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

Working and Living on the Edge 

Peter Ingram 

Continuing the Journey Forward! 

Also in this issue: 

Do you know the way to Monterey? 

$250K to $6.8 million — Who’s counting? 

in “As I Was Saying…” 

Tom’s Outdoor Furniture combines 

hands, brains and heart to 

create an unsurpassed craft 

Liebengood documentary to preview, 

Relay for Life fights back 

and Immigrants Day is near

www.SpectrumMagazine.net

The Spectrum.APRIL.09 

Steve Penna 

Owner and Publisher 

penna@spectrummagazine.net 

Anne Callery 

Copy Editor 

writers@spectrummagazine.net 

Judy Buchan 

Contributing Writer 


Michael Erler 



Nicole Minieri 



James Massey 

Graphic Designer 

James R. Kaspar 

Cover/Cover Story Photography 

jkaspar@sonic.net 

Valerie Harris 

Internet Maintenance 

Contact Information: 

Phone 650-368-2434 

E-mail addresses listed above 

www.spectrummagazine.net 

Welcome to the April issue of The Spectrum Magazine. We are not “fooling” you when we tell you we 

have some fantastic people, activities and businesses to tell you about this month. 

We are excited to bring you our cover story on City Manager Peter Ingram. Contributing writer Judy 

Buchan profiles Redwood City’s “CEO” 10 months into his new position. Although he has been a 

member of the city staff for many years, he has stepped into his new position at a time when several 

challenges are affecting progress in many areas. How is he dealing with it all? 

We are also pleased to bring you this month’s business profile on Tom’s Outdoor Furniture. Contributing 

writer Nicole Minieri will tell you all about how the business adjusted to its move from Menlo Park 

to Redwood City and how owner Tom Haid has embraced our community and established his quality 

business here. 

Publisher Steve Penna’s column, “As I Was Saying…,” touches on the subjects of the county’s payment 

of $6.8 million to the U.S. government, white flags being waved in the Carcione lawsuit against the city 

and the recent Chamber of Commerce Progress Seminar in Monterey. 

We also bring you our regular features on community interests and senior activities, financial advice by 

David Amann, information from the Redwood City School District, a look at Redwood City “Through 

the Years,” parties around town, news briefs, cultural events and popular feature “A Minute With.” 

We encourage you to support our advertisers by using their services when you are out shopping, dining 

or enjoying yourself with friends and family. Providing a variety of services, food and beverages, many 

of them have special offers for you to cut out and present, so please take the time to look over their ads 

this month and use their coupons and discounts. That is what they are there for, and by using them, you 

show you appreciate their offers. 

As more activities in the downtown area and throughout our city begin, we encourage you to celebrate 

our community and participate. We also thank you for your continued support and readership! 

Contents 

This Month’s Photo Shoot – 4 

RCSD Corner – 5 

“As I Was Saying...” – 6 

Liebengood Documentary 

“Serious Radio” to Preview 

at Rotary Fundraiser – 7 

Cultural Events – 8 

“Step Outside and Enjoy Yourself... 

All Year Long!” – 9 

Relay for Life: 

The Community Fights Back – 12 

Through the Years – 14 

Community Interests – 15 

A Conversation with City Manager 

Peter Ingram – 18 

Nonprofits in Action – 21 

Shop Redwood City – 23 

Immigrants Day Festival Offers a Taste of Life 

Abroad, Literally – 26 

News Briefs – 30 

Finance: Your Tax Refund: Invest Today 

for Tomorrow’s Goals – 33 

Senior Activities – 33 

A Minute With Silvia Vonderlinden – 34 

The Spectrum 3

Inside The Spectrum: Cover Story Photo Shoot 

The photo shoot with cover subject and City Manager Peter Ingram was arranged by 

Spectrum publisher Steve Penna for Thursday, April 9, at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall on 

Middlefield Road. 

Cover story photographer James Kaspar arrived first and waited for Penna, whom he 

soon noticed entering from the back of the building and stopping to talk with city staff 

behind the desks. City Hall is a very inviting and open facility that fosters conversation 

and commerce. Kaspar and Penna went upstairs to Ingram’s office and began the shoot. 

When shooting a cover subject, Penna is very particular about how he wants the 

person to be portrayed. He and Kaspar talk and move around the selected environment 

several times, trying to find the best light and background to place the subject in. They 

started in Ingram’s office and moved into the office and lobby area outside his open 

door in hopes of capturing just the right shot. 

Because Penna has covered events and activities in Redwood City for so long, he 

has known Ingram for many years. The two were very comfortable and candid with 

each other and appeared to be friendlier than mere professional acquaintances. During 

the entire shoot, the three men enjoyed conversation that helped them all to relax and 

Ingram to look more natural and “real.” 

It was apparent that Ingram is well liked by his staff. During the shoot, employees 

came out of their offices to watch, and one would think they were almost cheering him 

on. They seemed proud that he was being acknowledged, almost as if he were a sibling. 

The entire shoot took just about one hour. 

Only 10 months into his new job, Ingram has already faced the obstacles of 

the Measure W initiative, the Carcione lawsuit that basically halted downtown 

development, a potential new jail and the stand by residents to not allow it, an 

unacceptable precise plan and a budget crisis, all while he has been trying to adjust his 

staff and the City Council to a new way of doing things. 

The Spectrum salutes Ingram, salutes his new ideas and new ways of doing things 

and, most importantly, salutes his perseverance in taking on the responsibilities of 

heading a community that is going through serious changes, doing so with a positive 

and tenacious attitude. 

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RCSD Corner: News From the Redwood City School District 

Festival of the Arts Showcases Student Talent in Redwood City Schools 

Redwood City K–8 schools have earned 

recognition for rising test scores in the last few 

years, but an upcoming Festival of the Visual and 

Performing Arts in the Redwood City School 

District shows that students in Redwood City 

schools are focused on more than just reading, 

writing, math and science. 

The festival is a first-time event for Redwood 

City schools and will kick off with an exhibit of 

student art featured in the storefront Phantom 

Galleries located throughout downtown Redwood 

City beginning in mid-May. The festival will 

culminate with a showcase of music, drama, 

dance and visual artwork at the Courthouse 

Square on Tuesday, June 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. This 

family-friendly event is free and open to the 

public. 

The storefront Phantom Galleries will display a 

colorful collection of student drawings, paintings 

and collage artwork that pedestrians can view as 

they walk on Broadway and Jefferson from May 

11 through the end of June. Featured artists will 

represent students from 15 of the Redwood City 

School District’s schools. 

Student art pieces will be selected for display 

by each school’s visual and performing arts 

liaison, and student artists along with their 

families, friends and teachers will be invited to 

an artists’ reception in their honor on Sunday, 

May 17, at the Phantom Gallery space at 2125 

Broadway. 

Visual and performing arts liaisons are teachers 

from each school who attend extensive training in 

how to incorporate California state standards for 

the arts into classroom curriculum and lessons. 

These teachers then take the training they’ve 

received and provide professional development to 

their colleagues so that other teachers can learn 

creative techniques for integrating visual and 

performing arts into academic lessons. 

“This year our liaisons focused especially 

on the visual arts,” said Iris Ross, visual and 

performing arts coordinator for the district. “We 

learned about the elements and the language of 

art, and how to bring that into other parts of the 

curriculum that teachers are using.” 

The visual and performing arts liaison program 

is new to the district this year and was developed 

by a districtwide committee of parents, teachers 

and administrators. 

“Since the district does not receive enough 

funding to provide an art teacher for every school, 

or even art teachers that can teach at several 

schools, we wanted a committee of parents and 

staff who are passionate about the arts to study 

ways that we could stretch funding so that every 

student in the district receives some instruction in 

the arts,” said District Superintendent Jan Christensen. 

In addition to receiving training and providing 

professional development to their colleagues, the 

liaisons are planning and organizing the Festival 

of the Visual and Performing Arts under the 

guidance of Ross. 

Despite over $4 million in cuts to its budget 

over the last few years, the Redwood City School 

District has tapped into every possible resource 

to keep the arts alive for kindergarten through 

eighth-grade students in its district. In addition 

to a small amount of funding received from 

the state for the arts this year, the district also 

receives private donations from the Redwood City 

Education Foundation, school PTAs and parent 

clubs to fund programs in the arts. Programs 

vary from school to school, but include Music 

for Learning for all second- through fourthgraders 

and instrumental music offered to all 

fifth- through eighth-graders. Some schools also 

offer Art in Action classes, after-school drama and 

musicals, and dance programs. 

“We have been fortunate to offer a range of 

programs in the arts, despite the serious budget 

challenges we have faced in recent years,” 

said Christensen. “We know that visual and 

performing arts enhances learning and feeds the 

soul, so we hope we can continue to raise the 

funds to pay for these vital programs.” 

The Festival of the Visual and Performing Arts, 

featuring music, drama, dance and visual artwork 

by Redwood City students, will be held 5–8 p.m. 

on June 2 at Courthouse Square. The event is free 

and open to the public. 

Portrait collage completed by RCSD first-grader 


As I Was 

Saying… 

Publisher | Steve Penna 

The Redwood City Chamber of Commerce held its 

annual Progress Seminar in Monterey, and by all 

accounts it was another huge success. Although it was 

not the complete sell-out as in years past (economic 

times limited some from going), some 175 communityminded 

residents, business, political, and individual 

leaders from throughout the county were in attendance. 

The seminar is orchestrated as a vehicle for attendees 

to escape into a comfortable atmosphere and candidly 

discuss issues that are facing our community and state. 

The weekend started on Friday with registration and a 

welcome reception. Then everyone unofficially broke 

into groups or couples or whatever and went out to 

dinner or socialized, or maybe did what I would have 

done—just go to my room and kick back and relax. 

Saturday started off with an opening general session 

breakfast followed by six “break-out” sessions. 

This year, those sessions included: 1) Banking on the 

Peninsula, 2) Greening our Economy, 3) How do we 

fix the mess in Sacramento (guess who moderated that? 

Yes, County Supervisor Rich Gordon) 4) The nonprofit 

challenge, 5) Silver Tsunami: Impact on education 

and workforce training and 6) High Speed Rail – The 

impact on the Peninsula. 

A general session for lunch and an evening session 

wrapped up a very full Saturday. Sunday’s breakfast 

and closing general session featured keynote speaker Dr. 

BehnamTabrizi, Consulting Associate Professor, Stanford 

University, and author of “Rapid Transformation.” The 

seminar adjourned promptly at 11 a.m. 

I have to admit, although I am a very active 

Chamber member and believe that our members 

contribute immensely to our community and also foster 

“commerce,” I have not attended the seminar until this 

year. Some, including myself, feel that the seminar 

should be held in San Mateo County, thus keeping 

attendees’ monies and tax dollars local. That argument 

has great merit. But so does the concern that if it were 

held locally, attendees might go home and not stay in 

hotels, attend all discussion sessions or after and before 

social events. So the debate will continue. 

So I decided to go down this year to basically cover 

the social aspect of the event. All six City Council 

candidates had registered to go, as had all seated 

Council members, several other elected officials from 

the county, City Council members from other cities, 

School Boards, Hospital Boards, union officials, 

business leaders, etc., so I knew it would be a great time 

since I enjoy being around most of those people. Also, 

the topics of the sessions did not really interest me, so 

missing them would not bother me at all. 

I arrived just in time for a pre-cocktail party gathering 

on Saturday and then was off to the official evening 

reception. Everyone was in high spirits and the general 

feeling was very comfortable. Although we were in a 

social setting, most were discussing topics of interest 

and building relationships and sharing information – 

which is an important aspect of the event. 

www.SpectrumMagazine.net 

A lot of the discussion seemed to surround the topic 

of High Speed rail. I for one don’t understand the whole 

high-speed rail “bandwagon.” How can anyone besides 

maybe union representatives (because of the jobs it 

will create), be excited about us spending that kind of 

money on a project that I will probably never use? If I 

want to go to Los Angeles I will fly. It is faster, more 

convenient, safer and far less hassle. But advocates 

for the project are very visible and working everyone 

they can. On the Peninsula, the project has encountered 

opposition from several communities including Menlo 

Park, Atherton and Palo Alto. Redwood City has thus far 

been surprisingly quiet on the matter, probably because 

we could use one of the main stations here. If you listen 

to the advocates, a high-speed rail station here will 

create huge business and sales tax revenues around the 

area and bring in hundreds of new commuters per week. 

There are so many questions to be addressed on the 

topic. When you think about it, how many times have 

you gone to L.A. in the past ten years? When do you 

plan to go there next? Is it really worth all the cost? 

