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Palo Vol. XXIX, Number 37 • Wednesday, February 13, 2008 ■ 50¢ Alto Children’s Theatre director ‘baffled’ Page 3 www.PaloAltoOnline.comw ww.Pa l o Alt o O nline . c o m On your mark PaloPalo AltoAlto gearsgears upup fforor AmgenAmgen bikebike racerace PPageage 1177 Norbert von der Groeben Talk about the news at Town Square, www.PaloAltoOnline.com ■ Upfront Council drops bond bid for police building Page 3 ■ Health & Fitness Health clinic aims at a woman’s heart Page 21 ■ Sports Stanford men’s basketball ties for first place Page 24 apr.com It's just one click to a complete list of virtually all homes for sale in the Bay Area. PALO ALTO This beautiful ranch style home with generous floor plan is located on one of Barron Park's loveliest tree-lined streets. Recent upgrades throughout. Light filled kitchen. New landscaping. $1,749,000 PALO ALTO Light-filled Stern and Price home has been beautifully remodeled to create an engaging and welcoming ambiance. 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Room to expand. $1,188,000 apr.com | PALO ALTO OFFICE 578 University Avenue 650.323.1111 APR COUNTIES | Santa Clara | San Mateo | San Francisco | Alameda | Contra Costa | Monterey | Santa Cruz Page 2 • Wednesday, February 13, 2008 • Palo Alto Weekly UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Council drops bond bid for police building City has no time to garner voters’ support pinosa said. tificates of Participation (COPs) for COPs to pay for the 50,000-square- The public-safety building, hous- all or part of the project — which foot public-safety building would for public-safety building ing both the police department and would have to be paid off through cost the city $5.2 million each year by Becky Trout the emergency operations center, increased revenues or cuts in city for 30 years. simply wouldn’t get funded with programs or projects at about $5 “We have library folks who are ecognizing that a $69 million enues to pay for the project — even a bond measure, several council million per year. going to work to convince the com- public-safety bond measure though that boosts the building’s members agreed, based on a citizen COPs are a financing technique munity that this is the right thing to R is unlikely to nab the needed cost to $81.2 million. survey last year that showed only a that would funnel city money do (for the libraries). I do not be- two-thirds voter support, the Palo “For me, it’s really an issue ... of 57 percent majority of city voters through a city-managed non-profit lieve there is a constituency for the Alto City Council voted 7-2 Mon- how we can best make these things supporting the project. organization, which would of- police building,” Councilman John day night to draw on other city rev- happen now,” Councilman Sid Es- The alternative is to issue Cer- fer certificates to investors. Using (continued on page 11) TELECOMMUNICATIONS AT&T’s TV plans don’t click, advocates say Changes to public channels worry Media Center, city Norbert von der Groeben by Becky Trout ithin months, AT&T Inc. plans to begin offering tele- Wvision service in Palo Alto over phone lines, introducing a new format for local programming that has the cable experts at the Midpen- insula Community Media Center and City of Palo Alto concerned. Some people just Juana run When AT&T introduces its tele- Runners took to the streets of Barron Park Saturday morning for the 12th annual Juana Run. Adults and children embarked on 8K and 1-mile vision service — called U-verse — certified races starting and ending at Juana Briones Elementary School. A post-race BBQ lunch was provided by The Old Pro. public, educational and government (PEG) channels will have a lower resolution and be harder to find than its commercial channels, Communi- De Seve’s statement followed a Fri- meeting, the Friends asked to be ty Media Center Executive Director COMMUNITY day press release from police Chief cleared in the investigation. Annie Folger said. Lynne Johnson, which disclosed that “We’ve been dragged into the “They don’t want to spend the “tens of thousands of dollars” are in- mess although we have done noth- money,” Folger said. Children’s Theatre director volved in the investigation. ing wrong,” said Paula Collins, But according to spokesman James Johnson’s letter says department president of the Friends. Peterson, AT&T’s plan to concentrate ‘devastated and baffled’ investigators are working “tirelessly The theater was abruptly closed all PEG channels on a menu available through their days off and on week- late in the afternoon of Jan. 24 and at Channel 99 makes them easy to re- Palo Alto police chief releases update ends to complete a thorough and four full-time staff members — in- member and will provide customers objective case as fast as possible.” cluding Briggs and Litfin — were