Thursday, May 17, 2012
After a year of public input and tinkering, the proposed improvements to the pathway also called the Stanford Trail, are getting a new airing before the Los Altos Hills Town Council.
It was, to put it colloquially, "too, too." Too much footbridge. Too much ugly retaining wall. Too much traffic already. For one mile's worth of pathway, particularly one for free (courtesy of Stanford University), the Arastradero Pathway improvement bore a lot of scrutiny last year. Residents banded together and raised a hue and cry last year, and became engaged. Now it's back for a public hearing Thursday night, after considerable tinkering through several meetings and workshops in the past year. The pathway running from Arastradero Road and Purissima to Baleri Ranch Road and Arastradero has been scaled back and changed, as detailed in the staff report: On a separate front, increased attention to traffic enforcement has worked to …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The deadline to register to vote in the June 5 primary election is May 21, and the deadline to submit a request to vote by mail is May 29.
With all the campaign commercials, stump speeches and kissing of babies, it might be difficult to actually remember to register to vote in California's upcoming June 5 primary election. That's why Los Altos Patch is here to remind you that the deadline for voters looking to cast their ballots in the election season's first round is Monday, May 21. To register to vote in Santa Clara County, voters can pick up a registration form from the Los Altos City Clerk's office, located inside City Hall, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Registrants can also call the Santa Clara Registrar of Voters at 1-866-VOTE (8683). For those that wish to vote by mail, the deadline to submit a request for a vote by mail ballot is …
A subcommittee of the City Council and the Los Altos School Board will meet and begin hashing out a long list of issues in common. Egan Jr. High School safety issues, Bullis Charter School, Miramonte & Covington intersection are on it.
Attention turns to a small subcommittee of the Los Altos City Council and the Los Altos School District Board Tuesday night. The two have had a standing subcommittee for many years that has met a few times each year to discuss issues of mutual interest. Tuesday's meeting at the Hillview Community Center at 6 p.m. may be more heavily attended than usual, as interest is high in the schools communities about everything from possibly opening up the back entrance to Egan Jr. High School, to talking about a potential 10th site. The two bodies have identied no fewer than 14 issues for its initial discussion. On the district side is student safety, Egan's back entrance which is city property, traffic control at that school, additional crossing…
37.38098
-122.114189
1 S San Antonio Rd, Los Altos, CA
Los Altos City Hall
/articles/city-schools-tuesday-night-agenda
/locations/7026511
Bill by State Sen. Joe Simitian would boost fines for using cell phones while driving.
The California State Senate Monday passed a bill authored by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would increase the fines on motorists who talk or text while driving. The bill, SB 1310, passed on a 24-9 vote, and increases the fines for breaking the hands-free and no texting laws from $20 to $30 for a first-time offense, and from $50 to $60 for subsequent offenses. The extra money from the tougher law would be used to fund a distracted driving education program in the California Office of Traffic Safety, according to a statement released by Simitian’s press office Monday. The total cost of a first offense, including penalties, would rise to roughly $199, depending on the county. Second offenses would cost about $371. Also, a second …
Sunday, May 13, 2012
To help warn homeowners against scams, law enforcement agencies take advantage of the visibilty of community access television studio.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and KMVT 15 have partnered to created public service announcements that could help prevent crimes. This past Friday, Deputy District Attorney Janet Berry and Gilroy Police Department Sgt. Chad Gallacinao taped a segment about landscaping scams taking place. "We are thrilled with this situation," said Sean Webby, spokesman for the DA's office. "We don't have the skills or experience to do even an amateur job." According to Webby, some landscapers have targeted elderly people in Gilroy and do a mediocre—if not bad—job, and then leave with the victim's money, without rendering good service. These public service announcement, he explained, would hopefully help prevent people from getting …
Need to travel north or south on Highway 85 from Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale or Cupertino? Be ready to detour at certain spot beginning as early as 7 p.m. and through the night.