What about the businesses and homeowners that will be 

displaced by the expansion of the tracks if they are to 

be where the Caltrain tracks are now? Where will they 

go and how will they be compensated if they lose their 

property? How would I feel if that were my home or 

business? Is the desired location the best one on the Peninsula? 

Why not down Highway 280 and connect in San Jose? 

If the rail system is a success, than how many jobs will 

be affected and lost at the San Francisco Airport if flights 

are cancelled due to a change of travel patterns? Are they 

not concerned about their jobs? And where in the world 

will we come up with all this month to pay for all this? 

Needless to say, there is a lot more to debate on the issue. 

After the Saturday reception it was off to a party 

thrown by Norcal Waste Systems. It was a fantastic 

event and also served as a vehicle for most to continue 

the dialog and “commerce” of the event. 

I headed home Sunday morning and could not have 

been in better spirits. Even though I did not attend any 

“official” sessions, I absolutely got the spirit of the 

event and felt more “community” than ever before. 

Excited about the possibilities of what “we” can do if 

we all discuss, dissect and decide as a community. I am 

really a sucker for anything that makes me yell “yea!” 

Whether we could have accomplished that in our 

community is now something I have to look at. Maybe 

you have to go outside your own backyard to really be 

able to see what is in it? I will definitely be attending the 

entire event next year and look forward to it. 

.… 

Recently City Council candidate Kevin Bondonno held 

his campaign kickoff event at the Community Activities 

Building on Roosevelt Avenue. Cheering him on were; 

Vice Mayor Diane Howard, city commissioners Shawn 

White and Jeri Richardson, and community leaders 

Pete and Ginny Hughes, Pat Black, Lou Covey and 

Colton Danes. 

What struck me most about his event was that he had 

mostly neighbors, friends, parents and children there, 

many who are not involved with city politics. They are 

just concerned about the direction the city is taking and 

seem to want to support someone who could identify 

with them – and he did. I have not heard Bondonno speak 

before and was very impressed by his sincerity and the 

way he grasps the issues facing our community. He actually 

talked about the gang issue – something others seem 

to shy away from so far in this campaign and one our 

community, according to surveys, finds as the most prevalent 

of all issues. That type of frankness and willingness 

to talk “real” issues is just what might be needed to 

differentiate one candidate from the other in this race. 

This is not the first time Bondonno has run for 

council. He ran in 2007 and came in behind four 

incumbents – placing fifth behind Councilman Ian 

Bain. Many saw that run as an attempt to get his name 

“out there” and position himself as a frontrunner in this 

November’s election. Whether that strategy will work 

or not is yet to be seen. But it is clear that he will be a 

strong candidate and will be able to raise the funds and 

support to wage a competitive campaign. 

The top topics of the campaign for the candidates are 

gearing up to be: Gang activity, potential new jail in 

Redwood City, budget strategies and cuts, the proposed 

development in the Downtown area and the Cargill Salt 

property, and the levees in Redwood Shores. 

Candidate Jeff Gee will hold his kick-off event on 

Sunday May 24 in his neighborhood of Redwood Shores. 

.… 

There are now seven. Yep, Taylor Smith has thrown 

his hat into the City Council race. A complete newbie 

to the political scene, Smith has lived in Redwood City 

for the past 13 years and is the owner of the Electric 

Green Showroom – a dealership in San Carlos selling 

Electrical Scooters and supplies. He has appeared on 

stage at the Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City, has spoken 

in front of the Peninsula Sunrise Rotary Club, and 

applied for the Historic Resources Advisory Committee 

in 2005 but was not seated. 

He attended the University of California at Davis and 

achieved his master’s in Public Administration from the 

College of Notre Dame in Belmont, California. He and 

his wife Koryne have three children, one girl and two boys. 

He told me that it was his visit to the Rotary Club that 

prompted him to think about running for office. That 

he has given back to the community “here and there” 

and now wants to give back a little more. He believes 

in a proactive city government and not one that bets its 

future and waits for the State or Federal legislatures to 

tell us what to do. “We need to go out and get it done,” 

he said. 

(continued on page 32)

Liebengood Documentary “Serious Radio” to Preview at Rotary Fundraiser 

Former KRON sportscaster Pete Liebengood’s documentary “Serious Radio” 

— the inspirational story of a young Malawian man’s campaign to prevent 

HIV and AIDS with the support of people in Redwood City — will preview 

Thursday, May 21, at a fundraiser open to the public and sponsored by the 

Redwood City Rotary Club. 

“Serious Radio” is a half-hour documentary about 30-year-old Bayana 

Chunga, whose one-man mission is the education of teenagers in Malawi 

about AIDS prevention. Chunga lives in Blantyre, Malawi, operating a 

radio ministry. His vision is to bring hope to Malawi through this medium. 

Through education and inspiration, his dream is for his people to find hope 

that will erase the painful wounds caused by the AIDS scourge and replace 

them with eternal triumph. 

Malawi, with a population of 14 million people, has one of the highest 

incidences of AIDS in the world. With 14 percent of the population infected, 

80,000 Malawians die every year from the disease. Life expectancy is just 

37 years, and there are 1.3 million orphans in Malawi — half of them the 

children of AIDS victims. 

Liebengood’s OnQCo film production crew — which consists of his wife, 

Redwood City Councilwoman Alicia Aguirre, and himself — recently spent 

two weeks filming the story of Chunga, doing work financed by members of 

the Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City. 

Redwood City Rotary will host the fundraiser and preview to support two 

Malawi-based projects: Chunga’s “Wings of Hope” educational programs and 

“Partners in Malawi,” a medical mission founded by Dr. Perry Jansen, which 

is also supported by Peninsula Covenant Church. 

The public is invited to the film preview, which will include hors d’oeuvres, 

wine and an auction, at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center. Tickets are 

$50 per person ($10 students, $40 seniors) and may be obtained by sending 

a check to Rotary Club of Redwood City, District 5150, P.O. Box 2605, 

Redwood City, CA 94064, or by calling Don Horsley at 650-365-0187. 

For more information, please check the Redwood City Rotary Club Web 

site at www.redwoodcityrotary.org. 

Bayana Chunga, Redwood City Councilwoman Alicia Aguirre and OnQCo Producer 

(and Aguirre’s husband) Pete Liebengood, filming “Serious Radio” on location in Malawi. 

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Cultural Events 

San Mateo County History Museum 

2200 Broadway St., Redwood City 

650-299-0104 

www.historysmc.org 

Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 

$2–$4; free for children 5 and under 

The History Museum is housed inside the historic 1910 County Courthouse. 

Over 50,000 people visit the museum each year, and the number of local 

residents who hold memberships is growing. The History Museum teaches 

approximately 14,000 children each year through the on- and off-site 

programs. The museum houses the research library and archives that 

currently hold over 100,000 photographs, prints, books and documents 

collected by the San Mateo County Historical Association. 

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 those 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. 

The exhibit chronicles the entrepreneurs who made San Mateo County 

internationally known. 

Land of Opportunity: The Immigrant Experience in San Mateo County. 

The exhibit tells the stories of the diverse people who came to the area 

and explores how different groups faced hardships and discrimination. 

It highlights the experiences of the early immigrant groups — Chinese, 

Japanese, Irish, Italians and Portuguese — in the late 1800s. 

Living the California Dream. The exhibit depicts the development of the 

suburban culture of San Mateo County. 

The Celtic Tiger: The Irish Economic Miracle. The exhibit explores how the 

Bay Area has participated in Ireland’s current economic boom. 

Immigrants Day Festival — 

Honoring Our Heritage 

Saturday, May 16, 12–5 p.m. (food 

tasting 12–2 p.m.) 

Free admission ($5 for food 

tasting card) 

Discover the traditions immigrant groups have 

brought to the area. The festival features food, 

craft activities for families and performances 

by African-American, Basque, Chinese, 

Croatian, Filipino, Irish, Italian, Japanese, 

Mexican and Portuguese groups. The event 

highlights the museum’s exhibit “Land of 

Opportunity: The Immigrant Experience in San 

Mateo County.” 

The Broadway Lounge 

700 Winslow Ave. 

650-365-3353 

www.murfsbroadwaycocktaillounge.com 

The Ron Gariffo Orchestra is now appearing on the first and third 

Wednesday nights of every month, 8–11 p.m., at the Broadway Lounge. Hear 

audio clips from their new album at www.rgorchestra.com. 

Cañada College Theater Department 

Presents ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favor’ 

The Redwood Symphony Orchestra and Cañada College Theater Arts 

Department co-produce this powerful and rarely produced play by Tom 

Stoppard, with music by André Previn. Two men are held in a Soviet mental 

hospital. One is a political prisoner, struggling for his integrity and for his 

release; the other, a schizophrenic, fights to control the orchestra he hears 

playing in his mind — an orchestra that actually shares the stage with the 

actors. Will they survive their “treatment” and each other? 

This production will be held on one weekend only. The opening-night show 

is Friday, May 1, at 8 p.m. in the Cañada College Main Theater. The play also 

shows on Saturday, May 2, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. Cost is $16 

for general admission and $12 for students and seniors. To reserve tickets, 

call 650-306-3396. 

Advertise with 

The Spectrum 

650.368.2434 


“Step Outside and Enjoy Yourself … All Year Long!” 

By Nicole Minieri, Contributing Writer 

There is an old saying: “A man who works with 

his hands is a laborer. A man who works with 

his hands and his brain is a craftsman. But a 

man who works with his hands, his brain and his 

heart is an artist.” And there is no denying that 

Tom Haid, owner of Tom’s Outdoor Furniture 

at 1445 Veterans Blvd. in Redwood City, is 

that distinctive type of artist whose hands and 

brain partner with his heart to design, build and 

assemble fine, grade A sustainable teak furniture 

that is precisely suited to the individual as well as 

to the outdoor environment. 

Haid started Tom’s Outdoor Furniture in 

1999 on El Camino Real in Menlo Park before 

relocating to Redwood City. The new facility, 

right off Highway 101, has an expanded 

showroom and is improved overall. “We had to 

move because we grew out of our location in 

Menlo Park,” said Haid. “And Redwood City is 

an excellent location for doing local business on 

the Peninsula.” The move to Redwood City has 

been a very smart move indeed; the business 

continues to double each year despite the current 

economic challenges. “We are very fortunate 

that the economy has not affected Tom’s Outdoor 

Furniture,” said Haid. “If anything, it keeps 

getting better. And, so far, this April has been one 

of our best months.” 

The engine behind this prosperous business 

is Haid himself and his committed crew, who 

consistently strive every day to provide exemplary 

customer service. With an unblemished Better 

Business Bureau record, Tom’s Outdoor Furniture 

is also a Diamond Certified company. In other 

words, the company is known as one that ranks 

high in quality, trust and customer satisfaction in 

the Bay Area. Going the extra mile while serving 

thousands of satisfied customers is common 

practice at Tom’s Outdoor Furniture. 

“We are known throughout the community for 

our outstanding customer service,” Haid said in 

response to being voted No. 1 on the Peninsula. 

“We build rock-solid furniture because our 

customers only want the best. People always 

say that we are very helpful and extremely 

accommodating, and partly because we actually 

have a person from our store who will visit 

the customer at their home at no extra charge. 

Providing a free consultation home service is an 

effective way for the customer and for us to figure 

out what piece of furniture will go with what 

they already have. It is also a great way to work 

out the strategies on how the furniture should be 

designed,” added Haid. 

Whether you are researching online or 

inquiring by word-of-mouth about your next 

outdoor purchase, you can count on hearing 

nothing but praise for Tom’s Outdoor Furniture. 

A few current testimonials and reviews 

include: “Everyone we have dealt with here 

has been fantastic. Very helpful and not pushy, 

just welcoming and friendly. The furniture 

is beautiful.” “I can recommend Tom’s for an 

overwhelming selection of fine outdoor teak 

furniture, excellent customer service and the best 

prices. My outdoor dining table and chairs are 

out year round and look as good as they did three 

years ago. I love teak and the low maintenance.” 

“I like the personal service, knowledgeable people 

and genuine involvement with the customer.” 

(continues on page 22) 

“We build rock-solid furniture because 

our customers only want the best.” 

Tom Haid welcomes you to his store

Redwood City Saltworks is a 1,433-acre industrial site located in Redwood City 


BRITTANIA SEAPORT CENTRE 

PACIFIC SHORES CENTER 

101 

STANFORD MEDICAL CENTER 

San Francisco Bay 

101 

DID YOU KNOW? 

• The Saltworks site is similar in size to Redwood Shores or the Presidio in San Francisco. 

• Salt has been produced on the site for more than 100 years. 

• The Saltworks site is immediately adjacent to major employment centers, like Pacific Shores 

Center, Britannia Seaport Centre, and the new Stanford Medical Campus. 

• Noted companies such as Dreamworks, Openwave and Protein Design Labs are located in 

the Pacific Shores Center. 

