Pet parade proceeds as planned

The 59th annual Kiwanis Pet Parade defied the threatening rain this past Saturday to slither, hop and canter down Main and State streets in downtown Los Altos without a single whiff of wet dog.

The atmosphere of the parade was relaxed and comfortable. Marching groups were joined by enthusiastic onlookers with dogs to walk.

Family struggles with losses in aftermath of blaze

A Los Altos family spoke of their devastation after fire destroyed their home in the 100 block of Higgins Avenue last Thursday morning. No one was injured in the blaze, which ripped through the single-story property, causing an estimated $700,000 of damage and robbing the family of most of their possessions.

“The whole family’s devastated,” property owner Barrett McGrath told the Town Crier Friday. “We’re going to have to start again from the beginning.”

Fire captain files sex discrimination lawsuit

A female Santa Clara County Fire Department captain who served in Los Altos until this year has filed a sex-discrimination lawsuit in civil court seeking unspecified monetary damages from the department. Monique Vandenberg, who became Santa Clara County’s first female fire captain in 1995, claims she was wrongly singled out and repeatedly reprimanded by a hostile supervisor, and that the county fire administration persecuted her for subsequently filing a complaint.

Vandenberg’s complaint alleges gender discrimination, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination and harassment. The suit criticizes regional battalion chief Orbrad Darbo and unnamed department management personnel, but no employees located at the Los Altos fire station, where Vandenberg worked until last autumn.

Council considers single-story overlay options

Residents on Verano Drive in Los Altos, intent on maintaining their backyard privacy, urged the city council May 4 to consider extending a current single-story zoning ordinance to include their Solana Drive neighbors.

Currently, the single-story overlay zone, which went into effect in 2002, bans Verano Drive residents from exceeding a 20-foot building height limit.

Group urges LAH to consider charter city status

In a bid to gain more funding for town infrastructure projects, the Los Altos Hills Finance Committee has proposed chartering the town.

Speaking at the town council meeting May 11, committee member Jim Lai said that changing the town’s legal status could lead to more money for such projects as utilities undergrounding and sewer upgrades.

MV, Shoreline operators settle dispute over amphitheatre

Shoreline Amphitheatre Partners (SAP) will pay the city of Mountain View $10 million as well as increased rent under a settlement announced at the city council’s May 9 meeting. The agreement ends a three-year legal battle regarding parking and rent payments and came just before the trial, scheduled May 15.

The opponents were finally singing from the same song sheet in a new spirit of cooperation.

News

Building fire
May 17, 12:21 a.m., 1000 block of Castro Street, Mountain View: five fire departments responded to a 4-alarm roof fire that destroyed 4 businesses causing more than $1 million of damage. No injuries were reported. Firefighters from Mountain View, Palo Alto, Moffet-Ames, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara County fire departments were unable […]

Fun at Fine Art in the Park

The 31st annual Los Altos Rotary Fine Art in the Park, held last Saturday and Sunday, featured approximately 200 artists at Lincoln Park in Los Altos. The art show is rated one of the top 10 best-selling art shows in California, attracting artists from throughout the United States and featuring their paintings, sculpture, photography, glasswork and jewelry. The show also featured live music, food and refreshments. All proceeds from the art show benefit charitable projects and organizations such as the Rotary AIDS Project, Community Services Agency and Child Advocacy Council.

Pet parade proceeds as planned

The 59th annual Kiwanis Pet Parade defied the threatening rain this past Saturday to slither, hop and canter down Main and State streets in downtown Los Altos without a single whiff of wet dog.

The atmosphere of the parade was relaxed and comfortable. Marching groups were joined by enthusiastic onlookers with dogs to walk.

Family struggles with losses in aftermath of blaze

A Los Altos family spoke of their devastation after fire destroyed their home in the 100 block of Higgins Avenue last Thursday morning. No one was injured in the blaze, which ripped through the single-story property, causing an estimated $700,000 of damage and robbing the family of most of their possessions.

“The whole family’s devastated,” property owner Barrett McGrath told the Town Crier Friday. “We’re going to have to start again from the beginning.”

