Seniors come for lunch, stay for dancing.
Baileys Irish Cream desserts delight for St. Paddy’s Day.
Senior Lifestyles, Page 25
Food & Wine, Page 33
www.losaltosonline.com Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Community news for Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View since 1947
Serving youth through sports
Vol. 64 No. 10 • 50 cents
LAH residents due for water rate hike 50 percent increase scheduled
Thriving athletic leagues benefit local children in myriad ways
By Elliott Burr
Town Crier Staff Writer
By Pete Borello
T
Town Crier Staff Writer
O
K, so it’s pretty clear you’re not raising the next Tom Brady, Tim Lincecum or Brandi Chastain. But does that mean your children should abandon sports and take up the cello, audition for “Annie” or begin developing apps for the iPhone? Not necessarily. Star players aren’t the only ones who benefit from participating in youth sports. Several area residents involved in running local leagues say sports offer something for every caliber of athlete. “Sports provide lifelong lessons, such as working together toward a common goal, supporting and encouraging team members, exercise and skills development,” said Scott Clarke, vice president of finance for Los Altos-Mountain View PONY Baseball. “And it’s a great way to have fun – and get snacks at the end of the game.” Joe McCarthy, board member of the Los Altos-based Crusaders Lacrosse Club, said
ABOVE PHOTO BY ELLIOTT BURR/TOWN CRIER; BELOW PHOTO BY ANNETTE JENAB/SPECIAL TO THE TOWN CRIER
Crusaders Lacrosse Club player Alex Motey, above, a seventh-grader at Blach Junior High School, winds up for a shot at practice last week. Raphael Chevalleir, below in orange, carries the ball during a Santa Rita vs. Covington schools flag football tournament.
“Sports provide lifelong lessons, such as working together toward a common goal, supporting and encouraging team members.” – Scott Clarke, LA-MV PONY Baseball
See YOUTH, Page 6
Time to spring forward early Sunday morning Daylight saving time is almost here. Don’t forget to move your clock one hour ahead beginning 2 a.m. Sunday.
he Purissima Hills Water District plans to increase rates for Los Altos Hills residents, effective today, by approximately 40 to 50 percent. The additional fees are needed to cover the increased cost of water from its suppliers, infrastructure upgrades and administrative expenses, according to Gary Waldeck, president of the board of directors. Los Altos Hills residents already pay among the highest rates in the state, and many expressed their displeasure with the increase, lodging complaints with the district ahead of tonight’s water district board of directors meeting. Objectors claimed the 27 percent cost increase by the town’s water supplier – the
See WATER RATES, Page 5
Parking stymies Safeway expansion Grocery store submitted plans, but they aren’t up to code By Jana Seshadri Town Crier Staff Writer
S
afeway wants to renovate its First Street store but has yet to submit a plan that complies with the city’s building code, Los Altos City Manager Doug Schmitz said. The current store, built in 1967, is 22,500 square feet. The company wants to enlarge and modernize it at the same location. “We are very committed to Los Altos and would like to build a new store greater than
40,000 square feet,” said Susan Houghton, director of public affairs for Safeway. The number of parking spaces required by the city is proportional to the square footage, posing a stumbling block to renovation. “Parking is the issue,” Schmitz said. “The last plan we saw a year ago, they were short more than 50 parking spaces.” According to the code, a business has to provide five parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet of built property, which means Safeway’s proposed store would require at least 200 parking spaces, according to Schmitz. Although plans include a few spaces along the side of the store, the main parking area
ELLIOTT BURR/TOWN CRIER
Los Altos City Manager Doug Schmitz said Safeway’s renovation plans fall short on parking spaces. would be on the rooftop, Schmitz said. Recent downtown rezoning along First Street would retain retail between Safeway See SAFEWAY, Page 4