To learn more about the Saltworks site, please visit www.RCSaltworks.com or call us at 650-366-0500. 


Saltworks 

1700 Seaport Blvd., Suite 200 | Redwood City, CA 94063 

650.366.0500 | info@RCSaltworks.com | www.RCSaltworks.com 

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Relay for Life: The Community Fights Back 

Mia Lee Wagner and great-grandma Wanda walked 

their laps among the luminaria in the early morning. 

If you’ve ever lost a loved one to cancer, or celebrated with a beloved cancer survivor, then you know the 

importance of Relay for Life, the annual nationwide fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. 

Whether or not you have experienced either of those two life-changing situations, you can join those 

who have on May 30 at 10 a.m. at the Sequoia High School campus. 

This year, more than 33 teams are registered for the 13th Relay for Life in Redwood City. “This 

activity has raised more than $1 million for the American Cancer Society,” Corinne Centeno, chair 

of this year’s relay, said. “Our goal this year is to raise $115,000, to field 40 teams and to honor 100 

survivors,” she continued. 

All team members solicit donations to “fight back” for friends and relatives who are or who have been 

cancer patients. Funds support cancer treatment and cutting-edge research in the Bay Area. 

For 24 hours at least one member from each team will be walking the memorial path lined with 

donated luminaria — lanterns inscribed with names and messages in honor of survivors or in memory of 

those who lost their fight. 

“The luminaria-lighting ceremony at sunset is beyond awesome,” said Wanda Steffens, captain of 

Team Sequoia, a top fundraiser in recent years. 

“Family teams have kids of all ages,” explained Steffens, a two-time survivor. “My own family has 

four generations on our team. Our 3-year-old and 6-year old great-granddaughters walk laps and help 

place luminaria. Our team has walkers from 3 to almost 90. And they all walk and work.” 

Redwood City firefighters will barbeque hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken breasts provided by 

Sequoia Hospital for dinner on Saturday night. They will return on Sunday morning to serve pancakes 

for breakfast. 

Throughout the day, musical groups, games and stage performances will entertain walkers and 

“resters” alike. Cotton candy and snow cones lead a long list of refreshments. 

Local youth are very involved with the Relay for Life. Sequoia High will have six teams. Woodside 

Priory, Woodside High, Fox School and John Gill will have teams as well. 

A silent auction will offer Giants and 49ers tickets, gift baskets, toys, cases of wine and many other 

items. Call 650-726-6902 to make a donation to the auction. 

Survivors pose for a picture in front of the school. 

Sharkie gives a ride to Elizabeth Steffens. They’re followed by Emmalee Holmes, Maggie Holmes, Timmy Steffens and 

Maya Grossman. A tent city is visible in the background. 

Luminaria often have pictures of loved ones. 

HOPE is lit with luminaria. At about 10 p.m. the word changes to CURE, thanks to a Sequoia team. 


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REDWOOD CITY 

THROUGH THE YEARS 

A Brief History of Memorial Day and the Grand Army of the Republic 

By John G. Edmonds, President, Historic Union Cemetery Association 

Union soldier statue given by the GAR thanks to a 

donation from Mrs. Leland Stanford. 

George S. Evans Post No. 72, Grand Army of the Republic, meeting on the steps of the Congregational Church at Middlefield 

and Jefferson on Memorial Day, 1886. 

In early 1866 the Civil War 

had been over for several 

months, and the need for 

communities across 

America to care for those 

returning home from 

battle was becoming 

more and more difficult. 

Little preparation had 

been made for those who 

were missing limbs or 

had other serious injuries. 

Little was understood 

about emotional illness, 

and even those who were 

not physically injured were 

seriously ill emotionally. 

The most profound illness was 

emptiness. These men had lived 

together, fought together, saved each 

other’s lives and had survived. They 

developed a unique bond that only 

those who had similar experiences 

could really understand. This 

problem, in itself, led to a need for 

further camaraderie. 

The Grand Army of the Republic 

was started for that reason in 

Decatur, Ill., on April 6, 1866, 

by Benjamin F. Stephenson. 

Membership was limited to 

honorably discharged veterans of 

the Union Army, Navy, Marine 

Corps and the Revenue Cutter 

Service who had served between 

April 12, 1861, and April 9, 1865. 

Each community was called a 

“Post” and they were numbered 

consecutively. Each post was also 

given a name of somebody highly 

respected in the community or 

vicinity. 

The Grand Army of the Republic 

(GAR) was an immediate success, 

and by August 1871 more than half 

the survivors of the Civil War were 

members. Stephenson, who had 

been a surgeon of the 14th Illinois 

Infantry, had fought through to the 

end of the war. He died at age 43 

in August 1871 and really never 

saw the tremendous success of 

the organization he started. In the 

ensuing years, five U.S. presidents 

were members of the GAR. 

The local post in Redwood 

City began in 1886. The first 

officers were Benjamin A. Rankin, 

commander; Joseph H. Hallett, 

senior vice commander; John Poole, 

junior vice commander; Elbert O. 

Rhodes, adjutant; P.P. Chamberlain, 

quartermaster; C.B. Sears, surgeon; 

W.H. Pascoe, chaplain; E.W. 

Thompson, officer of the day; and 

L.L. Stevens, officer of the guard 

and sergeant major. 

The local chapter of the Women’s 

Relief Corps was led by Mrs. 

Geraldine Frisbie, who had married 

Will Frisbie, a Civil War veteran, 

following the death of her first 

husband, Lester Cooley. 

The first encampment of the 

General George S. Evans Post, No. 

72, was in 1886 on Memorial Day. 

The post had established a GAR 

plot in Union Cemetery, and several 

burials had occurred by Memorial 

Day of that year. The date of the 

first Decoration Day celebration is 

in dispute, but most people agree 

that it started in Boalsburg, Pa., 

population 800, and was celebrated 

on July 4, 1866. The first celebration 

on the West Coast was in San 

Francisco in 1868, with a parade 

that started on Montgomery and 

ended at Lone Mountain Cemetery. 

One of the more prominent 

members of the Women’s Relief 

Corps was Mrs. Leland Stanford. 

Mrs. Stanford donated $1,000 to 

the local chapter of the GAR for a 

Union Army soldier statue to be 

placed in the center of the GAR plot 

in Union Cemetery. 

The San Mateo County Times and 

Gazette on May 30, 1890, reported 

on the Memorial Day celebration: 

“The GAR statue was entwined with 

garlands of evergreens and roses 

and numerous bouquets deposited 

on the graves of the departed.” 

The statue has been a statement 

of patriotic appreciation for these 

many years. Although this soldier 

has taken a severe beating and 

has been broken on three different 

occasions by unconscionable people, 

he survives. 

This year, Memorial Day is on 

Monday, May 25. The program 

begins at 10 a.m., but the clamper 

band will begin earlier and the 

parade of charm will begin slightly 

before the beginning. The program 

will be a little bit longer this year 

because there are added attractions. 

After all, this is the 150th year 

of Union Cemetery, and yes, the 

anvil will fly again. If you have not 

witnessed this fine event, now is a 

good time to mark your calendars 

and come out to the cemetery to 

enjoy the color, the roses and the 

enthusiasm for the continuing 

improvements you will see. 


Community Interests 

Tim Griffith Memorial Foundation 

4th Annual Day at the Races 

On Saturday, May 9, the Turf Club at Golden Gate Fields will be the location 

for the fourth annual Tim Griffith Memorial Foundation Day at the Races. 

Golden Gate Fields is a spectacular racetrack on the San Francisco Bay in 

Albany. 

Mother’s Day is May 10, and what better way to celebrate Mom than 

to take her out for a lovely day in the Turf Club at Golden Gate Fields on 

Saturday! Post time is 12:45 p.m. Adults are $50, ages 19–30 are $35 and 

children under 18 are $15. The regular value of this package is $75 per 

person, and Golden Gate Fields has graciously offered us this incredible 

fundraising rate! 

Price includes valet parking, admission to the Turf Club, daily program 

and a great buffet lunch. They will also dedicate one race during the day to 

the foundation. This is a great way to spend time with family and friends and 

maybe make a little money as well! 

The Turf Club is a lovely indoor facility at the racetrack, with sweeping 

views of the track and the spectacular East Bay hills. Note: no tank tops, 

shorts or flip-flops are allowed in the Turf Club. 

There will be a hat contest! In the old racetrack style, dress up those hats 

and try to win a prize for the fanciest hat, the craziest hat or the “horsiest” hat 

— think mint juleps, Secretariat and the Kentucky Derby! 

This year the TGMF is pleased to be a part of the Redwood City Rotary 

Club’s raffle for a Toyota Prius! Tickets are $5 each, and all proceeds go directly to 

Tim’s House. There will also be a raffle for smaller items the day of the races, 

so you will get double the fun and value for your raffle ticket purchases. 

Register at www.remembertim.org and pay by credit card using the Google 

Checkout link. Or send a check to the TGMF, P.O. Box 570, El Camino Real 

#150-427, Redwood City, CA 94063-1262. 

Veterans Memorial Senior Center 

Military Honorary Luncheon: 

Celebrating Our Military, Past and Present 

On Thursday, May 21, from noon to 2 p.m., the Veterans Memorial Senior 

Center will honor our military personnel and veterans with a special luncheon 

tribute. This luncheon will feature special guest speakers and veterans of 

various wars, including current soldiers from Iraq. Special patriotic music, 

compliments of the VMSC Songbirds choir, and special guests, including 

Redwood City Mayor Rosanne Foust, will complete the event. All veterans 

will receive a discounted lunch for $4. Nonmilitary guests will pay $8. Please 

call Christina at 650-780-7343 to RSVP by Monday, May 18. 

Senior Center Chevy’s Fundraiser 

All Day Thursday, June 18 

Eat a delicious meal at Chevy’s in Redwood City on June 18 and help support 

the Redwood City Veterans Memorial Senior Center. Chevy’s will donate 25 

percent of the proceeds from your meal to their program! To get credit for 

your meals, make sure you present this fundraising notice (or pick up a flier 

at the center) to the server. The server will attach it to the receipt and give 

it to the manager. At the end of the event, Chevy’s will count the receipts 

and figure the amount of the donation. It’s that easy! Eat well and support 

a wonderful cause. To obtain additional fundraising fliers, please contact 

Christina at 650-780-7343 or pick some up in the lobby of the Veterans 

Memorial Senior Center. 

The Peninsula Celebration Association Needs 

Community Support 

of families and hundreds of thousands of local residents have attended these 

events. Over the last several years, the cost to produce the parade, festival and 

fireworks has continued to increase while resources available for these events 

have declined. 

Due to a combination of lower return on investments and higher overall 

cost of producing this citywide event, the PCA is projecting a $30,000 deficit 

in its 2009 operating budget. 

Without additional funding support, the PCA will have some difficult 

decisions to make about this year’s events. 

The size and scope of the parade and festival may be reduced and the 

fireworks could be eliminated. The organization needs help to continue these 

annual Independence Day events for Redwood City that the community has 

come to know and enjoy. 

Hopefully, with participation from individuals, families and local 

businesses, large and small, the PCA can maintain the high-quality family 

event that they are proud to have been presenting for the last 70 years in 

Redwood City. 

Individual donations are welcomed. Information about becoming an event 

sponsor can be found at www.parade.org or by calling the PCA office at 

650-365-1825. Monetary donations can be sent to Friends of the Peninsula 

Celebration Association, P.O. Box 5151, Redwood City, CA 94063-0151. 

The Friends of the Peninsula Celebration Association is a 501(c)(3) 

nonprofit organization. 

Dealership Closes After One Day 

Only one car was sold at the new Subaru dealership in Burlingame before 

it was temporarily closed by a state superior judge wanting to look into an 

appeal from a Redwood City lot selling the same brand. 

Putnam Automotive opened a Subaru location at 85 California Drive in 

Burlingame. Lawyers for Carlsen Subaru of Redwood City, 480 Veterans 

Blvd., filed a petition the same week pointing to a state statute preventing 

market saturation. A judge ordered Putnam to close until a hearing can be 

held to determine if the business can reopen. A challenge to the decision 

moved the case to a different judge and a yet-to-be-determined hearing date, 

said Michael Sieving, lawyer for Carlsen Subaru of Redwood City. 

Cars purchased by Kent Putnam were put in storage until the issue can 

be heard. The halt puts 10 to 15 jobs at the new dealership in limbo. Some 

employees have already quit, Putnam said. 

City officials were excited about the opening since new car revenue 

represents about 35 percent of sales tax coming into Burlingame. 

Opening the new location would probably put the Redwood City dealership 

out of business, Sieving said. 

