Vol. XXVII, Number 102 • Friday, September 22, 2006 ■ 50¢ The buzz about ‘Beehive’ 2 weeks Page 13 to go! WeeklyWeekend Edition www.PaloAltoOnline.com Now and Zen Exhibit traces designer and artist Sam Smidt's search for the elusive "It" Page 9 Nicholas Wright Nicholas Worth A Look 14 Eating Out 15 Movie Times 24 Goings On 27 Crossword Puzzle Inside ■ Upfront Documents reveal Utilities Department turmoil Page 3 ■ Sports Two pros show there’s life after Stanford Page 33 ■ Home & Real Estate Setting up a gift closet Inside 7HAT%VERY0ARENT.EEDSTO+NOW !BOUT%ATING$ISORDERS )F9OUR#HILD 3EVERELYLIMITSORREFUSESFOOD &EARSGAININGWEIGHT )SUNDERWEIGHT $ENIESSERIOUSNESSOFLOWWEIGHT %XERCISESEXCESSIVELY %NGAGESINBINGEEATINGANDORPURGING 5SESDIETPILLS LAXATIVESOROTHERMEDICATIONSTOASSISTWITHWEIGHTCONTROL )SSIGNIlCANTLYOVERWEIGHT (ASFEELINGSOFDEPRESSION DESPAIR LOSSOFCONTROLORSOCIALISOLATION ,UCILE0ACKARD#HILDRENS(OSPITALISHERETOHELP7ITHTWODECADESOFEXPERIENCE THEEATINGDISORDERSPROGRAMAT ,UCILE0ACKARD#HILDRENS(OSPITALISTHEONLYCOMPREHENSIVEPROGRAMIN.ORTHERN#ALIFORNIAOFFERINGBOTHINPATIENT ANDOUTPATIENTTREATMENTFORANOREXIA BULIMIAANDOTHEREATINGPROBLEMS)TSALSOTHEONLYONEWITHADEDICATEDSPACE DESIGNEDPARTICULARLYFORTHEADOLESCENTSITSERVES /N7EDNESDAY /CTOBERFROMnPMINTHE,UCILE0ACKARD#HILDRENS(OSPITAL!UDITORIUM PLEASEJOIN #OMPREHENSIVE%ATING$ISORDERS0ROGRAM$IRECTORS$R*AMES,OCKAND$R#YNTHIA+APPHAHNTOLEARNMORE ABOUTIMPORTANTEATINGDISORDERSIGNSANDSYMPTOMSASWELLASTHEVERYLATESTTREATMENTS#ALL TOREGISTERFORTHISSESSION 6ISITWWWLPCHORGORCALL TOOBTAINMOREINFORMATIONONTHESESERVICESPROVIDEDBY0ACKARD#HILDRENS ,5#),%0!#+!2$ #(),$%.3 (/30)4!, Page 2 • Friday, September 22, 2006 • Palo Alto Weekly UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Utilities department condemned for ‘prison environment’ Documents released by city Nineteen employees were dis- cies. The names of many personnel “(Blank) has said I ought to put ciplined or lost their jobs in 2005, and other details were blanked out a ‘gun to my head’ ... not sure if he paint portrait of department run amok and department head John Ulrich of the report before it was released was serious or not.” by Becky Trout retired in January 2006, for what to the public this week. “(Blank is) demeaning and con- City Manager Frank Benest cited at “Favoritism rules here,” said one descending; O.K. when not on onfidential city documents It’s a “prison environment,” one the time as “personal reasons.” employee, who also called time- his meds,” another employee told released this week reveal employee told Michael Miller, the Miller’s interviews — which pri- cards “a joke. Miller. C additional details about the consultant hired by city officials to marily took place in the first half “One supervisor disappears in the “Behavior by management is de- dysfunctional operation of the Palo uncover the extent of the troubles — of 2005 but continued through June afternoon.” spicable,” yet another Utilities De- Alto Utilities Department, discov- which included overtime abuse, non- 2006 — paint a portrait of a depart- Another employee said “people had partment worker said. ered in late 2004 after a city truck city work being done during working ment governed by manipulative per- attendance issues.” A colleague said Other employees claimed they are was spotted in Menlo Park. hours, harassment, and threats. sonalities, lax ethics and inefficien- it was “awkward to come to work.” (continued on page 7) LAND USE City officials address concerns over housing boom Processes in place to handle new students, residents by Molly Tanenbaum bout 60 residents turned out for a League of Women Vot- A ers forum Tuesday night about potential school overcrowding and increased demand on city resources as a result of the influx of new hous- ing. Palo Alto Planning and Com- munity Environment Director Steve Emslie and school district Superin- tendent Mary Frances Callan spoke and fielded questions. Norbert von der Groeben The biggest issue of the night was when — and whether — the Palo Alto Unified School District would need to open a new elementary school as a result of the substantial growth around the city. Callan’s answer: Not yet. The district will be able to accom- The planning commission recently approved Cowper Inn owners' request to subdivide the parcels at 705 and 711 Cowper Street into two lots. modate the projected growth for the next two years, and probably two financial, the couple said. but not both houses,” Pierce said. more, she said. LAND USE “Business is great. It’s never When the Woodworths pur- With about 1,500 new housing been better,” Peggy said. chased the land, they merged the units already built and about 1,000 Unfortunately for the Cowper two parcels into one. Now, they more on the way, Callan said demo- A house divided Inn, economics do