Vol. XXXIV, Number 17 N January 25, 2013 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Enjoy summer classes www.PaloAltoOnline.com More heart-attack victims could survive — with this device page 19 Donate to the HOLIDAY FUND page 14 Spectrum 12 Transitions 18 Shop Talk 26 Eating Out 27 Movies 29 NNews Not dead yet: underground Palo Alto railroad tracks Page 3 NArts New York jazz musicians spotlight black composers Page 23 NSports Stanford’s goal — a familiar ring Page 31 ANTIQUE CARPET SALE Antique Sultanabad | Central Persia | 7’6” x 14’5” | $35,000 Sale: $16,000 Featuring the World Class Collection of a Famous Collector and Palo Alto Resident Antique Khorasan Antique Sultanabad Antique Serapi Antique Farahan Antique Agra Northeast Persia | 10’4” x 13’ Central Persia | 8’3” x 10’9” Northwest Persia | 9’8” x 10”8” Central Persia | 8’11” x 11’3” India | 7’10” x 9’8” $40,000 Sale: $18,500 $24,500 Sale: $13,800 $30,000 Sale: $16,500 $22,500 Sale: $10,800 $17,500 Sale: $9,450 WORLD’S FINEST CARPETS AND TAPESTRIES 532 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 | Phone: 650.326.7900 | Open 7 days a week, 10am–6pm | www.pejmancarpet.com Page 2ÊUÊÊ>Õ>ÀÞÊÓx]ÊÓä£ÎÊUÊ*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>Ì"i°V Goal $350,000 See who’s already contributed to the As of Jan. 22 Holiday Fund 495 donors on page 14 $388,785 Donate online at PaloAltoOnline.com with matching funds UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Cars under tracks at Churchill, Meadow, Charleston? “vision statement” for the rail cor- ness before deciding which way to in all directions.” Council members say Palo Alto soon will have ridor, which runs the length of Palo go, Planning Director Curtis Wil- The cost of placing the tracks un- to face up to ‘very contentious’ issue Alto. The statement takes no posi- liams said. derground is unknown, Klein said. by Chris Kenrick tion on grade separations other than The vision statement calls for a “We’ve seen $500 million, and that the city “supports a non-elevat- “vibrant, safe, attractive transit-rich (architect) Tony Carrasco says $1.5 ed alignment” of the tracks, leaving area with city and neighborhood billion. These are huge numbers, he “very contentious issue” of night, Jan. 22. open the question of whether cars mixed-use centers that provide but the detailed study, which some how the train tracks will cross “This is something that’s been would go under the tracks, cross walkable, pedestrian and bicycle- of us think is a good idea for HSR T at Alma, Churchill, Meadow very much on our minds, and it’s a them at road level or go over them if friendly places that serve the com- (the California High-Speed Rail and Charleston streets is some- very, very contentious issue,” coun- the tracks were placed underground. munity and beyond, and to connect Authority) to undertake remains to thing Palo Alto is going to have to cilman Larry Klein said. However, the statement says there’s the east and west portions of the city be done,” he said. confront in the coming years, City The discussion came in the con- a need to assess the rail crossings through an improved circulation Council members said Tuesday text of the council’s approval of a for safety and engineering sound- network that binds the city together (continued on page 6) CITY HALL Few good options on pensions, council is told Members vote to explore ‘hybrid’ system of smaller pensions, Social Security by Chris Kenrick espite pension reforms passed Between current and past em- in Sacramento last summer, ployees, the city is covering 2,940 D Palo Alto remains severely people, Shen said. restricted in its power to rein in the “That’s a lot of people, and we’re escalating costs of retiree pay be- going to be covering them for a long cause of state law and pension reg- time.” ulations, the City Council learned Even with the state reforms — as Tuesday night, Jan. 22. well as a second-tier pension for new Retired city employees this year hires adopted by Palo Alto in 2008 will cost Palo Alto a projected — all but the newest employees re- $23.37 million — a tenfold increase main under the old, more generous from the $2.4 million liability of pension formulas, and it will take 30 2003. André Zandona years for them to work through the Council members voted to ex- plore, in conversations with staff, the system, she said. possibility of attacking the problem Under formulas in place until re- through creation of a hybrid system cently, a city worker who retires af- that would allow at least some city ter 30 years with a salary of $70,000 employees to join the federal Social would get about 80 percent of that Totally in sync Security system and combine that — or $56,700 — in pension, plus In an upside-down look at synchronized swimming by Weekly photography intern Andre