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Volume 49, Number 16, Published on 04/15/1996

News

Showtime resumes in Los Altos

Bus Barn Stage Company continues tradition of live community theater

City's newest police officer from Los Altos Hills

For Lara Walker, joining the Los Altos Police Department April 1 was like coming home.The city's newest police officer grew up in Los Altos Hills, attended Pinewood School and graduated from the Menlo School in Atherton in 1983."There's no question in my mind that this is where I'd like to spend the rest of my law enforcement career," Walker said. "I was impressed from day one with the professionalism."After she finished the police academy in San Jose, Walker began her first law enforcement job as a police officer January 1995 in Fremont. She stayed there for six months."It was not my kind of police department. Fremont had its problems with gangs and drugs. My whole idea of policing came from what Los Altos does -- community oriented policing. I didn't see that in Fremont."(Here) it's an attitude. These officers care about the community. They're accessible, approachable, interested."When Walker began in Fremont, she said she wasn't sure if she had to be tougher than the men to be accepted. "The need is to prove yourself, whether you're a man or a woman."I get the job done," she said. "I'd much rather talk than fight. I'd rather talk someone into submission."It was in college that Walker said she found her voice, at a woman's college. She graduated from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., in 1987 with a degree in political science. Wheaton became coeducational in 1988.From Wheaton she went to Stanford and earned a master's degree, also in political science, in 1989.Walker said she likes working with the public and with the community."We're lucky here. We have a chief who is very involved with the community, and her concerns are known, traffic being a big one. So each of us feels a responsibility to address this on a daily basis."Nobody wants a traffic citation. But you have a lot of kids out playing..."Walker watches stop signs near schools. And she's big on seat belts."I like to see kids properly belted in or in car seats."When walker isn't working, she is more of a Gap person than a Nordstrom woman, she said. "Sort of casual." She reads mysteries, especially those by Patricia Cornwall whose heroine is the chief medical examiner of Virginia.Officer Mark Laranjo, Walker's primary training officer, said, "Police departments have their own personalities. There's a lot of room to have more women in the profession. They bring a different attitude that is good. Some people are intimidated by men and get all puffed up. Females bring a softer side and can bring people back down to earth."The group (of officer's) who's here now, we're getting a lot of people who are sticking around. They like it here."There are a lot of neat changes, our dog, computers for the cars. It's an exciting time for the department."And for Walker."They hired me, and I couldn't be happier."

Los Altos officer charged with sexual battery in trouble before, chief confirms

A Los Altos police officer, currently undergoing an internal affairs investigation as well as facing criminal charges for groping one female prisoner and using unlawful force on two other women, has had his on-duty behavior questioned before.

Bus Barn schedule

"The Rivals," (May 23 - June 22); a witty comedy with zany verbal foibles.

