Los Gatan 3-29-2023

NEW OWNERSHIP PICKS UP WHAT REMAINS OF SV BANK

Anxiety over regional economy continues

Barry Holtzclaw, Reporter

Two weeks after it collapsed in the face of a run on its deposits, former tech-lending giant Silicon Valley Bank—and the health of big and small technology companies—was in the national headlines once again.

Late in the night on Sunday, March 26, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation announced that First Citizens Bank, the nation’s 30th largest, will acquire the loans and deposits of SVB, which a month ago was the 16th largest bank, with the blessings—and underwriting—of federal regulators.

On March 28, the Senate Banking Committee began hearings on what went wrong, and who is to blame for the biggest banking collapse in nearly 15 years.

Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the Senate and Silicon Valley’s Ro Khanna in the House, put the blame for the SVB demise squarely on a 2018 law passed by Congress and signed by then-President Trump to roll back regulations and ease so-called “stress tests” for mid-sized banks like SVB.

➝ Bank, 6

STATE ROLLS BACK SOME WATERING RESTRICTIONS

Newsom stops short of declaring drought over

Kiley Russell, Bay City News

The drought might not be completely done with California, but the state’s residents are now free of the strictest water conservation measures put in place by Gov. Gavin Newsom nearly two years ago.

Standing at a podium in front of a storm-soaked agricultural field in Yolo County on March 24, Newsom stopped short of declaring the end of the punishing three-year drought but said that while he’s not rescinding the statewide drought emergency order, he is eliminating many of its provisions.

“To answer the question ‘Are ➝ Drought, 13

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GOING FAR Abigail Lo has the fourth best mark in the triple jump in the CCS this season. Her PR of 36 feet, 1 inch in the event was accomplished at the St. Francis Invitational on March 18. For the full story, turn to page 11.

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CAMPBELL POLICE RESPOND TO GILROY SHOOTOUT

Bullet hits deputy, suspect shot by police during hourslong standoff

Staff Report

A Campbell Police officer is on leave after they shot a suspect during an hourslong standoff in rural Gilroy on Sunday.

The incident began at about 8am when Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a welfare check on the 3000 block of Dryden Avenue, located east of New Avenue.

While at the scene, the suspect, later identified as Vincent Martinez, 35, began shooting at deputies, according to the Campbell Police Department, which was one of the agencies that responded to a mutual aid request by the sheriff’s office.

A Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputy was hit during the shootout, and is listed in stable condition. The suspect then barricaded himself inside a residence and continued to shoot at law enforcement personnel outside, according to police, who returned gunfire.

Neighboring agencies responded to the scene, including the Campbell Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team along with an armored vehicle. Police said

multiple attempts were made to de-escalate the situation with the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team and Crisis Negotiations Team, but Martinez “refused to comply and continued shooting at law enforcement.”

Hours later, a fire broke out inside the residence, and Martinez reportedly emerged from inside with a handgun, advancing on nearby officers and attempting to break into the armored vehicle, according to police. A Campbell SWAT team member then shot their gun once, striking Martinez.

Martinez was arrested and transported to a local hospital, and is list-

PERSON FOUND DEAD AFTER POLICE RESPOND TO FIREARM DISCHARGE

West Parr Avenue neighbors evacuated early Sunday morning

Drew Penner, Reporter

A person was found dead inside a Los Gatos home early Sunday morning after police responded to a firearm discharge during a domestic incident on the 600 block of West Parr Avenue. After de-escalation tactics weren’t fruitful just after 1am, the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department evacuated the surrounding neighborhood, which is located along the northern edge of the town.

“Dispatchers and officers tried various means and resources to establish contact and communications with the subject in the residence without success,” department spokesperson Sgt. Katherine Mann said.

Members of the county’s Behavioral Health Services Mobile Crisis Response Team, the Santa Clara County Fire Department and the Campbell Police Department all responded.

A family member who was inside the residence managed to escape, and officers were able to gain entry at 8:30am.

They found the suspect dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

ed in stable condition. He is facing charges of attempted murder on a peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm.

He was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on no bail. He is due in court on March 29, according to jail records.

“I am very proud of all the deputies and law enforcement personnel from this incident,” Sheriff Robert Jonsen said. “All deescalation measures were properly used in attempts to provide a safe outcome from this critical incident.”

The officer who fired at Martinez has been placed on administrative leave, according to Campbell Police. The department is now cooperating with the sheriff’s office and Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office in the investigation.

“In the face of this extremely dangerous situation, our officers displayed exceptional bravery and professionalism,” Campbell Police Chief Gary Berg said. “They remained calm and focused, and their quick actions helped contain the threat and prevent further harm to law enforcement and the community.”

No injuries were reported from the fire, according to Cal Fire, whose firefighters mopped up the blaze within a few hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

“The Police Department would like to extend its condolences to the family for their loss,” Mann said. “In addition, the Department expresses gratitude for additional resources and support provided during this evolving incident.”

A weapon was recovered and neighbors were allowed to return home.

Police say there is no further threat to the public in relation to the ongoing investigation of what they’re calling an “isolated” incident.

One man who lives on the same block told the Los Gatan he wasn’t evacuated by police during the crisis. But he says he’s not too bothered by that fact, because he’s older and isn’t afraid of death.

Anyone with additional information related to this incident is asked to call the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department at 408.354.8600.

In the face of this extremely dangerous situation, our officers displayed exceptional bravery and professionalism. Gary Berg

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PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSES DIVERSITY PLAN

Drew Penner, Reporter

In August 2021, Councilmember Mary Badame, who is now Vice Mayor, made a motion to put $104,000 into justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) consulting work.

It was seconded by Councilmember Matthew Hudes and approved unanimously, splitting the pot between two vendors—with American Leadership Forum given $54,000 to focus on the Town’s partnerships with local organizations and the broader community, and ReadySet getting $50,000 to examine the Town’s internal structures.

