LA merchants try to stop the takeover of takeout

A plan to squelch the takeover of takeout in downtown Los Altos before more fast-food style restaurants have a chance to open fell one vote short last week. The Los Altos City Council Sept. 9 considered passing a moratorium on takeout restaurants downtown until staff could set up criteria to limit such establishments, but the emergency measure fell one vote short of the required four-vote minimum — neither Mayor Kris Casto nor Councilman Francis La Poll was willing to support what they called a rash move.

La Poll pointed out that many downtown restaurants, including Le Boulanger, A.G. Ferrari Foods and Lucky, provide takeout service. If the city were to regulate fast-food chains, they would have to regulate them across the board, he said.

St. Nicholas School celebrates golden anniversary

In September 1953, the city of Los Altos had just celebrated its first anniversary and St. Nicholas School was preparing to open its doors to 180 local students in grades one through four.

Looking back on the founding of St. Nicholas provides a revealing snapshot of what the area was like 50 years ago and offers a perspective on the strong community spirit that characterized both the city and the school.

Police confiscate 60 marijuana plants from back yard of Los Altos man’s home

Los Altos police confiscated as many as 60 marijuana plants from the back yard of a home near Covington School Thursday after a patrol officer caught a scent of the stuff while writing a speeding citation to an unrelated motorist in front of the house.

“The winds must have been blowing just the right direction,” said Officer Scott McCrossin, who discovered the plants.

LA council candidates to appear on TV forum

All eight candidates for Los Altos City Council are scheduled to appear on a “Candidates Live On TV” forum, 7-8:30 p.m., Sept. 30, on Access Los Altos Cable Channel 26.

Candidates Ron Packard, Val Carpenter, David Casas, Christopher Friendly Nicholson, Curtis Cole, Steven Smiley, Jeannice Samani and incumbent Francis La Poll are vying for three open seats on the five-member council in the Nov. 4 election.

Charter is here: So what now?

The irony is, district officials have offered to put charter students back at Covington School, where Bullis children are already attending. Since the district claims the charter directive is not site-specific, the charter school can be put anywhere there’s space, and Covington, the largest school, seems to fit the bill.

The difference however, is that charter supporters will be in charge of the education program and day-to-day operations. District officials claim they lose $5,000 for every child transferred to the charter school.

LETTERS OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2003

health-care costs

OBITUARIES FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17

went to be with the Lord on September 6, 2003. A long time resident of the Bay Area. He is survived by his daughters, Vanessa Vanya of San Francisco, Sonia Wykoff and her husband Alex of Gilroy, mother Betty Beck and brother Thomas Beck of Victoria, TX, and grandchildren Rachel, Adam & Clay Wykoff.

Services were held on September 11, 2003 at the Willow Glen Baptist Church, San Jose, CA.

Weddings

Send your wedding, engagement or anniversary announcements to Avinell Johnson at the Los Altos Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022.

Photos are welcome. If you want your photo returned, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. For more information, call 948-9000, ext. 335, or e-mail

Kum family of Los Altos celebrates new citizen

Today, at the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services office in San Jose, Los Altos residents Stanley and Jeanne Kum will celebrate as they witness their adopted daughter, Audrey, 5, officially become an American citizen.

“I want her to remember where she’s from (China); but I also want her to know that she’s no different than the other children she plays with at school,” said Jeanne. “It’s been great so far. She’s adjusted very well. She has lots of friends.”

Shoup Park play area closed until December

The Shoup Park play area is closed until December while undergoing renovation. The area is currently fenced with steel barricades.

The Garden House at the park remains open for meetings with most of the parking confined to University Avenue.

Los Altos native gets the love and the money on TV show

After putting $1 million on the line to star in NBC’s “For Love or Money 2,” Los Altos native Erin Brodie walked away with both cash and romance on last week’s airing of the show’s finale.

Brodie won $2 million when bachelor Chad Viggiano picked her over $1 million.

Historic Griffin House possibly beyond salvation

It wasn’t said outright, but Foothill-De Anza administrators intimate the historic Griffin House on the Foothill College campus is more of a liability than an asset.

At an Aug. 19 workshop meeting of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees, John Schulze, executive director of facilities, discussed fire and liability issues associated with the house.

Employee parking permit program slated to begin this week downtown

The city opened its downtown parking permit program to business owners this week as public works employees painted white circles in stalls designated for such parking.

Permits will be available for sale at the Los Altos Police Department, located behind Los Altos City Hall on San Antonio Road. The department is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and applicants must apply in person.

Los Altos School District delays decision on Bullis Charter School

The Los Altos School District Board of Trustees delayed voting on whether it wanted to be the chartering agency for the Bullis Charter School at its board meeting Sept. 8, because it had yet to receive the formal resolution from the Santa Clara County Board of Education.

The county board conditionally approved the charter, Sept. 3, by a 6-1 vote. The district was given 40 days from that date to make a decision on whether to become the sponsoring agency for the charter. The K-6 charter school hopes to open in fall 2004.

Oh, brothers

After trailing an opponent it figured to handle, the Gunn High football team needed a pick-me-up tonic to kick-start its sputtering engine last Friday against visiting Los Altos.

What it got was a double shot of Gordon — not the gin variety but in the persons of Brandon and Kevin. The brothers put on a display of offensive fireworks that lifted the Titans to a 34-25 non-league victory over the Eagles.

Embattled Eagles showing no signs of calling it quits

Call them young. Call them inexperienced. Just don’t call the Eagles quitters.

It took only one game for the Los Altos High boys water polo team to show it won’t go down easily, no matter who is — or isn’t — in the pool.

Foothill enters season with young but talented group of football players

If you expect Marshall Sperbeck to make any bold predictions about how well this year’s Foothill College football team will do, then you obviously don’t know the Owls head coach.

Although a preseason poll ranks Foothill ninth in the state among community colleges, Sperbeck is — as always — cautiously optimistic.

Newly named Foothill Crossings shopping center alive with activity

As many as three of the 10 Foothill Plaza storefronts were vacant before Tom Harrington purchased the center. Now, regional and national corporations are showing interest in possible vacancies.

The 60,000-square-foot shopping center will go through a complete renovation once Trader Joe’s opens on Oct. 23. The name of the center will also change, to Foothill Crossings.

El Camino Surgery Center offers alternatives to hospital surgery

Surgery at El Camino Hospital is performed for various needs. When patients don’t require admission to the hospital, but need a surgery in a fully equipped operating room, they can go to the El Camino Surgery Center (ECSC).

“Ambulatory surgery centers like ours are smaller and more service-oriented than traditional hospital surgical rooms,” said Julie Butner, executive director. “People have a choice when planning surgery; we are a more cost-effective option.”

Fit for a French king

The newly built two-story chateau on the banks of Adobe Creek is grand even by Los Altos Hills standards.

Tailored after French castles in the Loire Valley’s chateau country, the 6,495-square-foot house emulates the grandeur associated with French royalty during the 16th century.