Council says yes to traffic light

The Los Altos City Council unanimously approved a traffic light for the intersection of Grant Road and Oak Avenue.Because of the 192 children who crossed Grant Road during 1994-95 to get to Oak Elementary School on one side or Black Junior High on the other side, school board members are thrilled."This is a turning point for the city and the school district," said Terri Sachs, a member of the Los Altos School District board of trustees. "This is very positive for future relations between the city and the schools. We support each other." Parents have been trying to get a light there since 1982.Others consider the light an intrusion into the country ambiance of their area."I'm against anything that takes away from the rural atmosphere of Los Altos," said Jeff Leeds who lives nearby.The neighborhood is within a mile of Highways 85 and 280, El Camino Hospital and Mountain View High School. It is less than two miles from El Camino Real and Highway 237.Leeds was one of the 27 residents who addressed the council April 9 for two-plus hours in front of a standing-room-only crowd.Dave Donahue, traffic engineer for the city of Los Altos, said traffic flow on Grant Road is now heavy enough to meet three state measurements which warrant a traffic signal: vehicle volume during a four hour period, volume during a peak hour and the difficulty of traffic from side streets to enter or cross Grant Road.When the city measured traffic a year ago, only one condition was met to warrant a light. So in a year the numbers of drivers on Grant Road has increased measurably.Parents and students wanted the light. Tracy Pirnack said that with district enrollment growing, the problem of child safety will only get worse.Currently a crossing guard, using a hand-held stop sign, crosses the children before and after school. But when he's not on duty, students cross alone."It takes me 15 minutes to cross Grant Road," said 13-year-old Kelly Wulff.Elementary school student Casey Wulff said, "Crossing guards are only human. They get sick, and they are late. Stop lights are never sick and never late."Since 1991 there have been seven accidents at the corner. Three have happened since August 1995, said parent Karen Lantz.Kris Montague told the crowd her seventh grader was hit by a car at that intersection.The traffic signal will be a smart signal, said Bruce Bane, director of public works for Los Altos. At night and off-peak hours, it will rest in a red position. There will be an activation device in the pavement which will cause the light to turn green just as cars that are traveling at the speed limit reach the intersection."This is back door speed enforcement," Bane said. "You never want it to rest in green. Drivers see green and speed up. With red, if they're speeding, it forces them to slow down before the light turns green.Karl Zimmerman isn't happy. The stanchion for the light will be in his front yard. He wants a mid-block signal.Debbie Skelton said the city of Campbell recently had a fatality at its one mid-block light because the driver didn't expect a signal there. The city is moving the light to a nearby intersection.Representatives from the schools, the school district, the PTA all spoke in favor of the light.But many neighbors remain unconvinced. Tuan Vu said the light won't solve problems with noise and pollution from cars idling at a light.Mary Kay Marinovich said her family has lived on Oak Avenue for 70 years. She said, "It is a crime to compromise the aesthetics of our neighborhood for out-of-area drivers." Councilman Francis La Poll, a father of four small children, said, "We're lucky we haven't had anything fatal. Maybe there will be fewer cars with a light because some parents now driving their children to school will be out of their cars and the kids will be walking."Councilwoman Kris Casto called Grant Road a dangerous, risky street. "I'm sold on it for pedestrian safety," said councilman Lou Becker. "Too many children have had close calls."Many were confused because they thought the council had already given a green light for the signal at the Sept. 19, 1995, council meeting. The minutes of that meeting said, regarding a light at Oak and Grant, that "council action would be necessary only to award the bid for installation."Mayor Patti Williams said that because the traffic light request had come up during public comments and was not on the council agenda in September, the council could not take action then.The light will cost $98,000 plus $26,000 to coordinate it with the Bryant Avenue signal. On-going maintenance will be about $2,600 per year. Funding will come from previously budgeted amounts in the contract reserve account for transportation improvements and in the gas tax reserve account for traffic signal improvements, Bane said.

City, school district discuss skateboarding dilemma

Conor Duignan, 12, and Alec Ralston, 11, glided around Community Plaza at Main and State streets on their Rollerblades. Downtown Los Altos and Cuesta Park are their favorite places to skate. Last week they were on spring vacation from St. Nicholas School, and it was just too nice a day to stay inside.Both like to skate across the street at the Wells Fargo Bank. But at Wells Fargo, "People say we should leave now because they've called the cops," Ralston said."They kick you out of everywhere," Duignan sighed.Kids want a place to skate. Residents watch with horror as skateboarders and Rollerbladers soar off cement benches and planters downtown, nicking corners, chipping tiles.Skateboarding and Rollerblading options were some of the items discussed at last Thursday's special joint meeting between the city council and the Los Altos School District. This was the annual get-together between the two organizations when they discuss items of mutual interest.Mayor Patti Williams has said that skateboarding is an issue important to her."Enforcement is awkward," said city councilman Francis La Poll. "There's no place for the kids to go."The city is developing a task force to look at possible sites for a skateboard, Rollerblade area, La Poll said."With the acquisition of land, we hope to provide a plan long term," La Poll said. "But we need short-term answers, too, like using the Hillview parking lot on weekends for Rollerblading and skateboarding."La Poll would like to see a youth commission. "This task force might grow into one as a way of getting youth input."Other items discussed at the meeting included updates on both the school fields task force and the St. William property acquisition.

