Santa Clara County News

Saratogans give back to those in need, those who’ve served

Sun, 09 May 2021 07:51:07 +0000

Saratogans lined up to give much-needed blood at a recent Red Cross blood drive at Saratoga Federated Church.

“People have been willing to help, and they have been very patient with all the guidelines we must follow,” said nurse Janet Fee, who was helping donors abide by pandemic safety protocols.

“This has been such a tough year, I am here to help in any way I possibly can,” blood donor Shelly Murray said. “This makes me feel that I am contributing in a positive way.”

For donation information, visit www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive.

The pandemic caused Memorial Day celebrations to be cancelled last year and is limiting them this year. To make sure the holiday and its meaning are honored, the Saratoga Foothill Club has stepped up for a virtual event.

“Since 1928 the Saratoga Foothill Club has hosted Saratoga’s Memorial Day Observance,” Memorial Day Chair Terrie Creamer says. “This year it will be a virtual event, live on the Saratoga Foothill Club Facebook page Monday, May 31, at 10 a.m. Join us as we pay our respects to those who gave their lives for our country and to our veterans and to current members of the U.S. Armed Services.”

The virtual celebration is sponsored by the City of Saratoga. https://www.facebook.com/SaratogaFoothillClub

Thanks to Saratoga Rotarians who made hiking at Quarry Park nicer by clearing invasive plants from the trails and also picked oranges to send to Second Harvest Food Bank. Club president Sesh Ramaswami invites those interested in membership to visit www.saratogarotary.org.

A new exhibition at Hakone Estate and Gardens tells the story of Hakone’s longtime gardener, James Sasaki, and his family at the Topaz, Utah internment camp during WWII.

“Hakone Gardens and Executive Order 9066” also features Hakone trustee Reiko Iwanaga’s experience as a child interned with her family at Amache, Colorado, and Patti Workman recounts how her mother was incarcerated at Amache and her father at Manzanar.

The exhibit features family memorabilia and rare family photos of the internment camps. It’s produced by Hakone Foundation Chair Ann Waltonsmith and trustee Connie Young Yu, who are co-authors of the new book, “Hakone Estate and Gardens.” The exhibit runs through December. The book can be purchased at the Hakone gift shop and online. www.Hakone.com.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian will host a live telephone town hall on May 19 with Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, Professor of Global Health and Infectious Diseases at Stanford Medical School, who will discuss the current state of the coronavirus. The town hall, set for 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., is free; register at tinyurl.com/covid19tth.

Thanks to Montalvo Arts Center for gifting our city with a sculptural piece created by Lucas Artists Fellow Steven Simon. The artwork has found a home at the Saratoga Library and is made up of five steel sculptures, each a functional bench in the shape of a letter spelling out “Place,” the title of the piece.

“This helps establish a place for public art in our community by inspiring commitment to develop a city public art program,” Saratoga Mayor Yan Zhao said.

If you have business or social news about Saratoga, please let me know: debby@debbyrice.com.

San Jose tourism spending dropped by more than $1 billion in 2020. Why it’ll take years to rebound

Sun, 09 May 2021 07:49:50 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended Bay Area tourism worse than any other economic crisis in modern history.

In San Jose, where city leaders had built a strong business travel base and were just beginning to tap into the leisure market, tourism nearly came to a screeching halt last year.

Spending by tourists in San Jose dropped by more than $1 billion, including spending from international tourists plunging 69% and total overnight visitor spending getting slashed in half — from $1.03 billion in 2019 to $463 million in 2020, according to estimates from Tourism Economics.

“2019 was fantastic and the first three months of 2020 were even looking better and then boom — we hit a brick wall with the pandemic,” said John LaFortune, the new president and CEO of Team San Jose.

The pandemic’s effect was felt similarly in San Francisco — the region’s hottest tourism market — where total tourism spending in the city dropped 77.7% from 2019 to 2020. Total visitors to San Francisco were down 61%.

On top of the loss of tourist dollars, more than 65,000 employees that contributed to San Francisco’s tourism industry lost their jobs during the pandemic, according to data from San Francisco Travel, the city’s tourism agency.

To learn more about what has happened to the region’s tourism industry over the past 14 months and how industry leaders plan to come back from this, we sat down — virtually — with LaFortune. His comments have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: How does the hit that the Bay Area tourism industry has taken due to the pandemic compare to other financially difficult times in our history?

A: There have been times where things have plunged, but nothing as substantial as what we’re going through now. With the dot com crash and the great recession, this surpasses that considerably. It was really due to the shelter-in-place. No one is going anywhere, travel has stopped, nothing is open, everyone working from home and no one is hosting any events.

This time the sector that was hit extremely hard was the hotel industry and the hospitality sector. In 2019, San Jose saw 6.3 million overnight visitors. In 2020, that number was 2.8 million and in 2021, we’re expecting 2.7 million. And I think it will take several years to get back to those 2019 numbers.

Q: How does the significant decrease in visitors and tourists impact the Bay Area as a whole and the people who live here?

A: As an organization (at Team San Jose), our main goal is to generate revenue for the city and the better we do, we can really help out the community. A steep decline in overnight stays means that first of all, the hotels are lacking in revenue. The less revenue that they receive, the fewer people they can employ, which hurts the area as a whole, and there’s a decrease in taxes going to the city, which means less funding for our convention center and theatres. The 14-15% hotel tax that someone pays as part of the local tourism tax is how we fund our work.

Q: How do you think the pandemic will affect large corporate events and conventions that were popular in San Jose and Silicon Valley pre-pandemic?

A: Most large events — like those with more than 5,000 attendees — are booked 2-3 years in advance, so that’s not going to come back right away. Our clients have indicated they will come back eventually. But I think first we’ll start seeing hybrid events where half of the event is streaming and half is gathering but not in masses and smaller, self-contained meetings within a hotel.

Q: Are there any unique factors that you feel really hurt the tourism industry here in California as a result of the pandemic?

A: One thing that did not help California in any way is that it was the last to receive any meeting and convention guidelines on how to open, when to open and what the capacity limits would be. We were the last in the nation to receive this kind of guidance, so that puts us at a huge competitive disadvantage because our clients look elsewhere. Instead, they look at states that are actually open or have a guideline that they can go by, telling them when and how they will be allowed to have their event.

Q: Now that you have finally received those guidelines, what are they telling you as far as large events?

A: The big date we’re looking toward is June 15. Come that date, large venues, such as our convention center and the theatres that we manage, can open up with a mask mandate but also with 5,000 attendees or less. If there are over 5,000 attendees, they have to show vaccination cards or a COVID test within the past three days. Those rules go until October 1st, and then we’re supposed to be able to drop all restrictions.

Q: The pandemic has hit the tourism industry harder than most. Can you find any silver livings?

A: I think a silver lining of this whole pandemic is just taking away that we can be more community-minded than we ever were. During this time, we really turned our marketing toward a local or regional approach. Whereas before we tried to get patrons to come from outside the area or outside of the state, we knew that wasn’t really going to happen for a while. So we really pushed local and regional marketing, such as promoting an overnight stay for a family from Gilroy. That’s a big change that we didn’t do in the past and we want to continue to do that in many ways as part of our goal to be more community-minded.

