Parade of pets goes on

A tradition that’s a keeper: Kiwanis event draws hundreds, mostly participants

Forget the Internet revolution. Time stood still Saturday at the 53rd Kiwanis Pet Parade. The scene, minus a modern-themed costume or two, would not have been out of place in 1947.

‘Too friendly behavior’ alleged

Officials: Egan teacher did nothing ‘illegal’ early on

gan Intermediate School officials allegedly had received numerous complaints about a leadership teacher’s conduct a year before police arrested the 29-year-old instructor May 9 on charges of having sex with underage girls.

LAH city manager forced to leave immediately, council to hire interim replacement this week

In a contentious closed personnel meeting May 15, the Los Altos Hills Town Council in a 3-2 vote asked City Manager Mark Miller to clean out his desk and leave immediately. He left before 5 p.m, May 16. Councilmembers Toni Casey, Steve Finn and Emily Cheng voted to remove Miller, while Bob Johnson and Mayor Elayne Dauber voted against the action.

“I can’t talk; whatever I say doesn’t please some of the councilmembers,” said Mark Miller. “That’s the way it is.”

News Briefs

The Los Altos Garbage Company is slated to stop recycling cardboard bundled and stacked outside of businesses in downtown Los Altos this fall. The Los Altos City Council passed an ordinance May 16 that will require downtown merchants to use garbage company-issued recycling containers for the disposal of cardboard or face extra collection fees for cardboard left outside of such containers.

City officials said they hope the new program will clean up “unsightly” collection areas and provide a more uniform look to downtown.

Los Altos extends cable negotiations with AT&T

The Los Altos City Council has extended city cable negotiations with AT&T for another six months.

Seeking a plan that would include a private Intranet for city hall and local schools and libraries in its cable television franchise renewal agreement, the city will pay $15,900 to develop an Institutional-Net plan with Columbia Telecommunications, the consulting firm hired to audit the existing cable television system.

Overlay works for united neighborhoods

The new one-story overlay zone ordinance that has received its first reading is not for everyone, obviously. And it’s not meant to be. It simply gives the neighborhoods in town that are unified on one-story homes the chance to define their own neighborhood by law and retain its character. For this reason, the overlay makes good sense to us.

The ordinance dictates that 70 percent of the residents in a particular neighborhood must support the one-story zoning. The decision would stand for seven years, allowing the possibility of overturning the overlay later on.

Resignation signals more divisiveness

The surprise evaluation and subsequent resignation of Los Altos Hills City Manager Mark Miller is yet another example of the polarity on the city council. Clearly, we have two opposing sides that can’t work together.

Sadly, Miller was caught in the middle of two disputing factions, represented by councilmembers Toni Casey, Steve Finn and Emily Cheng on one side, and Elayne Dauber and Bob Johnson on the other. Ultimately, he paid the price.

Donation visit opens my eyes

Blue Jeans & Jelly Beans

I was looking for a place to donate my old crib linens, and my neighbor recommended Community Pregnancy Center in Mountain View. So I gave them a call.

Letters to the editor

I am a very recent Los Altos resident and I have felt very welcomed by the community.

We moved from the Washington, D.C. area two months ago, and we chose Los Altos for its good community feeling, its natural beauty, its great downtown, and its proximity to my husband’s workplace.

Save The Date

Fourth of July celebration in Los Altos planned by Citizens For A Glorious Fourth committee, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Shoup Park.

July 8 and 9

Mary Higgins Clark Day proclaimed in Los Altos

Mayor John Moss signed a proclamation last week declaring Tuesday Mary Higgins Clark Day in Los Altos.

The best-selling “Queen of Mystery” will sign copies of her 22 best-sellers, including her latest, “Before I Say Good-bye,” at Heintzelman’s Bookstore starting at 7:30 p.m.

Calypso great Harry Belafonte talks human rights at Celebrity Forum appearance

Dick Henning, founder of the Foothill College Celebrity Forum speaker series, introduced May 2 guest Harry Belafonte as an actor, a television star, recording artist and the king of calypso.

His Flint Center performance, however, stressed his latter-day role as a civil rights leader and humanitarian. The 90-minute speech drew mixed reviews from audience members who either enjoyed it, or found it heavy-handed and preachy.

