High cost of living

Some area seniors booted from longtime homes as rents soar

hen Mike, a longtime Mountain View resident, retired from his job at Hewlett-Packard, he never thought that he might be forced to leave his home, his friends, his doctor, the church where he volunteers every Sunday, or the community that helped shape his life. But the area’s tight housing market and soaring rents pushed the 72-year-old out of his Mountain View apartment and nearly out of the area last year.

News Briefs

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District will appoint a new board member to fill the vacancy left by the untimely death of Director Betsy Crowder, who was killed in a tragic accident on Sept. 29. Her term expires in November, 2002.

The district is seeking applicants who reside in Ward 6, which includes Portola Valley, Woodside, Atherton, Menlo Park and the unincorporated territory in San Mateo County along Skyline Boulevard.

LA City Council scratches plans for hotel-theater combination

The Los Altos City Council ditched plans to place a theater-hotel complex on the city-owned property at the corner of First and Main streets and opted instead to move forward with more simple plans for the .78-acre site.

A hotel, a theater or a Safeway parking lot expansion are among the single-use projects the council decided to keep in the mix last week after reviewing a second round of proposals from developers Barry Swenson Builder, Roxy Rapp & Company, Kelly Associates and Safeway Foods.

6 candidates, 4 incumbents, vie for MV council seats

Six candidates, including four incumbents, are running for four seats on the Mountain View City Council in the Nov. 7 election.

The candidates are focusing on two major issues: affordable housing and reducing the city deficit.

El Camino Hospital board selects new CEO to help guide district through uncertain future

The El Camino Hospital District Board last Friday announced the selection of Lee Domanico as the new chief executive officer of El Camino Hospital and the El Camino Hospital District.

The selection of Domanico marks a turning point for a hospital beset by uncertainty about its future. It currently faces financial difficulties, morale issues and the major question of whether to rebuild the hospital.

New policy could shape city’s shoulder landscaping

The Los Altos City Council was scheduled to put in place a policy to regulate landscaping and paving along the shoulder of city roads without curbs last Tuesday.

City staff said the purpose of such a policy is to provide guidelines, or recommendations, to residents and staff on the limits and types of materials allowable for paving shoulders, areas that lie in the public right-of-way between city streets and residential property. The policy would apply to the city’s approximately 30 miles of unimproved streets defined as roadways that do not have curbs along their edges, according to a city report.

Byron Sher for state senate

We’re not crazy about career politicians. When we endorsed Gloria Hom for the 11th state senate district in the March primary, we saw a bright, likeable newcomer as a refreshing change from business as usual.

But, as we delved into specifics, we found Sher not resting on his laurels as an environmental leader, but still working hard and getting things done in Sacramento.

Joe Simitian for state assembly

Like Sher, 21st Assembly candidate Joe Simitian has distinguished himself as a hard worker and a task-oriented politician who established a stellar track record and received almost universal praise while occupying the 5th district seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

Simitian is our choice for the 21st Assembly district.

Letters to the editor

Your article in the Sept. 27 issue on DSL setup was surprising. My recent experience has been completely opposite to that experienced by Dave Yost with his Pacific Bell request and DSL setup.

When Pacific Bell first announced the possibility of DSL service close last spring, I immediately had them check my line. They stated I was 17,500 feet from the San Antonio office and therefore at the limit and a marginal candidate for service. I decided to hold off at the time. Recent successes with friends and their digital cable service in Sunnyvale caused me to reconsider DSL. I called up Earthlink regarding their $39.95/month, 6 month minimum, free (self) installation advertised service. Within 10 days of that call, PacBell had run new lines from the street to my house. Two days later a COVAD-hired contractor came and in one hour installed new lines under the house from the new box to my desired location.

Unmanaged care

Other Voices

To wake up on a Sunday morning as Mr. Mom for the day for our 8-year-old Katie is both a challenge and an adventure. Because dads seem to be inherently inept at getting kids out of the house, scrubbed and properly dressed, and in a timely fashion to adhere to the tight schedule that mom has crafted, I began counting backwards from the 10:45 a.m. birthday party commencement. By 8:50 a.m., she was in the shower for what had to be a 15-minute soaking, and came out complaining of water in her ear.

