U.S. President Donald Trump pulled back on his threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran yesterday, swerving to deescalate the war less than two hours before the deadline he set for Tehran to capitulate to a deal.
Trump said he was holding off on his
AN EXCAVATOR removes rubble as a firefighter sprays water on smoldering debris at the site of a strike that destroyed half of a Synagogue and nearby homes in Tehran yesterday. AP photo.
threatened attacks on Iranian bridges and power plants, as the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it has accepted the ceasefire and that it would negotiate with the United States in Islamabad beginning Friday. Neither Iran nor the United States said when the ceasefire would begin, and attacks took place in Israel, Iran and across the Gulf region early today.
Israel has also agreed to the ceasefire, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonym-
[See IRAN, page 19]
He ‘likes being the good guy’
DUI CHECKPOINT: Belmont police will conduct a DUI checkpoint tomorrow from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. The location has not been disclosed.
CONSULATE ATTACKED: Turkish officials say gunmen attacked police outside a building housing the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul. The battle left an assailant dead and two officers wounded.
JOURNALIST RELEASED: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that American journalist Shelley Kittleson, who was kidnapped last week in Iraq, has been released. Kittleson was abducted by the Iranbacked Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah from a street corner in Baghdad.
SPACE CALL: Astronauts on Artemis II chatted with their friends aboard the International Space Station yesterday, marking the first time a
[See THE UPDATE, page 4]
New chief starts role
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writeriter
Police Chief James Reifschneider has officially taken the reins of the Palo Alto Police Department — the culmination of 21 years as an officer and a childhood dream to be a cop.
“I like the idea of being the good guy,” Reifschneider said in an interview yesterday.
Reifschneider, 46, went to UC Law San Francisco to become an FBI agent but decided the federal work wasn’t for him. So he spent a year litigating
Embezzlement alleged by nonprofit
BY STEPHANIE LAM Daily Post Correspondent
A former chief financial officer of a Redwood City mental health nonprofit that receives millions of dollars in funding from Santa Clara and San Mateo counties allegedly embezzled close
to $100,000 from the organization, according to its CEO.
Richard Williams, the ex-financial chief of Caminar, misappropriated funds totaling $99,375 for his own benefit, CEO Mark Cloutier said in a statement. Caminar generates around $52
million a year through a mix of county funding, grants, donations and program fees, according to its 2023 annual report.
Caminar is a mental health and substance use treatment service located
PALO ALTO Police Chief James Reifschneider.
Locally owned, independent
Station Homes—Made for the Way You Live
Joan Larrabee on “Mary Chesnut and her Diary”
moonship and spaceship have linked radios, despite being 230,000 miles apart.
HILTON ENDORSED: President Trump is endorsing Republican Steve Hilton for California governor. Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that he has known Hilton for years. The president says the conservative commentator Hilton is “a truly fine man” who can turn around a state beset with high taxes that “has gone to hell.”
Adopt Zeke
Zeke is a 4-year-old, 9-pound bundle of joy with the happiest little face. He's an easygoing, cheerful pup who lights up when you give him attention and is always ready to soak up a few extra pets. Zeke has a sweet, gentle way about him and is just as content trotting by your side as he is hanging out nearby, waiting for a treat. He’s looking for someone who will help him keep build his confidence. Visit petsinneed.org/dogs or call (650) 367-1405.
DELTA BAGS: Delta announced yesterday that passengers on domestic and short-haul international routes will now pay $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second starting today. Delta says a third bag will now cost $200 — a $50 increase.
NO DATA CENTERS: An Indiana politician says someone fired 13 shots at his front door and left behind a note reading “No Data Centers” on his doorstep. Councilman Ron Gibson supported a decision to approve plans for a project for a data center in his district.
Winner of 17 awards from the National Newspaper Association
Publishers: Dave Price, Jim Pavelich
Editor: Dave Price
Managing Editor: Emily Mibach
General Manager: Brandon Heinrichs
Distribution: Amando Mendoza III
Account Executives: Jena Hollister, Mike Ireland and Winnie Reyes
Letters: Limit to 250 words. Author’s full name, address and phone number are required. See policy at padailypost.com under “letters.”
Stories without bylines are often from The Associated Press, Bay City News service or the Post staff.
Legal notices: The Superior Court of Santa Clara County has adjudicated the Daily Post as a newspaper of general circulation in the
ments
and
San Mateo County Coroner: April 6
Sabin Eastman, 83, of Montara
Lawrence Rockwell, 79, of Menlo Park
Cristopher Michael Benavides, 33, of South San Francisco
April 5
Donald M. Walsh, 84, of San Mateo
Kumiyo Bybee, 92, of San Bruno
April 4
Wilhelm Schafer, 90, no hometown listed
Robert Joseph Suskevich, 49, of Ponte Verda Beach
Santos Sican, 41, of Burlingame
Ida Figone, 93, of Redwood City
April 3
Jeffrey Adams, 84, no hometown listed
Yiu Kit Hui, 83, no hometown listed
Santa Clara County Medical Examiner: March 19
James Thomas, 67, of Los Altos
March 18
James Harvey, 91, of San Mateo
Births
Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City:
Aug. 20
Muhammed Huseyin Bekiroglu, a boy
Amy Roxana Cali Cardona, a girl
Aug. 19
Ira Satyajit Deshmukh, a girl
Navy Kate Fields, a girl
Luis Angel Lopezmadriz, a boy
Alexander Tan, a boy
Sergio Santiago Tique, a boy
Lincoln Vuong, a boy
Aug. 18
Enzo Michael Almanza, a boy
Ari Rumi Bermangarg, a boy
Darian Bhesaniazhu, a boy
Lucas Jeremiah Carpano Rodriguez, a boy
Miles Lachlen Bauhaus Ness, a boy
Savannah Valentina Oregelrodriguez, a girl
Yuva Suudhan, a boy
Aug. 17
Nolen Grey Bilbao, a boy
Avery May Buchan, a girl
Naomi Yaretzy Hernandez, a girl
Nivan Jindal, a boy
Luca Zhang Zhu, a boy
Supervisor criticizes SamTrans flyer
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
San Mateo County’s bus agency is using taxpayer money to advocate for a sales tax when the law requires neutrality, according to Supervisor Ray Mueller.
