Daily Post 10-23-25 by Daily Post

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BY DANIEL SCHRAGER Daily Post Staff Writer

Palo Alto City Council is frustrated with costly consultants who have never set foot in town.

Council reviewed the city’s liberal use of consultants last night, with the discussion focusing on when to hire outside help and when to rely on city employees and local expertise.

Who’ve never even come here

public, boards, commissions and even the council is largely disregarded,”

NEW RUSSIAN SANCTIONS:

Much of council’s frustration with consultants comes from their lack of local knowledge and tendency to ignore recommendations from locals.

“It appears as if that input from the

The city of Palo Alto spent $27 million on consultants for 44 projects last year, but the city council is frustrated with the results.

Councilman Pat Burt said. “Then we get a product at the end that inadequately reflects a lot of the input that is based upon context knowledge and not just the important domain expertise of the consultants. And we’ll get a product

that we disagree with fundamentally at the end even though we’ve put in a year or two and hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Mayor Ed Lauing pointed to one example, where consultants wrote a report saying the city had too much retail and, even after the planning commission disagreed, the report was still presented to council. “The error was,

[See CONSULTANTS, page 18]

Border patrol is heading to the Bay Area Council critiques consultants

President Trump’s administration has announced new sanctions against Russia’s oil industry aimed at moving President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. Putin continues to frustrate the U.S. administration’s efforts to bring an end to Moscow’s brutal war in Ukraine. The sanctions unveiled yesterday against oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil followed months of calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as bipartisan pressure on Trump to hit Russia with harder sanctions on its oil industry.

META AI CUTS: Meta is cutting roughly 600 artificial intelligence jobs even as it continues to hire more workers for its superintelligence lab, the company confirmed yesterday. The cuts will affect Meta’s Fundamental AI Research, or FAIR unit, as well as product-related AI and AI infrastructure units. Its newer TBD Lab unit won't be affected.

UVA TAKES TRUMP DEAL:

The U.S. Justice Department has announced an agreement with the University of Virginia to pause

[See THE UPDATE, page 4]

COSTUMEDAILYPOSTCONTEST

Email us photos of your family members in Halloween costumes. Tell us the names of the people in the photos. Humorous pictures are the best. We’ll run the best ones in the Post until Oct. 31. Send to news@padailypost.com

‘Woman of the year’

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

A one-time San Mateo County woman of the year is facing up to three years and four months in prison after taking a plea deal yesterday, a prosecutor said. Clarise Ann Blanchard, 77, of Fos-

The U.S. Coast Guard said yesterday it is providing a base of operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Alameda as part of its effort to support federal efforts to track down immigrants in the country illegally and provide border and maritime security.

The San Francisco Chronicle, citing an anonymous source with knowledge of the operation, reported more than 100 CBP and other federal agents will begin arriving Thursday at the base in Alameda, a move immediately condemned by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The two Democrats said the surge is meant to provoke violent protests.

CBP did not immediately respond to a request for

[See BORDER, page 18]

ter City, pleaded no contest to stealing $700,000 from the nonprofit StarVista from 2009 until her retirement in 2022 and identity theft, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. StarVista closed in August.

Blanchard used the money to go on

lavish trips, Wagstaffe said. Wagstaffe did not disclose where she went.

The maximum penalty she could have faced was 10 years in prison, Wagstaffe said.

The judge has the option to sentence

[See WOMAN, page 18]

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Additional features include an attached two-car garage and separate laundry room, plus this community has multiple pools and spas.

Completing the appeal is access to excellent Las Lomitas schools, venture capital centers on Sand Hill Road, commuter routes, and the Rosewood Hotel.

Board split on arming jail guards with Tasers

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

A divided Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has approved Sheriff Bob Jonsen’s request to arm all jail guards with Tasers, despite pushback from community activists.

Sixty of Jonsen’s guards have been using Tasers in the jails since March 31, and Jonsen said the pilot program has been successful in quelling violence.

Guards used Tasers on inmates nine times, and nobody was injured besides the entry and removal of the electric probes, he said in a report of supervisors.

Guards unholstered their Tasers 39 times but didn’t use them, getting inmates to comply without force, Jonsen said.

The use of a tool

“It’s really about looking at what was prevented,” Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga of Mountain View

said on Tuesday. “And I think this is a tool that does provide that opportunity for prevention.”

Abe-Koga was joined by Supervisors Otto Lee and Betty Duong to have Jonsen return with options for buying more Tasers.

Supervisors Sylvia Arenas and Susan Ellenberg were against using Tasers.

“I remain deeply concerned that the use of (Tasers), which is a tool designed solely to incapacitate individuals through the infliction of immobilizing pain, is fundamentally at odds with our commitment — or what has been this board’s commitment — to fostering a culture of reduced trauma, enhanced dignity and rehabilitation within our jails,” Ellenberg said.

About a dozen organizations wrote letters to supervisors against Tasers, including the ACLU of Northern California, the Santa Clara County Community Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring Committee and the Silicon Valley chapter of the NAACP.

Man gets jail for bird death

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

A Redwood City man was sentenced to 16 months in jail after taking a plea deal yesterday for using a broomstick to torture a goose to death, a prosecutor said.

Bryan Jose Ledesma Ramirez, 24, pleaded no contest to killing a goose in a backyard in a home in unincorporated Redwood City after detectives found videos of the incident, Wagstaffe said.

San Mateo County sheriff’s detectives had a search warrant unrelated to the killing of the goose and took Ramirez’s phone on Nov. 18, 2022, Wagstaffe said.

They discovered three videos from July 2022 showing Ramirez and a juvenile torturing a goose with a broomstick and crushing the goose’s neck, the DA said. The video showed the goose making noises until it died and Ramirez put it in the trash, Wagstaffe said.