John LaFortune

Title: President and CEO of Team San Jose
Age: 55
Birthplace: Anaheim, California
Current home: East Bay
Family: Married with three children
Education: Bachelors of sociology and business from California State University, Chico

Five things to know about John

I’m on a quest to attend a game at every major league baseball stadium. So far, I’ve completed 19 of the 30
I’m a loyal Los Angeles Angels fan (apologies Bay Area teams)
I love to grill outside, especially in the summer
My first concert was the B52s
Basketball is my favorite sport to play. My son played at the college level, and we’ve been playing together since he was very young

Saratoga community briefs for the week of May 14

Sun, 09 May 2021 07:49:03 +0000

COVID fundraiser

Two Saratoga High School alumni and a Los Gatos doctor have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to help ease the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

Adam Camp, now a student at San Diego State University, and Surya Murthy, who attends the University of Washington, started the fundraiser along with Dr. Harish Murthy, who works at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Gatos. The goal is to raise money to purchase respiratory machines and ship them from the U.S. to Bangalore.

“In the U.S., we have started to round the corner with the COVID-19 pandemic through the rollout and distribution of vaccines,” Surya Murthy wrote on the GoFundMe page. “However, this is currently not the case in India. where cases have been exponentially rising since February with over 360,000 new cases and 3,000 deaths reported on April 27.”

The fundraisers have been working with philanthropists, entrepreneurs and doctors in Bangalore to help “identify critical needs and to coordinate delivery of the equipment to the most needy,” Murthy wrote. “They have informed us that there is an immediate need for oxygen concentrators, BiPAPs, and CPAPs. We have set up this GoFundMe to raise money to help buy this lifesaving equipment.”

The first batch of oxygen concentrators was set to arrive in San Jose on May 4 and be shipped to India the same day.
At press time, the campaign had raised more than $27,000 of its $250,000 goal. To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com and search on “Medical Supplies for India’s COVID Crisis.”

Rotary Club of Cupertino aids COVID-19 relief efforts in India

Sun, 09 May 2021 07:48:51 +0000

Rotary Club of Cupertino is among the clubs in Rotary District 5170 that have partnered with other organizations to help ease India’s COVID-19 crisis.

Cupertino Rotarians, together with Rotary e-club of SV Smart Village and the nonprofit Pratham USA, are raising funds to support a global grant for an oxygen generator for COVID-19 patients in New Delhi, as well as an additional effort to provide for more immediate distribution of oxygen products.

“India is experiencing a huge surge in COVID-19 cases,” said Ramesh Hariharan, past governor of Rotary District 5170. “This has resulted in overwhelming the country’s hospitals and led to thousands of people dying. India has also experienced a massive shortage of oxygen, and the administration is struggling to vaccinate people amid this surge.”

Originally founded to promote literacy in India, Pratham USA has expanded the reach of its programs during the pandemic to help with relief efforts via the Pratham Covid Relief Fund. In addition to securing and delivering oxygen concentrators as well as rapid tests, vaccines and personal protective equipment to Indian hospitals and care centers. Pratham’s fund is intended to help create more facilities for COVID-19 treatment and coordinating field response teams to aid in the distribution of supplies.

Other clubs in Rotary District 5170 that are helping with relief efforts in India include Rotary Club of Santa Cruz Sunrise, which has partnered with the American Red Cross to provide medical supplies and scale up campaigns across the country to address misinformation on COVID-19 vaccinations; Rotary Club of Silicon Andhra, which is working to procure oxygen cylinders and related medical equipment for COVID-19 patients at a hospital in Kuchipudi, India; and Rotary Club of Silicon Valley for Global Impact, which is coordinating relief efforts with Overseas Volunteer for Better India and the International Association for Human Values .

Donations made to the Cupertino Rotary effort will be matched by the Vijay and Marie Goradia Charitable Foundation. To donate, visit https://www.classy.org/give/338345/#!/donation/checkout.

Manresa reopens with ‘new ideas for post-pandemic world’

Sun, 09 May 2021 07:48:03 +0000

Manresa is set to reopen May 19, and reservations are going fast as foodies ready themselves to revisit the three-Michelin-starred restaurant in downtown Los Gatos.

The restaurant has been shuttered since the lockdown began in March 2020. During the pandemic Manresa reinvented itself as a family meal takeout operation with its Manresa Family Meal program.

When the lockdown hit, Chef David Kinch and his team, led by general manager Jenny Yun, were in the process of opening a new pizza restaurant, Mentone, in Aptos. At the same time, general manager Andrew Burnham and his staff worked to keep a slice of New Orleans alive and well in any way they could at The Bywater, Kinch’s other Los Gatos eatery.

Yun says the Manresa Family Meal program was a lifeline for the restaurant. “It also provided us with a sense of fulfillment to be able to continue cooking and spending time with one another in a very different way within the four walls that we consider our home.”

Now, Kinch is returning to the ritual and roots of his Los Gatos restaurant. The dine-in menu will feature a new iteration of the famed “Into the Vegetable Garden” dish, and some favorites like the petit fours that bookend the tasting menu, as well as the caramels.

But, says Kinch, it won’t be a return to business as usual. “It has been over a year since we have had guests in our dining room, but when we do in a couple of weeks, we will not pick up where we left off,” says the chef.

“Our plan is to be dynamic, presenting new ideas for the post-pandemic world. Our farm connections will be stronger than ever as our menu becomes greener and more reflective of the local bounty. Our sustainability practices will also become even more efficient.”

The family meal program that kept Manresa afloat may also result in some new customers who want the full dine-in experience. Kinch says he’s looking forward to seeing both new and familiar faces.

“We are so thankful for the support of our regulars and new guests from the community, as well as the unending positivity of our team in adapting and creating a new version of Manresa hospitality over the past year,” he adds. “Now, we approach our reopening with a renewed enthusiasm and passion for fine dining hospitality in its most traditional sense. It is with great anticipation and a palpable excitement with which we welcome our first guests back into the restaurant in May.”

Manresa is located at 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos. The chef’s tasting menu is priced at $325 per person, with optional beverage pairings selected by Master Sommelier Jim Rollston at $235.

For more information and reservations, visit https://www.manresarestaurant.com.

Sunnyvale community briefs for the week of May 14

Sun, 09 May 2021 07:45:15 +0000

EmPower film contest

High school students who live in areas served by Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) can participate in the EmPower Silicon Valley Youth Short Film Competition. Entrants who commit their ideas and stories about fighting climate change to film will be eligible to win $20,000 across eight scholarship awards.

Teens—as individuals or in teams of up to four—are asked to develop a four-minute film that addresses the question, “How can combatting climate change and preparing for its impacts strengthen your community?”

The competition is part of ongoing education initiatives to support youth in communities served by SVCE and engage students in the Sunnyvale-based nonprofit’s mission to provide clean electricity from renewable and carbon-free sources, keep rates competitive and promote clean energy programs.

Students who live in a household that receives electric service from SVCE or attend a school in its service area are eligible to enter the film competition. The nonprofit’s service area includes Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Saratoga and Sunnyvale.

Students can register for the competition at SVCleanEnergy.org/Empower-SV. For more information, contact Vanessa Shin at vanessa.shin@svcleanenergy.org.

Coronavirus town hall

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, whose District 5 includes parts of Sunnyvale, is holding a telephone town hall meeting May 16 on “Coronavirus: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Headed?”

County Counsel James Williams and Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, professor of global health and infectious diseases at the Stanford School of Medicine, are set as guest speakers.

To register for the call, set for 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., visit tinyurl.com/covid19tth.

Cambrian teacher gets ‘Today Show’ tribute by former student

Sun, 09 May 2021 07:45:02 +0000

A filmmaker and author’s online tribute to her second-grade teacher at Farnham Elementary School in the Cambrian School District caught the eye of “Today Show” producers, who featured Joy Hart and her former student, San Francisco-based writer/filmmaker Sephora Woldu, in a May 6 segment in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week.

Woldu wrote a tribute to Hart in an April 9 post to the “Humans of New York” blog.

“She was the first person to call me by my full name,” she wrote of her former teacher. “Even my family called me by my nickname ‘Sephie.’ But Mrs. Hart always used my full name: Sephora Woldu. And that’s a big deal when you’re a second-grader. For the first time it got me thinking: ‘Who is Sephora Woldu?’

