JAN CHRISTENSEN - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's ...

SpectrumOct06.qxd 10/25/2006 11:25 AM Page 1 

STEPPING UP TO THE TASK 

JAN CHRISTENSEN 

"EMPOWERING THE ORGANIZATION 

TO DO ITS BEST FOR THE KIDS." 

WILL THE 

LESLIE SALT FLATS 

VANISH 

FROM REDWOOD CITY 

HISTORY? 

REDWOOD CITY TO WELCOME 

LATINO FILM FESTIVAL 

ELECTION PREDICTIONS 

AND MORE 

IN "AS I WAS SAYING . . . "

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REDWOOD CITY'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE 

S 

Redwood City's Monthly Magazine 

October 2007 

Vol 3, No. 1 

Steve Penna 

Owner and Publisher 

penna@spectrummagazine.net 

Anne Callery 

Copy Editor 

Judy Buchan 

Contributing Writer 

writers@spectrummagazine.net 

Valerie Harris 


writers@spectrummagazine.net 

Dale McKee 

Graphic Artist 


Damaris Divito 

Photography Stylist 

Sales Associate 

ads@spectrummagazine.net 

DJ Design 

Dale McKee 

Aurora Tucker 

Advertising Graphic Art 

James R. Kaspar 

Cover/Cover Story Photography 

Welcome to the October issue of The Spectrum 

Magazine. We begin our third year of publication 

with several stories and features that we know you 

will enjoy reading. 

We start off this month’s issue with a cover story on Jan 

Christensen, superintendent of the Redwood City School 

District. Christensen has faced several challenges since taking 

over leadership and has impressed many with her attention to 

detail and desire for fiscal responsibility. But many are asking: 

Is she up to the challenge? We hope our story by Judy Buchan 

will shed some light on that topic. 

Publisher Steve Penna makes his election predictions in his 

column, “As I Was Saying …,” and also comments on the 

“Our Downtown” event, a Downtown Business Group meeting 

and the theft of copper and bronze material in our community. 

Our business profile this month is on the Arthur Murray 

Dance Studio in downtown Redwood City. Ever since the television 

phenomenon “Dancing With The Stars” began, interest 

in dance has escalated to new heights. There are not many 

cities on the Peninsula that have top-quality instructional 

facilities that can turn a klutz into a dancing queen or king, 

but we do! 

Our student writers inform you of all the extracurricular 

activities on campus and the opportunities these offer to their 

student bodies. 

We also have stories on the Latino Film Festival coming to 

Redwood City, the rebirth of the Sequoia High School wood 

shop, a successful drug program and photos from several 

activities that took place earlier this month. 

We would like to thank our loyal advertisers for supporting 

community news and we encourage you, our readers, to support 

them by using their services when you can. We also 

encourage you to support community news by filling out The 

Spectrum’s subscription form on page 32 and having us 

mailed to your home each month. 

Table of 

Contents 

INSIDE THE SPECTRUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 

VOLUNTEER POLICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 

BALSAMO OBITUARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 

“AS I WAS SAYING ...” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

EVERY WOMAN HEALTH CLUB . . . . . . . . . .11 

CULTURAL EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

FEATURE STORY:ELIZABETH GHELETA . . . . . . . .20 

NONPROFITS IN ACTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 

SENIOR ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 

FINANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 

LOCAL INTEREST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

THE 

Spectrum 

P.O. Box 862, Redwood City, CA 94064 

Advertising and subscriptions: 

(650) 368-2434 

E-mail: ads@spectrummagazine.net 

Published the third week of each month. 

Periodical rates paid at Redwood City, 

California. 

3 

Remember to vote, Redwood City, so you can have a voice on 

whether we will be Tricked or Treated! 

Subscription rate: $30 per year in 

Redwood City, San Carlos and Menlo Park 

($60 all other cities); $24 for seniors (any 

city). Not responsible for the return of 

unsolicited material. 

WWW.SPECTRUMMAGAZINE.NET


S 

Inside The Spectrum: 

Our Cover Photo Shoot 

THE SPECTRUM 

Because of conflicting schedules, this month’s cover shoot took some effort to 

arrange. Spectrum Publisher Steve Penna asked Contributing Writer Judy 

Buchan to schedule the shoot for Monday, Oct. 16, at 2 p.m., since she was 

to interview our cover subject, Redwood City School District Superintendent Jan 

Christensen, at that time. 

Buchan arrived first and Cover Story Photographer James Kaspar arrived next. 

Kaspar began taking photos of the exterior of the district building while Buchan 

entered to announce our arrival. Penna arrived just before 2 p.m. and we were led 

to Christensen’s office. 

We waited for Christensen to exit a meeting and, once she arrived, introductions 

were made and the session began. 

The shoot began with Christensen on the staircase leading to her upstairs office. 

Kaspar wanted to get different shots of her walking up and down the stairs to 

reflect a “stepping up” type of theme. 

Penna then had to leave due to a prior appointment, so Kaspar continued taking 

pictures in Christensen’s office and Buchan started her interview. The shoot was 

completed in about one hour. Kaspar left and Buchan continued the interview. 

Christensen was very jovial during the shoot and interview. One gets the impression 

that she is in control and excited about the challenges she faces in a district 

that suffers from a large achievement gap, teachers who are unhappy with their 

current contracts and a need for more funding throughout the district. 

The Spectrum is honored to introduce you to a woman who will have a direct 

effect on every student in our community. Her philosophy — “The most important 

thing is that all children can learn. We as a district and community need to 

provide a quality education program for the kids.” — is not just lip service. 

Photographer James R. Kaspar zooms in on cover subject Jan Christensen 

Test scores have already improved in the district, and Christensen is reaching out 

to the community for partnerships that she hopes will keep the trend going. For 

the sake of our children’s education, we hope she will continue to stay upbeat and 

determined. 

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THE LESLIE SALT FLATS: 

FROM BEGINNING TO DBM 

Valerie Harris, Special to The Spectrum 

If you are a concerned resident of Redwood City, 

you will soon be able to help define the land use 

of a remarkable Bay Area region: the Leslie Salt 

Flats. Through an announced outreach program, 

changes are coming to this historic landmark. The 

Leslie Salt Flats will vanish, signaling the end of an 

era and the start of a new one. To make an informed 

decision, one must first understand the heritage of 

this important Bay Area site. 

Salt: that ubiquitous, white, crystalline, granular 

substance we hardly notice in daily life. Salt is an 

essential nutrient for everything living. Salt is the 

oldest and most universally used of all food preservatives. 

Salt was even used to preserve the Egyptian 

mummies. Salt has been so essential in human history 

that salt alone has been the reason for the establishment 

of ancient trade routes, the root of many 

wars and even an integral part of religious ceremonies. 

Salt once served as currency. Salt’s industrial 

uses are too numerous to list. Salt and man are so 

linked throughout history that even our vernacular is 

peppered with idioms: “salt of the earth,” “not worth 

his salt,” “below the salt,” “taken with a grain of salt.” 

One of the deepest ties indigenous man had with the 

Bay Area stemmed from his need of shoreline 

deposits of crystalline salt. The native Ohlone 

Indians gathered salt from the bay shores, where the 

salt naturally accumulated along the shoreline. The 

Ohlone traded their extra salt for obsidian, abalone 

shells and beads with other indigenous tribes. By 

1769, Spanish settlers arrived in the Bay Area. The 

Spanish missionaries at Mission San Jose developed 

the first large-scale salt harvesting effort. By the time 

of the ’49er Gold Rush, Bay Area salt harvesting 

exploded as an industry because of the influx of population 

and the increases in the mining industry. In 

1854, an ex–sea captain and failed gold miner, John 

Johnson, developed a bay shore solar salt harvesting 

plant and made a fortune selling salt at $50 a ton to 

miners who were looking for gold. 

Over time, many salt-producing companies sprang 

up all around the bay. Salt harvesting was a laborious 

pick-and-shovel endeavor. In 1936, Leslie California 

Co. patented and implemented a mechanical salt 

harvester and corrosive-resistant railroad bucket 

transporter car. That same year, Leslie California Co. 

merged with another major salt-producer, Arden Co., 

and formed Leslie Salt Co. With the merger and its 

S 

mechanical salt harvesters, Leslie Salt surpassed all 

of its competition. Eventually some of the smaller 

companies were absorbed into Leslie Salt empire. By 

1959, salt production shifted, and Leslie Salt 

stopped use of its Bay Area salt basins. 

In 1978, Cargill Co. acquired Leslie Salt’s 40,000- 

acre solar salt facilities in the Bay Area. Cargill, a privately 

owned firm, is one of the leaders in the food 

industry. Cargill easily added salt to its worldwide 

distribution network of foodstuffs. Most of the salt 

was used for paper production and other industrial 

uses. Some of the more cleanly refined salt was used 

for pharmaceuticals and foods. 

In the 1980s, Leslie Salt was slapped with air pollution 

violation citations. Due to excess salinity, no 

vegetation would grow in the salt basins. The salt 

dried out and winds carried salt dust into the air. To 

mitigate the airborne salt dust, Leslie Salt dug ditches 

to wet down the basins and stop the salt dust from 

escaping. With the influx of water, vegetation 

returned to the area. And by doing so, Leslie Salt had 

just created a federally protected wetland for migratory 

birds. 

(continued on page 6) 

5 



S 

(continued from page 5) 

Leslie Salt, under the ownership of Cargill, went toeto-toe 

with the Army Corps of Engineers and the 

federal government over land use and salt production. 

When the Army Corps of Engineers learned of 

Leslie Salt’s plowing efforts, they immediately 

imposed a cease-and-desist order. This left the salt 

company’s salt basin land in legal limbo. The salt 

company argued that the federal government had no 

say in personal property land use. The Army Corps 

of Engineers countered that argument by establishing 

the 1986 migratory bird rule. That law designated 

federal protection of any waters used as a refuge 

by migratory birds and placed the salt basins under 

the jurisdiction of the federal government. It wasn’t 

just the company’s ditch-digging either. The Army 

Corps of Engineers cited that rainfall gathering in 

the salt basins had the same effect. The rain also created 

protected wetlands. 

6 

The federal government had now made it impossible 

to continue salt production. In retaliation, Leslie Salt 

went to court to fight the edict over its land use, citing 

the constitutional statutes deeming that a 

landowner has full say over his or her land use. The 

case of Leslie Salt Co. vs. the United States filtered 

all the way up to the Supreme Court, and 

Leslie Salt lost in a landmark decision, marking 

the beginning of the end of a slice of Bay 

Area history. 

In 2001, Cargill started selling off the land 

for wetlands and mixed use. Recovering from 

battle scars with the federal government, and 

with the emergence of cheaper industrial salt 

from Mexico, Cargill decided to divest itself 

of the industrial grade salt and concentrate 

on the higher quality grade salt for foods and 

drugs. Cargill sold 16,500 acres of salt ponds 

to both the federal and state governments for 

$100 million in a wetlands restoration project. 

Cargill offered to sell the 1,433-acre 

Redwood City site as well, but Sen. Dianne 

Feinstein nixed the deal, citing excessive 

costs. Cargill was now left with the Redwood 

City Industrial Saltworks section of the Leslie 

Salt plant. 

The next decision facing Cargill was the disposition 

and transition of the property. Cargill started looking 

for a real estate partner. 

Back in 1984, three partners — Drew Brown, Mark 

Sklar and Bennett Dorrance — formed a venture 

partnership, DMB Associates, Inc., using their first 

initials. DMB embarked on acquiring and developing 

real property with a twist: developing large, livable 

communities based on input from surrounding 

communities. Additionally, DMB researched the history 

and land attributes to plan a community most 

suitable to the area. DMB employed a simple philosophy: 

Listen to the people and listen to the land. 

Unlike other redevelopers, DMB worked with the 

community and spent a lot of time in the preplanning 

stages. Their developments ended up winning 

several awards and started the DMB redevelopments 

down a path of celebrated community admiration 

and success. 

DMB partnered with Caterpillar eight years ago, 

when Caterpillar closed its West Phoenix, Ariz., 

plant. Caterpillar wished to redevelop the land to fit 

the background of the White Tank Mountains and 

the West Valley landscape. The result was DBM’s 

award-winning development of Verrado. The devel- 

WWW.SPECTRUMMAGAZINE.NET 

THE SPECTRUM 

opment was so exceptional it landed on the pages of 

Sunset magazine. DMB continued down the road of 

success. Each development was highly regarded, usually 

winning awards. Communities embraced their 

efforts as well. 

When Cargill decided to relinquish the salt flats in 

Redwood City, they decided to partner with DMB. 

The salt flats were unique and historic regions of the 

bay. DMB, in turn, brought a history of working 

within the guidelines of community input and historic 

preservation. This partnership was a smart 

plan, because Redwood City residents are known for 

being vocal when their input is ignored. 

In 1992, a concerned group of Redwood City 

activists formed a grassroots citizen group called 

Friends of Redwood City (FORC). The formation of 

the group stemmed from an uproar over the City 

Council’s approval of development of the Bair Island 

National Wildlife Refuge site. The voters placed a 

yes-or-no referendum to the City Council’s development 

proposition (Measure O) on the ballot. The 

“no” vote won, overturning the City Council’s decision 

to build on that site. The victory marked the 

first voter-designated referendum in city history. 

JOHN BRUNO AND SEAMUS MURPHY. 

In 2004, the City Council approved the development 

of skyscrapers on the bay front adjacent to Bair 

Island. FORC sprang into action once again, petitioned 

and succeeded in placing another yes-or-no 

voter referendum (Measure Q), addressing the development 

of skyscrapers, on the ballot. Again, the “no” 

vote resoundingly won. 

Today, Redwood City is once again poised for another 

redevelopment initiative. In June, DMB started 

their foray into community outreach to heighten 

public opinion on the land usage of the Redwood 

City Leslie Salt Flats. 

Cargill stated in a June 2006 press release, “In the 

coming months you will have many opportunities to 

voice your suggestions about the salt works site at 

open houses, in mail-back surveys, at community 

workshops and other venues that Cargill/DMB will 

host. Your thoughts will form the basis for any proposed 

future uses of the industrial salt works site.” 

Cargill and DMB Associates conducted community 

outreach by sending letters to 30,000 households in 

Redwood City. Residents were asked for their input 

and thoughts on the best use of the site. DMB 

received over 200 varied responses to the questionnaire. 

The two facilitators for the DMB development initiative 

in Redwood City are John Bruno and Seamus 

Murphy. 

Bruno hails from work in high-tech at Cadence, 

where he was a vice president of operations. He is a 

fifth-generation California native and lives in San 

Francisco. Bruno eventually migrated into real 

estate, with McKay and Associates. McKay and 

Associates was best known in Redwood City for the 

1986 development of the Portside Complex, featuring 

Clark’s By the Bay, owned by legendary 49er 

receiver Dwight Clark. Those and other achievements 

gave Bruno the know-how on Redwood City 

developments. Bruno is leading the venture for 

DMB. 

Murphy is well-known from Redwood City government 

internals. Murphy worked on various campaigns, 

most recently Mike Nevin’s for state senate; 

he is a member of the Public Affairs Association and, 

more notably, he was the campaign manager of Yes 

on Measure Q. Murphy joined DMB in June 2006. 

Since Cargill and DBM are in partnership, the land 

holdings are static. DBM is in no hurry; there is no 

imminent push for a land flip. DBM can 

spend a lot of time invoking community concerns 

and ideas. 

Based on its history of referendums, FORC 

has taken positions against shoreline development. 

The Redwood City City Council has 

taken a position favoring downtown redevelopment, 

leaving the salt flats area as is. 

If the city opts for salt flats redevelopment, 

the city will need to revise its zoning and 

modify the general plan for the new land use. 

Currently, the land is zoned “tidal plain” for 

salt harvesting, open space and parks, but 

not for housing or commercial development. 

It appears the city is leaning toward leaving 

the zoning as it is, because city officials favor 

housing closer to the downtown area. 

Currently, there are three distinct factions vying for 

your opinion. FORC would like a return-to-nature 

resolution to this issue. City officials wish to retain 

the zoning as “tidal plain” and concentrate any 

future development in the downtown region. DMB 

would like to continue taking the pro-redevelopment 

approach, in keeping with their Verrado model. Only 

time, and your concerned opinion, will tell. 

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series. Next 

month The Spectrum will bring you DBM’s award-winning 

development of Verrado and how that community 

gained knowledge and embraced it. 

