New post office design up for LA council review

Plans to replace downtown Los Altos’ post office with an upgraded postal center and housing complex is scheduled to come before the Los Altos City Council for approval Tuesday night. The proposed plan includes renovating the existing post office, adding a 15,498-square-foot second-story office addition, a two-level parking structure and 20 loft-style, multiple-family residential units over the garage.

The planning commission is recommending that the council approve the proposed mixed useproject, with a few modifications, even though it exceeds floor area, height and parking requirements. The commission recommended reducing the floor area, looking at parking and modifying the roof design.

Los Altos mulls options over Mtn. View Miramonte reservoir plans

The city of Los Altos has options for thwarting a reservoir expansion project set for Mountain View land on Miramonte Avenue that is surrounded by Los Altos residences.

According to Councilman Francis La Poll, the city could still attempt to annex the property to Los Altos or purchase the land through eminent domain - the forceful taking of land for overall public good.

Spirited soulful strut

Audrey White is a certified Nia instructor who teaches classes twice a week at the Spa of Los Altos. Her students claim that the energy emanating during her classes is transforming.

In Swahili, “nia” means with purpose. Nia also stands for neuromuscular integrative action, a unique form of kinesthetic dance/movement patterns.

Salman Rushdie discusses world problems at Celebrity Forum

Salman Rushdie speaks just as glowingly as he writes, and last Friday evening he charmed and dazzled the sold-out Flint Center with his wit, irreverence and knowledge of today’s world.

“You look like sensible people coming to hear a writer speak,” Rushdie said. “It’s only in recent years authors have started to face an audience. Charles Dickens started by performing scenes from his novels with the death of Little Nell in his ‘Old Curiosity Shop.’”

LAH council approves rural, open town hall design

The Los Altos Hills City Council approved a final design for the new town hall structure last week during a public hearing that allowed residents to put their final two-cents in on the revised floor plans.

The structure’s “modified rural” design was first voted on in April by residents, who chose among four proposed style choices. The final design, characterized by large windows, exposed rafters, wide overhangs and low roofs, incorporated residents’ input from ballot surveys, with the majority asking for an inviting, open structure that matched the character of the town, Councilmember Breene Kerr said.

Carpenter leads LA candidates in money raised and spent

Valorie Carpenter leads eight candidates vying for three seats on the Los Altos City Council in campaign money raised and spent, according to pre-election statements compiled through Sept. 20.

Carpenter, in high-tech management, reported $13,494, including a $10,000 loan. She cited $7,372 in expenditures with $6,122 in remaining cash.

Council candidates discuss views on downtown hotel

Downtown aesthetics and the boutique hotel slated for First and Main streets were key topics at last week’s Los Altos City Council candidates forum sponsored by the Los Altos Village Association and the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce at Main Street Cafe & Books. More than 60 downtown retailers attended the Oct. 15 forum. Local attorney Ken Kaye moderated the event.

What is your position on the Apricot Inn planned for First and Main streets?

Casas, Cole, Packard for LA Council

We appreciate the involvement this time around, especially considering two years ago, two incumbents kept their seats without any challengers.

Of the eight candidates, six are serious contenders who have solid credentials and have made strong efforts to get elected. We are confident any of the six, Jeannice Samani, Valorie Carpenter, Curtis Cole, David Casas, Ron Packard and incumbent Francis La Poll, would do a fine job if elected.

LETTERS OF OCTOBER 22, 2003

‘Anywhere USA’

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

OBITUARIES FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 22

DULL, SR, Charles Wendell, died Saturday, October 11, 2003 at his home in Auburn. He was born December 26, 1929 in Oakland, CA to Evelyn and Harry Dull. Survived by his wife of 52 years, Ruth Kathryn. They lived in Los Altos for 42 years before moving to Auburn in 1997. Together they raised 4 children, all of Northern CA, Kathryn Enos, Karen Murray, Charles Dull Jr and Douglas Dull. Charles Dull Sr. is also survived by two sons-in-law, John Enos and Don Murray, a daughter-in-law, Sharon Lueras-Dull, six grandchildren, a sister and brother-in-law, Evelyn and Ward McCabe, a brother and sister-in-law, Harry Jr and Carol Dull.

Some of Mr. Dull’s favorite pastimes were bowling, hunting and golf. He enjoyed woodworking and was well known by many friends & neighbors as the local “Mr. Fix-It”.

Turkish exchange student seeks host family by Nov. 1

Hasan Arslan, a 15-year-old Turkish exchange student, is looking for a home in Los Altos for the remainder of the school year.

