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By Ruby Elbogen
In a momentous decision on Aug. 4th-a memorable day for many, a longtime Republican Federal District Court Judge appointed by Ronald Reagan handed down his decision that Prop. 8 should be overturned. Wow.
Just as amazing as the decision, is the argument heard and handed down by Judge Vaughn R. Walker, a conservative Republican; was the partnering to argue on the same side in favor of overturning Prop. 8 was the “odd couple” of Theodore Olson, former Solicitor General of the U.S. appointed By George Bush, and David Boies–who argued on opposite sides of the George Bush/Al Gore election debacle.
It is the absolute highest order of Democracy when two brilliant experts of the law-former adversaries, one a conservative, the other a liberal-team up to bring justice to a group of people whose civil rights were violated.
Civil rights should not be abused by hiding behind the veil of religion, especially when not every religion considers marriage a sacrament. Since marriage is a legal contract, requiring a license a couple cannot be married without, it is definitely a civil not religious act.
Religion only enters the marriage if and when a couple walks into a house of worship to have a Minister, Rabbi, Priest or Monk—who also must have the proper licensing perform the I do’s—with the added words: By the power vested in me by the State of wherever. Mere mortals should stop speaking for God it’s offensive. And, if you don’t support Gay Marriage–DON’T marry someone Gay, don’t let your OWN kids marry someone Gay, if they listen to you—but don’t speak for me or mine. Mind your own religious business, if you have time to speak for God, your own “business” probably needs your full attention.
 by Ruby Elbogen
When I was the editor of a major travel magazine, I used to receive PR releases from many, many sources, heralding every manner of travel related places, products, notices, and facts—according to the senders, I could not possibly get through the day without.
Now that I am editor of The C Magazine, I get PR releases from a variety of businesses heralding everything our readers absolutely must hear about. While most of them contain ad copy that companies should place in publications, and not “story ideas,” I must admit this one really did catch my eye.
Everyone who reads this should stand up and cheer, because National Root Beer Float Day (yes, Virginia, apparently there really is one) is on Aug. 6th. Now that you’ve been properly noticed, get out and celebrate on that day.
Being a “California Girl”, my all time fave is still the Foster’s Freeze version, in a tall paper cup, however, there is a sophisticated version within our midst at BJ’s. They brew their own Root Beer, and serve it up in a proper mug with delicious ice cream.
What I failed to mention at the top, is that if you add vodka, the old fashioned All American version can also have a booze-kick. I’m sure B.J.’s would be happy to accommodate this added caveat, but am just as sure that Foster’s Freeze will not. Our feeling is that if you need a brain freeze, do it the old fashioned way by drinking your first long swing, sans vodka—very quickly. Same immediate result, no “morning after” head banger blues. Whichever way you embellish yours, don’t forget to pay homage to this wonderful treat.
 Helene Davis, Lynn Ching, Maria X Streeby by Donna Austin
Under the Leadership of Chamber Pres., Lynn Ching, Savory Summer Nights, or the first annual Taste of Cupertino-put on by The Cupertino Chamber of Commerce on Sat. evening was held at Vallco. Many of Cupertino’s restaurants set up booths for a taste of a few of their menu items. John Zirelli held court over drinks while Alice Jakob and Vicky Tsai greeted guests. The event was great and very well attended; and showcased our local cuisine.
The Historical Society held their annual event at Picchetti Winery on Sunday. Members of the Board: Darryl Stowe, Donna Austin and Helene Davis greeted the full house of guests and a wonderful time was had by all. The peacocks were in full bloom screeching for attention. A 1956 sheriff’s car greeted visitors as guests arrived and departed. Some guests were able to honk the police car horn and buzz the siren. Many people wore 50’s style clothes while 50’s music was spun by a local disk jockey. While the temperature was hot until the sun went down, it did not put a damper on the dinner at all and root beer floats & cool wine was enjoyed by the thirsty crowd. Many folks-like Former Mayors Orrin Mahoney, Sandy James and Dolly Sandoval attended both events; as did Maria X. Streeby, Jim Walker, Bob & Pat Adams and several more. Local history is important-you can’t know where you’re going, if you don’t know where you’ve been.
A huge thank you to the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and the Cupertino Historical Society for a memorable weekend-here in the Heart of Silicon Valley.
