Coin toss in the New Year Coin toss in the New Year (January 06, 2006)

By Don Frances

SEAN O'MALLEY, vice president of the Mountain View Eagles Aerie No. 2356, wrote in to ask if we wouldn't mention a bit of good will which took place right here in Mountain View. Part of the Eagles' mission, O'Malley wrote, "is to 'make life more desirable by lessening its ills,' and to that end, our Mountain View Aerie organized and recently conducted a Katrina and Rita Hurricane Relief Dinner."

In the end, the Mountain View Aerie raised $4,115 for hurricane relief. In its 30-year history on Castro Street, this is a record for the Fraternal Order's local chapter. O'Malley then ended on a sterner note:

"In a time when it seems so many news articles are focused on the negative, or something bad happening, I thought this piece of good fellowship in Mountain View should be reported to all in our fine community."

True enough, Mr. O'Malley, and your comment helps explain the purpose of this column, here at the start of its maiden voyage. So many items come to us each week, from all over the community, that it's impossible to make a story out of each one. But maybe by using this format -- and borrowing an ellipses or two from our old friend Herb Caen -- I can give our readers a better sense of the many and varied things going on in Mountain View, both positive and negative -- but mostly positive.

Mostly positive, I say, because that's what Mountain View consists of. The Eagles' Hurricane Relief Dinner, or the Chabad of Mountain View Hanukkah party (see below), aren't just positive stories from around the community, they are the community. Without them, Mountain View's nothing but a collection of streets and buildings, a dot on a map.

I also got to thinking about the flip side of this coin, the stories that "focus on the negative." We often hear about the lack of positive stories in the media, and it's true up to a point (particularly when it comes to sensationalistic, Scott Peterson-type "news").

But so-called negative reporting -- covering things that are nasty, depressing or just plain bad -- when done right, can have the most positive results of all. If you want to fix bad circumstances you must first shine a light on them. This can be a difficult and courageous thing to do, not least because people sometimes want to shoot the messenger. Covering the bad stuff, in my opinion, is the most hopeful kind of reporting there is. ...

SO HOW 'BOUT some good news. It's a New Year, after all, and happy thoughts go well with a glass of bubbly. ...

Chabad of Mountain View just celebrated its first local Hanukkah party in the traditional ways: Menorah lighting, dreidel games and lots of latkes. Rabbi Shmuel Volovick and his wife Chanie, a Palo Alto native, say they brought the Chabad organization to Church Street "to reach out to Jews of all backgrounds and lend a helping hand."

A young couple, the Volovicks have plenty of energy and the will to give to their community. You can contact them by writing mtviewrabbi@sbcglobal.net or calling (650) 961-2484. ...

And who's that on the Voice's Holiday Fund list? Why, it's Natalie Frances, my three-week-old daughter. She made the "in honor of" roll alongside Arthur Schrenk, the newborn son of former Voice reporter Kathy Schrenk. I wonder who made this donation, and for how much -- whoever you are, thank you. With your help, the Holiday Fund is fast approaching its goal of $20,000, to be doubled by matching funds (see p. 13).

And as for you, Natalie and Arthur, happy birthday to you both. So far your prospects seem bright. Only a few weeks on this Earth, and you're already pulling down the cash.

Cheers.
Don Frances is editor of the Mountain View Voice. His column will appear on a semi-regular basis. Send any items, tips, nods or feedback to dfrances@mv-voice.com.

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