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

John 

Bruno 

And the Plan 

That Will 

Change Our 

Community 

Also in this issue: 

Measure E, Gee, PCA pleas 

and more in “As I Was Saying…” 

Serve the Peninsula 

serves our schools

www.SpectrumMagazine.net

The Spectrum.MAY/JUNE.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 May/June issue of Redwood City’s largest and most-read publication. This month we 

have more reasons to prove why we deserve that honor. 

Over the years, we have received several comments from readers asking why we publish each issue on 

the last week of the month named on that issue. We understand that it can be confusing because most 

publications distribute the last week of the month for the upcoming month. Even though much of the 

information we provide is for the upcoming month, it has been confusing for some of our readers. So we 

are changing that with this issue. As noted above, this issue will be for both May and June, and our next 

one will be the July issue. So don’t think you missed an issue when you get yours next month — we are 

just listening to your suggestions. 

Our cover story this month is on John Bruno. Although you may have heard or read his name before, 

you might not know that he is in the driver’s seat to change our community forever. With the plans for 

development on the Cargill Salt property submitted to the city for review, we thought it was time for our readers 

to meet the man behind the developer that hopes to create several new neighborhoods in our community. 

We are very proud to bring our readers this month’s story on Serve the Peninsula. This group is doing 

so many fantastic things with the schools in our community, and we hope you will want to support their 

efforts after reading about them. 

In publisher Steve Penna’s column, “As I Was Saying…”, he gives his candid views on the upcoming 

Measure E parcel tax, Fourth of July activities downtown and city council candidates’ activities. 

We also bring you our regular features on community interests, 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 the popular feature “A Minute With.” 

We thank you for your continued support and readership, and we look forward to providing community 

information indefinitely! 

Contents 

This Month’s Photo Shoot – 4 

RCSD Corner – 5 

Fallen Officer Honored at Courthouse – 5 

“As I Was Saying...” – 6 

Hansen Named New Sequoia Principal – 7 

Cultural Events – 8 

Redwood City’s Most Helpful Hand – 10 

Community Interests – 13 

Through the Years – 14 

Bruno “Digs” into Redwood City – 18 

Nonprofits in Action – 21 

Shop Redwood City – 23 

Battle for the Bay Continues – 26 

Habitat for Humanity Dedicates 8 Homes – 29 

News Briefs – 30 

Finance: Investment Ideas for Newlyweds – 33 

Senior Activities – 33 

A Minute With Shelly Masur – 34 

The Spectrum 3

Inside The Spectrum: Cover Story Photo Shoot 

This month’s cover subject is one we have been wanting to do for a while. In fact we 

had planned to do it last month, but we delayed it when the plans for the development 

of the Cargill Salt property were not submitted to the city for review. But what a great 

feature Peter Ingram was! 

Once we had been informed that the plans were ready, publisher Steve Penna 

scheduled the cover photo shoot of subject John Bruno for Friday, May 8, at 2 p.m. at 

the Saltworks headquarters at 1700 Seaport Blvd. 

Penna showed up about 30 minutes early and was met by Saltworks Director of 

Communications Jay Reed, who guided him to a conference room to wait for Bruno to 

return for the scheduled appointment. 

The rest of the Saltworks staff — Michael Henderson, director of government 

relations and community affairs; Jeri Richardson, manager of community affairs; and 

Nori Jabba, director of community affairs — were joined by Bruno and made lively 

conversation while cover story photographer James Kaspar found the building and 

joined the group. 

The first set of pictures was taken at the actual Cargill salt flats, where the fantastic 

cover photo was taken. They took several shots there over about 45 minutes until Penna 

and Kaspar felt they had what they needed. 

Once they finished taking pictures at the salt flats, they returned to the office and 

were met by contributing writers Judy Buchan and Valerie Harris, who were both 

interviewing Bruno for their respective stories this month. The photos continued in 

the office area. One shot, showing a reflective Bruno looking out a conference window 

toward the salt flats, was one of our favorites. 

The entire shoot took just about an hour and a half. 

The decision of whether or not development comes to the Cargill area will be up for 

debate in our community for years to come. That is for sure. What is also for sure is that 

The Spectrum feels that with Bruno advocating for the developer, the best interests of 

our community are being considered and taken into account as plans and decisions are made. 

Developers are often portrayed as insensitive, self-serving polluters by those who 

claim to be the only ones concerned with protecting so-called wetlands. Regardless of 

how you feel about development versus nongrowth, a thorough look at the submitted 

plans will confirm our statement about Bruno. 

587 Canyon Road 

Redwood City 

Proud Chamber of Commerce member 

(650) 369-1646 

www.canyoninn.com 

Est. 1973 

Head to the Hills - Emerald Hills 

Hamburgers voted best by Sequoia high School Baseball Team 

Try our Hacksaw and Guacamole Burgers! 

Lunches/Patio 

Catering/BBQ 

Patio Area Available For 

Kids Birthday Parties 

/Team Parties/ Adults 

Now featuring SUNDAY 

Buffet Breakfast from 

9:00 a.m. til 1:00 p.m. 

Now celebrating 

our 35th year 

of business! 

Hamburgers & Sandwiches 

Soups & Salads 

Daily Homemade Specials 

Sunday BBQ 

10% Discount with this ad 

Book your SOCCER team party NOW! 

NFL football package for viewing! 

We connect you to the 

world! Wireless Internet 

Service available NOW! 


RCSD Corner: News From the Redwood City School District 

Redwood City Native Named Principal of the Year — Dramatic Gains at Taft School Cited 

When Michelle Griffith began teaching fourth 

grade at Taft Community School in 1988, little 

did she imagine that 20 years later she would be 

named Principal of the Year in recognition of 

her strong leadership. Since becoming principal 

at Taft in the 2000–01 school year, Griffith 

has guided her staff every step of the way as 

they took Taft from a struggling school on the 

state’s “program improvement” list to a highachieving, 

model school in the region. Griffith 

was recently named Principal of the Year by 

Region 5 (covering San Francisco and San Mateo 

counties) of the Association of California School 

Administrators (ACSA). 

When Griffith took the reins at Taft, the school 

was not getting much positive recognition. At 

444, the school’s Academic Performance Index 

(API) score lagged far behind higher-performing 

schools in the district, and parents and staff were 

discouraged. Today, Taft’s API score is 774, and 

the school was removed from the state’s program 

improvement list, a rare accomplishment in a time 

when the academic bar set by the state is rising 

significantly each year. Last year 900 schools in 

the state, including Taft, had been in program 

improvement for at least five years. Of these, Taft 

was one of only nine schools who made enough 

improvement to be removed from the program 

improvement list. 

More than 75 percent of Taft’s students are 

English language learners, and more than 80 

percent of Taft students qualify for free and 

reduced lunch, but Griffith refuses to use that as 

an excuse for low academic performance. 

“We need to have high expectations, rigorous 

curriculum, focus and engaged students,” said 

Griffith. “There is no silver bullet, but there are 

better ways to do things. When I came in, I told 

staff that we were not operating with a boxed program. 

I made it clear that I was not asking them to do 

more, or to just go through a checklist, but to be 

brutally honest about what we are doing and what 

results we are getting. When we need to adjust the 

way we teach to get better results, we adjust.” 

Griffith believes in a mentoring model. 

“I spend a lot of time in classrooms,” she said. 

“I am not here to judge my staff, but to support 

them and help them move ahead.” Griffith spends 

a lot of time visiting classrooms, and uses her 

observations to help teachers build on their 

successes. To stay in touch with the challenges 

her teachers are facing, Griffith continues to work 

with students herself. 

“I model lessons for teachers, I teach 

intervention classes and I teach intersession 

classes during school breaks,” said Griffith. It’s 

important for me to understand first-hand what is 

working and what isn’t.” 

Griffith emphasized that Taft’s achievement 

is based on collaboration between staff, 

administration and parents. “Everyone played a 

part in what we were able to do here. Our teachers 

have gone above and beyond for the last nine 

years, and they’ve done whatever it takes to help 

students learn effectively.” 

Griffith grew up in Redwood City and attended 

Redwood City schools as a child. During her 

years of service to the Redwood City School 

District, she has worked in a wide variety of 

positions that prepared her for the challenges 

of leading Taft. In addition to teaching fourth 

grade at Taft, Griffith also taught sixth grade at 

McKinley Middle School, worked as a curriculum 

and technology resource teacher at Roy Cloud, 

served in the staff development office at district 

headquarters, and was assistant principal at Selby 

Lane School just prior to becoming principal at Taft. 

“We are thrilled that Michelle is receiving this 

honor,” said Superintendent Jan Christensen. 

“Michelle has been integral in creating a culture 

of academic rigor and high expectations, and has 

done so without sacrificing science, music and 

art,” said Christensen. “We are very proud of the 

standard she has set!” 

Taft Principal Michelle Griffith addresses 

first-grade students 

Fallen Officers Honored at Courthouse Square 

Officers from a dozen police departments across 

the county, including the California Highway 

Patrol, converged on the San Mateo County 

History Museum in Redwood City to pay tribute 

to the 27 San Mateo County officers killed in the 

line of duty since 1888. 

Menlo Park Police Chief Bruce Goitia presided 

over the ceremonies, calling public service “an 

honorable act” and particularly honorable for “the 

27 men who made the greatest sacrifice.” 

Standing in front of the steps of the former 

county courthouse, Goitia read off their names 

while officers placed single flowers in a vase 

standing in front of the memorial displaying the 

names, ranks and departments of the dead above 

a folded American flag and a statuette of three 

officers. The officers saluted the memorial before 

standing in line on the steps. The vase was filled 

with flowers by the end of the tribute. 

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office honor 

guard laid a wreath and stood at attention at the 

rear of the ceremony for the duration. 

Menlo Park police Chaplain Frank Vanderzwan 

delivered an invocation. The tribute ended with 

a benediction by Vanderzwan and a rendition 

of “Amazing Grace” performed on bagpipes by 

Deputy Joe Sheridan of the Sheriff’s Office. 

California Highway Patrol Officer Richard Fuentes 

said he was honored to be present at the tribute. 

“The sacrifices made cannot be honored enough,” 

he said, referring to officers killed in the line of duty. 

Some officers had the March shooting deaths 

of four officers in Oakland in mind despite its 

happening in a neighboring county. 

San Mateo County is “very lucky” to have 

relatively rare officer fatalities, Lt. Ken Jones of the 

County Sheriff’s Office said, though he added that 

what happened in Oakland “could happen here.” 

Fuentes said the county is not necessarily lucky, 

but fortunate to have had fewer losses than other 

jurisdictions, though Oakland is part of same 

metropolitan area as San Mateo County and “any 

one loss is a tragedy.” 

Jones said officers cannot spend every day thinking 

about the danger inherent in ground-level police work. 

“You make your stops, and if someone wants to 

hurt you then they have that opportunity,” he said. 

East Palo Alto police Officer Richard May was 

shot and killed responding to a disturbance call in 

2006. May is the most recent name to be added to 

the list. 

The tribute was hosted by the San Mateo 

County Police Chiefs and Sheriff’s Association 

and the county 100 Club. 


As I Was 

Saying… 

Publisher | Steve Penna 

So you, like me, are probably tired of paying taxes 

and having more taxes thrown at you because state 

and federal legislatures cannot balance budgets 

or make cuts that will ensure some sort of fiscal 

responsibility. I was one of the several million 

who rejected all those ballot measures that were 

supposed to “save our state.” Except I did vote in 

favor of the one that held “them” responsible for 

doing their jobs before giving themselves a raise. 

It, of course, passed. Hope they get the message. 

It must have had some effect because right after 

the election the next thing I heard, Nancy Pelosi 

was in China and I don’t think there will be a large 

welcome-home party waiting for her at the airport. 

Now we are being asked to approve a parcel tax 

in our community that is geared at assisting the 

Redwood City School District — Measure E on 

the special election ballot for Tuesday, June 2. 

It is asking property owners in the district to 

pony up $91 a year — approximately $7.50 a 

month or 25 cents a day — per parcel that would 

go directly to the classroom. Measure E would 

retain teachers; maintain classroom science and 

technology programs; keep school libraries open; 

preserve art, music and physical education classes 

and continue reading and math tutoring programs. 

It is expected to generate $2.3 million in revenue 

for five years. 

