Los Gatan 5-10-2023

LOS GATOS CONSIDERS UPDATES TO TRAFFICRELATED FEES FOR DEVELOPERS

Town basing levies on ‘Vehicle Miles

Traveled’

Drew Penner, Reporter Council got its first chance to go over changes the Town is considering making to its traffic-related development fee structure, last week, and members were quite surprised at some of the details.

The Traffic Impact Policy was introduced in 1991 and the current version is based on how many Average Daily Trips new builds would add to Los Gatos—charging $1,015 more each time one is added.

That works out to 9.44 trips per single-family residence ($9,581.60), for example.

There’s been a shift in the urban planning world to a new method of calculating how much to levy on developers to cover the increased transportation burden their projects will bring: Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT).

Some jurisdictions have embraced VMT as a way to wean themselves off a reliance on gas taxes.

The U.S. Department of Transportation notes that if you can decrease VMT (per capita), you’ll not only improve air quality, but you’ll also boost the overall health of the population.

➝ Traffic, 6

LOCAL STUDENT DEBUTS FILM ON DANGERS OF FENTANYL

‘Fentanyl High’ to be screened May 16 with panel discussion

Staff Report

Los Gatos High School junior Kyle Angelo Santoro will debut his film, “Fentanyl High: The Truth Behind the High School Epidemic,” with a panel discussion and screening on May 16.

“Fentanyl High” is a documentary for the high school communities of the Bay Area, researched and directed by Santoro. Shot from the perspective and experiences of high school students in Santa Clara County, the documentary focuses on Fentanyl poisoning and how it gets into the hands of youth through social media.

➝ Fentanyl, 4

SOCIAL EVENT Attendees sample the variety of food at the garden event, Grow: a Springtime Sisterhood Social & Fundraiser, held at Lisa and Charlie Matar’s home in Monte Sereno on May 7. Invited guests enjoyed tea and champagne, farm fresh plant-based culinary treats and a table talk with Lisa Matar, founder of Health Bear Foods, Chris Laughlin, farmer and founder of Sea-to-Sky Farms, and Johanna Mahal, Philanthropy Director of Opportunity International. Moderated by Stefanie Lingle Beasley, co-founder, and partner at Beasley McCusker PR, the three featured female speakers shared how they got their start in farming, food creation and philanthropy, and how they are interconnected in their desires to make the world a better place through sustainable practices of earth stewardship, planet-based, low carbon dietary options and climate resilience programs for global farmers living in ultra poverty.

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REAL ESTATE ADVERTISING NOTICE

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

Kiwanis hand out scholarships

Ten graduating seniors from Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools received $1,500 Turnaround Scholarships at the Los Gatos Kiwanis Club’s annual awards luncheon on May 4. The LGHS recipients are Noah Jung, Sadie Dewhirst, Clare McNamara, Danica Radityo, Olivia Galatea, Dennis Birger, Eowyn Frazer-Newcomb and Gillian Pearce. The SHS recipients are Dylan Olson and Shreya Rallabandi. The scholarships are awarded to students who have risen above difficult circumstances and turned their lives around in a positive way.

STUDENTS RAISE AWARENESS OF DRUG

According to the California Department of Health, fentanyl-related deaths in Santa Clara County have jumped from 25 in 2019 to 125 in 2021, a 500% increase. A CalMatters article in December 2022 reported that “fentanyl was responsible for 1 in 5 deaths among 15- to 24-year-old Californians in 2021.”

The film features stories by parents who have lost teens to fentanyl poisoning, including Brennan Mullin and Jan Blom, interviews with Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, Los Gatos High School Principal Kevin Buchanan, Santa Clara County Fire Captain Tristen Hensley, Los Gatos High students and teachers, and others.

“I am making this film to inspire teens to save their own lives and those of their friends, their sisters, brothers or family members,” Santoro said. “I hope teens will ask themselves, ‘How can I be a better friend? How can I save a friend’s life?’”

To accompany the film, Santoro and his production company LC2 Productions are working with the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and

Song for Charlie to design a county-wide campaign that includes a customized study guide for “Fentanyl High,” as well as a social media “One Pill Kills” public service campaign that targets every parent in the county. Organizers behind this effort hope to educate more teens and their parents about the dangers of fake pills and to spread the word about the many public library Narcan pickup centers throughout Santa Clara County to mitigate and reduce the potential Fentanyl poisoning deaths of teens in the Bay Area.

“The Fentanyl epidemic is devastating the lives and well-being of teens across America,” said Joseph Lonergan, a junior at Los Gatos High School who acts in the film. “Fentanyl is tearing apart families and destroying communities, leaving an emotional toll on everyone.”

“We need to be aware about the current Fentanyl crisis in high schools and among the youth,” Los Gatos High School sophomore Ashton Ross said. “Fentanyl is contentiously ending lives as they begin. Awareness can change this.”

