Friday, May 4, 2012
Resident Les Earnest holds out little hope that Pulitzer-prize-winning author Wallace Stegner's writing studio will be saved, after Thursday's Planning Commission vote. The Los Altos Hills Town Council will consider the matter on June 21.
Editor's note: Last May, demolition of the home of famous writer Wallace Stegner was halted when the National Trust for Historic Preservation sent a letter about the significance of Stegner's study, triggering a California Environmental Quality Act review. Donors sent in money that was to be used to move the Stegner's studio and make into a small museum, but cannot be used without a site. Efforts over the past year to gain permission to use town-owned land have been unsuccessful. Dear Editor: At the Town of Los Altos Hills Planning Commission public hearing this evening (May 3) the Commission voted unanimously to approve the CEQA review recommending that Wallace Stegner's former Study be moved into the oak forest downhill on the same …
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Whether they are arrangements of fresh cut flowers, live blooming plants or hostess gifts, Alabasta came up on top among local florists.
Alabasta, whose fanciful windows are always a treat for the eye, topped our Readers' Choice poll that ended this week. The shop at 366 State St. edged out Davino Florist on Main Street and Just For You Florist at Rancho Shopping Center. "I can always count on them to deliver the WOW factor with the most original designs and flowers," wrote one reader in a Patch review, calling it her favorite store in town. "This store is always filled with fabulous unique gift items for everyone on my list whether I am picking up a quick hostess gift on my way to an event or a special gift for a close friend." Alabasta received 36 percent of the vote. Davino Florist was fast behind it, with 31 percent of the vote, and Just For You Florist received 26 …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The admission rates for 2012 are extremely low. And a decision by San Jose State made things worse for some.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, April 24
For a lot of local high school seniors—and seniors across the country—2012 proved to be an extremely hard year to be accepted at an institute of higher learning. Bay Area universities have been a part of the trend. At Stanford, the admission rate was 6.6 percent for those applying, no matter where they lived. That was third worst in the nation. More than nine of ten kids who applied to wear Cardinal red got a rejection letter in the mail. At Cal, the rate was three times better, at 22 percent, just ahead of UCLA (23 percent) and USC (24 percent). Yet, even those numbers suggest three of four seniors applying to college are being turned away. Ivy league schools such as Harvard and Yale posted record-low admissions rates, 5.9% and 6.8% …
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
We need to exercise our Prop. 218 right to protest.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, April 11
By Richard Aurelio Ultimately, we need to question why PHWD exists, and establish a business plan to consolidate districts to reduce overhead and improve our negotiating position with SFPUC for the cost of water. But, in the short term, we need to better manage what we have, while we position for the future. Los Altos Hills conservation efforts over the last 4 years have reduced consumption 26 percent while costs grew 23 percent and the cost of water from SFPUC (San Francisco Public Utilities Commission) is up 56 percent and expected to triple, with little to no negotiating clout by the numerous water districts. Fortunately, Prop. 218 allows residents to challenge this increase by sending a letter to: Purissima Hills Water District, …
37.383842
-122.138289
Purissima Hills Water District
26375 W Fremont Rd, Los Altos, CA
/articles/opinion-the-cost-of-water-is-out-of-control-and-getting-worse
1488614
/locations/6790104
Resident Austin Vanchieri says the only way to survival is to consolidate ten water districts.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, April 11
Editor's Note: Resident Austin Vanchieri submitted this letter to the Purissima Hills Water District and to Patch as a Letter to the Editor. April 5, 2012 PHWD Dear Sir, I am writing to protest the proposed water price increases under the provisions of Prop 218. The increases do not meet with my approval. Following, are my views: a. The automatic increases and approvals should not be part of any change. The idea that carte blanche authority be given to raise prices to the owners of the district PWHD is contrary to any rational thought process. Are we to agree to raise prices to ourselves without contemplating the action beforehand? The fact this was even considered gives a negative impression of the current board. b. Future increases …
37.383842
-122.138289
Purissima Hills Water District
26375 W Fremont Rd, Los Altos, CA
/articles/letter-to-the-editor-c8cca47e
1488614
/locations/6775280
Thursday, April 5, 2012
You bet. And April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month in California.
