the almanac 09.12.2012 - section 2

Menlo School opens Creative Arts and Design Center | Section 2

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

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Environmental champion

Portola Valley to honor Martin Litton’s life of activism

Portola Valley to honor Martin Litton’s life of acti

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2 The Almanac TheAlmanacOnline.com September 12, 2012

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September 12, 2012 TheAlmanacOnline.com The Almanac 3

UPFRONT

By Maytal MarkSpecial to the Almanac

A dozen years ago, Karen McCann never could have imagined her future self

casually eating pig cheeks and lamb tongue while sipping a cold beer. Once a faithful vegetarian, Ms. McCann, who grew up in Menlo Park and Atherton, found that moving to Spain changed much more than her diet. Her new book, “Dancing in the Fountain,” is full of the expatriate situations that start as challenges and become chances for growth: ordering in a res-taurant, making friends, learn-ing the language, bringing pets overseas. “I experimented with being a slightly different person,” Ms. McCann said in a recent inter-view at a Philz Coffee in Palo Alto. “I think the person I am now is much more interesting.” She still considers the Menlo Park Library her “library of origin,” where she was an avid reader as a child and teenager. When her book was published, she sent one of the first copies to the library. “It’s a tiny token of my appreciation for the count-less hours of pleasure and inspi-ration I found there,” she wrote on her blog. Later, she worked as a jour-nalist for a long time in a small town outside Cleveland. She found the dramatic move across the Atlantic to Spain to be a wel-come change of pace. “Living in Ohio ... in a com-munity that is more about stability than innovation, it was very easy to get settled and enjoy the feeling of getting deeper and deeper into things,” she said. “Living abroad is all about try-ing new things.” She and her husband, Rich, were vacationing for the fourth time in Seville when they sat down at a cafe and decided to spend a full year in the city. Both were retired and did consult-ing in their spare time. Little did they know this “sort of a sabbatical,” as Rich had called it, would become a permanent move to the city they have now

called home for seven or eight years. “One of the great things about living abroad is that you can’t take anything for granted,” she said. “You are never on auto-matic pilot. Even now ... at any second someone could turn and say something to me that even though I have a fair mastery of the language, I will have no idea what they are saying.” Language aside, her book often emphasizes what she calls “men-tally unpacking your bags,” an idea she compares to the Bud-dhist practice “be here now.” “What people do in any new place is naturally compare it to the old one, and a certain amount of that is inevitable and useful,” McCann said. “But there comes a point when you have to

focus on where you are now and start building your life there.” She believes it’s one of the most important ideas in her book. “I see a lot of women and men arrive in Seville, either for busi-ness purposes or on impulse and they spend all their time look-ing at their watch, saying, ‘Back home, it’s three o’clock in the morning, I must be exhausted,’ or furious because it takes so much longer to do your shop-ping in stores there because the sales clerks think nothing of finishing their conversation with one another for a good 10 minutes,” Ms. McCann said. “But the whole pace of life is different.”

The experienced expatriateAuthor offers advice on living abroad in the golden years

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

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“One of the great things about living abroad is that you can’t take anything for granted,” says author Karen McCann.

See MCCANN, page 6

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railroad connecting Monterey and Los Gatos to San Francisco. “Something to enjoy looking at,” Mr. Litton said, referring to the steam engines that passed by. Steam engines would be memorable for someone who is 95 years old. “I’m 95 and a half,” Mr. Litton replied when asked if he was 95. The drama of steam engines is long gone, and Mr. Litton is now a fan, at a distance, of the MetroLink, the 20-year-old, 512-mile commuter train service in Los Angeles, where he grew up. “LA has erupted in trains,” he said. “I’d love to go

down there and spend the day on the trains.” Portola Valley has no trains, nor has it electricity transmis-sion towers, due mostly to the efforts of Peninsula residents, including Mr. Litton. Members of “Save our Skyline” went to court and in 1965, beat back a plan by the Atomic Energy Commission to run power lines to feed the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Men-lo Park. “They were going to come right through here,” Mr. Litton said, looking around Tri-angle Park. “We beat them out of Portola Valley. They would

have really been ruinous here.” Asked his impression of Por-tola Valley, he described it as “not really a town. We pretend to be.” With no downtown and no grid of streets, “it doesn’t fit the usual concept of a city,” he said. “It’s a scattering of neigh-borhoods, you might say.” The word “alpine” — as in Alpine Road, the Alpine Inn, the Alpine Hills Tennis & Swim-ming Club — bugs him. “What in the world does that (word) mean?” he asked. “Some real estate agent’s idea. There’s noth-

of the patient’s bladder, accord-ing to the state. According to the health department report, a patient with a history of “pelvic pain endometriosis, right ovarian cyst and possible interstitial cys-titis” was admitted for complex endometrial surgery. A bag of fluid to stretch the bladder wall for examination was mistakenly attached to a mechanical pump for a dif-ferent procedure, rather than hung with no pressure, resulting in rupture of the bladder. The


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

Here’s a softball question for an environmentalist: With climate change

largely absent from the national consciousness, if you could issue royal decrees in your corner of the planet and set an example, what would you order to be done? Noted environmental activist and longtime Portola Valley resident Martin Litton played along one recent morn-ing while sitting in the shade at a Triangle Park picnic table. After a moment, he smiled, shrugged and said he’d take down the Golden Gate Bridge, restore Marin County to its nat-ural state and bring back ferry boats as the means for crossing San Francisco Bay. If the Bay Bridge were to remain, he’d restore passenger train service to its lower deck. “A lot of these people who go back and forth across the Bay Bridge would rather be sitting in a train,” he said. He would also end promotion of the Peninsula as a home for new business ventures. “Let ‘em keep it in New Jersey,” he said. Mr. Litton, a glider pilot for the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, came to the Pen-insula himself in 1954 with his wife Esther to take a job as trav-el editor for Sunset magazine in Menlo Park. He had acquired a reputation for nature writing with the Los Angeles Times and

A FEW MINUTES WITH MARTIN LITTON

Local News S E P T E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 2

Portola Valley to honor a life of activism

By Dave BoyceAlmanac staff writer

State fines hospital $50,000By Sandy Brundage and Palo Alto Weekly Staff

Menlo Park Surgical Hospital was one of 14 hospitals recently cited

by the state after the California Department of Public Health found violations of licensing requirements that “caused, or (were) likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients.” The hospital, a Willow Road facility connected with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, was fined in a 2009 case of improper equipment set-up for endome-trial surgery that led to rupture

Almanac photo by Michelle Le

Martin Litton helped prevent the building of dams that would have flooded Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and parts of the Grand Canyon.

Local governments are tak-ing steps this fall to turn a proposed ban on plastic

bags into reality. The San Mateo County Planning Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, to provide feedback before the Board of Supervisors votes on the ordinance next month. Menlo Park and 24 other Peninsula cities may join the county in restricting the use of single-use carryout bags, and San Mateo County has released an environmental

County meets on plastic bag banBy Sandy Brundage impact report to explore the

effects. The ban targets single-use bags, except those used by res-taurants and for produce, and would also implement a 10 cent fee for paper bags until Dec. 31, 2014, and then hike the fee to 25 cents per paper bag. Go to tinyurl.com/8us3hle to review the environmen-tal impact report. Comments on the environmental impact report were accepted until Monday, Sept. 10, but residents may also speak about the pro-posed ban during the Sept. 12

county Planning Commission meeting. If the supervisors approve the ban, the Menlo Park City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance in January, according to staff. The city will host two informational meetings about the ordinance in mid-October and mid-December. The county Planning Com-mission meeting starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, in the supervisors’ chamber at 400 County Center in Redwood City. A

See LITTON, page 8

See HOSPITAL, page 10

as an ardent defender of natural wonders, including the wonders of an untamed Colorado River. He helped prevent dams that would have f looded Dinosaur National Monument in Colo-rado and parts of the Grand Canyon; the one that f looded Glen Canyon he could not stop. It was his idea to bring wooden dories to the Grand Canyon, and he owned a river-running business there for decades. The town of Portola Valley will be honoring Mr. Litton and his environmental activism on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 16, at the Blues & Barbecue Festival. The event is at Town Center at 765 Portola Road, and proceeds go to support the pur-chase and maintenance of open space in town. Mr. Litton’s friend David Brower, founder of Friends of the Earth, recommended him to Sunset, he said. After resid-ing in Menlo Park for a year and Los Altos for four years, the Littons in 1959 moved to a steep four-acre parcel in what is now Portola Valley and built a house on the one spot suitable for construction, a house in which they raised four children and in which Martin and Esther still live. In the 1950s, trains passed through Los Altos, and Mr. Lit-ton is a fan of trains. The transit corridor for Foothill Express-way then accommodated two rights of way: a road and a


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She encourages women of all ages to travel — if not live abroad — and hopes her expe-riences serve as some practical advice. “I think women living abroad have it easier because culturally we’re more geared to socializing and respecting the fact that we need a social life,” she said. As for older women, “I would say this is a wonderful opportunity to reexamine options and think of that stuff that you’ve always wanted to do, whether it’s travel or painting or whatever.” Her other point of emphasis is the importance of humor in daily expat life. “Rich and I bust up laughing a lot. We are always putting ourselves in situations where we don’t know what to do; we screw up, and the Spanish are really gracious. They will bend over backwards not to embar-rass us.” She recalls a time when Span-ish friends of hers were telling a story about a recent trip to St. Petersburg. “Rich didn’t catch what they were talking about, and at the very end of the story he goes: ‘St. Petersburg, I hear it’s lovely. Have you ever been there?’ And perfectly graciously they said, ‘As a matter of fact, we just got back from there,’ and told the whole story again much more slowly,” Ms. McCann said. “That’s the Spanish way of doing it.” “The Spanish way” came in more forms than just social eti-quette. “My eating changed so radi-cally,” she said. “I arrived as a low-fat, vegetarian person and now I eat everything. I kept get-ting taken places where people would hand me a plate of meat and there was no way I could refuse it gracefully, and I didn’t want to; I was trying to integrate myself into the culture.” She eventually even came around to “the Spanish love affair with ham,” as she puts it in her book. “Ham is absolutely essential,” she said. “It’s like air, water, ham. It’s everywhere and it’s absolutely marvelous.” Along with the leisurely, late-night meals came the traditional social drinking. “I didn’t use to drink a lot of beer, but ... when it’s that hot that’s all you want,” she said. “You don’t have to drink a lot to be part of the convivial, social evening.” She recalls the night when her Spanish friends convinced Rich and her to prepare them some classic martinis. “It was Rich’s birthday and they had all been asking about

them and you can’t find them over there to save your life,” Ms. McCann said. “We had this big martini party and everyone was dying to try them. They take two sips and they are just pie-eyed within half an hour because it’s not (part of) their custom.” In addition to her many Span-ish friends, Ms. McCann, who heads a welcome committee at a women’s club, has also estab-lished an expat social circle with people of all ages. “In the expat community, because it’s so small, we’re just so excited to meet someone we’re sympathetic with that we put aside the whole issue of gen-eration,” she said. She wrote a book once before, in Ohio, about alternative medi-cine. Titled “Taking Charge of Your Hospital Stay,” it explained that staying in a hospital is like living in a foreign country. “It’s got its own language, its own rules, its own monetary system; everything,” she said. As for her newest book, she grappled with the content and the structure for some time. She decided to self-publish the book, using a print-on-demand service; customers buy the book on Ama-zon, which prints a copy only after the order has been placed. Despite being such an advocate of living abroad, she emphasizes that her experiences are only one example of living a fulfilling life in the “golden years.” “It’s about a mental attitude, not a geographical location,” she said. “I know a lot of people who have retired and moved to Florida and decided their goal was to live a life of total ease. I think that’s a perfectly legiti-mate choice, but I don’t think it’s the inevitable choice. ... The most interesting part of your life may be just beginning.” A

Go to enjoylivingabroad.com for more information about Karen McCann and her book.

