Landmark in limbo

Los Altos may have earned a reputation as being an exclusive suburb with million-dollar homes over the years, but the small Peninsula town was once the site of an experimental semi-communal, affordable housing project that world-renowned architect Richard J. Neutra designed. The project is the only one of its kind designed by Neutra, who experts consider one of the 20th century’s most influential modern architects, second only to Frank Lloyd Wright.

The project includes three small cottages built on Marvin Avenue in Los Altos in 1935. These cottages are the smallest houses Neutra is known to have created and among 17 houses he designed in the Bay Area. Of the three original cottages, two remain.

Crossing guards may get cut from city budget

Los Altos schoolchildren may end up becoming those most vulnerable to the city’s financial woes. The city is considering dropping its crossing guard program to save $60,000 next fiscal year as part of a plan to balance its budget in the face of more anticipated state takeaways. Officials expect the state to take away at least $1.1 million over the next two fiscal years.

The crossing guard program provides funding for crossing guards to keep the streets safe for about 3,600 students at six public elementary schools in town. Without funding, children may face crossing the street without adult supervision.

Los Altos Hills expects to lose $96,000 to state

The Los Altos Hills City Council approved a city budget that is $96,000 less than initially anticipated due to state takeaways. As a result, the city has a general fund budget of $6.5 million for the 2004-’05 fiscal year. Officials expect another $96,000 loss the following year.

Sarah Joiner, administrative services director who oversees the town budget and finances, said those cuts, which are part of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to reduce the state deficit, will be divided equally between property tax, sales tax and motor vehicle license fees. Schwarzenegger has promised to restore those revenues in coming years.

Expiration of LA maintenance contract draws near

A tight city budget may mean more out-of-pocket expenses for Los Altos maintenance workers who could be forced to pay for rising health insurance premiums for the second consecutive time under their labor contract.

The 3 percent increase in health costs that the city allegedly offered in a new contract would mean workers would have to pitch in up to 10 percent of their monthly medical expenses to make up for rising health and welfare costs, said union representative Jim Furgas, who is representing the 22 maintenance employees in the Sanitary Truck Drivers and Helpers Local Union No. 350. For a worker with a family, this bumps up costs from $90 a month to $274 a month, he said. The city currently pays $730 per worker with a family, he added.

Economy, war blamed for high town hall construction bids

After construction bid results for the new Los Altos Hills town hall exceeded the budget by $500,000, Los Altos Hills planning officials are scrambling to reduce building costs on the new town hall building.

Anthony Mirenda, CEO and president of TBI, the firm in charge of town hall construction, attributed the high-than-expected bids to several external factors: Material costs have gone up because of the war in Iraq and China’s increased demand for building materials; and the price of diesel, labor costs and workman’s compensation have also increased, he said. “What’s basically happened is we’ve seen unprecedented escalations,” Mirenda said. “We’re almost seeing a perfect storm. Everything has gone up.”

Letters to the Editor

LAHS needs better campus protection
Chris Lee,
Los Altos

On the night of June 7th, some friends and I decided to take a run on the brand-new rubber track at Los Altos High. To our surprise, two members of the Los Altos police department showed up and told us that we had been […]

Griffin House still can be saved - and used

I take exception to the recent Town Crier editorial that encourages Foothill College to tear down the Griffin house. In the editorial a number of reasons for tearing down the house are given: “the historic house has been given every opportunity to be saved. … The College District has been unable to find any takers. … The house is unusable … requiring new foundation and numerous improvements to bring it in compliance with code. “

The college raised $248 million from taxpayers in 1999 to undertake renovation of facilities - Griffin house is part of the campus facilities. The college has already developed a plan to use the house as offices which can be done while retaining the historic nature of the building.

Old-time movie stars knew how to dress

It’s summertime and skin is in for female fashions inspired by teen idols Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. The new look is replete with advertisements for girls’ jeans that ride low and tight on the hips and expose their bellies.

Bare midriffs are in evidence at the Los Altos Farmer’s Market each Thursday and exposed belly buttons draw your attention when you’re trying to purchase your weekend’s supply of peas, beans and table bouquets.

Obituaries

WILLIAM AUSTIN YATES
Bill, a loving husband, father and grandfather passed away June 14, 2004. Born in Glasgow, Kentucky, November 13, 1930 he was a member of Sigma Nu and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1952. Bill served his country as an officer in the infantry during the Korean […]

Wedding

Renee Fleury and Brad Johnsen
Renee Fleury and Brad Johnsen were married June 26 at the University Club of Palo Alto.
The bride is the daughter of Fred and Barb Fleury of Marquette, Mich. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and Johnson & Wales University. She is a private chef.
The […]

Engagement

Sarah Hayman and Eric Gerfen
Sarah Hayman and Eric Gerfen have announced their engagement to be married in September 2004.
The bride-to-be is the daughter of Jon and Rebecca Hayman of Los Altos. She is a graduate of Los Altos High School, received her bachelor’s degree in history from Whittier College and […]

Los Altos community takes to the track in ‘Relay For Life’ to help fight cancer

More than 700 people gathered at Los Altos High School Saturday and Sunday to participate in the town’s first annual Relay For Life, a volunteer-driven event that raised more than $200,000 in funds for the American Cancer Society’s ongoing support of cancer research, education and outreach services.

The 24-hour event was co-chaired by the wife-and-husband team of Jeanne MacVicar, a Coldwell Banker real estate agent and breast cancer survivor, and her husband, Duncan.

