You are on page 1of 16

Focusing On What Calendar of RSCA Events

You CAN Do No Sounds of the Shores Summer Concerts


All summer concert events have been cancelled.
Community Cleanup Week — August 22nd to 29th!
e last six months have included new
rules, precautions and uncertainty. Safety
reminders about following the speed limit, RSCA’s annual levee cleanup event has a new look
making a full stop at stop signs and lights, this year. See details at www.rsca.org/cleanup
looking out for pedestrians, bicyclists and and printed on the lower left side of this page.
School District Candidate Forum
other vehicles are still important for our

Wednesday, September 16th at 7pm (Virtual)


community, and now everyone is reminded

Two board trustee positions will be filled during


to practice #safesix and put a #maskon.

the November election. RSCA invites community


Face coverings and physical distancing are

members to ‘meet’ the candidates by tuning in


required outside of your home to reduce the spread of covid-19.

to our online Q&A session. More details TBA.


With the election period starting to ramp up this month, kids going

City Council Candidate Forum


‘back to school’ in some form, and many of us continuing to work
from home, we are also reminded to mitigate stress and anxiety by
focusing on what you cAN do. Go for a walk, call a friend, clean Wednesday, September 30th at 7pm (Virtual)
or make something. RScA wants to provide you with an In November, Redwood Shores residents have an
opportunity to get outside and do something good for the Shores. opportunity to elect a city council representative
from District 1: Redwood Shores. RSCA invites you
to ‘meet’ the candidates prior to voting!
RScA’s Annual Levee cleanup Event has a new look this year!
We are pleased to announce the Redwood Shores Cleanup.
Halloween Event — October 24th
is will be a week long event to get out and explore your
We are reimagining our annual community celebration
neighborhood or another part of the Shores, and help keep it a
events this year. Stay tuned for additional details.
beautiful place to live and work. Recology will provide a debris box
at Mariner Park to bring your litter filled garbage bags and large
items that you collect during the Redwood Shores cleanup. Stay tuned about Santa’s visit to the Shores!
We so appreciate your flexibility this year to continue this wonderful, You can always find more information about these
and other community events on our web site at
community event and hope you stay safe and healthy. Participants
will be entered into a drawing for a Nob Hill Gift card if they are
RScA members, and submit a picture from being out and about in
Redwood Shores picking up trash. Photos can be uploaded using
RSCA.org
the form available at www.rsca.org/cleanup. (To verify your
membership status, please contact membership@rsca.org.)
Dates: August 22nd - 29th
time: Any time you have to walk and pick up trash
in our beautiful community
BRing: A bag to pick up trash
WeaR: Sturdy walking shoes, sunscreen, a mask and gloves
Photo: Submit your photo at www.rsca.org/cleanup
anks for doing your part to keep our community clean and safe!
gibson Portfolio management, inc. Oh No!
Providing owners with comprehensive solutions
for their Property management needs. Exploding Ants?
Rosemary gibson by Harvey Radin
owner / Broker okay, must admit some things are getting — unusual, shall we say?
650.518.2382
— when you consider current events.
www.gibsonportfoliomanagement.com i mean, as i was getting ready to write this article for e PiLoT,
“Expanding Equitable Doors of Opportunity” in the midst of all sorts of pandemic-related news, and political
dRE #02071565
news, and climate change news... you know, just your average
everyday stuff, these days, we happened to be out back at our
house, getting some fresh air, when we noticed invaders
streaming across our patio. ANTS!! it’s true what they say —
you see a lot of ants, and you get this crawly feeling.
Now, i have nothing against ants, per se. Ants are living things, so
you want to find some humane way to deal with them. We’ve been
known to nudge spiders out of our house, if they seem harmless.
So, we decided to research, online, how to address this ant situation,
and what did we see, right off the bat? Baking soda. Sprinkling
baking soda along the ants’ preferred route might do the trick.
Well, that just might be okay, we were thinking, if, some way,
NaHco3 — baking soda — could discourage ants from dropping
by. So we sprinkled a little, and the ants beat a hasty retreat.
Except for a few particularly determined, intrepid ants. But it
seemed amazing! We had stopped them, in their tracks, it seemed.
But, then we started wondering, what is it about baking soda?
How does it work? So, we found, in an article, that ants
evidently carry baking soda back to their nests, and somehow,
the ants apparently explode. at was surprising, who would
think that could happen? And, of course, wouldn’t you know it,
that night, we’re hearing explosions. oMG! What had we done?
Aah, but wait a minute! is was all happening around the 4th
of July. Maybe it wasn’t the ants... exploding?
Now, on to something nice and uplifting. one of our neighbors,
Helen, mentioned the painted rocks along sidewalks and paths in
the Shores. Helen’s husband, Ross, had seen them when he was
out bike riding. Both he and Helen had stopped to read the
uplifting messages, as they were admiring the artistry on the rocks.
Way cool, thoughtful and nice! (If you find painted rocks during the
RWS Cleanup, leave ‘em for others to enjoy, and send a photo to RSCA!)

