see page 8 - almanac · 2007-06-27 · jeep wrangler with black roll bars leaned forward and yelled...

TH E H O M E TOW N N E WS PA P E R F O R M E N LO PA R K , ATH E RTO N , P O RTO L A VA L L E Y A N D WOO DS I D E

J U N E 2 7 , 2 0 0 7 | VO L . 4 2 N O. 4 3 w w w. A l m a n a c N e w s . c o m

LAST MENLO PARK auto dealershipwill close June 30. See Page 8

2007YOU DECIDE.

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Dr. Burt Brent builds new ears for children with deformities, and sculpts animals for public places and private collections.

2

2 ■ The Almanac ■ June 27, 2007

a p r . c o m

R ED EF I N I NG QUA L I T Y S I N C E 19 9 0R e a d in g b e t w e e n t h e e m o t i o n a l l i n e m a ke s t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n f in d in g a h o u s e a n d a h o m e .

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APR COUNTIES | Santa Clara | San Mateo | San Francisco | Alameda | Contra Costa | Monterey | Santa Cruz

The Almanac/Veronica Weber

No horses were harmedIf a horse trailer overturns, Woodsiders will be ready for it. At left, Debra Fox, an instructor with the Large Animal Rescue Company, surveys the scene with Capt. Jim Frey of Woodside Fire Protection District and Bob Hall of the San Mateo County Mounted Patrol after a life-sized plastic horse was successfully “rescued.” The training event, held June 20-21 at the Patrol grounds in Woodside, was sponsored by CERPP, the citizens’ emergency preparation organization for Woodside fire district residents.

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This week’s news, features and community events.

For Classified ads, call 854-0858For all other calls, phone 854-2626News: Ext. 213Display advertising: Ext. 233Fax: 854-0677

■ E-mail news to (no photos please): [email protected]■ E-mail news photos with captions to: [email protected]■ E-mail letters to the editor to: [email protected]

THE ALMANAC (ISSN 1097-3095 and USPS 459370) is published every Wednesday by Embarcadero Publishing Co., 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025-4455. 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. Voluntary subscriptions for $30 per year or $50 per 2 years are welcome from residents of the above circulation area. Subscription rates for businesses and for residents of other communities is $50 per year and $80 for two years. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Almanac, P.O. Box 7008, Menlo Park, CA 94026-7008. Copyright ©2006 by Embarcadero Publishing Co., All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Also InsideCalendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20, 21Police Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

On the coverDr. Burt Brent of Portola Valley created this abstract inner ear, reflecting his career creating new ears for 1,800 children with ear defects. “It’s my Henry Moore,” he says. Almanac photo by Veronica Weber. See Page 12 for story and more pictures.

The Almanac offices are at 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

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FIRST SHOT

C A L L I N G O N T H E A L M A N AC

Atherton■ Town drops case against homeowners on issue of exceeding house-size limit. Page 5■ Town yields on fire safety issues. Page 7■ Council OKs higher building fees, lower reserves in new budget. Page 18

Menlo Park■ Last auto dealership to close in Menlo Park. Page 8■ Council names new city manager. Page 5

Community■ What’s the future for libraries? Cafes, teen zones, “community living rooms,” county library director says. Cover, Section 2■ July Fourth offers many ways to celebrate locally. Page 27

Sports■ Little League: Brix faces Homefield in July Fourth showdown. Page 27■ Roller hockey: M-A High’s team wins title. Page 8

June 27, 2007 ■ The Almanac ■ 3


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Green elephant stampede in Atherton A conservative conserva-tionist is not an oxymoron, says Atherton Councilman Charles Marsala. He’s host-ing a cocktail party for pro-environmental Repub-licans at his house on June 29 at 7 p.m. The guest of honor is Martha Marks, president of Republicans for Environmental Protection, who maintains, “Nothing is more conservative than conservation.” To attend the free event, RSVP to [email protected].

In Ladera, strange days indeed On three consecutive days, the San Mateo County Sher-iff’s Office received three calls about unusual inci-dents, all in the 3000 block of Alpine Road in Ladera. On June 12, Sheriff ’s deputies said that a man was seen on a Bianchini’s Market surveillance cam-era leaving with a basket of items he had not purchased. Two days later, the same man was sighted three more times in the store; he finally left after realizing that he was being watched by store employees. Deputies are searching for the alleged burglar. Deputies received another call on June 13 when a man driving west on Alpine Road reported that a pas-senger in an adjacent red Jeep Wrangler with black roll bars leaned forward and yelled at him. The man told deputies that he wanted the incident documented in case it happens again. Finally, on June 14 some-body burglarized the Lade-ra Oaks Swimming and Tennis Club after entering through an unlocked door. Deputies report that $25 in quarters was stolen from a ping-pong ball vending machine. A locked glass ice cream freezer was also forced open. Several ice cream bars were apparently taken out and thrown into a nearby garbage can. A load-ing cart was also pushed into the deep end of the club’s Olympic-size swim-ming pool.

Short Takes is edited by Andrea Gemmet

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

Short takes

Menlo Park names new city manager■ Glen Rojas, Chino city manager for 10 years, to start Aug. 2 at $204,000 a year.

By Rory BrownAlmanac Staff Writer

Glen Rojas, the city man-ager of Chino, a town of 76,000 residents just

south of Pomona, will be Menlo Park’s new city manager, May-or Kelly Fergusson announced Monday. Mr. Rojas, 56, has been the city manager of Chino for 10 years — a level of experience that impressed City Council members, who picked him from a pool of 21 candidates. Mr. Rojas will start Aug. 2, at a salary of $204,000 a year — a 25 percent increase over the $163,233 a year former man-ager David Boesch was making before leaving Feb. 20 to become assistant manager of San Mateo

County. Mr. Rojas is eligible for a home loan from the city of up to $1.1 million at a 5 percent interest rate if he resides within city limits, said Personnel Director Glen Kramer. The City Council is expected to approve Mr. Rojas’ employ-ment agreement at a special meeting scheduled for June 27 at 5 p.m. in the council chambers at the Civic Center, between Laurel and Alma streets. “He’s very well qualified, and very experienced,” Mayor Fergusson said. “We’re very excited about bringing him to

our city.” She not-ed that the c o u n c i l unanimously picked Mr. Rojas from three finalists last week. Before being named city man-ager in Chino, Mr. Rojas had been part of the city’s executive management team for 17 years — as community services direc-tor from 1980 to 1996, and as deputy city manager for a brief stint from late 1996 to early 1997. “We have a young council and a lot of challenges ahead of us, and I think [Mr. Rojas], with his experience, will help drive

us through those challenges successfully,” said Councilman John Boyle. Mr. Rojas said he’s “always been attracted” to the climate, and “outdoors feel” of Northern California. Two of his three children live in the Bay Area — including a daughter who just moved to Menlo Park — so the job was “a good fit.” He said that minimal turnover in the city manager position over recent years made the job look “very appealing.” As city manager of Chino, Mr. Rojas said he and other city offi-cials headed a massive effort to revitalize the economy and the

Atherton drops case against homeownersBy Andrea GemmetAlmanac Staff Writer

Back in September 2004, Atherton officials approved plans for a large, two-story

house on Barry Lane — a house 5,666 square feet bigger than the maximum allowed for the lot. Thanks to a loophole in building regulations, the home’s entire sec-ond story wasn’t counted against the total. It was considered bonus attic space due to its wraparound, mansard-style roof. Construction got under way, the developer sold the house and then, when the house was nearly finished, Atherton officials changed their minds. In March, the town sent out an abatement notice, telling the owners to get rid of the excess square footage. Last week, facing a potential lawsuit, Atherton officials changed their minds again. On June 18, the Atherton City Council voted in closed session to drop the town’s abatement case against the builder, Creative Habi-tat, and owners Linda and Robert Thomas, said City Attorney Marc Hynes. “We’re thrilled... now,” said E.