Los Altos committee planning ‘Glorious Fourth’ celebration

After last year’s successful Independence Day celebration, the “Citizens for a Glorious 4th” committee invite residents to another patriotic celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., July 4, in Shoup Park.

Richard Schlosberg, III, chief executive officer of the Lucile and David Packard Foundation and a former Vietnam War veteran himself, has agreed to head a committee of local leaders planning the event.

Pages of the Past

In the news: Ralph Bunche is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for mediating and negotiating a truce between warring factions in Palestine.

In Los Altos: Over 2000 local citizens turned out to watch the third annual Los Altos Pet Parade. Approximately 1,160 children participated in the event as they marched or toddled through the business district with their animal friends.

Los Altos families join the throng during Million Mothers March in Oakland

A weather-hardy Los Altos contingent of moms and family members, along with about 400 other Peninsula residents, boarded chartered buses for the Oakland Million Mothers March on Mother’s Day, May 14.

Brenda Tausig, one of the dozen or more Santa Rita Elementary School mothers on the buses, learned about the march from her older sister, who has been active in gun control law efforts and was involved in the Washington, D.C., march. A younger sister joined the march in Portland, Oregon, and her 75-year-old mom participated in the Tucson, Arizona march. Representation of the women in her family in the Million Mothers March became complete with Brenda and her daughter Kathryn, a student at Castilleja, joining the Oakland protest.

Library News

“Americana” is the theme of the coloful exhibit of mixed media at the Los Altos Library now thorough July 6. The Los Altos Arts Committee juries original works of art annually for exhibition on the library art wall. For more information, call 948-7683.

Calendar

Los Altos Senior Center, 9-3 p.m., Monday through Friday, 97 Hillview Ave.

Today

Community Briefs

The Los Altos Millennium Time Capsule Committee has encouraged the elementary and junior high schools in Los Altos to write essays for inclusion in the city’s own 100-year time capsule, which will be buried later this year at the Los Altos History Museum.

The students responded with essays, group projects and pictures, reflecting what is important to them in the year 2000.

Police Report

May 19, 11:01 a.m., 4000 block of El Camino Real: A man said someone threw something at him while he was at Jack In The Box.

Battery

Local artists featured in LAH exhibit

A new exhibit featuring local artists from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills will be on display in the Los Altos Hills Council Chambers, June 4-30.

The exhibit will feature quilts by Betsy Bertram and bridal gowns, displayed on dolls, by Barbara Richmond.

Rotary does fine with weekend’s art in the park

It’s like strolling through an outdoor gallery under shaded pine trees, with 206 different artists displaying the fruits of their creativity. The Los Altos Rotary Club’s 25th anniversary “Fine Art in the Park,” held this past weekend in Lincoln Park, featured some of the most talented and innovative artists on the West Coast.

“I’m happy to be here,” said Gil Harrison, of Cottage Grove, Ore. “I have exhibited my pottery at major crafts and art shows in cities throughout the Western United States, and I like this one in Los Altos. Setting up is easy, and you have all kinds of volunteer help. People also buy at this show.”

‘Young at Art’ winners chosen in Rotary high school contest

Students from five local high school art classes entered the ninth Los Altos Rotary Club “Young at Art” competition. Jurors Hardy Jones, Biadra Prochnow, Dana Janes and Jean Kluga judged the works May 2.

The Los Altos Rotary Club awarded $120 and a plaque for first place and $80 for second to each of the winning high school artists.

ASC club hosts International Night Saturday

The All Shades of Colors club (ASC) of Homestead High School will present an International Night 7-10 p.m., Saturday, in the gymnasium.

Founded in 1998, ASC is a student club designed to raise cultural awareness in the school and community, working with local organizations to promote racial unity and understanding.

LAEF presents $600,000 to LASD, announces next year’s goal

Larry Russell, president of the board for the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), presented the Los Altos School District with a check for $600,000 at the regular board meeting May 1, capping off another year of Foundation-funded programs and activities in the district.

During the 1999-2000 school year, LAEF provided for science and technology aides, physical education programs, instructional aides, a network support technician, a music program, a junior high computer program, an arts program for non-instrumental music students, junior high math textbooks, a reading assistance program, junior high vocal music, fine arts instruction and grammar textbooks.

Santa Rita community dedicates amphitheater

Members of the Santa Rita School community withstood the wind and cool temperatures in the school’s park May 10 to attend a brief dedication ceremony for the school’s new amphitheater.

