A Kid's Best Friend
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Hats off to Cetrella WEEKEND | 18 DECEMBER 18, 2015 VOLUME 23, NO. 47 www.MountainViewOnline.com 650.964.6300 MOVIES | 21 A kid’s best friend VOLUNTEERS TEACH MV STUDENTS HOW TO TREAT ANIMALS IN ‘CRITTER CLUB’ By Kevin Forestieri schools in the area, including Castro and Mistral Elementary, tudents at Mistral Elemen- to teach students about how to tary’s Beyond The Bell treat and take care of animals. Safterschool program got a Leonor Delgado, an educator surprise visitor last week, when and translator for the program, Rubi, the 6-year-old yellow Lab- said they expose students to rador, waltzed up to the front of animals including birds, dogs, the class. With a tail wagging at cats, rabbits and chickens to give full speed, it wasn’t clear who students a first-hand experience was more excited — the children with animals. The variety they or the dog. bring into the classroom depends Rubi is a search and rescue dog, on local volunteers who lend MARK NOACK explained Steve Garcia, a volun- their pets, but that rarely seems Muslim men gather for the late afternoon prayer at the Seerah Conference held at the Muslim teer for the San Mateo County to be a hurdle for Delgado. Community Association in Santa Clara on Dec. 12. The annual event focused on the community’s Sheriff’s Office, and her job is to “We have a lot of people who challenges amid recent terrorist attacks. sniff out a missing person with get really interested and want to her super-human sense of smell. help,” she said. One student in the front row was Critter Club started in 2013 Putting faith to the test floored when Garcia said kids as a popular program in the would have next to no chance east Menlo Park neighborhood TERROR ATTACKS BRING ADVERSITY TO LOCAL MUSLIM COMMUNITY winning a game of hide-and-seek of Belle Haven at Beechwood with Rubi once she gets their School — a private school serv- By Mark Noack out through glares, derogatory at Lake Chabot in Alameda scent. ing mostly low-income students. slurs or cold treatment from County were berated and had “She can smell the tiniest, Delgado said they try to visit or the estimated 250,000 strangers. And the animosity is hot coffee thrown at them tiniest things,” Garcia told the under-served communities to Muslims living in the Bay fueled by politicians calling for by a woman who saw them students. teach students about the humane FArea, these are the times surveillance on mosques, ban- praying. Last week, the Santa The lesson on search and res- treatment of animals, and started when faith is put to the test. ning Syrian refugees or Donald Clara offices of the Council cue dogs was the latest in a series coming to Castro last year. Following the Islamic State- Trump’s extreme proposal to on American-Islamic Rela- of classes called “Critter Club,” “We target areas where kids inspired terrorist attacks in totally bar Muslims from enter- tions (ISNA) received an enve- hosted by the Palo Alto Humane might not get this kind of educa- Paris and San Bernardino, a ing the country. lope containing white powder Society. Volunteers with the pall of suspicion has been cast Even in the Bay Area, a region meant to resemble anthrax. Humane Society visit several See ANIMALS, page 9 on the Islamic community that that prides itself on tolerance The powder wasn’t hazardous, reminds some of the dark days and diversity, there are plenty but the incident resulted in a after the Sept. 11 attacks. On of examples of anti-Muslim full evacuation of the building a day-to-day basis, local Mus- hostility. Earlier this month, a lims say this backlash can play group of Muslims picnicking See MUSLIMS, page 6 Split school board votes to open Slater Elementary By Kevin Forestieri voted 3-2 last week to reopen an that the new school would siphon elementary school on the Slater off students essential to the func- ossibly ending a years- Elementary campus. tioning of nearby schools, and long effort by families in Since April 2014, the board has concerns that there isn’t enough Pthe Whisman and Slater agreed that the northeast end of money to fund construction, MICHELLE LE area lobbying for a neighbor- the city needs a school of its own forced the board to postpone Rubi, a search-and-rescue dog, visits a classroom at Castro School hood school, the Mountain View — it was just a matter of figuring with Steve Garcia as part of a lesson in animal care from the Palo Alto Whisman School District board out the right timing. But worries See SLATER, page 8 Humane Society. INSIDE GOINGS ON 22 | MARKETPLACE 23 | REAL ESTATE 25 More than just a home, it’s the NORTH POLE APR.COM LOS ALTOS | 650.941.1111 2 