the almanac 03.07.2012 - section 1

W W W. T H E A L M A N AC O N L I N E . C O M

School aims to reduce pickup, drop-off traffic by 35 percent.Page 5

M A R C H 7 , 2 0 1 2 | VOL . 47 NO. 28

T H E H O M E T O W N N E W S P A P E R F O R M E N L O P A R K , A T H E R T O N , P O R T O L A V A L L E Y A N D W O O D S I D E

Big jump in recyclingWhat happens to all of your

recycled materials?Section 2

2 The Almanac March 7, 2012

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March 7, 2012 The Almanac 3

UPFRONT

By Marjorie MaderAlmanac Correspondent

Two student-athletes — Jenna Swartz of Menlo Park and Derek Hunter of Portola Val-

ley — are winners of the 2011 Chris Zider Scholarships. Each receives a $15,000 schol-arship that can be used for col-lege, private high school tuition, or for educated-related expenses, such as taking a summer course on a college campus, during the next six years. The winners and finalists rep-resent six high schools: Menlo-Atherton, Menlo School, Sacred Heart Prep, and Palo Alto, St. Francis and Woodside. Since 1993, when the Zider scholarship program was estab-lished, 27 students have received scholarships. The annual scholarships are giv-en in memory of Chris Zider, who grew up in Menlo Park and Portola Valley and was the oldest child of Bob and Cheryl Zider of Portola Valley. Chris died in a snowboard-ing accident at Lake Tahoe in 1992, when he was 15 and a sophomore at Woodside High School. He attended Menlo School his fresh-man year after graduating from the Portola Valley School District. Besides their many accomplish-ments in the classroom, on the playing fields, and in the com-munity, the students’ “love for their family comes across,” said his mother, Cheryl Zider.

The winners Jenna Swartz combines her inter-est in sports with community ser-vice projects. She was team captain of Menlo-Atherton’s junior varsity water polo team and received the “most inspirational player award”

as a freshman and “most valuable player” as a sophomore. A member of M-A’s Outreach Club, she tutors students at Willow Oaks Middle School and volun-teers for Project Backpack and the Holiday Family Gift Drive. She also serves on the Teen Advocacy Council that specializes in “My Red Shoes” a nonprofit organiza-tion that promotes awareness of homelessness. Derek Hunter of Portola Valley plays basketball and football at Sacred Heart Prep and received the “Hustle” award for basketball as a freshman and the “Offensive Player of the Year” for football as a sophomore. He works at the Riekes Center in Menlo Park helping others find their own talents. Derek loves music and plays the guitar and piano. He also has started his own T-shirt design business.

The finalists Ryan Blocker of Portola Valley plays varsity basketball at Wood-side High, club basketball, and

competes in track. He delivers sports equipment and supplies to children at the Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto during the holiday season. Austin Marcus of Hillsborough goes to Menlo School, where he plays varsity baseball and water polo. He enjoys robotics and came in second in the FTC robotics world championship. Domenic Andrighetto lives in Portola Valley and attends Saint Francis High School. He plays football and competes in track and field. He also volunteers for 2nd Mile and has been a camp counselor at Panthers Camp. Michael Strong lives in Palo Alto and attends Palo Alto High School. He plays basketball, baseball, and cross country. He enjoys volunteer-ing for “Stretch to Kindergarten” and has started working as an assis-tant coach of a Little League team. Samantha Bergeson lives in Portola Valley and attends Menlo School. She plays lacrosse, soft-ball, and volleyball. She is a member of the National Charity League and enjoys writing and photography. Samantha has been a camp counselor at the Ronald McDonald house and at the Palo Alto Art Center. Michaela Michael lives in Hills-borough and attends Menlo School. She plays varsity soccer and varsity lacrosse. She has volunteered at the Haven House and Fair Oaks, and teaches students at East Palo Alto Charter School to play lacrosse. Emma Thygesen of Menlo Park attends Menlo School. She plays varsity volleyball, varsity basketball, and is on a club volleyball team. Emma is on the student council and has led and planned community service trips to Taft Elementary School in Redwood City and to InnVision in Palo Alto. A

Chris Zider Scholarship winners and finalists are, from left: Domenic Andrighetto, Michaela Michael, Jenna Swartz (winner), Emma Thygesen, Samantha Bergeson, and Derek Hunter (winner). Finalists not pictured: Ryan Blocker, Austin Marcus and Michael Strong.

Photo by Bob Newell

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sequoiahospital.org

Zider scholarship winners named

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THE ALMANAC (ISSN 1097-3095 and USPS 459370) is published every Wednesday by Embarcadero Media, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025-6558. 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 ©2012 by Embarcadero Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

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

Tenth-graders now attending a pub-lic or private high school and living in Atherton, East Palo Alto, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Stanford or Woodside may apply for the two $15,000 Chris Zider Scholarships. Any sophomore who attends Menlo School or Wood-side High also is eligible. Preliminary applications are available now at the schools’ couseling offices or by contacting the Beta Group at (650) 233-8700 and must be postmarked by March 26. > Go to chrisziderscholarship.com for more information.

HOW TO APPLY

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By Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

Traffic counts should begin this month to assess the impact of Menlo School’s

“Go Menlo” program, launched at the beginning of the school year with a goal of reducing traffic by 35 percent through carpooling, busing, and other alternatives to getting to and from school. Atherton City Planner Neal Martin said reducing traffic on and around Valparaiso Avenue was a condition of the school’s use permit amendment to allow an enrollment increase of about 50 students. With Menlo School and nearby Sacred Heart Schools fronting Valparaiso, traffic in that area is typically a headache just before and after school. Menlo School spokeswoman Jill Kasser said the school is still in the process of collecting data to assess the program’s success so far, but some preliminary figures are promising. To encourage participation, the program includes incentives giving those who carpool, bike, walk, or use public transporta-tion “points that translate into

dollar donations to help local community service and envi-ronmental organizations,” Ms. Kasser said. The students choose the organizations. The tally as of early Febru-ary indicates significant par-ticipation: According to Ms. Kasser, the middle school earned $8,688, which it donated to the Peninsula Humane Society’s Wildlife Care Center; and the upper school raised $7,307 to give to Hidden Villa to fund science field trips for kids at Taft Elementary School in Redwood City. The school partnered with a Web-based transportation scheduling tool, Zimride, for the program, Ms. Kasser said. “With Menlo School’s private Zimride community, Menlo families can find carpooling partners, sign up for bus rides, and earn incentive points by tracking their efforts on the Commute Calendar,” she explained in an email. Although Zimride is used by Stanford and a number of local companies, Menlo School is its first independent school partner, according to Ms. Kasser. Head of School Norm Colb said in an email: “We are pleased

with the progress of the Go Menlo program to date. There’s more to come, and we are optimistic.” Mr. Colb said the program is deepening students’

awareness of the role they play in preserving the environment. Mr. Martin, the town planner, said Atherton officials will be paying close attention to the

program’s effectiveness. If traf-fic is substantially reduced, it might provide incentive for other area schools to adopt pro-grams of their own, he said. A


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

School aims to reduce traffic by 35 percent

Photo courtesy of Menlo School

A crossing guard assists students crossing Valparaiso Avenue on their way to Menlo School, which has launched a traffic-reduction program.

By Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

The Town Council in Woodside has agreed in principle to join a county-

wide initiative now in the works that would ban the flimsy “single-use” plastic bags at retail check-out counters. The council’s 5-2 vote on Feb. 27, with council-men Dave Burow and Tom Sha-nahan dissent-ing, adds support to the San Mateo County Board of Supervi-sors’ plans to craft an ordinance that, in addition to banning the bags, would require merchants to charge customers a small fee for a paper or durable reusable bag if they need one and haven’t

brought one of their own. A county ordinance may be on the books by January 2013, accord-ing to a Woodside staff report. The supervisors would ask the cities and towns to “by reference” adopt the same ordinance. A group effort matters because

ordinances in individual com-munities have been vulnerable to court challenges by deep-pocketed bag manufactur-

ers. This ordinance would be based on a county-funded envi-ronmental impact report, Dean Peterson, the director of the coun-ty’s Department of Environmental Health, told the council.

See PLASTIC BAGS, page 6

A county ordinance may be on the books

by January 2013

Atherton changes course on city manager hunt; Danielson exitsBy Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

Wimps need not apply. That’s one of the mes-sages Atherton City

Council members want to send to anyone thinking about tossing his or her hat in the ring for the city manager’s position. The council met in a special session on Feb. 28 to discuss the process of finding a permanent city manager, which the town has been without since October 2010. Council members approved budgeting up to $17,000 to hire a recruitment firm, abandoning their original plan to hire the recently resigned interim city manager, John Danielson, to conduct the search. Mr. Danielson and town offi-cials decided the town should switch course because of uncer-

tainty over whether Mr. D a n i e l s o n , a retired city manager, would be able to con-tinue receiving his pension if he continued working for Atherton. The town’s goal is to have a per-manent manager in place by May 16, although council members and Interim City Manager The-resa DellaSanta acknowledged that date is optimistic. The council also discussed what it wants in a city man-ager. Councilman Jerry Carlson listed three criteria he felt were most important. Number one: The new manager has to have “backbone enough to stand up to council members.” In summary, he said, he didn’t want a wimp in

the city manager’s office. Councilman Jim Dobbie agreed, saying that he wants “someone to tell me to go jump in the lake” if he gets out of line. Also, he said, it’s important that the new manager “be capable of dealing with the unions.” Although the town laid off 13 of its 16 general employees to outsource services last year, officials say it will look to more cuts in employee costs when it negotiates a new contract with police officers this year. Council members general-ly agreed with job qualifica-tions outlined in advertisements already published, including a strong financial background, municipal management expe-rience, and a commitment to efficiency of services.