And on March 22, the Planning Commission took a first look at the result of what ALF came up with.

The report was the result of 18 “discovery sessions” with 27 people from the ranks of nonprofits, business, faith communities and education, and it didn’t mince words about the challenges involved in putting the plan into place.

“The work of grappling with race and systemic inequities is hard and not quickly resolved,” it states. “It requires courageous and brave leadership, often in the face of strong opposition.”

After all, when the money was approved for the work plan, three community members spoke in opposition.

That reticence was in plain view at Planning Commission as Ronald

Meyer, in his blue National Rifle Association shirt, took to the microphone to express his bewilderment at why Los Gatos is devoting resources to tackling “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” issues.

“What is DEI going to do for the citizens of Los Gatos? The whole assumption and presumption is that we have a problem,” he said. “What is the problem? And quantify and qualify it for us. Because I see a lot of aspirational, utopian socialist ideas in this plan.”

He said he worries that the staff time going into this initiative will take away from “rightful services” being delivered to Los Gatos residents.

Later in the meeting, Commissioner Kathryn Janoff admitted finding metrics to monitor the progress of diversity work can be hard, but she said it’s not impossible.

For example, the Town can develop surveys, and the Chamber of Commerce can solicit perspectives from business owners, she said.

“There’s a lot of data that you can gather,” she said. “Whether or not it’s ‘success’ is another question. But you’ve gotta have measurements in place—not necessarily to measure success, but…are we moving the needle in the direction that we want to go.”

Commissioner Melanie Hanssen said, since she’s not a member of a marginalized group, she understands

that it can be difficult to define what it means to feel “welcome” in Los Gatos.

“I don’t know what it feels like to not be welcome,” she said. “And so, for me, I know that we need to have safe spaces for people, for visitors, and for the workers that are here...I would hope that if we do go the route of having a Unity Commission, that that would be the first task that they would take on.”

The report urges the formation of a facilitated, community working group to build relationships and develop a “deeper understanding of JEDI concepts,” a plan it notes is already moving forward.

And it recommends using art and outreach to create “safe spaces for learning and expression.”

AFL is also pushing the Town to expand access to records and information to improve transparency, and it encourages the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department to strengthen its relationship with Santa Clara County’s Behavioral Health department.

Janoff said the diversity challenge isn’t directly visible to her, either.

“But I know it’s there,” she said. “I’m white, I don’t get told to leave town. Just because I don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. I know personally from my own family’s experience that my family members who aren’t white don’t feel comfortable in Los Gatos.

COMMITTEE DEBATES REASONS FOR BANK’S COLLAPSE

Bank, from page 1

Republicans suggested that state regulators in blue-state California and New York had dropped the ball, and some went so far as to suggest that “woke” investment strategies that embraced environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations were to blame.

Others warned that reckless decisions by venture capitalists like billionaire Peter Thiel, a big SVB depositor, jeopardized Silicon Valley’s financial stability, especially when combined with SVB’s underwriting practices for hundreds of startups.

Warren and some Republicans also renewed questions of the competen-

cy of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, who last week guided his board through its ninth lending rate increase in a year, in an effort to reverse inflation.

Meanwhile, tech layoffs continued.

Crunchbase reports that more than 118,000 workers in U.S.-based tech companies (or tech companies with a large U.S. workforce) have been laid off in mass job cuts so far in 2023, which includes the most recent 9,000-person cut at Amazon and 2,200 cut at Indeed. Elon Musk announced new cuts at Twitter, whose payroll is down 75% in six months.

Whether the thousands of laid-off

tech workers will find employment and stay in the region remains to be seen, but the layoffs portend ripple effects on the regional economy, with slowdowns in housing and retail growth, commercial real estate leases and development projects.

The timetable has already been stretched for the massive Google office campus and related housing/commercial developments in downtown San Jose, and it remains to be seen whether high interest rates and an economic downtown will impact plans for the giant Related Santa Clara project set to begin around Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara this summer.

So, I know that there’s a problem. And I know that there are meaningful ways that we can go about solving—or working—on it.”

She suggested New Museum Los Gatos and other arts organizations could be part of this effort.

Commissioner Susan Burnett said while she supports diversity initiatives, she said she felt like the report was ideologically one-sided.

“Looking at the names, and the people involved, I didn’t see a good mix of other voices, maybe from the community…people who have lived here all of their life,” she said, suggesting that Los Gatos has already been doing a lot and that the report might go too far. “I think it’s almost overkill. I think we first need to use, and follow through, with what Los Gatos has already started to institute.”

She pointed out that the 2040 General Plan was recently passed not with the mandated “Environmental Justice” element, but with one that went further—a “Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice” element.

“We’re already making so many strides in this direction,” she said.

“I’m just saying, that when it comes to wanting funding—and a new, maybe, commission for this—I think it’s going a little too far.”

No action was taken during the meeting.

The deal for the viable remnants of Silicon Valley Bank, which became Silicon Valley Bridge Bank after the FDIC seized it, includes the purchase of about $72 billion in loans, at a discount of $16.5 billion, and the transfer of all the bank’s deposits, worth $56 billion. But roughly $90 billion in Silicon Valley Bank’s securities and other assets were not included in the sale, and remain in the FDIC’s control.

Silicon Valley Bank had roughly $175 billion in deposits before its collapse, which means panicked depositors pulled nearly $120 billion out of the bank in a week in its final days before regulators shut it down. First Citizens will be working to maintain and grow relationships and retrieve some of this money from SVB’s current and former technology-heavy client base.

POLICE BLOTTER

MARCH 19

• A mountain bike was reported stolen from a home on Winchester Circle.

MARCH 20

• Vehicles were burglarized on Massol Avenue and Bachman Avenue.