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q December 18, 2015 QA + E BRIEFS OPTIMIZE YOUR DENTAL INSURANCE BENEFITS FOR 2015! ‘ESCAPE THE HOLIDAY on Sunday, Dec. 20. The show MADNESS’ takes place at 3 p.m. at Foothill Whether you love the holidays College’s Smithwick Theatre, DO YOU HAVE or find them taxing, it’s a great 12345 El Monte Road, Los UNCOMPLETED time of year to take a pause from Altos Hills. Tickets are $20- all the shopping and parties to $40. Go to goo.gl/rQW1PY or DENTAL WORK? reconnect with nature. On Satur- call 650-856-8432. day, Dec. 19, at 10 a.m., Midpenin- ARE YOU PAST DUE sula Regional Open Space District FOR YOUR DENTAL will host a free group hike at Picchetti Ranch Preserve, located CLEANING? above Stevens Creek Reservoir. Dubbed “Escape the Holiday Madness,” the moderately-paced 4.5-mile hike will be led by experi- enced docents who will introduce COURTESY CALIFORNIA POPS ORCHESTRA NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR EXPIRING DENTAL BENEFITS, FLEXIBLE participants to local plant com- California Pops Orchestra cellists munities. Weather permitting, Jonathan Humphries, left, Donna SPENDING,SPENDING, ANDAND HEALTHHEALTH SAVINGSSAVINGS PLANS.PLANS. SCHEDULESCHEDUL YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY 650.231.4010 hikers will share a picnic lunch at Musik and Sarah Gandt share a Stevens Creek. Wine lovers can laugh. linger at the end of the hike for a No Insurance? BENEFIT PREMIUMS tasting at Picchetti Winery. MASTERING MANGA Per Person No registration is necessary. No Problem! $ Meet at the preserve’s parking WINTER BREAK CAMP Per Year lot on Montebello Road. To learn Calling all manga and anime Introducing Smiles Dental more, go to openspace.org. fans age 10-14: Teen manga expert Valentina Begun will 299A $597 VALUE PLUS YOU WILL SAVE ON hold a winter break camp at Membership Program. DISCOUNTED TREATMENT. Palo Alto’s Art School of SF Bay, 392 S. California Ave. Partici- pants will learn how to draw in Learn More About Our Membership Program • www.SmilesDentalMembership.com both shoujo and shounen styles. Classes take place Dec. 21– 23 Dr. Hall • Dr. Chan • Dr. Chou • Dr. van den Berg • Dr. Phan and 28–30. Camp admission is $150 for half-day sessions, 100 W. El Camino Real, Suite 63A $300 for full days. Go to goo.gl/ Mountain View ( Corner of El Camino & Calderon ) AJx9m8 or call 650-561-6501. COURTESY DEANE LITTLE www.SmilesDental.com | 650.231.4010 The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District will host a free group hike at Picchetti Ranch Preserve on Saturday, Dec. 19. Proudly Serves Starbucks Coffee ‘BEYOND SPACE AND TIME’ Add a little art to your weekend. WEEKLY SPECIAL Join Israeli-born San Francisco artist Chagit Ofir for a free recep- MONDAY - SUNDAY: 11AM - 7PM tion at Palo Alto’s Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, on Sunday, Dec. 20, at 6:30 p.m. Go to goo.gl/ mBiyPa or call 650-799-1854. BURGER, FRIES + COURTESY VALENTINA BEGUN 16oz PREMIUM ‘A DARING JOURNEY’ Teen manga expert Valentina Menlo Park resident and doc- Begun will hold a winter break DRAFT BEER umentary filmmaker Dorothy camp in Palo Alto for manga fans Fadiman’s latest film, “A Daring age 10–14. Journey: From Immigration to Education,” tells the stories of CHOPSHTICKS WITH three families who cross the bor- $9.95 der from Mexico to the United WAYNE FEDERMAN States. The film will screen for For an evening of laugh-out- free online throughout December. loud comedy and tasty Chinese Go to adaringjourneyfilm.org or food, head to Palo Alto’s Osh- goo.gl/HrYncy. man Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, on Thursday, Dec. 24. Dinner begins at 7:45 p.m.; ‘POPS HOLIDAY MAGIC’ Comedian Wayne Federman Don your holiday attire and will entertain the crowd starting catch the Christmas spirit at 8:45 p.m. Tickets are $55–$65. when California Pops Orches- Go to goo.gl/YkX7zh or call tra puts on its annual holiday 650-223-8791. concert, “Pops Holiday Magic,” — Elizabeth Schwyzer LOS ALTOS COURTYARD SEE MORE BY MARRIOTT 4320 EL CAMINO REAL, ONLINE LOS ALTOS, CA 94022 Voic es MountainViewOnline.com (650) 941-9900 Watch videos of Wayne Federman, Complimentary onsite parking AROUND TOWN “A Daring Journey” and more in the online version of this story at OUR FOOD IS PREPARED FRESH DAILY. WHEN IT’S GONE IT’S GONE. SOME ITEMS ARE LOCAL TO will return next week. mv-voice.com. LOS ALTOS AND MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE AT OTHER COURTYARDS. December 18, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q 3 LocalNews QCRIMEBRIEFS WINE ARGUMENT LEADS consumption of two bottles LAUNDRY MAT ARREST TO ARREST of wine, according to police spokeswoman Leslie Hardie.