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Terminate high-speed-rail project? Page 3
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Doing it their way Small-franchise owners weather turbulent economic times page 33
Donate to the HOLIDAY FUND page 6
Spectrum 12 Eating Out 19 Movies 22 Holidays 41 Class Guide 46 N Arts Budding mentalist/magician amazes Palo Alto
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N Sports Palo Alto times two for titles
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N Home College Terrace sparkles on PAST tour
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Upfront
Local news, information and analysis
Nix high-speed-rail project, council members say City Council committee agrees state project should be terminated, squabbles over exact wording by Gennady Sheyner alo Alto on Thursday cement- flawed business plan and a dramatic ed its position as the vanguard difference between the project in its of opposition to California’s current form and the one presented proposed high-speed-rail line when to state voters in 2008, the commita City Council committee recom- tee voted unanimously to send to mended that the full council offi- the full council two competing procially adopt a position calling for posals, both of which state that the the project’s termination. project should be killed. Citing uncertain ridership data, a The Palo Alto council, which ini-
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tially supported the high-speed-rail (HSR) project in 2008, has gradually turned against it largely because of the rail authority’s proposed designs and its ridership and revenue projections. The council last year unanimously adopted a position of “no confidence” in the rail authority. If it adopts the committee’s newest recommendation, it would take its strongest stance yet. The Thursday discussion centered on two proposals, one drafted
by Larry Klein and Gail Price and another one written by Pat Burt and Nancy Shepherd that includes more information about the reasons for opposing it. The version by Klein and Price states: “The City believes that the State should terminate the HSR Project since it’s too expensive, has no credible funding plan, is based on deeply flawed and unreliable data and was put before the voters on the basis of serious, material
misrepresentations.” The one presented by Burt and Shepherd emphasizes that the current project “fundamentally contradicts the measure presented to the voters under Prop 1A in 2008” (which provided $9.95 billion for the project) and states that the business plan for the project is “fatally flawed and not credible.” Klein and Price Thursday both ar(continued on page 8)
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Police veteran to head emergency services Palo Alto taps Kenneth Dueker to direct new office by Gennady Sheyner
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Veronica Weber
Palo Alto resident Geeske Joel recently won the National Bridge Tournament, along with teammates from across the country.
COMMUNITY
Palo Alto woman wins national bridge tournament Geeske Joel found her passion in the ‘most challenging card game ever invented’ by Sue Dremann
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eeske Joel might have come to bridge at a late age for a competitor, but that hasn’t stopped her from reaching the top. Joel, 48, and her team won the fall North American Bridge Championships board-a-match team competition this past Sunday (Dec. 4). The three-day event was held in Seattle, Wash., and is sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League. Joel, a Palo Alto resident, captained the team of six, which includes Tobi Sokolow of Austin, Texas, Jill Levin of Henderson, Nev., Jill Meyers of Santa
Monica, Janice Seamon-Molson of Hollywood, Fla., and Debbie Rosenberg of Cupertino. Considered the world’s most challenging card game, bridge attracts players of all ages and all walks of life, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates and tennis champ Martina Navratilova. Joel said the game’s complexity and its continual challenge are draws. Bridge offers growth on many levels, she said. It is a game of strategy and spatial relationships; a game of anticipating one’s partner’s thinking and a game of logic and of memory, she said.
“It’s an incredibly challenging game. There is never an end to the puzzle. The beauty of the game is you can play it at any level and find it challenging and interesting. If you like challenges, there’s nothing better,” she said. Joel said she came to the game just eight years ago, but that hasn’t stopped her from successfully competing. “I really, really am ambitious,” she said. Before bridge, she played soccer, got a doctorate in biological sciences from Stanford Univer(continued on page 9)
fter months of searching, Palo Alto officials Wednesday tapped a veteran of the Police Department and a well-known figure to the city’s robust coalition of emergency-preparedness volunteers to head the fledgling Office of Emergency Services. Dueker, a genial, tech-savvy officer who has been serving as an interim director of the new department, beat out more than 50 other candidates and six other finalists for the $125,000-a-year job, according to an announcement from City Manager James Keene. Dueker has been active in the Citizen Corps Council (a coalition of businesses, agencies and cities working together on disaster preparation) and led various initiatives relating to emergency preparedness. These include the deployment of the mobile “Emergency Operations Center” and the recent citywide Safety Fair and the Quakeville camp-out exercises. Annette Glanckopf, a member of the Citizen Corps Council and also the panel that interviewed the finalists, praised the appointment, citing Dueker’s intelligence, organization skills and knowledge of Palo Alto. “The man is definitely a visionary, and I think we wouldn’t have gotten as far as we have in our efforts if it hadn’t been for some of the thoughts and the vision that Ken has,” she said. “He is a great team builder, and he is respected all over the city and the county.” Dueker’s new position is the latest stage in a distinguished police career that has seen him rise from a reserve police officer to a patrolman and a detective before becoming involved full-time in disaster planning and community preparedness. Glanckopf credited
him with bringing structure to the Citizen Corps Council and for bringing technical savvy to disaster preparedness — a subject that remains one of the City Council’s official priorities. “He’s been a perfect example of someone who can break down silos and get people to work together,” Glanckopf said. Dueker’s experiences in emergency preparedness go well beyond Palo Alto and law enforcement. In 2003, he founded the start-up company PowerFlare Corp., which designs eco-friendly LED lights. He remains on the company’s board of directors. He has also served as a chief operating officer for the Santa Clara-based fiber-optics company C Speed Corp. Dueker also worked in the early 1990s as a corporate emergency planner for the Atlantic Richfield Co. (ARCO). According to the city’s announcement, he worked at ARCO’s Los Angeles headquarters and gained experience during the 1994 earthquake in Northridge. Dueker holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College, a law degree from Harvard University, various emergency-management certifications and an amateur radio license. Keene selected Dueker after an interview process featuring two interview panels that included emergency-operations professionals, top police and fire staff, neighborhood leaders and department heads from City Hall. After the two panels provided their recommendations, Keene interviewed the five finalists and chose Dueker. “I am honored to have this role to improve the resilience of our City through our stakeholders, such as the neighborhoods, our businesses, Stanford University, and others in (continued on page 10)
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Upfront
DEBORAH’S PALM
Thank you for your support this year. We look forward to providing you with even more wonderful classes, activities and services in 2012.
Drop by and see what new things we have planned for next year. 555 Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto
january highlights UPCOMING WORKSHOPS: — Goal-Setting for 2012 — A series on Dealing with Stress and Balancing Work and Family — Communication Skills and Tools for Dealing with Anger And a new Job Search Support and Strategy Group for Women For more info, give us a call at 650/473-0664, or visit our website: deborahspalm.org
debor ah’s palm NOTICE NOTICE INVITING SEALED BIDS for Upgrade of Site Storm Drainage at 290-310 Ventura Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Upgrade existing storm drainage system throughout the property to improve dispersal of rain flow from the property. GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK: 1. Provide trenching for 160’ down center between front of buildings 1 and 2 with borings under sidewalks for 4” piping. 2. Run eight 3” lines to buildings to attach onto existing downspouts. 3. Provide cleanout fittings at high end of pipe and 100’ downstream. 4. Saw cut driveway 6’ out from grass area and install bubbler box to disperse rain flow to high end grade of driveway. 5. Provide 220 feet of 3” DWV copper pipe and fittings each along back side of building 1 and 2 and attach to 6 existing downspout roof ports. Set grade of pipe as necessary to disperse rain flow to front of property. 6. Clean work area daily and remove debris off-site. 7. All materials used must be manufactured in the USA. Bid specifications pertaining to this project are available from (Friday, Dec 2, 2011) to (Friday, Dec 16, 2011). Please call to schedule a mandatory job walk. Bid closing date is (Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012) at 5:00 PM. Bid opening at 725 Alma Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 on (Friday, Jan 6, 2012) at 10:00 AM. This project is funded by the City of Palo Alto Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. All federal regulations listed in the Bid Specifications will apply, including equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and Federal Labor Standards provisions (Davis-Bacon). Reference is hereby made to bid specifications for further details, which specifications and this notice shall be considered part of the contract. For information and bid walk-through, contact Jim Brandenburg at 650-321-9709 ext. 19. Page 4ÊUÊ iViLiÀÊ]ÊÓ䣣ÊUÊ*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞ
450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER William S. Johnson EDITORIAL Jocelyn Dong, Editor Carol Blitzer, Associate Editor Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, Express™ and Online Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Tom Gibboney, Spectrum Editor Sue Dremann, Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Kelsey Kienitz, Photo Intern Dale F. Bentson, Colin Becht, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, Chad Jones, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Jeanie K. Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Contributors Yichuan Cao, David Ruiz, Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Raul Perez, Assistant Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Lili Cao, Designer PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Samantha Mejia, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators ADVERTISING Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Judie Block, Janice Hoogner, Gary Whitman, Display Advertising Sales Neal Fine, Carolyn Oliver, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, Inside Advertising Sales Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Asst. Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Asst. Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst. Wendy Suzuki, Advertising Sales Intern EXPRESS, ONLINE AND VIDEO SERVICES Rachel Palmer, Online Operations Coordinator Rachel Hatch, Multimedia Product Manager BUSINESS Susie Ochoa, Payroll & Benefits Elena Dineva, Mary McDonald, Claire McGibeny, Cathy Stringari, Business Associates ADMINISTRATION Janice Covolo, Doris Taylor, Receptionists Ruben Espinoza, Courier EMBARCADERO MEDIA William S. Johnson, President Michael I. Naar, Vice President & CFO Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Frank A. Bravo, Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Connie Jo Cotton, Major Accounts Sales Manager Bob Lampkin, Director, Circulation & Mailing Services Alicia Santillan, Circulation Assistant Chris Planessi, Chip Poedjosoedarmo, Computer System Associates The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 326-8210. Periodicals postage paid at Palo Alto, CA and additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for Santa Clara County. The Palo Alto Weekly is delivered free to homes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, to faculty and staff households on the Stanford campus and to portions of Los Altos Hills. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 326-8210. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. Copyright ©2011 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. The Palo Alto Weekly is available on the Internet via Palo Alto Online at: www.PaloAltoOnline.com Our email addresses are: editor@paweekly.com, letters@paweekly.com, digitalads@paweekly.com. Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Call 650 326-8210, or email circulation@paweekly. com. You may also subscribe online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $60/yr.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
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WISHES YOU A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND BEST WISHES FOR THE COMING YEAR.
You need to teach people to be good grievers.
— Gloria Horsley, founder of the Open to Hope Foundation and website, which offers people a way to express grief. See story on page 7.
