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The Almanac 11.17.2010 - Section 1
Section 1 of the November 17.2010 edition of the Almanac
HOLIDAY An advertising supplement produced by the Palo Alto Weekly, The Almanac and Mountain View Voice Inside: Holiday gift guide gift guide 2010 T H E H O M E TOW N N E W S PA P E R F O R M E N L O PA R K , AT H E RTO N , P O RTO L A VA L L E Y A N D WO O D S I D E N OV E M B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 0 | VO L . 4 6 N O. 1 2 W W W. T H E A L M A N AC O N L I N E . C O M WILLOW OAKS STUDENTS sing their hearts out 2nd Section Y R A T N E M ELE HOOL SC CAL I S U M apr.com Go to open.apr.com for the Bay Area's only complete online open home guide. M E N LO PA R K Comfortable home on large lot on desirable West Menlo Park street. Recent decor includes paint and flooring. All rooms are large and storage abounds. Five upstairs bedrooms with hardwood floors, each with generous closet space. Detached room could be guest quarters or home office. Sunny yard with well sited pool. $2,750,000 WO O D S I D E Portola Valley Schools. Horse property near trails. Beautiful 7 year old home on 5.9+/-acres with views to San Francisco. Quality built with top of the line amenities, Brazilian cherry hardwood floors. Walls of glass to nature and outdoors. Pool and hot tub. Lots of sun for garden and green house. Includes 3 offices and children's play area next to bedrooms. $1,900,000 AT H E R TO N Adorable cottage nestled amongst the mature trees of Atherton. Gorgeous hardwood floors throughout, Hunter Douglas window coverings, spacious living room with fireplace, comfortable separate family/dining room. Completely updated master bath, full second bath with soaking tub, laundry room. Private and serene backyard and pool. $1,150,000 MENLO PARK OFFICE 1550 EL CAMINO REAL, SUITE 10 0 650.462.1111 WOODSIDE OFFICE 2930 WOODSIDE ROAD 650.529.1111 APR COUNTIES | Santa Clara | San Mateo | San Francisco | Marin | Sonoma | Alameda | Contra Costa | Monterey | Santa Cruz 2 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 Engagement Announcement! Up f ront Jean and Nina Cornil and Jean-Francois and Lindsay Gerber Cornil of Portola Valley and Woodside are thrilled to announce the engagement of their son and brother, Julien, to Ashley Kellenberger, daughter of Steve and Annie Kellenberger of Los Altos Hills as well as sister to her twin Sara and brothers Justin and Shawn and wife Kari. The bride is a graduate of St. Nicholas School, St. Francis High School and the University of San Diego, where she received a bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics and Art History. Ashley currently works in San Francisco where she is an account manager at Godfrey Q and Partners, a tech advertising firm. The groom is a graduate of Woodside Elementary, MenloAtherton High School and the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he received a bachelor's degree in Business Communications. Julien currently works as a Commercial Market Developer with Comcast Inc. in San Francisco. Julien and Ashley reside in San Francisco and are planning a September 10, 2011 wedding in the Chapelle de St. Jeannet, France (South of France) Both American and French relatives will be attending the wedding there. Courtesy of the Harold Zwierlein family Harold Zwierlein was a rodeo star as a young man, traveling the national rodeo circuit, winning big prize money and breaking many of the bones in his body. This photo was taken in 1950. Harold Zwierlein, Woodside farrier, councilman and rodeo star, dies at age 83 By Barbara Wood road commissioner. Mr. Zwierlein was a thirdgeneration native Californian, and his grandfather, William Pajaro King, was the first white Zwierlein, owned shoe stores. The family moved to Woodarold Zwierlein, who side in 1941 and the teenage lived in Woodside for Zwierlein went to work for nearly 70 years, died at Holt's Country Store afternoons his home in Woodside and weekends. Mr. Zwion Nov. 9. A rodeo star as erlein said he worked Harold Zwierlein in the a young man, Mr. Zwierat the Holt gas station, back yard of his home in lein toured the country ice house and the soda Woodside in October. on the rodeo circuit, fountain — all at the competing in venues same time. "It wasn't that Memorial services as exalted as Madison busy, so basically I could Memorial services will be Square Garden. handle all three," Mr. held at the Mounted Patrol Mr. Zwierlein spent Zwierlein said. Grounds, 521 Kings Moundecades as a farrier When he moved to tain Road in Woodside, at 2 in Woodside, shoeing Woodside, a decade and p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. many of the horses in a half before the town Photo by Barbara Wood town until he retired in was incorporated, the 1991. population was under He also served a term on the child born in Watsonville, fam- 500, he said. In those days, it was Woodside Town Council, for a ily members said. considered a building boom, he short time owned the Hitchrack In an interview on Oct. 19, Mr. said, "if three houses were built saloon, was a volunteer fire- Zwierlein reminisced about his in Woodside at one time." fighter and a founding member life. Mr. Zwierlein grew up around of the San Mateo County Horse- He was born in Palo Alto on horses and he began competmen's Association, running the Dec. 24, 1926, and attended ing in rodeos at a young age. "I Junior Rodeo for them for 31 Addison, Lytton, Channing and started riding calves at the age of years. Palo Alto High schools. His 10," he said. He also served on Woodside's mother was Elfleda King ZwiContinued on page 10 History Committee and was a erlein and his father, Edmund Special to the Almanac H Newsroom: 854-2690 (ext. 213) Newsroom fax: 854-0677 Advertising: 854-2626 Advertising fax: 854-3650 Classified ads: 854-0858 ■E -mail news, information, obituaries and photos (with captions) to: email@example.com ■E -mail letters to the editor to: firstname.lastname@example.com To request free delivery, or stop delivery, of The Almanac in zip code 94025, 94027, 94028 and the Woodside portion of 94062, call 854-2626. GIACOMO PUCCINI'S NOV 13-28, 2010 calling on the almanac The Almanac newsroom is at 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025. PRESENTS CALIFORNIA THEATRE, SAN JOSE THE ALMANAC (ISSN 1097-3095 and USPS 459370) is published every Wednesday by Embarcadero Media, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 940256558. Periodicals Postage Paid at Menlo Park, CA and at additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for San Mateo County, The Almanac is delivered free to homes in Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside. Subscriptions for $60 per year or $100 per 2 years are welcome. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025-6558. Copyright ©2010 by Embarcadero Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW! 408.437.4450 OPERASJ.ORG November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 3 Searching for the perfect middle school? Peninsula School /VSTFSZUISPVHIUI(SBEFr1SPHSFTTJWF&EVDBUJPO4JODF Introducing a new choice for your child. We believe education can be engaging and joyous. The International Middle School at GAIS proudly announces a new 8ZaZWgVi^c\VgihVcYVXVYZb^Xh Ldg`^c\id\Zi]ZgidXjai^kViZXjg^dh^inVcY^bV\^cVi^dc Higdc\Xdbbjc^inWj^aY^c\ ;dXjh^c\dci]ZegdXZhhd[aZVgc^c\ AdlhijYZciiZVX]ZggVi^d!hbVaaXaVhhh^oZ program in English, designed for 21st-Century learners: s 3MALL CLASS SIZE s #HOICE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE 3PANISH &RENCH OR 'ERMAN s 2IGOROUS MATH AND SCIENCE PROGRAM s 4UITION STARTING AT CELEBRATING 22 YEARS Open House — Nursery, Kindergarten, First Grade Saturday, November 6, 10-11:30 a.m. Children welcome. School Tours Oct. 14, Nov. 4, Jan. 6 & 13 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Dec. 2 & 9 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Parents only please. registration not required For an appointment, please call (650) 325-1584, ext. 5. Come to our Open House: Saturday, November 20, 1-4 pm Schedule a tour: (650) 324-8617 Photo: Marc Silber 920 Peninsula Way, Menlo Park, CA | 650.325.1584 | www.peninsulaschool.org The German-American International School 275 Elliott Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025 650.324.8617 | www.gais.org 920 Peninsula Way, Menlo Park, CA | 650.325.1584 | www.peninsulaschool.org Sale Dates: Nov. 17-27 On Sale Grocery 1 lb. Cubes – Also Salted CLOVER SWEET BUTTER 3015 Woodside Road Woodside,650-851-1511 4420 Alpine Road Portola Valley, 650-851-1711 Open 6:30AM - 8PM 25 oz. – Plus Calif. Redeem Value Baked Brie......................................................$ 14.50 ea. Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Soup........................................... $9.75 per quart Please place orders by Monday, November 22nd . Pick up all orders by 7PM Wednesday, November 24th . MARTINELLI'S SPARKLING CIDER $ 19 4 oz. $ 29 40 count $ 19 2009 Solitude Chardonnay The new vintage of Solitude has been released and it is better than ever! This is a "knock-out" effort that should thrill consumers from Chablis sensibilities to Rombauer taste. We are offering a special case price to launch the vintage. 2009 Solitude Chardonnay, Carneros $26.99 / Bottle Limited Time Offer 4 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 Special Case Price (12 Bottles) $269.00 2 2 CARR'S TABLE WATER CRACKERS 2 VANITY FARM DINNER NAPKINS Fresh Produce 12 oz. FRESH CRANBERRIES 199 $ ea 39¢lb CELERY For the Holiday Dinner Wine and Spirits 2 $ 29 NANCY'S PETITE QUICHE THANKSGIVING MENU Porcini Mushroom Gravy ........$12.00 qt. / $6.25 pint Onion Sage Gravy.....................$12.00 qt. / $6.25 pint Green Bean Almandine .............$11.50 qt. / $6.00 pint Free Range Diestel ......................10-12lbs. ..........$50.00 Roasted Butternut Ranch Turkeys ..............................16-18lbs. ..........$60.00 Squash with Apples ................$12.00 qt. / $6.25 pint Traditional Stuffing .....................$10.75 qt. / $5.50 pint Fresh Cranberry Sauce ............... $9.00 qt. / $4.75 pint Cornbread Stuffing ...................$10.75 qt. / $5.50 pint Good Earth Bakery Pumpkin Pie ...............$12.49 ea. Mashed Potatoes ........................$11.00 qt. / $5.75 pint Gianna's Bakery 9" Pies................................$15.99 ea. TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING TURKEY DINNER Serves up to 8 people $100.00 Please call for details. 299 $ YAMS AND SWEET POTATOES 69¢lb Meat and Seafood PORK LOIN CHOPS NEW YORK STEAK 4 lb $ 98 9 lb $ 49 M e n l o P a r k | A t h e r t o n | W o o d s i d e | P o r t o l a V a l l e y A year later, no answers in girl's death n Hit-and-run "person of interest" remains at large. By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer A 6-year-old girl riding in a car with her parents died after a street racer broadsided their Toyota Camry at the intersection of Bayfront Expressway and Willow Road early on a clear fall afternoon last year. Lisa Xavier was her parents' only child. The family still lives in Menlo Park, according to acquaintances. Despite witnesses and video recordings of the Nov. 12, 2009, accident, there's still no sign of an arrest. Witnesses saw the driver of the black 1989 Ford Mustang that struck the family's car exit his vehicle and jump into a white Honda involved in the race, which then fled the scene, police said. Video from a surveillance camera at Sun Microsystems showed heavy traffic at the scene of the collision, and that at least one vehicle ran a red light before colliding with the vehicle carrying the family, according to police. Shannon Fox, the 25-year-old East Palo Alto man who drove the Mustang and named a "person of interest" by police, is no longer in the Bay Area. "We are working nonstop to find him," said Cmdr. Lacey Burt of the Menlo Park Police Department. Mr. Fox is described by police as a black man, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 220 pounds and muscular. The police also know him by other names: Shanon Steven Hodgson Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac Photos of Lisa Xavier with family and friends adorn poster boards at vigil at Laurel School in 2009. Fox; Shannon Steve Brooks. Wherever Mr. Fox currently is, he remains a source of anguish in Menlo Park. "It still is an open wound. It's an open wound for me personally, an open wound for our community, this wonderful small child of ours we couldn't protect," said Councilman Heyward Robinson. "I feel like we failed her. And now ... we can't even apprehend (the people responsible) so they can be held responsible for their actions, and that keeps it an open wound," he said. The councilman called for the community to remember Lisa and her parents. "I think there ought to be some kind of public display. ... (We need to say) that we're just not going to tolerate this in our community. We've got one of the best police departments around; if they can't track these people down, it's not for lack of effort." A public display, Mr. Robinson hopes, may put pressure on anyone who knows where Mr. Fox is to help deliver justice in the death of a little girl. Go to AlmanacNews.com to see pictures of suspect. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage acquires Cashin Company Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage announced Nov. 11 that it has acquired the assets of Cashin Company Realtors. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Founded in 1995 by Emmet J. "Skip" Cashin III, Cashin Company has 270 real estate agents in seven offices in San Mateo County and accounted for more than $1 billion in sales volume in the last 12 months, said Coldwell Banker spokesman Steve Maita. Cashin offices will now oper- ate under the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage name, he said. Cashin, which is owned by Skip Cashin and his partner Chuck Alloo, is headquartered in Menlo Park and has offices in Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside. Coldwell Banker, whose Bay Area operation is headquartered in San Ramon, has offices in Menlo Park and Woodside. Rick Turley, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the Bay Area, announced the acquisition to Cashin staff, agents and managers at the Sharon Heights Country Club in Menlo Park. For Cashin, the benefits are the "added technology and tools and vast network of Coldwell banker agents," said Mr. Turley in an interview. "For Coldwell Banker, we're going to enjoy the distinction of the wonderful clientele (Cashin has) built up over the years." Mr. Turley also noted Coldwell Banker's name recognition around the world, which is criti- cal to the Silicon Valley market. A prospective client in China, for example, might not know to search for Cashin. There are no immediate plans to close offices or lay off people, "but it would be silly to say we are not evaluating" duplications and possible synergies, he said. With this acquisition, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has 60 offices in the Bay Area with 3,500 sales associates who accounted for more than $11 billion in sales last year, Mr. Maita said. Cashin Company is "a perfect fit with Coldwell Banker in terms of our respective cultures, our core values and our strength in the local marketplace, especially in the luxury market," Mr. Turley said in a press release. "During this economic climate and challenging real estate market, it's more important than ever to be the clear industry leader." Mr. Cashin said in a press release that his firm had many See coldwell, page 7 November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 5 Perinatal Diagnostic Center Packard Children's Hospital Obstetric Anesthesia Center for Fetal Health Stanford School of Medicine TOGETHER WHAT DREW US HERE AS DOCTORS, DRAWS US BACK AS PATIENTS. www.lpch.org Obstetricians Karen Shin and Mary Parman spend their days caring for pregnant patients and delivering babies. Now that each doctor is pregnant with her first child, the choice of where to deliver is clear: right here where they deliver their patients' babies, at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. "At Packard, every specialist you could ever need is available within minutes, around the clock. When you've seen how successfully the physicians, staff and nurses work, especially in unpredictable situations, you instinctively want that level of care for you and your baby." To learn more about the services we provide to expectant mothers and babies, visit lpch.org 6 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 n e w s R EAL E STATE Q&A by Gloria Darke Council joins chorus against Cargill project By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer A nother voice — the Portola Valley Town Council — has joined the chorus of opposition to a proposal by Minneapolis-based Cargill Salt Corp. and an Arizona developer to convert 1,436 acres of salt flats off Redwood City into five residential communities that would house up to 30,000 people. Residents and officials in Atherton, Woodside and Menlo Park have let their opposition be known. Portola Valley's contribution came Wednesday, Nov. 10, at a council meeting before a group of about 30 residents of The Sequoias retirement community at 501 Portola Road. (The council meets at The Sequoias about once a year, usually in the fall.) Jon Silver, a former mayor and former San Mateo County planning commissioner, captured the mood as the first speaker in the public comment period. "There are certain ideas that are so bad that you just don't need to study them much,â€? he said. "The days of pillaging the Bay for money ought to be over. ... If we can't oppose something this bad, we might as well pack it up.â€? There could be as many as 19 regional and six federal agencies with oversight, including the town of Woodside (which borders Redwood City), according to a 99-page study by the Redwood City Planning, Housing and Economic Development Department. Portola Valley is not listed but as a member of the public, the town can submit comments ahead of the Feb. 28 deadline for this first stage in a lengthy environmental study. On Dec. 8, the Portola Valley council also plans to take a step that the Woodside council considered but declined: issuing a strongly worded resolution in opposition to the project. A staff report recommended that Portola Valley monitor coldwell continued from page 5 suitors in recent years, but decided that Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage was the right choice in terms of the scale and scope of the company, agent support, technological tools, networking opportunities, and cultural fit. Mr. Cashin will not have a "leadership role, but will certainly be consulting for us,â€? Mr. Turley â– portola val l ey Woodside's ongoing monitoring of the project, but that idea faded after members of the public reminded the council of Portola Valley's view of itself as an environmental leader. "It's not Portola Valley and Woodside. It's Portola Valley,â€? resident Ward Paine said. "It's not Palo Alto. It's Portola Valley. We have more stroke than the 4,500 people who live here. What we do will be a lot more important that what other people do.â€? "It's not a time to meditate,â€? added resident Marilyn Walter. "It's a time to act.