Help for local veterans

Last week’s surge of publicity marking the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War shone the spotlight on U.S. soldiers and veterans. Many vets have returned from duty with post-traumatic stress disorder and a range of injuries that require extensive treatment and emotional support as they transition back to civilian life.

A host of organizations in the Los Altos area deal with the physical and emotional aftereffects of Iraq and past wars every day: American Legion Post 558 in Los Altos and the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System connect with military veterans in a variety of ways.

ATM fraud hits town

Nearly 40 local residents have reported unauthorized withdrawals from their bank accounts this week in what Los Altos police describe as a rash of ATM-based card fraud.

Jerry’s Liquors & Delicatessen calling it quits

The writing is on the wall for many businesses in the southwest corner of downtown – sooner or later, they’ll have to go, as the Packard Foundation redevelops the land on which they sit.

Between the ghost-townlike feel of this Los Altos neighborhood and the effects of a sluggish economy, the going is coming sooner for Joe and Sahar Mardini. After 21 years in Los Altos, the owners of Jerry’s Liquors and Delicatessen are calling it quits. Their last day of business is April 15.

LAH considers LASD, Westwind Barn funding

The Los Altos Hills City Council is weighing spending decisions on two projects that combine town history and political turmoil.

The council voted Dec. 13 to restore Westwind Barn, using up to $880,000 of city funds, contingent on similar donations from the non-profit Supporters of Westwind. But a recently completed staff analysis of the barn building may alter this decision, City Manager Carl Cahill reported at the March 13 council meeting.

News Briefs

LAH begins CERT classes

The Santa Clara County Fire Department, the Los Altos Hills County Fire District and the town of Los Altos Hills have scheduled a Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program for town residents and those living in unincorporated areas.

Local VP sentenced to prison, fined

Los Altos resident Stephanie Jensen, 50, was sentenced to four months in prison and fined $1.25 million last week, the latest Silicon Valley executive convicted for fraudulent stock-option backdating.

Jensen, who worked as human resources vice president at San Jose-based Brocade Communications Systems Inc., was accused of conspiring with CEO Gregory Reyes to hide the way in which Brocade employees received low-price stock options. Reyes was convicted in 2007 of fraudulent backdating, sentenced to more than a year in prison and fined $15 million. The FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission carried out the investigation.

Editorial

We are uncomfortable with the timing of the Los Altos City Council’s March 11 decision to begin changing the city’s election year to extend by one year the terms of all five council members.

It’s not that we don’t agree with the reasons behind the decision. Both in terms of candidate visibility and elections-cost savings, switching election dates from odd or to even-numbered years makes sense. Council members supporting the change noted low voter turnout in odd-numbered years, about half the typical turnout for the presidential elections that occur in even-numbered years. The 2007 election cost the city $125,200 more than it would have cost during an even-numbered year. In this time of skimpy funding for local governments, that’s money that could have been put to better use. Why the difference in cost? In even-numbered years there more races with shared costs for printing ballots in the five languages required by law.

Letters to the Editor

Why we protest military recruitment

Military recruitment office protests are getting a lot of attention in the Bay Area.

No Shoes, Please

Because one of his shoulders drooped well below the other, my father looked liked a walking teeter-totter. It was as if some light, invisible child sat atop his left shoulder while an equally invisible, heavy child sat opposite, ready to slide right off my father’s rotator cuff, weighing down the right side a good 3 or 4 inches.

I imagine my father once had straight shoulders, but that was before he had spent long years in farm labor. I have no idea how many crates of produce he hoisted onto his right shoulder over his lifetime, not to mention how heavy those vegetables were, but by the time I was old enough to notice, I could see that one side of his body sloped downward.

Anniversary: Margot and Barry Gordon

Dr. Barry and Margot Gordon, Los Altos residents for 42 years, celebrated their 50th anniversary Dec. 22.

When they married, Barry attended the University of Pacific Dental School in San Francisco, and Margot was a student at UC Berkeley. After graduation, they moved to Oahu, Hawaii, where Barry served two years in the Navy.

Anniversary: Virginia and Ron Greene, 50 years

Longtime Los Altos residents Ron and Virginia Greene are scheduled to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in June.

The couple met in Aurora, Ill., in 1953, married in 1958 and moved to California shortly thereafter.

Morning Forum: Journalist approaches history as ‘first reporter on the scene’

Investigative historian and author Sally Denton addressed the Los Altos Morning Forum March 4, describing her literary approach to historical accounts as “pretending to be the first reporter on the scene.”