Hart also helped Woldu answer that question by encouraging her in her writing.

“She was the first person to objectively tell me, ‘You are good at this. Do you want to get better at this? I can help you,’” Woldu told “Today Show” cohosts Jenna Bush and Hoda Kotb.

Woldu fondly recalled how Hart would often use her stories as examples for the class.

“It’s amazing to see your writing on display as a kid, and it helped me to be a little more brave in stuff I want to make,” said the author.

When Woldu’s family moved at the end of her second-grade year at Farnham, she and Hart became pen pals. Woldu said the correspondence made her feel “seen and appreciated.”

Now 31, Woldu recently published her first book, “Adventures in the Art of Rejection,” and one of the first copies went to Hart.

“It was very important for her to have a copy of the book because something as simple as her treating me with kindness and respect as a second-grader helped me to understand that something like writing a book is possible,” Woldu said. “In the classroom setting, somebody expecting things out of you changed the way I thought I could interact with adults. She never put pressure on her students for her sake; it was for our sake.”

Hart, whose teaching career spans four decades, said she’s gratified by the choices her former student has made as an adult.

“It makes me happy to see that she’s doing well and she’s happy with life and she’s made decisions that she wanted,” Hart said of Woldu.

Hart was also happy with another part of her “Today Show” tribute, when Penguin Young Readers donated 100 books to the library at Sartorette Elementary School, where she currently teaches, in her honor.

“That’s one of my favorite parts of the day is reading with the kids,” Hart said.

Why the Bay Area still hasn’t spent $1.7 billion in COVID stimulus money

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:58:31 +0000

Nearly two months after President Joe Biden signed a COVID stimulus bill directing $1.7 billion in relief funds to the Bay Area’s public transportation agencies, that money has not yet been spent — even as many transit systems keep pandemic-related service cuts in place.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which is responsible for distributing the funds to BART, Caltrain and two-dozen other bus, train and ferry operators, is still determining how it wants to divvy that money up and ensure the various agencies’ long-term health.

A coalition of transit employee unions and riders say the delay is unacceptable.

Hundreds of bus riders are being left stranded at stops each day because of capacity limits meant to allow for social distancing, and others are having to contend with scaled-back service, all of which makes public transit slow, unreliable and unattractive, according to the People’s Transit Alliance. The group rallied outside the MTC’s San Francisco headquarters Thursday afternoon to demand that it release stimulus funds right away.

AC Transit Director Jovanka Beckles warned that as the economy reopens and more people return to work and travel, many will choose to drive instead of taking public transit if service cuts are still in place. Rather than socking the money away for a potential years-long recovery, Beckles said agencies should use it right away to restore cuts and hire more drivers.

“Those funds were intended to help transit systems get back to pre-pandemic (service) levels,” she said. “If we are not able to do that — if we are not reliable — then we are going to lose riders.”

Public transportation faced a financial crisis last year, when lockdowns and worries about catching coronavirus in shared spaces chased away most passengers — although many essential workers and those who aren’t able to drive have kept riding throughout the pandemic. Its recovery has been achingly slow: BART, which once carried over 400,000 riders each weekday, has only in recent days climbed back over 60,000.

The MTC has already distributed $2.3 billion from the first two federal COVID relief packages, which spokesman Randy Rentschler said has made up for the fare revenue transit agencies lost and prevented the need for layoffs or more drastic service cuts. Rentschler rejected the idea that the MTC has hoarded money while transit agencies struggle, and said operators have not expressed an urgent need for the third round of funds.

“No one is sitting on any money,” he said. “Money has been available as it has been needed.”

As for the third relief package, Biden’s American Rescue Plan, documents posted to the MTC website indicate the commission plans to distribute the money over the summer, following a workshop with transit agency leaders in June.

The previous monetary packages have given the commission breathing room this time around, Rentschler said, and it’s taking time to decide how to spend the money because “this is likely the last one we’re going to get.”

If that prediction holds true, the transit alliance’s desire to restore service cuts right away could be risky — if riders don’t come back, transit systems may find themselves staring down deep deficits once again. But Beckles and others in the group, which is a subcommittee of East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, say keeping service at reduced levels will make the projections of a years-long recovery a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“With reliable service (and) with safety precautions continuing,” Beckles said, “riders will be more inclined to return to using transit.”

Santa Clara County Board of Education threatens to close Bullis Charter School if it doesn’t fix lack of diversity

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:55:28 +0000

LOS ALTOS — Santa Clara County Board of Education trustees are threatening to shut down Bullis Charter School unless it “cures” its diversity problems and better reflects the demographics of the Los Altos School District.

Santa Clara County Board of Education trustees voted Wednesday to send a letter of concern to Bullis Charter School amid worries that it is not enrolling enough students from underrepresented communities, leaving the Los Altos School District with needier kids.

The letter, which the board approved 6-1 at Wednesday night’s meeting, would force the school to draw up plans to improve diversity at the school before its charter is up for renewal in June 2022.

Unless the board approves the school’s plan to diversify its student body, Bullis could close next year. But critics argued Wednesday the county board lacked evidence, throwing into question trustees’ justification for such a formal action against the school.

Bullis Charter School — a two campus school with about 1,100 students — has been the subject of much contention among Los Altos residents ever since it was first chartered in 2003, attacked mostly by advocates who believe schools like Bullis undermine public education.

Over the past decade, county education officials have noticed that the school is not enrolling enough English learners, Latinos, and students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and with disabilities, raising concerns about the school becoming a publicly funded “elite institution” serving largely wealthy families.

Board president Claudia Rossi said Wednesday that the county’s evaluation of self-reported data from Bullis’ shows the school doesn’t enroll those groups at the same rate as neighboring Santa Rita School. Rossi said Bullis fails to recruit a more diverse student body despite being closer to underserved communities than Santa Rita, which enrolls “significantly more of the populations we described.”

“BCS’s enrollment data, as well as the data provided by BCS about the results of its open enrollment process for the 2021-2022 school year, continue to indicate that BCS is not serving all pupils who wish to attend,” county staff said in a report. “The demographic data indicate that the percentage of BCS’s enrollment of some pupil groups has actually decreased, rather than increased.”

When its charter was up for renewal in 2016, Bullis officials promised they would correct what they admitted was an imbalance in its enrollment practices, though it noted that it was been a “continued challenge” to enroll underserved students. Though the county board ended up renewing Bullis’ charter through June 2022, it now appears the board has switched gears and is looking to hold the school’s feet to the fire.

Board Trustee Peter Ortiz voted in favor of sending the letter to Bullis in part because he believes the board is “responsible for their oversight and quality of service provided to the community.” Since the school is publicly funded, “they are obligated to serve a population proportional to the school district,” Ortiz said.

“Bullis has unfortunately failed to match the numbers within the local school district,” Ortiz said. ‘The point of this letter is not to cast a final judgment but to inform them that there are inclusivity issues that we are watching very closely and would like them to rectify. We cannot stand idly by when we’re having these concerns raised.”

Bullis Superintendent Maureen Israel said the school has been with working county staff on its “enrollment outreach plan” for the past year, and they have seen “important progress” including hiring a new outreach coordinator.

“BCS already serves a quarter of the public school students in the district. We will continue working to serve all families, including underserved populations,” Israel said. “We believe deeply in focusing on individual student growth to support all students. BCS looks forward to reviewing the demographic data with county staff, and discussing additional steps to strengthen our enrollment outreach plan.”

