Los Gatan 12-14-2022

TOWN CREATING CALENDAR THAT RECOGNIZES NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

Drew Penner, Reporter

During its regularly scheduled meeting, Dec. 6, Mayor Rob Rennie asked Town Manager Laurel Prevetti for an update on the process to officially acknowledge Los Gatos’ earliest residents.

But her response—while delighting some First Nations advocates—left one group in particular feeling a little left out.

“We did have a Council meeting about land acknowledgement,” Rennie noted. “And we got sidetracked on the idea of whether we were supposed to be acknowledging the Tamien Nation or the Muwekma Tribe.”

Prevetti said the Town is committed to completing a land acknowledgement and is partnering with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of San Francisco Bay to get it done.

“We do have some work ahead of us in terms of consulting with the Muwekma Ohlone—and making sure that

LG BOYS REVEL IN WINNING OWN TOURNEY

Wildcats edge Cougars in double OT

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

Scotty Brennan corralled the rebound and ran down the left sideline to the half-court line when the buzzer sounded, and the celebration was on for the Los Gatos High boys basketball team.

Locked in a riveting, white-knuckle, back and forth contest with Christopher High in the championship game of the 39th annual Los Gatos Lions Club Wildcat Shootout on Dec. 9, the Wildcats earned an impressive 56-53 double overtime win over a strong Cougars team. The players were visibly joyous afterward, and for good reason. A year ago, Los Gatos lost 48-44 to Saratoga in the Wildcat Shootout title game. And more recently, the Wildcats took

DANGEROUS CORRIDOR Mehrdad Alipour, a Blossom Hill Road resident since 2006, has been taking photos of

the traffic collisions that happen in his neighborhood. He presented the photos to the Los Gatos Town Council

Courtesy of Mehrdad Alipour

Manager’s mention of working with Muwekma Ohlone draws ire of Tamien Nation leader

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AS LOS GATOS REJIGS TRAFFIC-CALMING PLAN, BLOSSOM HILL NEIGHBORS SHARE PLIGHT

Town outlines new designs for busy corridor

Drew Penner, Reporter

After Los Gatos failed to win a grant it went after—which was supposed to help it improve the safety of a key thoroughfare—planners returned to Council, Dec. 6, to present scaled-back designs.

But as Town staff outlined the new drawings for the Blossom Hill Road Traffic Safety Project, they were greeted by passionate pleas from neighbors who say these measures don’t go far enough to keep residents safe.

The project covers Blossom Hill Road between Camelia Terrace and Hillbrook Drive / Cherrystone Drive, a busy area used by commuters, Blossom Hill Elementary School and Raymond J Fisher Middle School students, and cyclists.

More than 7,000-8,000 vehicles pass through the corridor every day in each direction.

A traffic study conducted in 2021 recommended reducing the road from four to two lanes, eliminating the

“free” right turn from eastbound Blossom Hill Road onto Cherry Blossom Lane and updating bike lanes.

These modifications carried a $4.6 million price tag.

Staff submitted a $4.6 million One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) application to fund a feasibility study, pavement resurfacing and permanent separators for Class IV bikeways.

This was denied by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, so staff came up with a new “Phase 1” plan they could begin to tackle with a fraction of the funding.

The Town plans to reduce travel lanes and add cycling and pedestrian infrastructure—but primarily through striping and other non-permanent “quick-build” traffic-control measures, not the more extensive, permanent improvements.

Los Gatos says it can reduce the two lanes in each direction down to a single lane on Blossom Hill Road, establish Class II bike lanes for westbound cyclists along the residential properties and put in Class IV bike lanes in the eastbound direction.

The Town is trying to do what it can

with a $300,000 budget (minus the $48,410 it paid Hexagon Transportation for a feasibility study already).

But during the public hearing, Council got an earful about the dangers of the region from residents who felt the Town hasn’t been moving quickly enough on traffic-calming measures.

Mehrdad Alipour, a Blossom Hill resident since 2006, said he started pushing for safety improvements in 2016 when his daughter was in kindergarten.

“I was moving door-to-door getting the petition signed by neighbors, to get to 60% to bring it to the town for traffic calming,” he said. “Today I was at Fisher (Middle School) cheering my daughter playing basketball in the games. Seven years. I don’t want to go (into) what I have gone through in the last seven years.”

Instead he held up photographs he took of traffic accidents along the route.

“My question is, how is this plan going to make our neighborhood, kids, and my family safe from the cars that

MAJOR ISSUE Joanne Justis tried to impress upon the Town’s elected officials Dec. 6 just how serious the traffic danger is along the Blossom Hill corridor.

THOUSANDS PASS THROUGH DAILY

Plan, from page 4

are driving—WHISH!—?” he asked, as he held up a photo of a fire hydrant that had been knocked over and carried dozens of yards by an SUV. “You know, the park is occupied by the kids from 2pm, 3pm, tennis or baseball or any other activity. My son was in a Halloween parade about a month ago and the parade was 1pm; and the cars were driving 60 miles per hour. And the sign says 25 miles per hour during the school hours. So, when is it dangerous? 24/7 time is dangerous.”

Rise Schwartz stepped up to the microphone with her husband David by her side. During more than 34 years living on Cherrystone Drive, they’ve witnessed their fair share of bad driving.

“I did not see or hear anything about the impact it’s going to have on our street at the end,” she said. “We have a one-way exit out onto Blossom Hill Road, and it’s a right-hand turn. I cannot tell you how many times a night we have people coming in the wrong way.”

She said they’ve even captured driver bad behavior on their Ring camera.

