News Digest News Digest (September 07, 2005)

Stanford workers rally for better benefits

On the eve of labor negotiations, Stanford Hospital and Stanford University workers held a rally and march at the hospital on Monday, asking for better benefits.

The United Stanford Workers, who are members of Service Employees International Union, Local 715, will enter negotiations with Stanford Hospital in late September for a new labor contract.

In a press release, Gayle Tiller, SEIU's communications director, said that the hospital had a net income of $101 million in fiscal year 2004, just two years after having a net income of just $9.3 million.

Andrea Smith, the hospital's media relations manager, said financial information was not yet available but would be public when finalized. Smith did not comment on the hospital's reported 2004 income of $101 million, but noted that the healthcare industry is facing many challenges.

"In order to remain viable and operate responsibly we must reinvest our earnings not only in compensating our employees but also in patient care initiatives, upgrading our hospital facility and improving our information technology," she said via e-mail.

Regarding the upcoming contract negotiations, Smith added, "Our hospital values the important work of our SEIU members and we look forward to reaching a fair and equitable agreement for all parties."

-- Don Kazak

Students protest dismissal of YMCA employee

A gaggle of local students who protested at the Palo Alto Family YMCA on Ross Road on Aug. 28, hoping to convince the executives to rehire an employee who was let go earlier this year, was unsuccessful.

Melissa Taylor, 29, oversaw teen programs and camps for more than a dozen years. She said she was touched by the protest in her honor.

"It was really sweet," she said. "It was a nice gesture."

Executive Director Dan Logan said he couldn't discuss why Taylor was let go.

"I'm really not in a position to comment on that," he said. "We value the opinions of the young people. We appreciate they were very fond of Melissa. At the same time this is very confidential information."

Margaret Lewis, who attended two summer camps that Taylor led this year, was one of the students who organized the protest.

"She made me very welcomed, very comfortable and included," Lewis said. She called the decision to let Taylor her go "tragic."

Taylor was nicknamed "Cricket" by the students because when she sang, she sounded like a cricket.

-- Bill D'Agostino

East Palo Alto murder victims identified

The San Mateo County Coroner's Office has identified three men who died in a shooting Wednesday night in East Palo Alto.

The shooting, which occurred shortly after 8:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of Dumbarton Avenue, claimed the lives of two East Palo Alto men, 30-year-old Juan Zuniga and 29-year-old Eduardo Gonzalez, according to a coroner's spokeswoman.

The third victim was a Redwood City man, 34-year-old Maximino Lucatero, the spokeswoman said.

Police said two suspects in a gold Nissan Maxima fired multiple gunshots at the three victims, who were in a parked vehicle.

Gonzalez, who was in the driver's seat, and Zuniga were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the coroner's spokeswoman. Lucatero was taken to Stanford Hospital where he later died, she said.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, officers located a vehicle similar to the suspect's Nissan driving with its lights off and attempted to pull it over.

The driver did not yield, instead attempting to flee before crashing into a parked vehicle on Alberni Street.

A 17-year-old suspect then fled on foot from the car, but was taken into custody a short time later.

A police spokesman said Thursday night that he did not have additional information in the case and did not know how many, if any, suspects are still being sought.

-- Bay City News Service

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