Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Letters

Yearbook adviser offers something more important

The article in the May 6 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times about a student's campaign to update the yearbook class by making layout electronic was interesting reading, but the story should have been better researched prior to publication. Mrs. Maunder has been the yearbook adviser for over 20 years and during that time has never missed a deadline, and her staffs produce award-winning yearbooks. Jill Weinberg, the student, who addressed the school board, has been persistent in trying to get technology into the yearbook classroom, but the computer falls well short of what Mrs. Maunder brings to the classroom.

The statement attributed to her mother, Pat Weinberg, that Jostens will cease to publish the yearbook within three years if technology is not incorporated is far from the truth. Some 20 percent of our customer base will never have the funds to go computerized or the resources to make that jump.

As a corporation we are prepared to receive pages conventionally or electronically to meet the customer's needs.

Jef Myers
Jostens Yearbook Representative

Old Town holds many memories for a generation

Upon reading Mike Abkin's article in the April 8 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, about signs of a cultural shift, it stirred the following thoughts and feelings about the changes being made to Old Town:

In keeping with the traditions of this lovely little town, Los Gatos, I thought it appropriate to give an opinion on what I thought was happening to Old Town before, during and after its reconstruction and retrofit. Input from other town residents old and new would be refreshing at this point, given the free hand (hands) the developer seems to have around our collective throats. Let's hope that they keep our traditions in mind.

I arrived in Los Gatos in 1962, fresh from the Marine Corps, and had been, up until then, in many ports of call in many countries, including the island of Cuba. I have never been in a lovelier place in the world, given its inland topography, than Los Gatos.

I started a stage-acting career, with Theater Production Inc. In 1963, we did dinner shows and theater in the round at places like the Los Gatos Lodge, and practiced our productions above the old Chrislow's Department Store. The short of it is that during those times University Avenue School was up for sale, and we were trying to find investors to help turn it into a theater and arts and crafts center. Of course we weren't the first.

Then came Max Walden and Frank Lulainen, and with Mr. Walden's entrepreneurial spirit and Mr. Lulainen's architectural design vision, it became Old Town. Through the years it gathered many a fine compliment as locals and tourists alike melded together with the likes of Cassady, Kerouac, Nord and Ginsberg when they happened to be off the road or out of the coffeehouses of San Francisco and New York. And even the selection of where our president would dine seemed the norm. Many conversations at the Wine Cellar took place during its earlier years, the Great Notion in being that nobody knew who the heck they were and not many really cared during those times.

I would like to think of it as an earlier Steinbeckian influence that brought those minds together to this town, but I always thought it was the town itself, and through the years those thoughts could not be denied. There was a spot, an old mission in Santiago, Cuba, that had a very similar ambiance in that there were shops, gardens, fountain, bricks, cobblestones and wrought-iron gates; meandering about the complex, the same feeling could be felt here at Old Town in its heyday.

Not too many places are left where you can sit, stroll, shop, converse and just pull in the beauty of the surroundings. Old Town had this, as did this little mission in Santiago in late 1959. My three daughters and I often did this.

So in keeping with my generation, I hope that the new owners will capture that feeling for the next generation. I hope with these sentiments that the developers who have acquired one of our town's jewels will keep in mind its wonderful and colorful past.

Bryon John Bush
Los Gatos

Proposition 223 deserves 'no' vote

Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, a nonprofit regional collaborative investing in K-12 education reform, opposes Proposition 223. While we support the concept of holding schools accountable for student results, the rigid state requirement that all districts spend no more than 5 percent of their budget on "central administration" would impede the progress our schools are making in preparing students for the 21st century workplace.

Proposition 223's one-size-fits-all approach is unjustified and not in the best interest of students. The state should play a leadership role in setting standards for our students, but local school boards need flexibility in deciding how to reach those standards. We urge voters to vote no on Proposition 223 on June 2.

Tim Cuneo
Senior Executive Director
21st Century Education Initiative
Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network

So-called scare tactics amount to common sense

In the April 29 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, Thor Spargo wrote a letter in support of the proposed Los Gatos Country Club. He complained of "the county's lack of progress on the LGCC project" and accused environmentalists of "scare tactics" in opposing the golf course.

Readers should be aware that the Santa Clara County Planning Department delayed a vote on the draft environmental impact report for the project because of various defects, and especially for serious concerns about cumulative impacts caused by plans for homesite development and logging by Arlie Land and Cattle of Oregon, owner of the adjoining property as well as the golf course.

Thus there is good reason for environmentalists to warn the public of these threats to the last wild area left in the Lexington Basin. Those working to create Bear Creek Redwoods Regional Preserve are using reality tactics, rather than "scare tactics," and feel that the "unfounded fears" mentioned by Mr. Spargo are, on the contrary, well-founded.

One can assume that the "wide range of financial and social benefits for our community" resulting from the golf course would go to the owner/developers and those few wealthy enough to afford membership.

Finally, for the benefit of readers confused by some nebulous terms in the letter, we offer some explanations:

* "Improved soil integrity" translates to: 400,000 cubic yards of earth excavated and redistributed.

* "Continuous flora" equals: grass.

*"95 percent open space" is actually 46.7 percent on close reading of Section 3.2 ("Proposed Use of Site") in the draft environmental impact report. That document is available for public review at the Los Gatos Library and is recommended reading for those seeking facts and not propaganda.

Robert Moncrieff, M.D.
Monte Sereno

Commission voted wisely on SummerHill

I would like to thank the Planning Commission for looking out for the neighborhood and community by asking for some changes in SummerHill's planned development on Blossom Hill Road.

Exceptional courage and foresight was shown by their vote on April 22.

It certainly wasn't a surprise to SummerHill, because neighbors have been pleading with SummerHill not to encroach up the hills from the inception of the project; through surveys, the General Plan Task Force that researched community attitudes about land-use issues discovered the sentiment of Los Gatans is for less density. The EIR seems to concur. It states that half the number of houses would be an environmentally superior project. Leaving more open space, it would cut in half the negative impact of noise and traffic.

A housing development of this magnitude would easily add an additional 500 car trips daily to this already heavily congested area between Union and Leigh avenues.

The decibel level along this stretch of Blossom Hill was 66 in 1997. The town's goal is to be under 55. So an increase of even one more decibel is a step in the wrong direction. I think we need to show our concern for our neighbors who already reside along this street.

I hope the Town Council will be as wise as our Planning Commission and see that SummerHill (or any other developer) will be a responsible developer by supporting the Planning Commission's recommendations for the much needed changes.

Sandy Anderson
Los Gatos

And thanks for Christmas parade

On behalf of the Los Gatos Christmas Foundation, I want to thank the following supporters for their contributions to help fund the Los Gatos Children's Christmas Parade: Jesuits of Los Gatos, John and Margie Lincoln, the Steve Rice Family, the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, Paul Lunardi, Gianniu and Ida Siracusa, Marilyn Kirby, McDonald's Restaurant, Green Valley Disposal, Guadalupe Rubbish Disposal. Frank Bonacorsi, charter president, installed nameplates on the Los Gatos Christmas Foundation plaque at the Los Gatos Town Plaza.

Frank Lazaneo
President, Los Gatos Christmas Foundation

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