Los Altos Town Crier » 2000 » September

Minors 25 years young

Los Altos-based organization has plugged music hole in the classroom

It might be considered ironic that Music For Minors’ success as a non-profit organization has happened amid a flourishing Silicon Valley sensibility that cherishes technical skills and sees little value for the arts.

Los Altos Hills residents victims of mailbox thefts/check forgeries, police say

A string of mailbox thefts in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills has left many residents and the sheriff worried about what we usually do without even thinking: mail a check.

Sergeant John Hirokawa of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said that to date, “at least $100,000 in altered checks have been redeemed” at various banks.

Residents protest pesticides in county

A group of Los Altos Hills residents calling themselves the Moody Road Association took part in a county-wide demonstration last week in San Jose to urge the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to reduce its use of dangerous pesticides on county property.

Judy Baker, who was representing the approximately 10-member association at the demonstration, said she and her neighbors are worried about the environmental impacts of toxic pesticides such as Roundup Pro, Garlon 4, Direx 4L CA and Telar that the county has used along Moody Road as part of its weed abatement program.

FTC warns local residents of fraudulent postal jobs

Town Crier Staff Report

The Federal Trade Commission is alerting consumers of possible job scams circulating in local newspapers.

News Briefs

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors recently secured public access to a portion of land that will be part of the planned 1,200- mile, multi-state trail between Arizona and California.

The board approved an agreement with Chateau Mason, LLC on Aug. 29 for a trail easement along the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail that runs along the Mountain Winery property in the unincorporated county adjacent to the city of Saratoga.

Foothill Expressway repaving job shoddy, says LA doctor, cyclist

Dr. Bill Dolan knows a good road when he sees one. For the past eight years, the 27-year Los Altos resident has been commuting by bicycle from Los Altos to San Jose during the summer months. He applauds Santa Clara for its smooth road surfaces. But Los Altos’ Foothill Expressway is another story altogether.

“The paving job that was just finished is really bad,” he wrote in a letter. “There are seams in the surface that will start to break up as soon as the first rains come.

City continues labor talks with Teamsters union

Los Altos city management and union representatives from the Public Works Department were scheduled to sit down with a state mediator last Tuesday for another round of labor talks. The Public Works Department was the only remaining group of city employees last week that had not yet settled a new labor contract with the city. Their contract expired June 30.

James Furgas, business representative for the Teamsters union, Local 350, said the public works department has made some progress since asking for a state mediator to help settle negotiations last month, but talks were still moving too slowly. The mediator has met with both sides during the past three negotiation meetings.

My grand-niece, Denise

A View from the Hills

She’s my grand-niece, Denise, from Cris’s side of the family. She comes down from her newly-acquired, seaside home in San Francisco, to share baked salmon filet and assorted salads with me on a Sunday. She prefers fish to red meat. She’s a tall, willowy Size 2, and she laughs a lot.

Comment

Letters to the Editor

The Los Altos Parks Association’s “fact” about their organization seems to contradict itself. “The lawsuit has nothing to do with refurbishing schools.” Without the camp school at Egan the schools can’t be refurbished.

Since when is an athletic field considered open space? Is Pacbell Park an open space? If they are so concerned with how the school district manages its property, perhaps they should run for a school board position.

Opinion

Mourning the loss of summer

Other Voices

What happened to summer? My children are back in school but it’s only August. August is a summer month. Doesn’t school start in the fall?

CSA celebrates ‘hometown hero’ Jim Wall at breakfast

The Community Services Agency (CSA) will acknowledge its “Hometown Heroes,” at the annual community breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Friday, at Hyatt Rickey’s in Palo Alto.

This year’s honoree is Jim Wall, Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Los Altos. CSA will pay posthumous tribute to Lucy Ellis, a former executive director of the agency. In addition, the agency will recognize the work of Joe Simitian, Santa Clara County Supervisor. Steve Westly, senior vice president of International E-bay, will serve as keynote speaker for the morning’s event.

Police Report

Aug. 27, 4:28 p.m., 600 block N. San Antonio Road: Complaint of a loud party.

