Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Saratoga High School students (from left) Jessica Prill, Kris Prill, Chelsea Tulin and Nadara Hendry were some of 30 students who staged a walkout to protest the barring of 13 seniors from graduation ceremonies after the students streaked across campus in April. The students and parents, who argued that the punishment was too harsh, would take the issue all the way to the Santa Clara County Superior Court before it was thrown out and Principal Kevin Skelly's decision stood.

Year in Review

The year was marked by challenges

Saratogans young and old faced a firing line of challenges in 1997 and learned a lot about consequences in the process. Early on in the year, the City Council faced the challenge of cutting more than $1 million out of its budget after residents the previous November took to the ballot boxes and eliminated the utility-user's tax, leaving as a result a gaping hole in the city's budget. And through six months of budget hearings, residents learned that trimming the fat in a small city sometimes means cutting funds for recreation department programs and community events.

Residents' sense of community was challenged when the Santa Clara Office of Education and the County Committee on School District Organization announced they would conduct a study of the issue of school boundaries in the West Valley area. The announcement sparked a debate at county meetings--and in the Speak Out! section of the Saratoga News--about what makes a community and the impact of attending schools in the community where one lives.

School administrators' authority was challenged by Saratoga parents when a number of parents took Saratoga High School to court over Principal Kevin Skelly's decision to bar a number of SHS seniors from graduation ceremonies after they admitted to streaking across the campus. Skelly and the high school board said the rule about streaking--and the activity's consequence--was known; students said it wasn't, and parents said the punishment was just too harsh. A Santa Clara County judge said it really shouldn't have gotten as far as court.

The city also faced the challenge of acquiring new leadership with the loss of its top administrator, City Manager Harry Peacock, after the council fired him. A nationwide nine-month search for a new city manager resulted in the council appointing an already familiar face at City Hall, public works director and interim city manager Larry Perlin.

A number of events challenged Saratogans' sense of city heritage. The Saratoga Drug Store, which has had a place in the Village since 1904, fought for its life when its lease was due to expire in mid-1997. A Santa Clara County judge ruled that the store's owner could exercise his option to renew the lease, and the store could stay for another decade, but the decision is being appealed. And with Starbucks Coffee Company eyeing another spot in the Village, Saratogans learned that even the historic and beloved Village can't stay quaint forever. Although residents cried that chain stores didn't belong in the Village, it was traffic and safety concerns that kept the coffee giant out. But had there been enough parking at the corner of Los Gatos-Saratoga Road and Big Basin Way...well, that's a challenge for another year.

--Sarah Lombardo

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Villa Oaks Lane, about 100 meters from Mt. Eden Road, caved in as a result of heavy rains last January. The Saratoga City Council declared Saratoga a disaster area in order to qualify for state and federal funds to repair the road.

January

The Odd Fellows Retirement Home of California changed its name to the Saratoga Retirement Community to coincide with the beginning of an expansion and renovation of the facilities. The SRC is still run by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, but membership in the order is not necessary to live at the home.

The Villa Montalvo Association took steps toward an agreement with the Mountain Winery concert venue's principal owner, Monte Sereno resident Ravi Kumra, to bring back the winery's popular concert series during the summer.

The Saratoga Fire Department named 20-year-old Tim Mehringer "Firefighter of the Year" at the department's annual Christmas dinner.

Front Window owner Kristin Davis was named "Businessperson of the Year" by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce. Davis was chosen for demonstrating excellence in business, valuable service to the community and creativity in enhancing the community.

The city of Saratoga began the long and arduous task of trimming more than $1 million out of the city's budget after the defeat of the utility-user's tax in November 1996. At the first of many town hall meetings, residents offered suggestions for where the cuts should take place, and councilmembers sought advice from city staffers and the city attorney.

The City Council agreed to write a letter stating support for placing a bond measure on the June 1998 ballot to raise funds for the Saratoga Community Library's expansion. The Library Commission wanted to more than double the size of the library from 18,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet.

