MIDTOWN NEWS – October 24, 2014
Editor: Annette Ashton for the Midtown Residents Association. See www.midtownresidents.org
LIST SERV at PaloAltoMidtown@yahoogroups.com. Great place to "chat"
TOPICS:
1) Midtown Business/Neighbor News
2) City/County/Schools Events/Notes
3) Local Events
4) Tidbits
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1) MIDTOWN TIDBITS
Election Notes: With the fall election upon us, MRA wanted to draw your attention to the possible confusion
caused by the use of the Midtown Residents Association name in a candidate's advertising and publicity. Given
that the MRA does not endorse candidates it is important to me that you are aware of this. Comment from
Annette Glanckopf: "I personally have chosen to endorse several candidates for office --*always* as an
individual. One candidate I endorsed, Greg Scharff, identified my endorsement with Midtown Residents
Association. Subsequently I asked Greg to delete the inclusion of MRA, and he did so in all materials which
could be modified and he apologized for any confusion." MRA would not normally reach out to you about a
candidate but wanted to be clear that MRA does not support specific candidates.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EVENTS: Remember…although the actions and events may be
unpredictable, it is always a good idea to expect the unexpected, especially if it involves those you care
about…your family.

NOVEMBER 11: Office of Emergency Services (OES), in partnership with Palo Alto Neighborhoods
Emergency Services Volunteers will provide an introduction on how to prepare for all hazards, ranging from
awareness to crime to preparations for natural disasters. Learn how to be a neighbor helping a neighbor
and be a good witness. Get the facts you and your family need – before, during, and after a disaster or
emergency situation. Location: Friends Meeting Hall – 957 Colorado (back building) from 7:00 – 9:00PM.
This event is free and open to the public, but will require an RSVP to epvolunteers@paneighborhoods.org.
Attendees will receive a free gift while supplies last.
SUPPORT FABMO - founder by Midtown residents - Jonathan and Hannah Cranch. "FabMo’s 6th Annual
Textile Arts Boutique will be held at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge, October 25th, from 10 am to 4 pm. Over 40 local
artists and artisans will offer amazing works created from stunning materials otherwise destined for the landfill.
FabMo rescues these materials and makes them available monthly to all interested parties, on a donation basis
only. Boutique guests will be blown away by the variety and uniqueness of the items available for purchase
there! Please remember to come and enjoy this spectacular show and sale, Saturday, October 25th, 10 AM to 4
PM, at the Palo Alto Elk’s Lodge, 4249 El Camino Real, in Palo Alto. Free admission; free parking at the Lodge
or nearby. You will not regret coming to see these one-of-a-kind creations.” If you can volunteer on Saturday,
email fabmospecialevents@yahoo.com.
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2) CITY/COUNTY/SCHOOL EVENTS/NOTES
ELECTION NOTES FROM THE MEDIA CENTER: Palo Alto voters can review videotaped candidate forums for
both the PAUSD and the Palo Alto City Council races via the Media Center’s Election Coverage page at
http://midpenmedia.org/government/election-coverage/. There is also a debate on Measure M that proposes to
reduce the size of city council – as well as pro and con speakers for Palo Alto Measures B and C that would
affect certain taxes. There are links on the page to the videos (available on demand) as well as playback
schedules for cable TV. Get informed and vote! Lastly, you can tune in to a Palo Alto Election Night special on
Comcast Community Cable Channel 27 at 9:30 PM November 4, while results will be updated throughout the
evening on Channel 30. Webstreams for each channel on our web site.
OCTOBER 30: OUR PALO ALTO: Sit down with City manager and staff to share your thoughts about the future
of Palo Alto from 11:30AM-1PM. Various locations: Palo Alto Pizza Company, 2450 Park Blvd.; Pizza My Heart,
220 University Ave.; Pizzeria Delfina, 651 Emerson St.; Patxi’s Pizza, 441 Emerson St.; NY Pizza, 3235
Hamilton Ave.; Howie’s Artisan Pizza (Town and Country), 855 El Camino Real; Pizza Chicago, 4115 El Camino
Real; Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 3918 B Middlefield
CITY COUNCIL:
OCTOBER 27: Action items: Palo Alto Shuttle, Expansion, and Cubberley Community Center Lease Status and
Update. Full agenda at http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/44391, debrief on city council
study session.
Planning & Transportation Commission
Oct 29: Topics include Review and Update on Formation and Activities of Transportation Management
Association, 2555 Park Boulevard (10,800 sq. ft. two-story mid-century modern office building to a 24,466 sq. ft.
three-story office building).
