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Archives » 2001 » Volume 54 , Issue 12, Published on Wednesday, March 21, 2001NewsEl Camino recovery ahead?
Finances solid, but tough labor and earthquake questions remain After enduring a period of financial turbulence, El Camino Hospital appears to be on the road to recovery with a new Chief Executive Officer, organizational streamlining and a solid financial performance for the fiscal year thus far. No news is good news to relieved MVHS parents, students, staff
Nothing out of the ordinary happened at Mountain View High School last week in spite of warnings and rumors that sent the quiet campus into a state of alert. On March 8, there was a fight at the bus stop in front of the school between a MV student and a student from another school. Police search for couple who wiped out woman’s accountLos Altos A man-and-woman team allegedly stole and rewrote checks from a South Los Altos mailbox News BriefsThe Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office was continuing its search last week for three gunmen who shot and killed a jewelry store security guard March 13 in Cupertino. Police said three suspects, armed with assault-type weapons and wearing masks, allegedly fired a single shot at Josefino Cambosa while robbing Jade Galore Jewelry Store on Wolfe Road, where the security guard worked. City council rejects neighbors’ request to eliminate windows from planned second-story addition plansThe one-story-vs-two-story battle that seems to play itself out more often than not throughout Los Altos neighborhoods, took a new turn last week. Neighbors petitioned the Los Altos City Council to require that the windows of a planned second-story addition on Colleen Drive be opaque in order for adjacent residents to preserve their privacy. Plans for the second-story addition include six windows placed along the front of the house as well as along one side and the back for a master bedroom, bathroom and closet. Police ReportMarch 16, 11:17 p.m., Oak Avenue: A suspicious vehicle was at the school, police said. Third story on Rambus building generating neighbor concernsLos Altos residents living behind the Tree Farm development on El Camino Real are pushing the city to adopt stricter buffer regulations that would protect residential neighborhoods from the noise and glare associated with commercial buildings. Alleged continuous low- and high-pitched air-conditioning noises and the constant glare of interior lights coming from the newly-constructed three-story, 9,600-square-foot Rambus office complex at the former Tree Farm site prompted about 90 residents to petition the Los Altos City Council to pass more enforceable sound- and light-proofing regulations. LA Youth speak out against hotel plansA movie theater would mark downtown’s entryway if the Los Altos Youth Commission had its way. The commission unanimously agreed last week to publicly support the movie theater proposed for the city-owned lot on the corner of First and Main streets, while the Los Altos City Council mulls over whether to place a hotel or theater on the 7.3-acre site. Commission members said a theater would better benefit local youth by providing them “something to do,” especially for those who don’t yet drive, according to a memo to the council. A hotel would benefit visitors, not Los Altos residents, the memo concluded. CommentWhat’s in the ‘big cheese’ and the origin of ‘red herring’For hundreds of years, stealing and butchering another person’s livestock was a common crime, but it was hard to prove, unless the thief was caught with the dead animal and blood on his hands, or “caught red-handed.” That little lump of flesh forward of your ear canal next to your forehead is called a “tragus.” OpinionLos Altos lost with the passing of this friendly neighborOther Voices The foundation on which Los Altos’ multimillion-dollar status was built trembled and crumbled a bit more recently with the quiet passing of a lovely woman. I cannot write an obituary for Betty Patterson: though my family shared many winter holidays and summer evenings with her, I regretfully do not know the details of her life such that I’d be qualified for that writing. However, I do know the importance of her presence, and others like her, to a town like Los Altos. Letters to the EditorYour editorial in the March 7 publication does a disservice to the residents of Los Altos. You propose a “white elephant” in the form of a movie theater for downtown Los Altos. On Oct. 11, 2000, General Cinema Corporation filed for both Chapeter 7 and 11 bankruptcies following filings by other major competitors such as United Artists, Edwards and Carmike. They cited that the Chapter 11 reorganizations were the most effective means to terminate and restructure unprofitable leases. Hotel would contribute more to city coffersOther Voices The editorial in the March 7 edition of the Crier discussed pros and cons of a group of theaters vs. a