An agreement was reached between the Mountain Winery and Villa Montalvo in which Montalvo has exclusive rights for four years to produce the once-popular summer music series.

After two hours of public testimony on the subject--mostly from residents who opposed that plan--the Saratoga Planning Commission delayed a decision on whether to allow Starbucks Coffee Company to move into the Saratoga Village. A continuance was granted, to let Starbucks address the parking issue.

Plans for the Argonaut Shopping Center received the green light from the Saratoga Planning Commission. Under city code, a project can be called up for council review if at least two members of the council agree to it. It was called up, by Councilmen Paul Jacobs and Stan Bogosian, and was put on the council's agenda for March 19.

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Saratogan Richard Anderson is one of many residents whose properties lie within feet of Saratoga schools' attendance areas and say they feel left out of the Saratoga community because their children can't go to Saratoga schools.

February

A recommendation by the Saratoga Advisory Committee to abolish the city's recreation department sparked a small panic among department officials and the patrons. The recommendation was made at a town hall meeting in mid-January at which the City Council and department director Joan Pisani discussed the department's ability to recover its costs.

The Saratoga Union School District Board approved placing a $40 million bond on the June 3 ballot. If passed, the bond would finance repairs, renovations and expansion to the district's four schools.

The Saratoga City Council decided to look into the feasibility of purchasing 4.5 acres of land that currently houses the El Quito Elementary School in the Moreland School District. The land, estimated to be worth between $6 and $9 million, could help ease overcrowding in the Saratoga Union School District or add land to El Quito Park.

A corroded water line ruptured at the intersection of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Prospect Avenue, causing traffic backups and a river-like flow of water in the intersection. Some businesses and residents were without water well into the evening after the San Jose Water Company turned off the water at 9 a.m.. The rupture was linked to a leaking 25-inch water main on Oak Street.

TEAM Saratoga, a spinoff committee of the Saratoga Business Development Council, began looking at ways to change the city's sign ordinance with the help and advice of Saratoga businesses. Dick Wood, TEAM Saratoga member, said the goal was not to create more signs but to have signs do what they are intended to do: inform and attract shoppers.

The City Council fired City Manager Harry Peacock, citing changing attitudes among Saratoga residents as the reason for their decision.

Hakone Gardens representatives told the council a plan was in the works for the Hakone Foundation to take over management of the city-owned gardens, which would save the city the costs of management.

March

Santa Clara County announced it was conducting a study to look into school district boundaries, saying they decided to conduct the study after receiving 25 requests for information from neighborhood groups and individuals about who wanted to join the Saratoga-Los Gatos Union High School District.

A timeline approved by the Saratoga Library Commission showed that the group hoped to have an architect chosen for the proposed expansion of the Saratoga Community Library as early as July.

The Saratoga Community Parade, teen dances and the teen music festival fell victim to budget cuts. In a meeting with parks and recreation commissioners, Celebrate Saratoga! and the city's Hometown Fourth of July festival would continue with support from volunteers, and the Warner Hutton House Teen Center was also in the middle of fundraising efforts so that it might stay open despite city budget cuts.

The Saratoga Farmers Market began shopping for a new home after operators of the weekly spring and summer event said the location at the corner of Big Basin Way and Los Gatos-Saratoga Road wasn't profitable.

A three-month trial of valet parking in the Saratoga Village led to discussions between city officials and a parking service provider about introducing a Villagewide valet parking plan.

The City Council, as part of the continuing effort to cut the budget, implemented a hiring freeze and stopped the search for four vacant full-time positions at City Hall, which already had the lowest employee-to-resident ratio among West Valley cities .

The Argonaut Shopping Center survived yet another--but final--challenge in its quest for approval of renovation plans after the Saratoga City Council voted to approve the plans as they stood. At the motion of councilmembers Paul Jacobs and Stan Bogosian, the council called the project--already approved by the Planning Commission after being sent back to drawing board three times--up for review.