Municipal code

Community

Old-fashioned hoe-down set for Westwind Barn Saturday

Grab your hat and loosen your belt for the old-timey Westwind Barn hoe-down.

The barn’s 17th annual fundraising event, known for its entertainment and tasty barbecue, will be held in scenic Los Altos Hills on Saturday.

Hidden Villa to honor humanitarians Sept. 23

Hidden Villa, the Peninsula’s historic farrn and 1600-acre wilderness preserve in Los Altos Hills, will present four Duveneck Humanitarian Awards at a dinner under the stars on Sept. 23.

The public is invited to celebrate the contributions of Robert Glenn Ketchum, landscape photographer and environmental preservationist; Cathrine Sneed, founder and director of The Garden Project and Tree Corps in San Francisco; and Jan and Bob Fenwick of Los Altos Hills, cornmunity-builders for many Peninsula educational, cultural and environmental organizations.

‘Chefs Who Care’ benefit set for Cafe Bombay

The dinner features a choice of several entrees, and will be served at two seatings either 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Reservations must be made for the time of choice. Tickets are $20. Half the cost of the dinner is donated to the Food and Nutrition Center and is tax-deductible.

Do not call the restaurant for tickets. For more information, call 961-3584.

Los Altos United Methodist Church celebrates its 50th anniversary Sunday

Back in 1950, about the time Rancho Shopping Center was being built, 74 members of the newly-chartered Methodist Community Church of Los Altos purchased 6.6 acres near the intersection of Fremont and Magdalena avenues on the south side of the Southern Pacific railroad tracks.

The area in those days was covered with apricot trees. Members of the congregation picked and dried 30 tons of apricots to put a $1,500 down payment on the property. On Aug. 13, 1950, worship services began under the trees.

Ohlones whoop it up at Westwind summer camp

Indian Brave “Coyote,” a.k.a. James Faulkner, sat with Indian Maid, “Jack Rabbit,” a.k.a. Rachel Vetterlein, at a rectangular table under the oaks near their tepee and knitted their brows over their drawings. Between them, “Great White Mother,” a,k.a, Rebecca Hickman, sneaked a peek at the childrens’ pictographs, and hoped for inspiration to match their creativity.

Using Indian symbols, ten Westwind Ohlone Day Camp participants were writing stories, sans words, in the manner of tribes who inhabited the surrounding Byrne Park preserve before the white man came.

Pages of the Past

1950 In Los Altos: Hot rods gave local authorities a bad time last week. Eight youthful enthusiasts improvised a track near San Antonio Road and El Camino Real, and were having themselves a gay time Friday until neighbors, irritated with the noise and dust, called in Sergeant Perusina of the Mountain View sheriff’s substation. Perusina had a talk with the boys and their parents, and is confident there will not be a repetition. Perusina said further occurrences will result in juvenile court action.

Bringing to Los Altos car owners 20 years of experience in mechanics, Joe Bellina will open Village Motors on First Street. Bellina, a resident of Los Altos for the last eight years, learned the automobile the hard way, from the ground up. After finishing college, he spent a 14-year apprenticeship with Kleiber Motors of San Francisco, then worked two more years for the same firm. Those were the days when mechanics had to make their own fenders. Last year he went to a special eight-week class to study the new automatic shifts. He believes in keeping pace with each new automotive development.

Rancho rocks back the clock Friday

The 12th annual “Rock Back the Clock,” a 1950s style family street dance, is scheduled for 6-10 p.m., Sept. 8, at Rancho Shopping Center, Foothill Expressway and Magdalena Avenue in Los Altos.

Hosted by the Rancho Merchants Association, the proceeds benefit the Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade held in downtown Los Altos in November.

Library News

Friday through Sunday: Friends of the Library fall book sale, Hillview Community Center.

Tuesday: Great Books Club, 6-8 p.m.

Packard $20 million grants to developing countries

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Los Altos announced it has awarded more than $20 million in new grants in the first six months of this year to improve reproductive health in developing countries.

The grants are aimed at broadening access to and building awareness of reproductive health education and services in some of the poorest countries in the world, including Ethiopia, Pakistan, Mexico, Myanmar and Nigeria. The grants are part of Packard’s five-year $375 million effort to provide access to voluntary family planning.

