Making the festival enjoyable

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Organizers say the hassles, challenges of putting on the event are all worth it

Spotlight on the festival: Don Riggs

This weekend, Riggs will be one of the hundreds of featured artists at the Los Altos Art and Wine Festival, but he won’t be showcasing his work in jewelry.

Instead, Riggs will be selling bronze sculptures, some reaching nearly nine feet in height.

Spotlight on the festival: The Joy Singers

The group, formed seven years ago, performs sacred folk music, but will sing non-denominational pieces for their festival performance. The Joy Singers perform 10-11:30 a.m. Sunday, at the Community Stage (See festival map in today’s magazine for details).

Singer Karen Gamow, a soprano with the group, said she can’t easily classify the kind of music the Joy Singers perform, but, “once you’ve heard them, they’re a bit unforgettable.”

Memorial services today for George Furuichi, co-founder of Los Altos Nursery

Friends are invited to attend services at 4 p.m. today at the Mountain View Buddhist Temple, 575 North Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View.

Mr. Furuichi was a native of Los Altos and served in the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant with the “E” company of the 442 Regiment Combat Team, receiving the distinguished unit badge with oak leaf cluster.

LAH changes Town Hall site plan, residents still unhappy

Town Crier Editorial Interns

Debate between the Los Altos Hills City Council and a resident group over plans for a new town hall continues despite apparently meeting the group’s concerns about traffic safety in a revised site plan.

Fire at MV apartment building leaves 12 families homeless

A two-alarm fire severely damaged a 12-unit apartment building on California Street in Mountain View last week leaving more than a dozen families temporarily homeless.

As many as 28 people were forced to leave their belongings and homes behind in one of the city’s largest evacuation efforts, according to officials from the Palo Alto Chapter of the American Red Cross who set up an emergency shelter in the city’s Community Center on Rengstorff Avenue.

News Briefs

Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss reappointed Tony Estremera to the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors last week. He will represent the interests of the North County area, which includes Los Altos.

Estremera has served the community for the past 25 years through his work at the Legal Aid Society of Santa Clara County, the Santa Clara County Housing Task Force and the San Jose/Evergreen Community College District Board of Trustees.

Police Report

July 1, 9:28 a.m., Altos Oaks Drive: Child locked in vehicle.

11:56 a.m., Manresa Ct.: Subject trapped in their own elevator.

Los Altos, LAH make county fourth most expensive place in nation

Santa Clara County, thanks to communities like Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, is the fourth least affordable place to live in the nation according to a newly released housing study. And the situation doesn’t look like it’s going to improve anytime soon, local housing experts say.

Even during the current recession, the mean home price in Santa Clara County stands at $551,317 for existing homes and $740,003 for new homes. The median-income household can afford to buy only approximately 15 percent of the houses sold in the county. This number contrasts with the national average of 63 percent, according to the County of Santa Clara Housing Task Force Report.

LAH group moves forward with initiative to preserve open space

A Los Altos Hills group is moving forward with an initiative to leave Byrne Preserve and Westwind Barn lands as they currently are.

The group, Los Altos Hills Open Space, is hoping to bring an initiative before the voters next spring that would lock in approximately 70 acres of prime Los Altos Hills real estate as permanent open space.

Local officials unfazed by court ruling that strikes ‘God’ from Pledge of Allegiance

Town Crier Editorial Intern

While TV and radio talk shows across the nation blared with outrage at a federal court’s decision to strip “God” from the Pledge of Allegiance, reaction from local officials was relatively neutral.

The best plan put forward?

The newly formed resident group, “LAH Outrage” is challenging design plans for a new Los Altos Hills town hall on several points, including building size and expense, and safety questions based on proposed access from Fremont Road.

Town officials have been responsive to the group’s concerns and this past week, they revised the site plan to move a parking lot away from a path that school children frequent. Revisions also included leaving the Heritage House and surrounding orchard as it is instead of moving the house and destroying the orchard.

Letters to the Editor

Dr. Epstein’s essay (Other Voices, June 26) deserves a response. The deplorable condition of health care and the predicament that doctors face are no doubt described accurately enough, but where are the solutions?

See, doctor, this is where you and your AMA colleagues have failed us. We always counted on you, and long ago, as a block, you should have been standing up to the HMO/insurance onslaught for us. Instead, a certain number (maybe a tiny minority) of your colleagues were getting into profitable sideline provider businesses and developing HMOs themselves, and maybe the AMA didn’t feel like rocking that boat. So now the HMO/insurance company monster is fully grown and, as you imply, outranks and envelops you and your colleagues.

A day of solitude

The Living Experiment

Days like today come along seldom in life, at least in my life. Today is precious, dreamy and entirely unprecedented.