Despite its unity and resolve to reprimand Bullis Charter School, Bullis school board member Thomas Yih doesn’t believe the county board has the evidence to support wrongdoing by the school in its enrollment process. He called the county’s justification for “potential non-renewal” “especially troubling,” including the assertion that the school doesn’t serve those who wish to attend.

Yih asked that the board refrain from authorizing the letter until staff present “substantial, factual evidence that BCS is non-compliant with the law.”

“Otherwise the county board is using what should be a fair renewal process in violation of BCS’ right to due process,” Yih said.

Like Yih, board trustees Joseph Di Salvo and Grace Mah — longtime allies of charter school advocates — were reticent to accept the county’s data without seeing it themselves. Di Salvo has been a proponent of a more diverse student population at Bullis, but without hard enrollment demographic numbers he remained the sole dissenting vote Wednesday, arguing that the board is “engaging in too much nebulousness around enrollment numbers.

“I need to get the letter in front of me with the data points so that we are dealing with facts,” Di Salvo said. “I’m not sure what the issue is, but I’d like it spelled out. I strongly support and will not be able to vote for renewal unless Bullis serves more underserved kids, however they have to get there. There’s a way to get there, even with the lottery process.”

Still, community members, parents and teachers who reached out to the county said they are happy to see the board is finally scrutinizing Bullis over its enrollment figures. Los Altos School District board president Sali Sirkay said the letter is a “critical step in the right direction.”

“I personally find it inconceivable and irresponsible that an organization receiving public funds can continue practices that have only proven to sustain and exacerbate its exclusivity,” Sirkay said. “Please consider that when BCS has been allowed to carry out its discriminatory enrollment practices for so long, and when the magnitude of its enrollment inequality is this large, then the resolution to this problem must also be of an equally significant magnitude.”

If the county doesn’t do much to hold Bullis accountable, Sirkay warns that “we’ll be back in this situation a few years from now but with a greater problem more difficult to solve.” Board president Rossi urged county staff to suggest options for change to the school.

“It hasn’t worked for us to ask Bullis to give us a plan,” Rossi said. “I really urge staff to be more prescriptive. This is in the spirit of supporting Bullis. I’m certain that if those concerns were addressed it would serve as a very powerful unifying moment for the community.”

Palo Alto coach on SCVAL’s no playoff stance: ‘All of us administrators, coaches and teachers have failed you’

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:54:29 +0000

Palo Alto High School swim coach Danny Dye did not mince words in a letter sent this week to local media outlets, including the Bay Area News Group.

Dye slammed the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s unanimous decision to opt out of a spring postseason and scolded administrators, coaches and teachers for failing student-athletes.

“I am not alone, all of us, administrators, coaches and teachers have failed you,” Dye wrote in a letter he emailed Wednesday. “You deserved better, you deserved leaders who recognized what you went through from last year to this year, and they should have fought for you, they didn’t.”

In the letter, Dye chides SCVAL leadership for depriving students, particularly seniors who’ve already so much, an opportunity to compete in the Central Coast Section playoffs.

“Every school asks their athletes to live up to a code, to represent themselves the best they can as a representative of that school,” Dye wrote. “Each of you had lived up to that code, and yet we as leaders have not.

“This, what you are going through, is not the definition of ‘life isn’t fair.’ What is happening to you was a coordinated effort to take away what you deserved. It wasn’t life that took it away from you, it was those very people who were hired to watch out for your well being and make sure that you were taken care of.”

Before the long-delayed sports season began in late winter, CCS officials made playoffs optional for its schools and leagues. SCVAL commissioner Brad Metheany told the Bay Area News Group that the decision by his league’s Board of Managers came down to three factors: scheduling conflicts between the league and CCS in some sports, potential Title IX issues and a mid-June finish that conflicts with administrators’ scheduled vacation.

Dye isn’t the only one angry.

Hundreds of parents and coaches have voiced their outrage at SCVAL officials for their decision.

Many parents have taken issue with a decision-making process they say violates the Brown Act, a California law that requires public bodies to post advance notice of meetings. They say no link for the meeting last week had been posted on the SCVAL agenda at least 24 hours prior, which is the legal requirement.

Metheany said he posted the link on the website two days before the meeting, adding there was no intent to hide the meeting. The SCVAL isn’t the only league not to participate in playoffs this year. The North Coast Section, which includes about half the schools in the Bay Area, decided in January that it wouldn’t hold playoffs this school year.

Dye has been a swim coach in the SCVAL for 25 years, eight at Los Altos and the last 17 at Palo Alto. He said the heartbroken looks on students’ faces inspired him to write the letter, adding that he has no explanation for spring sports athletes wondering why they won’t have playoffs for two seasons in a row.

“It was heartbreaking,” Dye said in a text message. “I still remember the pain and anguish from last year for our seniors. Then spent all Summer, and all Fall trying to give the athletes hope. Let them know that we have the ability to overcome this pandemic, that we will make the effort to let them have what they were denied last year. To see the pain and anguish in their faces again, for a second year in a row, I’ve never felt so helpless in my life.”

The students and coaches were the voices missing in the decision-making process, according to Dye.

“Had they talked to the coaches, then it would have been solved,” he added in a text. “Coaches have the passion for their teams and athletes, they will find a way. Amazing, isn’t it? You have people making a few thousand on a stipend willing to do more than those making over $200K.

“Not to mention coaches are a fraternity. If it came down to it, they would have reached out and helped each other, given the opportunity.”

While Dye points a finger at SCVAL leadership, he claims responsibility on behalf of all school leaders for the lost opportunity. In the letter, he asks students to challenge authority and speak on behalf of those who can’t.

“Please hear my plea, don’t be us,” Dye wrote. “Strive to be better than us. Strive to recognize our mistakes, and use your own experience to make this world a better place.”

Letters: Exemplary Oakland | Solar update | Home kitchens | Early fire season | Opening warranted

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:52:51 +0000

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

Oakland’s ‘Cob on Wood’
example for other cities

The front-page news May 1 about “Cob on Wood” (“Homeless Oaklanders bring hot showers, medical care and a pizza oven to their encampment“) is one of the most positive, life-affirming, uplifting, empowering and jubilant things I have read in quite some time.

If the city of Oakland and all the other agencies that only try to help people turn their embarrassment into proactive, positive shame, then maybe we will give the homeless a sense of true human agency, and allow them to build houses for themselves.

There are too many homeless people who have, through no fault of their own, had every good thing ripped away from them. It’s time for a real, lasting change.

Francesca Thoman
San Jose

PG&E solar program
needs to be updated

Most everyone loves rooftop solar, but few realize California’s solar program, which launched 25 years ago to promote solar adoption statewide, needs reform to protect nonsolar customers from cost increases resulting from a program now out of whack.

Prior to the explosive growth of rooftop solar, all customers used to contribute equitably to grid maintenance costs and state-mandated programs. But the current structure of the state’s rooftop solar program no longer allows that. As a result, customers without rooftop systems pay as much as $240 more than they should each year because many customers with rooftop systems no longer contribute. Without changes to the program, that amount will grow to $300 per customer by 2030.

Many of these burdened customers are lower-income or on fixed incomes. Fortunately, there is widespread agreement among consumer and environmental advocates on the need for equity and reform.

Hene Kelly
Oakland

Home kitchens
may hurt restaurants

Alameda County is on the verge of legalizing the use of home kitchens for the purpose of preparing and selling meals to the community (“County legalizing home kitchen eateries,” Page B1, May 5).

Although COVID-19 forced many restaurants to close down, others have found solace in providing for the community through their kitchens. Alameda County is looking to pass an ordinance that will create a set of requirements in order to be able to run home kitchens as legal food distributors. However, I fear that this may restrict many businesses’ potential income. Thirty meals a day sounds like a lot but, for businesses that become popular, this is just a fraction of what they may do in a day.

