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Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
Palo                                                           Vol. XLII, Number 21   Q   February 26, 2021

            Alto                                                City plans more budget
                                                                  cuts as revenues fall
                                                                                                             Page 7

w w w. P a l o A l t o O n l i n e.c o m

                                      Get ready, your
                                      next meal might be
                                      made by a robot
                                      Page 27

                Read up-to-the-minute news on PaloAltoOnline.com
                                           QUpfront City opens first ‘safe parking’ lot                        Page 5
                                           QUpfront Summer camps plan a comeback                             Page 10
                                           QA&E Local actor finds pleasure in ‘Pain’                          Page 20
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
dependable
  health care in
  uncertain times

                                                               It is as important as ever to get the care you need.
                                                               Stanford Health Care is taking every precaution to keep you safe.

                                                               To protect your health, we are:
                                                               • Screening both staff and patients for COVID-19
     U.S. News & World Report recognizes
     Stanford Health Care among the top                        • Requiring and providing masking for all
    hospitals in the nation. Ranking based
        on quality and patient safety.                         • Offering “touchless” check-in/check-out with your MyHealth account

                                                               • Limiting the number of patients inside to allow for physical distancing

                                                               • Ensuring separate screening areas for symptomatic patients

                                                               Don’t delay your care. Appointments are available at our locations across
                                                               the Bay Area and remotely by video visit.

  To learn more, visit: stanfordhealthcare.org/resumingcare
Page 2 • February 26, 2021 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
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                        #1 Individual Compass Realtor in California
                        #3 Individual Agent in California
                        #7 Individual Agent in the USA
                        50+ Homes Bought and Sold in 2020
                                                                      www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • February 26, 2021 • Page 3
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND SALE

               PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND SALE

                                             NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 27
                                               GET 35% OFF YOUR FAVORITE
                                                    PIECE OF STICKLEY.

                                                         Hours of Operation
                                                   Tuesday – Saturday 12PM to 5PM

  4LUSV7HYR
1010 EL CAMINO                                  FLEGELS F DESIGN                     650.326.9661
 REAL, SUITE 90                                                                     ^^^ÅLNLSZJVT
Page 4 • February 26, 2021 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
Upfront                Local news, information and analysis

City opens first ‘safe parking’ site for unhoused residents
            Palo Alto follows in footsteps of                                Rinconada Park fire station was       lot, with Santa Clara County                    Mountain View has offered resi-
                                                                             under reconstruction.                 providing the funding. The Palo                 dents regular COVID-19 testing
            East Palo Alto, Mountain View                                      In launching the program, Palo      Alto City Council approved the                  and a food pantry.
                         by Gennady Sheyner                                  Alto follows in the footsteps of      partnership in September, when                    The program was first proposed
                                                                             East Palo Alto and Mountain           it unanimously agreed to lease                  in 2019 by council member Lydia

A
        fter years of discussion         Located at 2000 Geng Road,          View, both of which host parking      the 25,000-square-foot lot to the               Kou and Mayor Tom DuBois, who
        and a few false starts, Palo   near the Baylands Athletic Cen-       lots for people who live in their     county.                                         submitted a memo urging their
        Alto on Feb. 19 opened its     ter, the lot can accommodate 12       cars.                                    In addition to providing a se-               colleagues to identify city sites
first “safe parking” site east of      vehicles and includes a building        The nonprofit Move Moun-            cure, 24-hour place to park, the                that could be repurposed for safe
U.S. Highway 101 in response to        with a shower. The property was       tain View, which oversees five        program will offer case manage-                 parking. While the memo focused
the steady increase in residents       recently used by the Palo Alto        “safe parking” sites in Mountain      ment and other social services.
living in vehicles on local streets.   Fire Department while the city’s      View, will operate the Palo Alto      At its Mountain View lots, Move                              (continued on page 30)

                                                                                                                                                                            EDUCATION

                                                                                                                                                                      COVID-19
                                                                                                                                                                     tests await
                                                                                                                                                                      students
                                                                                                                                                                    District looks to partner
                                                                                                                                                                      with new company
                                                                                                                                                                       for regular testing
                                                                                                                                                                          by Elena Kadvany

                                                                                                                                                                   W
                                                                                                                                                                              ith Palo Alto Unified
                                                                                                                                                                              gearing up to bring
                                                                                                                                                                              more students and
                                                                                                                                                                   teachers back to campuses this
                                                                                                                                                                   spring, district leadership is look-
                                                                                                                                                                   ing to expand COVID-19 testing
                                                                                                                                                                   to include any students, teach-
                                                                                                                                                                   ers and staff members, whether
                                                                                                                                                                   symptomatic or asymptomatic.
                                                                                                                                                                     Staff are recommending that all
                                                                                                                                                                   students, faculty and staff who are
                                                                                                                                                                   regularly on campus participate
                                                                                                                                                                   in diagnostic and surveillance
                                                                                                                                                                   screening on a “regular cadence”
                                                                                                                                                                   starting the week of March 1. All
                                                                                                                                                                   employees working in-person will
                                                                                                                                                 Magali Gauthier

                                                                                                                                                                   be required to get tested at least
                                                                                                                                                                   every other week and within five
                                                                                                                                                                   days of returning from out-of-
                                                                                                                                                                   town travel. All students in grades
   Ready to make a splash                                                                                                                                          K-5 attending school in person
   Masked swimmers cheer and clap together before a virtual swim meet at Gunn High School in Palo Alto on Feb. 24.                                                 will be encouraged to get tested
                                                                                                                                                                   at the same frequency. Second-
                                                                                                                                                                   ary students on campuses will be
                                                                                                                   city’s Residential Preferential                 advised to get tested on a weekly
                                              TECHNOLOGY                                                           Parking districts and potentially               basis.

            Adoption of license plate readers                                                                      implemented at a later date in
                                                                                                                   public garages and lots.
                                                                                                                     The city has been consider-
                                                                                                                                                                     “Though the evidence contin-
                                                                                                                                                                   ues to evolve, we have learned
                                                                                                                                                                   from examples of what works and
               stirs anxieties over privacy                                                                        ing the technology since at least
                                                                                                                   2017, when a report by the city’s
                                                                                                                                                                   what does not work since reopen-
                                                                                                                                                                   ing schools. We believe expand-
   City of Palo Alto would keep license plate images for 96 hours — or five years                                  consultant, Dixon Resources, rec-               ing testing will position PAUSD
                                                                                                                   ommended it as part of a broader                to further reduce the chances of
                                            by Gennady Sheyner                                                     plan to manage parking through-                 transmission on our campuses,” a

P
       alo Alto’s newest tool for      new automated license plate read-       The City Council tried to bal-      out the city, along with parking                staff report states.
       parking management is           ers will threaten their privacy and   ance these two priorities — man-      meters and new mobile apps to                     The school board briefly dis-
       expected to save money,         inadvertently worsen the very         aging parking and managing pri-       help visitors pay for spots. Dun-               cussed the plan Tuesday; it will
provide data and help the city un-     problem that the city is trying to    vacy — on Monday night when it        can Solutions is the vendor of the              come back for formal action at a
derstand — and resolve — ten-          alleviate: the number of employ-      unanimously approved spending         technology.                                     future meeting.
sions between local employees          ees who park their vehicles in        $140,000 to buy and install two         Chief Transportation Official                   The Santa Clara County Public
and residents in neighborhoods         residential areas, which was high     automated license plate readers.      Philip Kamhi said the license-                  Health Department has no recom-
next to commercial districts.          before the COVID-19 pandemic          The cameras, which will be at-        plate reader program will bring                 mendation for student testing but
  But some of these same resi-         and which is expected to return       tached to parking-enforcement
dents also believe that the city’s     once the health crisis subsides.      vehicles, will be rolled out in the               (continued on page 31)                           (continued on page 31)