Ramirez is not allowed to own an animal for 10 years, Wagstaffe said.

civil rights investigations. The Charlottesville campus became a target of President Trump’s administration in April when the Justice Department began reviewing the university’s admissions and financial aid processes. Officials accused its president of failing to end diversity, equity and inclusion practices Trump has called unlawful. Under the agreement, the university will abide by department guidance for not engaging in “unlawful racial discrimination” and will provide relevant information and data to the department on a quarterly basis through 2028, the department said.

REDDIT SUES AI: Reddit has sued Perplexity AI and three other entities for allegedly scraping user comments for commercial gain. The lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, targets San Franciscobased Perplexity, Lithuanian company Oxylabs, AWMProxy and Texas startup SerpApi. Reddit claims these companies bypass anti-scraping measures and illegally access content.

EIGHTH BOAT STRIKE: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. military has launched its eighth strike against an alleged drug-carrying vessel. The Tuesday night strike occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean. That’s a departure after the seven previous strikes all targeted vessels in the Caribbean. Hegseth said yesterday in a social media post the strike killed two people, bringing the death toll from all the attacks that began last month to at least 34

ments (FBNs) and legal name changes. For more information, email ads@padailypost.com.

Deaths

San Mateo County Coroner’s Office: Oct. 21

Michael Domerofski, 72, of San Mateo

Ming Liu, 90, of South San Francisco

Births

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto: April 13

Rosse Arango Pitalua, a girl

Muhammad Emadeddin Elquran, a boy

Jophiel Ann George, a girl

Juan Diego Silva Guardado, a boy

Giovanni Salvador Ibarra Hernandez, a boy

Margaret Jihye Johnson, a girl

Hassan Kamawal Rodriguez, a boy

Nathaniel Salvador Navarro, a boy

Owen Alanson Priestley, a boy

Broderick Lawrence Prodehl, a boy

Agastya Tayal, a boy

April 12

Raag Khemka Bansal, a boy

Aditi Saran Ghodke, a girl

Eilany Juarez Lorenzo, a girl

Johnne Lozano Jimenez, a boy

Samara Bernice Lucaszahursky, a girl

Maxwell Stephen Mendez, a boy

Logan Robert Miller, a boy

Avaira Pramod, a girl

Chance Dario Santiago, a boy

Refael Shapiro, a boy

Teloma Tuamasaga Umaleava, a boy

Collins Bailey Umberg, a girl

Arthur Baldwin Rose, a boy

April 11

Bowen Hua, a boy

Ximena Ailani Leeburruel, a girl

Ellis Lyla McCord, a girl

Daniela Summer Penn, a girl

Shivyan Shukla Sarker, a boy

James Mark Scholtz, a boy

Eren Aspen Truong, a boy

Emma James Tutrone, a girl

Nilan Vijay, a boy

Nesa Harshendu Patel, a girl

April 10

Axel Mathias Alvarez Rapalino, a boy

Wyatt Chase Bowlin, a boy

Taakshvi Gupta, a girl

Aitana Yasmary Henriquez Lizcano, a girl

Alp Hosgor, a boy

Connor Kainoa Medcalf, a boy

Zoe Esmeralda Mendez Alveno, a girl

Hayes Ray Peryea, a boy

Valentina Salas Yepez, a girl

Ailani Sofia Sanchez Ramirez, a girl

Chloe Arabella Suharli, a girl

April 9

Noah Curtis Dennison, a boy

Yunis Ahmed Elgamal, a boy

Hailee Rose Garrison, a girl

Siddhartha Rajveer Guha, a boy

Vedika Karn, a girl

Lucas Jasiel Lopez Lopez, a boy

John Killough Martin, a boy

August Rhys Panajon, a boy

Aditi Sivaguru, a girl

Alaia Costes Yambao, a boy

Vince Maddalena would like to

Furnace proposal fails

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

Menlo Park Councilman Jeff Schmidt’s attempt to get the city to express support for a Bay Area agency’s plan to ban the sale of gas-burning furnaces was denied by the majority of council.

the conflict in Gaza or the war in Ukraine, “things where people are dying,” but are not things that directly impact Menlo Park.

would be a “light lift” for city workers.

Schmidt asked the rest of council to consider passing a resolution to show support for the Bay Area Air District’s new rules that will improve air quality. Council voted 3-2 to reject Schmidt’s suggestion. Councilmembers Drew Combs, Betsy Nash and Cecilia Taylor rejected the proposal. Councilwoman Jennifer Wise supported Schmidt.

A resolution is a statement that states the council’s position on specific issues.

The Bay Area Air District’s new rule requires any replacement of gas-burning furnaces or water heaters to install electric heat pumps instead.

Combs said he has been asked to bring forward resolutions on

Combs said he receives nearly two requests a week to show support for issues, but he prefers to focus on items the council can take action on, rather than making recommendations to other bodies.

Schmidt’s view

Schmidt said he wanted council to consider the resolution because many other cities look up to Menlo Park for leadership on the topic of climate action. He said he wasn’t advocating for opening “every resolution under the sun,” but this is an opportunity where Menlo Park can be a leader and influence other cities like Portola Valley.

Combs asked if by “cities” he meant only one town, Portola Valley.

Nash said the city workers already have enough on their hands, and if anyone was interested, they should just write a letter of support as an individual.

Schmidt said the resolution

Nash said she wholeheartedly supported the resolution but didn’t want to make an exception for this one, as it could cause the council to focus on others.

Taylor said council should focus their work on Menlo Park and there are many other resolutions that have not been completed.

If the council did consider Schmidt’s resolution, it would open the door to other council members to bring their own causes to the table, Combs said.

“I feel like the city needs to stand behind it because other cities will follow our lead. They won’t necessarily follow an individual council member,” Schmidt said.

Resolution policy

Council has an unofficial policy that it doesn’t support resolutions, but if the majority of members voted for it, it would move forward, Combs said.

