Los Gatan 2-15-23

GOOD SAMARITAN NAMED ONE OF AMERICA’S 250 BEST HOSPITALS

Hospital debuts latest surgical robot

Don Le, Reporter

The large medical center at the northern gateway to Los Gatos recently did better than just getting a clean bill of health, in an industry survey. It was rated a top medical performer.

According to U.S. health-specialist tracker Healthgrades, Good Samaritan Hospital, the acute-care facility in the Cambrian area of San Jose, is officially one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals.

“Good Samaritan Hospital is proud that we have been recognized as one of America’s Best 250 Hospitals by Healthgrades,” said Antonio Castelan, a spokesperson for the hospital. “This distinction puts Good Samaritan in the top five percent of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical performance across the most common conditions and procedures.”

Healthgrades looked at 20192021 Medicare data to evaluate nearly 4,500 hospitals on how well they performed in 31 areas, including how they looked after heart attack, pneumonia and sepsis patients.

The Bay Area is no stranger ➝ Hospital, 6

WILL COHEN PAVES THE WAY FOR LG

Center plays in Wedemeyer Game

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

When Will Cohen walked off his home field for the final time upon the completion of the 48th Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game on Feb. 4, he felt a sense of peace and calm knowing he had given everything.

“Proud and content,” the Los Gatos High senior said. “Just really awesome getting to experience that one last game, especially on our home field and with my teammates.”

The center/defensive tackle was joined by Los Gatos teammates Emiliano Mejia, Landon Heard and Nic Ramos in the Wedemeyer Game, ➝ Football, 10

salt & straw p4 : sports roundup p11 : upcoming events p15 : ny times crossword puzzle p17

BROTHERS IN ARMS Will Cohen (right) and Emiliano Mejia embrace after the Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Game. The two seniors have been key stalwarts in the Los Gatos High football program.

Jonathan Natividad

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As founding members of SERENO, they’ve curated an extensive network of professionals as an integral part of enhancing clients properties for market. Both exude unsurpassed pro-active visions as Brokers and Certi�ed Negotiation Experts; re�ective of 90% referral business as they strive to exceed expectations to accomplish client’s goals and dreams.

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BOUTIQUE ICE CREAMERY SALT & STRAW TO OPEN NEW LOS GATOS LOCATION

In taking a step forward, business owner is reminded of another Silicon Valley era

Drew Penner, Reporter

Back in the late ‘90s when Kim Malek worked at Yahoo! in Mountain View, she learned to surf in Santa Cruz—one of her fondest memories—and hung out amid Los Gatos’ cute shops.

Now, after launching one of the West Coast’s most in-demand ice cream chains, rolling out 30 Salt & Straw locations with her cousin Tyler, she’s returning to the town of cats to open #31.

“I would go to Los Gatos and walk the streets and go shopping—and dream of even living there one day,” she said, reflecting on what their latest

expansion means to her. “It’s an honor for sure.”

For the past few years, the duo has been growing their influence throughout the Bay Area. They’ve produced ice cream flavors that tap into the work of local entrepreneurs and artisans, such as bean-to-bar chocolate maker Dandelion Chocolate and Oakland-based Don Bugito—with whom they’ve crafted “Creepy Crawly Critters,” a menu item featuring chocolate-covered crickets.

Salt & Straw plans to have its 50 University Ave. storefront in Old Town, ready to go for summer.

It will be the company’s second South Bay location—they’re already in Westfield’s Valley Fair mall.

And Los Gatans may have sampled some of the quirky and creative Salt & Straw creations at the downtown

Palo Alto locale or in Burlingame, up the peninsula.

“I hope people are familiar with us,” Malek said, adding she sees each new shop as a chance to help contribute to the vibe of the surrounding neighborhood. “I have a hunch we’ll meet a lot of new people.”

While Malek, who serves as CEO, spent most of her adult life in Portland—and recently took a surf trip up to Ucluelet on Vancouver Island—she says she’s forever been shaped by her Silicon Valley days, back when she led an auctions group for Yahoo!

How could you forget going to retirement parties for 20-year-olds, for example, after all?, she remarks.

