Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Volume 49, Number 51, Published on 12/09/1996

News

Police officer trial starts, DA files more charges

After spending four days this week in Superior Court in San Jose for the opening of his criminal trial on 12 charges including felony sexual assault, former Los Altos Police Officer Rafael Rosario will scoot over to Municipal Court on Friday for a hearing on two new charges filed Nov. 1.

For the sake of children

Town Crier Staff Writer

Robber stalks, robs downtown merchant

The night before Thanksgiving, a robber knocked down a Main Street merchant, kicked her, grabbed her purse with the days' receipts, and sped off on a motorcycle with a waiting buddy.

125 LAH streets still considered private

Based on the town's scaled maps, there are 92 miles of streets in Los Altos Hills. Of this total, 49 miles are publicly owned and maintained, while 43 miles are considered privately owned. The Town considers the more than 125 streets to be private with no money in the budget to maintain these private streets.

Los Altos City Council affirms earlier vote to go with Central Fire

At a special meeting Sunday, Los Altos City Council members voted 3-2 to sign the fire services contract with the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District "immediately."

Hospital district to review job center legality after hearing opposition

St. Joseph the Worker Job Center is again meeting with opposition, this time from a group that questions the funding of such a center for "illegal aliens."

In Brief

When a Filip Road resident came home about noon Dec. 2, she discovered that her house had been broken into, police said.

Molestation hearing postponed due to officer's illness

The Tuesday hearing scheduled for alleged Los Altos child molester Jim Stiritz has been postponed until after the holidays.

Near-drowning has happy ending

Town Crier Staff Writer

Adobe Creek flood plan subject of public hearing

The Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors will hold a public hearing Thursday evening to hear input on a proposed flood control plan for a 7.5-mile stretch of Adobe Creek in Los Altos.

LAH council rattles LAGCo again

Los Altos Garbage Company's new general manager, Bill Jones, recently visited the Los Altos Hills City Council to introduce himself.

Comment

Letters to the Editor

While driving north on Foothill Expressway the other day, I was two cars behind a Los Altos police car. At the red light at Foothill and El Monte, the patrol car turned off Foothill onto El Monte barely slowing down, and definitely not stopping before making his right turn. At the next light (El Monte and Covington), just a short block away, the same officer drove through a very "stale yellow" light. Had these moving violations been committed by any other community driver, he most likely would have been stopped and perhaps ticketed.

Saying goodbye at San Jose airport

A Side of Clyde

Perspectives about religion prove uninformed

Other Voices

Community

Deaf cat needs a new home

The deaf, white-furred cat that Karen Dick of Mountain View came to call Emma, had a history of neglect and abuse for most of her 9 years, the way Dick described her.

Senior Briefs

Friday: Noon, A turkey meal and all the trimmings is on the menu, with entertainment by The Peninsula Chorus. Reservations are due by Dec. 11. Cost is $3 with activity card, $6 without.

Almanac

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board, 7:30 p.m., district office, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos.

Morning Forum speaker explains how failure analysis works

Dr. Angela Meyer, director of marketing for Failure Analysis Associates, told the Dec. 3 Morning Forum of Los Altos audience that things we can learn about disasters can save our lives.

Sunbird Gallery returns downtown with new location and a new look

Ingrid Jackson-MacDonald, owner of Sunbird Gallery, is enthusiastic about bringing what she considers the finest original art to the community. Known for excellent Southwest art, Sunbird has a new location at 333 First St. in Los Altos. The official Sunbird opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be this Friday, with a cocktail reception from 5:30-8 p.m.

Avoid the 13 kicks off on Friday the 13th

County police officers kick off their annual Avoid the 13 crackdown on drinking drivers on Friday the 13th.

MROSD closes preserve trails due to wet weather

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has closed several trails due to recent rains, citing possible safety hazards.

Crew films children's video in downtown Los Altos

Downtown residents had the opportunity to star in their own movie last summer when local video producers from Raindrop Entertainment filmed a good portion of their new children's release, "The Adventures of Two Piggy Banks - Learning to Save" at various locations in Los Altos.

Sun Country Cable realigns service in LAH

Sun Country Cable representatives told Los Altos Hills council members last week the cable television company has realigned its system in response to numerous complaints about poor service.

Volunteer service awards given to 11 local residents

The 14th annual Community Volunteer Service Awards were presented Dec. 6 to 11 volunteers whose sole criteria for selection is the value of the volunteer's contribution to the community. The selection was made by the Los Altos-Los Altos Hills Volunteer Awards Committee and announced at a luncheon and reception at the Los Altos Youth Center.

Cover all your food options in the event of a disaster

Various public agencies will be busy in a disaster, such as a major earthquake. Residents should be prepared to be on their own a minimum of 72 hours.

