Meeting their goals?

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Los Altos, LAH council members conscientious about fulfilling campaign promises

Police wary of suspect after Los Altos employee in love triangle

Los Altos police are keeping close watch on both suspect and victim in a bizarre love triangle that involves an estranged husband and wife, and a former girlfriend.

The former girlfriend, who works in Los Altos, has been stalked by the estranged wife for several months now, said chief investigator, Los Altos Det. Joseph Mamone.

Opposition group rages against city’s new Town Hall designs

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Los Altos Hills

Tempers flare as neighbors rail against conceptual plans for Rosita pool project

It was supposed to be a meeting aimed at showing Los Altos residents conceptual plans for a three-pool complex at the end of Rosita Avenue. Instead, last Thursday’s meeting turned into a litany of rapid-fire complaints from neighborhood residents who stand to be impacted by increased traffic and noise.

Most of the 40-plus neighbors filling Room A at Hillview Community Center clearly preferred discussion about mitigation measures rather than pools placement, a development that left Dick Thomas, a pools proponent, fuming as he and another neighbor walked out of the meeting in the middle of an argument.

Purissima Hills water officials still unhappy with rent hike

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Responding to an outcry from the Purissima Hills Water District about raising their monthly rent from $500 to $3,500, the Los Altos Hills City Council has proposed to charge $2,000 per month in return for three district provided Emergency Communication Stations.

News Briefs

Los Altos City Council members approved a laundry list of minor items last week, including approval of applications for two condominium projects and acceptance of boundaries for a one-story overlay zone.

Council members July 9 approved design and subdivision applications for a 9-unit condo project at 41 Cuesta Drive and a 4-unit project at 477 Tyndall St.

City may remove residents’ fences to make way for Berry Avenue bike lane

Right now, Los Altos city officials are on the fence as to which residents will lose theirs to make way for a bike lane.

The city met with several perturbed Berry Avenue residents, July 10, to discuss which residents who live on the south side of the street might have to remove their fences, which according to the city, are built into the public right of way.

Police Report

July 8, 1:11 p.m., Anthony Court:

Roof inspection.

Editorial Cartoon

The evil seed of corporate greed

We remain solidly convinced the free enterprise system in this country is the best in the world. But we are disgusted, as you undoubtedly are, with the parade of recent corporate misdeeds that have bankrupted companies and left thousands out of work.

The fall of corporate giants such as Enron and Worldcom, with their fudged accounting practices and questionable ethics of their multimillionaire leaders, left many little-guy shareholders paying for their transgressions while company CEOs pled the Fifth and stood silent about their specific roles.

Retain LAH open space heritage for future generations

Other Voices

Are there things that society values more than money? Do we have an ethical obligation to honor our commitments? When we have promised to maintain something forever, can we interpret “forever” in such a way to suit our current needs and desires? In less ethically challenged times, we wouldn’t even have to ask such questions, but unfortunately, they’re becoming all too common these days. Now it’s the turn of the citizens of Los Altos Hills to find their own answers.

Letters to the Editor

Your July 3 editorial on the Court of Appeals’ recent decision re the Pledge of Allegiance made a good point, but only one: We shouldn’t be “fixing something not broken.” I would apply that logic to the original version of the Pledge, which had no reference to God.

It was only “fixed” in 1954 under pressure from religious zealots who thought the addition of “under God” would help us win the Cold War.

Obon festival celebrates 50 years of thanks for loved ones

For the 50th year, Mountain View Buddhist Temple members will be offering the tastes of teriyaki and the sounds of beating taiko drums during their annual Obon Festival, scheduled 4-10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m., Sunday, at the temple, 575 Shoreline Blvd.

Obon is a midsummer Buddhist holiday celebration dedicated to the feeling and expression of gratitude and joy toward ancestors, family, relatives and friends. During Obon, Buddhists visit cemeteries, conduct memorial services and enjoy family and friends.

Youth theater invites public to 10th anniversary celebration

Mountain View Mayor Sally Lieber will kick off the festivities with a proclamation marking PYT’s many achievements. U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo is also expected to attend the event, along with dozens of PYT participants past and present.

PYT was founded in 1992 by a group of parents who wanted to introduce children to theater, both as actors and as audience members. The non-profit organization strives to provide a theatrical education that prepares young people for careers in the performing arts by developing leadership, emphasizing responsibility and fostering teamwork in a supportive, respectful environment.

