Apr. 6, 2026
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Extraction involved deception by CIA
The United States pulled off a daring rescue of two aviators whose fighter jet was shot down by Iran, plucking the pilot from behind enemy lines before setting off a complicated extraction of the second service member who hid deep in the mountains as Tehran called for Iranians to help capture him.
The CIA looked to throw off Iran’s government before the crew member was found, launching a deception cam-
BRUINS TAKE TITLE: UCLA yesterday knocked off fellow No. 1 seed South Carolina, 79-51, to win the NCAA women’s title yesterday. Lauren Betts, UCLA’s 6-foot-7 AllAmerican center, finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
THE NCAA MEN’S Basketball Championship game is tonight at 5:30 PT on TBS. It features the No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines against the No. 2 seed UConn Huskies.
HOMELESS REFORM BLOCKED:
An attempt by the Trump administration to refocus California’s current spending on homelessness has been blocked by a federal appeals court in Boston. The administration wanted to shift 30% of the state’s Continuum of Care grants to temporary housing, saying the current strategy by the administration of Gov.
[See THE UPDATE, page 4]
Drivers avoid toll by claiming they have two passengers
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
Cheating is rampant for drivers getting a carpool discount in Highway 101’s new toll lanes, according to transit advocates.
That’s because drivers self-report how many passengers they have on their FasTrak devices. They get a 50% discount for one
passenger and no toll for two passengers.
A study found that 46% of drivers reported two passengers last year.
“Is everybody telling the truth? We’re not sure,” Program Director Kim Comstock told the San Mateo County Transportation Authority on Thursday.
Comstock said the agency should look at technology to verify passenger numbers and more enforcement.
The agency’s board reviewed a
[See CHEATING, page 18]
paign to spread word inside the Islamic Republic that it had already located him.
Even as President Trump and other U.S. officials described an almost cinematic mission, rescuers faced major obstacles, including two Black Hawk helicopters coming under fire and prob-
[See RESCUES, page 18]
DESERT BATTLE — Iran’s state TV claims this is the wreckage from a downed American transport plane and two helicopters involved in a rescue operation of two U.S. aviators.
Known for his vehicle’s odor
A homeless man known in Palo Alto for his RV’s smell has been arrested for allegedly choking his girlfriend and threatening to kill her.
A cyclist called 911 after hearing a woman screaming for help from a car around 6:40 p.m. on March 16 at 125 South Drive in Mountain View, police said.
Michael Lugea, 65, of Sunnyvale, allegedly got into an argument with his girlfriend of six years because she owed him
[See ODOR, page 19]
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Writer
The mother of a boy whose hand was caught in a carousel at the Magical Bridge Playground at Mitchell Park has sued the city of Palo Alto and the nonprofit that had the playground built.
Henry Odette’s hand was caught in a
gap between the rotating carousel platform and an outer ring on March 24, 2025, the lawsuit said.
“The entrapment was so severe that emergency responders, including fire department personnel, had to use forcible methods including hatchets to pry the carousel components to free
(Odette’s) hand,” said the lawsuit, filed on March 26 in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Odette’s hand was crushed and lacerated, the lawsuit said.
His mother Amanda Odette, 40, of Palo Alto, is suing the city for allegedly
[See BRIDGE, page 19]
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
One of Palo Alto’s first venture capitalists had his garage burglarized twice in one week, police said.
The burglar cut a lock to a gate along a fence backing up to the San Francisquito Creek around 11 a.m. on March 23, police said.
The burglar then went into a detached garage and stole tools belonging to a contractor working on the
home at 1411 Edgewood Drive, police said.
The home is owned by Franklin Pitcher Johnson Jr., 97, who graduated from Stanford in 1950 and started a venture capital firm in 1962.
Johnson helped launch around 250 businesses, including Amgen and Tandem Computers, and earned a lifetime achievement award from the National Venture Capital Association in 2002.
The burglar — suspected to be the
same person — broke in again around 3 p.m. on March 30. He scaled Johnson’s rear fence and took more tools from the garage, police said.
Altogether, the stolen tools were worth $6,000, police said.
Johnson was unable to comment over the phone on Friday.
Johnson started a venture capital firm by driving around Santa Clara County looking for buildings where entrepreneurs might be working so he
could invest, according to his biography for Harvard Business School.
“Back then, the valley was still mostly apricot and prune orchards. When we saw some promising sign, we’d knock on the door,” Johnson said for his bio.
Johnson went to Palo Alto High School, taught classes at Stanford Business School and was a three-term board member for the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, according to his bio.
Gavin Newsom isn’t working. Federal Housing and Urban Development figures say the number of homeless in California has grown to 130,000 a night, 25% of the entire nation’s homeless population. California’s homeless rate is growing faster than any other state.
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FATHER OF VTA LIGHT RAIL DIES: Former Santa Clara County Supervisor Rod Diridon Sr., who fought for the creation of the VTA light rail system, has died at age 87. He was also one of the early board members of the California High-Speed Rail Authority board.
RIDESHARE RAPIST: A Uber and Lyft driver, Orlando Vilchez Lazo, 44, has been convicted of raping four of his female passengers in San Francisco. When sentenced, he could get up to 100 years in prison.
DISABLED FUTURE LAWYERS: More aspiring young lawyers are asking for extra time to take the bar exam, claiming they have disabilities. The state bar says 14% of the nearly 8,000 test takers last July received accommodations, up from 4% a decade earlier, the Wall Street Journal reports.
FOCUS OFF UKRAINE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is worried the U.S. war in Iran will erode America’s financial support for Ukraine.
EUROPE BRACES FOR IMPACT: Finance ministers from Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Austria are urging the bloc to slap a windfall tax on energy companies as surging oil and gas prices from the Iranian war raise inflation fears.
LUNAR FLYBY: The Artemis II astronauts are more than halfway to the moon. The three Americans and one Canadian will reach their destination today, performing a lunar flyby and then coming straight back home. THE UPDATE FROM PAGE 1
Readers
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto:
Aug. 19
David Jasper Bor, a boy
Liam Gabriel Espinoza Guzman, a boy
Jenna Eyas Fraihat, a girl
Michael Richard Lepech, a boy
Lilah Patricia Loube, a girl
Isaac Ribeiro Nunes, a boy
Jayden Jael Perez Ordonez, a boy
Yuvaan Ram Rahul, a boy
Shaan Singh, a boy
Aug. 18
Cesar Jayden Arias Ortega, a boy
Vincenzo Roberto Campagna, a boy
Dylan Mateo Campos Mendez, a boy
Damon Robert Gan, a boy
Daniel Marcelo Gargiulo, a boy
Kathlynn Mai Hua, a girl
Yanming Camellia Lin, a girl
Layla Marie Lopez, a girl
Lemeki Kaimana Mei Langi Lui, a boy
Elizabeth Polvos Madrigal, a girl
Maximilian Falk Rascoff, a boy
Luciana Paula Ravella, a girl
Aerostine Francis Scott Schnugg, a boy
Alexandra Aayushi Singhal, a girl
Jireh Chen Zhao, a boy
Aug. 17
Analeia Lulu Aguilar, a girl
Isabel Alina Aragon, a girl
William Joseph Hohenberger, a boy
Brisa Leylany Ixcoy Miculax, a girl
Gianna Maria Liberati, a girl
Jahaziel Mayen Moran, a boy
Aarav Raj Mehta, a boy
Mia Ainhoa Perez Lopez, a girl
Bryn Riley Rivas, a girl
Bay Area political leaders have revealed their strategy for getting voters to approve a half-cent sales tax increase for mass transit: Crying wolf.