My first inclination is to just continue my 

thought process and reject this too. A tax is a tax, 

right? So if my readers will indulge me and let me 

figure this out with you, or in front of you, I would 

appreciate it. 

I can understand people like Jack Hickey, who 

want us to reject everything. All taxes, all laws 

and all rules, if you will. He has brought up some 

good points in ads paid for out of his own pocket 

to urge us all to vote No on this. But I don’t know 

if any relate to the current issue. (1) We have to 

tighten our belts during hard economic times. (2) 

Charity has its place. (3) Who’s going to bail out 

the taxpayers? I agree with all of that! 

The arguments and rhetoric I read from 

opponents such as Hickey do not really address 

or answer any of the real concerns of the issue or 

give alternatives to the budget crisis the school 

district is in. I think that when challenging 

any issue, you have to look at the benefits 

the supporters are highlighting and then state 

why those are not valid, and they do not even 

take those on. They basically just play on my 

disappointment in elected officials and urge me to 

say No to “them.” But are schools “them”? 

I can’t help but ask myself: Do I feel 

responsibility to our community at large? (1) 

While other surrounding communities have said 

Yes to their elementary schools and passed several 

taxes, Redwood City has never passed a parcel 

www.SpectrumMagazine.net 

tax for them. In fact, we are the only community 

feeding into the Sequoia Union High School 

District that does not support our schools in that 

way. (2) Compared to surrounding communities, 

our property values are lower, and schools are 

given as a significant reason for that. Good schools 

are important for property values and can be seen 

not only as an investment in the community but 

also as an investment in your own property. (3) 

The district is already considering $4 million to 

$6 million in budgetary cuts, with the possibility 

of more on the way. (4) With the state budget 

a complete mess, local school agencies have to 

be innovative and come up with alternatives to 

educate our children. A parcel tax is one way. 

Combined with the fact that seniors and renters 

in our community are exempt, Measure E looks 

affordable and supportable. How are you voting? 

Please go to www.spectrummagazine.net and let 

us know. I will tell you how I voted next month. 

.… 

The Peninsula Celebration Association (PCA), 

who are the organizers of the annual Fourth of 

July activities — the parade, festival and fireworks 

— are starting to reach out to the community 

and encourage financial as well as volunteer 

support. Last month we ran an item from the 

group appealing to our community. In part, they 

stated, “Due to a combination of lower return on 

investments and higher overall cost of producing 

this citywide event, the Peninsula Celebration 

Association is projecting a $30,000 budget deficit 

in its 2009 operating budget. Without additional 

funding support, the PCA will have some difficult 

decisions to make about this year’s events.” 

They also warned that “the size and scope of 

the parade and festival may be reduced and the 

fireworks could be eliminated” if they do not get 

that support. Now, if you are not familiar with 

this group, they are hard workers. We profiled the 

organization last year as a cover story, and I have 

observed them over the years. The events they 

put on with a small number of core volunteers are 

unbelievable. They deserve our support. 

Having said that, there are a few items (issues) 

the PCA needs to realize and take care of so they 

can mend fences and move on. First, if you are 

a longtime Redwood City resident, you may 

remember that the parade route changed a few 

years back when construction was going on for 

the downtown cinema project. The change was 

supposed to be for only one year but has become 

permanent, and business owners and residents 

want it back the way it was. That is the biggest 

complaint I hear in our community, and I hear 

it a lot. The reasons I have been told for it not 

being moved back vary depending on who you 

talk to, but it seems the main reason is that when 

Middlefield Road was redesigned at Theatre Way, 

it was made narrower and now floats cannot get 

through that area. 

Second, the festival was moved off the 

Broadway area to over by the county offices, as 

was the Kiwanis Carnival. I have no idea why 

that action was taken, but I assume it was because 

the parade route changed and they wanted these 

activities in the middle of it. Makes sense to me. 

Again, it was supposed to be only for a year. 

Both of those actions have moved everyone 

(sometimes estimated at 100,000 people) away 

from the downtown area on the biggest visitor day 

of the year. That means the restaurants, shops and 

everything that the city has asked the taxpayers 

to spend millions of dollars to revitalize do not 

benefit from the activity. I have also been told that 

many businesses used to depend on the revenues 

from the Fourth activities for a large portion of 

their yearly income. It does not make sense to me 

to keep it as it is when there are so many benefits 

to changing it back to the way it was. 

I hope dialog can begin to bring the events back 

to the downtown area because it would be nice to 

see everyone rally around the PCA. They mean 

so much to our community and should be viewed 

as an inclusive, not exclusive, organization. Their 

bringing the activity back to the downtown area 

would be a fantastic first step toward that unity. 

Information about becoming an event sponsor 

with the PCA can be found on their Web site at 

www.parade.org or by contacting their 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. 

.… 

“Working to make Redwood City better for every 

generation” was the theme as current Redwood 

City Planning Commissioner and City Council 

candidate Jeff Gee held his campaign kick-off 

event at the Redwood Shores library. Joining the 

75-plus supporters and family members were 

Redwood City Mayor Rosanne Foust; Council 

members Alicia Aguirre, Jim Hartnett and 

Barbara Pierce; board and commission members 

Nancy Radcliffe, John Seybert (who is also 

running), Rachel Holt and Lorianna Kastrop; 

and community leaders Dennis McBride, Memo 

Morantes, Cheryl Angeles, Pete Liebengood, 

Carol Ford, Pat Dixon, Stacey Wagner and 

Jerry Pierce. 

(continued on page 32)

Hansen Named New Sequoia Principal 

An educator was the last thing Bonnie Hansen planned to be when she grew up. 

As a young girl in Auburn, Hansen was surrounded by education. Both 

her parents were teachers; her father went on to be an administrator. Instead, 

Hansen planned to be a lawyer and a youth advocate. She spent one semester 

in San Francisco working in the juvenile hall. That semester changed her 

outlook. Hansen realized what the teens really needed was a strong education 

to avoid situations leading to juvenile hall. 

Today, Hansen serves as instructional vice principal at Sequoia High School in 

Redwood City. After five years in the position, Hansen was selected to take over 

as principal beginning July 1, filling the void left by Morgan Marchbanks’ 

departure. In March, Marchbanks announced plans to step down after nine 

years leading Sequoia to pursue a doctorate degree in educational policy and 

organizations research at the University of California at Berkeley. 

Marchbanks’ departure gave Hansen an opportunity to experience a new 

challenge at Sequoia. Hansen, 38, dedicated her life to education after her 

experiences in San Francisco. 

“We really need good education to level the playing field,” she said of her 

insight after working at juvenile hall. 

She spent many summers working at summer camps and as camp director 

while going through school. Hansen has a master’s degree in education from 

the University of California at Berkeley and a teaching credential from the 

University of California at Davis. She is nationally board certified in English. 

“I loved high school since I was attending one,” she said. Hansen has 

focused her educational efforts on the high school level. 

She began her student teaching at Grant High School in Sacramento. The 

school, located in a high-poverty area, has metal detectors at each entrance 

and a guard at every hallway — a stark difference from Hansen’s experiences 

in the Sequoia Union High School District. 

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

Atherton High School in 1995. She begged Marchbanks to be hired at 

Sequoia. Hansen studied an urban education–based program at Berkeley 

similar to what she saw at Sequoia — particularly when it came to the small 

learning communities. 

Hansen pointed to the amazing students as a perk at Sequoia. Even before 

becoming an administrator, Hansen noticed students were polite and often 

opened the door for her. In addition, she respected the high expectations set 

for students and the dedication for allowing teens to focus on education. 

Sequoia is one of the few schools in the area that has seen an increase in 

enrollment, a change beginning to shift the makeup of the campus. Moving 

forward, Hansen sees a challenge in ensuring all students feel engaged. 

After-school tutoring, support programs and training will be key to success 

in these areas. 

Sequoia also offers the international baccalaureate program, a twoyear 

preparatory process culminating in exams at the end of the school 

year. These tests could mean college credit for students. In addition, many 

students attempt to achieve an IB diploma, which requires the student 

display mastery in a number of topics, including language, individuals and 

societies, mathematics and computer science, experimental sciences, the arts 

and a second language. Students must take tests in each subject to earn the 

diploma. 

But the advanced classes can allow students to excel in areas like art, 

performing arts and computers. The key is finding where a student excels, 

said Hansen. 

Hansen will return to lead Sequoia after spending three weeks in Ethiopia. 

It will be her fourth trip in six years to the poverty-stricken country. Hansen 

works as an educator who helps professors working in Ethiopia trying to 

teach English. The experience also offers lessons to American educators. 

Hansen has been married 12 years to her husband, Erik. The pair met 

through a roommate and hit it off right away. 

Every Woman’s 

Place for Fitness 

• Classes for all fitness levels 

• Personal training 

• Therapeutic massage 

• Skin care services 

Summer Classes 

Starting Now! 

Belly Dance, Yoga, Cardio Strength, Bollywood 

Dance, and more! 

Reserve your spot for Jump Start 

our early morning boot camp. 

Open to members and non-members. 

Drop in or buy a punch card and save $. 

VIP Pass 

5 days 

FREE! 

Simply bring in this 

coupon to get started 

650-364-9194 611 Jefferson Ave., Redwood City, CA 94063 www.everywomanhealthclub.com 


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. 

Redwood City Presents 

Music on the Square 

A series of free concerts at Courthouse Square 

Fridays 6–8 p.m. 

May 29: Rodeo House (country rock) 

Rodeo House was formed in November 2005 by singers Christina Amato 

and Dave Scott. Amato and Scott bring dynamic stage presence and fantastic 

vocal range to the fore, and they back each other seamlessly with beautiful 

harmonies The band’s distinctive sound is generated by the pedal steel 

playing of Chuck Manchester, who has been performing since the 1950s 

and gives Rodeo House a sound few bands can achieve. Rodeo House plays 

primarily contemporary music of the country genre and brings together a 

nice blend of old-time country and western and bawdy blues that makes 

for a great show. The members of Rodeo House don’t just play music, they 

entertain and have fun! 

Upcoming Shows 

June 5: Manicato (Latin reggae) 

June 12: John “Broadway” Tucker and the Broadway Band (blues and 

Southern soul) 

June 19: Caravanserai (Santana tribute) 

June 26: Livewire (dance party band) 

Along with Music on the Square, other exciting free evening events in 

downtown Redwood City’s 2009 summer series include Movies on the 

Square on Thursdays, Dancing on the Square on Tuesdays, and Jazz on 

Main St. on Mondays. Other ongoing events in the coming months include 

six special outdoor exhibits featuring Art on the Square, Monday and 

Wednesday afternoon performances with Lunchtime on the Square, Sunday 

Swing Dancing with Lindy on the Square, as well as weekend Shakespeare 

performances, Sunday Target Family Days and Cultural Events. Full details 

at www.redwoodcityevents.com. 

The Main Gallery 

1018 Main St., Redwood City 

At the corner of Main and Middlefield, in the historic 

yellow Victorian cottage 

650-701-1018 

W–F 11–4, Sat.–Sun. 10–3, and by appointment 

www.themaingallery.org 

One artist is outside looking in, while the other artist is inside but not really 

showing the whole truth to the outside. And it all comes together in a dual 

show at The Main Gallery. 

Redwood City artist Diana Herring says she often thinks about other artists 

in their studios, and how her life revolves around her studio, so her show is 

titled “To the Studio.” 

San Mateo artist Ginger Slonaker is fascinated by how what you see in 

someone from the outside isn’t always the whole story, so her show is titled 

“Partial View.” 

The concurrent shows run from June 3 to July 5, with an artists’ reception 

on Saturday, June 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. Downtown Redwood City is also 

hosting its Second Saturday ArtWalk that night. 

Slonaker’s new works on paper, board, canvas and tin are a collection 

of imaginary portraits that focus on the parts of us that typically are less 

obvious to the viewer. 

Slonaker suggests that often our visible selves project a different reality 

than what is going on in our inner lives. “One’s outward persona does not tell 

the whole story,” Slonaker said. 

However, even though the weight of the inner world can’t fully be exposed, 

neither can it completely be hidden, and Slonaker’s portraits offer a view into 

each character’s “other reality” through expressionistic eyes. 

The show’s title, “Partial View,” refers to our being able to see only part of 

a person’s reality but also highlights the fact that our bias influences what we 

choose to see. 

Herring will be showing a selection of her silkscreen and drypoint prints. 

“The work is playful and contemporary in feel,” Herring said. 

