Redwood Grove supporters plan for future

The tall redwood trees still tower above the oak and madrone. Lush and laden blackberry bushes still fill the space below them. The creek bed still winds its way along the dusty trails filled with footprints. And the sounds of happy campers still ring through the forest floor of Redwood Grove, Los Altos’ secluded 5.9-acre nature preserve tucked off the beaten path of University Avenue.

Deer and squirrels still visit each morning and butterflies still light on blossoms. The songbirds sing, the stellar jays screech, all oblivious to the preserve’s program changes instituted earlier this year with the departure of Keith Gutierrez, the park’s longtime naturalist and program coordinator of 15 years.

Local candidates begin to file

The nomination period to file for the Nov. 4 election opened July 14, and most prospective candidates have until Aug. 8 to commit to a race.

Three seats on the Los Altos Hills City Council are on the November ballot. Incumbent Jean Mordo has indicated his intent to run for re-election, while incumbent Craig Jones said he does not plan to run for a second term. Newcomers Rich Larsen, Pathways Committee Chairwoman Ginger Summit and former Los Altos Hills Mayor Toni Casey, president of the town’s Civic Association, have taken out nomination papers but had not filed as of the Town Crier’s Monday press deadline, Jost said.

Sewer motions stir up funding-related debate

Two sewer problems, both related to how the city funds its sewer system, have prompted the Los Altos City Council and residents to pay particular attention to wastewater management this week.

The council was scheduled to consider two agenda items, after press deadline Tuesday, regarding an almost twofold sewer rate increase and the disbursement of the millions of dollars the city scored from the sale of a former wastewater treatment facility last winter.

Water costs to increase this month

California Water Service Co., Los Altos’ water provider, raised rates 21.7 percent effective this month after winning approval from the California Public Utilities Commission.

“That’s going to allow us to implement several capital improvement projects, improve water quality, build new water mains and improve the security of water facilities, as well as cover increased costs of centralized services such as payroll, benefits, health care, pension costs, taxes, fuel and facility maintenance,” Cal Water District Manager Ron Richardson said.

LA money remains unclaimed in state coffers

Although Los Altos’ city administrators often hit the news because they are embroiled in rate increases or permit protests, they do sponsor the occasional project aimed at putting money back in residents’ wallets.

Paul Epley, a Los Altos Police Department sergeant on special assignment to city hall, wants to build citizen awareness about the tens, maybe hundreds, of thousands of dollars sitting in a special account at the California State Controller’s Office, awaiting reclamation.

Police Blotter

Cell-phone citations scanty in Los Altos

Los Altos Police Sgt. Matt Hartley reported that the department issued 13 citations to drivers during the first 12 days the cell-phone ban was in effect. As of July 1, drivers using cell phones without hands-free devices such as Bluetooth or a headset face fines of $75 or more.

Marion Grimm remembered as instrumental in creation of museum

Los Altos enjoys one of the best historical community museums in the Bay Area, thanks to Marion Grimm. Perhaps more than anyone else, it was Mrs. Grimm who led the charge for the current state-of-the-art museum that has become one of the city’s central attractions.

Editorial

Here are our quick takes on recent local news events:

Letters to the Editor

Kudos to hardware store

I’d like to share an observation and point of appreciation of a local merchant, the Los Altos True Value Hardware Store, 441 First St. At a time when much press is given to the negative financial effect of big-box national chain stores on local stores, I offer an observation on the effective market niche held by some of our smaller merchants.

No Shoes, Please

I just got back from two weeks in Japan, and you might think I would be basking in some glow over fond memories of that trip, but I’m not.

Wedding: Christine Paczkowski and Jurjen Westra

Christine Paczkowski and Jurjen Westra were married June 27 in Lake Tahoe.

The bride, daughter of George and Kathy Paczkowski of Payson, Ariz., graduated from Ponca City High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Duke University. She plans to attend medical school at Harvard University in the fall.