For people who love to hate the bumpy commute on Highway 85, things are about to get a little better, Caltrans says. But first they have to close off ramps and roadways overnight, in a project that will extend from April to July. Most lane and ramp closures will begin at 8 p.m. and end before 5 a.m. on weekdays. On weekends, most closures will end by 10 a.m., according to a news release issued earlier this month by Caltrans spokesman Bernard Walik. For the weekend of May 12-13, however, the closures are actually an hour earlier and an hour later, according to Caltrans' daily lane closure report made available to the media. Lane and Ramp closures, Saturday through Sunday, May 12-13 Highway 85 Southbound: Highway 85 Northbound The work …
Friday, May 11, 2012
Eshoo’s legislation boosting safety of children’s medication clears key committee.
Two reauthorization bills written by Rep. Anna Eshoo that would make medication safer for kids cleared a key committee vote Thursday. The Best Pharmaceutical for Children Act (BPCA) and the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) were approved unanimously by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and are now on their way to the House floor for consideration. The two bills were first passed by Congress in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “I’m thrilled by the Committee’s vote today,” Rep. Eshoo said in a press statement. “Doctors should not have to play a guessing game when it comes to prescribing medication to children. That’s why I’ve been working for more than a decade to make progress in pediatric drug labeling. Kids deserve access to the same…
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Mayor Carpenter and Ron Packard say they regret earlier decisions that opened "Pandora's box" to allowing taller buildings.
Expressing regret over earlier downtown zoning decisions that allowed for taller buildings, Mayor Val Carpenter and Councilmember Ron Packard successfully convinced the council on Tuesday to reopen the debate over building heights on Main and State streets. “I am absolutely opposed to three-story buildings in the core of our downtown,” Packard told council. “I’ve supported, and was heavily involved, in opening Pandora’s box in the outside areas. But when it comes to the core, I am absolutely opposed to three story buildings, and I want no question about that.” While some council members were hesitant to change downtown zoning, the council unanimously agreed to have staff begin the process of possibly tweaking codes by bringing …
37.37834
-122.11671
2nd St & Main St, Los Altos, CA
Downtown core
/articles/council-reopens-downtown-building-height-debate
/locations/6980556
Kim Cranston claims the city is violating the Public Records Act by not releasing a memo that reportedly shows other developers had interest in the city-owned, First and Main streets lot promised to Jeffrey Morris in a sale option agreement.
Downtown property owner Kim Cranston filed suit against the City of Los Altos on Tuesday for violating the California Public Records Act by refusing to release a February 2010 staff memo about the city-owned parcel at First and Main. Cranston made his announcement of the legal action during the public comments section of Tuesday night's Los Altos City Council meeting. He alleged that the memo between the city's former Economic Development Coordinator Anne Stedler and former City Manager Doug Schmitz and current Assistant City Manager James Walgren provides proof that city staff misled the city about other developers' interest in developing the property at 400 Main St. In 2010, the city entered into a sale option agreement with Jeffrey …
37.37771
-122.11793
400 Main St, Los Altos, CA
/articles/cranston-announces-legal-action-over-first-and-main-property
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Neighbors are asked to come to Grant Park at 7 p.m. to discuss placing a roundabout at Fremont Avenue and Fallen Leaf Lane.
What do you think of a roundabout proposal for Fremont Avenue at Fallen Leaf Lane? City engineers are holding a meeting at Grant Park Center in south Los Altos to get your opinion about design concepts proposed by its consulting engineer, RBF. Last August, the City Council approved sending out a request for proposals for design of a possible traffic roundabout at the intersection of Fremont Avenue and Fallen Leaf Lane. The roundabout was suggested as part of the city's Collector Street Calming Plan approved by council in 2011. Planning Commissioner Jeannie Bruins, who lives near the intersection, asked council to delay the project until neighbors could be better educated. Council members said having the design at a future neighborhood …
37.35211
-122.06586
Fremont Ave & Fallen Leaf Ln, Los Altos, CA
A roundabout is proposed for this intersection
/articles/wednesday-meeting-for-roundabout-at-fremont-avenue
/locations/6980856
37.34484
-122.069335
Grant Park Center
1570 Holt Ave, Los Altos, CA
Roundabout design will be presented on May 8, 7 p.m. at Grant Park Multi-purpose Room
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1413502
/locations/6980857
Robin
10:17 am on Sunday, May 13, 2012
Thank you for the reminders and updates! They help me plan my day! more ›