EVENT PROGRAM INSIDE AUGUST 30, 2019 VOLUME 27, NO. 32 www.MountainViewOnline.com 650.964.6300 MOVIES | 20 Landlord attempting to oust tenants arrested for brazen break-in KNIFE-WIELDING ACCOMPLICE ATTEMPTED TO BREAK DOWN DOOR, POLICE SAY By Mark Noack about a block away. Mountain View land- As they lord and four accomplices interviewed Awere arrested Monday the involved night for allegedly attempting parties, police to physically force a family with officials say it children out of their apartment. became clear Reenu Saini It’s being described by police offi- that Saini and cials as an unprecedented move her group by a local apartment owner to repeatedly intimidate a tenant into leaving broke the law MAGALI GAUTHIER a rent-controlled unit. in their attempt U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, Rep. Anna Eshoo and NASA Director Jim Bridenstine greet the The landlord, identified as to evict the press at the Celebration of Women Leaders held at NASA Ames on Monday. 50-year-old Reenu Saini of tenants. Saini Sunnyvale, had become frustrat- was arrested ed because the residents, includ- on suspicion of NASA women’s leadership summit ing a married couple and their attempted rob- Steven Carling children, allegedly were behind bery, burglary, conspiracy to on their rent, according to the commit a crime and unlawfully hosts Pelosi, Eshoo Mountain View Police Depart- shutting off the power. DESPITE GAINS, WOMEN STILL FACE INEQUITY ment. On Monday evening, Aug. Three other suspects involved, 26, she reportedly called on four identified as San Jose residents By Mark Noack the hundreds squeezed in the Day, the celebration marked associates to act as hired muscle Lori Walston, 49, Brian Ross, room were almost all women. the first in a yearlong series of by helping her to scare or force 49, and Debra McNeil, 52, were t was a mix of corpo- The event held at the NASA events that will eventually cul- the tenants into leaving the prop- each arrested on suspicion of rate executives and politi- Ames Research Park on Mon- minate in the centennial anni- erty, located on the 2000 block of attempted robbery, burglary and Ical heavyweights, global day, Aug. 26, was the kickoff for versary of American women Rock Street. conspiracy charges. A fifth sus- thought leaders and scientific a Celebration of Women Lead- What resulted was a standoff. pect, 53-year-old Steven Carling, stars. And by no coincidence, ers. Held on Women’s Equality See LEADERSHIP, page 12 Saini and her group demanded was arrested on suspicion of the the family leave the property same charges plus assault with a while the tenants refused to deadly weapon for using a knife leave or open the door, accord- to force open the apartment door. City relaunches cannabis business ing to police. Saini and her group On Tuesday, the Rock Street reportedly shut off the power to apartment still showed signs of the apartment unit and attempt- the attempted home invasion, applications after major changes ed to break open the door. At one and the front door was splin- NEW PROCESS GIVES PAST APPLICANTS FIRST DIBS ON OPENING POT SHOPS point, one of the male accom- tered in several places. Speaking plices tried to use a knife to force from behind the closed door, the By Kevin Forestieri year — under completely dif- for and received 10 applications open the door, nearly cutting one father of the family declined to ferent rules — will get the first in February, swiftly rejected of the tenants who was trying to answer questions, saying they ountain View is accept- chance to reapply starting Sept. more than half on grounds of hold it closed from the other side. had been overwhelmed by the ing applications to open 9, according to Associate Planner incompleteness or clerical errors Not long afterward, police got media response. As he spoke, a Mup to three cannabis Clarissa Burke. If the city doesn’t and then rewrote parts of the a report of a burglary in progress. broadcast news crew was fin- businesses in the city, resuscitat- get enough applications or too cannabis business ordinance, Officers arrived to find Saini and ishing up an interview with a ing a permitting process that was few companies get a permit, there putting three more applicants her group still on the front lawn member of the Mountain View put on ice following an overhaul will be another opportunity to out of the running. By the end, of the property, and all five were Tenants Coalition in front of the of the city’s regulations. apply that’s open to everyone. the city had nullified all but detained. property. Cannabis businesses that It’s essentially a do-over of a one of the cannabis businesses The