Spectrum - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...

WHAT A 

GREAT 

HOLIDAY 

SEASON IN 

“AS I WAS 

SAYING…”

The Spectrum.JAN.2013 

Table of Contents 

Inside The Spectrum – 4 

RCSD Corner – 5 

“As I Was Saying...” – 6 

Cultural Events – 9 

Shop Redwood City – 12 

Paula Uccelli’s 

‘New Beginnings’ – 14 

T 

he Spectrum Magazine welcomes you to the January 2013 edition and wishes you 

the happiest of new years. To kick off the new year, we have stories and features 

along with photos and information about several events around town that will have 

you proud to be from our community. 

Our cover story this month, by contributing writer Nicole Minieri, is on community 

icon Paula Uccelli. As the fate of the Pete’s Harbor development is unfolding, we wanted 

to take a look at who and what this Sequoia High School graduate is to the Redwood City 

community. We think you will agree that her contributions, both monetary and physical, are 

pretty impressive. She has been an instrumental part of our community, and we bet you are 

wondering whether she will continue to be once the harbor property is no longer hers. 

In Publisher Steve Penna’s press award–winning column, “As I Was Saying…,” he takes 

you though his holiday-season social calendar and writes about what it is like to celebrate 

Redwood City style even when he is in Arizona. 

Once again we bring you our regular features on senior activities, items of community 

interest, cultural and entertainment events, insurance tips from Hector Flamenco, information 

from the Redwood City School District and the popular feature “A Minute With.” 

Businesses are an important component of our community because they create sales tax 

revenues that contribute to the overall city budget while providing much-needed services. We 

encourage you to support our valuable business advertisers by using their services when you 

are out shopping, dining or enjoying yourself in our community with friends and family. Many 

of them have special offers for you to cut out and present, including discounts on services, 

food and beverages, so please take the time to look over their ads this month and use their 

coupons and discounts. They want you to visit them. 

When you are looking for up-to-the-minute information about our community, visit us online 

at www.spectrummagazine.net. Happy New Year, Redwood City! 

Community Interest – 17 

Senior Activities – 24 

Insurance Tips: 

How to Obtain a Good 

Auto Insurance Policy– 25 

A Minute With 

Fred Hoffknecht – 26 

Steve Penna 

Owner and Publisher 

penna@spectrummagazine.net 

Anne Callery 

Copy Editor 

writers@spectrummagazine.net 

Dale McKee 

Julie McCoy 

Nicole Minieri 

Contributing Writers 

writers@spectrummagazine.net 

James Massey 

Graphic Designer 

007massey@gmail.com 

James R. Kaspar 

Cover/Cover Story Photography 

staff@spectrummagazine.net 

Contact Information: 

Phone 650-368-2434 

www.spectrummagazine.net 

The Spectrum 3

Inside The Spectrum: Cover Story Photo Shoot 

T 

his month’s cover photo shoot was arranged by telephone correspondence 

between Spectrum Publisher Corrin Steve Penna Rankin 

and our cover subject, Paula 

Uccelli. After rescheduling twice due to weather and the holidays, the 

shoot was planned for Thursday, Dec. 27, at 2 p.m. at 1 Uccelli Blvd., 

which is better known as Pete’s Harbor. 

Penna arrived 6 

368-2660 

at the shoot first and, while waiting, did some computer 

work via his mobile phone. Cover photographer James Kaspar showed up about 15 

minutes later, and he and Penna 5 joined Uccelli in her offices. 

The three, who have known each other for years through community events and 

organizations they have supported, 0 started off by taking photographs in the offices, 

located next to the now-vacated Waterfront Restaurant. After finishing up there, they 

headed out into the harbor area and walked to the entrance to the property, where the 

cover shot was taken. 234 Marshall Street #100 

There was a lot of activity going on around the property due to residents and tenants leaving 

and workers helping out on various projects. Redwood The shoot City, was CA to portray 94063 a “moving on” 

theme and, in the process, became reflective of the property, the history of the site and 

Uccelli herself. 

The entire shoot took only about a half-hour. 

The Spectrum Magazine salutes Se Habla Paula Uccelli Español not only for her CAbusiness Insurance accomplishments 

Lic. #1842835 

but also for recognizing her hometown roots and giving so much back to the community 

that gave her and her late husband, Pete, the opportunity to be successful on so many levels. 

She is moving on to a new phase in her life but not moving on from the community 

she will always call home in one way or another. Many residents and visitors alike feel a 

sense of security knowing that she will still be concerned with our community’s quality 

of life. 

Congratulations, Paula, and best wishes on your new path. We hope it always brings 

you back home! 

Never late for the Theatre 

when you eat at Little India. 

All You Can Eat Lunch 

Mon - Fri 11am - 2pm 

Regular $9.95 Vegetarian $7.95 

All You Can Eat Dinner 

Mon - Sat 5 - 9pm 

Regular $12.95 Vegetarian $10.95 

Little India 

Restaurant 

917 Main St., Redwood City 

650-361-8737 • www.littleindiacuisine.com 

Donate Your Vehicle 

650-363-2423 

10 % off 

with your Parking 

Valadation! 

• Catering 

• In-House Parties 

Available 

• Takeout 

Proceeds support Kainos Home & Training Center 

Providing quality residential, vocational and support services to developmentally 

disabled adults, enabling them to become active, contributing members of the 

community. 

Maximum Tax Deductions – We handle paperwork 

6 

5 

0 

368-2660 

Corrin Rankin 

234 Marshall Street #100 • Redwood City, CA 94063 

Se Habla Español CA Insurance Lic. #1842835 

Painting, moving, gardening 

or construction needs? 

Hire a Reliable Worker 

through the 

A non profit organization 

Call: (650) 339-2794 

Or go to: www.mionline.org 

All wages go directly to workers 

www.SpectrumMagazine.net

RCSD Corner: News From the Redwood City School District 

Dear Redwood City Community, 

As 2012 draws to a close, I want to take the opportunity to thank the 

Redwood City community for your strong support of our schools. So many of 

you volunteer at our schools, donate money to the Redwood City Education 

Foundation and support initiatives that bring more resources to our students. 

We are celebrating great gains in academic achievement in the last few years. 

Students, parents, teachers, school staff, our local partners and supportive 

community members all played a role in making these gains possible! 

We have weathered several difficult years, but I am feeling optimistic 

about the future. Measure W was approved by local voters last spring and 

will bring about $1.5 million directly to our schools to be spent on voterapproved 

priorities. The board recently approved Measure W expenditures 

approved by each school’s site council. Schools are spending money to 

hire reading teachers, expand school library hours, fund hands-on science 

activities, purchase library books and purchase iPads to be used for small 

group instruction, among other things. The Measure W Citizen’s Advisory 

Committee, appointed by the school board in October, will provide oversight 

to ensure that moneys raised under this measure are spent only for the 

purposes described in this measure. 

• Roy Cloud was awarded $10,000 as part of the NFL PLAY 60 contest. 

Several Roy Cloud parents applied for this grant, and Roy Cloud was the 

school selected for the honor! 49ers offensive guard Alex Boone visited 

Roy Cloud School to present the check and inspire students with a talk 

about the importance of fitness and exercise. The district will also receive 

$10,000 to spend on health and wellness as part of the PLAY 60 Award. 

• Giants catcher Hector Sanchez visited Kennedy Middle School. Giants 

catcher Hector Sanchez and radio announcer Erwin Higueros visited Kennedy 

Middle School students to talk about teamwork, perseverance and the 

importance of health and fitness. This visit was a result of our partnership 

with the Sequoia Health & Wellness Center. 

• Roosevelt School won a visit from San Jose Earthquakes player Shea 

Salinas and the team mascot. Shea held an assembly and talked to students 

about health and fitness and demonstrated soccer moves for them. 

• A number of RCSD students won awards in the Redwood City Water 

Conservation Poster Contest. We are proud of Ryan B., Kelsey E. and 

Mia A. at Roosevelt; Louise H. at North Star Academy; and Kiara R. and 

Dara C. at Henry Ford. 

Sincerely, 

Jan Christensen 

Superintendent 

Superintendent Christensen and 49ers player Alex Boone celebrate with Roy Cloud 

students that the school won the NFL PLAY 60 contest 

The 2012–13 school year is off to a great start, 

with a lot to celebrate: 

• Redwood City School District made the largest gain in API scores 

since 2003. The district’s API score increased 24 points, with Kennedy 

Middle School up 81 points and Roosevelt School up 62 points. Redwood 

City School District students showed the highest academic gains in nine 

years according to data released by the California Department of Education 

in October. The district’s Academic Performance Index (API) growth 

score is now 789, up 131 points over its 2002 base score of 658 — the first 

districtwide score recorded for the district. 

• Roosevelt sixth-grade teacher Sarah Coyle was named 2013 San Mateo 

County Teacher of the Year for elementary schools. 