In March, Subaru of America Inc. announced a 1 percent increase in 

sales in February 2009 over the same month in 2008. Year-to-date sales 

rose 4 percent with 25,283 cars sold this year compared to 24,195 last year, 

according to the company’s Web site. Putnam pointed to this growth as the 

initial reason for opening the store. 

Redwood City Earns More Than $200K in Federal Grants 

The Port of Redwood City was granted $75,705 and the Police Department 

received $176,903 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Mayor 

Rosanne Foust and Port Chairman Richard Dodge announced. 

The Port Security Grant Program is one of six grant programs that 

constitute the Department of Homeland Security’s focus on transportation 

infrastructure security activities. The program is one tool in the 

comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress to strengthen the 

nation’s critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist 

attacks, according to a joint statement. 

The port’s grant will be used for enhancements and improvements to its 

security systems and access control. The Police Department’s grant will be 

used for security equipment for its patrol boat and waterside security training. 

The Peninsula Celebration Association has been the sponsor of the annual 

Fourth of July events in Redwood City for over 70 years. Several generations 


The Spectrum Mag AD 4/2/08 4:23 PM Page 1 

Thank You 

for Supporting the 

Uccelli Family 

Through the Years 

We urge you to contribute 

and support our local 

non-profits who do 

outstanding work in 

our community. 

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To explain choices in terms YOU can understand. 

To recommend “no loan” when it makes sense to wait. 

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Evening & weekend appointments available. Dave offers wholesale rates plus a flat fee. 

 

 

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Donate Your Vehicle 

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Peter and Paula Uccelli Foundation 

650-366-0922 

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 


Parties Around Town Casa de Redwood’s 6th Annual Fashion Show & Lunch, Saturday, April 4 

Clockwise from left: Mayor Rosanne Foust models for the crowd. Mary McDowell and Carolyn Livengood enjoy some lunch and tea. Organizer Ginny Hughes with Mayor Foust. 

Foust with daughter Julia. 

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“It Is a Really Fun Job” 

A Conversation With City Manager Peter Ingram 

By Judy Buchan, Contributing Writer 

Who He Is 

City Manager Peter Ingram reflected back on his first full day at the 

City Hall helm: “Well, day one — June 10, 2008 — was pretty swell! 

And since then, I go home at least once a week thinking, ‘Today was 

exceptional.’” 

Ingram’s move into the city manager’s post would seem to be a natural progression in a public sector 

career that includes experience in public works and community development. 

“In my first public sector job, I worked for the City of Richmond’s Public Works Department for five 

years, first as a superintendent, then as a deputy director,” he said. “In 1992, I decided I was ready for 

a change and wanted to work in a more collaborative, appreciative environment. I also wanted to take 

on a higher level of responsibility. It was my good fortune that I learned that Redwood City’s new city 

manager was recruiting for a general services director — and that the department’s functions were 

aligned with my public works experience. I was considering another job opportunity at the same time I 

was going through the process here, and I ultimately made a people-based decision that Redwood City 

was where I wanted to be.” 

In 2006, Ingram became director of the city’s Community Development Services department. “It took 

several discussions to convince me it was a good time and the right circumstances to make a move,” 

he recalled. “One of my considerations was the 

Redwood City Recycled Water Project, which I 

had been leading for six years and which was at a 

critical juncture in its implementation. In the end, 

I was able to move to Community Development 

with the project, so that worked out quite well.” 

Community Development was “a wonderful 

new experience, working with staff on the 

completion and adoption of the downtown precise 

plan, downtown operations and programming, 

and the creation of our new general plan team. I 

learned a lot about housing and redevelopment, 

and added to my knowledge of the land use 

entitlement process, in a very short span of time.” 

Former City Manager Ed Everett retired in 

November 2007, and the City Council chose 

Ingram as interim city manager. “Interim” was 

removed from Ingram’s job title in May 2008. 

Ingram initially had decided not to toss his 

hat in the ring for the city manager position. 

“When I agreed to serve the City Council as 

their interim city manager in the fall of 2007, I 

did not want the job on a permanent basis. I had 

served as assistant city manager for three annual 

rotations over the years, and I felt I was pretty 

clear on the demands of the job, and quite clear 

on what a great job being a department head is. 

But I also knew that in having the opportunity 

to serve in the position for up to six months, I 

would surely know with certainty if that was to 

stay true — or not. Over the course of the first 

three to four months, I began to realize that my 

own skills and abilities were serving me well, 

and the feedback I was getting suggested that 

the council and organization were appreciative 

of what I bring to the job. Probably the hardest 

part for me was to understand by my own, direct 

experience that being very different from Ed in 

style and expertise was just fine. Once that sunk 

in, and I was feeling the ‘three F’s and a P’ — 

focused, fulfilled, fun and passion — I began to 

seriously consider the possibility of competing for 

the job. I let the council know and asked that they 

consider me as a candidate when they reopened a 

competitive recruitment process. The rest, as they 

say, is history. [I was] a very nervous interviewee 

(and I had a terrible cold — really attractive!) and 

overjoyed when I got the call from the recruiter, 

saying that the council wanted to offer me the job. 

I was sworn in June 10, 2008.” 

Challenges: Closing the Budget Gap 

Meeting the challenges facing the city is a 

daunting task, which Ingram handles with steady 

determination. “I work with others to capture the 

vision and shape ourselves to be ready and able to 

attain it,” he said. 

A significant challenge will be dealing with a 

growing budget deficit. According to the council’s 

budget strategies, the city’s general fund budget 

has a growing deficit, which is exacerbated by 

the current economic downturn. Annual deficits 

are projected to range from $4.3 million to $6.9 


million through fiscal year 2011–12 or 4.8 percent 

to 7.9 percent of annual revenues. 

Some cities are working with their labor 

organizations to help close the budget gap. 

Among other budget strategies, Redwood City is 

doing the same, according to Ingram. 

“We have been meeting with labor to discuss 

short-term options to save money next year and 

also looking at long-term options to work with 

labor on to resolve the projected ongoing budget 

deficit,” he said. “We worked hard to bring 

council a framework in which they could really 

discuss their philosophy, approach and decision 

criteria, and provide the executive team with 

clear direction. Reducing budgets and making 

the organization smaller and more sustainable is 

difficult work, but if we work together and seize 

opportunities, we can stay strong and viable, and 

continue to serve this wonderful community.” 

Challenges: Cargill Development 

Challenges: Redwood 

Shores Levees 

Will the Redwood Shores levees come through in 

a flood? Not all of them, according to the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency. Three levees 

have not been certified by FEMA yet, with two 

being scheduled for repair this year. The third, 

a segment of the levee bordering the San Carlos 

Airport, needs to be raised by some two feet in 

order to meet FEMA requirements. That levee 

appears to be owned by San Mateo County. 

Naturally concerned about the cost of flood 

insurance, the Redwood Shores Community 

Association posed their concerns in a letter 

to Ingram. In his response, he explained that 

“Redwood City cannot obtain certification for 

portions of the levee that it does not own or 

maintain.” He went on to say that the city is 

working with the county, San Carlos and the 

Federal Aviation Administration to get the 

certification issue resolved so that Redwood 

Shores will not be designated a flood plain area. 

Challenges: Downtown Precise Plan 

With the downtown precise plan on hold as a 

result of a court ruling, Ingram still sees positive 

momentum for making the necessary revisions. 

“We are making a very fine plan even better as 

a result of the legal challenge,” he said, I think 

we will be ready and able to work with property 

owners and developers as the economy corrects 

course and construction loans become available again. 

“Despite the judge’s ruling, I believe that we 

have an exceptional, visionary precise plan for our 

downtown, and I have full confidence that it will 

be reinstated soon after the completion of the new 

general plan,” he added.” 

(continued on next page) 

Waiting in the wings is the development 

proposal from DMB and Redwood City 

Industrial Saltworks. “We anticipate receiving a 

development proposal from the DMB Redwood 

City Saltworks within the next month or so,” 

Ingram said. “Right now, my focus with staff 

is on designing and managing an effective and 

accessible information system, so that anyone 

who wants to see the proposal or understand what 

the city is doing as we process it may find what he 

or she is interested in. Once we have a submittal, 

we will launch a Web-based system and make 

sure that any and all stakeholders know about it. I 

believe that it will take us most of the remainder 

of 2009 to assess and analyze the proposal and 

deem that we have a complete development 

application. We expect to complete the city’s new 

general plan in late 2009, then be ready to launch 

our own public outreach process in early 2010 for 

the Saltworks project.” 

Last year’s debate on Measure W and Measure 

V brought many lessons for Ingram and city 

staff that will probably be put into play when 

the Saltworks proposal is submitted. “I learned 

that this community is able to fully and actively 

engage in prolonged debate when stakeholders 

put their issues out, and this one in particular 

brought out passions across the whole spectrum 

of people’s values and beliefs. From the beginning 

of the ballot initiative to the election, it was 

difficult to keep the staff focused on the many 

“I work with others to capture the vision and shape ourselves to be ready and able to attain it.” 

council strategic initiatives, in that council did not 

initiate the debate, but once it began, they needed 

to be fully engaged as well. That required a lot 

of research and support from the staff, who in 

turn had to delay work on other priorities. On the 

other hand, I saw the council focused and united 

and willing to do whatever it took for them to 

do the best and right things for their community. 

And it’s always reassuring to me when I see 

longtime leaders championing their causes and 

new leadership emerging from the public debate. 

I see that as an important indicator of our overall 

strength as a community.” 


A Conversation With City Manager Peter Ingram (continued from previous page) 

Challenges: The General Plan 

As the last version of the city’s general plan was 

completed in the 1990s, work is underway to 

develop a new roadmap for the city’s future. The 

new general plan will “be a living document that 

is graphically engaging and easy to use,” Ingram 

said. “I am especially excited about the evolving 

vision for our corridors and how the plan will 

enable ‘smart growth’ in the right places, and with 

a uniqueness that is Redwood City. I am intrigued 

with the notion of ‘streetcar neighborhoods’ and 

absolutely believe that a bold vision of ‘complete 

streets’ and a sustained commitment to reduce 

dependence on cars will yield opportunities that 

we can turn into real places.” 

Doing Things Right 

Ingram holds his bosses, the City Council, in high 

regard. “They really care about this community. 

I don’t need to question their motives; I just have 

add my own caring,” he said. “They demand that 

we all do things right (and themselves, too). They 

are all about integrity, respect and trust: I have 

to meet very high standards. They set a fast pace 

and get frustrated when disingenuous actions by 

others prevent them from realizing their vision.” 

Living on the Edge 

It’s not all “swell.” 

“The worst day is when we get a big 

disappointment after a lot of good collaboration 

and hard work,” Ingram went on to say. “I 

just have to remember that in this job, the 

disappointments are just setbacks, and it’s my role 

to pull us together, make sense out of something 

that may not make sense at all, and find a way to 

continue the journey forward.” 

And the journey forward will find Peter Ingram 

taking it all with determination and a sense of humor. 

“Apparently, I love working and living on the 

edge,” he said, laughing. 

“It’s my role to pull us 

together, make sense 

out of something that 

may not make sense at 

all, and find a way to 

continue the journey 

forward.” 


Nonprofits in Action 

Advocates for Children 

For as little as 10 hours a month, you could 

make a lasting difference in the life of an abused 

and neglected child. Each year, 600 to 800 San 

Mateo County children enter the foster care system 

as a result of abuse and neglect. Advocates 

for Children, CASA of San Mateo County, is 

actively seeking caring and consistent adults 

to mentor and speak up for the best interests of 

these children. Over 130 children are waiting for 

someone who cares. 

If you would like to become a volunteer 

advocate, or just want to learn more, please attend 

an orientation held in their San Mateo office. Visit 

their Web site (www.AdvocatesFC.org) or call 

650-212-4423 for more information. 

City Talk Toastmasters 

Join the City Talk Toastmasters to develop 

communication and leadership skills. The club 

meets 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. 

CityTrees 

CityTrees is a nonprofit working with the Public 

Works Department to enhance and care for 

Redwood City’s urban forest. They usually plant 

or prune on the third Saturday of each month. 

Check their Web site (www.citytrees.org) for a 

listing of events, dates and how to join. 

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 who are looking for work and are 

at least 55 years of age, Family Service Agency 

provides a range of services, 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. 

Friends for Youth 

Do you like to play video games, shoot hoops, 

watch baseball games or just have fun? Then 

you have what it takes to be a mentor! As a 

mentor, you can hang out with a young person 

like Reggie. He’s a 12-year-old who loves pizza, 

baseball and cars. He lives with his grandmother 

and three sisters and would love to hang out with 

a guy and have fun. There are 30 boys like Reggie 

waiting to be matched with a mentor like you. 