David Marks, the attorney repre-senting the Thomases. “It’s taken everybody a lot of time and a lot of expense.” Barry Lane was one of several pending abatement cases in which the town is trying to compel own-ers to change — and possibly deconstruct — structures that were belatedly determined to violate town rules, even though they were built in compliance with permits granted by the Atherton Building Department. The council’s decision on June

18 gives the Barry Lane home a pass, but spells out that similar projects won’t be able to use the same loophole. In the future, the town will count any habitable area under a mansard or similar roof as part of the total allowable square footage, Mr. Hynes said. “Overall, we’re looking what at impact it had on the neigh-borhood and the community, whether the house looked too bulky or massive. The answer is, probably not. We hadn’t had any

complaints from the neighbors,” he said. “It’s not worth putting the homeowner through all that.” The Barry Lane house was flagged in the town’s audits examining the Atherton Building Department for possible impro-prieties that occurred during the 10-year tenure of former Building Official Mike Hood, who retired last year. However, Creative Habitat’s attorney Dan Siegel said docu-


Last Menlo Park auto dealership to close. Page 8

The Almanac/Veronica Weber

A mansard roof wraps around the second story of this house on Barry Lane. Atherton officials disputed whether the top floor counts as ìbonusî attic space or as a second floor that pushed the house 5,666 square feet over the maximum size allowed.

See BARRY, page 8

See MANAGER, page 8

Glen Rojas


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N E W S

For answers to any questions you may have on real estate, you may e-mail me at [email protected] or call 462-1111, Alain Pinel Realtors. I also offer a freemarket analysis of your property.

Rents in prime mid-Peninsula are up

Q: I have been trying to find a good rental in the prime mid-Peninsula areas, and I thought my price range was good (up to $5000 per month), but I can’t find anything in that price range that I would live in. Why is this and what can I do about it?

A: Rents have definitely risen sharply since the relatively low rates of 2001-2004. This is due to strong employment in this area, a tight housing market, demographic changes, and other factors. Not only is job growth up in this area, but some employers are even offering their employees cash incen-tives if they live within a certain distance of the corporate office. This allows them to pay more in rent and thus makes prices rise.

The so-called “move-down group”, baby

boomers whose children have grown and who want to sell their large family home yet stay in the area, have pushed up prices for both rentals and purchases in the most desirable downtown settings. Many of them are only renting temporarily but they compete with some younger buyers who have high incomes and incentives. All of them appreciate living near good restaurants and convenient shopping.

It was inevitable that rents would increase substantially after being subdued five years ago. There is a relationship between home prices and rental values and with home prices rising in a tight market, rents needed to rise too. You may need to compromise on your criteria in order to find a good rental in a prime area.

REAL ESTATE Q&Aby Monica Corman

w w w . A l m a n a c N e w s . c o m

Y O U R S O U R C E F O R L O C A L I N F O R M A T I O N

Atherton yields on fire safety issues

By Andrea GemmetAlmanac Staff Writer

It looks as if Atherton and Menlo Park Fire Protection District officials are finally

seeing eye to eye. The Atherton City Council unanimously approved a package of new regulations governing fire safety, including stiffer require-ments for fire suppression sprin-klers, at its June 20 meeting. When a critical San Mateo County Grand Jury interim report, released in February, alleged that the town might have failed to properly check construction proj-ects for fire safety, Atherton offi-cials went on the offensive. While they still contend that the interim report got it wrong, they do agree that the town needs to work more closely with the fire district. That coopera-tive spirit was clearly in evidence at the meeting. In 2003, Atherton enacted a fire suppression sprinkler ordinance, requiring new struc-tures bigger than 2,500 square feet, and new basements of 250 square feet or more, to install sprinkler systems. To the fire district’s displea-sure, the council made remod-

eling projects exempt from the sprinkler requirements. That’s now going to change. Remodeling projects that alter 50 percent or more of a structure that’s bigger than 2,500 square feet must install sprinklers. New basements smaller than 250 square feet will require sprin-klers; new basements larger than that will trigger a require-ment for the whole house to have sprinklers installed. Atherton also softened its stance on a grand jury recom-mendation that fire district inspectors should review all of the town’s active building per-mits to address fire safety issues. As a compromise, the council authorized fire inspectors to conduct an advisory review of open permits for significant projects, such as new homes that pre-dated the sprinkler ordinance and major remodel-ing projects. (Open permits are for projects currently under construction.) The fire district already has reviewed all of the new homes under construction that got permits after the sprinkler ordi-nance took effect, said Building Official Mike Wasmann.

While Atherton’s building department reviews plans for fire safety within the structure, the fire district will review the plans for access and water f low. Firefighters are concerned that access to some properties may be too narrow for fire engines, and that some fire hydrants may not have adequate water pressure for firefighting, when the size of the house is taken into account. “Access is a huge issue for us, because if we can’t get there, we can’t put it out,” said Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman. California Water Service Co. officials have said that the water system in Atherton was designed for smaller houses than what are currently being built. In some areas, the amount of water flow from hydrants is insufficient for firefighting, according to cur-rent standards. Going forward, the council decided to formally delegate responsibility to the fire district for reviewing building plans for access and water f low. Under the new procedure, Atherton won’t issue building permits until it receives an approval let-ter from the fire district. A

■ Council OK’s tougher sprinkler rules, building plan review by fire district

Later, Adios, Sayonara.

Caltrain drops Atherton shuttleBy Andrea GemmetAlmanac Staff Writer

If Atherton Councilman Jim Janz had taken a new job in San Francisco a couple of years ago,

he could have hopped on a train at the town’s historic station. But because he got the job a month ago, it’s been pretty hard for Mr. Janz to commute by train. Atherton has been without weekday train service since a “one-year service suspension” began in August 2005. As a concession to outraged Athertonians, the San Mateo County Transit Authority fund-ed a morning and evening shut-tle service to ferry passengers from Atherton to the Redwood City train station. Now the shuttle service is coming to an end, as of July 1. Atherton’s shuttle service is ending because so few peo-ple are using it, said Caltrain spokesman Jonah Weinberg. The shuttle service averaged 11 riders a day last month, said Atherton resident Jack Ring-ham, a member of the town’s Rail Committee. Typical ridership was between

two and four people a day, and the highest ever was 17 people, Mr. Weinberg said. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a similar shuttle from Burlingame’s Broadway station is proving so popular, it’s actu-ally going to being augmented with money shifted from Ather-ton’s shuttle funding, he said. The Atherton shuttle service cost approximately $275,000 a year, he said. Mr. Janz, a tireless advocate for restoring and improving train service to Atherton, said he’ll continue to use the shuttle service until it ends. He said he looks forward to catching the train at Atherton’s sta-tion, someday, when service is restored. “I’m going to keep trying to use the train as much as I can this month,” Mr. Janz said. “Next month, when the shuttle is not there, I guess I’ll try (driv-ing to) Redwood City.” There’s no point in driving to the Menlo Park train station instead, he said. “Even though Redwood City’s

See CALTRAIN, page 9


N E W S

look and feel of the city, drawing a community college to the area, luring new sales-tax generating businesses, and planning new parks and residential communi-ties. He said he’s looking forward to working with the community to revitalize downtown Menlo

Park and properties along El Camino Real. “One person can’t change a downtown — it’s going to take a lot of teamwork,” Mr. Rojas said, noting that land-use deci-sions are usually accompanied by thorough, and sometimes contentious, debate. Mr. Rojas said he’s supported green building techniques in city facilities during his tenure

in Chino, and hopes to support the push by Menlo Park resi-dents to address global warming at the local level. A

ments show that over the past 14 years at least four other houses in Atherton with mansard roofs were built using the same calculation that counts the second floor as bonus attic space. “We submitted documents to the own showing there was no special treatment. It was in accordance with practices going back to the early 90s,” said Mr. Siegel. Mr. Hynes said he couldn’t com-ment any further on why the City

Council changed its position, and said that the fate of the town’s other abatement actions would be “on a case-by-case basis.” Mr. Marks said that after months of delays and frustration, the Thomases are just excited to be able to move into their new house. “It was a closed session, so we don’t know what happened. We’re just happy the City Council agreed that the house was prop-erly permitted, and the code was applied as it had been for 13 or 14 years,” he said. A

BARRYcontinued from page 5

MANAGERcontinued from page 5

Roller hockey: M-A High’s team wins title

Chris King

Members of M-A High’s team, Franchise Hockey, celebrates championship win.

