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Archives » 2007 » Volume 60 , Issue 21, Published on Wednesday, May 23, 2007NewsPets on parade
For unsuspecting drivers and cyclists passing through downtown on Saturday, Los Altos looked like a town possessed. Dogs bayed from the parking plazas. Young people streamed by, clutching well-loved stuffed animals, posters and the occasional animal-shaped balloon. Approaching Main Street, a dog danced on its hind legs in excitement at the end of a leash. Kiwanians perched atop rooftops and trees, preparing a sound system. A formidable crowd assembled for the sunny 60th annual Los Altos Kiwanis Club Pet Parade on Main and State streets. Los Altos Police Chief Bob Lacey cheerfully sucked on a fruit smoothie at the start of the parade route, overseeing a mélange of children and pets in wagons at the top of Main Street. Best in showThe Town Crier’s annual pet parade contest, following this year’s milestone 60th Kiwanis event, featured six prize winners, including a bling-attired miniature poodle who won top honors. First prize went to Los Altos resident Miranda Scott, an Oak Elementary School student, and her “rap dog,” Champ. Scott won a $100 gift certificate from Pet’s Delight, a full-service pet store on State Street in downtown Los Altos. Fine Art - and bark - in the Park
Dogs as well as humans got a dose of culture at the Los Altos Rotary Club’s Fine Art in the Park show, possibly the nation’s most pet-friendly art event. The two-day festival followed close on the tail of the Kiwanis Club Pet Parade, and streams of owners and pets made their way to Lincoln Park on May 19 for opening day. Approximately 200 artists exhibited works for sale at the 32nd annual event, proceeds from which benefit the Rotary Club’s community service projects around the world. Day Worker Center seeks new home
As the July 31 deadline looms for community leaders to find a new home for the Mountain View Day Worker Center, local city council members, workers and residents rallied Friday outside the center to raise awareness about their search. Approximately 40 people dotted the lawn outside the Calvary Church site on California Street, which has provided a makeshift space for the center for more than five years. In April, Calvary’s pastor Jim Stringer told the center’s board members that the church planned to use the facilities for its own purposes. Sewer rates equalized for area residentsLos Altos residents living in unincorporated areas of the city will pay the same amount for sewer maintenance as other residents beginning July 1, thanks to a recommendation voted swiftly into ordinance by city council members May 8. The decision, recommended by City Attorney Jolie Houston, would equalize city sewer rates - $23.75 per month - for all Los Altos residents through 2008 and could be extended once the city completes a sewer rate study later this year. Los Altos bikes to work
Bike to Work Day added smiles and snacks to commutes last week, as more than a hundred cyclists paused in Los Altos on their way to work. Thursday’s event was meant to celebrate cyclists who commute and to entice new riders to the two-wheeled way of life. Organizers estimated that as many as 100,000 riders participated in the Bay Area’s 13th annual Bike to Work Day, sponsored by a partnership of local non-profits and transit organizations. City calls for input about Stevens Creek TrailLos Altos residents might one day have local access to the bucolic Stevens Creek Trail. But before that happens, the city of Los Altos has commissioned a feasibility study to assess the best options to build the trail and link it to Mountain View and Cupertino. As part of the feasibility study, the city has scheduled a community meeting May 30 to solicit ideas from residents about building the trail in Los Altos. VTA plans to cut Foothill bus routeStudents commuting to Foothill College may face trickier transit after this summer. In the wake of a critical audit, the Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Agency has proposed a series of transit changes throughout the region, including elimination of the bus route between Foothill and De Anza community colleges. The route, Line 23, runs from downtown San Jose, through the colleges, to the transit center at the San Antonio Shopping Center. VTA’s most recent study found that ridership decreased between De Anza College and Los Altos/Mountain View, and proposed eliminating the last leg of that route. Displaced riders could take the Line 52 bus into Mountain View, then transfer to another bus, Caltrain or light rail. News BriefSeat-belt enforcement increased in LAH Drivers in Los Altos Hills should think twice about driving off before buckling up - a ticketing campaign is under way, and those who don’t “click