Category: Volunteer Extraordinaire

  • Bank Robbery Revisited

    A packed house for the quarterly B’game Historical Society meeting heard former Chief Jack Van Etten recount the “take over” bank robbery and murder on the Avenew back in 2002. Jack asked that the meeting be held in memory of Brad Floyd–a long time BPD colleague who passed away on Tuesday. Jack and Brad were part of the investigation team into the robbery of the local Wells Fargo branch that also ended the life of branch manager Alice Martel.

    The gang in question had been robbing gas stations, convenience stores and restaurants all over the Bay Area when they decided to take things up a notch. Jack noted that most bank robberies involve quietly passing a note to a teller and perhaps showing a gun. This one was different. Two robbers entered via the back door, fired a shot at the ceiling and then another through the office door as Alice Martel tried to close it and call the police. She died at the scene leaving two young sons and her husband.

    With a haul of $4,000, the robbers exited via the front door, turned left on the Avenue and were picked up by the “wheel man” on Chapin Ave. They were photographed by the bank camera which added data to the trail of evidence from the prior robberies. Eventually the killer, Seti Scanlan, turned himself in up in Oregon as he tried to leave the country but was dissuaded by his family in Samoa. Scanlan confessed and got life without parole but died in prison under suspicious circumstances. The packed house had dozens of questions for Jack as many people were reminded of the whole sad affair of 23 years ago. Here’s the bank photo.

  • B’way: John Kevranian resigns from the BID

    Broadway was buzzing today with the announcement that the long-time, tireless BID president is stepping down. John’s letter notes:

    After deep reflection, I am formally resigning from my position as volunteer President of the Broadway Burlingame Business Improvement District, effective November 30, 2025. For 25 years, I have proudly served on the Board — including the past 11 years as President.

    Unfortunately, I can no longer continue in this role in good conscience due to a series of troubling developments that have significantly undermined Broadway’s future and my ability to serve with integrity.

    He notes three reasons that I will include here verbatim, so you get the full impact:

    First, the City of Burlingame’s decision to terminate the Broadway Specific Plan — which was intended to guide development and investment over the next 5, 10, and 20 years — reflects a concerning lack of vision and long-term commitment to Broadway’s prosperity.

    Second, the City Council’s continued refusal to support the reopening of weekday Caltrain service at the Broadway station further demonstrates a lack of understanding of the essential role of transit in our district’s history and future. The station, opened in 1910 as Easton Station in what was then known as Buri Buri, was the very reason the Broadway business district and surrounding apartments were built. When weekday service was removed over 20 years ago, the negative impact was immediate and profound. Restoring service should be a priority — not a political inconvenience.

    Third, in late 2023, I opposed efforts by a City Council member and a Beautification Commissioner to weaken Burlingame’s flavored tobacco laws to benefit a personal associate. In retaliation, on October 8, 2023, both individuals called the Burlingame Police Department and falsely claimed I had threatened the commissioner. These fabricated allegations were clearly intended to intimidate and silence me. This misuse of public authority and law enforcement was not only inappropriate — it crossed a line, both legally and ethically.

    I’m hoping BPD did the minimum perfunctory “investigation” of that last item. Item 1 reminds me of the sentiment on B’way that it is the poor stepchild of the Avenue. John has been a leading advocate for said refresh. I like Broadway a lot and actually spend more time there than on the Ave, but it could use a refresh and that takes help from the city. You have to wonder if moving to tiny district elections has narrowed the focus of city councilmembers.

    It’s a shame John is stepping down, but he will always have a prominent voice in all things B’way. You can listen to Mark Lucchesi interview John here as well.

  • KCSM 60th Anniversary: A movie and more music

    Last night I was fortunate to attend the premier of a brand-new movie documentary about the 60-year evolution of KCSM into the worldwide jazz destination station it is today.  91.1 FM is a local jewel.  Thanks to streaming off of KSCM.org or just saying "Alexa, play KCSM" that jewel is now listened to around the world.  And it's not just the station playing a highly curated mix of jazz, blues and R&B; the annual concert Jazz on the Hill that returned in 2013 after Covid subsided is one of the best things about summer in the Bay Area as we noted here and here.

