Liccardo outspends Low as 16th District war chests grow
Barry Holtzclaw, Reporter
Sam Liccardo is raising more money, spending more money and has more money in the bank than Evan Low in California’s 16th Congressional District contest, according to financial reports both candidates filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission.
These new numbers continue the trends set in the first quarter, and are sharp indicators of the uphill battle Low faces in his bid for the prized Silicon Valley congressional seat.
As the campaign between the two Democrats approaches its final three-month stretch, Liccardo, former mayor of San Jose and top vote-getter in the March primary, had $1,986,808 cash on hand, more than twice the amount of available cash held by Low, a California state assembly member, with $846,498 as of June 30.
The required financial statements for the second quarter of 2024 filed by the candidates’ campaigns showed $1,652,846
Fundraising, 11
REHEARSAL West Valley Youth Theater has been readying its productions of The Addams Family. Here, Los Gatos residents Tommy Wilkens, Parker Simon, Ivy Osment and Mackenzie Cacciaguidi sing during a “sitzprobe” with an orchestra. Opening night is July 25 at Leigh High School.
JUNIOR ALL STARS WIN TITLE, ADVANCE TO NORCALS
Core group has won 7 banners for Los Gatos Little League
Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor Andre Torres won’t be forgetting the marvelous season the Los Gatos Little League Junior All Star team's had this year any time soon.
The squad advanced to the NorCal State Tournament for the fourth consecutive season They also did it as under-11 All Stars, U12 Majors and U13 Intermediate accumulating seven banners in the process.
The core group of players won a District and Section championship in each of those years—with the exception of
the Intermediate All Star team, which had a bye through District last year.
“I don’t know what other core group of boys have won that many banners for Los Gatos Little League,” said Torres, the Junior manager whose team
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Bill Lister
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has been recently upgraded with quartz countertops, subway tiled backsplash and accent wall above the stove. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, dishwasher, gas co oktop range, oven microwave combination, white cabinets, recessed lighting, and a walk-in pantry. Family room with built-in cabinetry and a gas fireplace. Spacious living and dining room combination with cathedral ceilings. Maplewood floors on first level. Remodeled primary suite bathroom with marble tile, floating tub, stall shower, double sinks, and a large walk-in closet. Three spacious bedrooms on second level. Updated hall bathroom with marble and tile surface s, double sinks, and stall shower. Inside laundry room with a wash basin and built-in cabinetry. Two car garage. Private backyard with mature landscaping. Close to parks and walking trails. Los Gatos Schools. Blossom Hill Elementary, Fisher Middle, Los Gatos High School.
Renewed home located in the Campagna of Almaden community built Circa 1997. This home has been recently upgraded with quartz countertops, subway tiled backsplash and accent wall above the stove. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, dishwasher, gas co oktop range, oven microwave combination, white cabinets, recessed lighting, and a walk-in pantry. Family room with built-in cabinetry and a gas fireplace. Spacious living and dining room combination with cathedral ceilings. Maplewood floors on first level. Remodeled primary suite bathroom with marble tile, floating tub, stall shower, double sinks, and a large walk-in closet. Three spacious bedrooms on second level. Updated hall bathroom with marble and tile surface s, double sinks, and stall shower. Inside laundry room with a wash basin and built-in cabinetry. Two car garage. Private backyard with mature landscaping. Close to parks and walking trails. Los Gatos Schools. Blossom Hill Elementary, Fisher Middle, Los Gatos High School.
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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.
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WEEKLYS STAFF RECOGNIZED AT CALIFORNIA JOURNALISM AWARDS GALA
Gathering to honor top journalists held in person for first time since 2019
Staff Report
Several Los Gatan contributors were honored by the California News Publishers Association at the 2023 California Journalism Awards gala in Los Angeles Saturday for work in sister publications.
Todd Guild, a Weeklys editor, won first place in the Coverage of Youth and Education category for an article about court-ordered therapy published in Good Times Santa Cruz.
It also resulted in a first-place win for Good Times in the Public Service Journalism category.
Guild won first (for the Pajaronian) in Print Front Page Layout & Design as part of a team that included Tarmo Hannula and Johanna Miller, as well as former Los Gatan editor Erik Chalhoub and former Los Gatan designer Hon Truong.
