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October 10, 2023 City Council Emails
701-32 DOCUMENTS IN THIS PACKET INCLUDE: LETTERS FROM CITIZENS TO THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL RESPONSES FROM STAFF TO LETTERS FROM CITIZENS ITEMS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ITEMS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES ITEMS FROM CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES Prepared for: 10/10/2023 Document dates: 10/2/2023 – 10/10/2023 Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet reproduction in a given week. From:Sheriff Transparency To:Aram James Cc:Baker, Rob; Binder, Andrew; Cecilia Taylor; Council, City; Damon Silver; David Angel; David S. Norris; DuJuan Green; GRP-City Council; Gennady Sheyner; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; O"Neal, Molly; Palo Alto Free Press; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Robert. Jonsen; Roberta Ahlquist; Rodriguez, Miguel; Salem Ajluni; Sean Allen; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; dennis burns; Burt, Patrick; Cindy Chavez; dave.cortese@sen.ca.gov; dave.cortese@icloud.com; Sue Dremann; Joe Simitian; suzanne.wheaton@sen.ca; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; District1@bos.sccgov.org; Raj; CCLEM; Jeff Rosen; Cerise Castle; ceo.admin@ceo.sccgov.org; Supervisor.Lee@bos.sccgov.org; cobreception@cob.sccgov.org; Human Relations Commission; BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org Subject:Re: SPECIAL INVESTIGATION LOSING CONTROL When San Jose police confront people in mental crisis, why —so often — do they end up hurting them? Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 12:40:59 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Aram, On behalf of our group, Thank you for your understanding and sharing our perspective onmental health challenges and the changes needed with regards to how LE leaders handle their department's policies, training, and how the experts/public can continue to weigh in. Weappreciate the opportunity to respond to your emails. In addition, it is dialogue such as this that we can only hope one or several Cc'ed/Bc'ed can look deeper into LE leadersbackgrounds and what should be the strict norm and not the minimal acceptance of someone's past (or current status). This group was formed for that very reason. As a result ofyour email,those of us who have come together and some of those Cc'ed/Bc'ed whose support can give us a deeper opportunity and to expand to others of why our group exists, hence thislong email. Everyone Cc'ed/Bc'ed should know by now that our transparency group has formed becauseof issues discovered with the current Sheriff's past (and of a few current incidents as wellalready in the first year). This has led to a broader scrutiny of not only the current Sheriff, butevery Commander, Chief, and Sheriff in the Bay Area and beyond. Once we tackle the issuessurrounding this current Sheriff, we can revisit our group's name change to reflect the broader Bay Area of LE leaders who need to be revisited, scrutinized and perhaps ousted. It is our hope that we can grow our group with additional experienced LE Officials andcommunity members to task themselves with looking at an approach and presentation of information that would lead to policy and/or legislation (or changes, amendments, etc) with noloopholes to expose LE leaders of any wrongdoing/misconduct/secret backgrounds in our county, the bay area and across the nation and to be rid of them and/or exclude them fromserving in positions that have been keeping systemic issues in LE alive and well with detrimental consequences to our communities. Our group has been informally consulting withother community groups and agencies locally and across the nation for any information we can provide on a LE Candidate or those currently serving, especially from California. We pass oninformation we have and allow them to vett or investigate any allegation. To date, it has been effective in that those candidates in question has not been selected or have resigned to avoidexposure of what they had been hiding in their past. Quite frankly, some of them should be charged with crimes or civil violations they committed in the past, no matter how far back itwas. We formed this group almost a year ago during the last week of October 2022 after we were sent a podcast and other info about the LASD Deputy Gangs series that included the mention of the current Sheriff. After that, we received an outpouring of information about the currentSheriff that needed to be vetted, and are still vetting the vast amount of information received and have reported the vetted information to the appropriate investigative agencies(s). We are still new at what we do as a group but experienced in what we know. It will takeeveryone working together including LE Officials and the rank/file to tackle the systemic issues and put an end to the mass violations of civil rights, poor training, discrimination, etc.which breed amongst the ranks in LE as either an unintended consequence OR an intended consequence of a leader WITH an unfit and biased background. Please note: weintentionally did not precede the word 'leader' with any positive adjective because they can actually have qualities of a good/great leader for LE but with a background not fit orcomfortable for the public as well. Politicians, character references, general job/experience profiles, and surface or cursory personal background checks are nowhere near a satisfactoryrequirement for a LE leader equipped to do their job. NOR are political endorsements which quite frankly in our opinion are done to hold influence in a politician's favor and/or for favorsand not balanced for the general public and many of our communities. We also want to mention that last December 2022 during a SCC BOS meeting, and when the current Sheriff was approved to be sworn in early, members of our group were accused of notdoing due diligence and vetting of the current Sheriff sooner by SCC BOS Otto Lee. We will reiterate that when we received the information and allegations, it was/is our duty as former,retired, and current LE officials to vett the information so as not to rush to judgment over false or inaccurate information given to the public. Our group will not be the ones to throwaccusations out there without having the information or facts to back it up. Last year, we did not have the vetted information in the time needed to confront the current Sheriff during anycandidate debate meeting or any other meeting or event as SCC Rep Otto Lee had suggested. If so, we would have directly asked any candidate about negative information in front of theneed-to-know voting public. Had we been able to vett the information and be able to present valid information/facts, running an aggressive ad campaign to expose the truth about acandidate's background would have been an easy and ethical task which would have in our strong opinion yielded a better outcome with the election results. We say 'better' because weare not happy with who the current Sheriff is knowing what has been presented to us and what is being investigated. Ultimately, all we asked for is that the County of Santa Clara,review/consult the information with the appropriate officials and delay the appointment until they know what needs to be resoluted and when. Our group was not asking to 'derail' thresults of the election nor deny the elected candidate to serve. That is what ultimately arecall is for. We believe that Cities, Counties, and State agencies should be compelled to USE ANY/ALLAVAILABLE resources rather than just a for-profit headhunting firm, etc to rely on if they are getting the best candidate personally/professionally. Community meetings and inputhelp as far as candidate qualities, but the public should also be able to inquire about information that should be followed up upon. We did hear during a SCC County BOS meetingof community members who did speak up but their allegation/accusation remained as such and was not questioned or further delved into by any gov't official or elected representative. Moreneeds to be done with listening to the public even if it's just one community member who may hold information that could be detrimental to the public and our communities. We also agree that candidates for an elected position should go through an additionalvetting process prior to applying as a candidate vs. leaving the 'mudslinging of potentially false and inaccurate' or information found to be TRUE for other candidates and communitygroups to expose. We believe Gov't officials and our elected politicians should invite the opportunity for significant changes so that voting public and our communities as awhole are fully aware of the serious issues that plague a candidate or an appointed LE Official. Nothing in a candidate's background personally/professionally should be orremain confidential when choosing or electing a LE leader who has the power and ability toaffect every life in our communities. Considering the rise of LE issues not only across the BayArea but in this State and across the country, it will only get worse if folks do not cometogether and work together to tackle problems that affect ALL of us. Starting with changesin our LE leaders is an absolute MUST! Please forward/share this information as it is important to be transparent with this dialogueand the seriousness of the issues we present. ~SCCSTG On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 10:41 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 10:32 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Sheriff Transparency, Thank you for your very thoughtful and detailed analysis of complicated issues related todetermining whether an officer leaving one department to lead another is generally sufficiently vetted to ensure that he/she is simply not leaving behind a sorted past with onedepartment in hopes of avoiding deeper scrutiny with a new department. I agree that making such a critical decision should not be left to a for profit headhunter or a citymanager. Or should such a decision be based on political references versus an actual deep dive into a potential chief’s past on-the-job day-to-day performance on issues related todealing with the mentally ill, their track record with excessive force issues, gender discrimination issues, race discrimination issues, etc. Best regards, Aram On Sun, Oct 8, 2023, at 8:12 PM Sheriff Transparency<sccsherifftransparencyinfo@gmail.com> wrote: Aram, As far as we know and acknowledge, the San Jose Police Dept is making progress withthis issue, and that the current Chief and command staff is always expected and willing to do better for the community and its own officers. Handling mental illness withsubjects confronted, detained, in custody will always need to garner more attention with further and ongoing discussions that should involve more community organizations whohave expertise with valid and viable input. Training and changes need to be be based on research with facts and not emotions. With regards to specific police officers, you mention the current Palo Alto ChiefBinder formerly from the San Jose Police Department in his previous job, our question would be what is his deeper background, in terms of his career there AND his personallife? or is this a question about how he handled mental illness training and calls as a supervisor in San Jose that could be detrimental for the Palo Alto community? As advocates for Command transparency, we are always concerned when an Officerwith many years with one department leaves for another department to lead and to ensure that it is for career/community advancement vs. leaving behind a sinister past.In addition, if he was involved in any of the cases where a person with mental illness was injured or killed, one needs to ask, 'what was his involvement or lack thereof?' poortraining, excessive use of force, etc? Anytime a Commander is selected to lead another Department, there should be MORE scrutiny with their backgrounds than theconventional head-hunting background. We have not seen this quite frankly. We think several police departments do get lucky with the correct candidate, however there are alot more who lead the nation's 800,000+ LE Officers who should not be serving in those positions at all, and reducing the 'a lot more' to zero will start to see the fall ofsystemic problems for agencies across the nation. We are not defending or judging Chief Binder. We have not scrutinized his background nor delved into any mentally ill person cases he has handled and it is up to his superiorsat the Palo Alto City Hall to determine if he had any problems in his background as a SJPD or as a PAPD Officer prior to his appointment as Chief that could reflect poorlyon the Palo Alto Police Dept. and for the community. We caution that this would take an entirely different approach to in depth (deeper) background investigation vs. political character reference and someone's general workprofile (which could be stellar but does not mean that person would be a great leader) and recommendation from a good or 'poorly equipped' (also known as idiots) previousChief. We have LE in our group who have plenty of experience in background investigations to know what is looked at and have sumised the sheer number of LE