It took J.K. Rowling to do something that our schools, our teachers and our parents couldn't do lately. J.K. Rowling got people from all over the world to read--to really want to read and understand a story--and to also enjoy talking about it. A book and now many books later of our young Mr. Potter, in the series of Harry Potter novels. We can give a big thanks to Joanne Rowling for bringing back something we all had somehow lost--enjoyment of a good read. We all wish the Hermiones and Harrys of our future are just as smart and kind and brave as stories portray them.

Jack Sorenson

Los Gatos

Los Gatos needs
its own version
of 'passeggiata'

My family and I were travelling in Italy recently, and often enjoyed the traditional evening stroll along lanes closed to street traffic, known as the passeggiata. We remarked several times how healthy it seemed for everyone: some exercise, some socializing, appreciation for the lovely life in the fresh air, talking with friends and neighbors and meeting new people. Young, old and in between all were enjoying their town and each other. It also seemed to be good for business, as cafes and gelato stands were supplying the strollers with sustenance and pleasure. We had the impression that our town back home would also be a perfect place for enjoying this healthy activity.

When Santa Cruz Avenue was open for strollers, but not cars, recently it was obvious how popular this would be here.

Closing the street, or part of the street, and allowing restaurants to serve people on the sidewalk, allows enjoyable strolling and dining, without the noise and pollution that accompany what we otherwise usually have on Santa Cruz Avenue in the summer--cruising in cars.

People like to eat outside, and like to walk, and like to see their neighbors, and like to have young and old connecting with each other. It builds community, is good for business and is good for our health. Hopefully, we can enjoy this Santa Cruz Avenue passeggiata experience on a more regular basis.

Tina Rude

Los Gatos

Problems with the
new community
buses in Los Gatos

The new community buses in Los Gatos may be free, but riders are paying a steep price. It is not surprising that a new bus service might experience a few problems in the first days of operation. But the degree of incompetence exhibited in the first three days is both remarkable and shameful.

In an effort to reduce costs, the Valley Transportation Authority has bid out the running of the buses to the lowest bidder, Parking Corporation of America. In the first few days of operating the new service they have experienced numerous problems and provided appalling service to passengers. In addition, the new bus service does not include several important equipment features that had been promised at public meetings earlier this year.

The buses that I rode did not have the standard enunciator system to call out the names of the stops and were therefore not ADA compliant as required by law.

The buses are equipped with a lift for the physically disabled, but the drivers either don't know how to use it or they don't understand when a passenger needs to use it. On the third day of service, I witnessed an elderly woman struggling with her walker and trying to lift her leg to get on the bus. Passengers were telling the driver he needed to lower the lift, or at least pull the bus closer to the curb, but he just sat and watched. The only reason she made it onto the bus was because a male passenger got out and picked the woman up, while I brought her things into the bus.

I called the VTA several times to file a complaint and they passed the buck. Ultimately, I called the Los Gatos mayor's office and was told that the contract is held by the VTA and they are responsible for managing all services related to bus transportation.

A VTA customer service representative noted that they received more than 40 complaints during the first three days of the Community Bus service.

How many people have to be humiliated, hurt or inconvenienced for an agency to step up and take responsibility for the problems? Positive change can only take place when acknowledgement is recognized. I encourage everyone who rides the buses and experiences any problems to report your complaints. Call the VTA (408.321.2300) or the town of Los Gatos (408.354.6801).

Cynthia Larson

Los Gatos

Merchants help
make League
event a success

On July 17, the League of Women Voters of Southwest Santa Clara Valley held a delightful-in-spite-of-the-heat barbecue/fundraiser at Vasona Park, a facility of Santa Clara County's Parks and Recreation System.

The support of these Los Gatos merchants played a large part in making the fundraiser (benefiting that arm of League that brings you the Smart Voter website and finances pros and cons of ballot measures and candidate forums) so successful: Bare Escentuals, Beauty Avenue Supply & Salon, Benefit Beauty Bar, Le Boulanger, Chemistry Salon, City Lights Theatre Company, Cultures--Antiques & Artifacts, Elite Image, Fast Frame, Gity's Nail & Waxing Boutique, Gloria Penrose, Inner Journey, Mad Hatress, Lisa at Durand, Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co., Los Gatos Company, My Orchids, artist Nancy J. Wulff, Natural Creations, Robert King, Santa Clara Development/Robson Homes, Studio Forty Two Gallery, Tassels of Los Gatos, The Indian Store, The Luggage Center and Wild Bird Center.

Margaret Bard,president

League of Women Voters of
Southwest Santa Clara Valley

College allocates
tennis court time
for community

West Valley College allocates tennis courts for community uses. We, the Senior Tennis Group of West Valley, want to express our thanks to the West Valley-Mission College Board of Trustees and the West Valley College administration for approving a time slot allocation of tennis courts for primarily use by the community. We believe that this action is in consonance with spirit and the charter of West Valley Community College.

The allocation is for the hours of 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. daily. This allocation will include all regular college listed tennis courses and permit any community persons or groups of tennis players to have full and uncontested use of all the 16 tennis courts.

The rule will deny access to any users for commercial/revenue purposes, between the above hours. Thus any tennis teaching for fee, tennis academies, tennis camps, etc., shall have access to the courts only before or after these hours. All commercial users will also have to obtain a contract from the college for such use and be required to produce such approval upon request by the public. The college will also post the current approvals for the use of courts by "for revenue" users at both sets of tennis courts.

Don Schmidek

Monte Sereno

Fear of logging
is worse than
fear of fire

The San Jose Water Company, a public utility, plans to have Big Creek Lumber Company log its pristine forestlands. Few of us have seen this property, as there is no public access. It is between Lexington Reservoir and Summit Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is in the Los Gatos Creek Watershed that supplies Lexington Reservoir and Vasona.

I have spoken to Mr. Gere, director of operations and water quality, at the San Jose Water Company and have listened to Big Creek's presentations several times.

The fear of fire is great in these mountains. The 1985 fire terrified me, and as a homeowner in the area I have supported keeping the California Department of Forestry Fire Station at Alma Bridge in operation. But I love these mountains even more than I fear fire. The beauty is priceless.

This fear of fire is what the San Jose Water Company and Big Creek Lumber is using to ensure that the public will go along with its plan. The San Jose Water Company and Big Creek Lumber also stand to make a lot of money.

The trees these companies want to log survived the 1985 fire even though they burned. Redwoods often survive fire; they don't survive logging.

Here are some of the points Mr. Gere discussed with me on the phone. A formal timber-harvesting plan has not yet been filed.

* The forest will be "thinned" by taking large healthy and profitable trees to let scrawny ones grow.

* Roads will be cut into the wilderness to allow large timber harvesting equipment to gain access.

* Helicopters and cables will be used to do some of the harvesting.

* Timber harvesting will go on about every two years for at least 18 years.

* Lumber trucks will go Summit Road to Highway17 to Highway 1.

San Jose Water District and Big Creek plan to eliminate opposition by appealing to the fear of fire we all have. If there is no forest, there is no fire. But the loss may be as great.

There are other less invasive measures that can be taken for fire control, like clearing invasive species and cutting fire breaks.

I have seen what Big Creek Lumber did when they harvested lumber in the Bear Creek area. Many trees were cut, there was brush piled 10 and 15 feet high, there was devastation everywhere. It did not look like a healthy forest at all. It was not the same damage you would see in a fire. It was different kind of disaster.

Rea Freedom

Los Gatos