This story was posted in the Sports category of Town Square (wwww.AlmanacNews.com) by Perryn Rowland, a resident of Menlo Park and parent of two Franchise Hockey players. In a stunning upset of Gilroy, Franchise Hockey, the Menlo-Atherton High School roller hockey club team, won the league championship in the 4B Division at Rollin’ Ice in San Jose on Saturday, June 16. Franchise Hockey had to play three games on Saturday to capture the title. They beat Mitty B 8-0 in the first game,

downed Sobrato 5-1 in the second game, and beat No. 1 seed Gilroy 3-1 in the final. Goalie Mikey Stanzler was voted MVP. Asked to comment on the game, team captain Matt King said: “After the buzzer sound-ed, the team mobbed Stanzler in an emotional celebration. Clearly aware of how far the team had come from its 0-12 initial campaign, Franchise Hockey had swiftly and effec-tively reached the top once again.” Assistant captains are Sheraj

Ragoobeer and Myles Row-land. The team is coached by David King. Team members include: Matt King, Sheraj Ragoo-beer, Myles Rowland, Cam-eron Rowland, Mikey Stan-zler, Kris Anderson, Brian Reich, Chris Cornelius, Josh Capelle, Ray Cleverly and Robby Merk. Any Menlo-Atherton High School stu-dents interested in playing in the Fall should contact Matt King at [email protected]. Submitted by Perryn Rowland

Last auto dealership to close in Menlo Park■ Stanford Lincoln Mercury to shut doors June 30.


Menlo Park’s last auto deal-ership — Stanford Lin-coln Mercury at 444 El

Camino Real — will close on June 30, owner Robert Kopf has announced. It is the city’s fourth auto dealer-ship to close in the last two-and-a-half years, leaving another potential eyesore along El Camino Real. Other El Camino Real dealerships that have closed include University Ford, Cadillac Buick Pontiac GMC, and Anderson Chevrolet. Mr. Kopf, who has owned the dealership since it set up shop in 1976, said there has been a “gradual deterioration” of auto sales over the past several years, making it impos-sible to stay afloat. “We wanted to stay here ... but when you sell fewer cars, there’s less service business, and it doesn’t make sense to stay put,” Mr. Kopf said. He noted that he is in negotiations with Stanford, which owns the site, to break his lease. Mr. Kopf said he is not aware of any immediate plans by Stanford or the city to develop the site, and said

he is moving his service operations to the Ford dealership in Redwood City. With the closing of Stanford Lin-coln Mercury, the city will garner no sales tax revenue from auto sales, but that would change if General Motors’ plans to build an auto mall at the intersection of Willow Road and Bayfront Expressway go as planned. GM finalized the purchase of a 22-acre site from Tyco Electronics earlier this year, and GM spokes-people say they hope to sell GM brand cars on 8.5 acres of the site by late 2008 or early 2009. Other auto dealerships or retail uses would fill the remaining 13.5 acres. Under the auto mall proposal — which still needs environmental studies, traffic studies, and City Council approval — the city and GM would evenly split the city’s sales tax revenues generated from GM auto sales at the site. First-year revenues are estimated at $750,000 for the city. The split would last 15 years or until GM gets $10 million. The city would not share sales tax revenue with any non-GM dealership and other retailers. A

MP equestrienne to compete at national championship Kirstin Hill, 21, of Menlo Park has been chosen, along with four other women, to represent the Middle California region of the U.S. Pony Club at a national show-jumping competition July 24-27 in Lexington, Kentucky. Other team members are Anna Medina and Ashleigh Guich of Redwood City, Georgia Thomas of San Mateo, and Haley Dwight

of Palo Alto. Laura Mauck of Woodside will train the team at the Horse Park, the club’s main venue in Wood-side. Riders will be judged on the “boldness, scope, power, accu-racy, and control” of their sta-dium jumping prowess, as well the quality of their equine care, feeding, shoeing, and other horse

management skills, says spokes-person Lisa Krieger. The team will hold tack sales to raise money for their expenses, she says. For information on sponsoring them, contact Mary Spangler at 365-9352 or [email protected]. For informa-tion about the Portola Valley Pony Club, go to portola.pony-club.org.

The Menlo Park City Council will not hold meetings on June 26 and July 3. Regular meetings will resume July 10.

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Council cuts utility users tax,plans for higher revenues


After several years of plan-ning for deficits, the Men-lo Park City Council is

banking on the city’s financial situation to improve. The council on June 19 opted to cut the city’s utility tax rate to 1 percent and put aside funds to hire at least four new employees, including two traffic-enforce-ment police officers. Council members also decided it’s OK to increase spending 7.4 percent for the fiscal year that starts July 1 even though rev-enues are only projected by city staff to climb 3.7 percent. Council members’ reasoning behind the aggressive budget-ing: No matter how gloomy the forecast, the city has managed to cover its costs for the past 10 years, and with property tax rev-enues on the rise and sales tax revenues recovering, this fiscal year should be no different. The council voted 4-1, with Andy Cohen dissenting, to lower the utility tax, decreasing the rates that since April 1 have been set at the maximum level: 3.5 percent on utilities (water, gas, and electric bills) and 2.5 percent on communications (landline telephone, cell phone, cable TV and Internet bills). The 1 percent rates will go into effect Oct. 1. At the 1 percent rate, the tax is projected to add $1.24 million to the city’s coffers for the 2007-08 fiscal year, bringing projected revenues to about $34.9 million. Although the city is budgeted to spend about $35.9 million, council members said the city’s economic outlook is better than in recent years, and the tax isn’t needed at the highest rates. “I think it’s our responsibility to not rely on the pocketbooks

of the voters,” said Councilman Richard Cline. “We have a very healthy position right now for a city — it’s not dire.” Councilmen Cline and John Boyle pressed the council to set the rates at zero, but after Mayor Kelly Fergusson and Council-man Heyward Robinson said they weren’t willing to eliminate the tax, the council settled on 1 percent. Councilman Cohen said the council should leave the tax rate at the maximum level until it’s certain the city is financially sound, and suggested the other council members were more focused on pleasing residents than ensuring fiscal stability. Mr. Cline labeled Mr. Cohen’s comment “a garbage statement.”

Conservative projections Revenues have lagged in recent years, and with projected long-term deficits on the horizon, the city sold the utility tax last November to voters as a way to avoid cuts to vital city services. But Councilman Boyle has questioned the necessity of the tax, and pointed out that the city’s financial projections have been overly conservative. He noted that over the past 10 years, the city has ended each fiscal year with about $4 million more than was projected at the begin-ning of the year. The extra money has helped boost the city’s reserves to about $35 million. But Mayor Kelly Fergusson said a large reserve fund is a good thing for the city to have in case of a disaster, and noted the reserves are likely to dwindle this year — the city is expected to put $9.2 million from the reserves toward fund-ing employee health care costs, and another $1.3 million toward funding the construction of

the new Menlo-Atherton High School Performing Arts Center.

Funding projects Despite lowering the tax, coun-cil members supported adding employees to the city’s workforce, and tacking on a few additional expenses to the city’s budget. In addition to the two traffic-enforcement officers, the coun-cil approved funding for a trans-portation planner and a finance management analyst. Council members also earmarked funds to hire full-time employees or consultants to help in the areas of community outreach (get-ting more public involvement in council decisions), information technology support, and busi-ness development. The council also approved allo-cating $100,000 for “green initia-tives” recommended by the Green Ribbon Citizens Committee — a task force formed to address global warming at the local level. Among the initiatives are $80,000 to plant 100 new trees within city limits, and improving existing bicycle lanes and racks throughout the city. A

■ MENLO PARK

Auf Wiedersehen, Au Revoir, Peace Out.