Community

Eshoo warns of the evils of partisanship in Congress

If there was one issue Anna Eshoo played up during her talk to the Los Altos Rotary Club last Thursday, it was her de-emphasis of partisanship issues in her 14th Congressional District."There's a great deal of non-partisanship in the local elections," Eshoo told the lunchtime gathering at the Elks Lodge in Palo Alto. She called her district "the most distinguished in the nation" with the presence of Stanford University and Silicon Valley. She added the district's public agencies are "the envy of the rest of the country."Eshoo, 53, who is up for re-election in November, also held a series of Town Hall meetings over the weekend, including meetings in Los Altos Hills and Mountain View.Addressing a variety of issues, from the federal budget stalemate to immigration, Eshoo, a Democrat, continually portrayed herself as an independent-thinking legislator who doesn't vote strictly along party lines.On the budget, Eshoo lashed at the 104th Congress' inability to hammer out a deal due to partisanship. She complained that the House was sent home in February when legislators should have been working on the budget for this year and the next.The former San Mateo County supervisor said the lawmakers are welcome to debate, but "At the end of the day, that debate has to produce something."She said there is an "across-the-board agreement" there will be a balanced budget soon.Eshoo, a strong supporter of youth, said she voted for an amendment benefiting the Medicaid program which affects two of every five children nationwide. The amendment was voted down, with legislators voting along party lines. She said she also voted for children to get the basics in public health benefits. "I don't think kids get up in the morning and consider themselves Republicans or Democrats," Eshoo said.She added partisanship particularly hurts the nation's foreign policy. "In order for foreign policy to be successful, we need to speak as one voice," Eshoo said. "To tie the hands of the chief executive on so many issues is wrong."On immigration, Eshoo pointed out the distinction between legal and illegal. She said the nation's policies are sound, but much of the problem of illegal immigrants are related to employers. She said 65 percent of illegals are employed. "Otherwise, they wouldn't be here," she said.Responding to a question about term limits, Eshoo said the issue at the federal level has "gone south" with Republicans now in the majority. She said the real culprit issue Americans should be concerned about is campaign finance. "We need the greatest reform in campaign finance," she said. "The ills of the system remain."

Who to call when your neighbor complains

It was a busy day for the Los Altos Mediation Program (LAMP).At 10 a.m. volunteers were going to mediate a barking dog situation in Los Altos Hills where neighbors were complaining. In the afternoon, they were going to bring two Los Altos neighbors together over rebuilding a fence the wind blew down during the last storm.Both situations were creating problems and festering. When one of the parties intended to sue, a friend suggested LAMP. They contacted the program and met with Ralph A. Vetterlein, present chair of the mediation program. "When a person brings his concerns out in the open, it reduces stress and anxiety in their daily life," Vetterlein said. "Even their doctor would approve of our program and get them back on a happy life."The program started in late 1993 when a committee of three members of Los Altos Tomorrow volunteered to investigate the need for a local program in Los Altos. Les Kaye, Ken Kaye and Liz Nyberg volunteered to form the committee and report their findings to the Board of Directors of what is now called the Los Altos Community Foundation. The purpose of the program is to provide a conflict resolution alternative to the confrontational approach. Its intent is to avoid the costly time consuming process of the legal system. By using a third party to guide the disputing parties in open, the mediator attempts to reach a solution that is agreeable to both parties. At present there are seven mediators in the program and they try to facilitate both sides in developing a plan that will resolve the dispute by not taking sides or acting as a judge. The program director is Alexander J. Traficanti, a Los Altos Hills retired attorney. "When a person calls us and explains the situation, the office will ask if the problem has been discussed with the other party," Traficanti said. "If it has, then the dispute will be assigned to one of the seven mediators. That mediator will contact the other party. If the other party may be reluctant to mediate, then the benefits of the program are discussed."The mediation process is strictly confidential and free. The participants are encouraged to express all their concerns to each other and the mediator. The free mediation service is available to residents, property owners, merchants, and persons employed in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and surrounding county jurisdiction. The mediators will set a time day or night depending on the disputants availability.For more confidential information, call 949-5267.

Thomas Jefferson returns to Wallace Stegner Lecture Series

Scholar Clay Jenkinson, who performed his dynamic impersonation of Thomas Jefferson before a sold-out audience at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in 1993, will return to the Mountain View Center this Thursday at 8 p.m.The final speaker in the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) Wallace Stegner lecture series, Jenkinson has delivered his award-winning, scholarly, and spontaneous impersonation of Jefferson in 30 states on more than 1,000 occasions. Last year, Jenkinson portrayed Jefferson before President Clinton and 275 Cabinet members, legislators and scholars at the State Department in Washington, D.C.Jenkinson appears in the costume and character of Thomas Jefferson, delivers a 20-30 minute monologue, and then takes questions from the audience. The extemporaneous monologue is shaped to the interests of the audience. In the question and answer tune, Jenkinson fields historical, contemporary, political and personal questions, and responds to them within the historical perspective and actual language of Jefferson. Eventually, the scholar breaks character, takes off the wig and great coat, and provides a brief scholarly analysis of the impersonation he has offered the audience.Jenkinson grew up in Dickinson, N.D., where his affinity for scholarly and agrarian values began to take shape. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Minneapolis, and is a Rhodes scholar and Oxford University Ph.D.He has traveled extensively in the American West and Great Plains Region. In 1985, he hiked the entire course of the Little Missouri River from Wyoming to the center of North Dakota (650 miles as the river meanders). By car he has followed the Lewis and Clark trail from Sioux City to the Pacific Ocean.In recent years, his portrayals of Thomas Jefferson have entertained and educated fourth graders, Supreme Court justices, members of Congress, and hundreds of other groups throughout the nation. In 1989, President George Bush presented Jenkinson with the National Endowment for the Humanities' Charles Frankel Prize for exemplary work in the public humanities in the United States.Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and a believer in his Agrarian Dream for America, is a fitting subject for a POST lecture series. A farmer his entire life, he stressed the importance of preserving open spaces, a value which POST carries on today.A private, nonprofit land trust based in Menlo Park, POST is a leader in the effort to preserve the beauty and character of the Peninsula's natural resources. Since its founding in 1977, the organization has been responsible for saving more than 26,000 acres as permanent space or park land.For more information on the Wallace Stegner Lecture Series, call 854-7696. Tickets for individual lectures are $15, and may be ordered by phone from the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts at 903-6000.

