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Archives » 2000 » Volume 53 , Issue 39, Published on Wednesday, September 27, 2000

News

That secure feeling

Police offer home checks that could reveal opportunities for burglars

Few people probably realized that last week’s soaring temperatures increased the chances that a burglar could ransack their home - that same open window that provided some relief from the heat, probably provided a burglar the opportunity to gain access into a home somewhere in the neighborhood, said Noreen Sorg, crime prevention officer with the Los Altos Police Department.

New planning director plans to ’stay out of politics’

Housing applicants, rejoice: Los Altos Hills has a new planning director.

Carl Cahill, who has been the acting planning director since June, was promoted last week to the permanent position.

MROSD going after pigs to preserve native plants

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors last month approved a program to trap and kill the skyrocketing wild pig population at its Peninsula parks in a move to preserve native plants.

Jodi Issacs, district resource management specialist, said the Los Altos-based district has recorded a remarkable increase in pig activity at its parks over the past four years, especially at its Long Ridge Open Space Preserve off of Skyline Boulevard, where pigs are moving in from the south and west.

News Briefs

Mountain View Police were searching for a man who allegedly followed a 15-year-old teen from El Camino Real to Central Expressway while she was walking home from Los Altos High School Sept. 11.

The high school sophomore said a man in his late 30s to early 40s with a slight accent, wearing a yellow T-shirt and jeans, joined her in the crosswalk while she was crossing El Camino at Rengstorff Avenue. He asked for her name, e-mail address, telephone number and other personal information, police said. When the teen refused to give him information, he persisted, she said.

Los Altos Hills mayor chastised for using town logo in not-so-subtle campaign piece

Los Altos Hills Mayor Steve Finn’s subtle campaign endorsement of three council candidates proved not so subtle, and drew outrage from a few residents at last week’s council meeting.

The mailing, bearing the title, “Office of the Mayor,” used the town logo and the same color paper as the town’s stationary, but stated “paid for by Steve Finn” in small type at the bottom of the letter.

Local merchant files formal bankruptcy three months after fraud investigation

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office could prosecute the owner of a Los Altos furniture store for possible fraud, pending a review of a Los Altos police investigation.

Shane Brock, the owner of Circa on First Street, allegedly took more than $50,000 in deposits for furniture he never delivered, according to the police investigation.

LA residents threaten to take legal action against Mtn. View over reservoir expansion

The city of Mountain View recently scaled back plans for its controversial reservoir expansion project slated for a 3-acre site surrounded by Los Altos property.

The proposed reservoir will be 4 feet lower, will set 31 feet further from the property line and will hold 700,000 gallons of water less than originally planned, officials said in a city presentation to the Los Altos City Council Sept. 12.

Comment

Suburban housewife campaigns for a dog

Blue Jeans & Jelly Beans

OK, I confess. It was me. I’m the one who thought that three kids, a house and a minivan wasn’t enough.

Opinion

The survey hits the fan

Other Voices

This is part 2 of a piece that began in last week’s comment section regarding Tompane’s experience with the labor disputes between Los Altos city employees and management. Part 1 reviewed what led a large group of citizens to seek an appraisal of city management; Part 2 reviews what occurred after that effort was undertaken.

From the Feedback Line

Regarding proposals for developing the city of Los Altos-owned site at First and Main streets. (The site is currently home to a consignment center and dry cleaners. For a look at samples of the developments proposed, see the Sept. 13 Town Crier, “Council seeks theater-hotel combination”.)

I’m all for the third proposal submitted by Barry Swenson with the movie theater and residential units and hotel above. Even the artchitecture’s great.

Pages of the Past

According to the Oct. 3, 1973, issue of the Town Crier, the Los Altos City Council gave approval to landscaping a new center island on El Monte Avenue between Cuesta Drive and Shirlynn Court. Plans called for nine olive trees, valued at approximately $3,500, nine flowering plum trees and 13 Canary Island pine trees.

Everyone knew in 1973 that wearing brand new jeans was gauche. Three youthful members of the Los Altos Hills Walton family - Courtney, 14, Allison, 12, and Sterling, 11 - launched a business enterprise, offering a guarantee of doing a thorough break-in job.

Community

Upcoming Events

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

Oct. 7 and 8

Assistance League turns 40 and a ‘Dixie Cat’ turns 80

Strictly Candids

JEANETTE, THE WONDER WOMAN: Jeanette Chamberlain is here again from Bend, Ore., where they have another home “for all seasons.” She travels back and forth lending a helping hand to her daughters and grandchildren. She is a super wife, mom and grandmother, always there for everyone.

Police Report

Sept. 24, 9:12 a.m., San Antonio Road: Someone vandalized a window at the Lacy Center at Los Altos City Hall, police said.

