No fear of flying

Paul Kutler is back with an old friend he left behind several years ago - aviation. The Los Altos resident rekindled his passion for flying by joining the Palo Alto Flying Club, an organization based at the Palo Alto Airport that specializes in flight training.

He’s not the only local resident with a passion for flying. The club has drawn many other residents, from teens to seniors, into the tightknit aviation world.

Woman schemed to have husband shot

After three years investigating an obsessive love triangle, the Los Altos Police Department’s hard work finally ended last week when Milpitas resident Mai Thi Vu was found guilty of four felonies and one misdemeanor that included stalking a Los Altos employee and soliciting gunmen to shoot her estranged husband in the genitals.

Vu faces 10 years in prison on four counts: stalking, making terrorist threats, solicitation to commit a felony and stalking in violation of a court order. In addition, Vu, who pressured her 16-year old son to make threatening phone calls, was convicted of the misdemeanor of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Los Altos resident to compete this week

Los Altos resident Lauren McFall is representing the United States in the Olympic Games in Athens this month as captain of the synchronized swim team. Synchronized swim events are scheduled Aug. 23 to Aug. 27, starting with the duet technical routine.

Television broadcast times were unavailable at the Town Crier’s press deadline. For broadcast schedules, logon to www.nbcolympics.com. For more information about McFall or scheduled event times, logon to www.athens2004.com.

Police warn residents of high-risk sex offender

Mountain View police canvassed the Montecito Avenue neighborhood door-to-door last week notifying residents that a high-risk sexual offender had moved in.

Serial rapist Hector Chavez moved from San Jose to the 2000 block of Montecito, according to police. He is not wanted by any law enforcment agency, but must register as a sex offender with police under state law.

LAH man to enter plea for sexual abuse

A Los Altos Hills man charged with four felony counts of sexual molestation last May is scheduled to enter a plea Tuesday.

Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies arrested James Edward George, 69, May 28, after detective Deborah Johnson investigated an alleged sexual assault that the victim reported to a newspaper. The investigation revealed that George had sexually molested the victim several times over a several year period.

County stretched thin to deal with West Nile

Local residents may be left on their own to dispose of dead birds possibly infected with the West Nile Virus if the disease continues to spread and tap county resources, Santa Clara County Vector Control District officials warned last week during a briefing on how to handle dead birds.

Since vector control discovered eight birds infected with the virus in five areas of the county earlier this month, the district has received up to 50 reports a day about dead birds.

Five candidates square off in Los Altos Hills council race

Four challengers and one incumbent are vying for three seats on the Los Altos Hills City Council.

Candidates on the November ballot include Craig A.T. Jones, chairman of the Bullis Charter School group and member of the finance committee; and Jean Mordo, a member of the planning commission and the new town hall committee. The most recent candidate to file papers was Carol Jean Gottlieb, a member of the pathways ad hoc committee.

Downed wire sets street on fire, cuts power to hundreds of Los Altos homes

A loud explosion roused Los Altos residents from their Hillview Avenue homes Thursday evening after a live, 12,000-volt electrical wire snapped onto the ground, setting the asphalt ablaze.

Residents said they heard a loud buzzing noise moments before their lights flickered and the electricity went out. Two boys walking near the wire when it fell called police, a witness said.

Letters to the Editor

Clearing up Pinewood misconceptions
Pinewood School Board of Directors
L. Victor Riches, chairman
Scott Riches
Kathy Pickett
Victor Riches, Jr.
Dennis Riches
The goal of Pinewood School in purchasing property close to our current, leased site is to obtain a permanent location with upgraded facilities for our Upper Campus, grades 7 through 12. Some recent letters to […]

Don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me

At Fry’s Electronics the other day, I rummaged through their CD pile and found a Glenn Miller CD that brought back memories of when I was a teenager. Glenn Miller would have been 100 years old this year - his music is forever.

When I was in high school, we would bag school on Fridays and hitchhike to the Earle Theater in Philadelphia, Pa., to see the weekly stage show.

