RAISE A GLASS … Palo Alto’s latest effort to boost business and promote vitality in its downtown areas is expected to advance next week, when city leaders consider a plan to allow people to drink alcohol along the car-free stretch of Ramona Street. Following a similar plan on California Avenuethe City Council is preparing to establish an “entertainment zone” on the car-free stretch of Ramona between University and Hamilton avenues. The goal, according to the city, is to support local businesses by “enabling more flexible, creative event formats on the car-free portion of Ramona Street,” according to a report from the office of City Manager Ed Shikada. Much like on Cal Ave., the new rule would allow individuals and organizations to apply for special permits that would allow outdoor drinking during designated events. The council’s Economic Development Committee is scheduled to discuss the new zone at its Nov. 4 meeting, after which time the item would go to the full council for approval. According to the city, the Cal Ave. entertainment zone has been fairly well received by residents, visitors and businesses. The city had “activated” the street with booze five times and most respondents to a city survey said they were either “very likely or somewhat likely to participate in future Entertainment Zone activities,” according to the report. “Most respondents also rated their experience with the Entertainment Zone as good or excellent,” the report states. The rules for the Ramona zone specify that participating merchants would use clear cups and stay within the zone’s operating hours. The new proposal sets the hours at noon to 10 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. The new zone will also include the sidewalk portion between the Wine Room and Forest Spa Boutique. “Allowing patrons to responsibly enjoy alcoholic beverages from multiple participating businesses within a shared, managed common area that supports a thriving entertainment economy,” the report states.
DEMOCRACY NOW? … “Stanford says they’ll arrest me if I appear on campus. Does that interest you?” Henry Etzkowitzwho is running for Palo Alto City Councilposed the question to journalist Amy Goodman during an Oct. 23 screening of a documentary about her at Stanford University. Shortly after, he was physically dragged from the event by security, but not before Goodman conceded to bring him on stage for a five-minute interview. Goodman is the founder of Democracy Now!an independent progressive news outlet, and the documentary follows three decades of her reporting that aims to give voice to “the silenced majority — those most affected by policies made to serve the powerful,” the event description states. Etzkowitz entered the event and demanded to speak to Goodman one-on-one and said that she would have to have him arrested if she wanted him to leave. Other people in charge of the screening, including moderator and Stanford lecturer Janine Zachariahattempted to get Etzkowitz to leave to no avail. Goodman then brought Etzkowitz on stage to ask him why he was running for council, to which he responded that he was inspired after organizing fellow residents at the Oak Creek Apartments, a complex owned by Stanford. According to video footage of the event from The Stanford Dailysome people in the crowd audibly laughed or cheered for Etzkowitz, with one person shouting, “We love you!” Not everyone was as amused; toward the end of his on-stage interview with Goodman, another attendee can be heard saying, “No one’s going to vote for you.” Etzkowitz urged Stanford students to attend the council meeting the following Monday before he was dragged out of the room. “This doesn’t happen every time,” Goodman said as she returned to the stage.
Source: www.paloaltoonline.com
