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Arrest made in home robbery
In jail for another case
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
A Redwood City man has been arrested for a San Carlos home invasion that left a neighborhood on edge.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office yesterday announced that Miguel Aguilar Sarabia, 36, who was already in jail for another home burglary, had been connected to the Jan. 9 home in-
SPOTTED — Redwood City police drones caught this footage of a man identified as Miguel Aguilar Sarabia as he left a Redwood City home after an alleged burglary. RWCPD photo.
vasion after police searched his home.
On Jan. 9, Sarabia forced himself into a home on the 1400 block of Greenwood Ave. in San Carlos with a gun at 2 a.m., demanding money and valuables before fleeing on a bicycle, according to police.
Despite police flooding the area, awaking neighbors with police drones whizzing through the air, police weren’t able to catch the perpetrator. The Post talked to neighbors the morning after the home invasion.
Resident Ken Jauregui told the
[See ARREST, page 18]
Suit: Admin bullied assistant
stronger guarantees that the military won’t use OpenAI’s systems for domestic surveillance. This follows the government’s ban on Anthropic’s AI tool Claude.
BONDS UP: The yield on the 10year Treasury bond briefly rose above 4.10% yesterday before pulling back just below 4.06%. It was at 4.05% late Monday and just 3.97% on Friday. Higher yields can make it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, affecting [See THE UPDATE, page 23]
BAHADURSINGH
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
A former administrative assistant at the Palo Alto Unified School District says she was bullied by acting Superintendent Trent Bahadursingh and other district officials, according to a new lawsuit.
While working as an assistant to the superintendent, Victoria Maya said she heard from a coworker that Bahadursingh called her “the ‘P’ word” because she went on medical leave, according to the suit.
“After learning of Trent Bahadursingh’s anger towards her, she no longer felt safe to return to work,” said Maya’s lawsuit, filed on Feb. 9 in Santa Clara County Superior Court. Bahadursingh declined to comment last week through spokeswoman Lynette White, who said the district will explore
[See BULLIED, page 19]
Support letters for ex-city volunteer
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
A longtime Palo Alto volunteer has received letters from his children, brothers, neighbors and friends supporting his bid to avoid prison time for trying to meet up with underaged girls.
Bob Wenzlau, 69, has been getting treatment for nearly two years now and won’t commit any more sex crimes if he gets probation, his attorney Dan Barton said in a motion.
“The experience was deeply disturbing and caused Wenzlau to feel immense shame,” Barton said. Wenzlau’s
[See SUPPORT, page 18]
When Wenzlau was 11 years old, an older neighbor stripped off Wenzlau’s clothes, tied him up with a power cord, wrote on him with lipstick and left him to untangle himself, Barton said.
Locally owned, independent
City eyes ways to replace Link rides
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
Palo Alto City Council wants to pay Uber and Lyft to give rides to low-income residents as a way to replace the city’s own ride share service, called Link.
July 1. So council asked for information on a voucher program before making any decisions.
“I suspect we’ll be cutting things we like more than Link,” Reckdahl said.
“We want to focus on our most vulnerable with a voucher-type program,” Mayor Vicki Veenker said on Monday.
A $4 or $5 subsidy for Uber and Lyft could be cheaper for the city than Link, Councilman Keith Reckdahl said.
Riders would also get shorter wait times and 24-hour service from the companies, and the city could target low-income residents using the same vetting system as its recreation programs, Reckdahl said.
“I suspect that’d be a more sustainable way of providing public transit,” he said.
Link funding drying up
Link started in March 2023 with a VTA grant and provides 3,011 to 6,072 rides per month, Chief Transportation Official Ria Hutabarat Lo told council.
But Link costs $26 per ride — $1.2 million per year — partially funded by grants, $4 fares and a contribution from Stanford.
The grants are running out, and the city is facing budget cuts starting on
Accessibility concerns
Councilman Ed Lauing said he likes the idea of subsidizing Uber and Lyft, but some elderly or disabled riders wouldn’t be able to use their apps.
Based on a survey in 2024, 53% of Link riders are seniors, disabled or economically challenged, Hutabarat Lo said.
Lauing wants to work with the Avenidas Senior Center to expand its ride service, which has about a dozen drivers and offers $5 trips.
Councilman Pat Burt said Uber and Lyft can’t take wheelchairs, and Link has two vans that can.
Burt said he wants to talk to Stanford officials about expanding their free Marguerite shuttle service — a move the university has resisted.
“We’ve never received an explanation, just a ‘no,’” Burt said.
Burt said the city worked with Stanford to connect Quarry Road to the downtown bus station.
“This needs to be a two-way street,” he said. “There may be overriding reasons why they end up convincing us it’s a no-go, but I’ve never heard them.”
Settlement in viral M-A incident suit
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
Atherton and Sequoia Union High School District have settled a lawsuit for $560,000 with a Menlo-Atherton High School student after a video of him being taken to the ground by Atherton police went viral.
The district will pay $400,000 and the city $160,000, excluding attorney fees, after the student filed a lawsuit, which was settled on Feb. 27.
The student, referred to as K.C. in the lawsuit, went to the school office on April 28, 2023, to retrieve a toy water gun he used in a game among others that week called “senior assassin,” according to the suit.
Former vice principal Stephen Emmi told the secretary not to give it to K.C. and spoke to him in a “demeaning and confrontational manner,” the suit said.
Student gets $560K from town, district
K.C. was “emotionally distressed” and started shouting at Emmi but did not touch or spit at him or anyone else in the office, according to the suit.
