2-21-26

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Superintendent departs

Says no single issue led to exit

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

Superintendent Don Austin left the Palo Alto Unified School District yesterday, ending an eight-year tenure that was the longest in his position since 1975.

Austin said he is leaving because working in education for 30 years has taken a toll on him, and the timing feels right.

“There was no event. There’s no single thing to point to,” Austin said. “It’s just one day you wake up and think, ‘Maybe I’ve gone as far as I’m going to go here.’”

The separation was a joint decision between Austin and the board, not a retirement or a firing, board president Shounak Dharap said in a letter to the community.

“Changing leadership is not easy, and I can promise you this decision was not made lightly,” Dharap said.

The board voted to end Austin’s contract in a special meeting yesterday that

was closed to the public. Austin said he and the district signed a severance agreement to continue paying him in an advisory role through June 30, and [See EXIT, page 18]

No stranger to controversy

Superintendent Don Austin dealt with a wide range of criticism and controversies during his time in Palo Alto, clashing at times with teachers, parents, students and board members. Here’s a look back at his tenure:

NOV. 29, 2018 — Austin and two board members spend $2,026 to stay at a four-star San Francisco hotel for an education conference and trade show.

APRIL 16, 2019 — Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian halts talks with Stanford over plans to expand its campus after Austin reached a side deal with the university, throwing off the county’s negotiations.

APRIL 21, 2020 — Parents protest

[See CONTROVERSY, page 18]

MOON ORBIT: NASA aims to send four astronauts on a mission to fly around the moon in March after acing the latest rocket fueling test.

TRUCKING SAFETY: All truckers and bus drivers will have to take their commercial driver’s license tests in English as the Trump administration expands its campaign to get unqualified drivers off the road. A truck driver arrested Wednesday for allegedly running a red light and causing a fatal crash in Indiana is an illegal immigrant from India, police said.

HGTV’s “Rehab Addict” has

canceled after its star, Nicole Curtis, was caught on video using the n-word while filming the series.

SEAHAWKS FOR SALE: The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are for sale. The price is expected to range from $9 million to $11 billion. The team is owned by the estate of Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who died in 2018.

AVALANCHE PROBE: Authorities looking into the deadly avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada will investigate whether criminal negligence played a role in the tragedy that killed eight. Among the questions

[See THE UPDATE, page 4]

Here’s how tariffs have affected California

BY LEVI SUMAGAYSAY CalMatters

In a major blow against President Donald Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that he does not have the authority to impose the wide-ranging tariffs that have caused economic uncertainty in the state, nation and beyond.

Trump cited the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 as he set tariffs on goods from most countries around the world soon after he took office early last year. In a 6-3 decision, the court said only Congress

has the broad power to impose taxes on Americans under the act.

“The President enjoys no inherent authority to impose tariffs during peacetime,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito Jr. and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.

Trump said in a press conference yesterday that the decision is “deeply disappointing and I’m ashamed of certain members of the court.” He called the justices appointed by Democratic presidents “a disgrace” and insinuated

[See TARIFFS, page 19]

· Downtown living just one block to the Village

· Small community of 8 townhomes built in 2010 by Lennar

· Two levels with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, plus lower-level garage

· Approximately 1,360 square feet of living space

· End-unit location with extra natural light and patio for outdoor enjoyment

· appliances, including gas cooktop

· Two upstairs bedrooms, each with en suite bath and one with balcony

· Attached, underground 2-car garage with laundry, plus dedicated guest parking

· Top-rated Los Altos schools

• Sweeping San Francisco Bay views from a private cul-de-sac location

• 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths on two levels

• Approximately 2,929 square feet (not

- Home: 2,567 square feet

- Roof deck: 362 square feet

• Very private lot of approximately

• painted interiors

• Main-level primary suite with Bay view deck

• Lower-level family room and three bedrooms, one with outside entrance

• Attached 2-car garage with EV charging

• tables and barbecue kitchen

• Low-maintenance landscaping with synthetic front level lawn

• Fenced sport court with basketball hoop and level recreation areas

• Excellent Los Altos schools

Water chief out, stays on payroll

Valley Water CEO Rick Callender is stepping down after being on paid leave for the past 14 months, the agency announced yesterday.

Callender, who makes a $512,886 salary, will retire as CEO on March 1 and stay on as a paid advisor for the next year, Valley Water’s announcement said.

Board member Rebecca Eisenberg, who represents Palo Alto, has said publicly that employees complained about Callender sexually harassing them.

His attorney Lori Costanzo con-

firmed that Callender was under investigation at the time.

Callender went on leave on Dec. 16, 2024, four days after Salam Baqleh, a labor union leader representing most of the agency’s 850 employees, publicly demanded an unnamed executive be placed on administrative leave after a lower employee named the boss in a formal misconduct complaint.

Union’s fears

The union cited fears of retaliation against the employee due to the unnamed leader’s stature and power over the agency. After the union threatened to keep

speaking publicly about the misconduct complaint, Callender stopped showing up to meetings. The leave was first described as “medical” then as “voluntary.”