Mueller took issue with a flyer and survey distributed by SamTrans asking residents how it should spend $50 million from a half-cent sales tax planned for the November ballot.
Mueller said SamTrans is allowed to educate voters, but not advocate for the tax measure.
Yet the flyer doesn’t include any cons to the measure nor a disclaimer
that the agency isn’t saying how to vote.
“I don’t think this passes the smell test … This looks to me like a campaign with ‘take our survey’ attached to try to make it somewhat pass,” Mueller said at a San Mateo County Transportation Authority meeting on Thursday.
Service cuts warning
The flyer says transit agencies could end weekend and evening service because of growing budget shortfalls.
“The regional tax would stabilize public transportation funding to offset planned transit service cuts and prevent
station closures across the Bay Area, including in San Mateo County,” the flyer says.
Ballot distinction
SamTrans General Counsel Joan Cassman said the ban on government agencies advocating for a measure only applies when a measure makes the ballot, and the half-cent sales tax hasn’t qualified yet.
Supporters are gathering signatures for a measure in five Bay Area counties that would raise $1 billion annually over 14 years.
“The rules are more relaxed, but we did look at it carefully,” Cassman said.
Supervisor Noelia Corzo and East Palo Alto Councilman Carlos Romero agreed with Cassman saying the flyer was informational.
“It is not in any way directive, saying, ‘You should vote,’” Romero said.
About the survey
The online survey, open through April 30, asks people to rank 10 transit initiatives, such as improving safety, speeding up buses or filling potholes. Corzo said she wants to see a bus across the San Mateo Bridge. South San Francisco Vice Mayor Mark Nogales said he wants a bus-only lane on El Camino Real.
La Comida readies for move into new home
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
A nonprofit that serves free lunches to seniors is moving into its permanent home in downtown Palo Alto after rotating between ballrooms, churches and parking lots for nearly a decade.
“We’ve been nomads for quite a while,” La Comida’s Executive Director Deborah Grant said in an interview yesterday.
Starting on May 4, La Comida will serve lunches to 65 seniors at a time in a newly remodeled city building at 429 Bryant Street.
The nonprofit will save money on rent, going from more than $3,000 a month to $1 a year, and employees won’t have to set up tables and chairs every day.
“We’re really excited about being
able to offer this to more folks in that area,” Grant said.
About La Comida
La Comida was founded in 1972 with funding from the Older Americans Act senior nutrition program.
Alongside fresh-cooked meals, La Comida offers support such as mental health counseling, financial education, blood pressure tests and live music.
“It’s not just a ‘come eat and leave’ kind of place,” Grant said. “It’s a family-type setting for folks, and we find they keep coming back because they need to have that community.”
Search for new home
The nonprofit has been searching for a permanent home in northern Palo Alto since 2017, when the Avenidas
Senior Center at 450 Bryant St. remodeled and ended a 40-year relationship between the two nonprofits.
La Comida offered takeout during the pandemic and in July 2023 signed a temporary deal with Avenidas to serve lunches in a tent behind the building.
In December 2023, La Comida moved to a second-floor ballroom at the First United Methodist Church at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Webster Street.
Grant said La Comida has enjoyed the church’s ballroom, but paying rent was unsustainable.
Downtown space
La Comida was one of four organizations to vie for space at 429 Bryant St. after Form Fitness was evicted for not paying rent.
The other organizations were a 24hour gym, a tech recruiting company and Silicon Valley Bike Exchange.
Council in June 2024 voted to give La Comida a 10-year lease on the first floor and use the second floor for a teen community center.
“It’s one of the easiest decisions we can make in a while,” Vice Mayor Greer Stone said at the time.
Grant said she’s excited to be across the street from Avenidas and closer to downtown businesses.
“We’re always open for visitors to come and dine with us,” Grant said.
The new space is smaller than the church, so La Comida will do staggered seatings to fit everyone. Lunches can draw crowds of more than 200 seniors depending on the weather and menu — fish is a favorite, Grant said.
Gold: Your Best Insurance
Trade Wars and Currency Wars are accelerating worldwide.
The old monetar y system is failing. Indebted national currencies are depreciating in a see-saw race to the bottom. So much worldwide debt is in default or is being masked with more debt. Politicians posture at each other, but they all created the situation by buying power and favors while mor tgaging your children’s future.
Stocks and bond markets, long suppor ted by Central Banks, may be challenged going for ward as governments have exhausted their debt expansion tools. Recent new highs in equities, due to some promising companies, may be more post-election hope than substance. Cr yptocurrencies had their run, but the hope for a sounder and more private fiat system remains challenged while a past price bubble for the majority has been costly. Bitcoin is an example of those still per forming among the thousands of currencies & tokens in this young experiment.
