Annual arts festival one-of-a-kind event

All-volunteer leadership key to celebration’s success

Los Altos Arts and Wine Festival

$500 shopping spree, Hawaii trips part of 10th annual window display contest

The Los Altos Village Association is offering a trip for two to Kauai as its prize for the 10th annual Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival window display contest. This year’s theme to be displayed in retailers’ windows is “A Splash of Color.”

In addition to the window display award to the retailer, a $500 award will be offered to a person who votes for a favorite festival window display in downtown Los Altos. A panel of three outside judges will select the winner for one $500 award.

Los Altos police catch con artist when he returns for more

Los Altos police arrested a Merced man last week who allegedly scammed an 82-year-old Los Altos woman out of $650 earlier this year for roofing repairs that he never performed.

Police caught suspect Adam Jonah Waldrop in his red pickup truck July 2 after the alleged con man returned to the Los Altos woman’s Benvenue Avenue home looking for more “work.”

Residents air traffic woes at Town Hall meeting

Los Altos

County Supervisor Liz Kniss’ invitation to a June 27 Town Hall meeting in Los Altos drew local residents from unincorporated areas with concerns that ranged from traffic and road repair woes to line-of-sight issues with the former Kaiser cement plant.

Second-story bans spread in Los Altos, Mtn. View

MV’s Lincoln Drive opts for allowing only single-stories

Yet another neighborhood in Mountain View’s Gest Ranch development has opted to restrict housing development to single-story homes and allow only ground-level expansion.

Council excludes wildlife funding from city budget

Town Crier Staff Report

Los Altos City Council recently turned down a request made for funding by Palo Alto-based Wildlife Rescue for continued animal services. The council’s decision means that the center could cut off services to Los Altos unless other viable methods of income are identified.

Second Los Altos neighborhood applies for overlay zone

Town Crier Staff Report

A second Los Altos neighborhood has begun the process to prohibit two-story homes from its streets. Residents in the Live Oak Lane area were scheduled to ask the Los Altos City Council to approve the proposed overlay zone boundaries for their neighborhood Tuesday night.

News Briefs

Candidates interested in running for open spots on the Los Altos City Council or Los Altos School District must file papers between Monday and 5 p.m., Aug. 10, to run in the November election.

The filing period could be extended to Aug. 20 in either race if incumbent candidates do not choose to file.

Police report

July 5, 4:39 a.m., Los Ninos Way: A caller reported the family dog was growling at something outside.

Vehicle towed

Council names Hynes new city attorney

Town Crier Staff Report

The Los Altos City Council named Marc Hynes new city attorney last week during a closed meeting. Hynes has served as interim city attorney for the past 10 months, filling the vacancy left by his legal partner Robert Booth Jr., who died unexpectedly last September. Booth had served as Los Altos’ city attorney for 19 years.

Power is down; services steady in Mountain View

If you visit the Mountain View City Hall these days, you may notice something a little different. The lighting is subdued, you don’t need your jacket and city employees may look a little more casual in their attire.

In fact, if you visit any of the City of Mountain View facilities this summer, you will notice some subtle differences, the city’s response to California’s energy crisis.

Does overlay law need more tinkering?

Los Altos’ first one-story-only neighborhood is in the books with recent city council approval of an overlay zone allowed under a May 2000 ordinance. For these residents, along Merritt Road, East Edith, Beverley Lane and North Gordon, the action caps an involved and costly process to retain one-story integrity.

The overlay zoning effectively prohibits building of a two-story home for seven years.

Thanks for a truly ‘Glorious 4th’

We want to offer a big thumbs-up to those who organized and took part in Los Altos’ “Glorious Fourth” celebration at Shoup Park last week. A huge midweek crowd gathered to eat, drink, wave flags and honor the nation’s 225th birthday.

Big congratulations are in order for American Legion Post 558, whose members brought the flags and did little-known but much-appreciated tasks such as courier disabled people to and from the event.

Summer days

The Living Experiment

When I was a girl, summer meant three months of meandering days. There was no bedtime or alarm clock, no reason to differentiate the days of the week, no need to get in a car. Aside from a short day camp with my Brownie troop, summer had no imposed structure, and any routines we followed were generated spontaneously.

