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.

How did the second Sunday, in May come to this – a day to honor mothers, symbols of peace – sandwiched between Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day?

The bottom line is – moms just don’t care. They don’t care if breakfast is charred, dirty dishes await them or the outside sanctuary for sanity is spoiled.

Because they love you just as much you love them.

Honoring moms

Moms weren’t always honored with such lavish attention, but much credit is awarded to Anna Jarvis for being instrumental in assuring mothers in the United States that they would be appreciated at least one day each year.

Jarvis’ mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis, established a mother’s day in 1858 in West Virginia to bring mothers together and draw attention to local sanitation issues. Titled “Mothers’ Work Day,” the movement expanded during the Civil War to focus on unsanitary conditions that permeated both sides of the conflict.

In 1872 Julia Ward Howe, who penned “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” instituted a Mother’s Day for Peace, held June 2 and celebrated for several years in many cities across America. When Howe stopped funding the celebration, the holiday was phased out.

When Anna Jarvis’ mother died in 1905, Anna swore to fill her mother’s shoes by lobbying politicians for a nationally recognized day to honor mothers. To that end, she distributed white carnations, her mother’s favorite, to promote the Mother’s Day movement.

In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution passed by Congress that established a national Mother’s Day that emphasized the role of mothers in the home but not as a day for mothers as peace-promoters as Howe envisioned.

In the holiday’s beginnings, Mother’s Day was observed by attending church and writing letters to mothers. Jarvis never dreamed it would become a commercial success.

Moms, moms’ moms and dads’ moms

With weekdays that begin at 7 a.m. getting her 6-year-old son, Kiran, ready for school, Los Altos mom Michelle Oblena still doesn’t think a day spent by herself being pampered at a spa fits the Mother’s Day tradition.

While some moms may dream of downtime alone on an isolated beach without children in tow, Oblena said she plans on spending the day with her husband, Christian, and Kiran.

“That’s the whole reason for Mother’s Day,” Oblena said. “I wouldn’t be a mom without Kiran.”

Oblena said her Sunday would start with a relaxing brunch, followed by a daytrip, which she’ll strongly suggest be the Annie Leibovitz photography exhibition in San Francisco.

Diana Ekstrand of Los Altos expects to stay closer to home this Sunday.

“I think I’ll get breakfast in bed, lots of homemade cards and flowers,” she said.

With three children aged 2, 6 and 8, Ekstrand’s days begin a little earlier than Oblena’s, at 6:30 a.m. Once her older children are delivered to school, Ekstrand takes Nicolas on outings to help him release some of that energy we’d all like to have – Happy Hollow, the Children’s Discovery Museum or Shoup Park, where he likes to throw rocks in the creek.

Ekstrand said she doesn’t wait for the annual holiday to do nice things for herself. In between mom duties, she hikes, has dinner with friends and treats herself.

And treating herself is exactly what Evelyn Gerace will have to do if she celebrates her day this weekend with children Skylar, 10, and Madelyn, 7 – her husband will be out of town.

“My kids are too young to do anything for me,” she said.

Gerace said she would probably celebrate Mother’s Day early this year, but the celebration will be bittersweet. Once not more than an hour away from her own mother, Serena Wang, Gerace’s move to Los Altos Hills from Southern California last year will change what was her family’s tradition.

“It becomes pretty hairy,” Gerace said. “We want to make my mom’s Mother’s Day special.”

Distance is problematic for Ekstrand, too. Her parents live on the East Coast and her sister in Paris. Ekstrand celebrated Mother’s Day early when family arrived to attend her daughter’s First Communion.

Oblena said becoming a mother has altered the way she celebrates the day with her own mother, and it’s changed her husband’s tradition also. They, too, celebrate the holiday on a different day to accommodate all the moms in the family.

“We take the opportunity when we have it, not necessarily the day of,” Ekstrand said of holiday celebrations.

Dynamics of

distance and dollars

Whether separated by endless miles or limited time, 96 percent of America’s consumers choose to honor their mothers by purchasing a gift, spending a median $44, according to a 2007 survey of 1,000 consumers by Amplitude Research.

A 2008 survey of U.S. small business owners found that of the 1,000 respondents, 37 percent thought flowers were the best Mother’s Day gifts; dining out was the second most popular purchase to honor mom, garnering 25 percent support from survey respondents; a spa/salon appointment generated 21 percent of the vote; jewelry was the fourth favorite at 13 percent; and 4 percent considered clothing an approprate gift.

The popularity of flowers should keep Jeff Baumgartner and Randy Ellis busy during the next few days. Ellis and Baumgartner own Just for You Florist & Plants in the Rancho Shopping Center and have been fielding orders for fields of flowers for weeks.

“It’s probably the biggest day for florists,” Baumgartner said of Mother’s Day, which tops Valentine’s Day in sales. “Not everybody has a sweetheart, but most families generally have two moms.”

As opposed to the roses popular in February, Baumgartner said bright, mixed arrangements are favored in May. He looks for the nicest, freshest flowers. Priced at $25, wrapped bouquets are the favorites with teenagers and men in their 20s and 30s, shopping at the last minute.

“They don’t always plan far ahead,” he said of those men.

While the shop offers seven different arrangements, Baumgartner said, “Here in Los Altos, everybody wants something custom.”

Still, cut flowers are destined to die, no matter how much they cost. Baumgartner is designing something new for moms, the European basket garden, which will last longer, he said.

Commercial concerns

As Mother’s Day evolved from church devotions and letter writing to sending pre-made cards, gifts and flowers, Anna Jarvis became angry that a day devoted to mothers’ memories was being exploited for profit. Before she died in 1948, Jarvis purportedly admitted she was sorry for ever promoting the annual tradition.

But staying true to Jarvis’ spirit in honoring mothers and personalizing the holiday is Linda Mooers’ kindergarten class at Springer School. Last week, the young students were putting the final touches of paint on pinch pots they created from balls of clay – this week the pots will be glazed, fired and wrapped for mom.

“As a mom, I know that any gift a child makes with (his or her) own hands is special and they will cherish them forever,” Mooers said.

Five-year-old Marley Magee thinks her mom will really like the pink and purple colors she chose for her pinch pot, while Nithin Singhal, also 5, still has to figure out his color scheme.

It’s a painstaking process for the patience of 5-year-old children, Mooers said, involving forming, etching, painting – a lot – firing, glazing and firing.

“Every ounce of love and effort goes into each stroke,” Mooers said of the painting process.

Moreover, Jarvis would be jubilant and Hallmark heartbroken to know the tiny, shiny clay pots will be delivered to mom with cards made in class, pastel-colored construction paper carefully folded – “they’re experts at that” – and decorated with hearts, flowers, teddy bears and best wishes for a happy mother’s day, Mooers said.

Second-graders in Judy Jorgenson’s class at Covington School are making cards themed “The Top 10 Reasons Why I Love My Mother,” delivered with gifts they’ve made themselves.

Jorgenson said the children are working hard on their own top 10 reasons.

“The main theme is that their moms take care of them,” she said. “They find a way to (get) ‘help’ in there … and we want to be helpful to our children.”

Real rewards

It won’t matter if the cards have misspellings – although dad might want to reconsider allowing the kids to cook – but whatever the plans, moms really aren’t waiting for Mother’s Day to feel acknowledged.

“I definitely think that it’s a very rewarding, ‘job,’” Oblena said of motherhood, “having that little somebody that loves you unconditionally.”

Ekstrand couldn’t agree more.

“I feel like it’s Mother’s Day every day,” Ekstrand said. “I get an enormous amount of reward and satisfaction throughout the year.”

Contact Mary Beth Hislop at marybethh@latc.com.

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.

During the past 40 years, Young Yu has made local Asian American history accessible and relevant to the Bay Area community through articles, presentations and books recounting the early experiences of Chinese Americans, including her “Chinatown, San Jose, USA” (San Jose Historical Museum Association, 1991).

