Margaret Magill is only partially correct in identifying the lemon yellow flowers in Saratoga open space as oxalis, not mustard ("Event could be called the 'Oxalis Walk,' " Speak Out, March 1). The plant in question is Bermuda buttercup, or Oxalis pes-caprae (not Oxalis incarnata, whose flowers are white). Both are South African imports that are invasive in California wild lands.

As for Saratoga's Mustard Walk, any event that connects people with nature is to be commended. I do hope that Saratogans will also learn to celebrate their pre-agricultural past when, long before the oxalis and mustard took over, the land was covered with California poppies, lupines, goldfields and clarkias under the able stewardship of the Ohlones. California's native wildflowers evoked wonder and awe among early European botanists, who took seeds back with them; these flowers are avidly grown in European gardens even now.

These symbols of our state's unique floristic heritage are worthy of cultivation and protection. I hope that in the not too distant future Saratogans will be able to go on a Poppy Walk and get a glimpse of their surroundings as they were for hundreds and thousands of years.

Arvind Kumar

San Jose

Music department should
not have its own musical

In regards to the article on Saratoga High School's production of Brigadoon: I would like to clarify the misconception presented in the article that this musical presented by the school's music department was the only opportunity that students in band and choir have to participate in a musical theater experience at Saratoga High School.

The Saratoga High School theater arts department produces a musical every year after holding auditions open to all students (and virtually all students who audition will be offered a role in the production). In addition, every effort is made to work around student conflicts with other extracurricular activities with the result that students from choir, orchestra, color guard, sports, journalism, etc., have been able to participate and shine in the theater arts department musical.

The music department, on the other hand, restricted auditions to members of the music department only, and while this may have made it somewhat easier for music department students to participate because many of the rehearsals were held in choir class, there was still an extensive after-school rehearsal schedule much like the drama department's that also conflicted with other extracurricular activities. Also, there were students who would have chosen not to participate in a musical at all who were unexpectedly being required to be in one when all they signed up for a choir class.

The music department musical also sadly resulted in orchestral and vocal coaching support from the music department being pulled from the performing arts department musical, which broke the longstanding Saratoga High School tradition of collaboration between the music and drama departments in producing these AMT award-winning shows.

The Saratoga High School theater arts department musical production has always brought students together from all areas of campus activity, opening up new friendship possibilities for students who might not otherwise cross paths in a school of roughly 1,200 students. A musical production restricted to any one department has quite the opposite effect: separating students, diluting the quality of the musical production and engendering disappointment and hurt feelings amongst the students who are excluded.

V. Stern

Franklin Avenue

Saratoga needs to get on
to other important issues

I called Saratoga city offices on two issues that I felt were important to all Saratoga residents, hoping they were not still mired in Kevin Moran and other hopefully behind-us issues.

First, I wanted to know why Saratoga was one of the very few areas not receiving Comcast "On-Demand" service, in spite of Comcast advertising that it is universally available. The city spokesperson who returned my call referred me to her Comcast contact who could give no good reason other than "we're working on it" (the same answer I received from Comcast for more than a year).

Second, I had asked why Saratoga was not receiving, or planning to receive, Wi-Fi broadband wireless service now offered free in Cupertino, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale and planned for expansion to Mountain View and others by Metro Fi and Google (as frequently reported in the San Jose Mercury News in recent weeks). Her answer was, "What's Wi-Fi?"

It's time for Saratoga to get on with timely and important issues that could make life better for our residents.

Bill Elhoff

Via Real Drive

Village is no place
for a Subway store

How fortunate we are to live in Saratoga. How many California residents are able to refer to their downtown as a Village? Not many.

I am concerned about the possibility of a Subway Sandwich franchise opening in the Village. Our Village already has a multitude of businesses that sell sandwiches. I see no need for another sandwich shop in the Village. A sandwich franchise at the entrance or any other location is not appropriate, detracting from the Village.

Our quaint Village is unique. A sandwich franchise does not lend itself to the ambiance. The charm needs to be preserved.

The Subway Sandwich application will be voted on on March 8 at the planning commission meeting. I urge anyone interested in this matter to attend.

Laurel B. Perusa

Oriole Road

There is still time to
save North Campus

Fellow Saratogans, we have what is likely to be our last opportunity to have a community center that will be able to serve our current and future needs. A petition to have a referendum placed on the November ballot is being circulated and we need 2,000 signatures in a very short period of time. The issue is the fate of the North Campus.

It is not too late to save the North Campus. The goal is to have every Saratoga voter decide whether the property (the former Grace Methodist Church on Prospect Avenue) should be sold to a developer for housing or whether the property should become a center serving Saratoga's children, youth and seniors.

As you know, the city council narrowly voted to sell the property in order to raise money to repair and upgrade Saratoga's infrastructure. At best, the money gleaned from the sale is a short term fix; at worst, the sale means the loss of the last viable piece of property that can be utilized for community activities.

Marcia Fariss

Saratoga Glen Place