 By Donna Austin
Video entries for The Democracy Challenge have been submitted from around the world: Africa, East Asia Pacific, Europe Eurasia, Near East, South and Central Asia and the Western Hemisphere. Of these, three finalists have been selected from each of the regions.
Monta Vista High School Alum, Nicole Dalesio was one of the three finalists. The Democracy Challenge will select one grand prize-winner from each region on June 15th.
As a teacher, Dalesio speaks on behalf of children, giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. She believes the best way to promote democracy, world peace, and the fulfillment of humankind’s potential, is to protect, nurture, and invest in the education of our youth.
She feels the power of digital media can make a difference, and as an idealist, she hopes her video skills will instill hope and make a positive impact on the world.
To support her effort, here is the Democracy Challenge on You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge
Click on VOTE. Go to Democracy is a child.mov by magrelacanela, click the green thumbs up to vote, only once each day. Every vote counts, every day from 5/15-6/15
 By Ruby Elbogen
This is Memorial Day Weekend. It means time off from school and work on Monday. Party time. It’s really the time when we should remember those who sacrificed their lives so that we could be free, not just free to party.
From the time of World War I, the war to end all wars-the US took time to honor the memory of the brave souls who died fighting.
All wars are planned and waged by the old, but fought by the young who never have the power to say Hell No, I Won’t Go. They enlist or are conscripted—and sent far away to fight wars few know the real reason for.
Those of us who were here during Viet Nam, and all the other wars declared by men and fought by boys-mourn, before we enjoy the day when most people do not have to work. We bar-b-que, watch sports and talk about insignificant things.
This year, try to make time to visit Cupertino’s Veteran’s Memorial in Memorial Park, read the names, look at the faces on the statue—and while you’re on that hallowed ground, please also remember the parents of those brave men and women; Warriors whose families were left with the tears of war.
 Gail Fretwell Hugger by Donna Austin
The Historical Society event at Quinlan on Feb. 25th was very successful and well attended. Presenter, Gail Fretwell Hugger focused on the history along the Stevens Creek trail and creek; the place where the De Anza party left a marker in 1776.
It was placed near Stevens Creek (the Arroyo St. Joseph of Cupertino) and later found near the foundations of the Doyle winery. The Ohlone Indians who fished the creeks, gathered acorns and hunted the plentiful wildlife in the area were also discussed.
Historical maps of the area and black and white ink drawings, by E.Pete Emig were featured in a power point presentation. Emig created historical drawings and local portraits of people in Cupertino. His drawings were featured in the Cupertino paper and later these original drawings were donated to the historical society by the artist.
The talk ended with comments about the late Louis Stocklmeir, a Cupertino Historian; and his cottage by the stream. The last parcel of his property is being considered, by the city, for a legacy farm. Stockmeir researched local history and founded the Cupertino Historical Society, as well as the California History Center.
 Audrey Butcher and Beez Jones Among the many attendees were Beez Jones, Audrey and Andy Butcher, Barbara Stocklmeier (who was pleased that Louis was recognized for being an important part of the presentation) Don Sun, Brian Chung, Jim and Linda Walker. A good time, boosted by good food was had by all.
 Brian Chung & Don Sun
By Donna Austin
When I was 7, I fell and knocked my front tooth askew. My mom took me to a dentist in San Jose because our dentist could not handle the situation. The fill-in (no pun intended) pushed my tooth back into place and put braces on my front teeth without the benefit of anesthetic.
He told me we were on the third floor so I could yell and no one would hear me. Since then, dentists had not been my favorite people, until I found “Painless” Parker who is part of our local history
Imagine a Cupertino dentist in 1913 who was world renowned for performing painless extractions and providing “form fitting” Dental Plates. Filling teeth was, evidentially not an option in his practice. Parker settled on 300 acres of land he purchased from Henry Farr, known today as the Parker Ranch area.
His 14-room estate was called “Grandview” because of the magnificent views. The Parker children attended local schools. And son, Ned later followed in his father’s footsteps and became a dentist in Oregon because he had trouble passing the dentistry tests in California
In 1930 the California Dental Board told Parker he could no longer call himself “Painless Parker”, and suspended his license for false advertising, so he went to court and legally changed his name from “Edgar” to “Painless”. He called himself a tooth plumber. Parker’s license was restored in 1931, and was told it was unethical to solicit patients directly. After 6 weeks of socializing without a single patient, he decided to advertise and he did it with panache.