Police called
One of the secretaries called the police during the incident, and Atherton police officers arrived as K.C. waited at a bus stop and “slammed him into the ground, shoved a knee into his back and dragged him into a police car,” the suit said. A video of the incident went viral on social media.
School representatives previously said in a case management statement that K.C. was swearing and using derogatory slurs while administrators tried to confirm the water gun belonged to him.
Emmi previously said the San Ma-
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teo County Juvenile District Attorney pressed criminal charges against K.C. District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe yesterday could not confirm whether his office pressed charges because the law forbids him from discussing most cases involving minors.
District facing many lawsuits
The district continues to face a series of lawsuits related to ethnic studies, alleged antisemitism and the closure of TIDE Academy.
In January, parents filed a suit in federal court to stop the closure of the small magnet school in Menlo Park, alleging the district is discriminating against children with disabilities.
Chloe Gentile-Montgomery, a former ethnic studies teacher at Men-
lo-Atherton High School, sued the district for alleged racial discrimination and harassment, claiming the district did not defend her when she was being harassed by students, parents and fellow district employees.
The district is also being sued by a group of parents who claim the district fostered a culture of antisemitism. The school board is set to discuss that lawsuit behind closed doors tonight.
The district has also been sued by a group called Parents Defending Education for withholding public records about the M-A Chronicle student newspaper's copyright takedown of a video from YouTube.
The video was a 38-minute documentary by filmmaker Eli Steele called “Killing America,” which featured the district’s decision to get rid of honors classes in the name of racial equity.
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.
San Mateo County Coroner: March 2
Debora Ann Townsend, 74, of Mountain View
Joseph B. Pabalate Jr., 77, of South San Francisco
Alfonso Villasenor, 81, of Menlo Park
Knox Weymouth, 58, of Makawao, HI
Louise Nicole Garvey, 64, of Los Gatos
March 1
David Polito, 85, of Menlo Park
Larry Augustus Cook, 78, of Brisbane
Sherri Payne Jenkins, 66, of Half Moon Bay
Feb. 28
Roberto Rayos Serrano, 71, of Daly City
Robert Sims, 52, no hometown listed Susana Haydu, 92, of Foster City
Thomas Edward Thornbury, 72, of San Mateo
Feb. 27
Marilyn Stephens, 86, of Emerald Hills
Pamela R. Robertson, 82, of Redwood City
Elaine Caroline Tuepel, 86, of Pacifica
Bruno Camolese, 95, of San Bruno
Santa Clara County Medical Examiner: Feb. 11
Robert McMillen, 78, of Palo Alto
Feb. 10
Yanyin Xuan, 99, of Palo Alto
Ronald Cote, 84, of Menlo Park
Janet Toro, 73, of Sunnyvale
Feb. 9
Sarnagat Cheema, 79, of Sunnyvale
Julie Lorvick Fleuter, 69, of Mountain View
Kenneth McCandless, 38, of Los Altos
Feb. 7
Richard Graglia, 80, of Palo Alto
Feb. 6
Pepito Miguel, 84, of Sunnyvale
Ida Cohen, 89, of Los Altos
Riko Terada, 90, of Sunnyvale
Midori Mihara, 92, of Mountain View
Feb. 5
Barbara Brown, 99, of Mountain View
Carl Blankenship, 68, of Sunnyvale
Harvey Schuster, 91, of San Carlos
Feb. 4
Donald Merritt, 97, no hometown listed, died in Palo Alto
Births
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto:
July 24
Nico Leon Delgadozubiri, a boy
Lily Jiang, a girl
Samridhi Kamal, a girl
Darsh Khanal, a boy
Natalie Sheida Lannin, a girl
Mia Lillian Lashombe, a girl
Liora Li, a girl
July 23
Dariana Hernandez Velez, a girl
Emmett William Lagrandeur, a boy
Aria Chui Yee Leung, a girl
Lily Lysun, a girl
Ryan Mansour, a boy
Sharva Pabba, a boy
Maverick Jude Pariani, a boy
Dylan Muyuan Yan, a boy
Naomi Camille Zhou, a girl
Steve Durst
March 26, 1943 – February 2, 2026
Steve Durst, a resident of Cupertino, CA, and Kamuela, HI, passed away on February 2nd at the age of 82. Born in New York City on March 26, 1943, he was the son of Royal and Shirley Durst of New York, who preceded him in death. He will be missed, and remembered for his fervent and lifelong advocacy for expanding humanity’s access to space. His wife, Joann Swa Durst; his children, Sol, Sidra, Arian (Erin), Selena (Davi), and Mira (Jason); and his grandchildren, Maxime, Lily, and Emilia survived him. He is also survived by his siblings, Peter (Ellen) and Leslie. A celebration of life will be held on March 28th on the Big Island of Hawaii; please contact SteveDurstMemorial@gmail.com for details.
LESTI
ESTATE LOANS
Suspect in attack near school found
A man has been arrested for an attempted robbery that occurred near Fairmeadow Elementary School, Palo Alto police said yesterday. It happened around 8:25 a.m. on Feb. 3, when officers received a call of a robbery that had occurred about 10 minutes earlier on the 700 block of East Meadow Drive, which is less than half a mile away from the school.
and bruising but got her own medical treatment.
A woman in her 40s was walking when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. She was then forced to the ground by a man, who kicked her several times and demanded money, police said. The woman complained of pain
Since the incident, police have been working with the Santa Clara County Probation Department to identify John Curiel, 26, of San Jose.
Suspect caught
On Friday, Mountain View police spotted Curiel and detained him until Palo Alto police arrived to arrest him and take him to jail, police said.