• North Star Academy was honored at a National Blue Ribbon Award 

ceremony in Washington, D.C. Blue Ribbon North Star Academy 

Principal Leslie Crane, former Principal Wendy Kelly and fourth-grade 

teacher Karen Gaffney accepted a National Blue Ribbon Award at a 

ceremony on Nov. 13 in Washington, D.C., hosted by U.S. Secretary 

of Education Arne Duncan for the winners. The award honors public 

and private elementary, middle and high schools based on their overall 

academic excellence or for their progress toward significantly improving 

student academic achievement levels. The schools — 264 public and 50 

private — are among more than 7,000 that have received the coveted award 

over the past 30 years. 


As I Was 

Saying… Publisher 

| Steve Penna 

Happy New Year, everyone! As I begin my column 

this month, I want to start by sharing some of the 

activities and community events I enjoyed during 

the month of December. It really was a fantastic 

holiday season for me, and it was filled with many 

memorable experiences that will stay with me for 

years to come. 

.… 

My holiday season kicked off with the ever-popular 

Port of Redwood City’s holiday party and gathering 

for the local toy and book drive. I had the pleasure 

of helping with the drive this year because I am 

the Police Activities League president and our 

group is one of the organizers. Our organization 

combined with police, county sheriff and fire 

organizations to hold and attend many events for 

groups and community members who supported 

our efforts. 

The annual Port party is held at their offices on 

Seaport Boulevard and is usually a Redwood City 

political who’s who event. It used to be that if you 

were invited to this event, you had “arrived,” if 

you know what I mean. In attendance were Mayor 

Alicia Aguirre, Councilmembers Jeff Gee, Barbara 

Pierce and John Seybert, as well as former Mayors 

Bob Bury, Dick Claire, Diane Howard, Georgi 

LaBerge and several city board and commission 

members. City Manager Bob Bell and former 

Councilman Paul Sanfilipo were also there. 

Attendees had a great time gorging on a buffetstyle 

food table and beverages catered by Encore 

Catering. All and all, it was a fun event and several 

dozen gifts were donated for the cause. 

.… 

I accepted an invitation to a fundraiser for the Juventus 

Sport Club (for the Lightning team, which is the 

younger high school team of the organization) that 

was held at the 840 Win Bar at 840 Brewster Ave. 

It was a new group of Redwood City residents 

that I usually do not cross paths with because our 

interests bring us to different locations and events. 

But I was excited to meet some new neighbors 

and support another youth group. 

I happened to know one of the organizers (Maria 

Fraone Silvestri) of this event and went with a 

close friend of mine, so I was at least comfortable 

being there. The organization was founded in 1956 

by four Italian immigrants (being Italian, I’m proud 

of that), making Juventus one of the oldest soccer 

clubs in Northern California. It was a very fun 

event with no-host beverages and a silent auction. 

Being that the group was made up mostly of 

people my own age or close to it, we had a lot in 

common and everyone had a great time dancing 

and spending money for a good cause. 

.… 

www.SpectrumMagazine.net 

Hometown Holidays is one of the events I look 

forward to every year. I usually volunteer at the 

snow lot as my godkids play and enjoy the other 

activities brought in by the Downtown Business 

Group. This year was a little different because I 

was obligated to also volunteer at other activities 

at the same time, so I divided myself between the 

two. I was done just in time to once again be a 

parade announcer. 

The annual parade is a real community downhome 

activity. It is exciting and fun to see all the 

local youth groups participate and show their 

community pride. My announcer station was 

in front of the Studio S business on Broadway, 

and the streets were packed with adult and child 

“watchers” alike. Again, a home-run event! 

Immediately following the parade was the 

FANTASTIC fireworks display that unfortunately 

I had to miss due to a party I wanted to attend. 

The organizers of this event should feel very good 

about what they bring to our community. 

.… 

On to Lutticken’s After 5 in Menlo Park. I have 

been close with local businessman Bob Lutticken 

and his family for many, many years. He is my 

godkids’ grandfather, so they are all my extended 

family. He was celebrating his 70th birthday, and 

the popular business on Alameda was closed to 

the public and filled with well-wishing family, 

friends and co-workers. 

There was a burrito bar, carved tri-tip and many 

other food offerings, as well as beverages to boost 

spirits. Besides celebrating with Bob, a highlight 

was the DJ spinning some very hot tunes, which 

had us all dancing until late in the night. 

Toward the end of the evening, I noticed that my 

mobile phone was not where I had put it. After an 

hour, I went into a panic and hired a group of kids to 

find my phone. No luck. Eventually I had to leave, 

and I must admit I was feeling very desperate 

to get my phone back. Really? Phone numbers, 

messages, calendar, pictures and videos all gone 

and of course not backed up on my computer or 

any other sensible device. 

So I called my service provider and was informed 

that I could have downloaded a free application 

that would have located my phone via computer. 

Of course I did not know about that. I do know 

now, and so do you. After all my searching and 

worrying, still no phone. I kept calling it to see if 

maybe someone would pick up, but finally I just 

resolved that it must have fallen into the trash or 

something like that. 

Another try at 3 a.m. and, lo and behold, a friend 

of mine who was at the party picked up the phone. 

Yes! I don’t know how it happened, but my phone 

fell into his girlfriend’s purse, which was at the table 

I was sitting at, and they just happened to hear it 

ring once they got home. Stress relief! 

Since he is a San Jose police officer and was on 

duty the next day, I had to go there and pick it up. 

A small price to pay for the return of my peace of mind. 

Oh, and I am backing up everything weekly now. 

.… 

The San Mateo County Economic Development 

Association (SAMCEDA) event was held at their 

offices on Skyway in San Carlos. This party is 

a casual but elegant event, catered by Encore 

Catering, that focuses on thanking their members 

for their support and involvement throughout the 

year. Although it is not a big Redwood City event, 

it’s CEO and Councilwoman Rosanne Foust who 

makes it so. 

Familiar Redwood City faces enjoying 

themselves there included Mayor Aguirre, 

Councilmembers Jeff Ira and John Seybert, 

former Mayor Jim Hartnett, City Manager Bob 

Bell, County Undersheriff Carlos Bolanos and 

business leaders Amy Buckmaster, Bill Butler, 

Barry Jolette, Gino Gasparini, Mike Giari, 

Don Gibson, Steve Mincey and Paul Shepherd. 

Good time had by all. 

.… 

City Manager Bell and Police Chief JR Gamez 

attended the Downtown Business Group’s great 

event at D. Tequila Lounge on Main Street. 

Everyone was in great spirits and enjoyed the 

11 downtown restaurants (D. Tequila Lounge, 

Sandwich Spot, Redwood Creek Grill, Arya 

Global Cuisine, Sakura Teppanyaki and Sushi, 

New Kapadokia, Suisha House, La Victoria, 

La Viga, Saba Café and Crouching Tiger) that 

provided food and beverages for all. 

It was nice to be able to gather with local 

business owners and thank them for the great 

services they provide to our community. It was 

one of my favorite events during the holidays. 

.… 

As part of the toy and book drive, organizers 

held a fundraiser at Arya Global Cuisine restaurant 

on Theatre Way. The filled-to-capacity event 

had local companies and community members 

dining (Arya donated 20 percent of all income for 

the night to the kids) and dropping off toys and 

books. Sequoia Realty Services and the Butler 

Construction Company donated $4,000 toward the 

event and therefore were the major contributors 

for the entire season. 

Joining in the fun were Mayor Aguirre and 

(continues on page 24)


Events Around Town 

Toy and Book Drive Highlights Holiday Season… 

This year, the Redwood City Police and Fire departments, the Police Activities League and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services teamed up with the San Mateo 

County Sheriff’s Office, San Carlos Fire, Woodside Fire and the CARON Project to bring the Christmas toy and book drive and the holiday spirit right to the doorsteps of many excited 

Redwood City families. With help from the Fair Oaks Community Center and a corps of volunteers, this annual event has become a welcome tradition in the Redwood City community. 

This year, over 90 local businesses filled 140 donation barrels with over 12,000 toys and provided them to about 700 excited families throughout San Mateo County. Deliveries took 

place with Santa Claus in a police car or a fire engine arriving at the homes to hand out the presents, giving the kids a thrill they’ll long remember. Each child served receives two gifts, 

a book, a stuffed animal and several stocking stuffers, all of which bring a holiday sparkle to their eyes. 

Photos on this page were taken at toy drive events at Arya Global Cuisine (Dec. 5) and Red Morton Community Center (Dec. 13). The event at Arya was sponsored by Sequoia 

Realty Services and W.L. Butler Construction, and 20 percent of the evening’s revenues was donated, along with over 300 unwrapped toys. 

Photos by Brandon Vaccaro Photography (www.BrandonVaccaroPhoto.com). 


Cultural Events 

The Main Gallery 

1018 Main St., Redwood City 

650-701-1018 

www.themaingallery.org 

The Main Gallery, an artists’ cooperative with 

23 members, showcases the work of some of the 

best local talent in the Bay Area. The gallery is 

located in the historic yellow Victorian cottage at 

the corner of Main and Middlefield. The gallery is 

open Wednesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

and weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Above, clockwise from left: Belinda Chlouber, “Life Is a 

Mystery,” 40” x 15” framed, monoprint, 2012. Nina Koepcke, 

“Chirp,” hand-built ceramic, 2012. Doris Fischer- 

Colbrie, “Lichen Pitcher,” clay, 9” x 8” x 2”, 2012. Elfi 

Altendorfer, “New Collections,” jewelry, 2012. 

