News Features

Scheduled PG&E power outages that left thousands of customers in the Sierra Foothills and North Bay in the dark earlier this month as part of a wildfire prevention measure could be coming to Los Altos Hills and surrounding towns in the future.

In the aftermath of the devastating 2017 and 2018 California wildfire seasons, the local utility has started implementing so-called public safety power shutoffs, a component of its Community Wildfire Safety Program. A PG&E representative met May 29 with Los Altos Hills town staff and local emergency officials to prep them for the eventuality. On Friday, the utility hosted a workshop in San Jose for approximately 120 government officials from four counties. Los Altos Hills town Emergency Manager Marsha Hovey attended both briefings.

After allegedly experiencing a parent’s nightmare in January, Doug and Danielle Lother of Mountain View filed a government tort claim against the city and Santa Clara County for what the family deems inappropriate actions by officers and a social worker, respectively. 

Town Crier File Photo
Officials with Lehigh Southwest Cement Co., pictured, are offering a new reclamation plan that proposes a new 60-acre mining pit.

Limestone quarry and cement processing operations in the foothills just south of Los Altos may intensify under a recently submitted draft plan that calls for Lehigh Southwest Cement Co. digging a new 60-acre pit along Monte Bello Ridge.

Lehigh is also hoping to import fill for its main pit, rather than using mining waste already on-site, as proposed in its 2012 reclamation plan. Importing fill, observers said, could result in hundreds of additional truck trips daily.

Faced with an amendment that would take its sanctuary policy from noncompliant to compliant with state and federal law, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously June 4 to adopt a resolution that reflects its “long-standing” commitment to cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

At the recommendation of the Santa Clara County Executive and County Counsel, the five supervisors endorsed language that not only eliminates observation of civil detainers, or immigration holds, but also deems them unconstitutional. The policy also rejects the possibility of establishing a notification system between law enforcement agencies and ICE.

California Water Service recently completed a water main replacement project in north Los Altos aimed at strengthening water system reliability and infrastructure resiliency for local customers and enhancing fire protection in the area for first responders.

The project, which began in December, included installation of 4,600 feet of new 8-inch PVC water main and 66 new 1-inch service connections. Crews also installed seven new fire hydrants to ensure firefighters have the resources they need to protect the city in the event of an emergency.

The Los Altos-based Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board May 23 approved the transfer of 240 acres of land south of Half Moon Bay, completing a contiguous landscape of protected open space and agricultural land from Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve to the Pacific Ocean.

“This property is the final link in the long-term vision to connect Santa Cruz Mountain forests to the coast in support of agriculture, wildlife and people,” said Ana Maria Ruiz, Midpen’s general manager.