See MANAGER, page 6

John Danielson

Woodside backs concept for banning plastic bags in San Mateo County

6 ■ The Almanac ■ March 7, 2012

N E W S

“So far, no one has sued (over an ordinance) with an EIR attached,” he said. In 2010, the state Legislature considered a similar regulation that the Assembly passed but the Senate rejected on a vote of 21-14. Eight Democrats voted against it and no Republicans voted for it. Locally, Mr. Peterson is set to speak to the Menlo Park City Council on March 13, county spokesperson Robyn Thaw said. There are no plans to contact Atherton as it has no retail, Ms. Thaw said. The Portola Valley council will be inviting Mr. Peterson to a March or April meeting, Brandi de Garmeaux, the town’s envi-ronmental programs coordinator, said in an email. The ban would not affect the more durable clear plastic bags

available for fresh produce. Cus-tomers would have to pay 10 cents for a paper or reusable bag at the checkout counter until Jan. 1, 2014, when it would rise to 25 cents. In an email explaining his dissent, Mr. Burow, the Wood-side councilman, noted that Roberts Market already credits customers 10 cents for their own bags, and that “most people” he knows bring their own bags. Incentives, not penalties, are the way to go, he said. Woodside town staff, after visit-ing Roberts, Buck’s of Woodside restaurant, The Village Pub and other retailers, came away with the sense that a ban would not be a surprise, Town Manager Kevin Bryant said. Deputy Town Engineer Eune-june “EJ” Kim added: “They seemed to be pretty good with it, that it was a good thing.” The California Grocers Associa-tion approves of the concept, Mr. Peterson said. A

Woodside agrees to concept for banning plastic bagsPLASTIC BAGS continued from page 5

Mayor Bill Widmer is expected to appoint an ad hoc committee of two council members to over-see the recruitment process soon.

Danielson’s exit When Mr. Danielson, the for-mer city manager of Elk Grove, was hired as interim city manager in January 2011 at a rate of $15,000 per month, one of his major tasks was to find his replacement. Because he was collecting a pension from the California Public Employ-ees Retirement System (CalP-ERS), his ten-ure in Ather-ton was lim-ited to working a maximum of 960 hour per fiscal year, not to exceed 12 months. If he worked beyond that period, he would forfeit his pension, according to state law. By the end of December, the process to find a permanent manager had yet to be started, but town officials believed CalP-ERS would approve an extension of the contract. By mid-January, however, the state agency ruled that Mr. Dan-ielson must resign or stop receiv-ing his pension. He resigned, effective Jan. 19. In late January, the council appointed Ms. DellaSanta, the town’s deputy clerk, to the interim city manager post, and approved

a contract that would pay Mr. Danielson $12,000 per month, for up to three months, to help find a permanent city manager, and to serve as an adviser to the new interim manager. But Mr. Danielson never signed the contract, preferring to wait for a ruling from CalPERS on whether he could continue working for the town and still receive his pension, Mayor Widmer said. So when CalPERS informed the town in late February that it may not decide for another two months, Mr. Daniel-son bowed out of the picture, the

mayor said. T h e council had allowed Mr. Danielson to remain in the town-owned house in Hol-brook-Palmer Park, which

traditionally houses the town’s city manager. But now that he’s not working for the town, “I’m going to give him a reasonable time to move out,” Ms. DellaSanta said. Ms. DellaSanta had never man-aged a city government before January, even as an assistant man-ager. But even though the person who was supposed to offer support if she needed it is no longer in the picture, Mayor Widmer expressed confidence that she will do just fine in her interim role. “I think she’s doing a great job,” he said. “She’s taking counsel from the city attorney” and staff mem-bers who manage individual departments, and “she’s extremely communicative,” he added. A

MANAGER continued from page 5

Councilman Jim Dobbie said he wants a manager

who will ‘tell me to go jump in the lake’

if necessary.

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By Jeff ShuttleworthBay City News Service

One of the three men who kidnapped a busload of Chowchilla schoolchil-

dren in 1976 and buried them in a quarry in Livermore could be released from prison as soon as May due to a state appellate court ruling last week. Scott Handleman, an attorney for 57-year-old Richard Schoen-feld, said Friday that he’s “pleased” the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled that Mr. Schoenfeld has completed his sentence for the crime, which received international head-lines, and must be “immediately released on parole,” unless the state files an appeal. The three kidnappers were from families in Atherton and Portola Valley. Mr. Schoenfeld and his brother James Schoenfeld were from Atherton, and Frederick Woods was from Portola Valley. Mr. Handleman said the court’s ruling on Feb. 28 will become final at the end of April so he hopes Richard Schoenfeld will be released in early May if the state Board of Parole Hearings doesn’t file an appeal. California Department of Cor-rections spokesman Luis Patino said the board “is analyzing the ruling and is working with its legal team to determine what steps they should take next.” Alameda County Deputy Dis-trict Attorney Jill Klinge, who has attended parole hearings in recent years for the three kidnappers, said she’s “disappointed” by the court’s ruling because she doesn’t think he’s suitable for parole. The Schoenfeld brothers and Mr. Woods were in their early- to

mid-20s when they ambushed a busload of school children July 15, 1976, from Dairyland Union School in Chowchilla, a small farm community about 35 miles northwest of Fresno in Madera County. The men left the bus camou-flaged in a creek bed and drove the children and bus driver, Ed Ray, to the California Rock and Gravel Quarry in Livermore. The kidnappers sealed their vic-tims in a large van that had been

buried in a cave at the quarry and fitted out to keep the children and driver hostage. The kidnappers then demand-ed a $5 million ransom for the return of the 26 children and the driver. The hostages escaped from the buried van more than 24 hours after they were first kidnapped when Mr. Ray and the two oldest children piled mattresses to the top of the van and forced their way out. The three men received life sentences after pleading guilty in Alameda County Superior Court in 1977 to 27 counts of kidnap-ping for ransom. In 1980, an appellate court decided they were eligible for parole, ruling that the victims didn’t suffer any bodily harm. A key sentencing issue is whether the victims had been kidnapped with bodily harm. Richard Schoenfeld was denied

parole more than 20 times, but in October 2008, a parole panel ruled that he was suitable for parole. However, the panel didn’t set a release date for him. In August 2009, a second panel decided against granting him parole, saying that a third panel should consider whether granting parole would be “improvident.” On April 5, 2011, the third panel held its hearing on the matter at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo, where all three kidnappers are being held, and it ruled that parole would be appro-priate for Richard Schoenfeld. But the panel said that based on its calculations, he shouldn’t be released until November 2021. However, the First District Court of Appeal ruled Feb. 28 that the parole panel “erred” because it violated its own rules and lacked authority to increase his sentence after finding him suitable for parole. Mr. Handleman, his attorney said he thinks the ruling means that Richard Schoenfeld has been “unjustly incarcerated” since he was found suitable for parole back in 2008. Mr. Schoenfeld “is clearly reha-bilitated and is no danger to soci-ety,” Mr. Handleman said. But in opposing parole at the hearing last April, Ms. Klinge, the deputy district attorney, said she doesn’t think he is eligible for parole, in part because of his par-ticipation in a scheme in which inmates falsified their prison work time cards in an effort to get more pay and another incident in which he used a computer with-out authorization. She also said she thinks he “has a propensity to be a follower.” Ms. Klinge said she also dis-agrees with the appellate court’s calculation about the proper length of his sentence. Mr. Woods and James Schoe-nfeld haven’t yet been found suitable for parole. A


N E W S

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.

My House, My Staging

Dear Gloria, we keep hear-ing about what a good market it is in the Bay area and we think we should put our house on very quickly so we don t miss it. We have done some touch-up painting and a little landscaping. In addition, we went with the realtors recommen-dation to have the house staged. I don’t like the way it looks at all and think my own things looked better. My realtor doesn’t want me to call the stagers back to do some changes. It’s my house – shouldn’t I be able to do what I want?

—Marlene T.Dear Marlene, Good for you for

doing the right things to prepare your property to show it in the best light. Even though it feels as if we are in a red hot market there are still stan-

dards that are fairly high in our mar-ket place. Almost every property is freshly painted, floors refinished and painting done as needed. Staging is a major part of this preparation. The staging is done in such a way as to appeal to the largest number of home buyers. The pieces should comple-ment the style of the home and be placed in such a way as to minimize any floor plan short comings. There is often a misunderstanding on the part of the home seller as to what the role of the stager is. The seller assumes, as you do, that the stager is their decora-tor and should stage according to the their tastes. The staging is done to ultimately bring the highest possible price for the home. It has been shown time after time, year after year to bring the highest return on investment.

REAL ESTATE Q&Aby Gloria Darke

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGAND

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGCITY OF MENLO PARK

PLANNING COMMISSIONMEETING OF MARCH 19, 2012

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Menlo Park, California, is scheduled to review the following items:

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS

Use Permit/Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club/2900 Sand Hill Road: Request for a use permit to allow Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club to conduct an annual Fourth of July celebra-tion. Activities would include, but are not limited to, a fireworks display, children’s carnival, and amplified music. The event hours would gener-ally be between 5 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on July 4th, with the fireworks display taking place around 9:30 p.m. The fireworks display launching site would be located on the driving range area between the 1st and 18th fairways and would last approximately 15-20 minutes. The pro-posed event would exceed the noise limits established under Section 8.06.030 of the Menlo Park Municipal Code.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that said Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on public hearing items in the Council Chambers of the City of Menlo Park, located at 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, on Monday, March 19, 2012, 7:00 p.m. or as near as possible thereafter, at which time and place interested persons may appear and be heard thereon. If you challenge this item 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 cor-respondence delivered to the City of Menlo Park at, or prior to, the public hearing.

The project file may be viewed by the public on weekdays between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, with alternate Fridays closed, at the Department of Community Development, 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park. Please call the Planning Division if there are any questions and/or for complete agenda information (650) 330-6702.

Si usted necesita más información sobre este proyecto, por favor llame al 650-330-6702, y pregunte por un asistente que hable español.

DATED: March 1, 2012 Deanna Chow, Senior PlannerPUBLISHED: March 7, 2012 Menlo Park Planning Commission

Visit our Web site for Planning Commission public hearing, agenda, and staff report information: www.menlopark.org

Chowchilla kidnapper may be released

The three kidnappers were from families in Atherton and Portola Valley.

