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Kevin Skelly is 'taking these matters seriously'

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:01:03 PST

"I am taking these matters seriously," Palo Alto schools Superintendent Kevin Skelly told the Weekly Friday relating to allegations of inappropriate methods used by Palo Alto High School administrators pursuing "egg wars" participants. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14642 posted Friday, November 20, 2009, 5:52 PM

Paly hosts event for 'survivors of suicide loss'

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:38:28 PST

Palo Alto High School will be a host site for the "National Survivors of Suicide Loss Day" Saturday starting at 9 a.m. The event is sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14640 posted Friday, November 20, 2009, 3:26 PM

Park planned for children with disabilities

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:08:34 PST

Palo Alto's 34 parks are filled with children zooming down slides and swooping in wide arcs on swings. But 6-year-old Ava Villarreal can only sit by the sideline, watching. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11981 posted Friday, November 20, 2009, 12:00 AM

Pedersen leads the way in home opening victory

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:32:54 PST

Kayla Pedersen scored 22 points and had nine rebounds in helping the Stanford women's basketball to a 99-50 victory over visiting Pepperdine in its home opener on Thursday night. Jeanette Pohlen added 20 points as the second-ranked Cardinal (3-0) won its 11th consecutive home opener. Jayne Appel had 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14632 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:53 PM

Ho-ho hum?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:24:02 PST

Low sales and high unemployment numbers in Silicon Valley could signal a poor spending season for already struggling retailers. Owners of some Palo Alto shops are reporting a 10 percent decline in sales over last year and express grave concerns for the bottom lines. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14621 posted Friday, November 20, 2009, 8:49 AM

A Call to Serve on Palo Alto Commissions

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:05:09 PST

I have been on the City of Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission since 2004, and I am applying again as my term expires the end of this year. I am hopeful that City Council re-appoints me. 3 of my colleagues whose terms also expire the end of this year have decided for various reasons not to "re-up." My understanding is that very few people have applied to fill the vacant positions on this commission. I also have heard around City Hall that this is the case with other commission openings that are open. I am deeply troubled that for all the talk of "civic engagement," and what appears to this writer as plenty of people with points of view around various matters Palo Alto, we are unable to attract a good number of quality candidates to fulfill these important responsibilities. City Council ultimately decides policy matters, as our elected representatives. And they rely a great deal on what the various Commissions recommend to them. Council values the depth of knowledge and amount of time Commissions have to delve into issues that Council cannot, since they have only so much bandwidth. The time commitment for serving on a Commission varies by the Commission and the degree of participation individual members choose to put into it. Speaking for myself, I run a small company in Fremont and am going through a divorce, both of which take up a great deal of my time. I still am able to participate on the Parks and Recreation Commission as we have our regular monthly meetings, special community meetings (such as the recent one about "The Dog Matter,") and meeting with staff about various topics that the Commission is addressing. I know many people are busy with their jobs and their families, and are not able to allocate time to the duties of a Commissioner. By the same token, there are many capable people in town who are engaged in what goes on here and who can, if they choose to, make the time and energy commitment to take on these duties. These duties are an important part of what makes Palo Alto the type of city that it is, it is not busy work. It is policy work. I am honored to have this blog space on the Weekly's On-Line service, and I am even more honored how many of you read it, and tell me that when I have a face to face encounter. I hope this posting is taken as a call to action for many of you to apply for a Commission opening that is of interest to you and where you can add value to the Community. If you want to know what positions are open, please go to the City of Palo Alto web site or contact the City Clerk's office. And good luck to those of you who decide to apply.

Man, 20, killed in East Palo Alto shooting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:01:40 PST

A 20-year-old man was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting in East Palo Alto Thursday afternoon, according to police. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14634 posted Friday, November 20, 2009, 9:38 AM

There will be more at stake in Big Game than just the Axe

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:28:24 PST

There have been stranger weeks leading up to the Big Game than this one, but it would be difficult to find. Stanford is favored by a touchdown and who would have thought that at the beginning of the season? California was the nationally-ranked team back then, with dreams of Pac-10 titles and the BCS championship series dancing in its heads. Stanford? The Cardinal would have been lucky to win six games and play in a mid-December bowl game. These days it's the Cardinal that is dreaming of a New Year's Day Bowl. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14627 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 4:37 PM

Squirrel Education & Relocation

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:36:29 PST

Gunn High School has every intention of educating our squirrels so they will be prepared for their Study-Abroad program.

