Cities receive high grades for housing solutions

Los Altos and Los Altos Hills received an A+ in the Bay Area Council’s assessment of the region’s affordable housing progress, released last week.

As recently as April, Los Altos was designated third among California cities for the highest median home price, $1.558 million, in the state, according to the California Association of Realtors. How can this apparent dichotomy exist?

Divine reception

Wireless carrier Metro PCS and St. William Catholic Church in Los Altos have asked the Los Altos Planning Commission to approve a cell-phone antenna within the church steeple.

Situating antennas in crosses on church rooftops is not entirely unprecedented. In July 2004, Los Altos allowed the Seventh-day Adventist Church at 1425 Springer Road to place an antenna in the church steeple.

Litigation may delay projects at Foothill, De Anza

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District is waiting on pending litigation - a complaint regarding the legality of the district’s recently approved bond, filed by Melvin Emerich of Los Altos - which may slow the initial steps in Measure C projects.

“We are going to keep moving ahead until someone says we have to stop,” said Mike Brandy, vice chancellor of the community college district.

News

High temperatures cause power overloads
The heat wave that burdened Bay Area residents last week knocked out power for thousands of residents at sporadic intervals beginning Saturday. About 36,000 South Bay residents were still without power Monday morning. Transformer grids, overloaded with users and with insufficient time to cool down, simply shut down, […]

Kerr, Warshawksy to run for LAH council again

The expiration of the terms of Mayor Dean Warshawsky and Councilman Breene Kerr will open two Los Altos Hills council seats for the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

Kerr and Warshawsky have declared they will run again but have not yet filed. No other candidates have announced their entrée into the race to date.

Foothill-De Anza maps out plans for Measure C

Since voters approved Measure C in June, Foothill-De Anza Community College District officials have been pushing to sell general-obligation bonds as soon as possible so that construction can begin.

The $490.8 million bond issue will fund the renovations and upgrades at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills and De Anza College in Cupertino.

Redwood Grove fundraiser must change name

In his 13 years as program director at Redwood Grove, Keith Gutierrez has become a well-known fixture in the community. His name is almost synonymous with the tranquil park near downtown Los Altos.

So he said it struck him as odd that the city’s recreation department director, Dave Brees, would ask him to delete the Redwood Grove name from materials he created to raise funds for the program and instead use his own name. Gutierrez said his plan to raise $100,000 has been derailed and temporarily halted since May 23, when he received Brees’ letter requesting that the Redwood Grove name not be used in mailers or city publications to solicit funds.

Letters to the Editor

LAH council seeks public input
To set the record straight regarding Mr. DeMayo’s letter to the editor (July 19), the public education issue in Los Altos Hills has been ongoing since January 2003, when the Los Altos School District (LASD) started the process to close the last public school existing in a Los […]

Sunday in the park with squirrels

Have you seen the squirrel mug shots at Cuesta Park? Apparently, the park has had problems with aggressive squirrel activity - like squirrels jumping on strollers scavenging for food - and park authorities are advising people to refrain from feeding them in order to discourage more criminal behavior.

One posted notice displays a full-frontal photograph of a squirrel with its paws poised in front of its chest, looking like it is coveting your lunch.

Clarice Margaret Egan: A century of service in and for education

Clarice Margaret Egan died July 14 in Rohnert Park, a month after celebrating her 100th birthday.

She was married for 55 years to the late Ardis Egan, who was superintendent of the Los Altos School District for 18 years and after whom Egan Junior High School was named.

Wedding

Kathleen Straw and Christopher Loweth
Kathleen Straw and Christopher Loweth were married Nov. 12 in Chicago. A reception for the couple was held at The Mid-Day Club.
The bride is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. William Straw of Los Altos. She graduated from St. Francis High School, received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry […]

Los Altos oncologist Hoppe to be honored for his work

It may not be the Olympics, but a Los Altos resident will be bringing home a gold medal this fall.

Richard T. Hoppe, M.D., is one of two recipients of the 2006 Gold Medal from the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO).

Interim President takes office at Foothill

Penny Patz got right to work when she began her term as interim president at Foothill College on July 1.

“It’s going to be busy this year, and it’s going to be a very important year for us,” Patz said.

Foothill gala to celebrate retirement of longtime president Fong

The sixth annual Foothill Commission Gala, is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, will feature “A Happy Trails Tribute” to Foothill College President Bernadine Chuck Fong, Ph.D., of Los Altos, who recently retired after 36 years of service to Foothill, including 12 as its president.

Event proceeds will establish a fund to provide seed money for path-breaking college initiatives to honor her administration’s tradition of innovation.

Foothill College student appointed to Community College Board of Governors

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in July appointed Foothill College student Bridget Howe, 29, to serve as a member of the California Community College Board of Governors.

