Sponsors boost festival

By Jeff Eisenberg and Bruce Barton

Town Crier Staff Writers

MV OKs no-solicitation ordinance to discourage day workers

Approximately eight months after Los Altos passed a similar law, Mountain View City Councilmembers approved an ordinance June 26 prohibiting day workers and their prospective employers from soliciting or offering work on public streets.

Councilmembers delayed a Mountain View no-solicitation ordinance until they could come up with options for a new job center site for the day workers.

High vacancy rate threatens to shut down Police Dept.

Negotiations

Police say increased salaries, more retirement benefits and a better health plan would help Los Altos retain and recruit more officers. The police department last week was still negotiating a new contract with the city. The department’s contract expired last Friday.

Public works employees vote to strike after contract talks stall

Negotiations

Morales said the Teamsters plan to meet with the city this Friday to try to settle a contract. If a settlement cannot be reached, the 21-member department could strike, he said.

News Briefs

The Los Altos City Council agreed June 27 to set aside $3.5 million from its current budget for the future construction of two city-owned gymnasiums planned for the Blach and Egan intermediate school campuses.

The total project is estimated to cost $4 million for construction and $420,000 for design services.

Rooster’s early crowing proves rude awakening to neighbor

This is the kind of story that could prove funny at Rooster T. Feathers, but for the Los Altos Hills residents involved, it’s no laughing matter.

Cheryl Breetmor has a black rooster who is one scrappy rascal. His day starts at 4:30 a.m. and he lets everyone within earshot know about it.

Pilot, plane OK after emergency landing on freeway

A pilot flying a small plane over Los Altos made an emergency landing on Highway 85 last Thursday after his single-engine plane lost power.

A spokesman from the Mountain View Fire Department said the pilot took off from Palo Alto airport around 11:10 a.m., June 29, and encountered a complete loss of engine power while flying over the Los Altos foothills.

Letters to the Editor

As grandparents of a Class of 2000 graduate from Mountain View High School, we were planning to write a glowing letter to the Town Crier complimenting the graduates and faculty on the inspiring ceremony that took place on June 13.

Then we read the expressively written description of this event by Joan Garvin on page 6 of this week’s issue and realized the writer captured our views exactly.

Vacation from grief

A View of the Hills

Sunday is the longest day in the week for the bereaved who wander ever in the hope of an antidote to pain. My sister Vi, who lost her only son some years ago recommended “a vacation from grief” day…a device she found effective. I promised to try.

Reinvent the heart

Other Voices

Whenever I drive into the parking lot for groceries, I’m always on the lookout for him. He stands at the corner near an entrance drive, holding a cardboard sign on which he has scratched in lower case letters an almost invisible “h e l p”.

Pages of the Past

By Michael F. Dowley, Chairman of the Los Altos Incorporation Committee. Originally published in the “Los Altos News,” June 20, 1950 .

“Sure, I’m for incorporation, it’s bound to come anyway,” said an old-time resident after reading last week’s article, “but what’s the hurry?”

By Margaret M. Abe

A bump in a road addressed with a ‘DIP’

DIP and BUMP: Who took care of the dip problem at the intersection of Orange and Lee avenues? After many friends and neighbors dipped and bumped their cars, a “DIP” sign was put in as a warning - thanks for the quick action of Bruce Bane, director of public works.

Library News

California Wildlife Associates will bring “California Wild” animals to the Los Altos Library Program today from 3-3:45 p.m. A desert tortoise, porcupine, golden eagle and opossum will be featured. Children age 5 and up are invited. For more information, call 948-7683, ext. 3525.

Calendar

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

Wednesday

Community Briefs

When more than 300 young wheelchair athletes compete in the junior National Wheelchair Championships this month in San Jose, members of the Personal Best Performance Clinic will be on hand to offer free sports massages.

Bruce Richmond, ATC, Los Altos-based clinic director, said sports massage offers several benefits, including a reduced risk of injury and a greater ability to sustain peak performance and recover from a workout.

