Running unopposed, Moss and Lear gain 4 years

Town Crier Staff Report

Incumbents John Moss and King Lear ran unopposed in this year’s Los Altos City Council race. Though unchallenged, their names appeared on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Rancho at 50

Town Crier Correspondent

Shopping center paved the way for others to follow

One man’s dream outlives early challenges and critics

Journeying south down Foothill Expressway, about three miles from downtown Los Altos, one comes upon a rustic shopping center, the dream project of Christian Wilder. The center celebrated a half century of business Nov. 9.

The fact that the center exists at all is due to the tenacity of one man, his belief in himself and his ideas.

Assemblyman Joe Simitian gives grim state budget report to Los Altos city staff

California State Assemblyman Joe Simitian told Los Altos city officials last week that he expects this year easily to be the state’s worse budget year in the past decade.

He said state revenues over the past three months have been even lower than anticipated. Officials project the state’s budget deficit for the fiscal year to be between $8 billion and $14 billion, according to statewide media reports.

Higher hotel tax could recoup dollars for city

Los Altos

Los Altos residents approved a ballot measure last week that could add an estimated $300,000 to the city’s piggy bank this year.

News Briefs

Mountain View police last week were searching for the identity of a man suspected of sexually attacking four women over the past month.

Police said since Oct. 18, four residents have reported being groped by a man on a BMX-style bike while walking in Mountain View near Steven’s Creek Trail..

LAH Mayor’s new D.C. job draws mixed reactions from residents

Los Altos Hills Mayor Toni Casey’s late October announcement that she had taken a full-time job in Washington, D.C., while remaining a city council member has drawn criticism from some residents, concerned that she will be unable to carry out all the duties of office. Other residents, as well as three other council members, said they do not believe her new position will impede her effectiveness in office.

When Casey accepted her position as director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the Small Business Administration headquarters, she became the second city council member to have a full-time job out of state. Council Member Steve Finn serves as CEO of the Trust Company of America in Englewood, Colo., a Denver suburb.

New defibrillators mean more lives saved police chief says

Los Altos Police will began carrying portable defibrillators in their patrol cars this month as part of a new city program intended to quicken emergency response time for residents suffering heart failure.

Studies show that early defibrillation is key to saving a heart attack victim’s life, according to the American Heart Association, which has urged police, for years, to keep defibrillators in their patrol cars.

Incumbents sweep two local school district races

Three board members stay put in Los Altos, two gain another term in Cupertino

f voting patterns are any indication of the level of satisfaction that residents have with their schools, the Los Altos and the Cupertino Union school districts must be doing more than satisfactory. Incumbents for both districts swept the votes in last week’s election. Only one newcomer joined the board in Cupertino.

Wireless communications topic of LAH meeting

The Los Altos Hills City Council has scheduled public hearings Thursday on site development and conditional use permits for wireless communication facilities on the Foothill College campus and on Old Page Mill Road, as well as a request by the Santa Clara Valley Water District for an easement over a portion of West Edith Park for environmental purposes.

The council is also slated to discuss a memo from Public Works Director Mintze Cheng , which addressed sanitary sewer connections desired by citizens residing in the town’s realm of influence and a request by the water district for assignment and assumption of a storm drain easement on a residential property, also on Fremont Road.

Letters to the Editor

I am writing in concern about an article written to you on Oct. 24 titled, “Los Altos is a paradise for pets” by Aiko and Jim Hill. In reference to the above mentioned article, we are stewards for the animals and not their owners.

Owners is mentioned four times pertaining to pets. Pets are not property but living, breathing things. People own cars, bicycles, clothing, boats. You get the idea, don’t you?

The dying

Other Voices

My mother is not going to go gently into the night. She was 77 when her lung cancer was discovered and there was no way that that could have happened. My father had died six months ago, excruciatingly, of Alzheimers - or rather we’d let his pneumonia go. She was free at last. No-one to be responsible for (the kids were all adults) and my father was dead; no-one to have to submit to. Chula Vista may have been sunny for the two of them while they were the average unhappy couple, but once Dad was safely locked into a dementia unit, she was going to San Francisco. To an elegant old retirement hotel there. To three grand meals served by livened waiters. To a lobby with chandeliers. Off she went.