Denton honed her skills as an investigative reporter in the office of Pulitzer Prize-winning muckraker Jack Anderson. In her newest book, “Passion and Principle: John and Jessie Fremont, the Couple Whose Power, Politics, and Love Shaped Nineteenth-Century America” (Bloomsbury, 2007), Denton writes about the hidden history of the American West.

New manager of open space district noted for experience in preservation

The Los Altos-based Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has appointed Stephen Abbors as general manager, effective April 14.

Abbors succeeds L. Craig Britton of Los Altos, who is retiring after 30 years with the district. Britton has served as general manager since 1994.

Los Altos Cultural Association photo contest open to students at Freestyle, local high schools

The Los Altos Cultural Association has scheduled a photo competition open to students at Los Altos and Mountain View high schools and the Freestyle Academy of Communication Arts & Technology. Entries will be accepted 3-5 p.m. Tuesday at Main Street Cafe & Books, 134 Main St. Selected photos from the contest will be exhibited at Main Street Cafe & Books through the end of April.

Saelon Renkes, a local fine-art photographer and instructor of photography, will judge the entries on the basis of artistic expression.

Golf tourney benefits Jeremiah’s Promise

Jeremiah’s Promise has scheduled its second annual Golf Tournament and Live Auction 11 a.m. April 21 at Silver Creek Valley Country Club.

Registration is $250 per golfer. Payment includes greens fees, cart, lunch and tee prizes.

World traveler visits Federated Woman’s Club

Town Crier Report

The Federated Woman’s Club of Los Altos has scheduled world traveler John Higham to speak at its April 2 meeting at Michaels at Shoreline restaurant, 2960 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View.

El Camino Hospital launches integration of electronic medical records

On the heels of the nation’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ campaign to reinforce the value of electronic health records, the El Camino Hospital Board recently approved funding to purchase and deploy software and services for electronic medical data for hospital physicians. The three-year project implemented last month is capped at $4.25 million.

In January, Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Acting Administrator Kerry Weems visited El Camino, the first hospital in the United States to implement an electronic records system in the 1970s. Weems was researching the positive outcomes for electronic health records.

Campbell to talk budget at SPARC meeting

The South Peninsula Area Republican Coalition has scheduled Tom Campbell, former Republican congressman and current dean of UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, to speak 6 p.m. Friday at Michaels at Shoreline, 2960 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View.

Campbell, former director of the California Department of Finance, will speak on “What’s Wrong with the State Budget, and a Few Thoughts about the Federal Budget, too.”

Safe-deposit box theft in Los Altos leaves resident with lesson learned

Lu Hugdahl was sure the jewelry she tucked away in her safe-deposit box in November 2006 was secure, so she didn’t bother checking up on its contents until more than two years later. When the Mountain View resident accessed the box again last month, she was surprised to discover several pieces of jewelry missing.

“I was just stunned,” Hugdahl said. “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I had more than this.’”

Community Briefs

Peninsula symphony holds fashion fundraiser

The South Bay Guild of the Peninsula Symphony Auxiliary has scheduled “Symphony of Fashions,” a luncheon and fashion show fundraiser, 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Michaels at Shoreline, 2960 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View.

LASD looks into changing reopened school name

Responding to requests from many community members, Los Altos School District Superintendent Tim Justus asked the board of trustees to address a name change for Bullis-Purissima School, scheduled to reopen August in Los Altos Hills.

“We have been getting some questions,” Justus said. “With the opening of a new school, many times comes the opportunity for a new name.”

Standardized testing kills learning-based education

Earlier this month, sophomores at Homestead High School, myself among them, took the California High School Exit Exam. The state reported that 91 percent of students who took the test in its inaugural year passed it on their first attempt.

The English/Language Arts portion of the test is written at a 10th-grade level, with a two-and-a-half page essay graded mostly on spelling and grammar as an addendum to it. The mathematics test is written at an eighth-grade level.

Schools Briefs

Loyola K-Kids collects spectacles through April

Members of the Loyola School K-Kids Club are sponsoring the fourth annual “Share Old Spectacles” drive to collect used eyeglasses and sunglasses.

LA taking its lumps

Less than a year after winning the Central Coast Section Division II championship, the Los Altos High baseball team has found winning league games more difficult than anticipated.