“That was before the whole bubble

COMING SOON Cousins Tyler and Kim Malek have opened 30 Salt & Straw locations, so far. The Old Town Los Gatos storefront will be their 31st.

HOSPITAL GETS TOP MARKS

Hospital, from page 1

to excellence in the medical field. A total of 16 San Francisco Bay Area hospitals were recognized in the Healthgrades facilities review.

Regional Medical Center and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose joined Good Samaritan on the list. Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center and Stanford Health Care even ranked in the 50 Best Hospitals in America echelon.

“Patients treated at one of the best hospitals have a 28.7 percent lower risk of dying than if they were treated at a hospital that did not receive the award,” a Healthgrades spokesperson said. “If all hospitals performed

similarly to America’s 250 Best, more than 160,000 lives could have been saved.”

Good Samaritan Hospital also received other awards by Healthgrades for specialty care, including America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care, and excellence awards for neurosciences and stroke care for 2023. Additionally, for the second year in a row, the hospital received the America's 100 Best Gastrointestinal Surgery Award and excellence awards in orthopedic surgery and surgical care.

In a Jan. 25 statement, Good Sam’s CEO Tomi Ryba thanked the hospital’s medical staff and said “above all else, we are committed to the care

AN ‘EVER-EVOLVING’ MENU

Salt & Straw, from page 4

burst,” she said. “It was a funny time.”

After the hypergrowth of the pandemic, the Valley is now experiencing a new pull-back, with Crunchbase News estimating more than 77,000 American workers have lost their tech jobs in 2023, so far.

But Malek doesn’t seem phased. She believes they’ve succeeded as well as they have by emphasizing the real over the digital.

“For me it’s all about this passion for getting to know local neighborhoods and communities,” she said, adding

and improvement to human life.”

“These awards stand as a testament to the unwavering commitment we have to provide high-quality, safe care to our patients and communities,” Ryba said.

Open since 1965, Good Samaritan Hospital is recognized as a leader in neurosciences, high-risk obstetrics, comprehensive cancer services, advanced cardiology and innovative surgery techniques, according to its website.

Dr. Rich Briones, chief medical officer at Good Samaritan Hospital, told the Los Gatan he believes “patients seek an organization that they trust will deliver top-notch care” now more than ever.

“These recognitions demonstrate our continued commitment to build that trust through quality improvement across the many clinical ser-

vices we provide throughout Silicon Valley and surrounding areas,” Briones said.

Joseph Simitian, Los Gatos’ representative on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, says he was pleased to see the hospital did so well in the survey.

“We keep a very careful eye here at the County on all of the folks that we call partners in health care,” he said. “We depend on the Good Sams of the world.”

He’s currently pushing for the creation of a new health clinic to serve the West Valley that would complement the care provided by the hospital.

“Almost two million people in the county depend on our network of hospitals and primary care providers,” he said. “Without the Good Sams of the world, our job gets a whole lot tougher.”

Off this national recognition, staff at Good Samaritan aren’t resting on their laurels. They will be presenting their newest surgical robot, Intuitive Surgical's DaVinci XI, on Feb. 15 from 5:30-7pm, at The Best Western Inn of Los Gatos.

Dr. Kristine Borrison, Medical Director of Robotic Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital, said robotic surgery offers many advantages—for patients and surgeons.

“Not only do patients have far faster recoveries than with traditional surgery, but there is minimal trauma to surrounding tissues, organs and nerves, and much less pain,” Borrison said. “Surgeons have unmatched precision through a high-definition vision system and instruments that offer more range of motion than a human wrist.”

The event is the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce’s February Networking Mixer. There is a $5 entrance fee for Chamber members. Non-members can attend for $20.

Drew Penner contributed to this report.

the unusual flavors give people in the famously-long lines something to chatter about. “You’ll rarely see people on their phones.”

And wedding proposals have even occurred in the queue, she adds.

Malek is reminded of how Salt & Straw’s fourth store, just a few blocks from the ocean— on Venice’s world-famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard—became a legitimate gathering space for social media company employees, in-

fluencers and service industry workers.

For Los Gatos, she promises wooden finishing and custom light fixtures—provided they can get their paperwork squared away with the Town.