A graduate of Stanford, Herring was first inspired to study art by the legends 

of famous Bay Area artists of the ’50s and ’60s. She has studied with many 

teachers and traveled extensively to view original art in the U.S. and Europe. 

As to the title of her show, the artist explained, “I have spent much of my 

life either in the studio or thinking about other artists in their studios. Studios 

are places of contemplation where all the experiences of an artist’s life 

come together. For me, art is an adventure. At first everything feels chaotic, 

disorganized. Gradually, an order appears. The most exciting moment comes 

when something that was confused becomes simple and clear. I am very often 

surprised by my own work. 

“Every medium has its own strengths,” Herring continued. “Silkscreen, 

done solely with stencil and direct drawing methods, forces me to simplify. 

In addition, silkscreen has a tradition of being used in mid-20th-century 

advertising, and I find that being relaxed about registration allows “happy 

accidents” to occur. Color and shapes then have an unintended playfulness.” 

(continues on page 16) 


REDWOOD CIT Y ROADWORK ADVISORY 

Businesses are open during construction: 

Annuzzi’s Custom Cabinets 

Burger King 

La Estrellita Restaurant 

Monney Car Audio 

Mundo Travel 

Orchard Supply Hardware 

Pro Group Cellular 

Saf Keep Storage 

Sigona’s Farmers Market 

Tacos El Grullense 

World Environment Day 

FIESTA! 

Friday, June 5th 4-8pm 

Courthouse Square in Redwood City 

Live Mariachi Band (4-6pm) 

Live Latin Reggae Band (6-8pm) 

Giveaways for ALL 

Organic Food Demonstration 

Fun for the whole family 

Kick-off of Redwood City Verde 

Newest information on “going green” 

Prize Drawings 

Join friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate 2009 World Environment Day! 

A great opportunity to talk with exhibitors & vendors about how you can reduce your home energy use and 

green your lifestyle. All in a fun, musical, family-friendly event! 

For more information visit www.redwoodcityevents.com or call (650) 780-5905. 

Sponsored By: 


Redwood City’s Most Helpful Hand 

By Nicole Minieri 

A grim reality has trickled its way into every 

local community: a struggling educational system 

that it is slowly sinking and failing. What makes 

this nationwide reality even darker is that there 

are no apparent quick fixes or any promising 

signs that this particular privation is near an end, 

especially since the economic cycle is currently 

sitting idle. The sufferers: teachers, students and 

countless state workers, of course. But through all 

of the mounting educational hardships and budget 

cutbacks, teachers and students of the Redwood 

City School District have been blessed with a very 

helpful hand that has been continually fulfilling 

their vital scholastic needs. 

“Serving Redwood City School District is 

something I strongly believe in,” said John Luff of 

Serve the Peninsula Inc., a nonprofit organization 

since 2006 whose main mission is to partner with 

the Redwood City School District and support them in 

their ongoing goals of developing a broad spectrum 

of developmental provisions that encompass 

students’ intellectual, physical, mental and socialemotional 

needs, despite budget reductions. 

“I have a passion for service, as well as 

reaching out to the schools and assisting all of 

the facilitators who are responsible for educating 

our children,” said Luff. “Our children are what 

the future is all about, and Serve the Peninsula is 

about trying to help them achieve that success by 

partnering with Redwood City school facilitators 

and with another community service organization 

and however else we can best assist in the mission 

of education. Basically, right now we are an 

organization that organizes community service 

projects for the Redwood City School District and 

the Ravenswood School District, and eventually 

we would like to expand our services throughout 

the Peninsula.” 

Volunteers paint a mural designed by students. 


The list of services Serve the Peninsula has 

provided in Redwood City is quite inspiring, 

as well as extensive. They are renowned for 

sustaining unparalleled working relations in both 

districts. “Much of our success is built on trust, 

understanding and having open communication 

with the districts,” said Luff. “And that trust 

comes from doing what you say you are going 

to be doing and not by not causing any more 

problems. By working closely with both districts 

I have a clear and good understanding on what 

their specific needs are. The end result is, we 

deliver. We have a track record of delivering on 

our promises.” 

What is another remarkable aspect about Serve 

the Peninsula is that they promise and deliver 

in record time. A fine example of how swiftly 

they move in and out of each project is a recent 

weekend joint venture for Taft School, located on 

the border of Redwood City and Menlo Park at 

Bay Road and 10th Avenue. The project started 

on April 24 and was completed on April 26. Serve 

the Peninsula took the wheel in organizing this 

collaborative project alongside Verbo Familia 

Cristiana, New Hope Peninsula Church and 

Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. “There were 

200 people that showed up for work,” said Luff. 

“This project was completely on a volunteer basis 

with all of the churches that participated.” 

The sizeable scope of work for the Taft School 

weekend project included remodeling numerous 

rooms, gardening, landscaping and artistic painting. 

The teachers’ break room was remodeled into a 

peaceful haven so that all of the teachers and staff 

could meet, have lunch and relax during their 

work day. The teacher and parent resource room 

was transformed from an everyday classroom into 

a decorative, multipurpose room, and the front 

main office was converted into a workspace that 

imparted more efficiency. 

The volunteers then moved on to the landscaping 

and gardening portion of this project. A vacant 

area on the school’s property was altered into 

a beautiful, ADA-accessible garden of native 

California plants and vegetables. A seating 

quarter nestled within the garden was built to 

accommodate 20 students. And various sizes 

of redwood planter boxes were built and placed 

randomly in classrooms throughout the entire 

school. If remodeling and landscaping weren’t 

enough, volunteers then went on a major springcleaning 

spree, thoroughly cleansing and disinfecting 

all of the classrooms and the school library. Even 

the playground structures and grounds were 

cleaned and cleared of all foreign debris. 

The final touches to the Taft School project 

included the painting of a large, welcoming 

mural gracing the front entrance of the school 

and gift baskets that were given to school staff 

to show appreciation and keep their morale up. 

A community barbeque lunch sponsored by 

Lutticken’s Deli in Menlo Park was also provided 

to all who volunteered on the Taft project. 

With a makeover project deadline of 3 weeks 

and an overall budget of $107,478, Serve the 

Peninsula successfully partnered with the 

Redwood City School 

District to install both girls’ 

and boys’ locker rooms for 

Kennedy Middle School. 

“Kennedy needed to increase 

privacy and personalproperty 

security,” said Luff. 

“We worked together to 

remodel the girls’ and boys’ 

locker rooms. We did the 

fundraising to acquire the 

new lockers, and the school 

district remodeled and 

installed the locker rooms. It 

was a successful partnership 

between us and the director 

of facilities of the Redwood 

City School District.” 

As a trusted partner, 

Serve the Peninsula has 

successfully completed 

numerous Redwood City 

school restorations. Some 

of the schools that have had 

a makeover are Roosevelt 

School, Henry Ford School, 

Hawes School and Garfield 

Charter School. Each of 

these projects was completed 

within one to two days and 

remained within budget. 

In a recent statement, Luff 

said, “We deliver the service, 

program or curriculum 

assistance. We will provide 

the program and project 

management to meet the 

need through funding, 

material resources and/ 

or volunteers necessary to 

fulfill the need. Through our 

network of volunteers, we 

are able to provide ongoing 

support as necessary, 

e.g., through classroom 

assistance, office help, tutors 

and mentoring.” 

More recently, on May 16, Serve the Peninsula 

once again served Roosevelt School. “This 

project was very similar to what we did at Taft 

Elementary School,” said Luff. “We remodeled 

several rooms and did landscaping as well. This 

project was completed within two days. We also 

have other similar projects in the pipeline, but 

no specific dates have been set for them. The 

projects in the pipeline have been generated 

by the Ravenswood superintendent and their 

business manager. We are currently planning 

and doing all of the fundraising for them.” Those 

proposed projects in the pipeline are a teacher 

resource room and Cesar Chavez Academy. In 

addition to these two projects in the works for the 

Ravenswood district, Serve the Peninsula is also 

planning another project for the Redwood City 

School District: the Taft computer curriculum project.

“We remodeled several rooms and did landscaping as well. 

This project was completed within two days. We also have 

other similar projects in the pipeline.” 

Fundraising has become integral to the overall 

continuing success of each school makeover. “We 

do all fundraising for our proposed projects,” said 

Luff. “Our fundraising is directed toward the 

individual to the corporation. We do get a lot of 

individuals who are willing to donate, and most 

of our support comes from church supporters.” 

Church supporters from Menlo Park Presbyterian 

Church and Peninsula Covenant Church continue 

to give graciously to Serve the Peninsula. 

Serve the Peninsula has been extremely 

fortunate with church supporters also 

volunteering. However, in addition to the 

great amount of support already received, the 

organization is still seeking more volunteers. 

“If anyone wants to volunteer on any one of our 

upcoming projects, then they should certainly get 

in touch with us,” said Luff. Serve the Peninsula 

is currently located on Farm Hill Blvd. in 

Redwood City, with Luff being the sole worker. 

“I am the only person currently working in the 

office,” said Luff. “Everyone else is a volunteer 

working from the outside.” 

For a small “mom and pop” nonprofit 

organization, Serve the Peninsula continues to 

show the Redwood City community time and 

time again that there is absolutely no beautiful 

school makeover project that is too large for them 

to handle. Despite the devastating effects of the 

recession, Redwood City is very fortunate to have 

a helpful hand that always pulls through and is 

ready to serve without hesitation. 

If you are interested in volunteering or would 

like to learn more about the various services 

Serve the Peninsula provides, please contact John 

Luff at 650-224-2670 or visit their main office at 

3560 Farm Hill Blvd. in Redwood City. 

John Luff (right) and Taft Principal Michelle Griffith (left) 

take a moment to pose with key volunteers. 


Advertise with The Spectrum 

650.368.2434 


Community Interests 

A Clean Slate for Probation Department 

Taking over the embattled San Mateo County Probation Department is no 

small task. The 463-employee department with a $74 million annual budget 

received attention last year for the actions of two teenage wards at facilities 

for which it holds responsibility. 

On Feb. 14, 2008, Josue Raul Orozco, 17, scaled an outside wall at the 

Youth Services Center with the help of two 18-year-old wards serving time 

for unrelated offenses. Orozco had been housed at the county’s juvenile hall 

at 222 Paul Scannell Drive since his arrest at age 14 on murder charges. 

Orozco fled the campus and remained at large until being arrested by Texas 

authorities on burglary charges. He has since been returned to San Mateo 

County and is awaiting a murder trial. 

The escape set off a firestorm of criticism and three investigations into 

how Orozco was able to slip away unnoticed from the high-tech facility. 

The March 7, 2008, report requested by the Board of Supervisors found that 

neither of two juvenile hall group supervisors in charge of Orozco’s housing 

unit was watching him play basketball when he used his accomplices and 

a grip hold on a low halogen light to scale the wall. Despite calls to the 

contrary, former Chief Probation Officer Loren Buddress did not address 

repercussions for employees involved but called for more training, reinforced 

policies and made changes to the lighting and windows. 

The escape also called into question disconnects between hall staff, law 

enforcement and the public in the wake of the escape because an arrest 

warrant was not issued for several hours and neighboring residents were not 

notified of the potential security risk. 

In August, a 16-year-old boy walked away from Camp Glenwood, a 

medium-security detention facility, and was later arrested for allegedly 

stabbing a 23-year-old man to death in Redwood City. There have been 

numerous walkaways from the facility, and security is an ongoing concern. 

Named to lead the department is Stuart Forrest, who has served as deputy 

chief since 1998. A search committee of judges Robert Foiles and Marta Diaz 

recommended Forrest to the lead position of the department, and he certainly 

has his hands full in making sure its reputation recovers. Though the 

department may have benefited from outside leadership, Forrest starts with 

a clean slate. Let’s hope he makes improvements to the communication and 

security of the county’s detention facilities he is now charged with overseeing. 

Redwood City Buys $4.45 Million Site 

Redwood City plans to buy the former Cemex site on Maple Street for $4.45 

million with hopes of eventually using the 9.5-acre parcel to house a threemillion-gallon 

water tank, create new park land, build a new corporation yard, 

earn money from new commercial property or give the public access to the bay. 

The city will use $2.5 million from its Capital Outlay Fund and the 

remainder through an interfund loan from the Self-Insurance Trust Fund to 

be repaid by June 30, 2013. 

