Year in Review - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...

&
Year in Review
RECOLOGY
GoGoVerde
UNITES
A Hybrid
Neighbors of Recycling & Ecology
MORE in As I Was Saying

Redwood City
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www.SpectrumMagazine.net
Seasons Greetings
Help Us Support Local Children
Many families in our community can’t afford presents for their children
this Holiday Season. We all know how much a stuffed bear, a model airplane,
or a new soccer ball can mean to a young child at this time of year.
The DMB Saltworks team is supporting the Redwood City Police Officers’
and Firefighters’ Association in their annual Redwood City Toy Drive for
needy local families.
We will be collecting unwrapped new toys, children’s books and monetary
donations for the Redwood City Toy Drive on December 16th from 5:30
to 7:30 p.m. at Deseo’s Tequila Lounge at 851 Main Street in Redwood City.
Please, support the annual Toy Drive and help us brighten the Holiday Season for local children.
Spectrum_fullpg_11_29_10 1 11/29/10 4:06:39 PM

The Spectrum.DEC.2010
Steve Penna
Owner and Publisher
penna@spectrummagazine.net
Anne Callery
Copy Editor
writers@spectrummagazine.net
Judy Buchan
Contributing Writer
writers@spectrummagazine.net
Nicole Minieri
Contributing Writer
writers@spectrummagazine.net
James Massey
Graphic Designer
James R. Kaspar
Cover/Cover Story Photography
jkaspar@sonic.net
Contact Information:
Phone 650-368-2434
E-mail addresses listed above
www.spectrummagazine.net
Contents
This Month’s Photo Shoot – 4
RCSD Corner – 5
“As I Was Saying...” – 6
Cultural Events – 7
Recology: Working for the Future,
One SmartCart at a Time – 8
“It’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” – 11
It has been a busy month and a busy year for our community. As 2010 concludes and we
enter a new, and what is destined to be an eventful, 2011, we are excited to bring you our last
Spectrum edition of the year.
As we look forward to the new beginnings a new year brings, this month we also take a look
back at some of the people, events and activities that shaped our community during the past
year. Along with that, we have special features on a new neighborhood-building organization
in Redwood City called GoGoVerde, an update on Recology and a look at a local Veterans Day
celebration.
We also have our regular features on items of community interest, senior activities, parties
around town, news briefs, cultural and entertainment events, insurance tips from Russ Castle,
information from the Redwood City School District and the popular feature “A Minute With.”
In publisher Steve Penna’s column, “As I Was Saying…,” he recaps the November election,
gives some insight into the “resignation” of City Manager Peter Ingram and gives some thanks
for us all to think about.
As we enter the holiday season, we encourage you to support our valuable Spectrum
advertisers by using their services when you are out shopping, dining or enjoying yourselves
in our community with friends and family. Many of them have special offers on services,
food and beverages, so please take the time to look over their ads this month and use their
coupons and discounts. And when you visit them, let them know you appreciate their support
of our local community publication.
For up-to-the-day information about our community, we invite you to visit our website at www.
spectrummagazine.net. All of us here at The Spectrum wish you a joyous and content holiday
season. Until next year…
The People Speak: Letters to the Editor – 13
A Year Filled with Conflict, Challenges
and Foust – 16
Shop Redwood City – 19
News Briefs – 20
Community Interest – 21
American Legion Post 105 Event
Honors Veterans – 25
Meet Our Community-Minded
Realtors of Redwood City – 26
Insurance Tips: 8 Ways to Keep
Your Home Insurance Costs Low – 29
Senior Activities – 29
A Minute With Nina Kadera – 30
The Spectrum 3

Inside The Spectrum: Cover Story Photo Shoot
Obviously there was not a scheduled photo shoot this
month as we decided to use the past year’s covers and
photos taken by cover photographer James Kaspar to
reflect the year in our community.
We decided to use all of the past covers from 2010 behind the main
text on this cover. The photos chosen were images of what we felt
wrapped up the year in our community. Councilwoman Rosanne Foust
was an obvious choice, as was former City Manager Peter Ingram.
Images of the Fox Theatre, an iPhone and the Cargill Salt property were
used, as much discussion was made of all of them during the year.
We want to remind our readers that there are several opportunities
to help those in need this holiday season. Redwood City firefighters
and police officers are looking for residents to help out at their giftwrapping
party, where volunteers get together to gift-wrap all of the
donated toys and books from the Toy and Book Drive. If you’d like to
join in the fun, the wrapping party is Monday, Dec. 13, from 5 p.m. to
8 p.m. at Red Morton Community Center (1120 Roosevelt Ave.). Just
show up and get to work!
There is a large demand for items this year. If you want to drop off
donations, you can do so at the following Redwood City fire stations:
Station 9 (755 Marshall St.), Station 10 (2190 Jefferson Ave.), Station
11 (1090 Second Ave.) and Station 12 (3700 Jefferson Ave.).
You can also go to the archives section on our website — www.
spectrummagazine.net — then go to last month’s issue and contact
one of the nonprofit groups listed there to see how you can help
others in need.
Next month and throughout 2011, we’ll have some exciting cover
subjects for you to enjoy. Happy Holidays!
www.SpectrumMagazine.net

RCSD Corner: News From the Redwood City School District
Students Surprised by Visit From Vice President Joe Biden
The vice president visits with students at Taft School during a surprise visit in October.
The third-grade students in Zoila Mancillo’s after-school class at Taft School
knew they were going to meet U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer on Oct. 19, but they
never dreamed they would get to meet the vice president of the United States, too.
Boxer’s staff had requested a visit to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the
Peninsula’s “Center for a New Generation” after-school program, which is
funded by a federal 21st Century grant, but Vice President Joe Biden’s visit
was kept top secret. Teacher Mancillo, Redwood City School Superintendent
Jan Christensen and school board trustees Dennis McBride and Alisa
MacAvoy were as surprised as anyone when Biden stepped into the room.
“We started to wonder what was going on when it was time for Sen.
Boxer to leave, but it seemed like more and more people kept coming,” said
Mancillo. “I was speechless when he walked in. I couldn’t believe it!”
The classrooms at Taft School open directly to broad outdoor hallways, and
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the vice president’s limo pulled right up to the doorway of the classroom. The
students described hearing a lot of commotion outside, as helicopters circled
overhead and police cars surrounded the area. Inside the classroom, though, there
was no commotion as Biden moved from table to table greeting students and
looking at their work. Then he sat down and talked with the students as a group.
He asked the students what they wanted to be when they grow up, and
students shared their aspirations to become doctors, nurses and lawyers.
Then the vice president asked them, “Who wants to be president?” Nearly
every student raised his or her hand, and Biden said, “When President Barack
Obama was your age, he was no different than you. If you learn to read well,
write well and do math, you can be anything you want to be.”
Students said that Biden’s words of encouragement made them think differently
about their future, but they seemed to remember most the personal stories he shared.
“He told us that his granddaughter and the president’s daughter are on the
same basketball team,” was the first memory students recalled when asked
about his visit. “The vice president has a granddaughter who is 10, and I’m
8½,” said Deja, a student who described Biden as “really nice, serious and
also kind of funny.”
“The vice president told us when he was our age, he stuttered a lot and then
he got better,” said Pedro, a student who was eager to talk about Biden’s visit.
Others remembered that the vice president gave students pencils and Frisbees.
“We wanted him to play Frisbee with us, but we didn’t get to do that,” said
a student named Evelyn.
Before leaving, the vice president invited students to peek into his limousine.
By this time, parents were arriving to pick students up from school and were
shocked to learn their students were visiting with the vice president.
“This was an experience our students will never forget,” said Christensen.
“We hope they will remember the vice president’s encouragement to study
hard, stay in school and follow big dreams.”
Christensen said the students will be honored at an upcoming school board
meeting for their excellent behavior during Biden’s visit and each will receive
a framed photo of the class with Boxer and Biden.
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The Spectrum 5

Let’s start out this month with a wrap-up of the
November elections. As you may remember, I
made my annual election predictions last month,
and I have to say I was pretty spot on. I was
accurate in seven out of 10 races. Here is the rundown.
The county supervisor race between former
Sheriff Don Horsley (56.4 percent) and Coastside
resident April Vargas (43.6 percent) went as I
predicted: Horsley won. But, considering he outspent
Vargas by several hundreds of thousands of
dollars, he did not get the votes needed to demonstrate
overwhelming community support. Interesting
fact: Horsley beat Vargas only by some 7,000
votes by Election Day voters. His war chest
clearly was large enough to sway absentee voters.
This was by far one of the dirtiest campaigns
the county has seen or will see in years. Can you
imagine that Vargas even claimed that Horsley
called himself “the poster child for pension
reform”? This sounds kind of silly considering
Horsley is getting paid a taxpayer-funded pension
of $208,194 plus full benefits per year for life. She
was obviously wrong in her claim.
In the race for county treasurer–tax collector,
Deputy Treasurer–Tax Collector Sandie Arnott,
as predicted, beat Dave Mandelkern. There were
several final-week hit pieces on Arnott, but the
absentee voting kept her unreachable.
The Sequoia Healthcare District Board race
had seven candidates vying for three seats.
Those running were incumbents Art Faro and
Jack Hickey, business owner and Redwood
City resident Alpio Barbara, health care
professional Ruth West-Gorrin, retired engineer
Frederick Graham, physician Jerry Shefren
and businessman Michael Stogner. I picked Faro,
Barbara and Hickey. Barbara did not win, and
Shefren did.
In the Harbor District race, current
Commissioner Jim Tucker, Sabrina Brennan,
William Klear and Robert Bernardo were vying
for the position being vacated by Ken Lundie.
I predicted that Tucker and Brennan would win.
Tucker and Bernardo did.
Measure U is a charter amendment by the
County of San Mateo. I predicted the measure
would pass and it did.
Measure N, a bond for the Belmont–
Redwood Shores School District, needed 55
percent approval to pass. I predicted it would, and
it did pass easily.
Measure M is a vehicle registration fee for
the County of San Mateo. I said it would not
pass, but it did by just under 20,000 votes.
So who were the big winners and losers of the
election? Well, the unions lost big in backing
Mandelkern but won with the election of Horsley.
Arnott won big by overcoming a final-week smear
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
As I Was
Saying…
mail campaign and not stooping to gutter level,
and she won.
Horsley was a winner, overcoming a strong
anti–status quo/union backlash to win the
supervisor race. But he lost big when he did
not oust Hickey from his seat on the Healthcare
District Board. Many are saying that if Horsley
had not gotten involved and urged his friend West-
Gorrin to enter the race, the slate of Faro, Barbara
and Shefren would have ousted Hickey. Go figure.
Congratulations to all of the candidates who
ran in all of these races. You are the rare breed
that steps up to make differences in our and other
communities. You should all be very proud of
yourselves, as we are!
.…
It was absolutely no surprise for City Hall
watchers when the resignation of City Manager
Peter Ingram was announced last month. He was
rumored to have been under a close watch by the
City Council ever since a “surprise” alternative
in regards to the bayfront property area was
presented to them during a general-plan scoping
session in 2009.
Here is how it all went down. After an executive
session of the council for Ingram’s evaluation,
he decided to resign. That, of course, started the
rumor mill going that he had been terminated or
forced out. But according to Vice Mayor Alicia
Aguirre, his “resignation” was “not connected” to
his job performance. Mayor Jeff Ira announced
it as a “retirement” of sorts. Councilman John
Seybert was adamant that he was “not fired,” and
the rest of the council just hemmed and hawed
about it and so on and so forth. I am sure the truth
lies somewhere in there, someplace.
Ingram had worked for Redwood City since
1992 and had served as city manager since June
2008. Before becoming city manager, he was
director of community development and, later,
director of public work services. In announcing
his departure, a city statement called Ingram
instrumental in developing and delivering the
city’s strategic plan and general plan and making
recommendations to fix the city’s financial woes.
From what I can gather, Ingram was viewed
as someone who has really good integrity and
intentions. He managed the city through difficult
projects like the jail issue. But he lacked the ability
to hold city staff accountable in many areas. He
was to stay on until Dec. 31 as city manager but
has vacated his office and is no longer working.
Continue the rumors.
Ingram is an outstanding individual whom I
enjoy knowing and spending time with. He was
a dedicated employee and public servant but may
have lacked the fortitude to implement the change
Publisher | Steve Penna
that the council and residents are asking for at this
time. He seemed to be out of step with where the
community was going and represented where it had been.
Bob Bell, who has worked as the city’s
human resources director for five years and was
assistant city manager for two years, has assumed
the responsibilities of city manager until a
replacement can be found.
Here is where it gets interesting. Ingram’s
contract stipulates that he was to be paid an annual
salary of $242,051, including his monthly auto
allowance. It also has an annual administrativeleave
cash-out option, which means Ingram
“may choose to resign his office instead of being
terminated if a decision by the City Council to
terminate has been made in closed session.” But
if he was terminated by the council in a closed
session, he would be entitled to six months of
his salary and be treated as though he resigned.
Following me?
According the city charter, the council would
have to have five votes, either to outright remove
Ingram or to tell him that five votes would mean
his removal if he didn’t follow their direction or
resign. No telling what occurred. The council will
approve Ingram’s separation agreement — that’s
when more details about the “resignation” will
come out — at a future meeting in December.
Regardless of whether Ingram was fired, retired
or resigned, the question is where do we go from
here? My guess is that Bell was brought in as
interim city manager to act as a figurehead for
the City Council. He will be cleaning house and
getting things in order for the permanent city
manager. If that is not the case, then the Ingram
“resignation” would seem to be an absolute waste,
given that changes are desired by the council.
As far as I can see, sooner rather than later, we
should look for some major staffing changes in the
following departments:
Police Department — Police Chief Lou
Cobarruviaz was hired in January 2007. Although
it was not stated at the time, many felt, given his
career path, he would not be here longer than four
years. His time could be up, as is that of a few
other top-brass positions that are set to “retire.”
Planning, Housing & Economic Development
Department — Charles Jany was passed over
as director of that department, and that could
have been a major miscalculation by Ingram.
Jany knows this city, its buildings and processes
inside and out. He is well-liked and many felt
he should have been appointed to the position. I
would expect some major changes throughout that
department as well.
(continues on page 27)