Visually impaired Los Altan skis with guide

Michael Shope, an Air Force veteran from Los Altos, went to the Crested Butte Mountain Resort the week of March 27 to ski at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.Shope, 35, is visually impaired. He has a hereditary disease called retinitis pigmentosa that has caused progressive blindness. It began to effect his vision about four years ago.When Shope was in the Air Force he was stationed in Denver, Colo., and enjoyed skiing."I skied a lot when I was in service," Shope said. "I've been a few times since I lost my sight, and the first few times were disappointing since I was a pretty good skier before. But, it is getting easier and I really enjoy it."Shope skied downhill and cross-country using a sighted guide or preset tracks in the snow. Visually impaired skiers must learn the same skills as sighted skiers before heading down the slope, and must practice the basic skills like turning, slowing and stopping. Blind downhill skiers always ski with guides who follow behind to watch what is happening ahead and, using clear and brief commands such as "turn right" or "stop", guide the skier down the mountain. Cross-country skiing is well suited for persons with visual impairments. Two sets of parallel tracks allow skier and guide to ski side by side while the guide provides instruction."I love the exhilaration of skiing down the mountain," Shope said. "This is a wonderful event."Shope works at the Veterans Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., as a blind rehabilitation specialist. He works to help rehabilitate other blind veterans and teaches them how to operate calculators, recorders, typewriters, and other basic living skills. He is engaged to be married to a lawyer from San Jose and has lived in Los Altos for three years.

Service

Navy Ensign Mark W. Warren, son of William H. and Gretch G. Warren of Los Altos Hills, is in the western Pacific Ocean near the island of Taiwan with Strike Fighter Squadron 147 embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.

Leaders discuss future of Silicon Valley at June conference

Special to the Town Crier

MROSD nature center open Sundays

In The Past...

The April 21, 1971 issue of the Town Crier celebrated Earth Day 1971 with a full-page photograph of local open space in a natural and serene setting.

Community Briefs

competition under way

Noteworthies

Nancy Hoffman, a local Los Altos Hills horsewoman, has arranged a five-day ride between bread and breakfast inns and small hotels in Connemara, Ireland, Aug. 6-18. The trip will include a five-day stay in Dublin where riders will attend the Dublin Horse Show, a stud farm and numerous Irish pubs. After a drive to the western coast of Ireland, the group will be met in Galway by Willie Leahy. He will supply Irish horses, saddles and guides to lead the riders across the beautiful lands of Connemara. Hoffman, an energetic rider and travel agent, can be reached at 948-8037 or 948-8145.

Tango an intriguing array of photo art by Argentinan Eduardo Rufeisen

Special to the Town Crier

April Chefs who Care hosted by Eugene's Polish Restaurant

The April "Chefs Who Care" dinner will be hosted by Eugene's Polish Restaurant in Los Altos. The two day event will take place 5-8 p.m. on April 29 and 30. Following a first course of soup or salad, diners will choose from a menu of old favorites, including pork a la Eugene, stuffed cabbage, or the combination plate, all served with vegetables and potato dumplings. They also may choose pasta with prawns with either Alfredo sauce or Elizabeth's special red sauce and vegetables, one of the new additions to the menu, or Elizabeth's prime rib served with baked potato and vegetables. The dinner includes coffee, tea or milk. Tibor and Leona will provide European gypsy music to entertain the diners. Outdoor patio dining is available upon request.Price of the dinner will be $17 for adults and $8 for children. From each of the adult dinners purchased there will be an $8 donation directly to the Community Kitchen which serves free hot meals to homeless and low-income people.Eugene's Polish Restaurant is located at 420 South San Antonio Road, in Los Altos. Reservations are required for Chefs Who Care and may be made by calling 941-1222.

