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News From Silicon Valley's Neighborhoods Medical Dilemma Government officials say they accidentally overfunded the Indian Health Center in Willow Glen by $700,000. And now they want their money back even if it means the center must close its doors. An Arlie Mess Los Gatos--When we heard that the real estate investors at Arlie Land and Cattle had selflessly agreed to sell 1,000 acres of prime land in the Santa Cruz Mountains to environmentalists for a scant $5 million, we got right sentimental--but opted not to hold our breaths. Now Arlie's former would-be buyers, Pete Denevi and Barry Swensen, have filed lawsuits claiming that Arlie illegally weaseled out of plans to sell them the land for a magnificent new golf course near Lexington Reservoir. The lawsuits cast the fate of those 1,000 acres into jeopardy, and the biggest loser will most likely be--drum roll, please--the Mid-Peninsula Open Space District, whose plans for a vast open preserve are vanishing into the mountain fog. Stressed for Success Cupertino--Hearty congratulations are in order to the parents of Monta Vista High School students. They've so thoroughly indoctrinated their young into the American tradition of panicky ambition that the kids have declared themselves in need of Stress-Free Friday. The first one took place last week during lunch break, with a 30-foot slide, free massages and an Astro Jump on hand to relieve the tension associated with final exams (and, by extension, grades, college admissions, jobs, retirement and happiness). Money to Burn Saratoga--City manager Larry Perlin has expressed some concerns about an embarrassment of riches heading Saratoga's way. In addition to $1 million in federal funds earmarked for road improvements, Saratoga will probably get about $2 million from the county in a lump installment of funds from 1996 measures A and B. That $2 million is also for road improvements, and it will need to be spent in two years. Perlin fears the city will be stuck pouring short-term money on long-term problems, and says that's not the best way to fix them. [ Metro | Metroactive Central | Archives ]