Los Gatan 5-17-2023

UNION-HIRING RULE BROUGHT INTO FOCUS OVER PROJECT

Questions surround Saratoga project’s labor requirements

Ben Christopher, CalMatters

From the parking lot, there's nothing to suggest that Quito Village is the California housing policy equivalent of a unicorn, or that the seemingly low-key project is sitting at the center of one of this year's biggest political fights.

Peek through one of the gates of this dirt lot in the San Jose suburb of Saratoga. Trenches, a few foundations and an excavator pawing at a mountain of dirt are the only indication that, if all goes to plan, this will be the site of 90 new townhouses next year.

But though it may not be obvious—even to one of its developers, who was surprised to hear the news—this easyto-ignore housing development appears to be one of a kind.

What makes Quito Village unique dates to early 2020 when Sand Hill Property Company agreed to follow a strict labor standard, promoted by some of the state's most powerful organized labor groups, that favors the hiring of union workers. The Silicon Valley real

➝ Housing, 8

TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN ‘HUB’ GROWS IN LOS GATOS

Simitian evaluates the results of new grade he helped introduce across California

Drew Penner, Reporter

Transitional kindergarten teacher Kajsa Byrne had the children in her Lexington Elementary class gathered around a circular table, engrossed in a literacy assignment.

They scarcely noticed some of the region’s most powerful educational figures enter the room.

Michael Stock, a science, technology, engineering, art and math teacher on special assignment was instructing others on engrossing blocks that ➝ Kindergarten, 6

EVOKING NOSTALGIA Los Gatos artist Gordon Smedt sits in front of his oil on canvas piece, “Happy Place.” The Whitney Modern Contemporary Fine Art Gallery is showcasing his work in a new solo exhibit, “Reminisce.” For the story, turn to page 13.

Courtesy of Whitney Modern Contemporary Fine Art Gallery

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Michelle Todus (from right), Alison Brunsdon and Serena Yuen participate in a weekly knitting group at the Los Gatos Library (alongside Bailee the 6-year-old bernedoodle who thankfully “doesn’t eat yarn.”) The casual group meets Mondays at 4:30pm, is open to the public and is currently accepting new members.

O’CONNOR REJECTS SENTENCE OFFERED BY JUDGE

Case now heading to preliminary inquiry

Drew Penner, Reporter

Had she gone for it, the Los Gatos mother likely could have wrapped up at least two of her court cases.

But on Tuesday afternoon, Shannon O’Connor officially rejected a 17-year, four-month sentence offered by Judge Elizabeth C. Peterson in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

O’Connor, who faces up to 20 years behind bars for 39 charges, including child endangerment and misdemeanor sexual assault, related to parties she reportedly threw for teens in Los Gatos, and elsewhere, was led into the courtroom in the multi-layered greenand-lighter-green attire issued by the Elmwood Woman’s Correctional Facility, where she’s been living for months.

“We held a previous hearing in this matter,” noted Peterson, reflecting on the emotional witness testimony provided April 21.

A preliminary inquiry had been scheduled to begin that week, but instead O’Connor shifted her defense strategy, asking the judge how much time she would get if she agreed to plead to all charges—what’s called a court-indicated sentence.

That’s different than a plea deal, which is a negotiation between the defense and prosecution, usually involving one or more charges being dropped in exchange for a conviction.

“It is my understanding that Ms. O’Connor does not want to avail herself of that court-indicated sentence,” Judge Peterson said.

Defense lawyer Brian Madden confirmed that to be the case.

O’Connor would’ve had to register as a sex offender.

And while the defendant declined the 17-year offer, she didn’t reject it outright, according to Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise.

Wise confirmed O’Connor didn’t immediately turn down the judge’s offer, at a private meeting, held May 5, although she didn’t want to speculate on what may have caused her to ultimately say no.

The DA’s Office only learned “recently” that O’Connor wouldn’t take the 17 years.

At least some victims and their families had been hoping she would accept, so they wouldn’t have to testify again.

And now, the legal process moves onwards.

A case management conference is

to be held Aug. 17, at 1:30pm, with a preliminary inquiry planned for the week of August 21.

When the Los Gatan caught up with him after the hearing, Madden declined to comment.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Wise explained about the name of this infrequently employed judicial element.

“It's called an ‘indicated sentence’ because if the judge finds out something after sentencing that makes her think that her indicated sentence is not appropriate, for some reason, she's always able to essentially change her mind,” she said. “I think the victims and their families are very appreciative of having (had) the opportunity for the court to hear their position— and hear how this case has affected them—before the court gave the indicated sentence, now that the defendant has declined to take that offer. They are now just looking forward.”

Wise told the Los Gatan because the court has already confiscated $600,000 from the sale of O’Connor’s mansion for potential restitution, fines and fees in her criminal matters, had she agreed to the 17-year offer, it’s likely they could have dealt with both of those cases at once.

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

Montalvo Arts Center presents the 2023-24 Carriage House Performing Arts Series

Sponsored by The Valley Foundation

SEPTEMBER 2023

Spyro Gyra

Thu, Sep 7, 7:30

47th San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition Semifi nals

Tue, Sep 12, 7:30pm & Wed, Sep 13, 7:30pm

Dave Mason

Thu, Sep 14, 7:30pm & Fri, Sep 15, 7:30pm

OCTOBER 2023

Masters of Hawaiian Music: George Kahumoku, Jr., Led Kaapana, and Jeff Peterson

Tue, Oct 3, 7:30pm

Cornucopia of Music, Color, and Sounds: Chitravina N. Ravikiran, George Brooks, and Homayoun Sakhi