For more information: 

John Bruno and Seamus Murphy: (650) 366-0500 

DMB Associates, Inc.: dmbrealty.com 

Friends of Redwood City: forwc.org 

Redwood City Industrial Saltworks: rcsaltworks.com 

Cargill: cargill.com/sfbay 

South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project: southbayrestoration.org



S 

COURTHOUSE PLAZA READIED FOR DEBUT 

Redwood City officially heralded the modernization 

of its downtown by showcasing a 

return of its 1906 courthouse centerpiece to 

its historic façade. 

Days before the Oct. 15 celebration, workers were 

hurrying to put the finishing touches to the courthouse 

and its new plaza, but city officials were 

already heralding reaching the finish line on a longanticipated, 

multimillion dollar project. 

“It’s substantially complete,” said city spokesman 

Malcolm Smith. “We’re ready to celebrate all the 

grand improvements.” 

izing and pedestrian traffic. The project turned back 

the clock on years of remodels to the courthouse, 

unveiling the building as it once stood and recapturing 

a bygone era. 

The courthouse is home to the San Mateo County 

History Museum and occasionally hosts events, 

meetings and re-enactments. Even as construction 

dust flew outside, the history museum re-opened 

this summer with expanded galleries and a restored 

courtroom. 

As part of the renovation, the Fiscal Building came 

down and a new $1.5 million plaza appeared on 

Broadway across from the Fox Theatre. 

The city just finished welcoming a new 20-screen 

theater and retail complex. While some outlets, such 

The celebration came 16 months after the May 2005 

kickoff to remake the historic courthouse into a centerpiece 

of downtown and provide a plaza for socialas 

Cost Plus, have already made themselves at home, 

the space is also ready to house many more restaurants 

such as Fat Burger, Portobello Grill and Escape 

From New York Pizza. 

While the theater — and the associated renaming of 

Middlefield Road to Theatre Way — illustrates the 

future, the 1906 courthouse is a reminder of the 

city’s past. 

Prior to 1939, when the Fiscal Building was built in 

front of the courthouse as a Works Projects 

Administration project, the courthouse opened its 

Roman Renaissance–style portico onto a park on 

Broadway, serving as a centerpiece of downtown 

Redwood City and San Mateo County. 

In 2003, the City Council allocated $7 million in 

redevelopment funds toward the entire façade 

facelift and courthouse plaza construction. For nearly 

two years, designers and residents held public 

workshops about what they envision for downtown 

before beginning work last spring. 

7 



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8 


Valerie Harris, Contributing Writer 

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse 

(NIDA), “Drug abuse leads to violence, separation of 

parents and children, loss of jobs, feelings of hopelessness, 

serious money problems, single parenthood, anxiety 

over childcare needs, bad relationships, and emotional 

and behavioral difficulties in children. Many drug 

abusers end up in prison or jail. Sometimes they steal 

property to get money for drugs. Or, often they will 

commit crimes while ‘high’ on drugs.” 

Here are some important facts from NIDA: 

* Most people in State prisons and local jails have 

abused drugs or alcohol regularly. However, fewer than 

one-fifth of these offenders received treatment while 

incarcerated. 

* In 1999, 1.5 million children had a parent in prison. 

Most of these children (nearly 900,000) were younger 

than 10 years old. 

* Children with parents who abuse drugs and alcohol 

are widely considered at high risk for a range of physical 

and behavioral problems, including substance abuse 

problems. 

NIDA, which is part of the National Institutes of 

Health, has released the following recommendations for 

successful treatment for drug abusers (as quoted from 

their Web site): 

* Drug addiction is a disease that affects behavior. It 

can alter the brain and body chemistry for months or 

even years after a person stops using, so relapse is often 

part of the recovery process. In other words, detox in 

jail or prison alone is not enough treatment. It should 

be treated like any other disease. 

* Drug abusers cannot alter their behavior without taking 

care of their addiction. Treatment that starts in 

prison or jail must continue after release. Treatment and 

recovery is hard work that must continue throughout a 

user’s life. Without the right treatment, most drug 

abusers will use again once they return to their neighborhoods, 

even though drugs might put them right back 

in prison or even kill them. Treatment should last long 

enough (90 days or more) to let drug-abusing people 

learn to manage their own drug problems. 

* Drug abusers need to be examined by a doctor. The 

doctor might prescribe medicine and will look for other 

possible problems, such as depression and anxiety, or 

medical conditions such as hepatitis, tuberculosis or 

HIV/AIDS. 

San Mateo County took the NIDA recommendations 

one step further with a brilliant and innovative 

approach: Drug Court. 

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 5:30 p.m. in the chambers 

of the San Mateo Board of Supervisors in Redwood 

City, the San Mateo County Drug Court program celebrated 

the graduation of 10 drug court participants. 

This graduation marked the culmination of participation 

in biweekly chemical testing, many court appearances, 

completion of a drug treatment program and 

making it to one year clean and sober. 

Drug Court is a county-run program with a tremendous 

success rate and low recidivism. This program resides 

under the umbrella of the San Mateo County Superior 

Court and San Mateo County Human Services 

Agency’s Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Services program. 

According to the AOD Web site: “The San Mateo 

County Drug Court is a specialized court that addresses 

the needs of nonviolent, drug-dependent defendants. 

Defendants that are eligible for Drug Court have the 

option of participating in the Drug Court instead of 

serving a County Jail sentence. The defendant is expected 

to attend all court reviews, enroll and complete a 

substance abuse treatment program, submit clean drug 

THE SPECTRUM 

SAN MATEO COUNTY DRUG COURT 

tests, and abide by any other directives of Drug Court. 

The Drug Court utilizes a team case management 

approach to serve the clients. The ‘team’ is comprised of 

the judge (team leader), probation officers, prosecutors, 

defense attorneys, AOD Services Social Workers … and 

treatment professionals. The team works collaboratively 

to develop a strategy to address the client’s needs in 

an effort to decrease the likelihood of relapse, reoffense, 

and re-entry into the criminal justice system.” 

What the Web site doesn’t explain is that felony drug 

offenders can avoid jail time. Programs are tailored to 

the defendant’s needs and may entail myriad treatments 

from inpatient to outpatient, even day treatments. 

The San Mateo County team is bisected into north and 

south divisions. The judges are Superior Court Judge 

Richard Livermore (north) and Superior Court 

Commissioner Sue Greenberg (south). The representatives 

from the District Attorney’s Office are Linda 

Eufusia and the late Paul Wendler, who passed away last 

month after 32 years in the District Attorney’s Office. 

The Bar Association members are Paula Canny (north) 

and Alex Easterbrook (south). The probation representatives 

are Rhonda Armijo (north) and Danielle 

Barringer (south) with additional assistance from 

Michael Leon. Billie Teal is the AOD representative. 

When a defendant becomes clean and sober, there are 

many more people in the background that benefit as 

well. Spouses, children, siblings, parents, friends, coworkers, 

bosses and community members all benefit 

each time a defendant chooses a life of sobriety. The 

impact is extensive and well justifies the program’s existence. 

Drug Court had been operating on a budget of 

$400,000 annually. This year, though, funding has been 

cut by $160,000 due to the loss of a grant. The loss of 

funding is something that the program is trying to 

address through other funding sources. The amount of 

$260,000 in funding comes from the California 

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Compare that to the cost of incarcerating inmates in the 

San Mateo County Jail. According to Lee Lazaro, director 

of administration and finance for the San Mateo 

County Sheriff’s Office, it costs the taxpayers $102.52 

per day for males and $94.46 per day for females. That 

amounts to $37,420 annually for males and $34,478 

annually for females. 

Compare that to the meager cost of $4,000 per year per 

defendant for treatment under the Drug Court program. 

That’s a huge savings to the taxpayers. Instead of 

losing funding, these programs should be subsidized 

even more. 

Currently, there are 100 defendants in the Drug Court 

program at the average cost of $4,000 per year per 

defendant. However, some in-house programs are more 

costly and some outpatient treatments are less costly. 

The Drug Court program does its best to address the 

treatment needs of its participants given its limited 

budget. 

According to Canny, “Dollar for dollar this is one of the 

best uses of monies for the benefit of the community.” 

Drug Court differs from the Substance Abuse and 

Crime Prevention Act, also known as Proposition 36, 

which was passed by California voters in 2000. This 

permanently changed state law to allow first- and second-time 

nonviolent, simple drug-possession offenders 

the opportunity to receive substance abuse treatment 

instead of incarceration. Prop 36 operates with a budget 

of $120 million for treatment services allocated 

annually for five years. 

Prop 36, however, isn’t as encompassing in substance 

abuse treatment as Drug Court, and defendants are 

more likely to walk away from Prop 36–mandated treatments 

and court appearances. Under the Prop 36 guidelines, 

the courts cannot punish an offender until the 

third violation. There is also no follow-up on the offender’s 

progress. Drug Court is more personalized and tailors 

treatments to the defendant. In addition, the defendant 

receives treatment from local facilities that have 

working relationships with county officials. 

San Mateo was one of the first counties to institute the 

Drug Court program. According to Canny, “Drug Court 

is a great way for defendants to get clean and sober, and 

hopefully stay clean and sober, and stay out of the criminal 

justice system. With Prop 36, which has no interim 

punishment procedures, then defendants could show up 

messed up and loaded, and admit violations with no 

consequence other than being readmitted to probation, 

only to mess up for a third time, with the consequence 

being incarceration and no treatment, thereby defeating 

the whole purpose of Prop 36, which is treatment rather 

than incarceration. With Drug Court that doesn’t happen. 

The county benefits, and it saves the county and 

state the cost of incarceration, and prevents overcrowding 

in the jails and prisons.” 

Hope House, in Redwood City, provides a 180-day program 

for women and offers a transitional living program. 

This is just one example of a facility that works 

with Drug Court. Others include the Women’s 

Recovery Association, Project 90, Sitike Counseling 

Center, Daytop Village and Asian American Recovery 

Services. 

San Mateo County has been innovative in many ways. 

One such innovation is the Choices Program. According 

to Canny, “The Choices Program run in both the men’s 

and women’s jails is a brilliant contribution to treatment 

for individuals in custody. Shirley LaMar and Dr. 

Teri Lynch have really made that program work for the 

benefit not just for the participants but for the community 

as a whole.” 

Beverly Thames, the public information officer for the 

San Mateo County Health Department, states, “The 

current enrollment in the Choices Program consists of 

91 men and 26 women.” 

The Sheriff’s Office also supports the Choices Program. 

According to Lazaro, “The Sheriff’s Department allocates 

a pod in the men’s facility and a dorm in the 

women’s facility for Choices Program participants.” 

Canny continues, “Drug Court is the most cost-effective 

way to help people with substance abuse problems to 

get clean and sober, lead law-abiding lives, and stay out 

of the criminal justice system. Some people start Drug 

Court programs out of custody and stay out of custody 

for the remainder of the program, and abide by Drug 

Court rules. Some people begin Drug Court while in 

jail, participating in the Choices Program, and thereafter 

move into a community-based treatment program. 

By the time a Drug Court participant graduates from 

the program, they have been out of jail and living independently 

in the community, crime free, and have 

remained clean and sober for one year. That is a great 

benefit, not just for the Drug Court graduate, but for all 

of us in our community.” 

San Mateo County, once again, has invoked a cuttingedge 

and cost-effective solution to a nationwide problem 

by implementing collaborative programs to genuinely 

assist people in bettering their lives. 

If you are interested in helping the program succeed, 

information will soon be posted on The Spectrum 

Magazine’s Web site at www.spectrummagazine.net.



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As I Was Saying ... 

As I Was Saying ... 

By 

Steve Penna 

Publisher 

Downtown Business Group President Alpio 

Barbara weathered his first storm in office 

during the group’s recent meeting in the 

Redwood City Council Chambers. The meeting 

started out like many others until business and 

property owner John Anagnostou addressed the 

group. If you don’t know Anagnostou, he has been 

very upbeat for years about the resurgence of the 

downtown area and expresses himself with so much 

enthusiasm. 

While Anagnostou addressed the group and showed 

his enthusiasm, Greg St. Claire (owner of Redwood 

City restaurants Milagros and A Tavola) seemed to 

take exception to Anagnostou’s comments and questioned, 

among other things, why many of the buildings 

Anagnostou has invested in remain vacant (including 

the old Spanky’s site at the corner of Broadway and 

Jefferson) and what he saw as the lack of activity at the 

Fox Theatre. 

St. Claire also questioned city staff as to why they 

would allow a developer (Innisfree, developer of the 

downtown cinema/retail project) to come into our city 

and build a project with zoned restaurant spaces without 

the proper ventilating systems installed. This error 

has caused numerous prospective lessees to take anoth- 

er look at their decisions to occupy space there because 

of the cost involved to install ventilation after construction 

has concluded. All are valid points and topics 

that need to be discussed and worked through if any 

group is going to move forward. 

The two went back and forth and, being the leader that 

he is, Barbara let them continue. This group has been 

through various stages of formation for years and it 

appears, as in all groups, there may be conflicting views 

and opinions on what direction they should take. 

Unfortunately, those who bring up such topics are 

looked upon as “outsiders” no matter what group they 

are in, especially when questioning the city staff. So 

that is why many do not speak up and then things 

come to a head, which is what happened in this situation. 

Both Anagnostou and St. Claire have done a lot for our 

community by bringing in businesses that provide sales 

tax dollars and activity, and both of their opinions and 

views are valid. They just have different styles of doing 

it. 

The “discussion” between the two has been talked 


9 

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The Spectrum REDWOOD . Redwood CITY'S MONTHLY City's Monthly MAGAZINE Magazine 

YOU SHOULD BE DANCING... 

WITH ARTHUR MURRAY 

S 

by Dale McKee 

With the rise of shows like “Dancing With 

the Stars,” it seems the dance floor is even 

more popular than ever. But what about 

those of us who don’t want to be TV contestants? 

There are still plenty of reasons to take to the dance 

floor. And Alice Louise, owner of Redwood City’s 

own Arthur Murray branch, is more than happy to 

tell you about it. 

Louise, a former schoolteacher, turned to dance at a 

transition point in her life. She searched for something 

“self-nurturing” and found it in dance. She 

started out as a student at the Burlingame branch, 

little knowing she would work her way from student 

to teacher, and then to management and eventual 

ownership. 

“‘Dancing With the Stars’ has made a huge impact 

on the dance business,” Louise said. “We’re seeing 

our enrollments up by about 30 percent across the 

board.” Considering Arthur Murray is an international 

organization, founded in 1912, with branches 

all over the world, that’s saying a lot. 

“Dance gives you a lot of things,” she added. “It’s a 

lot more than steps and patterns. It’s about self-confidence 

and social ease, and meeting people that 

have the same interests that you do. It’s about a lot 

of things.” 

11 

When she speaks about dance, the passion is evident 

in Louise’s eyes and voice; it’s not just a job to her, 

but more of a calling. As we discussed stories and the 

impact dance has had, not only on her life but also 

on those she’s worked with and taught, it was difficult 

not to be enthused by it. 

To be honest, I didn’t resist all that hard. Louise even 

got me out on the dance floor for an introductory 

lesson. Being the proud owner of two left feet, I was 

somewhat nervous and skeptical, but I have to 

admit: After only thirty minutes, I felt a lot better 

about dancing on the floor. Even the simple moves I 

learned in that time sure beat the famous “high 

school hang” (as Louise calls it). You know, that 

shuffle you do at weddings because you really don’t 

have a clue as to what to do with your feet? 

Weddings are a big part of why some folks choose to 

take lessons. With the wedding industry booming, 

and the bottom line on wedding costs rising, people 

are more inspired to make it a truly memorable 

event. “That first dance is something special that 

they will have with them the rest of their walking 

lives,” Louise commented. “People are putting time 

and energy and money into dancing to [that first 

song].” So when they go out for the first dance, it’s 

a “memorable, exciting part of the day.” 

Besides weddings, Louise said, “The focus for Arthur 

Murray is — and it always has been — social partner 

dancing. So anything you can dance with a partner. 

Rumba, cha-cha, swing, waltz … all of the classics, as 

well as the club dances.” She said they’ve seen a lot 

of comeback of disco, the Hustle, and even hip-hop 

music “Club Swing” dancing. Even techno music like 

Nine Inch Nails has a dance and moves that work. 

Cruises, birthdays, parties — all are events where 

you can benefit from the confidence and knowledge 

that you can take to the dance floor with pride. 

