A look back at 2005

The year 2005 tested our ability to adapt to change and respond to crisis. Locally, nationally and globally, our residents proved up to the challenges.

Local residents started the year by helping the tsunami victims of Southeast Asia, then responded handily again when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in late summer. Then residents turned to giving locally as well, through charities such as the Town Crier’s Holiday Fund.

Spate of burglaries reported

Los Altos police are reporting a spike in burglaries in recent months. There were 45 reported incidents between Nov. 1 and Dec. 20, the majority occurring in residential areas, Detective Scott McCrossin said.

“Criminals come through town because there seems to be a tendency in low-crime areas for people to be trusting and to leave their cars and doors unlocked,” McCrossin said. “Those tend to be the people being preyed upon right here. The No. 1 tip is don’t leave your car or house unlocked.”

Los Altos Hills officials consider reducing herbicide use

Los Altos Hills’ newest environmental mission may be a reduction of chemical spraying along the town’s roads and pathways.

The Dec. 15 city council meeting featured a staff report on the open space committee’s proposal that the town evaluate ways to reduce herbicide use in town, such as making a “no-spray” list for residents and using mowing and manual weed removal in place of chemicals.

Stanford contributes $1 million for LAH pathways

Two new pathways are slated to bring nearly $2 million worth of improvements to Los Altos Hills in 2006. Stanford University is expected to contribute $1.05 million for the construction of pathways connecting Stanford’s S-1 trail, on the edge of town, to Arastradero preserve in Palo Alto.

Los Altos Hills has also budgeted $854,000 for pathways improvements on Moody and Robleda roads.

Startled bank robber forsakes money, runs

An armed robber apparently forgot the first part of the catchphrase “Take the money and run” when he held up a Los Altos bank Dec. 16.

The robber allegedly entered the Bank of America branch on San Antonio Road minutes before closing time Friday evening, brandishing a semiautomatic handgun, said Los Altos Detective Scott Sweezey.

News Briefs

Driver enters plea in fatal collision case
The driver who allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian on San Antonio Road appeared in court this month.
Twenty-one-year-old Spencer A. Scranton of Los Altos pleaded no contest Dec. 2 to one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter.
Sentencing for Scranton is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Feb. […]

Letters to the Editor

Mistreatment of the flag
Nancy A. Stuhr

I am extremely offended by the condition and treatment of the American flag drooping at the Los Altos First Street post office. This flag has been hanging at half-mast for days. Its condition is a disgrace! It is faded and torn in many places. It is left […]

Cell phones and the invasion of the body snatchers

It was a beautiful night for a holiday concert at Mountain View High School. The well-rehearsed and sweet-sounding Madrigals were wonderful, as were the choirs from the Blach, Graham and Lawson middle schools.

Audience members and performers rushed out of the theater after the concert to meet one another in the excitement that comes from being onstage and having their loved ones see them onstage.

Memories from 2005

In his play, “No Exit,” Jean-Paul Sartre famously wrote, “Hell is the others,” a phrase that always comes to mind when shopping at Valley Fair on any weekend during the holiday season. Yeah, I know, I need to lighten up about December, but I can’t do that in the same way as most. I am the Grinchiest, Scroogiest, holiday kvetch I know.

I entertain myself at the end of each year by reviewing its odd, memorable moments, like Barbara Bush at the Houston Astrodome. After visiting victims of Hurricane Katrina, Mrs. Bush was quoted in a radio interview as saying, “And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working well for them.”

Obituary Notices

ROBERT “BOB” DIETRICH
Bob Dietrich, a resident of Los Altos for 50 years, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, December 12. He was 84. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Bob grew up in the small farming community of Richmond, Kansas. He served in the U.S. Navy as a medical corpsman […]

A visit by a ‘Lassie,’ nine lives removed

A BEAUTY WITH BRAINS: Dr. Bernadine Chuck Fong and Herbert Fong’s famous 7-year-old dog, Fozzie Bear, son of the ninth Lassie and brother of the 10th Lassie-to-be, enjoyed all the holiday guests at home with the Fong family. Lassie is still the most famous dog in the world. The first Lassie (all of whom were males) was trained and owned by Rudd Weatherwax and his son, Bob. The movie “Lassie Come Home” was the first Lassie film. Why is the right Lassie so difficult to find? Lassie’s coloring is rare - he has a white line called a blaze running down his forehead along with a white fur collar and two white forelegs. Rudd and Bob said the male dogs look better on camera because they are bigger and have fuller coats and thus don’t shed as much. The Lassies know 90 hand signals and verbal commands, and they really act.

ABSOLUTELY SURPRISED: A very surprised Nobuko Saito Cleary cried and celebrated an important birthday at the Main Street Cafe & Books recently. More than 50 family and friends were hiding in the back to honor her. She was praised for her community work over the years. Dr. Dick Henning said, “You never say ‘no’ to Nobuko!” The cafe catered the party, the Community School of Music and Arts provided classical music and Zoom Video of San Jose showed “Nobuko’s Life Story.” All, especially the birthday girl, had a lovely time.

Los Altos writers Frank and Katherine Taylor established high standards for their success

Frank J. Taylor (1894-1972) was a very popular and successful author in his lifetime. But he became largely forgotten in the years following his death, as did his writer-wife, Katherine. He was born Oct. 8, 1894, in South Dakota, the son of Ellen Stobbs and the painter, John S. Taylor. As a high school student, Frank became interested in a journalism career. He attended Stanford University from 1914 to 1917 and served as editor of the student newspaper, The Stanford Daily.

