July 16, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

News Digest

The Santa Clara woman accused of killing her baby and then dumping it near a Palo Alto hotel was arraigned this week in a Santa Clara County courtroom.

Maria Ana Quinones, 22, sat expressionless as a Spanish-language interpreter read the charges of murder and child abuse homicide filed against her by the district attorney's office on Tuesday.

If convicted, Quinones could face a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison, according to Deputy District Attorney Dan Nishigaya.

Quinones worked as a maid at the Days Inn hotel in Palo Alto near where the baby's body was found last week.

The corpse was discovered inside a garbage bag wrapped in twine by a construction crew working on a fence between the Days Inn and a neighboring condominium complex at 4238 El Camino Real, according to police.

The infant's body was so badly decomposed that the county coroner could not determine its race or gender during an autopsy the next day, Nishigaya said.

Authorities initially would not comment on the cause of death for the child or how long it had been dead for, citing an ongoing investigation.

However a police report released this week revealed that Quinones told investigators she delivered a baby boy in the bathroom of her home in the 2800 block of Agate Drive in Santa Clara on Feb. 12.

Quinones then described to police how she "prevented the baby from breathing," according to the report.

The report also revealed that Quinones had apparently lied to her family about her pregnancy and that an autopsy performed by the county medical examiner on Friday determined the baby to be a "full term infant."

Quinones is scheduled to appear for plea entry and identification of counsel on Aug. 2. She is currently being held without bail and Nishigaya said that issue is expected to be discussed at the next hearing.

Meanwhile, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office has sent out a media reminder of California's "safe surrender" law that allows a parent to leave a newborn at a hospital within three days of birth without being charged with a crime. The parent does not even have to provide identification.

-- Bay City News Service
City to appeal decision regarding historic house

Rather than watching as the historic "Briones House" was torn down, the Palo Alto City Council opted on Monday night to appeal a judge's decision against the city's efforts to keep it standing.

Superior Court Judge John Herlihy ruled the city needed to hold a hearing to decide whether or not to allow demolition of the home on Old Adobe Road, built by 19-century feminist pioneer Juana Briones.

After buying the old house in 1997, Jaim Nulman and Avelyn Welczer applied to tear it down. They sued the city in 1998 for failing to hear their application.

The city argued that a contract giving the homeowners tax breaks in exchange preserving the house prohibited demolition. But the judge ruled that the contract was not clear enough to be enforced, and that the city had, in any case, waited too long.

The city will appeal the decision to the Sixth District Court in San Jose.

Even if the city wins the appeal, the owners can tear down the whole structure in 2008, when contract expires.

The lawsuit has already cost the city an estimated $350,000. In September, the judge will rule whether the city should pay the owner's $375,000 legal fees. If he does, the city will appeal that decision as well.
Elks Lodge property takes step toward housing

The vast parking lot in front of the Palo Alto Elks Lodge at 4249 El Camino Real is looking more sure to become housing, as the fraternal organization recently received 13 proposals from developers to acquire the land and build on it. Elks Lodge Exalter Ruler Ed Mendell said this week that most of the developers who've bid on the 8.2-acre property are "located locally and well-known."

The three lots that comprise the property are zoned for housing, including single-family homes and higher-density apartments or condominiums. Although a developer could have proposed a commercial use, Mendell said the Elks trustees preferred a residential project, which is aligned with the city's need for housing.

The Elks trustees will consider the proposals and are scheduled to select one or more bids for their membership to vote on in September.

Various options are on the table, including selling the whole property and relocating the organization, or selling the front part of the land and retaining the back for a renovated lodge. A developer could also lease rather than buy the land.

Currently the 55,000-square-foot lodge is in need of some repairs and exceeds the needs for the club's 900 Elks, said Mendell.

"We're cash poor and land rich," he said. --Jocelyn Dong
Homeless providers merge

Clara-Mateo Alliance, which operates a shelter, transitional housing and a drop-in center for the homeless in Menlo Park, merged with a larger homeless-aid organization, San Jose-based InnVision, on July 1.

"None of our services will go away," said Eve Agiewich, Clara-Mateo's Director of Community Relations. The shelter opened in 1997.

Clara-Mateo approached InnVision last fall about a possible merger. "They were struggling during this recession time to raise the money they needed to support themselves long-term," explained Christine Burroughs, InnVision's CEO.

The merger, which was not announced publicly prior to July 1, will bring more stability to the organization and more reliability to the services provided, both women said.

"InnVision has more resources to bring to bear," Agiewich explained.

It will also consolidate the groups in charge of the Opportunity Center, which is under construction now and expected to open in December 2005.

"With one umbrella organization managing the Opportunity Center and having control of services outside the center, it will make it a lot easier to do business in the center and less confusing for the public," Burroughs said.

It's the second time InnVision has taken a Midpeninsula organization under its wing since the dot-com bust. In 2002, it merged with Urban Ministry, which provides a food closet and homeless drop-in center in Palo Alto.

As a result of the merger, one vacant position at Clara Mateo, the executive director, was eliminated. Executive Director Angel Batt left the organization in 2003, reportedly to stay home with her new son.

Clara-Mateo Alliance gets its name from the fact that it serves both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. --Bill D'Agostino :

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