Katy Hawk, an actress in the film and a senior at Los Gatos High School, agreed.

“The Fentanyl epidemic across the globe is simply happening due to lack of knowledge,” she said. “Majority of teens being exposed to Fentanyl aren’t even aware that it is in the drug they are taking. Education is powerful. It is better to be educated and safe than uncertain and at risk.”

Santoro’s passion for filmmaking ignited in July 2021 when he filmed a two-minute short about the homeless on the back streets and hidden alleys of San Francisco. Within months, he was getting calls to shoot and edit sports reels for high school and collegiate athletes and sports tournaments all over the Bay Area. By mid-sophomore year, Santoro started his own film production company, LC2 Productions. Since then, he has been commissioned to shoot the “MOSAIC DEI Curriculum Series” for the entire student body for his high school, the annual LGHS Lip Dub music video, PSAs for local nonprofits, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department and Town of Los Gatos.

“Fentanyl High” will be screened May 16 from 6:30-7:15pm at the Los Gatos High School Theater, 20 High School Court, followed by a panel discussion at 7:30pm. The event is free, but reservations are required. For information, visit fentanylhigh.com.

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Fentanyl, from page 1

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WINS INCREASE IN FUNDING FROM COUNCIL

Town increases annual amount to $88,000 to drive economic growth

Drew Penner, Reporter

Over the past several years under the leadership of Executive Director Catherine Somers, the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce has become a vital cog in the community’s economic engine.

It’s funded self-guided walking tours, produced informational brochures, hosted meetings for merchants, and created a Santa Cruz Mountains winery map—among many other activities.

Local and out-of-town guests stop by its offices each day for information on current events.

COUNCIL MULLS FEE STRUCTURE

Traffic, from page 1

It points to a 2004 study out of Atlanta, Ga. that found every extra hour someone spent in a car led to a 6 percent increase in obesity risk.

California has tied VMT to environmentalism, and it has become a key metric in looking at how to reduce roadway congestion and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.

But for Los Gatos, how it integrates VMT into its planning will directly affect how much money it has on hand to deal with the problems that will inevitably crop up on the roads, bike paths and sidewalks as the community continues to grow.

In 2020, the Town switched to using VMT figures in the Traffic Impact Policy. But it has yet to update the fee structure.

That’s what Council was investigating during its regularly scheduled May 2 meeting, clearly weighing the effect each rate adjustment could have on encouraging or blocking construction.

What it boils down to, according to Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Director Nicolle Burnham, is the Town must update these fees if it wants to realize its municipal planning dreams.

“This Town has adopted a pretty ambitious program for transportation improvements,” she said, noting there will be plenty of education needed to explain why the status-quo isn’t considered good enough anymore. “Tonight is really our first ‘dipping our toe in the water’ of outreach.”

Los Gatos turned to DKS Associates in 2022 to undertake a “nexus study” to help it figure out how to develop a reasonable relationship between new development and desired public projects.

There are two components to Los Gatos’ draft Traffic Impact Program—a Transportation Improvement Fee, to collect funds for things like roads, bridges and signal lights, and a VMT Reduction Fee, which would bring in revenue to be put towards reducing the amount people drive (this could mean charging for parking to fund bike lanes or sidewalks).

Here, however, the ongoing referendum campaign that has reverted the density regulations in the adopted 2040 General Plan (to the levels in the prior plan)—for the time being—managed to rear its head, once more.

Planners had been in the middle of developing the new development fee policy when the referendum proponents energized anti-growth forces in town, suspending the Community Design and Land Use elements until residents have their chance to vote directly on these guiding documents.

Burnham explained that staff chose to stick with the 2040 General Plan projections, stating that fees would actually be higher if the referendum succeeds.

Los Gatos has $192 million-worth of transportation infrastructure it wants to build.

That includes Blossom Hill Road and Union Avenue intersection improvements, Los Gatos Boulevard widening (Samaritan Drive to Camino Del Sol) including new sidewalks and bike lanes, a Winchester Boulevard and Lark Avenue intersection upgrade, and a new pedestrian and cyclist path as well as a bridge for the Highway 9 / Los Gatos Creek Trail connector.

Los Gatos thinks it can get $149 million from grants and other sources.

So, that leaves $43 million that it still has to come up with.

Staff explained that the maximum a single-family home builder could be charged under the proposed fee structure would be $36,090.

“What do we have the appetite for as a Town?” she asked. “You can adopt different levels.”

Commercial would actually see a reduction, because these developers would get credit for “pass-by” trips, where motorists don’t actually enter certain properties, she added (a drop from $2.1 million to $1.1 million for about 40,000 square feet of retail).

