Los Gatan 1-11-2023

BAIL AGAIN DENIED FOR WOMAN WHO THREW PARTIES FOR TEENAGERS

Justice: Evidence suggests O’Connor had violent hand in rapes, injuries

Drew Penner, Reporter

Shannon O’Connor stands accused of committing 39 offenses involving 15 minors— including 12 counts of felony child endangerment.

Prosecutors say she used Snapchat and text messages to help teenagers sneak out of their homes to attend gatherings where alcohol was consumed and where sexual activity, including rape, occurred.

O’Connor asked to be released from jail claiming the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office had not shown “clear and convincing evidence” she was a danger to the victims or the public, or that she might flee. She also argued the child endangerment charges aren’t covered by the exceptions to the law that guarantees most offenders a right to bail.

But on Dec. 30, California’s Sixth Appellate District rejected her latest bid for pretrial release.

There seems to be no question that many—if not all—of the reported incidents occurred. A video recording, for example,

ROADS FLOODED, THOUSANDS ARE WITHOUT POWER IN

LATEST STORM

Reservoirs fill up, but drought status remains uncertain

Heavy winds and a torrential downpour to begin the week flooded roads, toppled trees, wiped out electricity and caused plenty of anxiety and frustration throughout Santa Clara County.

Nearly four inches of rain dumped on Los Gatos from Jan. 8-9, according to the National Weather Service.

More than 2,000 customers were without power in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno the morning of Jan. 10, according to Pacific Gas & Electric.

END OF AN ERA May Lee holds up a Michelin star award she purchased from Manresa while posing for a photo with Chef David Kinch on Jan. 7. The restaurant, 320 Village Lane in Los Gatos, sold off its equipment and other items after closing on Jan. 1. For more photos, turn to page 4.

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with a

WEEKLYS

MANRESA CLOSES DOORS

Dozens of people lined up in front of Manresa on Jan. 7 to purchase equipment and items from its closing sale, some even waiting hours before it opened. In August, Chef David Kinch announced that he was leaving the restaurant after more than two decades. Manresa shuttered on Jan. 1.

DEATH NOTICES

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OPINIONS

Commentaries and letters to the editor on our Opinion pages reflect the opinions of the authors. We welcome letters to the editor and commentaries on all topics of local interest.

Email your submissions to editor@losgatan.com

Letters must include the writer’s name and hometown (for publication) and phone number (for verification).

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

CORRECTIONS

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WHO WE ARE

Los Gatan is published Wednesdays by Weeklys.

Contents copyright ©2023. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form prohibited without written permission.

REAL ESTATE

ADVERTISING NOTICE

All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, familial status or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Publisher will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertising are available on an equal opportunity basis.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE People browse the various dishes, wine glasses, tableware and more.

SILVERWARE Plenty of forks, spoons and knives were available to purchase.

LONG WAIT

The line to get into Manresa stretched across the parking lot to Highway 9.

Dan

Photos by Dan Pulcrano/Los Gatan

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MORE RAIN, WIND IS ON THE WAY

Weather, from page 1

The power outage shut down the Los Gatos Library and in-person Town services on Jan. 10, while traffic signals throughout town went dark.

The National Weather Service forecast for the greater San Francisco Bay Area called for thunderstorms with lightning and more flooding Tuesday, with strong winds of up to 60 mph and a chance of hail. Daytime highs were expected in the 50s with overnight lows in the 40s.

Another round of rain and gusty winds appears on tap for Wednesday, then somewhat drier conditions in the latter part of the week.

But whether the deluge will help ease California out of its multi-year drought remains to be seen, according to state officials.

Many of California's water reservoirs have been at least partially replenished by the winter storms that have doused

Northern California in recent weeks, according to state and local water data.

Most of the state's largest reservoirs, including Lake Oroville, the San Luis Reservoir and Lake Sonoma remain below their historical averages for early January, sitting at around 40 percent of their total capacity.

Those levels are up significantly from one month ago, however, when many reservoirs sat at between 20 and 30 percent of their capacities, according to data from the California Department of Water Resources.

Statewide, California's reservoir storage is at roughly 78 percent of its annual average for Jan. 8, according to the most recent data.

“While these storms have been great, we still, from a water supply standpoint, (are) below average and we'd like to see that storage picture

COURT EXAMINES STATE CONSTITUTION

Bail, from page 1 shows one male victim losing consciousness after drinking too much, before he wakes up muttering incoherently. Then he passes out again.

Prosecutors say O’Connor used Snapchat to direct one boy about who he should hook up with, then afterwards asked him, “how was it?”

In a reverse-catfish move, she even used the boy’s own phone to impersonate him and message a girl on his behalf to initiate a sexual encounter, according to prosecutors.

And video from a Santa Cruz party she threw, for Halloween 2020, shows a 14-year-old boy slurring his words and unable to stand. The footage shows him falling over, again and again.

During a party a few days earlier, a 14-year-old girl broke her finger and had to get surgery, prosecutors say.