â€? Climate-change-induced sea level rises "should be a far more important element in this discussion than it has been,â€? said Portola Valley resident Marion Softky. Council views "I can't believe we're sitting here and that this (project) is even a possibility,â€? said councilman and architect John Richards after the public had spoken. Councilwoman Maryann Derwin, who summarized the topic for the council ahead of the discussion, noted that she has read the Redwood City study. "After I was done, I was even more alarmed than when I began,â€? she said. The traffic in and out of the communities would be "a nightmare.â€? Fresh water would come via a swap with Kern County, where the developer owns water rights for up to 70 years, but getting it to Redwood City will require the participation of intermediary public agencies that get their water from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir and the San Joaquin Valley, Ms. Derwin said. The project's location on a salt flat would necessitate a levee, she added. The study describes a perimeter levee 14 said in the interview. Chuck Alloo, who has served as chief operating officer and co-founded the firm with Mr. Cashin, will continue in a senior management role, Coldwell Banker said. Cashin is the latest in a list of acquisitions of Northern California brokerages by Coldwell Banker. Others include Fox & Carskadon, TRI, Contempo, Del Monte Realty, Cornish & Carey Residential Real Estate, Grubb feet high, including an extra 4 feet to deal with "anticipated sea-level rise.â€? Go to tinyurl.com/CargillStudy for a copy of the study. A U.S. Geological Survey map depicts the site as bright red, Ms. Derwin noted, meaning that it's vulnerable to seismic rupture and liquefaction — sedimentary soil liquefying by a sudden infusion of ground water. Ms. Derwin contended that a combination of a major earthquake and a break in the levee could be disastrous for that community. Liquefaction is a problem, resident and geophysicist Sheldon Breiner said in an interview, but such land can be made safe by piling on soil and driving long stabilizing posts deep into the ground. "There are solutions to it, but it takes money and it takes engineering,â€? he said. You Fix It! Dear Gloria, We bought our house five years ago and actually paid over asking for it. We bought it with no contingencies and there were a number of things we had to fix, although they were fairly minor. We have now had to put our house back on the market for financial reasons. We are fortunate that we have an offer, although it is below our asking price and the buyers are asking us to fix everything that was in the inspection report. We are just livid and tempted to tell them to forget it. Do buyers have the right to do this? Dana W. Dear Dana, Two things you mention are most illustrative of the change in the market from when you bought in 2005 and here at the end of 2010. What a difference five years makes. We've gone through an enormous stock market plunge, amassed huge national debt, have For answers to any questions you may have on real estate, you may e-mail me at gdarke@apr. com or call 462-1111, Alain Pinel Realtors. I also offer a free market analysis of your property. ★ NOW & Ellis, and Pacific Preferred Properties Inc. The acquisitions have helped Coldwell Banker build its position in the luxury market in Northern California, the company said. Year to date, the company accounted for the sale of more than one out of four properties priced above $3 million and one out of three properties above $5 million in the Bay Area, according to MLS Listings, the company said. OPEN ★ Healthy Food Market Significant impacts The study lists 17 categories of concern (such as air quality and biological resources), which are subdivided into 88 issues. Of that total, 72 (82 percent) are listed as potentially significant, including all of the issues identified for air and water quality, biological and cultural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, population and housing, public services and recreation. While this list looks foreboding, the study noted, preparing an environmental impact report requires such an explicit listing of issues. "Many of the potentially significant impacts identified in this checklist could be avoided through changes in design or mitigation, both of which will be developed during preparation of the EIR,â€? the report says. "Agencies are encouraged to submit comments proposing mitigation measures to address impacts subject to their jurisdiction or expertise.â€? a new 3.8% health care tax on gains from selling your house (at certain levels) and have a tax structure that leaves buyers, investors and most everyone guessing what the future holds. In 2005 we were experiencing double digit appreciation on real estate in this area so if you didn't buy the house you wanted this month, next month you would pay more. If there were items to be fixed, as long as it wasn't major, such as a foundation or roof, most buyers were willing to buy a property "as isâ€? and just happy if they got it. These are different times and sellers need to come to terms with that. While I feel the market is steadily improving, offers are being made subject to inspection contingencies. You might be well advised to negotiate with the buyers on what might seem like reasonable requests and put both you and the buyer in the frame of mind that neither of you got everything you want but it's a good transaction. ★ Vitamin Supplements ★ Protein Powders Losing Weight has never been so easy! Lose 15-20 lbs. in 8 Weeks and... Look & Feel Better U Improve Your Health U Drug Free U Increase Your Energy U One-On-One Personal Counseling 713 Oak Grove, Menlo Park 650-323-5483 www.litefor life.com /B /AB3 =4 B63 > 3<7<AC:/ /Q]`\cQ]^WO]T`SabOc`O\baO\RQOTSa^`]dWRW\U bVSTW\SabRW\W\UT`][P`c\QVb]RSaaS`b 0`SOYTOab:c\QV2W\\S` DWdSA]Z1]QW\O;SfWQO\O 2020 W. El Camino Real, Mtn. View (650) 938-2020 Specializing in the Cuisine of Puebla. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 1]TTSSBSO 1]\\]WaaSc`1]TTSS1] 2801 Middlefield Road, Redwood City (650) 369-5250 9am-5:30pm Mon. - Sat. Coffee roasting & fine teas, espresso bar, retail & wholesale. B]/RdS`bWaSW\Âż/BOabS]TbVS>S\W\acZOĂ€QOZZBVS/Z[O\OQ$#&#" $ $ November 17, 2010 â– The Almanac â– 7 n e w s BevMo fight really over? n Store plans February opening. By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer E ven before voting to let BevMo keep its use permit for a store the chain wants to open in a strip mall at 700 El Camino Real, the Menlo Park City Council was bracing for the consequences. City Attorney Bill McClure explained the options remaining to anyone who didn't like the outcome. Either side could contest the decision in court; those asking for a denial of the use permit could also go before the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board. He also told the council that legally they weren't allowed to protect one business from competition, citing a case where the courts upheld the Davis City Council's decision to allow a Borders bookstore to open. Maureen Hogan, who filed the appeal of the Planning Commission's approval that brought the decision to the council, said she won't file an appeal of the council's decision with the ABC. At the Nov. 9 council meeting, Ms. Hogan presented a succinct argument for denial based on lack of need and convenience, but in the end lost the appeal with a 3-2 vote by the council to uphold the permit. "I appreciate that the City Council faced a difficult decision and deliberated at length. †While I wish the outcome had been different, I respect their decision," Ms. Hogan said. Council members Kelly Fergusson and Heyward Robinson disagreed with their three colleagues. Mr. Robinson later sent an opinion piece to local newspapers, saying he wishes he'd been able to persuade his colleagues to deny the permit. He cited high rents charged by the property owner as the primary reason the spot has sat vacant for 18 months, and doesn't think it was, as Mayor Rich Cline said at the meeting, "a choice between BevMo or nothing." Dan Beltramo did not respond to questions about whether his family's company will appeal the decision to the ABC. The amount of correspondence the city received from the public before the Nov. 9 meeting, much of it from Beltramo's supporters, filled a 5-inch binder, such an "overwhelming amount" that management decided it would be a huge time drain for staff to count the total number of comments received, according to the city clerk's office. Jeff Sealy, vice president of real estate for BevMo, said the company was excited, and anticipates opening the store by mid-February. "It was never our intent to come to Menlo Park with an eye to Beltramo's," he said. "They have a respected business, as do we." Menlo College president resigns Menlo College President G. Timothy Haight is resigning his post on Dec. 31, to be replaced by the college's provost and executive vice president, James Kelly, according to the college. Mr. Haight began his tenure in December 2006. Responding to the question of whether Mr. Haight was leaving voluntarily, Julie Filizetti, president of the board of trustees, said: "It is not Menlo College's policy to discuss personnel matters; however, it is important that we recognize the valuable contribution Dr. Haight has made to Menlo College during his four-year tenure as president. "The most essential issue is that we have continuity moving forward with the leadership of the college." Menlo College, located at 1000 El Camino Real in Atherton, announced the change in leadership in a press release issued the night of Nov. 10. The announcement noted that Mr. Kelly has worked closely with the current president "in carrying out Menlo's mission and regaining its reputation as a premier, nationally recognized business college." In a prepared statement, Ms. Filizetti said: "We are deeply grateful to President Haight for his leadership during this time of transition and growth for Menlo College. He was faced with a number of significant challenges over the past few years and has worked with the faculty and staff to make sure we are in a much stronger position academically and financially, as well as with our enrollment, our faculty and our accreditation agencies. We owe a great deal of our success to President Haight." GetGet local news FREEininyour your e-mail inbox local newsupdates updates FREE e-mail inbox daily.daily. Sign up today at TheAlmanacOnline.com Sign up today at TheAlmanacOnline.com 8 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 Krista Skehan, Personify Visual Communications. Cover Story of Los Altos shows how to set the table with holiday-themed colors and accessories. Junior League to tour Atherton homes The Junior League of Palo Alto/Mid Peninsula will hold its third annual fundraiser, "Finishing Touches: A Holiday Tour of Fine Homes and Boutique" from Dec. 2 to 5. The tour will include several homes in the Atherton area decorated for the holiday season by local interior and floral designers, as well an expanded boutique for holiday shopping. "Finishing Touches" is based at Sacred Heart Schools, 50 Emilie Ave. in Atherton, where guests can park and check in, and then take a shuttle bus to each home. Guests can shop in the holidaythemed boutique, which features local vendors. Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 4 and 5. Sponsors include Emily Joubert, Florabella, Sprinkles, Frette, Tomís Teak Furniture and Tiny Prints. An opening night celebration at a local residence kicks off the event Thursday, Dec. 2, and features cocktails, gourmet food, and a raffle. In addition, the League will throw a festive luncheon Friday, Dec. 3, at the Menlo Circus Club Krista Skehan, Personify Visual Communications. in Atherton. It includes a home- Florabella's floral design and decor creates a welcoming entry. tour ticket that can be used for a Friday-only, self-driven tour, or for the shuttle-guided tour on Tickets for the weekend tour are $40 in advance Saturday or Sunday. and $50 at the door. "Finishing Touches" supports such League The Junior League of Palo Alto/Mid Peninsula projects as Done in a Day, First Teachers, Fos- is made up of about 1,200 local women. Each year, tering Families, and Shelter Network, as well as the League contributes more than $400,000 and community grants the League makes to non- an estimated 35,000 volunteer hours to the comprofit organizations. munity, a spokesperson said. Its offices are at 555 Go to juniorleaguehometour.com to buy tickets. Ravenswood Ave. in Menlo Park. n e w s In wake of fatality, bike lane could be coming to Alpine Road/Interstate 280 By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer A bike lane could be in the works for the ambiguous two-and-a-half-lane section of Alpine Road that runs westbound under Interstate 280. The road is two lanes at a stop sign before the ambiguous section and two lanes after it: one for through traffic into Ladera and the other for traffic headed on to I-280 southbound. Bikes headed into Ladera must somehow get to the through lane by crossing the freewayentrance-ramp lane, a dangerous maneuver in traffic. The half lane between these two lanes is where Los Altos cyclist Lauren Perdriau Ward, 47, died on Nov. 4 after colliding with the left side of a big-rig cab headed for the freeway. Investigators from the California Highway Patrol have not yet determined what happened. Will that half lane will be re-striped with a bike lane? It depends on whether the California Department of Transportation and the local public works department agree that there ■ Briefs Trial set for BBC assaults A busboy and a cook at the British Bankers Club will stand trial for four counts of sexual assault on Monday, Dec. 6, in San Mateo County Superior Court. Moises Rojas, 26, and Juan Gustavo Robles-Alejo, 30, allegedly assaulted two women at the club on June 9, according to the district attorney's office. The women went to an upstairs room to sleep after becoming intoxicated, and reportedly awoke to find Mr. Robles-Alejo fondling them while Mr. Rojas kept a lookout. The district attorney's office said the incident was caught by the club's security cameras. Downtown plan update Members of the Menlo Park Downtown Alliance, a group of local business and property owners, told the city they're concerned that the draft environmental impact report and fiscal impact analysis of the proposed downtown specific plan could be publicly released in early December, when most people are preoccupied with holiday celebrations. Nancy Couperus, founding member of the organization, listed several components of the plan that the alliance thinks needs closer scrutiny, including eliminated parking in the plaza behind is room for one, said Caltrans spokeswoman Gidget Navarro. How can a cyclist safely negotiate such an interchange? "(It) depends on the skill level of the cyclists, road conditions, traffic volumes (and) road design," Ms. Navarro said. Asked to comment, former Menlo Park mayor and prominent cyclist Steve Schmidt noted that cyclists of all skill levels use that intersection on Alpine Road. "There's very little guidance on the road in the form of striping to put or direct cyclists into that situation where they're not in conflict with vehicles headed for the freeway," he said. A boldly striped bike lane sets some ground rules for traffic, Mr. Schmidt said. Several days after the accident, he and representatives of the San Mateo County Public Works Department stood at the Alpine Road/I-280 intersection for about 45 minutes to watch cyclists' behavior. "A lot of people stay to the right too long and get trapped (in the approach to) the southbound onramp," Mr. Schmidt said. At the other end of the spectrum are "hyper-experienced or hyper-assertive" cyclists, Mr. Schmidt said. These cyclists make the crossing early by approaching the stop sign on the white line separating the two lanes. As they bravely thread the needle in this cramped space, the advantage as they head into the two-and-a-half lane section is that everyone starts from zero, Mr. Schmidt said. There are mid-road bike lanes where I-280 meets Woodside and Sand Hill roads. The first was done in cooperation with the town of Woodside and the second with Menlo Park and the San Mateo County Bikeways Committee, Ms. Navarro said. One scenario that Mr. Schmidt found agreeable in making the Alpine Road intersection safer would restrict the left-hand through lane to Ladera traffic and the right lane to freeway traffic, with a dedicated bike lane in between that begins before the stop sign. Caltrans is aware of the safety issue for "non-motorized users" of the roads. "We are in the process upgrading freeway interchanges to better provide for cyclists and pedestrians," Ms. Navarro said. Trader Joe's, a lot used by farmers' market shoppers on Sundays, and the partial closure of Chestnut Street, which may interfere with vendor traffic. long webinar on Thursday, Nov. 18, that will offer tips on staying healthy during the holidays. Dr. Bradly Jacobs will host. Register at https://cc.readytalk. com/r/2n3r5q2gay7o City seeks planning commissioner With Kirsten Keith elected to the City Council, Menlo Park's Planning Commission has a seat to fill. The city is now accepting applications; the deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 8. The newly appointed commissioner's term will last until April 30, 2012. Applications are available on the city's website. Residents can also obtain copies by e-mailing City Clerk Margaret Roberts at email@example.com, or at the Civic Center 701 Laurel St. For more information, call 330-6620. Online Pharmaca wellness seminar Pharmaca, Menlo Park's newest pharmacy, will host a free, hour- cafè primavera (650) 321-8810 A Twisted Christmas If the grocery store decorations didn't give it away, the holiday season is now in full swing. The Menlo Park Chorus will hold its free winter concert, titled "Twisted Christmas," at 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, in the Menlo Park Library at 800 Alma St. Why the concert title? According to the flier, "The Menlo Park Chorus will perform seasonal songs that you know, but not like you've ever heard them sung before." April McNeely will serve as musical director, and John Iosefa as accompanist. Free van service is available for Menlo Park seniors and people with disabilities. Call 330-2512 or e-mail rlroth@menlopark. org for more information Sunday memorial for Diana Real Goldberg A memorial service for 10-year Woodside resident Diana Real Goldberg is set for Sunday, Nov. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the headquarters of the Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County at 521 Kings Mountain Road in Woodside. Ms. Real Goldberg, 46, was a native of Ottawa, Canada, who earned a bachelor's degree in geology and a master's degree in psychology and did consulting work for the high-technology industry. Ms. Real Goldberg is survived by her husband Stan Goldberg; her father Roderick Real of Victoria, Canada; and her brother Robert Real of Ottawa, Canada. The couple have two children. November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 9 n e w s Woodside rodeo star, councilman Harold Zwierlein dies at 83 Continued from page 3 From there he progressed to steers until, at the age of 18, he could ride bulls. He also competed in bareback bronc riding and steer wrestling. He practiced at least three or four nights a week in his father's lighted arena. "My dad had a big ring on his property. He had 10 acres on Olive Hill Lane." From 1946 to 1952, Mr. Zwierlein competed as an amateur and was the Tri-State bareback champion of the Cowboys Association of America in 1952, when he was 26. The next year he turned professional, the beginning of a 12-year career. "I was a very good cowboy," he said. "I was probably one of the 10 best bronc riders in America." He competed all over the country, sometimes in two or three rodeos in a weekend. He won in several big rodeos — and lots of small town ones. In Madison Square Garden, at a 28-day competition, Mr. Zwierlein came in sixth out of 80 bronc riders. He placed second in bronc riding at the world's biggest one-day rodeo at the Los Angeles Coliseum, in 1956. The rodeo days weren't all glory, though. "When I first started out I basically didn't have any money," Mr. Zwierlein said. Instead of paying for hotels and restaurant meals, he brought a sleeping bag and sandwich along. With wins came prize money and improved traveling conditions, until finally he found himself able to "travel in a friend's airplane, a Cessna 171." "I was probably the best bronc rider that ever came out of San Mateo County," Mr. Zwierlein said, rather matter-of-factly. In steer wrestling, "I still hold the record down at Redwood City," he said. "I have the fastest time ever recorded in the 30 years of rodeo," at 4.4 seconds. Injuries suffered in the rodeo days, including a broken toe, ankle, elbow, left arm and ribs (twice), a wrecked knee and a fractured spine, have kept Mr. Zwierlein off horses for the past six years. "I can't touch my toes and I can't put my foot up high enough for the stirrup," he said. The injuries weren't what got Hair Replacement Simply the Best Quality Hair Systems for Men & Women Modern Solutions For:ÊiiÌVÊ>ÀÊÃÃÊUÊ«iV>ÊEÊ iÌ iÀ>«ÞÊ UÊ iiLÀÌÞÊ ÝÌiÃÃÊUÊ/««iÀÃÊÊUÊ>ÀÊ*iViÃÊUÊÌi}À>ÌÊUÊ7}à Private and Free Consultation (650) 341-2195 JOLENE WHITLEY HAIR DESIGN 1660 S.Amphlett Blvd., Suite #201, San Mateo www.jwhair.com A young Harold Zwierlein with his daughter Carolyn. Courtesy of the Harold Zwierlein family him off the rodeo circuit, though. What did? "Age. I quit at the age of 36. That's getting up there Ö. the average guy maybe only goes to age 28, 29 because of the injuries," Mr. Zwierlein said. "I just got tired of driving up and down the road, and thought I'd stay home." Staying home wasn't entirely successful, though, and at 39 he went back "because I had some of the young guys calling me a has-been and I wanted to show them that I could still do it." He placed first in the first two rodeos and was third in the third rodeo. "At the end of the season I was selected to repre- Don't Miss! Be well, stay well. Education for life-long health and vitality. DID YOU KNOW? Pharmaca has a full-service pharmacy that fills all types of prescriptions, including compounded medications, and accepts all major insurance plans. Same co-pay, better service. WED | DEC 1 t 7 PM MICHAEL MURRAY, N.D. Naturopathic Doctor & Author TOPIC: What the Drug Companies Won't Tell You and Your Doctor Doesn't Know Chet Pharmacist WED | DEC 8 t 7 PM PLUS... For every prescription you transfer to Pharmaca, you'll receive $30 in free shopping! * *Limitations apply, See pharmacist for details. BEN FUCHS, R.Ph. 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In Woodside, he formed a men's basketball league, soon after what is now the Sellman Gymnasium was completed. "I played in that gym from (when) I was 21 until I was 50," he said. "We played any team that would volunteer to come up." Two memorable games were against 49er football players, which the public was charged admission to watch. "They beat us," he admits. 10% SENIOR DISCOUNT EVERY TUESDAY FREE PHARMACY DELIVERY* * for a limited time Get local news updates FREE in your e-mail inbox daily. Sign up today at TheAlmanacOnline.com Others on the team included: Cliff Andrews (recently deceased); Ross Stewart, Gene Decker (a vet), Don Acker (a horseshoer), and Tom Lagerquist (an attorney who still lives in Woodside). Mr. Zwierlein served as president of the San Mateo County Horsemen's Association in 1970 and 1973, a position his father Ed had held before him. Ed Zwierlein was a professional baseball player, announced at the Fourth of July rodeos, and was twice captain of the Mounted Patrol. The Zwierlein picnic area in Huddart Park is named after Ed Zwierlein, in honor of his work promoting recreation, including serving on the Riding and Hiking Trails Committee of the state parks commission. Harold Zwierlein always loved to tell a good story. Some of his oft-repeated favorites include the time he rode his horse into the Pioneer Hotel bar at the age of 16; the time he was baptized by an old classmate who had become a preacher who was just supposed to be baptizing his daughter, or the time a bucking bronco fell on him, fracturing his spine, and the rodeo doctor, who Mr. Zwierlein suspected was actually a vet, wanted to shoot him up with morphine and send him back into the arena. Mr. Zwierlein said he led a good life. "I've been a very, very lucky person," he said. "I had good parents. Moved up here to Woodside. Went to Palo Alto High School, I enjoyed that." He was able to spend his working life outdoors, he said, adding: "I don't think I've had too many bad days in my life." Mr. Zwierlein is survived by his wife, Irenne Zwierlein of Woodside; his daughter, Carolyn of Ben Lomond; son Kurt; granddaughters Allison and Ashley of Acampo; his older brother, Edward Zwierlein of Palo Alto; and three stepchildren, Garrett Auger, Danniel Auger and Michelle Zimmer, who all live nearby with their children, Garry Zimmer, Andrew Mendez, Phoenixx Auger, Christopher Zimmer, Nora Whiting, Shelby Zimmer, Hailee Auger, Preston Auger, Kylie Auger, and Kaitlynn Lane. Memorial donations may be made to Sutter VNA & Hospice (suttervnaandhospice.org) or the San Mateo County Horseman's Association (sncha.org). A Barbara Wood is a freelance writer, photographer and gardener from Woodside n e w s Woodside merchants seek exemption from new rules restricting parking By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer M otorists — potential customers, actually — have been seen driving away from downtown Woodside after not finding a place to park, according to members of the town's retail business community. "They make two or three circuits (of the full parking lot) and leave and don't come back,â€? Jamis MacNiven, the owner of Buck's of Woodside restaurant, told the Town Council at its Tuesday, Nov. 9, meeting. With Mr. MacNiven were Roberts Market owner George Roberts and several other retailers who do business at the corner of Canada and Woodside roads. No-parking signs have been up along Woodside Road west of the intersection since September. The signs, along with more oncampus parking at Woodside Elementary School, seem to have ended an endemic 10 to 15 minutes of stop-and-go crawl that occurred twice a day as parents arrived at the school to drop off and pick up their kids. The California Department of Transportation has jurisdiction over Woodside Road. The town, which erected the signs at Caltrans' behest, did so in antici- pation of feedback. A Sept. 10 letter to Town Manager Susan George provided some. "We merchants ... would like the town to consider helping us with the lunch parking by exempting the no-parking restriction between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. seven days of the week,â€? the letter said. The town has some discretion in making exemptions to the no-parking rules. The letter to Ms. George was signed by Mr. MacNiven, Mr. Roberts and five other retailers. Their proposal would allow a total of about 200 feet of bike lane on both sides of the road, thereby increasing capacity by about 10 spaces. The council agreed on a temporary exemption while town staff discusses the matter with Caltrans. The parking problem came to Caltrans' attention when at least one cyclist complained about the blocked bike lanes that had been the consequence of the school traffic twice a day. Caltrans wrote to the town in September 2008 to propose noparking signs to "remind drivers of the prohibitionâ€? on parking in bike lanes not wide enough to accommodate vehicles. A Ormondale School's Turkey Trot set to run and walk on Saturday Rain or shine, the sixth annual Turkey Trot is all set for Saturday morning, Nov. 20, at Ormondale School in Portola Valley. Once again, the fun run and walk will loop around Shawnee Pass and Cervantes Road, and traffic will be blocked off in the area. Volunteers with the Portola Valley Parent/Teacher Organization have just extended the registration deadline, allowing all community members to sign up for a discount as long as the forms are handed in to the Ormondale or Corte Madera school offices by Nov. 19. The race starts with check-in and registration at Ormondale, at 200 Shawnee Pass, at 8 a.m. The 5K Fun Run/walk will begin at 9 a.m. and is open to all runners and walkers (no bikes or scooters). The 1K Fun Run/walk will then start at 10. It is only open to those in kindergarten through third grade, and closed to adults, bikes and scooters. Afterward, the awards ceremony will include prizes for the 5K male and female winners in each grade level up to eighth grade, and in the high school and adult categories. Go to pvsd.net to get registration forms. The entry fee includes food and refreshments. Individuals may enter for $10 before race day, or for $15 the day of the race. The family rate is $20 before race day and $25 on race day. Long-sleeved T-shirts featuring student art will be for sale at the race for $15. Priory presents 'Huck Finn' Woodside Priory School Theater will present the play, ĂŹThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,ĂŽ at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 18-19, and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. Performances will be at the Rothrock Performance Hall at the school, 302 Portola Road in Portola Valley. Among those in the cast are Bruno Geoly, left, as Tom Sawyer and Graham Hughes as Huck Finn. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students. The Mark Twain classic was adopted by Matthew Francis for the stage. John Sugden is chair of the Performing Arts Department at Woodside Priory. Committee for Green Foothills celebrates life of Mary Davey The Committee for Green Foothills is holding a ĂŹWonderful, Marvelous Celebration of LifeĂŽ in memory of Mary Davey, a longtime local environmentalist and a founder of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, who died of heartrelated illness on Oct. 2. The family of Mary Davey and Hidden Villa are joining in the event, which will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave. in Atherton. There will be light refreshments and an open mike for ĂŹshortĂŽ memory sharing, according to Cynthia D'Agosta, executive director of the Committee for Green Foothills. Car pooling is highly recommended as parking is extremely limited. E-mail email@example.com or call 968-7243, ext. 314, to contact the Committee for Green Foothills for more information. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Committee for Green Foothills and Hidden Villa in lieu of flowers. Go to tinyurl.com/MaryDavey2010 to read more about Mary Davey. 'REAT 2ATES 'REAT 0EOPLE s !09 MONTH #ERTIlCATE OF $EPOSIT s !09 MONTH #ERTIlCATE OF $EPOSIT s !09 MONTH #ERTIlCATE OF $EPOSIT -INIMUM BALANCE TO OBTAIN !09 OPEN THE ACCOUNT IS 0ENALTY MAY BE IMPOSED FOR EARLY WITHDRAWAL Member GetGet local news FREEininyour your e-mail inbox local newsupdates updates FREE e-mail inbox daily.daily. Sign up today at TheAlmanacOnline.com Sign up today at TheAlmanacOnline.com *Annual Percentage Yield. APY is accurate as of 9/24/10. Rate subject to change after account opening. Fees could reduce the earnings on the account. November 17, 2010 â– The Almanac â– 11 n e w s Town wants to drop Carlson from lawsuit By Renee Batti Almanac News Editor T he attorney defending Atherton and Councilman Jerry Carlson in a federal lawsuit filed by Jon Buckheit is attempting to get a judge to rule, before the trial begins next year, that the plaintiff has no legal basis for his claim against Mr. Carlson. Mr. Buckheit named the town and San Mateo County as defendants in his original lawsuit, but later added three Atherton police officers and Mr. Carlson — the latter for allegedly retaliating against him because of his lawsuit. The claim stems from Mr. Carlson's resistance to appointing Mr. Buckheit to the town's Finance Committee when the City Council appointed public members in April. Although three seats were open, only two applicants received the three necessary council votes. Two, Mr. Buckheit and Alain Enthoven, received two votes each. Mayor Kathy McKeithen urged the council at that time to expand the number of public seats to four, and appoint both Mr. Buckheit and Mr. Enthoven, but the council majority declined to do so. Later, Mr. Buckheit was told by someone he trusts that Mr. Carlson said he wouldn't appoint him because of his litigation against the town, Mr. Buckheit told The Almanac. "The government is not supposed to retaliate against people who air grievances," Mr. Buckheit said. "It's actually against the law — the Civil Rights Act — and for obvious reasons." Jeffrey Vucinich, the attorney ■ Atherton defending the town against the lawsuit, filed a motion of summary judgment last month to convince a judge that Mr. Carlson should be dropped as a defendant in Mr. Buckheit's lawsuit, claiming, among other things, that the councilman's decision not to support Mr. Buckheit's committee appointment "did not result in the requisite 'chilling effect,' as lawfully mandated for alleged civil rights violations brought under the First Amendment." The motion also states that Mr. Carlson "is entitled to the defense of qualified immunity for his discretionary acts as a public official." Although a court hearing on the motion had been set for Dec. 3, it was recently pulled from the court calendar, City Attorney Wynne Furth confirmed, although she said she couldn't provide more information because she is not handling the case. Repeated calls to Mr. Vucinich went unanswered. Ms. Furth was quoted in another local newspaper that the town plans to refile the motion next year. Mr. Buckheit's lawsuit stems from his 2008 arrest during a domestic violence incident; he had called police out to his home to help during a dispute with his then-girlfriend in which he was injured. The police arrested him instead of the woman, then refused to give him the police report on the incident until he sued to obtain it. When he did, he was stunned: In addition to a charge that he had been the aggressor during the incident, the report included a charge of child abuse against the girlfriend's young son. Mr. Buckheit was never charged, and early this year obtained a declaration of factual innocence in Superior Court. During the court hearing, police officer Tony Dennis testified that he had not included the child abuse charge, although he had written the report. Employee contracts on Atherton council agenda Contracts with two groups of town employees are on the agenda when the Atherton City Council meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17. Both two-year contracts allow for no pay increases for the first year, and a small increase in the next. Rather than the council chambers, the meeting will be held in the Jennings Pavilion in Atherton's Holbrook-Palmer Park at 150 Watkins Ave. The council must vote on the proposed contracts, which cover the fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11. Because the second year began in July, the pay increases would be retroactive to that month. For both groups, the pay increase will reflect an amount that will place them at the 70th percentile pay range for comparable positions in other towns. That means an average A Appointment near for Atherton interim city manager By Renee Batti Almanac News Editor T he appointment of an interim city manager who would oversee operations in Atherton Town Hall for several months, until a permanent manager is found, may be made as early as Wednesday, Nov. 17, at the City Council meeting. The council interviewed five candidates — among them the town's current "bridge" interim manager — for the interim city manager position when it met on Monday, Nov. 15. The special meeting began in open session, but the interviews were conducted in closed session after a public comment period. In a departure from the typical hiring practices in most cities, the council released the DESIGN FOR LIVING Green Building Professionals Healthy Energy Efficient Homes Featuring Our Latest GREEN Innovation names of the candidates last week. They live in California cities large and small. In addition to Nadine Levin of San Mateo, who was appointed to oversee Town Hall operations until a longer-term interim manager is found, the candidates are John Danielson of Elk Grove, Martha Debry of San Jose, Eli Naffah of Crescent City, and Gene Rogers of Pebble Beach. Among the duties the longerterm interim manager will be charged with is overseeing the process of recruiting a permanent city manager. The council decided to appoint an interim town manager while launching a more intensive process to find a permanent manager soon after then-City Manager Jerry Gruber announced his resignation, effective Oct. 22. But before the Oct. 29 application deadline for the interim position closed, Assistant City Manager Eileen Wilkerson unexpectedly announced her retirement, giving only one week's notice, leaving the town without leadership. The council scrambled to find someone to manage town operations until a longer-term interim manager could be found, and TownSquare 408.399.2222 www.louieleuarch.com 12 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 2.4 percent increase for nonmanagement, non-police, and miscellaneous employees. The estimated cost of the increase is $52,000 for this fiscal year. Management staff would average a 5.4 percent increase, at an estimated cost of $72,000 this year, a sum based on all positions being filled. (The town's assistant city manager and building official positions are now vacant.) The management contract also requires those employees to pay 3 percent of their medical coverage; the town currently pays 100 percent of that cost. The council will also vote on a new water-efficient landscaping ordinance, and an ordinance that would change building rules on Parker Avenue. The appointment of a new interim manager is listed as a tentative agenda item. Visit AlmanacNews.com/square to join the conversation online. Ms. Levin, who retired earlier this year as Mountain View's assistant city manager, was hired and on the job by Oct. 22. During the public comment period at the Nov. 15 meeting, resident Jon Buckheit challenged the council's earlier decision to put City Attorney Wynne Furth in charge of overseeing the hiring process. Ms. Furth, who did background checks on the candidates, will also have to reapply for her job soon, and that fact might influence her work in helping to choose a new interim manager, he said after the meeting. The candidates The town provided brief background information on Ms. Levin and the other four candidates, including the following. Mr. Danielson is a former city manager of Elk Grove and Wildomar. He operates Danielson Associates in Sacramento. Ms. Debry is public works director of Hillsborough, and previously served as that town's assistant city manager. Mr. Naffah is a former city manager of Crescent City and Rio Dell. He now operates Naffah Consulting. Mr. Rogers was city manager of Moreno Valley, and served for five years as Sunnyvale's employment development director. He now works with Local Government Management Consultants. Go to tinyurl.com/2eh4hwn for more information about the candidates. A N E W S 'Friends' seek to avert Caltrain demise By Sue Dremann Embarcadero Media W ithout funding to stabilize Caltrain's operating costs, commuters could find themselves without the rail line on the Peninsula for the first time since 1864, when two trains a day carried riders between San Francisco and San Jose. That's the message a new group, Friends of Caltrain, told nearly 100 people at the Menlo Park Library on Nov. 9. The grassroots coalition of cities, neighborhood groups, employers, environmentalists, transit advocates and residents is seeking ways to find a permanent and dedicated source of operating funds for Caltrain. The commuter service could face a $30 million deficit in 2012, its next fiscal year, said former Palo Alto Mayor Yoriko Kishimoto, who is leading the coalition. Caltrain is facing a tipping point, coalition members said. It lacks funds to either run an existing service so as to keep rider levels up or modernize services so they'd attract and increase ridership and revenues. Caltrain is operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, made up of representatives from three counties: San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco. The Friends are working on a ballot measure they hope to put before voters in 2012 that would institute a tax to provide a steady source of revenue for Caltrain, Ms. Kishimoto said. The rail line also has costly plans for electrification, which would increase the line's efficiency, reduce emissions by up to 90 percent, and attract more riders, coalition members said. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), in a March 2009 report, found that the regional transit system's longterm viability is at risk and not sustainable, based on current projections of transit costs and anticipated revenues. The report, "Transportation 2035 Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area,â€? outlined how $218 billion in anticipated federal, state and local transportation funds would be spent in the ninecounty Bay Area during the next 25 years. Caltrain has the second highest ticket-sales revenue among 28 transit agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area, Carolyn H ELLER I MMIGRATION L AW G ROUP Employment-based, Family/Marriage & Investor Visas A Full-Service Immigration Law Firm Serving the SF Bay Area & Silicon Valley for 25+ years PERM Labor Certification N EB1/NIW Self-Petitions Green Cards, H1B and Work Permits Engineers, IT/Computer fields, Scientists/Researchers HR/Corporate, Business & Individual Clients Free Attorney Consult! 650.424.1900 N greencard1.com N email@example.com RJ's Clevenger of MTC said. Caltrain takes in 43 percent through fares, according to preliminary findings by the MTC's "Transit Sustainability Projectâ€? report, a follow-up to "Transportation 2035.â€? Nearly 40 percent of Caltrain's funding comes from three other county transit agencies: Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans), and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni). But those agencies are experiencing their own crises due to decreased ridership and budget cuts, officials said. Caltrain "is just one competitor for the beleaguered general budgets,â€? Ms. Kishimoto said. "We have to look down this frightening cliff and ask ourselves some basic questions: 'Can we imagine life on the Peninsula without Caltrain?'; 'What structural changes should we examine to control long-term costs and increase our ability to deliver more and better service that will attract more riders, not less?'â€? Ms. Kishimoto and others said the time is ripe to leverage federal stimulus funds. "If high-speed rail comes, we want to work with representatives to get electrification for Caltrain. The worst nightmare would be for high-speed rail to come with its own independent funding and for Caltrain to go,â€? she said. But getting joint funding would only be possible if there is an end to the squabbling regarding the # ! " "$ 3 Picas .5 inches California high-speed rail initiative and if there is a common voice on regional transportation planning, coalition members said. "This is the turning point,â€? Burlingame Vice Mayor Terry Nagel said, after having met with federal representatives earlier that day. "The federal folks are looking for areas that reach consensus.â€? More than $139 million in federal funds could potentially be part of Caltrain's share if highspeed rail receives federal funding, which would fund a study on electrification, according to the coalition. Caltrain board member Arthur Lloyd said modernization provides good potential for financial revitalization. That was shown when "baby bulletâ€? trains were added and ridership increased. Ironically, electrification was explored with a number of engines in 1923, but the project halted during the Depression in 1929, he said. Todd McIntyre, SamTrans community-relations manager, said funding isn't likely to improve from Caltrain's usual funding sources, the other transit agencies. SamTrans eliminated 60 employees during the last fiscal year, he said. Electrification would help improve financial sustainability by doubling ridership, reducing pollution from trains by up to 90 percent, and allowing for more efficient service. One additional train in each direction could run every peak hour, he said. If Caltrain does encounter its "worst case scenarioâ€? — the $30 million deficit in 2012 <02014> train service could be reduced to one an hour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and could be eliminated entirely on weekends, he said. Losing Caltrain could have a much greater regional impact on Bay Area quality of life and economics, said Sue Lempert, a member of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. "If Caltrain went out of business, what happens to transit villages along the way?â€? she asked. Palo Alto Mayor Pat Burt said losing Caltrain would have enormous impacts on Palo Alto and Stanford. "Stanford as an entity is helping to subsidize Caltrain more than any other entity,â€? he said. Many university employees and workers in Stanford Research Park, including Facebook, use Caltrain, he said. "We would have great congestion, and the Stanford campus and (proposed) hospital development are hinged upon Caltrain,â€? he said. The primary recommendation for easing traffic congestion as a result of Stanford's planned expansion is the GO Pass from Caltrain, which provides unlimited rides for a year for one price. The university accounts for 50 percent of Caltrain's GO Passes currently. When the hospital is added, Stanford will account for two-thirds of all Caltrain GO Passes, he said. The Friends group plans a summit on Jan. 29, 2011, with an official kickoff to include Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park, and the Silicon Valley Leadership Council, among others. A "stakeholderâ€? outreach meeting is planned for spring, with another public outreach meeting for summer or fall 2011. 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Rich gypsy jazz swings through the small room and out the front door: bittersweet violin solo atop vigorous rhythm guitar and bass, layered with accordion, lead guitar, saxophone and shaker. People at the tables — some neighbors and some fans of the band, The Hot Club of Palo Alto — nod in time over their lattes. When the players take a break, a man shouts from outside, "You guys are good!" Leather Furniture Repair Upholstery Cleaning Expert color matching and re-dyeing We can repair leather, vinyl, fabrics & plastic Even pet damage and burns! &2%% %34)-!4%3 s -/"),% 3%26)#% S ILICON VALLEY 408.773.1395 www.fibrenew.com/silicon_valley Gypsy jazz, also known as jazz manouche, blends the sounds of tango, swing and even Dixieland jazz into its often minor-key mix. It began really making its voice heard in 1930s Paris. Much of the music's enduring popularity today is thanks to a Belgian-born gypsy guitarist, the iconic Django Reinhardt (1910-1953), and his Quintet of the Hot Club of France. This year, many concerts have marked what would have been Reinhardt's 100th birthday, including a tribute performance at the Stanford Jazz Festival this summer. The Hot Club of Palo Alto honors the master and his swinging style year-round, performing at Cafe Zoe, Red Rock Coffee in Mountain View, and other venues. Longtime Menlo Park guitarist and teacher Ken Brown is the band's musical director, doing all the arrangements and planning sets. He's got a background in classical music, a guitar pin on his lapel, and a love for introducing new tunes to the band and its audiences. One of the features of gypsy jazz is that it lacks a drummer. Doesn't need one. The rhythm guitar provides the distinctive percussive sound known as "la pompe," which can skip along at quite a clip. In The Hot Club of Palo Alto, Atherton resident Paul Getty plays rhythm guitar with Menlo Park's John Higham also In a tough situation? Turn to Avenidas for help: Information & Assistance Family consultations on aging issues Support Groups Counseling · · · · Visit www.avenidas.org or call (650) 289-5433 for your appointment today. Where age is just a number 14 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 The Hot Club of Palo Alto's musicians play a tune at Cafe Zoe in Menlo Park. providing a rhythmic anchor on bass. Both also jump in with solos from time to time. Alen Cieli of Palo Alto alternates between bowing and strumming his violin, with Don Dias providing that distinctive Continental sound on the accordion. Chazz Alley, who grew up in Palo Alto, plays saxophone and shaker. When a song needs words, he's the vocalist. "Chazz has a beautiful voice," Cafe Zoe owner Kathleen Daly says. She describes the band's music as "really happy, feel-good stuff," and adds, "We fight over who's going to work Sunday afternoons because we all enjoy them so much." All the band's instruments add up to a textured sound that appeals to many players because of the chances for lengthy improvisation and technically difficult solos. "I'm a rock and roll guitarist," says Mr. Getty, who toured with Stevie Wonder in the early 1970s. "Django's style is hard to play. We like the challenge." Mr. Getty and Mr. Brown have known each other for 15 years. In fact, Mr. Brown used to give Mr. Getty lessons. The other musicians connected more recently, bringing backgrounds in traditional jazz, rock and classical. "Ken kind of got us all playing this kind of music," Mr. Getty says. "It's very accessible," Mr. Brown says of gypsy jazz. "It's got a great feel and a great tradition." If these musicians live in different towns, why name the band after Palo Alto? Someone had already taken the domain name for Menlo Park, Mr. Getty says. And "The Hot Club of Atherton" just didn't sound right. On this Sunday afternoon, the band sounds just fine to the crowd at Cafe Zoe. The musicians play the warm "Blue Bossa," the dreamy "Nuage" and other tunes, communicating with each other through eye contact and nods, taking turns on solos. A boy in a baseball cap too big for him watches so intently that he forgets to eat his chocolate-chip cookie. Mr. Getty seems to enjoy his emcee role as he calls out each song title. Before the band plays "Midnight in Moscow," Mr. Getty announces: "We're going to take you back east of the Volga for the next tune. ... It's older than dirt. Probably a greatest hit in 1870." "Top 10," another musician agrees. During "The Sheik of Araby," Mr. Alley commands the microphone like an old-timer. "At Photo by Ron Evams night when you're asleep, into your tent I'll creep," he croons, garnering appreciative laughs from the audience. After the show, the musicians chat with patrons as the cafe quiets down and the cozy room begins to empty out. Instruments get packed up, and the players start talking about their next gig. They'll play over at Red Rock, then back at Cafe Zoe, then back at Red Rock. Other gigs might pop up. Mr. Brown has music lessons to teach. Some of the guys have day jobs. It's a traveling band for travelers' music. A ■ p erf o rma nc es n The Hot Club of Palo Alto's upcoming local gigs include a performance planned from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21, at Red Rock Coffee, 201 Castro St., Mountain View. > Go to redrockcoffee.org or call 967-4473. n The band also regularly plays at Cafe Zoe, 1929 Menalto Ave., Menlo Park. The next scheduled gig is Sunday, Nov. 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. > Go to cafezoemenlopark.com or call 322-1926. > Go to hotclubpaloalto.com for the band's website. Art Lloyd talks on railroad history and Menlo Park Arthur Lloyd, a man who for decades has been immersed, by vocation and avocation, in the world of railroads and public transportation, will speak at a program sponsored by the Menlo Park Historical Association at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21. The program, "Menlo Park and the Railroad: The First Hundred Years," will be present- ed in the Fireside Room of the Menlo Park Recreation Center, 700 Alma St., in the Menlo Park Civic Center. Mr. Lloyd, a longtime advocate for rail travel, was director of public affairs for Amtrakís Western operations for 20 years before retiring in 1991. He continues to be involved with public transportation mat- ters as a director of the San Mateo County Transit District, and a director of Caltrain's Joint Powers Board, according to the historical association. A railroad buff, he also is a member of numerous railroad history groups and museums. The event is free and open to the public. c o m m u n i t y In Portola Valley: images of the American West Portola Valley nature and travel photographer David Cardinal will exhibit his images of the American West at Allegro Gallery in Portola Valley from Nov. 21 through Dec. 31. A reception for the artist will be held Sunday, Nov, 21, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the gallery, 3130 Alpine Road, #370, in Portola Valley. For this show, Mr. Cardinal has selected images from Texas, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska and California. Subjects range from scenics to rare bird species with a variety of "Old West" subjects as well. "I was particularly inspired this spring by a road trip to the Western United States that my daughter Annie and I took along the lines of Steinbeck's 'Travels with Charley,'" he said. "While we didn't lodge in an RV like Steinbeck did, we did amble our way through parks and small towns with an eye for appreciating special sights that may not be there much longer." Mr. Cardinal leads small-group photo safaris to Africa, Asia and Alaska, as well as to destinations in ■ around town the continental United States. He specializes in rare and endangered animals and environments. The Allegro Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Go to cardinalphoto.com for more information on David Cardinal. Persimmon sale for charity Local youth Lisa and Sara Hewitt, members of their philanthropy group, ChAngels, are hosting their third annual persimmon sale at the family-owned shop, Beltramo's Wines and Sprits, 1540 El Camion Real in Menlo Park, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21. The sale of organic, locally harvested persimmons is a tradition started by the girls' mother, Diana Beltramo Hewitt, who peddled persimmons as a girl. Her stand featured the fruit accompanied by a family dessert recipe incorporat- David Cardinal's special perspective on a Portola Valley vineyard is among his American West images on exhibit at Allegro Gallery. The image, says Mr. Cardinal, is an "infrared digital capture" converted to black and white. ing the persimmons. Her daughters and friends are carrying on the tradition, this time for charity. ChAngels is a mother-daughter philanthropy group, founded in 2007 with the goal of effecting change on both a local and global Dis patch es from the home front level by collecting and earning spare change. Other members are Atherton and Menlo Park residents Annie and Lily Barnett, Sarah and Kate Lucas, Melissa and Alison Freeman, and Kim Guthrie and daughters Jessie and Clara. Go to thechangels.blogspot.com for more information or call Kate Lucas, founding member of ChAn- gels at 568-0395. Members, who range in age from 8 to 11, have been involved in a number of charitable activities, including collecting shoes for homeless children, donating books to Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, and making toys and collecting supplies for animals at Pets in Need. Is your home ready for WINTER? Drainage Problems? Barbara does Stupid Human Tricks H ere is the question I have been safely inside. I try to venture out to asking myself lately: Do other latch the coop door just before full normally rational and mature dark each night, so I can see to round adults routinely indulge in dangerous up any who haven't made it inside. and embarrassing activities for the sake I started this routine after the night of their animals — or is it just me? that two chickens fell on my head as It started the night I found myself I shut the coop door, which they were teetering on top of the bunny hutch roosting on. attached to our chicken coop, stretch Then, a few days ago, I found ing one arm as far myself scrambling down a steep as it would go in a embankment that I wasn't sure I vain attempt to grab could get back up. The dog's ball was a chicken with the stuck somewhere down there in the hand not holding Photo by Barbara Wood poison oak. the flashlight, when Barbara Wood's dog It wasn't a case of life or death, but I heard an ominous Wheeler seems to have I knew that Wheeler, my 90-pound cracking sound, and the ability to inspire her lap dog of a Labrador retriever, would Barbara began to think about to embarrassing and be nervous and unhappy the entire wood dangerous actions just to my obituary. mile and a half back home without "Woodside woman make him happy; but then, a ball to carry. Plus, that grocery-bag dies after crashing through roof of so do her chickens. full of lacrosse balls a friend had given chicken coop in the dark" the headline us was being depleted as Wheeler lost would say. This is not how I want to be remem- the balls in drainage ditches, under fences or down bered. embankments even a dog wouldn't attempt. So why, instead of going inside and crawling into So I abandoned common sense and decorum and bed right then, did I persist in grabbing chickens, headed downhill — just as I had a few weeks earlier tucking them under my arm, climbing down, taking when I scaled a 6-foot-high fence to retrieve a ball them into the coop and putting them on their perch, that had gotten away from him. where they should have been to start with? (After the This time, the ball was under a root, deep in a hole hutch roof cracked, I did fetch a step ladder.) that probably was the front door for some dangerous Four times I repeated the maneuver, placing the form of wildlife. I bravely stuck my arm in halfway to silly birds safely inside, where they were safely off the the elbow to grab the ball. dinner menu of the neighborhood raccoons. "Woodside woman starves to death with arm stuck Job completed, I snuck back into the house, my in gopher hole," that headline would have read. hand bleeding from a chicken wire scratch, grateful Barbara Wood is a freelance writer, photographer and that I had escaped the embarrassing headlines. For some reason, my eight young hens keep trying gardener from Woodside. Her column runs the third to roost on the roof of the chicken coop instead of week of the month. FEF L ANDSCAPE SERVICES & MAINTENANCE Lic. #835173 "Serving The Peninsula Since 1983" Repair before the rain comes. Residential & Commercial Full Landscape Services Design & Construction Call Today For Free Estimate (650) 465-4629 www.FEFLandscapeServices.com A November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 15 A community health education series from Stanford Hospital & Clinics After Indigestion Resolves: Tissue changes can raise risk of esophogeal cancer The chemotherapy they tried worked. "It worked so well, they were surprised," Revier said. "They started in March or April and by August they could no longer see the tumor." Revier received radiation treatments, too, and after five years of clean check-ups, his Stanford doctors told him there was no reason for him to come back. In 1983, fewer than 20 percent of lung cancer patients survived for five years after the diagnosis. One of those lucky few, Revier picked up his life again, although he was no longer the two-packa-day smoker he had been. The one thing that was still with him, however, was indigestion. "I've always had indigestion," he said. Millions of other Americans have it, too. It's a word that describes a handful of unpleasant feelings centered in the body's core the bloating, burning and belching that can make meal times miserable. Sometimes it's called heartburn, a label that's erroneous, of course, because it's acids from the stomach that are the problem; the heart isn't involved at all. Some digestive problems are more common in older age, but there is no gender or age category for distress around eating. Why it happens The causes for gastric upset are many: irritable bowel syndrome, stomach infection, medications, eating too fast, eating high-fat foods, stress, alcohol and smoking. In many cases, it's what doctors call GERD gastroesophageal reflux disease. Each part of the digestive system has its own particularities, of course; trouble starts when there's interaction that goes in the wrong direction. With heartburn, acid from the stomach, designed to break down food, moves into the esophagus, whose tissues are seriously altered by the corrosive effects of regular acid reflux. "The treatment for Barrett's involved removing a part of the esophagus and pulling up the stomach to attach it to the remaining esophagus. That can be a risky procedure." – Ann Chen, MD, Director, Stanford Hospital Barrett's Esophogus Center Norbert von der Groeben After minimally invasive treatment for damage done by indigestion to his esophagus, James Revier is back at work in the Food Services Office at a local school district. 