Sun, Oct 15, 3pm

Bobby McFerrin: Motion

Mon, Oct 16, 7:30pm & Tue, Oct 17, 7:30pm

NOVEMBER 2023

Rodney Crowell

Fri, Nov 3, 7:30pm

DECEMBER 2023

The Comedy Zone: Bob Zany

Fri, Dec 1, 7:30pm

Christmas with the Celts

Sat, Dec 2, 7:30pm

David Benoit Christmas

Tribute to Charlie Brown

Sun, Dec 3, 7pm

The Clairvoyants Holiday Spectacular

Fri, Dec 8, 7:30pm

JANUARY 2024

Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: Sing & Swing with Bria Skonberg & Benny Benack III

Sun, Jan 28, 7pm

FEBRUARY 2024

The Comedy Zone: Tammy Pescatelli

Fri, Feb 2, 7:30pm

Letters Aloud: Thanks, But No Thanks

Fri, Feb 16, 7:30pm

The Immediate Family

Sat, Feb 17, 7:30pm

International Guitar Night

Sat, Feb 24, 7:30pm

Richard Glazier: From Broadway to Hollywood

Thu, Feb 29, 7:30pm

MARCH 2024

God is a Scottish Drag Queen

Thu, Mar 7, 7:30pm

Guitar Prasanna Band: Be the Change

Sat, Mar 16, 7:30pm

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Fri, Mar 22, 7:30pm

Ladies of Laughter: Funny and Fabulous Tour

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Alfreda sings Aretha!

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Right in the Eye

Sat, Mar 30, 7:30pm

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The Life and Times of A. Einstein

Fri, Apr 5, 7:30pm

The Comedy Zone: Zoltan Kaszas

Sat, Apr 6, 7:30pm

Animaniacs: In Concert

starring Rob Paulsen and Randy Rogel

Sun, Apr 7, 4pm

Roger McGuinn

Tue, Apr 9, 7:30pm

Third Coast Percussion: Perspectives

Wed, Apr 10, 7:30pm

The Brit Pack

Wed, Apr 17, 7:30pm

Spencer Day

Fri, Apr 19, 7:30pm

An Evening with Paula Cole

Sun, Apr 21, 7pm

Zakir Hussain

Tue, Apr 23, 7:30pm

Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies

Fri, Apr 26, 7:30pm

MAY 2024

Tito Puente, Jr. and His Orchestra

Wed, May 1, 7:30pm

Villalobos Brothers

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LP And The Vinyl

Fri, May 10, 7:30pm

The Makaha Sons

Fri, May 17, 7:30pm

SCHOOL NOTES POSITIVE FEEDBACK

Kindergarten, from page 1

could spin, be stuck together and then pulled apart.

But Thursday was a special day for early childhood education in town, as it was the first day Supervisor Joseph Simitian, who authored the legislation that spurred the growth of TK programs across California while serving in Sacramento, was getting a tour of the program.

He was flanked by Los Gatos Union School District Superintendent Paul Johnson, Dan Snyder, one of the District’s trustees, and Jason Deppong, the principal.

As they exited the first floor room and strode along a basketball court, past other students on recess, only one girl acknowledged their presence.

“Hi, really important people,” she said, then turned back to her friends, as the officials made their way to the lower field.

There, teaching assistant Christina Gonzalez, in a gazebo beneath a chalkboard, was reading to a group of children, but soon swapped out with the second TK teacher, Kristin Johnson (who isn’t related to the superintendent).

Simitian joined the lesson, which outlined the stages of caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis.

“TK’s the best—I’m telling you,” Johnson, the teaching assistant, told the Los Gatan. “They’re so full of magic.”

She hopes the work the educators are putting in now will instill positive traits that last.

“They don’t compare themselves to each other,” she said. “Honestly, this is just so fun.”

The young learners, by this point, were running around, tiny binoculars and scavenger sheets in hand, racing to identify the various wonders.

Deppong said it’s fantastic to have the program up-and-running now.

“This is our first year having a TK class,” he said, noting their campus is the home for all public school transitional kindergarteners in Los Gatos.

“We are the hub.”

Originally, some parents from down the hill had been concerned about sending their kids to a school in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

But Deppong notes it takes less time

to get from downtown to the campus, in some cases, than to drive between schools in town.

“It’s been so successful,” he said. “All we’ve had is positive feedback from parents.”

Plus, Lexington really isn’t that far into the mountains, anyhow.

“We’re not Loma Prieta school,” he said, adding it isn’t too big, either. “It’s a more intimate environment.”

For Deppong, TK is the perfect opportunity for kids to learn how to interact effectively with one another.

“It’s supporting the students with their social-emotional development,” he said. “It’s tapping into their innate curiosity for learning.”

And because Lexington Elementary is an International Baccalaureate-accredited institution, they focus on developing “global citizens” as soon as kids are enrolled.

He says he’s already noticed TKers feeling safe enough to ask questions and really engage with their studies, which he predicts will have a ripple effect across all of Los Gatos’ public schools.

“Kindergarten will not be the same in the next few years,” he said, noting some of the TK students are already starting to read.

In fact, the school has been inviting

kindergarten teachers from across the district to visit the campus, so they know how best to draw up lesson plans for next year.

The visit came to be thanks, indirectly, to seafood: Superintendent Johnson invited Simitian to tour the campus while both were attending the Los Gatos Rotary Annual Crabfest, in February.

Simitian jumped at the opportunity. The former school board trustee knew better than anyone what it took to bring TK in into being across the state.

The initiative started with two teachers from Palo Alto lobbying him with a petition to do a more modest realignment of the educational system.

That particular tweak (to do with the age cut-off for starting school) freed up about $750 million that State officials decided to use to fund optional transitional kindergarten programs across California, at least temporarily.

“We realized, we have a great opportunity,” he said. “We could create a new grade.”

