Recent news headlines from Palo Alto Online
Palo Alto Online News is available via a RSS news reader.

Stanford football shocks No. 7 Oregon, 51-42
Stanford has 570 yards total offense

For the first time in eight years, the Stanford football team is bowl eligible. The Cardinal can thank running back Toby Gerhart, quarterback Andrew Luck and anyone else who contributed to Saturday's huge 51-42 upset victory over No. 8 Oregon in Stanford Stadium. (Saturday, 5:50 PM)

Smit turns in solid effort in swimming victory
Senior Julia Smit won four events and was part of two winning relays as the Stanford women's swimming team won both ends of a two-day tri-meet with Michigan and host Florida, which ended Sunday. (Saturday, 1:01 PM)

Gunn boys and girls both willl play for water polo titles
The Gunn boys' and girls' water polo teams have a chance to win SCVAL De Anza Division playoff titles on Saturday, both at the same time. The girls will take on Los Gatos at Los Altos High while the boys face Los Altos in the Titans' pool, both at 2 p.m. (Saturday, 10:32 AM)

Stanford football team loses Clinton Snyder
Stanford will be without senior linebacker Clinton Snyder for the rest of the season due to an injury. He sustained a knee injury in practice Tuesday it was learned Friday. (Saturday, 9:57 AM)

Paly football a victory away from league title; Gunn, SHP and Menlo all victorious
While a Central Coast Section playoff berth is wrapped up, Palo Alto still has a little work to do to win the SCVAL De Anza Division football championship. It comes down to just two scenarios. But, no matter what happens, the Vikings are headed to the CCS playoffs with Sacred Heart Prep and with perhaps Gunn and Menlo joining them. (Saturday, 8:44 AM)

Friday, November 6, 2009
Ailes digs some positives out of Pac-10 loss
Junior libero Gabi Ailes recorded 28 digs to move into second place on the all-time list but it came in a 25-21, 25-23, 25-19 setback to host Washington in a Pac-10 contest Friday night. (Friday, 8:55 PM)

Exhibit to help bring clean water to the world
"I fell in love with 'charity:water' through its photos," Eric Wong, organizer of a charity art exhibit and silent auction Nov. 14 - 16 that will help villages worldwide get clean water. (Friday, 7:45 PM)

Cal vs. Stanford for NorPac title and berth in NCAA Play-in game
Sophomore goalkeeper Alessandra Moss recorded four of her game-high seven saves in the first 12 minutes of the game as the Stanford field hockey team beat visiting Longwood, 6-1, in the semifinals of the NorPac Conference championships Friday at Stanford's Varsity Turf. (Friday, 5:40 PM)

Election count not final but outcome remains firm
About 14,100 out of 36,100 of Palo Alto's eligible voters, or 39 percent, took part in the election, according to figures totals released by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. About 1 percent of ballots are still being counted. (Friday, 5:08 PM)

Police: Schipsi was strangled before fire
Jennifer Schipsi, the 29-year old Palo Alto woman whose remains were found in a burned house on Addison Avenue last month, was strangled to death before the cottage she was sharing with her boyfriend was intentionally set on fire, a newly unsealed arrest affidavit alleges. (Friday, 4:49 PM)

'Sandbag Saturday' needs more volunteers
Palo Alto emergency services officials need some help Saturday: community volunteers willing to deliver and fill sandbags as part of Palo Alto's annual "Sandbag Saturday."
(Friday, 4:26 PM)

PUBLIC AGENDA: City Council, changes to municipal code
The Palo Alto City Council is scheduled to consider approving the final environmental-impact report for a four-story, 50-unit affordable-housing building at 801 and 841 Alma St. (Friday, 11:48 AM)

Downtown landlords dig in for long recovery
Strolling down University Avenue, shoppers can easily see there aren't as many places to shop as there were a year ago. "For rent" signs seem to be multiplying like bunnies -- and staying up for months and months. (Friday, 9:26 AM)

This weekend's events (Nov. 7-8)
Music: 'A Portrait of Leonard Bernstein'
Late composer Leonard Bernstein is the focus of an evening at Stanford's Dinkelspiel Auditorium on Saturday (Nov. 7) starting at 8 p.m. His eldest daughter, Jamie Bernstein, hosts an event of storytelling and singing that also features pianist Michael Barrett and vocalists from the New York Festival of Song.
Comedy and drama: 'Dragon After Hours'
Comedians and actors present new material Saturday (Nov. 7) from 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at the Dragon Theatre, 535 Alma St., Palo Alto. This "Dragon After Hours" event features stand-up comedian Sandy Rouge; Carolyn Doyle doing dramatic and comedic monologues; Steve North doing one-acts; and the improv group Shades of Grey.
Art: 'Marks and Metal'
This Sunday (Nov. 8) from 2 to 4 p.m., artist Margaret-Ann Clemente holds a reception for her new exhibition "Marks and Metal," in which her prints explore symbols used thousands of years ago in Europe and Southeast Asia. The show runs through Nov. 30 at Cafe Zoe, 1929 Menalto Ave., Menlo Park. (Friday, 9:03 AM)

