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Archives » 2002 » Volume 55 , Issue 26, Published on Wednesday, June 26, 2002NewsSwimsuits to lawsuits
Town Crier Editorial Intern Potential neighborhood lawsuit doesn’t deter Rosita pool planners Memorial weekend accident claims second Los Altos victim June 19The driver of the car that crashed into a tree on Grant Road in Mountain View over the Memorial Day weekend died June 19, The Santa Clara County Coroner confirmed. Los Altos resident Richard Doherty skidded his BMW into a tree while returning home from an evening out with his wife and another couple at 1:02 a.m., May 25. Town Hall moves ahead despite ‘Outrage’ and outrageThe Los Alto Hills City Council is set to finalize plans for the construction of a new town hall next month. Mayor Bob Fenwick said Thursday that one of his goals as mayor for 2002-03 is to have residents make donations toward the $3.9 million its construction is expected to cost. However, some residents remain unhappy with the proposed plans. News BriefsThe Los Altos Hills City Council adopted a resolution Thursday that will lower the cost of building permit fees for new residences by more than $6,500. The reduced fee is a temporary measure so that the town will be in compliance with state law, which does not allow cities to charge more than the actual cost of its services. Police ReportJune 17, 10:45 p.m., Mount Hamilton Avenue and San Antonio Road: Police discovered marijuana in a vehicle during a routine traffic stop. Stray animal LA school district reports largest layoff in its historyMore than half the classified employees have received pink slips for the next school year The Los Altos School District eliminated more than half of its classified employees last week in one of the largest layoffs in the district’s history, in order to balance an anticipated shortfall in next year’s budget. District officials said the district is facing a $1.9 million deficit for the 2002-03 budget since voters defeated a proposed parcel tax increase last March. 8-hour standoff ends with arrestTown Crier Staff Report Los Altos Police rescued a woman from the hands of her allegedly abusive fiance last week before he barracaded himself in their Lassen Street home for eight hours. OpinionA July 4 salute to Los AltosThe small, unassuming town was recently dubbed the “Mayberry” of the ultra-tech Bay Area in the San Jose Mercury News. For most locals, the announcement was probably no surprise. Residents have worked hard to preserve that idealistic hometown character depicted in the 1950s television show as the era’s Shangri-La. Leaders need to inspire youth to seek challengesOther Voices On June 14, I along with 300 of my peers graduated from Los Altos High School. Tens of thousands of students across the country go through the same act each year, sent away from high school with trite words describing their ‘promise’, their ‘unlimited opportunity,’ and how the future of our great nation is in their hands. Unfortunately the tools to utilize the resources won’t be imparted upon students by schools or society. Never during a calculus class were life skills discussed. Teenagers lack a vision of what to do with their lives and how to better society and themselves when they walk away from the brick and mortar buildings of America’s high schools which insulate, not prepare them for the real world. When my parents were growing up, organizations such as the Peace Corps provided youth with opportunities to become involved in society. A doctor’s dilemmaOther Voices Four years of medical school, one year of internship, three years of residency in internal medicine, one year in Vietnam, followed by a year at Ford Ord, culminated with my entering practice in Los Altos. In 1968, I was anxious to hang my shingle with a private practice specializing in internal medicine. Letters to the EditorOn the afternoon of June 6 I dialed a telephone number with what was intended to be a 917 prefix. Apparently I double-touched the 1 after the 9, and within seconds I had had a call from 911 to see if I needed help. I was embarrassed by my mistake, but also surprised and pleased at the speedy response. About 10 seconds later I received another call. This one was from the Police Department. They were checking on my welfare. It is very assuring to me to live in a community with such prompt, capable and courteous city employees. I hope their compensation equals their abilities. They have my thanks. CommunityChief of police short on vices, long on community involvementLos Altos’ Don Johnson may not star in a television detective show, but his face is well known in the community. In his first year as Los Altos police chief, Johnson has dived into his job, making community involvement a priority at the police department. Local schools have welcomed Johnson into the classroom. He recently served on a panel that listened to students read their work. Romance of the rails … on a small scaleRailway society tour features