boutique hotel at the city’s First and Main site. I wish to address some additional points of considerable significance. Musical embarrassmentsReflections I wish I could remember the writer who wrote about “guilty pleasures.” The words have remained in my mind and need to be dealt with. I usually try to hide my delight in subjects that other people might have vastly different opinions about. Like music, for example. We subscribe to the San Jose Symphony and I generally enjoy the classic composers, particularly Mozart and Beethoven. In fact, there’s only one well-known composer that I actually dislike: Bach. I probably stand alone in this negative attitude toward the august J.S. However, since I decided to be open about my guilty pleasures, I want to add what displeases me as well. Looking Back, Moving ForwardLos Altos always up on latest technology My husband works for a world-leading technology company and my two teen daughters run a Web site (Mabet.com) that gets more than 250,000 hits per month, so it always interests me to hear about technology in the Silicon Valley prior to silicon. CommunityA grand opening to local history
Los Altos’ new museum wows first-time visitors The ghosts of Los Altans past were surely celebrating with the rest of the visitors at Sunday’s grand opening of the new Los Altos History Museum building. At last, the spectrum of local history, from the Ohlone Indians to Silicon Valley, is now available to current and succeeding generations. Correction
R. Conrad Griffin’s answer: “I would remind him that he is an ill-elected servant of the people. I don’t care for his political arrogance and what is he doing about driver education for young people.” R. Conrad Griffin Community BriefsThe Los Altos Hills-based Pacific Ridge Pony Club took top honors at Saturday’s “Know Down” competition in Santa Cruz. Spokeswoman Lisa Robertson said the club had two junior division teams finish first and sixth out of 17 area clubs. 1776 De Anza expedition commemorated in eventThe Cupertino Historical Society in conjunction with other local historical and cultural organizations is sponsoring the commemoration and re-enactment of the Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition and 93rd Encampment of March 25 and 26, 1776. The event will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, to coincide with the 225th anniversary of the first overland expedition of Anza’s party, which camped in present-day Cupertino. The event will take place on a prominent knoll adjacent to Rancho San Antonio County Park and will last until 2:30 p.m. It was atop this knoll on March 26, 1776 and as inscribed by Fray Pedro Font in his diary, that the Estuary of San Francisco was first sighted during their journey up the Peninsula towards San Francisco. High school students travel to Cuba for a reality checkThe group will be in Cuba March 31 to April 7, on a “Reality Tour,” organized by Global Exchange, a San Francisco-based non-profit public education organization and a licensed travel service provider to Cuba. The group will deliver medical aid, learn about organic farming, immerse themselves in Cuban culture, and plan to capture it all in a documentary. SchoolsOak student wins Cricket childrens’ magazine poetry prize contestRebecca Luxton, 10, a sixth-grader at Oak School in Los Altos, received second prize in the 10 and under category in the December Cricket League poetry competition for her poem “Winter.” She is the daughter of Gary and Susan Luxton of Mountain View, Luxton’s poem appeared in the March issue of Cricket, a publication of the Carus Publishing Company, which features the best short stories, poems and articles by the world’s finest children’s authors. Schools BriefsThe Los Altos High School instrumental program fund-raiser is scheduled for 2 p.m., Saturday, at the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel, 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Music ensembles from LAHS, as well as two special guests will perform. Admission is $7, $3 for students and seniors, $15 for families of three or more people, children 5 or younger are free. Tickets are available at the door. To make donations, call 948-8708. Egan school tour days SportsSports On The SideTwo Super Bowl coaches and three college coaches will speak Saturday at Calcagno’s Consulting Services and Association’s Football Clinic of Champions at Mountain View High, 3535 Truman Ave. The lineup includes Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Gil Haskell, who won a Super Bowl with the Packers in 1997, and St. Louis Rams receivers coach Al Saunders, who won a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2000. Also scheduled to give 50-minute talks are Neal Zoumboukos (assistant at Oregon), Doug Cosbie (coach at Menlo College) and Fitz Hill (coach at San Jose State). The clinic will start at 11:30 a.m. with registration and end around 5 p.m. Cost: $35/person or $30/groups of five or more. Info: Ray Calcagno at 969-3295. Running for a cause Lancers can’t keep up with powerful DonsBoys Basketball Playoffs Depth proved to be the difference in last Friday’s state Division II boys basketball final. Hoop dreams come true for Garibaldi brothersMarch 9 was a busy day in the Garibaldi household. While St. Francis High senior Mike Garibaldi was in Sacramento playing in the Northern California Division II boys basketball final, his younger brother Joey was in Fresno competing for a state title in free throw shooting. St. Francis falls to Bells; Gunn rollsTown Crier Correspondent The high school baseball season is in full swing and a few local teams have produced positive starts in hopes of winning their leagues and qualifying for the playoffs. Los Altos goalie Parodi proves she isn’t short on talentLindsey Parodi is proof that height isn’t everything when it comes to playing goalkeeper. The Los Altos resident, all 5-foot-5 of her, has been selected to the Olympic Development Program’s state under-15 girls soccer team. Job search ProsThose laid off as a result of the recent economic downturn have cause for hope, thanks to a free, but not widely-known career counseling service that offers everything from resume help to valuable networking opportunities. ProMatch, located adjacent to the state Employment Development Department next to the Sunnyvale Public Library, offers a range of services designed for professionals - those with bachelor’s or advanced degrees. ProMatch, funded by California, is part of the Connect Business and Career campus, which includes several service providers geared to getting people back to work. BusinessAAUW sponsors financial workshops“Making the Most of Your Money,” a financial planning workshop for women of all ages, will kick off the series 5:30-7 p.m., April 4. The speaker is Jacqueline Mayer, of Mayer, Moll & Associates, San Jose. She is a certified financial planner and chartered life underwriter. The second workshop, “A Girl Needs Cash,” is scheduled for 5:30-7 p.m., April 11. Presented by the Bank of Los Altos, San Antonio branch, the workshop recognizes that confidence and responsibility handling money begin during school age. Girls in junior high and high school, along with their parents, are encouraged to learn about banking, including various accounts, ATMs and credit/debit cards. Back in town - the Town Crier, that is!Hi folks. It has been awhile. I have missed writing this column. I have not missed writing, however. I have just completed 75,000 words for my new book. That is over 360 typewritten pages. I’m back on board with you now and will be suggesting new ways to work, think, love and live over the next months. I tend to be a bit of a preacher, so forgive me if you think I am too pedantic and too pushy. I always tell my clients that if they do only half the homework I assign them, we will all be happy. Business Briefsgroup meets The SPAUG (Stanford Palo Alto Users Group for the PC) will meet be at 7:15 p.m., March 28, at the Elks Lodge (Lodge Room), 4249 El Camino Real. Online auction tips for buyers and sellersAmericans are sold on online auctions. According to a new Harris Interactive survey commissioned by National Consumers League (NCL), approximately 36 million online Americans participate in these auctions, bringing words like “ebay” and “feedback” to the forefront of popular culture. Along with this growing popularity, however, come problems. A whopping 94 percent of bidders say they are somewhat or very confident that as the winning bidder in an online auction, they will get what they pay for from the seller. But almost half, or 41 percent, reported having a problem as a buyer. Do you need a private money manager?Managing a sizable investment portfolio can be a full-time job. Add that to all the other aspects of your life that must be managed your job, home and family obligations and there may be little time or energy left. Many investors in this situation are turning over their investment portfolios to full-time private money managers who can make investment decisions for them on a daily basis. But how do you know if hiring a private money manager is right for you? Nik Sawe’s saga celebrates smart, compassionate wolvesTown Crier Correspondent At the age of 17, Pinewood High School senior Nik Sawe has just published his first young adult novel, “Wolf Trails” (Dunhill Publishing, Sonoma, 2001; $8.95). The book immediately sold out its first printing of 1,000 copies, has gone to a second printing of 5,000, with a third printing in the planning stage. Special SectionMountain View public access station shares facilities with displaced ’sister city’Town Crier Correspondent The Cable Communications Act of 1984, in which Congress established a provision that would permit local authorities to develop requirements for public use of the local cable system, created a whole new media segment: public access television. Housing crunchMountain View is at the