PARKS: October 28 & 29: Palo Alto Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan - Community
Workshop Oct 28 from 6-8 PM at the Downtown Library, 270 Forest Avenue and Wednesday, October 29, 6pm8pm in Room H1 at the Cubberley Community Center. The meetings will have identical agendas and programs,
and residents are encouraged to attend the meeting that is most convenient. The City is creating a long-range
master plan for our parks, trails, open space and recreation system to create a vision for our parks and
recreation system that guides future improvements and investments. We need the community’s continued input
and ideas to complete the plan. Please join us for an interactive workshop where you will have the opportunity
to provide your ideas and discuss the future of Palo Alto’s parks and recreation system. Your input will guide the
master plan’s recommendations for new and sustained programs and infrastructure. Palo Alto’s parks and
recreation system includes our small neighborhood parks and large regional open spaces, as well as the streets
and paths that connect us to these places and the activities we do while we’re there. We are considering every
aspect of the system from playgrounds and trails to classes and community space, and most importantly we are
looking at how all the pieces of our parks and recreation system work together to meet the needs of our
residents.
November 13: Expressway Plan 2040: Join them for a project update at one of our Community Meetings this
fall. Each meeting will focus on a neighboring expressway, however, all expressway system information will be
available. Most appropriate expressway meeting: 6:30PM at the City of Mountain View, Senior Center. 266
Escuela Avenue, Mountain View. Featured Expressway: Central.
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3) LOCAL EVENTS/NEWS
See all Avenidas Activities at http://www.avenidas.org/. Don't forget to PRE Register at
http://www.avenidas.org/ or by calling 289-5400. Monthly newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/k7hruwt
Thursdays, Drop-in Blood Pressure Screenings 10 - 11:30 am.
Fridays "One-to-one Computer Tutor Appointments" from 9 am - 4 pm. FEE: $5/$10 per session.
Deborah's Palm Events: www.deborahspalm.org. Call at 650/473-0664
October 25: Divorce: Building Your Strategy Before, During, After from 10 AM-3PM.
October 29: Coalition to enforce stronger human trafficking laws from 7-9 PM.
October 30: Making a Collage Box. For more info & to RSVP: dpcraftingcoop@gmail.com at 6:30PM
November 5: Professional Women Connect: Wednesday, from 5:30-7:30 PM. Great time to network, get
inspired and meet other women professionals and entrepreneurs! Please RSVP to Susan Silver:
silver_s@sbcglobal.net
November 7: Cherishing the Non-Mom n You: A Self-Care Group for Women with Young Children. Take time
for yourself, be with other women in a warm and supportive environment from 7:30-9:00 PM. For more & to
RSVP, contact Vera: vera@verafishman.com
November 8: Cutting-edge documentary " What the F@#- is Cancer And Why Does Everybody Have It?.
See the film & meet filmmaker, Allison Gryphon & the story behind the making of the film two times: 1 & 4
PM. FEE: $10
December 6: Holiday Bazaar from 10 AM - 4 PM
Talking with Henrietta - “The Math Misplacement of Minority Youth – Why Is It Happening?” An inordinate
number of minority and low-income youth are being held back for a second year to repeat algebra, when they
had passed their required tests and classwork. On this edition of Talking with Henrietta, show guests discuss
why these students are being held back, the impact that this misplacement has and what needs to be done to
properly address the issue. This show can be viewed on the Internet and on Comcast 27 until Saturday,
October 25, 2014 on Sundays@5 pm, Tuesdays@8 pm, Wednesdays@4 am & 11 am, Thursdays@8 pm &
Fridays@3:30 am & 12 pm and Saturdays at 10 am. Get more information about this show at
http://www.epatoday.org/tv.html#mathmisplacement.
BIKING EVENTS: See: http://paloaltobike.fehrandpeers.net/?page_id=87. This is linked from the City of Palo
Alto Bicycling page, via the Bike Boulevards Program link. NOTE: The forward button on the calendar does not
work! It should be fixed soon. Manually put in a date in October to see the October schedule:

Park/Stanford/Wilkie on Oct 28. 3441 Alma Street @ Alma Community Room

Maybell BB at Juana Briones School on Oct 30

Matadero Creek Trail Option A – 3441 Alma Street @ Alma Community Room Nov 5 @ 6:30 – 8:30 PM
OCTOBER 25: Dog-O-Ween from 1-3PM in the bowl at Rinconada Park. Bring your dog in costume.
Sponsored by Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.
OCTOBER 25: Barron Park Elementary School, 800 Barron Avenue, Book Faire from 1-4 PM.