Photo by Christine Ogilvy

Karen McCann, dressed for Seville’s Feria de Abril (April Fair).

MCCANN continued from page 3

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Experienced expatriate


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

Best Way To Look For Rentals

REAL ESTATE Q&Aby Monica Corman

Dear Monica: I am looking for a rental in the Palo Alto area and would like to know the best way to go about this. Where would I find the best information about available rentals? Lisa N.

Dear Lisa: There are a few ways to search for rentals in this area. First, there are a few apartment build-ings and complexes that are strictly rental properties. There are usually vacancies at these places and if you rent such a place you don’t have to worry that the owner will decide to sell it and make you move. It is also good to check with your real estate agent to get information about rent-als being offered through agents or that agents know about. Most rent-als offered through agents are listed

on the Multiple Listing Service and the information is available on many of the online real estate websites, and in some cases, in local print and online newspapers.

One of the best sources for rental information in the past has been a popular, free, online posting service. However this online source has lately been plagued by scammers who dis-tort the information or worse, try to get users of the site to give up private information and even money. It has become such a problem in this area that many owners and agents have stopped using this source entirely. If you do visit this website, beware of the information you find. If a rental sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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DON’T START FROM SCRATCHIf your prescription eyeglass lenses are made

of plastic, they are vulnerable to scratching. To avoid the tiny scratches that accumulate over time to obscure vision, resist wiping glasses when they are dry. Never use a paper product to wipe, nor should you use a window cleaner or saliva to clean plastic lenses. Instead regularly clean lenses with warm water and a drop of dish detergent. Then, wipe dry with a clean cotton cloth or a microfiber cloth. For impromptu cleanings, carry a small

bottle of lens cleaner and a suitable wiping cloth in your car, purse, or pocket. Avoid leaving eyeglasses lying around unprotected, particularly on a car’s dashboard, where concentrated sunlight and heat can ruin frames.

It can be tempting for eyeglass wearers to clean them with any piece of cloth that’s handy — including the bottom of a shirt. In addition to helping you enjoy clear vision, your glasses are an investment. Take them off with two hands, rinse them under water, and use a soft micro-fiber cloth to clean smudges. At MENLO OPTICAL we offer a variety of lenses, including plastic, Trivex, and High-index, and also offer cleaning supplies and protective cases. Please call us at 322-3900, or visit us at 1166 University Drive, on the corner of Oak Grove Avenue and University Drive.

P.S. Hair spray or perfume droplets can damage eyeglass lenses’ anti-reflective coatings.

Mark Schmidt is an American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners Certified Optician licensed by the Medical Board of California. He can be easily reached at Menlo Optical, 1166 University Drive, Menlo Park. 650-322-3900.

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Cyclist injuredA bicyclist was injured Aug. 28 on Santa Cruz Avenue near Hillview Middle School in Menlo Park when the occupant of a parked car opened a door as the cyclist was approaching in the bike lane. The cyclist struck the door and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to Menlo Park police spokesperson Nicole Acker. The cyclist, who complained of pain, was taken to a hospital. The accident occurred between Hillview Drive and Olive Street during an open house event for the new Hillview Middle School campus.

Sharon Heights residents rally against ‘affordable housing’ siteBy Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

Clearly the key to com-munity engagement in Menlo Park is to suggest

building “affordable housing” in Sharon Heights, in a park. The city recently held two workshops to solicit feedback on where to place an estimated 1,000 high-density and afford-able housing units it must add as part of a lawsuit settlement over Menlo Park’s lack of compliance with state housing law. Of the 32,516 residents counted by the state’s most recent census, about 100 attended the workshops. The number of Sharon Heights residents rising up in outrage over the inclusion of a neighbor-hood park as a potential housing site, however, appears well on

the way to creating a veritable mountain of feedback — a cou-ple hundred emails were sent to the council in protest — and spawned a petition. The list of 25 potential sites was narrowed by the Housing Element Update Steering Com-mission after the workshops. Dropped from consideration: seven sites, including parcels in the M2 industrial zone, SRI’s property on Ravenswood Avenue, the Hewlett Founda-tion’s Sand Hill Road site, and a city-owned lot on Willow Road. The commission added one — the soon-to-be vacant main post office at 3875 Bohannon Drive. Still on the list: Sharon Park, albeit with a suggestion that the 2.67-acre site be limited to high-density senior housing.

Comments sent to the City Council ranged from impas-sioned pleas for the park where at least one resident had a first kiss to pointing out the site lies far from any amenities or public transit, to the downright ugly. One anonymous “MP citizen” wrote, “Keep low income trash out of Sharon Heights. Put them in East Menlo Park where they belong. People who don’t have the ability or work ethic to live in a nice neighborhood shouldn’t be given handouts.” The Almanac obtained a breakdown of the occupations of those living in the city’s current 61 below-market-rate (BMR) units, which includes several teachers, a research chemist, an engineer and a physicist. Housing Commissioner Caro-lyn Clarke, who sits on the steering commission and is running for City Council, said there’s nothing to fear. “There is a misconception that what is called affordable housing is low income housing, and this is not the case.” For example, she said, the test used for applicants to the city’s BMR program determines whether they are fully employed with healthy financial records. “We are talking about people who teach our children, protect

See HOUSING, page 9

Who lives in BMR homes?The Almanac obtained a list of occupations for those who live in Menlo Park’s below-market-rate units. The city provided the following data:

assistant

associate

manager

administrator

instructor

assistant

supervisor

director


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ing alpine about it. We’re not in the Alps.” One thing that Portola Val-ley does have in common with the Alps: they’re on the same planet. Whose job is it to save it from climate change? “It’s too late, too late,” Mr. Litton said wearily. “It’s unbelievable that (the debate) has gone the way it has.” What should be done? “Stop multiplying right now,” he said. A big part of the problem, he added, are religions that encourage large families and preach human subjugation of the Earth. How do you reach people not in the environmen-tal choir? “A lot of them aren’t reachable because they don’t care. They don’t feel the prob-lem in their individual lives. “It’s not a popular subject because it’s unpleasant. People don’t want to hear about it (but) who’s kidding who. Global warming is here. The polar ice is breaking up.” The ice that used to appear in his birdbath for three or four

days every winter is also gone, he noted.

Begone, HP! On the royal decrees ques-tion, Mr. Litton did note one more that he would have issued before the others: Require HP Corp. to move off the Penin-sula. Why? “Because I don’t like David Packard,” he said, then recounted an incident from the early 1960s outside HP corpo-rate offices in Palo Alto. Mr. Litton was a founding member of the then-recently formed Committee for Green Foothills. On this evening, he was parked along the street standing outside his car and photographing HP offices ablaze with interior lights. Mr. Packard, the company’s co-founder, had claimed that keep-ing lights on, even at night, was more efficient, Mr. Litton said. Mr. Packard drove by Mr. Litton “in his Cadillac” and stopped to ask him who he was and what he was doing, Mr. Litton said. He told him he was with the Committee for Green Foothills and that he was taking pictures of the buildings with

their lights on. According to Mr. Litton, Mr. Packard replied: “I thought you might be one of them stupid bastards.” Asked to comment, Michael S. Malone, Mr. Packard’s biog-rapher, said in an email that it was a “funny story” he hadn’t heard before, recalled Mr. Packard driving an Oldsmobile Toronado, and that the words attributed to Mr. Packard “are his style.” Mr. Malone contin-ued: “The light thing is inter-esting because I remember that argument about keeping them on. Might be true, as those were some very powerful lights that probably did consume much of their power being turned on. But if justified as engineering, it certainly was a PR mistake.” The incident continued, according to Mr. Litton, whose wife was with him in a separate car. Mr. Packard allegedly took down the license plate numbers of both cars, scaring his wife away in the process, then fol-lowing her home; she lost him on Portola Valley streets, but Mr. Packard was back in the neighborhood the next morn-

ing with a car full of “men in fedoras,” Mr. Litton said. “Chasing people through the night in his car doesn’t seem like Packard,” Mr. Malone said. Mr. Packard’s foundation later

provided the initial financial backing for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and its associated marine research institute, and became a major supporter of environmental causes. A

Litton honored for lifetime of environmental activism

Almanac photo by Michelle Le

Martin Litton, right, shares laughs with friends Nani Venegas, left, and her husband Michael Powers at “Martinis with Martin” on June 21 at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos. Mr. Powers presented Mr. Litton with photos he took from their past river trips. The event was hosted by the Sequoia ForestKeeper organization to honor Mr. Litton’s accomplishments. Mr. Litton was a glider pilot for the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II.

Blues & Barbecue, the traditional fall festival to benefit the purchase of open space in Portola Valley, returns to the Town Center at 765 Portola Road on Sunday, Sept. 16, after a hiatus of two years. The day includes a concert, a silent auction, inflat-able games and other entertainment for kids, a climbing wall, plenty of food and drink, and recognition of noted environ-mental activist and longtime resident Martin Litton. The festival opens at 2:30 p.m., with the silent auction start-ing at 3 p.m. and the concert by the Daniel Castro Band and Acoustic Therapy at 3:30. The recognition of Mr. Litton is set for 5:45 p.m. Tickets are $65 for an individual and $650 for a table for 10 for the package deal that includes appetizers, seating at a table, and the barbecue dinner from Bianchini’s Market in Ladera along with wine and beer. Without the alcoholic beverages and without the table seat-ing, tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for youth aged 12 or younger. If you bring your own picnic food, admission plus appetizers is $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Tickets are available via PayPal. After expenses, revenues from the festival go to the Open Space Acquisition Fund to buy and maintain open space in town. Write to [email protected] for more information.

Portola Valley Blues & BBQLITTONcontinued from page 5


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Menlo Park protestShaunn Cartwright, left, and Joseph Rosas protested in Menlo Park on Thursday, Sept. 6, over the imprisonment of U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning, who is being held at Fort Leavenworth federal prison in Kansas on accusations of turning over thousands of secret government documents to the whistleblower website WikiLeaks in 2010. About 25 people from Occupy San Jose and Peninsula Direct Action showed up for the two-hour protest at 350 El Camino Real in Menlo Park. The office there is not affiliated with the Democratic Party but established by and for volunteers who support Democratic Party causes, office manager Mike Aydelott told the Almanac. A spokesman for the Bradley Manning Support Network said similar protests had been planned for “dozens of cities across the U.S.” on the last day of the Democratic National Convention.