Pour the wine: 21st annual MacArthur Park festival set for Aug. 17 to help Red Cross

The Palo Alto Chapter of the American Red Cross invites wine lovers and supporters to come and sample from more than 70 premier California wineries from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 17, when the chapter and Palo Alto’s MacArthur Park restaurant combine for the 21st annual MacArthur Park Wine Festival.

Proceeds from the event benefit the chapter, which also services Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.

Moffett Field celebrates freedom and flight with second annual Air Expo, July 27-28

“Celebration of Freedom” is the theme of the second annual Air Expo at Moffett Field, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 27 and 28 .

Organizers said the event will showcase America’s “military might” on the ground and in the air with action by the nation’s best military performance teams and the world’s best aerial performers.

Los Altos native’s job takes her around the world to sample cultures, aid nations

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Have you ever lived in the jungle? Tried paan? It’s highly doubtful, but for foreign service officer, Kira Glover Kruglikova, sleeping in the desert or flying to New Delhi is just another part of the job.

Los Altos residents lead search for homes as Russian orphans come to Bay Area

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Susan and Keith Lobo of Los Altos had shared a comfortable life for 17 years. When the couple sat down to watch television one evening after work neither expected that the program they would view - a one-hour documentary on Kosovo’s orphanages - would change their lives forever.

Calendar

Los Altos Parks, Art and Recreation Commission, 7 p.m., Los Altos City Hall, 1 N. San Antonio Road

Mountain View Planning Commission, 7:30 p.m., City Hall, 500 Castro St.

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 artwork 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, is scheduled 7:30 p.m., tonight, 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.

Foothill theater benefit goes to ‘Town’

Foothill College has scheduled its second annual midsummer musical benefit gala July 27. Proceeds benefit the Foothill College theater program, student scholarships and other campus needs.

The award-winning Foothill Music Theatre, led by director Jay Manley, will present the song-and-dance extravaganza “On the Town.” Leonard Bernstein’s homage to the Big Apple offers a nostalgic peek at 1940s New York City through the exploits of three World War II sailors during a 24-hour shore leave.

Local Red Cross resumes Friday hours

Although the agency faced a $50,000 deficit, Executive Director Trish Bubenik stated, “We are pleased to be back serving the community.”

Serving the Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto, Mountain View and Moffett Field areas, the chapter has a staff of 20 and a volunteer list of 800.

Noteworthies

Jonathan Thomas Harrington of Los Altos Hills and Daniel Wayne Nelson and Brandon Hugh Stroy of Los Altos earned bachelor’s degrees from Duke University, in Durham, N.C.

Kathryn L. Russell of Los Altos Hills earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of Vermont, in Burlington.

Schools Briefs

A flea market to benefit Foothill Music Theatre has been scheduled 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 20, in parking lot 7 at the Foothill College campus. Items for sale include antiques, collectibles, arts and crafts, plants, furniture, computer parts, books, housewares and seasonal decorations.

Visitors must purchase a parking permit for $2.

KLASS soliciting voter opinion on parcel tax increase

There’s no question the school district needs a parcel tax increase to help it maintain its current standards. The question is, how much? A phone survey sponsored by the Keep Los Altos Schools Strong parcel tax campaign committee is trying to find out.

The KLASS committee has commissioned a survey of voter opinion, which it hopes to share with the Los Altos School District before the district’s board of trustees decides on the amount of the proposed parcel tax increase at its July 22 meeting. The parcel tax increase will go before voters in a general election Nov. 5.

Los Altos, Mtn. View, St. Francis & Pinewood reveal spring sports award winners

The area high schools recently held their spring sports award ceremonies, honoring the following student-athletes:

LOS ALTOS HIGH

Los Altos Minor All-Stars are a win away from district title

Junior All-Stars

Los Altos stayed alive in its District 44 tournament by beating Sunnyvale Southern 6-3 last Saturday at Cupertino High.