Wise and calm obser vers know that longterm, gold is money, not debt, not paper promises. For thousands of years it has protected families from currency depreciation, paper defaults, and cer tain political abuses.
If you have been waiting to buy gold, or buy it “cheaper,” reconsider. Gold bottomed near $1040 at the end of 2015. We are in a new multi-year uptrend reconfirmed by the current strength just below all time highs. Monetar y scientists understand that the repricing of gold is just getting star ted. Each crisis seems to become more pronounced as the debt monetar y system disintegrates towards failure. Gold is best accumulated, not speculated. Star t saving in gold, and make it a habit.
Come visit Mish International and find out what probabilities lie ahead for gold and related commodities. Learn why gold must be a necessary par t of your assets. Since 1964, the wisest advice and best prices for gold & silver are right here in Menlo Park.
I-280 crash kills 1
FATAL ACCIDENT — First responders work the scene of a fatal crash on I-280 in Los Altos Hills on Monday. Photo by CHP.
One person died and two others were injured after a car veered off Interstate 280 in Los Altos Hills and crashed into a tree, according to the CHP.
The crash was reported at about 7:50 a.m. Monday along I-280, north of El Monte Road. A Honda Accord headed south on the highway went through the center median between a metal guard-
rail and concrete barrier and crashed into a tree, the CHP said.
A woman in the rear passenger seat was not wearing a seat belt and suffered fatal injuries. Her name was not released.
The man driving the car and a woman in the front passenger seat suffered major injuries and were transported to Stanford Medical Center, the CHP said.
Council open to 8-story buildings
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
The majority of Palo Alto City Council wants to allow eight-story buildings in the southern end of the city — taller than the city’s historic height limit but well short of the 20-story buildings offered by planners.
Councilmen Ed Lauing and Pat Burt said Monday they would stick with six stories because they’re worried about traffic around San Antonio Road, where the city is planning for thousands of new homes.
“It’s already gridlock,” Lauing said.
‘Magic number’
Councilwoman Julie Lythcott-Haims was open to high rises up to 20 stories along Highway 101.
“I’m more interested in going up to
get the units we need from height and create more spaces for parkland and trees,” she said.
Vice Mayor Greer Stone said eight stories, or 90 feet, is “probably the magic number here.” He said 250-foot buildings would be out-of-character with the surroundings.
“It’d be a significant policy change in the city — one I’m not willing to embrace,” Stone said.
Councilman Keith Reckdahl, Mayor Vicki Veenker and Councilman George Lu agreed with Stone about going to 90 feet around San Antonio Road, with some openness to going taller than that.
Palo Alto’s tallest building is a 15-story, 237-foot office center at 525 University Ave. City Hall is 122 feet. Depending on the new height limit,
the city is planning for 3,800 to 7,400 new homes over the next 25 years in a 275-acre planning area around San Antonio Road.
The 90-foot option makes the most financial sense for developers because they can use wood to construct eight-story buildings, and high rises use steel, Senior Planner Robert Cain said.
Residents seek 60-foot limit
Several south Palo Alto residents wrote to council to ask for a 60-foot limit and complain that housing will be concentrated near them.
Council approved a 50-foot height
limit in September 1973, city records show. But new state laws over the last decade have forced the city to allow taller buildings, particularly when developers include subsidized housing.
Developers have already turned in plans for eight-story buildings at 788 and 800 San Antonio Road.
Future moves
Council members Monday also discussed creating parks, bike lanes and retail for future residents.
“Overall this is a really bad place to live right now, but I think down the line it could be a really great place to live,” Reckdahl said.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
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Caution urged on menopause relief
Women suffering through the hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes and sleep problems that can come with menopause — all while looking in the mirror and noticing signs of aging — are being bombarded with products.
More open conversations about menopause and the period leading up to it — called perimenopause — are happening at the same time that marketing has been supercharged by social media. Women are being confronted by lotions and serums and light masks that promise to rejuvenate their faces and necks, dietary supplements claiming to do everything from boost moods to ease hot flashes and gadgets promising to help with symptoms.
“The marketing has gotten very, very aggressive. It’s pervasive,” said Dr. Nanette Santoro, an OB-GYN professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz.
Santoro and other physicians say that before spending lots of money on products that make big promises, it’s important for women to talk to their doctors about what has actually been proven to help — and what could be harmful.
“It really pays to be very, very, very skeptical,” Santoro said.
A flood of marketing
As menstruation winds down, women’s levels of estrogen and progesterone drop. In some women, the symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, vaginal dryness and sleep problems.
Dr. Angela Angel, an OB-GYN with
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, said that in the past, doctors would ask women around the age of 50 during their yearly exam if they were noticing any symptoms. But now, she said, patients are making separate appointments and initiating the conversations.
And at those appointments, she said, many patients tell her they’ve already tried something. “They’re coming to see me because it’s not effective or because it’s caused some other side effect,” Angel said.
Products aimed at women in that stage of life include everything from bracelets and rings claiming to help ease hot flashes to cooling blankets and bedding.
Help vs. cost
Santoro said her advice to patients is to “balance what you’re going to spend over whether this might help you.”
“If it’s a bracelet that’s going to cost you $20, it’s not a big expenditure. It might provide some improvement,” Santoro said. “Things that are not well tested might still work but if you want something that works — come back, I’m not going anywhere and I’ll give you evidence-based treatment.”
Santoro said dietary supplements have not been proven in multiple, well-done studies to alleviate hot flashes, but many are low cost with a low potential for harm. She said if a patient wants to try something they see online, it’s important to at least tell their doctor so they can be monitored while taking it — or warned off.
