About 10 p.m. on March 26 I saw an animal that at first resembled a coyote wandering through the Rinconada Hills townhouse complex near Quito and Pollard in Los Gatos. On closer inspection, however, its stature and behavior was much more like that of a fox.

After doing a bit of research, I am now certain it was the endangered San Joaquin kit fox—vulpes macrotis mutica. It is known to reside in Santa Clara County. It is described as running with its tail horizontal, as opposed to the coyote, which runs with its tail lowered. Both it and the coyote are described as having a black-tipped tail, but some pictures of each don't actually show the black. The tail on the one I saw did not appear to have an obvious black tip, even when following it for over a minute with the high beams on in my car.

One of the kit fox's main foods is the California ground squirrel, which does not seem to be in short supply in many areas around here.

I thought I should bring this to the public's attention. The San Joaquin kit fox is listed as endangered by the federal government and listed as threatened by the state of California—so you can't terminate him. You, of course, might be able to have him moved. Kit foxes can definitely be confused with juvenile coyotes, even by experts if they are careless.

—Peter Edler, Saratoga


Business chips in to support S.O.S. program

The effort to assist the Los Gatos Union School District in weathering next year's budget crisis through local action is inspiring. The rallying cry is clear: We must continue to invest in our children, through alternative means if necessary, despite the condition of the economy and the budgetary chaos in Sacramento. The Los Gatos Education Foundation appropriately addresses its primary appeal to parents, whose stake in the continuity of school programs is the most immediate. Seeking local corporate support seems like a good idea, too, although corporate philanthropy programs ebb and flow with the economy. What seems to be missing from the strategy is an appeal to local small businesses.

We are "The Shops Along Main Street," or, in our case, Los Gatos Boulevard. The health of our community and the condition of our schools affect us directly. The parents, teachers and administrators are our neighbors as well as our customers. They give us permission to remain in business every day, and we need to return their support when they need our help. We know our customers well enough to recognize that there are many who are struggling financially and may not have the means to contribute the $600 called for by the S.O.S. campaign. We want to help.

To the Los Gatos Education Foundation: The $600 check's in the mail. Consider it a scholarship for a family in need.

To our fellow small-business owners: Please join us in adopting a family of your own. You may not know their name, but it's likely that they're walking through your front door right now.

—Karen and Bill Scarvie, The Wooden Horse, Los Gatos


There's still time to have music in plaza

We were told by the Los Gatos Town Council that too much time has passed to do anything about the venue for Music in the Plaza this year. Teri Hope, realizing that significant numbers of Los Gatans prefer the plaza site, only promised to study the issue after completing this year's concerts at the Los Gatos Civic Center. We will now have nearly all large civic programs on E. Main Street—Music in the Plaza, Fiesta de Artes, and Fourth of July and its after-party—except the Farmer's Market, which she originally opposed returning to the plaza.

There is plenty of time to hold a hearing and return music to the plaza. I know from experience that posters, programs and the like have been produced as late as June. Only six of last year's 23 major sponsors expressed an opinion of the event's venue, and only four of those six preferred the civic center. The town should have an opportunity to show off its new plaza and, if necessary, finish the work on recommendations to make it complement the needs of Music in the Plaza.

Finally, I would like to thank all the individuals in town who helped me gather the nearly 1,100 signatures of citizens who support keeping this classic summer music program where it started. It is unfortunate that the Los Gatos Arts Commission and town council, on this issue, created conditions that divide, not unite, this community.

—John Tice, Los Gatos


Courtside's colors are no earth tone

In the article about the new Walgreens store, it was stated that the planning commission had approved the Walgreens application with the condition that the colors and materials used on the outside of the store be earth tones and consistent with the town's look. We are wondering if that condition is why Courtside Club is painted that monstrous orange. I shake my head with bewilderment several times a week when I pass by Courtside and contemplate how that horrible color was ever selected. In fact, last week out-of-town visitors arrived via Highway 85 and exited on Winchester Boulevard. One of their first questions was what on earth was that horrible orange monstrosity just south of the highway?

That is no earth tone!

—Barbara MacRostie, Los Gatos


Misuse of school directory is a cause for concern

I am writing in response to Ms. Robin Flury's letter, "Classroom isn't a place for photo of flag burning." I am not here to debate what has already been decided in the U.S. Supreme Court. Rather, I am writing to assure the families that have joined the Los Gatos High School Home and School Club that I am doing my best to protect their right to privacy.

As president of the Home and School Club and publisher of the school directory, it is my job to see that it is distributed and protected to the best of my ability. Thanks to Ms. Flury, I have let down the members of the Home and School Club. Before Ms. Flury wrote to the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, she took it upon herself to write to many Los Gatos High School parents informing them of the photo in question and asking them to respond to a website by signing a letter to Principal Trudy McCulloch demanding that the photo be removed from the classroom.

I, in turn, have been receiving numerous emails and phone calls from members of the Home and School Club that don't want to discuss the content of the email written by Ms. Flury but rather how she obtained the email addresses. The school directory is published for the purpose of keeping parents connected to other parents.

It is published for students to get in touch with other students. "The use of this publication for commercial, political or any other form of solicitation is strictly prohibited"—this is the statement written on the first page of the directory.

Ms. Flury is not a member of the Home and School Club and she does not have a child at Los Gatos High. How she came across this publication is still a mystery. How she feels that she can write with such conviction is beyond me—she hasn't even seen the photo in question. Ms. Flury has not met with the teacher in order to understand the context of the photo or to get a sense of the teaching style or beliefs of the teacher.

I have asked her to return the directory to me and to delete her address list that came from this directory. I offer my apologies to the members of the Los Gatos High School Home and School Club. To Ms. Flury, I say, think before you act. Your actions raised a lot of questions, none of them having to do with flag burning.

—Shelley Seders, President, Los Gatos High School Home and School Club

CORRECTION

There was an error in the April 16 story "Cellular towers rise up again as an issue facing town council." A proposal for a town telecommunications ordinance was first suggested last spring.