Hannula, Guild and Chalhoub achieved third place (for The Pajaronian) in the Breaking News category for coverage of Pajaro River flooding.
The Los Gatan was a finalist in the Print Inside Page Layout & Design category for an editorial package, by Truong, about 2023 the Los Gatos High School graduation.
It is the first time since the paper was founded in 2021 it’s received this distinction.
Drew Penner, the now-Los Gatan editor, Dan Pulcrano, the paper’s founder and executive editor, Michael Moore, the editor of the Morgan Hill Times, and Nikki Silverstein, who reports for the Pacific Sun in Marin County, placed second in the In-Depth Reporting category for a Metro Silicon Valley article about the fentanyl crisis, which touched on Los Gatos incidents.
The piece also placed third for Feature Story.
Richard Stockton’s article “Case of the Unfortunate Haircut,” also published in Metro Silicon Valley, took first in the category.
Members of the Los Gatan production and design team Haley Tweedell and Cindy Couling—alongside Heather Tsang, Pulcrano and Frans Lanting—earned second in Print Special Section Cover for “fun visuals and typeface” for a Good Times layout.
Mat Weir and Pulcrano came in second in the Writing category for a Metro Silicon Valley article.
It was the first time the gala has been held since 2019.
This year, the gathering of gumshoes—held at the Sheraton Universal
Hotel—featured intimate and riveting professional development sessions such as “Investigative Reporting: Taking Big Swings and Getting Buy-In,” “AI in the Newsroom,” “Collaboration for Impact in Small Newsrooms,” and “Philanthropy and Journalism.”
SHARING Industry professionals passed along useful journalistic knowledge during afternoon sessions, such as in this one, titled, “Investigative Reporting: Taking Big Swings and Getting Buy-In.”
The program encouraged attendees to support Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who’s been detained in Russia since March 2023 on accusations of espionage, including by posting on social media with the hashtag #IStandWithEvan.
CORRECTIONS
The July 10, 2024 article titled “Los Gatos Celebrates America’s Birthday” misspelled the name of famous American composer John Philip Sousa. It also misidentified the band that played at the Town’s Fourth of July festivities. They’re called the San Jose Wind Symphony.
We regret the errors.
CEREMONIAL The awards dinner was emceed by KTLA 5 Morning News co-anchor Chris Schauble.
Drew Penner / Los Gatan
BUSINESS-BOOSTING 'GATOS OPEN LATE DOWNTOWN' SERIES HELD AMID HEAT
Residents elected to come early and stay late for Chamber event
Dinah Cotton, Contributor
The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce's ongoing summer evening series made a big splash last week during one of those 100+ degree Fahrenheit days we’ve been having.
Many Los Gatans brought themselves and their children out of the air conditioning and into downtown to see about this first “Gatos Open Late Downtown” Thursday.
What did they find you ask?
Something lively, and fun for our businesses, restaurants, bars, boutiques, residents, guests and the children of Los Gatos.
A Breeze Blows
In the breezeway, between Automobuild and Kismet Boutique, the children were having a blast.
There was cotton candy, a fabulous balloon artist and face painter, and the library was there offering summer reading ideas.
Future fun events, including live music, will be featured here and all around town.
Let yourself and the kids out and kick up your heels a bit.
Greet your neighbors, that you may not have seen since the dreaded Covid came around and we stayed in our pajamas and sweatpants for months.
Restaurants may offer special nibbles.
The heat waves will eventually calm down.
So, drop by downtown any Thursday evening through August 22.
Downtown businesses now know to stay open late on Thursdays.
Happy hours are being extended, with special appetizers offered.
Chamber officials are inviting everyone to take advantage of the ample mid-week parking.
And have you taken the time to go window shopping?
Fabulous unique things—to drool over (maybe even try on)—have appeared in the displays.
Expect more shaved ice this Thursday.
Meanwhile,
Up the Street
At Domus, Liz Kay, a previous employee and friend of owner Margaret Smith, dedicated a mural to her former boss.
The large-scale artwork depicts the flora and fauna of California.
