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Vol. XXVI, Number 75 • Friday, June 17, 2005 ■ 50¢ Jazz for Gen-Y Cast Your Vote Page 13 at PaloAltoOnline.com by July 8th WeWeekend eEdition k l y www.PaloAltoOnline.com New exhibit focuses on ‘Vanishing Worlds’ Page 9 Worth A Look 15 Eating Out 16 Movie Times 21 Goings On 24 Crossword Puzzle 42 Courtesy Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University Stanford Courtesy Cantor Arts Center, ■ Upfront Arts commissioner mired in controversy Page 3 ■ Sports Former Stanford player ready for the ‘Show’ Page 28 ■ Home & Real Estate Who ya gonna call? Weed whacker Section 2 THE WAIT IS OVER! PLEASE COME AND ENJOY OUR NEW COCKTAIL LOUNGE AND FRONT OYSTER BAR NOW OPEN AT THE PALO ALTO FISH MARKET EAT FISH, YOUR HEART WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT! 3150 EL CAMINO REAL • PALO ALTO • (650) 493-9188 Page 2 • Friday, June 17, 2005 • Palo Alto Weekly UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Arts commissioner mired in controversy — again Official complains that Gerald Brett takes matters in own hands by Bill D’Agostino eign artists visiting the city. But fol- versy and said he will probably not outrè public art collection, enlisted a sent to the city. his month, Korean artist Kang lowing a behind-the-scenes flap in- reapply for the commission when his Korean company, Samsung, to spon- City officials say that exchange Hong Seok is visiting Palo volving the artist’s payment, Public term expires next year. sor the artist and pay the needed never happened. T Alto to create public artwork Art Commission Chair Gerald Brett The complex tale leading to the $10,000. “They are very firm that they were involving bright silkworms and torn said he would cease shepherding latest bitter words began last year But controversy arose in April not consulted on this and they would pages of Korean phone books. similar future projects involving when the commission approved when a Samsung representative have not authorized it,” Assistant It had been hoped Kang’s trip, German and Taiwanese artists. Kang’s project with the requirement asked Brett where the first $5,000 City Manager Emily Harrison said. which will culminate on July 1 with “I’m not going to allow this to that outside funding be found for it. check should be sent. Brett insists However, Brett sent an email to the the artwork’s unveiling in City Hall, happen again and it’s a shame,” said Brett, the celebrated mover and he asked city staff for advice, and Weekly dated April 15 where arts would be the first in a series of for- Brett, who is no stranger to contro- shaker behind much of the city’s staff responded saying it should be (continued on page 7) COMMUNITY Curtains for joint performing arts center Vision a victim of economy, officials say by Jocelyn Dong he city of Palo Alto isn’t going to have Stanford University’s T partnership in building a snazzy new performing arts center; the school has apparently decided to go it alone. Last week, Stanford President John Hennessy told the Faculty Sen- ate the university will launch a new multidisciplinary arts initiative, which includes plans for a state-of- the-art performance space. But, as reported in the Stanford Report newspaper, Hennessy said the challenges of making the center a joint venture with Palo Alto “prob- ably exceed the benefits.” A shared facility was initially dis- Norbert von der Groeben cussed in 1999, when Gary Fazzino was mayor. The city and university funded a study to assess the poten- tial. Randy Adams, managing director of TheatreWorks, took part in the survey group. He recalled this week that when the study concluded, three Lightheaded facilities were proposed: two on the Greg Rebollo with Stanford Facilities Operations repairs a street light on Serra near the fire station on Thursday. There are 1,100 street lights on the Stanford campus and one across El Stanford University campus. Camino Real from the Stanford Shopping Center — within Palo Alto borders, but on Stanford land. Potential scheduling conflicts led SCHOOLS buy and install lights on Gunn’s Hal to the decision to split the facilities. Daner Track and Sports Field in time But the study now appears to have for this fall’s season. They have al- been the final act of the joint plan- ready raised about $80,000, mostly ning. Night lights for Gunn students? from a few major donors and some “We have not been contacted (by small contributions. It would cost an Stanford) about a decision to move Parents try to raise money to bring stadium lighting to football and track field estimated $250,000 to install the forward. There has been no discus- by Alexandria Rocha lights blazing down, there was only kids, parents and alumni enjoyed lights. sion since late 2000. They haven’t ast fall, Cindy Ziebelman one thing that could have made the it,” she said. “Once people at Gunn saw how come to me and said they were mov- watched her teenage son play night