(After a career in corporate communication, Harvey


Radin wrote books and articles about public opinion
and PR. His articles have been published in Business
Insider, American Banker, Talking Biz News and the
Pagosa Daily Post. You can reach out to him by email
at <hoastrategic@gmail.com>.)
Page 4 August 2020 e PILOT
REDWOOD SHORES
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
274 Redwood Shores Pkwy, PMB #603
Redwood Shores, cA 94065 - 1173
www.RSCA.org | info@rsca.org
Board of Directors

Nina Boire don Long


Kevin Brehmer connie Munevar
Martha cullimore Sue Nix
Jim cvengros Ben Ploshay
carol Ford Steven Tsujisaka
Rona Gundrum Bob Slusser
Shannon Guzzetta
(Email us if you would like to become a board member.)

RScA’s Board of directors meet on the 2nd ursday of each


month. (e board meets by phone while the library is
closed.) our next Board Meeting will be at 7pm on:

august 13th, 2020

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BOARD (non-HoA areas):


• Focus on What You cAN do...................................Page 1
• Redwood Shores cleanup..........................................Page 1
For cc&R copies & information, email <ADB@rsca.org> • RScA Events calendar..............................................Page 1
• Mistral is open for Waterfront & Patio dining ...........Page 2
• Exploding Ants & Painted Rocks ..............................Page 2
dEAdLiNES for e PILOT • RScA information ....................................................Page 5
• Redwood Shores Traffic incident Report........................Page 5
Space reservations are due at the end of the first week of each • Message From the Mayor: diane Howard....................Page 6
month, with articles and artwork due by the end of the second • Shores Business classified Ads ...................................Page 6
week of each month, for the following month’s issue. • Library Programs & Updates .....................................Page 8
Please email <ThePILOT@rsca.org> for a precise schedule. • Anewvista offers Free Technology classes...................Page 8
PUBLISHER: Redwood Shores community Association • it’s Elementary: School Updates...............................Page 10
e PILOT is the official monthly publication of • Redwood Shores Tennis club ..................................Page 10
the Redwood Shores community Association. • Quaran-TEEN (insights from a teenager) ...............Page 12
• Scouts of America....................................................Page 12
CIRCULATION: 6,000 Shores Households & Businesses • Silicon valley clean Water Update ..........................Page 14
opinions published in e PiLot are solely those of the
authors and not the expressions of RScA unless so officially and on Tuesday, July 7, a head-on collision was witnessed near Nob Hill Foods. Witnesses reported
a truck speeding on the wrong side of the street before it crashed head-on into an SUv.
expressly designated. Redwood city Police chief dan Mullholland responded to inquiries about this incident
by stating that “neither speed or roadway conditions playing a role in this collision. e
driver of the street sweeper caused the collision because he was driving under the influence
of narcotics. He was arrested for driving while impaired and causing a collision which
resulted in injuries, and for also violating the conditions of his parole. e other involved
driver was transported to an area hospital and received treatment for a broken limb.
Typically an alert would not be sent on an event such as this unless the collision caused an
https://www.facebook.com/RsCaorg/ extraordinary impact to traffic in the area and we needed motorists to use alternate routes.”

e PILOT August 2020 Page 5


CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE MAYOR
Diane hoWaRD

FLORES HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE


ReDWooD City

Excellent service, good references.