“At no time was Mr. Callender disciplined or forced to resign or retire due to any reported investigations,” board chair Tony Estremera said in a statement yesterday.

A severance agreement between Valley Water and Callender wasn’t available yesterday.

Callender has worked for Valley Water since 1996 and was appointed as CEO in May 2020.

Valley Water collects property taxes and manages flood control projects in northern Santa Clara County.

Businessman gets prison for torching competition

A San Francisco tow company owner has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to burn competitors’ tow trucks across the Bay Area in 2023, federal prosecutors said.

Jose Vicente Badillo, 29, was sentenced on Feb. 12 to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit arson. The U.S. Attorney’s Office

for the Northern District of California said Badillo devised and directed a plan in 2023 to set fire to rival companies’ tow trucks to drive more business to his own firms, Auto Towing and Specialty Towing, and to retaliate against competitors for perceived wrongs.

According to court documents, Badillo recruited others to carry out the arsons, which targeted six tow

trucks owned by four competing companies in April, July and October 2023.

Badillo staged an accident on Guadalupe Canyon Parkway in San Bruno involving a Sterling tow truck and a vehicle carrier transporting four vehicles as part of the insurance fraud scheme, according to court documents.

being considered is why the tour company that organized the backcountry ski trip moved forward in the face of a powerful storm.

EX-PRINCE’S HOME SEARCHED: Police have searched the former home of Andrew MountbattenWindsor, a day after the former prince was held in custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office for his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

UFO SECRETS: President Trump has directed the war secretary and relevant departments to begin the process of releasing government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena, unidentified flying objects “and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.” Former President Barack Obama said on a podcast last weekend, “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them.”

CURRY OUT 5 GAMES: Warriors star Stephen Curry had a second MRI on his troublesome right knee that revealed no structural damage, although the two-time NBA MVP is expected to miss at least another five games before being re-evaluated.

THOUGHT ABOUT IT: ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said yesterday it considered alerting Canadian police last year about Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old who committed one of the worst school shootings in the country’s history. Van Rootselaar’s account was flagged for possible “furtherance of violent activities.”

Editor:

Managing

General

Distribution:

Account

Letters:

Deaths

San Mateo County Coroner: Feb. 19

Dennis Twers, 76, of Daly City

Andriy Muzychenko, 50, of San Mateo

Robert Blytheman, 82, of Belmont

Bryan Argueta, 32, of Daly City

Fu Wung Ng, 66, of Daly City

Births

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto:

July 20

Cooper Murray Cole, a boy

Zaleya Eliana Fernandez, a girl

Lukas Robert Munson Ramirez, a boy

Jonathan David Agustin Flores, a boy

Amari Ale Bordan Boyce, a boy

Sebastian Benjamin Cifuentes Max, a boy

Matthew Charles Cihak, a boy

Corey Christopher David, a boy

Leila Elizabeth David, a girl

Henry Hunter Garratt, a boy

July 19

Jack Forrest Cassidy, a boy

Kaiden Noah Gildea, a boy

Reagan Quinn Hsuan, a girl

Dominic Jacob Lescouflair, a boy

Drishaan Pal, a boy

Siunipa Malia Alisi Ilora Nalani Telesia Paulo, a girl

Emery Mirielle Valdez, a girl

Aadvvait Sarkar, a boy

July 18

Bryn Elizabeth Carter, a girl

Chloe Chi, a girl

Laya Sri Davuluri, a girl

Dailany Nineth Gaxiola Hernandez, a girl

Liam Mateo Gutierrez Espinoza, a boy

Teo Richard Kazdagli, a boy

Arri Ann Lee, a girl

Kailani Sage Lord, a girl

Ashley Ainara Perez Zeledon, a girl

Shaurya Tanay Rajore, a boy

Ahana Saxena, a girl

Pragyaan Shikha Vasisht, a boy

Damian Teng Wuchenich, a boy

July 17

Noah Erouh Attiyat, a boy

Joan Bechtel Boyd, a girl

Aviraj Singh Chauhan, a boy

Navraj Singh Chauhan, a boy

Madison Ailany Garrido, a girl

Liann Adalid Hernandez Ramirez, a boy

Rowan Kade Heywood, a boy

Sienna Junchae Lee, a girl

Kaylani Yulieth Mendoza Torres, a girl

Emma Mai Nguyen, a girl

Kailynn Moon Rozenberg, a girl

Tallula Jeanne Smyser, a girl

Elizabeth Sophia Uys, a girl

Weining Zheng, a boy

Declan Rhys Alsterda, a boy

July 16

Jesse Dario Alejandre Garcia, a boy

Elliott Fan, a boy

Luca Dario Gridnev, a boy

Alexandra Ivanbenabbas, a girl

Bennett Gage Jacobo, a boy

Emiliana Belle Martinezreguerin, a girl

Sienna Nelson, a girl

Emely Isabella Pirir Rubio, a girl

Dean Post, a boy

Reagan Carmen Shrestha, a girl

Solei G Villanueva Paguaga, a girl

Kayla Emi Wong, a girl

Shady Lane

Here’s what’s on the local agenda

Every Saturday, the Post prints items from the agendas of city councils and school boards so that you, the citizen, can stay informed about what your government is planning.

PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL

6:35 p.m., Monday

250 Hamilton Ave.

Mollie: In closed session, council will discuss a letter threatening a lawsuit over a 17-story tower at Mollie Stone's Grocery Store at 156 California Ave.

RVs: Council will discuss RVs parked on city streets.

Circuit: Council may purchase 10 circuit breakers for $389,862.

Leaks: Council may hire M.E. Simpson Co. for $642,609 to identify water leaks in public water mains.

Track: Council may hire Orion Security to watch the Caltrain tracks for $1.7 million, split with the Palo Alto Unified School District.

Values: Council may approve their values, committee work plans and objectives for the year.

Budget: Council will consider budget adjustments to account for $9 million less in sales tax revenue than projected.

Fire: Council may pay Universal Security Company $80,915 to monitor City Hall for fires after the automatic sprinkler system broke.

PALO ALTO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

7 p.m., Tuesday

250 Hamilton Ave.

Open: Commissioners will get an update on 4,000 acres of natural open space lands.

Youth: Commissioners will get an update from the Palo Alto Youth Council.

PALO ALTO PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

6 p.m., Wednesday

250 Hamilton Ave.

Apartments: Commissioners may approve an eight-story, 174unit apartment building at 788 San Antonio Road.

Hayes: Commissioners will consider architect Ken Hayes’ request to allow downtown property owners to reconfigure their office space, even if they have more office space than what’s currently allowed.

PALO ALTO CITY SCHOOLS LIASON COMMITTEE

7 p.m., Thursday

250 Hamilton Ave.

After: The committee will talk about how to help people after suicides.

MOUNTAIN VIEW CITY COUNCIL

6:30 p.m., Tuesday

500 Castro St.

Flock: Council may end its contract with Flock Safety for license-plate reading cameras after the data was provided to federal agencies.

Hope: In closed session, council will discuss negotiations with The Robert Green Company for developing two downtown lots on Hope Street into a hotel and parking garage.

Army: In closed session, council will discuss negotiations with the Army over the Shenandoah Square apartments at 928 Mariner Drive.

Lobby: Council will tell their lobbyists what to work on this year.

Budget: Council will discuss the city budget.

Permits: Council may approve rule changes to make small business permits easier to get.

MOUNTAIN VIEW ADMINISTRATIVE ZONING HEARING

4 p.m., Wednesday

500 Castro St.

Expansion: A zoning administrator may allow a 263-square-foot office expansion on the first floor at 747 W. Dana Street.

MOUNTAIN VIEW BICYCLE/ PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE

6:30 p.m., Tuesday

500 Castro St.

Crash: The committee will review crash data from police.

MOUNTAIN VIEW RENTAL HOUSING COMMITTEE

6 p.m., Thursday

500 Castro St.

Appeal: The committee will consider an appeal from a landlord who must pay $24,282 to a tenant with a moldy bedroom and a fridge that was replaced with a smaller fridge.

Expenses: The committee will review the city’s expenses related to rent control.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

9:30 a.m., Tuesday

70 W. Hedding St., San Jose

Surveillance: The board will review the Flock Safety contracts for license-plate reading cameras in areas patrolled by the sheriff: Los Altos Hills, Cupertino and Saratoga. Los Altos Hills wants to cancel its contract because the cameras could provide data to federal agencies, such as ICE. The sheriff’s office wants to renew the Flock camera contracts.

Roads: Supervisors may award a contract for $4 million to Granite Rock Company to make improve-

ments to the Page Mill Road-El Camino Real intersection in Palo Alto.

VALLEY WATER

11 a.m., Tuesday

5700 Almaden Expressway, San Jose

Lawsuit: Behind closed doors, the board will talk about a lawsuit filed by four employees who are claiming religious discrimination.

MENLO PARK CITY COUNCIL

5:30 p.m., Tuesday

751 Laurel St.

Labor: Behind closed doors, council will discuss negotiations with the police union.

Appoint: Council will appoint an applicant to the East Palo Alto Sanitary District Advisory Committee.

Parking: Council may remove 160 parking spaces to make a bike lane on Pierce Road from Carlton Avenue to Del Norte Avenue.

Lease: Council will consider renewing the Junior League’s lease for the use of the Gatehouse at 555 Ravenswood Ave.

Pool: Council will review a community survey regarding services at the Belle Haven and Burgess pools.

MENLO PARK PLANNING COMMISSION

7 p.m., Monday

751 Laurel St.

Housing: Commissioners will review plans to demolish a single-story home to build a two-story home at 636 Cambridge Ave.