Combs said this was a moment where council tested where it stood on resolutions and it may change in the future.

Wiener to run for Pelosi’s seat

It’s official: Sen. Scott Wiener is finally running for Congress.

The San Francisco lawmaker’s announcement yesterday made clear that he’s done waiting for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to

step aside, as he previously insisted he would.

But rather than rely on his many legislative accomplishments, the five-term state senator spent the majority of his launch video promising to fight President Trump’s agenda and defend his city, which the president has threatened to target next for troop deployment.

“My family escaped fascism in Europe. I never thought the United States would slip into fascism like we’re seeing today,” Wiener tells viewers.

Pelosi has said she will announce her plans for 2026 after the statewide special election on Nov 4. She was first elected to Congress in 1987.

SCHMIDT

WIENER

Lawsuits filed in 2 police crashes

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

The cities of Mountain View and Palo Alto are both getting sued by drivers who said they were injured in crashes with police officers.

Najah Adam Diria, said in her lawsuit that she was driving her 2019 Toyota sedan on Clyde Avenue near the Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course on Jan. 30 around 8 p.m.

That’s when Mountain View Officer Edward Hammon allegedly T-boned Diria in his Ford SUV, Diria’s lawsuit said.

Diria said she was injured in the crash but doesn’t get into details. She said the crash cost her more than $35,000.

Hammon has worked as an officer in Mountain View since at least 2011, pay records show. The city hasn’t responded to the lawsuit, filed on Sept. 11 in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

Palo Alto crash

Sami Michel Abdou Gerges is suing the city of Palo Alto over a crash on Nov. 3, 2023, near the East Palo Alto border at 1900 University Ave.

Gerges said he was rear-ended by Palo Alto Officer Yolanda Franco-Clausen in her police car.

Gerges said he couldn’t work because of the crash, and he doesn’t know the extent of his damages yet, according to his lawsuit filed on Aug. 22.

The city and Franco-Clausen denied any liability in a response on Sept. 29.

Gerges’ “alleged injuries pre-existed the accident,” attorney Dawn Ceizler said on the city’s behalf.

Franco-Clausen, of Hayward, has worked for the city since 2016, pay records show.

$400K settlement

Last month, the city of Palo Alto agreed to pay $400,000 to downtown resident Pamela McGavock, who was hit in a crosswalk by Officer Arturo Bravo at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Alma Street on May 14, 2022.

Bravo testified that he looked away from the road at his computer and hit McGavock going about 15 mph.

McGavock said the crash caused long-lasting spinal injuries and “radically changed” her active lifestyle.

The city settled the lawsuit rather than going to a trial on Oct. 6.

FRANCOCLAUSEN

Elevator failures spur town to sue

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ

Daily Post Staff Writer

Atherton is suing a contractor for not fixing an elevator at City Hall that broke down after being fixed the same day.

City Attorney Mona Ebrahimi filed a lawsuit in San Mateo County Superior Court on Oct. 6 against Amoroso Construction for refusing to fix the elevator, which had many malfunctions and trapped multiple people for many years.

Atherton signed an agreement with a contractor in August 2019 to install an elevator at City Hall at 80 Fair Oaks Lane.

“The elevator is the only means of conveyance for individuals with disabilities to go between the ground floor and the second floor,” the lawsuit states. The only other option is to take the stairs.

Problems from the beginning

When the contractor was installing the elevator in September 2022, they noticed a wiring issue, which caused it to shut down, and they addressed the issue, according to the lawsuit. But the elevator continued to shut down, trapping people, the suit said.

The contractor returned to fix the wiring, but the elevator issues continued in October 2022, the suit said. This time, the operating panel needed to be

replaced, and the contractor did replace it, according to the suit. The same day it was fixed, the elevator continued to stop mid-ride or make noises when stopping on the second floor, the lawsuit stated.

The elevator’s alarm would go off and the contractors returned to fix the issue, the suit said.

A person was trapped in the elevator between the two floors in November 2022, and in January, it broke down two more times, according to the lawsuit.

The elevator stopped working in July 2023, and between then and August, the contractor bought replacement parts and “undertook a series of unsuccessful repairs,” the lawsuit said.

Suit: Further repairs refused

Another person was trapped in September 2023, and the contractor refused to send a technician to respond to the entrapment, according to the lawsuit.

Atherton continued to have issues with the elevator throughout 2024, and the contractor refused to provide any services or make any repairs, the suit said. So the town had to hire a third-party to maintain the elevator, which has continued to act up throughout 2025.

Amoroso Construction did not respond to the Post before publication.

The case is expected to be in court on April 16.

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Times shown are when a report was made to police. Information is from police department logs. All of the people named here are innocent until proven guilty in court.

PALO ALTO

OCT. 11

6:33 p.m. — Auto burglary, 800 block of Emerson St.

OCT. 12

11:15 a.m. — Vandalism, 2600 block of Middlefield Road.

OCT. 13

8:22 a.m. — Craig Joseph Caron, 53, of Redwood City, arrested for violation of a protective order and on a warrant, 300 block of Channing Ave.

FRIDAY

3:46 a.m. — Don Allan Reese, 59, transient, arrested for creating a public nuisance, 400 block of Bryant St.

7:43 a.m. — Vandalism, 900 block of Webster St.

8:03 a.m. — Shauna Marie Barbera, 44, of Burlingame, arrested for grand theft, Downtown Palo Alto Caltrain Station.

8:39 a.m. — Grand theft, 700 block of Everett Ave.

12:57 p.m. — Grand theft, 1600 block of Page Mill Road.

1:01 p.m. — Grand theft at Whole Foods, 774 Emerson St.

1:49 p.m. — Grand theft, Palo Alto High School.

9:43 p.m. — Auto burglary, Cambridge Ave. and Birch St.