A few months later, according to the DA, O’Connor took a boy and a girl on a trip to Lake Tahoe, telling the girl’s parents she’d be sharing a room with her step-daughter.

But it turned out that was a lie, and she ended up getting raped by the boy, prosecutors say.

After she was arrested, O’Connor tried to convince witnesses not to testify truth-

fully and tried to work with her husband to conceal her assets, the DA says.

Under Section 12 of the California Constitution, anyone charged with a crime has the right to be released into society prior to being convicted, except in limited situations, such as murders where the evidence seems pretty clear, or with violent felonies and serious sexual assaults. And the court is required to weigh whether or not freeing the suspect would result in “great bodily harm to others.”

O’Connor’s lawyer argued that she’s accused of putting the health of the victims in danger by providing alcohol and that she hasn’t been charged with “physical violence, physical force, beating, or striking the victims.”

The District Attorney said the Constitution’s meaning of violence covers indirect actions, arguing that the trial court was right to find O’Connor’s “repeated enablement, instigation, and encouragement of underage drinking, sexual assault, and extreme recklessness all ‘played some part’ in the physical violence that followed.”

The Sixth District took a broad view of the meaning of violent acts, deducing that the vague language in

improved,” John Yarbrough, assistant deputy director of the State Water Project, said Jan. 9 in a briefing on the state's weather forecasts and water supply.

But while the larger reservoirs remain below their historical averages, the recent storms have pushed some smaller reservoirs in the Bay Area beyond their standard capacities.

The Almaden Reservoir, Uvas Reservoir and Coyote Lake, all in Santa Clara County, are all above 100 percent of their respective capacities, according to Santa Clara Valley Water.

The Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos and Chesbro Reservoir in Morgan Hill are also above 75 percent of their capacities. The elevations of all five reservoirs have increased by at least 10 feet over the last two weeks.

DWR Director Karla Nemeth noted that even with all the rain in Northern California over the last two weeks, state water officials won't know its effect on drought conditions until later this year. For now, the state remains under a

drought emergency designation.

“As our traditionally wet season progresses and we have a better understanding of what's going to happen with all of that snowpack and we have a better understanding of what's happening in different parts of the state relative to water supply availability, that's how we'll start to emerge out of a drought emergency,” she said.

Santa Clara County residents can get free filled sandbags from sandbag sites operated by Valley Water.

Heavy winter rainfall can cause flooding in minutes but homeowners can use sandbags to prevent or reduce damage from floodwater or debris. The sandbags are available through April at five Valley Water sites, which can be found at valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-ready/sandbags.

Free sandbags from the Town of Los Gatos are also available at the Balzer Field Parking Lot, 41 Miles Ave.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

the law was meant to allow for them to use their discretion to include even indirect behavior.

“Applying the dictionary definitions, the ordinary meaning of the phrase ‘felony offenses involving an act of violence on another person’ in section 12(b) may be understood to include felony offenses committed by a direct participant in the act of using physical force to injure another person,” wrote Presiding Justice Mary J. Greenwood. “However, the phrase ‘felony offenses involving an act of violence on another person’ may also include an indirect participant—one whose felony offense is ‘related closely’ to an act of violence that injured another person.”

The court also found that the DA investigator’s case against O’Connor is strong.

Then it turned to the question of whether letting her out of jail before trial would create a risk of “great bodily harm” to someone.

“We determine that substantial evidence supports the trial court’s finding of a substantial likelihood that O’Connor’s release would result in great bodily harm to members of the public, for several reasons,” Greenwood said in the decision. “The evidence shows that O’Connor’s conduct was closely related to numerous acts of violence that resulted in the ‘serious impairment of physical condition’ of several minor

victims over a period of many months.”

She listed the girl’s finger surgery, the time a boy got a concussion after falling off the back of O’Connor’s SUV, the episodes of teens vomiting after drinking too much and sexual assaults, among other conduct said to have occurred on her watch.

“O’Connor was aware of these incidents of serious impairment of the minors’ physical condition due to the alcohol she provided. The evidence indicates that she encouraged and facilitated the sexual assaults,” Greenwood wrote. “Further, O’Connor’s repeated and frequent deceptive and manipulative conduct, as the trial court noted, demonstrates a substantial likelihood that she would continue to seek out minor victims whom she could harm. The evidence shows that O’Connor manipulated the minor victims through social media contacts to attend many secret parties where she provided large quantities of alcohol so that the minors would become intoxicated and be subject to physical impairment and sexual assault.”

She also highlighted O’Connor’s successful efforts to deceive parents, school officials and police.

“We conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying O’Connor’s motion for release on bail,” Greenwood wrote. “We will deny her petition for a writ of habeas corpus.”

POLICE BLOTTER

MAN DIES IN TWOVEHICLE COLLISION

One man was killed Sunday morning after two vehicles collided in Los Gatos.

Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police responded at 9:52am to reports of a major vehicle collision at Blossom Hill and Belgatos roads.

First responders rendered first aid to the involved parties of both vehicles, who were transported to a local hospital by paramedics. One of the involved parties, an adult male, died from his injuries.