Local artist exhibits in Town Hall chamber

Arts in the area

Second Monday of every month: Los Altos Art Club demonstration on painting techniques, 7 p.m., Hal Brady Room, Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave. Information: (408) 725-8662.

Schools

Plenty of scholarships available ¯ if you know where to look

Most students and parents think that scholarships are only for students who have astounding academic or athletic skills or low-income families, but that is not always the case.Most students will go the traditional paths of relying on federal, state and college financial aid and loans. But students continue to get frustrated as pay back rates and red tape keep increasing. Most are unaware that more than $10 billion is available to students from private sector scholarships. There are also more than 375,000 scholarship and grant sources available which do not have to be paid back. This is according to the U.S. Channel of Commerce for Higher Education and the National Academic Funding Administration (NAFA).The agency also notes more than 80 percent of these scholarships do not depend on family need or exceptional grades but are awarded based on factors such as the student's interests, hobbies, academic focus, age, heritage or parent's work or military service.A U.S. Congressional study reported more than $6.6 billion of private sector financial aid went unused because parents and students did not know where to apply. Also, the National Commission on Student Financial Aid reported more than $6 billion of funding goes uncollected each year because students do not apply for it. There are ways that students can receive information for scholarships ranging from left-handed scholarships and handicapped student scholarships to members of church scholarships and even David Letterman's Scholars.American Educational Excellence (AEE) members have a list of more than 400 different addresses, telephone numbers, application deadlines, summaries about the scholarships and the amount the scholarship will pay the student. Many scholarships pay the entire tuition. Otherwise, students combine applicable scholarships together to form one large tuition payment. Most scholarships include junior and community colleges, such as De Anza or Foothill colleges, career and vocational schools, four-year colleges, graduate schools and medical law schools. For information on how to receive academic funding and scholarships, send a self-addressed stamped envelope and $1 handling fee to U.S. Channel of Commerce for Higher Education, P.O. Box 127, Rule Texas 79547, or send a No. 10 self-addressed double stamped business envelope plus a $2 handling fee to NAFA, 815 Middle St., Suite 1400, Portsmouth, N.H. 03801.

St. Simon's student freezes time with her voice

Town Crier Staff Report

School Briefs

PIE founder to speak about public educationCarolyn Stinke is Executive Director of Parents Involved in Education (PIE), will speak about the "Changing Face of America" and "What's Happening in Public Education and What You Can Do About It" from 9 a.m. to noon on April 20 at the Bethel Baptist Church, 36060 Fremont Boulevard, Fremont.Learn about your parental rights in the education of your children, the government plan to restructure our culture, that schools are a center for big government intervention in you home, cradle to grave legislation that will reach into your pocket, and how this will affect Christian and home schools.For more information, call Angie, event coordinator, (510) 791-2909, April, PIE regional director, 342-2066, or the Bethel Baptist Church of Fremont (510) 795-1234.

State test results show status of local intermediate schools

Every year Egan and Blach Intermediate Schools take tests to measure the students academic progress. The seventh grade students take the California Achievement Test and the eighth grade students take the Golden State Examination; the results are summarized as follows by Dick Liewer, Los Altos School District assistant superintendent of curriculum:

Mathcounts

The MATHCOUNTS competitors representing Blach and Egan Intermediate Schools competed in the state finals on March 9 at University of California at Davis and finished in the top quarter of the 78 teams that competed.Blach finished one point ahead of Egan out of 66 total points. Blach placed 16th and Egan placed 21, since the scores include fractions of points there were several teams in between the two schools. The Blach team includes Brian Love, Wesley Battle, Pearl Chang, and Erica Dunkle.The Egan team consists of Michael Seeman, Nikhil Gheewala, Alexander Chu, and Chris Lin.The first part of the test had the competitors complete 30 questions in 40 minutes without the aid of a calculator. The next part allowed the use of calculators in solving harder problems with more time to complete the section. The final round involves team problem solving. Love competed in the Countdown round, a "Jeopardy" style competition, open to the top 16 individual scores.The team coaches were Marron Honigman, math teacher at Blach, and Nancy Seeman, parent volunteer at Egan.MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide coaching program and series of competitions designed to stimulated student interest and achievement in math. The program, sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers, Texas Instruments, IBM and Lockheed, is "committed to helping develop a technically literate population essential to U.S. global competitiveness," according to the group's literature.At press time the scores for the alternates from the Feb. 3 regional competition were not available. The following are the results: Geoff Patterson, Egan alternate, finished first among the alternates, Serena Chang, Blach, finished second, Herione Giffard, Blach, finished fourth, Natalie Battle, Egan, finished ninth.