top of the list of places to look for housing in the Bay Area. Don Hoffman began his housing search in Mountain View when he and three other Stanford students moved off-campus in 1998. Starting in Mountain View and going further south, the prices became lower. “We were still students, so we wanted to stay with as short a commute as possible while still being able to live relatively cheaply,” he said. “Talking to the neighbors in the area, we found that it’s a really safe neighborhood - there are people who leave their garages open regularly. Our house was the cheapest of all the things we found in the area. It has a front yard and a back yard.” Minton’s Lumber & Supply celebrates 90 yearsTown Crier Correspondent For more than 103 years, there has been a store at the same location in Mountain View providing lumber for the surrounding communities. MV school brings harmony to young lives
“Arts for All” is not just a motto for the Community School of Music and the Arts in Mountain View. It’s also a mission statement, according to Evy Schiffman, CMSA’s communications director. “We think of our agency as providing arts for all - regardless of age or (skill) level, background or financial capabilities,” Schiffman said. “That was the vision of our founders (in 1968) and that is the vision we live by today.” Red Cross MV blood drive scheduled for April 20Still reeling from a blood supply that dropped more than 60,000 units in one month this winter, the organization said it has high expectations that better weather will bring improved collections. “Unfortunately, bad weather drastically affects our ability to maintain a safe and adequate blood supply because drives are canceled and donors tend to stay indoors,” said spokesperson Kimberly Roberts. “But now that it looks like the worst of winter is behind us, we hope to see community members out in droves showing their support at their local drives.” Downtown Mountain View swings for all agesEntertainment variety ranges from fine dining to Latin dancing For the young, and the young at heart, a change of scenery can be right across the border. For Los Altans, that may mean a night on the town in downtown Mountain View. PeopleObituariesPatricia Rose Tracey died Jan. 27. She was a native of Massachusetts. Mrs. Tracey begin a career in nursing at an early age. She became involved in infant care and later pediatrics. She was a nurse in Kaiser hospitals for more than 25 years. Spiritual LifeSpiritual Life BriefsThe Los Altos United Methodist Church has developed “Creekside Crossings,” a new worship service for youth in the community. Services comprise a casual dinner before worship and small discussion groups after worship. For more information, call 948-1083. Baylight Church of Religious Science sheds its light again upon Los Altos
The Baylight Church of Religious Science is returning next month to Los Altos, the place of its founding. The church, which emphasizes an open-minded, self-empowerment spin on traditional Christian beliefs, will begin holding services at the Los Altos Masonic Lodge, 146 Main St. Church members also will be moving to new office space at 885 N. San Antonio Road in Los Altos. A spring of creativity swells as God continues his works in progressCompanion on the Journey Spring has sprung. Here in California, we are lucky in that we can actually sense the springtime, right when the calendar says spring begins. Our few remaining apricot and cherry trees, relics of a rural past, burst out joyfully with their white and pale pink blossoms, and daffodils nod around every corner. Stepping OutPYT to perform ‘Magic Moments’ this weekendPeninsula Youth Theatre presents “Magic Moments: A Collection of Latin American Folk Tales,” by San Jose author Olga Loya, Friday and Saturday at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. Show times are 9:30 and 11 a.m., Friday, and 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., Saturday. Bus Barn opening ‘Scapin’
Misadventures, mistaken identities, slamming doors, chases and young love are all part of Bus Barn Theatre’s latest production, “Scapin.” The production previews Thursday, opens Friday and runs through April 21 at the Bus Barn Theatre, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos Yonekawa leads strong ‘Far East’ cast