Councilmember Rob Rennie noted that there’s a lot of uncertainty with the projections, since if just one item on the list changes, that could totally change the entire plan.

He pointed to the Highway 17 / Highway 9 congestion improvement project—which currently features a $111 million price tag alongside $100 million-worth of grants.

Burnham said that project seems like it’s going to for sure happen.

COUNCIL DISCUSSES

Councilmember Matthew Hudes suggests to outgoing Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Catherine Somers that Los Gatos could become more well-known as a wedding destination, during the regularlyscheduled May 2 Town Council meeting.

Councilmember Matthew Hudes struck a familiar chord when he asked whether the estimates were based on the total possible build-out figures (the ones focused on by referendum supporters) or the probable development numbers used in the 2040 General Plan.

The DKS rep, appearing over Zoom, said they relied on the numbers in the General Plan as a “reasonable estimate.”

Councilmember Rob Moore worried that the rates proposed for multi-family units are so high they’d prevent affordable housing from being built.

“If I’m a developer and I see this sheet, I’m going to cross Los Gatos off my list,” he said, sharing a back-of-the-envelope calculation that a standard 50-unit development would see a-quarter-million-dollars in traffic fees. “I think that this would be a big constraint.”

This turned out to be the rare landuse matter where he found common ground with Vice Mayor Mary Badame.

“I just don’t know where to go with these fees,” she said, suggesting a credit program for deed-restricted housing.

“We’re just kind of all over the board.”

Mayor Maria Ristow explained she sees this exercise as a balancing act.

“We certainly don’t want to set barriers,” she said, while noting that someone has to foot the bill for proper transportation infrastructure so traffic isn’t a nightmare. “If nobody has to pay for it, then we don’t get it.”

Staff said they would incorporate the feedback received from Council into tweaks they’ll make to the plan in the coming weeks.

Drew Penner / Los Gatan

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COMMUNITY MEMBERS TEST DISASTER RESPONSE CAPABILITIES

Lorraine Hepworth, Contributor

What do you do when a 7.2 magnitude quake tears through the heart of your community? That’s what more than 50 Los Gatos locals had to grapple with on Saturday, as authorities and volunteers gathered for a natural disaster drill.

The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department-organized Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training exercise unfolded from 10am-2pm at the Almond Grove Incident Command Post, located on Lyndon Avenue by the MINT gym and St. Mary’s Church.

It was part of an ongoing effort to educate the public on best practices to use in serious situations.

Organizers hope getting more people to participate in scenarios like the earthquake drill will make Los Gatans more resilient and capable of assisting family members, neighbors, and those most vulnerable, when the worst happens. People of all ages, including Boy Scout Troop 539 members took part this time. The oldest volunteer, age 86, handled onsite registration, check-in and sign-out.

The rain didn’t stop the dozens of CERTs and additional volunteers who attended the drill. It began with a test “AlertSCC” notification to all participating CERTs, which stated there’d been an earthquake rating 7.2 on the Richter scale which had caused significant damage. It directed participants to report into the Lyndon Avenue ICP.

Signs representing incidents like downed power lines and trees (a frequent hazard during recent winter storms), gas leaks, mass casualty, road closures, landslides, fires, serious injury, flooding, etc. were set up the evening before at businesses and residences throughout a square mile of downtown.

Three volunteer cyclists who arrived were assigned to ride around assigned areas and report over radio airwaves on what they found. Others set up registration, communications, hospitality, medical treatment and operations areas, as we began to assess the scale of the “damage.” To supplement the local ICP, the Town’s CERT trailer—which is fully equipped with emergency supplies— was brought in.

When reports came in from the cyclists, field teams were dispatched to further investigate the scenarios and report back on their radios. This allowed organizers to test new forms and processes, and to practice triage.

The most serious incidents were communicated via ham radio to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). It was manned by trained operators who received the incident information. In a real emergency they would provide the information directly to the EOC staff, so they could allocate needed resources to a reported incident.

The Lions Club brought their equipment and organized a barbecue. Los Gatos Meats and Smokehouse donated

the meat, and the Lions Club dished up a tasty barbecue to end the exercise.

St. Mary’s helped provide chairs, trash cans and restrooms. It was a community effort working together to prepare for this event. Guiding principles included personal safety first, the buddy system, teamwork, and seeking the greatest good for the greatest number in the shortest amount of time.

There are CERT programs all over the country. In Santa Clara County, volunteers can attend a nine-week course put on by the fire department. CERTs also work with registered volunteers in times of disasters and emergencies.

The drills also help locals be ready to work alongside first responders effectively during emergencies and natural disasters. Local officials remind people to stock their own homes with water, food and grab bags, in case they’re required to survive without outside resources for a few days.

The next CERT Academy will be a Zoom and in-person hybrid training, June through August, with an in-person academy to be held in September. Los Gatos-Monte Sereno CERT officials say they’re thankful to everyone who participated in the earthquake drill.