In addition to events and partner dancing, Arthur 




S 


Murray also has a competitive side. “If you want 

to compete, we can do that,” Louise said. In fact, 

many of the dance teachers and contestants in shows 

like “Dancing With the Stars” are Arthur 

Murray–trained. “We do it all,” she adds. 

Her clientele at the Redwood City studio range in 

age from early 20s to middle-80s. “There is no generation 

gap with dancing,” she said. They host dance 

parties on Tuesday and Friday nights that are not 

open to the public but, rather, reserved for students 

as part of enrollment. At such events, it’s not uncommon 

to see a 26-year-old woman dancing with a 70- 

year-old man, or the reverse, in any combination. 

About 40 percent of the clientele is married couples, 

many of them typical of the “empty nesters” after 

the kids have gone off to college. “For persons with 

small children, in the married couples group, this is 

date night,” Louise said with a smile. “She’s been 

home all week chasing kids, and he’s been climbing 

the corporate ladder, and this is quality time with 

each other.” 

Single gentlemen take lessons for business reasons, 

to develop social graces. The ladies are here for selfnurturing, 

Louise said. Some folks are in it for the 

exercise. It’s a broad appeal base for everyone. 

“I have one gentleman in his early 50s who has 

health problems. He has lost 60 pounds on our 

dance floor in the last year,” Louise said. “He was 

very intimidated by going into the gym and working 

with a personal trainer with a classically cut body; a 

lot of people have been there and done that. And he 

THE SPECTRUM 

comes in here and has a great time … and he’s 

turned out to be a wonderful dancer.” 

Louise encourages people to give lessons a try, 

adding that the first lesson at Arthur Murray is complimentary. 

There are a lot of different programs, and 

everything is personalized to the individual. The 

goal of Arthur Murray is to see you reach your goals 

in dance, whether that be looking good on the floor 

on a cruise, at a wedding, or even in a dance competition. 

The more time you put in, of course, the more 

you’ll get out of it. 

And there is a lot to get out of it. Louise still teaches 

classes herself, admitting that her favorite lessons 

to teach are beginners’. In addition, she has a handpicked 

staff, four gentlemen and two ladies, all noted 

instructors and dancers. They’re certified and they 

compete. And the atmosphere is friendly. Out on the 

floor, there’s no pressure, no embarrassment — 

everyone I saw was having a good time. 

“Arthur Murray [instructors] are the most successful 

persons in the world in teaching the student that 

feels they cannot learn.” Louise goes on to add, 

“This is not something you can learn in two or three 

lessons … it depends on what your idea of ‘learning 

to dance’ is. Some people are with us a few weeks, 

some a few months. I have people that have been 

with us for years and years.” 

That’s the positive impact of dance, and the positive 

environment at Arthur Murray. The Redwood City 

studio, in fact, is an award-winning studio, winning 

the 2006 Top Studio Award in Las Vegas earlier this 

year. The awards speak for themselves. 

“Dancing is a journey,” Louise said. “What we give 

you is priceless. We in this studio want to be able to 

touch and change your life and make it better. That 

is a huge thing for us, to be able to touch your life 

through dance and make it better.” 

12 



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13 



S 

THE SPECTRUM 

CULTURAL EVENTS 

14 

SAN MATEO COUNTY 

HISTORY MUSEUM 

The museum is located in the old courthouse 

with its historic dome. Its collections 

include horse-drawn carriages, 

models, railroads from Caltrans and the 

Ocean Shore Railroad, relics from San 

Mateo’s past and lithographic art dating 

from 1875. 

Ongoing Exhibits 

“The Great Rotunda.” The stained-glass 

dome of the rotunda, thought to be the 

largest in a Pacific Coast public building, 

is the architectural highlight of the museum 

building. 

“Courtroom A.” The oldest courtroom in 

San Mateo County has been restored to 

its appearance in 1910. 

“Nature’s Bounty.” This exhibit gallery 

explores how the earliest people of the 

Peninsula used the natural resources of 

the area and how these resources were 

used to help build San Francisco after 

the discovery of gold in 1849. 

“Journey to Work.” This exhibit gallery 

shows how transportation transformed 

San Mateo County from a frontier to 

suburbs. 

“Carriage Display.” An exhibit of the 

museum’s 30 horse-drawn vehicles. 

“Charles Parsons Gallery.” An exhibit of 

the 23 historical model ships created by 

Charles Parsons of San Carlos. 

“Politics, Crime and Law Enforcement.” 

The Atkinson Meeting Room includes 

the Walter Moore Law Enforcement 

Collection of historic badges. 

“San Mateo County History Makers: 

Entrepreneurs Who Changed the 

World.” This exhibit chronicles the entrepreneurs 

who made San Mateo County 

internationally known and features the 

finest local business minds, who invented, 

revolutionized and developed 

unique businesses that have impacted 

the lives of San Mateo County residents. 

(updated!) 

“Land of Opportunity.” This exhibit 

explores the different ways in which 

immigrants have made a place for themselves 

in San Mateo County, including 

stories of arrival, discrimination experiences, 

defining roles and maintaining 

culture. (updated!) 

“Living the California Dream.” This 

exhibit depicts the development of the 

suburban culture of San Mateo County 

and features a state-of-the-art object 

theater presentation with a narrator who 

traces the evolution of the California 

Dream using lighting effects on artifacts 

and video projection. (updated!) 

Admission $2–$4; children 5 and under 

free. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 

777 Hamilton St., Redwood City. (650) 

299-0104, (650) 359-1462, www.sanmateocountyhistory.com. 

LITTLE FOX 

The Little Fox is at 2209 Broadway. 

Ticket info and sales (650) 369-4119 for 

these shows at the Fox Theater and 

Little Fox. Tickets also available at foxdream.com 

and at the Fox Theatre Box 

Office. 

The Silicon Valley Houserockers plus 

MidLife Vices 

Very Scary Rock & Soul Halloween Show 

Saturday, Oct. 28, 8 p.m., $12 adv./$14 

door 

Great prizes for best costume, scariest 

costume, sexiest costume, funniest costume, 

costume with the most colors and 

costume making the best use of plastic 

or wood! The Silicon Valley 

Houserockers is a band out of Los 

Gatos that plays the greatest rock ’n’ roll 

songs ever recorded. With a wailing fivepiece 

horn section and a rock-solid 

rhythm section of two guitars, bass, 

drums and keys, they bring the rock ’n’ 

roll classics to life. The music is rock ’n’ 

roll and classic rhythm & blues. Start 

with the opening riff of the Stones’ 

“Satisfaction” and the good time boogie 

of Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man.” 

Tainted Love 

Friday, Nov. 3, 9 p.m., $16 adv./$18 door 

This seven-piece outfit from San 

Francisco brings you back to the days 

when keyboards ruled the airwaves, 

cascading hairdos were commonplace 

and outlandish fashions lit up the pioneering 

early days of MTV. With a stellar 

lineup of three high-energy singers driven 

by a powerhouse band whose credentials 

include Pride & Joy, Super 

Diamond, Car Wash, Panama and Yah- 

Yah Littleman, Tainted Love delivers a 

nonstop ’80s live show. 

Aja Vu — A Tribute to Steely Dan plus 

Alien Cowboys 

Presented by Voices of Latin Rock 

Saturday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m., $12 adv./$14 

door 

San Francisco–based Aja Vu won this 

year’s KFOX Last Band Standing competition 

on the Bay Area’s #1-rated Greg 

Kihn Show. Aja Vu performs the music of 

Steely Dan, from “Hey Nineteen” and 

“Reelin’ in the Years” to “Rikki Don’t 

Lose That Number.” You can buy a thrill 

when you hear the tight, chunky horns, 

vocals and solos note for note and 

phrase for phrase, backed up by an 

unparalleled rhythm section! The Aja Vu 

show recreates the combination of rock 

and jazzy blues. 

Redwood City Blues Jam 

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m. Free admission! 

Join Kenny “Blue” Ray for an evening of 

quality blues music from the area’s best 

musicians, where audience blues musicians 

are invited to jam on stage. The 

music is real, the mood collegial and the 

doors open to the community to enjoy 

this uniquely American music. The Jam 

now meets on the second, third and 

fourth Wednesday of each month, from 

7 to 11 p.m. Bring your friends! 

The Cheeseballs 

Friday, Nov. 10, 9 p.m., $14 adv./$16 

door 

The Cheeseballs will make you shake 

your booty like it hasn’t been shaken in 

years. The band members pride themselves 

on serving up a helping of nonstop 

’70s disco dance hits and ’80s and 

’90s pop classics, performing songs that 

you will be surprised to discover you 

knew all the words to, such as “YMCA,” 

“Stayin’ Alive,” “Dancing Queen,” “Le 

Freak,” “Disco Inferno” and many more. 

The result is always an audience dancing 

and singing along. 

Crucial Crue — Tribute to Motley 

Crue plus Izzy Ozbourne — Tribute to 

Ozzy Osbourne with special guest 

appearance by Children of the 

Damned — Tribute to Iron Maiden 


door 

Crucial Crue, the ultimate live tribute to 

Motley Crue, provides an exciting performance 

with a full-scale reproduction 

of Motley Crue’s latest tour. You will 

think you are seeing Tommy, Vince, Mick 

and Nikki in the flesh! All of the old and 

new hit songs will bring you right back to 

the ’80s hair metal days. Crucial Crue 

offers a unique and up-to-the-minute 

version of the true Motley Crue with full 

costumes and even a few female stage 

dancers! So come take a walk on the 

wild side, check out the girls, girls, girls 

and dance. 





THE MAIN GALLERY LOSES A FRIEND 

S 

The Main Gallery has suffered a great loss in the 

passing of artist JoAnne Horsfall Beasley, who died 

of cancer on Sept. 29, 2006. Beasley was scheduled 

for a show of works, titled “Between Light and 

Shadow,” with ceramic artist Karen Truesdell. 

In tribute to the wonderful friend and painter, The 

Main Gallery will host the show as scheduled and 

will make the show a memorial to Beasley and a 

celebration of her life and works. 

Between Light and Shadow: Oil pastel paintings by 

JoAnne Horsfall Beasley and ceramic sculpture by 

Karen Truesdell at The Main Gallery, October 18th 

to November 19th. 

JoAnne Beasley was excited about this show and 

worked up to the last on the art she loved. It was a 

departure from her usual landscapes in that the 

paintings include buildings important in her life. 

Sadly she lost her battle with cancer and died on 

September 29th. The artists of The Main Gallery 

invite you to honor our wonderful artist and friend 

by viewing her works. 

Stanford University is the place that brought the 

Beasley family to California. They were invited to 

visit in 1973 and the entire family picked up Amtrak 

in Chicago for a 6 weeks stay. They returned permanently 

the next summer and have been in Palo 

Alto and the Trinities of California ever sinceŠenjoying 

California more than they could ever have 

imagined. Trinity Alps Resort was their first family 

vacation place (after a tourist-laden visit to 

Yosemite in the first summer in 1975) and they 

returned to The Resort every year since until building 

their own cabin up in the Trinities in 1999. 

The idea of a show titled “Between Light and 

Shadows,” Reflections on A Sense of Place: 

Stanford University and The Trinity Alps¹ struck Ms. 

Beasley as an interesting concept as she had been 

aware for some time of the strong light sources in 

her paintings in both of these places. She saw the 

landscapes, all with buildings of one kind of architecture 

or another, as also capable of psychological 

and occasional hints of philosophical similarities 

and dissimilarities. 

JoAnne Horsfall Beasley painted since childhood, 

receiving a BFA and MFA from Cornell University in 

the mid- 1960¹s. She painted the landscape of 

California for over 40 years. 

Karen Truesdell¹s ceramic sculptures take the idea 

of Between Light and Shadow into the psychological 

Inner Landscapes and The Games We Play¹. 

Using a variety of clays (white stoneware to deep 

red terra cotta) she has placed them on bases 

which both extend their form and message. 

Everyman figures play games with a scientific edge 

on arches reminiscent of the Stanford Quad: Bird 

women soar over rocks. Truesdell, a long time resident 

of Menlo Park, studied at Stanford, San Jose 

State and the Corcorran School of Art. She has 

taught and shown in the bay area for over 40 years. 

THANK YOU, 

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S 

Youth 

THE SPECTRUM 

Youth 

Youth 

16 

SCHOOL CLUBS 

UNITE WOODSIDE 

STUDENTS 

By Nick Markwith, Student Writer 

Every student strives to have extracurricular 

activities on their transcript because colleges, 

as the saying goes, just gobble them up. Many 

of these endeavors are quite common at other high 

schools and after school. But Woodside High 

School’s uniqueness derives from more than afterschool 

sports and activities. It originates from students 

gathering together for a common cause during 

a time when they could be enjoying time with 

friends. The variety of different clubs at lunch 

throughout the week adds something different to 

Woodside that no other school can duplicate. 

Most schools have clubs during lunch. Nothing is 

unique about that. Every school has its class meetings 

and different organizations dealing with a range 

of exotic issues. But no other school has the vitality 

of Woodside’s Octagon Club; the ferocious environmental 

awareness of the Get It Right, Get It Tight 

Club; or the widespread fame and glory of the 

Cheese Club. 

Lunch in the quad is always packed with sophomores, 

juniors and seniors. But on Mondays, the 

usual tenants are nowhere to be found; the quad is a 

deserted wasteland. Everyone who still resides there 

knows why Mondays are slow at lunch: Octagon 

Club. Woodside’s Octagon Club deals with important 

environmental issues and cleanups to improve 

the environment. As part of Junior Optimist 

Octagon International, it is a club that many high 

schools around the country have. However, what 

other schools might not have is the overwhelming 

population: 75 members. Max Schneider, senior and 

president of the Octagon Club, explains the phenomenon 

of the popularity: “I have to admit. It 

looks great for colleges, but beyond that superficial 

reason, a lot of people do care this year.” An average 

member of the club can spend up to 12 hours weekly 

doing community service. “It makes you feel great 

about helping out a community that does so much 

for you,” comments Schneider. 

The Octagon Club deals mostly with community 

service outside of school. But does not Woodside’s 

campus deserve to be clean as well? That is where 

the Get It Right, Get It Tight Club comes into play. 

Beginning last April, students started to notice the 

massive amount of trash lying around after breaks. 

Ms. Staves, a member of Woodside’s staff, helped 

the process of creating the club. The unique name 

comes from a simple understanding of their goals. 

Get It Right means doing things correctly. Get It 

Tight refers to doing it like you are supposed to. 

Although the club has a meager membership of 10 

students, they are able to make a difference and it is 

noticeable. “We enjoy it because we care about the 

campus enough to keep it clean. We want a clean 

environment,” says Julitza Arzate, a senior and member 

of the club. 

Possibly the most radical idea for a club as of yet, the 

Cheese Club was spawned into creation three years 

ago. Former students Alex Stork and Nathan Hillier 

stumbled upon the idea. They decided to “take 

cheese, a universally loved food, and actually do 

something serious with it,” explains senior and 

President Jen Cowitz. She, along with Micheal 

Rhodes, leads the Cheese Club. The Cheese Club is 

not completely full of laughter and foolishness, 

despite the usual bantering about how fun it is. They 

learn about the origins of cheese and the cultural 

aspects of it. “Mix that kind of high-mindedness 

with gluttony for fatty cheese,” says Cowitz, and you 

get the Cheese Club. This unorthodox idea for a club 

has received a lot of attention for a high school club. 

Both the San Francisco Chronicle and the Food 

Network have publicized the club. Adding to the 

success, Cowitz and Rhodes are joined by an average 

of 25 students to feast upon different cheeses, as well 

as to discuss the importance of it. There are rumors 

of a possible sister club in another high school, but 

the rumors have not been verified. 

The environment at Woodside is always exciting and 

different during lunch. There are so many clubs to 

join, with a vast range of hobbies represented. If you 

love bowling, there is a club for you. Interested in 

running? We have a club with your name on it. 

Clubs provide a unique experience for everyone who 

joins them, and they look good on college applications. 

SEQUOIA 

EXTRACURRICULAR 

ACTIVITIES SHAPE 

THE PEOPLE OF 

THE FUTURE 

By Nicole Quasney, Student Writer 

Sequoia is one of the most unique and outstanding 

schools we have in this area. Not only 

was it the first high school to be built in the 

Bay Area, but it also is now a national landmark. By 

going to this gorgeous school, we students are given 

outstanding opportunities to take a part in some 

extracurriculars that will shape us into the people of 

the future. 