Curiel was arraigned yesterday and will be back in court tomorrow, according to court records.
Curiel was previously arrested on July 8 for pretending to grab a 4-yearold and 6-year-old girl on the playground at Eagle Park in Mountain View.
Man stalked detectives
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
A man is facing three years in prison for stalking two Redwood City police detectives after taking a plea deal, a prosecutor said yesterday.
Jonfrank Steven Pierce, 32, of San Ramon, pleaded no contest on Monday to four felonies for stalking and threatening two detectives for a year and carrying a loaded gun, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Throughout 2023, Pierce filed complaints against two detectives, includ-
ing allegations of personal relationships with victims, Wagstaffe said. The allegations lacked any basis, according to Wagstaffe.
On July 28, 2024, Pierce texted a detective that he had a bullet to kill him, Wagstaffe said.
Pierce was arrested on July 31, 2024, and police found two phones, which he used to stalk the detectives, and a loaded shotgun with extra ammunition, Wagstaffe said.
Pierce is in jail on no bail and will be sentenced on March 9.
CURIEL
Developer settles tree trimming suit
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
A developer who allegedly cut down trees along a fairway to give his homes a better view will pay $42,500 to the Los Altos Golf & Country Club, court records show.
First trees trimmed
Forrest Linebarger, 58, of Portola Valley, allegedly went onto the course and cut the tops off two coast live oaks while adding a patio to 1623 Shirley Ave., the country club said in its lawsuit.
Linebarger wanted to give the house a better view over the fourth hole to drive up the sale price, the suit said.
Linebarger sold the five-bedroom, six-bathroom house for $5.2 million in July 2021, property records show.
Second round of cutting
Linebarger then cut the sides and tops from another tree to improve the view next door at 1627 Shirley Ave., the suit said.
“This second round of cutting was again performed for the purpose of increasing the sale value,” attorney Christian Wick wrote in the coun-
try club’s lawsuit, filed in September 2023 in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
The five-bedroom, five-bathroom house sold for $3.6 million on Nov. 17, property records show.
The case went to mediation last year with retired Judge Peter Kirwan. Two of Linebarger’s companies — Altos LLC and Inhabiture Build — agreed to pay the country club through their insurance.
In exchange, the country club filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Jan. 27, court records show.
Developer’s other projects
Linebarger is the developer behind a seven-story, 80-unit condo building at 294 Tyrella Ave. that’s become the subject of a lawsuit by neighbors.
Linebarger is using the builder’s remedy — a state law that allows developers to ignore local rules — to get around the height limit.
Linebarger also wants to build 112 apartments at 10728 and 10758 Mora Drive in Los Altos Hills. He sued the town in September for allegedly denying the project, in violation of the builder’s remedy.
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Senior facility work OK’d
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
The San Carlos Planning and Transportation Commission OK’d plans to add a two-story addition to a senior care facility despite concerns about construction traffic due to another project that’s under construction nearby.
San Carlos Elms, a senior care facility at 707 Elm St., plans to build a new gym, a larger dining room and three new offices, adding to construction plans in the neighborhood near the San Carlos Library. A five-story subsidized housing project at 1232 Cherry St. is in the middle of construction for
the rest of the year, according to the city website. “How does so much construction fall into place without disturbing the traffic, the residents, the parking?” Commissioner Twisha Anand said on Monday.
Construction timeline
The construction of the senior center will begin in the next six to nine months and could take up to 18 months to complete, according to Matthew Smith, architect at SmithGroup. It will occur in phases, and Public Works will prepare a traffic control plan, Assistant Planner Deanna Skaggs said.
The neighborhood has a tight intersection and a lot of foot traffic, Commissioner Kristen Clements said.
“The only thing that makes me a little bit nervous is the whole construction management plan,” Anand said. The projects should not affect the access to the library, take away parking or cause residents to be overly disturbed, she said. The last thing she would want is for people to stop shopping in the downtown because it’s “just too messy,” Anand said.
Commissioners moved forward with the project because it will improve seniors’ quality of life.