“In addition to our innovation, and our ever-evolving menu, we build a really beautiful shop environment that we hope is transportive,” she said, of the bespoke nature of their operation.

“We spend lots and lots of time training our team.”

IN GOOD HANDS Good Samaritan Hospital was recently recognized as one of the 250 Best Hospitals in America by U.S. health-specialist tracker Healthgrades.

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POLICE BLOTTER Former bank executive sentenced for fraud

FEB. 5

• Someone stole a vehicle’s catalytic converter on Stony Brook Road.

• A man was reportedly walking in front of cars, “shaking his fist and shouting,” on Los Gatos Boulevard and Chirco Drive at 1:25pm.

FEB. 6

• A business was burglarized on Lark Avenue.

• Mail was reported stolen on Lasuen Court.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Winchester Boulevard and Sunnyoaks Avenue at 10:50pm.

FEB. 7

• Loud music was reported as an ongoing issue on Teakwood Court at 12:42pm.

• A home was burglarized on Natalye Road.

• A man was reportedly wearing a “bloody” Halloween-style mask at Town Plaza Park at 1:27pm.

• A caller said the batting cage at Fisher Middle School was being used during the evening several times a week. “Things are getting old,” they reportedly said.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on N. Santa Cruz Avenue and Highway 9 at 10:54pm.

FEB. 8

• Mail was reported stolen from a cluster of mailboxes on Winchester Boulevard.

FEB. 9

• A vehicle was reported stolen on Winchester Circle.

• Someone stole a vehicle’s license plates on University Avenue.

• A man pushing a green shopping cart was screaming while walking down the street at Westchester Drive and Dover Street at 1:09pm.

• Someone stole a vehicle’s license plate on Tait Avenue.

• A man was reportedly “staggering and making weird noises” on Los Gatos Saratoga Road at 3:21pm.

• A stolen vehicle was recovered on Los Gatos Saratoga Road.

• A man was reported as suspicious because he was “acting like he is climbing stairs” on Massol and Bean avenues at 10:29pm.

FEB. 10

• A man was arrested for violating a court order for domestic violence on the first block of Fairview Plaza at 2:59am.

• Someone stole a vehicle’s license plate on Mill Court.

FEB. 11

• A home was burglarized on Lexington Drive.

Los Gatos man plead guilty to document tampering

Staff Report

Former Silicon Valley Bank vice president Mounir Gad was sentenced Feb. 6 to 15 months in prison after having submitted several falsified letters of reference in connection with his sentencing for a previous securities fraud conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge.

Gad, 36, of Los Gatos, pleaded guilty to the document-falsification-related charges on Oct. 27. In pleading guilty, Gad acknowledged he previously had been charged with, and pleaded guilty to, securities fraud violations in connection with an insider trading scheme. The securities case involved Gad’s decision as a trained investment banking professional to violate insider trading laws on two occasions.

Gad made a federal court appearance on Nov. 3, 2021, before United States District Judge Lucy H. Koh to be sentenced for his securities fraud crimes. At that time, Gad argued he should not be sent to prison, and instead should be sentenced only to probation, in part because “[Gad’s] friends and family—including his ex-fiancée—all roundly attest to Mr. Gad’s strength of character, loyalty and dedication to his community.”

In support of this argument, Gad submitted 12 letters of reference. Gad now acknowledges that six of the 12 letters he submitted to the judge in connection with his Nov. 3, 2021, sentencing were not authentic, according to the FBI. With respect to three of the letters, Gad made changes to the versions he had received from his references before submitting them to the court, without the references’ knowledge or permission. With respect to the three others, Gad submitted them on behalf of individuals who had not written any support letter in connec-

tion with his sentencing—two of the letters were written for reasons having nothing to do with the sentencing and were altered by Gad before they were submitted, and one, purportedly written by his ex-fiancée, was written by Gad in its entirety without the knowledge or permission of the purported author, investigators say.

The inauthenticity of the letters came to light after Gad’s November 2021 sentencing hearing. At the hearing, Koh described on the record her thoughts regarding a story from a falsified portion of a letter—a letter purportedly written from someone who attended the hearing.

The purported author later informed Gad’s attorney that she had not written the information that Koh referenced at the hearing.