Sequoia High School has one of the best dance 

teams in the Bay Area. There are three different levels: 

beginning, intermediate and advanced. All levels 

can be taken in place of PE, for both girls and boys. 

It allows students who aren’t as athletic as others to 

take a place in something they enjoy doing rather 

than being forced to run two miles a day during PE. 

Our beginning dance class is mainly freshmen and 

sophomores. During this class, you learn many 

dances, grow to understand and perfect certain techniques, 

and perform as a whole during one of the last 

weeks of school. For the Intermediate Dance Team, 

Ms. White (our lovely dance teacher) chooses who 

she thinks is ready to become a little bit more competitive. 

As an intermediate dancer, you perform regularly 

at sporting events and rallies. If you are an 

advanced dancer, you are respected more than 

almost anybody at Sequoia. Our advanced dancers 

are award-winning dancers who give their utmost 

effort to perfect every aspect of the dancing life they 

live. To be an advanced dancer, you must attend 0 

period. Unfortunately, this class starts at 6:55 a.m., 

meaning if you are not dedicated to what you do, 

you will be lost throughout the whole year. Our team 

puts on an amazing dance show each spring, keeping 

the school willing and waiting throughout the whole 

year. This show is by far one of the best aspects of 

Sequoia. 

Another aspect that is especially unique to Sequoia 

is the Homecoming hall decorations. On the 

Wednesday before our Homecoming game and 

dance, each grade chooses a hall to decorate. The 

grades then compete against each other to see who 

can design the most creative hall. This year, the 

freshmen decided to decorate their hall as 

“Halloween,” sophomores as “Hollywood,” juniors 

as “Outer Space” and seniors as “Cereal: Part of a 

Complete Breakfast.” Judges come in at 7 a.m., 

before school starts, on Thursday morning and give 

points to each hall, finally claiming one class the 

winner. This year the competition was very close 

between the juniors and seniors. The juniors beat the 

seniors, ending their two-year winning streak, by 0.4 

points. That Thursday morning when all the halls 

are decorated is always fun, because the moment you 

step through the doors you feel as if you’ve entered 

a completely different place. 

Sequoia also focuses on promoting safety to their 

students. The month of September was “Safety Belt 

Month” and Sequoia competed with a few other 

schools in the area for a $500 award. To determine 

who would win, judges came out to each school and 

stood in the parking lots as students and teachers 

drove in to start their day. For each person wearing a 

seat belt, the school received a point. The leadership 

students at Sequoia have been working day after day 

to help promote this cause. They made handfuls of 

posters each day and put them up for all to see. In 

the end, Sequoia won by having an amazing 98% of 

our student body and faculty wearing their seat 

belts. We hope to be a model for all other schools to 

look at and follow, and hopefully the number of accidents 

will soon decrease. 

Through sports teams, elective classes, various clubs, 

lavish dances and IB diplomas, Sequoia High School 

offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities that 

any student can take part in. Joining these activities 

can take away the stress of school or, at times, add 

more, but that is just part of living a teenage life. 



Local Interest 

SEQUOIA HIGH 

TO UNVEIL 

NEW WOOD SHOP 

The Sequoia High School Education Foundation 

and the Sequoia High School Alumni Association 

are co-sponsoring an open house on Saturday, Nov. 

4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new, state-of-the-art 

wood shop. 

Alumni, former and present teachers, students, parents, 

family and friends are invited to come admire 

the new building and equipment and meet department 

head Ethan Sanford. A presentation will be 

given on new curriculum goals. Refreshments will be 

served. 

“We are especially hoping Sequoia alumni who 

studied wood shop at Sequoia will bring their projects 

to display,” said Dee Eva. In 1959-60, her husband, 

Rich, made a large wooden salad bowl and a 

handled wooden tray that he will display, and she is 

bringing a bellows that she made in 8th grade 

(1956-57 at Goodwin School). 

Funds are needed to enhance materials inventory 

and to provide project upgrades beyond district 

budget limitations. All donations received by Nov. 

30 will be dedicated to the Sequoia design and 

wood works program for its first year of operation. 

“As you may know, our high schools have not 

offered any industrial arts classes for many years. 

We are excited that students will now be able to 

learn these skills. Rich and I both graduated from 

Sequoia with marketable skills that got us jobs right 

out of high school at which we worked while attending 

CSM. The shorthand, typing and business 

English classes (organizational skills, etc.) I took at 

Sequoia were an excellent foundation for my 24 years 

in real estate,” Eva said. 

“Rich took Machine Shop at Sequoia, the mechanical 

technician program at CSM and became a tool 

and die maker, at which he worked for 10 years 

before becoming a firefighter. We both feel that not 

every student will attend college and should be 

taught the skills necessary to find employment after 

high school,” Eva added. 

This new program is a start! 


TOWN HALL MEETING 

ADDRESSES TECH, 

PRIVACY 

Privacy, technology and the upcoming November 

election were hot topics at a town hall meeting with 

state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto. 

Residents mostly from southern San Mateo County 

filled Redwood City City Hall to pick Simitian’s 

brain on a host of upcoming bills and propositions, 

including his headline-grabbing cell phone bill. 

However, Simitian tried to focus on bills he considers 

more important. 

“If I brought peace to the planet, my constituency 

would still ask me how the cell phone bill’s doing,” 

Simitian said at the meeting, after receiving his second 

question about the law. 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed the bill 

into law, requiring drivers to use a hands-free phone. 

The bill goes into effect July 1, 2008, and Simitian 

hopes it will decrease the number of accidents caused 

by distracted drivers on the phone. 

Simitian also stressed the need to keep tabs on everadvancing 

technology that can provide 

more national and state security while threatening 

personal privacy. The key is to make sure new technology 

is held to the highest privacy standards. 

Senate Bill 768, the Identity Information 

Protection Act of 2006, is authored by Simitian and 

is currently awaiting Schwarzenegger’s signature. 

The bill would require certain privacy and security 

S 

protections in state-issued ID with radio frequency 

identity (RFID) technology, or small computer chips 

that carry personal information. RFID chips are currently 

used in key cards, but there is an increasing 

push to place them in state and federal identification. 

RFID chips can be read by a computer from up to 

30 feet away, making it possible for hackers to steal 

whatever personal information is stored on the chip, 

Simitian said. 

SB 768 ensures that no RFID tags will be embedded 

into a state-issued ID without privacy and security 

protections. If passed, the bill would make 

California the first state in the nation to implement 

such a law, Simitian said. 

San Francisco International Airport became the first 

airport in the nation to install e-passport scanners. 

The e-passport contains an RFID chip with the 

holder’s biographical information and a digital 

photo. The new passports are intended to ensure no 

one can tamper with a passport or use a lost or 

stolen passport fraudulently. It has security devices 

installed to protect against identity theft. 

Simitian is also receiving a lot of attention for 

Senate Bill 202, a bill that would make phone 

records confidential and outlaw both the sale and 

purchase of the record. The little-known bill was 

thrust into the spotlight this month during the 

Hewlett Packard pretexting scandal. 

Simitian also told constituents he doesn’t know how 

he’ll vote on November’s Proposition 87, known as 

the Clean Energy Act. The initiative could raise $4 

billion over 10 years through a new tax on oil production 

in the state. 

EMERALD HILLS 

PETITION GROWS 

Emerald Hills property owners fighting regulations 

on house size and appearance don’t believe the issue 

is dead, despite the homeowners association withdrawing 

a zoning petition from the county. 

Michael Mangini, spokesman for the Emerald Hills 

Community Coalition, gave the San Mateo County 

Board of Supervisors about 40 more names to add 

(continued on page 24 

17 



Redwood City businesses are 

here to serve you! 

18 

The Spectrum Magazine knows you are always looking for different 

places to dine, bank, invest, shop, work out or treat yourself. We 

have been out in our community, using businesses that not only 

provide excellent service but also contribute to our community. 

Check out our Best of the Best selections. We urge you to shop local 

and shop often! 

AUTO CARE 

Image Auto Repair – 623 Main St. – At Image Auto you will 

find a neatly landscaped, clean and attractive facility. They 

offer scheduled maintenance inspections, service and 

repairs for Dodge, Ford and GM diesels. But that’s not all; 

they also offer quality repairs on all makes and models of 

domestic and Japanese cars, SUVs and light trucks. They 

are dedicated to providing their customers with quality products 

at competitive prices. Discounts are offered to senior citizens 

and fleets. They treat all customers like they are number 

one! Call today to schedule your appointment. 

Redwood General Tire – 1630 Broadway – Whether you 

are looking for a new set of tires or need repair work on your 

vehicle, this Redwood City institution has been providing 

quality vehicle services since 1957. Redwood General Tire 

was founded on the premise that good customer service and 

quality products at fair prices will succeed in the marketplace. 

They continue to follow this philosophy today and expect it to 

guide them into a successful future. Many of their satisfied 

customers have been with them since their founding and 

continue to do business with them today. They proudly serve 

the third generation of many of their first Redwood City customers. 

EATING AND CATERING 

Canyon Inn – 587 Canyon Road – You will find everything at 

this Redwood City favorite. The Canyon Inn is nestled in the 

small, quiet neighborhood of Emerald Hills. It’s a popular 

stop for bicycle touring clubs and local sports celebrities such 

as members of the San Francisco 49ers. But the reputation 

draws celebrities and personalities from all over the world. 

The restaurant is noted for its burgers and beers, most 

notably the Hacksaw Burger, a big double cheeseburger 

named after Jack “Hacksaw” Reynolds. The Canyon Inn also 

offers hot and cold sandwiches, hot dogs, fish and chips, 

spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna, tacos and quesadillas. If you use 

their coupon in this month’s Spectrum, you can get 10 percent 

off all meals. Now that’s an offer you cannot pass up! 

Diving Pelican Café – 650 Bair Island Road, Suite 102 – 

This restaurant may be the best-kept secret in Redwood City. 

They offer a variety of specialty items, including eggs 

Benedict with fresh crab and homemade hollandaise sauce. 

They also have beer and wine, and espresso drinks available 

to go. For your convenience, they have outdoor seating that 

overlooks the water. Conveniently located half a mile from 

the freeway, it’s easy to stop by and visit. Try the famous 

pear, walnut, gorgonzola and grilled chicken salad. It is so 

delicious that people come from all over to enjoy it! They also 

have a seasonal specialty, which is mango pasticcio and feta 

cheese salad with grilled chicken. People tell us that they 

want to keep the cafe a secret, because it is such a nice location 

with outstanding food. We won’t tell anyone? 

Encore Performance Catering – 2992 Spring St. – Owner 

Dave Hyman’s menu goes on for eight pages of mouthwatering 

suggestions for everything from continental breakfasts 

to formal dinners. Despite an entire page devoted just to 

warm appetizers, these are mere suggestions, and Hyman is 

quick to offer additional possibilities to fit any occasion. He 

also has a strong sense of community and participates in 

many community-oriented events. Additionally, Hyman is 

proud of the fact that his business products are nearly 100 

percent recyclable, and they contribute their leftovers to St. 

Anthony’s Padua Dining Room in Redwood City. Need a 

caterer for that party or event? Call Dave at (650) 365-3731. 

Little India – 917 Main St. – This stylish Indian restaurant 

features a reasonably priced all-you-can-eat buffet for both 

lunch and dinner. The home-style food is mainly from the 

northwest region of India, and items from other regions of 

India are also featured. The food is low in fat and sodium. 

You can dine in or take out. Senior citizens receive $1 off and 

children (under 12) dine at half price. Bring your appetite, 

because you will want to try everything! 

Pronto Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Rotisseria – 2560 El 

Camino Real – Faithfully serving the Redwood City area 

since 1992, Pronto is an established neighborhood pizzeria 

and restaurant that specializes in quality brick-oven pizzas, 

calzones, panini (sandwiches), piadinas (open-faced pizza 

sandwiches), pastas and more. You can also choose from a 

wide selection of pizzas. Pronto Pizzeria’s wood-fired oven 

gives their dishes a unique taste and flavor. Stop by soon 

and treat yourself! 

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS 

Capital Mortgage Lending – 805 Veterans Blvd., #202 – 

Lourdes Carini and her team of dedicated loan agents focus 

on residential lending, including purchases and refinances. 

As a mortgage company, they deal with a large assortment 

of lenders, allowing them to research the best financing to 

meet each client’s individual needs. Carini has over 25 years 

experience in the Bay Area financial services industry. The 

company’s success is based on referrals, its track record and 

being accessible to clients. So if you have a mortgage loan 

need or question, please pick up the phone and call (650) 

362-2700. 

Edward Jones – 702 Marshall St., #515 – For decades, 

Edward Jones believed in building relationships through 

face-to-face interaction and adherence to a strategy of recommending 

quality investments that have proven themselves 

over time. So does Investment Representative David 

Amann, who manages their Redwood City office. He understands 

that this approach might be considered unfashionable. 

But if it means helping his clients achieve their goals, 

whether for retirement, education or just financial security, it’s 

an approach he plans to stick to. 

PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT 

Redwood Massage & Sauna – 797 Arguello St. – First 

opened in 1964 by two Finnish women, this professional 

facility is now under the management of Beverly and Harold 

May. Ms. May is a full-time massage therapist with almost 30 

years of experience. They pride themselves on having 

exceptionally talented massage therapists to care for you, 

trained in a variety of specialized techniques to improve your 

circulation, mental clarity and creativity as well as optimize 

your overall physical health. Your experience at Redwood 

Massage & Sauna will enhance your health and well-being 

naturally in the true Finnish tradition of therapeutic massage 

and sauna amid clean, comfortable and serene surroundings. 

Re:Juvenate Skin Care – 805 Veterans Blvd., Suite 140 – 

Treat yourself, you deserve it! Re:Juvenate is owned and 

operated by Sherna Madan, M.D., and Linda S. Moore, R.N. 

Together they have more than 50 years in the healthcare 

industry and over 10 years in the field of aesthetics. Both 

have lived and worked in the community for the majority of 

those years. When a consumer is looking for a facility that 

offers a list of services that are so personal, name recognition 

and reputation are of the utmost importance. 

Relationships are formed quickly, and trust is a huge part of 

the equation. Whether you are seeing a Re:Juvenate clini- 

cian for acne, sun damage, skin tightening, wrinkle reduction 

or laser hair removal, the process starts with a complimentary 

consultation with a member of the aesthetic staff. Call 

(650) 261-0500 and mention The Spectrum Magazine. 

Warren Street Chiropractic – 520 Warren St. – Warren 

Street Chiropractic Wellness and Injury Center was formerly 

Lease Chiropractic Offices, owned and operated by Timothy 

H. Lease, D.C. Dr. Lease is beginning his 22nd year of practice 

and has a very broad patient base, from infants to folks 

in their 90s. Cases include work injury (workers’ compensation), 

personal injury (car accidents, slips and falls, bicycle 

and pedestrian accidents), carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar 

fasciitis, headaches, neck pain, back pain and leg and arm 

pain. He has a working network of other doctors and therapists, 

so he is able to refer for second opinions or other therapy 

if appropriate. The office has six spacious exam rooms, 

including a massage room. 

RETAIL 

Lulu’s – 846 Main St. – Lulu’s is the latest and most unique 

gift store to open in downtown Redwood City. Owner Nancy 

Radcliffe has taken 24 years of design experience to create 

a collection of cards and gifts intermingled with eclectic 

antique pieces, all affordably priced! In addition, Lulu’s carries 

everything from baby gifts that put a smile on your face 

to whimsical candles. Pamper your dog or cat or find that 

perfect hostess gift. 

Mayers Jewelers – 2303 Broadway – Redwood City’s oldest 

family-owned jewelers still sparkle like they did the first day 

they opened in 1969. They have a large selection of necklaces, 

rings and watches. If you cannot find exactly what you 

want, they have personal designs that have kept Redwood 

City residents frequenting this fine business for years. 

Shadzz – 960 Main St. – Visit this unique card and gift boutique 

on Main Street. Their fashions range from vintageinspired 

to fun and funky. They feature Pandora silver beaded 

bracelets you design yourself, Kokojoi Swarovski crystal 

ear threads and ShaDazZle, their exclusive line of fun jewelry. 

If it sparkles, you will find it at Shadzz. Best sellers include 

hand-painted martini and wine glasses, trendy reading glasses, 

faux diamond key rings and enamel and crystal pill 

boxes. Come in and sample the latest from Burt’s Bees and 

pamper yourself with Camille Beckman hand therapy. And 

they just introduced a new section: Shadzz Girlz. Make custom 

necklaces, bracelets and key chains or bling your cell 

phone. For the men, there are 49ers, San Francisco Giants 

and Reyn Spooner shirts. There is something for everyone at 

Shadzz, Redwood City’s best-kept secret. 

