A voice for families

Pass the metal detectors of the Superior Courthouse on Terraine Street in San Jose and you will see hallways filled with women and children. In dependency court, which determines whether children will reunite with parents from whom they have been removed, women make up the majority of clients.

On the second floor in Department 67, Judge Leonard P. Edwards presides over Dependency Drug Treatment Court, which hears cases in which children have been removed from a parent or parents due to issues involving drug abuse. A powerhouse in the Santa Clara County Superior Court of California, this Los Altos Hills resident has been repeatedly acknowledged for his astute leadership and policy-making in reforming juvenile courts nationwide. An animated speaker who is often published, Edwards has used his position as an innovative and popular judge to forward county programs including Court Appointed Special Advocates (Child Advocates), Family Finding, the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council and drug treatment court.

Effort under way to reach compromise in LAH school redistricting bid

Negotiations to allow Bullis Charter School to use the Bullis-Purissima Elementary school site in Los Altos Hills may come to a head this week.

The Los Altos Hills City Council’s redistricting bid will be put to rest if negotiations with local school districts suceed at a meeting scheduled this Thursday.

Los Altos police solve recent cluster of burglaries

The recent spate of thefts from cars and homes in Los Altos may have come to an end last week. Los Altos police arrested a man in possession of items allegedly stolen from properties and vehicles in Los Altos and neighboring jurisdictions during the last three months.

On April 10 police executed a search warrant in the 100 block of Del Monte Ave., home of Andrew Donald Lee, 19. Police seized cell phones, computer equipment, motor scooters, vehicle keys, concert tickets and designer clothing with an estimated value of $5,000. Lee, a graduate of Los Altos High School, was arrested for possession of stolen property.

Eucalyptus tree ban moves forward in LAH

Eucalyptus trees may soon vanish from public

rights-of-way in Los Altos Hills and eventually from the entire town to answer safety concerns.

Unwiring Silicon Valley

This month, San Francisco accepted a bid by EarthLink Municipal Networks and Google to provide WiFi access across the entire city. Impressive, until you hear that Los Altos Hills has agreed to something much bigger.

Los Altos Hills joined the Wireless Silicon Valley Task Force Jan. 12 to work with 35 other cities to provide wireless Internet access to the Silicon Valley, incorporating 1,500 square miles across four counties. The task force released a business model April 5 and is scheduled to request proposals from vendors April 28. The task force expects to recommend a vendor to the cities in September.

Roadwork complete for 127 streets - more work set for July

The Los Altos City Council signed off on one major completed street improvement project and announced preliminary plans for future pavement resurfacing projects at its March 28 meeting.

The council accepted the completion of its 2004-2005 biennial street slurry seal project that covered 127 residential roadways throughout the city. The project, awarded to Bond Blacktop, came in under the budgeted $308,650.

Resident’s father tended to injured victims of ‘06 quake

Longtime Los Altos resident Barbara Emerich remains proud of her father and his role in helping the injured in the wake of the Great Quake of 1906. The 100th anniversary of the infamous event was yesterday.

Emerich, a resident of Los Altos since 1952, showed the Town Crier last week samples of letters written by Rene Bine, a 23-year-old physician whose letters to an uncle in France described the aftermath of the April 18 quake in great detail. With the approach of the Great Quake centennial fresh on her mind, Emerich made her way to the California Historical Society in San Francisco, where the letters are archived, to obtain copies.

Police Blotter

Burglary
April 12, 9:17 a.m., 100 block of First street: commercial burglary.
April 13, 5:25 p.m., 1500 block of Wessex Avenue: residents interrupted burglary in progress; April 14, Edward Castro, 20, arrested and booked for the burglary.
April 14, 9:11 a.m., 5000 block of El Camino: laptop and other items taken.
Fraud
[…]

Editorials

Standing by beleaguered hospital
With all the talk about the 100th anniversary of the Great Quake, lost in the shuffle is current state quake legislation that has put El Camino Hospital and others between a rock and a hard place.
A bill passed in the wake of the 1994 Northridge quake in Southern […]