Home from the wilds of LA

Reflections

It’s good to return from LaLa land with its confusion of constant freeways. The rush to somewhere makes one wonder if any of the cars are permanently stranded, forever lost on the maze of concrete highways. What a contrast to the Bay Area where we have so many surface streets and so few freeways. I did enjoy the glamorous homes. Too bad so many are surrounded by high walls to keep the curious from gawking. At home we can gawk but mutter at the newness of monster homes, more being built every day.

League of Women Voters schedules campaign forums

The League of Women Voters of the Los Altos-Mountain View Area has scheduled several candidates and issues forum.

Five candidates running for three seats on the Los Altos Hills City Council will give statements and take questions at a forum scheduled for 7:30-9 tonight, at the Los Altos Hills City Council chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills.

A place for singles to mingle and do ‘good’

Sometimes, the name says it all. Especially in the case of Meeting for Good.

Located in Los Altos, Meeting for Good is a dual-purpose, non-profit organization. The organization arranges for singles to meet and volunteer in a variety of community service organizations and charities. So not only do members meet other singles, but they’re also doing good.

Former Israeli prime minister Netanyahu optimistic about emergency summit

Speaking from a secure location in Israel, former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the satellite to advance his peace theories at the Foothill Celebrity Series last Sunday night.

“I believe that a strong Israel is the only Israel that will bring the Arabs to the peace table,” Netanyahu said. “The Middle East dictatorships misjudge the power of democracy of Israel. We are all united.”

Cable access channel broadcasts MV forums

A candidates’ forum will be aired at noon, Sundays through Nov. 5. A candidates information exchange 2000 airs Sundays at 2 p.m., Oct. 29 and Nov. 5. The candidates will be given a series of questions submitted in advance.

A city council candidate debate will be aired live at 7 p.m Thursday, and will be re-broadcast Sunday at 6 p.m.

Pages of the Past

As reported in the Oct. 17, 1973, issue of the Town Crier, for only a $1 donation, local homeowners were able to purchase insurance policies against damage by goblins and ghosts on Halloween eve. Los Altos High School band members were selling insurance against damage from items “such as eggs, soaped windows and toilet paper.”

Charles Taber, band director, began the sales plan, which had netted the band and drill team $471 the previous year, and he hoped to top that with at least 1,000 policies.

Classic cars shine at fall festival

Town Crier Staff Report

A classic car show, featuring 56 models was among the highlights of the ninth annual Los Altos Chamber of Commerce Fall Festival, held Oct. 7 and 8.

Packard and Kirsch foundations fund new Los Altos book

“Paint The Town,” a full-color book that collects unique images of what Los Altos and Los Altos Hills looked like in the last year of the 20th century, will be released next month, says its publisher. The hard cover book contains images of nearly 100 paintings, originally in oil or watercolor, completed during the last year by local artists. Commercial buildings, churches and other public buildings throughout the two communities are featured, along with brief historical comments.

The initial funds to underwrite a portion of the printing and production costs have been provided by grants of $10,000 from the Packard Foundation and $5,000 from the Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation.

Library News

Tonight: Linda Stone to lecture on the Anderson Collection of modern American Art, 7:30- 9 p.m.

Calendar

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

Wednesday

Community Briefs

Community Association for Rehabilitation (C.A.R.) will host its ninth annual authors luncheon on Nov. 4 at Hyatt Rickeys. Guest authors are Max Byrd, Matthew Gollub, Wendy Lesser, Andrew Pham and Steve Yarbrough, emceed by Loretta Green of the San Jose Mercury News. Tickets are $75 per person. for more details, call Erica Weil at 812.2827.

Garden Club floral presentation

Police Report

Oct. 14, 8:55 p.m., Berry Avenue: A caller told police someone sprayed an oily substance on a car parked on Berry Avenue.

Suspicious circumstances

Author Mary Pipher to provide inspiration at MidPeninsula Hospice ‘Heart’ breakfast

Author Mary Pipher will be the keynote speaker at the MidPeninsula Pathway Hospice “One From The Heart Awards” breakfast Thursday at Hyatt Rickeys in Palo Alto.