Los Altos third graders learn about local history up close and personal

The Los Altos Historical Commission and the Los Altos School District are sponsoring a three-part historical tour for all third grade students, living in Los Altos, from April 23 to May 10.The tour will coincide with social studies curriculum which is emphasizing local history. Students will visit three sites on the tour: the Los Altos History House Museum, the art exhibit at Hillview Community Center and take a walking tour of historical downtown landmarks."The entire tour should take approximately three hours," said Gloria Bares, who will be leading the walking tour portion..The art exhibit, "Our Valley Remembered," will feature the oil paintings and terra cotta sculptures of Anna Knapp Fritz, a Los Altos resident from 1929 until her death in 1995.The tours will be conducted in groups of three and will rotate location. One group will be at a different site at the same time. "This will allow the students to get more information and the tour will move along smoothly," Bares said.This year Montclaire and St. Nicholas schools have joined in with the tour project, since both schools have students who live in Los Altos.The public is invited to view the Fritz exhibit on May 8 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. or May 4 from 1 to 3 p.m..For more information, call 493-8864 or 948-5290.

Noteworthies

Several outstanding Homestead High School students qualified for the State Speech Tournaments to be held at the Santa Clara University from May 3-5. The qualifying students are: Lam Nguyen, Keith Palfin, Mike Myers, Ken Chen, Ben Tao, and Chethan Ramachandran.

District Meeting

A special meeting of the board of trustees for Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District was called for 7 p.m on April 11 to re-evaluate the interdistrict transfer student enrollment decision made at the March 25 meeting.

Los Altos Students able to receive grants from Teikyo Post University

Teikyo Post has announced the extension of its Middle Income Family (MIF) grant program to include one new Los Altos area student, attending Teikyo Post for the Fall, 1996 term. The total of this grant could reach $20,000."Our Middle Income Family grant program has struck a positive chord with the general public," said Dr. Phyllis C. DeLeo, president of Teikyo Post University. "Therefore, we have added a zero-interest loan of up to $5,000 per year for one new Los Altos area full-time, undergraduate day, middle income student starting their college studies at Teikyo Post in the Fall of 1996. If that student graduates with a bachelor's degree within four years, Teikyo Post will forgive that MIF loan and those monies become a grant, free and clear. We feel that middle income families could use a grant of up to $20,000 for their children's education."Students who wish to apply for a MIF grant should contact the University immediately through the Internet at Teikyo Post's World Wide Web home page. The web address is: www.teikyopost.edu. Students also can contact Teikyo Post through e-mail. the e-mail address is: teikyopost@infoback.com. Teikyo Post enrolls students from 35 foreign countries and across the United States. Priding itself on providing a global education without prejudice and the university awards more that $1 million in scholarship and financial aid to deserving students each year.Celebrating 105 years, Teikyo Post is a distinctive international business and liberal arts university. The campus is located in Waterbury, Conn., only 30 minutes from Hartford, 90 minutes from New York City and two hours from Boston.

Docents from Colonial Williamsburg visit Almond School

The colonists are coming, the colonists are coming. Docents from Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia visited Almond School on March 21. The docents presented to fifth graders during an assembly and introduction to life in the 18th century. Dressed in period costumes, the docents discussed clothing styles, manners and typical events of daily life during the colonial period. They also explained the significance of the military and the importance of the fife and drum to the colonial times. Docent Bunny Rich gave a demonstration of African-American storytelling and discussed issues related to slavery. Almond parent Michelle Shaughnessy arranged for the docent's presentationThe docents visited the school in preparation for the upcoming Colonial Day on April 24. For more information on Colonial Day, call 941-0470.