Kay’s son, Leoanidas Kay, an aspiring paleontologist, asked his mom to put dinosaurs into her mural. Did you know that we had an official State Dinosaur? We do. Its name is "Auggie," and it’s an Augustynolophus. It is hidden somewhere within this mural. By the way, it was a vegetarian.
Coffee and cookies were served.
Thursdays in Los Gatos are solid GOLD.
Mark Your Calendar
On Saturday, Sept. 14, from 1-5pm, a “Taste of Los Gatos” event will be happening.
Santa Cruz Avenue will be closed down—a throwback to the postCovid Promenades.
Participating restaurants and bars will offer a taste of their menus.
Live music will abound, and it is predicted that there will be dancing in the street again.
There will be a kid friendly zone, and with a wristband you’ll be able to wander around while sipping delicious offerings from local merchants.
Dinah Cotton / Los Gatan
SISTERS Lindsey Costigan (right) and Anna Giordano enjoy the GOLD Thursday event downtown.
Dinah Cotton / Los Gatan BALLOONS Cousins getting silly in the breezeway.
IN THE CLOUDS Liz Kay and Councilmember Maria Ristow at the mural.
Dinah Cotton / Los Gatan
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DISCOVER LOST GATOS
GRIDLOCK AND GHOSTS: TALES FROM THE SERPENTINE ROUTE TO THE SEA
A brief history of Highway 17 - Pt. 2
Alan Feinberg, Contributor
—This is the second in a two part series.
Last month, I explored what traveling “over the hill” was like in the second half of the 19th century, when stagecoach passengers faced long, bone-rattling, and often dangerous trips along dusty or muddy dirt roads.
Change came quickly at the beginning of the 20th century with the arrival of the automobile. Citizens clamored for better roads and agreed to pay higher taxes to fund their construction. Based in part on lobbying by the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, the patchwork of roads between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz was one of the first designated for improvement. State bonds were issued to finance the project, and were later replaced with a two-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax.
Construction of a concrete Glenwood Highway began in 1911. It followed a circuitous route over existing roads between Santa Cruz Avenue in Los Gatos and Water Street in Santa Cruz—winding through the now forgotten towns of Lexington, Alma, Wrights, Laurel and Glenwood. When it was completed in 1921, a headline in the Santa Cruz Sentinel proclaimed that “California’s Road Of Marvelous Beauty Now Links Santa Cruz With Her Future Destiny”.
People soon realized how dangerous traveling the dizzying, serpentine highway would be. Sudden sharp curves, blind spots and steep downhill grades caused many drivers to lose control and careen over the edge. Sections with a middle passing lane led to deadly head-on collisions. Speeding was a constant problem, and teams of “speed cops” were deployed to rigorously enforce the posted limit of 20 miles per hour.
The highway soon earned a reputation as one of California’s most treacherous roads. It was often referred to as the “Haunted Highway,” with drivers and passengers claiming
to have seen ghosts at locations where accidents had occurred.
Work on a new “ultramodern” highway began in 1931. The new road, which would be designated State Route 17, was five miles shorter than its predecessor. It was built in seven stages, either by straightening old sections or building entirely new roadways and bridges. The number of sharp turns on just one 6.7 mile section was reduced by an astonishing 80%, from 130 curves to 22.
In August, 1949, a three day event called “Trail Days” was held in Los Gatos to celebrate the completion of the new road. But the party didn’t last long. Since the highway ended at South Santa Cruz Avenue, all traffic was routed through downtown. Just like today,
traffic jams were a fact of life in Los Gatos seventy years ago.
The solution was to build an extension to bypass the town. But the project was controversial, since construction would require dynamiting the graceful Main Street bridge, bulldozing Memorial Park, and confining the creek to a concrete channel. Work proceeded nevertheless, and a dedication ceremony was held on April 30, 1959 at the Los Gatos Lodge.
In the past few years, gridlock has emerged to plague our town once again. But there’s another solution on the horizon. Los Gatos, the VTA, and Caltrans are collaborating on a “Corridor Congestion Relief Project”to improve traffic flow on Highway 17 between Lark Avenue and Highway 9. Initial
surveying has been completed—and an environmental impact report is underway—to upgrade the Highway 9 interchange and widen the freeway to three lanes in each direction.