Around Town LIGHTS, CAMERAS, CHRISTMAS ... Starting Saturday (Dec. 10), Palo Alto’s Fulton Street will again transform into a Christmas wonderland, filled with red and green lights, decorations and carolers. The 1700 and 1800 blocks of Fulton, off Embarcadero Road, will turn on the lights of Christmas Tree Lane for the 71st year. To celebrate the start of this longstanding tradition, music teacher Marisa Hodgett-Chiang will lead Keys School carolers down the street at 6 p.m. Since 1940, Fulton residents have helped make Palo Alto an “unmatched Christmas destination,” resident Andrea Ward said in an email to Palo Alto Online. “Many of the street’s residents have grown up in Palo Alto and look forward to continuing the tradition for their children and generations to come,” Ward wrote. New Fulton Street residents will be taking part this year. “It is such a great tradition for families with small children and a wonderful way to bring neighbors together,” Ward added. Christmas Tree Lane has experienced its fair share of history. According to the Christmas Tree Lane website, www. christmastreelane.org, the street dimmed its lights in 1942 for World War II blackouts and again in 1973 in response to the oil crisis. The lights will shine this year daily from 5 to 11 p.m. through Dec. 31. OUR MAN IN SACRAMENTO ... Palo Alto’s white-hot opposition to California’s high-speed rail project has energized rail critics across the state. But the city’s position has also made it trickier for the City Council to find adequate lobbying services in Sacramento. The council’s rail committee on Monday interviewed two different lobbying firms to potentially replace the city’s existing lobbyist, Capitol Advocates. The first firm, California Strategies & Advocacy, essentially took itself out of the running because of the city’s opposition to high-speed rail. The council had previously discussed adopting a position calling for high-speed rail’s termination and will formally consider such a stance on Dec. 19. Kurt Schuparra, who represented California Strategies & Advocacy in a phone interview Monday, said that while he ultimately chose to submit an application, the city’s stance had given him pause. “If it was indeed a situation where the city is flat-out opposed to it (high-speed rail), I just don’t know if that’s a battle that I would choose to get involved in.” The second candidate, Professional Evaluation Group, had no such reservations. Firm CEO John Garamendi Jr. said his group has already worked with several other rail critics, including a group in Cen-
tral Valley concerned about the rail line’s impact on agriculture. “Would we represent the city if you took a position against high-speed rail? The answer is ‘yes,’” Garamendi said. The group includes on its staff Ralph Ochoa, a Sacramento veteran who had served as chief of staff to former state Assembly Speaker Leo McCarthy. Ochoa, who personally knows Gov. Jerry Brown (a supporter of the rail project), urged the committee not to give up in its quest to influence Brown to change his position. “I think he (Brown) has a very serious regard and respect for education, intelligence and experience,” Ochoa said, adding that Palo Alto represents these qualities. Not surprisingly, the committee unanimously recommended Thursday to retain Professional Evaluation Group. “I think they demonstrated the knowledge we were looking for in the inner workings of the Legislature and in the Governor’s administration,” Chair Larry Klein said. MIXED RECEPTION ... A plan by AT&T to install wireless-communication equipment on 80 local poles (in four phases of about 20 poles) continues to polarize Palo Alto, where residents like clear phone signals but don’t like having to stare at telecommunications equipment. Each side has plenty of props at its disposal. At Thursday’s meeting of the Architectural Review Board, which considered the first phase of AT&T’s plan, the company displayed placards with the words, “Yes! I support AT&T’s effort to bring more wireless infrastructure to Palo Alto!” followed by hundreds of names. The company had also mailed out cards to residents, asking them to check a “Yes!” box and send it to the City Council. Many supporters also wore stickers with the word “Yes!” written in orange. Board member Judith Wasserman was among those who didn’t appreciate AT&T’s mailing of cards, saying the move only damaged the public’s perception of the project. “I’ve never seen so many people incensed about the propaganda they were getting,” Wasserman said. Opponents did not shy away from the battle of the props. John Morris, a leading opponent, placed a giant poster depicting an earlier AT&T design in the Council Chambers. Dozens of critics also wore stickers with the words “No DAS” (AT&T’s “distributed antenna system”). Ultimately, the board voted to support AT&T’s proposal and added a list of conditions requiring the company to test the noise level of the new equipment and to disguise it, wherever possible, with trees. N
Upfront EDUCATION
A leaner Palo Alto Adult School marks 90 years New mantra from state funders: literacy and jobs t’s all about jobs, says Kara Rosenberg, director of the Palo Alto Adult School. As state financing dwindles and funds once reserved for adult education are freed up for other purposes, Palo Alto’s 90-year-old adult-education program is slimming down and gearing up for the challenge. Palo Alto Adult School — part of the Palo Alto Unified School District — took a 10 percent funding cut this year and lost 20 percent several years ago. As a result, it’s shrunk its program for older adults, ceding much of that territory to Avenidas, the community nonprofit for seniors. And last year, it closed its Palo Alto High School-based program to train aircraft-maintenance technicians. “There are no jobs in this area, and we didn’t have the resources to maintain a high-quality program,” Rosenberg said. “If there aren’t any jobs and they’re not hiring, why pour resources into it?” Rosenberg, who has directed the Adult School for 11 years and worked there for 32, said she’s heavily focused on the new mantra coming out of the Department of Education in Sacramento: literacy and jobs. “What we’ve been asked to do is focus on literacy and getting people to work,” she said. She’s embarking on an effort with Paly Principal Phil Winston to create
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“a career pathway for high school and adult school students” and is part of what she describes as “a grassroots venture to align services between adult services and community colleges. “We’re trying also to involve businesses so we can get immigrants moved from English classes into college and training that will move them into family-sustaining jobs,” she said. Adult education in California, originally charged with teaching English and citizenship, goes back 150 years. With an annual student population of 8,000, Palo Alto’s program has evolved to meet community needs, with fee-based classes in hobby areas such as cooking, painting, birding, knitting, ikebana, music and languages and state-supported, tuition-free classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) and citizenship. Along with other adult schools in the area, the Palo Alto Adult School partners with Boston Reed College, a privately owned career-training institution, to train technicians in a range of subjects including pharmacy, EKG, phlebotomy, veterinary and electronic health records — for fees of up to $3,000. But Palo Alto’s highest-enrolled program is ESL, serving everyone from recent immigrants to au pairs. “The pleasure of teaching ESL is that it’s something people know that they need and it’s immediate,” said
Veronica Weber
by Chris Kenrick
Despite budget cuts, teaching English as a Second Language remains a strong core mission for Palo Alto Adult School. Here Song Xu reads from his textbook in his ESL literacy class. Rosenberg, who began her career as an ESL teacher. “We have a pretty vibrant program for au pairs. They come with a pretty strong background in English already, but because it’s a cultural exchange program they’re required to take classes, so we offer English through movies, grammar, writing, history and culture and pronunciation — those tend to attract au pairs.” To meet the typical au pair schedule, classes are offered in the morn-
ings at Greendell School in south Palo Alto and in the evenings at Paly. Palo Alto’s popular Preschool Family program also falls under the management of the Adult School. Rosenberg says she likes to take a risk with a few classes each quarter to keep the program interesting. She was recently disappointed with the turnout for a new class in social networking but plans to give it another shot. “I think social networking will
start to catch on and people will be more and more interested. It’s not aimed at young people but at people not as familiar with social networking who might want to become more comfortable. “I have to keep learning, and we need to keep attracting new people, and there are always new things coming along.” N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly. com.
LAND USE
Palo Alto golf course faces uncertain future City Council starts a ‘broad’ conversation about future of Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course
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n effort by Palo Alto and its neighbors to calm the volatile San Francisquito Creek is prompting city officials to take a fresh look at the future of the city’s Municipal Golf Course and consider whether the aged facility should be improved or eliminated altogether. The golf course, which is located in the Baylands, is slated to play a major role in a regional effort to improve flood control. The San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority — an agency composed of officials from three cities and two water districts — plans to build a new levee through the city’s golf course. As a result, the course would have to be reconfigured. The Palo Alto City Council on Monday (Dec. 5) discussed various options for transforming the golf course to make way for the new levees — ranging from the cheapest option, which would affect six or seven holes, to the most ambitious one, which would change 12 holes, create 12 new greens and make room for a new soccer field. While the council didn’t make any decisions Monday,
several members advocated broadening the conversation about the future of the 18-hole course. Councilman Larry Klein said discussing specific golf designs is premature and that the community needs to take a step back and consider whether a golf course is the best use for the 165-acre site along Embarcadero Road. Klein argued that the city is providing a “very substantial land-use subsidy” to local golfers, particularly when compared with residents involved in other recreational activities. Only about 20 percent of the golfers using the municipal course are city residents, according to staff estimates. “Is the golf course still a viable model?” Klein asked. Mayor Sid Espinosa agreed and said the council should “weigh the different values” in the community. “I’m in no way advocating that we lose the golf course, but I think we have a chance here to have this broader conversation,” he added. “Shame on us if we’re not able to find a way to have that conversation.” This conversation would, however,
by Gennady Sheyner have to happen quickly if the creek authority is to reach its objective of starting construction within about a year. The authority, to which the city contributes $98,000 a year, will pay for mitigating the environmental impacts of building the levee, including the cost of the cheapest reconfiguration for the golf course. The city’s consulting firm, Forrest Richardson & Associates, had estimated that option to cost about $3 million. If the council were to choose to pursue the more ambitious options, the city would pay for the additional upgrades. One moderate alternative, which would add eight greens to the course and reconfigure eight or nine holes, has an estimated price tag of about $4.1 million. “There’s an opportunity to invest in the golf course a little more than basic mitigations,” Recreation Manager Rob de Geus told the council Monday. The levee project, de Geus said, presents the city with numerous challenges, including the creek authority’s ambitious timeline. The city, he said, will have to move through many is-
sues in a very short period of time. There’s also the question of lost revenue. The golf course would have to be shifted from 18 holes to 9 holes during the construction period and rates would have to be discounted by more than 25 percent, de Geus said. The end results would be a loss of about $500,000 in revenue. But these costs could potentially be recouped from increased playtime in an improved golf course. Golf-course architect Forrest Richardson, who spoke to the council Monday, said the designs seek to use the trees and the landscape to the course’s advantage and create areas of native habitat. The effect would be a more links-style course. Councilman Pat Burt praised the design’s integration of the course and the Baylands. “You’re rebuilding an ecosystem and tying it right in with the recreational system,” Burt said. Burt also proposed considering using a portion of the golf course site for sports fields. The city, he said, has expensive land and few options for building these much-
needed facilities. He advocated exploring using 15 acres at the course for multiple playing fields. “Frankly, I don’t see much of any other opportunity for us to address playing fields in the community on the horizon unless we make more efficient use of our land,” Burt said. Councilwoman Karen Holman, a golfer, called the proposed designs “exciting.” The levee project, she said, allows the city to leverage creek-authority funds to make longterm improvements to the course. “Golf is a sport that any gender or any age can play,” Holman said. “It’s a sport that all of those genders and ages can play at the same time. I think it’s really critical that we keep that in mind as we look at what we do here.” The council’s Finance Committee is scheduled to consider the broader options for the golf course’s future in January, at which time staff will present more information about the financial implications of the various design alternatives. N Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.