For information visit losgatosca. gov/128/CERT.

BE PREPARED Volunteers and first responders ran through what to do in the case of an earthquake on Saturday as part of a police-organized Community Emergency Response Team drill.

Photo courtesy of Lorraine Hepworth

Santa

LGHS GIRLS SET RECORDS

Karly Frangieh in the fast lane

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

There might not be enough superlatives to describe what Karly Frangieh and the Los Gatos High girls swimming team did in the Central Coast Section Championships May 5-6 at Hollister High.

Record-breaking, superb, fast and spectacular are some of the words that come to mind as the Wildcats finished a program-best second place in the team standings in what is arguably Northern California’s top section for high school swimming.

No other section besides the North Coast Section (NCS) boasts the times CCS swimmers produce on a yearly basis. Frangieh, a junior, blazed to glory in winning the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute, 49.88 seconds, and taking third in the 100 free in 50.84 seconds.

Not only are both times All-American Consideration (AAC) marks, Frangieh set personal and school records in the process. She also led the

girls 200- and 400 free relay teams that set school records. Four races, four PRs, four records, three All-American Consideration marks.

Yeah, not a bad day in the pool for Frangieh and her Los Gatos teammates. When it was all over, Frangieh got to bask in the fruits of her labor and celebrate with her teammates, friends and family members.

“The first thing you think of is all the work you put into swimming,” she said. “The morning practices, getting up at 5am before school, workouts after school, always swimming. And it all kind of pays off because you put so much work into it which is really fun. To get second overall as a team, which has never happened before in Los Gatos history, was amazing to be a part of.”

The 400 free relay team of Frangieh, Katy Hawk, Ava Taylor and Kiana Koechlin was second in an AAC 3:29.92. Frangieh had the second fastest split time, at 51.15. The 200 free relay team of Frangieh, Hawk, Koechlin and Lily van Putten tied for fifth in 1:37.12, a State Qualifying Automatic time.

Frangieh swam the fourth fastest split in that race as both relay teams will be competing in the CIF State Championships starting May 11 at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex on the campus of Clovis West High School. The 400 free relay squad has the No. 8 seed time for State.

Frangieh also has the No. 8 seed time in the 200 free and No. 9 seed time in the 100 free. Koechlin qualified for State in the 200 individual medley after finishing seventh in the CCS Championships in 2:05.37.

Hawk took sixth in the 200 free in a State Qualifying Consideration (SQC) time of 1:52.83, and Taylor finished eighth in the 500 free in 5:16.49. The 200 medley relay team of Sarah Schaevitz, Karissa Elliott, Taylor and van Putten placed 11th in a SQC 1:51.35.

Five swimmers from the Los Gatos boys team are headed to Clovis as well, four from the 200 medley relay team of Joshua Naim, Ewan Lonergan, Tyler Newton and Connor Sullivan, who went 1:35.66 to earn a qualifying mark.

Lonergan, a junior, placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke in 56.30, earning him

the No. 10 seed for State. He’s returning to State for the second year in a row and looks to be peaking after overcoming an injury earlier in the season.

The Los Gatos diving team also had strong performances this season from Maddy Wong and Ava Lazovsky, who placed 18th in the CCS Championships.

Nolan Parsa and Asa Wilde led the boys team, finishing 13th and 15th, respectively, at CCS.

Of Frangieh’s four races, the 200 free was the one that gave her extra pause for jubilation. That’s because she shaved three seconds off her personal PR established the previous week in the SCVAL Finals.

“[Going 1:49] was one of the most unexpected things that happened this weekend,” she said. “Obviously, you set goals and think you can do it, but after seeing that time, it didn’t feel real in a way.”

Frangieh, who does her club swimming for the De Anza Cupertino Aquatics (DACA) national team, has been swimming since she was 6. Frangieh is always honing her technique and in the last year has improved her turns and underwater swimming, shaving precious tenths of a second off her best events.

“Working on my form has been huge [in lowering times],” she said.

The CCS Championships were extra special because Frangieh’s older sister, Zoe, was able to attend the event after recently finishing her freshman year at Arizona State, where she played in all 24 games for the women’s water polo team.

Zoe, of course, was a standout water polo player and swimmer at Los Gatos High as well.

“She gave me a huge hug and it was really cool to have her there,” Karly said. “She was taking photos for the team and having her support me means a lot. I got to watch and support her [for ASU water polo) and she played quite a lot. It was really inspirational watching her.”

Up until this year, Karly was known more for her swimming exploits than her water polo resume. But that all changed after she finished the most recent water polo season as one of the section’s most potent offensive threats, scoring just north of 100 goals.