Upcoming Events

Rock Back the Clock, a fund-raiser for the Festival of Lights Parade, at Rancho Shopping Center, Los Altos.

Oct. 7

Police Report

June 23, 8:44 a.m., Grant Road: Vandalism to a vehicle reported.

Injured person

Pinewood teacher becomes student for summer in NEH course

An English teacher from Pinewood School will spend the summer taking a course of her own.

Rashna Wadia, who teaches English literature and writing to eighth-graders at Pinewood School in Los Altos Hills, is one of 15 teachers, chosen from more than 100 applicants, to participate in a six-week seminar titled “Women’s and Gender History in Global Perspective.”

MV-LA district approves charter school for fall 2001

If all goes according to plan, beginning in the fall of 2001, students in the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District (MV-LA) will have another high school to choose from.

The district’s school board approved the Silicon Valley Essential Charter High School at the regular meeting June 12, confirming its decision with a second vote June 26 to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the district and the charter school petitioners.

Schools Briefs

The Princeton Review is scheduled to hold its 2000 College Admissions Seminar 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, at De Anza College. The free seminar will feature presentations from college admissions officers.

To register, e-mail info.sanjose@review.com, and write “register me” on the subject line. Include your name, address, phone number, high school, class year and how many people are in your party. Or call 1-800-2-REVIEW and register there.

Noteworthies

Deborah Wells, daughter of Suzanne Wells of Los Altos, has been named Spotlight Publicity Director for the Associated Students of Linfield College.

Wells is a 1998 graduate of Los Altos High School.

Camp swaps campfires for computers, hi-tech skills

Summer campers at Stanford University are trading arts and crafts for Web design, and exchanging cabins for dorm rooms. Their counselors have turned in lifeguard duties for the chance to show off their technological expertise.

They’re part of internalDrive Hi-Tech Computer Camp, which finished a two-week run at Stanford University Friday. Now in its second full season, the camp has locations in seven states, including Hawaii, Colorado and New York, with four locations here in the Bay Area. It offers high-tech activities to students age 8-17, at all skill levels.

Sports On The Side

Los Altos High graduate Lorrie Fair last month won a Honda Award for being the top female soccer player in the nation at the college level. The senior led the University of North Carolina to the NCAA Division championship this past season. Fair is playing for the U.S. women’s national team, which heads to Sydney, Australia, in September to compete in the Olympics.

Golf tourney

Roja captures all-league softball honors

College Kudos

Here’s an update on some former high school athletes from the area who excelled at the college level this past spring:

Lozares takes 2nd in NCGA Jr. Championship

Palo Alto performers

Town Crier Staff Report

Cannon makes nine saves; Earthquakes tie MetroStars

Led by goalkeeper Joe Cannon of Los Altos Hills, the San Jose Earthquakes played the New York/New Jersey MetroStars to a scoreless tie June 28 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Cannon had nine saves and nine catches/punches for the Earthquakes, who also have Mountain View resident Jamie Clark (defender) on their roster.

Positive Coaching Alliance holds clinic Saturday

A coaching alliance based in Palo Alto is calling for youth sports coaches to remain cool this summer.

The Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), an educational consortium sponsored by Stanford University, is calling for youth sports coaches and parents to avoid negativity when dealing with youngsters and instead focus on making sports a positive experience.

Cycling for Sydney

Hills resident vying for Olympic berth

For Karen Kurreck, it’s Sydney or bust.

More business from a kindergarten boy

Jean on the Job

My grandson has been doing a lot of consulting with me lately. His ideas are solid, marketable and will hold up in the VC’s office. Actually, Devon just graduated from kindergarten, so my graduate school FGer (first grader) probably will have even more credibility now. Here are some of his latest gems:

Business Briefs

The 11th A. G. Ferrari gourmet grocery store in Northern California is scheduled to open in Los Altos this month at the southeast corner of Second and Main streets.

The market will feature a pasta station, fresh breads and other baked goods, fresh produce and a selection of Italian wines arranged by region.