anks to the Redwood city community for your engagement,

Call Ana or Edgar 650-924-0406


energy and passion on important issues of equity, social justice,
and inclusion. As a nation, we are hurting. We must come
together to listen, learn and take action to make positive change.
during a recent interview conducted by NBc with Kwame
REDWOOD SHORES, BELMONT, christian, director of the American Negotiation institute, attention
BURLINGAME & WOODSIDE YELLOW CAB
20% OFF for
is called to the fact that news of violence and discrimination is

REDWOOD SHORES RESIDENTS


inherently traumatic. He’s quoted as saying, “e reason why these

(Van Available)
conversations are so difficult is because they are deeply emotional. Deep

650-921-2038
inside everybody, there’s an internal scale of justice. Everybody has a
deep belief of what’s right and wrong. When that’s out of balance, it
hurts us deeply.” While i acknowledge that some conversations may
be difficult, they are essential for us to educate each other and grow.
our city council has articulated Redwood city’s vision to be a
community where people of all backgrounds and income levels
can thrive. As a city, we have been, and will continue to be,
committed to fostering an organizational culture that promotes
public trust and accountability. We are also committed to

High Quality Family Day Care


learning from one another as we work to strengthen the city’s
commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
e city has taken several immediate steps in response to
private, flexible hours, any age, homemade meals, community concerns about policing, and there will be additional
organic/green products, excellent references listening and dialogue opportunities in the months ahead. ere
over 20 years experience in Redwood Shores are critical public policy concerns to address, and we
Call nina at 650-595-2862 acknowledge that meaningful engagement is needed. As with any

Silvia’s Housecleaning Service


other substantial change in policy, we know it is important to
take time to understand the issues at hand with stakeholders, and

License #22085 - Bonded and Insured


assess what change will meet local needs.

References available on request


Serving the Shores 25 years
A revised budget will be developed over the next several months,

650-722-6556
with the need to modify the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Adopted Budget
in october based on our actual revenues and community needs.
To inform and shape the revised budget to come before the city

Redwood Shores
council in october, we are also developing additional listening and

Certified Public Accountant


engagement opportunities, which will occur through September.
For more information or to be notified of upcoming community

Providing tax preparation and planning,


listening sessions via text or email, visit one of these websites:

accounting and bookkeeping services


www.redwoodcity.org/racialequity

Call Kerman at 650-291-4219


www.redwoodcity.org/communitypolicing

Redwood Shores Handyman


www.redwoodcity.org/revisedbudget
ere is a lot of work to be done in order to heal and grow.

No job too small, can do almost anything.


Working in unity, we will make powerful and impactful positive

Redwood Shores Resident


change. We will listen and learn. We will develop solutions that

Call Scott 650-464-3276


best fit our community. We will be an even better Redwood city.

or email shenderson4@aol.com
in community Spirit,
diane Howard, Mayor of Redwood city
(650) 208-4774
Page 6 August 2020 e PILOT
e PILOT August 2020 Page 7
Your Library is Fine Free
— Read More, Worry Less
i’m so excited to announce that
we are closing the chapter on daily
overdue fine for items that are
returned late. in mid-July the city
council unanimously voted to end
the practice of charging overdue
fines. As part of this new policy,
we have waived all existing
Redwood city overdue fines on your accounts. Please note, however,
that the library does still charge a replacement fee for lost items.
one of RcPL’s Service Priorities for RWc and North Fair oaks is to
provide opportunities for community members of all income levels.
one of the supporting activities to achieve this aspiration was a
complete equity audit of Library policies and procedures, and to
develop a plan to change practices with a disproportionately negative
impact on low income residents and people of color. e elimination
of fines is a major step toward our equity aspiration for the community.
By eliminating fines, we join libraries across california and the nation
who have ceased charging fines. User surveys in the field consistently
include fines and fees as one of the greatest barriers to library use.
in 2016, the Peninsula Library System, which includes the San Mateo
county Libraries system and all seven city-run libraries in San Mateo
county, eliminated overdue fines for children and teens. in the first
year after that change, circulation of materials by children and teens
increased by 33% over the previous year, and library card registrations
for children and teens increased by 61% over the previous year.
in addition to increased usage of libraries by the community, library
staff in libraries without fines have the opportunity for more positive,
proactive customer service interactions as a result of the elimination of
fines. Libraries that have studied the personnel costs of administering
fines, including a very comprehensive study in San diego,
demonstrated that libraries were paying staff significantly more to
collect fines than the amount of revenue actually being collected.
e most compelling argument for eliminating fines is the inequitable
impact fines have on low income residents and the Latino community.
in our studies, the percentage of library cards in Redwood city
blocked because of money owed corresponds directly with both the
proportion of Latino residents and with lower median household
incomes. By eliminating fines, we provide more equitable access to
library collections and services.
our staff have developed frequently asked questions that you may have;
find them at www.redwoodcity.org/libraryfinesfree.
i am immeasurably proud of Redwood city for voting on the side of
equity in library service. Libraries are a great equalizer in our society.
You can now use the library without fear of fines you can’t afford to
pay. We welcome all to enjoy free access to literacy and learning.
derek Wolfgram, Library director