Hamsters’ descendants and the origin of ‘wake’

• All pet hamsters are descended from a single female wild golden hamster found with a litter of 12 young in Syria, in 1930.

• The holy Christian holiday of Easter is named after the pagan goddess. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre, who governed the vernal equinox.

Our unusual vacation

After the trauma I suffered when I read about the mountain lion who went for a walk about two blocks from our house, I simply had to go on vacation. Cats are my worst phobia, but very big cats make for paranoia.

I wouldn’t touch the garage-door opener until I was safely in my car and ready to go. Yet, neighbors walked the streets and bicycled with their children. I resisted the urge to shout at them, “Haven’t you heard about the mountain lion sighting?”

Pioneer ear surgeon left lasting impression in LA through his civic work

town crier staff report

Lee Shahinian may have helped pioneer modern ear surgery, but those in Los Altos knew the doctor best for the permanent imprint he left in the community through his tireless civic work.

Obituaries

RICHARD B. TAYLOR
Richard B. Taylor passed away August 7, 2004 at the age of 74 in Los Altos.
He leaves a wife, Marjorie, as well as two sons; Matt of Oregon, Ben of Colorado Springs and two daughters, Katherine of Santa Maria and Lucy of Seattle. He also leaves five grandchildren.
Funeral […]

Engagements

Kristin Gustavson and Robert Miller have announced their engagement to be married Sept. 5, in Arlington, Va.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of Dave and Dee Gustavson of Los Altos.

Births

Bridget Lillian Stuebner
Bridget Lillian Stuebner, a baby girl, was born Feb. 14 at El Camino Hospital to Bryn and Jim Stuebner of Los Altos.
She weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces and was 21 inches long. Proud siblings are Cailey and Jake.

Brody Emile Stratz
A son was born to Caroline and […]

Sisters form Azores group to fight cancer

Ever since her aunt and sister-in-law were diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago, Los Altos resident and Azores native Odette Januario Page has been a woman with a mission.

“My aunt called me and told me, ‘I found something in my right breast, something very little, I’m scared,’” Page said. So Page took her aunt, who does not speak English, to a local clinic and then to Stanford Medical Center for a biopsy. “I asked the doctor, ‘Is this cancer?’ And she said, ‘I am 99 percent sure that it is cancer.’ On May 5, (my aunt) had her breast removed and I was there with her. From that point on, I was thinking, ‘What can I do?’”

Aspiring artists get taste of fame

Thirty aspiring local artists, all under the age of 13, got a taste of what it’s like to display one’s work in public last week. As winners of The Arts In Action program sponsored by the Community School of Music and Arts, their works are on exhibit at Main Street Café & Books.

The winners and their parents were treated to a root beer float party last week as they walked around the café admiring their own work hanging on the walls. All of the artists are students at Springer elementary or St. Nicholas schools.

Community Briefs

Hoedown at Westwind Barn
Historic Westwind Barn’s 26th annual “Hoedown” fund-raiser is scheduled 5-10 p.m., Sept. 4, at Westwind Barn, 27210 Altamont Road, Los Altos Hills.
Known for its equestrian demonstrations and western barbecue, this year’s “Hoedown” will feature performances by the “Happy Birds”: parrots, macaws and cockatoos that sing, play basketball and line-dance. […]

Magician to visit Federated Woman’s Club

The Federated Woman’s Club of Los Altos has scheduled its first meeting of the season 11 a.m., Sept. 1, at Michaels at Shoreline Restaurant in Mountain View.

At 1 p.m., following the meeting, Mr. Mystic, the legendary San Francisco magician published author and performance artist, will entertain.

Los Altos city picnic set for Aug. 29

The city of Los Altos is hosting its third annual community picnic 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 29, in the Los Altos Civic Center located off San Antonio Road and Hillview Avenue.

The event will showcase city services and live entertainment including the traditional Ye Olde Towne Band. A classic car show is planned among the variety of attractions.