whoend up at other agencies with backgrounds not even fit enough to work at McDonalds. And people wonder why the systemic problems continue. We believe that the majority of (retired) police officers in our group, who state, that itwill take vast collective knowledge, analysis and personal fact finding to uncover a Commander's work and personal past that was unsavory and missed/overlooked to evenexpose the problems they find and bring it to the attention of the City, County or State for which the Officer works for. It may also require changes in legislation to use thatinformation to get rid of them unless it is an elected LE Official then a recall of the person voted in would be better served to protect the public. Personal (other employees, higher ups, etc) and pressure from the public to resign is alsoeffective. We believe this was the case with the Santa Clara County DA Investigations Chief who is finally resigning from his position in December with retirement. As weseen with the former Sheriff Laurie Smith and now with Chief Reyes, it take almost an 'act of God' to get rid of them unless they resign or retire on their own under pressure. One person or a group can only hope that folks start listening and opening their eyesalong with being vocal to the problems and who is behind those problems with their failure to take action because of problems of their own past, be it personal and/orprofessional. At this point, it is our anecdotal opinions but we have been correct everytime in our assessment as to why an agency is experiencing never ending problemswith the same Commander, Chief, or Sheriff. ~SCCSTG On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 2:30 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:Sunday Oct 7, 2023 FYI: This article is the headline piece in today’s San Jose Mercury News. Palo Alto Police Chief Andrew Binder spent many many years with the San Jose Police Department before coming to the PAPD. aram LOSING CONTROL https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=6c216040- 0565-480f-9357-eea36be54c08&appcode=SAN252&eguid=6a983d1d-ce1e-4a10-aa9d- 1ce5d53f706b&pnum=1# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: From:Nancy Rudin To:Council, City Subject:West South Palo Alto Wants to Keep Our Park Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 11:53:02 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from nrudin@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou and Councilmembers, Terman Park is an important asset that provides neighborhood green space and fosterscommunity on the West side of South Palo Alto. We use the park to walk our dogs, casually meet neighbors, end the day with a bit of nature and view the stars. We use the path toreach Los Altos, Gunn High School and beyond. It is the only green space we have without crossing Arastradero and provides a way of life that would be forever altered by taking itaway. Please support Terman Park as an important and invaluable resource to our community. --Best Regards, Nancy Rudin575 Glenbrook Dr, Palo Alto, CA 94306 From:slevy@ccsce.com To:Planning Commission Cc:Lait, Jonathan; Jean Eisberg; Council, City Subject:PTC discussion on Oct 11 Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 10:30:34 AM Attachments:sclPaloAltoadoptout080323.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Commissioners, As a regional economist with long experience in California regional housing issues and challenges, I have been concerned that Palo Alto did not have sufficient zoning and other incentives to make housing economically feasible in sufficient amount to meet our housing goals. Last week at the council study session staff brought forward two very positive proposals to address feasibility that you will discuss tonight. One is on what staff calls the ECR Focus Area that I discuss below and one to provide additional incentives on Stanford properties near the shopping center. I attended the council study session last week and, along with many other communitymembers, spoke in favor of the proposed increase in ECR Focus Area height, FAR and otherincentives that resulted from staff's engagement with area property owners. It is a positivestep toward generating an increase in economically feasible housing applications. Since the ECR focus area process of direct engagement with property owners discovered a set of zoning and development standards that would incentivize housing, why wouldn't it make sense for the city and to HCD in seeing this process replicated in, for example, the DTN and GM/ROLM areas and on the other side of ECR? Isn't it reasonable to expect that engagement, learning and appropriate policy changes would result with regard to incentives to make housing economically feasible? In addition, I would feel more comfortable in terms of reaching HE compliance if we had a larger buffer than 10% on our proposed sites, which I believe we are even short of right now. I am told that Redwood City and Mountain View, the two neighboring cities with a compliant HE have buffers of 45% and 36% respectively. Adding economically feasible sites to our inventory would not only result in more feasible housing projects but help provide a larger buffer in terms of RHNA eligible units in our next draft HE submitted to HCD. I applaud the progress made in the presentation to council last week and look forward to seeing how the remaining concerns in the last HCD letter are addressed. Stephen Levy Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy From:Joe Madrone To:Planning Commission; Council, City Subject:El Camino densification Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 10:09:01 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from madrone.llc@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Ahead of tomorrow's meeting I just wanted to say that I support extending the innovativedensity, height, parking rations, and FAR beyond the small El Camino Real area. We've got to get LOTS of multi-story housing built and ECR is an ideal area to do that, pretty muchalong its entire length. It's about time to do something. Joe (College Terrace) From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Only 2 Weeks Until the 2023 ATHENA Awards Honoring Michele Lew and Jesse Ebner Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 9:00:21 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. athena-logo Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce proudly presents the 2023 Annual ATHENA® Awards The Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce announces the 2023 Awards Thursday, October 19, 2023 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Sheraton Palo Alto 625 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94301 >REGISTER ONLINE< HONORING Athena Leadership Award 2023 Athena Leadership AwardWinners Michele Lew Michele Lew CEO The Health Trust Athena Emerging Professional Leadership Award Jesse Ebner Jesse Ebner Vice President Premier Properties PROGRAM 5:30 P.M. - 6:45 P.M. Arrivals and Reception 7:00 P.M. Welcome, Introductions and Acknowledgments Charlie Weidanz, President & CEO, Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Jon Goldman, Board President, Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Presentation of the 2023 Annual ATHENA® Leadership Award Honorees: Michele Lew CEO, The Health Trust Jesse Ebner Vice President, Premier Properties Honoree Remarks Closing Fees/Admission Individual Tickets: $125 Table Sponsorship (8 guests with preferred location and signage): $1,000 Individual tickets and table sponsorships are available through October 12th - REGISTER The ATHENA award is given to honor exceptional women leaders who demonstrate the highest levels of professional excellence, give back to their communities and, most importantly, assist other women in realizing their full leadership potential – and it is an international award, having been given to more than 6,500 recipients in over 500 cities and 8 countries. Locally it is awarded by our ® Chamber of Commerce. Learn More on the Athena event page Hope you'll join us! Charlie@paloaltochamber.com Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce >REGISTER ONLINE This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email atinfo@paloaltochamber.com. This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email atinfo@paloaltochamber.com. This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. View this email in your browser From:LWV Palo Alto Speaker SeriesTo:Council, CitySubject:How is Palo Alto Upgrading Our Electric Grid for an All-Electric Future?Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 8:59:47 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. We are proud to announce our upcoming Virtual Speaker event: How is Palo Alto Upgrading Our Electric Grid in All-Electric Future? Thursday, October 19, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm As we switch our homes, buildings and cars from fossil fuels to electricity, we need more electric capacity, resiliency and "smarts" in our grid. Join City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) Director Dean Batchelor to hear about CPAU plans to modernize our electric grid, as well as address resident concerns about switching from gas to electric. Tom Kabat will discuss ways to save money while switching to electricity at home, and Cooper Marcus will talk about financial resources and planning to help residents electrify cost-effectively. Featuring our Guest Speakers Dean Batchelor, Palo Alto Utilities Director Tom Kabat, Home Electrification Equipment Expert Cooper Marcus, Home Electrification Planning Expert BIOs: Dean Batchelor: Dean has served in Palo Alto’s Utilities Department for 15 years. He started with the city in 2008 as the Assistant Director of Utilities. Dean has over 40 years of experience in power, water, gas, wastewater and telecommunications in both investor-owned and municipal environments. Helping customers through challenges gives him a sense of purpose in his work. Tom Kabat: Tom is a former Environmental Quality Commissioner for the City of Menlo Park who has contributed to developing an innovative All-Electric Reach Code for new construction, a Climate Action Plan to reduce emissions 90% by 2030, and other electrification policy measures. He has 30 years of experience in utility energy planning. Tom helped design efficiency programs and managed hydroelectric and renewable energy portfolios for the City of Palo Alto. Register Now Cooper Marcus: Cooper is the Chief Quitter at QuitCarbon. QuitCarbon helps homeowners gain the confidence and clarity they need to electrify their homes—and helps contractors grow their businesses by being part of the clean energy transition. Cooper believes that society’s move away from fossil fuel presents an incredible opportunity to respond to the climate crisis while improving the quality of life for homeowners, renters, and businesses. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the city’s plans for what will impact all Palo Alto residents! Submit your questions in advance to contact@LWVPaloAlto.org. LWVPaloAlto.org Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Email Email Copyright © 2023 League of Women Voters Palo Alto, All rights reserved. From Voter Recipient List Our mailing address is: League of Women Voters Palo Alto 3921 E Bayshore Rd Ste 209 Palo Alto, CA 94303-4303 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. From:Aram James To:Council, City; sallen6444@yahoo.com; moore2j@att.net; Shikada, Ed; becker.josh@gmail.com Subject:Liberal California city fights for regressive voting system Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 7:55:49 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=c7342b7d-76c9- 4f15-a866-8ec14ea81b1a&appcode=SAN252&eguid=f7b5481a-32c6-47db-a14a-b6d99451fa09&pnum=26# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: From:Pat Kinney To:Planning Commission; Council, City Subject:Thank you for supporting increased density along El Camino Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 7:03:51 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from pkinney48235@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear Members, Thank you so much for allowing increased density along El Camino between Page Mill and Matadero Avenue. I encourage you to increase it in other areas, for instance, along El Camino and Oregon/Page Mil, and, if possible, in the Stanford Industrial Park area. I understand nostalgia for previous land-intensive uses along El Camino, but what we most need now is affordable housing in Palo Alto, so that workers do not have to commute so far to work. Thank you for all that you do, Patricia Kinney Wildwood Lane Palo Alto From:John Guislin To:Council, City Subject:Creek debris, flood risks, lack of communication to residents Date:Monday, October 9, 2023 8:04:02 PM Attachments:image.png Creek Walk Sept 28 2023.pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from jguislin@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Council Members: The article “Caltrain to drop large boulders into creek if bridge needs to be stabilized” by Braden Cartwright in the Daily Post this weekend touches on multiple serious concerns about our preparations for potential creek flooding this winter. I encourage you to make time to read it (jpg attached). While