Let me count the ways

This Sunday, mom’s kitchen sink will be piled high with dirty dishes, the flowers in her garden will be cut at their heads and crayon-colored cards bearing best wishes will be littered throughout the house as dads and children present mom with breakfast in bed highlighted by a vase of her favorite flowers. May 11 is Mother’s Day.

And if you aren’t a mom, you definitely have one, so it’s pretty likely that you’re either the one sitting up in bed, pretending to like chocolate chips and marshmallows on burnt waffles, or one of the many men who forgot to pick up flowers at a florist and resorted to desecrating the garden.

Los Altos Hills historian Young Yu named ‘Local Hero’

Acclaimed historian Connie Young Yu of Los Altos Hills is one of five people being honored at the 11th annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Local Hero Awards ceremony 6-8:30 p.m. today at the KQED Public Broadcasting Center, located at 2601 Mariposa St. in San Francisco.

Union Bank of California, N.A., and KQED Public Broadcasting sponsor the event.

LAEF drops district deficit nearly $600K

In an effort to assuage the pain of Los Altos School District’s looming $800,000 deficit, the Los Altos Educational Foundation has pledged $1.92 million for the 2008-2009 school year and will donate additional one-time funds totaling $400,000 to the district.

Randy Kenyon, assistant superintendent for business services, reported the net impact on the bottom line would be $591,000 more than originally expected from LAEF next year, with $266,000 more from the increase in annual funding and $325,000 from the one-time gift to offset program cuts or class-size increases.

LA, LAH councils claim overcharging by county

Faced with a looming statewide budget crisis, government agencies are trying to make every penny count – sometimes at each other’s expense. The grim predictions have affected Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. Last month both cities filed a claim with the board of supervisors asserting that Santa Clara County has overcharged them, in efforts to increase revenues.

Many cities have filed similar claims, arguing that the county has assessed too large an administrative fee for distributing tax dollars to city coffers. The county collects property and sales taxes, then distributes the funds to the cities – and charges an administrative fee to do so.

Garbage rates to climb

Residential Los Altos garbage rates are set to rise 16.4 percent next month, unless thousands of residents protest in writing before a May 27 public hearing.

Assistant City Planner Jim Gustafson predicted that city staff would approve the increase. Based on state law, if 5,000 residents protest the increase, the city would have to pursue alternatives such as cutting services instead of raising costs. Gustafson reported that fewer than 100 residents had protested as of the beginning of the month.

State Senate unanimously passes local’s veterans law

Los Altos Hills resident Dr. Jerome Blum is on the brink of realizing a long-held dream as legislation he authored to benefit veterans awaits final approval in the state assembly.

Blum said he was thrilled that the California State Senate passed SB 1401, his “Helping California Veterans Get the Help They Need” bill, with a vote of 38-0 April 17.

Breaking ground at Adobe Creek

The Adobe Creek Watershed Group and the Santa Clara Valley Water District have scheduled an Adobe Creek Upper Reach 5 Restoration Project construction groundbreaking ceremony for Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents 6-7:30 p.m. today at Edith Park in Los Altos Hills. Parking is available along Fremont Road.

The district plans to construct channel improvements and restore a portion of Adobe Creek upstream from the West Edith Avenue bridge extending downstream for approximately 1,100 feet.

Police Blotter

Family disturbance

May 4, 10:53 a.m., 1200 block of Eureka Avenue: Officer Neil Randles responded to a family disturbance. He reported that he contacted and counseled the family.

Council Brief

Fees, televising on LA council agenda

The Los Altos City Council is scheduled to discuss fees, library needs and expanded televised coverage of council meetings at its 7 p.m. Tuesday meeting.