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Volume 50, Number 51, Published on 12/22/1997

News

Angels

Town Crier Staff Writer

Joy To The World!

Bruce Barton

A year: Looking back

January

Troubled Silicon Graphics reaches out with big gifts to two local charities

After corporate soul-searching, Mountain View-based Silicon Graphics has scrapped its annual employee Christmas party in favor of major donations to two charities.

Good times coming for Community Foundation

Town Crier Staff Writer

Council drops environmental study of Hillview center, looks to Covington

Town Crier Staff Writer

Purissima Hills board still sitting on buyout offer from Cal Water

Purissima Hills Water District at a glance

Council Roundup

The Los Altos City Council approved an application for a new three-unit apartment complex for 560 Gabilan St. at its Dec. 16 meeting.

2 area hospitals score high on heart attack survival rates

Heart attack patients had better than expected survival rates at both El Camino Hospital and Stanford University Hospital, according to a statewide study recently released by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

News Briefs

Tree Farm project review

Cops snap cuffs on 4 during local sobriety checkpoint

Town Crier Staff Writer

Comment

Christmas story according to Luke

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

Letters to the Editor

There has been some misleading information passed around about what kind of animal has been sighted or tracks observed in Los Altos Hills.

The art of giving and receiving

Editor's Notebook

Santa and the gambler

Other Voices

Millennium Eve is coming! Let's party!

by Paul Nyberg

Observations on the eve of 1998

On the surface, the year 1947 could be considered one of those lackluster post-war, pre-1950s sleepers. However, 1947 was an amazing year. The transistor, the cornerstone of Silicon Valley, was invented that year. The Andrew Sisters were singing their hearts out, Jack Benny was the comedy king and cars were rolling off the assembly lines after a five-year hiatus for World War II.

Letter to the Editor

During this season of peace and goodwill, I am dismayed by the fur coats and fur-trimmed items I see displayed in the stores. There is no peace for wild animals this time of year when trappers set out steel-jaw leg-hold traps in California's wild lands. What I see are animals suffering and dying in traps to provide fur fashion statements. The cruelty of trapping belies the very spirit of this season.

I'm looking over a 4-wheel Rover

as told to David MacKenzie

Community

Los Altos Weather

Police Report

Dec. 15, 10:18 a.m., 1400 block of Redwood Drive: A caller reported that her front door was "egged" Dec. 13 and the stain on the door damaged it.

LAH mom honored for work on autism

Los Altos Hills mother Connie Frenzel was honored Dec. 10 by Parents Helping Parents for her efforts on behalf of persons with disabilities.

Community Briefs

The Los Altos Library Arts Committee invites artists to submit original artworks Jan. 2 in the program room of the library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos.

Homeless in Los Altos? Believe it, say school, CSA officials

While hundreds of Los Altos families will spend the holiday season hanging mistletoe, eating turkey or lighting menorahs, one Los Altos family will be sleeping in a home without a tree, any holiday lights, a kitchen or even a bathroom.

Holiday Calendar

Free referral list for Hanukkah events

Morning Forum covers 7,000 years of wine through art

Special to the Town Crier

Input welcome on updating list of nonprofit groups

The first directory, featuring nearly 50 groups, appeared in last week's paper.

Pages of the Past

The 13th annual Midnight Run, an event co-sponsored by the Town Crier and Runner's World Magazine, was a ritual greeting of the new year, and, each year, it set the first official record in Los Altos.

Pet tips: 'Them bones' not good for pooch

Holiday time presents some situations which can be hazardous to your pet's health. A little planning and some precautions will keep the holidays a happy time for everyone.

Library News

Artwork judging for all shows will be this Saturday. Art should be submitted between 3-6 p.m. Friday, in the library program room. All works must be framed for hanging and measure no less than 8 by 10 inches. For more information, call 961-4218.

Pages of the Past

The Dec. 27, 1972, edition of the Town Crier reported that Christmas decorations ranging from a moving Santa and prancing reindeer to a set of life-size replicas of Peanuts characters captured awards in two annual Los Altos holiday decorating contests.