Foothill College Circle K club gives Kiwanis Club $2,000

Foothill College Circle K members surprised the Los Altos Kiwanis Club, Aug. 29, with a check for $2,000. It’s usually the other way around with service organizations.

Yulia Khouri, president of the Foothill Circle K, explained the various projects the group sponsored over the past year.

Upcoming Events

MacArthur Park Winefest, supporting the American Red Cross, 11:30 a.m., at MacArthur Park Restaurant, Palo Alto.

Oct. 7 and 8

Calendar

Mountain View Planning Commission, 7:30 p.m., City Hall, 500 Castro St.

Thursday

Community Briefs

San Francisco Bay Area residents punctuate the fall opera season this year. San Francisco composer Jake Heggie’s world premier of Dead Man Walking with singer Frederica von Stade, and coluratura Ruth Ann Fleming starring in Mozart’s Semele, will be reviewed in a lecture by Ramona Rockway, opera lecturer and voice coach. Rockway’s talk takes place on 7:30 p.m., Sept. 13 at the Los Altos Main Library. The lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by The Friends of the Los Altos Library.

Rockway, a Julliard graduate and Stanford University and Foothill College instructor, has performed with the Julliard Opera Theater in New York.

PG&E fund could help with Blach construction

Turn to page 3 of your Pacific Gas and Electric Company bill, look at the “Electric Account Detail” - “Public Purpose Programs, The non-bypassable charge … of contributing to state-mandated assistance programs for low-income customers and energy-efficiency efforts.”

This obscure fund may be the key to building the Los Altos schools in a cost-effective, energy-efficient manner without having to compromise quality.

New MV-LA district board member Sweeley ran unopposed, but not unqualified for new role

The board member-elect of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Board of Trustees has already fulfilled one of the goals itemized in her candidacy statement: “to keep the schools fiscally balanced, using taxpayer dollars wisely.”

Los Altos resident and parent Susan Sweeley will not be conducting a door-to-door campaign nor will she be on the November ballot. In early August, Sweeley filed for the board seat which will be vacated in December when Kim Farmer’s term expires. No one filed in opposition which saves the District thousands and thousands of dollars, according to Mary Moore, administrative assistant to the superintendent.

Foothill president Fong outlines the year ahead

Bernadine Chuck Fong, president of Foothill College, provided an update to the District Board of Trustees Aug. 28 that included a progress report on Measure E.

In January, Foothill College began the implementation of the Facilities Master Plan, much of which will be supported by Measure E funds.

Schools

Principal ready for new year at St. Nicholas

While the gospel message remains unchanged at St. Nicholas School, academic goals have adapted to the many changes in science, industry and technology.

Mary Williams, beginning her second year as principal, is in charge of upholding the school’s mission to provide a Christ-centered environment and nurture a student’s individual learning style.

Schools Briefs

The Mountain View-Los Altos High School Foundation is gearing-up for the 2000-2001 school year with their announcement of the Sept. 26 and 27 Phonathon. At that time, students, parents and volunteers will phone parents of students in the district asking for their financial support.

The foundation has set a goal of $200,000 for this school year to purchase much-needed science and technology hardware and software; to refurbish the new libraries with reference materials; to support the Tutorial Centers where students receive personal attention, encouragement and individual tutoring; and to fund the College/Career Centers which provide college and vocational guidance and information programs.

Sports on the Side

The Stanford Under-16 boys’ water polo club team, featuring Gunn High’s Yuri Bukan, took third in the Junior Olympic National Tournament last month in Los Angeles. Behind two goals by Bukan, Stanford beat TRAP 4-3 in the Bronze Medal match. San Diego Shores claimed the championship.

Joining in

Minor league baseball isn’t second-rate

Clyde on Sports

Getting a seat for a Giants-A’s game at Pac/Bell Park borders on the impossible. However, tickets to a Giants-A’s game at San Jose Municipal Stadium are much easier to come by.

Baseball from the front office - as seen by the A’s president

As a native of Indiana, Michael Crowley grew up as a loyal Chicago Cubs fan. Three and a half years ago, he met the owner of the Oakland A’s, Steve Schott, at the Los Altos Country Club and quickly changed his allegiance.