HOME IMPROVEMENTS 

Lewis Carpet Cleaners – 1.800.23.LEWIS – Rick Lewis, 

founder, started his business in 1985 out of his home, using 

a small, portable machine. Today, Lewis successfully operates 

and manages an office/warehouse of six employees 

and has five working vans, with future plans for expansion 

and growth. Lewis moved his business from San Mateo to 

Redwood City in 1995. The Lewis family works and lives in 

Redwood City and has truly made this town their home. They 

are committed to the vision and success of our community 

and with relentless effort will continue to support the community, 

devoting time, effort, energy and services today and in 

the future. Lewis has built his company on a foundation of 

integrity, loyalty and communication. Call and ask about their 

Spectrum special. You can get 100 square feet of carpet 

cleaned for absolutely nothing. Call today! 




S 

FACE PAINTING 

OPTIMIST CLUB 

POW CAR 

THE GIRLS 

19 

Committed to the community ... Committed to you. 

Please call and ask me about our Kids First Program and how 

you can earn money for your school! 

Do you have an adjustable rate on your: 

* Home Equity Line? * First Mortgage? 

Let us provide a FREE, NO OBLIGATION analysis 

of fixed rate options! 

LOURDES CARINI 

650.823.1463 (cell) 

805 Veterans Boulevard 

Suite 202 

Redwood City 

650.362.2700 

Call us for details! 



S 

“IT’S NOT ABOUT ME, I 

JAN CHRISTENSEN BRINGS 

20 

Judy Buchan, Contributing Writer 

It is a light, airy office, filled with plants, mementos 

from stops on her life’s journey and the passion 

of its occupant, Jan Christensen. 

“I look forward to Mondays!” she laughed. “I enjoy 

my job and want to get to work. Of course, I like 

Fridays, too!” 

minored in English. She also earned a master’s 

degree from Eastern Michigan University in educational 

leadership. She has completed post-master’s 

coursework in leadership, curriculum and instruction 

at Gonzaga University in their doctoral program. 

Redwood City is the latest stop in her educational 

career that began in 1978 in Plymouth, Mich., as a 

middle school teacher, teaching grades 6-8. She 

moved to Alaska in 1981 (“I wanted an adventure”) 

and taught at Sitka High School for one year and 

Clark Middle School for five years. Following a oneyear 

internship, she served as an Anchorage assistant 

principal for two years, first at Hanshew Middle 

School and then at Mears Middle School. She served 

as an assistant principal at East High School for 

three years before being appointed as principal at 

Chugiak High School. 

In July 2001, she became the Anchorage School 

District’s assistant superintendent for curriculum 

and instruction. Christensen has also been an 

adjunct professor at University of Alaska Anchorage, 

where she taught courses in curriculum and leadership, 

organizational development and leadership, 

and politics and education. 

Was the diversity in Anchorage similar to that of 

Redwood City? Students in Anchorage spoke 97 different 

languages, Christensen explained. “I loved it! 

It was multiethnic and cosmopolitan. We strived 

hard to meet the students’ needs.” She was proud of 

the “great progress” put forth by her district in working 

to meet the standards of No Child Left Behind 

and close the achievement gap. 

“Education is about all children,” she explained. “All 

children can learn. We have to do whatever it takes 

to make them successful.” 

Why Redwood City? “I was interested in a superintendent’s 

position, but my superintendent in 

Anchorage told me she wanted to stay on for another 

seven years. So I started looking and saw the posting 

for Redwood City,” she replied. Christensen said 

she did a good deal of research on Redwood City 

before putting her name in the hat for the job. 

“I like to be challenged,” she smiled. Among the initial 

challenges when she arrived at the district was 

the need to replace the retiring chief business officer. 

With that done, Christensen is confident that the 

district can manage its finances well. 

Among the mementos in her office are two posters of 

theater productions (“South Pacific” and 

“Brigadoon”) at her schools in Alaska. “I’m a real 

advocate of the arts,” she said. “Music, drama and 

the arts are critical for students.” Christensen recognized 

that funding for the arts in California schools 

was impacted by the passage of Proposition 13 in 

1979. Recovering that funding, she believes, is 

another critical challenge. 

She also received support from City Hall in solving 

another problem — pickup and drop-off of students 

at Hoover School with corresponding traffic 

Christensen, superintendent of the Redwood City 

School District since 2005, wants to “empower the 

organization to do its best for the kids.” 

“I’m passionate about working together as a team,” 

said Christensen. “I don’t like a lot of attention. Topdown 

management doesn’t work.” 

Communication is key for this energetic transplant 

from Anchorage, Alaska. “I’m always doing e-mail,” 

she laughed while working at her office computer. “I 

try to get back to people within 24 hours. I want to 

focus on customer service, with very good, transparent 

communications. I want us to be open and 

responsive.” 

A Michigan native (“How about those Tigers? The 

first time in the World Series since 1984!”) who once 

worked as a community service officer, Christensen 

graduated from Eastern Michigan University, where 

she earned a bachelor’s degree in history and 



IT’S ABOUT THE TEAM”: 

S HER PASSION TO RCSD 

S 

headaches. “Ed Everett was very helpful. The city 

worked with us, we had police assistance and I was a 

crossing guard there for one hour on the first day of 

school. It was a lot of fun!” 

Christensen is also working to help beautify school 

areas, in one case getting bougainvillea planted by 

the entrance to Hoover School. “Schools shouldn’t 

look like institutions,” she said. 

Other issues included reports that teachers were purchasing 

basic custodial supplies for their schools. “I 

know it happened,” she acknowledged. “We found a 

new company to take care of those needs.” 

And the crucial challenge — test scores. 

The good news: “The state API scores have been 

steadily going up except in two places. Overall, the 

district API score for 2006 was 754, an increase of 

15 points from the previous year. That’s excellent,” 

she said. The district’s API goal is for all schools to 

score above 800 by 2009. 

But there are two standards — API and No Child 

Left Behind. The other side of the picture shows that 

the district has slipped into the “program improvement” 

stage in English and language arts components 

of No Child Left Behind. The number of students 

at all schools needs to be at 94.4 percent or 

higher in order for the school to meet the criteria in 

each category of No Child Left Behind. In the case 

of Redwood City, schools with larger populations of 

English language learners still need to meet the standards. 

For example, Taft School, which takes all 

English language learners, is at PI (Program 

Improvement) Level 5. 

“They asked me how they could help; I’m really 

grateful for them,” Christensen said. RCEF raises 

funds for music and arts programs, and has also 

agreed to help in communicating the district’s story 

to the community. 

“It’s great when all agencies collaborate for the common 

good,” Christensen noted. 

Christensen’s top priorities, listed with a determination 

that indicates they will be accomplished, 

include: 

1. Close the achievement gap. 

2. Go out to the community, talk about academics 

and get input and feedback for the 2007-08 budget. 

Include a feature on the district’s Web site for suggestions. 

3. Start drafting the five- to ten-year strategic plan. 

Christensen and her husband are avid golfers. She 

does weight lifting at Gold’s Gym in San Mateo and 

is an avid reader of murder mysteries by women 

authors about women private investigators. Sue 

Grafton is one of the many authors whose books 

grace her shelves. Her husband, while retired, still 

does consulting work for the Anchorage school district. 

Finally, Christensen wants Redwood City to know 

the following: 

“The most important thing is that all children can 

learn. We as a district and community need to provide 

a quality education program for the kids.” 

This product of the Redwood City School District 

(back in 1960, mind you) has little doubt that 

Christensen and her team will bring new energy, 

enthusiasm and much-needed hope to the Redwood 

City School District. Kids can learn. We can help. 

Get involved. 

Welcome, Jan! 

21 

The situation and the program improvement mandate 

have galvanized Christensen, her team and the 

community. She has instituted new administrative 

structures where needed at schools. (Readers will 

recall the story of Lupe and Gil Gomez, the sisterand-brother 

teacher team at Taft School who collected 

books for their students, from the past year of 

The Spectrum. Lupe is now the assistant principal at 

Taft School.) 

Also, as part of the effort, Christensen explained that 

the board of trustees will soon start work on redefining 

its goals and values. A broad-based community 

team is being put in place to help. Christensen plans 

to hold community forums starting next month to 

engage the community in planning for the next district 

budget. 

The community is stepping in to help now in the 

form of the Redwood City Education Foundation. 



S 

THE SPECTRUM 

The Sequoia Hospital Foundation was honored to welcome more than 420 guests to 

the Gala "Building with our Hearts" Ball on October 14, 2006. This year's sold-out gala, 

an annual fundraiser for the Foundation, was held at the Sharon Heights Golf and 

Country Club in Menlo Park. Just three weeks earlier, Sharon Heights was also home 

to the Foundation's annual Invitational Golf Tournament, hosting 164 golfers under 

beautiful blue skies. 

This year's gala, sponsored by DPR Construction, Inc. and chaired by Marie Zahn, saw 

guests arrive for cocktails and a silent auction in the club's exceptional ballroom. ?Each 

guest had the opportunity to purchase a $100 martini or scotch. Only one-hundred of 

these drinks were served and each $100 drink earned the purchaser a three in onehundred 

chance at earning one of three exceptional pieces of jewelry (total value 

$10,000) donated by Geoffrey's Diamonds and Goldsmith of San Carlos. Guest Mary 

Gardiner was the big winner, coming away with a stunning diamond necklace. 

DAVID LARWOOD, MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR THE 

EVENING AND MEMBER OF THE SEQUOIA HOSPITAL 

FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

After the cocktail hour, guests were ushered to the starlit tent, sponsored by Pathways 

Home Health, Hospice and Private Duty, for dinner and a live auction. The evening's 

host and Foundation board member, David Larwood, together with auctioneer Frank 

Bizzarro and his crew (including Diane and Steve Howard), kept the evening lively and 

enjoyable. Big winners in the auction included Bonnie and Tony Addario, James and 

Dora Fergason and Lorry Lokey and Joanne Harrington. Following the auction,?Ted 

Hannig, representing the Danford Foundation, made a wonderful donation to the 

Foundation. Lorry Lokey, Joanne Harrington and Susan and Harmon Burns subsequently 

made exceptionally generous surprise donations, taking the event to a whole 

new level and stunning the entire tent. 

MARY GARDINER, ALPIO BARBARA, DEANNA DOOLEY 

(MEMBER, SEQUOIA HOSPITAL FOUNDATION BOARD) AND 

ROBERT DOOLEY 

After the dinner and auction, guests were invited back to the main ballroom for dancing, 

live music by legendary Bay Area band, The Fundamentals, and a dance demonstration 

by professional dancers from Redwood City's Arthur Murray Dance Studio. The 

evening continued well into the night as the dance floor remained full and guests continued 

to talk and take in the evening. 

Combined, the Invitational Golf Tournament and Gala Ball earned more than $600,000 

towards the purchase of a new BiPlane Imaging System for Sequoia's 

Electrophysiology (EP) Suite, part of the hospital's award-winning cardiac care program. 

The $600,000 earned from these two events is further eligible for a dollar-for-dollar 

matching grant from the Sequoia Healthcare District, bringing the total to well over 

$1,000,000. 

DANCING AT THE BALL 

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AND VERONICA LANDFRIED 

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Redwood City 

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THE OLD BUILDING PUTS ON A NEW FACE 

S 

Joan Levy 

After the tumultuous birth of San Mateo 

County in 1856, Redwood City was granted 

the distinction of becoming the seat of county 

government. In 1858, Simon M. Mezes offered to 

donate any block of his land in Redwood City that 

the Board of Supervisors might select for the site of 

a courthouse. 

Mezes was the attorney who handled the Arguello 

family’s defense of their Rancho de las Pulgas property 

after the United States took over California. He 

was so diligent he ended up owning much of the 

Arguello land himself. 

Supervisor D.W. Connelly chose the block that is 

now bounded by Hamilton Street, Marshall Street, 

Middlefield Road and Broadway. The first meetings 

of the supervisors had been held in rented quarters 

in the downtown area. After Mezes’ generous offer, 

the next four county courthouses were built on his 

piece of land. 

The first courthouse was completed in late 1858. 

The jail was in the basement along with some classrooms 

used by the overcrowded grammar school. 

The grounds were fenced and there were ample 

hitching posts in front for the convenience of visitors. 

A serious earthquake in 1868 damaged the 

courthouse so badly that the second floor had to be 

removed. This meant that the building was no longer 

large enough to satisfy the needs of the county. 

A new building was built directly in front of the old 

one, facing south. The area was set off by a low picket 

fence. The new building was completed in 1882. 

By now Broadway was becoming an important street 

with several municipal buildings. A three-story grammar 

school and the library were on Broadway and 

Sequoia High School was being planned for here, 

also. 

PROGRESS IN THE RESTORATION WAS EVIDENT EARLIER THIS YEAR. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SAN MATEO COUNTY HISTORY MUSEUM. 

Once again, the courthouse became inadequate for 

the county’s needs, so a third building was planned. 

This design called for a three-story building with a 

basement. The basement would be used for the stor- 

age of important documents and the jail would be in 

the attic. The cornerstone was laid in 1904. Cost 

overruns and delays plagued the construction. 

County offices were scattered temporarily around 

town. The old courthouse building was in the way of 

the new construction, so was to be demolished in 

early April 1906. Then April 18, 1906, changed 

things. The great earthquake damaged the old building, 

but it still stood. The new building, however, 

was almost completely demolished. 

Courthouse number four was completed in 1908. 

The dome and much of the design of the previous 

structure were preserved. An impressive entrance 

with a carefully landscaped plaza greeted visitors. 

Then, in 1939, a need for more space brought about 

a three-story addition that required the removal of 

the impressive main entrance with its Corinthian pillars. 

A subsequent annex was attached at the back. 

For generations, the building exterior could not be 

appreciated except in old photos. 

The earthquake of 1989 necessitated the rethinking 

of the buildings on Mezes’ square block. The county 

moved its offices to newer and larger structures. The 

San Mateo County History Museum moved into the 

1908 courthouse. The 1939 section has been razed. 

The reconstructed façade of the building and the 

new courthouse plaza are due to be completed this 

month. Oh, and that great used bookstore, bigger 

and better than ever, is still operating on the ground 

floor to help fund the museum. 

23 



S 

THE SPECTRUM 

24 

Local Interest 


to a previous petition of more than 900 signatures. 

The names came unsolicited after the Emerald Hills 

Homeowners Association asked San Mateo County 

Community Development Director Lisa Grote to 

withdraw proposed development standards, including 

restrictions on house size, shape and appearance. 

Despite the reversal, Mangini said the coalition 

is not content to sit on its laurels and wants the 

county to spearhead a new survey on what property 

owners want. 

“Too many people expect things to be done. It 

would be disingenuous to let it go,” Mangini said. 

EHHA President Sallie Martin did not return a call 

for comment but Mangini said he would be surprised 

if the association did not raise the proposal 

again. 

The coalition wants the county to rethink the entire 

building permit process, even without the proposal 

that spurred the controversy. The group argues the 

design review committee has held up projects for 

years, costing many thousands of dollars, and is acting 

as a self-appointed style police. 

“You couldn’t build a postage stamp under the rules 

they were proposing,” Mangini said. 

The county should appoint an independent pollster 

to query property owners on the top three or five 

desires, Mangini said. 

Emerald Hills includes more than 1,700 property 

owners in unincorporated Redwood City. The 

EHHA spent two years promoting new design and 

building guidelines, but scores of opponents believe 

the association does not represent their wishes. 

Construction representatives even said many won’t 

typically build in Emerald Hills because the design 

review process is restrictive and costly for clients. 

At a previous Board of Supervisors meeting, Martin 

argued the petition signatures included names of 

non–property owners. 

At the time, Grote said open forums on the zoning 

stands were planned. Soon after, the EHHA sent 

Grote a letter requesting to pull the proposal. 

Grote did not return a call for comment. 

In the meantime, both sides continued to butt 

heads, with claims of vandalism and anonymous 

threats. 

NEW BOOK PLANNED — 

REDWOOD CITY: A 

HOMETOWN HISTORY 

A fundraising effort to help publish and promote a 

new book entitled Redwood City: A Hometown History 

is being kicked off by the Archives Committee of the 

Redwood City Public Library, its chairman, Edwin 

Krantz, announced. 