$85 million asked for Woodside estate The 92-acre Flood estate on secluded Greer Road in Woodside, a property that has remained in the same family since 1941, is up for sale. Elizabeth Flood, who bought the property with her husband James, died in April 2011, according to the real estate website of Mary & Brent Gul-lixson. The asking price for the estate

is $85 million but whatever it sells for, San Mateo County will reap a windfall in tax revenues when the property is reap-praised. The valuation in 2011 was $7,944, the Gullixson web-site says. The estate consists of three parcels, with a main house of 9,000-square-feet, nine bed-rooms and eight and a half baths, the website says. The

property includes a lake, a res-ervoir, a vineyard and a creek as well as a two-bedroom gate house, a three-bedroom care-taker’s house, a pool, a tennis court and a three-stall barn. Among the noted guests was President John F. Kennedy, and the Kingston Trio once played for a debutante ball for one of the couple’s daughters, the web-site says. A

Celebrating anniversary of Committee for Green Foothills The Committee for Green Foothills is inviting the public to help celebrate its 50th anni-versary on Sunday, Sept. 23, with an afternoon gathering at Runnymede Farm at 980 Run-nymede Road in Woodside. Rarely open to the public, this

100-acre farm has an exten-sive collection of sculptures by noteworthy artists such as ceramicist Jun Kaneko and sculptors Viola Frey and Andy Goldsworthy. The four-hour celebration begins at 2:30 p.m. and includes

“scrumptious food” and remarks by American West scholar and author Jon Christensen and author Lynn Stegner. Space is limited and individual tickets begin at $125. Go to tinyurl.com/CGF-777 for more information. A

our homes against crime and fire and assist us at our public library when we search for a book. ... They too want to share our delight in living in Menlo Park.” Addressing concerns of Sha-ron Heights residents who spoke at the Sept. 5 Housing Com-mission meeting, Ms. Clarke said she’s confident that the city will plan for added units with “the appropriate consid-eration for each needed zon-ing change ensuring a healthy balance between housing and maintaining livability standards in Menlo Park” as well as follow its own regulations for infill development. In the meantime, several offi-cials are questioning the way the state calculates housing requirements. Vice Mayor Peter

Ohtaki as well as Assemblyman Rich Gordon, D-Menlo Park, are scrutinizing the process. “Affordable housing is a wor-thy goal, but the degree and how it gets implemented is the problem,” Mr. Ohtaki said. “In terms of degree, these (housing) allocations are driven by the State of California saying the Bay Area will grow by 2,147,000 by 2040 from 7,152,000 in 2010. That’s a very big number, and I don’t think the region or state grew anywhere near that rate over the last 10 years.” Menlo Park is exploring whether secondary units, oth-erwise known as “granny units” may be counted toward the allocation. That would also save on costs. According to another Peninsula city, Sunny-vale, it costs between $116,000 to $250,000 per unit for cities to subsidize affordable hous-ing. “The State has taken away

HOUSINGcontinued from page 7

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

our (redevelopment) funds, of which 20 percent went to afford-able housing, so just who is going to pay for these units to be built?” Mr. Ohtaki asked. “In effect, cities go through this time-consuming and expensive process to allocate these highly speculative popula-tion growth numbers down to re-zoning specific parcels, thereby raising fears in neigh-borhoods, and yet many of these affordable units may not get built because there’s no funding available.” A

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patient was discharged home with a tube placed in the blad-der for urine drainage for two weeks, the report said. “The California Department of Public Health has informed us that we have been issued a $50,000 fine for an incident in 2009 where established surgical policies and procedures were not followed. The patient made a full recovery from the incident,” said hospital spokesperson Jill Antonides, who added that this was the first time the hospital had received an administrative penalty. “We are considering an appeal but have not finalized that decision.” Immediately after the incident in 2009, Menlo Park Surgical Hospital reviewed policies and procedures, re-educated staff members regarding the proce-dures at issue, and researched options for and later purchased new equipment, according to Ms. Antonides. The staff review was followed up with random observational audits, Menlo Park Surgical Hospital said. “There have been no further incidents since that time, and the staff person involved in the incident is no longer with the organization,” Ms. Antonides said. “We have cooperated fully with the CDPH and have met all deadlines for responding to them through the process, and we remain fully committed to ensuring the safety of our patients and to delivering excep-tional health care.”

Other cases Stanford University Hospital was fined $50,000 for the 2010

case of a nurse who inappro-priately removed sutures that anchored a patient’s tracheosto-my tube, which later dislodged. The patient was in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit following treatment for a tear in his heart and placement of a stent. A tra-cheostomy tube was inserted after he developed respiratory failure. Without proper permission or documentation, a nurse removed the sutures in order to clean the area around the tube. After the patient stopped breathing, a doctor noted the tube had dislodged and the sutures were not in place. The patient was revived, but later died. Stanford said the staff mem-ber was “re-educated about the policy which states there is a requirement to obtain a physi-cian order prior to carrying out an intervention related to the removal of trach ties.” The hos-pital said it also educated RNs to changes in its tracheostomy care policy, and followed up with compliance audits through the first quarter of 2011. The 12 other hospitals cit-ed Thursday paid a total of $725,000. They included Kaiser Foundation Hospital in San Francisco, which paid $100,000 in its third administrative pen-alty, the health department said. Kaiser Foundation Hospital in South San Francisco paid $75,000 in its second adminis-trative penalty. Saint Francis Memorial Hos-pital and St. Mary’s Medical Center, both in San Francisco, paid $50,000 apiece for their first administrative penalties, according to the health depart-ment. A

WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS GIVEN that the District Board of West Bay Sanitary District will conduct a Public Hearing on Wednesday evening, September 26, 2012 in conjunction with its regularly scheduled meeting which commences at 7:00 p.m. The location of the meeting is at the District’s offices, 500 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, California 94025.

The purpose of the Public Hearing will be to consider a proposed increase in Sewer Connection Fees for all District customers. The proposed rates are as follows:

Connection Fee Dollars

District Authority Total

Residential Unit $5,596.00 $1,740.20 $2,376.00 $7,336.20 $7,972.00

Supplementary Connection Fee $763.20 $237.30 $324.00 $1,000.50 $1,087.20 (c)

Non-Residential Use $25.44/gpd +$7.91 $10.80/gpd $33.35 $36.24/gpdEqual or Less than +$763.20 +$237.30 $324.00 +$1,000.50 $1,087.20325 mg/l BOD and/or SS

Greater than 325 mg/l $25.44/gpd Ratio(a) Total(b)BOD and/or SS

(a) The connection fee for Authority expansion costs is calculated by multiplying $7.91 $10.80/gpd times the average daily flow in gpd, times the ratio of the highest of the BOD and SS concentrations to 325 mg/l subject to a minimum connection fee $7.91 $10.80/gpd plus $237.30 $324.00 per connection.

(b) The total connection fee is the sum of the District and Authority connection fees subject to a minimum connection fee of $33.35 $36.24/gpd plus $1,000.50 $1,087.20 per connection.

(c) The connection fee for a supplementary connection(s) to the same building shall be $1,000.50 $1,087.20 per connection. [Amended by General Regulation No.2012-03]

At the Public Hearing, any interested person may address the District Board. Written comments may be submitted at or before the Public Hearing by addressing them to the District Board at the address indicated above.

/s/ Phil Scott Phil ScottDistrict Manager

Dated: August 22, 2012

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HOSPITAL continued from page 5

Firefighters extinguishfire in warehouse Firefighters put out a 2-alarm fire in a commercial warehouse in Menlo Park late Saturday night, Sept. 1, a fire chief said. Fire crews responded just after 11:45 p.m. to the fire at the 5,000-square-foot warehouse of wooden and plastic pallet business Duran Pallets at 3620 Haven Ave., Menlo Park Fire District Chief Harold Schapel-houman said. Fire personnel had to break into the smoke-filled warehouse by cutting holes in the building’s rolling metal doors, the fire chief said. “The good news was that they had a sprinkler system, so that kept the fire in check until we could get the building opened

up,” he said. Once inside, firefighters saw a roughly 10-foot stack of wooden pallets on fire. It took about 20 minutes to get the fire under control, Chief Schapelhouman said. The chief said exposed electri-cal cords may have sparked the fire, but an investigation into exactly what caused the blaze is ongoing. He said the fire caused an estimated $25,000 in damage to the building. No workers were inside the warehouse at the time of the fire, and no firefighters were injured.

— Bay City News Service


Stanley Ingerman went along for most of his life pretty much like a lot of other people. He endured the normal childhood diseases—he remembers measles and chickenpox. As an adult, he hit six feet tall and managed to maintain a healthy weight, give or take a few pounds, into his mid-50s. Then one night he woke up with an in-credible pain in his right leg.

“On a scale of one to 10, it was at least a 7.5,” Ingerman said. “My toes were turning color. There was no blood flow. The pain I was feeling was all the muscles dying. I sat there and cried. I was in the doctor’s office the first thing in the morning.”

Ingerman, his doctor said, had devel-oped peripheral artery disease, PAD for short. Like a lot of other people with the condition, he had been a smoker—smoking increases the risk of PAD by two to six times—he was over 60 and the disease’s symptomatic pain was in his legs. The arteries carrying blood to his legs had become clogged with fatty deposits. An estimated 8 million people in the United States suffer from PAD.

To treat the condition, Ingerman’s surgery followed the standard proce-dure: The failed artery in his leg was replaced by a vein from his other leg. With luck, it would last several years. Because he was showing signs of high

blood pressure, he was advised to reduce the amount of salt in his diet, to lose some weight and to start exer-cising regularly. He followed all that advice.

Renewed challenge“I was doing everything right,” Inger-man said. But, eight years later, that first fix finally failed when the artery clogged, and Ingerman went through another surgery. In the 18 months that followed, Ingerman’s artery failed three more times and his physicians finally told him he needed to go to Stanford. They had done everything they could.

Ingerman arrived at Stanford Hospital on New Year’s Eve and found himself a patient of surgeon Matthew Mell, MD, medical director of Stanford’s Vascu-lar Clinic and Lab. “He had a great bedside manner,” Ingerman said. “He answered every question I asked and made sure there were no doubts in my mind about what was going to happen.

He had a confidence that made me very comfortable.”

What Mell found was that a previous by-pass had failed and couldn’t be salvaged. “Generally, when by-pass grafts fail after a period of time it’s usually because of the progression of the disease,” Mell said.

The average per-son’s body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels, a combination of veins, which carry blood to the heart; arteries, which carry blood from away from the heart; capillaries, some thinner than a hair, which branch from the arter-ies all the way out to our toes and fingers; and venules, the tiny blood vessels that connect to the capillaries as the oxygen-depleted blood begins its journey back to the heart for recircula-tion. Between 5 to 6 quarts of blood flow around the system in the average adult. The accumulation of deposits called plaque, clumps of debris called clots and inflammation of the vessels (vasculitis) can obstruct blood flow, causing a variety of diseases and rais-ing the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Fortunately, in a short-term response, Ingerman’s body had recruited collat-eral vessels near the collapsed artery to circulate a minimal flow of blood. But the body’s natural response would not be enough to sustain real function for Ingerman’s leg. If Mell could not create a repair that would reach from Ingerman’s groin to below his knee as a substitute for the length of non-

functioning artery, Ingerman would lose his leg. Ingerman had a compli-cated vascular condition brought about by the previous multiple procedures that required intervention that wasn’t necessarily straightforward, Mell said. He would have to find a vein in Inger-man’s other leg that would be a strong enough to maintain steady blood flow; he would also have to maneuver around the scar tissue from the previ-ous surgeries to attach the new vein.