A subsequent hearing took place on Nov. 10, 2021, at which Koh explained that the portions of the letter she found very compelling were “lies that Mr. Gad put in the letter.” Still, Gad did not admit during the Nov. 10, 2021 hearing that six of his 12 reference letters were, in fact, falsified. Instead, he stated to the judge, “I promise you, Your Honor, that was the only one. Every other letter is as it is.”

A subsequent investigation revealed this statement was not true, according to the FBI.

On Jan. 13, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Gad, charging him with three counts of tampering with documents; three counts of tampering; six counts of identity theft; and one count of criminal contempt. Gad pleaded guilty to all the charges without a plea agreement.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila also ordered Gad to serve 36 months of supervised release and imposed a $10,000 fine and a $1,300 special assessment. Davila ordered Gad to surrender on or before May 24 to begin serving his prison term.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Wistar Wilson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Bostic and Sarah E. Griswold are prosecuting this case with assistance from Veronica Hernandez, Lynette Dixon, and Susan Kreider. The case is being investigated by the FBI.

Information is compiled from public records released by the Los GatosMonte Sereno Police Department.

PLAYERS HONORED AT GAME

Football, from page 1

which draws most of the top players from schools in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League and Blossom Valley Athletic League, along with notable private schools Bellarmine, Mitty, St. Francis, Valley Christian, Harker and the King’s Academy.

All of the proceeds from the game go to Coaches Against Cancer and the ALS Golden West Foundation. The contest is named after the former Los Gatos High football coach who was diagnosed with ALS in 1977 and was given just three years to live.

Defying the odds, he ended up living for 33 years until his death in 2010. Along the way, Wedemeyer became an inspiration to millions of people as they learned his life story. Wildcats coach Mark Krail makes sure that every incoming player learns how important Wedemeyer is to the program and his impact that still resonates today.

“Since freshman year, we’ve learned a lot about Charlie’s story, so it was

really an honor to be invited to play in that game,” said Cohen, a SCVAL/ PAL De Anza Division all-league selection. “I remember watching a film about Charlie’s story and a lot of times in our banquets, [Charlie’s wife] Lucy was always there and talking to us. He [Krail] always likes to bring up Charlie’s commitment to the game.”

During halftime, Mejia was announced as the winner of the coveted “Beyond Extraordinary” award. This past season, Mejia earned the De Anza Division Offensive Player of the Year award, Ramos the Defensive Lineman of the Year and Heard the Defensive Back of the Year.

Wide receiver/defensive back Jaylen Thomas was named league MVP and Ryan Vernale the Offensive Lineman of the Year. Luchi Casale (tight end), Wil Brennan (receiver), Sam Pearman (kicker), Henry Wong (linebacker) and Ryan Bernat (defensive back) also earned all-league honors.

Played under inclement weather

conditions, the South team won, 9-0, as both teams struggled mightily to move the ball. The final score was secondary, of course, to the honoring of Wedemeyer and the competitiveness and camaraderie the players displayed in practices and in the game.

“From a game-management standpoint, I would just like to commend the players for their tough, physical play, but more importantly for their sportsmanship during a hard fought game,” Krail said in a text message to the Los Gatan. “Charlie Wedemeyer would be proud. Coach [Mark] Kaanapu and coach [Tim] Pierleoni did a great job with their teams, and the game was everything that we were hoping for considering the awful weather.”

Cohen, who played every single snap on offense for the North, didn’t start playing organized football until his freshman year. He was immediately slotted at the center position and became a picture of consistency.

“I instantly fell in love with it,” he said. “The strengths as a center is you need to be a leader of the O line and have to be smart enough to know the calls for each play.”

Cohen is 6-feet-1 but with a playing

weight under 200 pounds, he definitely was undersized for a lineman. However, Cohen was effective because of superior technique and a competitive drive that is needed to constantly battle in the trenches.

Cohen carries a 4.0 GPA, but he said “there are plenty of other guys on the team who have higher GPAs than me,” a testament to some of the high academic achievers in the program. Heard’s twin brother, Weston, carries a 4.5 GPA, Cohen said.

“I would consider myself a smart person, relatively, but Weston is probably the smartest person I know,” Cohen said.