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Support our Kids
CLICK AND GIVE
with a gift to the Holiday Fund. Last Year’s Grant Recipients Abilities United ...........................................$5,000 Adolescent Counseling Services ............$7,500 American Red Cross - Palo Alto Area ....$3,000 Art in Action ................................................$5,000 Baby Basics of the Peninsula, Inc. .........$2,000 Bread of Life................................................$5,000 Breast Cancer Connections .....................$7,500 California Family Foundation ....................$3,500 Cleo Eulau Center.......................................$3,500 Collective Roots..........................................$5,000 Downtown Streets Team ........................$15,000 East Palo Alto Children’s Day Committee ..................................................$5,000 East Palo Alto Kids Foundation ................$5,000 East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring .........$5,000 East Palo Alto Youth Court ........................$3,000 Environmental Volunteers ........................$3,000 Foothill-De Anza Foundation ....................$2,500 Foundation for a College Education ........$5,000 Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo ...........................................$5,000 InnVision ......................................................$5,000 JLS Middle School PTA.............................$3,500 Jordan Middle School PTA.......................$3,500 Kara ..............................................................$5,000 Lytton Gardens Senior Communities ......$5,000 Music in the Schools Foundation ............$5,000 New Creation Home Ministries ...............$5,000 Northern California Urban Development ....$5,000 Nuestra Casa ..............................................$5,000 Palo Alto Art Center Foundation ..............$5,000 Palo Alto Community Child Care ..............$5,000 Palo Alto YMCA ..........................................$5,000 Palo Alto Housing Corporation ................$5,000 Palo Alto Library Foundation .................$17,500 Peninsula HealthCare Connection ..........$7,500 Quest Learning Center of the EPA Library ..................................................$5,000 Reading Partners .......................................$5,000 St. Elizabeth Seton School .......................$5,000 St. Francis of Assisi Youth Club ...............$3,000 St. Vincent de Paul Society ......................$6,000 The Friendship Circle.................................$5,000 TheatreWorks .............................................$2,500 Youth Community Service .........................$7,500 CHILD CARE CAPITAL GRANTS Children’s Center at Stanford ...................$4,000 Palo Alto Community Child Care ..............$5,000 The Children’s Pre-School Center ...........$5,000
Non-profits: Grant application and guidelines at www.PaloAltoOnline.com/ holidayfund
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ach year the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund raises money to support programs serving families and children in the Palo Alto area. Since the Weekly and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation cover all the administrative costs, every dollar raised goes directly to support community programs through grants to non-profit organizations ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. And with the generous support of matching grants from local foundations, including the Packard, Hewlett, Peery and Arrillaga foundations, your tax-deductible gift will be doubled in size. A donation of $100 turns into $200 with the foundation matching gifts. With your generosity, we can give a major boost to the programs in our community helping kids and families.
Give to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund and your donation is doubled. You give to non-profit groups that work right here in our community. It’s a great way to ensure that your charitable donations are working at home.
204 donors through Dec. 1 totalling $67,651; with match $135,302 has been raised for the Holiday Fund Donate online at siliconvalleycf.org/paw-holiday-fund 28 Anonymous ..............................9,425
New Donors John and Florine Galen ......................** David and Virginia Pollard...............150 Tony and Judy Kramer .......................** Eve and John Melton........................500 Andrea Boehmer ................................50 Patti Yanklowitz and Mark Krasnow ....** Harriet and Gerry Berner ...................** Roy Levin and Jan Thomson .............** Sylvia J. Smitham ............................100 Kenyon Scott ....................................200 Gil and Gail Woolley .......................200 Henry and Nancy Heubach ..............100 Marc and Margaret Cohen ...............100 Jeremy Platt and Sondra Murphy .......** Don and Ann Rothblat .......................** Jon and Julie Jerome ..........................** Richard Cabrera .................................** Richard and Bonnie Sibley ................** Barbara Zimmer and Kevin Mayer .......** John and Ruth DeVries ......................** Rita Vrhel .........................................150 Robyn H. Crumly ...............................** Lori and Hal Luft .............................100 Neva and Tom Cotter ....................2,000 Ralph R. Wheeler .............................350 Johnsson, Richard .........................1,000 Shirk, Martha ...................................500 Pam Mayerfeld .................................100 Ralph Cahn.........................................50 Kate Dreher ........................................18 Gloria Schulz ...................................200 Solon Finkelstein .............................250 J. Stephen Brugler ............................300 Marlene Prendergast ..........................** Rosalie Shepherd .............................100
Bob & Edie Kirkwood .......................** M. M. Dieckmann ............................300 Tom and Peg Hanks ...........................** Marcia & Michael Katz ...................200 Ms. Carolyn Frake .............................25 Betty Gerard .......................................** Peter S. Stern....................................250 Nancy & Stephen Levy ......................** Daniel Cox .......................................200 Christine M. Wotipka .......................100 Marc Igler and Jennifer Cray .............50 Richard A. Morris .........................2,000 Greg and Anne Avis ...........................** Cathy Kroymann ..............................250 Martha Mantel....................................25 Lolly T. Osborne ..............................150
In Honor Of My Clients.....................................1,500 Ruth & Marty Mazner......................100
In Memory Of
Ted & Jane Wassam .........................250 Barbara Riper .....................................** Daniel & Lynne Russell ...................250 Ellen & Tom Ehrlich ..........................** Donna & Jerry Silverberg ................100 Nan Prince........................................100 Andy & Liz Coe ...............................100 George & Betsy Young ......................** Walt & Kay Hays .............................100 Jeanne & Leonard Ware .....................** Lorrin & Stephanie Koran..................** David & Nancy Kalkbrenner .............** Jim & Ro Dinkey ...............................60 Attorney Susan Dondershine ...........200 David & Karen Backer .....................100 Drew McCalley & Marilyn Green ...100 Diane Doolittle ...................................** Richard Kilner..................................100 Tony & Carolyn Tucher .....................** Shirley & James Eaton .......................** Barbara Klein & Stan Schrier ............**
Fred Everly.........................................** Aaron O’Neill ....................................** Make checks payable to
Enclosed is a donation of $___________________________
Businesses & Organizations
Name __________________________________________________
deLemos Properties..........................250
Business Name _________________________________________
Previous Donors Mrs. Stanley R. Evans ........................** John & Lee Pierce ............................200 Carol & Leighton Read ......................** Freddy & Jan Gabus...........................** Peggy & Chuck Daiss ........................** Adele & Donald Langendorf ...........200 Lynnie and Joe Melena ......................75 Karen and Steve Ross ........................** Chuck & Jean Thompson ...................** Jason and Lauren Garcia ....................**
** Designates amount withheld at donor request
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M. D. Savoie ......................................** Werner Graf........................................** Kenneth E. Bencala ..........................100 Philip C. Hanawalt ...........................300 Richard A. Greene ...........................300 Chet Frankenfield ...............................** Dorothy Saxe......................................** Kathrine Schroeder ............................** Joyce Nelsen ....................................200 Memorial Fund, Inc. ........................300 Mark R. Shepherd ............................250 Bill Johnson & Terri Lobdell .............** Hal and Iris Korol ..............................** Gwen Luce .......................................100 Theresa Carey ..................................250 Ted & Ginny Chu ...............................** Harry Press .......................................100 Penny & Greg Gallo .........................500 Isabel & Tom Mulcahy ....................100 Nancy Lobdell ....................................** John & Olive Borgsteadt ....................**
Address ________________________________________________ City/State/Zip___________________________________________
Silicon Valley Community Foundation and send to: PAW Holiday Fund c/o SVCF 2440 W. El Camino Real, Suite 300 Mountain View, CA 94040
E-Mail __________________________________________________ Phone ______________________
Q Credit Card (MC or VISA) _______________________________________ Expires ______________ Signature _______________________________________________________ I wish to designate my contribution as follows: – OR –
Q In name of business above
Q In my name as shown above
Q In honor of:
Q In memory of:
Q As a gift for:
_____________________________ (Name of person)
Q I wish to contribute anonymously.
Q Please withhold the amount of my contribution.
The Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund is a fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donors will be published in the Palo Alto Weekly unless the coupon is marked “Anonymous.”
