Letters
High praise for home tour
Please do accept my highest esteem for the recent Historical Home Tour! All the homes were charming, and the homeowners and docents were royally gracious. However, the exquisite Tudor cottage owned by Lord Robert and Lady Audrey Christianson was most outstanding and by far mine own fantastical favorite!
'Twas most like the home of my youth, before traveling abroad in the far flung world. Verily, I may be accused of prejudice!
Nevertheless--yet I do remain my father William's daughter...Lady Susanna Shakespeare.
Mistress Kerri of Making Merry
a.k.a. Kerri Dillon
(Guildmistress of the Players of Lady Shakespeare)
Thoughts on the morning after the campaign
It's 6 o'clock the morning after the election night before. This letter
has been running around in my head for the last four hours, demanding to be put to epaper before letting me get some sleep.
First, I want to congratulate the winners in the Los Gatos Town Council race. I wish Sandy Decker and Steve Glickman all the best in their new roles serving the community. Sandy in particular will be a dynamo on council, and the voters are to be congratulated, as well, for choosing her as their leader.
She cares deeply about this town and the people in it, and has always been my number one choice in this campaign. Aside from our service together on planning commission and the board and advisory council of Live Oak Adult Day Services, Sandy and Gil have been close personal friends of Graciela's and mine since Randy Attaway introduced us almost 10 years ago, and I feel indeed fortunate to count Sandy among my best friends.
Next, I must acknowledge my infinite gratitude for Graciela's love and patience in putting up with me throughout this campaign, sharing the joys of the highs and giving the hugs and listening ear I needed in the lows.
I can't say enough about my campaign manager, Joanne Rodgers. I could not have found a better, more energetic, more organized partner for this endeavor. The campaign itself was flawless, despite its result, and there is nothing, absolutely nothing, I would do differently.
Aside from the campaign, this community is truly fortunate to have someone of Joanne's caliber gluing us together, and with no motive on her part other than pure love. It has been a personal blessing for Graciela and me to have had the opportunity to get to know and become friends with Joanne and Joe and their beautiful family in this process, someone we may even be able to call on for an evening of bridge every now and then.
This election was not really a loss for me, for I have gained many new friends in the process. Besides Joanne and Joe, there are the dozens of people who helped with all the chores of a campaign--envelope stuffing, telephoning, letter writing, party hosting, advice giving; the hundreds who endorsed me, put up lawn signs, and made financial contributions; and the thousands who voted for me. I am truly grateful to one and all.
In particular, I want to single out for special thanks Joe Rodgers, campaign treasurer; Celia Bell, graphic artist extraordinaire; Carol Braham, director of lawn signs; Sue Tuttle, database manager; Frank Marra, assistant treasurer and Rinconada Hills organizer; Brian Parker, webmaster; Kyle Lanza and Leonard Pacheco, photographic artists; Dolores Simone and Phil Micciche, St. Mary's outreachers.
Kathy Morgan, chief strategy consultant and hand holder; Brent Ventura, precinct walking guru; and Paul Dubois and Mary Tomasi-Dubois, friends and neighbors throughout, despite the awkward competitive roles we cast ourselves into.
To repeat my campaign mantra: let's all work together to keep Los Gatos the town we love to live in.
Mike Abkin
Los Gatos
Campaign was great experience, and I'll be back
Now that the election is over I would like to congratulate Steve and Sandy on their election to town council, and pledge my support to help them keep Los Gatos the best place in Santa Clara County to live.
I would also like to thank the many Los Gatos citizens who voted for and supported me during the campaign. I would like to particularly recognize my family and my best friend and wife Mary Tomasi-Dubois; my advisor MarLyn Rasmussen; the support and friendship of Mayor Steve Blanton; the encouragement of Marion Cosgrove; and the help of Rich Lang and my treasurer Jack Neal.
Special thank you's also go out to Dr. Richard Fox and Kathleen King from the Silicon Valley Children's Hospital; Vic Collord, Bart and Terri Raynaud and Ellen Graff for hosting neighborhood coffees; Carl Horine for telephone campaigning; Jan Ewers and the staff at T.D.A. for putting up with me during the campaign; and finally members of the Los Gatos Kiwanis Club and Community Foundation for their help and encouragement.
Although my friend Mike Abkin and I did not win this election, I think you know that we all spoke from our hearts of our concerns for Los Gatos, and that we will all do what it takes to make this a better community.
I for one, am not discouraged, and plan to run again in 2002.
Paul Dubois
Los Gatos
Campaigns send too much material
Instead of heavy breathing, I would hear an awkward pause before the voice came on the phone to plead for someone's cause.
My brimming mailbox, also, had become one of the scenes where hefty campaign mailings seemed to hold more "weighs" than means.
OK, so they could call me and interrupt my meals and they could pack my mailbox with their issues and appeals, but as I set to tasking through the reams of publications, I couldn't keep from asking, "Do we need these duplications?"
Much input is essential, true, in making careful choices, but practices might differ--if the trees were blessed with voices.
Mary Ann Bruno
Los Gatos
Article helped people know Peter Thorpe
I need to comment on the beautiful article Nathan Huff wrote about Peter Thorpe--one of our homeless friends in Los Gatos who died Oct. 12.
Nate has to be a very sensitive man to be able to uncover the fine man Peter was. I never was in a position to talk with Peter. Now I feel as though I knew him.
Thank you, Nate. Thanks to St. Luke's Church for the loving care and the beautiful service for Peter Thorpe.
Shirley Henderson
Los Gatos
Longs Drugs destroys small- town character
After being given a clear message by the residents of Los Gatos last year that we value the small-town character of this community and the services of the small businesses that serve us, it appears that Longs Drug Store and the landlord of the Rinconada Hills Shopping Center (across from my home of 20 years) are again attempting to force their vision of a chain-store dominated strip center through the planning commission again!