New Year New Work 

Please join the Main Gallery artists in celebrating 

the new year with a sneak peek at their latest 

work. New Year New Work opens Jan. 9 and runs 

through Feb. 10. The gallery will host a reception 

with the artists on Saturday, Jan. 12, from 4 p.m. 

to 6 p.m. 

The artists are excited to ring in the New Year 

and share some of their newest work with you! 

Here is a small sampling of some of the work you 

will find: 

Ceramic artist Susan Wolf will give a sneak 

peek of some of her work for the spring 2013 

Mainly Clay show. Wolf states, “At this moment I 

am revisiting the horse theme that I first stumbled 

on several years ago: small, round Chinese style 

horses, with small, distant heads and all the 

presence in the body.” Also working with the 

theme of animals, this time birds, for the Mainly 

Clay show in the spring is Doris Fischer-Colbrie, 

who plans a series of vase forms and small wall 

pieces — “Birds on a Wire.” For the New Year 

New Work show, look for Fischer-Colbrie’s 

ceramic pitchers as she is exploring new forms 

and revisiting some of her earlier ideas. 

In recognition of the new year, ceramic artist 

Nina Koepcke is thinking about new life and our 

environment; she is reworking “older” pieces 

and giving these ceramics a second life with new 

glazes and added parts. Look for “Chirp,” a small 

innocent newborn ceramic bird, some wall tiles 

and other bird pieces of Koepcke’s! 

Jewelry artist Elfi Altendorfer is also taking 

inspiration from nature. Altendorfer states, “I 

am working on creating timeless designs in a 

restless world, using natural wood and nut beads 

— in effect, bringing the outdoors into my new 

collections for spring 2013.” 

For the New Year New Work show, Belinda 

Chlouber, who has been working with family 

poetry and incorporating it into her mixed-media 

pieces, is exhibiting three of her monoprints 

based on the poem “Life Is a Mystery” by Arthur 

Sweet, her grandfather. Chlouber states, “It is this 

collaboration backward through time that most 

inspires me as an artist. I have gained a deeper 

understanding of the struggles we all face and 

dreams we all have.” 

The year 2013 promises some exciting shows 

at the gallery. Following the New Year New 

Work exhibition, look for shows in the spring 

such as Bugs, the Mainly Clay and an exhibition 

centering on climate change! 

Meet the artists and enjoy an evening viewing 

art and celebrating the new year at The Main 

Gallery’s reception on Saturday, Jan. 12, from 4 

p.m. to 6 p.m. 

Fox Theatre and Club Fox 

2209 Broadway, 

downtown Redwood City 

Tickets available at www. 

clubfoxrwc.com, tickets.foxrwc.com, 

650-369-7770 or 877-435-9849 

Club Fox 

• Burning Down the House – A Benefit for Garth 

Webber (No Blues Jam). 7 p.m. Wed, Jan. 2. $5. 

• The Cheeseballs. 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. $18. 

• Bring It Karaoke with Anthony. 8 p.m. Monday, 

Jan. 7. No cover. 

• Pat Wilder (Club Fox Blues Jam). 7 p.m. 

Wednesday, Jan. 9. $5. 

• Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and Cha Cha Cha – 

Appreciation Night. 9 p.m. Fri, Jan. 11. No cover. 

• House of Floyd. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12. $18. 

• The Golden Gate Blues Society Road to 

Memphis Revue. 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13. $20. 



• Phil Berkowitz and the Dirty Cats (Club Fox 

Blues Jam). 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16. $5. 



• Alvon Johnson (Club Fox Blues Jam). 7 p.m. 


• Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and Cha Cha Cha. 9 

p.m. Friday, Jan. 25. $10. 

Authorized-Unauthorized 

The Cheeseballs 

• Unauthorized Rolling Stones. 9 p.m. Saturday, 

Jan. 26. $13. 



• JC Smith Band (Club Fox Blues Jam). 7 p.m. 


Peninsula Symphony Dances 

Into 2013 With ‘Tango’ 

Friday, Jan. 18, 8–10 p.m. 

Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway St. 

Student/youth $20, senior $35, 

regular $40 for single tickets 

www.peninsulasymphony.org 

Peninsula Symphony and Music Director Mitchell 

Sardou Klein welcome the new year with a colorful 

program of tango music. Joined by guest artists 

Quartet San Francisco and Sandor & Parissa of 

Tango Vivo!, Peninsula Symphony will present an 

electrifying program of works by Arturo Marquez, 

Astor Piazzolla and Agustin Bardi. The concerts 

will be given Friday, Jan. 18, at 8 p.m. at the Fox 

Theatre in Redwood City and on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 8 

p.m. at the Flint Center/De Anza College in Cupertino. 

Tango began in the working class neighborhoods 

of Buenos Aires, blending African rhythms with 

instruments and techniques from Europe. Composers 

such as Piazzolla further influenced the tango 

by introducing jazz rhythms and classical music, 

creating a Tango Nuevo. Around this time, the 

tango was forced to go underground in Argentina, 

with a conservative government deeming it publicly 

unacceptable. An eventual change in government led 

to the resurgence of tango in the ’80s and, since then, it 

has enjoyed new popularity, with composers such 

as Marquez and dancers such as Sandor & Parissa 

keeping it alive on the international stage. 

Peninsula Symphony’s 2012–13 season offers 

a thrilling mix of classical music and fun. Other 

special guests this season include the latest winner 

of the Irving M. Klein String Competition on a 

stunning spring program. 


empathy 

We feel for you. We know that we live in tough times, and we’ve got an institution 

designed for these times. We care about you, and that’s not hype. 

irma rivera 

hairstylist 

member since 1987 

Some car loans are more than 

just transportation. When Irma 

Rivera had trouble with her 

van, it meant more than just an 

inconvenience. It meant that she 

would not be able to transport 

her daughter Brianna, disabled in a wheelchair. So getting a new van 

meant a great deal to this single-parent family. 

= 

“I have been a hair stylist in Redwood City since I was young,” said Irma. 

“And I deposited my very first paycheck from the salon with San Mateo 

Credit Union.” So when she needed new transportation, she knew 

who to call. 

Funny how goodwill perpetuates itself, because now all of Irma’s nieces 

and nephews are members as well as her parents. “My brother is the only 

hold out,” said Irma. “But we’re working on him. Ha!” 

“ 

(650) 363-1725 

Take a closer look. You can join! 

www.smcu.org 

“

Call for Tickets - 650.364.1722

Auto Care: 

Redwood General Tire – 1630 Broadway – 

Redwood General Tire was founded on the 

principles of good customer service and quality 

products at fair prices. Many satisfied customers 

have been with them since their founding. 

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. They even have free Wi-Fi 

Internet hookups so you can work while you wait 

for your vehicle to be serviced. 

Eating and Catering: 

Arya Global Cuisine — 885 Middlefield Road 

– Redwood City’s new “it” restaurant lives up to 

its name, serving Italian, American and Persian 

food. “We loved the whole concept of Italian and 

Persian food. We tried the chicken kabob and Pollo 

Firenze. And wow — the food was great. Our server 

gave us a good suggestion in white wine to go 

with our dinner. Can’t wait to bring my friends in 

for lunch!” 

Canyon Inn – 587 Canyon Road – Tim Harrison 

and the staff at Canyon Inn serve everything from 

their famous hamburgers to pizzas, all kinds of 

sandwiches and pastas, and South-of-the-Border 

specialties while various sports play on the big, 

flat-screen TVs. Don’t forget to reserve their 

closed patio for your next party — it has heaters, 

fans and a big-screen TV (no extra charges). Why 

cook when you don’t have to? They do catering 

too for all occasions! 

D. Tequila Lounge and Restaurant – 851 Main St. 

– “We went there and it was fabulous! We were 

impressed by their food menu, and the burger I 

had was tasty. They have 21 big-screen TVs for 

watching your favorite sports team, having a 

drink with friends or dancing the night away.” 

Little India – 917 Main St. – “There are good 

restaurants. There are bad restaurants. There 

are OK restaurants. Then there are those places, 

the magic ones. You come back again and again 

because the food doesn’t just taste good and 

satisfy hunger, but helps heal the heart and soul.” 

Senior citizens receive $1 off and children under 

12 dine at half price. www.littleindiacuisine.com 

The Sandwich Spot – 2420 Broadway – With 

a motto promising to change your life “one 

sandwich at a time” and a menu and atmosphere 

www.SpectrumMagazine.net 

that has already made it a popular spot in 

downtown Redwood City, the Sandwich Spot will 

have you wondering where this place has been all 

your life, and whether or not you can get some of 

their signature Bomb Sauce to go. 

