I found the "There oughta be a draw" opinion piece in the April 28 issue of The Sun encouraging. I live in the Heritage district and enjoy my old (1920s) home. From my front door I can see the Cherry Orchard project and marvel at the patronage of the various shops. If I look down the other way, I see the cement wall of the Target building and a very grim picture.

I have met a representative of Friends of Sunnyvale and think they are trying their best to come up with a genteel solution for downtown. It would be nice to have a "natural" downtown with minimal environmental impact, but I believe this approach is mistaken.

Our wonderful city needs tax revenues. What better way to do this than to design an alluring downtown? We live in the center of the Silicon Valley—home to some of the greatest innovation and creativity known on this earth. Yet we have the ugliest town center in the valley.

I wonder why everyone driving down Mathilda and El Camino is in such a hurry? Could it be they hate looking at that ghastly monstrosity? Could it be they need to go shopping at Stanford or Valley Fair?

The management unit at AMD recently opened an engineering center in India; they were quick to note that no American jobs were lost (no domestic jobs were created). The upcoming years will see fewer and fewer tech jobs created in the valley. It is incumbent that the current city governors shepherd and grow the tax base in a manner that demonstrates thoughtful stewardship.

Sacrifices need to be made. We no longer live in the Valley of Heart's Delight. We live in a fast-paced, multicultural city that would be better served with a downtown that avails commerce during the day and evening. You are absolutely correct about Murphy Avenue. Keep up the good work.

Arthur Sanchez

Sunnyvale

Friends of Sunnyvale don't
represent all residents

It may come as a surprise to Friends of Sunnyvale, but they do not represent me, and I grew up here.

I would like more upscale shops and services when planning our new downtown, so that I don't have to travel to Palo Alto, Valley Fair or Los Gatos.

If our city cannot think outside the borders of who may patronize from other cities, we are sunk before we even begin.

Palo Alto is not easy to get to; neither is Valley Fair, but people (including me) make the effort because they have interesting shopping.

I haven't been shopping in downtown Sunnyvale for years. It's boring. If lower-level shops go in, I will continue not to go there.

I believe our city can have a happy mix of shopping; we already have a start with Target. We have some wonderful restaurants. Il Postale can give any restaurant a run for its money, simply wonderful.

Putting in some nice upscale shops would make our downtown thrive.

Bringing in Crate and Barrel, perhaps a Domus and a small gallery with local artists would put us on the same playing field with other cities.

Regarding Victor Ng-Thow-Hing's comment on why more people don't come out to meetings, I know in my neighborhood, we are so busy working with our schools and community, that it's next to impossible to "do it all"; however, that doesn't mean we don't care.

Perhaps if the city planners were to hold a meeting at the south end of Sunnyvale, maybe at one of the local schools, they could get an entirely different view of what citizens want for their downtown.

We are lucky we have the opportunity to start over. Let's not blow it.

Mary Anne Norling

Sunnyvale

Forum plan simply more
United States of Generica

The continuation on page 2 of the front-page Forum article, April 14, was titled, "Forum wants traditional downtown." Not true. The Forum group wants trendy digs.

In his presentation, Forum's managing member, Ron Pfohl, spoke of trends away from box malls and that his plan was to follow the current ubiquitous trend of gentrified, mixed-use open-air malls. Rubber-stamp it the United States of Generica.

Remember that 20 years ago, the big boxy indoor mall was trendy.

I urge city planners to really listen to the locals and look further into the future than today's shortsighted, uninspired trends.

As presented, the Forum's plan will require many variances to the downtown precise plan.

Also, are they seriously planning to name it The Forum at Sunnyvale? This title brings images of pro basketball and upscale shopping at Las Vegas casinos.

Unlike the Forum's other developments, our beloved Sunnyvale is a suburb, not a resort destination.

Please listen to the people living and shopping in Sunnyvale.

Anne Langer

Sunnyvale

DeCinzo tackles issues
that some wonder about

As a member of the business community in Sunnyvale, I want to give DeCinzo 100-percent support for his cartoons and the message they bring. They are priceless and give a great perspective that at times we all may not agree with. But that's the beauty of it. And the caricatures are also great.

He actually faces the tough issues that come up and gives a perspective that many of us are sitting back and asking about.

