Recent news headlines from Palo Alto Online
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Sex tape leads to alleged extortion and arrests
Three people were arrested by Los Altos police Thursday, assisted by Palo Alto police, for allegedly making a videotape of a sexual encounter and attempting to extort $250,000 from the victim, who was one of the people on the tape. (Friday, 3:03 PM)

PUBLIC AGENDA: Architectural Review Board, affordable-housing project on Alma Street
The Palo Alto Architectural Review Board intends to discuss a proposal for three, two-story townhouses at 653 Homer Ave. and an affordable housing/senior housing/commercial project on Alma Street from Homer to Channing avenues. (Friday, 2:52 PM)

Noisy weekend ahead at PA Caltrain stations
Caltrain will embark on round-the-clock maintenance and construction at its California Avenue station during the Labor Day weekend. (Friday, 2:49 PM)

End of the road for Ole's Car Shop
Ole Christensen's blue-green eyes overflowed with tears last week as he talked about the 23 years he has serviced Palo Altans' cars at Ole's Car Shop, located just south of downtown. (Friday, 2:43 PM)

CHP launches anti-DUI effort for Labor Day
The California Highway Patrol is alerting motorists that officers will be out in force this Labor Day weekend. (Friday, 10:16 AM)

Big, angry turnout challenges Oregon plan
About 130 angry and sometimes unruly residents turned out Thursday night to voice strong opposition to proposed road closures along Oregon Expressway in Palo Alto — eschewing the closing speeches of the Democratic National Convention. (Friday, 10:13 AM)

SPORTS: Stanford football
opens season with a victory
The 2008 college football season is off to a good start, if you're a Stanford football player. The Cardinal got the new season rolling with a 36-28 triumph over visiting Oregon State on Thursday night in Stanford Stadium. Junior wide receiver Stephen Carr (career numbers: nine games, zero receptions, zero tackles) provided one of the early highlights, partially blocking a punt that led to, alas, a missed field goal. A small price to pay when your team is victorious. Visit PASportsOnline.com for the complete story, as well as scores, schedules, video and more. (Friday, 9:06 AM)

A 'high, lonesome sound'
A crow soars overhead, and a woman shucks an ear of corn as though she's sitting on her front porch. Los Altos may not be out in the country, but the friendly farmers' market is a fine spot for bluegrass. Photos by Marjan Sadoughi/Palo Alto Weekly. (Friday, 8:56 AM)

Thursday, August 28, 2008
Stanford football opens season with a victory
The 2008 college football season is off to a good start, if you're a Stanford football player. The Cardinal got the new season rolling with a 36-28 triumph over visiting Oregon State on Thursday night in Stanford Stadium. (Thursday, 10:12 PM)

Former Atherton cop owes $800 for golf clubs
A former Atherton police officer who pleaded no contest to charges that he stole expensive golf clubs and then sold them to a golf store last year was ordered today in San Mateo County Superior Court to pay the owner of the clubs nearly $800 in restitution, a chief deputy district attorney said. (Thursday, 6:30 PM)

Stanford men's soccer keeping focused on team goals
Tim Jones would have preferred Stanford win a few more men's soccer games during his freshman season, but you won't find him complaining. The progress since then gives the senior defender hope for a successful end to his college career. Jones worked himself into the starting lineup eight games into his first year on The Farm and has been there ever since. He's working on 46 consecutive starts, the last 36 in a winning environment. (Thursday, 3:01 PM)

Stanford volleyball serves up a title contender
To avoid partaking in a little slice of unwanted history, the Stanford women's volleyball team is delving deep into its own archives. Not since the Cardinal captured the first of its six NCAA titles in 1992 has the program gone four full years without a national championship. (Thursday, 2:51 PM)

Fifth person arrested in Mountain View double murder case
Mountain View police announced the arrest of a suspect this morning who was wanted for allegedly being involved in the June 28 double murder of a brother and sister. Detectives received a tip that Kim Thien Pham would be attempting to flee the state following media coverage Wednesday of four other arrests in the case, Mountain View police spokeswoman Liz Wylie said. (Thursday, 1:54 PM)

Events this weekend
45th Annual Kings Mountain Art Fair
The 45th Annual Kings Mountain Art Fair — featuring more than 150 artists — will be held Saturday through Monday (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 13889 Skyline Blvd., Woodside.
Live music: Birds & Batteries
San Francisco-based quartet Birds & Batteries will perform Saturday (Aug. 30) at 7 p.m. at Red Rock Coffee, 201 Castro St., Mountain View. (Thursday, 12:39 PM)

Stanford names new 'university spokesperson'
Lisa Lapin, a former journalist with the San Jose Mercury, Sacramento Bee and Los Angeles Times, will become Stanford University's chief public spokesperson effective Sept. 15, Stanford officials announced today.


