Community leader Elizabeth 'Liz' Goldberg dies at ... - Almanac News

New law aims to curb
distracted teenage drivers
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
signed a new law Sept. 13
that beginning in July 2008
will make it illegal for 16- and
17-year-olds to drive while talking
on their cell phone or text
messaging.
The governor signed the law
at Sequoia High School in Redwood
City alongside state Sen.
Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, the
author of the bill.
Gov. Schwarzenegger said the
law is necessary because statistics
show a link between distractions
and accidents among
teenage drivers.
“The simple fact is that teen
drivers are more easily distracted,”
he said. “The majority
of accidents with teen drivers is
because they’re distracted.”
16th Annual
Artistry in
Fashion
Saturday, October 20
Cañada College
Professional
Designer Sale
10am–5pm
Student Fashion Show
1pm
www.artistryinfashion.com
$8 donation to benefit Cañada College
Fashion Design Dept. Present this ad
to receive $1 off the entry.
16 ■ The Almanac ■ September 19, 2007
Sen. Simitian echoed the governor,
saying that the two years
between ages 16 and 18 are especially
dangerous driving years.
“The crash rates for 16-yearolds
are five times greater than
they are for their 18-year-old
friends,” Sen. Simitian said.
The law takes effect on July 1,
2008, the same time as another
new law written by Sen. Simitian
and previously signed by Gov.
Schwarzenegger that makes it
illegal for adults to talk on a cell
phone while driving unless they
use a “hands-free” device.
“Starting in July if you’re 18 or
over it’s hands free but if you’re
under 18, hands off. That’ll be
the law,” Sen. Simitian said.
— Bay City News Service
Japanese woodblock prints topic of talk
Docent Florence Hitchcock
from the San Francisco Asian
Art Museum will give a talk in
Menlo Park on Thursday, Sept.
20, about the museum’s 100
woodblock prints by Taiso Yoshitoshi
(1839-92), dating from the
last decades of Edo Japan to the
westernizing Meiji era.
The program runs from 1:30
to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium
of Little House activity center,
800 Middle Ave. in Menlo Park.
Admission is $1 for members
and $2 for others.
Other Little House programs:
■ A Wednesday lecture series
on “Modern American Presidency
on the Campaign Trail,” presented
by the Osher Lifelong Learning
Institute/UCSC Extension, Sept.
12-Oct. 3, from 1 to 3 p.m.
■ The Little House Gallery is
featuring the paintings of Leah
Lubin during September. There
is no charge.
■ Dr. Martin Duke will
speak on “A History of Medical
Technology” from 2 to 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 18, at the Little
House auditorium. The talk is
part of the Little House Tuesday
Tea series. Refreshments will be
served. There is no charge.
For more information on Little
House programs, call 326-2025.
Cañada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City 650-306-3370
N E W S
Fire sprinkler debate to come back
By Rory Brown
Almanac Staff Writer
Menlo Park City Council
members aren’t ready
to take sides in the city’s
contentious fire sprinkler debate
— at least, not yet.
At a Sept. 11 study session, council
members discussed proposed
changes to the city’s fire sprinkler
ordinance that would require more
stringent sprinkler regulations.
After hearing the arguments
from both sides, council members
opted to hold another study session
on the issue later this year,
rather than schedule the matter for
a council decision.
Menlo Park Fire Protection District
officials, led by Chief Harold
Schapelhouman and Fire Marshal
Earn 8-10%*
Interest
Private Capital
Fund
YTD
9.4%
Geoff Aus, are pushing the stricter
sprinkler ordinance, which would
require fire-suppression sprinklers
in new single-family homes of
more than 1,000 square feet; homes
where more than 50 percent of the
structure is to be remodeled; and all
planned buildings with a basement
of more than 250 square feet.
“Sprinklers put out fires,” Chief
Schapelhouman told the council.
“When that happens, we’re pushing
water out of the building, not
pulling bodies.”
Chief Schapelhouman said he
was “encouraged” by the council’s
Sept. 11 discussion.
But developers and some residents
are opposed to stricter sprin-
For more info call:
800-785-9156
www.stonecrestmanagers.com
*Anticipated Return
kler regulations, arguing potential
water damage and installation
costs outweigh any safety benefits.
Outspoken sprinkler opponents
Richard Li, Michael Lambert and
Dick Poe made their case to the
council during the study session.
All council members but John
Boyle favored requiring sprinklers
in planned basements, but council
members were undecided whether
sprinklers should be required in
new or remodeled homes.
Councilman Boyle said sprinkler
regulations should be up to experts
at the federal and state level, but
Mayor Kelly Fergusson disagreed.
“Heaven help us of we have to
look to the federal government
and state government for leadership,”
she said. A
Lane Woods named after Lane family
The 32-home project approved
for 75 Willow Road in Menlo
Park has been named Lane
Woods after the Lane family,
which founded Lane Publishing
and Sunset magazine.
Sunset’s headquarters, located
at Willow and Middlefield roads,
is adjacent to the 4.5-acre site.
Palo Alto-based SummerHill
Homes, the developer behind
the project, is expected to sell the
three- and four-bedroom homes
for $1 million to $2 million each.
The homes will be built by early
2008, according to a SumerHill
Homes press release.
Hazardous waste drop-off
On Oct. 13, residents of Menlo
Park, Atherton, Woodside, and
■ MENLO PARK
■ MENLO WATCH
Portola Valley can drop off hazardous
waste, such as batteries
and pool chemicals, at a special
location in Redwood City.
Participants must make an
appointment by calling 363-4718,
or visiting SMHealth.org/hhw/
appt. After making an appointment,
participants will be given
the location of the drop-off site.
Caregiving library
at Rosener House
It seems only natural. The Peninsula
Volunteers Rosener House,
which offers adult day services at
500 Arbor Road in Menlo Park,
has opened a new lending library
of books, videos and CDs on caring
for an elderly person.
Among the topics: advice and
instruction for caregivers, home
safety, and sharing activities with
family. Some Spanish and Chinese
translations are available. Among
the titles: “Bathing without a
Battle” and “The Educated Caregiver
— Coping Skills, Hands-On
Skills, and Essential Knowledge.”
The library is funded through
a grant from the Aging and Adult
Services division of the San Mateo
County Health Department.
To celebrate the library’s opening,
Aging and Adult Services Social
Worker John Khajit will give a talk
at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, on
care-giving and related programs.
For more information, call
322-0126.
“When you
don’t want
just anybody
working on
your car!”
• TIRES • ALIGNMENTS
• SHOCKS • BRAKES
2115 El Camino Real
Redwood City
650.365.0280