THE HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR MENLO PARK, ATHERTON, PORTOLA VALLEY AND WOODSIDE

JANUARY 1, 2021 | VOL. 56 NO. 17 WWW.ALMANACNEWS.COM 2020: A difficult year that showcased Menlo Park’s resilience

By Kate Bradshaw YEAR IN REVIEW Almanac Staff Writer

n many ways, 2020 was family pay rent? Will we be a year made infamous by evicted? What will we eat? Iits relentless awfulness. It threw at us a global pandemic Winter and widespread economic dev- astation, new police killings In the first quarter of 2020, of unarmed Black people and we saw the world turn upside some of the largest wildfires ever down from the pandemic — and recorded in the Western U.S. experienced California’s first People struggled to adapt March primary. The biggest to new routines wrought by local election was among seven unprecedented shelter-in-place candidates seeking to replace orders enacted in mid-March state Sen. Jerry Hill when he and lasting months, learning termed out of the Legislature in how to work, study, play and 2020. The top two vote-getters grow, one homebound day at a in March were Democrat Josh time — all while a highly infec- Becker and Republican Alex tious new virus sickened and Glew. Becker won handily in the killed people at alarming rates, November general election. hitting seniors, essential front- By mid-March, the coronavi- line workers and communities rus pandemic was raging and of color especially hard. shelter-in-place orders put into The year especially highlight- effect as public health agencies Magali Gauthier ed the region’s deep inequali- scrambled to learn more about Angelina Fields holds an “End Police Brutality” sign while marching with hundreds of other protesters at ties. While some local families the virus, develop tests and Burgess Park in Menlo Park on June 1. absconded to less restrictive contact tracing capacity and areas to avoid the inconvenienc- ensure adequate hospital space Board of Supervisors enacted businesses, immigrant families We reported on how the coro- es of shelter-in-place orders, by “flattening the curve” of the temporary eviction morato- who were not eligible for federal navirus is reshaping how people others have been forced to live virus’ growing spread. riums to protect residential support, child care facilities, and mourn, how seniors cope with with painful uncertainties in Both the city of Menlo Park and commercial tenants dur- the unhoused and marginally increasing isolation, and how addition to the grueling ones and the county of San Mateo ing the initial shutdowns. The housed. the pandemic creates conditions everyone else faced. They asked expanded emergency powers supervisors poured funds into COVID-19 forced just about that could worsen the abuse that themselves questions like: When and used those powers in new programs intended to help everyone to change how they do can I work again? How will my ways. The San Mateo County those struggling: local small things. See MENLO PARK 2020, page 18 Costs staggering to reopen local schools amid pandemic By Angela Swartz required small cohorts needed health and safety measures: san- federal sources to cover COV- HEPA air filter installations, Almanac Staff Writer for on-campus learning and to itation supplies, masks, gloves, ID-related costs. Of that, the building outdoor classrooms offer a virtual academy option face shields, HVAC air filters, Portola Valley Parent-Teacher and hiring additional substitute t costs a lot to reopen a to families who are not comfort- hand-washing stations, tents, Organization and Portola Val- teachers to oversee more frag- school during a pandemic. able returning for on-campus thermometers and other sup- ley Foundation covered about mented student groups. ILocal elementary school learning, said Connie Ngo, the plies, said Ngo. Curriculum $115,000 of the additional costs, The school also installed 50 districts have reported spend- district’s chief business official, costs totaled about $33,000 for according to the district. hand sanitizer stations and four ing hundreds of thousands of in an email. The district also online curriculum, student sup- The Woodside Elementary portable outdoor hand-washing dollars — even millions — to contracted with three substi- plies and to use Edgenuity, a School District, which has 372 sinks. safely bring students back to tute teachers instead of hiring K-12 online platform for virtual students, saved close to $1 mil- The district received $180,000 campuses. day-to-day subs as in past years, learning. lion in expenses last spring in Child Care Relief Fund grant It cost nearly $1 million to to avoid substitutes mixing in Nearly $73,000 went into tech- while students were distance funds from San Mateo County reopen Portola Valley School with other communities, she nology costs like new devices learning, according to Super- to help county schools that have District classrooms this fall. said. The district hired an addi- and Chromebooks for students, intendent Steve Frank. But this been adversely impacted by The bulk of the money — over tional instructional aide, and hot spots for families, additional fall it has taken on half a million COVID, Frank said. $580,000 — went toward staff- the school nurse increased from teaching software and Zoom dollars in costs for new COVID- Despite the costs, school offi- ing increases. The two-school, working just one day a week to upgrades. related safety precautions, which cials have accomplished their 495-student district hired three three. The district received about include the administrative costs additional teachers to meet the More than $118,000 went into $300,000 from local, state and of testing staff members weekly, See SCHOOLS REOPENING, page 19

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January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ3 May 2021 bring good health, happiness and a renewed spirit.

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4 ■ The Almanac ■ AlmanacNews.com ■ January 1, 2021 Local News M ENLO PARK | ATHERTON | WOODSIDE | PORTOLA V ALLEY

Two Menlo firefighters among first in county to receive COVID vaccine

By Angela Swartz leadership,” said fire Chief Har- Almanac Staff Writer old Schapelhouman. “That’s why we put them at the front wo firefighters were of the line of our front-line fire among the first in San personnel to be vaccinated, if TMateo County to receive they wanted to do this, and one of the COVID-19 vaccines trust me, everyone in our orga- last week. nization gets it and appreciated They were part of a group it.” of six firefighters and para- Over the last nine months, medics who volunteered to nearly half of the district’s 100 staff a two-person Pandemic first responders have been tested Emergency Response Unit for and/or quarantined due to pos- the Menlo Park Fire Protec- sible exposure to the virus. Two tion District, which serves firefighters contracted the virus Menlo Park, Atherton, East and both survived, according to Palo Alto and surrounding the press release. Magali Gauthier unincorporated communities, The pandemic team respond- UPS driver Lew Hess speaks to the crowd of Portola Valley residents who have come to thank him according to a Dec. 24 district ed to care facilities, homeless for his decades of work in the town on July 31. press release. The team was encampments and cramped equipped with an upgraded housing conditions, where level of personal protective entire families tested positive Portola Valley examines its history equipment and protocols to for the virus, to car accidents, respond to possible COVID-19 suicides, stabbings, overdoses while looking toward the future medical incidents. and difficulty breathing calls “Having our six personnel in which the patients’ actual By Julia Brown and went on alert as the CZU who volunteered to put them- medical conditions were less YEAR IN REVIEW Almanac Assistant Editor wildfires prompted evacuation selves at a higher risk in known. Some 10% of the medi- warnings in nearby La Honda. order to protect others, when cal responses over the last nine hile 2020 will always for the Sequoias retirement The Town Council and resi- we knew so little, was an months were flagged as patients be remembered as community — aided by local dents also waded through a important moment that showed Wthe year marked by volunteers bagging their orders number of weighty issues. their courage, compassion and See FIREFIGHTERS, page 15 the COVID-19 pandemic, in — and residents launched an Development proposals, Portola Valley it was also a initiative called PV Cares, in including a plan to allow wine period of self-examination, which volunteers assist vulner- tasting and wine club events at adaptation and looking toward able households with every- Neely Wine, and Stanford Uni- the future. thing from grocery shopping versity’s application to build The town banded together to to emotional support. Resi- housing on a portion of prop- help senior residents isolated dents also came together over erty it owns along Alpine Road, due to the stay-at-home orders, the summer for a socially dis- were met with some resistance as Roberts Market began offer- tanced send-off for a beloved ing curbside pickup service retiring UPS delivery driver See PORTOLA VALLEY 2020, page 16

A rough year as local schools weather a pandemic Remote learning, drops in enrollment among 2020’s challenges By Angela Swartz quarantines when students or Almanac Staff Writer YEAR IN REVIEW staff members in their cohorts tested positive. So far, few cases t was a school year unlike Proms were canceled, and so have been reported in these dis- any other for students and were sports seasons. tricts. Other students continued Iteachers on the Midpenin- By the fall, some students in with online learning and may sula. Students were sent home the Las Lomitas Elementary, do so for the remainder of the to learn in March when schools Woodside Elementary, Portola school year. were forced to close for in-per- Valley and Menlo Park City There were mixed feelings son instruction as a result of the school districts, along with about going back to school. COVID-19 pandemic. some private schools, returned Teachers expressed fears Traditions were reinvented. to campuses for class. They about the risks of contract-

The class of 2020 accepted their faced social distancing mea- ing COVID-19 by returning Courtesy Menlo Park Fire Protection District diplomas via car parades and sures, mask-wearing man- Melanie Starz, Menlo Park Fire Protection District medical manager, drive-in graduation ceremonies. dates, COVID-19 testing and See SCHOOLS 2020, page 14 gives engineer/paramedic Dave Magnan the COVID-19 vaccine.

January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ5 NEWS Established 1965 Atherton bids adieu to train service, Serving Menlo Park, nears completion of new civic center Atherton, Portola Valley, By Angela Swartz and Woodside for over 50 years Almanac Staff Writer

therton made progress NEWSROOM on construction of its Editor Along-awaited $31.6 mil- Andrea Gemmet (223-6537) lion civic center project in 2020 Assistant Editors despite a brief shutdown in Julia Brown (223-6531) March because of COVID-19 Heather Zimmerman (223-6515) pandemic restrictions. Staff Writers There were Kate Bradshaw (223-6536) also changes in YEAR IN Angela Swartz (223-6529) leadership, the REVIEW Contributors Kate Daly, Maggie Mah closure of the Special Sections Editor town’s historic train station, Linda Taaffe (223-6511) license plate reader installa- Chief Visual Journalist tions and the possible return of Magali Gauthier (223-6530) burglars from two years ago. It, Visual Journalism Intern like every other nearby town, Olivia Treynor had to adjust to holding its gov- ernment meetings virtually, on DESIGN & PRODUCTION Zoom. Design and Production Manager In July or August 2021, the Kristin Brown (223-6562) town will begin transitioning Designers Linda Atilano, Amy Levine, the police department and oth- Paul Llewellyn, Doug Young er employees into the admin- ADVERTISING istrative building because Magali Gauthier construction workers need to Construction resumed on Atherton’s civic center on April 10 after a three-week break. Vice President Sales and Marketing demolish what is left of the Tom Zahiralis (223-6570) police department building to demand for public transit. Menlo Park Fire Protection of items were stolen in 20 resi- Display Advertising Sales complete the project, said City The council agreed to shut District (a claim Wiest denies). dential burglaries over a four- (223-6570) Manager George Rodericks in down the more than 150-year- Hawkins-Manuelian opposed month period. Real Estate Manager a Dec. 22 email. The official old station at the end of Octo- detachment. In 2020, the town installed Neal Fine (223-6583) opening is slated for October ber because of years of low rid- Town officials have been 21 license plate readers to help Legal Advertising 2021, he said. ership and a desire to safeguard exploring the possibility of deter crime in an attempt to Alicia Santillan (223-6578) The town broke ground on the town from future legislation detaching from the fire district capture criminals coming or ADVERTISING SERVICES the new facilities, which include similar to Senate Bill 50, which since a review, commissioned going from burglaries. The Advertising Services Manager police, administration and would have required cities by the town and released in cameras were first proposed as Kevin Legarda (223-6597) planning offices, and a library, to allow high-density hous- 2018, found that Atherton a response to the 2018-19 bur- in April 2019. ing development near public taxpayers pay more than twice glary spree. DeGolia said one of Sales & Production Coordinator transit. as much as fire services cost, these readers captured a vehicle Diane Martin (223-6584) Train shut down paying about $7 million more involved in the Dec. 8 burglary. The Almanac is published every Friday at Fire district controversy annually. The study shows Automated license plate read- The final train stopped in that in the 2015-16 fiscal year ers (ALPRs) are mounted on 3525 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Atherton on the evening of and leadership changes Atherton, which has 8% of the police cars or on fixtures such Menlo Park, CA 94025 Dec. 13 after Caltrain opted to Cary Wiest was unseated residents in the fire district, as road signs and bridges. Q Newsroom: (650) 223-6525 discontinue service in town. from the council by new- provided 31.7% of the district’s There were already public Newsroom Fax: (650) 223-7525 Q Email news and photos with captions The rail line’s officials said the comer Diana Hawkins-Manue- total property tax revenues. safety cameras at Holbrook- to: [email protected] closure would allow it to add lian in the November election. On Dec. 16, the council elect- Palmer Park, and new police Q Email letters to: service to the nearby Menlo Councilman Rick DeGolia, ed Elizabeth Lewis as mayor vehicles are equipped with [email protected] Park and Redwood City sta- who served as mayor in 2020, and Mike Lempres as vice ALPR cameras as part of their Q Advertising: (650) 854-2626 tions, which have much higher endorsed Hawkins-Manuelian, mayor to serve during 2021. existing dashboard cameras. Advertising Fax: (650) 223-7570 ridership and where denser saying he couldn’t back Wiest Mona Ebrahimi became city Q Classified Advertising: (650) 854-0858 developments are projected to since Wiest supported sep- attorney, replacing Bill Con- Q Submit Obituaries: generate higher levels of future arating the town from the ners, who was appointed to Recology dumped AlmanacNews.com/obituaries his position in 2011. Conners In September, Atherton The Almanac (ISSN 1097-3095 and USPS 459370) retired in January 2020. He ditched its longtime garbage is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, worked alongside his daughter, and recycling pickup service CA 94025-6558. Periodicals Postage Paid at assistant town attorney Jennifer provider to reduce garbage Menlo Park, CA and at additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation Conners Larson, who special- rates, with Councilman Bill for San Mateo County, The Almanac is delivered izes in litigation. Widmer recusing himself from to homes in Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside. POSTMASTER: Send address the vote. The council chose to changes to the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las employ the services of Gre- Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025-6558. Copyright Burglaries ©2021 by Embarcadero Media, All rights enWaste Recovery Services reserved. Reproduction without permission is In December, police said that instead. A town staff report strictly prohibited.

