Choosing to go private

In a community with excellent public high schools and the No. 1 rated K-8 district in the state every year since ranking began five years ago, why would anyone pay to send a child to private school?

Parents, students and school administrators give the same reasons. Topping the list are smaller classes that allow a teacher to attend more closely to each child. Then there is the anxiety over volatile public school funding, a real concern even in affluent districts.

LAH council employs new tactic to bring charter school to Bullis site

In the battle to bring Bullis Charter School to a site in Los Altos Hills, the Hills city council is trying a new tack. Councilmembers want the city to lease the former Bullis-Purissima school site from the Los Altos School District and then

sublease that property to the charter school.

El Camino CEO salary decision applauded

At least two El Camino Hospital board members felt CEO Lee Domanico did the right thing by revealing his salary at last week’s board meeting.

“It was both the right and difficult thing for him to do,” said board member Dr. Dominick Curatola. “To do otherwise would have ignored the overall good in favor of his personal principles.”

Unbudgeted LAH town hall expenses near $1 million

The Los Altos Hills committee charged with building the new $4.2 million town hall may have reined in escalating construction costs, but unbudgeted extras, such as interior design, landscaping and an audiovisual and broadcasting system, have increased the building’s price tag by nearly $1 million.

The town hall committee is scheduled to revisit unbudgeted costs 6 p.m., today.

Los Altos targets 60 streets for annual resurfacing work

Road crews are patching sections of crumbling asphalt along Los Altos streets for the city’s annual street resurfacing project currently under way. Motorists can expect some street closures when slurry seal work begins in June.

Sixty streets are in line for repairs under this year’s resurfacing plan. Streets next scheduled for repairs through Friday are Jordan Avenue, Portola Avenue, Los Altos Avenue, Homestead Road, Fallen Leaf Lane, Austin Avenue, Middleton Avenue, Thurston Avenue, Grant Road north of Fremont Avenue and Orr Court.

Wet winter, poor drainage mean flooding on St. Joesph

One of the wettest winters on record has brought out an obvious fact: Poor drainage results in flooding.

Just ask the residents of a south Los Altos neighborhood inconvenienced for years by flood-prone St. Joseph Avenue.

Letters to the Editor

Anesthesiologist differs with Domanico account
Dr. Robert S. Spears

I am one of those anesthesiologists who was forced out of El Camino Hospital last year. Lee Domanico stated (March 2 Town Crier) that we were charging excessively high rates. This is untrue. Our rates were right in line with the local market.
He also […]

Motorists pose safety hazard by clogging bike lanes

Each day 36,000 people bike to work in the Bay Area. And I’m one of them.

Since I live in Mountain View and work in Los Altos, my commute is short - only about three miles.

Restored voices

The other day while cleaning out a closet, I found a dusty 1970s tape recorder with a cassette tape inside. Soon I was sitting on the couch, riveted by the sound of my grandmother’s voice from 1973.

She and her sister regularly sent each other tapes in lieu of writing letters. Still, if she hadn’t spoken about the cancer that was quickly taking her away from us, I may not have recognized her voice.

Lawrence Victor Riches, 86, devout family man, co-founded Pinewood School

Lawrence Victor Riches, the co-founder of Pinewood School, passed away last Friday at 86. From the numerous pine trees he planted with his children to the school named after those pines, Mr. Riches has left an indelible mark on the local community.

“Undoubtedly, he considers his greatest achievement his family,” said Kathleen Riches Pickett, the daughter of Mr. Riches. It was a big family, including four sons, a daughter, 17 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Obituary Notices

ELEANOR LEOTA (SUND) MEREDITH
Eleanor Leota (Sund) Meredith, a native of the Santa Clara Valley for 84 years, born on March 17, 1920 at O’Connor Hospital, passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 22, 2005. She will be greatly missed by her relatives and friends. Eleanor (Sunny) is survived by […]

Weddings & Engagements

Erin Eriksson and Bryan Jones
Erin Eriksson and Bryan Jones have announced their engagement to be married on Sept. 4 at the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla.
The bride-to-be is the daughter of Gayle and Erik Eriksson of Valencia. She is a graduate of William S. Hart High School, […]

‘The Da Vinci Code’ a fast read but low on facts, historian tells Morning Forum

“Codes, Ciphers, Christianity - Did da Vinci Do It?” was the title of historian Dr. Patrick Hatcher’s lecture to the Los Altos Morning Forum March 1. The retired UC Berkeley professor analyzed “The Da Vinci Code,” the best seller by Dan Brown.