(Thursday, 12:31 PM)

Events today and tonight
Friday Jazz at JZCool's
The Judicious Jazz quartet will perform today (Aug. 29) from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the JZCool eatery and wine bar, 827 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park.
Music at Mantra: James Robinson
Jazz guitarist James Robinson will perform tonight (Aug. 29) at 8 p.m. at Mantra, 632 Emerson St., Palo Alto. (Thursday, 11:56 AM)

SPORTS: Stanford kicks off season against Oregon State
Spring football camp suddenly seems like a distant memory. What began as a three-way battle for the starting quarterback position has finally been settled. Senior Tavita Pritchard, the incumbent, held off fierce challenges from Junior Alex Loukas and senior Jason Forcier. Tonight it's time to bear the fruits of Stanford's labor when Oregon State visits for a 6 p.m. kickoff. Visit PASportsOnline.com for the complete story, as well as scores, schedules, video and more. (Thursday, 11:22 AM)

If you build it, they will swim
The new swimming pool currently under construction at Gunn High School is the first project under the $378 million school bond Measure A that was approved by voters in June. Photo by Darlene Bouchard/Palo Alto Weekly. (Thursday, 10:44 AM)

Stanford looking for a bowl berth
Spring football camp suddenly seems like a distant memory. What began as a three-way battle for the starting quarterback position has finally been settled. Senior Tavita Pritchard, the incumbent, held off fierce challenges from Junior Alex Loukas and senior Jason Forcier. Tonight it's time to bear the fruits of Stanford's labor when Oregon State visits for a 6 p.m. kickoff. (Thursday, 10:39 AM)

Habitat designated for endangered butterfly
A critical habitat of more than 18,000 acres designated for the threatened Bay checkerspot butterfly will formally go into effect in late September, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman said. (Thursday, 10:28 AM)

IRS investigates Palo Alto dry cleaner
AJ's Cleaners was temporarily closed by federal agents this morning while they executed a search warrant. At least eight agents of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) could be seen at the shop gathering possible financial records and paperwork. (Thursday, 10:20 AM)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Country club expansion headed for council
Shepherding a country club expansion through the Palo Alto Process has frustrated Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club President Stephen Pahl, a land-use attorney himself. (Wednesday, 11:30 PM)

Police announce break in Mountain View double murder case
Authorities have arrested four suspects and are seeking three more in connection with the murders of a brother and sister on Plymouth Avenue in June, Mountain View police announced Wednesday. The suspects, two of whom are juveniles, were all acquaintances of Omar Aquino, 24, and some of them knew his sister Teresa Sanchez-Aquino, 27, police said. (Wednesday, 10:33 PM)

An Eichler dozen
Home tour showcases remodels, updates (Wednesday, 2:53 PM)

RECENT HOME SALES
(Wednesday, 2:23 PM)

Van Bragt declared competent to stand trial
Herman "Tim" Van Bragt, charged with stabbing to death the gentleman friend of his mother in her Palo Alto home last March 7, has been declared mentally competent to stand trial, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Lane Liroff. (Wednesday, 2:05 PM)

Commission: No composting in Byxbee Park
A seven-plus acre composting operation doesn't belong in the Baylands, the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously Tuesday night. (Wednesday, 1:50 PM)

Events tomorrow
Friday Jazz at JZCool's
The Judicious Jazz quartet will perform tomorrow (Aug. 29) from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the JZCool eatery and wine bar, 827 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. (Wednesday, 12:07 PM)

Heat wave to blast Bay Area this week
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a "Spare the Air" day health advisory because of what are expected to be near-record temperatures today and Thursday. (Wednesday, 11:57 AM)

Decision '08:
The Best of Palo Alto
In a shining example of Democracy and free-market economics, Palo Alto voters have spoken. Your voices were heard. Your electronic votes were tallied in a tamper-resistant environment, and you have chosen this year's best. Full story (Wednesday, 10:57 AM)

Events today and tonight
Football: Oregon State at Stanford
Stanford kicks off the 2008 football season today (Aug. 28) with a game against the Oregon State Beavers. Kick off is set for 6 p.m. at Stanford Stadium. (Wednesday, 10:19 AM)

'101 Bandit' pleads guilty to 20 bank robberies
A Napa resident, dubbed the Highway 101 Bandit, pleaded guilty Monday to robbing 20 banks, including one in Menlo Park, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced. (Wednesday, 9:59 AM)

Man shot while driving in East Palo Alto
A man who was shot in East Palo Alto Tuesday evening drove himself to Menlo Park before contacting police about the incident. (Wednesday, 9:36 AM)