sweeter — if it was a home The group of parents, also mem- beneficial the lights could be at the ing forward (alone),” said Palo Alto L football under the new stadium game. Ziebelman’s son and his team- bers of Gunn’s sports boosters, were school community, there were some City Manager Frank Benest. lights at Palo Alto High School’s mates go to Gunn High School. inspired to take on a hefty project of donors who said, ‘Yes, this is some- Although the idea had been ap- Hod Ray Field. “We just saw for ourselves what their own. Their plan is to raise thing we’d like to do,’” said Mandy proached with enthusiasm, there was With the crowd cheering and the a great event it was; how much the $170,000 in the next six weeks to (continued on page 5) (continued on page 5) Palo Alto Weekly • Friday, June 17, 2005 • Page 3 The Fireplace Element a full service fireplace store 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER 650.938.2000 William S. Johnson EDITORIAL ReaderWireReader comments via e-mail, voice mail and U.S. mail Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Marc Burkhardt, Managing Editor • Mantels Jennifer Aquino, Associate Editor Digital dollars Retirement party • Outdoor Fireplaces Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Assistant Editors Two thousand autos filled with hap- In a time of strained city budgets, Keith Peters, Sports Editor py birdwatchers, duck feeders, which promise to be tight for the • Accessories Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor • Limestone BBQ Islands Robyn Israel, Arts & Entertainment Editor strollers, moon watchers, photogra- foreseeable future in part due to de- • Design Don Kazak, Jocelyn Dong, Senior Staff Writers phers, picnickers, wind surfers, fami- fined benefit giveaways and high Bill D’Agostino, Alexandria Rocha, Staff Writers lies and seniors entering our nature salaries bequeathed by City Manag- • Installation Norbert von der Groeben, Chief Photographer Nicholas Wright, Staff Photographer preserves at a proposed $5 an auto er Frank Benest to more than 1,000 Tomomi Tsuda, Photo Intern equals $10,000 equals one Digital city employees, the City Council has Tyler Hanley, Assistant to the Editor Egg. given another gratuity — worth & Online Editor Mary Carlstead about $700,000 — for Benest. Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Benson, Lynn Walter Hays Drive, Palo Alto The gift was conferred with a 5-3 Comeskey, Tim Goode, Jim Shelby, vote, with Council members Judy Jill Slater, Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Kleinberg, Hilary Freeman and 1970 w. el camino, MV Contributors Allergies and the enemy Daniel Grujic, Carol Palinkas, Editorial Interns Now that the Palo Alto City Council LaDoris Cordell voting on the side of DESIGN has decided to ban gas-powered leaf reason. Carol Hubenthal, Design Director blowers perhaps they will move on to Two important things about this Judith Alderman, Assistant Design Director gift were not emphasized. First, the Diane Haas, Lynda Lumish, Sue Peck, Senior the real problems of tree- and vegeta- (SJFG4VQQPSU Designers; tion-based air pollution. $900,000 tax-free loan that was ex- Dana James, Scott Peterson, Designers Many of the trees and plants on our tended for an extra 12 years is Sarah McAleer, Design Intern worth, at 5.5 percent per annum, PRODUCTION streets planted over the past hundred GPS Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager years are major contributors to pollen about $50,000 per year. Focusing Dorothy Hassett, Joan Sloss, Sales & Production and other irritants in our unique Cali- on the question of whether or not to Coordinators fornia near-desert weather. Our spring pay Benest’s $10,000 in taxes each $IJMESFO"EVMUT ADVERTISING year was an act of misdirection, fa- Michael Howard, Advertising Manager and summer winds move pollen and Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Assistant dust around in huge bursts of allergy- miliar to all conjurers: “Look, we’re 1FFS4VQQPSU(SPVQT Michelle Bayer, Jasbir Gill, Colette Jensen, inducing irritants and scatter seeds only proposing giving him $10,000 *GZPVBSFNPVSOJOH Display Advertising Sales each year.” Kathryn Brottem, Real Estate Advertising Sales from the liquid ambers to trip up the BEFBUICZ GPSBEVMUT UFFOT BOE Joan Merritt, Real Estate Advertising Asst. unwary. The gift is really $60,000 per year tBDDJEFOU Linda Franks, Classified Advertising Manager Allergies are not something one for 12 years. Do the math. It sets a DIJMESFO Justin Davisson, Ana Gonzalez, has; one acquires them from continu- precedent of largesse for the next tTVEEFOEFBUI Evie Marquez, Irene Schwartz, Classified Advertising Sales ing exposure to the irritants. city manager to embellish. tJMMOFTT tHSJFWJOHUIFEFBUIPGB Blanca Yoc, Classified Administrative Assistant Which do you suppose contributes Second, perks are given to attract ONLINE SERVICES more to allergies: our gas-powered and retain valued employees.