Palo 6°Ê888]Ê ÕLiÀÊÇÎÊUÊ7i`iÃ`>Þ]ÊÕiÊ£n]ÊÓäänÊ N xäZ Alto Audit to probe all ‘Friends’ groups Page 3 The last Palo Alto’s only mobile-home park still stands refuge Vernon Danielle page 15 Talk about the news at Town Square, www.PaloAltoOnline.com NUpfront Council close to selecting city manager Page 3 NSchool’s Out Kids bid farewell to Heffalump mentor Page 21 NSports Stanford baseball faces elimination Page 25 apr.com It's just one click to a complete list of virtually all homes for sale in the Bay Area. PALO ALTO Stunning 2500+/-sf home with attention to detail and modern functionality. Open formal dining area and spacious family room with expansive arched window overlooking rear courtyard. Luxurious master suite with private balcony and hardwood flooring. $2,350,000 PALO ALTO Exquisitely designed French style home with charm and high end appointments throughout. Gourmet kitchen with granite breakfast bar adjoins the family room and has Thermador appliances and custom cabinetry. 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Private balcony and two underground parking spaces. $655,000 apr.com | PALO ALTO OFFICE 578 University Avenue 650.323.1111 APR COUNTIES | Santa Clara | San Mateo | San Francisco | Alameda | Contra Costa | Monterey | Santa Cruz Page 2ÊUÊ7i`iÃ`>Þ]ÊÕiÊ£n]ÊÓäänÊUÊ*>ÊÌÊ7iiÞ UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Sweeping audit to include ‘Friends’ groups Palo Alto city manager’s upcoming funds-handling audit aren’t the primary focus of the re- the possibility Monday night that it dren’s Theatre, the Friends of the Ju- will include city’s nonprofit support groups view, Deputy City Manager Kelly might reassign the task to the next nior Museum and Zoo, the Palo Alto Morariu said Monday. city auditor, expected to be hired this Library Foundation, the Friends of by Becky Trout The city is currently searching for summer. the Palo Alto Libraries and the Palo a consultant to conduct the investiga- Morariu said staff would cancel Alto Art Center Foundation. s part of the spiraling Palo Alto The examinations will be part of tion. That accountant or auditor will the currently circulating request for The theater’s Friends group was Children’s Theatre contro- City Manager Frank Benest’s pend- be instructed to “review agreements proposals if the council decides to involved in the Police Department’s A versy, the community’s many ing citywide review of how all city with outside nonprofit ‘Friends’ curtail, change or reassign the re- 11-month investigation of suspected “Friends” groups — nonprofit sup- departments handle cash, purchas- groups and evaluate whether appro- view. embezzlement at the Children’s The- port organizations for city programs ing requests, travel and reimburse- priate financial controls exist within Fundraising organizations include atre. The probe ended May 15 with — will soon face scrutiny, the Week- ments. these agreements.” the Palo Alto Recreation Foundation, ly has learned. The city’s many support groups However, the City Council raised the Friends of the Palo Alto Chil- Ê­VÌÕi`ÊÊ«>}iÊÇ® CITY HALL City-manager search narrows Field of 42 applicants believed to be down to one by Becky Trout fter a day of interviews Sun- day and a relatively brief Apersonnel session Monday night, the Palo Alto City Council is keeping mum on the status of its search for a new city manager. The search may have narrowed from three to one, however, ac- cording to procedures outlined by the city. If so, a delegation from Palo Alto will be visiting the top candidate’s home community within the week to talk to local officials and others about the can- >ÀiiÊ ÕV >À` didate. The council delegation to the home community consists of May- or Larry Klein, Vice Mayor Peter Drekmeier and council members Pat Burt and Yoriko Kishimoto, Hugs for grads the Weekly has learned. Rebecca Roeduger, left, celebrates during the final moments of Stanford’s graduation ceremony Sunday, when she received her bachelor’s degree. The council has not revealed any details about the three final- ists to protect the candidates’ pri- TECHNOLOGY Shailendra Jain, 40, such “geo-da- Users later upload their tracks to vacy, except to disclose that they ta” can be used to not only make the site, adding photos and notes are all men. diaries like the cyclist’s but also if they like, naming the route and “I can just say I’m very excited Putting ‘where’ improve other Web services, from choosing whether or not to share it about some really great candi- photo-sharing sites to shopping. with the public. dates,” Kishimoto said of the fi- Abaqus’ company headquarters The software, available at www. nalists. Other council members into the Web is a room in Jain’s downtown Palo abaq.us, is free for those with geo- also indicated they were pleased Alto apartment. enabled devices but costs about with the caliber of the applicants Headquartered