Funding has been identified and construction is expected to begin in 2027.
Alan Feinberg is a local historian and founder of the LOST Gatos Project. His mission is to generate enthusiasm among Los Gatos residents for remembering and preserving our town’s unique character and historic treasures before they’re lost forever. For more Los Gatos history, download the free mobile app Discover LOST Gatos and take a self-guided historical walking tour.
VINTAGE CONGESTION An “iron curtain of aut omobiles” in Los Gatos on Memorial Day Weekend 1955.
POLICE BLOTTER
JULY
7
• At 6:30pm, a man was reported for being close to the roadway while asking for money on the median at Los Gatos Boulevard and Blossom Hill Road.
• A group of minors on the creek trail by Vasona Lake was reported at 8:53pm for throwing rocks at passersby by someone who said they were almost struck. “You can’t hit us, we’re minors,” one of the group reportedly stated.
JULY 8
• Four subjects on e-bikes were reportedly following a caller as he walked his dog on Las Miradas Drive. He said they appeared to be teenagers. They rode around him and got in his way, he added around 8:30pm.
• A San Benito Avenue resident reported a burglary had occurred at their home within the previous approximately 24 hours.
JULY
9
• At 6am, two small jackhammers worth about $700 were stolen from a side yard on Dover Street.
• A manhole cover by Gardino’s Ristorante on North Santa Cruz Avenue was not properly fixed in place, a reporting party advised.
• Four middle school-aged boys were reportedly doing jumps off the front steps of Los Gatos High School on their e-bikes around 5pm.
• Three minors were reported at 5:47pm for driving around Bachman Park on their e-bikes and “tearing up the grass.”
JULY
10
• Gardeners were reported for using gas-powered leaf blowers at Oak Meadow Drive and Roberts Road at 7:24am. The caller said it was an ongoing problem.
• Multiple vehicles were reportedly parked in 30-minute zones for an hour at Montebello Way and Main Street, police were informed at 1:14pm.
JULY 11
• At 3:36pm, a man was reported for loitering at Lunardis Market on Blos som Hill Road. A caller said the man was making people fearful, though no weapons had been spotted. He was later arrested.
• A caller who purchased a 2024 BMW on Facebook Marketplace said Los Altos Police had advised the vehicle was stolen.
• A suspect was reported for being “extremely” inebriated at 2:36pm in a vehicle at Trader Joe’s on Los Gatos Boulevard.
• At 4:23pm, a power line was down and the end of it was “on fire” at Spectrum Eye Physicians on Monterey Avenue, a witness said.
JULY
12
• A caller, at 3:43pm, said they’d found the gates to the pool at Los Gatos High School open. The report states there were “beer cans and trash left behind” and “tables and lifeguard stand were thrown in the pool.” The reporting party said there were cameras but stated school officials hadn’t been cooperative in providing access to the footage.
• At around 3:10pm, a man in his late 40s or early 50s was reportedly “pulling (his) pants down and waving his penis at people” at North Santa Cruz Avenue and West Main Street. He “keeps running into traffic” and “running at people” the caller said. The incident resulted in a misde meanor arrest.
JULY 13
• A white 40-something man with dark colored sunglasses was re portedly sitting under a tree along Garden Hill Drive beside a bicy cle “yelling racial epithets at (an) Asian lady and her mother” at 12:15pm.
• A group was selling Trump mer chandise at the corner of Blossom Hill Road and Los Gatos Boulevard at 4:57pm. The caller “thinks it’s highly offensive” but didn’t make contact with the vendors.
www.liveloveleal.com
JUNIOR ALL STAR SQUAD WINS SECTION 5 TITLE
Junior All Stars, from page 1
plays a NorCal State Tournament elimination game in Rocklin on July 17.
“It’s a special group of boys who have been playing together for a long time. CT (Colton Kalin) coined us the ‘banner boys’ because of what they’ve done since 11s.”
The highlight of the Junior team’s season came in the Section 5 Tournament July 6-10 at Manzanita Park in Salinas.
Los Gatos lost its Section opener to Gilroy before reeling off four consecutive wins in the double elimination tournament to take the championship.
After the narrow 2-1 loss to Gilroy, Los Gatos beat Ferrasci Park 13-12 before edging Gilroy 5-4 to clinch a spot in the championship round against Los Altos, the lone remaining undefeated team in the tournament.
Los Gatos would have to beat Los Altos twice to win the title.
And that’s exactly what happened.
Los Gatos won 13-9 on July 9 before coming back the next day and trouncing Los Altos 17-2 in a game that was called after four innings due to the mercy rule.
Talk about finishing with a bang.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking at times,” Torres said. “But this team has a never-say-die attitude, which allowed us to win those close games.”
The roster includes Kalin, Aarav Chugh, Brixton Mentz-Bonnifield, Carson DeMaestri, Cruz Catipon, Dexter Torres, Grant Browder, Jimmy Mort, Kenji Okubo, Lucas Bottoms, Nico Flores, Ryan Carlisle, Timmy McNeil and TJ Lombardi. The assistant coaches are David Lombardi and Nico Flores.
Los Gatos was involved in some white knuckle contests, including an elimination game against Ferrasci Park. Los Gatos trailed 6-1 before mounting a huge comeback.
It culminated with a stunning, game-ending successful pickoff at first base as Ferrasci Park had the potential tying runner on third.
Los Gatos’ performance the following day against Gilroy was even more impressive. Having already lost to Gilroy in the Section opener, Los Gatos found itself trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh–just three outs away from tournament elimination.
McNeil drew a leadoff walk; Mentz-Bonnifield singled; and Kalin was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Torres followed with a sacrifice-fly RBI to cut the deficit to 4-3.
After Carlisle walked to load the bases for the second time in the inning, Lombardi hit a run-scoring single to make it 4-4.
Catipon came up next, working the count full before hitting a grounder to first base that easily scored Kalin, who was running on contact.
“Those two games showed the mettle of the team,” Andre Torres said. “Always fighting to the end, whether we’re up or down.”
Los Gatos pulled off two successful hidden ball tricks against Ferrasci Park and in the first of two games with Los Altos at crucial moments.
These proved to be momentum shifters, Torres said.
It was Torres’ son, Dexter, who brought the abracadabra.
The boys had been practicing the maneuver and were intent on seeing it work in a game.
“We (coaches) were telling them not to do it during the season, not to fool around with it,” Andre Torres said. “So it was kind of funny when they pulled it off not once but twice.”
Los Gatos scored a total of 30 runs in its two games against Los Altos to put an exclamation point on its tournament championship.
By the time the winner-take-all game rolled around, Los Gatos was locked in and ready to dominate.
Every player on the Los Gatos roster got on base in the final game.
“Everyone contributed, and Cruz, Brixton, Nico, Dexter—they were all up on the higher end of the list,” Andre Torres said. “Colton was a beast as he caught almost every inning. And
Ryan Carlisle made some awesome defensive plays at second base.”
Eight of the 14 players on the roster pitched in the tournament, including workhorses Chugh, Flores, McNeil and Lombardi. Chugh was the winning pitcher on record in both the District and Section-clinching championship games.
Andre Torres praised the players’ parents for dedicating a large part of their summer to baseball, appreciating the potential for a magnificent summer run.
“You walk around Los Gatos and people say nice things about the team, or we get texts saying they’re following us on (live scorekeeping app) Gamechanger,” Torres said. “It’s kind of cool knowing you have the whole town behind you. It just goes to show how close-knit the community is.”
Jim Mort
VICTORIOUS After losing its Section 5 Tournament opener, the Los Gatos Junior All Star team reeled off four consecutive wins to clinch the championship at Manzanita Park in Salinas, on July 10.
WAR CHESTS GROW
Fundraising, from page 1 in new individual contributions for Liccardo—more than double the $751,279 raised by Low in the same period. For the entire campaign, which includes the primary, Liccardo’s total contributions reached $4,338,803. Since he announced late last year, Low has reported $2,489,161 in individual and committee contributions.
The second quarter financial reports showed no changes in the momentum established by Liccardo since early this year, as the former mayor continues to accumulate endorsements and raise money faster than Low, a former Campbell City Council member.
In the second quarter, when the two-person race began following the final primary determination, Liccardo spent $376,624, more than the $276,358 spent by Low.
