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News From Silicon Valley's Neighborhoods Curfew Proposal Saratoga--Saratoga Youth Commissioner Lee Blair proposed extending the city's curfew laws after he observed many of his peers being left stranded after city-sponsored school dances. Some kids, he says, waited up to 1 1/2 hours for rides from their parents. The current law prevents anyone under 18 from staying in a public place or business after 10pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends. A sheriff's deputy can detain minors who breach curfews and issue tickets. Under Blair's plan, the city would give parents or guardians 30 minutes to gather their children after all city-sponsored teen events. Private Eyes Campbell--Campbell motorists will soon be observed by cameras in an effort to better monitor traffic around the city. As part of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Enhancement project (part of a resolution passed by the San Jose City Council in December), Campbell, San Jose, Santa Clara and Milpitas will use cameras to improve traffic flow. Matthew Jue, Campbell's traffic engineer, said the cameras will not be recording, only observing. Hospital Crumble Los Gatos--If a strong earthquake hits the Los Gatos area anytime soon, half of the buildings at Community Hospital "pose a significant risk of collapse and danger to the public," according to a recent report by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. The organization examined all hospitals in the state and rated them on a scale of 1-5, 1 having the aforementioned potentially disastrous effect and 5 signifying compliance with the seismic safety law. Mission Oaks Hospital was rated 3, meaning that its sole building is compliant with the safety act and will not jeopardize life during an earthquake. Community Hospital has a total of 10 buildings, three of which are compliant with the safety law. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]