SATURDAY

8:31 a.m. — Wesley Pollard, 37, of San Jose, cited on a warrant, El Camino and Olive Ave.

11 a.m. — Vehicle accident involving a cyclist, Marion Ave. and Middlefield Road.

2:28 p.m. — Theft, 300 block of Hawthorne Ave.

4:17 p.m. — Auto burglary, 2500 block of Embarcadero Road.

4:33 p.m. — Grand theft, 1600 block of Page Mill Road.

SUNDAY

7:49 a.m. — Don Allan Reese, 59, transient, and Phillip Dontay Steward, 43, of East Palo Alto, both arrested for creating a public nuisance, 400 block of Bryant St.

10:03 a.m. — James Odell Bennette, 41, of San Jose, arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. Location not given.

2:17 p.m. — Grand theft, 1400 block of Hamilton Ave.

7:22 p.m. — Theft, Downtown Palo Alto Caltrain Station.

8:05 p.m. — Theft at CVS, 352 University Ave.

Police Blotter

SEPT. 6

STANFORD

OCT. 13

8:41 a.m. — Alicia Zapata, 30, arrested for prowling and identity theft, 700 block of Serra St.

2:47 p.m. — Bicycle stolen, 400 block of Mayfield Ave.

4:58 p.m. — Auto burglary, 200 block of Galvez St.

5:14 p.m. — Auto burglary, 600 block of Escondido Hall.

MENLO PARK

TUESDAY

1:49 a.m. — Alexis Vaughan, 21, of Newman, arrested for DUI, Highway 101 and Willow Road.

10:08 a.m. — Jacob Garrison, 41, of Palo Alto, arrested on two warrants, Santa Cruz Ave. and Merrill St.

12:21 p.m. — Nikolao Peapea, 35, of Antioch, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license, Bayfront Expressway and Willow Road.

1:50 p.m. — Leroy Hamilton, 72, transient, arrested for trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting police, 1100 block of El Camino.

3:50 p.m. — Henry Barro, 46, of San Francisco, arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and burglary tools and on two warrants, 1300 block of Windermere Ave. Vanessa Esparza, 41, of Madera, cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia and on a warrant.

4:03 p.m. — Electric bike stolen, 1100 block of Elder Ave.

9:58 p.m. — Hit-and-run causes injuries, Willow Road and Highway 101.

PORTOLA VALLEY

SATURDAY

12:35 p.m. — Maxwell Unger, 33, of Portola Valley, arrested on a warrant, 100 block of Minoca Road.

9:27 p.m. — Resident hears a loud crash and finds a broken rear glass patio window, 100 block of Degas Road.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

SEPT. 4

7:45 a.m. — Matt Siendo, 45, of San Jose, cited for display of false vehicle registration, Grant Road and Phyllis Ave.

SEPT. 5

2:45 a.m. — Antonio Zepeda, 46, transient, cited for possession of burglary tools at Castro Elementary School, 500 Toft St.

1:59 a.m. — Oscar Toledo Zapata, 27, of San Jose, cited for DUI, Villa and View streets.

SEPT. 7

5:17 p.m. — William Hammond, 35, of Mountain View, cited for narcotics possession and theft of someone else’s lost property, 300 block of Anna Ave.

SEPT. 9

10:37 a.m. — Maurice Ellis, 35, transient, cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and theft of someone else’s lost property, 200 block of Castro St.

5:06 p.m. — Arul Hernandez, 33, of Novato, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license, Center St. and Highway 237.

8:16 p.m. — Donald Hau, 56, transient, cited for trespassing and theft at Chevron, 830 Leong Drive. OCT. 13

9:03 a.m. — Burglary at a business, 400 block of Moffett Blvd.

10:47 a.m. — Vandalism, 600 block of S. Rengstorff Ave.

8:05 p.m. — Auto burglary, Bryant and California streets.

10:50 p.m. — Auto burglary, 100 block of Hope St.

ATHERTON

TUESDAY

3:54 p.m. — Juan Eliberio Salinas Cruz of Hayward arrested on a warrant, El Camino and Winchester Drive.

NORTH FAIR OAKS

SATURDAY

2:17 p.m. — Senel E. Vasquez Jeronimo, 35, of unincorporated San Mateo County, arrested on warrants and for falsely identifying himself to police, Middlefield Road and Pacific Ave.

SUNDAY

1:37 a.m. — Santiago Loaeza, 27, of Redwood City, arrested for possession of meth and drug paraphernalia as well as on a warrant, Fifth Ave. and El Camino. Arrest made by Atherton police.

11 a.m. — Edwin Sitan Miculax, 24, of San Mateo, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license, Fifth Ave. and El Camino. Citation given by Atherton police.

REDWOOD CITY

SATURDAY

12:01 a.m. — Ramiro Caballero, 39, of San Mateo County, arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, battery

that causes serious injuries and public drunkenness, 700 block of Hurlingame Ave.

1:42 a.m. — Man reported to have hit someone with a pole, Broadway.

2:36 a.m. — Gregory Patrick Flynn, 66, of San Mateo, cited for possession of meth and drug paraphernalia, 1700 block of E. Bayshore Road. Citation given by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.

3:55 a.m. — Caller says a driver tried to run over the caller and caller’s friend following an altercation, Middlefield Road.

4:34 a.m. — Lucas Alford, 34, of Redwood City, arrested on a warrant, 1000 block of Middlefield Road.

6:05 a.m. — Christi Carlino, 58, arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, battery on police and resisting and obstructing police, 1000 block of Alameda de las Pulgas. Arrest made by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.

EMERALD HILLS

SUNDAY

1:20 a.m. — Burglars get into a home via an unlocked garage side door and steal silver bars, dollars and coins worth about $27,000, as well as personal documents, 500 block of Oak Park Way.