Most of the boys wait more than a year to meet 

their mentors. 

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, 

you are invited to attend a one-hour information 

session in Redwood City. For upcoming 

sessions, call 650-482-2871 or e-mail mentor@ 

friendsforyouth.org. 

Funders Bookstore 

If you haven’t wandered into the Funders 

Bookstore, you have missed one of Redwood 

City’s hidden treasures. This project is a 

volunteer effort by a group of dedicated people 

interested in supporting the San Mateo County 

History Museum and simultaneously providing a 

community bookstore for everyone’s pleasure. A 

large collection of hardback first editions, trade 

paperbacks, children’s books, cookbooks and 

an entire room of $1 paperbacks are featured. 

Bookstore hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is on the lower level of the 

San Mateo County History Museum at 2200 

Broadway, with the entrance facing Hamilton 

Street. Stop by for a browse! 

Habitat for Humanity 

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit 

organization that seeks to eliminate poverty 

housing and homelessness from the world, and 

to make decent shelter a matter of conscience 

and action. Locally, the Greater San Francisco 

affiliate partners with working families and the 

community to build affordable ownership homes 

in Redwood City. Formed through the merger of 

Peninsula Habitat for Humanity and Habitat for 

Humanity San Francisco in August 2008, Habitat 

for Humanity Greater San Francisco provides a 

unique solution to the local housing crisis and 

has enabled nearly 150 families to purchase 

affordable housing. Contact Jennifer Doettling, 

communications director, at 650-568-7335 or 

jdoettling@habitatgsf.org. Visit their Web site at 

www.habitatgsf.org. 

Hearing Loss Association of the 

Peninsula 

Hearing Loss Association is a volunteer, 

international organization of hard-of-hearing 

people and their relatives and friends. The 

nonprofit, nonsectarian, educational organization 

is devoted to the welfare and interests of those 

who cannot hear well but are committed 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. Educational 

speakers and refreshments are provided. 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. 

Nursing Mothers Counsel 

Nursing Mothers Counsel, 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 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. 

Optimist Club of Redwood City 

Optimist International is one of the largest service 

organizations in the world, where “bringing out the 

best in kids” has been their mission for over 80 

years. If you enjoy the fellowship and friendship 

of others with a common greater good, Optimist 

International needs you and would like you as a 

member. 

The Optimist Club of Redwood City meets 

every Tuesday at 12 p.m. at Alana’s Cafe, 1020 

Main St. For information, visit www.optimist. 

org or call President Ed Rosen at 650-366-7589 or 

Membership Chair John Butterfield at 650-366- 

8803. Or just come join them for lunch to learn 

more about how you can make a difference to the 

youth in our community. 

Peninsula Hills Women’s Club 

Founded in 1960, Peninsula Hills Women’s Club, 

a member of the General Federation of Women’s 

Clubs and the California Federation of Women’s 

Clubs, is a philanthropic organization serving the 

community through charitable, educational and 

service programs. Meetings are held the third 

Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. For additional 

information, contact PHWC, P.O. Box 1394, 

Redwood City, CA 94064. 

Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA 

In addition to sheltering and finding new homes 

for stray and unwanted animals (100 percent 

placement for healthy dogs and cats since 2003!), 

PHS/SPCA has vital programs for people. The 

shelter drives its mobile spay/neuter clinic into 

low-income 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. 

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 as an 

outstanding small club by Rotary District 5150, 

which includes San Mateo, San Francisco and part 

of Marin counties. For more information or to 

join, call Brandy Navarro at 650-367-9394. 

(continues on page 24) 


“Step Outside and Enjoy Yourself … All Year Long!” 

(continued from page 9) 

at all if it were not for the crew, who repeatedly 

work above and beyond. “The customer’s 

experience with us is very important to us, 

and that’s one reason why we work so hard,” 

said Haid. “It really means a lot to us when our 

customers say, ‘We’ve never been treated the 

way you treat us.’ It’s that particular customer 

satisfaction and appreciation that sets us apart 

from everyone else.” Haid added, “We really are a 

great crew. Just a great group of people who have 

a passion for this business. We definitely work 

together like a family.” 

When Haid moved Tom’s Outdoor Furniture 

from Menlo Park to Redwood City, Redwood 

City became a little more colorful and cultivated. 

With a flawless reputation and strong work 

ethic, Tom’s Outdoor Furniture is all about the 

customer, which can be hard to find in the current 

marketplace. The company’s ongoing success 

lies within three main areas: (a) Design and 

custom-build the finest durable outdoor furniture 

at unbeatable prices, (b) personally reach out to 

each customer in the most humane way and (c) 

when not doing both “a” and “b,” reach into the 

community and graciously help wherever help is 

needed. 

There is another old saying: “If you care at 

all, you’ll get some results. If you care enough, 

you’ll get incredible results.” The motto of Tom’s 

Outdoor Furniture is “Step outside and enjoy 

yourself.” You won’t be disappointed with the results. 

“We really are a great crew. Just a great group 

of people who have a passion for this business. 

We definitely work together like a family.” 

If you would like more information on Tom’s 

Outdoor Furniture and the beauty it can bring 

to your outdoor space, call 650-366-0411, visit 

www.tomsoutdoorfurniture.com or stop by the 

showroom at 1445 Veterans Blvd. in Redwood City. 

However, exceptional customer service is only 

part of what Tom’s Outdoor Furniture is known 

for. The other part is the product itself, among 

the finest in the industry. According to Haid, 

his thumb is green. The grade A teak used to 

build all of the furniture is harvested and grown 

on government-sanctioned Perum Perhutani 

plantations in Indonesia. The Perum Perhutani 

operation has a very strict policy that regulates 

both the number and size of the trees that are 

grown, creating an environmentally friendly haven. 

With its fully operational woodworking shop, 

Tom’s Outdoor Furniture offers a wide selection 

of custom-built furniture. If you name it, they 

will build it: tables, chairs, benches, bar seats, 

loungers, coffee and console tables, hutches, club 

seats, patio umbrellas, Sunbrella cushions and 

a host of outdoor teak accessories. “We build 

everything super strong,” said Haid. “We provide 

the customer with a lifetime guarantee. Our 

guarantee is unlimited because if anything goes 

wrong with the furniture, we will definitely fix it. 

And, if we cannot fix it, we will replace it with a 

new one.” 

Haid has worked wonders for his business, 


and he also manages to work wonders for the 

surrounding community. “Tom’s Outdoor 

Furniture donates to all of the schools in the area. 

Menlo-Atherton, Woodside High School and 

the Nativity School are some of the schools that 

we always donate to,” said Haid. “We have also 

participated in the garden show and donated our 

furniture. Because we donate a lot to all of the 

schools and within the community whenever we 

are asked or can, a lot of people have come to 

know about us.” 

Haid will continue to focus on doing business 

in Redwood City and throughout the entire 

Peninsula. “We have done some things out of the 

area and out of state, but by remaining local, it 

keeps the business very unique and specialized. 

Redwood City is a good place to do business, 

and we are also a member of the Redwood City 

Chamber of Commerce,” explained Haid. “It’s 

great that we have been given the highest rating 

in customer satisfaction. I love what I do and 

am able to make a good living out of it. Tom’s 

Outdoor Furniture will always be known for our 

outstanding customer service.” 

This outstanding service, extended to each 

customer on a daily basis, would not be possible

Shop Redwood City: Now More Than Ever — Shop Redwood City 

Check out our Best of the Best selections below — businesses that not only provide excellent service but also 

contribute to our community. Shouldn’t you make the commitment to shopping locally? When you are shopping, 

dining or enjoying some entertainment, you will benefit because your sales tax dollars stay local and help us all. 

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: 

Angelica’s Bistro – 863 Main St. – 

Located in the back of an antiques 

emporium, Angelica’s Bistro feels 

like it has been here since the 18th 

century. Sit in a cozy alcove and 

listen to romantic live music as you 

enjoy your meal. Lean at the counter 

and order a microbrew beer. Or sit 

in the garden among fountains and 

sculptures for afternoon tea. Visit 

www.angelicasbistro.com for menu 

and live entertainment offerings. 

Canyon Inn – 587 Canyon Road – “The Canyon Inn has had the same owner 

for over two decades, and every year it just keeps getting better. They have 

everything from their famous hamburgers to pizzas. They also serve all kind 

of sandwiches and pastas, and they even have a South of the Border menu! 

They now do a Sunday breakfast buffet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Don’t forget to 

reserve their closed patio for your next party — they have heaters, fans and a 

big-screen TV, for no additional charge. They do catering too!” 

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

restaurants. There are okay 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. 

Financial Institutions: 

San Mateo Credit Union – Two Redwood City locations – As a memberdriven 

organization, SMCU does everything possible to ensure that all 

of your financial priorities are anticipated and fulfilled. Some of the more 

popular offerings include free personal auto shopping assistance, membersonly 

car sales, low-rate home loans and lines of credit. Contact them at 650- 

363-1725 or 888-363-1725, or visit a branch for additional information. Learn 

the advantages of membership banking. 

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. 

Personal Improvement: 

Every Woman Health Club – 611 Jefferson Ave. – A women-only, bodypositive 

fitness center in downtown Redwood City. Services include classes, 

Business Profile of the Month 

Schoenstein Physical Therapy – 363A Main St., 650-599- 

9482 – The clinical approach of this independent, communitybased 

physical therapy practice focuses on thorough physical 

therapy assessment, specific treatment strategies and patient 

education. The personable and friendly team offers years of 

clinical experience to address the variety of medical conditions 

sent to them by physicians. One-on-one care with patients 

allows for the highest level of care possible and results in more 

successful patient outcomes. Individualized treatment programs 

are designed to help meet patient goals of restoring function, 

returning to sport or occupation and maintaining a healthy 

lifestyle. Schoenstein Physical Therapy accepts Medicare, 

workers’ compensation and a host of contracted PPO insurance 

plans, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield. 

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. 

Re:Juvenate Skin Care – 1100 Laurel St., Suite F, San Carlos – Whether 

you are seeing a Re:Juvenate clinician for acne, sun damage, skin tightening, 

wrinkle reduction or laser hair 

removal, the process starts with a 

Specialty Businesses: 

complimentary consultation with a 

member of the aesthetic staff. Call 

650-631-5700 and mention The 

Spectrum Magazine. 

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! 

Bizzarro’s Auto Auction – 2581 Spring St. – Owner Frank Bizzarro has 

a unique business that offers auto auctions, consignment vehicle sales, 

appraisal services and even ways to donate your vehicle to charities. If 

you are thinking of holding an event with a live auction to increase your 

fundraising efforts, Frank and his staff are also a one-stop auction team with 

spotters, clerks, sample catalogs, bid numbers, etc. Just give Frank a call at 

650-363-8055 and get details on all of their services. 

Castle Insurance – 643 Bair Island Road, #104 – Castle Insurance is an 

independent insurance agency. They do not work for an insurance company; 

they work for their clients to ensure fair, prompt payment. They represent a 

carefully selected group of financially sound, reputable insurance companies, 

and they place each client’s policy with the company offering the best 

coverage at a competitive price. Visit www.insurancebycastle.com or call 

650-364-3664 for a free quote. 

Saf Keep Storage – 2480 Middlefield Road – What is the Saf Keep 

advantage? Safe. Clean. Secure. At Saf Keep, they want you to know that you 

and your belongings are safe and secure. They have a friendly and reliable 

team that is ready to assist you. Saf Keep offers a variety of storage products 

and services to suit all your storage needs. Visit 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. 

Michele Glaubert, Realtor at Coldwell Banker – 650-722-1193 – Michelle 

doesn’t want to be one of the real estate agents that pass through your life; 

she wants to be the only Realtor in your life! When you work with Michelle 

once, she will do everything in her power to make you want to come back to 

her the next time you need real estate assistance. Since she works mainly on 

referral and repeat business, that strategy must be working! “People like my 

honesty and my follow-through,” says Michelle. “They know they can count 

on me and I absolutely refuse to let them down.” Visit her online at www. 

glaubert.com. 


Nonprofits in Action (Continued from page 21) 

Rebuilding Together Peninsula 

RTP is a Redwood City nonprofit that provides 

free home repair and renovations for lowincome 

families, seniors and people living with 

disabilities throughout the Peninsula. RTP’s 

mission is to promote independent living in safety 

and warmth through volunteer partnerships 

with individuals and groups in the community. 

RTP is currently seeking skilled volunteers and 

construction captains for its annual National 

Rebuilding Day, when thousands of volunteers 

and sponsors unite to rehabilitate the homes and 

community facilities of our low-income neighbors 

and revitalize communities across the Peninsula. 

Come see how one day of your time can make a 

difference in someone’s life. If you are interested 

in volunteering, call 650-366-6597. For more 

information, visit rebuildingtogetherpeninsula.org. 

