Los Gatan 2-8-2023

CRAB CRACKIN’ BRINGS BIG BUCKS FOR CHARITY

$100,000 raised at event held in Saratoga

Drew Penner, Reporter

Suzanne Boxer-Gassman looked out over the line of people snaking all the way across the Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church auditorium, Saturday evening in Saratoga, and was pleased with the turnout to the event she’d helped organize.

After two decades of fundraising, Los Gatos Rotary’s annual Crabfest fundraiser was in full swing, with donors milling around auction items and high school volunteers loading plates sky-high with crustaceans.

“We sold out—plus we had people clamoring for tickets,” she said. “Luckily, we had some kind people who couldn't attend and they donated them back to us. So, we got to sell them again.”

The event brings in cash for the Los Gatos Rotary Charities Foundation and helps fund some international scholarships.

Auction items available for bid were plentiful and included ➝ Crab, 4

LG WRESTLERS SET PROGRAM RECORDS AT TOURNAMENT

Wildcats win 11 of 14 weight classes

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

It’s been a storybook season for the Los Gatos High wrestling team, which set program and league records in winning the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League Finals on Feb. 4 at Mountain View High.

The Wildcats had champions in 11 of the 14 weight classes in scoring a tournament record 321.5 points to easily outdistance Fremont High of Sunnvale’s 225 points.

Los Gatos next competes in the Central Coast Section ➝ Wrestling, 10

basketball champs p11 : upcoming events p13 : discover lost gatos p15 : ny times crossword puzzle p17

FOOD FOR A CAUSE Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (center) greets attendees of Los Gatos Rotary’s Crabfest on Feb. 4 at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga.

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

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ROTARIANS CELEBRATE SUCCESS

Crab, from page 1

six tickets to the Charles M. Schulz Museum (a $72 value), four tickets to the KCAT’s Oktoberfest celebrations (worth $500), and a round of golf for four at the Boulder Ridge Golf Club (normally $600).

The gathering, Rotary’s biggest fundraiser on the calendar, is the first of its kind in a couple of years, after the pandemic forced organizers to switch strategies.

“We had a Winefest instead,” said Boxer-Gassman, adding she’s glad they could bring Crabfest back. “It's a tradition.”

She says more women are participating in Rotary now than in the past and notes they’ve welcomed about 25 new members this year.

Volunteers from the Leigh High School and Los Gatos High School Interact clubs worked hard all night to make the event a success, dishing up pasta, walking around offering dessert and cleaning up afterwards.

Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District trustee Alex Shultz praised the efforts of the students.

“It’s one way that they can contribute to the community that they live in,” he said. “They experience this, and they’re more likely to join the service club when they’re adults.”

He said he’d put in for the canoe trip in Lake Tahoe.

During the event, emcees presented a video of a literacy outreach program in Guatemala supported by Rotary.

“Education is the great equalizer,” said Los Gatos Union School District Superintendent Paul Johnson, who was also in attendance, in the footage. “It is the power for populations to pull themselves out of poverty.”

John Pencer, one of the emcees, told attendees they could bid digitally in support of the project—which provides WiFi and access to educational websites—in $100 increments.

“You’re making a difference in a child’s life in Guatemala,” he said, as the total raised for the “Fund the Need” item began to balloon before his eyes.

The other emcee, Lissa Kreissler, encouraged the flow of donations.

“We’re doing well,” she said. “Make those dollars matter.

“When we do home tonight, we’re going to say, ‘Whoa, we made a difference!’”

The total raised will fund 10 of the devices, which cost $750 each, organizers told the Los Gatan.

Davis Fields, 66, came all the way from Pacifica for the dinner.

“My son and his wife invited me,” he said at the conclusion of the meal.

“I’m not a big crab person, but that was really good.

“It’s always great when people get together for a good cause.”

Councilmember Matthew Hudes said he joined Rotary about a year ago because of the great work the group does.

“I wanted a more efficient way to give back to the community,” he said. “The more I learned, the more I realized how much leverage Rotary has in their giving and their charity. It’s a way that you can just do more because of the strength of the community.”

After a fantastic job bouncing back and forth between the floor and the stage, Lissa Kreisler didn’t seem tired in the least.

She said Rotary deserves kudos for their success at pulling everything off without a hitch.