“We’ve got the garbage truck coming in every Friday morning—which, I let that go,” she said. “We’ve got the delivery trucks from FedEx, UPS. Everybody and their brother comes down that way.”

She said she worries that the Town’s traffic-calming project will lead to more bad driving in the neighborhood.

“They’re going to use that entrance at the end of Cherrystone Drive…to go up and make a right-hand turn on Dahlia (Way), or go straight—floor it—up the street to get to the four-way stop of Cherry Blossom (Lane) and Cherrystone,” she said, referring to the increase in wait times at the stop light staff has planned. “You mentioned it’s going to be two-to-three cycles for the stop light. The back-up’s going to be tremendous.”

Joanne Justis, a logistics consultant, said she was “shocked” how little Mayor Rob Rennie seemed to know about the specifics of the project, given how long it's been in the works.

“I started this project three years ago; my son prior to that,” she said. “This is no surprise. I have two cones on either side of my driveway.”

A search of Google Maps confirms

Justis indeed implemented this temporary safety measure; the navigation application shows there’s red paint on the curb sections behind the pylons.

“I have to back out, go around the curb, and hope to hell that two cars don’t hit me.”

That’s because there’s two lanes right in front of her unit, she noted.

“It’s not safe,” she said. “Today it was pouring down rain and the cars were just back and forth. And the sign says ’25 when children are present.’ Well, children are present at school or at the park. This is not a joke. The responsibility of the Town—and I’ve read it somewhere on your website—is the protection of the residents. This has been overlooked for a long time. We’ve been really pressing on this for some time.”

Justis told Council she appreciates the efforts of Nicolle Burnham, Los Gatos’ director of parks and public works, but says what’s planned isn’t enough.

“We’ve been trying not to make this heated,” she said. “But every time I back out I think, ‘Am I gonna get killed today?’”

Not long ago, a man was even killed right in front of her unit, which she attributes, in part, to the dual traffic lanes.

“We want it fixed,” she said. “It’s your responsibility. You’ve got solar on the schools and you’ve ruined Winchester with all those bollards—I’ve only seen one person ride their bike…I’m really disappointed in the decisions that are being made by this Town.”

On Dec. 1, Kristin Hutchinson, the president of Blossom Hill Elementary Home & School Club, urged Los Gatos to continue its traffic-calming projects.

“Both students and parents are impacted daily by the amount of traffic and lack of safety measures on Blossom Hill Road, and specifically for us, the intersection at Cherry Blossom Road,” she wrote in an email. “Taking the initial steps to make this area safer for our Los Gatos community and our Blossom Hill Elementary families is an absolute necessity, and we all thank you for your attention to these concerns.”

Council accepted the report and no further action was required.

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losgatan.com : D ecember 14-20,2022

WILDCATS PREVAIL IN DOUBLE OT

Winning, from page 1

third place in the Westmont Tournament after a close loss in the semifinals.

“Winning your own tournament, it means something and we talked about it all week,” Los Gatos coach Nick Ward said. “Everyone’s coming in and they want to knock you off. It doesn’t matter who you play in your tournament, they want to knock you off to say, ‘hey, we knocked off the hosts.’ But we had a little extra added fuel because last year we lost in the finals of a tight game. So when we got to tonight we talked to the guys after school at film and said, ‘hey, we’ve got another shot at this thing, this is special.’ … So the guys are fired up, that’s why you see the emotion. It’s kind of a year’s worth of excitement pent-up.”

Tournament MVP Max Houghton had a team-high 22 points, all-tournament team member Brennan had 15 and Victor Josifovski scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter. Houghton had nine points spanning the two overtime periods, including all four of the team’s points in the first OT session.

Ward praised Houghton’s performance and said the team made an adjustment late putting its big men on the ball screen, which gave Houghton a little extra space to make plays. Brennan is the team’s top newcomer and has made an immediate impact with his ability to read the floor, drive to the basket and get to the free throw line.

“Scotty had a huge game,” Ward said. “Every game he’s gotten better, every practice he’s gotten a little better. He’s starting to understand how good he can be. He’s got a lot of potential.”

Josifovski does a lot of things well and lets the game come to him. That was clearly apparent against Christopher as the senior forward didn’t score a point in the first three quarters before coming on strong in the fourth. Josifovski has a good feel around the basket, corrals contested balls in traffic and excels in scoring from 12 feet in, via drives or jumpers.

“Victor has been playing really well all season,” Ward said. “I feel like offense [improvement] is the biggest

thing we’ve seen from last year to this year. He’s really confident in his offensive game.”

A standout defender, Josifovski also drew a charge with 1 minute, 3 seconds left in the second overtime period with the score tied at 51-51. The next time down the floor, Houghton hit a 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining to give the Wildcats the lead for good.

Ward also praised the play of junior post Nolan Koch, who is physical and had the main responsibility of guarding Christopher’s best player, Braddock Kjellesvig, who is one of the best centers in the section. Kjellesvig finished with a game-high 26 points but Koch forced him to work hard to earn every one of those points.

“Nolan can’t get overlooked tonight with the job he did on 55 [Kjellesvig],” Ward said. “I think Nolan only had three fouls in the whole game. I mean, he was on 55 every minute that guy was in and did a great job.”

If the Wildcats end up making a deep playoff run in February, they’ll look back to this game as one that helped prepare them for the rigors and intensity of postseason action. There were nine ties and 15 lead changes

and for Los Gatos to prevail against a quality opponent speaks volumes to its improvement from last season.

“We feel like we’re leaps and bounds ahead of where we were a year ago,” Ward said.