State fines Menlo lab for fatal explosionBy Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

Membrane Technology & Research in Menlo Park faces seven cita-

tions and $55,850 in penalties as a result of a state investigation into the Sept. 2 laboratory explo-sion that killed a 56-year-old scientist. Adrian Martin reportedly was adding methane to a tank containing methane, nitrogen, helium and butane when the pressurized cylinder exploded, blowing the scientist 15 feet into an adjoining laboratory and killing him. A woman standing near the door of the lab was thrown clear and survived with

a damaged eardrum. The California Occupational Health and Safety Association (Cal-OSHA) inquiry found that pressure in the cylinder, which was rated for 300 psi, reached nearly triple that level. The attached pressure relief valve was set to vent only after pres-sure reached 3,360 psi, about 10 times as high as the cylinder could safely contain. The seven citations include six labeled as “serious.” One cites the lab for failing or neglecting to do everything reasonably necessary to protect the life and safety of its employees, in this case, not noting that the tank was only rated for 300 psi. Other citations penalize the

lab for not identifying hazards, lack of training, setting a pres-sure relief valve to the wrong level, storing other gases in tanks labeled for propane, and failing to check that all equip-ment was operated within safe parameters. All seven fines add up to $55,850. According to Cal-OSHA spokesperson Erika Monterro-za, the lab has 15 business days from Feb. 24, the date the cita-tions were issued, to appeal. She said the company is expected to contest the citations. Represen-tatives from Membrane Tech-nology, located at 1360 Willow Road, were not immediately

See EXPLOSION, page 9

By Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson, who represents San Mateo County District 4, is recover-

ing well from breast cancer surgery she underwent on Feb. 24, and is out on medical leave from her duties with the county, according to a spokeswoman from her office. The supervisor was diagnosed with stage-one cancer, and because it was caught so early, is “expect-ing a full recovery,” said Rebecca Irwin, a legislative aide. Because Supervisor Jacobs Gib-

son was unable to attend the Feb. 28 meet-ing, the Board of Supervisors postponed a vote originally scheduled for that meeting on whether to appoint a replacement for county Controller Tom Huening, who is retiring March 31, or to hold an election. “They delayed the vote until she got back, and we’re hoping that she will be back” by March 13, the

rescheduled date, Ms. Irwin said. But even if she attends that meet-ing, it’s likely she won’t be working a full schedule at that point, she added. Regarding the supervisor’s recov-ery, “she’s just really thankful that she caught it early,” and encour-ages women to get mammograms, Ms. Irwin said. Ms. Jacobs Gibson represents county residents of Menlo Park, Redwood City, East Palo Alto, and the unincorporated areas of North Fair Oaks and Oak Knoll. She will be termed out of office at the end of the year. A


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Woodside School seeks community input for its new strategic planBy Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

Woodside Elementary School consistently scores high in academic

testing, and has a curriculum rich in programs that many of the state’s school districts have had to jettison because of budget cuts. But there’s always room for improvement. Beginning this month, the one-school Woodside Elemen-tary School District will hold a series of meetings to gather ideas from parents, staff, students and members of the community about the direction they’d like to see the district go in. The first step for people inter-ested in participating is an online survey, available until March 12. “This is a quick survey with open-ended questions about your hopes and dreams for the future of the school,” according to a flier dis-tributed by the district. The survey and meetings are the lead-up to the creation of a five-year, comprehensive strategic plan for teaching and learning at the

K-8 school, said Superintendent Beth Polito, who also is the school’s principal. The survey can be taken by going to the district website, wood-side.k12.ca.us, by Monday, March 12. There are also copies available in the school office. On Friday, March 9, interested participants can drop by the district office dur-

ing student pickup and drop-off hours for coffee and a laptop on which to take the survey. Focus group meetings designed to encourage parents and the com-munity to share and brainstorm ideas are scheduled for Thursday, March 15, at 6:30 p.m.; and Friday, March 16, at 8:30 a.m. Both meet-ings are in the school’s Wildcat Room. Middle school students also will participate in a focus group, Super-

intendent Polito said. There will be “refinement” ses-sions at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26; and Friday, April 27, at 8:30 a.m. At these meetings, the district will present an overview of the survey findings, and gather more specific input on themes identified during the process to date, accord-ing to the flier.

Ms. Polito said the information and comments gathered throughout the pro-cess will help the school board and staff develop an effective strategic

plan to improve the school pro-gram over the next five years. To spearhead the process, the district has hired a consultant and formed a 10-member task force that includes Ms. Polito, school board members Rudy Driscoll and Kevin Johnson, teachers and parents. Questions and ideas regarding the process can be directed to the task force by emailing [email protected]. A

District wants to know: What are the community’s hopes and dreams for the

future of the school?

Rose Jacobs Gibson

Supervisor recovering from cancer surgery

Caltrans joins spraying moratoriumBy Barbara WoodSpecial to the Almanac

Residents of rural San Mateo County have one less thing to worry about this spring,

since the California Department of Transportation has joined the coun-ty in agreeing on a moratorium on all broadcast roadside spraying of herbicides along Highway 84/Woodside-La Honda Road until at least March 13. Ray Kwan, Caltrans roadside vegetation manager, said in an email that “no spraying will be done before March 13th” on Highway 84. “As of now,” he wrote, “no decision has been made whether to spray

after March 13th.” The decision comes after Caltrans sparked public ire in November when it broadcast sprayed herbicide along a 15-mile swath of Highway 84, despite protests from nearby residents and county and Bay Area officials who were worried that the herbicides could get into the local water supply. San Mateo County imposed a moratorium on spraying in July 2012, when supervisors Dave Pine and Don Horsley, the two members of the supervisors’ Environmental Quality Committee, asked for con-sultants to report on how to better manage roadside vegetation. The Vegetation Management

Report was presented in January to the environmental committee and will go to the full Board of Supervi-sors at its March 13 meeting. In the meantime, rural county residents have formed a group, Just Say Mow, which hopes to convince the county to mow roadside weeds instead of spraying them with her-bicides. Patty Mayall, a La Honda area resident who has led the fight against spraying, said the group is gathering signatures “to encourage the Board of Supervisors to end broadcast roadside spraying, and to mow the roads as they do now -- just once a year with the existing budget.”

The group is gathering signatures at www.change.org. In June 2010, the Board of Super-visors voted to try to reduce the use of pesticides (herbicides are considered a pesticide as the plants they kill are unwanted) by using integrated pest management tech-niques in all county operations. They cited concerns about water quality and the effects on wildlife, including some endangered spe-cies. Among the 315-miles of county-

maintained roads that were viewed and analyzed as part of the Veg-etation Management Report are many in the Almanac circulation area, including Alpine Road, Sand Hill Road, Whiskey Hill Road, La Honda Road, Old La Honda Road, Kings Mountain Road, Canada Road and Skyline Boulevard. Half of the county roads are cur-rently mowed only with no herbi-cide spraying; the other half are sprayed, with some sprayed and mowed. A

Grants enable seniors to recover at home Sequoia Hospital has given $100,000 in grants to four agen-cies in San Mateo County that collaborate in administering the Sequoia Hospital Homecoming Project, designed to bridge the gap between an older patient’s discharge from the hospital and that patient’s recovery. The four agencies are Penin-sula Volunteers Inc., Peninsula Family Service Inc., Samari-tan House and the San Mateo County Fall Prevention Task

Force. The goal is to help seniors leaving the hospital avoid going to a skilled nursing facility or being re-admitted to the hos-pital, according to the Feb. 6 announcement by Sequoia Hos-pital. In 2011, the program served 70 seniors, enabling them to recu-perate at home. Services pro-vided by Peninsula Volunteers include home-delivered meals (Meals on Wheels).

Spring Fling at Filoli

Photo courtesy Filoli

The Bubblesmith is a favorite among children at Filoli’s Spring Fling.

Visitors will get the rare chance to see three historic greenhouses containing plants that have been in Filoli’s collection since 1920 during the annual Spring Fling at the Woodside estate from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31. The family-focused event will feature live music groups, a magic show, puppet shows, the Bubble-smith (who creates giant bubbles), arts and crafts for children, and nature walks. The Fortis Agility Sports Train-ing Group will entertain with dogs navigating challenging obstacles and Guide Dogs for the Blind will

have puppies in training on hand for petting. Children may take home pots they have planted and decorated. Tickets are $20 for members, $25 for non-members, $5 for children ages 5 to 17, and free for children 4 and younger. Box lunches, at $18 for adults and $10 for children, must be ordered in advance. Visit www.Filoli.org or call Filoli weekdays at 364-8300, ext. 508, for more information and tickets. Filoli is located at 86 Canada Road in Woodside.


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Fire district will nearly triple size of fire station in $7.6 million rebuild

available for comment. The lab had no previous record of safety violations. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that none of the 28 scientists killed at work in 2010 died due to explo-sions or chemicals. Mr. Martin left behind a wife, Livia, and a 17-year-old daughter. A

EXPLOSION continued from page 7

Rendering courtesy of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District

This rendering shows how the new Fire Station 2 is expected to look from University Avenue.

By Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

A fire station built 56 years ago in East Palo Alto will give way to a modern

facility during the next year as the district spends $7.6 million to nearly triple the size of the station at 2290 University Ave. The Menlo Park Fire Protec-tion District kicked off the reno-vation with a groundbreaking ceremony at Fire Station 2 on March 1. The district serves Atherton, Men-lo Park, East Palo Alto, Atherton, and nearby unincorporated areas. Plans for the new sta-tion include expanding from 4,300-square-feet to 12,000-square-feet to accommodate larger apparatus bays, storage space, crew quarters, and an emergen-cy operations center. The added space will let the district add ladder trucks and rescue squads, according to staff, and also leave room for future expansion. One of the busiest stations, according to the fire district, Fire Station 2 responds to 2,000 to 3,000 calls a year. Last year call density on the east side of the district’s territory increased. More than 63 percent of the calls are medical emergencies, while less than 3 percent are fires — a massive shift from the type of calls handled by

the station when it was built in 1956, the district said. Statistics showed that during its first year of operation, fire alarms accounted for 54 percent of service calls. By 1985, that had dropped to 10 percent. The district embarked on a plan to renovate the firehouse about seven years ago, recently purchasing two homes behind the current station at 2290 Uni-versity Ave. and demolishing

them to make room for the new station. “Prior to making the deci-sion to just rebuild the station, we hired a commercial real estate agent and looked all over the city for a better, cost effi-cient and strategic location,” Chief Harold Schapelhouman said. “We found some great options but at the end of the day we resolved that the sta-tion was in a good location and if we purchased the homes behind the station we could build a modern facility at a more reasonable price with no disruption to service to the community,”

Construction should be fin-ished by December 2013, the district said. “One of our goals during construction is to make sure our contractor employs local residents and that we focus on purchasing U.S. made goods such as steel, windows and doors and solar panels,” the district said in a news release. “We want this to be a Station that will benefit the commu-

nity, the Fire District, and be something that we can all be proud of; it represents another step towards improve-ment of the City of East Palo Alto.” Chief Schapelhouman also addressed rumors that he wants to close

stations 1 and 5 and consoli-date the two into a single sta-tion in Flood Park. “There’s no such plan,” he said in an email. Should sta-tion 1 need to move, the park may be one option, but there’s no current intent to do so. “The community has my commitment as the Fire Chief that any future decisions that we may make will be carefully researched, publicly reviewed by the Fire Board and allow for community input and eventu-ally be precisely executed so that it will be a benefit to emergency response for the entire com-munity.” A

Slocum running for county supervisor A familiar face in county political circles, Warren Slocum announced his intention to run for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors with succinct style on March 5 — he tweeted the news. The former county clerk-recorder-assessor and chief elec-tions officer was first elected to

public office in 1986 and served until January 2011. Mr. Slocum brings the num-ber of candidates for termed-out Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson’s seat to eight. The district she represents includes Menlo Park, Redwood City, East Palo Alto and unincorporated North Fair Oaks and Oak Knoll.

‘One of our goals during construction is to make sure our contractor employs local residents and that we focus on

purchasing U.S. made goods.’

CHIEF HAROLD SCHAPELHOUMAN


Residents said “nay,” and so did the mayor, but the Menlo Park City Council

voted 3-1 to retain high-speed rail lobbyist Ravi Mehta of Capital Advocates through December. The council subcommittee, consisting of Rich Cline and Kelly Fergusson, had recommended approving a $50,000 contract with Mr. Mehta. But the discus-

sion during the Feb. 28 meeting suggested that colleagues Kirsten Keith and Peter Ohtaki were wor-ried about the city’s bottom line. Councilman Andy Cohen recused himself, as he does for all high-speed rail discussions because he lives near the proposed line. Previously, Mr. Mehta worked for Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and Atherton, but the latter two cit-ies dropped his services earlier this year. Mr. Cline reasoned that

given Menlo Park’s “do it right” stance on high-speed rail, as opposed to Palo Alto’s and Ather-ton’s “just say no” position, the city needs its own lobbyist. Mr. Cline also expressed a lack of confidence in the California High-Speed Rail Agency, which he said wants to recirculate a still-flawed environmental impact report (EIR) based on a design Menlo Park doesn’t support, while the governor pushes the project forward.

“I think we’re going to be out-gunned and o u t m a n n e d again when the EIR comes out,” he com-mented. Before cast-ing the dissent-ing vote, Mayor Keith said she didn’t support paying $5,000 a month plus expenses for a lob-byist right now, given the loss of

the city’s redevelopment agency, but was willing to reconsider in a couple of months. “I want to watch the (high-speed rail) situation,” she com-mented. “And I know Ravi’s not going away. He’s going to be there.” The subcommittee’s argu-ments for keeping the lobbyist appeared to sway Mr. Ohtaki. “Both of you are saying this is a critical time,” he said, and voted to approve the contract with the caveat that it be closely super-vised and the cost reduced wher-ever possible. A


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High-speed rail lobbyist sticks around

Ravi Mehta

G U I D E TO 2012 S U M M E R C A M P S F O R K I D S

Camp ConnectionSummer 2012For more information about these camps, see our online directory of camps at http://paloaltoonline.com/biz/summercamps/. To advertise in a weekly directory, contact 650-326-8210

Athletics

Kim Grant Tennis Academy & Palo Alto/Summer Camps Menlo Park/Redwood CityFun and Specialized junior camps for Mini (3-5), Beginner, Intermediate 1&2, Advanced and Elite Players. Weekly programs designed by Kim Grant to improve players technique, fi tness, agility, mental toughness and all around tennis game. Camps in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Redwood City. Come make new friends and have tons of FUN!!www.KimGrantTennis.com 650-752-8061

Nike Tennis Camps Stanford University Dick Gould’s 43rd Annual Stanford Tennis School off ers day camps for both juniors & adults. Weekly junior overnight & extended day camps run by John Whitlinger & Lele Forood. Junior Day Camp run by Brandon Coupe & Frankie Brennan.www.USSportsCamps.com/tennis 1-800-NIKE-CAMP (645-3226)

Oshman JCC Palo AltoExciting programs for preschool and grades K-12 include swimming, fi eld trips, crafts and more. Enroll your child in traditional camp, or specialty camps like Pirates, Archery, Runway Project, Kid TV and over 25 others!www.paloaltojcc.org/camps 650-223-8622

Spring Down Equestrian Center Portola ValleySpring Down camp teaches basic to advanced horsemanship skills. Ages 6-99 welcome! Daily informative lecture, riding lesson, supervised hands-on skill practice, safety around horses, tacking/untacking of own camp horse, and arts/crafts.www.springdown.com 650.851.1114

Stanford Water Polo Camps StanfordAges 7 and up. New to the sport or have experience, we have a camp for you. Half day or full day option for boys and girls. All the camps off er fundamental skill work, position work, scrimmages and games.stanfordwaterpolocamps.com 650-725-9016

Summer at Saint Francis Mountain ViewSports & Activity Camp (ages 6-12): This all sports camp provides group instruction in a variety of fi eld, water and court games. Saint Francis faculty and students staff the camp, and the focus is always on fun. The program is dedicated to teaching teamwork, sportsmanship and positive self-esteem. After camp care and swim lessons available.www.sfhs.com/summer 650-968-1213 x650

Summer at Saint Francis Mountain ViewAdvanced Sports Camps (5th-9th grades): We off er a wide selection of advanced sports camps designed to provide players with the opportunity to improve both their skill and knowledge of a specifi c sport. Each camp is run by a Head Varsity Coach at Saint Francis, and is staff ed by members of the coaching staff .www.sfhs.com/summer 650-968-1213 x650

YMCA of Silicon Valley PeninsulaSay hello to summer fun at the YMCA! Choose from enriching day or overnight camps in 35 locations: arts, sports, science, travel, and more. For youth K-10th grade. Includes weekly fi eldtrips, swimming and outdoor adventures. Accredited by the American Camp Association. Financial assistance available.www.ymcasv.org/summercamp 408-351-6400

Academics

GASPA German Summer School Camp Menlo ParkLearn German by way of Fairytale! GASPA is taking Summer Camp into the world of fairy tales and everything that comes with it…in German of course! Off ering a 4 week program for children ages 3-12.www.gaspa-ca.org 650-520-3646

Harker Summer Programs San JoseK-12 off erings taught by exceptional, experienced faculty and staff . K-6

morning academics - focusing on math, language arts and science - and

full spectrum of afternoon recreation. Grades 6-12 for-credit courses and

non-credit enrichment opportunities. Sports programs also off ered.

www.summer.harker.org 408-553-0537

iD Tech Camps - Summer Tech Fun! StanfordTake hobbies further! Ages 7-17 create iPhone apps, video games,

movies, and more at weeklong, day and overnight programs held at

Stanford and 60+ universities in 27 states.. Also 2-week, Teen-only

programs: iD Gaming Academy, iD Programming Academy, and iD visual

Arts Academy (fi lmmaking & photography).

www.internalDrive.com 1-888-709-TECH (8324)

iD Teen Academies StanfordLearn diff erent aspects of video game creation, app development,

fi lmmaking, photography, and more. 2-week programs where ages 13-18

interact with industry professionals to gain competitive edge. iD Gaming

Academy, iD Programming Academy, and iD Visual Arts Academy are

held at Stanford, and other universities.

www.iDTeenAcademies.com 1-888-709-TECH (8324)

Mid-Peninsula High School Summer Program Menlo ParkMid-Peninsula High School off ers a series of classes and electives

designed to keep students engaged in learning. Class Monday-Thursday

and limited to 15 students. Every Thursday there’s a BBQ lunch. The

Science and Art classes will have weekly fi eld trips.

www.mid-pen.com 650-321-1991 x110

Summer at Saint Francis Mountain ViewSummer at Saint Francis provides a broad range of academic and athletic

programs for elementary through high school students. It is the goal of

every program to make summer vacation enriching and enjoyable!

www.sfhs.com/summer 650-968-1213 x446

Synapse School & Wizbots Menlo ParkCutting-edge, imaginative, accelerated, integrated, and hands-on

academic summer enrichment courses with independent in-depth,

project-based morning and afternoon week-long programs for children

ages 4-12. Young Explorers, Thinking Math, Leonardo da Vinci’s Inventions,

Nature Connections, Girls’ & Soccer Robotics, and more!

synapseschool.org/curriculum/summer 650-866-5824

Write Now! Summer Writing Camps Palo AltoEmerson School of Palo Alto and Hacienda School of Pleasanton open

their doors and off er their innovative programs: Expository Writing,

Creative Writing, Presentation Techniques, and (new!) Media Production.