Although I ultimately believe this ordinance will be passed and help people, it’s possible this ordinance hurts businesses.

Jessica Prado
Oakland

Improved conditions are
green light for schools

In response to an April 19 article about students returning to classrooms, letter-writer David Chieng was “puzzled” and stated that “Students should be quarantined at home, and taking their classes online.” (“Rushing to reopen schools poses risks,” Page A6, April 17)

Apparently, the writer has not kept up to date with new data indicating that California’s virus case rate is plummeting, as are deaths. It is in the best interest of children’s and young people’s mental health to know that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” and that our best efforts have brought us to this positive point. A comparison between case rates in Michigan and California explains nothing. Let’s focus on the progress we’ve made.

Leslie Pahl
Oakland

Early fire season
argues for climate action

I’m horrified that now, four months earlier than the abnormally early 2020 fires, the California fire season might already be upon us (“Red flag warning in early May?” Page A1, May 3). With over 4 million acres burned last year, what might 2021 bring?

This is one of the driest years on record and one of the earliest “Red Flag” warnings in many years. Climate change – that’s what is upon us.

The new administration is taking this threat seriously and building climate-related elements into its major legislative proposals. We can no longer afford to kick this can down the road. As citizens, we should actively support significant national action, such as Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation currently before Congress, as well as other state, local and personal actions.

If we demonstrate grassroots political will to tackle climate change as a high priority for us, let’s hope and trust that our government will follow the lead of “we the people.”

Susan Schofield
Los Altos Hills

Letters: CalPERS underperforms | Exemplary Oakland | Biden tax plan | Police reform | Trump ban

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:52:36 +0000

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

CalPERS’ performance
raises questions

Re. “Pending bill opens door to CalPERS corruption,” Page A7, May 4:

CalPERS had a 4.7% return last year. I am sure the folks running CalPERS have a lot of excuses, but the reality is that they are way underperforming.

My investments returned 10%-11% a year over the past 10 years and 24.4% over the past 12 months. I am in things like total stock market and total bond market. 50% stocks, 50% bonds. I don’t go in and out of the market, very conservative.

Something is very wrong here.

Ronald Adams
Los Gatos

Oakland’s ‘Cob on Wood’
example for other cities

The front-page news May 1 about “Cob on Wood” (“‘A LITTLE OASIS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE,’“) is one of the most positive, life-affirming, uplifting, empowering and jubilant things I have read in quite some time.

There are too many homeless people who have, through no fault of their own, had every good thing ripped away from them. It’s time for a real, lasting change.

Francesca Thoman
San Jose

Biden’s tax proposals
are hardly over-the-top

Re. “Biden calls for a dramatic shift in role of government,” Page A1, April 29:

Are President Biden’s proposals for our path forward outrageously progressive, or what? I will go for “or what.” Actually, I would argue that the term “reactionary,” not progressive, could be applied.

Biden is trying to Make America Great Again; to return us to free junior college and affordable state university education, such as I had in the ’60s; to find money for health care and infrastructure and for means to control climate change. It’s not hard to find.

CEO compensation has risen by 1,167% between 1978 and 2019 while wages for typical workers has risen by only 14%.

It is time to expect the ultra-rich to pay their fair share. The top marginal tax rate in 1979 was 70%. Biden is proposing to raise it from 37% to 39.6% for the top 1% of earners. This does not seem over-the-top liberal.

Gary Coleman
San Jose

4-year degrees must
be part of police reform

Too many innocent lives have been lost due to police brutality. I believe the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will have a significant impact. This policy reform bill aims to combat police misconduct, excessive force, racial bias in policing and put an end to qualified immunity for law enforcement. This substantive disciplinary action will hold police officers accountable for their actions.

Although this is a step forward, I believe so much more can be done, such as requiring more than a high school diploma to become a police officer.

Becoming a police officer is a challenging role that requires a higher degree of responsibility. However, police officers have misused their authority far too often.

Obtaining a bachelor’s degree will ultimately help an individual gain a better understanding of the law, enhance ethical decision-making, improve communication skills, and be more open to diversity.

Abbyana Sifuentes
San Jose

Social media doesn’t
owe Trump a platform

Re. “Facebook board’s Trump decision could have wider impacts,” Page A4, May 5:

Yes, we have a right to free speech in this country, but we don’t have a right to be heard.

Donald Trump certainly is free to stand on the street corner with a megaphone and shout his lies, but he has no right to require that people listen. He can write what he wants to social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, but just as any other publisher, they have the right to reject what he submits.

Jack Hasling
Cupertino

Milpitas City Council discussion on car wash devolves as Mayor Tran reprimands, cuts off councilmembers

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:52:18 +0000

A simple proposal for a car wash renovation heard at the Milpitas City Council meeting this week devolved into another verbal fight between the city’s elected officials after Mayor Rich Tran loudly reprimanded Councilman Anthony Phan, and cut off Councilwoman Karina Dominguez.

At one point, Dominguez left the virtual meeting saying Tran’s behavior amounted to “harassment” and left her feeling “unsafe,” chastising him for breaking meeting conduct standards.

The renovation of a car wash at 554 South Main St. was approved in a split vote, but the typical ebb and flow of similar development discussions at public meetings was overshadowed Tuesday night by the council’s infighting.

Ramesh and Promilia Sood own the property and the current manual, coin-operated car wash business, with a distinctive look defined by its four consecutive A-frame car bays, which is recognizable to many residents because it’s been operating on Main Street since 1967, city staff reports said.

The Soods proposed a major revamp of the site, with plans calling for the demolition of the current structures, and replacing it with a fully automatic, 3,189-square foot car wash with an additional 2,301-square foot canopy area for vacuums and other self-service car interior cleaning.

The project was rejected by the Planning Commission in March by a 4-2 vote, following city staff recommendations to deny it. The Soods and their team appealed the project to the city council.

City staff told the council the new car wash doesn’t fit in with the city’s Midtown Specific Plan, a guide for transitioning the area “into an attractive and economically vital district that accommodates a mixture of housing, shopping, employment, entertainment, and cultural and recreational activities,” city reports said.

Under the specific plan, Main Street is envisioned as a much more “pedestrian-oriented” street, and staff reports said even though the new car wash would replace an “outmoded” facility, it shouldn’t be approved because it “greatly expands and modifies the existing, automobile-oriented use…which is contrary to the vision of the area.”

Despite the staff recommendation, Mayor Tran, Vice Mayor Carmen Montano, and Councilwoman Evelyn Chua voted to grant the appeal, and approve the car wash, because they think the revamped business will spur more economic benefit in the area, by bringing in more customers who then might patronize other businesses nearby.

Dominguez and Phan dissented.

Phan indicated the project wouldn’t bring in much tax revenue, if any, and said expanding a car wash would go against the pedestrian friendly long-term goals the city has for the area. Dominguez didn’t state why she dissented. The council will have to finalize the approval at a future meeting.

“This project is really important. This is going to be a catalyst in my opinion to make Main Street what it should be, businesses and mixed use,” Montano said during the meeting.

Tran, in expressing his support for the project, said Main Street is “an all-American street, with 100 percent diversity, and I don’t think it gets more American than a car wash.”

Phan questioned the project consultant, Dean Hanson, about any sales tax that might come from the business, and Hanson acknowledged that the car wash wouldn’t generate “a large amount of taxable revenue,” as it would likely only pay sales tax on car cleaning items and snacks purchased from vending machines on site.

“The goal of that area is literally to support pedestrians and to discourage the use of cars. How do you justify that?,” Phan asked Hanson, who quickly responded suggesting other uses nearby aren’t exactly pedestrian friendly either, like a vet next door.

Phan said, “People walk their dogs.”