Sacramento was able to fund TK for more than a dozen years, and ultimately would choose to expand the program.

But the LGUSD superintendent said this didn’t automatically mean Los Gatos parents would get to send their children to TK.

That’s because Los Gatos schools aren’t funded the way many other districts are—where schools get more funding from the government the more students they have on their books.

Instead, the elementary district is funded by property taxes, meaning they’d have to be creative about how to add the younger pupils.

“It has been a challenge,” he admitted. “We did not receive state dollars.”

But he says he’s pleased with the plan they came up with—to centralize TK at Lexington and not to “blend” those students with older-aged kids in schools across the community.

“We believe it’s the best for the students,” he said. “Their levels of growth are off the charts.”

And he credits the success to the staff.

“It’s the two amazing teachers that are phenomenal,” he said. “It’s a different skill-set to teach preschool aged children.”

To Simitian’s eye, too, the program was clearly working.

“Those are 4-year-olds. They’re ontask,” he said. “It’s very gratifying.”

YOUNG LEARNERS Lexington Elementary School transitional kindergarten students get a lesson in phonics on Thursday.

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

DEVELOPER TRIES TO BACK OUT

Housing, from page 1

estate developer did so to take advantage of a 2017 state law meant to speed the construction of dense housing.

Atlanta-based real estate giant PulteGroup took over the project in 2022 and began construction in September. That makes Quito Village the only known project in California that has broken ground under the law’s union-hiring rule.

Now lawmakers are debating making that 2017 law permanent, but with a bill that would strike out the union-backed labor standard that Sand Hill agreed to take on for the Saratoga project.

As lawmakers and competing unions debate the rule’s merits, much of the argument rides on the answer to a single question: Can California simultaneously encourage developers to build our way out of the state's housing shortage while also requiring them to reserve jobs for the state’s unionized construction workforce?

If PulteGroup is in fact the only company actively building new housing under the terms of this controversial rule, as housing data assembled by the state suggests, how and why it has been able to go forward might shed light on that question and help settle a fiery and protracted debate.

But it's not clear that the company is even following the rule.

Upon taking over the project last year, PulteGroup’s legal team made the case to the city of Saratoga that state law does not obligate the company to abide by the union-backed standard imposed on mixed-income projects, according to emails shared with CalMatters. The city disagreed.

A year later, prompted by a Public Records Act request filed by CalMatters, Saratoga city staff noted Pulte has not been submitting monthly reports to prove that it is complying with the rule.

“Significant monetary penalties may be imposed under State law for failure to comply,” Saratoga's Community Development Director Debbie Pedro wrote to Brett Walsh, a Bay Area-based project manager with Pulte on May 1, in a letter the city shared with CalMatters.

Developers are subject to state fines of up to $10,000 per month for each missing monthly compliance report. If a company is found to be skirting the “skilled and trained” standard entirely, the penalties can rack up much higher and much quicker: $200 per day “for each worker employed in contravention” of the rule.

Walsh did not respond to an email from CalMatters. When asked about the project's construction crew in April, Pulte vice president of communications Jim Zeumer said the company only shares “basic project scale, scope and pricing” information. Zeumer did not respond to additional requests for comment after the City of Saratoga sent its letter.

David Bini, a construction worker union labor leader in Santa Clara County, said that he, too, is curious whether the company is complying with the labor law.

He said he put in a call to the company last month with an offer to “help them in getting in compliance” if they need it, he said.

But as the letter from the city of Saratoga to Pulte suggests, the true number of projects that have moved forward under the controversial rule might not be one. It could be zero.

Skewed results in California housing law

Under the 2017 streamlining law authored by San Francisco Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, developers are offered a trade:

In cities and towns that haven't kept up with state-set housing production goals, developers can skip some of the permitting hurdles that often delay or kill projects early on. In exchange, developers have to set aside a portion of the new units for low-income occupants, and abide by higher labor standards.

For projects in which every unit is designated “affordable,” developers simply have to pay their crews more. A “prevailing wage” is a state-determined minimum rate for each trade that roughly corresponds to what unionized construction workers make.

But for “mixed-income” projects, where developers meet the law's minimum affordable housing rule but plan to charge as much as they can on the remaining units, an even higher standard applies: Construction crews must be “skilled and trained.” That means a little over half of most trade workers must be graduates of apprenticeship programs, the vast majority of which are sponsored by unions.

Presented with those two options, most developers who make use of the law have taken the first path.

Since the law went into effect, developers have invoked the stream-

lining bill to propose nearly 18,000 units, according to an analysis by UC Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation. Roughly two-thirds of the proposed projects are entirely affordable, meaning the projects only have to pay prevailing wages.

Though data collected by the state is self-reported by local governments and riddled with errors, of the remaining third that includes market-rate units, Quito Village appears to be the only one that has actually broken ground.

Wiener cited the law's uneven performance as reason to take out the “skilled and trained workforce” standard entirely when he introduced his proposal to make the law permanent.

But there is at least one other possible reason to explain the disparity.

Under the law, the exact percentage of units that developers have to set aside for low-income residents depends on which kinds of homes the locality is falling behind on.

In cities and towns short on permitting new homes for lower-income households, streamlined projects have to be 50% affordable. In places that aren't allowing enough building on the higher end, the requirement is only 10%.

Saratoga falls into the second bucket. As planned, 10% of the townhomes at Quito Village will be provided at below-market rates.

Interviewees also pointed to the union-hire rules for mixed-income projects as a factor that might “reduce the financial feasibility” of projects. An exception in Saratoga?

If ever there was a place where higher labor standards could pencil out, it's Saratoga. That's because the Santa Clara County 'burb is, in a word, loaded.

The average household income here is nearly $225,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The average listing price of a new home exceeds $3.5 million. It's the kind of place where developers can afford to take on higher costs because residents here are willing to pay for them.

