I was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Los Altos. What else do you think L.A. Chung stands for?
My first Los Altos event was walking in the Pet Parade in 1962 with my Collie, Laddie. We all went down to the pancake breakfast at Rancho after that. I remember riding my bicycle on Interstate 280 the day before it opened to the public and passing under it to ride up to Maryknoll, before it was a retirement home for priests.
My elementary school was close enough to walk to, and is now Grant Park and community center. I learned how to swim at Los Altos Covington Pool and Los Altos High School in the summers. I learned to ride from Herman Koopmans, following him from Los Altos Hills to Portola Valley.
I've been in journalism since 1980, when I participated in the Maynard Institute's Summer Program for Minority Journalists. I've been a reporter for the Hartford Courant in Connecticut and the San Francisco Chronicle. During a 12-year career at the San Jose Mercury News, I was an editor supervising reporters in community news, weekend breaking news and business. I had a column through which I wrote about local events, the travails of ordinary people fighting City Hall, and the intersection of race, culture and public policy.
Since leaving the Mercury News, I've worked on the Chauncey Bailey Project, the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism and done research Hewlett Foundation projects.
In the old days, once I told people my name, I'd have to quickly add— "No relation to Connie." But no one knows who she is, anymore.
My Beliefs
Always say "Please" and "Thank you." It goes a long way toward making life more civil. Play nicely. Stand your ground if you believe you're right. Admit when you're wrong.
Politics
I believe in sanity, and in public officials striving to do the right thing for the greater good.
I vote in each and every election, and have, at different times in my life, been registered as a Democrat, Independent and Republican.
Religion
My mother raised me at the Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. It's the closest thing to "my" church, even if I don't attend.
Local Hot-Button Issues
Los Altos elementary schools are the top in the state. But maintaining school standards during a very sluggish economic recovery period, with limited and unreliable state funds, will be difficult this year and in the coming years. It will require the school community to reach out to the broader community and make the case for donations and perhaps taxes.
Downtown economic vitality is a deep concern.
Reader David Roode thinks there's plenty of room on the Covington campus for both schools, and that the site has been underutilized since it was improved with school bonds.
The Daily 3 game results are 1, 5, and 6. Read on for results for the Daily Derby and Fantasy 5.
The California Lottery results for the Daily 3 game are 3, 9, and 1. Read below for Daily Derby and Fantasy 5.
Since Los Altos is home to 49ers CEO Jed York, Patch did the neighborly thing and went to Montclaire School and the Los Altos Library for these words of encouragement. Upload your own here, Faithful.
Advantages include control of site, facilities, admissions and finances.
Connie Miller suggests blending the students, teachers and enrichment programs that Bullis is known for, all into LASD.
The legislation to establish the United States’ 59th National Park was signed by President Obama Thursday.
'Recalcitrant' cancers, such as pancreatic cancer that killed actor Patrick Swayze and Ambassador Richard Sklar, will receive more attention from the National Cancer Institute.
Weather forecasters say a cold front is headed down from Canada. Freeze and frost alerts may be sent out for the North Bay valleys and South Bay.
'Recalcitrant' cancers, such as pancreatic cancer that killed actor Patrick Swayze and Ambassador Richard Sklar, will receive more attention from the National Cancer Institute, thanks to a law passed Wednesday by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo.
Tamara Fagin recently returned to Los Altos and suggests reconfiguring to a K-5/middle school format—for academic reasons as well—siting BCS at Covington School and maintaining Los Altos School District offices there to foster more cross-pollination.
The California State Lottery results for the Daily 3 game on Jan. 9 are 5, 9, and 7. Read below for the Daily Derby and Fantasy 5.
'Recalcitrant' cancers, such as pancreatic cancer that killed actor Patrick Swayze and Ambassador Richard Sklar, will receive more attention from the National Cancer Institute.
BCS parent Ron Fagen suggested one large junior high and moving Bullis Charter School to Blach Intermediate School. His letter was answered by school board President Doug Smith.
The Daily 3 results for Tuesday are 6, 6 and 9. For the Daily Derby and Fantasy 5, please read on.
He immigrated from Canada when he was 23, served in the U.S. Air Force and worked at Lockheed for more than 30 years. Family was his consuming passion—plus an acquired love for golf and building bird houses.
Bullis Charter School's anti-SLAPP motion apparently went nowhere, in a preliminary ruling was handed down by Judge Patricia Lucas Monday afternoon. BCS indicated it would not appear at a scheduled hearing to argue its points further.
Los Altos joins the list of cities considering a plastic bag ban, a move telegraphed by its joining two dozen other cities in commissioning an environmental impact report on the move.
It is the question of 'Where?' that keeps this writer wondering if something more creative, cooperative and perhaps ... elastic could accommodate a new campus.
Standard curbs and ramps providing more safety to pedestrians are one of six options to be weighed by the Los Altos City Council Tuesday night.