Call or visit our website for details. Also Pleasanton.

www.headsup.org 650-424-1267, 925-485-5750

Arts, Culture and Other Camps

Community School of Music & Arts (CSMA ) Mountain View50+ creative camps for Gr. K-8! Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture,

Musical Theater, American Idol Workshop, more! Two-week sessions; full

and half-day enrollment. Extended care available. Financial aid off ered.

www.arts4all.org 650-917-6800 ext. 0

India Community Center Palo Alto/ Sunnyvale/Summer Camps Milpitas/OlemaJoin ICC’s Cultural Camps which give campers a quick tour of India and its vibrant culture. These camps include arts, crafts, folk dance, bollywood dance, music, yoga, Indian history and geography. Over 10 diff erent camps all through the summer for Grades K-12. To register or for more details visit:

www.indiacc.org/camps 408-934-1130 ext. 225

Palo Alto CommunityChild Care (PACCC) Palo AltoPACCC summer camps off er campers, grades kindergarten to 6th, a wide array of fun opportunities! K-1 Fun for the youngest campers, Nothing But Fun for themed-based weekly sessions, Neighborhood Adventure Fun and Ultimate Adventure Fun for the more active and on-the-go campers! Swimming twice per week, periodic fi eld trips, special visitors and many engaging camp activities, songs and skits round out the fun off erings of PACCC Summer Camps! Registration is online. Open to campers from all communities! Come join the fun in Palo Alto!

www.paccc.com 650-493-2361

TechKnowHow Computer Palo Alto/& LEGO Camps Menlo Park/SunnyvaleFun and enriching technology classes for students, ages 5-14 Courses include LEGO and K’NEX Projects with Motors, Electronics, NXT Robotics, 3D Modeling, and Game Design. Many locations, including Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Sunnyvale. Half and all day options. Early-bird and multi-session discounts available.

www.techknowhowkids.com 650-638-0500

Theatreworks Summer Camps Palo AltoIn these skill-building workshops for grades K-5, students engage in language-based activities, movement, music, and improvisation theatre games. Students present their own original pieces at the end of each two-week camp.

www.theatreworks.org/educationcommunity 650-463-7146

Castilleja Summer Day Camp Palo AltoCastilleja Summer Day Camp (grades 2-6, CILT grades 8-9) off ers age-appropriate activities including athletics, art, science, computers, writing, crafts, cooking, drama, music classes and fi eld trips. Two and four week sessions available.

www.castilleja.org 650-470-7833

Camp Imagineerz Mountain View and Los AltosBuilding i-can attitudes....In a FUN environment, children discover that when you believe you can, you can! Creating and performing original stories, building/making with recycled materials and lots of outdoor play. Grades 1- 4. Fabulous Early-bird discount up to March 15. See website for details

www.imagineerz-learning.com 650-318-5002

Bald Eagle Camps Mountain ViewBald Eagle Camps is the only camp Approved by the nationally recognized Positive Coaching Alliance, teaching their principles to every camper through our Certifi ed Coaches. We off er 3 uniquely FUN Summer Camps, each of which exude our encouraging team culture: Non-Traditional Sports Camp(1st-8th), Basketball Camp(3rd-8th), and Leadership Camp(7th-8th only). Come experience our positive atmosphere, great coaching, unique structure, inspiring life message and 5-STAR service. Bald Eagle Camps is guaranteed to be a highlight of your child’s summer.

www.baldeaglecamps.com 888-505-2253

Leslie Airola-Murveit of Por-tola Valley was a member of a four-woman team that captured the Maureen Connolly Cup Senior World Championship competition recently at the Bal-boa Tennis Club in San Diego. The American team domi-nated the competition while losing just nine games in eight singles matches and losing just

two sets overall. Team USA demolished Swe-den and Canada, and swept South Africa in the semifinals before finally giving up a match to Great Britain in the finals. Airola-Murveit competed in the doubles spot with Carolyn Nichols of Rancho Santa Fe and won three straight matches before losing to the British in

the finals. The victory ensured that the Maureen Connolly Cup will remain in Connolly’s home town of San Diego for the sixth straight year. The Connolly Cup team was the only American squad to win a team title at the Senior World Championships. The ITF Seniors/Super-Seniors

World Team Championships is the most coveted team event on the ITF Seniors circuit. The Seniors World Championships is divided into two groups — seniors for the 35-55 and over and Super-Seniors for the 60-80 and over.

— Palo Alto Online Sports


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Alberta Martin, longtime M-A teacher, dies at 96 Alberta Martin, who taught business classes at Menlo-Ather-ton High School from 1951 to 1980, died Feb. 16 after a brief illness. She was 96. Born in Marshall, Missouri, Ms. Martin moved to San Jose with her family in 1925. She graduated from San Jose High School and State Jose State Col-lege. In 1939 she married Rich-ard H. Martin. During World War II, Ms. Martin accompanied her hus-band to his U.S. Navy postings throughout the country. In 1949, she joined the faculty at Sequoia High School and later taught at the brand-new Menlo-Atherton High School. She taught both night school and summer school year after year, in addition to her regular teaching duties. Ms. Martin was a member of the Menlo Park Garden Club for many years. A member of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church since 1956, she was also a member of Theta Alpha Delta Sorority for businesswomen. She is survived by her sons Joseph of Manassas, Virginia, and Richard of San Jose; sisters Irvina Fammatre and Janice Petrinovich, both of San Jose, brothers Leland Jones of San Jose and Gayle Jones of Fremont; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Her hus-band, Richard H. Martin, died in 1960. Ms. Martin will be interred with her husband at San Joaquin National Cemetery. The fam-ily welcomes donations to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Marts Edward BeekleyChief of pediatrics A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at Christ Episcopal Church, 815 Portola Road in Portola Valley, for Dr. Marts Edward Beekley, who died at his Atherton home, surrounded by family and friends. He was 80. Born in Glendale, Ohio, Dr. Beekely grew up in Sharonville,

Ohio. He graduated from Ohio State University, where he was an All-Star defensive back for his lifelong mentor Woody Hayes. At Ohio State, he met and married Mary Suzanne (Sue) Griffin. Following his father’s foot-steps, he graduated from Cincin-nati Medical School in the class of 1957. For the next four years, he was stationed with the Public Health Service in El Centro and the San Francisco Presidio. In 1963 he completed his medical training and chief residency at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. In 1963 Dr. Beekley began his lifelong career with Kaiser Per-manente. He served as assistant chief of pediatrics at the Santa Clara Medical Center and chief of pediatrics at the Redwood City Medical Center. Following his father’s teaching to “make the most of life in work and play,” he devoted himself to winemaking, say family mem-bers. He was a member of the Society of Medical Friends of Wine, the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association, and the Peninsula Wine Group. He pruned every vine by hand and made a yearly celebration of the harvest with friends and family. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sue; sisters Jane Foulser and Barbara Bachman; son Bruce Beekley, daughters Sarah Hahn and Ellen Page; and eight grandchildren. Donations may be made to the JW House (JWHouse.org) or the Christ Church of Portola Valley Outreach Charities.

Eleanor RubinRetired research analyst Eleanor Rubin, a resident of Menlo Park for more than 40 years, died peacefully Feb. 17 at the age of 98. Ms. Rubin had a long career with the federal government, including positions with the Department of Agriculture and the National Archives.

Born in Warwick, Rhode Island, Ms. Rubin grew up there and in Washington, D.C. After graduating from Trinity College in Washington in 1934, she began her career in govern-ment. In 1941, she became the 26th employee of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) under William J. Donovan. She moved to San Francisco in 1945. After a brief time at Doubleday, she returned to the OSS, which became the Central Intelligence Agency. She was with the CIA until retiring as a research analyst in 1969. That year she married Jerome R. Rubin, whom she had known and worked with for many years. They enjoyed a wonderful life together, say family members. Ms. Rubin, a lifelong Catholic, was a parishioner at St. Ray-mond Church in Menlo Park. She is survived by her stepsons

Dick and Dan Rubin; a grand-son; sister-in-law Betty Rattigan; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerome R. Rubin. The family wishes to express its gratitude to her caregiver and companion, Sela. Memorials may be made to a favorite charity.

Mitchell Dean ConferArtist and photographer Mitchel Dean Confer, whose illustrations and photogra-phy appeared in publications, including Time magazine and the New York Times, died peacefully Feb. 20 at his Men-lo Park home after battling melanoma. Mr. Confer grew up in Ful-

lerton. He attended Fullerton High School, Fullerton College, and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, earning his bachelor of arts in illustration. His studio was in San Fran-cisco’s Hunter Point Shipyard. His work was diverse, with more than 30 years of painting, print-making, photography, digital art and illustration. His subjects were as diverse and included cityscapes, freeways, landscapes and patterns from nature, say family members. He also taught art. Mr. Confer lived in New York City, Palo Alto, and Hong Kong before becoming a resident of Menlo Park in 1999. He enjoyed golf, f ly fishing, and other out-door activities. Surviving are his son, Jackson; and sisters Sally Confer and Nancy Cassillias.

Art for art’s sake“Bergman’s Towel (Faro),” 2011, an oil on linen work by Mitchell Johnson, is among the Menlo Park artist’s paintings now on exhibit through April 15 at Cafe Borrone, 1010 El Camino Real in Menlo Park. Mr. Johnson, whose work is exhibited and collected internationally, will donate the proceeds from any sales in March to Art in Action, a locally based nonprofit elementary school arts program (artinaction.org). An artist’s reception is set for Thursday, March 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the cafe, next to Kepler’s bookstore.

Mitchell Confer

Portola Valley woman on tennis title team

Leslie Airola-Murveit won three straight doubles matches before losing to the British in the finals.

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From simple diagnostics to complex sleep studies, our physicians can evaluate your child for snoring, sleep walking, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, nightmares and many more sleep disorders.

Our 8-bed center off ers a kid-friendly environment, complete with space for one parent to observe and stay the night. We accept all forms of insurance and off er evaluations for children of all ages, from infants through teens.

If your child isn’t getting the restful sleep his or her growing body needs, fi nd out why. Call (650) 962-4310 or visit sleepdisorders.lpch.org any day or night.

Th e people depicted in this brochure are models and are being used for illustrative purposes only.


N E W S

Suspect, 70, nabbed after low-speed chase■ Menlo Park Village Stationers burglarized by familiar figure.