■ Utility tax rate will be 1 percent starting Oct. 1

service is lousy, Menlo Park’s is even lousier,” he said. “Every morning train that stops in Menlo Park also stops in Red-wood City, and Redwood City is one (fare) zone closer to San Francisco, so it’s cheaper.” Mr. Janz said he’s not sur-prised that the shuttle service proved unpopular. While shut-tles departed Atherton every half-hour starting at 6 a.m.,

their arrival was poorly coor-dinated with Redwood City’s train schedule, he said. To catch a train to his San Francisco law firm, he has to wait about half an hour in Redwood City, he said. Even worse, it takes half the time to drive to work than it does to use transit, Mr. Janz said. “We all want to do the right thing for the environment and global warming, but the way mass transit is set up, it prevents that,” he said. A

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Halberstam driver facesmisdemeanor charges The driver of the car in which famed author and journalist David Halberstam was riding when he was killed April 23 in Menlo Park is being charged with misdemean-or vehicular manslaughter for running a red light before being broadsided by another vehicle, the San Mateo County district attorney announced June 21. Kevin Jones, 26, a UC Berkeley graduate student, was driving Mr. Halberstam, 73, from the East Bay to Mountain View when his car was involved in a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Bayfront Expressway (Highway 84) and Willow Road. The car, which was traveling west on the Bayfront Expressway and turning left at Willow, was broadsided, and Mr. Halberstam, riding in the front passenger

seat, died at the scene. “After a review of the investiga-tion conducted by the Menlo Park Police Department, it has been determined that the facts and circumstances surrounding the fatal automobile collision warrant the filing of the charge of vehicu-lar manslaughter without gross negligence against Kevin Jones,” District Attorney James P. Fox said in a news release. Stephen Wagstaffe, chief dep-uty district attorney, said Mr. Jones turned against a red light. The decision to charge him with manslaughter “without gross negligence” was made because there were “no drugs, no alco-hol, no speeding” involved, Mr. Wagstaffe said. Mr. Jones’ arraignment is set for July 11.


Anyone who has taken children — or been a child — at the San Fran-cisco Zoo lately has likely delighted

in watching kids scrambling up and skidding off of the snoozing bronze hippo between the hippopotamus and lion enclosures. Or climbing the brigade of 5-foot-high bronze geese guarding the entrance to the Children’s Zoo. Few of these people know the story behind “Heavy Weight” and “Barnyard Watchdogs,” or the artist who created them. Sculpting large and small animals in bronze, stainless steel and other media is actually a sideline for Dr. Burt Brent of Portola Valley. Dr. Brent, a plastic surgeon with an office in Woodside, has built his career and an international reputation on creat-ing living ears for children born without ears or with deformed ears. He has pio-neered a technique for building new ears out of the kid’s own rib cartilage; the ears actually grow as the child grows. Over the last 30 years, Dr. Brent has provided real ears — and the dignity that goes with them — to more than 1,800 chil-

dren from all over the world. In 2005 he received the Clinician of the Year Award for lifetime achievement from the Ameri-can Association of Plastic Surgeons. Officially, Dr. Brent is an associate pro-fessor at the Stanford Medical Center. He does six to eight operations a week as a staff surgeon at El Camino Hospital in Moun-

tain View. The hospital — appropriately — features a large bronze statue of clasped hands by Dr. Brent at the entrance, and another hippo in the maternity wing. “I have a couple of careers. I really do,” says Dr. Brent cheerfully during an interview in the bright studio beside his Portola Valley home. “I hate to waste time to sleep.” Youthful, wiry and energetic, Dr. Brent pursues his careers and interests with passion. Not just art and medicine, but also music and nature. As an intern, he learned to play the banjo, and built one. With banjo great Earl Scruggs he wrote and illustrated “Earl Scruggs and the Five-Stringed Banjo.” It was published in 1968, with a new edition in 2003. “I’ve never met a banjo player who didn’t learn from our work,” Dr. Brent says. “How I ever found time to write it I’ll never know.” The Brents’ woodsy home, surrounded by a thicket of rhododendrons, shows Belinda Brent’s passion for the showy flowers. It is a stop on the national rhododendron tour, says Dr. Brent proudly. Ms. Brent is also a clinical psychologist and a competitive

Dr. Burt Brent createsDr. Burt Brent creates

Portola Valley plastic surgeon builds new ears for children with deformities, and sculpts animals for zoos, public places and private collections

This whimsical seal greets visitors at Dr. Burt Brent’s Woodside medical office.

COVER STORY

Dr. Burt Brent puts finishing touches on an elegant owl in his Portola Valley studio. For 20 years, the plastic surgeon has been sculpting animals that end up in zoos, public places and private collections.

Story by Marion Softky

Photos by Veronica

Weber


figure skater. They have no children. That doesn’t worry Dr. Brent. “I have 1,800 children,” he says. “I feel they are my children.”

Born an artist Dr. Brent must have genes for art, medicine and nature. “I came out of the womb doing art. I can never remember not doing it,” he says. As a kid, he got a healthy dose of all three. He grew up in Detroit, where his father, a doctor, had an office in the basement; he spent summers with his grandparents in the country. He adored his maternal grandfather, a cabinet maker who started painting at age 72; his grandfather was teaching him to build drawers, toys and animal cages by age 6. “We’re the same person,” he says. “I am an absolute clone of him.” Young Burt started collecting insects when he was 4. By 13, he apprenticed to a taxidermist, every weekend,

and made a hobby of finding road kill and fixing them up. And he still does; a couple of small, elegant, very real skunks are on display in his studio. “Taxidermy was a great foundation for my other sculptures,” Dr. Brent says. “In taxidermy, you’re doing a sculpture and draping a skin over it; in sculpture, you’re putting on an extra layer of clay.” Dr. Brent recalls announcing to his father that he wanted to be an artist when he grew up. “He said, ‘Son, art’s a hobby; do something useful like I do.’” These threads of early childhood pas-sions came together as Dr. Brent went to medical school in Chicago; he soon realized that reconstructive surgery combined his goals in medicine and art. “I love taking care of people,” he says. “I wanted to help people through my art. That’s why I went into plastic surgery.” In plastic surgery, Dr. Brent soon discovered the most difficult and most sculptural task was building an ear out of the patient’s own living tissue. “Only one man could do it, and he was retiring,” he says. Dr. Radford Tanzer became Dr. Brent’s friend and mentor, and passed along the techniques that Dr. Brent has perfected. He, in turn, has passed his methods on to other surgeons in places as far flung as Paris, France; Bogota, Colombia; and Malmo, Sweden. “With my art and love of children, it was a natural,” says Dr. Brent. “This is the only thing we do in plastic surgery that is truly sculpture.”

Ear all about it Dr. Brent does six to eight surgeries a week to repair microtia, the condition where babies are born with little or no outer ear. The condition occurs in one

out of 5,000 to 7,000 births, according to Dr. Brent’s Web site, earsurgery.com. In the three-stage operation, the surgeon first opens the chest of the child and removes cartilage from the rib cage. Then he sculpts the cartilage into an ear. Then he opens a slit by the ear and inserts the base of the new ear into a pocket under the skin. “It is like trying to place five pounds of plaster in a two-pound bag, but doing it with living tissue,” writes Dr. Brent on his Web site. “It (cartilage) has the con-sistency of thick fibrous carrot,” he adds. All this must be done in one surgical session. Thirty years and 1,800 kids ago, it took Dr. Brent six to eight hours. “Now I do the whole thing in a little over two hours, and the patient is out of the hospital the next morning.

Michael Noah’s life transformed by ears from Dr. Burt Brent

ears andanimals

The sculptured bronze ear shows the same artistry Dr. Brent uses to carve new ears out of living tissue for children born with deformed ears.

See EAR & ANIMALS, page 14

Dr. Brent showsformer patient Michael Noah, far left, and his father, Craig Noah, what his ear looked like six years ago, before he created two new ears for Michael, who is now 12.


“It’s called practice.” Over those years, Dr. Brent has gained a huge number of fans. Just a few weeks ago a girl from Hawaii he had operated on when she was 6, turned up in his office. She had just graduated from medical school. “That was nice,” he says. Dr. Brent doesn’t just do ears for children; about 10 percent of his work is rebuilding ears damaged in injuries or accidents. Some of his tales are really gory. He operated on a prosecuting attor-ney who was attacked in court by the defendant, who jumped out of the dock and bit off his ear — and spit it out. Even worse was the Texas cop who was attacked while stopping a suspect. This time the suspect not only bit off his ear, he swal-lowed it. “That was really disgusting,” says the surgeon. Dr. Brent has been widely recognized. He has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel, and NOVA. He has also published more than 60 professional papers and a two-volume, leather-bound book, “The Artistry of Reconstructive Surgery.” Now Dr. Brent is beginning to see the second generation of patients. People whose ears he fixed a generation ago bring in their children, with the same affliction. There is a 5 percent chance that someone with microtia will have a child with it, Dr. Brent notes. In a gesture towards nature, Dr. Brent gives each child he works on a gift member-ship to Nature Conservancy. “I want to get them off on the right foot to stewardship of the planet,” he says.