Today's events (Nov. 6)
Community: '10 by 10 Challenge'
The Palo Alto office of Free The Children, a nonprofit group that builds schools and provides other services for youth, is holding an event today (Nov. 6) from 5 to 7:30 p.m. intended to motivate people to "commit to 10 social actions by the end of 2010." Held at the Oshman Family JCC at 3921 Fabian Way in Palo Alto, the event features youth activists and musicians.
Theater: Satyajit Ray stories
Naatak, a group of Indian-theater enthusiasts, presents "Patol Babu Filmstar" and other plays in English from late filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Local performances are tonight (Nov. 6) and Saturday at 8 p.m. in Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. (Friday, 9:02 AM)

Climate change is a contact sport, expert says
An "insider's discussion" of the decades-long battle to bring the dangers of global warming to public awareness will be held Friday afternoon (Nov. 13) featuring Stanford University-based climate expert Stephen Schneider. (Friday, 7:37 AM)

Memorial service Saturday for Ariel Shaker
A memorial service has been set for 1 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 7) for Ariel Shaker, the lifelong Palo Alto resident who was killed Oct. 7 in a freak riding accident while exercising a horse for the Harvard polo team. (Friday, 7:17 AM)

Thursday, November 5, 2009
Expert says Officer May didn't use excessive force
East Palo Alto Police Officer Richard May did not use excessive force when he struck fleeing suspect Alberto Alvarez with a baton, a use-of-force expert testified Thursday in Alvarez' murder trial in San Mateo County Superior Court. He may even have used too little.
(Thursday, 9:26 PM)

Paly girls' volleyball looks for high seed for CCS playoffs
The numbers have been downright staggering for the Palo Alto girls' volleyball team this season. The Vikings rode a 30-match winning streak, a string of four straight SCVAL De Anza Division titles and a streak of 11 consecutive league victories. While those numbers increased by one following Thursday's regular-season victory over Saratoga at home, Paly coach Dave Winn has his own special number for the season -- three. (Thursday, 5:28 PM)

Travlos converts three times in Stanford's 9-0 victory
Stanford junior Xanthe Travlos showed why she was named NorPac Player of the Year Thursday, recording a hat trick and the Cardinal field hockey team raced to a 9-0 victory over Appalachian State in the first round of the NorPac Conference championships at Varsity Turf. (Thursday, 5:24 PM)

Stanford women have shot at Pac-10 soccer perfection
Until last year, no Pac-10 women's soccer team finished the regular season unbeaten. There's still no conference team that has finished the regular season unbeaten and untied. Top-ranked Stanford (8-0, 19-0) has that chance Sunday when California (4-4, 10-7-1) visits for a 1 p.m. Pac-10 contest that completes the regular season. (Thursday, 5:10 PM)

Tough for Stanford to duck these tough numbers
Jim Harbaugh went into rather graphic detail describing a video making the rounds on the internet of a lion and alligator attacking a water buffalo. He used his hands and face to simulate the lion's nails ripping through flesh and gnawing on bone. The video has a happy ending though, as the water buffalo survives the attack. Thus, he draws inspiration for Saturday's Pac-10 football confrontation between host Stanford and conference-leading Oregon. (Thursday, 4:52 PM)

Carnegie taps ex-Foothill College president for initiative on math
Bernadine Fong, retired Foothill College president, has been tapped to take on one of the biggest challenges facing U.S. education: the high failure rates of community college students in basic math -- a huge stumbling block to a higher education for millions of students.
(Thursday, 4:51 PM)

College Terrace Centre gains momentum
After five years of revisions and negotiations, the controversial College Terrace Centre development in Palo Alto is now closer than ever to becoming reality with a positive Architectural Review Board recommendation behind it. (Thursday, 4:37 PM)

Prep football teams still in the running for playoff berths
This we know for sure: The Sacred Heart Prep football team has qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs for a second straight season. This is what we also know: Palo Alto is all but a lock for yet another appearance in the postseason. For Gunn, its first return to the CCS playoffs since 2002 is probable. For Menlo, the Knights certainly are on the bubble. With the 2009 high school football regular season winding down, a lot still can happen starting this weekend. (Thursday, 4:10 PM)

TV premiere of Rick Walker story airing tonight
The national-television premiere of the documentary on the mistaken imprisonment for 12 years of Rick Walker of East Palo Alto for a murder he didn't commit will be aired at 6:30 p.m. today (Nov. 5) on PBS station KTEH, Channel 54, based in San Jose. (Thursday, 9:34 AM)

NASA Ames soars into 70th anniversary celebration
"We've tested every military aircraft that's ever flown," Ames Research Center Historian Jack Boyd, who began working at Ames in 1947, said at a celebration of NASA Ames' 70th anniversary this week. And every spacecraft, too, he added. The huge hangar for the U.S.S. Macon dirigible is in the background -- center of a continuing controversy over its preservation. (Thursday, 8:43 AM)

Tomorrow's events (Nov. 6)
Community: '10 by 10 Challenge'
The Palo Alto office of Free The Children, a nonprofit group that builds schools and provides other services for youth, is holding an event tomorrow (Nov. 6) from 5 to 7:30 p.m. intended to motivate people to "commit to 10 social actions by the end of 2010." Held at the Oshman Family JCC at 3921 Fabian Way in Palo Alto, the event features youth activists and musicians.
Theater: Satyajit Ray stories
Naatak, a group of Indian-theater enthusiasts, presents "Patol Babu Filmstar" and other plays in English from the late filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Local performances are tomorrow (Nov. 6) and Saturday at 8 p.m. in Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. (Thursday, 8:40 AM)