Frangieh is still deciding on which sport to pursue in college, but that will all shake out in the next several months. For now, Frangieh is enjoying each moment she’s in the pool, finding joy in the process as it leads to record-breaking results.

FANTASTIC 4 The Los Gatos girls 400 free relay team of Karly Frangieh, Kiana Koechlin, Katy Hawk and Ava Taylor took second in the CCS Championships in an All-American Consideration time of 3 minutes, 29.92 seconds, on May 6 at Hollister High.

Zoe Frangieh

WILDCATS POISED FOR D-I SLOT

at them as kind of a 1A and 1B. As we start getting into next week and set things up for the playoffs, we’ll see who matches up better with who and go from there.”

Richiuso struck out five in four shutout innings in a 3-2 win over Homestead on April 28, the only league game that Los Gatos didn’t win by four runs or more.

“Massimo has been doing a great job and brings a great work ethic to the mound,” Minkel said. “He commands the strike zone, he can throw a couple of different pitches for strikes any time in count, he’s got good stuff and goes right after you. He’s pretty fearless in his approach and that’s something we obviously like and get behind. Our hope is to lean on him here as we get toward the end of league season and onto CCS.”

Minyard allowed two earned runs in five innings in the first Los Altos game on May 3, but it was the scoreless relief inning he threw striking out the side in a 7-4 win over Hollister on April 10 that really got Minkel’s juices flowing.

LGHS aims for perfect league season

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

It’s hard to believe the Los Gatos High baseball team started the season 2-4. That’s because the Wildcats are resembling a squad that seemingly has everything it takes to win a Central Coast Section Division I championship. After an impressive two-game sweep of Los Altos last week, Los Gatos clinched an outright Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division title. It was an emphatic statement, as the Wildcats outscored the Eagles 24-3 over the two contests to improve to 19-6 overall and a perfect 12-0 in a league that in most years is the second best behind the West Catholic Athletic League.

Los Gatos finishes out the regular season with a home-and-home set with Palo Alto before it will likely be

slotted into the top Division I playoff bracket. Even though the Wildcats have already won the league championship, they still have plenty to play for, according to coach Mike Minkel.

“We’re trying to put ourselves in the best situation possible and make the strongest case for us where we’re one of the top four [seeds] and can host a [CCS playoff] game,” he said. “We don’t want to put any doubt in the committee’s mind that we’re not one of the top four teams in the section.”

Yes, despite the CCS having a points system, there is still a subjective element in the seeding committee putting together the brackets. However, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the Wildcats wouldn’t be slotted as one of the top four seeds in the Division I field.

Their resume includes a dominating run through the De Anza Division and plenty of quality non-league wins against A-league teams. The Wildcats

went 1-3 vs. WCAL teams, though the three losses were by a combined three runs.

With two games remaining against an always tough Palo Alto team, Minkel said the focus is on taking care of business, one game at a time.

“We’re not looking forward to CCS just yet,” he said. “We’re trying to keep that laser focus and right now that’s Wednesday against Palo Alto.”

There’s no question the Wildcats have one of the most potent lineups in the section. They scored 24 runs in the two victories over Los Altos, no surprise given their hitting prowess.

Equally or even more impactful, the team’s pitching has really stood out down the stretch.

The return of Massimo Richiuso a little over a month ago bolstered the starting rotation, which already included AJ Minyard.

“Both of them have done a tremendous job for us,” Minkel said. “We look

“One thing AJ showed us as we threw him at the end of the Hollister game was he knew he was going to be out there for one inning and he really attacked the zone and opened some eyes for us, understanding we can use him in some high leverage situations, too,” Minkel said. “It’s going to be fun to see how all this unfolds.”

In the second Los Altos game, a 12-0 win on May 5, the Wildcats finished with 17 hits including a season-high seven doubles. Carter Johnstone and Brayden Smith had monster games, finishing with identical stat lines: 3-for-3 with two runs scored, three doubles and three RBI.

Donovan Freed went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, while Richiuso was fabulous again on the bump, tossing five shutout innings. The Los Gatos roster is deep, talented and versatile, perhaps as good as any in the section.

“We’ve got a bunch of different options,” Minkel said. “The great part of our roster is we’ve got great depth. We’ve got a bunch of guys who come off the bench and can run, pinch hit, go lefty on lefty, we’re pretty flexible with a lot of interchangeable parts.”

DEALING AJ Minyard, seen here closing out the Wildcats’ 7-4 non-league win over Hollister on April 10, has been a top frontline starter for a Los Gatos team that looks to run the table in the ultra-competitive SCVAL De Anza Division.

LOCAL SCENE

NUMU PRESENTS (UN) FAMILIAR EXHIBIT

New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) announced (Un)Familiar, a group exhibition featuring three Bay Area artists, Jezrael Gandara, Kiana Honarmand and Chelsea Stewart, and guest-curated by Alyssarhaye Graciano, on view June 2-Nov. 5.

