Palo 6°Ê888]Ê ÕLiÀÊÎäÊUÊ«ÀÊÎä]ÊÓä£äÊN 50¢ Alto State audit blasts High-Speed Rail Authority Page 3 www.PaloAltoOnline.com Making their mark Avenidas honors community members who make a difference Page 22 Spectrum 18 Movies 32 Eating Out 35 ShopTalk 36 Events 38 Puzzles 69 NArts Stories, songs and strings ever-changing Page 27 NSports Paly wins long-awaited baseball title Page 41 NHome Monroe Park: An eclectic neighborhood Page 49 JOIN US FOR THE GENTRY GALA FEATURING LOCAL GOURMET CUISINE, DANCING AND ENTERTAINMENT SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2010 • SHERATON HOTEL , PALO ALTO See the Latest Designs of The New Stanford Hospital Enjoy Live Entertainment Including: LATIN DANCE MARIACHI COUNTERPOINT STANFORD SYNCHRONIZED PERFORMANCES & LESSONS CARDENAL A CAPELLA SWIMMING Support Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Your Community Hospital VIP RECEPTION & GALA $250/person GALA $150/person Includes VIP Reception (Westin Palo Alto), Includes Admission to Gala (Sheraton Palo Alto) Admission to Gala (Sheraton Palo Alto), and Two Drinks Complimentary Valet Parking and Hosted Bar COCKTAIL ATTIRE For more information visit stanfordhospital.org/gala To RSVP, contact us at [email protected] or 650.721.2272 ABOUT STANFORD HOSPITAL & CLINICS Stanford Hospital & Clinics is known worldwide for advanced treatment of complex disorders in areas such as cardiovascular disease, cancer treatment, neurosciences, surgery and organ transplant. Consistently ranked among “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News and World Report, Stanford is internationally recognized for translating medical breakthroughs into care of patients. For more information, please visit http://stanfordhospital.org. Page 2ÊUÊ«ÀÊÎä]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞ UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis State audit blasts High-Speed Rail Authority New report finds flaws in agency’s oversight tor’s office released Thursday, iden- the colossal project; and has spent at scriptive title, “High-Speed Rail tifies a myriad of flaws in the Cali- least $4 million on invoices without Authority: It Risks Delays or an In- of contracts, management of risks fornia High-Speed Rail Authority’s receiving evidence that the work in complete System Because of Inad- by Gennady Sheyner effort to implement the 800-mile the invoices was performed. equate Planning, Weak Oversight, rail system, for which state voters “The report concludes that the and Lax Contract Management.” alifornia’s controversial high- charged with building the $43 bil- approved $9.95 billion in 2008. The High-Speed Rail Authority has Many of the audit’s findings echo speed-rail project risks major lion system, a new report from the audit found that the rail author- not adequately planned for the fu- the concerns recently expressed by C delays because of poor plan- California State Auditor Elaine ity has failed to carefully track the ture development of the program,” Legislative Analyst’s Office; by ning, a shaky business plan and Howle has found. work of its contractors; has not fig- Howle wrote in the cover letter of lax oversight by the state agency The audit, which the state audi- ured out exactly how it will pay for the report, which carries the de- (continued on page 13) CITY BUDGET Pounding the pavement Property owners could be responsible for sidewalk repairs, liability by Sue Dremann he next time someone trips and falls on a raised or crum- T bling piece of sidewalk, Palo Alto property owners could be re- sponsible for sidewalk repairs and potentially liability, if the city’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2011 is passed. The Palo Alto Public Works De- partment is recommending cutting its annual sidewalk-replacement pro- gram, which would save $500,000, as part of the city’s effort to close an $8.3 million budget gap. Making property owners respon- sible for sidewalk upkeep is not new. The state Streets and High- ways code allows cities to pass on Veronica Weber Veronica sidewalk costs — and liability — to property owners. Many cities, in- cluding Menlo Park and Mountain View, already assign responsibility to property owners. Menlo Park requires owners to Happy birthday, International School! maintain sidewalks, parking strips, International School of the Peninsula fourth graders Stephanie Blackburn, left, and Margot Rajkovic celebrate during the school’s 30th curbs, retaining walls and other in- birthday last Friday. The party included a masquerade-themed party with colorful costumes, school-wide games and cupcakes. frastructure between the property line and the street, unless the dam- age is caused by a city tree, accord- Board of Education for confirma- District for one year before return- ing to the city. EDUCATION tion May 11. ing to Palo Alto in 2008. In Mountain View, the city pays “I am extremely pleased to have She received her bachelor’s degree for emergency repairs, but sidewalks two great