“I think they went beyond their expectations,” she said. “I don’t think most Los Gatos residents realize how much Los Gatos Rotary does for this town.”

On Monday, Boxer-Gassman said the event had grossed around $100,000—even though they went with a lower attendee cap than usual, due to Covid-19 precautions.

And she noted they still had to factor in the costs associated with putting the event on.

“A lot of people said it was the best ever,” she said. “The money that we made will also come out to be the best ever— even though we sold fewer tickets.”

The event also brought in more money from sponsors than ever—over $15,000.

HELPING OUT Students from the Leigh High School and Los Gatos High School Interact clubs helped dish pasta and took on other duties during Crabfest.

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

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HOMETOWN GIANT NETFLIX CHILLS ON PASSWORDSHARING, BUT WHAT DO LOCALS THINK?

Don Le, Reporter

While Netflix recently pumped the brakes on a password-sharing crackdown it’s been testing, a company official tells the Los Gatan the company has plans to relaunch the initiative in America, next month.

“We are just implementing the password sharing on some other countries like Costa Rica, Chile and Jamaica,” a Netflix technical support representative named Sam told the newspaper in a telephone interview, Tuesday. “Call us back in March…They’re gonna try to set that or relaunch that in public.”

The rep confirmed she was specifically referring to a stateside rollout of password-tightening, but declined to comment on how this might affect the company’s revenues.

Last week, Los Gatos-based Netflix’s help page briefly showed how the company plans to enforce password limits.

The help page said Netflix subscribers would have to log in to the same WiFi network every 30 days and couldn’t use their account outside of that network.

As of Tuesday, Netflix was telling other media outlets that the password crackdown would only affect test countries, for now.

Most of the people who spoke with the Los Gatan about the company’s password strategy said they weren’t surprised to hear Netflix is considering this money-making approach.

“I kind of expected that to happen,” said Kristy Gobright, a 59-year-old Los Gatos resident. “I saw the [ad-supported tier] come in. I knew that was gonna happen. I mean, it’s the way it goes. They start off like that, and they hook you up, and then it goes on. They start taking

back the stuff that you always had.”

Netflix’s basic ad-supported tier is $6.99 per month, 720p HD resolution for a single screen is $9.99 per month, 1080p HD resolution for two screens runs $15.49 each month, and 4K Ultra HD resolution for six screens costs $19.99 monthly.

Another Los Gatan, Gale West, said she and her husband share their Netflix account with their two children.

“It’s difficult because if you have children, and they want to use the password, then how are they going to do that?” she asked. “I don’t think that they need to continue to get more money from people when they’re making enough money as it is.

“They’re growing really quickly, and it’s not necessary.”

West says she sees it as another case of a company padding its bottom line, unnecessarily.

“Yeah, it’s really important for me to have a company that’s generous and (Netflix) is not generous,” said West. “It will affect a lot of people who don’t have a lot of money. Los Gatos is a

is set to end Feb. 25 while vaccinations at the San Antonio Shopping Center in Mountain View will end Feb. 28. Testing services have already ended at the Mountain View location.

Many of the county’s smaller testing sites are also expected to close in the coming weeks. According to county officials, the Santa Clara County Health System has provided some 1.6 million PCR tests since May 2020.

fairly wealthy community. But I lived in Chicago, which is where you have many people who barely can afford WiFi. This is a way for them to be able to get movies, documentaries, things that they couldn’t get otherwise because they can’t afford to go to the theater. I think it’s inexcusable for them to do that.”

Geoffrey Martiniano, a 48-year-old San Francisco husband said he will still keep his Netflix subscription even though he currently shares his account with three other people.

“It’s a negative change,” he said. “But you know, it’s still a bargain. They have a bunch of shows and we use Netflix every day.”

Martiniano said he was a cable television subscriber in the ‘80s and ‘90s, so this isn’t a foreign concept to him.

“If you’re a subscriber to a cable [television subscription], it’s just that household. It’s going back to the old ways,” Martiniano said. “Hopefully, they won’t roll it out in the U.S. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

the end of California’s Covid state of emergency.

“We are grateful for the immunity that's been built vaccine by vaccine by vaccine throughout the community and we are in a better and safer place that allows us to transition from a full-blown urgent response to one that's more of a continual response embedded in our operations,” Cody said.