Page 8 August 2020 e PILOT


IT’S ELEMENTARY
Reciprocal accountability implies that accountability is shared
and that leaders are responsible for providing support to achieve
our district goals. candid and constructive conversations among
BRssD suPeRintenDent all educators will serve to enhance teaching and learning.
Dan DeguaRa i look forward to working collaboratively with our Board, staff,
students, and community to ensure that all students are prepared
it is with great pleasure that i join the Belmont-Redwood Shores for success. i am appreciative of the tremendous support of our
learning community as your new Superintendent. i believe that community and i would like to extend a special thank you to
our schools contribute to students growing up to become resilient, our SchoolForce Educational Foundation. Having just wrapped
responsible, and compassionate citizens in a global community. up the Annual Gift Giving campaign, SchoolForce raised just
our high quality professional learning community creates a over $3M to support our schools and students. With the goal
structure that encourages deeper learning and thinking. i am of “every student, every grade, every school” these dollars support
committed to balancing social emotional wellness and academic specialized staff, innovation, literacy, the arts, technology and so
rigor as we prepare our students to be global minded citizens. much more. ank you schoolforce for supporting our
Six months ago, pre covid-19, it would have been hard to students in these meaningful ways! ank you to our
imagine the shifts that our community would be forced to make. community for your generosity!
Together we’ve tackled many challenges and rallied in ways to Finally, the district will be holding a new families orientation
protect our health and safety. in a few short weeks, we will tackle for incoming TK, Kindergarten, and new families to the district
the next challenge of returning our students safely to school. on Wednesday, august 12th, 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom. You can
district leadership and our Board of Trustees are working find more information on this event on our website at
diligently to balance all of the elements, concerns, and challenges www.brssd.org. our first day of school will be on August 19th.
that come with safely reopening school in August. To ensure that Please remember to be aware of increased pedestrian and car traffic
we are making the best decisions for our students and families, in the neighborhoods surrounding the schools in the district.
we developed our five core principles based upon feedback from
As your newly-appointed superintendent, i am honored and
our community and stakeholders. ey are as follows:
deeply privileged to assume leadership responsibility for this
PRioRitize safety — e health and safety of our community is outstanding district. if you have a question, concern, or
our top priority. e district will promote the safety of students suggestion for improvement, please do not hesitate to reach out
and staff by setting clear protocols and building routines that to me directly by phone at 650-620-2703 or email at
promote a healthy learning and work environment. We will follow ddeguara@brssd.org.
guidance from the San Mateo dept. of Public Health and cdc.
ensuRe instRuCtionaL QuaLity — We will deliver our high-
quality, balanced instructional program that meets the diverse
educational and social-emotional needs of all students. We will
provide necessary support and accommodations for vulnerable
groups and those who face challenges learning online. We will
support staff in making these transitions and will follow guidance
from the San Mateo county office of Education.
faCiLitate effeCtive anD oPen CommuniCation — We will by Monique Seibel
communicate clearly and regularly with all our stakeholders, After three months without tennis, the courts are open again, with
doing our best to provide information and manage expectations restrictions. Many RSTc members are taking advantage of that
of teachers, staff, families, and community members. fact, especially because the club has canceled all officially sponsored
PRomote ConsistenCy — We will provide consistency in court activities for the season. But we’re not entirely dormant. As
instructional schedules whether in person or remote. We will this issue goes to press, we’re looking forward to our first virtual
develop instructional models that will be in place for the duration social on July 25. We’ll each enjoy a Puff Pastry Extravaganza (PPE)
of the school year and provide the flexibility to make adjustments in our own homes—a theme honoring medical workers and others
in the delivery of instruction to students as local, state, and who work tirelessly on our behalf in this age of covid.
federal mandates and guidelines shift. We will support staff in in the meantime, tennis or not, we’re
making these transitions and will follow guidance from the all trying to stay in shape for the day
california department of Education. when tournaments can resume.
fosteR ReCiPRoCaL aCCountaBiLity — We acknowledge the visit www.rstc.org for information
professional expertise of our educators to meet the diverse needs about the club. We welcome new
of our students while sustaining effective learning environments. members for our 2021 season!

