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Vol. XXIX, Number 38 • Friday, February 15, 2008 ■ 50¢ ‘Spiderwick’ is a field guide to Check out the Weekly’s fantasy online classifieds Page 17 at fogster.com WeeklyWeekend Edition www.PaloAltoOnline.com School is cool East Palo Alto teacher, students rap for education Page 9 Danielle Vernon Danielle WorthWorth A Look 12 EatingEating OutOut 1313 MovieMovie Times 18 GoingsGoings OnOn 20 ■ Upfrontont Public buildingbuilding names could be upup for grabsgrabs PagePage 3 ■ Sportsts GunnGunn boys continue their soccer comeback Page 22 ■ Home & Real Estate Achieving harmony in the garden Section 2 KATIE BEAT CANCER CURRENTLY: BEATING PAR. JUST ANOTHER REMARKABLE DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. For many athletes, the greatest victory lies in surpassing your own limitations. For Katie, an avid golfer, tennis player and dancer, every day is that kind of victory. Diagnosed at age 12 with a rare and rapidly growing tumor in her lower leg, Katie came to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital for life-saving care. But it wouldn’t be easy. The only treatment that could beat Katie’s cancer was chemotherapy and amputation. The oncology team at Packard Children’s got to know Katie well and provided specialized © 2007 Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital care on par with her spirit. This focused, multidisciplinary support helped Katie achieve a clean bill of health and get back to the active lifestyle she loves. During her stay at Packard Children’s, Katie made new friends and set her sights on a Lucile Packard future profession as an oncology nurse. And from what we’ve seen, she’s got the drive Children’s Hospital to achieve anything she puts her mind to.Visit www.lpch.org for more information. AT STANFORD Page 2 • Friday, February 15, 2008 • Palo Alto Weekly 1866_LPCH_Katie_PAWeekly.indd 1 7/5/07 10:14:53 AM UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Pacific Art League loses board chair Baker resigns after one month of instead of working on League busi- 9. Five of the nonprofit’s six staff sad about her resignation. ness,” Baker wrote in her Feb. 8 res- members also resigned over the “I really thought I was a perfect presiding over struggling nonprofit ignation letter. holidays, spurred by the bitterness fit. ... I wasn’t involved in that big by Becky Trout “It was a bigger job and a lot more engendered by plans to sell the or- fight,” Baker said. “I had no idea the personal issues than Mary Anne ganization’s historic Ramona Street feeling was still so strong.” emaining tensions within the acrimonious. ever dreamed of,” departing board building, and a campaign to ward Baker said she plans to remain a Pacific Art League have led “These people are still all my member Katie Cooney said. off the sale. member of the league and still has R to the resignation of recently friends,” Baker said Wednesday. Baker was elected chairwoman On Jan. 16, Baker said she want- a lot of respect for the members of elected Board of Directors Chair- “Unfortunately, I’ve been forced of the board Jan. 16 after eight ed to help the league “continue and the board. woman Mary Anne Baker, although to spend increasingly more time new board members ousted all but prosper. I have a lot of ideas.” The building was not an issue Baker insists her departure was not defending or explaining decisions three previous board members Jan. Wednesday, Baker said she was (continued on page 7 EAST PALO ALTO Bike clinic hits the skids Lack of volunteers shutters East Palo Alto repair club by Sue Dremann ven with the Amgen Tour of California kicking off Sunday E in Palo Alto, a local resource for good, safe bicycles that has served more than 3,000 youth is closing. The Major Taylor Cycling Club of East Palo Alto, a community fixture for 14 years, is disbanding due to a lack of volunteers, according to the nonprofit’s secretary, Ken Kratz. Without the club, hundreds of young people will be riding unsafe bikes — if they have any at all, he added. Norbert von der Groeben Major Taylor has operated a twice-monthly bicycle repair clinic since 1995, helping youth to repair flat tires, twisted handlebars, bro- ken chains and brakes, according to Kratz, a public works inspector with the City of Santa Clara. The club has advocated for the in- stallation of bike lanes, offered jobs, Isn’t it romantic? taught skills and provided bicycle Yolanda Echeverria, a designer at Michaela’s Flower Shop in Palo Alto, creates an arrangement of red roses for Valentine’s Day. Echeverria education and safety training. and other staff members worked all day Wednesday and arrived at the crack of dawn Thursday to complete the massive number of orders. “It’s the only club in the South Bay that works directly with kids,” Kratz said. But “we’re getting old and tired.” unanimous City Council expressed naming a