Knocking cancer off its legs

“It’s got to stop,” Steve McCoy said as he halted on the Los Altos High School track Saturday afternoon. He was the only volunteer standing still as he took time out of his 24-hour commitment to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life fund- and awareness-raising event to answer questions.

McCoy was first diagnosed with cancer at 31. He underwent surgery, radiation treatments and chemotherapy, followed by the routine of monthly checkups the first year, quarterly checkups the second and semiannual checkups the third. After he passed the five-year milestone, the point at which a patient’s cancer is considered cured if it has been inactive since treatment - the point at which there is only a 1 percent chance of recurrence - his cancer reappeared. He is now in his third “clean” year since his second round of surgery and treatment, and he is taking it one year at a time.

Rambus lights the path for relay runners

Some of the area’s top engineers armed themselves with colored markers, puffy stickers and mini-glitter balls last week for what many considered among the toughest projects of their careers at the Los Altos-based computer chip company Rambus.

Their task - to design and decorate luminarias for the American Cancer Society’s second annual Relay For Life fundraiser in Los Altos held over the weekend. The paper lights were used to pay tribute to cancer victims as well as light the route for those participating in the 24-hour relay. Rambus employees made 400 of an estimated 5,000 luminarias.

Question remains over De Anza trail through LAH

When explorer Juan Bautista De Anza led his expedition through what is now Los Altos Hills in 1776, he did not follow any trail markers. Now, the city’s pathways committee must decide if and where the trail commemorating the historic journey that led to the discovery of San Francisco Bay should be placed.

The National Park Service notified the committee this month that its proposed route could not be certified because of “safety, aesthetic and equestrian issues.” Congress mandated the 1,200-mile trail from Arizona to the Bay Area in 1990.

Ballot fees triple for school candidates

A 40-year law intended to guarantee civil rights to voters may end up eliminating all but the wealthiest of candidates in Santa Clara County.

The registrar of voters recently passed fees to publish a school board candidate’s statement in the sample ballot on to the candidates, tripling the cost for most contenders.

Los Altos Hills officials put Mayfield flap behind them

The Los Altos Hills City Council has decided that even though the city did not receive four notices or a draft environmental impact report from Palo Alto concerning its Mayfield Agreement with Stanford University, it’s time to move on. The notices and DEIR were required under the California Environmental Quality Act.

“Palo Alto was not looking for input from us. The deal was going down,” Councilman Mike O’Malley said at the June 16 council meeting about the agreement Palo Alto approved last month. “We were the last piece in this, and we were a minute piece. I think any more of this is beating a dead horse and we need to move forward.”

Los Altos experiences growing pains along El Camino Real

When state officials began mandating the number of new housing developments California cities should target in their general plans during the 1990s housing crunch, Los Altos turned to El Camino Real. The commercial corridor seemed the answer for the built-out city - until now.

Neighbors in the Distel Drive-Marich Avenue area plan to attempt to block construction of a 29-unit, three-story condominium proposed for the corner of El Camino and Distel, where Chef Wang’s restaurant and Yamane’s jewelry store are located. A group of about 45 neighbors met Saturday to discuss strategies that it is keeping under wraps for now.

Vector control says rat scare from Almond School construction unfounded

The Santa Clara County Vector Control District has found that the population of rats near Almond Elementary School is no larger than that anywhere else.

Two neighbors of the school complained last month to vector control, the city of Los Altos and the Los Altos School District that recent construction at the school had displaced a large population of rats now plaguing the area.

Editorial

Last week’s board meeting was Marge Gratiot’s final meeting as Los Altos School District superintendent. We’d like to point out that Gratiot has plenty to be proud of as she steps down after 18 years as head of one of the highest-achieving districts in the state.

Under her watch, the district soared to dizzying heights of success, reflected not only in top test scores statewide, but in outstanding, well-rounded educational programs. Surrounding herself with committed, top-notch administrators and teachers, Gratiot created an inclusive environment that fostered strong parent involvement. The outstanding education offered was something parents and the community bought into - literally and figuratively - and such support made the district even better.