Since their respective campaigns began after incumbent Rep. Anna Eshoo announced her plans to retire after three decades, Liccardo has spent $2,351,995, compared to $1,642,663 spent by the Low campaign.
PURIFICATION The Montevina Water Treatment Plant in Los Gatos prepares the water served to the Los Gatos and Saratoga area. San Jose Water recently released its annual water quality report, based on the results of 18,000 tests. It notes 10 wells were placed on standby after PFAS compounds were present beyond the notification level of 6.5 parts per trillion between 2019 and 2020.
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Water Treatment Plant in Los Gatos prepares the water served to the Los Gatos and Saratoga area. San Jose Water recently released its annual water quality report, based on the results of 18,000 tests. It notes 10 wells were placed on standby after PFAS compounds were present beyond the notification level of 6.5 parts per trillion between 2019 and 2020. “Our monitoring has detected levels of PFHxS, a type of PFAS, above the notification levels set by the California State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water,” the report states. “The notification level is an advisory level based on health considerations, not a regulatory standard. The levels of PFHxS detected in some of our wells are between 3 parts per trillion (ppt) and 6 ppt, well below the DDW’s response level of 20 ppt.”
PURIFICATION The Montevina
SAMPLING THE LATEST FROM TESTAROSSA’S VINES
2023 pinot proves earthy, with a truffle undertone and peppery edge
By Laura Ness, Contributor
Winemaker Bill Brosseau has learned to read the barrels like a fortune teller reads tea leaves.
The Testarossa Winery vineyard manager routinely tastes through every barrel in the cellar, learning their personalities. Each one can impart something significant to a wine, and for the last 23 years, he’s learned the nuances of each cooperage.
He looks at type of wood, how long it’s air-dried, how heavily the barrels are toasted and the extent to which these factors will transfer into the grapes. He does this for each vineyard the company works with, considering the different clones (variants) of pinot noir and chardonnay he sources from each. Consequently, Testarossa’s cellar is a rather complicated Rubix cube of
possibility: only there is no one “right” answer. That’s because wine is not just science. It is also art—with each bottle more like a painting than a solved quadratic equation.
In the barrel tasting sessions Testarossa held this past Sunday, primarily for club members, attendees learned plenty about barrel technology, how aromas and flavors can be infused into wine. The event featured three stations.
First, we were welcomed to a sensory workshop led by Holly Kimura and Katie Abelson from the Testarossa Production team. We learned that primary aromas come from the grape varietal, terroir—where the grapes were grown—and the winemaking style. These form the core of the wine as brought into the winery.
Secondary aromas emerge during production. They’re introduced by the kind of vessel in which the wine is fermented (such as stainless steel, amphora or barrel) and whether it went through an additional process such
as “malolactic fermentation” or “lees stirring.” Malolactic, or malo, as it’s referred to in wine geek parlance, means the process by which the apple-like malic acid is converted to lactic acid. This tends to impart a creamier texture (and sometimes a downright smack of butter). Lees stirring is evident when the wine has a yeasty aroma, often like bread dough or a fresh baguette. Tertiary aromas come with time, as the wine ages in the barrel— and then in the bottle.
The fun ramped-up with a challenge. We were instructed to set our noses loose to attempt to match scents in little chrome vials with the graphic icons on our worksheets. There was a pot of honey with a piece of honeycomb, a stack of butter sticks, slices of green apple, a bunch of cherries, a cute little trio of mushrooms, a pile of butterscotch nibs, a juniper branch and some sliced lemons. Most scents were extremely straightforward, but at least one other student in the class agreed
with me that the cherry and caramel (butterscotch) examples were swapped. We also learned that scents from barrels depend on the “toast” levels (vanilla, toffee and coconut are associated with lighter-to-medium toast, and coffee, smoke, clove and butterscotch indicative of a heavier toast).