300 Glenwood Circle #265, Monterey 2 Beds, 1 Bath • $665,000
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PALO ALTO
200 Sheridan Ave. #406, 94306, 2 bedrooms, 1400 square feet, built in 1997, Sheridan Plaza LLC to Maryam and Mohammadhossein Namaki for $1,573,000, closed Feb. 2 1655 Bowdoin Court, 94304, 3 bedrooms, 2217 square feet, built in 2017, Stanford Leland to Mark Zhandry for $1,770,000, closed Feb. 3 (last sale: $1,750,000, 06-25-25)
478 Fulton St., 94301, 3 bedrooms, 1600 square feet, built in 1973, Risser Trust to Kirste and Eric Lau for $2,600,000, closed Feb. 6
759 Kendall Ave., 94306, 2 bedrooms, 1866 square feet, built in 1949, Alan Kittredge to Ebkz Investment for $2,960,000, closed Feb. 3
EAST PALO ALTO
1982 West Bayshore Road #121, 94303, 2 bedrooms, 1197 square feet, built in 2002, Nilmini and Joel Rubin to Chermaine Millares for $765,000, closed Jan. 23 (last sale: $860,000, 03-15-19)
MENLO PARK
1363 Carlton Ave., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1140 square feet, built in 1948, Shenghao Bi to Lloyden Properties LLC for
$1,300,000, closed Jan. 20 (last sale: $1,250,000, 04-08-25)
1962 Menalto Ave. #B, 94025, Diamond Trust to Joshi Trust for $2,100,000, closed Jan. 20 (last sale: $535,000, 03-25-99)
MOUNTAIN VIEW
453 North Rengstorff Ave. #17, 94043, 2 bedrooms, 960 square feet, built in 1968, Colin Brown to Alagappan and Nag Living Trust for $700,000, closed Feb. 5 (last sale: $155,000, 06-01-91)
837 Sierra Vista Ave., 94043, 3 bedrooms, 1251 square feet, built in 2016, Wanghuan Chu to Jaka Jaksic for $1,359,000, closed Feb. 6 (last sale: $1,220,000, 10-06-20)
LOS ALTOS
1070 Mercedes Ave. #2, 94022, 1 bedroom, 960 square feet, built in 1972, Kathleen Yazalina to Darlin Flanigan for $950,000, closed Feb. 4 (last sale: $495,000, 11-18-05)
1677 Middleton Ave., 94024, 3 bedrooms, 1781 square feet, built in Kitagawa Trust to Gupta Family Trust for $4,405,000, closed Feb. 3
ATHERTON
291 Atherton Ave., 94027, 5 bedrooms, 8730 square feet, built in 1995, 291 Atherton LLC to Horizon Trust for $22,200,000,
closed Jan. 21 (last sale: $15,500,000, 06-21-21)
REDWOOD CITY
3760 Hoover St., 94063, 3 bedrooms, 1410 square feet, built in 1948, Fidel Pacheco to Qingyue and Jiawang Zhou for $1,500,000, closed Jan. 22 (last sale: $292,500, 09-17-25)
11 South Palomar Drive, 94062, 3 bedrooms, 2720 square feet, built in 1930, Coleman Living Trust to Lampert Living Trust for $2,435,000, closed Jan. 20 (last sale: $367,500, 05-01-86)
SAN CARLOS
633 Elm St. #212, 94070, 2 bedrooms, 1258 square feet, built in 2003, Rozakis Trust to Goodrum Living Trust for $1,300,000, closed Jan. 20 (last sale: $697,000, 11-18-03)
103 Harkins Road, 94062, 3 bedrooms, 1960 square feet, built in 1987, Heather and James Huddleston to Vladislav and Evgeniia Bodnia for $2,525,000, closed Jan. 21 (last sale: $1,175,000, 03-29-05)
BELMONT
300 Davey Glen Road #3601, 94002, 1 bedroom, 760 square feet, built in 1965, Jencek Trust to Yufen and Qingyin Ding for $453,000, closed Jan. 21 (last sale: $290,000, 0606-01)
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Enrollees shift to ‘bronze-tier’ plans
BY ANA B. IBARRA CalMatters
Despite the loss of federal subsidies that lowered costs for millions, California’s private health insurance marketplace held nearly steady this enrollment season. In all, 1.9 million Californians renewed their plan or selected one for the first time — a 2.7% drop compared to last year.
A closer look, however, shows that Californians are making concessions to afford staying insured.
Low-cost plans gain
More enrollees are opting for “bronze-level” plans. These plans have lower monthly premium costs but higher deductibles and copays; they cover 60% of medical expenses — leaving enrollees to pay the rest. One in three new enrollees chose bronze plans for 2026, compared to one in four last year,
SPRING STAPLES
Greg S. Morganroth, MD
Linda Sheu, MD
Michelle Quinn, MS NP-C
Chandni Patel, PA-C
Rebecca Chen, MD
Thomas Hoffman, MD
according to Covered California. And 130,000 Californians renewing their health insurance coverage switched from a silver or higher-tier plan to bronze.
“Many Californians see the value in remaining covered, but they had to make sacrifices and shift to lower-tier plans. We see it as a commitment to health and the value that Covered California provides,” Jessica Altman, Covered California’s executive director said in a statement.
While bronze-level plans may offer people some peace of mind, the high deductibles and copays tend to discourage people from seeking care, said Miranda Dietz, director of the Health Care Program at the UC Berkeley Labor Center.
“Those out-of-pocket costs do impact people’s decisions to get care, so that’s worrisome as well,” Dietz said.
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Trumpers sing new tune over measles
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the former TV doctor who is now administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is urging people to get inoculated against the measles even though his boss, Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., is a vaccine skeptic.
“Take the vaccine, please,” he said Feb. 8.
DR. OZ
Oz, a heart surgeon, defended some recently revised federal vaccine recommendations as well as past comments from President Trump and RFK Jr. about the efficacy of vaccines. From Oz, there was a clear message on the measles.
“Not all illnesses are equally dangerous and not all people are equally susceptible to those illnesses,” he said on CNN. “But measles is one you should get your vaccine.”
An outbreak in South Carolina in the hundreds has surpassed the recorded case count in Texas’ 2025 outbreak, and there is also one on the Utah-Arizona border. Multiple other states have had confirmed cases this year.
The outbreaks have mostly impacted children and have come as infectious disease experts warn that rising public distrust of vaccines generally may be contributing to the spread of a disease once declared eradicated by public health officials.
Times shown are when a report was made to police. Information is from police logs. All those named here are innocent until proven guilty in court.
PALO ALTO
FEB. 5
1:10 a.m. — Cindy Richardson Toledo, 55, of Menlo Park, arrested for creating a public nuisance, 300 block of Homer Ave.
FEB. 7
8:52 p.m. — Home burglary, 800 block of Garland Drive.
Midnight Home burglary, 700 block of Garland Drive.
FEB. 11
7:35 a.m. — Home burglary, 1700 block of Newell Road.
