Community

Courtesy of Los Altos History Museum

This J. Gilbert Smith photo from 1915 captures Yosemite Falls. Smith’s photos of nature from various trips are the focus of a new Los Altos History Museum exhibition. 

 

Before the dramatic black-and-white photography of Ansel Adams, local orchardist and avid photographer J. Gilbert Smith was inspired by scenes of the West. He took his camera along on trips to Yosemite, Big Sur and the Santa Cruz Mountains, capturing a love of nature.

His photographs of the natural world, and of Los Altos in days gone by, are the subject of a new exhibition, “The Photography of J. Gilbert Smith,” slated for display Thursday through May 24 in the Los Altos History Museum’s J. Gilbert Smith House.

Michael Kruse Craig/Special to the Town Crier
Elizabeth (Betsy Kruse Craig, left) and her hard-drinking tycoon husband, Roland (Todd Wright, center), consider buying their rental home with help from their lawyer, Tristram (Max Tachis), in Pear Theatre’s production of “Taking Steps.” The play is slated to open this week.

Pear Theatre kicks off the decade with the farce “Taking Steps,” written by Alan Ayckbourn and directed by Troy Johnson. The play is slated to preview Thursday, open Friday and run through Feb. 9 in Mountain View.

“Steps” is a story of six characters packed in a supposedly haunted Victorian house: Roland Crabbe, a wealthy businessman who constantly drinks; Elizabeth Crabbe, Roland’s wife, an ex-dancer who is considering a divorce; Leslie Bainbridge, the home’s builder desperate to sell due to his financial struggles; Tristram Watson, the lawyer in charge of the purchase of the house; Mark Boxer, Elizabeth’s brother; and Kitty, Mark’s fiancée.

Ryan

Jazz/multilingual vocalist Jackie Ryan is scheduled to perform with pianist Larry Vuckovich and bassist Jeff Chambers 3-5 p.m. Sunday at the Wunderman House, 655 Eunice Ave., Mountain View.

Ryan first appeared at the Wunderman House – a former speakeasy that is now a residential home with acoustics conducive to live performances – last March, and the show sold out.

Coalition addresses disaster response

Los Altos City Manager Chris Jordan and Ann Hepenstal, the city’s emergency preparedness coordinator, are scheduled to lead a discussion on the city’s emergency plans and preparations at a Los Altos Community Coalition meeting 8:30 a.m. Friday in the Orchard Room of the Los Altos main library, 13 S. San Antonio Road.

The meeting will address what local residents can expect when the next earthquake or wildfire occurs.

Tuesday

Los Altos Chamber of Commerce annual awards banquet, 5:45-8 p.m. at Chef Chu’s restaurant, 1067 N. San Antonio Road. Information: losaltoschamber.org.

Jan. 28

Morning Forum of Los Altos, 10 a.m. at Los Altos United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Ave. Information: morningforum.org.

Bruce Barton/Town Crier
Alex Stamos discusses election meddling at last week’s World Affairs meeting in Los Altos.

A leading cyber-security expert believes the United States remains vulnerable to online attacks that threaten to undermine the integrity of its elections process.

Alex Stamos, speaking at the Jan. 8 meeting of the Peninsula Chapter of World Affairs at the Los Altos Youth Center, added that not much is being done about it.