News digest News digest (February 13, 2004)

Formerly homeless grandma finds a home

Elaine Gondring, the 80-year-old former Central Valley schoolteacher who ended up begging on Palo Alto streets, has found a home. Local residents donated $2,300 to help her after reading articles in the Weekly in December describing her plight.

Failing health, million-dollar medical bills, and the limitations of aging caused Gondring to end up homeless.

On Feb. 4, Gondring and her daughter Jackie checked out of their temporary residence at the Craig Hotel in downtown Palo Alto, and began a bus trip to North Richland Hills -- a Dallas, Texas suburb. With the help of Weekly readers from Burlingame to Los Altos, Gondring was able to buy into a studio apartment at Merrill Gardens, a senior residential community.

Merrill Gardens, a chain of partial-assisted living homes for seniors, will provide all meals and utilities, as well as many social activities. The monthly fees, approximately $1,500, are affordable with Gondring's pension money, Jackie said. The balance of the donations will be used to help her buy furniture and set up house.

-- Sue Dremann
City hoping to avoid police brutality lawsuit

The Palo Alto city attorney's office is aiming to settle a claim filed by an African-American resident allegedly beaten by two officers on July 13, 2003.

Albert Hopkins is requesting $400,000 in damages stemming from the incident, including a claim that his civil rights were violated. The officers allegedly pulled and grabbed him out of his car and then beat him with their clubs and fists.

After the alleged evening attack, Hopkins had knee surgery. City officials are waiting to see his medical records before meeting with his attorney, Hopkins' brother Joe Hopkins.

According to the claim, filed in August, Hopkins suffered "great physical and emotional pain and distress, shock to his nervous system, humiliation, embarrassment, fear, anxiety, degradation, and loss of freedom" as a result of the beatings.

If the city is unable to reach a settlement with him, and rejects the claim, it opens the door for Hopkins to file a lawsuit against the city. The City Council discussed the lawsuit during a closed-door meeting Monday.

Both officers -- Craig Lee and Michael Kan -- are facing felony charges that they committed assault under color of authority. The next court date for the criminal case, which is separate from the civil claim, is in April. The officers remain on leave, pending the results of an ongoing internal investigation.

-- Bill D'Agostino
Cordell bill passes Assembly committee

A California Assembly committee unanimously gave its approval to the bill designed to solve Palo Alto Councilwoman LaDoris Cordell's conflict-of-interest dilemma.

The 5-0 vote by the Assembly Committee on Local Government moves the city of Palo Alto and Stanford University only two steps away from resolving the quandary.

"There was no expressed opposition to the bill," Mayor Bern Beecham said.

Next week, the bill is expected to go in front of the whole state Assembly. Then the final hurdle will be for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign it.

"At this point, we are optimistic," Beecham said.

When Cordell, a Stanford vice provost, was elected to the City Council in November, it triggered a section of the California code that prevents cities from entering into contracts with the employers of its council members.

While most nonprofits and universities are exempt, Stanford is unique because it is a nonprofit with a trust, rather than simply a nonprofit corporation.

Senate Bill 1086, authored by state Sen. Byron Sher -- a former Palo Alto mayor -- cures the problem by expanding the types of nonprofits exempt under the code to include Stanford.

Currently, all contracts between Stanford and the city are frozen, pending the bill's approval. Cordell could face penalties if the city and Stanford break the law and negotiate contracts.

When the bill gets to the Assembly floor, Assemblyman Joe Simitian, also a former Palo Alto mayor, is likely to be the bill's "floor manager."

"I think it makes all the sense in the world," Simitian said of the bill in late January. "This is really simply a clarification of language."

Even if the change becomes law, Cordell would still not be allowed to vote on Stanford-city contracts or issues because of the Political Reform Act. --Bill D'Agostino
Council endorses Measure 2

During an unusually brief council meeting Monday night, the Palo Alto City Council gave its support to Measure 2 on the March 2 ballot. The measure, if approved by a majority of San Francisco Bay Area voters, would raise tolls by $1 for all Bay Area bridges, except the Golden Gate.

The increased fee would generate an estimated $125 million for non-automobile traffic relief projects throughout the region.

"To me, it's a no-brainer," Councilwoman Yoriko Kishimoto said.

One project it could fund locally would be the restoration of commuter trains across the old Dumbarton railroad bridge.

"At the moment, this is the only source of funding" for the project, Councilwoman Dena Mossar said.

The council meeting ended at 7:30 p.m.

--Bill D'Agostino
Measure C backer spent $250,000

In an effort to win voter approval for Measure C last fall, developer Doug Ross spent $250,000, compared to the $36,000 spent by his opponents. That made it one of the most expensive ballot measure elections in Palo Alto's history.

Measure C was narrowly approved by the voters, clearing the way for the 60-unit condominium project at 800 High St. The ballot measure became an issue for many neighborhood activists regarding large development projects in the city.

The "Yes on Measure C" committee also directly aided the re-election campaigns of Mayor Bern Beecham and Councilwomen Dena Mossar and Judy Kleinberg in mailing, printing and postage costs -- $703 each for Beecham and Kleinberg, and $2,578 for Mossar. .

--Don Kazak
Stanford increases tuition

The Stanford University Board of Trustees this week approved a 4.5 percent increase in tuition and room and board rates for the 2004-05 academic year.

Undergraduate tuition this fall will be $29,847, undergraduate room rates will be $5,012 and board rates will be $4,488, for a total annual cost of $39,347.

"After the budget cuts of the last several years, including no salary increase this past year, we are beginning to see some improvement in the overall economy," said Isaac Stein, chair of the board of trustees. "On the other hand, we continue to have inflationary pressures on our expenses, and tuition is a crucial part of the unrestricted funding of our operations."

Stanford remains one of the few private universities with a "needs-blind" admissions policy, which means students are accepted regardless of their ability to pay. Forty six percent of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid from the university. .

-- Don Kazak

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