OCTOBER 25: Composting Basics. FREE. Cubberely Community Center H1 from 10AM - noon
OCTOBER 25: San Francisco Chamber Orchestra presents: Main Stage Concert: Airs and Dances (Palo Alto)
from 8:00-10:00 PM at the First Palo Alto United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Avenue. FREE: See:
http://www.thesfco.org/category/main-stage-concerts/. Benjamin Simon, conductor, Mayumi Hama & Chris
Froh, marimbas: Four mallets are better than two! Come hear a pair of world-class marimbists tackle Laurie
San Martin's new double concerto and a sizzling duo by tango master Astor Piazzolla. This wide-ranging
program opens with a stunning Baroque concerto by Handel and closes with Respighi's brilliant reworking of
beautiful Renaissance lute pieces, plus Pulitzer Prize winner Aaron Jay Kernis' ethereal Musica Celestis.
Admission is free to all concertgoers! Supporting members receive priority seating & priority entrance 60
minutes before concert time. Non-members may enter 45 minutes before concert time.
OCTOBER 28: Intro to Urban Bicycling Workshop for Adults – FREE from 7:00 to 8:00 PM at Mike’s Bikes, 3001
El Camino Real. Has it been a long time since you’ve ridden a bike, or are you simply looking for a refresher?
Come learn the basics of bicycling at an Urban Bicycling Workshop, hosted by the Silicon Valley Bicycle
Coalition. In this one-hour presentation, you’ll learn: a) The Rules of the Road, b) How to Navigate Streets by
Bike, and c) How to Use Bay Area Bike Share. This class is funded in part by Bay Area Bike Share; however it
is open to members and non-members alike! No membership is necessary. RSVP to
http://bikesiliconvalley.org/event/free-intro-urban-bicycling-workshop-9/
OCTOBER 30: At the JCC: Arturo Sandoval and His Quintet. 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient |
10-time Grammy Award winner | Emmy award recipient | 6-time Billboard award winner. First Part of Our Jazz
Giants Series. FEE: For costs for single event or series see http://tinyurl.com/klbfp2s
OCTOBER 31: Lytton Gardens invites you to 11TH ANNUAL SAFE HALLOWEEN at 656 Lytton Avenue in Palo
Alto (use the Retirement Living Entrance. Dress up the kids and celebrate with us from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. FREE.
Tots through 5th grade. Flyer at http://tinyurl.com/mkyazyz
NOVEMBER 4: Special Avenidas Event: Autumn gathering at Avenidas from 2:30 - 3:30 PM. You can mix and
mingle with new President & CEO Amy Andonian. You'll enjoy fall treats, live music, and a fun and informal
"Fireside Chat" with Amy. Please call 289-5400 to RSVP by Nov.3.
NOVEMBER 4 and 6th: CANOPY Workshop: Teach Kids about Trees! Volunteer as an Education Leader. 3921
East Bayshore Road, from 4:30 - 6:30 PM, both sessions. Topics covered include teaching methodology,
cultural sensitivity, plus special Canopy modules. Details at http://tinyurl.com/np6gmjb
NOVEMBER 9: Join together for inspiration and fun at the Media Center's second storytelling salon: "Foreign
Correspondents: Immigrant Odysseys." 3 PM - 5 PM - including reception. Stories by 6 extraordinary people.
Only 75 seats so grab some today! Gripping personal stories about a new life in the US - with flavors of
Ethiopia, Mexico, Turkey, China, Germany & more. Stories of escape, empowerment, passages, and
reinvention. If you are a fan of great memoir stories like what you’d hear on “Storycorps", "The Moth" or "This
American Life" - you’ll love this! Free. Made possible with support from the Silicon Valley Community
Foundation. RSVP at: http://midpenmedia.org/rsvpmaker/foreign-correspondents-immigrant-odysseys-2-201411-9/
OLD
OCTOBER 25: Halloween Swap at the YMCA, 3412 Ross Road from 6-8 PM.
OCTOBER 25: FABMO Textile Art Boutique from 10 AM - 4PM at the Elks Lodge, 4249 El Camino.
Repurposing with a style. Hand crafted treasures from over 40 local artists. FREE.
OCTOBER 25: Compost Workshops. See www.cityofpaloalto.org/compost
OCTOBER 26: Gamble Garden - A Shadowy Halloween Party from 5:00pm-6:30 PM. Ages 2 and above.
Discover the magical world of shadow puppetry! See http://www.gamblegarden.org/event/a-shadowy-halloweenparty/
OCTOBER 26: Blossom Birth Services 20th Annual CalAve Trick or Treat and Halloween Carnival from
10:00am-2:00 PM at 299 S. California Ave, Ste 120. FREE. For more see http://tinyurl.com/oc5vlsy
OCTOBER 26: Cypress String Quartet presents: Cypress String Quartet's Salon Series at Woman's Club of
Palo Alto at 475 Homer Ave from 3 - 5 PM. FEE: $50. http://14-15csqsalonpa.brownpapertickets.com/
OCTOBER 26: Join Supervisor Joe Simitian for his 10th Annual Community Conversation with this year's timely
discussion entitled "Has America's Time Come and Gone?" The U.S. Role in the World Today from 11:00am 1:00pm at Lucie Stern Community Center. Brunch will be served. FEE: $50, $100, $250, or $500 per person.