Today's events (Nov. 5)
Theater: 'Bulrusher'
Today (Nov. 5) through Nov. 7 at 8 p.m., Stanford Drama and the student-run Blackstage Theater Company present the play "Bulrusher," about a multiracial girl found in the river and adopted by a small logging town. Performances are in Nitery Theater on campus.
Talk: 'Russia, Its Neighbors and the U.S. Since 1991'
Today (Nov. 5) at 5 p.m., professor Thomas W. Simons Jr. will give a free talk on emerging states in Eurasia against a background of political struggle and problematic markets. The event is in the Barnes/McDowell Room in the Fisher Conference Center at the Arrillaga Alumni Center at Stanford University. (Thursday, 8:39 AM)

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Another Smith hat trick leads Stanford water polo win
Irvine, Travlos win top NorPac honors

Jacob Smith, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation reigning Player of the Week, scored three goals and the Stanford men's water polo team defeated visiting UC Davis, 10-2, in a nonconference match Wednesday night. (Wednesday, 11:45 PM)

Two finalists for Foothill-De Anza chancellor
Brian King, president of Cabrillo College in Aptos, and Linda M. Thor, president of Rio Salado College in Phoenix, Ariz., have been named as finalists for chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. (Wednesday, 5:03 PM)

Election results further cemented after update
An update from the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Wednesday afternoon showed no changes in Palo Alto's election outcome. Attorney Greg Scharff, set to claim the fifth and final open spot on the nine-member City Council, increased his lead over Realtor Leon Leong. Related story:
■ County: 26 percent of ballots still to be counted (Wednesday, 5:01 PM)

REAL ESTATE: Harker Avenue house sells for $2 million
A house on Harker Avenue in Palo Alto sold for $2,060,000 on Oct. 19, 2009. The home previously sold for $979,000 in July 1997. Palo Alto Online's real estate website features a listing of homes sold in Palo Alto and surrounding cities. Visit PaloAltoOnline.com/real_estate for a map of homes for sale, real estate stories, neighborhood guides, virtual tours and more. (Wednesday, 3:18 PM)

Event to focus on high-speed-rail outreach
Peninsula residents concerned about California's proposed high-speed-rail system will have an opportunity this week to learn how they can help shape the controversial, $45 billion project. (Wednesday, 3:04 PM)

SPORTS: Luck's passing efficiency is well above average for Stanford
Stanford football coach Jim Harbaugh has been talking about Andrew Luck's "efficiency" in running the team in positive terms all year. Harbaugh referred to his game management skills, but he could also mean Luck's decision-making in the heat of the moment. Visit PASportsOnline.com for the complete story, as well as scores, schedules, photos, video and team pages. (Wednesday, 3:01 PM)

County: Still 26 percent of ballots to be counted
About 26.4 percent of all ballots cast in Santa Clara County cities in which an election was held are still uncounted, according to Elma Rosas, spokesperson for the registrar. The percentage is high enough that it could theoretically make a difference in some election races or outcomes -- considered unlikely in the Palo Alto City Council or Measure A ballot items, however. (Wednesday, 12:01 PM)

Torres, Mitchell named Players of the Week
Both the Menlo College women's and men's soccer teams had a player named as Cal Pac Conference Player of the Week. Amanda Torres was named Offensive Player of the Week and Dominic Mitchell earned the conference's Defensive Player of the Week (Wednesday, 10:44 AM)

Gerhart among semifinalist for Maxwell Award in football
Stanford senior running back Toby Gerhart was named one of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, presented to the outstanding player in college football, Maxwell Football Club President and former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski announced Wednesday. (Wednesday, 10:16 AM)

Local runners need to get healthy in a hurry for CCS finals
In just one week, the top runners in the Central Coast Section will gather at Crystal Springs in Belmont and race over the hilly 2.95-mile layout to decide who goes to the CIF State Meet in cross country and who does not. That leaves little time for local teams to prepare and, most importantly, get back to full strength. If there one common foe in these days of H1N1, it's poor health. (Wednesday, 9:48 AM)

Menlo settles volleyball race with upset victory over SHP
Beating a rival is always good. Denying them a shot at a championship is even better. The Menlo School girls' volleyball team accomplished both on Tuesday night with a five-game victory over visiting Sacred Heart Prep. The Knights settled the West Bay Athletic League (Foothill Division) race with a 27-25, 23-25, 19-25, 25-18, 15-8 triumph over the Gators, thus handing the title to unbeaten Mercy-Burlingame. (Wednesday, 9:19 AM)

Tomorrow's events (Nov. 5)
Theater: 'Bulrusher'
Tomorrow (Nov. 5) through Nov. 7 at 8 p.m., Stanford Drama and the student-run Blackstage Theater Company present the play "Bulrusher," about a multiracial girl found in the river and adopted by a small logging town. Performances are in Nitery Theater on campus.
Talk: 'Russia, Its Neighbors and the U.S. Since 1991'
Tomorrow (Nov. 5) at 5 p.m., professor Thomas W. Simons Jr. will give a free talk on emerging states in Eurasia against a background of political struggle and problematic markets. The event is in the Barnes/McDowell Room in the Fisher Conference Center at the Arrillaga Alumni Center at Stanford University. (Wednesday, 9:13 AM)