Working to ensure that Asian American historical sites are recognized, restored and made available to the public, Young Yu has been instrumental in launching projects across the Bay Area. They include: the restoration of the Immigration Barracks at Angel Island; exhibits in the Ng Shing Gung building at History Park in San Jose; the Chinese Walls in Woodside; and the archeological excavation on the Chinatown site in San Jose.

“It’s wonderful to be recognized for one’s work,” said Young Yu, a resident of Los Altos Hills since 1970. But she isn’t comfortable being labeled a “hero.” “What I do is record other people’s heroism and accomplishments,” she said.

Young Yu’s work and passion for recounting the experiences of immigrants draws on years of research, oral histories and her own family background.

Her paternal grandfather, Young Soong Quong, was among the early merchants of the Heinlenville Chinatown in San Jose, and her maternal grandmother, Lee Yoke Suey, was detained on Angel Island for 16 months while the Chinese Exclusion Act was in effect.

Young Yu is a member of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, the Advisory Council of Asian Americans for Community Involvement and a trustee of the Hakone Foundation. She is a former trustee of her alma mater, Mills College in Oakland.

“I grew up hearing (history) from my parents,” she said. “My parents were pack rats – they saved everything. It (interest in history) came from realizing their stories were relevant.”

The 1970s housewife was politically active in her early days, serving at one point as a youth delegate for presidential candidate George McGovern.

But Young Yu found her calling as a historian.

“We have to connect (to history),” she said. “That’s part of our culture, our values.”

Also being honored are: Regina Clewlow (San Francisco), founding executive director, Engineers for a Sustainable World; The Rev. Norman Fong (San Francisco), deputy director, Chinatown Community Development Center; Cathy Inamasu (San Francisco), executive director, Nihonmachi (Japantown) Little Friends; and Christina Mei-Yue Wong (San Francisco), director of community initiatives, Chinese for Affirmative Action.

Members of the community nominated the honorees, distinguished for their commitment and contributions to the Bay Area through the arts, business, community activism, volunteerism, education and social services.

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.

Teresa Kersten, president of the LAEF board of directors, said the foundation is dedicated to raising the extra funds to ensure that library programs do not face cuts and that class sizes for fourth through sixth grades remain as they are, in the high 20s.

Kersten said the annual request per family per student will remain at $800, but the foundation will encourage parents to give extra money to help the district during this time of financial difficulty.

The additional, one-time $400,000 grant to the district is money the foundation has in its reserves.

The district is waiting for the California Department of Education to release its annual May Revision before district officials begin discussing which programmatic cuts need to be made to curb the $800,000 deficit they currently anticipate. With the additional foundation funds, the district may only have to cut approximately $200,000.

Kenyon will travel to Sacramento in late May to receive the May Revision of the state budget and to analyze what it means for the district. He is scheduled to report back to the board at the May 28 school board meeting.

Last week, the educational foundation announced it had raised $1.7 million, its total financial commitment to the district, for the 2007-2008 school year.

The annual grant enables the district to hire teachers and aides to help maintain smaller class sizes and enrichment programs such as technology, science, art, music and physical education for children in grades K-8.

The foundation increased its fundraising goal $150,000 this year to sustain and enhance the programs it funds.

Key programs funded districtwide this year included “Step Up to Writing,” a program that teaches a step-by-step approach to the writing process, new science initiatives and “best practices” training for teachers to better use digital technologies.

In the past 25 years, the foundation has increased its annual fundraising goal twentyfold to meet the growing needs of the district in response to declining state funding.

“We are grateful to members of the Los Altos community for once again stepping up to support our public schools through their generous donations,” Kersten said. “LAEF contributions keep class sizes small, provide critical enrichment programs and enable our students to compete effectively in the 21st century.”

During its 25 years, the foundation has raised more than $14.8 million to strengthen the district’s academic programs.

“LAEF’s significant financial support is integral in helping the Los Altos School District maintain its status as one of the top-ranked school districts in the state,” Superintendent Tim Justus said. “Given current state funding priorities for education, the annual LAEF contribution to our schools will greatly impact what the district can provide to our students next year. With continued support from LAEF, we are able to create and maintain an environment that enhances learning and allows each child to reach his or her potential.”

Contact Traci Newell at tracin@latc.com.

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.

The Los Altos Hills City Council resolved April 10 to file a claim to recover overcharges in the county’s tax administrative fees. The Los Altos City Council reported its decision to file April 22.

In 1991 the state Legislature authorized counties to charge cities a fee for the administrative costs incurred from collecting and distributing local property tax dollars. As part of the 2004 state budget package, the Legislature fundamentally changed the makeup of property tax distribution. In exchange for appropriating a portion of the sales tax, the state included revenue sources such as vehicle license fees and sales tax revenues, which contributed approximately $205 million in additional funds funneled through the counties to cities.

Los Altos’ Assistant City Manager Starla Jerome-Robinson explained this juggling act – confusing even for seasoned civic administrators – as part of an ongoing effort to stretch public dollars by changing how they move through government agencies.

The cities claim that the county is effectively double-dipping when it charges for administering the additional sources, because the state also charges an administrative fee for those funds.

“That’s the whole problem with the state budget – the structure of it is ridiculous,” Jerome-Robinson said. “It’s like chasing your tail. The structure of the budget lacks transparency because of its complexity.”

“We are being double- charged. … I don’t think there’s any added value (from the county),” said Los Altos City Councilman Ron Packard.

Los Altos has seen an increase of approximately $45,000 in fees from the county this year related to the additional funds packaged with the property tax.

Los Altos Hills has seen a 68 percent, or $13,000, increase in its property tax administrative fees this year due to the county’s new tabulation, according to Los Altos Hills Finance Director Nick Pegueros.

Other cities have been hit even harder by increases.

“Our fees went up around 50 percent, (but) there were communities that went up 300 percent,” Jerome-Robinson said.

Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale have also filed claims against the county to recover the rise in administrative fees.

Santa Clara County Finance Director John Guthrie described the fee system as a statewide issue.

“We feel that we are in concert with what the state law is, and that’s that,” Guthrie said. “We are going to stay with the (imposition) guidelines until this is clarified by legislation or if there is an agreement or settlement.”

“It is somewhat representative of what is to come in terms of the state’s balancing their budget,” Pegueros said. “It is forcing the counties to find creative ways of increasing their own revenue and I expect to see a series of actions very similar to this, but … it’s impossible to predict where it’s going to pop up.”

Jerome-Robinson predicted that the cities stood a decent chance of resolving the dispute administratively outside the courts by hashing out the details of the fee, and a possible compromise, with the county.

Contact Eliza Ridgeway at elizar@latc.com and Shannon Barry at shannonb@latc.com.

Engineering Services Manager 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.

“The bar to override this rate increase is very high,” he said.

The typical residential user, now paying $24, will pay $28 if the increase is enacted. Automatic rate increases, tied to rises in expenses, are written into Los Altos Garbage Company’s (LAGCo) contract with the city. Rates last increased in September 2005.

“Labor and fuel costs have increased more than anything (else),” Gustafson said.

Residents with questions or ideas about service improvements can attend the public hearing during the city council meeting 7 p.m. May 27 at 1 N. San Antonio Road.

The contract with LAGCo, which has a long history of serving the city, may be in its final years – city staff plan to seek competitive bids in the fall, pursuing expanded and lower-cost service options. Los Altos Hills terminated its contract with LAGCo earlier this year.

Some of the options Gustafson said city staff and residents might consider for future contracts include single-stream recycling, more frequent recycling pickup, adding recycling containers downtown and in parks, adding other categories of roadside pickup, such as fluorescent light bulbs or food waste, street sweeping and annual bulk item pickup.

Contact Eliza Ridgeway at elizar@latc.com.

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.

“All Republicans, all Democrats, all independents voted,” said Blum, who hopes it will become a model “because the states have what I call ‘health-care inertia.”