                                                                                                                    www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • February 26, 2021 • Page 5
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
Upfront

     Employment                                                           450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306

                                                                          PUBLISHER
                                                                                     (650) 326-8210

                                                                          William S. Johnson (223-6505)
                                                                                                                                                               QUOTE OF THE WEEK

                                                                          EDITORIAL
          The Palo Alto Weekly offers                                     Editor Jocelyn Dong (223-6514)

     advertising for Employment, as well as                               Associate Editor Linda Taaffe (223-6511)
                                                                          Sports Editor Rick Eymer (223-6516)                             I think it’s safe to say there’s
          Home and Business Services.                                     Arts & Entertainment Editor Karla Kane (223-6517)
                                                                          Home & Real Estate Editor
                                                                          Heather Zimmerman (223-6515)
                                                                                                                                          no safe harbor.
         If you wish to learn more about                                  Express & Digital Editor Jamey Padojino                                      —Kiely Nose, Palo Alto Chief Financial Officer,
                                                                          (223-6524)
             these advertising options,                                   Staff Writers Sue Dremann (223-6518), Elena
                                                                                                                                                       on making city budget cuts. See story on page 7.

       please call 650.223.6582 or email                                  Kadvany (223-6519), Gennady Sheyner (223-6513)
                                                                          Chief Visual Journalist Magali Gauthier (223-6530)

           digitalads@paweekly.com.
                                                                                                                                          Around Town
                                                                          Editorial Assistant/Intern Coordinator
                                                                          Lloyd Lee (223-6526)
                                                                          Contributors Chrissi Angeles, Mike Berry,
                                                                          Carol Blitzer, Peter Canavese, Edward Gerard Fike,
                                                                          Yoshi Kato, Chris Kenrick, Jack McKinnon,
                                                                          Sheryl Nonnenberg, John Orr, Monica Schreiber,                                                                                                  to a Feb. 22 article by Stanford
                                                                          Jay Thorwaldson
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          News Service. They set up a
    PUBLIC NOTICE - In accordance                                         ADVERTISING                                                                                                                                     lightning rod that runs 18 inches
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          above the tower and 8 feet below
    with Sec.106 of the Programmatic
                                                                          Vice President Sales & Marketing

                                                                                                                                                                                     Courtesy Palo Alto Fire Department
                                                                          Tom Zahiralis (223-6570)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ground. “The lightning arrestor
    Agreement, T-Mobile West, LLC plans to                                Multimedia Advertising Sales
                                                                          Elaine Clark (223-6572), Connie Jo Cotton (223-6571)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          system will protect the structure,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          the equipment in the building and,
    upgrade an existing telecommunications                                Real Estate Advertising Sales
                                                                          Neal Fine (223-6583)                                                                                                                            most importantly, the safety of
    facility at 345 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto,                            Digital Marketing Representative                                                                                                                the people on the ground,” Zone
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Director Stephen Clarkson said
    CA 94301. Please direct comments to
                                                                          Rosemary Lewkowitz (223-6585)
                                                                          Legal Advertising Alicia Santillan (223-6578)                                                                                                   in the article. Without the system,
    Gavin L. at 818-898-4866 regarding site                               ADVERTISING SERVICES                                                                                                                            lightning can damage the building
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          and electronics by traveling
    SF04533A.                                                             Advertising Services Manager
                                                                          Kevin Legarda (223-6597)
                                                                                                                                          EVERYTHING IS GUINEA BE OK
                                                                                                                                          ... A family of four was distraught to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          through the tower’s steel frame. A
                                                                          Sales & Production Coordinator                                                                                                                  lightning counter system was also
                                                                                                                                          hear that their three female guinea
                                                                          Diane Martin (223-6584)                                                                                                                         added at the tower’s basement
                                                                                                                                          pigs didn’t survive a Feb. 18 fire in
                         2/19, 2/26/21                                    DESIGN
                                                                                                                                          their detached garage. The family’s
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          to monitor future lightning strikes
                                                                          Design & Production Manager                                                                                                                     at the building. The tower was
                  CNS-3442182#                                            Kristin Brown (223-6562)                                        devastation was visible to Palo Alto
                                                                                                                                          firefighter-paramedic Greg Coffelt,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          previously struck by lightning in
                                                                          Senior Designers Linda Atilano, Paul Llewellyn                                                                                                  December 1970, according to
                PALO ALTO WEEKLY                                          Designers Kevin Legnon, Amy Levine,
                                                                          Douglas Young
                                                                                                                                          who responded to the 5 a.m. blaze
                                                                                                                                          at a three-apartment complex on
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Stanford News Service. Falcons
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          typically flock to the tower during
                                                                                                                                          Seale Avenue. “The guinea pigs
                                                                          BUSINESS                                                                                                                                        nesting season, so the university
                                                                                                                                          were something that they really
                                                                          Assistant Business Manager                                                                                                                      made sure the job was completed
                                                                          Gwen Fischer (223-6575)                                         showed affection and love for,” he
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          before the winged creatures are
                                                                          Business Associates                                             said. Coffelt went out of his way
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          expected to arrive next week.
                                                                          Nico Navarrete (223-6582), Suzanne Ogawa                        to purchase a new guinea pig that
                                                                          (223-6543)                                                                                                                                      To keep the falcons comfortable
                                                                                                                                          same day, providing much-needed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          during their stay, the crew also set
                                                                          ADMINISTRATION                                                  joy to the family’s two children:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          up nesting boxes in which the birds
                                                                          Courier Ruben Espinoza                                          6-year-old Hayden and 4-year-old
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          can lay their eggs.
                                                                          EMBARCADERO MEDIA                                               Teddy. With permission from their
                                                                          President William S. Johnson (223-6505)                         father, Coffelt and his crew teamed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          POWERFUL INVESTMENT ...
                                                                          Vice President Michael I. Naar (223-6540)                       up to purchase the new brown-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Acterra was one of 11
                                                                          Vice President & CFO Peter Beller (223-6545)                    and-black pet rodent at a local
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          organizations awarded with a
                                                                          Vice President Sales & Marketing                                Petco store. They then made their
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          community outreach grant from
                                                                          Tom Zahiralis (223-6570)                                        way back to Seale Avenue on their
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Peninsula Clean Energy, which
                                                                          Director, Information Technology & Webmaster                    fire engine. “When we showed up
                                                                          Frank A. Bravo (223-6551)                                                                                                                       announced the recipients in a
                                                                                                                                          back at the house, we rang the
                                                                          Director of Marketing and Audience                                                                                                              Feb. 22 press release. The Palo
                                                                                                                                          bell on the front of the engine and
                                                                          Development Emily Freeman (223-6560)                                                                                                            Alto-based nonprofit plans to
                                                                                                                                          the kids were “kind of surprised
                                                                          Major Accounts Sales Manager                                                                                                                    spend the funds on conducting
                                                                                                                                          and inquisitive.” The children’s
                                                                          Connie Jo Cotton (223-6571)                                                                                                                     virtual electric induction
                                                                                                                                          faces immediately lit up when they
                                                                          Circulation Assistant Alicia Santillan                                                                                                          cooking demonstrations,
                                                                                                                                          were presented with their new pet,
                                                                          Computer System Associates Chris Planessi,                                                                                                      distributing information on
                                                                          Mike Schmidt                                                    whom they named Candy Bear. “It
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          building electrification to the
                                                                          The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every        was a really good feeling to be able
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          public and online workshops
                                                                          Friday by Embarcadero Media, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo           to give back to them and turn their
                                                                          Alto, CA 94306, (650) 326-8210. Periodicals postage paid at                                                                                     and other work to educate
                                                                          Palo Alto, CA and additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a     day around because not only did
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          first-time electric car buyers.
                                                                          newspaper of general circulation for Santa Clara County.        they have a bad day, but if I was
                                                                          The Palo Alto Weekly is delivered to homes in Palo Alto,                                                                                        A total of $316,440 in grants
                                                                          Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, to        in their shoes, I would remember
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ranging between $15,000 and
                                                                          faculty and staff households on the Stanford campus and         getting a little gift like this from the
                                                                          to portions of Los Altos Hills. POSTMASTER: Send address                                                                                        $40,000 were divided among the
                                                                                                                                          fire department,” Coffelt said.
                                                                          changes to Palo Alto Weekly, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo
                                                                          Alto, CA 94306. ©2021 by Embarcadero Media. All rights
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          recipients for numerous efforts,
                                                                          reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly                                                                                           including electrification; income-
                                                                                                                                          A VIEW FROM THE TOP ...
                                                                          prohibited. The Palo Alto Weekly is available on the Internet
                                                                          via Palo Alto Online at: www.PaloAltoOnline.com
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          qualified power bill discounts
                                                                                                                                          Stanford University’s Hoover
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          and programs; electric vehicle
                                                                          Our email addresses are: editor@paweekly.com,                   Tower, a prominent landmark
                                                                          letters@paweekly.com, digitalads@paweekly.com,                                                                                                  rebates; and home energy
                                                                                                                                          on the Midpeninsula, recently
                                                                          ads@paweekly.com                                                                                                                                assistance. “These grants will
                                                                                                                                          underwent repairs to replace a
                                                                          Missed delivery or start/stop your paper?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          especially help residents in
                                                                          Email circulation@paweekly.com. You may also subscribe          stone ornament at the top of the
                                                                          online at PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $120/yr.                                                                                        East Palo Alto and elsewhere in
                                                                                                                                          structure that was destroyed by
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          the county who have not only
                                                                                                                                          lightning in August. Some pieces
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          faced the harshest impacts of
                                                     Sign up today for                                                                    from the last orb were found 50
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          a struggling economy during
                                                  the only food                                                                           feet away from the tower. A three-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          this pandemic but historically
                                                                                                                                          man crew and the orb boarded a
                                                    newsletter                                                                                                                                                            have not had the same access
                                                                                    Become a                                              construction basket lifted nearly
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          to clean, affordable and
                                                on the Peninsula at        Paid Subscriber for as low                                     300-feet to the tower’s top last
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          reliable resources as wealthier
                                                                                                                                          week. A “lightning arrestor”
                                                    PaloAltoOnline.com/         as $5 per month                                                                                                                           communities,” East Palo Alto
                                                                                                                                          system was added to give the
                         BY E L E N A K A DVA N Y         express                  Sign up online at                                                                                                                      Mayor Carlos Romero said in a
                                                                                                                                          new orb extra security, according
                                                                              www.PaloAltoOnline.com/join                                                                                                                 statement. Q