Shortly after, Tran interjected, raising his voice, talking over Phan and saying, “Point of order. Point of order. If you’re going to ask about the project, ask about it, OK? You don’t have to speculate on vending machines and the purpose of…it’s a car wash. I need you to focus. You need to focus. Everybody is watching right now.”

“I understand and you are yelling,” Phan said.

“Well ask some real questions,” Tran snapped back.

Dominguez tried to call for a break in the meeting but Tran dismissed the suggestion.

Domingiuez said, “This is not acceptable. This is not OK,” as Tran continued to talk over her and said “point of order.”

“This is making me feel uncomfortable,” Dominguez said.

Later in the meeting, after the vote on the car wash, Dominguez told Tran she’d be logging off the meeting because of his behavior.

“I really don’t appreciate your tone of voice that you gave to Anthony (Phan) earlier. I’m literally feeling unsafe with you and your tone and you being so disrespectful,” she said.

“I hope that at the next meeting, you realize that your temper and the way that you yelled at him is inappropriate, and it clearly violates some of the code of conduct that we have all approved,” she said.

“I’m literally shaking and it’s not OK for you to treat people the way that you treat them. It’s harassment, and I’ve already asked staff to look into and talk to you. I’m not sure if that has happened or not. But this needs to stop,” Dominguez continued.

Tran interjected once more, talking over Dominguez, saying, “Point of order, point of order. Brown Act, Brown Act. Point of order. This is not agendized,” seemingly suggesting that the discussion at that point in the meeting could have violated the Brown Act, which regulates public meetings.

Right as Dominguez logged off from the meeting, Tran proceeded to the next agenda item about the city’s fee schedules.

“Moving on here,” Tran said.

‘Trading people for profits’: California sues nursing home chain where hundreds have been sickened with COVID-19

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:49:37 +0000

The state and four district attorneys have sued the operator of 19 nursing homes, including several in the Bay Area where dozens of patients and employees died of COVID-19, accusing it of “trading people for profits at every turn.”

Mariner Health Care Services has “siphoned off funds necessary for appropriate staffing,” according to the lawsuit filed by the California Department of Justice and the district attorneys of Alameda, Marin, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles counties.

The unacceptably low staffing levels have resulted in insufficient care, leading to unnecessary leg amputations, bone ulcers, spread of infections and unreported sexual and physical assaults, the suit says.

The suit also alleges Mariner illegally booted residents from its facilities without legal due process or proper discharge procedures in an attempt to free up beds up for new Medicare patients, who bring in more money than those on Medi-Cal. Mariner also falsified information reported to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to boost its ratings, according to the suit.

A spokesperson from Mariner did not respond by deadline to requests for comment about the lawsuit.

While the operator identifies itself as Mariner Health Care on its website, the defendants in the lawsuit are described as a “family” of companies out of Maryland and Georgia that together administer 19 skilled nursing facilities in California, each run by “upwards of a dozen legal entities with various shell entities.”

Among the Bay Area facilities operated by Mariner that had seen deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic was Parkview Healthcare Center in Hayward, which has been sued by the families of patients and recently was fined by state regulators for its handling of the disease.

A list of Mariner’s other Bay Area facilities posted on its website include Almaden Health and Rehabilitation Center and Skyline Healthcare Center in San Jose, Creekside Healthcare Center and Vale Healthcare Center in San Pablo, Driftwood Healthcare centers in Hayward and Santa Cruz, Pine Ridge Care Center in San Rafael, Fremont Healthcare Center in Fremont, Hayward Hills Healthcare Center and Fruitvale Healthcare Center in Oakland .

There are also nine Mariner facilities in Southern California: Autumn Hills Healthcare Center, The Rehabilitation Center of Santa Monica, Glendale Transitional Care Center, Inglewood Healthcare Center, La Crescenta Healthcare Center, Monterey Palms Healthcare Center, Palm Springs Healthcare Center, Santa Monica Healthcare Center and Village Square Healthcare Center.

Hundreds of patients and staff have been sickened with COVID-19 at Mariner nursing homes, and dozens have died. According to data from the state, there were 13 COVID-related deaths at its Fruitvale facility, 12 at its Hayward Hills facility and at least 28 at Skyline Healthcare Center in San Jose.

Some of the allegations in the state’s complaint are similar to those lodged by the families of patients at Mariner’s Parkview Healthcare Center in Hayward last year.

The facility has a history of problems that started long before COVID-19, interviews with some of those family members and court documents uncovered last summer.

The daughter of one Parkview resident told this news organization last year that her father often would call for nurses using his call button and no one would come.

“It was immediately obvious that they were short-staffed,” the daughter, Nancy Sanchez, said then of her father’s stay at Parkview. During his two years there, staff neglected to properly care for wounds, according to the lawsuit he joined as a plaintiff.

Her father, Jose Sanchez, contracted COVID-19 at the facility last year and later died at the hospital.

When COVID-19 swept through nursing homes through much of last year, many of the Parkview families said they worried danger lurked inside because of the conditions.

What state investigators for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health found there seemed to support that.

Cal-OSHA this week fined Parkview Healthcare Center $67,500 for “serious” violations, saying in investigation notes that the facility did not isolate patients with COVID-19 or suspected of having it quickly enough and did not make sure employees wore masks or knew how to properly don protective gear.

The facility also did not sufficiently train employees about infection prevention practices or provide access to any written procedures about infection control, wrote Wendy Hogle-Lui, a compliance officer with Cal-OSHA.

Mariner spokesman Daniel Kramer said Parkview will appeal the citations, noting, “We believe we have been in substantial compliance with all applicable (California) safety and health regulations and we take the health and safety of our workers very seriously.”

He did not respond to follow-up questions about the state’s lawsuit.

The Cal-OSHA investigation was conducted in July 2020, after at least six people had died of COVID-19, as this news organization reported then. According to the agency’s file, the investigation was sparked by those deaths.

Over the course of the pandemic, 18 patients and at least one health care worker at Parkview have died of COVID-19, according to state records, which do not specify the exact number of COVID-19 deaths if it is under 11.

According to the state’s lawsuit, state health investigators have found a total of 1,548 violations of regulations across Mariner’s nursing homes since 2017.

In addition to poor care, the facilities have discharged patients without a 30-day notice — and sometimes no notice at all — and without letting them know why they were being discharged or preparing them with a plan after discharge. The state filed a lawsuit in March for similar violations by another nursing home, Brookdale Senior Living.

In addition to civil penalties for each violation, the state’s complaint against Mariner seeks a court order for Mariner to pay restitution and costs of the lawsuit, as well as for a monitor to ensure compliance with the laws.

Former star athlete’s lawsuit says Archbishop Mitty, Los Gatos High failed to stop sex abuse by coach

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:46:28 +0000

LOS GATOS — A former star track athlete is suing Los Gatos and Archbishop Mitty high schools on allegations that both prominent schools failed to protect her from a predatory and abusive coach who is now being prosecuted for sexually assaulting three of his athletes two decades ago.

Heather Hennessy, 38, said publicly for the first time Thursday that she was sexually exploited by Chioke “Chee” Robinson starting in 1998 when she was a 14-year-old freshman at Mitty. She said that the abuse continued after she transferred to Los Gatos High — to get away from Robinson — because he got a job there around the same time.

Robinson, 46, is currently being prosecuted in Santa Clara County on multiple sexual assault counts involving three women who were student athletes under his tutelage in the late 1990s and the mid 2000s. He also previously coached at Piedmont Hills High School — which like Mitty, is in San Jose — and local club teams, and also worked as a private coach. At the time of his 2019 arrest, he was an assistant coach at San Francisco State University.

The new claims in Hennessy’s lawsuit mean that at least five women have now come forward either to law enforcement or in lawsuits to describe Robinson as a sexual predator.