REDWOOD CITY COUNCIL

6 p.m., Monday

1017 Middlefield Road

Woodside: Council will review the eminent domain proceeding for

[See AGENDAS, page 8]

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AGENDAS

the reconstruction of the Woodside Road and Highway 101 junction.

Vendors: Council will review location, hours and permit policies for

vendors

BELMONT CITY COUNCIL

7 p.m., Tuesday

having a potential ballot measure about term limits.

Parking: Council may approve a street parking permit program.

Vendors: Council may impose new rules related to street vendors.

Housing: Council will review the 1675 Bay Road development with 106 townhomes and 168 apartments.

CALTRAIN FINANCE COMMITTEE

2:30 p.m., Monday 1250 San Carlos Ave.

Contracts: The committee may award $10 million in contracts over five years to four companies that provide on-call railroad business and operations support.

1 Twins Pines Lane

SAN MATEO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

9 a.m., Tuesday

500 County Center, Redwood City Court: The board will consider upgrades to the courthouse.

Shoreway: Council may approve plans for two office buildings that will be seven and eight stories tall, and a nine-story parking garage at 1301 Shoreway Road.

School: The board may give the San Carlos School District a $22,698 grant for a crossing guard.

Depot: The committee may lease the historic Menlo Park train station, which has sat empty since 2000, to a tenant, CKA Architects, for 7.5 years. The tenant will get two years of free rent as an incentive to lease the building and make improvements. After the free rent, the rate will be $5,312 per month ($4 per square foot).

Properties: Council will discuss selling its properties at 730 El Camino Real and 1000 O’Neill Ave.

Commissions: Council will appoint new members to the Planning Commission and to the Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission.

SAN CARLOS CITY COUNCIL

7 p.m., Monday 600 Elm St.

Chief: Council will introduce the new Redwood City Deputy Fire Chief Shon Buford.

Electric: Council may consider a rebate program for residents and landscapers to switch over to electric leaf blowers.

EAST PALO ALTO PLANNING COMMISSION

7 p.m., Monday

2415 University Ave.

SRO: The commission will weigh in on preliminary plans for a four-story building with 135 single-room occupancy units at 1620 Bay Road.

Townhouses: Commissioners may approve plans for 58 townhouses at 1933 Pulgas Ave.

EAST PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL

6 p.m., Tuesday

2415 University Ave.

Ballot: Council will discuss

PORTOLA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL

7 p.m., Wednesday 765 Portola Road

Committees: Council will be updated on work by the Geologic Safety Committee and the Trails and Paths Committee.

Budget: Council may approve changes to the budget.

WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT

7 p.m., Wednesday

500 Laurel St., Menlo Park Trailer: The board may purchase a vacuum trailer for underground construction for $88,389.

ONE SHORELINE

4 p.m., Monday

1700 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo Stormwater: The board will discuss updating stormwater pipes and water recycling systems to reduce climate change.

PENINSULA CLEAN ENERGY

6:30 p.m., Thursday 2075 Woodside Road, Redwood City Chair: The board will select a new chair and vice chair.

CALTRAIN TECHNOLOGY, OPERATIONS, PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE

1:30 p.m., Wednesday 1250 San Carlos Ave.

Creek: The committee may award a construction contract for the San Francisquito Creek bank stabilization project to Hanford Applied Restoration and Conservation for a total amount of $2.4 million.

SAN MATEO COUNTY

COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

6 p.m., Wednesday 3401 CSM Drive., San Mateo

Closed: Behind closed doors, the board will discuss union negotiations, personnel matters and current lawsuits.

Union: The board may approve a new contract with the non-teaching union.

Management: The board may approve a new salary range for management.

Retirement: The board may approve rules for giving incentives to employees who retire early.

Canada: The board may approve spending $2.1 million on a child development center at Canada College.

Restaurant’s cash never got to Jack

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

A Redwood City man was arrested for embezzling over $200,000 from Jack in the Box, a prosecutor said yesterday.

Juan Jose Antonio Vanegas, 30, was arrested on Wednesday for not depositing the fast food restaurant’s earnings after his shifts and used it to gamble, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

The alleged embezzlement happened while Vanegas was the manager at the Jack in the Box at 986 Woodside Road

from January to August 2025, Wagstaffe said. The store’s general manager conducted an audit that showed only $100,000 was missing, but during a deeper investigation, he found over $200,000 was missing, Wagstaffe said.

The general manager found that Vanegas was taking the money and using it for gambling and reported it to the police.

Vanegas was in court on Thursday and pleaded innocent, Wagstaffe said. He was released on his own recognizance and will be in court on March 11.

Legal Notices

Times shown are when a report was made to police. Information is from police department logs. All of the people named here are innocent until proven guilty in court.

PALO ALTO

SUNDAY

11:48 a.m. — Grand theft, Palo Alto High School.

5:08 p.m. — Ivan Rangel Monzalvo, 39, of East Palo Alto, arrested for driving with a suspended or revoked license following a failure to stop at a red light, Lytton Ave. and Florence St.