Page 6 • February 26, 2021 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
Upfront

                                                        CITY HALL

  Palo Alto prepares for more budget cuts
       amid prolonged revenue slump
              As economic crisis continues to hit hotels, City Council
                      looks for other ways to reduce costs
                                                  by Gennady Sheyner

W
           hen Palo Alto’s elected          lease space at city-owned proper-             Financial Officer Kiely Nose said

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              File Photo/Veronica Weber
           leaders agreed last June         ties and spending about $150,000              during the Feb. 8 discussion.
           to cut about $40 million         to modify the streetscape at Uni-             “We’ll have to look across the
from the city’s budget, they were           versity Avenue so that the city               organization.”
operating on the assumption that            can more easily open and close                   Given the bleak financial out-
the worst of the pandemic would             the road to traffic to support local          look, the council agreed at that
be over by December.                        businesses.                                   meeting that one of its strategies
   Now, as the City Council is                 One significant action that the            should be slowing down infra-
                                                                                                                                       The reopening of the the renovated Palo Alto Junior Museum and
looking toward the next year’s              council plans to take on Monday               structure spending. Vice Mayor
                                                                                                                                       Zoo is facing delays because of public health orders and the city’s
budget and COVID-19 continues               is to formally eliminate the 83               Pat Burt was among those who
                                                                                                                                       budget shortfall.
to cast a dark cloud over the lo-           full-time positions and 107 part-             pushed for the staff to reconsider
cal economy, those seemingly                time positions that were frozen               the city’s capital projects.                 bike lanes, traffic signal improve-           station, which was constructed in
dire projections have proven to be          and defunded when the council                    “We need to look objectively              ments and landscaped median                   1953, has been deemed seismical-
optimistic. With revenues falling           adopted the fiscal year 2021 bud-             on how aggressive a capital plan             islands; $2.5 million for improve-            ly unsafe and insufficient in size
beneath expectations, the council           get last June. The eliminated po-             we need to have during an eco-               ments at Rinconada Park, includ-              to provide space for emergency
is preparing to cut the budget by           sitions make up 18% of the city’s             nomic crisis and whether all these           ing new playground equipment                  supplies and to separate living
another $7 million, a move that             workforce, according to a new                 things need to be continued at a             and upgrades to irrigation and                quarters from fumes of engines.
will likely include additional ser-         report from the Administrative                record pace in the middle of an              drainage; $2.4 million to help                A report from the city’s 2011 In-
vice cuts and delays to numerous            Services Department.                          emergency,” Burt said at the Feb.            renovate the Palo Alto Junior Mu-             frastructure Blue Ribbon Com-
infrastructure projects.                       Further staff cuts may follow in           8 discussion.                                seum and Zoo; $2.7 million for                mittee also noted that the station
   The debate over which pro-               the months ahead. During a Feb.                  On Monday, members will                   new automated parking-guidance                can “barely hold the two engines”
grams to cut and which projects             8 discussion of Palo Alto’s long-             have a chance to identify specific           systems at downtown garages;                  given that equipment has grown in
to delay will take center stage this        term financial forecast, council              projects that could be delayed or            and $8.7 for replacing the roofs              size and capacity over the years.
Monday, when the council consid-            members acknowledged that the                 canceled. According to staff, the            and aged mechanical, electrical                 Like other projects on the
ers a series of budget adjustments          city will need to identify addition-          list that the city is currently sched-       and lighting systems at the Mu-               council’s 2014 list of infrastruc-
and weighs further strategies for           al expense reductions, whether in             uled to approve before the end of            nicipal Services Center.                      ture priorities, the replacement
supporting businesses and non-              services, infrastructure projects             June includes $8 million for the                The city also plans to approve             project was banking on transient-
profit groups. As part of the dis-          or both.                                      latest phase of the Charleston-              a $950,000 design contract for                occupancy taxes for funding. But
cussion, the council will consider             “I think it’s safe to say there’s          Arastradero Road streetscape                 the replacement of Fire Station
waiving rent for the tenants who            no safe harbor, so to speak,” Chief           project, which includes enhanced             4 at Mitchell Park. The current                               (continued on page 10)