Three city library employees set to retire

Fifty-eight years of community experience are about to walk out the door of the Los Altos main library.

When Miriam Marr, Shirley Behr and Yuki Sakai retire July 1, “a lot of our organizational knowledge will be going out the door,” said Cheryl Houts, community librarian.

Lt. Ballard to be honored at Glorious 4th picnic

Los Altos’ annual Glorious 4th Independence Day celebration and picnic is scheduled to be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., July 4 at Shoup Park, 400 W. University Avenue.

Ye Olde Towne Band will kick off the day with a concert at 10:30 a.m. Attendees are welcome to come early and stake out space for their chairs or blankets on the grass.

Community Briefs

Los Altos artists at clay & glass festival
Los Altos artists Jan Presley and Jeri Goodman are scheduled to present their work at the annual Association of Clay and Glass Artists’ Palo Alto Clay & Glass Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 10 and 11 at the Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 […]

LAHS’ Perez honored by school district

Superintendent Rich Fischer and the board of trustees of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District honored George Perez June 14, midway through the Los Altos High School principal’s final month in the job. Perez becomes superintendent of Mount Pleasant School District in East San Jose July 1 after four years at Los Altos High.

Board President Judy Hannemann called Perez “a great team player for the district” and described the high school as in turmoil at the start of his principalship.

MVLA expects slightly rosier fiscal year

The trustees of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District unanimously adopted the 2004-2005 budget as presented by Joe White, associate superintendent for business services on June 14.

Total revenues for all funds are estimated at $40.7 million and expenses at $44.4 million. A beginning balance of $16 million leaves an ending balance of $12.3 million.

LASD eyes ‘Year of the unknowns’

Los Altos School District trustees adopted the district’s budget for 2004-2005 unanimously at their June 21 meeting. General-fund revenues for the coming school year are estimated at $32.7 million and expenditures at $32.4 million - $240,000 more in revenues and nearly $1 million less in expenses than in the current year.

The budget was developed by Randall Kenyon, assistant superintendent for business services, aided by input from the indefatigable Citizens Advisory Committee for Finance, headed by Dick Hasenpflug. As he presented his budget to the board, Kenyon called 2004-2005 “the year of the unknowns.”

Veteran of war in Iraq named principal of Homestead High School

Graham Clark, who earned a Bronze Star in the war in Iraq, will become principal of Homestead High School Thursday. Clark was the unanimous choice of the Fremont Union High School District board of trustees June 15 to replace retiring Principal Al Montgomery.

Clark has an extensive background in communication and program management, not only as a school administrator, but also as an executive officer in the California Army National Guard. Assigned to the 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion, he supervised, trained and developed 40 captains and warrant officers as well as 400 senior non-commissioned officers.

Los Altan loves to golf on fairways, in hallways

A warning for those sharing hotels with junior golfers this summer: Watch your shins.

Los Altos resident Tessa The admits she and some of her junior golf buddies like to practice their putting in the hallways of hotels they stay at during out-of-town tournaments.

Local realtor shares his career perspectives from the back of a killer whale

Most Los Altos residents probably know Duard Slattery for his work at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. Few realize, however, that this realtor learned his most important business skills from the back of a killer whale. The former Sea World animal trainer says perserverance is what kept him alive in the water and through his varied ventures as a businessman before settling in Los Altos.

When Kilroy, a killer whale at San Diego’s Sea World, nearly scraped Slattery against an underwater wall, he said he learned to hold on tighter the next time around.

New guidelines place prohibition on plastic furniture

Los Altos officials OK’d sidewalk restaurant enclosures in the downtown triangle last week but placed a prohibition on plastic outdoor furniture in an effort to create

a more uniform streetscape

Oil and water make vinegary marriage

Anne Tyler’s 16th novel, “The Amateur Marriage” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2004), tells the story of Michael and Pauline’s wedded life after a whirlwind courtship in the heady times following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Their tempestuous marriage spawns three children and a never-ending cycle of spats and reconciliations. It occurs to both mercurial Pauline and stolid Michael that they were ill-suited from the start, that perhaps they should never have married. Michael worries that while other couples seem to gain mastery in their marriages, he and Pauline remain rank amateurs.

Briefs

Fun at Linden Tree
Two fun events for children are coming up at Linden Tree Children’s Recordings and Books. Jimbo the Clown will play music and perform magic at 10 a.m. today. Bonnie Lockhart will lead a sing-along of folk songs at 10 a.m., July 7.
Children are encouraged to bring a new […]

A speak-easy and bordello called home

Town Crier Editorial Intern

At first glance, Irwin Wunderman’s home looks just like any other - quaint, charming and peaceful. Throughout his 42 years of owning the property, Wunderman and his wife, Gilda, raised three children and housed several foreign exchange students there.

Going native

Gardening with native California plants is not only practical, but good for the environment. Plants and wildflowers that have evolved for many years in California soils, ecosystems and climates tend to be well-suited for gardens and landscaping around homes. They also provide food and shelter for wildlife.

“Native flora provides for native fauna,” said landscape architect Stephanie Morris, who runs a private consulting business and works with clients in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. “Birds, bees and butterflies rely on native flora to provide food and native habitat.”

Datebook

Datebook items are run on a space-available basis for entertainment, non-profit events, low-cost classes and groups of wide interest in our circulation area. Deadline is noon, Tuesday, for the next week’s paper. We do not guarantee items will appear. Notices must be typed and include a contact name and number. Mail to Datebook, Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos, CA 94022; fax 948-6647; or e-mail peteb@latc.com (no attachments).

THEATER