By Tougher campaign against drunk drivers

Santa Clara County plans to beef up its annual “Avoid the 13″ drunk driving campaign this holiday season, adding police helicopters, mobile booking units and police chiefs from 15 local agencies to the 17-day crackdown beginning Friday.

Organizers expect as many as 30 vehicles, police cruisers, stealth cars, California Highway Patrol motorcycles, helicopters, mobile booking units and rescue rigs to kick off the event at the San Jose Sports Arena before heading to designated sobriety checkpoints. Los Altos and Mountain View police and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office are among those scheduled to participate.

The countywide program, now called “Designate or Incarcerate,” began 26 years ago with 13 law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County to remove drunk drivers from the streets.

Los Altos police plan to set up a sobriety checkpoint Saturday night in Los Altos.

Los Altos police reported 14 arrests and no alcohol-related injury collisions or fatalities during last year’s campaign, during which they staffed two checkpoints.

Mountain View

Finn donates $2 million to CSMA

Los Altos

The Community School of Music and Arts has received a $2 million donation to its capital campaign from Los Altos Hills Councilman Steve Finn. Finn’s contribution represents the largest gift the school has received in its campaign to build a permanent home.

The announcement, along with one about an additional six-figure foundation grant to the school’s capital campaign, was made at a recent private event for supporters of the school.

Finn is the chairman, president and CEO of Trust Company of America, an independent trust company with headquarters in Englewood, Colo.