The campaign is being spearheaded by the committee 

and its honorary project chairman, former 

Redwood City Mayor Bob Bury. 

The book, which is scheduled to be released in the 

summer of 2007, features 15 different local authors. 

The fundraising effort is being supported by Mayor 

Barbara Pierce, Council Member and former Mayor 

Jim Hartnett, former Redwood City–San Mateo 

County Chamber of Commerce President and 

Sequoia High School graduate Keith Bautista, and 

current Chamber President Barry Jolette. 

“Redwood City turns 140 in 2007, and I am excited 

that a book about our vibrant history is planned 

for next summer to help us commemorate the 

event,” Pierce said in a brochure being distributed 

by the committee. “To make the book a reality, the 

Archives Committee of the Redwood City Library is 

undertaking a fundraising campaign. I invite 

Redwood City businesses and all those who love 

Redwood City to join me in supporting this effort.” 

Bury, who served as mayor during the development 

of Redwood Shores, said, “As one who has owned a 

business, lived here for 50 years and had the pleasure 

to serve as mayor, my wife, June, and I hope 

everyone will support this fine project.” 

The book will feature chapters on saloons and breweries, 

Rancho de las Pulgas, the Embarcadero, tanneries, 

Union Cemetery, Sequoia High School, 

Main and Broadway streets, the Port of Redwood 

City, the railroad, the airport, the county seat, 

Japanese-Americans, the Latino community, the 

Climate Best sign, Lathrop House, companies from 

Ampex to Oracle, Redwood Shores, industries profiting 

on San Francisco Bay, and police and fire. 

“As one who was raised in Redwood City, graduated 

from local schools and traveled the world but never 

really left, I know how special Redwood City is,” 

Hartnett said in the committee’s outreach literature. 

“I am tremendously excited about the upcoming 

book on Redwood City’s history and encourage the 

business community to support the fundraising efforts.” 

Krantz said the fundraising campaign features the 

following levels: 

Gold Level Contributor: $3,000 (receiving six invitations 

to the book unveiling party, three books, top-level recognition 

in the book as a Gold Level Contributor, listing in 

publicity to media and various Web sites) 

Silver Level Contributor: $2,000 (receiving four invitations 

to the book unveiling party, two books, second-level 

recognition in the book as a Silver Level Contributor, listing 

in publicity to media and various Web sites) 

Bronze Level Contributor: $1,000 (receiving two invitations 

to the book unveiling party, one book, third-level 

recognition in the book as a Bronze Level Contributor, listing 

in publicity to media and various Web sites) 

Community Supporter: $100 (receiving fourth-level recognition 

in the book as a Community Supporter, listing in 

publicity to media and various Web sites) 

Checks can be made payable to the Archives 

Committee of the Redwood City Public Library, 

Local History Room, 1044 Middlefield Road, 

Redwood City, CA 94063. 

“I am very excited about the new book being written 

about the history of Redwood City,” Bautista 

said in the committee’s literature. “As a lifelong resident 

and graduate of Sequoia High, I can hardly 

wait to read what promises to be a unique book 

because it draws from many contributing authors. I 

hope you will join me in giving to the fundraising 

efforts by the Archives Committee of the Redwood 

City Library.” 

Jolette, the current Chamber president and executive 

with San Mateo Credit Union, said, “The story 

of Redwood City’s intriguing first 140 years is being 

captured in a book being prepared by the Archives 

Committee of the Redwood City Library. To bring 

this book to fruition, the committee is asking the 

business community and friends of Redwood City 

to support its fundraising efforts, which I wholeheartedly 

support and urge you to do so as well.” 

Some excerpts from the book: 

Sequoia High School, founded in 1895, is the oldest 

public high school between San Francisco and 

San Jose. It was started as a feeder school for 

Stanford University. Among its famous graduates is 

Ray Dolby, the American inventor of the noise 

reduction system known as Dolby NR. 

Simon Montserrat Mezes helped to establish 

Redwood City and was one of San Mateo County’s 

most prominent citizens; in fact, he tried to name 

Redwood City after himself — Mezesville — but it 

never stuck. Redwood City had five names before 

settling on its current name. Can you name the others? 

One of the extraordinary aspects about early-20thcentury 

Redwood City that spanned three generations 

was the remarkable contribution to the agricultural 

industry by Japanese immigrants, so much 

so that not even World War II could erode the working 

respect between nationalities in Redwood City. 

In fact, a Caucasian banker managed the businesses 

and homesteads of many Japanese-Americans forced 

into internment camps following the outbreak of 

World War II. 

In 1851, a deep-water channel that ran inland to 

what is now Redwood City was discovered off of 

San Francisco Bay. Named Redwood Creek, this 

channel was used by the lumber companies to ship 

wood and logs from the redwood forests in the 

Peninsula hills to San Francisco. Lumber products of 

all types were brought to the waterfront for export, 

and Redwood City became famous for its workable 

port where materials could be shipped without the 

delay or expense of overland travel. 

The land and people of Redwood City have been 

involved in the progress of San Mateo County since 

its inception in 1856. In that year, Assemblyman 

Horace Hawes, owner of the property where 

Sequoia High School is now located, introduced a 

bill before the state Legislature to consolidate the 

boundaries of the City and County of San 

Francisco. Called the Consolidation Act, the legislation 

set apart all of the rural areas of San Francisco 

County into a new unit to be known as San Mateo County. 

The men of 19th-century Redwood City were 

engaged in some of the most physically challenging 

occupations of the era. They felled trees and milled 

lumber that was hauled to San Francisco for housing, 

tanned hides from the cattle that provided 

meat, and handled cargo on the boats in the 

Embarcadero of Redwood City at the mouth of 

Redwood Creek. Unlike the neighboring towns’ 

economies that focused on agriculture, 19th-century 

Redwood City was an industrial city composed of 

hardworking men whose living conditions ranged 

from primitive camps in the woods to the rooming 

houses and small “hotels” close to the port. This 

mostly male atmosphere offered little privacy and 

anything resembling a “domestic life” was 

unknown. These men conducted their social lives in 

the one place available, the saloons, which were a 

prominent part of downtown Redwood City, close 

to both the hotels where they lived and the 

Embarcadero where many worked or brought lumber 

and tanned leather for transport to San 

Francisco. So primitive were their living conditions 

that the saloons offered several of the necessities of 

town life. 



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S 

THE SPECTRUM 

News Briefs 

26 

REDWOOD CITY NANNY GETS 

FOUR YEARS FOR SHAKING BABY 

Redwood City nanny Minerva Rojas was 

sentenced to four years in prison for shaking 

and injuring a newborn boy in her care, 

according to the San Mateo County district 

attorney’s office. Rojas was found guilty 

July 13 of willfully causing a child to suffer 

physical pain under circumstances likely to 

produce great bodily injury. Prosecutor 

James Wade said the sentence was expected, 

considering the severity of the injuries, 

which included multiple skull fractures and 

massive brain hemorrhages. “Doctors have 

said all along that it’s an ongoing process,” 

Wade said of the boy’s condition. “The full 

severity of the injuries won’t be known for 

years.” 

The jury did not find Rojas guilty of intentional 

infliction of injury resulting in traumatic 

injury or a special allegation of intentional 

infliction of great bodily injury on a 

child under 5. At the time, Rojas’ defense 

attorney, Randy Moore, called the verdict a 

great thing for his client because it demonstrated 

Rojas was “certainly not the monster 

that she’s been portrayed to be for month 

after month.” Moore was not immediately 

available today for comment, but he has said 

that Rojas has always accepted responsibility 

for her actions. 

Wade said that although he was glad that the 

jury was able to come up with a verdict for 

the family’s sake, the content of the verdict 

was not exactly what he had been hoping 

for. Child abuse cases like this one can be 

difficult, Wade added, because often the victims 

cannot speak for themselves. 

Rojas, 28, pleaded not guilty on March 22 to 

the charges against her. Redwood City 

police arrested Rojas after they responded to 

a 911 call on March 16 and found 2-monthold 

Thomas Cline unconscious and suffering 

from two skull fractures as well as retinal 

and subdural hemorrhaging. 

Thomas’ parents, Scott and Michelle Cline, 

met Rojas while she was working at a local 

daycare center that their 2-year-old daughter 

attended, according to Wade. Rojas eventually 

left that daycare center and began caring 

for Thomas and his sister at the family’s 

Redwood Shores home in January, Wade 

said. 

On March 16, Rojas claimed she left the 

baby in another room lying on a couch while 

she made lunch for his sister. She said by the 

time she returned, Thomas had already 

rolled off the couch, falling about 19 inches 

to the carpeted floor below, according to testimony 

by Redwood City police Detective 

Mike Reynolds. According to detectives, 

Rojas’ story changed several times during 

the investigation. Superior Court Judge 

Elizabeth Freeman handed down today’s 

sentence. A restitution hearing is expected to 

be the last step in the case. 

REDWOOD CITY TEMPORARY 

WORKERS UNIONIZE 

Redwood City temporary workers calling 

for improved benefits signed on to a local 

Service Employees International Union after 

meeting with a state mediator, SEIU Local 

715 spokeswoman Gayle Tiller reported. 

The group of approximately 170 clerical 

workers, pages, records clerks, custodial 

workers and youth and senior aides, among 

others, are calling for the right to collectively 

bargain for health benefits, sick pay and 

vacations for jobs they claim are overlooked 

in importance. According to Tiller, the temporary 

workers do not currently receive paid 

sick leave and feel pressured to work when 

ill, creating an unsafe situation for their 

coworkers and city residents. 

Some of the workers, such as city youth 

recreation program leader Naomi Howard, 

are not even properly “temporary” or “casual” 

workers, as they are often called. “I have 

been a city casual worker for seven years,” 

Howard said. “My biggest reward is helping 

students learn and grow into adolescence.” 

But, she added, “city employees also need 

benefits and job security. All we want is for 

the city to respect our needs as committed 

city workers.” 

MISSING WOMAN FOUND IN SAN 

FRANCISCO 

A 64-year-old woman who was reported 

missing from a Redwood City nursing facility 

was found in a homeless encampment in 

San Francisco, Redwood City police 

Detective Karen Neal said. Gloria Morrow, a 

diabetic who must regularly take medication, 

had been missing since Sept. 19. 

According to Neal, Morrow is “alright” after 

the ordeal. Morrow, who has slight dementia, 

was seen leaving Hopkins Manor Sept. 

19 at 7 a.m., Neal reported. Neal said it 

appears that Morrow just walked away from 

the facility. 

TRIAL DATE SET FOR WOMAN 

ACCUSED IN TRIPLE FATAL CRASH 

A trial date was set in San Mateo County 

Superior Court for Edith Delgado, an 18- 

year-old Redwood City woman accused of 

causing a highway car crash that killed three 

people, including two members of the 

Tongan royal family. Delgado pleaded not 

guilty at her superior court arraignment to 

three counts of vehicular manslaughter with 

gross negligence for her alleged role in a 

July 5 crash on U.S. Highway 101 in Menlo 

Park that killed Tonga’s Prince 

Tu’ipelehake, 54, Princess Kaimana 

Tu’ipelehake, 45, and their driver, Vinisia 

Hefa, 36. Delgado allegedly was speeding 

north of Willow Road around 9 p.m. when 

her Ford Mustang hit Hefa’s Ford Explorer 

carrying the royal couple, causing it to roll 

several times and land on its roof, according 

to the California Highway Patrol. 

At a preliminary hearing on Sept. 20, Judge 

Robert Foiles ruled that there was sufficient 

evidence for Delgado to stand trial, saying 

that there was “reasonable cause” to find 

that a crime had been committed. 

At the arraignment, prosecutor Aaron 

Fitzgerald sought a motion to allow the prosecution 

access to Delgado’s school records. 

That motion was considered on Oct. 12. 

Delgado’s pretrial conference was set for 

Oct. 30 at 1:30 p.m. and her jury trial is 

scheduled to begin on Nov. 27 at 8:45 a.m. 

If convicted of all the charges she is facing, 

Delgado could spend a maximum of eight 

years in prison, according to San Mateo 

County Chief Deputy District Attorney 

Steve Wagstaffe. Delgado remains in custody 

in lieu of $1 million bail. 

MAN KILLED BY CALTRAIN IN 

REDWOOD CITY IDENTIFIED 

A man killed after being hit by a Caltrain at 

the commuter train’s Redwood City station 

has been identified as Frederick Opp, 50, of 

Redwood City, according to the San Mateo 

County coroner’s office. According to 

Caltrain spokesman Jonah Weinberg, Opp 

got off of a northbound train stopped at 

Sequoia Station at James and Franklin 

Avenues in downtown Redwood City at 6 

p.m., then ducked under the lowered pedestrian 

crossing arm in an effort to cross the 

tracks. Instead, he was struck and killed by a 

southbound train. The death marks the 13th 

fatality on Caltrain tracks so far this year, 

including six suicides and one car accident. 

REDWOOD CITY FATAL CAR CRASH 

VICTIMS IDENTIFIED 

A 16-year-old girl was one of the four people 

killed in a horrific high-speed collision 

in Redwood City that may have involved 

alcohol, according to the San Mateo County 

coroner’s office and Redwood City police. 

Six people were crowded into the car at the 

time of the crash. The two survivors remain 

in serious condition at a local hospital, 

according to Redwood City police Sgt. 

Steve Switzer. Redwood City residents 

Esmeralda Lopez, 16, Everado Carillo, 23, 

and Reynel Salgado, 19, died at the scene, 

according to the San Mateo County coroner’s 

office. Hugo Guzman, 19, of East Palo 

Alto, also died at the scene, according to the 

coroner. 

According to Switzer, the six people were in 

a Honda Civic traveling along the 3100 

block of East Bayshore Road at a speed over 

80 miles per hour, according to witnesses, 

when the driver lost control, turned sideways 

and crossed into the opposite lane, 

striking a large truck parked on the side of 

the street. According to one of the surviving 

passengers, the driver had “some shots of 

alcohol” before getting into the car, Switzer 

said. According to Switzer, the car is registered 

out of East Palo Alto. The crash was 

first reported at 9:08 p.m., according to 

police. 

BAY AREA EMPLOYERS SUED FOR 

SEXUAL HARASSMENT 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission has filed three lawsuits seeking 

monetary damages on behalf of local 

employees who claim they suffered sexual 

harassment and national origin discrimination, 

the agency’s San Francisco District 

Office announced. 

The EEOC charges that a female cook at a 

Redwood City Sizzler restaurant was humiliated 

for being Mexican and was sexually 

harassed. Patricia Huizache, 29, alleges in a 

lawsuit against Worldwide Restaurant 

Concepts, Inc., the operator of Sizzler, that 

she faced derogatory comments, inappropriate 

touching and physical threats made by a 

coworker on a weekly basis during her six 

months working as a cook. Huizache’s 

coworker allegedly made frequent comments 

about her body and made statements 

degrading Mexicans in general. The harassment 

allegedly escalated to an incident in 

which her harasser reportedly threatened 

Huizache with a knife. Huizache claims that 

although she made complaints about her 

coworker’s conduct, her supervisor dismissed 

her reports and failed to stop the 

harassment. Huizache said that she ultimately 

had to quit her job because she feared for 

her safety. 

The EEOC asserts that Chuck Trimble, head 

of Morgan Hill–based Trimbco, Inc, doing 

business as Sharp Precision, allegedly 

harassed female and Hispanic employees. 

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Anna 

Valdez McAllister, a Mexican-American 

office manager, and other employees who 

claim they endured daily harassment by 

Trimble. The lawsuit claims that Trimble 

frequently commented on the female 

employees’ body parts and made derogatory 

comments to Hispanic employees. 

The third lawsuit claims that supervisors and 

a coworker at Hammon Plating Corporation 

of Palo Alto harassed employees of Mexican 

national origin. According to the EEOC, 

female employees were subject to frequent 

sexual harassment by supervisors and a 

coworker and the harassment reportedly 

included displays of pornography, comments 

about their bodies and unlawful physical 

touching. The EEOC filed the three lawsuits 

in U.S. District Court for the Northern 

District of California in San Jose. In addition 

to monetary damages, the lawsuits seek 

training on anti-discrimination laws, posting 

of notices at the work site and other injunctive 

relief. 