16 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 Norbert von der Groeben James Revier's timing, some might say, couldn't be better. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1983 and told he had six months to live, he ended up at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, where physicians offered him the chance to try some new treatments just out of research. Most of us will experience that sensation at least once in a lifetime. When it begins to happen on a regular basis, the problem is serious. Typical treatments include medications that counteract the acids and promote the healing of damaged esophageal tissue. And more than $1 billion in over the counter medications are sold each year for acid relief. But while antacids offer pain relief, they do not reverse the potential damage to the esopha- James Revier survived lung cancer only to discover that years of indigestion had left their mark on his esophagus. gus. Once someone has suffered from acid attacks for five years, physicians recommend an endoscopy to look for signs of change. What worries them are the changes that can happen to the esophagus after long-term exposure to acid. The rate of esophageal cancer in the lower esophagus has more than doubled in the last 25 years, making it by far one of the fastest increasing cancers in the U.S. The National Cancer Institute estimates 16,640 new cases this year. When someone has GERD, the odds increase for the development of a condition called Barrett's esophagus, a signal of tissue changes that raise the risk that cancer will develop there. Early detection, as with all cancers, is tied to the most effective treatment. People like Revier, for whom gastric discomfort was the norm, may go for years without knowing about the changes taking place inside their esophagus. He found out only because he swallowed a piece of meat that was too big and he ended up in the emergency room. The physician who examined him noticed immediately that something was wrong. Revier was later diagnosed with Barrett's that had produced pre-cancerous cells in his esophagus. Better options Revier's health history and current medical conditions raised very high the risks for invasive surgery. By the time he found Ann Chen, MD, at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, he had gone through a series of unsuccessful hot laser treatments and the pre-cancerous cells were progressing toward cancer. Chen, MD, who leads the Hospital's Barrett's Esophagus Program, became Revier's physician. For decades, "the treatment for Barrett's involved removing a part of the esophagus and pulling up the stomach to attach it to the remaining esophagus," she said. "That can be a risky procedure and cause long-term nausea, vomiting and complications. Nor has it been shown to prevent further Barrett's in the remaining esophagus." "Endoscopes have long been neglected in terms of the biotech and device industry, but things are beginning to change." – Pankaj Jay Pasricha, MD, Chief of Stanford Hospital's Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology The biggest change since those days has come because of the endoscope a slender, flexible wand that can be sent into the esophagus with light-projecting optics and surgical tool attachments. Stanford opened a new endoscopy center in 2009, where patients can be treated for a wide range of conditions, with the endoscope's minimally invasive approach taking the place of traditional and more invasive surgical procedures. Pankaj Jay Pasricha, Chief of the Hospital's Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, has been working to improve endoscopic tools since he entered the field. "Endoscopes have long been neglected in terms of the biotech and device industry," he said, "but things are beginning to change." Stanfo dama tube c remov special feature Inside Your Digestive System t Our digestive system has its own brain. Within the nearly 20 feet of tissues that line our food-processing organs are nerves that run the show. In fact, there are 500 million nerve cells and 100 million neurons that, if consolidated, would be about the size of a cat's brain. t This enteric (meaning: within the intestines) brain has its own senses, responding to food with the appropriate actions—controlling the system's muscles, enzymes and hormones. t Research into neurogastroenterology holds potential in important ways. Among its other functions, our digestive system represents 70 percent of our immune system's response to unrecognized intruders. What is Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease? t Commonly shortened to GERD, this condition happens when stomach contents come back up into the esophagus. Because the stomach contains acids whose job is to dissolve food into digestible material, the esophageal tissue can be damaged as it comes into contact with those harsh acids. t This reverse action usually takes place because the valve between the esophagus and the stomach fails to work properly. Instead of closing after allowing food to move through to the stomach, it stays open, allowing reverse movement. t Most of us will experience digestive discomfort on occasion. If we eat too fast or too much all at once, or lay down less than three hours after eating, we are more likely to feel that burning sensation. Sometimes, medications can disrupt digestion, too. t Smoking can also affect the valve muscle's function. Tobacco relaxes that muscle and stimulates stomach acid production. t Women secrete fewer stomach acids than men; they also have stronger valve muscles. Those two elements help reduce the damage done if acids do reach the esophagus. When Should I See a Doctor? t If you suffer such upset on a regular basis, physicians recommend that you see your doctor. The longer stomach acids are in contact with your esophagus, the more likely it is that damage will occur. For more information about digestive disorder care, visit stanfordhospital.org/gastroenterology or call 650.736.5555. Join us at: stanfordhospital.org/socialmedia that support how humans process food and the pain we might feel in our intestines. The nerves are wired differently in each person, Chen said, which may explain why some people with just a bit of acid reflux experience severe pain while others with large amounts of acid reflux don't know they have a problem until cancer is already developed. Pasricha leads research at the Enteric Neuromuscular Disorders and Pain Laboratory at Stanford, also home to the NIH-funded Digestive Disease Center. The digestive system is far more complex than most would assume. In fact, the nearly 20 feet that run from end to end contain an independent brain not a solid organ like the one in the skull, but a system of 100 million neurons, an integral part of the tissues. This enteric (which means relating to the intestines) brain controls all the contractions and biochemical processes – James Revier, Stanford Hospital & Clinics patient It was Pasricha who developed the endoscopic technology to deliver the first round of successful treatment for Revier. Instead of removing the Barrett's tissue with a scalpel, Chen was able to spray the pre-cancerous cells with a very cold gas to freeze them in a technique called cryotherapy. She followed that a few weeks later with radiofrequency therapy, burning off any residual Barrett's tissue with quick, short pulses of heat directed with an endoscope. There was no blood loss, she said, and less post-procedure pain, too. Norbert von der Groeben ord physicians didn't use a scalpel to repair Revier's aged esophagus. Instead, they carefully inserted a slender called an endoscope to carry both heat and freezing gas to ve unwanted tissue. Revier was back at work within days. "I keep thinking about what would have happened if it hadn't been for that piece of meat getting stuck." "It really improves the care we can offer patients," Pasricha said. "We are able to do many more things than just surgery." Revier did not need to be fully anesthetized for the cryoblation, which he was very happy about. "They did it and it went well," he said. "Everything went fine," Revier said, "and things are looking very good." Chen said checkup endoscopies of Revier's esophagus showed healthy new tissue regrowth and no sign of the Barrett's. Norbert von der Groeben New tools, like a flexible suturing device, have made endoscopicallyperformed surgical procedures more durable. The rate of esophageal cancer has risen dramatically in the last few years, sending physicians looking for new ways to detect changes in the esophagus and to remove damaged tissue with more precise and minimally invasive procedures. Revier's care at Stanford made his recovery a quick one. Next steps The next step will be to refine who is at risk and who to treat, Chen said. Stanford is involved in research to follow patients and develop new techniques to diagnose patients earlier and to build preventive care strategies. "We think tobacco and alcohol are factors, and genetics likely plays a significant role," she said. "There are people who have acid reflux for years but never develop Barrett's or pre-cancerous changes. Then there are those who have only mild acid reflux and develop esopha- geal cancer at a young age. We just have not yet found the answer to why. We just can't predict it yet." Revier still needs to watch what he eats. "I'll probably always take my medications, just to make sure I don't have anything going back up to irritate that area," he said. "I keep thinking about what would have happened if it hadn't been for that piece of meat getting stuck." Having a place like Stanford, he said, "is one very good thing about living where we do if something comes up." Stanford Hospital & Clinics is known worldwide for advanced treatment of complex disorders in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer treatment, neurosciences, surgery, and organ transplants. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of "America's Best Hospitals," Stanford Hospital & Clinics is internationally recognized for translating medical breakthroughs into the care of patients. It is part of the Stanford University Medical Center, along with the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. For more information, visit stanfordmedicine.org. November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 17 Local Deals Good for Business. Good for You. Good for the Community Community. Go to ShopMenloPark.com to see this w e e k 's s p e c i a l o f f e r s a n d e v e n t s f r o m these local merchants Pharmaca Draeger's Menlo Park Pharmacy Merry Go Round Lite for Life When you shop locally, good things happen to make our community stronger: t Sales tax dollars, which fund schools and local t You reduce your carbon footprint by not t You help to sustain the unique and diverse t And when you shop at locally owned services, stay in the community. businesses that make our shopping areas vibrant. t You show how much you value the expertise of these businesses and the quality service they offer their customers. driving outside the community to shop. businesses, you also support our friends and neighbors who are running these businesses, donating to community events and causes, hiring our kids and getting involved in making Menlo Park a better place. Menalto Cleaners Kepler's Books and Magazines Cheeky Monkey Toys Cafe Zoë Learn more about the value of locally owned businesses at ShopMenloPark.com A community collaboration brought to you by For more information call 650.223.6509 Available in a mobile version 18 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 ❉ ❉❉ ❉ H A P PY H O L I DAYS Thanksgiving: Side dishes — even gravy simmered with vegetables — command the limelight What really makes the meal? ❉ T by Kathy Cordova he turkey is the star, but every good Thanksgiving show depends on a great supporting cast. The mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and green bean casseroles accompanying the big bird are often the most delicious and memorable parts of the day's dinner. What are the side dishes that make the Thanksgiving meal? A few area chefs, grocers and other foodies agreed to share the dishes that make their holiday productions a hit. Cindy Roberts, who teaches "The Ultimate Thanksgiving" class for Palo Alto Adult School, combines traditional and contemporary ingredients in recipes that reflect her experiences studying cooking in the Bay Area and at the Cordon Bleu in France. "I want to teach home chefs to create extraordinary things at home," she said. "The class is inspired by the thought that this is one meal of the year when families come together and they're really expecting a home-cooked meal." Her class and her family dinContinued on next page November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 19 The Missing Piece for your Peace of Mind â?‰ â?‰â?‰ H A P PY H O L I DAYS Jigsaw Java Provides A Unique Alternative For A Social Group Outing. s &AMILIES s "IRTHDAY 0ARTIES s 'ROUPS s #ORPORATE Jigsaw Java Is The Fun Place To Gather For Play And Learning. The Perfect Place To Enjoy What Might Be The Perfect Activity! 846 Main St. Redwood City, CA 94063 3O/&& (650) 364-3634 WWWJIGSAWJAVACOM ANY PURCHASE WITH THIS AD! Store Hours: Mon - Fri: 10-8. Sat & Sun: 10-5. Experience a real English Victorian Afternoon Tea for people of the 21st Century! Joyful Holiday Events Christmas High Tea by Candlelight - Dec. 10th & 17th Children's Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party - Dec. 12th, 14th, 16th, 20th Call (650) 322-5544 for more info and reservations BRING IN THIS COUPON & GET 15% OFF Your Food & Tea (Does not include holiday events.) Exp 1/31/11 1175 Merrill Street, Menlo Park www.lisasteamenlo.com Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11am-5:30pm NOWinOPEN MENLO PARK THE HEART OF EUROPE POLISH CUISINE The restaurant is available mornings upon request for business to business meetings or private brunches. Lunch: Tues- Sat 11:30am - 2:00 pm Dinner: Tues- Sat 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm, Sun 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm For Reservations or Catering Service Please E-mail email@example.com or Call 650.328.2778 651-H Maloney Street, Menlo Park Where your troubles melt away on a cold night or a hot day. Michelle Le We provide catering services for your parties. We can prepare dishes from our menus or your special requests. Service is available for breakfasts, lunches and dinners on any occasion. Cascal Executive Chef Antonio Lopez wows both family and customers with his pumpkin cheesecake. Continued from previous page ner are filled with unusual dishes such as shiitake mushroom gravy, cranberry orange chutney and mashed potatoes with chilies and jack cheese. Roberts' recipes come from a variety of sources, including family specialties and culinary magazines. Her personal favorite is potatoes gratin with porcini mushrooms and mascarpone cheese. "It incorporates one of the traditional elements of Thanksgiving — potatoes, but with an Italian twist. It's not so far off tradition, so it's appropriate, but it also appeals to the people who have more eccentric palates.â€? Scott Nishiyama, executive chef at Chez TJ in Mountain View, likes to stick with the basics. "It is a traditional time when we don't want to stray from the comfort food that everyone enjoys,â€? he said. His favorite dish is gravy, which he always makes from scratch. "The key to a good gravy is making a nice aromatic broth from poultry bones and giblets, using lots of fresh vegetables,â€? he said. "You have to simmer it a long time. It's one of those things you can't rush.