Caltrain said on Thursday that if you don’t approve the tax increase, they’ll close 10 stations, end weekend service, stop trains at 9 p.m. and eventually wind down operations.
Horrors! We’ve never heard this before, right?
Actually, they pulled this stunt in 2020 in order to get voters to approve a sales tax increase called RR.
Caltrain said that if voters rejected RR, they’d have to close during the pandemic.
Voters passed RR. It was supposed to give Caltrain $108 million a year to help them deal with declining revenue because fewer people were taking the train.
‘Citizens initiative’
Now Caltrain is back for more money. Caltrain is part of a $980 million Bay Area-wide half-cent transit tax proposal headed for the November ballot.
The strategy is two fold:
1. Cry wolf.
2. Pretend it’s a “citizen initiative” so that it can pass with only a majority vote, not the two-thirds that a tax increase would normally require. Usually, if the government wants
to increase taxes, it would have to get a two-thirds vote of approval. But the state Supreme Court, in the 2017 case California Cannabis Coalition v. City of Upland, said that the two-thirds threshold doesn’t apply if the measure was the product of a citizen initiative independent of the government.
Who are these ‘citizens’?
So with a wink-and-a-nod, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which is pushing this transit tax, handed the baton to a recently-created citizens initiative committee. This committee is funded by Genentech, Meta, PG&E, Visa, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (that donates money on behalf of the super rich) labor unions (some of whom represent workers for transit agencies) and the owners of the Golden State Warriors among others. I guess they’re all citizens.
Now this citizen initiative is circulating petitions to put the tax increase on the ballot in November.
Of course, MTC says the committee is totally independent of the government. If they get the signatures they need, this tax increase will hit the November ballot in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties.
Does it need to pass in all five counties? Nope.
If voters in San Mateo County, for instance, were to reject the tax, but it drew enough votes in the other coun-
ties, the tax would go into effect in San Mateo County. Same for Santa Clara County.
In addition to Caltrain, the money would support BART and other transit agencies.
What about an audit?
Before going to the ballot, Caltrain and the other transit agencies should have hired outside experts to go over their spending to find fat that could be cut.
An outside observer would ask the question — why do these agencies have so many white-collar bureaucrats and why are they paid so much?
Michelle Bouchard, head of the San Mateo County Transit District and CEO of Caltrain, got $371,696 in total pay in 2024 and $500,733 in total benefits, according to Transparent California, the salary disclosure site.
The transit tax proposal would have more credibility if taxpayers were presented with an audit that showed whether they were spending money wisely now. Outside auditors like Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young and KPMG perform such services for businesses all the time.
Sure, the agencies do a state-mandated bare-bones audit, but it doesn’t provide insight about spending.
Long-range thinking missing
Nobody is talking about the bigger issues, such as whether it makes sense to keep pouring money into Caltrain.
Caltrain’s ridership was dropping before the pandemic. Today, it has only recovered 64% of its riders.
Caltrain may not be needed in the future because San Francisco isn’t the job center it once was. When Caltrain began, people needed a way to get from the Peninsula suburbs to the city for work every day. Now jobs are spread out throughout the Bay Area. Employers have fled San Francisco due to its high taxes, crime and filth. Does Caltrain have a place in the Bay Area of the future?
Nostalgia
Trains summons feelings of nostalgia. People like taking them to Giants games rather than dealing with the hassle of parking. Some Caltrain supporters dress up as conductors or engineers and run toy train sets in their basements.
Nostalgia is fine, but a half-cent sales tax penalizes everyone. Remember, the costs of this railroad were previously covered by people who paid fares to ride the train. Caltrain doesn’t work as a business anymore, so people are being asked to dig into their pockets to support this bloated bureaucracy that just got a $108 million annual tax bailout.
No more money, Caltrain. You got your tax increase in 2020. Live with it or die.
Editor Dave Price’s column appears on Mondays.
Dear Editor: It’s sad but not shocking to see the story in Thursday’s Daily Post about businesses on El Camino Real losing revenue over new bike lanes and the accompanying loss of parking spaces.
Most days when driving on El Camino, you don’t see cyclists using those bike lanes. That makes sense since Bryant Street and Park Boulevard feel much safer.
I’m all for encouraging people to bike when possible, but sometimes it feels like the good people at Caltrans need some reality lessons.
Janice Hough Palo Alto
Dear Editor: Tonight, the Palo Alto City Council will discuss approving new building permits that exceed existing height limits by hundreds of feet. The goal is to provide thousands of new housing units for new workers in the city required by state-mandated Plan Bay Area — with all the congestion and infrastructure-strain this will bring.
But data over the past four years show that jobs and population are not growing in Palo Alto (and neighboring communities) at anywhere near the rate forecasted by Plan Bay Area in 2019. In fact, population is actually declining.
The Palo Alto government has not only failed to organize public discussion of the projections made in 2019, and of decisions based on those outdated forecasts — they have actively discouraged it.
This despite the fact that state and national population data from the Census Bureau and the Office of the State Demographer clearly show a dramatically lower population growth rate — or even decline — in and around Palo Alto than was predicted.
It is essential that our community — with full participation — be encouraged to discuss these issues of population and job growth which significantly impact the future of Palo Alto.
It is irresponsible to overbuild what is now our beautiful city based on an incorrect forecast made in 2019 with-
out the informed buy-in of our residents!
Gregory Schmid Palo Alto Former councilman
Dear Editor: While the Feb. 3 suicide death of a 17-year-old on the Caltrain tracks is a tragedy, it’s totally illogical and dangerous to close Churchill Avenue and dump tens of thousands of cars onto already clogged Embarcadero Road. A large number of Palo Altans — maybe half the city — live east of Alma Street. A closure will back up traffic in their direction.
During heavy traffic days, emergency vehicles must create their own lanes and still have to wait through multiple stoplights.
If Churchill is closed, how are emergency vehicles supposed to get to Palo Alto Medical Foundation and Stanford Hospital? Or fire engines?
Note that the average age of a person killed on the Caltrain tracks is 44, and the vast majority are people in their 60s and 70s. Does it make sense to close one street to deal with youth suicides?
It is also unseemly and shameful that people trying to put forth logical arguments are being intimidated by parents and officials, who call them “pro-suicide” to silence them. Palo Alto is supposed to be an educated, rational community and many of us are horrified at the tone of the discussion.
