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Published on 07/20/1998 All articles from this issue

Pages of the Past

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25 years ago in the Town Crier

As reported in the Aug. 1, 1973, issue of the Town Crier, Summit Wood Road, the street that had been disclaimed for 13 years, finally had a proven owner, the town of Los Altos Hills.

Residents on the road told the shocked council and staff that county records proved the road was not a private street, as previously maintained by the town, but a public throughway for which the town was responsible. The town had formally accepted the road in April 1957. According to the seven families on the road, an estimated $80,000 in repairs were needed, along with adequate police protection and enforcement of speed laws.

A garbage rate hike of "no more than 15 percent - more likely 12 percent" for the year was sought by the Los Altos Garbage Company to support pay raises granted to the company's drivers in settling a one-day strike in July 1973.

The drivers, union members, had been earning $4.33 an hour. The new contract provided a total hourly pay increase of $1.80 over the following three years.

Michael Sisolak of Boy Scout Troop 103, St. Simon Parish of Los Altos, was presented his Eagle Scout Award in a Court of Honor on July 29, 1973. An eighth grader at St. Simon, Michael organized his troop to collect canned goods, staples and gifts for Christmas baskets to be distributed to needy families. The troop distributed more than 60 baskets of food through the project.

50 years ago in the Los Altos News

As reported in the July 29, 1948, issue of the Los Altos News, the Citizens Association took its first definite step toward setting up a local zoning plan by preparing and mailing letters to individuals and to active groups and clubs in town.

The letter made a plea for community effort in setting up a foresighted type of city planning with well-planned business areas and pleasant, tree-lined residential districts.

Los Altos eighth grader Dick Jones won second place honors in the Soap Box Derby held in Redwood City by clipping along at the speed of 25.2 seconds per 1,000 feet. Dick, who had built his own racer, planned to compete next in the finals in San Francisco with other Bay Area contestants.

In a twist of the unusual, a fire was brought to local firemen when a truck rolled up to the station on July 26, 1948. The blaze was quickly extinguished.

Not so slight, however, was a fire on Page Mill Road with nearly 100 acres of land burned in the six-hour fire. Arson was suspected.

- Ellen Shaw of the Los Altos History House Association