“I got into baseball because I was in the right place at the right time,” said Crowley, a Cupertino resident. “The president of the Oakland Athletics, Sandy Alderson, left to go to the commissioner’s office in New York City and I assumed the presidency.”

Sports

Los Altos and St. Francis may repeat winning seasons

Prep volleyball preview

Los Altos High

On Deck: the local sports linup for Sept. 6-12

Football

Friday

Business Briefs

CrediView, a privately held global company specializing in real-time e-commerce fraud prevention solutions, has relocated its worldwide corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley from Los Altos to 1330 O’Brien Drive in Menlo Park.

The company’s research and development team will remain at its existing technical facility in Tel Aviv, Israel. Additional support services will continue to be provided from the company’s New Jersey office.

Radiate’s revolutionary software has employees glowing with success

The first thing that hits you is the energy. A warehouse-style office space that’s buzzing and brewing with something tangible, something that promises to be amazing. And you think: now, this is a software startup.

Radiate, founded in Terre Haute, Indiana, relocated to Mountain View last December. The company was started by three recent college graduates in 1996 and now boasts more than 50 people. When you walk in, there’s a large, open room, with high ceilings and cozy clusters of desks; The CEO sits beside the vice president of marketing, who sits facing the directors of corporate and strategic development. No corner offices here, at least not yet.

Stocks climbing back up on economic optimism

With the market open three hours last Friday, Wall Street stocks were powering ahead because of a softened labor report. The indication of a much-awaited slowdown in the booming economy provides comfort to the inflation-wary Federal Reserve.

An unexpected steep drop in jobs creation in August, along with other indications like consumer spending and manufacturing slowdown confirm the economy is slowing down. These figures get rid of the choke hold Alan Greenspan and his Fed buddies have over Wall Street.

Business

Carl Guardino talks about Silicon Valley’s quality of life

Carl Guardino, a man the San Jose Mercury News listed as one of the 10 most influential people in Silicon Valley, shared with the Rotary Club of Los Altos his views on what may be the No. 1 problem in the valley: housing.

As the president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, Guardino focused on a drifting industry group and installed an ambitious agenda to improve life in Silicon Valley.

Transactions

Los Altos

745 Casita Way - M. & P. Schunk to C. & L. Oleary for $1,250,000.00

What to keep in mind when you’re an aggressive woman in business

Jean on the Job

ere are some recovery concepts for exceptional women who SOMETIMES appear to be too aggressive:

MV arts & wine festival set for this weekend

The epicenter of Silicon Valley will be transformed into a showcase of the arts Sept. 9 and 10 at the 29th annual Mountain View Art & Wine Festival.

More than 200,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., both days in downtown Mountain View.

Amazon and Greenlight launch new car sales

Online retailer Amazon.com (www.amazon.com) on Aug. 24 launched a new-car buying service backed by a network of premier auto dealers affiliated with Amazon partner Greenlight.com.

The partnership offers Amazon.com shoppers access to Greenlight.com’s services, including up-front, no-haggle pricing; one-stop shopping with financing and trade-in options; a personal account manager for each customer; and local dealers for delivery, after-purchase support and service.

Vintage vehicles

Los Altos gearing up for classic car show

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

On the Road

Parents, kids and internet link for safe driving

Parents of teens who worry about their driving habits once they’re out of mom and dad’s watchful eye can subscribe to a new service called ReportmyKid.com.

The program is designed to prevent young driver accidents and help save lives by utilizing the power of the Internet to respond to careless or dangerous driving. It is also designed to commend and encourage polite and safe driving.

Sign Posts

Gas prices rose more than two cents nationwide over the past two weeks, ending a summerlong decline that left drivers dropping an extra two dimes per gallon compared to a year ago.

Analyst Trilby Lundberg reported last Sunday that surveyed prices showed San Francisco to have the highest gas price in the nation at $1.86 and the lowest at $1.34 in El Paso, Texas. Prices this year are an average of 24 cents per gallon above this time last year for the Labor Day Weekend.

