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Published on 11/30/1998 All articles from this issue

News Briefs

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Rash of car break-ins along '280 corridor'

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office wants folks in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills to know there is a rash of break-ins of vehicles parked near Highway 280. And it's coming this way.

Lately this has happened to cars parked by joggers or walkers who then head up on trails into the hills.

On a recent Saturday there were four break-ins in a one-hour period. All were joggers, each of whom returned to find a car window smashed and all their valuables gone, said Detective Ken Taylor with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

It happened just over the border in San Mateo County. But Taylor said this could easily come down the "280 corridor" into Santa Clara County. He said Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, known as affluent areas, are considered places where "pickings are great."

His warning to joggers: Look around when you park your car before leaving it. "This guy doesn't look like he's jogging," Taylor said. "Just because you lock your things into the trunk, they are not safe," if someone watches you do it.

If you do see someone hanging out, who doesn't look like he's on a jog, call 911, Taylor said.

Planning department revenues on the rise

For the city's fiscal year that began July 1, planning department revenue continues to be off the chart. Four months into the year revenue is already at about 50 percent of the estimate for the whole year, said Larry Tong, planning director for the city of Los Altos.

Last year, with permit activity at a torrid pace, planning department revenue was $200,000 over budget, Tong said in a Nov. 19 staff report to the Los Altos City Council.

A portion of the 1997-98 excess, $6,000, was carried forward to hire a planning department intern, Tong said.

Intern Aaron Sage helps with on-going projects, performs the address review for the 2000 census and helps maintain existing service levels during a time of high volume permit applications, Tong said.

Sage will also be working on the Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program, a county-wide program, in which city participation is required as a condition of the city's permit to discharge sewage into San Francisco Bay.

The city's goal is to reduce runoff from development.

Applicants sought for hospital board

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian is seeking candidates for a four-year term on the El Camino Hospital District Board of Directors.

The vacancy was created when board member Dianna Adair chose not to run for another term and no one stepped forward to fill her spot. Board member Mark O'Connor, also up for reelection in 1998, was unopposed and automatically received another term.

The Board of Supervisors is responsible for filling vacancies on district boards within the county caused by resignation or lack of candidates.

People interested in the hospital board position should contact Amy Carta at (408) 299-2323.

- Joanne Griffith Domingue and Carol Tiegs