By Closing cable access an urgent matter

It is super urgent that you immediately call the Los Altos Access TV Studios at Foothill College (949-7616) and ask that your name be placed on the list of local supporters who do not want the studios closed and the local TV operation killed on Dec.31 after its magnificently successful 15-year operation.

Otherwise, Access will die here or be significantly crippled, and Foothill College’s incredibly shortsighted administrators will leave the college without its studios. These administrators wish to have more office space for themselves and a classroom or two that could be located elsewhere easily without destroying the TV studios. It cost Santa Clara University almost $3 million to build its studios a year or two ago. They claim local support for the local TV generation is nil. Your calls will prove them wrong and make a difference!

Joe PapasoLos Altos

Volunteer speaks up for El Camino

I read with interest the article by Bill Walsh regarding El Camino Hospital’s Emergency Room. I, too, was a patient there on Dec. 31, 1999, New Year’s Eve. I awoke with a very swollen, inflamed knee. We arrived at the ER about 11 a.m. The waiting room was packed. My husband and I are both auxiliary volunteers. We were told that I would be close to the bottom of the Triage list. The very sick patients that arrive by ambulance are, of course, given top priority. To me, my painful knee was top priority. But, after thinking it over I was content to wait my turn. The little child with the infected ear needed medical attention (same as I did with my knee) but think about the person transported by ambulance with very serious, life-threatening problems - and one’s inflamed knee and the child’s ear infection are not top Triage cases. Please realize, we are well known at the ER and, thank God, that meant little when it came to ministering to the much heavier problems.

The security system, which Mr. Walsh criticized, is brand new. Believe me, as a volunteer, I can tell you that the problems will be noted and it will come up to speed very rapidly. El Camino is a warm, caring community of dedicated professionals and volunteers. Give us a chance, and better yet, volunteer three hours a week and see for yourself how well we work together with the community. We’d love to have you join us.

Rosemary Panec

Los Altos