The bill is now in the California State Assembly, which is expected to vote on it in approximately three weeks. He said it would probably pass because of the Senate’s unanimous vote and the public’s concern for veterans’ needs.

After reviewing 429 suggestions for legislation from within and outside his district, state Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced Blum as one of three winners in his “There Oughta Be a Law” contest.

Blum penned the law to ensure that California veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are properly screened for traumatic brain injury, a condition estimated to affect as many as one in five returning veterans.

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.

The purpose of the project, according to the water district, is to repair the eroded channel, stabilize banks, remove accumulated sediment, improve the channel conveyance capacity and plant native vegetation to benefit the creek ecosystem.

Work is expected to begin this month and continue for approximately eight months. A five- to eight-person crew will work at the project site with jackhammers, backhoes, trucks, concrete equipment, loaders and dump trucks. Construction noise can be expected during work hours, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays.

Trucks and crews will access the creek at West Edith Avenue, Fremont Road and Seven Acres Lane. No road closures are expected, but traffic control may be necessary at times.

For more information about the ceremony, call (408) 265-2607, ext. 2880.

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.

Auto burglaries

May 2, 8:22-10:43 a.m.: Residents on Juarez, El Monte and Fremont avenues reported vehicle burglaries. At the El Monte location, the resident interrupted the burglary in progress.

Sales violation

May 1, 1:38 p.m., Portland and Miramonte avenues: Officer Julie Ognoskie contacted an individual selling strawberries in violation of municipal code.

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.

The updated fee schedule, which includes charges ranging from the fee for a fence permit to that charged for a parade, will have a public hearing.

The council will discuss expansion at the Los Altos main library, specifically how it might mesh with the planned civic center expansion.

At the council’s request, discussion of televising additional selected city meetings (council meetings are cablecast on Channel 26) is on the agenda. The council is considering televising some special meetings and study sessions.

A complete agenda will be available Friday afternoon at city hall, 1 N. San Antonio Road, and online at www.ci.los-altos.ca.us.

In the April 30 issue of the Town Crier, you were right to congratulate and thank Dick Henning from Foothill College for four decades of service to the community. I met him at Foothill as student body president more years ago than I’ll admit. Great guy.

However, you evidently went to press too soon to report on another local honoree. On Sunday, April 27, the track at Los Altos High School was named for legendary high school track and field coach Leo Long. Another great guy. And for the old-timers who remember when: among the speakers were Rick Brown and Chris Adams, who led Los Altos to a state title in 1970.

Gary Wesley

Mountain View

Landlords refute tenant’s claim

We must take exception to the Town Crier article, “Acacia C. closes abruptly” (April 9), in which owner Lynda Newlon said she was ordered to move out within 48 hours and claimed this was very unexpected. This is simply not true.

As her landlords for 21 years, we have supported Lynda through several years of economic hardship in her business, to our own substantial financial loss; this cannot be news to her.

We made every attempt to negotiate a fair arrangement with Lynda that would enable us to recoup some of our losses in unpaid rent and allow her to continue operating Acacia C. When that agreement fell through, we had no choice but to move on.

Most people know eviction proceedings take two to three months to process through the courts. On Feb. 29 a court ordered her eviction, and on March 12 she was served papers by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department. This is all on public record.

Lynda came to us and implored that she be allowed to remove her inventory and we sympathetically complied with her request. In a written letter, we gave her five days to remove inventory without interfering with her efforts.

Our decision was not an easy one to make; regrettably, this was a decision Lynda very possibly should have made for herself long ago.

Bruno Marcel Gulati

Ida Gulati

Los Altos

Reunited with our cockatiel

We were so happy to get a phone call recently that reunited us with our cockatiel, who had flown away two weeks earlier. We greatly appreciate the kindness of Los Altos residents Terra DeHart and Elizabeth Chienhale and the caring workers at Petsmart on Charleston Road, all of whom helped us find our lost bird. We also thank Parrot911 for helping our bird find her way back home.

Earth Day event a success

I would like to thank everyone who helped make the recent 2008 Earth Day Celebration at Westwind Barn such a smashing success.

This year’s crowd was estimated at between 500 and 600 people. The weather did its part in providing a beautiful day, and families turned out as never before.

Nearly 30 groups participated with exhibits and demonstrations, and many more individuals provided volunteer support at the event. We hope you all agree that it was well worth the effort, as it was a great opportunity for both adults and children to learn about being better environmental citizens.

Thanks again to everyone for helping make this year’s Earth Day such a successful community event.

Roger Spreen

Chairman, LAH Open Space Committee

Weeding out native plant myths

I’ve been following the conversation about California native plants in the Town Crier with a mixture of astonishment and amusement. The latest letter by Pam Walatka, while informative in some respects, essentially promotes the same misconceptions as the original article, that “California natives are hard to keep alive and often look like a brown weedy mess by July.” I hope you will allow me to refute both myths.

1. California native plants are easy to grow and care for, provided you meet their needs and not treat them like East Coast/Northern European plants.

Some of our most beautiful native plants (oaks, sages, buckwheats, etc.) are averse to summer water. Many other plants are not. Informed gardeners know that each plant is different, and know to care for each appropriately.

2. A well-designed garden contains a mix of annuals, perennials, shrubs, vines and trees. Native annual wildflowers set seed and die by July; if you grow them, you need to cut down the dry stalks and shake well to scatter the seeds for next year. This is the only maintenance native annuals require: they will come back on their own next year.

California poppies bloom in the garden all year long with the help of a simple trick known to all native gardeners: cut them to the ground whenever they turn pasty, and water them lightly (about once a month). The root will resprout and flower again and again.

By choosing a variety of native plants appropriate to your site, you can have an attractive, organic, water-conserving, pest- and pesticide-free garden that has something in bloom 10 months of the year. Besides looking nice, it will provide sustenance to butterflies, bees, insects and birds, and endless enjoyment to you.

Arvind Kumar

San Jose

I believe I held that standard and beyond. I am proud as an individual to provide some of the most popular programs in the Bay Area. With the community’s support, I was able to share my talents and make a difference in your children’s lives.

To watch a 4-year-old girl hold a tarantula in her hand for the first time, to see a 7-year-old boy hit the bull’s-eye with an arrow, to share with 20 third-graders how to start a fire with two sticks and to hear 70 summer camp children sing the banana slug song is the greatest reward anyone could have.

I was blessed to be a part of it for 15 years. Some of these children have grown up to work with children themselves as teachers and run their own summer camps – “That is awesome, opossum.”

It has always been a tall order for one person to run 10 different programs and maintain a 5.7-acre property, but I did it with heart.

Well, I am OK with not being a part of the city’s vision for Redwood Grove’s future. I will move on to another community somewhere and continue my good work. But Los Altos will always hold a special place in my heart.

I took pride in providing very safe and educational programs to more than 5,000 children a year.

Los Altos is truly an outstanding community. Although I leave as poor as when I arrived, I am rich in memories. Thanks to all.

Gutierrez has served as manager and program director of Redwood Grove nature preserve since 1993. He is leaving the preserve this month. His programs have ranged from archery and guitar to

a history of the Ohlone Indians.

There I lay for 10 long minutes, unable to get up. I was absolutely terrified. I felt a range of emotions, from grief to anger to acceptance, as I unsuccessfully attempted to move my leg.

Grappling with the pain and – above all else – my negative, unrealistic thoughts, I was eventually able to move my leg again. But it took patience, massaging my knee and slowly stretching it in different directions.

I was dealing with a rare condition I’ve had for quite some time. But nearing my 24th birthday, it was something I still haven’t fully acknowledged since the diagnosis and surgery.

I have synovial osteochondromatosis. A specialist informed me it was something that could require surgery every five to 10 years. It is a benign condition where the synovial lining of a joint undergoes nodular multiplication and fragments may break off from the synovial surface into the joint. There, the fragments may grow and calcify.

But before the surgery and even diagnosis, my leg had never completely shut down.