• A man was reportedly standing on top of a fence, “waving his arms” and “doing yoga poses” on Roberts Road and Serra Court at 11:46am.

• A group of juveniles reportedly sprayed ketchup on a fence on Worcester Loop.

• A caller reported their upstairs neighbor was “banging on the floor” on Oka Road at 6:55pm.

MARCH 21

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Oak Rim Way and Oak Rim Court at 2:22am.

• Public safety crews responded to various calls of trees down throughout Los Gatos.

MARCH 22

• A vehicle was burglarized on Lyndon Avenue.

• A man was arrested for battery on the 15500 block of Union Avenue at 5:03pm.

• A person who jumped into a backyard on Mitchell Avenue at 8:30pm was chased out.

MARCH 23

• A man was reportedly riding a bike with “no front tire and a flat back tire” on Loma Street at midnight.

MARCH 24

• A caller complained about the noise coming from a business on S. Santa Cruz Avenue at 12:31am.

• A man claiming to be with PG&E asked for access to a backyard on Flintridge Drive at 9:35am.

• Someone stole a wallet from a store on the 15500 block of Union Avenue.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on the 100 block of Oak Rim Court at 8:45pm.

MARCH 25

• A caller reported someone had left their vehicle plugged into a public charging station for more than a day on Los Gatos Saratoga Road.

• A woman was arrested for shoplifting on the 400 block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue at 4:45am.

• A man reportedly stared at a person and “never broke eye contact” on Vista Del Campo and Harding Avenue at 2pm.

• Someone stole a wallet from a vehicle parked on Garden Hill Drive.

• A caller claimed a driver on W. Main Street and N. Santa Cruz Avenue “was drinking a bottle of vodka and chasing with a soda” at 4:03pm.

• A stolen vehicle was recovered on the 500 block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• Five juveniles were reportedly “dancing in the street while vehicles drove around them” on N. Santa Cruz Avenue and W. Main Street at 9:59pm.

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

CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS SKYROCKET

Court decision has agencies scrambling to keep up with demand

Ben Christopher, CalMatters

Business has been booming for Ziyad “Zip” Showket, a firearms instructor in liberal Marin County—thanks to six justices on the nation’s highest court.

For two decades across four Bay Area counties, Showket has been schooling retired law enforcement officers, mall cops and the rare civilian allowed under local ordinances to carry a concealed handgun. The courses include live fire training; deep discussions about the legal, ethical and psychological consequences of taking a life in self-defense; and practical concerns, such as what to do if you have to pee while armed. (Answer: Skip the urinal and “wait for a stall.”)

Up until last year, a typical class, held every other week, would bring in four or five students—eight, at most. Residents of Marin County, historically one of the toughest places in the state to get a permit, were especially rare. The most from Marin he can recall in a single class: two. “And that was, like, bizarre.”

But this was all before June 23, 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New York state law that gave officials sweeping discretion over who gets the right to carry a concealed firearm in public.

The ruling also wiped out California’s very similar statute, along with those in half a dozen other deep blue states. Practically overnight, county sheriffs and municipal police chiefs— the officials ultimately responsible for issuing permits—were required to begin handing them out to anyone who met basic legal requirements.

Those requirements vary slightly by county. But every California applicant must be at least 18 years old, own a registered firearm, pass a criminal background check and complete a safety course run by a certified instructor.

Someone like Showket. Thus, his suddenly very busy schedule.

Since last summer, class sizes have swelled, forcing Showket to hire additional staff. He’s doubled his course offerings. Even so, the rest of this

month is booked, along with half of April, he said.

The student body has also transformed. Classrooms once dominated by trained security professionals are now filled with engineers, salespeople, electricians and other civilians.

The floodgates open

Last year’s court decision marked the most significant undercutting of California’s strictest-in-the-nation set of gun laws in at least a generation. For gun rights advocates, the ruling has been a long-awaited reprieve.

But for many Democratic state lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom, it has been cause for outrage, alarm and calls to action. They failed to pass a bill last year to limit places where concealed guns can be carried. They’re working on a new version this session, though it wouldn’t take effect until Jan. 1 at the earliest. Senate Bill 2 was set for its first committee hearing on March 28.

A very long wait

One hundred miles to the south, in the Bay Area suburb of Morgan Hill, John Lissandrello said he’d never truly considered applying for a permit to carry around his 9mm pistol until the court decision.

Like most of the Bay Area, Santa Clara County was a difficult place for the average person to get a permit without showing special need. Lissandrello—a real estate investor who lives in a safe, “very quiet” exurb south of San Jose—didn’t have one. He was also distantly aware of a pay-to-play scandal in which the former sheriff was eventually convicted of corruption for abusing her discretionary authority over concealed carry permits to award them to her political donors. Last year, a similar scandal emerged in Los Angeles County.

Plus, as a self-described political conservative, Lissandrello said he lacked much faith in either county or state government.

“I wasn’t about to waste my time trying to apply,” he said.

After the court handed down its opinion, he changed his mind, a decision as much about politics as safety.

“We’re not a big gun family, but as an American patriot, I feel it’s my right to have that ability,” he said. “I don’t even know if I would carry it.”

Even so, he paid a fee and sent in his initial application in late January and was ready for the next steps: A criminal background check, an interview with sheriff staff, a psychological

assessment and a training course of as long as 16 hours. But he said he never heard back.

Lissandrello is not the only applicant waiting in Santa Clara County. Michael Palmaffy applied for a permit on June 25, just two days after the court’s ruling. When he followed up three months later, he was told that the office was “in the process of implementing a software programming system to process and streamline applications,” according to an email exchange he shared with CalMatters.

Sgt. Michael Low, a Santa Clara sheriff’s spokesperson, confirmed that in February the office began using Permitium, a public records processing service that law enforcement agencies across the state have turned to to process concealed carry weapon applications.