SAN CARLOS

SATURDAY

5:41 p.m. — Two people steal multiple items from a sporting goods store, 1100 block of Industrial Road.

SUNDAY

12:40 a.m. — Amaris Sanchez Dominguez, 20, of Redwood City, arrested for public drunkenness, 1100 block of Old County Road.

BELMONT

TUESDAY

10:40 a.m. — Caller reports hearing domestic violence, 500 block of Crestview Ave. Zmarei Davion Lucas, 20, arrested for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

CHP

From the Redwood City office of the CHP, which covers the Mid-Peninsula. OCT. 10

Emilio J. Gaitan Contreras, 36, arrested for DUI.

Martin A. Guerrero, 53, arrested for DUI.

Juan F. Solis Silva, 32, arrested for DUI.

Edwin A. Treminio, 29, arrested for DUI and narcotics possession.

Real Estate

closed Sept. 2 (last sale: $475,000, 10-05-04)

PALO ALTO

2876 Josephine Lane, 94303, 3 bedrooms, 1436 square feet, built in 2025, Summerhill West Bayshore LLC to Yuri and Dong Kim for $1,849,000, closed Sept. 23

1221 Middlefield Road, 94301, 3 bedrooms, 1368 square feet, built in 1926, Jinyu Cui to Liying Kuang for $2,500,000, closed Sept. 23 (last sale: $2,840,000, 08-12-25)

3362 Ramona St., 94306, 3 bedrooms, 1539 square feet, built in 1959, Higaki Family Trust to Lai and Zhuojun Wang for $3,000,000, closed Sept. 22

EAST PALO ALTO

1771 Tulane Ave., 94303, 7 bedrooms, 2689 square feet, built in 1953, Rosetta Mcgee to Michelle Losenicky for $940,000, closed Sept. 4

2121 Addison Ave., 94303, 4 bedrooms, 1895 square feet, built in 1949, Addison Family Property LLC to Juan and Jairo Govea for $1,000,000, closed Sept.

3 (last sale: $918,000, 0315-19)

MENLO PARK

20 Willow Road #5, 94025, 1 bedroom, 1004 square feet, built in 1965, Linda Lee to Jiang and Sofia Hu for $935,000,

1146 Carlton Ave., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 910 square feet, built in 1953, Robinson Trust to Summerview LLC for $1,000,000, closed Sept. 3

432 Encinal Ave., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1786 square feet, built in 2019, Liu Trust to Connie and Michael Liu for $1,620,000, closed Sept. 5

MOUNTAIN VIEW

505 Cypress Point Drive #176, 94043, 2 bedrooms, 843 square feet, built in 1971, Katherine Herz to Jay Herington for $668,000, closed Sept. 25 (last sale: $430,000, 10-27-05)

2211 Rock St., 94043, 3 bedrooms, 1325 square feet, built in 1970, Chen Cong to Shanna and Eric Bengtson for $1,414,000, closed Sept. 25 (last sale: $1,358,000, 04-23-21)

LOS ALTOS

861 Riverside Drive, 94024, 3 bedrooms, 2319 square feet, built in 1952, Kazovsky Living Trust to Liang and Qinqin Zhu for $4,300,000, closed Sept. 25 (last sale: $600,000, 08-01-90)

LOS

ALTOS HILLS

25620 Deerfield Drive, 94022, 5 bedrooms, 2625 square feet, built in 1939, Rimer Living Trust to Angelica and Ask Hansen for $5,000,000, closed Sept.

25 (last sale: $2,025,000, 02-20-07)

ATHERTON

86 Rittenhouse Ave., 94027, 5 bedrooms, 2950 square feet, built in 1950, Cung Trust to Properi LLC for $4,775,000, closed Sept. 5 (last sale: $2,700,000, 06-08-15)

REDWOOD CITY

3119 Oak Knoll Drive, 94062, 6 bedrooms, 4416 square feet, built in 1975, Fode 2008 Trust to Salimbahrami Trust for $3,758,000, closed Aug. 27 (last sale: $800,000, 07-30-13)

1403 Chelsea Way, 94061, 2 bedrooms, 1200 square feet, built in 1985, Lying Trust to Deborah Hudson for $930,000, closed Sept. 3

547 Hurlingame Ave., 94063, 2 bedrooms, 760 square feet, built in 1963, Emiliano Palafox to Jasmin and Rene Moreno for $700,000, closed Sept. 4

BELMONT

895 Laurel Ave., 94002, 3 bedrooms, 1010 square feet, built in 1928, Anuja Krishnan to 895 Laurel LLC for $1,988,000, closed Aug. 29 (last sale: $1,025,000, 05-02-24)

2618 Belmont Canyon Road, 94002, 3 bedrooms, 2400 square feet, built in 1976, Goold Trust to Timothy and Parvin Taheri for $3,100,000, closed Sept. 3

Tim has sold $2+ Billion in home sales and knows every facet of the

real estate business, including new construction. He holds the Certified Residential Specialist designation, awarded by the Council of Residential Specialists, the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors. He is an Associate Broker with Compass, combining his expertise and knowledge with the cutting edge, high-tech platform of Compass.

OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, 10/25 & Sunday, 10/26 12:30PM - 5:30PM

John Forsyth James 650.218.4337

john@johnforsythjames.com

johnforsythjames.com

DRE 01138400

RealTrends America’s Best Individual Agent in California by Volume #649 in 2025

6 Bed | 4.5 Bath | 3,580 SF | 15,876 SF Lot Offered at $3,988,000

Beautifully updated and impressively spacious, this home more than one-third-acre lot in one of Sunnyvale’s most sought-after neighborhoods. Newly refreshed landscaping introduces the graceful two-level design, highlighted by its signature covered upstairs balcony and double-door entrance adorned with leaded glass. Inside, spotted gum

designed for a variety of lifestyles.