With advancing technological breakthroughs, I’m hopeful that in coming years more research will uncover less-invasive treatments.

But even with breakthroughs, coping with physical impairments is often a case of mind over matter. That’s where the issue of mental health plays such an important role.

The high rates of mental illness in this country are staggering. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, one in every five Americans experiences a mental disorder in any given year, and half of all Americans have such disorders at some time in their lives. May is Mental Health Month.

The media and entertainment industries often portray people with mental illnesses as dangerous, violent and unpredictable individuals. It may be hard to forget Paula Abdul’s recent memory lapse on “American Idol” and Britney Spears’ highly publicized hospitalizations.

Such examples shape the public’s perception that those who suffer from mental disorders are to be feared. But we need to overcome such stigmas.

Psychiatrists agree that those suffering from anxiety or depression should take their prescribed medications just as those with physical ailments, and should not be ashamed to do so.

It is important to remember that we are not the sum of our conditions. We must choose the best way to deal with them.

For me, it was mustering the strength – mentally and physically – to get my leg moving again. Although it is a struggle I must cope with for the rest of my life, I don’t plan to let it bring me down. In fact, it will help me grow stronger for the journey ahead.

Shannon Barry is a Town Crier staff writer. She can be reached at shannonb@latc.com.

Art and Ellie Zias celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Jan. 5 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

The couple met on a blind date in Brooklyn, N.Y., while in high school.

Ellie has been a Los Altos realtor with Coldwell Banker for more than 30 years. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, gourmet cooking and gardening.

Art has been a pioneer and inventor in the field of MEMS sensors for more than 47 years. He performs with several bands in the Bay Area as a jazz saxophonist.

They have lived in Los Altos since 1977. Their son, Jeff, lives in Los Altos with his wife, Elizabeth, and children Danika, Kurt and Drew. Their daughter, Sheryl, lives in Los Altos with her husband, Brian.

Dream Dinners has scheduled a fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.

Through June 21, Dream Dinners will donate $10 for each order to Relay For Life, when the customer requests the donation. The annual Relay For Life is scheduled June 21 and June 22 at the Los Altos High School track.

“We’ve all been touched by cancer in some way and need to find ways to keep hope alive,” said Dream Dinners manager Michelle Bolton. “This is one way to do that.”

Dream Dinners, which opened in Village Court in Los Altos in 2007, allows customers to assemble dinners, from easy-to-follow instructions to fresh, pre-cut ingredients, to serve later at home. Dream Dinners buys the ingredients in bulk and passes the savings to its customers, Bolton said, with an average price per serving of $4.

“Our customers are busy people, but they also know that fast food is not all that healthful,” she said. “In our Dream Dinners kitchen, they assemble healthful meals to their taste – a dash more spice here, a bit less sauce there – then take home nutritious and delicious meals ready to cook quickly on busy evenings or freeze for later.”

Many Dream Dinners clients book meal preparation sessions with groups. Bolton said the mix of people makes it fun for everyone.

“We have some customers who come in as a group once a month and others who sign up on their own and enjoy the opportunity to chat with people they haven’t met yet,” she said.

Dream Dinners is located in the Village Court, Suite B, at 4546 El Camino Real, facing Loucks Avenue. To schedule a fundraising session, contact Bolton at 948-8794 or visit www.dreamdinners.com.

Proceeds will benefit a number of local projects, including the RotaCare Clinic at El Camino Hospital, Partners for New Generations, the Eastside College Preparatory School, Child Advocates, Los Altos, Mountain View and Alta Vista high schools, college scholarships for graduating seniors and prevention of AIDS/HIV.

The Fine Art in the Park show is free and open to the public. Free parking and a shuttle will be available at Los Altos High School, 201 Almond Ave.

Internationally, Rotary is active in more than 200 nations. The Los Altos club uses its network to reach areas of need abroad. Funds raised by the Los Altos Rotary Club support global charitable projects in Nepal with practical solar technologies, in the Dominican Republic with tele-medicine and in Afghanistan for planting fruit trees and digging wells. The club works with AIDS patients in Africa, promotes reading in a village on the Yucatan Peninsula and provides tools, training and medicine for a tsunami-ravaged province in Indonesia.

Platinum Level Sponsors of the event include Cindy Luedtke of First Republic Bank; Heritage Bank; Bill and Jerry Moison of Guardian Equity Growth; Mary Marley of Alain Pinel Realtors; Paul Nyberg of the Los Altos Town Crier; Steve Fick Sr. of Borel Private Bank & Trust Co.; Dennis Young of RSM McGladrey; Chuck and Ilona Lindauer of IKB; Samuel Pesner, O.D., Stephen J. Anderson, O.D. and Ladan Mohtadi, O.D., of Los Altos Optometric Group; and Joe and Patty LoConte of Olivewood Builders Inc.

Silver Level Sponsors include Coeta Chambers, Mary Prochnow, Baidra Murphy and Jean Newton of Prochnow Realtors Inc.; John McDonnell of Myers, Hawley, Morley, Myers and McDonnell Law Offices; and Steve Yarbrough of the Law Offices of Besson and Yarbrough.

Bronze Level Sponsors include Val Carpenter, mayor of Los Altos; Bob Adams; Dude and Barbara Angius; Mike Abrams; Mona Armistead of Mona Armistead, MFT; John Bogart of Bogart-Harvey Inc.; Samuel Harding of Retirement Administration Inc.; Mel Kahn of Kahn Properties; Bonnie Burdett of Prime Fiduciary Services LLC; Jeanne MacVicar of Coldwell Banker; Seth Manning of Barlocker Insurance; The Midge Fly Shop; John and Jackie Moss; Tracie Murray of Cedar Crest Nursing & Rehabilitation Center; Shelly Potvin of Coldwell Banker; and Joseph Renati.

For more information, visit www.rotaryartshow.com.

In “A Conversation with Bill Somerville,” Somerville, founding president of the Philanthropic Ventures Fund, will offer a candid critique of the foundation world.

Somerville, author with Fred Setterberg of “Grassroots Philanthropy: Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker” (Heydey, 2008), said that with nearly 67,000 foundations sitting on billions of dollars – and with complete freedom to decide how the money will be spent – the philanthropic sector can improve.

“In ‘Grassroots Philanthropy,’ I draw from more than three decades of experience as a foundation executive to provide a diagnosis of why philanthropy often fails to meet its promise. More important, I try to offer an action plan to make it fleet, effective, flexible, courageous and fun,” Somerville said. “I aim to provide vivid success stories and frank appraisals of failures. In short, I hope to engage the face, voice, and most of all, the human heart of philanthropy.”

Somerville brings nearly 50 years of experience in non-profit work, including 17 years as executive director of the Peninsula Community Foundation. The large upper peninsula foundation recently merged with Community Foundation Silicon Valley to form Silicon Valley Community Foundation, with headquarters based in Mountain View.

For more information, visit www.mainstreetcafeandbooks.com or www.venturesfoundation.org/publications/grassrootsphilanthropy.

Van Damme, a research fellow at the Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University, earned undergraduate degrees in history, education, English and English literature from the University of Swaziland and masters’ degrees from the University of Brussels and Rhodes University.

The Friendship Force of the San Francisco Bay Area was formed 24 years ago on the premise that each person can make a contribution to global goodwill through personal connections and cross-cultural understanding.

The non-profit organization has members from more than 350 countries.

The talk is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, call 961-3539 or visit www.ffsfba.org or www.thefriendshipforce.org.

The pet parade started in 1947, five years before the city of Los Altos was incorporated. The parade has become a spring tradition attracting thousands of children with pets of all varieties – from snails to llamas – accompanied by representatives from local bands, schools and other community groups.

“We look forward to coordinating this time-honored event each year, and deeply appreciate the participation of and contributions from our city and community,” said Randall Hull, Kiwanis president and last year’s parade chairman.