Indeed, with quality returners in Trent Splaine, Osha Moloney and Tommy Ankenbrandt to go along with newcomer Ronan Chinmulgund, the Wildcats look to compete for a topthree finish in the ultra-competitive Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division this season.

Chinmulgund is a 5-foot-11 junior off guard who can flat-out shoot it and is capable of knocking down a barrage of outside jumpers on a moment’s notice. After the opening round games of the tournament, Ward had a feeling Los Gatos and Christopher were on a collision course.

“It kind of seemed like we were on a path to meet and it did not disappoint,” he said. “Tied at the half, tied at four [the end of regulation], overtime and we go to double overtime. Whoever was kind of the last man standing can throw something in at the end and that’s kind of what we got. It was great.”

CHAMPIONS The Los Gatos High boys basketball team was all smiles after edging Christopher High 56-53 in double overtime to win its own tournament, the 39th Lions Club Wildcat Shootout, on Dec. 9.

CALENDAR WILL COME BEFORE COUNCIL

from page 1

our land acknowledgement duly respects the people of this land,” she said. “We will then be bringing that back to the Council for future consideration. We are also about to embark on our equity plan, which will give us an opportunity to work with our community and listen to all voices regarding celebrations and honoring the many people that live here in Los Gatos.”

Two days later, Quirina Geary, the chairwoman of the Tamien Nation, sent a letter to Council, in which she took issue with apparently being left out of the Town’s plans to fashion a land acknowledgment.

“Tamien Nation’s ancestors were taken to every mission from Santa Barbara to Mission Dolores,” she wrote “These missions do not define who we are, nor does this fact give us the right to claim lands outside of Tamien Territory.”

In the message, she accused Muwekma of doing just that and invited Los Gatos to consult with Tamien Nation on the Council-approved effort instead.

Tamien Nation and the Muwekma Ohlone have both been involved with Washington’s process to receive official tribal status; Muwekma successfully won a legal challenge to speed up Bureau of Indian Affairs bureaucracy, but was denied and is now seeking recognition through Congress. Neither is currently considered a “federally recognized” tribe by the federal government—though Muwekma was previously recognized as the Verona Band of Alameda County.

Tamien Nation had submitted an intent to begin the “federal recognition” process (under a previous name), although it later withdrew this. Geary says they tried to file the paperwork again, but were unable, as the rules have changed to prevent groups from using the Office of Federal Acknowledgement process to gain clout.

Geary says Tamien Nation plans to submit a more complete application in the future after it completes more research on its membership.

Rob Edwards, who taught anthropology at Cabrillo College and worked on an archeological site in Scotts Valley, said Hokan-speaking people were in the region for more than 10,000 years and Penutian speakers—from which Ohlone-subgroups appear to have branched off, arrived between 5001,000 years ago.

However, new DNA-based research

methods are emerging to help test this theory, he added.

In an interview with the Los Gatan, Prevetti said Los Gatos hasn’t made any decisions about who it will recognize as the historic inhabitants or who it will consult with on the land acknowledgement.

“We have to go through a very sensitive and delicate process,” she said. “We don’t want either tribe to feel that we aren’t being respectful.”

Prevetti said the reason she mentioned Muwekma specifically is because the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition had initially proposed a land acknowledgement prepared by Tamien Nation and she wanted it on the record that the Muwekma Ohlone are now being included in discussions, too.

“It’s really about a process of talking with the tribes,” she said, suggesting it may take some time to get things right.

“We’ve been told we have to be very patient.”

The Los Gatan reached out to Muwekma leadership for comment but did not receive a response by deadline.

During verbal communications, Ami Davis, the executive director of New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU), which uses a land recognition from Muwekma, advocated for formal recognition of Native American Heritage Month, the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and “native people in our community” by the Town.

“Since at least the 1990s, NUMU’s hosted exhibitions and programs highlighting Muwekma art and history,” she said. “Our current exhibition, Reclamation, features portraits of the tribe’s contemporary activities, as well as select San Francisco Bay places of significance, through the work of tribal photographer Kike Arnal.

“With their ethnohistorian, Alan Leventhal, and the rest of the San Jose State University anthropology department, the Muwekma community have expressed an explicit desire to tell this story here in Los Gatos at NUMU, because the politics of erasure are particularly acute in Los Gatos’ history.”

In the late 1800s burial and ceremonial sites were likely damaged by developers, she noted.

“After decades of unfair and inequitable government bureaucracy, the Muwekma tribal leadership is still working on various remedies for reaffirmation of the tribe’s federally-acknowledged

status with the Biden Administration,” she said. “Until this status is reinstated, they do not have access to scholarships, health care or other critical resources afforded to other U.S. tribes that are federally recognized.”

Davis thanked the community members who attended a Nov. 5 ceremony where “vibrant, dedicated” members of Muwekma shared a land acknowledgement and sang a song in Chochenyo.

“The Town of Los Gatos has an opportunity to harness this energy and express authentic allyship with the original inhabitants of this area, and the native people who live in our community, by amplifying Muwekma’s call for reclaiming federal recognition on social media, flying the Muwekma tribal flag on the Civic Center Plaza and/or sharing the efforts of your local cultural organizations—like NUMU, like the library,” she said. “So I’m asking to honor the Muwekma Tribe, and honor the native people in our community, by amplifying Indigenous efforts and legacy in November—and year round—by recognizing Native American Heritage Month.”