The players selected for the Wedemeyer Game were in for a treat at the banquet event three days prior to the game. Former 49ers great and NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott along with former Los Gatos High great and NFL player Kiko Alonso gave inspirational speeches to the players.

“Lott is such a larger than life person and it was awesome to meet someone who is kind of a hero to a lot of guys around the Bay Area,” Cohen said. “It kind of got my juices going for the game and got me pumped up.”

FANTASTIC FOUR Los Gatos High football standouts Will Cohen, Emiliano Mejia, Nic Ramos and Landon Heard played in the 48th annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Game Feb. 4 at Los Gatos High.

Jonathan Natividad

EXCITED The Los Gatos High girls soccer team and Malia Yamamoto, seen here scoring against Milpitas in the teams’ first league matchup on Jan. 12, have had plenty to celebrate this season as they entered the week gunning for an unbeaten league season.

GOOD TIMES

Tommy Ankenbrandt and the Los High boys basketball team were all smiles after a 63-52 win over Saratoga High on Feb. 8. Two days later, they clinched an outright SCVAL De Anza Division championship with a two-point win over Mountain View.

AROUND THE LEAGUES

Emanuel lee, Sports Editor

Two more Los Gatos High sports teams have either clinched or have an opportunity to win a league championship in the current winter sports season. With the school having already won titles in girls basketball and wrestling, the girls soccer team went into its Feb. 14 regular-season finale against Wilcox primed to clinch an outright Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division championship (this edition went to press before the completion of the game, but look for a full game report and story on losgatan.com).

Meanwhile, the Los Gatos boys basketball team pulled off a remarkable repeat title season. A year after earning a share of the El Camino Division championship, the Wildcats were promoted to the league’s upper De Anza Division and won it outright after a 37-35 win over Mountain View on Feb. 10, avenging their only league loss in the process. Tommy Ankenbrandt had eight points and eight rebounds, Scotty Brennan finished with seven points and three blocks, and Nolan Koch grabbed 10 rebounds in the win.

ELEVATION Wildcats senior Tommy Ankenbrandt dunks in a 63-52 win over Saratoga Feb. 8. Two days later, Los Gatos clinched an outright SCVAL De Anza Division championship with a two-point win over Mountain View.

Photos by Jonathan Natividad

ACCUSED DRUG DEALER TO REMAIN IN JAIL

Drew Penner, Reporter

A 23-year-old San Jose man accused of selling fentanyl-laced pills to Los Gatos High School students who overdosed has lost another attempt at pretrial release.

Simon Jose Armendariz was charged with four felony Health and Safety Code violations of furnishing a controlled substance to a minor (carries a punishment of 3-9 years in state prison), a Penal Code felony for ammunition possession after a prior felony strike (penalty is up to three years in state prison) and a Health and Safety Code misdemeanor of fentanyl possession (penalty of up to a year in jail).

He was arraigned in December and lost his initial bail bid, Dec. 22.

On Jan. 23, Armendariz’s public defender took another shot at getting him out, arguing that an ankle monitor, and other factors, would be enough to

keep tabs on the man until he gets his day in court.

Deputy District Attorney Eunice Lee, with Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office’s Major Crimes & Drug Trafficking Unit, appeared in-person to battle against the move.

From her perspective, letting Armendariz out wouldn’t be appropriate, given Silicon Valley is in the midst of a major fentanyl crisis.

“I think we all understand how deadly fentanyl can be,” she said. “I think we now understand that this can affect people from all walks of life.

“We’re seeing this frightening effect on our children.”

After a long hearing, Lee recalled, the court agreed with her position and denied the accused dealer bail again.

“I think the judge was convinced by the evidence,” she said. “There is not sufficient means to protect the public

(if he were to be released).”

That’s because it’s so easy to sell toxic drugs using digital tools these days, she says.

“He can sling stuff from everywhere,” Lee said. “He can make transactions online.”

Less than 10 Santa Clara County deaths were attributed to fentanyl in 2015. But that number has increased more than 10-fold, a painful issue that’s the subject of a feature article in Metro Silicon Valley, this week.

The investigation into Armendariz began after a 15-year-old girl overdosed on a Percocet pill containing fentanyl in a bathroom at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.

