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Published on 12/22/1997 All articles from this issue

Observations on the eve of 1998

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The Town Crier reached the five-decade mark this past September, one of a handful of Los Altos businesses that have survived that long. Launched in 1947 by Dave MacKenzie, still a Los Altos Hills resident and occasional columnist, the paper not only survived but became a community institution.

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.

Not only was the Town Crier born in 1947. So were Hillary Clinton, Elton John and David Letterman. And people died that year too, like Henry Ford and Bugsy Siegel.

Neither Los Altos nor Los Altos Hills was incorporated as a city by 1947, but downtown Los Altos was on the grow: there were two hardware stores, two grocery stores and two new car dealers. But alas, not one nail salon.

We cannot foresee what our communities will be like in 2047, 50 years hence, but we will take a stab at next year. Here are some of our predictions for 1998:

Los Altos city hall will make a final decision about the location and plans for a gymnasium/sports complex as part of the Covington school site adjacent to the Rosita open space.

The park (Twin Palms Park?) at San Antonio and Edith will be completed and available for the public to enjoy.

The feasibility for a downtown inn will get a complete review with plans to move forward.

The Los Altos Planning Commission will go for at least a month with no resignations.

The long overdue, ready-for-the-20th-century science complexes at both Mountain View and Los Altos high schools will be completed and dedicated with great fanfare.

Planning sessions on how to improve the "Sherwood Triangle" at the north entrance to Los Altos at San Antonio and El Camino will go nowhere.

El Camino Hospital District Board will appoint a replacement for board member Mark O'Connor, who will resign due to his vandalism conviction earlier this month.

Los Altans will continue to dream of a downtown movie theater, a dream that could inch closer to becoming a reality in the next 12 months.

There will be a move toward "peace in the hills" as warring factions discover that discussion beats dissension and compromise beats confrontation. A new face will be elected to the Los Altos Hills town council.

St. Francis High girls' volleyball will win another sectional championship.

Los Altos City Council will stop talking about hiring a new city manager and actually hire one.

The Los Altos Village Association's annual Art and Wine Festival will attract another record crowd in July.

Continued growing enrollments will force the elementary school board to reopen Covington School, and a bond initiative to fund much-needed upgrades to the entire elementary school infrastructure will find favor with voters.

Los Altos High's head football coach Ron Moser will continue to inspire the team and win the district championship.

The July 4 dedication of the new Los Altos Veteran's Memorial in Shoup Park will draw a crowd of 500 people.

The Town Crier will make thousands of people really glad, and at least 100 readers really mad.

Looks like a good year ahead. Happy New Year!