As a business owner who is involved in federal, state and local politics, all I can say is DeCinzo keep up the good work and don't back down on any of your thoughts and views.

My family and friends in Sunnyvale, some of them city staff, are also supporting your effort. So keep it up.

Art Takahara

Sunnyvale businessman

DeCinzo cartoon is incorrect
and is also extremely rude

I find your April 21 issue of The Sun to have an awful misconception in it about Fremont High School. Whoever this DeCinzo character is, he or she has obviously not seen FHS students lately, or ever, perhaps.

His or her cartoon was extremely rude and incorrect.

First, Fremont is a very diverse school; we are not all white, not by a long shot. Secondly, Fremont's students are not brought together through hatred of one another, but rather through a common goal, to graduate with as little trouble as possible.

Were Fremont anything like the cartoon, we would not have such harmonious and joyous celebrations, such as the Grand Reopening, or International Week.

If Mr. (or Miss) DeCinzo had attended the Grand Reopening Ceremony, he (or she) would feel some of the love that holds such a diverse group together, and get the real, unified FHS experience.

That cartoon was a disgusting disgrace and was not appreciated.

The students of FHS, however, would appreciate an apology for the terrible lies that were printed about our amazing school.

Catherine Malcolm, age 17

Sunnyvale

DeCinzo not mature enough
for readers in Sunnyvale

Regarding your disclaimer: "DeCinzo's cartoons do not represent the thinking of The Sun's editorial staff. He is a political satirist who is expressing his own ideas. That's what political cartoonists do"—does this also apply to every article with a byline?

Your disclaimer suggests you have ceded the rights to this portion of the page to a different owner.

But, on to my real concerns: DeCinzo's ideas are not mature enough for The Sun's audience, regardless of his age.

Let me be clear: DeCinzo's cartoons are not worthy as political. They are always adolescent in their view, often displaying attributes of sexism, stereotyping on the basis of racist themes or physical attributes, and, more importantly, not amusing at all.

I cringe to think that this is the best you can come up with for a cartoonist. I'd much prefer to see a blank spot on the page, than what DeCinzo's impression of funny is for the week.

If DeCinzo is just "a political satirist expressing his own ideas," make the decision to let him go express them somewhere else. Maybe Mad magazine, for example, devoted to juvenile interests and perspectives of humor, will appreciate your referral.

Please find someone for The Sun worthy of your readers.

Louis E. Freund

Sunnyvale

Fremont High is Sunnyvale's
best-kept secret

Allison Rost's April 21 article "Top Notch," covering the reopening ceremony of Fremont High School, was a rare piece about Fremont in our community: a sincere, fair, and appropriate commentary about Sunnyvale's only high school. I applaud The Sun and Ms. Rost for providing The Sun's readers with a view of Fremont not tainted with the negativity, stereotypes, and prejudice that prevail in most conversations about the school.

I attended Fremont High School by choice, shunning the more prestigious Bellarmine College Preparatory and passing on the address deceit practiced by many of my peers to attend the seemingly more attractive Homestead High School.

I graduated from Fremont in 1992, as did the majority of my childhood friends. Our experiences at Fremont did not hurt our pursuit of attending California's top colleges, nor did it prevent us from landing employment in meaningful and rewarding professions. We are doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers, and police officers. We all cite Fremont as a place where a talented teaching staff and diverse student body inspired us to become better students and people.

I am in my seventh year teaching in the Fremont Union High School District and will finish my second year at Fremont. Fremont is not better than Monta Vista and Lynbrook, nor is it worse; it is different, and that is what makes Fremont such a unique educational experience.

We have a fantastic staff, whose members care about the students' academic and personal growth, and a group of students who surprise me every day with their wit, intelligence, humor, and sometimes heartbreaking issues at home. What frustrates me most is that when it comes time for parents to send their children to high school, they rely on a set of test scores that they may or may not understand, rather than taking time to meet the students, teachers, staff, and administrators at Fremont.

My two years at Fremont have been the most rewarding of my professional career, and, in the words of my social studies colleague (and Fremont/Stanford graduate) Rosina Lozano, "Fremont is Sunnyvale's best-kept secret." Her quote is accurate, but I only wish Fremont's successes were not such a secret.

Andrew Walczak

Teacher, coach, alumnus,
Fremont High School