Citizens for Saratoga volunteers launched a campaign to drum up support for a $40 million bond issue scheduled to go before Saratoga voters June 3. Measure D would be used for school repairs, renovations and facility upgrades for schools in the Saratoga Union School District.

April

Budget-crunching at City Hall lead to the proposal that almost seven positions be eliminated from the city's work force. The plan also called for significant reorganizing of City Hall's departments.

The Saratoga Union School District voted to implement the state's class-size reduction program in its second-grade classes, but not in its kindergarten or third-grade classes. The state program, which provides an incentive in the form of increased funding, reduces the student-to-teacher ratio to 20-to-1 in chosen classes. The SUSD had already implemented the program in its first-grade classes.

A rash of Easter morning burglaries was stopped when Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies caught two men and a juvenile suspected of breaking into and stealing from at least 16 vehicles in Saratoga overnight. Police had been alerted to the activity when barking dogs awakened a resident, who then called police. When deputies arrived, two suspects fled, but a stream of calls from residents about strangers in their backyards kept deputies aware of the suspects' locations almost every step of the way.

The Saratoga Creek lawsuit took another twist when Santa Clara County Judge Edward Infante dismissed the case, declaring that the city of Saratoga was not responsible for contaminated discharges in Saratoga Creek. The dismissal was appealed by the Friends of the Santa Clara County Creeks and San Francisco Baykeeper, who are suing the city.

The Saratoga Parks and Recreation Commission announced that a swimming pool proposed for Saratoga High School was low on its list of priorities. The commission said spending about $700,000 of the city's park development funds on an Olympic-sized pool at the high school would have to wait.

State Sen. John Vasconcelles, who represents the 13th district, introduced Senate Bill 1258 to the state Senate after being approached by the Campbell School District. Vasconcelles' bill would change the law so that the district losing the property would be compensated at fair market value by the district acquiring the property.

Just weeks after news that one farmers' market association was moving out of Saratoga, another association was looking to move in. The California Farmers Market Association, out of Concord, began sending out surveys to a number of Saratoga residents asking what they thought would make a successful farmers' market.

Saratoga's Rotary Club geared up for its 39th annual Rotary Art Show at West Valley Community College May 4. The event featured some 175 artists: approximately 30,000 people attended. Proceeds from sales at the show went to charities and nonprofit groups supported by the Rotary Club.

In what students called a prank, about 30 Saratoga High School seniors streaked across campus, but administrators weren't laughing. It was announced that 10 of the students who admitted streaking would be banned from participating in the graduation ceremony in June.

A proposal by Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian that would provide county funds to help ease the city's budget crunch after the loss of the utility-user's tax provided a ray of hope to Saratoga city officials still struggling to trim the city's budget. The proposal would phase out the city's tax equity allocation (TEA) funds over a two-year period, providing relief from what would have been a cold-turkey loss of the money.

May

The Saratoga City Council approved a plan to eliminate almost 12 jobs from the city's workforce in the continuing effort to reduce the budget by $1.4 million. The plan called for the creation of a little more than five new positions, reducing the city's staff from 54.75 full-time-equivalent jobs to 48.05.

Campbell and Saratoga residents exchanged harsh words at the first public forum on the school district boundary issue.

Students involved in the April 21 streaking incident at Saratoga High School and their parents begged--some tearfully--Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District board members on May 6 to let them attend graduation ceremonies and to overrule a decision by the SHS principal that barred them from the event as punishment.

A report commissioned by the city to look into data compiled on Saratoga Creek was the subject of heated debate among members of the City Council. A letter to the council from Don Whetstone, who is a member of a conservation group suing the city over the condition of the creek, pointed out errors in the report, written by San Jose State University instructor Rhea Williamson.

West Valley Community College's fashion design and apparel technology fashion show, an annual event, dazzled spectators with the latest in student designs May 9. The college's fashion program, the largest of its kind in North America, began in 1984. The show featured a champagne reception, a gallery opening displaying student art and a runway show to rival that of any show in Paris, New York or Milan.

The Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District board members announced at a meeting May 15 that they would uphold Saratoga High School Principal Kevin Skelly's decision to bar students caught streaking from June graduation ceremonies. Harsh words and even obscenities were thrown at the board by parents upset that their teens would not be allowed to attend graduation.

A final agreement for the Hakone Foundation's takeover of management of the Hakone Gardens was completed. City staffers estimated that the deal would save the city about $140,000 a year.

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Deputy Sheriff Kristen Tarabetz talks to truck driver Luiz Arias following an accident in which Arias knocked down a traffic signal at the corner of Los Gatos-Saratoga Road and Big Basin Way with his semi truck. Arias was cited.

June

While the Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization studied the boundary issue and a number of Saratoga, Campbell and Los Gatos residents continued to wage a war of words over the topic, residents of 53 Twain Court-area properties won the right to vote on whether they would like to transfer into Saratoga school districts from their current Campbell district. A May decision by the state Board of Education gave the residents the right to vote on the issue in November.

Seventy Saratoga High School students accused of cheating on an advanced placement history exam won the chance to retake the exam, the Educational Testing Service announced. In the May 9 incident, a student called a friend in Singapore--where the same test had been administered earlier at an American school--and got a copy of questions that were to be on the test. During a pretest study session, the student announced four of the test's five essay questions to the class while the teacher was out of the room.

Faculty at West Valley and Mission Community colleges asked that their complaints against Chancellor Rose Tseng be placed on the district board's next meeting agenda. Faculties at both colleges passed "no confidence" resolutions in May.

Saratoga Union School District board members began discussing how to spend the $40 million dollar bond, known as Measure D, which passed in the June 3 election.

A group of 13 Saratoga High School students barred from graduation ceremonies for an April 21 streaking incident sued the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District.

The city of Saratoga announced it was scheduling a public hearing before the City Council to look into revoking the business license of a local massage establishment because of alleged violations. City code enforcement officials charged that employees of Relaxation Time, located at 12361 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, violated conditions in its agreement with the city, and may have been offering customers more than just a rubdown.

After unsuccessfully attempting to obtain a permit for operation in the Saratoga Village, Starbucks Coffee Company began looking at the Argonaut Shopping Center.

The City Council gave its blessing, but not financial support, to plans for Saratoga's Hometown Fourth event. The city provided insurance for the event under the city's policy.

It took six months and seemingly endless public hearings, but the City Council approved a new city budget for 1997-98 and 1998-99, just in time for the start of the new fiscal year. The budget included not only a reorganized--and reduced--city staff, but also higher fees for recreation, planning and building services, and reduced financial support for such things as crossing guards, community events and code enforcement.

A meeting between residents on and around Saratoga's Miller Avenue and the City Council led to the scheduling of another meeting later in the year at which ideas for mitigating traffic problems on the road will be discussed.

An alternate ceremony was held for seniors barred from Saratoga High School's graduation ceremony on June 12 as a result of a streaking incident that occurred at the school in April. The alternate ceremony, in which Ron Adolphson, Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District board president, participated, was held four hours before the actual ceremony and sparked controversy between teachers and board members.

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Palo Alto firefighters put the casket of Gary Petretto, 38, onto a fire engine. Gary died of a heart attack while water-skiing in July. Petretto's widow, Cindy, is a volunteer firefighter for the Saratoga Fire Department.

July

After nearly two years, a settlement appeared near in the lawsuit against the West Valley cities of Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Campbell by Green Valley Disposal Co.

Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies beat the city to the punch in closing down a local massage establishment when they arrested an employee of the business on charges of solicitation.

The Saratoga Chamber of Commerce confirmed that a new farmers' market was set to open July 12 in the Saratoga High School parking lot on Herriman Road.