Today's events (Nov. 4)
Music: CSMA Faculty Concert
Faculty musicians from the Community School of Music and Arts give a free concert tonight (Nov. 4) from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the school at 230 San Antonio Circle in Mountain View. The program features music by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Cassado and Crumb.
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Tonight (Nov. 4) at 7:30 p.m., Joyce Carol Oates gives a free talk on her book "Little Bird of Heaven," about the aftermath of the murder of a young mother. The event is at Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. (Wednesday, 9:12 AM)

Measure A business tax defeated in Palo Alto
Palo Alto proposed business-license tax was soundly defeated by voters Tuesday, with 56.43 percent casting their ballots against Measure A. (Wednesday, 1:57 AM)

It's Klein, Price, Holman, Shepherd and Scharff
Palo Altans chose experienced community-involvement veterans over political neophytes Tuesday, electing Larry Klein, Gail Price, Karen Holman and Nancy Shepherd to the City Council by comfortable margins. (Wednesday, 1:44 AM)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Celebration at the Garden Court
City Council candidates celebrated Tuesday night at the Garden Court Hotel in downtown Palo Alto. Leaders in the race by night's end included Larry Klein, Gail Price, Karen Holman, Nancy Shepherd and Greg Scharff. (Tuesday, 11:49 PM)

'Glamour'ous Appel is named to a preseason All-American women's basketball team
Stanford center Jayne Appel was named to the Associated Press preseason All-America team on Tuesday, receiving 34 votes from the 40-member national media panel. Appel, an All-American as a junior last year, averaged 16.1 points and 9.2 rebounds a game and shot 60.2 percent from the field to help Stanford advance to its second consecutive Final Four last year. (Tuesday, 9:14 PM)

Luck's passing efficiency is well above average for Stanford
Stanford football coach Jim Harbaugh has been talking about Andrew Luck's "efficiency" in running the team in positive terms all year. Harbaugh referred to his game management skills, but he could also mean Luck's decision-making in the heat of the moment. Luck does the most with his opportunities and does so at a rate nearly 50 percent better than the average quarterback. (Tuesday, 8:57 PM)

Polling places nearly silent as voters 'mail in'
Palo Alto's City Council election may be crowded this year, but its polling places have been mostly empty. Veteran poll workers have been struck by an unusual feeling for an Election Day: boredom. (Tuesday, 5:58 PM)

Council race may not be decided tonight
Candidates for Palo Alto City Council will be partying tonight, but by evening's end they may not know which five of them have been elected. That's because many Palo Altans opted to vote by mail this year but relatively few mailed them back to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. Related story:
■ Palo Alto voters set to elect five council members. (Tuesday, 4:58 PM)

Gray is the new green
Gray-water recycling can save plants during a drought (Tuesday, 4:29 PM)

Destination Palo Alto gets another year
Despite questionable results and fuzzy record keeping, Palo Alto's year-old program for luring visitors to town will remain in place for at least another year. (Tuesday, 2:41 PM)

Gunn senior finds lots of 'extra shoes'
Gunn High School senior Alexandra Yesian will soon reach her goal of donating 1,000 pairs of shoes to the Ecumenical Hunger Program, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income families in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park with food, clothing and support. (Tuesday, 2:35 PM)

Some all-year 'summer' classes being planned
Some Palo Alto students may be attending full-year classes next summer. The school board later this month will consider extending some summer-school classes to six weeks in order for students to cover a full year's worth of work. Summer school is proposed to begin June 21. (Tuesday, 10:20 AM)

Palo Alto set to vote in new council members
Palo Alto voters will choose five City Council members and decide the fate of the city's proposed business-license tax when they hit the polls today. (Tuesday, 9:55 AM)

Crime-scene photos shown in Alvarez trial
Family members of slain East Palo Alto Police Officer Richard May abruptly left the courtroom as graphic crime-scene photographs were to be displayed Monday afternoon. (Tuesday, 9:54 AM)

Today's events (Nov. 3)
Art talk: Maira Kalman
Illustrator Maira Kalman, whose work has been seen on the cover of the New Yorker and in the New York Times, gives a free talk today (Nov. 3) at 6 p.m. in Stanford University's Braun Hall, Room 105.
Author: Diane W. Frankenstein
Tonight (Nov. 3) at 7:30 p.m., Diane W. Frankenstein gives a free talk on her book "Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read." The event is at Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. (Tuesday, 9:39 AM)

PA Knights all set for round 2 of AYF playoffs
The American Youth Football playoffs move into the second round this weekend with the Palo Alto Knights's Jr. Pee Wee team opening play against Oak Grove South at Palo Alto High on Sunday at 11 a.m., after having a first-round bye. The Knights earned a week off after finishing 7-1 in the regular season. (Tuesday, 9:35 AM)

Tomorrow's events (Nov. 4)
Music: CSMA Faculty Concert
Faculty musicians from the Community School of Music and Arts give a free concert tomorrow (Nov. 4) from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the school at 230 San Antonio Circle in Mountain View. The program features music by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Cassado and Crumb.
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Tomorrow (Nov. 4) at 7:30 p.m., Joyce Carol Oates gives a free talk on her book "Little Bird of Heaven," about the aftermath of the murder of a young mother. The event is at Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. (Tuesday, 9:32 AM)