At a news conference Thursday in front of Los Gatos High School, attorney Stephen Estey outlined the lawsuit’s claims. He said the then-23-year-old Robinson groomed Hennessy at Mitty, paying an extraordinary amount of one-to-one attention to the teenage star runner, including stretching routines that were too intimate.

“It ultimately led to her being repeatedly sexually abused on that campus in that parking lot dozens and dozens of times, and the people in charge … people in charge of keeping her safe, for protecting her from sexual predators, didn’t do a thing,” Estey said. “This was an open secret.”

VIDEO: Heather Hennessy accuses Los Gatos High track coach of sexual abuse

CLICK HERE if you’re viewing on a mobile device.

Hennessy said she left Mitty her sophomore year, both to get away from Robinson and to train under renowned coach Willie Harmatz at Los Gatos High. But soon after she got to her new school, Robinson was hired there as a coach, and she said she promptly told Harmatz about her experiences with Robinson.

“I notified Willie Harmatz that Chioke had been molesting me and that I didn’t want to be stretched, touched anymore by him,” Hennessy said. “Instead of protecting me, Harmatz made the decision to isolate me and keep me on the other side of the track just training with him, but allowed for Robinson to still be on the track every day as a predator throughout my high school life.”

Estey said that Harmatz, who was a mandated reporter under the law, was obligated to alert authorities to what Hennessy had told him. Instead, Estey said, Harmatz stifled a 1999 criminal investigation of another student’s sexual-abuse allegation against Robinson by threatening their scholarship opportunities if they implicated Robinson to police.

A similar claim about Harmatz was made in a separate lawsuit filed in January, also against the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District. He disputed that account when the lawsuit was announced, and could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday about Hennessy’s lawsuit.

LOS GATOS, CA – May 6: Heather Hennessy, Olympic-caliber track athlete when she entered Mitty High School, cries during a press conference in front of Los Gatos High School about sexual abuse she experienced at Mitty and Los Gatos High at the hands of Chioke Robinson, her coach, on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)

The lawsuit, which names the Diocese of San Jose and the Los Gatos school district as primary defendants, seeks unspecified damages. Estey and Hennessy said that they want to see wholesale culture changes for sex-abuse reporting at the schools.

“I want to make sure that the message gets across that these schools and coaches need to take protection of children and kids, athletes and students, serious,” Hennessy said. “I want it to stop now.”

A statement from the diocese issued Thursday said that “we take all and any allegations of abuse seriously and remain resolute in our support for victim-survivors, irrespective of the dates of abuse. We welcome the opportunity to review the complaint, but we are not able to otherwise comment on the litigation at this time.”

The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District in a statement similarly said it could not comment on the lawsuit prior to reviewing the filing, but that “the District takes these types of allegations very seriously.”

Hennessy went on to achieve national accolades as an 800-meter runner, before she suffered a major back injury from a cliff jump in Lake Tahoe — which she says Harmatz urged her to do as a team-building exercise. But she said she continued to carry the trauma in her adult life, during which she ascended to a role as a Fox Sports reporter.

It was so scarring that when she was inducted into her school’s hall of fame, she said she skipped an appearance “because this whole thing, my entire story and the abuse with both coaches and both schools was so painful that I didn’t want to go back.”

Hennessy said Thursday that part of what inspired her to come forward after decades of suffering silently was an event held last summer on the Los Gatos High School football field organized by the student sexual-abuse support group From Survivors For Survivors. One of the group’s co-founders, senior Sasha Ryu, said she she took Hennessy’s message to heart.

“It just feels like she’s taking back a lot of the power stolen from her,” Ryu said. “To see that is really inspiring.”

Theranos: Judge skeptical that Holmes’ luxury lifestyle should go before jury

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:44:44 +0000

The judge overseeing the felony fraud case of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes expressed skepticism Thursday about prosecutors’ plans to introduce evidence about her posh lifestyle.

Holmes’ defense team had argued in a court filing that evidence of her wealth, lifestyle and spending are irrelevant to the case and would be prejudicial to her if jurors in her upcoming trial were allowed to hear about it. “The government’s proffered evidence invites the jury to convict Ms. Holmes based on improper emotional appeals,” her lawyers said in a court filing.

On Thursday, the prosecution argued in U.S. District Court in San Jose that jurors need to know, for example, that Holmes flew on private jets and stayed in expensive lodging, along with information about her salary and company stock ownership. “The jury needs to understand the motive for the charged fraud,” prosecutor John Bostic alleged. “Without that evidence the jury might be confused about why the defendant engaged in this conduct.”

But Holmes’ lawyer Kevin Downey argued that evidence designed merely to show wealth of a defendant or suggest they have the lifestyle of a wealthy person is, according to previous court decisions, not allowed in a trial.

“What she wore, how she stayed, how she flew, how she ate, has nothing to do with this trial,” Downey said. “This is the kind of inflammatory commentary that could do great damage to the trial.”

Downey added that Holmes’ travels were “almost exclusively on company business,” and in many cases the trips were arranged by the Theranos board.

The federal government alleges Holmes, a Stanford University dropout who founded Theranos in 2003, bilked investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars, and defrauded patients and doctors with false claims that the company’s machines could conduct a full range of tests using just a few drops of blood, when she knew the technology had accuracy and reliability problems. She and her co-accused, former company president Sunny Balwani, have denied the claims.

Judge Edward Davila appeared to be leaning toward the arguments of Holmes’ team against allowing lifestyle evidence. Davila gave shout-outs to a number of iconic Silicon Valley throughways in suggesting that a successful technology firm CEO traveling on U.S. 101, Sand Hill Road or Page Mill Road might also have a luxurious lifestyle, and be supported by their board for gaining a high profile that instills public confidence. Regarding the perks Holmes enjoyed, “It seems like that’s designed to engage a class conversation amongst the jurors which I think you’d agree would be a little dangerous,” Davila said to Bostic. “What’s the value of, ‘Did she stay at a Four Seasons versus a Motel 6?'”

Davila asked Bostic why putting Holmes’ salary before the jury was not enough. Bostic said her compensation was just part of what the jury should hear about.

“She would not have received this high compensation were it not for the fraud that created the success of the company,” Bostic said, adding that the stock Holmes held in Theranos was also relevant for jurors, because its value skyrocketed from the alleged fraud. “On paper, she was one of the wealthiest people in the world,” Bostic said. “She was a billionaire. It helps explain why the defendant took the actions that she did.”

Downey argued that “the only element of wealth that is relevant is the element of demonstrating financial gain,” and that Holmes — who never cashed in Theranos stock, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission — shared in the loss when Theranos’ value ultimately plummeted. Holmes’ salary of a “couple hundred thousand a year,” Downey said, was “probably unusual in being less than some of her peers.”

The SEC has said that between 2013 and 2015, Holmes received a salary of $200,000 to $390,000 per year.

Bostic responded that what matters under the law is a perpetrator’s intent. That’s why it’s important for the jury to hear about Holmes’ lifestyle along with compensation and stock holdings, Bostic argued. If jurors hear only that Holmes never cashed out her stock and never reaped her paper wealth, they “could come to believe that her motivations for engaging in this conduct were something other than personal enrichment,” Bostic said.

“The perks that she is enjoying greatly reduce the pressure on her to cash in, sell stock and make more money.”

Davila said he would rule on the dispute over lifestyle and compensation evidence later.

Holmes’ trial, delayed three times because of the pandemic and procedural matters, is scheduled to start Aug. 31. She faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and a $2.75 million fine, plus possible restitution, the Department of Justice has said.

The driver just had to sleep in the bike lane? Please.