No specific use for the property at 1402 to 1405 Maple St. is set, so the 

pending purchase doesn’t require any environmental review under the 

California Environmental Quality Act. 

The Redwood City City Council will consider approving the purchase 

from Lonestar California Inc. (a Cemex Corp. affiliate). The city must also 

negotiate a lease with the Bair Island Aquatic Center, which sits directly 

across from Cemex. 

The city has until June 3 to finish its inspections of the property and the 

closing date is scheduled for June 11 unless Cemex needs more time to free 

up approximately 25 to 30 tenants and subtenants. 

If the sale goes through, the city will have “prime bayfront land for public 

benefit” and the city will be able to control land uses within and adjacent to 

the marina development area, according to City Manager Peter Ingram. 

Possibilities Ingram suggested to the council include some combination 

of the following: an additional three-million-gallon water tank for the city 

drinking water system (the estimated cost for two acres of land is $4.1 

million and tank construction is $6.4 million), using the remaining land for 

new park space (based on the city’s ratio of park to population, the land could 

provide sufficient park space for about 1,000 residents), a new corporation 

yard to replace the current facility at 1400 Broadway, public access to the bay 

and income property. 

Any or all of the uses could offset some of the purchase price by 

development fees and charges, according to Ingram. 

The property, once a cement manufacturing facility, is currently used by 

Frey’s Trucking Company, a trucking and landscape materials business. The 

parcels first came to the greater public’s attention last May when the Board 

of Supervisors agendized a potential purchase with plans of building a new 

jail. Redwood City officials, worried that the land is less than 1,000 feet away 

from the already-approved 800-unit Peninsula Park mixed-use development, 

publicly called the supervisors out for appearing to make decisions without 

input. A month later, the idea was a no-go when Cemex withdrew from 

negotiations with the county. 

The land later showed up on numerous Redwood City closed session 

agendas but officials stayed mum on potential plans other than to say a new 

correctional facility would not be considered. 

Local 4th-Grade Class Supports Peace Campaign With 

SMCU’s Help 

San Mateo Credit Union (SMCU) welcomed a fourth-grade class from 

Sandpiper Elementary School to its Redwood City branch to support Pennies 

for Peace. On May 7, Susan Welter took her class on a field trip to the credit 

union, where the students were able to convert their pennies into a check that 

they could send to their chosen cause. 

The students have been collecting pennies since Feb. 1 in support of the 

Pennies for Peace campaign aimed at building a bridge for peace by offering 

educational alternatives to 400 mountain villages in remote northern Pakistan 

and Afghanistan . Along with collecting the pennies, the students learned about 

the cultures of Afghanistan and Pakistan. “Ms. Welter has done a great job 

in combining the lessons of philanthropy and saving money,” said Jennifer 

Srabian, manager of the Redwood City branch location. “The students expressed 

their knowledge of the region and how their pennies make a difference.” 

The field trip to SMCU is part of the learning experience to broaden the 

horizons of the students’ philanthropic endeavors. “The students came 

away with a sense of appreciation for their own education,” said Welter. 

The students have learned that pennies collected can add up to make a 

difference, providing supplies such as pencils, erasers, notebooks, tuition 

and scholarships for students who are on a waiting list, hoping to learn in a 

new school. The supplies empower a child to learn to read and write in areas 

where terrorist organizations recruit the uneducated and illiterate. 

About San Mateo Credit Union: Founded in 1952, SMCU is a memberowned 

financial institution that currently serves more than 69,000 members, 

who live, work or attend school or church in San Mateo County. Managing 

more than $611 million in assets, with six San Mateo County branch 

locations, SMCU provides a full range of financial services to its memberowners. 

For information or to find the branch nearest you, visit www.smcu. 

org or call 650-363-1725 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on 

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 


REDWOOD CITY 

THROUGH THE YEARS 

Time Capsules 

By Mary K. Spore-Alhadef, Librarian, Local History and Archives Collections, Redwood City Public Library 

“Time capsules” are the modern 

response to our desire to leave a 

memento of our time and society to 

future generations. Spurred, perhaps, 

by the increasingly sophisticated 

work of 20th-century archaeologists 

in Pompeii, Knossos, Egypt and 

Greece in revealing the way those 

societies lived, 20th-century 

scholars began to contemplate what 

artifacts and writings would explain 

this age to future researchers. With 

modern technology, they thought about 

how to preserve and present the 

information they deemed worthy of 

preservation. 

The first “intentional” deposit 

of materials meant to be found 

by the people of a future age 

was the “Crypt of Civilization,” 

the brainchild of Dr. Thornwell 

Jacobs, the energetic president of 

Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, 

Ga., who had re-established the 

university in 1915. Writing in 

Scientific American in 1936, he 

proposed gathering a record of our 

civilization, sealing it and storing it 

to be opened in 8113. He calculated 

that this was the same number of 

years in the future as 4241 B.C., 

the date of the establishment of 

the Egyptian calendar, was in the 

past. Utilizing an abandoned but 

watertight swimming pool beneath 

Phoebe Hearst Hall on campus, the 

university lined it with vitreous 

porcelain and set about gathering a 

record of modern life for discovery 

in 8113. 

Dr. Jacobs had engaged the 

services of Thomas K. Peters, a man 

of varied talents, who had made 

the only newsreel footage of the 

San Francisco earthquake in 1906, 

worked at Luxor and Karnak, and 

invented the first microfilm camera 

to use 35 mm film. Peters became 

the curator of the collections to 

be placed in the crypt, storing 

everything from dressed dolls and 

an electric calculator to the plastic 

toys and pop culture artifacts of the 

1930s, including a script of “Gone 

With the Wind,” and even a sealed 

vial of beer, all in glass or glasslined 

stainless-steel containers. 

Using the new technology of the era, 

he had a team of students microfilm 

640,000 pages of fiction, classic 

literature and scientific works. On 

an extensive phonograph record 

collection, he gathered the recorded 

voices of major world leaders of 

the time, from Hitler and Stalin 

to Albert Einstein. He included 

microfilm equipment, magnifiers 

and both an electrical generator 

and a windmill-powered generator, 

in case electricity was not in use. 

Thoughtfully, he included a device, 

just inside the door, to teach the 

English language should it be 

extinct in 8113. After replacing all 

the oxygen with nitrogen to prevent 

decay, the vault was sealed with 

a stainless-steel door, which was 

welded shut in May 1940. 

During the preparations for the 

Crypt of Civilization, another 

project that would gain far more 

attention was in preparation. While 

the planners of the 1939 World’s 

Fair in New York City looked 

to the future with the Trylon 

and Perisphere, they were also 

interested in presenting a portrait 

of their own time to a future age. 

The Westinghouse Corporation, a 

major participant, conceived the 

idea of burying an intentionally 

selected collection of items to 

be opened 5,000 years in the 

future. The contents were to reflect 

both the minutiae of daily life — 

eyeglasses, watch, fountain pen, 

seeds of common crops — and the 

materials of which modern life 

was constructed, everything from 

metals and plastics to wool and 

rayon. The broader social, industrial 

and political themes of the era were 

preserved on both microfilm and 

newsreel, along with a microscope 

and instructions for the construction 

of the type of microfilm reader used 

in libraries. 

To house this collection, the 

Westinghouse Corporation created a 

90-foot-long, glass-lined cylinder of 

cupaloy, a nonferrous alloy created 

to resist corrosion. The newly 

named “Time Capsule” was buried 

on Sept. 23, 1938, the autumnal 

equinox, under a monument in 

Flushing Meadow, the site of the 

Fair. To ensure the capsule being 

found 5,000 years in the future, a 

“Book of Record” was created and 

sent to 3,000 libraries, monasteries 

and museums worldwide in hope 

that at least one of them would 

survive across the bridge of time. 

The “Book of Record” contains the 

precise location of the capsule and 

an instructional key on speaking the 

English language should it not be in 

common usage in 6939, when the 

capsule is scheduled to be opened. 

The second New York World’s 

Fair in 1964–65 also produced a 

Westinghouse Time Capsule, buried 

with the first one under a granite 

monument on Flushing Meadow 

and also designed to be opened in 

6939. 

The traditional, large-scale 

memorial building projects in 

Redwood City’s history were 

undertaken in the era after the 1906 

earthquake and with WPA funds 

in the 1930s. This was well before 

the time when people thought 

of including nothing more than 

a handful of coins and a daily 

newspaper in a new building’s 

cornerstone on dedication day. It 

was not until 1968, during the 

city’s centennial celebration, that 

Redwood City gave formal thought 

to a time capsule intended for the 

citizens of 2068. Historian Richard 

Schellens and Dave Schutz, the 

Redwood City Tribune editor who 

had served as chairman of the 

centennial committee, directed 

the filling of a specially treated 

redwood-and-glass box that had 

been donated by the California 

Redwood Association. Materials 

from the centennial programs, an 

outline of the city’s historic walking 

trail, a prospectus of Redwood 

Shores and a letter from Mayor 

Sidney Herkner to his successor in 

2068 were all placed in the capsule 

casing. The capsule was buried near 

City Hall. 

Following the construction of the 

current Redwood City City Hall 

in 1996, it was decided to place a 

time capsule in the new City Hall, 

to be opened on March 27, 2047. 

Probably the most unusual item 

placed in this time capsule is then 

Council Member Dick Claire’s 

Hewlett Packard 10C calculator. 

Claire told the writer that he used 

this calculator to reconfigure the 

construction costs so that the 

building could be built with the 

quality and beauty the city desired 

within the funding available. He 

therefore thought it should be in 

the capsule because it was the tool 

that made the building possible. He 

has been quoted as intending to be 

present at the opening in 2047 to 

reclaim his calculator. 

While doing repair work on the 

entrance and parking area at the 

front of the campus, Sequoia High 

School found student-deposited 

time capsules beneath many of 

the class plaques that have been 

a tradition since the school was 

relocated from downtown to the 

present campus in 1924. The class 

capsules have been relocated and 

archived in the school library’s care 

in the school building. 

In the wider world, the fascination 

with time capsules has not only 



Job #08-01727 proof 2 Qty: 1 banner 48”w x 60”h 

FOR OVER 88 YEARS 

PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITY 

A Cleaner, Greener Environment . . . 

One Stop at a Time 

FOOTHILL DISPOSAL & RECYCLING CO., INC. 

GOLDEN GATE DISPOSAL & RECYCLING COMPANY 

LOS ALTOS GARBAGE COMPANY 

NORCAL WASTE SYSTEMS OF SAN BENITO COUNTY 

NORCAL WASTE SYSTEMS OF SAN MATEO COUNTY 

RECYCLE CENTRAL ® 

SAN BRUNO GARBAGE CO., INC. 

SF RECYCLING AND DISPOSAL, INC. 

SOUTH VALLEY DISPOSAL & RECYCLING, INC. 

SOUTH VALLEY ORGANICS, INC. 

STEVENS CREEK DISPOSAL & RECYCLING, INC. 

SUNSET SCAVENGER COMPANY 

WEST COAST RECYCLING COMPANY 

www.norcalwaste.com 

Never late for the Theatre 

when you eat at Little India. 

All You Can Eat Lunch 

Mon - Fri 11am - 2pm 

Regular $9.95 Vegetarian $7.95 

All You Can Eat Dinner 

Mon - Sat 5 - 9pm 

Regular $12.95 Vegetarian $10.95 

Little India 

Restaurant 

917 Main St., Redwood City 

650-361-8737 • www.littleindiacuisine.com 

10 % off 

with your Parking 

Valadation! 

• Catering 

• In-House Parties 

Available 

• Takeout 

Donate Your Vehicle 

650-363-2423 

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 

What you can expect from Dave Karow: 

 

 

 

To be resourceful, tenacious and principled. 

To explain choices in terms YOU can understand. 

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

Mortgage Services Redefined for busy families seeking responsible choices. 

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

 

 

650-743-5397 dave@rwcfunding.com www.rwcfunding.com 


Cultural Events: 

(Continued from page 8) 

Redwood City Through the Years: 

(Continued from page 14) 

More recently, Herring has been doing drypoint prints, using an electric 

engraving tool on plastic plates. “I use the new Akua inks, rather than oilbased 

inks,” she said. 

The plates are printed on an etching press, a method that gives a different 

look than that of traditional intaglio prints. “I am able to create printed 

images, using line, that feel almost as effortless as pen drawings,” Herring 

said. “I create many of these, discarding all but the most successful. Often, 

news events or recent personal experiences or long forgotten memories — 

such as my love of horses — show up as subject matter.” 