Jo Ann Mandinach Palo Alto
Dear Editor: I think it is imperative that everyone in the five Bay Area counties vote for the half-cent increase in sales tax to support public transportation.
To ask BART, Muni or Caltrain or their unions for accountability and/ or transparency is out of the question. There are taxpayers in the Bay Area who are upset that these agencies are run with inefficiency, bloated payrolls, and all behind closed doors. These people actually want change before another dime is given. What is up with that?
Now, they have run out of all the
[See LETTERS, page 8]
money taxpayers have given them over the last few years and are looking to us for more.
Let’s give it to them.
It is time we all come together and make the tough decision to just tax the little guy to death. These taxes will directly hit affordability hard, but what is more important?
Their financial survival — or the survival of agencies run by powerful unions and the politicians they vote for.
Finally, this tax will still pass even if your county votes against it. It is a regional vote; all it needs is a majority in the five counties. Our side cannot lose.
Christopher P. Conway San Mateo
Dear Editor: I don’t want sales taxes to go up again. I don’t care if that means Caltrain will have to make cuts. We don’t need another regressive transportation funding measure. Our taxes are already too high.
If this reaches the ballot, vote “no.”
Over the last several elections, voters in Santa Clara County have passed multiple tax and fee increases. They in-
clude gas taxes, the Caltrain Measure RR tax, two bridge toll increases, three VTA sales taxes, Santa Clara County’s Measure A eighth-cent sales tax, the state Prop 30 quarter-cent sales tax and the 2010 Measure B Vehicle Registration Fee of $10. Then, we got stung last November with Santa Clara County’s “stealth sales tax.”
Additionally, we’re on the hook to pay back numerous state bond issues including those for high-speed rail, the Proposition 1 water bond and the infrastructure bonds of 2006.
All this nickel-and-diming adds up to make the Bay Area a horribly expensive place to live.
That’s especially true for people of modest means who must pay the greatest percentage of their income in these regressive taxes and fees. Each increase by itself does not amount to much, but the cumulative effect is to add to the unaffordability of the region.
Before increasing taxes yet again, waste needs to be removed from transportation projects.
Why don’t the wealthy high rollers at MTC suggest taxing rich tech companies and leave the little guy alone for a change?
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
A potential ballot measure in Los Altos could upend the city’s plans to develop downtown parking lots into a park, a parking garage and a performing arts theater.
“It probably kills any project to put this to a vote,” Los Altos Stage Company board president Mike Kasperzak said in an interview Friday.
Residents are gathering signatures for a November ballot measure that would prohibit the city from selling, leasing or modifying any downtown parking lots without voter approval.
Council described its wishes for 10 downtown parking lots in a downtown plan it approved in 2018. The plan calls for a hotel, offices, apartments, parks, a theater and a parking garage.
Theater for live performances
Council in 2023 signed an agreement with the Los Altos Stage Company to set aside a parking lot between 2nd Street and 3rd Street for a theater.
Council in 2024 hired Watry Design for $2.5 million to work on converting two parking lots into underground parking, with a park on top.
Council in August 2024 declared two more lots at the north end of downtown as surplus land so a developer could build subsidized housing there.
The proposed measure includes an exception for this housing. It would allow the city to host farmers markets or similar events.
Downtown business owners said the city hasn’t studied the economic harm the project could cause, or the consequences of the lost parking.
They’re concerned that making trips in and out of town more difficult will compel customers to shop elsewhere, campaign organizer Cindy Andrews said in a statement.
“We believe that decisions of this importance deserve the vote of our community,” said Richard Draeger, owner of Draeger’s Market at 342 1st St.
Fundraising difficulties
Kasperzak said the uncertainty will challenge fundraising efforts for a theater.
“It’s very difficult to raise money if you don’t know where the project is going to be,” he said.
Mayor Sally Meadows has declined to comment on the potential ballot measure.
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BY STEPHANIE LAM Daily Post Correspondent
Nonprofit developer Eden Housing is proposing to build a subsidized senior housing complex near the In-NOut in Redwood City.
Eden Housing submitted an application on March 24 for a five-story building with 75 apartments at 705 Veterans Blvd. at Brewster Avenue. Of the 75 apartments, 54 will be set aside for those who make $68,550 or less for one person in Redwood City, while 21
are reserved for those who make less than $109,700, under current income guidelines.
The project was submitted under SB35, a state law that speeds up the approval for affordable housing. Plans include 6,600 square feet of open space for outdoor recreation, community rooms and a technology center. Future residents can expect 36 parking spaces, and 43 bike parking spaces nearby.
The site is a block away from the Redwood City DMV and In-N-Out.
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BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
A Menlo Park man wants the city to cover the $2,000 cost of his damaged Nike Dunk shoes and car repairs after a flood over the Christmas holidays.
Andrew Williams parked his 2008 Honda Civic on Hamilton Avenue on Dec. 23, when heavy rainfall and clogged storm drains caused his car to fill with water, according to the claim he submitted to the city.
At the time, Menlo Park police advised residents to stay home until crews cleared the storm drains, and the street
reopened after street sweepers cleared debris from the roadway.
In his car, Williams had his steel-toe work shoes, Nike Panda Dunk sneakers and a new stereo he put in two years ago that was damaged by the flood, according to his claim filed on Jan. 7. The flood also damaged his car’s engine, interior and exterior, he wrote.
“The flood has a significant impact on my holidays and overall well-being. What was meant to be a time for rest, celebration and being with loved ones instead became stressful and overwhelming,” Williams wrote.
WEDNESDAY
4:40 p.m. — Theft, 700 block of Los Robles Ave.
9:51 p.m. — Auto burglary, 400 block of Bryant St.
10:28 p.m. — Trevor Howard Fuerst, 35, of Atherton, arrested for public drunkenness, 500 block of Emerson St.
THURSDAY
12:57 a.m. — Petty theft from a vehicle, 4100 block of Wilkie Way.
FRIDAY
9:29 a.m. — Solo vehicle collision causes injuries, Laurel St. and Oak Grove Ave.
12:37 p.m. — Battery, 600 block of Alma St.
3:05 p.m. — Hit-and-run causes property damage, 200 block of Oak Grove Ave.
SATURDAY
10:02 a.m. — Phillip Steward, 43, of East Palo Alto, arrested for shoplifting, 500 block of El Camino.
MARCH 29
7:41 p.m. — Electric scooter stolen, 600 block of Escondido Road.
8:26 p.m. — Sexual assault, Mayfield Ave. and Santa Ynez St.
MARCH 30
8:48 a.m. — Bicycle stolen, 300 block of Santa Teresa St.
9 a.m. — Burglary at a student residence, 600 block of Escondido Road.
12:04 p.m. — Electric bike stolen, 200 block of Santa Teresa St.
12:45 p.m. — Electric bike stolen, 500 block of Governors Ave.
1:38 p.m. — Burglary at a student residence, 300 block of Via Pueblo Mall.
