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The Santa Clara County Planning Department is in the process of updating their procedures for public outreach and notification of development projects, and will be soliciting input from residents at a public hearing in Morgan Hill Thursday night.

ANNIVERSARY: Muhlemans celebrate 65 years: Roland and Betty Muhleman recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. The couple was married Sept. 3, 1948 in Temperance, Mich. To celebrate, they plan an Alaskan Cruise.

Two news stories caught my attention recently: one local, one far away. Both seem to say something about history's impact on the present.

The humble mushroom can be unassuming. Yes, it does have a great flavor on its own. Depending on the variety, it can be mellow, earthy or very robust. One of the most unique qualities mushrooms possess is the ability to take on the flavor of the medium it is cooked in or method in which it is cooked. Since September is “National Mushroom Month,” it seems appropriate to feature mushrooms in this week’s column with a recipe “borrowed” from a local mushroom grower.

Is a new home financing system ahead? In the text of a speech delivered Aug. 6, President Obama said: “I believe that while our housing system must have a limited government role, private lending should be the backbone of the housing market.” This statement came as part of call for winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and revamping home financing in America.

When Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Jon Robin Baitz put pen to paper (or fingers to PC) to write “Other Desert Cities,” he was either in split personality mode or solving a Rubik’s cube puzzle – or both. His play is about dysfunctional family members with fragile backgrounds. Some have a secret that could break the delicate hold that - at times - keeps the family together.

As school bells again ring and kids with backpacks make their way across campus, beautiful singing waifs through the air at Gilroy's high schools. Thanks to two newly hired, energetic and enthusiastic music specialists, the choral program that retired teacher Phil Robb spent 30 years building into one of the best in Northern California is alive and well and will continue to be one of our city's great assets.

Where on earth can you stand and from a single spot see Mt. Diablo, Mt. Hamilton, the Farallon Islands, and Tomales Bay by Pt. Reyes National Seashore? Of all the great views from the Bay Area's summit peaks, the panorama from the top of Mt. Tamalpais takes the cake. In addition to those far-flung spots, Angel Island, the San Francisco skyline, and the entire expanse of the north Bay Area lay beneath you as if you are seeing them from the window of a jet airliner.