Nonprofits in Action 

S 

PENINSULA HUMANE 

SOCIETY & SPCA 

In addition to sheltering and finding new 

homes for stray and unwanted animals 

(100% placement for healthy dogs and 

cats since 2003!), PHS/SPCA has vital 

programs for people. New in 2006 and 

beginning with the North Fair Oaks community, 

the shelter began driving its 

mobile spay/neuter clinic into lowincome 

neighborhoods, offering owners 

free “fixes” for their pets. PHS/SPCA 

also provides a free animal behavior 

help line in English and Spanish. Call 

(650) 340-7022, ext. 783 or 786. And 

domestic abuse victims who wish to 

leave their abusive situation but are 

fearful of doing so because they have 

pets can receive temporary sheltering 

for their pets through PHS/SPCA. Call 

(650) 340-7022, ext. 330. 

REDWOOD CITY SUNRISE 

LIONS CLUB 

This group is small but has a growing 

membership. All members either live or 

work in our community and share a common 

goal of making our city a better 

place to live. This club is one of over 

44,000 Lions Clubs in 199 nations. 

Chartered in 1966, this club has been 

vigorously active helping eyesightimpaired 

youth in our schools and seniors 

who are hearing-impaired. 

as a member. While helping women’s 

and children’s causes, you will enjoy fellowship 

and lasting friendships. They 

meet the second Thursday of every 

month. For more information, please call 

their president, Maria, at (650) 366- 

0668, Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m. 

NURSING MOTHERS 

COUNSEL 

Nursing Mothers Counsel (NMC), a nonprofit 

organization since 1955, provides 

free breastfeeding education and assistance 

by highly trained counselors 

(moms who breastfed for at least six 

months). To speak with a counselor (no 

fee), call (650) 327-MILK (327-6455). 

NMC also offers free breastfeeding 

classes. Moms (including babies), dads, 

grandmas and friends are welcome. 

Free breastfeeding classes are held the 

first Saturday of each month at Mills 

Hospital in San Mateo from 10 a.m. to 

noon. There will be free classes on 

Saturdays Nov. 4 and Dec. 2. Call (650) 

327-MILK (327-6455) to RSVP. 

NMC also has breast pumps and breastfeeding 

supplies available for purchase 

and rent. Call (650) 364-9579. If you’d 

like to become a trained counselor, call 

(650) 365-2713. Visit their Web site at 

www.nursingmothers.org. 

welcome to attend. For more information 

call Nancy at (650) 592-5822, visit the 

Web site at sequoiahsalumniassoc.org 

or e-mail sequoiaalumni@earthlink.net. 

REDWOOD CITY ROTARY 

They are celebrating the 60th anniversary 

of the club’s founding in 1946. In 

addition, the club hosts interesting 

weekly speakers and fosters good fellowship 

among its members and within 

the community. 

Redwood City Rotary is an affiliate of 

Rotary International, the nation’s first 

service club and an organization dedicated 

to community service on a local 

and global scale. There are 32,000 

Rotary clubs throughout the world. 

Rotary is known locally for its scholarship 

program and support of the Police 

Athletic League, Boys and Girls Clubs, 

Casa de Redwood senior housing, 

Salvation Army, Kainos Home and 

Training Center, Sequoia YMCA Family 

Connections, St. Anthony’s Padua 

Dining Room, Sequoia Hospital 

Foundation, Pets in Need and the 

Redwood City Education Foundation. 

Redwood City Rotary meets at 12:30 

p.m. Tuesdays at the Sequoia Club, 

1695 Broadway. For more information or 

to join, call John Lowe at (650) 367- 

9387. 

FAMILY SERVICE AGENCY 

OF SAN MATEO COUNTY 

Looking for a dependable source of 

skilled, reliable workers? Family Service 

Agency of San Mateo County provides 

employers with mature, ready-to-work, 

experienced workers who are 55 years 

and older. Employers contact the service 

because they appreciate the superior 

work ethic and the commitment to 

quality that mature workers possess. 

There are no fees for hiring candidates. 

Contact Barbara Clipper at (650) 403- 

4300, ext. 4368, to place your job order. 

For those looking for work, Family 

Service Agency provides a range of 

services for those who are at least 55 

years of age, including referrals for 

classroom training, vocational counseling, 

job referrals and on-the-job training 

for qualified participants. Contact 

Connie Tilles at (650) 403-4300, ext. 

4371, if you are looking for work. 


27 

Join them for breakfast! The Lions meet 

every Wednesday at Bob’s Court House 

Coffee Shop, 2198 Broadway, beginning 

at 7:15 a.m. Call Bill Gibbons at (650) 

766-8105 for more details. 

REDWOOD CITY WOMEN’S 

CLUB 

Redwood City Women’s Club meets at 

the clubhouse, 149 Clinton St., the first 

Thursday of each month September 

through June. Social at 11:30 a.m. and 

lunch at noon, followed by meeting and 

program. For information call Loretta at 

(650) 368-8212 or visit RWCWC.com. 

SOROPTIMIST 

INTERNATIONAL OF 

SOUTH PENINSULA 

The Soroptimists invite you to become a 

member of Soroptmist International, the 

largest service organization for business 

and professional women in the world, 

where “improving the lives of women 

and children” has been their mission 

since 1921. Soroptimists work through 

service projects to advance human 

rights and the status of women locally 

and abroad. Soroptimist International of 

South Peninsula needs and wants you 

PENINSULA HILLS 

WOMEN’S CLUB 

Peninsula Hills Women’s Club meets the 

third Wednesday of each month at the 

Community Activities Building, 1400 

Roosevelt Ave. For more information, 

call (650) 366-6371. 

PENINSULA SUNRISE 

ROTARY CLUB 

The Peninsula Sunrise Rotary Club was 

chartered in April 1988. In the years 

since that time, the club has met weekly 

at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast and to hear a 

speaker at the Waterfront Restaurant at 

Pete’s Harbor in Redwood City. The 

club, with 22 members, has frequently 

been honored by Rotary District 5150, 

which includes San Mateo, San 

Francisco and part of Marin counties, as 

an outstanding small club. For more 

information or to join, call Fred Wolin at 

(650) 329-1013. 

SEQUOIA HIGH SCHOOL 

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

The group meets the fourth Tuesday of 

each month at the Sequoia District 

Board Room, 480 James Ave., at 7 p.m. 

All alumni and friends of Sequoia are 



S 


CITY TALK 

TOASTMASTERS 

Join the City Talk Toastmasters to develop 

communication and leadership skills. 

The club meets on Wednesdays 

12:30–1:30 p.m. in the Council 

Chambers at City Hall, 1017 Middlefield 

Road. Call Manny Rosas at (650) 780- 

7468 if you would like to check out a 

meeting or just stop in. Visit www.toastmasters.org 

for more information about 

the Toastmasters public speaking program. 

28 

OPTIMIST CLUB OF 

REDWOOD CITY 

The Optimists invite you to become a 

member of Optimist International, one of 

the largest service organizations in the 

world, where “Bringing Out the Best in 

Kids” has been their mission for over 80 

years. Whether you’re a club officer or a 

club member who enjoys the fellowship 

and friendship of others with a common 

greater good, Optimist International 

needs and wants you as a member. 

The Optimist Club of Redwood City 

meets every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at 

Bob’s Court House Coffee Shop at 

Middlefield and Broadway. For more 

information please call their president, 

Steve, at (650) 365-8089 or their secretary, 

Ted Cole, at (650) 366-1392. Or 

come join them for lunch to learn more 

about how you can make a difference. 

WOODSIDE TERRACE A.M. 

KIWANIS CLUB 

Since October 1956, the Woodside 

Terrace A.M. Kiwanis Club and its precedents 

have been devoted to community 

service in Redwood City. Through the 

decades, they have provided funds to 

help many worthy community programs 

and continue to add more community 

projects. The Key Club of Sequoia High 

School, sponsored by the Woodside 

Terrace A.M. Kiwanis Club, was chartered 

in 1994 and has been involved in 

raising money and donating time and 

effort to many of our programs. 

The Woodside Terrace A.M. Kiwanis 

Club meets every Wednesday morning 

7:15–8:30 a.m. at the Waterfront 

Restaurant, 1 Uccelli Blvd. (at Pete’s 

Harbor). They invite you to come to their 

meetings and check out the club’s Web 

site at www.agencyinfo.org/kiwanis. 

HEARING LOSS 

ASSOCIATION OF THE 

PENINSULA (FORMERLY 

SHHH) 

Hearing Loss Association is a volunteer, 

international organization of hard-ofhearing 

people, relatives and friends. 

Hearing Loss Association is a nonprofit, 

nonsectarian, educational organization 

devoted to the welfare and interests of 

those who cannot hear well but are com- 

mitted to participating in the hearing 

world. 

A day meeting is held on the first 

Monday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at the 

Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 

Madison Ave. We provide educational 

speakers and refreshments. A demonstration 

of assistive devices is held on 

the first Wednesday of the month at 

10:30 a.m. in the second floor conference 

room at the Redwood City Public 

Library, 1044 Middlefield Road. Please 

call Marj at (650) 593-6760 with any 

questions. 

Editor’s note: If you are connected with 

a nonprofit organization and want your 

information printed in The Spectrum, 

send it to: writers@spectrummagazine.net 

or The Spectrum 

Magazine, P.O. Box 862, Redwood City, 

CA 94064. Let our community know your 

contributions and maybe they will want 

to join you. 

NONPROFITS IN THE 

NEWS 

Peninsula Hills Women’s Club is starting 

fall off with a bang. They had a food 

booth at the Horses to Horsepower Car 

Show at Sequoia High School and 

raised $383. This will be added to their 

Philanthropic Fund. Special thanks to 

Key Market for donating the ice for their 

food booth. 

Club members are very busy working on 

the 23rd Annual Thanksgiving Day 

Dinner for the senior citizens of our community. 

This event is held at the 

Veterans Memorial Senior Center. The 

club prepares a full turkey dinner while 

giving seniors a place to gather so they 

can celebrate this wonderful, patriotic 

day. 

Just recently, this group held a reportwriting 

workshop at the Community 

Activities Building in Redwood City. 

They were able to get the California 

Federation of Women’s Clubs First Vice 

President Vicki Holden to hold this workshop 

for the district members. Report 

writing is very important to the organization. 

They use information gathered 

from clubs all over the world to put 

together a statistical report. This gives 

the organization a clear view of what 

they have accomplished as a united 

group. 

The group’s Unsung Hero this year is 

Ella Morris. Ella has been a member of 

the club for over 20 years. She has 

given much of her time and talents to 

this community, always willing to lend a 

hand whenever called upon. She has 

also taught in the Redwood City School 

District for many years, currently teaching 

at Hawes School. The Inter Service 

Club Coordinating Council honored Ella 

at a luncheon on Oct. 21 at the Veterans 

Memorial Senior Center. 

THE SPECTRUM 

SENIOR ACTIVITIES 

The Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 

1455 Madison Ave., is providing the following 

activities that are open to the 

public. 

“ALZHEIMER’S OR 

DEMENTIA” LECTURE AND 

MEMORY SCREENING 

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 10:30 a.m. 

Goldstar Room, Veterans Memorial 

Senior Center 

This free lecture on Alzheimer’s disease 

and memory screening is being provided 

by Stanford/VA Aging Clinical 

Research Center. For more information, 

call (650) 780-7274. 

SENIOR AFFAIRS 

COMMISSION MEETING 

Thursday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m. 

Casa De Redwood, 1280 Veterans Blvd. 

The objectives of the Senior Affairs 

Commission are to encourage, foster, 

facilitate, establish and maintain programs 

for the enhancement of all matters 

relating to the social, economic and 

personal well-being of the city’s senior 

population. The public is invited to 

attend. 

THANKSGIVING FEAST 

FUNDRAISER 

Thursday, Nov. 9, 6–9 p.m. 

Redwood Room, Veterans Memorial 

Senior Center 

Embrace the season of giving by raising 

funds for recreation scholarships for 

people with disabilities. Enjoy a great 

meal for a great cause. Cost is $20 per 

plate. For reservations, call (650) 780- 

7344. 

THANKSGIVING 

GATHERING LUNCHEON 



Senior Center 

Enjoy a Thanksgiving feast with your 

extended family at the VMSC. Lunch 

includes a wonderful meal and local 

entertainment. Cost is $7 per plate. Call 

(650) 780-7259 for reservations. 

THANKSGIVING 

LUNCHEON 

Sponsored by Peninsula Women’s Club 



Senior Center 

Family out of town? Not interested in 

cooking a big feast? Then enjoy 

Thanksgiving lunch at the VMSC! Cost: 

cash donation/free. Call (650) 780-7259 

for reservations. 



29 



30 

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Fish and Chips with Old Port Beer Batter 

Captain's Platter (delicious fried fish, shrimp and clams all served with fries & slaw) 

Fried Full-Bellied Clam Plate 

Steamed Mussels 

Owners Lynn & Russell Deutsch 

August 30, 2006 August 30, 2006 



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32 




CAST YOUR BALLOT FOR SMART INVESTMENT MOVES 

S 

FINANCE 

David Amann, Special to The Spectrum 

Nov. 7 is Election Day. Across the country, 

people will vote for senators, congressional 

representatives, governors, 

mayors and a host of other offices and ballot 

initiatives. While big elections like this usually 

take place only once every couple of years, 

you will “vote” almost every day on any number 

of other issues related to your life. Some of 

the most important of these “elections” concern 

decisions affecting your financial situation 

— so you’ll want to cast your ballot wisely. 

So, what kind of investment-related issues 

should you vote on? Here are a few to consider? 

Vote for suitable choices. Just as an informed 

voter needs to look beyond a 30-second 

commercial to really understand a candidate 

or an issue, a smart investor needs to go 

beyond the “hot tips” to grasp the suitability of 

a particular investment. Different investments 

are appropriate for different investors; to find 

the ones that are right for your individual 

needs, goals and risk tolerance, you will need 

to put some thought into your situation and 

the many investment choices available to 

you. 

Vote for portfolio balance. Some voters reflexively 

vote for a single party or point of view. 

While voters may have their reasons, individual 

investors generally can’t afford this imbalance 

when they are building a portfolio. If, for 

example, you buy only growth stocks representing 

a specific industry, you will likely be 

hurt when an economic downturn affects 

that sector. On the 

$ 

other hand, if you balance 

your growth stocks with income-oriented 

stocks, bonds, government securities and 

even certificates of deposit (CDs), you can 

potentially reduce your portfolio’s volatility 

and give yourself more opportunities for success. 

This diversification does not guarantee a 

profit, nor does it protect against loss; however, 

in investing, as in life, balance is essential. 

Vote for long-term results. It’s no secret that 

some political candidates pursue policies that 

are short-term in nature. While some of these 

policies may be beneficial, others are carried 

out at the expense of long-term solutions. As 

an investor, you, too, might have some shortterm 

goals — such as saving for an expensive 

trip — but most of your important objectives 

will be long-term: saving for retirement, sending 

your children to college, etc. And to 

achieve these goals, you need to take a longterm 

approach to investing. That is, you need 

to buy quality investments and hold them for 

the long term, or at least until your needs 

change. Furthermore, you need to stick with 

your investment strategy despite short-term 

setbacks caused by political turmoil, high 

energy prices or other such factors. 

Vote for professional help. When you vote for 

a political candidate, you want to have confidence 

that he or she is competent, honest 

and trustworthy, and has your interests at 

heart. Pretty much the same description 

could be applied to the financial professional 

you choose to help you make the right investment 

moves. Shop around for the right person, 

and ask your friends and relatives whom 

they use. You may need to interview several 

professionals before selecting the right one, 

but the effort is worth it. 

When you vote for a political candidate, 

sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. 

But when you “vote” for the right investment 

moves, you’re always a winner. 

Editor’s note: David Amann is one of the 

Redwood City community members who contributes 

to The Spectrum. If you have any questions regarding 

investments please send them to writers@spectrummagazine.net 

or The Spectrum Magazine, 

P.O. Box 862, Redwood City, CA, 94064. 

33 

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S 

THE SPECTRUM 

A BREAKTHROUGH FOR REDWOOD CITY: 

LATINO FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO DOWNTOWN 

34 

By Judy Buchan, Contributing Writer 

Hours of work and a strong belief in the 

dream will all pay off for the Latino 

Leadership Council in November, 

when the International Latino Film Festival - 

San Francisco Bay Area comes to downtown 

Redwood City. 

“It’s a breakthrough for Redwood City,” said 

Councilwoman Alicia Aguirre, with obvious 

pride in her voice. “It’s great to have the opportunity 

to have the Latino Film Festival here at 

home.” 