2:55 p.m. — Auto burglary, 200 block of Galvez St.
3:11 p.m. — Auto burglary, 200 block of Galvez St.
7:02 p.m. — Battery, 500 block of Wilbur Way.
7:36 p.m. — Burglary at a student residence, 600 block of Escondido Road.
8:52 p.m. — Grand theft, 600 block of Escondido Road.
9:29 p.m. — Report of a person with a gun, 500 block of Arguello Way.
MARCH 28
3:52 a.m. — Marco Tan Barrera, 25, arrested for DUI, Evelyn Ave. and Bryant St.
7:15 a.m. — Vandalism at the aquatic center, Rengstorff Park.
2:58 p.m. — Richard Maza, 51, of Northridge, arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and illegal possession of a tear gas weapon, 1000 block of N. Rengstorff Ave.
7:26 p.m. — Battery at Costco, 1000 N. Rengstorff Ave.
MARCH 29
1:15 a.m. — Vehicle accident causes major injuries, 900 block of E. El Camino.
3:02 a.m. — Leonardo Zamudio Orozco, 36, arrested for DUI, 1000 block of Villa St.
3:05 a.m. — Adriana Interiano, 46, of Mountain View, arrested for domestic battery, 1200 block of Spacepark Way.
8:30 a.m. — Sex crime reported. Location not disclosed.
10:57 a.m. — Vandalism, 400 block of Stierlin Road.
1:01 p.m. — Vehicle accident causes minor injuries, E. Middlefield Road and Ferguson Drive.
1:15 p.m. — Theft, 300 block of Escuela Ave.
4:03 p.m. — Battery, 1900 block of W. El Camino.
5:38 p.m. — Anthony Gardner, 47, of San Jose, arrested for public drunkenness and resisting police, 200 block of Moffett Blvd.
10:46 p.m. — Battery, 300 block of Walker Drive.
FRIDAY
10:29 a.m. — Vandalism, Logan Lane.
3:43 p.m. — Noninjury hit-andrun, Middlefield Road.
THURSDAY
1:28 a.m. — Heriberto Avila, 45, arrested for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, Fifth Ave. and Bay Road.
11:35 p.m. — Erwin Denilson Baccoc, 24, arrested on warrants, Bay Road and Second Ave.
TUESDAY
3:26 p.m. — Thomas Robert Smith, 46, arrested for DUI, having an open container of alcohol in the vehicle and carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, 200 block of Clifford Ave.
THURSDAY
12:19 a.m. — Jose Luis Aboites Mosqueda, 68, arrested on a warrant, 2000 block of Rolison Road.
1:02 a.m. — Man says he was walking by when a homeless man told him he was trespassing on his territory and punched him multiple times, Broadway.
8:30 a.m. — Battery, El Camino.
8:59 a.m. — Complaint of a loud rooster crowing constantly, Old County Road.
10:16 a.m. — Miguel Alejandro Fuentes, 44, arrested on a warrant, 200 block of Laurel St.
11:49 a.m. — Woman reported to be yelling and throwing things, 1100 block of Veterans Blvd. Liane Oana, 63, arrested for battery and resisting police.
11:55 a.m. — Storage unit broken into and the victim’s coin collection stolen, E. Bayshore Road.
12:35 p.m. — Vehicle drives into a store, Upton St.
12:37 p.m. — Vandalism, Marshall St.
3:08 p.m. — Man reported to be throwing large rocks, hitting at least one vehicle, Woodside Road.
3:09 p.m. — Hit-and-run injures a pedestrian, Woodside Road.
3:10 p.m. — Juvenile caught shoplifting. Location not disclosed.
4:15 p.m. — Caller says a neighbor has been trying to get the caller’s teen daughter to go into his apartment. Location not disclosed.
4:35 p.m. — Jorge Amir
Rodriguez Diaz, 25, and Junior Mayen Mujiana, 20, both arrested for assault and battery against an officer and resisting police at San Mateo County Jail, 300 Bradford St. 11:30 p.m. — Edwin Galdamez Carbajal, 27, arrested for arranging to meet with a minor for sexual purposes, sending harmful material to a minor, lewd acts with a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, 2000 block of E. Bayshore Road.
TUESDAY
3 p.m. — Eduardo Correa Contreras, 33, cited for drug possession, 400 block of El Camino.
4:15 p.m. — Justine Dee Perez, 43, cited for possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia, 200 block of El Camino.
THURSDAY
8:29 p.m. — Noninjury vehicle collision, 1900 block of Notre Dame Ave.
FRIDAY
3:27 p.m. — Theft, 2800 block of Monte Cresta Drive.
SATURDAY
9:05 a.m. — Theft, 1100 block of El Camino.
6:36 p.m. — Theft, 1100 block of El Camino.
From the Redwood City office of the CHP, which covers the Mid-Peninsula.
MARCH 26
Donny R. Tookes, 54, arrested for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, possession of metal knuckles and parole violation.
MARCH 28
Aureliano Lopez Molina, 29, arrested for DUI.
John B. Sorensen, 24, arrested for DUI.
MARCH 29
Fernando C. Solano Vazquez III, 27, arrested for DUI.
Eduardo Top Suruy, 22, arrested for DUI.
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Over the next five years, the city of Palo Alto is planning to raise utility rates for the average resident by $174 per month.
A divided Utilities Advisory Commission wants council to transfer less revenue from natural gas bills to other city services as a way to protect residents from a large rate hike.
“These rates are going to really go up a lot,” Commissioner Phil Metz said on Tuesday.
City plans on budget cuts
Assistant City Manager Kiely Nose warned commissioners that council is already facing $15 million in cuts for the fiscal year starting on July 1, and reducing a transfer from natural gas bills would mean further cuts.
Commissioners voted 4-3 on Tuesday to recommend a 7% rate hike for natural gas bills, down
from 9% recommended by Utilities Director Alan Kurotori.
To get there, council would need to spend reserves or reduce the 18% transfer from natural gas bills to the city’s general fund.
Commissioners Rachel Croft, Chris Tucher and Utsav Gupta voted against the recommendation to council.
Tucher said the city is investing too much money in a natural gas business in decline.
“We’re talking about decommissioning it,” he said.
Kurtori clarified the city is studying a transition away from gas but is federally required to maintain and invest in the gas system.
A natural gas rate hike of 9% would raise the average custom-
er’s bill by $7.30 per month, Senior Resource Planner Lisa Bilir said. The increase varies depending on how much gas someone uses.
Commissioners on Tuesday also recommended a 6% increase for electricity, or $5.10 per month for the average resident.
Commissioners on March 4 recommended an 8% increase for water and 16% for sewers, both coming out to about $10 for the average resident.
And the total is ...
Starting on July 1, the average resident is facing a $36.30 monthly rate hike for electricity, gas, water, sewers, trash pickup and storm drains.
Similar rate hikes are planned for the next four years, bringing average monthly bills from $441.50 now to $615.70 by 2031, or from $5,298 to $7,388 per year.