7:22 p.m. — Vandalism, High St. and Homer Ave.

8:54 p.m. — Petty theft, 500 block of California Ave.

MONDAY

5:38 a.m. — Parts and/or accessories stolen from a vehicle, 1000 block of Tanland Drive.

11:36 a.m. — Haibin Zhang, 32, of Mountain View, arrested for threats and damaging or destroying a phone, N. California Ave.

2:10 p.m. — Grand theft via a scam, 800 block of Barron Ave.

6:05 p.m. — Home burglary, 300 block of Everett Ave.

7:46 p.m. — Theft, 1100 block of Welch Road.

TUESDAY

12:52 a.m. — Auto burglary, 3300 block of Park Blvd.

5:55 a.m. — Petty theft, 700 block of Welch Road.

12:06 p.m. — Petty theft from a vehicle, 1500 block of Madrono Ave.

7:53 p.m. — Auto burglary, 300 block of University Ave.

MENLO PARK

WEDNESDAY

9:28 a.m. — Tires stolen from a vehicle, 2200 block of Sharon Road.

11:10 a.m. — Leon Ayiers, 53, transient, cited on three warrants, El Camino and Artisan Drive.

12:09 p.m. — Vehicle collision

causes injuries, Santa Cruz Ave. and Crane St.

12:14 p.m. — Claver Chucoyantas, 46, transient, arrested for public drunkenness, Willow Alley and Newbridge St.

12:44 p.m. — Michael Bullock, 50, of Menlo Park, arrested for resisting police, Ravenswood Ave. at the railroad tracks.

7:50 p.m. — Maria Arroyo Lopez, 35, of Menlo Park, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license, 1-99 block of Middlefield Road.

10:44 p.m. — Armando Jaimes, 22, of Menlo Park, arrested for DUI, Ravenswood Ave. and Alma St. Arrest made by Atherton police.

11:10 p.m. — Nestor Sermeno Gutierrez, 33, transient, arrested for DUI following a noninjury collision, Chilco St. at the railroad tracks.

THURSDAY

7:56 a.m. — Vandalism, 1100 block of Willow Road.

5:58 p.m. — Kelin Moore, 35, of Illinois, cited on a warrant 700 block of Laurel St.

6:26 p.m. — Vehicle tampering, 1000 block of Madera Ave.

STANFORD

FEB. 12

1:38 p.m. — Auto burglary, 200 block of Galvez St.

5:30 p.m. — Bicycle stolen, 600 block of Escondido Road.

6:37 p.m. — Auto burglary, 200 block of Galvez St.

11:19 p.m. — Electric scooter stolen, 300 block of Via Pueblo Mall.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

FEB. 2

8:37 p.m. — Manuel Zuniga Herrera, 63, transient, cited for theft of someone else’s lost property, San Antonio Road and Leghorn St. FEB. 3

3:15 p.m. — Kamal Ameen, 49, transient, cited for possession of drugs

and drug paraphernalia at Walmart, 600 Showers Drive.

FEB. 4

4:25 a.m. — Edgar Rivera, 46, of San Jose, cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, 500 block of N. Rengstorff Ave.

FEB. 5

5:14 p.m. — Shane Repass, 28, cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, 2400 block of Charleston Road.

LOS ALTOS

FEB. 12

1:25 p.m. — Burglary at Bullis Charter School’s North Campus, 102 W. Portola Ave.

FEB. 14

9:31 a.m. — Indecent exposure at Whole Foods, 4800 El Camino. Warning given.

MONDAY

8:08 p.m. — Auto burglary, 1000 block of N. San Antonio Road.

TUESDAY

5:39 p.m. — Renee Leite, 44, of Mountain View, arrested for hit-andrun, reckless driving and evading police in a vehicle, 1400 block of S. Springer Road.

NORTH FAIR OAKS

TUESDAY

4:35 p.m. — Otoniel Ambriz, 58, of Redwood City, cited on a warrant, El Camino and Fifth Ave. Citation given by Atherton police.

10:06 p.m. — Maria Ramirez Martinez, 34, arrested for domestic violence, false imprisonment and child endangerment, 2300 block of Spring St.

REDWOOD CITY

SUNDAY

12:28 a.m. — Man says he was beaten up in the street, El Camino.

2:59 a.m. — Drunken man reported to be knocking on doors,

asking people for a ride home, Burbank Ave.

11:56 a.m. — Man trying to break a camera with a large stick, 1700 block of Broadway. Justin Anthony Thiravithul, 40, of San Bruno, arrested for vandalism and parole violation.

3:13 p.m. — Bicycle stolen, Broadway.

6:53 p.m. — Drunken man loitering outside a business and occasionally dropping his pants, El Camino.

7:23 p.m. — Electric bike stolen, Broadway.

MONDAY

1:16 p.m. — Home burglary, Highland Ave.

