News Briefs

Crews remove wrong tree

It was an honest mistake.

When the tree-removal people showed up at Old Town to take out a live oak along Elm Street, someone apparently pointed them toward the wrong tree--a 20-foot oak on the corner of Elm and University.

The tree that was supposed to go was down the block, a smaller oak that needed to come out to make way for handicapped access ramps.

Romantiques owner Susan Sedgley, who saw the tree crews getting ready to fell the tree before 8 a.m. on July 19, even went out and stopped them, called the town, and found out they had a valid tree-removal permit. Trouble is, nobody said which tree.

As penance, Parks and Public Works director Scott Baker and Parks and Forestry superintendent John Iaquinto got in the car with Old Town project manager Lee Schwager and drove out to a nursery in Sunol and picked a similar-sized replacement. Schwager wrote the check.

And, just to be nice, Old Town said it would pick up the $5,000 tab for a new crosswalk and curbs in the middle of the shopping center, which the town was planning to cover.

Specific Plan meetings set

On July 28 and 29, the General Plan Committee will hold meetings on the North Forty Specific Plan as it continues to hammer out its final recommendation to the Planning Commission.

The committee will discuss possible residential uses for the property on Los Gatos Boulevard near Lark, how to preserve the character of the town and other issues.

The committee meets in the Council Chambers on Wednesday from 6 to 7:15 p.m. The special meeting on Thursday will run from 5 to 9 p.m.

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Sports Briefs

South defeats North in Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game

Los Gatos Pony League All-Stars win tournament

Little League All-Stars lose to Almaden

LG United Soccer League hosts camp