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Raw Farm recalls some raw cheese
A California dairy producer that health authorities have been investigating amid an ongoing outbreak of E. coli is recalling some of its raw cheese products, after initially refusing to do so. Raw Farm of Fresno said it is voluntarily recalling more than a half-dozen varieties of its cheddar cheese made from raw milk. The recalled batches carry expiration dates spanning from May 2026 to September 2026.
Rising food category
Interest in and sales of raw milk have been rising in recent years, fueled by social media and growing support from the Health Secretary Robert F. Kenne-
dy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement. Raw milk has not been pasteurized, which kills germs like E. coli, salmonella, listeria and campylobacter.
The Food and Drug Administration began investigating cases of E. coli food poisoning among people who had reportedly consumed the company’s products last month and previously requested a recall.
In an update, the FDA said it was conducting an inspection of the company’s facilities but had not found positive testing for E. coli bacteria among the company’s products.
Raw Farm reiterated that point in its announcement and added that it was conducting its recall “under protest.”
Post
PALO ALTO
4250 El Camino Real #B118, 94306, 1 bedroom, 960 square feet, built in 1983, Hsieh Living Trust to Jonathan Chow for $675,000, closed March 9 (last sale: $420,000, 0609-11)
1116 Bryant St., 94301, 2 bedrooms, 1220 square feet, built in 1904, Lockhart Family Trust to Meyer Trust for $1,485,000, closed March 12 (last sale: $219,000, 03-17-11)
1455 California Ave., 94304, 2 bedrooms, 1989 square feet, built in 2017, Mary Wootters to Leland Stanford Junior Univ for $1,825,000, closed March 10
EAST PALO ALTO
1183 Saratoga Ave., 94303, 2 bedrooms, 1440 square feet, built in 1950, Saritha and Harish Nalagandla to Yakupitiyage and Pa Family Trust for $1,080,000, closed Feb. 25 (last sale: $997,000, 03-29-18)
2370 Ralmar Ave., 94303, 4 bedrooms, 1963 square feet, built in 2006, Sunny and Samson Huang to Ramon and Fang Su for $1,310,000, closed Feb. 27 (last sale: $390,000, 03-20-12)
MENLO PARK
1208 Henderson Ave., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1070 square feet, built in 1948, Per Nilsson to Eunhei Jang for $1,244,000, closed Feb. 27 (last sale: $1,211,500, 11-07-19)
1983 Euclid Ave., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1270 square feet, built in 1985, Golden Acacia LLC to Chieh-Yin and Young Lee for $1,250,000, closed Feb. 23 (last sale: $1,100,000, 10-18-24)
MOUNTAIN VIEW
505 Cypress Point Drive #140, 94043, 2 bedrooms, 843 square feet, built in 1971, Lin Family Trust to Gia and Osaze Shears for $675,000, closed March 12 (last sale: $520,000, 0130-14)
108 East Middlefield Road #A, 94043, 2
bedrooms, 858 square feet, built in 1972, Jennifer Foster to Diane Petsche for $705,000, closed March 9 (last sale: $290,000, 0219-03)
LOS ALTOS
1161 Volti Lane, 94024, 3 bedrooms, 1898 square feet, built in 1953, Blair Trust to Fanyue and Huanyu Yang for $4,010,000, closed March 13
678 Benvenue Ave., 94024, 3 bedrooms, 1188 square feet, built in 1951, Bruce Credit Trust to Vignesh-Iyer Trust for $4,220,000, closed March 9
REDWOOD CITY
139 Shorebird Circle, 94065, 1 bedroom, 823 square feet, built in 1986, Lam Living Trust to Hess Living Trust for $695,000, closed Feb. 23 (last sale: $350,000, 05-23-12)
512 Hurlingame Ave., 94063, 2 bedrooms, 770 square feet, built in 1959, Hector Tafola to Gloria and Cristobal Ferrusca for $799,000, closed Feb. 27
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
MARCH 30
9:44 a.m. — Jason Michael Hyatt, 46, of San Jose, arrested for creating a public nuisance, 500 block of Webster St.
9:56 p.m. — Auto burglary, 400 block of Bryant St.
APRIL 1
12:43 a.m. — Erik Peterson, 54, and Kenneth Arlen Hennefer, 71, both transients, both arrested for creating a public nuisance, Mitchell Park. Hennefer is also arrested on a warrant.
5:34 a.m. — Abdrea Louise Anderson, 43, of East Palo Alto, arrested on a warrant, 400 block of High St.
11:43 a.m. — Vandalism, 1500 block of Page Mill Road.
3:11 p.m. — Auto burglary, Sand Hill Road and El Camino.
9:31 p.m. — Auto burglary, 400 block of Lytton Ave.
9:37 p.m. — Auto burglary, 400 block of Bryant St.
11:09 p.m. — Auto burglary, 400 block of Ramona St.
9:56 a.m. — Michael L. Wu, 68, transient, arrested for creating a
Daily Post
Police Blotter
public nuisance, 400 block of Bryant St.
10:26 a.m. — Petty theft, 3500 block of Alma St.
11:14 a.m. — Home burglary, 400 block of Curtner Ave.
5:02 p.m. — Jesus Mondragon Orozco, 32, of Redwood City, arrested on a warrant at Palo Alto Police Dept., 275 Forest Ave.
5:30 p.m. — Elliot Edward Holt, 43, transient, arrested for creating a public nuisance, 400 block of Bryant St.
MENLO PARK
SUNDAY
12:39 a.m. — Person detained for public drunkenness, Menalto Ave. and Chester St.