family living in the apart- “We don’t want any more previously applied to open in messy process that took place ment had fled their home out the Mountain View earlier this earlier this year. The city asked See POT SHOPS, page 11 back door, and police found them See LANDLORD, page 8 INSIDE ARTS & EVENTS 15 | VIEWPOINT 16 | WEEKEND 17 | GOINGS ON 21 | REAL ESTATE 22 SEPTEMBER for a special sneak preview of your new hospital Community Open House 500 Pasteur Dr • Stanford, CA Get an in-depth look at how we have redefined patient care. Make your reservations now to attend the Community Open REGISTER & JOIN US House—two days of behind-the-scenes tours, exhibits, family StanfordHealthCares.com activities, and complimentary food. 2 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q August 30, 2019 Healthy Teeth and Gums Voic es That Last a Lifetime! AROUND TOWN • Experienced and Gentle Asked in downtown Mountain View. Photos and interviews by Nisha Malley. Dentist, and Friendly Staff • New Patients Welcome! If you could live abroad for • Free Consultations and Second Opinions a year, where would you go? • Saturday Appointments Available “I would go live on a coffee farm in Costa Rica. I love coffee and Voted Best I want to know more about the production.” Dentist Sean McPherson, Mountain View THE Best of THE VOICE MOUNTAIN VIEW Best of Don’t Wait! 2017 VOICE MOUNTAIN THE Call 650.969.6077 THE VIEW Best of Best of VOICE MOUNTAIN VOICE MOUNTAIN for your appointment today! VIEW VIEW 2019 2014 2016 2018 “Italy. I’ve been there and I Conveniently located love it there: (the) pizza, Venice, 650.969.6077650.969.6077 in Downtown Mountain View dentalfabulous.comdentalfabulous.com the culture, the scenery. 756 California Street, Suite B It’s gorgeous.” Mountain View 94041 Holly Liberatore, Mountain View cross street: Castro, next to Bierhaus “Somewhere like Indonesia, Cambodia, or some place where Do you need more information on there’s not much tourism.” rent stabilization in Mountain View? Vinay Rao, Mountain View / i ÌÞvÕÌ>6iÜ ÃÌÃVVÃiÛiÀÞwÀÃÌ>`Ì À`À`>Þv Ì iÌ ÌiÝ«>Ì i ÕÌÞ-Ì>Lâ>Ì>`>À,iÌƂVÌ >`ÀiÛiÜÌ i«iÌÌ«ÀViÃð 7REQOKPI2GVKVKQP%NKPKEU (see new address!) “Japan. I have a large interest in Japanese culture.” À`>Þ]-i«Ì°È]Óä£NÀ`>Þ]-i«Ì°Óä]Óä£ Laurent Goujom, Mountain View £\ää«°°ÌÎ\ää«°° Ón ÃVÕi>ƂÛi°ÕÌ>6iÜ] Ƃ{ä{ä Questions?Questions? 9CNMKP1HƂEG*QWTU 2JQPG­Èxä®ÓnÓÓx£{ / ÕÀÃ`>ÞãÓ\ää«°°ÌÓ\ää«°° 'OCKNVÃvÀ>J ÕÃ}°À} “I would probably go to Turkey. ÌÞ>]£ÃÌÀ*ÕLV7Àà ÕÌ>ÛiÜ°}ÛÉÀiÌÃÌ>Lâ>Ì That’s where my family is from ÀÌ viÀiVi, and I haven’t been back since I was 13 years old.” Tenants aPF.CPFNQTFUYGNEQOG Mark Reynolds, Dallas, Texas ­-i >L>ië>® HaveHtifHave aa questionquestion forfor VoicesViVoices AroundAAround Town?Town? E-mailEmail itit toto [email protected]@mv-voice.com August 30, 2019 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q 3 LocalNews QCRIMEBRIEFS ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT A man was arrested Wednesday for attempting to sexually assault a woman while she was taking a shower at the 24-Hour Fitness at San Antonio Shopping Center, Mountain View police reported. Police officials say they were first alerted around 3:15 a.m. on Aug. 28. A woman at the gym said a man had walked into the women’s locker room and tried to open the door to the shower stall that she was using. She warned him not to come in, and said he tried to change the pitch of his voice to sound more feminine, according to police. The man allegedly opened the shower door and tried to touch her. The victim said she screamed and began to hit him, and he quickly left. A 24-Hour Fitness employee confronted him and called the police, but he left the scene. Proposing a responsible General Use As police arrived, they spotted the man walking through a park- ing lot in the shopping center, and arrested him. Permit. Elevating the community. Police identified him as 41-year-old Damon Quincy Jones, a transient, and arrested him on suspicion of intent to commit a sex Stanford is committed to Santa Clara County and the surrounding area we call home. crime, burglary and lewd conduct. We’ve made it part of our mission to contribute to the health and quality of life of As officers investigated, they said they learned Jones was suspect- our community. Over the past 18 years, we’ve met every one of more than 100 ed of committing lewd acts earlier that same morning at another annual reporting requirements, and now we’re proposing a land use permit 24-Hour Fitness Super Sport gym located across the parking lot. that’s just as rigorous. We're accelerating solutions to society’s challenges, That crime was not initially reported to police.