Palmaffy said he was recently told to reapply through the new system. In the meantime, said Low, the office still faces “an extensive backlog of applications.”

According to a list of applications provided to CalMatters, it’s easy to see why. Between 2014 and June 22, 2022—the day before the opinion— the Santa Clara sheriff’s office received a total of just 109 applications. In the two weeks that followed, it got 132.

At least 450 more have poured in through the end of mid-February. (An additional 202 did not have dates, and the sheriff’s office did not provide an explanation for the omission.)

Other coastal counties have seen similar spikes in interest. In Santa Barbara County, the sheriff’s department approved 56 permit applications last year compared to just five the year before, according to a spokesperson. In Contra Costa County, the application rate has increased by 10-fold in the months following the decision. As of late last year, the county was sitting on a backlog of “over 1,000 applications,” according to a press release. San Francisco went from receiving one or two applications per year to nearly 100 since last June.

For now, at least, the overwhelmed agencies have received a surprisingly sympathetic ear from Chuck Michel. The president of the California Rifle & Pistol Association, the state’s National Rifle Association chapter, Michel is also a lawyer who regularly challenges the state’s restrictive gun regulations. But he cuts some slack to law enforcement officials who lack much experience with the permits.

TRAINING MATERIALS Firearms and ammunition owned by firearms instructor Ziyad “Zip” Showket are shown.

Mark Leong/CalMatters

“I’m trying to be understanding,” he said. “Imagine suddenly the DMV had a million more people showing up to renew their license.”

“By and large they’re doing what they need to do. There’s not a lot of policy resistance that I can put my finger on.”

Still, he and his legal team are waiting for this wave of applications to be processed, to see who gets denied and for what reason. That will be “the next fight,” he said.

More guns, more violence?

The debate over whether more civilians should be allowed to carry guns in public often plays out with both sides claiming to speak for the interest of public safety.

Gun rights advocates often argue that those with concealed carry permits—disproportionately former law enforcement officers and prosecutors, all subject to background checks—are less likely than the average person to break the law. Supporters of more restrictions on firearms argue that putting more guns in more hands invariably leads to more violence.

Research suggests that both arguments are likely correct.

A public health study looking at Texas crime statistics found that concealed carry permit holders were significantly less likely to be convicted of a crime than the general population. But the study had an important caveat: Permit holders were actually more likely to be convicted of some specific crimes such as murder and manslaughter.

Research led by Stanford economist John Donohue has found that when states have put less restrictive “shall issue” permitting laws in place, violent crime has tended to increase by roughly 9%.

That isn’t primarily driven by trigger-happy license holders, according to Donohue and his fellow researchers. Instead, more guns on the street result in more guns being stolen, which in turn leads to more violent crime.

The increases in crime he saw in the data “were bigger than seemed likely to be caused just by ’the good guys with the guns,’” said Donohue. “And then I started to realize: Wow, the good guys are arming the bad guys by getting their guns lost and stolen.”

Another explanation he identified for the increase in violence: More armed civilians leads to less effective policing.

“Gun carrying is like putting a tax on police,” Donohue said. “It’s just complicating their jobs, making them more cautious.”

More guns in more hands may also make them more likely to draw their own firearms. Other research has found that looser concealed carry laws are associated with more “officer-involved shootings.”

Sacramento strikes back

As gun owners across California await a fresh opportunity to exercise a newly reasserted right, Democrats in the state Capitol are racing to put guardrails around them.

The bill authored by Democratic Sen. Anthony Portantino of Glendale and championed by Gov. Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta would standardize the application process across all counties and add a few more restrictions and training requirements. Most consequentially, it would also limit where Californians can carry their concealed weapons.

Among the places on the very lengthy list of gun-free zones: Government and court buildings, health care facilities, bars plus restaurants that serve alcohol, university campuses, houses of worship, parks, zoos, museums, protests and festivals, public transit and any private business that does not explicitly welcome concealed carry weapon holders with a four-bysix inch sign.

The proposal is virtually identical to a bill that failed by a single vote in the dramatic final hours of last year’s legislative session. There’s little chance of that happening again. Last year’s version was written to go into effect immediately upon the governor’s signing, rather than on the usual Jan. 1. A bill with the “urgency clause” requires two-thirds approval. Portantino’s new bill doesn’t include that language, and so only needs a simple majority in the Legislature where Democrats outnumber Republicans three-to-one.

"It’s gonna pass, no question," he said.

Michel with the California Rifle & Pistol Association said California lawmakers can count on a legal challenge once the bill becomes law. And unlike concealed carry weapon license applicants across the state, they won’t have to wait.

“The day that is signed we’ll be in court,” he said.

This story was originally published by CalMatters.

LOS GATOS BOYS ON THE FAST TRACK

4x400 relay team has No. 1 time in CCS

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

The Los Gatos High boys 4x400 meter relay team is running for keeps this season.

The quartet of Jake Bohane, Brady Kamali, Levi Romero and Wil Brennan clocked a swift 3 minutes, 21.01 seconds in the St. Francis Invitational on March 18, easily the top time in the Central Coast Section and more impressively the No. 4 time in the state.

Just how fast can these guys go?

“Our first goal is to break the school record which is 3:18.9, and I think we’ll do that in a couple of weeks at Arcadia,” said Brennan, who runs the anchor leg. “And later at State, hopefully we’ll get down to the 3:17s and make a run there, which should be pretty exciting.”

Exciting indeed. Not only is California tops in the nation when it comes to prep track and field talent, it’s also one of just two sports—wrestling being the other— that doesn’t break up teams/individuals into different divisions for the section and State tournaments.

Meaning, if you win an event at the

CIF State Track and Field Championships, you’re the best of the best, period. That’s what makes the sport so exhilarating for an athlete like Brennan, who had a breakout season at wide receiver last fall during football season.

As intense as football is, Brennan said he gets equally pumped blazing around the oval faster than the rest of the competition.

