I went to the Los Altos Library to drop off donations recently and to secure a library card for my 96-year-old mother, who is a voracious reader but chooses not to leave her home very often.
I went armed with her California State Identification Card, only to be told that I would need two (essentially) “proof-of-life” pictures of her holding two consecutive days of dated newspapers – like in some bad ’70s kidnap/heist movie.
Here’s a suggestion for preventing wildfires and protecting more people from power outages – help more people make and store solar energy on their property.
First, there is less burden on the grid, so they don’t have to maintain power lines as much in wildfire risk areas. Second, people can keep their power on during an outage. Third, people also reduce their electricity bills. Finally, we increase everyone’s personal freedom and self-reliance (while also being a part of the solution).
I lived in Los Altos and graduated from Los Altos High School in 1973. Hopefully, some longtime readers of the Town Crier will remember coach Fred Oppezzo. This is a long overdue tribute to my coach and friend, who passed away last October.
This is the story of a high school basketball team that won a championship 36 years ago. This is also the story of a group of boys and a couple of coaches who created some magic that went beyond wins (many) and losses (very few). More importantly, it is the story of lasting friendships created all those years ago.
The city of Los Altos seems to have a fixation on hiring consultants to tell us things we already know or to do things we should do ourselves. The Stormwater Master Plan is a good example. It was commissioned in 2009. There was no urgency, so the original contract was amended three times, cost $356,200 and the plan was released in 2016.
The 40th anniversary of the Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival, scheduled this weekend, gives us an opportunity to weigh its impact on downtown Los Altos.
Decades later, the festival remains Los Altos’ most popular event. Each year, we gather to celebrate sunny summertimes and enjoy a weekend escape.
The crosswalk “improvement” project at Covington Road and Riverside Drive is yet another counterproductive city project, highlighting a disturbing trend.
At an intersection where there have been no accidents, unattractive “pork chops” were installed that are a hazard to navigation. No local residents can be found that raised safety issues triggering this project.
In the last few years as I have served on the Los Altos City Council, and now as I serve as mayor, one of the most satisfying parts of the job to me has been working with so many engaged residents. I’m proud that people in our city have been willing to persist in their goals to work with their neighbors to help make Los Altos a better place.
The Town Crier welcomes letters to the editor on current events pertinent to Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View. Write to us at 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022, Attn: Editor, or email editor Bruce Barton at bruceb@latc.com. Because editorial space is limited, please confine letters to no more than 200 words. Include a phone number for verification purposes. Anonymous letters will not be printed.
You can also have your say right here at losaltosonline.com – scroll to the bottom of any story to add a comment.
