Upfront
Humans
Online This Week
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These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAlto Online.com/news.
— that’s one out of thousands and thousands. It’s really hard to be realized, to be seen.” In January, Wang and Wong enlisted Gunn senior Michael Chen as head photographer and set out on campus and around town to find people to interview. They originally posted their photos and quotes on a Facebook page but have also launched a Tumblr page for those without Facebook accounts. One of the Palo Alto project’s first “humans” candidly answered their probe about the definition of happiness. “When you’re at peace with yourself for who you are,” said Justin Yoo, photographed sitting on Gunn’s concrete entry sign. “But I guess in the end, it’s really whatever you want it to be.” Other posts feature an employee at Amber Dhara, the downtown Palo Alto Indian restaurant, who’s originally from Nepal; a 64-year-old Vietnam veteran who likes Taylor Swift; a shy 16-yearold who has had trouble making new friends since moving to Palo Alto; a dog who replies to “What is the meaning of life?” with a simple “Woof.” “It’s that idea of sharing that little bit of unique information about you that will allow a complete random stranger to feel comfortable,” Wang explained. “It’s just that little bit of unique information that helps people understand you and make a connection.” Though Chen said he sees Humans of Palo Alto as “humorous and lighthearted,” he also cited a less rosy quote from Karin Delgadillo, a campus supervisor at Gunn also known as “Mr. D.” Chen asked him: “What is something difficult that has made you stronger?” “I grew up with a single mom, no dad!” Delgadillo responded. “Without a father figure, I learned to be self-reliant and self-dependent.” “A lot of people are stressed here at Gunn,” Chen said. “We want people to understand that they’re going to go through
some hardships, but eventually there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.” Since launching, Chen, Wang and Wong have also reached out to Palo Alto High School students to bring them on board. “We don’t want to over-represent Gunn High School,” Wang said. “There’s definitely more corners of Palo Alto that we’re
going to be expanding to, such as other high schools like Pinewood ... definitely Stanford. So we’ll be expanding to those places as we progress.” The Humans of Palo Alto is posted at http://facebook.com/ humansofpaloalto. N Online Editor Elena Kadvany can be emailed at ekadvany@ paweekly.com.
Frosh English
Bullying
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was a special-education student at Paly and graduated from there, said her daughter was bored in regularlane freshman English but thrived in advanced sophomore English and is now in graduate school. N
“Thank you, Angela, and I certainly will apologize if anything I said made you uncomfortable or caught you by surprise. Thank you for coming back and having the courage of speaking.” Earlier in the meeting, Mitchell did apologize more broadly for the duration of the Jan. 28 school board meeting, which adjourned around 2 a.m. “I completely misestimated the amount of time it would take to cover the questions, interest levels and public comments on subjects
that are very important to all of us,” she said. “What happens in that instance is it really does impact the ability of community members and staff members to impact our conversations.” In the future, Mitchell said, she plans mid-meeting time checks to determine whether agenda items need to be rearranged or postponed. Tuesday’s meeting was unusually short, adjourning around 9:30 p.m., well short of the officially targeted time of 10 p.m. N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@ paweekly.com.
PaloAltoOnline.com Do you think all Palo Alto High School freshman would benefit from being enrolled in the same level English course? Share your opinion on this topic on Town Square, the community discussion forum on Palo Alto Online.
Undergraduate costs at Stanford University — including tuition, room and board and a mandatory health fee — will rise 3.5 percent next year, from $56,441 to $58,388, the university’s board of trustees decided this week. (Posted Feb. 12, 12:18 p.m.)
Suspect sought in Ventura groping Palo Alto police on Tuesday searched a section of the Ventura neighborhood for a man who allegedly made a lewd comment to a passing pedestrian and then grabbed her from behind. (Posted Feb. 12, 9:53 a.m.)
Stanford investigates ‘suspicious backpack’ Part of the Stanford University campus was evacuated, and a police bomb squad unit came in to investigate a suspicious backpack found at Tresidder Union at about 8:55 a.m. on Tuesday, Stanford University officials announced. (Posted Feb. 11, 11:43 a.m.)
Funding questions loom over rail’s plan Seeking to comply with a legislative requirement, the agency charged with building California’s high-speed-rail system on Monday released an updated business plan that offers upgraded ridership projections, revised construction plans and very few answers on the critical question of how the system will be funded. (Posted Feb. 11, 2:21 a.m.)
Google wins Hangar One lease Preservationists can rejoice — Hangar One will be restored. Google has won a lease deal for the massive hangar and operation of Moffett Field’s runways. (Posted Feb. 10, 2:54 p.m.)
Price walks fine line supporting high-speed-rail
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Stanford trustees approve tuition hike
Humans of Palo Alto, a photo blog started by three Gunn High School students, offers candid snapshots and sometimes-intimate insight into people around town.
Palo Alto may be one of staunchest opponents of California’s proposed high-speed rail system, but one council member took a small step in favor of the $68-billion project when she voted last week in favor of a brief in support of the agency building the controversial train line. (Posted Feb. 10, 9:59 a.m.)
Bay Area flu death toll reaches 30 At least 30 people in the Bay Area have died from the flu this season and 202 are confirmed to have died statewide, according to figures released today by the state Department of Public Health. (Posted Feb. 8, 2 p.m.)
Downtown affordable-housing complex opens A decade-long effort to build a downtown Palo Alto affordable housing project officially came to fruition Friday afternoon at the grand opening ceremony for 801 Alma Family Apartments, a fourstory, 50-unit building for families earning 30 to 50 percent of the median income in the area. (Posted Feb. 7, 7:04 p.m.)
Man arrested after violent struggle A 34-year-old man yesterday led Palo Alto police on a wild chase through downtown Palo Alto, at one point seizing an officer’s holstered gun, pointing it at the officer and biting the officer before being restrained and arrested. (Posted Feb. 7, 8:50 a.m.)
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