Redwood City Art Center 

The Redwood City Art Center promotes creativity 

and community by providing art education, 

exhibitions, studio space for artists and outreach 

to the local community and schools. The Art 

Center has been involved with several local 

events, offering fun, creative art projects for 

children, and the center hopes this is just the 

beginning of their involvement with the community. 

For scheduling or donation, contact artreach@ 

redwoodcityartcenter.org. For more general 

information, visit www.redwoodcityartcenter.org 

or call 650-369-1823. Or visit in person at 2625 

Broadway, Redwood City. 

Redwood City Eagles #418 

The Fraternal Order of Eagles is an international 

nonprofit united in the spirit of liberty, truth, 

justice and equality. They support our police, 

firefighters and others who protect and serve. 

The Eagles have provided support for medical 

research and have raised millions of dollars every 

year for kids and seniors. 

They meet on the second Tuesday of each 

month at the Eagles Hall, 1575 Marshall St., at 6 

p.m. for a social hour and dinner meeting. They 

play cards on the third Thursday and would love 

to have you join them. For more information, 

call President Ryan Herbst at 408-489-6582 or 

Secretary David Tomatis at 650-575-3225, or 

check out their Web site at www.foe418.org. 

Redwood City Education Foundation 

The Redwood City Education Foundation is an 

all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated 

to providing students in the Redwood City 

School District with a strong education that lays 

the foundation for future success. They raise 

private money to provide enrichment programs 

to all students in the district. Their funding is 

focused on academic achievement, music and 

art, and health and wellness. They are currently 

seeking new board members. Board members 

are responsible for attending monthly meetings, 

chairing board committees, participating 

in fundraising and outreach activities, and 

promoting RCEF in the community. If you are 

interested in the possibility of serving on the 

board, please contact Adam Borison at 650-363- 


7271 or vp@rcef.org. For more information on 

RCEF, check out www.rcef.org. 

Redwood City Rotary 

Redwood City Rotary performs many service 

projects, provides college scholarships and 

donates to international relief efforts. The 

50-member club meets in a spirit of good 

fellowship and fun each Tuesday at 12:15 at the 

Sequoia Club, 1695 Broadway, to hear speakers 

and plan community benefits, including the 

annual July 4 raffle that raises $80,000 for 12 

local charities. For more information about 

joining, contact President Bob Doss at 650-368-3900. 

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, the club has been vigorously 

active helping eyesight-impaired youth in our 

schools and seniors who are hearing-impaired. 

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 

Founded in 1909 as a member of the General 

Federation of Women’s Clubs and the California 

Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Redwood City 

Women’s Club will celebrate its centennial in 

September. The club meets the first Thursday 

of each month, September through June, at the 

clubhouse at 149 Clinton St., Redwood City. 

Social at 11 a.m., lunch at noon, followed by a 

meeting and program. For information, call 650- 

363-1266 or visit the group’s Web site at rwcwc.com. 

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 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. 

Sequoia Stamp Club 

This club was established in 1947 and invites 

community members to visit. The club meets 

at the Community Activities Building, 1400 

Roosevelt Ave., every second and fourth Tuesday 

at 7:45 p.m. There is a program every meeting and 

refreshments are served. The dues are only $3 

per year. Contact Hank at 650-593-7012, e-mail 

sequoiastampclub@yahoo.com or visit the group’s 

Web site at www.penpex.org. Sequoia Stamp Club 

sponsors a free stamp show at the same location 

on the first weekend in December. 

Soroptimist International of South 

Peninsula 

The Soroptimists invite you to become a member 

of Soroptmist International, the world’s largest 

service organization for business and professional 

women, 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. 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. 

Woodside Terrace A.M. Kiwanis Club 

Since October 1956, the Woodside Terrace A.M. 

Kiwanis Club has been devoted to community 

service in Redwood City. Through the decades, 

the club has provided funds to help many worthy 

community programs and continues 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 programs. 

The Woodside Terrace A.M. Kiwanis Club 

meets every Tuesday evening 6–7 p.m. at Harry’s 

Hofbrau, 1909 El Camino Real (one block north 

of Woodside Road). They invite you to come to 

their meetings and check out the club’s Web site at 

www.wtamkiwanis.org. 

Woodside Terrace Optimist Club 

This is a unique club made up of senior citizens 

who want to stay involved. Most, but not all, come 

from the residence at Woodside Terrace. The club 

is open to all of the community and provides an 

opportunity for seniors to be useful. The club’s funds 

are raised by a card, candy and necklace sale held 

on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the 

main lobby at 485 Woodside Road, open to the public. 

Lunches/meetings are at 12:30 p.m. on the 

second and fourth Wednesdays of each month in 

the Assisted Living Dining Room at Woodside 

Terrace. Guests are welcome. Please call President 

Jack Murphy at 650-780-9891 or Millie Cole at 

650-366-1392 for reservations. 

YES Reading 

This local organization is dedicated to 

empowering students through literacy and 

investing community members in underserved 

public schools. YES Reading recruits and trains 

community volunteers to provide one-on-one 

tutoring for elementary and middle school 

students reading below grade level. 

YES Reading operates several reading centers 

on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, including 

a site at Selby Lane School in Atherton. If you 

are interested in becoming a reading tutor for a 

child who needs your help, please call 408-945- 

9316 or email info@yesreading.org. Visit the YES 

Reading Web site at www.yesreading.org. 

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.

Michelle Glaubert 

650.598.2366 VM 

650.722.1193 Cell 

587 Ruby Street, Redwood City 

$749,950 

Nestled behind a white picket fence you will find this charming one story 3 bedroom, 

2 bathroom home. Meandering brick walk-way leads to the front porch and entry. 

Hardwood floors, Crown molding, recessed lights, wood-burning fireplace in living 

room, Granite kitchen w/tile floor, stainless appliances, new dual pane windows, 

skylight in one bedroom. Master bedroom suite w/walk-in closet, updated bath & 

sliding doors to the deck, patio & wonderful lawn. Built in 1949 with 1360 sf and a 

landscaped 6000 sf lot. Pull down storage in the attached garage. Easy access to 

280,101, shops, Parks, schools. Go to www.587ruby.com for pictures & VT. 


Immigrants Day Festival Offers a Taste of 

Life Abroad, Literally 

By Michael Erler, Contributing Writer 

Have we fallen out of love with America? Only 

seven years ago, on the heels of the 9/11 tragedy, 

our country was united, and whether or not that 

bond was born out of necessity, a common fear, 

a common hatred for a shared enemy, a common 

grief for all those who lost their lives that day, the 

point was that we were united in our pride and 

love for our home in a way we hadn’t been in half 

a century. Gradually, though, it seems that love 

has waned. The previous administration’s foreign 

policies have painted all of us in a decidedly 

unflattering light on the global canvas with their 

open disregard for the Geneva Conventions, 

the Kyoto Protocol, the U.N. and even our own 

Constitution. We were accused the world over of 

empire building. Now, when you factor our rotten 

economy into this rotten stew — we are in the 

midst of our worst recession since the ’30s — it’s 

become fashionable of late to cast wandering eyes 

across our borders, to contemplate life abroad. 

Maybe the grass really is greener on the other side. 

This phenomenon is particularly relevant and 

all the more ironic in our neck of the woods, San 

Mateo County in general and Redwood City in 

particular. We are as ethnically diverse as any 

region of the country and a staggering amount 

of our citizens are first- or second-generation 

immigrants. We’re not Ellis Island at the turn of 

the 20th century exactly, but let’s just say that 

not many San Mateo County residents claim 

ancestors who were on board the Mayflower. So 

in the United States, a land of immigrants and the 

ultimate melting pot, it’s worth remembering why 

we’re all Americans now, why our descendants 

came here in the first place. Because it was a 

better option than where they were from. 

That’s the beauty of America. We can have 

the best of both worlds. We can celebrate our 

individual homelands and our different ethnicities 

and cultures, but we also have a safe haven, a 

common home at the end of the day where we can 

enjoy our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. 

Also, as residents of the Peninsula, we enjoy 

spectacular weather year round. That’s a nice bonus. 

And speaking of the best of both worlds, it’s 

time once again for San Mateo County’s annual 

Immigrants Day Festival, which will be held 

on Saturday, May 16, from 12 to 5 p.m. at the 

San Mateo County History Museum and on the 

adjacent Courthouse Square. The festival, which 

has been a big hit with the community, will give 

us a chance to learn about and sample the cuisines 

of several other cultures and is expected to draw 

about a thousand people. Attendance to the 

museum will be free of charge that day and a $5 

food card will let us get our fill of a wide variety 

of tasty treats from seven different countries. 

“Inside the museum, families will have a chance to participate 

in craft activities representing traditions from around the world.” 

In charge of organizing the event is Carmen 

Blair, deputy director of the San Mateo County 

Historical Association. She revealed that the 

Members of a Japanese dance troupe admire a painting in the San Mateo County History Museum. 


original Immigrants Day Festival in 2006 was 

planned as a one-time event to introduce the San 

Mateo County History Museum’s new permanent 

exhibit, “Land of Opportunity: The Immigrant 

Experience in San Mateo County.” The exhibit 

tells the stories of the diverse people who came 

to this area. It highlights the experiences of Irish, 

Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese immigrants 

in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as the 

experiences of more recent immigrant groups 

such as Mexicans and Filipinos. The festival was 

so well received by the community that it became 

an annual event. This year, the event has been 

expanded to include representatives from more cultures. 

“Inside the museum, families will have 

a chance to participate in craft activities 

representing traditions from around the world,” 

said Blair. “They can make a Filipino parol, 

trace Chinese characters, use a Japanese fude 

pen, make a Portuguese flag, create an Italian 

marionette and paint an Irish shamrock. In the 

upper rotunda, visitors can purchase a food-tasting 

card for a taste of food from the Basque region, 

India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and 

Portugal. Out on Courthouse Square, performances 

on stage will represent African-Americans, 

Basque, Chinese, Croatians, Filipinos, Irish, 

Italians, Japanese, Mexicans and Portuguese.” 

Blair went on to add that she herself is of 

Swedish descent. “In 1882, John Olson left 

Sweden. One of the first jobs he had after leaving 

Sweden was working in a logging camp. The 

paymaster at the logging camp had a problem. 

There were 23 John Olsons working at the camp, 

and he couldn’t keep them straight. So he called 

[my] great-grandfather into his office and asked 

him to change his name. [My great-grandfather] 

asked him what he should change his name to. 

The paymaster, a big Scotch-Irishman, asked, 

‘What do you think of Blair?’ And so John Olson 

became John Blair.” 

While the “Land of Opportunity” exhibit 

does not highlight the Swedish experience, Blair 

was able to add this story to the exhibit in the 

Immigration Stories kiosk. Visitors are invited to 

record a one-minute video at the kiosk, sharing 

personal stories about why they left home or the 

traditions they still follow. 

“We are hoping that many of the visitors to the 

Immigrants Day Festival will take time to record 

their own stories at the kiosk,” Blair said. 

Among the volunteers at the festival will be 

Roland Giannini and his wife, Celeste, who 

both have been members of the Immigrants Day 

Festival Committee from the beginning. Giannini, 

who was the San Mateo County assessor before 

his retirement, explained that he’s always been 

interested in his ancestral roots as well as those 

of the people around him. “[My] interest in San 

Mateo County history took place when I was 

a student at the College of San Mateo,” which 

had a small county museum, he said. “I became 

involved [in the] fall of 1981 when I approached 

the museum to do a history of Italians in San 

Mateo County. As a result, the history museum 

hired Elaine Thomas to research and write an 

Italian county history, which was later published 

in ‘La Peninsula,’ through the generosity of 

the father of County Supervisor Ed Bacciocco. 

‘La Peninsula’ is a history museum magazine 

published three or four times a year.” Giannini 

suggested to the museum that other immigrant 

groups be similarly recognized. The result is the 

“Land of Opportunity” exhibit. 

Giannini is a native San Franciscan whose 

grandparents emigrated from Lucca, Italy, in the 

1880s. He moved to Redwood City in 1936 and is 

a graduate of Sequoia High School. His first job 

was selling newspapers and magazines. 

“When my family moved to Redwood City, 

there was just a few with last name Giannini in 

the county phone book,” he said. “Most of those 

were with the Bank of America. I always have 

fun when people ask me if I am related to A.P. 

Giannini, founder of Bank of America. I often 

say yes, and will play with that story for a few 

minutes and then let them down and say no!” 