As if being the mayor in a city struggling with its budget, searching for a new city manager and dealing with a restructuring wasn't difficult enough, Saratoga Mayor Gillian Moran now had crutches to deal with. Moran's leg was broken when a runaway unoccupied car rolled into her and pinned her against the side of her own car, parked in a San Francisco garage.

The Saratoga City Council reached a settlement in the suit against it and other West Valley cities by Green Valley Disposal Co., and Guadalupe Rubbish Disposal Co. The agreement led to new contracts between the disposal companies and the cities of Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Campbell, and an agreement that rates can only be raised a maximum of 5 percent each year.

The Saratoga Union School District approved a morning and afternoon schedule and class-size reduction for its kindergarten classes. By approving the reduction of kindergarten class sizes and implementing a 20-to-1 student/teacher ratio, the district became eligible to receive an additional $750,000 to $800,000 from the state.

The new Saratoga Farmers Market opened with a bang its first weekend, attracting some 3,000 people July 12. Nearly 40 growers and farmers participated in the event, which would take place Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through mid-November.

Owners of the Saratoga Drug Store began a bitter legal battle over the store's lease with a court appearance July 22. The issue centered on the validity and terms of an option in a lease agreement between store owner Ray Rossi and building owners Alden and Marcelle Bloxham.

Planning commissioners gave approval for Starbucks Coffee Company to move into the Argonaut Shopping Center.

A decision by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Mary Jo Levinger to reverse her own earlier decision provided a ray of hope to Saratoga Drug Store owner Ray Rossi. Levinger reversed a previous decision in which she had ruled that a lease agreement between Rossi and building owners Alden and Marcelle Bloxham was invalid.

Cynthia Ranii was hired to replace Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High school District Superintendent Tod Likins after Likins retired at the end of the school year.

August

The much-discussed renovation plans at the Argonaut Shopping Center were put on hold after a lawsuit was filed by Cupertino developers Ed Storm and Deke Hunter against center owners Carole Rodoni and Paul Hulme. The suit claims that Rodoni and Hulme overstepped their bounds and violated an agreement between the two parties, causing expensive delays in the project. Rodoni and Hulme denied the charges.

The Saratoga Community Library joined the ranks of other community libraries being picketed when about a dozen members of the group Keep the Internet Decent and Safe (K.I.D.S.) protested outside the building July 31. Members of the Gilroy-based group carried signs and handed out pamphlets to library patrons.

The Saratoga Fire Department entered a new era of firefighting when it added a firefighter/paramedic position to its ranks. The new position allows firefighters certified as paramedics to administer advanced life support to victims.

Redwood Middle School worked to repair thousands of dollars in damage to school property caused by vandals who have struck the school several times since June. Windows and doorknobs have been broken and graffiti scrawled across walls in six separate attacks since June 19.

A Southern California noise-reduction consulting firm retained by Caltrans worked on a study of Highway 85. The firm's report, scheduled for completion by September, looked into noise levels on the freeway and possible noise-abatement measures. Caltrans agreed to pay for a $105,000 study in March 1996 after agreeing to investigate ways to hush the noisy highway, which opened in 1994.

The Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization reduced the original six redistricting scenarios to three. The new scenarios were to maintain the current organization except in instances of extreme geographic isolation and adding a study of the territory in Santa Cruz County adjacent to the Lakeside joint and the Loma Prieta joint union school districts; modify the boundaries of the school districts to conform to city boundaries and reorganize the remainder of the Campbell Union High School District into three unified districts; and to combine the first two scenarios.

The Hakone Foundation suffered a shakeup in the wake of taking over the management of Hakone Gardens when administrator Janet Kennedy resigned her position, in which she oversaw rentals and managed daily operations at the gardens. Sources at the gardens claim Kennedy's resignation was a response to management changes within the foundation board.