Zandona, with a lower city pension. The vote health care coverage. swimmers from Stanford University appear to be launching in unison. The team members were was 6-3, with council members Liz “Pension costs really limit our practicing their routine underwater while competing individually to secure a spot on the Seniors Kniss, Gail Price and Nancy Shep- choices,” Shen told the council. National Team, which will represent the U.S. at the 2013 Fina World Championships in Barcelona, herd opposing, saying the move was “There’s pressure on the size of Spain. The first phase of the U.S. Junior and Senior National Team Trials was hosted by the Santa premature before legislative changes our workforce, benefits and salaries. Clara Aquamaids on Jan. 19. are sought. We have to prioritize our services As part of the California Public because we can’t do everything at Employees Retirement System, Palo once with those costs rising.” LAW ENFORCEMENT Alto is bound by rules of that agen- The concept of retirement has cy, and any meaningful change will changed in the 100 years since Cali- require legislation, said Kathy Shen, fornia’s public pension system was Palo Alto residents form the city’s human resources director. established, she said. The council voted unanimously to Back then, people retired at 65, anti-gun-violence group pursue legislation to close loopholes typically had paid off their home in the 2012 pension reforms and also and had no expectation of earning give cities more power over their re- their working salary in retirement, Members ask City Council to join Mayors Against Illegal Guns tiree pay programs. or even 60 percent of it, Shen said. “The situation is not going to get by Sue Dremann “That’s now turned upside down. any better until we take (legislative) action,” Shen told the council. “Now we have people retiring at group of Palo Alto residents Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo a variety of local actions, including As a newcomer to city govern- 55 or even 50 and at the same time have started a campaign to Alto, San Carlos, San Mateo and gun-buyback programs. Former ment 18 months ago after 35 years the average life span is higher, so A support President Barack Sunnyvale attended after the meet- California Assemblywoman Sally in the private sector, Shen said her you could conceivably be retired for Obama’s push to develop new gun ing was announced on the MoveOn. Lieder, who attended the meeting, initial impulse was to have the city as long as you were working. That laws. org web page, founder Bonnie Bern- will be holding a community forum withdraw from CalPERS. But she was never the paradigm when pen- Silicon Valley Community stein said. on gun control and violence reduc- was told an exit would cost the city sions were put in place,” she said. N Against Gun Violence held its inau- The group is lobbying city offi- tion on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 1:30 p.m. $600 million to $1 billion and still Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can gural meeting on Jan. 17, and people cials to support Obama’s gun-con- leave the city with the task of find- be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly. from Atherton, Fremont, Hayward, trol push, and it hopes to encourage (continued on page 9) ing another plan of its own. com. ÜÜÜ°*>Ì"i°VÊUÊ*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊÊ>Õ>ÀÞÊÓx]ÊÓä£ÎÊU Page 3 Palo Alto Historical Association presents a public program Upfront Music in Palo Alto 1910-1920 450 Cambridge Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306 QUOTE OF THE WEEK (650) 326-8210 Speaker: Paul Price ‘‘ PUBLISHER of the Paul Price William S. Johnson (223-6505) Society Orchestra EDITORIAL Editor Jocelyn Dong (223-6514) Sunday, January 27, 2013, Associate Editor Carol Blitzer (223-6511) Sports Editor Keith Peters (223-6516) 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Express & Online Editor Tyler Hanley (223-6519) Arts & Entertainment Editor When we get to it, these chambers Lucie Stern Rebecca Wallace (223-6517) Assistant Sports Editor Rick Eymer (223-6521) will be packed. Community Center Spectrum Editor Tom Gibboney (223-6507) — Palo Alo City Councilman Larry Klein, Staff Writers Sue Dremann (223-6518), Chris 1305 Middlefield Road, Kenrick (223-6512), Gennady Sheyner (223-6513) referring to a potential decision to change railroad Editorial Assistant, Internship Coordinator crossings, which could involve taking out about 100 Palo Alto Eric Van Susteren (223-6515) homes. See story on page 3. Staff Photographer Veronica Weber (223-6520) ‘‘ Refreshments Contributors Colin Becht, Dale F. Bentson, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, No admission charge Paul Price Chad Jones, Karla Kane, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Jeanie K.