Letters to the Editor

Only hearing of loss of revenue
I have followed the two-year debate regarding a local elementary school in Los Altos Hills after the Los Altos School District (LASD) decided to close Bullis school. It appears that only with the proposed Los Altos Hills redistricting has the Los Altos School District become interested in Hills’ […]

April brings adventures and tears with showers

Howard and I went to several radio interviews hoping to spread the word about our current books, Howard’s “Fables & Foibles: Stories and Essays” as well as my “Reflections: A Columnist’s Journey Through Time: Walk with Me” (both by AuthorHouse, 2004). We found these interviews broadened our views of other cultures and lifestyles. I have written about retreating to our safe environment in lovely Los Altos, where building a new Safeway or trying to compromise about the need for neighborhood pools is paramount in the community’s mind - or so it seems.

Our adventure took us only 40 miles or so out of our usual terrain. I’m not counting our first event, because we did a telephone interview from home. Interview No. 2 took us to Berkeley, the renowned “city nation” of liberal Northern California. Jennifer Stone, a mellow-voiced host at KPFA, greeted us in a billowy caftan top and a purple hair ornament. Stone presented a fascinating picture of an aging hippie, but she was actually a former teacher who commented forcefully on our need to help young kids succeed in their high school years. We admired her wide knowledge of famous writers. It was good to spend an hour with this very special woman who relates to a love of writing.

Doris Leora Elder Jorgenson, 90: Mother-in-law of Los Altos mayor

Doris Leora Elder Jorgenson, mother-in-law of Los Altos Mayor Ron Packard, died peacefully in her sleep April 11 in Los Altos. Mrs. Jorgenson was 90.

She was born Oct. 29, 1915 in her Los Angeles family home, to Thomas McKey Elder and Elsa Rachel Barker Elder. The oldest of six children, she grew up in Southern California. Mrs. Jorgenson graduated from San Bernardino High School and attended San Bernardino Valley College.

Wedding

Erin Eriksson and Bryan Jones
Erin Eriksson and Bryan Jones were married Sept. 4 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla in a sunset ceremony presided over by family friend Rev. Ed Holt.
The bride is the daughter of Gayle and Erik Eriksson of Valencia. She is a graduate of William […]

Noteworthies

Filmmaker seeking World War II vets
Documentary filmmaker Larry Cappetto will be in Mountain View Monday through April 26 to interview local World War II veterans for his nationally recognized documentary series, “Lest They Be Forgotten.”
Cappetto, based in Arizona, has been working on the documentary for 3 1/2 years, recording stories from […]

Beth Am concert helps plant the seeds for Ukraine congregation to bloom

In an effort to help spread and nurture young Jewish leaders abroad, Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills has established a twin relationship with young people in Ukraine.

Led by 21-year old Alla Mahas, Congregation Beth Am of Poltava in Ukraine has flourished into a hearty congregation of 200 thanks to the local synagogue. An annual concert Saturday featuring jazz singer Pamela Rose aims to raise enough funds to cover the Poltava operation for the next year.

RotaCare celebrates 10 years of non-profit medical service

This month, RotaCare celebrates the 10th anniversary of the day El Camino Hospital offered the non-profit medical clinic a home rent-free in the El Camino YMCA basement. The El Camino Hospital Foundation threw a party in Palo Alto April 6 to honor RotaCare’s history and its volunteers.

The RotaCare free clinic bustles Monday and Wednesday evenings like most other hospital waiting rooms. Children rifle through a box of stuffed animals in one corner or sit pensively beside their weary parents. Volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists and interpreters slide past each other rushing against the clock - determined to treat every patient.

Businesses celebrate ‘TV-Turnoff Week’ with a host of alternative activities

Los Altans, along with millions of other Americans, will be turning off their televisions Monday through April 30 for TV-Turnoff Network’s TV-Turnoff Week. Nine children’s stores in downtown Los Altos will be hosting events the evening of April 28.

The TV-Turnoff Network, a non-profit organization founded in 1994, promotes the belief that television is unhealthy for people and communities. More than 24 million people have participated in TV-Turnoff Week since 1995.

20th annual Silicon Valley Open Studios features 21 artists from Los Altos, LAH

Silicon Valley Open Studios 2006, now in its 20th year, will feature 21 artists from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills among approximately 330 artists participating in this year’s event.

Residents will display their artwork in their homes May 6 and 7, the first of the event’s three weekends in May.

Saturday’s Earth Day celebration in Hills to include pathways cleanup & cheetahs

The public is encouraged to participate in Los Altos Hills’ pathways-cleanup project scheduled in honor of Earth Day 8 a.m. Saturday. Volunteers will meet at town hall where Los Altos Hills committee members will equip them with the essentials: instructions, safety vests, trash bags, water bottles, sunscreen and maps for specific routes.

Participants will fan out to scour the trails, retrieve litter and report back to town hall at 2 p.m.

‘A Thread of History’: Gallery talk at the LA museum

The Los Altos History Museum presents another of its gallery talks 7:30 p.m. April 27. This spring’s talk, “A Thread of History,” is presented by longtime Palo Altan Rich Douglas of Douglas’ Sewing Machines and Fabrics.

In conjunction with the museum’s current exhibit featuring the history of sewing machines, Douglas will discuss his multi-generational family business, their sewing machines and fabrics.

A ‘Hard Times’ Depression era-party held at Scout Hall in Los Altos

Based on the number of wartime ration books officially distributed, it was estimated that the population of the Los Altos area in 1944 was 3,551.

• A typical Depression-era “Hard-Times” party was held in the Scout Hall in October 1936. It was sponsored by the Los Altos Grammar School PTA. The Boy Scouts manned the check room and sold “light refreshments” for 10¢. Admission was 33¢. Nearly 150 people attended, some in costume, to enjoy playing cards or dancing to the music of a Stanford student dance band.

Los Altos Christian Preschool grows

Brenda Milhem was hired as director of Los Altos Christian Preschool in 1999, just after her move from Portland, Ore.

“My initial training was, ‘Here are the keys and this is the office,’” Milhem said. “That was a good thing - I didn’t have any guidelines and I didn’t have any hindrances.”

SFSU astronomer to speak at Foothill

The Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures series has a history of inviting big names in science, such as the author of the big-bang theory, to speak on their recent findings.

This month the lecture series presents Dr. Ron Marzke at 7 p.m. April 26 at Smithwick Theatre on the Foothill College campus. Marzke will speak on discoveries about the age and history of galaxies.

Winn loses job at LAHS

What’s known for sure is that Dave Winn will not return as Los Altos High’s girls volleyball coach next fall. What’s not so clear is why he won’t be back.

The coach said complaints by the parents of four seniors prompted Los Altos to fire him April 6. One of these parents said Winn’s poor communication skills are to blame for his dismissal. A junior on the team points the finger at the team’s disgruntled seniors. The school’s athletic director cited the program’s lack of growth, while the principal said Winn simply wasn’t a good fit.

Athletic director Lodge to retire after 41 years at Los Altos High

After 41 years at Los Altos High, athletic director Monica Lodge is retiring - despite objections from some of her coaches.

“I’m not going to let her,” said Vava Marques, who recently completed his eighth season as coach of the boys soccer team. “She’s a great person and a great administrator. She supports all the sports the same - there’s no difference if it’s field hockey or soccer. All the coaches get along and respect each other, and that comes from the top.”

Bond yields, oil prices increase

Last week was a big week for the financial markets, even though the indexes saw neither wide swings nor catastrophic events.

In bonds, the 10-year Treasury bond yield, which is a benchmark for investors, broke through the 5 percent mark. In an attempt to slow the economy and keep inflation tame, the Federal Reserve has steadily lifted short-term rates from a low of 1 percent to the 4.75 percent mark. The longer bond yields have failed to follow higher until now.