“Nothing matches the feeling of winning a race or getting a PR [personal-record],” he said. “It’s pretty unmatched.”

And that’s exactly what the 4x400 team has been doing, both collectively and individually. All four relay members have hit PRs this season in the open 400 meter run. Romero has a personal-best of 48.84 (No. 1 in the CCS), Brennan a 49.22 (No. 3), Kamali a 50.55 (No. 6) and Bohane a 51.65 (No. 16).

It’s easily conceivable that Romero and Brennan could finish 1-2 in the CCS Finals in late May. Before the season started, a top two finish for Brennan was the expectation given he was the runner-up in the Championships last year.

A couple of races in, Romero has that same expectation. His 48.84 is nearly three seconds faster than his best from

last season, a 51.17. That type of improvement for a short-mid distance event like the 400 represents a huge improvement.

Brennan saw it coming all the way. Track athletes who come to the sport later tend to see a huge jump from year one to year two, which is exactly how things have played out for Romero.

“This is our first off-season of Levi and I training together,” Brennan said. “Since football season ended, I’ve witnessed his progression and his times getting closer to me. I saw him making the same jump this year I did last year so I just knew our 4x400 would be insane this year.”

As two of the three fastest in the 400 this season—Serra’s Parker Harrison being the other—Brennan and Romero are in the unique position of being teammates and possibly finishing 1-2 in the CCS Finals.

“It adds a little bit of pressure having your teammate being the main competitor every race, but I love it,” Brennan said. “We’re boys. He gets PRs, I get PRs, we’re going to be pushing each other every race and practice as well. I think it’s a great thing for both of us.”

More recently, Brennan (22.18) and Romero (22.21) nailed PRs in the 200,

and rank No. 4 and 5, respectively, in the CCS.

Kamali, who is coming off a tremendous soccer season in which he earned the SCVAL El Camino Division Offensive MVP award, also has the No. 5 mark in the high jump, clearing 6 feet, 1 inch in a league meet vs. Lynbrook on March 2.

The versatility of being a top 400 runner and high jumper is a testament to Kamali’s athletic ability.

“I spend time on both, but definitely focusing on the sprints a little more because of the potential of the 4x400 team,” he said. “At this point, it’s hard to gain a lot of strength [for the high jump], but I can work on my run up and jumping ability for sure.”

Before the season started, Kamali was eager to see who could fill the fourth spot on the relay team, as he, Brennan and Romero all returned. In came Bohane, whose improvement has been nothing short of spectacular. Bohane has shaved nearly five seconds off his previous best from last year’s 56.03.

“I was ecstatic for what Jake has done this year,” Kamali said. “I came in not knowing who that fourth guy would be, and when I saw his time I was pumped. He was just what this 4x400 team needed.”

Kamali said he’s proud of the team because they’re posting times with relay teams that are traditionally the state’s fastest, schools that are known for their sprinting.

“All the other 4x400 teams that are ranked super high, they’re ranked there every year,” Kamali said. “But we kind of came out of nowhere. That’s what’s unique and special about this team. We happened to get lucky that all these guys came at the same time and we’re going to try to take advantage of it as much as we can.”

Outside of pure talent, relay races are won on the three baton exchanges. That’s where a squad can either extend a lead or make up a deficit, more so in the 4x100 but still important in the 4x400. Kamali credits the Los Gatos sprints coach for helping elevate their performance.

“The most important part of the exchange is building chemistry with the guys who you’re exchanging with,” Kamali said. “So for me, it’s Jake and Levi and generally knowing what their pace is going to be. It’s critical.”

FANTASTIC 4 Jake Bohane, Brady Kamali, Levi Romero and Wil Brennan make up the Los Gatos boys 4x400 meter relay team that has posted the No. 1 time in the CCS and No. 4 time in the state.

Jonathan Natividad

NICOLE STEINER KNOWS HOW TO THROW IT

LGHS girls track and field flourishing

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

When Nicole Steiner unleashed a throw of 41 feet, 6 ½ inches—the top mark in the Central Coast Section this season—in the St. Francis Invitational on March 18, she admitted it wasn’t her most technically sound effort.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of technique. It was just getting up there and chucking the ball,” the Los Gatos High sophomore said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of form there. But hitting that mark was so exciting.”

The Los Gatos coaches must be salivating at the potential throws Steiner can unleash as her technique continues to develop. Spending most of her time with volleyball and then basketball, Steiner has little time to devote to track and field. However, she makes the most of the time she does have in the sport.

“I think now that I’m not doing softball anymore, I’ve been able to go to [track and field] practice a lot more and my form is getting a lot smoother,” Steiner said. “I still have a lot of room to grow with Kent.”

Working with throws coach Kent Cappen, Steiner said she wants to hone in on a couple of technical aspects to the shot put, which makes a huge difference in how far an athlete can throw it. Steiner said she needs to get her body more into the throws and not be so arm dominant.

“I need to stay back and use my hips and whole body to get behind the ball,” she said. “I’m also trying to get the spin down and if I do that, I think that can help a lot.”

Steiner plays for Vision’s 16U Gold volleyball team and was around the Spokane area for a club volleyball

tournament March 24-26. The first couple of months of the club volleyball season are particularly busy and the travel can be downright exhausting.

Three weeks earlier, Steiner was in Kansas City for a premier showcase tournament. She’ll be traveling yet again for another tournament in the first weekend of April, meaning she’ll miss the highly competitive Stanford Track and Field Invitational.

After that, though, Steiner will be able to focus on track and field where she has her sights set on making the podium for the CIF State Championships. She has the No. 3 mark in the state and is optimistic she can go 42 feet or beyond by the time of the CCS Finals in late May.

“I still think I can keep going up because there’s definitely parts of my form that aren’t good that I can improve on,” said Steiner, who also hit a PR of 110-6 in the discus earlier this season.