Letters to the Editor

Thank you for printing the article about the Wildlife Rescue organization (July 4). I have taken a number of injured birds and two orphaned squirrels there. My family is a member. If I were to arrive at their doorstep with an injured or orphaned animal, and they had to turn me away because of my Los Altos address, what would I do? Euthanize the animal, and cry?

Robin SchauflerLos Altos

The mysteries of the average human mind

An Honest Man

Have you ever seen one of those timelines of human development laid out like a long yardstick? Over there on the left end, man walks upright. About halfway through, he picks up a club and hits something. Over on the far right, nearest current time, the event line is amazingly crowded with all of the discoveries we are familiar with: Arabic numerals, heliocentricity, gravity, electricity, etc. Mankind is getting smarter and smarter, faster and faster. Indisputably.

Los Altos artist schedules Gallery House showing

Brown said she paints from deep in her unconscious: “I recall images from my dreams, which trigger memories of my childhood in Peru.

“In the past two years I have been working on a series, titled ‘Raices,’ in which I express my yearning for a place of belonging, community and of staying.

Ethnic diversity part of city’s history

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Los Altos has always been home to a diverse population. In 1910 the majority of Los Altos immigrants came from Canada and England, but there were also many Germans, Irish and Japanese.

Shoup Park packed for Glorious 4th celebration

Town Crier Correspondent

It’s been a long while since July 4 fell on a Wednesday, but it didn’t make any difference to the families who flocked to Shoup Park for the mix of patriotic celebration, summertime fun and barbecues. They formed the largest “Glorious 4th” crowd in history.

MVHS grad finding success in the film industry

Muralist, filmmaker and Mountain View High School graduate (class of 1992) Chris Halmo has begun his career in the film industry in great style. Halmo was recently awarded first place in the Berkeley Film Festival for his film school thesis work, “These Wild Woods.”

The 15-minute film tells the story of a young boy, confined by the strict boundaries of his grandfather’s farm, who finds himself enchanted by a mysterious girl on a horse at the edge of the forest.

‘Walk-and-Roll Aware-a-thon’ benefits Green Pastures homes

Green Pastures, a Christian non-profit organization that provides care and private residential homes for six children with disabilities, invites youths and adults to experience the challenges of the disabled at their third annual “Walk-and-Roll Aware-a-thon” fund-raiser. The event is scheduled 10 a.m. to noon, July 21, at Rengstorff Park in Mountain View.

Participants are encouraged to obtain pledges for Green Pastures from friends and neighbors, a set amount for each lap completed. Anyone who would like to try navigating the course from a disabled person’s point of view can borrow wheelchairs.

Los Altos author Krepismann to speak on family relations

For information, call 408-777-3150.

Library News

Cheryl Houts was appointed Community Library Supervisor of the Los Altos Library in late June. She had served as Acting Community Library Supervisor since Catharine Fouts retired in mid-May.

Houts began working for the Santa Clara County Library System in 1991 as an extra help librarian. Then she worked as a children’s librarian for Cupertino Library from 1995 to 1998 before joining Los Altos Library as a Children’s Program Librarian in December 1998.

Calendar

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

Wednesday

Community Briefs

Chefs Who Care will be holding a benefit dinner 5-9 p.m., Monday, at the Global Village Cafe, 209 Castro St., Mountain View. Half of the cost for dinner will be donated to the Food and Nutrition Center at the Community Services Agency and is tax deductible.

Entrees include herb and lavender dusted mahi mahi with jasmine rice and soy-pineapple vinaigrette, Cajun penne pasta tossed in a bayou cream sauce, and baked chicken parmesan with pasta and a vegetable ratatouille.

Noteworthies

Benjamin D. Strock of Los Altos graduated from the University of Oregon in Eugene, with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Robert Scott Petersmeyer and Ryan Stuart Jeffrey, both of Los Altos, graduated from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore.

Recreation Department seeks preschool teachers

Tiny Tots of Los Altos is putting the call out to all preschool teachers and stay-at-home moms.

The Los Altos Department of Recreation preschool program is looking for three more part-time teachers and a director for its 4-year-old program, before the start of school Sept. 4. The program offers a 3-year-old class and a 4-year-old class.

Los Altos High teacher bids ‘adieu’ after 38 years of teaching

She has taught French, world history, U.S. government and traveled around the world. After 38 years with the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District (MVLAHSD), Janet Mohr is retiring.