“Once you add the economics of a high-market community, these extra premium dollars are OK. You're selling townhomes for $1.3 million up, so there's some meat on the bone,” said Steve Lynch, director of planning for Sand Hill Property Company, which got the site ready for development before selling the residential portion to PulteGroup.

Asked why Sand Hill was willing to do what other developers have thus far been unwilling to do and accept the

“skilled and trained” standard, Lynch said that, in fact, it did not.

Though an initial project approval letter from the city specifies that the project is subject to that union-hire requirement, as does an FAQ listed on the project's website and a letter that Lynch sent to Saratoga's city manager James Lindsay in the company's initial streamlining application obtained by CalMatters through a public records request, Lynch said Sand Hill later determined that the language of the 2017 law actually exempts small towns like Saratoga.

Pulte's legal team seemed to have its own questions about the project's labor requirement prior to taking over.

In an email exchange in the early summer of 2022, Winter King, an attorney representing the city of Saratoga, wrote to the developer's lawyer, David Chidlaw, referencing Pulte's questions about “whether your client would be required to use a ‘skilled and trained workforce’ if it acquires the Quito Village project.”

In a subsequent email King sent to Chidlaw, she made the city's position clear. “We don't see a way around this requirement,” she wrote, adding that compliance with the “skilled and trained” standard is a condition of the project's approval and “required by law.”

It's unclear whether the conversation continued. King referred questions to the city of Saratoga and Chidlaw did not respond to requests for comment.

The uncertainty over whether the law does or doesn't apply, at least as described by Lynch at Sand Hill, seems to boil down to a question of syntax.

The text of the law carves out an exemption for projects “located within a jurisdiction located in a coastal or bay county with a population of 225,000 or more.” Santa Clara County, which is considered a bay county, has nearly 2 million residents. The city of Saratoga has a mere 30,000. The question: Does the 225,000 threshold figure apply to the county or the city? If the threshold applies to the jurisdiction of Saratoga, the project would be exempt from the “skilled and trained” requirement.

So, too, would projects in the vast majority of California's cities and towns.

Under that more restrictive interpretation of the law, the “skilled and trained” standard—the subject of years of legislative debate and political gridlock—would only apply to 12 of California's 482 cities.

This article was originally published on CalMatters.org.

POLICE BLOTTER

MAY 7

• Mail was reportedly stolen from a mailbox on Madrone Avenue.

• A wallet was reported stolen from a store on the 15400 block of Los Gatos Boulevard.

• A suspect who stole a laptop from a business on the 15100 block of Los Gatos Boulevard reportedly hit a vehicle on their way out at 1:20pm.

• A teenager was reported for riding a scooter in traffic without a helmet on N. Santa Cruz Avenue and Andrews Street at 7pm.

MAY 8

• A caller reported their upstairs neighbor was being “excessively loud” on W. Parr Avenue at 6:40pm.

MAY 9

• Grand theft was reported from a business on the first block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• A man was reportedly “smoking an unknown substance” on the side of the post office on S. Santa Cruz Avenue at 1:56pm.

• A caller ran up to a juvenile who was reportedly riding an electric bicycle through stop signs on Mitchell and Fisher avenues at 3:31pm to talk to him about “bicycle safety.”

• An intoxicated man was asked to leave a business on University Avenue multiple times at 5pm.

• A loud party was reported on National Avenue at 9:44pm.

• A man was arrested for burglary and being in possession of unlawful paraphernalia on the 15400 block of Francis Oaks Way at 10:11pm. A woman was also arrested for being in possession of a controlled substance and trespassing.

MAY 10

• A caller reported that four dogs were barking all through the day and night on Kennedy Road.

• A man on a scooter was reportedly riding up to each motorist on Church Street to tell them they can’t park in the church parking lot at 9:20am.

• A man was arrested for burglary and giving false identification to a police officer on Union Avenue and Leewood Court at 11:08am.

• A man was arrested for contempt of court and a probation violation on the 700 block of Blossom Hill Road at 9:58pm.

• Two “grab and run” thefts were reported within an hour of each other at a business on the 15100 block of Los Gatos Boulevard.

MAY 11

• A vehicle was reportedly burglarized on Garden Hill Drive.

• Someone broke into a storage pod on Los Gatos Boulevard.

• A man was arrested for driving without a license and driving with an open container of alcohol on Lark Avenue and Oka Road at 12:52pm.

• A caller reported their son for trespassing on W. Parr Avenue at 1:07pm.

• A home was reportedly burglarized on Via Santa Maria.

• Two vehicles were reportedly vandalized on the 14600 block of Winchester Boulevard.

• A man was arrested for battery and breaking into a home on the 800 block of Pollard Road at 10:49pm.

MAY 12

• A caller reported “20 juveniles running around inside and outside a business bothering other customers” on the first block of S. Santa Cruz Avenue at 6:48pm.

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LOS GATOS EXITS IN CCS QUARTERFINALS

Girls lacrosse team finishes 16-3

Emanuel

Lee, Sports Editor

When the Los Gatos High girls lacrosse team took a five-goal lead four minutes into the second half, it seemed all but certain the Wildcats were going to advance to the Central Coast Section playoff semifinals.

St. Francis had other ideas. The No. 5 seed Lancers outplayed No. 4 Los Gatos down the stretch en route to a 14-13 victory on May 12. The Wildcats, who were looking to advance to the semifinals for the second year in a row, finished the season 16-3.

Los Gatos seemingly was in command

after scoring the first three goals coming out of halftime, from Scarlett Roberts, Sam Elliott and Keira Dodd. That padded the Wildcats’ advantage to 11-6 with 20 minutes, 44 seconds remaining, but St. Francis scored with 15:55 left to break a long 11 minute scoring drought, the start of a game-ending 8-2 run, including a shot as time expired to win it.

