By Rancho property bought from a doctor

I recently received a copy of the Nov. 14 Town Crier with its excellent coverage of the Rancho Shopping Center’s 50th anniversary.

I would like, though, to correct an error. Frances Kennedy Maas’s column (p. 6) indicates that developer Chris Wilder bought the future Rancho property from my father, John McKenzie. In fact, the property belonged to a Dr. Rixford, and for years I knew it as “the Rixford place.” The name is preserved in the Rancho homes today as Rixford Lane.

John McKenzie’s actual property included today’s McKenzie Park and the adjacent corporation yard. John was a strong supporter of Chris Wilder’s and appreciated his foresight and ideas.

He also worked for Wilder as a contractor, building the roads and preparing site elevations for the Rancho homes and the shopping center.

Caroline McKenzie AppliMorgan Hill

Take from rich, not poor districts

The proposed $800 million budget cuts in education will delay a $40 million program to bring California’s lowest-funded districts nearer to the state average of spending per student. Keeping the status quo may be the easier way out of a budget dilemma, but why should districts that have historically received less than the state average continue to be penalized? Cuts should be made with the school districts that receive above the state average in student spending. Cupertino Union School District, which has the lowest per-pupil spending in Santa Clara County, will lose $233,000 under the proposed budget. The governor and state legislature should look at the equity issue of funding before they finalize the budget.

Chris Chang WeeksLos Altos

Any way to save bread?

Last month after Thanksgiving, my daughter was in town, passing by Le Boulanger, when she saw one of the Boulanger employees tossing out (into the dumpster) many loaves of bread and a big carton of croissants. Both she and another passerby remonstrated with the worker, telling her that there were many hungry people and organizations for the hungry that would be happy to have this bread, even though it was two days old. However, the worker said that the manager had told her to throw out the bread, and she would follow instructions or perhaps lose her job.

Is there, perhaps, some health regulation that prevents the store from donating their excess bread? If not, I think it is a callous practice to throw out usable food. If not, then could we somehow persuade Le Boulanger to make some effort to donate this food to the hungry?

Shirley TwerskyLos Altos Hills

According to Ray Montalvo, director of Le Boulanger retail operations, the bakery looks at all possible ways to find useful needs for less-than-fresh bread. Villa Siena regularly picks up bread from the bakery for needy seniors. At the same time, the bakery is conscious of health regulations. Food dropped on the ground, for instance, cannot be served to anybody. To suggest a need, call (408) 774-9000.