Steiner is part of a girls team that has several other standouts. That includes Sophie Tau, who has the third best time in the section in the 3200 meter run; Abigail Lo, who has the fourth best mark in the triple jump; Emma Arbitaylo, who has the sixth fastest time in the 200; and Hannah Slover, the defending state champion in the high jump.

Arbitaylo, a sophomore, is also a part of the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams that have the fourth fastest times in the CCS. Arbitaylo teamed with Janie Marie Vidovich, Bridget Moore and Jeanette Li for the 4x100 that went 51.03 in the Lynbrook Invitational on March 25.

In the same meet, Arbitaylo, Li, Vanessa Leathem and Sarina Salzer-Swartz posted their fastest time of 4:14.78 in the 4x400 relay race.

THROWER Nicole Steiner, seen here throwing the shot put last season, unleashed a PR of 41 feet, 6 ½ inches in the St. Francis Invitational March 18, putting her atop the CCS rankings and No. 3 in the state.

LOCAL SCENE

SUMMIT LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FUNDRAISING EVENT WITH GUEST SPEAKERS

The Summit League will host its biennial fundraising event, “A Day in the Garden with Friends,” at the Villa Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga on June 1.

Guest speaker and award-winning journalist Maria Shriver will be featured in conversation with NBC Bay Area News anchor Jessica Aguirre. The day’s events will also include a curated shopping experience and al fresco luncheon. The primary beneficiary of this year’s event is Pursuit of Excellence-South Bay.

Summit League members and local philanthropists, Gretchen DiNapoli and Liz Ferrari are co-chairing the day. Tickets, sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are available now at summit-league.org.

Summit League is a longstanding local nonprofit women’s organization committed to supporting local community needs in the areas of education, health, welfare and the arts.

Pursuit of Excellence-South Bay (POE-South Bay) provides financial support and mentorship to disadvantaged Bay Area students pursuing advanced education. Each student is paired with a volunteer mentor, often an adult familiar with the major the student has chosen, who will coach the student throughout their college career. Ninety-eight percent of POESouth Bay funds go directly to support student scholarships as this is an all-volunteer organization, with no salaries or office expenses.

Maria Shriver is a mother of four, an Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist, a seven-time New York Times best-selling author, an NBC News Special Anchor, the founder of Shriver Media, and co-founder of the mission-driven brain health and wellness brand, MOSH. She also founded the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM), which in February 2022 joined forces with the Cleveland Clinic to become WAM at Cleveland Clinic, where Shriver now also serves as a Strategic Partner for Women’s Health and Alzheimer’s.

Jessica Aguirre is the 5, 6 and 11pm

evening anchor at NBC Bay Area News and an Emmy award-winning journalist. She has been a primetime, evening anchor, in the Bay Area for more than 20 years. Her devotion to local charities has her routinely speaking in the Bay Area on topics including education, gender equity and minority advancement in the workplace.

LOS GATOS HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES INDUCTEES

The Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame will hold its 18th Induction Ceremony on May 6 at La Rinconada Country Club.

This year’s inductees are: Jack Anti (Class of 1931), Dick Whiteman (1951), Bob McArthur (1964), Jeff Robinson (1975), Karen Freedman Thompson (1978), A.J. Matthews (1982), Samantha Copenhaver Van Devender (1983), Virginia Fritsch (2003) and Kiko Alonso (2008).

The reception begins at 5pm, followed by the dinner at 6:45pm and ceremony at 8pm.

➝ tinyurl.com/2023lghshalloffame.

VITALITY BOWLS CAFÉ ANNOUNCES NEW OWNERSHIP

Vitality Bowls in Los Gatos recently announced that the superfood café is under new ownership.

Local entrepreneur Ranjith Kumar has been named as the café’s new owner and operator. The news comes as the café celebrates a milestone four years of serving acai bowls, smoothies, wraps, salads and more to the Los Gatos community.

“We are thrilled to breathe new life into the café during such a monumental time,” Kumar said. “For four years, Vitality Bowls has shared its health and wellness mission to local residents through delicious, clean and nutritious foods. It is an honor to play a role in the revitalization of the café and I’m excited to serve nutritional, allergy-friendly offerings to the community for more years to come. Local residents will continue to enjoy tasty, nutritious meals that they can feel good about, while also supporting a small business that was born right here in Northern California.”

Vitality Bowls offers made-to-order meals, such as the Dragon Bowl (fea-

turing pitaya, mango juice, coconut milk, bananas, pineapple and raspberries) and their signature Vitality Bowl (with organic açaí, bananas, strawberries and organic hemp granola).

In addition to açaí bowls and smoothies, the brand features a menu that includes salads, grain bowls, wraps and toasts.

There are currently more than 130 Vitality Bowls locations open or in development across the United States. ➝ vitalitybowls.com/locations /los-gatos.

ROBINSON RECEIVES DEGREE FROM GEORGIA TECH

Joseph Robinson of Los Gatos earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

Robinson was among 5,620 undergraduate and graduate students to be presented Georgia Tech degrees during the Institute's 263rd Commencement exercises in December.

Georgia Tech offers business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts and sciences degrees.

FOOD AND CONVERSATION The Summit League will host its fundraising event, “A Day in the Garden with Friends” in Saratoga on June 1.

MONITOR: COUNTY DROUGHT-FREE

Drought, from page 1

we out of the drought?’ Mostly but not completely,” Newsom said.

After three months of extremely wet weather that lashed the state with nearly 20 major storms, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is now roughly 228% of average and most reservoirs are at or above their historical averages for this time of year. Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos stands at 95% of capacity, according to Valley Water data.

In response, Newsom signed an executive order eliminating more than 50 of the 81 drought emergency provisions that he enacted in April 2021, including the 15% statewide voluntary water conservation goal and the requirement that roughly 450 local water agencies enact their own drought emergency plans.