Fireclick expedites downloading from the Web

Driving down San Antonio Road, you see a big red and white sign that flashes “Fireclick.” If you wonder what it’s all about, Fireclick Inc. is one of the hottest Silicon Valley software start-ups.

Companies that do business on the Web realize download time is a critical element in their business. It is generally agreed that if a site doesn’t load in 30 seconds, the user will go to another site.

Profit outlook driving down many stock prices

Stock Report

When the market opened last Friday blue-chip stocks slumped after a 130-point loss on Thursday. The reason is a questionable profit outlook for old-line companies because rising interest rates are cutting into corporate profits.

Transactions

Los Altos

10421 Creston Drive - Browning Trust to K. & C. Maquire for $829,000.00

LAHS grad, former news anchor takes command of her image

Sweaty palms, trembling, shifty eyes, bobbing from side to side - the roadblocks to projecting a strong image are many. Even those used to public speaking or the media spotlight acknowledge room for improvement.

So you can imagine those sparkling young minds powering new dot-com companies who suddenly find themselves in need of public speaking skills.

Two LA residents featured in West Valley opera

Los Altos residents April Sage and Karen Leon are appearing in the West Valley Light Opera production of “Will Rogers Follies,” which opened last weekend at the Saratoga Civic Center.

The musical, which plays weekends through July 29, recreates the days of the Ziegfeld Follies through the life and times of the legendary Will Rogers.

30-year-old Riesling still developing

Recently I spent an afternoon at the Rubicon restaurant in San Francisco. The occasion was a luncheon and tasting with Hubert Trimbach and the Trimbach wines. The cuisine was fantastic and the wine was eye-opening.

Trimbach is located in the Alsace region in the northeastern corner of France. The main town is Colmar, so quaint that it looks like it should be a ride in Disneyland. The town is jammed with tourists and when we were there, we had the longest, most poorly served, average, expensive meal that I have ever experienced. The meal at Rubicon and the graciousness and humor of Trimbach more than made up for my other Alsatian experience.

Diet tips: Vegetarian or high protein

Q: Is a vegetarian diet really the best?

A: Studies show that, compared to meat-eaters, those who don’t eat meat have 25 percent to 30 percent less chance of death due to heart disease and about 40 percent less chance of cancer-related death. Overall, however, what seems most important in lowering the risk of both these diseases is a plant-based diet, one that focuses on vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains, but not necessarily to the exclusion of meats. Research suggests that the specific food choices you make are probably more important than whether you eat little or no meat. One of the most important keys to a healthful diet is to eat a wide variety of each type of food in a plant-based diet. Modest amounts of healthful types of fat and proteins, sized to maintain a healthy weight, are also important aspects of a healthful diet, and can be implemented by meat-eaters and vegetarians alike.

Blueberries make for good snacks, health

Town Crier Staff Report

Their deep, rich color and juicy, tart-sweet flavor make blueberries one of summer’s most perfect fruits. But there’s a lot more to blueberries than meets the eyes and the taste buds. These little berries are packed with natural substances which provide a variety of health benefits.

Old-fashioned candy making

Take one former chemical engineer and his wife, neither of whom have any experience making candy, and place them in charge of a family-run candy factory to make handmade confectionary. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but that’s not what happened.

Since George and Irene took over Preston’s Candy & Ice Cream in 1997, they’ve expanded the selections and opened a new location in Los Altos this spring - the first chain store in the history of the business, which was founded in 1946.

Food Bites

Menlo Park will host its 14th annual Connoisseur’s Marketplace 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., July 15 and 16, on Santa Cruz Avenue between El Camino Real and Johnson Street in downtown Menlo Park.

Admission and parking are free.

Oodles of noodles

A group of Town Crier staff restaurant reviewers, known as “The Lunch Bunch,” descends upon unsuspecting local lunchtime haunts once a month to critique their offerings in the Food & Wine section. The Lunch Bunch visited New Tung Kee Noodle House in Mountain View.

Restaurant: New Tung Kee Noodle House located at 520 Showers Drive, Mountain View.