Then it was on to the deep, dark cellar to taste some 2023 pinot noir with Brosseau. Expertly thiefing the first sample from a second-use barrel, he threw down the gauntlet and asked if we could identify the vineyard or the clone of pinot noir in our glasses. And that was truly a tricky one. From the Fogstone Vineyard at the northern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH), we were trying a new clone of pinot noir, called Clone 122, which traces its heritage to exclusive estates in Burgundy. We found it to be somewhat earthy, with a nice truffle undertone. It had a nice peppery edge, bordering on clove. The next sample was Pommard 4 from the La Rinconada Vineyard, in
Laura Ness / Los Gatan
PRESENTATION Production assistant Holly Kimura-Carlin spoke to the select group invited to sample Testarossa Winery’s latest liquid creations.
WINEMAKER Bill Brosseau, Testarossa Winery’s vineyard manager, outlined the various processes involved in crafting the local company’s new product line.
Laura Ness / Los Gatan
ASSORTMENT
A variety of vintages were assembled for the tasting.
Sta. Rita Hills. It was poured from a new barrel, which imparted a definitive hit of coffee on the finish. Aromas of cherry and earth introduced the wine, which was mouth-coating and engaging. And there was the definitive streak of tarragon, which is often associated with products from this region. We then went back to Fogstone Vineyard in the SLH to sample Clone 777, known for its dark blackberry fruit. This was so smooth and lovely, like blackberry pie. Turned it was a barrel that had been lightly toasted using hot porcelain tile, rather than with the direct flame coopers usually employ. It’s a smokeless way to add complexity to a barrel.
For our fourth sample, we tried the same clone in a barrel toasted via traditional methods, which delivered depth and char.
The final barrel lesson involved a comparison of the same clone, 777, from the Tondre Vineyard (also from the SLH), resting in three different barrel sizes: traditional Burgundy (228 liter), puncheon (475 liter) and a hogshead (300 liter). The wine from the smallest barrel was the most concentrated, with candied strawberry, bright lemon, orange rind and intense acid. Everything about it had sharp elbows. As we tried the progressively larger barrel sizes, we found the wine more aired-out, relaxed, matured and approachable. It was like time had accelerated the aging process—just a smidgen—but with a softer touch.
As Brosseau explained, every barrel has its place. And, with 23 harvests behind him, time is on his side.
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PUBLIC NOTICES
Administer Estate
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Kevin Gregory Ditto. Case No. 24PR197460. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of (specify all names by which the decedent was known): Kevin Gregory Ditto, aka Kevin G. Ditto, aka Kevin Ditto. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Kelley C. Ditto in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. The petition for probate requests that: Kelley C. Ditto be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 08/15/2024. Time: 9:01 AM. Dept: 2. Address of the court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, 191 N. First Street, San Jose, California, 95113. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Rebecca Sue Jones. 19A North Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, CA 95030. (408) 354-1388. (Pub LGN 7/3, 7/10, 7/17)
Fictitious Business Name Statements
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707092
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Iyengar Yoga South Bay, 1 West Campbell Avenue, Campbell, CA, 95008, Yoga Fitness LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 11/26/2012. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Jeanette Yumibe. Owner. #201030110137. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 06/21/2024. (pub LG 07/03, 07/10, 07/17, 07/24/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #706067
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Bay Area Fireplace Int., 3275 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, CA, 95117, UG&E LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant has not begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Hisham Hash Ghanma. CEO. #202461517123. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 05/16/2024. (pub LG 07/03, 07/10, 07/17, 07/24/2024)
STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME #706851
The following person(s) / registrant(s) has / have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name(s): Healing Touch Craniosacral LLC, 3052 Westfield Avenue, San Jose, CA, 95128. Filed in the Santa Clara County on 05/15/2024. under file No. 682760.