(Un)Familiar focuses on biases and assumptions around various stigmas including the immigrant perspective, women’s rights and mental health, through film, photography, the written word and sculpture.

(Un)Familiar will be on view July 14 through Nov. 5 in NUMU’s Main Gallery. A special feature will be available in NUMU’s Spotlight Gallery from June 2 through Oct. 1.

Gandara is a filmmaker based in San Jose, originally from the border city of El Paso, Texas. Gandara’s work seeks to develop unique visual poetry rhythmically exploring the themes of culture, race, identity, religion and philosophy.

Honarmand is an artist born and raised in Iran. Her work addresses issues related to her cultural identity, violation of women's rights in Iran, censorship, surveillance, and the Western perception of her SWANA (South West Asian, North African) identity. She currently lives and works in the Bay Area.

Stewart is based in San Mateo County. She is currently attending San Jose State while working towards her MFA in Spatial Arts. Through exploration of mass and scale, geological subjects, and mental health, Stewart constructs largescale abstract paintings and paper installations.

Graciano is a practicing textile artist, published author, and community curator. She is currently the Visual Arts Curator at MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana) and has held positions at Silicon Valley Creates and New Museum Los Gatos and ran a small business, @BlackSheepMade, offering textile workshops and selling her art.

➝ numulosgatos.org/unfamiliar.

FUNDING APPROVED FOR PROJECTS BENEFITING SENIORS AND FAMILIES

West Valley adults, older adults and families with lower income will be the beneficiaries of projects unanimously approved by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors recently, on a motion by County Supervisor Joe Simitian.

Programs and projects receiving support include:

• Los Gatos Adult Day Care (Live Oak Adult Day Services)

• Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council Adult Day Care

• Senior Adults Legal Assistance (SALA)—includes Campbell, Saratoga and Los Gatos

• West Valley Community Services Community Access to Resources and Education

Funding for these services was approved as part of the County’s Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Annual Action Plan for use of federal funds from the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership Act programs, which the County administers on behalf of several local jurisdictions, including in the West Valley. The County anticipates receiving an estimated $3.3 million for these programs, which will be distributed to fund the programs, in addition to other public service programs and a capital project to repurpose a historical building within the Los Altos Hills Town Hall Civic Center to a multifunctional space for programs and activities for the community.

“Federal grant funding offers myriad real benefits for our West Valley communities,” Simitian said. “For example, households that are at risk of eviction or facing homelessness will be able to access services and counseling. Seniors will be able to access adult day care programs where they can socialize with their peers and alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness. And families can easily be connected to case management support and needed resources.”

A significant portion of the funds will also be allocated for affordable housing development and preservation, emergency shelter, and transitional housing, as well as fair housing outreach and home repair modifications for low-income homeowners across the County.

LIGHT AND SHADOW Kiana Honarmand’s “On Edge” will be part of New Museum Los Gatos’ new exhibit, (Un)Familiar.

Courtesy of New Museum Los Gatos

H I R I N G

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Los Gatos Chamber is seeking an energetic hands-on leader who will be an active partner with the Board, Town Staff and Town Council, the business community, as well as the entire membership and the Los Gatos residents.

The Executive Director will continue the efforts to increase the overall membership base. The Executive Director will also oversee all operations of the Chamber and the Town’s Visitor and Information Center including recruiting, hiring, training and supervising staff.

Skills you need:

• Event planning, management skills, public relations and fundraising.

• Passion for connecting business leaders to resources.

• Comfort level with technology and willingness to learn new things.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Ability to think outside the box.

• Understanding of financial statements and budgeting.

• Awareness of ongoing community activities and events.

• Passion for local politics.

Bonus Points if:

• “Community” is your middle name.

• You can have productive, thoughtful, and respectful discussions with anyone, anywhere, at any time.

• You can lead a team into unknowns with a positive attitude and a sense of humor.

• Your goal each day is to be helpful and hopeful.

• You treat all people equally and equitably.

• You do not tire easily.

Please send: Cover letter, resume and references to the Search Committee: hiring@losgatoschamber.com

MUSICAL TAKES THE STAGE

Local Scene, from page 12

“This funding allows local organizations that are most familiar with the needs of our vulnerable residents to decide how to best support those needs,” Simitian said. “It gives local folks the ability to make local choices about local needs.”

The Action Plan will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for final approval and allocation of funds. ➝ bit.ly/3LDgYRB.

RIBBON CUTTING MARKS REOPENING OF LIVE OAK ADULT DAY SERVICES

On June 1, the reopening reception of the Live Oak Adult Day Services will be held from 4-6pm, with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Mayor Maria Ristow at 5pm.

The reception, with light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, will be at the Live Oak Los Gatos site, 111 Church St. in Los Gatos.