The theme of the novel is based on the idea that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus and was pregnant at the time of his crucifixion. The book contends that she fled to southern France, where their child was born, and that the bloodline continues to this day, protected by a secret society (of which Leonardo da Vinci was a member) from the threat of the Roman Catholic Church.

Turnbull receives AAUW Status of Women Award

The American Association of University Women, Los Altos-Mountain View Branch, will present the 2005 Status of Women Award to Jane Turnbull, president of the local branch, at its annual business meeting and luncheon scheduled noon to 2 p.m., March 19, at Don Giovanni Restaurant, 235 Castro St., Mountain View.

For more information or to make reservations, due by Tuesday, call 949-4643. The lunch is $25.

Los Altos prayer breakfast scheduled for March 25

The 11th annual Los Altos Prayer Breakfast is set for 7-9 a.m., March 25, at Hyatt Rickey’s hotel, 4219 El Camino Real, in Palo Alto.

This year’s event features two speakers, Michael Halloran and Laura Lou Tolles.

Community Briefs

Zimbabwe run scheduled for March 13
The sixth annual “Run for Zimbabwe Orphans,” newly renamed the “Zimbabwe Run and Cultural Exhibit,” is scheduled to begin at noon, Sunday, at St. Joseph School, 1120 Miramonte Ave., Mountain View.
The run includes four levels of competition over dirt and grass for all ages and abilities. […]

Local resident reflects on a Chinese New Year and its local celebration

Of all the traditional Chinese festivals, the New Year is the most colorful and important. It starts with the new moon on the first day of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. Chinese New Year is a spring festival celebrated during our winter, on the first day of the first moon of the lunar calendar, based on the cycles of the moon. The date varies every year, but the festival always falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 19 and lasts for two weeks.

This is the time the Chinese congratulate each other and themselves on having passed through another year, visiting friends and relatives, and welcoming the New Year. It is a time to sweep out the old and welcome the new. Every corner of the house must be swept and cleaned, and debts must be repaid before the New Year.

Pet of the Week

Windy is a domestic dove available for adoption at Palo Alto Animal Services. Agency spokeswoman Diane Pearson said Windy is one of those animals that the shelter rarely sees, and is difficult to find an appropriate home for. “We are looking for someone who has an aviary, other doves and knowledge of the species,” Pearson said. To adopt Windy or for more information, contact Palo Alto Animal Services, 3281 E. Bayshore Road, at 496-5971.

Calendar

Ongoing
Los Altos Senior Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, 97 Hillview Ave.
Today
Los Altos Hills Planning Commission, 7:30 p.m., town hall, 25890 Fremont Road.
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors, 7:30 p.m., 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos.
Mountain View Parks and Recreation Commission, 7:30 p.m., […]

Latest Gallery 9 exhibit in Los Altos fuses haiku poetry with etching

In her solo exhibit “Scented Breeze: Haiku Etchings,” at Gallery 9 through March 26, Patricia Machmiller marries her love of poetry with her love of printmaking. Her work combines three-plate intaglio prints with three-line haiku poems.

“The works represent an exploration of the compression of the image in much the same way that language is compressed in haiku - which is limited to 17 syllables,” according to Machmiller.

LA Voices For Peace event marks second year of Iraq war

Los Altos Voices for Peace is holding a March 19 gathering at the downtown Community Plaza to mark the second anniversary of the war in Iraq.

The event, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature performances by the Raging Grannies, along with speakers, exhibits, songs and a vigil of remembrance for those who have died in the war. The event also will include a special reading of the names of California soldiers who have been killed.

‘Bay Area Backroads’ host McConnell to speak in Los Altos March 17

Doug McConnell, host of the long-running “Bay Area Backroads” on KRON 4 TV, is scheduled to appear 7 p.m., March 17, at Main Street Café & Books in Los Altos as part of the Main Street Forum speaker series.

McConnell, who canceled a previously scheduled appearance last November for personal reasons, will be on hand to discuss his travels and autograph his new “Bay Area Backroads Deck.”

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship highlighted with student’s gratitude

The Rotary Foundation’s oldest program, the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship Program, was in the spotlight on Jan. 15, when the Los Altos Rotary Club welcomed to its weekly luncheon meeting a visiting French student, Laure Bernhardt, a recipient of a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship.

Bernhardt’s scholarship has made it possible for her to complete her master’s degree in management science and engineering at Stanford University. Prior to this she was a student at l’Ecole Centrale, France’s top engineering school.

Seniors News

Services offered at the Los Altos Senior Center include:

• Counsel on Aging, HICAP: Insurance counseling the third Tuesday of every month with Roy Ito. Make appointments through the Senior Center.

Humane Society ‘Fur Ball’ gala draws local residents

Los Altos-area residents and business owners will be among the attendees at the Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) second annual “Fur Ball” gala event, scheduled 6-11 p.m., March 26, at Dolce Hayes Mansion in San Jose.

Paul Callary and his wife Ruby, owners of the Five Paw Bakery in Los Altos, have donated a dog gift basket for the silent auction and will be attending the event.

Leagues of Women Voters endorse library measures, plan campaign

Santa Clara County Measures A and B, to protect library funding, will be included in a mail-in ballot, posted April 4 with a return deadline of May 3. The leagues of Women Voters of the county have announced their support for both measures.

Measure A would extend the existing assessment with the same amount ($33.66 per year) with all funds distributed locally. Measure B, if Measure A is approved, adds $12 per year to restore library hours and the book budget.

Free mediation available to resolve conflicts

The Los Altos Mediation Program (LAMP) provides mediation in local disputes. Mediation is a voluntary settlement process used to resolve conflicts between two or more people in a non-adversarial setting with the aid of a neutral third party. The process is confidential and informal.

LAMP provides free and fast mediation for parties residing in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills or the unincorporated area surrounding Los Altos.

CPR improves groups’ communication

Twenty-eight local citizens working for three months have produced no recommendations for resolving the conflict between Bullis Charter School and the Los Altos School District, but they are on better speaking terms.

“The fact that these people can talk to each other and know each other will be positive for the community,” Roy Lave said of his hand-picked Community Process for Reconciliation committee in late January.

Preschoolers’ outreach to Tibetan children began before disaster in Indian Ocean

Over dinner, my 4-year-old daughter asked me to send some of her vitamin drops to the Tibetan children so they could “get well.” Surprised by Eleanor’s request, I asked her what she knew about Tibet.

It turned out that my daughter’s preschool, as part of their lessons covering the world, had been learning about the people of the area known as the Tibet Autonomous Region. As well as seeing where in the world this region was and learning about its geography, the preschoolers were told about the lives of the children living there. The information given was simple but clear. The children get sick there because they lack access to basic healthcare, nutrients and hygienic living conditions. These are things that we all take for granted that keep our children healthy and strong.

MVHS faculty search for the perfect score

King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table will take the stage in late March, coconut shells in hand, when Mountain View High School’s faculty takes on standardized testing, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and, sparing no one, teachers.

The latest faculty play, “Search for the Wholly Grail: A Quest of Test Obsession,” is based loosely on “Monty Python’s Search for the Holy Grail.” History teacher Tim Farrell wrote the adaptation, excising the R-rated material but saying he retained the zaniness. Paige Price, who teaches English and ESL, co-directs with Farrell.

No use just sitting alone in your room - come to the Gunn cabaret

The Gunn High School Theater Department presents “Cabaret” this week and next in the school’s Spangenberg Theatre.

“Cabaret” - with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb - tells the story of Clifford Bradshaw, an American writer who visits Berlin as the Nazis come into power in the late 1920s. He meets nightclub singer Sally Bowles in the Kit Kat Club, and the two fall in love.

Schools Briefs

Almond walkathon to be held Saturday
Almond Elementary School has scheduled its annual Walkabout fund-raiser, “Groove your feet to the Almond beat,” 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The PTA-sponsored event gives students a chance to help their school by raising funds with their walking. The PTA uses the funds to buy […]

LASD trustees review candidate information

Los Altos School District trustees were to review qualifications and references of five candidates from an original pool of 40 aspirants for the soon-to-be-vacant position of superintendent Monday night.

Trustees were to meet with a representative of the recruitment firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates of Glenview, Ill., but not with the candidates. Trustees plan to begin interviewing all or the most promising of the five administrators March 11. Superintendent Marge Gratiot retires at the end of June.

High five these Young Fives - they’ve got it

Nine students in the Young Fives class at Children’s Corner decided to celebrate their first 100 days of school by collecting 100 cans of food. They collected so enthusiastically that they brought in 125 cans. They even painted special boxes to deliver the food to Second Harvest Food Bank in style.

Panthers thrive with the drive

Throw out the notion that the Pinewood School girls basketball team lives and dies on three-point shots. In this year’s run to the Central Coast Section title, the Panthers proved they have the drive to survive.

The threes didn’t fall, but the drives to the basket did last Saturday in a 62-42 win over Sacred Heart Prep in the CCS Division V final at Santa Clara High. Top seed Pinewood made up for its 4-of-15 effort on treys (26.7 percent) by scoring about one-third of its points on drives resulting in either layins or free throws.

Wall Street shuns high oil prices, shoots for new highs

Last week was a perfect storm of good news. Stocks surged upward after a solid February jobs report, pushing the Dow industrials to its highest level since June 12, 2001.