“It will really hit me in August,” Mohr said of her retirement. “It’s the first time I haven’t gone back to school in a hundred years,” she said jokingly.

Sports On The Side

The MVLA Strikers, an under-12, CYSA Class 1 boys soccer team needs an energetic goalie to join an experienced team. They are willing to train. For more information, call Simon Weiss at 596-5660.

Get into the swing

Prep leagues reveal top performers from the spring

Baseball

SCVAL El Camino Division

Local lacrosse players compete in Colorado tourney

Local residents Colin Mason and Will O’Leary played on Northern California Select lacrosse teams that traveled to Colorado last month to compete in a national tournament.

Los Altos resident Mason played for the under-15 team, while O’Leary of Los Altos Hills played for the under-13 team. Both teams were coached by Colin’s father, Marty Mason.

Post 375 sweeps doubleheader, moves into first

Summer League Baseball Update

alo Alto Post 375 is a young team with no superstars - just a solid group of players, according to coach Tony Brewer.

Lozares and Choe win divisions at Caplin Pro-Jr. event

Mountain View residents Kevin Lozares and Esther Choe each teamed up with a golf pro to win division championships last week at the Wilson Ty Caplin Pro-Junior Championship in Stockton.

Lozares, entering his sophomore year at St. Francis High, and partner Rich Bin captured the male 14-15 division by shooting 69.

Rockies roll into TOC

The District 44 Tournament of Champions is becoming a standard part of the Los Altos Rockies’ baseball season.

The Little League Majors team this season reached the TOC for the fourth time in its seven-year history.

Hoops star nets grant

Julia Randall, a 2001 graduate of Homestead High, was awarded a $1,000 grant by Mervyn’s and the Women’s Sports Foundation Scholarship Fund last month.

She was among 26 recent high school graduates in the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose area to receive a grant. Nationally, Randall was one of 286 winners out of a pool of more than 2000 applicants.

Sitler, Tyler among local runners headed to National Jr. Olympics

Five local residents have qualified for the National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, which start July 24 in Sacramento.

Ben Sitler, Tori Tyler, Nicholas Helgeson and Julian Bibl of Los Altos and McKayla Plank of Mountain View advanced by placing among the top three in their respective running events at the Pacific Association Junior Olympic qualifier. The qualifier was held June 22-24 at Contra Costa College.

Business Briefs

Silicon Valley Women in Business and the Commonwealth Club are sponsoring a Pink Slip Party for women and men job-seekers and recruiters, 6-8 p.m., July 25, at Hyatt Rickey’s, 4219 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. John Epperheimer, a columnist for the San Jose Mercury News and director of the Work Path Group, is the featured speaker. Cost is $5 for pink-slippers and $20 for recruiters. For information and reservations, call Lauren Lee at 754-0582.

All Horizons Rancho Travel Opal Awards

Personal training for all ages, levels at Fitness Solutions in Loyola Corners

Business Profile

Fitness Solutions is a business committed to caring about the health and fitness of its clientele and the community, according to owner Liz Sante.

Weak tech stock numbers scaring off investors

Stock Report

It’s summer, and Wall Street buyers have left to enjoy vacation comforts in a cool place with a good book. It doesn’t look like the economy is turning around, so investors aren’t around to make a summer rally.

Transactions

Cupertino

20657 Gardenside Circle - H. Lui to M. Weng for $614,000.00

Realtors association provides grants for community welfare projects

When it comes to giving back to the community, members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors (SILVAR) are actively involved in many ways. Through the establishment of a charitable foundation, the 3000-member non-profit trade association provides grants to organizations from donations by its realtor and affiliate members and friends.

As a wholly owned 501 (c) 3 subsidiary of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, the charitable foundation has its own board of trustees who are elected to serve for a three-year term.

Proceed at own risk & blackout-proof PCs

Tech Talk

This column offers solutions to personal computer problems submitted by readers. Neither the author nor this newspaper endorses products or companies mentioned.

TheatreWorks providing ‘Summer’ fun in Mtn. View

Theater Review

We are light years away from the atmosphere, music and language of “The Summer of ‘42,” but the play resonates on our memories of young love and the coltish emotions of teenagers.

Obituaries

Sheila O’Brien Kennedy died June 17 after a short battle with cancer. She was a native of Belfast, Ireland.

