News Briefs

Hakone receives large donations

At the Hakone Foundation's recent holiday reception, Executive Director Lon Saavedra announced that Hakone had recently received two large donations from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and Pacific Bell Inc. The $45,000 from the Packard Foundation and Pac Bell's $15,000 gift raised the total for Hakone's one-year fundraising effort to $200,000.

That amount has been collected since the foundation signed a new contract with the city of Saratoga in October 2000.

The contract put the management of the traditional Japanese gardens on Big Basin Way under a new nonprofit foundation. Saavedra remained as the director, under a reconstituted board of directors.

City worries about long hauls

City officials recently discussed amending Saratoga laws to discourage the throwing or kicking of balls or rocks onto roadways.

The city is primarily concerned with the potential for baseballs to be hit over the outfield fence at Congress Springs Park and onto Highway 85.

Before an October decision to allow 13- and 14-year-old PONY League players to compete at Congress Springs, city council members expressed reservations about some players hitting balls onto the freeway.

New laws would make such activity illegal and subject to fines.

A new, higher outfield fence being installed at Congress Springs would also make it more difficult to hit a ball onto Highway 85.

Crackdown on drunk driving

The Avoid the 13 campaign against drunken drivers began Dec. 14 and will end on Jan. 2. Named after the number of law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County, the program is in its 28th year and has generated similar campaigns in other counties.

As part of the campaign, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office will staff at least one additional officer each night for DUI enforcement. The CHP will monitor highway traffic more closely on several evenings throughout the holiday season, and sobriety checkpoints will also be set up.

YMCA offers membership breaks and scholarships

In the wake of the Sept. 11 attack and the recent economic downturn, the YMCA is offering to help families with memberships. Families whose head of the household or employed spouse has been called into active duty by the National Guard or Reserves can apply for complimentary YMCA memberships.

The Y will also help current members who have been laid off because of the recession by finding a way to continue their membership through scholarships and financial assistance. The Y assures its members that all information will be kept strictly confidential and each membership handled on a case-by-case basis.

Additional information is available from local YMCA branches, or by calling 288-YMCA.

Photo: A Space Odyssey Christmas

Local Home Sales Listings

Friends of the Saratoga Libraries publishes 'A History of Saratoga's Libraries'

Saratoga Sampler

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