The inner ear An abstract-seeming sculpture of three loops and a spiral holds center stage in Dr.

Brent’s airy studio. It represents an inner ear. “It’s my Henry Moore,” he says, referring to the famous modern British sculptor. A stroll around Dr. Brent’s studio shows the range of his work since he became a seri-ous sculptor in traditional materials, such as bronze, stainless steel and marble, on top of his regular career as a surgical sculptor. Most are animals of various sizes and various materials. They tend to have whim-sical names. The pelican trying to swallow

two fish at once is called “The Glutton.” The nest of three tiny birds reach-ing up with open mouths is called “Feed Me.” There are also smaller versions of the “Barnyard Watchdogs” in the San Francisco Zoo, and the 7-foot-tall stain-less steel polar bear in the San Diego Zoo.

There’s also a model for a future sculpture of his wife, Belinda Brent, figure-skating. Dr. Brent started seriously producing animal sculptures about 20 years ago after he finished his major book on artistry in reconstructive surgery in 1987. “I was always interested in wildlife and art,” he says. “I decided the day the book came out I would start spending a day a week on non-bleeding sculptures.” Now his medical office is closed every Thursday so he can work in his studio. Dr. Brent’s animal sculptures in public places have probably earned him broader recognition than his surgery. He was elected to the exclusive Society of Animal Artists, and has received its Award of Excellence four times. His works are shown in galleries in Santa Fe and Lafayette. He donates his profits to the Nature Conservancy to help preserve nature and wildlife. What is he working on now? “I’m thinking of making a Glutton 7 feet tall,” Dr. Brent replies cheerfully. “I’m working on a little brown bear that kids can climb on. “It’s never-ending. There’s always some-thing cooking.” A

Thousands of childrenhave scrambled on these geese guarding the Children’s Zoo at the San Francisco Zoo. The plaque by the “Barnyard Watchdogs” reads: “Created and Donated by Dr. Burt Brent, surgeon and friend of children, sculptor and friend of animals.”

Photo by Dr. Burt Brent

EAR & ANIMALScontinued from page 13

COVER STORY

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Atherton is going to be spend-ing more than it brings in, according to budget projec-

tions for the next five years. The City Council approved a $9.9 million operating budget and a $3.3 million budget for capital improvement projects, such as road repairs, for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The vote was 5-0 at a special June 18 meeting. Atherton’s financial forecasts project a drop in the town’s general fund reserves from a current balance of about $8.2 million to $5.6 million by 2011. “We’re not in the banking business,” said Finance Direc-tor John Johns, adding that the town’s reserves are well above the minimum amount required. “Anything above (the minimum reserves) should be given back to the residents by spending it down. That’s the philosophy of this budget.” Built into the budget projec-tions are higher fees charged to builders. Building permit fees, in most cases, will be going up,

though a few will be decreasing. The building department is one of the few town departments that pay for themselves through the fees they charge. The last fee adjustment was in 2003. “This is to have a better build-ing department, to better serve the people doing the building in town, not to put money in our coffers,” said Councilwoman Kathy McKeithen. The higher fees are needed to help finance a new, $175,000 permit-tracking software system, and to hire a new permit techni-cian, among other things.

“If you didn’t adopt the fees, next year the (building department’s) net loss would be $400,000, which we feel is unsus-tainable,” said Mr. Johns. The council voted 3-2 to raise building fees, with Charles Mar-sala and Jim Janz opposed. The councilmen sought to eliminate the town’s fee for solar power installation projects, but were unable to sway their colleagues. The current fiscal year ending June 30 was more expensive than anticipated. A major bud-get-buster has been litigation — Atherton budgeted $38,000 for the 2006-07 fiscal year, but ended up spending $280,000 for litigation services. A

■ ATHERTON

PV budget hearing set for Wednesday A public hearing on Portola Valley’s $16.2 million budget for the next 12 months is set for Wednesday, June 27, at the meeting of the Town Council, which begins at 8 p.m. in the Historic Schoolhouse. The agenda includes a presen-tation by Stanford University

on its offer to upgrade a trail along Alpine Road, and possible council approval of a $2 million gift from Germany-based Hasso Plattner Foundation toward a new community hall. The agreement has 11 stipulations, including a ban on commercial use of the hall.

Council OKs higher building fees, lower reserves in ’07-08 budget

By David BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

Ahigh-speed chase — that at one point involved a masked man with a gun standing in a

car’s open sunroof and shooting at a van — concluded in Menlo Park the night of June 18 when the van clipped a pickup truck and tipped it onto the sidewalk near the corner of Willow Road and O’Brien Drive, authorities reported. A Menlo Park man in the pickup truck escaped injury, police said. Witnesses reported a green car chasing the van on Alberni Street in East Palo Alto, where the gunfire reportedly occurred, said Lt. Tom Alipio of the East Palo Alto Police Department. The chase broke into the east-bound lane of Willow Road from Alberni, which is one block west of O’Brien Drive, where the pickup truck was tipped over, Lt. Alipio said. Menlo Park police found the van parked in the 1300 block of Madera Avenue and arrested Billy Ray Pratt, 27, of Menlo Park, who had been driving the van and was found walking nearby, said Nicole Acker, spokeswoman for the Menlo Park

Police Department. Mr. Pratt was charged with hit-and-run and booked into San Mateo County jail. There were no injuries, police said. Police found no bullet holes in the van, Ms. Acker said. Menlo Park police would not release the name of the driver of the pickup. East Palo Alto police are investigating the shooting. A


N E W S

Then, farmers from Hidden Villa’s Los Altos Hills Community Supported Agriculture Program will be presenting information about their small-scale, organic, biodiverse, direct market farm. Nutrition Dimensions will have a table of organic foods.

JULY 29 Sunday, July 29

11:30 a.m. Children’s GO-GREEN Story Time

It doesn't have to be Earth Day for you to celebrate Mother Nature. The picture books selected for this story time reflect unique visions, teaching respect for living things and our role in taking care of our planet. Books include: Uno's Garden by Graeme Base; Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel; The Flower by John Light; and, To Everything by Bob Barner.

For August events go to www.keplers.com

At the end of the evening, the Sierra Club Cool Cities campaign group will talk briefly about their national effort to implement greenhouse gas emission standards and how the community can help out locally.

JULY 18Wednesday, July 184:00 - 7:00 p.m. Youth in Nature at Arastradero Preserve

Join local high school students and representatives from Acterra at the Arastradero Preserve Gateway Center for an interactive, hands-on event highlighting their stewardship project, hands-on planting station and new nature center.

Please RSVP to [email protected] for this event, as space is limited.

JULY 26 Thursday, July 26 8:00 p.m. Organic Foods Jessica Prentice Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection

The book Full Moon Feast invites us to a table brimming with locally grown foods, radical wisdom, and communal nourishment. In Full Moon Feast,accomplished chef and passionate food activist Jessica Prentice champions locally grown, humanely raised, nutrient-rich foods and traditional cooking methods.

JULY 4 Wednesday, July 4 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Independence from Oil Green Transportation - Burgess Park City of Menlo Park’s Independence Day Celebration

Kepler’s will sponsor a tent that will have information on green transportation and the independence from oil. Representatives will include Sherry Boschert, president and co-founder of the San Francisco Electric Vehicle Association and the author of Plug-In Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America. Participating organizations will provide information on bicycling; livable cities; transit; electric vehicles; and alternative fuels.

JULY 11 Wednesday, July 11 8:00 p.m. What Can I Do? Global Warming Essential Guide Sissel Waage Ignition: What You Can Do To Fight Global Warming and Spark a Movement

The book Ignition brings together some of the world's finest thinkers and advocates to jump start the ultimate green revolution. Including celebrated writers like Bill McKibben and renowned scholars like Gus Speth, as well as young activists, the authors draw on direct experience in grassroots organization, education, law, and social leadership.