Theater review TheatreWorks’ West Coast premiere of A.R. Gurney’s “Far East” is an entertaining and thoughtful drama. Schola presents ‘A Tune of Her Own’In honor of National Women’s History Month, Schola Cantorum chorus presents “A Tune of Her Own” at 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m., Sunday, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. Works include selections by Hildegard von Bingen, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Libby Larsen and Beatriz Corona. BooksBook Beat“This is a spectacular item,” Ogle said. “It is fully illustrated, with some plates in artificial color, and has a lovely decorative cloth cover with a penguin on the front. Cook’s book is one of the classics of polar literature.” Thelma Shaw, a longtime Los Altos resident, poet and creative writing teacher, died on Thanksgiving Day, 2000, two months before her 100th birthday. However, her final collection of poetry, “Still Waters,” was published in February by John Daniel and Company of Santa Barbara; it sells for $10 and can be ordered by calling 1-800-662-8351. Your HealthRecording for the Blind and Dyslexic moves into 21st centuryThe classic 1920s Palo Alto house looks old and quiet. But on the inside, it bustles with offices and electronic equipment. The house at 488 W. Charleston Road is the home of the Northern California Unit of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. Here, volunteers record books for people who can’t read them themselves. The national organization copies the recordings and checks them out to borrowers all over the country. With new equipment, RFB&D is growing along with the information age. From bad diet to diabetesType 2 on the increase with particularly alarming trend in the young Despite ever-mounting proof from medical researchers on the health risks of eating too much and exercising too little, the number of Americans, including children, who are overweight and who lead sedentary lifestyles has multiplied in the last decade. As a result, the incidence of type 2, or non-insulin dependent, diabetes has risen dramatically and is occurring at an increasingly younger age. New York hospital offers hope for LAH girl battling cancerEric and Miren Duprat of Los Altos Hills are living a nightmare parents hope they will never have to face. Their 6-year-old daughter, Pauline, suffers from a severe case of neuroblastoma, a cancer that started with a tumor in her stomach and has since spread to her bone marrow. Want peace? Let kids tuck parents in bedKeys to Parenting Question: Is there one simple suggestion for my husband and me on how we can create quiet time just for us in the evening while the children are still up? Our kids are 5 and 10 years old. Why and hows of allergies on Web siteNo sooner have the rains stopped and the clouds parted than the first “Achoo!” is heard, heralding the arrival of spring and allergy season. Allergy is the single most prevalent chronic disease - it’s no wonder we all nod sympathetically when we see a fellow sufferer red-eyed and sniffling. Some of us have had itchy eyes and runny noses every spring and summer since childhood. Some of us develop allergies as we grow older. If you find yourself wondering about the whys and hows of allergies, or if you notice your response to foods or plants is changing, you might want to take a look at the collection of allergy books the Health Library has available in its e-books collection on its Web site. These books can be browsed online. They can also be checked out online, for free, if you find something you really want to take time to read completely. The collection ranges from books that address the needs of young children who suffer from allergies - “Let’s Talk About Having Allergies” by Elizabeth Weitzman - to clinical textbooks such as “Histamine and H1-receptor Antagonists in Allergic Disease” by F. E. R. Simons. If you find yourself somewhere between these two audiences, the book “Coping With Allergies” by Drs. Robert Schwartz and Peter M.G. Deane, is a good place to start learning about allergies. The authors do a wonderful job of explaining the basic mechanisms of allergies, and they cover areas that often aren’t talked about, like sinuses and nasal polyps. If you don’t know much about your sinuses, you will definitely have a good understanding of them by the time you’re finished reading the chapter on them. The section on skin allergies makes clear the connection between the sneezy allergies and the rashy ones and how you can help relieve the symptoms of both. The section on skin allergies also touches on the topic of latex allergies, which can be deadly for some people. Health BriefsA free introductory session of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, an eight-week program, is scheduled for 3-5 p.m. or 7-9 p.m., tomorrow and April 24, at El Camino Hospital, 2500 Grant Road, Mountain View. For information and registration, call (800) 216-5556. Living with asthma Protecting our children from substance abuseHouse Calls Abundant medical research shows how damaging cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs can be to a person’s health and well-being. For example, smokers run a risk 10 times greater than nonsmokers of dying from lung cancer. |
In Our OpinionLetters to the Editor
Leo Long earns local honorsIn the April 30 issue of the Town Crier, you were right to congratulate and thank Dick Henning from Foothill College for four decades of service to the community. I met him at Foothill as student body president more years ago than I’ll admit. Great guy. |
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