By Go back to basic services

Your 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.

They further stated that the market is over-saturated with multi-screen “megaplexes,” which are sucking attendance away from smaller complexes.

In a related article “Theater or hotel,” you claim that, according to a survey funded by an anonymous donor, four out of five residents prefer a theater. I am only surprised that it wasn’t five out of five.

The survey smells of slick Willy Clinton’s involvement.

Los Altos has a multi-screen “megaplex” movie theater at Shoreline in Mountain View. Are you saying that a drive to Shoreline is too far or is it a case of the “not invented here” syndrome?

As far as a downtown hotel-motel is concerned, they should be restricted to the El Camino strip. Los Altos opted years ago to be a residential community and the city council should not be looking for ways to fund “pet” projects via a tax on hotels-motels.

The City Council needs to get back to providing basic services for Los Altos residents, as opposed to catering to each and every whim of what is usually a very vocal minority.

Edward KelleyLos Altos

A theater exactly what we need

I think that we really need to take a look at who’s running this city. It is absurd to rank community benefit last on the list of priorities.

Excuse me if I’m wrong, but I thought that being on city council meant that you were supposed to make the city a better place (by adding a theater), not place even more businesses that we don’t want (a hotel).

A theater is exactly what Los Altos needs. People would come in swarms, not only from Los Altos but from neighboring cities.

This will be a tremendous boost in revenues for many downtown stores.

In the end a theater would benefit everyone. City council would even get what they were really after in the first place, revenues, and at the same time making downtown a more enjoyable place.

Jeremy Taylor10th grade,Los Altos High School

Grief and anger over hacienda

Reading the Feb. 21 Town Crier article about the Spanish hacienda on Springer Road inspired me with grief and anger. It is sad that historical monuments, even beautiful ones, are worth so little in light of the present value of land. Loss of the hacienda impoverishes the city.

It makes me angry that the hacienda received no publicity until demolition is scheduled. What is the planned date for the destruction?

For years, the Town Crier has been full of neighborhood proceedings dragging out for years over a resident’s right to add a second story, or over a proposed new facade, yet a historic building can be demolished without any fight or press.

Is it too late to fight the decision? If nobody can stop the replacement of the hacienda, can somebody find a new location for it?

Perhaps the Packard Foundation can compensate for displacing the fitness business downtown by funding the relocation of the hacienda.

Might the San Jose Historical Museum in Kelly Park take it? I know they are years behind in refurbishing the houses they have. Would Hidden Villa be interested? How can Los Altos residents contribute to its preservation?

Robin SchauflerLos Altos

Shedding light on mental illness

Mental illness happens in Los Altos and across the country. If I need to step out of my anonymity to talk about it, to combat the silence and the shame, I will.

I was diagnosed with mental illness eight years after I began watching myself recede from my life. I was 12 years old at the time, and no one noticed. If they did, they did not say a word. This happens because we have no vocabulary for mental illness.

We have the option of educating ourselves about the warning signs of mental illness today, before lives are lost - and I do not necessarily mean suicide. We could even become open and honest about mental illness, in our neighborhoods and among families.

If we are quiet, the disease wins. Why not implement mental health education in our schools alongside of drug and sex education? With the statistics so easily at our fingertips of how widespread mental illness is, why not? And given that no one noticed what was happening to me, ought teachers not be made aware of the symptoms?

Would you know what to do if your son inexplicably stopped going to soccer practice? Or if he stopped playing his guitar? Would you know how to talk to him? Would he know what was happening? Would you miss the signs of depression in your grandmother until she took her own life?

There is no shame, there is no failure; mental illness is not a character defect. Is it not time to recognize this and bring our friends and family, even our bosses, in from the cold? Do not ignore what is happening right here, right now, to our loved ones, every day.

Give some thought to what you can do to make our community safer from mental illness.

Diana Galbraith

Los Altos