Neighbors’ ‘Watch’ refocuses

They have become a common sight: street signs emblazoned with a murky stranger in an overcoat. Others have a large watchful eye set against a blue background.

Who runs the Neighborhood Watch program that claims to be in progress? Maybe the sign is just a façade for the police department to ward off crimes on the streets they don’t have the manpower to patrol. Think again, said Police Chief Bob Lacey.

Los Altos Hills approves gradual removal of eucalyptuses

The Los Altos Hills City Council unanimously approved the introduction of a eucalyptus policy, mandating their gradual removal, in the town’s landscaping ordinance. The ordinance requires homeowners doing construction or remodeling totaling 1,200 feet or more to remove all eucalyptus trees on their property within 150 feet of roadways or structures.

The ordinance targets six species of eucalyptus known to present a particular risk from fire and dropped limbs. The 150-foot distance was set on the basis of the average 150-foot maximum-height of the trees.

‘Catch-22′: Lowering speeds on Springer Road

A dilemma over state law and varying speed limits posted on Springer Road, a stretch of which is in Los Altos and a stretch of which is in Mountain View, has left the Los Altos City Council with its collective hands tied.

As residents voiced strong concerns about pedestrians’ and bikers’ safety on the well-traveled thoroughfare, Los Altos Mayor Ron Packard was adamant at the July 11 council meeting that there was little the city or traffic commission could do to enforce safer and lower speeds.

Police Blotter

Vehicle thefts
July 14, 1:18 p.m., 1000 block of El Camino Real: A car window was smashed and a cooler was stolen.
July 14, 8:15 p.m., 4000 block of El Camino Real: A window was smashed and a laptop was stolen.
July 14, 8:28 p.m., 1000 block of N. San Antonio Road: A […]

Local wireless plans take shape

The Wireless Silicon Valley Task Force will select one or more proposals in the coming month to set up a wireless Internet network throughout Silicon Valley.

The project, expected to cover 1,500 square miles and include four counties, is a collaborative effort among 40 cities and counties, including Los Altos Hills.

Planning process for Cuesta Annex under way

The master planning process for the Cuesta Park Annex in Mountain View enters the preliminary stages this week as city officials gather public input through questionnaires and consultant interviews.

The future of the 12.5-acre open-space parcel of city-owned property adjacent to Cuesta Park is under debate among residents who have differing visions for use of the land. The Mountain View City Council agreed to limit the Annex to open space and recreational uses, and invite public participation in the planning process.

Los Altos City Council agrees: Special events policy needs clarity

Prompted by Councilwoman Val Carpenter’s suggestion at the July 11 Los Altos City Council meeting, the five councilmembers directed City Attorney Jolie Houston to draft a special-events ordinance for their consideration.

The city has a longstanding policy of covering 50 percent of the cost of community-based non-profit events. The policy excludes two annual heritage events - the Kiwanis Pet Parade and the Festival of Lights. The city subsidizes all fees for both of these non-profit events.

S1 trail through LAH delayed

Stanford has indefinitely delayed the $1.05 million pathway planned for Los Altos Hills, citing concerns about a lawsuit regarding another segment of the trail.

Stanford agreed to bankroll and build two pathways throughout nearby communities, known as the S1 and C1 trails, in exchange for approval from Santa Clara County for more on-campus development. The S1 trail would pass through Los Altos Hills as it connects the Arastradero Preserve to Palo Alto. Stanford had offered the town more than $1 million to construct its local portion of the pathway, and the town indicated approval.

Foundation merger creates regional powerhouse

Two local non-profits, Community Foundation Silicon Valley and the Peninsula Community Foundation, announced plans to merge last week, becoming one of the largest community foundations in the nation.

The new organization, to be called the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, will have more than $1.5 billion in assets, comparable to some of the nation’s oldest and most established community foundations.

Editorial

The Los Altos City Council last week faced a traffic speed question it has faced before: Do you raise the speed limit to nab speeders?

Last fall, the council raised the speed limit on Springer Road from 25 mph to 30 mph as part of a trial program to help, ironically, with traffic enforcement. State law dictates that police can’t use radar in 25 mph zones to track speeders if 85 percent of the vehicles are traveling over the speed limit. Raising the limit to 30 does allow for radar, however.