   Aileen Lee • Nancy Tuck • Barbara Hazlett • Leannah Hunt • Linda Lovely • Bob Kocher • Susann Mirabella • Dana Fenwick • Catharine Garber • Megan Miller • Carrie Anderson • Mora Oommen • Greg Sands •
   David Chang • Bill Burch • Bonnie Rosenberg • Jeannine Marston • Cindy Traum • Tony Carrasco • Kathy Burch • Anne Taylor • Kate Li • Suman Gupta • Kathleen Foley-Hughes • Yair Blumenfeld • Jianming Yu
   • Anne Gould • Jane Gee • Harry Plant • Peggy McKee • Maya Blumenfeld • Nellis Freeman, Jr. • Gerry Marshall • Lisa Van Dusen • Mike Graglia • Michelle de Blank • Cathy Williams • Roger McCarthy • Kathryn Verwillow
   • Carin Rollins • Cindy Chen • Tom Kemp • Glowe Chang • Amy Rao • Leif King • Craig Ritchey • Wileta Burch • Bruce Gee • Anne Ritchie • John Rollins • Eduardo Llach • Theresia Gouw • Emil Lovely • Tom Cole •
   Lesley King • Patricia McGuigan • Barry Johnson • Karen Harwell • Parag Patel • Roy Wang • Anne Avis • Heidi Hopper • Dick Gould • Sarah Sands • Jennifer Lee • Anu Priyadarshi • Milind Gadekar • David Fisch
   • Rebecca Sales • Ray Dempsey • Mathews Cherian • Jennifer Ko • Azieb Nicodimos • Tenzin Dingpontsawa • Sajjad Jaffer • Beerud Sheth • Dr. Eva Xu • Pauline Bromberg • Stephanie Wansek • Nandini Cherian
   • Joel Brown • Mike Chen • Amanda Ross • Jenifer Turnbull • Victoria Dean • Yunfang Zheng • Mace McGinn • Diane Allen • Kalpesh Kapadia • Charles Stevens • Emily Wang • Chandra Gnanasambandam Family
   • Andy Lichtblau • Christine Tachner • Kathryn Hallsten, MD • Deborah Goldeen • Craig Allen • Gloria Hom • Sujata Kadambi • Yvette Maydan • Linda Williams • Steve Turnbull • Kyle Bordeau • GD Ramkumar •
   Natalie Tuck • Olivier Redon • Scott                                                                                                                                                • Monica Stone • Cindy Clarfield
   Kauffman • Yuko Watanabe •                                                                                                                                                          Hess • James Sheridan • Chuck
   Laura Lauman • Jim Fitzgerald •                                                                                                                                                     Sieloff • Megan Hutchin • Tim
   Bilal Zuberi • Tina Tang • Cosmos                                                                                                                                                   Cain • Jonathan Manson • Nancy
   Nicolaou • Guillermo Viveros •                                                                                                                                                      Ginsburg Ph.D. • Elaine Wood • Dr.
   Dan Stober • Nipa Sheth • Lila                                                                                                                                                      Joel P. Friedman • John Hanna •
   Fitzgerald • Vivek Raghunathan                                                                                                                                                      Nancy Bischoff • Evelyne Nicolaou
   • Mimi Lyons • Amanda Zeitlin •                                                                                                                                                     • Gloria Rothbaum • David Meng •
   Bosung Kim • Carolyn Steele •                                                                                                                                                       Mary Rose • Min Wei • John Debs
   Wyatt Ritchie • Kate Feinstein •                                                                                                                                                    • Priyanki Gupta • David Hanabusa
   Eugenie Van Wynen • Lian Bi •                                                                                                                                                       • James Bean • Sudhanshu
   Nanci Kauffman • Donna Sheridan                                                                                                                                                     Priyadarshi • Frank Yuan • April
   • Celine Teoh • Bharat Bhushan                                                                                                                                                      House • Ruth Oku-Ampofo • Irene
   • Catherine Debs • Caixia Zhang                                                                                                                                                     Au • Michelle Cale • Trisha Suvari
   • Tina Boussard • Diane Corrie-                                                                                                                                                     • Carol C. Friedman • Todd Kaye •
   McIntyre • Stacy Mason • Yvette                                                                                                                                                     Arunashree Bhamidipati • Marcela
   Bovee • Mahooya Dinda • Bill King                                                                                                                                                   Millan • Heather Kenealy • Josh
   • Blake Kavanaugh • Stephanie                                                                                                                                                       Thurston-Milgrom • Ann DeHovitz
   Norton • Dave Lyons • Irv                                                                                                                                                           • Emily Sawtell • Jeff Chang • Helen
   Henderson • Olivia Viveros • Marie                                                                                                                                                  MacKenzie • Jeff Hausman • Teresa
   Oh Huber • Lydia Jett • Lilyana                                                                                                                                                     Kelleher • Erik Carlson • Asma
   Prasetya • Gary Hammer • Rachel                                                                                                                                                     Rabbani • John Danner • David
   Cleary • Jarlon Tsang • Zac Zeitlin                                                                                                                                                 Ko • Don Stark • Ambika Pajjuri •
   • Eugenie Paick • Stewart Raphael                                                                                                                                                   Stacie Cheng • Patrick Heron •
   • Perry Meigs • Mary Liz McCurdy                                                                                                                                                    Annie Turner • David MacKenzie
   • Liza Hausman • Patty Boas •                                                                                                                                                       • Asim Hussain • Craig Taylor •
   Joseph Haletky • Navin Budhiraja                                                                                                                                                    Amy Asin • Steven Flanders •
   • Steven Nightingale • Leonard Ely                                                                                                                                                  Rebecca Fox • John Bard • Yefei
   III • Sonal Budhiraja • Larry Sullivan                                                                                                                                              Peng • Roger Smith • Kristin Meier
   • Michal Goldstein • Desola Amos • Greg Avis • Jochen Profit • William Barnett • Hwai Lin • Adam Tachner • Victoria Sullivan • Hila Goldstein • Gina Bianchini • Ashmeet Sidana • Rob Goldman •
   Lorraine Brown • Vijay Vusirikala • Namchul Kim • Michael Kieschnick • Mayma Raphael • Elana Manson • Carol Kenyon • Bryan Furlong • Frances Hall Kieschnick • Michele Grundmann
   • Carole Borie • Barry Asin • Jonathan Hoy • Patama Gur • Julie Huang • John Huber • James Witt • Gang Liu • Libby Heimark • Craig Heimark • Lucy Blake • Consuelo Beck-Sague • Mike
   Anderson • Jennifer Carolan • Lexin Li • Vania Fang • Carol Lamont • Meredith Pfeffer • Vidhya Thyagarajan • Eli Pasternak • Kurt Taylor • Norman Klivans • Anna Verwillow • Eric Dunn • Martin
   O’Malley • Cameron Turner • Shawn Carolan • Harvey Alcabes • Roy Maydan • Peter Levin • John Giannandrea • Kristin Goldman • Douglas Kerr • Barbara Stevens • Gloria Carlson • Saar Gur •
   Christine O’Sullivan • Jody Lieb • Xenia Hammer • Josée Band • Susan A. Dunn • Maureen Bard • Christina Gwin • Laura Stark • Jane Weng • Elizabeth O’Malley • Peter Deutsch • Karen Schilling-
   Gould • Esther Kim • Adrienne Lee • Bradley Horowitz • Lydia Callaghan • Patrick Burrows • Jane McConnell • Jayant Kadambi • Laura Hansen • Chungwha Park • Alice Mansell • Carolina Abbassi •
   Lama Rimawi • Steve Gouw • Kate Loomis Healy • Stacy Brown-Philpot • Guangwei Yuan • Sulev Suvari • Cathy Martin • Vanessa Anderson • Sophie Bromberg • Hayes Raffle • David Pfeffer