A spacious living room with cathedral ceiling and focal-

casual dining area plus a spacious family room all open to the rear yard, where expansive outdoor space is ultra-

patio, new lawn, fruit trees, and a greenhouse enhance the setting.

There are 6 bedrooms and 4.5 baths, including a mainlevel primary suite with outdoor access. A second mainlevel bedroom suite features an outside entrance from the side patio and a sliding glass door to the rear yard.

A third suite is found upstairs, ideal for guests, plus three bedrooms each open to a balcony for fresh-air enjoyment.

Positioned near the Los Altos and Cupertino borders, this home offers an unbeatable Silicon Valley lifestyle with access to acclaimed Cupertino schools.

Bob Kamangar Broker Associate, Attorney, General Contractor

bob@sereno.com

650.245.0245 DRE 01229105

‘Springsteen’ a haunting look at icon

BY MARK KENNEDY Associated Press Writer

In his 500-page memoir, “Born to Run,” Bruce Springsteen spends less than three pages on the making of his 1982 album “Nebraska.” Moving on, folks, nothing to see here, he seems to be saying.

The first authorized biopic of his life — “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” — disagrees, delving deep into the inner turmoil The Boss was dealing with during its recording and then surfacing with an endearing, humbling portrait of an icon by a soulful Jeremy Allen White.

With heavy-lidded eyes and his head nearly almost cocked at an angle, White gives us a wretched Springsteen, open-mouthed in ecstasy when playing live but sunken in his leather jacket while roaming the streets. He sucks on his harmonica as if it could release him from pain itself. To be honest, White hasn’t stepped much out of his tortured sweet spot. He’s the chair of the Tortured Poets Department.

Sounds and ideas

The anti-commercial “Nebraska” is not the first album you might think of when you imagine pivotal Springsteen albums. “Born to Run” was made on the verge of him being cut by Columbia Records. “Born in the U.S.A.” turned him into a global superstar.

Scott Cooper, the film’s director and screenwriter, finds “Nebraska,” nestled between those albums, to be the more enlightening. It seemed painfully pulled through Springsteen and deposited on a rudimentary four-track cassette recorder in a rented house in Colts Neck, N.J. Springsteen wants it released as is, imperfections and miscues intact.

“Nebraska” may be a masterpiece but it’s not an easy listen, filled with broken and desperate people, killers, heavy drinkers, inmates and folks pushed to the edge by poverty and hopelessness. “Definitely not ‘Hungry Heart,’” says the tech who helped record it.

“It’s not about capturing sounds as much as ideas,” Springsteen tells his

manager, Jon Landau, played lovingly by “Succession” star Jeremy Strong. “I’m just trying to find something real in all the noise.”

This Landau, who quotes Flannery O’Connor and adores Sam Cooke, is almost saintly in his devotion to Springsteen, even if he’s not sure where the songs are coming from. We all need someone like Landau — endlessly encouraging, creating creative space for his client and beating back the suits.

Creative struggle

The record executives are, naturally, aghast at “Nebraska,” which is called a “highly unorthodox career move.” They want radio hits not acoustic doodles of felons. “It sounds like an accident. It

sounds unfinished,” record honcho Al Teller declares.

The movie — built from a book by Warren Zanes and featuring vocals that mix White’s and Springsteen’s — is a meditation on creativity in battle with commerciality, the yearn to run from home and also the inescapable pull of family. “I’m lost here. I’m buried here,” Springsteen wails.

Bruce’s love life is explored through a composite character, Faye, a single mom and waitress who falls for a guy incapable at this time of settling down. Odessa Young is astonishing — half tough Jersey chick, half melting when The Boss stops by. “I know you’re scared,” she tells him.

The film rather courageously culminates with a call for Springsteen to get mental health help, which he does. We soon realize that what we’ve been watching for two hours is a man’s gradual breakdown, not what most biopics of superstars would pull the curtain back on. In many ways, this movie is, then, a mirror of “Nebraska” itself — unexpected, complicated and very American gothic.

Release info

“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” a Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release in theaters tomorrow, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for thematic material, some sexuality, strong language and smoking. Running time: 117 minutes.

THE BOSS — Jeremy Allen White in “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.” 20th Century Studios via AP.

they were putting all of Stanford (Shopping Center) into the little bit of retail we have everywhere else and doing some sort of division by per-capita person and saying you have too much retail,” Lauing said. “If they had walked around town they would have figured that out.”

Councilman Greer Stone said he’s noticed consultants tend to get defensive when their recommendations are met with feedback from locals. Stone suggested reaching out to local experts instead of consultants in some cases.

Vice Mayor Vicki Veenker pointed out that some issues require local knowledge while others don’t.

break-even overall for us to do the type of outsourcing that we are doing, if not a savings in the long term,” Shikada said.

CONSULTANTSBORDER

“If you’re doing construction management, you may not need to know whether you’re in Palo Alto or Mountain View, but if you do more high-touch things, you might,” Veenker said.

Money pit?

The council was more concerned with getting its money’s worth on consultants than on its spending as a whole.

Councilman George Lu said that council wouldn’t be as frustrated with the amount of money spent on consultants if there were better results, and asked City Manager Ed Shikada to look into a system for evaluating consultant performance.

The city’s most expensive consulting project last year cost $4 million for consultants to help with inspections and plan reviews. It spent $2.7 million for consulting on a water quality control plant and $2.4 million for a downtown parking garage design.

But council agreed that consulting contracts can be worthwhile when they’re happy with the final product.

Or money saver?

Stone asked Shikada if he had an estimate of the amount of money the city saves by using consultants as opposed to full-time city employees.

“I think it would be helpful for us and for the public to understand the benefit of consultants and even when we see these really high price tags, it might be both cost-saving and an opportunity for us to be able to get greater expertise than we might actually have on our own,” Stone said.