Last year, the conditional-use permit was denied by the commission on a 5 to 1 vote.
This time, I feel we are being manipulated. Since that time, the landlord has allowed the shopping center to languish and become rundown. It is hard to believe that the former independent pharmacy space and the bank sites have stood vacant for over a year in a booming Silicon Valley economy. In fact, the landlord has announced that they will remodel the shopping center if Longs is allowed into the center and have plastered the drawing plans on the window of the pharmacy site.
Why should we put up with this kind of double dealing?
What next "upgrade" will the Los Angeles-based landlord want to force upon our community?
Sadly, there are always some people who do not understand the issues and have fallen for this scheme. The issues upon which the planning commission based its decision last year have not changed and are more than just the center's appearance. They are elements specified in the General Plan including the preservation, promotion and protection of the existing small-town character and our quality of life.
The maintenance of a balanced, economically stable community, including the retention of locally owned businesses, was emphasized. Concerns such as increased noise, traffic congestion, and the impact of the nearby middle school and day care center were also taken into account by planners.
I feel that the proposed Longs Drug Store is still detrimental to the neighborhood ambiance. The price we will pay in increased traffic and loss of locally owned small businesses and the intangible factors that make up this Town's character are too great to sacrifice for the benefit of another Longs Drug Store.
Edie Morad-Ross
Los Gatos
Rinconada Hills doesn't need Longs Drugs
I am opposed to the building and opening of a Longs Drug Store in Rinconada Hills Shopping Center.
As a resident of Los Gatos, I have a personal interest in the maintenance of our small town atmosphere, small local businesses, less congestion and traffic around schools, and I am opposed to overbuilding for what is an essentially residential neighborhood.
I believe the building and operation of Longs Drugs would negate the above interests.
Bobbye S. Hume
Los Gatos
Longs would compete with local pharmacy
I oppose the granting of a conditional-use permit for a Longs Drug Store in the Rinconada Hills Shopping Center. The reasons are several, all based on the principles set forth in the General Plan 2000.
First, this development is obviously counter to the town's policy of encouraging the development and retention of locally owned stores and shops. If you will please recall, my pharmacy was previously located in the Rinconada Hills Shopping Center.
Then known as Rinconada Pharmacy, it served the community for nearly 30 years. Even after this planning commission denied Longs a conditional-use permit last year, the landlord refused to renew our lease and appears to have intentionally kept this space vacant for this reapplication.
With this past history, what is to prevent the Los Angeles-based landlord from evicting other small businesses in the center in favor of chain operations?
Second, the increased traffic, congestion and noise that this project will bring is significant. While Longs wants to refer to this development as a "pharmacy" versus a "drugstore," it is in fact, a mass merchandise operation, geared toward maximizing the number of "shoppers" who enters the store. Chain stores use mass media advertising and loss leader sales to bring more traffic into their stores.
Third, Los Gatos is already well served by two Longs and two other chain drug stores within a few minutes drive of this neighborhood. Also, Silicon Valley Pharmacy is still in the neighborhood. Another Longs location has minimal community benefit which is negated by the significant traffic, congestion and noise that will result.
Last, this development is detrimental to our pharmacy, Los Gatos' last independent pharmacy, and only medical supply dealer. We are the pharmacy to whom the chains refer "patients" when they cannot help them. We provide delivery service to patients who cannot travel to us. We support community activities without strings attached. We live and work in Los Gatos.
David S. Matsuo,
President
Silicon Valley Pharmacy
Town does offer varied services for its seniors
We read the letter to the editor from Linda Brown regarding her senior friend, Wanda, and the lack of meaningful activities for her in Los Gatos. While it is true that we don't have a building called "senior center," we would like to tell Wanda (and anyone 50 years of age and over) that we, who manage local programs for seniors, do care about you and would welcome your participation in the activities that we sponsor:
* The Los Gatos Senior Program, under the auspices of Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education and Recreation, offers classes in memoir writing, drawing, watercolor painting, line dance, tai chi, yoga, meditation, computer, posture and balance, and, starting in January, classes in beginning and intermediate bridge. On Wednesday, the Senior Program meets at the Neighborhood Center where Wanda could come to play bridge, pinochle, canasta, cribbage, scrabble, listen to a talk or entertainment, or just join us for lunch. Additionally, the Senior Program offers day and overnight trips. Call 408.354.2360 for more information.
* Live Oak Senior Nutrition and Service Center, at the Methodist Church, 111 Church St., meets Monday through Friday, and offers social and educational programs for adults 60 and over, entertainment, information and outreach to homebound elders--in addition to delicious hot meals served daily. Call 408.354.0707 for reservations.
* The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center's Senior Adult Department is a full-service program for all faiths that provides a wide range of educational activities, discussion groups, card games, social functions, and short and long excursions. The Kosher Nutrition Program serves lunch Monday through Friday, for those 60 and over. Call 408.358.3636 for more information.
* The Senior Drop-in Center, managed by the town of Los Gatos Community Services Department, sponsors a diverse number of senior programs and activities such as the Happy Hoofers walking group, bridge group, chess club, health insurance counseling and information (HICAP), reading aids and a variety of other services. Call 408.354.1514.
At the end of November, the Los Gatos Silver Pages, a booklet listing local senior programs and services, will be available at the Neighborhood Center, main library, and through the Chamber of Commerce--and this will provide a more complete picture of what is available. Without trying to minimize the need for a senior center, we don't want Wanda or anyone else to miss out on the offerings that do already exist.
Lynnette Vega
Senior Programs Coordinator Los Gatos Senior Program
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