Jewish Community Center announces purchase of 12-acre Sun Microsystems’ Palo Alto campus

The Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Palo Alto has announced its purchase of a 12-acre site in Palo Alto for development of a Jewish community campus. The property was previously owned by Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Once it is developed, the campus will become the new permanent home for the JCC, supporting its 30-year tradition of multigenerational services for preschoolers, school-aged children, teens, adults and seniors, and provide a town square for the South Peninsula’s Jewish community.

New board at Rancho adds vigor to plans

Rancho Update

Some things never change. And the Rancho Merchants Association is working to keep it that way.

History museum seeks volunteers

High school through graduate school interns can join the intern program. To volunteer for the internship program, e-mail madelyn.crawford@ci.los-altos.ca.us or call 948-9427.

Seniors News

Los Altos Senior Center and Mid-Peninsula Widows and Widowers are organizing a trip to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 9-15.

Apart from attending the balloon festival and an evening of fireworks, tour members will visit the state Capitol, the oldest inhabited village in the United States and Carlsbad Caverns.

‘Glorious 4th’ celebration draws enthusiastic crowd

If ever there was a year that America needed a rousing celebration of its birthday, this was it.

Boo Bue, master of ceremonies of Los Altos’ “Glorious 4th” celebration last Thursday, asked the crowd to yell “Happy Birthday USA.”

Los Altos artist brings South American roots to paintings

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Fine Arts

LAH girl overcomes disability, realizes dream to ride horseback on ‘Poker’ trail

Town Crier Editorial Intern

When diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three months, Charlotte Colby of Los Altos Hills was cast into an unknown medical category; professionals did not know how the prognosis would affect her life or even whether or not she would be able to walk again.

Tony Award winner wows the crowd at TheatreWorks’ fund-raiser in MV

Triple Tony Award-winning singer-actress Audra McDonald thrilled an audience of TheatreWorks supporters at a gala event held recently at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

The event raised some $50,000 for TheatreWorks’ education and outreach programs.

Correction

Sue Reese’s adoptive father was not an electrician; he was the owner of California Electric, a San Francisco lighting and electrical supply distributor.

Also, Reese is the mother of two sons and a daughter, not three daughters.

Reunion with dad ends happily for Los Altos Safeway employee

Town Crier Editorial Intern

If you’ve ever wondered about the people behind the counter at your local store, you may be in for some fascinating stories. Take, for example, Justin Huey, who works in the fish department at Safeway in Los Altos.

Los Altos library packed with programs for youth this month

Are your kids zoning out in front of the TV again, watching endless episodes of bizarre cartoons and mindless sitcoms?

Or worse: are they constantly bored - pleading for something to do as you swelter in the summer heat?

Calendar

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

Wednesday

Community Briefs

San Jose Museum of Art Senior Curator Joanne Northrup reviews a new exhibition of 90 women artists who lived and worked in California between 1950 and 2000. The exhibit shows how California’s socio-political climate, periods of radical activism, waves of immigration, and advances in technology influenced artworks made by a range of women diverse in age, background, and artistic training. Northrup’s talk, sponsored by the Friends of the Los Altos Library, takes place 7:30 p.m., July 17, at the Los Altos main library, 13 S. San Antonio Road.

The exhibition tracks a new and still expanding artistic vocabulary. In Part One, Media-based Works and Performance, shows artists using earthworks, conceptual art, plus video, computers, fax, satellite and lasers for creative expression. Part two, painting, sculpture, and mixed media, includes more traditional works by Ruth Asawa, Jay DeFeo, Judy Chicago and Joan Brown, among others.

Saint Francis High School Graduation list

Manuelita Sofia Abud

Virgilio Escorial Acacio

Community School of Music and Arts moving to downtown Mountain View

The Community School of Music and Arts will soon be moving to downtown Mountain View, to a large, newly renovated facility at 220 View St. (former Mountain View School District Main Office). This move has been necessitated because of the Mountain View-Whisman School District’s need to use CSMA’s current site at 253 Martens Ave., for Huff School.

Effective July 15, CSMA will open its doors at its new site. This facility will serve as an interim home for the next 18-24 months while the school awaits construction of its $10.5 million permanent home at San Antonio Circle.

LASD board of trustees OK playground equipment for Oak

The board also discussed funding possibilities raised by increases in the current parcel tax. Members weighed the question of what funding increase would be supported by district voters. The district plans to ask for another increase in November after an April attempt failed by a slim margin.

The board plans to set the amount of the proposed parcel tax at its next meeting, July 22.

State doesn’t have enough money to offer high-quality education

Editor’s note: Marge Gratiot, superintendent of the Los Altos School District, answers questions about the district in this periodic column. If you would like to forward a question, write to the Town Crier at 138 Main St., 94022 or e-mail editor Bruce Barton at bruceb@latc.com with your question for Marge.