6:20 p.m. — Rosie Kathleen Vaoifi, 38, of San Jose, arrested for public drunkenness, 2800 block of McGarvey Ave.

8:15 p.m. — Man says another man is trying to throw an axe at him, Broadway.

TUESDAY

2:37 a.m. — Viliami Moimoi Etu, 67, of Redwood City, cited on a warrant, 1-99 block of Perry St.

8:55 a.m. — Three-vehicle accident, Cleveland St. No injuries reported.

1:01 p.m. — Man shoplifts from a store, Walnut St.

4:07 p.m. — Man attacks another man, Hoover St.

6:11 p.m. — Electric bike stolen, Locust St.

10:51 p.m. — Man says he was assaulted and is injured, Rose Ave.

BELMONT

WEDNESDAY

7:18 a.m. — Theft from a vehicle, 1400 block of Shoreway Road.

THURSDAY

3:33 a.m. — Christopher Wuolle, 44, arrested for driving with a suspended or revoked license, Sterling View Ave. and Old County Road.

7:58 p.m. — Melissa Malia Beck, 40, cited on a warrant, 1100 block of El Camino.

Real Estate

The Post prints the latest real estate transactions:

PALO ALTO

1116 Juana Court, 94303, 4 bedrooms, 1907 square feet, built in 2025, Summerhill West Bayshore LLC to Ping and Dongxue Wang for $928,000, closed Dec. 31

315 Homer Ave. #309, 94301, 2 bedrooms, 1801 square feet, built in 2004, Davydovskaya Living Trust to Fineland Investment LLC for $2,888,000, closed Dec. 31 (last sale: $2,700,000, 06-30-21)

2351 Carmel Drive, 94303, 2 bedrooms, 864 square feet, built in 1951, Sporer Living Trust to Sijia and Yuze Lang for $3,000,000, closed Jan. 2 (last sale: $350,000, 1218-97)

3839 Ross Road, 94303, 3 bedrooms, 1631 square feet, built in 1955, Dilley Living Trust to Ying and ChiWei Kung for $3,185,000, closed Jan. 2 (last sale: $230,000, 10-01-86)

566 Addison Ave., 94301, 2366 square feet, built in 1900, Toney 2005 Family Trust to Chaochao and Rui Luo for $3,325,000, closed Jan. 2

EAST PALO ALTO

2296 Pulgas Ave., 94303, 4 bedrooms, 1480 square feet, built in 1953, Jennifer and Justin To to Margarita Zamora for $1,350,000, closed Jan. 6 (last sale, $835,000, 06-12-17)

MENLO PARK

1127 Madera Ave., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1540 square feet, built in 1947, Cristina Perez to Orloff Family Trust for $1,250,000, closed Jan. 8

1236 Hoover St., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1632 square feet, built in 2013, Giudicessi Trust to Danielle Shin for $2,700,000, closed Jan. 5 (last sale, $2,625,000, 03-28-22)

170 Sand Hill Circle, 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1785 square feet, built in 1971, Linda Blaney to Edward and Cynthia Zeng for $1,450,000, closed Jan. 9

MOUNTAIN VIEW

278 Monroe Drive #8, 94040, 2 bedrooms, 939 square feet, built in 1962, Paulus Family Lp to Shuyao and Hongbo Fan for $751,000, closed Jan. 22 (last sale, $107,000, 0701-85)

49 Showers Drive #N268, 94040, 2 bedrooms, 1206 square feet, built in 1974, Gray-Moin Trust to Tonini-Boutacoff Family Trust for $930,000, closed Jan. 23 (last sale, $890,000, 0601-16)

49 Showers Drive #D460, 94040, 3 bedrooms, 1487 square feet, built in 1976, Jiao Tao to Dewald-Dwek Family Trust for $1,600,000, closed Jan. 23 (last sale, $1,250,000, 08-28-15)

REDWOOD CITY

351 Jeter St., 94062, 3 bedrooms, 1952 square

feet, built in 1948, Jianbin and Sharon Hao to Ayumi and Lawrence Chu for $2,510,000, closed Jan. 6 (last sale, $1,800,000, 0207-18)

263 Belmont Ave., 94061, 2 bedrooms, 840 square feet, built in 1942, Sadeghian Maskan LLC to Li and Sheng 2022 Trust for $3,625,000, closed Jan. 9 (last sale, $1,170,000, 04-01-21)

SAN CARLOS

3295 La Mesa Drive #7, 94070, 1 bedroom, 741 square feet, built in 1974, Mcquinn Trust to Preston Trust for $590,000, closed Jan. 8 (last sale, $498,000, 06-08-07)

1833 Brittan Ave., 94070, 2 bedrooms, 1230 square feet, built in 1951, Drew Silberstein to Christopher and Ha Du for $1,800,000, closed Jan. 8 (last sale, $1,510,000, 12-11-23)

16 Granite Court, 94070, 2 bedrooms, 1660 square feet, built in 1958, Redford Living Trust to Aajan and Ave Quail for $2,000,000, closed Jan. 5