Local collector takes part in the reprise of original 1,000-mile trail

What’s so challenging about an automobile race of 1,000 miles through lovely British countryside?

Nothing, really - unless the automobile you’re driving had to be manufactured before 1904. Such an event was staged by the Veteran’s Club of Great Britain this past May. Participants re-enacted the original “1,000 Mile Trial,” which was held in 1900 to prove that motor cars were practical for long distance travel.

Another all-American innovation - drinking coffee behind the wheel

Clyde on Cars

It takes more than gasoline in the tank to get commuters to work.

Firestone recall putting pressure on tire dealers

Working in a tire store around Labor Day is always a busy time, but this year, the phone at Los Altos Tire Service keeps ringing and ringing because of the recent Firestone recall.

“We get calls from the owners of Ford Explorers asking if we have replacement tires for the Firestone tires on their car,” said Randy Walker, co-owner of Los Altos Tire Service. “This week, we have no inventory to help those people.”

People

Obituaries

Zelda Schoenfeld, a longtime Bay Area resident, died Aug. 30 of cardiac arrest. A native of San Francisco, she would have celebrated her 105th birthday Sept. 13.

Mrs. Schoenfeld was the daughter of Jacob and Katherine Goldberg. During her 104 years of life, which spanned the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, Mrs. Schoenfeld visited every contintent. She enjoyed the outdoors and was one of the first visitors by stagecoach to Yosemite National Park. At age 11, she was shaken awake by the 1906 earthquake and saw San Francisco burn to the ground.

Births

A son was born June 2 to Maricar and Ken McConnell of Mountain View.

A son was born June 11 to Christy Jane and Matthew Robert Reed of Mountain View.

Engagement

Beth Ann Koproski and Brian Thomas O’Rourke have announced their engagement to be married Sept. 23 in Stamford, Conn.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of Patricia and Alexander R. Koproski of Stamford, Conn.

Willi holds penthouse birthday bash

Edward F. Willi, a longtime resident of Los Altos, celebrated his 80th birthday in style with a June 15 bash atop what he claims is the only penthouse apartment in Los Altos.

Born in Sacramento, Willi graduated from Lowell High School.

Spiritual Life

Ordinary time: ‘You’ve heard the story - now go out and live it’

Now as the summer stretches into a long afternoon of sultry air and sunshine, we are in what the Episcopal Church sometimes calls “ordinary time.”

Ordinary Time isn’t an official term. The Book of Common Prayer doesn’t mention it. But Episcopalians use it to mean the period from Pentecost, right after Easter, until Advent, which starts around the beginning of December.

Los Altos singer joins ‘humanitarian/musical tour’ to Russia with community choir

Cindy Hansen’s Los Altos household is crackling with excitement. On Sept. 22, she will fly to Russia with The Valparaiso Singers for a 10-day humanitarian/musical tour.

What is Hansen doing to prepare?

Youth director joins First Presbyterian

First Presbyterian Church of Mountain View has announced the addition of Paul Durrell as the Church’s new youth ministry director. Durrell joined the church on Friday.

Durrell comes to First Presbyterian Church of Mountain View from Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church in Oakhurst. His nearly 10 years of youth ministry experience also includes positions at the First Presbyterian Church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Spokane, Wash.

Stepping Out

TheatreWorks launches new program for schools

TheatreWorks for Schools, the education and community outreach arm of the Peninsula’s professional theatre, is launching a touring Shakespeare program this fall.

The program, designed to introduce students to the Bard’s most famous characters and scenes through more familiar, modern genres like music video, hip-hop, Monty Python and rap, is titled “Where’s William@TheatreWorks.org.”

Legendary Horne trumpets start of new SJ Symphony season

Famed mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne kicks off the 2000-01 San Jose Symphony season in a gala concert at 8 p.m., Sept. 16, music director Leonid Grin recently announced.

Highlights of the season - which runs through June 10, 2001 - include Festival of Russian Music, performing Jan. 5 through Feb. 18, and the Oct. 6-7 all-Copland program celebrating the centennial of the American composer’s birth. Reverend Cecil Williams of San Francisco’s Glide Memorial Church will narrate Aaron Copland’s emotional Lincoln Portrait.