Healing through the arts

Sounds of music and laughter are not often associated with hospitals, where life-and-death issues surface daily and doctors are often faced with delivering grim diagnoses.

But these sounds are heard more and more often at El Camino Hospital, where a growing and evolving healing arts program is proving a hit with staff and patients alike. Combining humor, music and visual arts, the program brings a pleasant, even fun, atmosphere to the hospital.

Sheriff’s office cuts 33 deputy posts

As a result of state, county and city deficits, the Sheriff’s Office has eliminated 33 deputy positions. This week the sheriff’s office sent out layoff notices to 33 deputies whose positions will be shut down. Unincorporated Los Altos Hills will not be affected by the cuts, City Manager Maureen Cassingham said.

The sheriff’s department eliminated 70 positions in total: seven general fund deputies (funded by Santa Clara County), five contract cities deputies (funded by Cupertino, Saratoga, county parks and the Valley Transportation Agency) and 58 court deputies (funded by the state). Of the 70 positions, there are 37 vacancies that will be eliminated rather than filled, Sheriff’s Deputy Terrance Helm said. Planned retirements, which were higher than expected, account for many of those vacancies, Helm said. There are 515 sheriff’s deputies in the county.

Los Altos council decides to add ‘Gay Pride’ to June 7

Gay-rights activists from as far as Monterey convinced the Los Altos City Council last week that putting aside an official day to tolerate gays in the community was not enough - they needed a proclamation for a gay pride day to symbolize their equality in town.

The push was in response to the council’s creation of a Tolerance Day, which they thought would be less divisive for such a conservative community, after members of the Gay-Straight Alliance from Los Altos High School requested a gay pride day proclamation two weeks earlier in honor of National Gay Pride month in June.

LA may receive cottage with ties to famous architect

Los Altos may become the owner of a rare, small cottage built by the man who many consider to be the world’s most influential modern architect.

The owner of two cottages that Richard Joseph Neutra designed in Los Altos in the 1930s has offered to donate one of the buildings to the city.

Mountain lion shooting questions remain unanswered

A public safety and education meeting held by the county sheriff’s department and the city of Palo Alto May 26 resembled kindergarten snack time more than a meeting to dispel rumors circulating after the mountain lion shooting May 17. Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith commended the audience for asking questions about how far a mountain lion can jump and how long it lives.

Questions from the public about why the animal was killed rather than tranquilized and how the sheriff’s department and city intend to work with the community to develop a protocol for mountain lion encounters in residential areas remained unanswered by city officials, who said the meeting was not meant to be a debate.

Letters to the Editor

Bottom line: We need a pool
John Day
Los Altos

In the flurry of discussion about the pool site Los Altos citizens should not lose sight of our fundamental need for a community pool facility. Recreation is a basic requirement for any active healthy community. A pool is no different from soccer, […]

Pinocchio in Washington, D.C.

Once upon a time long, long ago and far, far away in a country called Washington, D.C., there was a crisis called the Pinocchio Syndrome. It was a great political and moral crisis, but eventually strengthened the economy greatly and brought peace to certain segments of our society.

As the politicians spoke and made campaign and other promises, their noses began to grow and the growth was comprised of wood. Some of them grew so long and fast the owners could hardly get around.

Our ‘Cradle of Liberty’ and its special meaning

Our “Cradle of Liberty” sculpture standing alone in the quiet corner of Shoup Park deserves a special pause by passersby these days.

Commissioned by a local veterans group and installed July 4, 1998, this larger than life bronze by local sculptor R.J. Truman evokes a larger than life message to those who take time to consider it.

Lynn McConahey, acclaimed pianist

Los Altos resident and acclaimed pianist, Lynn McConahey, passed away suddenly May 14.

Recognized for her extensive repertoire ranging from early classical to 20th century romantic music, Mrs. McConahey premiered Santa Cruz composer Aaron Blumfeld’s modernistic Concerto No. 1 with the Nova Vista Symphony. She performed in recitals in San Francisco, Music in the Redwoods Concert Series, Portola Valley and benefit performances for the former Ford Country Day School at Morgan Manor, Los Altos Hills. In addition to the Nova Vista Symphony, she appeared with the Palo Alto Symphony, Notre Dame Symphony, Redwood Symphony, Livermore Symphony and Pacific Philharmonic.