1:46 p.m. — Vandalism, Almanor Ave. and Bay Road.
MONDAY
12:43 a.m. — Andrea Leone, 24, of East Palo Alto, arrested for DUI, 500 block of El Camino.
7:42 a.m. — E-bike stolen, 200 block of Waverley St.
12:57 p.m. — Vehicle collision causes injuries, Central Ave. and Durham St.
2:31 p.m. — Person detained for public drunkenness, 1200 block of Willow Road.
STANFORD
MARCH 31
8:17 a.m. — Grand theft, 200 block of Campus Drive. Anthony Miller, 48, arrested for grand theft and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.
9:08 a.m. — Adan Rodriguez
Gonzalez, 38, of Palo Alto, arrested for prowling, theft of others’ lost property, possession of meth and on two warrants, Abrams Court.
3:35 p.m. — Bicycle stolen, 1000 block of Campus Drive.
4:13 p.m. — E-bike stolen, 200 block of Santa Teresa St.
6:32 p.m. — Grand theft, 600 block of Escondido Road.
ATHERTON
SUNDAY
4:29 p.m. — Ezriel Abraham Lurie, 40, of Redwood City, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license, Middlefield and Marsh roads.
MOUNTAIN VIEW
FEB. 22
2:56 a.m. — Luis Alvarez, 27, of Mountain View, cited for battery and public drunkenness at Monte Carlo Club, 228 Castro St.
4:06 a.m. — Nidia Leon, 47, of Milpitas, cited for DUI, Bush and Dana streets.
FEB. 23
6:22 p.m. — Dylan Arles, 34, of San Francisco, cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, San Antonio Road and Transport St. Samuel Walden, 37, of Antioch, cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.
FEB. 24
4:27 p.m. — Davion Douglas, 32, of Redwood City, cited for being under the influence of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, San Antonio Caltrain Station.
MARCH 2
10:45 a.m. — Irving Tellez Sotelo,
34, of Daly City, cited on a warrant at Mountain View Police Dept., 1000 Villa St.
MARCH 23
6:20 p.m. — Santos Felipe Cervantes, 27, of Mountain View, cited on a warrant at Mountain View Police Dept., 1000 Villa St.
MARCH 27
9:15 a.m. — Steven Windes, 32, transient, cited on a warrant, 1300 block of Pear Ave.
MARCH 29
10:59 p.m. — Christian Castillo Jimenez, 18, of Sunnyvale, cited for driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs and narcotics possession, Shoreline Blvd. and Wright Ave.
MARCH 30
9:12 a.m. — Theft, 300 block of Easy St.
10:05 a.m. — Theft at Target, 555 Showers Drive.
10:33 a.m. — Theft, 1-99 block of Mercy St.
10:38 a.m. — Theft 1700 block of Villa St.
10:40 a.m. — Serena Robinson, 28, of East Palo Alto, arrested for petty theft and illegal possession of tear gas, 2000 block of California St.
3:07 p.m. — Giovani Garcia, 42, transient, arrested for public drunkenness, 2500 block of W. El Camino.
7:51 a.m. — Lawrence Redican, 59, of Mountain View, arrested on a
Police Blotter
warrant, 1200 block of Verano Road.
11:17 a.m. — Hongli Li, 50, arrested for pimping and pandering, Morning Sun Court.
7:49 p.m. — Auto burglary, 300 block of Castro St.
8:22 p.m. — Four vehicles broken into, 1900 block of W. El Camino.
8:43 p.m. — Ankur Gupta, 40, arrested for domestic battery and child endangerment, 1-99 block of Showers Drive.
8:49 p.m. — Auto burglary, 100 block of View St.
11:38 p.m. — Jamie Belcher, 42, arrested for drug possession at Safeway, 645 San Antonio Road.
LOS ALTOS
APRIL 1
10:04 p.m. — Stephanie Ruyle, 42, of Campbell, cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of a stun gun, Fourth and State streets.
LOS ALTOS HILLS
MONDAY
7:50 a.m. — Car driving south on I-280 just north of El Monte Road crashes through a metal guardrail and concrete barrier and into a tree. A passenger in the backseat is killed and the driver and front passenger are taken to Stanford Hospital with major injuries.
REDWOOD CITY
FRIDAY
10:38 a.m. — Two-vehicle
accident causes minor injuries, Hazel Ave.
10:46 a.m. — Woman says that a few hours before she was asleep in her Jeep when another person broke into her vehicle and hit her in the head with an object, James Ave.
11:56 a.m. — Male student reported to have exposed himself to a previous student on April 1. Location not disclosed.
1:18 p.m. — Caller reports seeing masked individuals who may be trying to break into vehicles, Redwood Shores Parkway.
3:38 p.m. — Caller says a person in a black car pointed a gun at the caller, Poplar Ave.
6:10 p.m. — Man steals a backpack, Broadway.
7:37 p.m. — Two men fighting, Roosevelt Ave.
8:14 p.m. — Auto shop employee says a customer drove away without paying for four tires mounted on her vehicle, Whipple Ave.
9:47 p.m. — Worker at a business says a man and a woman argued with the worker while they were going to buy cigarettes and then threw things on the counter, El Camino. When the worker went outside to get a picture of them, the man tried to hit the workers with his vehicle.
SATURDAY
12:55 a.m. — Man says a robber held him up at knifepoint and took his scooter, James Ave.
3:19 a.m. — Woman says she talked to three men who were drinking alcohol and urinating about keeping their noise down
and they sexually harassed her, Marshall St.