Cultural Events
The Main Gallery
1018 Main St., Redwood City
650-701-1018
www.themaingallery.org
The Main Gallery, an artists’ cooperative with 23
members, showcases the work of some of the best
local talent in the Bay Area. The gallery is located
in the historic yellow Victorian cottage at 1018 Main
St., at the corner of Main and Middlefield. The
gallery is open Wednesday to Friday from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
2010 Holiday Show
This year find your unique artistic gift at The
Main Gallery’s “2010 Holiday Show” in Redwood
City. The holiday show opened Nov. 24 and
runs through Dec. 23. The gallery will host a
reception, open to the public, with the artists on
Sunday, Dec. 5, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Some of the special gifts you will find at the
2010 Holiday Show are Susan Wolf’s charming
porcelain angel tea-light covers and dark sculpture
clay menorahs, whose candles are hidden beneath
small porcelain covers. Erna Metzger’s hand-pulled
prints of pears would make a wonderful gift for a
person in your life who loves to have original art
in their kitchen or dining room. Nina Koepcke’s
holiday menorahs — a butterfly menorah, a
“flying lox” box menorah and several bird menorahs
— are fun and festive and would help make your
holiday truly special. David Scouffas is exhibiting
photographs of the Grand Canyon and Pacific
seascapes. And Belinda Chlouber’s finger puppets
and art puzzles will help put a smile on the face of
your favorite little person.
Meet the artists and enjoy an evening viewing
art and preparing for the holidays at The Main Gallery!
Sequoia High School
Winter Music Concert
Wednesday, Dec. 8, 7 p.m.
Carrington Hall, Sequoia High School campus
Performances by Orchestra, Choir, Band and Jazz
Ensemble
Tickets $5 through Linda Gordon at 650-387-9780
or at the door
San Mateo
County History Museum
2200 Broadway St.
650-299-0141
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.
Holiday Traditions
From Around the World
A Family Past Times Program
Saturday, Dec. 4, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Free
Photos with Santa in the Grand Rotunda during
the day are done in conjunction with Redwood
City’s Hometown Holidays celebration.
Since the Gold Rush, immigrants came to San
Mateo County from countries around the world,
bringing their traditions with them. The day’s
activities explore some of the holiday customs that
immigrants brought to the Peninsula, including
crafts that visitors can create, similar to these
traditional ornaments:
•
•
•
•
•
In Italy, an ugly witch is a favorite holiday
figure. On Jan. 6, La Befana rides her
broomstick across the sky. She drops presents
down the chimney for good boys and girls. To
remember this Italian tradition, visitors will
make their own Befana dolls.
According to legend, the first Christmas tree
was decorated in Germany. The trees were
decorated with candles to shine like stars
in the night. Elaborate ornaments for trees
became popular in the 19th century. Visitors
will be able to make ornaments from a German
Christmas tree.
Crackers became popular holiday favors in
England in the mid-1840s. Crackers are rolled
pieces of paper, tied at each end. When the
cracker is pulled open, treats fall out. Visitors
can make their own crackers to open during
their holiday celebrations.
In the Philippines, people make Christmas
decorations called parols. A parol is a star
lantern. These star lanterns may be carried
in parades. Kids can make a paper parol to
decorate their home.
Hanetsuki is a traditional Japanese New Year’s
game, similar to badminton but played without
a net. The hagoita, or wooden panel, was
traditionally decorated with pictures of kabuki
actors. Today, hagoita can be decorated with
portraits of celebrities from sports, politics and
entertainment. Kids can make and decorate
their own hagoita.
•
In Mexico, papier-mache rattles are popular
during New Year’s celebrations. The rattles are
shaken to welcome the generous spirits of the
New Year and to drive away the unhappy spirits
of past years. Kids can make and decorate their
own rattles to help bring in the New Year.
Lomography
(Low Tech–High Tech)
Woodside High School Students’ Digital
Photography Exhibit
Redwood City Downtown Library, 1044
Middlefield Road, 650-780-7018
The images for this exhibit were created by
students during their lomography study. Students
learned about the analog camera called the Lomo
LC-A. This camera became popularized by art
students in the1990s due to its funky, retro results.
Not having a wet lab, students simulated the lowtech
results of the Lomo using high-end digital
cameras and Photoshop, hence the contradicting
title, Low Tech–High Tech.
Contact information: Aaron Campbell, Woodside
High School, acampbell@seq.org
Image by Eva J
Image by Martine J
The Spectrum 7

Recology: Working for the Future, One SmartCart at a Time
By Dale McKee
Left to right: Recology team members Mario Puccinelli, Tammy Del Bene, Gina Simi, Gino Gasparini.
There’s a change coming. The wheels are already
in motion. But this isn’t the kind of change to
fear; this is something to celebrate. When The
Spectrum last spoke to the managers at Norcal
Waste, they were up for the waste collection
contract for San Mateo County. Now, their
proposal accepted, they’re stepping up to the
plate, and with the new contract comes a new
name: Recology. It isn’t just a name change — it’s
a call to action. Recently, I was able to speak with
several Recology executives and get their personal
take on this exciting change.
“Recology is a better reflection of who we
are as a company. It’s a hybrid of recycling
and ecology,” said Gina Simi, public education
manager. “It seems a little more 21st century, and
we’re moving green. And of course our tagline
is Waste Zero.” Waste Zero means focusing on
resource recovery, not garbage disposal.
With the new contract and name change,
Recology is now expanding beyond California,
with a presence in Oregon. They’re gearing up for
the task, and it’s not just a job for them. Everyone
I spoke to practically brimmed over with passion,
enthusiasm and determination.
“We’re really excited about the new program.
We think it’s going to be a huge improvement for
the majority of the county,” Simi said.
The change in services begins in January,
when Recology takes over from Allied Waste, but
Recology is already ramping up for the task.
“We’ve spent quite a bit of time educating
people about what’s coming, getting people ready
for the new cart system, what they’re going to be
receiving, and when they’re going to be receiving
it, letting them know the changes of moving
from dual-stream to single-stream recycling with
the introduction of food waste for the compost
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
program, and of course all the stuff behind the
scenes, such as creating the routes,” Simi added.
Getting the word out has been a major focus.
“We’ve been all over the county, at pretty much
any art and wine festival, Fourth of July parade
and farmers markets — anything that’s going
on in the community — with all 12 member
agencies.” They’ve had booths and the carts out,
not to mention the shiny new trucks. “People
really flock to it,” Simi said. “They have a million
questions. Most people are really excited about
the services that are coming.” They’ve also done
a lot of advertising on Spanish-language radio
and in newspapers, plus a 30-second commercial
running in the Century Theatres in Redwood City
(which is also viewable at rethinkwaste.org).
“We have been making presentations to HOAs,
neighborhood organizations, all over the place
— anybody who asks us, we’ll come out and go
over the specifics of the program and answer
any questions. We sent out a card in June to all
single-family residences to let them know, first
of all, that we’re coming, that we’re going to be
delivering these new carts, what kind of service it
is.” Basically, everyone gets three carts: garbage,
recycling and compost. The default sizes are a
64-gallon recycling cart and a 96-gallon compost
cart. The default size of the garbage carts is
personalized, based on each customer’s previous
service with Allied. Each resident was informed
what size cart they’d be given and were given
the opportunity to get back to Recology if they
weren’t happy with that size.
Recology is, of course, also handling multi-residence
buildings such as condos or apartments, as well
as businesses. Some are not currently recycling at
all, something Recology hopes to change. “It is a
free service,” Simi said. “Anyone that has garbage
service has single-stream recycling included for
free. Over 700 accounts have signed on since July
1 for single-stream recycling. We’re also offering
compost service for a discounted rate.”
That’s a huge number of customers now recycling
who were not before. On the one hand, this is an
amazing improvement, but it’s also a testament to
how many people out there were not recycling.
“It’s a free service, so there’s no reason not to,
and your rates are based on your garbage levels,
so if your recycling goes up and your garbage goes
down, there’s a possibility your rates will go down
as well, so it’s really kind of a no-brainer,” Simi said.
And once the food waste is added to the
recycling stream in January, the amount recycled
will go up even further. Food waste is the largest
source of material going into the waste stream
(continues on page 12)
“Recology is a better reflection of who we are as a
company. It’s a hybrid of recycling and ecology.”