Restored vigor“He took a vein from my left leg to re-place the clogged artery in my right leg and sewed everything back up,” Inger-

A community health education series from Stanford Hospital & Clinics

Stanley Ingerman went along for most of his life pretty much like a lot of other people. He endured the normal childhood diseases—he remembers measles and chickenpox.Then one night he woke up with an incredible pain in his right leg.

Matthew Mell, MD, Medical Director of Stanford’s Vascular Clinic and Lab, became Ingerman’s doctor. “He had a great bedside manner,” Ingerman said. “He answered every question I asked. He had a confidence that made me very comfortable.

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“ On a scale of one to 10, it was at least a 7.5. My toes were turning color. There was no blood flow. The pain I was feeling was all the muscles dying.”

– Stanley Ingerman, Stanford Hospital & Clinics patient

“ Before this surgery, I was overweight. I was a couch potato. Now I walk 35 miles a week. I watch the foods I eat and I’m much more aware of what my body feels like from day to day, and of my health.”


When Vascular Disease Strikes,Surgery May Be Best Choice

Mell points out the long stretch of artery in Ingerman’s leg wflowed. In the surgery he performed on Ingerman, Mell borrIngerman’s other leg as a substitute.


man said. “I was on my feet and walk-ing the next day. That was painful, but it was just for a short time.” Getting up and moving helped Ingerman begin a regimen of walking, one of the best therapeutic treatments for PAD as well as for recovery from his vascular sur-gery. Once at home again, “I walked 10 to 15 minutes after every meal in an inside hallway and expanded that by five minutes every day until I got up to half an hour—then I started going outside.”

As many as 40 per-cent of people with PAD won’t experience symptoms. For those who do, treatment depends on the length of the blockage. “Some people have a very limited disability because there are so many collateral ways for the blood to get

where it needs to go that symptoms aren’t very severe,” Mell said. Because surgical fixes don’t last forever—as Ingerman’s experience shows—choos-ing surgery as a treatment means weighing its benefits. In Ingerman’s situation, “his risk of amputation was significantly high if we didn’t do some-thing,” Mell said.

Researchers are investigating substi-tutes for the veins and arteries physi-cians now harvest from a patient’s body to replace blocked arteries. Hav-ing an alternative—possibly some sort of synthetic tubing—would reduce the technical challenges of this type of vascular surgery and speed recovery, Mell said. “But so far nothing has sur-

passed the long term durability of a patient’s own vein,” he said.

Steadied futureIngerman is much healthier now. “Before this surgery, I was over-weight. I was a couch potato. Now I walk 35 miles a week. I watch the foods I eat and I’m much more aware of what my body feels like from day to day, and of my health. I’ve become sensitized to that. This was a wake-up call.”

Mell has told him that even doing everything right, he may develop another clogged artery and might need another surgery. But Ingerman was not overly concerned. “Going to Stanford—just the reputation of the hospital—was enough to put me at ease,” he said. With Mell as his doc-tor, and the success of his most recent surgery, “I’m very calm about things at this point.”

special feature

After his surgery, “I was on my feet and walking the next day. That was painful, but it was just for a short time,” Ingerman said. Getting up and moving helped him begin a regimen of walking, one of the best therapeutic treatments for PAD, as well as for recovery from his vascular surgery. Once at home again, “I walked 10 to 15 minutes after every meal in an inside hallway and expanded that by five minutes every day until I got up to half an hour—then I started going outside.”

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What You Should Know about Your Vascular System The average adult body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels which

serve as the transport system for 5 to 6 quarts of blood. As oxygen-rich

blood leaves the heart, it travels through the arteries; as it returns, it is borne

by veins.

Anything that interrupts the free flow of blood from the heart to the rest of

the body can cause problems including limb pain, heart attack and stroke.

Blood vessels can be obstructed by fat, cholesterol, calcium and cellular

waste products. The condition is called atherosclerosis. Blood flow can also

be blocked by vessels whose lining has become inflamed.

Risk factors for blood vessel blockage include diabetes, smoking, high

blood pressure, excess weight, age and family history.

One in four Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. Between 12 and 20 percent age 65 and older have peripheral artery disease. More than two-thirds will not have any symptoms.

Symptoms can include pain when walking, as well as aching, cramping, weakness and numbing in the hip, thigh, buttocks or calf. Sores or ulcers on the feet or legs can also be an indication of disease.

Non-surgical treatments include medication to reduce cholesterol, thin blood and control diabetes. Quitting smoking, losing weight and exercising also help.

For more information about vascular disease care at Stanford,

call 650.725.5227 or visit stanfordhospital.org/vascularcare.

Join us at http://stanfordhospital.org/socialmedia. Watch the new Stanford Hospital Health Notes television show on Comcast: channel 28 on Mondays at 8:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. and Fridays at 8:30 a.m.; channel 30 Saturdays at 10:30 p.m. It can also be viewed at www.youtube.com/stanfordhospital.

Stanford Hospital & Clinics is dedicated to providing leading edge and coordinated care to each and every patient. It is internationally renowned for expertise in areas such as cancer treatment, neuroscience, surgery, cardiovascular medicine and organ transplant, as well as for translating medical breakthroughs into patient care. Throughout its history, Stanford has been at the forefront of discovery and innovation, as researchers and clinicians work together to improve health on a global level. Stanford Hospital & Clinics: Healing humanity through science and compassion, one patient at a time. For more information, visit www.stanfordhospital.org.

where blood no longer rowed a vein from

Ingerman is much healthier now. “Before this surgery, I was overweight. I was a couch potato. Now I walk 35 miles a week. I watch the foods I eat and I’m much more aware of what my body feels like from day to day, and of my health. I’ve become sensitized to that. This was a wake-up call.”

“ Going to Stanford—just the reputation of the hospital−was enough to put me at ease.”


interest rates. According to the staff report, the average payday loan interest rate in California was 414 per-cent in 2010. San Mateo County recently enacted an ordinance limiting locations and hours for such businesses. Go to tinyurl.com/8b87ht9 to review the agenda. A study session on Bedwell Bayfront Park operations starts at 6 p.m. followed by the regular meet-ing about hour later in council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St.

Driver not at faultfor striking pedestrian The 22-year-old driver of a Toyota Prius that struck an 85-year-old man was deter-mined to not be at fault, Menlo Park police said. According to the investiga-tion, the man was jaywalking as he attempted to cross El Camino Real near Santa Cruz Avenue around 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 4. The Toyota was traveling north when the car struck him. He was treated for non-life-

threatening injuries at a local hospital, while no else was hurt, police said.

Election forums Check out the positions of state Senate and Assembly can-didates at the League of Women Voters forum on Thursday, Sept. 20, in Menlo Park. Candidates Rich Gordon and George Yang are running for the state Assembly and Jerry Hill and Sally Lieber are running for the state Senate. The forum starts at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St. The league is also hosting a presentation on state proposi-tions appearing on the Novem-ber ballot. Held at the Menlo Park library at 800 Alma St., the presentation starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6. A forum for the five Menlo Park City Council candidates will be held at 7 p.m. on Thurs-day, Oct. 11, also in council chambers.

Tuesday: Cafe Scientifique “A Holy Grail of Bioinfor-matics: Automatic Construc-

tion of Metabolic Models from Sequenced Genomes” will be the topic at Cafe Scientifique on Tuesday, Sept. 11. The free event will be held at SRI International at Middlefield Road and Ringwood Avenue in Menlo Park. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. Visit cafescisv.org for more information.

Coastal cleanup day Call all volunteers — Menlo Park is looking for help on Saturday, Sept. 15, for Coastal Clean Up Day. Local sites tagged for cleanup include San Francisquito Creek and Bedwell Bayfront Park. Call 330-6740 or email [email protected] to register. The project runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Book sale Coming attractions this week-end include the Friends of the Menlo Park Library book sale. Browse offerings in the library’s downstairs meeting room at 800 Alma St. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15 and Sunday, Sept. 16.


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Facebook, payday loans on council agenda The Menlo Park City Council will review at its Sept. 11 meet-ing the upcoming development agreement process for Face-book’s west campus. Renowned architect Frank Gehry designed a 433,555-square-foot building for the Constitution Drive location that is expected to accommodate 2,800 engineers. Also on the Sept. 11 agenda: The council appears to be tak-ing pre-emptive action against payday loan businesses. Although no such business currently exists within the city, staff has asked the council for direction on a possible ban after Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto approached the police department about regulating payday loan and auto title loan businesses, which are known for charging sky-high

MENLO PARK BRIEFS

Photo courtesy of Kepler’s.

At Kepler’sNaturalist Bernie Krause will discuss and sign his new book, “The Great Animal Orchestra: Finding the Origins of Music in the World’s Wild Places,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, at Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real in Menlo Park. The book shares the author’s insight into how animals rely on their aural habitat to survive and the damaging effects of extraneous noise. The event is free.

Written bids will be taken both days, and an auction will be held on Sunday at 2 p.m. in council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St. Most items cost $2 or less, and on Sunday books will be half price or $5 for a full bag. All proceeds benefit the library. A

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By Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

A 51-year-old Menlo Park man convicted multiple times for rape will remain

incarcerated under California’s sexually violent predator law, a jury has decided. Lamar Damian Johnson’s con-victions date back to 1984, when he was found guilty of felony statutory rape, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. He was con-victed again in 1993 following the rape and beating of a woman he met in a bar in San Jose, who then accompanied Mr. Johnson to his Carlton Avenue home in Menlo Park. He was sen-tenced to 36 years in state prison and required by law to serve at least half that time. The trial to extend his incar-ceration ended after seven days with a jury’s ver-dict on Sept. 5 that Mr. Johnson continued to fit the state’s criteria of a sexually violent predator (SVP). Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti listed the reasons: “His prior sex offenses. The fact that he was diagnosed with paraphil-ia not otherwise specified, and the doctors’ opinion that he is likely to re-offend.” Ms. Guidotti estimated that more than 25 felons in San Mateo County have been com-mitted as sexually violent preda-tors to date. In general, those committed under this law have been con-victed of specific sex offenses against at least one victim, and diagnosed with a mental disor-der that suggests they’re likely to re-offend if released. The law, which took effect in 1996, allows the offenders to be incarcerated at state mental hospitals after serving their original prison sentences as long as certain conditions are met, leading to attack by civil rights proponents who argue that it allows unfair punishment for those who have served their time.

