TownSquare on AlmanacNews.com

New division chief joins fire district

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:35:57 PST

A former Oakland firefighter who left for Colorado has returned to California as the new operations division chief for the Menlo Park Fire Protection District. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10572&e=y posted Thursday, February 2, 2012, 10:56 AM

Will Atherton say 'yea' to Willie Mays Way?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:28:27 PST

With the backing of most residents of the street, a local Little League leader wants the town of Atherton to rename Mount Vernon Lane to Willie Mays Way, after one of the street's most famous residents. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10540 posted Friday, February 3, 2012, 9:10 AM

Atherton officer named in lawsuit retires

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:34:46 PST

An Atherton police officer named in a federal lawsuit for his role in a domestic violence incident and the subsequent alteration of a police report has announced his retirement. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10544 posted Friday, February 3, 2012, 7:33 AM

Portola Valley schools superintendent resigns under cloud of investigation

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:34:33 PST

Tim Hanretty has resigned from his position as superintendent of the Portola Valley School District while an investigation is conducted into suspected "financial irregularities" in the accounts of the Woodside School District, which he previously worked for, according to district officials. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10573 posted Thursday, February 2, 2012, 11:01 AM

Speakers: Don't halt Belle Haven services

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:02:49 PST

Rarely does anyone show up to a budget hearing to say "please cut my program." The Menlo Park City Council's Jan. 30 study session was no exception. Oddly enough, several people did say "raise my taxes." Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10566&e=y posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 4:27 PM

Missing student found safe

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:05:57 PST

A missing 19-year-old special-needs Canada College student was found safe early this morning (Feb. 2) after authorities had been searching for him since Tuesday. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10570 posted Thursday, February 2, 2012, 8:11 AM

Will town say 'yea' to Willie Mays Way?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:48:03 PST

With the backing of most residents of the street, a local Little League leader wants the town of Atherton to rename Mount Vernon Lane to Willie Mays Way, after one of the street's most famous residents. Read the full story here http://almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=12240 posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 12:00 AM

Portola Valley: Two women now on architecture review board

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:49:25 PST

The gender ratio on Portola Valley's five-member architecture review board has changed to three men and two women from a male-heavy ratio that has prevailed for much of the panel's history. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=12221 posted Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 12:00 AM