8:51 a.m. — Stolen vehicle recovered, Bradford St.
9:05 a.m. — Burglary at a business, Middlefield Road.
11:30 a.m. — Grand theft from a store, El Camino.
3:56 p.m. — Stone thrown through a resident’s kitchen window, breaking the window, Cedar St.
5:27 p.m. — Worker at a store says a women peed in a lunch pail for sale at the business, Main St.
BELMONT
SATURDAY
9:21 a.m. — Lory Yoko Kitamura Tintor, 69, arrested for shoplifting and trespassing, El Camino and Ralston Ave.
6:59 p.m. — Timothy Allen Wainwright, 50, cited for shoplifting and on a warrant, 900 block of El Camino.
SUNDAY
12:39 p.m. — David Daniel Childress, 54, cited on a warrant, 1100 block of Shoreway Road.
5:26 p.m. — Home burglary, Hiller St.
CHP
From the Redwood City office of the CHP, which covers the MidPeninsula.
MARCH 30
Leodegario Gomez Cruz, 42, arrested for DUI and driving without a license.
Alberto B. Zatarian, 39, arrested for DUI that causes injuries.
Invitation to 2026 Earth Day Festival
The Town of Atherton is proud to invite the Atherton community to the annual Earth Day Festival scheduled for Sunday, April 26, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Holbrook Palmer Park. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet - Lead with Action,” highlights people-powered solutions that support clean air, clean water, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship. Earth Day 2026 affirms that environmental progress is real, resilient, and ongoing. Innovation, education, and community problemsolving continue to move the needle forward, especially at the local level.
Cities, schools, and community institutions play a critical role in strengthening energy reliability, conserving resources, and reducing risk in ways that support both economic vitality and public safety. The festival will focus on tangible, practical actions people can take in their daily lives and within the broader community.
The event will feature interactive activities, educational booths, youth leadership opportunities, and hands-on experiences led by local organizations, environmental partners, and Town committees. We believe this is a meaningful opportunity for students of all ages to extend their learning beyond the classroom while engaging with real-world climate and sustainability solutions. For more information on volunteer volunteer or vendor opportunities, please visit https://Atherton.News/Event-Details.
its spot as the community’s favorite weekly gathering space. Whether you’re hunting for peak-season fresh produce, artisan baked goods, or high-quality meat and seafood, there is something for every palate. Beyond the incredible selection of prepared foods and vibrant flowers, you can soak up the lively evening atmosphere and enjoy live
music with a glass of wine while catching up with neighbors. It’s more than just a shopping trip—it’s the heartbeat of Downtown. Season opens April 30th and runs every Thursday evening from 4 to 8 p.m. through October. For more information see downtownlosaltos.org.
CRAVING LUXURY? Stop by LuxeRetail Therapy at 824 San Antonio Road, Palo. Alto. In addition to shopping, LuxeRetail is accepting luxury and high-quality items for consignment. Owner Rachelle Cagampan is committed to sustainability and supporting a circular economy by helping families declutter and earn effortlessly. LuxeRetail handles the entire selling process,
helping to reduce waste with every transaction. To schedule a drop-off, please email clientservices@ luxeretailtherapy.com.
CRAVE | THE HARAMARA RETREAT. Sayulita, Mexico | October 12–17, 2026. This retreat is designed to gently pull you out of the noise of everyday life and into a slower more spacious rhythm. You’ll unwind in serene spaces, practice in hillside yoga shalas with breathtaking views, and savor delectable, chef-inspired meals made from fresh, local ingredients. To sign up for “The space in-
between: restore, renew, reconnect,” visit craveyogamv.com/crave-yoga-retreat. Shown in the photo are hosts Misha Krepon and Helena McLoughlin.
BEER, WINE, COCKTAILS AND SOME of the best burgers around are the name of the game at The Alpine Inn in Portola Valley. Just ask Bill or Oscar. They’ve been sipping cool ones out back by the creek since before the internet was invented.. which we think was invented at the alpine Inn. Wow, that’s a long time of enjoying the scenic ambience of this classic old roadhouse that has been in business since about 1851. The Alpine Inn is a fun place to visit. There are picnic tables out back in the large patio by the creek. This is the roadhouse for all ages at 3915 Alpine road in Portola Valley. Call (650) 854-4004 for more info.
Study and the increase of the Level I Fee are necessary to fund the construction of needed school facilities to accommodate students due to development. A copy of the proposed Board resolution will be available for public inspection two weeks prior to the April 16, 2026 meeting at the Menlo Park City School
NONPROFIT –––
at 375 Cambridge Ave. Caminar regularly receives allocations from the Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services Department. In 2023 San Mateo County awarded the organization a $12.9 million contract to provide services at its Cordilleras Mental Health Rehabilitation Center at 200 Edmonds Road outside Redwood City. This contract expires in June.
Suspicious invoice
In 2025 Caminar began an internal investigation after flagging down a suspicious invoice for consulting services that was submitted to the organization for payment, according to Cloutier.
The organization linked the invoice to other suspicious invoices and payments to a fictitious entity, which was directly associated with Williams, Cloutier said.
Williams appeared to have fabricated the entity, vendor contact and a contract to support the invoices to Caminar, Cloutier said.
Williams resigned from his position in September 2025, while Caminar’s investigation was still ongoing, according to Cloutier.
The Daily Post reached out to Redwood City Lt. Jeff Clements on Monday and Tuesday to confirm whether Caminar had filed a formal police report regarding the embezzlement, but did not receive a response. District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Redwood City is facing “a long investigation” into the allegations against Williams.
