Vol. XXVII, Number 84 • Friday, July 21, 2006 ■ 50¢ Check out the Weekly’s new online classifieds at fogster.com WeeklyWeekend Edition The magic of Mozart www.PaloAltoOnline.com Page 13 The camera eye Midpeninsula residents explore the inner world of flowers Page 9 Norbert von der Groeben Worth A Look 14 Eating Out 15 Movie Times 22 Goings On 25 Crossword Puzzle Inside ■ Upfront A comeback for fiber ring? Page 3 ■ Sports Local girls head for national track meets Page 29 ■ Home And Real Estate Escape from the heat Inside LUCILE PACKARD CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL UNIVERSITY Provided by Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Your Child’s Health University Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital offers classes and seminars designed to foster good health and enhance the lives of parents and children. F PREPARING FOR MULTIPLES Are you expecting twins, triplets or more? With the potential for early delivery, parents of multiples should schedule a childbirth course in advance to learn everything there is to know about delivering and caring for multiple infants. - Monday, July 24 & 31 F CESAREAN BIRTH CLASS This two-hour class is taught by a labor and delivery nurse childbirth educator who helps prepare families for cesarean delivery. Information about vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) will also be discussed. - Wednesday, August 2 F MULTIPLES BREASTFEEDING SEMINAR Specifically designed for those who are planning to breastfeed twins or more, participate in this discussion with a certified lactation consultant who is focused on your special needs. This seminar is only offered every 2–3 months, so we encourage you to join us. - Thursday, August 3 F BREASTFEEDING SEMINAR While breastfeeding is natural, the process may not come as naturally as one might expect. Our certified lactation consultant provides tips for breastfeeding success as well as information about prenatal preparation for breastfeeding. - Tuesday, August 29 Call (650) 723-4600 or visit www.lpch.org to register or obtain more information on the times, locations and fees for these and other courses. LUCILE PACKARD CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CALL TODAY TO SIGN UP FOR CLASSES (650) 723-4600 Page 2 • Friday, July 21, 2006 • Palo Alto Weekly UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Could fiber ring be making a comeback? Council finance committee ing some details. cost estimated as high as $40 mil- RFP document said they would They agreed to keep the bid-so- lion, was rejected as too risky by the make the changes in time to submit approves request for proposals licitation as open-ended as possible council. to the full council in early August, by Jay Thorwaldson to see what kind of proposals the Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) service just before the council’s annual city receives. The plan envisions a could be included as well, although month-long break. so-called “public-private Council’s Finance Committee. private entity helping the city install a possible countywide or regional The plan envisions providing a partnership” to provide Palo Committee Chair Yoriko Kishi- a fiber-optic system throughout the Wi-Fi system is in the works for two-way 100-megabit-per-second A Alto homes with access to moto and members Larry Klein and community, as opposed to a major Silicon Valley. service throughout the community, some type of high-speed broadband Bern Beecham approved a “request city-only investment. Last year, a Administrative Services Director with a possible delay for homes west Internet connection was recom- for proposals” after reviewing it plan for the city to install a fiber- Carl Yeats and other staff members of I-280 in the sparsely populated mended Tuesday night by the City with city staff members and tweak- to-the-home (FTTH) network, at a who worked on the half-inch-thick (continued on page 5) TRANSPORTATION Bicyclist asks for safer Stanford Avenue No immediate plan in the works by Bill D’Agostino ocal bicycle advocates hope to get some upgrades this year L to Stanford Avenue, long a treacherous trouble spot. The road, which intersects Juni- pero Serra Boulevard, is used by hikers who park their cars there be- fore climbing to the Stanford Dish. Although drivers are supposed to park off the pavement, many auto- mobiles end up at least partly in the bike lane. Rich Swent, chair of the Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Commission, has been honked and shouted at for rid- ing in the center of the right lane, Norbert von der Groeben which he says is the only safe place to be. Even more dangerous: Cars speed and pass in the opposite lane, even when there’s oncoming traffic. “A lot of people can’t stand to be behind a bicyclist any length of time in a car, even if passing doesn’t gain them anything,” Swent said. A crow takes flight at Ramos Park on East Meadow Drive Wednesday evening. Residents have seen more of the large, noisy birds recently. The