Saratoga News

LETTERS

Fond recollection of the drama group

I certainly remember the drama group headed by Lillian Fontaine, who presented plays in the Los Gatos High School auditorium. Mrs. Fontaine's assistant at the time was Claire Loftus, who was later to gain high recognition for her directing in the Los Gatos and Saratoga area.

In about 1952, I played in several of the plays. Two of these were The Desperate Hours and Mrs. Mac Thing. I do not remember any of us being picked off the streets, but neither did Lillian or Claire recommend that I catch the next train to Hollywood. I think back to those days with fond recollection to the drama group and to two charming ladies.

Douglas C. Rose

Sobey Road

Power outages are getting frustrating

I am getting more and more frustrated with the recurring power outages. I use my computer most of the time and every power outage causes three problems: 1) I can't do anything until power is restored; 2) I have to reenter data that has been lost; 3) I have to reset all the clocks in my home (microwave, oven, VCR, TV, answering machine, etc.). Don't forget the thousands of dollars of electronic equipment and appliances subject to uninsured over/under voltage damage.

I called PG&E on April 21 to complain about the outages I received a written reply from their customer field services representative dated April 29 explaining the cause of the outage and elaborating on ". . . PG&E's continuing commitment to improve service reliability. . . "

Unfortunately, the day I received the letter, April 30, power went out four more times beginning at 6:51 p.m. The last outage began at 8:30 p.m. and wasn't restored for 34 minutes.

Power went out three times on May 30. And again today at 3:44 p.m. In fact, it went out again as I tried to write this letter!

I'm sure you're aware of the San Jose Mercury's May 19 front-page expose: "How PG&E let system fade to black." Quotes from this article state that PG&E has:

* "...known for years that its aging electrical system was decaying from neglect."

* "reduced the number of employees who maintain customer lines by 39 percent since 1984."

* ". . .billed customers at least $231 million for repairs and other work never done."

* charged an average rate that was 50 percent higher than the national average in 1994.

* ". . . posted its second-highest profit ever."

* asked regulators for permission to bill customers an extra $100 million for maintenance.

This deterioration in service, increase in rates and mismanagement by a utility is unacceptable. Proposition 13 came about because of such fiscal abuses. It's time for the Public Utilities Commission to step in, reject these rate increases and see that PG&E provides reliable electrical power.

Ray Froess

Ljepava Drive

You helped blow the sheriff's sting

How stupid can you get? In your May 29 issue, you printed a detailed outline of a sting operation "plotted by the sheriff's department."

Are you trying to spare your liquor advertisers embarrassment and fines? Forewarned is forearmed. With the publication of your story, you blew the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department's plan to ferret out those purveyors of liquor and cigarettes who sell to minors!

Now all liquor-sales establishments will be on the alert, and of course, will not be selling without proper identification. The fine planning of the sheriff's department to seek out those who thwart the law will be for naught!

Ethel M. Ballard

Swarthmore Drive

The article was written with the cooperation of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department.
As noted, the sting operation is ongoing and local liquor vendors have been warned. --Editor

Article will help save women's lives

Thank you so much for the wonderful article and cover story on the Smart Woman program of the Junior League of San Jose Inc. and the American Cancer Society. The support of the media in telling this story will make a difference in saving lives from this disease, so thank you sincerely for your time, efforts and space.

Gay J. Crawford

American Cancer Society

Twenty reasons this is a great place to live

20. Ours is the only city Steven Spielberg loves to hate!

19. Are we the only ones with pizza delivery on the steps of the library?

18. Our authentic Hakone Gardens and Teahouse must be the most nurtured in the valley.

17. Where else can you find Saratoga Blend Coffee to go with your Saratoga bagel?

16. Our city does not smell of horse pucky like the "other" Saratoga.

15. We had a Drama Family dynasty (Lilian, Olivia and Joan) and now we have a Musical Family dynasty (the Wyants).

14. Thanks to the Chamber of Commerce and Village merchants, we have the greatest festivals and parades.

13. Supermarkets in Saratoga have never asked for check-cashing ID.

12. Culturally, we have it all--our city band, artists-in-residence at Hakone and Montalvo, summer music and drama groups.

11. Our Rotarians put on the best Rotary Art Show.

10. Because of volunteerism, our city budget is one-fifth, per capita, of our sister city's in Japan.

9. Our restaurants not only feed us award-winning delicacies, but also supply a San Jose homeless shelter.

8. We have our very own Farmers' Market on Saturdays.

7. Our students are the brightest and in the county and have the lowest drop-out rate in the Bay Area.

6. We even beat hand-wringingly liberal Palo Alto at recycling.

5. Our student bands and choruses consistently are winners.

4. Our churches care for the poor by pioneering a restaurant and citizen food program, supporting food and clothing closets and providing temporary homeless shelters.

3. Our creek has more attention than any other in the county.

2. It's fun to shop in Saratoga --you always see someone you know.

1. Worshipping the oak tree is the local religion.

Karen Anderson

Sea Gull Way

A very nice feature on Symphony Showcase

Thank you so much for the very nice feature story on Showcase '96 in the May 8 issue of the Saratoga News. I'm glad that you were able to include so many of our designers, fashion-show stores and auxiliary members. Thanks also for mentioning the Gala, which was quite successful. Please convey my appreciation to Shari Kaplan for her splendid writing of the article. I know it's difficult to organize so many pieces of information into a coherent whole.

Thank you again for your support of the auxiliary and the San Jose Symphony.

Judy Szetela

San Jose Symphony Auxiliary