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:41:47 +0000

Q: I read about the tired driver who was annoyed to be rousted by a policeman doing his job on a street off Highway 24. He freely admits to parking and taking a nap in the bike lane.

You were a little light on him. A bike lane is a travel lane. The policeman had to stop, block traffic with his lights on and perhaps circle around before doing that. This is the same argument from drivers who just skip into a store while parking in a handicapped spot.

Please. How about the safety of a cyclist who suddenly finds an obstacle blocking the lane?

I sympathize with drivers who have a breakdown. I expect them to have their emergency flashers on to alert cyclists and drivers of a problem.

The solution should be if you are tired don’t get out on the road without your nap. Or find a legitimate parking space and don’t park in a traffic lane.

Ralph Durham

A: Fair and valid concerns.

Q: The massive and wonderful improvement of Highway 84 has probably saved many lives or at least serious injuries since the days of the blind curve on Pigeon Pass.

But shortly after completion, within a year or two, potholes began to appear. Then they got bigger and more numerous and even bigger. You couldn’t drive, especially westbound up the grade, without hitting massive holes. To this day, there are potholes galore. Fortunately, I’m done commuting.

John Lubeck, Livermore

A: Good for you that you’re done commuting. This area is due for a major paving project in the next year or two. In the meantime, Caltrans will fill potholes. Motorists can report potholes, litter and other issues at https://csr.dot.ca.gov/.

Q: There is a big pothole in the fast lane on I-680 in Concord which has hurt the alignment on my car.

I reported it to Caltrans and I got a email back saying that my complaint has been addressed. So I thought when I drove by last week I would not have to take quick action to hit the hole. But it’s still there and seems to have gotten worse in the last month. Please help, for my car’s health.

Joanne Clare, Danville

A: Don’t give up hope. It can take a few weeks for the state to respond.

Q: The new express lane on northbound Interstate 680 up the Sunol Grade has a saying “TOLLING BEGINS 2021.” We’re now a third of the way into 2021. When will I, as a non-HOV driver, be able to pay to use this lane?

Ross Finlayson, Mountain View

A: Sometime this fall.

Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow, or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5335.

San Jose community briefs for the week of May 14

Thu, 06 May 2021 11:39:07 +0000

Take a shot with transit

Santa Clara County and Valley Transportation Authority are offering door-to-door vaccine transportation services for residents without access to other reliable forms of transportation. Residents can request to be picked up from their homes, driven to the vaccine site and returned home. The ride services are available daily and should be scheduled at least 48 hours ahead. To book an appointment, call 408-809-2124.

Hotspots a hit

City staff recently released a report on the citywide hotspot program, which provided at-home internet access to San Jose students and residents during the past year of distance learning. According to the report, the city distributed 12,800 hotspots to students and 3,000 to community members, through partnerships with AT&T and the local library system.

AAPI safety workshop

The San Jose Public Library is hosting a safety workshop for members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities on Saturday, May 22, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Crime prevention expert Mimi Nguyen will lead the training. To sign up, visit bit.ly/3nOzYAr.

Neighborhood Notes

ROSE GARDEN>>The Alameda Artworks is holding its Spring Open Studios on May 29-30, when 12 artists will welcome the public into their private studios. COVID-19 precautions will be in place at the free event.

Artwork will be available for sale in media including printmaking, sculptures, jewelry, photography, stained glass and paintings in oils, acrylics and pastels. Artists will be on hand to discuss their creative process.

The Alameda Artworks is located at 1068 The Alameda.

Milpitas community briefs for the week of May 14

Wed, 05 May 2021 10:21:01 +0000

Rotary meeting

Rotocare Bay Area CEO JP Sahi is set to be the guest speaker at the May 17 meeting of the Milpitas Rotary Club.

The Zoom meeting starts at noon. The meeting ID is 889 2798 3775; the passcode is 012491.To access the meeting by phone, find your local number at https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbCkRgI9YF.

For more information, visit milpitasrotary.org or https://www.facebook.com/RotaryClubOfMilpitas.

EmPower film contest

Students can register for the competition at SVCleanEnergy.org/Empower-SV. For more information, contact Vanessa Shin at vanessa.shin@svcleanenergy.org.

Campbell community briefs for the week of May 14

Tue, 04 May 2021 11:28:55 +0000

Team Hope event

Campbell Park is the site of this year’s San Jose Team Hope 10K Run/5K Walk on Saturday, June 19, at 7:30 a.m. The event is a fundraiser for the San Francisco Bay Area Affiliate of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, a national nonprofit that helps people affected by Huntington’s disease and their families.

Huntington’s disease is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain and has no cure.

Team Hope, the nonprofit’s largest national grassroots fundraising event, takes place in over 100 cities across the U.S. and has raised more than $14 million since its inception in 2007.

For more information about the event, contact Crutcher-Marin at theresecrutchermarin@gmail.com or 530-906-8415. To register or donate, visit hdsa.org/thwsanjose.

EmPower film contest

Students can register for the competition at SVCleanEnergy.org/Empower-SV. For more information, contact Vanessa Shin at vanessa.shin@svcleanenergy.org.

Santa Clara County News

Saratogans give back to those in need, those who’ve served

San Jose tourism spending dropped by more than $1 billion in 2020. Why it’ll take years to rebound

John LaFortune

Five things to know about John

Saratoga community briefs for the week of May 14

COVID fundraiser

Rotary Club of Cupertino aids COVID-19 relief efforts in India

Manresa reopens with ‘new ideas for post-pandemic world’

Sunnyvale community briefs for the week of May 14

EmPower film contest

Coronavirus town hall

Cambrian teacher gets ‘Today Show’ tribute by former student

Why the Bay Area still hasn’t spent $1.7 billion in COVID stimulus money

Santa Clara County Board of Education threatens to close Bullis Charter School if it doesn’t fix lack of diversity

Palo Alto coach on SCVAL’s no playoff stance: ‘All of us administrators, coaches and teachers have failed you’

Letters: Exemplary Oakland | Solar update | Home kitchens | Early fire season | Opening warranted

Oakland’s ‘Cob on Wood’ example for other cities

PG&E solar program needs to be updated

Home kitchens may hurt restaurants

Improved conditions are green light for schools

Early fire season argues for climate action

Letters: CalPERS underperforms | Exemplary Oakland | Biden tax plan | Police reform | Trump ban

CalPERS’ performance raises questions

Oakland’s ‘Cob on Wood’ example for other cities

Biden’s tax proposals are hardly over-the-top

4-year degrees must be part of police reform

Social media doesn’t owe Trump a platform

Milpitas City Council discussion on car wash devolves as Mayor Tran reprimands, cuts off councilmembers

‘Trading people for profits’: California sues nursing home chain where hundreds have been sickened with COVID-19

Former star athlete’s lawsuit says Archbishop Mitty, Los Gatos High failed to stop sex abuse by coach

Theranos: Judge skeptical that Holmes’ luxury lifestyle should go before jury

The driver just had to sleep in the bike lane? Please.

San Jose community briefs for the week of May 14

Take a shot with transit

Hotspots a hit

AAPI safety workshop

Neighborhood Notes

Milpitas community briefs for the week of May 14

Rotary meeting

EmPower film contest

Campbell community briefs for the week of May 14

Team Hope event

EmPower film contest

Oakland’s ‘Cob on Wood’
example for other cities

PG&E solar program
needs to be updated

Home kitchens
may hurt restaurants

Improved conditions are
green light for schools

Early fire season
argues for climate action

CalPERS’ performance
raises questions

Oakland’s ‘Cob on Wood’
example for other cities

Biden’s tax proposals
are hardly over-the-top

4-year degrees must
be part of police reform

Social media doesn’t
owe Trump a platform