Your lead story (March 25 cover story) and gracious editorial published on April 8 regarding El Camino Hospital operating under public control are very much appreciated. As a chronicler of events important to the community, you wield enormous influence. Recognizing our efforts in your paper was indeed gratifying.
In my extended career of more than four decades in four states and one U.S. territory, I've never seen a more honorable reversal of a newspaper's position than your editorial.
Distortions on the front page of a paper are often corrected next to the obituaries or classifieds on the back page. Rather than following that conventional practice, you put it right out there on the editorial page. That certainly reflects a great deal of integrity and class.
We at El Camino Hospital do not expect or request a free ride. Rap us when we're wrong, questions us when we err and most of all, be our friend.
As a public hospital responsible to the community of the El Camino Hospital District, we prosper and prevail as long as that community is with us. Your voice out there in a sea of anger, bitterness and despair with our industry will certainly ensure that El Camino Hospital is a strong and compassionate institution for the people we both serve.
Richard Warren
Chief executive officer & administrator
El Camino Hospital
It takes a big person or in this case, a big little paper to admit their errors. It was most satisfying to those of us who have stood by and worked for the betterment of the El Camino Hospital community through the recent crisis to see those that were on the wrong side of the issue admit their mistakes.
The editorial in the Town Crier of April 8, titled "Righting a wrong at El Camino Hospital," gave credit where credit was due and assigned blame where blame was warranted.
To complete the healing of the wounds, those of us in the medical community and by and large in the community as a whole, await apologies from the individuals who, because of their own selfish motivations, nearly ruined this community treasure.
In addition, we all await apologies by the board members who as individuals, did not listen to any voices outside the Sunnyvale Medical Clinic and in fact, wrote personally threatening letters to those of us who were courageous enough to speak up against the special interests which seemed determined to ruin El Camino Hospital.
Things will not be right in our community regarding this issue until those individuals also issue an apology.
Dr. Charles Barrett
Altos Oaks
Medical Group, Inc.
I, like you, am delighted by the incredible turnaround in El Camino Hospital operations. We have Paul Hoar, Dominick Curatola, Mark O'Connor and Mr. Richard Warren and his staff to thank for this (and many others behind the scenes).
I was also very impressed by your recent editorial, "Righting a wrong at El Camino Hospital." It is indeed rare in today's media to see such an honest and straightforward retraction of one's previous position on the issue. I, for one, was very critical of the Los Altos Town Crier during the entire hospital/IDS fiasco. I called into question publicly at the El Camino Hospital District board meetings the integrity of your reporting.
Your editorial goes a long way towards regaining my respect for your newspaper. So now I publicly say, "congratulations."
Wendell D. Ferguson, M.D.
Chief of Medical Staff
El Camino Hospital
My husband and I read, with great relief and interest, your editorial (April 1). John is a physician on the staff at El Camino Hospital and the direction of the hospital has been very discouraging over the past several years. The situation was very confusing and the Town Crier was not supportive of the district hospital.
You are to be commended on your current reporting - a lengthy, factual article (March 25 cover story) and editorial.
Sue and John Becker
(No address given)
Loyola Corners benefiting from city's specific plan
This is a response to Charles Halleck's April 1 letter, "Lots of plans signifying nothing," that states, "... nothing in that (Loyola Corners) specific plan has been implemented."
Since its inception in 1991, the Loyola Corners Business Improvement District, in cooperation with the city, has accomplished virtually all of Phase IA of the two-phase specific plan. Phase 1B is partially complete.
Many parts of Phase II of the specific plan have already been completed or are in process. Additionally, following guidelines in the specific plan, Loyola Meats, Fish & Deli did a major remodel and expansion, as did 1000 Fremont Ave. When the Beacon station was remodeled, a Loyola Corners entry feature was incorporated into the improvements. Currently, B & B Associates, the new owners of the former Whitecliff office building at 935 Fremont Ave., are doing a complete remodel and upgrading of that structure - all in accordance with the specific plan.
Those parts of Phases I and II which will require years of time and millions of dollars to complete are not under consideration in the foreseeable future.
The main goal of the specific plan to "encourage and facilitate the long-term viability of commercial activity at Loyola Corners" has been addressed, creating great improvements over what Loyola Corners looked like 10 years ago. When the new full-service post office branch is completed on the former Safeway site on Miramonte Avenue, we expect more customers to discover Loyola Corners.
We hope that the businesses in the "North Entry" area of Los Altos will also benefit from a similar type of public-private partnership.
Tom Andrews
President, Loyola Corners
Business Improvement District