“A-huh,” Ginger Slonaker, mixed media, 8.5 x 11 

continued but grown. The International Time Capsule Society, begun in 

1990 and located at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, exists “to promote 

the careful study … and document all types of time capsules throughout 

the world.” Founded and run by an international team of historians and 

anthropologists, the society’s Web site includes a registry of time capsule 

projects throughout the world, instructions on how to construct your own 

capsule and a list of “most-wanted” time capsules. These include civic 

embarrassments like the Lyndon, Vt., centennial capsule, which has been 

missing since the 1890s, and the 17 capsules buried in Corona, Calif., since 

the 1930s but never located despite parts of the civic center being dug up. On 

a larger scale are the capsule buried under the 36,000-pound lid of the MIT 

cyclotron in 1939 and the Bicentennial Wagon Train Time Capsule, which 

disappeared from the parking lot while President Gerald Ford was giving the 

dedication speech at Valley Forge, Pa., on July 4, 1976. 

The proof of our widespread fascination with leaving a record of our time 

for the future is the number of companies that exist to facilitate this process. 

They range from Time Capsules Inc., whose advertising states that they 

are “already part of the tricentennial” and gives an impressive list of the 

institutions that have buried their product, and Affordable Time Capsules, 

which suggests their product as a wedding gift, noting, “They won’t get 

two of these!” Perhaps the most unusual current offering is from Time in a 

Capsule, which offers “wilderness time capsules” for your “time-capsule 

adventure.” The elaborate directions on their Web site explain how to utilize 

their Geocapsule, an artificial rock or log with space created to hide your 

small, sealed container. The Geocapsule is then to be taken on a wilderness 

trek into the remote public lands of the American West and concealed far 

from trails or any evidence of human activity. It is designed to be located in 

the future by utilizing a GPS device. They also suggest that you register the 

location of your capsule with the International Time Capsule Society, which 

has information on 20,000 capsules in the United States and throughout the 

world. The Society recommends that capsules not be buried in the ground 

because fading memories and other priorities for land use often make the 

buried location of a time capsule imprecise, which can result in the loss of 

what the originators assumed would be a permanent memorial to a date and 

society. 

The capsule placed in City Hall in 1997 is easily located in the wall of the 

foyer of the City Council Chambers. This follows the suggestions of Dr. Paul 

Hudson, who is considered the foremost expert on time capsules, not to bury 

a capsule in the ground and to have it clearly marked and set to be opened 

within a reasonable span of years. We can only hope that the Redwood City 

of 2047 will still be enjoying both the efforts that have gone into historic 

preservation and the best climate in the world. 

Advertise with 

The Spectrum 

650.368.2434 

ATTENTION READERS: Last month an ad for Tom’s Outdoor Furniture 

ran with an offer for 50% off. There was no expiration date 

and there should have been one that read May 17, 2009. 

“I’m Here,” Ginger Slonaker, mixed media, 24 x 24 


Parties Around Town CityTrees Annual Fundraiser — At Savvy Cellar, Sunday, May 3 

Top, from left: Councilwoman Diane Howard enjoys a laugh with the crowd. John Seybert and Shawn White. Former Mayor Georgi LaBerge (left), Councilwoman Barbara Pierce 

(center) and Nancy Radcliffe enjoy the night. Bottom, from left: The Savvy Cellar servers are ready to pour! Tom Cronin (center) and Nancy Radcliffe helped plan the event. 

LOCAL spotlight PREMIERE 

SAN MATEO CREDIT UNION • REDWOOD CITY, CA 

gives you 

The on broadway branch 

Everything you need is here at On Broadway. A full-service branch featuring 

friendly knowledgable staff. Convenient late hours and we’re open on Saturdays, 

too! SMCU. It’s your place downtown. 

Validated 

Parking! 

Admit One 

$25 * Checking Reward 

When you open a new SMCU Checking Account 

at the On Broadway Branch. 

*A $25 credit will be deposited into your new checking account upon opening. Funds will be placed 

on hold for 30 days. New membership must be opened at our On Broadway Branch, 830 Jefferson 

Ave, Redwood City, CA. You are eligible for membership in SMCU if you you live, work, or study 

in San Mateo County. A one-time, non-refundable membership fee of $10.00 ($1.00 for 18 and 

under) will be waived. Offer and terms are subject to change without notice. Federally insured by the 

National Credit Union Administration. Equal Opportunity Lender. 

(650) 363-1725 • smcu.org • 830 Jefferson Ave 

N 0 0 0 1 9 5 2 


Bruno “Digs” Into 


By Valerie Harris, Special to The Spectrum 

As the Redwood City Cargill 

salt flats project enters round 

two with the recent unveiling 

of plans to develop the 1,433 

acres of land east of Highway 

101 between Marsh Road 

and Seaport Boulevard, 

developer DMB Associates is 

bracing for another backlash 

and more brouhaha from 

environmentalists. As the two 

sides square off, developers 

versus environmentalists, one 

person stands at the edge of 

the vortex: John Bruno, the 

spokesman for the joint venture 

between Cargill and DMB. 

When DMB and Cargill began searching for 

a candidate to move their development project 

forward, they hit pay dirt with Bruno. He came 

with a resume packed with innovative and novel 

national and international ventures, a long history 

of executive management in Silicon Valley 

corporations and the temperament to handle all 

facets of this task. 

Bruno, the oldest of four children, was born 

to parents John Paul Bruno and Maureen Ann 

(McCormack) Bruno in Seattle, Wash. When he 

was 6, the family moved to San Francisco, back 

to Maureen’s home. Maureen is a third-generation 

native San Franciscan. 

Bruno was always an enterprising child. When 

he was 10 years old, he started a paper route. He 

was sharp enough as a kid to know that there was 

a better way to earn money selling papers, and he 

soon ended up selling them at a stand for an extra 

nickel a paper. 

Bruno attended St. Ignatius College 

Preparatory, a private high school in San 

Francisco, and then Santa Clara University, where 

he majored in economics. After Bruno’s father 

died at age 37, Bruno worked to help supplement 

the family income and fund his education. He 

used his summer breaks to work as a commercial 

fisherman in Alaska. Fans of the Discovery 

Channel series “Deadliest Catch” will understand 

the fortitude necessary to fish in those challenging 

waters. Bruno fished those waters for 10 

summers. He had been drawn to fishing as a kid 

because his grandfather owned a fishing boat. 

Bruno’s father had suffered from Type 1 

diabetes, and Maureen, a schoolteacher, started 


esearching nutrition and health issues. When 

she eventually met and married a medical 

supplies executive, Howard Sullivan, she was 

already an expert in disabilities and nutrition. In 

collaboration with pioneering physician Seale 

Harris, she founded the Lite for Life company. 

Today Lite for Life has 11 Northern California 

locations and is expanding nationwide. 

After finishing his Bachelor of Science 

in economics, Bruno landed a job as a sales 

representative for Xerox Corp. His territory was 

the sprawling Lockheed Missiles and Space 

Company campus in Sunnyvale. At night, Bruno 

continued his studies at Santa Clara University, 

where he received his MBA. Bruno stayed with 

Xerox from 1980 to 1986. 

In 1986, Bruno became managing partner 

in the small real estate company of McKay & 

Associates, headquartered in Redwood City. This 

company was involved in construction, property 

management and accounting. Bruno loved this 

job. “Once you get a development approved, you 

can see all the people you put to work, and help 

their economic well-being,” he said. 

During the recession of 1991, Bruno left the 

real estate office and went to work for Sybase, a 

burgeoning database firm. Sybase was expanding 

worldwide, and Bruno, as senior director of 

worldwide real estate and facilities, was in charge 

of site location expansions. One great project 

of his was the development of “creative infill” 

in Emeryville. (Creative infill is a philosophy 

of smart growth in urban areas whereby highdensity 

housing is placed near work, shopping 

and mass transit, with preservation of open 

space.) Emeryville is a small city in Alameda 

County, between the cities of Berkeley and 

Oakland and extending to the San Francisco Bay 

shoreline. Emeryville was home to trucking, paint 

manufacturing and Shell Oil research. It was 

also a railway hub. In the 1960s, industry started 

moving away from Emeryville, leaving the city 

financially crippled. When Bruno was tasked with 

finding a new campus for Sybase, Emeryville 

fit the bill. Rents were low and mass transit was 

available, but the city needed a facelift. The 

concept for “creative infill” hit big. Railroad 

yards were converted to shopping centers, and 

warehouses were converted to eclectic and 

coveted lofts. Emeryville became one of the “it” 

places to live. According to Wikipedia, companies 

based in Emeryville now include Pixar Animation 

Studios, Jamba Juice, LeapFrog, Sendmail, 

MobiTV, Bayer and Novartis. 

During his employment at Sybase, Bruno was 

tasked with expanding Sybase’s offices in New 

Delhi, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Australia, 

New Zealand … all over the world. During his 

tenure, Bruno learned the universal axiom of 

development: “You are only effective if you listen.” 

In 1996, Bruno left Sybase and joined Cadence 

Design Systems as the vice president of real estate 

and operations. Cadence, the world’s leading 

electronic design automation (EDA) company, 

makes chip and processor design tools. Cadence 

was also expanding and needed Bruno’s expertise. 

Bruno said, “While at Cadence, I built research 

and development campuses on every continent 

except Antarctica.” He was responsible for the 

management of the firm’s global real estate 

“Once you get a development approved, you can see all the people you 

put to work, and help their economic well-being.” 

portfolio, facilities, procurement, government 

relations, community involvement and corporate 

security. Bruno thoroughly enjoyed working for 

Cadence and stayed with them until 2006. 

During a hiatus from Cadence in 2000 to 

2001, Bruno started the highly successful 

online company Boats.com. Boats.com emerged 

as the Internet marketplace for boat users, 

manufacturers, yacht brokers, boat dealers, marinas, 

boatyards and other marine-service businesses. 

Bruno served as the chief financial officer. 

After Boats.com, Bruno returned to Cadence. 

“Cadence was full of great, smart people. I 

returned to Cadence as the vice president of real 

estate and operations. I’d still be there today if this 

other opportunity didn’t come my way,” he said. 

In 2006, DMB partnered with Cargill to 

develop the 1,433 acres used to produce industrial 

salt. Bruno saw this as great opportunity to 

develop an area to meet all the future growth 

needs of Redwood City. He was ready for the 

challenge. For the past two and a half years, 

Bruno has been meeting with members of the 

community in an outreach program to glean 

information about community needs. “We got 

over 10,000 responses from city workers, ball 

players and low-, medium- and upper-income 

residents about what they would like to see in the 

development. We developed a 50/50 plan to fit the 

needs of the environmentalists,” he said. 

Redwood City Industrial Saltworks has engineered 

a plan in which residents can live, work and play 

within the same area. Light rail will be developed 

for the residents, which will eventually be linked 

to downtown and Caltrain. 

We will see how Bruno marries the needs 

of city development with the desires of the 

environmentalists. If anyone is capable of 

mediating smart growth on the Cargill site, Bruno 

definitely is the man for the job. 

Editor’s note: Bruno and his wife, Mary, a San 

Francisco native, have two children. Son Johnny 

is a student at Santa Clara University and 

daughter Janey is a senior at St. Ignatius College 

Preparatory. The family resides in San Francisco. 

Bruno is on the board of directors of the Redwood 

City–San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce, 

Technology Credit Union, Housing Trust of 

Santa Clara County and St. Ignatius College 

Preparatory, and is on the advisory board of 

Resource Area for Teachers (RAFT). Bruno’s 

sister Katie works in software, brother Chris is 

CEO of Lite for Life and his sister Liz is a licensed 

family counselor. His mother, Maureen, and her 

husband, Howard, still work for Lite for Life. 


MAINTAIN educational essentials: 

including K-8 teaching positions, art, music, tutoring, 

and science & technology programs to better prepare 

our children for high school and future careers. 

ENSURE accountability: NO Measure E 

funds can be spent on administrators. Independent 

Citizens Oversight, financial audits and reports to the 

public will ensure transparency and accountability. 

PROTECT neighborhood schools: 

our kids need stable locally controlled funding 

that CAN’T be taken away by the State. EVERY 

Measure E penny will stay in OUR community. 