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS:

1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025(650) 324-4321 www.keplers.com

MENLO PARKGreen

MPGRCC

Kepler’s launches GO-GREEN Summer Series in conjunction with local organizations.All events are free and located at Kepler’s unless otherwise noted.

ROGER LEIGH JOHNSTONE

JUNE 15, 1935 - JUNE 13, 2007

Our beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend passed away on June 13, 2007 at the age of 71.

Born in Los Angeles, CA, he attended Burlingame High School and the University of New Mexico where he received his Bachelor’s degree in teaching and a Master’s degree in Counseling. He was a resident of Menlo Park for over 40 years, and has been a long standing member of St. Bede’s Episcopal Church.

He taught at Borel Middle School in San Mateo for 36 years. He also served in the Army in the early 60’s. He was devoted to his family and enjoyed traveling, gardening and fixing just about anything!

He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Ginny; his daughter Deborah Tislau; his son Cameron Johnstone; grandchildren Evan and Noelle Tislau and Trevor, Dylan and Jake Johnstone; brother Parker Johnstone; sister Penelope Johnstone; and brother Randolph Johnstone.

A memorial service was held Tuesday, June 26th at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church. Interment to be at Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetery in Ontario, CA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either one of the following charitable foundations: Peninsula Open Space Trust, 222 High St., Palo Alto, CA 94301 or Students Rising Above, P. O. Box 29174, San Francisco, CA 94129.

P A I D O B I T U A R Y

High-speed chase involves gunfire, hit-and-run

This information is from the Atherton and Menlo Park police departments and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Under law, people charged with offenses are considered inno-cent until convicted.

MENLO PARK

Theft reports:

■ Gold BMX bicycle stolen, 500 block of Barron Street, June 15.

■ Construction materials stolen overnight from in front of building, Stuhlmuller Property Co. at 4055 Bohannon Drive, June 20.

■ Painting stolen from office, 200 block of Middlefield Road, June 20.

Residential burglary report: Win-dow screens removed but no entry made, 200 block of Hedge Road, June 17.

Auto burglary reports:

■ Window smashed and purse sto-len, Bayfront Park, June 18.

Commercial burglary reports:

■ Transient Ilyas Asim Abdulaziz, 30, arrested on charges of stealing alcohol, Draeger’s market at 1010 University Drive, June 15.

■ Alberto Gonzalez, 23, of East Palo Alto, arrested on charges of burglary and possession of stolen property, 900 Block of O’Brien Drive, June 20.

Fraud reports:

■ Best Buy charge account opened in resident’s name, Lorelei Lane, June 21.

■ Credit card fraud, 1500 block of San Antonio Street, June 21.

■ Fraud reported at the police sta-tion, June 21.

■ Possible embezzlement of a vehi-cle, 1000 Block of College Avenue, June 12.

■ POLICE CALLS


F O R T H E R E C O R D

When we set out to change the community,we started bychanging ourselves.

INTRODUCING THE NEW

SILICON VALLEY

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

www.siliconvalleycf.org

650.358.9369 | 408.278.2200

The counties of San Mateo and

Santa Clara have always stood for

imagination and innovation. So when

it came to dreaming up ways to better

serve the region, we imagined a

new way forward for ourselves.

This January, the new Silicon Valley

Community Foundation opens its

doors, following the merger of

Peninsula Community Foundation

and Community Foundation Silicon

Valley. The new foundation combines

more than $1.5 billion in assets with

a priceless portfolio of expertise and

experience-in turn creating a catalyst

for change greater than the sum of

its parts. Imagine that.

The counties of San Mateo and

Santa Clara have always stood for

imagination and innovation. So when

it came to dreaming up ways to better

serve the region, we imagined a

new way forward for ourselves.

The new Silicon Valley Community

Foundation opened its doors in

January, following the merger of

Peninsula Community Foundation and

Community Foundation Silicon Valley.

The new foundation combines more

than $1.7 billion in assets with a

priceless portfolio of expertise and

experience – in turn creating a

catalyst for change greater than the

sum of its parts. Imagine that.

Judith Wright Moreing,multi-talented musician A memorial service will be held for musician Judy Wright More-ing at 1 p.m. Thursday July 12, at Peninsula Bible Church, 3505 Middlefield Road. An Atherton resident for more than 50 years, she died June 5 at the age of 86. Her wide-ranging musical tal-ents blossomed when she was a young girl in her hometown of Elwood, Indiana. In addition to excelling as a pianist, violinist and singer, she showed strong talents as a songwriter, her family said. Before she reached the age of 20, one of her songs was performed by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. After graduating from Indi-ana’s DePauw University in 1942, Judy Wright turned her musical talents into a professional singing career. She sang with the George Olson Band and then with the Henry King Orchestra, where she met her first husband, musician Bobby Borger. The couple toured across America along with the Henry King Orches-tra, performing in various musical hotspots. Eventually, the married couple split from the orchestra and formed a musical quartet called “The Three Punches and Judy.” She lost her husband to cancer soon after they married but was able to continue pursing her musical passions alone. She was featured on KNBC Radio in Los Angeles in 1945 with her own show, “Judy’s The Name.” Her personality and performances on the show earned her the name of “The Sweetheart of San Francisco,” her family said. In 1946 she married James Arthur

Moreing, who was her husband for 45 years. The couple moved to Atherton, where Ms. Moreing retired from her musical career in order to raise her five children. As she reached her 50th year, Ms. Moreing returned to her musical roots. She began compos-ing faith-based songs and com-piled them onto her first record. Although Ms. Moreing suffered from a serious stroke at the age of 51, she was able to make a signifi-cant recovery, ultimately resuming many of her previous activities. Her family recalls her radiating spirit and contagious laughter. Ms. Moreing is survived by her sons, James Moreing of Red-wood City and William More-ing of Moss Beach; daughters Annie Lapoint of Atherton and Mia Russell of Redwood City; and seven grandchildren. The family prefers memorials to be made to either ULBC Cas-abuilders at www.casabuilders.org or the Lucile Packard Foun-dation for Children’s Health at www.lpfch.org.

■ OBITUARY

Judith Wright toured across

America as a

vocalist with the

Henry King

Orchestra in the

1940s.

Peter Stephen BedrossianAttorney and Woodside Shackrider Peter Stephen Bedrossian, a member of the Woodside Shack-riders for 30 years, died June 12 at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City. He was 80. Mr. Bedrossian, a Redwood City resident and a director of the Cow Palace, was an attorney for Stauffer Chemical for 25 years, was president of Nitron Electronics for five years, and

was in private practice for 20 years, his family said. Mr. Bedrossian is survived by his daughters, Stephanie Hoteit of Red-wood City and Jennifer Shaver of Tiburon; son, Peter Bedrossian Jr. of New York; and 12 grandchildren. The family prefers donations to the Peter S. Bedrossian Schol-arship Fund at St. Johns Univer-sity School of Law.

■ OBITUARY

Three juveniles ransack Willows home Menlo Park police are looking for three young men who entered a home in the 300 block of Walnut Avenue in Willows area at about 6 p.m. on June 19, ransacked the place and escaped with a com-puter, police said. They entered the house through an unlocked kitchen door, police said. A gardener told the homeown-ers, who returned home about 10 minutes after the incident, that he had seen the suspects, described

as black male juveniles, with the homeowners’ bicycle and laptop computer. A suspect discarded the bike upon being observed. Police said the suspects, one wearing a red shirt and the other, a white shirt, were last seen running eastbound on Laurel Avenue. Police ask anyone with infor-mation about this incident to call the investigating officer at 330-6300 or the anonymous tip hotline at 330-6395.


F O R T H E R E C O R D

Midnight Magic and Wizardry!

Friday, July 20, 9:00 p.m.

Stroll through the Quidditch World Cup and take yourchances at Bludger batting!Join Hagrid (Walter the Giant)for mischief in the YouthDepartment. If you are ofa darker nature, loiter inthe Death Eater Enclave. If you have not yet acquired your Gringott's Bank Promissory notefor Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, callor go to Kepler's Books and Magic in haste.If you are spellbound at home, then just visitwww.keplers.com to purchase your note. Atthe stroke of Midnight, promissory notes canbe exchanged for the 7th and LAST HarryPotter book.