Downtown Redwood City’s Century 20 

Theatres will be one of the 17 Bay Area venues 

presenting the 85 films of the International 

Latino Film Festival - San Francisco Bay Area 

next month. The festival begins in San 

Francisco on Nov. 3 and will come to Redwood 

City Nov. 16-18. Other venues include San 

Jose, San Rafael, Skyline College, Berkeley, Mill 

Valley, Larkspur and Oakland. 

Sponsored by the Latino Leadership Council 

and the City of Redwood City, the festival will 

present award-winning films of the Latino cinema 

world to Redwood City residents and hopefully 

to theater patrons from the entire Bay 

Area. 

According to the organization’s Web site, the 

“International Latino Film Festival - San 

Francisco Bay Area was created to give voice to 

Latino cultural expression through the powerful 

medium of film. The ILFF began as a grassroots 

organization 10 years ago, presenting just 10 

films at a single venue. The Festival showcases 

the best in new international Latino cinema, 

applauds emerging talent and pays tribute to 

celebrated Latino actors, directors and produc- 

ers. From documentaries 

covering the 

issues surrounding 

Latino experience 

in the United 

States to films that 

represent the Jewish 

experience in the 

Hispanic world to 

the Women in Film 

series, programs 

devoted to LTGB, 

music and human 

rights, the programs 

presented by the 

ILFF are a valuable 

cultural resource for 

the Bay Area community.” 

Corporate sponsors 

for the entire Bay 

Area program 

include Subaru, 

Applied Materials, 

Delta Airlines, the 

San Francisco 

Chronicle, Wells 

Fargo, Union Bank 

of California, Visa 

and more. 

It all begins on Thursday evening, Nov. 16, 

with the Inaugural Party and Gala running 

from 5 to 7 p.m. at the San Mateo County 

History Museum. At 7:30 p.m., “Sólo Dios 

sabe / Only God Knows” will come to the 

screen at the Century 20 Theatres. 

Two films are set for Friday, Nov. 17. “A dona da 

história / The Owner of the Story” is scheduled 

at 6:30 p.m., and “Un franco, 14 pesetas,” from 

Spain, winner of three awards at the 2006 

Malaga Film Festival in Spain, will be shown at 

8:30 p.m. 

Three films will round out the festival on 

Saturday, Nov. 18. “Un mundo maravilloso / A 

Wonderful World,” a look at the homeless of 

Mexico City, runs at 5:30 p.m. “Mi mejor enemigo 

/ My Best Enemy” from Chile, plays at 

7:30 p.m. and “El lobo / The Wolf” from Spain 

is the final festival presentation at 9:45 p.m. 

Tickets are $10 per person; $8 for ILFF members, 

students and seniors (65 and older). 

Family film matinees are $8; kids under 10 are 

free. For special event tickets, please visit the 

Web site for prices. To purchase tickets in 

advance, visit www.LatinoFilmFestival.org or 

www.cityboxoffice.com. 






“I hope Redwood City will be open to such a special event in our downtown,” 

said local businessman Memo Morantes, one of many who put in 

long hours to bring the festival here. Also expressing the pride of his heritage 

and of bringing this event to our community, Morantes believes the 

variety downtown and its move toward being an entertainment hub are 

well-suited to welcome visitors to the Festival. 

Morantes invites you to “Come and experience the International Film 

Festival in Redwood City!” 

Long Term Care Insurance 

Annuities 

Guillermo “Memo” Morantes, LUTCF 

Financial Services Professional Agent 

CA. Ins. Lic. #0752732 

New York Life Insurance Company 

Licensed Agent 

Tel: 650.513.5615 Fax: 650.513.3247 

gmorantes@ft.newyorklife.com 

1300 South El Camino Real, Suite 400, San Mateo, CA 94402 

I support the Redwood City San Mateo County Chamber 

S35


S 


about in political and downtown circles and 

it has caused a lot of discussion, which is great. For 

this group to move forward and become an effective 

voice for businesses in the downtown area, they 

must discuss such issues and find some direction. 

36 

As I understand it, the Downtown Business Group 

board is doing just that now — working hard to turn 

a difficult situation into a positive outcome for 

themselves and for Downtown. I have no doubt that 

Barbara will be able to provide the type of leadership 

needed to help the Downtown Business Group be 

successful. 

* * * * * 

It is election time again and, of course, an opportunity 

for me to make some predictions on the winners 

and losers on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Locally, we do not 

have that much to vote on, but the categories we do 

have are important. The Sequoia Healthcare District 

Board of Directors has four candidates vying for 

three seats. Sheriff Don Horsley will win in his first 

try and come out as the top vote-getter, followed by 

incumbents Arthur Faro and Jack Hickey. 

Incumbent John Oblak will lose his seat, even 

though his ballot placement of first on the list should 

be enough for anyone to win in this race. 

Measure A, the one-eighth-cent sales tax to support 

parks and recreation services, should and will win by 

an overwhelming margin. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger will be re-elected as 

California’s governor. Democrat Steve Westly might 

have given him a run for his money if he had been 

his opponent. John Garamendi will win and be our 

next lieutenant governor. Santa Cruz’s Bruce 

McPherson will win the secretary of state race. Bill 

Lockyer will be our next state treasurer. Steve 

Poizner — who lost to Ira Ruskin in his assembly 

bid — will win his race for state insurance commissioner. 

Cruz Bustamante, his opponent, will get a 

deserved kick to the curb, and we hopefully will not 

have to hear from him again. 

Of course, Dianne Feinstein (U.S. senator), Anna 

Eshoo (14th Congressional District) and Ruskin 

(21st Assembly District) will all be re-elected. 

In an election-related story, Warren Slocum, San 

Mateo County’s chief elections officer, called on the 

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to 

change their Web site entitled “Don’t Vote.com.” 

Slocum said he is worried that the message may discourage 

people from going to the polls. “I am concerned 

that the commercial and Web site may have 

an unintended consequence of dissuading qualified 

voters to cast a ballot,” Slocum said. 

Slocum admitted that the Web site, 

www.dontvote.com, has a good side with its message 

that asks voters to find out where the candidates 

stand on the issues. It is always important for a voter 

to study candidate and issue information and be prepared 

to vote before going into the polling place. 

But the TV commercial and the Web site video feature 

several people from different walks of life saying, 

“Don’t vote — don’t vote — don’t vote.” It is 

repeated seven times before someone says, “until you 


THE SPECTRUM 

know the issues.” Hence Slocum’s concern. 

Slocum said, “My job is to increase participation 

rates and, given people’s busy lives, the constant 

bombardment of advertising messages and the fact 

that one vote can change the outcome of an election, 

I don’t want the ‘don’t vote’ message to be the only 

message that is heard before a voter changes the 

channel or clicks through to a new Web page.” 

Sounds good to me, Warren! 

If you are not that motivated to vote in this election, 

just remember that the candidates running are doing 

so with the intention of bringing their opinions and 

agendas to our community. If you disagree or agree 

with any of them, you have the right to speak out 

and tell them. VOTE Nov. 7! 

* * * * * 

The city of Redwood City threw itself a party with 

the “Our Downtown” event, and by all accounts it 

was a success. By my estimate, about 5,000 people 

showed up at one time or another throughout the 

day. It was a great community event. The San Mateo 

County History Museum reported about 2,100 people 

walking through their doors. 

There would have been more people had the promoters 

of the event chosen the Daily News and the 

Daily Journal as media sponsors of the event instead 

of The Wave Magazine and the Examiner. Both of 

those publications are virtually nonexistent to San 

Mateo County residents. 

The event was very family-oriented and it was nice 

to see the community respond by bringing their families 

down, having a little fun and celebrating the 

progress downtown. Even though most did not even 

know what they were there for, they had fun. 

Restaurants and those who had booths at the event 

reported brisk sales and more than usual foot traffic. 

That is what these types of events are supposed to 

do. 

Notable activities of the day included the presentation 

to Jean Cloud, honoring her for her community 

service work and for turning 100 years old. The 

dedication of the plaza was a big yawn. I mean, it is 

not even done. The continuous entertainment all 

day was wonderful — a great mix of community acts 

and more polished ones. 

This event was definitely a start to what could be a 

fantastic annual one. Are you listening, Downtown 

Business Group? 

* * * * * 

Redwood City Police Department (RCPD) Officer 

Bruce McKay has left the department for a position 

at the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. He joins 

John Harp, Steve Pettit and Bob Bates, all former 

RCPD officers who left earlier this year. You may ask 

why. It is not an issue of them not liking the department 

they serve but of career options. Once retirement 

salaries kick in from Redwood City, they will 

all be getting that plus their current salaries at the 

Sheriff’s Office. Wouldn’t you do the same? 

* * * * * 

Congratulations 

to Tim, 

Stephanie 

and Alicia 

Harrison of 

Canyon Inn. 

The proud parents 

and 

daughter welcomed 

their 

new son and 

brother, Tim, 

in September. 

Wonder how 

long it will 

take him 

before he is 

chowing down 

a Hacksaw 

Burger? 

* * * * * 

The Police Activities League held its annual Comedy 

Night fundraiser and boy-oh-boy did they have a 

great time while raising over $150,000 for the 

youths in our community. The night honored Gino 

and Dani Gasparini and the Hannig family, and 

both clans showed up in force and in support. 

Joining them and the other 400 people at the event 

were Mayor Barbara Pierce; Council Members 

Alicia Aguirre, Diane Howard, Jeff Ira and Jim 

Hartnett; City Manager Ed Everett; Assemblyman 

Ira Ruskin; state Sen. Joe Simitian; County 

Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson; Police Chief 

Carlos Bolanos and business leaders Alpio Barbara, 

Cheryl Angeles, John Adams, Paula Uccelli, Pat 

Becker, Keith Bautista, Nancy Radcliffe, Alice 

Louise, Memo Morantes, Ralph and Teresa 

Garcia, Phil Raiser, Mary Mortenson, Janet 

Borgens, Steven Howard, Chet Lane, John 

Anagnostou, Paul Powers, Alyn Beals, Frank and 

Liza Bizzarro, Frank Bartaldo and Henry Gaw. 

* * * * * 

Cannot wait for the Turkeys of the Year in next 

month’s Spectrum. 

As I was saying … 

Advertise 

With 

The 

Spectrum 

(650) 368- 

2434



Women With Strings Attached featuring 

Mira Wooten, Lucy Billings and 

Deb Thacker 

Sunday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m., $12 adv./$14 

door 

Mira Wooten’s soulful and sultry sound 

captures the essence of contemporary 

talents like India Arie, Bonnie Raitt and 

Eva Cassidy, to name a few. An original 

stylist whose gift shines brightest in her 

own compositions of love and life, her 

woven lyrical patterns both reveal and 

haunt. She’ll make you laugh, make you 

cry and leave you longing for more of 

that smooth, silky voice that tells her 

story. For songwriter Lucy Billings, 

music is a language. She distills life 

events into songs. 


Wednesday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m. Free 

admission! 

See listing for Nov. 8 above. 

Bud E. Luv Orchestra 


door 

The fabulous Bud E. Luv show has been 

a mainstay in the Bay Area as well as 

the rest of these United States for over 

17 years. It played off-Broadway in New 

York City to rave reviews. Stephen 


Holden of The New York Times called it 

“the ultimate lounge act.” Liz Smith said, 

“He’s a riot (with a terrific voice).” And 

even the Village Voice couldn’t escape 

the charms of Mr. Luv. Getting the 

Village Voice and The New York Times 

to agree on anything is a feat unto itself. 

Safari plus La Ventana 

Presented by Voices of Latin Rock 


door 

Safari is one of the Bay Area’s best-kept 

secrets. With sounds honed out of the 

San Francisco Mission district and led 

by timbalero Victor Nolasco, Safari 

fuses 1970s Latin rock with the flavors of 

New York City salsa. The songs are Bay 

Area dance hall favorites first performed 

by the bands of Benny Velarde, Carlos 

Federico, the Escovedo Bros., Cal 

Tjader and Chepito Areas, but 

rearranged with the Safari stamp. La 

Ventana came together in January 2005 

from a core of longtime Bay Area veteran 

musicians. 


Wednesday, Nov. 22, 7 p.m. Free 

admission! 

See listing for Nov. 8 above. 

Maria Muldaur Band plus It’s a 

Beautiful Day featuring David 

LaFlamme 


door 

Maria Muldaur’s musical roots run as 

deep and varied as the Greenwich 

Village she grew up in, amid bluegrass, 

folk, blues, jazz and gospel. She was 

influenced by everyone from Bessie 

Smith to the rock ’n’ roll played by deejay 

Alan Freed. She even studied fiddle 

with Doc Watson and his family. After 

two albums with her husband, Geoff, 

she went solo, releasing the gold record 

“Midnight at the Oasis.” Eleven solo 

albums since then have showcased her 

ability in jazz, pop, folk, gospel, R & B 

and blues. 

Magic Slim and the Teardrops plus 

the Madison Blues Band 


door 

Magic Slim is the greatest living proponent 

of the intense, electrified, 

Mississippi-to-Chica blues style that 

spawned much of the music played by 

modern blues artists and rockers. It’s no 

wonder that Magic Slim and the 

Teardrops, considered by many “the last 

real Chicago blues band,” have become 

one of the busiest and best-loved 

blues bands around. Slim’s live perform- 

S 

ances have become legendary. 

Standing well over 6 feet, Slim cuts a 

commanding figure on stage. 

Miss Charlotte From Redwood City 

CD Release Party! 

Sunday, Nov. 26, 7 p.m., $18 adv./$20 

door 

The long-awaited concert and album of 

West Coast country girl Miss Charlotte 

and her band will light up the stage at 

the Little Fox. Charlotte, a lifetime resident 

of Redwood City, has been performing 

since age 8 and was National 

Baton Champion 2002. A regular at the 

Fourth of July parade and the San 

Mateo County Fair, she will be performing 

her first live, two-hour concert. Music 

director and producer Randy McGowan 

is pleased to announce the arrival of 

Miss Charlotte. CDs and autographs. 

37 



S 

38 

A Minute With... 

How do we go about uniting the different 

ethnicities in Redwood City? 

Being open-minded to other cultures. 

How excited are you about the Latino 

Film Festival coming to Redwood 

City? 

Extremely! 

What is the state of education in San 

Mateo County? 

Continuing to improve. A lot more work 

needs to be done, but we are on the right 

track. 

What historical figure do you most 

identify with? 

Cesar Chavez — his approach to 

“human needs” was strong. 

What living person do you most 

admire? 

No one, really — I respect people in general. 

What living person do you most 

despise? 

I don’t despise anyone. 

Who are your heroes in real life? 

My mother, Ernestina. 

What is your most treasured possession? 

My sons. 

THE SPECTRUM 

Memo Morantes 

Morantes was born in Mexico City and moved to the United States in 1965 and to 

Redwood City in 1967. He has two sons, Gadiel, 32, and Garnor, 30. He currently 

serves as a trustee for the San Mateo County Board of Education — elected in 2000 

and re-elected in 2004. He also serves on the board of the Redwood City–San Mateo 

County Chamber of Commerce and was a founder of the Latino Leadership Council 

for San Mateo County. Morantes was instrumental in bringing the Latino Film 

Festival to Redwood City. 

What talent would you most like to 

have? 

To be more patient. I need to stop and 

smell the roses more. 

Something no one knows about you? 

I was proud to officiate at my youngest 

son’s wedding at the request of my 

daughter-in-law. 

If you could change one thing about 

yourself, what would it be? 

Don’t think I would change anything. 

What words or phrases do you most 

overuse? 

Can I help you? 

If you could choose what to come back 

as, what would it be? 

A feline cat. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

To live where I want to, be surrounded by 

those I love and to do the things I want to 

do. 

What do you consider your greatest 

achievement? 

To have raised two successful citizens. 

What or who is the love of your life? 

I am still working on that. 

Arnoldo Arreola 

Manager - Re/Max Dolphin 

601 Marshall Street 

650.207.1777 

amdata@msn.com 

Arnoldo is the type of Realtor you will 

refer your family and friends to! 

Manages over 30 professional Realtors 

Serving the Redwood City area for over 27 years 

Attended Elementary School in Redwood City 

Lives in Redwood City with his wife and children 

Speaks Spanish to assist those needing that specialty service 

Professional * Reliable * Dedicated to Personal Service 

www.dolphinrealestate.com 



39 


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