Upfront Roy & Carol Blitzer ...........................** John & Mary Schaefer .....................100 Margot D. Goodman ..........................** Brigid Barton ...................................250 Sue Kemp .........................................250 Elisabeth Seaman ...............................** Dena Goldberg .................................100 Linda & Steven Boxer........................** Micki & Bob Cardelli ........................** Debbie Mytels ....................................** The Ely Family ................................250 Ian & Karen Latchford .....................100 Richard A. Baumgartner & Elizabeth M. Salzer ......................350 Carolyn & Richard Brennan ..............** Lynn & Joe Drake ..............................** Eugene & Mabel Dong ....................200 Nancy & Richard Alexander ............500 Diane E. Moore ................................350 Sally & Craig Nordlund ...................500 Arthur D. Stauffer ............................500 Michael Hall Kieschnick...............1,000 Mark Kreutzer ....................................75 Nehama Treves.................................200 Les Morris ........................................250 Christina S. Kenrick ......................1,000 Susan H. Richardson ........................250 Leif and Sharon Erickson.................250 The Havern Family .......................3,500 The Wihtol Family Fund ..................500 John N. Thomas ...............................100 Anthony F. Brown ..............................50 Diane Simoni ...................................200 John J. McLaughlin..........................100 Braff Family Fund ............................250 Richard Rosenbaum ...........................** Zelda Jury...........................................** Eric & Elaine Hahn .......................1,000 Nancy Huber ......................................** Susan Woodman.................................** Arthur R. Kraemer .............................** William E. Reller ...............................**
In Honor Of Emma Claire Cripps and Elizabeth Marie Kurland ..................................300 Patricia Demetrios .........................1,000 Sandy Sloan .....................................100 Marilyn Sutorius ..............................150 Elizabeth McCroskey .........................**
CONSERVATION
Land could create continuous habitat, wildlife corridor Report offers ‘greenprint’ for protecting nearly 1 million acres by Sue Dremann
M
ore than 1 million acres of private lands in the Bay Area, much of it deemed essential to the preservation of animal species, have been identified for potential conservation by the Bay Area Open Space Council, according to a massive new report. “The Conservation Lands Network: San Francisco Bay Area Upland Habitat Goals Project Report 2011,” released this fall, is the first regional study in the Bay Area, according to Ryan Branciforte, director of conservation planning for the Berkeley-based organization. It includes an online interactive mapping tool, Conservation Land Network Explorer, he said. The report identifies land areas that would create a continuous mosaic of habitats and wildlife corridors, key to maintaining the Bay Area’s biodiversity. The report looked at habitats with irreplaceable rare and endemic species and vast tracts of intact plant types needed for biodiversity conservation. Five hundred plants, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates were identified along with the lands needed to support each species. Already, 1.2 million acres of land in the Bay Area are protected. The report locates an additional 900,000 acres of “essential” lands that should be preserved, beginning at the inland edge of the bay-
HEALTH
In Memory Of John O. Black ...................................500 Yen-Chen Yen ..................................250 Charles Bennett Leib........................100 Mdm. Pao Lin Lee .............................** Al and Kay Nelson .............................** Pam Grady........................................200 Leo Breidenbach ................................** Thomas W. and Louise Phinney.........** Marie and Donald Anon...................100 Jacques Naar & Wanda Root .............** Bob Makjavich ...................................** Dr. John Plummer Steward ..............100 Bertha Kalson.....................................** Al Bernal ............................................** Helene F. Klein ..................................** Ernest J. Moore ..................................** Jack Sutorius ....................................150 Ruth & Chet Johnson .........................** Robert Lobdell ...................................** Jim Burch ...........................................**
Businesses & Organizations Thoits Bros Inc.................................500 Harrell Remodeling............................** The Palo Alto Business Park..............** The Palo Alto Business Park..............** “No Limit” Drag Racing Team ..........25 Alta Mesa Improvement Company ..750
lands and extending to the outer county boundaries. It also identifies 200,000 acres that are “important to conservation goals,” 120,000 acres in so-called “fragmented” areas that suffered substantial human impacts but are adjacent to protected areas, and 160,000 acres that need further investigation. The Stanford foothills encompass one such area, the study noted. More than 43 organizations and landowners were involved in the study, which received funding from three private foundations: the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, along with several nonprofit and public agencies, including the California Coastal and Marine Initiative of the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation. Local areas deemed “essential” for protection include some of Stanford University’s foothills and areas surrounding already protected lands. These include: north of Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve; lands north of Sand Hill Road and west of Interstate 280 within Stanford; near 280 and Matadero Creek adjacent to Coyote Hill; south of Los Trancos Creek and east of 280; lands east and northwest of La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve, south and west of Skylonda; large tracts surrounding Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve, west of Skyline Boulevard in
Handling grief during the holidays Palo Alto resident’s website gives advice, solace to those who mourn by David Ruiz
G
loria Horsley understands the difficulty of dealing with loss during the holidays. The Palo Alto resident and founder of the Open to Hope Foundation lost her son and her nephew in 1983 in a car crash. She worked as a registered nurse at the time and found that there were no resources to help her express herself. “We didn’t have anything,” she said of both herself and her husband. So Horsley turned her own grief into a commitment to help families who have gone through similar tragedy. Today, what started as a blog and a radio show has become the largest resource for grief counseling on the Internet. The Open to Hope website features more than 300 writers, 550 podcasts and 100
YouTube videos. “We want to give a voice to grief,” said Horsley, who built up Open to Hope over the past five years. The website, with its expansive library of materials, reassures those who have recently experienced the death of a loved one that they are not alone, Horsley said. “They’re gonna make it, and it’s hard at first to believe that, but it’s true,” she said. Dealing with death can be especially daunting during the holidays, when most people are joining their loved ones and songs about family and friends play incessantly on the radio. Often individuals will want to take a break from the holidays and go away for the week, Horsley said — though this isn’t the best approach. “Sometimes you have to go
the Santa Cruz Mountains and overlooking Half Moon Bay; and land adjacent to Portola Redwoods State Park in La Honda and Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve near Los Altos Hills. Open-space nonprofit groups praised the Conservation Lands Network report as a “greenprint,” for conservation that can be incorporated into land, transportation, water and community planning. The network can be used as a guide for selecting lands for purchase, conservation-easement acquisition and cooperative agreements with private landowners. It is not intended to identify specific properties but takes a broad-brush approach, its authors said. “It provides a landscape-level look for conservation planning,” said Paul Ringgold, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) vice president and head of stewardship. The report and online tool helped confirm areas where POST is focusing its preservation efforts and is helping to identify areas the agency might have missed, he said. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of only five regions in the world with a Mediterranean climate and is noted for a high diversity of endemic species — species found only in that one area and nowhere else, the study noted. Yet, it is one of the most ecologically imperiled. Eight of nine Bay Area counties fall
through the routine, and it’s best to do that during the first year,” she said, explaining that getting away during the initial year of grief only extends the healing process. “Take out the ornaments and put up the tree. Just do what you’ve done in the past,” she said. Mourning is not a solo process, Horsley said, and this fact plays an important role during the holidays. “If one family member doesn’t want to participate, that’s expected, but they have to understand that there may be more people who are looking forward to them showing up to Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner,” she said. The second year is d i f ferent , though. Horsley explained a paradox that occurs Gloria Horsley during the second year, in that people start to feel better, but they aren’t ready for it. It’s a confusing time, she said, as people are so used to the pain that when they stop hurting as much they think something
within the top 20 counties in the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas where species are threatened by sprawl. Santa Clara County has 36 imperiled species and ranks 17th and San Mateo County ranks 14th with 40 imperiled species, according to a 2005 study by the National Wildlife Federation, Smart Growth America and NatureServe. The Bay Area supports 97 endangered or threatened species, according to the report. Landfills, highways, night lighting, predators and human settlement have impacted bird and mammal species, and gaps in ponds and connected water habitats affect amphibians and reptiles. Ringgold said the report also provides a tool for describing the importance of lands to funders. The 1999 Baylands project, which focused on protection and restoration of historic tidelands around the Bay, resulted in $200 million in funding from Proposition 50, the Water Quality Supply and Safe Drinking Water Projects Bond that passed in 2002. The measure contributed to 45,000 acres of wetlands protection, according to the report. The report can be viewed or downloaded at www.BayAreaLands.org. The online tool is available at www. bayarealands.org/explorer. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.
might be wrong with them. It’s a normal stage and a healthy one, too, she said. “This is when you can take your time off, if you still need it,” Horsley said. If a person does go away, though, he or she should tell loved ones in advance, she added. What many don’t understand is that grieving is difficult both on those affected and those who witness the grief. “You need to teach people to be good grievers,” she said, explaining that friends and family members of mourners typically try to avoid the topic of death. “No one wants to mention it because they don’t want to remind you, but that’s all you can ever think about anyways, so it’s better to openly discuss.” Simple, effective ways to do this are to ask a relative to give a toast or to share photos — but Horsley warns never to have more photos of the dead than the living. Those with grieving children should have them buddy up with a cousin during family gatherings so they don’t feel alone. “It does get better,” Horsley said. “We understand that it’s difficult to have hope immediately after, so we don’t ask that of them. All we ask is that they’re open to (continued on page 9)
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Upfront
Rail project (continued from page 3)
gued for their shorter version, saying that there are many other potential venues for providing more information about the city’s opposition. “High-speed rail is such a complicated issue that you can probably find 10, 20 or 30 reasons to be opposed to it,” said Klein, who chairs the committee. Shepherd agreed but said the council’s guiding principles on highspeed rail should at least highlight the two biggest reasons for opposing the project. “It is too expensive; it doesn’t have credible funding; and it’s based on deeply flawed and unreliable data,” Shepherd said. She also said she is troubled by the second half of Klein and Price’s statement regarding misrepresentations, and advocated for including more information about the city’s opposition. “This is a bold statement for any city to make,” Shepherd said. “We might get attacked seriously for making this type of statement, and we want to make sure our community can speak to it.” Burt agreed. Each proposal failed by a 2-2 vote before the committee voted unanimously to present both proposals to
the full council. The council is expected to take it up on Dec. 19. Palo Alto isn’t the only place where opposition to the rail project is mounting. A Field Poll released earlier this week showed about two-thirds of the surveyed voters support a new vote on the project. Fifty-nine percent of those said they would vote against the project if given an opportunity. “There is strong sentiment for holding another vote across all partisan subgroups and irrespective of how voters may have voted on the project in the 2008 election,” the poll stated. A recent report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which reviewed the new business plan, found that the rail authority’s proposal to construct the line in phases, starting with a Central Valley segment, would conflict with the language of Proposition 1A. The nonpartisan office also questioned the rail authority’s funding plan, which relies heavily on federal grants and on $11 billion in private investment. The Legislative Analyst’s Office noted that the U.S. Congress has not approved any funds for high-speed rail for next year and concluded that “it is highly uncertain if funding to complete the high-speed rail system will ever materialize.” N Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.
CityView A round-up of
Palo Alto government action this week
Council Rail Committee (Dec. 5)
Lobbyist: The committee interviewed representatives from the firms California Strategies & Advocacy and Professional Evaluation Group as part of its effort to hire a Sacramento lobbyist. Action: None
City Council (Dec. 5)
Golf course: The council discussed various design options for reconfiguring the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course to accommodate construction of a new levee. Action: None Development Center: The council approved a $1.5 million budget amendment to add staffing to the Development Center. Yes: Unanimous
Council Finance Committee (Dec. 6)
Fleet maintenance: The committee recommended directing staff to solicit proposals for leasing, maintenance and management of the city’s light-duty vehicles. Yes: Unanimous Library: The committee recommended accepting a staff report on oversight of library-bond funds and directed the Administrative Services Department to formalize policies and procedures for oversight and expenditure of these funds. Yes: Schmid, Shepherd, Yeh No: Scharff
Historic Resources Board (Dec. 7)
AT&T: The board reviewed and recommended approving a proposal by AT&T to install wireless communication equipment on an existing pole at 1248 Waverley St. Yes: Unanimous
Utilities Advisory Commission (Dec. 7)
Electricity: The commission discussed a staff plan to achieve carbon neutrality in the city’s electric portfolio and recommended approving the staff proposal. Yes: Unanimous Gas: The commission supported staff’s revisions to the city’s Gas Utility Long-Term Plan objectives, strategies and implementation plan. Yes: Unanimous
Council Rail Committee (Dec. 8)
Lobbyist: The committee voted to recommend hiring Professional Evaluation Services to represent the city on high-speed-rail issues in Sacramento. Yes: Unanimous Principles: The committee voted to send two versions of proposed revisions to the city’s guiding principles to the full council for consideration. Both versions support termination of the high-speed rail project. Yes: Unanimous
Architectural Review Board (Dec. 8)
AT&T antennas: The board reviewed a proposal by AT&T to install wireless communication equipment at 19 existing utility poles. The board recommended approving the proposal with conditions that included requiring AT&T to test the noise level of the new equipment and to use trees to screen the equipment. Yes: Lew, Malone Prichard, Wasserman, Young Absent: Lee
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National bridge (continued from page 3)
sity and bred Leonberger dogs, a large breed from Germany, according to her United States Bridge Federation profile. But now most of her time is spent perfecting her bridge skills, she said. “My husband claims I put in 40 to 50 hours a week. I don’t think it’s that much, but it’s a lot of hours. It has become what I do — and I love it,” she said. Joel played chess in high school. A math teacher at the time told her she should play bridge, she said. But she didn’t begin for at least 20 years, preferring other card games and puzzles. It was through a local group playing duplicate bridge that she became hooked. The 900-member Palo Alto Bridge Club accepts all levels of players. Joel’s interest and skill “catapulted,” she said. These days, one doesn’t have to sit around a card table, she said. Her bridge instructor lived in New York, so Joel conducted her lessons online. “It doesn’t matter where you live, you can teach and play,” she said. But she met her team partner, Tobi Sokolow, at a face-to-face tournament in San Francisco at the first national championship she ever at-
tended. She and Sokolow practice through the Internet, she said. All of the women on her team have won national competitions, according to the American Contract Bridge League. Sokolow has won many championships, Joel said. The women came in 10th when they started out in San Francisco. Joel’s team has played together for 2 1/2 years, and the last two tournaments they’ve played they came in second place. “We finally won by a very good margin,” she said, sounding satisfied. Joel thinks bridge should be taught in schools, with its important skill-building lessons. And despite its reputation for complexity, Joel said bridge offers something for everyone. Bridge is a game that is enduring, she said. “It keeps you occupied and challenged for the rest of your life. There are people in the club who are over 90 and they come every day.” The Palo Alto Bridge Club is also getting a permanent home in Mountain View, where a wing at the I.F.E.S. Portuguese Society is being renovated, she said. The club offers classes, mentoring and a lecture series. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.
Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to hold a study session with the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority, authorize a $1.29 million loan to the Palo Alto Housing Corporation and consider creating a renewable-energy feed-in tariff program. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). BOARD OF EDUCATION ... The board will hear a report from the Homework Committee on its process for recommending a district homework policy, and a presentation on schematic designs for a new performing arts center at Palo Alto High School. The board will vote on the awarding of construction bids for the Paly stadium as well as renovations to Fairmeadow Elementary School and Jordan and Terman middle schools. The public portion of the meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the board room of school district headquarters (25 Churchill Ave.). PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to see a presentation on design improvements to Cogswell Plaza; review the Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Plan; and discuss updating the Recreation Strategic Plan. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). PLANNING AND TRANSPORATATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss 803 Los Trancos Road, a request to demolish an existing home and construct a new two-story home and pool house; and discuss the Housing Element Update. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
Grief
(continued from page 7)
it, that they lean on our hope until they find their own.” The foundation has provided many with the voice they need, especially during the middle of the night, said both David Daniels and Kim Perlmutter, who share Horsley’s experience of losing a child. “I listened to so many of the videos when no one else was awake,”
Perlmutter said. “It was really a saving point for me because there’s no one you can call at 3 a.m.” “There’s a real community, and the quality of work is riveting,” Daniels said. The foundation helps people recognize that “sadness is a natural consequence; it’s a healthy process.” Horsley’s daughter, Heidi Horsley, is now the executive director of Open to Hope and a professor at Columbia University. She was 20 when her brother died and she didn’t initially realize the thoughts she was
News Digest Palo Alto beefs up Development Center staffing Palo Alto officials forged ahead this week with a plan to streamline the city’s notoriously complex permitting process when they committed $1.5 million to add staff to the Development Center. The City Council unanimously agreed Monday (Dec. 5) to spend $1.5 million on six positions in the city’s permitting operation. These include a supervisor to coordinate the various departments involved in the permitting process, a permit-center manager who would provide day-to-day oversight of the center, a plan examiner and three project coordinators. The expenditure is intended to address persistent community complaints about the long waiting times and the labyrinthine nature of what has become known as the “Palo Alto Process.” The complaints have prompted City Manager James Keene to restructure the Development Center operation to make it simpler for companies and residents to get their applications processed. Deputy City Manager Steve Emslie called the approved staff additions “a major step toward creating a management structure that is important to creating the results” the city committed to when it launched the effort in July 2010. The increased staffing would be funded by an increase in permit fees and thus would not require the city to tap into its General Fund. Some of the reforms have already been put in effect. The city, for example, has been helping large companies get the needed permits by devoting project managers to help shepherd these applications through the process. Mayor Sid Espinosa said results have so far been encouraging. “Our business leaders, and I think we’ll hear from others, are already responding favorably to it and talking about how it changes the business climate,” Espinosa said. N — Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto man faces 20 years for fraud A Palo Alto man pleaded guilty Wednesday (Dec. 7) in federal district court in San Francisco for a realestate investment scheme and could face 20 years in
having were normal. Open to Hope not only helped her with expressing her grief but also in establishing that her emotions, and the emotions of millions of others, were a healthy and regular part of grieving. “Other people have been there, but they don’t know it’s OK to feel that way. You want to say to them, ‘You’ll make it’ — because you know they will,” she said. N Editorial Intern David Ruiz can be emailed at druiz@paweekly. com.
prison. Richard F. Tipton, 62, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. Two other defendants, James Stanley Ward, 65, of Delaware, Ohio, and Edward George Locker, 36, of Highland Heights, Ohio, were also indicted and pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Dec. 6). Tipton, Ward and Locker admitted they deceived investors in Mountain View-based private moneylender Jim Ward & Associates, Inc., and its successor, JSW Financial, Inc. Using funds obtained from investors, the defendants arranged private money loans to borrowers who built single-family homes. The men offered investors the opportunity to invest in fractional interests in the loans and in the Blue Chip Realty Fund, LLC, and Shoreline Investment Fund. The companies generated and provided documents to investors that represented the funds made and invested in loans that were secured by deeds of trust on real property, but Tipton and the others knew that those representations were false, according to the indictment. The companies did not secure investments in either fund. N — Sue Dremann
Two people killed on tracks identified A man and a woman who were killed on the Caltrain tracks Saturday (Dec. 3) in Palo Alto and Menlo Park, respectively, have been identified. The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office said that San Jose resident Donald Larson, 48, was struck at about 11:10 a.m. at the California Avenue station by northbound train No. 801, a Baby Bullet express. Jayne Cox, 27, of Folsom was killed just north of the Menlo Park station at 12:13 p.m. by southbound train No. 428. She was identified by the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office on Sunday. There were 150 passengers on the Baby Bullet train going through Palo Alto who were transferred to another train, Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn stated in a press release. The train that struck Cox had 120 passengers, she said. There have been 16 fatalities on the Caltrain right of way this year, Dunn said. A middle-aged man, Greg Brown of Redwood City, was killed Nov. 26 at the California Avenue station. The highest number of deaths in one year in the Caltrain right of way — 20 — occurred in 1995, Dunn said. N — Palo Alto Weekly staff
COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss an audit of the city’s financial statements, hear a status report on fiscal year 2011 year-end capital improvement and get information about leases and tenants and the Cubberley Community Center. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD ... The board plans to discuss 3130 Hansen Way, a request by Hoover Associates on behalf of Stanford University Board of Trustees for review of a new 30,200-square-foot, two-story employee-amenities building for Varian to replace an existing one-story building; and a request by OTO Development on behalf of Schnell Brothers properties for preliminary review of a four-story, 178-room Hilton Garden Inn hotel. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). RAIL CORRIDOR STUDY TASK FORCE ... The task force plans to continue its discussion of the city’s vision for the Caltrain corridor. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, in the Downtown Library (270 Forest Ave.). PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION ... The commission plans to hear a presentation from high school students about a proposed student mural; consider a proposed tree sculpture and hear an update on art work at the new Mitchell Park Library and Community Center. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
Vote ur for yorite favo e! tre
Fun for the Whole Family! Pictures with Santa! Ornament Workshop! Hot Cider & Cookies! Carolers!
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Upfront
Online This Week
YOUTH
These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news or click on “News” in the left, green column.
Teens analyze data to help babies
Fry’s customer escapes gun-wielding man A man received an unwelcome holiday surprise in the parking lot of Fry’s Electronics Wednesday night when two men wearing masks and black clothing approached him and flashed a handgun, Palo Alto police confirmed Thursday. (Posted Dec. 8 at 10:55 a.m.)
Supervisors to face music on Stanford trail offer A moment of truth is coming Tuesday (Dec. 13) at 9 a.m. when San Mateo County supervisors meet to weigh in a third time on a 2006 offer from Stanford to pay millions of dollars to upgrade the roadside path along Alpine Road between Portola Valley and Menlo Park. (Posted Dec. 8 at 9:11 a.m.)
Bicyclist robbed at knifepoint in Menlo Park A bicyclist pedaling along the Ringwood Avenue pedestrian bridge lost $25 after being confronted by a man brandishing a knife Tuesday morning (Dec. 6). (Posted Dec. 7 at 12:01 p.m.)
More than 150 Paly students to be recognized for service More than 150 students at Palo Alto High School will be recognized for their service to the community in a presentation Friday (Dec. 9) of the President’s Award for Volunteer Service. (Posted Dec. 7 at 9:47 a.m.)
Monterey official to head EPA department East Palo Alto has hired John Doughty, executive director of Monterey Bay Area Governments, to head its new Community Development department, the city has announced. (Posted Dec. 7 at 9:45 a.m.)
Gunn, Paly student project leads to prize in national science contest by Chris Kenrick
T
hey met at an “Awesome Math” camp in Santa Cruz two summers ago. Palo Alto High School student Jeffrey Ling and Gunn student Helen Jiang stayed in touch. With a shared interest in data analysis, they agreed early this year to team up on a project under the direction of a Stanford Medical School professor.
‘It made me feel so much happier when I thought it was actually going to help people a lot more than I expected.’ —Helen Jiang, winner, Siemens Competition
Facebucks: Economic impact study released With all the fanfare over Facebook relocating to Menlo Park,the question of why that was such a boon to the city sometimes led to hazy answers: “This is fantastic!” “Why?” “Because it’s Facebook, and fantastic!” But now there are some concrete answers in the form of an economic impact study. (Posted Dec. 7 at 8:25 a.m.)
Woman dies in Los Altos multi-vehicle crash An 85-year-old Cupertino woman died in a multi-vehicle crash in Los Altos Tuesday morning (Dec. 6), police said. (Posted Dec. 6 at 7:46 p.m.)
Opinion shifts against high-speed rail As the price tag for California’s proposed high-speed-rail system continues to swell, so does public opposition to the voter-approved project, a new poll has found. (Posted Dec. 6 at 9:39 a.m.)
How do you know it’s a police officer? After a young woman from Atherton was pulled over last week by what turned out to be a police impersonator who stole her car keys, Atherton police advise that there are several things that can be done to make sure the driver of an unmarked vehicle is really a police officer. (Posted Dec. 6 at 8:47 a.m.)