Sweeping curves highlight new hospital concept
Design concepts for a new Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital – twice as large as the existing hospital – emphasize curves and a "healing journey" theme. (Wednesday, 6:51 AM)

A confident Skelly launches into second year
What a difference a year makes. Instead of a newcomer vowing to improve communication, win trust and help heal a wounded school district, Superintendent Kevin Skelly addressed Palo Alto's Board of Education Tuesday night as an insider and teammate. (Wednesday, 12:29 AM)

Field hockey looking for a repeat performance
In case anyone missed it, the Stanford field hockey team had a sensational season last year, recording a winning record for the first time in six years and reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time in eight years. The Cardinal, with nine returning starters, is poised for better things ahead. Stanford (13-8 last year, the second-most wins in program history) opens the season with a home match against Drexel on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Wednesday, 12:27 AM)

Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Curtis to return to Children's Theatre Friday
Richard Curtis, who was fired in June, is again the program assistant of the Palo Alto Children's Theatre, according to a settlement reached Tuesday afternoon. (Tuesday, 7:29 PM)

Events today and tonight
Film: "Pieces D'identites"
Part of the ICA Summer International Film Festival. Screens today (Aug. 27) at 7 p.m. at Stanford University, Building 260 (Pigott Hall), Room 113, Stanford.
TriCity Mixer
Join the Palo Alto, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto Chambers of Commerce for an evening of networking. Today (Aug. 27) at 5:30 p.m. at Quadras Conference Center, 2400 Sand Hill Road, #101, Menlo Park. (Tuesday, 10:51 AM)

Events tomorrow
Football: Oregon State at Stanford
Stanford kicks off the 2008 football season tomorrow (Aug. 28) with a game against the Oregon State Beavers. Kick off is set for 6 p.m. at Stanford Stadium. (Tuesday, 10:51 AM)

VIDEO ARCHIVE
A compilation of video content from the Palo Alto Weekly and Palo Alto Online staff. (Tuesday, 10:40 AM)

SPORTS: Tavita Pritchard named starter for Stanford
Jim Harbaugh said it was too close to call all the way up to Monday's press conference. Stanford's second-year football coach officially named Tavita Pritchard the starting quarterback on Monday, four days before the Cardinal opens their season at home against Oregon State at 6 p.m. Visit PASportsOnline.com for the complete story, as well as scores, schedules, video and more. (Tuesday, 10:34 AM)

Stanford med school restricts industry funding
The Stanford University School of Medicine has announced it will no longer accept funding from pharmaceutical and medical device companies for specific programs to support its continuing medical education (CME) programs for practicing physicians. (Tuesday, 10:21 AM)

Children's Hospital design wins early praise
Preliminary designs for a new, doubled-in-size Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital emphasize curvilinear buildings and a "healing journey" theme for sick children and families. (Tuesday, 9:41 AM)

Menlo Park police search for bank robber
Menlo Park police are searching for a man who robbed the Tyco Federal Credit Union in Bohannon Industrial Park shortly after noon on Monday. (Tuesday, 9:41 AM)

Local middle class suffering, study shows
A study on income and poverty statistics released Monday by Working Partnerships U.S.A. indicates that households in Santa Clara County have improved little — with stagnant incomes and the threat of foreclosure — despite business growth in the county. (Tuesday, 9:34 AM)

Events tomorrow
Film: "Pieces D'identites"
Part of the ICA Summer International Film Festival. Screens tomorrow (Aug. 27) at 7 p.m. at Stanford University, Building 260 (Pigott Hall), Room 113, Stanford. (Tuesday, 9:23 AM)

Events today
Lecture: How Plants Do It — Light, Oxygen, Action!
Presented by SLAC. Today (Aug. 26) at 7:30 p.m. at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Panofsky Auditorium. Free and open to the public.
On stage: "Grey Gardens"
TheatreWorks presents the Tony Award-winning musical. Tonight (Aug. 26) at 8 p.m. at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. (Tuesday, 9:12 AM)

Study: Many Silicon Valley families struggling
Households in Santa Clara County have improved little — facing stagnant incomes and the threat of foreclosure — despite business growth in the county, according to a new study on income and poverty statistics. (Tuesday, 7:46 AM)

Richard Curtis may get job back
Richard Curtis, who was fired from the Palo Alto Children's Theatre in June, may return to work as soon as this week, former union leader Phil Plymale disclosed Monday. Curtis, a longtime program assistant at the theater, is in the final stages of negotiations with City Attorney Gary Baum, Plymale said. "I'm very confident that the union and the city can arrive at an amicable settlement," Plymale said.
(Tuesday, 7:17 AM)