recommendations to bring in political science from UCLA and may not be replaced for years. Resi- Two Palo Alto veterans to the board, both of whom come her masters in public administration dents who want sidewalks replaced from our own talented administra- from Notre Dame de Namur Uni- earlier have paid 50 percent of costs, tive staff,” Superintendent Kevin versity. said Bob Kagiyama, the city’s prin- named high school principals Skelly said in a statement Thurs- “After all the administrative work cipal civil engineer. day. I just wanted to get back in the class- Palo Alto officials are in the be- Katya Villalobos to lead Gunn, “Ms. Villalobos and Mr. Winston room,” Villalobos said upon return- ginning stages of trying to figure Phil Winston to head Paly carry institutional history that is in- ing to Palo Alto two years ago. “I out how the program would work. valuable to the district as the orga- by Chris Kenrick love being around students.” As currently proposed, the city nization moves ahead.” Villalobos said she wanted to would still make temporary fixes wo veteran Palo Alto teach- and Winston will replace depart- Villalobos, who was born in El teach history for as long as she can for hazardous conditions, such as ers and administrators, Katya ing Principal Jacqueline McEvoy Salvador and moved to San Fran- remember. raised concrete, which would be T Villalobos and Phil Winston, at Paly. cisco when she was 4, began her “I have a fascination with old filled with asphalt or ground down have been named the new princi- Both nominees have worked most teaching career at Paly in 1996. stuff,” she said in a two-year-old to make concrete slabs meet. pals at Gunn and Palo Alto high recently at Gunn, where Villalobos She became the assistant principal school publication, “New Faces at But when old concrete needs re- schools. currently teaches history and Win- at Paly in 2002 and served as prin- Gunn. placement, the city could require Villalobos will replace retiring ston is an assistant principal. cipal at Capuchino High School in property owners to take responsibil- Principal Noreen Likins at Gunn, The two will be presented to the the San Mateo Union High School (continued on page 7) (continued on page 7) *>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊ«ÀÊÎä]ÊÓä£äÊU Page 3 Upfront QUOTE OF THE WEEK 450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210 ‘‘ PUBLISHER William S. Johnson EDITORIAL Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Jocelyn Dong, Managing Editor Carol Blitzer, Associate Editor Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, Express™ and Online Editor Who do they want to perform the Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor study, a shipbuilder? Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers — Tony Spitaleri, Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor president of the firefighters’ Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant union, on hearing Palo Alto officials scrapped a Fire Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Department study when they learned the study was Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Bentson, Colin Becht, to be done by a firefighter. See story on page 3. Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, ‘‘ Sheila Himmel, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Renata Polt, Jeanie Forte Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Contributors Martin Sanchez, Aimee Miles, Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Raul Perez, Assistant Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Around Town Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Laura Don, Gary Vennarucci, Designers THE VISITOR ... Foothill College ROOM, WITH A VIEW ... Weary PRODUCTION math students were told in ad- wilderness explorers will now Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager vance a “special guest” would be have a new resting spot from Dorothy Hassett, Blanca Yoc, paying a visit last week, but they which to ponder nature’s intrica- Sales & Production Coordinators were stunned when software cies. On Saturday, the nonprofit ADVERTISING billionaire Bill Gates tiptoed into Committee for Green Foothills Walter Kupiec, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Judie Block, Esmeralda Flores, Janice their classroom. Gates was there will dedicate a bench at Pearson- Hoogner, Gary Whitman, Display Advertising Sales to observe Foothill’s intensive Arastradero Preserve in honor Neil Fine, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Math My Way program, which of Joan Bruce, who taught el- Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, is designed to give previously ementary school in Palo Alto Inside Advertising Sales math-phobic students the skills from 1951 to 1993. Beginning in Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Asst. and confidence to succeed at 1962, Bruce took students on Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Assistants