Los Altos model railroaders Whether you love recalling the pleasures of traveling by rail or just want to learn more about the history of trains, you’ll find something to enjoy at the Bay Area Garden Railway Society’s 2002 regional meet. The event features a self-guided tour of scale-model railroad displays at 80 open houses. Community BriefsThe 55 Alive Senior Driver Training Class is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., July 6 and 13, at Stanford Nissan. There is a $10 fee. For more information, call 493-0363. Museum joins Los Altos celebration Community comes together to rebuild LAH churchSeveral local churches have joined together to showcase their musical talents to raise money for rebuilding the Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer in Los Altos Hills. The church was destroyed in the three-alarm fire that an arsonist set nearly three months ago. Input welcome on updating list of local non-profit agencies, groupsThe first directory, featuring nearly 50 groups, appeared in last week’s paper. The list, compiled by Lee Lynch, is intended to showcase the philanthropic associations in our midst, as well as offer outlets for our readers to contribute. Picnic celebration planned for July 4Celebration The sponsors of “Glorious 4th,” the annual Independence Day celebration in Los Altos’ Shoup Park, are gearing up for a day of music and entertainment. Images in light and shadowIt wasn’t until just 10 years ago, when her three children reached their teens, that Jane McCullough became a watercolor artist. “Until then, the last art class I had taken was in junior high,” the longtime Los Altos resident said. “I always knew I was artistic. I knew there was something there, but I didn’t know to what extent until I really began to pursue it in 1992.” SchoolsLaurels lavished on Liewer at district retirement partyEven though Dick Liewer will retire as assistant superintendent of curriculum this year, he is not leaving the hearts of those who know him or worked with him during his 35 years of service in the Los Altos School District. Family, friends and colleagues paid tribute to Liewer at a district-sponsored retirement party June 11, at the Garden House at Shoup Park. Liewer, who is taking an early retirement, will be replaced by current Bullis-Purissima School Principal Patricia Boettcher on July 1. Duarte named Montclaire’s Teacher of the YearThird-grade teacher Pam Duarte, from Montclaire School in Los Altos, has been named Teacher of the Year in the Cupertino Union School District. An individual is chosen every year from each school in the district to receive an award for demonstrating “special skills, talents and abilities,” said Nancy Woods, principal of Montclaire. NoteworthiesAaron Mathew Waters of Los Altos earned a bachelor’s degree in visual arts from Curry College, in Milton, Mass. Kendra Barkoff, daughter of Sharon and Rodger Barkoff of Los Altos Hills, earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington University, in St. Louis, Mo. Blach chess player ranked third in nationTown Crier Editorial Intern At the age of 7, Ankit Gupta began learning chess from his father. Two months later, he was winning every game. SportsSports On The SideThe Youthful Seniors Bike Ride departs from The Bicycle Outfitter at Loyola Corners in Los Altos at 10:30 a.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays. Riders can choose their challenge: 12 to 22 miles, flat route, some hills or major hills. For more information, call John Schaefer at 948-8092. Get on board The PA Oaks are standing tall in Stan Musial LeagueHaving coached the Palo Alto Oaks since 1954, Tony Makjavich knows what it takes to win in baseball. “The name of the game is pitching,” the 88-year-old said. “It’s as simple as that.” Jensen bros. swing to victory
Brothers Mike and Chris Jensen of Los Altos started off their summer vacations and their Junior golf tournament season with wins and personal-best low scores. Mike, 16, won the overall championship at the 70th annual East Bay Junior, held last week at the Alameda Golf Course. More than 150 golfers took part in the two-day tourney. Braves, Rockies capture Pony crowns
On their way to capturing the Los Altos-Mountain View Pony Division title, the Braves created several anxious moments for their coaches and fans by making a habit out of comeback wins. The team of 13- and 14-year-olds (15-5 in league) won eight games in its final two at-bats. Local soccer star hoping for fresh start in San DiegoThere are few negative aspects to playing on a professional sports team. One of the them, however, is the possibility of being traded at any given time. That’s what happened to St. Francis High grad Anna Kraus last week. Two months into her first Women’s United Soccer Association season, Kraus was traded from the Atlanta Beat to the San Diego Spirit for a second-round pick in 2003. Getting their kicksTown Crier Correspondent Mtn. View-based soccer clinic stresses fun and fundamentals Longtime