Weekly Upfrontlocal News, Information and Analysis
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Vol. XXV, Number 28 • Friday, January 2, 2004 An independent and locally owned newspaper ■ 50¢ INSIDE EATING OUT The Midpeninsula’s Party most complete at real estate listings Miyake’s and classified section WeWeekend e kEdition l y Page 12 www.PaloAltoOnline.com Page 6 MUSIC HOME & REAL ESTATE NEWS Fortnight Music Club SPORTS Beecham next celebrates 96th year Stanford wins Avoiding the mayor? Page 9 without Powell pitfalls Page 3 Page 24 Page 28 News 3 Eating Out 12 Calendar Listings 16 Movie Times 20 Sports 24 Personals 36 Save up to 50% at the IKEA Winter Sale. Hurry in, IKEA sales don’t come around that often. (Twice a year, to be exact.) It’sone of the fewtimes youcan get everything you need for your home at even more affordable prices. SALE GOING ON NOW New IKEA East Palo Alto: 1700 E. Bayshore Rd. (650) 323-4532. IKEA Emeryville: 4400 Shellmound St. (510) 420-4532. Mon – Fri: 10am – 9pm, Sat: 9am – 9pm, Sun: 10am – 9pm. 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Page 2 • Friday, January 2, 2004 • Palo Alto Weekly UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis CITY COUNCIL Beecham, Burch unopposed Mayor, vice mayor should be elected Monday night by Don Kazak quiet, calm Monday night is and Nancy Lytle upset the tradi- in store for the Palo Alto tional mayoral election by asking A City Council — in stark questions and — in Lytle’s case contrast to the tumultuous meet- — making very critical comments ing a year ago when Dena Mossar about Mossar’s ability to handle was elected mayor after sharp the job. question and criticism by col- Council members, along with leagues. many in the packed chambers who No one has emerged to chal- expected a celebration, were lenge Bern Beecham’s election as shocked by Lytle’s comments that mayor on Monday night. set a tone of contentiousness Beecham served as vice mayor the throughout the year. previous year. That won’t happen Monday It also seems as if Jim Burch night, from all indications. Lytle will sail into the vice mayor posi- is off the council, losing her re- tion, with colleague Judy election bid in November. Kleinberg deferring her hopes for Freeman said she doesn’t plan on a year. questioning the mayoral and vice “I want to express deep appreci- mayoral candidates this time. ation to Judy for doing that,” Freeman, however, does think Burch said. “I hope that’s an indi- that the ceremonial aspect of cation of the kind of cooperation Monday night’s election, with rel- we can take into the new year.” atives in the audience and a recep- That would also be different tion, should be separated from the than last year when vote itself. Councilwomen Hillary Freeman (continued on page 7) COMMUNITY Children’s Library reaches fund-raising goal City to match $1.1 million in donations by Rachel Metz he Children’s Library got a library’s Buy-A-Brick campaign, nice holiday gift this year — she said. The bricks cost $250 and T by Christmas Eve it met its purchasers can have them inscribed. year-end goal of raising $1.1 million After construction ends, they’ll be for renovations. placed in the Secret Garden behind Norbert von der Groeben “We’re thrilled,” Palo Alto the library. Library Foundation President Kathy “People want to do something Miller said. really special. It’s a nice thing to do,” The Children’s Library Fund she said. Committee — which includes the Wing also credited donors’ urge to Palo Alto Library Foundation, get in a donation by the end of the Friends of the Palo Alto Library, year so it could be claimed as a 2003 Library Advisory Commission and tax credit. city library staff — spearheaded the But even with their $1.1 million fund-raising effort. The donations goal checked off, library backers Walking in the rain will be used with $1.2 million in aren’t resting on their laurels. A passerby stays dry under an umbrella as she walks past Country Sun Natural Foods on California Avenue. city funding to fix-up the library. Over the next two years they need After years of frustration sur- to raise about $200,000 for furni- rounding the sad state of city ture, fixtures and equipment, libraries, the library community pre- Miller said. vailed, Miller said. They’re also working out how to Bad sign for the new year? “The good news is, philanthropy is transfer donations to the city so the Thief steals Downtown North resident’s signs supporting roadblock alive and well in Palo Alto. We real- library organizations will have some ly do have a generous community. role in the final design. They also by Rachel Metz This “Grinch,” as neighborhood June as part of a city project The library will be renovated and want to ensure donor wishes and resident Rob Williams calls him, aimed at stopping drivers