6°Ê888]Ê ÕLiÀÊÇäÊUÊÀ`>Þ]ÊÕiÊÈ]ÊÓäänÊ N 50¢ Enter the Panda Page 19 Check out the Weekly’s online classifieds at fogster.com WeeklyWeekend Edition www.PaloAltoOnline.com Sculptor creates modern works in an ancient medium Page 9 Veronica Weber Veronica Worth A Look 12 Eating Out 15Movie Times 20 Goings On 21 ■ Upfront Measure A victory means new Gunn pool Page 3 ■ Sports Stanford baseball opens NCAA Super Regional Page 27 ■ Home & Real Estate A picnic on your plate Section 2 KAELYN LEUKEMIA SURVIVOR CURRENTLY: DESIGNING HER FUTURE JUST ANOTHER REMARKABLE DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Kaelyn was a resilient 12 year-old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). At her community hospital, she began a diffi cult 26-month treatment with very good odds. But, 20 months into treatment, Kaelyn’s cancer returned and wasn’t backing down. With nearly all hope lost, Kaelyn and her family were referred to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital for a life-saving bone marrow transplant. With care teams specially trained to support © 2008 Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital pediatric patients and an environment designed just for children, the surroundings met all of her needs—medical and emotional alike. Over several months, groundbreaking treatment and dedicated providers gradually restored not only Kaelyn’s health, but also her family’s hope. Almost nine years later, Kaelyn is fully recovered, working on a bachelor’s degree and building on Lucile Packard her dreams of interior design. Her battle with leukemia long behind her, Kaelyn is free to focus Children’s Hospital on the promise of her future. Visit www.lpch.org for more information. AT STANFORD © 2007 Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital *>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊÀ`>Þ]ÊÕiÊÈ]ÊÓäänÊU Page 2 UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis School district springs to action after Measure A wins With bond-measure triumph, district ready to spend, build pending certification of the results. The measure will continue the issuance documents to the board The board met Wednesday morn- current $44.50 real-estate tax per before election results were known. Gunn pool, officials say ing to approve the first project to be $100,000 in assessed valuation to The speedy pace was so the docu- by Arden Pennell funded by the bond measure, a new raise funds to expand and renovate ments could be discussed and then pool for Gunn High School. schools, likely running until 2042, approved at the June 24 board meet- ike a cat crouched in waiting, voting on. Construction on the pool is set to Golton has said. ing — as per a two-meeting district the Palo Alto school board Then polls closed — and the cat begin within 20 days. Now, after months of prepara- rule — before a county deadline to L tensed its haunches Tuesday pounced. “We can’t do this any faster. No tion, the district is moving forward submit bond documents, he said. night as members reviewed issu- Measure A, which extends a 1995 districts are going to be able to do with bond-measure plans as rapidly After gaining county approval, ance documents on the $378 mil- bond measure without raising the this faster than us,” Co-chief Busi- as possible, he said at the Tuesday the district will issue its first round lion school bond Measure A citi- current property-tax rate, passed ness Official Bob Golton said of the board meeting. of bonds by the end of August and zens citywide were simultaneously with nearly 77 percent of the vote, district’s leap into action. He brought preliminary bond- Ê­VÌÕi`ÊÊ«>}iÊ{® INVESTIGATION Police transcripts shed new light on theater probe But the case lacks hard evidence showing theater officials intended to steal by Becky Trout n an act of transparency, the Palo Alto Police Department Wednes- I day allowed the Weekly to view interview transcripts and other evi- dence collected during an 11-month investigation into financial irregu- larities at the Children’s Theatre. The 1,000-plus pages are the supporting documentation behind a 120-page police report released >Û`Ê iâiÀ Monday. That report was written to communicate to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, not as a summary for the commu- nity, police Capt. Mark Venable said Obama-rama Wednesday. Campaign volunteers for Barack Obama erupted in joy Tuesday at the announcement that their candidate had clinched the delegate count The civil attorney for Children’s to give him the Democratic nomination for president of the United States. Theatre Director Pat Briggs has cau- tioned the report presents only one about the job description and ide- “To me, it just seems silly.” side of the convoluted case. Attorney CITY HALL al candidate, the council has been On Monday, the council ma- Jon Parsons said Briggs will be able reviewing the progress of the re- jority also agreed to allow nine to address many of the city’s allega- cruitment in closed sessions. Klein members of the community and tions — once she is