they believe criminals respon- notes that Greenwaste Recovery The Almanac is qualified by decree of the sible for residential burglaries offers more fiscally predictable Superior Court of San Mateo County to publish public notices of a governmental and legal in town from November 2018 to services. nature, as stated in Decree No. 147530, issued February 2019 are responsible The move required the town’s November 9, 1969. Subscriptions are $60 for one year and $100 for two years. Go to for a recent spate of break-ins withdrawal from a joint powers AlmanacNews.com/circulation. in town. authority (JPA) that contracts To request delivery, or stop delivery, of The 2020 crimes include the with Recology. The town will The Almanac in zip code 94025, 94027, theft $800,000 worth of jew- have to pay $2.2 million to leave 94028 and the Woodside portion of 94062, call 854-2626. elry, which included Rose Bowl the JPA. A watches, from a home on Dec. 8. Olivia Treynor During the previous string of Email Angela Swartz at A passenger gets off Caltrain at the Atherton station on Dec. 13, burglaries, millions of dollars [email protected] the last day the station was open for train service. 6QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 NEWS Coronavirus central: State makes deal to get vaccines to nursing homes Regional stay-at-home orders unlikely to end soon By Embarcadero Media staff available, according to Ghaly, Joaquin Valley regions would receive the vaccine along with and Southern California are but other parts of the state like have their stay-at-home orders front-line health care workers, under the order. an Mateo County reported Southern California and the extended beyond the three- in-home health care work- The state department’s pre- 23,916 cumulative COV- San Joaquin Valley have virtu- week minimum. ers, primary care clinic work- diction was in line with a Dec. SID-19 cases as of Monday. ally no ICU beds left for addi- “Christmas gathering and ers, laboratory workers, dental 21 announcement from Gov. Five more people have died, tional coronavirus patients, infection becomes amplified, a health clinic employees and Gavin Newsom. The governor raising the death toll to 217. due in part to gatherings for bit more exponential, over the pharmacy staff. said at that time that skyrock- There were 154 people hospi- Thanksgiving. New Year’s celebrations and we People over age 75 or age 65 eting COVID-19 cases and hos- talized. Santa Clara County “The celebrations that are could see the worst of it in early if they have underlying health pitalizations would probably as of Monday had 66,270 total planned, we hope some are January,” Ghaly said. conditions, workers in educa- keep the stay-at-home orders cases. The seven-day rolling canceled, some are done dif- tion and child care, emergency in effect for multiple regions average of new cases per day ferently, so that we can main- State partners with services, food and agriculture, across the state. ending Dec. 20 is 1,254. The tain and bring down this drugstores transportation and logistics, death toll stands at 652. In spread, but we know and manufacturing and the indus- Eshoo receives COVID-19 addition, 669 people were hos- expect that some (gatherings) CVS and Walgreens will trial, residential and commer- vaccine pitalized with the virus, 110 of will happen,” Ghaly said Tues- provide vaccine doses from cial sectors are all expected which were new. day during a briefing on the the pharmaceutical company to begin receiving the vaccine Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo pandemic. Pfizer to residents and staff in January on the current Alto, rolled up her sleeve to COVID-19 spread likely State and local public health members in facilities like nurs- schedule. receive a dose of the COVID-19 to worsen due to holiday officials have encouraged and ing homes and assisted living In addition, unhoused resi- vaccine Dec. 23, a moment the even pleaded this month with centers. dents and people in the state’s congresswoman shared in a gatherings state residents to avoid gath- According to Newsom, CVS prison system will be among tweet. “As more vaccines are The coronavirus’ spread in ering with people from other will provide vaccines to around the next pool of people with shipped out, I encourage every- California is likely to pick up households while new cases 500 nursing homes, while Wal- access to the vaccine. one to get vaccinated,” she said. this week as people gather for of the coronavirus multiply in greens will do so at roughly 350 “We have to protect ourselves holidays like Christmas and much of California. nursing homes over the next Stay-at-home orders face & others against this deadly then hold gatherings to cel- Limiting holiday gatherings three to four weeks. likely extension virus.” ebrate the new year, the state’s will be especially crucial, Ghaly “By leveraging CVS and Eshoo was vaccinated at Health and Human Services said, for moving regions out of Walgreens resources, we can Stay-at-home orders cur- the recommendation of the secretary said Tuesday. the state’s stay-at-home order, effectively deploy vaccines to rently in effect in the Bay Area Office of the Attending Physi- Given the virus’ nature of which is enforced for a mini- residents and staff at our long- and three other California cian. She was able to end her incubating for up to two weeks, mum of three weeks in regions term care facilities, which regions likely will remain in self-quarantine that day after social gatherings during the of the state with less than 15% are at higher risk of COVID place past the minimum three- consulting with the office. last week of 2020 are likely to ICU capacity. transmission — and do it at week duration, state officials Eshoo had been staying in her exacerbate the state’s already The 11-county greater Bay no cost to the state or local affirmed last Friday. Washington, D.C., home as struggling health care system Area would be eligible to leave government,” Newsom said in The state’s stay-at-home a precaution after learning a in the coming weeks, accord- the stay-at-home order Jan. 8 a statement. order is triggered when a member of her staff tested posi- ing to HHS Secretary Dr. Mark if its ICU capacity crossed that Residents and staff members region’s average intensive care tive for COVID-19 on Dec. 16. Ghaly. 15% threshold. in nursing homes and other unit capacity falls below 15%. The Bay Area still has 10.4% Ghaly said Tuesday that the long-term care facilities are The Bay Area, greater Sacra- of its intensive care unit beds Southern California and San among the first in the state to mento, the San Joaquin Valley See CORONAVIRUS, page 15 Menlo Park briefs CRIME BRIEFS By Kate Bradshaw rises in accordance with the Person rescued from Woodside house fire The person was taken by ambulance to a hos- Almanac Staff Writer inflation rate, but is capped One person was rescued in a house fire on Sky- pital with moderate injuries, she said. No other injuries were reported. Holiday tree pickups at 3%. Between August 2019 line Boulevard in Woodside early Sunday morn- and 2020, there was a 1.6% ing, according to Cal Fire. Just before 2 a.m., crews knocked down the With Christmas over, Recol- increase in the San Francisco The fire was reported around 1 a.m. Dec. 27 at blaze and stopped it from extending to nearby ogy will begin collecting trees area, according to the Bureau a two-story home in the 13000 block of Skyline vegetation, according to Cal Fire. between Jan. 1 and 31. People of Labor Statistics. Boulevard near County Road, according to Cal The home was deemed uninhabitable as a result should remove all tinsel, lights, The minimum wage applies Fire spokesperson Cecile Juliette. of the fire, Juliette said. The cause is under investi- decorations and stands, and to all employers within Menlo The blaze was reported by a tenant who lived gation and a damage estimate wasn’t immediately then place the tree next to their Park city boundaries and to in an attached unit to the main residence, Juliette available on Sunday morning. Additional infor- green compost bins on the employees working at least two said. mation was unavailable as of Monday evening. regular collection day. hours each week. Crews found the first floor filled with smoke Firefighters were on scene for roughly three People living in single-family People may report a sus- and set up a ladder to rescue a resident in their 60s, hours and 15 minutes, according to PulsePoint, homes should make sure trees pected violation through the according to Juliette. The person was unable to an app that tracks emergency incidents. are no taller than 8 feet. Trees City Manager’s Office at 650- evacuate due to the amount of smoke and flames The Kings Mountain Fire Department, Wood- larger than that should be cut 330-6610. A in the home. side Fire Protection District, San Mateo County into lengths of 8 feet or less. Fire Department and San Mateo County Sheriff’s After Jan. 31, people will be Email Kate Bradshaw at Office also responded to the incident, according required to cut up and put the [email protected] to Cal Fire. trees inside the compost bin. —Jamey Padojino Apartment managers should call Recology San Mateo OBITUARY East Palo Alto fire displaces 11 County at 650-595-3900 to Eleven East Palo Alto residents, including four arrange for holiday trees to be Local residents who died children, were displaced Dec. 24 after a fire dam- recently include Anne collected. Creevy aged their Oakwood Avenue home. , 85, a longtime edu- None of the occupants were injured in the fire, Minimum wage to rise cator at Ormondale School which began on the first floor of the two-story in Portola Valley, on Sept. 27. residential building, according to a news release Effective Jan. 1, the mini- To read full obituaries, Courtesy Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit from Menlo Park Fire Protection District fire mum wage for workers in leave remembrances and Cal Fire crews use a ladder to rescue a Chief Harold Schapelhouman. A neighbor saw Menlo Park is $15.25 per hour, post photos, go to Lasting person trapped in a home that caught on fire on smoke coming from the building at about 9:59 up from the $15 established Memories at almanacnews. Skyline Boulevard in Kings Mountain early Sunday in 2020. The minimum wage com/obituaries. morning. See CRIME BRIEFS, page 9

January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ7 NEWS St. Anthony’s shifts its Padua Dining Room to offer hot meals to-go By Rickey Ono provide hot, nutritious meals, as Special to The Almanac The Almanac we did in pre-COVID times. The Padua Dining Room is nswering the call to shel- Holiday one of 10 nonprofits benefiting ter in place was no easy from donations to The Alma- Atask for the staff, volun- Fund nac’s Holiday Fund this year. teers, and guests of St. Anthony’s I have been volunteering with Padua Dining Room. 2020 St. Anthony’s Padua Dining The staff, along with volun- Room since the late 1990s. One teers, moved into action and congregate in groups and are longtime client, whom I’ll call made drastic and necessary wearing face masks (which are L, has a noticeable presence changes needed to comply and provided for clients that do not because of his physical size and ensure the safety of all. As an have one). More frequent clean- always friendly and appreciative essential organization serving ing procedures have also been demeanor. One Saturday a few those in need, staff and volun- implemented. years ago, I noticed that L was teers learned to properly secure We have seen spikes in the using a fork to create a draw- Personal Protective Equipment number of people that we serve ing on a disposable aluminum (PPE) and shift from indoor since February. The dining room tray that we sometimes use for Courtesy St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room served meals to offer to-go meals can accommodate increased desserts. I was intrigued and Volunteers at St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room prepare bags of in disposable containers. volume, as needed. We have impressed by his skill. groceries for local residents in need. Meals are handed to guests seen month-to-month increases In subsequent visits, I would by masked and gloved staff as high as 48% in the number of see him drawing on napkins, is still upbeat and he mentioned of those we serve). Nadia would who ensure social distancing meals served. scraps of paper, and whatever that he will be sharing his gro- set aside special bags of groceries is followed by those in line, Soon after we pivoted to tem- was available. Oftentimes kids, ceries with a family in need. that did not contain items that making sure they are stand- porarily serve to-go meals only, who come to eat with their fami- Nadia has been volunteering require cooking for them. ing at least 6 feet apart, do not a conscious decision was made to lies, would gather around him as with St. Anthony’s Padua Din- The majority of our volunteers he created drawings of superhe- ing Room for over 20 years. Even have been helping the Dining roes like Spiderman, Batman, or though she is now in her 70s, Room for years. Students who ones that he made up. she still volunteers every Satur- volunteer for community service Over the years, I found out day, coming across the bridge hours required by their schools that L, although on disability, from the East Bay. Before the often come back and volunteer is a person who gives to others, pandemic, when we were able to on their own because they have whether a frail senior that he serve our clients in our dining found the experience to be ful- informally took care of, or a fam- room, Nadia became familiar filling and rewarding. We look ily in his neighborhood going with numerous clients. She is forward to the day when we can through hard times. L would known as the “dessert lady” resume in-house dining, so we share his one bag of groceries because her normal duties are to connect in person and socialize with others in need. On a recent cover the dessert counter where as a “Dining Room community” visit picking up a to-go meal and clients choose their desserts. again. A a bag of groceries from a make- Over the years, Nadia has been shift window, L told me that he able to determine which ones Rickey Ono is the chair of the had a stroke and is finding it were living on the streets (which advisory council for St. Anthony’s difficult to draw. His demeanor is estimated to be about 5% to 7% Padua Dining Room.

Complimentary Anonymous donor gives $350K Vet Concierge Service to Holiday Funds Gift helps set ‘all-time record’ for annual grant program Staff will receive your pets wearing PPE to minimize contact and comply with social By Embarcadero Media staff The Almanac and $250,000 to equally among them. the Weekly. As the COVID-19 pandemic distancing he Almanac and its sister “This gift, along with hundreds ravages through family incomes, publication the Palo Alto of other donations large and businesses and nonprofit’s bud- TWeekly received major small, reflect the community’s gets, the Weekly set a fundrais- gifts to their annual Holiday desire to help the people among ing goal of $400,000 for this WeW are thankful for our Funds from an anonymous us in the greatest need during an year’s fund. donor, setting a new record extraordinary time,” said Embar- Following another recent essential workforce! for the annual grant program cadero Media CEO Bill Johnson, $100,000 anonymous donation that benefits needy families, the publisher of both papers. from a Palo Alto family that has children and individuals on the The Holiday Fund is a 28-year- contributed to the fund each Midpeninsula. old tradition dedicated to aiding year since 2011, this second The donor gave $100,000 to local nonprofits in their goals to large donation of $250,000 to 20% Off serve the community. Since its the Weekly’s Holiday Fund will inception, the Weekly’s fund has help exceed the 2020 fundrais- Dental Cleaning LLEHUAEHUA GGREENMANREENMAN raised more than $7.6 million ing goal, according to Johnson. “Each day is and the Almanac’s has given “This gift will help us set an Bring this coupon to receive a one time discount away more than $4 million. all-time record and bring the a gift, Take The program is a partner- total amount raised this year time to untie ship with the Silicon Valley by the Holiday Fund to over the ribbons. Community Foundation, which $600,000 in Palo Alto,” he said. Call Us Now! Happy and manages and distributes the To donate to The Alamanc’s Healthy New grants. Every dollar donated Holiday Fund, visit silicon Year 2021!” is given to local nonprofits valleycf.org/almanac-holiday- without the impact of overhead fund. and other expenses. The Alma- Read about the work of sup- nac’s Holiday Fund benefits 10 ported nonprofit organizations 650.245.1845 local nonprofits this year, with online at almanacnews.com/ the total raised to be divided holiday_fund. A 8QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 NEWS Don’t Go It Alone Atherton: Police officers test positive for COVID for The Holidays By Angela Swartz been 10 since Oct. 1). No one else Almanac Staff Writer on staff was forced to quarantine You are not alone. This time of year can and all contact tracing has been normally be very stressful, let alone during wo Atherton police offi- completed, McCulley said. a pandemic when we are asked to shelter in cers and one support staff “This in no way impacted member tested positive for police services for our residents,” place and minimize contact with family and T friends. COVID-19 last month, according he said. “We have been and to police Chief Steve McCulley. continue to maintain very strict They fell ill during the first COVID protocols to help ensure If you are struggling, you can turn to week of December and are the health and safety of our team Avenidas Care Partners (ACP) for help. expected to return to work the members, their family members, first week of January, he said. and our residents.” Call (650) 289-5438 to request a crisis “This does serve as a good It is unknown how the officers intervention, an elder care consult, family reminder that police officers and staff member contracted the mediation and emotional support during and other first responders do virus, he added. these challenging times. not have the ability to shelter- The town’s officers should in-place and stay at home as we receive one of the COVID-19 have to remain on the front lines vaccines toward the end of Janu- We are to respond to the safety and ary, McCulley said. Two Menlo security needs of those who we Park Fire Protection District here for serve,” he said in a Dec. 24 email. firefighters were vaccinated last The force, which employs 21 week. A you. officers, has been responding www.avenidas.org to a recent spate of residential Email Angela Swartz at burglaries in town (there have [email protected]