FEB. 13
8:53 a.m. — Grand theft via a scam, 400 block of Cambridge Ave.
1:46 p.m. — Grand theft, Stanford Shopping Center.
FEB. 17
4:25 p.m. — Identity theft, 500 block of Center Drive.
9:16 p.m. — Corey Alexander Stevens, 32, transient, arrested for prowling and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, 300 block of Lytton Ave.
FEB. 19
11:37 a.m. — Vehicle accident causes injuries, San Antonio Road.
1:29 p.m. — Burglary at the Peery Center, Palo Alto High School.
FEB. 20
9:34 a.m. — Grand theft, 1100 block of Ramona St.
6:24 p.m. — Grand theft from an
elderly or dependent adult via a scam, Sand Hill Road.
FEB. 22
8:43 p.m. — Auto burglary, Lytton Ave. and Bryant St.
FEB. 23
4:02 a.m. — Elliot Edward Holt, 43, transient, arrested for creating a public nuisance, 400 block of Bryant St.
12:30 p.m. — Indecent exposure, 300 block of Sherman Ave.
8:43 p.m. — Parts and/or accessories stolen from a vehicle, 1100 block of Clark Way.
8:54 p.m. — Jorge Ramirez Serna, 57, of San Jose, arrested for DUI, Arboretum and Quarry roads.
MENLO PARK
SUNDAY
5:33 a.m. — Vandalism, 1000 block of El Camino.
3:31 p.m. — Oscar Benjamin Valvert Farfan, 50, transient, cited for trespassing, University Ave. at the railroad tracks.
MONDAY
10:26 a.m. — Assault, 100 block of Jefferson Drive.
12:03 p.m. — Vehicle accident causes minor injuries, 500 block of Newbridge Drive.
2:38 p.m. — Assault, 100 block of E. Creek Drive.
5:50 p.m. — Vehicle vandalized, 500 block of El Camino.
8:56 p.m. — Arthur Pakman, 35, of Oakley, arrested for being under the influence of drugs and possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia, 500
block of El Camino. He’s also arrested on three warrants.
STANFORD
FEB. 24
12:36 p.m. — Theft via credit or debit card fraud, 500 block of Lasuen Mall.
4:24 p.m. — Christopher Lee Welch, 31, of Los Angeles, arrested for trespassing, 500 block of Fremont Road.
7:19 p.m. — Vandalism at Jenkins House, 251 Governors Ave.
7:36 p.m. — Bicycle stolen, 800 block of Campus Drive.
MOUNTAIN VIEW
FEB. 18
9:40 p.m. — Lilnifty Wilson, 48, of Santa Clara, cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, El Camino and Showers Drive.
FEB. 23
12:57 a.m. — Auto burglary, 1500 block of Montalto Ave.
10:11 a.m. — Burglary at Public Storage, 1909 Old Middlefield Way.
1:30 p.m. — Vandalism, 200 block of Mariposa Ave.
3:24 p.m. — Burglary at a business, 2300 block of Leghorn St.
8:19 p.m. — Theft at Liquor & Food Mart, 2339 California St.
NORTH FAIR OAKS
FEB. 25
2:24 p.m. — Hector A. Barrera, 50, arrested on a warrant, 3100 block of Middlefield Road.
THURSDAY
3:20 a.m. — Armando Estrada, 45, arrested for obstructing police, 3200 block of El Camino.
REDWOOD CITY
THURSDAY
12:20 a.m. — Juan Jose Salgado, 29, arrested for driving with a suspended or revoked license, narcotics possession, resisting police and on a warrant, 200 block of Blomquist St. Arrest made by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.
6:54 p.m. — Velisha Louella Sorooshian, 64, of Redwood City, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license and possession of drug paraphernalia, Kentfield Court and Kentfield Ave.
FRIDAY
8:08 a.m. — Catalytic converter stolen from a vehicle, Clinton St. 8:38 a.m. — Catalytic converter stolen from a vehicle, King St. 9:27 a.m. — Lerin Bridget Borgias, 41, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license, driving without proof of insurance and driving without valid vehicle registration, 600 block of Veterans Blvd. Incident handled by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.
10:18 a.m. — Tires on two vehicles slashed, Hudson St. 12:01 p.m. — Vehicle hits a cyclist, causing minor injuries, Woodside Road.
12:55 p.m. — Luis Orlando Lainez, 44, cited on a warrant, Eaton Ave. and Alameda de las Pulgas. Citation given
by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.
3:51 p.m. — Man says he was sitting in his pickup truck when another man came up to the window, yelling at him to move, and then punched his side mirror, breaking it, Duane St.
3:56 p.m. — Albert Lee Dawson, 32, cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, Redwood City Caltrain Station. Citation given by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.
4:58 p.m. — Walter Reynaldo Henriquez, 23, cited for domestic battery, 3600 block of Florence St.
6:19 p.m. — Threats reported, Hopkins Ave.
9:03 p.m. — Caller says a man is completely naked and has his pants dragging from his foot, and he appears to be having issues, King St.
9:37 p.m. — Willian Zuniga Moran, 22, cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, 900 block of Second Ave.
9:45 p.m. — Eliel Hernandez Santiago, 27, cited for vandalism and on a warrant, 1000 block of Charter St. Citation given by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.
WOODSIDE
THURSDAY
3:09 a.m. — Craig David Harvey, 65, arrested for domestic battery, 100 block of Otis Ave.
9:10 a.m. — Salvador Ivan Mondragon Gaytan, 29, arrested for DUI, Woodside Road and Quail Meadows Drive.