Shikada said he didn’t have an exact estimate but that he believes the use of consultants save the city money overall.

“In general, I think it is fair to say that it’s at least

Discussion isn’t over Council will continue discussing the issue and aims to put together a guide of best practices when using consultants. Shikada said that he’s had trouble finding other cities that have published something similar.

According to Shikada, the goal of the project is to streamline the processes the city uses to decide when to bring in outside consultants.

“I think it’s appropriate to claim that our goal here is to reinforce the city of Palo Alto as a leader in ensuring and producing innovative and accountable consultant services,” Shikada said.

The project is expected to last into 2026. The city will ask for input from consultants as well.

WOMAN ––––––

Blanchard to 3 years and 4 months or less. Blanchard, who was named the 2008 San Mateo County Woman of the Year, retired from the nonprofit in May 2022. The theft was discovered after she retired.

The non-profit asked Blanchard where a $50,000 donation was and conducted an audit, which found that more money was missing.

Set up bank account

It was discovered that Blanchard had set up a bank account for herself and deposited donations meant for StarVista, adding about $700,000 in her account between 2009 and 2022, the DA said.

Investigators also found thank you notes to the contributors of the money that was put into Blanchard’s account with a forged signature from StarVista’s executive director. Wagstaffe said Blanchard had fiscal authority as her job as Clinical Director, something StarVista has denied.

Not on her list of duties

StarVista previously sent the Post a list of duties she performed under her job, and her primary job was to supervise staff on the clinician side of the nonprofit, overseeing training, scheduling, making sure the program she oversaw fit standards to keep receiving funding from the state, county and Medi-Cal, and

having relationships with local agencies and hospitals.

“Blanchard’s actions were in no way consistent with their job duties and were completely outside the scope of their employment at StarVista. Blanchard selfishly abused her influence to initiate and perpetuate multiple levels of dishonesty,” StarVista said in a previous statement to the Post.

StarVista closed on Aug. 1 due to “financial challenges,” but was not connected to Blanchard, Wagstaffe said.

Blanchard is out of jail on a $700,000 bail bond. She will be in court on Jan. 21 for sentencing.

comment from The Associated Press. A statement provided to media by the Coast Guard said in part that “through a whole of government approach, we are leveraging our unique authorities and capabilities to detect, deter, and interdict illegal aliens, narco-terrorists, and individuals intent on terrorism or other hostile activity before they reach our border.”

Soon after the deployment was first reported, Lurie livestreamed a nine-minute statement from City Hall, flanked by other elected officials, and cautioned against giving federal officials working from “a playbook” any excuse to crack down. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he plans to deploy National Guard troops to the city to quell crime, but his administration hasn’t offered a timeline for doing so.

“In cities across the country, masked immigration officials are deployed to use aggressive enforcement tactics that instill fear so people don’t feel safe going about their daily lives,” Lurie said. “These tactics are designed to incite backlash, chaos and violence, which are then used as an excuse to deploy military personnel.”

As is his custom, Lurie did not refer to the president or address him by name.

Deployed elsewhere

Trump has deployed the Guard to Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee, to help fight what he says is rampant crime. Los Angeles was the first city where Trump deployed the Guard, arguing it was necessary to protect federal buildings and federal agents as protesters fought back against mass immigration arrests.

He has since said they are needed in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, as well, although lawsuits by Dem-

BLANCHARD

ocratic officials in both cities have so far blocked troops from going out on city streets.

Trump recently renewed his musings about sending the Guard to San Francisco, saying in a Fox News interview Sunday that the city “was truly one of the great cities of the world” before it went “wrong” and “woke.”

Claims baffle

His assertions of out-of-control crime in the city of roughly 830,000 has baffled local and state leaders who point to statistics showing that many crimes are at record lows.

Newsom’s administration said it would push back forcefully on any deployment, as it did when Trump first ordered the guard into Los Angeles against the governor’s wishes. California Attorney General Rob Bonta vowed to “be in court within hours, if not minutes” if there is a federal deployment, and San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has promised the same.

At a news conference yesterday, Newsom held up what he said was a lawsuit the state would file if Trump sends troops to San Francisco.

Fierce response

“We’re going to be fierce in terms of our response,” said Newsom, a former mayor of San Francisco. “This is the lawsuit that I will file within a nanosecond of any efforts to send the military to one of America’s great cities.”

The Coast Guard base in Alameda that is hosting the CBP agents is between Oakland and San Francisco, both sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with the federal government on civil immigration operations. A Homeland Security statement said the agency is “targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens — including murderers, rapists, gang members, pedophiles and terrorists.”

Lurie urged the public to protest peacefully. He said he had just signed an executive directive to coordinate the city’s response to a potential federal deployment and provide support for immigrants.

Other reactions

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee issued a statement saying: “Real public safety comes from Oakland-based solutions, not federal military occupation.”

San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa issued a statement yesterday.

“We don’t need or want ICE destroying families and disrupting the economy to appease Trump, who is no king,” Canepa said. “These aggressive tactics are meant to instill fear in people who simply want to work, send their children to school and walk our streets in safety. I want to assure our residents that the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is prohibited from cooperating with ICE, including providing access to our jails or providing the agency with anyone’s personal information.”

Giants hire Tennessee coach as next manager

The San Francisco Giants hired University of Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as their manager yesterday for his first job in professional baseball.

San Francisco president of baseball operations Buster Posey made an unprecedented gamble on a coach with no previous experience in the pros. The 47-year-old Vitello will make the jump after spending his entire career in the college ranks.

“Tony is one of the brightest, most innovative and most respected coaches in college baseball today,” Posey said.

“Throughout our search, Tony’s leadership, competitiveness and commitment to developing players stood out.”