the JPA has confirmed they have no plans to remove debris from the creek until we face potential flooding, Caltrain is planning to put large boulders into the creek to shore up the banks next to the railroad bridge. Caltrain missed the window to do engineered repair work in the creek and apparently no one from the JPA or our city leadership was able to expedite the required permits. The boulders will alter the water flow, narrow the creek and possibly contribute to flooding...but Caltrain feels they have no other options and they likely are right. Agency and city leadership should have been working on permits and a better, more permanent solution months ago. In January I sent a photo (attached) of creek bank erosion at Palo Alto Ave and Tasso to Public Works as it appeared bank erosion at this and other locations is putting trees and utility poles in danger of falling in the creek. The danger may even extend to Palo Alto Ave pavement where the bank is scant feet from the curb. Did the city conduct an engineering analysis? Are we monitoring the length of the creek bank in Palo Alto? Public communication and engagement is so limited there is no way to know. Margaret Bruce, JPA Executive Director, is quoted in the printed Daily Post article saying, " I'm not aware of any flood risk concerns." She said pretty much the same at the last JPA meeting two weeks ago where questions were raised about the amount of debris in the creek. I documented the debris on a creek walk on Sept 26 (PDF attached) and in the short section I walked there were large fields of fallen tree trunks and branches. The JPA does nothing with these debris fields but relies on the adjacent cities to cut up the debris and leave it to flow to the bay. Remember the scenes from last January of trees, logs, bushes and even a refrigerator carried by the current? While the JPA may not have concerns about flood risks, I do. And not solely based on my observations. I think the large amount of debris in the creek can be expected to cause a blockage at the Pope-Chaucer Bridge as it has in the past. In addition, weather patterns are changing and many places are experiencing unprecedented rain events with subsequent flooding not experienced before. We have seen flooding as recently as last year, and the predicted El Nino could bring us bigger rain events this year. The plan to have an excavator at the Pope- Chaucer Bridge to remove debris when flood risk is imminent presents its own risks. If we cannot act quickly enough or have equipment issues, the potential for severe flooding is very real. The JPA's next public meeting is Oct 26, past the time for work in the creek and well into the season when we might experience significant rain events. At this meeting, it will be too late to change course in response to community inputs. I think the die is cast for this winter. However, now is the time to plan for improved communications and engagement with residents for next year. Sincerely, John Guislin From:rwhitacre@phi.org via research.net To:Council, City Subject:Survey on Cannabis Policy in California Date:Monday, October 9, 2023 8:17:13 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from member@outbound.research.net. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Assessing Engagement in Cannabis Policy: A BaselineSurvey of Elected Officials in California I recently contacted you about participating in a survey on cannabis policy, and I noticed you haven't completed it yet. I'd really appreciate your participation. Please respond below to start or continue the survey. Thank you for your time, Ryan Whitacre, PhD Research Scientist Prevention Policy Group | Public Health Institute Oakland and Berkeley, CA Begin Survey Please do not forward this email as its survey link is unique to you. Privacy | Unsubscribe From:Aram James To:Jethroe Moore Cc:Cecilia Taylor; Council, City; Damon Silver; DuJuan Green; Freddie.Quintana@sen.ca.gov; GRP-City Council; Human Relations Commission; Jack Ajluni; Jay Boyarsky; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Lewis james; Linda Jolley; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; O"Neal, Molly; ParkRec Commission; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Rebecca Eisenberg; Roberta Ahlquist; Rodriguez, Miguel; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly; Susan Hayase; Vara Ramakrishnan; Veenker, Vicki; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Zelkha, Mila; chuck jagoda; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; dennis burns; frances.Rothschild@jud.ca.gov; friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; ladoris cordell; Burt, Patrick Subject:Open Letter to UN Security Council: Member States Must Address Root Causes of Palestinian Struggle, andProtect the Palestinian People from Retaliatory Israeli Attacks Date:Sunday, October 8, 2023 8:46:42 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Rev Moore: Here is a compelling document sent my way by my friend and long timehuman rights activist Donna Wallach. See what you think. Date: 8 October 2023 Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre forHuman Rights call on the UN Security Council to address root causes andprotect the Palestinian people from Israeli attacks. As Member States of the UNSecurity Council (UNSC) convene to discuss the events unfolding on both sidesof the Green Line in Palestine, which started on 7 October 2023, Member Statesmust consider Israel’s 75-year settler-colonial apartheid regime, 56-year illegaloccupation, and 16-year unlawful blockade and closure of the Gaza Strip as theroot causes of the Palestinian plight. UN Member States hold primaryresponsibility for the violence in Palestine through their inaction and complicityin Israel’s systematic and widespread violations, and must protect the Palestinianpeople against Israeli retaliatory attacks. On 7 October 2023, Palestinian armed groups in the occupied Gaza Strip carriedout a number of military operations. Israel has been waging war against theGaza Strip since its illegal occupation in 1967, and for over 16 years hasdeclared the entire Gaza Strip a “hostile entity”, imposing a land, air andmaritime closure, and subjugating Palestinians therein to measures of collectivepunishment, in violation of international law. In this time, Israel has carried outat least seven massive military offensives since2008, which have rendered theGaza Stripuninhabitable. Between 2010 and 2019, the UN Office for theCoordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded 3,624 Palestinians and203 Israelis killed, and 103,207 Palestinians and 4,642 Israelis injured, in thedecade. While third States are fast condemning the military actions of Palestinian armedgroups, UNSC Member States need to be reminded of the number of missedoccasions they had to prevent the escalation of violence. For decades, since itestablished its illegal occupation, Israel has failed to uphold its duties asOccupying Power, has entrenched its settler-colonial apartheid regime, preventedthe Palestinian people from exercising their right to self-determination andreturn, and has been committing systematic and widespread human rights violations, amounting to international crimes, against the Palestinian people. The past two years have been marked as the bloodiest of Israeli violence sincethe second Intifada. Between January 2022 and 30 September 2023, Israelioccupying forces (IOF) and settlers killed 426 Palestinians, including 89 children in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT).[1] As of 19 September 2023, Israelarbitrarily arrested5,200 Palestinians, including 170 children, and 1,264Palestinians are currently held arbitrarily under administrative detention.Between 2022 and 30 June 2023, OCHArecorded 1,449 settler attacks, whileIsraeli occupying authorities demolished 436 Palestinian homes, forciblydisplacing 1,660 Palestinians, half of whom are children. The International Court of Justice, in its Advisory Opinion on the LegalConsequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied PalestinianTerritory (2004), called on third States to uphold their international obligations,including through non-recognition of Israel’s wrongful acts, including theobligation to not contribute to the internationally wrongful acts and theobligation to cooperate to bring the illegal acts to an end. Two decades later, theWall not only still stands, it has been expanded to appropriate more Palestinianland, creating facts on the ground which have become a fait accompli, defacto annexation. Meanwhile, third States have largely turned a blind eye to theirobligations to bring to an end any impediment resulting from the construction ofthe wall, as well as other violations, which operate to deny the exercise by thePalestinian people of its inalienable right to self-determination. The failure by third States to uphold the ICJ’s advisory opinion, as well as thenumerous UN resolutions, has resulted in Israel’s aggressive and unrestrainedconstruction of illegal settlements, its entrenchment of a discriminatory apartheidregime underpinned by impunity for international crimes. For decades,Palestinians have been calling on the international community to take concreteand meaningful actions, beyond statements of condemnation, to put an end tothese violations, including imposing sanctions, arms embargoes andcountermeasures against Israel. The international community’s lack of politicalwill to hold Israel to account only emboldens Israel to continue committingcrimes against the Palestinian people as a whole. The ‘Question of Palestine’ remains the permanent responsibility of the UN. Aspreviously reaffirmed by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), “the UnitedNations has a permanent responsibility towards the question of Palestine untilthe question is resolved in all its aspects in a satisfactory manner in accordancewith international legitimacy”. Notably, the UN General Assembly decision topartition Palestine under Resolution 181 (II) into an ‘Arab’ and a ‘Jewish’ statecompletely disregarded the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.When Israel sought membership in the UN in 1949, it promised to respect allrelevant UN resolutions. However, Israel has failed to implement every relevantUN resolution, including UNGA Resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948,which requires Israel to fulfill the right of return of Palestinian refugees,displaced persons, and exiles, UNSC Resolution 478 of 1980 prohibiting Israelfrom altering the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, andUNSC Resolution 2334 of 2016 demanding Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including EastJerusalem. We remind UNSC Member States of their obligation to protect the two millionPalestinians in the Gaza Strip, who are at risk of retaliatory Israeli violence. Sofar, Israel has launched airstrikes, killing hundreds of Palestinians and woundingthousands, bombing residential buildings, has cut off electricity and asked Gazaresidents to leavethe besieged Strip, which, given the practical impossibility ofsuch, may amount to threats to commit war crimes against civilians. We oncemore reiterate our call to the UN Security Council to refer Israel’s continuingacts of aggression, including its illegal occupation of the Gaza Strip forinvestigation to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Sixteen consecutive years of Israeli closure and repeated military attacks havedriven Gaza into the brink of collapse and produced disastrous socio-economicconditions. Given the current status of Gaza’s crippled infrastructure, that doesnot allow it to cope with long periods of hostilities, Netanyahu’s reprisals willhave far reaching and grave consequences for the medical response, and mayarise in grave breaches including willfully causing great suffering to the civilianpopulation. Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem,and Palestinians who hold Israeli citizenship are also at risk of retaliatory IsraeliPolice andsettler violence, and punitive mass arrests. Given Israel’s decades-long illegal occupation and apartheid, the Palestinianpeople as a colonized people have a recognized right to exercise full externalself-determination and independence from colonial, foreign domination and aliensubjugation, as reaffirmed in UNGAResolution 1514 of 1960 and Resolution3246 of 1974. Accordingly, Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the PalestinianCentre for Human Rights call on the Member States of the UNSC to: 1. Recognize and condemn Israel’s illegal occupation, settler-colonialism,and apartheid regime as the root causes underpinning the continuous waves ofconflict in the territory; 2. Demand Israel’s immediate, unconditional and total withdrawal from theoccupied Palestinian territory, as required in UN resolutions since 1967; 3. Call for the dismantling of Israel’s settler colonial apartheid regime onboth sides of the Green Line; 4. Take concrete steps to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people,particularly in the Gaza Strip, facing retaliatory Israeli attacks; 5. Sanction Israel’s illegal occupation, apartheid and actsof aggression through the application of an arms embargo, economic sanctionsand countermeasures against Israel; On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 6:31 PM Jethroe Moore <moore2j@att.net> wrote:Please don't call them terrorist. That will never bring Peace. Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 6:14 PM, Rebecca Eisenberg <reisenberg@gmail.com> wrote: The short answer: WE MUST PRIORITIZE PEACE. The longer answer -- and please forgive the length -- include thoughts I blatantly borrow from writers and thinkers who have dedicated their lives to the goal of creating peace and sustaining life and equity on the only planet we can call home: For many of us, it can be helpful to have a moral and practical framework, when it comes to saving the lives of humans in danger, as is the state of affairs in the Middle East. Some people choose religious and/or political approaches, but Ifind that too dogmatic while at the same time too lacking in common sense and scientific and historic basis. For me, along with millions of others worldwide (although confoundingly a surprising few in the USA), choose the framework established by the UN in creating the 17 Goals for Sustainable Government: https://www.globalgoals.org/. The Global Goals, based on countless research time, scientific studies, and first- hand human narratives, crafted by the world's leading scientists, human rights activists, community organizers, and governmental, business, and nonprofit leaders, provide a proven and rational blueprint for creating peace and saving life on this planet (the former being necessary to achieve the latter). The Goals illucidate how the world's biggest problems compound on each other: for example, the deprivation of healthcare and sanitary living conditions directly causes poverty, hunger, and disease, and the deprivation of education and representative government increases the exploitation and impoverishment of women and children, the lack of adequate employment, and thedisempowerment of masses. Similarly, the continued pollution caused by exploitative businesses and lack of enforcement by the government leads directly to lack of safety from climate events, and difficulty in providing clean water, breathable air, and cultivable land. Working to reduce one problemwithout exception helps with the achievement of other goals. Here is how an application of the UN's Global Goals could and would approach, and I believe resolve, the escalating conflict and humanitarian crises in the Middle East (and elsewhere): 1. Eradication of poverty (goal 1). The impoverished conditions in which individuals and families are forced to live in Gaza and elsewhere throughout the Middle East (with the VAST majority of this poverty occuring in Arab countries) directly leads to terrorism, misogyny, racism and anti-semitism. Poverty is caused and exploited by corrupt governments (including Hamas, including the US, including California) that concentrate power and wealth in the hands of thewealthiest few, depriving the majority of the population of rational ability to support themselves and their families. Poverty creates a culture of desperation, violence, and xenophobia, regardless of the religion or skin color of the impoverished. Corrupt countries regularly deprive their own "citizens" of thebasics of human existence, hoarding the resources and wealth in the hands of the wealthiest few on top, then they blame the deprivation of the masses on *outsiders* rather than on their own corrupt government. Those masses, deprived of any education (almost always women and girls being the mostdeprived) have no ability or reason to question the propaganda they are given. IMAGINE IF THESE MASSES had homes, health care, education, and sufficient food? The world would be transformed. There is no fighting amongst each other when everyone has *enough*. If the wealthiest few did not hoard resources andwealth, there would be MORE than enough for every living person on earth to have *enough*. That, as an aside, is one of the many ways that billionaires by their very existence cause immense social harm. A healthy economy would never allow such a privileged and entitled tiny segment of our society to takeeverything for themselves. In Gaza, an empowered Palestinian community could vote for representative leadership that could pursue sustainable conditions with humane living conditions and sufficient food, water, healthcare, childcare, and employment. With terrorists running the show (and stealing the humanitarian aidfor use in creating bombs and buying weapons), peace and empowerment seem unachievable at best. 2. Ensure sustainable cities and communities (goal 11). Per above, the international community needs to do a better job of ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches the people in Gaza rather than being stolen by the terrorists in charge. With that essential aid, Palestinians could live safely, with humane housing conditions, medical care, education, and equal opportunity to work andparticipate in life. These rights must be given to all people regardless of religion and gender-- which is the opposite of what is happening in Islamist countries (see, e.g. Afghanistan, where the Taliban have stripped women and girls of every human right virtually without exception; where young girls fromimpoverished families are regularly sold to men as old as age 80). ALL people must be given agency and control over our own bodies. Cities must be built for living things, including the ecosystem and the animals, plants, and fungi that are part of the ecosystem, including humans. Public transit must be available andsafe. Childcare, healthcare, and jobs must be made available to all. Communities must be inclusive and welcoming, without exception. Renewable energy sources must be affordable and available. Clean water, clean air, and healthy conditions must be available to all. Pollution must be cleaned up by the capitalists who profited from activities that made the pollution. Every person has the human right to live in safe, clean conditions. Note that we cannot make this possible without Goal 13 - Climate Action, Goal 8 - Decent work for ALL (not just men) and living wage for all, Goal 9 - Infrastructure, Goal 12 - Responsible production & Consumption, Goal 6 - Clean Water & Sanitation, Goal 3 - Good health including for women and children, who comprise the majority of the world's population living in population (as well as the majority of US and its individuals states' people living in poverty); and Goal 2 - Zero hunger. When people are forced to focus on their most basic human needs for survival -- food, water, and shelter -- they are deprived of agency over their lives and have little ability to rise above their disempowered conditions. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN GAZA and although Israel's current reactionary, right wing government is not effectively assisting, it should be pointed out that Israel is the largest contributor of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and it is NOT in Israel's interest that this humanitarian aid continues to bestolen and exploited for violence by Hamas and other terrorist groups. Of course, assigning blame is an ego-driven pursuit, just like revenge. What the impoverished and disempowered people in Gaza and elsewhere in Arab countries (and most non-Arab countries) need more than anything isRESOURCES and autonomy over their selves and their lives. They need SAFETY, including and especially from the terrorists that have taken control.e 3. Urgently advocate for equality on the basis of gender, religion, nationality, and race -- goals 5 (gender equality), 11 (reduce inequalities), and 4 - quality education for all people, INCLUDING girls and women, who currently are deprived of the opportunity to attend schools in a large number of "respected" nations. Religious "traditions" based in the persecution and exploitation of women must be eradicated (this includes not just Islamist hatred of women and girls, but also Orthodox Jewish hatred of women and girls. I am not being extreme here. The Orthodox men who have taken control of Israel are not terrorists like Hamas, but they do share a practice of disempowering women andgirls. These Orthodox men won't even shake hands with women out of misogynist bigotry that women may be "unclean," which they (ignorantly) define as "possibly menstruating." Yet we know that their exclusion of women from positions of power have nothing to do with irrational germ-phobia related tomenstruation, because they use that same excuse to exclude and disempower women of all ages, including those over age 60, who almost certainly are not menstruating, as well as any other person who identifies as female. It is about hoarding power in the hands of the few, as it is so many places on earth. Andthe unequal distribution of resources and power, as the Global Goals make clear, are extremely damaging to the prospects of human life on our only planet. Time and time again, the most effective way to solve and avoid conflict hasalways been the eradication of poverty, hunger, inequality, and exploitation.THAT is the blueprint for the overarching goal of Goal 16: Peace and Justice. The Global Goals are really a fantastic tool for this pursuit, given how the pursuit of one goal always assists in the pursuit of others (and if the pursuit of one goal is harming another goal, then the strategy is broken: for example, destroying vulnerable eco-system in misplaced pursuit of providing clean water will only lead to less clean water, and more polluted living conditions for the most vulnerable. But cleaning up toxic waste sites and regenerating wildlife habitat will decrease climate disasters, and increase the availability of clean water, air, and ground for communities to live and thrive. Here are more examples: eradicatingpoverty (Goal 1), hunger (Goal 2), and housing (goal 11) will increase the health and longevity of all people (goal 4). Taking climate action (goal 13), and converting to renewable energy sources (Goal 12) will improve life on land (goal 15), and life at sea (Goal 14), as well as improve the quality of drinking water(Goal 6) and decrease hunger (goal 2) by re-empowering communities to grow food locally. Access to more food and clean water will assist in the eradication of poverty (goal 1),to create sustainable communities (goal 11). Improving the strength and quality of public education (Goal 5) and public transit (goals 9 and11) along with CHILDCARE (goal 11) will help enable the equality of women, girls and other non-males (Goal 5) as well as reducing inequalities (Goal 10). This is why all 17 of the Global Goals, including the one so often ignored as optional (Gender Equality-goal 5) MUST be pursued to save life on this planet. Following the Global Goals framework, we CAN solve these problems, but only by BUILDING rather than tearing down. Destroying Gaza and the human beings and all other life within it WILL ONLY HARM everyone involved, including Israel. Imagine how the conditions would improve if the Humanitarian Aid given to Palestines in Gaza were not stolen by the terrorist men, including Hamas but also Hezbollah and others??? Imagine if Israel and the US spent its combined trillions of dollars (ok, almost all of that is the US's money) on ERADICATINGPOVERTY, PROVIDING UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE (including abortion care and family planning) and ELIMINATING POLLUTION so that all people can live in clean, safe conditions, and so the US no longer would have the highest MATERNAL death rate than all other developed country-- a death rate higherthan many *developing* countries -- with the death rate in the US being highest of all when it comes to African American women, who die giving birth at crisis levels due to intentional deprivation of clean and humane conditions and women's health care. (As a reminder, the majority of people in poverty in the US(and the world) are women and children, and among those women and children, persecuted minorities are overrepresented in poverty). In economic theory, it is well established and accepted that growth andimprovement is almost impossible to achieve without investment. Applied to government spending, cutting costs to social programs, especially in pursuit of violent pursuits (military spending, prisons, armed officers) almost always is proven counterproductive. Under the Global Goals framework, a proven effectivealternative is to invest in people's economic, housing, health, and nutritional conditions, which leads to better public health, a more qualified workforce, more well-paid jobs, and strong communities. This involves recognizing that HELPING OTHERS ALWAYS HELPS OURSELVES! Selfish thinking never works: eventhe Wall Street Journal bemoaned on the front page above the fold, that the Republicans' success in killing the forgiveness of the PARTIAL amount of student loans that Biden had (reluctantly) agreed to forgive had an immediate NEGATIVE impact on our economy -- depriving the US economy of at least ONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS. (For a more comprehensive analysis, with additional facts supporting the WSJ's conclusions, can be found on Senator Elizabeth Warren's website here, here and here.) Helping the vulnerable ALWAYS helps the economy as a whole. The Global Goals clarifies this analysis for the masses of people who have trouble seeing beyond immediate personal impact to ascertain the