Police are investigating the crash. Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department at 408.354.8600.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

JAN. 1

• A caller reported loud music happening at a party on Daves Avenue at 12:04am.

• A man was arrested for battery on N. Santa Cruz Avenue and W. Main Street at 2:01am.

• A vehicle was vandalized on W. Parr Avenue.

• Three boys were reportedly running at vehicles with water guns on Los Gatos Saratoga Road and Tait Avenue at 4:50pm. Shortly after, a caller reported three boys were shooting people with water guns on W. Main Street and N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

JAN. 2

• Someone stole a vehicle’s license plate on Highland Oaks Drive.

JAN. 3

• A man was arrested for inflicting injury on a cohabitant and false imprisonment on the 200 block of Carlton Way at 11:44am.

• Battery was reported on Shannon Road at 12:01pm.

• A home was burglarized on Teresita Way.

• A vehicle was reported stolen on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• An unknown suspect rummaged through an unlocked vehicle on Calle Estoria and stole a garage door opener.

• A large group of people on bicycles were reported on Pollard Road and Teakwood Drive at 7:36pm.

JAN. 4

• A Lyft driver called 911 to report he had a passenger who was “getting naked in the car” and refusing to leave on Winchester Boulevard and Newell Avenue at 7:38pm.

• A group of teenagers were reportedly playing “loud music and messing around” on Bachman Avenue at 10:43pm.

JAN. 5

• Someone stole a vehicle’s catalytic converter on Chester Street.

• A vehicle was stolen on Oka Road.

• A stolen vehicle was recovered on Oka Road.

JAN. 6

• An unknown suspect stole a vehicle’s catalytic converter on Chirco Drive and on Las Miradas Drive.

• Someone smashed a home’s window on Meadowbrook Drive.

• A mailbox was broken into on Los Gatos Boulevard.

• A man was arrested for being in possession of an open container of alcohol in a park on Montebello Way at 10:34pm.

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

losgatan.com : january 11-17, 2023 7

losgatan.com : january 11-16, 2023

Moments of helpfulness make their mark

Local butcher leaves customers bubbling over with appreciation

Drew Penner, Reporter

In a world ravaged by natural disasters, war and emerging cybersecurity threats, sometimes it’s the small acts of kindness, an individual demonstrating a generous spirit, that make the deepest mark—threading together the too-often fraying patchwork of society.

Such was the case for 61-year-old Los Gatos resident Shirley Kusumi, when her friendly local butcher, Rafael Diaz Sr., 52, stepped up to the plate during the stressful holiday season.

“I know him as Diaz,” she said of the man who will celebrate his 35th year slicing up cuts of meat in October.

Kusumi has been living in Los Gatos since 1986, but for the first several years was more focused on work and didn’t spend too much time checking out the town.

These days, she enjoys the social life that is unavoidable when she shops at Trader Joe’s.

But when she needs to fill out the meat shelf in her refrigerator, she heads from her home behind Ace Hardware to see Diaz at Nob Hill Foods on Los Gatos Boulevard.

“It’s close by,” she said. “It’s pretty convenient.”

December had arrived and holiday responsibilities loomed. Kusumi was on deck to feed 11 mouths on Dec. 24, and then 17 a couple days later.

Meanwhile, due to a home renovation project, her kitchen was out of commission, with the bathroom temporarily converted to a galley.

“In order to get some counter space, we have some fold-up tables,” she said, adding they even put a card table right over the toilet. “So, we just cook outside.”

She decided roasts would be her contribution to the upcoming family gatherings, and she embarked on her journey to figure out how to make this a reality given her in-flux home circumstances.

“How am I going to do the roast?” she asked herself. “Should I just get two small ones?”

Luckily, Diaz was at Nob Hill when she went in.

“I’m not sure what to do,” she confessed to the meat cutter. “I’m not sure how to rub things.”

His approachable manner put her at ease, she said, noting Diaz told her to wrap the meat and place it in the fridge for a week.

“He was really friendly,” she said. “I was like, ‘Whoa, can you even do it for us?’”

To her amazement, he jumped at the chance to swing by her place and work his kitchen magic.

“We agreed that he can come over to our house if he wouldn’t mind prepping everything in the backyard,” she said. “He came a week later with two roasts, and he showed us how he does it.”

When that day arrived, Kusumi was fascinated by how Diaz maneuvered his knives and how he worked in the olive oil, garlic and prime rib rub.

“The key thing that’s different than what we do is that he roasts it in this oven bag,” she said. “The juices stay in, so the roast is really moist.”

On Christmas Eve, Kusumi brought the first roast up to her niece’s house in Belmont around 1pm.

She unwrapped the plastic covering and set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Kusumi probed the roast with a thermometer until it was cooked just right, then she set it out to rest.

“We had to wait for the rest of the dinner to get ready,” she said. “My

niece was so happy that I volunteered to do the roast because she’s never made a roast.”

After the successful performance up the peninsula, there was plenty to bring back with her to the South Bay— but that was by design.