“Once the momentum was lost, we got a little bit down,” Wildcats coach Tes Hayton said. “I just think they got shaken up a little bit with the momentum. They got a little bit flustered, unfortunately forcing a little bit. But I’m still proud of the girls. As long as they put 150 percent on the field, I’m happy, and I thought they really did that.”

Los Gatos beat St. Francis 13-11 in

a non-league match on April 13, but it couldn’t close the deal again after an accumulation of yellow cards resulted in the Wildcats having to play a man down for the final 7:39 of the match.

Even though the Wildcats had played well short-handed up to that point they scored twice a man down bridging the first and second halves it was simply asking too much to hold a strong team like St. Francis down for a sustained period.

In the final 7:39, Los Gatos’ usual crisp passing and catching dropped a level. Even then, it looked as if it was going to be anybody’s ballgame until the very end. St. Francis retrieved possession deep on its end of the field with approximately 10 seconds left.

Somehow, it got the ball down the field just in time to unleash a shot from the left side of the arc and score just before the final horn sounded. Just like that, Los Gatos’ season was over. Seven different players scored for Los Gatos, highlighting the team’s talent and depth.

Alex Evans is a maestro with the stick and one of the best players in the CCS in keeping possession. Evans uses her body as a shield to keep defenders at bay and did just that late in the game, resulting in a pass that led to Brooke Hanson’s goal which gave the team a 12-11 lead with 4:08 to go.

Dodd had a team-high three goals, while Elliott, Jackie Enns and Macy Dennon had two goals each. All of those players along with Lauren Fried and Evans have been stalwarts in the program, which has been on its most successful run in program history.

One of the biggest highlights to come out of this season was the emergence of junior goalie Kate Braidish, who only started playing the position at the end of the 2022 season on the junior varsity squad, no less. Braidish made several quality saves and showed why the Wildcats will be strong at the position for next year.

Although Los Gatos will graduate several outstanding seniors, it has plenty of returners coming back for 2024, including Braidish, Roberts, Hanson, Macy Dennon, Elodie Douglas, Agata Fin, Julia Kennedy, Teagan Fogerty and Aubey Salud, along with the usual group of incoming talent from the JV team and other newcomers.

Hayton said she was proud of what the team accomplished this season, which included a second straight undefeated Santa Clara Valley Athletic League championship in which it had a double-digit average margin of victory. The program will celebrate with an end of the season event.

“We’re going to do a fun field day with both teams,” Hayton said. “Now that we’re finished we don’t have to work hard, we can just play hard now. We’ve done the working hard part and now it’s time to play hard. Congratulate the seniors, send them off to their colleges and have talks on how we can resume again next year.”

STALWART Jackie Enns wins possession against a St. Francis player during their CCS playoff quarterfinal match on May 12. The Wildcats lost, 14-13, and finished the season with a 16-3 record.

Natividad Photo

’CATS ROUNDUP: LONERGAN SHINES AT STATE

CCS T&F Finals upcoming

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

Ewan Lonergan led the Los Gatos High swimming team with a seventh-place showing in the boys 100yard breaststroke in the CIF State Championships May 11-13 at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex on the campus of Clovis West High.

The junior standout swam the race in 56.16 seconds. He also was a member of the boys 200 medley relay team that finished 26th out of 40 teams in 1 minute, 35.16 seconds, just off an All-American Consideration time of 1:34.48.

In addition to Lonergan, the team is made up of juniors Connor Sullivan and Joshua Naim and senior

Tyler Newton. The other Los Gatos State qualifiers all came from the girls squad, including junior Karly Frangieh, who made the B final in the 100 freestyle, taking 14th overall in 51.60. She also placed 25th in the 200 free in 1:52.28. Freshman Kiana Koechlin was 30th in the 200 IM in 2:06.85. The girls 400 free relay team of Frangieh, Koechlin, senior Katy Hawk and sophomore Ava Taylor finished 17th in 3:32.18.

The 200 free team of Frangieh, Hawk, Koechlin and Lily van Putten placed 18th in 1:37.64. They also had a swim-off with St. Ignatius, improving their time to 1:36.73.

Track and Field

Los Gatos athletes had some sterling performances at the Central Coast Section Semifinals on May 13 at Gilroy High.

The top eight finishers in each event 12 for the distance and field events qualify for the CCS Finals on May 20, also at Gilroy High. On the girls side, senior Abigail Lo qualified to the Finals with the fourth best mark in the triple jump at 36 feet, 3 1/2 inches.

She also cleared 5 feet in the high jump, taking the 12th and final qualifying spot over four other girls by doing it in fewer overall attempts. Sophomore Nicole Steiner qualified third in the shot put in 39-7 but still owns the top mark in the section this season, at 41-11 3/4.

Steiner also was sixth in the discus in 109-7. Hannah Slover, the defending state champion in the high jump, cleared 5-2 to advance to the Finals. Sophie Tau qualified third in the 1600-meter run in 5:00.03. The

4x100 relay team of Emma Arbitaylo, Alex Hansen, Bridget Moore, Janie Marie Vidovich and Jeanette Li took the eighth and final qualifying spot in 50.27 seconds, the identical time of Sacred Heart Prep, which was in a different heat.

On the boys side, junior Matthew Gladney continued his rapid ascent with a PR of 15.17 in the 110 hurdles, good for the fifth fastest time in the Semifinals. Gladney had only recently posted a top-10 time in the section with a 15.18 in the SCVAL De Anza Division Finals on April 27.

Wil Brennan and Levi Romero qualified in the 400 in second and fourth, respectively. Brennan owns the top mark this year a 48.06 in the SCVAL Championship Finals on May 6 and Romero the No. 2 time, a 48.20 at the CCS Top 8 Invite on April 21.