Sept. 24, 10:56 a.m., Springer Road and Cuesta Drive: A caller told police that someone vandalized cars with eggs overnight.

Seniors News

Help wanted: the center is looking for some new, friendly faces to be trained to help at the front counter as substitute volunteer receptionists. Call Michele at 903-6446.

Wednesdays: 1 p.m., new knitting class welcomes members. The group of knitting and crocheting enthusiasts create fun projects while making friends. No charge for the class.

Chefs, crafts and automobiles at this year’s fall festival

Eighty classic cars will be on proud display in downtown Los Altos, among the many attractions slated for the ninth annual Celebrate Los Altos Fall Festival. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 7 and 8.

Forty classic cars will be lined up Saturday, Oct. 7, in the South Plaza between First and Second streets. On Sunday, another 40 will be on display. Special awards will be given to 1950 models.

Disability spells success for Olympian

Gregory Burns inspires as athlete, artist, lecturer

There are few people who can claim to be a world-class contemporary artist, Olympic champion and resident of Cupertino, but Gregory Burns fits all three categories.

Red Cross to receive aid from wine festival

Summer is officially over. But those residents still looking for something fun and exciting to do can check out the MacArthur Park Wine Festival, Oct. 7 in Palo Alto. All proceeds from the wine festival benefit the Palo Alto Area chapter of the American Red Cross.

“Have a fun time and support your local Red Cross - it’s a win-win situation,” said Gail Hallenbeck, associate director of development at the Palo Alto Area Chapter. “It’s a great way to spend your charitable dollars.”

Transistor pioneer to speak at museum

Following the 6 p.m. lecture, there will be a reception for museum members and friends of the Visible Storage Exhibit Area.

Grimsdale’s background includes work on industrial applications of process control computers, including the Ferranti Mark I and designing the 100-nanosecond read-only memory for the Atlas computer. RSVP to Wendy-Ann Francis at francis@computerhistory or 604-2579.

Realtors have a ‘bowl’ raising money for charity

The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, Los Altos-Mountain View District, sponsored its first-ever “Bowling for Charity,” Aug. 25. The event raised more than $2,500 for the Community Services Agency (CSA) which serves Los Altos and Mountain View.

Hane Skeffington of Campi Properties and Minnette Thompson of North American Title Co., co-chairwomen of the fund-raiser, organized a special evening of dinner, bowling and music.

Nearly 500 attend Hidden Villa’s Humanitarian Awards event

The hills were alive with the sound of chamber music and the fragrances of fall on Saturday night as 480 people gathered to salute Hidden Villa’s 2000 Humanitarian Awards honorees.

Jan and Bob Fenwick of Los Altos Hills, supporters of local educational, arts and environmental groups; landscape and environmental photographer Robert Glenn Ketchum; and Cathrine Sneed, founder of the San Francisco County Jail’s Garden Project, won this year’s awards.

Giants clinch division, owner talks with Rotary

During spring training this year, Los Altos Rotarian Bob Adams asked San Francisco Giants president Peter Magowan to speak at a Rotary Club meeting. Little did they know the day they selected, last Thursday, would be the day the Giants would win the National League West championship.

“We have an advantage playing in Pac Bell Park because we play with 10 men,” said Magowan, president and managing general partner of the Giant’s baseball club. “The 10th man is those loud, enthusiastic 40,039 people in the stands for 76 straight games.”

Gore-y details: Los Altos hairdresser does Tipper’s hair

The Washington women’s network caught up with hair stylist Suna Johnson Sunday when she was asked to style Tipper Gore’s hair.

Johnson got the chance when Vice President Al Gore’s campaign for President of United States brought him to the Peninsula last week for fund-raising parties in Atherton and Sunnyvale.

Library News

Today through Sept. 29: Banned Books West display.

6:30-7:30 p.m., Oct. 4: Ballet San Jose of Silicon Valley’s Dance Dialogues series, “Ballet: Celebration and Ode.”

Calendar

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

Wednesday

Community Briefs

The October Chefs Who Care dinners are scheduled for 5:30 and 7 p.m., Oct. 10, at Florentine Restaurant, 118 Castro St., Mountain View.

Chefs Who Care is a program of the Community Services Agency. Half the dinner cost is donated to the Food & Nutrition Center and is tax-deductible.

JFK University benefit to honor four prominent women

The Jacqueline Kennedy Scholarship dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose scheduled for 6 p.m., Sunday, will recognize four prominent California women.

Friends of John F. Kennedy University will honor philanthropist Susan Ford, newspaper columnist Loretta Green, open space advocate and leader Audrey Rust and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo at the black tie dinner.