CRIME BRIEFS was an active smoker or cooker continued from page 7 directly placed against the wall of the building. The heat transmit- Desktop office a.m. and called 911 before going ted through the wall preheated planters to warn the residents, Schapel- the room and its combustible up to $19.95 houman said in the news release. contents, according to the news One of the adult residents release. He noted that the Oak- Holiday Cheers reportedly tried to enter the room wood Avenue home had heat and where there was smoke with a gar- smoke damage throughout. We’ve designed, fabricated and produced unique garden-themed den hose. When the air entered “Outdoor cooking appliances planter containers, an assortment of desktop ornamental office items, the room, the entire room erupted should not be too close to com- and a global-bound, erect-a-garden planting system. into fire, forcing him out of the bustibles and/or buildings and building, Schapelhouman said. any ash removal should be put The historic Ravenswood, California community continues its humanitarian Fire crews responded at 10:06 into a metal can that is emerged support of public and social safety in the Bay Area under the 1945 U.N. a.m. and deployed a hose line to in water before its disposal,” jurisdication. We are advised by the U.N. association of Oakland. directly attack the fire. They were Schapelhouman said in the news able to control it by 10:36 a.m., release. “Both of these fires were In our fight against COVID-19, we are delivering one million apple stores according to Schapelhouman. human error and accidental in and pumpkin factory containers to 192 countries. FREE DELIVERY! The cause of the fire is believed nature.” to be related to outdoor cook- Johnston estimated that the fire ing. Schapelhouman noted that caused about $100,000 in damage CUSTOM FACED PLANTER BOXES this was the second fire that to the structure, as well as a loss of the district responded to in two $5,000 in building contents. days that was caused by outdoor American Red Cross was con- cooking. On Dec. 23, firefighters tacted to assist the displaced responded to a fire at Camper families with finding temporary Restaurant in Menlo Park, where housing. an employee brought a cardboard The family of Frida Velazquez, box with outdoor cooker ash whose house was damaged by inside, where it burst into flames the fire, has started a GoFundMe and caused about $5,000 in dam- page to raise money for the age to the restaurant’s entryway. recovery effort. For more infor- CAPTAIN PUMPKS THE (OTHER) APPLE STORE Fire Marshal Jon Johnston had mation or to donate, visit is.gd/ Project Leader on a Mission determined that the cause of the for your childrens educational, anti- fundraiser382. viral, immune building, farming future Dec. 24 fire in East Palo Alto —Gennady Sheyner RAVENSWOOD GARDENKITS PRODUCTS Leland Francois — proprietor, inventor, gardener P.O. Box 51524 Ravenswood Industrial Park, CA (650) 461-0276 Email us for online product details: [email protected]

Courtesy Menlo Park Fire Protection District A fire at an Oakwood Avenue home in East Palo Alto displaced 11 residents on Dec. 24. January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ9 Boys & Girls Clubs Give to The Almanac Provides after-school academic support, enrichment, and mentoring for 1,800 low-income K-12 youth at nine locations across Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, and the North Fair Oaks neighborhood of Redwood City. Ecumenical Hunger Program Holiday Fund Provides emergency food, clothing, household essentials, and sometimes financial assistance to families in need, regardless of religious preference, including Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for more than 2,000 households. Your gift helps local children Health Connected Serves over 5,000 students and their families and families in need each year through comprehensive sexual health education programs. Students learn to have ongoing communication with parents and to make informed decisions that will apply to their lives, now and in the ontributions to the Holiday Fund go directly to programs that benefit Peninsula residents. Last year, future. C Almanac readers and foundations contributed $150,000 from more than 150 donors for the 10 agencies LifeMoves that feed the hungry, house the homeless and provide numerous other services to those in need. Provides shelter/housing and supportive services across 18 sites in Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. Contributions to the Holiday Fund will be matched, to the extent possible, by generous community organizations, Serves thousands of homeless families and individuals foundations and individuals, including the Rotary Club of Menlo Park Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett annually on their path back to permanent housing and Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. No administrative costs will be deducted from the self-sufficiency. gifts, which are tax-deductible as permitted by law. Literacy Partners — Menlo Park All donations to the Holiday Fund will be shared equally among the 10 recipient agencies listed on this page. Supports literacy programs and projects through fundraising and community awareness. Helps community members enhance their reading, writing and related skills and education to improve their economic, The organizations below provide major matching grants to the Holiday Fund. professional and personal wellbeing. Ravenswood Family Health Center The William and Flora DONATE ONLINE: Provides primary medical and preventive health care for Hewlett Foundation all ages at its clinic in East Palo Alto. Of the more than siliconvalleycf.org/ 17,000 registered patients, most are low-income and www.siliconvalleycf.org The David and Lucile Packard almanac-holiday-fund Foundation uninsured and live in the ethnically diverse East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and North Fair Oaks areas. Rotary Club The Almanac will make every effort to publish donor names of Menlo Park for donations unless the donor checks the anonymous box. St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room All donations will be acknowledged by mail. Serves hundreds of hot meals six days a week to people in need who walk through the doors. Funded by voluntary contributions and community grants, St. Please consider donating online, which enables your gift to be The Almanac Anthony’s is the largest dining room for the needy processed immediately. The secure website is: Holiday between San Francisco and San Jose. It also offers siliconvalleycf.org/almanac-holiday-fund Fund take-home bags of food, as well as emergency food and 2020 clothing assistance. Enclosed is a check for $______St. Francis Center Name ______Helps low-income, working families become self- supporting members of the community by providing Business Name ______long-term solutions through educational programs Address ______All donors and their gift amounts will be for children and parents, as well as after-school published in The Almanac unless the boxes programming at Siena Youth Centers. St. Francis Center City/State/Zip ______below are checked. also provides housing, food and clothing services to Email ______T I wish to contribute anonymously. address short-term needs. T Please withhold the amount of my StarVista Phone ______contribution. Serves more than 32,000 people throughout San Please make checks payable to: Mateo County, including children, young people and I wish to designate my contribution as follows: (select one) Silicon Valley Community Foundation families, with counseling, prevention, early intervention, T In my name as shown above Send coupon and check to: education, and residential programs. StarVista also T In the name of business above 02 – The Almanac Holiday Fund c/o Silicon Valley Community Foundation provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention OR: T In honor of: T In memory of: T As a gift for: P.O. Box 45389 services including a 24-hour suicide crisis hotline, an San Francisco, CA 94145 alcohol and drug helpline, and a parent support hotline. ______The Almanac Holiday Fund is a donor advised Upward Scholars (Name of person) fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Empowers low-income adults by providing them with a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. A contribution to this fund allows your financial support, tutoring, and other assistance so donation to be tax-deductible to the fullest they can continue their education, get higher-paying extent of the law. jobs, and serve as role models and advocates for their children.

10QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 NEWS Thank you for donating Holiday Fund: Literacy to the Holiday Fund Partners transforms its mission to serve the Almanac Holiday Fund Donor List As of Dec. 22, 121 donors have contributed greater community $190,074 to the Almanac Holiday Fund. By Mike Goodkind including privacy for tutoring Special to The Almanac pairs, and to provide 10 laptops for use by tutor-learner pairs 14 Anonymous...... $115,750 Eliot & Cris Terborgh ...... * E.R. & B.L. Dodd ...... 150 n the midst of a pandemic, in library programs. Although Literacy Partners-Menlo Park the pandemic has temporarily Paul Welander ...... 50 Bob & Barbara Ells ...... 500 Robert & Connie Loarie ...... * Itransformed a 10-year-old delayed construction of the cubi- Jim Lewis ...... * Joe & Julie Zier...... 150 John A. Galen ...... 100 library-based nonprofit’s mission cles, LPMP remains committed to James E. Esposto ...... * Kathy & Smith McKeithen ...... * Bob & Mary Dodge ...... 200 to now serve a greater number of fund this proposal and to consider local residents of all age groups. new grants for city-sponsored Dorothy Saxe ...... * Bill & Nancy Ellsworth...... * Catherine A Cerny ...... * On Dec. 2, Literacy Partners literacy projects when requested. Roger & Pat Witte ...... 200 Diane & Dave Toole ...... 100 Bob & Marna Page ...... * made its first grant, giving up Board members and officers to $50,000 to StreetCode’s Level of LPMP are excited about the Sybille Katz ...... * Leon & Abby Campbell ...... 100 Diane & Martin Brandt ...... 500 Up digital educational effort in new mission to expand literacy Erika L Crowley ...... * Robert Mullen...... 250 Timothy C. Wright ...... 3,000 Belle Haven and surrounding and are actively vetting new Mark and Karen Weitzel ...... * Marc & Mary Ann Saunders ...... * Laura Hofstadter & Leonard Shar .....500 communities. opportunities. In October, John Mayling Dixon ...... 100 The board of directors of Liter- Schniedwind, a retired invest- Barbara Jacobson ...... 150 Ann Hillman ...... 1,000 acy Partners-Menlo Park (LPMP), ment executive from Ameri- Bruce Whitson ...... 200 Barbara Kinsey...... 300 Sandy Shapero...... 500 formerly known as Project Read- can Century Investments, joined Vicky Rundorff ...... * Claiborne Jones ...... 200 John Donald ...... 100 Literacy Partners, adopted new LPMP as treasurer. He said LPMP Sue-Viole Mcmahon-Bishop ...... 75 bylaws in May to be able to matches his interest in mixing Michael & Lenore Roberts ...... 150 D. Robin Toews ...... 25 support worthy organizations local philanthropy, hands-on vol- Robert & Barbara Simpson...... * John Woods ...... 500 Peter Rudd ...... 50 beyond its previous mission unteering — including tutoring restricted to library-based adult with the Project Read program Dorothy Kennedy ...... * Valerie Van Sickle ...... 100 Dorothy Fuller-Polash ...... 500 and family literacy. In 2018, the — and international involvement William & Patricia Critzer ...... 1,000 Andrea G. Julian ...... 500 Joyce Pharriss ...... 500 city of Menlo Park doubled its as volunteer treasurer of a rural Leslie Airola & Hy Murveit ...... 500 Kathy & Bob Mueller ...... 100 Mary Pless ...... 500 annual support to Project Read to health program in Uganda. $110,000, enabling LPMP, a 501(c) “I’m enthusiastic about having Susan Russell...... 100 Avilla Family ...... 60 George & Mary Norbeck ...... 50 (3), to identify projects to fund a cockpit seat in the expanded Don Lowry & Lynore Tillim ...... 100 Jerry & Shirley Carlson ...... 250 Robin Ferris ...... 25 throughout the broader Menlo work of LPMP in our community Margaret Melaney ...... 300 Lorraine Macchello ...... 100 Deborah Hage ...... 10 Park community. that’s being made possible by the Sabelman Family ...... 250 Andrew Morcos, a senior devel- generosity of a surprisingly broad, Lucy Reid-Krensky ...... 200 Bill Wohler ...... 419 opment director for Greystar diverse and active group of neigh- Tate Family ...... 10,000 Penny & Greg Gallo ...... 500 Mary Cooper ...... 125 who became LPMP’s secretary bors. Rather than talking about Terri D. Bullock Family ...... 5,000 last January, said that Level Up innovations, I feel gratified to be Jaggers Family ...... 5,000 Susan Kritzik ...... 250 provides laptops as free rentals part of creative solutions, includ- Gisela Brugger ...... 1,000 Richard Thesing ...... 1,000 In Memory Of to individuals for education. In ing Level Up,” he said. Douglas Adams ...... * Jim Sharp ...... 100 Bill Hewlett & Dave Packard ...... 100 thanking Literacy Partners, Ola- Other current board members Karen Alden ...... 350 Annie Strem...... * tunde Sobomehin, StreetCode’s include Tiffany Hayes, associate Ronald Clazie ...... 50 CEO, said the grant will be tar- director of development, institu- Richard Duda ...... 200 Marieanne Cullen ...... 50 Scott Carey ...... 1,000 geted to hire a course creator who, tional partnerships, at Samaritan Dan Hilberman ...... 100 Sally Freyberg ...... 200 Robert Oliver ...... * with the help of Stanford Univer- House of San Mateo County and Bill Land ...... * sity interns, will coach students LPMP’s vice president of donor Marcia Makino & Rod Perkins...... * Catherine Siegel ...... 300 on how to use their new laptops. relations; Leticia Garcia, a long- Betsy & Horace Nash ...... 500 Carolyn Davis ...... 100 In Honor Of In February, the original Project time Silicon Valley project man- Read-Literacy Partner board had agement executive and LPMP’s Douglas Keare Jr. & Jill Morgan ....1,500 Joan Rubin ...... 100 Nancy Stevens ...... * approved a $40,000 grant to the vice president of social outreach; Ross & Elizabeth McDougall ...... 300 Kayleen Miller ...... 100 Mar & PoPo Russ ...... * Menlo Park Library to construct and myself. Betty Meissner ...... 200 two soundproof booths in the Paul Perret ...... 500 Businesses & Organizations Sid Chen & Sandra Lee Chen ...... * main library for small meetings, See LITERACY PARTNERS, page 19 Bob Williams & Menlo Park Firefighters’ Carol Mayer Marshall ...... 500 Heather Watson ...... 100 Association ...... 500 Joan Lane ...... 1,000 Kathy & Bob Feldman ...... 200 Rotary Club of Menlo Park George Mader ...... 100 Katherine Bryant ...... * Foundation ...... 10,000 Shirley & John Reiter ...... 300 Clay & Nita Judd ...... * Griffin & Sons Construction ...... 150

* Donor did not want to publish the amount of the gift. Changes or corrections to listings may be made by contacting Kali Shiloh at [email protected].

DONATE ONLINE: siliconvalleycf.org/

Courtesy Literacy Partners-Menlo Park almanac-holiday-fund Azucena Sandoval, left, and Menlo Park resident Betty Meissner met as a learner-tutor pair for more than 10 years with the Menlo Park Library’s Project Read, funded by the recently renamed Literacy Partners-Menlo Park. January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ11 WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT BULLETIN: WINTER 2020/21 Serving Our Community Since 1902

Manager’s I’d like to begin the of public service they provide. Corner District Manager’s corner with a little There is no doubt we have all been challenged with the onset of the global history about West pandemic COVID-19. During the early stages of the pandemic, being deemed Bay. West Bay part of “Essential Government Functions”, we took immediate steps to protect Sanitary District the public and ourselves from the virus. Fortunately, our Personal Protective was established Equipment inventory was in place since it was already part of our daily work prior as the Menlo Park [V[OLWHUKLTPJ5V[RUV^PUN^OH[^HZ[VJVTL0PTTLKPH[LS`ZLWHYH[LK[OL Sanitary District crews and broke them up into two groups. The two groups were to report to two in 1902 serving separate corporation yards. One at Burgess Ave and Laurel Street and the second the communities Menlo Park Hotel at Marsh Road and Bayfront Road. By taking facial coverings and social distancing by Sergio Ramirez of Menlo Park ZLYPV\ZS`^LOH]LILLUHISL[VH]VPK[OL]PY\ZHɈLJ[PUNV\YZ[HɈ[O\ZMHY District Manager and Atherton, well before the City of Menlo Park and the Town of Atherton 0»T]LY`NYH[LM\S[VOH]LZ\JOHZLSMTV[P]H[LKZ[HɈHUKZ\WWVY[P]L)VHYKVM were incorporated. Realizing the need to obtain sanitation in +PYLJ[VYZ5VJOHSSLUNLPZ[VVNYLH[MVY>LZ[)H`:HUP[HY`+PZ[YPJ[;OYV\NO[OPZ the early estate-building period of this area, in October 1902 \U\Z\HSJHSLUKHY`LHY^LOH]LUV^LU[LYLKPU[V[OLUL_[WOHZLVM>LZ[ a petition was signed by 35 residents and presented to the )H`»ZOPZ[VY`I`VWLUPUNV\YÄYZ[9LJ`JSLK>H[LY-HJPSP[`;OLMHJPSP[`WYV]PKLZ\W Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County requesting an to 500,000 gallons per day of recycled water used for irrigation purposes. This election be called to vote on the formation of the sanitary LɈVY[YLK\JLZ[OLULLK[V\ZLMYLZOKYPURPUN^H[LYMVYPYYPNH[PVUW\YWVZLZ>LHYL district. The election, which brought the District into being, working on the second recycled water facility in the Bayfront Area as we speak. was held at the Menlo Park Hotel on December 10, 1902. :VTLVM[OLÄYZ[ZL^LYZ`Z[LTPUMYHZ[Y\J[\YL^HZPUZ[HSSLK Senator Charles N. Felton beginning in 1903 at the corner of Fair Oaks Lane and 4PKKSLÄLSK9VHKPU([OLY[VU:LUH[VY*OHYSLZ5-LS[VU^HZZLSLJ[LKHZ[OLÄYZ[ 7YLZPKLU[VM[OL+PZ[YPJ[)VHYK;OLÄYZ[+PZ[YPJ[4HUHNLYK\[PLZ^LYLJHYYPLKV\[I` ¸/VULZ[¹1VOU4J)HPUH^LSSRUV^UJVU[YHJ[VYI\PSKLYHUKÄN\YLPU[OLHYLH