Mark Byington, whose sons Chris, Matt and Josh currently attend Santa Rita, funded the amphitheater’s construction. At last week’s ceremony, he dedicated the small structure to the memory of his wife Francie, who died a year ago.

St. Nicholas presents ‘Macbeth’

Fourth-graders from St. Nicholas Elementary School bubbled, toiled and troubled through a performance of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” last Friday.

Renda Ajluni, the fourth-grade teacher, and Mary O’Shea, the school librarian and Language Arts teacher, directed the performance.

Schools Briefs

Foothill and De Anza students can earn college credit while studying theater in London this fall. The Campus Abroad program of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District is scheduled to hold an orientation meeting at 1 p.m., Thursday, for London 2000.

Students must complete and submit an application by June 15. For more information, call the Campus Abroad office at 949-7614.

Conflict managers trade ideas, techniques

The only arguments to be heard at last Wednesday’s 1st Annual K-8 Conflict Resolution Conference were part of the role-playing and skits that participants performed to show off their peacemaking skills.

Bullis-Purissima School and the Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) hosted the conference, held at the Christ Episcopal Church in Los Altos and sponsored by the Los Altos Community Foundation and the Los Altos Rotary Club.

76 FH students honored for excellence on & off field

Town Crier Staff Report

Foothill College recently honored 76 scholar-athletes for demonstrating excellence on and off the field.

LA baseball team showing improvement

Los Altos High’s baseball program isn’t playoff caliber just yet, but varsity coach Sandy Wihtol said it’s just a matter of time before the Eagles qualify for the Central Coast Section tournament.

“We’re getting better,” said Wihtol, who two weeks ago concluded his fourth and most successful season as coach. “We had a real good year, and the kids are already looking forward to next season.”

On Deck:

Baseball

Today

Sports On The Side

West Bay Water Polo is organizing under-14, under-16 and under-18 boys teams that will play this summer. Practices will be held in Los Altos High’s pool, the site of the club’s first meeting this Tuesday at 6 p.m. West Bay is run by high school coaches Deke Rowell (Los Altos) and Larry Demuth (Cupertino), plus Jon Wiener and Erik Koland, Los Altos grads playing in college. Cost is $200, plus USA water polo registration, for the under-14 team and $250 for the under-16 and under-18 teams. For more information, call Wiener at 949-3461.

Howard at Los Altos

St. Francis 2nd to none this time; Kash leads Los Altos

CCS Gymnastics Championships

After finishing second at the Central Coast Section gymnastics championships for seven straight years, St. Francis High last week finally finished on top.

Homestead girls make a splash in CCS finals

Mustangs win title; SF boys finish third

Town Crier Staff Report

Mustangs fall in VB finals; MV golfer makes NorCal

CCS Summary

Boys golf

Gunn, St. Francis knocked out of playoffs

Prep Baseball Playoffs

The high school baseball season concluded last Saturday for the area’s only two postseason representatives, as both Gunn and St. Francis were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Tomahawks lacrosse team loses in final

The Palo Alto Tomahawks varsity lacrosse team fell 11-6 to Menlo May 13 in the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association regional championship at Stanford University.

The Tomahawks’ six goals were provided by three players, two of them locals: Paul Mans of Los Altos Hills and Drew Barnekoff of Los Altos, plus Dan Yob of Menlo Park.

Mountain View Open swings into action this Saturday

The 2000 Mountain View Open is set for Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the Cuesta Park Tennis Center.

The tennis tournament has 81 entries, with players coming from all over the Bay Area to compete. Qualifying rounds were held last weekend.

Los Altos investment banking firm a force in the valley

Business Profile

KAL Equity Group Ltd. is a growing Silicon Valley investment banking firm specializing in “start to finish” funding solutions for companies on their way up in the business field.

How to stop a temper tantrum on the job

Jean on the Job

Emotional outbursts on the job cost time, energy and money. They also cost relationships, morale and loss of collaborative work. When an outburst happens to you, try the following options, depending on your personality, the nature of your relationship together, the scope of the business or project, and your history with this kind of person:

Home Consignment Center facade structure to be removed by end of month

For weeks, the skeletal framing that once held an awning for the Home Consignment Center (HCC) at 400 Main St., remained untouched. This week, however, both officials of the store and the city of Los Altos expect something to be done about it.