In his last year at Stanford, Frank and some school friends organized the American Field Service ambulance unit that served with the French Army in the Balkans during World War I.

Film, NFL tourney at Underground

The Los Altos Recreation Department is hosting the following events in January at the Underground Teen Center, 400 University Ave., Los Altos.

Movie Night: 7-9 p.m. Jan. 13, “Kicking and Screaming” (PG), starring Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall.

Community Briefs

Run, walk and roll into the new year
The Los Altos Recreation Department invites families, friends and neighbors to participate in the 2006 New Year’s Day 5K Fun Run, Walk and Roll.
The noncompetitive race begins at 9 a.m. New Year’s Day at the Community Plaza, corner of State and Main streets in […]

Holiday fund picks up speed

The Town Crier Holiday Fund total had reached $135,000 and donations continue to pour in.

The Town Crier Holiday Fund began six years ago with the goal of supporting small, local non-profits that specialized in hands-on work. This year, a group of donors has pledged to match each dollar collected up to $79,500, setting a total goal of $160,000.

Charter school’s lawsuit dismissed again

Bullis Charter School’s motion for a new trial in its long-running case against the Los Altos School District was denied Nov. 29 in a severe judgment in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

Judge Leslie C. Nichols found all reasons given for a new trial “without merit” and did not rule out the district’s bringing a well-documented request for reimbursement for “a frivolous motion” when the case is finally closed.

Schools Briefs

Egan sets dates for campus tours
Egan Junior High School has scheduled one-hour campus tours for Jan. 25 and 26 and March 20 and 30. Parents of sixth-graders are encouraged to attend.
Tours are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Jan. 25 and March 29 and 1:30 p.m. Jan. 26 and March 30.
Visitors […]

Santa Rita Cubs attack chores

The Tigers, Wolves and Webelos of Cub Scout Pack 74 chose to perform community service this year instead of taking their annual outing. They spent the sunny morning of Dec. 10 sprucing up the Santa Rita Elementary School playground, removing old stumps, spreading 14 cubic yards of mulch, and sanding and restaining benches and a shed.

The best of 2005

There were several local teams and athletes worthy of making the Town Crier’s list of the best high school sports stories of the year. But, as is our tradition, only 10 can make the cut.

Let’s count them down:

Steady markets maintain healthy outlook

The stock market continues to look strong in the wake of the robust rally after October lows. Small-company indexes have outpaced the large blue-chip averages with healthy double-digit gains since October. Sound growth, low inflation and low interest rates bode well for a steady-as-she-goes market.

Trade deficits are ratcheting up, indicating Americans are eager customers for foreign goods. Exports have been strong all year but at a lower pace than imports.

Crepes as the new melting pot

Let’s face it, crepes are divine. Warm, gooey and oddly satisfying, the French treat has finally arrived in Los Altos. Located on Main Street, the newly opened Crêpe Maker hopes to delight locals with its traditional crepes, sandwiches and other European delicacies.

Originally from Greece, owner Antonis Giakoumis and his family’s crepes have for years been popular among local farmers markets. They have attracted large crowds merely for the rich, buttery scent of their secret crepe batter. Crêpe Maker offers a large selection. Most are familiar with sweet crepes, filled with melted chocolate and sprinkled with powdered sugar. But Giakoumis also offers “savory” crepes wrapped with cheese, spinach, tomato and chicken - hearty enough for a full meal.

Finding a less-commercial Christmas in Austria

The lights shining from windows make the villas look as pretty as paintings. Draped in graceful arches across the pedestrian zone in town, strings of lights create a festive atmosphere. Here at the 48th latitude (San Francisco is 37º N), sunset is at 4 p.m., but dusk starts around 3:30 p.m. when the sun sinks behind the mountains.

In the early centuries A.D., church officials prudently decided not to extinguish many of the seasonal rites designed to lift human spirits out of the doldrums and instead conjoined Christmas and winter solstice celebrations.

Travel Brief

LA travel agent wins Australian award
Los Altos travel agent Maureen Jones of All Horizons Travel received an Opal Award, recognizing her skill in selling vacations to Australia.
The annual Opal Award is the highest honor bestowed by Tourism Australia. Jones has won a record nine Opals, this year for Best Consumer Lecture. […]

Homebuilding

They were not high school sweethearts, but Sandra Barnett-Brook remembers clearly what Greg wrote in her Los Altos High School Yearbook in 1981: “One day I will build a house for you.”

He did that, and more. Sandra and Greg Brook are now married, with two children, living in the second house he built for her and even working together in Greg’s construction company, Real Estate Solutions Inc. RES Homes, as the company is known, builds midsized homes almost exclusively in Los Altos. Greg manages the construction, while Sandra selects finishes and decorates the homes they build.

Large family of carolers moves in to Los Altos home

Ann Hallin is not one of those collectors who fills her home with 134 versions of a silver teaspoon or 65 different Hummel figurines. In fact, she says, her only real hobby is cooking. Then what explains the 32 Byers’ Choice Christmas carolers in full-throated song in the family room of her Los Altos home?

Serendipity. Tradition. And the fact that, over the years, the figures became members of the family.

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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