“I told Diaz I want leftovers,” she said, explaining how she decided to purchase a 12-pound roast. “I want leftovers for myself.”

For the Boxing Day gathering, she made a few tweaks to her approach (like pulling the meat out a little sooner) and dished up the second roast—a 17-pounder.

She says her actions were guided by the sound advice provided by her butcher.

“I never thought a butcher would be so friendly,” she said. “It’s just nice.”

Diaz wasn’t going above and beyond for money, although she did give him a little tip, she said. He just seemed happy to help.

It’s not the first time that Diaz has struck a chord with one of his customers.

Marge Rice, for example, found the local meat man was quite handy when it came to automobile troubleshooting, at least in her case. Twice.

Diaz downplays the severity of the situation.

“Her battery wasn’t connected,” he said, noting he was glad Rice wasn’t too shy about asking for help. “She trusted in me.”

Rice says she appreciated the personal touch during the errand mishap.

“It was nothing much, but I’m not mechanical,” she said, adding Diaz racked up a new title after the incident. “He calls himself my mechanic and my butcher.”

It wasn’t long before she had to call on him again—this time for a problem with her door that he was able to quickly resolve.

“He’s very pleasant and always smiley,” Rice said, calling Diaz a “big teddy bear.”

Diaz says he loves his job and enjoys helping customers, such as when a woman with arthritis was struggling to rip a plastic bag off a roll in the store.

To him it just makes sense to be kind.

“In this world, we need to get along with each other,” he said. “We need to get along with everybody.”

HELPING HAND Nob Hill Foods butcher Rafael Diaz Sr. went over to Shirley Kusumi’s house in Los Gatos to help her prepare roasts for a pair of holiday dinners.

Courtesy of Shirley Kusumi

GUEST VIEW

Time to get crabby

Jeffrey P. Blum, Contributor

Rotary Club of Los Gatos’ Annual Crab Fest is back. At this event, we serve all you can eat crab, and pasta, soup, salad, bread, and dessert. To put the icing on the cake, so to speak, we offer an auction of many amazing items, including prizes for vacation getaways, custom art, dining opportunities in local restaurants, and privately hosted dinners.

Our Crab Fest, which is our biggest fundraising event of the year, will take place Saturday, Feb. 4 at 5pm, at Saint Andrews Church in Saratoga. Tickets are available now for $80 until Jan. 16 when they increase to $90. Go to losgatosrotary.org for more information, to bid on the auction, or to buy tickets. Through events like this, our Rotary club donates more than $200,000 annually to deserving local and international projects.

We have fantastic sponsors and our Rotary club’s all hands-on-deck team of funny yet talented cooks are ready to make this event both entertaining and tasty. Eating crab is a delightful culinary event. Crab dinners bring people together to laugh at the messiness of it all, the crab cracking techniques people invent, and the funny

facial patterns created from escaping crab juice. You don’t need to hire a comedian or a band for your party. Instead, enlist your team’s funniest folks as cooks, drop big, cooked crabs in front of your guests, and tell them to “Grab your Old Bay Seasoning and have at it.” It’s comedy mixed in with delicious food fare.

There’s something primitively pleasing about eating crab. After cooking the crab, you twist and yank the crab’s legs off with your hands, crack them open, and rip them apart. You use your fingers to yank out the meat. This simple eating experience allows you to travel back to a time when our descendants first discovered the crab as a food delicacy. Early humans lived by the beach and ate crabs and other shellfish. Probably some guy named Glob and his wife first discovered the joy of eating crab. No doubt they were charitable and shared their crab with their fellow Neanderthal’s. However, despite perhaps having learned how to make a fire, I doubt they were able to polish their dinners off with s’mores.

If they were still alive, I am sure our descendants Glob and his wife would attend our Rotary Club of Los Gatos all you can eat crab fest.

Feeling crabby? Join us for some messy and delicious fun.

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FUNDRAISER Rotary Club of Los Gatos’ Annual Crab Fest returns Feb. 4.

SPORTS WILDCATS CAPITALIZE ON SET PIECES

LG boys soccer putting things together

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

For a team to reach its potential, it needs to recognize and capitalize on its strengths.

The Los Gatos High boys soccer team knows it often has a size advantage when it takes the field, which lends itself well to being dangerous on set pieces. How the team fares this season will largely be predicated on scoring off set pieces and getting tighter defensively, especially in and around the 18-yard box.

While the latter leaves much to be desired, the former was on point in the Wildcats’ 3-2 comeback win over Fremont High of Sunnyvale in a Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division match on Jan. 5.

All three Los Gatos goals came off set pieces, including two in the final seven minutes that turned what looked to be a bitter defeat into a thrilling victory. Two days later, the Wildcats (4-3-1 overall, 1-1-0 league) defeated Soquel to climb back over the .500 mark.

“We have the type of players that can be dangerous on set pieces because they’re big and physical and they’re good in the air,” Wildcats coach Joel Fumia said. “We may not be the most pretty soccer playing team, but we know we have some big athletic kids that can do well on those balls served in the air, so certainly that’s a big part for us that we need to be good on and to get results. And certainly three goals on three set pieces is pretty awesome.”

