The Union School District has denied usage of the new gym at Union Middle School to the Los Gatos National Junior Basketball League. USD made this decision in spite of the obvious shortage of basketball gym space that the kids in the Los Gatos and USD communities so desperately need. The Union Middle School gym remains sadly empty and unused for organized after-school sports programs, despite the fact the new gym was built with the community's money through the special bonds approved by the voters.

Many students from Union Middle School are residents of Los Gatos. In addition, many of the students in USD participate in sports programs offered in Los Gatos. Los Gatos­sponsored sports programs have always encouraged and welcomed participation of the kids who live within USD boundaries. Now, NJB and the Los Gatos Union School District need a helping hand, and USD says they aren't sharing.

The main gymnasiums that are heavily used in Los Gatos are Fisher Middle School, which is currently undergoing a renovation and is not available for use at this time, and Los Gatos High School. These schools have been the lifeblood for keeping kids basketball programs such as NJB going strong over the past several years. When gym time is not available in our community, our kids must travel to play and practice at Loma Prieta.

There were two reasons given by USD to NJB for denial of a "Use Permit" of the gym starting in November: 1) Construction was still ongoing at Union Middle School, and 2) the "Facility Use Manual" was not finalized and the associated fees had not yet been defined.

The reasons given don't make any sense, especially given the huge benefit this facility would be for the kids of this community. Anyone walking through the Union Middle School campus would be hard pressed to notice a so-called construction zone. In fact, the remaining 10 percent of construction does not come close to interfering with access to the gym. The official USD ribbon-cutting for the new gym occurred around May of 2003 and included the USD board of trustees.

The "Facility Use Manual" excuse does not hold water either. This controversial and divisive document has been under discussion for almost a year now, with no resolution in sight. Standard fees per hour could be easily charged.

The real reason for not sharing their gym appears to be purely for selfish reasons. The same applies to the use of their school fields for community soccer programs. USD kids play on the fields each and every day, yet if there is some construction or renovation going on at one of the schools, they automatically shut down the entire playing field for that school until the entire project is completed. The end result is that the USD fields remain vacant and unused after school.

USD administration, by its actions towards the sports leagues, does not seem to understand the true meaning of community. The sports leagues have had to endure "chasing their tails" to try and get things done and dealing with subtle threats to "just go along" with what USD dictates, or face the consequences of possibly having use permits denied, or other threats acted upon.

This is at a time when organized after-school sports programs are desperately needed for the children of this community. The benefits far outweigh any costs. Where is the USD community spirit?

To resolve this issue, a community facility use committee, represented by all the sports leagues within USD, should be established as quickly as possible.

—Terry Johnston, Los Gatos


Where is the Billy Jones caboose?

From the early 1940s until the late '60s, many Los Gatans flocked to the Billy Jones ranch on Sunday to catch a ride behind his steam locomotive, the "2-spot" as it was affectionately known. The locomotive was one of three built by a Southern California machinist, John Coit.

Billy acquired four Pacific type steam locomotives from Louis M. "Mac" MacDermot, like those used on the Southern Pacific that ran at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915. Billy also got a small switch engine, some freight cars, and some beautiful covered passenger coaches.

But probably the cutest of all the cars at the Wildcat Railroad was a small caboose. It was built on the body and trucks of one of the flatcars built for the Exposition. It was a favorite among the kids who came to ride Billy's railroad. When Billy died in 1968, the caboose, along with some other cars, was put on display at Old Town when the railroad and ranch was for sale. When the railway moved into Oak Meadow Park in 1970, the caboose (which was somewhat unstable and had caused at least one broken arm) was given to a preschool or church in Los Gatos.

Many people have forgotten about the caboose. When I went to see Barbara Phinney, the historian for the Wildcat Railroad (I was a volunteer at the time for the railroad), to get photographs for an article on the railroad that appeared in the April 2000 issue of the Grand Scales Quarterly, a magazine devoted to large-scale miniature railroads, I found some photos of the caboose. One photo showed it outside the new enginehouse at the ranch, built to replace the old one that had burned. Another showed it at Old Town.

I am curious to find out exactly where the caboose went, and if it still exists. Maybe if it does it might someday return to the Wildcat Railroad.

—Ed Kelley, Lewisboro, New York


CASA says a thank-you to the community

CASA would like to thank all the people involved in this year's successful Red Ribbon Week, spearheaded by co-chairs Kim Biderman and Vicki Thorburn. We would like to thank the following administrators and principals for their support and involvement: Lori Wernick, Mary Ellen Lewis, Sister Nicki Thomas, Charlotte Basinger, Rosanne Adona, Raf Strudley, Jim LaTorre, Ken Lawrence-Emmanuel, Trudy McCullough, and Keri McCormick. We would also like to thank the following CASA representatives, including Debbie Litle, Debbie Lid, Jeanne Rajabzedah, Carol Peske, Len Floyd, Donna Starov, Faustine Comstock, Cynthia Cougoule, Sue Dailor, Jody Knauf, and Michael Silva.

As part of the activities of Red Ribbon Week, thanks to Lori Beveridge and Randee Rose for kicking us off with the annual Fun Run at the high school. Micah Jacobsen spoke to all Fisher Middle School students about finding the child in you and using creativity to shape your future. Fisher concluded Red Ribbon Week with a pledge day to live their lives healthy and substance-free.

Tyler Durman spoke to students at Los Gatos High School about looking at life with good humor and making correct choices. An essay contest was planned and facilitated by Helen Stone for grades 5 through 12. Special thanks to the Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police and the DARE program and thanks to the Central Fire District for all of their support and participation in the activities.

Thanks also to the students in the Fisher and Los Gatos High School leadership classes who planned and facilitated all activities at their schools. CASA purchased 5,000 wristbands with "be healthy, the choice is mine" and promotional materials, ribbons, banners and balloons for all schools.

Thanks to the town, the red ribbons decorated our town during our activities. A special thank-you to all the merchants who supported our efforts during this important week. CASA is grateful and appreciates all of the town's support in our efforts to reach out to our children.

—Terri Trotter and Nancy Quinn, CASA board members,
Los Gatos