El Camino Bus Plan Faces Backlash
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Star of the valley WEEKEND | 19 MAY 1, 2015 VOLUME 23, NO. 14 www.MountainViewOnline.com 650.964.6300 MOVIES | 22 El Camino bus plan faces backlash COUNCILMAN EXPLAINS SHIFTING VIEWS SINCE ELECTION By Mark Noack had on multiple past occasions when the Valley Transportation uesday’s meeting on Authority brought it forward for Mountain View’s annual the city to review. Tbudget was overshadowed At a cost of $233 million, the by a crowd of public speakers Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) pro- wanting to talk about the coun- posal would enhance bus service cil’s controversial move last week by providing an express route to support creating dedicated bus running from Palo Alto down to lanes on El Camino Real. San Jose. The plan by the Valley In the days since the decision, Transportation Authority calls a groundswell of irate Moun- for two lanes of El Camino Real tain View residents have blasted — one in each direction — to be council members for backing closed off to all motorists except the bus plan. Meanwhile, city public buses. For the first time leaders have struggled to explain last week, VTA officials indicated why they believe streamlined the exclusive lanes could also bus service, at the expense of be considered for emergency two lanes on the six-lane road, vehicles and possibly private was ultimately in the city’s best company shuttles. interest. But many say they saw little MICHELLE LE The decision last week to reason to think last week’s review endorse the Bus Rapid Transit by the Mountain View City GETTING INTO THE SWING OF SPRING plan came as a surprise for many Council would go differently. Trianna reaches for a hula hoop during the games and festivities following Mountain View’s annual in Mountain View. Expectations The three new council members Spring Family Parade on Saturday, April 25. More photos from the parade are on page 15. were for elected leaders to come out against the plan, as they See EL CAMINO, page 7 South Bay Nepalese rush to MVHS narrows achievement gap provide earthquake relief SCHOOL RECOGNIZED BY COUNTY FOR BOOSTING MINORITY ENROLLMENT IN AP CLASSES FAMILIES CONCERNED DEATH TOLL COULD RISE IF By Kevin Forestieri is now calling it a success. The sented minorities in just one year. Santa Clara County Office of Between the last school year NEEDED AID DOESN’T ARRIVE SOON hree years ago, staff at Education recently announced and this year, Latino students Mountain View High that Mountain View High enrolled in AP courses at the high By Mark Noack 7.8-magnitude earthquake that TSchool set out to increase School now ranks in the top per- school grew from 81 students to struck Nepal on Saturday, April the number of Latino and other centile of schools in the nation 132 students. An additional 129 small cluster of Nepalese 25. Within minutes of the disas- underrepresented minority stu- for fully reflecting the school’s underrepresented students took expatriates living in the ter, Sunnyvale resident Pratik dents in Advanced Placement student diversity in its AP and AP courses for the first time this ASouth Bay are racing to Pande began hearing dispatches (AP) and honors classes. The honors class enrollment, mak- school year, according to Associ- raise funds and coordinate relief from his home country 7,500 idea was that plenty of minority ing it one of only four schools in ate Superintendent Brigitte Sarraf. efforts to aid their distant fami- miles away. It was about 11 p.m. students are capable of taking the county to pull it off. Starting in the 2013-14 school lies and countrymen impacted and his family began shouting the rigorous courses that look “It’s one of the most incredible year, the Mountain View-Los by a devastating earthquake on for him to come see a cascade great on a college application, but accomplishments I’ve seen in 37 Altos Union High School Dis- Saturday. of urgent messages from rela- they just needed that extra level years of my career,” said Super- trict signed a contract with As many as 5,000 people were tives and friends in Kathmandu of encouragement from teachers intendent Barry Groves, noting Equal