At least four minors are known to have been injured by his actions, according to the District Attorney’s office.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen has taken pains to cast the prosecution not as

a prong of the reviled War on Drugs, but as a sensible response to a public health crisis.

In September, the Board of Supervisors voted to put $135,000 in state funds toward placing Narcan kits in high schools, which can temporarily reverse the effects of an overdose. Now, it’s expanding the drive to get the fentanyl antidote into middle schools.

Armendariz has a preliminary examination scheduled for Feb. 27 at 8:55am in Santa Clara County Superior Court, Department 26.

VTA MOVES WEEKEND BUS ROUTE FURTHER AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN

Drew Penner, Reporter

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority sent a representative to Los Gatos Council’s regularly-scheduled Feb. 7 meeting to explain why it’s modifying weekend service to the only route that passes through town.

The #27 travels from Campbell, through town and then heads to South San Jose.

However, congestion in Los Gatos has been so bad that sometimes buses get delayed for more than 30 minutes.

Given that just two to seven riders, on average, get on the bus in town on the weekends, VTA decided to redesign the bus route so it doesn’t go all the way into the core on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tracy Wang, transportation and mobility manager for the Town of Los Gatos, said because the update is considered a “minor change,” it doesn’t need to be reviewed by the VTA board.

Councilmember Rob Rennie, who has served on the board on and off for six years, told Council the transit authority’s budget is tight and ensuring buses don’t fall behind saves money.

“Over time the buses have taken longer and longer to do their routes,” he

said, adding the complicated question faced by planners is, “How do we speed up the buses?”

The theory, he explained, is that if you can keep buses flowing, in the end the agency will be more fiscally sound and can add service back later.

Mayor Maria Ristow, a huge transit advocate herself, said she understands that it’s important to make sure buses don’t get stalled in Los Gatos when riders from elsewhere have places to be, too.

“They’ll be late for the hospital, they’ll be late for the light rail,” she said, but empathized with those who’ve been relying on the bus. “I feel horrible for those two to seven people who take the bus.”

She referred to the VTA move as contributing to a transit “death spiral”—although only on the weekends, so far.

Councilmember Rob Moore, who was elected to Council overwhelmingly on the back of a heavily pro-transit campaign, pointed out the irony in making bus service less convenient and blaming the vehicles clogging up downtown on the weekends.

“It’s disappointingly ironic to me that we’re cutting this bus route due to

traffic,” he said. “I’m definitely disappointed to see this.”

Councilmember Matthew Hudes asked the transit official if there was any chance of bus service improving in Los Gatos in the years to come.

The VTA rep, Janice Soriano-Ramos, referred to the annual transit planning exercise the agency goes through.

“We really want to look 30 years out,” she said. “That effort is wrapping up very soon here.”

This wasn’t the news Hudes wanted to hear.

“A lot of service has been eliminated for Los Gatos,” he said, referencing the death of the #48 and #49 lines that once served the community. “By eliminating routes, it eliminates riders.”

Rennie tied the VTA service cuts to Los Gatos’ low-rise suburban nature.

“It’s really difficult to service the West Valley,” he said, explaining that Los Gatos’ affluence has led to a more spread-out residential landscape, meaning there are too few riders for VTA to justify maintaining routes. “We can help if we can focus density (in certain areas).”

Simon Armendariz

SHIFT IN SCHEDULE The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is modifying weekend bus service in Los Gatos.

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

LOCAL SCENE

JOB SHADOW PROGRAM RETURNS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS

The Los Gatos High School job shadow program is returning on March 13 after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

With opportunities to visit many well-known Silicon Valley companies, students will choose to shadow a career from several different industries, from non-profit to high-tech manufacturing.

Registration is currently open for host companies.

The job shadow program launched in 2016, matching approximately 100 students in its inaugural year. Currently open to sophomores and juniors, the program served approximately 300 shadow opportunities in 2019, its last year before the pandemic.

“Relaunching this program has been an incredible lesson in the power of community,” said Los Gatos High School Home & School Club parent Stephanie Lundstrom about her co-volunteers Chris Higgins and Heather LeRoy. “Our goal is to teach kids how to interface with people in real professions, give them an opportunity to see what it’s like in a career/ company they may be interested in, and tie our community closer together.”