Political evasiveness

The Living Experiment

Lately I have been troubled by several examples of evasiveness designed to mislead potential voters. While these vary greatly in terms of importance, all resulted in my losing trust in the people or process represented.

CYS reaches a golden age

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Renowned orchestra celebrates 50th anniversary with benefit concert

Calendar

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

Wednesday

Community Briefs

In a rare meeting being opened to the general public, Walter Leuchs, German deputy consul general, is scheduled to speak on the “Eurodollar” at the Los Altos Rotary Club 12:30 p.m., Thursday, in the Garden House at Shoup Park, 400 University Ave., Los Altos.

Luncheon buffet is $14 per person. For reservations or more information, call 961-0394.

Arts Briefs

The Los Altos History Museum and History House has scheduled a book signing and jewelry show noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 2 in the Los Altos History Museum.

Local authors participating include: Jane Bernasconi, Bobbi Callison, Shirley Climo, Eleanor Cranston Cameron, Rosalind Creasey, Rewa Hodges, Yvonne Jacobson, Paul and Liz Nyberg, and Ginger Summit.

The Festival of Lights Parade is a community volunteer effort

The 24th annual Festival of Lights Parade is scheduled at 7 p.m., Nov. 25, in downtown Los Altos.

A crowd is expected, so organizers advise arriving early to claim your spot along Main or State Street. A rain date is usually set for the Sunday following, in this case, Dec. 2.

Triple Crown walker

Town Crier Correspondent

Los Altos resident Brian Robinson hikes into the record book - 7,371 miles in under 10 months

CYS lives up to its formidable reputation with outstanding Flint Center concert

Review

As a testimony to the musical reputation that has accrued to the California Youth Symphony in recent years, an astonishing audience of 2,000 packed Flint Center at DeAnza College in Cupertino this past weekend for this season’s opening concert. The symphony performs 2:30 p.m., Sunday, at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.

Foundation gives leaders tours of former Packard house

Officials from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills received personal tours Nov. 7 through the new Taaffe House, the former David Packard residence willed to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Since the foundation can’t sit on its assets, the 10,000-square-foot residence on Taaffe Road in Los Altos Hills was transformed into a meeting facility for the foundation and grantees sponsored by foundation members. The house now includes three conference rooms, and foundation officials said they took great care to leave the house as it was.

Tellabration celebrates the magical art of storytelling - local event Saturday in Los Altos

Tellabration is an evening of storytelling performances held throughout the world on the same weekend to showcase local storytellers and to promote the art of storytelling.

The local Tellabration is scheduled 7-9 p.m., Saturday, at The Creekside Center, United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Ave., Los Altos.

Before city, there was a fire dept.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Our village is nearing its 50th birthday, but did you know that our fire department is only 21 years older? Back in March 1931, local residents recognized the need for fire protection and took action. At the time, there was only one vehicle - a wheeled rig, which had been purchased by the Chamber of Commerce. When they established the department, the Chamber installed Mr. T. J. Woodsworth as the first chief and George Ramsey as assistant chief. This was prudent since he owned the garage where the rig was stored.

World-renowned floral artist opens LA exhibit Thursday

An exhibit of original paintings and drawings by internationally acclaimed botanical artist Manabu Saito opens 6 p.m., tomorrow, at the Zyt Gallery in Los Altos. The exhibit, “Water & Colours: Spectrum in Flora,” will continue through Dec. 8.

The Saito exhibition contains his most recent work, including an extensive collection of colorful, intricately detailed depictions of flowers such as water lilies, bluebells, hydrangeas, roses, orchids and Mexican poppies.

Book signing and jewelry show offer gift ideas

The Los Altos History Museum and History House has scheduled a book signing and jewelry show noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 2 in the Los Altos History Museum. The Museum, newly decorated in a festive Christmas theme, will provide an opportunity to obtain personal Christmas gifts with local and traditional themes.

