Week in review

Equity Office Partners, the owner of the building at 100 Foster City Blvd., withdrew its application to rezone the property for a 500-student high-tech school.

The setback is another obstacle for the high school and its organizers who originally wanted to open the school at a city-owned 15-acre site across from City Hall. The City Council said the land was too valuable for a school that could turn out to be temporary. The Foster City Boulevard site was also subject to some controversy since neighboring businesses had concerns that the school may not be appropriate for the corporate environment.

The decision bumps the planned opening from fall 2005 to fall 2006, said organizer Peter Hayden, who emphasized that the 15-acre site is still on the table for discussion.

Cop killer unfit for trial

Despite the testimony of two doctors who believe Marvin Patrick Sullivan's life-long mental illness and delusions should not stand in his way of trial, the admitted cop killer was ordered returned this week to the state mental hospital from which he was just returned last month.

Judge James Ellis deemed Sullivan, 50, incompetent after five doctors offered differing opinions over two days on his ability to help in his own defense. Ellis prefaced his ruling shortly after 10 a.m. yesterday by saying he understood the serious nature of Sullivan's crime and the frustrations of the parties on both sides.

Millbrae police Officer Dave Chetcuti who was fatally shot by Sullivan a dozen times April 24, 1998. A few shook their heads and at least one wiped away tears before quickly exiting the courtroom.

Sweeping school changes proposed in San Mateo

A new seventh period is being proposed in the San Mateo Union High School District to give more time for students to take college prep classes, but shuffling the district's expenses could mean fewer librarians and counselors.

District Superintendent Sam Johnson Jr. confronted some of the layoff rumors flying around the district Wednesday by talking more specifically about the plan he will present at the next school board meeting.

Up to 10 full-time district jobs could be lost, Johnson said, but $137,000 left over from the changes could be used to buy books, desks and other equipment.

Johnson expects some opposition from the teachers' union, but said the plan "is about what's in the best interests of the students."

The new schedule would shorten class periods from 58 minutes to 51 to add a seventh period. School would begin 15 minutes earlier at 7:45 a.m. but would still end at 3 p.m.

It would also require students to complete a year-long science, world language or arts course by the end of 10th grade rather than 12th, bringing core requirements more in line with that of the University of California and California State University.

More students would attend those classes, and class sizes in freshman and sophomore core classes would grow from 20 students per teacher to 30.

Fatal stabbing suspect sent to mental hospital

A schizophrenic man suspected of fatally stabbing a man he mistook for another at a San Carlos vocational work center will go to a state mental hospital instead of standing trial for first-degree murder.

The hospitalization decision reached this week came after two out of three court-appointed psychiatrists found Vitin Ajani Cruz, 30, would not be able to help his attorneys defend him at trial. If Cruz is ever deemed competent after treatment he will still face charges of first-degree murder, the use of a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury.

The motive in the unprovoked stabbing is thought to be mistaken identity, prosecutors said. Shortly after 2 p.m., the two men were sitting next to each other at the WorkCenter Vocational Rehab Services center on Quarry Road. Suddenly, Cruz allegedly lunged at Ruiz with a knife and stabbed him several times in the upper torso and arm. Cruz fled but was arrested a few blocks away from the site. Ruiz died the following afternoon and was buried in San Mateo.