SHOTS AVAILABLE Covid-19 vaccinations will still be offered at major healthcare providers.

COUNTY TO CLOSE MASS COVID-19 VACCINATION SITES

Eli Walsh, Bay City News

Santa Clara County will close its mass Covid-19 vaccination and testing sites by the end of the month as they are no longer essential to the county’s pandemic response, officials said Feb. 1.

While county health officials emphasized that the pandemic is not over and Covid has not been eradicated, a high local vaccination rate and a relatively low rate of viral spread have made it easier for the county to sunset its large-

scale testing and vaccination sites.

Officials also pointed to the widespread availability of at-home Covid tests and major providers like Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health offering testing and vaccination services as reasons why the county could pull back its similar efforts.

“We've now gotten to a point where at least 90 percent of the population of the county has gotten at least one vaccine,” County Executive Dr. Jeff Smith said. “So because of that, the urgency for the county to have mass vaccination sites and testing sites has disappeared.”

Testing at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds is set to end Feb. 24 while vaccinations will end Feb. 25, according to the county.

Testing and vaccination services at the county's animal shelter in San Martin

The county’s health system has also administered some 1.9 million Covid-19 vaccine doses since the vaccine became available in December 2020.

At one time, the county operated the largest Covid testing and vaccination site in the state at Levi’s Stadium, which saw nearly 14,000 patients per day at its peak.

The county and the San Francisco 49ers, the team that plays its home games at the stadium, closed testing and vaccination services in the summer of 2021.

“We are still in the middle of a pandemic, but we are transitioning from a full-blown response where we have a sense of urgency every day to one where we are adapting to living with Covid,” county Health Officer and Public Health Director Dr. Sara Cody said.

Cody noted that the county announced its first case of Covid three years ago on Jan. 31. Feb. 3 marked three years since the county declared a health emergency about the virus.

The end of the month will also mark

The county still plans to provide Covid vaccination, testing and other health care services to the more than 225,000 residents whose main health care provider is the county’s health system.

Cody encouraged residents to get vaccinated if they have yet to do so and to get a booster vaccine dose once eligible to dramatically reduce the chance of the virus’ worst outcomes.

Shae also noted that the spread of Covid as detected in the county’s four main sewersheds, which cover 95 percent of the county's population, is lower than it has been over the last two months.

However, viral detection remains high enough that she encouraged residents to wear a mask indoors to effectively prevent the virus’ spread.

“The pandemic is not over. We can't declare a day when it’s over and, as we’ve seen, it's having a very, very long tail,” Cody said. “We don't know when it’s going to be over. What’s different is how we are responding to it.”

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

POLICE BLOTTER

JAN. 29

• A man was reportedly going doorto-door on Mary Way asking the homeowners if they wanted their gutters cleaned at 10:35am.

• A man was arrested for threatening to commit a crime and carrying a concealed dagger on E. Main Street and Montebello Way at 9:33pm.

JAN. 31

• Someone broke into a cluster of mailboxes on the 15400 block of Winchester Boulevard.

• Black ice was reported in the road on Kennedy and Shannon roads.

• Police were unable to locate a man who was reportedly “extremely intoxicated” on E. Main Street at 4:44pm.

FEB. 1

• A person was found sleeping in a work vehicle parked on Los Gatos Boulevard.

• An unknown suspect egged and glittered a vehicle parked on College Avenue.

• A caller reported 20 motorcycles were driving recklessly and “doing cartwheels” on Blossom Hill Road and Los Gatos Boulevard at 7:28pm.

• A vehicle stolen in the morning on Carlton Avenue was later found in San Jose thanks to GPS.

• Someone stole a package from Amazon on Winchester Boulevard.

FEB. 2

• A vehicle was reportedly burglarized on Bachman Avenue.

• A man carrying a suitcase and sleeping bag was reported for knocking on a door on Via Palomino at 8:54am.

• A vehicle was reportedly vandalized on Elm Street.

• A mailbox was broken into on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• A bike reported stolen on High School Court was found a short distance away.

FEB. 3

• Someone smashed a vehicle’s window on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• A home was reportedly burglarized on Robin Way.

FEB. 4

• A vehicle was reportedly burglarized on Winchester Boulevard.