Election Day is Tuesday, June 2 

Please, vote 

YES Measure E 

on 

RESPECT our seniors: Senior citizens age 

65 years or older will be eligible for a Measure E 

exemption to ensure this measure is not a burden 

to those living on fixed incomes. 

For more info about Measure E 

Email: ProtectOurLocalSchools@gmail.com 

Call: 650-216-6655 Web: www.YesOnE.us 

Paid for by Committee to Protect Our Schools –YES On E! 

514 Oak Park Way, Redwood City, CA 94062 FPPC # 1316374 


Nonprofits in Action 

Advocates for Children 

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 Connections 

This nonprofit group is the only parentparticipation 

preschool in San Mateo County 

focusing on low-income families. Their Redwood 

City classrooms offer children through age 5 and 

their parents a tuition-free learning environment 

that’s supportive and fun. Family Connections 

parents stay involved in their children’s education 

and, as a result, their children are more prepared 

for kindergarten and beyond. They are always 

looking for volunteers to play with the children 

while moms and dads attend parent-ed classes, 

organizers to help coordinate fundraisers, 

and people from the business world to initiate 

new corporate partnerships. Check www. 

familyconnections.org for more information. 

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 secondfloor 

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 



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. 

Peter and Paula Uccelli Foundation 

650-366-0922 

Shop NOW for Graduation Day! 


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. 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. – 

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 is famous for their 

hamburgers, and they also serve pizza, 

sandwiches, pastas and South-ofthe-Border 

dishes. There’s a Sunday 

breakfast buffet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

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 – Three Redwood City locations – A memberdriven 

organization, SMCU offers services such as free personal auto 

shopping assistance, members-only 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 also committed 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, 

weight and cardio equipment, personal training, therapeutic massage and 

Business Profile of the Month 

Deseo Tequila Lounge and Restaurant – 851 Main St. – 

Recent reviewers said, “We went there and it was fabulous! The 

food was great, the service was tip-top and the tequila selection 

was overwhelming. I have never been to a place that has such a 

great selection of tequila: over 800 choices.” 

“My friends love the party room we were in, and the DJ was 

great. His music selections were enormous. They also have 

Happy Hour Monday through Friday, with free appetizers and 

discounted drinks. What a great place to unwind after work.” 

“My friends were very impressed by their food menu, and I have 

to say the burger I had was tasty. They also have 21 big-screen 

televisions to view sporting events and more.” 

“This place has it all! I am so happy that Redwood City finally has 

such an upscale place for watching your favorite sports team, 

having a drink with friends or dancing the night away.” 

“Let’s all get out and support them!” 

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 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! 

Specialty Businesses: 

Bizzarro’s Auto Auction – 2581 

Spring St. – Services include auto 

auctions, consignment vehicle sales, 

appraisal services and even ways 

to donate your vehicle to charities. 

Increase your fundraising efforts 

with a live auction — Bizzarro’s is your one-stop auction team with spotters, 

clerks, sample catalogs, bid numbers, etc. Call 650-363-8055 for details on all 

of their services. 

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

is an independent insurance agency representing a carefully selected 

group of financially sound, reputable insurance companies. Visit www. 

insurancebycastle.com or call 650-364-3664 for a free quote. 

Saf Keep Storage – 2480 Middlefield Road – At Saf Keep, you and your 

belongings are safe and secure. A friendly and reliable team is ready to assist 

you with 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. 

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! “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. 

Schoenstein Physical Therapy – 363A Main St., 650-599-9482 – The 

clinical approach of this independent, community-based practice focuses 

on thorough physical therapy assessment, specific treatment strategies and 

patient education. Individualized treatment programs are designed to help 

meet patient goals of restoring function, returning to sport or occupation and 

maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 


Nonprofits in Action (Continued from page 21) 

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. 

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 centers 

across the country to build and provide research 

on medical conditions including heart disease, 

cancer, spinal cord injuries, kidney disease, diabetes 

and Alzheimer’s disease. They raise millions of dollars 

every year to help handicapped kids, uplift the 

aged and make life a little brighter for everyone. 

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. 

Sustainable San Mateo County 

Established in 1992, this local nonprofit 

is dedicated to the long-term health of our 

county’s environment, economy and social 

equity. Programs include an annual report, an 

annual awards event with over 450 attendees, 

sustainabilityhub.net, green business workshops 

and more. If you would like to volunteer, contact 

the SSMC office at 650-638-2323 or e-mail 

advocate@sustainablesanmateo.org. For more 

information, visit www.sustainablesanmateo.org. 

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 

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. 

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.


THE BATTLE 

FOR THE BAY 

CONTINUES 

By Judy Buchan, Contributing Writer 

“If You Build It …” 

Plans for Cargill Site Unveiled 

Prologue: Passion Play 

Earlier this month, most Redwood City residents 

found a surprise in their mailboxes — a mailer 

from the Friends of Redwood City group warning 

about global warming, flooding and the need to 

restore wetlands. Written with the now familiar 

passion for the cause, the brochure reminded 

residents that the fate of the Cargill wetlands was 

“yet to be decided.” 

That same intensity was evident when 

John Bruno of DMB Associates unveiled his 

organization’s site plan for the Cargill salt ponds 

to The Spectrum before a public presentation. 

“The most passionate person about this plan 

is me,” Bruno told The Spectrum. “We have 

completed three years of community outreach, 

with responses from 10,000 residents. It is the 

community’s plan.” 

Wait Till You Hear My Plan 

DMB’s “50/50 balanced plan” proposes a transitoriented 

development along with wetlands 

restoration on the old salt ponds site. The 1,432- 

acre site will include up to 12,000 attached 

housing units. Bruno said that the proposed 

housing will comprise “four to six product types” 

ranging from single family homes to town homes 

and apartments. The mixture will include forsale 

and rental units. He added that 15 percent of 

the housing will be priced below market rate as 

defined by the city. 

Given that some 40,000 people commute to 

Redwood City every day, additional housing 

would help meet the regional jobs/housing 

imbalance. Bruno cited statistics from the 

Association of Bay Area Governments that 

show the Peninsula having a shortfall of 240,000 

housing units. 

Bruno added that homeowners in the 

neighborhood who walk to work at nearby firms 

may be able to qualify for “location-efficient 

mortgages.” 

Also included are up to 200 acres of restored 

wetlands, nine baseball diamonds, eight full-sized 

soccer fields, 10 miles of recreational trails and a 

three-mile pedestrian path to be connected to the 

San Francisco Bay Trail. 

A fire station and five school sites are planned, 

along with supporting neighborhood retail. One 

million square feet of industrial space is planned 

for the portion of the site adjacent to the Port of 

Redwood City. 

Bruno explained that three outside firms 

played critical roles in pulling the plan together. 

BioHabitats of Baltimore, Md., has worked 

extensively in conservation planning, ecological 

restoration and regenerative design. The firm 

has directed the revitalization and creation of 

thousands of ecosystems throughout the East and 

Gulf Coasts and more recently in the western 

United States. 

Calthorpe Associates has earned international 

recognition for urban design, community 

planning and regional growth strategies. 

Calthorpe has worked in Portland, Salt Lake City, 

Austin, the Twin Cities and Los Angeles. 

ROMA Design of San Francisco is an urban 

design, architecture and landscape architectural 

firm that specializes in creating livable waterfront 

experiences. ROMA helped with the revitalization 

of San Francisco’s Embarcadero district. 

Recycled water will be used for irrigation. 

The project will also employ green building 

technologies such as photovoltaic solar power. 

Another benefit of the plan will be much-needed 

alleviation of heavy flooding in the East Bayshore 

and Friendly Acres neighborhoods. Despite city 

engineering efforts in those areas over the years, 

flooding can still be a problem. The DMB plan 

will help by removing the old levee from the 

Cargill site, thus allowing flood waters to drain 

directly to the bay rather than backing up in the 

Bayfront Canal. 

Care was given, Bruno said, to forecasts of sealevel 

rise. He assured The Spectrum that the levee 

built to protect the community will exceed FEMA 

regulations. 

The project also proposes to mitigate potential 

traffic issues by constructing a frontage road that 

will run parallel to Seaport Boulevard, leaving the 

existing industrial road for trucks traveling to and 

from the port. 

Continuing the transit-oriented development 

theme, the plan includes ambitious development 

of a light-rail system that will link the ferry 

terminal proposed for the end of Seaport 

Boulevard and the new community on the Cargill 

site to the Stanford project, downtown Redwood 

City and the Caltrain station. 

Bruno told The Spectrum that the formal plans 

will be submitted to City Hall this month (plans 

were submitted as we went to press). Indications 

from City Hall are that the plan will be reviewed 

by city staff but that no public process will begin 

until the general plan is finished at the end of 2009. 

Bruno expected the city review process to 

take two years, and the necessary federal and 

state permitting process to add another two to 

three year before shovels are turned. Should all 

approvals fall into place, the seven-neighborhood 

project will be built over the next 25 years. 

An ambitious project in uncertain financial 

times does not concern Bruno. “I believe that 

the federal government’s efforts will strengthen 

our economy,” he said. “This project makes good 

economic sense and should be easily financed.” 


Memories of Measure W 

Debate on the Cargill site has percolated for years. Last year, however, the pot boiled over as 

Measure W came on the scene. The ballot measure, supported by a number of environmental groups, 

would have changed the city charter. Measure V, proposed by the City Council in response, would 

have called for a community vote should a project for the site be presented. Both measures failed. 

What did John Bruno learn from Measure W? 

“Measure W failed by a 63 percent to 37 percent vote,” Bruno said. “The community believes in 

their elected officials and the process in place,” he continued. “We have an intelligent electorate. 

Measure W was ill-conceived and poorly written. 

“The community rejected the tyranny of minority rule, of one-third of the population dictating the 

rest of the community,” Bruno said. 

And the new Friends of Redwood City brochure? “It’s typical of what we would expect,” Bruno 

said. “Nothing but scare tactics.” 

To the Friends and others who favor wetlands restoration for the site, Bruno cited a wetlands restoration 

project in the South Bay that is slated to cost $1.4 billion. Proponents of restoration also need to 

remember a salient part of the discussion: “Besides, it’s [the Cargill site] private land,” Bruno added. 

“I believe that the 

federal government’s 

efforts will strengthen 

our economy,” Bruno 

said. “This project 

makes good economic 

sense and should be 

easily financed.” 

Top of the First Inning 

So it’s the top of the first inning, and the Friends 

of Redwood City pitched their first strike. DMB 

has responded with a line drive base hit. What 

happens now? A lengthy game, with lots of 

promised community outreach, probably lots of 

meetings and probably lots of mailers clogging 

our mailboxes. That’s okay … that’s just the cost 

of freedom. 

Ralph Nobles, founder of Friends of Redwood 

City, is ready for the project to jump through 

the necessary hoops and said, “I’m glad to see it 

finally getting started. 

Bruno is ready for the long permitting process 

as well and joked, “I’ll be a senior by the time this 

is all built out.” 

Get ready for quite a ball game. 


ANNouNCiNg The 

50/50 BAlANCed PlAN 

Three years ago the DMB 

Saltworks team began 

asking Redwood City 

residents for their ideas 

for future use of the more 

than 1,400 acre industrial 

Saltworks site. 

More than 10,000 Redwood 

City residents responded. 

About 20 percent wanted the 

site converted into an “open 

space only” use. About 80 

percent preferred a broad 

mixture of uses, including: 

sports parks, public access to Recent photo of the Saltworks site. 

the Bay, housing for working families, restored habitat, open 

space, transit facilities, and other uses. 

The 50/50 Balanced Plan 

The 50/50 Balanced Plan (see illustrative map above) responds 

to the input of local residents. 

It dedicates 50 percent of the site to permanent open space, 

public recreation and tidal marsh restoration. It includes a 

50+ acre sports park, more than ten miles of Bayside biking 

and hiking trails, water recreation, interpretive exhibits, and 

hundreds of acres of restored habitat. 

The remaining 50 percent includes a Transit Oriented 

Community with 8,000 to 12,000 homes built over the 

next quarter of a century. It includes many transportation 

and transit improvements such as a vision for a transit loop 

connecting the Saltworks site, Downtown, the CalTrain 

station, and the proposed ferry terminal. 

TodAy 

This map of the Saltworks site provides an overview of the 50/50 Balanced Plan. 

TomoRRow 

The 50/50 Balanced Plan will pay for itself and generate 

millions of surplus revenues for the City every year. 