Arslan is attending Los Altos High School this year as part of the Partnership for Learning Youth Exchange and Study program (Pal YES), a State Department-sponsored exchange program, created in response to the 9/11 tragedy, that brings Muslim students to the United States.

Reading is key to career in space says NASA engineer

For weeks, the students of Loyola Elementary School have been journeying through the solar system together. On foot.

Saturday, they made their final orbit around the field at Blach Middle School as the Journey Through Space Walk-a-thon reached the end of its mission. The 402 K-6 students walked 14,500 laps to raise money to help fund library resources, buy instructional materials, and provide continuing support for the computer lab and music and art activities, according to Cheryl Breetwor, Walk-a-thon chairperson.

Ultimate goal for Bullis: reopen as regular school

The Los Altos School District’s long-term plan for the now-surplus Bullis-Purissima property is to renovate it and reopen it as a regular school, according to the board president.

“We want to keep Bullis as a school site so we can reopen a district school there sometime - maybe in 10 years,” Duane Roberts said.

Star Search winner Vickie Natale sings for CSMA

Vickie Natale, adult vocal grand champion of CBS’ 2003 Star Search competition, collaborated with the Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) and the Heart of Silicon Valley (HOSV) to present a benefit concert last Sunday.

The Brooklyn-born singer performed at the event, produced by HOSV, to benefit CSMA’s campaign for its first permanent facility.

Community School of Music and Arts near completion

The long-awaited home for the Community School of Music and Arts is nearing completion at 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View. The school’s staff plan to move into their new space Dec. 15 and to be ready to receive students there in early January. A grand opening celebration for the public is scheduled for March 6.

Motorists near the cloverleaf on San Antonio Road can keep tabs on the building’s progress as they make their daily commute. Hefty wedges of poured concrete frame the sky above the one-story rectangular entrance to the 25,000-square-foot facility designed by Mark Cavagnero Associates of San Francisco and built by Rudolph & Sletten. Large windows punctuate the glare of the still-white exterior walls. Inside, construction noises from outside and even traffic sounds from San Antonio and Central Expressway are inaudible.

Los Altos rewarded for overtime work

A majority of the near-capacity crowd, a rarity for Los Altos High football, may have been at Saturday’s game more for the homecoming festivities and the unveiling of the new artificial turf field than the contest between two struggling teams.

But the football fans didn’t leave disappointed, especially those who stayed until the end.

Cost of employee benefits today’s hot button

The number one insurance-related concern expressed by employers today is how to contend with the accelerating cost of benefits. It’s a hot button and a key area of anxiety with businesses.

Premier Insurance Services is a new business on the block. It’s a first-time venture of Los Altos Rotary Club member Brenda Niedert, who said she has a lot of experience in the field. Health care is expensive and employers need to be more savvy, she said.

Quality with simplicity

Kate Chomko has always been a food addict. It took moving to Belgium and experiencing the “quality food” in Europe to inspire her to pursue her aspiration of becoming a chef.

“I was hooked and ate my way through Europe,” Chomko said. “The fish, fruit and vegetable markets, bread, wine - every day was a feast.”

My favorite varietal is pinot noir

I am often asked what my favorite type of wine is. I used to say red Burgundy. I now add there are many California and Oregon pinot noirs close to being in the same league as Burgundy. If you are confused, Burgundy is a generic term used in the United States; any red wine blend can be in a bottle of Burgundy.

Gallo’s hearty Burgundy was always a good buy; we just didn’t know what was in the bottle. French red Burgundy is made only from the pinot noir grape from the Burgundy region of France. The same pinot noir grape is used in the United States. Out of respect for the Burgundian winemakers and to avoid confusion, we call the wine, pinot noir, as the grapes are not grown in Burgundy.

Animals work their magic

Residents at the Los Altos Sub-Acute and Rehabilitation Center were thrilled last week. After all, they had been visited, and some even kissed, by a big celebrity.

Kazzy the camel, all 1,350 pounds of her, gently walked into every room at the senior care home, gingerly lowering her large head into the laps of seniors in wheelchairs so they could pet her. Those who were kissed proudly wore stickers, even the day after, that read, “Kissed by Kazzy.”

RotaCare Free Clinic a community asset for the needy

Every Monday and Wednesday evening, working people who are unable to pay for health insurance sit in the Mountain View RotaCare lounge waiting to see a doctor.

“Almost half of the patients seen in RotaCare Free Clinics are children, and over half of all patients are female,” said Nidia Farruguia, RotaCare medical assistant. “Many patients are unable to receive care because they work and don’t qualify for assistance or weren’t born in this country. If they didn’t come here, they would go without medical attention.”