Financial Institutions: 

San Mateo Credit Union – Three Redwood City 

locations – As a member-driven organization, 

SMCU does everything possible to ensure that 

all of your financial priorities are anticipated and 

fulfilled. Offerings include free auto-shopping 

assistance, members-only car sales, low-rate 

home loans and lines of credit. Call 650-363-1725 

or 888-363-1725, or visit a branch to learn the 

advantages of membership banking. 

Home Improvements: 

Lewis Carpet Cleaners – 1-800-23-LEWIS – Founded 

in 1985, Lewis Carpet Cleaners has grown from 

one small, portable machine to a company of six 

employees and five working vans. The Lewis 

family works and lives in Redwood City and is 

committed to our community. Ask about their 

Spectrum special: Get 100 square feet of carpet 

cleaned for absolutely nothing. Call today! Get 

your home ready for entertaining during the year. 

Legal Services: 

Hannig Law Firm – 2991 El Camino Real – 

Hannig Law Firm LLP provides transactional and 

litigation expertise in a variety of areas. The 

professionals at HLF are committed to knowing 

and meeting their clients’ needs through long-term 

relationships and value-added services, and to 

supporting and participating in the communities 

where they live and work. 

Real Estate: 

Michelle Glaubert 

at Coldwell Banker – 

650-722-1193 – Michelle has 

been a full-time, top-producing 

real estate agent since 1978. With 

a proven track record, she has 

helped buyers achieve their 

dreams of home ownership and sellers make 

successful moves to their next properties. The 

majority of her business is garnered through referrals 

from her many satisfied clients. Living in Emerald 

Hills, she knows the area well and is involved 

in the community. Count on Michelle’s years of 

experience to guide you through your next real estate 

transaction. Visit her online at www.glaubert.com. 

John Nelson at Coldwell Banker – 650-566-5315 

– John has been a resident of Redwood City for 

21 years and has been a real estate agent for 18 

years. He is known for doing his clients’ legwork, 

keeping them up to date with new listings and 

conditions as they impact the market. He will make 

the process as pleasurable and stress-free an experience 

for you as he can. Let John guide you through the 

complexities of buying or selling your home, 

eliminating hassles and stress. Visit him online at 

www.johnnelsonhomes.com. 

Vicky Costantini at Sequoia Realty – 

650-430-8425 – Born and raised in Redwood 

City, Vicky is known for her honesty and 

availability. She believes those qualities foster 

strong working relationships with her clients. 

In turn, those same clients have referred her to 

countless friends and relatives. With an approach 

that is simple yet effective, she treats every listing 

as if it is her first, and her clients know that they 

will get the very best effort as they enter into the 

purchase or sale of a home. Visit her online at 

www.vickycostantini.com. 

Specialty Businesses: 

Davies Appliance – 1580 El Camino Real – 

“Davies helped me with my appliance purchases 

and they know what they are doing. All they 

carry is appliances; you don’t have to worry about 

anything else. Leave it to them to assist you with 

your kitchen remodel and you will be very happy. 

I recommend Davies to anyone who is interested 

in great pricing and even better service. The focus 

is appliances and service.” 

Every Woman Health Club – 611 Jefferson Ave. – 

A women-only, body-positive fitness center in downtown 

Redwood City. Services include classes, weight and 

cardio equipment, personal training, therapeutic 

massage and skin care. Flexible pricing, with 

several options available for members and 

nonmembers. Visit www.everywomanhealthclub. 

com or call 650-364-9194 to get started. 

Hector Flamenco Insurance (State Farm) – 956 

Main St. – Hector has been in the insurance 

business and with State Farm for 20 years. He 

specializes in auto and business insurance. A local 

resident, he also provides servicio en español! 

Visit his website at www.flamencoinsurance.com. 

Saf Keep Storage – 2480 Middlefield Road – The 

friendly and reliable team at Saf Keep is ready 

to assist you with a variety of storage products 

and services to suit all your storage needs. Visit 

their website at www.safkeepstorage.com to see 

exactly what products and services are available. 

Compare them to other facilities and you’ll see 

why their service makes the difference. 

St. Regal Jewelers – 850 Main St. – “This is a 

great jeweler! Phil, the owner, is amazing. He 

crafted a ring on time and on budget. He has an 

incredible eye for detail. I can’t say enough. I 

would never go anywhere else.” Whether you are 

looking for men’s or women’s quality jewelry, 

shopping local does not get better than this. 

Woodside Terrace – 485 Woodside Road, 650- 

366-3900 – Woodside Terrace understands that 

in choosing a senior living community, residents 

are looking for much more than a comfortable 

living environment to call home. Brookdale 

Living’s Redwood City community delivers 

inspired independent living with the promise of 

exceptional experiences every day. As residents’ 

needs change, they are provided with a variety of 

ancillary services and a personalized assisted living 

environment that encourages them to continue to 

live as they please.


SAMCEDA Celebrates the Holidays 

The San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA) hosted its annual holiday reception. The event gave an opportunity for SAMCEDA to thank their 

members and partners for continued support in 2012. Those joining in the fun included, from top left: County Undersheriff Carlos Bolanos, Bill Butler and Gino Gasparini. Lilia 

Ledezma, Don Gibson and Michelle Gibson. Councilwoman and SAMCEDA CEO Rosanne Foust, Taylor Jordan and Deborah Herron. Bottom, from left; Mayor Alicia Aguirre. 

Linda Koeling, Art Kiesel and Mario Puccinelli. JoAnn Sockolov, executive director of the Redwood City Education Foundation. 


Paula Uccelli’s ‘New Beginnings’ 

By Nicole Minieri, contributing writer 

The late Peter “Pete” Uccelli was widely known 

for being a big-hearted, jovial and genuine man 

who spread some kind of wonderful wherever he 

went. But Pete was also a natural-born risk-taker 

and visionary who chased change and tackled 

challenges with bold confidence. He absolutely 

adored Redwood City, and that’s precisely why he chose 

to build his dreams here, with his own bare hands. 

Pete grew up on a family-owned truck-farming 

operation in South San Francisco, where building, 

cultivating and sustaining land were daily handson 

tasks. During the mid-1950s, while in his 30s, 

Pete found himself favoring a different motto from 

that of his farmer forebears (“now and forever”) 

when he traded in a bed of lightweight soil for 

21 acres of waterfront property in Redwood City 

between Redwood Creek and Smith Slough. 

Despite many challenges, Pete wasted no time in 

transforming the desolate marshland into an inviting 

mixed-use residential/commercial marina for 

boaters and motor homes. As soon as construction 

was complete, he opened Pete’s Harbor, 

welcoming potential live-aboard tenants and the 

public at large for recreation and leisure activities. 

Sixteen years later, Pete married Bay Area 

native Paula Territo, who came on board with a 

boatload of business development experience that 

would be instrumental in taking Pete’s marina 

dreams to the next level. In 1973, the Uccellis 

added a 320-seat family-style restaurant, which 

soon became a popular gathering spot for locals 

and politicians and the community’s first choice 

of venue for holiday celebrations, fundraisers 

and service club meetings. Although the Uccellis 

opted to sell their restaurant in 1997, they carried 

on managing approximately 14 acres of the boatyard 

and preserved the relaxed, warm and happy 

dockside atmosphere they had originally created. 

However, several years later, the communal 

harmony was disrupted when Pete sold an option 

to buy his beloved bayfront beauty to a local 

land developer. The San Mateo–based company 

proposed a 1,900-unit high-rise condominium 

complex with an adjoining marina. This change in 

the direction of Pete’s dream left longtime marina 

tenants feeling worried and a number of people in 

the community somewhat baffled. 

“This became Pete’s future vision,” explained 

Paula. “He really wanted this to happen because 

he knew the development would be extremely 

beneficial for the community and wonderful for 

local schools to receive revenue from the taxes.” 

Unfortunately for Pete, the plan was short-lived 

because a majority of Redwood City voters 

rejected the proposed onshore residential community. 

While many breathed a great sigh of relief as 

the harbor was spared, Pete continued the fight 

to transform his waterfront property right up to 

the moment he passed away from a sudden heart 

attack while visiting friends at a Los Angeles 

County marina with Paula in September 2005. 

“He went to bed and never woke up,” Paula said 

sadly. “The passing of Pete was very extremely 

difficult. We had such a beautiful life together. 

But Pete was not only my husband, he also was 

my mentor. He encouraged me with businesses. 

You know, there are so many facets of running a 

business; he took care of the business part and I took 

care of the outreach, and then we came together 

in the middle for making decisions. And neither 

one of us made a decision without consulting the 

other. We were husband-wife business partners.” 

Over the last seven years, Paula has done a 

fantastic job in her official capacity as sole owner 

of Pete’s Harbor and continues to persevere 

energetically. “I make all of the vital business 

decisions,” said Paula. “I still talk to Pete every 

day. About four months after he passed away, 

I woke up when the alarm went off. I cried as 

I thought about all of this responsibility at the 

harbor. I heard his voice clearly in my head: 

‘Babe, that’s enough! Get your ass out of bed; 

you’re running a business!’ ” 

Perhaps it’s hearing Pete’s voice that has recently 

compelled Paula to fulfill his ultimate dream by 

deciding to sell the harbor property to The Pauls 

Corporation, a Colorado-based developer with a good 

track record of successfully building and managing 

FHA-approved condominium complexes. 

