School Board Candidates Air Issues Page 3
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PaloAltoOnline.com Vol. XXXIV, Number 3 N October 19, 2012 School board candidates air issues Page 3 Having lots of kids defies Palo Alto trend PAGE 22 Transitions 17 Spectrum 18 Eating Out 30 Shop Talk 32 Movies 33 Puzzles 62 NArts United Nations film festival inspires action Page 27 NSports Another Big Game challenge for Stanford Page 35 NHome A well-located, yet leisurely paced neighborhood Page 41 Page 2ÊUÊ"VÌLiÀÊ£]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>Ì"i°V UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Palo Alto in ‘uncharted’ territory on compost City to explore a range of technologies, export options for 4HEQUESTIONOFWHATTODOWITH AUTHORIZESTHECITYTOUSEACRES MERLANDFILLSITEINTOAPUBLICPARK dealing with three types of organic waste LOCALCOMPOSTTOOKONASENSEOFUR OFPREVIOUSLYDEDICATEDPARKLANDFOR ASHADLONGBEENPLANNED GENCYLASTYEAR WHENTHECITYSHUT ANANAEROBICDIGESTERANENCLOSED 7HILE-EASURE%ANSWEREDTHE by Gennady Sheyner DOWNITS"YXBEE0ARKLANDFILLA PLANT IN WHICH MICRO ORGANISMS MAINQUESTIONINTHECOMPOSTDE ACRESPRAWLNEARTHE"AYLANDS BREAK DOWN YARD TRIMMINGS AND BATE WHERE A PLANT COULD BE HEFUTUREOFORGANICWASTEIN WITHITSFOODSCRAPS YARDTRIMMINGS THATHADHOUSEDTHECITYSCOMPOST FOODWASTEANDTURNTHEMINTONATU BUILT MANY OTHER QUESTIONS 0ALO!LTOREMAINSMURKY BUT AND BIOSOLID WASTE !S OFFICIALS INGOPERATION RALGAS/PPONENTSOFTHEMEASURE REMAIN 4HESE INCLUDE $OES IT T CITYOFFICIALSHOPETOSOLVETHIS WEIGHTHEPROSANDCONSOFSHIPPING 4HEIDEAOFBUILDINGAPLANTGAINED AGROUPTHATINCLUDESSOMEOFTHE MAKEECONOMICSENSETOCONSTRUCT MESSYANDDIVISIVEDILEMMABYEAR WASTEELSEWHEREORBUILDINGAPLANT ABURSTOFMOMENTUMIN.OVEMBER CITYSMOSTPROMINENTCONSERVATION A LOCAL PLANT 7HICH TECHNOLOGY LYANDARENOWLOOKINGTOTHE TOCONVERTTHEWASTEINTOENERGY WHENVOTERSOVERWHELMINGLY ISTSHAVEVOCIFEROUSLYARGUEDTHAT SHOULDTHECITYADOPT4OWHATEX FREEMARKETFORHELP THEYAREPREPARINGTOSOLICITPROPOS PASSED-EASURE%4HEMEASURE "YXBEE0ARKISNOPLACEFORAWASTE TENTSHOULDTHECITYBEINVOLVEDIN 4HECITYISINTHEMIDSTOFAMULTI ALSTHATWILLHELPTHEMREFINETHEIR WHICHWASPLACEDONTHEBALLOTBYA FACILITYANDHAVEURGEDTHECITYTO YEAREFFORTTOFIGUREOUTWHATTODO COSTESTIMATESFORBOTH COALITIONOFLOCALENVIRONMENTALISTS EXPORTTHEWASTEANDTURNTHEFOR (continued on page 9) EDUCATION School board candidates air issues at forum Site-based decision-making, teacher evaluations, among topics in panel led by state Sen. Joe Simitian by Chris Kenrick NCUMBENTSTOUTEDTHEACADEMIC !LTOSIXTHINTHESTATE THEBIGGEST ANDFISCALSTRENGTHOF0ALO!LTO GAINS CAME FROM LOW INCOME AND I SCHOOLS WHILE CHALLENGERS SAID MINORITYSTUDENTS SHESAID THESCHOOLDISTRICTCOULDBEDOING $AUBERSAIDHEANDAPARENTGROUP BETTERONARANGEOFISSUES-ONDAY HECOFOUNDED 7E#AN$O"ET NIGHT /CT ATASCHOOLBOARD TER0ALO!LTO COULDTAKECREDITFOR CANDIDATESFORUM PRODDINGTHEBOARDONSOMEOFTHE 4HREEOFTHEFOURCANDIDATESSAID NEWANTI STRESSPOLICIES THEYWOULDBACKALONGERPROBA h7EVE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON TIONARYPERIODFORTEACHERSBEFORE THIS AND )VE BEEN INVOLVED v HE TENUREISGRANTEDWHILETHEFOURTH SAID +EN$AUBER SAIDHEWOULDSUPPORT $AUBERSAIDTHEDISTRICTSCULTURE DATAGATHERINGTOSEEWHETHERTHE OFLETTINGSCHOOLSCHOOSETHEIROWN CURRENTTWO YEARPROBATIONARYPE PROGRAMSANDPROCESSESKNOWN RIODISORISNTWORKING%XTENDING AS SITE BASED DECISION MAKING THETWO YEARPROBATIONARYPERIOD HASGONETOOFAR STIFLINGTHESPREAD WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE IN STATE OFBESTPRACTICESACROSSTHESCHOOL LAW DISTRICT &OUR CANDIDATES CHALLENGERS h4OO OFTEN DEFERENCE TO SITE Veronica Weber Veronica (EIDI %MBERLING AND $AUBER AND BASEDDECISION MAKING MEANSWE INCUMBENTS#AMILLE4OWNSEND DELIVER UNEVEN QUALITY v HE SAID AND-ELISSA"ATEN#ASWELLARE MENTIONINGTHEDIFFERINGCOUNSELING COMPETING FOR THREE SEATS ON THE PROGRAMSATTHETWOHIGHSCHOOLS 0ALO!LTOSCHOOLBOARDINTHE.OV THETIMELAGBEFORETHE*,3-IDDLE ELECTION 3CHOOLORIENTATIONFORSIXTH GRAD Towards the end of day $AUBERCAMEACROSSASTHESTRON ERSSPREADTOTHETWOOTHERMIDDLE The setting sun casts a reddish glow over the Baylands and silhouettes a bird. GESTCRITIC SAYINGTHEBOARDNEEDSTO SCHOOLS AND THE hPATCHYv IMPLE hBRIDGETHEGAPBETWEENSENTIMENT MENTATIONOFTHETECHNOLOGY BASED ANDREALITYvONARANGEOFISSUESRE COMMUNICATIONTOOLh3CHOOLOGYv LATEDTOACADEMICSTRESS #ASWELL SAID THERES A hDELI U.S. CONSTITUTION h7ENEEDTOMOVEBEYONDTHEIDEA CATE BALANCEv BETWEEN SITE BASED THATTHERESAPROBLEM ANDWENEED DECISION MAKING AND CENTRALIZED TODOSOMETHINGABOUTIT vHESAID CONTROL#ITINGHERMANAGEMENTEX #ASWELL %MBERLINGAND4OWNSEND PERIENCEINTECHNOLOGYCOMPANIES Palo Alto considers Citizens United POINTEDTOANTI STRESSPROGRAMSTHAT SHESAIDPROFESSIONALSDOTHEIRBEST City may join movement for an amendment to address Supreme Court RECENTLYHAVEBEENPUTINPLACE WORKWHENTHEYREGIVENCLEARGOALS h3OMETIMESYOUJUSTHAVETOLET ANDMETRICS NOTWHENTHEYAREMI decision on corporate spending PEOPLE DO THEIR WORK v 4OWNSEND CRO MANAGED by Gennady Sheyner SAID h4HEDISTRICTSHOULDSETPOLICYAND #ITING THE DISTRICTS NEW HOME METRICSVERYCLEARLY MAKESUREPEO ORPORATIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE FREESPEECHPROTECTEDBYTHE&IRST EVERSINCETHENATIONSHIGHESTCOURT WORKPOLICY ADOPTIONOFTHEWELL PLEUNDERSTANDTHEM ANDLETINNOVA -ONEYISNOTSPEECH !MENDMENT.OW OPPONENTSOFTHE MADEITSDECISIONIN*ANUARY NESS PROGRAM $EVELOPMENTAL TIONHAPPENATTHESITES vSHESAID C 4HESE MAXIMS HAVE BE RULINGHOPETOADDTHESEWORDSTO /N-ONDAYNIGHT THE0ALO!LTO !SSETSANDACTIVITIESOFTHECOM #ASWELL AND 4OWNSEND ACKNOWL COMEARALLYINGCRYFOROPPONENTS THE53#ONSTITUTION #ITY#OUNCILWILLCONSIDERWHETHER MUNITYCOALITION0ROJECT3AFETY EDGEDTHEBOARDCOULDHAVEDONEBET OFTHERECENTDECISIONINTHECASEOF 4HEDRIVETOAMENDTHE#ONSTITU THECITYSHOULDTHROWITSSUPPORTBE .ET 4OWNSENDSAIDh4HEDISTRICT TERSETTINGCLEARPOLICYANDMETRICSIN #ITIZENS 5NITED VS &EDERAL %LEC TIONANDTOSPECIFYTHAT#ITIZENS HINDTHISMOVEMENT HASTAKENALOTOFACTIONINTHELAST SOMEINSTANCES BUTNOTEDAGENDASFOR TION#OMMISSION INWHICHTHE53 5NITEDNOTWITHSTANDINGCORPORA !TLEASTONELOCALCOMMISSION FEWYEARSv BOARDMEETINGSHAVEBEENCHANGEDTO 3UPREME#OURTRULEDBYA VOTE TIONSAREINFACTNOTPEOPLEHASBEEN )N!CADEMIC0ERFORMANCE)NDEX THATPOLITICALSPENDINGISAFORMOF PERCOLATING AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL (continued on page 6) SCORES THAT LAST WEEK RANKED 0ALO (continued on page 9) ÜÜÜ°*>Ì"i°VÊUÊ*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊ"VÌLiÀÊ£]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 3 Looking for a Upfront Holiday Party Venue? The Woman’s Club QUOTE OF THE WEEK of Palo Alto 450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210 ‘‘ • Company Parties •Weddings PUBLISHER •Business Off-sites William S. Johnson [email protected] 650.321.5821 EDITORIAL Jocelyn Dong, Editor 475 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 Carol Blitzer, Associate