Another volunteer is Isabel Jiménez, a 17-year 

resident of Redwood City who moved there as a 

teenager, living with relatives while her parents 

stayed in Mexico. “I wanted to continue my 

education and my only opportunity was to move 

to United States where many of my relatives and 

friends have moved,” she said. “Coming from 

a very small town where everybody knew each 

other and [where it was] a tight community, I 

went through the culture shock. After a couple 

years, I adjusted and came to embrace my new 

community of friends from school and work. I 

continued learning the language and the lifestyle 

and getting to know more about America and its 

residents. To my surprise, most of the people I 

met were from other countries like China, France, 

Italy, India, etc., places that I have only seen in a 

map, never imagined how people looked. I was 

just like a kid with a new book, learning so much, 

getting to know many cultures, their lifestyles, 

different families, and to my surprise we all 

[had] the same common goal of education and a 

better future and the need to continue our family 

traditions and roots.” 

Jiménez went to college, taking courses in 

business management, and for the past four 

years has been working as a manager for a local 

insurance company. She started a nonprofit group 

called Casa de la Cultura Quetzalcoatl, based 

in Redwood City, that teaches families different 

cultural dances of Latin America. This group had 

both adults and children performing in the 2008 

festival. 

“My first Immigrants Day Festival was last 

year,” said Jiménez. “I was invited by council 

member Alicia Aguirre to represent the Latin 

community, [and] I was honored to be part of a 

beautiful tradition that has been celebrated here 

in Redwood City with many other representatives 

that are … dedicated to helping the community 

come together.” 

She added, “To be honest, the food is great. 

When do you get an opportunity to try food from 

seven different countries in one day?” 

With enthusiastic volunteers like Giannini and 

Jiménez, this year’s festival should be the best 

one yet, and all Peninsula residents are strongly 

encouraged to attend, regardless of their heritage. 

It will be just like going on vacation, but without 

having to deal with all those annoying airport 

security protocols. 

“To my surprise, most of the 

people I met were from other 

countries like China, France, 

Italy, India, etc., places that 

I have only seen in a map, 

never imagined how people 

looked. I was just like a kid 

with a new book, learning 

so much, getting to know 

many cultures, their lifestyles, 

different families, and to my 

surprise we all [had] the same 

common goal of education 

and a better future and the 

need to continue our family 

traditions and roots.” 

With Carmen Blair, the members of the troupe add to 

the “Land of Opportunity” exhibit. 

Strike a pose! Ready to perform on May 16. 


San Mateo County Histor y Museum presents 

A Day to Honor our Heritage: 

IMMIGRANTS 

DAY FESTIVAL 

2009 

Saturday, 

May 16 

12 PM - 5 PM 

Performance Groups 

representing 

African-Americans, the Basque, 

Chinese, Croatians, Irish, Italians, 

Japanese, Mexicans, Portuguese and 

Filipinos on Courthouse Square 

FREE ADMISSION 

into Histor y Museum 

Thank you to our 

Major Sponsors! 

Food 

$ 

5 . Tasting 

Card 

Sold between 12—2 pm 

San Mateo County History Museum 

2200 Broadway — Redwood City 

650-299-0104 historysmc.org 


News Briefs 

Pedestrian, House Struck by Car 

Police arrested the juvenile driver of a Ford 

Expedition after she attempted to flee from 

Redwood City officers and lost control of her 

vehicle, striking a pedestrian and a house. 

Officers attempted to stop the gray Expedition 

for a traffic violation near El Camino Real and 

Jefferson Avenue, according to the Redwood City 

Police Department. 

Instead of stopping, the driver fled west on 

James Avenue and reportedly lost control of 

the vehicle a few blocks away at James Avenue 

and Birch Street. The Expedition first struck a 

pedestrian, who was hospitalized with injuries to 

the right leg and ankle, according to police. The 

vehicle then crashed into a house at 410 Birch St. 

The driver sustained minor injuries caused by 

the deployment of airbags and was arrested after 

medical treatment. The house sustained minor 

structural damage, according to police. 

The suspect was booked at Hillcrest Juvenile 

Detention Center for evading a police officer, 

reckless driving with injury to a pedestrian, auto 

theft and possession of narcotics. 

Missing Teen Located, No Merit to 

Abduction 

A teenage boy believed to have been abducted 

from his home was located by police and reunited 

with his family, according to the San Mateo 

County Sheriff’s Department. 

Belmont police located Luis Antonio Ortiz, 17, 

as he was walking in the area of El Camino Real 

near Ralston Avenue in Belmont. 

Ortiz told detectives with the sheriff’s office 

that he had left home voluntarily and intended to 

return. Belmont police said no crime was committed 

and that Ortiz appeared healthy and uninjured. 

San Mateo County sheriff’s detectives had 

been following up on possible leads in the search 

for Ortiz after he placed a 911 call to report two 

men who may have been armed in his home 

in the 2800 block of Westmoreland Avenue in 

unincorporated Redwood City’s North Fair Oaks 

neighborhood, according to sheriff’s Lt. Ray Lunny. 

When sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found 

Ortiz’s two younger brothers, whom he was 

babysitting at the time, but the only sign of Ortiz 

was his cell phone, which was stained with blood 

in the backyard, according to Lunny. His younger 

brothers reportedly did not see or hear anything, 

Lunny said. 

‘Absent’ Father Gets Hearing 

The 22-year-old father who prosecutors say left 

his children alone to go drinking for several hours 

will learn at the end of the month if he’ll stand 

trial on felony child endangerment charges. 

Abidan Eliel Garcia Vasquez has pleaded not 

guilty to three counts of child endangerment 

and was ordered back to court April 29 for a 


preliminary hearing on the evidence. 

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Vasquez, of 

unincorporated Redwood City, March 28 after 

responding to a call of a 3-year-old boy wandering 

alone, shivering and wearing only shorts and a 

T-shirt. The child was tracked back to a nearby 

residence occupied by two families, including 

Vasquez, two other adults and three children 

besides his own. The deputies reported the house 

being filled with cockroaches, rotting food, an 

open beer bottle on the floor and other debris. 

Vasquez’s 1-year-old daughter was discovered 

at the house with severe rashes and abscesses, 

according to the District Attorney’s Office. 

Vasquez allegedly had left the children 

unsupervised at 9 p.m. after they went to bed but 

did not ask anyone to keep an eye on them. The 

location of the children’s mother remains unknown. 

Vasquez has no prior convictions in San Mateo 

County and faces approximately eight and a half 

years if convicted, said Chief Deputy District 

Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. 

He remains in custody in lieu of $125,000 bail. 

Teen Takes Assault Deal in Fatal 

Stabbing 

The teenager who participated in a fatal brawl that 

left one Redwood City man dead and a juvenile 

detention camp walkaway facing murder charges 

pleaded no contest to assault with a deadly weapon. 

Christian Lopez, 16, changed his plea and 

admitted the allegation he committed a serious 

felony with no promise of a specific sentence. 

However, Lopez was immediately released from 

custody on his own recognizance pending a July 

21 sentencing hearing at which he faces up to four 

years in prison. 

Meanwhile, co-defendant Adrian Sedano, 17, 

is awaiting doctors’ reports to determine if he is 

competent to stand trial for murder in the same 

Aug. 9 fight, which left a 23-year-old man dead. 

Both teens were originally charged with murder 

in the attack, but prosecutors later amended 

Lopez’s case to the lesser charge because he did 

not wield the knife. 

The fatal fight allegedly started between a 

group of girls at the 7-Eleven at the corner of 

Hess and Woodside roads in Redwood City. The 

fighting continued to spark during the evening 

and resulted in Sedano, Lopez and the victim 

getting into an altercation in front of an apartment 

complex at 551 Geneva Ave. 

The defendants reportedly charged down the 

stairs and Sedano stabbed the victim several 

times. Prosecutors originally thought Lopez knew 

Sedano had a knife in his hand, but after further 

investigation realized they could not prove his 

knowledge, according to Chief Deputy District 

Attorney Steve Wagstaffe at the time the office 

announced its decision to lessen the charge. 

The fatal attack caught attention not only for 

the young ages of the parties involved but also 

because Sedano, then 16, was a recent walkaway 

from Camp Glenwood, a San Mateo County 

honor camp in La Honda for wards of the juvenile 

justice system. 

Prosecutors charged both as adults under 

California’s Proposition 21. Sedano faces up to 

25 years to life in prison if deemed competent to 

stand trial and ultimately convicted of first-degree 

murder plus the use of a knife. He returns to court 

April 28 for receipt of the reports and remains in 

custody at the Youth Services Center on no-bail status. 

‘Gilligan’ Found Guilty of Voluntary 

Manslaughter 

The so-called “Gilligan” bank robber who 

prosecutors say fatally stabbed his wife because 

he believed she was giving the heist proceeds to 

men with whom she was unfaithful was convicted 

of only voluntary manslaughter. 

Jurors deliberated a little less than a week before 

finding Robert Lomas, 53, guilty of that charge 

plus an additional count of using a knife. The 

decision means Lomas will face approximately 

11 years in prison for killing 50-year-old Linda 

Jackson Lomas, the wife he met in his teens and 

whom he told police was “his life.” 

Lomas also faces time in prison for each 

of seven counts of bank robbery of which he 

was also convicted — a total of up to 19 years, 

although Judge Cliff Cretan could consider lesser 

time, down to probation, said Chief Deputy 

District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. 

“Although we do not feel it is the correct verdict, 

we accept what the jury has to say,” Wagstaffe said. 

Jurors began deliberating the case last week, 

after closing arguments that Monday. The 

crux was not whether Lomas killed his wife 

but whether he was guilty of first- or seconddegree 

murder or a lesser charge of voluntary 

manslaughter. The jury remained fairly mum, 

aside from asking late last week to hear readback 

of Lomas’ testimony on his own behalf. 

Unlike murder, voluntary manslaughter implies 

the jury believed the killing was committed 

without malice and possibly in the heat of passion, 

Wagstaffe said. 

Lomas was nicknamed “Gilligan” by police 

investigating a string of Peninsula bank robberies 

who noticed the suspect wearing a similar floppy 

fishing cap in surveillance video. The crimes went 

unsolved until Lomas was arrested on suspicion of 

fatally stabbing his wife with a nine-inch kitchen 

knife in their North Fair Oaks home. 

In opening statements, prosecutor Ivan 

Nightengale argued the May 21, 2007, killing 

was not a random act by a husband who snapped 

but the knowing culmination of a tumultuous 

marriage, marked by infidelity and her allegedly 

spending the money he stole from multiple banks. 

After brutally beating and stabbing Jackson 

Lomas, Nightengale said, Lomas called 911 and 

told dispatchers to send the coroner rather than 

medical attention. 

Defense attorney Richard Keyes didn’t dispute 

his client stabbed his wife but said the attack 

came after months of Lomas, wracked by worries 

of his wife’s flagrant adultery, not sleeping and 

desperately giving her the stolen money only to 

(continues on page 32)


As I Was Saying…Continued from p6 

Smith stated that some of the other candidates “have been in the government a long 

time and are probably doing a good job,” but thinks that having one that “has not 

been around is good.” He subscribes to the “why to everything” philosophy. Asking 

questions and doing things differently. More of which he will explain in upcoming 

campaign releases and literature. 

He has a campaign kick-off event in the planning stages and will announce his 

endorsements later in the campaign season. 

.… 

The Sequoia Union School District Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of 

a new principal for Sequoia High School effective July 1, 2009. 

Bonnie Hansen, who is currently the instructional vice principal at Sequoia, has 

been tapped to succeed Morgan Marchbanks, who is stepping down after nine years 

to focus full time on doctorate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She 

was the Spectrum’s cover subject last month. 

Hansen started in the Sequoia district as an English teacher at Menlo-Atherton 

High School, Atherton, in 1995, and she has been in her current role at Sequoia for 

five years. She has a master’s degree in education from UC-Berkeley and a teaching 

credential from UC-Davis. She is nationally board certified in English. 

A big Cherokee congratulations to both! For moving on and moving in. 

.… 

In a time when voters are asking even demanding that elected officials and 

governmental agencies be held accountable for their actions, non-actions and votes, our 

County Supervisors seem to be slapping us all in the face. Let me explain why. 

Recently San Mateo County agreed to pay $6.8 million to the U.S. government 

to resolve allegations that the San Mateo Medical Center submitted false claims 

(overbilled) for payments from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. 

Here is how it happened. Ronald Davis, a now former county employee, was a 

compliance manager who was hired to ensure that the county followed Medicare and 

Medicaid billing regulations at the San Mateo Medical Center. He says that he complained to 

his bosses - who at the time would have been the hospital CEO and the chief financial 

officer. He stated he got nowhere with them so he went to the federal government. 

Anyone knows that if someone in Davis’s position comes to a supervisor and makes 

such claims that that person should listen and take action. That obviously did not 

happen or the federal government does not think it did. 