Guest Opinion: Lytton Plaza: The right place, but is it the right name?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:21 PST

Next month construction fencing will come down in downtown Palo Alto and the much anticipated, renovated Lytton Plaza will open in a grand manner. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11992 posted Friday, November 20, 2009, 12:00 AM

Gunn to kill all squirrels -asap!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:07:49 PST

There is an on going debate within the Gunn staff, YOUR OPINION IS NEEDED! A few employees at Gunn High have had wires on their cars chewed. They parked by an oak tree and dumpster. The squirrels were blamed, although there are rats and mice by the dumpster too. A school admin. sent an email to the staff and advised an exterminator will kills the all squirrels on campus and not to park in this one particular area. My question is this, isn't this a Palo Alto community topic? Shouldn't the community have dialogue to help educate ways to prevent the squirrels from chewing things before killing them? There has been NO effort to correct the problem, just the order to exterminate. What do you think? Please contact Tom Jacoubowsky at tjacoubowsky@pausd.org and Chuck McDonnell @ cmcdonnell@pausd.org An email to Noreen Likins wouldn't hurt either. Thank you. A concerned Gunn employee

Yard waste disposal

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:04:58 PST

My neighbors in my condo complex have some yard waste to dispose of, but we don't have one of those special yard waste bins. Is there an alternative way to package it so they'll take it on our normal collection day (as yard waste, not as trash)?

Paly's next volleyball win could be biggest ever

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:46:11 PST

The Mitty girls' volleyball team is ranked No. 1 in the nation, with a 35-0 record. The Monarchs have won six straight Central Coast Section titles, failing to do so only once this decade. Palo Alto, however, is not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14617 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:42 AM

Weekly announces new online 'virtual edition'

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:50:18 PST

A new enhanced digital version of the Palo Alto Weekly will now be available on Palo Alto Online. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14631 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 5:33 PM

Stanford's bowl game possibilities looking good

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:48:19 PST

Good afternoon and welcome to the college football show we like to call "What Happens If." It's really rather simple. We predict an outcome, say Stanford beating California this Saturday in the Big Game and try to decipher the possible bowl opportunities. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14628 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 5:01 PM

At long last, supermarket opens in East Palo Alto

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:07:59 PST

The supermarket chain Mi Pueblo opened a 35,000-square-foot store in East Palo Alto last Saturday, filling a gaping shopping hole that has existed for three decades in the multicultural city. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14625 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 3:48 PM

Palo Alto cuts managers' benefits

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:14:14 PST

Palo Alto's professional and management workers will give up their bonus payments, receive no salary increases and pay for a greater share of their medical premiums under a new compensation plan the City Council approved this week. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14626 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 3:59 PM

Parents demand probe of 'egg war' investigation

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:02:46 PST

Angry Palo Alto High School parents are calling for a probe by the school board and district superintendent into how Paly officials conducted a two-week investigation of the Oct. 27 "egg wars" fight behind Gunn High School. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14624 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 3:43 PM

Cyclist's mother calls his death 'murder'

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:24:27 PST

Mary Ann Parker told her son, John E. Peckham, to "Be careful" when he left on a training ride Friday that ended in a fatal head-on collision with a vehicle driven by a man who was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=3622 posted Tuesday, September 12, 2006, 10:39 AM

should Palo Alto photograph all cars coming in to town?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:14:41 PST

The city of Tiburon is going to start photographing all cars entering town. The photos will be stored by the police for 30 days and if a crime is committed in that time period, the police can use the photos to help identify suspects. Palo Alto residents seem to be obsessed by criminals coming in from out of town. Should Palo Alto start photographing all visitors, just in case they later commit a crime? http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/19/BAP71ANBF4.DTL