â€? He then makes a roux with butter and flour, cooks it until it is nice and brown and then slowly adds the stock, stirring so it is smooth. Another fan of traditional sides is Sarah Kottmeier, event coordinator at Catering by the Other Woman in .ATURAL /RGANIC &ROZEN 9OGURT s 3MOOTHIES 3HAKES &RESH "ELGIAN 7AFm ES s 2ICH (OT #HOCOLATE #OFFEE "REWED TO /RDER The Mix offers gift cards and wonderful gift items. Think of the the Mix for your holiday shopping needs. The Mix A Frozen Yogurt Treatery 3536 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park 650-854-6491 | www.themixyogurt.com 20 â– The Almanac â– November 17, 2010 According to chef Scott Nishiyama, the key to a good gravy is making a nice aromatic broth from poultry bones and giblets, using lots of fresh vegetables. ❉ ❉❉ H A P PY H O L I DAYS Cranberry Orange Chutney Recipe by Cindy Roberts Michelle Le Cascal in Mountain View also features a mini-version of pumpkin cheesecake. Menlo Park. "I could pass on the turkey, but I love mashed potatoes with gravy," she said. "And they have to have lots of butter and cream." It's not surprising that Antonio Flores Lopez, executive chef at Cascal in Mountain View, likes to add a little Latin flavor to his Thanksgiving dinner. He usually hosts a large family gettogether, roasting two or three turkeys braised in a sangria mixture of red wine, sugar and juice, stuffed with zucchini, breadcrumbs and chorizo. He serves the turkey with a mole verde sauce made with pumpkin seeds, jalapeños, cilantro, green onions and peppers. His family's favorite dish is the same every year: dessert. They always serve Lopez's signature pumpkin cheesecake that also appears on the menu at Cascal every year at this time. A lucky accident led Charlie Ayers, chef at Calafia Café in Palo Alto, to create his favorite Thanksgiving side dish. "Years ago when I was at Google, we ran out of a side dish for that day's service, so I threw together some random ingredients," he said. His butternut chilijack recipe was a huge hit and is included in his cookbook, "Food 2.0." "It's a wonderful, balanced, savory dish that combines butternut squash, corn, jalapeño, pepper jack cheese and cilantro baked in a casserole. The end result is yummy, creamy, fullmouthed happiness." Ayers also has a favorite holiday recipe for vegans. "I make a Swiss chard dish with almond butter, mustard seeds, turmeric, chili flakes, onions and a touch of lime pureed and folded into the chard. The taste fools your brain into thinking you're having dairy products." The favorite of Craig Kozy, owner of DeMartini Orchard in Los Altos, is reflective of the season's bounty of fresh produce. "My favorite side dish is green beans with slivered almonds. It's straight tradition," he said. Kozy's preference may have more to do with commerce than cuisine. "I sell a lot of beans this holiday." ■ 24 oz. fresh cranberries 1 navel orange 2 C. water 3 T. candied ginger, chopped finely 3 C. granulated sugar 3 t. red pepper flakes 1 large pippin or tart baking apple, chopped finely 1/2 C. golden raisins 1) Prepare the orange: Zest the entire orange. Squeeze the juice from the orange with a juicer and set aside the juice and zest. 5) Add the candied ginger and cook for another 5 minutes longer to soften the ginger and release the flavor. 2) Heat the water and sugar together until the sugar is just dissolved. 6) Add the red pepper flakes. 3) Add cranberries, apples, orange zest and orange juice to the sugar water. Stir constantly to ensure fruit is continually covered with water. Cook at a high temperature until the berries pop. 4) Reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook until a foam appears, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. 7) Turn off the heat. Add the golden raisins. Sample the chutney and adjust sugar and peppers to taste. Store the chutney into a glass jar. This will last two weeks in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator and serve at room temperature. Note: This can also be frozen for use at a much later date. Join us for the Holidays Private Rooms Special Occasion Dinners Award Winning Cuisine Prix Fixe Menu $30 (includes Starter, Entreé & Dessert) Main Dining Room Only - Parties of up to six persons 3001 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 (at Selby Lane, at the border of Atherton & Redwood City) Monday thru Saturday 5:30pm-10:00pm Dinner Only 650.321.4080 www.chantillyrestaurant.com November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 21 ❉ ❉❉ H A P PY H O L I DAYS Veronica Weber Vivian Wong Courtesy of Neiman Marcus Right, At just under $3,000, the Jura Impressa Z7, found at Sur La Table, can make 11 kinds of fancy coffee drinks. Center, Sigona's Extra Virgin Olive Oil, coupled with a fresh baguette, makes a yummy hostess gift. Gold-plated, pagodashaped saltand-pepper shakers, adorned with pearls and crystals, are offered for $195 by Neiman Marcus. ❉ Gifts of good taste ❉ Ideas for the foodies on your list — whether they love to cook or just eat by Kathy Cordova w Y! ! RL A OW G E N N KI N R RS TA ATIO YOU RDE RV CE O SE PLA ERY E K R BA Y A ID OL H Vivian Wong U ncle Ted, Nanna and your third cousin already have enough neckties and slippers. So here's another thought: Most everyone loves to eat and lots of people love to cook or entertain, so why not give gifts of good taste this holiday? Whether you're buying for chefs, party hosts or anyone who loves food, local shops offer an array of epicurean selections. Maria's France-Italy-England in Stanford Shopping Center stocks imported ceramics, table linens and accessories to imbue a European feel to any dining experience. Deborah Believeau, visual merchandising manager, has noticed a trend among shoppers this year. "People are being more creative," she said. "Cookbooks are big. People like fun items that don't cost Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus food processors, one of Sur La Table's hot buys, come in vivid colors. much. They want good quality for their money." Believeau suggests combining items to create custom gifts, like giving a homemade cake on a hand-painted cake plate or a vino carafe with a bottle of wine. Maria's also sells a wide variety of gifts, including illustrated cookbooks, such as"500 Italian Recipes" for $19.99, or a set of six dessert plates decorated with Parisian landmarks for $180. Also at Stanford, and in Redwood City, Sigona's Farmers Market offers specialty foods ranging from freshpressed olive oil to locally produced cheeses such as the Moo-Na Lisa, from Central Coast Creamery. Many of these gifts can be thoughtfully paired by the market's staff and custom packed into gift baskets, said Carmelo Sigona, president of Sigona's. Want just the right sauce to go with whole wheat pasta? How about a tasty cheese to complement locally grown apples? The cost is $15 to customize a basket, plus the cost of the basket and the products. Also of note, Sigona said, are the market's olive oils. They're so popular, customers buy $6,000 worth of olive oil each week. "They're flying off the shelves," Sigona said. The reason is that the olives are pressed within three to six hours of being picked, and the oil is bottled at the stores so it doesn't start to degrade sitting too long in the bottle, he said. With varieties of olive oil from across the globe, Sigona's oils boast all sorts of tones, from fruity to buttery. Bottles of 750 ml cost $14.99. For gifts with a Mediterranean flair, Mountain View's Casablanca Market offers gourmet foods from Morocco and Spain, Moroccan glassware and ceramics and cooking classes. Distinctive selections include their ceramic tagine pots ($25-$89), used for traditional Moroc- THE WOODSIDE BAKERY & CAFÉ European Style Bakery & Bistro Join us for a Traditional THANKSGIVING DINNER Serving Dinner from 3-9pm Taking Reservations Now! Celebrating at Home? Place Bakery Orders Early. ★ PIES ★ CAKES ★ ROLLS ★ C O O K I E S ★ TA R T S ★ S T O L L E N B R E A D 3052 Woodside Road, Woodside "AKERY s #AFE 22 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 Simon_Kidgits_PAWeek_Nov_2010:Layout 1 11/2/10 3:44 PM Page 1 H A P P Y H O L I D AY S can slow-cooking, and colorful Morgana gold-mix tea glasses ($38 for a set of six). For the sweet tooth on your list, Monique's Chocolates in Palo Alto sells handmade chocolate truffles with special holiday flavors such as eggnog and peppermint ($2 per truffle or $24 for 10 truffles in a gift box). Want a gift that also benefits a good cause? The Artisan Shop in the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park sells one-of-a-kind items created by Bay Area craftspeople, with all profits going to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Cesare Reyneri from Los Altos is one of their featured artists, offering a carved spalted oak bowl ($75) and wine stoppers with carved wooden tops ($30). Iridescent blue coasters made from recycled glass ($40) are an ecologically friendly gift idea. If luxury is on your list, Neiman Marcus' gourmet gift section offers a variety of delicacies and to-die-for hostess gifts. There is the traditional fruitcake ($30), the biscotti cookie hamper — a festively ribboned wicker basket filled with an assortment of breakfast cookies ($65) — and a four-cake sampler with chocolate champagne, Amaretto, Irish whiskey and lemon vodka confections ($32). Neiman Marcus' home gifts are traditionally over-the-top. Consider the14-karat gold-plated, pagoda-shaped salt-and-pepper shakers adorned with freshwater pearls and Swarovski® crystals ($195) or the set of two Baccarat champagne flutes ($260). Continued on next page Fine TurkishMediterranean Cuisine 15% OFF DINNER Offer valid 5-9:30pm now through 12/29/10 Not valid with any other offer. 650.322.4343 Mark your calendar for the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony Saturday, November 27, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Clock Tower Plaza Deck the Halls with Holly Berry, the Holiday Fairy! Bop to the beat of everyone's favorite holiday tunes as Holly Berry and her singing and dancing holiday trees entertain, delight and spread classic holiday cheer! Join Holly Berry and Santa as they lead the countdown to the Tree Lighting Ceremony and the illumination of the entire Center! After the performance winds down, follow Holly and her festive friends to Center Pavilion for yummy treats and photos with Santa! To join or renew your membership, visit Simon Guest Services or simon.com/kidgits. $5 annual membership fee. Follow us: facebook.com/stanfordshoppingcenter - 4[XUPMe 0eZMYUO 0a[ FROM ENGLAND: RODNEY RAYNER twitter.com/stanfordshop El Camino Real & Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto / Shopping Line® 650.617.8200 simon.com/kidgits Open 7 days a week lunch & dinner 1149 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 94025 www.thesultana.net stanfordshop.com Rodney will be presenting his exceptional new and awardwinning designs using the juiciest specially-cut gems with signature color combinations FROM GERMANY: GELLNER Gellner's Peninsula debut will feature sophisticated to edgy, classic but up dated collection of German design including diamonds, gems and his ingenious "verio keys" F R I D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 9 T H F R O M 1 2 P M - 6 P M S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 0 T H F R O M 1 1 A M - 4 P M PRECIOUS JEWELRY THE STANFORD BARN 7%,#( 2/!$ 35)4% 0!,/ !,4/ #! s (650) 321-5994 Open: 11-6 Tue.-Fri. Sat: 11-4:40 November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 23 H A P P Y H O L I D AY S FREE DELIVERY Exceptional Artistry. Time Honored Traditions. Style & Elegance. (with min. order) "THE BEST PIZZA WEST OF NEW YORKâ€? —Ralph Barbieri KNBR 680 Christopher Radko 880 Santa Cruz Ave Menlo Park 226 Redwood Shores Pkwy Redwood Shores (650) 329-8888 (650) 654-3333 (at University Drive) Available at BK Collections (Next to Pacific Athletic Club) 342 State Street, Los Altos 650-948-0198 We gift wrap and send. and Jewelr 6.611x8 Red Friday COLOR_FINANCE_6.611x8 Red Friday COLOR_FINANCE 10/14/10 10:47 Fine AMGifts Page 1 from Around the World Buy Red And Save Some Green. Get $100 off ANY Honda EU Series Generator, November 13 –29!!* It's quiet, reliable power for home, work and play. 100 100 $ INSTANT REBATE* 929.95 $ 799.00 $ – 100.00 $ 699.00 $ REGULAR PRICE ** SPECIAL PRICE *** * YOUR PRICE! Be Sure To Ask Your Honda Power Equipment dealer about service specials and annual maintenance programs to get the most out of your Honda Power Equipment. 100 $ INSTANT REBATE* EU1000i INSTANT REBATE 100 $ INSTANT REBATE* REGULAR PRICE ** SPECIAL PRICE *** * YOUR PRICE! 1,149.95 $ 999.00 $ – 100.00 $ 899.00 $ INSTANT REBATE* EU3000is EU2000i INSTANT REBATE $ REGULAR PRICE ** SPECIAL PRICE *** INSTANT REBATE * YOUR PRICE! Honda Handi EU3000i ÂŽ 2,279.95 $ 1,999.00 – $100.00 $ 1,899.00 $ Ask about our full line of Honda Accessories! 2,429.95 $ SPECIAL PRICE 2,099.00 $ 00 INSTANT REBATE – 100. $ 00 YOUR PRICE! 1,999. REGULAR PRICE ** $ *** * Special Financing Available ††See your Authorized Honda Power Equipment Dealer for details. EU2000i !$! " $ ! plus, ! #! & more. *Instant rebate offered on any new EU Series Honda Generator purchased Nov. 13 through Nov. 29, 2010 except EU6500is. No rain checks. At participating dealers only. **Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. ***Minimum Advertised Price. Hours: M-F 8:30-5:30; Sat. 8:30-4:00 Please read the owner's manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in a closed or partly enclosed area where you could be exposed to carbon monoxide. Connection of a generator to house power requires a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. Š2010 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (408) 377-4496 www.gardenland.com Please read the owner's manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in a closed or partly enclosed area where you could be exposed to carbon monoxide. Connection of a generator to house power requires a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. Š2010 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. 24 â– The Almanac â– November 17, 2010 Veronica Weber Honda Generators Black Friday Sale! A custom-made gift basket from Sigona's Market features a selection of wine, cheeses, salami, stuffed dates and fresh fruit. Continued from previous page For those on a tighter budget, Neiman Marcus has created "Little Gems,â€? offering fun gift ideas for $100 or less, including a gorgeous, illustrated "Vintage Cocktailsâ€? book ($50) with vibrant photos exploring the art of making drinks. To make your own sodas and fizzy waters at home, Los Altos Cook's Junction recommends The SodaStream Soda Maker ($89.99-$199.99). "It is one of our top sellers,â€? owner Linda Janes said. "We sell lots of different types of syrups, and it is good for the environment since the sodas don't have to be shipped and you reuse your own bottles at home.â€? One consistent destination spot for home chefs is Sur la Table in the Town & Country Village shopping center in Palo Alto, where a display of brightly colored small appliances greets customers at the door. The seven-speed hand mixer ($49.95), the mini food processor ($39.95) and the immersion blender ($29.95) in colors such as lime green, cherry red and sunshine yellow make gifts with electrical cords cool. The coffee area features "the ultimate coffee maker,â€? according to David Pavot, store manager. At $2,999.95, the JuraÂŽ Impressa Z7, is not cheap, but the convenience of making 11 different kinds of fancy coffee drinks at the touch of a button have led local aficionados to make Pavot's store the top seller of the Z7 in the country. Along with great tools to inspire the home chef, Sur la Table offers an array of classes held in their professional kitchen most evenings and weekends — a gift sure to kick off a delicious new year. n C o m m u n i t y ■ O b i t ua ry Celeste Henzel Top-ranked real estate agent Celeste Mariana Schmitt Henzel of Portola Valley, a top ranked real estate agent on the Peninsula, died Nov. 6 of cancer at age 60. Born in Chicago, Ms. Henzel received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1986, she graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ms. Henzel began her career in real estate in Laguna Beach, California. After five years there, she moved to Portola Valley in 1977 and joined Cornish & Carey. When the Portola Valley office was acquired by Coldwell Banker, she then worked as a real estate agent and broker for that company. She also served in various leadership positions with the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, including as Menlo Park district chair. Ms. Henzel is survived by her husband and running partner of 23 years, Robert Grey Henzel of Portola Valley; her brother, Russell F. Schmitt of Anaheim, California; and several nieces and nephews. A service was held Nov. 12 at Memory Garden Memorial Park in Brea, California. In lieu of flowers, her family prefers donations to Rhema Bible Training Center, P.O. Box 50126, Tulsa Oklahoma 74150-1026. Alumni basketball at Woodside High The public is invited to Woodside High School's annual alumni basketball game Wednesday night, Nov. 24, in the new gym at Woodside High School. Former Utah Jazz center Rich Kelly will face his son, senior Sam Kelly. The alumni women take the court against the varsity girls at 6 p.m. Vikings wrap up Pop Warner season The Junior Midgets team (12/13 year-olds) made it to the second round of the playoffs, playing the Cambrian Valley Longhorns at Gilroy High on Nov. 6 in a hard-fought and exciting game. In the first half, the Vikings scored, but missed the extra point. Then the Longhorns scored and made the extra point. At halftime the score was 8-6. ■ Sports The Kelly men will go head-to-head at 8 p.m. as the alumni attempt to maintain their undefeated record against the varsity boys. All proceeds will benefit the basketball program. There will be food, a drawing for prizes, and entertainment by the cheerleaders, dance team and marching band. In the second half, Vikings scored and took the lead 14-8. Then the Longhorns crossed the goal-line with less than two minutes to go, edging the Vikings, 16-14. The Vikings finished the season 8-2. Running back David Teu had an unbelievable season, scoring 21 touchdowns. Submitted by Adam Greenlow of Menlo Park, a player on the Junior Midgets team and an eighth-grader at St. Raymond School. RESOLUTION NO. 1745 (2010) RESOLUTION OF INTENTION TO ANNEX CERTAIN TERRITORY TO THE WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT ON-SITE WASTEWATER DISPOSAL ZONE Lands of Golden Oak Partners The District Board of West Bay Sanitary District finds and determines as follows: A. This Resolution of Intention is adopted pursuant to the District's "Zone Master Annexation Resolution" ("ZOMAR"), which was adopted by the District Board August 12, 1996. The provisions of ZOMAR are incorporated by reference into this Resolution of Intention. B. The District has received an application to annex a parcel of real property (the "Parcel") to the District's On-Site Wastewater Disposal Zone (the "Zone"). The Parcel is described in Exhibit "A" attached to this Resolution of Intention and the description contained in the Exhibits are incorporated by reference. The name and address of the applicants and the number, type, volume and location of on-site wastewater disposal systems which are proposed to operate on the parcels to be annexed are described in Exhibit "B" attached to this Resolution of Intention and the information contained in the Exhibit are incorporated by reference. C. X The applicants have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the District Board that the Parcel constitutes "real property" for the purposes of Section 2(b) of ZOMAR in that: All of the conditions described in Subsections i., ii., iii., iv. and v. of ZOMAR Section 2(b) are satisfied; or Other conditions exist which demonstrate that the Parcel will benefit directly or indirectly from the activities of the Zone. If applicable, those conditions are also set forth in Exhibit "B" and are incorporated by reference. D. All of the conditions and requirements of ZOMAR Sections 2(a), 2(c), 2(d) and 2(e) have been fully satisfied. In consideration of the foregoing findings and determinations, IT IS RESOLVED by the District Board as follows: 1. It is the intention of the District Board to annex the Parcel to the Zone pursuant to the provisions of ZOMAR and applicable provisions of law. 2. In conjunction with a meeting of the District Board to be duly and regularly called and conducted, the Board will conduct a Public Hearing for the purpose of considering all matters pertaining to this Resolution of Intention. The time, date and place of the Public Hearing are: Date: Time: Place: December 8, 2010 7:00 PM West Bay Sanitary District Offices 500 Laurel Street Menlo Park, CA 94025 At the Public Hearing, all interested persons will be heard. 