                                                                       Learn more at CastillejaReimagined.org
                                                                                                                                         www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • February 26, 2021 • Page 7
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
Upfront

                                             PUBLIC HEALTH

12 months into the pandemic, ‘One year
 in’ series seeks readers’ perspectives
               Weekly to publish reflections from local residents on
                how coronavirus has changed them and their lives
                                         by Palo Alto Weekly staff

I
    t’s been nearly a year since       takeaway from this unprecedent-       so, experienced the world in new
    Bay Area public health lead-       ed year of isolation? What will the   and different ways.
    ers enacted the nation’s first     legacy of the pandemic be in how         The Weekly’s “One year in” will
stay-at-home order, the opening        you live your life?                   publish in two parts starting next
salvo in our prolonged battle            The health and economic             Friday. Our journalists are busy
against the new coronavirus. To        crises have impacted different        interviewing and photographing

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Kristin Brown
mark the anniversary, the Palo         groups of people in divergent         people from different walks of
Alto Weekly is preparing to            ways: Front-line hospital work-       life, but we’d also like to include
publish a two-part series, “One        ers are increasingly exhausted,       your contributions in this series. So
year in,” that captures how the        and some are angry, at the never-     what’s your story been during the
pandemic and the shutdown have         ending influx of patients; those      pandemic? How are you different         us a three-minute voicemail mes-           one local resident, see this week’s
affected local residents and their     who have been unemployed are          today than you were one year ago?       sage at 650-223-6514 by Wednes-            guest opinion column on page
perspectives on life.                  facing mounting debt and fear-           We welcome your thoughts,            day, March 10. You’ll need to              16, written by former Palo Alto
  And as part of this reporting        ing the day that back rent will be    whether brief or lengthy. Send us       leave your full name and a way             Unified School District educator
project, we’d like to hear from        due; others have volunteered to       your perspective by emailing edi-       for us to contact you.                     Rachel Kellerman, who became a
you, our readers. What’s your          help others and, through doing        tor@paweekly.com or by leaving            To read the reflections now of           contact tracer last year. Q

                                            TRANSPORTATION

                State bill seeks to take
            politics out of VTA governance
                    Assemblyman Marc Berman’s proposal would abolish
                     current practice of giving elected leaders oversight

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Michelle Le
                                            by Gennady Sheyner

R
        esponding to complaints        that the board is dominated “in       topic since the 2016 passage of         State Assemblyman Marc Berman has introduced a bill that would
        about poor governance          terms of numbers, seniority and       Measure B, a tax measure that in-       shift oversight of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
        at the Santa Clara Valley      influence” by representatives of      cludes $6.3 billion in funding for      away from politicians and toward appointed experts.
Transportation Authority that          Santa Clara County and San Jose       transportation projects across the
have stretched over years, state       and that there is “frequent ten-      county. These include the exten-        Alto City Council members over             — Liz Kniss and Adrian Fine —
Assemblyman Marc Berman                sion” between board members’          sion of BART to San Jose, grade         whether Burt or council member             concluded their council terms last
has introduced a bill that would       fiduciary duties to the VTA and       separation for Caltrain’s electri-      Alison Cormack should be the               December.
shift oversight of the agency away     the political demands of their lo-    fied cars in Palo Alto, Mountain        board representative.                         If Berman’s proposed legisla-
from politicians and toward ap-        cal elected positions.                View and Sunnyvale, and various            While Cormack was the coun-             tion gets adopted, the VTA re-
pointed experts.                          The grand jury also concluded      improvements to streets, high-          cil’s initial choice for the posi-         forms would take effect on July
   The proposal that Berman, D-        that under the current system, ap-    ways, expressways and bike routes       tion, council members voted to             1, 2022. Q
Menlo Park, introduced on Feb.         pointees to the VTA board “of-        throughout the county.                  nominate Burt after two former                Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner
18 would also reduce the number        ten lack a basic understanding of        Last fall, many city and county      council members who had cham-              can be emailed at gsheyner@
of voting members on the VTA           VTA’s operations and transporta-      officials pushed back against VTA       pioned Cormack’s nomination                paweekly.com.
board of directors from 12 to nine.    tion issues, generally.”              staff after the agency proposed a

                                                                                                                       CityView
Five of them would be appointed           Berman’s proposed legisla-         scenario in which virtually all of
by Santa Clara County. The other       tion seeks to remove some of          the funding over the next 10 years
four would be split between the        the politics from the transporta-     would be devoted to BART exten-
city of San Jose, which would get      tion agency by replacing elected      sion. After fierce criticism from the
two seats, and the other county cit-   directors with appointed mem-         county Board of Supervisors and
ies, which would get the other two.    bers of the public. Under his         local communities, the VTA pulled           A round-up          of Palo Alto government action this week
   Of the two seats not controlled     proposal, these members would         away from that scenario in January.
by San Jose, one would go to a         be appointed to four-year terms.         The VTA’s process for electing         City Council (Feb. 22)
resident of Los Altos, Los Altos       Each would have to demonstrate        members remains opaque and, at            Foothills Park: The council adopted an emergency ordinance and a regular
                                                                                                                       ordinance creating an annual pass for entrance to Foothills Park and setting a
Hills, Mountain View, Milpitas,        relevant professional experience      times, contentious. The cities of         visitor cap of between 300 and 650, consistent with recommendation from the
Palo Alto or Sunnyvale. The oth-       in transportation, accounting or      Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los             Parks and Recreation Commission. Yes: Unanimous
er seat would go to a resident of      finance, infrastructure or project    Altos and Los Altos Hills cur-            Parking: The council approved the implementation of automated license plate
Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los       management and executive man-         rently get one seat on the VTA            readers to assist with parking management in Residential Parking Permit
                                                                                                                       Program districts. Yes: Unanimous
Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan            agement, according to Berman’s        board and they fill that seat on a
Hill, Santa Clara or Saratoga.         announcement.                         rotation basis, with each city get-       Board of Education (Feb. 23)
   In introducing the legislation,        Berman noted that the agency       ting a chance to have one of its          Retirement incentive: The board waived its two-meeting rule and approved
known as Assembly Bill 1091,           provides “essential public transit    elected members on the board.             a $10,000 one-time voluntary retirement incentive plan for classified non-
the former Palo Alto City Council      options that help get Santa Clara        Despite the critical importance        management employees. Yes: Unanimous
member pointed to three separate       County’s two million residents to     of the VTA in distributing trans-         Equity committee: The board established a board committee that will review
                                                                                                                       and monitor the district’s progress on educational equity. Yes: Unanimous
civil grand jury reports over the      and from work, school, and home.”     portation funds and providing             Reopening: The board discussed updates on reopening the middle and high
past 20 years that have concluded         “Taxpayers, transit riders, and    transit services, appointments            schools this spring, as well as expanding COVID-19 testing to include students.
that the VTA’s governance struc-       VTA staff deserve a board of          to the board are made in private          Action: None
ture is a “root cause of the agen-     directors that have the interest      meetings with no opportuni-
cy’s poor performance.”                and ability to dedicate the time      ties for members of the public to         Planning and Transportation Commission
   The most recent of these, which     necessary to provide appropriate      weigh in. Last month, in one such         (Feb. 24)
came out in June 2019, concluded       oversight and meet our region’s       meeting, the group of cities select-      Comprehensive Plan: The commission reviewed the city’s progress report on
that the VTA board suffers from        complex transportation needs,”        ed Palo Alto Vice Mayor Pat Burt          the 2020 Comprehensive Plan and 2020 Housing Element Progress Report
                                                                                                                       and recommended authorizing the transmittal of the documents to the Office
a lack of experience and, in many      Berman said in the announcement.      to represent it on the VTA board          of Planning and Research and the Department of Housing and Community
cases, engagement by some direc-          The debate over VTA gover-         for the coming year. That deci-           Development. Yes: Alcheck, Hechtman, Lauing, Summa, Templeton Absent:
tors. The grand jury also found        nance has become a more urgent        sion followed a tussle among Palo         Roohparvar