Brady Kamali was ninth in the 400, 23/100ths of a second out of the eighth and final spot to the Finals. But he qualified in his other individual event, the high jump, clearing 6 feet. Aydon Stefanopoulos was eighth in the 1600 and sixth in the 3200.

The 4x400 relay team of Brennan, Romero, Kamali and Jake Bohane, who owns the fastest time in the CCS this year, qualified fourth in 3:27.11, while the 4x100 relay team took the eighth and final qualifying spot in 42.86, edging Palma by 7/100ths of a second.

CCS playoffs

The baseball and softball brackets were released May 15 and both Los Gatos High teams will have 11 am home games in their quarterfinal openers on May 20.

The baseball team (20-7), champions of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division, earned the No. 4 seed in the top Division I bracket and hosts No. 5 St. Ignatius (16-11) at 11am. It’s a rematch of their nonleague contest won by Los Gatos, 4-1, on April 8.

The softball team (14-10), the second-place finisher in the SCVAL De Anza Division, is the No. 3 seed in Division II and will face a familiar foe in No. 6 seed Los Altos (14-10), which it beat in both league meetings this season, 4-2 on April 18 and 3-1 a week later.

STANDOUT Ewan Lonergan, seen here in the CCS Prelims May 5, was the lone Los Gatos High swimmer to make an A final in the CIF State Championships, placing seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke May 13 at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex.

Thien-An Truong

BLOOM IS BOUNTIFUL FOR SPRING

Tony Tomeo, Contributor

Bloom that was delayed by the unusually wintry winter is making up for lost time. Spring bulbs, flowering cherries and deciduous magnolias were amazing. Wisterias and lilacs continue their pastel display within some climates. More flowers bloom during springtime than at any other time of year. Even roses of summer will begin their performance soon.

Pollination is the priority of all flowers. The majority of flowers exploit wind for pollination. Because they need not attract pollinators, they are neither very colorful nor very fragrant. Colorful and fragrant flowers are the minority that compete for the attention of pollinators. This includes the same colorful and fragrant flowers that are desirable for home gardens.

Whether reliant on wind or pollinators for pollination, flowers adhere to a strict schedule. Some colorful and fragrant flowers want to be receptive while their pollinators are active. However, pollinators are more likely to adjust their schedules to exploit favorite flowers. After all, there is another major incentive for spring bloom. Seed needs time to develop.

Pollination is the priority of all flowers because it is how they generate seed. Some seed develops fast enough to grow into new plants within the same year. Some annuals can actually procreate for a few fast generations annually. Most seed develop slower though. They mature during summer, overwinter, and ultimately grow during the following spring.

For now, garden enthusiasts should enjoy the most abundant bloom of the year. That will not require too much exertion. Fresh fruit of summer will develop later. Some flowers that deteriorate without producing fruit may justify deadheading. This redirects resources for vegetative growth, and eliminates any unwanted seed. Besides, it might be a bit neater.

The most profuse spring flowers generally bloom only once annually. They will not do so again until next spring. Some less profuse bloomers may repeat

LETTERS

Study the Constitution

Your ongoing characterization of the referendum and its sponsors as “antigrowth” is both disingenuous and dishonest (“Los Gatos considers updates to traffic-related fees for developers,” Los Gatan, May 10-16). The referendum is a Constitutional process where the Los Gatos citizens decide the growth plans for Los Gatos! Bureaucrats in Sacramento do not dictate to Los Gatos citizens!

Since your Canadian Citizenship prevents you from understanding our Constitutional God-given rights, I suggest you refrain from editorializing and just report the facts if you can!

Ron Meyer Los Gatos

Reauthorize DACA

I am writing today to urge our community and elected officials to support reauthorizing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Currently, DACA has not accepted new eligible applicants since October 2020. According to the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website (2022), DACA is a policy that came to life through an executive order from President Barack Obama.

DACA provides temporary relief from deportation (deferred action) and work authorization to eligible

with later bloom phases through summer. Of course, some flowers bloom within other seasons between summer and even winter. Their individual schedules are appropriate to the climates that they are originally native to.

Highlight: pride of Madeira

This is most certainly something to be proud of. Pride of Madeira, Echium candicans (or fastuosum), can bloom perfectly blue. Varieties that bloom white or lighter lavender blue are rare locally. Feral specimens might exhibit such floral color variation though. Bloom occurs only annually, but can last through spring. Butterflies and bees are very fond of it.

Pride of Madeira occasionally self sows, but is not too aggressively invasive. It performs exceptionally well within

young undocumented immigrants. However, it does not offer a pathway to citizenship. The eligible DACA recipients must reapply every two years to continue to receive deferred action to deportation and work authorization.

This policy was created to give this population a middle ground to their situation. This means they would have some protection and the right to work lawfully but would not hold legal status in the U.S., thus not having U.S. citizen rights.

DACA is a policy that helps the childhood immigrant population with protection from deportation and work authorization for its recipients (USCIS, 2022). DACA can be seen as a compromise from the DREAM ACT or a step toward fighting for the DREAM ACT. However, DACA continues to create fear and anxiety within its recipients. It is not accepting new

BLUE BLOOMS

coastal climates. Feral specimens on inaccessible coastal cliffs are only briefly scruffy after bloom. Deadheading within home gardens is tidier and limits seed dispersion. Moderate watering enhances foliar color. Excessive watering rots roots. Small new specimens of pride of Madeira grow fast, but perform for only about five years. They generally get about six feet tall and eight feet wide. Cool or foggy coastal weather promotes taller and more vigorous growth. Warm exposure might promote more compact growth. The narrow and grayish leaves are rather raspy. “Star of Madeira” is a variegated and compact cultivar.

applications, an issue for childhood immigrants eligible for DACA. It’s important to note that more than half of DACA recipients reported moving to jobs with better pay and benefits that are more closely aligned with their education and training; the CAP analysis states that DACA recipient households pay $6.2 billion in federal taxes and $3.3 billion in state and local taxes each year. However, they are not eligible for federal funding.