Voices from 10th grade Menlo-Atherton High School Students

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:10:31 PST

The following letters are written by 10th grade students at Menlo-Atherton High School. Any positive feedback about any or all letters would be much appreciated. -- Teens in Shape Dear Editor: Throughout many years teenagers have become more self-conscious about their weight. Many are willing to do anything to get their best body image. Diet pills, fasting, and making themselves throw up, make up the desperate attempts to lose weight. But many do not realize that there is a healthier way to lose weight. The solution is plain and simple: just get involved with sports. When I was an incoming freshman, I was an unhealthy 240 pounds. Durign this time, I just switched schools and was slightly depressed because I knew nobody in Menlo Park and left my friends in San Jose. As a comfort, I began eating a lot because it satisfied me and it made me feel good. I soon began to realize how food affected me in bad ways. That was when I made the decision to play football for Menlo Atherton, the future high school that I was going to be going to. As football started in the summer, I slowly began to lose weight. All of the conditioning, drills, and practice got me down to 225 pounds by the end of the summer. Now, ever since, I love to keep my self in shape. Sincerely, Enzo Santos Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: Chicano studies classes are being taken off by the government, all that history is part of everything. People need to know because it�s unfair to �hide� or just not teach our culture. Every human being has the right to study a complete history. This is disrespectful to us because I�m a Mexican student, and our history is part of the U.S.A. history. This made me angry because we feel discriminated. I think Chicano students should have the opportunity to learn different perspectives on history because we have to learn how our world is. Not showing our part that makes a complete history is like destroying ourselves. Sincerely, Raquel Rodr�guez Escobedo Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: The problem about students not been able to study Mexican American studies does not only affect students in the Tucson Unified School District. It affects the whole nation. As a student, I worry that the districts here in California are going to start getting new ideas. I worry that in the future we would no longer learn about different cultures, communities and how to work as a civilization. Taking the class away is a racist act. The District suspended the class because it �offended� ignorant people living in Arizona. Money was not the reason why the district took the class away. It was not just racist against a class, a school or the state, but the nation. As we all know, Arizona, as well as 49 other states sings �land of the free� in our national anthem. Can we really think it is �land of the free� when we are told what to read and learn about? Sincerely, Stephanie Castellanos, Menlo-Atherton High School 10th Grade Student Redwood City, CA -- Dear Editor: Two weeks ago, you published an article about a 17-year-old who got convicted as an adult for slashing another teenager�s face. I am a teenage mom and I agree that Carlos Zamora should be convicted as an adult. If Zamora doesn�t go to jail, he might try to do it again. People should learn from their mistakes. Sincerely, Maria Alvarado Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: I applaud Judge Ariadne Symons� decision to send 17-year-old Carlos Zamora to jail for slashing another boy�s face with a knife. He deserves to have been tried as an adult because he is showing he didn�t learn from his first three charges. As someone who is a teenager, I know that there are many experiences and lessons in life. But there will always be consequences if you do something bad. I think that three mistakes are enough for him to realize that the path he is going through is bad and he should start going through the right path to lead him to a bright future. Sincerely, Brisa A. Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: Two weeks ago, the math teachers at Palo Alto High School refused to agree with parents who want to make Algebra II required for graduation because of the high number of Mexicans and African American students that didn�t graduate from high school last year. Whether they graduate from high school or not, Algebra II is a class that students will need for college, so it is wrong to let students decide not to take it, even though they will need it for college. I think this tells parents that they are lowering our expectations of their students. I am a sophomore and I�m taking Algebra II and I can achieve it. Sincerely, Ernesto Jasso Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: I think that the Sequoia Union High School District should have a girl�s football team. As a student at Menlo-Atherton High School, I feel that the girls are not given a lot of opportunities. Also, I think this would keep girls out of violence. The football team would not be expensive. We can use the boys� supplies. This can help all the girls in this district get out of gangs. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, girls accounted for 30 percent of al juvenile arrests. That is why I need the district�s help to make this football team come true. Sincerely, Graciela Alvarez Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: At Gunderson High School, the coach of the boys� basketball team dismissed the entire team for their actions towards the coach. For preventing the negative actions the players have demonstrated, the coach could have not let them play if they were �constantly late to practice� and �disrespecting.� I play varsity girls basketball for my school and if we did something negative toward the coach or to our fellow teammates, our coach would have given us consequences so we can learn from our mistakes and not do it again. Instead, coaches at Gunderson High School literally took someone�s future away from them by not teaching them any life lessons they can take from it. The article says .03% will make it to the pros, showing that the coach didn�t take this situation seriously. This shows that the coach didn�t take any action to try to save his team from tearing apart. Sincerely, Lakai Mataele Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: I think the East Palo Alto police need to be more aggressive in achieving their goals because I feel that there are always crimes in East Palo Alto. Almost everyday, I see on the news that there�s been death, robbing, horrible accidents, etc. The copes have to reduce that so people won�t be frightened to go to East Palo Alto. I have lived in East Palo Alto since I was 12 and I live at the border between East Palo Alto and Palo Alto. Where I live, it�s usually safe, but on the other side, it�s very dangerous. When I see crimes in the news, I react by being horrified and disappointed. Sincerely, Jimmy Martinez Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: 68% of battered women reported violence towards their animals. 87% of these accidents occurred in the presence of women and 75% in the presence of children to psychologically control and coerce them. Why do people kill animals? Why do people treat animals wrong? Animal abuse has been around for a long time. Yet, most people don�t do enough about it. Seeing animals get killed makes me think about how heartless a person can be when they kill poor harmless creatures. Animals are being killed or being thrown in the streets. We people should put an end to animal abuse. Sincerely, Elvis Abarca Cervantes Menlo-Atherton High School Student -- Dear Editor: I agree with Judge Symons that Carlos Zamora should have been tried as an adult for his horrible crimes. However, he deserves more time in jail because he knows what he was doing, he�s not stupid. He knows that person to somebody else is his/her son, boyfriend, cousin. He wouldn�t like it if that happened to him. And it wasn�t a little thing that he did. He actually slashed somebody�s face. It wasn�t just one time he was arrested for several incidents. The first might have been a mistake but the rest he knows what he was doing. He should be tried as an adult because he�s not small, he knows what he was doing. Sincerely, Jennifer Lombera Menlo-Atherton High School Student

Fire occurred at Larry Ellison's former home

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:49:51 PST

The large Japanese pagoda-style home in Atherton where firefighters quickly extinguished an attic fire Sunday was the former home of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. Read the full story here http://almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10557 posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 5:45 PM

Atherton officer named in lawsuit retires

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:14:34 PST

An Atherton police officer named in a federal lawsuit for his role in a domestic violence incident and the subsequent alteration of a police report has announced his retirement. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=12244 posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 12:00 AM

Police nab two Menlo Park men as burglary suspects

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:15:36 PST

Palo Alto police chased down and arrested two Menlo Park men who they believe were planning to burglarize a residence in the Duveneck neighborhood Monday night. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10560&e=y posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 9:03 PM

Kepler's reveals new details about future

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:00:44 PST

The transition team taking Kepler's Books into a new phase of life has revealed a few more details about upcoming changes. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10549 posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 5:57 PM

Special-needs student goes missing

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:10:08 PST

Authorities in San Mateo County are asking the public's help in finding a 20-year-old special-needs student who went missing from Canada College in Woodside late Tuesday morning (Jan. 31). Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10559 posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 7:08 PM

Editorial: Atherton struggles without leaders

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:23:51 PST

In what appears to be a complete meltdown in communications between the City Council and an interim city manager, Atherton has tapped a deputy city clerk to manage the town while it scrambles to initiate a search for a permanent manager. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=12255 posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 12:00 AM

Why the rush in Atherton city manager shuffle?

