April 14, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

News digest

Getting from Palo Alto to San Jose by train used to take 34 minutes, but when the Baby Bullet starts running on June 7, it will be a mere 22 minutes. A ride to San Francisco will also shorten, from 54 minutes to 36.

The complete new approved train schedules can be found at www.caltrain.com/news_2004_4_1_new_service_levels.html.

Since July 2002, Caltrain has been adding new tracks to let the Baby Bullet trains skip stations and run faster. Weekend service has been shut down during that time, and will return in June.
Open space district wins expansion

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District will expand its boundaries to the coast, thanks to a vote of approval last week from the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission. The vote ended a six-year-long process to add coastside areas to the district, which now manages almost 50,000 acres of open space preserves in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

The district has agreed not to use its powers of eminent domain on the coast and only purchase land from willing sellers. This was key in winning support from coastal landowners.

"This decision is a tremendous achievement for all coastsiders, all baysiders and everyone who wants to protect the San Mateo coast's magnificent resources," said Craig Britton, the district's general manager.

The district will expand its educational, recreational and preservation programs to some 11,800 acres of coastal open space over the next 15 years.

"The coastside protection program is a huge step toward preserving San Mateo coast's truly unique scenic beauty, agricultural production and recreational opportunities and a way of life that's been around for generations," said Mary Davey, president of the district's board. --Don Kazak
Hidden Villa looking for new executive director

Hidden Villa, a regional environmental and multicultural education center, is looking for a new executive director, following the retirement of Judith Steiner.

Steiner, a Palo Alto resident, has been executive director of Hidden Villa since 1994.

During Steiner's tenure, Hidden Villa's annual budget and assets grew from a $1 million budget and $6 million in assets to a $2.4 million budget and $12 million in assets. Steiner also successfully supervised a $9 million capital campaign that enabled Hidden Villa to construct three sustainable built buildings, restore several historic buildings, landscape specific areas of the farm, and build the endowment fund.

The sustainable buildings have become models in the Bay Area for architects, builders, and individuals interested in green building practices.

"Having the opportunity to be involved with Hidden Villa is the fulfillment of my life -- my dream job -- and I am forever grateful to the hundreds and hundreds of idealistic, committed, and passionate people I have had the opportunity to know," Steiner said in a press release."There is no place in the country like Hidden Villa which combines a mission of multicultural education with environmental education."

Steiner plans to continue work in the nonprofit sector as a consultant and volunteer. She also serves on the city's Parks and Recreation Commission. Her retirement is effective July 31, 2004.

A search committee has already hired a consultant and has evaluating criteria for a new director, hoping to have one in place by August.

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