“Today’s announcements from Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s leadership regarding the drought and increased water supply is welcome news in Santa Clara County,” Valley Water Board Chair John L. Varela said. “Based on these announcements, our staff plans to bring recommendations to our Board of Directors related

to the existing water conservation rules for Santa Clara County.”

In June 2021, Valley Water declared a water shortage emergency condition in Santa Clara County and called for water use reduction of 15% compared to 2019. In May 2022, the board adopted a program to enforce restrictions on outdoor water use by residents and businesses.

In September, the board voted to enforce the state’s ban against watering decorative lawns on commercial, industrial and institutional properties. The state’s ban against watering decorative lawns on these properties remains in effect.

“I would like to thank Governor Newsom for his leadership throughout the drought,” Varela said. “We stand in solidarity with the governor in asking our residents to make water conservation a way of life. With climate change, we know droughts will become more frequent and more severe in the future.

“I would also like to thank all our residents, businesses and farmers who took steps during the past three years

to reduce their water use. Your actions made a difference in helping us navigate through some record-dry years.”

While the 15% conservation goal was in place, Californians saved roughly 600,000 acre-feet of water, which is enough to supply water to 1.2 million households for a year.

At the same time, the governor noted that the state's climate is changing and “weather whiplash” is resulting in periods of extremely hot and dry conditions followed by periods of extremely wet conditions, which means water conservation is still key to ensuring reliable long-term water supplies.

Also, the Klamath River Basin in far Northern California and the Colorado River Basin, which supplies water to millions of Southern California residents, remain mired in drought.

“The conditions have radically changed throughout the state, but not enough in places like Klamath and around the Colorado River Basin to call for the end of the drought in California,” Newsom said.

With that in mind, many of the drought rules will remain in effect, including a provision that requires large institutions and businesses to refrain from watering ornamental lawns, as well as a prohibition on using water to clean sidewalks and driveways.

Also, the rules allowing California water managers to more easily release water from reservoirs for the purpose of recharging the state's severely overpumped and depleted groundwater basins were not eliminated.

“So this is a good news moment,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, who also attended March 24’s news conference. “Those storms have brought record amounts of water into our state in the form of rain and snow and that means we are in much better condition with our water supply than we were in the fall.”

Crowfoot also announced that the state Department of Water Resources (DWR) on March 24 increased the amount of water allocations coming out of the State Water Project from 35% of requested supplies—set in February—to 75%.

The allocations will bring an additional 1.7 million acre feet to the 29 public water agencies that draw from the State Water Project to serve 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland in the Bay Area, Central Valley, Northern California and the Central Coast.

DWR will also release water from the San Luis Reservoir in Merced County to any water contractor that has the ability to store it, since that reservoir is now nearly entirely full.

“California continues to experience weather whiplash, going from extreme drought to at least 19 atmospheric rivers since late December,” DWR director Karla Nemeth said in a news release. “It really demonstrates that in times of plenty, we need to move as much water into storage as is feasible.”

In addition to the State Water Project allocation increases, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation increased deliveries in February to 75% of historical usage, up from just 25% last year, from the Central Valley Project, the state’s other water storage and delivery backbone.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly half of the state is drought-free, including the entirety of Santa Clara County.

The monitor, which can be found at droughtmonitor.unl.edu, is produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

WELCOME SIGHT Lexington Reservoir is shown approaching its spillway on Jan. 15. Currently, the reservoir is nearly at capacity.

Tarmo Hannula

New Almaden offers insights into 19th century life

Larry Sokoloff, Bay City News

Early spring is an ideal time to visit Almaden Quicksilver County Park and the adjacent village of New Almaden, for the wildflowers and a reminder of the region’s 19th century history. The 4,000-acre park is set against the mountains that mark San Jose’s southern edge between Los Gatos and Almaden Valley.

Starting in the mid-19th century, the area was home to mines that extracted mercury, aka quicksilver, a key ingredient for processing gold and silver. Many old buildings are still standing, and visitors to the park can learn more about the history from signs and pictures on its trails.

Mercury is toxic, of course, and at least one sign warns visitors not to eat fish in surging Alamitos Creek.

New Almaden, which was once home to several thousand residents, today is much smaller in size. It con-

tains many wood houses and buildings from the mining era, including a church and a former hotel that now houses a top-rated restaurant.

If you follow Almaden Road 11 miles north, you’ll end up in downtown San Jose, where high rises house such tech companies as Adobe and Zoom.

New Almaden, in contrast, is a world away. It’s a quiet national historic district, and signs encourage traffic to slow down to 25 miles per hour.

It’s a tight-knit small community.

Despite the traffic calming signs, there isn’t a lot of space for pedestrians to walk along Almaden Road to view the history of New Almaden. It’s much easier to walk inside the park.

On Almaden Road, check out five cottages from the 19th century, including some from the 1840s, which are still inhabited today. The cottages all have plaques in front, telling a little of the history. One plaque, for the

Hauck House, explains that the red brick sidewalk in front of the cottages “was constructed so that children could walk to Hacienda School without muddying their shoes.”

The mining district’s history is preserved in the two-story Casa Grande mansion, home to the New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum at 21350 Almaden Road. The building dates from 1854 and was home to mine superintendents and their guests. The building is currently closed while power and HVAC upgrades are being made. It should reopen by mid-April.

Visitors to New Almaden can also see an old Catholic church, walk on one-lane bridges and dine on French cuisine at the creekside La Foret Restaurant. It’s open for dinner and Sunday brunch, and has a menu featuring such items as escargot, quail and elk. The restaurant is located at 21747 Bertram Road.

Outdoor enthusiasts can park at the Hacienda lot for the Almaden Quicksilver County Park. The parking lot was full on a recent Saturday morning at 10am, but half-empty a few hours later. It’s surrounded by plaques with more information about the area’s history. One plaque and marker honors New Almaden’s most famous son, NFL player Patrick Tillman, who died serving his country in Afghanistan in 2004.