Alicia Spargo, a Native American activist enrolled with the Yaquis of Southern California who lives in Los Gatos, became emotional during the public comment period as she shared her disappointment that it took the Los Gatos Library until Nov. 19 to post about Native American Heritage Month on its Instagram page.

The Town held other cultural programming to teach about native history and culture, last month, and notes it has limited social media resources.

But Los Gatos Library Director Ryan Baker admits he dropped the ball.

He told the Los Gatan he’d promised Spargo a year ago he’d post about Native American Heritage Month this November, but let this fall through the cracks even after she sent him a reminder in October.

Plus, he says, he became defensive in responding to her, because he didn’t fully appreciate the impact of failing to follow-through with a post. He ultimately

wrote her a two-page Letter of Apology, he says, adding he did this of his own accord and wasn’t directed by higher-ups.

“I began this journey in a state of denial,” he wrote. “I believed what we had done to celebrate Native American Heritage Month was a success…I only came to realize much later that what we were doing was never the issue, it was about who I personally was excluding and why…now I see that what I believed were attacks were actually pleas to be heard from a voice representing peoples that have been marginalized for centuries.”

At Council, Spargo urged the Town to put both Indigenous People’s Day and Native American Heritage Month on its official calendar.

“If you all are going to make public statements that you want to further efforts of diversity, equity and inclusion, then you must do so with action,” she said. “And if a person of color approaches you with easy ways that you can create actual change to better diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, please be open and kind to us.

“Stop focusing on limitations and start focusing on possibilities.”

During the meeting Prevetti said the Town is building a calendar that will include Native American Heritage Month.

“We do need a process that will broaden the voices,” she said. “And I really appreciate the community members who’ve come out to speak on this very important topic.”

The Town says it will provide additional details in the New Year. Over at the library, Baker has already been developing a list of potential cultural events to celebrate.

In an interview, Prevetti credited Spargo for helping push this effort along and said a calendar—featuring a variety of holidays and other periods of recognition—will come before Council so community members can provide input.

“I think if we’re serious about diversity and equity, we all need to engage in our own ways,” she said. “We all can step up a little bit more.”

Heritage,

I think if we’re serious about diversity and equity, we all need to engage in our own ways. We all can step up a little bit more.

Laurel Prevetti

POLICE BLOTTER

DEC. 4

• A caller reported six dogs were off their leashes at Bachman Park at 5:04pm.

DEC. 5

• A man was arrested for being in possession of a controlled substance and resisting an officer on the 3400 block of S. Winchester Boulevard at 1:12am.

• Items were reported stolen from a vehicle on Flintridge Drive.

• Someone stole a purse from a business on the 15900 block of Los Gatos Boulevard.

• Someone stole a case of cigarettes from a vehicle parked on S. Kennedy Road.

DEC. 7

• A man was reportedly walking in and out of traffic lanes on Los Gatos Boulevard and Burton Road, asking people for money at 10:24am.

• A man was reportedly looking through a home’s window on Spencer Avenue at 3pm.

• A caller reported dozens of people on motorcycles were “being very loud, racing and doing wheelies” on Blossom Hill Road and Union Avenue at 7:06pm.

• A backpack was stolen from a vehicle parked on Los Gatos Saratoga Road.

DEC. 8

• A man was arrested for being in possession of a stolen vehicle on Garden Lane and Oak Park Drive at 12:20am.

• A woman carrying a crate reportedly was “banging on the door” of a business and “harassing passerbys” on Winchester Boulevard at 11:59am.

• A woman was arrested for being in possession of a controlled substance on the 400 block of Alberto Way at 7:02pm.

DEC. 9

• Someone stole a wallet from an unlocked vehicle parked on Chester Street.

• A man was arrested for presenting an officer with unlawful vehicle registration on Los Gatos Saratoga Road and University Avenue at 10:36pm.

DEC. 10

• A driver was reportedly doing donuts in a vehicle in a parking garage on Los Gatos Boulevard at 7:43pm.

• A caller reportedly said a man on N. Santa Cruz Avenue “looks like the type of guy to have warrants” at 10:26pm.

Information is compiled from public records released by the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.

LOS GATOS GIRLS HOOPS LOOK FORMIDABLE AGAIN

Wildcats aim for continued growth

Emanuel Lee; Sports Editor

Even though the Los Gatos High girls basketball team returned a solid core of players off a 2021-2022 squad that finished 25-4, won a Central Coast Section championship and advanced out of the opening round in the CIF NorCal playoffs, each season is a new one that presents different challenges.

It takes time for every team to coalesce and the Wildcats are no exception. That much was evident after a 45-41 loss to Branham High on Dec. 7.

“We have a lot of new pieces this year and a lot of old players in new positions, so we’re still figuring it out,” coach Sara Quilici Giles said.

The defeat came after two convincing wins, and Giles plans on using the game as an opportunity to improve.

“I think tough losses and close losses really teach you a lot, especially early in the season,” she said. “It’s almost kind of nice for that to happen early on. You don’t want this kind of loss in February but in December, it’s almost like OK, we can learn from this.”

With returning starters Nicole Steiner and Ashley Childers and four additional players who either started or saw significant court time last year in Claire Galbo, Casey Brennan, Keira Dodd and Ella Rabitz, another promising season could be in store for Los Gatos again.

Add in top newcomers Lola Cuevas and Hannah Slover into the mix, and the Wildcats are poised to contend for a Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division title. Steiner is a 6-foot sophomore post who had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the Branham game.

Also a volleyball and track and field standout, Steiner improved her basketball skills which has made her an even more formidable force this season. As the season goes along, Giles hopes Steiner will get the benefit of

the doubt in getting foul calls. She hit 6-of-8 free throws against Branham and should get double-digit attempts at the charity stripe every game because she’s always around the basket and going up for shots with multiple defenders around her.