RECENT HOME SALES
(Tuesday, 9:17 AM)

Weaving wreaths for fun -- and profit
Dried flowers, a little technique, and voila! A charming decoration or gift (Tuesday, 9:16 AM)

Agents seize drugs, guns in East Palo Alto raid
State narcotics agents and local authorities raided two houses containing dozens of people in East Palo Alto Tuesday morning, arresting one person and seizing drugs and a gun. (Tuesday, 9:08 AM)

Monday, November 2, 2009
Palo Alto to keep 'Open City Hall,' well, open
Palo Alto's sporadically used online forum, "Open City Hall," will remain open for the foreseeable future after the City Council voted Monday night to continue spending $200 a month to keep the forum running. (Monday, 10:57 PM)

Officials toast Palo Alto's newest Sister City
Japanese and Palo Alto officials celebrated Palo Alto's newest Sister City, Tsuchiura, with an international toast Monday afternoon in a ceremony at the Lucie Stern Community Center -- starting with a ceremonial breaking of a sake barrel. Photo by Veronica Weber/Palo Alto Weekly. (Monday, 10:46 PM)

Smith named MPSF co-Player of the Week
Stanford at USC football to start at 12:30 p.m.

Stanford sophomore driver Jacob Smith earned Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's water polo co-Player of the Week honors after helping the third-ranked Cardinal beat UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. (Monday, 8:29 PM)

Menlo Park man, 29, dies in motorcycle crash
The Santa Clara County medical examiner's office today identified a motorcyclist who died after crashing on state Highway 84 near La Honda on Sunday morning as 29-year-old Sundararajan Venkatesh. (Monday, 1:09 PM)

Picks and pans of 2008
Prior to the Academy Wards, there was plenty of Best Picture buzz about "Slumdog Millionaire," director Danny Boyle's tale of an unlikely game-show champion in Mumbai. Reviewers raved in Palo Alto, too. All three of the Weekly's main film critics, Jeanne Aufmuth, Tyler Hanley and Susan Tavernetti, put "Slumdog Millionaire" on their lists for the top 10 movies of 2008. (Monday, 12:45 PM)

M-A girls topple top seeds, win NorCal polo title
The only blemish on the Menlo-Atherton girls' water polo schedule this season is a loss to Davis in the third match of the season. That's it. Otherwise, the Bears have been downright perfect with a 23-1 record. (Monday, 11:00 AM)

Number participating in 'egg war' dropped to 50
Only about 50 Palo Alto High School students -- far fewer than initial reports from students of 100 to 200 -- were involved in an egg fight last week that littered Gunn High School's sports facilities with yolks and shells, according to Paly Principal Jacquie McEvoy. (Monday, 9:55 AM)

Palo Alto to consider dropping online forum
The fate of Palo Alto's official online forum will be debated Monday night, when the City Council ponders whether to shut down Open City Hall. (Monday, 9:35 AM)

Suicide-prevention efforts focus on tracks
Changes to Caltrain's Meadow Avenue crossing are a top priority of Palo Alto city and school officials in a long list of measures initiated to prevent suicides at the tracks. (Monday, 9:31 AM)

Bay Bridge reopens after five-day closure
Caltrans reopened the Bay Bridge Monday morning, nearly one week after the bridge was shut down when a repair failed and sent debris falling onto the upper deck. (Monday, 9:23 AM)

Sacred Heart and police deny drug-bust rumors
Two students were expelled from Sacred Heart Preparatory for using marijuana, but there was no drug bust on the private Catholic school's Atherton campus, a spokeswoman for the school said. (Monday, 9:12 AM)

Tomorrow's events (Nov. 3)
Art talk: Maira Kalman
Illustrator Maira Kalman, whose work has been seen on the cover of the New Yorker and in the New York Times, gives a free talk tomorrow (Nov. 3) at 6 p.m. in Stanford University's Braun Hall, Room 105.
Author: Diane W. Frankenstein
Tomorrow (Nov. 3) at 7:30 p.m., Diane W. Frankenstein gives a free talk on her book "Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read." The event is at Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. (Monday, 9:09 AM)

Today's events (Nov. 2)
Author: Martin Fletcher
Television journalist Martin Fletcher will speak in conversation with KQED's Michael Krasny at 7 p.m. tonight (Nov. 2) on his book "Breaking News: A Stunning and Memorable Account of Reporting from Some of the Most Dangerous Places in the World." The event is at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto.
Animation talk: Scott Clark
Tonight (Nov. 2) at 7 p.m., Pixar Animation Studios lead animator Scott Clark will give a talk on making films such as Disney/Pixar's "Up." The event is at Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. (Monday, 9:08 AM)

Firefighters quickly douse Atherton blaze
Firefighters quickly extinguished a one-alarm fire in Atherton this morning, a fire dispatcher said. The fire occurred at 75 Lloyden Drive. (Monday, 9:01 AM)

Sunday, November 1, 2009
Record-setting performance for O'Hara, Stanford
Cardinal men tie host Huskies

Kelley O'Hara set one school record, tied another, and the Stanford women's soccer team set another mark in beating visiting Arizona, 4-0, in a Pac-10 match on Sunday. The top-ranked Cardinal (8-0, 19-0) clinched at least a title tie with the win, its first Pac-10 championship in seven years. (Sunday, 4:15 PM)