    Fortunately, Palo Alto Online got an even earlier preview and reporter Peter Canavese was able to take extensive notes, so I don't have to try to summarize the movie.  You can read his lengthy review here.  That leaves me free to share some of the post movie Q&A session with a panel of 15 KCSM announcers (they prefer that to "DJ").  With Chris Cortez asking the questions and vocalist Tiffany Austin sitting in after her participation in the movie, we got a rare survey of how these announcers migrated to KCSM over time, especially after KJAZ folded and donated its huge library to KCSM.  A couple viewed San Mateo as a bit of a bumpkin location to work but came anyway, some came up through the student ranks from the college and others saw the passion of their predecessors and wanted to be a part of it.  The challenges local jazz musicians have getting heard was a theme — music director Jesse "Chuy" Varela listens to all submissions, but neither he nor the station dictate what gets played.

    It was noted that the announcer ranks were a bit long in the tooth as was the audience.  "Keeping Jazz Alive" takes care and feeding.  The internship program could be expanded and the worldwide reach, along with the movie buzz, will hopefully help fundraising and student participation.  I asked the station manager, Dr. Robert Franklin, about the plans for distributing the movie.  It will run at the SF Indiefest in February and the DVD will be a gift during the next pledge drive.  Hopefully Netflix will pick it up as well.  We're lucky to have KCSM as our home station and these globally recognized on-air voices as its curators.

    KCSM Announcers

  • 2024 H’borough Concours d’Elegance

    Sunday was a brilliant, fog-free, wind-free day up the hill at Crystal Springs Golf Course as the Concours d'Elegance took over the 18th fairway for the 68th rendition of the car show.  That makes it "the longest continually running Concours in the world" and a showplace for some amazing cars and Jeeps.  This year's theme car was the Mazda Miata and one locally owned example won best in its class.  The 2024 winners have not been posted to the website yet but check here later.  Burlingame-owned Frank's Texas BBQ provided the eats and drew a long line of patrons as they usually do whenever they do an event.

    I also enjoyed watching kids playing in the sand trap–they found it way more fun than I do.

    Concours 2024

    Concours beach

  • Preservation Gem: “Gee Gee” Bland Platt

    Let's end the year with something different in that it's not directly related to B'game.  We highlight the passing of special B'gamers on occasion, but I was struck by the obit of "Gee Gee" Bland Platt that ran in the Comicle this weekend.  You will quickly see why:

    On December 13th the world lost a superlative San Franciscan and a remarkable mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother.  In 1963, Gee Gee became Survey Chairman (and later, concurrently, San Francisco County Chairman) of the Junior League's architectural survey, eventually published as Here Today: San Francisco's Architectural Heritage (Chronicle Books, 1968).

    Her work on this book led Mayor Jack Shelley to appoint her in 1967 to the inaugural San Francisco Landmarks Advisory Board, on which she served for 13 years, seven as its president. Over 110 buildings and monuments received landmark status in this era, including Mission Dolores, Ghirardelli Square, and the rotunda of the City of Paris department store (still there in its glory at Neiman Marcus on 150 Stockton St). She was infamously fired in 1980 by then-mayor Dianne Feinstein, in what the San Francisco newspapers called at the time the "Black Friday Massacre."

    Later that year, Gee Gee went on to found G. Bland Platt Associates, and this firm provided "a wide variety of consulting services to owners and lessees of architectural and historically significant properties and to their architects." Owners and developers of important buildings, once her adversaries, became her clients.

    She served on the board of the California Preservation Foundation (CPF) for many years and twice was its president; served on the board of San Francisco Heritage; and helped to set up the California Preservation Alliance, the first preservation political action committee. In 2004-5, she was a leading force in a lawsuit against the developers of the now-defunct Westfield Centre, after the demolition of part of the old Emporium store's magnificent original office tower, which was supposed to have been preserved. The $2.5 million settlement led to the creation of the Historic Preservation Fund Committee, on which Gee Gee served from its inception until her death and which continues to support preservation projects in San Francisco. She was both the "Che Guevara" and the "Mother Superior" of architectural preservation in San Francisco.

    That is quite a legacy and one that has added a lot of value for a lot of people who may not even realize it.  Architecturally speaking, a lot of bad stuff happened in the '60's and '70s and on into the '80s.  It coulda been worse if not for Gee Gee.  Many of you will recognize her seminal book–I probably have at least three copies laying around!  RIP Gee Gee.