Given annually to those who have contributed to hospice and end-of-life care in exemplary ways, this year’s event honors family caregivers who take on a challenging role in caring for a loved one at home. Hospice staff created a “Hospice Hero Award” to recognize the love and devotion they witness every day by family caregivers in Los Altos and throughout the Bay Area.

MV-LA Union High School District caught by own success

The Mountain View-Los Altos High School District is a victim of the complex awards accounting system used by the California State Department of Education to distribute the financial awards associated with significant improvement in the Academic Performance Index (API) test scores.

Brigitte Sarraf, Associate Superintendent for Education and Curriculum, reported the district’s statistics to the Board of Trustees, Oct. 9. “We are pleased that both of our schools have far exceeded their school-wide growth targets this year and that we are moving very close to approaching the state-wide interim performance target of 800,” she said. “We will continue these efforts until each and every one of our students has reached his or her potential.”

LAHS band drumming up MV-LA crowd for field show

The program features music from “The Lord of the Rings” by John DeMeji, which depicts J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic adventures of the Hobbitt.

“The students have put in many early morning and afternoon hours to make this year’s show a standout performance,” said Director Ted Ferucci. “If you’ve never seen a marching band field show, this is one to see.”

Representatives bring student voice to high school board of trustees

Since the early 1970s, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District’s Board of Trustees has included student representatives. This year’s representatives Charles Dahan and Seth Freedland received the oath of office at the Aug. 28 meeting. “We have amazing young people in the position,” said Matt Neeley, Mountain View High School assistant principal. “It has proven its value.”

Both current representatives decided to run for the position for similar reasons and were chosen among stiff opposition; but the selection process was quite different at each school.

Schools Briefs

The Foothill Orchestra seeks local musicians to round out its ranks. String players, violin 1 and 2, viola, cello and bass, are in special demand. The orchestra also needs clarinet 1 (understudy/sub) and 2 (sub), oboe/English horn, bassoon (sub), 2nd French horn, 4th French horn, 2nd trumpet, bass trombone, timpani and percussion (2 players).

Join now and play “Egmont Overture” by Beethoven, “Finlandia” by Jan Sibelius, “Concerto Lugubre” by Luigi Gianella and Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade”

On Deck:

Football

Friday

Sports On The Side

Roxanne Norville of Los Altos won the women’s overall title of the annual City of Palo Alto Senior Golf Championships at Palo Alto Municipal. Norville shot a 73 at the Oct. 3 event. The women’s low-gross score winner was Los Altos resident Pat Bocook with a 93. Dick Slocum of Mountain View won the men’s 76-and-over division with a 64. Donald Shrank of Mountain View took second in the men’s 70-74 division by shooting an 84 and Los Altos Hills resident Eli Wismer placed third in the men’s 50-59 with an 80.

Off to the races

Spartans can’t stop Gunn run

Football Game Of The Week

The Gunn High rushing attack must have seemed like a tornado to the Mountain View defense last Friday night at Foothill College.

Inkster wins 3rd Samsung World Championship title

Los Altos resident Juli Inkster last Sunday claimed her third Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour victory of the year and her third career title at the Samsung World Championship.

Inkster shot a four-day total of 274 to win the tournament, held at the Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo.

Los Altos upends host Santa Clara 26-6 in battle for first place

Prep Football Digest

A season ago, the Los Altos High football team was in a state of disarray with a lack of wins and low morale.

Foothill women’s water polo team beats Cabrillo to take conference lead

Foothill Roundup

Changes on the hill

St. Francis tennis team contending for title

Prep Sports Summary

Field hockey

Lancers’ volleyball dominance continues

Prep Volleyball Roundup

Depending on which poll you read, the St. Francis High girls volleyball team is ranked either third, fourth or fifth in the nation.

Local Olympians to be honored at dinner next week

Local Olympians Dylan Casey, Lorrie Fair and Karen Kurreck have been invited to a welcome home dinner saluting Northern California athletes who competed in last month’s Sydney Games.

The event, billed as A Salute To Our Northern California Olympic Stars 2000, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Oct. 25, in the Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason St., San Francisco.

LAH marketing guru writes book for thinking fast in today’s world

Mark Breier of Los Altos Hills can’t sit still. He wiggles around in his chair. He fidgets with everything in sight. And his legs bounce and rock under the table.