I, Sergio Ramirez, was appointed to the position of District Manager of the West Bay Sanitary District on July 1, 2020 succeeding Phil Scott who served as District Manager from 2010 to 2020. Phil and I joined the District 10 years ago where I served as the Operations Superintendent. The District was in need of new West Bay maintenance and construction crews. leadership at the time, so we immediately got to work. 0UZWP[LVMHSSVM[OLJOHSSLUNLZOHZIYV\NO[^P[O[OLWHUKLTPJÄYLZJP]PS Since 2010 the District has gained a reputation for being a progressive District unrest, and most recently a contested national election, West Bay Sanitary District ^P[OHWYVMLZZPVUHSTV[P]H[LKHUKKLKPJH[LKZ[HɈ;OL+PZ[YPJ[»ZTHPU[LUHUJL YLTHPUZJVTTP[[LK[VV\YSVJHSJVTT\UP[`HUK[VV\YJHSSPUNVMWYV]PKPUNL_JLSSLU[ JVUZ[Y\J[PVUHUK^H[LYX\HSP[`Z[HɈHYLHSSJLY[PÄLKI`[OL*HSPMVYUPH>H[LY and professional customer service. We plan to continue to invest in our infrastructure ,U]PYVUTLU[(ZZVJPH[PVU;OLJLY[PÄJH[PVUWYVJLZZLUZ\YLZZ[HɈPZOPNOS`ZRPSSLK to protect public health and the environment for many generations to come. PUJVUÄULKZWHJLLU[Y`ZHML[YHɉJJVU[YVS[YLUJOL_JH]H[PVUPUZWLJ[PVU VWLYH[PVUHSJVTWL[LUJPLZHUKTVYL>LHYL]LY`WYV\KVMV\YZ[HɈHUK[OLSL]LS 0^PZOL]LY`VULHOLHS[O`HUKWYVZWLYV\Z5L^@LHY

WIPES ARE NOT FLUSHABLE WEST BAY HIGH-TECH SEWER CLEANING The District has seen an increased use of SAVES ONE MILLION DOLLARS wipes in the sewer since the COVID-19 shut West Bay Sanitary District down. We want to remind everyone that Pipe Line Inspection Unit ¸Å\ZOHISL¹^PWLZHYLUV[Å\ZOHISL>PWLZ is the “underground eyes” clog pipes and pumps and cause sanitary for the District. Part of the ZL^LYV]LYÅV^ZPUV\YJVTT\UP[`7SLHZL operation and maintenance KVUV[Å\ZO^PWLZ\ZL[OL^HZ[LIHZRL[ program includes the video instead. Thank you. inspection of each sanitary sewer pipe in the District OFFICE HOURS via CCTV (Closed Circuit Television). Recently the ;OL>LZ[)H`:HUP[HY`+PZ[YPJ[(KTPUPZ[YH[PVU6ɉJL^PSSILVWLU[VJ\Z[VTLYZ West Bay does night-time work. Monday thru Thursday from 9am-3pm and Fridays by appointment. All customers District’s Pipeline Inspection are required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing of at least 6 feet. Crew embarked on an ambitious journey to video inspect and clean West Bay’s large Telephone hours will remain the same Monday–Friday 8am-4:30pm. diameter sanitary sewer trunklines which consist of pipe that ranges from 24” to 54” in diameter. After attempting to contract the work out to various contractors, like it We encourage customers to arrange for remote permitting by emailing the pre-permit OHKILLUKVULPU[OLWHZ[[OLSLHZ[L_WLUZP]LIPKJHTLPUH[HWYPJL^LSSUVY[OVM  application to [email protected] or call (650) 321-0384 for more information. TPSSPVU2LLWPUNPUTPUK[OLÄUHUJPHSPTWHJ[[OH[P[^V\SKOH]LVU[OL+PZ[YPJ[HUKP[Z Sewer permits will be issued in the order received. JVUZ[P[\LU[ZZ[HɈTV]LKMVY^HYK^P[O[OLWYVQLJ[HUKRLW[[OL^VYRPUOV\ZL=PKLV inspecting over 60,000 feet of large diameter pipe is no small feat, it requires lots of skill, ability and the correct equipment. The District purchased a large video inspection CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS robotic transporter called “The Mudmaster.” The Mudmaster has the ability to video West Bay continues to work hard to maintain our system by means of replacing inspect pipe that ranges anywhere from 24” up to 72” while having the capability aging pipes with PVC and HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), the leading standard of being steered left or right. We’ve had great success with this new capability. This TH[LYPHSZMVYZL^LY;OL+PZ[YPJ[OHZH^HYKLK[OLIPKMVY[OL5VY[O)H`9VHKHUK WYVQLJ[OHZILLUHUL_JLSSLU[TPSLZ[VULMVY[OL+PZ[YPJ[ILPUN[OH[P[OHZUL]LYILLU Ringwood Avenue Capital Improvement Project. This project is for the replacement done in the past by in-house crews in the past. Despite the various challenges that YLOHIPSP[H[PVUVMHWWYV_PTH[LS`MLL[VMZHUP[HY`ZL^LYTHPUZ^P[OTHQVY came along including many graveyard shifts, the eye was kept on the prize. The cost portions of the work in Menlo Park’s Flood Triangle neighborhood and along VM[OPZWYVQLJ[^HZJVTWSL[LKMVY\UKLY (M[LYZH]PUNV]LY TPSSPVU Ringwood Avenue. Work is forecasted to begin in early 2021. The District is enforcing dollars and being successful in completing the project, other agencies have inquired the strictest construction protocols in order to safely deal with the current pandemic. about contracting our services using interagency agreements.

)RUDVHZHUHPHUJHQF\RUVHZHUUHODWHGSUREOHPVSOHDVHFDOOXVƂUVW

12QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 Serving Our Community Since 1902 westbaysanitary.org

WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT RECEIVES MEET TRANSPARENCY CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE THE CHIEF The Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) in recognition of its outstanding PLANT LɈVY[Z[VWYVTV[L[YHUZWHYLUJ`HUKNVVKNV]LYUHUJLH^HYKLK[OL>LZ[)H` OPERATOR :HUP[HY`+PZ[YPJ[P[»Z[OL;YHUZWHYLUJ`*LY[PÄJH[LVM,_JLSSLUJL The District is pleased to The award is a testament to West Bay Sanitary District’s commitment to open introduce Quinten Green as the government. To receive the award, the District demonstrated the completion of Chief Plant Operator for the essential governance transparency requirements, including conducting ethics training Sharon Heights Recycled Water MVYHSSIVHYKTLTILYZWYVWLYS`JVUK\J[PUNVWLUHUKW\ISPJTLL[PUNZHUKÄSPUN Treatment Plant. Quinten comes ÄUHUJPHS[YHUZHJ[PVUZHUKJVTWLUZH[PVUYLWVY[Z[V[OL:[H[L*VU[YVSSLYPUH[PTLS` to the District holding a Grade manner. III Wastewater Treatment Plant 6WLYH[VYJLY[PÄJH[PVUHZ^LSSHZ RIBBON CUTTING EVENT FOR THE WEST BAY Quinten Green obtaining sample. `LHYZ»L_WLYPLUJL^P[O]HYPV\Z local treatment systems. Quinten’s SANITARY DISTRICT AND SHARON HEIGHTS GOLF technical knowledge, education, and positive mindset are a welcome addition to the AND COUNTRY CLUB PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP >LZ[)H`[LHT – RECYCLED WATER TREATMENT PLANT Meet Lisandro Marquez, Pump Facility Supervisor. Mr. The District is proud to report the water reuse partnership with Sharon Heights Marquez joined the West Bay Sanitary District in May 2017. .VSMHUK*V\U[Y`*S\IPZVɈ[VHMHU[HZ[PJZ[HY[:PUJLSH[L1\S`[OL+PZ[YPJ[ In his three years of employment with the District he has OHZKLSP]LYLKPUL_JLZZVMTPSSPVUNHSSVUZ[V[OLJV\YZLMVYSHUKZJHWLPYYPNH[PVU worked as a Maintenance Worker and was quickly promoted ;OLILULÄ[Z[VHYLJ`JSLK^H[LYWHY[ULYZOPWPUJS\KLYLK\JPUNKLTHUKZHUKZ[YLZZ to Pipeline Inspection Technician. After only three years with on the Hetch Hetchy freshwater supply, eliminating the need to transport water, the District he has taken the knowledge he gained at San reducing environmental impacts, and improving sustainability. The District is currently Jose State University while obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in W\YZ\PUN[OLTHU`H]LU\LZMVY^H[LYYL\ZLZ\JOHZMVY[VPSL[Å\ZOPUNK\Z[JVU[YVS )\ZPULZZ(KTPUPZ[YH[PVU[VYLJLP]LJLY[PÄJH[PVUPU*VSSLJ[PVU on construction projects, street sweeping, and water for cooling towers. The District System Maintenance, Mechanical Technology, Environmental PZ]LY`L_JP[LK[VILHWHY[VM[OPZWYVNYHT^P[OHJVTTP[TLU[[VJVTT\UP[`HUK Compliance Inspection, and his new role as Pump Facility LU]PYVUTLU[HSZ[L^HYKZOPW Supervisor. His responsibilities include the Operation and Lisandro Marquez Maintenance of the District’s 12 publicly owned pump stations including the Flow Equalization Facility at Bayfront Bedwell Park and over 80 privately owned STEP and Grinder systems primarily in Portola Valley.

Victor Garcia was awarded the Collection System Person VM[OL@LHYH^HYKI`[OL*HSPMVYUPH>H[LY,U]PYVUTLU[ Association (CWEA), Santa Clara Valley Section. Victor joined West Bay Sanitary in October 2016 and has shown to be integral part of the Collection System Maintenance team. In his four years with the District, Victor has obtained his Class A commercial driver’s license, obtained his CWEA Grade 1 JLY[PÄJH[PVUPU*VSSLJ[PVUZ4HPU[LUHUJLHUKOHZILJVTL HUL_WLY[PUY\UUPUNHSSVM[OL]HYPV\ZZL^LYJSLHUPUN[VVSZ HUKLX\PWTLU[;VL_WHUKOPZZRPSSZHUKRUV^SLKNL=PJ[VY Z\JJLZZM\SS`JVTWSL[LK[^V6ɉJLVM>H[LY7YVNYHTZ[OYV\NO Victor Garcia Ribbon cutting ceremony. Sacramento State University in Operations and Maintenance Funding for this $22.6 million recycled water project has been provided in full or in of Waste Water Collection Systems. Victor always scores high in the customer service part by Proposition 1. The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act surveys sent to residents after every emergency service call. Chances are if you called of 2014. Funding has also been provided through the Clean Water State Revolving the District because of sewer issues, you have probably met Fund, which is capitalized through a variety of funding sources including grants from Victor and your issue has been resolved. the United States Environmental Protection Agency and state bond proceeds.

The State Revolving Fund loan will be paid back by Sharon Heights Golf & MEET THE NEW MEMBERS Country Club. OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM: Finance Manager, Debra Fisher, joined the District in March :OLIYPUNZ[^LU[``LHYZVML_WLYPLUJLPUNV]LYUTLU[ ÄUHUJLH[:WLJPHS+PZ[YPJ[ZPU*HSPMVYUPH4Z-PZOLYOVSKZH Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Accounting and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Debra Fisher

Operations Superintendent, Bob Hulsmann, was promoted to the position of Operations Superintendent in July 2020. In this position he oversees the Operations and Maintenance of West Bay’s wastewater collection system, in-house pipeline repair crew, and the pump station facilities. He joined the West Bay team 10 years ago as the Pump Facility Supervisor HUKOHZV]LY`LHYZ»L_WLYPLUJLPU[OL^HZ[L^H[LYPUK\Z[Y` He holds a California Water Environment Association Grade 000JLY[PÄJH[LPU4LJOHUPJHS;LJOUVSVN`HUKH.YHKL0=PU Recycled Water Treatment Plant Sharon Heights. Collection System Maintenance. Bob Hulsmann

West Bay Sanitary District operates a wastewater collection system serving Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and several small portions Call Us First of unincorporated areas of San Mateo County through a network of over 200 miles of mainline pipe and 12 pumping stations serving approximately 54,000 citizens. 650-321-0384

