Week in Review, July 3-July 9: Lift off, Street Fair, Google and VTA BRT

Did you miss the news in Mountain View this week? Here's a quick recap of local issues, personalities, events and photos.

Sunday, July 3

It's not that often that professional soccer comes to Stanford Stadium, but this weekend Patch was there to watch the San Jose Earthquakes take on the New York Red Bulls. Catch our game recap and read about the honor given to the 1994 USA Men's World Cup team.

While not from Mountain View, Los Altos resident Tom Kremer has his sights set on competing as a swimmer in the 2012 Olympics. Read about how he's become a dominant high school swimmer at Sacred Heart Prep on his way to an Olympic debut.

Monday, July 4

Have you ever gotten a behind the scenes look at a fireworks display? Take a look at this photo slideshow of how the crew of Pyro Spectaculars prepared the mortars, shells, wires, control board to fire off approximately 250 of the coolest fireworks from the first fairway at Shoreline Golf Links for the Bethel Church display on July 3.

Concerted efforts to prevent drunk driving netted six arrests over the Fourth of July weekend in Mountain View. Throughout the county from midnight Friday through midnight Sunday, there were a total of 107 DUI arrests.

Tuesday, July 5

On July 1, the new sales tax rate fell a full percentage point throughout California, which makes Mountain View's rate now at 8.25 percent. Read more here.

There are 11 percent more chronically homeless people living in Santa Clara County this year than in 2009, according to preliminary numbers released today from the county's bi-annual homeless census. Read more about the regional results here.

Ever been separated from your child for too long? How have they handled it? Most importantly, how have you? Read about how columnist Autumn Vandiver has taught her son and herself to deal with this type of anxiety.

Wednesday, July 6

Contribute to the discussion started by columnist Jarrett Mullen about the benefit or burden of VTA's proposal to dedicate car lanes in Mountain View for the bus rapid transit. Share your thoughts.

Representatives from Google came to a City Council study session to inform council members of their desire to construct two private bridges across Stevens Creek along Charleston Road and Crittenden Lane to connect the Googleplex in North Bayshore to its new 1.2-million-square-foot campus in the Bay View area of Moffett Field.

Thursday, July 7

Day workers at the Mountain View Day Worker Center have started to express their views and life stories through blogging. Watch this video about this new initiative.

At the City Council session this week, members approved a work plan for below market rate housing, authorized staff to study strategies for parking downtown and decided to give $5,000 towards a feasibility study to connect Stevens Creek Trail to a similar trail in Sunnyvale. This and more here.

Friday, July 8

The wireless cellphone provider AT&T held a meeting Wednesday at the Mountain View Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church to share with area residents their second proposed plan for a cell tower on top of the church at 342 Sierra Vista Ave. After the city rejected the first one.

Several dozen people gathered at NASA Ames to watch the live liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis, the final launch for this space exploration program. Here's a bit of the crowd's reaction.

Thursday Night Live kicked off on this week and will take place until August 18 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Here's a photo slideshow of the fun that took place this week. With Castro Street closed to vehicles families and friends enjoyed music and food.

Saturday, July 9

A woman has been transported to El Camino Hospital after another vehicle collided with the car she travelled in about 8:30 p.m. at Central Expressway and Whisman Station Drive, according to Battalion Chief Cliff DelCarlo. She received a minor injury.