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The Spectrum 9

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www.SpectrumMagazine.net

“It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Let’s Get to Know One Another the GoGoVerde Way By Nicole Minieri
Back in the ’70s, millions tuned in daily to the
live, unscripted “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”
television show, the second-longest-running
children’s series on PBS whose main premise was
a friendly one-on-one between Fred Rogers and
each viewer. Rogers welcomed young visitors into
his televised “make-believe” neighborhood and
then took them on guided factory tours, exhibited
educational experiments, discussed various
issues, shared music, illustrated arts and crafts
projects and interacted with his neighborhood
friends. Well, that was over 30 years ago, and
although times may have drastically changed
since then, the “interaction with your neighbor”
concept has not! As a matter of fact, local resident
Justine Fenwick recently took the innovative idea
of community interplay and tossed it into the
explosive environment of online social networking,
resulting in the birth of GoGoVerde, a pilot online
community neighborhood program that is being
tested and developed in Redwood City.
“GoGoVerde was started as a project in
Acterra’s ‘Be the Change’ program. The
inspiration came [from] two places: trying to do
my own community-building in my neighborhood
around a general plan update to a park near my
house, and from reading the book Deep Economy:
The Wealth of Communities and Durable Future
by Bill McKibben, where the author outlines
all the potential benefits of living more locally,”
said Fenwick, GoGoVerde CEO and co-founder.
“And years of research has shown that when
people get to know their neighborhoods, their
property values improve, their neighborhood
schools improve and their neighborhood becomes
safer. There is nothing mysterious about this. It is
simply when people get to know one another, they
start to watch out for one another and they start
to work together on things they collectively care
about. GoGoVerde helps foster this connection
between neighbors by providing an online space
for neighbors to introduce themselves, chat, ask
for help, offer recommendations and announce
events. It provides a space where neighbors can
request help or offer help in a particular area like
gardening or home improvement. GoGoVerde
provides a place for people to connect with
their neighbors, and online tools allow people
to connect when they can. We are hoping that
GoGoVerde will give people a tool to reconnect
with their neighbors and establish a kind of
community we all long for: healthy, safe and
friendly neighbors.”
Sharing Fenwick’s high hopes for GoGoVerde’s
success are COO and co-founder Robbie Turner,
community strategist and former City Manager
Ed Everett, visual designers Kevin McBride and
Geralyn Nelson, and a technical team consisting of
Peter Wansch, Michael Baierl, Marcel Kutsch and Sonja
Fenwick. And within their respective responsibilities,
they all remain on the same page: creating more
neighbor-to-neighbor connections throughout
Redwood City while working toward growth.
“We are in the process of picking the next
two cities to join the early adopter program,”
said Turner, who is also the site’s moderator.
“Redwood City is an early adopter of GoGoVerde
and serves as the first city pilot for the Web
application. Initially, Roosevelt and Woodside
Plaza neighborhoods were started. Now all 11
of the neighborhoods have a GoGoVerde online
neighborhood, which all residents are invited
to join. Each day more and more residents join
their online neighborhood. GoGoVerde is taking
feedback from the residents and the city to guide
future development of the application.”
Redwood City was originally selected for the beta
testing of GoGoVerde because it is presently the
most progressive city on the Peninsula in terms
of community building and civic engagement.
“As city manager of Redwood City for almost 16
years, I love this community and love the citizens
who are working hard to build a better Redwood
City community. When I was introduced to
GoGoVerde, I knew immediately it was perfect
for Redwood City and would be welcomed by the
citizens,” said Everett. “GoGoVerde will bring
another powerful mechanism for Redwood City to
continue to stress community-building and civic
engagement. Being on the cutting edge of these
two very important concepts makes Redwood
City a natural to test and learn how to improve
GoGoVerde. Once we have worked with Redwood
City and one other city, and we know we got it
right, then we will be introducing GoGoVerde
nationally. People want and need community,
and GoGoVerde will help them redevelop their
community building skills, today in Redwood
City and tomorrow the United States.”
Going global definitely seems to be the plan
for the future, since the Redwood City beta test
has become the new buzz of the community. And
according to Turner, GoGoVerde is becoming an
instrumental tool in keeping the local community
connected despite on-the-go lifestyles. “Everyone
is so busy these days that they don’t have time to
attend neighborhood meetings at night after work
or, really, just get to know their neighbors faceto-face,”
explained Turner. “GoGoVerde allows
neighbors to communicate any time from any
place there is an Internet connection. It is very
encouraging to see the level of activity within
the neighborhoods. Neighbors are exchanging
recommendations for service providers,
loaning and borrowing things from each other,
announcing meetings and events, and talking
about specific issues to their neighborhood, like
crime and the local park.”
And although GoGoVerde is in the heart of a
testing phase, the list of stories from members
who are meeting and helping their fellow
neighbors through this site is steadily growing.
“Let me tell you some stories to give you a flavor
of how people are using the website,” said Everett.
“I know someone who needed to borrow a chain
saw to cut down some little trees. He borrowed it
on GoGoVerde and met one of his neighbors. He
then cut down the trees and asked on GoGoVerde
if anyone wanted the firewood. Someone did
and he met another neighbor. I know one person
who traded a DVD for some fresh vegetables,
and those two neighbors now know each other.
I know a woman who asked if anyone knew of a
good plumber because she said she had a leak in
her backyard. A person who lived close to her,
but didn’t know her, said he was not a plumber
but would come over and take a look. He realized
that was just a leak in her irrigation system
and he fixed it. That is what used to happen in
communities and is beginning to happen again in
Redwood City. People have asked on GoGoVerde
for personal recommendations for contractors,
locksmiths, house cleaners, babysitters, and
received great connections. The list goes on and on.”
But the helpful website is proving to be more
than just a free and secure online forum for
neighborhood networking and sharing; it’s also
becoming an excellent platform for members to
become proactive in keeping their neighborhood
safe. The site is set up so citizens can organize
watch groups against crime, as well as set up
emergency preparedness plans for man-made
and natural disasters, such as earthquakes, fires,
blizzards, floods, riots and even terrorist attacks.
For instance, GoGoVerde member Stefanie
Boicelli has owned a home in the Roosevelt
neighborhood for six years and unfortunately
was having a problem with disorderly and outof-hand
activities in the Red Morton parking lot
during late-night hours. After posting a poll on
GoGoVerde to her Roosevelt neighbors asking
for their support in getting the parking lot closed
and chained off during late hours, Boicelli was
put in touch with the appropriate law enforcement
personnel, who were then able to help resolve the
issue in a timely manner. According to Boicelli,
the successful outcome would not have been
possible without the overwhelming support and
networking on GoGoVerde.
Part of the reason GoGoVerde works wonders
for its members is the basic conduct rules that are
strictly enforced on the site. The golden rules for
this conclave are to be extremely polite, kind and
respectful toward fellow members. All posts are
to be kept friendly, safe and constructive, and any
illegal or negative behavior such as hate speech,
slurs, harassment, derogatory comments or nude
photographs is strictly prohibited.
Having Redwood City as the chosen
community for this website is a crucial factor
for overall success because it’s a liberal city that
harbors all things good for its people. “I love
being a part of Redwood City,” said Turner. “It’s
a very progressive city which is really trying to
build a great community using many different
ways to reach their residents. GoGoVerde is
a natural extension of the programs the city
already has in place to encourage community
building. The response to the GoGoVerde online
neighborhoods has been extremely positive.”
Whether you are interested in a social
networking site that offers you the opportunity to
connect and share within your own neighborhood
or are just plain curious, visit their website
at www.gogoverde.com and join. It’s free
and absolutely safe! Remember what Mister
Rogers would say, “It’s a beautiful day in the
neighborhood, so let’s make the most of this
beautiful day,” and get to know one another!
The Spectrum 11

Recology: Working for the Future, One SmartCart at a Time
(Continued from page 8)
“We’re about the community. We’re about sustainability.”
right now. In California, it makes up over 15
percent of the waste stream. That not only takes
up space in the landfill, it’s also an environmental
factor. When that food starts to break down, it
creates methane gas, which is a contributor to
climate change.
A lot of packaging as well — waxy cardboard,
paper plates, pizza boxes — can all be composted.
Even people who are already recycling will find
much of their garbage involves food items or
packaging, which can soon be composted.
“We’ve seen reductions in garbage of up to
30 percent once people are participating in the
compost program,” Simi said.
“What we want people to know is that the
CartSmart program is based all around the threecart
process, which is weekly as of January. So
recycling and compost will be picked up every
week, along with garbage, all on the same day.”
No more trying to remember to put out the yard
waste every other week. It’s a much easier, cleaner
program. Recology will collect the waste, taking
all the materials to the Shoreway facility, which
contracts out where the materials go. Those
contracts are already in place.
For more information, Recology hosts several
videos on their website, recology.com. There are
three separate ones in English and Spanish, with
subtitles.
“Currently,” said Operations Manager Gino
Gaspirini, “we’re delivering carts to commercial
and residential customers on a predetermined
schedule. We’re currently delivering in Redwood
City, which is why we wanted to get the word
out. … We’ll be following up with San Carlos,
Menlo Park, the Fair Oaks area, some of the
other communities.” The goal is to keep people
informed on a consistent basis, Gaspirini explained.
Recology is raising the bar, providing a great
example of the future of waste management. And
Gaspirini, a native of Redwood City, is reinvesting
in the community. Persistently humble, he insists
it’s not about him but adds, “I don’t know what
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
comes first, but a strong community makes a good
business, and a good business makes for a strong
community. They work hand in hand, and that’s
really what motivates me, and I think that’s what
Recology does real well, too: involves itself in the
community, supports chambers and youth groups
and all of the above.” Gaspirini started at BFI in
1972, back when it was San Mateo County Scavengers.
Changing a 10-year contract requires re-tooling.
“It’s not as easy as just ‘We’re going to change the
process,’ like a light switch,” Gaspirini said. “Where
our areas were the first to have a program, other
cities had the benefit: ‘Hey, we saw how they did
it, we’re gonna take it to another level.’ Now, I
think this contract is going to be state-of-the-art.
A brand-new facility, going single stream, food
waste with the organics program and a building
that can accommodate all this material, segregate
it properly, market it properly and move it along
to where it’s not going to the landfill. That’s what
we’re seeing here, with this new contract.”
Tammy Del Bene, recycling manager,
said, “Then, curbside crates was state-of-theart,
award-winning. Now, that’s antiquated.
Everything has evolved.” Del Bene came through
San Bruno Garbage, which became Recology San
Bruno, and has been with the company 10 years.
San Bruno started curbside recycling in 1989.
Gaspirini added, “In 1989, the trucks that were
used were kind of open, and as material went in,
you layered a door higher and higher. Now, it’s
all fully automated. In other words, the driver sits
in the truck, controlling a joystick arm, grabs the
container and dumps it right in the truck.” I guess
the next step is the trucks driving themselves!
“This community is ready,” Simi said. “They
love it. They’ve been waiting for this.”
What can we do to help, besides being good customers?
“Be a block leader,” Simi suggested. “Help
keep people informed.” The Green Block Leader
Training Program is organized by rethinkwaste.
org and is a great way to get involved.
“When you’re shopping, be aware,” Gaspirini
added. Styrofoam products are one thing to avoid,
but there are more and more recycling-friendly
options on the shelf.
“Put more in the blue and the green, and less in
the grey,” Del Bene said. The less put in the trash,
the more recycled.
Mario Puccinelli, general manager, said, “We
will be flipping the switch Dec. 31 at 10 p.m. Allied
will be leaving, and we’ll be coming in. So all of our
Recology employees from as far away as Oregon
will be coming down to assist us during this transition.”
The experience level at Recology is incredible,
with many people having more than 30 years in
the industry. “I started as a garbage man in 1978.
While attending college, I worked for Golden
Gate Disposal as a garbage man. So I began my
career on the trucks, and I worked in various
facets of the operation, and in the mid-’90s I
became a manager. In 1999 I became the general
manager of San Bruno Garbage Company.”
Puccinelli remained there until late 2009, when all
his efforts were devoted to this roll-out.
Puccinelli was part of the proposal for
Recology’s contract with San Mateo County
and feels honored and privileged to have been
awarded the contract.
“It means a lot to Recology, and I know working
with folks like Gino and Tammy, our hearts and
souls are in this to make it a successful venture.”
“We’re about the community. We’re about
sustainability. We’re about increasing life in our
landfill. Residents in San Mateo County are going
to see how convenient single-stream recycling is.”
When San Bruno went to single-stream recycling,
recycling volume went up 25 percent. “We’re
looking forward to the same participation and
convenience in San Mateo County,” Puccinelli said.
“After recycling and composting, we don’t call
what’s left in your garbage can ‘garbage,’” he said.
“We call it residual. That’s all it is. If you recycle
properly and use the program to its maximum,
there won’t be much left in that garbage can.”
One of the biggest changes since Puccinelli
started in the industry has been the technology.
“The technology has been progressing at an
unbelievable pace,” he said. “I came around in
the era when compaction was just starting. And
it was manual labor. Now the transit affords fully
automated service, which we’ll be providing.”
The processing side of things has moved at an
even faster pace, he said. “With the technology
involved and the sorting of the material now,
where there’s optics and magnets, shakers; it’s
really unbelievable technology.”
“As excited as folks are to be getting these new
services, we’re more excited to be providing that
service,” he said.
It’s really refreshing and rare to see the
excitement and commitment level reflected in all
of the Recology employees and managers. That
excitement and commitment is going to benefit
us all. Whether by saving money on your garbage
bill because of increased recycling, or by reducing
pollution and helping the environment, Recology
is bringing the future to San Mateo County, one
SmartCart at a time.