bigger picture -- that sometimes benefits them even more. The Global Goals help explain how hard it is to SAVE THE WORLD without SAVING EACH OTHER. Without GENDER EQUALITY and CLIMATE ACTION, we cannot eliminate POVERTY and HUNGER. Without HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, AND EDUCATION, we cannot have SAFECOMMUNITIES and REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENTS. Without RESTORATIVE JUSTICE -- e.g. reparations to descendents of enslaved people, Indigenous people (who deserve their land back), descendents of Japanese- Americans forcibly incarcerated during WW2, and other groups deprived ofrights, income, and opportunity in the US due to intentional policies -- we cannot have EQUALITY, SAFETY, and OPPORTUNITY for all --the BASIC rights theoretically granted in the Preamble to the US Constitution. We cannot achieve any goal through the sacrifice of another. We always have options andalternatives. There are always other means and approaches, which become more visible by considering a wider array of perspectives and (G-d forbid!) new ideas. Now is NOT the time to keep repeating the same mistakes hoping for a different result. Like war. WAR ONLY HARMS. Yet, with the same people who caused the problems 100% in charge of the "solutions," War - again- is where we are going, and the stakes keep getting higher. Civil unrest and humanitarian crises are increasing rather thandecreasing in the Middle East and around the globe. Fascist and xenophobic political groups are gaining traction. Money and power is increasingly being consolidated into the hands of the few (we sure see that in Palo Alto, hello Sobrato, Castilleja, AJ Capital, among other private billionaire-run companieswith outsized influence on our city). A war in Israel could easily lead to World War 3. All this over ... what? A land dispute? This is why I continue to advocate for NEW leadership and new systems ofdecision making and conflict resolution. Our democracy is far from representative. Decisions continue to be unduly influenced by those with the most wealth, a group often overlapping with those who have created the most planetary and social harm. Unfortunately, when people get scared, they often resort to the most counterproductive approach: they cling to sameness and fight against the systemic changes that MUST be made for people and the planet to have afighting chance. Why can't we just say, "OK, Capitalism and Patriarchy had along run -- (5 millennia?) -- so, now let's try something new for the next couple hundred years (assuming we have that long)?". What could that hurt? Why not embrace a different framework, like the UN's 17 Goals for Sustainable Development? Being the world's biggest optimist that I am, I truly believe that if the human collective could unite on ONE SHARED GOAL -- e.g. SAVING THE PLANET -- we could make the huge structural changes we require to get that task done, and we can do it by building bridges rather than burningthem -- and everything near them -- down to the ground. Truly, all I am advocating for is a more effective, more rational, more science- based and ethics-driven approach-- an approach that recognizes that theachievement of our heady goal is so ambitious that we need - without exception - all hands on deck, so no one can be left behind, and all people must be empowered to be their be their most actualized, educated, mindful, empowered selves, supported by strong and equitable communities in the context of peaceand well-distributed resources. There is no room for resource hoarding, dick size contests, ego-driven conflicts, and -- for the love of G-d -- "Revenge" -- in a world community focused on saving our ONLY home. While the UN's 17 Goals for Sustainable Development: A Blueprint to Sustain Life on Earth likely is not the only approach to saving our planet and achieving peace, it's a good one-- and at least unquantifiably better than the current approach of solving conflicting between men by raping and murdering women. I cannot imagine one good thing that could come from escalating this conflict. Then again, I fundamentally, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, believe that human beings CAN join forces towards the most important goal that unites us all: saving our planet and all life on it. Just my two cents, of course. Best,Rebecca 415-235-8078 On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 3:08 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:Hi Rebecca,Your points are all well taken and do clarify the issues for me. Now what can we do tostop, at least in this conflict, the brutal Israeli government with U.S. support fromdestroying what little infrastructure is left in Palestine for the 2.5 million Palestiniansimprisoned with little to zero resources to survive? To stop the madness the U.S. muststop supporting the wealthy Israeli terrorist government with billions more of U.S. aidevery year. It is time the U.S. demands that Israel give back all of the occupiedterritory to the Palestinian people. And no more aid to nuclear-armed Israel. Instead allU.S. aid now going to Israel must instead go to Palestine to rebuild hospitals andschools and other critical infrastructure destroyed repeatedly by the vile terrorist stateof Isreal. In addition to U.S. aid going to the Palestinians the Israeli government mustpay reparations to the Palestinians and help rebuilt the infrastructure of Palestine. Andas you have suggested at least 1/2 of all leadership in both countries moving forwardmust be women. Okay, thanks so much for opening up this life and death conversation. Best, aram On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 1:36 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:Sunday, October 8, 2023 Hi Rebecca,This is horrible. You have done a great job of researching this critical issue. Pleaseplease also research the hugely disproportionate number of Palestinian women, girls,children and men routinely murdered, raped, and subject to the worse possible warcrimes by the terrorist state of Israel with the full financial support of the leadingterrorist state on the planet the U.S. government. I guarantee you that by the time thiscurrent war is done 10 times as many Palestinian civilians, innocent women,children, and men will be slaughtered by Israel's forces with the full support of theUSA. Best regards, Aram On Sun, Oct 8, 2023, at 1:02 PM Rebecca Eisenberg <reisenberg@gmail.com>wrote: THIS IS A WAR AGAINST WOMEN. Can we PLEASE be mindful of the sources we cite and send around here... and the subject lines we use when we forward to the group? This was not PALESTINIANS. It was HAMAS -- the misogynist and racist terrorist club that controls the Palestinians in Gaza. This was a MASSACRE at a RAVE attended by thousands of CHILDREN and young adults -- NOT an "attack on Israel" as much as a group murder and torture of tourists and students.This was not a "strike back." This was a horde of angry men seeking violence. Israel may need to be "protected" but only to the extent of that protection includes the hundreds of WOMEN AND GIRLS who RIGHT NOW are in HELL, having been dragged there by angry men. THIS ISTRIGGERING. These HUNDREDS of women and girls -- of ALL religions and nationalities -- that are being RAPED, tortured and murdered goes FAR beyond a malesquirmish over real estate. Many of these women were at the Rave in order to escape the increasing stronghold of Israel's right wing misogynist government, which does not brutally rape them, but does continue to strip women and girls of rights as they entrench a formerly secular Democracyinto right-wing religious propaganda. Of course this massacre took place on Shabbat during a Jewish holiday. The MEN IN CHARGE in Israel take those days off, imposing their entitlement to a "day of rest" on the millions of others who have to go without the men who control the country butcannot be bothered to delegate to women or gentiles on their 36-hours off a week. (I can say this because I am Jewish.) This is NOT some sort of "defense of Palestinians." Actual Palestinians are being killed. These are attacks on GIRLS AND WOMEN of all religions, nationalities. and ages. This is an attack on every single girl, woman, and non-male alive. This is a war against WOMEN. For all of us who are survivors. not just of ethnic trauma (e.g. the Holocaust) but also of sexual violence, THIS IS TRIGGERING. There are thousands of armed terrorist men hiding in plain sight (guess what? Palestinians and Israelis look ALIKE) in order to kidnap and brualitize morewomen and girls in Israel. Can we please focus on the mission of this group? PEACE IS A FEMINIST ISSUE. Rape is war against women. I thought this was a FEMINIST group,not a group of women that takes sides in conflicts between extremist men who use women and girls as shields, bullets, pawns, and meat. Sources (reflecting inescapable bias of patriarchy): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67046444 Mother begs for daughter SHANI LOUK kidnapped from rave https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/07/israelis-react-to- unprecedented-hamas-attack-with-disbelief (pointing out that it was WOMEN who were taken, yet still not calling it as it is.) https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/hamas-israel-hostage-attack-us- palestinian-rcna119375 "Israel resident Yoni Asher said he watched on social media as a disturbing video emerged appearing to show his wife, two young daughters and mother-in-law being taken by Hamas and crammed onto the back of a vehicle." https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-israeli-women-children-seniors- taken-hostage-hamas-in-gaza-2023-10 (photos of women and girls captured, including seniors, children, and young women) https://www.businessinsider.com/credit-card-shani-louk-naked-paraded- hamas-israel-palestine-gaza-2023-10 (seeming shocked that she "may have been robbed." Is being robbed worse than being sexually assaulted? Because she almost certainly was that too.) https://nypost.com/2023/10/08/family-pleads-for-return-of-grandmother-85- taken-hostage-in-gaza/ -- 85 year old grandmother taken https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/toi-original/israeli-student- screams-dont-kill-me-as-hamas-terrorists-kidnap-her-from-rave-party- horrifying-visual/videoshow/104263381.cms Videos of young women being carried away by angry misogynist men. THIS IS A WAR ON WOMEN. PEACE IS A FEMINIST ISSUE. On Sun, Oct 8, 2023 at 8:38 AM WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto<wilpf.peninsula.paloalto@gmail.com> wrote:From popularresistance.org today:Israel likens the attack to 9-11 Palestinian Resistance Launches Unprecedented Attack On Israel By Tareq S. Hajjaj and Mondoweiss Editors, Mondoweiss. In the early morning hours of Saturday, October 7, the Palestinian resistance inthe besieged Gaza Strip launched anunprecedented surprise multi-prong attack on Israel, including firing a barrage of rockets toward Israeli territory while simultaneouslycarrying out a ground offensive into nearbyIsraeli towns which breached the Israeli Gaza barrier and overwhelmed surrounding Israeli military posts. As of 12:30 local time, it was reported that thousands of rockets had been fired from Gaza into Israel and that Israeli air forces had targeted multiple areas across the GazaStrip. -more- From:Aram James To:Planning Commission; ParkRec Commission; Shikada, Ed; Lauing, Ed; becker.josh@gmail.com;JRosen@dao.sccgov.org; moore2j@att.net; Stump, Molly; Molly.ONeal@pdo.sccgov.org;damon.silver@pdo.sccgov.org; daustin@pausd.org; dangel@da.sccgov.org; voteshanasegal@gmail.com; Council,City; jaxpolo@gmail.com; sallen6444@yahoo.com; ajluni@hotmail.com; alphonse9947@gmail.com;cmrstaylor@gmail.com; BNash@menlopark.org; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; sdremann@paweekly.com;dcombs@menlopark.org Subject:Israel retaliates following Hamas attacks, death toll climbs on both sides - Reuters Date:Sunday, October 8, 2023 3:53:40 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Israel retaliates following Hamas attacks, death toll climbs on both sides - Reuters https://apple.news/AlJGpxh2KRj2Wk0yNVlaeug From:Mitchell Rosen To:Council, City Subject:Cubberley -- Council meeting October 16 Date:Sunday, October 8, 2023 11:06:57 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from ccny57@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I have lived next to the Cubberley campus for more than half of its existence, and I attended the neighborhood planning sessions. I'm very concerned about its future. I implore you to NOT destroy this jewel. The playing fields are a treasure for the community, and an aesthetic pleasure in a heavily-built city; the school spaces bustle with activity. Where are all these users to go while we excavate and rebuild ? We all know that public projects often take twice as long as predicted. Do we think that Cubberley redeveIopment would be done by 2027 if we were to start next year ? 2028 ? I fear that many of Cubberley's users will not survive to return, and that we will have an expensive ghost town as new activities slowly repopulate newly built spaces. My vote, if it means anything, is to invest in a Cubberley maintenance plan for revitalization and upgrading on a schedule that dispossesses as few of its current users as possible. Mitchell Rosen Diablo Court From:Yahoo Mail.