Palo Alto's tallest building gets 'gold'
A 15-story, 43-year-old high-rise building in downtown Palo Alto has received one of the highest federal-standard green-building certifications in the country. (Sunday, 1:58 PM)

Sticks go quiet in field hockey loss
The 12th-ranked Cardinal field hockey team is getting closer, even after dropping two straight for the first time this season following Sunday's 4-1 setback to Louisville in Maryland. Stanford (13-4) returns to host the NorPac Championship, which begins Thursday. The top-seeded Cardinal meets an opponent to be determined at 1:30 p.m.
(Sunday, 1:43 PM)

Palo Alto girls' volleyball: 30 straight and counting
After winning its fourth straight SCVAL De Anza Division title on Thursday, the Palo Alto girls' volleyball team had every right to suffer a letdown during Saturday's annual Spikefest II tournament at Independence High in San Jose. It certainly was time for a breather. The Vikings, however, just kept right on rolling – winning the Gold Division championship and stretching their winning streak to 30 straight matches. (Sunday, 9:27 AM)

Gunn's outright football title hopes are toppled in 23-21 loss
Gunn's run toward a possible football championship in the SCVAL El Camino Division was stopped short by five plays on Saturday, all by the Titans and all of them were costly. The result was a 23-21 loss to host Los Altos in its homecoming game, giving the Eagles reason to celebrate and the Titans reason to shake their heads. (Sunday, 7:41 AM)

Stanford can't make it 19 straight over the Bruins in volleyball
For the sixth time this season, the Stanford women's volleyball team went to five sets before a match was decided. That's as many full-length matches the fourth-ranked Cardinal has played since 2004, when the team went the distance nine times (and went on the win the national title). It was also the fourth time this season Stanford was on the wrong end of the fifth set, dropping a 25-18, 34-32, 19-25, 21-25, 15-11 Pac-10 match to No. 11 UCLA Saturday night at Maples Pavilion. (Sunday, November 1, 2009, 12:27 AM)

Saturday, October 31, 2009
Menlo College wins third straight football game
Cruz Castillo threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns as the Menlo College football team downed visiting Lewis & Clark, 26-14, in a Northwest Conference contest Saturday. Kenny Cavness caught five passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns as the Oaks (3-1, 4-4) won their third straight for the first time in six years. (Saturday, October 31, 2009, 5:03 PM)

Smith, Noll combine for eight goals in Stanford men's water polo win over UC Santa Barbara
Jacob Smith scored five goals as the third-ranked Stanford men's water polo team defeated visiting UC Santa Barbara, 13-8, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation contest Saturday. (Saturday, October 31, 2009, 4:37 PM)

Palo Alto takes control of football race with win over Los Gatos
It has been a spirited homecoming week for Palo Alto High. First, the girls' volleyball team defeated Los Gatos in five games to win the SCVAL De Anza Division title. One night later, the Vikings' football team put itself in position to accomplish the same thing. (Saturday, October 31, 2009, 9:01 AM)

SHP beats Bears to clinch a CCS playoff berth
Menlo-Atherton turned the lights on its football field for the first time Friday night. Sacred Heart Prep turned off the lights for the Bears in a flash. (Saturday, October 31, 2009, 7:14 AM)

Friday, October 30, 2009
Cardinal volleyball remains in first place tie
Alix Klineman recorded 16 kills and Janet Okogbaa added 13 as the Stanford women's volleyball team downed visiting USC, 21-25, 25-18, 25-13, 25-23, in a Pac-10 match on Friday night. Cassidy Lichtman added 11 kills and 14 digs as the fourth-ranked Cardinal (8-2, 15-5) remained in a first-place tie with Washington, which beat Arizona on Friday night. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 9:24 PM)

Quon gives Stanford women's soccer an assist
Moriah Nogueira, Courtney Verloo and Morgan Redman each scored and the top-ranked Stanford women's soccer team beat visiting Arizona State, 3-1, on Friday night in a Pac-10 Conference match (Friday, October 30, 2009, 8:54 PM)

Stanford men, Derrick win Pac-10 cross-country titles
Sophomore Chris Derrick led a contingent of four Stanford runners who finished among the top seven and the top-ranked Cardinal won the Pac-10 men's cross country title Friday at the Sky Links Golf Course in Long Beach. The Stanford women finished fourth, led by junior Alexandra Gits in 10th place with a 20:13.16 over the 6,000-meter course.
(Friday, October 30, 2009, 7:39 PM)

Stanford men win Pac-10 soccer match, 3-2, at Oregon State
Adam Jahn had a goal and an assist and the Stanford men's soccer team downed host Oregon State, 3-2, in a Pac-10 Conference game Friday. Cameron Lamming and Evan Morgan also scored for the 21st-ranked Cardinal (4-3-1, 10-4-1), which won for the third time in five matches. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 7:17 PM)

Stanford drops 6-2 decision to No. 1 Maryland
Becky Dru scored twice but the 12th-ranked Stanford field hockey team was unable to completely stop top-ranked Maryland on Friday, losing to the host Terrapins, 6-2, in a nonconference match. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 6:03 PM)

Paly delegation apologizes to Gunn for egg fight
They said they were sorry -- and they would pay. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 5:04 PM)

