| News - Friday, October 8, 2010
News Digest
Conlon, Gordon vie for Assembly seat
Democrat Rich Gordon and Republican Greg Conlon, rivals for the California State Assembly District 21, agree upon one thing — that they disagree on most everything, except perhaps high-speed rail.
Gordon, a three-term San Mateo County supervisor, and Conlon, a former president of the California Public Utilities Commission, are vying for the seat currently held by Assemblyman Ira Ruskin in the left-leaning district. Libertarian Ray M. Bell, Jr. is also running.
The district encompasses all or part of 13 cities in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, including San Carlos, Redwood City, Atherton, Portola Valley, Woodside, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and the Almaden Valley of San Jose.
Conlon paints himself as a fiscally minded conservative with diverse life experience who is interested in job growth, a balanced budget, reform of the state pension system, improving schools and a high-speed rail system that is done well — or not done at all.
Gordon describes himself as an innovative public servant, working both in the nonprofit and public sectors, including two terms on the San Mateo County Board of Education and most recently chairing the statewide City, County, Schools Partnership. He advocates government reform, economic growth through government incentives and regulation, increased school funding and environmental vigilance, among other issues.
Embarcadero Shell station robbed at gunpoint
The Shell gas station on Embarcadero Road off Highway 101 in Palo Alto was robbed at gunpoint early this morning, Palo Alto police Lt. Sandra Brown said.
Brown said a man wearing a stocking cap approached the teller, brandished a handgun and demanded cash. The suspect fled with an unknown amount of money. Brown said there was a "communication barrier" between the suspect and the teller, who didn't speak much English.
The suspect fled north through Edgewood Shopping Center, Brown said. Officers responded immediately and used a K-9 police dog to help search for the suspect, though they were unable to locate him.
The suspect is described as a black male, about 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing approximately 120 pounds and wearing a gray sweatshirt and a stocking cap.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Palo Alto police at 650-329-2413 or by e-mailing the department's anonymous tip line at paloalto@tipnow.org.
— Tyler Hanley | 
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