That’s a total $2,090 annual increase.
Police in Nepal have arrested
32 Mount Everest guides in connection with a scheme to poison climbers and profit from their helicopter rescues.
The guides allegedly put baking powder into the climbers’ food, which would mimic the symptoms of altitude sickness. Then the guides would scare the tourists by telling them they would die if they did not get help immediately.
The guides would summon a helicopter to take the tourist to a hospital at the base. Often the helicopter charges were inflated, and the guides shared the excess money, police said.
Investigators quickly realized that the guides, the helicopter companies, the hospitals, and other intertwined organizations were all involved with the insurance scheme.
Realtor®,
The Post prints the latest
2500 Columbia St. #310, 94304, 3 bedrooms, 1307 square feet, built in 2018, Suzie Noh to Leland Stanford Junior Unvi for $1,148,000, closed March 4 (last sale: $936,000, 0308-21)
127 Greenmeadow Way, 94306, 2 bedrooms, 994 square feet, built in 1959, Chenhao and Zijing Wang to Zhe and Huajing Li for $1,660,000, closed March 4 (last sale: $1,630,000, 06-03-21)
3866 Corina Way, 94303, 3 bedrooms, 1421 square feet, built in 1955, Rachail and Richard Laine to Aida and Evgenii Stepanov for $3,403,000, closed March 4 1624 Channing Ave., 94303, 3 bedrooms, 1383 square feet, built in 1950, John Raftrey to Mengqi and Zeyue Chen for $3,600,000, closed March 5 (last sale: $721,000, 09-20-99)
636 Partridge Ave., 94025, 5 bedrooms, 3510 square feet, built in 1959, Seegmiller Living Trust to Maudlin Family Trust for $1,000,000, closed Feb. 20
411 Chester St., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1000 square feet, built in 1953, Pollak Family Trust to Talaria 113 Property Lp for $1,810,000, closed Feb. 17
426 Encinal Ave., 94025,
4 bedrooms, 2061 square feet, built in 2019, Donald Sellon to Alice and Benjamin Adler for $2,460,000, closed Feb. 19
1010 Ringwood Ave., 94025, 3 bedrooms, 1480 square feet, built in 1952, Alida and Shea Mcintyre to Kaveri and Tushar Goyal for $3,535,000, closed Feb. 20 (last sale: $2,024,000, 10-03-24)
LOS ALTOS
459 Los Ninos Way, 94022, 2 bedrooms, 1970 square feet, built in 1951, Visionary Development LLC to Sigma Homes LLC for $5,225,500, closed March 6 (last sale: $4,800,000, 02-26-26)
83 Doud Drive, 94022, 3 bedrooms, 2194 square feet, built in 1949, Lukrich Family Trust to Silicon Valley Wzgarland Cap for $6,760,000, closed March 2
MOUNTAIN VIEW
1033 Crestview Drive
#308, 94040, 1 bedroom, 855 square feet, built in 1969, Mary Phillips to Dhanashree and Pranav Khade for $498,000, closed March 3 (last sale: $208,500, 01-08-02)
112 Jane Drive, 94062, 4 bedrooms, 2515 square feet, built in 1954, Kirby Trust to Cristina and Zachary Fried for $3,325,000, closed Feb. 18 (last sale: $730,000, 07-01-91)
REDWOOD CITY
118 Alexander Ave., 94061, 2 bedrooms, 920 square feet, built in 1950, Andrew Delatorre to Austin and Gabriella Imbriano for $1,610,000, closed Feb. 20 (last sale: $1,250,000, 10-22-20)
1277 Edgewood Road, 94062, 3 bedrooms, 1640 square feet, built in 1948, Varun Sakalkar to Aditya and Melanie Khosravi for $2,400,000, closed Feb. 17 (last sale: $1,862,000, 09-20-19)
1698 Cordilleras Road, 94062, 2 bedrooms, 1590 square feet, built in 1951, Adams Trust to Shahin Family Trust for $2,400,000, closed Feb. 19
105 Tanager Lane, 94065, 3 bedrooms, 2055 square feet, built in 1997, Ragusa Trust to Muramoto Trust for $2,700,000, closed Feb. 17 (last sale: $1,635,000, 09-02-15)
1104 Eden Bower Lane, 94061, 3 bedrooms, 2000 square feet, built in 1963, Breslow Enterprises LLC to Jun-Chen Family Trust for $3,267,000, closed Feb. 17 (last sale: $2,560,000, 02-03-25)
34 Waterloo Court, 94002, 4 bedrooms, 2100 square feet, built in 1970, Green Family Trust to Julienne Empric for $3,750,000, closed Feb. 19
A cutting-edge, non-invasive solution is redefining women’s sexual wellness: shockwave therapy. This treatment uses lowintensity sound waves to enhance blood flow, promote tissue repair, and restore natural function. While applied externally, its effects reach beneath the surface—helping identify and address underlying causes of discomfort or change.
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CRAVE | THE EVENT. FRIDAY, April 10 | 7:15–8:15 p.m. Regular class rate - membership can be used. Join Shez & Shai for a high-energy, feel-good class inspired by the vibrant rhythms of Bollywood music and playful dance moves. This joyful session is all about movement, connection, and letting loose in a welcoming space. No experience is needed—just come as you are, ready to move, laugh, and have an amazing time. You can sign up at craveyoga-mv. com/events. CraveYoga_Bollywood
JOIN PENINSULA CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE at Harry’s Hofbrau in Redwood City on Tuesday,
April 21, at 11:30 a.m. Joan Larrabee will talk about “Mary Chesnut and her Diary.” Larrabee grew up in a military family; one greatgrandfather served in a New York regiment as a teenager at the end of the Civil War. She earned a degree in history at Stanford University and a Master of Urban Planning at San Jose State. She worked for the City of San Jose in the fields of community services, public works, and transportation. For more information, please visit peninsulacivilwarroundtable.org.
free “Estate Planning 101” Zoom webinar on Wednesday, April 22, at 6 p.m., featuring expert Kimberly N. Barrot. Then, declutter your home at their Paper Shredding and E-Waste event in Hillsborough on Sunday, April 26. Events are free, but registration is required. For full details, visit DonnaMarieBaldwin. com/Events. Compass | DRE #00560346.
THINKING ABOUT ATTENDING FOOTHILL COLLEGE? Looking to start a new career? Come experience Foothill for yourself at our free, familyfriendly Open House! Students of all ages are invited to explore majors, programs, and student clubs while connecting with faculty, staff, and current students. Learn about guaranteed transfer pathways to California universities, discover financial aid opportunities, and get hands-on help with applications and course registration. You can also meet local trades professionals to explore career options. Enjoy free food, prizes, and guided campus tours throughout the day. It’s the perfect way to see what Foothill has to offer—don’t miss it! foothill. edu/dayonthehill.