Obituaries

ANNA BOBERG
Anna Boberg born Anna Pacher in New York City on January 6, 1908 passed away on May 12, 2004. Anna was a San Francisco resident from 1912 until 1949, lived in Pacifica and East Palo Alto and then Mountain View from 1956 until her death.
A 1924 graduate of Girls High […]

Engagement

Carmen Paredes and Grant Shearer
Carmen Paredes and Grant Shearer have announced their engagement to be married.
The bride-to-be is the daughter of Ramon Paredes and Alba Castillo of Panama City, Panama.
She earned a mechanical and industrial engineering degree from the Technology University of Panama and a master’s degree in business administration […]

Anniversary

Gloria D. Jones and Clay W. Buckley
Gloria D. Jones and Clay W. Buckley celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Newport Beach at Gloria’s sister’s home. They were married Dec. 19, 1953, at the First Presbyterian Church in Burlingame.
Clay worked at PG&E in San Francisco and Gloria taught elementary school in Burlingame […]

Los Altos birdhouse fund-raiser nets 25K

Child Advocates of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, a non-profit organization that trains volunteers to act as advocates and mentors for children in the foster-care system, raised $25,000 through a live and silent birdhouse auction, May 22, in Los Altos. More than 200 people attended the “Birdhouse Bash 2004″ fund-raiser, which sold 110 birdhouses. The proceeds support the non-profit’s work with abused, neglected and abandoned children.

The handcrafted birdhouses were created by local artists, students, residents and children. Guests bid on birdhouses in categories such as Traditional Starter Homes and The Best in Modern Living. Birdhouses were awarded blue ribbons for Best of Show, Best Children’s Entry, Most Functional, Most Artistic, Best Architecture, Best Craftsmanship and Wackiest.

Los Altos Lutheran turns 50

Betty Freedman came to Los Altos Lutheran Church for its Sunday school. Then she joined the choir. Now, 45 years later, she’s still attending, still singing.

“The best thing about the church is the close relationships of the people,” Freedman said, “but also the willingness to welcome new people.”

Community Briefs

Garden party for SF Symphony
The Mid-Peninsula League of the San Francisco Symphony will host the Symphony in Flowers Garden Party and Twilight Concert on June 13, featuring the garden estate of Anaflor Smith, 240 Cinnabar Road in Woodside Hills.
The event will include a tour of the garden estate created by landscape […]

Judge rules for district in charter suit

The Los Altos School District complied with Proposition 39 requirements for “reasonable equivalency” in offering the Egan camp site to Bullis Charter School for its first year of operation, a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge ruled May 25.

The board of directors of Bullis Charter School, acting under the name of Bullis-Purissima Elementary School, had petitioned the court for a writ of mandate, asserting that the school would be subjected to an unnecessary move after its first year if located in the portables at Egan Junior High School next year.

Lancers rule NorCal final

The St. Francis High boys golf team has never been one to shy away from a challenge. The bigger the tournament, the better.

So when the California Interscholastic Federation announced it was bringing back the state tournament this season after a 23-year absence, the Lancers competitive juices started to flow. And that was before the season even began.

Designer opens women’s clothing store on Main Street

California designer Victoria Bracha has moved into the Main Street storefront previously occupied by Dennis Rich in downtown Los Altos.

Bracha said her contemporary women’s clothing line and accessories run the gamut from formal to casual, including prom, graduation, party and wedding dresses to cruise and day wear.

A Gearhead’s heaven

For a car enthusiast, the opportunity to sample 60 different new cars and trucks over two days is almost overwhelming.

Once a year, members of the Western Automotive Journalists organization - the professional association for motoring writers in Northern California - are given that opportunity so we can compare the new offerings from various manufacturers.

‘Bees’ honey-sweet, not sugarcoated

Sue Monk Kidd’s “The Secret Life of Bees” (Penguin USA, 2003) is a bittersweet coming-of-age novel brimming with poignant imagery and elegant prose.

Set in South Carolina in 1964 against a backdrop of Jim Crow violence and segregation, “Bees” is about white teenager Lily Owens and her black stand-in mother, Rosaleen, both running for their lives: Lily to escape her abusive father and Rosaleen to escape a group of racist men incensed after events surrounding Rosaleen’s registering to vote.

Aurora Singers bring ‘Life’ to Palo Alto

The 60-voice Aurora Singers, who performed to a sold-out audience in southern France in 2002, will present “An American Life in Music” at 7 p.m., Saturday.

The concert is will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, 505 E. Charleston Road.