P.S. The People Speak: Letters to the Editor
Redwood City/Foust conflicts revealed
Dear Editor,
The Fair Political Practices Commission got it exactly right in its recent
ruling against Redwood City City Council member Rosanne Foust. The
watchdog agency said Foust violated the law when she voted to move the
Cargill salt pond development application forward while at the same time
receiving a salary from SAMCEDA, a business lobby group that is pro-Cargill.
But sadly, this is just the tip of the iceberg. I raised this issue two years ago
when I filed a public records act request in Redwood City seeking information
regarding (then) Mayor Foust and her conflict of interest. The city refused to
release any information, but the FPPC has now validated my concern.
The conflict of interest issue is not just Foust’s. There are numerous
Redwood City officials and committee appointees who are walking a thin
line on conflicts of interest. For example, Jeri Richardson-Daines, who
was appointed to the Housing and Human Concerns Committee, which
is responsible for decisions regarding potential housing development in
Redwood City, is employed by the Cargill Saltworks developer, DMB Associates.
Nori Jabba, who was appointed to the Historic Resources Advisory Committee,
which is responsible for making recommendations to the planning
commission on historic preservation issues, is employed by DMB Associates.
Council Members Foust and Jeff Gee, Mayor Jeff Ira and Planning
Commission Chair Nancy Radcliffe all hold board positions on the Redwood
City–San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce. The chamber has been a
force behind the Saltworks project for years; that’s its job.
Public servants cannot serve two masters. The ongoing concern is the
question of whom do these people represent? In their elected or appointed
positions, do they represent the interests of their employer, DMB? The chamber?
Cargill’s massive development project to fill in 1,400 acres of fully
restorable bay salt ponds is hugely controversial. All decisions on this project
must be free of behind-the-scenes special interests.
Can anyone stop high-speed rail?
Marsha Cohen, Redwood City
Dear Editor,
Validated by multiple credible sources, the initial ridership numbers,
construction costs and ticket prices for California’s bullet train have
been shown to be wildly inaccurate. Now we learn that some of the preconstruction
contracts received little oversight, and claims by the High-Speed
Rail Authority that Southern Pacific’s freight trains can’t utilize a tunnel
alternative due to lack of ventilation are bogus.
On top of all this, we still haven’t been told how high-speed rail will be
operated without a state subsidy or what general fund programs and services
will be scaled back to pay the $600 million annual debt service on the initial
$9 billion in bonds approved by voters in 2008. Please, can anyone stop this?
Don’t rail against the review
John Ummel, Redwood City
Dear Editor,
I attended the Redwood City Planning Commission meeting on Oct. 19
because I truly care about Redwood City. I couldn’t believe the stream of
people who came to the microphone insisting there be no environmental
review of the Saltworks project. Did you bother to read the meeting agenda?
The review is underway. The debate around that happened; the decision was
made to follow the city’s well-established process for review.
The purpose of this meeting was to provide public input into the scope of the
review. Many people came to the meeting prepared to make their case for the
review to cover a very broad scope. It’s too bad that many others misused their
opportunity to provide input and instead took up valuable time for no good purpose.
I would urge my fellow citizens to participate instead of continuing to rail against
the review. And I would urge them to stop being led by a narrow special interest
group from Oakland that doesn’t care what happens to people in Redwood City.
Josie Ramirez, San Carlos
Answers over noes
Dear Editor,
As Redwood City considers the scope of the environmental review for the
Saltworks site, I hear two distinct sets of voices during public comment.
One comes from the reasonable, concerned citizens of Redwood City. They
made it clear they want the review process to examine the widest possible
impacts of the project. How would the project affect our need for affordable
housing? How would it create more effective transit links? How would it
answer the demand for parks and recreation space? How could it alleviate the
flooding we get every winter?
The other comes from opponents who only manage to say one thing: No.
We should not explore new housing or provide new flood protection or
new parks to Redwood City. In fact, many voiced that we should have no
environmental review at all. The people should ask no questions, which
means the community deserves no answers.
Given the choice between answers and a chorus of “No,” I take answers every time.
Caltrain lacking room for cyclists
Jennifer Feyling, Redwood City
Dear Editor,
I am a physician and must be to work on time and reliably, moving in both
directions. Sadly I cannot take Caltrain with my bike because of being
bumped or the risk of being late. I have to drive my car instead. I hope some
sort of ongoing solution will be worked out.
Let your opinion be heard!
Scott Smith, Redwood City
Send your letters to letters@spectrummagazine.net or
Opinions & Letters, The Spectrum Magazine, P.O. Box 862,
Redwood City, CA 94064
Letters to the editor should be no longer than 300 words. Columns
should be no longer than 750 words. Illegibly written and anonymous
letters will not be accepted. Please include a daytime phone number
where we can reach you.
The Spectrum 13

www.SpectrumMagazine.net
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

Events Around Town Cañada College Theatre Arts Department Fundraiser
The ninth annual Cañada College Theatre Arts Department fundraiser was held in the lobby of the Main Stage Theater in Building 3 at Cañada College. All of the money raised is
used to help students in the Theatre Arts Department. Because our community decided that the theater arts are worth investing in, these students will continue to develop the
knowledge, the skills and the motivation they need to continue to do great work in the theater. The event included wine from Jodar Vineyards, a light supper, a silent auction, great
raffle prizes and entertainment by the Cañada College Theatre Arts students led by professor Anna Budd.
AuTo
LoANs Home
LoANs
San Mateo Credit Union’s On Broadway branch has it all.
Auto loans? We’ve got ‘em. Home loans? We’ve got ‘em. In fact, whatever financial product or service you’re looking for,
the On Broadway branch of San Mateo Credit Union (SMCU) stands ready to meet your needs.
Visit us today at 830 Jefferson Avenue or call us at (650) 363-1725.
(650) 363-1725 | smcu.org
The Spectrum 15

A Year Filled With Conflict, Challenges and Foust
From plane crashes to jail-site wars to
the District Attorney’s Office getting its
hand slapped by the Court of Appeals
and the Supreme Court to the bayfront
development to an iPhone being
“found,” 2010 proved to be an eventful
year for our community and especially
for Councilwoman Rosanne Foust.
Foust was named the Person of the
Year by the Chamber of Commerce,
led the successful fight against a
new jail in the downtown area, was
named president of SAMCEDA, was
complained about to the Fair Political
Practices Commission, was found
to be in conflict when voting on
anything related to the Cargill Salt
development and is gearing up for a
re-election campaign next year.
Let’s look back on some of those eventful
moments as we look ahead to 2011.
January 2010
Foust named person of the year
The Redwood City–San Mateo County
Chamber of Commerce named Redwood City
Councilwoman Rosanne Foust its 2009 Person
of the Year, noting her commitment to the group
while juggling her duties with the city and as vice
president of SAMCEDA.
Foust, who served as Redwood City mayor
during 2009, was selected by that year’s Chamber
Chair Glenna Vaskelis, president and CEO of
Sequoia Hospital.
Orozco trial headed for second round
San Mateo County prosecutors announced they
would retry a Redwood City teenager on murder
and gang charges after the jury deadlocked on
whether the youngest person ever charged as an
adult murder defendant in San Mateo County was
guilty of fatally shooting a Redwood City man to
earn respect from fellow gang members.
In December 2009, jurors split almost evenly
between guilt and innocence for 19-year-old Josue
Raul Orozco, who is charged in the July 2005
fatal shooting of Francisco Rodriguez, 21.
Orozco’s trial — and the entire case since his
arrest — drew attention because, at 14 years old,
he was the youngest adult murder defendant in
county history. Two years later, he became the
first ward to escape from the county’s recently
opened juvenile hall.
Saltworks project passed initial review
It was determined there would be enough water
and sufficient traffic circulation within the project
area to make it feasible to build thousands of
homes on salt ponds in Redwood City.
The DMB Cargill plan to build up to 12,000
units of mixed-use housing will now face
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
California Environmental Quality Act review
after undergoing the city’s tier-1 review.
Redwood City hired a consulting firm, Hart/
Howerton, in September 2009 to review Cargill’s
plan to see if the city had jurisdiction over the bay
property, whether enough water could be secured
for the project and how well traffic would flow in
and out of the 1,436-acre bayside property. DMB
Cargill paid for the consultants.
February 2010
SAMCEDA shook up its leadership
City Councilwoman Rosanne Foust, vice
president of the San Mateo County Economic
Development Association, took over as acting
president and CEO while Dan Cruey recovered
from a motorcycle accident. The board of
directors appointed Foust to fill in while the
executive search committee looked for a full-time
replacement. She was eventually named president.
Harris crowned Miss Redwood City
Redwood City residents had a great reason to
catch Miss America fever: Redwood City’s
own Jackie Harris was crowned Miss Redwood
City. Redwood City held the Miss Redwood
City pageant, along with Miss San Mateo
County and Miss Redwood City–San Mateo
County Outstanding Teen, to a packed house
at the Cañada College Theater. The Spectrum
Magazine’s owner and publisher, Steve Penna,
was the master of ceremonies. The competition
included an interview, swimsuit competition,
talent competition and evening gown competition.
March 2010
Supreme Court declined to intervene
in Biletnikoff murder retrial
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in
a lower court decision requiring a new trial for
a man accused of murdering the daughter of an
Oakland Raiders football player in 1999.
The high court action meant that San
Mateo County prosecutors must either release
Mohammed Haroon Ali, 34, or retry him for the
strangulation murder of Tracey Biletnikoff, 20,
whose body was found in Redwood City.
Biletnikoff was the daughter of former Oakland
Raiders wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Fame
member Fred Biletnikoff. Chief Deputy San Mateo
County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said
that prosecutors would go ahead with a retrial.
In his first trial, Ali was found guilty in San Mateo
County Superior Court in 2001 of first-degree
murder and sentenced to 55 years to life in prison.
Last year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
in San Francisco overturned the conviction, saying
that prosecutors had dismissed at least one and
possibly two black jury candidates from the jury pool
for improper reasons of racial discrimination.
District named new superintendent
The Sequoia Union High School District looked
inward to elevate assistant superintendent and
chief business officer Dr. James Lianides to head
the 8,200-student district. Lianides began his
new job as superintendent July 1. He replaced
superintendent Pat Gemma, who retired June 30
after seven years in the position.
Redwood City began fight against
new jail downtown
Redwood City, facing rising costs and reduced
revenue like many Peninsula cities, proposed an 8
percent reduction in its budget with the possibility
of eliminating 45 positions — 13 vacant and 32
filled. Still, the City Council decided to allocate
$310,000 for a consultant to embark on a public
relations campaign to somehow convince the
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and
the Sheriff’s Office not to proceed with plans to
construct a replacement jail at the motor pool
site on the county campus adjacent to the current
facility at 300 Bradford St.
Bacteria forced sand removal at two parks
Redwood City completely removed sand areas
from two of its parks because workers had not been able
to prevent the bacteria E. coli from contaminating
them. After a year in which the sand play areas
of Stafford and Maddux parks were periodically
closed because of the bacteria, officials said
they were unable to keep it from happening and
wanted to instead replace the sand entirely.
Fox Theatre up for sale
The historic Fox Theatre on Broadway in downtown
Redwood City was listed for sale. The listing “associate”
for the property was Steve Divney with Colliers
International.
Colliers International is a worldwide affiliate
of independently owned and operated companies
specializing in commercial real estate services.
iPhone and a Redwood City bar
A next-generation iPhone prototype was found at
a Redwood City bar on March 18. Brian Hogan,
21, was at the bar when another customer handed
him the phone after finding it on a bar stool,
according to Hogan’s attorney, Jeffrey Bornstein.
Hogan later sold the phone to the technology blog
Gizmodo for $5,000, thinking the blog was only going
to review the phone, according to Bornstein.
A search warrant was served by a joint police task
force at the Fremont home of the Gizmodo editor
who had purchased the iPhone, disassembled the
phone and posted details of it on the blog.
April 2010
Redwood City launched online anti-jail effort
A flurry of online efforts launched to oppose
construction of a new county jail near downtown
Redwood City was the first step of a consulting
group hired by the City Council. But while