Four locals named candidates for Presidential Scholars


Kenji Hamasalui returned to the scene of the crime when he strolled into Village Sta-

tioners on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26, according to the Menlo Park store’s owner, Kerry Hoctor. Mr. Hamasalui, 70, wasn’t hard to recognize — store staff spotted the man the previous morning taking a peek at the back room where the safe is kept, and also remembered him from security video of a burglary in November. That video showed a man who reportedly looked like Mr. Hamasalui, in what looked like the same clothes he wore again on Feb. 26: a black baseball cap, black jacket and black pants. Store manager Kathy Barron confronted the man on Feb. 26 as he tried to leave through the front door after darting into the back room again. He kept walking. She pursued on foot. “He’s not running; he’s 70 years old,” said Mr. Hoctor. “So she just followed him saying ‘you need to stop, give us back that money!’” The pair then proceeded on a low-speed chase around down-

town Menlo Park. Ms. Barron finally grabbed the man by the arm and patted his jacket, hearing the tell-tale rustle of paper bags like the sort the store uses to stash proceeds from the day’s sales. Breaking free, Mr. Hamasalui continued his stroll down El Camino Real until finally encoun-tering the police, called by a bystander, near Applewood Pizza. “They asked permission to search, and all our stuff fell out of his jacket,” Mr. Hoctor said. The paper bags contained about $3,500. “Kathy is my hero,” he added. “I wanted to hug her, then yell at her, but hugged her first. She said her adrenaline just took over because she was so angry that this was the second time.” Mr. Hamasalui walked into Vil-lage Stationers trailing a string of convictions as well as a dubious reputation. He’s been convicted at least three times in San Mateo County between 1997 and 2007 for theft both grand and petty, accord-ing to the district attorney’s office. Menlo Park police spokeswoman Nicole Acker said investigators are now looking into possible cases in other jurisdictions. A

Four local seniors are among 291 California students named as candidates for becoming U.S. Presidential Scholars. They are John (Jack) Beckwith and Mary Kenney of Menlo Park, both seniors at Menlo-Atherton High School; Andrew Lim of Atherton, who attends Crystal Springs Uplands School; and Samuel Trinkaus of Portola Valley, who attends New Sum-mit Academy. Approximately 3,000 high school candidates were selected nationally based on several factors: their exceptional per-formance on either the College Board SAT or the ACT Assess-ment, plus their essays, activi-ties, school recommendations, and school transcripts. Final selection of Scholars will be announced in May. Those chosen will be invited to Wash-ington, D.C., for several days in June, where they will be hon-ored at a recognition ceremony and take part in events with their elected representatives and other leading individuals in public life.

Honors for Laura Lauder

The Oshman Family Jewish Center honored Laura Lauder of Atherton for her leadership and philanthropy at the Rambam’s Lad-der Gala, held Feb. 11 at the center’s home on the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life in Palo Alto. Among her philanthropic pri-orities are the Jewish Community Endowment fund, the Socrates Soci-ety of the Aspen Institute, the Laura and Gary Lauder Philanthropic Fund and the Oshman Family Jew-ish Community Center. Ms. Lauder was named one of “10 Women to Watch” in 2004 by Jew-ish Women Magazine. In 1999, she was awarded the San Francisco Bay Area Dinkelspiel Young Leadership Award.

Two of the four candidates are Mary Kenney and John Beckwith.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

TOWN OF ATHERTON

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

2012 SPRING PATCHING PROJECT

PROJECT NO. 56051

Notice is hereby given that SEALED BIDS will be received at the offi ce of the City Clerk, 91 Ashfi eld Road, Atherton, California 94027, until 3:00 p.m. March 28, 2012, at which time they will be publicly opened and read, for performing the following work:

Grind and replace 27,000 square feet of asphalt to a six-inch depth. This work to include all necessary traffi c control and will involve grinding, sweeping, tack coating, replacing asphalt to appropriate depth in an appropriate number of lifts and fi nish rolling per town of Atherton Standard specifi cations (see below) and special provisions included in this document. Some hand work around utility access hole covers will be necessary (special provision #107).

The Engineer’s Estimate for the project is: $135,000

Per Section 6.01 of the Town of Atherton’s Standard Specifi cations, the General Contractor shall perform, with his own organization, work of a value amounting to not less than 50% of the total contract, excluding specialty items as indicated on the bid schedule.

Bids must be for the entire work, and shall be submitted in sealed envelopes clearly marked: “Bid of (Contractor) for 2012 SPRING PATCHING PROJECT, Project No. 56051”, along with date and time of bid opening.

Plans and specifi cations may be obtained at the Town of Atherton’s website at www.ci.atherton.ca.us under Bid Solicitation at no cost. Additional important information is contained in Town of Atherton Standard Specifi cations, which are available on line at www.ci.atherton.ca.us/publicworks.html . Contractor shall be responsible for any addendums that may be posted on the Town’s website. No Planholders list shall be available.

Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of cash, a cashier’s or certifi ed check or bid bond for not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the bid, as a guarantee that the bidder, if awarded the Contract, will fulfi ll the terms of the bid.

The Town of Atherton, The City, reserves the right to reject any or all bids; to make any awards or any rejections in what it alone considers to be in the best interest of the City, and waive any informalities or irregularities in the bids. The contract will be awarded, if at all, to the responsible bidder that submits the lowest responsive bid. [NOTE: If there are alternates in the bid, the City will need to state how the low bid will be determined, as required by PCC 20103.8.]

Bidders are hereby notifi ed that, pursuant to California Civil Code Sections 3247 and 3248 and Standard Specifi cations Section 3.02, the successful bidder will be required to provide payment and performance bonds in the amounts of 100% of the contract price.

Bidders are hereby notifi ed that provisions of California Labor Code regarding prevailing wages and apprentices are applicable to the work to be performed under this contract. Pursuant to Section 1773 et seq. the general prevailing wage rates have been determined by the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations and appear in the California Prevailing Wage Rates. Copies are on fi le at the offi ce of the City Engineer and are available to interested parties upon request. The successful bidder shall post a copy of the wage rates at the job site.

The Contractor may elect to receive 100 percent of payments due under the contract, without retention of any portion of the payment by the Town of Atherton, by depositing securities of equivalent value to the retention amount in accordance with the provisions of Section 22300 of the California Public Contract Code.

All bidders shall be licensed under the provisions of the Business and Professions Code to do the type of work contemplated in the project. The City has determined that the Contractor shall possess a valid Class A license at the time the bid is submitted. Failure to possess the specifi ed license shall render the bid non-responsive.

Each bidder shall submit with this bid a statement setting forth his/her/its experience and qualifi cations. The statement shall be made on the forms provided by the Town and must accompany each bid. The three lowest bidders will be required to submit subcontractor’s experience and qualifi cations statements within 48 hours of the bid opening, on forms provided by the Town.

By submitting a bid in response to this advertisement for bids, the bidder shall be conclusively deemed to have read, understood and agreed with all of the information and materials contained in the bid documents, including but not limited to the construction contract, the standard specifi cations, the special provisions, the required nature and amount of insurance and the documentation evidencing said insurance.

Any questions regarding the project should be directed to David Huynh, Project Engineer, telephone: (650) 752-0555 or by written Requests for Information (RFI) to: Public Works Department, 91 Ashfi eld Road, Atherton, CA 94027, no later than ten (10) business days before bid opening. RFIs may be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to (650) 688-6539. Responses shall be posted on the Town’s website no later than fi ve (5) days prior to bid opening.

By:___________________________________ Michael Kashiwagi, P.E., City Engineer

Date:___________________________________


C O M M U N I T Y

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

Mitchell Confer – our wonderful friend, father, brother, uncle, neighbor and mentor -- passed away peacefully at home on Monday, February 20. His sisters Sally Confer and Nancy Cassillias, and his son Jackson, survive him. Mitchell had bravely battled melanoma cancer.

Mitchell lived his life to the fullest. He was a great source of laughter, and his sense of humor brought light and fun to all. He always had an optimistic point of view. He was easy to know and love. Mitchell was kind, generous and supportive.

A Menlo Park resident, Mitchell was an acclaimed artist, with a studio in San Francisco’s Hunters Point Shipyard. His work was diverse, with more than 30 years of painting, print making, photography, digital art and illustration. Mitchell’s work celebrated color, light and textures, with subjects as diverse as cityscapes, freeways, landscapes and patterns from nature. Many private

collectors, as well as companies and hotels, have commissioned his paintings. His illustrations and photography appeared in many publications such as TIME Magazine, The New York Times and Business Week.

In addition to creating beautiful art, Mitchell love to share his passion for art through teaching people of all ages. He was also an enthusiastic golfer, fly fisherman, and greatly enjoyed the outdoors.

Mitchell grew up in Fullerton, California, the son of Stan and Earlene Confer. He attended Troy High School and Fullerton College and then the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, earning his BA in Illustration. He lived in New York City, Palo Alto and Hong Kong, and became a Menlo Park resident in 1999.

Mitchell Dean ConferJuly 1, 1959-February 20, 2012

Register at Avenidas.org or call (650) 289-5435.

Come discover:

Avenidas presents its 4th Annual

Housing Conference

Resources and programs for positive aging

Should you rent or own? How to stay safe in your home Ways to unlock your home’s value Other housing options How to eliminate clutter Tips on selling your home

Saturday, March 108:30 am - 2:30 pm

Special thanks to Presenting Sponsor Nancy Goldcamp

Avenidas presents its 5th Annual

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

Lovingly called Babe or Betty, she was born and raised in Portola Valley and attended the Little Red School House. She graduated from Sequoia High School and then lived in Menlo Park working as a beautician until she retired. She loved the sunshine and was an avid sports fan!

She was preceded in death by her parents Chester and Stella Skrabo, her brothers Nick and John,her sisters Nellie Shine and Ann Morey Goodwin. She leaves behind her daughter Christine Malone, granddaughter Rachael. Haywood, two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She was loved by all and will be dearly missed !

A memorial Mass will be held Saturday, March 10 at 10:30a.m. at Our Lady of the Wayside Church in Portola Valley.

