Shirley Stanger labels the Wedgewood Avenue neighbors as NIMBYs because of our concerns related to the traffic generated by the La Rinconada Country Club (letters, July 21). Although "not in my back yard" is a popular catchphrase, it is not properly applied to the Wedgewood Avenue neighbors.

The Wedgewood Avenue (and other) neighbors of the golf course are not asking that all golf course-related traffic cease. In fact, it is just the opposite. It is the neighbors who live near the members' entrance who are asking the town to prevent trucks from using their streets. Thus, the accusation of nimbyism was misplaced.

In addition, unlike our neighbors who favor the current access restriction, I do not necessarily oppose the use of our street for truck deliveries; I only think that the burden should be apportioned equally. According to the town's General Plan, Wedgewood, La Rinconada and Clearview are all "neighborhood collector streets." Designation as a neighborhood collector was the ostensible reason for imposing the delivery limitation to Wedgewood Avenue only. If that designation is in fact an appropriate basis for the restriction (something I doubt), then it follows that imposing the restriction on only one street so designated is unfair, arbitrary and favors one neighborhood over another. Surely that is not the policy of our town?

Finally, I wish to gently remind those that favor the current restriction that trucks owned by entities such as florists, the post office, Fed Ex and UPS already go up and down their streets all the time. I believe that many of the fears expressed at the last planning commission meeting were unfounded. All of the relevant neighborhoods are zoned residential and thus none of the affected parties can claim a higher or better right to preclude certain truck deliveries on their streets.

There is no legal, moral or ethical reason for the town to treat one neighborhood any differently than the other. I urge the council to eliminate the condition in the use permit that limits truck deliveries to Wedgewood Avenue alone. It has no legal or ethical basis and has done nothing but cause ill will. It is very divisive. I am not a NIMBY. I only want what is fair and to be treated as my neighbors' equal.

Nora Rousso

Los Gatos

Invitation to join
Red Cross effort
to support troops

In your July 14 issue, John Dooley wrote about Operation Yellow Ribbon's effort to send care packages to Los Gatos troops. Recently, Mike Frangadakis and his team asked our organization, Operation: Care and Comfort (under the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the Red Cross), to help them continue to send care packages to the troops.

It has been a great partnership. We not only ship to the Los Gatos service members, but "adopt" their unit until they return home. They, along with about 30 additional units (all military branches are supported), are currently receiving large shipments of care packages on a monthly basis from our all-volunteer military care package program. We ship a minimum of 500 pounds of care and comfort items a week to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, totaling 45,000 pounds since April 2003.

Our voluntary effort continues because our community, despite differences in political parties, views on the war, etc., simply wants to show those in uniform that we appreciate them. At roughly $1 a pound, shipping costs are our greatest expense. We applaud the dedication of those involved with the Operation Yellow Ribbon Los Gatos project, and I invite you to join our effort by visiting our website at www.santaclaravalley.redcross.org.

Julie DeMaria, volunteer coordinator

Red Cross, Operation: Care and Comfort

Mother of Marine
unhappy over
mayor's decision

On July 4th, I was among the hundreds attending the Strike Up the Band concert on the front lawn of Los Gatos High School. While the music played, I thought of my eldest son, Ben. He is a U.S. Marine and a graduate of Los Gatos High School.

Ben was deployed to Iraq in late June. I was disheartened to learn of Mayor Steve Glickman's two-time refusal to read the names of local military personnel serving overseas at the event I attended. I can't imagine a better venue than the Independence Day celebration for the town to honor its soldiers.

Our mayor stated that one reason he refused to recognize these men and women in front of the town was due to a concern that the list of names might be incomplete. My son's name might not be on that list, but that is OK. Many people were unaware of Ben's deployment, and I certainly would not expect the members of Operation Yellow Ribbon to know about his departure. I do know that my son would be honored through the recognition of other overseas military personnel.

I find it hard to believe that even on the Fourth of July, festivities were so "carefully organized and carefully vetted" that Mayor Glickman could not have made a last-minute change to the schedule of events. It would have been the right thing to do. I think that it is reasonable to expect our mayor to think on his feet and to do the right thing. Unfortunately, in this case, he did neither. I'll certainly keep this in mind in November when Mayor Glickman seeks re-election to the Los Gatos Town Council.

Martha Dickinson

Los Gatos

Idea to resolve
the issue of
recognition

I was at the Fourth of July event, a wonderful midafternoon entertainment of the lovely music by our locals to celebrate the day. I was told by a group that the names of those serving our country would be read. I looked forward to that, for I had spent time in Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary and Kosovo in the past.

When on these tours and the Fourth came around, I always thought of home and how much fun others are having in celebrating what our country stands for. Celebrating the Fourth in some areas of the world, especially today, is a bit hard, when out on a mission.

I thought that the reading of the names was a kind thought for all to share. Whether it was poor planning or a misinterpretation, as we know, this didn't happen.

An idea that may help resolve this issue is to have the Rotary Club continue its good deed by working with the town in creating a board that can post the folks serving our country and where they are. The board could possibly include the serviceperson's local relatives, where they are serving, their address and any other information the family and relative may want to share. This could be posted either by the Civic Center and/or the post office so folks coming to our town's concerts can see the names. This will keep all aware there is someone out there serving our country.

We must remember not to just remember these folks on the Fourth of July, but all the time long of their tour.

Chris Wiley

Los Gatos

Students' letter
about war in Iraq
was misguided

The letter to the editor titled "Students show concern over war in Iraq" (letters, July 21) reveals the lack of knowing the reality of the world by those students. Their teacher must be proud that his/her students lack enough information of current events to feel as they do. They should be so lucky that they were not born in Iraq, especially as a Kurd.

I would surmise that those children cannot realize the facts about the 30 years of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. I heard of a 23-year-old Kurdish man who survived two bullet wounds and was dumped into a pit with his family, and others explain who did it to him. They were Saddam's soldiers. All of his family was murdered by the will of Saddam.

Those children are so fortunate to have been born in Los Gatos and not in a city in Iraq. They are also fortunate that many others do not think as they do. I wish they could hear from the Kurdish young man that his parents are not living because of Saddam. I wish they could visualize what he saw as a 12-year-old. What would they think and how would they respond? I do not blame them for being young and foolish. I blame the teacher and the parents who selectively believe what they want and pass their personal misguided views on to those children.

The teacher who most likely proudly pumped those thoughts of idealism into those children should also pump facts to them, as awful as they will be. Those children can wait for danger to reach them on their doorstep, but I do not want my grandchildren to face that fate with them. I am proud of our military who risk all to protect our innocent and naive children and, yes, their teachers.

Moe Soto

Manchester, Wash.