SFHS tennis coach retiresGary Dinneen didn’t know it then, but a brief conversation with his athletic director in 1987 was really an informal job interview. Dinneen, who at the time was coaching basketball at St. Francis High, recalls fielding two innocent questions from then-athletic director Angelo Aguiar. BusinessA virtual personal assistant for handling that devil in the detailsBusiness Profile If you own a small or startup company, you may not need or be able to afford a full-time executive assistant to help you take care of all the myriad administrative details involved in running a business. On the other hand, you do need competent and experienced part-time help so you can concentrate on business development - and still have time for a personal life. Networking aloha styleHula Networks buys, sells and trades networking hardware and phone systems About two months ago, three friends - Joe Commendatore, Scott Hobin and Steve Robinson - sat relaxing on a Maui beach pondering the future of their careers. Stocks continue downslide, but still best place to beStock Report If you have been a “buy and hold” investor you are having your head delivered to you on a platter. Last week was the fifth straight week of losses on the market. Business BriefsLinda and Dennis Ronberg, owners of Linden Tree Children’s Records and Books in downtown Los Altos, were presented the Sally Siegal Friend of Education Award May 30 at Palo Alto’s Cultural Center for their work with local teachers. The award is given each year to a person or couple who lives in the community and has provided strong support for public education. Your HomeWays to clean house without harsh chemicalsPeople today have less time for everything - including house cleaning. When they do clean, however, they don’t want to use harsh chemicals, according to a recent survey. EPA warns of indoor air pollutantsRegular housework may do more than lead to a neat home - it can lead to a cleaner bill of health. Even though 95 percent of Americans surveyed described the air in their homes as “clean and healthy,” studies show that indoor air pollution is actually one of the top five environmental risks to public health, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Web sites offer objective information on window replacementReplacing old windows with more energy-efficient models is one of the more popular improvements homeowners can make - and there’s a wealth of information on the Internet that can help you make your purchasing decision. Unfortunately, the search for windows on the Internet can give you listings of hundreds of new computer products. The following is a list of unbiased and informative Web sites. Family history preservedTown Crier Correspondent Three generations enjoy Craftsman home on Cherry Avenue Remodel to please yourself, not to make your home a good buy“Pictures do a great job of showing you the options when your remodeling budget is $50,000 or more, but we try to focus on kitchens for the rest of us,” said David Haglund, founder and president of Kitchen Tune-Up. Haglund was reacting to a May 2002 Money magazine article on kitchen and bath remodeling, which illustrated a $60,000 kitchen and a $10,000 bath. That aside, he said, “The article raises a number of really valuable points for consumers regarding questions they should ask about remodeling projects.” The National Association of Home Builders asserts that it’s important to renovate kitchens and baths every 15-20 years to retain the value of an investment in a home. At the same time, it’s important to keep a balance between the cost of remodeling and the value of the home. For instance, a $60,000 kitchen remodel in a $250,000 home isn’t likely to give a great return on investment. Home BriefsHome improvement expert Ron Hazelton is coming to the Los Altos area next month in search of homeowners who want to star on an episode of his nationally syndicated television show, “Ron Hazelton’s HouseCalls.” The show airs locally on KGO7. Hazelton travels across the country in his custom motor home, equipped with a mobile workshop helping families tackle home improvements. The show focuses on realistic do-it-yourself improvement projects that may be done in a single weekend by ordinary people. He is seeking those who would like to work on their home with him and are available for two days of taping for the on-site shoot in July. Extended warranties on appliances are questionableTown Crier Correspondent Three years ago your brother-in-law bought a used car and invested an additional $800 in an extended warranty. Now he is bitching because he never used it. |
In Our OpinionLetters to the Editor
Leo Long earns local honorsIn the April 30 issue of the Town Crier, you were right to congratulate and thank Dick Henning from Foothill College for four decades of service to the community. I met him at Foothill as student body president more years ago than I’ll admit. Great guy. |
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