room after a company. The club received donations from PALO ALTO interest in revising existing guide- “If we as a council are comfort- high-tech companies, but there lines Monday night. able with corporations using dollars haven’t been enough volunteers, ac- Given the need to finance several to market on city facilities ... we just cording to Kratz. major construction projects — in- have to recognize what we’re doing “South Bay people are awfully City asks: What’s cluding libraries and a public-safety there,” Espinosa said. “That’s just busy. There’s not a big volunteer spir- building — city leaders are hoping not something I think is appropriate it here,” he said, comparing similar to garner some donations — within or that I’m comfortable with.” clubs to Oakland and San Francisco. in a name? guidelines — in exchange for nam- Yet other council members, in- “It’s a dirty job, getting grease all ing rights. cluding Kishimoto and Drekmeier, over your arms. I guess people don’t Public buildings may boast individuals’ names, The most controversial aspect of said they would consider offering want to get dirty.” but not corporations’, committee agrees the policy, it appears, will be the rooms or other smaller units to cor- The club was started by Anne role of corporations. For Vice May- porations. O’Neill, a former teacher in the Ra- by Becky Trout or Peter Drekmeier, council mem- “I think it would be beneficial venswood City School District, who alo Alto’s new police building suggested by the Palo Alto Policy bers Yoriko Kishimoto and Sid Es- when we got to the public with a saw a need in the community for safe can’t become the Taser Inter- and Services Committee Tuesday pinosa, naming an entire building bond ... if we weren’t asking the bicycles, Kratz said. P national Safety Building, but evening. for a company is out-of-bounds. public to fund the full (cost),” Drek- When he became involved in the it could be named after the CEO’s The three-member committee Corporations would not donate meier said. club, Kratz was struck by the over- granddaughter, with a Taser Inter- (minus an absent Councilman John money altruistically, said Espinosa, On Monday, Mayor Larry Klein whelming need. national Weapons Storage Room Barton) grappled with the details director of philanthropy at Hewlett- said he didn’t think the issue of “I saw these rusty bikes with bad inside, according to guidelines of a naming policy Tuesday after a Packard Company. He opposes even (continued on page 7) (continued on page 6) Palo Alto Weekly • Friday, February 15, 2008 • Page 3 (650) 969-7663 Upfront Lic. #785441 Since 1975 OPEN SPACE 1901 Old Middlefield Way, #22 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 Mountain View, Ca 94043 (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER William S. Johnson San Mateo County rejects ISCOUNT OUPON $400 D C EDITORIAL WITH INSTALLATION OF COMPLETE NEW ROOF Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Jocelyn Dong, Managing Editor Stanford trail plan Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Associate Editors Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, Online Editor Supervisors cite a failure to negotiate Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor by Stanford University Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Don Kazak, Senior Staff Writer by Don Kazak Arden Pennell, Becky Trout, Staff Writers Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant Norbert von der Groeben, Chief Photographer controversial proposal for a plan, even though Portola Valley G O S U IE RM ER Marjan Sadoughi, Veronica Weber, Staff trail/bike path along Alpine officials had approved a portion of ET AST POT PIES AND P Photographers Road was unanimously re- the trail/bike path project in their Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Bentson, A Lynn Comeskey, Kit Davey, Jack McKinnon, jected by the San Mateo County jurisdiction. Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Craig Wentz, Board of Supervisors Tuesday. The board’s rejection was based Contributors The rejection includes an $8.4 on a recommendation by Gordon 1010 Alex Papoulias, Veronica Sudekum, Richard To, Editorial Interns million offer by Stanford University and Supervisor Jerry Hill, who com- Nick Veronin, Arts & Entertainment Intern to pay for realignment of portions prised a two-person subcommittee DIFFERENT KINDSPS! Danielle Vernon, Photography Intern F SOU of Alpine Road and the building of on the Stanford proposal. OOF SOUPS! DESIGN Carol Hubenthal, Design Director a paved hiking/bicycle trail along “We have fully investigated this COME & SEE WHAT THE CRAVERY HAS TO OFFER Diane Haas, Sue Peck, Senior Designers Alpine Road. offer and conclude that it is not in GOURMET SAVORY PIES Dana James, Paul Llewellyn, Charmaine “There wasn’t an effort to negoti- the interest of San Mateo County Mirsky, Scott Peterson, Designers ate.