® To:Honky Cc:Michael Ryan; Jack & Barbara Connors; coderevival@yahoo.ca; F Cosmas; BBC ONLY; Chris L. Spiess; clmacgil@ucalgary.ca; Nancy Clancy; cotingas@hotmail.com; "Claire"; NICOLE; Council, City; MARGO COLEMAN; ckerwick1@yahoo.com; cldodson07@yahoo.com; FRANK SOOS; Cort Greene; connections@linkedin.com; BRIAN HALL; contactsellis@gmail.com; connor_hart@comcast.net; corky4president2002@gmail.com; Don Fredrick; coglitor@unive.it; codepinkorlando@gmail.com; cl_madison@hotmail.com; Carlos Jr Rodriguez; BBC ONLY; BBC ONLY; companeras1994@yahoo.com; BRIAN WILLIAM HALL; commanderlopez@gmail.com; cmchinn2005@hotmail.com; CommSocial; Amy Atkinson; Erik Langeland; elkinchavo34@hotmail.com; emersonarias@gmail.com; John Walker; expose911@gmail.com; eubanksy; elcm@messiahsbranch.org; EtheliceBERG; emartinmdcaap@yahoo.com; Fred Petersen; Elvira Williams; Danell Evans; eskimogirl@enter.net; Stephanie Dillman; eric_encina@yahoo.com; emcalmel@hotmail.com; emvokes@telus.net; escuadronesporlaverdad@gmail.com; Elissa M Ummarino; Greg Cox; Elise Alvarado; eurekamoment911@yahoo.com; ERIC GALATI; me; enrique.navarro@uv.es; ericppatel@aim.com; emcalcharlie@verizon.net; email2jules@yahoo.com; Eric Beeth; emanlabah@yahoo.com; frank lapinski; etanser.ns64@yahoo.com; I S; Larry Sanchez; Dr. M. Elmasry; eli-james@sbcglobal.net; erer22@163.com; elisa_rha@yahoo.com; evedemian@verizon.net; Evelyn Poole; exopolitics@yahoo.com; Enriquez Lara; Ellie Gallagher; esalter1@mindspring.com; "Ellen Brown"; erica_roberson@yahoo.com; johnbursill@gmail.com; john.taft@renesas.com; John O Donnelll; John G Rawson; johnmorris1939@hotmail.com; Aradhana Gupta; joseph.buysse@gmail.com; jr@rense.com; jschroeder@shaw.ca; jonah@winterswebworks.com; Jen Bonhard; Joan Berman; jpskier2440@yahoo.com; jrcotto@optonline.com; johnbritto_1@yahoo.com; Jill Thompson; Johnanne Winchester; John CIV NSA MIDSOUTH 06 Perales; jpokorak@suffolk.edu; josh vivelarevolucion; joedaddy69@live.com; jsondej@lamartcorp.com; John Stroebel; "Branden"; jsauers06@gmail.com; jonbren@comcast.net; "Jane stillwater"; John Jorgensen; jpazpro@hotmail.com; Kenneth Parsons; Johnny Robinson; jrv43@yahoo.com; J. Cotten Home; MELINDA THE MOVIE PRODUCER; john.mcginness@ag.gov.au; joeemt32@verizon.net; journal@c-span.org; john_alonso2003@yahoo.com; Campaign for Liberty; Jonathan Thompson; jsleaphart@cs.com; jperrin21@hotmail.com; Jan Schwarz; Joe Berhan; josephkasyan@yahoo.com; jtrainer141@comcast.net; joehd39@gmail.com; josephrmcdevitt@hotmail.com; jose_padro@hotmail.com; JOHN OF PHILLY Subject:COVID Bioweapon Vax, Extinction Level Event and MORE PLEASE SHARE ALL OVER THE WORLD Date:Sunday, October 8, 2023 9:27:09 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. USAWatchdog - COVID Bioweapon Vax, Extinction Level Event - Greg Hunter, Dr Ana Mihalcea OCT.07.2023 NARM "Ban the Jab" Forum USAWatchdog - COVID Bioweapon Vax,Extinction Level Event - Greg Hunter,... There is much more in the 33-minute interview. Join Greg Hunter ofUSAWatchdog.com as he goes one on one with Dr... https://rumble.com/v3lxey2-narm-truth-for-health-and-vaxxchoice-5g-symposium-friday-29th-2023.html https://nationalarm.org NARM "Ban the Jab" Forum National American Renaissance Movement (NationalArm.org) 'Banthe Jab' Forum. This in depth educational forum in... NARM, Truth For Health & Vaxxchoice 5GSymposium Friday Sep. 29th, 2023 October 4 FEMA emergency alert test is ‘criminal battery,’ experts sayOn September 29, a livestream symposium o... From:Ron Baker To:Lydia Kou Cc:Council, City Subject:Another Accident at Arastradero Traffic Calming Project x corner of Coulombe Date:Saturday, October 7, 2023 11:18:28 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from rabaker.pa@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Lydia: Tonight we had another accident, car turned right off Coulombe onto Arastradero, hit median next to bike lane, front bumper unit flew off stranded car and went through our neighborsfence. This will only get worse for Palo Alto. She said she gunned the car when it got stuck, and I’ve seen that panic behavior before in a couple of other drivers. Police came and took areport. I told the driver to talk to her attorney about recourse against the city, and have no qualms about this, cuz the damned city DOES NOT LISTEN. This is literally one of the dumbestdesigns ever created, and guaranteed to create more accidents, where someday somebody will get killed, and the judgment against the city will exceed the cost of this stupid $15MM trafficcalming design. I’m sure Ellison’s Towing service thanks you for the business. Meanwhile PA police do nothing to slow speeding drivers on Arastradero, no citations. One car took off at 50+MPH in opposite direction shortly after this accident., before the policearrived. Ron Baker From:Loran Harding To:Loran Harding; Mayor; Mark Standriff; Doug Vagim; David Balakian; dennisbalakian; Dan Richard;dallen1212@gmail.com; alumnipresident@stanford.edu; beachrides; bearwithme1016@att.net; bballpod; LeodiesBuchanan; fred beyerlein; Council, City; Cathy Lewis; Daniel Zack; eappel@stanford.edu; Scott Wilkinson;George.Rutherford@ucsf.edu; Gabriel.Ramirez@fresno.gov; huidentalsanmateo; hennessy; Irv Weissman; SallyThiessen; jerry ruopoli; Joel Stiner; kfsndesk; karkazianjewelers@gmail.com; merazroofinginc@att.net; margaret-sasaki@live.com; maverickbruno@sbcglobal.net; MY77FJ@gmail.com; newsdesk; nick yovino;news@fresnobee.com; russ@topperjewelers.com; Steve Wayte; terry; tsheehan; vallesR1969@att.net Subject:Fwd: San Jose looking into e- utility Date:Saturday, October 7, 2023 4:48:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>Date: Sat, Oct 7, 2023 at 4:38 PM Subject: San Jose looking into e- utilityTo: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org> Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 To all- Lots here for Fresno officials to ponder. Note it says that PG&E is pushing back on the idea San Jose has. UPDATE: Why is San Jose starting its own power utility? - San José Spotlight(sanjosespotlight.com) I do know that when I lived in Santa Clara 1995-2000, my e- bill was dirt cheap. SC has its own e- utility. Note that a heat pump can vastly reduce your e- bill in summer and gas bill in thewinter. I've sent detailed emails about that recently. The feds, and States, including Calif., have formed a big alliance to get heat pumps adopted. Now we need big refundable taxcredits from California and the feds to make them more affordable. I suggest that the electeds push for that. You could make a big dent in our energy bills that way, both commercial andresidential. The heat pumps could make such a dent in GHG emissions that the feds should lay on big incentives for makers to produce more including, perhaps, orders to produce more. L. William Harding Fresno, Ca. From:Aram JamesTo:Lewis james; chuck jagoda; Jack Ajluni; Salem Ajluni; Council, City; Lauing, Ed; Planning Commission; ParkRec Commission; Human Relations CommissionSubject:Fwd: “Those who put their faith in fire in fire their faith will be repaid ” Date:Saturday, October 7, 2023 11:56:00 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. “Those who put their faith in fire in fire their faith will be repaid ” On Sat, Oct 7, 2023 at 11:36 AM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna119315 From:Katie Causey To:Council, City Subject:Thank you for a great housing meeting! Date:Saturday, October 7, 2023 10:43:46 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from katie@katiecausey.org. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello! I just wanted to thank everyone for a great housing meeting Wednesday night, this is a toughsubject area and I think the hard work of staff and the housing ad hoc committee along with everyone’s efforts to build consensus really showed! From:Aram James To:alphonse9947@gmail.com; jaxpolo@gmail.com; ajluni@hotmail.com; Council, City; Human Relations Commission Subject:Israeli military says it is striking targets in the Gaza Strip as air raid sirens sound in Jerusalem Date:Saturday, October 7, 2023 12:32:31 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Israeli military says it is striking targets in the Gaza Strip as air raid sirens sound in Jerusalem https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-says-palestinian-militants-are-infiltrating-gaza-rcna119315 From:Ziem Neubert (Project Cornerstone) Subject:Project Cornerstone"s Asset Champions Breakfast Awards - Nominations Date:Friday, October 6, 2023 7:51:58 PM Attachments:2024 Nominations Promo Slide.pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from ziem@projectcornerstone.org. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Elected Officials, We’ve all come across young people, adults, schools, clubs, and businesses inour community that are making a difference in the lives of youth. Do you knowa teen or young adult who models positive behaviors for other young people,like that lifeguard at the pool, or the youth who always says “yes” to avolunteer opportunity? Or, how about the organization that values youthinvolvement and youth voice, or the caring middle school that encourageskindness and inclusivity? These are all ASSET CHAMPIONS and what betterway to recognize them than by nominating them for an Asset Champion Award? Nominations are due next Friday, October 13th. Details and thenomination forms for all 7 categories can be found on our 2024 AssetChampions Nominations website.Attached is one slide that has an overview of the awards and the same link andQR code to the nomination forms page. We will host our annual Asset Champions Breakfast event on March 15, 2024 atthe Santa Clara Convention Center, where we will celebrate the awardrecipients and so much more. (Details will be sent out later. By the way, ProjectCornerstone will turn 25 years old in 2024. Can you believe it?) Please help us spread the word to get more nominations. We know thingshave changed and we all are still rebuilding after COVID. Perhaps people don’thave the bandwidth to write a nomination, and yet we know there are manyindividuals and organizations who are doing amazing things for youth (maybeeven more so, now than ever), and we hope people will think it’s worth thetime to submit a nomination. We would love to be able to celebrate the diverseways people are showing up for youth.Thank you for your consideration to help us with this outreach and/or forwriting a nomination yourself.With gratitude,Ziem Ziem Nguyen Neubert, M.Ed. (she/her/hers)Executive DirectorYMCA PROJECT CORNERSTONE550 S Winchester Blvd, Ste 250, San Jose, CA 95128(P) 408-351-6419(E) ziem@projectcornerstone.org (W) www.projectcornerstone.org The Y: We're for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.Project Cornerstone is an initiative of the YMCA of Silicon Valley. 2024 Asset Champions Nominations are Now Open! From:Linda M. Saunders To:editor@paweekly.com; news@padailypost.com; editor@almanacnews.com; news@stanforddaily.com;usafetypcore@stanford.edu; Eileen O"Rourke; staffersbusiness@lists.stanford.edu; Jo-Ann Cuevas;cardinalatwork; hrcommunications@stanford.edu; OConnell, M; Police; Clerk, City; City Mgr; Council, City;Dueker, Kenneth; Perron, Zachary; policechief@menlopark.org; police@losaltosca.gov; board@ctra.org;stanfordwestapartments; lucy.wicks@stanford.edu; Cynthea A. Kingsley; Norman W Robinson; Laura Jackson(SHC); Kathryn Harris (SHC); Mark C Lawrence; psa@kzsu.stanford.edu; gm@kzsu.stanford.edu;allison@icrichild.org; senchal@icrichild.org; ridhima@icrichild.org; pgrajo@icrichild.org; enrollment@icrichild.org;kimberly; Nathalie.Larsen@brighthorizons.com; cierra.webb@brighthorizons.com;mickey.alvarado@brighthorizons.com; maryann.klotovich@brighthorizons.com;Nancy.Costantiello@brighthorizons.com; sarar; nurten; Rachel Lim; keiko@ccscparentcoop.org;susan@ccscparentcoop.org; hope@ccscparentcoop.org; asheward@pausd.org; ltaylor@pausd.org;bkline@pausd.org; Jennifer.Winters@stanford.edu; Berkson, Jerry; lbutler@pausd.org; eolah@pausd.org;msteingart@pausd.org; OK_School@mpcsd.org; nscott@mpcsd.org; c.petersen@mpcsd.org Subject:FW: Community Advisory - Annual AlertSU System Test - Thursday, October 12, 2023 Date:Friday, October 6, 2023 3:58:26 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from linda.saunders@stanford.edu. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Please distribute widely. Thank you. Stanford Dept. of Public Safety From: Stanford AlertSU - Community Advisory <alertsudps@lists.stanford.edu> Sent: Friday, October 6, 2023 11:12 AM To: Linda M. Saunders <linda.saunders@stanford.edu> Subject: Community Advisory - Annual AlertSU System Test - Thursday, October 12, 2023 On Thursday, October 12, at approximately 12:05 p.m., Stanford University will conductits annual test of the campus AlertSU system. Alert messages will be sent via text message andemail to the Stanford community. The alert message will also post to the university emergencywebsite, Public Safety website and the Stanford mobile app. The outdoor warning system will be activated. If you are outside, you should expect to hear anaudible tone for approximately 30 seconds, followed by a verbal message from each of the 7sirens at various campus locations. The sirens will be audible throughout the campus and mayalso be heard in parts of the surrounding communities, including Palo Alto, Menlo Park andLos Altos. Also being tested are Cisco VoIP speaker phones. VoIP speaker phones are found in many ofthe academic and office buildings throughout campus. If you have a Cisco phone in your area,the AlertSU message will broadcast from the speaker phone and a banner message will appearin the display. In the test message sent to your device, you will be asked to acknowledge the message. This is an important step that will help us monitor the success of this test. If you receive both a textand email, you only need to acknowledge one of the messages. Prior to the test, it is important you verify that your contact information is correct inAxess (students) or StanfordYou (faculty and staff). Students: In Axess, make sure there is an entry in the mobile phone field as this is the most rapid and direct way to communicate with you during an emergency. Faculty and Staff: In StanfordWho, make sure there is an entry in the mobile phone field, asthis is the most rapid and direct way of communication with you during an actual emergency. As a reminder: the university requires that employees maintain their directory entry and opt into AlertSU with their work phone number, email address, and any university-issued or reimbursed cell phone number. Please click here for step by step instructions on how to enter your contact information in StanfordYou or visit https://police.stanford.edu/alert/alertsu- faq.html for more information. Additionally, in order to know you are receiving an official AlertSU message, please programthe following information into your mobile phone contacts. Email Address: alertsudps@lists.stanford.edu Phone Number: 650-725-5555 Text Message phone number: 89361 Members of the public and those without a profile in Axess or StanfordWho can receive emergency alerts by downloading the Stanford mobile app and enabling push notifications. In a real emergency, the AlertSU message will contain specific instructions. Notify others nearyou to ensure they are aware of the situation and recommended safety precautions. Other sources of information about critical incidents include: Stanford’s emergency website: http://emergency.stanford.edu Department of Public Safety website: https://police.stanford.edu Social Media: Twitter/Instagram @Stanford University emergency information hotlines: 650-725-5555 and 844-253-7878 (844- AlertSU) KZSU 90.1 FM For more information about the AlertSU system, please visit the AlertSU FAQ page at: https://police.stanford.edu/alertsu-faq.html. Learn more about campus evacuation procedures and how to respond to emergencies at cardinalready.stanford.edu. From:Herbert Fischgrund To:Council, City Cc:herb fisch Subject:Cubberley Date:Friday, October 6, 2023 2:27:15 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from fischgrundh@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links.________________________________ I strongly support the upgrade and redevelopment of the Cubberley campus.I urge the council to acquire from the school district the land needed to successfully do thisHerbert Fischgrund750 Torreya CourtPalo Alto Ca. 94303fischgrundh@gmail.comhome phone: (650) 493-4440Cell: 650 269 4740 From:Aram JamesTo:sallen6444@yahoo.com; jethroemooreii@gmail.com; Council, City Subject:Peninsula cities grapple with online trolling while trying to preserve free speech at meetings Date:Friday, October 6, 2023 10:31:10 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/10/05/peninsula-cities-grapple-with-online-trolling-while-trying-to-preserve-free-speech-at-meetings?utm_source=express-2023-10-06&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=express&utm_source=Embarcadero+Mailing+List+%28including+SLJ+Members%29&utm_campaign=9433ab81d8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_10_06_05_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ba1b002ad7-9433ab81d8-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Reminder: You"re Invited to Mike"s Diner"s Thank You Party Tomorrow, October 7th Date:Friday, October 6, 2023 9:01:52 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Mike 2680 Middlefield Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 LIVE music, FREE food, and face painting for the kids... and family fun for all. Everyone is cordially invited to attend! www.mikespaloalto.com This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce News & Updates - October 5, 2023 Date:Thursday, October 5, 2023 1:43:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. NEWS & UPDATES - October 5, 2023 2023 Annual Athena Awards Makers Market Brunch - Sunday CODE: ART - Interactive Media Art Festival 12th Avenidas Housing Conference el PRADO Holiday Special Sibling Cities Town Halls Stanford Otho Acute Injury Clinic Member Spotlight: Upma Sharma Photography Community Guide and Member Directory 2023 Athena Awards Presentation Logo Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce proudly presents the 2023 Annual ATHENA® Awards Thursday, October 19, 2023 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Sheraton Palo Alto 625 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94301 >REGISTER ONLINE< 2023 Athena Leadership AwardWinners HONORING Athena Leadership Award Michele Lew Michele Lew CEO The Health Trust Athena Emerging Professional Leadership Award Jesse Ebner Jesse Ebner Vice President Premier Properties Fees/Admission Individual Tickets: $125 Table Sponsorship (8 guests with preferred location and signage): $1,000 Individual tickets and table sponsorships are available through October 12th - REGISTER ONLINE Learn More Makers Market Brunch @ Wild Onion Bistro & Bar Makers Market Brunch Spend the final moments of summer at Palo Alto’s Wild Onion Bistro & Bar in Hotel Citrine for a Makers Market Brunch this Sunday, October 7th, from 11am to 2pm. In addition to its California-inspired bistro brunch menu, guests can mix, mingle and shop with local artisans and makers at mini pop-up shops located throughout the restaurant's outdoor patio. Featured makers: @tinyrightbrain, @kailunaco, @the_eclection_shop, @ chaparralmade, @aturalsbynisha, @saltwater._.society, @dancingbeeblends, @ chanteuseshades, @stitchesbytiff, @kawaiiglassco Reservations here. Those who make advanced RSVPs on Eventbrite will receive a complimentary glass of bubbles with their brunch. Dine in only. Makers Market Brunch will return later this year for the holiday season. To find out more and learn about other events at Wild Onion, sign up for the newsletter here. Wild Onion is located at Hotel Citrine at 750 San Antonio Road in Palo Alto. CODE: ART - Interactive Media Art Festival CODE: ART - Interactive Media Art Festival Explore Palo Alto Public Art Program's Interactive Media Art Festival! October 12-14, 2023 5 PM - 10 PM Learn More 12th Avenidas Housing Converence 12th Avenidas Housing Conference Saturday, October 14, Avenidas is co-sponsoring with the City of Palo Alto, “Create Your Housing Blueprint for Successful Aging” Conference at Mitchell Park Community Center. Please join us for this free event (you have the opportunity to order a box lunch for $20—sign up at registration.) Learn More and Register for Free el PRADO Holiday Special el PRADO Holiday Special Flyer Book your holiday party with el PRADO during the promotional period, and you will receive a complimentary night stay certificate to be used towards our luxurious accommodations. It's the perfect addition to your employee holiday raffle! Must book between Sept 27 - November 20, 2023Holiday party must actualize before 12/31/23 Call: 650-323-1912 Email: eventservices@elpradopa.com Sibling Cities Town Halls Want to help knit this country back together? Ready to listen with curiosity and empathy to residents of Palo Alto’s Sibling City, Bloomington, Indiana? Curious what they think about how to get along, climate action, and race and belonging? Want to share your views and build friendship, trust, and respect across the miles? Come to a Town Hall where Palo Altans will gather in person and connect by videoconference with a room full of people in Bloomington. Co-sponsored by the cities of Palo Alto and Bloomington, these events aim to renew our public square and offer opportunities to discuss tough issues with fellow Americans distantfrom us. Two more Town Halls will be held on Sunday afternoons from 1-3 pm: Race & Belonging, November 12Climate Action & Sustainability, December 3 In Palo Alto, we’ll gather at the Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road for conversation, comparing and contrasting how these issuesarise in each of our communities and sharing both concerns and potential solutions. To register, go to www.siblingcitiesusa.org/events or use this QR code: Sibling Cities USA is a non-profit organization that fosters relationships between city pairs using three pillars of Connection: Community, Commerce, and Civil Discourse. Palo Alto and Bloomington have engaged in numerous joint activities over the last year to get to know each other and develop friendship and respect.Join the movement! Stanford Otho Acute Injury Clinic Stanford Otho Acute Injury Clinic Stanford Healthcare is pleased to announce the opening of the Acute Injury Clinic in Redwood City, where patients with acute injuries can self-schedule for same day or next day appts. Patients can self-schedule directly here: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical- clinics/acute-injury-program.html This clinic is for patients age 14 and older who have: Acute joint pain Achilles tendon tear Crushed fingers and toes Elbow ligament injuries, including ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury Knee injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear, meniscus tear, and knee ligament injuries Muscle tears, such as biceps, quadriceps, or hamstrings Shoulder pain and problems, including dislocated shoulder, separated shoulder, and rotator cuff injury Sprains and strains Stress fractures We are unable to treat patients age 13 and younger and people with certain injuries or conditions, including: Chronic orthopaedic conditions, such as arthritis or bursitis Back or neck injury Open fractures or lacerations (cut) For More Information: Acute Injury Program | Stanford Health Care Upma Sharma Photography Meet Upma Sharma Photography, where passion meets professionalism, making it a true gem in our chamber. Capturing Moments with Precision and Heart: Upma Sharma, an award-winning and multiple-times published photographer, brings a unique blend of technical precision and artistic flair to every frame. Connecting on a Personal Level: Upma has the remarkable ability to connect with people, making them comfortable and bringing out their best. She transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary memories. A Portfolio of Excellence: With a commitment to excellence, MEMBER SPOTLIGHT "She captured some of my fav pics ever. Thanks for capturing a rad chapter so artistically." Sami & Brandon "A wonderful photographer and person. She made our kids feel extremely at ease, which made for some great images" Kaci B "We had an amazing fun “Upma is an EXCELLENT Upma's portfolio showcases heartwarming family portraits and confidence-boosting headshots, capturing unique stories. Book Your Session: Ready to create extraordinary memories this fall in time for holiday season or enhance your professional image? >Book your session with Upma Sharma Photography. time and we did not feel like we need to pose" Marie E photographer. She really puts her heart into her work.” Swati G Client Testimonials: Explore Upma Sharma Photography's Google Reviews to hear what clients have to say about her exceptional photography and personal touch. As an active member of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, Upma Sharma Photography embodies our community spirit. Connect with Upma, explore her portfolio, and experience photography that goes beyond the ordinary. Thank you, Upma Sharma Photography, for your dedication to making unforgettable moments and for being an invaluable chamber member! Discover more at Upma Sharma Photography's Website. Community Guide and Member Directory 2024 Community Guide and Member Directory Flyer Contact ariffel@tspubsdigital.com for more information. See Our Upcoming Events Learn More About The Chamber PALO ALTO CHAMBER & VISITORS CENTER 355 ALMA STREET | PALO ALTO | CA | 94301 | 650-324-3121 WWW.PALOALTOCHAMBER.COM This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe click here. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email atinfo@paloaltochamber.com. From:Richard Corny To:Council, City; Kou, Lydia Subject:Cal Ave Not thriving unlike what some people say Date:Thursday, October 5, 2023 11:05:57 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachmentsand clicking on links.