“Pete always intended for the property to be 

developed into a residential and marina community,” 

explained Paula. “Pete even selected the developer 

whom he felt was an honorable man and would 

be a caring steward of the land. So it has come to 

pass for me to honor Pete’s vision and legacy. I am 

very excited about this project and how it will be 

an asset to the community in so many ways.” 

Last October, the Redwood City Planning 

Commission held a public hearing followed by an hourlong 

session of questions and comments. During 

this time, Pete’s Harbor tenants and community 

members both for and against the selling of the 

harbor made their pleas before the Planning 

Commission. After 4½ hours of public comments 

and heartfelt testimony from both sides, the Planning 

Commission voted unanimously in favor of Uccelli and 

the proposed community, which is set to include 

a 400-unit luxury condo complex alongside an 

extravagant clubhouse, an outdoor pool and a private 

marina open only to owners of the condos. 

The matter is set to go before the City Council 

later this month. 

Once Paula had the legal right to sell her property, 

she immediately started the formal process of 

closing the business. Proper eviction notices were 

given well in advance to 144 full-time residents of 

Pete’s Harbor. While a majority of the live-aboard 

boaters have already vacated Pete’s Harbor, a few have 

yet to part ways with their peaceful water haven. 

“Some people are very sad to leave because they 


feel like it’s home,” said Paula. “Everyone has to 

be out by the middle of January, so I have been 

helping the tenants relocate. I know it’s very hard, 

hard, but change is hard for everyone!” 

Paula, too, is having a difficult time with this 

chapter of her life coming to a close. After all, 

Pete was the love of her life for over 38 years, and 

some of the best times they spent together were 

while working at Pete’s Harbor, pouring their 

hearts and souls into their professional work, as 

well as their charitable work through the Pete & 

Paula Uccelli Foundation. The Uccellis created 

the foundation because they firmly believed that 

the success of our future lies within the hands 

of the young people of today. Each year, the 

foundation assists the younger generation and the 

annual Sequoia Awards by helping to provide over 

25 educational scholarships ranging from $500 to 

$10,000, in addition to several annual awards for 

outstanding volunteerism. 

“Pete even selected the 

developer whom he felt was 

an honorable man and would 

be a caring steward of the 

land. So it has come to pass 

for me to honor Pete’s vision 

and legacy. I am very excited 

about this project and how 

it will be an asset to the 

community in so many ways.” 

“Education has always been so expensive,” 

explained Paula. “And that’s what made us start 

thinking about this, because we were already 

in the community doing other philanthropy. I 

happened to be on the Sequoia Hospital board 

at that time, and then one day someone came in 

and spoke on foundations and what to do. When 

I came home later that day, I talked to Pete about 

this and said, ‘My God, we do this anyway, so 

we might as well do this under the umbrella of 

a foundation that helps younger people.’ And a 

lot of these younger people may not have been 

academically up to par, but what they were doing 

in the community as a volunteer was phenomenal. 

So Pete and I started talking to a few people. 

Then we brought all of these people together and 

started the Sequoia Awards to give volunteerism 

the outstanding student, the outstanding business 

and outstanding individual awards. We did this 

for a few years, then we started to focus in on 

scholarships too. So far, we have given over a 

million dollars in scholarships over 20 years.” 

Paula is also well-known as a powerful force 

to be reckoned with when it comes to bringing 

key people together to work for local charities 

and coaching others who wish to get started as 

volunteer workers. Paula has served with and 

contributed her expertise to more than three 

dozen nonprofit organizations, such as Kainos 

Home & Training Center, the Police Activities 

League, Sequoia Hospital Foundation, St. Anthony’s 

Church, the Salvation Army and the Sequoia High 

School Student Fund. And as a result of her humanitarian 

lifestyle, Paula herself has been the recipient of 

numerous awards, including Woman of the Year. 

But she credits turning 70 this past summer as an 

even bigger milestone. “I’d like to believe the line 

that 70 is the new 50,” said Paula. “The reality is 

that I have just begun. I am retiring and will focus 

on the Pete & Paula Uccelli Foundation work to 

help others.” 

As the development of Pete’s Harbor goes through 

the approval process, Paula is reflective about having 

to leave her home of 44 years. “There is an ache in my heart 

because of all the memories, but to fulfill our (Pete’s and 

mine) dream of what we always wanted not only 

for ourselves but for our community is exciting,” she said. 

She plans to stay in Redwood City during the 

construction and will then move into one of the 

units once the Pete’s Harbor development is completed. 

When asked what Pete might say to her today 

about starting a new chapter after the closing 

of Pete’s Harbor, Paula replied, “Stay positive 

because new beginnings can be exciting!” 



Port of Redwood City Holiday Gathering 

The Port of Redwood City held its annual holiday gathering at its offices on Seaport Boulevard. Pictured, from top left: Don Snaman and Mark Sanders. Lorianna Kastrop, Dick Dodge with wife 

Ginny and Sharon Aikens. Clem Moloney, Samantha McLeod, Nancy Radcliffe and City Manager Bob Bell. Bottom, from left: Keith Kadera and Councilwoman Barbara Pierce. Catherine Frasier 

and Larry Aikens. Former Mayor Dick Claire and Port Executive Director Mike Giari. Julie Snaman, Teresa Garcia, Ralph Garcia and Ellen Johns. 


Community Interest 

Police Chief Gamez Receives 2013 Computerworld 

Premier 100 IT Leader Award 

IDG’s Computerworld announces Redwood City Police Chief JR Gamez 

as a 2013 Premier 100 IT Leaders honoree. This year’s Premier 100 IT 

Leader Awards honor individuals who have had a positive impact on their 

organizations through exceptional technology leadership and innovative 

approaches to business challenges. 

“The Premier 100 awards program showcases the exceptional work of a 

dedicated group of technology-savvy business leaders who are driving huge 

change in their organizations through IT,” said Scot Finnie, editor-in-chief of 

Computerworld. “Every day, these exemplary business leaders make strategic 

technology decisions that track to their organizations’ top priorities. These 

100 men and women keep a keen eye on the changing landscape of political, 

economic, regulatory and technology trends that are driving significant 

shifts in IT. We are very pleased to recognize the leadership and honor the 

achievements of the 2013 Premier 100 honorees.” 

In June 2012, the Redwood City Police Department took public 

engagement to the next level when it launched Netop’s “Live Guide” video 

and text chat to allow community members the opportunity to have realtime, 

interactive video chats directly with a Redwood City police officer. 

The Live Guide service utilizes the latest technology for two-way text 

messaging with audio and video chat features that offer another way for the 

community to connect with the Police Department. Members of the public 

can use Live Guide to receive live online assistance with any concerns 

or questions they may have about police services or to receive help with 

reporting crimes online. This emerging technology placed the Redwood 

City Police Department on the leading edge of customer service strategy by 

providing a new standard of “community-centric” policing and making the 

department the first municipal law enforcement agency in the United States 

to provide such video interactivity directly between its police department and 

its community. 

Gamez noted, “It is truly an honor to be recognized as a Premier 100 IT 

Leader by Computerworld. The need to embrace emerging technologies is a 

priority for our department because it allows our officers to provide a smarter 

and a more efficient manner of interacting with our residents while presenting 

timely information to our community. The Redwood City Police Department 

remains a forward-thinking agency committed to embracing innovative 

technology partnerships that provide our residents with the highest level of 

customer service.” 

The Premier 100 program was created in 2000 to spotlight individuals who 

have had a positive impact on their organizations through technology. These 

are individuals who manage internal IT organizations, mentor and motivate 

their IT teams and business colleagues, create a positive work environment, 

envision innovative solutions to business challenges and effectively manage 

and execute IT strategies. Each year nominees are invited to complete a 

survey that addresses a number of topics, including their background and 

experience and their attitude toward risk and innovation. Computerworld 

uses its IT Leader Index, which is a measurement of how closely an 

individual matches the definition of the IT Leader, to analyze the data. Each 

year, 100 honorees are selected to receive this lifetime-recognition award. 

Redwood City Awarded Grant to Upgrade Software to 

Analyze Traffic Collision Data 

The City of Redwood City has been awarded a $28,000 grant from the 

California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a traffic collision database 

and mapping system software package. The software will be used to more 

effectively and efficiently pinpoint and analyze high-collision locations 

throughout the city and provide more usable information to help reduce the 

frequency and severity of traffic collisions. The system will provide the city’s 

transportation engineers and department managers with more timely and 

accurate data upon which to base engineering, enforcement and other trafficrelated 

safety decisions. 