SAN CARLOS
FEB. 25
8:04 p.m. — Eduardo Cervera Vargas, 64, arrested for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia and on a warrant, San Carlos Ave. and El Camino.
9:45 p.m. — Gary Edward Dekker, 50, arrested for shoplifting, possession of drugs
and drug paraphernalia and probation violation, 500 block of Walnut St.
THURSDAY
11:22 a.m. — Benjamin Joseph Ervin, 33, cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, Laurel St. and Brittan Ave.
5:45 p.m. — Ruben Polanco, 35, arrested for shoplifting and on warrants, 1100 block of Industrial Road.
7:55 p.m. — Christopher Enriquez, 35, arrested for public drunkenness, 1-99 block of Vista del Grande.
8:30 p.m. — Eric Martin Silva Ortega, 38, arrested for burglary, possession of burglary tools and prowling, 1100 block of Old County Road.
BELMONT
SUNDAY
8:45 p.m. — Caller says a driver in a truck just hit a Tesla and kept going, El Camino.
HARRY’S HOFBRAU -
Get Ready To Shamrock and Roll at the Downtown Los Altos St. Paddy’s Beer Stroll
Friday March 13th, from 6 to 9 p.m.
gold at the end of the rainbow is waiting in every glass. Dust off your finest green attire and enjoy the magic of live music echoing throughout Downtown for a legendary evening of cheers and beers! Participating breweries include Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Canyon Lakes Brewery, Fort Point HenHouse, Gordon Biersch, Laughing Monk Brewing, Otherwise Brewing, Stone Brewing, Sugoi Brewing and many more. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit downtownlosaltos.org.
Photo by Lighting Up Your Life Studio.
NOW PLAYING: PULITZER PRIZE WINNER PRIMARY TRUST AT THEATREWORKS SILICON VALLEY! In Eboni Booth’s charming play, Kenneth enjoys nightly chats over happy hour mai tais at his local tiki bar. When sudden unemployment jolts him from his comfort zone, he finally faces a world he has long avoided and awakens to life’s vibrant possibilities. The Daily Beast called it “pretty darn near to a perfect play” and Los Angeles Times deemed it “as tenderhearted as it is spryly comic and
as poignant as it is ultimately uplifting.”
Don’t miss this remarkable new play, performing through March 29 at Palo Alto’s Lucie Stern Theatre. Grab your tickets today at theatreworks. org.
SILICON VALLEY READS: BRIDGES TO BELONGING. Join the Palo Alto Library and Silicon Valley Reads on March 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Hoover Institution’s David & Joan Traitel Bldg. Social psychologist Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt and legal scholar john a. powell will explore implicit bias and “othering” to help foster a sense of belonging in a fragmented world.
SYMPHONY
SAN JOSE: THE ENIGMATIC VOICE.
Experience three masterpieces in one performance on March 7 and 8 at the California Theatre. The program features Handel’s Zadok the Priest, Vaughan Williams’s Dona Nobis Pacem, and Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Witness orchestral storytelling at its finest, from coronation splendor to mysterious musical portraits.
BAY CHORAL GUILD: COLLABORATIONS.
THE Bay Choral Guild presents “Collaborations,” a concert series featuring choral works accompanied by cello, flute, oboe, and marimba. The program includes J.S. Bach’s Lobet den Herrn and works by various contemporary composers.
Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m.: Campbell United
Methodist Church NS Sunday, March 8 at 4:30 p.m.: First Congregational Church of Palo Alto. A preview talk will begin 30 minutes before each performance. Visit baychoralguild.org for tickets.
SCHOLA CANTORUM SILICON VALLEY: MENDELSSOHN’S ELIJAH. Experience the drama,the passion, the power of Mendelssohn’s Elijah! Witness thunderous choruses, cinematic orchestral overtures, and stunning soloists, all wrapped into an unforgettable musical journey.
Join Schola Cantorum Silicon Valley on March 14th at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto. Don’t miss your chance to experience this masterpiece live! Secure discounted tickets in advance at scholacantorum.org/concerts/elijah.
COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT for All Saints Episcopal Church at 555 Waverley St, Palo Alto. They’re hosting a series of events this spring around Art and Music. The series is anchored by ‘Icons in Transformation’, a spectacular art exhibit that has been shown over 200 locations in the United States and Europe. These works were created by Ludmila Pawlowska. She is an artist with Ukrainian roots, now based in Sweden, who has been shaped by profound experiences that continue to inspire her art. Featuring more than 150 expressive mixed-media works, the exhibit reinterprets Christian icons in ways that invite reflection, hope, and transformation in a troubled world. The exhibit is dedicated to supporting Ukraine.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS: Caring for Aging Parents (and Yourself)
Thursday, March 12, 7-9pm 950 Santa Cruz Ave,Menlo Park CA
At some point, almost all of us have to consider how we care for aging parents and loved ones. Often, we don’t consider all the issues until they become urgent, but there is good news. You don’t have to navigate aging, caregiving, and the hard decisions alone. We’ll bring together trusted voices with practical tools for managing legalities, medical decisions, and finances, while offering grace-filled guidance on family dynamics and essential self-care. Come gain the resources and encouragement you need to honor your parents well—and care for yourself in the process. Scan QR code for more information.
• Discover resources, information, and organizations that can help you navigate the aging process with your loved ones.
• Presenters include Rev. Dr. Libby Boatwright, retired Palliative Care Chaplain at Stanford Hospital, and Darrah Garvin, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
• There is no cost to attend, but registration is highly encouraged.
