Community briefs Community briefs (March 28, 2003)

Hot food available

Despite rumors and recent lettters to the editor in the Voice, hot meals will be served at the temporary senior center. Jack Munch of the city's Department of Public Works said he doesn't know where the misinformation is coming from, but that there has always been a plan for a kitchen at the temporary center.

Born to sing

On March 30 the nine-member Eastern European chorus Born to Drone will stage a concert at the Center for Performing Arts' Second Stage. The performance, which will feature folk music from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Russia, and the Republic of Georgia is part of the Community School of Music and Arts family concert series. Performances are at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. are free to the public.

Advice about toxics cleanup

A meeting will be held April 9 for residents interested in joining a group that would advise cleanup efforts of the city's Superfund sites.

Called a community advisory group, the board would provide a forum for public input on the direction of studies and safety measures to deal with contamination dangers.

David Cooper, a community coordinator with the Environmental Protection Agency, said public notices about the meeting will be mailed out in coming weeks.

The meeting will be held at the Mountain View Community Center, 201 S. Rengstorff Ave., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Write and win

Books Inc. is helping to sponsor a creative writing contest called "Musing of the Mind's Eye" with Insight College Prep Center. High school students living in Mountain View can enter short stories no longer than 1,500 words about vision. The story topic can be interpreted in a wide variety of ways.

There will be two divisions, one for 9th-10th graders and one for 11th-12th graders, with first-, second- and third-place prizes and honorable mentions in each. Prizes include gift certificates to Books Inc., Insight, and Kepler's. The deadline for submission is April 28.

For an application or more information, call Insight at (408) 252-5050 or visit www.insightcollege.com.

A night of Spanish theater

A free premiere of "La Otra Cara del Indio," performed in Spanish by Teatro Nahual, will take place on April 3 in the Multi-Use Room at Castro Elementary School.

A potluck dinner will begin at 6 p.m. followed by performances of Bolivian folkloric dance and the Juan Aranda dancers at 6:40 p.m. The play will conclude the show.

Castro School is located at 505 Escuela Ave. To contact the school, call 526-3590.

CHAC benefit brings in funds

The Taylor Eigsti Trio was the centerpiece of a benefit concert for the Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC). The council, which provides mental health services, has lost funding because of the recent recession.

Eigsti, an 18-year-old USC jazz student, began playing the piano when he was four. He has appeared on stage with Dave Brubeck, James Moody, Frederica von Stade and Bobby Hutcherson. He opened for Diana Krall and Al Jarreau.

Eigsti was accompanied by drummer Jason Lewis and bassist John Shifflet.

Proceeds were not as high as expected, given the timing of the start of the war and other competing events around town, but the money that was made will help support CHAC's programs. In fact, the organization is seeing more need for anxiety counseling during this time of war, said marketing manager Lamont Jones.

Tour NASA/Ames

NASA/Ames is relaunching daily tours of its facilities. Visitors may see some of the world's largest supercomputers, two full-size cockpit flight simulators, the Vertical Motion Simulator, the word's largest wind tunnel, and a 20-G centrifuge.

The two-hour walking tours will begin at 9:30 a.m. from the Visitors Center at NASA/Ames each weekday.

For more information or to book a tour, call 604-6274. A maximum of 20 people are allowed on each tour.