➝ followmejobshadow.com.

HERITAGE THEATRE PRESENTS THE HIGHWAYMEN SHOW

Heritage Theatre in Campbell’s 2022-2023 season continues on Feb. 25 with The Highwaymen Show, paying tribute to Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.

The Highwaymen Show was created by Alabama native, Gray Sartin. In 2011, Sartin created the Johnny Cash Now tribute show and started performing nationwide. In 2018, he created another character by adding a tribute to Waylon Jennings, and that same year he started producing other multi-tribute shows including George Jones, Merle Haggard, Linda Ronstadt, Hank Williams Jr, and

Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. Eventually, Sartin narrowed down his multi-tribute show to The Highwaymen Show.

Since its inception, The Highwaymen Show has toured all over North America, performing at fairs, festivals, performing arts centers, and casinos in Canada, Alaska, Montana, Colorado, Georgia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida.

The Highwaymen Show features Sartin as Johnny Cash, North Carolina native Greg Bauman as Kris Kristofferson, Georgia native Tyson Halford as Willie Nelson, and Tennessee native, Stefan Superti as Waylon Jennings.

Tickets are now on sale for $52, and can be purchased online at HeritageTheatre.org, by phone at 408.866.2700, or through the Box Office.

The Heritage Theatre is located at 1 W. Campbell Ave. in Campbell.

MCGUIRE HONORED AT UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA

Jessica McGuire of Los Gatos earned dean's list honors at The University of Tampa for the Fall 2022 semester.

McGuire is majoring in nursing. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher to be eligible for the dean's list.

The University of Tampa is a private university located in downtown Tampa, Fla.

LOCAL PARTICIPATES IN EMERSON COLLEGE PRODUCTION

Callie Mayer from Los Gatos participated in Emerson Stage's production of “Paris” at Emerson College in Boston, Mass. in January.

Paris features Emmie, one of the only Black people living in Paris, Vermont. The play touches on isolation and invisibility.

Mayer, majoring in theater and performance, and is a member of the Class of 2026.

GUEST VIEW

Plant poaching parables

Jeffrey P. Blum, Contributor

Participating in my mother’s pachysandra plant hunts was one of my most mortifying experiences while growing up. We would head out as a family in search of the green ivy-looking plants so that my mother could poach them and plant them in our yard. We started by searching vacant lots in our town. However, as my mother became more desperate for the plant, she became bolder. As a result, we’d hover and pounce in areas near where we lived. Our house, along with several others in our neighborhood, abutted a park in our backyards. So, what’s so terrible about exploring a park and digging out a few stray scattered plants on the outskirts of our neighbor’s property? Eventually, we were able to cover nearly the entirety of our large front yard with pachysandra. Regrettably, I do not recall anyone ever complimenting us for having an exquisite-looking front yard.

I was terrified of these family outings, fearful that one of our neighbors, or more dreadfully, one of my high school classmates, would spot me, spread the word to others about me participating in a really goofy endeavor, and expose me to merciless ridicule.

Although my mother’s been gone many years, memories like this one and thoughts about other crazy things my mother did, help me understand my own idiosyncrasies. They also explain where some of the weird ideas I have passed along to my children originated from. A bit of off-the-wall thinking seems to run from generation to generation. Thankfully, the crazy ideas I passed along to my children have been few and far between.

Hidden in crazy activities such as the pachysandra poaches were valuable life lessons. I learned to appreciate different types of people and laugh at how we are all a bit crazy.

Beyond the obvious humor, I came to realize these experiences brought our family together for bonding time and reinforced the importance of teamwork, as we each had assigned tasks. Since I was the oldest boy, my mother assigned me the task of being the digger. My younger brother served as a lookout for wandering neighbors and

cops. My older sister was the searcher. Her job was the most important, as she had to not only spot the treasured plant but also warn us of any poison ivy in the area, since it was prevalent, and it looks like pachysandra. Meanwhile, my dad drove the car when we needed one, and my mother just ordered us all around.

We’ve all been in team-building exercises at work retreats or in training for our volunteer endeavors, but I imagine few such opportunities can match this pachysandra plant pursuit. It is a lesson one would have a hard time forgetting. However, perhaps for obvious reasons, I am reluctant to suggest it the next time I am asked to participate in a team-building exercise.