Rev. Dr. Libby Boatwright
SUPPORT ––––– ARREST ––––––
Post on Jan. 9 that he checked on his daughter after hearing about the crime.
“I’m really concerned about them. I mean, you don't like to hear things like that in little old San Carlos,” Jauregui said.
Resident Celeste Thomas told the Post that she woke up around 2 a.m. from the sound of drones flying. When she got out of bed, she saw flashing lights in her driveway.
But unbeknownst to the residents of Greenwood Avenue, Sarabia was arrested days later.
Redwood City case
On Jan. 17, Sarabia was arrested after entering a home on the 300 block of Alameda de las Pulgas at 4 a.m. The homeowner, an 89-year-old woman, was upstairs asleep, but her caretaker was downstairs and heard a light switch and doors opening and closing, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
The caretaker ran to the woman’s room and called police, who arrived in time to see Sarabia running away from the home. Police found Sarabia’s backpack in the backyard and then chased and caught up to him, Wagstaffe said. The backpack had costume jewelry from the home, wire cutters, a phone and a flashlight in it.
When police got a warrant to search Sarabia’s home, they found evidence connecting him to the San Carlos case, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sarabia is also facing charges for having an unregistered handgun on June 7, 2024, Wagstaffe said. Sarabia was in a car with another man drinking when they got into an argument near the Woodside Road Self Serve Car Wash in Redwood City at 10:15 p.m. The man took Sarabia’s gun and ran away from him mid-argument when the police came, Wagstaffe said. Sarabia has not been arraigned in the San Carlos case yet, but remains in jail for the Redwood City case in lieu of $1 million.
more recent issues started in 2020 when he had surgery for prostate cancer, Barton said.
A side effect of the surgery was erectile dysfunction, coinciding with isolation, increased stress and decreased intimacy with his wife during the pandemic, Barton said.
An online doctor prescribed Adderall to Wenzlau in 2022 to address stress at work, Barton said.
The medication helped Wenzlau get more work done, but the dose felt too strong — Wenzlau dealt with headaches and intense exhaustion in the evenings, and he countered the symptoms with alcohol, Barton said.
“This cycle of stimulation, withdrawal and alcohol consumption led to insomnia during which time Wenzlau engaged in the online conversations that led to his charges,” Barton said.
Case started after messages
The police investigation into Wenzlau started in January 2024, after he messaged a sheriff’s deputy in Georgia pretending to be a 12-year-old girl.
Wenzlau said he would go to Georgia “to have a good time in a hotel room,” police said.
During the investigation, Palo Alto Officer Yolanda Franco-Clausen set up her own undercover account on the same messaging app, this time posing as a 13-year-old girl in San Jose.
Wenzlau found the account and reached out on March 25, 2024, and tried to arrange a meeting at the Stanford Shopping Center, Franco-Clausen said in her police report.
“Wenzlau appears to be highly motivated to take action on his sexual desires toward children,” Franco-Clausen said in her police report.
Wenzlau sent pictures and voice recordings of himself, made sexual comments about his dog and young
nieces and said he was “turned on” by the risk, Franco-Clausen said.
“Wenzlau’s statements created an active threat to all minors around him, because Wenzlau did not appear to have any apparent familial limits to his sexual attraction towards children,” Franco-Clausen said.
Wenzlau led the nonprofit Neighbors Abroad for eight years, organizing Palo Alto’s relationships with its sister cities.
He took international trips with former mayors and city employees, according to his newsletters.
Wenzlau also worked with the city on environmental issues for decades and lobbied for successful ballot measures in 2011, 2017 and 2022.
Wenzlau was arrested at his home in the Crescent Park neighborhood on April 11, 2024.
Removed from committees
Palo Alto City Council removed him from the city’s Stormwater Oversight Committee, and Neighbors Abroad removed him from the board.
Wenzlau tried to commit suicide in jail, so he went to a treatment facility in Idaho where he addressed his neighbor’s childhood assault for the first time, Barton said.
Wenzlau has been voluntarily receiving treatment at Ridgeback Recovery in Palm Springs since Oct. 7, 2024, Barton said.
There, Wenzlau wrote a book to help people in recovery and developed AI tools to identify precursors to offending behaviors, Barton said.
Wenzlau also helped organize a “Fix-it Fair” in Palm Springs that pairs volunteers with residents to fix their broken items, like the Repair Cafe he helped establish in Palo Alto.
“Wenzlau’s efforts to give back to his community follow from a lifetime of service to others and the environment, going back to when he was a Stanford student,” Barton said.
Sex addiction therapist Terry Gatewood wrote a letter to the court saying Wenzlau has mentored new clients in the recovery program.
“Wenzlau has displayed exceptional motivation,
WENZLAU
willingness to be emotionally vulnerable and consistent personal accountability,” Gatewood said.
Wenzlau’s cardiologist at Stanford, Dr. Joshua Knowles, wrote a letter saying Wenzlau’s irregular heartbeat would get worse in prison.
Wenzlau faced up to five years in prison, but an Aug. 20 plea deal capped his sentence at 18 months.
Wenzlau admitted to one misdemeanor for arranging a meeting with a minor and three felonies: possession of child pornography, communicating with a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and sending harmful materials to a minor.
Judge Thomas Kuhnle will sentence Wenzlau on March 12 at the Palo Alto Courthouse.