Standout forward Brady Kamali scored two goals, including the equalizer in the 74th minute on a beautiful diving header in the penalty area. Then in stoppage time, Sam Pearman rose above the crowd to head a ball in for the game-winner.

Matt Chase assisted on all three goals, the first on a corner kick that Kamali somehow got through traffic

and the last two on free kicks 5-10 yards outside the left back corner of the 18-yard box. Chase played well during the run of play, and his impact on set pieces was monumental as he delivered pinpoint balls on the feet or head of his teammates.

“Certainly a point of emphasis of training when we started out is to be good on set pieces,” Fumia said. “And that’s not only attacking and scoring

goals but also defending set pieces. Just making sure we’re organized and maybe having some set plays.”

Fumia expects Fremont to be one of the better sides in the El Camino Division, which is why winning the match was important. Plus, the Wildcats dropped their league opener to Saratoga and if they expect to contend for a top-tier finish, they need to start earning the maximum points available.

“We certainly wanted to come out with a result being at home,” Fumia said. “Whether it’s a tie or a win and obviously a win is fantastic because it’s three points and now you’re back in it. It’s still early but you don’t want to fall too far behind, and I think Fremont will be one of the better teams in the league based on what I’ve seen. I think we’re starting to find our groove a little more and our last few games have been good.”

Fumia was pleased that he received contributions from everyone who got on the field, a testament to the depth of the team. That included the players already mentioned and also Drew Dillehay, Alex Cross, Flavio Barney Santiago, Chase Hinson, Isaac Tamayo-Sarver and Sam Tamayo-Sarver, just to name a handful.

Goalkeeper Zed Fallside also made some nice saves and played well, though Fumia expects Fallside to be more vocal going forward.

“Obviously, if you build a keeper in the lab one of the things you want them to do is you want them to have a presence and be vocal, directing, leading, communicating,” Fumia said. “That’s key, quality characteristics of a goalie and something he needs to get better at. It’s a good learning experience for him. But he did well, made some good saves and hung in there.”

Fumia was proud of the players for battling and overcoming a tough break when an offsides call negated what would’ve been the go-ahead goal early in the second half. Fremont scored in the 68th minute to take a 2-1 lead before the Wildcats’ late game flurry.

It was no surprise Kamali had an impact, as he drew fouls that set up several corner and free kicks.

“Brady is one of the top players I foresee in the league,” Fumia said. “He’s got pace, he’s strong, he can strike the ball and he’s good in the air. Him getting fouled was big because it did set up some of our set pieces which was what got us back in the game. There’s always a chance if you can get it around here [the 18-yard box] and convert.”

CLUTCH Standout forward Brady Kamali scores the equalizer on a diving header in the 64th minute of the Wildcats’ 3-2 win over Fremont High of Sunnyvale in a SCVAL El Camino Division match Jan. 5.

Jonathan Natividad

ROUNDUP: LG WRESTLERS SHINE IN DOC B. INVITE

Hoops teams have showdown with Paly

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

The Doc Buchanan Invitational is widely considered one of the top-5 high school wrestling tournaments in the nation.

Athletes from across the country make their way to the Central Valley every January to compete in elite fields and see where they currently stack among the best. Los Gatos High continued to show why it is ranked No. 8 in California as three of its wrestlers—EJ Parco, Antonio Rodriguez and Dylan Pile—placed in the prestigious event at Clovis High Jan. 6-7.

Top-seed Parco won the 148-pound division, Rodriguez took second at 116 pounds and Pile finished eighth at 155 pounds. A junior who is ranked No. 2 in the state, Parco delivered powerful performances that saw him beat Ryan Ford in the semifinals 5-4 and Beau Priest 5-0 in the title match.

Ford is a highly-touted wrestler out of Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, and Parco’s dominant win in the final came against Bakersfield’s Priest, who is ranked No. 6 in the state. Rodriguez also had a tremendous tournament, falling in a showdown with Gilroy’s Moses Mendoza, 7-4, in the final.

Rodriguez was the No. 6 seed and was dominant in his first three matches, winning by decision scores of 10-1, 7-0 and 12-6, respectively. The freshman sensation followed that up with a decisive 12-6 win over Ane’e Vigil of Colorado in the quarterfinals and a 3-0 win over Dedrick Navarro of Nampa, Idaho in the semifinals.

Navarro wound up placing sixth and Vigil seventh. Rodriguez then lost to Mendoza in the final, though he had nothing to hang his head about with that result as Mendoza is No. 2 in the state at 113 pounds and Rodriguez is No. 4.

Pile is No. 7 in the state at 152 pounds and won his first three matches before running into top-seed Beau Mantanona of Palm Desert in the quarterfinals, falling 10-0 by major

decision. Mantanona is a University of Michigan-commit, ranked No. 1 in the state and a heavy favorite to win the CIF State Championships this season.

Pile then won his elimination match 6-1 over Andrew Crowther of Layton, Utah, before losing his next contest 6-2 to Laird Root of Poway, who is ranked No. 3 in the state. Los Gatos placed 11th in the team rankings with 70.5 points, a virtual tie with 10thplace Granite Hills of El Cajon, which finished with 71 points.

BASKETBALL

The Los Gatos girls and boys teams both won their respective SCVAL De Anza Division openers in convincing fashion.

The girls earned their best result of

the season, 66-53 over an always dangerous Homestead squad on Jan. 3. They did it in comeback fashion, falling behind 20-10 after the first quarter before roaring back and outscoring Homestead 16-6 in the second and 1911 in the third to take command.

Nicole Steiner had another monster game, finishing with a game-high 35 points and 26 rebounds. In a remarkable display of efficiency, Steiner’s 35 points came on 14-of-17 shooting or 82% from the field. She also grabbed double-digit offensive rebounds (10) and went 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

Seven other players scored for the Wildcats (8-3), including Ella Rabitz who finished with eight points. Casey Brennan always sees the floor well and

delivered some solid passes in finishing with seven assists.

Meanwhile, the Los Gatos boys cruised to a 63-27 win over Cupertino High on Jan. 7, improving their record to 9-4 overall. The Wildcats got out to a 10-2 lead after the first quarter and increased the advantage to 25-9 at halftime, effectively putting the game away with suffocating defense.

Coach Nick Ward was able to play his entire 16-man roster in the blowout victory. Victor Josifovski had a teamhigh 10 points, Max Houghton nine and Scotty Brennan and Shaun Jafri had eight points each.

Both teams host Palo Alto in a doubleheader on Jan. 11, the girls tipping off at 6pm and the boys at 7:30 in key early league season contests.

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losgatan.com : january 11-16, 2023

WHAT’S UP, DOC Los Gatos High wrestlers EJ Parco, Dylan Pile and Antonio Rodriguez had strong showings at the Doc Buchanan Invite Jan. 6-7 at Clovis High. All three placed, with Parco winning at 148 pounds.

File photo

IN SEARCH OF A HOME

Animal shelter urges public to adopt dogs as population continues to skyrocket

Erik Chalhoub, Managing Editor

Nova the Bulldog mix is a playful 7-year-old girl who loves to roll around on the grass and explore her surroundings.

But she’s been homeless for six months, and despite the regular walks around town, Nova spends most of her time in a corner room at the Animal Services Center in San Martin, along with an alarming number of other dogs hoping to join a family.

The shelter has been operating at over capacity for dogs since March 2022, said Program Manager Lisa Jenkins, and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.

“We’ve been putting dogs here, there and everywhere, trying to weather the storm,” she said. “But what’s becoming evident is there’s no relief coming. It’s actually getting worse.”

Shelter staff have put out an urgent plea to the public to adopt these dogs or foster them temporarily. But as the situation worsens, the designated “nokill” shelter is faced with a sobering fact: euthanasia is a very real possibility for their four-legged friends.

Jenkins said the shelter, which opened in 2021, has 42 dog kennels. However, it is currently housing a little more than 50, and at times that number was in the 70s.

Despite the numbers, the shelter still maintains a 95% live release rate, according to Jenkins, and euthanized less in 2022 than in 2021, despite taking in 400 more dogs.

But there have been many days when the center has taken in 8-10 dogs, while only adopting out one, a trend that is not sustainable.

“‘No-kill’ only works as long as people are adopting,” she said. “It’s a very urgent issue.”

Full shelters are not just a problem in Santa Clara County. It’s a situation that has reached a crisis nationwide.

The number of dogs arriving at shelters rose 10.1% from January to September 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, according to Best Friends Network, a nonprofit comprised of shel-

ters and animal welfare organizations in all 50 states.

One shelter in Atlanta reported 300 dogs in its care, despite having room for only 80.

It’s hard to pinpoint one reason for such a dramatic rise in numbers, Jenkins said. The Covid-19 pandemic certainly played a factor, as those sheltering in place who adopted a dog to keep them company have now returned to the office and can no longer care for their animal.

In addition, the demand for dogs during the pandemic created a booming backyard breeder market that is now having a difficult time finding homes for puppies.

Jenkins added that many people have surrendered their dogs to the shelter due to changes in their living situations, as they may not be allowed to own a large dog in a rental unit.

Many low-cost spay and neuter programs have also ceased since the pandemic, and Jenkins said the shelter, which currently has veterinarian vacancies, is struggling to keep up with the procedures due to the influx of dogs.

The larger dog breeds, such as German Shepherds, Huskies and Pit Bulls, are those that are being sheltered the longest, while smaller dogs, along with cats and rabbits, are having no problems

with adoption numbers, according to Jenkins.

Those dogs that spend months in the shelter begin to exhibit a change in demeanor. But for many, as soon as they step outside, their joyful personalities come rushing back, she said.

“The longer they stay here, the worse it is,” Jenkins said. “They start to deteriorate. No dog is meant to be housed this way.”