Q: The district’s budget woes thanks to the state are well documented. Are you aware of any lobbying efforts to alter the funding formula so that the state can offer more support?

New MV-Whisman schools chief ‘excited’ with future

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Jim Negri started work last Friday as the new schools chief for the Mountain View-Whisman School District, a position he’s looking forward to.

Sports On The Side

St. Francis High junior Josh Lansford was recently named to one of Cal-Hi Sports 2002 All-State Baseball Teams. Lansford, son of former Major League standout Carney Lansford, was selected for the All-State Underclass Team as an infielder.

Coaches wanted

Racing from ‘The Rock’

Thrill-seeking LA couple survives Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon

As the ferryboat neared Alcatraz Island just past dawn on June 16, Rodger Bivens clutched the hand of his wife of 33 years, Karin.

Prep leagues announce top performers for spring

High school athletic leagues from around the Central Coast Section recently announced their all-league selections for the spring varsity sports.

Local athletes honored are listed below.

West Bay Titans advance to medal round of national baseball tournament in Arizona

The West Bay Titans, an Amateur Athletic Union baseball team comprising of top-notch 15-and-under players, held their own in last month’s National USA Jr. Olympic Tournament in Tucson, Ariz.

The Titans lost their first two games of the tourney, which featured several 16-and-under squads, then won three straight to make the medal round.

New Mtn. View volleyball coach Phillips faces ‘building year’

The Mountain View High girls volleyball team will enter a new era this fall.

The Spartans will play in a new division and under a new coach.

Inkster edges Sorenstam for U.S. Open crown

Los Altos resident Juli Inkster last Sunday became the second-oldest golfer to win the United States Women’s Open.

Inkster, 42, beat out top-ranked Annika Sorenstam by two strokes to collect the LPGA’s biggest payoff: $535,000.

Coaches makes a point: Feely deserves ‘Parade’

Town Crier Correspondent

Sarah Feely’s selection as the 2001-02 girls basketball MVP of both the Private Schools Athletic League and the Central Coast Section last winter wasn’t surprising.

Los Altos Chamber of Commerce seeks to instill pride in the city

This year, one of the goals of the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is to promote pride in the city.

“We are trying to recognize that people should take pride in Los Altos by improving their property and cleaning up the debris,” said Ron Labetich, chairman of the pride campaign. “Before going out to the community and asking for a cleanup of their property, we cleaned up the chamber of commerce building.

Court will approve new owner for Bar & Grill today

Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival visitors looking for a watering hole to sit and quench their dying thirst won’t be able to relax at the Main Street Bar & Grill. It’s been closed nine weeks because of bankruptcy action.

“Technically, I’m still the owner till July 10,” said Loren Masters. “We have numerous people looking at the space, including several national organizations.”

The week will tell if last Friday’s rally was ‘real’

Stock Report

Investors who came back from the July 4th break pushed up share prices on the Nasdaq and the Dow because rumors of terrorist dirty tricks did not happen. Last Friday was the Dow’s 10th best day in history.

Transactions

Los Altos

936 Covington Court - Chan Trust to Yung Trust for $1,265,000.00

Tech Talk

TrueType and PostScript fonts: There is a difference

This column offers solutions to personal technology questions from our readers. Neither the author nor this newspaper endorses products or companies mentioned.

Benjamin Simon becomes second music director in Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra’s history

The Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra has named Benjamin Simon its new music director.

Simon, who is also music director of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, is only the second music director in PACO’s 36-year history. He succeeds founder William Whitson, who died last August.

PYT weaves the ‘Web’ this week at Cubberley

Peninsula Youth Theater celebrates the 50th anniversary of “Charlotte’s Web” with a musical version of E.B. White’s beloved story about the special friendship between a clever spider and a friendly pig.

The production opens Friday and runs through July 19 at Cubberley Community Center Theater, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

Behind the scenes at wine competitions

Actors, directors, athletes, authors and musicians all compete for top honors at annually celebrated world-class events. Competitions are also an exciting part of the wine industry and award-winners earn the right to proudly display their medal on the bottle, just as authors or musicians can display honors on their book or album cover.

What are top wine competitions like? Gallo of Sonoma provides a behind-the-ropes view of some of the most prestigious:

I’m eating salads every day but not losing weight - why?

Nutrition

Q: To lose weight, I have a salad for lunch every day but this hasn’t worked - why not?

Research lauds benefits of tuna and salmon rich in omega-3

For years, research has shown that men with a history of heart disease can reduce the risk of sudden death by consuming omega-3-rich fish, but recent studies show similar results for women and the benefits for both men and women who have a healthy history.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that omega-3 fatty acids in such fish as salmon and albacore tuna reduce a woman’s risk of heart disease by one-third. The New England Journal of Medicine reports a decline of about 80 percent in men.