Community Briefs

The Los Altos Parks and Recreation department is sponsoring its annual rose pruning workshop from 10 a.m. to noon this Saturday in the rose garden at the Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, 482 University Ave., Los Altos.

Police Report

Dec. 19, 3:59 p.m.. 100 block of Marvin Ave: A woman reported the theft of a skateboard ramp from the front of her residence between 5 and 7 a.m.

Celebrating in moderation: Tips for managing New Year's Eve food

Special to the Town Crier

Almanac

City offices closed for New Year's Day.

Santa loses pants during Aurora Singers' holiday concert

Special to the Town Crier

Weddings

Tanya Katherine Smith and William Charles Streit were married July 19 at Imaculata, University of San Diego. A reception followed at La Valencia Hotel, La Jolla.

National recognition for local game creator

Her current creation, Card Caper®, is available for sale at Toys R Us and FAO Schwarz. It retails for about $16.

Holidays hard time to call post office

The Postal Service's new 800 customer service number, arriving just in time for the holidays, has put a chink in the holiday cheer of at least one Los Altos area resident.

Anniversaries

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Quinones of Los Altos celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Nov. 1. Residents of Los Altos since 1963, they have one son, Michael, who lives in Idaho.

Obituaries

Dennis Volarvich, a private investigator at Digital Equipment, died in Fremont Dec. 10. A native of San Francisco, he was 44.

Library News

The next meeting will be Feb. 4 The book selection will be announced in January. For more information, call 948-7048.

Almanac

City offices closed for Christmas holiday.

Los Altos Weather

Schools

Egan students take charge of their funds

Town Crier Staff Writer

Los Altos resident: Reflections, from one-room schoolhouse to supe

Town Crier Staff Writer

Noteworthies

Catherine Cabot, daughter of Mathew A. and Christine H. Cabot of Los Altos, received a Campbell Music Scholarship from Whitman College last month. The scholarship is awarded to candidates for admission who demonstrate outstanding musical talent.

School Briefs

Kids ages six to 12 are invited to a New Year's Eve sleepover at Twisters Kids in Mountain View. The sleepover will be supervised by adult experts and will feature dinner, gymnastics, rock climbing, dancing, G-rated movies, games, prizes, snacks and breakfast.

Fremont trustees to ask for bond measure

Members of the Fremont Union High School District Board of Trustees unanimously voted to ask for a special election on April 14 for a general obligation bond measure during the regular school board meeting Dec. 9.

Schools join Red Cross to give toys to needy families

Students from Los Altos, St. Francis and Pinewood high schools joined Foothill College to help collect hundreds of toys for the annual American Red Cross toy giveaway program, which provides gifts to needy families during the holiday season.

Noteworthies

Matthew Robert Comfort, son of Lawrence and Bernice Comfort of Los Altos, received his doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco during the June commencement ceremony.

Los Altos schools: 1997 in review

Between the waiting for new state school standards and achievement tests and the approval of district budgets, 1997 was a year of hellos and farewells, upgrades, reorganizations and banner achievements for Los Altos schools.

Schools Briefs

Parents of preschool children who will be attending kindergarten in the Los Altos School District in the fall 1998 are invited to attend an informational meeting at 7:30 p.m. on either Jan. 22 or Jan. 27 at Almond School's multipurpose room, 550 Almond Ave. in Los Altos.

Student profile: Local girl studies in Germany

Los Altos resident Emily Wildanger is spending her junior year of high school studying in Germany through Youth for Understanding International Exchange.

Sports

Sports On The Side

A NEW YEAR'S TWIST: Twister Kids in Mountain View invites girls and boys ages 6-12 to the 29th annual Twist into the New Year overnight party. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 31 and continues until 9 a.m. Jan. 1. Guests can partake in gymnastics, dancing, rock climbing, dinner, games and movies. The Twisters certified staff will be on-site all night. Admission is $45 for members and $55 for nonmembers. Additional family members receive a $10 discount. Proceeds will be donated to the Twisters Kids scholarship fund. For reservations and more information, call 967-5581.