Similarly, most undocumented immigrants file federal and state taxes, yet they do not qualify for those funding streams, causing this population to face disparities and inequalities. Providing DACA to active and allowing eligible applicants to gain DACA protections would benefit childhood immigrants and the U.S. economy.

Erika Chagolla SJSU Graduate Student

Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

Pride of Madeira blooms through spring.

LOCAL SCENE

LOCAL ARTIST PRESENTS SOLO EXHIBIT

Whitney Modern Contemporary Fine Art Gallery presents “Reminisce,” a solo exhibition featuring a new body of work by Los Gatos artist Gordon Smedt. The exhibition will be on view through May 28 at the gallery located at 24 N. Santa Cruz Ave., second floor in Los Gatos.

"Reminisce" showcases large-scale canvases featuring Smedt's interest in subjects that are familiar, relatable and nostalgic, the gallery noted.

“This exhibition is an opportunity to explore Smedt's latest works and see his creative vision unfold. His work draws the viewer in and evokes a sense of nostalgia that is both universal and deeply personal.” said gallery owner Suzanne Whitney. “The exhibition has been a huge success with both admirers and collectors alike. It is encouraging to see this response to the exhibition and to know that fine art has a place in the heart of our very technically minded community.”

The exhibit features 17 large paintings that showcase his signature style and use of color. “Tupperware Party,” for instance, is an oil on canvas work depicting a stack of vintage Tupperware lids in an array of vibrant hues. Each lid is rendered with a unique range of hues and values, from sunny yellows and oranges to cool blues and greens.

“Byte” features a 1970s-era Apple Computers logo T-shirt peeking out from under a vintage plaid short-sleeve shirt. As with Smedt’s many other clothing portraits in the exhibit, there is no human model present as the clothing balances between looking as though it's hanging from a clothes hanger or being worn by a person.

Smedt first studied art at San Jose State University before continuing his education at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, where he was twice awarded merit scholarships and graduated with honors, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1986. He currently lives and works in the Los Gatos Mountains.

His paintings have been showing in art galleries for the past 35 years and are collected by individuals, corporations and museums locally and internationally.

➝ whitneymodern.com/exhibit/122gordon-smedt-reminisce.

HUGHES TAKES FIRST PLACE IN NATIONAL GYMNASTICS COMPETITION

Local resident Daniel Hughes, a sophomore at Leigh High School, took first place on the Rings and fifth place on the Highbar in the Senior C Division at the 2023 Western National Championships in Galveston, Texas April 28-30.

More than 100 students from the 25 western states competed for prizes in the annual competition.

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER HONORED

Carlos Lamoso, a teacher in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District’s post-secondary program, was

honored May 15 by the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s Special Education Local Plan Area III cohort for his work with special needs students. In addition, Lamoso’s program, a 2023 Santa Clara County School Boards Association Glenn Hoffmann award winner, was awarded the Kristi Porter Outstanding Program Award on May 10.

➝ Local Scene, 14

FAMILIAR LOGO Gordon Smedt’s “Byte” is on display at the Whitney Modern Contemporary Fine Art Gallery through May 28.

Courtesy of Whitney Modern Contemporary Fine Art Gallery

TEACHER IS PART OF AWARD-WINNING PROGRAM

Local Scene, from page 13

Lamoso has been a teacher with the district’s post-secondary program since 2013. A community-based, post-secondary program for young adults, ages 18-22, this program serves students who are determined to still need Individualized Education Program services after they finish four years in high school.

This program provides collegiate and professional experiences for special needs students, in addition to life skills such as travel training, self-improvement and social skills in an inclusive and age-appropriate environment.

Housed at West Valley Community College (WVCC), all students in the program are now participating in a college course offering from Adapted PE to English or History. In addition, the number of employment partners who provide internships to program students has doubled in the last nine years, as students are placed in paid internships and direct-hire jobs. With the leadership and guidance of Lamoso and his resource aides, these students go on to hold leadership positions at WVCC student government.

In addition, program students have provided trainings in national conferences and to employers, such as Google, training engineers on the needs of people who have Cerebral Palsy and Cortical Visual Impairment.

Awarded the Glenn Hoffmann Award in the category of Student Support Services, the post-secondary program, Stepping up for Successful Post-Secondary Transitions, tied with Palo Alto Unified School District to receive the Kristi Porter Outstanding Program Award, an additional honor awarded to one program receiving the highest marks out of all the submissions.

“We are so grateful to West Valley Community College and their partnership with us as we work to provide post-secondary transitions for these unique and very capable students,”

Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson said. “Carlos and the resource aides that work in his classroom make such a positive impact in the lives of our students and their families and I am so proud of the work they do for our community.”

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS RECOGNIZED

Eight seniors from Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools were honored May 7 at Santa Clara University for the Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators’ 34th Annual Recognition Program.

With the 2023 theme, “The Future is Now: Let’s Move Forward Together,” seniors, eighth-graders and fifth-graders from 22 school districts were recognized for their grade point average (GPA), improving their GPA, fine arts/talent accomplishments, student athlete, or leadership/civic involvement among others.

Local students honored were:

• Sydney Backhus, Saratoga High School, Academics GPA: Backhus is a member of the Saratoga High School Cheerleading Team, Leadership, and Rally Commission, charged with planning and executing all school rallies. As a member of Jack and Jill, an African-American teen/mother organization, she has been able to help the community by organizing events and raising money for group homes.