Editor Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, Express™ and Online Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor That just defies common sense. JUDITH A. FROST AND COMPANY Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Tom Gibboney, Spectrum Editor Sue Dremann, Chris Kenrick, Gennady —Claude Ezran, chair of the Palo Alto Human Consigned Furniture Home Accessories Sheyner, Staff Writers Eric Van Susteren, Editorial Assistant, Internship Relations Commission, on the idea that corporations Coordinator have the same rights as people. See story on page 3. Thank You, Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Colin Becht, Dale F. Bentson, ‘‘ Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, It’s Been Great! Sheila Himmel, Chad Jones, Karla Kane, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Jeanie K. Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Contributors RETIREMENT Pierre Bienaimé, Lisa Kellman, Haiy Le, CLOSING SALE! Editorial Interns DESIGN Around Town NEW SHOP HOURS: Shannon Corey, Design Director Oct. 16-Dec. 15, Tues thru Sat 10-4 Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, HOT TOPIC ... Global warming is a FLAPPING JACKS ... Project Safe- Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers subject that rarely strays far from ty Net’s first annual Pancake Break- Lili Cao, Rosanna Leung, Designers Since 1992, the first and finest in consigned furniture. the minds of Palo Alto’s elected fast is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. PRODUCTION leaders, who often tout the city’s 20. The fundraiser is the brainchild Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager position as a green leader. This of Palo Alto firefighters, who had 67 Encina Avenue, Palo Alto Dorothy Hassett, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators week, they will weigh whether the been looking to forge a relationship sJUDY JUDITHAFROSTCOM city should participate in one of the with a local collaborative for youth ADVERTISING WWWJUDITHAFROSTCOM Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising most ambitious efforts to date to well-being. Fire Department Captain Samantha Mejia, Shop Product Manager reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Carter French said that when five Adam Carter, Elaine Clark, Janice Hoogner, The City Council is scheduled to youths died by suicide in 2009 and Wendy Suzuki, Display Advertising Sales consider joining the “Cool City 2010, “It was difficult. ... We had Neal Fine, Carolyn Oliver, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales Challenge,” an effort spearheaded to deal with that.” Since that time, David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, by the Empowerment Institute Project Safety Net has developed Inside Advertising Sales that relies on small groups of education, prevention and interven- Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Asst. volunteers in each participating tion strategies in order to boost Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst. community to spread the gospel youth well-being and mental health. EXPRESS, ONLINE AND VIDEO SERVICES of emission reductions and, if all For those pancake lovers who fear Rachel Palmer, Online Operations Coordinator goes as planned, dramatically firefighter-cooked pancakes could BUSINESS bring down the city’s emissions. end up a bit, well, burnt — never