It’s our bookstore.Follow me to Kepler’s.

Kepler’s Celebrates Harry Potter:

Khaled HosseiniA Thousand Splendid SunsThursday, July 5, 7:00 p.m.Santa Clara Convention Center For reservations and more information, go to www.commonwealthclub.org/sv

Stephen L. CarterNew England WhiteSunday, July 8, 2:00 p.m.

Andrew FergusonLand of Lincoln: Adventuresin Abe’s AmericaTuesday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.

GO-GREEN Event: What CanI Do? Global WarmingEssential Guide Sissel WaageIgnition: What You Can Do toFight Global Warmingand Spark a MovementWednesday, July 11, 8:00 p.m.

Andrew KeenThe Cult of the Amateur: HowToday’s Internet IsKilling Our CultureMonday, July 16, 7:30p.m.

Don’t miss these other exciting author events!

Connoisseur’s Market – Kids’ Zone

Saturday and Sunday, July 21 – 22, from10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Downtown Menlo Park

In addition to the newlyreleased Harry Potter andthe Deathly Hallows, wewill be selling beautifullycrafted wands, suitable for students as well as more accomplished witches and wizards; brooms for both professionaland amateur Quidditch players, Quidditchgoggles, and other finely made products forHarry Potter fans.

Susan Casey, Kaui HartHemmings, Ellen Sussman,Joyce Maynard, Kate Moses, Michelle Richmond, ElizabethRosner, Lolly WinstonBad Girls: 26 Writers MisbehaveTuesday, July 17, at 7:30 p.m.

Robyn MeredithThe Elephant and the Dragon:The Rise of India and Chinaand What It Means for All of UsMonday, July 23, 7:30 p.m.

Kristin GoreSammy’s House: A NovelTuesday, July 24, 7:30 p.m.

GO-GREEN Event: OrganicFoods Jessica PrenticeFull Moon Feast: Food and theHunger for ConnectionThursday, July 26, 8:00 p.m.

Kim EngelmannRunning in Circles: How FalseSpirituality Traps Us inUnhealthy RelationshipsMonday, July 30, 7:30 p.m.

July 1 Story Time with Karen Beaumont Karen Beaumont’sstories are perfect for summer and days full of energy; theysurprisingly modern feel to characters we know and love.

July 8 Story Time with Erin Dealy Tired of the same oldMother Goose stories? Unique 50s’ retro illustrations lend asurprisingly modern feel to characters we know and love.

July 15 Magic Story Time Tales to fascinate and delightabound in a story time designed to bring charm to theyounger set.

July 22 Magic Story Time Tales to fascinate and delightabound in a story time designed to bring charm to theyounger set.

June 29 GO-GREEN Environmental Story Time The picturebooks selected for this story time reflect unique visions,teaching respect for living things and our role in taking careof our planet.

1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Parkwww.keplers.com

Kepler’s Story Time every Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

Joint Middle/High School Book Groupwill be discussing Harry Potter and theDeathly Hallowson Wednesday, July 25th, at 6:30 p.m.

Estelle Rita Hoffman, leading Atherton volunteer Longtime Atherton resident Estelle Rita Hoffman, a past president of the Peninsula Vol-unteers and Atherton Dames, died at her home June 21 after suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She was 85. She and her husband Arthur lived in the same Atherton home for 53 years. Born in Wellington, New Zealand, she led an “illustri-ous life,” family members said. After serving in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II, she went on to become a legal secretary, medical sec-retary, real estate agent and an owner of a small business. Among her other commu-nity accomplishments, she was a president of the Temple Beth Jacob Sisterhood and a member of the Holbrook-Palmer Park Foundation board.

Family members also remem-ber her as an avid bridge player and world traveler. Ms. Hoffman is survived by her husband, Arthur; four chil-dren, Dennis of South Dakota, Paul of Berkeley, Gregory of Eugene, Oregon, and Camille of Pacifica; three grandchil-dren; and seven great-grand-children. Funeral services were held at the Hills of Eternity Cem-etery Chapel in Colma with entombment in Portals of Eter-nity Mausoleum. Arrangements were by Sinai Memorial Chapel in Redwood City. The family prefers memorials to Peninsula Volunteers Little House, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025.

■ OBITUARY

Former Woodside residentcritically injured in tree fall Jack Paulin, a tree-trimmer and former resident of Woodside, was critically injured in Lake County on June 11 when he fell at least 30 feet from a tree he was trimming, said his brother Ted Paulin, a resident of Menlo Park. Jack Paulin, 50, who lived in Woodside about 30 years and moved to Lakeport in Lake County a few years ago, suffered further injuries when a ladder and the limb he was trimming fell on top of him, said a family friend, Tyler Salles. His injuries included a frac-tured pelvis, broken ribs and “severe damage” to his liver and one kidney, said his brother Ted. Mr. Paulin, who is married and has four children, was air-lifted by helicopter to a criti-

cal care unit in the Santa Rosa Memorial Hos-pital. Jack Paulin, Mr. Salles said, was known as a kind and gen-erous person. When the town of Woodside was moving what is now Independence Hall from Woodside Elementary School to its new address on Whiskey Hill Road, the building got stuck in trees, and Mr. Paulin volun-teered to trim them, Mr. Salles said. A benefit fund has been cre-ated for his family, Mr. Salles said. To contribute to the Ben-efit Fund for Jack Paulin Family, contact any Wells Fargo bank.

Supes hold budget hearings this week The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors is holding mara-thon hearings this week on a proposed budget of $1.65 billion for fiscal year 2007-08. The hearings started Monday with a presentation by County Manager John Maltbie. The board expects to adopt a pre-liminary budget Wednesday afternoon. The public may speak at the hearings in the Board Cham-bers, 400 County Center (cor-ner of Bradford and Hamilton streets) in Redwood City. The proposed budget, released May 25, has since been revised; it was increased by $2.9 million

and the number of recom-mended new positions has risen from 60 to 85, for a total of close to 5,800 employees. The recommended budget reflects a strong local econo-my. However, Mr. Maltbie has warned that expenditures are growing faster than revenues, and long-term adjustments will be needed. Final budget hearings are scheduled for Sept. 25. The recommended budget can be viewed at the county Web site — www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/budget — or at the county anager’s office, 400 County Center, in Redwood City.

Jack Paulin


Riding facing trafficsafer for cyclists?

Editor: In last week’s Almanac, Rich-ard Swent said that my idea to ride facing traffic vs. riding with traffic wouldn’t work because the problem is “not to get the bicyclist to see the cars” but rather “to get the drivers to see the bicyclist.” Mr. Swent missed the point entirely. The entire idea of riding facing traffic is to enable the bicyclist to see the cars coming at him or her so they won’t get mashed like bugs on the windshield by cars run-ning over them from the rear. A motorist can see a bicyclist no matter which way they are riding but at least a bicyclist has a chance to get out of the way if they can see the car is driving in the bike lane and may hit them. Riding against traffic would also discourage hoards of bicy-clists (who ride in the Valley all

Menlo Park City Council members need to make the following promise to their constituents: There won’t be any more

council meetings similar to what residents were put through last week. On June 19 the council held a seven-and-a-half-hour mara-thon meeting, dealing with complex issues such as revamping El Camino Real, adopting the city’s budget, setting the utility tax rate and getting an early glimpse at David Bohannon’s proposed hotel and office complex, which could drastically change east Menlo Park — all in one sitting. That’s too many issues, too many discussions and too many hours for one council meeting. Council members struggled to articulate their opinions on the city’s finances, and didn’t set the tax rate until after 11 p.m. — a full three hours after public comment on the issue. Discussion of Mr. Bohannon’s project, which includes plans for a 235-room hotel and multiple 125-foot-tall office build-ings near Marsh Road and U.S. 101, was pushed to 11:30 p.m. Although Mr. Bohannon and his team agreed to come back to the council on July 10 to allow more public input on the project, a proposal with such large land-use implications shouldn’t have been placed on a crowded agenda in the first place. The previous council majority of Lee Duboc, Nicholas Jellins and Mickie Winkler was heavily criticized by members of the public — and these editorial pages — for rushing the public process. The three council members infuriated residents because of how they handled some major decisions, including the priva-tization of the city’s aquatics center, and efforts to develop Bay-front Park and change the city’s home building guidelines.