So the medical center was accused of improper conduct between 1997 and 2007, 

including falsely inflating its bed count to Medicare to receive higher payments under 

the federal program’s Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) adjustment, according 

to the U.S. Department of Justice. The DSH adjustment is an extra Medicare payment 

available to hospitals that meet certain requirements, including having 100 or more 

acute care beds. 

The medical center was also accused of improperly obtaining payments under the 

Medicaid program for services provided to patients at the center’s Institutes for Mental 

Disease who were between 22 and 64 years old. Those services are ineligible for 

federal funding, and the county was required to report them separately to the California 

Department of Mental Health to ensure that no federal funds were used to pay for 

them, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. 

During the times of the allegations, the hospital had three CEO’s and several chief 

financial officers. 

The settlement resolves allegations that were filed in San Francisco by Davis, who 

filed the lawsuit under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. 

The act permits whistleblowers to bring lawsuits on behalf of the United States and 

receive a portion of the proceeds of a settlement. Davis will receive $1.02 million of 

the proceeds of the settlement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. I for one say 

“good for him!” I think taxpayers dollars should be spent that way. If someone in his 

position does what he is suppose to do and no on listens than how else is the situation 

to be corrected? In the end it saves us more than we might have lost. 

Putting a spin on the situation and avoiding taking any responsibility and denying 

any “intentional” wrongdoing, Beverly Thames, who is the public information officer 

for the San Mateo County Health Department, released a statement on behalf of the 

county that read, “At the time the alleged overpayments occurred, the regulations were 

in flux and open to interpretation...Due to the complexity of the rules, some beds that 

we thought qualified under the reimbursement program, in retrospect, may not have 

qualified,” she stated. 

“We are pleased to settle this matter now. The San Mateo County Board of 

Supervisors authorized County Council to settle out of court, rather than risk triple 

fines. What she is talking about is the fact that if the county had taken the case to trial 

and they lost, the suit could have been subject to triple damages or $13 million. 

In addition, the county will enhance training, auditing and reporting in its 

compliance program at San Mateo Medical Center,” Thames added. 

That statement comes right out of Public Relations 10 deny, deny, deny handbook 

and is exactly what we are all tired of hearing from our government. I would much rather have 

someone take responsibility for actions whether it is of an individual or organization. 

In contrast, Assistant Attorney General Michael F. Hertz said in a statement, 

“Today’s settlement demonstrates the government’s ongoing commitment to protect the 

integrity of federal health care programs.” 

The federal government still has the option of pursuing criminal charges in the 

matter if they choose. Maybe that is why responsibility has not been taken? 

The City of Redwood City (or you and me as taxpayers) will spend up to $250,000 on 

a completely new environmental impact report for the Downtown Precise Plan after a San 

Mateo County judge ruled it did not adequately address the environmental consequences. 

The plan — roughly six years in the making so far — will establish policies, goals 

and programs for the long-term physical development the city’s urban core. Planners 

and Council members approved the environmental documents and ultimately the plan 

despite some concerns over density, size and traffic. 

In 2007, Joe and Roberta Carcione sued the city to halt the report, claiming it 

didn’t adequately address all the impacts and asking for revamping. The City pushed 

forward despite the suit until Judge Marie Weiner’s ruling on February 11. The 

Carciones said the higher structures allowed under the plan allowed “substantial 

shadowing” on a two-story office building they own at 601 Brewster Ave. The ruling 

requires the existing EIR be invalidated but the City can use a number of its sections in 

the new document. 

The City, of course, disagrees with the ruling. but feels its legal options are limited 

and very risky. Maybe our then City Manager and our City Attorney should have 

thought about that when they had the opportunity to listen and address the Carciones 

instead of letting it get to the level it did? A lot can be said for good dialog. 

The city could appeal Weiner’s ruling. but would spend an estimated 12 to 18 

months with no guarantee of prevailing. If the appeal failed on even one element, the 

City would be back to square one — having to create a revised EIR — and facing even 

greater costs. Instead, the City will head back to the drawing board for a blueprint that 

leaders hope will turn the downtown area into an urban draw of retail and housing. 

May I also remind you that Weiner also ordered the city to pay the Carciones’ 

legal fees, which total $352,970 since April 2006? The judge scheduled a hearing to 

determine how much to award the Carciones on that. 

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! 

As I was saying . . . 

.… 

.… 

News Briefs: Continued from page 30 

see her pass it along to other men. Jackson Lomas also called the Casual Date 

Line often, both sides agreed. 

On March 31, 2007, Lomas was arrested for domestic violence against 

his wife and ultimately sentenced to 15 days in jail and court-ordered anger 

management classes. Lomas lost his job at Auto Zone in East Palo Alto 

because of the arrest, and Keyes told jurors Lomas’ wife gave most of the 

money he stole from banks to the other men. 

On May, 21, 2007, Lomas was unable to enroll in the anger management 

class for lack of funds to pay the $75 fee. Instead, he went home to 2830 B 

Huntington Ave. and, believing his wife was on the phone with one of those 

men, stabbed her several times, including once in the heart. 

Lomas cleaned up the scene, locked the door and walked to a store to 

buy cigarettes before calling his sister to say, “I killed Linda.” Lomas was 

arrested later that night near train tracks. Nearby, authorities found Lomas’ 

wallet with the couple’s name carved into the leather. 

In teary interviews with detectives played by the defense, Lomas detailed 

doing everything for his wife while knowing she was calling other men and 

referred to her as “his star” and “his life.” 

Lomas remains in custody on no-bail status. He returns to court June 8 for 

sentencing. 


Finance: Your Tax Refund: Invest Today for Tomorrow’s Goals 

By David Amann, Special to The Spectrum 

The tax-filing deadline has passed. 

Will you be getting a refund? If so, 

take the time to consider how 

best to use it. When used wisely, 

your tax refund can give you a few 

added steps on the road toward 

achieving your financial goals. 

Of course, if you filed your taxes 

weeks ago, you might have already 

received a refund. But given the 

current economic environment, 

you might have kept the money 

in a “holding place” while you 

waited for an uptick in the financial 

markets. At any rate, if you have 

access to a refund this year, you 

now have the opportunity to put 

that money to good use. 

How? Here are a few ideas: 

Help fund your IRA. In 2008, according to the 

Internal Revenue Service, the average federal tax 

refund was $2,429. If you were to receive that 

amount, it would cover almost half of your IRA 

contribution for this year, as the annual limit is 

$5,000. (You can put in $6,000 if you’re 50 or 

older). A traditional IRA grows tax deferred, 

while a Roth IRA grows tax free, provided you 

have held your account for at least five years 

and don’t take withdrawals until you reach age 

59½. Your IRA may have taken a hit last year, 

but if you fund it with quality investments and 

avoid making withdrawals until retirement, you 

can take important steps to help rebuild your 

portfolio. 

Help build an emergency fund. You could use 

part of your refund for an IRA and part to help 

build an emergency fund. Ideally, you should have 

six to 12 months’ worth of living expenses in a 

liquid account to help pay for unexpected costs, 

such as a major car repair, a new furnace or a 

costly medical bill. Without such an emergency 

fund, you might be forced to dip into your longterm 

investments to pay for these costs — and 

that can hurt your progress toward your financial 

objectives. 

Help rebalance your portfolio. Based on your 

risk tolerance, time horizon and long-term goals, 

you may have decided to put a certain percentage 

of your assets in “growth” vehicles and a certain 

percentage in income-oriented investments. At 

that point, your portfolio was in equilibrium. 

But during the long bear market, your portfolio 

may have sustained enough losses to become 

“unbalanced.” In other words, some of your 

investments may have lost so much value that 

they no longer make up the percentage of your 

holdings that you had originally intended. Of 

course, you could wait for these investments to 

bounce back — and they may, given enough time 

— but if you wanted to speed up the rebalancing 

process, you could use your tax refund to add the 

right types of new investments to your mix. 

Ironic as it may seem, there may not be a better 

year in which to invest your refund. You can find 

many quality investments at reasonable prices 

today, so your refund can help you add extra 

shares to your accounts — and the more shares 

you own, the better off you may be when the 

market turns around. So put your refund to work 

soon. 

Editor’s note: This article was written by David 

Amann of Edward Jones for use by The Spectrum 

Magazine. 

Senior Activities 

The Veterans Memorial Senior 

Center, 1455 Madison Ave., 

Redwood City, provides the 

following activities that are open to 

the public during the month of May. 

Friday Movies for Everyone 

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

Come to the VMSC in May for a free featured 

movie in our state-of-the-art movie theater! Call 

650-780-7270 for the most current movie listing. 

May 1: “Marley & Me” 

May 8: “Bride Wars” (starts at 2 p.m.) 

May 15: “Slumdog Millionaire” 

May 22: “The Passengers” 

May 29: “Doubt” 

My Life As a Journalist 

Presented by Jim Clifford 

Thursday, May 7, 1–2 p.m. 

Free 

Jim Clifford, a VMSC patron and member of our 

creative writing class, is a published writer and 

journalist, having covered local stories for over 

40 years. He will share his personal experiences 

and tell us how journalism has changed over the 

years. Perhaps Jim will also talk about his novel, 

“Philip’s Code: No News Is Good News — To a 

Killer,” a real page turner. (Borrow a copy from 

our lending library in the Wellness Building.) 

Mother’s Day Tribute Lunch 

Friday, May 8, 12–2 p.m. 

$10 

Join the VMSC as we pay tribute to the women in 

our lives. Mothers, daughters and granddaughters 

are encouraged to join us for this special 

luncheon. All mothers will receive a special gift. 

Individuals are also encouraged to send us photos 

and stories of their mothers for a special display. 

Please call 650-780-7259 for lunch reservations. 

VMSC Book Club 

Monday, May 11, 7–8:30 p.m. 

Free 

Love books? Want to socialize more and make 

new friends? Bring your passion for reading to 

this new book club sponsored by the VMSC. 

This will be the first meeting of our new club. 

Refreshments will be served and topics will 

include future meeting dates and potential books 

to read. Everyone is invited. 

Lifeline 

With Jessica Castro 


Free 

This lecture will give us an opportunity to learn 

about an important lifesaving device. You may 

have heard of Lifeline but might not know of the 

details concerning this small device. Families 

of aging parents and seniors who live alone are 

especially welcome. 

Veterans Honorary Luncheon 


Honor our troops at a luncheon featuring special 

guest speakers and veterans of all wars, including 

current soldiers from Iraq. Special patriotic music 

and tributes will complete this event. All veterans will 

receive a discounted lunch for $4. Nonmilitary 

guests will pay $8. Veterans are also encouraged 

to send us photos or stories of their military 

experience for a special tribute display. Please call 

Christina at 650-780-7343 to RSVP by Monday, 

May 18. Special thanks to Harry’s Hofbrau of 

Redwood City for co-sponsoring this event! 

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 

Web site is located at www.redwoodcity.org/parks. 


A Minute With: Silvia Vonderlinden 

Silvia Vonderlinden, city clerk of Redwood City, was born in Mozambique. 

Her father was in the military, and she grew up and graduated from high 

school in Portugal. She made the decision to move to California in 1989. 

She achieved a bachelor’s degree in behavioral physiology and an MBA 

from California State University, Hayward. She is happily married to Gary, 

and they make their home in Woodside. 

Silvia first came to the City of Redwood City as deputy city clerk in 1999. 

She left in 2003 to become the city clerk in Menlo Park. She returned to 

the staff of her favorite city in 2007 as city clerk. 

Silvia is very involved with her church and enjoys hiking, camping and 

snow skiing. She also enjoys serving the public in her role as city clerk. You 

can often catch her and Gary enjoying city activities all year long. 

The main responsibility of a city clerk is? 

To act as an impartial and objective defender of 

public process. 

Coming back is? 

Exciting! 

City council meetings? 

Very civil, professional, inclusive. 

Which living person do you most admire? 

Pope Benedict XVI. 

What is your most treasured possession? 

That is very easy — my family. 

What talent would you most like to have? 

The ability to be more graceful. 

Something few know about you? 

My connection to the sea. I was raised on an island. 

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? 

“Don’t have too much fun without me.” 

What is your greatest regret? 

That I have not achieved all that I know I am 

capable of. 

What is your motto? 

“My own destiny — made and mended here.” 

Why do you get up in the morning? 

Because life is good. 

In 100 years, what will you be remembered for? 

The resolutions and ordinances and minutes I 

signed for the City of Redwood City. 

Anyone you got on your mind? 

My husband, always. 

Memorable moment? 

Flying on a Cessna and fearing for my life. 

First word that comes to mind? 

Peace. 

What or who is the love of your life? 

My family. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

Walking on the beach. 

You currently feel? 

Peaceful. 

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

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