“My experiences at Foothill College have been so great,” Howe said. “I was looking for a way I could serve the community colleges.”

Foothill art student depicts childhood memories in solo show

Kani Paik doesn’t need to visit a poppy field or a forest to find inspiration for her art. All of the Foothill College student’s ideas pour out of her head.

“Any abstract form that I draw comes out of my childhood,” Paik said. “With my art, I am sharing my life.”

Schools

St. Francis High School alumna Lauren Smith of Los Altos graduated from Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in May with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Smith was a member of Delta Gamma sorority, a National Panhellenic Recruitment counselor and a founding member of the Psychology Society at LMU.

Stephanie D. Moniz, daughter of Bill and Judy Moniz of Los Altos, graduated in June with highest honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a degree in pharmacology. Highest honors is reserved for the top 2 percent of the graduating class. Moniz is attending graduate school at the University of the Pacific dental program in San Francisco. Moniz is a Mountain View High School alumna.

St. Francis standouts lead North to victory

Recent members of the St. Francis High football team probably have fonder memories of their annual physicals than playing at San Jose City College. The Lancers lost playoff games there the past two seasons and to rival Bellarmine in 2004.

Last week’s 32nd annual Charlie Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game provided four players on last year’s St. Francis team a chance at redemption on that field. They didn’t leave disappointed.

Plank takes on the ‘World’

Since her days at St. Simon School in Los Altos, McKayla Plank has been catching people’s attention with her success as a distance runner.

Through perseverance and a drive to improve, Plank has gone on to race at the national and international levels.

LA American Legion ‘Bears’ down in second half of summer season

The uniforms are the same - and so are most of the players wearing them - yet the Los Altos American Legion Post 558 Bears have looked like a different team lately.

“The way they played the last two weeks compared to the first two - there’s no comparison,” said Tom Griffin, coach of the under-17 team of Los Altos, Mountain View and St. Francis high players. “They’ve been outstanding; they’ve improved a lot.”

Don’t burn those bridges

“He’s the meanest man on earth, and I will never forgive him.” That phrase is poison for the declarer, and the meanest man may not even know what you are talking about.

“I told her off and I got my point across, even though it happened at a staff meeting.” This may ultimately be a deadly mistake.

Sewell retires a lifetime of haircuts and friendship

After 50 years in the haircutting business, Gene Sewell is finally ready to put away his clippers.

“It’s been a good life, but it’s time to move on and not have to get up to go to work,” Sewell said with a smile.

Latest Steel book offers a pleasant diversion

This book wasn’t half as bad as I expected it to be. “Coming Out” (Delacorte/Random House, 2006) is the 67th best-selling novel by Danielle Steel.

At the urging of my sister, who gobbles up Steel novels, I finally tried one. By page three, I wanted to read it all.

Local rabbi reports on volatile conditions in Israel

Rabbi Josh Zweiback returned from Israel July 8, where he led families from the Beth Am Reform Synagogue in Los Altos Hills on the congregation’s annual spiritual pilgrimage. The composed and soft-spoken teacher and leader, 36, discussed the two-week trip and the impact of such a journey not only for the American Jews, but also for those from all over the world there on pilgrimage.

“There are a great number of people in the world who trace their religious history back to Israel. … Perhaps it’s naive but wonderful to imagine that Israel brings people together,” Zweiback said.

Cooped up in Los Altos

Time was when dawn in Los Altos Hills was heralded each day by an operatic chorus - of roosters. In Los Altos and all over the Peninsula, many homes and farmsteads kept chickens for food and eggs.

Even in recent years when our area’s agrarian roots are being supplanted by multimillion-dollar mansions, a surprising number of residents holds tight to their hens, and the occasional rooster.

Chicken facts & lore

Chicken lovers delight in accumulating chicken trivia. Below is some information gathered from www.fairoakschickenfestival.com. People magazine has written about the 300 or so feral chickens of Fair Oaks Village, east of Sacramento along the American River. The town will have its first chicken festival in September.

• Chickens can fly, but not for long distances. The world’s record for a nonstop chicken flight is 230 yards.

Cottage Green teaches clients how to add whimsy to their home decor

The 1917 cottage at 145 First St. was occupied for years by the Los Altos librarian, whose commute consisted of walking across the street to the library, where the post office is today.

Now, there’s a new librarian in town. The library she presides over is not neatly arranged by Dewey decimal system but by stylish vignette, each tableau of antique, vintage and modern decorative items a lesson in how to bring character to the home by adding surprise to more modern interior design.

Milk-based finishes are green alternatives to paint

Q: I need to paint the interior of my house, but I dread the horrible paint smell. I’ve also heard that the fumes are unhealthful. Are there alternatives?

- Diana in Palo Alto

Datebook

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