Four council members have made a point of distinguishing themselves from the last council, but it looks as if the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction — rushed decisions, in some instances, have been replaced with inaction.

In the end, council members have to digest the input they get from the public, make a decision, and move on. It isn’t in the public’s best interests to make important decisions past 11 p.m. Here are some suggestions:

■ Mayor Kelly Fergusson, who sets the council meeting agen-das, needs to be more realistic in what the council can accom-plish in one night. Issues of major importance shouldn’t be clus-tered on one agenda.

■ Council members need to show restraint in their comments. They should fight for what they think is best for residents, but recognize when compromises need to be negotiated. They should also stay focused on the issue before them. Mayor Fer-gusson needs to be more vigilant in preventing council members from wandering off topic.

■ The council should adhere to long-standing (though often-ignored) policy: At 10:30 p.m., council members should review the agenda; they should decide what the council can realisti-cally address by 11:30 and determine what discussions should be postponed or rescheduled. Of course, Menlo Park isn’t alone when it comes to trying the public’s patience with marathon meetings. This month, the Atherton City Council’s meeting was scheduled to run from 7 p.m. to midnight, but didn’t finish until 1:30 a.m. The big difference between the two cities: Atherton meets once a month, and Menlo Park meets once a week.

Ideas, thoughts and opinions about local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney.

EDITORIALThe opinion of The Almanac

LETTERSOur readers write

Focus, make decisions, end marathon meetings

All views must include a home address and contact phone number. Published letters will also appear on the Almanac Web site, www.AlmanacNews.com, and occasionally on the Almanac’s Town Square forum.

TOWN SQUARE FORUMPOST your views on the Town Square forum at www.AlmanacNews.com

EMAIL your views to [email protected]. Indicate if it is a letter to be published.

MAIL or deliver to:Editor at the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

CALL the Viewpoint desk at 854-2626, ext. 222.

Editor & PublisherTom Gibboney

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Published every Wednesday at 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 854-2626 FAX (650) 854-0677

e-mail news (no photos please) to: [email protected] photos with captions to: [email protected] letters to:[email protected] 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 qualifi ed 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. Voluntary subscriptions are available for delivery to homes in Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside at $30 per year or $50 for 2 years. Subscriptions by businesses or residents outside the area are $50 for one year and $80 for two years.

Serving Menlo Park,

Atherton, Portola Valley,

and Woodside for 40 years.

■ WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?

See LETTERS, next page

Atherton Heritage Association

Our Regional HeritageThis Atherton home was owned by Joseph A. Donohoe II, who served as the third mayor of Atherton from 1932 to 1939. The home was located at the corner of Oak Grove Avenue and Middlefield Road, where Menlo-Atherton High School stands today.


V I E W P O I N T

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the time and totally close a lane) from riding out of the bike lane and just dare motorists to try and pass them until they are done with their “race.” If they are facing oncoming cars they will probably stay out of the road and in the bike lane or risk getting hit.

Ron WilsonBear Paw, Portola Valley

Cost-benefit analysisneeded for Dumbarton railEditor Thanks for your thorough and balanced coverage of the Dumbar-ton rail controversy. As a lifelong mass transit devotee I have a natural sympathy for the project. We have a long way to go to in this area to make up for mistakes made long ago, like the failure to have San Mateo County be part of the original BART design. But the Dumbarton project seems insane on its face: a hugely expensive ($600 million and up) heavy rail solution for a route that will attract light ridership at best. Who, exactly, is going to board a train in Union City or Newark in order to cross the bay to Redwood City and then turn south to San Jose (the destination for half of the trains)? The ridership projec-tions, with their air of scientific precision (3,650 daily riders by 2030!), seem fanciful. So what’s going on here? Mr. Lloyd’s article may provide a clue. He notes that he organized trips for “railroad buffs” on these lines in the 1950s, and his history of the line is detailed and interesting. He is, it seems, a railroad buff himself, but with a difference: He is on the governing bodies for SamTrans and Caltrain, and therefore gets to play out his railroad fantasies with taxpayer dollars. Sounds like it’s time for a more sober cost-benefit analysis.

Bill KellyPortola Valley

One-sided reportingon PV trail issue?Editor: Having attended the Portola Valley Town Council meeting on June 13, I was taken aback to read the one-sided reporting of the event in the June 20 paper. While there is definitely a place in the paper for opinions, it is on the editorial pages, not in news. Let’s start with the inflamma-tory headline “Council denies dog-walkers access to rural trails.” An equally accurate headline would have been “Council preserves town’s only nature preserve.” If the Almanac wishes to maintain any standing as a “news” paper

rather than a collection of opinion pieces, shouldn’t the headline have been free of bias in either direction — along the lines of “Council pre-serves the status quo” or “Nature preserve to remain off limits to dog walkers,” options stating the facts but free of words destined to evoke emotion? One crux of this debate is the question of whether Portola Val-ley should continue to offer an option for hikers who don’t care for dogs, or whether that exist-ing choice should be revoked. Reasonable residents will end up with opposing opinions, but none of us should be able to so easily discern which side your reporter favors.

Lise BuyerSandstone Street,

Portola Valley

Letter on global warming way off baseEditor: It is astonishing and disap-pointing that there are idle people available to write decep-tive letters to the editor such as the one penned by Ms. Braun in your May 2 edition. A very real and disturbing threat from human-induced climate change does exist, which I can attest to as a real live sci-entist with a PhD and 20 years of experience. Regarding her 17,000 “scientists” who dispute this, I don’t know one of them. And isn’t it odd that it’s exactly 17,000? What does the 17,001st think? I know what George Bush thinks ... well, at least what he said in 2001. “Climate change, with its potential to impact every corner of the world, is an issue that must be addressed by the world.” Hmmm ... another of those pesky liberals? And what about Dow Chemi-cal, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Alcoa, BP America, Caterpillar and Duke Energy, who have joined with the Envi-ronmental Defense Fund and 22 Fortune 500 companies to encourage lower industrial CO2 emissions? Are these some of those “corporation haters?” I guess none of the 17,000 scientists is a member of the American Institute of Physics, American Geophysical Union, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Amer-ican Society of Civil Engineers, American Meteorological Soci-ety, or the National Academy of Sciences, all of whom have

issued statements that climate change is (a) real, and (b) likely the result of human actions. I would also add that I have never gotten research fund-ing in climate change. I am, in fact, a water resources man-ager, charged with keeping Ms. Braun’s zinnia plants from wilt-ing, a soon-to-be more difficult job not helped by her foolish-ness. And, by the way, I hope she’s not giving anyone medical care. Aspirin is not a sedative.

Dr. Mark T. MurphyWoodside High School,

Class of 1971Albuquerque, NM

Avid cyclists are notroad pests — or roadkillEditor: Thank you for your excellent article highlighting the recent death and serious injuries suf-fered by cyclists riding the “Por-tola Valley Loop.” This type of story is becoming all too common in the area. The speed limits need to be reduced to 35mph on rural roads and enforced accordingly by San Mateo County sheriff deputies. Additionally, the district attor-ney’s office needs to file the most severe charges against motorists who make claims such as, “I didn’t see the bicycle until the last minute” and “I didn’t realize the cyclist’s speed.” These lame excuses (among many I’ve heard in my 30-plus years of cycling on the Peninsula) simply shouldn’t work into a motorist’s claim that it was an “accidental collision.” It’s negligent and unlawful. I’ve suffered the indignity of motorists, for no other reason than I’m “on their road,” who have pulled guns, thrown beer bottles, dumped garbage and tossed dirty diapers at me while (I’ve been) riding in the area. This mistreatment yields the conclusion that avid cyclists are considered road pests (sometimes roadkill) and second-class citi-zens. Most of us have cars and/or houses, too, which means we pay taxes for the roads we ride. We just have the extra privi-lege of further enjoying our wonderful Bay Area scenery up-close and firsthand. That is, until we end up in the hospital or morgue, like the two unlucky victims in the article. That is all.

Fritz KnochenhauerLos Altos

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see page 8 - almanac · 2007-06-27 · jeep wrangler with black roll bars leaned forward and yelled...

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