Diagnosis challenged Witnesses testifying on Mr. Johnson’s behalf included his wife, sister, son and two psy-chologists who challenged the mental diagnosis, according to court records. The appropriate classifica-tion of an offender as having a “paraphilia not otherwise specified” is a current contro-versy within the forensic men-

tal health community. Renowned psychiatrist Allen Frances posted his recent expe-rience with a review of 28 sexu-ally violent predator cases on the Psychology Today website. Noting that the review was unsystematic and not neces-sarily representative, he found that only two of the cases met the clinical definition of the disorder. “My experience indicates that the SVP laws are being imple-mented in a highly arbitrary and idiosyncratic fashion with judges and juries easily con-fused by misleading expert testimony,” Dr. Frances wrote on March 29. He concluded

that “a very small proportion of criminal rap-ists committed under SVP stat-utes do qualify for a Paraphilia diagnosis. But the overwhelm-ing majority of committed rap-

ists do not qualify for a diag-nosis of ‘Paraphilia NOS.’ This term is currently being misused and wildly over-diagnosed by evaluators who have a funda-mental misunderstanding of (the clinical criteria).” The controversy has attracted the attention of the California Department of Mental Health, which administers the com-mitment program. It recently launched a retraining program aimed at improving the accu-racy of its diagnosticians. Mr. Johnson’s case goes to court again on Sept. 13, when defense attorney John Halley is expected to argue for a com-mitment term of two years, instead of one of indeterminate length. Mr. Halley declined to comment on the case. A

Incarceration extendedfor violent sex offender

Menlo Park man retains classification as ‘sexually violent

predator.’

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By Gennady SheynerEmbarcadero Media

An eleventh-hour request from Palo Alto and Stan-ford University for a grant

that would greatly accelerate the city’s ambitious bike plan and create an expansive trail network around the Stanford Dish glided past the City Council on Tuesday night, Sept. 4, and now heads to the Santa Clara County for approval. The proposal, which the city and the university scrambled to put together over the past month, aims to tap into a $10.4 million pool that the county received from Stanford after San Mateo County decided not to use the funds to build a new trail at Alpine Road. The trail was one of two proposed as a mitigation for Stanford’s “general use per-mit,” which allowed the univer-sity to construct up to 5 million square feet of new development on campus. When San Mateo County declined to use the Stanford funds for the new trail, the money reverted to Santa Clara County, which now must use the money to enhance recre-ation opportu-nities for users of the Stanford campus. The grant application that the two sides plan to submit requests funds for five projects — $4 mil-lion for the proposed bike bridge at Adobe Creek; $4.5 million for new trails between El Camino Real and the Stanford Dish and along Junipero Serra; $200,000 to create the city’s second “bike boulevard” at Park Boulevard; $1.5 million for a new bike-and-pedestrian trail along Matadero Creek, which would link Bry-ant Street and Greer Road; and $200,000 to enhance a trail along the Arastradero Road, between Foothill Expressway and Puris-sima Road in Los Altos Hills. The proposal was quickly put together by city staff and Stanford officials after initial disagreements about how the funds should be spent. City planners acknowledged Sept. 4 that they have much work to do when it comes to public out-reach. But given the tight dead-line — the application was due Sept. 6 — they urged the council to support the ambitious pro-posal. Two of the projects in the

proposal — the bike bridge at Adobe Creek and the Park Bou-levard — are key components of the city’s recently adopted Bike and Pedestrian Transportation Plan, a document that aims to transform Palo Alto into one of the nation’s premier biking destination. “We think this is a great opportunity for the city to hopefully kick-start our newly adopted Bike and Pedestrian Transportation Plan and to really significantly fund two of our major priorities,” Planning Director Curtis Williams said. The council agreed and vot-ed 6-0, with Councilman Sid Espinosa absent and Mayor Yiaway Yeh and Councilman Larry Klein recusing themselves, to support the application. The joint proposal earned plaudits from an important stakeholder group — Stanford campus residents. Allyn Taylor, vice president of the Stanford Campus Residential Leasehold-ers, said her group (which is

elected to rep-resent the cam-pus communi-ty) fully backs the joint appli-cation from the city and the university. The cam-pus residents hadn’t always seen eye to eye

with the city on the recreation funds. When Santa Clara Coun-ty Supervisor Liz Kniss proposed in May to use the Stanford funds to pay for Palo Alto’s bike bridge and to spend another $3 million to extend the Dumbarton link to the Bay Trail, campus residents protested that the two projects are too distant from the cam-pus. They asked the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to delay its vote and to consider other projects, including the campus residents’ proposal to extend trails around the Dish. University officials, who con-curred that the process was mov-ing too fast, asked the county supervisors to set up a more deliberative process for evaluat-ing various grant requests. The Board of Supervisors agreed and is now scheduled to hold a public hearing on the grant proposals on Oct. 9. The county issued its request for proposals in August, said Jai-me Rodriguez, Palo Alto’s chief transportation official. This left the city and Stanford with less

Funds rejected by San Mateo County may pay for new trail network

than a month to put together a grant application. The new plan differs markedly from the one Ms. Kniss pitched in May. The new grant proposal includes a wider range of bike projects than the previous one. It also includes the network of trails by the Dish that Stanford campus residents have long lob-bied for. It doesn’t, however, ask for any funds for the 27-mile Dumbarton link in the San Francisco Bay Trail, between Redwood City and Alviso. Mr. Williams, Palo Alto’s plan-ning director, said the city decid-ed not to pursue the Dumbarton link because that project would lie in San Mateo County, well outside the city’s jurisdiction. “The application needs to come from the sponsoring agency, and we’re not that for the Bay Trail,” he said, “It’s not a project that we would sponsor and build.” Even so, the Bay Trail project could compete with the ones

proposed by Palo Alto and Stanford. Adina Levin, co-chair of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, said the Midpenin-sula Open Space District plans to submit its own application for that plan. The project, she said, would add value to the Palo Alto sections of the Bay Trail by mak-ing it possible for people to get from the city to San Mateo and Alameda counties. But Palo Alto council members

agreed that the city would have a better shot at getting county funds with the proposal offered by staff and Stanford. Mr. Rodri-guez, Palo Alto’s chief transpor-tation official, noted that the Dumbarton trail is located too far from the other elements in the proposal. The ones included, on the other hand, all link together in one cohesive network. The argument proved convinc-ing to the council. A

More than 60 children, ages 6 to 16, took part in the Woodside Junior Riders 65th annual horse show on Aug. 12 at 3345 Tripp Road in Woodside. The show marked the completion of the eight-week summer English riding program. All riders received a ribbon to celebrate their accomplishments. This year’s highlights included a drill team program with 10 of the more advanced riders, and “Grand Entry of the Flags,” says program director Kathi Dancer. Ms. Dancer was assisted by volunteers, some of whom were students in the program more than 30 years ago. Woodside Junior Riders is a nonprofit sum-mer English riding program, where children learn horsemanship, horse safety, and how to care for and respect horses. A local institution since 1947, it is the oldest and longest running riding program for children on the Peninsula.

Visit woodsidejuniorriders.com for more information.

Photo by Angela Morgenthaler

Sophie Horn, riding “Katie,” accepts her ribbon from Lena Pladmondon.

Junior Riders hold horse show

Photo by Angela Morgenthaler

Amanda Muir rides”Cowboy” over a jump.

Palo Alto council lauds joint plan to seek

$10.4 million for new bike bridge, trails near

Stanford Dish

Marc Hellman, an experienced designer of rainwater harvest sys-tems, will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the Community Hall at the Town Center, located at 765 Portola Road in Portola Valley. The program is part of the Tuesday Har-vest series of environmental talks. Mr. Hellman’s talk, “Blue is the New Green,” will discuss water-use consciousness and how to create and manage conserved

rainwater at home. Mr. Hellman is a guest lec-turer and continuing education instructor “at colleges, horticul-ture departments and conferenc-es,” the town said in its announce-ment, adding that his inclusion in the speaker series should not be taken as an endorsement of services or remarks. Go to tinyurl.com/PV-890 for more information.

Tuesday talk on harvesting rainwater


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Call (650) 724-4601 or visit calendar.lpch.org to register or obtain more information on the times, locations and fees for these and other courses.

Your Child’s Health UniversityLucile Packard Children’s Hospital offers classes and seminars designed to foster good health and enhance the lives of parents and children.

V I S I T L P C H . O R G T O S I G N U P F O R C L A S S E S

L U C I L E PAC K A R D C H I L D R E N ’ S H O S P I TA L

PROVIDED BY LUCILE PACKARD CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

MOTHERS OF SONS: THE JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF GUIDING YOUR SON THROUGH ADOLESCENCE Robert Lehman, MD, co-creator of the “Heart to Heart” program will host an evening just for mothers of adolescent sons. This seminar is a primer for mothers on the changes a boy experiences in adolescence and how mothers can help guide them. - Tuesday, October 23: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

GRANDPARENTS SEMINARDesigned for new and expectant grandparents, this class examines changes in labor and delivery practices, the latest recommendations for infant care and the unique role of grandparents in the life of their grandchild. - Sunday, October 21: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

CHILD CPR & FIRST AID Designed for parents and care-givers of children one year of age to adolescence, this class will cover cardio-pulmonary resuscitation techniques, choking and first aid for common childhood injuries. - Saturday, October 13: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

PREPARING FOR MULTIPLESAre you expecting twins, or triplets or more? With the potential for early delivery, expectant parents of multiples are encouraged to learn everything there is to know about carrying and delivering multiple infants. - Sunday, October 28: 12:00 pm – 4:30 pm

By Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

Woodside’s Town Coun-cil plans to address this week the uproar

that broke out in the Skylonda community a few weeks ago when the town threw cold water on a farmers’ market at the cor-ner of highways 35 and 84. On Wednesday, Aug. 1, a farm-ers’ market was held in Skylonda in a parking lot shared by the Mountain Terrace and Penelope’s

Den. There were about eight tables of fresh produce, home-made cheese, sunflowers and other goods, the efforts of nearby artisans and farmers. The vendors sold out, residents said. Subsequently, the town informed the organizers that the market was not permitted under the Woodside municipal code. A petition with 199 signatures calls on the town to permit a weekly farmers’ market at Skylon-da between May and December. On Tuesday, Sept. 11, the coun-

cil plans to address the issue. Town Hall staff are recommend-ing that the council either amend the municipal code to allow for consideration of farmers’ mar-kets in town, or find a section of municipal code that would suffice in lieu of such an amendment. The council meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. in Independence Hall at the corner of Whiskey Hill and Woodside roads. San Mateo County is host to some 31 certified farmers’ mar-kets, a staff report said. Represen-

tatives from the county’s public health agency spoke in favor of such markets in Woodside in Feb-ruary 2010 during a community workshop on updating the town’s general plan. The plan’s circula-tion and sustainability chapters note the importance of activities that encourage lower greenhouse gas footprints. The West Coast Farmers’ Mar-ket, held in Parking Lot 7 at Canada College, is just over the Woodside municipal boundary and therefore technically in Red-

wood City, according to the staff report. This market is held every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A

Residents petition town for farmers’ market in Skylonda

Olive Hill Salon, located 2920 Woodside Road in Woodside, is marking its first anniversary with an olive-themed party at the salon from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26. “There will be a bite, a drink, and a drawing for hair services and products,” said owner Dan-ielle Casa. In its first year, the salon added two stylists and expanded its client base by 75 percent, said Ms. Casa. Kendra Silva joined Ms. Casa and Janice Weiss in January

2012, and Sydney Edwards joined in July. Stylist Michelle Mirassou will join in September, Ms. Casa said. In the past year Olive Hill Salon has also hosted hair and make-up services for local school functions, as well as for private and corporate parties using products with sustainable and natural ingredients, says Ms. Casa.