Sports On The Side

Nine local players are slated to play in the 28th annual Charlie Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game, set for 7:30 p.m., July 24, at San Jose City College. The North roster includes 2002 high school graduates Thomas Roux (Los Altos); Trevor Hooper, Jordan Nelson and Matt Turnbull (Mountain View); Mike Ribero and Aaron Rouleau (St. Francis); Juan Marquez and Robbie Parry (Gunn); and Steven Nichols (Homestead). Tickets are $10. For tickets and more information, call (408) 246-1160.

Golf for a cause

Stanley’s desire, knowledge pay off in the pool

Some teens spend the summer sleeping in and hanging out.

Not Ryan Stanley.

St. Francis standouts lead Kaepa City Beach to second place at JOs

Of course the Kaepa City Beach 18 Black volleyball team would have loved to return from Salt Lake City with a first-place trophy in tow.

Under the circumstances, however, the Santa Clara-based club team isn’t complaining about finishing as runner-up in the 18 Open Division of the 2002 USA Girls Junior Olympic Volleyball Championships.

Local PONY Baseball league hosting tournament

Los Altos-Mountain View PONY Baseball is scheduled to host a Pony Division (ages 13-14) Sectional Tournament Saturday through July 27 at Rosita Park in Los Altos.

The competition includes host Los Altos-Mountain View, two teams from Pleasant Hill and squads representing San Carlos, San Mateo, San Francisco and Rodeo.

Oaks beat the Heat (twice) to remain undefeated in league

The Palo Alto Oaks won both ends of a double-header last Sunday to remain perfect in the San Jose WBA Stan Musial League.

The semipro baseball team, featuring mostly area college players, swept the Salinas Heat at Willow Glen High.

Stanford offering a look behind practice of baseball

A coach, a writer and a professor will team up to talk baseball Thursday at Stanford.

The Stanford University Continuing Studies Program will present a free panel discussion titled “The Practice of Baseball: A Look at the Economics, Coaching and Reporting of Baseball” 7-9 p.m. in Room 105 of Building 320 (Geology).

Venus, Clijsters headline Bank of West

Serena Williams, the top-ranked player in women’s tennis, will be sitting this one out, but older sister Venus is scheduled to compete in next week’s Bank of the West Classic at Stanford University.

Venus - ranked No. 2 in the world - heads an impressive list of pros set to participate in the WTA Tour Tier II event, which runs Monday through July 27 at Stanford’s Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

Brush & Palette hosted art shows in its early days

It’s one of the oldest businesses in Los Altos. Brush & Palette was started in 1947 by Boris Rydell and changed location and ownership several times before the present owner, Mahmut Keskekci, purchased it.

“I kept the name even though it was somebody else’s baby,” Keskekci said. “Why change it? It’s an institution around here.”

Local investors antsy about stock market

Stock Report

Last week was the eighth straight losing week for Wall Street. The Dow lost 695 points and Nasdaq had a weekly loss of 75 points or 5.2 percent.

Los Altos resident purchases Original Pancake House

The Original Pancake House, as its name implies, offers a wide range of pancakes. It’s also home to the famous Dutch Baby, a puffed-up creation that looks like a plate-sized crater.

Sam Mourad, a Los Altos resident since 1976, recently purchased the Original Pancake House in Los Altos, as well as the Cupertino branch, from Keith Moody. Moody decided to concentrate on his out-of-state Burger King operations.

Getting ‘Aggressive’

Town Crier Staff Report

TheatreWorks continues its 33rd season with the Northern California premiere of the comedy “Be Aggressive.”

Service News

Marine Corps Cpl. Jose D. Arroyolligo, a 1997 graduate of Los Altos High School, recently completed a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf in support of operation Enduring Freedom while assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, home based at Camp Pendleton. Marines from his unit conducted offensive raids against Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan.

Additionally, his unit worked 18 days to complete humanitarian and civic projects in six different coastal areas of Kenya. They replaced a foot bridge, built a two-classroom school building, created a water source for the Gongoni Maternity Wing in the District of Malindi and performed carpentry work on a school for the deaf in Kilifi.

Montecito School in Los Altos celebrating 40 years with reunion

Montecito School leaders are inviting alumni to visit their 40th reunion.

The event is set for noon to 5 p.m., July 27.

Noteworthies

Crew members and leaders from Venture Crew 37 of Los Altos, associated with Boy Scouts of America, will leave for Costa Rica Monday to participate in ecological and humanitarian projects.