Former Los Altos Mayor Lee Lynch, a longtime community volunteer, has been named Grand Marshal of the parade. Continuing a tradition begun last year, the club will contribute $500 to a local non-profit organization of the Grand Marshal’s choice.

Admission is free and the public is invited. A pet costume contest sponsored by the Town Crier will follow in the downtown Community Plaza at State and Main streets.

The Los Altos Community Foundation has awarded Los Altos Hills residents Ruth and Roy Rogers the John W. Gardner Community Building Award.

For nearly 50 years, the Rogerses have served the community through public service and work with non-profit organizations. For more than 10 years, Ruth, a board member at the Community School of Music and Arts at Finn Center, and Roy have shared their time, talents and resources to ensure CSMA’s mission of “Arts for All,” according to Evy Schiffman, CSMA director of marketing and communications, who added that their support was critical to the school’s success in establishing a permanent home for CSMA, and their commitment continues to be a part of the school’s foundation for the future.

Ruth has a long and distinguished teaching career championing music education, Schiffman said. Thousands of children benefited from her vision of making music part of the core curriculum. As one of the founders of the Los Altos Community Foundation, Ruth saw the importance of establishing a philanthropic organization to benefit social service, arts and education non-profits in the local community.

Schiffman said Roy has pursued improving the lives of children and families through his longtime work with numerous non-profit groups, including Opportunity International, John Perkins Foundation for Racial Reconciliation, Faithworks, Nifty, School of Urban Mission, Fuller Foundation and others.

“As individuals and as a team, the Rogerses have dedicated themselves to improving their community,” Schiffman said.

The general public, art enthusiasts, educators, art students, art collectors and investors can spend time in artists’ studios.

“This provides an intimate opportunity to discuss the artist’s attitudes and motivations behind their pieces,” said Emily Larsen, publicist for Open Studios.

Participating artists, including professionals, amateurs and students, work in a variety of fields, such as painting, mixed media, photography and sculpture.

Silicon Valley Open Studios are located in 145 different locations throughout the Peninsula and South Bay.

For a list of locations, visit www.svos.org and click “Find an Artist.”

Each studio is open to the public 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Voters will select candidates for both offices in the statewide direct primary election June 3.

Candidates for the Superior Court seat will present their positions and answer questions submitted by the public 7-8 p.m. Candidates include Jay Steven Boyarsky, deputy district attorney; Lane Liroff, deputy district attorney; Diane Ritchie, Santa Clara County attorney and mediator; Tim Pitsker, Santa Clara County prosecutor; and Jesus “Jess” Valencia, Superior Court commissioner.

Democratic candidates running for the 22nd Assembly District seat currently held by Sally Lieber will appear at 8 p.m. The district serves parts of Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara and San Jose. Candidates include Dominic J. Caserta, teacher and member of the Santa Clara City Council; Paul Fong, college professor and trustee; Anna Song, member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education; and Chris Wang, Cupertino councilwoman. The Republican candidate, Annalisa Yenne, a financial consultant, is running unopposed.

For more information on the candidates, visit www.smartvoter.org. For more information on the forum, visit www.lwvlamv.org or call 941-4846.

The Community School of Music and Arts at Finn Center has scheduled “Kids Art on Main Street,” an exhibition of children’s art, through May 30 at Main Street Cafe & Books, 134 Main St., Los Altos.

Co-sponsored by the Los Altos Cultural Association and CSMA, the exhibition showcases the artwork of 40 artists in grades K-6 in the Arts in Action program.

Main Street Cafe & Books is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays.

For more information, e-mail Linda Covello at lcovello@arts4all.org, visit www.arts4all.org or call 917-6800.

Pilgrim Haven hosts health forum on strokes

Pilgrim Haven retirement community has scheduled a health forum, “Are You Heading for a Stroke?” 7-8:30 p.m. May 15 in Fellowship Hall, 373 Pine Lane, Los Altos.

The forum, the fourth in a series on health issues relevant to the aging population, will address symptoms and prevention of stroke, acute treatment of stroke and rehabilitation after stroke.

Dr. Sheila Humphries, Pilgrim Haven medical director, will moderate a panel from El Camino Hospital’s Stroke Center, which will include Dr. Peter Fung, medical director; Sherril Hopper, interim stroke coordinator; Debbie Cohen, speech therapist; and Mariann Jones, senior physical therapist.

Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.pilgrim-haven.com or call 948-8291, ext. 115.

Local agencies sponsor Senior Resource Fair

The Community Services Agency, El Camino Hospital, Home Instead and the Mountain View Senior Center have scheduled a Senior Resource Fair 3-6:30 p.m. May 15 at the Mountain View Senior Center, 266 Escuela Ave.

“It’s a pretty comprehensive resource fair – a one-stop (event) for information,” said Maureen Wadiak, CSA associate director.

Topics include affordable housing, assisted living, transportation and health care.

Representatives from private for-profit and non-profit organizations that provide services to seniors will distribute information. Light refreshments will be served.

Admission is free and open to seniors living in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View.

For more information, call 903-6330.

Somerset Auctions holds annual sale

Somerset Auctions has scheduled its annual auction May 18 at the Los Altos Youth Center, 1 N. San Antonio Road. A preview will begin at 10 a.m. and the auction at noon.

More than 100 items will be up for bid via silent auction.

For more information, visit www.somersetauctions.com.

Pathways run/walk set for Los Altos Hills

Los Altos Hills has scheduled the seventh annual Los Altos Hills Pathways run/walk Saturday, starting and finishing at Westwind Barn, 27210 Altamont Road. A 5K and 10K run/walk is scheduled for 9 a.m. and a 1-mile children’s fun run will begin at 10:30 a.m.

The 5K/10K and 1-mile fun run courses are hilly trails on Los Altos Hills pathways through Byrne Preserve. Both events are open to runners or walkers of all ages.

Water stations, race numbers, T-shirts, awards and snacks will be provided. Proceeds benefit the Los Altos Hills Department of Parks & Recreation.

For course and race information and registration options, visit www.lahpathways.org. For additional information or to sponsor the race, donate items for a raffle or volunteer for registration or water tables, call race director Scott Vanderlip at 948-6455 or e-mail scott@inet-sciences.com.

Home & garden tour scheduled Saturday

The Los Altos History Museum invites visitors to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend at its seventh annual Spring Home & Garden Tour, scheduled 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Spanning a century, five homes dating from 1905 to 2005 will be available to tour, in addition to a Tudor mansion on the premier evening Friday night. Tour proceeds benefit the Los Altos History Museum.

Tickets are $40 ($30 for museum members), and include refreshments and a garden boutique. The premier evening gala at a Los Altos Hills estate, Stonebrook Court, is offered with a separate ticket.

Tour tickets are available by phone, online and at the museum. For more information, visit www.LosAltosHistory.org or call 948-9427, ext. 15.

When Los Altos resident Stacy Peña’s daughter comes home upset about a conflict with other girls at school, Peña is well-equipped to speak with her using language she will understand.

Peña and her daughter attended a four-week workshop at Santa Rita School earlier in the school year led by the Girls Leadership Institute. Currently a group of 15 Los Altos School District girls and their mothers participate in the series at Loyola School.

The Girls Leadership Institute, directed by Rachel Simmons and Simone Marean, hosts a national camp and workshops that teach girls assertive self-expression, emotional intelligence and conflict-management skills for success in leadership and life.

“There is a hidden culture of girls’ aggression in our schools that is widespread and painful,” Simmons wrote in her bestselling book, “Odd Girl Out” (Harcourt, 2002).

In recent years, Simmons and Marean have been on a mission to change the problem with girls. The Girls Leadership Institute has been helping girls across the country and as far away as South Africa, where Oprah Winfrey recently asked them to work with the school she sponsors.

Locally, parents invited Marean to conduct workshops for district girls and their mothers (or fathers). The workshops focus on empowering the mothers and daughters to handle difficult emotions and conversations.