Menlo Park police officers arrested three minors Aug. 31 and booked

them into Hillcrest juvenile hall in San Mateo on robbery and assault charges. Police are look-ing for two more suspects in the assault on a boy and a girl and the theft of the boy’s bike in the vicinity of the pedestrian/bicycle bridge at Ringwood Avenue and U.S. 101. In the assault, the suspects allegedly punched and kicked the boy and punched the face a 15-year-old girl who attempted to intervene. The victims’ inju-ries were not life threatening, police said. Police typically do not identify arrested minors.

Other arrests On Sept. 1, Menlo Park police arrested and booked into the county jail Samuel Erichturner, 19, on charges in connection with a burglary of the Chevron gas station at El Camino Real and Oak Grove Avenue, police said. Mr. Erichturner is accused of having forced his way into the locked business and caus-ing about $1,000 in damages to several pieces of equipment. Police arrested Mr. Erichturner

in the driveway of the gas sta-tion, police said, adding that he was in possession of 11 packs of cigarettes from the station. On Sept. 3, a few doors down the street from the gas station at the Studio 1258 Hair Salon, there was an attempted burglary in which two double-pane glass windows were damaged. No one appeared to have entered the business or stolen anything, police said. Thieves stole two locked bicy-cles, one valued at $2,000 and stolen from a bike rack on Mon-day, Sept. 3, in the 700 block of El Camino Real, and the other valued at $1,500 and stolen on Wednesday, Sept. 5, from out-side an apartment complex in the 600 block of Roble Avenue, police said. A

Woodside’s Olive Hill Saloncelebrates first anniversary

Three arrested in assaultson youths, bike theft

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N E W SDo you Snore?Are you Often Tired?

Find out your Risk for Sleep Apnea!

Dr. Gerald Reaven and associates at Stanford University are seeking volunteers for a research study on pre-diabetes and risk for obstructive sleep apnea.

Volunteers must:

treatment for sleep apnea

questionnaires for sleep apnea

apnea

$ Monetary compensation for study participation available $

For general information regarding questions, concerns, or complaints about research, research related injury, or the rights of research participants, please call (650) 723-5244 or toll-free 1-866-680-2906, or write to the Administrative Panel on Human Subjects in Medical Research, Adminstrative Panels

Office, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5401.

By Sue DremannPalo Alto Weekly Staff Writer

Perry Mosdromos, a Palo Alto man who was arrested on June 7 for

selling $250,000 worth of ste-roids and prescription medi-cations through his Menlo Park bodybuilding business, was arrested and charged by federal agents for the crimes on Aug. 30. The case was referred from the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office for federal prosecution because Mr. Mos-dromos is alleged to have sold and shipped the illegal drugs throughout the country and internationally. His alleged activities were first discovered on April 23, after Department of Home-land Security Investigations intercepted a package contain-ing steroids at a United Parcel Service store. The drugs from China were addressed to his postal box at the UPS store located at 325 Sharon Park Drive in Menlo Park. A second shipment con-taining thousands of Xanax pills from the United King-dom was inter-cepted on May 18, according to the crimi-nal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for Northern California. In June, Mr. Mosdromos’ Loma Verde Ave-nue residence and his business, One 2 One Fitness in Menlo Park, were searched by the Menlo Park Police Depart-ment and Homeland Security, assisted by the FBI. Law enforcement found gal-lons of steroids, a conversion lab to turn pills into liquid, thousands of prescription pills MDMA (Ecstasy) and other controlled substances, along with shipping labels addressed to locations across the United States and to many overseas countries. He was arrested and posted bail. He initially denied owning the illegal substances, but he later admitted he had been sell-ing prescription medications and manufacturing anabolic steroids, according to the com-plaint. Mr. Mosdromos told police that he trafficked the drugs to make extra money so that he could help pay for his mother’s medical

expenses. A $3,000 invest-ment of raw product could be turned into $30,000, he allegedly said. “He said the operation is much big-ger than he, but he did not disclose any co-conspir-ators or elaborate on how the operation works,” according to the complaint. He denied the Xanax shipment was destined for him, an investigator wrote. According to the federal complaint, an FBI officer had intercepted an incoming text message on Mr. Mosdromos’ cell phone from someone wanting to purchase anabolic steroids. The buyer came to Mr. Mosdromos’ residence to purchase the steroids and admitted to officers that he had previously purchased 500 tablets of the steroid Anavar for $150 and previously purchased injectable testosterone from Mr. Mosdromos. Mr. Mosdromos waived his

Miranda rights on June 7 and told investiga-tors that his fiancee and employees did not know that he traffics and manufactures c o n t r o l l e d s u b s t a n c e s . He told his

fiancee the shipments were supplements, according to the report. He allegedly told investi-gators that the prescription medications found in his apartment were shipped from countries including China, the United Kingdom, Paki-stan, India and Mexico. He shipped the medications to various people after receiving instructions from buyers. Mr. Mosdromos was booked into San Mateo County Jail in June and posted $25,000 bail, but on Friday, Aug. 31, in the San Francisco federal court he was again taken into custody, according to court documents. He faces charges of possession with intent to distribute a con-trolled substance and con-spiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled sub-stance. If convicted, he could receive maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. A

Federal charges filed against Mosdromos

His Menlo Park business was

allegedly a front for trafficking of steroids

and prescription medications.

San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office

Perry Mosdromos


N E W S Seeking People with Pre-diabetes @ Stanford University!

Opportunity for Monetary Compensation!

Weight Loss Sessions at End of Study!

In Good Health

30-60 years old

Moderately OverweightBMI 25-35

Dr. Gerald Reaven at Stanford University is studying how a medicine like aspirin works to lower blood sugar in people at risk for type 2 diabetes.

You will be screened for diabetes, receive cholesterol panel results & an evaluation of risk for heart disease.

If you qualify you will receive 1 month of the study medicine or placebo (no medicine); payment for study time AND instructions for weight loss by the dietitian!

Call Dr. Reaven & Associates @ 650-723-7024

Find out YOUR Risk for Type 2 diabetes! For general information regarding questions, concerns, or complaints about research, research related injury, or the rights of research participants, please call (650) 723-5244 or toll-free 1-866-680-2906, or write to the Administrative Panel on Human Subjects in Medical Research, Administrative Panels Office, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5401.

Seeking People with Pre-diabetes@ Stanford University!

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

Dr. Donald Scheuch passed away August 29th surrounded by his loving family, just two weeks shy of his 94th birthday. Don was born on September 12, 1918, in Seattle, WA, to Milton and Isabelle Scheuch. He received a B.S. degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1943, and a Ph.D. in Electri-cal Engineering from Stanford University in 1949.

In 1940, Don was employed by the Na-tional Broadcasting Company in Hollywood as a television and studio en-gineer. In 1943, he went to Harvard University’s Radio Research Laboratory where he worked on the counter-measures vulnerability of ra-dar systems. In 1945, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corps as a Civilian Technical Observer in radar counter-measures, with assignments in the China-Burma-India Theater and later in the Mari-anas.

In 1949, Don was recruited to the newly established Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in Menlo Park, CA, to help build a regional center of electronics capabil-ity, now known as Silicon Valley.

Don organized SRI’s first Systems Analy-sis Department, attracting many young en-gineers to the area. He then became Vice President of the Electronics and Radio Sci-ences Division, where the laboratories under his direction gained national recognition for their pioneering work on national air defense and ballistic missile defense programs. He was later appointed Director of the Engineer-ing Group and then Senior Vice President for all of engineering at SRI.

In 1969, he was named Vice President and Chairman of the Office of Research Opera-tions, and in 1977 was appointed Senior Vice President of SRI International and a member of its Board of Directors.

Following his retirement from SRI in the early 1980s, he joined the venture capital firm Continental Capital Corp., serving on its Board of Directors. He sat on the Adviso-ry Council of Stanford University’s School of Engineering and was a Trustee of the United

Way of the Bay Area. Don had a smile and gra-

ciousness that warmed every room, and a kindness that made him beloved by all who knew him. He loved the out-doors, especially the moun-tains, and took his family on many memorable camping trips. For many years, he took an annual fishing trip with a group of friends to different locations around the U.S. and Mexico. He also enjoyed ten-nis, golf, ping-pong and hik-

ing. He was an avid ham radio operator since the age of 16, and loved to talk to friends all over the world.

A resident of Portola Valley for more than 50 years, Don is survived by Polly, his loving wife of 61 years, three children Steve (Katie) of LaCrosse, WI, Jeff (Debbie) of Menlo Park and Judy (Alan) of Santa Monica, CA, nine grandchildren and two wonderful caregiv-ers, Lydia and Jenny Velasco.

Private services will be held at a later date. Donations may be made to: United Way of

the Bay Area, 221 Main Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94105

Don ScheuchSeptember 12, 1918-August 29, 2012


At a household in Menlo Park’s Sharon Heights neighborhood (the resi-

dent requested anonymity), the phone calls began Tuesday, Aug. 28, at around 10:15 a.m. The caller claimed to be the resident’s 13-year-old grandson calling from a jail holding cell and in urgent need of $2,000. Which jail? The grandson wouldn’t say. On what charges? He wouldn’t say. “He wouldn’t answer questions,” the woman told the Almanac. “He didn’t like questions.” He did have a demand: that she should bring the $2,000 to a market on Willow Road and buy a money order there. Her grandson’s agent would contact her at the market in person to take over delivery of the money order, she said she was told. “I love you, Grandma,” the caller said to her. “I need help and I’m in trouble.” He kept calling, perhaps 20 times over the next two hours,

the woman said. “I thought I was going to do it,” she said. But her suspicions were aroused by unsatisfactory answers to sev-eral of her questions: ■ Why is your voice so gruff? He had been up all night, the caller said. ■ What is your middle name? “I’m in a holding cell and you’re asking me stupid questions?” the caller replied. ■ What is your sister’s name? “You know my sister’s name,” he replied with exasperation. The woman said she called her grandson’s middle school and found herself talking with him on the phone. “Then I really wanted to catch this guy,” she said. She called the Menlo Park Police Department, who, she said, did not respond immedi-ately as the officers on patrol were dealing with an accident. An officer did arrive and took the next call from the perpetra-tor. The officer was no more successful in obtaining answers, and police said they’d let her know of progress on the case. A

All graduates of the eighth grade in local schools in 1962 are invited to attend a reunion picnic from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Burgess Park picnic grounds, 501 Laurel St. in Menlo Park. Tacos and tostadas with all the fixings, beverages and dessert will be provided for a nominal charge. “Our post World War II par-ents moved to Menlo Park and Atherton and largely stayed,” says reunion chair Sally Moffet Lussier

“That meant a whole bunch of us went all through grade school together. This was also the era when Hillview, Oak Knoll and Encinal were all K-8 schools. “As word of the reunion cir-culated, others who attended St. Raymond, etc., expressed interest, so the reunion is open to anyone who graduated from eighth grade,” she says. For more information, con-tact Sally Moffet Lussier at [email protected].