Lady Owls come to life against two ranked teams

The Foothill women's basketball team snapped a five-game losing streak with home wins over two ranked opponents last week.

A note to our readers

We will try to recap some of these games in our next issue. The Town Crier apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused our readers.

Los Altos wrestlers take hold of success

Prep roundup

Town Crier's top 10 sports stories of '97

As local sports go, this was a year to remember. A lot of high school teams and individuals either won Central Coast Section championships or made serious runs at them. And one team surprised us by simply being competitive. The Town Crier's top 10 sports stories of the year appear below:

Thoughts from the trenches: Howard reflects on Stanford season

Town Crier Staff Writer

Lady Owls playing in De Anza Classic

Foothill men fall to .500

St. Francis Tournament attracts top teams

Special to the Town Crier

Hartley is national player of the year

The honors continue to pile up for St. Francis High volleyball star Niki Hartley.

Rossi lays claim to spot in UCLA Hall of Fame

Cal Rossi found out back in August that he had been selected for induction into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame.

Pinewood girls crush Menlo at Branson tourney

Prep basketball roundup

Sports On The Side

VOLLEYBALL VICTORY: The Stanford women's volleyball team, which features Los Altos High grad Lisa Sharpley, won the national title Dec. 20 in Spokane, Wash. The Cardinal defeated Penn State in five games to capture its third national crown in four years. Sharpley, a senior, was the team's starting setter.

This Week in Local Sports

Boys Basketball

Two locals hope to bowl over the competition

Town Crier Staff Writer

Business & Real Estate

Demo, rent or buy at Demo Active Sports

By Joanne Griffith Domingue and Carol Tiegs

Regis McKenna talks about keys to business success in 'Real Time'

Today's successful companies need to take new approaches to creating brand and customer loyalty, according to Regis McKenna, author of "Real Time: Preparing for the age of the never satisfied customer."

Bicycle Outfitter wheels away with awards

Town Crier Staff Writer

Transactions

Cupertino

Remodeling in Los Altos Hills: Steps to approval

Considering a remodel project or new construction in Los Altos Hills?

Transactions

Week of Dec. 21

Brokers, customers embrace online real estate

In the Silicon Valley and beyond, online home buying and selling has become part of daily business.

Weekly Special

Weddings

Ruth Elizabeth McCunn and David King Finsthwait were married July 25 in an evening candlelight service at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. A dinner dance reception followed at the Palo Alto Hills Country Club.

Obituaries

Harry W. True, a building contractor and owner of True Construction in Los Altos, died at the Menlo Park Veterans Hospital Dec. 17. A Los Altos resident and a native of Mountain View, he was 74.

'Moon Over Buffalo' is one long laugh

Special to the Town Crier

Champagne and global warming

Special to the Town Crier

Dreaming of a Pink Christmas:

Town Crier Staff Writer

Home Briefs

The City of Los Altos Recreation Department will sponsor a Rose Pruning Workshop from 10 a.m. to noon on Jan. 3 at the Redwood Grove Nature Preserve (482 University Ave., Los Altos). Local rosarians Virginia Masero, Lynette and John Petrula and Barbara Gordon will conduct this workshop, which is free of charge. For more information call 941-0950.

Local TV producer creates "home tours" of Bay Area realty listings

"The Bay Area Home Showplace Tour," the brainchild of Brian McCarthy, a Los Altos resident, will provide TV and Internet viewers with a convenient way to check out upscale Bay Area real estate.

32,000 lights in Los Altos holiday display

How long does it take to hang 32,000 twinkling white lights? Peter Gregg of Los Altos, with the help of his children Laura, 12 and Robert, 9, spends three days creating a spectacular combination of outdoor holiday scenes in his front yard. The roof, the boxwood hedges, the driveway, the porch - everything imaginable is covered with lights, both inside and outside the Gregg home.

New Start Furniture Fund: Free furniture for qualified, needy families

The holiday spirit glows year-round at the New Start Furniture Fund warehouse in Menlo Park, near Bayshore Freeway. A good way to continue the season's warm feelings is to donate unused household items, which are delivered directly to needy Peninsula families.