Page 8 • February 26, 2021 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
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                                                                                                                                                                                                    www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • February 26, 2021 • Page 9
Get ready, your next meal might be made by a robot - | Palo Alto Online
Upfront

                                               RECREATION

               With fingers crossed, summer
               camps are planning to resume
      Local camps are preparing, awaiting state guidance and hoping
              that parents and children are willing to return
                                                 by Lloyd Lee

                                                                                                                                                                                                 Courtesy Run For Fun Camps
J
     ust two months into 2021,        losses and unemployment. For              national camp associations, such
     camps on the Midpeninsula        children, putting the American            as the Western Association of In-
     are already looking to make      tradition on hold resulted in a           dependent Camps and the Ameri-
a comeback this summer, which         missed rite of passage and devel-         can Camp Association, to deter-
would include, for some, an am-       opmental opportunity.                     mine best practices.
bitious revival of their overnight       “Summer is the peak of the               And where state and local
programs.                             year that you look forward to all         guidelines fail, many in the past      Camper Emma Cellinese-Aquilanti plays dodgeball at Run For Fun
   “We feel very confident that       year-round,” said Dave Barth,             year have turned to a 123-page         Camps, which operates a day camp in Palo Alto.
we’ve got a good game plan to         CEO and director of Run For Fun           “Field Guide” created for the
keep everybody safe this sum-         Camps, which operates a day               American Camp Association and          said. “A lot of schools have been         “Only 19 cases of symptomatic
mer and still have a lot of fun,”     camp in Palo Alto and overnight           YMCA that has become a sort of         operating safely. ... That’s easy.”    disease among 6,830 children
said Jim Politis, camp director of    camp in Pinecrest Lake. “All of a         de facto bible for camp directors.        At Run For Fun Camps, which         and staff members” were found,
Mountain Camp Woodside, which         sudden, not only are you hit with           The handbook outlines how to         restarted its afterschool program      according to the report.
is hosted at Woodside Priory          not getting to do what you love,          implement COVID-19 protocols           on Aug. 17, masks, outdoor activi-        Directors at Run for Fun Camps
School’s campus.                      but you lose the revenue stream           from the Centers for Disease           ty and smaller cohorts of kids that    and J-Camp reported no out-
   Unlike some camps in the na-       that you use to pay your full-time        Control and Prevention at camps:       were restricted from mixing were       breaks of COVID-19 at their day
tion that pushed to keep their pro-   staff.                                    screening campers’ temperatures,       essential for a safe fall and winter   camps. At Run For Fun, Barth
grams running last year, Moun-           “You feel a little bit like you lost   isolation protocols, how many          session. Pool noodles also came in     said there were “close calls” in
tain Camp Woodside erred on           your identity,” Barth added.              masks each overnight camper            handy, according to Barth.             which family members of chil-
the side of complete caution and         This year, Mountain Camp               should have (the guideline rec-           “We’ve tried to think outside       dren reported positive results, but
made the difficult decision to shut   Woodside, Run For Fun and other           ommends at least 10), directions       the box,” Barth said. “We use          there was no spread within the
down both of its day and over-        local camps are hoping to get peo-        on disinfecting swimming pools,        pool noodles to try and implement      camp. Similarly, at J-Camp, Dave
night operations.                     ple out of their Zoom rooms and           and a recently added chapter on        some sort of distancing because a      Rosenfeld, director of youth and
   “When the pandemic hit in          back to camp. This decision is not        vaccine protocols and whether to       lot of our games pre-COVID-19          teens, reported a “handful” of ex-
March, I was on a number of           only guided by some optimistic            exclude campers who do not get         were touch and tag-based.”             posures from outside communi-
weekly, daily, Zoom calls with        news of increasing vaccine roll-          vaccinated (at this time, the guide       At Oshman Family Jewish             ties, but zero transmission within
my colleagues, who are part of        outs, but also, nearly a year into        does not recommend doing so).          Community Center’s J-Camp, a           its campus and cohorts.
a couple different camp profes-       the pandemic, by case studies and           Despite the guidance, Barth and      day camp that operated last July,         “All of our measures have been
sional associations — just Zoom       data of which interventions work          Politis both say that a question       campers practiced constant sani-       really successful,” Rosenfeld
call after Zoom call about how to     and which don’t when cohorts of           mark still hangs over overnight        tization and mask-wearing — and        said.
operate,” Politis said. “We were      children are put together in con-         programs.                              sang hand-washing songs.                  Data on overnight summer
fighting as hard as we could to       fined spaces.                               “Everyone’s sort of holding             “We made it fun,” said Re-          camps are a bit more limited. In
figure out a way to operate. We          But hurdles still lie ahead.           their breath, waiting for that state   becca Bigman, camp director of         September, the CDC published
had different operating plans, con-   Camp directors in California, for         guideline to officially come out,”     J-Camp. “We created our own            a case study of four overnight
tingency plans on what we were        example, are still waiting on guid-       Barth said. “(The handbook) is a       mask-wearing camp traditions.”         summer camps in Maine — with
going to do — up until the point      ance from the state health depart-        helpful resource that we’ve been          Research has given camp di-         1,022 attendees from 41 states
when we decided not to run.”          ment as they continue to formu-           using to create what we think will     rectors some measure of reassur-       and international locations —
   On June 15, Politis announced      late a reopening strategy for their       be our best shot of leading over-      ance. A study by Duke University       that prevented an outbreak by ad-
on the company’s Instagram page       sleepaway programs.                       night camps successfully.”             School of Medicine found that day      hering to “pre-arrival quarantine,
that camp wouldn’t be operation-         “Overnight camp is a little more         In-person day camps are an-          camps that took precautions saw        pre- and post-arrival testing and
al that summer: “Unfortunately,       tricky,” Barth said. “I would say         other matter, given that state and     minimal spread of the coronavi-        symptom screening, cohorting,
even if we did everything 100%        there’s a 90% chance that we’re           local health departments have          rus. The research was based on an      use of face coverings, physical
right, there’s no way we would        going to run, but it will depend on       already outlined safe operating        analysis of YMCA day camps in          distancing, enhanced hygiene
be able to guarantee everybody’s      those state guidelines that every-        procedures and schools have re-        six North Carolina counties that       measures, cleaning and disin-
safety.”                              one is waiting for.”                      instituted in-person learning.         hosted a total of 6,000 children       fecting, and maximal outdoor
   The shutdown of camps                 So far, camp directors have              “Day camps are a little bit easier   and staff members, and where           programming.”
wrought a multitude of conse-         had to look to surrounding camp           because we’ve got a lot of models      39% of camps primarily offered
quences, including financial          leaders as well as regional and           to go off of, i.e. schools,” Politis   indoor activities.                                  (continued on page 30)

