Letters
Clarification helps give credit where credit is due
First of all, I wanted to thank you for the magnificent article that appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times regarding the Kiwanis "Turnaround" Student Scholarship Program. The story about the program and the individual students was wonderful, and I know that the students and their families appreciated your recognition of their achievements.
However, I would be remiss if I did not make one addition to the article. Even though the program began in San Jose, it is important that Catherine Barrier and Bob Jones receive a great deal of credit for beginning our program, and that the rest of the Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos be recognized for their tremendous support.
Thank you again for your marvelous article.
Trudy McCulloch
Principal
Los Gatos High School
Accusations of coach smack of McCarthyism
Fred Norris' inference on "the track coach tactics" in the June 14 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times reminds me of the Wisconsin senator of 50 years ago. Accusations without facts, names or motives is very irresponsible. So "Joe," if you are talking about Mr. Harmatz, I am one parent with three daughters who ran track at LGHS that can attest that your allegation of coaching illegal tactics is sensationalism and hogwash.
I challenge you to speak with those kids who run and have run for Willie and I think you'll find we have the greatest respect for his dedication and integrity. To Ms. Hennessy [the disqualified runner of whom Fred Norris spoke], congratulations on your great run at the Great West. Good luck next season.
Warren Veeder
Los Gatos
Loss of fire station invites fire disaster
The following account was told to me by my husband, Mercury Freedom. It happened June 19, 2000. I also saw the fire fight against the Los Gatos fire a year ago from Highway 17 (which was closed) that threatened downtown Los Gatos. If the heliport had not been there that fire may have become a more serious disaster. His story:
During the evening commute on my way up the hill on Highway 17 southbound from Los Gatos, I noticed smoke rising from below the Lexington Dam, near the highway, but out of view. There were no sirens and no emergency vehicles I could see.
I reached for my cell phone to report the fire and thankfully heard sirens before I made the call. As I neared the overpass at Bear Creek Road, I saw fire trucks coming from both the Alma Station and from Los Gatos.
Before they got to the fire I saw the California Department of Forestry Alma Fire Station helicopter rising above the trees. It was an awesome sight. Before the trucks arrived on the scene, the helicopter had dropped water on the small fire and it was out.
Very few people will even know this occurred, just a little fire stomped out before it caught the wind and the dry grass and trees. Not mentioned in any newspaper or radio station.
I'm certain the trucks mopped it up quickly. In 1985 the Lexington Hills fire started in almost the same location. The CDF's helicopter was assisting other fires in Southern California. There was no helicopter to drop water within the first few minutes. The 1985 fire didn't stop for days, it was not very accessible for the trucks and before 'copters were on scene from distant heliports, it was already out of control.
That fire we all heard about; it cost money; hundreds of acres were burned; homes were lost and lives threatened.
In the near future, the Alma heliport may be gone forever, replaced by two luxury homes. With the heliport and CDF trucks removed, how long will it be before another fire breaks out? Will the trucks from the Summit or Los Gatos get there in time? How fast can other helicopters get on scene? Will another huge fire happen here again? We may know soon. If we are lucky we may read it in the papers, or if we are not so lucky we may have to live through it.
We need the governor's help because the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District wants to keep the fire station here and achieve public ownership of the acreage next to it. They want to contribute $1 million. Craig Britton, director of MROSD, thinks it can sell for $2.4 million.
The state has offered $900,000. The additional $500,000 could be obtained through the budget allocation requested by Assemblyman Jim Cunneen, but in need of approval by Gov. Davis.
Send letters to Gov. Gray Davis, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, 95814. Email graydavis@governor.ca.gov. Mention that this is Budget Item #3540-001-0001, for Alma Fire Station Land Purchase, Disbursing Department, Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Mercury and Rea Freedom
Los Gatos
Nobody was to blame for physical aspect of race
I am responding to a letter published in the June 14 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times concerning one of the track and field coaches at LGHS. I ran for Los Gatos for four years, during which this particular coach was the head coach of the team.
As a member of the LGHS track and field team, I learned how to be a competitive athlete, how to be a leader, and how to be a successful person. Not once did any of the coaches ever suggest that I should use "physical" tactics to win a race.
As a former Division I track and field athlete, I know that bumping and pushing is a part of running. Most people think that track is a noncontact sport, but most athletes find themselves using their arms to keep their position. Unfortunately, like many other issues in college athletics, this has trickled down to the high-school level.
Most of the bumping is unintentional, and it sounds like this is what happened at the CCS meet. Both athletes admitted to using their arms during the race, and neither athlete seemed to blame the other. Unfortunately, the judges had to make a decision, and it was our runner who was affected.
However, I am very confident that the Los Gatos runner would only have good things to say about her coach, and I can't imagine that he would ever teach her to use such tactics. It is obvious that he felt horrible about the situation, for he admitted that all he could do was cry with his athlete. I can't think of many coaches that are strong enough to admit that.
Unfortunately, when something bad happens, we always want to blame someone. In this case, there may be no one to blame.
Kim Hay
LGHS Class of '94
Hillbrook charges by neighbors are unfounded
This letter is in response to the letter "This town seems destined to become a city" published in the June 21 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times.
Regarding the project application under consideration for Hillbrook School, I would like to make two clarifying points. First, Hillbrook School has never asked for nor do they plan on asking for increased enrollment. As they have made very clear so many times in the past, they are not asking to expand the campus, only to improve the campus by replacing and remodeling the existing buildings.
Traffic volume will not increase as a result of this plan.
Second, Hillbrook School has been and continues to be extremely conscientious regarding the existing traffic issues expressed by neighbors on Marchmont Drive and the surrounding streets. They routinely inform parents about the local traffic laws and neighbor's concerns.
The office staff regularly stand in the drop-off areas and conduct traffic control to keep traffic from backing up onto Marchmont. They encourage parents to carpool, sending them lists of other students living in the same neighborhoods. And they actively look into other mechanisms they can put in place to ease the remaining traffic problems.
As an historical note, Hillbrook School has been at its current location for many years, many more than most of the neighbors on Marchmont have been in their homes. These neighbors, or their predecessors, probably bought the land on which their houses rest from Hillbrook School, which, in the past, owned more of the surrounding land than they do now.
These neighbors purchased and/or built knowing about Hillbrook and the traffic. What do they expect Hillbrook to do? Other than the obvious speeding problems which, I agree, must be dealt with, does anyone have any good ideas?
I encourage all of the neighbors on Marchmont to remember that Hillbrook was there before they were and that the enrollment will not increase as result of the current plan.
Please let Hillbrook improve the school so that the students can benefit from the improved facilities as soon as possible.
Kevin Jones
Los Gatos
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
