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Volume 49, Number 48, Published on 11/18/1996

News

Packards offer gift of giving

Town Crier Staff Writer

David and Lucile Packard Foundation Grants awarded to Los Altos

$500,000 Smithsonian Institution Inc.: Support for the construction of the National Museum of the American Indian, (Los Altos office).

Los Altos OKs joining Central Fire on 3-2 council vote

With a 3-2 vote, the Los Altos City Council authorized its city manager to sign a contract with the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection district for fire, emergency medical and fire communications services.

El Camino Hospital to return to district control by end of the month

If all documents are signed as planned, the target date is Nov. 30 for the transfer of Camino Healthcare management to El Camino Hospital District control.

Garbage firm, LAH to resume negotiations over rates

The Town of Los Altos Hills and the Los Altos Garbage Company (LAGCo) have agreed to settle their dispute over reduced garbage rates without mediation from a third party.

New Los Altos mayor younger than the city itself

Town Crier Staff Writer

Comment

Uncertainty over fire services vote

Last week's narrow Los Altos City Council passage of a contract for fire services with the Central Fire Protection District has us wondering if it's "déjà vu, all over again." After all, it was a 3-1, split vote that de-districted El Camino Hospital and triggered heavy financial losses, and expensive lawsuits.

Patti Williams' year at the helm

Here are the Town Crier's top reasons why Patti Williams rings a bell with us for her stint as Los Altos mayor this past year. It was a year of significant progress for our town:

We need to say thanks to those who teach

Autumn brings the added pleasures of cooler weather, the annual burst of bright color from our trees, and, for me, the renewed energy that working with the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) brings. If there is one issue that our candidates for high office agree on, it's education. Too often, however, their support rings hollow with the use of generalities and sound bites.

Letters to the Editor

The Los Altos City Council has authorized the city manager to execute a contract for fire services with the Central Fire Protection District. I have informed council members that I retained counsel to review the legality of this decision, and I requested that they suspend the city manager's authority to sign the contract, until further review and approval of final contract wording by the Council.

Community

Library Notes

Featured through the end of the year is a varied and colorful exhibit, "Holiday Gallery of Paintings," provided by the Los Altos Art Club. Think about your gift list, and then come to the holiday gift book sale at the Los Altos Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7.

LAGCo embarks on food, toy drive

This holiday season, Los Altos Garbage Company (LAGCo) and Foothill Disposal will hold the annual "Spirit of Sharing" food and toy drive Sunday to Dec. 13 to benefit needy families served by Community Services Agency (CSA).

Noted photographer at Heintzelman's Thursday

William Carter, a long-time resident of Los Altos Hills who was drawn to the creative potential of photography years ago, will explain his style, captured in his new book, "Illuminations," 7:30 p.m. Thursday, in Heintzelman's Bookstore, 205 State St., Los Altos.

Residents begin creating a vision for Los Altos

Lou Cartalano, 55, wonders, as he considers where to live in his retirement, if he will like Los Altos when he is 70.

Griffin House may move to off-campus site

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District should look moving the historic Griffin House off the Foothill College campus, because it would cost too much to make it worthwhile for staff and students, according to chancellor Leo Chavez.

Almanac

Wednesday

Pages of the Past

As reported in the Nov. 24, 1971, issue of the Town Crier, 46 churches, three synagogues and 10 high schools from Los Altos and surrounding towns joined in presenting the "Festival of Praise," an old-fashioned community sing of Thanksgiving songs on Nov. 27, 1971, at the Foothill College Theater.

Hidden Villa hosts a holiday tea with crafts and fine art for sale

Hidden Villa, an environmental preserve and education center in Los Altos Hills, is hosting a holiday country tea, crafts and fine art sale from 1-4 p.m. on Dec. 6-8.

Community Briefs

The Los Altos Newcomer's Club will be hosting a coffee for members and other interested residents 10 a.m. Thursday. Featured at the coffee will be displays of arts and crafts made by members.

Jan. 1 Town Crier to announce 1996 Los Altan of the Year

It's getting close to that time of year again - the time when the Los Altos Town Crier names its Los Altan of the Year for 1996.

Lights, music brighten Los Altos holidays

Downtown Los Altos will come alive with lights and music on Nov. 29 to herald a holiday season with a special tree-lighting program and the debut of a Town Choir of singers from neighborhood churches and the community.

Los Altos Weather

Schools

Area students keep Red Ribbon Week message alive

The Los Altos Police Department rewarded local students who participated in the Red Ribbon Week essay and poster contest at the Nov. 12 city council meeting.

High school district discovers residents have been overtaxed

The Santa Clara County controllers office has confirmed with the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District board members that its residents have been overcharged in taxes for the past year.

School Briefs

The Blach Intermediate School student holiday fair will be on Dec. 6 in the multi-purpose room. Blach is located at 1120 Covington Rd, Los Altos.

School Noteworthies

Mountain View resident Patrick Quaid, was recently chosen as a residence assistant of Ylvisaker Hall at Luther College in Iowa for the 1996-97 academic year. Quaid, son of Richard and Karen Quaid of Mountain View, is a sophomore majoring in psychology.