• Someone stole a vehicle’s catalytic converter on Belwood Lane.

• A woman was arrested for inflicting injury on a cohabitant on the 17500 block of Pine Cone Court at 2:07pm.

• A caller reported loud music for three hours on Saratoga-Los Gatos Road at 10:48pm.

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

MORE COMPETITIONS AHEAD

Wrestling, from page 1

Northern Regional at Fremont High on Feb. 11, with the top eight wrestlers from each weight class advancing to the Masters Finals on Feb. 18 at Watsonville High.

Los Gatos champions in the SCVAL Finals included Antonio Rodriguez at 115 pounds, Joseph Pavlov-Ramirez (128), Peter Bowen (134), Timmy Murabito (140), EJ Parco (147), Anthony Pavlov-Ramirez (154), Dylan Pile (162), Lucas Pannell (172), Teddy Smith (184), Sasha Nyzhnyk (197) and Om Shastri (220).

Additional placers included Tyce Bowen (third at 122) and Colton Hernandez (sixth at 108). For the girls team, Bella Dondero took third place at 137 pounds. Wildcats coach Greg Varela said the league title performance underscored the program’s growth in being able to fill more weight classes.

“What stood out the most was the kids worked so hard to fill the spots,” he said. “We’re now in a place where there’s wrestle-offs from week to week to figure out who will be in the starting lineup. There’s depth to the team. Now we’re having guys beat each other for certain spots and have to go up weight classes and compete. So competition is good within the program, and that raises the stakes at all levels.”

Although the Wildcats have top-10 ranked state wrestlers in Parco, Rodriguez, Pile and Murabito, Varela has been equally proud of the wrestlers who aren’t as highly ranked but nonetheless equally important to helping the team score points and improve the competition within the wrestling room.

Pannell is a prime example of an athlete doing what it takes to help himself and his team win. The freshman competed at 160 pounds all season but won at 172 for the league finals because Pile went to 160s. All Pannell did was win his title match in triple overtime, scoring on an escape after riding his opponent out.

“In the finals, Lucas is probably giving up 10 to 12 pounds because he walks around probably 161, 162 pounds,” Varela said. “We’re making him eat, drink, just to make 165 so he can wrestle at 172, and he wrestled great. Any time you get a freshman in a big moment, you’re looking to see if he folds or lets the moment get the best of him. Well, the moment didn’t get the best of him. I’m watching him grow up right before my eyes. It’s good to see kids like that gut it out and raise their level this time of year.”

Varela also praised the efforts of Smith, a junior who was unseeded in the 184-pound bracket. Varela said Smith

was wrestling up one to two weight classes as his walking weight is in the mid-160s. However, because Los Gatos is stacked in the middle weights, Smith’s best option to compete for a starting spot was in the 180s this season.

In the offseason, Smith spent plenty of time in the weight room and eating to gain weight.

“He’s made the most of his opportunity,” Varela said. “Teddy has worked so hard to get to where he’s at. He wasn’t a big star coming into the season and kind

of got beat up but stuck with it. He spent a lot of time training in the offseason and still wasn’t a starter, but challenged for a spot basically one or two weight classes where he should’ve been and won it. He did great in the league tournament. He kept his composure and wrestled a smart match. When you’re giving up so much weight, you have to pick your spots when to shoot and he did that so well. So, I’m just really proud of Teddy for using his smarts and experience to win the league title.”

CHAMPIONS The Los Gatos High wrestling team broke program and league records in posting 321.5 points to win the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League Finals Feb. 4 at Mountain View High.

WINNER Om Shastri gets his arm raised in victory after winning the 220-pound title match in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League Wrestling Finals Feb. 4 at Mountain View High.

Jonathan Natividad

LG GIRLS WIN DE ANZA CHAMPIONSHIP

Boys hoops also title-bound

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

At the start of the season, the Los Gatos High girls basketball team was still finding its way and searching for its identity.

But the Wildcats know who they are now, and that’s as the reigning queens of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division. They clinched the title with back-to-back wins over Palo Alto and Los Altos on Feb. 1-2, improving their record to 18-3 overall and a perfect 10-0 in league play.