Mrs. Kennedy came to the United States in 1956 to begin a new life and start her family. She was a longtime volunteer for the American Cancer Society and the Children’s Home Society.

A local gold medalists and a golden anniversary

Strictly Candids

AN EXTRAORDINARY AFTERNOON WITH A BRILLIANT ARTIST: On June 2, Jon Nakamatsu, “local hero” and world-renowned gold medalist of the prestigious 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, delighted a special gathering of guests with his brilliant and dazzling performance at the beautiful Los Altos Hills home of hosts and CSMA board of sponsor members, Jan and Bob Fenwick. This event was in celebration of the Community School of Music and Arts’ project to build the Center for Arts Education, which will become the permanent home for the 33-year-old non-profit organization.

Retirement is often synonymous with freedom

Joy for Seniors

As discussed in my last article, the word “retirement” is often synonymous with freedom. Today many retirees lead vigorous lives and are as active or more active than they were during the pre-retirement stage of life. However, their activities are those that they freely choose.

Seniors can find some helpful services online

The household computer has become standard for many seniors. According to a recent Pew Internet survey, 51 percent of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 are online and 15 percent of the 65-and-older population is as well.

Companies like ServiceMagic.com, which matches consumers with prescreened service professionals, provide consumers with extra assurances knowing the initial research required has been done for them.

Support at home

Town Crier Correspondent

CSA Outreach Program helps seniors stay independent and self sufficient

Senior Briefs

Today: 9:30 a.m. Board of Directors meeting. Everyone is invited to attend.

July 13: 1 p.m. Armchair Travel. Take a journey to a mystery destination. Refreshments will be served.

Caring for an aging relative: how to ease the transition

According to U.S. Bureau of Census data, the number of Americans 65 and over will increase from 34 million to over 70 million in the next 30 years. The aging baby boomers will soon be more than a prediction; and family members, who often provide at least a portion of care to their aging relatives, are often unprepared to deal with the many issues facing the senior and themselves. From planning a change of residence to communicating effectively, there are many simple, yet overlooked ways to ease caregiving for the elderly and their family members.

Although the thought of placing a parent or relative in an assisted-living facility is not something many people like to think about, it is important to be prepared for the occasion. Take advantage of resources such as the Internet and local elderly advocate groups in your area. A small amount of research can greatly benefit both parties and lessen the stress level for this often difficult transition.

Happiness and humor at 100

Pilgrim Haven’s Gertrude Koehler shows her sparkle on July 4th birthday

One hundred years ago, Gertrude Koehler was “born on the Fourth of July,” just as in the George M. Cohan song, “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Also like the song -which was written four years after she was born - the passing years haven’t affected her cheerful spirit and enthusiasm. A petite woman with snow-white hair and bright eyes, she has a ready smile and a friendly manner, and remains clearly interested in life around her. The Pilgrim Haven resident has also retained a lively sense of humor.

Spiritual Life Briefs

The Los Altos United Methodist Church is hosting a conference for the United Methodist Congress of the Deaf, July 13-15. The conference is for anyone interested in beginning a ministry to serve persons within their churches who have any type of hearing loss and those with deaf family members.

The workshops presented are “Lets share our gifts and needs”, “Cochlear Implant Workshop”, and “Mental Health Care: What is available and What are the Needs?”

What to give a nation that has nearly everything? These gifts would help

Dear God: I don’t suppose 225 years strikes you as being that old, but I’m moving into middle age and it’s that time of year again - my birthday. May I bring up the subject of gifts?

I’m grateful and pleased for all you’ve given me. I appreciate the: Peace; Prosperity; Prestige; Privileges; and a lot more.

CSMA free concert series ends Sunday

The Community School of Music & Arts concludes its SGI Family Concert Series with Jazz in July, featuring CSMA faculty and guest artists. The free concert is set for 4:30 p.m., Sunday, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, ParkStage, 500 Castro St.

Performing a mix of mainstream jazz and original music will be Taylor Eigsti, Jim Witzel, Mike Morris, Jason Shifflet and Barney Barnhill.

Bus Barn’s production of ‘Neville’s Island’ opening this week

Bus Barn Stage Company of Los Altos opens its production of Tim Firth’s “Neville’s Island” this week.

A Bay Area premiere, the comedy previews Thursday, opens Friday and runs through Aug. 11 at the Bus Barn Theatre, 97 Hillview Ave.