The reopening marks the 40th anniversary of the initial opening of Live Oak Adult Day Services in Los Gatos.

FESTIVAL CELEBRATING DIVERSITY COMING TO LOS GATOS

AWỌ’s Huemanity Festival will take place at Congregation Shir Hadash, 20 Cherry Blossom Lane in Los Gatos, on June 4 from noon to 7pm. The youthled festival will offer workshops and interactive celebrations for all ages.

Through music and collective storytelling, the Huemanity Festival aims to bring community members together to recognize their similarities while understanding—and celebrating— their differences.

AWỌ focuses on self-understanding and community kinship across color, class and culture. Organizers hope to expand their commitment to inclusion and representation this year by also addressing the needs of youth with special needs, and encourage their families to join in the celebration.

Scheduled workshops include music therapy, drumming and dance, indigenous bead making, necklace mak-

ing and other arts-based options. The event will also feature a DJ and magic show, as well as food and drinks.

AWỌ is a social justice nonprofit that uses public education and awareness, supported with the arts and culture to bring people together to share, learn and engage with one another to improve self-understanding.

Those interested in attending can register for free at awocenter.org/huemankindfest.

AWỌ was founded in 2020 by African immigrant Folake Phillips, a Yoruba princess from Osun State in Nigeria, in response to the death of George Floyd in Minnesota and the national street protests that erupted for Black Lives Matter in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For information, email askawo@ awocenter.org or call 408.221.3430.

44TH ANNUAL MUSICAL ‘RAMAYANA!’ RETURNS TO THE STAGE

Join Hanuman, the monkeys, Prince Rama and Prince Lakshmana, as they journey to Lanka in their quest to rescue Princess Sita in the 44th Mount Madonna School (MMS) “Ramayana!”, a musical theater production adapted for modern audiences.

“Ramayana!” returns to the stage June 8-11 at the Mexican Heritage Theater in San Jose.

The production features a cast of students ranging from preschool to high school, and includes traditional and contemporary music and features an adult choir and musicians, with more than a dozen original songs.

“The production of ‘Ramayana!’ has been central to Mount Madonna School since its founding,” said Head of School Ann Goewert. “With this show, we carry forward a tradition inspired by Baba Hari Dass (19232018) and supported by the Mount Madonna Center. It’s the culmination of months of work during the academic year and is a year-end celebration for our community embracing diversity and creative self-expression.

The Ramayana is a timeless classic teaching the universal values of truth, duty, love and service to the greater good. As students work together to

prepare for this ambitious show, they embody the values embedded in the Ramayana.”

Mount Madonna Center (MMC) for the Creative Arts and Sciences is a residential community and conference center founded in 1978 atop a mountain in Watsonville. Baba Hari Dass (Babaji), a silent monk, teacher and practitioner of yoga from India was the inspiration behind the founding of the center, which shares a history and mission with the school, and the annual performance of the “Ramayana!” is part of this mission.

The tale with origins in India was adapted into a musical by members of the Mount Madonna community in the 1970s. The original songs are part of the American rock musical theater tradition, with echoes of “Hair” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” plus a contemporary nod to “Hamilton.”

The costumes, demon and monkey masks, sets, props, and monster rigs (such as Kumbhakarna, a 25-foot pup-

pet with a radio-controlled mechanical mouth and eyes) were created by Baba Hari Dass, as well as artisans associated with both the center and the school.

➝ mountmadonnaschool.org/ ramayana.

PAPAGEORGE INDUCTED INTO HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI

Demetri Papageorge of Los Gatos was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Papageorge was initiated at Saint Mary's College of California.

Papageorge is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter.

CLASSIC MUSICAL Mount Madonna School’s “Ramayana!” returns June 8-11 at the Mexican Heritage Theater in San Jose.

Stevan Manzur

MARKETING EFFORTS GROW

Chamber, from page 6

And thousands of residents and visitors from around the region won’t soon forget the two years of “Thursday Promenades” it hosted to help Los Gatos overcome the doldrums of the pandemic.

Somers, who is well-respected by Council but has also sparred with them in the past, had one last chance to win additional funding from the Town, before she steps down from her post later this year.

Her strategy, this time? A softer sell.

“I, too, am here with my hand out begging for money; it seems it’s just that kind of year,” she said. “Don’t worry, I fully expect that you will once again decide that the financial agreement and the terms set forth between the Town and the Chamber to run the Visitor Information Center are sufficient. And they might be, though now, after eight years of working in that office, I can tell you—as I pretty much have every year— that it’s not quite enough.”

Somers said she’s worried about the legacy she will leave if the funding isn’t increased.

“It is vitally important,” she said of the work done at their offices. “We are the welcoming committee, the sales people, the spokespeople and the concierge for the town. We are also, most importantly, the conveners of all the leaders in this town. And we can get things done.”