City Manager Peter Ingram said the group’s
website and associated Facebook and Twitter
pages were in their infancy, some residents who
had fought the jail for the last several years, led
by councilwoman Rosanne Foust, said they’d
appreciate being kept in the loop and were not
aware the site was being developed or launched.
The site was quickly taken down.
Whitman ended tour in Redwood City
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman
wrapped up a week of fundraising with help from
some big GOP names while facing protests about
the amount of money she was spending on her
quest for California’s highest office.
Whitman’s political mentor, former
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, joined her at a
donors-only luncheon in Sacramento, where tickets
started at $1,000 and went up to $25,900. That
evening, Whitman was scheduled to end her weeklong
fundraising tour at a gala in Redwood City with
Romney, former GOP presidential nominee John
McCain and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
Redwood City teacher named
Teacher of the Year
Shannon Cody, a fourth-grade teacher at Clifford
School in the Redwood City School District, was
selected as San Mateo County’s Teacher of the
Year for 2010.
Redwood City, others joined in
banks lawsuit
Redwood City and three other Northern
California public entities joined a complaint
claiming dozens of financial institutions were
involved in price fixing contracts purchased with
municipal bond money. The Peninsula city joined
Richmond, the East Bay Municipal Utilities
District and the San Francisco Redevelopment
Agency in suing banks including Goldman Sachs,
Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Citibank,
Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo/Wachovia,
according to Burlingame-based law firm Cotchett,
Pitre and McCarthy, which filed the case.
May 2010
Cargill touted new poll
Developers of the Saltworks site in Redwood
City touted a new poll that they said shows
overwhelming support for moving forward
with the environmental review process. Of 500
voters randomly queried between April 18 and
April 21, 68 percent supported the City Council
continuing a full environmental and public review
of the 50-50 Balanced Plan, which calls for a mix
of housing and retail on the site, according to
spokesman Pete Hillan.
Teen got life with murder conviction
The teenager who told jurors he fatally shot
an unarmed rival gang member at a party in
unincorporated Redwood City out of fear for his
own safety was convicted of first-degree murder
and special circumstances that sent him to prison
for life without parole.
Jurors deliberated less than two days before
convicting Ricardo Garcia, 18, of murder and
the special circumstances of using a firearm and
acting to benefit a street gang in the death of
19-year-old Solomone Zarate.
Community rallied around displaced family
The April fire that ripped through the threebedroom
apartment of Fuka Tumanuirao in
April stole the home and belongings from the
family of 13 and left the mother hospitalized after
she jumped from the second-story window to
escape the blaze. But Redwood City firefighters,
neighbors and teachers from the children’s school
rallied together at a fundraising barbecue, trying
to put a roof over the family’s head and return
them to some semblance of normalcy.
After the fire began at 3296 Rolison Road, Fuka
thought one of her children was still inside and
crawled through the building until she became
disoriented from the smoke. She jumped from the
second-story window to escape, surviving with
second-degree burns and a shattered spine. The
child had been outside the entire time and the
rest of the family was fine. Fuka, however, was
airlifted to UCSF Medical Center.
Summit charter ranked in top 100
Seven years after opening, Redwood City–based
Summit Preparatory broke into the top 100 of
Newsweek’s America’s Best High School list. The
ranking put Summit among the top 10 California
schools ranked. “It’s possible for all kids to learn
at a college level,” said Principal Todd Dickson.
Fox Theatre got a new owner
The historic Fox Theatre in downtown Redwood
City, which had been an integral part of the city’s
downtown renaissance but had recently closed due
to foreclosure, got a new operator. Local entrepreneur
Eric Lochtefeld assembled a team to operate the
property under the name Fox Dream Presents, LLC.
“I’m thrilled to be the new operator of this incredible,
historic theater, and I’m excited about bringing
great entertainment back to the Fox and Little
Fox,” said Lochtefeld. “This is a dream come true
for me. I love this city and this community, which
I believe has the greatest potential of any city on
the Peninsula. And the ‘new’ Fox is going to be
part of realizing that great potential.”
June 2010
Spectrum won press award
Bay Area print and online journalists, photographers,
radio and television personnel and public relations
professionals were presented with 167 awards of
excellence in nine divisions and 36 categories at
the San Francisco Peninsula Press Club’s 33rd
annual Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards.
The winners were selected from 394 entries from
media professionals in the 11 Greater Bay Area
counties. Awards honored work done in 2009.
Entries were judged by the Bakersfield Press
Club, Milwaukee Press Club, the Press Club of
New Orleans and the Press Club of Southeast Texas.
The Print Photography division was judged by press
photographers outside of the Bay Area and was
coordinated by Paul Sakuma of the Associated Press.
Top news story, first place: The Spectrum
Magazine, “Police Shut Down DUI Checkpoint,”
written by Steve Penna.
Foust drew complaints
The Fair Political Practices Commission was
to determine if it would investigate whether
Redwood City Councilwoman Rosanne Foust
should not make decisions about the Cargill
Saltworks site while heading an economic business
group that has vocally endorsed the development.
The complaint argued Foust is conflicted by being
both a Redwood City councilwoman and CEO of
the San Mateo County Economic Development
Association, otherwise known as SAMCEDA.
Redwood City schools approved $7
million in cuts
Redwood City schools will have $7.1 million less
next year, according to a final budget approved by
the elementary school district’s board of trustees.
After a year of examining large layoffs, the board
settled on making $7.1 million in cuts to next
year’s budget, resulting in a $71.1 million budget
with $73 million in expenditures, according to a
staff report. Those assumptions count on starting
the year with a $5.3 million balance and ending
with $3.3 million, a 4.58 percent reserve.
Orozco murder retrial pushed back
five months
The retrial of a teenager accused of committing
a murder in Redwood City when he was 14 years
old was pushed back nearly five months at the
defense’s request.
Josue Orozco, now 19, is accused in the July
12, 2005, fatal shooting of 21-year-old Francisco
Rodriguez. He is charged with murder with the
special circumstance of committing the murder
for gang purposes and faces life in prison if convicted.
His case made headlines a number of times
— including after his arrest in 2005 when
Orozco became the youngest defendant charged
with murder in San Mateo County, and then in
February 2008 when he escaped the juvenile
detention facility where he was being held. He
was caught in San Antonio, Texas, that September.
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The Spectrum 17

A Year Filled With Conflict, Challenges and Foust
(Continued from previous page)
Foust conflict investigation launched
The Fair Political Practices Commission launched
an investigation into allegations that Redwood City
Councilwoman Rosanne Foust has a conflict of
interest when voting on matters related to the Cargill
Saltworks site because she also heads an economic
business organization favoring its development.
The FPPC alerted Foust and Menlo Park
Councilman Andy Cohen, the person who filed the
complaint, in a July 1 letter that it would undergo
an investigation, said Executive Director Roman Porter.
Cohen’s complaint argued Foust is conflicted
by being both a Redwood City councilwoman
and CEO of the San Mateo County Economic
Development Association.
Foust maintained she does not have a conflict, a
position assured by the former city attorney.
Sheriff: Another site possible for new jail
A chance exists to build a new jail not on a longpromoted
site near downtown Redwood City but
at a different location within the city, Sheriff Greg
Munks told county officials.
Rather than recommend the county motor
pool site near the existing Maguire Correctional
Facility, Munks told the Board of Supervisors
he is still in talks with Redwood City for an
alternative location on Chemical Way. The land
was previously not for sale but might now prove
a good fit for the county, which needs to alleviate
chronic overcrowding at its existing correctional
facilities, and Redwood City residents who fear
building it near downtown will throw a wrench
into recent redevelopment.
July 2010
Sky went dark on Fourth of July
Annual activities on Independence Day put on
by the Peninsula Celebration Association (PCA),
which includes the parade, art show and festival,
did not include the annual fireworks because of a
shortfall of cash. The show, estimated at $60,000,
was cancelled and the skies above Redwood City
were dark for the first time in decades.
Councilwoman will not vote on
Saltworks
Redwood City Councilwoman Rosanne Foust
stated she would not fight a political watchdog
group’s finding that she shouldn’t vote on matters
related to the Saltworks site and would abstain
from participating in the future.
Foust heads the business group San Mateo
County Economic Development Association,
which has proactively supported the potential
development of the site, while simultaneously
sitting on the City Council. The council has yet
to vote on the plan. In May, however, the council
voted to award an environmental review contract.
At the request of Menlo Park Councilman Andy
Cohen, the Fair Political Practices Commission
investigated Foust’s dual roles and found that she
violated the Political Reform Act. The FPPC held
that Foust’s vote as a public official could affect
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
her private employer, SAMCEDA.
The FPPC noted Foust acted on the counsel
of City Attorney Roy Abrams and issued her a
written warning that future violations would carry
up to $5,000 in fines. Foust could have requested
prosecution to defend herself but in a letter to the
Daily Journal said she would not take that route.
“As an elected official, I have sworn myself to
uphold the law, so I will accept the commission’s
ruling. However, the FPPC’s letter contains
factual errors and the ruling itself contradicts well
documented opinions previously issued by the
FPPC in rulings similar to mine,” Foust wrote.
Redwood City company got CMP contract
Central Maine Power, that state’s largest electric
utility, selected a California company to supply
620,000 so-called smart meters to be installed by
early 2012, reducing costs for CMP and allowing
consumers to monitor their power consumption,
the companies said.
Redwood City–based Trilliant Inc. said the
nearly $200 million smart meter program would
be funded by CMP with $96 million in federal
stimulus money and matching funds from CMP’s
corporate parent, Iberdrola USA.
Redwood City PAL named new head
The board of directors of the Redwood City Police
Activities League appointed Tom Cronin as its
new executive director, making him the first civilian
in the position. Cronin began work July 12.
In April, PAL announced it would hire a
civilian executive director because the police
department could no longer pay for an officer in
the position due to significant city budget cuts.
Council replaced paper with iPads
Photocopying agenda packets could soon be
a thing of the past for Redwood City officials.
Rather than spend substantial time copying
and assembling individual hard copies for each
councilmember, Redwood City Clerk Silvia
Vonderlinden said she wanted to go paperless
by letting councilmembers receive and annotate
agendas via iPad. The agendas and notes could be
accessed during council meetings.
The move would save not only trees but also
the time required to photocopy dozens — or
even hundreds — of pages. Three Redwood City
appointees, assumed to be councilmembers,
started using the iPads as a test of the plan.
The hardware was to be funded out of the
city’s capital improvement fund. Vonderlinden
did not specify in the memo which iPad version
the city would purchase but placed the cost at
approximately $600 each. The nearest gadget to
that price is a 32 GB Wi-Fi only device.
Broadway by the Bay moved to
Fox Theatre
In performance, timing is everything. And
when it came to Broadway by the Bay finding a
new home, the longtime musical theater company
had luck on its side.
The group, which was forced from its spot
at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center by
renovations, was interested in the historic Fox
Theatre in downtown Redwood City. However,
the theater was in financial straits, the owners
were looking to sell and eventually the building
was foreclosed and returned to the bank.
The company will begin its 2011 season next April
at the Fox, and while patrons new and old can expect
the same stellar productions, there will be some
new aspects to seeing a show at the Fox Theatre.
August 2010
Environmental plan for
Saltworks unveiled
The Redwood City Planning Commission and
public heard from hired consultants on how they
plan to assess the environmental aspects of the
proposed development of the Cargill Saltworks
site and how they will conduct outreach to the
community throughout the process.
The plan for the 1,400-acre site calls for 50
percent to be used for parks, open space and
restored tidal marsh. The other half would be
mixed-use with up to 12,000 new homes.
Cañada opened new housing
for employees
Fifty-four staff members from the three San Mateo
County community colleges were able to move
into new apartments built on the Cañada College
campus in Redwood City, part of a plan to offer
affordable housing to those working for the district.
“This provides the opportunity for staff to have
affordable housing near their work,” said Ron
Galatolo, chancellor for the San Mateo County
Community College District. “There are 60
more one-, two- and three-bedroom units at an
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It’s Holiday Time! – Shop Redwood City!
Shouldn’t you make the commitment to shopping locally during the holidays?
Whether shopping, dining or enjoying some entertainment, you will benefit
because your sales tax dollars stay local and help us all. These businesses not
only provide excellent service but also contribute to our community. Check out
our Best of the Best selections below.
Auto Care:
Redwood General Tire – 1630 Broadway – Redwood General Tire was
founded on the principles of good customer service and quality products
at fair prices. Many satisfied customers have been with them since their
founding. Whether you are looking for
a new set of tires or need repair work
on your vehicle, this Redwood City
institution has been providing quality
vehicle services since 1957. Gift
certificates available for the holidays!
Eating and Catering:
Little India – 917 Main St. – “There
are good restaurants. There are bad
restaurants. There are OK restaurants.
Then there are those places, the magic
ones. You come back again and again
because the food doesn’t just taste
good and satisfy hunger, but helps
heal the heart and soul.” Senior
citizens receive $1 off and children
under 12 dine at half price. www.
littleindiacuisine.com.
Deseo Tequila Lounge and Restaurant – 851 Main St. – “We went there and
it was fabulous! We were impressed by their food menu, and the burger I had
was tasty. They have 21 big-screen TVs. It’s a wonderful place for watching
your favorite sports team, having a drink with friends or dancing the night
away.” Start booking your holiday events now.
Financial Institutions:
San Mateo Credit Union – Three Redwood City locations – As a memberdriven
organization, SMCU does everything possible to ensure that all of
your financial priorities are anticipated and fulfilled. Offerings include free
personal auto shopping assistance, members-only car sales, low-rate home
loans and lines of credit. Call 650-363-1725 or 888-363-1725, or visit a branch
to learn the advantages of membership banking.
Home Improvements:
Lewis Carpet Cleaners – 1-800-23-LEWIS – Founded in 1985, Lewis
Carpet Cleaners has grown from one small, portable machine to a company
of six employees and five working vans. The Lewis family works and lives in
Redwood City and is committed to our community. Ask about their Spectrum
special: Get 100 square feet of carpet cleaned for absolutely nothing. Call
today! Get your home ready for the holidays.
Legal Services:
Business Profile of the Month
Every Woman Health Club
611 Jefferson Ave. – A women-only, body-positive fitness
center in downtown Redwood City. Services include classes,
weight and cardio equipment, personal training, therapeutic
massage and skin care. Flexible pricing, with several
options available for members and nonmembers. There is
not a better way to begin the New Year than by focusing
on yourself. Exercising is a great way to start. Visit www.
everywomanhealthclub.com or call 650-364-9194 to get
started. Gift certificates are also available for the holidays.
Hannig Law Firm – 2991 El Camino Real – Hannig Law Firm LLP provides
transactional and litigation expertise in a variety of areas. The professionals
at HLF are committed to knowing and meeting their clients’ needs through
long-term relationships and valueadded
services, and to supporting
and participating in the communities
where they live and work.
Specialty Businesses:
Bizzarro’s Auto Auction – 2581
Spring St. – Frank Bizzarro’s unique
business offers auto auctions,
consignment vehicle sales, appraisal
services and even ways to donate your
vehicle to charities. If you are holding
a fundraising event with a live auction,
Frank and his staff are also a one-stop
auction team with spotters, clerks,
sample catalogs, bid numbers, etc. Call
650-363-8055 and get details on all of
their services.
Hector Flamenco Insurance (State Farm) – 151 Fifth Ave. – Hector has been
in the insurance business and with State Farm for 20 years. He specializes
in auto and business insurance. A local resident, he also provides servicio en
español! Visit his website at www.hectorflamenco.com.
Michelle Glaubert, Realtor at Coldwell Banker – 650-722-1193 – When
you work with Michelle once, she will do everything in her power to make
you want to come back to her the next time you need real estate assistance.
Since she works mainly on referral and repeat business, that strategy must be
working! Visit Michelle online at www.glaubert.com.
Saf Keep Storage – 2480 Middlefield Road – The friendly and reliable team at
Saf Keep is ready to assist you with a variety of storage products and services
to suit all your storage needs. Visit their website at www.safkeepstorage.com
to see exactly what products and services are available. Compare them to
other facilities and you’ll see why their service makes the difference.
Schoenstein Physical Therapy – 363A Main St., 650-599-9482 –The
clinical approach of this independent, community-based physical therapy
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.
St. Regal Jewelers – 850 Main St. – As you start your holiday shopping,
listen to what customers are saying about this fine downtown jewelry store.
“This is a great jeweler! Phil, the owner, is amazing. He crafted a ring on
time and on budget. He has an incredible eye for detail. I can’t say enough.
I would never go anywhere else.” Whether you are looking for men’s or
women’s fine quality jewelry, shopping local does not get better than this.
The Spectrum 19