                                         Sales tax revenues, by contrast,         Even as it considers additional      health crisis.                         woes, city staff is recommending
Budget cuts                           are doing better than the city had        cuts, the council is also weigh-         Since then, the city has been        moving ahead with rent relief,
(continued from page 7)               expected. Staff projects that the         ing a measure that would further       fielding more requests for rent        provided that the tenant receiving
                                      city will receive about $25 mil-          eat into this year’s budget: give      forgiveness, according to staff.       assistance meets numerous con-
with local hotels either shuttered    lion in sales taxes by the end of         tenants at city-owned properties       On Monday, the council will            ditions: The tenant should have
or operating well below capacity,     June, which exceeds the budgeted          rent relief.                           consider how far it should go in       no outstanding delinquencies
the funding source has shrunk         amount by $4.5 million, or 22.1%,           During normal times, the city        providing it.                          for payments due prior to April
considerably over the past year. In   according to the staff report.            generates about $278,000 per             The most ambitious option on         2020; have had gross revenues of
the last three months of 2020, the       Council members also recog-            month from 67 tenants, accord-         the table would result in three        less than $2.5 million in 2019; be
city collected just $1.57 million     nized earlier this month that the         ing to the staff report. But since     months of rent forgiveness for         able to show proof that its opera-
in hotel tax receipts, a decrease     community has yet to absorb the           public health orders kicked in         all 67 tenants, which includes         tions have been impacted by the
of 85.7% from the same period         full magnitude of last year’s cuts        last March, many of these ten-         nonprofits and businesses of           county’s public health orders; and
in 2019, when the city collected      — which included the elimination          ants have been forced to shutter       various sizes. That option would       have experienced a gross revenue
$10.94 million.                       of the city’s shuttle program, 33         and have requested assistance.         cost the city about $875,000 in        decline by at least 50% between
   According to the Administra-       positions in the city’s public safety       The city had allowed about 20        lost revenues, according to staff.     the first half of 2019 and the first
tive Services Department report,      departments and 16 full-time po-          tenants at Palo Alto Airport and       Another idea is to exclude large       half of 2020.
occupancy rates last December         sitions in the Library and Com-           Cubberley Community Center             businesses from the forgiveness           “While the rent forgiveness
were 38.4% with an average room       munity Services departments,              to defer its rent payments in the      program, which would limit the         program will impact the city’s
rate of $117 per day, down from       among other measures. That’s              first three months of the pan-         number of tenants who receive          budget, it is believed to be nec-
$279 per day over the same period     because most residents remain             demic, costing the city $250,000       forgiveness to 57 and cost the         essary to assist vital community
in the prior year. As a result, the   constrained by the county’s public        in uncollected rent by the end of      city $751,000. The third option        businesses through an unprec-
council is preparing to adjust its    health orders.                            last June. In addition, the city is    presented by staff would limit         edented pandemic,” the staff re-
2021 budget to reduce its revenue        “People think this is all going to     reporting about $149,000 in de-        rent forgiveness to the 17 non-        port states. Q
projection from hotel taxes from      come back when COVID is over,             linquencies from tenants who           profit tenants, which would cost          Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner
the budgeted level of $14.9 mil-      and it’s not,” council member Ali-        did not apply or qualify for relief    $203,000.                              can be emailed at gsheyner@
lion to $4.8 million, a 67.7% drop.   son Cormack said at the meeting.          in the first three months of the         Despite the ongoing budget           paweekly.com.

Page 10 • February 26, 2021 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
During a Heart Attack,
                        Every Minute Counts
                                                                     Know the warning signs:
                                                                     • Chest discomfort, pain, or pressure that
                                                                       lasts for more than a few minutes, or
                                                                       that goes away and returns

                                                                     • Upper body discomfort or pain,
                                                                       including in the arms, back, neck, jaw,
                                                                       or stomach

                                                                     • Shortness of breath

                                                                     • Lightheadedness, nausea, or vomiting

                                                                     • Extreme fatigue

                                                                     • Cold sweat

                                                                     Chest pain is the most common
                                                                     symptom of a heart attack in men
                                                                     and women. Women are more likely
                                                                     to report some of the other common
                                                                     symptoms listed above. The hospital is
                                                                     still the safest place you can be in an
                                                                     emergency. Don’t hesitate. Call 911.

Caring for your heart is essential, even during the pandemic. Make
cardiovascular health a priority starting this Heart Month by exercising,
eating a balanced diet, keeping up routine medical visits, and promptly
addressing signs of illness. We are prepared to safely care for you.

Learn more about cardiovascular health at stanfordhealthcare.org/heartmonth
                                                                     www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • February 26, 2021 • Page 11
VERY
                          Answers to this week’s puzzles, which can be found on page 35.