    Here Today_San Francisco's Architectural Heritage

  • BSD has a new substitute teacher

    In the feelgood story of the month or maybe the whole year, our own Vice Mayor Donna Colson has gone through the process of becoming a "30-day substitute teacher".  Her column in the DJ explains the process so for those who are interested in doing the same I'll post it here for future reference:

    To be qualified as a 30-day substitute teacher, you must contact the district in which you would like to work and

    • submit your college transcripts as proof of a degree
    • apply for a Live Scan fingerprint and background check
    • obtain updated tuberculosis screening, and
    • pass a brief series of human resources training modules.

    The process takes only a few hours to complete, and the district office personnel are incredibly helpful. The credential must be renewed annually. With this certification, one can substitute short term in any school and in any grade in the district.

    B'gamers know Councilwoman Colson is a bundle of energy, but stepping into an elementary school substitute teaching role three or four days a month (that's her goal) is next-level energetic.  I recall as a kid the games that were played on subs (by the other kids, of course).  Here's betting that won't happen when Mrs. Colson is in class.  Click through to read the rest of the story.

  • Volunteer Profile: BCE President Jen Faber

    I recently had a chance meeting with the current BCE president, Jen Faber, and after a pleasant conversation she agreed to do more of an in-depth "interview" for the Voice.  Afterall, why let "Mark at the Mic" Lucchesi have all the fun profiling people in town?  We talked for about an hour about her background (molecular biology and history), why she passed up a chance at med school, and worked in a medical lab and for J&J.  But BCE was the topic du jour and you can find more details here.

    Once your kids are out of BIS and especially after they are out of BHS, you tend to lose touch with the organization.  I have.  I still believe it is a critical contributor not just to the school system, but to the overall quality of life and our shared investment in B'game.

    As the mother of three boys, Jen started as a BCE donor, then volunteer and eventually became a board member.  She was a site director at Hoover which is often a jumping off point to further BCE involvement.  As Covid hit and some people moved out of B'game, BCE experienced some turnover which may have contributed to Jen taking on the presidency after only four years in town.  See what can happen when you raise your hand?

    The main function of BCE– raising money and granting it back to the schools–is pretty stable.  With a fiscal year starting July 1, the funds granted have been between $2.6M and $2.7M for the last three years –the Covid years.  There are expenses and the endowment needs to be maintained in case there are more economic disruptions.  The grants have funded 19 additional teachers which is why multi-year stability (or better yet growth) is important.  The additional staff are teaching music (7), PE (5), language (2) and five other assignments.

    Jen revealed that she has a "challenger" mentality–probably why we got along right off.  She sees the BCE board and presidency as a political position in the sense that one needs to know how to influence other bodies like the District, the Trustees and the City while understanding where to pick one's fights.  We didn't get into that too much, but if and when one arises, I will know who to ask about it.  Here's our selfie taken during the interview in case you want to say hi when you see her around town.

    Jen and Joe

  • Stylistic Gems of El Camino Real

    Jennifer Pfaff, the president of the Burlingame Historical Society, has penned the front-page article for this quarter's society newsletter titled "Overlooked Gems of El Camino Real".  It's a real gem of a piece, too.  You all should be members and get your own hardcopy mailed to you, but for those who have not yet joined I am going to pluck out just the architectural styles mentioned as "gems".  As part of the ECR project, Caltrans engaged a team of architectural historians from AECOM.  That's the source of this list:

    • Bungalow Style single — family homes found all over B'game but not nearly as many as we originally had.
    • 1920 Mission Revival commercial automotive architecture – the C & D auto shop tucked away on the south end of ECR (see below).
    • European Eclectic Revival – apartment building with arched windows and Flemish parapet end walls.
    • Stucco Box apartment buildings – the technical term for our post-WWII flat-roofed structures.
    • Podium Style – like The Viking building by Danish architect Mogens Mogensen.
    • International Style – like our 8-story Burlingame Towers
    • New Formalism Style – like Arcamino West on Arc Way.

    This is quite a list for a three-mile stretch of historic road. It seems AECOM might have missed the Art Deco Adeline Market on the list.  Wouldn't it be nice if some of these had some historical protection?