The DMB Saltworks team would love to hear your comments 

and questions about the 50/50 Balanced Plan. You can also 

learn more about the plan by going to www.RCSaltworks.com 

or calling us at (650) 366-0500. 

Next: City Sponsored Public Review and Study 

The City will begin its own studies and public hearings on the 

50/50 Balanced Plan in the near future. We encourage you to 

actively participate in this public review process. 

TodAy 

TomoRRow 


Saltworks 

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

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


Habitat for Humanity Dedicates 8 Homes on Lincoln Ave. 

Assemblyman Ira Ruskin greets the new homeowners. 

Habitat for Humanity Greater San 

Francisco dedicated eight new homes 

in Redwood City as part of Affordable 

Housing Week in San Mateo County, 

May 10–16. The homeowners who 

received the keys to their new Habitat 

homes are working families who have 

been unable to afford homeownership 

in the local market. This marked the 

third major development and more 

than 50 affordable homes built in 

Redwood City. 

While housing affordability has increased 

somewhat due to the recent housing downturn, 

Habitat Greater San Francisco’s service area — 

San Mateo County, San Francisco and Marin 

— continues to be the most expensive in the 

state, where the median home price for an entrylevel 

home still requires a minimum income of 

more than $100,000. Families with low incomes, 

including many local teachers, construction 

workers, day-care providers and others, typically 

make much less than that, underscoring the 

substantial need here for more affordable housing. 

Habitat continues to meet this need, with seven 

homes currently under construction and many 

more in the pre-development stage. 

The dedication was held on Saturday, May 

16, at 136 Lincoln Ave. in Redwood City. The 

event featured speakers Ira Ruskin, California 

Assembly member representing District 21, and 

Rosanne Foust, mayor of Redwood City. 

Affordable ownership housing helps retain 

diversity in communities and allows working 

families to live near their jobs and contribute 

to their communities. For Lincoln Avenue 

homeowner Maria, her new home solidifies her 

family’s place in the community. 

“I feel blessed that we are going to be able to 

have our own home and plant our roots,” said 

Maria. “I will be able to rest assured that my 

children will have the chance to grow up in a 

secure home, never having the fear of being 

uprooted by life’s circumstances of being a renter. 

Finally, stability and safety.” 

The Lincoln Avenue development was built on 

land donated by Redwood City’s Redevelopment 

Agency and brings the total number of homes 

built by Habitat in the city to 51. Habitat Greater 

San Francisco and Redwood City’s partnership 

to provide affordable ownership housing began 

in the late 1990s and paved the way for previous 

developments on Rolison Road and Hope Court. 

The Lincoln Avenue development includes 

seven three-bedroom townhomes and one twobedroom, 

wheelchair-accessible townhome, all 

with two-car garages. The development was 

built using “green” building practices, including 

solar photo voltaic panels installed on the roofs 

to produce clean energy that will help save each 

family approximately $500 a year in energy costs. 

The solar paneling is provided through a grant 

from PG&E’s Solar Habitat Program, representing 

an investment of about $15,000 per Habitat home. 

The development is also transit-oriented, with 

close proximity to the Sequoia Caltrain station 

and bus routes. 

Habitat provides a hand up, not a handout, 

for families in desperate need of improved 

living conditions. Habitat homeowners invest 

500 hours of “sweat equity” to help build 

their own homes as well as additional time for 

homeownership training on topics such as home 

repair, maintenance and financial literacy. Houses 

are sold to partner families at no profit and are 

financed with affordable, zero-interest mortgages. 

The families selected for the Lincoln Avenue 

development all currently reside in Redwood 

City, meet Habitat’s income guidelines, have good 

credit and are able to make monthly mortgage 

payments. 

“Our family has been waiting for this moment 

for a long time,” said new homeowner Nabil. 

“Since we arrived in Redwood City, it was our 

dream to have a home here. We have our jobs 

here, and our relatives and friends. But it was 

impossible to own a home in this area with our 

income, even with special programs for first-time 

home buyers.” 

Construction on the Lincoln Avenue 

development started in February 2008 with the 

help of more than 3,500 volunteers working 

alongside the partner families and providing 

more than 90 percent of the labor needed to build 

each home — a total of nearly 50,000 volunteer 

hours. Habitat relied heavily on grants and 

charitable giving from individuals, businesses, 

civic organizations, faith groups and private 

foundations to make the development possible, 

including sponsors such as Coldwell Banker 

Residential Community Foundation, Abbott 

Fund, Amgen Foundation, Wells Fargo, Lockheed 

Martin Employees Foundation, Oracle and PG&E. 


News Briefs 

Auto Dealership Manager to Prison 

for Embezzlement 

A former general manager at a Redwood City car 

dealership who took $835,000 by writing himself 

unauthorized checks to spend on gambling was 

sentenced to four years prison. 

Cesar Emilio Caceres, 33, will also be ordered 

to pay restitution at a hearing June 16. 

Caceres took the money from Putnum Lexus 

over a span of approximately eight months 

beginning last June, said a spokesperson for the 

district attorney’s office. 

Caceres had the office manager cut checks 

from business accounts by saying they were 

authorized by two of the three necessary people, 

the spokesperson said. 

The loss was reportedly discovered by the 

owner while reviewing the auto dealership’s 

books. The money was used by Caceres for 

gambling, said the spokesperson, although he did 

not know what type. It is not apparent whether 

any rehabilitation program or services were 

offered to Caceres. 

Redwood City police arrested Caceres Feb. 

26. On April 2, he pleaded no contest to felony 

embezzlement and admitted an allegation of theft 

of more than $200,000. 

Caceres must serve 50 percent of his sentence 

before being eligible for parole. He receives credit 

for 116 days against the term. 

Man Accused of Fighting Officers 

Charged 

The Redwood City man who injured two police 

officers during a brawl after his mother called 

for help appeared in court on a slew of charges, 

including allegations he was under the influence 

of drugs at the time of the altercation. 

David Torres, 30, pleaded not guilty to one count 

of resisting an officer resulting in serious great bodily 

injury, four counts of obstructing an officer in the 

performance of their duty and one misdemeanor 

count of being under the influence of drugs. 

Judge Don Franchi set Torres’ bail at $100,000 and 

ordered him back for a preliminary hearing May 26. 

Torres was arrested and hospitalized after 

confronting officers called to the 400 block 

of Buckeye Street by his mother. The woman 

reportedly called 911 for an ambulance to 

transport her son to the hospital. 

Police encountered Torres, listed as 6 feet 5 

inches and 270 pounds, and became involved in 

a full-out brawl in which a female officer was 

thrown to the ground and hit her head and another 

officer sustained a hand injury. 

Officers got Torres in a wrap device used to restrain 

combative suspects, but he broke through it, said a 

spokesperson for the district attorney’s office. 

The use of pepper spray and a baton were 

similarly not effective, he said. 

At one point Torres reportedly grew tired 

and lost consciousness, at which time he was 

transferred to Stanford Medical Center. 

At the hospital, Torres tested positive for 

methamphetamine and cocaine. 


At the time of the incident, police told the Daily 

Journal Torres had prior brain damage due to a 

motorcycle crash. 

Torres also has a prior criminal history, 

including multiple charges of domestic violence, 

driving while under the influence and drug 

possession, according to Chief Deputy District 

Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. 

Acquitted, But Man Must Pay 

Restitution 

A man who pleaded no contest to assault with a 

deadly weapon after his murder trial in San Mateo 

County Superior Court resulted in a hung jury 

was ordered to pay restitution to the victim’s family. 

Samuel Blackmon, 46, was released from jail 

in early April following Judge Mark Forcum’s 

declaration of a mistrial. Blackmon was accused 

of fatally shooting his lover’s husband, Jeffrey 

Henderson, on July 6, 2006. 

Instead of holding a second trial, prosecutor 

Al Giannini and defense attorney Lisa Maguire 

struck a plea deal. 

On April 1, Blackmon pleaded no contest to 

assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced 

to two years in prison. With credit for time served 

since his arrest in 2007, he was released from jail 

that week and placed on parole for four years. 

According to Giannini, the trial was based 

largely on circumstantial evidence. 

Cell phone records tied Blackmon to the area of 

the murder in Redwood City when Henderson was 

killed, but Blackmon insisted he was in the East 

Bay at the time of the shooting, Giannini said. 

Blackmon appeared in court dressed in a gray 

suit and listened as Judge Forcum told him he 

would have to pay restitution of $7,894 to the 

State Board of Equalization. 

Blackmon was also ordered to pay restitution to 

Beatriz Buttler, the woman caught in the bizarre 

love triangle, and Joyce Henderson McCloud, 

sister of Henderson, in amounts to be determined, 

according to a spokesperson for the district 

attorney’s office. 

Blackmon declined to comment outside the 

courtroom. 

Couple Take Deal in Auto Body 

Fraud Case 

The auto body repair shop owners accused of 

defrauding car owners and insurance companies 

by faking rodent damage with painted dead mice 

and droppings could both serve time and pay back 

more than $1 million under plea deals reached. 

Bita Imani, 35, and her husband, Mehran 

Baranriz, 45, owned and ran Group Specialists, a 

Redwood City–based Mercedes and BMW auto 

service and repair business. Three days into a 

preliminary hearing for both, each settled their 

cases and agreed to pay full restitution even in the 

charges that were dismissed. The amount could 

total more than $1 million, said a spokesperson 

for the district attorney’s office. 

Imani pleaded no contest to tax fraud in return 

for no prison and up to a year in jail. Baranriz 

pleaded no contest to 10 counts of felony insurance 

fraud in return for no more than six years prison. 

Both had been charged with 56 counts of 

presenting fraudulent claims and five counts of 

grand theft by false pretenses. 

They return to court Aug. 18 for sentencing. 

According to the prosecution, the couple used 

dead rodents and droppings to convince customers 

they needed $1.2 million in fraudulent repair 

between January 2003 and March 2007. The fraud 

was uncovered by a State Farm Insurance audit to 

determine the statewide average cost of rodent damage. 

Baranriz remains in custody in lieu of $1.5 

million bail while Imani is out of custody on a 

$750,000 bail bond. 

Police Arrest Patient 

for Leaving Hospital 

A 60-year-old tuberculosis patient quarantined 

at a Redwood City hospital was arrested for 

repeatedly violating a public health order not to 

leave while he remained contagious, according to 

the district attorney’s office. 

Charles Dvorak, 60, of San Mateo, was 

admitted to Kaiser Medical Center April 27 

and diagnosed with contagious tuberculosis. He 

was immediately quarantined in a room with 

a specialized air filtration system, but he kept 

turning off the equipment and leaving, said Chief 

Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. 

On May 6, the Health Department issued a 

formal quarantine order and warned Dvorak that 

violating it was a misdemeanor, Wagstaffe said. 

However, in the next three days he reportedly 

left the room eight to 10 times. On May 8, the 

district attorney’s office received a $100,000 arrest 

warrant and Dvorak was transported from the hospital 

to the Maguire Correctional Facility, where he 

was placed in a negative-pressure isolation room. 

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that 

attacks the lungs and can prove deadly. It is 

spread through the air when infected patients 

cough, sneeze or spit. 

Dvorak was arraigned but did not appear in 

court because of his medical state. The court 

appointed a private defender and ordered him 

back May 14. 

Health Department spokeswoman Doris 

Estrema did not return a call for comment about 

Dvorak’s case and the county quarantine policy. 

Wagstaffe said this is the first time he can recall 

prosecuting such a case. 

The reason for Dvorak’s initial hospitalization 

was not released, but prosecutors have deemed 

him a “chronic alcoholic” and say he has at least 

75 drunk-in-public cases dating back to 1987. 

Pedestrian Struck, Killed 

A 35-year-old man who was walking on Highway 

101 in Redwood City died after he was hit by a 

Mazda driven by a San Mateo woman, according 

to the California Highway Patrol. 

(continues on page 32)


As I Was Saying…Continued from p6 

Gee lives in Redwood Shores with his wife, Judie, and their two children. 

He is a vice president at Swinerton Management & Consulting, leading the 

Education Division. The focus of his division is to provide program, project 

and construction management services to universities, colleges and schools. 

His father was the founding district engineer for SamTrans, and his uncle was 

Redwood City’s traffic engineer for nearly 25 years. 