OCTOBER 30: USGS Monthly program at HDQ 345 Middlefield Road, BLD 3 Menlo Park at 7PM. "Wolf and Elk
Disease in Yellowstone: Lessons in Emerging Pandemics" by Paul Cross, USGS Research Wildlife Biologist. If
you missed last month’s lecture by Brad Aagaard on Loma Prieta, you can now view it here:
http://online.wr.usgs.gov/calendar/archives.html
NOVEMBER 1: Abilities United Authors Luncheon from 10:30 - 3PM. at the Cabana Hotel, 4290 El Camino
Real. FEE: $150 before October 1, $175 starting October 2. https://www.abilitiesunited.org/authorsluncheon
NOVEMBER 1: Document Shredding. See www.cityofpaloalto.org/shred
NOVEMBER 1 & 2: KlezCalifornia YIDDISH CULTURE FESTIVAL at the JCC: FEE: Festival Passes ($65 –
$85), or individual event tickets ($10 – $25); discounts for kids and teens, and early bird special. Buy a Festival
Pass, save up to $40! Partial Scholarships available. Info and tickets: www.klezcalifornia.org,
info@klezcalifornia.org, or call 415.789.7679.
NOVEMBER 1-2: ARTISANS’ BAZAAR. Shop for unique art and handcrafted gifts for the holidays at First
Congregational Church of Palo Alto’s Artisans’ Bazaar, Saturday November 1, 10:00 to 2:00 and Sunday,
November 2, 11:00 to 2:00 in the Social Hall at 1985 Louis Road at the corner of Embarcadero. Contact Diane
Churchill, 650/856-6662.
NOVEMBER 6: At the JCC Cultural Arts Hall: The Role of Jewish South Africans in the Anti-Apartheid Struggle
from 7:30-9:00 PM. FEE: $10 Mem, $12 Public, $15 at The Door.
NOVEMBER 9 at the JCC Cultural Arts Hall - "The Pop Ups: Appetite for Construction" from 4 - 6 PM. FEE: $15
Mem, $18 Public, $20 at the Door.
NOVEMBER 11: At the JCC: Is It Good For The Jews: Jews and the Civil Rights Movement from 7:30-9:00 PM.
FEE: $15 at the door, $50 members for the whole lecture series, $60 for public for the whole lecture series. See
http://tinyurl.com/ktfa8sc
NOVEMBER 19: Stanford Blood Bank Cafe Scientifique series: “Seven Secrets for Storytelling Success”, with
J.D. Schramm, MBA, EdD, Lecturer in Organizational Behavior, Stanford Graduate School of Business at 7PM
at Blood Bank at 3373 Hillview Avenue. Previous talk: "Psychological Trauma and Resilience: Victim
Rehabilitation, Trauma Psychiatry, and the International Prosecution of Crimes Against Humanity" link
http://youtu.be/jOBmzT6ZDf8.
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4) TIDBITS
PEANUT ALLERGY? Space in the current Stanford clinical trial. If you are interested and eligible in
participating in this trial, or have any peanut-allergic family, friends or acquaintances between the ages of 18 to
55 who you think might be interested in this study, we would love to hear from you! We can be contacted at
safar.inquiry@stanford.edu. Informational meeting on November 6th from 7:30-8:30 PM. To register for this
event, go to http://tinyurl.com/kzbm397
Airplane Noise: Sent by Lee Christel, Rosewood Drive. If you are concerned about increasing aircraft noise
above Palo Alto, I encourage you to complain to the SFO RoundTable. They log and publish the number of
complaints and more importantly, the number of different people complaining from each city. The numbers from
Palo Alto have been quite low, although there were 15 in August:
Number of callers from Palo Alto complaining: June 2014: 3; July 2014: 5; August 2014: 15. The Noise
Complaint Line: 650.821.4736. Noise Complaint E-mail: sfo.noise@flysfo.com or
http://www.flysfo.com/community-environment/noise-abatement/file-a-complaint
Water Usage: From Next Door: the City of Palo Alto has added a feature to their website, as well as created an
app to report water waste: http://tinyurl.com/onqfrv8. If you are walking around town and see a broken sprinkler,
excessive run off or other issues, please take the time to report it. The drought has no end in sight, let's all do
our part. You can download the app to your iPhone or Android as well!
Rob Smith (robsmith@frixo.com) sends this: Our site Frixo (http://www.frixo.com/) is a road travel reporting
website that provides our users with the most up-to-date road traffic information. Our data is updated every 5
minutes using sensors placed on motorways and common A / B roads.