This isn’t a condition. In fact, Breier said, this should be the norm in today’s high-tech business world.

Making time for your employees makes sense

Jean on the Job

Your employees are your most precious resources. Are you treating them well enough to earn their loyalty and their dependability? It’s amazing to hear that managers don’t really address their subordinates except to make an assignment or to ask for a status report. Building healthy rapport takes time. Not hours, but minutes. Try this:

TASC explores boundaries between mind and matter at Oct 24 open meeting

Where is the boundary between mind and matter? Join the Technology and Science Committee as they explore this question with Dean Radin, president of the Boundary Institute and author of “The Conscious Universe.”

Over the last century, scientists from academic and industrial laboratories from around the world have studied a strange prediction of quantum theory: that the act of observation should directly influence physical systems. Radin will describe how these experiments are typically conducted, which number more than 500 to date, and their results.

When the market sings the blues, look for the high notes

Stock Report

If you’re singing the stock market blues after last week, you’re going to be hearing some confusing off-key notes before the end of the year.

The copyright wars: Does the law still work?

Silicon Valley Perspective

How does the ability to digitize and transfer intellectual property from one personal computer to another affect current copyright laws? That question has authors, musicians, artists, photographers, software programmers and publishers pitted against each other and their customers. Defining an answer that satisfies them all might not be possible.

Transactions

Cupertino

19701 Alderbrook Way - P. & S. Dockrill to C. & H. Lin for $695,000.00

Bob Simon celebrates life and laughter in poetry

Review

Los Altan Bob Simon just automatically finds himself turning life’s highs, lows and everyday moments into verse.

Clever Santas choose local history books at Los Altos History Museum

When I described the unique charms of “Memories of Los Altos” by Joe Salameda last month, I mourned the fact that it was only available in the Los Altos Library. Since then, I’ve learned that copies are readily available, at $15 each, in the front hallway at History House, located behind the main library. What an ideal present this photo-copied book makes for neighbors, friends or children. Anyone who loves Los Altos will delight in its pull-out early map, its interviews with early residents and pictures of long-gone orchards and buildings.

The Salameda book is just one of many interesting books offered for sale by History House volunteers. Their shelves are loaded with unusual books, all related to local history. There’s “Riding Back,” a 160-page book by artist Anna Knapp Fitz, whose father moved his young family to Los Altos in 1921, when he bought eight and a half acres on what is now known as Los Altos Avenue. Fitz, in turn, lived on the same property with her own family until her death in 1995. Her book illustrates everyday life in Mountain View, Mayfield (now part of Palo Alto) and Los Altos from the 1850s to the 1950s; it is packed with easily-absorbed tidbits of local lore and would be wonderful to read aloud and discuss with children.

Weddings

Terrie Alexander and Roger Grimes were married Sept. 24 at the Los Altos United Methodist Church.

The bride is the daughter of Robert M. and Carol J. Alexander. She is self-employed and continuing her education.

Obituaries

Brian Andrew Law died Sept. 16 following a brief illness. He was 41.

Mr. Law was a graduate of Los Altos High School.

Noteworthies

Leslie Rogers, Los Altos’ top doodler, has been notified that her clever doodle was chosen from among thousands submitted to American Girl to be included in their 2001 Doodle A Day calendar. This page a day calendar contains unique doodling ideas sent in by girls from around the country. Leslie’s original doodle and her photo, both reillustrated by artist Amanda Haley, can be found on the April 13 page in the calendar.

Editor’s note: Due to errors in last week’s issue, the following noteworthy is being reprinted with the correct information.

Los Altos LDS couple on a mission to the Philippines

When Frank S. Young, a 25-year resident of Los Altos, was a very young man, he expressed a desire to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). But it was not the right time; the Korean War was in progress. “Well, when you get old,” Gordon B. Hinckley, the future leader of the LDS Church consoled him, “you and your wife can go on a mission together.”

Though he’s not yet “old,” that suggestion has become reality. On Oct. 9, Young and his wife, Bobbie - 67 and 63 respectively - entered the Senior Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. After 10 days of medical training, they will fly to the Church’s Philippines-Manila Mission.

Spiritual Life Briefs

Members of the El Retiro Retreat House, Los Altos are celebrating their 75th year of operation with an overhaul of their aging facility.