with access to PEG channels from on investigation at beloved institution She added that the department un- placed on administrative leave, with regional communities as well. by Jay Thorwaldson and Don Kazak derstands the importance of the the- pay, by City Manager Frank Benest. “I think there has been some mis- ater to the community. The theater remained closed for understanding and misrepresenta- irector of the Palo Alto Chil- courage the community to keep the Johnson said the investigation to four days but is operating again. tion,” Peterson said. dren’s Theatre Pat Briggs, pressure on so we get a swift resolu- date has included: “I asked for the closure in order to “Of course we’re completely com- D who was put on administra- tion and get Pat back into the theater ● Witness and employee inter- secure specific areas of the Theatre mitted to providing public, educa- tive leave in late January, is “devas- where she belongs.” views. to maintain the chain of evidence for tional and government programming. tated and baffled” by the Palo Alto On Saturday, supporters of the ● Review and analysis of thousands the investigation,” Johnson wrote in We believe in it.” Police Department’s investigation Children’s Theatre did just that, ral- of city documents and e-mails. her letter to the community. Terrestrial television providers are into alleged financial crimes at the lying in front of City Hall. Nearly ● Search warrants served on nu- The chief also referred to Litfin’s required to carry local channels for theater, her attorney, Diane de Seve, 100 people, some in costumes, merous employee bank accounts illness and death: the privilege of using the public tele- said Saturday. showed up to voice support for the (with the average turnaround time “All of us at the Police Depart- communications network, a practice “The outpouring of support from theater’s suspended staff and to for obtaining information from ment are saddened by the passing that dates to 1984, Folger said. Cur- the community really reflects the question the police investigation. these searches being six to eight of Michael Litfin. He was a valued rently, only Comcast provides televi- kind of moral compass Pat has, and Some participants held up signs, weeks). employee who contributed greatly sion service to Palo Alto. It carries she would never do anything in- including “We (heart) Michael,” a ● Search warrants served on three to the Children’s Theatre. On the seven PEG channels, Folger said. tentionally to harm the Children’s reference to the late Assistant Direc- employees’ homes and a number of day of the theater closure, Mr. Lit- Satellite television providers are not Theatre,” said de Seve, who works tor Michael Litfin, who died Feb. 1. storage lockers including one belong- fin voluntarily came into the Police under the same obligation. in the Palo Alto law firm of Nolan, He had been undergoing treatment ing to the Friends of the Children's Department and wanted to give a Channels 26 and 29 screen gov- Armstrong & Barton. for cancer, but the precise cause of Theatre, a nonprofit support group. statement. Due to his illness, my in- ernment programs, while channels De Seve said she wanted to “en- death has not been announced. At Monday night’s City Council (continued on page 11) (continued on page 11) Palo Alto Weekly • Wednesday, February 13, 2008 • Page 3 Creating Your WUnderful Smile! • State-of-the-art, brand new orthodontic offi ce 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 (650) 326-8210 • Directly across the street from Stanford PUBLISHER Our University William S. Johnson • Dr. Wu provides the latest innovations in EDITORIAL orthodontic care to help bring comfort and Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Jocelyn Dong, Managing Editor speed to his patients, including the high tech Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Associate Editors Damon system bracket. Keith Peters, Sports Editor Town Tyler Hanley, Online Editor by Don Kazak • Complimentary consultation Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Don Kazak, Senior Staff Writer Arden Pennell, Becky Trout, Staff Writers The music of politics Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant Norbert von der Groeben, Chief Photographer or a while on election night last tain View had started working for Marjan Sadoughi, Veronica Weber, Staff week, when the votes were still the late Sen. Walter Mondale (D- Photographers being tallied, Amy Rao’s 10- Minnesota) in January 1965 as his Eric Wu, DMD Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Bentson, F DIPLOMATE, AMERICAN BOARD OF ORTHODONTICS Lynn Comeskey, Kit Davey, Jack McKinnon, year-old niece, Sally Wang, sat on assistant press secretary when he For Free Consultation Please Call: 650-322-0288 www.WUORTHO.com Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Craig Wentz, her lap.