Letters to the Editor

Investing in proposed project?
Marianne Hawkes
In March, we received notice of a 29-unit, three-story muli-family residential building proposed in our neighborhood. The development of the property at 5100 El Camino raises numerous concerns […]

Obituary Notices

STEVEN L. ELLIOTT
Steven Elliott passed away on June 17, 2005 in San Diego, CA. He was born in Minneapolis, MN on July 16, 1955. His family moved to Saratoga, CA in 1956 and in 1959, Steve had open-heart surgery at age five in San Francisco, related to a congenital heart condition.
[…]

A fun Fourth - without the fireworks

The sponsors of Glorious 4th, the annual Independence Day celebration, are preparing a fun-filled day of music and entertainment. This year’s picnic will be held 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, at Shoup Park, 400 W. University Ave., Los Altos.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., Ye Olde Towne Band will be striking up their instruments as residents, friends and family from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills gather.

Main St. Cafe features a Friday evening of folk songs

“Paul’s Old Folkies,” a hand-selected group of musicians from Pacifica Harmony Chorus, will lead a “Folk-Song Sing-Along” 7 p.m., Friday at Main Street Café and Books in downtown Los Altos.

Members of “Paul’s Old Folkies” promise “beautiful vocal harmonies, supported by three talented guitarists,” to fill your evening with the sounds of traditional American folk music.

Flags saluted in new exhibit at Los Altos History Museum

Flags and popular interpretations of flag motif are on view during the museum’s new exhibit, “Hooray for the Red, White and Blue!” The exhibit is scheduled to run through Jan. 8.

The decorative and graphic arts exhibit will feature the flag-themed collection of Kit Hinrichs, a well-known graphic artist and collector. As part of a newly designed staging of the J. Gilbert Smith House, other local collections of flag-themed artifacts will be displayed.

LA native builds for Habitat For Humanity

Los Altos native Andy Sweet was a recent volunteer builder at a Habitat for Humanity seven-unit development in Dorchester, Mass. Sweet was part of a 20-member team sponsored by the James Sokolove law offices, where Sweet is Internet marketing manager.

“This has been a very fulfilling and rewarding experience,” Sweet said. “I feel honored to have played even a small role in helping some deserving families achieve their dreams of owning their own homes.”

Rotary announces student award winners

The Los Altos Rotary Club announced the 10 winners of its 2005 Community Service Scholarships at the club’s May 26 luncheon. They will share a total award of $16,500 to apply to the colleges of their choice this fall. In addition, the club presented their 2005 Outstanding Intermediate School Student Awards.

The winners of the scholarships are Sheila Donovan of Mountain View High School (New York University); Wei-Wei Liu of Los Altos High School (Harvard or Stanford university); Andrew Nguyen of Mountain View Academy (UC San Diego); Daniel Slate of Mountain View High (Stanford); Kevin Stanek of Mountain View High (UCLA, USC or University of Washington); Karisa Tang of Mountain View High (UCLA); Donna Vo of Mountain View High (UCLA or UC Riverside); Rebecca Vu of St. Francis High (Stanford); and Matthew Weiden of Los Altos High (UCLA). The winner of the Cowan Scholarship for Science and Technology is Victor Ruelas of Los Altos High (Whitman College).

CSA challenge grant gives nudge to help needy

The Grove Foundation in Los Altos has announced a $25,000 Challenge Grant for the Community Services Agency (CSA). The foundation will match every dollar up to $25,000 contributed by community members in Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills before Aug. 1. The revenue will assist the hundreds of individuals and families supported by CSA.

CSA is the primary non-profit social services provider and safety net for those in need in the Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills area. Its Emergency Assistance Program provides a food bank and limited emergency financial aid, as well as vouchers for new shoes and school supplies at the beginning of the school year. Other programs include the Alpha-Omega Rotating Homeless Shelter and Senior Health and Nutrition Programs.

Local moms suggest ‘Tea for Two’ to fight cancer

Kathleen Bonte of Mountain View and Janet Kolstad of Los Altos will walk 39.3 miles in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer next month.

Kolstad, a local preschool teacher, mother of two and active community volunteer, will walk for the first time since her recruitment by her friend, Bonte, who is training for her second walk.

