Publication Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Digest
Digest
(September 21, 2005)
New effort made to save Kepler's
A board of directors and a 17-member Patron's Circle has been formed by Kepler's Books in Menlo Park in an effort to save the 50-year-old bookstore, the business announced Monday. Kepler's closed abruptly Aug. 31 because of financial difficulties.
Negotiations between Kepler's and the El Camino Real property owner, the Tan Group, will be ongoing this week, said Anne Banta, who is now serving as Kepler's pro bono chief marketing officer.
Kepler's board of directors includes: store owner Clark Kepler; Daniel Mendez, a Menlo Park resident and co-founder of Visto Corp.; Geoff Ralston, an Atherton resident and chief product officer of Yahoo!; and Bruce Dunlevie, general partner at Menlo Park-based Benchmark Capital.
A Web site formed after Kepler's closure, www.savekeplers.com, has received more than 20,000 hits and more than 300 people have volunteered to help the store.
"It is incredible to me how many people have expressed that they want Kepler's to re-open and continue on for decades to come for themselves, their children and their children's children," Clark Kepler said. A press release stated the bookstore must open its doors no later than October to prepare for the holidays, which provide crucial revenue. Staff also needs to be rehired, and benefits must be initiated.
-- Don Kazak
New Stanford blood bank opens
The Stanford Blood Center has opened new offices for its administrative, business and research staff at 3373 Hillview Ave. in Palo Alto. The center will continue to receive blood donations at its offices at 780 Welch Road in Palo Alto and 515 South Drive in Mountain View, and will also accept blood donations at its new office.
The expansion was driven by an increased demand for blood at Stanford and other local hospitals. The demand for blood at the center has increased 10 percent a year for the last three years, said Michele Hyndman, center spokeswoman.
Information on the center is available at bloodcenter.stanford.edu or by calling (650) 723-7831.
-- Don Kazak
Anti-violence plan ahead for EPA
With concerns rising about the 13 homicides so far this year, East Palo Alto Police Chief Ron Davis will present a plan to the City Council on how to reduce violence.
The plan calls for the city's police department to take over all criminal investigations on Jan. 1. The department has contracted out to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department for investigations over the last decade.
"East Palo Alto officers have a more intimate knowledge of the community and the criminal element and are thus better able to identify offenders, garner community support information," Davis wrote in a report to the City Council.
His report notes that only two of the 13 homicides this year have resulted in arrests.
Davis is also proposing to form a "cold case" team to investigate open homicide cases over the last five years. "Information obtained in the field suggests that there are a small number of persons responsible for inordinate levels of violence in our community," Davis wrote in his report. He is proposing to meet with the FBI to suggest a "cold case" partnership.
Finally, Davis is proposing that the city's 10 p.m. curfew for people under 18 be enforced for juveniles who are loitering in public places. The meeting will be held Tuesday in City Hall at 7 p.m.
-- Don Kazak
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