“Nicole is so strong that she’s going up through so much contact, but it doesn't look like it's a foul because she’s so strong,” Giles said. “She gives (assistant coach Matt) Holm bruises during practice because she’s like a freak of nature that way.”

Childers is a 6-2 sophomore who excels on the perimeter and has improved her game from a year ago.

Dangerous from beyond the arc, Childers has become a bit quicker on her shot release which gives defenders less time to strongly contest those attempts from 3-point range.

Brennan, a senior combo guard, provides a steadying presence as she’s

reliable with the ball and plays with composure. Galbo is a 6-1 junior forward and has a solid all-around game which should prove vital to the team’s success.

Dodd and Rabitz fill their roles nicely and bring back experience and poise. Like Steiner, Slover is a volleyball and track and field standout. The 6-1 forward provides strong post defense, rebounding and has a nice jumper from in close range. Cuevas, a freshman point guard, can get hot from 3-point range and has the capability to push the ball up the floor and create scoring opportunities on the fast break.

Like every team, Los Gatos looks to use the non-league portion of its schedule to improve upon its weaknesses and reinforce its strengths. The Wildcats had their best run of play against Branham in the final minutes of the game, when they switched up

their defense which resulted in a mini flurry of Bruins’ turnovers.

After Branham took its largest lead of the game, 43-32, with 5 minutes, 43 seconds remaining, Los Gatos closed the game on a 9-1 run. Giles was proud of the team for playing hard to the end and mounting a comeback even when things weren’t going their way for most of the game.

“We could’ve laid down and died after that first half because we were not playing well, and we really gave ourselves a chance at the end which is fantastic,” she said. “We forced three or four turnovers in a row in the fourth quarter and we can do that all the time if we kind of turn on the fire a little bit, which we unfortunately didn’t and I took responsibility for that with my team. We’re all human and we’re just trying to get better. So it’s kind of nice we’re all figuring this out together.”

BLING Los Gatos High returning players Casey Brennan, Ashley Childers and Keira Dodd display their Central Coast Section championship rings, signifying the Wildcats’ Division I title game victory over Homestead last season.

Jonathan Natividad

LG BOYS SOCCER A PHYSICAL BUNCH

Wildcats have goal to win El Camino

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

A last-place finish in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division last year sent the Los Gatos High boys soccer team to compete in the league’s lower El Camino Division this season.

However, the Wildcats intend for their stay in the El Camino to be a short one.

“The ultimate goal for this group is to win league so we can get back up to the top division,” said Joel Fumia, who is in his inaugural season as the Wildcats coach. “The clear goal for the team is to win league and that is a stepping stone

to moving back up and potentially making the CCS playoffs.”

The Wildcats certainly have the look of a winning club—they’re big, strong and physical—and they intend to use their size to their advantage.

Fumia said he expects his players to play clean but also impose their will physically against smaller teams—and that list should be a rather long one.

“We feel like we’ll be good in the air in terms of winning headers and be dangerous in the box on set pieces because we have big guys that can get up in the air and head the ball,” Fumia said. “Hopefully, we can bring that out and utilize those physical attributes to be dominant in those areas, whether in the air or attacking and defending in the air. Corner kicks, free kicks, we want to do well in those areas as well.”

Brady Kamali, a senior center forward and one of the team captains, scored both of the team’s goals in a season-opening 2-1 win over Salinas High on Dec. 3. Last May, Kamali was a member of the boys 4x400 meter relay team that advanced to the CIF State Track and Field Championships.

“Brady is one of our best players, but he’s also a leader,” Fumia said. “He’s got a good work ethic, good qualities you need to have as a leader. Physically, he’s fast, strong and good on the ball. He’s a really good kid and someone a lot of the younger guys look up to.”

Co-captain Drew Dillehay, a returning senior right winger, also has strong leadership qualities and is a player who Fumia hopes will be a dangerous goal-scorer.

“Drew is strong, athletic and quick,” Fumia said. “He’s also a leader-type and someone people look up to.”

Fumia said as of Dec. 6 the team could name another captain or two to flank Kamali and Dillehay.

Returning senior Matt Chase plays the defensive midfielder position and will be instrumental in the team controlling the possession as he’s strong on the ball and technically sound.

Senior center back Alex Cross is strong in the air and will play a vital role on the team. Players like Chase Hinson look to use their superior size and strength to bully opponents off the ball, especially on those all-important 50/50 type plays.

Dominic Zisa, a junior attacking midfielder, has shown plenty of promise.

“He’s left-footed and super talented,” Fumia said. “Hopefully, he’ll have a really good year. He’s very good with the ball, can play-make and create chances for others.”

Fumia is excited about both of his goalkeepers, Zed Fallside and Leon Sarashki. Either player has the capability to start and Fallside shined against Salinas.

“I have two guys I feel confident about,” Fumia said. “It’s one of those things where we’ll have to see who the starter is or maybe rotate them. We also have three goalkeepers on the JV team we all feel good about, so we’ve got some good goalkeeper depth in the program. Some schools struggle to have one keeper remotely good, but we have a lot of options.”

Isaac and Samuel Tamayo-Sarver, Sam Pearman, Ismael Younis and Michael Mailhot are returning players from last year’s team which finished 3-11-2 overall and 2-8-1 in the De Anza Division. They all look to be a year better and will complement the newcomers as the team comes together.