News Briefs
RWC Bank Robber Imprisoned for Two Years
The Redwood City bank robbery suspect caught on surveillance tape and
later identified by several members of the public was sentenced to two years
in prison after pleading no contest.
Matthew Alan Zazzara, 25, of Burlingame, pleaded no contest to the single
count of robbery and immediately received a two-year term with credit for
154 days. He must also pay $850 in restitution to Wells Fargo Bank.
On June 23, Zazzara approached a teller at the Wells Fargo Bank kiosk in
the Safeway grocery store at Sequoia Station on El Camino Real. He passed
a note that said, “I have a gun. Give me all your hundreds and fifties.” The
teller handed over $850 and the man fled.
The next day, police released surveillance photographs taken by store
cameras to local newspapers and received several calls identifying the man as
Zazzara. He was also identified by the teller and another witness after being
arrested July 6 at his mother’s Hillsborough home.
Zazzara robbed the bank to pay for his methamphetamine addiction,
according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Jury Convicts RWC Man in Rape of Vitamin Seller
Jurors deliberated two days before convicting a Redwood City man of
sexually assaulting an acquaintance who came to his home to sell vitamins.
Ricardo Zaragoza Mendez, 61, was found guilty of the felonies forcible
rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration, assault with intent to
commit rape and false imprisonment. He was also convicted of misdemeanor assault.
Mendez faces up to 30 years and eight months when sentenced Jan. 7. In
contrast, a judge offered him six years in prison if he pleaded no contest, and
prosecutors sought 12 years.
Mendez reportedly attacked a 19-year-old woman he knew from an adult
school months earlier. On May 28, the married woman went to Mendez’s
home because he wanted to buy the Herbalife vitamins she sold. After
discussing the items for sale, Mendez allegedly asked her to look at vitamins
he already owned located in his bedroom. Once there, prosecutors say
Mendez raped the woman until she was able to grab a flashlight and strike
him several times in the head.
The woman ran to a friend’s residence and contacted police. Mendez is in
custody in lieu of $200,000 bail.
Counseling Ordered for Druggie Who Asked Cop for Ride
A 19-year-old Danville man found with cocaine in his pocket after asking a
Redwood City police officer for a ride pleaded no contest to felony possession
and was ordered to undergo counseling.
Ongley Raymond Ocon III must finish 18 months of counseling and abstain
from drugs and paraphernalia as part of the deferred entry of judgment.
On Oct. 17, Ocon left a San Carlos party, approached a Redwood City
patrol car and asked for a ride home to Danville. Authorities said they don’t
know if Ocon knew it was a police vehicle or thought it was a cab.
When asked if he had anything illegal on him, Ocon initially said, “Yes,”
then paused and changed his answer to “No.” Ocon gave the officer permission
to search him and was discovered to have a twist of cocaine in his pocket.
RWC Apartment Fire Displaces 40
A three-alarm fire at a Redwood City apartment building displaced about 40
people, a Redwood City battalion chief said.
The fire was reported at an apartment building at 240 Linden Ave. that houses seniors.
The blaze started on the first floor of a three-story building and spread to
the second and third floors, Battalion Chief Dave Pucci said.
Smoke detectors alerted residents to the situation and they were able to
evacuate safely, Pucci said. No injuries were reported.
The American Red Cross set up a temporary shelter for the displaced
residents at the Fair Oaks Community Center at 2600 Middlefield Road, Red
Cross spokesman Jim Mallory said.
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
The apartment where the fire started was gutted, and two above it sustained
fire damage, Pucci said. Many other units were damaged by smoke, but not
all were uninhabitable, he said.
Pucci said the building’s smoke detectors were key in preventing injuries or worse.
“It’s very, very important to check smoke detectors and batteries,” he said.
“It saved lives today.”
Pucci said about 60 fire personnel were dispatched to the blaze. The
response included 11 engines, three trucks and five battalion chiefs.
Witness Tamperer Sentenced for Violating Probation
A gang member who avoided prison by pleading no contest to conspiracy for
his role in helping a jailed murder defendant scare off witnesses is in trouble
again for a jailhouse attack.
Edgar Cibrian, 21, was placed on three years supervised probation after
the plea deal but on Sept. 1 attacked opposing gang members in the Maguire
Correctional Facility. For violating the terms of his probation, Cibrian was
sentenced to two years in prison with credit for 481 days.
Cibrian and several others were charged with various counts of witness
intimidation and conspiracy for allegedly acting on behalf of ringleader
Josue Orozco. Orozco, an alleged Sureño gang member, is accused of fatally
shooting Francisco Rodriguez, 21, outside his Redwood City home in July
2005. Orozco believed Rodriguez was a rival gang member who had slighted
his gang, according to the prosecution. Orozco, who was 14 at the time and
later escaped from the county’s juvenile hall, stood trial for murder last
winter and jurors deadlocked in December on murder and gang changes. He
is currently facing retrial.
After the trial, prosecutors announced that, between May 2009 and March
2010, he allegedly organized fellow gang members to keep witnesses from
testifying or to change their testimony in his last and upcoming case. The
plan was uncovered through jailhouse phone records.
The conspiracy suspects were arrested in a multi-agency, multi-city raid in March.
RWC Mom Committed Early to Mental Hospital
A Redwood City mother found not guilty by reason of insanity of attempting
to kill her daughter and assaulting her son was committed to a state mental
hospital a month early to speed up her access to care.
Philomena Mary Brown, 50, was scheduled for a placement hearing
in early December, but defense attorney Vince O’Malley moved the
commitment up so she could be treated more quickly, said Chief Deputy
District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Judge Lisa Novak ordered Brown to Napa State Hospital for a maximum term
of 13 years, which is the amount she faced in prison after pleading no contest
to felony charges of attempted murder, causing great bodily injury and assault.
She can be released from care any point before that, beyond 180 days,
if she is found returned to sanity. If she reaches the 13-year mark without
such a designation, prosecutors can petition to extend her stay in two-year
increments, Wagstaffe said.
Each extension requires a jury trial.
On Oct. 19, Brown pleaded no contest to the charges and was immediately
found insane at the time of the crimes based on a trio of reports by courtappointed
doctors. The negotiated settlement spared Brown trial on three
counts of premeditated attempted murder — alongside child abuse charges —
which could carry a life sentence.
Police arrested Brown June 21, several hours after receiving a call from a
13-year-old boy who said he and his 23-year-old sister were attacked with a
dumbbell at the family’s home at 1010 Vera Ave. Later details showed that
Brown’s husband of 26 years and the children were allegedly drugged the
previous night by something she placed in their food.
Brown fled the house and was found by sheriff’s deputies later that
afternoon at Pomponio State Beach, where authorities believe she tried to kill
herself with prescription medication, and she was hospitalized before being
medically cleared and taken to the women’s jail.
O’Malley has said his client suffered a mental breakdown in the weeks
before the attack, believing people wanted to harm or even kill her family.
Brown has been in custody on no-bail status.