He has quite an impressive record of civic and private-sector volunteerism, 

which includes serving as past president of the Redwood City–San Mateo 

County Chamber of Commerce and the Redwood Shores Community 

Association, and serving as a member of the Redwood City Recycled Water 

Task Force and the Architectural Review Committee. 

Among Gee’s campaign issues will be (1) the impact the proposed Stanford 

University facility will have on our neighborhoods, streets and roads, (2) 

working with Caltrans to “re-vision” Woodside Road and (3) the Cargill 

development. He also feels that Redwood City has done more than its fair 

share in housing jails and that the proposed new one should be outside of our 

city limits. 

Gee has not formally announced his list of endorsements but they will 

include those who attended the kick-off event (listed above) as well as strong 

support from the Redwood Shores and business community. To date, there are 

a total of seven candidates for the November 2009 election. 

.… 

Now that City Council candidates are starting to buy paraphernalia, a few of 

them have gotten buttons and supporters have started wearing them around 

town. After one candidate saw Gee’s button and noticed it was bigger than 

their campaign’s, the candidate exclaimed, “I have button envy.” Two weeks 

later, you guessed it, bigger buttons. I think this is going to be a fun campaign. 

.… 

After hearing several comments from people about my “fries” at City Pub, 

I began to wonder what they were talking about. Everyone who knows me 

knows I have a serious weakness for the fries there and have been known to 

order just that (maybe two portions) for a meal. But I did not know why, all 

of a sudden, people were commenting on it. Well, one day I was sitting there 

having lunch with a few friends, and owner Paul Dazey came up to me and 

asked how I liked the new menu. To tell the truth, I have the menu memorized, 

so I usually just skim it to see what might catch my eye and then usually order 

the same thing. After we all looked it over, one of us noticed at the top of the 

menu: Penna’s Fries at $4.45 (I like the rhyme). Well, I felt like I had won the 

lottery. What a compliment! Time to celebrate! We will order two! 

.… 

Can you imagine if my cardiologist eats there? “I wonder if that is the same 

Penna?” 

Law Offices of 

ROBERT G. CUMMINGS 

FORMER PROSECUTOR 

- Now On Your Side - 

EXPERIENCED 

CRIMINAL 

DEFENSE: 

•DUI 

•Domestic Violence 

•Felonies & 

Misdemeanors 

•White Collar Crime 

•Immigration 

(650) 868-8528 • www.rgclaw.us 

As I was saying… 

News Briefs: Continued from page 30 

Maria Barraza was driving northbound on Highway 101 north of state 

Highway 84 when Rene Linares crossed over the southbound lanes of 

Highway 101 and crossed the center divider wall into the center median, the 

CHP reported. 

After several moments, Linares attempted to cross the northbound lanes of 

traffic. Barraza’s 1995 Mazda hit Linares and his body was propelled to the 

right shoulder of northbound Highway 101. Barraza then reportedly pulled over. 

Linares succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Barraza, 28, was 

transported to an area hospital as a precautionary measure. 

The CHP temporarily closed the No. 5 lane of northbound Highway 101 

following the fatal collision. 


Finance: Investment Ideas for Newlyweds 

By David Amann, Special to The Spectrum 

June is a popular month for weddings. If you’re 

getting married this month, you have a lot to think 

about. But after the wedding — well, you’ll have 

even more to think about. And one of those topics 

should be your investment strategy. In these days 

of economic uncertainty, it’s important that you 

and your spouse make investment decisions today 

that will help you reach your long-term goals. 

Of course, the investment process can seem 

confusing for just one person, so you might think 

it will be twice as difficult for the two of you. 

But that’s not necessarily so. You can launch 

an investment strategy that can serve you well 

throughout your lives together by following these 

few basic steps: 

Identify your goals. When you start out, 

you may have short-term goals, such as saving 

enough for a down payment on a house. As you 

move through the years, your goals will become 

longer-term in nature. For example, if you have 

children, you might set a goal of helping them pay 

for college. And you will need to establish a goal 

of saving for retirement. Your first step toward 

achieving all these goals is identifying them. 

Commit to regular investing. When 

you begin your careers, you and your spouse may 

not have a lot of disposable income, but you still 

need to commit yourselves to putting aside some 

money each month — even if it’s only a small 

amount — for investment purposes. If you each 

have an employer-sponsored retirement plan, such 

as a 401(k) plan, contribute as much as you can afford. 

Reconcile your investment styles. 

You and your spouse may have different orientations 

toward investing. By nature, you might be an 

aggressive investor and your spouse more conservative, 

or vice versa. This divergence does not have to 

be a problem, but you should communicate your 

preferences clearly to each other when choosing 

investments together. If you and your spouse 

each compromise a bit, you can come up with a 

joint portfolio that works for both of you. At the 

same time, when you each have an account, such 

as a 401(k), you may not want them to look alike 

by containing duplicate investments. Instead, 

consider building portfolios that complement each 

other and that can help fill in any gaps that exist 

in your joint investment strategy. 

Be co-managers. You probably know 

many married couples in which one spouse 

handles all the finances and investments. This 

isn’t necessarily a good model to follow. You and 

your spouse will benefit if you both are familiar 

with your investment situation and capable of 

making decisions. Nobody knows what the 

future will hold, and if one spouse suddenly finds 

himself or herself in charge of the family finances 

with no preparation, it can lead to troubles. 

By following these suggestions, you can make 

long-term investing a rewarding part of your 

marriage. And the sooner you get started, the 

greater those rewards can be. 

Editor’s note: This article was written by David 

Amman of Edward Jones for use by The Spectrum 

Magazine. 

Senior Activities 

The Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 

1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City, is 

providing the following activities that are 

open to the public during the month of June. 

Friday Movies for Everyone 

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

Come to the VMSC in June for a free featured 

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

June 5: “Frost/Nixon” 

June 12: “Last Chance Harvey” 

June 19: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” 

June 26: “Valkyrie” 

Okinawan Long Life and How It’s 

Achieved 

Thursday, June 4, 1–2 p.m., free 

Goldstar Room 

Arthur Michaelson will lead a discussion of 

the Okinawan lifestyle, including Karatedo 

Doshinkan, the ancient martial art that is 

practiced there. Arthur is one of the world’s 

foremost and most accomplished teachers of this 

style of noncompetitive martial art. 

Living and Coping With Vision Loss 

Thursday, June 18, 1–2 p.m., free 

Sunset Room 

Representing Vista Center for the blind and 

visually impaired, Ms. McGrath will inform 

us about the opportunities, some very new and 

cutting-edge, for people with vision problems. 

She will also tell us about the Vista Center and 

the wonderful work they do. 

Senior Center Chevy’s Fundraiser 

Thursday, June 18, all day 

Chevy’s in Redwood City 

Enjoy a delicious meal and help support the 

VMSC. Chevy’s will donate 25 percent of the 

proceeds from your meal on June 18 to our 

program! To get credit for your meals, make sure 

you present our fundraising flier 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 throughout the lobby of the VMSC. 

Father’s Day Tribute Lunch 

Friday, June 19, 12–2 p.m., $10 per person 

Redwood Room 

Join the Veterans Memorial Senior Center as we 

pay tribute to the men in our lives. Fathers, sons, 

daughters, grandsons and granddaughters are 

encouraged to join us for this special luncheon. 

All fathers will receive a special gift. Individuals 

are also encouraged to send us photos and stories 

of their fathers for a special display in the VMSC 

lobby. Please call 650-780-7259 for your lunch 

reservations. 

New Member/Volunteer Orientation 

Thursday, June 25, 7–8:15 p.m., free 

Sunset Room 

All new and “old” patrons and volunteers are 

welcome to join us for a discussion of all our 

Center has to offer, a tour of the campus and 

refreshments. You will have an opportunity to 

speak with staff, board members and chairs of 

some of our clubs, as well as get your questions 

answered. There is no charge for this event. 

Fourth of July Dog Days of Summer 

Celebration 

Thursday, July 2, 12–2 p.m. 

Bring your lawn chairs, flags and dogs for 

this patriotic outdoor celebration. Games for 

people and dogs will be provided and a hot 

dog/hamburger BBQ will be served on the 

grass of the VMSC. This will be a pet-friendly 

celebration, so bring those pooches and they will 

receive a special gift. Optional indoor dining 

will also be provided; however, dogs cannot be 

accommodated within the Senior Center. Cost: $8 

per human. Dogs free! 

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: Shelly Masur 

Shelly Masur was born in North Adams, Mass. After frequent family moves to several states, 

she graduated from high school in St. Louis, Mo., and from Macalester College in St. Paul, 

Minn. After college she moved to Seattle and worked for an insurance company, which 

relocated her to Los Angeles and then to New York City, where she met her husband, Josh. 

She attended graduate school at Hunter College in New York, where she achieved her 

master’s in public health. She and Josh moved to California 10 years ago and to Redwood City 

in 2004. They have three children: Julia, Jacob and Knoll. 

Shelly is the director of community youth development programs for the John W. Gardner 

Center at Stanford. She is also a member of the Redwood City School District board of 

trustees, appointed in 2005. Her term expires in 2011. Her current school assignments are 

Adelante, Hoover and John Gill. 

Shelly also serves on the Sequoia Hospital Community Advisory Council and the Bay Area 

Partnership Board, and she is the new president of the San Mateo County School Boards Association. 

What do you consider the main responsibility of 

a school trustee? 

Providing direction and support to the 

superintendent and district. 

The state of our local schools is? 

Interesting. 

Measure E should pass because? 

Our kids deserve it. 

Which living person do you most admire? 

Barack Obama. 

What is your most treasured possession? 

My family. 

What talent would you most like to have? 

Would like to be a good dancer. 

Something few know about you? 

I lived a good part of my childhood in Alaska. 

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? 

Actually. 

What is your greatest regret? 

I don’t have a greatest regret just yet. 

What is your motto? 

Commitment to serving my community — don’t 

know if it is a motto. 

Why do you get up in the morning? 

Because the alarm goes off. 

In 100 years what will you be remembered for? 

Hope I will be remembered for doing good things 

for kids. 

Anyone you got on your mind? 

All of my Measure E volunteers. 

Memorable moment? 

Day appointed to school board. 

First word that comes to mind? 

Computer. 

What or who is the love of your life? 

My family. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

A great day is a day that I get to go skiing. 

You currently feel? 

Happy. 


Help us 

support 

the PAL Poker Run 

& Blues Festival 

call 

650.556.1650 

for details 


Refreshed... 

Renewed... 

Rejuvenated. 

Actual Patients 

Please visit our website at www.rejuvenateskincare.net 

Before 

After 

Before 

After 

DOT Therapy 

Restylane Treatment 

What’s new? DOT Therapy fractional CO2 laser resurfacing! 

If you have spent years in the sun, you know what it has done to 

your skin. Wrinkles, discoloration, sunspots, and skin laxity, may 

all be reduced or eliminated with the DOT treatment. And, if 

you have acne scarring, you may be a candidate as well. 

Call today to schedule your complementary consultation. 

We also specialize in dermal fillers. Why not get a more 

youthful look with Restylane ® or Perlane ® ? It’s a great way to decrease those unwanted wrinkles and 

folds. You can plump up the lips, fill undereye troughs, lift your cheeks, smooth out jowls and add 

volume to hands, resulting in a smooth, refined appearance. 

Thermage ® – Pinnacle Status 

Restylane ® /Perlane ® – Platinum Level – Advisory Board 

Botox Training Center 

In addition to the new DOT fractional CO2 laser, we offer 

Botox , Fillers, Skin Tightening by Thermage ® , and Contouring 

by Thermage ® , Laser Hair and Vein Removal, Laser Skin 

Resurfacing, Brown Spot Treatments, Medical Microdermabrasion, 

Medical Peels and Leg Vein Sclerotherapy. We carry many medical 

skincare product lines including SkinCeuticals, Remergent, 

CosMedix, La Roche-Posay and DNA Health Institute. 

Re: Juvenate Skincare Clinic is a full service, 

non-surgical rejuvenation center. 

www.rejuvenateskincare.net 

DOT Therapy Pattern 

DOT Machine 

Linda S. Moore, R.N., 

Clinical Director 

Restylane ® Trainer 

Thermage ® Trainer 

Sherna Madan, M.D., 

Medical Director 

Our New Location 

RE: JUVENATE, INC 

1100 Laurel Street 

Suite F 

San Carlos, CA 94070 

650.631.5700

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

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?