    The next Historical Society walking tour is August 6th when the Willborough neighborhood gets the spotlight turned on it.  Learn about the 22 Tudor style homes by joining tour guide Joanne Garrison at 1pm where Palm Dr. meets Willborough Rd.  Here's our Mission Revival shop

    C & D

  • BNN and the City Review Storm “Learnings”

    Did you get the 6am wake-up call from Pacifica yesterday?  I wasn't in town, but I hear it rang 3.5 times and was loud.  Another earthquake prep reminder.  As if we don't have enough to worry about with atmospheric rivers queued up like floats in a parade.  Saturday morning, the City and Burlingame Neighborhood Network co-sponsored a meeting for residents to learn (re-learn?) how we handled the last big storms.  I say re-learn because by a show of hands nearly all of the roughly 75 people there had previously participated in a BNN block drill.

    The newly promoted city arborist, Rich Holtz, was the star of the show as much of the content and questions revolved around trees and what it takes to get downed or leaning trees removed.  There is often coordination with PG&E to ensure the lines are de-energized.  My question during the Q&A about how city staff (aside from Park & Rec tree staff) interact with PG&E didn't get much of an answer.  It would be good to know who at the city is "in the know" in real time about power outages by virtue of having a clear contact at PG&E and the ability to update residents beyond what's on PGE.com.

    The city is on a four-year cycle for inspecting all city trees.  There was a small amount of Blue Gum Euc-bashing, but the SF Comicle provided a timely defense of Eucs the next day here:

    In the Bay Area, the trees that most commonly fall are oaks, eucalyptus, cypress and Monterey pines, said consulting arborist Kevin Hostert. That matches information from the Western Tree Failure Database, which collects data from professional tree managers largely from the Bay Area, said principal investigator Larry Costello.

    Coast live oaks and Monterey pines are prone to fungal infection and root rot, and certain types of eucalyptus trees have “pretty shallow” roots, Hostert said. But Hostert and Costello emphasized that these species are not necessarily more dangerous — instead, more of them may fall simply because they are relatively common.

    There is that Voice principle again:  a numerator without a denominator is useless information.

    BPD and BFD were well-represented and added a lot of detail about how many 911 calls came in.  For instance, on March 14, 119 calls came in, mostly in a three-hour period, as the heart of the storm hit B'game.  The fact that faux 911 calls from landlines and burglar alarms mistakenly go off when power is restored was news to me.  And they all have to be answered.

    For me, the highpoint of the session from a learning standpoint was the introduction of the Zello phone app and network by Rik Kasuga of BNN.  Zello adds walkie-talkie capabilities to your cell phone allowing for group calls and direct person-to-person contact.  Assuming the cell networks are up, this can be an effect way for BNN members to communicate in an emergency.  More on that later as I get into it.

    The official recap is here and here are the presenters in the Rec Center on a beautiful Saturday morning in B'game talking about a rough couple of days.

    BNN COB storm meeting

     

  • Podcast: Hear About the Voice in Our Own Words

    This is one of the most exciting posts in the history of the Burlingame Voice because it is about the history of the Voice.  Man-about-town and now podcaster-about-town, Mark Lucchesi, who we wrote about two years ago when he "retired" from Mollie Stone's, has trained his microphone on Russ and me.  You can listen to a number of "Mark at the Mic" podcasts that he has gone for the Burlingame Historical Society by searching that moniker on YouTube.

    Russ and I were happy to be asked and had a blast talking about the Voice past and present for about 45 minutes.  The direct link to our podcast is HERE.  You will hear about how we started, who was involved early on, what each of us thinks about some local issues (hint:  we don't always agree and that is half the fun).  I describe some of the "Principles of the Voice" but I didn't get to all of them during our conversation, so here's the list as it sits currently:

    • Respect the Law of Unintended Consequences
    • There are Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics (popularized by Mark Twain, maybe Benjamin Disraeli)
    •               Corollary:  A numerator without the denominator is useless
    • There is no Free Lunch, somebody is paying.
    • Always do cost/benefit assessments
    • Does it pass the “Shoe on the other foot” test?
    • People get interested when the pothole is in front of their house.
    • A cat seldom changes its stripes.
    •               Corollary: “When someone shows you who they are believe them” Maya Angelou

    The session was also video recorded, so you may get to see our mugs in the future if and when that version is posted to YouTube.  In the meantime, enjoy the podcast. 

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