Jenkins urged those looking to adopt a dog to stop by the Animal Services Center at 12425 Monterey Road in San Martin, adding that the shelter will waive fees when it is over capacity. Fosters are also especially needed for large breed dogs.

For information, and to check out the list of adoptable dogs that is updated hourly, visit animalservices.sccgov.org. The shelter can also be reached at 408.686.3900 and scc.animalshelter@cep.sccgov.org.

OVERFLOWING Animal Services Center Program Manager Lisa Jenkins spends time with Byron and Bryce, two of the more than 50 adoptable dogs at the San Martin shelter that has surpassed its capacity.

LOOKING FOR A HOME Nova is a Bulldog mix who has been at the shelter since June.

Erik Chalhoub

DEFOLIATION AND DORMANCY ARE JUSTIFIABLE

Tony Tomeo, Contributor

Defoliation and dormancy begin early for quite a few species within desert and chaparral climates. California buckeye can defoliate during the driest summer weather, refoliate for autumn, and then defoliate again for winter. They do what they must to avoid desiccation within their arid climate. Many more species do what they must to survive through winter.

That is why so many plant species are deciduous while they are dormant through winter. They shed their foliage when it is more likely to be a liability than an asset. Like summer dormant plants, they respond to inevitable and potentially detrimental weather. Moreover, they respond to seasonal changes of sunlight as well. Plant species are very perceptive.

With few exceptions, deciduous plants are nonconiferous or broadleaf species. More are endemic to regions to the north and south of tropical regions than within tropical regions. They know that sunlight is less intense and day length is shorter while the sun is at a low angle during winter. Their defoliation coincides with the least usefulness for their foliage.

Most deciduous plant species are also aware of the sort of weather that they are likely to encounter during winter. Cold and stormy weather with wind and rain or perhaps snow is probably familiar to them. They know that foliage is not only vulnerable to damage, but is also burdensome to associated stems. In colder climates, it can accumulate heavy snow.

Foliage is the source of almost all wind resistance within foliar canopies that suspend it. Such wind resistance causes wind to dislodge limbs or blow vegetation over, particularly while soil is moist from rain. Defoliation eliminates much of such risk prior to the windiest and therefore riskiest storms of winter. Bare stems are more aerodynamic than foliage is.

Defoliation seems to happen at the best time, immediately prior to wintry weather. It even increases warming sun-

light exposure during the darkest and coolest season of the year. However, defoliation is also messy while the weather is unpleasant for those who go out to rake it away. Without prompt raking, it clogs drainage of rain while it is most important.

Highlight: cottonwood

The most common of a few species of cottonwood that are native to California seems as if it should not be. Populus deltoides is the Eastern cottonwood. This name implies that it should be native primarily to regions of the East. Yet, it naturally inhabits every American state except for Hawaii and Alaska. Since it is so familiar locally, it is simply cottonwood.

It grows wild in riparian ecosystems, and occasionally sneaks into adjacent landscapes. It is almost never an intentional acquisition. Cottonwood grows too aggressively and too large for refined home gardens. It works better as a grand shade tree for parks and urban waterway trails. As a riparian species, it requires either riparian ecosystems or irrigation.

Mature cottonwood trees may be almost a hundred feet tall, and rather broad if exposed. Their bark is handsomely furrowed. Yellow autumn color of the deciduous foliage can be surprisingly vibrant within arid climates, or if rain is later than frost. Vigorous trees can be susceptible to spontaneous limb failure, so may occasionally justify aggressive pruning. Roots might be voracious.

Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

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POPULOUS TREE Cottonwood is now defoliated for winter.

DISCOVER LOST GATOS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. FORBES

Alan Feinberg, Contributor

If you’ve lived in Los Gatos for any length of time, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Forbes Mill. But do you know the story behind this historic landmark and the man who built it?

James Alexander Forbes was born in Inverness, Scotland on Jan. 6, 1805. He spent his youth in Argentina and Uruguay where he was educated by the Jesuits before emigrating to California at age 26. He married into the wealthy Galindo family in 1883 and used his newfound status to secure an appointment as Vice Counsel to the British government in San Francisco.

James and his wife Ana Maria settled on a Mexican land grant in San Jose where they raised three girls and nine boys. Finding no suitable schooling for his sons, he worked with

the Jesuits at Mission Santa Clara to establish a school which would eventually become Santa Clara University.

In 1852, James purchased 2,000 acres of Rancho Rinconada de los Gatos from Jose Maria Hernandez including land along a creek where he could build a flour mill. The surrounding area was filled with wheat fields, and Forbes hoped to capitalize on the need for bread to feed the influx of fortune seekers during the Gold Rush.

Construction of the immense four-story stone and redwood building began in December 1854. The mill failed within a year, overcome by technical problems and Forbes’ lack of business experience. Facing mounting debts, Forbes declared bankruptcy and abandoned the project without ever producing any flour.