He offered new dentures to an artist who made a huge sign with gold paint, which he put it up at night so no one would know. The next morning the sign had been stolen, and was found nailed over an outhouse at the train station.
A competitor was suspected of the theft and Parker found the sign and hung it up again. When only one patient showed up, he decided that being dignified didn’t pay so he went into advertising in a big way.
He launched the Parker Dental Circus, a traveling medicine show. He placed his dental chair on a horse drawn wagon while a band played. The band attracted large crowds and hid the moans and cries of patients who were given whiskey as a painkiller. In just one day he pulled 357 teeth. When business thrived, he hired assistants and established a chain dentistry business.
One thing that helped his patients, was a cocaine solution he called “hydrocaine”. He experimented on himself to get the solution just right. He charged 50 cents for an extraction and promised that if it hurt, he’d pay the patient $5.
He died in 1952 in San Francisco at the age of 80. At that time he owned 28 offices, employed 78 dentists, had diversified into real estate and was a multi-millionaire.
During his lifetime, Painless Parker popularized dentistry, convinced people to take care of their teeth and created the group practice concept, and was truly an amazing man.
 By Donna Austin
After all these years I’ve come to the conclusion that there is not a right way or a wrong way to pronounce Cupertino. I’ve heard and read many arguments for and against the two pronunciations from Louis Stocklmeir and Harry Farrell of the SJMN and many more. If you are of a certain age and consider yourself an old timer, you probably pronounce it Kewpertino. I was born and raised in this valley of Hearts Delight where as far as you could see there were fruit trees, and we all said Kewpertino then.
I was talking to Tom Isu the executive director of the California History Center. He is a native of this valley and attended Homestead High School. I asked him how he pronounces Cupertino. He said “Coopertino, but my parents pronounce it Kewpertino. Ah ha , I said. You know a native old timer from the Santa Clara Valley when you hear that pronunciation. My children were born here too but they say Coopertino. So it is the age difference I think.
I was on the Cupertino Planning Commission (90-98) when Henrietta Marcotte came to speak to us about an historical ordinance. Henrietta Marcotte was considered Ms. Cupertino in those days and the local historian. I asked her for the record, how she pronounced Cupertino. She said you say Cupid, Cucumber, curious, cute, beginning with a Kew and you pronounce Cupertino the same way!” That was then and this is now.
We were traveling in Missouri by car and we came to a city named Sandoval, spelled just like our former city council member Dolly Sandoval. My daughter’s married name is Sandoval so I asked my husband to stop while I got out of the car to take a picture that said “City limits Sandoval”. I took the picture and then I noticed a sign for the Chamber of Commerce . I thought I’d go in and get a brochure about the city. When I asked for a brochure for the City of Sandoval, they said to me, “You mean Sand OH val. That’s how we pronounce it in this town.” I was shocked then I realized that the difference in Cupertino, is not what is the right way or the wrong way but the way we pronounce it here. I will always pronounce it Kewpertino because that is how I learned it in the old days and my daughters will always pronounce it Coopertino because that is the way they learned in their day. Wait, I just discovered a blog called “Chillin in Cup Town”. Straight to you from Cupertino, West Coast Style. Oops I read further and he clarified Cup Town this way, “On a completely unrelated note, I wanted to clarify how to pronounce my blog title. It’s “coop-town” even though it’s spelled like the u is short. This is the same as the first syllable of Cupertino, since “cup-town” is an affectionate nickname for Cupertino. Hope that clears things up.” I have heard strangers who call me from out of state trying to sell me things ask if I came from Cup er tino (pronounced cup) I like cup town but not coop town…that’s for chickens. Enough! I’ll always say Kewpertino.
 By Donna Austin
On a lovely morning our family visited McClellan Ranch and took the Stevens Creek Trail all the way to Blackberry Farm where it dead-ends. What is special about the beautiful trail is it is wheelchair accessible and wide enough for bikes, trikes and strollers, so families can traverse it together seeing things never before available to the public.
There are bocce ball courts and restored creek sides. The children enjoyed playing in the creek and looking for fish. A sign explained the area was a former dam where diverted water irrigates the golf course. The creek was cleaned up and is a wonderful place to enjoy.
Our grandchildren loved Captain Stephen’s playground, which the community built in one day with the help of KABOOM. When we reached the end of the trail, I looked through the trees to the Stocklmeir property, wishing the trail continued, and our future Legacy Farm was a reality today.