Food Bites

The Los Altos Village Association is scheduled to hold its annual Art & Wine Festival in downtown Los Altos Saturday and Sunday. The event will feature crafts from more than 400 artists, entertainment, food, wine and beer.

The Los Altos Art and Wine Festival has consistently ranked in the Top 75 festivals in the nation, according to the Harris Rhodes List, a service that contains up-to-date information on the best arts and craft shows in the United States.

No recession for Los Altos restaurants

Local owners say business is good despite economic downturn

Although the candles have gone out in several fine dining establishments, most Los Altos restaurants haven’t gone on a crash diet for business.

Wines come with a variety of closures

My previous article dealt mostly with poor cork quality and the musty, wet-cardboard smelling wines that result. The column elicited more feedback than usual.

The majority thought it was not a large problem and that if a wine was corked it occurred mostly in restaurants where the wine may have been mistreated.

Vegetarian options more than just salads

When Bart’s sister Lisa, on the popular cartoon, “The Simpsons,” became a vegetarian, it should have been a clue. Trends are often reflected in television shows, and teen vegetarianism is definitely a trend. Recent surveys show close to 40 percent of teens identify themselves as vegetarians. For many reasons - health, religion, ethics, weight, fashion, environment - American teens have largely given up Big Macs for veggie burgers.

There are vegetarian rock bands, vegetarian movie stars. And, for the record, Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein and Clara Barton were all vegetarians.

CSMA women jazz it up

Strictly Candids

PURDUE ALUMNI GATHERING: Los Altos Hills Major Bob Fenwick recalled his collegiate years upon meeting Purdue Dean Linda Katehi.

Engagements

Brittany Emling and Darren Stevens are to be married July 20 at the Pacific Athletic Club, in Redwood Shores.

The bride is the daughter of Edward and Shari Emling of Los Altos Hills. She graduated from Menlo School and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UC San Diego and a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Claremont Graduate University. She is currently working as an educational psychologist in San Jose as well as completing her doctorate in developmental psychology from Claremont Graduate University.

Obituaries

Mr. Dittmann move to Los Altos in 1970. He worked in computer sales for many Silicon Valley companies, including Memorex, Perkin-Elmer and Hitachi Data Sytems. After retiring from his first career, he started another, raising corporate donations for th United Way in Santa Clara. He volunteered at St. Williams Parish in Los Altos. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Dittmann is survived by his wife, Marge; five children, Bill Dittmann, Sue Dittmann Gullixson, Tom Dittmann, Katie Dittmann Scott and Steve Dittmann; five grandchildren, Jordan and Ashley Dittmann, Sara and Patrick Gullixson, and Ian Scott.

Local author writes a spiritual book for those not tied to a particular religion

There is a lot of interest today in transformation. People are no longer willing to accept that their lives are dishonest shams, miserable, boring or unhealthy.

Personal stress is exacerbated by our complex lifestyles, and it’s not unusual to see people take jobs they hate, simply because the employer offers good company benefits.

Musical fund-raiser scheduled for orthodox church

“The Festival of Hope Community Showcase of Talent,” a benefit program to assist in the rebuilding of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer, whose sanctuary was destroyed by an arson fire in early April, is scheduled 2-4 p.m., Sunday.

The event will be held at Los Altos Methodist Church, Magdalena Avenue at Foothill Expressway, in Los Altos.

Spiritual Life Briefs

Creekside Crossings, the Sunday evening contemporary worship at Los Altos United Methodist Church, will explore the sayings of Jesus from now through Labor Day. Messages are created to reach out to all ages, from children through adults.

The Creekside Worship Band, directed by Dirk Damonte, leads sing-along music. The band of 10-12 persons features the latest in contemporary Christian music.

‘Private’ showing

Town Crier Staff Report

Described as “an evening of laughs, twists, turns, suspense and surprises,” the quirky comedy “Private Eyes” opens this week in Los Altos.

Summer Sings start Monday

Schola Cantorum’s Summer Sings 2002 kicks off Monday night in Mountain View.

Now in its 20th year, the series of community sing-alongs will continue through Aug. 19 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.

‘Moby Dick’ opens series in Palo Alto

The Palo Alto Children’s Theater has announced its annual Wingspread Summer Stock season, under the theme “Sneakers to Shakespeare.”

The season opened last week with the wacky pop musical “Moby Dick, a Whale of a Tale,” which runs through Monday.

Israeli, Palestinian peace activists to speak locally

Visiting Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers Eliyahu McLean and Ibrahim Abuelhawa will speak about their efforts at bringing about peace between Israeli Jews and Arabs on July 28, at both the Unity Church and Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto.

The appearances are co-sponsored by the South Bay Jewish/Palestinian Dialogue Group, which rotates meetings between the Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer in Los Altos Hills and Shir Hadash.