- OPINION
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Thursday, April 5
Editor's Note: The Redwood City office of the CHP patrols much of the major routes traveled by Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents, via I-280 all the way to state Highway 85, and on U.S. Highway 101 to Mountain View. Here's Capt. Mike Maskarich on Distracted Driving Awareness Month. You can also watch this video of the Los Altos Police Department's presentation about distracted driving during GreenTown Los Altos' bike event in 2011. By Captain Mike Maskarich California Highway Patrol Commander March is over and the men and women of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) want to let you know that April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Officers from the Redwood City CHP Area will be vigilant for those drivers who are …
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
In Los Altos, the stormy weather was the most eventful one yet. Read along!
- OPINION
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Wednesday, April 4
Over the weekend, we had a wet one! The wind blew. The rain fell. A fallen tree that knocked out power gave someone to Tweet about, all right. Watch the storm prediction, and then watch the Tweets unfold... Rob Mayeda @RobMayeda Transition from all rain/wind to scattered showers and thunder should occur around noon/early PM KF JC @KFJC897fm Due to a power outage, KFJC 89.7 FM is currently off the terrestrial airwaves. You can still tune in online 10:03 AM - 31 Mar 12 NBC Bay Area @nbcbayarea As the storm moves through our area there are several small power outages. P G and E power outage link #cawx#nbcbayarea http://pic.twitter.com/bg7JkEdo 10:25 AM - 31 Mar 12 KF JC @KFJC897fm It was a downed oak tree that put us off the air …
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Plus, an old tweet, but a good one: Bill Gates high-fives Khan Academy for the March 12 Sixty Minutes piece.
March 24: 1. Brighid Wood @BrighidWood After a very long and cold day, pizza at Spot in Los Altos is the way to go. 2. renée berry @rfberry Photo of #elemento http://elementeo.com/ founder speaking at a#losaltos Youth Council event 3. Rick Bucich @rbucich I just ousted @fsfiii as the mayor of Adventure Toys on @foursquare!http://4sq.com/5zdYav March 23: 4. LAHParksnRecreation @LAHParksnRec Tomorrow it is!!! For more information call 650-947-2518! To RSVP email Los Altos Hills Youth Commission... March 22: 5. Tim Burks @timburks Looking forward to hearing Palo Alto's new CIO speak at tonight's WebMapSocial meetup. 6. GreenTown Los Altos @green_town #LosAltos Join GreenTown Los Altos & SunShares in the move to clean solar …
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Four downtown property owners with a long history in Los Altos urge the city to require developer Jeff Morris to 'develop a premium project for our community,' in an open letter to the council and the community.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, March 21
March 19, 2012 Dear Mayor Carpenter, Mayor Pro Tem Fishpaw, Councilmembers Casas, Packard, and Satterlee, and the Los Altos Community: Re: A Premium Development for our First and Main Downtown Gateway “A destination restaurant… upscale retail national chains… Class A office space… two or three 5,000 square foot retail spaces” – Los Altos City Councilmembers hoped Jeff Morris would provide these when they approved his option to develop the important First and Main gateway to our downtown. The City Council has the legal contractual power to require that Jeff Morris develop a premium project for our community. The Morris Option Agreement provides: “City is entitled to approve or disapprove the Basic Concept Drawings, Design Development …
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
A random look at locals who either live or work in our fair towns, through dispatches in Twitter, for the past fortnight. Some people were really happy to get their iPads.
March 19: 1. GreenTown Los Altos @green_town Los Altos Placemaking.Hear Fred Kent, Founder, Project for Public Spaces.Thurs 3/22 from 5:30-7:15 PM 359 State Street.http://www.pps.org/staff/fkent/ March 17: Rick Bucich @rbucich Just had a coyote in our front yard in Los Altos March 16: Tim Burks @timburks "Here I am, program me." It just said that. I heard it. http://pic.twitter.com/kKZ0LyLF Daphne Nunez @daphnenunez Definitely more money than common sense in this town #losaltos lalahpolitico @lalahpolitico I'm eyeing Code for America Brigade. Some #losaltos hackers to implement a local Civic open data app would be swell. bit.ly/zXE4i0 March 15: Valorie Carpenter @valcarpenter Represented Los Altos City Council @ Santa Clara …
commuter
12:19 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Are the admissions rates going down because the number of college students is decreasing or because the number of applications is increasing? My guess is that the number of students is staying steady while the number of applications is dramatically increasing. If that is the case, the only way to increase the number of college students is to build more colleges (and hire more professors). more ›