Fund established to honor former Hidden Villa Executive Director Judith Steiner

Tucked in a canyon in Los Altos Hills, Hidden Villa Nature Preserve has become better known and provided a more diverse multicultural environment during the past 10 years, under the leadership of Judith Steiner, than it did in its first 50 years of operation.

Steiner broadened the existing community programs at the 1,600-acre ranch to include forums on social justice issues, diversified the staff and created a more multicultural board of directors. She also began an aggressive capital campaign to finance three new buildings and complete badly needed repairs on the historic structures. Her work earned her the title of “Woman of the Year” by the 11th Senate District in 2002.

Wine auction raises nearly $500,000 for visually impaired

Celebrity guest chefs rolled out their finest cuisine to create the Vintage Affaire tasting and wine-pairing stations on the lush gardens of Jane and Bill Walsh’s Atherton estate July 11.

A bottle of Chateau Leoville Barton 1881 St.-Julien, up for auction, underlined why Vintage Affaire is regarded as Silicon Valley’s equivalent to the Napa Valley Wine Auction.

Cantabile’s mission: music for life

Cantabile Youth Singers, formerly Cantabile Children’s Chorus, enters its 11th season in September under a new artistic director.

Elena Sharkova is the plucky soul picking up the baton. She will replace founder Signe Boyer, who recently retired. The Russian emigre promises to instill her passion for music into every child.

Schools Briefs

Vacancy on LAH Public Ed. Committee
Stacey Aherns has resigned from the Los Altos Hills Public Education Committee, leaving one vacancy to fill. City Clerk Karen Jost said the town has received one application, which will be forwarded to the city council on Thursday.
MVLA incumbents already sworn in
With no need […]

MV-LA district takes big step toward funding Alta Vista construction

Trustees of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Aug. 9 unanimously approved immediate refunding of the general obligation bonds first issued in 1995 for $22.3 million.

The Series B bonds paid for the renovations and construction now nearing completion at Los Altos and Mountain View high schools.

De Anza offering more than 40 new ‘experimental’ courses for fall quarter

Town Crier Report

The fall quarter begins Sept. 20 at De Anza College, featuring 41 new and/or experimental courses for 2004-2005.

Picnics galore usher in school year at several Los Altos campuses

Town Crier Staff Report

Schools open in the Los Altos School District Monday and that means school picnics aren’t far behind.

Southbay Christian introduces Royal Rangers

Town Crier Report

Southbay Christian Center of Mountain View, which has served the community for more than 40 years with its boys program for grades K-8, is introducing a completely new merit-based curriculum with hundreds of activities to choose from.

Noteworthies

Trevor Beatty, a Los Altos native and an alumnus of St. Francis High School, won several awards at the national convention of Delta Chi fraternity Aug. 4-8 in Washington, D.C.

As 2004-2005 president of the Cal Poly chapter, he accepted the President’s Cup for Best Chapter, the award for Best Chapter Secretary of 2003-2004 and a special award for taking the minutes at the convention.

A milestone for Miller

The San Jose Sports Hall of Fame has been around for 10 years, yet has never inducted an athlete from Los Altos High. Until now.

Allie Miller recently got that call from the hall; she is scheduled for induction in the category of High School Athlete of the Year at a banquet in November.

Dining orders on the rise since the movies came to town, local restaurant owners say

Staying afloat in the restaurant industry may take more than good food in Los Altos. The city has experienced a high turnover of restaurants over the past five years as operators complain they lose money in the small Peninsula town. Three more Los Altos restaurants closed their operations this mont St. Stephen’s Green removed all their property last week; Adagio gave up and never opened the former Jocco’s restaurant; and last week, Pepino’s closed indefinitely for remodeling.

The problem has become so alarming, the Los Altos City Council and the Los Altos Village Association took steps recently to help local businesses keep their doors open, including free Friday night movies shown outdoors.

As oil prices rise, consider buying oil stocks that pay dividends

When you talk stock market, preservation is on the minds of most investors. Many are experiencing portfolio pain and can’t take it anymore.