The Legacy Farm is a concept people from the city of Cupertino; Rotary, Fremont High School District and the Cupertino Historical Society have been working on. The group was later expanded to involve environmental and trail people as well as De Anza College and the Cupertino School district.
The group feels it would be wonderful to develop a working farm to care for the existing orchard, plant vegetable gardens, do composting, raise worms, have bee keeping, and include working with mechanical farm equipment by students.
The Historical Society is most interested in the history of the entire area, and would like to see the house refurbished with show windows that highlight what a farmhouse was like in the early 1900’s.
Historical markers commemorating Ohlone Indians, the De Anza party, Elisha Stephens and the Stocklmeir family along the trail would also be educational and informational and would benefit the community.
Louis Stocklmeir, who owned the property, was a historian, a community activist, and part of a group responsible for Cupertino becoming incorporated in 1955. Stocklmeir was the first president of the Cupertino Historical Society, founded the California History Center, and has a school named after him, where his great grand daughter teaches.
Stocklmeir and his brother planted the orange orchard as their last project. He believed that because of the creek, the trees would have “wet feet”, and planted the orchard as an experiment they believed would be successful.
He was quoted as saying that ‘he would like to be remembered for his Orchards.’ and this, his last grove, was his living legacy that still exists. The Historical Society would like to remember him by promoting a farm where school children could learn about growing living things, which the Society believes would fulfill his wish.
 by Donna Austin
At one time, the entire Santa Clara Valley had an advanced state of the art rapid transit system. The Peninsular Railway ran from San Francisco to Palo Alto to Los Altos to Monta Vista to Campbell–Los Gatos and San Jose.
There was a Banker’s Special that traveled to San Francisco. In the 50’s my best friend got a job at a bank in San Francisco, and commuted every day by train. I remember in the at that time, taking the Sun-Tan Special to Santa Cruz for 50 cents round trip straight to the Board-Walk, and the screaming of the roller coaster riders.
Where did all these beautiful gasoline free railroads go? Ironically they had to make way for the “All American” cars. The railroad lines were hard hit by the intrusion of large scale production of the family automobile.
With the auto came the demand for paved roads. When roads had to be widened, the Peninsular Railway was told to move its tracks to make room, so tracks were removed to widen the roads for the cars.
Isn’t it ironic that in 2009, we are trying to get Bart to San Jose and light rail down Stevens Creek? I wonder what people were thinking in those days?
The Peninsular Railway ran numerous picnic specials and excursion trips to Alum Rock Park and Congress Springs. A popular run in the spring was the 65 mile Blossom Valley trip which carried sightseers around the western side of the Santa Clara Valley to view the unforgettable display of blossoms when the fruit orchards were in flower, and was called the “Blossom Line.”
In the 1940’s, Southern Pacific built a spur for Henry Kaiser to haul out masses of cement to build the Shasta Dam. If it hadn’t been for him, we wouldn’t have any railroad ties left in the Cupertino area.
And, all we have left is that one lonesome whistle of the Permanente local, the freight train that carries cement from the Lehigh (formerly Kaiser, then Hansen) Cement plant above Cupertino to San Jose. It’s the last train in the West Valley.
As the Kaiser plant began churning out cement, the West Valley’s rail system was beginning its collapse. The last Los Gatos to San Francisco train was on Jan. 22, 1959. Passenger service continued for a few years from Vasona Junction to San Francisco, before the railroad abandoned the Cupertino-to-Palo Alto portion of the line in the early 1960’s. The route was paved over with asphalt and is now Foothill Expressway. That left one train, the Permanente Local.
You can hear its lonesome whistle as the train turns westward from its path aside Winchester Boulevard before heading through Saratoga and Cupertino neighborhoods. Presently it travels this route on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The train arrives at the plant in the early afternoon where it is loaded with cement powder within an hour for its evening journey back to San Jose.
It gives new meaning to Hank Williams plaintiff wail as he sang
“…All alone I bear the shame,
I’m a number, not a name.
I heard that lonesome whistle blow.
All I do is set [sic] an’ cry
When the evenin’ train goes by.
I heard that lonesome whistle blow…”
Hank Williams
October 9th, 2009 | Tags: Santa Clara Valley Transit, The Peninsular Railway | Category: History, Local News, People |
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