DONNA MARIE BALDWIN PRESENTS: SPRING into Action! This April, cross those lingering items off your to-do list. Join Donna Marie for a
LAD WILSON, LOCAL SKIING MOGUL and man about town, always has time for dinner and a glass of wine at the Parkside Grille when he’s in town. Lad enjoys only the best and that means the Parkside is a favorite spot to visit for lunch or dinner. Surrounded and shaded by 1,000-year-old redwood trees and serving a cuisine fit for kings and kids, the Parkside is not
to be missed. Sit in the beautiful dining room or out in the patio. You’ll have a good time, just ask Lad. The Parkside Grille is located at 884 Portola Road in Portola Valley. Call (650) 529-9007 for reservations or more information.
HAVE YOU VISITED THE UNITED Nations gift shop recently? They have a wonderful collection of handmade items carefully selected by Caroline and their volunteer staff. You’ll find amazing handwoven baskets, musical instruments, alpaca scarfs, children’s books and toys, and unique gifts. These are one-of-akind creations made by local artisans and shipped from around the world. By shopping at the UNA gift store, you support artisans in developing countries and buy mainly fair trade items. During the holiday season, the proceeds from the sale of UNICEF cards and gifts go directly to UNICEF, helping them continue their humanitarian work globally. Don’t forget to shop local! The UNA Gift store is located at 552 Emerson St. in downtown Palo Alto.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. THE SHADY Lane Gift Shop in Sharon Heights has plenty to offer for the person who has everything or is hard to please. Or maybe you just want to buy a nice gift made by local artists and craftsmen. Silver jewelry, wood carvings, masks, intricate boxes and much, much more. Alice is the friendly owner of this fun and fascinating little gift shop located in the Sharon Heights Shopping Center in Menlo Park. Shady Lane is right next door to Starbucks. Give Alice a call at (650) 321-1099 and check the website for more crafty new information about this great little place.
PAUL HOBSON, A PHOTO RESTORATION expert, says, “Invest in your family’s future by preserving its past.” With his expertise in image manipulation, he breathes new
life into old, faded, and damaged photos, creating cherished keepsakes for future generations. This rewarding service came from his long career in graphic design and photography, where he advocated for digitizing all precious memorabilia. Give Paul a call at (650) 272-1019. Consultations and estimates are free, and you can discuss how to become the most cherished member of your family.
LOOKING FOR DRINKS WITH FRIENDS, or a chill place to socialize after a great show at the Guild? Check out Bar Loretta, which hopes to liven up downtown’s nightlife offerings. The new lounge promises to be a vibrant gathering place to enjoy cocktails, small plates, and a stylish, chill ambience. With a marble bar and swank, new Deco vibe, the interior has been completely and gorgeously redesigned. Stop into Loretta this evening and enjoy a cocktail at 639 Santa Cruz Avenue Menlo Park and then grab dinner at Bistro Vida next door.
Notice is hereby given that the governing board (“Board”) of the Mountain View Whisman School District (“District”) will receive sealed bids to construct the following project:
Roofing Replacement and Repair Project – Phase 2 (“Project” or “Contract”)
To bid on this Project, the Bidder is required to have been prequalified by the District. In addition, if the Project has electrical, mechanical, or plumbing components that will be performed by subcontractors performing under the following license classification(s), then each of those subcontractors that intend to bid as a first-tier subcontractor to a general contractor (prime contractor) are required to have been prequalified by the District: C-4, C-7, C-10, C-16, C-20, C-34, C-36, C-38, C-42, C-43, and/or C-46. All prequalification questionnaires will be received until 2:00 p.m., April 8, 2026, via email to brenda@ greystonewest.com or at the District Office, located at 1400 Montecito Avenue, Mountain View, California 94043.
Bidders must submit sealed bids on or before 2:00 p.m., April 27, 2026, at the District Office, located at 1400 Montecito Avenue, Mountain View, California 94043, and Bidders must ensure that the District time stamps the Bidder’s bid at or before that time. After the designated bid opening time, the District will open the bids and publicly read them aloud. Any claim by a Bidder of error in its bid must be made in compliance with Public Contract Code § 5100, et seq. The District is not responsible for (1) bids received after the deadline noted above; or (2) bids misdelivered, by any method, even to a different District address.
The Project consists of: Roofing Replacement and Repair Project – Phase 2 3 Sites: Graham Middle School, Mistral Elementary School, & Theuerkauf Elementary School
All bids shall be on the form provided by the District. Each bid must conform and be responsive to all pertinent Contract Documents, including, but not limited to, the Instructions to Bidders.
To bid on this Project, the Bidder is required to possess one or more of the following State of California Contractor Licenses: B – General Building or C39 – Roofing Contractor
The Bidder’s license(s) must be active and in good standing at the time of the bid opening and must remain so throughout the term of the Contract.
As security for its Bid, each Bidder shall provide with its Bid form
• a bid bond issued by an admitted surety insurer on the form provided by the District,
• cash, or
• a cashier’s check or a certified check, drawn to the order of the Mountain View Whisman School District, in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the total bid price. This bid security shall be a guarantee that the Bidder shall, within seven (7) calendar days after the date of the Notice of Award, enter into a contract with the District for the performance of the services as stipulated in the bid.
The successful Bidder shall be required to furnish a 100% Performance Bond and a 100% Payment Bond if it is awarded the contract for the Project
The successful Bidder may substitute securities for any monies withheld by the District to ensure performance under the Contract, in accordance with the provisions of Public Contract Code § 22300.
The successful Bidder and its subcontractors shall pay all workers on the Project not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages and the general prevailing rate for holiday and overtime work as determined by the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations, State of California, for the type of work performed and the locality in which the work is to be performed within the boundaries of the District, pursuant to Labor Code § 1770 et seq. Prevailing wage rates are on file with the District and are available to any interested party on request or at www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/statistics_and_databases.html. Bidders and Bidders’ subcontractors shall comply with the registration and qualification requirements pursuant to Labor Code §§ 1725.5 & 1771.1
A Mandatory pre-bid conference and site visit will be held on April 7, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. beginning at Graham Middle School, 1175 Castro Street, Mountain View, California. Next school site to review will be discussed at the conference. All participants are required to sign in at the pre-bid conference. The Site Visit is expected to take approximately two (2) hours. (Mistral Elementary School, 505 Escuela Ave., Theuerkauf Elementary School, 1625 San Luis Ave.)
Contract Documents are available on March 27, 2026, for review by contacting Brenda Parella-Greystone West brenda@greystonewest.com for an electronic set of plans.
The District’s Board reserves the right to reject any and all bids and/or waive any irregularity in any bid received. If the District awards the Contract, the security of unsuccessful Bidder(s) shall be returned within sixty (60) days from the time the award is made. Unless otherwise required by law, no Bidder may withdraw its bid for ninety (90) days after the date of the bid opening.
The District shall award the Contract, if it awards it at all, to the lowest responsive responsible Bidder based on: The base bid amount only.