Monday, August 25, 2008
Restaurant worker flings oil on co-worker
An altercation between two workers in a Midtown Palo Alto restaurant Saturday afternoon ended up with one employee being taken to Stanford Hospital with third-degree burns and the second being arrested. (Monday, 7:56 PM)

Alcohol restrictions proposed for two PA parks
Gang members from East Palo Alto have been going to Eleanor Pardee Park in Palo Alto to drink alcohol late at night, making enough noise to keep neighbors awake in the otherwise peaceful neighborhood at Channing Avenue and Center Drive, according to police. (Monday, 5:02 PM)

2002 sexual-attack suspect heading for plea
Legal officials are working to find an attorney for Roberto Cruz Recendes, the man accused of sexually assaulting a 94-year-old woman in her assisted-living unit in 2002. (Monday, 3:16 PM)

(Monday, 3:05 PM)

Dalton committed to state mental hospital
James Francis Dalton, accused of killing his brother with a kitchen knife in July 2007 in the Palo Alto home the two shared with their mother, has been committed to a state mental hospital. (Monday, 3:03 PM)

'Accomplice' in City Hall murder case delays plea
A man charged as an accomplice in the July 13 murder outside of Palo Alto City Hall appeared in court Monday morning but delayed entering a plea. (Monday, 2:52 PM)

Pritchard named Stanford's starter for Oregon St.
Jim Harbaugh said it was too close to call all the way up to Monday's press conference. Stanford's second-year football coach officially named Tavita Pritchard the starting quarterback on Monday, four days before the Cardinal opens its season at home against Oregon State at 6 p.m. (Monday, 1:39 PM)

Sports shorts
The Stanford women's soccer team opened its season with a 5-0 victory over visiting Pacific on Sunday. Castilleja grad Lindsay Taylor made her first career goal a memorable one, giving Stanford the lead in the 17th minute. Five minutes later, Palo Alto grad Teresa Noyola recorded her first college points with an assist on the first of two Christen Press goals. Soccer America Preseason All-American Kelley O'Hara also scored for the Cardinal, on an assist from Press, who was named topDrawersoccer.com's Player of the Week on Monday. Palo Alto grad Austinn Freeman came off the bench and played 24 minutes. She recorded a shot on goal. (Monday, 10:39 AM)

It's back-to-school
Tuesday in Palo Alto
Sophomores at Gunn High School compare schedules last week to see which classes they have together. From right: Nicola Park, 15; Catherine Wu, 15; Alice Yu, 14; and Noelle Jung, 15. Palo Alto schools begin Tuesday. Photo by Darlene Bouchard. (Monday, 10:35 AM)

Unity brings gold, silver to volleyball teams
The truth always makes for a better story, and not even the best of fiction writers could conceive of events so surreal in Beijing these past two weeks. The United States men's volleyball team rose above tragedy, and rode the amazingly broad shoulders of its coach Hugh McCutcheon to an Olympic gold medal. (Monday, 10:20 AM)

Stanford athletes garner 24 medals at Olympics
Had Stanford University been its own country at the Beijing Olympics it would rank 19th best in the world in medals won by present or former Stanford athletes. The Olympics ended Sunday with a spectacular closing ceremony featuring the Olympian athletes in the arena. Photo by Kirby Lee for Palo Alto Weekly. (Monday, 9:59 AM)

Sunday, August 24, 2008
Stanford's Hall comes up just short in marathon
Former Stanford All-American Ryan Hall ran a brilliant race in New York to qualify for the Olympic men's marathon. He couldn't repeat the effort on Sunday, however, as he finished 10th in the final track and field event in Beijing. Combined with fellow American Dathan Ritzenhein, the U.S. put two athletes in the top 10 of the Olympic men's marathon for the first time since 1976. (Sunday, 3:36 PM)

Saturday, August 23, 2008
Believe it: U.S. men's volleyball is gold again
The truth always makes for a better story, and not even the best of fiction writers could conceive of events so surreal in Beijing these past two weeks. The United States men's volleyball team rose above tragedy, and rode the amazingly broad shoulders of its coach Hugh McCutcheon to an Olympic gold medal. (Saturday, 8:40 PM)

Logan Tom: "These are tears of happiness"
The United States Olympic team was ranked fourth in the world entering competition in Beijing. In 1984, the Americans finished second to China in the Los Angeles Olympics, a tournament that was missing part of the world because of a boycott. So even as the U.S. lost to Brazil, 25-18, 18-25, 25-13, 25-21, in Saturday's gold-medal match, it was a historic finish. Silver never looked so good. (Saturday, 11:57 AM)

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