                                                                                                                       REAL
                                                                                                                       LOCAL
                                                                                                                       NEWS
                                                                                                                                                        Pulse
                                                                                                                                                          A weekly compendium
                                                                                                                                                          of vital statistics
                                                                                                                           Print or online
                                                                                                                         subscription starts
                                                                                                                                                        POLICE CALLS
                                                                                                                         at only $5 /month              Palo Alto
                                                                                                                                                        Feb. 18-Feb.24
                                                                                                                                Visit:                  Violence related
                                                                                                                       PaloAltoOnline.com/join          Curtner Avenue, 1/19, 8:01 p.m.; child
                                                                                                                                                        abuse/physical.
                                                                                                                                                        Edgewood Drive, 2/3, 7:27 p.m.; child
                                                                                                                                                        abuse/physical.
                                                                                                                                                        Bryant Street, 2/3, 1 p.m.; sexual
                                                                                                                                                        assault/oral copulation.
                                                                                                                                                        El Camino Real, 2/15, 7:40 a.m.; arson.
                                                                                                                                                        El Camino Real, 2/17, 7:01 p.m.;
                                                                                                                                                        domestic violence/battery.
                                                                                                                                                        High Street, 2/19, 10:18 p.m.; strong
                                                                                                                                                        arm robbery.
                Gary David Zweig                                                       Ernlé William Dyer Young                                         Webster Street, 2/20, 5:55 a.m.; sexual
                                                                                                                                                        assault.
          September 1, 1949 – January 21, 2021                                                                                                          Theft related
                                                                                   Ernlé William Dyer Young reached                                     Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
      Gary Zweig, a remarkable                                                   the end of his earthly Incredible                                      Identity theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
                                                                                                                                                        Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
   husband, father, brother,                                                     Journey on February 14, 2021,
                                                                                                                                                        Vehicle related
   friend, physician, and                                                        surrounded by love in his own home.                                    Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   photographer died at the                                                      His journey began in Johannesburg,                                     Bicycle theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
                                                                                 South Africa, born to Peggy and                                        Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   age of 71. He was born in                                                                                                                            Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
   Rochester, NY to Edythe and                                                   Weldon Young on December 14, 1932.                                     Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   Paul, who ran a collection                                                    He met the love of his life when he was                                Theft from auto attempt . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
                                                                                 nineteen and she was thirteen, and                                     Vehicle accident/prop damage . . . . . . 1
   of clothing stores with a                                                                                                                            Vehicle impound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
   pride and determination                                                       they embarked on a lifelong adventure                                  Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
   he carried with him all                                                       together. He will be deeply missed by                                  Alcohol or drug related
   his life. He was known in                                                     his wife, Margaret and his healing dog                                 Driving under influence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
                                                                                                                                                        Possession of paraphernalia . . . . . . . . 2
   his youth and thereafter                                                      Tuppy, his daughter Heather and her
                                                                                                                                                        Miscellaneous
   for his sweet smile and                                                       husband Peter, his son Andrew and his                                  Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   uncommon combination of                                                       wife Mara and their daughters Alex                                     Located missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
                                                                                 and Christi, his daughter Jenny and                                    Misc. penal code violation . . . . . . . . . . 2
   studiousness, creativity, and                                                                                                                        Outside investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
   love of fun.                                                                  her husband Gino and their daughter                                    Psychiatric subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
      Gary fulfilled his dream                                                   Andriana and sons Daniel, Michael                                      Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . 3
                                                                                 and Nicholas, his son Timothy and                                      Warrant/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
   of becoming a physician
   by attending Case Western                                                     his wife Eryn and their son Levon, and his nephews Gavin and
                                                                                                                                                        Menlo Park
   Reserve University, the                                                       Robin. He leaves behind a large extended family and a wide circle      Feb. 17-Feb. 23
   University of Rochester Medical School, and the University                    of loving friends.                                                     Violence related
   of Chicago, where he completed his training in Internal                         Ernlé expressed his talents in many ways over the years, as a        Ringwood Avenue/Pierce Road, 2/23,
                                                                                                                                                        11:28 a.m.; robbery.
   Medicine. In college, he met his wife of 48 years, Susan.                     printer, theologian, Methodist minister, anti-apartheid activist,
                                                                                                                                                        Theft related
   Together they built a wonderful life centered on a shared love                biomedical ethicist and professor. He was a fiercely independent       Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   of family, careers, friends, community, and travel. Gary’s                    thinker with a deep sense of social justice and a restlessness         Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   sense of adventure brought them to California in 1979, where                  about the status quo. Coupled with his generous spirit and big         Vehicle related
                                                                                 heart, this assured that he “comforted the afflicted and afflicted     Abandoned auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   they settled in Palo Alto and raised three sons, Eric, Jeffrey,                                                                                      Auto recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   and David.                                                                    the comfortable.” His curiosity and courage took him all over          Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
      Gary joined Sunnyvale Medical Clinic in 1979 and practiced                 the world and into many interesting situations, including clashes      Driving w/ suspended license. . . . . . . . 1
                                                                                                                                                        Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
   Internal Medicine there for 18 years. In addition to his clinical             with the apartheid government of South Africa, ultimately              Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   work, he served as Chair of the Recruitment Committee,                        leading to his immigration to California and his rewarding             Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   helping to expand the group to over 150 physicians. He was                    career as a professor at Stanford University where he co-founded       Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . 1
                                                                                                                                                        Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
   on the staff of El Camino Hospital and volunteered at the                     the Center for Biomedical Ethics, served as Associate Dean of
                                                                                                                                                        Alcohol or drug related
   RotaCare Clinic. In 1998, he ventured into private practice                   Memorial Church and led the Stanford University Hospital               Possession of paraphernalia . . . . . . . . 2
   in Palo Alto and associated with Stanford Hospital. His                       Chaplaincy Department. He culminated his career overseeing             Miscellaneous
   dedication to his patients, compassion, and ability to skillfully             ethical conduct of research at NASA Ames Research Center, then         Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   care for a wide range of medical issues propelled his career                  retired to Talent Oregon in 2013.                                      Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
                                                                                                                                                        Mental evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   for 22 more years. He cared for multiple generations of                         Ernlé was an avid runner, tennis player, backpacker, and             Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   patients and was as beloved as he was respected. He retired                   pianist, who loved sipping scotch in his hot tub. He and Margaret      Warrant arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
   in September 2020.                                                            opened their home to family, friends, and people in need, always
      Gary’s interests and talents extended far beyond medicine.                 extending gracious and warm hospitality. His creativity found
   During his 41 years in Palo Alto, he could be found playing                   expression in his lifelong woodworking avocation and his family                       OBITUARIES
   baseball with his sons and coaching their youth sports teams,                 and friends are surrounded by his beautiful labors of love. As he           A list of local residents who
   hiking and photographing in the Baylands and Foothills                        always asked that his epitaph would read, we will remember that           died recently:
   Park, swimming, mountain biking, practicing conversational                    “Whatever he did, he did with passion.” Condolences may be                  Gary David Zweig, 71,
   Spanish, and walking with his dog, Tess. He was an adoring                    offered in his honor to the Sierra Club.                                  a physician and Palo Alto
   husband and father, extraordinary nature photographer,                                                                             PAID   OBITUARY
                                                                                                                                                           resident, died on Jan. 21.
   creative cook and gardener, trusted mentor, and loyal friend.                                                                                           Ronald Jay Sax, 88, a
   His priority was always his family, for whom he exemplified                                                                                             computer programmer and
   love, commitment, joy, and presence.                                                                                                                    longtime Palo Alto resident,
      Gary is survived by his wife, Susan; sons, Eric, David, Jeffrey,                                         Visit                                       died on Feb. 13. Emily
                                                                                                                                                           Arnold, 85, a Palo Alto native
   and daughter-in-law, Ashley; brother, Richard, and sister-in-
   law, Julie; niece, Hannah; and nephews, Jacob and Aaron.
   His values, the life he created for himself and his family, and
                                                                                     Lasting Memories                                                      and former teacher’s aide,
                                                                                                                                                           died on Feb. 14.
                                                                                                                                                             To read full obituaries,
   the many lives he touched are his legacy. Donations in his                       An online directory of obituaries and remembrances.                    leave remembrances and post
   memory may be sent to Ravenswood Family Health Network,                          Search obituaries, submit a memorial, share a photo.                   photos, go to Lasting Memo-
   Ecumenical Hunger Program, or the ASPCA.                                                                                                                ries at PaloAltoOnline.com/
                                                         PAID   OBITUARY              Go to: www.PaloAltoOnline.com/obituaries
                                                                                                                                                           obituaries. Q

Page 12 • February 26, 2021 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
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