Talking Pictures: J.E. confidential
Author James Ellroy writes in very short sentences. These sentences appear in very long books. I personally consider these books to be American masterpieces. Ever since I began taking people to the movies 14 years ago, I have longed to convince Ellroy to see a film with me. What a great post-film conversation that would be, right? (Friday, October 30, 2009, 3:48 PM)

Students expelled for pot, but 'no major drug bust' at Sacred Heart, school official says
Two students have been expelled from Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton for "marijuana-related activities," a school official said in a statement released Friday (Oct. 30). (Friday, October 30, 2009, 3:23 PM)

PUBLIC AGENDA: Architectural Review Board, College Terrace Centre
The Palo Alto Architectural Review Board is scheduled to discuss the College Terrace Centre, a proposed mixed-use development at 2180 El Camino Real. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 3:10 PM)

BREAKING NEWS
Jeep overturns on Highway 101, lanes closed
A black Jeep overturned on northbound U.S. Highway 101 near Ellis Street in Mountain View shortly after noon today. The California Highway Patrol has temporarily closed three lanes of the highway, according to the CHP website. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 12:31 PM)

VIDEO/MULTIMEDIA
A compilation of video content from the Palo Alto Weekly and Palo Alto Online staff. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:50 AM)

ELECTION 2009
Stories, editorials, videos and photos about the upcoming election on Nov. 3, 2009, focused primarily on the Palo Alto City Council race and Measure A (business-license tax). (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:48 AM)

No way out?
That June night when Vici Kelley finally left her husband started off like many others in their household. It was dinnertime, and he was mad. Throughout Santa Clara County, statistics cry out about domestic violence even if victims can't. Related material:
■ How to help
■ Where to turn for help
■ It's Palo Alto's problem, too
■ Do hard times mean more domestic violence? (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:30 AM)

How to help
There are steps you can take to help if you suspect (or know) a friend or family member is in an abusive relationship, according to domestic-violence counselors and abuse survivors. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:30 AM)

It's Palo Alto's problem, too
For all its affluence, Palo Alto is not immune to domestic violence, which cuts across all socio-economic strata, including income, education, religion and national origin. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:30 AM)

Do hard times mean more domestic violence?
One could almost hear a figurative sigh of relief when news filtered into the 16th annual Domestic Violence Council Conference in Santa Clara last Friday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had restored $16.3 million in funding for domestic-violence shelters the day before. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:29 AM)

Where to turn for help
24-hour crisis hotlines: (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:23 AM)

Huestis chooses Stanford over Harvard
The news surrounding the Stanford men's basketball team turned positive Thursday when it was learned the Cardinal received its fifth verbal commitment. Small forward Josh Huestis (6-7, 210) out of Great Falls, MT gave Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins the good news, thebootleg.com reported. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 10:11 AM)

Paly Spirit Week continues as 'egg war' probed
"Spirit Week" activities were back to normal Thursday at Palo Alto High School while officials continued to investigate a Tuesday night egg fight involving up to 200 Paly students fighting behind Gunn High School. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 9:56 AM)

Shooting hospitalizes East Palo Alto man
Police in East Palo Alto are investigating an early morning shooting today that hospitalized one man. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 9:49 AM)

This weekend's events (Oct. 31-Nov. 1)
Music: Halloween Concert
Giancarlo Aquilanti conducts the Stanford Wind Ensemble and Jindong Cai conducts the Stanford Symphony Orchestra for a program of ominous overtures, menacing marches and other "decompositions" Saturday (Oct. 31) at 8 p.m. at Dinkelspiel Auditorium, Stanford.
Talk: "This Old House"
Palo Alto Weekly Associate Editor Carol Blitzer will talk about "This Old House" -- her trials and tribulations during 30 years of renovating a 1907 house -- Sunday (Nov. 1) at 2 p.m. at Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 9:36 AM)

Today's events (Oct. 30)
Live music: The Sit-ins
The Sit-ins perform classic rock with a spooky twist today (Oct. 30) at 8 p.m. at Dana St. Roasting Co., 744 W. Dana St., Mountain View.
www.ci.los-altos.ca.us On stage: "Cheaper by the Dozen"
The City of Los Altos Youth Theatre presents a comedic play about a father of 12, "Cheaper by the Dozen," today (Oct. 30) at 7:30 p.m. at Bus Barn Theater, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 9:35 AM)

Paly girls take volleyball title with 25th straight win
The Palo Alto girls' volleyball kept its remarkable winning streak alive and added to another streak by winning its fourth straight SCVAL De Anza Division title with a 21-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-11, 15-13 victory over visiting Los Gatos on Thursday night. (Friday, October 30, 2009, 7:49 AM)

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Stanford to host NCAA opening rounds in 2011
Stanford will host its sweet 16th, as in first- and second-round games of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, in 2011. The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee announced its plans Thursday. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:40 PM)

Former Menlo College baseball star to coach at Sacramento State in 2011
Oaks' corner

Menlo College grad Reggie Christiansen will succeed long-time Sacramento State baseball coach John Smith, who announced his retirement following the 2010 season after 32 years. Christiansen is in his second season with the Hornets, and his first as associate head coach. He has been at South Dakota State the previous four years, overseeing the school's transition to Division I from Division II. The Jackrabbits were 34-19 in his final year. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 8:22 PM)