The grant will fund a fully automated, geographic information system 

(GIS)-based traffic collision and analysis system, and includes the purchase 

and installation of the software, labor to incorporate collision and street data, 

and training of traffic engineering personnel in the use of the system. This 

software will replace the city’s existing system of hand-logging each collision 

and will convert the manual collision map to an interactive mapping solution, 

automate the production of collision history diagrams, generate periodic 

or specific reports and allow staff to search collision records by location, 

primary collision factor, involved vehicle or party types, time of day or other 

factors. Using this system, staff will be able to query and map information 

from the database to easily identify high-frequency locations and collision 

patterns so that those areas can be further studied and appropriate action taken. 

Funding for this grant program is from the California Office of Traffic 

Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

Visit Redwood City’s award-winning website at www.redwoodcity.org 

for information about the city and its services, the community, recreation 

programs, education and local business. Subscribe to Redwood City’s 

newsletters and other city documents at www.redwoodcity.org/newsletters. 

Recology San Mateo County Collected Used Coats for Kids 

Recology San Mateo County concluded its annual Coats for Kids program 

to collect new and gently used coats to donate to those in need of a warm 

coat during the cold weather season. Recology San Mateo County collected 

coats curbside from homes on their collection day from the areas of Atherton, 

Belmont, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Menlo Park, Redwood 

City, San Carlos and San Mateo. 

“Recology has been providing our Coats for Kids program for many years 

in the communities we service. It has proven to be a great program helping 

those individuals and families in need,” said Recology San Mateo County 

General Manager Mario Puccinelli. 

Collection containers labeled “Coats for Kids” were also placed at various 

locations throughout the participating cities noted above and at Recology’s 

offices where residents could, and did, drop off coats. 

Recology San Mateo County collected 1,021 coats this year and would like 

to thank all that contributed and donated coats for this worthwhile cause. 

Coats this year were donated to the St. Anthony’s Clothing Center and the 

(continues on next page) 


Community Interest (Continued from previous page) 

Fair Oaks School. Pat Ferrando, volunteer/coordinator of the St. Anthony’s 

Clothing Center, wrote: 

“Dear Recology — Words cannot begin to express my gratitude for the 

donation of all the beautiful coats and jackets to our St. Anthony’s Clothing 

Center from your wonderful company. Thank you just doesn’t seem to cover 

it, but thank you! It was great being able to work with all of you. I hope you 

all got a feel for our center and the special clients that we serve. Your crew 

was so helpful and caring; what a blessing to have all that positive energy and 

support. At our men’s giveaway today, there were a lot of smiles as each of 

them found that ‘special’ jacket. Again, thanks for your fantastic organizing 

effort on our behalf. Wishing you a joyful holiday season.” — Pat Ferrando 

For more information regarding the Coats for Kids program or Recology 

San Mateo County, please visit www.RecologySanMateoCounty.com. 

Sierra Club Report Identifies the Nation’s Best and 

Worst Transportation Projects 

For each of the 50 states, Sierra Club identifies a “best” and “worst” project. 

For California, Caltrain modernization, particularly electrification, and a San 

Diego freeway project were the two projects, respectively. 

On the San Francisco Peninsula, Caltrain electrification is featured in the 

Sierra Club’s new national report “Smart Choices, Less Traffic: 50 Best and 

Worst Transportation Projects in the United States.” The Loma Prieta chapter 

of the Sierra Club believes that Caltrain electrification is an example of the 

kind of projects California needs to move beyond oil. 

“Electrification will cut the railroad’s operating costs in half by avoiding 

the purchase of 4.5 million gallons of diesel fuel a year and replacing it with 

far cheaper and cleaner electricity,” explained Gladwyn d’Souza, Belmont 

Planning Commissioner and Transportation Committee chair for the Loma 

Prieta chapter. “It is exactly the kind of infrastructure we need as part of a 

21st-century transportation system that increases our transportation choices 

and increases our housing options by enabling transit-oriented development.” 

John Holtzclaw, San Francisco resident and volunteer coordinator for 

the Sierra Club’s Green Transportation campaign (www.sierraclub.org/ 

transportation), sits on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s 

Advisory Council. “Electrification of this rail line will lower hazardous diesel 

fine particulate pollution that will immediately have a beneficial impact on 

those living near the rail line,” explained Holtzclaw. 

“Under MAP 21 (Moving Ahead for Progress), the nation’s new 

transportation policy, we have the opportunity to ensure that California 

invests in the transportation projects we need to move beyond oil and not 

those that cater to more driving,” said Holtzclaw. 

Local Sierra Club chapters are working to ensure that this project moves 

forward while not impacting funding for local bus and other transit priorities. 

Megan Fluke Medeiros, the Loma Prieta chapter’s conservation manager, 

is a daily Caltrain commuter and couldn’t be more excited about the 

modernization of the line. “I love Caltrain because it gives me time to 

respond to emails; a space for my bicycle, enabling me to get much-needed 

exercise; and the freedom of not owning the car I don’t want. With more 

frequent and faster service, we’re going to have less traffic on our roads, more 

active lifestyles, more disposable income and happier people all around.” 

The full report is available at content.sierraclub.org/beyondoil/content/ 

smart-choices-less-traffic. 

Construction Boom Coming to Redwood City — The 

Excitement Is Building! 

Redwood City is going to see a construction boom in 2013 as a variety of 

new building projects in and near downtown get underway, adding to the 

excitement of several projects that are already in construction. This means 

increased housing around downtown, along with new offices and retail and 

the higher level of economic activity that these projects will support. 

“This is such an exciting time for Redwood City as the future takes shape 

right before our eyes!” said Redwood City Mayor Alicia Aguirre. “Over 

the next several years, our community is going to see new construction on 

several sites downtown. This shows that developers have great confidence in 

Redwood City and that our local economy is gaining strength. I appreciate 

the community’s patience while these new projects are being built, and urge 

everyone to share in the excitement of what these developments mean for 

Redwood City.” 

While the many new residential units, offices and retail spaces will have a 

huge positive effect for the community, the construction impacts as the work 

takes place can be significant. As the projects get underway, there will be 

periodic lane closures and detours, construction noise and dust, and heavy 

equipment in the vicinity. The city will work closely with the developers and 

contractors to minimize the disruption, but some level of inconvenience at 

and near these locations is unavoidable. 

Much of this new development can be attributed to the clear guidelines 

provided in the city’s downtown precise plan, which helps developers design 

projects that are a good “fit” for our community. New residential units are 

predominant among the new projects: There are now about 950 new units 

planned or under construction downtown, plus another 800 near downtown. 

That means the housing stock downtown is doubling, and when you add the 

near-downtown units, it’s nearly tripling. 

Among the notable projects 

either underway or in planning are: 

333 Main St. 

132 residential units (underway) 

201 Marshall St. 


2580 El Camino Real 


640 Veterans Blvd. 


One Marina 


Kaiser Permanente Hospital 

expansion (underway) 

Sequoia Hospital 

addition (underway) 

Redwood Tower office 

Middlefield Road/Winslow St. (breaks ground spring 2013) 

145 Monroe St. 

305 residential units (proposal in process) 

490 Winslow St. 


525 Middlefield Road 


2808 El Camino Real 

45 assisted living residential units (proposal in process) 

The downtown and vicinity projects also include over 2,000 additional 

parking spaces for their tenants and workers, which will help to maintain the 

existing public parking throughout downtown. The Redwood Tower project 

will replace all the spaces in the Middlefield Road parking lot (the project 

site) and add an additional 800 spaces for office workers’ use and public use 

evenings and weekends. 

Information on these and other projects in Redwood City is online on 

the city’s Community GIS (geographic information systems) page, www. 

redwoodcity.org/gis (click on “City Projects”). 



Downtown Business Group Holiday Party 

The Downtown Business Group was in full holiday cheer at their annual gathering at D. Tequila Lounge. Top, from left: Rose Tran from Sakura Teppanyaki and Sushi. Police Chief 

JR Gamez, Fera Hashemi from Arya Global Cuisine and Alpio Barbara. Stephen Tabler from San Mateo Credit Union and DBG President Mike Kastrop. Bottom, from left: Gamez 

with Regina Van Brunt and Lourdes Carini. Gita Raza, Diane Coulter and Norma Torrefranca from United American Bank. Daisy Hua Chen from Suisha House. 



Sunrise Rotary Club CWENCH Party 

Liam Mayclem, host of CBS 5 TV’s “Eye on the Bay,” emceed and served as auctioneer at the first annual CWENCH Party, which took place at Sparky’s Hot Rod Garage in San 

Carlos. The event for CWENCH (Clean Water Enables Community Health), hosted by the Redwood City Peninsula Sunrise Rotary Club in support of its H2OpenDoors project, 

raised money to purchase self-contained, solar-powered water-purification systems for Third World villages suffering from contaminated water. Music by local favorite band 

Gravy Boat and food by The Counter Gourmet Burgers and Jillian Love Raw Vegan Gourmet helped to ensure that every attendee had a great time. Photos by Hana Krulova with 

PhotoVisionPRO.com.


Town Chanukah Festival On The Square 

With program director Ella Potash and her husband, Rabbi Levy of Chabad MidPen, Redwood City kicked off its third annual Chanukah Festival in Courthouse Square. Helping 

out with the ceremony were, from top left: Children lighting candles. Levy, state Sen. Joe Simitian and Mayor Alicia Aguirre. Simitian with Levy and Redwood City firefighters. 