from expanded. It’s going to be a fabulous expectations are fulfilled, she said. hile the Grinch is well- showed up twice right around using some neighborhood streets facility and it’s about time for that to Miller isn’t worried about the known for stealing Christmas and stole signs that as shortcuts to get from happen here,” she said. work ahead, and she’s extremely W Christmas, this year he read “traffic calming works” from Middlefield Road to Alma Street. Lately, donations have kicked into happy about how fund raising has had a hankering for something a Williams’ and several other neigh- In June 2003 Palo Alto put seven high gear, supervising librarian gone so far. little less festive — signs support- bors’ yards. blockades on Downtown North Melinda Wing said. One popular “It really was amazing how gener- ing traffic calming in Palo Alto’s The signs refer to controversial (continued on page 7) fund-raising item has been the ous people were,” she said. ■ Downtown North neighborhood. roadblocks put in place this past Palo Alto Weekly • Friday, January 2, 2004 • Page 3 Upfront PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 CIVIC CENTER, 250 HAMILTON AVENUE (650) 326-8210 BROADCAST LIVE ON KZSU, FM 90.1 PUBLISHER CABLECAST LIVE ON GOVERNMENT ACCESS William S. Johnson CHANNEL 26 EDITORIAL Jay Thorwaldson, Editor COUNCIL AGENDA HOTLINE: 329-2477 Marc Burkhardt, Managing Editor Jennifer Aquino, Associate Editor ReaderWireReader comments via e-mail, voice mail and U.S. mail Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Jocelyn Dong, (TENTATIVE) AGENDA – REGULAR MEETING - Assistant Editors COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM Keith Peters, Sports Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor determine whether a verifiable health January 5, 2004 , 7:00 P.M. Bicycle safety Robyn Israel, Arts & Entertainment Editor and safety threat existed in downtown Don Kazak, Senior Staff Writer SWEARING IN OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS BERN BEECHAM, Bill D’Agostino, Rachel Metz, Grace Rauh, I concur with Mr. Goldeen’s sugges- north. Unless such a threat can be LADORIS CORDELL, JUDY KLEINBERG, AND DENA MOSSAR Staff Writers tion (Weekly, Dec. 26) that bicyclists shown, the streets must be opened and Norbert von der Groeben, Chief Photographer use the Palo Alto bike route as opposed available for use by all the citizens of WILL OCCUR Don Feria, Staff Photographer Tyler Hanley, Assistant to the Editor & Online to Middlefield Road. Palo Alto and our neighboring commu- 1. Election of Mayor land Vice Mayor Editor However, I would like to correct his nities. Sue Dremann, Calendar Editor, Special 2. Resolution Commending the Outstanding Public Service of Dena Sections reference to the “C.A.R. Senior Center.” I have attended informational meet- Mossar as Mayor Jeanne Aufmuth, Rick Chandler, Lynn I presume he meant C.A.R. (The ings and have listened to the directors Comeskey, Karen Dachey, Tim Goode, Community Association for 3. Resolution Commending the Outstanding Public Service e of Nancy Jim Shelby, Jill Slater, Susan Tavernetti, of the traffic planning commission dis- Lytle as Council Member Robert Taylor, Contributors Rehabilitation, Inc.), whose seven pro- cuss this matter in detail. Clearly there 4. Selection of Candidates for the Library Advisory Commission (LAC) Lorraine Saunders, Lia Steakley, Editorial grams (including the Betty Wright Swim is no health and safety threat in this nd Interns 5. 2 Reading - Ordinance Authorizing the City Manager to Purchase a Scott Stuppi, Photo Intern Center) have been serving people of all instance. The courts have consistently Portion of the City’s Electricity Requirements from Certain Prequalified DESIGN ages with developmental and other dis- refused to allow public streets to Electricity Suppliers Under Specified Terms and Conditions During Carol Hubenthal, Design Director abilities since 1963. become private enclaves for a few with- Calendar Years 2004 Through 2011, Inclusive (1st Reading 12/15/2003, Judith Alderman, Assistant Design Director Diane Haas, Lynda Lumish, Sue Peck, Senior He is correct in that the bike path out the presence of such a threat. Passed 8-1, Lytle absent) Designers; goes right past our offices on Everyone wants less traffic with qui- nd 6. 2 Reading - Ordinance Amending Section 2.08.200 of Chapter 2.08 of Mindi Casillas, Elise Eisenman, Charleston and Middlefield roads, and eter streets. It is a worthy goal, but as Title 2 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Effect Changes to the Duties Dana James, Scott Peterson, Designers Ben Ho, Design Intern yes, it is a much nicer commute on a a matter of law cannot be attained at of the Director of Utilities and Changes in the Organizational Structure of PRODUCTION bike than in a car.