A run at a Paly track record comes up just short

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:55:33 PST

One of the oldest records in Palo Alto High track and field history belongs to Jon Enscoe, who set the mile record in 1966 when he finished sixth at the state meet. His time, converted to the currently run 1600 meters, is 4:15.54. Paly senior-to-be Philip MacQuitty was hoping to break that mark last weekend at the annual Golden West Invitational at Folsom High near Sacramento. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11205 posted Friday, June 19, 2009, 12:00 AM

interactive bike route map for Mountain View

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:18:42 PST

The city of Mountain View has put together and cool new interactive bike route map for their city. It shows useful bike routes, as well as routes that need improvement. Palo Alto really needs something like this. http://www.mountainview2030.com/Content/10027/InteractiveMap.html

Gum is a big problem, we should get it banned in our schools and parks

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:30:36 PST

I have had it with those who throw gum where I or my kids have to walk or play. Gum on shoes and brought inside gets on carpets, car interiors, and often ruins shoes. It is also left on the underside of picnic tables, benches, and public bathrooms. I do not want to accidentally touch what someone else has chewed! Wildlife eat it. At least dog poop is usually easy to get off, and I come across more gum disposed of inconsiderably than I do dog poop. Please let's ban gum in Palo Alto, Singapore has done it and we can too.

New hotels reserving space in Palo Alto

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:28:40 PST

If Palo Alto is slogging through a recession, hotel developers apparently didn't get the memo. Three new hotel proposals would add 350 rooms, to produce tax revenues for the city. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=14615 posted Thursday, November 19, 2009, 12:05 AM

Double Secret Elementary School Information!!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:23:27 PST

I went to the prospective parent information session at Ohlone the other night. I wanted to learn more about the school and the MI program. The people running the school seem to have their hearts in the right place, with their emphasis on students' feelings, promoting self-esteem, and so on. Making these things so central to an elementary school curriculum certainly would not appeal to everyone, but since this is a choice program, it's great that there is a school that can provide these things to families who believe in such an approach. What I found surprising was the caginess on the part of the school representatives during the question and answer session. Given the school's emphasis on "trust" and the implicit respect for honesty and truth, I would expect heartfelt, straightforward responses to parents' concerns. Two examples stick out in my mind. One parent asked how many applicants there were to Ohlone this past year--certainly an innocuous, fair question. The answer: we cannot tell you. First of all, I can't understand why this is such secret information in the first place. Second of all, if the school doesn't want to reveal too much, in the spirit of "trust" and honesty, couldn't they just say something like, "We don't like to provide the exact numbers because [whatever their reasons are], but I can tell you that in some years there have been as many as X applicants and as few as Y applicants, though it's impossible to predict what will happen in any given year." Such a response would have at least acknowledged the parent's concerns and provided some context for the probability of getting in without revealing exact numbers. But providing no information at all was kind of jarring. It seemed uncomfortably like a politician stonewalling. Very strange after hearing for an hour about the school's concern for everyone's feelings and being supportive. The second example was their talking about a brief essay that parents have to write when applying to the program that should describe why the parent wants their child to attend. When asked about this, they provided contradictory answers, alternating between saying that this essay does not matter at all and is merely just a way to encourage parents to formulate their own thoughts while minutes later saying that it actually did matter in that it was a way that the school could determine whether or not the parents' reasons for applying were consistent with the school's philosophy. Why not just come out and say yes, the essay is one of the criteria we consider and just leave it at that. Why the need to confuse matters by saying it doesn't matter at all and that it's just for the parents themselevs? Again, this seemed like an uncomfortable kind of double-talk that I didn't really expect in this setting. We know lots of Ohlone families, and they have been thrilled with their experience there. I think being in touch with feelings, self-esteem, and getting along with each other are laudable objectives, and the more children who can achieve these things the better. Like I said, I think Ohlone's heart is in the right place. I hope that in the future they can be less evasive and more straightforward when dealing with parents' questions. Doing so would be more consistent with their core values and would give prospective parents a better impression of the school.