District Crossings

At the Los Altos School District board meeting on April 8, approximately 30 residents from The Crossing housing development attended to express their concern about the enrollment growth decisions made at the meeting on March 25.The concern was with the fact that students from The Crossings (the former Old Mill site, off California Street, in Mountain View), who are not currently attending Almond School would be assigned to a school in the district other than Almond. Also, if these students do go to another school it was not clear if transportation would be provided for them.Many of the residents that attended the meeting do not yet have children in the school system but are concerned with the future. Ronald Barr, a resident of The Crossings, printed an informational flier urging concerned residents to attend the board meeting and delivered them to each house in the development.Superintendent Margaret Gratiot presented a time line, at the meeting, of when the enrollment decisions will be implemented. The time line is as follows:

Foothill College Music Theatre receives critics awards

Foothill Music Theatre actors and directors captured two awards at the 19th annual Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Association Awards ceremony. The Foothill troupe was the only college company to receive awards at the prestigious ceremony. Foothill took home awards in two categories. The college's 1995 production of Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins" was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award for Ensemble Performance. Foothill Music Theatre founder and drama professor Jay Manley received the Outstanding Achievement Award for directing the 1995 campus production of Frank Loesser's "The Most Happy Fella."Bay Area theater reviewers honored Foothill thespians with eleven nominations for excellence, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Scenic and Lighting Design, Best Direction and Best Production. In addition to receiving an award, Manley shared the podium with American Musical Theatre Artistic Director Diana Schuster in presenting the awards for technical achievements and original writing. The Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle includes nearly 20 critics from the North to the South Bay. They meet annually to nominate and award outstanding achievements and performances. The awarding-winning Foothill Music Theatre company will stage the Cole Porter classic, "Kiss Me, Kate," this summer at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.

Sports

Prep tennis

Bill Shine's future flashed before his eyes when Pinewood and Menlo squared off in a recent league match. The 15-year Pinewood coach, who's headed to Menlo in the fall, got a good look at the seven freshmen and two sophomores he'll soon be working with. "It was kind of strange. I really wanted to win and finish my job here," he said of Pinewood's intense 4-3 loss. "I'm certainly not rooting for them (Menlo) when they play us." Shine's Panthers will get another crack at Menlo 3:30 p.m. tomorrow at home.Although the Panthers lost, Shine sees the Menlo match as the turning point in their season. The next day, Pinewood beat a tough ­ and then undefeated ­ St. Ignatius team 5-2, and the same week gave Robert Louis Stevenson its first loss by a 4-3 decision. "I'm really impressed with the way we've bounced back," Shine said. "We've taken the pressure off, and now (go in thinking) that we're the underdog." The Panthers are currently 14-2 overall and 3-1 in league.Also aiding Pinewood in the physical and mental departments was a recent spring-break trip to Pahara Dunes in Watsonville. There, the Panthers stayed in a cabin, jogged on the beach, played tennis for three hours a day and relaxed. "We got a lot of rest and regrouped," the coach said.Back on the Peninsula last week, the netters beat Los Altos and Homestead and lost to Monta Vista, all by 5-2 scores. Leading the Pinewood pack is the doubles team of John Gallagher-Tim Wang and singles players Cornell Wilder, Bryan Granum, Eliesa Vaka, Lund Smith and Jeff Schram. No. 1 singles guy Scotty Scott has been out with an abdominal pull and should return to action this week.Shine has been especially impressed with the work ethic of senior partners Gallagher and Wang. "Their attitude and chemistry has been real good," he said. "They are models for the rest of the guys, who have been putting too much pressure on themselves to win all the time. They enjoy themselves."

Prep baseball

St. Francis took on the nation last week and finished in fourth place at the Dole National Classic in Anaheim.In its first-round game on April 8, St. Francis whipped Bryan Station of Kentucky 14-2 behind the hitting of Eliot Wheeler (home run, four RBIs) and John Gall, Bryan Osorio and Jason Luker, who had two hits each. Luker also pitched the team to victory.St. Francis then beat El Dorado of Placentia 4-3 in the second round last Tuesday. Pitcher Tim Cross got the win, and Gall and Robbie Poole had two hits apiece.But on Wednesday, the Lancers lost 10-0 to Mater Dei of Santa Ana, the No. 2-ranked team in the state and one of the best in the nation. And in the third-place game on Thursday, St. Francis (15-5 overall) lost to Kennedy of Granada Hills 3-2. Big hitters were Wheeler (homer) and Gall (three hits).