Local authors participating include: Jane Bernasconi, “Daughters of California Pioneers;” Bobbi Callison, “Growing Up in Los Altos;” Shirley Climo, “Cobweb’s Christmas;” Eleanor Cranston Cameron, “Alan Cranston;” Rosalind Creasey, “Edible Herb Garden” and “Edible Italian Garden;” Rewa Hodges, “Molly Mae;” Yvonne Jacobson, “Passing Farms, Enduring Values;” Paul and Liz Nyberg, “Paint the Town;” and Ginger Summitt, “The Complete Book of Gourd Craft” and “Gourd Crafts.”

Fending off the flu

Town Crier Correspondent

An overflow crowd lines up for shots at Los Altos Senior Center

At last: Winners announced in Crier’s Halloween writing contest

First prize, a pizza party for four at Round Table Pizza, goes to Ferris Jabr, 13, of Los Altos for “The Diary.” It was ironic that his story about characters with their world disappearing around them ended up vanishing from our initial selection of stories in the print edition of our Oct. 31 issue. But his story is now online at www.losaltosonline.com.

Second prize, a $10 certificate for Armadillo Willy’s in Los Altos, goes to Rebecca Luxton of Mountain View for her funny story about a ghost who likes the taste of clothes.

Jazzercise benefit for Sept. 11 victims nets more than $3,800

Town Crier Staff Report

Doing its part to help those still suffering in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a local Jazzercise class raised more than $3,800 for the Los Altos Peace Officers Association, which in turn will donate the funds to the American Red Cross, the New York Police Survivors Fund and the New York Firefighters 9-11 Relief Fund.

Library News

The Los Altos Library is again a collection site for food for the hungry. Collection barrels from the Second Harvest Food Bank will be in the library through the end of December.

LA senior center holds craft faire

The first “Holiday Craft Faire,” co-sponsored by the Los Altos Senior Center and the City of Los Altos, will be held at the Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave., noon to 4 p.m., Nov. 23, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 24. More than 20 vendors will participate.

Included in the sale will be holiday decorations and gift ideas such as wooden puzzles, handmade doll clothes for American Girl style dolls, handmade jewelry, wire sculptures, decorated sweatshirts, wooden bird houses, container gardens and handmade sweaters.

A Taste of the East at Gunn High School

Thick smells of sandalwood incense waft in the air. Durga-puja, worship, and Diwali, a festival of lights, two major Indian festivals are celebrated this time of year. They affirm life as well as Indian culture, popular Indian customs and ancient traditions.

Durga-puja, celebrated at Gunn High School Oct. 27 and 28 (courtesy of www.sanskriti.org), was a particularly poignant gathering of almost 1,000 Indians in the aftermath of Sept. 11, when hundreds of Indians perished in the World Trade Center.

Noteworthies

Twenty-five students at Saint Francis High School qualified for the Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are: Erin Atkinson, Katherine Brill, Laura Brill, Christine Capuyan, Kristopher Filak, David Gelineau, James Ivester, Priya Jhingan, Michael Jurka, Jessica Lake, Ingrid Larsson, Adam Lynch, Elizabeth Martin, Jeffrey Mitchell, Heather Monley, Marshall Mort, Erika North, Wendy Pang, Daniel Richter, Eric Roman, Katherine Ryan, Nicholas Swartz, Chris Testa and Chris Watmore. Eight Students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of 3.5 on all AP Exams taken. These students are: Steven Beeby, Lauren Berger, Amy Kerner, Anna Ozdemir, Adam Peterson, Joshua Solera, Tamar Tashjian and Margaret Tierney.

Los Altos resident Eleanor Thompson Wortz was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C.

St. Simon student wins educational scholarship

For 9-year-old Holly Bacon, a fourth-grade student at Saint Simon’s Catholic School in Los Altos, modeling for GapKids.com, auditioning for movies or competing for scholarships in the Pre-Teen California program are all in a day’s work.