LAH Riding Ring will house summer horsemanship camp

The Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association has scheduled its Junior Horsemanship Day Camp, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 15-17, at the Los Altos Hills Town Riding Ring, located on Purissima Road just south of Viscaino Road. The camp provides three days of equine activities for horse-lovers, 9-18, in two skill levels.

Level One, Ponies, is designed for beginners and those who want to learn about recognizing breeds, tack and grooming and participate in elementary groundwork with a horse. The $200 fee includes equine games and activities, equine arts and crafts, lunch on the third day and participation in the Ring Show on the final day. Level One involves extended time with horses but limited time on horseback.

Quota Club presents checks to charities

Quota International of Mountain View-Los Altos presented checks to local non-profit service agencies at its May 19 meeting at Michael’s at Shoreline. Quota International awarded financial support to the Community Health Awareness Council, Community Services Agency, El Camino Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Mountain View Firefighters’ Create a Smile Fund and the Support Network for Battered Women. It will also present a college scholarship to a student graduating from the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, as well as a donation to the San Francisco SPCA Hearing Dog program.

Foothill remembers longtime counselor

The Foothill College community gathered Thursday in memory of counselor Jean Thomas, Ph.D., who died of cancer June 15. She was a longtime resident of Mountain View.

Dr. Thomas served Foothill students as a counselor for more than three decades. In 1994, she founded the award-winning Pass the Torch program, which, under her direction, has helped more than 2,000 students succeed in English as a second language, English composition and a full range of mathematics courses.

FHDA to add racial harassment policy

Under a resolution agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights May 19, the Foothill-De Anza Community College District will add a definition of racial harassment and examples of prohibited conduct to its procedures for resolving student-to-student complaints of sexual harassment and discrimination.

The policy action is the ultimate outcome of a November 2003 men’s soccer game at American River College in which players of the host school allegedly made racial slurs to Hispanic Foothill College players and assaulted one of them.

LASD adopts new budget, marks its ‘first last’

Los Altos School District said farewell to Superintendent Marge Gratiot last week and welcomed a historic first for its budget: District teachers will contribute toward the cost of their benefits package - 5 percent of the total for 2005-2006.

Teachers further helped to balance the budget trustees adopted 5-0 June 20 by agreeing once again to forgo a cost-of-living increase. At the moment, the district expects to start next year with $3.8 million and end it with close to $3 million.

Does anybody really know what time it is?

Covington Summer School Principal and puppeteer Trish Langdon, left, and puppeteer Sharon Moerner teach an assembly about children with disabilities and allergies. Here, a sighted “student” learns how her blind classmate tells time with his Braille watch.

Dunleavy’s appearance results in some happy campers

It turns out there is a way to silence a gym full of high-energy youngsters armed with leather basketballs and donning squeaky sneakers.

Bring in an NBA player.

Greenspan warns Congress about risks in trade sanctions

A surge in oil prices led stocks and bond yields lower last week. The Nasdaq composite finished 1.8 percent lower while the Dow Jones Industrial Average of 30 large companies was lower by 3.1 percent and the S&P 500 index lost 2.1 percent. The largest tech stocks in the Valley followed the market’s trend. A barrel of oil traded over $60 before settling in at $59.84 for the week.

Continuing to prove many of the experts wrong, the bond market rose and yields decreased. The yield on the 10-year Treasury Bond ended the week at 3.92 percent. The bond price moves inversely to the yield, so the price of a bond goes higher as the yield moves lower. Gold lost ground and the dollar fell against most major currencies.

Realtors provide labor to help local residents in RSVP program

While many Peninsula residents basked in the warm sun, more than 600 members of local Realtor associations worked up a sweat. They swarmed over the Peninsula recently to assist senior homeowners and renters with challenging household and garden maintenance tasks.

Spring-cleaning came on time this year for Los Altos seniors Jackie and Guenther Baatz. Guenther suffered a light stroke a couple of years ago, explained Jackie, and since then, taking care of standard seasonal tasks like washing the windows or climbing a ladder to clean the gutters of the couple’s modest bungalow pose a major challenge.

LA realtor association moves headquarters to Cupertino

The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS (SILVAR) headquarters moved from its office after four years on San Antonio Road in Los Altos to a larger building in Cupertino June 28.