Prep softball

Bernie Quintero has been reaching into his bag of coaching tricks lately. And he's been pulling out an array of bunts and hit-and-runs that has Los Altos at the top of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division with a 6-0 record (20-3 overall)."We lost our power hitting (to graduation), so we work on a lot of hitting techniques. I show the girls that it's good to be all right, but you have to be great (to win the title). I'm proud of them," he said.Providing Los Altos' hitting punch are "jackrabbits" Julie Jones and Yma Garcia, the No. 1 and 2 batters in the order; and Katie Johnson, Brooke Bowers and Lori Wada. Jones and Garcia are batting .500 and .400, respectively.In Los Altos' wins over Mercy-Burlingame (7-0) and Monte Vista Christian (6-1) in last weekend's Wilcox Tournament, Johnson had five hits to match Sabrina Quintero's fine pitching (two wins, 23 strikeouts and two hits against). Quintero was also impressive at the recent Reed Invitational in Reno, where Los Altos finished in second place. In 35 innings pitched, she struck out 64 batters and tossed a no-hitter against Carson ­ Nevada's No. 1 team ­ in the semifinals. Joining Quintero on the all-tournament team were Garcia, Jones and Cyndee Williams.Coming up big defensively in Reno were third baseman Williams ("She was gunning them down," Coach Quintero said) and outfielders Bowers and Wada, who made some important catches."The young ones are starting to step up, and we hope to reach the climax by the time CCS (Central Coast Section playoffs) comes around," the coach said.And while it's certain Sabrina Quintero will be pitching for San Jose State University next season, there's a possibility she'll be participating in the Puerto Rican Olympics in late July. It seems Puerto Rico coach Steve Padilla needs an extra pitcher and is interested in Quintero, who is 19-3 with 257 Ks. The Quinteros were to meet with Padilla over the weekend.

Scores

Girls:Los Altos 72, Gunn 54LA (4-1 league) winners: mile - Dunwoodie (5:56.3); 100 H - Saenz (16.3); 100 - Hypolite (12.7); 330 H - Saenz (50.4); 220 - Hypolite (26.5); mile relay (4:24.9); shot - de Armero (34-0); discus - de Armero (116-1); long jump - Burnham (17-0); triple jump - Burnham (35-7); high jump - Downey (5-1)

Sports Shorts

SPIKES FOR FUNDS: Mountain View High serves up a volleyball challenge from 1-5 p.m. April 27, when students will take on parents and staff in women, men and co-ed competitions. Participation fee is $5, and proceeds from the event help fund the school's Grad Night '96. For more information, call Rosalie Davis at 962-9066.

Los Altos alumni up to bat May 11

Sports Calendar

SoftballLos Gatos at St. Francis, 4 p.m.

Athlete of the Week - John Bull

Putting athletes back in play

Town Crier Sports Editor

Business & Real Estate

EXPO '96 Trade Fair in Hillview Center April 25

Weekly Special

Happenings

On April 18th APPLEWOOD PIZZA, the mid-peninsula's award winning restaurant, will introduce it's new signature pizzas, and the recent remodeling of it's Menlo Park location. The Grand reopening celebration will include a pizza making contest (see ad and rules elsewhere in this section) and will be highlighted by the awarding of the Big Cheese Trophy.The contest, dubbed the Big Cheese, is a chance for people to enter their own creations and compete for prize money. The prize money will be divided three ways: $100 for 1st, $75 for 2nd, and $25 for 3rd. Hosted by Applewood owner Bela Kardos, the Big Cheese contest will be judged by Dick Pidgeon of the Los Altos Town Crier, Jane Knoerle of the Country Almanac, Monica Hayde of the Palo Alto Weekly, Sara Shaw of Gentry Magazine, and local businessman Ron Joseph.Applewood's new signature pizzas, available at every location, are made in the tradition of Applewood's gourmet philosophy. Six time winner of The Best of Palo Alto honor, Applewood's philosophy has survived 15 years in the pizza business. It's success over the years has allowed the restaurant to expand into three locations including Los Altos.

Editorial

In the late '60s Peter Fairchild, of Fairchild's restaurant in Los Angeles and married to Wilshire Oil money, bought the Santa Barbara Inn for a couple of million cash and made major renovations. Today it still maintains respectability with its Citronelle restaurant, which is located on the third floor of the oceanfront Inn and overlooks the water. Chef-owner Michel Richard has a solid reputation in Southern California, and his menu is eclectic with local specialties enlivened with Italian, Mexican, and French accents. We had a carpaccio of yellowtail tuna with a ginger vinaigrette, followed by sea bass on a bed of lentils and sand dabs with an Anaheim chile sauce. The meal was good; the view was great.

Los Altos couple celebrate 50th wedding anniversary

Obituaries

Leslie Helgesson, former mayor and city councilman of Los Altos Hills, died April 11 in his Los Altos Hills residence.

Weddings

Tonya Marie McBride and Michael Paul Robles were married Dec. 30, at the Edgewater Baptist Church in New Orleans.