Last night I was so fortunate to be in the audience at Alta Vista High School, as they graduated 21 seniors! Looking so handsome and attractive in cap and gown, they seemed like any high school graduating class proudly walking the stage.

But, these youngsters had extra reasons to be proud. Most of them had overcome personal and family problems that we never dreamed of, in our suburban settings. They spoke of pushing on to graduation through trying, trying, trying again.

Several graduates mentioned thanks to their mentors who stood with them through the years. That was my second big swelling of admiration — for the mentors! A student struggles, a caring adult befriends her, shows her what she can be and both lives are changed. Well done, community friends and volunteers from the Mentor Tutor Connection! The students are so lucky to have you in their corner.

Best of luck to our newest graduates!

Margie Edwards

Los Altos Hills

Bad call on amplified noise

The Mountain City Council did not serve the residents of Old Mountain View well at their May 24 meeting. Turning against the proposal of city staff and the zoning administration, they voted to allow amplified noise on a third-floor rooftop deck that will be built for the redevelopment surrounding St. Joseph's Church.

In calling to remove the ban on amplified noise proposed by city staff, council member Clark affirmed that it can be appropriate for the city to ban amplified noise for rooftop decks on new commercial property developments, just as it has in recent years. Why he feels this rooftop deck is different from other decks to which the ban applies is unclear to me: the deck will be three stories up; it is close to residential housing and there is nothing to stop music and other amplified sound from carrying through the open air to neighbors blocks away.

Mr. Clark went on to say that this situation is really no different than your neighbor playing music from his third-floor patio. But it is different: none of my neighbors has a patio that high; if they did, it would usually be empty; and if I were disturbed I would much rather negotiate with my neighbor than with a corporation — the relationship is more reciprocal.

Council members McAlister and Kasperzak followed Mr. Clark's lead: they also spoke in support of amplified noise on the rooftop deck.

When voting for City Council members, it can be difficult to know how they will balance the interests of businesses and residents. Council members Clark, McAllister and Kasperzak, all of whose terms end in January 2017, have — at least for this project — turned the council away from a sensible precedent that protects residents.

As this and future commercial rooftop decks are approved, as they surely will be, the council's position on amplified noise in open air at elevation will affect the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

Robert Holbrook

View Street

Fixed-income residents threatened

The article "Upsetting sacred cows..." on page 7 of the May 20 issue of the Voice should be of great concern to homeowners on fixed incomes. If some catastrophic event damaged their retirement finances and forced them to downsize, they might find the rents in Mountain View beyond their means, forcing an exodus from Mountain View and maybe the Bay Area.

Homeowners on fixed incomes might want to sign the petition for the rent stabilization initiative, proposed by the Mountain View Tenants Coalition after the disappointing decisions by the Mountain View City Council to keep the status quo — rapidly rising rents and the possibility of unjustified evictions. Visit the website at mvtenantscoalition.org.

Paul Edwards

Pacchetti Way