Bottom, from left: Aguirre with Karen Schwarz and Frank Schwarz. Ernie Schmidt, Shawn White and Jeff Norris. Aguirre with White and his wife, Robyn, and their daughter, with 

baby on the way. 

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Call Us Today 650.368.2434 

1952 2012 

Pete’s Harbor 

Celebrating Our 60 th Anniversary 

Thank you for supporting us through the years. 

We urge you to contribute and support local 

non-profit organizations that do outstanding 

work in our community. 

Berths & Dry Storage 

One Uccelli Boulevard, Redwood City, CA 94063 • 650-366-0922

Senior Activities 

The Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City, 

is providing the following activities that are open to the public during the 

month of January. 

Friday Movies for Everyone 

Every Friday, 1:15 p.m. (unless otherwise announced) 

Come to the Veterans Memorial Senior Center for a free feature movie in our 

state-of-the-art movie theater! Please note: Movies may be changed at any 

time due to availability. 

Jan. 4: “Red Dog” 

Jan. 11: “Hope Springs” 

Jan. 18: “Arbitrage” 

Jan. 25: “Butter” 

New Year’s Holiday Closure 

The center will be closed on Jan. 1. We will reopen for the new year on Jan. 2. 

Lunch 

No lunches will be served on Jan. 2 or Jan. 3. We will begin our new lunch 

program on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Lunches will still be available for $5 and 

reservations can be made at 650-780-7259. 

AARP Free Tax Preparation 

By appointment only 

Wednesdays, Feb. 6 through April 10 

The AARP tax appointment hotline will become available on Jan. 16. Call 

650-489-6023 to schedule an appointment. You will be asked to leave a 

message and an AARP volunteer will contact you. 

Reading Partners 

“One tutor, one child, infinite possibilities” 

Tuesday, Jan. 15, 11 a.m. 

Theater 

Want to make a difference in a child’s life? In just one hour a week, you can 

become a one-on-one volunteer tutor at a local Redwood City elementary 

school and mentor a student reading behind grade level. With all the 

support and guidance you’ll need, you can inspire a love for and confidence 

in reading, as well as grow a child’s literacy skills. If you are interested 

and would like more information, please contact Anne Bartlett, Peninsula 

outreach coordinator, at 650-302-9282 or anne.bartlett@readingpartners.org, 

or visit www.readingpartners.org. 

MLK Holiday Closure 

The center will be closed on Monday, Jan. 21, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Adaptive PE Lecture Series 

Tuesday, Jan. 22, 10–11 a.m. & 1:15–2:15 p.m. 

Free 

Adaptive PE Room 

Subject: Fall prevention and an introduction to our new Biodex balance 

equipment. 

Speakers: Susan Martin and Scott Lohmann, M.A. 

We are now offering a comprehensive fall-risk screening and conditioning 

program using our new Biodex balance system. This equipment increases 

mobility, addresses fall-risk, improves balance, develops muscle tone and 

increases agility. Come to either of the talks listed above to learn about this 

amazing new equipment. 

Bingo 

Every Sunday and the first and third Wednesdays of each month 

Main Building 

Sundays, Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Early bird game begins at 

11:30 a.m. Regular game begins at 12:30 p.m. 

Wednesdays, Jan. 2, 16: Doors open at 4 p.m. Game begins at 6:30 p.m. 

Call 650-780-7381 for more info or to volunteer. 

Save the Date 

St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon 

Thursday, Feb. 14, noon 

$8 

Redwood Room 

To learn more about the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, call 650-780- 

7270. Redwood City Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department 

provides recreational facilities and activities for all ages and interests, and 

supplies building and custodial services for city buildings. Redwood City 

Parks also operates the Veterans Memorial Senior Center and the Fair Oaks 

Community Center, providing social, educational and cultural activities, as 

well as information, referral and counseling services to persons living in 

Redwood City and neighboring communities. Redwood City Parks is more 

than you think! Its website is located at www.redwoodcity.org/parks. 

As I Was Saying… (Continued from page 6) 

Councilmembers Ian Bain and Seybert. Members of the Redwood City 

Police Department, the county Sheriff’s Office and the Redwood City Fire 

Department were all represented, as was the business community. The event 

raised around $7,000 and over a hundred presents to be wrapped. 

There was even a surprise Santa (rumored to be local businessman Alpio 

Barbara) arriving on the new PAL motorcycle, escorted by Aguirre. Needless 

to say, the event was a complete success and fun was had by all. 

.… 

After that, toy and book drive organizers held the annual wrapping party at the 

Red Morton Community Center. It was an amazing thing to watch as over 400 

community members (schools, churches, nonprofit groups, businesses, etc.) 

showed up to wrap presents for the over 500 families that were granted gifts 

for the holidays, to be delivered by Santa with assistance from firefighters and 

police/sheriff officers. 

During the event, PAL took the opportunity to present the Alpio Barbara 

Citizen of the Year award to Lynn Gardener and Christine Gassman for the 

community work they do on the toy and book drive and other PAL activities. 

Food for the event was donated by local restaurants, and everyone there was 

full of Christmas cheer and community spirit. A very inspiring event! 

.… 

I enjoy doing special things for my family and friends, and during the holidays 

it is the perfect time to do so. There was something I wanted to do for three of 

my closest friends, but I wanted to surprise them. So I took the opportunity to 

make plans with them, a married couple and a female friend of mine, and told 

them we were going to meet for a holiday beverage and dinner at Lutticken’s 

After 5 Wine Bar. I also told them we would not have to worry about having 

too many beverages because we would not need to drive to where we were 

going after dinner. They were thrilled and very surprised when a limousine 

picked us up. 

As we began our ride and continued on a route toward the freeway, we 

encountered some traffic and then someone hit us from behind, startling us 

all. No one was hurt, but the front of the Mercedes Benz was. While we were 

waiting for the drivers to exchange information, I revealed that we were 

(continues on page 26) 


Insurance Tips: How to Obtain a Good Auto Insurance Policy 

By Hector Flamenco, Special to The Spectrum 

Auto insurance is very important and can account for a sizable portion 

of your monthly budget. Depending on many factors, such as how many 

vehicles you have, your driving record and age, auto insurance can run 

into the thousands of dollars per year. Even though the cost of the policy is 

important, it is also important to make sure you’re adequately covered. 

Shop around 

The insurance industry is very competitive, and there are seemingly 

countless companies to choose from. So, with so many options available, the 

best thing you can do is to shop around. You’ll be surprised how the exact 

same level of coverage can vary between companies. 

With a lot of companies offering online services, it is easier than ever to 

get quotes, but don’t stop there. You’ve seen the commercials for companies 

that boast about the savings, but don’t ignore your local insurance companies. 

Usually a quick phone call is all it takes to obtain a quote from them. 

Get discounts 

Do you have a clean driving record? You may qualify for a discount. Are you 

a member of a professional organization or auto club? You may qualify for a 

discount. There are many ways that you can obtain a discount on your policy, 

so be sure that when you’re shopping around, you mention anything that 

might qualify. 

Also, don’t forget multiple-policy discounts. If you own a home, it might 

be worthwhile to check with that insurance company to see what kind of 

discount you could receive by purchasing your auto insurance through them. 

In many cases, this could mean a reduction of up to 20 percent on either your 

homeowners or auto insurance premium. 

Drive a less expensive car or drop some coverage 

The type of car you drive plays a big role in determining how much your 

premium will be. More expensive vehicles will generally have a higher 

premium. In addition, insurance companies keep tabs on what vehicles are 

more likely to be stolen. If you drive a car that is a target for thieves, expect 

to pay more for coverage. 

If you are insuring an older vehicle, it may be time to drop some of the 

coverage. For example, if you are driving an older car that is only worth a 

couple thousand dollars, it probably isn’t worth paying for comprehensive 

coverage. In many cases, after you factor in the premium and deductible after 

an accident, you have spent more than the car is worth. So, it might make 

sense to drop everything but liability coverage on an older vehicle. 

Don’t underinsure 

If you are facing high premiums, don’t simply reduce coverage in order to 

save money. Remember, when you are driving, you are putting your life 

and the lives of others on the line. Reducing coverage will simply reduce 

the amount of liability and injury coverage. With the high cost of medical 

treatment, even a relatively minor injury to you or others could go beyond 

what a low-coverage policy might cover. 

You want to be sure that you are insured enough to protect yourself 

and your assets in the case of a lawsuit. While most states have minimum 

coverage requirements, they are usually far lower than what you should be 

considering if you want to protect yourself. 

Buy insurance from a reputable company 

In the event of a claim, you want to be insured by a company that will pay 

out. If you try to save a few bucks by dealing with an insurance company that 

isn’t highly rated, you may find yourself having difficulty if you need to file a 

claim. Many of these companies will also entice you with a low initial quote, 

but come renewal time, they will surprise you with a large increase. 

