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Volume 50, Number 21, Published on 05/26/1997

News

Beautiful to behold - a top 10

Town Crier offers its list of favorite community sites

Beautiful to behold - a top 10

Town Crier offers its list of favorite community sites

Heavy rains, dry spring bring early fire season

Bob and Jan Fenwick are lucky.

Los Altos Hills residents vent over pathways

Faced with a petition signed by every resident on the street, the Los Altos Hills City Council agreed last week not to put an off-road pathway on Amherst Court and Liddicoat Circle.

Council reaches out and touches the town

At a recent meeting Los Altos council members reached out and touched the town.

Draft budget: LA Council goals vs. 'enhancement' money

At a study session to review the proposed two-year $13.8 million city budget that begins July 1, Los Altos City Council members focused on goals.

Child molestation trial may not happen after suspect suffers stroke

In a dramatic turn of events, the Los Altos resident known as "Grandpa Jim" suffered a stroke, said Palo Alto defense attorney Mike Armstrong.

The embarrassing things dads do

Dads seem to thrive on doing things that only they think are funny. It is as if a dad's only job description is to be embarrassing. Whenever I or my husband recount Dad stories, we inevitably wince and mutter "daaad!"

Letters to the Editor

We hear about, no, we are bombarded with reports on how badly our schools are doing, how America provides such a poor education to its children, how California ranks 47th in the nation in public education.

Editorial

There's no mystery to the success. Los Altos primary schools have always stressed academics first. Also equally important is the intense parental involvement in everything from teacher's assistants and curriculum to facilities upgrades, and the financial support from a strong Los Altos Educational Foundation and a district parcel tax in effect since 1989.

El Camino bell returns to MV

The El Camino Real bell is returning, thanks to the Mountain View Women's Club. A ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. today for erecting the historic bell at Gateway Park, the corner of El Camino Real and Castro Street. This is the second bell to be replaced.

Forum speaker ponders fate of Hong Kong

The Morning Forum of Los Altos audience found out May 20 there is plenty of unfinished business to settle before Hong Kong is handed back to China on July 1.

Local bicyclists enter California AIDS Ride 4

California AIDS Ride 4, sponsored by Tangueray, will bring together more than 2,500 cyclists participating in the 525-mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles on June 1-7.

Benefit art auction and drawing for CHAC

The Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) features Thomas Mangelsen and Ansel Adams, international prize-winning photographers, at "ART-TO-GO... and MORE!," its fourth annual art auction and drawing. The fund-raiser will be held at the Los Altos United Methodist Church at Magdalena Avenue and Foothill Expressway 2-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Pages of the Past

The May 31, 1972, issue of the Town Crier reported that volunteers from a variety of youth groups and service clubs rolled up their sleeves and got to work to transfer a Los Altos city-owned lot into a mini-park.

Library News

Howard Brodie is scheduled to speak 7:30 tonight on "Drawing Fire: A Combat Artist at War."

A Los Altos 'brush' with a guy formally known as prince

From the first time we see "Cinderella" or "Snow White" or "Swan Lake," how many of us dream of some day meeting a prince? But would we know what to do if that prince suddenly stood before us?

CAC Moffett Field report nears completion

By mid-June, the Mountain View and Sunnyvale city councils should have a final report from the Community Advisory Committee on Moffett Federal Airfield (CAC) in hand, according to committee member and Los Altos city councilman Bob Gray.

Almanac

Los Altos Hills Planning Commission, 7:30 p.m., 26379 Fremont Road.

Los Altos foundation to survey community needs

The Los Altos Community Foundation discussed conducting an assessment of what needs Los Altans see in their community at its May 21 meeting. LACF's grants and needs committee, co-chaired by Ann and George Limbach, will meet early in June to outline methodology for a community-needs assessment. The project is seen as a tool to direct LACF activities and could serve as a resource to other agencies.

Los Altos Weather

Highest scores ever for Los Altos students

Second and fifth graders in the Los Altos School District received the highest scores in district history on their annual achievement tests this year.

Romper Room's Nancy recalls hard world of Ukraine

Town Crier Staff Writer

Fremont scholarship honors plane crash victims

A scholarship fund in memory of Tom and Marcia Ewert has been established by the Fremont Union High School Foundation, honoring the Ewerts' passion for helping others.

Dan Haley retires after 'extraordinary' 23 years in Los Altos School District

Special to the Town Crier

Los Altos, local school districts share H-P grant for science education

Los Altos and Cupertino Union school districts are among eight area school districts receiving a total of $5.6 million in grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve science instruction in grades K-6.