Letters to the Editor

Bullis proposal jumps the gun
It would appear that LASD board members Mark Goines and Dave Pefley have misset expectations about at least the timing and, quite likely, the outcome of any decision regarding the Bullis-Purissima school site.
As one of the thousands of parents satisfied with LASD schools, I have been astonished to […]

Other Voices

At the Los Altos City Council meeting of May 9, a large number of well-organized supporters of a gay-pride parade, most of whom were administrators, teachers, students and parents from Los Altos High School, spoke in favor of the city’s granting a parade permit. Several individuals, including myself, spoke in opposition.

The proponents argued that a significant group of students have suffered discrimination because of their sexual orientation. Therefore, our city needs to commit to a “public healing” by having a downtown parade.

Call me Lady Luck

Roughly translated, my middle name, “Chieko,” means “Child of One Thousand Good Fortunes.” For me, this begs the questions “Am I, really?” and “Is that a sufficient number to carry me through my entire life?”

“Good fortune,” for example, can be a big ticket item like finding the right husband, which I did, or something less meaningful but not insignificant like being able to locate abandoned tennis balls in the park for Parker to chase. If I count up stuff like the former, 1,000 seems plenty, but if I include the latter, I might have cashed in all my chips by the time I hit 40.

Obituaries

ROBERT S. DURIE
March 4, 1932 - May 8, 2006
Bob was born and raised in San Francisco. He was a graduate of UC Berkeley and a member of the Chi Phi fraternity. He is survived by his wife Jane, sister Jan Krupnick and three daughters, Carolyn Osuyos, Emily Johnson and Madeline Ruffner […]

Noteworthies

LA family wins year of free flights
The Loh family of Los Altos has won a reality-TV challenge aired on JetBlue Airways flights - a year’s worth of free travel on the airline.
“We could not be more excited about our win,” said Sam Loh, patriarch of the Loh family and […]

Weddings

Megan Cassidy and Dennis Fox
Megan Cassidy and Dennis Fox were married July 2 at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Palo Alto. A reception was held at the Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club.
The bride is the daughter of Michael and Racquel Cassidy of Mountain View. She graduated from Los Altos […]

LAHHA clinics teach horses, riders to control fears

Because horses are prey animals, their first instinct, when faced with a potential threat, is to escape, as fast as possible. This state of panic or similar reactions to terror can lead to injuries for both the horse and rider because frightened horses can run through fences, slip or fall on their riders. The Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association recently sponsored a series of clinics designed to help riders teach their equine partners to instead face their fears.

Marybeth Wiefels, an equine behaviorist, demonstrated techniques that increased the participating horses’ trust in their human partners, leading to more confidence for both as they worked together during two separate weekend clinics. The Horse Speak Clinic, held last month at the Los Altos Hills riding ring, concentrated on how to best communicate with horses. Through an increased awareness of what motivates a horse, a rider can build a successful partnership with his or her mount.

Pathways runners enjoy the view at 5th LAH event

More than 250 runners from all over the state participated in the fifth annual Los Altos Hills Pathways Run. The 5K, 10K and 1-mile courses wended through scenic and hilly pathways and trails in Byrne Preserve in Los Altos Hills May 6.

Race director Scott Vanderlip said there was a dramatic increase in participation, particularly in the 10K race. New runners found the trail race challenging, and he joked that he is considering renaming the race the “Los Altos Hills Pathways Challenge.”

LAH celebrates 50th anniversary with June picnic

The ninth annual Los Altos Hills Town Picnic is scheduled 1-4 p.m. June 4 at the Little League fields on Purissima Road at Viscaino Road.

The picnic is part of the town’s 50th anniversary celebration. Each resident who registers will receive a gift in commemoration of the anniversary.

Kiwanis Special Games bring sunshine to disabled athletes at De Anza campus

More than 800 student-athletes dashed, tossed and wheeled their way to victory at the Kiwanis Special Games at De Anza College Friday. The games, begun by the Kiwanis Club of Los Altos in 1979, have blossomed into a yearly celebration for school-age disabled athletes and a plethora of yellow-shirted volunteers.

An all-inclusive version of the Special Olympics, the Games are tailored to bring anyone and everyone into competition, and feature sports more innovative than those which grace the Olympic track. Athletes, who use wheelchairs, can test their dexterity and timing with a tetherball toss to knock down bowling bins or by directing an assistant when to drop a beanbag on target.

Registrar urges voters to prepare for election

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters is gearing up for the June 6 gubernatorial primary election and would like voters to be aware of several key dates.

• May 30: Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail. Requests must be received by the Registrar’s Office no later than 5 p.m. After the deadline, absentee ballots can only be obtained in person at the Registrar’s Office.