“She started working for a talent agency in kindergarten,” said her mom Mary. “There is a fine balance between school, sports, the arts and modeling. But grades come first.”

Schools Briefs

Astronomer Dr. Lynn Cominsky of California State University, Sonoma, will present “Exploding Stars, Blazing Galaxies and Giant Black Holes: The Extreme Universe of Gamma-ray Astronomy,” an illustrated nontechnical lecture, 7-8:30 p.m., tonight, in the Smithwick Theater at Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. Admission is free, the public is invited. Visitors must purchase a $2 parking permit. For more information, call 949-7888.

Woodside Priory presents play

School board candidates comment on Nov. 6 election

Bill Cooper

Challenger

Eight Los Altos High students take part in national ‘peace fast’

Los Altos High School Learning Community students took part in a nationwide “Peace Fast,” Nov. 7-9.

Students Aaron Zonka, Forrest Scott, Jason Ciremele, Jenny Cade, Lee Miller, Mikhail Holst, Sam Harkness and Will Coonrod participated in the fast, initiated by students at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Looking for new ‘Super’ at MV-WSD

Being in charge of the newly merged Mountain View-Whisman School District, formed July 1, has come with its share of growing pains for the Mountain View-Whisman school board, including finding a new superintendent.

“We were taking two different districts and cultures and blending them into one,” said Fran Kruss, school board president. “We were in a transition year and were looking at a variety of things. We (the board) decided to release Superintendent Patricia Bubenik.”

Sports On The Side

Lokahi Volleyball Club, for girls ages 12-18, has scheduled tryouts for Saturday, and Dec. 1, 2 and 9 in the Mountain View High gym. Cost is $10. Players must attend at least two consecutive tryouts to be considered and register 15 minutes before each tryout. For times and more information, call Mountain View High varsity volleyball coach Peter Kim at 565-8888.

Call for coaches

Lancers golf team takes sixth in NorCal

Fall Sports Summary

St. Francis High finished first and sixth at the Northern California girls golf championships Nov. 5 at Salinas Golf & Country Club.

Lancers sneak into CCS; Eagles finish 0-9

Town Crier Correspondent

Prep Football Digest

Palo Alto surprises host St. Francis in CCS quarterfinals

Prep Girls Tennis Report

This was not the way Lynn Horiye wanted to finish his first season as head coach of the St. Francis High girls tennis team.

Mtn. View mauls Monta Vista to claim division championship

After blowing a chance to clinch the SCVAL El Camino Division title the prior week, the Mountain View High football team wasn’t about to repeat this dubious feat in its regular-season finale.

The host Spartans seized control of Friday’s game with a touchdown on their opening drive and never relinquished the lead in what resulted in a 33-13 rout of Monta Vista.

Los Altos, St. Francis advance in playoffs

Prep Volleyball Playoffs

The Los Altos High girls volleyball team will face a mysterious opponent at 6 p.m., Thursday, in the Central Coast Section Division III semifinals at Leland High.

On Deck: the local sports lineup for Nov. 14-20

Football

Friday

Hodzic pulls off ‘underhanded’ win for Pinewood tennis

With its postseason hopes literally riding on the back of a sophomore, the third-seeded Pinewood School girls tennis team knocked off Gunn and Santa Catalina last week to reach the semifinals of the Central Coast Section team playoffs.

The Panthers (20-0) were slated to face No. 7 Palo Alto Monday at Courtside Tennis Club in Los Gatos, with the winner taking on either Monta Vista or Menlo in today’s championship round. The final is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at Courtside.

Foothill football team subdues San Jose 51-13

Foothill College Sports Roundup

The Foothill College football team secured second place in the NCFA’s Golden Gate Division last Saturday with a 51-13 home win over San Jose City College.

Beware of the ‘bully broad’ syndrome

Jean Hollands’ ‘Same Game, Different Rules’ offers women managers tips for making the workplace succeed

In an era where corporations often merge and business focuses shift, collaboration and teamwork between management and employees is essential in keeping a company strong and functional. Unfortunately, the reality of the workplace as a struggle for power remains, and women executives are sometimes as likely as men to become a “one-person team.”