Engagement: Ariana Green and Colin Clark

Ariana Catherine Green and Colin Patrick Clark have announced their engagement to be married Aug. 16 in Bodega Bay.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of Grant and Heather Green of Los Altos. She graduated from Los Altos High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from UC Santa Barbara. She works in the planning departments of the cities of Capitola and Santa Cruz.

Mount Shasta’s peak eludes fundraising team

It’s not quite the ending Caitlin Looney envisioned when she set out to reach Mount Shasta’s 14,000-foot-plus summit on a four-day trek she began July 10. After several months of training and preparation, the fundraising climb came to a halt when the Los Altos native pulled herself off the trail on the final push to the top of the peak.

In waist-high snow, with dwindling food and water supplies and an injured ankle, Looney, 25, gave up the goal a little more than 1,300 feet below Shasta’s peak. The summit might as well have been a world away.

Foothill summer gala benefits college programs

Bruce and Barb Swenson invited 40 friends in 2000 to the Foothill College campus in Los Altos Hills to watch the annual Foothill musical theater production and enjoy a picnic dinner. What started as a small benefit has grown into a $100,000-a-year fundraiser for selected programs at the college.

The eighth annual Foothill Summer Benefit Gala, scheduled Sunday, offers an outdoor dinner, wine tasting and silent and live auctions to accompany the performance, Foothill Music Theatre’s “The Pajama Game.”

History museum offers art class

The Los Altos History Museum has scheduled an art class, “Painting and Sketching Historic Buildings,” 9:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the museum, 51 S. San Antonio Road.

The class is a companion program to the museum’s current exhibition, “Anna Knapp Fitz: Portrait of an Artist,” which runs through Oct. 12. Knapp Fitz, who died in 1995, sketched and painted many historical buildings, leaving a snapshot of life in Los Altos 50 years ago.

Dog days of summer

Photographer Heather Lussier, who opened her downtown Los Altos studio at 127 Main St. three months ago, held a fundraising pet portrait event last week that raised more than 600 pounds of pet food for local animal shelters, including the Humane Society of Silicon Valley.

Clients including Duke, right, trotted into the studio last week to pose for the good cause.

Hidden Villa announces Summer Concert Series

Hidden Villa has scheduled its third annual outdoor Summer Concert Series 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sundays at Hidden Villa’s Dana Center, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills.

The musical lineup ranges from bluegrass to classic rock.

Community Briefs

JustREAD seeks volunteers

Local non-profit JustREAD seeks volunteer tutors for junior high and high school students in the area struggling to keep up in their classes.

50-free phenom

While the 41-year-old made the biggest splash at the USA Olympic Swimming Trials, the local girl of the reverse age made a respectable ripple.

Maddy Schaefer of Los Altos won’t be joining Dara Torres on the women’s national team bound for Beijing, but the 14-year-old can take solace in knowing she swam her fastest race July 5.

LA’s Young among QBs set to play in tonight’s all-star game

Los Altos High product Danny Young is one of three North quarterbacks vying for snaps in tonight’s 34th annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game in San Jose.

Young, however, has an edge on fellow passers Sam Scudellari (St. Francis) and Anthony Cukar (Del Mar). He gets to throw to a familiar receiver.

The’s playoff putt puts her in U.S. Women’s Amateur

The putts weren’t falling for Tessa The in regulation play. But on the first playoff hole, the Los Altos resident made the putt of the day to qualify for the United States Women’s Amateur Championship.

Tied with nine other golfers vying for three remaining spots in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, The sank a 25-foot putt for birdie at a section qualifier last week in Marysville.

Gymnasts cap season with titles

Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents Gina Costa, Ana Jaworski, Arla Rosenzweig, Michelle Ho and Brittany Skinner recently finished the Level 9 and Level 10 USA Gymnastics season with multiple individual and team championships.

The five local girls accumulated 16 gold medals during the USA Gymnastics Championships.

