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Stanford University police are trying to pinpoint the identity of a serial groper who rides up alongside women on his mountain bike, grabs them briefly and then pedals away, according to Elaine Ray, director of the Stanford News Service.

The bicycle groper has struck 32 times since May, according to Ray, who said the incidents have all occurred on campus, mostly between the hours of 7:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.

So far, Ray said, the man has drawn the line at grabbing and has not attempted to commit any other sexual assaults.

"Right now he's grabbing their bottoms and riding away,'' she said.

The man is described as being between 18 and 25 years old, clean-shaven, with a short, black buzz cut. He has olive skin, stands about 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighs about 180 pounds with what Ray called a "heavyset, stocky build."

He rides a blue or purple mountain bike and sometimes wears a forward or backward baseball cap.

The most recent incident was reported on Oct. 30, Ray said.

--Bay City News Service

Rutherford is now East Palo Alto mayor

Donna Rutherford has been elected mayor in East Palo Alto and David Woods vice mayor, both by unanimous votes. In a show of unity for a council that had suffered from divisions in recent years, outgoing Mayor Pat Foster nominated Rutherford to the one-year, largely ceremonial post.

The votes were taken two weeks ago. --Don Kazak
Early applicants increase at Stanford

Stanford University has experienced a big jump in applicants to its early decision program for students seeking admission as first-year students. Some 4,000 prospective freshman students have applied under the program, up 62 percent from last year.

Stanford has modified the early decision program - by which students were bound to attend the school if they are accepted - into a "single choice, early action program," which allows them to learn the university's decision in December but to have the option to wait until May before making a decision to attend.
Comcast cable rates rise

Comcast Cable has announced it will increase cable television rates for the Palo Alto service area, which includes Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton and portions of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

According to the Palo Alto City Manager's Office, the rate increase will affect limited basic, standard cable, digital value packages and per-channel services.

The minimum service, known as limited basic cable, will increase by 3 percent to $12.55 per month. This level of service has not been increased since it was established in March 2002.

The most common service, standard cable, will increase 5 percent to $43.99 and the various digital value packages are increasing 12 percent on average. The last increase for these services was in May.

The city manager's office reports that the only service the city of Palo Alto can regulate the rate for is the limited basic service, but the city does not currently do so, due to the high cost of the rate regulation process versus the limited benefit it may have.

City officials have found that the limited basic rate in Palo Alto is comparable to other area rates and therefore doesn't present itself as a good candidate for rate regulation at this time. The city plans to continue to monitor the limited basic rate for possible future action.

Customers interested in additional information on the rate hike can contact Comcast at 1-800-945-2288 or the City of Palo Alto Cable Comment Line at (650) 329-2206.