road, which Santa Clara County maintains, is full of potholes led some to wonder where they crows they take in are oversized and cracks, he added. Plus, prohib- PALO ALTO came from, and why. and rambunctious. ited U-turns are common. “They appear in flocks in these “They scream constantly,” she The bicycle commission is asking large redwoods,” said Phillip Cory, said, “even when you cover their for the issue to come before a joint Counting crows 17, pointing across the street from eyes” — a typical method for se- meeting with county officials, neigh- Residents take note of flocks of larger, his house on Emerson. “They’re dating the birds. bors and university representatives. large, and very noisy.” Some residents wonder if the The next meeting is in September. noisier birds in town Melanie Wilensky, who has crows are not crows at all, but in “I don’t think it’s going to get by Cyrus Hedayati lived in Palo Alto for 23 years, has fact ravens. solved anytime soon but we can also noticed the birds. Noppinger, however, said these make some improvements,” said orin Grunwald’s dog, Hap- “They’re like black sea gulls,” “They’ll perch on top of the red- crows may be the size of the larger Swent, who at minimum would like py, loves chasing birds. he said. woods as high as they can go,” she raven, but have the semi-circle tail better notification that bicyclists are S But since moving from Other residents of Midtown, said. “Usually they have an alpha- and narrow beaks unique to the allowed to share the road. “Things San Antonio Road to the Mid- Old Palo Alto and other Palo type perched on the top, and then crow. Ravens have a pointy tail haven’t gotten any better by ignor- town neighborhood a year ago, Alto neighborhoods say they’ve they’ll sort of talk to each other.” and wider beak. ing it.” Grunwald has noticed the crows seen — and heard — these larg- Liz Noppinger, animal-control In the summer, crows break Dan Collen, deputy director of Happy chases in Greer Park are er, louder and more numerous coordinator at Wildlife Rescue, into pairs to mate and create county roads and airports, said the larger than usual. crows. The sizeable flocks have has noticed a trend: Many of the (continued on page 5) county is open to exploring options (continued on page 5) Palo Alto Weekly • Friday, July 21, 2006 • Page 3 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 (650) 326-8210 More than an art store PUBLISHER William S. Johnson ReaderReaderWire comments via e-mail, voice mail and U.S. mail EDITORIAL Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Marc Burkhardt, Managing Editor Rat trap dealership space on El Camino Real Jocelyn Dong, Associate Editor in Menlo Park. It already has facilities Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Assistant Editors I am writing to thank the anony- “The frame Keith Peters, Sports Editor mous City of Palo Alto dispatcher for repair and maintenance. Relocate Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor who very calmly and gently handled the Municipal Services Center to this Don Kazak, Senior Staff Writer space and to the space by the Palo makes Alexandria Rocha, Staff Writer my distress call early Saturday morn- Norbert von der Groeben, Chief Photographer ing. Alto Airport. Nicholas Wright, Staff Photographer Adam Heyman, Photo Intern I had returned home shortly before Anything that can’t be squeezed the art.” Tyler Hanley, Assistant to the Editor & into these two spaces can be stored Online Editor 1 a.m. and found (to my horror) that Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections a roof rat was trapped in the space at the lot at the end of San Antonio Cammie Farmer, Calendar Editor 267 Hamilton Avenue, Downtown Palo Alto Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Bentson, between the sliding glass door and Road. Build the new auto mall on the Lynn Comeskey, Tim Goode, Jill Slater, current Municipal Services Center 650.328.3500 www.universityart.com Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Contributors the screen door of my bedroom. Anabel Lee, Andrew Thompson, Editorial Interns I am, unfortunately, familiar with and have the car dealers move in. Also in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento Brooke Thomas, Arts & Entertainment Intern the roof rats that roam the upper Then re-examine the real need for DESIGN space for the Municipal Services Cen- Carol Hubenthal, Design Director reaches of south Palo Alto. And I Diane Haas, Sue Peck, Senior Designers; know, from personal experience, that ter and what a cost-effective solution Royd Hatta, Dana James, Paul Llewellyn, there is a “deceased animal pickup” would be. Charmaine Mirsky, Scott Peterson, Designers service that will come retrieve the Marc Fleischmann PRODUCTION Wellsbury Way, Palo Alto Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager carcasses that my cat occasionally Dorothy Hassett, Brooke Fox, leaves for me to find as I stumble to Sales & Production Coordinators my coffee maker in the morning.