Community Interest
RWC Elks Honor Vets
The Redwood City Elks Lodge hosted a steak dinner recently for veterans
from local hospitals. The lodge celebrated serving its 10,000th steak to a veteran.
Pictured are Gary Larson, Callie McCroskey and Steve King. Behind them
stand Claude McCroskey, Bart Coulter, Fred Faber, Bob Roeder and Bob
Mezzitta. Paul Smith, who took the honors as the 10,000th veteran, is in front.
Special Amnesty for Library Fines: ‘Food for Fines’
Helps Second Harvest Food Bank
The Redwood City Public Library, in partnership with the San Mateo County
Library, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and Second Harvest
Food Bank, presents a unique way to both clear up unpaid library fines and
build community by donating food to those in need. It’s the 2010 Food for
Fines program, which allows library patrons to pay off their library fines by
donating food between Nov. 15 and Dec. 30.
Anyone with outstanding library fines is invited to deliver nonperishable
food items to any Redwood City library (or to any of the San Mateo County
Library’s 12 branches) during regular business hours. The higher the amount
of someone’s unpaid fines, the more food they should donate! They’ll leave
the library with a cleared account (up to $100 in fines may be forgiven) and
the great feeling of having helped others as the holidays approach.
All food collected will be provided to Second Harvest Food Bank and, of
course, everyone is encouraged to donate food to help those in need, even if
they don’t owe any library fines — each library has a special Second Harvest
Food Bank bin where donated food items can be placed. Over 45.5 million
pounds of nutritious food is delivered annually by Second Harvest Food Bank
to low-income people in need in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The
majority of these people are children and seniors. These millions of pounds of
food are provided free of charge to 326 local nonprofit agencies at more than
700 sites, including pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and after-school programs.
Please note that food donations as part of the Food for Fines program
cannot be applied toward the cost of lost or damaged library items, unique
collection items or printing fees. The program is valid only for fines and fees
owed to San Mateo County libraries and Redwood City libraries. Libraries
can accept only store-sealed items and cannot accept glass containers.
The Redwood City Public Library offers many free programs for children,
adults and families, and is the learning center of our community. For more
information about library events and services, you may access the library’s
home page at www.redwoodcity.org/library or call 650-780-7026.
RWC Water Line Workers Discover Native American Artifacts
Retrofitting of the Hetch Hetchy water pipeline has stopped in part of Redwood
City after workers unearthed some Native American remains or cultural artifacts.
The discovery stopped work at the site but won’t delay the overall project
deadline of spring 2012, said Christina Kerby, a spokeswoman with the San
Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
Crews instead have moved on to other areas while the SFPUC, Army
Corps of Engineers and Native American consultants determine if the water
line should be rerouted, continued without disturbing the artifacts or if the
remains must be relocated.
The preference is to leave the findings undisturbed, Kerby said.
In fact, Kerby said she can’t even say publicly what exactly was unearthed
or where they were found, out of respect for the tribes and concern about
theft or vandalism.
Such finds are not uncommon on the Peninsula and Kerby said it wouldn’t
surprise her if more are discovered by workers retrofitting the pipeline.
Ideally, the sites will be found during pretrenching rather than when heavy
equipment is brought in to excavate.
The only impact residents may have is aesthetic because the ground will
stay open for now where the relics or bones were found.
“It may look like we’re not making any progress but we are. Certainly, we
want the public to be aware we are very sensitive to historical and cultural artifacts.
Everything we do is out of respect for the tribes, not the bottom line,” Kerby said.
In May, the SFPUC began seismic upgrades to the Redwood City portion
of the line, which carries water from Hetch Hetchy throughout the Bay Area.
The $4.6 billion San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Water System
Improvement Program will also repair the antiquated pipelines, tunnels and dams.
The Redwood City segment is approximately 2.5 miles of the Peninsula
pipeline, which itself is nine miles long and five feet in diameter.
The work is happening near Avenida del Ora and South Place west toward
Cordilleras Road.
Increased Funding Helps Lengthen RWC School Year
Redwood City students won’t have such a short school year after all because
of a yet-to-be-finalized agreement between teachers and the district paid for
using increased state funds.
Negotiations are ongoing between the district and teachers about how the
Redwood City School District will use $1.6 million in federal funding it
received from the $1.2 billion from the emergency jobs bill President Barack
Obama signed in August. Thus far, both sides agreed to not have the six
planned furlough days this year, using increased per pupil funding recently
approved in the state budget. Still up for discussion, however, is class size.
Teachers put forward a proposal for the district to hire 24 teachers who
would go to work immediately creating new, smaller classes for kindergarten
through third-grade students. Both sides are set to return to the bargaining
table in December.
“Everyone is worked to the bone and exhausted,” said Bill Crow, Redwood
City Teachers Association president. He added there are also new mandates
for each teacher on top of the large student load.
Deputy Superintendent John Baker recognized the frustration of teachers,
particularly ones in the lower grades, who saw the most drastic increase of
students in the last year.
“We hear what the teachers are saying,” said Baker, and the district is
working on its own plan to try and alleviate some of the pressure.
Earlier this year, the district approved a multimillion plan for cuts in the current year,
which included six furlough days — five school days and one professional
development day — along with numerous layoffs that raised class sizes.
Both sides have agreed to use some of the funds to restore the six furlough days, but
teachers are making an additional proposal to reduce class sizes, explained
Ara Prigian, chapter services consultant for the California Teachers Association.
Class sizes in the district have been slowly rising since the 2009–10 school
year, when class size averages increased from 20 students per class to 24 in
kindergarten, 26 in first grade and 28 in both second and third grades. This
year, some classes in those grades have up to 32 students.
Teachers are proposing 24 teachers be hired to create new, smaller class
sizes, said Prigian.
The district, on the other hand, is looking to hire 12 teachers, one per site,
who will be used to reduce the pressure on kindergarten and first-grade
teachers, said Baker. This person could, in theory, start a new class but would
be used to best help the setup at each school site, he said.
Crow acknowledged the district’s plan but felt starting new smaller classes
districtwide in kindergarten through third grade would be a better strategy.
By bringing in the larger number of teachers, the teachers’ union argued, the
district could regain state funding for smaller class sizes by restoring more classes.
Regardless of the class size, the end of the school year has now been
extended to June 9. Students were originally going to end the year on
Wednesday, June 2. In addition, teacher/staff development day will now
occur Feb. 22, which remains a no-school day for students.
The Spectrum 21

A Year Filled With Conflict, Challenges and Foust
(Continued from page 18)
affordable price so people can save to buy their
own house. It’s extremely expensive to live here.”
The units range in size from 800 to 1,300
square feet with costs ranging from $950 per
month to $1,300 for the largest three-bedroom
unit, said district spokeswoman Barbara Christensen.
Redwood City responded to rail analysis
Redwood City officials were not happy with the California
High-Speed Rail Authority’s plans to build the system
through the Peninsula on an above-grade system.
“We’re disappointed in the authority’s perspective
that other, more desirable configurations won’t
be considered,” Councilwoman Barbara Pierce
said in a written statement. Pierce sits on the City
Council’s ad hoc committee on high-speed rail.
Redwood Shores sewer leak
estimated at 48,000 gallons
The amount of raw sewage released by a broken
pipeline in Redwood Shores was estimated at
48,000 gallons, according to city officials.
Redwood City officials initially estimated 5,000
gallons were dispelled before crews capped and
fixed the broken line but always expected that number
would increase. The 5,000-gallon figure reported
to the state and county was based on amounts
measured two hours into the spill, using the estimate
of 300 gallons per minute being released with an
expected fix time of 20 to 30 minutes.
September 2010
Plane crashed in the Shores, three dead
Three people died, including the founder of
an East Palo Alto steel company, after a plane
crashed into a Redwood Shores lagoon seconds
after departing from the San Carlos Airport.
Rescue workers pulled the body of a woman in
her 40s from the water, found floating just outside the
aircraft, shortly after the arrival, said Redwood City
Fire Battalion Chief Dave Pucci. Although not yet
identified, Robert E. Borrmann, the 92-year-old
founder and president of R.E. Borrmann Steel Co.
in East Palo Alto, was said to be onboard along
with his pilot and the pilot’s girlfriend.
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
New jail site up for discussion
Sheriff Greg Munks and those touting the need
for a new county jail floated a new locale by
Redwood City residents, a site away from the
downtown proposal that rankled opponents and
city leaders for years. However, the alternative
site on Chemical Way must still be purchased
by the county — an expensive caveat not
necessitated by the formerly preferred motor
pool site, which will add to the price tag, already
estimated at $150 million. That said, building the
facility out rather than up might reduce the cost.
“It could be a wash,” said Sheriff Greg Munks.
October 2010
City finalized general plan
The new proposed Redwood City general plan
received the green light from the Planning Commission.
Now, it was the City Council’s turn to sign off on
a document that culminates years of effort, input
and decisions on what the Redwood City of the
future should look like.
The City Council heard final comments on
the proposed plan and associated environmental
review documents before voting on the Planning
Commission’s earlier recommendations to certify
the final EIR and approve the document.
The general plan essentially spells out policies,
goals and programs for the long-term physical
development of the community. The city began
the process in 2004 but put an update on hold in
2006 while focusing on its Downtown Precise
Plan. When officials returned to it in 2008, they
opted for a complete overhaul instead of simply
an update of the existing 1990 general plan.
City ready to buy land for jail
Redwood City leaders said they wanted an alternative
site for a new county jail away from its recently
renovated downtown.
Now, the City Council is ready to put its money
where its mouth is, buying up four properties on
Chemical Way, which it hopes will house the longplanned
— and long debated — correctional facility that
will ease overcrowding and emphasize rehabilitative
programming while protecting downtown Redwood
City from a facility opponents argued would deter
visitors and business.
The Board of Supervisors then agreed to a jail
on the alternative site.
Redwood City paid $1.25M in police
run-over case
A beating victim run over by a Redwood City
police car when officers responded to the fight call
was paid $1.25 million by the city.
Francisco Huerta was beaten unconscious in
a fight outside a Denny’s restaurant two years
ago, and three police officers in separate vehicles
responded to the 911 call. When Officer Oscar Poveda
pulled into the parking lot, he ran over Huerta.
The officer said he didn’t see the 34-year-old
victim because of poor lighting outside the restaurant.
Huerta has a disfigured face, a permanently closed
eye and loss of hearing in his left ear.
November 2010
City manager resigned
Redwood City City Manager Peter Ingram, who
played a lead role in helping the city convince San
Mateo County to look elsewhere for a new jail
site, announced his resignation. Ingram, 55, will
leave the city effective Dec. 31.
City Council rang a ‘Bell’ for interim
city manager appointment
Redwood City officials looked in-house for an interim
city manager, naming Human Resources Director
Robert Bell to temporarily fill the spot following
the abrupt announcement of Peter Ingram’s departure.
The city announced Bell’s appointment two days
after the City Council called a special meeting to
discuss Ingram’s resignation and who should fill
in. Although Ingram was scheduled to resign at
the end of December, Bell took over Monday, Nov. 15.
Looking ahead!
Add the bayfront discussion and a new
city manager to the mix of a coming
election year — yes, four City Council
seats will be open in 2011 — and it’s
easy to see that next year may shape
up to be even more eventful than the
year almost ended.
But don’t think about 2011 now. By
the time this issue goes to press, the
annual Hometown Holidays parade
will have warmed the hearts of kids
and adults alike, giving Redwood City
the opportunity to come together,
even if for a short evening.
Enjoy the season, and work to make
the feeling of peace and good will
an everyday part of Redwood City
life no matter what storms, political
and otherwise, may try to shatter our
sense of community. Be assured that
The Spectrum Magazine will be right
there with you through it all, through
the years!
H appy H olidays
from The Spectrum!