The maintenance of the El Retiro facility is under the direction of Leo Mitrovich who is celebrating his 10th year in the position.

This woman proves science and religion can coexist just fine

Along the Spiritual Path

Recently I quizzed Jane Turnbull, moderator of the church we both attend, about how her enthusiastic interest in science and religion developed. In her undergraduate days at Wellesley College, Jane had no particular interest in religion: she thought it was incompatible with her studies in chemistry. “It was from science that I first developed a sense of awe,” she said.

Peninsula Symphony opening 16th season

Music director Mitchell Sardou Klein opens his 16th season with the Peninsula Symphony on Friday at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and Saturday at Flint Center in Cupertino.

These first concerts of the Peninsula Symphony’s 52nd season will be highlighted by a new treatment of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and will feature acclaimed pianist Christopher O’Riley performing Grieg’s “Piano Concerto” and a new work dedicated to Liberace.

West Bay Opera does justice to Verdi’s classic ‘La Traviata’

Opera review

When an opera company programs one of the greatest works by perhaps the greatest opera composer of all time, adds in a cast of outstanding singers, colorful sets and creative directors, it results in an outstanding production.

Excessive grimness dooms ‘Dancer In The Dark’

Film Vitals:

Movie Review

Ronald MacDonald House launches capital campaign for expansion

To ensure that any family with a seriously ill child receiving care at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford has a supportive, affordable and homelike place to stay nearby, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford last month kicked-off a community-based $15.9 million capital campaign with the goal of more than doubling its current capacity.

Located a quarter mile away from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford has provided a home away from home for families of children receiving treatment for life-threatening illnesses since 1979. In the last several years, however, changes in health care have resulted in many very ill children being treated as outpatients, often staying at the House with their families for lengthy courses of treatment. At the same time, the hospital’s development of world-renown capabilities in pediatric cancer, cardiac, neurological, organ transplant, orthopedic and other disorders have created the need for many more families to extend their stays well beyond the capacity of the House’s original design. As a result, the House’s existing facilities are no longer adequate.

The key to beating breast cancer: mammograms

On Call

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a good opportunity to spread the word about the importance of early detection and treatment of this potentially deadly disease.

Ergonomic problems in today’s workplace taken seriously

Ergonomic injuries are one of the most serious hazards facing workers today, causing hundreds of thousands of workplace injuries and costing employers billions of dollars in workers’ compensation and lost work time.

In response, the Department of Labor has recently proposed an ergonomics standard that is one of the most significant initiatives in on-the-job safety in the past decade.

Want information about mental health disorders? Just try the Internet

Included in October health observances is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and since mental health is frequently a subject that is discussed in whispered tones, it’s important to say out loud that mental disorders represent four of the 10 leading causes of disability for persons age 5 and older. Equally important to note is the fact that researchers are finding more effective treatments for a wider range of mental disorders than ever before, so it is important that people be open to seeking treatment.

Finding out about mental illness is a first step for many people, and the Internet offers good resources for those looking for information. The National Institute of Mental Health, www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/index.cfm, contains a wide array of introductory pamphlets that explain the most common mental disorders in language that the lay public can understand.

Matters of the heart

Nancy Houston Miller of Los Altos receives excellence awards

Los Altos resident Nancy Houston Miller knows all about matters of the heart. For the past 28 years, Miller has been a nurse focusing on cardiovascular and pulmonary problems.

Getting the full picture about Lasik eye surgery

If your eyes are the windows to the soul, then Lasik eye surgery is becoming an ever-popular way of making the view less blurry.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, since Lasik eye surgery was approved in 1995, laser eye centers have mushroomed from 300 in 1996 to more than 900 centers today. Five years from now, the FTC said, surgeons are expected to perform laser eye surgery on more than 3 million pairs of eyes.

Child tunes out when parents have conflicting behaviors

Dilemma: How can a husband get on the same page with his wife with regard to the disciplining of their 8-year-old? He is pretty laid back (some might say passive) and his wife is very authoritarian, as in “Do it NOW.”

He thinks she’s too hard and she thinks he is too easy. With a new baby on the way and an 8-year-old who either ignores or doesn’t take them seriously, they would like to do things differently.