DMV launches smog refund Web site

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently launched a Web page at www.dmv.ca.gov where motorists can check to see if they might qualify for a Smog Impact Fee refund.

Motorists visiting the DMV Web site can check for eligibility by providing the license plate or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and the first five characters of their last name. The system will search DMV records for a match, reporting the results to the user. In addition to the search capability, the DMV Web site has extensive information about the refund program.

World Wide Web offers plenty of sites for people shopping for an automobile

This site caters to the used car buyer and allows you to search for the model and location of the available vehicles. It will help you to find dealers as well as private owners in your area that are selling the car you want. Also included on the site is information about comparing cars, financing and insurance.

Site Highlight: An excellent source of used car tips and information. There is advice on test-driving pre-owned vehicles and buying/selling, among other topics.

Pit Stops

Last month, General Motors announced to its dealers a price increase on most 2001 model cars and light trucks. A GM source said the average increase will be about $30 on comparably equipped vehicles.

Tire makers team up

2001 Aurora is lighter, more luxurious

Auto Review

Oldsmobile introduced the Aurora in 1995 as a stylish sedan with a distinctive body and a show-stopping instrument panel. Not many people bought it.

A few dings to check on when leasing

Clyde on Cars

The 2001 model cars are coming out and your lease is up on your current automobile. That means it’s time to turn in your car, and you’d better be prepared for some unpleasant surprises when you do.

Wedding & Engagement

Anna Ruth Diaz and Scott Michael Triola were married June 10 in Boston, Mass.

The bride is the daughter of Madeleine and Domingo Diaz of Los Altos. She graduated from Castilleja School, Palo Alto, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.

Obituaries

Angelo Fruciano died June 16. A native of Sicily, he was 76.

Mr. Fruciano was a plasterer at J.J. Plaster.

Noteworthy

Sasaki received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and graduated from the dentistry school at the University of California at San Francisco in 1971. He has practiced family dentistry since that time and has an office in Los Altos.

Spiritual Life Briefs

Saint Paul Lutheran Church, 1075 El Monte Ave., Mountain View, announced that Raymond Ruckle has joined the church’s music ministry as organist and choir director.

Christ Episcopal family retreat

After the glorious Fourth

Along The Spiritual Path

How fortunate we are to live in a nation with a political system deliberately created “under God” and with freedom of expression. That was brought home to me in 1992 on a visit with my husband to his relatives in Czechoslovakia.

How God helped travelers overcome hardships, build relationships in the wilds of Mexico

Guest Columnist

This past April I had the privilege of going on a weeklong mission trip to Mexico sponsored by Azusa Pacific University. It was only because of my faith in Jesus Christ that I decided to take some time off from Westmont College to join the highschoolers from my home church (Foothill Covenant) to live on a dusty plain and in the hot sun of Mexacali.

PYT offering free plays for children every Friday

Peninsula Youth Theater, in partnership with the City of Mountain View, presents free children’s theater productions this summer at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts’ Park Stage.

The community is invited to bring the kids, a picnic dinner and a blanket to sit on to enjoy the 45-minute dramatizations of fairy tales and other beloved children’s stories.

Summer Reps ‘Earnest’ opens this week in Sunnyvale

Summer Rep, the California Theater Center’s professional repertory company, has announced the fourth and final production of its 2000 season, Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

“Earnest” previews Thursday, opens Friday and closes July 22 at the Sunnyvale Community Center Theater, 550 E. Remington Drive.

‘Gyspy’ star Mackay steals the show

Theater review

Meg Mackay took over the audience and lifted it to the rafters of an old vaudeville theater in TheatreWorks’ “Gypsy,” which opened June 24 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Schola Cantorum’s Summer Sings begin Monday in Mountain View

Schola Cantorum has scheduled its annual Summer Sings for 7:30 p.m., Mondays, July 10 through Aug. 14 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.

These community sing-a-longs bring noted Bay Area choral conductors to lead performances of choral masterpieces.