But his gristmill prospered under

new ownership and served as the nucleus around which an early settlement named Forbestown slowly emerged. By 1868, the tiny community had a post office, a Methodist church, a school, stagecoach depot, blacksmith shop, saloon, general store and a few scattered homes.

Flour production stopped in 1887 as wheat fields gave way to orchards. The Los Gatos Ice and Power Company purchased the property and converted the mill into a hydroelectric plant to power the town’s first streetlights.

The main structure suffered severe damage in the 1906 earthquake and was demolished 10 years later. All that remains is the 1880 storage annex which the California Centennial Commission designated as a State Historical Landmark in 1950. The annex was restored and reopened as the

Forbes Mill History Museum in 1982. It closed in 2014 and the building has been vacant ever since.

One of the most fascinating stories about Forbes involves the tiny Costa Rican island of Cocos about 300 miles off the country’s West coast. Treasure from Lima, Peru’s Catholic Church, valued at $60 million and including two life-sized statues of the Virgin Mary cast in solid gold, was reportedly buried there in 1821 to protect it from revolutionaries.

Forbes claimed to own maps detailing the burial location of the treasure. Countless expeditions—including some led by Forbes’ descendants and everyone from gangster Bugsy Seigel to former president Teddy Roosevelt— were unable to locate anything of value. The entire island was turned into a National Park by the Costa Rican government in 1978 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. Unfortunately for treasure hunters, digging for the “Lost Loot of Lima” is strictly prohibited.

James Alexander Forbes died in Almaden in 1881 at age 76. Although his business venture was a failure, Forbes is credited with establishing the first commercial site around which the town of Los Gatos was formed.

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.

HISTORIC LANDMARK Forbes Mill is shown circa 1887 with the storage annex in foreground.

James Alexander Forbes (1805-1881)

CALENDAR

For more events, visit the online calendar at losgatan.com/events-calendar

MISSION VALLEY CHORUS

OPEN HOUSE

Mission Valley Chorus will hold an open house on Jan. 17 at 7:15pm at Nordahl Hall, 580 West Parr Ave. in Los Gatos. The chorus is a group of women singers with a history spanning more than 60 years as a chapter of Sweet Adelines International Region 12.

➝ missionvalley.org.

AUTHOR TALK

The Los Gatos Library will hold an online author talk with Dana K. White, creator of the podcast and blog, “A Slob Comes Clean,” on Jan. 17 from 11am to noon.

➝ losgatosca.libcal.com/ event/9770790.

PENINSULA SYMPHONY

Two-time Grammy nominee and Avery Fisher career grant recipient violinist Jennifer Frautschi will join the Peninsula Symphony on stage, led by guest conductor Lara Webber, at the Heritage Theatre, 1 W. Campbell Ave., on Jan. 21 at 8pm.

➝ peninsulasymphony.org/jennifer.

FANDANGO IN CONCERT

The Los Gatos Concert Association will welcome Fandango on Jan. 22 at 2:30pm at the Los Gatos High School Theatre, 20 High School Court. Fandango performs a mix of Latin, Spanish, Balkan, and classical sounds founded by four multi-award-winning, globe-trotting virtuosi who hail from Spain, France, Bosnia and Taiwan.

➝ lgcca.org.

TERRA 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 Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, along with Sunday afternoons. ➝ 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

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.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Town Council

The Los Gatos Town Council meets virtually on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7pm.

➝ losgatosca.gov/16/Town-Council.

Planning Commission

The Los Gatos Planning Commission meets virtually on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7pm.

➝ losgatosca.gov/189/PlanningCommission.

Santa Clara County Supervisors

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

➝ bit.ly/3oy2Zmq.

Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District

The board meets every other Tuesday at 5pm.

➝ bit.ly/3DaJRi9.

Los Gatos Union School District Board of Trustees

The board meets monthly at either 6:30pm or 4pm.

➝ bit.ly/3oywlRA.

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.

Other Town commissions

The Town of Los Gatos has various committees that serve as advisory bodies for the Town Council.

➝ losgatosca.gov/12/BoardsCommissions-Committees.

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losgatan.com : january 11-16, 2023

PENINSULA SYMPHONY Violinist Jennifer Frautschi will perform at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell on Jan. 21.

Dario Acosta

REAL ESTATE

HOME OF THE WEEK

ROOM TO STRETCH OUT

All four bedrooms of this Los Gatos home, built in 2012, come with their own bathroom.

Located at 301 Old Blossom Hill Road, the home is 3,957 square feet. Inside, the single-story home is equipped with large windows, custom wood shutters, a bar area, gas

insert fireplaces and more. Outside, the lot includes a pool powered by solar with water features and a 2.5-car garage.

The home is listed at $4,499,999 by Coldwell Banker Realty. For information, visit bit.ly/3jNrHi2.

Coldwell Banker Realty

OLD BLOSSOM HILL ROAD This single-story home was built in 2012.

Coldwell

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‘‘Discreet Music’’ musician Brian

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19 T HE NEW YORK TIMES SU ND AY CROS SWORD Answers on page 19 15 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos www.charleyslosgatos.com

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