September

To the surprise of some 450 people in attendance at a public hearing, a fourth scenario was added at the Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization meeting. The newly added scenario, suggested by the Saratoga Union School District board, would realign school boundaries to match city boundaries and in addition turn Saratoga and Los Gatos into a K-12 unified school district. The SUSD said they were not supporting the scenario but would like the option to be studied by the county committee's consultant, Mike Winters.

Saso Herb Garden owners Louis and Virginia Saso announced they would be closing down their nursery forever in order to spend more time working on their nearly one-acre herb garden. The gardens will continue to offer tours, lectures and classes one day a month.

A burglar searching for cash robbed 14 occupied homes on two separate nights in the Arroyo De Arguello area of Saratoga. The burglar entered through unlocked or open windows between 2 and 5 a.m. on Aug. 29 and Sept. 2, striking seven houses each night. Out of the 14 homes, the burglar netted nearly $1,000 in cash and a watch.

Eighteen years after becoming the West Valley-Mission Community College District's first full-time female police officer, Laura Lee Lorman was named the district's first female police chief.

The Saratoga Planning Commission sent plans for three new homes on Park Place back to the drawing board, charging that the proposed structures were too big and not in step with the design of other homes on the small street.

Lighting fire to a symbolic deed of trust, Saratoga Mayor Gillian Moran, the City Council and Finance Director Thomas Fil celebrated the city's having paid off its entire debt of $1.98 million for the improvement and expansion of the Civic Center on Fruitvale Avenue. The retirement of the debt came 14 years sooner than the city expected.

Photograph by Robert Scheer

State Treasurer Matt Fong visited Foothill School in October to unveil a program to students called Save-at-School. The program, in conjunction with the Saratoga National Bank, encourages students to learn money-management skills early.

October

Using the phrase that was to become a battle cry for Saratoga parents looking to transfer to Saratoga school districts, Vice-Mayor Don Wolfe told residents at a City Council meeting that he favored "One city, one school district." District officials and councilmembers agreed to meet again on the issue at a later date.

The hot waters of the Saratoga Creek issue came back to flood the City Council again when it was announced the city would look into the issue of errors in a report on the creek in November. The report, written by San Jose State University instructor Rhea Williamson and for which the city paid about $11,000, contained several errors, which led some councilmembers to question the validity of the report's conclusions. Some residents involved in litigation against the city over the condition of the urban creek also claimed a presentation of the report by Williamson, who made a declaration in support of the city in the lawsuit in 1996, was an attempt to publicly bolster the city's case. The city denied this allegation.

In what some residents called an "irresponsible, hasty and premature" decision, the Saratoga City Council passed a resolution to support the realignment of school district boundaries.

The reality of the AIDS epidemic hit students at Saratoga High School hard during an emotion-packed week of AIDS education and events at the school. The school displayed four 12-by-12-foot sections of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, and students came together to make a quilt panel for Guy Nakatani, a friend of the Saratoga community who educated students on AIDS before he died of the disease. On hand to accept the quilt panel in a tear-filled ceremony were Nakatani's parents, Al and Jane Nakatani, who flew in from Hawaii for the week-long event.

The Saratoga Planning Commission voted to approve a use permit for One World Montessori School to move into existing classrooms and meeting rooms at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Saratoga Avenue. The decision came almost at midnight and after hours of public testimony, mostly from neighbors of the church who opposed the project. Opponents said that the Cupertino-based school was simply too large, with almost 150 students, for that location.

November

An unusual business, in the form of an auto brokerage, was scheduled to move into the Saratoga Village in the space last occupied by Saratoga Wine and Spirits, at 14429 Big Basin Way, by Nov. 15. Mark and Stephanie Brown, who own Highline Imports currently located in Campbell, said they had been looking for a location in Saratoga for close to two years.

After months spent looking into the issue, restaurant owners and city officials worked out a comprehensive plan for valet parking in the Saratoga Village.

Twain Court-area residents voted to join the Saratoga Union School District by a vote of 97.7 percent to 2.3 percent. The residents won the right to vote to join the school district earlier this year. The 53 parcels will be incorporated into the SUSD on July 1, 1998.