Last weekend, the two were in Washington, D.C., presenting their project on data predictors of severe gastrointestinal disease in premature infants to a panel of judges in the national finals of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology. They walked away with $10,000 in prize money as one of the six teams and six individuals receiving awards from $10,000 to $100,000. The contest initially drew 2,436 entrants. “The project wasn’t hands-on touching babies. It was more observing the data and using statistics,” said Jiang, a Gunn junior. Working in a lab under the mentorship of Medical School Associ-
Emergency
(continued from page 3)
Facebook acquires new talent from Gowalla Social-networking giant Facebook confirmed Monday (Dec. 5) that members from the Austin, Texas, company Gowalla will be moving to Palo Alto to join the Facebook team in the new year. (Posted Dec. 5 at 3:39 p.m.)
our community,” Dueker said in a statement. “In a major disaster, we will all benefit from the investment in the relationships and structures that we are creating.” Dueker’s appointment is the most significant step in the city’s disaster-preparedness effort since the council decided last summer to create the Office of Emergency Services. The city has traditionally coordinated its emergency response and preparedness by activating an “Emergency Operations Center” in the City Hall basement and having representatives from various departments meet there during major
ate Professor Karl Sylvester, the students integrated clinical and molecular findings to predict which newborns are most likely to develop serious necrotizing enterocolitis, the most common and severe gastrointestinal disease affecting premature infants. Jiang said she was particularly gratified when she met people at George Washington University last weekend who told her their families had had personal experience with the disease. “It made me feel so much happier when I thought it was actually going to help people a lot Jeffrey Ling more than I expected,” she said. Ling said he and Jiang met at Stanford almost daily over the summer to work on the computer analysis. “We told him (Sylvester) we were interested in children’s diseases and helping babies,” Jiang said. Using data on past cases supplied by other hospitals and the National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD), the two analyzed clinical parameters as well as molecular parameters such as proteins and peptides from babies’ urine or blood. “If we combine them together we can correctly split the patients up, and the information helps doctors and nurses diagnose the disease as
‘He’s been a perfect example of someone who can break down silos and get people to work together.’ —Annette Glanckopf, member, Citizen Corps Council events to plan the city’s response. The new office was created to improve coordination between city departments and support the various volunteer groups that have been working on preparing the city for emergencies. Glanckopf and other volunteers
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early as possible and helps predict whether that baby needs to have immediate surgery or just stay in the hospital,” Jiang said. Ling, also a junior, and Jiang said they’ve been too busy with schoolwork to do much work on the project during the academic year. But both said they hope to continue work on the project, adding more data in the future. “Right now we’re using patient data from patients who’ve already had this disease, and we need to add in a lot more data,” Jiang said. We already have thouHelen Jiang sands of cases from NICHD.” Both also said the best thing about last weekend’s contest finals was meeting the other students. “Even though it was only four days long, it feels like I’ve known them forever,” Jiang said. “Now we have a Facebook group and everything, and we still talk all the time.” Jiang said she hopes to become a university professor. Ling’s goal is to become an inventor and “create something interesting and worthwhile that can benefit the lives of everyone in the world.” N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be reached at ckenrick@paweekly. com.
have previously characterized the city’s grassroots-based operation as an orchestra without a conductor. Dueker will be expected to fill this Ken Dueker role. Earlier this year, the city commissioned an independent study to assess the city’s emergency-preparedness operation. The study, by the group Urban Resilience Policy, highlighted a number of deficiencies and concluded that under the previous system the city’s Office of Emergency Services “does not have the authority to overcome planning and preparedness deficiencies.” The City Council is scheduled to approve Dueker’s contract, which includes the $125,000 salary, on Monday (Dec. 12). If the contract is approved as expected, he would begin his new position the following day. N
Transitions Births, marriages and deaths
Deaths Jane Evans Jane Gillespie Evans, 84, a resident of Palo Alto, died Dec. 1 at her home at Vi (formerly Hyatt Classic Residence) after a long battle with cancer. She was born Jan. 11, 1927, and raised in Houston, Texas, the daughter of James Walker Gillespie and Fleetwood Vinson Gillespie. She graduated in 1946 from Rice University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. In 1948 she married her college sweetheart, John Evans, whom she met while he was completing his Ph.D. in nuclear physics at Rice. She worked at Union Carbide in Texas, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in New Mexico and the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho. When she and John moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, she quickly realized the importance of electronics and became the first woman to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University in 1965. She subsequently was the first female engineering graduate to be hired by Hewlett-Packard Company (HP). While working at HP, she attended Santa Clara University, completing an MBA. For 25 years she played a significant role in HP’s rise as a global provider of electronics and computers. She has been a role model to countless engineers, women and men, exemplifying the
best of the profession. She was an active leader of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE), serving at local, regional and national levels. She was Chair of the Board of Directors of the 1997 WESCON Conference. Under her leadership, WESCON was held in Silicon Valley for the first time. She was a fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society of Women Engineers, where she also served on the national Board of Trustees. She received the IEEE’s Centennial Medal, the Career Action Center’s Woman of Vision Award, San Jose State University’s Engineering Award of Distinction, and the Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County’s World of Today and Tomorrow award. In 1999 she was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame. She and John lived together in Los Altos, Calif., celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 1998, shortly before John’s death in 1999. A member of a close family, her sisters Minne Williams and Anne Palmer preceded her in death. She is survived by her two nephews, Christopher Moore and Charles Moore. Friends and family are invited to celebrate her life at a memorial service Monday, Dec. 12, at 3 p.m. at the Los Altos United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Ave., Los Altos. The family suggests that any gifts in her name be made to Cardiac Therapy Foundation of the Midpeninsula, 4000 Middlefield Road, Suite G-8, Palo Alto, CA 943034761.
Doris-Jane Fondahl Doris-Jane Fondahl passed away December 3, 2011. Doris was born in 1924 in New York State. After living in Pennsylvania, her family moved to Washington D.C. where she attended McKinley Tech High School and met her lifetime companion and future husband, John Fondahl. She graduated from Mount Holyoke University in 1945. She and John were married a year later, upon his return from duty with the Marines in WWII. After a short time in Pennsylvania, they headed to Hawaii, where she taught grade school. Returning to the mainland, they lived in Minneapolis, then Sacramento, where she continued to teach until their ďŹ rst daughter was born in 1954. In 1955 John became a professor of civil engineering at Stanford University, and they moved to Los Altos, where three more daughters were born. Doris found the house of their dreams in Los Altos Hills in 1965, where they lived ever since. Doris became active in the League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women, and Los Altos Hills planning committees. She brought daughters along during John’s sabbatical teaching visits to Chile, Denmark, Switzerland, Japan and Australia. After raising her daughters, she became a docent at Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center, serving for 15 years. Doris and John were avid travelers, joining
one of the ďŹ rst groups of Americans to visit China after it opened to tourists in 1979, and visiting all parts of the globe, culminating with a cruise around the PaciďŹ c in 2007. They also spent many summer and winter weeks at their cabin at Lake Tahoe. They were enthusiastic supporters of Theaterworks, American Conservatory Theater, and Bus Barn Theater. After John passed away in 2008, Doris continued her activities with theater groups and with the Peninsula Foothills Wine Society. She loved growing orchids and carefully tracked culinary developments around the Bay Area. Doris is survived by daughters Lauren, Gail, Meredith, and Dorian, son-in-laws Ken Bilski and Joe Martinka, David Wickline, and grandchildren Gwynne Bilski, Arielle Martinka, and Peter Martinka. Donations in Mom’s memory may be made to the John Fondahl Fellowship, Stanford University (P.O. Box 20466, Stanford, CA 94309), the Cantor Center for Visual Arts (Stanford, CA 94305-4060), or Mount Holyoke College (50 College St., South Hadley, MA 01075). PA I D
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Editorial
Handicapping the golf course Flood-control project creates opportunity to examine options for uninspired Palo Alto Muni
P
erhaps there is a silver lining in a flood-control proposal that would place a new levee on part of the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course and force some redesign. The project is intended to improve the downstream flow of the San Francisquito creek watershed during severe storms in order to prevent a 45-year flood similar to the 1998 flood when the creek overflowed its banks and caused $28 million in damage. The City Council discussed the levee proposal Monday and how it would affect the golf course. The intent was to review options for redesigning holes to accommodate the new levee, but the discussion broadened into whether it continues to make sense to continue offering a full, 18-hole course at the site. Since only 20 percent of the players who use Palo Alto Muni are residents, some council members rightfully believe it is time to reassess the highest and best use of this property, which was built in the 1950s and has seen declining use in recent years. The flood-control plan comes from a joint-powers agency made up of Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park, as well as Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The most basic course redesign option, which would require reconfiguring six or seven holes on the course at an estimated cost of $3 million, would be paid for by the authority. The city’s share would be minimal, about $300,000, but would increase to $1 million-plus if more elaborate options are chosen. A mid-range option to reconfigure eight and a half holes, and add eight new greens would cost the city about $1 million in addition to what is covered by the flood-control fees. The council engaged in a lively discussion about the future of the course, which is situated between the Baylands Athletic Center baseball park and the Municipal Airport, and the wisdom of sinking more money into the course. Member Larry Klein was on target when he noted that the city is already providing a very substantial “land-use subsidy” to local golfers, when compared to other potential recreational uses. And with much of the benefit going to non-residents, who make up some 80 percent of the players, Klein correctly raises the question of whether the golf course in its present form remains a viable program. Klein got some support from Mayor Sid Espinosa, who said the council should “weigh the different values” in the community. “I’m in no way advocating that we lose the golf course, but I think we have a chance here to have this broader conversation,” the mayor said. Councilmember Pat Burt said he liked the proposed post-levee construction redesign of the course, but offered a plan that would slice off about 15 acres for playing fields. The use of any public land for recreational activities is a “subsidy” when compared to more intensive commercial uses; the question is whether that subsidy is aligned with community needs and participation rates. Golfers will argue that green fees generate substantial income that offsets the city’s cost to operate the course, more so than other types of recreation such as tennis, soccer or softball. But the small percentage of Palo Alto users, combined with the large amount of land committed and the mediocre course design, raise legitimate questions about the future of the golf course. At the very least, the council should consider whether continuing to operate the full 18-hole course still makes sense, or whether an improved 9-hole course might both adequately serve golfers and make possible the future development of a new athletic field complex. Among the challenges are the loss of revenue during the levee construction and the $550,000 a year in debt service that is now being paid from revenue from the golf-course income. Another complication is that the course irrigation system is failing due to high salt intrusion, which is resulting in regular main-line breaks. The council will have to decide whether it can afford to make irrigation system improvements beyond those paid for by the flood-control funds. With the flood-control project set to begin in 2013, the city has very little time to bring the options before the public for the broad discussion it deserves. But Klein is right; now is the time to reexamine the city’s commitment to the golf course and whether it is aligned with the needs and desires of Palo Alto residents.