Was there for a year
The Daily Post reached out to Williams via LinkedIn to hear his side of the story, he did not respond.
Williams joined Caminar in January 2024. He previously worked as CFO of a Houston-based organization supporting autistic children, according to his LinkedIn profile, as well as for another Texas-based behavioral health company and credit union.
He is currently a board member at an L.A.-based foundation that helps sex trafficking survivors and an
ambassador for a Georgia-based men’s mental health organization, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In 2023 Caminar’s highest paid employees included psychiatrist Dr. Heather Colbert, who made $336,060 and Cloutier, who made $302,903. Williams was not listed among the top ten highest paid employees, and the cutoff salary for the list was $129,484.
Other nonprofit’s woes
Caminar isn’t the only San Mateo County nonprofit to experience alleged embezzlement. In 2023, an audit found that StarVista’s clinical director, Clarise Blanchard had embezzled $700,000 over a 13-year period, according to the District Attorney’s Office. StarVista was a Burlingame-based organization that worked with the county to provide mental health services. The organization closed on Aug. 1 due to financial challenges.
Blanchard took a plea deal on Oct. 22 and faces up to three years and four months in prison. She is set to be sentenced on June 1.
CHIEF ––––––––
patent cases at a Menlo Park law firm before becoming a Palo Alto police officer in 2005. Reifschneider said the highlight of his career has been working as a detective. He said Palo Alto doesn’t have a lot of violent crimes, so it’s all hands on deck when something big happens.
Shortly after becoming a detective, Reifschneider worked on the 2008 homicide of Jennifer Schipsi, a 29-year-old real estate agent who was burned to death in a cottage on Addison Avenue.
Reifschneider testified against Schipsi’s boyfriend, hookah shop owner Bulos Zumot, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to 33 years in prison.
Demands of the job
Reifschneider said he deals with the demands of the job by having friends who aren’t police officers and allow him to talk about something other than po-
lice work. At the end of the day, Reifschneider said he tries to think about a moment when he helped someone, even if it’s something mundane like pulling up behind a driver who ran out of gas. He’s encouraged his fellow police officers to also reflect on a good deed.
“If you can frame your day that way, it makes it a lot easier not to dwell on the unfortunate parts of the job,” he said.
Inspired by former chief
Reifschneider said he was inspired by former Chief Dennis Burns, who led the department from 2008 to 2016.
Reifschneider is the first chief since Burns to spend his entire career in Palo Alto.
Reifschneider also has a strong relationship with former Chief Andrew Binder, who retired on March 31 after being on medical leave with a back injury.
Binder led Reifschneider’s trainings at the police academy when Binder worked for the San Jose Police Department. Twenty years later, they worked together to update the Palo Alto Police Department’s policies when residents were calling for police reforms in 2020 and 2021.
Reifschneider said the profession of policing deserved some criticism, and the department had room for improvement.
“But do I think that Palo Alto PD was doing a really good job? Yes I do,” he said.
Younger force
Reifschneider said the department has more young officers than in the past because longtime officers have retired in the last five years.
Younger police officers have been an asset because they only know modern policing expectations.
“It’s energized the place,” he said.
Reifschneider said he is hoping to hire more officers so the department can increase traffic enforcement and have more detectives. Once vacancies are filled, he’s planning to ask council for more positions. Officers and dispatchers will move to the
LEADERSHIP
department’s new headquarters by California Avenue early this summer, Reifschneider said.
Reifschneider said he doesn’t plan to change the department’s approach to homelessness or RVs, which starts with education before enforcement.
Reifschneider hasn’t made any decisions about new department leadership nor who will take his old job as assistant chief.
The department has two captains — April Wagner and Zach Perron — and five lieutenants: Ben Becchetti, Nicolas Martinez, Craig Lee, David Lee and Kara Apple.
Praise for new chief
Agent Chris Correia, president of the Police Officers’ Association, said the union endorses Reifschneider as chief.
“He’s one of the sharpest, most thoughtful leaders I’ve ever worked with,” Correia told council on Monday.
Council also praised Reifschneider before appointing him with a $363,584 salary.
“Your responsiveness, your judgement and your professionalism will serve the city well,” Mayor Vicki Veenker said.
Reifschneider will oversee 141 employees, including 86 sworn officers, and a $58 million budget.
“We today have the most professional, high-performing department that I have known in my 30 years of public service,” Councilman Pat Burt said.
IRAN –––––
ity. The ceasefire calls for Israel and Hezbollah to halt fighting in Lebanon, according to the prime minister of Pakistan, which has been mediating talks. In the version of its 10-point ceasefire plan released in Farsi, Iran included the phrase “acceptance of enrichment” for its nuclear program. But for reasons that remain unclear, that phrase was missing in English versions shared by Iranian diplomats to journalists.
Trump initially had said Iran proposed a “workable” 10-point plan that could help end the war launched by the U.S. and Israel in February. But he later called it fraudulent, without elaborating. Trump has said ending Iran’s nuclear program entirely was a key point of the war.
Pro-government demonstrators in the streets of Iran’s capital screamed: “Death to America, death to Israel, death to compromisers!” after the ceasefire announcement this morning. They also
burned American and Israeli flags in the street. It shows the ongoing anger from hard-liners, who had been preparing for what many assumed would be an apocalyptical battle with the United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said passage through the strait would be allowed under Iranian military management. It wasn’t immediately clear whether that meant Iran would completely loosen its chokehold on the waterway.
