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Published on 08/07/1995 All articles from this issue

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25 years ago in the Town Crier

As reported in the August 12, 1970 edition of the Town Crier, 20 Boy Scouts of Los Altos Troop 31 and three of their dads survived a 55-mile back pack trek in the wilderness of the high Sierras.

The hardy adventurers made the trek in eight days, including a two-day layover for recuperation and trout fishing.

Scoutmaster Al Thompson praised the 12- to 16-year old scouts as having accomplished an outstanding and remarkable feat for their age group.

Despite a summer-long crack down by the police on improper and illegal bicycle riding, 24 bicycle accidents up to August 1970 were recorded by the Los Altos Police Department.

The average age of the bicyclist involved in an accident was 16. More than half of the accidents occurred between noon and 5 p.m.

Paul Tobie, a senior at Los Altos High, added to his growing collection of trophies, ribbons and plaques when he placed fourth in the 39th Annual National Model Airplane Championships in early August 1970. Paul won with a light glider plane that he had designed and home crafted.

Foothill College trustees sliced 34 1/2 cents off the district's property rate for 1970-71. The action dropped the property tax from 83.3 cents to 79.8 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

But the $7.7 million budget approved by Mountain View-Los Altos High School District called for a 10.7 cent tax increase, fixing the rate at $1.958 per $100 assessed valuation.

50 years ago in the Los Altos News

According to the August 9, 1945 issue of the Los Altos News, Los Altan John Robinson had been stopped on the Alameda and cited for speeding at 35 miles an hour in a 25-mile zone. After posting bail at the traffic bureau in San Jose, he returned to his car, parked near the City Hall Plaza, only to find it had been stolen. Back he went to the traffic bureau, reported the theft and, after a general alarm was issued, had his car returned within 15 minutes.

Technical Sgt. Claire W. Hewitt of Los Altos, an enlisted pilot in an army liaison squadron, helped make aviation history in 1945. His non-stop flight of 7 1/2 hours was the longest overseas trip completed by a single-motored cub type liaison plane.

Fifty years ago, the Los Altos Elementary school District trustees approved a budget of $111,075 which required a $1.90 property tax.

- Compiled by Ellen Shaw of the Los Altos History House Museum Association.