Editor’s note: Please note that this article is for general information only and is not a 

professional consultation. Always seek specific information from a licensed insurance 

professional. Hector Flamenco is an agent with State Farm Insurance. Visit his website at 

www.flamencoinsurance.com. 


A Minute With Fred Hoffknecht 

Fred Hoffknecht was born in Merced. He attended Our Lady of Mercy through eighth 

grade and graduated from Merced Union High School in 1977. He then attended Merced 

Community College, where he got an associate degree in journalism. 

His first full-time job was delivering furniture for Millers Manor in Merced. His first 

job in the media business was with the Peninsula Times Tribune as the prepress 

assistant and in ad services. He then worked for the Alameda Newspaper Group and 

Independent Newspaper Group, where he did newspaper layout and editorial cartoons. 

The Independent turned into the Examiner, where he continued to work. 

He is currently looking for full-time employment as he freelances at various companies, 

including The Spectrum Magazine, as a graphic artist, photographer and computer specialist. 

Fred is single and lives in the Sequoia High School neighborhood. 

His hobbies include photography, music, movies and socializing. 

The local media industry today is? 

Evolving. 

Redwood City because? 

Has a little bit of everything. 

What is one thing you could tell us about 

yourself that others would be shocked to know? 

I have not traveled far and beyond. 

Who did you wish you were when you were a kid? 

Charles Schulz, the author of “Peanuts.” 

What phrase do you most overuse? 

Not exactly. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

Being secure, satisfied and well-loved by family 

and friends. 

What is your motto? 

Be considerate of others. 

You are inspired by? 

People that are successful at what they do. 

Memorable moment? 

Getting my first newspaper job. 

What is a dream you have or something you’d 

like to accomplish in your life? 

Make a career out of the collective talents I have. 

If you’re happy and you know it? 

Share the wealth. 

Choose a movie title for the story of your life. 

“The Big Lebowski.” 

As I Was Saying… (Continued from page 24) 

on our way to see the one and only Barry Manilow in concert in San Jose. 

Screams and yells of joy rang out. Love it! 

Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and had great third-row 

aisle seats. He was amazing, and by the end of the concert, we were ready to 

sign on for the Fanilow Club card. Promptly after the concert, we were picked 

up and we sang Barry songs the entire way home. I am sure the driver loved 

us! It was a great night and so much fun surprising a few of the special people 

in my life. 

.… 

Sometimes I think the “what goes around, comes around” philosophy really 

exists, because it just so happened that very dear friends of mine had some 

points left for a stay at one of their timeshares and could not use it, so they 

offered it to me. What a great surprise. 

The only potential hang-up was that I had to arrange the stay before the 

end of December. Oh, don’t worry, I was more than willing to rearrange my 

schedule and take some time away. But I had to do it before the third week of 

the month because I wanted to be here for Christmas festivities. One phone 

call and my five-day vacation was booked. 

I chose to go to Phoenix, Ariz., because the temperature was expected to be 

in the high 60s and I had not visited there before. Once I got there, I posted 

on Facebook that I had arrived at the JW Marriott, and within 15 minutes, 

a friend of mine from Redwood City texted me that she was in the bar area 

at the same hotel having dinner and beverages. Needless to say, within 30 

minutes I was too. A great unexpected surprise, to say the least. 

I got to visit with other friends there, had some “me” time shopping, 

sleeping, exercising, steam-rooming, swimming, relaxing in the Jacuzzi, 

eating and even watching a few movies while ordering room service. The 

entire stay was just what I needed and lasted just long enough for me to start 

missing home a little. OK, a lot! After all, it was time to get back to family 

and friends to share Christmas. 

Of course, I also attended other events and gatherings, both personal and 

work-related, but I am running out of space. Each one had its own special 

meaning, special offerings, special people, special surprises and special 

memories. I hope that all our readers experienced the same and continue that 

community spirit into the new year. 

Now on to some comments about a few political happenings. “Bah, humbug!” 

Back to reality. Well, maybe I will wait until next month for that. 

Yes, I like that idea. 

As I was saying… 

.… 

.… 

.… 


I am so thankful for so much this year! 

John represented both buyers and sellers 

last year for a total of 33 transactions. 

Working Together! 

The Nelson Family 

First and foremost, I thank my wife, 

Robin and my kids, Lilly and Max, 

who make my life worth living and 

are my motivation and inspiration to 

be the best father and real estate 

agent I can be. I love you guys! 

My manager, Wendy McPherson, at my Coldwell Banker Real Estate office who has been my mentor, supporter and driver 

of my real estate career for over 20 years. 

Steve Penna at The Spectrum Magazine for being a great and inspirational friend, gym buddy and trusted marketing 

advisor who has made a true difference in my business and life. 

Gordon Bliss and all the trainers and staff at Mobius Fitness on Woodside Road for all their continued support and 

inspiration and for making me feel welcome. 

Corrin and Virginia Trowbridge at Farmers Insurance, our good neighbors and friends, trusted insurance advisers who 

saved us and my clients a bundle this year and our partners in our Woodside Plaza neighborhood parties at Maddux Park. 

Raffi Soghomonian at Bank of America, my friend and trusted mortgage broker and advisor who has been rock solid 

during these difficult business times in the banking business and who always comes through. 

Art Fuenzalida, Loren, and all the crew at First American Title Company who keep my sales straight and on target. 

Claudia Connors at Casa Bella Lifestyles Staging & Design, my trusted home stager who can take a good home and make 

it great AND more valuable. 

Sang Han at Sierra Painting, my friend and trusted painter, for making my listings, my friends’ and clients’ homes and my 

own home come alive with a new coat of paint. 

Dave Piper at Piper's Plumbing, our neighbor in Woodside Plaza, our trusted plumber who I can count on for emergencies 

and who keeps my clients’ homes free flowing and leak free. 

Lilly's National Letter of Intent signing at Bentley's 

Restaurant in Redwood City. She'll be swimming for 

Duquesne University in Pittsburg, PA. Go Dukes! 

John at S.H. Roofing, our trusted roofer who is always there when I or my clients need him, always with a smile and a 

reasonable solution. 

Pete Hardy, my trusted and creative photographer, who makes my listings come alive in print and on line. 

Matt over at British European Motors on Spring Street for being our trusted auto mechanic that keeps me and my family 

on the road. 

Our Community IS a Special Place To Live 

My fellow board members at P.A.L. for allowing me to serve with some of the finest people I've ever met, to forward our cause of 

supporting youth activities for our local kids. I am honored to be a part of such a fine and respected organization. 

The policemen and policewomen that protect us from harm and make us feel secure just knowing they are there. They put themselves 

in harm’s way every day to serve and to protect. 

The firemen and firewomen, the EMT’s and the local hospitals that keep watch in our city, that will be there when duty calls and 

that will care for us when we are in need. 

Our garbage men that come tirelessly every week to pick up our trash and recycling - they never drop a single scrap of paper! 

Our street cleaners who I rarely see yet I see the fruits of their labor every day when we take our dog for a walk in the neighborhood 

or drive over to a friend’s house. Imagine what our neighborhoods would look like without the street cleaners. 

How about our Redwood City Postal Service? Whenever I send something out locally, it gets there the next day. It still seems 

magical to me and I really appreciate what they do. 

Chris Beth over at Redwood City Parks & Rec and all the good people that help keep our parks clean and comfortable and inviting. 

Anybody who's ever gone to any of our parks in Redwood City can appreciate the work that those people do. 

The public school districts, both Redwood City and Sequoia, with its teachers, administrators, and support staff. That is a tough 

job in anybody's book and while they are scrutinized to a high degree, they are performing the invaluable task of teaching our 

children. 

How about our Mayor, Alicia Aguirre, City Council, and all the various departments and workers throughout our City Hall? While 

we tend to hear more about the complaints about issues with the city we tend to forget to thank them for what they do and for 

keeping our city rolling smoothly. That is a tough and sometimes thankless job. We appreciate you! 

My Woodside Plaza neighbors that have turned our street and neighborhood from just a place to live to a community that we can 

truly call home. 

My wonderful and much appreciated clients 

that helped me hit 33 transactions this year: 

♦ Ben and Becky ♦ Anne and Bob ♦ Leif (3) ♦ David and Janice 

Marilyn (2) ♦ Kristin and Matt ♦ Bob and Barbara ♦ Alan and Chris 

♦ Amit (10) ♦ Chelsea and Andrew ♦ Brian ♦ Chris and Stella ♦ 

Addison ♦ Josh and Sarah ♦ Salofi ♦ James and Julie ♦ Sione and 

Tiffany ♦ Donna ♦ Charlie and Anne ♦ Jeff and Rochelle ♦ Britney ♦ 

John Nelson 

Coldwell Banker President's Elite 

Previews Property Specialist 

930 Santa Cruz Avenue 

Menlo Park, CA 94025 

DIRECT: (650) 566-5355 

CEL: (650) 888-4408 

FAX: (650) 323-7128 

jnelson@cbnorcal.com 

www.NelsonSells.com

Happy New 

Year to the 

Redwood City 

community!

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