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Spectrum Editorials, letters and opinions
A well-kept secret Editor, Thank you for the article on the South Palo Alto Food Closet. It is very timely and gives credit to a small group of volunteers. This effort was established by a coalition of churches in Palo Alto some 30 years ago. Covenant Presbyterian has provided space and utilities plus donating money and food. However, several other churches and members of the community have also stepped up to the plate. Not to mention the many volunteers from the community who have provided support behind the scenes. This group of volunteers, around 100, pick up food, store it, stock the shelves in the Food Closet, clean the Food Closet, and cheerfully distribute the food to the needy families in our area who have been vetted by Opportunity West, our supporting churches, and the Palo Alto school system. All of this effort is coordinated by our director, Kate Church. Again, thank you for your interest in our Food Closet. It has been a well-kept secret. Jean C. Jones, volunteer coordinator Emerson Street Palo Alto
Concerts at MPAC Editor, I was privileged to hear a remarkable concert by Symphony Parnassus in the jewel of our community: the Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Center on Dec. 3. Unfortunately, the attendance in this acoustically superb concert hall was only 1/3 of its capacity. I encourage this community to support future concerts so great performers will continue to come and bring us great entertainment only a short distance from our neighborhood. Karen Busch Bay Road Menlo Park
Better trails to the top Editor, In the latest debate about advanced high school math required for graduation, I am a parent that is concerned that the debate has been framed with only two conclusions. The choices have been presented as either: 1) Lower the degree of difficulty required for Palo Alto diplomas, or; 2) Don’t dilute the value of a Palo Alto diploma and leave some teens behind. A world-class education is like a mountaintop. As opposed to mak-
ing it the domain of the few and privileged, let’s build better trails to the summit. Let’s make it the goal that all students reach the summit by finding the right guides for all to attain the highest potential. Everything, once understood, is simple. I hope other parents will join me in refusing to accept that there are only the two choices in the discussion. Timothy Gray Park Boulevard Palo Alto
Let’s achieve parity Editor, I was appalled to read of the plan to allow two standards of math competency to exist in high school. The message that will be sent to all students and to the community will wreak havoc with the general morale in our schools. I would like the community to consider the following proposal. I will volunteer to organize a corps of people, recruiting heavily from the retirement complexes and other community members to establish a drop-in center where any
student needing help in math can get it. If algebra isn’t passed the first time around, students must take it until they qualify. We must find a way to achieve parity. It is impossible to ask math teachers to offer tutoring either in or out of class for those students who are experiencing difficulty. Teachers are already overwhelmed. Rather than lower the standards, we need to come together as a community rich in resources and which can staff a tutoring corps. Who better to ask for help than the legion of able people in this highly educated area? If a student fails algebra after taking it more than once or twice and has availed himself or herself of extra help then we might have to make a different diagnosis. I suggest we try to stand and deliver first. My name is Ellen Fox and my email address is ellenannfox@ gmail.com. I will take on the job of organizing a corps of tutors if the community reaches out to me. Ellen Fox Sand Hill Road Palo Alto
YOUR TURN The Palo Alto Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest.
What do you think? Should the City of Palo Alto invest in improving its golf course? Submit letters to the editor of up to 250 words to letters@paweekly.com. Include your name, address and daytime phone number so we can reach you. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, objectionable content, libel and factual errors known to us. Anonymous letters will generally not be accepted. You can also participate in our popular interactive online forum, Town Square, at our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Read blogs, discuss issues, ask questions or express opinions with you neighbors any time, day or night. Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of permission to the Palo Alto Weekly and Embarcadero Media to also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on Town Square. For more information contact Editor Jocelyn Dong or Online Editor Tyler Hanley at editor@paweekly.com or 650-326-8210.
Check out Town Square! Hundreds of local topics are being discussed by local residents on Town Square, a reader forum sponsored by the Weekly on our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Post your own comments, ask questions, read the Editor’s blog or just stay up on what people are talking about around town!
On Deadline
Is recycled water a threat to Palo Alto’s trees? by Jay Thorwaldson he push for using recycled water to irrigate Palo Alto’s golf course and some parkland may sound great and green, but the water could be a threat to the health — or life — of the city’s trees. That is a warning from Canopy, the nonprofit organization that is the recognized guardian of the “urban forest” of Palo Alto, long known as “the city that loves trees” — if not their leaves that clog storm sewers and roots that lift sidewalks. The concern relates to a relatively high level of salinity in Palo Alto’s recycled water from the regional wastewater treatment plant. In addition to Palo Alto effluent, the plant processes sewage from Stanford, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. A small fraction of the wastewater is reclaimed and used for watering lawns and planting areas, including hundreds of trees. At 950 parts per million (ppm), the recycled water falls a bit short of being sea water, at about 35,000 ppm. But over a decade or two does the water harm the trees — the longestlived plants on which it is used? That is the question that worries Canopy and tree fans. Fewer than a thousand trees are presently irrigated with recycled water, most of them at the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course and Greer Park. About 400 trees in Greer Park are irrigated and roughly the same number at the golf course and treatment plant. Mountain View’s Shoreline Links golf course and multiple commercial sites use recycled water.
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A plan to replace more than 30 ailing, dying or dead trees at Greer Park elevated the salinity concern to a higher level when city arborists and Public Works staff members met with worried (and some angry) residents about the plan Oct. 18. The staff did a remarkable job of answering resident concerns during a discussion at the Palo Alto Friends meeting hall. The meeting culminated in an informal poll of attendees, who indicated unanimous support for the staff plan following a tree-by-tree illustrated rundown of why each tree should be removed. But Canopy remains worried about longterm effects on other trees as use of recycled water spreads to other parts of the community. There is a continuing push to expand its use to conserve the pure Hetch Hetchy water from the Sierra. Catherine Martineau, Canopy’s executive director, sums up the problem: “Plants, unlike animals, cannot process salt. Trees are particularly sensitive. The issue is complex, as soil composition is also a factor. “Very few tree species are tolerant of recycled water, even less of the quality of recycled water available in Palo Alto,” she said. The city’s Public Works tree section “has been removing and replanting hundreds of trees in the park in the last 15 years,” Martineau said. The issue is a growing one, she warns. “As water-conservation measures apply pressure on the availability of potable water for landscape irrigation, efforts are made to deliver recycled water to more areas of town and the Stanford campus.” An environmental impact report on extending the recycled-water pipeline is already underway (www.cityofpaloalto.org/depts/utl, search for “recycled water system”).
“Canopy’s concern is that increased use of recycled water will threaten large portions of the Palo Alto urban forest because a majority of the species planted in the last 100 years need irrigation during summer. “Trees are the most valuable elements of the landscape and their health should be a priority when making policy decisions regarding the landscape,” she said. Efforts are underway to transition the “urban forest” to less-thirsty, “drought resistant” trees — such as the thousand trees Canopy and volunteers planted along the sound walls of East Palo Alto in 2007 and 2008. Once mature enough, in three to five years of growing deep roots, they won’t need extra watering. Palo Alto’s Urban Forest Master Plan embraces that concept. Prompted by a City Council directive two years ago (the “Salinity Reduction Policy”) Palo Alto is moving to lower the salinity level, according to Phil Bobel, assistant director of Public Works. The policy calls for reducing salinity in recycled water by a third, to about 600 ppm. Bobel is skeptical of the threat, however: “I would estimate that the recycled water itself has had a very limited negative impact on the (Greer Park) trees’ health,” he said. “More likely to be a major factor are poor soil conditions, given the park sits on former salt marsh.” He said the salinity is higher than in some cities (but comparable to many) partly because pipelines that bring wastewater to the plant from Mountain View and East Palo Alto, and within Palo Alto itself, go through existing or former salt marshes. The older pipelines allow seepage in from the salt-water-laden soils. The three cities are collaborating to reduce the “reverse leakage” problem, either by lining
pipelines, or repairing or replacing pipelines. Public Works staff members are even conducting an experiment within the 25-acre treatment-plant site at the end of Embarcadero Road. They have planted a small grove of redwood trees — redwoods are particularly sensitive to salt — and some grass. They water half with recycled water and half with salinity-free Hetch Hetchy water. “Our redwood trees are doing fine,” Bobel reports — all of them. Tree health, he adds, “is a combination of the water and the soil,” and some trees have a higher salt-tolerance. No one has suggested planting mangroves, yet. Both the golf course and Greer Park were once marsh. In addition, for many decades there was a paved drive-in movie theater along Highway 101 — how much that might have sterilized the underlying soil is a question. There’s also a wider perspective: “One thing I was going to try to have a conversation about is the big picture, to get it out there. It’s not really a sustainable practice to bring water 250 miles from the Sierra to water landscapes,” Bobel summed up. “As California grows it’s not a sustainable practice. Sooner or later we will have to stop doing it.” So it’s both an environmental and an engineering “innovation challenge”: Can we make recycling water economically feasible on a large scale to the point it doesn’t cause concerns about safety to trees? Can existing or new technologies be developed, such as reverse osmosis or some other technique? N Former Weekly Editor Jay Thorwaldson can be emailed at jthorwaldson@paweekly. com or jaythor@well.com.
Streetwise
Who do you make sure to keep in touch with over the holidays? Asked on California Avenue, Palo Alto. Interviews and photographs by David Ruiz.
Bruce Rich
Retired California Avenue, Palo Alto “I make certain to stay in touch with my family.”
Patty Cullen
Self-employed Ramona Street, Palo Alto “Definitely my family and friends. Who else is there in life besides them?
Fred Brickman
Data aide Emerson Street, Palo Alto “My whole family; they’re all equally important.”
Lynnie Melena
Retired city planner Magnolia Drive, Palo Alto “Our kids!”
Adam Teitelbaum
CEO Broadway Street ,Redwood City “I have family in Israel that are dear to me. I keep in touch with them.”
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Pulse
WELLBEING FOR YOUR FEET.