His supporters
According to Barton, Wenzlau’s supporters are:
• Rebecca, Margaret and Tim Wenzlau; children
• William and Charles Wenzlau; brothers
• Ian Webster; environmental engineer and professional peer
• Phil Bobel; former assistant director of public works for the city of Palo Alto and friend, who died on Jan. 31
• Martin and Joan Ragno; community volunteers and neighbors
• Peter Forgie; attorney and friend
• Thomas Sisson; senior research geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey and friend
• Megan McCaslin; journalist and friend
• John Eaton; bioengineer and friend
• Hyun-Sook Park; professor emerita of special education at San Jose State University and neighbor
BULLIED ––––––
all legal options. “The complaint advances sweeping allegations and claims across multiple legal theories, which the district categorically denies,” White said in an email. “These types of broad accusations can create immediate reputational harm to the multiple number of staff members and the district … We understand that anybody is entitled to file a lawsuit and we are confident that the full facts, history and context will not support the claims made.”
Maya started working at the district in accounts payable in 2015 and was promoted to assistant to the superintendent in 2017, the suit said.
Maya said she was micromanaged by Executive Assistant to the Board Vicky Lao, even though Lao wasn’t her boss. Lao allegedly yelled, screamed and cursed at Maya on several occasions and former Superintendent Don Austin had to get involved in September 2018, the suit said.
Lao allegedly chided Maya for taking time off for a surgery in September 2019, the suit said.
Maya said she filed a formal complaint with Austin and HR on Oct. 30, 2019.
“I have reached a point where I feel I am not performing to the best of my abilities because I am more worried and stressed and feel the need to walk on eggshells to not upset her, rather than to assist you,” the complaint said. “I am desperately hoping you can help.”
But the district didn’t take action for another two years, the suit said.
Humiliating ‘bait and switch’
Maya said she was subject to a humiliating “bait and switch” in July 2021, when Bahadursingh allegedly demanded she apply to be Chief Business Officer Carolyn Chow’s assistant.
Maya reluctantly applied for the position and went through the interview process but didn’t get the job — “despite the constant pressure to apply and ‘guarantee’ that she would be hired for it,” the suit said.
Maya said she felt like she had been tricked and set up to fail, and for the second time in her career at the district, she had suicidal ideations and frequent crying spells at work, the suit said.
Austin told Maya that he was “sorry they put you through that” and that he would talk to Bahadursingh, but nothing else was done, the suit said.
Transferred to another office
Maya was transferred to be General Counsel Komey Vishakan’s assistant in December 2021.
The district opened an investigation into Vishakan for alleged bullying in June 2022, the suit said.
Maya said she was surprised by the investigation and testified in support of Vishakan, according to her suit.
The board voted to fire Vishakan for undisclosed reasons on Aug. 4, 2022.
Maya said Bahadursingh unfairly criticized her and publicly humiliated her in retaliation for supporting Vishakan.
Bahadursingh allegedly took projects away from Maya and made her go to outside events that were voluntary for everyone else, the suit said.
Maya said she frequently witnessed Bahadursingh refer to local female news reporters as “b****,” “stupid,” and similar derogatory terms, her suit said.
Stripped of responsiblities
Maya said she experienced “extreme stress, panic and anxiety” and went on medical leave for six weeks starting on Oct. 10, 2022.
When Maya returned, Bahadursingh had stripped away most of her remaining responsibilities and told her she could no longer attend board meetings, the suit said.
Maya requested a second medical leave in February 2023 due to migraines and stomach issues caused by the intensified scrutiny, the suit said.
That’s when Maya allegedly heard from secretary Mayra Avalos that Bahadursingh had called Maya the “P” word, the suit said.
Led to a her resignation
Maya resigned on April 17, 2023. She’s suing the district for allegedly failing to prevent harassment, discriminating against her, retaliating against her, violating medical leave laws, wrongfully terminating her and intentionally inflicting emotional distress.
Bahadursingh was Austin’s chief of staff and deputy superintendent until he was promoted to acting superintendent on Feb. 23, three days after Austin left the district with a $596,802 payout.
Maya’s lawsuit was filed by attorney Lori Costanzo, who specializes in employment law.
Maya is asking Judge Nahal Iravani-Sani to order the district to pay her and her attorneys and to approve new policies and trainings against bias, harassment, discrimination and retaliation.
The first hearing in the case is on July 23 in downtown San Jose.
UPDATE FROM PAGE 1
everything from mortgages to bond issuances.
BODIES IN SUITCASES: A dog walker yesterday stumbled upon the bodies of two young girls stuffed inside suitcases and buried in shallow graves on the east side of Cleveland. One was believed to be between 8 to 13, and the other was 10 to 14 years old. Neither has been identified.
SPAIN CUT OFF: Trump said he wants to “cut off all trade with Spain” over NATO spending. He’s also upset Spain isn't helping with the war in Iran.
SENATE PRIMARY: Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley won their respective primaries yesterday and are set to face off in November in what's become a swing state and a place where Democrats could pick up a senate seat being vacated by a Republican, Tom Tillis. Whatley had Trump's endorsement.
DUKE ACCUSER FREED: Crystal Mangum, a 47-year-old exotic dancer who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of raping her two decades ago has walked free from a North Carolina prison after serving time for the slaying of her boyfriend.
HANKY PANKY? Two of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s top aides have resigned amid an investigation of an “improper” relationship she has had with a subordinate.
HBO MERGER: Paramount Skydance plans to combine Paramount+ and HBO Max into one streaming service after it officially takes over Warner Bros. Discovery, CEO David Ellison said.
DUI VIDEO: Justin Timberlake has gone to court to prevent the release of police body camera video of his 2024 arrest for driving while intoxicated in the Hamptons area of Long Island, New York.