Larry Perlin was able to drop one word from his job title after the City Council announced their decision to keep Perlin on as city manager. Perlin had been serving as interim city manager since early March, when then-manager Harry Peacock was ousted by the council in a unanimous decision.

A draft report prepared by a noise-reduction consulting firm for Caltrans concluded that at least three methods of noise reduction could be used on Highway 85 and help lower the road's noise levels. The $105,000 report, commissioned by Caltrans after a residents' group called the Freeway Noise Abatement Committee and local city officials complained about noise, showed that adding sound-absorbing material to soundwalls, building higher soundwalls and repaving the freeway with a less noisy material would aid in reducing traffic noise. Caltrans officials said they built the road to the state's noise specifications and so they would not be responsible.

Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization consultant Mike Winters presented his preliminary data on redistricting to the committee and a standing-room-only crowd.

Plans for the expansion of the Saratoga Community Library were shelved after results of a random sampling of residents showed a bond measure for the project would not receive the two-thirds vote needed to pass on a June 1998 ballot.

Neighbors opposing the approval of One World Montessori School's permit to move into existing classrooms at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Saratoga Avenue appealed the decision to the City Council.

After being the first of its kind to open in Northern California, Cleaner 2000 had to shut its doors because of a lack of business. Business owner Abe Afshari opened the "wet cleaning" business about three years ago after he had to close his traditional dry cleaners because the chemicals were making him sick. The environmentally friendly wet cleaning, which is as safe on clothes as dry cleaning, just hasn't caught on, Afshari said. Mounting bills and little revenue led Afshari to decide to close up shop.

December

Villa Montalvo officials announced that the Mountain Winery concert series held over the summer was more successful than anyone had expected. Elisbeth Challener, executive director of Villa Montalvo, also announced that the number of outdoor concerts will be increased next year from 25 to 60 shows, and the season will include more weekend shows.

Saratoga High School students participated in a drug and alcohol survey on Nov. 13. The results will be used to determine what programs are needed at the school.

Redwood Middle School was once again the victim of vandals. This time, 17 windows were broken on Thanksgiving Day, bringing the total number broken since June to 78. The school also had the words "White Power" tagged on the cafeteria and boys' locker room buildings on Nov. 24. The school has had to use nearly $5,000 from its general fund to repair the damage vandals have caused since June.

City Councilmember Don Wolfe was appointed as the city's new mayor Dec. 3 to replace Gillian Moran, whose term as mayor expired. Councilman Jim Shaw was named vice mayor.

Citing traffic problems, the City Council voted to overturn a Planning Commission decision to allow One World Montessori to move into existing classrooms at the Immanuel Lutheran Church on Saratoga Avenue.

Seven homes in Saratoga had been burglarized or had attempted burglaries since Thanksgiving Day, with at least two of the incidents thought to be related to a rash of burglaries earlier this summer in the Arroyo De Arguello area.

The Saratoga Union and the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union high school district boards both voted to not support Scenario 2 and 4, two of the four options presented by the Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization in August. Both districts waited until the preliminary data from the committee's consultant, Mike Winters, was released before making their decision.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Conrad L. Rushing ruled in favor of Ray Rossi and his Saratoga Drug Store. Rushing ruled that the option on Rossi's lease was valid, and agreed with Rossi's attorney that the rental amount in the 10-year option was also for Rossi's current rental rate of almost $3,000 a month.

After nearly 95 years in Saratoga, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur announced that the order plans to consolidate its Saratoga facility with its Belmont location and that the order's property on Bohlman Road will be put up for sale in the coming year. The 22.5-acre property is zoned for residential housing or a quasi-public facility, such as a school or library.

Attorney Bernd Schmidt, who represented Saratoga Drug Store landlords Alden and Marcelle Bloxham, said they will appeal a decision by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Conrad L. Rushing to allow store owner Ray Rossi to exercise a 10-year option on his lease.

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