The plan allows for both Iran and Oman to charge fees on ships transiting through the strait, according to a regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss negotiations they were directly involved in. The official said Iran would use the money it raised for reconstruction.
In addition to control of the strait, Iran’s demands for ending the war include withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from the region, the lifting of sanctions and the release of its frozen assets.
Trump threats raised alarms
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if a deal isn’t reached, Trump said in an online post yesterday morning. But he also seemed to keep open the possibility of an off-ramp, saying that “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen.”
Trump’s expansive threat did not seem to account for potential harm to civilians, prompting Democrats in Congress, some United Nations officials and scholars in military law to say such strikes would violate international law.
Tehran’s representative at the U.N., Amir-Saeid Iravani, said the threats “constitute incitement to war crimes and potentially genocide” and that Iran would “take immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures” if Trump launches devastating strikes.
Israel keeps up attacks
Israel was continuing its attacks on Iran, said an Israeli military official. Iran also kept up fire on Israel.
The U.S. military has halted all offensive operations against Iran but continues defensive actions, said an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive military operations.
More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, but the government has not updated the toll for days. In Lebanon, where Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, more than 1,500 people have been killed.
Puzzles on page 21
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FOUND PROPERTY CURRENCY FOUND IN MENLO PARK ON 12/29/2025. IF CLAIMING, PLEASE CONTACT THE MENLO PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT PROPERTY UNIT AT 650-330-6334 TO PROVIDE SPECIFICS ON AMOUNT/LOCATION.
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The following committees will have a vacancy starting July 2026: Planning Commission Audit and Finance Committee Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee Environmental Programs Committee Park and Recreation Committee
NOTICE OF BULK SALE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE
(Secs. 6101-6111 U.C.C.)
Notice is hereby given to creditors of the within named seller(s) that a bulk sale is about to be made on personal property hereinafter described.
The name(s) and business address of the intended seller(s) are: Prostone Services 1190 Mountain View-Alviso Rd, Ste M Sunnyvale, CA 94089
The name(s) and business address of the intended buyer(s) are: Castles Home Stone Service LLC 1099 38th Avenue #23 Santa Cruz, CA 95062
That the property pertinent hereto is described in general as: materials, supplies, machinery, parts, equipment, and inventory and is located at: 1190 Mountain View-Alviso Rd, Ste M Sunnyvale, CA 94089
The business name used by the said seller(s) at said location is: Prostone Services
The bulk sale which is the subject of this notice is an acquisition of the assets of Prostone Services, a California corporation, by Castles Home Stone Service LLC, a California limited liability company.
Said bulk sale shall be consummated on or after January 1st, Castles Home Stone Service LLC
This bulk sale is subject to Section 6106.2 of the California Commercial Code.
April 10th, 2026.
So far as is known to said intended buyer(s) said intended seller(s) used the following additional business names and addresses within the three years last past: None.
Dated: March 27, 2026
CASTLES HOME STONE SERVICE LLC, a California limited liability company /s/: Seth Franta President Intended Buyer
Plan to add roundabout, bike lanes moves ahead
BY STEPHANIE LAM Daily Post Correspondent
San Carlos is eyeing a new roundabout on Crestview Drive, along with buffered bike lanes and signs, which some residents say will better protect drivers and bicyclists who use the busy roadway.
The Planning and Transportation Commission on Monday reviewed plans for the $1.3 million pilot program to make changes to 2.2 miles of Crestview, from Edgewood Road to the Belmont border at Hallmark Drive. Final approval for the project rests with City Council. The commission unanimously recommended council OK the project.
Safety concerns
For years, residents have asked the city to make safer and more visible pedestrian crossings as well as road adjustments to deter speeding drivers. Crestview is a major roadway that has a steep downhill grade and wide travel lanes. Many families who live in the area have children that com-
mute to local schools, including Mariposa, Tierra Linda and San Carlos Charter Schools’ campuses, according to a memo by Senior Traffic Engineer Hanieh Houshmandi and Associate Engineer Jana Cadiz.
For instance, Crestview resident John Mikulsky said on Monday cars frequently pass him on the right and he sees “speeders everyday.”
Meanwhile, Ebrahim Sohrabi, who also lives on Crestview, said his car has been hit twice by drivers and a motorcyclist who weren’t careful on the roadway.
“Anything that can help will be great for Crestview,” he said.
Measuring success
Houshmandi said the roundabout and buffered bike lanes suggested in the pilot program will eventually become permanent, but it all depends on how successful they are at slowing down traffic and keeping bicyclists safe.
Commissioner Frank Kenniasty asked if the city has identified cri-
teria to determine the program’s success. Houshmandi said the information would be brought to City Council.
“If we’re going to approve this, there’s got to be some objective standard for safety here I would think,” Kenniasty said.
Commissioner Twisha Anand said the city doesn’t have any roundabouts near an incline like Crestview. She asked if planners could share case studies about different cities or counties that have implement roundabouts in similar terrain, and its effectiveness.
“That is going to greatly help in bringing transparency and alleviating some of the resident’s concerns and questions,” she said.
Bike lane suggestion
Sonia Elkes a local bicycle advocate, said she would like to see a clearer bike path on the roundabout, as bicyclists are often hidden when using it.
“I would like to see this amazing bicycle lane continued in a wider circle around the roundtable,” she said.
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• controversy surrounding San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus
• the opioid crisis
• the slow release of after-action reports on the Covid outbreak
• coverage of a massive fire that destroyed a housing development in North Fair Oaks
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• Best Advertising Idea • Best Public Notice Section