Los Altos Hills arts program draws rave reviews

Special to the Town Crier

Socially Speaking

Fifty Memorable Years: Bill and Ruth Spencer of Los Altos celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past September and what a celebration! Their children Andrea, Renee and Craig arranged a weekend in Victoria, B.C., complete with ferry ride, "high tea," horse drawn carriage ride through the town, and finally topped off with a two-day train ride through the Canadian Rockies to Jasper. Every detail was planned and they were treated like royalty which made Ruth comment, "We felt like newlyweds all over again." Congratulations on 50 wonderful years!

Donations sought for tree lights downtown

The donations go to cover costs of new light strings, maintenance, repair and the labor force to put lights up and take them down. Organizers said they need to raise approximately $10,000.

Pages of the Past

The Dec. 15, 1971, issue of the Town Crier glanced backward in local history to recount the early days of the first school in Los Altos. The one-room, one-teacher school was located on a 2-acre site near Robleda and Purissima Roads in Los Altos Hills.

Library News

"Enclosed please find a check in the amount of $25. This is to cover the cost of a hard-cover book and two paperbacks I stole about 23 years ago from your library." The writer was trying to make amends for the crime committed as a teen.

Community Briefs

Volunteer elves and Santa helpers are needed to assist with the Community Services Agency's 39th annual Santa Claus Exchange.

'Mystery' enthusiast-author signs at Heintzelman's Bookstore

If there is a mystery to be told, there must be a host to tell it. That host is Ron Miller, introducing a new book titled "Mystery, A Celebration."

Los Altos Weather

Schools

School Briefs

Los Altos High School (LAHS) presents a Winter Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 18 at the First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto, 625 Hamilton Ave.

County to refund taxpayers after overcharging for high school bond measure

Special to the Town Crier

'Fruitcake refreshment' continues at Foothill

Every holiday season brings the renewal of a tradition begun 39 years ago at the December meeting of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. This tradition, the only known activity that has endured from the beginning of the district, is known as "fruitcake refreshment."

Santa Rita helpers make eating more colorful

Special to the Town Crier

Sports

St. Francis shocks Oak Grove, 34-6

Town Crier Staff Writer

This Week in Sports

Wrestling

Owls fall in final-8 tourney

Volleyball roundup

Santos, Brazzel scoring big for Los Altos girls hoopsters

Town Crier Staff Report

Sports Shorts

TOPS IN COLLEGE: Junior striker Martina Holan of Los Altos was recently named to the 1996 NSCAA/Umbro All-Central Region second team for women's soccer. Holan, who led Colorado College in scoring for the second consecutive season with 14 goals and five assists for 34 points overall, was credited with five game-winning tallies as the Tigers posted a 10-8-1 record.

Eagles are fit, on the ball for season

Los Altos soccer preview

Locals leave mark on NCAA tourney

Fair, a freshman defender from Los Altos High, entered Sunday's final in the 25th minute and contributed well to the Tar Heels' solid back-row performance. She also shifted into offensive gear with several long up-field runs, leaving Notre Dame's players in the dust.

Kara Griffiths is Menlo's shooting star

Athlete spotlight

Business & Real Estate

Dear manager: keep these thoughts in mind

Dear manager: Stop complaining about your employee. Talk straight. "I want to be able to work with you." " I want us to be a team." "Your behavior is sabotaging our teamwork." "I'm willing to listen to what you need from me - and I want you to listen to me."

Stocks for grandchildren - gifts that go a long way

History has shown that when you hold a common equity over a length of time, it will increase in value. This Christmas, a good, prudent gift suggestion for grandchildren would be common stocks. When they are ready for college they can cash them in to pay their tuition. It's also a good way to give $10,000 (IRS allowance per person) as a non-taxable gift to each grandchild.

MySki, Inc. makes jump to Los Altos

If you're a conventional powder skier who carves fine round turns at any speed and skies through changing snow conditions without bouncing or deflecting, you can order a customized ski from the Internet to pursue your sport.

Realtors find new way to give

Leave it to the Realtors in Los Altos and Mountain View to team up and find a creative way to make a difference in someone else's life. Each holiday season it's their tradition to maintain that link between the needy and the community during the holiday season by working with the Community Service Agency.

Transactions

Los Altos

Coldwell again undertakes Operation: One Warm Coat

Both Los Altos Coldwell Banker offices provide a drop-off box to collect warm coats from the community and distribute the coats to the area's homeless and others in need.

Outdated computer software may plague firms in year 2000

The survey was developed by RHI Consulting, a leading specialized staffing service located in Cupertino.

Weekly Special

Los Altos residents gain Peace Corps experiences in Papua New Guinea

Special to the Town Crier

It's summer in winter at Bus Barn

Town Crier Staff Report

Obituaries

Alberta Kingsbury, a native of Iowa, died at the Covenant Care of Los Altos Nov. 20. She was 83.

Local services St. Francis grad presumed killed in crash

Lt. Col. John W. Keyes, a 26-year veteran of the United States Air Force, was a man with a sense of humor and compassion for others.

Weddings & Engagements

Elise Estess and Randy Gabrielson were married Oct. 26 at Stanford Memorial Church followed by a reception at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton.