Los Gatan 12 29 2021

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vol . I, no. 17 : december 29, 2021-january 4, 2022 : losgatan.com

: no rest for teams p8 : frost or chill? p15 : ny times crossword puzzle p17 Drew Penner/Los Gatan

CELEBRATING THE NEW YEAR WITH MUSIC AND CHAMPAGNE

Los Gatos’ rainfall roughly average in 2021

Slate of events on tap around town to ring in 2022

Staff Report

Fueled by two wetter-thannormal months, Los Gatos’ rainfall total in the 2021 calendar year was more than double that in 2020.

But even with an atmospheric river soaking the region in the year’s final weeks, and with the town at itsx 30-year average, the region still remains in a deep drought.

According to the National Weather Service, Los Gatos’ precipitation totaled 21 inches in 2021 as of Dec. 24.

The town’s wettest months were October and November, which were the only two that exceeded the normal average.

The most recent storm flooded roads and caused mudslides

Judy Peterson, Reporter

Los Gatans will be rocking New Year’s Eve long before the clock strikes midnight, so plan to get your glitter on for an early dinner followed by some late night revelry.

Many restaurants, including Steamers, the Wine Cellar, Shepard & Sims, Loma Brewing Company and Forbes Mill Steakhouse are sticking to their normal Friday night closing times.

That said, the Palms is closed for a private party but Gardino’s is open for dinner and then the ice bar rocks until midnight.

Flights will be open until midnight, too, with a seven-course tasting menu planned at $125 per person. Call 408.354.3434 for reservations or visit flightsrestaurants.com.

“New Year’s Eve is busy but it’s just about the sports for us—there are games all day starting at 11am,” said Double D’s co-owner Darin Devincenzi. “We’ll be serving food until 9:30pm and the bar will stay open a little later, depending on who’s there.” ➝ Celebrating, 7

REGION IS STILL DRY, DESPITE RECENT DELUGE

➝ Weather, 4

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NO WAY THROUGH Aleksandra Wolska examines a landslide covering E. Zayante Road on Christmas Eve. A storm that blanketed the region over the past week caused mudslides over roads and headaches for commuters.

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© 1 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell blister@cbnorcal.com Subsidiary of NRT LLC. All rights reserved. This information was supplied by Seller and/or other Give sources. Broker him believes this a information correct but has not verified this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its ac callto betoday! their own satisfaction. Real Estate Agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential B www.BillLister.com 408.892.9300 BILL LISTER CalBre# 01179611 T H E

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its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction. Real Estate Agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBRE License # 01908304. © 1 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. All rights reserved. This information was supplied by Seller and/or other sources. Broker believes this information to be correct but has not verified this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy.

Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction. Real Estate Agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBRE License # 01908304.

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Wishing our neighbors a Happy New Year!

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

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compass.com

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RENNIE DELAYS SUPERVISORIAL RUN Dan Pulcrano Executive Editor and Publisher Lee May General Manager Erik Chalhoub Managing Editor Lori Lieneke Advertising Director Phaedra Strecher Production Manager Katie Lauer Drew Penner Reporters Emanuel Lee Juan Reyes Sports writers Judy Peterson Contributor Serenity Polizzi Carrie Bonato Account Executives Marie Hicks Subscriptions

WEEKLYS Stephen Buel Director of Strategic Initiatives

Mayor eyes District 5 seat in 2024

Drew Penner/Los Gatan file

VOL.1 NO.17

Staff Report

Longtime Los Gatos councilmember and newly sworn-in Mayor Rob Rennie announced Dec. 23 that he is delaying his campaign for county supervisor after the redrawn districts forced him out of contention in District 1.

In a letter to supporters, Rennie said he plans to run for the District 5 seat in 2024, which is the new district that represents Los Gatos beginning in January.

“While this is disappointing, it does give me a great head-start on a District 5 campaign,” he wrote. “Over the past year, I have learned a tremendous amount and developed strong support from all of you. I will carry this forward to my campaign for the new district seat.”

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Dec. 7 and

TOWN COUNCIL Rob Rennie, who was sworn in as Los Gatos’ mayor on Dec. 14, is delaying his campaign for county supervisor.

14 to approve the “Yellow Map,” which was advanced by a coalition of local civil rights and labor groups. Supervisors Mike Wasserman and Joe Simitian dissented.

The endorsed map also has a deviation of 4.1 percent, which means it has relatively the same amount of people living in each of the county’s five districts.

Mike Lyon Digital Media Harry Allison Production Director Sonia Chavez Accounts Receivables

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DEATH NOTICES

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Death notices with basic information that are submitted to editor@losgatan.com may be published on a space-available basis only.

To place a paid, unedited obituary with a photo, call 707.353.1148 or email LifeTributes@Weeklys.com.

OPINIONS Commentaries and letters to the editor on our Opinion pages reflect the opinions of the authors.

We welcome letters to the editor and commentaries on all topics of local interest.

Email your submissions to editor@losgatan.com Letters must include the writer’s name and hometown (for publication) and phone number (for verification).

Submissions may be edited, and will be published as space permits. Letters are limited to 250 words, commentaries to 500 words.

CORRECTIONS We strive to avoid errors in news and ads.

Mistakes sometimes occur. To report errors, call or email; corrections will appear in the next edition and online.

WHO WE ARE Los Gatan is published Wednesdays by Weeklys.

Contents copyright ©2021. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form prohibited without written permission.

‘EXTREME DROUGHT’ REMAINS Weather, from page 1 in the mountainous areas.

However, it wasn’t nearly enough to make a dent in the county’s drought situation.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Santa Clara County is still considered to be in “Extreme Drought,” just one level below the driest category of “Exceptional.”

The Los Gatos Town Council adopted an emergency drought ordinance in August, following earlier decisions by the state and other jurisdictions as California experienced another dry year.

Earlier in June, Valley Water’s board of directors declared a water shortage emergency and imposed mandatory water usage reductions of 15% compared to 2019 levels—equivalent to a 33% reduction from 2013 water usage levels.

On July 8, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that urges Californians to reduce their water use by 15% compared to 2020 levels. The State Water Resources Control Board shortly after prohibited using pota-

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

Warren Giancaterino Information Technology

It removes Los Gatos and Almaden Valley from District 1 and places them in District 5, which encompasses the northwestern portion of the county, including Mountain View and Cupertino.

Rennie, who was sworn in as mayor on Dec. 14, said the campaign delay allows him to give Los Gatos his “full and undivided attention over the next year as mayor.”

Rennie, who has served on various boards before being elected to the Town Council in 2014, previously served as mayor in 2018. He said his “areas of focus” for his next term as mayor include emergency preparedness, business and community vitality, seniors and seniors’ services, environmental issues, financial sustainability and traffic.

“I am looking forward to serving as Los Gatos mayor for the second time,” he wrote. “My door is always open and I look forward to all we can do together to continue all the excellent progress we are making in many areas.”

CATCHING SOME SUN The Dagli family from San Jose ( from left: Dipti, 4-year-old Siya, 2-year-old Nysa and Paras) takes advantage of the break in rain Dec. 27 outside New Museum Los Gatos and the town administrative offices as the sun comes out. ble water to wash down sidewalks, washing vehicles with a hose without a shut-off nozzle and other usages.

Less than a quarter-inch of rain is

expected Dec. 29, according to the National Weather Service, with rain not expected in the forecast until early next week.

Lawsuit claims O’Connor spread lies about boy being a ‘rapist’ Drew Penner, Reporter

Shannon O’Connor, the wife of tech executive Robert Amaral, who threw parties for teens at their Arroyo Del Rancho Road mansion, spent Christmas behind bars, after being called “a threat to public safety and a high flight risk” by prosecutors.

She’s been charged with 39 crimes connected to her behavior with teens, but she also faces a defamation lawsuit brought by Los Gatos attorney Carlos Martinez.

According to the civil suit, filed Oct. 12, 2021 in Santa Clara County Superior Court, O’Connor—who also goes by the last name Bruga—helped spread the rumor that a local boy sexually assaulted a girl, calling him a “rapist” and a “sexual predator.”

Sherri Hammond, aka Sherri Mullin, as well as Jennifer and Daniella Blomquist, are named as co-defendants.

“Minor learned that Defendants made statements to other individuals accusing Minor, by words and effect, of being a ‘rapist’ and a ‘sexual predator’ and committing acts of sexual assault against minor aged women,” the suit states.

According to the action, the statements hurt his reputation “in the community, and at school and exposed him to hatred, contempt, ridicule, or shame” and “caused individuals who heard or read the statements or who the statements were spread to, to threaten harm and/or violence” against the boy.

This “targeted campaign” began around May 2019, and O’Connor enlisted her own son for the task, according to the lawsuit.

“Bruga further sought to cause harm to Minor by spreading her false,

Shannon O’Connor Bruga

fabricated, and fictional defamatory statements to others including teenagers, upon information and belief, that Bruga was hosting parties for,” it states.

According to the lawsuit, the plot began when Hammond and her friend Jennifer Wernick “came up with the idea of repeating the false, fabricated, and fictional defamatory statements about Minor to Defendant…under the mistaken belief that Bruga was a ‘mandatory reporter,’” who would be required to make a police report if she learned about a sex assault.

“Hammond…wanted Bruga to make a false report about Minor with the intent of having the police make an arrest of Minor on the basis of the false report,” the action claims. “The conduct of Defendant Sherri Hammond was outrageous.”

The lawsuit seeks more than $100,000 in “special and general damages,” punitive damages and legal fees, on behalf of the guardian of the plaintiff.

On Dec. 3, O’Connor fired back, through her attorney Alison Crane, saying the case shouldn’t be allowed to go forward because what she said— if she said these things at all—“were expressions of opinion,” and “Defendant believed them to be true at the time they were made.”

This sort of speech is protected by both the First Amendment and California’s constitution, according to O’Connor’s legal team.

According to the amended complaint, in connection with which O’Connor currently sits behind bars, she not only helped teens sneak out of their homes in the middle of the night to party with her, she also used lies

Remember Someone Special Capture the essence of a departed family member with an obituary in the Los Gatan. Your tribute will appear perpetually on our website, and that of our partner, Legacy.com. We can write a tribute that embodies the spirit of the deceased, or publish one you provide.

Call or email for details: Lynda at 707.353.1148 or LifeTributes@Weeklys.com

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WOMAN WHO THREW PARTIES FOR TEENS FACES DEFAMATION ACTION

and intimidation to get her way.

O’Connor “told all the children who attended parties at her residence or were given alcohol to keep the parties a secret. She told them if anyone found out, she could go to jail,” according to prosecutors. “In August of 2020, Defendant believed Jane Doe 5 (aged 14) was not keeping her crimes secret and was telling people about the parties. As a result, Defendant threatened to spread rumors about her.”

O’Connor followed this up by “repeatedly harassing” her, demanding she confess to telling people about the parties, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office said.

“Defendant also threatened to tell the other children that Jane Doe 5 made mean comments about a friend of hers, John Doe 5,” the amended complaint claims. “Jane Doe 5 was scared. She knew Defendant had spread rumors about other children in the past, and she did not want to lose her friends.”

O’Connor’s tactic worked, prosecutors said.

“Jane Doe 5 began suffering panic attacks,” the complaint states. “She had to sleep in her parents’ room.”

A few weeks later, O’Connor rented a house in the 20th Avenue area of Santa Cruz, and set up a group Snapchat message titled “…Birthday Bash,” where she asked what kind of alcohol the children wanted to drink, according to prosecutors.

She even said she had to approve any girls the teens wanted to bring along, the DA’s office added, noting video shows around 12 minor boys and girls attended the rager—which left $9,000-worth of damages to the rental.

At the end of the month, her Halloween party was so out of control it attracted around 20 children and caused a girl to require surgery for a broken right pinky finger, the DA’s office said.

That December, a girl referred to as Jane Doe 4 in court papers, was drunk and laying on a bed in Amaral and O’Connor’s estate, according to the complaint, which notes O’Connor found a boy who was drunk, too, gave him a condom and pushed him into the bedroom with her.

She fled to the bathroom and locked the door, prosecutors said.

O’Connor’s next bail hearing has been set for Jan. 18, with a plea hearing on the calendar for March 4.

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LIVES

Robert V. Hawn September 1958 – December 2021 Resident of San Jose, CA

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OB HAWN passed peacefully after his heroic embrace of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease). He lived a full, energetic, and loving life, delighting all he met with his bright blue eyes, easy laughter, and quick wit. He is deeply missed by family and friends.

Born in the Bay Area, Bob was firmly rooted to this beautiful place.

He grew up in the South Bay as it was transforming from apricot orchards to Silicon Valley. After law school at UC Davis, he practiced high technology business law in private firms for over 35 years. He loved serving his clients, marveling at their creations, innovating intellectual property licensing agreements, and helping his clients grow, in his words, “from birth to middle school.” His colleagues fondly remember his bottomless well of good humor, insights concerning legal matters, and sheer joy as he turned up the jazz sounds in his office after hours.

Bob was very active with the State Bar Association, leading the Busi-

ness Law Section, creating a mentoring program for new attorneys, and speaking at many Bar events. His love of music and nature extended to his commitment to local non-profits, providing pro bono legal services to San Jose Jazz (www.sanjosejazz.org) and serving on the board for Greenbelt Alliance (www.greenbelt.org).

Bob’s exuberant passion for life extended to his many hobbies. He loved the outdoors in all seasons and enthusiastically mastered telemark downhill skiing, cross country skate skiing, backpacking, road bicycling, and mountain bike riding. Bob loved to travel, planning family vacations to the Sierras, Disneyland, Canada, Japan, Europe, and places in the US. He loved music in all forms from a young age, playing clarinet in high school marching band and teaching himself piano and organ. He composed most of the music performed by his Latin jazz band the Poblano Project. Joining the Legally Blue band, Bob excitedly learned to play the blues with his new family of musicians.

Family was everything to Bob. After a long courtship, he married his college (UC Berkeley) sweetheart Laurel Prevetti. They raised a daughter, Katie, who from a young age participated in the family travel, music, and sports adventures. Bob’s happiest moments were playing music with Katie, including performances together at the San Jose Jazz Festival. He remained close to his siblings (James, Christopher, and Margaret), hosting many holiday feasts and traveling to Ireland after the ALS diagnosis.

Bob was a loyal friend and witty conversationalist. An extrovert, Bob made friends easily and he excitedly shared his knowledge of music, wine, cycling, and other passions. His playfulness and sarcastic sense of humor made everyone around him feel comfortable and welcome.

In 2018, Bob was diagnosed with ALS. He called it a “wretched disease.” Not slowing down, he immediately researched the science of ALS and was determined to contribute to better treatments and symptom management. He participated in the Centaur drug study of AMX0035 with the Forbes Norris ALS Research and Treatment Center, convinced that the compassionate use of the medication prolonged his life.

Ever the optimist, Bob taught himself how to create a website and write weekly blogs using the Tobii eye gaze technology (www.embrace-the-suck. blog). Reading the blogs were like having a conversation with Bob, with his unique voice shining through the puns and unexpected ways he could make us laugh and cry simultaneously.

His writings showcased frustrations with the medical industrial complex, the joy of his youthful exploits, and the practical side of living with ALS. Bob lived life to the fullest to the very end, entertaining friends and family with his quick quips on his Tobii communication device.

A private service will be held and his wish for a large musical party will occur in a COVID safe manner in 2022 for friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated in his honor to Forbes Norris ALS Research and Treatment Center, ALS Association Golden West Chapter, Greenbelt Alliance, or San Jose Jazz.

There’s been a flood of tributes recently to Robert V. Hawn, who passed away this month at the age of 63. A highly regarded business attorney, who played in a jazz band and volunteered his time to preserve the valley’s greenbelt, he was married to Los Gatos Town Manager Laurel Prevetti—and father to their daughter, Katie.

Bob Hawn was also an invaluable ally to independent media, serving as counsel and corporate secretary to our newspaper group in its early days, and again in recent years. When the internet arrived in the early ’90s, Bob was a trendsetter. He was the only attorney I knew who had an email account.

We started exchanging drafts as email attachments, something unheard of at the time in the legal community—which was completely paper-based and generally horrified at the notion of allowing clients to make edits to electronic documents. Bob embraced the internet and was keenly aware of its potential. He enjoyed working with scrappy companies close to the bleeding edge.

He worked for two of downtown San Jose’s large firms, Berliner and then Hopkins & Carley. We valued him so much that we moved the files over when he switched firms.

As the technology revolution heated up, he switched to a Peninsula firm to be closer to the action, then returned to downtown and became a co-founder of the Strategy Law Group.

The last time I visited him there, he rolled out in a motorized wheelchair and told me about his ALS diagnosis and plans to wind down his legal work. Despite this devastating news, Bob remained affable and posted humorous blog posts about his illness using an eye-tracker to compose the words.

Our hearts are heavy, and condolences go out to his wife and daughter. His contributions to a greener valley, the local jazz scene, emerging technology companies and local media will live on.

—Dan Pulcrano

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR

Celebrating, from page 1

Courtesy of Teri Hope

South Bay’s Only True Dine-In Cinema!

Full Food & Beverage Service To Your Seat!

FAMOUS REGULAR Eleven-time Grammy winner Tony Lindsay returns to town for a

Rootstock Wine Bar will definitely be hopping from 7pm to midnight.

“We’ll have 12 wines available for tasting, a buffet featuring several sushi specials and a midnight champagne toast,” General Manager Nick DePaolo said.

Tickets are $99 for wine club members, $149 for the general public. Visit rootstockwinebar.com or call 408.354.7668 for tickets.

Tickets are also required for the VIP party at Immersive, the nightclub that recently took over the former Mountain Charley’s space. Tickets are $100 for the VIP party that includes cirque performances and dancing past midnight. For tickets, visit immersivenightlife.com.

“We’ll have heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar at the VIP event that starts at 8pm,” owner Alex Hult said.

“Our VIP guests can party all night but if there’s any space still available we’ll open to the public at 10pm with a $40 cover charge.”

Of course, if you just want to get out and be with people to watch the ball drop in Times Square, you can simply head to Carry Nations or the Black

Watch, which are open until 2am.

Meantime, the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company is closing at 2pm on New Year’s Eve but owner Teri Hope has big plans for Jan. 1, 2022.

New Year’s Day coffee starts at 7am.

But the real wind-up is at 7pm when the legendary Tony Lindsay performs a two-hour set. He’ll be accompanied by vocalist Janice Maxie-Reid and drummer Deszon Clayborne.

“I always feel like royalty is in the house when Tony plays here,” Hope said. “I’m always humbled by his gift to perform in our little coffeehouse.”

Lindsay is an 11-time Grammy winner who was Santana’s lead singer for 25 years. He’s also a Jazz on the Plazz regular.

The Roasting Company can only seat 32 people, with a few $20 reserved seats still available late last week. Call 408.354.3263 to check availability.

“There’s no cover for standing room only and most people end up dancing anyway,” Hope said.

Wine, beer, coffee and desserts will be for sale throughout the evening.

So, wear your mask and stay safe on the road for a hopefully happier 2022.

BEST COCKTAILS WINNER!

West Valley - Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Campbell

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Jan. 1 performance at the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company. Lindsay is a popular Jazz on the Plazz performer who was Santana’s lead singer for 25 years.

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SPORTS FOR LOS GATOS GIRLS BASKETBALL, IT’S ALL ABOUT EFFORT Jonathan Natividad

Wildcats off to a spectacular 7-1 start

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Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

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Los Gatos High girls basketball coach Sara Quilici tells her players she doesn’t care what the scoreboard says as long as they work hard and give a max effort. Take care of effort and work rate, Quilici said, and she can live with the result, win or lose.

“Our new thing is if you ask the kids what the score is, we’re down by two because that’s the effort you should be giving all the time, whether you’re up 30 points or down by 30,” Quilici said after the Wildcats’ 59-29 home win over Leland High on Dec. 20. “I’m so proud of my team today because the effort and what they gave is exactly what I wanted.”

Nine different players scored for Los Gatos, which enters its “mid-season” winter break with a 7-1 record.

Claire Galbo scored 13 points, Belle Bramer and Ashley Childers had 12 points each, and Jeanette Grasty had 10 to put four Wildcats into double figures. For all intents and purposes, this one was over after the first quarter when Los Gatos jumped out to a commanding 13-2 lead before padding its advantage to 32-12 at halftime.

With four 6-footers, the Wildcats’ height and length flooded the passing lanes, forcing Leland into dozens of turnovers. Los Gatos held a decisive advantage on the boards in the first half, seemingly grabbing an offensive rebound on every missed shot. Bramer displayed her versatile skill set, as she is able to shoot from the outside, drive to the basket, bring the ball up the floor and power her way in the paint.

“Belle is our catalyst,” Quilici said.

“She just makes things happen offensively and defensively.”

Junior Casey Brennan is another versatile player who stays within the flow of the game and can be relied upon to get the job done.

“I love Casey Brennan,” Quilici said.

“She doesn’t score a lot or fill up the stat sheet, but she does all the little things and plays tough.”

UP FOR TWO! Wildcats senior Jeanette Grasty hits a running shot for two of her 10 points in a 59-29 win over Leland High on Dec. 20.

Grasty mans the point guard position and can fill it up from 3-point range, as can many of her teammates.

Los Gatos made 13 3-pointers against Leland, with Bramer and Childers connecting on three apiece.

“Jeanette is becoming a wonderful

leader,” Quilici said. “She’s talking more on defense and really directing the young puppies on our team.”

Nicole Steiner has been a force inside, especially in the Wildcats’ riveting 50-49 comeback win over Evergreen Valley on Dec. 11. In what

was by far the team’s most impressive game this season, Los Gatos rallied from 16 points down midway through the third quarter to overtake a solid Evergreen Valley team. Steiner had a Bill Russell-type game, finishing with 23 points and 25 rebounds.

“Nicole Steiner is just incredible and a pure athlete,” Quilici said. “She’s learning to work hard, getting her touch around the rim and has been doing well.”

Childers perhaps doesn’t know just how good she is, but her teammates do and Quilici certainly recognizes Childers’ talent. Childers can shoot it from the outside, take it inside and is active on the boards. Then there’s Galbo, who has a propensity to be clutch at the very end of each quarter. She hit buzzer-beating baskets to end the second and third quarter, representing the third consecutive game in which she’s connected on a buzzer-beating shot.

“We call her buzzer-beater Claire,” Quilici said. “She’s playing great and really using her height and length and getting more vocal.”

As spectacular as the team’s comeback was against the Cougars, it was a lopsided 55-32 loss to Silver Creek on Dec. 7 that really got the team’s attention. Up until that contest, the Wildcats were riding high—perhaps too high.

“I’m happy the Silver Creek game happened because we had been feeling high and mighty,” Quilici said. “We hadn’t lost a scrimmage, we hadn’t lost a sportsmanship game, we were just thinking we were God’s gift. That game brought us down to Earth a little bit and it got the message across to our kids that simply showing up isn’t good enough. You’re not going to beat an eighth-grade team if you just think showing up is good enough to win. I think that game sat with us a bit and it did the job because losses have to mean something and you have to use them to learn. And I think that—excuse me—ass whipping was probably exactly what we needed. I think if we hadn’t lost to Silver Creek, we wouldn’t have beaten Evergreen.”

LOS GATOS BOYS BASKETBALL: NO REST FOR THE WEARY For the Los Gatos High boys basketball team, there’s no rest for the weary.

With the season in full swing, the Wildcats will only take the Christmas weekend off before resuming game action at the Head-Royce Tournament in Oakland on Dec. 27.

“Forget the holidays, it’s basketball season,” coach Nick Ward said. “The kids don’t have school to worry about and we can’t take too much time off anyway because we’re playing again three days in a row.”

After the Head-Royce Tournament in which the Wildcats (4-5) are guaranteed three games, they’ll have six days between contests before their all-important Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division opener against Wilcox High on Jan. 4. By that point, Los Gatos should be close to having a full roster as Mitty-transfers Max Houghton and Tommy Ankenbrandt will be eligible to play.

Additionally, two players who have been injured—Simon Estrin and Jack Rusiniak—are recovering and Ward is hopeful to have them back “real soon.”

“Those guys are seniors so having those guys out has been tough,” Ward said after the team’s 59-38 home loss to Christopher High on Dec. 23.

“We’ve definitely seen the lack of experience showing with our team with those guys out so it’ll be good to get them back. And with Max and Tommy come January, they’ll be ready and we know what we’re getting from them.

But it’s still a learning process for us right now and we’re still trying to figure things out.”

The Wildcats were never in it against Christopher, falling behind 18-6 after one quarter and 32-12 at halftime. They did play better in the second half, but by then the outcome had already been decided. Arya Emarlou was the only Los Gatos player to hit double figures, finishing with 21 points.

Emarlou’s shot wasn’t falling early—he missed his first eight attempts—but he started heating up in the third quarter. Even though Chris-

MR. HUSTLE Wildcats senior Luke White has been instrumental with his energetic play and sound positioning on the court at all times.

Despite the loss, Los Gatos has reason for optimism. Not only will the Wildcats get reinforcements in early January, but they gain more experience with each passing game. All of the team’s five losses have come to quality squads.

“We had a lot of close losses over the

summer (in summer league) and tried to use that as experience, but it seems like we’re still trying to figure it out and get over the hump in those close games against good teams,” Ward said.

“But our guys are getting there and we’re definitely better from where we were three to four weeks ago.”

d ece mb er 2 9, 20 21 -january 4, 2 02 2 : los gatan .co m

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

topher was quicker and had superior athleticism, Ward said his team could still learn things from the loss.

Namely, being mentally prepared to play back-to-back games less than 24 hours apart. Los Gatos was coming off a victory over Carmel High the night before—the game didn’t tip off until approximately 7:15pm—which was followed by a 3pm tipoff time against Christopher.

“It’s tough on the body, but at the same time the schedule is what it is and you have to walk into the gym ready to go,” he said. “It just seemed like we were a little tired at the start and Christopher just seemed to have fresh legs. They showed us they were bigger, they were physical, and we just weren’t ready for it in the first half. It’s too bad. But it was a good challenge in the second half and I thought we played better and more physical.”

Ward continued to be impressed with the work rate of Luke White, who stayed aggressive and drew fouls by his tough play around the paint.

“Luke White hustles everywhere and it’s hard to take him off the floor because he’s always in the right spot,” Ward said. “He’s throwing his body around, he takes that football mentality and he’s great to have on the basketball court. We use him as the example of, ‘Hey, this is what we need to get to.’

So he’s a great attitude guy with a great work ethic and if we can get more guys on that page and flying around, we’ll get where we need to be.”

Victor Josifovski and 6-foot-5 post Tyler Cowan displayed nice footwork in the paint, which at times created a little breathing room against the stifling Christopher defense. However, one play early in the third quarter highlighted the Wildcats’ predicament.

Josifovski beat his man off a spin move in the lane, but as he went up for a shot, two other Christopher players contested it, with one coming away with the block. Josifovski did everything right but the Cougars simply made the better play.

“Victor and Tyler both have really good footwork, but Christopher is really tough,” Ward said. “Those guys are really good with some big bodies and they do stuff right. Tonight was tough for us.”

Jonathan Natividad

Wildcats to get reinforcements in time for league play

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Tarmo Hannula

FRASER GRADUATES FROM OHIO DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY

LOCAL SCENE

Geneva Fraser of Los Gatos has graduated from Ohio Dominican University with a Master of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction.

Fraser is among 152 students who earned their degree following the fall 2021 semester.

Ohio Dominican University is a four-year, private, liberal arts and master’s institution, founded in 1911 in the Catholic and Dominican tradition by the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

SINCLAIR NAMED TO DEAN'S LIST

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Andrew Sinclair of Los Gatos was named to the Dean's List for the fall semester at University of Maryland Global Campus.

To be eligible for the honor, a student must complete at least six credits during the term, earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 for the term, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at UMGC. Established in 1947, University of Maryland Global Campus has online programs in disciplines including biotechnology, cybersecurity, data analytics and information technology.

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VILLANUEVA ALONSO EARNS DEAN'S AWARD WITH DISTINCTION Lucia Villanueva Alonso, a member of the Colgate University Class of 2023, has earned the spring 2021 Dean's Award with Distinction.

Villanueva Alonso is an International Relations major from Los Gatos and is a graduate of Saratoga High School.

Students who receive a term grade point average of 3.6 or higher while completing at least three courses during the spring 2021 semester earn the Dean's Award with Distinction.

Colgate offers 56 majors and supports 25 Division I athletic teams on a campus of about 3,000 students in central New York.

WINDING DOWN A woman walks by a giant star as a Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police cruiser is parked on North Santa Cruz Avenue.

As the New Year approaches, holiday decorations such as this one seen in downtown Los Gatos are in their final days before returning to storage.

SIZELOVE HEADS TO BIOLA UNIVERSITY Mark Sizelove of Los Gatos will be attending Biola University in the fall, the college announced Dec. 22.

Biola's incoming class represents students from 41 states and U.S. territories and 44 countries.

The Christian university is located in Southern California.

LOCAL STUDENT WINS APP CHALLENGE Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) announced that Zeyneb Kaya of Saratoga High School is this year’s winner of the 2021 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 18th Congressional District.

Kaya’s app Cultive aims to help farmers and home gardeners identify, manage and track diseases in their plants using advanced AI and providing resources to prevent and treat a variety of common plant diseases.

“Zeyneb was inspired to find a solution to the problems she was seeing in her own garden that applies to the entire agricultural industry,” Eshoo said. “This kind of creativity and global thinking is what helped Silicon Valley grow from a farming area to the world’s leading innovation hub. I’m proud of Zeyneb and all the students who entered this year’s Congressional App Challenge for thinking and dreaming big to make our planet a better place for generations to come.”

Eshoo is a founding co-chair of the Congressional App Challenge. Established by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013, the competition is part

of a nationwide event that invites high school students from all participating congressional districts to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application, or “app,” for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.

Apps are judged based on the following criteria: quality of the idea, including creativity and originality; implementation of the idea, including user experience and design; and demonstrated excellence of coding and programming skills. The winner from the 18th Congressional District was chosen by an independent panel of expert judges.

Each winner of the Congressional App Challenge is invited to a #HouseofCode Capitol Hill reception and their app will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building and on House.gov for a year.

POLICE BLOTTER

DEC. 20

• An unknown suspect stole Christmas presents from an unlocked vehicle parked on the 600 block of Blossom Hill Road.

• Someone stole a catalytic converter from a vehicle parked on Roberts Road.

• A man stole a package from a porch on West Main Street.

• A man was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on the 15400 block of Los Gatos Boulevard at 9:04pm.

DEC. 21

• A transient person was reportedly making “bird calls” on Burton Road and Los Gatos Boulevard at 3:03am. The caller informed police they had 15 minutes to respond before he “takes it into his own hands,” but dispatchers advised him that he got in trouble last time for carrying a bat outside.

• A person was reportedly on a back porch on Alberto Way at 6:14am looking at an electric bicycle before leaving.

• A vehicle was reported stolen on Los Gatos Boulevard.

• A home was burglarized on Belhaven Drive.

• A catalytic converter was stolen from a vehicle on Maricopa Drive.

losgatan.com

DEC. 22

• A caller reported that a woman on La Canada Court asked them to come inside their residence and sit at the fire at 8:40am.

• A patient who was discharged from a hospital on Pollard Road reportedly refused to leave at 7:50pm.

DEC. 23

• A man was arrested for vehicle theft, hit and run, and being in possession of a controlled substance on Los Gatos Boulevard and Harding Road at 12:14am.

• A man was reportedly going to different homes on Spring Street at 9am, checking vehicle doors.

• A home was burglarized on Vasona Avenue.

• A driver reportedly pulled up to another vehicle on the 300 block of North Santa Cruz Avenue at 7:47pm, got out and tried to start a fight before getting back in their vehicle and attempting to rearend the other vehicle.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Gateway Drive and Los Gatos Boulevard at 7:52pm.

• A caller reported a truck going back and forth on the railroad tracks on the 14600 block of Winchester Boulevard at 8pm.

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• A caller reported hearing loud noises that sounded like gunshots in the area of Anne and Panorama ways at 10:43pm.

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• A woman was arrested for being in possession of burglary tools and unlawful paraphernalia on Benedict Lane and Chirco Drive at 1:43am.

• A guest at a hotel on Los Gatos-Saratoga Road reportedly stole two cases of juice and some food, and was later spotted putting the items in their room.

• A man was arrested for burglary on the first block of Los Gatos-Saratoga Road at 3:27pm. A woman was also arrested for receiving known stolen property.

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DEC. 19

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13

Alesia Kozik/Pexels

PRE-NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY

CALENDAR

DJ Cris Campos will spin top hits at Number 1 Broadway, 102 South Santa Cruz Ave. #B (Upstairs), on Dec. 30.

Doors open at 6pm. → number1broadway.com

NYE AT CARDIFF LOUNGE Cardiff & Cocktails, 260 E Campbell Ave. in Campbell, presents NYE2022 featuring the sounds of DJ, Producer & Remixer Julius Papp, Mr. V and DJ Rated R. The event takes place Dec. 31 at 9pm.

MYSTERY LOVERS BOOK CLUB The Los Gatos Library’s Mystery Lovers Book Club meets the first Wednesday of every month. The next meeting is Jan. 5 at 5pm on Zoom. The group will discuss “The Girls in the Garden” by Lisa Jewell. → losgatosca.libcal.com/ event/8582029

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‘CHASING CHILDHOOD’

14

Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center will hold a virtual screening and discussion for “Chasing Childhood,” a feature length documentary that explores the empowerment of children through free play, independence and parental trust. Registering for the event gets you a five-day virtual screening access to the film, as well as the link to join the following discussion facilitated by APJCC Preschool and Yavneh Day School Faculty. The discussion will be held Jan. 9 at 2pm. → watch.showandtell.film/watch/ jvalley-010922

LOS GATOS FARMERS MARKET The Los Gatos Certified Farmers’ Market offers seasonal fruits and vegetables from Santa Clara County yearround. More than 40 local farmers and food producers sell their wares Sundays from 9am to 1pm at Town Park Plaza on Main Street and N. Santa Cruz Avenue. → cafarmersmkts.com/losgatosfarmers-market.

LOCAL VENDORS Farmers markets are a tradition in downtown Los Gatos and Campbell.

CAMPBELL FARMERS MARKET The Downtown Campbell Farmers Market is held Sundays, rain or shine, from 9am to 1pm. → uvfm.org/campbell-sundays

THE KIWANIS CLUB OF LOS GATOS The club meets the first three Thursdays of the month at noon at Flights Restaurant, 165 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road #5306. First two Thursdays of the month feature guest speakers.

Next meetings: Dec. 2, local architect Terry Martin on accessory dwelling units). Dec. 9: Author and retired Special Ops Game Warden Lt. John Nores on environmental and wildlife protection.

THE LOS GATOS MORNING ROTARY CLUB The Club meets every Wednesday morning 7:30-8:30am at Los Gatos

Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road.

Program includes featured guest speakers.

Santa Clara County Supervisors The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors meets virtually on Tuesdays at 9am.

LOS GATOS LIONS CLUB

→ bit.ly/3oy2Zmq

The Los Gatos Lions Club meets every Wednesday. A breakfast meeting is held at Moore Buick, 15500 Los Gatos Blvd., at 8am and a noon meeting at Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, with a guest speaker. The club has been active since 1946.

PUBLIC MEETINGS Town Council The Los Gatos Town Council meets virtually on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7pm. → losgatosca.gov/16/Town-Council.

Planning Commission The Los Gatos Planning Commission meets virtually on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7pm. → losgatosca.gov/189/ Planning-Commission

Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District The board meets every other Tuesday at 5pm. → bit.ly/3DaJRi9 Los Gatos Union School District Board of Trustees The board meets monthly at either 6:30pm or 4pm. → bit.ly/3oywlRA Other Town commissions The Town of Los Gatos has various committees that serve as advisory bodies for the Town Council.

For information and a schedule of meetings, visit losgatosca.gov/12/ Boards-Commissions-Committees

losgatan.com

HORTICULTURE

Frost is different from chill Contributed

By Tony Tomeo

WHITEOUT Frost has already stricken some regions.

Coastal, inland, mountain, and all climates are so very different from each other.

Highlight: Stock This is one of those annuals that could be a short term perennial if it gets the opportunity to do so. In most climates, stock, Matthiola incana, is a popular warm season annual that relinquishes its space to cool season annuals before it gets too worn in autumn. Locally, because it does not mind mild frost, it is more popular as a cool season annual for winter.

Floral color ranges through both pale and rich pastels of purple, red, pink, yellow, cream and also pure white. Flowers may be single or double. In close proximity, bloom is richly fragrant. Foliage is light grayish green.

Individual leaves are somewhat narrow. Removal of deteriorating floral stalks before they develop seed pods prolongs subsequent bloom.

Many garden varieties of stock stay relatively low and compact. Some may get no higher than a foot. Florist varieties that produce long stems for cutting might get as high as three feet.

Overgrown plants get shabby after a primary season, but may regenerate from hard pruning. However, secondary growth is generally irregular and likely marginally reliable.

Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

d ece mb er 2 9, 20 21 -january 4, 2 02 2 : los gatan .co m

“Chill” could almost be a pleasant euphemism for “frost.” Both words describe cool or cold weather that occurs during winter. The obvious difference is that one is good, and one is bad. Chill is a minimum duration of cool weather that some plants require through winter to maintain their schedules. Frost is weather that is cool enough to damage some plants.

This technical difference is that chill is at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, and frost is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That is a difference of only 13 degrees Fahrenheit, just above the freezing temperature of water.

Climate and weather are simply not cooperative enough to comply to such precise technicalities.

Climates that provide sufficient chill for many plants that require it are also likely to inflict frost on occasion.

Where chill is sufficient for most plants that need it, frost is likely much too severe for plants that are sensitive to it. Climates that lack frost are unlikely to provide enough chill for plants that need just a bit. High chill apples and oranges should not mix.

Of course, just as various chill dependent plants require various degrees of chill, various frost sensitive plants tolerate various degrees of frost.

Some orange cultivars can survive frost as cold as 25 degrees Fahrenheit within climates that low chill apple cultivars are happy with. Angel's trumpet, though, succumbs as soon as ice crystals form.

It is helpful to know which plants are sensitive to frost, even in frostless climates. Tropical plants might get rather pallid when the weather is too cool for too long, even if frost is not a direct threat. Potted plants are more susceptible to frost damage than they would be in the ground, but can migrate to sheltered situations. Some can be temporary houseplants.

Frost naturally limits the selection of plants. Various tropical plants that are appropriate to frostless climates are not appropriate for climates with harsh winter weather. That can be confusing with so many distinct climates within such minimal proximity.

15

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ON BALANCES UP TO $5,000

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Available only to new members during the first thirty (30) days from the date of opening a membership. *Annual percentage yields are accurate as of 12/1/2021. Fees may reduce earnings. The minimum deposit required to open a Premier Savings Account is $20. A minimum average daily balance of $100 is required to earn dividends. The Premier Savings Account is a variable rate account and rates may change at any time. Limit one Premier Savings Account per membership.

Consumer accounts only. Please refer to our current Rate Schedule for applicable dividend rates, APYs and tiers. For example, an account with an average daily balance of $100,000 will earn 2.25% APY on balances up to $5,000, 0.75% APY on balances over $5,000 up to $10,000, 0.25% APY on balances over $10,000 up to $50,000, and 0.10% APY on the remaining balance in excess of $50,000. The total APY earned reflects the blending of rates depending on the balance.

Membership is required with a one-time non-refundable $5 fee.

Federally insured by NCUA. Copyright 2021 Meriwest Credit Union.

877-MERIWEST (877-637-4937 ) meriwest.com/premiersavings