By Send letters to editor Bruce Barton at the Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022, or e-mail: bruceb@latc.com.

Berry Ave. treacherous after ‘improvement’

Before Berry Avenue was “improved” to be a Safe Route to School, the street was congested during the times students were driven to and from Loyola School. This was frustrating for nearby residents seeking to navigate the street. So they sought a “fix” and necessarily left the final decisions and solutions to the powers that be.

Now that Berry’s “improvement” is complete, driving is much more than frustrating. It is treacherous. The large bulbouts make it impossible to drive safely. The cars parked on the street make driving even more hazardous. And just wait until Loyola School opens in the fall! The widened sidewalk is intended to accommodate both walkers and bikers, going in both directions.

At a minimum, the curbs should be painted and maintained with a reflective paint; and the center line should be reflective, to guide cars through the snaky path in darkness. Students may need to walk their bikes between Springer Road and Miramonte Avenue to avoid collisions with walkers. Surely speed bumps could have done the job with much less cost.

Carita Klevickis

Los Altos

Don’t compare Super Bowl with ‘CSI’

I would like to comment on the letter titled “Obscenity in perspective” (Town Crier, Feb. 18). How could the writers compare a football game halftime show in the middle of the day with the CBS show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” which is aired at 9 p.m. when young children should be in bed? The Super Bowl is an event that encourages families to gather around, including young children. You expect a football halftime show to be appropriate for a viewing audience of all ages.

When you watch “CSI” you would rarely make a family gathering out of it. It isn’t touted as a program appropriate for all ages. You are making a conscious choice to watch what the writers referred to as “graphic brutality.” When you are watching a football game you are not asking for obscenity, nor is it the appropriate avenue for it.

Toni Okuda

Los Altos

Praise for Alta Vista basketball coaches

The story about the Alta Vista basketball team in the Feb. 11 issue was well written, most interesting and certainly gave the Alta Vista players a shot in the arm. In the story it was not clear who was the coach. The coach is Bob Adams, who volunteers five days a week for the practices and games along with his assistant coach, Don Hull. I attend some of the practices and games, and it is a thrill to see how hard Adams and Hull work to build the skills of the team members. These two men are dedicated to teaching, helping and inspiring these players and should have gotten more recognition for the wonderful work they do.

L.G. “Boo” Bue

Los Altos

Discovery Shop and Goodwill

In response to your recent article regarding the new goodEx pick-up service, I feel compelled to offer another perspective.

Shortly after retiring, I signed up as a volunteer at the Discovery Shop in downtown Los Altos. I have worked there for most of the 10 years that they have been at their present location and have held several board positions. I feel good about donating my time to the American Cancer Society with our monies going to cancer research, education, advocacy and service.

We at the Discovery Shop were surprised to learn a few months ago that Goodwill would be coming to downtown Los Altos and locating next door to the Discovery Shop on Main Street. We were even more surprised to learn that, although they are a retail outlet, they do not charge sales tax. No tax revenue for the city?

Your article stated, “What we’re seeing developing here is almost classic word-of-mouth…” I strenuously disagree. What is driving this enterprise is deep pockets, which enables Goodwill to advertise, buy trucks, hire employees and receive local press. Full-page ads are word-of-mouth?

We enjoy a reputation for quality merchandise, excellent service and a tradition of support for a cause that touches all of our lives.

Will we survive? Only with the support of the Town Crier and the community.

Marlene Dunwoodie

Los Altos

Stop! Look! Listen! Excellent advice

When a school child comes to a road crossing, he is encouraged to “stop, look, and listen.” This is excellent advice for the Los Altos School Board as they decide where to place the Bullis Charter School.

Options include the Egan Camp School, co-location at Covington, or the shuttered Bullis School site in Los Altos Hills. But stop and look at news from just this past month:

1) Placement at Bullis site is financially positive. First, the Los Altos Hills Town Council offers to pay $100,000 to rent the site and co-locate with the Charter as they build a new town hall. This is on top of the $240,000 benefit to the district identified by Tom Campbell, a Los Altos member of the Citizen’s Financial Advisory Committee.

2) Foothill Expressway is dangerous. A study of traffic injuries in Los Altos showed that three of the top five most dangerous intersections are on Foothill Expressway (at El Monte, San Antonio and Edith). Most LASD students don’t encounter any of the top 10 most dangerous intersections in their commutes. The Bullis Charter group says that 70 percent of its attendance will come from West of Foothill, in either Los Altos or Los Altos Hills. Why put kids in harm’s way when you can simply choose the site on the side of Foothill Expressway where the students live?

3) LASD needs to ensure long-term health. The district is only as financially stable as its popular support. Covington parents don’t want to co-locate with the charter school. Egan neighbors don’t want a permanent neighbor at their temporary camp school. And Hills residents, who have lost all four town schools in the last 30 years, are now organizing to ensure a town school, with existing school districts.

The best answer, for LASD’s long-term health, is to place the charter at the Bullis site.

Ronda Breier

Los Altos Hills