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Online This Week
These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news or click on "News" in the green, left-hand column.

Palo Alto councilmen seek rail allies in San Diego

Palo Alto Mayor Pat Burt and Councilman Larry Klein are heading to San Diego to compare notes and share high-speed rail frustrations with elected leaders from around the state. (Posted Sept. 16 at 9:43 a.m.)

Two arrested for taxi-cab driver murder

Two men have been arrested for the July 2 murder of a San Jose taxi-cab driver, the East Palo Alto Police Department announced Wednesday night. (Posted Sept. 16 at 12:50 a.m.)

Palo Alto tries to locate missing 'public benefits'

Spurred by a group of land-use watchdogs, Palo Alto planners are trying to resurrect some of the "public benefits" that local developers were required to maintain but that seem to have vanished over the years. (Posted Sept. 15 at 3:27 p.m.)

Schools to focus on 'student connectedness'

Palo Alto teachers and principals will work to "improve student connectedness," the Board of Education unanimously decided Tuesday night. (Posted Sept. 15 at 9:49 a.m.)

Stricter smoking ban closer in Menlo Park

Menlo Park crept a step closer to expanding its smoking ordinance. After debating a few tweaks to the language and grilling the city attorney on how the ordinance would be enforced, the City Council voted 5-0 at its Sept. 14 meeting to introduce the new regulations. (Posted Sept. 15 at 8:27 a.m.)

Man injured in Mountain View home invasion

A 72-year-old man was injured in a home-invasion robbery Tuesday morning (Sept. 14) on the 1300 block of Phyllis Avenue. (Posted Sept. 14 at 4:22 p.m.)

Senators urge inspection of California pipelines

California's senators urged a federal agency Monday to immediately order inspections of interstate natural gas pipelines — like the one that ruptured Sept. 9 in San Bruno — with a priority on those near residential areas. (Posted Sept. 14 at 9:43 a.m.)

Caltrain wants high-speed rail to start locally

Caltrain has joined a growing swell of Peninsula critics of California's proposed high-speed-rail system. But Caltrain isn't opposing the system; it wants it to start first on the Peninsula — and to resurrect below-grade alternatives it believes are "achievable and constructible." (Posted Sept. 14 at 2:16 a.m.)

PG&E: What gas mains?

PG&E and Palo Alto Utilities Department officials appeared to be playing out their own version of "What's My Line?" with the city's natural-gas pipelines Monday. First, PG&E denied having any gas-transmission mains in the city. But Palo Alto officials said two minor leaks at Oregon Expressway and Alma Street were PG&E's. (Posted Sept. 13 at 10:37 p.m.)

Community Connections expands to colleges

Abilities United's Community Connections program is giving participants from Abilities United (a Palo Alto nonprofit serving people with developmental and physical disabilities) a chance to volunteer at local colleges. (Posted Sept. 14 at 9:53 a.m.)

Resident aims to battle Palo Alto over 'privacy'

Kathleen Jason-Moreau knows that in a dense city like Palo Alto total privacy is impossible to come by. But the Alma Street resident believes a mistake by city planners will force her family to live under a neighbor's constant gaze. (Posted Sept. 13 at 4:53 p.m.)

Mountain View apartment fire displaces eight

A fire damaged all four units in an apartment complex on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 12). The fire started just before 5 p.m. in the kitchen of one of the apartments and spread to a concealed wall space, said Mountain View fire spokeswoman Jaime Garret. No injuries were reported. (Posted Sept. 13 at 3:35 p.m.)

Menlo Park robber rips off necklaces

A 72-year-old woman strolling along the 300 block of El Camino Real on Saturday afternoon in Menlo Park confronted a robber intent on ripping off her necklaces. (Posted Sept. 13 at 12:35 p.m.)