How to be a successful female exec - in 5 minutes

Five minutes. That’s all the time I have to resolve the dilemma above. The YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry program (TWIN) has asked me to keynote the TWIN awards banquet May 2 at the San Jose Fairmont Hotel.

The TWIN awards are presented to decision-making women executives in recognition of their success in their given field. The 50 honorees have all contributed to the world of work, the world of women and the world of community.

‘What Will Happen To Real Estate Prices?’ That is the question

In recent months we have been asked, “What will happen to real estate prices? Is it a good time to buy or move up? Should we wait?” It is an acknowledged fact that real estate prices move in cycles. The last complete market cycle began in 1993 and ended in 2002.

William T. Tappan outlines a complete real estate market cycle in his book, “Real Estate Exchange and Acquisition Techniques” (Prentice Hall 1989).

Alzheimer’s awareness

As the loved ones, doctors and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease have learned, the burden of chronic memory loss is not just with the patient. More than 4.5 million cases of Alzheimer’s have been diagnosed in the United States alone, leaving countless families to face the physical, emotional and financial challenges of a disease that has a long duration - an average of 6.8 years - and currently no cure.

One of the first obstacles was getting the disease recognized by the medical community.

Getting to the spine of the matter: some keys to a healthier back

No matter what is wrong with your back, your spine requires healthy muscles to keep the vertebrae in place.

The spine consists of a stack of bones, one sitting on top of another. Each bone (vertebra) is shaped somewhat like a drum with “wings.” The bones are stacked, with a soft cushioning disk between each drum-like part. The wings stick out in back and are attached to many muscles. The wings provide a place for the spinal-alignment muscles to attach, as well as a channel for the spinal cord.

Run raises funds for brain cancer research

Palo Alto’s Future Brain Cancer Institute is hosting the third annual Run for the Future April 30 at the Palo Alto Baylands. The event features individual and group competitions for runners of all abilities and ages: 5k/10k run and walk, 10k run and Kids’ run.

Free food, raffle prizes, music by the Wild 94.9 radio station and master of ceremonies John Farley, weatherman at NBC11, will offer an active day for participants and supporters.

Soda: What you don’t know can hurt you

Many of us have a daily addiction to a common substance and don’t even realize the long-term harm we are doing to our bodies. The culprit? Soda. The carbonated beverage accounts for more than one-fourth of all drinks consumed in the United States, or at least one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child. Let’s take a look at the hidden dangers of overconsumption of this popular beverage.

Our nation is facing an obesity epidemic, and sodas are major contributor, especially in children. Obesity leads to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and early death. Just one regular soda per day has enough calories to cause 15 pounds of weight gain per year in an adult. Most cans contain more than 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of sugar. We should think of soda more as “liquid candy” than a beverage.

Experts to weigh impact of health-care reform

The League of Women Voters of the Los Altos-Mountain View Area has scheduled a forum of experts to explore how health-care reform might affect people’s lives 7 p.m. Tuesday at Graham Middle School, 1175 Castro St., Mountain View.

California and several other states are considering universal health care. Two bills before the state Senate, S.B. 840 and S.B. 1784, set up a single payer system where a government-run organization would collect all health-care fees and pay all costs. The debate centers on how the state would pay for the plan and how the change would affect hospitals, doctors and families.

Health care is free, tickets are not - in Vienna

Shortly after I registered in town and applied for a Versicherungsnummer (similar to a Social Security number), three shiny green e-cards showed up in my mailbox. Not knowing what they were, I went downtown to inquire and was told they are our national health insurance cards. “You mean I’m insured?” I asked. “Yes.” Wow.

It seemed too good to be true. Every time I used the card, I felt like a credit card thief on the lam, racking up x-rays for my son’s thumb, broken while snowboarding, and a doctor’s visit for my daughter.

Datebook

THEATER

“If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” Peninsula Youth Theatre. Comedy by Laura Joffe Numeroff. 9:30 and 11 a.m. Friday; 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3 p.m. Saturday. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. $5-$7. 903-6000; www.pytnet.org.