Bishop swims 3 events at Olympic team trials

Mountain View High graduate Brooke Bishop competed in three events at the USA Olympic Swimming Trials, which wrapped up July 6 in Omaha, Neb.

The Los Altos native came closest to qualifying for the women’s national team in the 100-meter butterfly, finishing fourth with a time of 58.54 seconds.

Sports on the Side

Johnson is all-state

Erik Johnson, a 2008 Los Altos High graduate, is on CalHiSports.com’s annual All-State Baseball Team. Johnson, a pitcher headed to UC Berkeley on an athletic scholarship, went 9-3 with a 1.27 ERA as a senior. The Los Altos resident struck out 100 batters. He also hit seven home runs and drove in 29 runs. Johnson was among 30 players selected for the all-state team.

The A’s have it

The A’s beat the Cubs 12-10 to win the Los Altos & Los Altos Hills Little League Minors AA title in June. “This was a very special team of an exceptional group of kids who were completely committed to the season, their teammates and their coaches,” coach Kim Dincel said. Front row, from left: Kyahana Robinson, Wyatt Dincel, AJ Hull, Matt May, Rory Mellis, Brendon Ng and bat boy Grant Dincel. Middle row: Ford Hooper, Zane Mitani, Andrew Haslem, Anuja Shah and Hayden Hofmann. Back row: coaches Ned Hooper, George Mellis, Dincel, Jim May and Dixon Ng. Not pictured: Mikey Robinson.

Dishing out healthful choices

Unfortunately, healthful-sounding choices at your favorite restaurant can be nutritional booby traps. We all know that a burger and fries will pack on extra calories and fat, so we survey the menu to find something more healthful.

How about a grilled chicken Caesar salad? Think twice. At Chili’s Grill & Bar, the grilled chicken Caesar salad contains a whopping 1,000 calories – approximately half the calories most people should eat in one day. Here’s another surprise: at McDonald’s, the grilled chicken club sandwich actually has more calories than the Big Mac.

Authors help demystify eating disorders

While Americans get heavier every year, it seems the ideal body becomes thinner and thinner. At some point, most of us have felt a degree of concern about our weight and many have tried innumerable diets to lose that weight.

Some have extreme concern and develop an obsessive relationship with food. Whether eating too much or too little, these abnormal eating habits can become serious eating disorders that threaten not only health and well-being, but also life itself.

Long journeys, heat trigger blood-clot warning

For travelers flying the skies on long journeys to distant lands for the vacation of a lifetime, there are more hidden costs than the high price of jet fuel and fees for extra baggage. And those costs are too high.

Nearly 214 million people traveled on domestic airlines last summer, according to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Anyone sitting in place for an extended period of time is at risk for developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially fatal condition where a blood clot develops in the deep vein(s) of a muscle, most often the legs.

Foothill plays ‘Pajama Game’

Los Altos resident Kateri McRae has been cast in Foothill Music Theatre’s production of “The Pajama Game,” opening Friday in Los Altos Hills.

McRae plays Mae, a member of the grievance committee of the Sleep-tite Pajama Factory, where a strike is imminent. A Stanford University graduate with degrees in drama and human biology, McRae has been doing neuroscience research by day and dancing at night in preparation for “Pajama Game.” She is featured in a number called “Steam Heat,” choreographed by Bob Fosse.

Last weekend to catch LAYT’s ‘Lucky Duck’ at Bus Barn

Los Altos Youth Theatre’s “Lucky Duck” – Krieger and Russell’s upbeat musical that turns the ugly duckling story on its head – closes Saturday at the Bus Barn Theater, 97 Hillview Ave.

Directed by Jillian Toby, the cast of “Lucky Duck” includes Los Altos residents Erin Burks, Adrian and Chris Carter, Conner Cousins, Laura Delamare, Zach Garcia, Melissa Goldman, Maya Knowles, Kendra Passaro, Anna Powell, Evan Revak, Devlin and Michaela Stewart, Rebecca Walton, Sarah Weber and Ashley Zadeh. Eleanor Arculus and Kaela Garvin of Mountain View are also featured, along with Hannah Larson and Sweta Ghosh of Sunnyvale and Hannah Totte of Palo Alto.