Local seniors benefit from realtors’ outreach program

During the week of May 8, 500 members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors (SILVAR) and the San Mateo County Association of realtors visited 352 homes of seniors and the homebound on the Peninsula and South Bay to assist with repairs as part of the Realtor Service Volunteer Program.

They washed windows, replaced light bulbs, cleaned gutters, changed smoke detector batteries and furnace filters and planted flowers, among other things, for seniors unable to do these tasks.

Community

Jeanne Kennedy, a consultant and former director of Community and Patient Relations at Stanford University Hospital, advised audience members at the May 16 Los Altos Morning Forum to be prepared for hospitalization by knowing their rights as a patient and insisting they be respected.

Her talk, “How to Be Your Own Health Advocate,” drew from her years of experience in patient advocacy at Stanford. Kennedy established the Stanford Health Library and numerous other programs to ease the stress of hospitalization.

Community Briefs

Main Street Cafe showcases local artists
Local artists from Viewpoints Gallery, Art21 and Dramatic Landscapes Photography Gallery are exhibiting their work through May 31 at Main Street Cafe & Books, 134 Main St., Los Altos.
The 2006 spring gallery collection was assembled from local professional and teaching artists. The show’s 30 pieces include […]

Rotary mentoring program Partners For New Generations seeks additional funding

Partners For New Generations (PNG), a mentoring program founded in 1997 as a Los Altos Rotary project to match adult volunteers with organizations serving area youth, is seeking additional funding.

PNG asks the community to join their traditional sponsors in funding their important programs. Its mission is to inform, support and encourage volunteers to help meet the educational, physical and social needs of youth in the community through mentoring and tutoring.

LASD ponders Bullis architectural options

The Los Altos School District Board of Trustees looked at various architectural options for the Bullis-Purissima school site at its May 15 meeting, in anticipation of the district’s final decision for use of the Bullis site scheduled June 19.

Lisa Gelfand of Gelfand Partners Architects of San Francisco presented renderings for what the campus would look like after being remodeled. The district has used Gelfand Partners to remodel other school sites.

St. Francis High School celebrates 50 years of education

St. Francis High School in Mountain View hosted its 50th anniversary celebration last weekend, at the conclusion of its 50th school year, with a dinner gala and family barbecue.

The Brothers of the Holy Cross founded St. Francis High School in 1954. The school opened its doors to 45 boys Sept. 12, 1955. Classes were held in Andre Hall, which students called “the Quonset Hut,” and in Grant Hall, named after the first student to enroll, Harry Grant. Annual tuition was $140.

Schools Briefs

MVLA hosts Fischer retirement party
A party for retiring Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Superintendent Rich Fischer will be held 4-7 p.m. June 7 at Cuesta Park on Grant Road. The event is open to the community and is sponsored by Armadillo Willy’s, Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, Los Altos Chamber of […]

Pinewood students spend a school day serving the community

The Pinewood School upper campus closed for a day last week to participate in an all-student community service day. Students and faculty spent the day volunteering for various charities, food banks and non-profit organizations. Each grade was shuttled to a different location in the Bay Area.

The seventh grade worked on Elkus Ranch in Half Moon Bay, a non-profit educational organization. The eighth grade engaged in beach restoration work at Francis Beach through the Half Moon Bay Beach Restoration Project.

Noteworthies

Jeanette LeFevre, daughter of Val Carpenter and Tom LeFevre, has been elected as Chapman Ambassador for the 2006-2007 school year at Chapman University in Orange County. The freshman was re-elected to the Associated Students Senate for her sophomore year.

Keith McGinnis, a 2002 graduate of Los Altos High School, received a bachelor’s degree with honors from Humboldt State University on May 13.

50 more teachers graduate from tech-training program

Another 50 teachers and 17 fellows received certificates and $1,000 checks May 15 for completing the Earn While You Learn Institute offered at the Krause Center for Innovation on the Foothill College campus.

The latest group brings the total number to 283 teacher graduates since the program began in the 2001-2002 school year. The yearlong Earn While You Learn program acquaints teachers with new technologies while encouraging them and their students to work together on multimedia projects.

St. Nicholas students learn about citizenship

“It is important to put the common good above your self-interests when necessary, because the common good benefits the community as a whole, rather than just one person,” said Michael Halamek to a packed gallery of CEOs, lawyers and community advocates.