Los Altos on Friday lost its fourth consecutive SCVAL De Anza Division game. The Eagles’ 6-0 home loss to Wilcox marked the second time in their last four games they’ve been shut out. Los Altos managed only three hits Friday and advanced just one base runner as far as third base.

Pinewood School track team riding the bus to success

The first sign of growth for the Pinewood School track and field program is in the parking lot. The Panthers finally have enough competitors to travel to meets in the same fashion as most other high schools.

“We’re using the bus instead of vans,” head coach Matt Stimson said. “The kids enjoy that. It’s something new around here.”

Spartans struggling in De Anza Division

The Mountain View High boys tennis team has no illusions of competing for a league title or a playoff berth this season.

The Spartans, whose No. 1 player unexpectedly opted not to play this year, are just trying to stay out of last place.

LA gets a split in track; MV falls in baseball

It was a good news/bad news day for the Los Altos High track and field team. The host Eagles beat Milpitas on the boys side March 19, but their girls lost for the third time this season.

The Los Altos boys prevailed 79-48, improving to 2-1 in the SCVAL De Anza Division, while the girls lost 65-62.

Perils of prostate cancer

This is the second in a two-part series of articles on prostate cancer.

Tips to cope with low back pain

Low back pain, known as lumbago, is more common than one may think. It ranges from a dull, nagging ache to a sharp, breathtaking pain often associated with numbness and tingling in the legs. About 85 percent of the population will suffer disabling low back pain at least once in their lives.

I’m amazed by the number of people who come through the office doors in discomfort. Daily, I hear, “How did this happen?” “I exercise!” and “How can I prevent this from happening again?”

Local physicians address patients’ psychological and physical concerns

When people get sick, they usually see a doctor and explain symptoms they are experiencing, the doctor gives a diagnosis, often writes a prescription and the patients are out the door within the hour.

What if your physician were to treat the mind and body at the same time to ensure the whole self stays in good health? What if, in addition to treating one certain area, treatment involved looking into the person’s mental as well as physical state?

First-person and scientific accounts address uterine fibroids

Uterine fibroids are the most common tumors found in the human body yet may be the least understood. The cause of these tumors is unknown, but it is estimated that as many as one in four American women have uterine fibroids. Also called leiomyomas or myomas, fibroids are benign growths of the muscle inside the uterus. They are not cancerous, nor are they related to cancer. They are not life threatening, but they certainly can be life changing.

School hires psychiatrist for its Los Altos clinic

The Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, a private, independent, professional school located in Los Altos, has hired a psychiatrist to provide assessment and treatment for patients at the school’s student-staffed mental health facility, the Kurt and Barbara Gronowski Psychology Clinic.

Dr. Perrin Lindol French will function as a clinician, treating most psychiatric conditions in adults. He will see patients in consultation with PGSP students, who act as the primary care providers in the clinic’s faculty-supervised setting.

A story behind every door

The Stanford Historical Society knows that old houses have wonderful stories to tell – and it plans to reveal them.

Gamble Garden tour features five gardens

The Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, a community horticultural center in Palo Alto, has scheduled its 23rd Annual Garden Tour, “California Creative,” April 25 and 26. The event includes tours of five private gardens, a plant sale, a boutique, a luncheon, a visit with garden experts and a self-guided tour of Gamble Garden.

The tour showcases five private Palo Alto gardens, none of which has been open to the public before. All are located within walking distance of Gamble Garden. Each house and garden has been chosen for its style and design. All the gardens feature outdoor living areas. Their sizes range from small and intimate to larger gardens separated into several design areas. There will be guides at each location to answer questions.

Hot plants, hot sales and a new nursery

One of my favorite displays at the annual mid-March San Francisco Flower and Garden Show is the California Horticultural Society’s Hot Plant Picks. The 2008 list will be available soon at www.calhortsociety.org, but here I share a few that caught my attention.

A new manzanita shrub from Suncrest Nurseries is noteworthy because it’s an ideal size for small suburban gardens, about 3-5 feet high and wide. Arctostaphylos edmundsii “Big Sur” has a mounding form and medium green leaves. Suncrest plants can be special-ordered from any retail nursery that has a Suncrest account.

Hidden Villa hosts native plant sale

Using California native plants can help to mitigate global warming by reducing water and energy use for the household. Naturally waterwise and energywise, native plants add beauty, habitat value and a sense of place to any garden.

The local chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) has scheduled its semiannual Native Plant Sale 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 12 at Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills.