Posey said the Giants look forward to the energy and direction Vitello brings, given that his passion for baseball aligns with the club's values.

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity,” Vitello said in the Giants’ announcement. “I’m excited to lead this group of players and represent the San Francisco Giants. I can'’ wait to get started and work to establish a culture that makes Giants’ faithful proud.”

About Vitello

Vitello guided the Volunteers to regular success in the Southeastern Conference since being hired in June 2017. That included leading the program to its first NCAA title last year to go with six regional appearances,

five NCAA super regional berths and three College World Series trips.

He has had 10 players from Tennessee selected in the first round and 52 Vols overall in MLB’s amateur draft. Among those is Giants outfielder Drew Gilbert.

Seeking a new voice and direction after the Giants missed the playoffs for a fourth straight year, Posey said he wouldn’t rule out anyone in his search for a leader with what he called an “obsessive” work ethic and attention to detail.

Other considerations

Posey had also considered his former backup catcher Nick Hundley, who has been working as a special assistant to Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young.

Instead, Posey is taking a route once tapped by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys with Miami Hurricanes coach Jimmy Johnson in 1989. That worked out with Johnson winning two Super Bowl championships in 1992 and 1993 during a Hall of Fame career.

Posey is striving for stability at manager after so much turnover for the franchise in recent years, including Posey taking over as president of baseball operations last fall when Farhan Zaidi was fired.

The Giants dismissed manager Bob Melvin after two years, and Posey quickly ruled out longtime Giants skipper Bruce Bochy as an option to replace him once Bochy parted ways with Texas following a three-year managerial stint.

VITELLO

In Search of a Unique Gift?

Visit Five Ten Gift Shop in downtown Palo Alto and meet Whitney or Kate. They have an incredible collection of one-of-a-kind gifts that will surely warm the hearts of your friend, family member, or colleague who needs something special. One of our favorites is the Artists and Their Cats book, recently added to their collection. This book offers behind-the-scenes stories of over 50 famous artists and their feline companions. From Salvador Dali’s pet ocelot Babou to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s menagerie of cats, including Salt (a black cat) and Pepper (a white cat), you’ll ﬁnd fascinating tales. If you’re not a cat person, consider picking up one of their cozy pairs of socks or a charming cuckoo clock. Explore all the fabulous gifts at 510 Waverley St. in downtown Palo Alto or give them a call at (650) 322-4510.

HUMBLE

BEGINNINGS WITH NOSTALGIC ROOTS. That is what brothers Nick and Jacob Saba have been doing as the newest owners of Woodside Deli, located at 1453 Woodside Rd in Redwood City. After taking over ownership, these familyoriented, community based brothers have upheld the value and importance of keeping Woodside Deli as authentic and nostalgic as it once was, from former owner Dan Gallenti, who opened the deli back in 1958. Please call (650) 701-6736 for more information.

they offer a comprehensive program that blends swimming, biking, and running within a safe, structured environment. Join the first Indoor Youth Triathlon Competition on Nov. 8-9 in Palo Alto. It is open to athletes 11–16 years old (as of 2025) — with age groups divided into 11–12, 13–14, and 15–16. Only 24 spots are available. To learn more, email anton@firstyouthtriathlonteam.com or visit firstyouthtriathlonteam.com.

NATIVITY SCHOOL

level study, NDNU helps you reach your goals with: Flexible Online & On-Campus Options; Career-Driven Curriculum; A Personalized Learning Experience; and A Mission That Matters. NDNU integrates social justice, community engagement, and ethical leadership into every program, preparing graduates to serve with both skill and compassion. Discover how NDNU can help you advance your career, deepen your impact, and fulﬁll your potential. Give them a call at (650) 508-3600 or visit their website at ndnu.edu.

FLIPPING THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT: A flapjack frenzy for a cause! One of the community’s favorite events, the 25th Annual Pancake Breakfast benefitting the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation, will be held this Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Menlo Park Fire District headquarters at 300 Middlefield Rd. The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation is a nonprofit organization built to enhance the quality of life for burn survivors and promote burn prevention. To support this vital cause, firefighters will flip pancakes and serve breakfast from 7:30 to 11:00 a.m. There will also be kids activities, fire safety information, fire truck tours, silent auctions, and more - don’t miss out! Advance ticket purchase is not required, but a donation will be kindly appreciated for the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.

LIBERATE YOUR SEARCH. Remember when search meant ﬁnding what you needed? Kagi brought that back. Free of ads. Free of surveillance. Free of noise. With Kagi, you are the customer, not the product. Kagi simply helps you ﬁnd what you’re looking for. When you choose Kagi, you’re choosing search that works for you.

FIRST

YOUTH TRIATHLON TEAM IS the ﬁrst and only Bay Area triathlon team that is dedicated to kids and teens. With professional, certiﬁed coaches,

OPEN HOUSE. Join Nativity for their preschool/ TK and kindergarten open house event taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Classrooms will be open and teachers will be available to answer questions. Please come and view the campus and discover what makes Nativity School a special place for young learners.

AT NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR UNIVERSITY (NDNU), education is more than a credential—it’s a calling to lead, serve, and make meaningful change. Whether you’re returning to ﬁnish your undergraduate degree or pursuing graduate-

WE’RE AT SUNDANCE THE STEAKHOUSE where Olivia greets you and seats you in one of the peninsula’s ﬁnest restaurants. A classic, traditional American cuisine restaurant that has been serving Palo Alto for over 50 years. Slow roasted prime rib is the specialty of the house. Sundance is known for thick cuts of rib, fresh out seafood, yummy side dishes, crisp salads, mudpie dessert and a world class wine list. Lunch is served Monday through Friday and Dinner is served everyday. Call Olivia at (650) 321-6798 for a reservation and check the website for more info. Sundance the Steakhouse is located near Stanford University at 1921 El Camino Real.