Settlement reached on Edgewood Plaza lawsuit
A court settlement to preserve the Eichler-built Edgewood Plaza shopping center has been reached between the owners and a group of residents, both sides announced in a joint press release on Thursday, Oct. 29. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 5:22 PM)

Soccer milestones ahead for top-ranked Stanford women
Stanford senior Kelley O'Hara is enjoying her best season yet with the Stanford women's soccer team and that's because she gets to share the ball with several other dynamic offensive players. The next goal O'Hara scores will tie the Stanford single-season record of 20 that was set in 1993 by Sarah Rafanelli. O'Hara, who has 46 points, could also match or pass Rafanelli's single-season record of 48. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 5:15 PM)

A lot on the line for Palo Alto-Los Gatos football showdown
Palo Alto has a history with Los Gatos when it comes to football and, for the Vikings, it's not a very good one. In the teams' past 10 meetings, the Wildcats have won eight times.
To make matters perhaps worse, Palo Alto has lost four times at home in those 10 games. In fact, the Vikings haven't won a home game against Los Gatos in this decade. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 4:50 PM)

Stanford women's basketball banks on 'Guard U' for backcourt
Jeanette Pohlen says she takes copious notes. That may be because Kate Paye knows a thing about playing the guard position in women's basketball and has been taking the Stanford guards to school. When Paye, and guest speakers like Jennifer Azzi, speaks, people listen. That's easy to do when you understand that both former Stanford guards were members of NCAA national championship teams and know as much for their work ethic as for their talent. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 4:38 PM)

Palo Alto voters flock to mail-in ballots
Palo Alto voters seem to like the option of voting by mail, but only a fraction have taken the time to follow through this fall. On Tuesday, Palo Alto voters will elect five City Council members and approve or reject Measure A, the proposed business-license tax. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 4:28 PM)

Audit: Most complaints against cops 'unfounded'
The majority of citizen complaints against the Palo Alto Police Department last year were unfounded, a new audit has found. But some officers have been less scrupulous when dealing with their colleagues in the department, the report notes. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 4:13 PM)

REAL ESTATE: Palo Alto house goes for $1.29 million
A house on Kenneth Drive in Palo Alto sold for $1,295,000 on Oct. 9, 2009. The home previously sold for $383,000 in June 1988. Palo Alto Online's real estate website features a listing of homes sold in Palo Alto and surrounding cities. Visit PaloAltoOnline.com/real_estate for a map of homes for sale, real estate stories, neighborhood guides, virtual tours and more. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 2:32 PM)

Bay Bridge still closed as repair work continues
Bay Area commuters found creative ways to get to work for the second day in a row today, setting transit ridership records as crews continued working to repair the Bay Bridge. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 12:05 PM)

Eerie entertainment for Halloween
With Halloween on its way, the Palo Alto area has a variety of activities for both children and adults. Here are some of the options for venturing out and exploring the happenings ... if you dare. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 11:03 AM)

Paly students face suspensions for egg fight
Palo Alto High School students held a protest this morning following the reported suspension of several students for participating in an egg fight -- possibly including dangerous frozen eggs -- between Paly students on the Gunn High School campus Tuesday night. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:52 AM)

Commission urges caution on tree replanting
Palo Alto should slow down and carefully consider its vision for the California Avenue Business District before replacing the dozens of trees that were hastily chopped down last month, members of the city's Planning and Transportation Commission argued Wednesday night. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:52 AM)

More H1N1 vaccine arrives, but still too little
Santa Clara County officials announced Thursday they had received an additional 26,000 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine, but that is still far less than expected. It could mean fewer people will receive the vaccine, they said. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:50 AM)

Witnesses to history
What began as a writing workshop at Foothill College has grown into collaboration with high schools' history classes, and is now a documentary film, entitled "Remembering World War II: First-Person Accounts" scheduled to premiere Sunday, Nov. 1, at Foothill's Smithwick Theatre. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:06 AM)

Tomorrow's events (Oct. 30)
Live music: The Sit-ins
The Sit-ins perform classic rock with a spooky twist tomorrow (Oct. 30) at 8 p.m. at Dana St. Roasting Co., 744 W. Dana St., Mountain View.
www.ci.los-altos.ca.us On stage: "Cheaper by the Dozen"
The City of Los Altos Youth Theatre presents a comedic play about a father of 12, "Cheaper by the Dozen," tomorrow (Oct. 30) at 7:30 p.m. at Bus Barn Theater, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:00 AM)

Today's events (Oct. 29)
Film: "Maquilapolis: City of Factories"
This film, which tells the story of the human costs of globalization, screens today (Oct. 29) at 7 p.m. at the Annenberg Auditorium, Stanford, as part of the Food and the Environment series.
On stage: "Night of the Living Dead"
Palo Alto Children's Theatre presents the spooky tale, "Night of the Living Dead" today (Oct. 29) at 8 p.m. at the Children's Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 8:59 AM)

AAA will tow tipsy drivers home on Halloween
The scariest thing on Halloween may not be the spooky costumes but tipsy or downright drunk drivers. But help may be as near as the nearest AAA tow truck, and a tow home will be free for anyone. (Thursday, October 29, 2009, 7:48 AM)

Powered by News2View