Town Crier’s Comment section captures first place in state contest

The Town Crier on Saturday was awarded first place for its editorial pages entry in the California Newspaper Publisher Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.

Letters to the Editor

4-H riding program separate from ‘Friends’
Your article on July 12, “Non-profits on the rebound,” and accompanying list of local non-profits, was appreciated. Small non-profits like ourselves, West- wind Riding Institute/4-H Riding, rely on our local media to help expose our program to potential volunteers and donors.
We were, however, concerned by the […]

Kick depression out the door

Summer should be a time for fun and relaxation, the opposite of feeling blue or depressed. For example, every weekend when we call Howard’s sister, we have to work hard to bring back the stored energy that’s part of who she is. A slight stroke and the death of her husband changed her into a woman who, although she lives in a large, upscale retirement community, has become apathetic and withdrawn.

I suggested she try to start a small dancing group where she would be the teacher. The upbeat change in her voice alone delighted me. In her youth, she had been a professional dancer and, though she is 92, she maintains the grace and energy of her earlier years. Unfortunately, the following week she said she would not get involved, and we found she had returned to her depressed mood.

Obituary Notices

JEANNE EDWARDS DILLEY WOODING
We are sharing the peaceful passing of our cherished mother and great role model, Jeannie Wooding. Born and raised in China, one of six proud children to missionary parents, Grace and Frederick Dilley. She returned to the U.S. in 1934 and later graduated from Wooster College in Ohio. […]

People

Jennifer Naes-Joseph Finley - 1 year

Jennifer Naes and Joseph Finley exchanged wedding vows at St. Nicholas Catholic Church on July 16, 2005.

People

Diane and Roger Tonnesen, 50 years

Diane and Roger Tonnesen, residents of Los Altos for 39 years, were married June 8, 1956, in St. Mark’s Cathedral, Salt Lake City, Utah.

SIR enlivens local residents’ retirement with fellowship, eclectic roster of speakers

Where do professional managers, high-tech engineers and educators go when they retire? Many local retirees spend part of their newfound free time as active members of Sons in Retirement (SIR). Branch 35 of SIR, with close to 350 members, is among the largest in the state and meets at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge.

Their monthly luncheons blend stimulating conversation, exceptional speakers and musical interludes featuring the Trail Birds, a vocal group from the SIR Mission Trail Branch 35, another name for the Los Altos branch.

Young painters transform passion for global warming awareness into art

Lindsey DeMayo and Taylor Smith-Hams describe themselves as “two young individuals who have been very concerned with global warming,” and they market themselves well.

The pair have a gimmick: a babysitter and her protégé, inspired to spend a summer painting for an auction to benefit the fight against global warming. They also have the business skills - the young women have found gallery space, solicited publicity and prepared fliers to advertise their philanthropic venture, as well as producing 22 works of art, as of last week.

LASD board not bored during summer school visit

Attending school in the Los Altos School District during summer vacation defies the myth that summer school is four additional weeks of grueling and boring work.

LASD runs four different primary and upper-grade summer school programs on separate campuses. Two of the programs are enrichment programs, which offer unique courses with narrowed interests such as cooking or scrapbooking. The other two programs are academies designed for students who need extra instruction before advancing a grade.

Cupertino schools superintendent takes office

With 12 years of experience under his belt, the new superintendent of the Cupertino Union School District is confident he can handle any issues that come his way.

Phil Quon began his reign over the Cupertino district this month. The Cupertino Union School District serves more than 16,500 students in 20 elementary schools and five junior high schools, including Montclaire Elementary School in Los Altos.

Local host families needed for high schoolers

Foreign high school students will soon arrive in Santa Clara County ready for the fall school year - and they need local families to provide housing.

According to Pacific Intercultural Exchange (P.I.E.) Executive Director John Doty, the students, ages 15-18, speak English, have spending money, carry accident and health insurance and are anxious to share their cultural experiences with American families. P.I.E. can accommodate most families’ requirements. Homestays range from a semester to a full academic year, while the students attend local high schools.

Yet another language for parents to decipher

Q. What can you tell me about IMing and MySpace?

A. IMing, also known as instant messaging, is replacing teen e-mail because it’s more efficient due to its speed. E-mail to the teen is what a letter and stamp are to the adult world: snail mail! The process of e-mailing - typing, sending and waiting for a reply - is now considered way too time-consuming by many teens. Text and instant messages are just that - instant. Out of necessity, IM has created a clever vocabulary and conversational style. A conversation might go something like this:

The stars come out tonight

As a Los Altos High freshman, Pete Cronin didn’t imagine getting any closer to the Charlie Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game than the stands.