________________________________ HelloFriday peak lunch 1pm and as you can see there’s nothing to be stocked about. The street is not thriving.Not enough anyways. And the city has let retail down and favored restaurants for the last 3 plus years.For the street closure to work everyone should benefit from it not just a few businesses. Again peoplewould rather go to town and country, Los Altos or Stanford mall and university. People and some of ourcustomers actually avoid our area.Also don’t waste our tax dollars on more consulting. Just look at my pics. My next email will includepics of cars going both way on Cal Ave while people are eating and walking around during the farmer’smarket breakdown period. The cars just need to go slow but there’s plenty of room for them and parkletsand everyone to be happy. Bring back any kind of traffic to Cal Ave. Stop wasting our time and our taxdollarsThank you Sent from my iPhone From:Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce To:Council, City Subject:Mike"s Diner Bar Says Thank You with Free Party Date:Thursday, October 5, 2023 10:03:03 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from info@paloaltochamber.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Mike 2680 Middlefield Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 LIVE music, FREE food, and face painting for the kids... and family fun for all. Everyone is cordially invited to attend! www.mikespaloalto.com This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe click here. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email atinfo@paloaltochamber.com. From:Ellen Hartog To:Council, City Subject:Dense housing is an attack on our humanity. Date:Thursday, October 5, 2023 9:26:36 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from elh109@sbcglobal.net. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear Council Members, The design at El Camino looks you are building a prison. Is this the best multi story residential high rise someone is able to finance. Is this rezoning about money or the City’s best interest. It looks like a post war housing projects where single occupied tenants would jump out of windows to kill themselves. Maybe that’s my reaction. This project has nothing good about it. We all know it and can you do something about that. No one wants to live like this. No identity - no life and no future. No on dense horsing in Palo Alto. We owe a better solution to those that will live there. I’m not opposed to a better design but this isn’t the solution. Thank you for your consideration Ellen Hartog Sent from my iPhone From:Aram James To:board@valleywater.org; Council, City; julieforpaloalto@gmail.com; rebecca@privateclientlegal.com; HumanRelations Commission; Shikada, Ed Subject:The largest dam removal in history stirs hopes of restoring California tribes’ way of life Date:Thursday, October 5, 2023 8:11:38 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. The largest dam removal in history stirs hopes of restoring California tribes’ way of life https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-10-05/klamath-dam-removal-tribes From:Aram James To:sallen6444@yahoo.com; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; Binder, Andrew; Council, City;Robert.Jonson@shf.sccgov.org; moore2j@att.net; vara@acm.org; voteshanasegal@gmail.com;angiebevans@gmail.com; Shikada, Ed; emibach@padailypost.com; Stump, Molly;sccsherifftransparencyinfo@gmail.com; jvalle1800@gmail.com; goinsrayl@gmail.com;bcartwright@padailypost.com Subject:Shameless delays in probes of cop killings of civilians Date:Thursday, October 5, 2023 7:37:11 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Shameless delays in probes of cop killings of civilians https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=0573c69b-146b-4ab6-9456-0919e94a15f4&appcode=SAN252&eguid=9b4b2e24-62de-44d3-8e8e- 94713a129890&pnum=21# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: From:Sam Jackson To:Planning Commission; Council, City Subject:More housing please! Date:Wednesday, October 4, 2023 10:25:19 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from sam@samjackson.org. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I was not able to attend the PTC study session this evening but wanted to write in as aneighbor and recent former resident. I wish I could move back to Palo Alto, but need help from bodies like the council and PTC! I moved just the other year to RWC because my wife and I wanted to find a modest home forourselves bigger than our old, quite dilapidated 1 bedroom rental. Palo Alto had little to offer us, at any price, when it came to quality rentals, and we certainly couldn't afford to buy. WhileI try to bike and take Caltrain when I can, that lack of housing stock helped directly lead to more driving into Palo Alto (sorry!) when I would come to work by car. And it has also meantless investment into the community as I spend less at local shops and restaurants now. I know Palo Alto sometimes thinks it can keep things perfect just the way they are -- but the status quo is awful, if it displaces people like me who (I think!) would be good members of thecommunity, and until recently, were. So please take the actions available to you -- help ensure more housing at all affordability levels, as well as making it a friendlier place to bike andwalk! Ensuring more sites can have more housing, with better zoning standards that allow for density and without parking requirements, are one part. Ensuring approvals are timely and thatadministrative barriers -- well intentioned or otherwise -- don't stand in the way of new housing development. Thanks for your consideration and your work -- I hope -- to help bring about the necessarychange. Sam Jackson From:Glen Garfunkel To:Council, City; French, Amy; Debbie Mytels; Clerk, City; Bret Andersen Subject:Fwd: Noise Ordinance and Heat Pumps - letter for City Council Date:Wednesday, October 4, 2023 5:42:27 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from glen100@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Clerk or Council Staff Our organization wrote the letter (email attached at bottom) to City Council, to address the Oct 2nd Council Mtg Agenda Item 13 (Proposed Amendments to Muni Code…).The letter did not appear to be published in Agenda Item 13 ‘Public Comments’ downloadable file. https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=13032 I assume my letter should have appeared there? I see similarly addressed letters from other senders, did appear in that file. If I am correct, can you please inform me what went wrong, and what is needed to avoid thisin future? Fyi, I did get confirmation from PA City that they got my letter for Council Members, and email included the following comment: "Thank you for your comments to the City Council. Your e‐mail will be forwarded to all seven Council Members and a printout of your correspondence will also be included in the next available Council packet." But letter does not appear in Public Comments file. Thx Glen GarfunkelClimate Reality Project - Silicon Valley Chapter Begin forwarded message: From: Glen Garfunkel <glen100@gmail.com>Subject: Noise Ordinance and Heat Pumps - letter for City Council Date: September 25, 2023 at 11:58:30 AM PDT To: City.Council@cityofpaloalto.org Cc: Adam Sweeney <adamsweeney1@gmail.com>, Debbie Mytels <debbie.mytels@gmail.com>, "Lait, Jonathan" <Jonathan.Lait@CityofPaloAlto.org>, "French, Amy" <Amy.French@CityofPaloAlto.org>, Jon.Abendschein@cityofpaloalto.org Sept 25, 2023Re: Proposed Amendments to Municipal Code Concerning Noise Ordinances and Heat Pump Setbacks Honorable Members of the City Council of Palo Alto, There needs to be a suitable balance between important electrification goals and worst casenoise concerns. Sideyard placement for heat pumps (suitcase footprint style) is preferable for many home owners with common lot sizes, and accommodating this placement will facilitateadoption of heat pumps. But noise ordinances which are overly conservative will unnecessarily impede the adoption of heat pumps. We believe the proposed noise ordinance istoo conservative in two respects. First, it does not make accommodations for ‘inverter' type heat pumps, which generally operate at conditions much quieter than their dBA noise value, which by definition is the worstcase noise value. Inverter heat pumps have variable speed fans (and compressors) and rarely operate at 100% speed. Non-inverter heat pumps, on the other-hand, are either 100% on (fullspeed) or completely off. While non-inverter heat pumps regulate building temperature by toggling on(100%) and off(0%), inverter heat pumps can vary heat (or cooling) deliverycontinuously, and will modulate down to match the load, and normally operate well under 100% speeds(capacity). At reduced speeds, inverter heat pumps can easily be 5dBA or morequieter than at the full speed(dBA). (’Night mode’ and fan speed limits exist in some models explicitly for noise reduction purposes.) This inverter heat pump issue is referenced briefly in staff introduction to the proposedordinance, but the ordinance so far does not address this. We strongly encourage Palo Alto to address this and relax the noise requirements for inverter heat pumps to strike a morereasonable balance between rare low occurrence noise issues, and electrification goals. Our second point of concern is that regardless of heat pump types, the noise requirements appear overly conservative. The ordinance seeks to maintain a noise level of less than 50dBAat the property line nearest the heat pump, and imposes heat pump noise limits of 53dBA for a setback of 5 feet from the property line, and further setback limits for slightly higher noisecases. But normal speech can measure around 60dBA, and cabin noise levels inside a car at normal speeds are typically in the ballpark of 65-70dB(A). We experience these levelseveryday. While Palo Alto here is seeking to keep noise under 50dBA at the property line other communities have different higher noise limits. From a brief search we find Portland ORtargets at 55dbA, numerous cities target 60dBA, Houston TX targets 65dBA, and it appears Chicago may have limits over 70dBA (daytime noise limits). We suspect there are very few(if any) appropriate heat pumps that would meet these proposed dbA limits, and the ordinance impact would be to severely limit and delay the installations, force homeowners to install infront or back yards, and frustrate them in the process. In practice heat pumps are installed in various other communities in sideyards with 5-8feet of space, with little known issue. There are a few other factors too that should be pointed out that support higher noise limits. Noise levels drop 6dB with the doubling of distance, so for example a 56dbA heat pump placed at 6.0feet from property line would just fail the ordinance(50dB at property line), butmeasured at only another 6 feet into the neighbor's property, it’s noise level would be down to 44-45dBA, which is very low. The basic point is that noise levels decay strongly with'doubling distance', so for heat pump placement in sideyards close to the property line, eg at 5 feet, then the doubling distance is only 10feet, and the zone of elevated noise in the neighbor'sproperty is exceedingly small. (This is not true if the noise source is say 50feet from property line, and it's noise value reaches 50dBA at the property line: here one need to go 50feet intothe neighbors property to reach the additional 6dB drop in noise.). Sideyard placement is important, and we feel this consideration of the short spatial extent of the noise furthersupports additional relaxation of the ordinance. There is another detail worth noting. Heat pumps will run strongest when it is very hot or very cold, but that is exactly when people tend to keep their house windows closed. So in practice,at least for indoor noise (from the outdoor unit), on average, this will tend to additionally reduce noise levels that residents are exposed to. For sideyard installations we propose that the ordinance target to reach 60dBA at the propertyedge. Due to the importance of the electrification efforts in addressing our climate goals, we feel every effort should be made to assure that the ordinances facilitate heat pump installations anddo not unnecessarily restrict them. We appreciate your review and consideration of these issues. Sincerely, Glen Garfunkel, Co-Chair, Climate Reality Project - Silicon Valley ChapterAdam Sweeney, Co-Chair, Climate Reality Project - Silicon Valley Chapter Debbie Mytels(Palo Alto Resident), Decarbonization Action Director, Climate Reality Project- Silicon Valley Chapter. From:Katherine Dumont To:Planning Commission; Council, City Subject:Zoning ordinance feedback Date:Wednesday, October 4, 2023 4:27:18 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from khdumont@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Palo Alto City Councilmembers and Planning Commissioners, I am a lifelong renter, a Bay Area native, and I resided in Palo Alto for over 25 years.I now live just over the bike bridge in Menlo Park, and I still shop, dine, and visitfriends in Palo Alto. I have witnessed the dramatic rise in housing costs over the last few decades andhave experienced housing insecurity firsthand. I encourage Palo Alto leaders to address the housing shortage and rising housing insecurity in our area. To that end, I urge you to support residential zoning thatsupports a diversity of housing options and opportunities. I also urge you to reduceparking requirements and increase densities to at least 100du/ac. By incentivizing new and denser housing closer to jobs, transit, and services, PaloAlto can help ensure a reduction in vehicle use in and around the city, which will helpimprove quality of life and reduce greenhouse gases. Thank you for your consideration. Best regards, Katherine Dumont