Maltby’s Clinging to Life!

To the delight of its loyal patrons, Maltby’s Restaurant in downtown Los Altos, will remain open at least through St. Patrick’s Day. James Malty had expected to close the beloved restaurant in January due to an increase in rent but was able to switch to a month to month lease until a new tenant has been locked down. Click on the link below for the full story.

http://tinyurl.com/qzvrtor

Mountain View’s Khan Academy Encourages Growth Mindset

The Khan Academy has been helping Bay Area teachers and students tackle math problems since its inception a few years ago. They have recently introduced a new program called LearnStorm, which was designed to improve their math skills by pushing students to struggle and solve difficult problems . Since launching the program in early February, 34,000 students have enrolled. Click on the link below to read more about how the Khan Academy is creating math geniuses in the Bay Area.

http://tinyurl.com/o2ysa2j

Recent Burglaries Hit Mountain View Neighborhood

Due to a rash of recent burglaries in the Waverly Park neighborhood, the Mountain View police department have assigned extra patrol cars to keep an eye out for suspicious activities in the area. They are also encouraging residents to be vigilant in protecting their homes by locking their doors and windows and making it look like someone is home at all times. Homeowners are also watching out for each other as well by calling the police when anything looks out of the ordinary. In most cases, everything is ok but better safe than sorry. Click on the link below for more details.

http://tinyurl.com/npvxgcb

Los Altos Being Proactive in Fight Against Measles

With 110 cases in California and two reported cases in Santa Clara since the first outbreak at Disneyland in December, the measles is one of the most contagious diseases to humankind and Los Altos health-care providers are doing everything they can to protect its residents. The risk of contracting the virus is very high since it can travel by air hundreds of feet from an infected person and survive up to two hours after that person has left the area. The vaccination rate for the 2013-2014 kindergarten class in Los Altos’ public schools ranged between 93% and 100%. Click on the link below for more details and to see what local officials are doing to prevent the measles from infecting its residents.

http://tinyurl.com/orftu8h

Drought Still a Concern in Los Altos and Mountain View

Although residents have done a great job in conserving water the last few years, officials in Mountain View and Los Altos say we are looking at another year of drought conditions in California.  The two recent rain storms brought some relief, but it was not enough to eliminate the deficit in groundwater and reservoir reserves. The Santa Clara Valley Water District will continue to drive conservation outreach programs to maintain its water-reduction policies at least through mid-year. In addition, they will also be hosting water conservation events in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. Click on the link below for more details.

http://tinyurl.com/prknckn

Living a Greener Lifestyle

Taking care of the earth is everyone’s responsibility and there are many simple sustainable choices that we all can make towards a greener lifestyle. What we choose to buy, eat, use and how we travel and dispose of waste can make a huge difference! The Los Altos Environmental Commission have the following list of benefits and suggestions to help you to live a greener lifestyle:

Benefits of Greenbuilding

• Lower monthly and operating costs
• Use of more durable materials
• Less maintenance
• Possible tax credits and rebates
• More comfortable and healthier homes: improved air quality and less allergens and toxins
• Higher quality materials

Easy Everyday Green Steps

• Select Energy Star appliances
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs
• Install dimmer switches and occupancy sensors
• Use no VOC paints
• Install a CO2 sensor
• Install a humidistat

Greening an Existing Home

• Have a home performance test completed by a green building specialist
• Determine how green building standards can be constructed and utilized
• Use engineered lumbar and wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
• Reduce water use by installing energy efficient appliances
• Develop a landscape water management system to reduce outdoor water usage
• Install better insulation and double pane windows to improve energy efficiency
• Install renewable energy systems such as solar water heating and photovoltaic panels
• Improve indoor air quality by using low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) paints, cleaners and adhesives

Decline in Homes Sales in December

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), last December’s decline in contract signings was the result of fewer homes being available for sale and a slight acceleration in prices. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist says: “Total inventory fell in December for the first time in 16 months, resulting in fewer choices for buyers and a modest uptick in price growth in markets throughout the country. With interest rates at lows not seen since early 2013, the strength in existing-sales in upcoming months will largely depend on the willingness of current homeowners to realize their equity gains from the past couple years and trade up.” Click on the link below for more information.

http://tinyurl.com/ojt2sjt