Mountain View Whisman School District
By: Rebecca Westover, Chief Business Officer
Publication Dates: (1) March 30, 2026 (2) April 6, 2026
lems with two transport planes that forced the U.S. military to blow them up.
“This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory,” Trump wrote early yesterday on Truth Social. “We will never leave an American warfighter behind!”
Trump kept silent
In a pair of social media posts, Trump said the operation over the weekend required the U.S. to remain completely silent to avoid jeopardizing the effort, even as the president and top members of his administration continuously monitored the airman’s location.
The White House and the Pentagon refused to publicly discuss details about the downed fighter jet for well over 24 hours after the initial crash, particularly about the first crew member rescued from the F-15E Strike Eagle— an effort that Trump later said took seven hours in broad daylight over Iran.
The United States and Iran’s government then were both racing to find the second crew member, a weapons systems officer, whose location neither side knew.
Disinformation
The CIA spread word that the U.S. had found him and were moving him by ground to get him out of Iran, according to a senior Trump administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.
The confusion allowed the CIA to uncover the location of the service member, who was hiding in a mountain crevice, the official said. The intelligence agency sent the coordinates to the Pentagon and the White House, where Trump ordered a rescue operation.
Iran asked public to search
Meanwhile, an anchor on a channel affiliated with Iranian state television had been urging residents in the mountainous region of southwest Iran where the fighter jet went down to hand over any “enemy pilot” to police and promised a reward for anyone who did.
Trump said the American aviator was being “hunted down” by enemies who were “getting closer and closer by the hour.” The United States was monitoring his location continuously, he said.
At the right moment, Trump said, he directed the military to send dozens of heavily armed aircraft to rescue the crew member, who the president said is “seriously wounded” but will recover.
Iranian state media reported that airstrikes in southwestern Iran on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded others, in the same area where the missing American crew member was believed to be.
The American rescue mission ran into major challenges behind enemy lines. Iran’s joint military command claimed it struck two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters taking part in the operation.
A person familiar with the situation said the two helicopters were able to navigate to safe airspace, although it’s unclear if they landed or if crew mem-
bers were injured. Then, the U.S. military was forced to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue of the second service member due to a technical malfunction. The U.S. blew up two transport planes it was forced to leave behind because of the mishap.
Iran’s state television yesterday aired a video showing what it claimed were parts of a U.S. aircraft shot down by Iranian forces, along with a photo of thick, black smoke rising. The broadcaster said Iran had shot down a transport plane and two helicopters that were part of the rescue operation.
study on Tuesday on how the toll lanes are working in San Mateo County, from the Palo Alto border to Interstate 380. The board will use the study to decide whether toll lanes should be expanded.
The study found that average speeds increased by 7 to 13 mph from 2018 to 2024 for drivers in the toll lanes, and average speeds increased by 1 to 7 mph for everyone else.
“The express lanes are functioning as intended,” consultant Liz Justison told the agency’s board.
But East Palo Alto Councilman Carlos Romero said the results are questionable because speeds were compared to before the pandemic, when the freeway was narrower and more people commuted to work.
Data questioned Romero wants to review the data assuming that some of the carpooling drivers were in fact driving alone. He also said the UC-Davis Institute of Transportation Studies should take a second look at the study.
“It’s a little unclear. It’s a little dirty,” Romero said.
Starting in February 2019, the agency converted seven miles of carpool-only lanes into toll lanes from University Avenue to Whipple Avenue. The agency started charging tolls in March 2022.
The agency added 15 miles of toll lanes from Whipple Avenue to Interstate 380 that went online in March 2023.
San Mateo resident Mike Swire said the faster traffic on Highway 101 is because of the new lane, not the tolls.
“The conclusions are simply unreliable,” Belmont resident Giuliano Carlini said on Thursday.
VTA has built its own toll lanes through Mountain View and Palo Alto. Tolls adjust depending on traffic.
The toll was less than $3 for two-thirds of drivers and more than $12 for 6% of drivers in the last three months of 2023, according to an agency report.
A Bay Area freeway study by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has suggested that all lanes could be toll lanes by 2050.
“The study identified two potential pathways for further examination: first, all-lane, per-mile tolling on all freeways during peak weekday driving hours; and second, a regional, mileage-based, all-hours user fee for all Bay Area roads,” the freeway study said.
$3,000. Each time Lugea’s girlfriend tried to get out of the car, Lugged allegedly accelerated forward, police said.
Lugea allegedly tried to push a piece of bread down her throat and put his hands around her neck.
“I’m going to choke you and kill you,” Lugea allegedly said.
Lugea denied that he was physical with his girlfriend. He was charged on March 27 with attempted murder, domestic violence and false imprisonment at 125 South Drive in Mountain View.
Odor complaints
Lugea has several cases against him in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Palo Alto police ticketed Lugea three times last year for creating a public nuisance on Faber Place, by the city’s driving range.
Lugea had cooler overflowing at the
end of his RV where his sewage drained, and gas from his generator streamed into a storm drain, Agent Nick Enberg said in a police report on Aug. 15.
“I had to move my patrol vehicle as the odor of feces and gas was so overwhelming,” Enberg said. “This is a habitual issue, and Lugea garners a large amount of complaints from business owners and the city.”
Police cited Lugea again on Sept. 3 and Dec. 17. Sgt. Eric Bulatao said Lugea hadn’t moved his RV in close to a year and took up sidewalk space with boxes and chairs. Nonprofit workers reached out to Lugea but nothing changed.
Mountain View police took Lugea to jail on Jan. 11 for allegedly urinating on a couch and punching a security guard at El Camino Hospital.
Sunnyvale police arrested Lugea on Jan. 12 for allegedly taking metal shelves and two space heaters from a house at 561 Manet Terrace.
Lugea refused to go to the Palo Alto Courthouse on Wednesday and is due back this afternoon, court records show.
having dangerous public property, the Magical Bridge Foundation for alleged negligence and Goric Marketing Group for an alleged manufacturing defect.
Olenka Villarreal, founder of the Magical Bridge Foundation, said her nonprofit fundraises for construction and runs events at the playground. But as soon as the ribbon is cut, it’s a public playground maintained by the city.
An 84-year-old Vancouver woman says her doctor offered to put her in an euthanasia program when she sought treatment for a painful back.
Canada, known for its government-funded health care system, is asking doctors to consider recommending patients for a program known as MAiD, or Medical Assistance in Dying.
‘Intolerable’ suffering
Its application in cases of severe chronic pain — such as back pain — has sparked significant debate, Canadian media report. While MAiD is intended for cases of “intolerable” suffering, reports have emerged of patients being offered MAiD as an alternative to receiving immediate care for non-terminal conditions.
Villarreal said the carousel has worked for over 10 years, with around 20,000 playground visitors per month.
“We’re terribly sorry to hear that someone hurt themselves,” she said in an interview.
Goric Marketing Group didn’t return a request for comment, and city spokeswoman Meghan Horrigan-Taylor declined to comment.
