Palo Vol. XXXVII, Number 45 Q August 12, 2016 Alto Is Palo Alto only for “Joe Millionaires”? Page 7 www.PaloAltoOnline.comw ww.P a l o A l t o O n l i n e . com Educators zero INSIDE in on class size, student wellness in new year Palo Alto Page 23 Adult School course listings Pulse 12 Eating Out 15 Movies 17 Home & Real Estate 27 Puzzles 45 QArts New Works Festival features eclectic lineup Page 13 QFall Class Guide Find a new hobby or skill Page 19 QSports Palo Alto’s Zhang cherishes Olympic experience Page 51 Stanford Express Care Express Care When You Need It Stanford Express Care clinic is an extension of Primary Care services at Stanford, offering same or next day appointments for minor illness or injuries that require timely treatment. Our dedicated team of Primary Care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants treat all ages and most minor illnesses and injuries, including: • Colds and flu • Headaches EL CAMINO REAL DOWNTOWN • Rashes • Back pain PALO ALTO • Gastrointestinal problems • Sports injuries PALO ALTO TRAIN STATION & TRANSIT CENTER STANFORD • • SHOPPING ALMA ST Bladder infections Minor cuts CENTER Y AVE SIT PALO RD UNIVER Marguerite Shuttle St Express Care hours: Monday–Sunday, 9:00am–9:00pm. QUARRY RD HOOVER PAVILION op Construction area PALM DR For more information, please call 650.736.5211 or visit us online at stanfordhealthcare.org/expresscare Stanford Hoover Pavilion 211 Quarry Road, Suite 202 Palo Alto, CA 94304 Page 2 • August 12, 2016 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com For Lease 621 Georgia Avenue, Palo Alto $ 8,500 / Month Beds 5 | Baths 3 | Home ~ 2,454 sq. ft. | Lot ~ 11,307 sq. ft. video tour | www.schoelerman.com Curious About Your Homes Equity Value? Call 650-855-9700 for the Answer Sold Over $275,000,000 of Homes Jackie Richard 650-855-9700 650-566-8033 [email protected] [email protected] BRE # 01092400 BRE # 01413607 www.schoelerman.com www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • August 12, 2016 • Page 3 OPEN EVERY SATURDAY TO THE PUBLIC 2-5PM & FREE PARKING 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park Parking lot 15 Facebook Farmers Market Fresh Produce Food trucks Family Games Flowers Specialty cocktails KIDs ZONE Local Artisans Free Parking Craft Beers &Wine Cooking demos Saturday August 13 “Backto School” Live Music from Melted State & Dogcatcher also featuring Marine Science Institute School of Rock & Back to School cooking demos Page 4 • August 12, 2016 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Council race heats up in Palo Alto Planning commissioners, citizen volunteers announce Carl, a member of the group Sky by Mayor Pat Burt and Councilman tional city in the future.” He rejects candidacies, vow to address city’s ‘housing crisis’ Posse, which focuses on airplane Greg Schmid, who are terming out. characterizations of himself as ei- noise; and retired civics teacher The list of newly confirmed can- ther pro- or anti-development, but by Gennady Sheyner John Fredrich, who also ran in 2014. didates includes two native Palo stressed the importance of building If all of them run, there would Altans who currently chair local more housing through community ith just days to go until shortage as a key area of concern. be 11 candidates vying for four commissions: Fine and Stone. Fine, collaboration. the filing deadline, the In addition to the four — Adrian seats on the nine-seat council. chair of the Planning and Transpor- “We have a bit of a monoculture W race for the City Coun- Fine, Greer Stone, Don McDou- Councilwoman Liz Kniss is the tation Commission, confirmed this here where we have these amazing cil in Palo Alto is suddenly heat- gall and Michelle Kraus — several only incumbent who is seeking a week that he will seek a seat on the single-family neighborhoods and ing up, with four residents con- other residents have pulled papers, re-election. In addition, there will council. In an interview, Fine said it’s great, and they need to be pro- firming this week that they will suggesting that they are considering be three open seats: one vacated by he is running because he wants to tected and preserved,” Fine said. vie for a seat in November and a run. This includes planning com- Marc Berman, who is running for work toward making Palo Alto an each pointing to the city’s housing missioner Greg Tanaka; Stewart the state Assembly, and two vacated “inclusive, walkable, multi-genera- (continued on page 10) TRANSPORTATION Public weighs in on new paratransit contract Riders want expanded, streamlined service by Sue Dremann aratransit users are urg- pand paratransit service to routes ing transportation officials served by the Palo Alto Shuttle, Pto keep services available Stanford Marguerite and Moun- along fixed bus routes that could tain View Community Shuttle. be potentially dropped when the Meanwhile, paratransit riders at Valley Transportation Authority the Campbell meeting signaled they (VTA) restructures its bus