in a Palo Alto apartment, start-up Sitting alongside an enormous $10 for software to make other generally. collects and stores users’ whereabouts world map, his chair edged with devices compatible. Jain’s goal is On Sunday, the finalists spent continents and oceans, Jain has to make it completely free by the the morning in interviews with by Arden Pennell been working on getting the start- end of this year, pending business community leaders and senior city n the computer screen, a red ry” created with software from up running since last fall. He has deals with device manufacturers, staff members. Then the council line snaked across a map of Abaqus, a Palo Alto-based start- already founded two start-ups be- he said. conducted interviews throughout O State Highway 17, showing up company offering software that fore Abaqus. Geo-diaries such as the cyclist’s the afternoon. the unicyclist’s route through the collects users’ geographical data. Last week, Abaqus went live. are an obvious use for Abaqus Members of the community pan- Santa Cruz mountains. The route The firm’s software allows cy- The site works by either using software. Using diaries, sporting el included Planning and Trans- was dotted with pictures of the cy- clists, wanderers and anyone else embedded software or providing enthusiasts could share tips and portation Commission Chair- clist paused near shrubby hills and in motion to track their steps, store downloadable software for users’ trips. Chowhounds could track woman Karen Holman, Planning notes like, “This one isn’t even a the information online and share it geo-enabled devices, including culinary escapades. And friends and Transportation Commissioner 1/4 mile but is wicked steep.” with others, if desired. some cellular phones, car GPS de- could see each other’s daily per- Samir Tuma, School Board mem- It was a personal “geo-dia- According to CEO and founder vices and even certain cameras. ber Camille Townsend, former Ê­VÌÕi`ÊÊ«>}iÊÇ® Ê­VÌÕi`ÊÊ«>}iÊÇ® *>ÊÌÊ7iiÞÊUÊ7i`iÃ`>Þ]ÊÕiÊ£n]ÊÓäänÊU Page 3 )&)43./4).4()36!5,4 )43./43!&% 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER Our William S. Johnson EDITORIAL Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Jocelyn Dong, Managing Editor Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Associate Editors Keith Peters, Sports Editor Town Tyler Hanley, Online Editor by Don Kazak Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Don Kazak, Senior Staff Writer Arden Pennell, Becky Trout, Staff Writers Wisdom for the grads Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant LOS ALTOS VAULT & SAFE DEPOSIT CO. Marjan Sadoughi, Veronica Weber, Staff he cheering and applause start- “We encourage our students to Photographers ed when the crowd glimpsed make an impact on the world, and A private depository Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Bentson, Oprah Winfrey as she entered Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Jack McKinnon, T few have done it better than her,” Safe deposit boxes of all sizes 7 Ê, Ê£t Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Craig Wentz, Stanford Stadium Sunday morning Hennessy said. Strict and total confi dentiality / iÀiÊÃÊ ÊÓ Contributors near the end of the long faculty pro- Winfrey was the keynote speaker 6 Ê/t Monica Guzman, Jillian Keenan, cessional. in part because her goddaughter was Secured and ample parking Alex Papoulias, Veronica Sudekum, Editorial Interns The families and friends gath- graduating. In the spirit of the day, For your own sake we should have your business. David Cenzer, Danielle Vernon, Photography ered to watch the commencement the book-loving Winfey gave a gift Intern Visit our facilities and judge for yourself. had been happily watching the un- of books to all the grads, neatly tied DESIGN Data bank for important and confi dential records. Shannon Corey, Design Director dergraduates cavort on the stadium by ribbons sitting on the chairs for Diane Haas, Sue Peck, Senior Designers field, wearing costumes and car- each student. Dana James, Paul Llewellyn, rying balloons while the graduate “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HACKERS TO PENETRATE OUR Charmaine Mirsky, Scott Peterson, Designers COMPUTER SYSTEM. REASON — WE HAVE NO COMPUTERS. students and then the faculty made and “A Whole New Mind” by Dan- PRODUCTION more stately entrances, walking in iel H. Pink are two of her favorite WE DO BUSINESS THE OLD FASHIONED WAY. Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Blanca Yoc, files. books, she said. Sales & Production Coordinators 121 First Street, Los Altos, CA 94022 The Stanford Jazz Workshop “I would have given you cards, but ADVERTISING Commencement Ensemble had been I couldn’t get it together,” she said to Tel: 650-949-5891 www.losaltosvault.com Vern Ingraham, Advertising Director playing its elegant version of Elgar’s laughter.