“We teach and practice a lot of emotional intelligence,” Marean said. “It is important for girls to know and understand what they are feeling. I work with girls and parents to identify their range of emotions.”

Marean said the workshop spends time focusing on why girls bully each other in the ways they do. She said it is important to help the girls see that bullying girls hurts just as much as the physical bullying that happens among some boys.

“We work on practicing tools for healthy conflict,” Marean said, “so they understand that conflict can be part of a relationship.”

The workshop also concentrates on improving communication between the girls and their parents.

“One main goal is to give the family a common language,” Marean said. “I hope one of the main things they come away with is that the home is the place to practice healthy communication, conflict resolution and emotional intelligence. If they are communicating with their parents in a good way at home, that will translate with other girls.”

Peña said the workshops’ participatory format helped the girls apply the communication techniques they were learning.

“One of the things that was so great about it was we weren’t just sitting there and listening to her talk,” Peña said. “There was a lot of role-playing, which really brought the learning to life. It kept them engaged and having fun.”

Peña, a former LASD student herself, said that the principles taught in the workshop are applicable in other parts of her life, aiding her in solving conflicts with other members of her family.

“As a mother, former girl and self-appointed champion for raising a generation of girls who are confident resolvers of conflict, I can’t say enough good things about Simone and the Girls Leadership Institute,” Peña said. “She is a true inspiration to girls and moms alike, a very gifted instructor and facilitator who uses drama, role-playing, interaction and humor to encourage girls to be the best they can be.”

For more information on the local workshops, e-mail Peña at stacy@rainmakercommunications.com or Maureen Griffin White at maureen@cisco.com. For more information on the Girls Leadership Institute, visit www.girlsleadership.org.

Contact Traci Newell at tracin@latc.com.

Los Altos Hills student Kenric Tam received top honors last week when he was named a 2008 Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

Tam, a Gunn High School senior, is one of 139 outstanding American high school seniors who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and service at school and in their community. Tam and the other Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments June 21-24 in Washington, D.C. It will be Tam’s first trip to the national capital.

“I never really expected to be a Presidential Scholar,” Tam said. “I’m really honored to be able to go to Washington, D.C., for the recognition week.”

Tam, who received the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts youngARTS $5,000 Silver Medal Award in classical piano in February, is an A student with a 4.46 grade-point average and an SAT score of 1590. He has won numerous national and international piano competitions, given solo performances in the United States and Europe and volunteered his skills for benefit concerts and teaching others. Tam plans to study biology and piano performance at Harvard University this fall.

“The 2008 Presidential Scholars shine a bright hope on the future of our country,” said Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education. “Not only have these young graduates demonstrated exemplary discipline and achievement in academics and the arts, but they have also exhibited exceptional leadership and service to their local communities. Their commitment to excellence and contributions to society reflect the character and innovation necessary to keep America both competitive economically and collaborative in overcoming challenges within our global community.”

The 139 Presidential Scholars include one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at large and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts. A 29-member Commission on Presidential Scholars appointed by President George W. Bush selected the Scholars based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

For the past 44 years, the program has honored more than 5,000 of the nation’s top-performing students. Of the 3 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 3,000 candidates qualified on the basis of outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams or by nomination through the nationwide young- ARTS program.

The Presidential Scholars program was created in 1964 to honor academic achievement. It was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts.

Since 1983, each Presidential Scholar has invited his or her most inspiring and challenging teacher to travel to Washington, D.C., to receive a Teacher Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Education and to participate in the recognition events.

Tam invited teacher Hans Boepple of San Jose to receive the Teacher Recognition Award.

Don’t tell St. Francis High School senior David Murdter that young people aren’t interested in politics and involved in their communities. As California youth governor this year, he has addressed 2,300 teens assembled for mock government sessions and listened to them debate the merits of cigarette taxes, alternative fuel and other policies.

Murdter recently wrapped up his year as youth governor with the California Youth and Government Model Legislation and Court. The educational program exposes young people to hands-on policy and government work. The program recruits teens from around the state, who choose the government positions they want to role-play for the year. The teens run for elected office, hold mock assembly sessions, write bills and lobby for or against them.

The program has occupied an integral part of Murdter’s life, and he is willing to be an ambassador for it.

“This experience with Youth in Government has changed who I am,” he said. “I’m a much different person now than I would have been otherwise.”

The apex of the experience is the annual conference in Sacramento, when youth delegates take over the Capitol building, the state Supreme Court and the assembly chambers.

Through the Youth in Government experience, Murdter said he has learned to be a better public speaker and what it means to be a leader. He’s motivated groups from 20 people to several thousands, managed press conferences to discuss his position on issues and met with Sacramento elected officials, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Youth governors bring their own stamp to the program,” said Rolf Davidson, associate executive director for California YMCA Youth and Government. “David stands out as a talented youth and passionate leader. He has an innate ability to inspire others. He has a quiet enthusiasm, and people want to be around him and follow his lead.”

Murdter has brought that same brand of enthusiasm to St. Francis. He is on the school’s speech and debate team and has advanced to the state speech tournament, where he will debate the pros and cons of public health assistance to sub-Saharan Africa.

Murdter’s thirst for learning pushes him to participate wholeheartedly in discussions and class activities, said history teacher Lesley Muller.

Matt Scharrenberg, another history teacher, said that Murdter’s intellectual curiosity and maturity make him well-versed in current events and social issues.

“David is a natural leader and a role model who embodies what we hope every St. Francis graduate will become,” said his guidance counselor Annette Nassir. “As a true Holy Cross Man, he is a person of integrity with strong civic awareness who is compassionate to the needs of others, demonstrates an unwavering love of learning and inspires others to know they can make a difference.”

Murdter said he is considering a career in politics and hopes to delve into alternative energy sources. To accomplish this, he plans to arrange a college major that combines environmental studies, chemistry, physics and political science.

The Los Altos School District Board of Trustees voted to offer the Egan Camp School an additional 2.5 classroom units for Bullis Charter School for the 2008-2009 school year.

After speaking with charter school officials, who expressed areas of concern not addressed by the limited space, the district increased its original offer to 4.5 extra units at the camp school, according to Randy Kenyon, assistant superintendent for business services.

The units will serve as a computer lab, extra classroom, resource specialist space, teacher lounge and custodial area.

“This is a very fair offer,” said David Pefley, vice president of the board of trustees. “We are listening to their needs, and I think this is a signal of good communication in the future.”

The education code requires the district to provide the charter school with facilities comparable to its other elementary campuses.

The surprise of last week’s SCVAL De Anza Division track and field finals had to be the Los Altos High girls.

It’s no secret that the Eagles have talent – particularly in the sprints, hurdles and jumps – but their lack of depth has dogged them for much of the season.

But on Thursday, Los Altos could not be beat. Competing on their own track against the division’s best, the Eagles tied Los Gatos for first place with 97 points.

“I was happy that the varsity girls tied for first place – especially since they are fifth in the league right now,” Los Altos co-head coach Robyn Hughes said. “It was nice to see them victorious after a 2-4 league season.”

Along with winning four of the 15 events, the Eagles posted three second-place finishes and a pair of thirds.

Kristin Rimbach accounted for two of the victories – in the high jump (5 feet, 6 inches) and triple jump (32-9 3/4) – and the junior finished fifth in the long jump (15-6 1/2).

“Kristin Rimbach was invaluable to us,” Hughes said. “By winning the triple and high jump, she earned us at least 20 points.”

The Eagles’ sprinters, running individually and in relays, provided plenty of points as well.

Los Altos won the 4×100-meter relay, as the team of Martina Mickos, Alyssa Biondi, Ivy Gates and Katy Kaszubinski combined for a time of 48.28 seconds. The 4×400 relay came in fourth (4:12.56).

The Eagles dominated the 100 dash, landing four runners among the top six. Biondi won the race (12.60), Mickos placed second (12.69), Gates fourth (13.13) and Kaszubinski sixth (13.37).