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:23:21 PST

> This is an expanded version of a previously published article.< With the town of Atherton scrambling at the 11th hour to secure necessary outside approval to let Interim City Manager John Danielson remain in charge at Town Hall, the question arises: Were the council and the interim city manager asleep behind the wheel? Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10541 posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 10:35 AM

Menlo Park council votes 4-1 on new city manager contract

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:51:38 PST

Menlo Park City Council meetings can be packed full of surprises, but the Jan. 24 meeting proceeded much as expected — with one exception. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=12249 posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 12:00 AM

Facebook unveils bike plan

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:21:24 PST

Making the streets of Menlo Park and East Palo Alto safer for bicyclists has hit the top of Facebook's community "to do" list. ==B Photo:== Members of the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition ride their bikes Monday on the Facebook campus in Menlo Park. ==I Almanac photo by Michelle Le.== Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10546 posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 10:32 AM

Armed man invades Atherton home

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:44:38 PST

A man armed with a gun and a knife got away with some $322,000 in jewelry and watches after invading an occupied house in the 200 block of Atherton Avenue in Atherton and confronting the residents shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, police said. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10539 posted Monday, January 30, 2012, 3:08 PM

Kepler's Bestsellers - January 29, 2012

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:18:59 PST

Hardcover Fiction Art of Fielding - Chad Harbach Death Comes to Pemberley P D James Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes Orphan Master�s Son - Adam Johnson Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern American Dervish - Ayad Akhtar 1Q84 - Haruki Murakami Believing the Lie - Elizabeth George Litigators - John Grisham Adventures of Tintin V06 - Herge Hardcover Nonfiction Inside Apple - Adam Lashinsky Thinking Fast & Slow - Daniel Kahneman Goodnight Ipad a Modern-Day Parody - Ann Droyd Mindfulness for Beginners - Jon Kabatzinn Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson Quiet the Power of Introverts in a World - Susan Cain Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google - William Poundstone Boomerang Travels in the New 3Rd World - Michael Lewis Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand Bentos Sketchbook - John Berger Paperback Fiction Candide - Francois Voltaire Tiger�s Wife - Tea Obreht Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese Major Pettigrew�s Last Stand - Helen Simonson Daniel - Henning Mankell Visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan Freedom - Jonathon Franzen Cezanne�s Quarry - Barbara Pope City of Thieves - David Benioff Half Broke Horses - Jeannette Walls Paperback Nonfiction Heaven Is for Real - Todd Burpo Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot Bossypants - Tina Fey Hare with Amber Eyes - Edmund De Waal Social Animal - David Brooks At Home - Bill Bryson Big Short Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis Eat to Live - Joel Fuhrman Iranians Persia Islam & the Soul of a Na - Sandra Mackey This Is Not the Life I Ordered - Deborah Stephens

Menlo studies service cuts, tax hikes

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:18:47 PST

What to cut and how to cut remains the focus of the Menlo Park City Council, which will hold a study session Monday night to discuss ways to cover a budget gap of at least $1.7 million created by the state's dissolution of the city's redevelopment agency. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10537 posted Monday, January 30, 2012, 10:00 AM

Firefighters quickly control Atherton fire

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:43:50 PST

Firefighters were able to quickly control a two-alarm attic fire at a large two-story home on Isabella Avenue in Atherton Sunday afternoon. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10535&e=y posted Sunday, January 29, 2012, 5:26 PM

Residents denied appeal to change school districts

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:28:42 PST

Woodside residents who wanted to have their two streets on the edge of Menlo Park and Redwood City transferred from the Redwood City School District to the Los Lomitas Elementary School District have had their final appeal denied and will have to stay put. Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=12026 posted Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 12:00 AM

Atherton deputy clerk named interim manager

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:53:51 PST

Deputy City Clerk Theresa DellaSanta is now Atherton's interim city manager. Former manager John Danielson will continue working for the town as a consultant at $12,000 a month ($2,000 less per month than the town appeared poised to pay him just a day before his contract was signed). Read the full story here http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10534 posted Friday, January 27, 2012, 4:02 PM

VIDEO - City Council Special Meeting of Jan 27, 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:55:46 PST

Town of Atherton City Council / Channel Drainage District SPECIAL MEETING Jan 27, 2012 Video Broadcast Brought to you by the men and women of the Atherton Police Officers Association http://www.athertonpolice.com Select Atherton Government Meetings available on our YouTube broadcast channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/AthertonPOA