The county park has more than 37 miles of hiking trails, as well as bike and equestrian trails. Expect to see wild turkeys and deer. Leashed dogs are allowed on some trails. Parking is available at three lots including Hacienda in New Almaden, Mockingbird Hill and Wood Road. There are numerous picnic tables scattered throughout Almaden Quicksilver County Park.

THROUGH HISTORY The New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum is located in the historic Casa Grande mansion.

Larry Sokoloff

HORTICULTURE FORCING EARLY BLOOM EVEN EARLIER

Tony Tomeo, Contributor

Some of the earliest of spring flowers are done blooming. More are just beginning. Then, a few early spring flowers barely qualify as early. Their fresh color is especially pleasing after such an atypically wintry winter. Many are delightful cut flowers. A few that bloom on bare deciduous stems are conducive to forcing. Even the earliest bloom could be earlier.

Bare stems are simpler and less wasteful to force to bloom than bulbs and potted plants. Most bulbs and some potted plants do not survive long after forcing. Dormant deciduous plants easily replace a few forceable stems. Forcing such stems is as simple as bringing cut flowers into a home. The difference is that it is premature, immediately prior to bloom.

Flower buds on dormant deciduous stems begin to swell during warming spring weather. Such stems are ready for forcing when these floral buds are about to pop open. Ideally, a bit of floral color should be visible through some of the bud scales. A few flowers may be blooming. Collective bloom accelerates within the warmth of a home interior after cutting.

Flowering but fruitless counterparts of popular fruit trees are some of the best for forcing. These include but are not limited to flowering cherry, plum, apricot and other stone fruits. Flowering pomme fruit trees, such as quince, crabapple and pear are almost as popular. Related fruiting stone and pome fruit trees are as conducive to forcing, but not as garish.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with simpler bloom. Some fancy flowering cherry trees bloom with single white flowers like fruiting cherries. However, cutting stems from fruiting trees decreases fruit production. With a bit of planning, dormant pruning can allow a few undesirable stems to remain. These stems are then available for cutting and forcing later.

Witch hazel cultivars are exemplary for forcing, but are done blooming. Flowering quince and forsythia are now finishing within most climates. Redbud, lilac, wisteria and perhaps weigela are still conducive to forcing. Dogwood and

CALENDAR

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

‘THE LIGHTNING THIEF’

Los Gatos High School, 20 High School Court, will present “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” March 30, 31 and April 1.

➝ lghs.net/news/what_s_new/ spring_musical_2023.

SPRING WINE WALK

Tickets are now on sale for the Spring Wine Walk, held by the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce on April 22 from 1-4pm. Dozens of local wineries will set up shop in downtown Los Gatos to offer samples.

➝ bit.ly/42eXBGa.

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.

deciduous magnolia can perform as well if humidity is not too minimal. So should some acacias, although their fragrance and pollen may be distasteful.

Highlight: flowering quince

Flowering crabapples are the same genus as fruiting crabapples. Flowering cherries are the same genus as fruiting cherries. Flowering quince, Chaenomeles spp., though, is not the same genus as fruiting quince. Available cultivars are generally floriferous but sterile hybrids. Only four basic species produce small fruit that are good for little more than jelly.

They bloom magnificently though, on bare stems, prior to foliation. Profusion of bloom is comparable to that of flowering crabapple and flowering cherry. It begins early enough to finish before some flowering cherries begin. Flowering crabapples start even later. Floral color ranges from bright white to deep red. This includes orangish pink and orangish red.

Unlike flowering cherry trees and flowering crabapple trees, flowering quince is shrubby. The largest might grow no higher than 10 feet, with irregular branch structure. Some old cultivars are thorny. Modern cultivars are more compact, shaplier and thornless. Younger trunks should methodically replace older trunks. Pruning can happen after spring bloom.

LOS GATOS HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

The Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame will hold its 18th Induction Ceremony on May 6 at La Rinconada Country Club. This year’s inductees are: Jack Anti (Class of 1931), Dick Whiteman (1951), Bob McArthur (1964), Jeff Robinson (1975), Karen Freedman Thompson (1978), A.J. Matthews (1982), Samantha Copenhaver Van Devender (1983), Virginia Fritsch (2003) and Kiko Alonso (2008). The reception begins at 5pm, followed by the dinner at 6:45pm and ceremony at 8pm.

➝ tinyurl.com/2023lghshalloffame.

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.

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.

Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

MAGNIFICENT Flowering quince blooms prior to foliation.

identity + strategy + design

REAL ESTATE HOME OF THE WEEK

COUNTRY CLUB LIVING

This remodeled two-story home, built in 1956, is located in the La Rinconada Country Club.

Located at 14734 La Rinconada Drive in Los Gatos, the 3,175-squarefoot home includes three bedrooms, a full bathroom and two half-bathrooms.

The living room features an oak hardwood flooring, vaulted ceiling and gas fireplace. The kitchen is equipped with two Thermador ovens and warming drawer, an apron sink,

Bosch dishwasher, island with prep sink and seating, and two pantries. The dining room also has a temperature-controlled wine room.

Outside, the property features a patio, pergola and fountain. A guest house at the rear comes with an attached one-car garage and separate entrance.

The home is listed at $4.3 million by Compass. For information, visit bit. ly/40bB2AK.

LA RINCONADA DRIVE This Los Gatos home has been remodeled. Compass

INSIDE Vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors are staples of the living room.

Free post-rainstorm drain inspections for West Valley homes and businesses

Blockages and over ows, shifting soils can stress underground plumbing systems. Clogs and blockages can ood your yard and home.

Storm drains may need video inspection, hydro jetting or repairs to prepare for next series of weather events. Call