Stanford Report, July 26, 2006

Cardinal Chronicle

BY MICHAEL PEÑA

It may not sound so bad now, but in the weeks leading up to this heat wave, several incidents were leaked to newspaper columnists of sprinklers spraying visitors at events held on campus. LEAH GARCHIK, a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote about sprinklers going off during an evening gala hosted by the Hoover Institution on July 12 in the Main Quad. A pre-dinner reception was winding down in Memorial Court, when water in one section suddenly sprayed guests in their fancy attire. The barmen reportedly sacrificed their trousers and stepped on the sprinklers, which groundskeepers had been asked to turn off before the event. Also on July 12, a column in The Almanac mentioned that sprinklers came on at the end of the Stanford Lively Arts concert and fireworks show on July 3. Some stragglers leaving Cobb Track and Angell Field, where families gathered for a free peek at the pyrotechnics, apparently got wet. Ticket holders in Frost Amphitheater, however, were spared the spray.

One thing about the heat is that it makes certain jobs downright unbearable—such as standing outside, handing out costly citations to drivers not wearing seat belts. Fines start at $170 and can exceed $400 for repeat offenses. Stanford police have completed the education phase of the enforcement program called "Click It or Ticket," a statewide campaign that kicked off about a year ago. On July 13, officers handed out about 200 safety pamphlets to approximately 350 vehicles that passed through the intersection of Campus Drive East and Mayfield Avenue in a 90-minute period. They also warned 20 drivers, and within their cars, 10 passengers. On July 6, 15 drivers going through the same intersection and eight of their passengers received warnings. If any of those passengers were under age 16 and actually cited, the driver had to pay their fines as well, said Sgt. MARLO BANDA. The extreme heat killed plans for a checkpoint yesterday, but Banda said officers will try again Aug. 1 at the same intersection from 3 to 6 p.m.

The top five places to stay cool on campus, at least according to the Digital Media Academy, which is back on campus this summer: the Claw fountain, Cantor Arts Center, Tresidder Union, the Avery Aquatic Center and the Stanford Shopping Center.