“I never thought I’d make it,” he said. “I was 5-7 and 130 pounds, and I thought it was an unreachable goal.”

Hawks’ priority is improvement, not victories

With only three wins and enough losses that the coach has lost count of the exact number, the Los Altos American Legion Post 558 Hawks won’t be playing beyond the regular season.

But the under-19 team wasn’t expected to be a postseason contender - not yet. Head coach Dave Salter is simply looking for progress in the second year of the baseball program’s revival.

Oaks sweep Seaside

So much for the Palo Alto Oaks enjoying Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of the Seaside Bombers. A day later, general manager Steve Espinoza was already worried about the Oaks’ next league opponent.

“We have some tough games coming up this weekend against the Smokey’s,” he said, referring to the Sacramento team the Oaks face Saturday and Sunday. “Our mettle will be tested there.”

Emerging Markets offer tempting but riskier alternatives to U.S. stocks

Lesser-developed Third World and Eastern European countries are known as Emerging Markets or EM. They are designated such because their annual growth rate can be as high as 9 percent, compared to 3 percent to 4 percent for the United States. Their shares typically have a Price-Earning ratio and a Book Value to Market Price less than 25 percent of those in the United States.

One prominent mutual fund estimated 6 percent real (inflation adjusted) return for EM stock versus -1 percent to 4.5 percent return for other nations’ equities.

‘Viva Italiano is here to stay,’ owner says

Viva Italiano owners Roberto and Otto Barbosa never imagined growing up in Brazil that they would work side by side one day in the food business.

But Roberto developed a distinct passion for tomato sauces and Italian seasonings when he mentored under the head chef at San Francisco’s Bay City Bar and Grill for seven years. When a position opened up to cook at his brother’s restaurant in Pacifica, the transition seemed natural.

Childhood obesity prescription

I was a fat kid with fat parents, decades before fast food and French fries were daily fare. At 10, I weighed 160 pounds - the exception, not the norm, in those days.

Today, it’s just the opposite as childhood obesity rates skyrocket. Now I would be right at home with my peers. A case in point: Since the early 1970s, the obesity rate has doubled among American toddlers and tripled among children ages 6 to 11.

Fight the empty-bottle syndrome for healthier child and adult

Dr. Wynnyee Tom, of Los Altos, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in Fremont, is a new mother. And, like all new mothers, she wants her child to get off to the right start with proper care and feeding.

Proper feeding does not mean overfeeding. “Many people think that having fat rolls and being chubby means a baby is healthy,” she said. “But that’s not an indication of health.”

Movement class gives body a chance to speak up

Picture yourself moving with abandon to rhythmic music. Does that sound like it might feel good? If so, consider signing up for Keith Urban’s Joy of Movement class at Stanford Continuing Studies.

Urban, an accomplished dancer-choreographer-yoga teacher, is proud of his “wonderful course.”

Yes, allergies are worse this year, but there are strategies available

Approximately 40 percent of Americans suffer from some form of allergy. There are many allergens, including pollen, animal dander, dust mites and mold. In response to these allergens, our noses, eyes and lungs can overreact and make us feel miserable.

While allergies can strike throughout the year, this is prime time for many powerful pollens and allergens, such as grasses, weeds and several types of shrubs and trees. Because of the rain we had earlier this year, this season also has an abundance of certain types of molds, which form in the soil during the rainy season and become airborne in the late summer and fall when the soil dries out.

Looking marvelous

Just meeting Alice Schlim, you can tell that she has never needed a makeover in her life. A handsome, upright woman of 76, Schlim retains the smooth, pale skin of youth. Her thick, white hair illuminates her pretty features, making her eyes sparkle. She seldom wears makeup and doesn’t need to.

Even so, she was too excited to sleep the night before Home Instead Senior Care took her to her favorite salon, Lily in Cupertino, to have her hair done as part of one of the company’s senior makeovers. Lovely in a light lavender pants ensemble, Schlim emerged from the salon ready for one of her trademark “cocktail parties.”

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).

THEATER