The Magical Bridge Playground at Mitchell Park, which is accessible for
For instance, Miriam Lancaster, 84, reported being offered MAiD by a doctor at a Vancouver hospital while seeking help for severe, non-terminal back pain caused by a crack in her sacrum. Lancaster’s doctor recommended the MAiD program last year, but only recently did she go to the media with her story.
Reaction
Reaction to her story has been strong.
“Stop offering death to people who have adventures to lead!” wrote Amanda Achtman, founder of the Dying to Meet You Project, which aims to prevent euthanasia.
“MAiD should not have been suggested,” blasted the Delta Hospice Society, who said the doctor’s swift offer broke the law.
kids with disabilities, was the first of its kind opened in 2015.
Since then, the nonprofit has built 11 more playgrounds.
Redwood City paid a family $16,815 after a piece of metal from a water play area fell on an 8-year-old girl at Red Morton Park on June 12, 2024.
The metal allegedly hit the girl’s head and caused her to become more forgetful after a concussion, her family’s claim said.
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
Atherton wants to meet its state housing requirement by building apartments on the Menlo College campus, but the college doesn’t seem to support the idea.
Planning stops
Atherton Housing Coalition, a group of volunteers, was helping the college plan the development of a four-story residential building. But the coalition has stopped its work, believing a professional
should to such planning, according to Town Planner Brittany Bendix.
No fundraiser
Councilman Bill Widmer said Wednesday said he wouldn’t want to put money into a project after the college promised to hold a fundraiser this year, but hasn’t yet. Menlo College was set to launch a $20 million fundraiser to cover 40 of the 60 planned units.
“But if they’re not willing to at least come up with a plan, then I don’t think it’s worth it,” said
Councilman Eric Lane. Mayor Stacy Holland said if the college came forward with a plan, she would be more supportive of paying for a consultant. It would not be right for town employees to shepherd a design process without active participation from the people who will use the development, Holland said.
At a future meeting, council will discuss with a college representative whether the college remains interested in developing the project.
is $400,000.
The City will accept questions from contractors until Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
Department of Industrial Relations Requirements
• No contractor or subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a public works project unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5.
• No contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5.
• This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations.
NOTICE is hereby given that the latest general prevailing rate of per diem wages as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations, State of California, Department of Industrial Relations is to be paid to the various craftsmen and laborers required to construct said improvements and is made a part of the Specifications and Contract for said work to which reference is hereby made for further particulars.
The project will be constructed within the City of Mountain View, California, in accordance with the plans and specifications, available for viewing at the Public Works Department, City Hall, 500 Castro Street, First Floor, Mountain View, or via the internet at www.bidnetdirect.com/ california/cityofmountainview.
Bidding documents may also be viewed and/or purchased from Prints Charles Reprographics for a nonrefundable fee via the internet at www.printscharlesplanroom. com/ (PLAN ROOM) or by calling 408-240-3330. Any addenda will be provided free of charge to all registered Prints Charles plan holders.
Bidders may be able to examine or download PDFs of the plans and specifications at the locations below. The plan holder list may be viewed via the Prints Charles Reprographics website and Bidnet Direct.
• Prints Charles Reprographics, 1643 South Main Street, Milpitas, California, 95035, Telephone No. 408-240-3330, Fax No. 408-240-3331, www.printscharlesplanroom.com/ (PLAN ROOM).
• Bidnet Direct at www.bidnetdirect.com/california/cityofmountainview.
• Bay Area Builders Exchange, 3055 Alvarado Street, San Leandro, California, 94577, Telephone No. 510-483-8880, Fax No. 510-352-1509.
• Bid America, 41085 Elm Street, Murrieta, California, 92562, Telephone No. 951-677-4819, Fax No. 951-600-0615.
• Builders Exchange of Santa Clara County, 400 Reed Street, Santa Clara, California, 95050, Telephone No. 408-727-4000, Fax No. 408-727-2779.
• Builders Exchange of San Joaquin, 4561 Quail Lakes Drive, Suite B-2, Stockton, California, 95207, Telephone No. 209-478-1000, Fax No. 209-478-6507.
• Central Coast Builders Association, 242 East Romie Lane, Salinas, California, 93901, Telephone No. 831-758-1624, Fax No. 831-758-6203.
• Construct Connect, 111 West Washington, Suite 1700, Chicago, Illinois, 60602, Telephone No. 877-737-6482.
• Golden State Builders Exchange, 820 Park Row, No. 625, Salinas, California, 93901-2406, Telephone No. 888-472-3492.
• North Coast Builders Exchange, 1030 Apollo Way, Santa Rosa, California, 95407, Telephone No. 707-542-9502, Fax No. 707-542-2027.
• Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange, 5370 Elvas Avenue, Sacramento, California, 95819, Telephone No. 916-442-8991, Fax No. 916-446-3117.
• San Francisco Builders Exchange, 850 South Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California, 94110, Telephone No. 415-282-8220, Fax No. 415-821-0363.
• Sierra Contractor’s Source, 860 Maesho Drive, Suite 8, Reno, Nevada, 89511, Telephone No. 775-329-7222, Fax No. 775-329-7255.
• Valley Builders Exchange, 1118 Kansas Avenue, Modesto, California, 95351, Telephone No. 209-522-9031, Fax No. 209-522-0616.
Each proposal shall be accompanied by cash, cashier’s or certified check, or by a bidder’s bond, made payable to the City of Mountain View and executed as surety by some corporation authorized to issue surety bonds in the State of California, for an amount equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the amount of said bid, and no bid shall be considered unless such cash, cashier’s or certified check, or bidder’s bond is enclosed therewith. A bidder’s bond will not be accepted unless it conforms to the bond form included in the “Contract Documents and Specifications” for the project and is properly filled out and executed. Blanks conforming to the above-mentioned form can be obtained by request from the Engineer. If desired, the bond form included in the “Contract Documents and Specifications” for the project, properly filled out as directed, may be executed and used as the bidder’s bond.
Bidders are to be licensed in accordance with the provisions of the “Contractors License Law,” Chapter 9 of Division 3 of the State Business and Professions Code. In addition, at the time of submitting the bid, bidder must have one of the following classification(s) of contractor’s license from the State of California: Class A, General Engineering Contractor License Contractors bidding the project are strongly encouraged to attend a prebid conference prior to bidding. The prebid conference is scheduled at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at the Shoreline Maintenance Building, located at 2612 North Shoreline Boulevard, Mountain View, California, 94043. All proposals or bids must be sealed and addressed to the PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT of Mountain View and the envelope must be plainly endorsed as follows:
Bids are invited on a unit-price basis for the entire work. The City Council reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Inspection will be under the direction of the City of Mountain View.
The Contractor may elect to receive one hundred percent
SHORELINE PARK WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES IMPROVEMENTS PHASE 1, PROJECT 23-44
SAA-Paras, SMA-Goedicke, PA-Li, SC/T, CC, Copy Center, F/c
