, who is running for governor.

Wilson says McLeod is suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.

He called it an ‘unlawful arrest’

McLeod, a Charleston attorney and former head of the Charleston County Democratic Party, characterized his arrest as “unlawful, saying that voters would “know exactly what happened” before next year’s election.

He is the first Democrat to officially enter the race to replace Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who cannot run again due to term limits. A Democrat state legislator, Jermaine Johnson, who launched an exploratory committee in June, is also considering jumping in.