Gay marriage: Difficult to apply today’s ethics onto Jesus, leaders of the early church

This is the second in a two-part series in response to the recent California Supreme Court decision to strike down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Public opinion polls suggest that the majority of Californians are willing to confer equal legal status to homosexual unions but want to reserve the word “marriage” for heterosexual couples alone.

CHRIS JAMES ZAHIRALIS

He was born on December 30th, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the oldest son born to James and Christina Zahiralis. Chris attended high school in Gary, Indiana and attended Valparaiso University on a football scholarship. After leaving Valparaiso, he took over the family business and in 1952 moved his entire family to San Francisco, California, where he began a long career as an auto salesman and landscape designer.

He is survived by his loving wife, Penny, and eight children, Margo of Tampa, Fl., Christine, of San Diego, Paulina and Kathy, of Sunnyvale, Jim, of Los Gatos, Fotika, of Irvine, Tom and Bill of San Jose, Ca., in-laws, Joel Huskey, Joe Dayfield, Max McDonald, Ken Ziolkowski, Karen Zahiralis, Phuong Tran, Carmen Zahiralis, and Stephanie Zahiralis. He was an adored grandfather to Maria, Nicholas, Melissa, Justin, Christopher, Venessa, Ariana, Elizabeth, Emily, Erin, Elaine, Michael, Hayden, Spencer, Tyler and Alyssa. He is also survived by his sister, Pauline Araboglou, his nephew, Tony, niece, Christine, sister-in-law, Bessie Zahiralis, nieces, Christine and Annie, and nephew, James.

DARIO GENESIO CARRARO

Former Resident of Los Altos.

Dario Carraro was born on May 3, 1916 in San Francisco CA, to Giuseppe Carraro and Palmira Rose Garibaldi. Dario was raised in San Francisco, later moving to Los Altos where he was a Custodian for the Los Altos School District for over thirty-two years retiring in 1984. After retirement he settled in San Pablo, CA.

JOSEPH A. COHEN

Joseph A. Cohen died at age 87 on June 18 at Stanford University Hospital. Born in Poland he came to Chicago with his family in 1929. After World War II he served as a Public Health Officer in the Military Government in Japan for 2 years. He practiced Internal Medicine in Chicago before coming to Stanford University Medical Center in 1962 to do a residency in psychiatry. After practicing psychiatry for some years he returned to Internal Medicine and retired 10 years ago.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Hasie Cohen of Los Altos, daughters Toby Cohen of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Deborah Cohen of El Cerrito, California, his son-in-law Robert White and grandchildren, Maxwell White and Mari White of Green Bay, Wisconsin. His life-long passion was learning, and in his early eighties the study of French captivated him.

JOAN STUART MCDONNELL

A long-time Palo Alto resident, dies at 78.

Joan Stuart McDonnell died in her home of 51 years on Sunday, June 29th from cancer.

CORNELIA (CONNIE) GREEN NIVISON

86 years of age and a resident of Los Altos, California since 1952, died June 19, 2008, at home.

Connie was born February 9, 1922, in Champaign, Illinois, a daughter of Frederick Green and Queen Lois Shepherd Green. Connie’s mother died when she was eight years old, and for five years thereafter she was raised with the assistance of Barbara Robinson, a nurse from Maine (and the aunt of her future husband).

Datebook

Datebook items are run on a space-available basis for entertainment, non-profit events, low-cost classes and groups of wide interest in our circulation area. The deadline is noon Tuesday for the next week’s paper. Notices must be typed and include a contact name and phone number. Items may be submitted via e-mail (peteb@latc.com); fax (948-6647); or post (138 Main St., Los Altos, CA 94022).

THEATER