Los Altos had three runners earn points in the 400 dash: Julia Kirchofer finished second (1:03.01), Molly McShane fifth (1:04.08) and Nicole Duller sixth (1:04.57). The Eagles had a similar showing in the 200 dash, in which Mickos took second (25.76), Biondi third (26.12) and Gates sixth (26.91).

Hughes said she was “very impressed by sophomore Julia Kirchhofer” in the 400.

Two other sophomores also contributed to the Eagles’ cause. Grace Lo, promoted to varsity last month, placed third in the 300 hurdles (49.02) and sixth in the 100 hurdles (17.88). Paige Logan notched third in the shot put with a personal-record toss of 34-6.

Thursday’s De Anza Division meet wasn’t nearly as memorable for the depleted Los Altos boys, who finished last among the seven teams participating.

“Our boys, however, have been hit with a spell of injuries and illness that kept some of our top runners out of the competition,” Hughes said.

The Eagles, 3-3 in dual meets, scored just 20 points Thursday and didn’t win an event.

Los Altos’ best finish came in the 110 hurdles, in which David Wobber placed third (43.55). The junior took fifth in the 300 hurdles (43.55) and ran on the Eagles’ sixth-place 4×400 relay (3:41.70).

Los Altos’ 4×100 relay finished fifth (45.22). The Eagles also received fifth-place finishes from Eric Safai in the 1,600 run (4:31.06), Stephen Hine in the discus (126-9) and Charles Olaires in the shot put (41-11 1/2). Hine was sixth in the shot put (41-11).

Brad Greathouse placed sixth in the triple jump (40-7 1/2) and high jump (5-8), tying teammate Chris Imprescia in the latter.

Spartans please coach

Mountain View High’s overall performance at the De Anza Division meet left head coach Evan Smith smiling.

“I couldn’t be happier with our team’s success (Thursday),” he said. “Given that this was our first year in the upper league, I was ecstatic to find out that we scored more combined points (boys and girls, varsity and junior varsity/frosh-soph) than any other school at the meet.”

The Spartans finished third on the varsity girls side (76 points) and fourth among the varsity boys (50), while their junior-varsity girls placed first (134) and frosh-soph boys second (97).

Mountain View’s varsity girls, undefeated in dual meets, scored points in nine events.

Their lone win came in the 1,600 run. Smith said junior Mary Reynolds’ 5:05.77 effort “was exciting, especially given the quality of milers in our league.”

Alex Westbrook took fifth in that race (5:18.15), then came back to finish second in the 3,200 run (11:27.59). Kristine Talbot was fifth in the 3,200 (11:38.32).

Kelly Thom finished in the top four in three events. The senior was second in the triple jump (32-8 3/4), third in the long jump (15-7 1/2) and fourth in the high jump (5-0).

Freshman teammate Christina Nilles placed fourth in the triple jump (32-2 3/4) and in the 100 hurdles (17.52). Katherine Johnson was third in the discus (100-11) and fourth in the shot put (33-11 1/2).

Mountain View went 3-4 in the 400 dash, with Lisa Erkander (1:03.07) coming in just ahead of Ariana Mott (1:03.83).

“Lisa Erkander had a tough day, falling in two events, but came back big with a third in the 400,” Smith said, “and she led off our third-place 4×400 team.”

The relay – also featuring Alyssa Breetwor, Zoe Pappas and Reynolds – set a personal record by clocking 4:12.24. The Spartans’ 4×100 relay took fifth (53.44).

The Mountain View boys captured one event: the 4×400 relay. The team of Markus Rutner, Sam Lindley, Aaron Landrith and Kayvon Sotoudeh finished in 3:31.51.

“Winning the boys 4×400 at the end of the meet was easily the highlight of the meet for our team,” Smith said.

Rutner, a sophomore, also placed second in the 400 dash (personal-record 50.84), fifth in the 200 dash (23.84) and was a member of the Spartans’ sixth-place 4×100 relay (45.33). Landrith added a fourth in the 800 run (2:00.32) and Sotoudeh a fourth in the 200 dash (23.42).

“Mark had a huge day on the whole,” Smith said.

Aditya Kadam added a third in the triple jump (41-8 1/2), while sophomore Ian Myjer finished fourth in the 1,600 run (4:30.57) and fifth in the 3,200 run (9:52.17). He was followed by teammate Neil Lingarkar in the 3,200 (9:54.4).

Juniors Lyndon Lew and Theodore Peng finished 4-5 in the 110 hurdles, clocking 17.05 and 17.36, respectively. Sophomore Garrett Rowe was sixth in the 1,600 run (4:32.78), the same place teammate Adam Yefet finished in the discus (122-11).

Sunny shines

The Gunn High girls finished fifth with 71 points, 28 of which came from Los Altos Hills resident Sunny Margerum.

The sophomore won the 100 hurdles (15.69) and long jump (17-1 3/4) and placed second in the 300 hurdles (45.83).

Qualifier set for Friday

Next up for the local track teams: the SCVAL Qualifier. The top competitors from the De Anza and El Camino divisions are scheduled to face off 3 p.m. Friday at Los Gatos High, vying for berths in the Central Coast Section semifinals May 17 in Gilroy.

Contact Pete Borello at peteb@latc.com.

The United States Tennis Association will recognize Kacey Incerpi of Los Altos this month for ranking first in Santa Clara County in the under-12 girls division for 2007. The sixth-grader at Cupertino Middle School is scheduled to receive an award May 17 at Fremont Hills Country Club in Los Altos Hills.

Opperman update

Los Altos resident Camilla Opperman, featured in last week’s Town Crier, capped her gymnastics season by winning the level 8 floor exercise and uneven bars at the Regional Championships in Long Beach the last weekend of April. The eighth-grader at Woodside Priory placed second on the vault. Opperman qualified for the regional – featuring top competitors from four western states – with her strong performance at the state championships in early April. She is a member of the Bay Aerials, a gym based in Fremont run by Los Altos resident Lisa Aguirre.

Long on a roll

What a week for Santa Clara University baseball player Matt Long of Los Altos Hills. The junior outfielder went 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs in the Broncos’ win over Sacramento State April 29 and hit for the cycle three days earlier in a 10-3 rout of Hawaii-Hilo. Long, a graduate of St. Francis High, started the game off with a single in the first, then homered in the second, tripled in the fourth and doubled in the seventh.

Soccer sign-ups

Registration is open for AYSO Region 43’s fall soccer season. The Los Altos-based region is for boys and girls 5-18. Those registering before May 31 receive a discount. AYSO’s philosophies include everyone plays, positive coaching, good sportsmanship and balanced teams. For more information, call 204-9738 or e-mail registrar@ayso43.org.

Free tennis lesson

As part of the United States Tennis Association’s annual Tennis Across America event, local tennis pro Tina Matis is offering a free tennis lesson Saturday at a private court in Los Altos. All ages and abilities are welcome. To reserve a spot, call Matis at 559-9859.

Football camp

Afterschool Athletics’ annual Flag Football Summer Camp is scheduled July 28 through Aug. 1 at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. The camp, for ages 7-12, runs 9 a.m. to noon each day, with an optional lunch. Camp instructors include Doug Boyett, Foothill head coach; Roger Theder, quarterback specialist and former UC Berkeley head coach; and John Ralston, former head coach at Stanford University, San Jose State and of the NFL’s Denver Broncos. To register, visit www.afterschoolathletics.com.

A ‘Golden’ camp

The 24th annual Golden Eagle Summer Sports Camp is scheduled June 16 through July 25 at Los Altos and Homestead highs. The instructional camp – directed by retired Los Altos High athletic director Monica Lodge and her son Stefaan Lodge, a teacher and coach at Los Altos – is for ages 5-13. The camp exposes participants to a variety of sports. Cost is $225 a week (more for extended hours). To register, call 298-9740 or visit www.goldeneaglecamp.org.

