Main Street

North Dakota, by any name, would still be cold

By Mary Ann Cook

WHAT'S IN A NAME?: South Dakotans meet yearly in warmer climes to celebrate their birthplace, whether they're still living in that state or not. Note that they traditionally meet in warmer climes--this year it was Arizona.

Friends of mine usually attend this reunion, which reminded me of a movement afoot to rename North Dakota simply Dakota. The word "North" is offputting, agitators say. The truncated name would make the state more appealing to visitors, giving a nudge to the tourist trade. Few states are colder than N.D., but would dropping the N make it any warmer?

This is the fourth time since World War II that such a campaign has been waged. "Forget it, it won't happen," scoff my Southerner friends. Southern Dakota that is. "South Dakotans don't want to look like tagalongs, the newcomers in the Dakota family, and that's what it would look like," they claim.

These former Dakotans recently moved to The Terraces and give an enthusiastic report about sizing down.

SOUND FISHY? Los Gatans Marge and Rob Rice are volunteers at the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project, a fish hatchery in Davenport. They go every other month to do whatever fish-sitting chores are needed to be done at that particular time in the lifecycle of the fledgling fish.

It takes about 1¹/2 to raise a fish from an egg to a size big enough to be released into nature. It's very important that the fish are deposited into the stream their antecedents came from, because going to their source keeps the gene pool in balance.

The Rices, along with the other 80 volunteers at the hatchery, perform such tasks as catching the spawning fish at the beginning of the cycle, cleaning the troughs and the filters, feeding the little critters, and maintaining the correct water temperature.

At the hatchery, the fish live under netting to protect them from predators. Perhaps the trickiest chore for the volunteers is clipping a fin of each fish with manicure scissors. That's the way they are marked and tracked. They (the fish, not the humans) are anesthetized slightly for this procedure.

In short, volunteers provide a healthy environment for the fish so they can grow into robust succulence. A short but happy life, presumably. One paid biologist oversees the entire operation.

There are going to be lots and lots of salmon this year, Marge reports. Last year there were none: the caretakers tended steelhead that year. El Niño wreaked havoc on the hatchery and a call went out for volunteers. The Rices responded to the call and have been fish tending for the past four years.

BUTTER PADDLE: The Butter Paddle is celebrating its 35th year benefiting EMQ Children and Family Services. The upscale gift shop raised $147,936 this year for EMQ, and its total for the past 10 years is well over $1 million. Run entirely by a volunteer auxiliary, the group welcomes new members.

The contact is Geri Forsyth at 408.867.1678. Featured ware at the shop this season is Portmeirion pottery. The baby gift section has been expanded and a variety of Junior League cookbooks are available.

ANTIQUE SHOW: With the popularity of antique shows, it's no wonder Assistance League drew so many people--more than 200--to only its second Antique Show and Tell luncheon. Experts were on hand to offer estimates about the worth of the artifacts brought in.

A turn-of-the-century clock still working, a chest of drawers made by the owner's grandfather from cigar boxes, and a miniature derringer were some of the more provocative items. Appraisers stepped to the microphone to acknowledge anything they deemed unique enough.

The experts, though, were reluctant to publicly place a dollar amount on the objects. Appraisers were Shirley Henderson and Sue Okey of Los Gatos; Michael Berry, Lynne Denman and Chris Redford of Saratoga; plus Pat Nauer, David Dittmann and Steven Wayne Yvaska.

PAN-AM: Pan American Round Table of Los Gatos-Saratoga will hold its Celebration of Spring luncheon April 27,
11 a.m.-3 p.m., at Michael's Restaurant, Mountain View. Proceeds from the $30 tickets go to the Scholarship Fund, the Flying Doctors and Interplast.

For more information, contact Violeta at 408.377.8067. Checks should be made payable to Pan American Round Table, 24692 Olive Tree Court, Los Altos Hills, 94024.

MURRY FRYMER: Columnist Murry Frymer will speak at the Los Gatos Town Council chambers April 12, at 7 p.m. The program is sponsored by Friends of the Los Gatos Library. Frymer writes a column for San Jose Magazine: low-keyed, humorous, with a warm helping of humanity.

ART SHOW: A reception for the Open Juried show at the Art Museum of Los Gatos will be held April 7, 1-4 p.m. The show gets stronger and casts a wider net every year, says Catherine Politopoulos, curator. The juror is Karen Honaker and exhibit co-chairwomen are Rita Wilson and Ella Fisher. Elke Groves is president of the sponsoring Los Gatos Art Association.

Police Report

Dick Sparrer: Science projects

Volunteer Docents bring art back into classrooms

Local Home Sales Listings

Obituaries

Picture From the Past

Sports Briefs

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Eastman, Crowder lead Gatos swim team

Red Sox, Cubs each get off to hot Little League starts

Wildcats finish second at Alisal

Mullins tosses a few gems for LG girls softball team