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is forbiding the starting of out-door fires “within the 31 million acres” of land in the state where is has responsibility. All resi-dential burn permits have been suspended. Locally, the state responsibil-ity area includes Huddart and Wunderlich county parks in Woodside and much of the rest of unincorporated forested San Mateo County, according to a Cal Fire map. Cal Fire issued the Aug. 28 warn-ing in recognition of the weather forecast and the major wildfires now burning in the state. Among the tips offered to pre-vent wildfire:

■ Long grass can be a fire haz-ard, but trimming it should be done before 10 a.m., and never on a hot, windy day. ■ Make sure to use spark arresters on all portable gas-oline-powered equipment, including tractors, chainsaws, weed eaters, mowers, motor-cycles and all-terrain vehicles. Visit tinyurl.com/Fire345 for local tips and information from the Citizens Emergency Response Preparedness Pro-gram (CERPP), a volunteer agency that serves the Woodside Fire Protection District, includ-ing the communities of Wood-side, Portola Valley, Los Trancos Woods, Vista Verde, Ladera and Emerald Hills.

Not Ready For Prime Time scam unwinds

Class of 1962 eighth-graders invited to local reunion

Cal Fire bans outdoor fires


N E W S

Saturday, September 15, 9 am - 3 pmMountain View, CA

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

Forgiving yourself Long-term care costs Safe medication use Dementia care challenges Avoiding burnout Help for hoarding

Topics will include:

Avenidas presents the 9th Annual

Family Caregiver Conference

Resources and programs for positive aging

Free tours of Avenidas Rose Kleiner

Center at 3 pm!

By Gennady SheynerPalo Alto Weekly

After years of plans, nego-tiations and design work, Lucile Packard Children’s

Hospital officials celebrated a major milestone Sept. 6 in their effort to expand and upgrade the hospital. Hospital officials were joined by HP CEO Meg Whitman, John Sobrato, founder of The Sobrato Organization, and a host of

dignitaries at a groundbreaking ceremony at the hospital. The project will add 521,000 square feet of space to the hos-pital, including seven operat-ing rooms and 150 new patient rooms, 146 of which will be private. Two of the new operat-ing rooms will feature advanced imaging technology that will allow surgeons to collaborate with anesthesiologists and radiologists and to use rapidly updated images to make real-time assessments

during complex operations such as repairing a malformed heart or removing a brain tumor, accord-ing to the hospital. Patients will no longer need to be moved to another room for CT scans and MRIs. “The new hospital has been designed not only for our patients today but also for what we antic-ipate will be their needs in the future,” Christopher Dawes,

president and CEO of Packard Children’s Hospital, said in a statement. “The acuity of our patients is among the highest in the United States. The new hospital will incorporate the very latest medi-cal technology while also provid-ing more privacy and more space for families to be with their sick child or pregnant spouse.” The project, a major component

of Stanford University Medical Center’s $5 billion “Project Renewal,” earned the approval of the Palo Alto City Council in July 2011. Other components of Stan-ford’s massive expansion effort include a new Stanford Hospital and Clinics building and renova-tions to the Stanford University School of Medicine. The Chil-dren’s Hospital addition is slated to open in 2016. A

Children’s hospital celebrates milestone

Visit AlmanacNews.com/calendar

to see more calendar listings

Special EventsFall dash 5K run Kids 4 Sports Foundation holds its annual fall dash 5K run at Burgess Park. all proceeds support team sports in local east Menlo Park and East Palo Alto schools. Sept. 16, 9-11 a.m. $30 adults and $20 kids. Burgess Park, 700 Alma St., Menlo Park. Call 650-644-9803. kids4sportsfoundation.orgCalifornia coastal cleanup in Menlo Park Attendees join the Friends of Bedwell Bayfront Park for the fourth year of hosting the cleanup. Sept. 15, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Bedwell Bayfront Park, Marsh Rd/Bayfront Express-way, Menlo Park. Call 650-475-2012. www.flowstobay.orgMDA fill the boot Firefighters volunteer at the Muscular Dystrophy Association event and will be asking motorists and pedestrians to drop some money in their boots to support MDA’s services to Bay Area kids and families. Sept. 16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Quintana & Wood-side roads, Woodside. Call 415-673-7500. www.mda.org

Talks/AuthorsDr. Abraham Verghese, author and professor of medicine at Stanford Univer-sity School of Medicine, will discuss his two careers: literature and medicine. He is the author “of Cutting for Stone,” “My Own Country,” and “The Tennis Partner.” Proceeds benefit Menlo-Atherton High School. Sept. 18, 7-8:30 p.m. $15 adults, $10 students. Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Center, 555 Middle-field Road, Atherton. Call 650-492-0865. mafoundation.orgKeplers: ‘Ascent of the A-Word’ Lin-guist Geoffrey Nunberg discusses and signs his new book: “Ascent of the A-Word: A--ho-lism in Modern Life: The First Sixty Years.” Sept. 12, 7 p.m. Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call 650-324-4321. www.keplers.comKeplers: ‘How Children Succeed’ Paul Tough discusses his parenting book, “How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character.” Tough is an editor at the New York Times Magazine and writes about poverty, education and the achievement gap. Sept. 15, 3 p.m. Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call 650-324-4321. www.keplers.comKeplers: ‘Science Left Behind’ Hank Campbell discusses and signs his new book “Science Left Behind: Feel-Good Fallacies and the Rise of the Anti-Scientific Left.” Many have heard that Republicans’ anti-evolution, anti-global warming and anti-embryonic stem cell research beliefs are science’s worst enemy. Campbell talks about underreported attacks on science that originate on the other side. Sept. 18, 7 p.m. Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call 650-324-4321. www.keplers.com/event/hank-campbellKeplers: ‘The Great Animal Orches-tra’ Bernie Krause discusses and signs his book: “The Great Animal Orchestra: Finding the Origins of Music in the World’s Wild Plac-es.” He shares how animals rely on their aural habitat to survive and the damaging effects of extraneous noise on the delicate balance between predator and prey. Sept. 13, 7 p.m. Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call 650-324-4321. www.keplers.com/event/bernie-krause

Art GalleriesJared Sines’ ‘Hues and Views’ The Portola Art Gallery presents ‘Hues and Views’

- a collection of Jared Sines’ oil paintings of landscapes and waterscapes from Pacific Grove, Calif. to Ashland, Ore. Sept. 1-30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Portola Art Gallery, 75 Arbor Road, Menlo Park. Call 650-321-0220. www.portolaartgallery.com

Classes/WorkshopsMacro photography Participants get up close and personal with their subject mat-ter and learn to capture every detail. The workshop includes classroom instruction on equipment use and technique, field shoots with individual attention and follow-up meet-ings for critique and feedback. Sept. 11-13, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $115 members; $140 non-mem-bers. Filoli, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. Call 650-364-8300. www.filoli.orgPlein-air-to-studio watercolor work-shop This five-day workshop teaches how to collect information “plein air,” bring that information into the studio to design, and complete a painting. Sept. 18, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $450 members; $540 non-members. Filoli, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. Call 650-364-8300. www.filoli.orgThe Art of Scratchboard This workshop will examine the different styles and methods of taking drawing from paper to Scratch-board to create botanical and natural subject illustrations. Sept. 10-11, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $150 members; $180 non-members. Filoli, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. Call 650-364-

8300. www.filoli.orgThe Great Apple: Cooking with Sea-sonal Foods Using apples from Filoli’s harvest, participants learn how to make reci-pes for the holiday season. Everyone will take home something from Filoli’s garden to create at home. Sept. 15, 1-3 p.m. $65/$80. Filoli, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. Call 650-364-8300 ext 233. www.filoli.org

ConcertsMusic on the Square: Native Ele-ments - Reggae San Francisco-based Native Elements has been playing reggae in the Bay Area for more than 15 years. Sept. 11, 6-8 p.m. Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City. www.redwoodcity.org/events/musiconthesquare.html

DanceDancing on the square - mambo A 30-minute demonstration of mambo instruct-ed by Arthur Murray continues on with public participation. Sept. 18, 6-8 p.m. Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City. www.redwoodcity.org/events/dancing.htmlDancing on the square - swing / lindy hop A 30-minute demonstration of swing/lindy hop instructed by Carla Heiney contin-ues on with public participation. Sept. 18, 6-8 p.m. Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City. www.redwoodcity.org/events/dancing.html

‘Hues and Views’“Creek Shadows” is one of the oil landscapes and waterscapes by Jared Sines featured in the September show at the Portola Art Gallery, 75 Arbor Road in Menlo Park. Based in San Mateo, Mr. Sines has had a long career as a fine and commercial artist. He began showing his work at Shreve & Co. in San Francisco at the age of 20. He is one of 14 Bay Area artists whose work can be viewed at the gallery, located in the historic Allied Arts Guild.

CALENDAR


N E W S

BEST CASUAL DINING

Cafe Borrone

1010 El Camino Real #110,

Menlo Park

650-327-0830

cafeborrone.com

BEST LIVE MUSIC

Cafe Zoe

1929 Menalto Ave., Menlo Park

650-322-1926

cafezoemenlopark.com

BEST HAIR SALON

Los Salonez

1010 Alma St., Menlo Park

650-328-0735

lossalonez.com

BEST BOUTIQUE

Alys Grace

899B Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park

650-322-5524

alysgrace.com

BEST PIZZA

Applewood

1001 El Camino Real, Menlo Park

650-324-3486

applewoodpizza.com

BEST GYM

Bulldog Sports & Fitness

1610 El Camino Real, Menlo Park

650-561-4095

bulldogsportsandfi tness.com

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Gleim Jewelers

111 Stanford Shopping Center,

Palo Alto

650-325-3533

[email protected]

BEST FRAMERS

The Great Frame-Up

865 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park

650-323-1097

menlopark.thegreatframeup.com

BEST HAPPY HOUR

AND BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT

Left Bank


650-473-6543

leftbank.com

BEST PET STORE

The Pet Place


650-325-7387

BEST AUTO REPAIR

Portola Valley Garage

4170 Alpine Rd., Portola Valley

650-851-7442

pvgarage.com

BEST FITNESS CLASSES, YOGA

Studio Rincon

3536 Alameda De Las Pulgas,

Menlo Park

650-861-0242

studiorincon.com

READERS CHOICE 2012

For a full list of the

2012 Almanac

Readers’ Choice

winners, go to

AlmanacNews.com.

com/best_of

This information is based on an obituary that appeared in the New York Times. William Moggridge, a long-time resident of Woodside and the co-founder of the Palo Alto-based product design company IDEO died Saturday, Sept. 8. He was 69. Mr. Moggridge had a path-breaking design career that included designing an early lap-top computer for Grid Systems that traveled on the space shut-tle. He is most well known for having conceived of interaction design, “a discipline that focuses on improving the human expe-rience of digital products,” the New York Times reported. Mr. Moggridge’s career included terms as a visiting professor in interaction design at the Royal College of Art in London, as a lecturer in design at the London Business School, and as a member of the steering committee for the Interaction Design Institute in Ivrea, Italy. He also served as director of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. More recently, he was a con-sulting professor in the Joint Program in Design at Stanford University and spoke about interaction design in public

remarks in January 2007 at Kepler’s bookstore. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Karin; their sons, Alex and Erik; and his brother, Hal.