3. This Resolution of Intention shall be published and copies shall be delivered to the persons and entities as specified in ZOMAR Section 2(e)(i.). 4. A true copy of this Resolution of Intention shall promptly be filed for record in the office of the County Recorder of the County of San Mateo. 5. The Interim District Manager shall cause the matters set forth in Sections 3 and 4 of this Resolution of Intention to be completed as directed. Exhibit A LEGAL DESCRIPTION LANDS OF GOLDEN OAK PARTNERS 295 GOLDEN OAK DRIVE, PORTOLA VALLEY ALL THAT REAL PROPERTY SITUATE IN THE TOWN OF PORTOLA VALLEY, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: ALL OF LOT 19 OF BLOCK 1 AS SAID LOT IS SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN MAP ENTITLED "TRACT NO. 711 ALPINE HILLS UNIT 2" BEING A PORTION OF THE RANCHO EL CORTE MADERA FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY RECORDER OF THAT SAID COUNTY AND STATE, ON MARCH 17, 1955 IN VOLUME 41 OF MAPS ON PAGES 40, 41 AND 42. November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 25 C o m m u n i t y SANTA CLARA November 19-21, 2010 COIN AMP & COLLECTIBLES EXPO COIN,, ST STAMP Held at The Santa Clara Convention Center NEW SHOW DATES & HOURS!!! Friday and Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 10am-3pm FREE d l OVER 1000 OF THE NATIONS TOP o T y G ing DEALERS r l e i asureKids a IN COINS, STAMPS, D w a r S at 11-2 Hunt PAPER MONEY, POSTCARDS, eD pm Priz JEWELRY, EXONUMIA, MEDALS, TOKENS, CASINO CHIPS, GOLD NUGGETS, BULLION, COIN & STAMP SUPPLIES, COLLECTIBLES $6 Admission For all 3 Days For More Info Call (805)962-9939 or Visit us on the Web at www.SantaClaraExpo.com $3 Off general Admission w/ this Ad "There's no place like home.â€? Redwood City - San Mateo - San Jose www.matchedcaregivers.com St. Raymond joins local-food movement St. Raymond School in Menlo Park has launched a program that helps families teach their children about the benefits of â– B riefs locally grown fruits and vegetables, while supporting the school's garden program. About 25 participating families, who have children at the pre-K through eighth-grade private Catholic school, pay $240 for eight deliveries of produce over four months. Each family receives two tote bags, which are filled by parent volunteers, plus a bag of mixed green leaf lettuce mix, says Kathleen O'Sullivan, chair of the school's garden advisory committee. Peter "Farmer Peteâ€? Trembois, owner of Field of Greens Farms in San Juan Bautista, delivers boxes of fresh produce to the school twice a month. Proceeds help pay for the school's garden coordinator, Betsy Colby. St. Raymond is located at 1211 Arbor Road in Menlo Park. — Samantha Bergeson Fadiman shows her latest film Menlo Park filmmaker Dorothy MAPLE LEAF FAMILY Home of Early Learning Menlo Park Transition Photo by Kathleen O'Sullivan Pattie Lindquist joins other parent volunteers to fill recyclable tote bags with fresh produce. FadimanĂs newest documentary, "Reclaiming Their Voice: The Native American Vote in New Mexico & Beyond,â€? will be shown for free in San Francisco on Nov. 24 and Palo Alto on Dec. 14. Narrated by actor Peter Coyote along with Stanford University scholar Dr. Michael Wilcox, PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE Amending City of Menlo Park Master Fee Schedule to Kindergarten A program for ages 4 and young 5's WHO WOULD BENEl T FROM MORE THAN just another year of preschool. Monday-Friday 8:15 to 12:15pm* 650-391-5136 Vanessa Bruno ATHÉ JACKET s 2OUTINE FOLLOWS A TYPICAL kindergarten day s 0REPARES STUDENTS FOR THE SOCIAL and academic expectations of kindergarten s #REATIVE DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT s 6ARIETY OF ACTIVITIES IN !RT #OOKING 3EWING -USIC -OVEMENT .ATURE3CIENCE $ISCOVERY s )NDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION student to teacher ratio 6:1 s (IGHLY QUALIl ED CREDENTIALED teacher s ,OCATED NEAR 7ILLOW AND -IDDLEl ELD 2OADS s /PTIONAL !FTER 3CHOOL #ARE PM FALL OPEN HOUSE 883 Santa Cruz Ave. Menlo Park (650) 353-7550 /CTOBER PM .OVEMBER PM For more information, or to attend our Open House, please contact the school's director Mary Adham, M.Ed. Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm Lic. #414002685 www.josefboutique.com 650-391-5136 firstname.lastname@example.com 26 â– The Almanac â– November 17, 2010 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Menlo Park, California, will hold a Public Hearing to consider amending the City's Master Fee Schedule concerning proposed changes in fees for the Community Development Department. The primary fees under consideration are as follows: UĂŠĂŠĂŠ ˜iĂœĂŠ viiĂŠ vÂœĂ€ĂŠ iĂ?ÂŤi`ÂˆĂŒi`ĂŠ ÂŤÂ?>Â˜ĂŠ VÂ…iVÂŽĂƒĂŠ ÂœvĂŠ LĂ•ÂˆÂ?`ˆ˜}ĂŠ ÂŤiĂ€Â"ÂˆĂŒĂƒĂŠ vÂœĂ€ĂŠ commercial and industrial tenant improvements to provide an enhanced service. UĂŠĂŠ/Â…iĂŠ Ă€iiĂƒĂŒ>LÂ?ÂˆĂƒÂ…Â"iÂ˜ĂŒĂŠ ÂœvĂŠ ĂŒÂ…iĂŠ LĂ•ÂˆÂ?`ˆ˜}ĂŠ ÂŤiĂ€Â"ÂˆĂŒĂŠ Ă€iÂˆÂ˜ĂƒĂŒ>ĂŒi"iÂ˜ĂŒĂŠ viiĂŠ vÂœĂ€ĂŠ iĂ?ÂŤÂˆĂ€i`ĂŠ ÂŤiĂ€Â"ÂˆĂŒĂƒĂŠ ĂŒÂ…>ĂŒĂŠ Ăœ>ĂƒĂŠ ˆ˜>`Ă›iĂ€ĂŒiÂ˜ĂŒÂ?ÞÊ ÂœÂ"ÂˆĂŒĂŒi`ĂŠ `Ă•Ă€ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠ >ĂŠ ÂŤĂ€iĂ›ÂˆÂœĂ•ĂƒĂŠ round of updates to the Master Fee Schedule. The amounts of the proposed fees are based on information which will be available to the public at least 10 days in advance of this Public Hearing at the Finance Department. NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Menlo Park will hold this Public Hearing on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, at 7:00 p.m., or as near as possible thereafter, in the City Council Chambers of the City of Menlo Park, Civic Center - 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, California, at which time and place interested persons may appear and be heard thereon. NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that "if you challenge this matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the Public Hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Menlo Park at, or prior to, the Public Hearingâ€?. / \ĂŠ "VĂŒÂœLiÀÊÓn]ÊÓä£ä /s/ ,, /ĂŠ-°Ê," ,/-]ĂŠ ]ĂŠ ÂˆĂŒĂžĂŠ Â?iÀŽ the film is a collection of stories about Native Americans and their efforts to combat injustice. Ms. Fadiman, producer and director of the film, runs a nonprofit video production company called Concentric Media. American Indian MovementWest is sponsoring the first showing of the film at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, at the Bahai Center, 170 Valencia St. in San Francisco. The Peninsula Peace and Justice Center is hosting a showing at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14 in the Fireside Room at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 E. Charleston Road in Palo Alto. Go to tinyurl.com/reclaimingsynopsis for more information about the film. Amy Sedaris gives talk Amy Sedaris, comedienne, playwright, actress, and now author of the new book, ĂŹSimple Times: Crafts for Poor People,ĂŽ is speaking at a benefit for Breast Cancer Connections at Gunn High School at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17. The talk will take place in Spangenberg Theatre at Gunn High School, 780 Arastradero Road in Palo Alto. Go to keplers.com for tickets at $38 for one person and one copy of her latest book, and $45 for two tickets and two books. www.TheAlmanacOnline.com your online source for local news about MENLO PARK, ATHERTON, PORTOLA VALLEY, WOODSIDE c o m m u n i t y Filoli estate celebrates holidays By Samantha Bergeson Special to the Almanac F iloli, the historic estate in Woodside, holds its nine-day Holiday Traditions fundraising celebration from Nov. 26 through Dec. 4. This year's theme is "Visions of Sugarplums Dancing," with decorations and merchandise inspired by classic tales of past holidays. Holiday Traditions is centered on the first floor of the 36,000square-foot mansion, with each room transformed to showcase the merchandise on sale for the Holiday Boutique. The Filoli house courtyard will be turned into a 19th century winter park with gas lamps, park benches, and ice skaters, said Filoli spokeswoman Christina Syrett. Highlights of the nine-day event include a dinner party with live music on Saturday, Nov. 27, and a Filoli Children's Party on Saturday, Dec. 4. Buffets lunches and bistro dinners are held at select times throughout the event. Proceeds support the preservation of Filoli, a 654-acre property that is a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Go to filoli.org or call 364-8300, ext. 508, for more information or to purchase tickets. Space is limited. Tickets are non-fundable and non-exchangeable. "Visions of Sugarplums Dancing" is the theme of this year's Holiday Traditions, Filoli's largest fundraiser of each year. Photo by Margaret Mitchell Filoli's mansion is transformed during the nine-day Holiday Traditions event. Photo by Ned Gault More than 700 volunteers help create Holiday Traditions, Filoli's largest fundraiser of the year. Filoli's Holiday Traditions fundraising celebration runs from Nov. 26 through Dec. 4. Photo by Ned Gault Photo by Margaret Mitchell November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 27 NONPROFIT PROFILE: An Occasional Series Highlighting Local Nonprofit Organizations OF THE PENINSULA The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula offers places where young people from six to 18 are welcome every day after school and all day in summer. At each of the Club's three clubhouses and five school-campus sites, trained and caring staff and a cadre of volunteers work through a broad range of programs helping kids develop attitudes and life skills they need for good educations and productive lives. Now in its 50th year, the Club focuses on academics, science and technology, social education and life skills, athletics and fitness, and the arts. The club also offers programs designed specifically to engage and support teens from 13 to 18. These include COLLEGE BOUND, which provides mentoring and guidance to help teens graduate from high school with a plan for their futures. Many of the Club's programs are offered in partnership with local schools and community organizatioins. The Club's annual budget, this year nearly $5 million, depends on support of individuals, foundations, corporations and public partners. B OARD OF D IRECTORS Michael Gullard, President Wendy Adams Paul Bains Amy Boyle Barry Carr Nina Demmon Roy Demmon David Doolin Cathy Friedman-Duane Andrea Gandolfo Daniela Gasparini Patrick Goodenough Constance Heldman David Kanner Tracy Koon Dennis Lenehan Matt Mayerson Debra McCall Milbrey McLaughlin Tom Mohr Bill Ring Theresa Rutledge Barbara Silverman Matthew Sonsini John Straubel Dana Weintraub Quin Whitman Marcia Wythes Guiding the youth of our community to develop attitudes and life skills they need to thrive: that's the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula. Community conditions faced in the challenged areas served by the Club. Club solutions working in partnership with schools and families. t Club offers safety and support for children at eight sites in the community. t Too few places for children t Provides after-school academic programs, focuses to learn and play. t 80% of students score below on literacy, and aligns with programs at schools. grade level in reading and math. t Runs prep operations like COLLEGE BOUND, designed for teens. t Nearly 70% of kids don't t Volunteers and staff mentors offer positive adult graduate from high school. t Average per capita income is role models for youth at all ages. $19,000 (in a normal economy). t Provides "Whole Child" nurturing, that blends technology, science, social and leadership skills, t Many families are working graphic and performing arts, as well as fun, healthy multiple jobs. t Too few affordable childcare games and sports. t Encourages full Club membership at affordable options. fees so young visitors can participate in all t Many families don't speak programs to benefit from added continuity and English or have limited progress measurement. education and cannot help children with homework. 3,000 kids participate in the Club's programs t Gangs are prevalent. annually. 1,000 attend daily. HOW CAN YOU HELP? Volunteer -- The Club has both ongoing and done-in-day opportunities. Become a Mentor -- Inspire a young person ro realize his or her potential. Donate -- Support us in maintaining the youth development so families depend on. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Peter Fortenbaugh PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COUNCIL Lloyd Carney Susan Ford-Dorsey Jeffrey Henley Dave House Robert Jaunich Robert McNeil Phyllis Moldaw Mervin Morris Raymond O'Brien Alejandro Zaffaroni B OYS & G IRLS C LUBS OF THE P ENINSULA PROGRAM SITES MENLO PARK McNeil Family Clubhouse Belle Haven Community School James Flood Magnet School EAST PALO ALTO Moldaw-Zaffaroni Clubhouse East Palo Alto Academy REDWOOD CITY Mervin G. Morris Clubhouse Hoover Community School Taft Community School A DMIN & D EVELOPMENT 401 Pierce Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 Tel. 650-646-6128 Visit us at www.bgcp.org T H I TS HSI PA N AT ASCA OM MM UM N IUT N YIS A EL M NC EWS S SCPEA CDEO D O NEADT EADS A CO T EYRSVEI CREV IBCYE TBHYE T H AA LN MAACN A 28 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 C o m m u n i t y 'Oughta be a law' deadline extended "There oughta be a lawâ€? about what?, State Sen. Joe Simitian is asking. The 11th District senator has been asking his constituents the same question for a decade now, and has just extended the deadline to Wednesday, Nov. 24, for people to submit their proposals in writing this year. Go to senatorsimitian.com/oughta to fill out an application for the "There oughta be a lawâ€? contest. Since 2001, according to the senator's office, 16 of the contest winners' proposals have been signed into law. Winners are entitled to lunch with the senator in Sacramento, and are invited to testify on behalf of their proposals in a formal hearing. They also will receive a state flag that has flown over the Capitol building. Be sure to SHOP LOCAL this holiday ay season Thanks. â– Police Cal l s MENLO PARK This information is from the Atherton and Menlo Park police departments and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Under the law, people charged with offenses are considered innocent until convicted. ATHERTON Grand theft reports: n Copper pipes and gutters stolen from job site, 100 block of Catalpa Drive, Nov. 10. n Text books stolen, Menlo College at 1000 El Camino Real, Nov. 11. Commercial burglary report: Several leaf blowers stolen from yard of landscaping company, 1100 block of O'Brien Drive, Nov. 6. PORTOLA VALLEY Auto burglary report: Window smashed and loss estimated at $740 in case of stolen purse, 500 block of Portola Road, Nov. 6. The Bowman program builds confidence, creativity and academic excellence. Lower School - Grades K - 5 WEST MENLO PARK Middle School - Grades 6 - 8 Theft report: Loss of $100 in theft of purse and contents accessed via unlocked driver's side door, 2000 block of Harkins Ave., Nov. 9. Individualized, self-directed program Rich international and cultural studies Proven, Montessori approach Roller & Hapgood & Tinney State-of-the-art facility Low student-teacher ratio The Peninsula's Premier Funeral Service and Cremation Provider www.bowmanschool.org 4000 Terman Drive ďż˝ Palo Alto, CA ďż˝ Tel: 650-813-9131 Serving all faiths since 1899 Offering Pre-need Arrangements 980 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, California 94301 (650) 328-1360 www.rollerhapgoodtinney.com Se Habla EspaĂąol Funeral Home FD132 #%,%34% (%.:%, Celeste Mariana Schmitt Henzel, 60, of Portola Valley, California, died November 6, 2010. Celeste was born January 10, 1950 in Chicago, Illinois to Russell G. and Rose Schmitt. Celeste received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin and graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in 1986. She began a successful career in Real Estate in Laguna Beach, California and became a highly esteemed Realtor/Broker in the San Francisco Bay area. Celeste is survived by her husband, Robert Grey Henzel of Portola Valley, California, her brother, Russell F. Schmitt of Anaheim, California, and several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Russell G. and Rose Schmitt. In lieu of flowers, Celeste's family requests donations be made to Rhema Bible Training Center, P.O. Box 50126, Tulsa Oklahoma 74150-1026. A service for Celeste will be held at: Memory Garden Memorial Park, 455 West Central Avenue, Brea, Ca. 92821 Friday, November 12th, 1 PM. 714-529-3961. Meal will follow for family and friends. For more information refer to Spangler Mortuaries, 399 So. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, Ca. 94022. 650-9486619. PA I D O B I T UA RY 2)#(!2$ Âą$)#+² $2!#( ÂŻ Dick was born in Ludington, Michigan. His family relocated to Burlingame in 1927, when Dick was 5 yrs old, when his father accepted an executive position as a cosmetic buyer at Emporium in San Francisco. Dick went to Burlingame high school, college at CSM, then UC Berkeley. He joined the navy in his senior year as an officer, and served for 4 yrs during WWII. He received his commission and reported to Charleston for amphibious duty aboard an LCT not knowing he was about to sail from Pearl Harbor to Guam. He met the love of his life, Barbara Ann Hanchett at She hopes her students leave her classroom every day with a sense of accomplishment, a desire to improve, and to develop a deep and lifelong love of making music. When Tina isn't teaching, she loves to sing, read, play piano, hike, and run. She also attends as many concerts and theater events as she can and loves to go dancing. Tina's ultimate goal as an educator is to let her students experience, create, and participate in as many "musical momentsâ€? as possible. She wants her students to learn that when many voices come together as one, it creates beauty that is transcendent. TINA PAULSON UC Berkeley. They married in 1946. They lived on the Peninsula, first in Atherton, then in Menlo Park where they raised 2 sons. They were married for 64 glorious years, and traveled the world. Dick worked for Chanel, then Guerlain as Vice President of Sales on the West Coast. Dick is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara. Adored father of Gary, of San Carlos, and Dean of Carefree, Arizona, their spouses, as well as a brother, John, of San Carlos. Preceded in death by his brother, George. Dick will be remembered for his infectious laugh, his warm personality and his love of family. Private family services are planned. Donations in his memory may be made to The Salvation Army. PA I D TINA GRADUATED SUMMA CUM LAUDE FROM WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELORS OF MUSIC IN VOICE PERFORMANCE, THEN WENT ON TO EARN AN M.A. ALSO IN VOICE PERFORMANCE FROM SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY. ONE OF THE MANY REASONS TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO: Woodside Prior y School Admissions Office 302 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028 www.PrioryCa.org OPEN HOUSE for Prospective Students and Families Wednesday, Nov. 17th, 2010 at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4th, 2010 at 10 a.m. For information and to R.S.V.P. contact Admissions at 650. 851. 