factor into the would like to subdivide the parcel graphic projections show 268 new likelihood that a new owner may into its original state. students entering the school district may yet stand wish to use the land differently. At last week’s meeting of the by the 2010-2011 school year. “It doesn’t pencil out to keep a Planning and Transportation “Yes, we are growing,” she Proposal to split Cowper Inn into bed and breakfast-type operation,” Commission, a request to do just said. “We are very aware of that two parcels may ensure its future said Steve Pierce, the Woodworth’s that was unanimously approved. growth.” real estate broker. According to Pierce, the advan- An attendance advisory group by Molly Tanenbaum While the business itself is prof- tage of dividing the lot into two is will be looking at questions of how itable, the high cost to purchase twofold: It makes the homes more to handle additional students — first fter 20 years of running the comprise the Cowper Inn. the land “makes it difficult to get attractive to buyers and decreases by redrawing boundaries for atten- bed and breakfast on Cow- Peggy and her husband, John, adequate return,” he said. the chances of their demolition. dance areas to redistribute students A per and Forest, the Wood- put the property on the market in The asking price for the two The reason for the latter, ac- before considering adding a new worths are ready for a new phase May. The couple purchased the merged lots is $5.25 million, but cording to Palo Alto Senior Plan- facility. in their lives. homes — both built in the 1890s buyers haven’t wanted the entire ner Steven Turner, is that current Both PAUSD and the city have “It’s time to move on. It was not — restored them in 1986 and con- parcel, Pierce said. zoning laws are far stricter than employed a demographer to help an easy decision to make,” said Peg- structed a pedestrian walkway to “We’ve been approached by a in the 1890s. The two Cowper Inn predict Palo Alto’s future growth. gy Woodworth, co-owner of the two connect 705 and 711 Cowper St. number of people who have been houses have several features out Emslie said that if all housing historic, Craftsman-style houses that The motivation to sell was not interested in one house or the other (continued on page 5) units that have been approved get (continued on page 5) Palo Alto Weekly • Friday, September 22, 2006 • Page 3 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER William S. Johnson ReaderReaderWire comments via e-mail, voice mail and U.S. mail EDITORIAL Jay Thorwaldson, Editor For more information see www. Marc Burkhardt, Managing Editor Flying high Jocelyn Dong, Associate Editor savehvcamp.com. Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Assistant Editors Congratulations to Stanford Univer- Keith Peters, Sports Editor sity for having the courage to ignore Sue Staley Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor predictable complaints such as Al- Middlefield Road, Mountain View Don Kazak, Senior Staff Writer Alexandria Rocha, Molly Tanenbaum, Becky berta Jasberg’s (Spectrum, Sept. 20) Trout, Staff Writers and allow the U.S. Navy to celebrate Communication? Norbert von der Groeben, Chief Photographer Nicholas Wright, Staff Photographer the U.S. Naval Academy’s selection I want to thank the Palo Alto Adam Heyman, Photo Intern Tyler Hanley, Assistant to the Editor & as the first opponent at the new sta- Weekly for attempting to keep the Online Editor dium with a routine flyover. larger Hidden Villa community (and Broker #012098680 Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Cammie Farmer, Calendar Editor What does a Navy flyover have to constituency) informed. I would never Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Bentson, Lynn Comeskey, Tim Goode, Jill Slater, do with higher education, Jasberg have known about the far-reaching Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Contributors asks? Well, in this case quite a bit. decision by its board to cancel the OUR 28TH YEAR Dan Shilstone, Editorial Intern Julie Park, Arts & Entertainment Intern Many of those players on the field Resident Camp program had it not !!! DESIGN Saturday will be spending five years been for the Weekly’s May 19 article. Carol Hubenthal, Design Director of their post-graduate lives flying I appreciated the recent article updat- Diane Haas, Sue Peck, Senior Designers; ing the situation, also. Royd Hatta, Dana James, Paul Llewellyn, such planes and doing many other Charmaine Mirsky, Scott Peterson, Designers dangerous things while we sit safely I so greatly agree with Ann Smith’s PRODUCTION at home free to voice or write our observation: “Communication is the Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager opinions. biggest issue as far as I am con- Dorothy Hassett,