Elizabeth Skrabo Fuellner Barnett

December 13,1918 – February 11,2012

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.

MENLO PARK

Robbery report: Losses estimated at $1,048 in loss of shoulder bag, laptop computer and $18 in cash handed over in response to demand by heavyset Pacific Islander or Hispanic man wear-ing black hoodie and do-rag, who emerged from black Honda Civic, 700 block of Willow Road, midnight on Feb. 26.Residential burglary reports:

■ Loss estimated at $10,000 in theft of black carbon-fiber racing bicycle from open garage, Oak Court, Feb. 28.■ Losses estimated at $8,640 in break-in through bathroom window and theft of Apple iPad, two laptop computers and miscellaneous jewelry, Concord Drive, March 1.■ Losses estimated at $3,000 in entry through unlocked rear door and theft of Apple iPad, video game equipment and laptop computer, Tehama Ave., Feb. 24.

Grand theft reports:

■ Losses estimated at $800 in theft of copper pipes and fittings and solar panels from resident’s roof and pool house, Monte Rosa Drive, Feb. 25.

■ Losses estimated at $500 in theft of laptop computer, Almanor Ave., Feb. 24.

Fraud reports:

■ Losses estimated at $1,000 when resident purchased “money cards” in connection with sweepstakes scam, Carlton Ave., Feb. 26.

■ Loss estimated at $500 in unauthor-ized use of bank account funds, Wind-ermere Ave., Feb. 28.

PORTOLA VALLEY

Theft report: Losses of $1,476 in use of unauthorized credit card, Westridge Drive, Feb. 27.

ATHERTON

Theft report: Two cell phone stolen and one recovered, Menlo-Atherton High School at 555 Middlefield Road, March 1.

POLICE CALLS

Two electric charging stations, each capable of simultaneously recharging the batteries of two electric vehicles, are up and run-ning at the Portola Valley Town Center at 765 Portola Road. For the moment, recharges are free. The town will evaluate the situation to determine what cus-tomers should pay. The pumps are equipped with credit card pay-ment systems. The stations are located behind the library near the creek and at

the southern end of the parking lot in front of the Historic School-house.

Israeli president visits Facebook Israeli President and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Shimon Peres is visiting Silicon Valley this week. His itinerary for Tuesday, March 6, includes a visit with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the social net-working company’s Menlo Park headquarters to launch a Facebook

page. A two-hour interview and town hall meeting will stream live starting at 7 p.m. Go to tinyurl.com/FB-Peres to watch the interview.

Book sale Running short on reading mate-rial? The Friends of the Menlo Park Library may have the solu-tion: Drop by their book sale on Sunday, March 18. All proceeds benefit the city’s libraries. The sale runs from noon to 4 p.m. in the downstairs meeting room of the main library at 800 Alma St. The Friends are also looking for volunteers willing to work a few hours a week. Call 330-2521 for more information.

Portola Valley Boy Scout Troop 64 announces five scouts recently earned their Eagle Scout rank, including Ben Zdasiuk, who at age 12 is one of the youngest Eagles in the troop’s history. Ben became a Cub Scout in first grade and joined Troop 64 in grade 4. For his Eagle project, he planned and led the building of 15 wooden benches for Deer Hol-low Farm at Rancho San Antonio Preserve. Sixteen people helped in the project for a total of 173 hours labor. Ben is a seventh-grader at Corte Madera School. Gordon Williams joined the Cub Scouts in first grade and the Boy Scouts in grade 5. For

his Eagle project, he collected 60 used bicycles and tricycles and led an effort to clean, repair, and test the bikes, which were donated to Haven House, a Menlo Park shelter for homeless families. With donated money, he also bought a helmet to accompany every bike. His project involved 18 people with 244 hours of labor. Gordon is a freshmen at Menlo-Atherton High School. Jackson Dalman was a Cub Scout until joining Troop 64 in fifth grade. For his Eagle project, he and 11 helpers solicited and collected goods and money for injured veterans at the Palo Alto VA Spinal Cord Injury Unit. They

delivered DVD players, DVDs, CDs, shaving kits, clothing, and more to the veterans. Jack-son is a fresh-man at St. Paul’s School in Con-cord, New Hampshire. Rahman Humphries-Hodge, a freshman at Woodside High School, has been involved with scouting since joining Cub Scout Pack 163 as a first-grader. For his Eagle project, he built eight cat “condos” for the Peninsula Humane Society. He worked with nine people for a total of 178 hours.

Terry Wang joined Pack 163 as a fourth-grader and became a Boy Scout in grade 5. For his project, he designed and led the building of plastic display cases, wooden shelves, and cabinets for storage

in the student store at Corte Mad-era School, where he was store manager. His project involved 18 people for a total of 164 hours. He is a freshman at the Woodside Priory.


C O M M U N I T Y

10 Bay Area locations. Visit a classroom today.

Because You Know the Value of Education

Inspiring children to achieve since

© 2012, Barbara B. Baker

Portola Valley charging stations now running BRIEFS

New Eagles Scouts are, from left, Ben Zdasiuk, Jackson Dalman, Gordon Williams, Rahman Humphries-Hodge and Terry Wang.

Five boys earn Eagle Scout rank

We’re building a new “old fashioned” neighborhood of upscale, energy-efficient condos just blocks from downtown MV.

Own a private home but also share common

facilities such as a crafts room, media room, workshop, roof deck and

gardens. Plenty of fellowship and activities with your neighbors, but also private spaces for your own pursuits.

We’re 14 households strong and are looking for

5 more to join us. Construction starts this spring, with occupancy by late 2013. Endorsed by the Greenbelt Alliance.

To find out more or to make reservations for

our next social on March 18th:

650-479-MVCC (479-6822) www.MountainViewCohousing.org

Baby Boomers: Seeking Community?


Class GuideS P R I N G

Want to take advantage of the warm spring weath-er this year? Looking to

get a jump on your studies? Try a bird identification class or a rowing class. Maybe a language class is the best fit. All the classes listed below are local, so give one a shot. The Class Guide is published quarterly by The Almanac and includes offerings along the Midpeninsula.

ssHEALTH & FITNESS

Jazzercise at Little House Activity Center

800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park650-703-1263

[email protected]

Jazzercise blends aerobics, yoga, Pilates

and kickboxing movements into fun dance routines set to new music. All fit-ness levels welcome. Classes are ongo-ing. Go directly to class to register.

LANGUAGE COURSES

ABC Languages585 Glenwood Ave.,

Menlo Park650-204-7908

www.abclanguagesf.com/[email protected]

ABC Languages offers up to 20 dif-ferent language classes to adults and children either in groups or privately. ABC’s teaching staff is composed of experienced instructors who are native speakers of the language they teach.

Istituto Educazione Italiana

1000 El Camino Real, Room 8, Atherton

[email protected]

Italian language for adults in the evening on the campus of Menlo College. Work-shops in painting Tuscan and Venetian landscapes/cityscapes using acrylics. Workshops in Florentine silversmithing at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. Classes start March 26. Full fee and schedule information can be found online.

SCHOOL DAYS

Lydian Academy815 El Camino Real,


www.lydianacademy.comLydian Academy is a personalized middle

and high school recognized for academic excellence and great teachers. Lydian has rolling admissions and welcomes new students every week, year round. Earn your diploma from Lydian or get ahead by taking UC-approved and AP classes in Lydian’s after-school and sum-mer programs.

Circle of Friends Preschool

3214 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park

[email protected]

Circle of Friends Preschool offers a well-rounded curriculum in a warm personal environment. The goal is to promote the development of the whole child: physical, emotional, social, lingual and intellectual. Detailed assessment of each child helps build partnerships with fami-lies to support emerging competencies. All this in a play-based program where children have opportunities to create, explore, problem solve, learn concepts and integrate knowledge in a hands-on environment.

at Bethany Lutheran ChurchMenlo Park

NOW ACCEPTINGAPPLICATIONS FOR

2012-2013Summer Camp

Enrollment Now Open2 YEAR-OLD PROGRAM

9:00 am - 12:00 pm2, 3 or 5 Days

Potty training not required

3 YEAR-OLD PROGRAM9:00 am - 1:00 pm

2, 3 or 5 DaysPotty training not required

PRE-KINDERGARTEN4 & 5 Year Olds

9:00 am - 1:00 pm2, 3 or 5 Days

Before and After-School CareAvailable for ages 3 & older

650-854-4973Call to schedule a Tour

www.bethany-mp.org/preschoolSince 1996

License# 414000219

German-American International School

275 Elliott Drive, Menlo [email protected]

German-American International Sschool (GAIS) is an international school serving approximately 300 students in preschool through 8th grade. GAIS offers a Ger-man bilingual program through 5th grade, and welcomes English-speaking students in a new English language middle school program that offers Ger-man, Spanish and French as additional language options. GAIS follows the academically rigorous, inquiry-based programs developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

Jim Gorman Swim School

3249 Alpine Road, Portola Valley

650-854-6699, ext. [email protected]

Patient, professional instructors and warm, clean pools make it fun to learn to swim. Private and small group lessons for all ages and abilities, from water babies (3-30 months) to national cham-pions. Weekday and weekend lessons available for sign-ups now.

Kirk House Preschool1148 Johnson St., Menlo Park

650-323-8667www.kirkhousepreschool.org

[email protected] House Preschool is a half-day pre-school with both morning and afternoon classes for children aged 3-5 (Young Fives class). Kirk House Preschool is a Christian, play-based school which offers a development-oriented curricu-lum in a park-like setting.

Phillips Brooks School2245 Avy Ave., Menlo Park

650-854-4545www.phillipsbrooks.org

The Phillips Brooks School, an inde-pendent co-educational day school for

students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, prepares each student to live a creative, humane and compassionate life, and to be a contributing member of society. The curriculum emphasizes the basic academic disciplines and their integration into everyday life while developing the foundation for individual scholastic excellence and inspiring an enthusiasm for life-long learning. The overall school experience weaves the intellectual, spiritual, social and physical areas of growth into the fabric that is the Phillips Brooks School community.