Demise of 30-year bond will benefit borrowers and spendthrifts

Town Crier Correspondent

The U.S. Treasury stunned financial markets last week when it announced it will halt selling 30-year bonds.

No more ‘bad hair days’

Atelier Salon offers hair care and makeup service in a quiet atmosphere

Business Profile

How’s the conservative investor doing these days?

Stock Report

Things are going great, right? Buying a home or refinancing can give you more money to spend because mortgage rates hit a 30-year low last week. And what better time to buy a new car with 0 percent down?

Transactions

Cupertino

10244 Danube Drive - E. Moon to P. Lughezzani for $520,000.00

Realtors to the rescue

By the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors

Realtors came to the rescue in response to the recent tragedy by raising over $5.5 million for the Realtors Housing Relief Fund established to help families of the victims killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks. So far, more than 245 families have been helped with mortgage and rental costs, and applications for the funds are continuing to be processed so more families can be helped.

Blitzing the media blitz

Los Altos vacationer gets swooped up in international Canadian track and field event, finds herself keeping frantic reporters at bay

My husband, Mark Winitz, and I went to Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), early in August to attend the 8th IAAF World Championships in Athletics to be held for 10 days. It was the first time this international track and field event was being held in North America.

Something old, something new

This year’s Thanksgiving meal has drawn the lines between the traditionalists in my family and the adventurers. For years and years, my grandmother always prepared the same traditional meal: roasted turkey, raviolis and her special cubed, baked potatoes. And for years and years, we all looked forward to her special dishes. My family passed the holiday tradition onto me this year.

The problem: Should I try to duplicate her meal or take the opportunity to create new family traditions.

Great wines from Down Under and over there

Town Crier Wine Correspondent

Arnie does Pennzoil commercials, Tiger sells Buicks and Greg Norman has his own wine. The Norman Estate wines turn out to be a very good product and they are reasonably priced at $16 or less, depending where they are purchased.

Any lean meat choices for sandwiches besides turkey?

Nutrition

Q: Is there any sandwich meat besides turkey that doesn’t have too much fat?

Food bites

Richard Lampner and Francine Flores, gourmet pie makers who grew up in Los Altos, will make their homemade holiday pies available locally this winter at Andronico’s and Draeger’s food stores in Los Altos and at Piazza’s in Palo Alto.

The husband-and-wife team opened the Monterey Bay Pie Company in Monterey’s historic downtown about a year ago after scouring the country for three years and studying the art of pie making.

Caribbean Ginger Turkey

2-pound turkey breast, skinned

1/2 cup soy sauce

Caramel Apple Focaccia

Ingredients:

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

Top 10

tips

Carving the turkey

Four turkey-dinner basics

1: Cranberry-glazed Roasted Turkey with gravy

Ingredients:

Founders, flutes, follies and comfy quilts furnish fall focus in Los Altos

Strictly Candids

THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY BRUNCH: The Los Altos Community Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary Oct. 21 at the annual brunch at the Los Altos Golf & Country Club. Featured speaker was Nadinne Cruz, executive director of the Haas School of Public Service and vice provost for student affairs at Stanford University.

Obituaries

Verl Holden a longtime Los Altos resident, died Nov. 3. A native of Oklahoma City, he was 79.

Mr. Holden was a pilot with TWA for 35 years before his retirement.

Noteworthies

Jacki’s Aerobic Programs is a national fitness company started in 1971 by Jacki Sorensen. The program is now taught to thousands of students in 42 states and three countries overseas.

Franich’s aerobics class meets 8:20-9:20 a.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, in the American Legion Hall. In August her class celebrated Franich’s 22 years as an aerobics instructor.

Mattes places third in dressage competition

Los Altos resident Wendy Mattes placed third in the Intermediare 1 Horse of the Year test held in Rancho Murieta Oct. 11-14. Wendy and her 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Dolce, competed against the top dressage horses from around the state in the California Dressage Society’s annual championship show.