1945 Arroyo Ave., 94070, 3 bedrooms, 2244 square feet, built in 1946, Masetti Trust to 1945 Arroyo LLC for $2,575,000, closed Jan. 9

BELMONT

2331 Buena Vista Ave., 94002, 3 bedrooms, 1840 square feet, built in 1954, Pace Family Trust to Ye and Lei Guo for $2,300,000, closed Jan. 7

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Los

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6 Bed | 3.5 Bath | 3,335 SF

Listed at $5,988,000

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• Lovely Landscaped Yard

• Award Winning Oak Knoll Schools

OUT –––––--––––

he’ll move out of his condo provided by the district by the end of April. Austin wouldn’t provide more details about the severance agreement and said Dharap was responsible for releasing it.

Dharap didn’t return phone calls, emails or text messages yesterday.

Other board members either didn’t return a request for comment yesterday or referred questions back to Dharap.

The board will meet on Monday to discuss appointing an acting superintendent and start the search for a permanent leader, Dharap said in his letter.

“We will move with both urgency and care,” he wrote.

Reaction to announcement

Teacher’s union president Tom Culbertson said Austin’s departure “marks the conclusion of a difficult chapter … defined by top-down mandates and a breakdown in the collaborative spirit.”

“The damage to morale and the erosion of professional trust cannot be ignored,” Culbertson said in a statement.

The district and its teachers have been far apart in negotiations — the district is offering 2%, and the union asked for 13%. The 13% actually comes out to a 28% increase after benefits and other compensation are factored in, Austin said on Feb. 5.

Tumultuous meeting

At Austin’s last board meeting on Feb. 10, teachers packed the room and booed at some of his comments.

At the same meeting, the board approved a $3.25 million payment to Fletcher Middle School teacher Peter Colombo, who sued the district after he was falsely accused of rape, according to his attorney.

Colombo wished Austin and his family the best yesterday.

“I want to offer Don Austin the very grace and professional courtesy that I feel was not extended to me during my own challenges,” Colombo said.

The Feb. 10 meeting was particularly emotional following a student suicide at a Caltrain crossing the week before. Summer Devi Mehta, 17, was the third Palo Alto student to die by suicide in the last three years.

Plans to help district

In his advisory role, Austin said he could help the district work with the city of Palo Alto to close the Churchill Avenue railroad crossing.

Austin said he can also help with redeveloping the Cubberley Community Center and with Stanford’s plans to build up its campus under a new Santa Clara County General Use Permit, or GUP. Austin said will advise the district at Dharap’s direction.

Austin said he is planning to move back to Southern California where his grandkids live, and he will continue his leadership coaching business called SimpleWins.

Credited with stablizing district

Former board member Todd Collins yesterday credited Austin with stabilizing the district after he was hired from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District in July 2018.

Austin arrived during a turbulent period filled with financial mistakes, federal lawsuits and overall mismanagement, Collins said.

Austin was “incredibly effective at professionalizing and organizing the district to focus on student achievement,” Collins said in an interview.

Had contract until 2029

The board voted 4-1 in June to renew Austin’s contract until 2029 with a salary of $421,272. Board member Rowena Chiu voted no.

Austin said yesterday that he was particularly proud of two initiatives — starting an alternative high school called Palo Alto Middle College, and focusing on early literacy.

“When we really focused, we were able to have unparalleled success,” Austin said.

One of the most heated issues Austin dealt with was Covid and when to reopen schools.

Austin said closing schools was a defining moment that’s still being felt by students.

“That’s going to take a long time to work through,” Austin said in an interview.

Therapist for each school

Dharap in his letter gave Austin credit for expanding mental health supports so that every school has a therapist.

“His impact on this district will outlast his tenure here,” Dharap said.

CONTROVERSY

after Austin switches to pass/fail grading for all students without a vote of the board.

AUG. 20, 2020 — Austin sends letters to voters saying the district’s parcel tax makes up 17% of the budget. Chief Business Officer Carolyn Chow says the percentage was a typo, and the right number is 7%. The mailers cost $20,000.

JULY 9, 2021 — Four parents sue the district for allegedly holding students back in high school math. Judge Carrie Zepeda later orders the district to update its testing practices and pay $38,311 in attorney fees.

MAY 4, 2022 — About 20 elementary school teachers speak out against a new reading curriculum that they tried and didn’t like, but that administrators recommended anyways.

MAY 7, 2022 — A video is released of Austin saying he wants to get rid of Palo Alto Community Child Care, but he can’t because the after-school program has a likable name and a 45-year history. “The (Covid) closures was our opportunity … but politically I couldn’t do that,” he says.

FEB. 28, 2023 — A committee recommends closing a special education classroom at Ohlone Elementary School, moving families away from their neighborhood campus. “The arrogance and hubris of the district in the way they’re doing this is appalling,” parent Lars Smith says.

