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Published on 12/29/1999 All articles from this issue

Letters to the Editor

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Home article was propaganda

Your Dec. 8 story, "Changing Look of Los Altos," was a masterpiece of one-sided propaganda.

Interviewed and quoted as to the direction Los Altos is taking were four developers, one realtor and a granite sales company owner.

Thrown in was a generous plug for a local architect well known for his remodels.

Totally ignored was any commentary from the neighborhoods, either from residents who have suffered from the nouveau rich building frenzy or from those who have successfully fought it off.

Your statement, "The biggest difference between today's and yesterday's homes ... are invisible to the casual observer," is blatantly incorrect.

A monster-sized two-story house intruded into a tree-filled neighborhood of cozy ranch style homes is definitely visible.

If the only difference were interior upgrades and state-of-the-art electronics and appliances, no one would begrudge the owners their conveniences, but this is not the case.

You owe your readers an article about neighborhoods that prefer to retain their original look, have fought for it, and have won.

Joyce M. SmithLos Altos

Check smoke alarms, prevent tragedies

My future mother-in-law and

fiance lost five family members last year. Her husband of 18 years passed away in February and her stepson and three grandchildren died in the Christmas morning fire in Santa Clara.

We would just like to say we do not want others to experience the pain of such tragic deaths and please take the few minutes it takes to check their smoke alarms.

On a more festive note, we are very proud of the light display on our home.

We invite everyone to drive by and enjoy the scene at the corner of Almond and Alicia.

Cindy SmithLos Altos

Child care should be a top priority in Los Altos

Hennelore Engelman's letter to the Town Crier (Dec.15) is a beautiful statement for a community commitment to the highest quality of childcare.

The care and nurturing of children from birth through age 5 should be top national priority.

In Los Altos, we have the energy, imagination and resources to become a model community in which to raise children.

Let's do whatever it takes, and include opportunties for us seniors to contribute locally to the welfare of our children.

Katrina M. SmathersLos Altos

Story covered only one side

(Regarding the Dec. 8 cover story, "Changing look of Los Altos"):

Many people, including lots of recent buyers, chose Los Altos for its single story laidback atmosphere, and that is what has caused the appreciation of the price of Los Altos land.

Take that all way, and cover it over the wall-to-wall, two-story monsters and eventually you have the version of the rundown 1920s land booms from which people have moved away to the single sotry suburbs.

You have given the greedy gluttons who live off the desire for ostentation a full and open soap box.

What has happened to the practice of a balanced view of the news?

You have given the residents of Los Altos a kick in the teeth unworthy of a reputable newspaper.

One who bought into a town I like and was proud of.

Tom Anderson

Los Altos