December 19, 2003

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Palo Alto Online

News digest

William J. "Bill" Miller Jr., a retired insurance broker who for more than a decade hosted "Conversation Piece" on cable television in Palo Alto, died Tuesday evening after several months of battling a rare cancer.

Miller, 81, hosted more than 450 half-hour interview programs, interviewing leaders of the community and Stanford as well as homeless persons and anyone else he found interesting.

He was a partner in an insurance brokerage firm of Miller & Mathewson in the California Avenue area from the 1950s until he retired in the 1980s. He had been a member of the Palo Alto Rotary Club for more than 50 years, and had been active in a number of community organizations. He was active in local politics in the 1950s and 1960s, on the "establishment" pro-development side -- but he mellowed in later years and in the late 1990s expressed appreciation for the environmental amenities and open areas that had been preserved.

He was instrumental in creating the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course in the 1950s, and was a founder of the Palo Alto Jaycees organization. He served as president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1963.

Miller was honored in 1998 with a Lifetimes of Achievement award by Avenidas, the Palo Alto senior services organization -- several months before the death of his wife, Adele.

He cultivated friendships with hundreds of persons, through his television program and personally. "I've always been stimulated by folks who are younger than me, and I love meeting new and interesting people," he said in a 1998 interview.

Miller is survived by a son, William J. Miller III, and a daughter, Nancy Player of Palo Alto, and by several grandchildren.

Memorial services will be scheduled for early January.
End of the road, again, for Caffe Verona

Caffe Verona, the 19-year-old downtown Palo Alto fixture that inspired a loyal following among venture capitalists and college students alike, will close for good at the end of the month, manager Robin Campagna has announced.

The Italian restaurant and bar teetered on the brink of extinction earlier this year, when its lease on 236 Hamilton Ave., its home for nearly two decades, ended in August. An 11th hour offer from fellow downtown restaurateur Annie Mocho Nunan for Caffe Verona to move in with her business gave the popular meeting place a reprieve. Caffe Verona @ Annie's operated for breakfast and lunch; Nunan's Nouveau Trattoria took over for dinner.

But now, Campagna said, the 541 Bryant St property -- their new home -- is being sold, leading both restaurants' owners to close up shop.

"It was a great idea to try. I couldn't have lived the rest of my life not knowing what could have been," said Campagna, who added her "heart's a little broken" that she'll have to put employees through another closure.

Although not having the space in the evenings limited business, many customers followed the café from Hamilton Avenue to Bryant Street. "I found out what wonderful customers I did have," Campagna added.

The Caffe Verona name and liquor license are up for sale, and Campagna hopes a buyer might help her and husband Steve overcome lingering business debts.

Robin Campagna predicted she will go back into the insurance industry, while Steve will pursue general-management work. --Jocelyn Dong
City of Palo Alto closed for the holidays

Many city of Palo Alto offices and services will be closed next week for the December holidays.

Libraries, museums, community centers, and most offices will be closed. Public safety and emergency services will be fully operational. Parks will be open with limited staffing.

The complete list can be viewed at www.cityofpaloalto.org/press/winterclosure2003.pdf.
East Palo Alto improves bond rating

East Palo Alto has completed sale of some redevelopment agency refunding bonds, totaling $8.7 million, which is good news for the city.

But the significance of the bond sale is that for the first time ever the city has received a rating from financial services guaranteeing the value of the bonds. The bonds received an "AA" rating from Standard and Poor's and a "BBB" investment grade rating from Fitch Ratings Service.

Redevelopment agency's 1999 bonds were sold as un-rated and with uninsured financing. The city has saved an estimated $3.7 million because of the new ratings.

"The success of our bond issue represents a recognition by the capital markets of the huge accomplishments the city . . . has made in transforming itself into an important retail and commercial center," said Sandy Salerno, the city's finance director.

-- Don Kazak

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