it” face a fine of $80 or more. Police BlotterDriving under the influence May 12, 8:41 p.m., S. El Monte and University avenues: Elizabeth Ely, 21, of Redwood City was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail. CommentEditorialThis past Saturday, while children and pets paraded down Main Street and art aficionados gathered in Lincoln Park, volunteers in San Jose and other Santa Clara County cities gathered at community centers and schools to pick up trash as part of the “Great American Litter Pickup.” On the designated day, residents got together for a few hours in the morning to clear streets, creeksides and other locations of litter. Curiously, Los Altos is not among the cities or agencies participating in this spring cleaning. (Neither is Mountain View, but Los Gatos, Saratoga and the county Sheriff’s Office are.) Apparently, campaign organizers, chiefly from the city of San Jose, didn’t push Los Altos to sign on. (City Manager Phil Rose said he hadn’t heard about it.) Letters to the EditorLASD abandoning neighborhood schools? We are residents of Monroe Park, Palo Alto, a neighborhood in the Los Altos School District north of El Camino Real, and parents of two children at Bullis Charter School. My mother, the carWhen my mother brought her car into the dealer for the fourth time in six weeks, she informed her service agent, Aaron, that the engine lurched and died on her while she was driving it on a Los Angeles freeway. In heavily accented English, she laughingly accused Aaron of trying to kill her. Aaron knew she was kidding, and he was charmed. “I just love your mom,” he told me. “She’s so polite, such a sweetheart.” No doubt, but let’s just say that I know my mom a bit better than he does. For one thing, when she joked with him about trying to kill her, she was actually expressing frustration and fear in the only way she - having been raised in an uber-traditional Japanese manner - was allowed. When she relayed the same story to me, I sprang into action. She didn’t even have to ask. I got Aaron’s name and number and called him immediately to inquire about time frames, previous repair attempts, replaced parts, mechanics’ experience with similar cars/circumstances and a rental car. I pointed out that my mother’s vehicle was actually becoming less reliable every time the dealership touched it, and my mother was now scared to the point of being perfectly capable of causing her own accident just because she had become so edgy. I made it clear that given that the car has less than 20,000 miles on it and is still under warranty, my mother’s ride should come back to her this time around in near-perfect condition. ObituariesObituary NoticesEarle Wallace Rother Longtime Los Altos resident, Earle Rother, passed away May 11, 2007, following a short illness. CommunityCalifornia Water Service Company of Los Altos offers conservation tipsMay is National Water Awareness Month, and according to local water provider California Water Service Company (Cal Water), it’s a good time to assess water-use habits and look for opportunities to reduce water waste. “Water is a precious, limited resource,” said Ron Richardson, Los Altos district manager. “Considering the fact that we just had the fourth-driest winter on record and the Sierra (Nevada) snow pack is 71 percent below normal, our customers’ conservation efforts are more important than ever.” Expert discusses fall and rise of nuclear energy at the Los Altos Morning Forum
Despite accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Chernobyl in 1986, controversy over nuclear energy has abated somewhat as experts revisit its value, according to Per F. Peterson, professor of nuclear engineering at UC Berkeley, who spoke to the Los Altos Morning Forum May 15. In his talk, “Nuclear Energy: What Is New and What Is Changing?” Peterson outlined the history and problems of nuclear power plants in the 1970s and 1980s, including typically long construction delays, cost overruns, low reliability, poor production of power and widespread public worries about nuclear waste disposal. As a result of opposition and public demonstrations, authorities either scuttled construction plans or retired many U.S. plants. Local actress keeps wits about her amid budget cuts to artsAs a seasoned actress on the Bay Area theater circuit for the past 30 years, it’s refreshing to hear Los Altos resident Linda Piccone speak frankly about her art and the current state of local theater. She throws no stones but speaks openly with a dry wit about her days as an idealistic young actress and now director and actress. Although often typecast in comedy roles, Piccone said she has broad interests in the material she performs. Emergency prep classes for seniors add dose of fun to serious learning