This business was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company. Filed on 06/12/2024. /s/Mark W. Butler (pub dates: (07/03, 07/10, 07/17, 07/24/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707048
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Flaming Scissor, 998 Meridian Ave., Apt 31, San Jose, CA, 95126, Mehgan Mary Whalen. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 04/15/2024. /s/Meghan Mary Whalen. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 06/18/2024. (pub LG 07/10, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707273
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: James Coats Construction, 5881 Camden Ave., San Jose, CA, 95124, James Andrew Coats. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/James Andrew Coats. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 06/25/2024. (pub LG 07/10, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707472
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: EC-Construction, 3614 Kerwood Way, San Jose, CA, 95127, EL Chavalon Hauling Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 02/02/2023. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Kenneth Gonzalez. CEO. #5481649. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/02/2024. (pub LG 07/10, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707473
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: The Sense Head+Scalp Spa, 10835 N Wolfe Rd., Cupertino, CA, 95014, JJB Spa Corp. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 06/01/2024. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/ Hiuwai Yip. Owner. #6241842. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/02/2024. (pub LG 07/10, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31/2024)
File Number: FBN707261 . The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: San Jose Car Keys, 2235 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122. This business is conducted by: A Married Couple,Coritza C Gutirrez Canales, 4611 Camden Ave, San Jose, CA 95124 and Carlos Roberto Gutierrez Barnica, 4611 Camden Ave, San Jose, CA 95124. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 06/25/2024 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Mike Louie /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Coritza C Gutierrez Canales /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/10, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31/2024)
File Number: FBN707141 . The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: Mount Shannon Ventures , 15285 Shannon Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032. This business is conducted by: A Married Couple, Craig Mermel, PO Box 33006, Los Gatos, CA 95031 and Lauren Nagel, PO Box 33006, Los Gatos, CA 95031. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 06/09/2024 and 06/24/2024 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Nina Khamphilath /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Craig Mermel /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/10, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31/2024)
File Number: FBN706473. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: Home Living Organizers, LLC, 3154 Saint Florian Way, San Jose, CA 95136. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, Home Living Organizers, LLC,3154 Saint Florian Way, San Jose, CA 95136. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 05/28/2024 and 05/31/2024 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Elaine Fader /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Home Living Organizers, LLC, Article/Reg # 202462415228, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Dorothea Patrinos /s/ Owner. (Pub LGN: 07/10, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31/2024)
legals@losgatan.com
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707410
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Arbor Beast, 1780 Rogers Ave., San Jose, CA, 95112, Roy Leonard Rojas. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 06/28/2024. /s/Roy Leonard Rojas. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 06/28/2024. (pub LG 07/17, 07/24, 07/31, 08/07/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707103
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: San Jose Strings Studio, 1087 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, CA, 95125, Evamarie Raboca Teodoro, Victorson Martinez Teodoro. This business is being conducted by a Married Couple. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/ Evamarie Raboca Teodoro. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 06/21/2024. (pub LG 07/17, 07/24, 07/31, 08/07/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707701
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Rhineland Xteria Homes Construction Co, 450 Chiberg Court, San Jose, CA, 95133, Rickey Pelz. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 01/01/2023. /s/Rickey Pelz. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/11/2024. (pub LG 07/17, 07/24, 07/31, 08/07/2024)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #707736
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Avcal Tech, 500 Almaden Walk Loop, San Jose, CA, 95125, Gustavius Dyer Aiton. This business is being conducted by a Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 07/12/2024. /s/Gustavius D Aiton. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/12/2024. (pub LG 07/17, 07/24, 07/31, 08/07/2024)
File Number: FBN707626. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: Q-Bit Wellness, 1287 Hammerwood Ave Suite B, Sunnyvale, CA 94089. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, Squint Pharmacy Solutions LLC, 435 Pinehurst Ave Unit 1, Los Gatos CA, 95032. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 06/04/2004 and 07/09/2024 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Elaine Fader /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Squint Pharmacy Solutions LLC, Article/Reg #202121010363, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Sreevani Singaraju /s/ Owner. (Pub LGN:, 07/17, 07/24, 07/31, 08/07/2024)
Name Change
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME. Case No. 24CV442788. Notice of Petition of Tsyryi Sun. Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. To all interested persons: Petitioner: Tsyryi Sun filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. Tsyryi Sun to Proposed name: Shirley Tsyryi Sun, b. Present name: a. Tsyr-yi Sun to Proposed name: Shirley Tsyr-yi Sun. The Court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: Date: September 24, 2024, Time: 8:45 AM, Room: Probate. The address of the court is: 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113, Downtown Superior Court. A copy of this Order To Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Los Gatan 107 Dakota Ave Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Date: July 10, 2024. /s/ Le Jacqueline Duong /s/, Judge of the Superior Court. /s/ S. Gomez /s/, Deputy Clerk. (Pub LGN: 07/19, 07/26, 08/2, 08/9/2024)