Schools Briefs

Governor Gray Davis July 5 signed Assembly Bill 2879 (Jackson) into law. Known as the Teacher Retention Tax Credit, it provides a California income tax credit for teachers in public and private elementary and secondary schools.

According to the sponsors of the bill, the credit is “designed to encourage teacher retention (approximately 50 percent of the teachers leave by their 5th year) and to compensate teachers for unreimbursed expenses related to professional development and classroom education such as materials and supplies.”

Schools

Unincorporated areas eligible for county crossing guards

The unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County tend to fall through the cracks. In the case of school crossing guards, the county assumed the school districts provided these services, but the city school districts had no jurisdiction in unincorporated areas.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian investigated when residents of the Fifth District expressed concern about the safety of children who lived in, or crossed through, unincorporated areas on their way to school.

Students, parents set to put on their walking shoes

Next Wednesday, Oct. 4, local streets will be more crowded than usual - but not with cars.

Students and parents in the Los Altos School District and at Montclaire School in Los Altos (part of the Cupertino Union School District) will join community leaders from across the country in leaving cars at home to celebrate International Walk Our Children to School Day.

Don’t Ask Jeeves - ask the Loyola School first grade

If you want information about the Olympics, something about Sydney or even facts about Australia, you don’t have to Ask Jeeves: just ask one of the first graders in Megan French’s class at Loyola School.

These first graders were only two when the last summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, so they are very excited about the 2000 Olympics. French has managed to channel that enthusiasm and the children’s natural inquisitiveness seamlessly into the required class instruction for first grade.

On Deck:

Football

Thursday

St. Francis rising to the top in field hockey

In only its third year, the St. Francis High field hockey team has become one of the elite programs in the Central Coast Section.

The Lancers entered Tuesday’s game at St. Ignatius with a 3-0-1 record, winning two matches and tying another last week. This included a 7-0 shellacking of visiting Homestead High Sept. 20 and a 5-0 victory at Los Altos Friday.

Sports

Sports On The Side

Tsunami, an under-12 girls ASA A-Level, fast-pitch softball team, is looking for experienced catchers and position players for the fall season. If interested, call Nancy or Bob at 949-4941.

Date to skate

Barreto leads Los Altos girls water polo team to 3rd-place finish in Sierra Shootout

Boys water polo

Mountain View fell 7-6 to Mount Pleasant on Saturday in the third-place game of the Mitty Tournament. Earlier in the day, the Spartans lost 10-5 to Harbor in the semifinals.

Despite loss to Paly, MV is getting better

Football Game Of The Week

Mountain View High football coach Dan Navarro has no illusions of winning the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division this year.

Owls (12-2) making a splash in women’s water polo

Foothill Roundup

Football

Gunn makes triumphant return to El Camino Division

Prep Volleyball Roundup

Lancers work for win

‘Y’ golf tourney raises money for youth programs

The fifth annual El Camino YMCA Golf Tournament attracted 120 golfers to Stanford Golf Course Sept. 18.

The four-player scramble was won by Mountain View residents Eddie Pena, Ted Canter, Brian Vierra and Tom Carpenter. Second place went to a team from Bank of Los Altos consisting of Steve Shepherd, Roy Lave, Rob Holden and Rich Stock.

Homestead runs past Cupertino 18-7; St. Francis sinks to 0-4

Prep Football Digest

Skyline 34, St. Francis 7

McEnroe captures Siebel Championship at Stanford

John McEnroe defeated Jose-Luis Clerc 6-2, 6-3 last Sunday before a near-capacity crowd at the Siebel Champions at Stanford’s Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

McEnroe went 3-0 at the four-day tournament, losing only one set along the way.

The key to getting local DSL: You need to ask for it - and keep asking

For those in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills suffering from lack of DSL service, help is on the way.

DSL, an acronym for Digital Subscriber Loop, is a form of high-speed Internet access. Compared to a standard telephone modem, DSL is 10 to 20 times faster. A Web site that would have taken 10 seconds to pull up, would now take less than one with DSL.

How to be a narcissist and a team player at the same time

Jean on the Job

Well, no, of course you are not a narcissist! But you may have some self-centered tendencies.

Business

Intel profit warning rattles technology sector

Stock Report

Last Friday, shares of Intel dropped 22 percent and that drop sent an autumn chill through the stock market leaving investors wondering how much Intel’s woes will affect other stocks.

Trends: Home buyers getting younger, richer and more women opt to own

A total of 6.5 million new and existing houses were sold in the United States in 1999. The National Association of Realtors surveyed 20,000 people who bought or sold those homes. The patterns that emerged were not typical of buyers in the Los Altos area.