The surprising thing about his observation is that Michael is not a 40-year-old professional politician but an 11-year-old participating in a mock congressional hearing.

Knowing what to expect can ease death’s pain

Q: How do I prepare my children for their father’s death?

We have been living with his cancer for several years, so it’s not as if we’re unprepared, except that we are unprepared … for a life without him. Our children are adults with children of their own, so any help for all generations would be appreciated.

LA runs out of rallies

There was no comeback this time. After winning its previous six games in come-from-behind fashion, including the playoff opener, the Los Altos High baseball team fell 4-1 to Monterey Saturday in the Central Coast Section Division II quarterfinals at Washington Park.

When Rob Falconer hit a line drive to right with one away in the seventh inning, fourth-seeded Los Altos couldn’t help but expect another dramatic rally was in the offing. The shot never hit the ground, though, as Monterey’s right fielder “made a fabulous diving play for the second out,” Eagles coach Sandy Wihtol said. Trent Bowers followed with a single, then Isaac Wilhelm hit a sharp grounder to shortstop to end the game.

Hersey hurt at CCS semis

Los Altos High hurdler Eric Hersey went into Saturday’s Central Coast Section track and field semifinals as a near-lock to not only make the finals but get to the state meet as well.

He left with a leg injury, however, putting the rest of his season in jeopardy.

Expanding world economies create trade deficit

The best foreign aid program in history may not be a giveaway program at all. In fact, the ideal program is the one in which world economies grow at a rate of more than 4 percent for three years.

Many of the fastest-growing economies, such as China and India, are selling goods like mad to U.S. consumers. We are buying - and, as a result, dollars are landing in these and other countries throughout the world, creating a large trade deficit.

Chamber hosts business expo

At the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce Mixer and Business EXPO May 17, shared information was the name of the game, with individual networking, a talk on Google WiFi’s business opportunities, and informational booths set up by local businesses.

During the mixer, held at the Computer History Museum, local businessmen and women sipped wine and stood in big circles introducing themselves and sharing upcoming opportunities, like the weekly networking group recently begun by Jerylann Mateo of Alain Pinel.

Andronico’s celebrates 10 years

It’s not just intoxicating aromas of fresh produce and flowers but balloons and birthday celebrations that hit unsuspecting shoppers who’ve wandered into Andronico’s Market in the Los Altos Rancho Shopping Center recently. Andronico’s is celebrating 10 years in Los Altos with two weeks of festivities ending Tuesday - and plenty of cake.

Coffee and cake is available 8-10 a.m. through Tuesday and daily contests give shoppers the chance to win prizes such as gift certificates and baskets. Of course, no birthday party would be complete without plenty of balloons for the kids.

Beauty aids and quilting bring ‘Bliss’ to second careers

Once upon a time, Irene Miszler and Rebecca Mitchell were caught up in the daily grind of their careers - Miszler in corporate finance and Mitchell as a cardiovascular operating room nurse.

Each harbored dreams of pursuing their passions. Miszler wanted to open a wellness and beauty center. Mitchell simply loved fabrics and sewing.

Tale of future world has bright possibilities, but could use more pages

Imagine a blizzard in Antarctica, a mysterious city of the dead, a vast desert and the guerrilla marketing tactics of a near-future version of the Coca-Cola Co. Author Kevin Brockmeier uses the opening of his newest novel, “The Brief History of the Dead” (Pantheon, 2006), to put his best - and luckiest - foot forward.

Brockmeier won an O. Henry Prize in 2005. The New Yorker published the novel’s first chapter before the author had finished its middle section. Even Warner Bros. joined in, snapping up the film rights almost immediately for an undisclosed sum.

Best Sellers

“Beach Road”

By James Patterson and Peter de Jonge

Oceanside adventure on San Mateo trails

Town Crier Report

Just across the foothills from Los Altos lies coastal San Mateo County, stretching from San Francisco south past Half Moon Bay. Coastwalk, a non-profit organization, leads multiday hikes along the coastline to introduce locals to their ocean shores.

Beauty and well-being

Bella Schneider of Los Altos, founder of LaBelle Day Spas, believes, “A good understanding of how to look your best empowers people.”

With spas in Palo Alto and San Francisco, Schneider has made it her mission to educate area women on how to take care of their skin. In so doing, she trusts that her work reaches beyond the flesh.

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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