and would remain vigilant when it comes Veronica Weber light rail system. to any proposed cuts to services or At a public comments meeting in raised fares. The riders wanted to Campbell on Aug. 9, some made it know whom to contact and how clear that VTA should plan for the to reach board members who will wave of aging residents and ensure make those decisions, they said. New floodwalls and channel widening are among the flood-control measures that will take place adequate funding in proportion to The status of VTA bus lines and along the San Francisquito Creek (which flows through East Palo Alto, Palo Alto and Menlo increasing populations of seniors light rail are of particular concern Park) as part of a flood-protection plan that got underway Aug. 5. and disabled persons. Many can- to persons who rely on paratransit not use conventional public trans- services. Paratransit is linked to portation. They don’t want fewer “fixed” bus or light rail lines. If a ENVIRONMENT connections, but more, they said. line is eliminated, it is likely the Tuesday’s meeting by VTA of- paratransit service could be elim- ficials was to gather input from inated for patrons who accessed Massive flood-control project paratransit users regarding services services near those fixed lines, they want from an operator. It did said Aaron Vogel, VTA regional not cover service areas or other transportation services manager. in the Palo Alto Baylands kicks off policy issues, which will be part of That loss could potentially af- the NextNetwork restructuring plan fect Palo Alto paratransit users. Momentous groundbreaking signals beginning of the end currently being developed. But rid- At a community meeting for the of flooding for local residents ers made it clear that protecting their NextNetwork in May, VTA offi- existing access and expanding the cials unveiled preliminary con- by Sue Dremann network is foremost on their minds. cepts that could eliminate some VTA, which has decided to or all of Palo Alto’s fixed-route, ighty years after the en- one looked down at the nearby water flow that includes an ex- cancel its paratransit services intra-city bus lines (the 88, 89 and actment of the federal rooftops of East Palo Alto resi- treme tide with more than two contract with Outreach & Escort, 35). Eliminating those lines could E Flood Control Act, a de- dents. In a 100-year flood, all feet of sea-level rise, a so-called Inc., asked for public feedback at also mean a potential loss of para- cades-in-the-making flood-pro- of those roofs could be under 100-year event, SFJPA Executive special meetings on Aug. 8 and 9 transit services along those routes. tection effort on San Francis- water, and residents might have Director Len Materman said. as the agency develops a request But the VTA Board of Directors quito Creek is finally underway. little or no chance to escape, The project includes new for proposals for a new paratransit could elect to change its policy, Vo- On Aug. 5, officials from the said members of the SFJPA, flood walls near private prop- operator. No meetings were sched- gel said, and that isn’t unprecedent- San Francisquito Creek Joint Pow- which is managing the project. erty constraining the channel, uled for Palo Alto or north county ed. Under Federal Transit Admin- ers Authority (SFJPA) and numer- But Friday’s groundbreaking widening the creek by building a cities, which also use the services. istration rules paratransit services ous public officials gathered for a signaled the beginning of the new levee through the Palo Alto Arthur Keller, a former Palo must be offered within three quar- groundbreaking ceremony on top end of flood woes for residents. Municipal Golf Course, rebuild- Alto planning and transportation ters of a mile of a fixed route. VTA of a levee in East Palo Alto to cel- The $41.35 million project’s first ing the existing levee adjacent to commissioner and candidate run- offers paratransit service one mile ebrate getting the first phase of a phase, the Bay to U.S. Highway East Palo Alto homes and exca- ning for Palo Alto City Council, past that three-quarter-mile require- massive project started. 101 segment, will protect 5,700 vating decades of sediment that sent an Aug. 3 email to city plan- ment as a premium service, he said. The vantage point provided a homes and businesses in East has built up in the channel. Most ning and transportation officials, Riders at the Campbell meet- sobering backdrop to the morn- Palo Alto and parts of Menlo asking them to petition VTA dur- ing said they want to travel further ing’s event: from atop the levee, Park and Palo Alto from a high- (continued on page 9) ing the public comment period, which ended on Wednesday, to ex- (continued on page 8) www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • August 12, 2016 • Page 5 Upfront 450 Cambridge Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306 QUOTE OF THE WEEK (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER William S.