Los Gatos’ season took a turn for the better after a 39-36 loss to Christopher on Dec. 28, a game in which it was outscored 16-3 in the fourth quarter, blowing a 10-point advantage over the final eight minutes. Well, Los Gatos hasn’t lost since, riding a 13-game win streak entering this week’s action.

In the Christopher game, Hannah Slover in one rapid-fire sequence scored six consecutive points, working a highlow game with center Nicole Steiner. However, Slover got hurt late and the team couldn’t stem the tide.

“I should’ve stuck with the high-low action in that game,” Wildcats coach Sara Quilici Giles said after a 52-43 win over Palo Alto on Feb. 1. “I should've put somebody else in that position, but we were still new in our season, and we were trying to run our offense in the way I thought was right. In the next game we put someone else in that position to run the high-low and we haven’t looked back since.”

Simply put, Los Gatos—which also recently earned the distinction of being the top Central Coast Section winter scholastic championship team in its sport, with a cumulative GPA of 3.89—has elevated its play because the players are more confident, translating to being stronger with the ball because they know they don’t have to rush their decision-making against teams that press like Palo Alto.

That in turn leads to several fastbreak baskets throughout a game and the transition game is always a threat. Claire Galbo has been emblematic of

the team’s improved mental toughness, as she scored a career-high 19 points vs. Palo Alto and followed that up with 15 points against Los Altos.

In the two games, the 6-foot-1 junior went an ultra-efficient 14-for-20 (70%) from the floor. She scored in a variety of ways: on runners in the lane, from in close, to jumpers at the free throw line or elbow areas. She also dove for a loose ball to force a jump with the possession arrow favoring Los Gatos midway through the second quarter.

Galbo pumped her fists and her teammates were equally exuberant for her hustle play.

“Claire has improved mentally and in her confidence,” Quilici Giles said. “She could always do these things but she didn’t know she could. And so now it’s like every game you get a little bit more confident.”

In the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 11, a 55-44 Los Gatos win, Palo Alto put two girls in between Steiner at all times, the ultimate sign of respect. That limited Steiner to just five shot attempts. How-

ever, the rest of the team had the confidence to take and make shots.

In the rematch, the Vikings used a different approach but the result was the same, a convincing Los Gatos victory. Steiner had only six points but finished with a team-high 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals. Steiner followed that performance with 17 points, 15 rebounds, four steals and six blocks vs. Los Altos.

Los Gatos started off slow and trailed by nine points in the second quarter before finishing strong, which has been a trademark of the team this season. Quilici Giles praised Steiner’s unselfish play, which epitomizes the team’s mental mindset.

“Nicole is unstoppable but she doesn’t care if she scores. She cares if we win and that’s how everyone on our team feels,” Quilici Giles said. “And it’s so nice to see because on any night anyone can be the leading scorer. It’s usually Nicole but on any given night anyone can get hot and we’re just happy if we win. We don't care about accolades, we don't care about stats, we just want to win.”

Ashley Childers has had another tremendous season and finished with 12 points vs. Palo Alto, with Ella Rabitz, who is having a breakout sophomore season, finishing with 11. Meanwhile, the Los Gatos boys team was so excited to start their game the players were on the court before the final buzzer from the girls game went off.

The Wildcats prevailed in a physical, rugged contest, 36-34, on Ronan Chinmulgund’s nifty reverse layup at the buzzer. The game was a showdown for first place and the Wildcats have taken control in the pursuit of the SCVAL De Anza Division championship.

Two days after edging Palo Alto, they beat Los Altos 54-47 and entered the week 16-5 overall and 8-1 in league, a game up on both Mountain View and Palo Alto in the standings with three division games remaining. The buzzer-beater against Palo Alto capped a game-ending 6-0 Los Gatos run in the final 1 minute, 24 seconds.

The Wildcats trailed 34-30 at that point and things didn’t look good as the Vikings were getting to the basket off dribble penetration almost at will. However, Los Gatos clamped down defensively when it had to, then got two free throws from Scotty Brennan who followed with a driving layup on their next possession to make it 34-34.

Palo Alto committed back-to-back turnovers, the last coming with six seconds left, to set the Wildcats up for the game-winner. Nolan Koch got the ball at the top of the arc but Paly had everyone bottled up except Chinmulgund, who freed himself up on the right wing behind the 3-point line.