Trinity School2650 Sand Hill Road,


[email protected]

Early childhood through grade 5. Trinity School encourages preschool to grade 5 children from all backgrounds to love learning. Trinity fosters rigorous academ-ics grounded in child-centered content. The legacy of a Trinity education is a curi-ous mind and a discerning heart.

Woodland School360 La Cuesta Drive,

Portola Valley650-854-9065

www.woodland-school.orgPreschool-8th grade. Woodland School’s focus is a challenging academic program with a strong enrichment program of art, music, drama, computers, gymnastics and physical education. Science, math and technology are an integral part of the 5th-8th grade experience. Extended care is offered 7:30 a.m-8:15 p.m. and 3-6 p.m. Call for a brochure or to set up a tour.

The Talking Playhouse595 Price Ave., Suite A,

Redwood City650-678-9769

[email protected]

Social-learning and social-skills classes and activities for all age groups, includ-ing theater games and writing groups.

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

Challenger School .............................. 15

Littlest Angels, Menlo Park ................16

Lydian Academy, Menlo Park.............16

Mid-Peninsula High School, Menlo Park ................................... 17

Palo Alto Prep, Palo Alto .................. 17

Sand Hill School, Palo Alto ............... 17

The Class Guide is published quarterly. Classes in Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside are given priority. The summer Class Guide will publish on May 9, 2012. Deadline for submissions is two weeks prior to the publication date. To inquire about submitting a listing, email Eric Van Susteren at [email protected] or call 650-223-6515. To place a paid ad, call our display advertising department at 650-326-8210.


Parent Information Night:

MAR 29 & APR 18 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Pre-register online!

AT C H I L D R E N ’ S H E A LT H C O U N C I L 650 Clark Way, Palo Alto, CA 94304

650.688.3605 | [email protected] w w w . s a n d h i l l s c h o o l . o r g

Compassionate, skilled support for your child’s learning needs.

Grades K-4

5:1 student/teacher ratio

Curriculum supports social-emotional and academic learning

Outstanding support from Children’s Health Council professionals

For young minds, one size doesn’t fit all.

650.321.1991WWW.MID-PEN.COM

Celebrating Our 25th Year!

Palo Alto PrepPalo Alto Prep is a unique private high school designed to help students succeed in every aspect of life. We believe that school should be enjoyable and every student experience the pride of personal and academic accomplishment.

Empowerment through Accountability

Provide 8 to 1 student-teacher ratio

Deliver innovative and creative programs that develop academic and behavioral success

Offer challenging academic opportunities

Enhance the self-esteem of our students through outdoor activities and programs

Create a supportive environment and safe community

College prep curriculum

95% college enrollment

UC/A-G certifi ed

Certifi ed by State of California as a Non-Public School

TEACHING. LEARNING. CARING2462 Wyandotte Street, Mountain View

www.paloaltoprep.com 650.493.7071

YEAR-ROUNDENROLLMENT

We’ve moved to a new location into a brand new beautiful building!

Class Guide


Menlo Park has been tied up in knots over how to cope with the gaping open spaces left on El Camino Real when car dealers packed up and left town.

Critics often blame the city for the remaining eyesores, but in fact, the city has spent some five years and more than $1 million on a consultant to get local residents involved in creating a new zoning plan for El Camino, as well as portions of downtown and the area near the Caltrain depot. Now the plan is nearly complete, but still must undergo a full round of public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council that will continue this spring. It’s become clear that the city will zone the relatively shallow properties on the east side of El Camino, including the shut-tered car dealers, for dense housing over ground floor retail. The buildings are likely to be three and four stories, with small parks in between, and feature underground parking. It is not the type of housing that many Menlo Park residents prefer, but developers say they could not make a fair profit on smaller buildings. But that concern about profits may be undermined by the recently unveiled project across the street at 389 El Camino, a small, bare lot that once was used to sell small trucks for Ander-son Chevrolet. In 2008, after purchasing the property, Matteson Companies tried to win approval to build dense housing there. The first effort, to squeeze 48 condominium units on the 1.23-

acre site, was shouted down by residents who live nearby on Par-tridge and College avenues. They charged that the 60-foot-high buildings were out of character and did not blend with the Allied Arts neighborhood, where walking residents and playing children adorn the quiet, tree-lined streets. Matteson pulled back, and four years later, was able to produce a plan that not only pleased the city, but the neighbors as well. Matteson’s strategy was not unique: after many rounds of talks, the company agreed to significantly scale down the proposal, seeking approval to build only 26 homes, including nine two-story single family homes across the back of the site facing the neighborhood, and 17 townhouses around the rest of the prop-erty. Three units will be set aside for the city’s below-market-rate (BMR) housing program. In our view, this project shows that despite claims from devel-opers that they need ultra-dense projects to reach their profit goals, smaller designs can succeed and at the same time prove much more appealing to neighbors and buyers. It’s too early to say whether the Matteson project will impact the zoning permitted in the downtown plan, but we are certain the City Council and Planning Commission are paying attention. Even though it took four years, it is refreshing to see developers, neighbors and the city all collaborate on a project that initially was not given much chance of success. We look forward to seeing these homes under construction and perhaps setting the stage for similar projects on the vacant lots remaining across the street.

Deal on housing could set trend

Lesson for Atherton inlibrary parking issue?Editor: The Feb. 29 Almanac carried several instructional articles, including the editorial about the current library parking “crunch” in Menlo Park. Unfortunatenly, the “crunch” is perhaps the result of a plan-ning oversight in working out the details of the beautiful new Arrillaga gymnasium there. We hope the Atherton Library Building Steering Committee takes note to further inform their shortsighted, in our opinion, insistence that a glorious state-of-the-art facility (a new library structure) would have a minimal negative effect on the existing Holbrook-Palmer Park. The traffic circulation and parking dilemma would be less of an issue by far if an alterna-tive site such as the present library location were selected. The steering committee’s Needs Assessment (available at the Atherton library) states that “demographically Atherton is a very uniform community” with predominantly similar socio-economic lifestyles.” It goes on to say that an over-whelming majority of Atherton residents (99.5 percent) fall into Segment 01, titled “Top-Rung.”

This demographic profile is said to be uniformly mature, married, highly educated and wealthy. One would expect that such a “highly educated” population would have the ability to utilize well-meaning criticism and to profit from the mistakes of oth-ers to ensure a workable as well as pleasing project. A consensus might be that the town of Ather-ton already has enough trouble-some baggage to sort out.Stuart Awbrey Rittenhouse Avenue, Atherton

Applications openfor civil grand juryEditor: You might make a good grand juror if you can answer “yes” to the following questions: Are you a good listener? Are you interested in trying to increase the efficiency of local government and save taxpayer dollars? Are you willing to serve without personal gain or hidden agendas? Have you the stamina to commit yourself to

a full year of productive work? Can you keep a secret? Can you cooperate with 18 other diverse personalities? Can you ask thoughtful questions, review documents, and help write lucid reports? Can you chair a committee? Can you devote a minimum of 20 hours of service per week? If you can say “yes” to all of the above questions, the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury invites you to apply for its 2012-

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

Menlo Park Fire Protection District

Our Regional HeritageBow ties were the order of the day in 1922 when members of the Menlo Park Fire District posed for this photo in front of Station 2 on University Avenue in East Palo Alto. The station preceded the building that now will make way for a new, $7.6 million structure on the site, which the district says at 12,000 square feet will nearly triple the size of the current facility.

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 protected] 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 the Viewpoint desk at 223-6507.

Serving Menlo Park,

Atherton, Portola Valley,

and Woodside for 44 years.

■ WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?

Editor & PublisherTom Gibboney

NewsroomManaging Editor Richard Hine News Editor Renee BattiLifestyles Editor Jane KnoerleStaff WritersDave Boyce, Sandy Brundage Contributors Marjorie Mader,Barbara Wood, Kate DalySpecial Sections Editors Carol Blitzer, Sue Dremann Photographer Michelle Le

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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 December 21, 1969.

Subscriptions are $60 for one year and

$100 for two years.

EDITORIALThe opinion of The Almanac

LETTERSOur readers write

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2013 term. Applications are now available and are accepted until April 3, 2012. The next term begins July 1, 2012, and ends June 30, 2013. Any resident of San Mateo County for more than one year, who is a citizen of the United States, 18 or older, of sound judgment and good character, with sufficient knowledge of the English language, is eligible for selection by the Honorable Richard C. Livermore of the San Mateo County Superior Court. Elected public officials are not eligible. The court encourages all inter-ested individuals to apply. The court strives to obtain a cross section of the county popula-tion. After the completion of an

interview process by Judge Liv-ermore, jurors will be selected through a random draw. Application forms can be obtained by writing Grand Jury Clerk, Court Executive Office, 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063 or telephon-ing 650-599-1200. If you have questions you may contact me: [email protected] WinklerMenalto Avenue, Menlo ParkEditor’s Note: Mickie Winkler is a member of the current grand jury and is a former member of the Menlo Park City Council.

Time to reformProposition 13Editor: How ironic that Silicon Valley, the very center of innovation and creativity envied the world over, is saddled with Califor-niaís outmoded form of taxa-tion that rewards the status quo

and punishes originality. Because of the inherent ineq-uities of Proposition 13, older companies such as IBM that have owned property for genera-tions pay one-tenth the property tax paid by new companies such as Google and Facebook. I congratulate Emmett Carson of the Silicon Valley Commu-nity Foundation for having the courage to suggest at this year’s State of The Valley Conference that it is time to discuss reform-ing Proposition 13. A large majority of the approx-imate 1,000 people attending agreed in an informal poll. Silicon Valley’s and California’s children deserve better educa-tion funding than our current 49th in the U.S. It’s high time for us to compel our elected offi-cials to exhibit leadership and spearhead meaningful reform of Proposition 13.Kaia Eakin Redwood City

V I E W P O I N T

LETTERSOur readers write

Continued from previous page

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the almanac 03.07.2012 - section 1

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