Local realtors said buyers and sellers in the Bay Area differ from their counterparts around the country. Where the median age of home buyers increased over the last decade to 39 years nationally, that statistic is not true for our area.

Transactions

Los Altos

731 Alvina Court - Schwoob Trust to W. & D. Willis for $1,650,000.00

Obituaries

Earl Davis Oliver, a 32-year resident of Los Altos, died Sept. 6 after a 13-year battle with lymphoma. A native of Arizona, he was 77.

Mr. Oliver was accepted into the Naval V-12 during World War II, after which he served as a lieutenant JG in the Navy.

Weddings & Engagements

Caroline Suzanne Miller and Alan Anthony Barichievich were married May 27 at St. Francis of Assisi, Incline Village, Nev.

The bride is the daughter of Barbara and Richard Miller of San Jose, former Los Altos residents. She graduated from Saint Francis High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind., and a master’s degree from the University of the Pacific, Stockton.

Stepping Out

‘Oz’ playing this weekend in Sunnyvale

The Sunnyvale Community Players have opened their new season with “The Wizard of Oz,” which runs through Sunday at the Sunnyvale Community Center Theater, 7550 E. Remington Drive.

Remaining performances are set for 7:30 p.m., Thursday, 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 7:30 p.m., Sunday.

Martin’s ‘Picasso’ entertains audience

Theater review

Palo Alto Players’ production of “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” proves one thing: playwright Steve Martin is much more than his famous line, “I’m one wild and crazy guy.”

‘Sleeping Beauty’ opens CTC season

The California Theater Center’s Silver Anniversary Season begins today with “The Sleeping Beauty.”

Other scheduled productions, along with opening dates, include “The Ugly Duckling” (Oct. 4), “I Don’t Want To Go To Bed” (Oct. 10), “Robinson Crusoe” (Oct. 28), “The Canterville Ghost (Nov. 6), “The Elves and the Shoemaker” (Nov. 27), “A Little Princess (Dec. 1) “The Tempest” (Jan. 12), “The Adventures of Peter Rabbit (Jan. 22), “The Little Mermaid” (Jan 29), “The Frog Prince (Feb. 17), “Jamie 22″ (Mar. 3), “The Cay (Mar. 26), “The Bremen Town Musician” (Mar. 24), “A New Age Is Dawning” (April 7) and “Puss In Boots” (April 28).

Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet dances into Mountain View

Toe shoes, tabla and tango music mark the return of Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, which this weekend begins its second season at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.

The dance company is set to perform at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m., Sunday.

Special Section

How to protect breakables

Slant bookcases slightly backward toward the wall.

Anchor top-heavy cases to wall and/or the floor.

How to get “kids” to help with household chores

Roominations

I’ve never forgotten an American Association of University Women house tour I took about 20 years ago, because in a house in Los Altos Hills, hanging on the kitchen wall, I saw a chart of the children’s chore schedule. There were six or seven children listed, as I recall, along with various chores, somehow matched up with the days of the week. Worse yet, there were stars all over the place, indicating that the children were all performing their duties.

Make art an adventure, say Bay Area experts

When you think about it, everyone - even the most savvy collector - started buying art one piece at a time. Therefore, anytime is a good time to start surrounding yourself with fine art.

This was the message at a symposium presented at the Sunset Magazine headquarters in Menlo Park recently by Sunset and the San Francisco Art Dealers Association. Noted San Jose art collectors Ralph and Sheila Pickett, David Ross, director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Linda Craighead, director of the Palo Alto Cultural Center and several San Francisco dealers gathered to discuss “Looking at Art with an Open Eye,” and they presented a powerful case for shedding one’s inhibitions and just walking into art galleries and museums, anywhere, to look and find out more about the exhibited artists.

Your Home

“Orchids 101:”great tips boost orchids’ survival

When local orchid fancier Ernest Littauer shared his knowledge at Patt’s Greenhouse in downtown Los Altos recently, every chair was filled. The popularity of the elegant plant is at record levels these days, and everyone wants to know how to keep their orchids blooming or at least alive.

“How many have killed an orchid?” Littauer asked.

Home Briefs

Planting salvias in successful combinations with other plants will be speaker Betsy Clebsch’s topic at the 7:30 p.m., Oct. 11 meeting of the Western Horticultural Society at Loyola School, 770 Berry Ave., Los Altos. There will be a plant raffle at the end of the program following a plant discussion. Visitors are welcome and the program is free. For more information, call Jean Fowkes, 327-9522.

Composting Basics Workshop

Hillside heaven

Flower power and formal fountains: Ingrid and Fernand Sarrat’s Tudor home

Not many people can look at a suburban sports court and imagine an Alhambra-style water garden in its place, but Fernand Sarrat is a man of aesthetic vision.