By Send letters to editor Bruce Barton at the Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022, or e-mail:
Our barn is
much older
In the Feb. 26 “Your Home” story, you stated that the Cupal/Volpi barn was the oldest barn in Los Altos. I believe that our barn at 800 S. El Monte predates that one by several dec-ades.
Our property was, 100 years ago, part of the Hale ranch. Our neighbors’ home at 860 S. El Monte has been modified from the carriage house that was on the ranch acreage. Although our house was built only in the 1960s, the barn (that serves as our garage) was standing in the first decade of the 20th century. The loft was wired to serve as an artist’s studio more than 30 years ago, but otherwise it has not been much altered since its original construction except for some windows to lighten the interior, 50 years ago.
Thank you for your interest, and thanks also for the fine reporting in your newspaper story.
Kay Alexander
Los Altos
Kudos to student
protesters
More than 1,500 high school students from Santa Clara County converged on the Capitol Feb. 25 to protest the state’s proposed budget cuts in education.
Thanks are due to Tim Farrell for his leadership class at Mountain View High School, Rich Fischer of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District and the “Keep Making Your Views Known” student committee.
What a way to get attention from Gov. Davis. Too bad he wasn’t there to greet the demonstrators. I hope he got the students’ message through his legislators who came down to speak to the students on the Capitol steps.
Thank you, students, for an excellent showing, a strong belief in good behavior and intelligence in civic affairs. I wasn’t there, but I applaud you all.
Gloria Buckley
Former Springer School teacher
Sunnyvale
Put pool bond issue
to the voters
I read with interest the letters from a couple of people who live in the Rosita neighborhood, one person who doesn’t, and Kathy Englar (March 5).
It is quite clear that there are Los Altos residents and city council members who want a pool for our community. The Rosita Neighborhood Coalition, as members of our community, also want a pool for Los Altos. But the pool complex envisioned by SPLASH is not a community pool. This pool complex is for the region (all towns around here). It is large, 25,000 square feet or more, with little recreational swim time.
Initially, SPLASH and the city wanted the pool complex at McKenzie Park on Fremont Avenue, a perfect place with off-street parking and easy two-way access. Neighbors objected, and the site was changed to the Rosita dead-end street and once quiet neighborhood.
Why not put a bond issue to the voters and operate a pool for residents and their guests at an appropriate site? If the majority of voters want a pool, all to the good. If it’s voted down, there are still many public pools with good programs within a mile or two of town.
Another idea is to have a public pool that is open to anyone in the community. People contribute a lump sum initial fee and monthly dues for operation and building.
Marya Keeth
Los Altos
Zlotnick, water district
trying to cover up
Gregory Zlotnick accused D.J. Rogez of NIMBY-ism when it came to his opposition to the proposed Santa Clara Valley Water District plan for Reach 5 of Adobe Creek in Los Altos Hills (March 12). How would Zlotnick react if he were faced with the prospect of having a barren 12-foot ditch excavated in his back yard that would not have any flood benefit, but would instead create a significant erosion hazard to his property, while being constantly villainized by a misinformation campaign emanating from a well-funded agency with a horrendous environmental record? To me it isn’t NIMBY-ism, it is self-defense.
Rogez is just objecting to a proposal that makes things much worse. The water district and Zlotnick are trying to cover up some embarrassing work, or what could be called CYA-ism.
Mitchell Swanson
President, Swanson Hydrology & Geomorphology
Santa Cruz
Living in a
time warp?
Kerri Havnen Gordon’s article seems to suggest that she has reinvented her life in a strange and possibly wonderful manner (March 12). She indicates that at age 41 she is settling into her fourth decade. When I was 41, many years ago, I was settling into my fifth decade. Is she perhaps living her fourth decade a second time? Please check to see whether you can prevail on Gordon to tell us more about the kind of time-shifting experiment she has going.
Larry Johnson
Los Altos
U.S. use of force is
not a partisan issue
A group of concerned Los Altans approached the city council during the open forum last Tuesday with a request. We requested that they place on the agenda the issue of making a resolution regarding the United States’ unilateral use of military force against Iraq. The council refused on the basis that this is not a local issue and they considered it to be a partisan issue.
More than 150 cities nationwide thus far have not considered this just a local issue, but important enough to pass a resolution opposing unilateral military action. These include New York City, which has a Republican mayor and was ground zero on 9/11. We belong to the world community. What happens in the world affects us locally. Calling this a partisan issue implies that there are no Republicans opposed to military action. What nonsense.
We had requested an open discussion where people could come and freely discuss the issue. I thought this was the democratic way. We left feeling cheated.
Myra Orta
Los Altos