Crew advisor Bob Garcia will coordinate and lead the group on the trip. The students will assist efforts to save the endangered leatherback turtles and work on a humanitarian project for the indigenous Bribri people.

Election Briefs

Cindy Simon, wife of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, will speak on campaign issues at a July 31 luncheon in Los Altos.

The event is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Los Altos Golf & Country Club, 1560 Country Club Drive. The cost is $25.

Engagements

Brenda Swirsding and David Weiser have announced their engagement to be married Aug. 3 at a friend’s home in Saratoga.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of Carl and JoAnne Swirsding of Los Altos. She is a graduate of St. Francis High School, and has received a bachelor’s degree in genetics, with a minor in art history from the University of California at Davis. She is employed at Cura Gen Corporation, New Haven, Conn.

Obituaries

Mr. Ashford was preceded in death by his wife, Doralee. He is survived by his sister, Virginia Secrest; children, Carol Bostick and her husband Roy, Dick and his wife Alison, Janice, Gary and his wife Pam, and Debbie Bell and her husband Bob; grandchildren, Logan, Timothy, Andrew, Adriela, Josiah, Alyssa, Danielle, Ricky, Jason and Aaron; and great-grandchild, Aidan.

A private family service was held June 28 at Alta Mesa. A memorial was also held at the home of Janice Ashford July 12.

The beat goes on

Seniors find fun and fitness at Hillview jazzercize class

They’re there to have fun and get fit, even though it’s the hottest day of the year, and no one is keeping score.

Seniors cautious about selling their homes, survey reveals

A recent study by the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that, by the year 2025, the United States’ senior population is expected to jump nearly 80 percent. Like people relocating for a new job, many seniors do not have the luxury of waiting for their homes to sell if they are on a list for a retirement community.

However, the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council reports that 90 percent of seniors will not put their homes on the market until they have already purchased a new one or have made definite arrangements in a retirement community.

Home repair program issues 5,000th work order

Town Crier Correspondent

It’s the time of year when seniors find little things wrong with their house and need someone to help fix it. The sprinklers are broken, the toilets leak, the faucets drip, and maybe something else is having trouble.

Senior Briefs

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. For more information, call the Los Altos Senior Center at 948-7483.

Boomers fight aging but only take baby steps to health

North American Precis Syndicate

While they express anxiety about aging, America’s 75 million Baby Boomers are only taking baby steps to good health. Half of them confess they aren’t eating as well as they should, and one in three say they will act to alter their diets if diagnosed with a disease.

Survey asks: How well do doctors treat older patients?

Starting in 2012, nearly 10,000 Americans will turn 65 every day, “Baby boomers” will become “senior boomers.”

The average 75-year-old has three chronic conditions and uses five prescription drugs. Older patients have unique health challenges and different medical needs than younger adults.

Forum celebrates centenarians

Town Crier Correspondent

The music was appropriate, the finger food enchanting and the champagne kept flowing at the Forum recently for two resident centenarians.

Beware of Internet schemes - senior citizens targeted

Dramatically punctuating the need to be alert to Internet scams, the nation’s largest producer of television infomercials is the subject of a class action lawsuit alleging that it defrauded thousands of investors - including senior citizens - of an estimated $30 million.

The suit, filed on behalf of an elderly California couple by Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles attorney Timothy D. Naegele (www.naegele.com), charges that Guthy-Renker conspired to commit fraud and violated the federal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act by promoting an Internet “shopping mall” (and Web sites on it) that promised riches but was in reality part of a worthless scam.

Yearwood to play at CHC benefit

Country music singer Trisha Yearwood will headline the Children’s Health Council’s 43rd annual Summer Symphony, scheduled for Sunday at Stanford University’s Frost Amphitheater.

Proceeds from concert will benefit CHC programs and services, which help Bay Area children struggling with serious behavioral, learning and developmental challenges.

Foothill taking audiences ‘On the Town’

Foothill Music Theatre’s production of “On the Town” opens Friday and runs through Aug. 11 at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.

“On the Town” is a musical set in 1944 about three Navy sailors on 24-hour shore leave in New York City. The story centers around Chip, Ozzie and Gabey as they hit the Big Apple in search of famous sights and pretty women. Their adventures include visits to Carnegie Hall, Times Square and Coney Island (as well as a few run-ins with several of New York’s Finest).