“We’re right on track,” Fumia said. “We’re building a new program, a new culture, and we’re excited to build something that the kids are excited about.”

Fumia continued: “Our sophomore class is really strong so the future is bright. We have a very good core of young players so we’re excited not only for this year but the future as well.”

THE CHASE IS ON Matt Chase, a returning senior defensive midfielder, figures to play an instrumental role for a Los Gatos High boys soccer team that looks to rebound from a tough 2021-2022 season.

Jonathan Natividad

GUEST VIEW

TRAINING

Tamien Nation recently trained 10 “Tamien Type II” wildland firefighters for its Fire Program.

TAMIEN NATION DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS HISTORICAL LOS GATOS TRIBE

Quirina Geary, Tamien Nation Chairwoman

On Aug. 10, 2022, the Los Gatan published an article by Drew Penner on the Town’s efforts to acknowledge the first people of Los Gatos. We were dismayed by the comments anthropologist Alan Leventhal made regarding the Tamien Nation, which were repeated by Muwekma Chairperson Charlene Nijmeh in an op-ed that appeared shortly after. If Mr. Leventhal’s statement that the Town is being “hoodwinked” is true, it is not by us.

Muwekma is aggressively campaigning against our Nation, calling us a “fictitious tribe” and blocking vital resources within our homeland. This political warfare tactic is a display of internal colonization, lateral oppression and violence. It’s painful and can cause long-term emotional, psychological and physical health disparities among our people. Therefore, we have been charged by our Elder Council to respond.

Tamien Nation has direct ancestry to Tamien speaking rancherias with lineages verified by a certified genealogist.

Our members are listed on the California Indian Census of 1928, the California Indian Judgment Rolls of 1953 and 1972, and have Certificates of Degree of Indian Blood from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. We have an enrollment of over 100 citizens who have maintained continuity throughout time, despite California’s history of attempted genocide.

For our survival, our nation migrated to the San Joaquin Valley where most of us live today. We truly are “living Indians.” We maintain our customs by continuing our traditional kinship, social and political systems. It wasn’t until 1991 when we became aware of federal recognition that our nation joined the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. In 2020, our original council decided to move forward with our Federal Recognition Intent to Petition #220 assigned to us by the Office of Federal Acknowledgement (OFA) in 1999. Although we voluntarily withdrew our petition in 2020, we recently secured funding for a comprehensive ethnographic study and plan to again pursue recognition once that’s complete.

Chairperson Nijmeh’s comment, “Ta-

mien Nation did not exist until after December of 2020” refers to the year our Nation was placed on the Native American Heritage List. This fact only confirms Tamien Nation is indeed a California Indian Tribe recognized by the State. We’ve exercised our sovereign right of self-determination and changed our name to Tamien Nation, reflecting our language and culture. We have existed since time immemorial.

Tamien Nation is not disputing Muwekma’s status as a Tribe. We support them in their place of origin, the East Bay. Tamien Nation takes issue with Muwekma, disparaging our name, encroaching on our territory, and appropriating resources that rightfully belong to our people. Muwekma submitted a map of their aboriginal villages to OFA and not one village is in the South Bay. However, Muwekma continues to claim 13 counties. This is not only unethical, but also a form of erasure and a violation of several articles listed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Tamien Nation and Muwekma both agree: “correcting lies and misinforma-

tion” is essential. But this must happen through a transparent and unambiguous process. The truth is simple. The Bay Area has been misled for decades. Muwekma is not a South Bay Tribe and certainly not from Los Gatos. They’re an East Bay tribe recognized as the Verona Band listed in the Kelsey Census under “Miwok Stock.”

Chairperson Nijmeh made the call to present “documentation proving tribal status.” However, her call was already answered. In June, the City of San Jose facilitated a meeting between our Nations. Our leadership attended with proof of lineal descent to Santa Clara Valley. Muwekma did not.

To Muwekma’s leadership: I am the direct descendant of Chief Tulum and Yayaate of Santa Clara Valley. And on behalf of Tamien Nation, we invite you to follow Indian law and protocol and to do as our ancestors would have done— talk. Political smear campaigns do not help either of our Nations, nor are we interested in a virtual catfight. On the contrary, our nation wants peace.

Tamien Nation is doing our due diligence to affirm our connection to our homeland and to build respectful relationships, including with the Town of Los Gatos. And we support their decision to use the phrasing “Indigenous people” to refer to the area’s original inhabitants in official documents as they sort things out.

We invite everyone to speak, learn and work with us. We are committed to partnerships because the future we envision is a shared one, where our children can live safely as themselves—fully in our culture, our language, and the traditions of our people. This is the only path towards justice for us all.

Courtesy of Quirina Geary

Quirina Geary

TOWN MANAGER GETS 3% RAISE; TOWN ATTORNEY GETS 1.5% BUMP

Drew Penner, Reporter

Two of the Town’s top brass—the Town Manager and Town Attorney— secured raises during the Dec. 6 regularly scheduled Council meeting.

Town Manager Laurel Prevetti, got a 3% ($8,033 base salary) increase, bringing her pay up to $275,783 a year—as well as “a one-time pandemic-related bonus” of $2,500—which were back-dated to Sept. 2, 2022.

In 2017 Prevetti got her first raise—a 4.43% increase with a $3,000 performance bonus.

This was her seventh upward salary adjustment.

Town Attorney Gabrielle Whelan has now been with Los Gatos for six months, so she received a 1.5% salary increase of $3,872, bringing her pay up to $253,649 annually.

She did not receive a pandemic bonus as she was not employed by the town during the relevant period.