The word dressage, derived from the French “dresser,” to train, denotes both a training method and a competitive sport.

Weddings & Engagements

Gail Louise Sheldon and Ronald Gregory Early were married April 21 at the Bohemian Club, San Francisco.

The bride is the daughter of Barbara Sheldon of Los Altos Hills, and George Sheldon of Napa. She graduated from Menlo School and received a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of the Pacific, Stockton. She is employed as an area manager at Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Creativity proves more than a stress reliever, expert relates

Transitions

Rev. Dr. Jim Thomas’ support group, called Transitions, is for people who have lost their jobs. They don’t just want help with resumes, though.

Christ Episcopal, United Methodist holiday events

The United Methodist Church in Los Altos has scheduled its annual holiday luncheon and sing-a-long 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 5, at 655 Magdalena Ave.

Foothill Covenant pastors reach out to community

Clergy Profile

Pastor Jim Gaderlund of Foothill Covenant Church introduced Kurt Notehelfer, his Associate Pastor to Youth and Young Adults, and commented, “I like team ministry.”

Art Scott’s Thanksgiving Build-A-Box looking for help

This is the 13th season for Art Scott’s Build-A-Box program that collects and distributes free Thanksgiving meals to the needy throughout Santa Clara County.

“Our goal is to provide everything necessary for a family to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner,” said Scott. “We want families to be able to have a holiday dinner at home.”

El Camino Youth Symphony performing this weekend

The El Camino Youth Symphony this weekend presents Sinfonietta Fall Classic, featuring special guests the Galbraith Honor Strings - conducted by Dr. Camilla Kolchinsky - and soloist Hannah Tarley, violin.

The Sinfonietta Orchestra opens the season with two performances of Schubert’s “Symphony No. 6,” Haydn’s “Concerto in C Minor” and selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” The Sinfonietta is an advanced level orchestra for middle and high school students that offers intensive training for membership in the ECYS Symphony. Hannah Tarley, winner of the 2001 ECYS Concerto Competition, will perform the solo for the first movement of Haydn’s violin “Concerto No. 1.”

‘Alice in Wonderland’ set to open at Foothill

Students enrolled in the intensive Foothill Theatre Conservatory will bring “Alice In Wonderland” to the stage Thursday through Sunday in Foothill College’s Smithwick Theater.

The one-hour, family-oriented play, will be performed by a cast of 30.

Peninsula Symphony bathes listeners in beautiful music

Concert review

A perfect concert: something conductor’s dream about and critics dread since there’s nothing to critique.

CSMA offering free concert by Bella Cosi

The Community School of Music & Arts continues its 2001-02 free Bank of Los Altos Family Concert Series with two performances by the Bella Cosi String Quartet on Sunday.

The 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. concerts will be held in the SecondStage of the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.

Tips for taking the edge off business travel

Today’s business travelers are wired — in more ways than one.

Plugged into voice mail and e-mail, hovered over laptops far into the night, business travelers have nowhere to hide from the pressures of work. Other stresses such as crowded highways, overbooked flights and unexplained delays can make just getting to a destination downright miserable.

Travel Talk

Travel bargains galore these days, especially among the cruise lines

The agency is overwhelmed with hundreds of faxes from companies offering us travel bargains for our clients. Only trouble is, there are so many we can’t keep abreast of them. What a change to see the high-priced hotels around the world dropping their rates and offering hundreds in restaurant credit. One fax I saw last week offered five free nights at a hotel in Paris if you bought two airline tickets.

New Marriott Residence Inn nears Los Altos opening

City officials were treated to a “sneak preview” of the hotel Tuesday, which includes full kitchens, T-1 high-speed Internet access in all rooms and a business center with computers featuring Windows XP and flat panel monitors. The hotel also features a fitness center, Jacuzzi, sport court, underground parking and meeting rooms. For more information, call 559-7890 or logon to: losaltosresidenceinn.com.

Does the name Warren Goodrich ring a bell?

Town Crier artist and

co-founder takes a humorous look at 88 years of life