The big concern is the price of oil and whether it will reach $50 per barrel. If it keeps rising, economic growth will be weaker than expected. Crude oil prices, plus worries about the economy and outlook for earnings, are expected to hang over the market for the rest of the summer.

Immunization - not just a good idea, it’s the law

August is flitting and families are fitting in visits to the doctor for annual checkups. Screaming hordes of children are baring their upper arms in the cause of disease prevention. National Immunization Awareness Month is upon us.

With two exceptions, children - everyone under the age of 18 - must have immunizations before they can start school or enter child care in California.

Rotarians discover their memory loss is normal

Are you having difficulty finding the right word to fit the occasion and can’t remember the name of the person you met last night?

That’s normal, because memory loss starts at age 30 and becomes progressively worse.

El Camino physicians offer gynecologic care for teens

At first blush, the ob-gyn offices of Dr. Katherine Sutherland might not seem the place where a teenage girl would feel comfortable. Nestled on the second floor of El Camino Hospital’s Orchard Pavilion building, the offices of the all-women physicians group resemble most clinics. However, next to the standard indoor tree a curious hot-pink informational display asks visitors: “Is your teen at risk?”

This prompting question leads the observer to a series of teen health-related issues, ranging from date rape to smoking. The colorful display is a stark contrast to the standard adult ob-gyn office lobby. That’s because the Women Physicians Ob/Gyn Medical Group is at the forefront of teen health issues, treating teenage girls in addition to its adult patients.

Health Briefs

Fund-raiser for breast cancer
“Four Sisters and Friends from the Azores” has scheduled a fund-raising dinner for the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, at the Sociedade Festa Velha Lodge, 361 Villa St., Mountain View.
“Four Sisters and Friends from the Azores” are a group of nine women from the Azores islands, Portugal, […]

Inline skating provides fun as well as great workout

I learned to ice-skate when I was 10 years old. But because I lived in Southern California, where there were several beach paths and few ice rinks, I soon made the transition to inline roller skates. It took some time to conquer the fear of falling and gain the ability to stay up on my blades, but I haven’t stopped rolling since.

Inline skating is a great aerobic exercise, with low impact on the joints.

Several resources proving helpful to those suffering from sleep apnea

A good night’s sleep is elusive for the 20 million Americans who suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea, the most common sleep disorder recognized today, is the cessation of breathing during sleep, sometimes for as long as 90 seconds at a time. Snoring, sleep apnea’s number one symptom, disrupts the sleep of those with the problem and often the sleep of their partners. Feeling tired all the time, not thinking clearly and risk of work and automobile accidents result from sleep apnea. Those who go untreated may develop high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and other life threatening conditions.

It has been estimated that 90 per cent of sleep apnea sufferers have yet to be diagnosed. Some of them will die prematurely from the effects of their untreated condition. Yet, sleep apnea can be controlled with appropriate care.

American reporter examines U.S. interrogation tactics

At the same time the scandal about the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison focused attention on treatment of prisoners of war, the Army’s office of security review was combing through the manuscript of “The Interrogators” (Little, Brown and Co., 2004).

Co-authored by Los Angeles Times national security correspondent Greg Miller and Army reservist and interrogator Chris Mackey (not his real name), the book provides a fascinating glimpse inside the interrogation control element at Kandahar and Bagram, Afghanistan.

Books Briefs

Linden Tree entertains today and Aug. 25
Local clown Daffy Dave entertains at Linden Tree Children’s Recordings & Books at 10 a.m. today. Hey Mom!, a group of four local moms, will sing their favorite songs at Linden Tree at 10 a.m., Aug. 25.
Children attending each event are asked, but not required, to […]

Datebook

THEATER

“Love of a Pig.” Leslie Caveny’s drama chronicles a young violinist’s pursuit of a brooding bass player. 8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, and 2 p.m., Sunday. Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Ave., Mountain View. $10-$15. 493-2006; www.dragonproductions.net.