Realtors cited a need for more space as the primary reason for the relocation.

Wendy Burton shares brilliant images to cope with cancer treatments

Wendy Burton’s “Joy Is a Plum Colored Acrobat” (Harmony Books, 2004) would make a great gift for any woman undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer. The power of positive thinking about cancer has never been so beautifully and sweetly expressed. The book isn’t naive. It’s just brave and lovely.

Burton offers a series of brief, joyful visualizations, lavishly illustrated with simple yet sophisticated full-color art. The artwork, words and space combine to make a sum greater than the parts.

Books Briefs

Events at Linden Tree
Several musical events are scheduled for 10 a.m. on successive Wednesdays in the courtyard of Linden Tree Children’s Recordings & Books.
Jimbo the Clown entertains today. The musical morning is expected to be as much of a treat for parents as it is for children. Chris Molla will sing […]

India: truly a land of mystery and majesty

There are some parts of the world that, once visited, get into your heart and won’t let go.

For me, India is such a place, and specifically, Rajasthan is most memorable.

Obon festival July 16, 17

To celebratw the midsummer Buddhist holiday, the annual Obon Festival and Bazaar is scheduled July 16 and 17, at the Mountain View Buddhist Temple, 575 North Shoreline Blvd.

The event, featuring both traditional ceremonies and family entertainment, is scheduled 4-10 p.m. July 16, and noon to 9 p.m., July 17. A performance of the Bon Odori dancers is scheduled 7 p.m., July 17.

LA Lutheran to ring in Fourth of July

Monday, the Los Altos Lutheran Church has scheduled a community event as part of the National Bell Ringing Ceremony.

At exactly 11 a.m. PDT thousands of bells across the country will toll 13 times in honor of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Spiritual Life Briefs

Foothills accepting car donations
Donate your old vehicle to Foothills Congregational Church of Los Altos and receive a receipt for tax purposes. Foothills has set up a program with Iraj Jahanian, owner of Donation Liaison, to pick up the vehicle and provide the donor an appropriate receipt from the church for tax purposes. […]

‘Modest mansion’

At 125 Los Altos Ave., you can feel the force of time and changing families keeping a gentle balance. Walking from one room to the next in this home, you can see the rapid progression of several generations.

The five-bedroom house was completed in 1927, four years after naval architect Albert Diericx and his wife, Essie, contracted with the Minton Co. to build them a two-story home. The Mountain View Register-Leader celebrated completion of this “modest mansion” and heralded its “wide, dustless driveways” and ‘Oil-o’matic heat.’ ” Modern visitors can still understand why the Register-Leader remarked: “Do you wonder that Mrs. Diericx always wears a smile?”

Local Landscapers Win California Landscape Contractors Awards

Sam Whitney of Samscaping Inc., Mountain View, received five awards, including first place for large residential landscaping, from

the San Francisco Bay Area

Fix your house, fix your life

Feeling tired every day? Perhaps the flow of chi in your home needs redirecting. Want your business to boom? Focus purple, green and red colors in the wealth corner of your boutique. Feng shui isn’t just for Asian arts buffs or spiritual types - it is now accessible to any Westerner who wants to add some harmony to the home.

This Chinese art of placement, or the “art and science of healing spaces,” has been used for at least 5,000 years, give or take a millennia.

Gamble Garden seeds ties between children and seniors

Third-graders from Walter Hays Elementary School, Palo Alto - along with their teachers and parents - presented a hand made scarecrow named Herb this month to the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden in appreciation for the Roots and Shoots Program and the volunteers who make it possible.

Established in 1985, Roots and Shoots is an intergenerational educational gardening program that connects children with senior citizen mentors. During the school year, Hays third-graders are teamed with seniors who help the children learn to plant, nurture and harvest a garden full of edibles and colorful flowers. The seniors and children grow their own snacks and generate produce for donation to local food banks.

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. The deadline is noon, Tuesday, for the next week’s paper. Notices must be typed and include a contact name and phone number. Items may be submitted via e-mail (peteb@latc.com); fax (948-6647) or post (138 Main St., Los Altos, CA 94022).

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