Page 10 August 2020 e PILOT


Sanit Bordeianu
650.430.3500 mobile
Sanit@SanitBordeianu.com
SanitBordeianu.com
CalBRE# 01923423

Your Redwood Shores Neighbor, Resource & Realtor


Debbie Wilhelm Team - Ranked #1 Top Small Team in NorCal & #3 in North America

G
N
DI
EN
P

212 Hartstene Drive, Redwood Shores


3 Bed, 2.5 Bath, 1,924 Sqft Townhome at the Preserve
Offered at $1,595,000
View 3D Tour at 212Hartstene.com

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! I AM LOCAL AND HERE TO HELP YOU AND THOSE YOU KNOW.
e PILOT August 2020 Page 11
Q u a ra n - T E E N
Insights from a Teenager in Quarantine
by Payton Zolck, a rising Junior at Carlmont Highschool
Although, for many, summer stands as a time for relaxation and
a break from school, this year many students have decided to take
online summer courses. Scouts of America
Because of current shelter in by Star Scout, Joshua Edwards, Troop 61 Redwood Shores
place restrictions, many
students find themselves not i am currently a scout, and i absolutely love it. i want to share the
being able to participate in awesome scout experience with other boys (and girls). Scouting
usual summer activities. due offers activities can enrich many kids’ lives. it teaches skills such
to this fact, students are left as cooking, camping, communication, leadership, survivorship and
with free time. With their free many more. in fact, there are over 135 different merit badges,
time some approached online each focused on a valuable skill. Scouting also provide practical
summer courses as a way to knowledge applicable to daily life. For example, we learn what to
graphic by Maya Kornyeyeva bring on outdoor trip, what to do in emergency situations, and
learn new & interesting topics.
how to manage our money. in addition, scouting strengthen soft
one carlmont student said she decided to take a summer course
skills, such as public speaking, teamwork, accountability,
because, “I like physics and had no summer camps due to Covid-19.”
leadership. i find myself becoming more confident, capable and
in the past, summer school may have been seen as a bad thing — mature during my scout journey.
a sign that you failed a class. due to the situation this summer, it
Scouts of America provide a variety of exciting activities. ey
has transformed more into an opportunity to learn new topics.
promote awareness in the community, offer ways to help the less
Some students such as Sophomore Britney Fong, find the class as
fortunate, socialize with other kids in the community, and
an easy way to learn new things, “I am taking a CSM class and the
provide positive experience. our scout troop organize events to
workload is maybe a few hours a week. Even though it is online, it is
serve the community, such as levee clean-ups, and preparing food
easy to do the work and I can log on whenever I want. A lot of the
packages for third-world countries. My goal is to reach the
deadlines are very loose, so I can really do the class on my own schedule.”
highest rank and become Eagle Scout. By then, i will have
While other students see it as strict but a fun new challenge as completed over 20 hours of service, created a project to help the
another carlmont student said, “I have class every day except for community, earned at least 21 merit badges, and ultimately
Friday for 3 to 3 and a half hours in the morning. en there is an demonstrated years of perseverence, discipline, and responsibility.
additional few hours of homework. e teacher is very nice, but things it’s an experience and honor for a life time.
are very unclear and the technology is tricky to work with. It is very
i highly recommend students aged between 10-17 years old to
much like regular school with strict due dates, exams, online homework,
check out Scouts of America. Troop 61 is here in Redwood Shores.
and everyday graded quizzes to make sure you are attending the class.
http://rwstroop61.org
I learn new material by reading the textbook which I enjoy doing.”
sCout oath: on my honor i will do my best to do my duty
While for some it remains a relaxing way to fill time in the summer,
to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help
for some students it can cause some stress as they try to fit it into
other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong,
their summer. As Adri Ten cate, a high schooler taking a
mentally awake, and morally straight.
trigonometry course this summer said, “I really enjoy math but since