Mellow ex-firefighter Mike Sanders, Los Altos Hills’ new emergency preparedness coordinator, knows how to play to a crowd and set people at ease. It takes a special personality to pair serious disaster information with lighthearted quips about the vagaries of portable-toilet-making, and that’s what Sanders does in his seniors-only emergency preparedness class. The class, a variation on the Los Altos Hills County Fire District’s all-ages emergency prep classes, is tuned in to some of the special planning necessary for seniors in the Hills and surrounding unincorporated areas. Online tutoring available through Los Altos librariesHomework may not be as much of a struggle for local students - and their parents - thanks to a free online tutoring service available through the Los Altos libraries. Instead of going to mom or dad to ask for help untangling the mysteries of long division, for example, a student can log on to a Web site from a computer at home or at the library and have a virtual one-on-one session with an experienced tutor familiar with the subject matter taught at the particular grade level. The tutor and student use instant messaging and an interactive whiteboard to work through homework problems and concepts together. Diva Molly Bell leads performance to benefit Relay For LifeActress Molly Bell will present “Divas for Life,” a benefit concert for Relay For Life 7 p.m. June 18 at the Eagle Theater, Los Altos High School, 201 Almond Ave. A VIP reception will follow the show at 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and $50 for VIP (front and center seating plus reception) and $75 for Super VIP (VIP perks plus autographed Diva T-shirt). To order, visit www.missmollybell.com. SchoolsD.A.R.E. prepares Montclaire students for future
Ask Veronica George’s fifth-grade class at Montclaire Elementary School to name the drug the “crazy guy” arrested outside their school last month was on. Without hesitation, they will tell you - it was meth. George’s class, set to graduate from the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program this week, witnessed first-hand the effects of different drugs on people. Transition from child to teen is hard on parentsParents have a penchant for saying four words to their sons and daughters when they walk in the door after school - “How was your day?” If the son or daughter happens to be a teenager, he or she usually dodges the question with a mumbled “whatever”-type response that often leaves parents feeling bad about their relationship with their children. Schools article Pinewood Choir receives Pinewood School Children’s Choir, comprising students in grades four to six, received “Unanimous Superior” recognition from all three judges at the California Association for Music Education competition earlier this month. Astronomy lecture at Foothill tonightAstronomer Dana Backman, of the Mountain View-based SETI Institute, is scheduled to present “A Ringside Seat to the Birth of Planets,” an illustrated, nontechnical talk, 7 p.m. today in the Smithwick Theatre at Foothill College. Astronomers have discovered dusty “doughnuts” of cosmic raw material around many younger stars. In some cases, they observed tantalizing hints in the rings that planets may be forming or may already have formed from this material. Images of and by some of the most advanced telescopes in the world will illustrate the discussion. SportsAfter making history, Eagles out to make fina
The Los Altos High baseball team had just made school history - beating Leigh 10-2 Saturday to reach the Central Coast Section semifinals for the first time - yet coach Sandy Wihtol didn’t get carried away as he addressed his players. “I told them, ‘Way to come out swinging the bats, now we’ve got Monterey and let’s get out of here,’” Wihtol recalled. “There were no long speeches.” And then there were 10
That freshman from Pinewood School is still running. Among the youngest sprinters in the Central Coast Section track and field semifinals and one of only two girls from her league in the entire meet, Angela Gradiska left no doubt she belonged there. Scores don’t add up for SpartansMountain View High’s experience at last week’s Central Coast Section Boys Golf Championships was eerily similar to last year’s encounter. The Spartans again came to Rancho Cañada Golf Club undefeated and left disappointed. BusinessLocal frame shop owner finds satisfaction outside corporate life
