Stanford Report, May 31, 2006

Cardinal Chronicle

BY MICHAEL PEÑA

Improvements are in place for those who call 911 from a cell phone in the Palo Alto-Stanford area. Within the past academic year, all of the major cell phone carriers in the vicinity —Nextel, Sprint, Verizon, Metro PCS, Cingular and T-Mobile—have converted to a new 911 system that transfers a 911 call made from a cell phone to the closest "911 hub," according to Stanford police Chief LAURA WILSON. For the campus community, that hub is the Palo Alto Police Department dispatch. In the past, the university Department of Public Safety would not advise people to call 911 from a cell phone because the call would be routed to a regional California Highway Patrol center in Vallejo, which would get swamped and make it more difficult for officers to respond in a timely manner. The new 911 system is not in place in all jurisdictions, but it is in effect for the Palo Alto-Stanford area, Wilson said.

On Saturday, nine Sikh films will be screened in Cubberley Auditorium for the first Bay Area Spinning Wheel Film Festival. The director's cut of Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath will be shown from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Alumna VALERIE KAUR, who wrote and co-produced the film with its director, SHARAT RAJU, will be on hand for a discussion afterward. Kaur journeyed across the country with a camera after Sept. 11, 2001, and captured the stories of Sikh, Muslim and Arab Americans. Information on the day's schedule and ticket prices—50 percent off for students, seniors and youth—can be found at http://www.bayareawheel.com/.

Each winter, Urban Ministry of Palo Alto gives out hundreds of sleeping bags, backpacks, rain-resistant jackets, gloves and caps—much of them collected during an annual clothing drive on campus that the university helps coordinate at the end of spring quarter. This year's drive will take place June 15-19, when barrels will be placed outside Governor's Corner, Roble Hall, Lagunita, FloMo, Branner, Toyon and Mirrielees. The drive began in 1998 when the "jean pool," a plastic kiddie pool, was placed outside Roble for laundry-room cleanout. Volunteers will be needed to bag and haul away donations, which can include unopened food items. Those who can help should contact LORI BARNETT FULLER at 736-9991 or 965-1520.