Opportunity Schools, a reportedly killed and nearly and counselors. that the school has doubled AP See LATINO STUDENTS, page 12 10,000 injured as a result of a See EARTHQUAKE page 13 Three years later, the school enrollment among underrepre- INSIDE VIEWPOINT 17 | GOINGS ON 23 | MARKETPLACE 28 | REAL ESTATE 30 Alain Pinel Realtors HOME STARTS HERE LOS ALTOS $2,198,000 SUNNYVALE $1,698,000 SUNNYVALE $1,349,950 1818 Juarez Avenue | 5bd/2.5ba 1622 Eagle Drive | 4bd/3ba 1713 Wright Avenue | 3bd/2ba Kristi Foxgrover | 650.941.1111 Jim & Jimmy Nappo | 650.941.1111 Jack Earl | 650.941.1111 OPEN SAT & SUN 1:30-4:30 OPEN SAT & SUN 1:30-4:30 SUNNYVALE $1,250,000 SUNNYVALE $869,000 SUNNYVALE $849,000 913 E. Homestead Road | 3bd/2ba 489 Wild Cherry Terrace | 3bd/2.5ba 456 Kenmore Avenue | 3bd/1ba Barbara Williams | 650.941.1111 Jerylann Mateo | 650.941.1111 Barb Conkin-Orrock | 650.941.1111 OPEN SAT & SUN 1:30-4:30 MOUNTAIN VIEW $775,000 SAN JOSE $728,000 MOUNTAIN VIEW $629,000 237 Cypress Point Drive | 2bd/2ba 523 Chinook Lane | 4bd/2ba 201 Flynn Avenue, Unit 2 | 2bd/1.5ba Yvette Stout | 650.941.1111 Ghodsi Emambakhsh | 650.941.1111 Cindy Bogard-O’Gorman | 650.941.1111 OPEN SAT & SUN 1:00-4:30 See it all at /alainpinelrealtors APR.COM @alainpinelrealtors Los Altos Office 650.941.1111 2 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015 thank you for Voic es being part of our dental family! AROUND TOWN The Best Compliment We Can Asked in downtown Mountain View. Photos and interviews by Rachel Lee. Receive Is A Vote From You For Best Of Mountain View! Is it worth giving up El Camino traffic lanes so buses can travel faster? “Yeah, I think so. I feel like public transportation needs Easy Online Voting Starts to be more important in the Friday, April 24 community so people can take an element of that into their www.MV-Voice.com/Best_Of daily commute.” Catherine Wang, San Jose Let us help you be happy & Healthy A $366 Value! Offer valid for new $ patients only. Second New Patient Includes: Exam, Digital opinions welcome. Call for details. Some 99Special! X-Rays & Cleaning restrictions may apply. “No, because commuters need Dr. William Hall • Dr. Tiffany Chan • Dr. J. Janice Chou • Dr. Rob van den Berg them and there would be more traffic.” 100 W. El Camino Real, Suite 63A Sandy Helgesen, Los Altos Mountain View ( Corner of El Camino & Calderon ) www.SmilesDental.com | 650.564.3333 “It would be a lot more efficient Larry’s knows Volkswagens. because a lot of people use transit to get to their jobs, like (\KP )4>[VV I do. And although it would You know you are dealing be easier for people who take with experts when … transit, cars would probably have more traffic time.” ;LJOUPJPHUZHYL5H[PVUHSS`*LY[PÄLK4HZ[LYZ Wendy Frye, Sunnyvale Technicians receive over 40 hours VMZWLJPHSPaLK[YHPUPUNL]LY``LHY ;OL`HYLJLY[PÄLKLU]PYVUTLU[HSS` MYPLUKS` (SSYLWHPYZHYLN\HYHU[LLKPU^YP[PUN “It seems a little aggressive to for 3 years/ 36,000 miles — give up a whole lane. Maybe cars UVV[OLYZOVWKVLZ[OPZ could give emergency vehicles Each technician is a specialist and buses priority, but to give on the vehicle they service. up a whole lane seems a little 2014 2 0 1 4 excessive.” “ Excellent service at a reasonable price. Marisa Mayer, Santa Clara ;OL`NVV]LYHSS[OLULLKZVM`V\YJHYHUK ¸3HYY`»ZPZVULVM[OLILZ[WSHJLZHYV\UK help you reach your goal within the limits [V[HRL`V\YJHYMVYZLY]PJL;OLZ[HɈPZZV VM`V\YI\KNL[3V\PLPZHNYLH[ZLY]PJL OLSWM\SHUKPUMVYTH[P]LP[»ZHWSLHZ\YL[V ^YP[LYHUKZOVWTHUHNLY¹ be a customer.” – Phil R. from Mountain View – Anne H. from Los Altos “If (buses run) every ten minutes and can carry a lot of commuters, I think it will be Fabian Charleston worth it to reduce the traffic. o i n o But giving up one lane is a tough t R n e A Leghor n n St g one, simply because it will create M n i a s d S t dl o a tremendous amount of traffic.” Hours: Mon – Fri 7:30 am - 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm efi r eld ff Benjamin Salvador, Mountain View 2526 Leghorn Street, Mountain View Old Middlefield Approved 650-968-5202 | Autoworks.com Auto Repair HaveHaveHtif aa questionquestion forfor VoicesVoicesVi AroundAroundA Town?Town? 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