I’m taking two classes a day that also means I have twice as much sCout LaW: A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
homework. It’s stressful trying to fit so much math into one day because courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, & reverent
I also have work for the AP classes I’m taking next year as well as a sCout motto: Be Prepared
couple of music lessons a week. It gets really difficult having to plan out
how to fit all the work into one day.”
despite some of the challenges, summer courses are being used as
a summer activity and a way to learn new things that might be Note: cub Scout Pack 61 membership is open to girls and boys
filled by “usual” summer activities such as camps or hanging out entering 1st - 5th grades in August. cub scouts have the opportunity
with one’s friends. As we are pressed with this difficult time this is to have fun building friendships, encouraging teamwork, building
one example of adapting to our surroundings. i continue to find character, developing skills, and exploring new adventures.
gratitude and hope everyone and their families are healthy. For more information, please visit https://cubscoutpack61.org
Page 12 August 2020 e PILOT
e PILOT August 2020 Page 13
After a successful first tunnel drive, Salus, the Tunnel Boring Machine, is ready for her next journey – tackling
twice the distance of the first drive with ease and precision as part of Silicon valley clean Water’s (SvcW) Gravity
Pipeline Project. Based on monitoring and data derived from the first drive, you won’t be able to tell that she will
be hard at work beneath the surface on her 2.5-mile voyage (approximately 12,500 feet), launching from the
Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) launch shaft located at Holly Street and Shoreway Road, as she heads to the
TBM Receiving Shaft located at the Front of Plant at SvcW’s wastewater treatment site.
Salus completed her first tunnel drive and broke through into the shaft of inner Bair island in March 2020. She
came in on time and on target to the “Tunnel Eye.” She traveled nearly 1 mile and stayed well within the 0.50
inches of the contract-mandated ground surface settlement, mostly staying within half that at 0.25 inches, along
the centerline of the tunnel over the length of the entire first drive. ere was no vibration felt by stakeholders
along the drive, including the hotel on Skyway Road at Monte vista, near the tunneling alignment under the San
carlos Airport! SvcW and its tunnel contractor partner, Barnard-Bessac Joint venture (BBJv), continuously
monitored the performance of Salus during the first tunneling drive and conducted daily Tunnel Task Force
meetings to review progress and to anticipate and resolve potential issues.
e subsurface conditions for the second drive are similar to the first, and SvcW anticipates similar performance
from Salus in safety, production and non-settlement. e depth from the ground surface to the bottom of the
tunnel will range between approximately 50 feet at the launch shaft to approximately 65 feet at the TBM Receiving
Shaft located at SvcW's wastewater treatment plant. As was the case for Salus' first drive, there should be no
indication at the ground surface of the tunneling operation; residents should not experience noise or vibration
from the tunneling operation.
As was done for the first drive, to initiate the launch of Salus for her second drive, the BBJv team will construct
concrete excavation support rings in the starter tunnel immediately behind Salus. once the first rings are
constructed, Salus will begin mining towards the SvcW wastewater treatment plant. First steps of the launching
phase require slow progress as the TBM operations team re-familiarizes with the properties of the soil through
which Salus will be mining. operations crews will monitor Salus’ performance during these early stages, and
continuously monitor her performance throughout the entire second tunnel drive.
We are wishing Salus a safe and happy journey!
To view more about SvcW’s Regional Environmental Sewer conveyance Upgrade Program (REScU), please
visit https://svcw-rescu.org/. Updates on Salus’ drive will be posted every two weeks, and you can also follow us
on Facebook at @siliconvalleyCleanWater

Read more about the Front of Plant project at https://svcw-rescu.org/front-of-plant/.

Page 14 August 2020 e PILOT

You might also like