Donald ScheuchSRI engineerThis obituary is based on infor-mation provided by the family on the Almanac’s Lasting Memo-ries website: almanacnews.com/obituaries Donald Scheuch, a 50-year resident of Portola Valley and an engineering recruit to SRI International who rose to the upper echelons of manage-ment, died sur-rounded by his family on Aug. 29. He was 93. Mr. Scheuch, born in Seattle, received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Univer-sity of California at Berkeley and a doctorate in electrical engineering at Stanford Univer-sity, relatives said. World War II took place between those degrees, during which time Mr. Scheuch worked as an engineer for the National Broadcasting

Company in Hollywood, on radar systems countermeasures at Harvard University’s Radio Research Laboratory, and in Southeast Asia and the Marian-as Islands as a civilian technical observer for the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1949, Mr. Scheuch joined the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in Menlo Park and orga-nized SRI’s first systems analy-sis department, relatives said. While he was vice president of the Electronics and Radio Sciences Division, the division was recognized for its contribu-tions to programs for national air defense and ballistic missile defense. His technical career at SRI included being appointed director of the engineering group and senior vice president of SRI engineering. He later advanced to vice president and chairman of the Office of Research Operations, and then senior vice president of SRI International and member-ship on the board of directors. In retirement, he served on the board at Continental Capital Corp., as a trustee for United Way of the Bay Area, and on the advisory council at Stanford’s

school of engineering. “Don had a smile and gracious-ness that warmed every room, and a kindness that made him beloved by all who knew him,” family members said. His inter-ests apart from work included camping in the mountains, fish-ing, tennis, golf and pingpong. Beginning in his teens and throughout his life, he was a ham radio operator, the family said.

Mr. Scheuch is survived by his wife Polly; sons Steve of LaCross, Wisconsin, and Jeff of Menlo Park; daughter Judy of Santa Monica, and nine grandchildren. Services will be private. The family is asking that donations on behalf of Mr. Sch-euch be made to United Way of the Bay Area, 221 Main St., Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94105.

Design pioneer William Moggridge dies at 69 OBITUARIES

Donald Scheuch

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

Theft reports:

■ Loss estimated at $800 in theft of locked bicycle from apartment bal-cony, Middle Ave., Sept. 1.■ Loss estimated at $500 in theft of unlocked bicycle from in front of store, Safeway Supermarket at 525 El Cami-no Real, Sept. 1.■ Loss estimated at $450 in theft of locked bicycle from front of apartment building, Noel Drive, Sept. 1.

■ Two bikes stolen overnight, Roble Ave., Sept. 4.

Shots fired report: Resident heard something land on house roof and discovered .45 caliber bullet on ground outside, possibly result of discharged firearm in “grossly negligent manner,” Woodland Ave., Sept. 2.

Accident report: Bicycle rider suf-fered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated in hospital after colliding with rock then swerving, losing control of bike and falling off, Marsh Road, Sept. 2.

Spousal abuse report: Henderson Ave., Sept. 3.

Child Protective Services report: Willow Road, Sept. 2.

POLICE CALLS

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Sooner or later, Peninsula cities will have to make a good-faith effort to plan for affordable housing, whether their residents like it or not. It is state law and city councils ignore it at their

peril. The consequences for not acting can be dire for any community that ignores the state mandate, including a freeze on building per-mits, forced passage of zoning for up to 20 homes per acre, and a restriction on the amount of time given to develop properties for affordable housing. The issue has popped to the top of the agenda in Portola Valley, where a decision by the Town Council to purchase a 1.68-acre potential affordable housing site on Portola Road has stirred up a rash of criticism, mostly from neighbors who live directly behind what once was a family-owned nursery. Residents of Wyndham Drive, some of whose homes abut or are very close to the rear of the property, strongly oppose the council’s plan to develop eight to 12 affordable housing units where the popular Al’s Nursery did business for more than 20 years. The homes would be sold to people who live or work in Portola Valley and whose incomes are within the moderate range for San Mateo County, as determined by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. A moderate salary for an individual in the county is set at around $86,500 a year, and $123,600 for a family of four. The idea to buy the nursery property emerged after a plan to build eight homes on four parcels in the Blue Oaks subdivision fell through due to the expense of grading the irregular terrain of the property. Town council members hope that sale of the Blue Oaks land can bring enough to cover the $3 million purchase price of the nursery site, which includes $400,000 to clear away hazardous waste. But while outside observers might believe the council has acted prudently in view of the consequences for not meeting the state affordable housing mandate, many Portola Valley residents strongly oppose approval of such a dense housing development in the com-munity. A similar effort by the council to rezone 3.6 acres for 15 to 20 small homes at Nathhorst Triangle near the intersection of Alpine and Portola roads was defeated 54 percent to 46 percent in

a citizen-led referendum in 2003. In that case, most of the homes were to be sold at market rate, with 15 percent reserved for people of moderate incomes. Purchase of the nursery site only begins what is sure to be an exhaustive process by the town to attempt to develop a plan that is acceptable to all residents, including those who live on Wynd-ham Drive. If the property is acquired and is zoned for affordable housing, the town must exhibit a good faith effort to make sure housing is built. The Wyndham Drive neighbors have wondered whether the

town’s affordable housing obligations can be met by identifying granny units, often placed behind a main house on larger properties. But Steve Padovan, the town’s interim planning manager, told the Almanac that after discussing the matter with state officials, “we think it would

be difficult to get our housing element (part of the general plan) certified if we relied solely on second units.” After a 4-0 vote (with Ted Driscoll absent), the Town Council decided to forge ahead with purchase of the nursery property, knowing that it would be controversial and encounter strong opposition from neighbors. On the plus side, the site is near a small shopping complex at 884 Portola Road, as well as two churches and the Town Center. With proper landscaping, a small cluster of housing could blend easily into the neighborhood. This project would not, as some opponents fear, be the begin-ning of more calls for affordable housing in Portola Valley. The project would help the town meet its affordable housing obliga-tion, and provide a handful of people who work in Portola Valley an opportunity to live much closer to their jobs, or allow some current residents to scale down without leaving their commu-nity. Meanwhile, city officials in Menlo Park are suffering the con-sequences of missing multiple deadlines to upgrade the housing element of the city’s general plan, which covers roughly 12,500 housing units. Now city officials are on a tight deadline to identify nearly 2,000 additional sites where affordable housing could be built. That is what can happen when a city fails to keep up with the state’s affordable housing obligation.

A reasonable solution for affordable housing

Another way to tackleaffordable housingEditor: We wish to voice our oppo-sition to the purchase of the former Al’s Nursery property by the town of Portola Valley. As neighbors of the proposed project, we were surprised and upset by the letter of intent announced by the town in June. The process that led up to that point was handled poorly and should have involved the neighborhood and the greater community. We have heard the town desires 10-12 units on the parcel. That would create a density much too high to be anywhere near compatible with the Wyndham Drive neighbor-hood. The precedent such a project could set for other parts of the town is not in keeping with what this community has

been about. There are other ways to handle the affordable housing issue and the whole town should be involved in these decisions. We feel the town should focus

on second units spread around the town and change regula-tions as appropriate to encour-age this. Since there appears to be no real long-term plan beyond development on the

nursery parcel, this is the direc-tion the town would go anyway. Decisions would be made by individual property owners

IDEAS, THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ABOUT LOCAL ISSUES FROM PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. EDITED BY TOM GIBBONEY

Our Regional HeritageSigmund Stern, a favorite nephew of San Francisco clothing manufacturer Levi Strauss, posed with his wife Rosalie and daughter Elise in Menlo Park in the early 1900s. Mr. Stern built a formal home on Atherton Avenue west of Selby Lane in 1910, and during World War I, Rosalie volunteered at the Camp Fremont hospital in Menlo Park. She also opened the ballroom of her home to Red Cross volunteers, who were assembling surgical dressings for the war effort. Elise later married Walter J. Haas.

All views must include a home address

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letters will also appear on the web site,

www.TheAlmanacOnline.com, and

occasionally on the Town Square forum.

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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.

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CALL the Viewpoint desk at 223-6507.

Serving Menlo Park,

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and Woodside for 44 years.

■ WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?

Editor & PublisherTom Gibboney

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The Almanac, established in September 1965,

is delivered each week to residents of Menlo

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EDITORIALThe opinion of The Almanac

LETTERSOur readers write

Continued on next page

Viewpoint

Menlo Park Historical Association


V I E W P O I N T

LETTERSOur readers write

Continued from previous page

instead of having high-density projects forced upon neighbor-hoods and the controversies that result. This is a rather complicated plan proposed by the council for the nursery property. There could also be a risk to the tax-payers if the project does not go as proposed and incurs a loss. We ask the town to stop nego-tiating for 900 Portola Road and to begin addressing these important questions together as a community.

Bud and Lynn EisbergWyndham Drive,

Portola Valley

Wear purple onAlzheimer’s Action DayEditor: We are all in a position to make a big difference. Sep-tember is World Alzheimer’s Month, a time when people around the world are making a concentrated effort to increase public concern. You’ll see us wearing purple on Sept. 21, Alzheimer’s Action Day. Many diseases that were once incurable now have treatments available, enabling people to live longer lives. The high-est risk factor for Alzheimer’s dementia is age. Currently, there are no known ways to prevent, cure or slow the pro-gression of this fatal disease. It can happen to anyone. It will affect all of us, one way or another. My mother died from Alzheimer’s three years ago. I have been volunteering in an art program offered by the Alzheimer’s Association for seven years. I’ve joined the local Alzheimer’s Association board. I see both the destruc-tion of individuals and the enormous task that is before the rest of us. We are working to avert a disaster as Baby Boomers reach the age of typical onset. There are important things that can be done to lessen the impact on individuals and on society, but unless we pay attention, it will be too little, too late. By wearing purple on Sept. 21st, you can show that you care. We hope it will start the conversa-tion. If you or someone you know is seeking information about the disease or support in deal-ing with it, please contact the Alzheimer’s Association at 800-272-3900or visit www.alz.org.

Kerry DeBenedettiWoodside

Prostate cancer screening can help identify cancer early on,

when treatment is most effective. Knowing your PSA score is

the first step a man over 40 can take to understand prostate

cancer risk, and decide what to do about it. Talk to your doctor,

and make a plan to screen for prostate cancer. Learn more at

stanfordhospital.org/prostatehealth

HOSPITALS

NATIONALCANCER


Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Sq. ft. and/or acreage information contained herein has been received from seller, existing reports, appraisals, public records and/or other sources deemed reliable. However, neither seller nor listing agent has verified this information. If this information is important to buyer in determining whether to buy or the purchase price, buyer should conduct buyer’s own investigation. Photography by Bernard André

WOODSIDEFloodEstate.com

MARYGULLIXSONBRENTGULLIXSON MAUREENRYAN

the almanac 09.12.2012 - section 2

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