The Spectrum 23

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American Legion Post 105 Event Honors Veterans:
Gathering Brings Together Members of All Military Branches
Left to right: A man salutes while taps is played during a Veterans Day celebration held at the Courthouse Square in Redwood City. Councilwoman Rosanne Foust and Redwood City
Fire Battalion Chief Stan Maupin. The American Legion Post 105 Color Guard. Former Redwood City Mayor Ira Ruskin.
Eighty-seven-year-old Bill Callas was attending San
Francisco State University when he was drafted in 1945.
He enlisted in the Army during World War II
and received training to work in the medical field.
Stationed stateside, Callas worked in Kansas,
Illinois and Indiana in various hospitals — one
of which was the first to use plastic surgery. Just
before the Battle of the Bulge, a major German
offensive that began in December 1945, many
members of the 106th Infantry Division went
AWOL. Men like Callas were then added to the
list of people who would ship out with the 106th.
“The powers that be talked to the other powers
that be and said, ‘We’ve spent a lot of money
training these men and we’ll be throwing it away
if we send them there,’” Callas recalled.
Callas was allowed to stay behind, working at
a hospital rehabilitating soldiers who needed to
head back overseas. He considers that decision by
those higher up to be life-changing. Most in the
division he was set to join were killed.
Callas, who ended up spending 60 years as a
teacher in the Bay Area, was one of the many
veterans who gathered in Redwood City to
celebrate Veterans Day. Hosted by the American
Legion Post 105, Redwood City, the gathering at
Courthouse Square featured the Peninsula Scout
Band and the father-son duo of Ted and Alex
Marcopulos, of Mountain View, playing taps.
Ted Marcopulos, a veteran himself, enjoys the
event and described being asked back to perform
with his son as an honor.
Many gathered before the formal ceremonies to
chat, enjoy some treats and reminisce with other
veterans. At the end of the event, a Coast Guard
helicopter did a flyover above about 100 people
gathered in the courthouse square. Shortly after,
lunch was served. Representatives of all military
branches were present from a variety of wars.
While the veterans were overwhelmingly male,
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there were some women in the bunch.
Barbara Naas served during the Korean War.
At 20 years old, she came home and told her
mom she had enlisted.
“You had to be 21 to enlist at the time,” she
recalled. “So my mother needed to sign the papers
so I could join.”
The oldest of four children, Naas took her
chances on exploring the world outside the Bay
Area. Stationed in Washington, D.C., at first,
she ended up as the secretary to the editor of
Leatherneck, the magazine for the U.S. Marine
Corps. At the time, the Marines allowed only
women who served as nurses to go overseas. Naas
wasn’t in such a position but has since met women
who were. She has particularly enjoyed learning
about women who served during World War II.
During her years in the Marines, Naas’ mother
became ill and she returned to finish her years of
service at Treasure Island.
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The Spectrum 25

Meet Our Community-Minded Realtors for Redwood City
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
Michelle Glaubert
at Coldwell Banker
650-722-1193 – Michelle has been a
full-time, top-producing Realtor since
1978. With a proven track record, she
has helped buyers achieve their dreams
of home ownership and sellers make
successful moves to their next properties.
The majority of her business is garnered
through referrals from her many satisfied
clients. Living in Emerald Hills, she
knows the area well and is involved in
the community. Count on Michelle’s
years of experience to guide you through
your next real estate transaction. Visit
her online at www.glaubert.com.
Jim Massey
at Keller Williams
650-207-5120 – Jim has been
active for over 30 years in business
and leadership in Redwood City.
With that involvement, he has
become a Realtor familiar with our
community, and his clients feel
comfortable knowing he has that
expertise and knowledge to guide
them. Visit him online at
www.jim-massey.com.
Buying or selling?
Turn to one of these experts!

As I Was Saying: Continued from page 6
Parks, Recreation and Community Services
— In his freshman year, Chris Beth has done an
excellent job so far as director of that department
and has made some cuts that have saved the
taxpayers money. However, there is a perception
in our community that when city staff is being
reduced and other cuts are being made (e.g., fire
engines at stations), the events and activities
that are put on by the department (including
downtown concerts and activities) should become
self-supporting. That will mean attracting major
sponsors to pay for the events. If that is not
accomplished, look for major cuts there.
The search for our new city manager will begin
in mid-January and will most likely be a sixmonth
process. That replacement will come from
outside of the city staff. The City Council will
undoubtedly be looking for someone who, among
other qualifications, can adapt and implement
change, be diverse, as our community is, and not
be intimidated by a challenge. Remember, four
council seats (Alicia Aguirre, Ian Bain, Rosanne
Foust and Barbara Pierce — more on this next
month) are up for re-election in November.
No matter how you look at it, 2011 is looking
to be an exciting year for our community. Hold on
and enjoy the ride.
.…
As the Thanksgiving Day celebration passes
and we head into a new year, I want to take this
opportunity to reflect on things I am thankful
for and a few hopes for the future. Things I am
thankful for: a great support system of family
and friends, the ability to work and live in my
hometown community, great health (but if I
hear my cardiologist say, “Can you just lose
some weight?” one more time, I will snap), a
community that cares for each other no matter
how diverse we are or how many differences
we have, my curiosity to take risks, loyalty and
honesty from my inner circle and work associates,
the ability to love my “higher power,” to listen, to
learn and to be.
Hopes: With all the issues facing our community
— elections, Cargill development, gang violence,
city staff and service reductions, school district
funding, lack of funds for nonprofits, high-speed
rail, neighborhood issues, etc., etc. — I hope that
we can look to our leaders to guide us through and
provide us the opportunity to have valuable input
in decisions that affect our lives and community.
We are all in this together; let’s all get involved in
the process and make a difference!
Oh, and I hope to stay single and lose a few
pounds this year. Happy Holidays, everyone!
As I was saying…
.…
Happy
Holidays from
The Spectrum
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650.368.2434
The Spectrum 27

www.SpectrumMagazine.net

Insurance Tips: 8 Ways to Keep Your Home Insurance Costs Low
By Russ Castle, Special to The Spectrum
All homeowners are looking for ways to
reduce home insurance costs. Costs
continue to rise and budgets get
tighter and tighter with each passing
year. Here are eight tips to reduce
your home insurance costs.
1. Increase home security.
Most homes are fitted with some sort of security
device. To make the most of your home security
discount, make sure that your home is fitted with
deadbolt locks, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers
and burglar and fire alarms that are monitored.
You do not have to have all of these to receive a discount
on your home insurance, so even if you have only one
or two, make sure that you ask for the savings.
2. Keep your credit score
as high as possible.
While it would seem that a good credit score would
have nothing to do with insurance rates, in fact it
does. Home insurance companies use your credit
score as an indicator of responsibility. The theory
is that the more responsible the individual, the
fewer claims they will have. So insurance companies
are giving lower rates to those individuals with
better credit scores.
3. Consolidate your policies.
Most, if not all, companies that sell home insurance
offer discounts for insuring your autos with them.
These discounts can sometimes save you up to 30
percent off of your total insurance bill. Plus, you
get the added convenience of having one agent for
both your home and auto insurances.
Senior Activities
The Veterans Memorial Senior
Center, 1455 Madison Ave.,
Redwood City, provides the
following activities that are open
to the public during the month of
December.
Friday Movies for Everyone
Every Friday, 1:15 p.m. (unless otherwise
announced)
Come to the Veterans Memorial Senior Center in
December for a free feature movie in our state-ofthe-art
movie theater.
Dec. 3: “Knight and Day”
Dec. 10: “Love & Distrust”
Dec. 17: “Eat Pray Love”
Dec. 24: Christmas holiday —
the center is closed
Dec. 31: New Year’s holiday —
the center is closed
4. Protect your home with updates.
Discuss with your agent the possibility of receiving
home insurance discounts for keeping your home
in good repair. Some home insurance companies
will offer savings for a new roof or for electrical,
HVAC or plumbing updates. The discounts are
generally not enough in themselves to warrant a
replacement, but if you needed it anyway, be sure
to get the discounts when applicable.
5. Make sure you are not overinsured.
Your home insurance coverage should not
necessarily be what you paid for the home. Land
values are calculated into the final sales price and
should be considered when insuring the structure.
In others words, you cannot hurt the dirt. A good
idea is to call local builders and ask them what
new home construction cost per square foot is
going for. Multiply that number by your square
footage to find the amount that your home should
be insured for. Companies will not pay more
than what it is going to cost to rebuild the home
anyway, so make sure you are insured correctly.
6. Stay away from low deductibles.
The deductible is the portion of the claim
that must be paid by you before the insurance
company pays for the remainder. The lower your
deductible, the higher your premium will be.
Deductibles can range anywhere from $100 to
$5,000 or more. The majority of homeowners will
carry a $500 deductible, but the savings one can
receive by raising the deductible to $1,000 can be
significant, up to 20 percent. It doesn’t take too
many claim-free years to make up the difference
between the two deductibles, but remember, you
A Happy Psychological Recipe for
a Stress-Free Holiday Season
Thursday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m.
Free
Carol Tyler, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist
serving the senior community, will share easy,
time-tested tips for sending holiday stress and
“the blues” out the door! Define and re-envision
your own goals for this holiday season and look
forward to a fruitful and peaceful new year.
Gift Bag Assembly
Monday, Dec. 6, 9:30–11 a.m.
Celebrate the holiday season by helping seniors
throughout our community. Volunteers are
needed to assemble gift bags that will be
delivered to homebound seniors. There will be
complimentary coffee, hot cider and breakfast
goodies for all those who volunteer. The Dresses
for Africa project will be included in our annual
holiday gift-giving this year. If you would like to
volunteer, please call Christina at 650-780-7343.
should never raise your deductible to a level that
you could not afford to pay.
7. Ask your home insurance agent.
Most of the time, an agent will make sure that you
are receiving 100 percent of the home insurance
discounts that you qualify for, but it doesn’t hurt
to ask. Some insurance companies have discounts
that others do not. Some offer discounts that
most people would never dream of, such as 55
and retired, nonsmoking, military service, law
enforcement and single parent discounts.
8. Don’t be afraid to shop around.
Home insurance shopping is easy. Insurance
shopping online is even easier. Companies like
ours at Castle Insurance Agency (yes, I am
biased) have given you the ability to get multiple
home insurance quotes by contacting one office.
It takes less than five minutes to complete. Also
be aware that not all insurance companies are
created equal. There are some bad ones out there,
but most, at worst, are pretty good. Getting the
best price is great, but check up on the company
offering you that price at reputable insurance
rating sites like Moody’s (moodys.com) or A.M.
Best (ambest.com).
Editor’s note: This article was written by Russ Castle
of Castle Insurance Agency, a licensed and experienced
insurance resource center fully prepared to help you navigate
the process of changing or gaining a policy. If you need
insurance help, call them at 650-364-3664.
Holiday closures
The Veterans Memorial Senior Center will be
closed Thursday and Friday, Dec. 23–24, for the
Christmas holiday and Thursday and Friday, Dec.
30–31, for the New Year’s holiday. The VMSC
wishes everyone a very happy holiday season and
a safe and happy new year.
To learn more about the Veterans Memorial
Senior Center, call 650-780-7270. Redwood City
Parks, Recreation and Community Services
Department provides recreational facilities and
activities for all ages and interests, and supplies
building and custodial services for city buildings.
Redwood City Parks also operates the Veterans
Memorial Senior Center and the Fair Oaks
Community Center, providing social, educational
and cultural activities, as well as information,
referral and counseling services to persons living
in Redwood City and neighboring communities.
Redwood City Parks is more than you think! Its
website is at www.redwoodcity.org/parks.
The Spectrum 29

A Minute With: Nina Kadera
Volunteering is so?
Rewarding.
Will downtown ever reach its potential?
Absolutely!
What will it take?
Filling the empty buildings.
Whom do you most admire?
My mother, Muneko.
What talent would you most like to have?
The art of negotiation.
Something few know about you?
I had my own sailboat and private pilot license.
What phrase do you most overuse?
Oh, perfect.
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Nina Kadera was born San Francisco. She graduated from El Camino High School in South
San Francisco and then attended college at San Francisco State University, where she
majored in child psychology and theater arts.
She has been dancing since the age of 4 and was a member of the San Francisco Civic
Light Opera in the 1970s.
Nina met her husband, Keith, in 1999 and, after getting her kids’ approval to do so, they
married two years later and moved to Redwood City. She has three children — Christopher,
23, and Greg, 20 — and her stepdaughter, Kassie, is 20 years old.
Nina is senior branch office administrator with Edward Jones in Redwood City. She also
owns 1-800-DryClean.
She is currently the president of the Redwood City Downtown Business Group and is active
in the Chamber of Commerce. She and Keith have taken seventh-graders from Kennedy
Middle School to the Grand Canyon for nine consecutive years.
Her hobbies include dancing, singing and reading. She loves to cook and eat “good” food.
Nina also enjoys working on Japanese crafts, which she learned from her mother.
Favorite song?
“Bella Notte” [from] “Lady and the Tramp.”
Favorite movie?
“Lady and the Tramp.”
What is your motto?
I really don’t have one.
Anyone you got on your mind?
Keith, my husband.
Memorable moment?
When Keith proposed to me, and the birth of my
two children.
First word that comes to mind?
Happiness.
You still can’t believe?
I am still doing this.
You currently feel?
Content.
You are inspired by?
My parents.
What or who is the love of your life?
My family.
When you die you want to come back as?
A dog — one that is loved by a wonderful family.
If you’re happy and you know it?
Clap your hands.

The Spectrum 31

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