Michael Jensen wasn’t the leader after the first round, but the Los Altos native improved each round to come out on top at the Alameda Commuter Championship.

The St. Francis High graduate posted a 1-under, 70, for a total of 274 for four rounds (10 under). The tournament was held over the last two weekends of April at the Chuck Corica Golf Complex in Alameda.

Positioned in the top 10, two strokes behind the leader after the first round, Jensen posted a 3-under, 69 to put him in a five-way tie for the lead after Round 2. The UC Berkeley senior shot a 5-under 66 in the third round to take the lead, two strokes ahead of the nearest competitor.

Pursued by several players going into the final round, Jensen held them off – and stretched his lead to three strokes – to claim the championship.

Along with the championship trophy, Jensen received a Medalist trophy, awarded to the lowest score at the end of the first weekend of play.

His younger brother, Chris Jensen, tied for 15th at the tourney.

Starter Eric Cutler earned the win in Thursday’s road game, scattering six hits over six innings. Mountain View (6-7 league, 14-13-1 overall) took advantage of two Lynbrook errors in the third by scoring three runs, according to Spartans coach Gabe Stewart.

Mountain View led 5-2 in the seventh when Mark Good drilled a triple that drove in two more runs and secured the victory.

Two days earlier, the Spartans jumped to a 9-0 lead by the second and totaled 11 hits in the home rout of Lynbrook (1-12 league). Good, Chris Zittle and James Sierras each hit doubles.

Sophomore Kevin Goulette had two hits and relieved an injured Sierras in the third, striking out eight. Stewart said Goulette was “aided by stellar defense.”

St. Francis eked out an 11-10 West Catholic Athletic League win over visiting St. Ignatius Friday, scoring the winning run with two away in the seventh.

Nick Schulz had three hits, including a homer, and two RBIs for St. Francis (7-7, 19-10).

Softball

Mountain View crushed Los Gatos 10-0 Friday in an SCVAL De Anza Division game.

Natalie Warmbrodt slugged a grand slam as one of her two hits and drove in five runs for the visiting Spartans (5-6, 16-10-1). McColl Matthews and Victoria Hayward had three hits each. Moorea Matthews singled, stole three bases and scored three runs.

Kendra Vanek pitched a one-hitter to earn the win.

Los Altos fell to 1-9 in the El Camino Division with Thursday’s 8-3 home loss to Santa Clara.

Boys volleyball

Bellarmine topped St. Francis 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 Thursday in the finals of the WCAL playoffs. Matt Houlihan had a match-high 15 kills for the Lancers (31-5).

Badminton

Los Altos edged Milpitas 16-14 Thursday. The Eagles (9-2 El Camino Division) won the top boys and girls singles spots thanks to Felix Ong and Olga Lykova.

Golf

Mountain View placed second to Los Gatos at the SCVAL finals April 29 at San Juan Oaks Golf Course. The Spartans shot 400 and the Wildcats 389.

Contact Pete Borello at peteb@latc.com.

“The bats went quiet,” coach Sandy Wihtol said.

In recent weeks the third-seeded Eagles showed signs of breaking out of a nearly season-long hitting slump, but their woes resurfaced in losing a best-of-three series to No. 2 Los Gatos.

Los Altos (18-10 overall) was limited to six runs and 14 hits over the three games. Almost all those runs came in Game 2, a 5-2 home win April 30. The Eagles fell 2-1 in the April 29 opener and were eliminated from title contention with Friday’s 3-0 setback, also played at Los Gatos.

Wihtol said Los Altos “had runners in scoring position in at least four innings” Friday, but “we took a lot of pitches again.”

The coach added that the umpiring only compounded the Eagles’ problems at the plate.

“It was horrendous,” said Wihtol, who argued with the home-plate umpire vehemently in the fifth inning and was ejected for only the second time in 12 years as coach. “The strike zone was so huge, it was ridiculous.”

Robert Cave took the loss Friday, allowing three runs and seven hits in a complete-game effort. Los Altos had just three hits, two on doubles by Bryan Macomber.

Danny Young produced three hits in Los Altos’ victory two days earlier. Starter Erik Johnson earned the win. “He pitched a heck of a game,” Wihtol said.

The coach said the same thing about Connor Smith, who took the loss in the opener. He surrendered five hits, the last of which won the game for the Wildcats with one out in the seventh.

Los Altos faces Homestead this week in a series to determine the consolation champ, and Wihtol is shaking up his lineup in hopes of revitalizing the offense.

“There will be some new starters,” he said. “It’s going to be like a tryout to see who can perform for CCS (playoffs).”

The Eagles were slated to host Tuesday’s opener, play at Homestead today (3:30 p.m.) and host the Mustangs Friday, if needed.

Contact Pete Borello at peteb@latc.com.

Open just three weeks, the new bakery on the northeast edge of Los Altos has a crowd-pleaser with its artisan pretzels, and might win even the leery over to an appreciation for sauerkraut’s delicious potential. Esther’s German Bakery and Cafe replaced the Second Cup Cafe just down the block from Armadillo Willy’s and Chef Chu’s on San Antonio Road.

For the last few years, Los Altos residents have known Esther’s as a wholesale bakery that sold at local farmers markets and stores such as Draeger’s and the Milk Pail Market. Esther Nio and her husband, Robert, moved from Germany to California in 1997 for his job in high-tech. Four years ago, they decided to strike out in another direction and create something entirely new to this area.

“Since we missed bread in the beginning, we said – why not do our own?” she said. “Especially I missed the pretzels, because I’m from Bavaria.”

The cafe is Nio’s first storefront incarnation, but she is about to open a bakery in the San Antonio Shopping Center next to Trader Joe’s, in the former Taco Del Mar location.

“I’m overwhelmed – every lunch we’re full,” Nio said of the bakery’s hearty start. Don’t visit after 1 or 2 p.m. and expect to find a huge variety of pastries, as residents will have picked the place clean.

The volume of diners isn’t necessarily the most taxing part of the business. At least in its initial stage, the cafe offers a chance for local expatriates and children of immigrants to reminisce about Old World cuisine and remembered recipes. On a recent afternoon, enthusiastic bunches of accented visitors popped in and out, seeking a special bread or just cruising the new location.

But the bulk of the clientele doesn’t have any special background in German cuisine – they come for the baked goods and the special children’s spot in the back corner of the store, decorated with bright colors, carpeting and cushions on the floor.

“One thing which is really missing (in Los Altos) is a restaurant with a kids area,” Robert said.

The Nios had their children test-drive the space and pick out toys. Nio has seen mothers’ groups drop by to have coffee and pastry, children tucked away in the designated enclave.

The Nios are renovating the covered back patio as a beergarden, and Nio is excited to start serving German-style, low-alcohol hot-weather drinks, including Radler – beer and Sprite mixed – and white wine with sparkling water.

Some of the standout pastries use poppy seeds to great effect, in a moist, intense, seeded coffee cake, and in a poppy seed and cherry strudel in which the syrupy sweetness of the cherries doesn’t overpower the potent richness of the seeds, but keeps the entire pastry oozingly moist.

Those looking for a flour-free fix can pick out a caramel-glazed, granola-based pastry with sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds, oats, raisins and chocolate chips. The apple strudel is deceptively simple – expecting a load of butter and sugar, I balked at my first bite, but my appreciation for the clear apple flavor and simplicity of the strudel grew as I continued to eat. For a more straightforward sugar rush, the two-layer apple cake is a sweet, dense cake somewhere between a shortbread and a sponge cake, with a clean vanilla flavor and big, firm pieces of apple.

The cafe menu includes breakfast and lunch items centered on sausage and egg dishes and baked goods – and baked goods fill the shelves until they sell out toward the end of the day. Nio serves breakfast until 11:30 a.m. or all day, depending on how hectic business gets, and some of the dishes appear on both the breakfast and lunch menus. She dishes up two kinds of sausages, the long, pan-fried bratwurst s