Los Altos students plan a trip to Mars

The students were divided into 256 teams, with each group creating a homemade vehicle to take on a simulated trip to the red planet. Similar to NASA's current mission to Mars, the children were dared to design a robotic lander/rover that could accurately and safely crash-land onto the ancient Martian flood plain when released from high above the planet's surface.

Foothill-De Anza trustees approve salary increases for top officials

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees approved salary increases May 19 for the chancellor and the presidents of Foothill and De Anza colleges, and salary increases for administrators. The teaching faculty and staff previously received a 4 percent salary increase at the district board's April 7 meeting.

Noteworthies

Lynn H. Wang of Los Altos has been accepted by Youth For Understanding (YFU) International Exchange as an exchange student. Wang will live with a family in France on the YFU 1997 summer and tour program.

MV-LA foundation seeks volunteer

The Mountain View-Los Altos High School Foundation needs a volunteer to track prospective donors.

Springer Cub Scouts earn conservation award

The Cub Scouts of Springer School Pack 36, Den 6 have just completed the Cub Scout World Conservation Award and are receiving the award at their pack meeting this month. Those receiving the award are second graders Kevin Ford, Jeff Gray, Christopher James, Tyler Olsen, Jeffrey Paine and Stuart Tuvey.

Schools Briefs

It's happening again. For the 36th year, parents of the graduating class at Los Altos High School have been creating a party on the evening of graduation with a surprise theme.

Congratulations to the 866 students participating in this year's historical essay contest - winners one and all

Aaron Mandle

MVHS speech and debate season ends with flourish

In a whirlwind 12 days at the end of March, Mountain View High School Speech & Debate Team members vied with scores of other Santa Clara County high school students for the privilege of attending the state and national speech championships.

This week in sports

Baseball

St. Francis blasts Gilroy in first round

Special to the Town Crier

St. Francis ends season in CCS semis

Prep tennis

Gunn reaches out for fifth consecutive title

Town Crier Staff Writer

Sports Shorts

SOLO SWIMMER: This season, Los Altos resident Michelle Kohan, a senior at Mid-Peninsula High School, realized her dream of representing her tiny school at the Central Coast Section swimming championships. As the sole swimmer from Mid-Peninsula High, she placed 28th in the overall competition with 22 points, which included eighth-place finishes in the 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly. In the Girls Private School League finals, Kohan placed first in the 100 fly and second in the 200 free.

Los Altos alumni baseballers edge Eagle varsity guys, 10-9

Down 9-3, the alumni rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when they combined three walks and three hits. The big blow was a bases-loaded double by Jim Shaddock, who was also the winning pitcher.

Athlete of the Week

This freshman swimmer at Mountain View High qualified for the recent Central Coast Section championships in the 50- and 100-meter freestyles and 200-meter freestyle relay. In the 50 free, she placed fifth in the consolation finals.

Why your boss won't tell you the truth

Jean on the Job

Transactions

Los Altos

English-Spanish Real Estate Glossary points toward the future, senior editor says

Anyone needing to translate a real estate term into Spanish now has a new book available that can help make the transition quickly. The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University has published a much-expanded version of its popular English-Spanish Real Estate Glossary.

L'Arbre de la Vie offers diners California cuisine in Mountain View

People eat out a lot in the Los Altos area and with the constant changes restaurants go through, diners are always looking for a new restaurant and a new cuisine. I have been drawn to L'Arbre de la Vie, a charming little bistro type restaurant in a Mountain View shopping center, more than once. This "Tree of Life," is now about six months old.

Obituaries

Jessie H. Jackson, a 35-year resident of Los Altos Hills, died of breast cancer May 20 at El Camino Hospital.

Service News

Cline joined the Navy in 1984.

Anniversary

Barbara and Louis King celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year and are heading on their 51st on July 27.

Weddings & Engagements

Mary Elizabeth Konye and James (Jay) William Bishop were married on March 15 in a military wedding at St. Nicholas Church in Los Altos. The ceremony was followed by the traditional "Arch of Swords" and a reception was held at the Radisson Inn in Sunnyvale.

Gong rings out with dance showcase

Foothill College focus

A child's garden of earthly delights

Special to the Town Crier

The inside pitch from two local composters

Special to the Town Crier

Home Briefs

Gamble Garden Center's horticulturist Scott Loosley presents a workshop in summer pruning at the Center from 7 to 8:30 p.m. tomorrow. Using plant material from the gardens, he will demonstrate the correct way to shape roses, wisterias, and espaliered trees. Cost: $10 for members; $15 for non-members. For more information, call 329-1356.