The pachysandra poaching incident came to mind recently as I worked with many others to prepare for our Rotary Club of Los Gatos Crab Fest, which is one of our major fundraising efforts. Groups of volunteers worked on their assigned tasks, seeking auction items from residents, members and merchants, decorating, setting up tables and chairs, establishing a program, choosing the people to lead the festivities, arranging music, and publicizing the event.

Life lessons come in many forms and varieties. To this day, I wonder if my mother, who was always thinking of ways to educate me and my siblings, purposely took us on these pachysandra trips to teach us a few things. Not so much the concept of poaching, but the idea of being a cohesive family and working together to accomplish a goal. I regret never asking my mother what her goals were, apart from prettying up our yard.

Speaking of prettying up an area, I wondered as I viewed the Crab Fest setup, whether the tables could use some pachysandra plants to add some greenery to the setting, but thought better of proposing the idea. One other thing I learned from growing up with my mother is to be careful about the ideas you propose to others. It is OK to let people know you are a little crazy, but you do not want them to think you are over-the-top bonkers.

Jeffrey P. Blum is a family law mediator who lives in Los Gatos.

CALENDAR

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

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.

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 Commis-

sion 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.

➝ it.ly/3oywlRA.

Other Town commissions

The Town of Los Gatos has various committees that serve as advisory bodies for the Town Council. For information and a schedule of meetings, visit losgatosca.gov/12/Boards-Commissions-Committees.

ROCK OUT The Highwaymen Show, paying tribute to Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson, performs at the Heritage Theatre on Feb. 25 at 8pm.

LIVES

a gymnast and earned a partial scholarship to college where obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from San Jose State. She worked for Google, Oracle, Sun Micro Systems.

She and her mother spent so many times together, whether on weekends or long vacations.

When she relocated to Newtown with her son Jaden, she worked at Epicor Software Corporation. She suffered many injuries during her gymnast years and was rather disabled. She didn’t give up; she used a walker and wheelchair. Her son would push her everywhere.

Tamara Michele Scott

October 27, 1963 - January 6, 2023

Tamara Michele Scott, 59, of Newtown, PA unexpectedly died on Friday, January 6, 2023.

Born on Sunday, October 27, 1963 in San Francisco, CA, she was the daughter of Carrie Scott of Cupertino, CA.

She lived with her mother and brother in Redding, California where she learned to water and snow ski beginning at the age of four. At the age of 7, she and her mother and brother moved to the San Francisco Bay area where she attended school, graduating from Monta Vista High. She was

REAL ESTATE HOME OF THE WEEK

She is survived by her mother, her only child Jaden, an aunt, uncle and cousin in Oregon. She was preceded in death by her brother, Kevin Simmons Scott and Jaden’s father.

Services were held on Thursday, January 19, 2023 at Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 800 NewtownRichboro Rd. (at Holland Rd.), Richboro.

Contributions for Tamara’s son may be made at https://gofund.me/ f780e5da.

LARGE ESTATE WITH PARK-LIKE GROUNDS

This Los Gatos estate combines classic design with modern amenities.

Located at 14841 Clara St., the 2,336-square-foot home includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The floor plan features an open beam living room, separate family room and formal dining room, along with a separate bedroom wing complete with a primary ensuite retreat. The kitchen is equipped with a built-

in banquette and newer stainless appliances.

The 27,000-square-foot grounds include expansive lawns, mature trees and gardens, a pool, multiple patios and more.

The home, built in 1952, is listed at $3,489,000 by Christie's International Real Estate Sereno. For information, visit bit.ly/3uUAvFc.

The LGS Recreation 55 Plus program provides comprehensive free or low-cost programs for people age 55 and over. Membership is $30 annually and includes access to a variety of free groups, programs, classes, social events, guest lectures, and services. Did you know? Programs are funded by fee-based services and modest grants, not tax dollars or subsidy. Your contribution will help to ensure long-term uninterrupted service of this vital program area.

CLARA STREET Brick paths weave through this Los Gatos home’s mature landscaping.

INSIDE The living room features open beam ceilings.