January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ13 NEWS

SCHOOLS 2020 Georgia Jack for the Trustee guidelines in mid-December continued from page 5 Area C seat, which represents stating that youth sports cannot Woodside, West Menlo Park start until at least Jan. 25. to classrooms. Some parents and Portola Valley. stressed the negative impacts Shawneece Stevenson won the Strife at TIDE Academy of distance learning on their Trustee Area E seat to represent children’s mental health, while Menlo Park neighborhoods east In February, the leadership at many struggled to work from of Highway 101 as well as East the newest high school in the home while acting as de facto Palo Alto. Candidate Jacqui Sequoia district was accused of teachers and tech support to Cebrian dropped out of the race tracking students, retaliation their children. in September and threw her against those who complained Parents and teachers in the support to Stevenson. and mismanagement in an Sequoia Union High School anonymous letter that claimed District, in particular, were at Enrollment to represent the concerns of odds over whether to resume a group of TIDE Academy in-person instruction. Some Enrollment shrank at local employees. parents implored board mem- Magali Gauthier public schools in fall of 2020 as Among the most serious in the bers to reopen schools as the A Woodside High School graduate pokes through the sunroof families moved out of the area, litany of complaints about the number of students with more and waves during the car parade through the school’s parking lot on joined learning pods or turned STEAM (science, technology, than one failing grade jumped June 5. to private schools amid the engineering, art and math)- to 29% in the fall of 2020 from COVID-19 pandemic. focused school in Menlo Park 19.7% in 2019. Parents supporting the recall be nearly half a million dollars, Although the local elemen- was the allegation about track- effort said his comments in a and on Dec. 18, they selected tary school districts have seen ing, the practice of sorting stu- Leadership changes and local newspaper reacting to Molly Finn, a candidate who small dips in enrollment over dents into different programs of the Venverloh tweets lacked lost the Nov. 3 election, and the last few years, the Sequoia study based on their perceived controversies sensitivity and warrant his parent Cynthia Solis Yi. Union High School District had abilities, which critics say has The Las Lomitas Elementary removal. The Sequoia Union High seen steady growth up until this historically harmed students of School District was rocked by District parents started the School District’s embattled school year. color and students from less- racist and misogynistic tweets online petition after Earnhardt Superintendent Mary Streshly affluent families. about Vice President-elect declined a request that he step was paid over $250,000 by Sports seasons disrupted Other complaints in the letter Kamala Harris by then-board down from the board. The the district to resign in Sep- included students being told that president Jon Venverloh’s wife parents took issue with state- tember. This came after the Although high school athletes they couldn’t transfer out of the in November. He stepped down ments he made to the Palo Alto teachers union and other top were allowed to do condition- school, that the technology cen- following community outcry Daily Post, calling Venverloh administrators, including local ing training with safety mea- ter was inoperable and concerns over the social media posts. a “very diligent as a board high school principals and vice sures in place, students never that the TIDE principal’s friend- Jason Morimoto was elected member and impactful for the principals, called for her ouster, competed against other teams ship with Superintendent to the board in Nov. 3, but the district” and noting the “con- decrying her as an ineffective during fall semester, as already Streshly prevented necessary other election-winner, Jody troversy moved quickly because leader. delayed seasons were called off oversight. A Leng, announced she would it spread through electronic Two newcomers filled con- entirely. not join the board, leaving the media and parents are more tested seats on the Sequoia The California Department Email Angela Swartz at the school board to appoint new engaged in the district than in district’s governing board fol- of Public Health issued new [email protected] members to fill two of its five the past” because board meet- lowing the November election. seats (trustees Diana Honda ings are happening over Zoom. District residents, for the first and Bill Steinmetz did not An official recall petition time, voted based on the geo- seek reelection and their terms would require signatures from graphical area of the school ended on Dec. 11). a quarter of the district’s reg- district where they reside. More backlash against dis- istered voters in order to move Rich Ginn, a parent and trict officials came later in forward. business owner who previ- November when a Change.org Board members decided to ously served eight years on the petition began circulating to appoint new trustees since the Las Lomitas district governing recall trustee John Earnhardt. cost of a special election would board, unseated incumbent Home Care Solutions That Fit Your Unique Needs

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14QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 NEWS Six indicted in federal mail-theft case COMMUNITY BRIEFS Defendants allegedly used real and counterfeit mailbox keys Transit district CEO stepping down Jim Hartnett announced that he will leave his post as CEO to steal identification documents and general manager of the San Mateo County Transit District, overseeing Caltrain and SamTrans, in April, with Deputy CEO By Sue Dremann licenses, according to federal possession of 15 or more unau- and General Manager Carter Mau scheduled to take his place prosecutors. thorized access devices (Guar- in an interim role. federal grand jury in San The defendants allegedly used dado); one count of fraudulent Belmont Mayor Charles Stone, chair of the San Mateo Francisco has indicted the counterfeit licenses to acti- use of unauthorized access County Transit District board of directors, praised Hartnett Asix people, including a vate and use stolen or fraudulent devices (Dagio); one count of for bringing stability to the district and for staying on past his 34-year-old Palo Alto woman, credit cards. They negotiated unlawful possession of postal five-year commitment, to provide guidance during the onset on charges related to a long- checks and used other stolen keys and locks (Guardado); one of the COVID-19 pandemic. running conspiracy to steal mail or fraudulently obtained access count of mail theft (Guardado “When Jim was hired in 2015, he said his top two goals were and commit identity fraud, U.S. devices to obtain money and and Valencia-Arias); one count to obtain a dedicated source of funds for Caltrain and to solve Attorney David L. Anderson services of value such as hotel of possession of stolen mail the SamTrans structural deficit,” Stone said. “These lofty goals and Postal Inspection Service rooms and cash advances at a (Guardado and Dagio) and one have challenged the district for decades, but Jim was finally able Inspector in Charge Rafael casino. count of aggravated identity to reach them. Thanks to his leadership, the transit services Nuñez announced Dec. 9. Overton is charged with one theft (Guardado and Dagio). that our communities depend on are well-prepared to survive The 18-count indictment, count of conspiracy to commit The charges of fraudulent the pandemic and will emerge equipped with the resources which was filed on Nov. 17 mail theft and to commit fraud document-making implements needed to expand service and address the congestion issues and unsealed Dec. 9, is against in connection with identifica- and fraud in connection with that we all know will return.” Ashley Overton, 34, of Palo tion documents; one count of identification documents (traf- Voters in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara coun- Alto, and five San Jose resi- fraud in connection with iden- ficking) each carry maximum ties in November approved Measure RR, a 30-year additional dents: Mark Guardado Jr., 38; tification documents and pos- sentences of 15 years in prison sales tax of 0.125% that will generate an estimated $100 million Juan Dagio, 40; Brian Clapp, 37; session of five or more of the and a maximum $250,000 fine. annually for the Caltrain rail service. Andrew Perez, 30; and Jaime documents and two counts of Fraudulent use of unauthorized “Measure RR saved Caltrain from a potential pandemic shut- Valencia-Arias, 23. Beginning possession of stolen mail. Each access devices and unlawful down in the short term, but it is important to acknowledge that in January 2018 and extend- count is punishable by up to possession of postal keys and the measure was in the works for years prior to the pandemic,” ing through August 2019, the five years in prison and up to a locks each carry a maximum Stone said. defendants allegedly conspired $250,000 fine. 10-year sentence and $250,000 San Mateo County voters passed Measure W, a half-cent sales to steal U.S. mail by using real She also faces one count of fine. Mail theft and possession tax to improve transit and relieve traffic congestion, in 2018. or counterfeit postal keys to possession of 15 or more unau- of stolen mail are punishable Half of the proceeds of the measure are dedicated to SamTrans access mailboxes in apartment thorized access devices (punish- by a maximum of five years in and Stone credited Hartnett for extensive public engagement buildings. They allegedly raided able by up to 10 years in prison prison and up to $250,000 fine, leading up to the vote. mailboxes in Palo Alto, Menlo and up to $250,000 in fines; according to the U.S. Attorney’s Hartnett, in a post on his Facebook page, said that while he is Park, Redwood City, Sunny- and two counts of aggravated Office. stepping down, he is not ready for retirement, writing, “I have vale, Santa Clara and San Jose, identity theft (each count pun- The defendants are in either new courses to chart, new opportunities to embrace and new according to the U.S. Attorney’s ishable with a maximum of two federal or state custody except things to learn. I am excited for my next chapters.” Office. years in connection to any other for Perez, who remains at large. They allegedly exchanged sentence and a $250,000 fine). Guardado and Clapp made their Small business grants available text messages about using the The other defendants are also initial federal court appearances Small businesses in California can apply for grants of up to postal keys, some of which charged as follows: one count on Wednesday morning before $25,000 through the state’s Small Business COVID-19 Relief Guardado prosecutors said of conspiracy to commit mail the U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Grant Program. he claimed to have made, to theft and to commit fraud in Beeler. Guardado was ordered The first round of grants opened Wednesday morning and go out on “missions,” dur- connection with identifica- detained pending a further closes at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 8, with approvals announced start- ing which they stole the mail tion documents (Guardado, hearing related to bail on Dec. ing Jan. 13. in bulk. The group alleg- Dagio, Clapp and Perez); one 14. Clapp was released on a Grant amounts will vary from $5,000 to $25,000, depending edly took personal identifying count of fraud in connection $25,000 bond. Valencia-Arias on the applicant’s annual gross revenue. Nonprofits are also information, such as names, with identification documents was scheduled to make his ini- eligible to apply. addresses, telephone numbers and possession of five or more tial appearance on Dec. 10. The The grants are part of the $500 million relief program that and dates of birth, from the of the documents (Guarda- remaining defendants are Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Nov. 30. stolen mail and other sources. do); one count of fraudulent scheduled to appear in federal For more information about the grants, visit careliefgrant. They used the information to document-making implements court on Jan. 12 for a status com. create counterfeit California (Guardado); one count of fraud hearing. A The California Small Business Development Center (SBDC) state driver’s licenses in the in connection with identifica- is available to assist with grant applications. People can learn victims’ names but with the tion documents — traffick- Email Sue Dremann at more at californiasbdc.org/covid-19-relief-grant. defendants’ photographs on the ing (Guardado); one count of [email protected] CZU Lightning Complex fires controlled Cal Fire CZU Unit Chief Ian Larkin announced the CZU FIREFIGHTERS Schapelhouman. “I also feel CORONAVIRUS Lightning Complex Fires are controlled at 5 p.m. Dec. 23. continued from page 5 strongly that front-line police continued from page 7 This means the fire is fully extinguished, and there is no officers need to be vaccinated longer any danger of reignition. potentially having COVID-19, before we do. It’s hard to Comprehensive COVID-19 “We were at a point where we felt comfortable calling it con- trolled,” Larkin said. “We had finished mitigating most of the and a third of those were con- imagine why these important coverage firmed as positive cases. members of our public safety fire suppression activities.” The team returned to normal family and team, ‘street cops’ View interactive charts track- The fires burned 86,509 acres, or about 135 square miles, duty when other fire responders who closely work to support ing the spread of the coronavi- claiming one life and destroying 1,490 structures. About 22,755 became comfortable with new our front-line fire personnel rus in San Mateo and Santa of the acres burned were in San Mateo County. patient care protocols and safety working literally side by side Clara counties online at paloal- —Bay City News Service measures, the release states. out in the community, are not toonline.atavist.com/tracking- A foxy new year being vaccinated as of yet. I’m the-coronavirus. Find a compre- It’s customary for some to ring in the new year with a smooch Future vaccinations sure it will get resolved but hensive collection of coverage at midnight, but how about celebrating the first day of 2021 many on my staff don’t feel we on the Midpeninsula’s response with a “fox kiss?” Learn about this charming animal behavior, A third of the fire district’s 150 should go before them.” to the new coronavirus by The and many other intriguing facts about gray foxes when Bill employees — support staff, or Meanwhile, Atherton’s police Almanac and its sister publica- Leikam, known as the “Fox Guy,” speaks at Woodside Arts & administrative personnel — are Chief Steve McCulley expects tions, Palo Alto Online, and the Culture’s January First Friday talk. not considered front-line workers his officers to be vaccinated Mountain View Voice, at tinyurl. Leikam shares his presentation “A Year with the Urban Gray and will not be vaccinated now. toward the end of January, he com/c19-Almanac. A Fox” in 2021’s inaugural First Friday talk, which takes place “I don’t plan to be vaccinated said in a Dec. 27 email. A CalMatters and Bay City News online Jan. 1 at 7 p.m. until every other employee Service contributed to this that works for me has had the Email Angela Swartz at report. See COMMUNITY BRIEFS, page 19 opportunity to go first,” said [email protected] January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ15 NEWS

impact report (EIR), according club plans. Commissioners in slated to review draft amend- to Dennis. February were generally posi- ments to the building code to In February, a group of more tive about the proposal’s com- address home hardening in than 300 residents signed a pliance with various criteria, new construction, which would letter to the town demand- including site adequacy and the mandate enclosed eaves, non- ing that Stanford withdraw its proposed tasting room location. combustible siding and ember- proposal, citing concerns that Nothing new has developed resistant vents, and ban all the addition of housing would with the proposal, according combustible roofing materials, cause a traffic jam on two-lane to Dennis. A Neely Wine traf- expressly shake roofs, according Alpine Road in the event of a fic report and planning update to a Dec. 9 staff report. fire emergency and fire hazards is on the Jan. 6 agenda for the Unlike in 2019, however, Por- on the property itself. Woodside town’s Bicycle, Pedestrian and tola Valley did not see wide- fire district officials have also Traffic Safety Committee, fol- spread power shutoffs from expressed concerns that the lowing a Stanford Wedge look- PG&E, which the utility ini- property around the land that ahead agenda item. tiated to reduce the risk of would be developed would be wildfires sparking from power consistently difficult to clear of Wildfire prevention lines that could fall in windy Courtesy Vikram Valluri fire hazards. and dry conditions. In Septem- A San Mateo County Sheriff’s vehicle drives past a Black Lives Portola Valley Neighbors The wildfire risk in Portola ber, PG&E officials spoke with Matter protest at the corner of Portola Road and Alpine Road in United, incorporated in Janu- Valley is nothing new, but it has residents during a virtual meet- Portola Valley on June 21. ary 2020 “to help our local com- been exacerbated by climate ing on wildfire preparedness, munity preserve and enhance its change. That combined with vegetation management and PORTOLA VALLEY 2020 Portola Valley Hardware store small, rural open space charac- the CZU blaze earlier this year equipment maintenance, and continued from page 5 for a “clap-out” on Hess’ last day, ter,” and co-founded by council — the largest wildfire on record the council formed a new PG&E where residents shared memo- candidate Mary Hufty, has come in San Mateo County — has Public Safety Subcommittee to from residents. The importance ries and brought gifts. out in opposition to the Stanford increased the urgency among explore the town’s relationship of wildfire preparedness and Financially, Portola Valley did Wedge project, dubbed Portola local officials and residents to with the utility. prevention was only under- not see the drastic budget and Terrace. prepare and adapt. scored by the nearby CZU fires. staffing cuts that other cities With state mandates that In April 2019, the Town Race and Equity And the town, prompted by had to adopt in the economic could require the town to build Council formed the ad hoc the killing of George Floyd by fallout from the pandemic, 200 to 300 new housing units Wildfire Preparedness Com- Subcommittee Minneapolis police, initiated although council members not- in the next decade, the council mittee to advise the council Following international Black discussions on racial equity and ed the revised 2020-21 budget has also been weighing the con- periodically on ways to reduce Lives Matter protests sparked policing, forming a council sub- they approved in October was cept of adding housing while wildfire danger and “increase by the killing of George Floyd committee to engage residents “already quite lean,” according also preserving Portola Valley’s resident resiliency in a wildfire in May, the council formed a and the San Mateo County Sher- to a staff report. treasured rural character and emergency,” according to its Race and Equity Subcommit- iff’s Office on these issues. The While revenue from class- not creating more wildfire risk charter. tee — made up of Maryann conversations have prompted es and facility rentals fell to in the process. In November, At the end of 2019, the council Derwin and Richards — that an examination of the degree to zero, nearly half of the town’s council members Craig Hughes adopted a number of committee has spearheaded various efforts which past and present policies revenue comes from property and John Richards penned a recommendations that are in to engage residents and the San in town may have unintention- taxes, which have not been letter to the Association of Bay various stages of implementa- Mateo County Sheriff’s Office ally perpetuated racism and negatively impacted. Through Area Governments following tion, including increasing out- on issues related to policing, Portola Valley’s reputation as “modest, surgical reductions a council discussion on the reach and education to residents race and implicit bias, including a wealthy white enclave lack- in all departments, a slimmer state Regional Housing Needs on vegetation management and creating a page on its website to ing socioeconomic and ethnic capital improvement program, Allocation process, stating that creating shaded fuel breaks collect public comments and diversity. and expected ongoing reduc- the town will remain highly along roadways with large adja- launching a series of virtual The council also saw change tions due to the pandemic,” susceptible to wildfires and cent properties. town hall meetings on racial at the end of 2020 as longtime the town was able to retain all that it would like to engage “on The committee’s latest pro- equity and policing in Septem- member Ann Wengert declined members of its full-time staff, the sensibleness of significant posals, which it will further ber. In October the town hosted to run for reelection in Novem- according to a budget message numbers of new homes in high- develop before bringing them a virtual panel entitled “Polic- ber. Portola Valley had its first from Town Manager Jeremy fire danger areas.” They also back to the council, include ing, Race & Justice in the San contested council election since Dennis. The town anticipates said that, as the smallest staffed requiring 200 feet of defen- Mateo County Sheriff’s Office,” 2013 as four vied for the two $8.1 million in revenue and $8 city in San Mateo County, “it is sible spaces on properties with which included Sheriff Car- seats up for election. million in expenditures this improbable that there would be 30% or greater average down los Bolanos, District Attorney fiscal year, according to the an ability to hire enough staff slope; mandating that the larg- Steve Wagstaffe and Rev. Lorrie COVID impacts adopted budget. to ensure a transparent and est properties in town have Carter Owens, president of the The town also authorized equitable entitlement process approved vegetation manage- San Mateo County chapter of With 27% of the population funding through the SMC for any future applicants” if ment plans; and banning future the NAACP, among others. 65 years old and over (as of the Strong COVID business assis- the draft state methodology is planting of five highly flam- At the June meeting when 2010 census), many residents tance program for Portola Val- implemented. mable trees: acacia, cypress, the subcommittee was formed, found themselves in sudden ley businesses impacted by the eucalyptus, juniper and pines. isolation when the shelter-at- economic downturn. Neely tasting room permit The council in February is also See PORTOLA VALLEY 2020, page 17 home order hit in March. To aid vulnerable households during Housing The Planning Commission the pandemic, residents started in early February provided the PV Cares initiative, offering It’s been nearly two years since feedback to town planning staff help with grocery shopping and Stanford University began pur- about a proposal from Neely other errands as well as tech suing a plan to build 27 faculty Wine, located at 555 Portola assistance and emotional sup- homes and 12 affordable rental Road, to allow wine tasting and port. Roberts Market sought units on a section of property wine club events on its prop- volunteers to help bag grocery it owns known as the Stanford erty. First introduced in 2019, orders for the Sequoias retire- Wedge, located on Alpine Road the proposal has been met with ment community and was over- between Westridge Road and some resistance from residents whelmed by the response. Golden Oak Drive. concerned about the potential Residents also came together The proposal is making its for increased noise and traffic. to recognize an essential worker way through the environmental The Neely family has main- — Menlo Park resident and UPS review process, with an admin- tained that it needs to enhance delivery driver Lew Hess, who istrative review expected to take the financial viability of the retired at the end of July after place this month at the Plan- 228-acre property to keep it as handling the town’s route for ning and Architectural & Site open space, and that it would Magali Gauthier 35 years. A socially distanced Control commissions prior to mainly target residents rather Lucy Neely stands in front of the building slated to be the Neely crowd gathered outside the the release of the environmental than out-of-towners in its wine Winery tasting room in 2019.

16QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 NEWS

PORTOLA VALLEY 2020 continued from page 16 Mountain View High grad is the Bay Area’s Derwin brought up the exis- tence of old covenants, condi- first female Eagle Scout tions and restrictions that pre- vented non-Caucasians from Teenage trailblazer Emerson Domke talks about how she attained the prestigious Boy Scout ranking buying certain homes in Por- tola Valley and said such poli- By Kate Bradshaw in February, Domke said she is cies “have also been successful Almanac Staff Writer the first in the Bay Area to attain in keeping working class and the rank. now even middle-class fami- n February 2019, Boy Scouts “Earning the rank of Eagle lies — and by extension people of America, after 110 years Scout takes hard work and per- of color — out of most of our Iof boys-only programming, severance, and we are honored neighborhoods.” for the first time in the organi- to recognize Emerson Domke In a resolution condemning zation’s history permitted girls for this significant accomplish- Floyd’s murder, the town com- to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. ment,” said Jason Stein, CEO mitted to looking at its own From there, the race was on. of the Silicon Valley Monterey policies that “may perpetuate And Emerson Domke, then a Bay Council of Boy Scouts and maintain the racial and senior at Mountain View High of America, in a statement. economic divide in Portola School, was ready. “Along the journey to Eagle Valley with the hope that we After countless hours of hard Scout, young people gain new may truly welcome more peo- work, she has become one of the skills, learn to overcome obsta- ple of different economic and first female Eagle Scouts in the cles and demonstrate leader- racial backgrounds into our U.S. and the first in the Bay Area Magali Gauthier ship among their peers and community.” to pass the review board require- Emerson Domke, a recent Mountain View High School in their communities. These In November, the council ment to earn the rank, according graduate, stands in Cuesta Park in Mountain View on Nov. 19. She is benefits are invaluable for approved a land acknowledg- to Michelle McIntyre, spokes- the first young woman to earn an Eagle Scout rank in the Bay Area. everyone, and we are thrilled ment recognizing that Portola person for the Scouting organi- that they are now available to Valley was previously inhabited zation’s Silicon Valley Monterey the Scout’s 18th birthday. while BSA is more focused on even more youth.” by Ramaytush Ohlone peoples Bay Council. An Eagle Scout empowerment through the Domke said there’s a lot from and “acknowledges the vio- ranking is the highest ranking ‘You definitely stand out as spread of knowledge, she said. the program she plans to take lent history of the land that it available to youth within the They’re equal and people who do with her into adulthood. In dwells upon ... and recognizes organization. a girl’ both enjoy them both, she said, addition to fond memories of that it has, and will continue While Domke was new to The Boy Scouts organization but personally, she favors BSA. backpacking and camping trips to, profit from land stolen from being part of Scouts BSA — the had run for nearly 110 years in the Sierras and Big Basin, the Indigenous Ohlone peoples, new name that Boy Scouts of before letting any girls in, and Scouting and adulthood she said, she values skills she’s and commits to an ongo- America adopted after it began coming into an organization learned like cooking, camping, ing effort to dismantle these to accept girls within its ranks with such a strong boys-only It wasn’t far into Domke’s taking care of oneself, and figur- legacies.” — she was already familiar with tradition as a high school senior Scouting journey when a signifi- ing out how to plan a trip. Moving forward, the town has many broader elements of Scout- felt strange at first, she said. cant obstacle emerged: college. Her biggest takeaway from the more virtual town hall meetings ing. She had been involved with “You definitely stand out as After graduating from Moun- program, she added, is learning planned for 2021, and council Girl Scouts from first through a girl,” she said. “It’s definitely tain View High School in 2019, how to make a long-term plan members are participating in a eighth grade, worked at a Boy intimidating if you’re not used she enrolled at the University and stick to it. “Building Race Equity” training Scout summer camp, and par- to it.” of Colorado Boulder to study Domke says her Scouting held by Race Forward, a nation- ticipated in a co-ed Scouting But being the only girl, or mechanical engineering. In an days are far from over, though. al nonprofit based in Oakland program through the White Stag one among a small minority of effort to manage both a rigorous She has about a year and half and New York. Leadership Academy in Mon- girls, was not something new college workload and meet her to wait until she’s 21, at which terey, she said in an interview. for Domke. As an engineering accelerated Scouting goals, she point she’ll be old enough to Town Council election She decided to join BSA for student, and as a participant on spent the bulk of last summer participate in Scouting as an several reasons, she said. Domke her internationally competitive working ahead on the require- adult leader. The troop she Incumbent Jeff Aalfs, who wanted to set an example and robotics team, she said she is ments, leaving about the last joined still maintains separate served as mayor for 2020, and serve as a leader and men- used to being outnumbered by third of the work, including her male and female leaders for each challenger Sarah Wernikoff tor for younger female Scouts, boys in activities she enjoys. Eagle project, to do this summer. group, although they participate were elected to the Town Coun- who might be more intimidated Fortunately, she said, as a For her Eagle Project, she and in activities together. For female cil by a comfortable margin when they joined. She also has a young woman pursuing engi- volunteers assembled 500 per- troops in particular, there has over challengers Hufty, a retired number of male family members neering and robotics she’d felt sonal health kits for homeless been a shortage of women to lead family physician, and technolo- who are Eagle Scouts, she said. supported and included by students in the San Jose School vigorous outdoor trips, and she’s gist Angela Hey, who sits on the But once she learned it would teachers and mentors, which District. Each kit includes a looking forward to becoming town’s Bicycle, Pedestrian and be possible for her to earn an gave her confidence in joining reusable cloth mask, paper mask, that leader for younger female Traffic Safety Committee. Eagle ranking — by meeting all other male-dominated activities. hand sanitizer, thermometer, Scouts. Aalfs is entering his third of the requirements in a mere Being one of a small minority facial tissues, gloves, and a note She said she plans to continue term on the council and has 19 months, the least amount of of female employees at a Boy with CDC guidelines, according to participate in outdoor trips indicated that it will likely be his time possible — she became even Scout summer camp, where to a press release. near her college in Colorado last. Wernikoff, a Portola Valley more excited about the idea. she was a merit badge instruc- Assembling these kits required and continue to set an example School District volunteer with a “I knew I wanted to join once tor teaching subjects such as organizing about 20 people to of how to succeed in male- background in web-based prod- I knew I could reach Eagle,” she photography and ceramics, also contribute a total of 160 vol- dominated spheres. uct management, was the first said. helped her get used to the unteer hours — all while the While Domke may be the first candidate to pull papers for the From there, Domke devel- dynamics of Boy Scout troops. pandemic and the CZU fires local female Eagle Scout, the Town Council race, deciding to oped a careful and ambitious “I feel a lot more comfortable were underway, Domke said. growing number of female BSA run after learning that Wengert, plan to make up for lost time — than I think a lot of my peers She said she had to spend many Scouts indicates she won’t be the who served on the council for traditionally, Scouts have from are,” she said. extra hours planning COVID-19 last. Her troop has about 40 to 50 13 years, was not running for around age 11 until their 18th When asked if she preferred safety measures and checking boys and 17 girls, but the num- reelection. birthday to meet the numerous Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, she in with volunteers to make sure ber of girls enrolled now is up At its Dec. 9 meeting, council requirements. BSA mandates said that it’s a tough question. they were healthy before they substantially, from six about a members swore in Aalfs and that each Eagle Scout spend six She participated in the programs arrived. year and a half ago, she said. The Wernikoff and appointed Der- months as a Life Scout, earn 21 at different ages, and the things Ultimately, she wrapped up recruitment period for new win as mayor and Hughes as merit badges, serve in his or her each program teaches are differ- the requirements around mid- Scouts typically happens around vice mayor for 2021. A troop for at least six months, ent. Girl Scouts, which she par- to late-September, she said. February. A and complete the notoriously ticipated in from first through And while Scouts BSA plans to Email Julia Brown at challenging Eagle Scout Service eighth grade, is focused on wom- announce the inaugural class of Email Kate Bradshaw at [email protected] Project, all by or shortly after en empowering young women, female Eagle Scouts nationwide [email protected]

January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ17 NEWS

MENLO PARK 2020 between what restaurants need- Summer continued from page 1 ed — space for outdoor dining The police killings of George — and what retailers said they Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other survivors of domestic violence needed, which was parking unarmed Black people nation- experience. and minimal street shutdowns. ally triggered widespread pro- Local nonprofits stepped up Many hours were spent on the tests. Locally, community pro- in a big way to help a growing council’s virtual meeting plat- tests were held up and down the number of people experiencing form, GoToMeeting, finessing Peninsula, led in many cases significantly more need than what parts of Santa Cruz Avenue by young people and people of even in the area’s most boom- could or should be shut down color. ing times. Second Harvest Food and when. The current setup is The city of Menlo Park began Bank has more than doubled the set to last through February. to hold discussions about police number of low-income house- The city also made progress reform when police Chief Dave holds it serves in San Mateo and toward some environmental Bertini abruptly resigned dur- Santa Clara counties, even while aspirations, becoming the first ing a June meeting. Dave Spiller battling a decline in volunteer city to declare a goal of becom- has taken on the role of interim help. Efforts by Vegan Outreach ing carbon neutral by 2030. police chief, and the city is and Facebook also offered food Magali Gauthier Menlo Park’s first recycled water working to recruit a permanent aid to those in need. Kepler’s Linda Mendenhall, owner of Old World Designs, watches system was launched, focused replacement. Literary Foundation brought participants of a virtual “stitch-in” show off their needlepoint projects on transforming former waste- The events also opened the distance learning author visits over Zoom while inside her downtown Menlo Park shop on April 3. water into irrigation water at door for more frank local con- and books to Ravenswood City the Sharon Heights Golf and versations about race, including School District students. fallout from massive revenue May and early June, tackled Country Club. a discussion about neighbor- Menlo Park residents devel- shortfalls. With travel restric- what to cut with an estimated On the development front, hood racism in July and a county oped their own emergency tions and retail shutdowns, hotel $12 million budget shortfall the city has been working with forum in October in which the response network, MPC Ready, taxes and sales taxes in particu- by reducing staffing by 15%, Facebook and architecture firm county sheriff, district attorney to organize support for those lar fell far short of pre-pandemic including laying off the equiva- Hart Howerton to make good on and advocates discussed race needing help. And Belle Haven predictions. Still, many city ser- lent of 44 full-time staffers, and Facebook’s offer to rebuild the and law enforcement reform. residents, led by Belle Haven vices shifted to continue to meet cutting the police department’s Onetta Harris Community Cen- The year brought difficult Action, began to run their own resident needs. The city’s heavily traffic unit, proactive gang and ter complex in Belle Haven. As times for the community’s small popular neighborhood COV- subsidized child care programs narcotics investigations and of September, the City Council business owners. They made ID-19 testing site. were adapted to reduce child-to- daytime parking enforcement. was scheduled to hold a public efforts to transition to online Spring adult ratios and virtual options The city also let go of its com- hearing on the proposal on Jan. sales and delivery services, try- were added; library services munity development director, 12. ing to follow constantly shifting The Menlo Park City Council reopened for curbside pickup merging that role with library Other projects moving ahead regulations for safely operating, had its work cut out this year, with a by-mail pilot program; services director. include the large luxury devel- but some didn’t make it. first in adapting City Hall and development proposals con- Hoping to help downtown opment underway at El Camino Among the businesses that operations to go remote dur- tinued to be processed. businesses adapt to pandemic Real and Oak Grove Avenue, shuttered in 2020 were J Floral ing the start of the pandemic, The City Council, over a series restrictions, the City Council formerly known as Station 1300, Art and The Pet Place, while then dealing with the economic of intense meetings in April, worked to create a balance which was passed off to a new others shut down temporarily, developer and rebranded as like the Vallombrosa Center. TOWN OF WOODSIDE Springline; a new mixed-use Community fundraisers were 2955 WOODSIDE ROAD, WOODSIDE, CA 94062 development in Allied Arts; the organized to help institutions Guild Theatre rebuild; and envi- like Cafe Borrone and The PLANNING COMMISSION ronmental review work for sev- Refuge. January 6, 2021 6:00 PM eral large developments planned This meeting is compliant with the Governor’s Executive Order N-25-20 issued on March 4, 2020, on the city’s Bay side. Fall allowing for deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act. The purpose of this is It wasn’t a great year for two to provide the safest environment for staff and the public while allowing for public participation. faith leaders in Menlo Park. In August, as if a global In April, the head of Trinity pandemic wasn’t bad enough, The meeting will be held by teleconferencing. The public may participate via: Zoom meeting or Church was put on administra- disaster struck again in the by coming to Independence Hall, 2955 Woodside Road, where a microphone and speaker will be tive leave after admitting he form of a lightning storm that available to allow for participation. misused church funds. And ignited blazes across California. PLANNING COMMISSIONERS PARTICIPATING BY TELECONFERENCE: BILDNER, DARE, at the end of July, the head of A number of lightning strikes ELFISHAWY, KUTAY, LONDON, AND VOELKE Menlo Church stepped down grew into the CZU August following a revelation that the Lightning Complex fires, which pastor knew of his son’s sexual became the largest on record Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: Meeting ID: 834 8286 3555 attraction to children, but con- in San Mateo County. The One tap mobile Weblink: https://us02web.zoom. tinued to let him work with blazes burned more than 86,500 +16699006833,,83482863555# US (San Jose) us/j/83482863555 youth. +13462487799,,83482863555# US (Houston) Remote Public Comments: See MENLO PARK 2020, page 19 Dial by your location Meeting participants are encouraged to submit +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) public comments in writing in advance of +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) the meeting. The following email will be +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) monitored during the meeting and public Employment +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) comments received will be read into the record. +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) Email: [email protected] +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) The Almanac offers advertising PUBLIC HEARING for Employment, as well as 2. Town-wide ZOAM2020-0004 Home and Business Services. Town of Woodside Planner: Joseph Balatbat, Assistant Planner If you wish to learn more about 6WXG\6HVVLRQWRGLVFXVVDVLPSOLÀHGSODQQLQJUHYLHZSURFHVVIRUHPHUJHQF\JHQHUDWRUVLQWKHUHTXLUHG these advertising options, setbacks, and permitting challenges for Tesla batteries. please call 650.223.6582 or email THE APPLICATION MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW BY CONTACTING JOSEPH BALATBAT AT [email protected] [email protected].

18QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 NEWS

MENLO PARK 2020 protected from the flames, the continued from page 18 fires affected beloved forests in parks such as Big Basin acres in San Mateo and Santa State Park, Portola Redwoods Cruz counties, 22,755 of which State Park, and Pescadero Creek were in San Mateo County, County Park. and destroyed nearly 1,500 Dangerous fire conditions per- buildings. sisted through October and into The fires forced evacuations November, causing households for more than 4,500 San Mateo in more remote areas of the Santa County residents and drew Cruz Mountains to face PG&E- more than 1,500 firefighting mandated power shutoffs. personnel at its peak before With the fire threat finally reaching 100% containment under control, attention turned in September and becoming toward the 2020 election season. 100% controlled only days ago, In Menlo Park, there was just according to a Dec. 28 press one contested race as the city release. Paid firefighters, vol- completed its switch to district unteer fire brigades, plus some elections from at-large ones. The local park rangers all band- District 3 seat, which covers a ed together to protect homes central chunk of the city, had and forests in the Santa Cruz three contenders: Max Fennell, Mountains. Chelsea Nguyen and Jen Wolosin. The San Mateo County Large Wolosin won the race and Animal Evacuation Group was sworn in Dec. 15. The Magali Gauthier ran its own rescue operations race for the District 5 seat was National Guard troops and temporary workers pack food into boxes in Curtner Center, one of two to bring large animals from uncontested, and incumbent Second Harvest of Silicon Valley warehouses in San Jose, on June 16. the Coastside and Santa Cruz Ray Mueller was reelected, this Mountains to safety away from time as a district representative. riders due to the pandemic. provide hope that this night- rally once again to flatten the the fires. And the owners of Of regional importance, Mea- Winter mare won’t last forever, but the curve and show their resilience Alice’s Restaurant stepped up to sure RR also passed, granting current surge in cases is hitting through the upcoming days, feed firefighters and those who Caltrain a more reliable source As 2021 begins, all signs indi- California especially hard right weeks and months of 2021. A stayed behind the fire’s evacua- of funding even as the rail ser- cate the pandemic is likely to now — exacerbated by holiday tion lines. vice faces major revenue losses get worse before it gets better. travel — and continues to Email Kate Bradshaw at While some areas were caused by a steep decline in Federally approved vaccines worsen. Perhaps residents will [email protected]

SCHOOLS REOPENING million this school year, accord- to do, reopening does impact LITERACY PARTNERS estate of the late Karen Marie continued from page 1 ing to the district’s interim the district financially, even continued from page 11 Lundberg, a lifelong educator 2020-21 budget. with the support of CARES Act who had worked at virtually all goal of getting kids back to The 2,932-student Menlo Park (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and During 2020, generous con- levels of education, including col- school safely, he said. City School District invest- Economic Security) funds.” tributors have already provided lege teaching. Lundberg crossed The Las Lomitas Elementary ed $2.9 million on reopening The Palo Alto Unified School nearly $75,000 to support literacy paths with Menlo Park literacy School District, which has 1,111 costs, which included over District’s 2020-21 interim through LPMP. Grants are of programs through her service students, received $519,612 in $600,000 for additional teach- budget update shows COVID all sizes, including smaller con- at JobTrain and Sequoia Adult state and federal learning loss ers and substitute teachers, expenditures, and associated tributions from recent English School and as a manager at mitigation funds, said Super- about $570,000 for playground safety protocols, are costing the language learners in programs Kepler’s Books, where for many intendent Beth Polito in an support and teachers aides, and district $4.8 million. (The costs LPMP supports, as well as $14,000 years Literacy Partners held a email. The money was used $220,000 for COVID testing, of COVID in the budget are not from the 2019 Almanac Holiday gift-wrapping holiday fundrais- to provide internet connectiv- according to a district budget itemized.) Fund. er. Before becoming a beloved ity and devices for students document. Of that, $1.5 mil- LPMP is one of the beneficiaries and dedicated educator she had during virtual learning, addi- lion came from local, state and Portola Valley district’s of The Almanac’s Holiday Fund. worked and enjoyed life as a tional instructional materials federal funds. Because The Almanac and its blackjack dealer, a scuba diver, for students to have at home, an “The financial costs to the budget bind partner the Silicon Valley Com- and a florist, and she held a pilot’s additional three days of profes- district continue to impact the The Portola Valley district is munity Foundation cover all the license. She died Jan. 6 at the age sional development for staff, and short and long term budget especially in a bind with increas- administrative costs, every dollar of 72. personal protective equipment, planning for the district,” some- ing COVID costs. raised goes directly to this year’s For more information, go to Polito said. thing set for discussion at the In March, voters failed to 10 nonprofit organizations. Dona- literacypartnersmenlopark.org or An example of the increased next board meeting on Dec. 17, renew Measure P, a parcel tax tions to the Holiday Fund can email literacy.partners.menlo. costs: material and supplies according to a Dec. 3 Menlo that raised $1.2 million annu- be made at almanacnews.com/ [email protected]. The mailing costs rose from about $680,000 Park district school board pre- ally for the district. It expires holiday_fund. address is Literacy Partners-Men- last school year to about $1.4 sentation. “While the right thing on June 20, 2021. If there isn’t a While all community contribu- lo Park, 1259 El Camino Real renewal before June, the district tions are highly valued, a grant #176, Menlo Park, CA 94025. A must make plans for spending in October stands out. LPMP Mike Goodkind is the president of reductions. received nearly $50,000 from the Literacy Partners-Menlo Park. “Given the current state of the pandemic environment, most importantly not knowing when COMMUNITY BRIEFS an introduction to these amaz- schools will be able to resume continued from page 15 ingly adaptable critters and normal operations, and the pos- many tales from two fox fami- sibility of additional staffing Gray foxes can be found lies that he’s been following, needed to maintain small across a wide swath of North from how the family hierarchy cohorts, the administration rec- and Central America and the develops to how the pups wres- ommends postponing further northernmost region of South tle and play with each other — budget reductions until 2022-23, America. Leikam has exten- and what valuable survival les- and an additional $500,000 in sively studied the gray foxes that sons their parents teach them. 2023-24,” a staff report for the live in the south San Francisco Spaces are limited for this Dec. 17 school board meeting Bay marshlands, observing online talk and registration is states. A their behavior, photographing required. For more information and recording them through a Magali Gauthier or to register, visit woodside- Fifth grader Shae washes her hands after lunch before returning to Email Angela Swartz at collection of trail cameras. artandculture.org. class at Corte Madera School in Portola Valley on Nov. 10. [email protected] His presentation will include —Heather Zimmerman

January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ19 ArtscenePEOPLE AND IN AND PERFORMANCES ARTS ENTERTAINMENT 2020 vision: The year in film Streaming services stepped up as viewers hunkered down, seeking connection

Courtesy Grasshopper Film “Vitalina Varela” by Pedro Costa was the year’s best film.

By Peter Canavese are liable to dwindle dramatically as the 9. ‘Sound of Metal’ (Amazon Prime to a weekly garbage pickup) as well as the supply runs out, and film production in Video) everyday heroic (public servants and com- 020 turned the world upside down in the COVID era becomes prohibitively Riz Ahmed’s heavy-metal drummer munity organizers addressing evictions 2 so many ways. Though movies are a expensive. Movie theaters face imminent and addict Ruben faces a traumatic life and economic advancement). relatively trivial example of the exis- bankruptcy, so cineastes should take extra change in the narrative filmmaking debut 6. ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ tential threat posed by COVID-19, Bay care to explore the “virtual cinema” offer- of screenwriter Darius Marder (“The Place Area movie theaters were effectively shut ings keeping some theaters alive via online Beyond the Pines”). Set where the reality meets the remove down for most of the year, giving new life ticket sales for streamed independent and Temporarily and tentatively reliant upon of a social issue, writer-director Eliza Hit- to socially distanced drive-ins and a major foreign films (SF’s Roxie Cinema has one a new community, Ruben crawls through tman’s abortion drama takes us on the sad shot in the arm to streaming services as of the most active platforms). the stages of grief, achingly resisting accep- journey of a 17-year-old girl seeking an Americans hunkered down in front of So this year, Your Friendly Neighbor- tance of his “new normal,” the love offered abortion under a patronizing patriarchy. their TVs. Disney+ emerged as a front- hood Film Critic abandoned his theater- by his girlfriend (Olivia Cooke), and the In beautifully understated performances, runner in the streaming war and Quibi going routine and stayed home. Mindless caring mentorship of a community leader Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder capture lost big, with Netflix, Amazon Prime “comfort food” may have done the work (Paul Raci, in one of the year’s best support- a friendship tested by crisis. In scenes like Video, HBO Max, AppleTV+ and others of preserving sanity on the wane, but as ing turns). the one that gives the film its title, Hittman still hanging tough. so many in isolation longed for human 8. ‘Fourteen’ gut-punches us with the blithe bureaucracy By necessity, the line between cin- contact, it was the year’s most intimate and moral judgment that often stand in the ema and other sight-and-sound art forms and empathetic films that nurtured the Writer-director Dan Sallitt explores a way of a girl’s difficult personal choice. has never been thinner than in 2020. better angels of our nature, offering one friendship over time in this quietly obser- 5. ‘Lovers Rock’ (Amazon Prime We had Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” way safely to extend our reach into the vant drama. Brooklynite Mara (Tallie (Amazon Prime Video), a series of five outside world. Medel) enjoys a closeness with best friend Video) telefilms from a major filmmaker that Jo (Norma Kuhling), but the latter’s men- Percy Bysshe Shelley called poetry “the were never intended for theaters. As live The top ten films of 2020 tal health issues and drug abuse take an record of the best and happiest moments theater became all but an impossibility (Author’s note: Streaming service noted ever-more-distressing toll on her and the of the happiest and best minds.” Perhaps for the foreseeable future, superb filmed when film is not currently available through friendship as the years slip by. Sallitt’s deli- the best compliment one can pay “Lovers Broadway performances of “Hamilton” multiple on-demand video services) cate touch and the empathic performances Rock” is that it feels like a cinematic poem, (Disney+), “David Byrne’s American Uto- 10. ‘Driveways’ build a potent tragedy around a recogniz- taking a very specific, very personal experi- pia” (HBO), and “What the Constitution able, cruelly isolating problem with no clear ence and translating it into a cinematic lan- Means to Me” (Amazon Prime) became In a year that was anything but, some- solution. guage that makes it identifiably universal. extra-precious gifts. And despite many times you just need a film that’s nice. 7. ‘City Hall’ (PBS) This telefilm in Steve McQueen’s “Small high-profile films being rescheduled to “Driveways” was that lovely warm hug of Axe” series expands our understanding 2021 and beyond, 2020 saw major block- a movie this year. On paper, the tale of a The brilliant Frederick Wiseman stays of London’s culture of West Indian immi- busters begin to bypass theaters and head single mother (Hong Chau) and her young true to form with his latest four and a half grants circa 1980, but its swoony, sweaty straight home: Disney’s “Mulan” and son (Lucas Jaye) befriending the grumbly hour documentary film to paste up a col- depiction of romance blossoming at a Pixar’s “Soul” (both drawing eyeballs old war veteran next door (Brian Dennehy lage of details defining an American insti- reggae house party movingly reminds us to Disney+), as well as Warner Brothers’ in his final film role) sounds schmaltzy tution — in this case, the city of Boston, of something 2020 robbed from us: com- superhero movie “Wonder Woman ‘84” and old hat. But Andrew Ahn’s gentle Massachusetts. The film shadows Mayor munal public experiences. (shoring up HBO Max). touch (along with the acknowledgment Marty Walsh in his duties, but this micro- 4. ‘Nomadland’ In the rush to release content for of tough realities) and three outstanding cosm of the political challenges facing home viewing, 2020 became a bounty of performances make “Driveways” the film modern America also follows Wiseman’s Chloe Zhao wrote, edited, and produced American independent films, but enjoy it you didn’t know you needed to put a smile pattern of finding meaning in the mun- this part-commentary, part-character study while it lasts, as fresh independent films on your face. dane (from a city inspector walk-through based on Jessica Bruder’s 2017 nonfiction

Courtesy Patrick Bryant Norma Kuhling and Tallie Medel in “Fourteen.”

20QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 ARTSCENE book “Nomadland: Surviving America in overwhelmed pre-Covid hospitals — reveal VOD (video on demand). Now residing 2. ‘Artemis Fowl’ the Twenty-First Century.” In exploring the depth of governmental failure and cor- on HBO Max, this chaotic action comedy Nothing that needs to work works in the alternative culture of Americans liv- ruption. Key to the nation’s fortunes is an has the dubious distinction of featuring Kenneth Branagh’s YA fantasy adaptation: ing out of RVs — alternative, that is, to the unlikely last bastion of the news: a sports an animated Simon Cowell hanging with not the casting, not the script, not the direc- American Dream rat race — Zhao places magazine that pivots to hard news. Mystery, Inc. tion, not the design, not the score. This professional actors (like David Strathairn) And the best film of 2020 goes to: 4. ‘The Grudge’ movie plays like Branagh farmed out all the amongst real-life nomads for heightened 1. ‘Vitalina Varela’ work so he could kick back in his trailer. authenticity. The soul of the film, however, After a dozen films, including an And the worst film of 2020 goes to: resides in Frances McDormand’s leading There’s a transcendence to Pedro Costa’s American trilogy, the Japanese-born “The 1. ‘The Secret: Dare to Dream’ performance, an utterly convincing study filmmaking that earns the term “art film.” Grudge” franchise just can’t let it go. This in the psychology of willful isolation. In this spinoff from Costa’s “Horse Money,” “sidequel” to the American trilogy films This brand extension of the bestselling 3. ‘First Cow’ the writer-director collaborates with the wastes a top-notch cast (Andrea Risebor- self-help franchise was arguably more than titular heroine — a Cape Verdean in Lis- ough, Demian Bichir, John Cho, Jacki a terrible movie; it was a dangerous one. Kelly Reichardt scores again with this bon — to tell her own story of seeking the Weaver) on its dull daisy chain of death. Released in the middle of a global pan- adaptation of Jonathan Raymond’s novel truth about her late estranged husband. 3. ‘Fantasy Island’ demic, this spiritual romance insisted that “The Half Life.” Filmmaker and novel- Varela’s mesmeric performance compli- the power of positive thinking can magi- ist collaborated on the screenplay, which ments Costa’s peerless work, alive and gor- TV’s “Fantasy Island” returns again, this cally solve every problem. A convincingly transports us to 19th-century geous from its subject to its mise en scene time as a big-screen horror schlockfest. frontier America while keeping one foot to its painterly cinematographic interplay Every fantasy still has a twist, but this time Email Peter Canavese at planted in our not-so-evolved 21st-century of shadows and light. around with a lot more blood. A dopey idea [email protected] landscape. In dramatic terms, “First Cow” dopily executed. tells the story of an unlikely friend- Honorable mention: “Hamilton,” “What ship born of an entrepreneurial business the Constitution Means to Me” & “David arrangement between John Magaro’s white Byrne’s American Utopia.” itinerant cook and Orion Lee’s Chinese- Runners-up immigrant striver, but at heart, the film “The Assistant,” “Babyteeth,” “The serves as a meditation on capitalism, from Painter and the Thief,” “Red, White and its infancy to its late stage occupying a Blue,” “Martin Eden,” “Borat Subsequent space between ingenuity and crime. Moviefilm...” “The 40-Year-Old Version,” 2. ‘Collective’ “Soul,” “Possessor,” “Wolfwalkers.” Documentary filmmaker Alexander The bottom five films of 2020 Nanau explores two timely topics in the 5. ‘Scoob!’ nonfiction film of the year: the fragility of society and the crucial role of investigative This too-cynical attempt at relaunching journalism. Nanau observes as a deadly Scooby-Doo — and, yes, a Hanna-Barbera nightclub fire in 2015 reshapes Romania’s Cinematic Universe — became Warner political landscape: in particular, health Brothers’ first big experiment in dump- care negligence and fraud — in shamefully ing lackluster theatrical material onto Courtesy A24 “First Cow” is the story of an unlikely friendship.

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January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ21 Food&Drink The nine most memorable meals of 2020 Looking back on a fraught, but hopeful, year in dining on the Peninsula

Story and photos by Elena Kadvany

t’s hard to feel anything except All but one of the food busi- All the pizza at Pazzo I deeply despondent about this nesses mentioned here are still year in the local food indus- open; if you order takeout from I can’t believe it took me until try. Beloved restaurants closed them — directly, not on an app! this year to get to Pazzo, which after decades of business, and — tip generously. churns out standout wood-fired the pandemic put many waiters, New Haven-style pizza in San cooks and dishwashers out of Mapo tofu at Taste Carlos. Andy Gambardella of work. Other owners decided to the now-closed Gambardella’s in go into hibernation to preserve On March 11, I unwittingly ate Menlo Park opened Pazzo in San their businesses, though they what would be my last sit-down Carlos in 2014 in homage to the have yet to reemerge. meal inside a restaurant for the pizza of his youth growing up in Looking back at the meals I rest of the year. The day before, I New Haven. ate (one too many in my car) had published a story on Taste, a The San Marzano and baby and the stories I wrote reminded Sichuan restaurant in Palo Alto. clam pies will, guaranteed, me that it was also a year of Taste was on the verge of closure embed themselves into your resiliency, hope and truly out- after weeks of declining busi- taste memory — the blistered standing food made in the face ness due to early fears about the bottoms, the hint of dried oreg- of enormous obstacles. Restau- coronavirus -— and unfounded ano and full-flavored toppings. rants pivoted to meal kits and ones in particular hurting local Also, you do not want to miss the became retail operations to stay Chinese restaurants. I ordered cannoli. alive. New restaurants defied the the mapo tofu lunch set and Pazzo, 1179 Laurel St., San odds to open, and pop-ups that watched as the dining room New Haven-style baby clam pizza from Pazzo in San Carlos. Carlos; pazzosancarlos.com/ could share kitchen space with filled up over the lunch hour, home.html struggling restaurants thrived. a sole waitress rushing to take Tonkatsu curry crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on- Numerous Bay Area regions, orders and fill water glasses. at Curry Hyuga the-inside half chicken with beef Double softee with including San Mateo and Santa Owner Sandy Liu told me later and anchovy rice, a seaweed bis- rainbow sprinkles at Clara counties, helped bring that diners had come in because Burlingame’s Curry Hyuga cuit with honey butter, pickled Mister Softee attention to the prohibitively they heard Taste could close made headlines in late March as Korean radish and kimchi. Sad- costly delivery fees third-par- and wanted to support the res- one of the first new restaurants ly, it’s a reminder of the restau- This might have been my ty apps charge restaurants by taurant. I felt genuinely uplifted to actually open during the rant experiences we lost to the most joyful meal of 2020: imposing temporary caps. and hopeful. shutdown. The owners report- pandemic. The owner of Maum a double softee swirled with The nine meals on this list Despite the fact that things edly got the business license 30 later parted with the Korean vanilla and chocolate soft serve, were memorable in more than got a lot more grim than I minutes before City Hall closed restaurant’s much-lauded chefs dipped in rainbow sprinkles. one way. They were all delicious could have ever imagined over down. and tried to pivot before closing I ate it after chasing down a but also represented something the next nine months, Taste The restaurant specializes for good (at least for now). Mister Softee truck, which meaningful about this year in survived a lot longer than Liu in Japanese curry, served over local food, whether it was mapo thought it would. And that rice with cabbage, fukujinzuke tofu at the Sichuan restaurant mapo tofu was truly excellent; (pickled vegetables) and your that almost closed due to early I’ve craved its peppery, comfort- choice of protein, including coronavirus fears or the out- ing notes more times than I’d pork and chicken katsu, chicken of-work chef slinging standout care to admit. karaage and korokke (a fried fried chicken sandwiches from Taste, 423 University Ave., Palo potato croquette). I thoroughly his backyard. Alto; tastepaloalto.com enjoyed the tonkatsu, packaged separately from the velvety, rich curry sauce to avoid a soggy fate, from the front seat of my car. (I definitely ate more food in my car in 2020 than in any year prior, and really hope I won’t need to stash as many napkins and stain remover wipes in the glove compartment in 2021.) Curry Hyuga, 1204 Broadway St., Burlingame; curryhyuga.com

Korean fried chicken at Maum When Maum in Palo Alto reopened for takeout this spring, one of the menus paid hom- age to Korean fried chicken and KFC combo meals. I still East Coast company Mister Softee serves soft-serve ice cream Palo Alto’s Taste offers a peppery mapo tofu lunch set. think about the perfectly from a truck.

22QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021 FOOD & DRINK made for an incredibly fun story cause. This summer, Backhaus milk bread, a soft concha filled about the beloved East Coast in San Mateo and Love for But- with Mexican chocolate, a black soft-serve company, that iconic ter in Palo Alto participated sesame Chinese egg tart and tinkling music that triggers an in Bakers Against Racism, an a garlic twist studded with lap almost Pavlovian response and international campaign to sell cheong. the delightful pursuit of sugary baked goods to support non- nostalgia. I loved the impas- profits that fight racial inequity. :LHYLK[VYVH[ sioned responses I got from A grassroots response to the people who grew up on Mister murder of George Floyd at the :\ZOP:HT»Z,KVTH[H Softee and were so excited to hands of Mineappolis police, Eating in the bustling dining discover that it’s available in the thousands of professional and room at Sushi Sam’s in down- Bay Area. home bakers participated in the town San Mateo in January “Of course with the Covid effort. feels like a distant memory, but there were no trips to Brooklyn John Shelsta of Love for But- I can still taste the luxurious this year,” one reader wrote. “I ter raised $3,000 for the Ecu- seared toro. The hefty piece of miss my family, but I had a little menical Hunger Program in fatty tuna is lightly seared and taste of Brooklyn thanks to your East Palo Alto, and Backhaus brushed with yuzu and sea salt, article.” donated $1,540 to the NAACP’s draped over perfectly cooked Legal Defense Fund. rice. Not to be cliche, but it really Fried chicken sandwich Shelsta, who’s Korean, made does melt in your mouth. It’s not at Cocina Canares The fried chicken sandwich from the Cocina Canares pop-up in a flaky croissant tart filled with cheap at $18 for two pieces but South San Francisco is a favorite. a tangle of homemade kimchi after this year, we all deserve a We were inundated this year and silky braised short rib. little indulgence. with fried chicken, and sand- became successful enough that levain bread from Midwife and Each of Backhaus’ bakers con- Sushi Sam’s Edomata, 218 E. 3rd wiches in particular. My favor- they won’t go back to their pre- the Baker. tributed an item that reflected Ave., San Mateo; sushisams.com ite of them all is the one Mel pandemic jobs, including Pepe of Owners Duy An and Hieu their heritage, all of which I wish Canares makes in his backyard Chef Peps Kitchen in East Palo Le’s plans to move into a new would become regular menu Email Elena Kadvany at in South San Francisco. Alto, who sold enough quesab- space this spring were obviously items: scallion-topped Japanese [email protected] A corporate chef who got laid irria and tacos to purchase a food upended but they persevered off during the shutdown, he, like truck this fall. during the lockdown, hosting many out-of-work cooks, turned Weekly pop-up on Sunday in pop-ups as they could and offer- to what had previously been a South San Francisco; check insta- ing weekly pickup and delivery. side hustle — selling food out of gram.com/fuckinmel for details. Their Instagram feed still hooks his home — into a full-time gig. me as much as it did that first His fried chicken sandwiches /ң[:ҍ`WVW\W time, the food photos as much are his bestseller, and for good as the detailed captions explain- reason. Canares double-dredges I first tried Hết Sẩy in the ing each dish’s ingredients and chicken thighs in a buttermilk “Before Times,” about a month significance — just look at this and hot sauce marinade for before the pandemic hit. I stum- pandan waffle stuffed with super-crispy chicken, tops it bled onto the San Jose pop-up’s caramelized banana or this gà with slaw and a smoky mesquite Instagram and was immedi- lagu patê vịt (chicken ragu with sauce and serves it on a toasted ately drawn in by what turned duck liver pate). brioche bun. out to be some of the most Hết Sẩy, 695 Lucretia Ave., San He’s part of the under-the- inventive and delicious takes Jose, hetsay.square.site table economy of home-based on Vietnamese food I’ve had, food businesses across the Bay like pâté vit ốp-la, a breakfast Bakers Against Area, which surged during the dish with homemade duck liver pandemic and brought us some pâté, spiced sausage, pickles, a 9HJPZTWHZ[YPLZ of the most interesting eats of the fried egg and salmon roe that Some of the best pastries I ate year. Some of these home cooks you scoop bites of using toasted this year were also for a good Sushi Sam’s in San Mateo serves seared toro.

Public Notices TOWN OF PORTOLA VALLEY NOTICE OF APPEAL OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW 995 Fictitious Name TACOS Y MARISCOS EL GORDO AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMITS Statement FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council of the Town of Portola Valley will hold a public hearing, via File No.: 285894 THE STROLLER STORE teleconference, on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. on the following: The following person(s) is (are) doing FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No.: 285969 business as: APPEAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO DENY AN APPEAL AND UPHOLD THE DECISION OF The following person (persons) is (are) Tacos y Mariscos El Gordo, located at 2315 THE ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE CONTROL COMMISSION TO APPROVE AN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW doing business as: El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA 94063, AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT A NEW RESIDENCE WITH BASEMENT AND POOL; The Stroller Store, located at 180 South San Mateo County; Mailing address: 1525 138 GOYA ROAD; FILE #PLN_ARCH06-2020; PURSUANT TO PORTOLA VALLEY MUNICIPAL CODE Spruce Ave., Unit L, South San Francisco, CA 94080, San Mateo County; Mailing Regent St. #6, Redwood City, CA 94061. CHAPTER 18.78. address: 561 Hilbar Ln., Palo Alto, CA Registered owner(s): This project has been determined to be exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act 94303. JOSE LUIS PEREZ ESQUIVEL Registered owner(s): (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15303 (a), which exempts the construction of one single family residence 1525 Regent St. #6 COUTURE LANE INC. in a residential zone. 561 Hilbar Ln. Redwood City, CA 94061 Palo Alto, CA 94303 This business is conducted by: An To join the Zoom meeting online: To join the Zoom meeting by telephone: Delaware Individual. Go to Zoom.com – Click Join the Meeting - This business is conducted by: A 1.888.788.0099 (toll-free) The registrant commenced to transact Corporation. https://zoom.us/j/91965066522?pwd=VkREcDFtelo1Y211 The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business WnNOenhJMXRJUT09 Enter the Webinar - ID 919 6506 6522 business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 11/23/2020. name(s) listed above on 12/03/20. This statement was filed with the County Enter the Webinar ID - 919 6506 6522 Passcode: 819981 This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of San Mateo County on Clerk-Recorder of San Mateo County on Public Hearings provide the general public and interested parties an opportunity to provide testimony on these December 3, 2020. November 23, 2020. items. If you challenge a proposed action(s) in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or (ALM Dec. 11, 18, 25, 2020; Jan. 1, 2021) (ALM Dec. 11, 18, 25, 2020; Jan. 1, 2021) someone else raised at a Public Hearing(s) described above, or in written correspondence delivered to the Town The Almanac is adjudicated to publish in San Mateo County. of Portola Valley at, or prior to, the Public Hearing(s). Public Hearing Notices Resolutions • Bid Notices • Lien Sale Information pertaining to the proposal may be viewed by contacting Dylan Parker, Assistant Planner at dparker@ Trustee’s Sale • Notices of Petition to Administer Estate portolavalley.net Interested persons are invited to appear before the Town Council to be heard at the time and place mentioned above. Deadline is Monday at noon. Call Alicia Santillan at 650-223-6578 or email [email protected] for Dated: January 1, 2021 assistance with your legal advertising needs. Sharon Hanlon, Town Clerk

January 1, 2021QAlmanacNews.comQThe AlmanacQ23 We look back with utmost appreciation and gratitude to our amazing clients and wonderful community that have made our success possible.

We look forward to a happy, healthy 2021 together. From all of us here at DeLeon Realty, Happy New Year!

650.900.7000 | [email protected] | www.deleonrealty.com | DRE #01903224

24QThe AlmanacQAlmanacNews.comQJanuary 1, 2021