Both the Town Manager and the Town Attorney report directly to Council.

In an interview with the Los Gatan, Prevetti said other Town employees received a 3% pay increase—as well as a $2,500 pandemic bonus—in June.

She stressed that the fact Whelan didn’t get a bonus had nothing to do

with her performance and referred to statements to that effect by elected officials when the item came up.

“A couple Council members wanted it to be very clear,” she said. “They didn’t want the public to think there was a problem.”

In fact, says Prevetti, Whelan has been doing a fantastic job.

“She does great research,” she said. “She’s got a great approach in terms of trying to get to a solution, and trying to get to ‘Yes.’”

COUNTY: ‘URGENT NEED’ FOR DOG ADOPTIONS

Bay City News

Santa Clara County officials say there is an “urgent need” for fostering and adopting dogs.

The county's Animal Services Center in San Martin is over capacity, and officials there have announced that the public can help by adopting and fostering dogs.

Lisa Jenkins, program manager of the Animal Services Center, said the situation is unprecedented in her eight years with the center.

“If you believe in our mission, and that these animals are deserving of a home, we need you more than ever to choose adoption,” Jenkins said.

The 37,000-square-foot shelter in

San Martin has housed as many as 70 dogs lately, with just 42 kennels. Staff have had to get creative to find room for them, housing dogs in rooms not originally intended for that purpose.

The increase is part of a national trend. The number of dogs arriving at shelters rose 10.1 percent from January to September 2022 compared with the same period last year, according to Best Friends Network, a nonprofit comprised of shelters and animal welfare organizations in all 50 states.

For information on adopting, visit animalservices.sccgov.org.

Copyright © 2022 Bay City News, Inc.

identity

strategy

design

Laurel Prevetti said other Town employees received a 3% pay increase— as well as a $2,500 pandemic bonus—in June.

DISCOVER LOST GATOS

for unknown reasons. Perhaps sensing the opportunity for investment in the rapidly growing town of Los Gatos, he purchased land here on North Santa Cruz Avenue and arranged for local contractor C.F. Seamen to construct a brick building at a cost not to exceed $4,575 (about $118,000 today). He named his project the “Hofstra Block.”

Hofstra’s namesake property consists of three adjoining brick buildings that were constructed in two separate phases on a single assessor's parcel between 1895 and 1905. If you look closely at the photograph, you’ll notice that the middle building originally had only one story. You can also see the faint Hofstra Block lettering on the left parapet.

THE HISTORIC HOFSTRA BLOCK

The iconic La Cañada building on the corner of West Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue, with its circular bay window and signature “witches hat” turret, has been a prominent feature of our historic downtown business district almost since the day it was built. It’s been photographed, sketched, and painted countless times, and is so well recognized that our Chamber of Commerce even uses a symbol of the tower as its logo. Yet the history of the building, and the story of the man who built it, have largely been forgotten.

The property was originally developed by a Dutch immigrant named Sake Althoons Hofstra who was born in Friesland, The Netherlands in 1830 and emigrated to the United States at age 24. He settled in Michigan where he spent most of his life, with the exception of an unusual five-year period from 1892 to 1897 when he relocated to San Jose

Shortly after the project was completed, Sake’s name appeared in newspapers all over the state. Much to his chagrin, he had fallen victim to a group known as the “gold brick swindlers.” Hofstra paid $10,000 cash for what he thought were two large gold bars that turned out to be made of brass. He never recovered his money, but was instrumental in landing the crooks in prison. He told police that he was such an easy victim he thought he must have been hypnotized.

When Sake died of heart disease in San Jose in 1897, he left the Hofstra Block to his daughter Irene Wilhelmina Hofstra Markres who sold the building shortly thereafter. Interestingly, Sake’s son William, who became quite wealthy in the lumber and paper business, built an opulent country home in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. The sprawling 15-acre estate, which he called “The Netherlands,” eventually became the campus of Hofstra University.

The Hofstra Block traded owners over the years, one of whom changed the name to La Cañada, Spanish for “canyon.” It’s currently owned by the Farwell and Bacigalupi families who restored the building after it suffered extensive damage in the Loma Prieta earthquake. Although his name has long since been erased from the façade, Sake Hofstra would be proud to see that his building has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Content and photos from “Discover LOST Gatos” historical walking tours by Alan Feinberg, Peggy Conaway-Bergtold and Sandy Decker. Download the free mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

SIGNATURE SPOT The Hofstra Block, at the corner of West Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue, is shown circa 1899.

Alan Feinberg, Contributor

HORTICULTURE

FROST DAMAGE MAKES ITS APPEARANCE

Tony Tomeo, Contributor

Exotic plants are not native. They are from someplace else. Yet, most plants within most home gardens are exotic. Most are capable of tolerating the more extreme climates from which they originated. Some tropical or subtropical plants actually prefer milder climates. After the recent cool weather, some vulnerable plants exhibit symptoms of frost damage.

Vulnerability is relative, though. Honeybush and elderberry can be mostly evergreen with minimal chill, or deciduous with more pronounced chill. Both tolerate more chill than they can experience here. What may seem to be frost damage of specimens that are normally evergreen could be a normal deciduous response to slightly abnormally cooler weather.

Frost damage is also relative. Partial defoliation of Mexican lime might happen annually after minor frost, so may not be alarming. However, such seemingly minor damage could involve stems or entire trees. Luxuriant canna foliage that so instantly becomes unsightly after minor frost can be more alarming. However, dormant rhizomes are safe until spring. The simplest means to avoid frost damage is to not grow plants that are susceptible to it. Obviously, that is quite limiting. Besides, plants that were not susceptible last winter may be susceptible this winter or sometime in the future. Weather is annually variable. Some susceptible plants can grow in pots that are portable enough to relocate to winter shelter.