8223 O B I T UA RY November 17, 2010 â– The Almanac â– 29 Serving Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, and Woodside for 44 years. Editor & Publisher Tom Gibboney Editorial Managing Editor Richard Hine News Editor Renee Batti Lifestyles Editor Jane Knoerle Senior Correspondents Marion Softky, Marjorie Mader Staff Writers David Boyce, Sandy Brundage Contributors Barbara Wood, Kate Daly, Katie Blankenberg Special Sections Editors Carol Blitzer, Sue Dremann Photographer Michelle Le Design & Production Design Director Raul Perez Designers Linda Atilano, Gary Vennarucci Advertising Vice President Sales & Marketing Walter Kupiec Display Advertising Sales Heather Hanye Real Estate Manager Neal Fine Real Estate and Advertising Coordinator Diane Martin Published every Wednesday at 3525 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Menlo Park, Ca 94025 Newsroom: (650) 854-2690 (ext. 213) Newsroom Fax: (650) 854-0677 Advertising: (650) 854-2626 Advertising Fax: (650) 854-3650 e-mail news and photos with captions to: firstname.lastname@example.com e-mail letters to: firstname.lastname@example.com The Almanac, established in September, 1965, is delivered each week to residents of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside and adjacent unincorporated areas of southern San Mateo County. The Almanac is qualified by decree of the Superior Court of San Mateo County to publish public notices of a governmental and legal nature, as stated in Decree No. 147530, issued November 9, 1969. Subscriptions are $60 for one year and $100 for two years. ■ what's your view? All views must include a home address and contact phone number. Published letters will also appear on the web site, www.TheAlmanacOnline.com, and occasionally on the Town Square forum. Town Square forum POST your views on the Town Square forum at www.TheAlmanacOnline.com Email your views to: email@example.com and note this it is a letter to the editor in the subject line. Mail or deliver to: Editor at the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025. Call t he Viewpoint desk at 854-2690, ext. 222. Ideas, thoughts and opinions about local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney. The difficult decision on BevMo T here are no doubt plenty of local residents and merchants who are disappointed that on a 3-2 vote the City Council approved a new Beverages and More (BevMo) store on El Camino Real last week. But clearly the three council members who voted in favor, Rich Cline, Andy Cohen and John Boyle, felt they had no basis for making the findings that having an additional liquor store was NOT a convenience to Menlo Park residents. The requirement is a vague and unhelpful legal standard, and it worked against those who wanted to put a lid on opening an additional liquor store in town. Now it will be up to Menlo Park shoppers to vote with their feet Ed itori al and support locally owned liquor The opinion of The Almanac establishments like Beltramo's, the company that helped gain wide public support for their contention that BevMo would be an unfair competitor. For its part, BevMo says its 9,000-square-foot store at the old Chili's location will provide jobs and only make life easier for the many Menlo Park customers who now shop at BevMo's Redwood City store. The company also agreed to a request by council member Heyward Robinson, who along with Kelly Fergusson voted against BevMo, to lock up its display of miniature "airplane" liquor bottles to keep them away from potential underage shoplifters. And the city will reconsider BevMo's use permit in two years, rather than the traditional three, a stipulation the company readily agreed to. There were good arguments against adding another liquor outlet to the 17 already doing business in Menlo Park, although whether one modest-sized BevMo will cause any of them to suffer greatly is far from certain. Costco and other nearby chain and big-box stores sell virtually the same merchandise as BevMo, and sometimes at even lower prices. Despite the proximity of such competitors, including the Redwood City BevMo, Menlo Park stores like Beltramo's, Draeger's and others have survived by providing superior quality, selection and extraordinary service. Some customers might trickle away to BevMo, but only if local businesses are complacent. Long-established merchants have a great selling advantage in Menlo Park, with its discriminating shoppers who often look for quality first, not price. Local stores have a compelling story to tell and should tell it again and again to their customers via the myriad information channels available today. Look back at the rebirth of Kepler's Books and Magazines in 2005 when Clark Kepler was ready to throw in the towel, and actually did for a few days. But the community refused to let it happen and now Kepler's is working hard to stave off competition from behemoths like Amazon and other major online retailers that often have an unfair advantage over local booksellers. Now Mr. Kepler is president of Hometown Peninsula, a group of businesses, including The Almanac, which is promoting a Shop Local campaign that points out why dollars spent in our community stay here, while those spent at big-box chains go back to the home office. When money circulates here, local jobs are created because merchants live and do business here. In small towns like Menlo Park, shoppers can get to know local store owners, who are eager to serve them and are uniquely able to provide the kind of personal service that is not available at a chain store. Menlo Park merchants can also avail themselves of a new ShopMenloPark.com website and directory that allows them to conduct all kinds of business online at virtually no cost. Similar sites are up and running in Palo Alto and Mountain View. All the sites are supported by Hometown Peninsula, the Chambers of Commerce, the three cities and Embarcadero Media, the Almanac's Palo Alto-based parent company. Using these and other channels, local merchants and BevMo can engage in healthy competition that will only be good for consumers. There was strong sentiment that another liquor store was the last thing Menlo Park needed. But the law imposes a great restraint (and legal risk) on city governments in these circumstances. The council majority cannot be faulted for being concerned about that risk, nor should BevMo be faulted for wanting to have a store in Menlo Park. l ett ers Our readers write Measure T tab: $80 per vote Editor: The recent election campaigns offer interesting food for thought about how much spending is necessary to win. If the report that Dave Bohannon spent $475,000 to support Measure T is accurate, his winning total of about 6,000 votes cost him almost $80 a vote. In contrast, the $141.6 million Meg Whitman spent amounted to only about $35 for each vote in her favor. Imagine what the outcome of the gubernatorial race might have been if Whitman had been willing to spend as much per vote as Bohannon. On the other hand, if Bohannon had limited his investment to the Whitman level, it would have yielded on a straight line extrapolation only about 2,700 votes and not have been enough to buy Measure T. James R. Madison Holly Avenue, Menlo Park 30 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010 Our Regional Heritage Jac Audiffred Collection This 1910 photo shows the just-completed, two-room Woodside School at 3195 Woodside Road. The school served the community into the 1960s, when it was taken down to make way for a new administration building and library. Something is terribly wrong Editor: The release of comparative math scores from students around the world is shocking. The U.S. ranks 31st in the world rankings and the picture is even worse in California. I guess we should get ready for more education bond measures with the implied message of "just a little more money and we will get it right." Wrong! The problem is in the home and in the schools. Maybe we should give grades for cell phones and electronic games. We as a community need to figure out that being able to add, subtract, multiply and divide without the aid of a calculator, and basic language skills are building blocks to successful lives. The educational system is obviously broken and we need to quit pouring more money into it. I see that recently we have deemed See letters, next page v i e w p o i n t l e t t er s Continued from previous page that the schools had to have huge theatrical arts facilities costing millions of dollars, at the same time that kids could not serve as cashiers without electronic cash registers to tell them how much change to give a customer for his or her ticket. Something is wrong with that, terribly wrong. Pat White Fremont Street, Menlo Park Striping may not improve bike safety at I-280 Editor: Will a bike lane or restriping improve safety on Alpine Road? I doubt it. In the past few years, I've seen modifications to the interchanges at Page Mill Road and Interstate 280, and Woodside Road and 280, but really see little if any change in the hazards presented to cyclists at those locations. Some restriping was done on Woodside Road after the 2005 death of Menlo Park teacher Michelle Mazzei, but westbound bicyclists still must negotiate through traffic, which is turning right onto 280 north, often with a blinding sun in their eyes. On Page Mill Road, westbound bicyclists must cross two lanes of high-speed traffic in order to access the bike lane, which runs between car lanes going under Interstate 280. This can be unnerving and very dangerous. I bicycled past the accident that took the life of Lauren Ward on Nov. 4. The truck that killed her was still there and was positioned straight in its lane. It was exactly where you'd expect it to be in approaching the southbound ramp to Interstate 280. Why I voted no on BevMo By Heyward Robinson O n Nov. 9, I voted against approving BevMo's request to open a liquor store in Menlo Park. I believe that another liquor store, even if it might provide added convenience for some, is not desirable and will result in an overall detriment to the city. I regret that I was not more articulate or persuasive in convincing a majority of the Guest City Council of this view. Opinion The BevMo permit was approved by the Planning Commission (and then appealed to the City Council) because BevMo wants to open a liquor store. City code wisely requires that liquor stores, gun shops, and massage parlors receive explicit approval to operate here. Any other type of retailer would not have been subject to review. The density of liquor stores in downtown Menlo Park also exceeds state regulations. Opening an additional liquor store in this area I don't know exactly where Lauren Ward was when she was struck, but safety dictates that she should have been well to the left of the truck. No amount of striping or addition of bike lanes is going to change the dangers presented in crossing over lanes at busy interchanges. As cyclists, it is our responsibility to negotiate these traffic situations in a manner that put us at least risk. This means paying extra attention to where auto traffic is and adjusting to it accordingly. There are times to take charge and take your right-of-way when you are sure you are being seen by drivers, and there are times to slow down and wait for traffic to clear around you before you proceed. Don Fabiano Watkins Avenue, Atherton requires an affirmative determination by the local governing body (the Planning Commission or City Council) that another store is desirable The process for approving the permit is to first decide if the proposed use would be desirable or have any potential detriments, and then to make a finding that a new liquor store is either "necessary" or provides greater "convenience." Unfortunately, the council spent little time debating this question and I believe came to an incorrect determination. For some of my colleagues, the choice was viewed as approving BevMo or leaving the space vacant. I believe there were other options. The landlord at the location of the proposed store (700 El Camino Real) charges some of the highest rents in downtown Menlo Park. Other retailers (non-liquor stores) have expressed interest in locating there but chose other locations, at least in part because of the rent. If the landlord was truly desperate to fill the vacancy, he could lower the rent. He has not I t's been approximately two years since the battle against high-speed rail began. Opponents have worked diligently to expose the rail authority's suspicious ridership Guest numbers and financial plans. Legal battles have been waged, Opinion some partially won, others dismissed or lost. Decision-makers in Washington, D.C., heard the rumble of discontent and sent the project to the Central Valley, and with it the jobs and the federal funding. In the waste pile left behind is Caltrain, our dependable link between San Francisco, San Jose and Gilroy. Every weekday, 40,000 commuters rely on this system. That's 40,000 fewer people in cars on our roads. On Nov. 3, Caltrain once again was there to carry an extra 30,000 baseball fans to and from San Francisco to celebrate the Giants winning the World Series. Without the improvements provided by high-speed rail, we are left with the problems that have plagued the neighbors along the A Heyward Robinson is a member of the Menlo Park City Council. Here's what they're saying on Town Square Below are posts from the Town Square the roads, and, in many cases, repforum on AlmanacNews.com/square. resents sole way to get to TownSquare work justpeople's because he owns property Visit AlmanacNews.com/square to join the conversation online. 'Friends' seek to avert Caltrain demise Posted by Morris Brown, a resident of the Menlo Park, Park Forest neighborhood. The Friends of CalTrain should not be supported, nor should a ballot measure to support CalTrain be supported, so long as CalTrain continues to support running the high-speed rail line along their corridor. Making it very simple, if you support CalTrain with their present alliance with the high-speed rail authority, you are supporting the high-speed rail project. Now that high-speed rail will not come Rail foes: Don't forget about Caltrain By Steve Schmidt done so, even though the property has been vacant for more than a year. The only tenant willing to pay the high rent is BevMo, whose presence will do little to enhance our quality of life. By approving this permit, we become complicit in the landlord's high-rent strategy, extending the life of a building that should be demolished, and putting upward pressure on other downtown rents. There is much talk about the uniqueness of Menlo Park. In bringing in BevMo, we diminish that uniqueness, becoming more like other communities so desperate for revenue that they leap at the first opportunity instead of thinking long-term. BevMo will likely want to remain at this location in perpetuity. Over the years, as the El Camino corridor transforms, BevMo, and the 700 El Camino building, will become more and more out of place. We can only hope that when BevMo's permit comes up for renewal in 10 years, a future City Council will say no, allowing the space to be filled with a retailer Menlo Park's residents truly desire, not just one willing to fill a high-rent space. tracks: loud diesel engines, blaring horns, and air pollution as well as the tragic deaths from grade-crossing accidents and suicides. While the Civil War was still being fought in 1865, the mainline between San Francisco and the Peninsula was completed on what is now Caltrain's right-of-way. Towns cropped up around the rail stations and invited the founding of Stanford University in 1885. After 145 years of operation, we might now be witnessing and sadly even participating in the demise of Caltrain. A group of Peninsula leaders have formed an organization, Friends of Caltrain, to address the need for a dedicated source of funding specifically for Caltrain operations. An anticipated annual operating deficit of up to $30 million is due to declining sales tax revenues, increasing operating expenses, and competing primary obligations of the agencies that provide the funding for Caltrain: San Francisco Muni, Samtrans and VTA. The vocal opponents to high-speed rail are now demanding that the Friends of Caltrain denounce, renounce and repudiate high-speed to the Bay Area anytime soon, if ever, CalTrain should wise up, dissolve their agreement with the rail authority, and get going on a new business model. Posted by WhoRUpeople, a resident of another community. Morris Brown's opinion that Caltrain should not be supported is one of the most self serving, shortsighted comments I've ever seen. Don't support a service that serves millions of people each year, keeps hundreds of thousands of cars off rail and any agreements that have been made between Caltrain and HSR. I am asking the anti-high-speed rail insurgents to stop their attacks and join us in saving Caltrain. I refuse to believe that these opponents have all along wanted Caltrain to curtail service or even stop running. A reliable source of Caltrain operating money as advocated by Friends of Caltrain is needed regardless of the fate of high-speed rail or its relationship with Caltrain. It is time for San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara County residents to stand up for the system that connects the region and enables us to live, work and enjoy life in this remarkable sprawl-free environment. Let's keep Caltrain rolling! Friends of Caltrain is planning a Summit on Jan. 29, 2011. Prominent elected officials, transit experts, and community advocates will be exploring all ideas for sustaining and improving Caltrain's service to the Peninsula and Silicon Valley. Stay tuned for details, time and place. A Steve Schmidt is a former mayor of Menlo Park who served on the Joint Powers Board, the organization that manages Caltrain. near the railroad track! I don't care how you feel about high-speed rail, we (all of us on the Peninsula and south) must support Caltrain. Who should be the next Menlo Park mayor? Posted by who knows?, a resident of the Menlo Park: Fair Oaks neighborhood. The next big City Council decision will be who will be the next mayor of Menlo Park. With two new council persons to be seated, under usual policy, neither should serve as mayor until they have had at least a year of experience. Current Mayor Rich Cline would also be eliminated as policy says a new mayor should not be the previous mayor. So that leaves members Andy Cohen and Kelly Fergusson. Ms. Fergusson is out actively looking to be elected. To me, she is out of touch with the community. Not only did she oppose Measure L, the pension reform, she wrote the arguments against it (by herself), and continues to push for union perks and salary increases. I don't think the voters of Menlo Park need her to be mayor again. Previous councils have gone against mayoral succession policy, which is not city code, but just an informal set of previous rules. Remember the Lee DuBoc, Mickie Winkler and Nicholas Jellins era, when in eight years Mr. Jellins managed to be mayor three times (very unfortunately). With newly elected members Kirsten Keith and Peter Ohtaki perhaps becoming a voting block, maybe they will want to violate policy and be appointed mayor immediately. You only need three votes. We shall see. November 17, 2010 ■ The Almanac ■ 31 PRIVATE SUNNY OASIS in the HEART of ATHERTON • Desirable one-acre property in the heart of Atherton • Lush, beautifully landscaped grounds with tall trees • Sparkling pool, spa, and entertainment terrace • 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms • Detached studio • 3-car detached garage + 1-car garage Offered at $4,250,000 Scott Dancer 650.529.2454 scottdancer.com DRE# 00868362 2969 Woodside Road, Woodside, CA 94062 Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. represented by Scott Dancer 32 ■ The Almanac ■ November 17, 2010