clear of an ad- Palo Alto could pick city and committee chairman John the city’s top staff members to in- ministrative process relating to her Barton have told the Weekly they terview the finalists. possible termination. couldn’t provide any information Klein said he expects the nine The documents reveal previously manager June 15 about the candidates because they community members, one ap- unknown findings from the probe, learned about it in a confidential pointed by each council member, which has rocked Palo Alto by ac- Pool of 40-plus has been narrowed meeting. to interview as a group. The city’s cusing beloved theater officials of down to six, mayor says Yet in response to the Weekly’s department leaders will meet with embezzlement — by “skimming over a prolonged period of time.” by Becky Trout requests, Klein and Barton placed the finalists, and each group can the issue on Monday’s council relay its impressions to the coun- Among the many findings, the ix semi-finalists are vying council hopes to select about three agenda, giving them the ability to cil, Klein said. new documents show that attention to be the next city manager finalists for interviews on Sunday, discuss the proctess. On the afternoon of June 15, the shifted to the internal handling of fi- S of Palo Alto, Mayor Larry June 15, Klein said. Only Councilman Jack Morton council will interview the final- nances almost immediately after the Klein announced Tuesday. Klein said the process is “going spoke out against the release of ists, potentially even selecting a June 18 burglary at the theater. All six, picked from a pool of well” and that two-thirds of the information, asking what differ- new city manager, Klein said. The police investigation alleges about 42 applicants, will be inter- applicants were well-qualified for ence it made how many candidates Several council members, in- that Briggs kept (or left in the the- viewed by the City Council, city the job. there are. cluding Yiaway Yeh, said they ater) about $18,700 of city money staff members and select members Although council members “It’s a waste of time, and we have concerns about the candi- since 2001. should just say ‘no,’” Morton said. According to a transcript of a July of the public by Monday. Then, the accepted input from the public Ê­VÌÕi`ÊÊ«>}iÊ{® Ê­VÌÕi`ÊÊ«>}iÊÇ® *>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊÀ`>Þ]ÊÕiÊÈ]ÊÓäänÊU Page 3 Commitment To Excellence Upfront $500 Smith said he had called not only Discount Coupon Measure A previous clients of Biels Martin 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 (with purchase of new roof) ­VÌÕi`ÊvÀÊ«>}iÊή listed as references but also those Original Ownership Since 1975 (650) 326-8210 begin accruing interest, he said. PUBLISHER clients the firm didn’t list. All Types of Roofi ng & Gutters William S. Johnson Wednesday morning, the board All reports were positive, he voted unanimously to award a Residential & Commercial S.C.L#785441 EDITORIAL said. Jay Thorwaldson, Editor nearly $3.9 million contract for The district also checked the 1901 Old Middlefi eld Way, Mtn. View 650-969-7663 Jocelyn Dong, Managing Editor the Gunn pool to construction firm Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Associate Editors firms’ insurance and state records to Keith Peters, Sports Editor Biels Martin, which will subcon- be sure the firms had no outstand- Tyler Hanley, Online Editor tract some work to Western Water, ing violations and were licensed, he Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Golton said. Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor said. Peninsula Tales & Trails-Get Outdoors! Construction work will begin Don Kazak, Senior Staff Writer Board members were cautious in A Great Companion for Arden Pennell, Becky Trout, Staff Writers within 20 days, Facilities Manager Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor Ron Smith said. questioning before voting, seeking Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant assurance the project would proceed Exploring Midpeninsula Trails This Summer Marjan Sadoughi, Veronica Weber, Staff “We’re off and running. Off and Photographers swimming,” board President Dana smoothly. Peninsula Tales & Trails - Get Outdoors! Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Bentson, Construction funded earlier by Get your comprehensive guide to the Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Jack McKinnon, Tom said. Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Craig Wentz, “It feels fabulous, euphoric,” said 1995’s $143 million bond Measure magnificent, unspoiled public open spaces Contributors B was sometimes shoddy, even lead- Monica Guzman, Jillian Keenan, parent Fran Codispoti, a member of in the San Francisco Midpeninsula area. Alex Papoulias, Veronica Sudekum, the Gunn Sports Boosters, a parent ing the district to order contractor Editorial Interns fundraising group that raised the D.J. Amoroso off school sites and 7 (&'*(&'21 1$*$"2$#0-32$1 ,# David Cenzer, Danielle Vernon, Photography enter litigation.