Make sustainability easy in the garden

You want to cut down on your water use, but you are worried that covering your front yard with Coyote Bush might lower your neighborhood’s property values. Moreover, your idea of an upper-body workout doesn’t involve shoveling manure into a compost bin. The truth is, sustainability doesn’t have to be ugly or difficult. If everyone takes a few small steps in their gardens, the Bay Area is going to be better off.

Raising eggs – a healthful experience

Interested in raising your own Easter eggs? The idea is catching on like wildfire. More and more suburban and urban families are bringing chickens under their wing. The primary benefit is the quality of the eggs – many studies have found free-range eggs to be a more healthful alternative to store-bought eggs.

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

ELINOR GARD HEATH

Elinor Heath had a joyful party on her 100th birthday, January 7th. About 60 of her friends and family celebrated with her at the Congregational Church in Palo Alto. She died on March 9th, her sense of purpose and command still fully intact. As a friend said, “She was born cheerful and optimistic.” Her early childhood was spent on her father’s ranch in Lipscomb Co. Texas. Just before World War I, her family moved to the small town of Anthony, Kansas. From her parents she learned very liberal and open-minded values, which she never lost. Throughout her life, she loved meeting new people from all backgrounds and cultures, and she always wanted “to hear their stories.” An early passion for debate prepared her for an activist life in the peace and civil rights movements, the League and Women Voters, school board politics, and the Congregational Church. She married Edwin Heath in 1933 and moved to Wichita, Kansas, where Ed was a power engineer with Kansas Gas and Electric. There she was involved in a petition drive to bring about the racial integration of commercial services in downtown Wichita. She became worried that this might cause Ed problems with his employer, but he said to her, “They don’t pay me enough to buy my wife’s mind.” This framed their love for 55 happy years of marriage. In 1936 she was voted to be the delegate from the state of Kansas to an International Women’s Peace conference in Washington DC, where “I shook the hand of Eleanor Roosevelt.” After World War II, Ed was recruited to be an executive with the public power utilities, first in Sacramento in 1947 and in Palo Alto in 1953. An active outdoors life got Elinor deeply involved with environmental action and conservation. Throughout her life, she never minded being in the minority, and her sense of joy never waned. She is survived by her sons, Alan and Eric, and by her grandchildren, Steven and Jennifer. A memorial service was held at the Congregational Church in Palo Alto on March 24th. Rather than flowers, Elinor would like contributions to be made to the Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto or to the Organ Fund of the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto.

Making happy campers with CampPlanIt composites

Time is ticking away for parents bound and determined to keep the kiddies off the couch this summer and get them involved in real recreational activities. But summer camp sign-ups can be a frustrating feat of futility when considering Pete’s penchant for auto racing, Linda’s love for languages and Phillip’s fanaticism with physics – and juggling those with the family schedule.

Mike Musuris and Ted Forsman know all about it – particularly Forsman, who has three children and is privy to wife Keli and friends’ conversations comparing program curricula and scheduling information for summer camps. There was simply no one-stop shop for gathering information.

Housing affordability index up

With home prices declining across the country, housing became more affordable for individuals and families in the last quarter of 2007. Both the National Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors report the affordability index rising because of these conditions.

The NAR housing affordability index is forecast to rise 14 percentage points to 127 in 2008. In February C.A.R. reported the percentage of households that could afford to buy an entry-level home in California stood at 33 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007, compared with 25 percent for the same period the prior year.

Tips for savvy homebuyers in a sagging market

The current real estate market presents good opportunities for buyers shopping for a home in the Los Altos area and the greater South Bay.

Interest rates are as low as they have been in many years. Conforming loan limits are being raised, reducing the interest rates on larger, “jumbo” loans.

Annual business expo scheduled

The Los Altos Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its 20th annual Business EXPO 4-7 p.m. April 24 at the Los Altos Youth Center, 1 N. San Antonio Road.

Visitors to Business EXPO 2008 will have an opportunity to interact with the Los Altos business community, including retailers, restaurants, professionals and services. Prizes donated by local merchants will be raffled, and individual businesses will offer prize drawings at their displays.

Springtime and tax time – timely advice for organizing piled paper

It is that time of year again – time to control the piles of paper and documents as you prepare your taxes. You may want to take this time to organize your financial records. Most people spend more time organizing their iTouch or BlackBerrys than their financial records.

With identity theft increasing, it is important to keep your personal financial information secure. Are your financial and legal documents in a safe and accessible place? Let’s review some guidelines on what you need to keep and what can be shredded.