America’s employers added a sizable 262,000 jobs in February, and the January to March quarter is growing at a rate of around 4 percent. Even the benchmark 10-year note gained 7/32 of a point last Friday to 97 15/32 to yield 4.36 percent, down from 4.38 percent on Thursday.

Mim’s the word for high-end shoes

Call it “A Los Altos Success Story” in shoe fashion. Christine Campbell’s recently opened shoe store in downtown Los Altos, Crimson Mim, is proving to be a success with customers.

The 800-square-foot boutique, decorated with vintage chandeliers and zebra-skin rugs, offers a high-end shopping experience in women’s footwear.

You can drink your beer and eat it too

The next time you go to a brewpub, don’t be surprised if the beer comes served by the bowl instead of the pint. While serious food aficionados may have long known the versatility of using beer in recipes, the fermented beverage is just now finding its way out of the bar and into the mainstream kitchen.

Whole cookbooks, restaurant menus and food store sections are dedicated to recipes with lagers, pilsners, ales and stouts. Beer can be used in baking, grilling and marinating, as well as in sauces, batters and even ice cream.

Steamed or fried, edamame soybeans pack a protein punch

Q: How are edamame served?

A: Smaller than lima beans, edamame (eh-dah-MAH-meh) are immature (green) soybeans, which can be served in or out of their pods after being cooked. If served in their pods, pop the beans out to eat.

Happy Ben keeps Lucky menu and expands choices

Patrons loyal to Lucky Chinese restaurant won’t be disappointed with Happy Ben, which opened at the downtown Los Altos site at the start of this year.

Ben Zheng, a longtime chef at Lucky, took over the restaurant when the former owners sold the site.

Gordon Biersch offers good beer, casual atmosphere

Good beer and good food combined with a casual atmosphere continue to draw loyal patrons to Palo Alto’s Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant 17 years after its opening. The unpretentious brewery on Emerson Street is a place where people check their attitudes at the door. On any given day, there is a slew of regular customers whom the bartender knows by name and favorite brew.

That’s what founders Dan Gordon and Dean Biersch envisioned when they opened their first Gordon Biersch near their Peninsula homes in Palo Alto in 1988. The brewpub has since expanded to more than a dozen locations throughout the Western states, including Hawaii.

Fabric art brightens NYC’s Central Park

San Francisco used to be the only city where tourists would flock to see an orange gate. Not so this winter. The Golden Gate Bridge had some competition. Thousands of tourists filled New York’s Central Park in the middle of February snows to view 7,500, 16-foot-tall gates along 23 miles of walkways in New York City’s Central Park. Saffron-colored fabric panels were suspended from the top of the gates, which were spaced about 12 feet apart. The art display required about 600 workers to set up Feb. 12.

The vivid gates enlivened the snow-covered park and from far away became a bright spot in gray Gotham. The installation remained for 16 days, after which the gates were dismantled and recycled.

An encounter with an unwieldy reptile makes for a memorable Mexican vacation

My wife, Sally, and I recently traveled to Chiapas and South Yucatan to visit Mexican Mayan ruins. In Mexico City we rented a small purple Mexican Chevy we called the “grape” and drove to Palenque where we would charter a plane to fly to two remote jungle sites, Bonampak and Yaxchilan, located near the Usumacinta River, the boundary between Mexico and Guatemala.

Upon arrival in Palenque, we hired a fun, outgoing pilot named Oscar. The plan was for him to fly us to Yaxchilan, wait for us to tour the site, then fly us to Bonampak, wait again and finally fly us back to Palenque. Early the next morning, we headed for the airport only to find out that our tour operator had made a mistake and Oscar had chartered with some Canadians and was no longer available. We were advised to seek out another pilot, Pablo, a skinny, chain-smoking, raggedy, smelly individual who looked like he was on his last legs. His alleged flying machine looked even worse. Sally got on the phone and demanded our money back.

TC train tours include Ashland and Mexico

Town Crier Train Tours rolls into 2005 with two trips for train traveling enthusiasts.

Building on last year’s successful trip to Ashland, Ore., another tour to the Ashland Shakespeare Festival is scheduled this year for Sept. 8-12. Travel will be via the Coast Starlight to Oregon.

Datebook

THEATER

“Sweeney Todd.” Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s dark comedy based on Christopher Bond’s horror tale and the English folk legend of a half-mad, 19th-century English barber. Foothill Music Theatre. 8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday; 2 p.m., Sunday. Foothill College Playhouse, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. $10-$22. 949-7360; www.foothill.edu/fa/.