The group's purpose is to learn more about how the Cuban legal system works. One main focus will be alternate dispute resolution, how to plea bargain in criminal cases.

The group is led by Gerald Uelmen, a Santa Clara University professor and famed member of the defense team in the O.J. Simpson trial. The trip to Cuba attracted lawyers from all over the state. Meanwhile, guests of the lawyers, including Ira, will tour hospitals and take in cultural events.

Cuba is known for its health care, what with one of the lowest ratios of patients per doctor in the world: one doctor for every 162 people. Medical books are in short supply, however, and this lack forced the health industry to computerize in order to get up-to-date information.

Being computerized is one of the system's strengths. The tourists from California will visit Havana and Varadero, a resort area, in a carefully controlled itinerary. Visitors to Cuba still have to have government approval. Musical presentations and visits to private homes are part of the package.

Professor Uelmen lives in Saratoga. The Spectors know him, and the fact that he was leading the group appealed to them.

MOUSE KING IN PSA SPOT: Gary Covell of Los Gatos plays the Mouse King from The Nutcracker in the public service announcement advertising the holiday food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank. Covell, a retired juvenile probation officer, is an Ironman triathlete, surrounded by dancers, ages 9 to 90.

There's his mother, Beth Covell; his daughter, Christine Santich, and his granddaughter, Sarah Santich, all of whom live in Los Gatos. The ad was filmed at the Second Harvest warehouse, using a real warehouse foreman, Hector Gayton.

Fortunately, the mice aren't real. They're Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley students to be seen on the TV screen sometime soon and at The Nutcracker production Dec. 11-23 at San Jose's Center for the Performing Arts. Covell is one of the ballet's regular volunteers. He plays the Mouse King at such events as tree-lighting ceremonies and parades.

Granddaughter Sarah dances in The Nutcracker each year as a mouse in Act 1. Some Saratoga "mice" will also appear in the ballet's Nutcracker—Klara Tomkins, Sophia Wood, Hannah Dabagian, Lillian Chen, Jessica Fan, Tiara Thomas and Asia Howard.

Los Gatos mice include Simona Frank, Emily Fourie, Amelia Rojas, Clare Schweitzer and Amy Wardenburg. Others are Juliana Moraes-Liu, Isabella Conrad, Holly Cornwell, Shannon Walker and Sophia Rumasuglia.

In the public service spot, ballet mice help organize a Second Harvest collection bin. Ballet publicist Lee Kopp wrote the piece.

Tickets to The Nutcracker are priced $22 to $65, and the box office phone number is 408.288.2800. Performances are at 7:30 p.m.; matinees Saturday and Sunday are at 1:30 p.m.

BRICKS & TILES: Here's a report from Bill McDonnal, president of Friends of the Saratoga Libraries: "The pieces came together so that we can continue to accept contributions for bricks and tiles at the same dollar level and have them installed by the formal opening" (sometime this spring).

Al Fenn lined up a local firm that will replace a blank brick or tile with an engraved one, and that project can be accomplished while the move into the new library is going on.

HOLIDAY CONCERT: The Garden City Chorus and Bay Area Showcase will combine forces for the Barbershop Harmony Holiday Concert Dec. 8 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Garden City recently won top ranking at the Far Western Barbershop Convention and will compete at the international level in Montreal next summer.

Local members of the 70-man group are Robert Cancellieri and Greg Sawyer of Saratoga; Jack Boyd, Vincent Emma, David Pierce, Andrew Weberg, William Weberg and Lynn Wubbels of Los Gatos.

HARVEST DINNER BENEFIT: Immanuel Lutheran held a Harvest Dinner in November, a benefit for the homeless, and raised $750 for InnVision. The guest speaker at the dinner was Dr. Jane Curry of InnVision's board of directors and an associate professor at Santa Clara University.

SANBORN PARK HOSTEL: Sanborn Park Hostel members clean up litter along Highway 9 on specified days. Their next one is Dec. 8, 9:30 a.m. to noon. The number is 408.741.9555. This division of American Youth Hostels holds periodic potlucks/slide shows at the hostel and gourmet nights at local restaurants.

European rail passes are available there: no handling fee, and the pass is delivered to your door. For more information, call 408.741.0166 or 408.293.3787.

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