MAY 5, 2023 — An 11-year-old student hits a teacher in the head with a folding chair and punches a second employee in the face at JLS Middle School, sending them both to the hospital. Teachers call on Austin to improve their safety, and he agrees to hire 12 behavioral coaches and train employees in handling fights.

MAY 9, 2023 — Over 400 parents and students sign a petition asking the board to reinstate Multivariable Calculus for advanced math students. “Frequent and loud voices cannot determine every

decision and will sometimes need to accept compromises,” Austin said in response.

MAY 18, 2023 — Austin lashes out at board member Shana Segal after her former campaign manager Gayle McDowell calls for his firing. “You are past the point of sitting silent. Speak or you are Gayle,” Austin tells Segal. “If you want me out just go for it. No need to pretend.”

JUNE 20, 2023 — The board extends Austin’s contract despite a letter signed by 590 parents saying he escalated conflicts, disparaged differing viewpoints and broken trust.

AUG. 22, 2023 — Parents William Nee and Wei-Wei Lin sue the district for allegedly delaying a California

TARIFFS ----–

out providing evidence that they had been swayed by foreign interests. He praised the dissenting justices as showing “love of our country.”

Other ways

Despite acknowledging that the court’s decision has limited his power, the president said: “But it doesn’t matter because we have very powerful alternatives.” He said he could use other federal statutes for imposing tariffs, rattling off some that Kavanaugh mentioned in his dissent.

He also said he would sign an order imposing an additional 10% tariffs above all other tariffs, some of which will remain in effect because they are based on other laws.

The president cited Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 in imposing the new tariffs. But that particular section is a “stopgap,” said Brian Peck, an expert in international business law and an adjunct law professor at University of Southern California. It gives the administration the power to impose tariffs up to 15% and only for 150 days unless it’s extended by Congress. The law the Supreme Court said yesterday the president can no longer rely on gave the administration more flexibility. Peck said other statutes Trump can use going forward will require his administration to investigate and find justification for different tariffs, and that those investigations will take months.

American businesses and consumers have paid the bulk of the cost of the president’s tariffs, recent studies by researchers for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and others have shown. In California, the tariffs have affected ports, farms, businesses, workers and consumers in different ways, and have been a factor in persistent inflation.

Trade with China

The state’s trade activity with China dropped so steeply that it is no longer the state’s top trade partner, according to a recent Public Policy Institute of California analysis.

Daniel Payares-Montoya, the researcher for the PPIC who based his analysis on International Trade Administration data, said trade with China has been declining since Trump’s first term, “but to see the dramatic fall, I wasn’t expecting it.”

In 2024, imports from and exports to

Public Records Act request for documents related to special education.

FEB. 15, 2024 — Teacher Peter Colombo sues the district and Austin for allegedly violating his rights in response to an unsubstantiated rape allegation.

SEPT. 10, 2024 — Parents and students push back against Hoover Elementary School’s gender-neutral bathrooms. They complain about them being dirty and lacking privacy, and the principal later agrees to separate the bathrooms.

JUNE 3, 2025 — The board extends Austin’s contract until 2029 despite a petition signed by 1,457 people saying he Austin had a “track record of stonewalling, intimidation and gaslighting.”

China comprised 20% of all California trade activity. In 2025, at least through October, that number fell to 13.4%.

Mexico became the state’s top trade partner, followed by China and Taiwan.

Beverage exports down

The state’s beverage industry was weighed down by tariffs, the analysis showed. California’s beverage exports of brewery, winery and distillery products fell more than 32% compared to the same period in 2024, from over $1.3 billion to $880 million through October, Payares-Montoya found. A big factor was that beverage exports to Canada fell to 16% in 2025 because of a boycott of American products and travel, which also was related to the president’s threats to annex Canada. The big drop came after beverage exports to Canada averaged almost a third of the state’s yearly total from 2010 to 2024. Most recently, Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Canada for striking a trade deal with China.

Overall, the state saw a slight decline, 0.1%, to $459 billion, in the dollar value of imports and exports in the first 10 months of last year, the PPIC analysis found.

Busy ports

Two of the nation’s busiest ports, in Long Beach and Los Angeles, ended up handling their highest and third-highest volumes of cargo, respectively, last year despite the uncertainty around tariffs. But exports decreased as retaliatory tariffs hit American farmers, too.

Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said in a media briefing this week that soybean exports to China from his port fell 80% last year.

“Virtually every agricultural commodity that we export was affected,” said Noel Hacegaba, chief executive of the Port of Long Beach, in an interview with CalMatters this week. Hacegaba said yesterday that he hopes “the ruling brings greater certainty to the supply chain.”

But Peck, the USC law professor, said uncertainty remains, including around how aggressive the Trump administration will be in using the other statutes to continue tariffs.

The decision will spark what could be a chaotic process to return the tax revenue the government has collected, which totaled more than $264 billion in 2025. The plaintiffs in this case were small businesses. But U.S. corporations including Costco, Alcoa and Revlon have also sued.

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HOA dues of $1,015/month (Buyer to verify)