The reason for the inaction amounts to a disagreement between the store and the city regarding who is supposed to make repairs. Store officials had asserted that the city, which owns the property, is the landlord, and therefore, is responsible for the repairs. But City Manager Phil Rose said the lease clearly states the store owners are responsible.

Transactions

Mountain View

Los Altos

Contractor schemers, beware: state board arms senior homeowners with rip-off kit

The California Contractors State License Board will offer a free Seniors Scam Stoppers Kit aimed at informing older homeowners of their rights and responsibilities when hiring a building contractor.

“Unlicensed and unscrupulous contractors continue to target the elderly,” said C. Lance Barnett, registrar for the California Contractors State License Board. “Some victims lose their life savings or even their homes.”

Obituaries

Bernadine M. White of Los Altos Hills died May 8. A native of California, she was 50.

Mrs. White was an orthodontic assistant for Larry R. Morrill.

Births

A son was born Feb. 14 to Hilary and John Ireland of Exeter, N. H., formerly of Los Altos.

Dec. 1999

West Bay’s ‘Rise & Fall’ opens Friday

In its final production of the season, West Bay Opera presents its premiere of Kurt Weill’s “Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto.

The play opens Friday, with additional performances set for Saturday and Sunday, plus June 2-4. Curtain times are 8:15 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m., Sundays.

Kidz Dancing 2000 set for Thursday in Palo Alto

More than 400 children will take to the Spangenberg Theater stage Thursday in Kidz Dancing 2000, an annual dance extravaganza presented by Zohar Dance Company.

The performance, set to start at 7 p.m., will feature a variety of styles including jazz, musical theater, tap, hip-hop and ethnic dance.

Bus Barn’s ‘On the Verge’ is fascinating

Theater review

What a trip. Bus Barn Stage Company had me scratching my head during the first 20 minutes of Eric Overmyer’s enigmatic drama, “On The Verge or The Geography Of Yearning.”

Foothill to present ‘Much Ado’

The Foothill College Drama Department is preparing to present Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”

The play is to set start Friday and run through June 11 in the Studio Theater at Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. Evening performances start at 8 p.m., this Friday and Saturday, plus June 1-3 and 8-10. Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m., June 4 and 11.

Two PYT shows open on weekend

Peninsula Youth Theater offers two productions this week at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View.

“Island of the Blue Dolphins” is scheduled for Friday and Saturday and “Schoolhouse Rock Live” is set for Saturday.

Fun and fund raising combine at Dr. Mosca event Saturday

When Dr. Deborah Mosca talks about the upcoming Avon 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer, she hardly ever stops to take a breath.

She can’t afford to. The Los Altos chiropractor is determined to raise $50,000 in the next two months, far exceeding the $1,800 required to participate. So far, she’s raised $6,000.

Boot Camp recruits all ages

Exercise regimen produces fitness and camaraderie

Every five weeks, Time Out Services enlists a new group of brave individuals in Boot Camp on the Foothill College campus. The instructors keep recruits on their toes by drilling them through a series of runs, jumps, hurdles and weight-training, usually in the early-morning hours. And they keep coming back for more.

Autoimmune Disease: When a Body Attacks Itself

On Call

Sally felt awful six weeks after her second child was born. She was too tired to nurse her baby at night, and her breast milk was scantier than with her first child. Her husband complained that all she wanted to do was sleep. Sally felt cold all the time, and her voice deepened. In fact, friends began to mistake her telephone voice for her husband’s.

MEDLINEplus offers Web users extensive list of health topics

For over a year, the National Library of Medicine has produced MEDLINEplus, a Web site that brings together the best health information available on the Internet. Its listing of health topics exceeds five hundred, and each of those topics has a page full of links that provide the reader with everything from fact sheets and pamphlets to the latest research on the topic.

However, readers who don’t explore MEDLINEplus are likely to miss some of its other unique and truly astounding features.

Entertain toddlers and resolve conflicts

Judith S. Duque, LMFT

Question: Can you help me with an entertaining tip for my 14-month-old daughter when I need to make that unexpected business call from home?

Health Briefs

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation will present “Managing Your Blood Pressure” with Gail Gardner, RN, 3-5 p.m., June 13.

The Foundation will also present “Understanding and Living With Back Pain” with Doctors Nomi Khan and John Lu, 7-8:30 p.m., June 13.