New members hit ground running on MV-LA high school board

The two new members of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Board of Trustees said they look forward to their own education about the workings of the district.

Local teachers win high-tech prizes

Three local teachers won Intel 133-MHz Pentium processor based personal computers through Smart Valley, Inc. PC Day. These teachers successfully presented an extensive plan for integrating the technology into classroom curriculum.

Sports

Eagle hockey players on a scoring spree

Prep roundup

Mountain View spikes Paly, to take on Los Gatos again

CCS volleyball

Force strikes league title

Town Crier Staff Report

Mtn. View, St. Francis in playoffs

Special to the Town Crier

Athlete Of The Week

This St. Francis High senior tennis player is 28-1 at No. 1 singles this season and recently netted the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League championship with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Los Altos' Julia Sherbakov.

Hill battles weather, competition to finish second

CCS cross country championships

Footaction kicks out scholarships

Footaction, a Dallas-based athletic specialty retailer, will award four students $5,000 scholarships and 20 others $1,500 scholarships this April. As in the past, the four $5,000 winners will be flown to Orlando, Fla., where they're presented with their checks during the NFL Quarterback Challenge.

In defense of the refs: part two

Special to the Town Crier

Scheel has a natural feel for water polo

Town Crier Staff Writer

Good showing for Raptors at tournament

The Los Altos Raptors, a seventh-grade boys basketball team, recently returned from the Modesto Slam-N-Jam tournament ready to go back and play next year.

This Week in Sports

Football

Sports Shorts

TIME TO TWIST: Twisters Kids, 2639 Terminal Blvd. in Mountain View, offer "Kid Twist '96" for girls and boys ages 3-12 from 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday. For the $15 admission fee - which goes to the Twisters scholarship fund - kids will enjoy gymnastics, dancing, dinner, games and crafts in a safe atmosphere with adult supervision. To reserve a space, call 967-5581.

Business & Real Estate

Keep your cool when delivering messages electronically

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second and final installment in a series about employees who use electronic communications to hinder rather than enhance communications.

PenWest honors Realtors with annual award celebration

The Peninsula West Valley Association of Realtors held their Annual Achievement Awards and Leadership Breakfast Nov. 15 at Michael's restaurant at the Shoreline Amphitheater.

Transactions

Los Altos

Broken leg gives local student chance to create on computer

Los Altos resident Sara Slocum took her interest in computer graphics and turned it into an educating job.

Weekly Special

Mitchell appointed to CSA board

The Community Services Agency, which serves Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, announced that the Rev. Netter P. Mitchell, associate minister of the Los Altos United Methodist Church, was recently appointed to the CSA board.Mitchell, who began her ministry in Los Altos last spring, is working on a doctor of ministry degree with the United Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. She is active with Boy and Girl Scouts leadership and has served on the Council of Churches executive board and contributes to several other community organizations, said Bernie Mellott, the new associate director for development of the agency.

Taking a home tour for the holidays

The Women's Club at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View is having its eighth annual "Christmas at Our House" holiday home tour at four homes on Dec. 6 and 7.

Noteworthies

The sale is sponsored by the fashion design department at Canada College.

MROSD has free hikes for November

Docents for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) have scheduled a series of free hikes this month.

Obituaries

Kay Dohlen Bryant, mother, businesswoman and former Los Altos resident, died Oct. 18 in Cupertino. She was 55.

Births

A son, Adam Michael, was born Nov. 6 to Sandi and John Domingue of San Jose at Community Hospital in Los Gatos. The baby's grandmother, Joanne Griffith Domingue, is associate editor at the Los Altos Town Crier.

Los Altos Hills couple celebrates 50th anniversary

The memories Carol and Pete Pavlina have of Mountain View and Los Altos go back to days when Silicon Valley was "The Valley of Hearts Delight."

Weddings

Lori Brockway and Robert Newman were married Sept. 15 on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, Wash., followed by a reception on the bluffs overlooking the sea.

Choose growth, not revenge, priest says

Forgiveness doesn't mean to kiss and make up. "That's the last thing you want to do when somebody's done something hurtful," said the Rev. Jim Hanley, a Catholic priest who leads retreats on forgiveness at the Jesuit Retreat House in Los Altos.

Spiritual Life Briefs

The Jesuit Retreat House in Los Altos presents a retreat this weekend on women in scripture, touched by God, who encounter Jesus and live with grateful hearts.

Theater group bites into 'Giant Peach'

Special to the Town Crier

Queen for a day

Town Crier Staff Writer

Los Altos women win at fitness fair

The first Women's Fitness Celebration, sponsored by Los Altos-based éternelle Magazine, had local and world class athletes come out for the 10-kilometer run, 5-kilometer walk and Health & Fitness Fair.

Local pediatrician offers toy safety tips for holiday shoppers

Special to the Town Crier

Specialist offers hearing aid tips when eating in a restaurant

Marlene Glitzner, a licensed Los Altos hearing aid specialist, fits, repairs and sells hearing aids. She offers some hints: "Hearing aids are like a bicycle. You must first learn to ride before you can appreciate the experience."

10 tips for staying fit during the holidays

Special to the Town Crier