Councilmember Matthew Hudes said the Chamber is an important partner in developing hotel tax (TOT) revenues through destination marketing.

“I believe that the return on investment in terms of the TOT is absolutely there if we can make a stepwise jump,” he said, suggesting that the continued support could help pitch the town as a place to hold weddings and other events that require people to stay overnight.

But it shouldn’t just be up to the Chamber to work on this, he added.

“Some of these hotels have tremendous marketing capability,” he said. “It just needs to be focused on Los Gatos.”

Vice Mayor Mary Badame said she, too, is supportive of the destination marketing the Chamber of Commerce does.

“I see that as being good for our town,” she said.

Councilmember Rob Rennie made a motion to increase the Chamber’s funding from $55,000 to $88,000.

Mayor Maria Ristow said it’s a strange time in the history of the

Chamber of Commerce, since the “triumphant trio” led by Catherine Somers is leaving.

“I know that Donna (McCurrie), Randi (Chen) and Catherine would know what to do with this money,” she said. “Now we’re going to have this transition.”

But she says it’s still important to make sure the business-boosting agency is well-funded into its next administration.

McCurrie, speaking over Zoom, had shared that the Chamber has seen impressive results from its recent digital marketing efforts, thanks to a social media coordinator who was funded with pandemic-relief dollars.

What was known as Experience Los Gatos had just 2,700 followers when it was rebranded as Visit Los Gatos.

“From June 2021 until the funding ran out in January 2023, the coordinator’s efforts—for Visit Los Gatos—have increased followers to 9,500,” she said. “Visit Los Gatos has become an integral part of the Visitor Center’s destination marketing strategy.”

Rennie said his motion was meant to allow the Chamber to keep up the good work on this front.

Councilmember Rob Moore asked staff where the extra money would come from.

Town Manager Laurel Prevetti said the additional cash would likely come from the General Fund or the remaining ARPA Covid-19-relief funds.

“Our General Fund budget is very tight,” she said. “We’re going to have to scrub our numbers.”

However, if this comes from ARPA funding, the incoming Chamber team would have to be very careful with record-keeping, since the federal dollars mean strict paperwork requirements.

Monica Renn, Los Gatos’ economic vitality manager, asked for clarification from Rennie about whether he wanted to break up the money into multiple coffers, or to leave it all in one pot.

Rennie decided it should stay as a $88,000 total. His reasoning, he said, was that if he broke it up into multiple segments it would give the new Chamber officials an easier way to argue that one or the other of these wasn’t big enough.

And when the vote in support was unanimous, Chen and Somers celebrated, high-fiving each other.

“Do we have to ask you to settle down?” Ristow said with a smile.

POLICE BLOTTER

MAY 1

• Someone reportedly stole an entire mailbox on Belwood Gateway.

• A caller reported a teen riding an electric bike on the sidewalk on Winchester Boulevard and Lark Avenue at 5:49pm.

• Clothing was reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked on Garden Hill Drive.

MAY 2

• A man was arrested for vehicle theft and being in possession of a controlled substance on the 5800 block of Almaden Expressway at 5:10am.

• Vehicles were reportedly burglarized on Los Gatos Boulevard and Village Lane.

• A man reportedly stole a hand basket full of items from a store on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

MAY 3

• Vehicles were reportedly burglarized on College Avenue and N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• A caller reported a group of children to police because they were “yelling” at Bachman Park at 10:23pm.

• A man was arrested for being in possession of a controlled substance on Ronda Drive and Union Avenue at 10:41pm.

MAY 4

• A man was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on the 600 block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue at 12:33am.

• A person wearing a skeleton mask was reportedly running in and out of traffic on University Avenue at 3:31pm.

• More than $5,000 in perfume was reportedly stolen from a business on Blossom Hill Road.

MAY 6

• A man was reportedly walking in front of a home on Walnut Avenue “yelling randomly” at 1:55am.

• A man was arrested for inflicting injury on a cohabitant on the 16400 block of Los Gatos Boulevard at 10:45am.

• A wallet was reported stolen from a business on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• A man was arrested for disorderly conduct on the 800 block of Pollard Road at 7:34pm.

• A caller reported “50-100 kids” at a residence on Harwood Road at 8:24pm.

• A woman was arrested for inflicting injury on a cohabitant on the 200 block of Winchester Circle at 10:07pm.

• A caller reported a group of kids at Bachman Park were “being loud” at 10:46pm.

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

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM IN LOS GATOS

The team that launched the original Los Gatos Weekly has come together once again to give the town the quality of journalism it needs. News about local people, school sports and vital community issues will fill the pages of thislocal publication –and a live web site. Los Gatos deserves real reporting.

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1. Graduate’s name & school graduating from

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