The junior shooting guard took it to the basket, reversing himself as he went up for the shot and then watching as the ball rolled around the rim and bounced a couple of times before going through the net. The ending capped a game that had eight ties and 11 lead changes, where every possession was a grind due to the physical nature of the contest.

The Wildcats didn’t have a single player in double-digits; Brennan and Victor Josifovski had nine points each and Koch eight. Chinmulgund had four points, but both were clutch shots. His first basket came on a tough, acrobatic drive in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.

STRONG TO THE RACK The Wildcats’ Claire Galbo takes it to the basket for two of her career-high 19 points in a 52-43 win over Palo Alto on Feb. 1. Los Gatos clinched the league title the following night after beating Los Altos.

Jonathan Natividad

AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM BENEFITS CHARITIES

Rodgers, Silverman end event with victory

Staff Report

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am kicked off Feb. 1 with a trio of golf events that entertained spectators and benefited local charities.

PGA Tour Professionals teamed up with professional athletes in a putting challenge that went down to the wire, while celebrities swung and chipped away to raise funds for a good cause.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen paired up with professional golfer Keith Mitchell to win the Chevron Challenge 5-hole putting contest in The Hay zone at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

It came down to a playoff hole to determine a winner, and it was Allen and Mitchell who came the closest to the pin for the victory.

The winning duo battled against four other pairs who competed for $250,000 for charity to benefit youth-serving nonprofits in Monterey County to focus on bridging the digital divide in STEM education and serving underrepresented communities and youth.

The athlete/PGA Tour professional teams included Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers with Kelly Kraft, former San Francisco Giants great Buster Posey with Harry Higgs and former NFL quarterbacks Steve Young and Alex Smith with Austin Smotherman and Tom Hoge, respectively.

Those benefiting included YMCA Central Coast, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast, Boys and Girls Club of Monterey County, Lyceum and Greenfield Community Science Workshop which each received $50,000 in charity funds.

Prior to that, two teams made up of celebrities battled through three holes at The Hay for a chance to win up to $20,000 per hole for each group’s designated charity.

Amanda Balionis and fellow teammates Wells Adams, Huey Lewis and Alfonso Ribeiro came out on top by winning $75,000 for Digital NEST, which creates sustainable and scalable technology learning centers for Latinx youth to provide the skills, network and resources to foster economic equality.

According to a press release, despite pandemic-related closures that disrupted its service model, Digital

NEST pursued a bold strategy to open centers in under-resourced communities in Central and Northern California.

Josh Duhamel, Bobby Bones, Scott Eastwood and Ray Romano earned $50,000 for Life Lab, which cultivates children's love of learning, healthy food and nature through garden-based education.

Life Lab—founded in 1979—is a na-

tional leader in garden-based curriculum development and teacher training and co-founded the School Garden Support Organization (SGSO) Network, which now connects more than 1,700 organizations.

In the pro-am portion of the tournament, Rodgers and Ben Silverman of Canada earned a one-shot victory on Feb. 5.

CHEERING ON Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (center) celebrates Julie Wirth's (far right) putt during the Chevron Challenge at the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am on Feb. 1.

MISSED THE MARK Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers shows some frustration with his putt during the Chevron Challenge at the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am on Feb. 1.

Raul Ebio

Raul Ebio

CALENDAR

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

VALENTINE’S FUN RUN/WALK

Campbell's 46th annual Valentine 5K Fun Run/Walk will be held Feb. 11 at 9am at Campbell Park. The 5K & 10K Run/Walk is $45 for adults and $25 ages 20 and under.

➝ downtowncampbell.com.

SARATOGA FOOTHILL CLUB BENEFIT CONCERT

The Saratoga Foothill Club Historic Landmark Foundation (SFCHLF) will hold a benefit concert featuring renowned pianist, Katya Grineva, at the Saratoga Foothill Club, 20399 Park Place, on Feb. 17. Tickets are $55 and can be purchased at eventbrite. com/e/509674338667.

COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN MEETING

The Santa Clara County Fire Department will hold a meeting for residents of the Lexington Basin area to learn more about the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The meeting will be held Feb. 22 at 5:30pm in the Pavilion at Redwood Estates, 21450 Madrone Drive in Los Gatos.

➝ sccfd.org/santa-clara-countycommunity-wildfire-protection-plan.

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. For information, visit 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.

LOCAL SCENE

LOCAL TEACHER HONORED BY YMCA

The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District announced recently that Annameekee Hesik, an English teacher and basketball coach at Los Gatos High School, has been selected as the Positive Cultural Identity award recipient for the 2023 YMCA Project Cornerstone’s Asset Champion Awards.

Hesik will be honored at a breakfast on March 17 at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

Chosen for helping young people feel supported, comfortable and proud of their identity, Hesik is a celebrated role model who is a constant positive presence on the Los Gatos High School campus, including being an advisor for the school’s Gay Straight Alliance and a panel moderator for LGHS “Celebrate Diversity Week,” the district stated in a press release.

When Hesik was looking for books to bring into her classroom library, she looked for those that would be representative of her LGBTQ students. When she couldn’t find the specific books she wanted, she wrote them herself by creating “The You Know Who Girls” series, which has a diverse cast and focuses on one high schooler's journey of coming out.

“I have had the opportunity to speak to Annameekee’s clubs and classes on multiple occasions and can attest to the inclusive and genuine ambiance she so naturally creates,” Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson said. “She inspires students and staff and continuously serves as a role model for both youth and adults on campus.”

The YMCA Project Cornerstone Asset Champions Awards event will be held for the first time in person in four years. Award recipients include organizations and individuals who support Project Cornerstone’s mission of building a support network so that young people can grow into healthy, caring and responsible adults.

Registration and ticket sales are available at assetchampions2023. eventbrite.com and close on March 2.

CONCERT BENEFITS SARATOGA FOOTHILL CLUB

The Saratoga Foothill Club Historic Landmark Foundation (SFCHLF) will hold a benefit concert featuring renowned pianist, Katya Grineva, at the Saratoga Foothill Club, 20399 Park Place, on Feb. 17.

With the theme, “Champagne, Chocolates and Katya – A Happy Hour Benefit Concert,” the program will begin with a champagne reception at 5pm followed by the recital from 5:30-6:30pm. Timing of this concert allows for arrival during daylight and encourages dinner plans in Saratoga restaurants following the program.

Tickets are $55 and can be purchased at eventbrite. com/e/509674338667. Capacity will be limited, as seats are spaced in the interest of current health protocols.

Proceeds benefit the preservation of the Saratoga Foothill Club clubhouse, a Julia Morgan designed historic building.

“Please take this opportunity to help the SFCHLF while enjoying a celebrated artist who has had the distinction of being the only solo female pianist performing 20 times at Carnegie Hall,” a spokesperson stated. “Champagne, chocolates and a romantic repertoire await you—a perfect February offering.”

RAPAL NAMED TO WPI’S DEAN'S LIST

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) announced that Jamie Rapal of Los Gatos, a member of the class of 2025 majoring in Computer Science, was named to the university's Dean's List for academic excellence for the fall 2022 semester.

A total of 2,069 undergraduate students achieved the criteria required for WPI's fall 2022 Dean's List. The criteria for the WPI Dean's List differs from that of most other universities as WPI does not compute a grade point average. Instead, WPI defines the Dean's List by the amount of work completed at the A level in courses and projects.

BOWCOCK RECOGNIZED BY UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

Alexis Bowcock of Los Gatos was named to The University of Alabama Dean’s List for fall semester 2022.

A total of 12,791 students enrolled during the fall semester at The University of Alabama were named to the Dean's List with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the President's List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A's).

SUPPORTING YOUTH Los Gatos High School teacher Annameekee Hesik has been selected as the Positive Cultural Identity award recipient for the 2023 YMCA Project Cornerstone’s Asset Champion Awards.

Courtesy of Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District

A CLASSIC AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY

Alan Feinberg, Contributor

Did you celebrate Groundhog Day last week? Me neither. But it’s a major media event back East, especially in Punxsutawney, Penn. where the tradition (based on an early European legend and immortalized in the classic comedy film by the same name) originated in 1887.

At about the same time, farmers in other parts of the country were battling the groundhog’s highly destructive cousin, the pocket gopher. These major pests caused extensive damage by feasting on the roots of vegetable crops, vineyards and orchard trees, while their burrowing activities weakened earthen dams and levees. Farming communities in the Midwest began holding Gopher Days with bounties paid for the largest number of gopher tails!

In 1900, an accidental entrepreneur named Zephyr Macabee obtained a patent for a simple but highly effective gopher trap. The business that he launched from his Los Gatos home to manufacture and market his invention is a classic American success story.

“Zeph” Macabee was born in upstate New York in 1857. His family moved to a farm in Santa Clara County when he was 7 years old and subsequently settled in Los Gatos where his father landed a job as a hotel manager. In his teens, Zeph worked there as a clerk, busboy, handyman and barber, eventually opening his own barber shop on West Main Street. On the advice of his physician, Zeph abandoned that profession after 10 years to work outdoors in the fresh air.

When a local cousin complained that gophers were wreaking havoc in his or-

chards, and that the few traps on the market were ineffective, Zeph (who loved to tinker) thought he could do better. Working in the basement of his home, he created a unique steel-wire spring-action trap that was easy to set, required no bait, and could be used repeatedly.

“I jimmied away at the jigger I was working on, and the first thing you know, I made a trap that was surefire. It worked then and it’s been working ever since,” reported Zephyr in a 1931 interview in the Los Gatos Mail News.

Word about his invention spread quickly. Zeph turned his barber shop into a retail store and traveled throughout the Valley of Heart's Delight selling traps by the dozen from his horse-drawn wagon. It seems that he found his perfect outdoor job!

By 1920, the Macabee Gopher Trap Company had six employees who were

assembling up to 1,000 traps per day in Zeph’s small basement workshop. The booming business soon took over the entire house. The Macabee family moved to a new home in 1924, retaining the old residence for use as the firm's production plant. It has since been designated a historical landmark and looks the same as the day it was built in 1894.

After Zephyr’s death in 1940, his two children, Lucille Macabee Evans and Raymond Macabee, took over the family business. Raymond retired in 1979 and his children, Joyce Ridgely and Mary Barnes, continued to operate the company with the assistance of production manager, Ron Fink.

By the early 2000s, cheap Asian knockoffs began flooding the market forcing the company to outsource the majority of manufacturing to China. After more than 100 years, the last trap was produced on Loma Alta Avenue on May 14, 2008. The Macabee Gopher Trap is still the number one product of its kind on the market. But with the company’s ownership distributed among multiple fourth and fifth generation family members, none of whom are interested in running the business, its future is uncertain.

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.

PRODUCTION PLANT The Macabee Gopher Trap Co. residence is shown at 110 Loma Alta Ave. in 2007.

Zephyr Albert Macabee (1857-1940)

BUSINESS OWNER ATTENDS STATE OF THE UNION

Staff Report

Los Gatos resident and Capitola business owner Chuck Hammers was invited by Rep. Jimmy Panetta to the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 7 to attend the State of the Union Address by President Joe Biden.

Hammers is the owner of Pizza My Heart in Capitola Village, which was damaged extensively due to the recent storms and tidal surge. During the recent tour of the small businesses in Capitola by Biden and Panetta, Hammers showed the leaders the full extent of the damage to his restaurant and discussed what it will take to recover and return to normal.

“I am extremely honored to be Rep. Panetta’s guest to the State of the Union address,” Hammers said. “Being born and raised in Salinas, I have found Jimmy Panetta to be amazingly responsive to his constituents. He

personally reached out to me during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure our business and employees had the federal support we needed, and he was the first legislator to visit my restaurant in the storm damaged area in Capitola.

I’m proud to be able to represent our communities and the victims of the recent floods, as we work to rebuild.”

“The damage sustained by Chuck’s businesses is an all-too-common story for small business owners in our communities following the recent storms, from Santa Cruz County to Monterey County and on down to northern San Luis Obispo County,” Panetta said.

“When President Biden came to survey the damage, he promised us that the federal government would stay on the ground for as long as it takes to get our communities back on our feet and back to normal. Chuck’s presence at the State of the Union is a symbol not of the damage and difficult times experienced by so many during the recent deluge, but rather it signifies the commitment of the federal government to work together to serve the public and our community’s will to get our local small businesses back open so that they can continue serving their customers.”

ROAD TO REBUILD Pizza My Heart owner Chuck Hammers, a Los Gatos resident, attended the State of the Union Address in Washington, DC.