Small but immobile plants that are vulnerable to frost damage may appreciate temporary shelter during frosty weather. Any sort of sheeting or cardboard suspended by any sort of stakes and strings should be adequate. Ideally, the sheeting should not touch the foliage below. Incandescent Christmas lights under such sheeting radiate a slight bit of warmth. Frost occurs only at nighttime locally.

Frost protection can be unsightly, but it is less unsightly than frost damage. Fortunately, it is temporary during frost. If not too unsightly, most frost damage should remain until after the last frost date. It insulates other vulnerable vegetation within. Furthermore, premature grooming or pruning stimulates new growth that is more vulnerable to subsequent frosts.

Highlight: honeybush

Where winter weather is cooler, honeybush, Melianthus major, is likely to be deciduous. If so, it annually sheds all growth that is above ground. It can not bloom where deciduous because only growth of a previous season can bloom. That is no problem here. Dark red floral spikes bloom boldly about two feet above jungly evergreen foliage for early spring.

This silvery gray foliage can grow taller and wider than six feet, even if deciduous during winter. Foliar texture is both luxuriant and elegant. Pinnately compound leaves are more than a foot long with serrate leaflets. Evergreen plants are tidier with grooming to remove deteriorating older foliage as new foliage replaces it. Deciduous plants are always fresh.

“Antonow’s Blue” is a bit bluer than the straight species. “Purple Haze” is slightly purplish, with a slightly finer foliar texture. Some notice that the rich fragrance of honeybush bloom resembles that of honey. Also, some notice that the foliar aroma can be rather grungy. All parts of honeybush are toxic. Honeybush wants regular watering and abundant sunlight.

Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

CALENDAR

ONLINE AUTHOR TALK: NICOLE EUSTACE

The Los Gatos Library will hold a virtual conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Nicole Eustace on Dec. 14 at 9am. Eustace will discuss her book, “Covered With Night: A Story of Murder and Indigenous Justice in Early America.” ➝ losgatosca.libcal.com/ event/9596876.

‘NUTCRACKER’

Los Gatos Ballet will bring its performance of “Nutcracker” on Dec. 20-22 at 7pm at McAfee Performing Arts Center, 20300 Herriman Ave. in Saratoga. ➝ losgatosballet.org/nutcracker.

FANTASY OF LIGHTS

Fantasy of Lights Drive-thru tickets are on sale now. The Drive-thru runs nightly at Vasona Lake County Park through Dec. 30 (closed Christmas Day). ➝ parks.sccgov.org/fantasylights-2022.

TIERRA FIRMA ART EXHIBIT

New Museum Los Gatos presents “Terra Firma,” an art exhibition about our relationship to the land, on view through March 19. “Terra Firma,” a group show organized by guest curator Marianne K. McGrath, brings together work by 15 artists, working in diverse media including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, installation and sound. ➝ numulosgatos.org.

LIVE JAZZ MUSIC

Live jazz performances at the Tasting House, 368 Village Lane, take place Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9pm, and Sundays from 11am-2pm.

ENTERTAINMENT AT GARDINO’S

Gardino’s, 51 N. Santa Cruz Ave., features entertainment four days a week.

➝ bit.ly/3OSvPHS.

ONGOING

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.

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 Double D's, 354 N. Santa Cruz Ave. First two Thursdays of the month feature guest speakers.

➝ lgkiwanisgives.org.

Rotary Club of Los Gatos

The Rotary Club of Los Gatos meets Tuesdays from noon to 1:30pm at Shir Hadash Synagogue, 20 Cherry Blossom Lane.

➝ losgatosrotary.org.

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.

Los Gatos Lions Club

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.

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losgatan.com : D ecember 14-20,2022

COLD WEATHER Frost damage can vary among exotic plants.

REAL ESTATE

HOME OF THE WEEK

KNOLL-TOP VIEWS HOUSEAD

This Los Gatos home on a knoll-top setting features views of the mountains, canyon and lights.

Located at 17255 Soda Springs Road, the 2,103-square-foot home includes three bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a loft area that could be a fourth bedroom or family room.

The kitchen is equipped with granite counters, a center island with builtin oven range, a breakfast bar and vaulted ceiling. The dining area has a

French door that leads to the deck.

The living room is outfitted with hardwood floors. The main bedroom has two mirror door sliding closets with cedar lining.

The home, built in 1981, had its roof replaced and a water heater installed in 2018.

The home is listed at $1.4 million by Compass. For information, visit bit.ly/3B4yPwn.

SODA SPRINGS ROAD This Los Gatos home has 360-degree views of the surroundings.

INSIDE The living room is equipped with hardwood floors.

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM

IN LOS GATOS

The team that launched the original Los Gatos Weekly has come together once again to give the town the quality of journalism it needs.

News about local people, school sports and vital community issues will fill the pages of thislocal publication –and a live web site.

Los Gatos deserves real reporting.

To advertise call

Serenity Polizzi 408.200.1323 Eric Bocanegra 408.200.1309

Looking to Move from the Bay Area?

Housing too expensive here? Now with working in place, you can live where you want for much less and keep your job. Let me nd you a real estate broker out of the area or out of state. I will do the leg work. I will also give you a $100 gift certi cate when you purchase through my referral!

All I need to know is the city you want to move to.

The Rodino Realty Group Give me a call or text at 408.431.6640