A weekly compendium of vital statistics
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Violence related Child abuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Theft related Commercial burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Credit card forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Identity theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Prowler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Shoplifting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Vehicle related Auto recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Bicycle theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . 10 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Traffic misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .7 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . 16 Vehicle impound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Alcohol or drug related Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Sale of drugs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Miscellaneous Casualty/fall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Found dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
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Menlo Park Nov. 30-Dec. 6 Violence related Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Robbery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Spousal abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Attempted burglary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle related Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . .6 Exhibition of speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle accident/injury . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/non-injury . . . . . . . . . .3 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .1 Vehicle tampering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Alcohol or drug related Drug activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Drunk in public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Miscellaneous Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Gang information case . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Gang validation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Information case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Medical aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Mental evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Runaway juvenile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .2 Threat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Tree blocking roadway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Warrant arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Atherton Nov. 22-29 Theft related Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle related Abandoned bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Parking problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Road/sidewalk/other hazard. . . . . . . . . .1 Ticket signoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/no detail. . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/non-injury . . . . . . . . . .3 Vehicle code violation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Vehicle traffic/hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Alcohol or drug related Driving under influence of drugs/alcohol 3 Miscellaneous Animal call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Be on the lookout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Building/perimeter/area check . . . . . . . .2 Citizen assist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Construction site check . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Fire call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Medical aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Meet citizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Other/misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Road/sidewalk/other hazard. . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstance . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Suspicious person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Town ordinance violation . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Tree down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
VIOLENT CRIMES Palo Alto Unlisted block Welch Road, 11/30, 11:30 p.m.; child abuse. Unlisted block El Camino Real, 12/1, 4:15 a.m.; child abuse.
Menlo Park
Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Hacked email account . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Lost property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Misc. B&P code violation . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Outside investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Psychiatric hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Terrorist threats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .1 Unattended death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Warrant/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
! !
Middle Avenue and Kenwood Drive, 11/30, 9:56 a.m.; battery. 1100 block Windermere Avenue, 11/30, 10:51 p.m.; spousal abuse. Ringwood Avenue Pedestrian Bridge, 12/6, 9:45 a.m.; robbery.
Arts & Entertainment A weekly guide to music, theater, art, movies and more, edited by Rebecca Wallace
Modern-day magician BUDDING MENTALIST — AND GOOGLER — PUTS ON A SHOW IN PALO ALTO story by Rebecca Wallace | photographs by Veronica Weber
S
easoned performers know that a quiet audience is not always a bad thing. The people out there in the dark may be rapt, or stunned, or just listening too hard to make a sound. Stage magician David Gerard strives for a par-
ticular kind of silence from his audiences, composed of “the moments of pure astonishment, like when you’re a kid again.” The fleeting instants are “a lifelong challenge to achieve,” he says. “I may have one of those in my shows.” (continued on next page)
Top: Stage magician David Gerard with one of his props, a deck of cards. Right: Gerard demonstrating his craft to passers-by on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto.
*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊ iViLiÀÊ]ÊÓ䣣ÊU Page 15
Arts & Entertainment
Modern magic
(continued from previous page)
Most weekend nights, Gerard is out in downtown Palo Alto trying to find those moments. On University Avenue, he’ll stop passers-by for an informal sleight-of-hand show, the
sort he also does at corporate parties, perhaps with a deck of cards or a book as a prop. Lately he’s also been doing stage performances at the little Dragon Theatre on Alma Street. These hybrid shows mix sleight-of-hand with “mind-reading,� or “mentalism.�
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Mentalism shows were all the rage in the 1800s, with mustachioed men claiming telepathic powers or performing flashy feats of hypnosis. Today, the term might elicit thoughts of the TV shows “The Mentalist� or “Psych,� in which witty guys solve crimes with their finely tuned powers of observation — and they don’t mind if people think they’re genuine psychics. As for magic tricks, everyone can conjure up their own image of a rabbit or a lady in a flashy dress who gets cut in half. Gerard, though, bills his show as “modern magic,� more cerebral than sequined, but still decidedly entertainment. So how does a 23year-old kid who works at Google craft a magic show for the contemporary crowd? He started out on a traditional path, asking his dad to buy him magic tricks at FAO Schwarz. By the time he was a student at Penn State, he was joining a juggling club and putting on his own shows. After graduation, he headed west for a sales and marketing gig at Google in Mountain View. He’s a member of the Society of American Magicians, where, he says, the local folks all know each other. When asked whether he knows of Kim Silverman, a dramatic-looking bearded Mountain View magician, Gerard responds right away. “He works at Apple.� Gerard is a smooth talker, and — fittingly for someone who works in marketing — he’s very interested in his image. David Gerard is his stage
name, which he preferred to go by for this article. He models himself more in the style of contemporary illusionist and daredevil David Blaine than the 1800s mentalists. While the traditional mentalist or magician was an arrogant fellow, ready to make audiences look like dupes, Blaine is more laid-back. Gerard says he likes to connect with watchers, whether they’re members of a stage audience or guests at a party where he’s strolling around doing close-up tricks. He keeps a careful eye on how his audience reacts to him. That intense observation is key for a mind-reader who freely admits he doesn’t have any psychic abilities. When he asks an audience member to randomly choose a word from a book and then figures out what the word is without looking, he’s not using telepathy. He’s watching the person’s body language, eye movements and reactions to things he says. For instance, when Gerard asks if the last letter of the word is a vowel or consonant, a person can’t help but smile or rock back and forth a little if it’s a Y. “There’s different schools of thought (on mentalism shows),� Gerard says. “Mine is a combination of psychology, body language and misdirection. A magician does tricks with objects. I do tricks with pieces of information.� He grins. “You shouldn’t know when it’s real or when it’s an illusion.� On a recent evening on University Avenue, Gerard stops a young
couple walking by, offering to do a few tricks. Giggling, they assent and introduce themselves as Pat and Michelle. Gerard figures out their word from the book, and finds their chosen cards in the deck more than once. “Not bad at all,� Pat says. “Not too shabby,� Michelle agrees. Sometimes Gerard gets something wrong in a trick, or sometimes an audience member is an excellent liar and stumps him. That’s all right, he says. Mistakes let the audience know he’s using his human ability — which is fallible — rather than some kind of plastic parlor trick. “It’s not YouTube,� he says. “It’s different every time.� N What: Shows of magic and mentalism by David Gerard Where: The Dragon Theatre, 535 Alma St., Palo Alto When: Gerard’s Dec. 9 shows just sold out. He’s planning two more on Jan. 13, at 7:30 and 10 p.m. 7:30 and 10 p.m. tonight, Dec. 9. Gerard will soon be scheduling January performances. Cost: $15 Info: Go to davidgerardlive.com.
VIEW ONLINE
www.PaloAltoOnline.com To see a video of stage magician David Gerard giving previews of his act, go to PaloAltoOnline.com. Weekly photographer Veronica Weber recently followed Gerard as he did card tricks for passersby on University Avenue.
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Arts & Entertainment
How does your ‘Garden’ grow? In TheatreWorks’ case, movingly, with a truly rewarding ending by Chad Jones
“T
he Secret Garden,� a rich and melodious musical from the early ‘90s, works beautifully as a holiday show. Like that inescapable seasonal chestnut “A Christmas Carol,� “Garden� was harvested from a beloved book — Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel of the same name — and concentrates on the thawing of a stony heart and the unlocking of a burdensome past. Rather than starring a steely Ebenezer Scrooge, “The Secret Garden� takes as protagonist young Mary Lennox, a British orphan of the early-20th-century cholera epidemic in Colonial India. Spoiled by her pampered, servant-encrusted life as the daughter of a high-ranking British military father, Mary is, in popular parlance, a snotty brat. After her parents’ death, the child is sent back to England and into the unwelcoming arms of her only living relative, a widower named Archibald Craven. He’s a cranky hunchback who lives in a creepy mansion called Misselthwaite and mourns the loss of his beautiful wife, Lily. Mary is lonely, angry and sad. In other words, she’s the perfect subject for a soulful makeover. But instead of meeting a turn-of-thecentury Oprah to work her transformative magic, Mary falls under the spell of nature and ghosts — yes, ghosts, just like that Dickens tale. Only darker. For a children’s story, “The Secret Garden� is pretty grim stuff, but that’s also what makes the story and the musical so appealing. From
THEATER REVIEW gloomy grief and emotional torment comes a happy ending that feels not only earned but also satisfyingly tear-jerking. TheatreWorks has wisely filled its annual holiday slot with “The Secret Garden,� a Tony Awardwinning Broadway hit with a score by Lucy Simon (Carly’s older sister) and book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman (“’night Mother�). This is the second time TheatreWorks has planted this particular garden into a season, with the first time in 1995. Only one cast member returns from that production — Mrigendra Steiner as Mary’s Indian governess — though the director, Robert Kelley, remains the same. Last time around, “Garden� was in the much larger Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, and frankly, that’s a better space for a show that makes the Lucie Stern Theatre seem cramped. Still, Kelley’s production hits all the right emotional notes, even if set designer Joe Ragey goes for an uncomfortable blending of realistic and impressionistic environments. When we finally see the secret garden in all its glory, Ragey gives us something that looks like an overgrown exhibit at an artificial flower show. Much more convincing are the performances from Kelly’s sturdy cast. Angelina Wahler, a Palo Alto sixth grader, completely owns the
show as Mary. She effectively conveys Mary’s turbulent inner life, all masked by a flinty demeanor, and makes her transition to a bold and brave heroine capable of compassion and growth completely believable. Joe Cassidy as Mary’s Uncle Archie is sufficiently tormented — even gloriously so when he unleashes his gorgeous voice on the bravura duets “A Girl in the Valley� with the ghost of his dead wife (Patricia Noonan) and “Lily’s Eyes� with his brother (Noel Anthony), who was also apparently in love with Lily. He’s also impressive in the moving solo “Race You to the Top of the Morning,� a distant father’s lament that he’s unable to fully love his son. Simon’s score is full of sumptuous, deeply appealing melodies, not the least of which are “Winter’s on the Wing� and “Wick,� the two songs for Dickon, the stick-wielding pagan, played by the charming Alex Brightman. Music director William Liberatore and his nine-piece orchestra create a wonderfully full sound, though the actors seem over-miked for the Lucie Stern, and all the amplification has the unfortunate effect of making the lyrics hard to discern (which is actually OK for a few of Norman’s awkward lyrical patches). But again, the power of the performances and the emotional thrust of Burnett’s story is clear and potent. As Mary makes friends — the maid Martha (the energetic Courtney Stokes) for one and the sickly Colin Craven (Andrew Apy) for
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another — and enlists them all in her quest to unlock the secrets of the walled garden, she starts moving the emotional temperature of the story from winter to spring. The last 10 minutes or so of “The Secret Garden� constitute some of the most moving in the modern musical-theater canon. Music, story and performance combine for the kind of authentically rewarding happy ending that you just don’t find often enough in our wicked age. And that’s the thing: You cannot be cynical and enjoy “The Secret Garden.� Not even a little bit. That’s another reason it makes sense to program this musical during the holidays, when we’re more
inclined not to mind twittering bird puppets or precocious children who transform the hard hearts of mopey adults into — you guessed it — notso-secret gardens of good will. N What: The musical “The Secret Garden,� presented by TheatreWorks Where: Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto When: Through Dec. 31, with shows Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. (On Dec. 24, shows will be at 1 and 6 p.m.) Cost: Tickets are $19-$72. Info: Go to theatreworks.org or call 650-463-1960.
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