Fred Sischka, owner of FastFrame, a frame shop in downtown Los Altos, made a decision to take the road less traveled and he never looked back. After spending 24 years in management positions in research and development working for Memorex, Tandy Corporation and Unisys Corporation, today he gets more satisfaction running his own retail business, he said. Game depends on players’ individual styles and strategiesI can remember the beginning of the baseball season around this time of year. I usually batted No. 3 in the lineup on our Little League team. The field looked like any other, but the outfield at Hobgood School didn’t have an end - it went all the way to the parking lot, with only the edge of the battered asphalt to demarcate baseball from automobiles (they ran on gas at 25 cents a gallon). I would scratch the loose dirt in front of home plate just like the big guys and choke up about 4 inches on the bat. I held the bat about 12 inches from my right cheek, the rounded end pointed straight up toward the cloudy southern sky. If the pitcher could get one near the plate, I would twist my body forward and my hands would follow. When the white hickory bat slapped the ball, I could usually count on a firm drive through the infield and a base hit. The cleanup batter would then come to the plate. His hands were snuggly wrapped around the very end of the bat, and he pulled it back all the way around his body. When he caught one down the middle, it would often fly in full force all the way to the asphalt. TravelCalling all sailors - the best seat in the house for the America’s Cup Yacht RaceThe 32nd America’s Cup Yacht Race is scheduled to take place in Valencia, Spain, at the end of June, marking the first time the cup has been held in Europe in more than 150 years, which has given the event a higher international profile than ever before. The America’s Cup regatta is a challenge-driven yacht race that currently involves the best of nine series of match racing (a duel between two boats). The America’s Cup is a competition between the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup and the current holder. Los Altos agent honored in travel magazine
Los Altos travel agent Maureen Jones took a spin as covergirl this month when she was honored by Luxury Travel Advisor magazine, a trade publication for travel agents. Jones, president of All Horizons Travel, was named Luxury Travel Agent of the Year. Jones, who is pictured at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, discussed her transition from administration to travel, and the pleasures that came with it. The golf buff travels the world scouting new sites for her clients, and in Los Altos employs 11 agents and 15 contractors based out of her office at 160 Main St. She describes her signature housecalls, in which she brings treats and information directly to a customer’s house, as a key way to plan and sell a luxurious trip. Women in BusinessHigh-wire act
Marlene DeMarchi, co-owner of Aldo Los Altos restaurant, wife and mother of three, is grateful that women before her paved the way for women’s equality in business. What she didn’t anticipate was how much she’d have to juggle to make it all work in her own life. Leveling the playing field for women on the jobWomen often claim they have a difficult time playing on the same field as men who seem to know the game. As I travel across the country, I hear the same song: Women find it difficult to infiltrate the “Good Old Boys Club” and gain positional power. I am neither skeptical nor prejudiced about men in the workplace. I believe that gender inequities will shift and balance out in the long run. But men did enter the workplace long before women. A leader in business, communityAthena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and craftsmanship, was, in essence, the prototype for the contemporary career woman. So it’s fitting that Iris Harrell, CEO, president and co-owner of Harrell Remodeling Inc. in Mountain View, was named the recipient of the 16th annual Athena Award presented by Mountain View Women in Business and the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. She was honored in March at a luncheon at Michaels at Shoreline. Stepping Out‘Frog’ jumps onto stage
Bus Barn Stage Company’s production of the family musical “A Year with Frog and Toad” is scheduled to open this week and run through June 20 in Los Altos. The Tony-nominated musical is based on the children’s books by Arnold Lobel. Conceived by Lobel’s daughter Adrianne, the book and music are by Willie and Robert Reale. DatebookDatebookDatebook 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 |
In Our OpinionEditorialWe’ve recently covered the passing of two of this community’s most involved and committed volunteers, Lee Lynch and Billy Russell. They represented an era when people helped out, not so they could get their name on a building, but because it was simply the right thing to do. There’s a new generation of volunteers hard at work right now in this community who are carrying on their legacy. The level of involvement in the recent Los Altos Relay For Life event bears this out. |
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