• Caitlin Bowser, Los Gatos High School, Improved GPA: Los Gatos High School staff shared that Bowser has shown a strong grade improvement in her senior year. During a typically busy year of college applications, she has also added more rigor to her course load.

• Nadine Cobourn, Saratoga High School, Fine Arts/Talent: Cobourn has a passion for the creative arts and dance, school staff shared. At Saratoga High School, she has been part of the Media Arts Program, allowing for leadership opportunities and peer-topeer collaboration.

• Riley J., Los Gatos High School, Improved GPA: Riley has increased her GPA one full point from last year to this year. Her first semester senior year GPA is the second highest semester GPA she has earned at Los Gatos High School.

• Cole Massie, Los Gatos High School, Improved GPA: Massie holds a leadership position on the Los Gatos High School Robot-

ics team, and in his senior year, has brought his cumulative GPA above 3.50.

• David Pollesch, Los Gatos High School, Student Athlete: Pollesch’s GPA has continued to improve throughout his time at Los Gatos High School. He has played football for LGHS every year, and has a strong sense of camaraderie toward his peers both on and off the field.

• Taylor Wilson, Saratoga High School, Leadership/Civic Involvement: Wilson’s impact on Saratoga High School can be measured through his leadership, captaining the soccer team, or winning the Luke Salin Outstanding Service Award given to students who are passionate about film, leadership and social justice.

• Mia Yannoni, Los Gatos High School, Academics GPA: In addition to being a student athlete and managing a rigorous course load with a 4.28 GPA, Yannoni is also a musician in Los Gatos High School’s audition-only jazz band and wind ensemble.

In addition, she served in Los Gatos High School’s marching band leadership team and was this year's “Team Spirit Award” recipient.

STUDENT WINS NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

The Washington Crossing Foundation announced the 2023 winners of its scholarships for high school seniors planning careers in government service.

Isabelle Qian, a senior at Westminster School in London, received the West Coast Scholarship in Memory of Laura Daniel Brown.

Qian is the daughter of William Qian and Caroline Cao of Los Gatos. She will attend the University of California, Berkeley.

This year the Washington Crossing Foundation awarded $79,000 in scholarships bringing the total amount to $2,021,000 since 1970.

The scholarships are awarded annually to high school seniors dedicated to serving their school, their community and their country.

TOP TEACHER Carlos Lamoso, a teacher in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District’s post-secondary program, was honored for his work with special needs students.

Courtesy of Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District

CALENDAR

SILICON VALLEY MODERN HOME TOUR

After a four-year hiatus, the Silicon Valley Modern Home Tour returns May 20 from 10am to 4pm. Seven homes from Saratoga to Stanford will be on the self-guided tour.

➝ mads.media/2023-silicon-valleymodern-home-tour.

BLOOD DRIVE

The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Robin Sedgwick and Don Knight of Coldwell Banker Realty, and Stanford Blood Center, is holding a blood drive outside its office, 10 Station Way, on June 2 from 10am to 3pm.

➝ sbcdonor.org/donor/schedules/ drive_schedule/12233.

‘MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE’ SCREENING BENEFIT

The Veterans Memorial and Support Foundation will host an evening at the CineLux Los Gatos Theatre on July 19 for the premier showing of the new movie “Mission: Impossible.” It will start at 7pm and the cost will be a $50 donation to the Veterans Foundation.

➝ bit.ly/4183sMr.

LIVE JAZZ MUSIC

Live jazz performances at the Tasting House, 368 Village Lane, take place Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9pm, and Sundays from 11am-2pm.

ENTERTAINMENT AT GARDINO’S

Gardino’s, 51 N. Santa Cruz Ave., features entertainment Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, along with Sunday afternoons.

➝ bit.ly/3OSvPHS.

ONGOING

Los Gatos Farmers Market

The Los Gatos Certified Farmers’ Market offers seasonal fruits and vegetables from Santa Clara County yearround. More than 40 local farmers and food producers sell their wares Sundays from 9am to 1pm at Town Park Plaza on Main Street and N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

➝ cafarmersmkts.com/losgatosfarmers-market.

Campbell Farmers Market

The Downtown Campbell Farmers Market is held Sundays, rain or shine, from 9am to 1pm.

➝ uvfm.org/campbell-sundays.

The Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos

The club meets the first three Thursdays of the month at noon at Double D's, 354 N. Santa Cruz Ave. First two Thursdays of the month feature guest speakers.

➝ lgkiwanisgives.org.

Rotary Club of Los Gatos

The Rotary Club of Los Gatos meets Tuesdays from noon to 1:30pm at Shir Hadash Synagogue, 20 Cherry Blossom Lane.

➝ losgatosrotary.org.

The Los Gatos Morning Rotary Club

The Club meets every Wednesday morning 7:30-8:30am at Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road. Program includes featured guest speakers.

Los Gatos Lions Club

The Los Gatos Lions Club meets every Wednesday. A breakfast meeting is held at Moore Buick, 15500 Los Gatos Blvd., at 8am and a noon meeting at Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, with a guest speaker. The club has been active since 1946.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Town Council

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

➝ losgatosca.gov/16/Town-Council.

Planning Commission

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

➝ losgatosca.gov/189/PlanningCommission.

Santa Clara County Supervisors

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

➝ bit.ly/3oy2Zmq.

Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District

The board meets every other Tuesday at 5pm.

➝ bit.ly/3DaJRi9.

Donald Gene Ober

August 2, 1938 - April 29, 2023

Donald Gene Ober, age 84, passed away peacefully August 29, 2023 in Stockton California.

Originally from San Jose Don attended Abraham Lincoln High where he played Football as a Quarterback and ran track, where he almost broke Jessie Owens World record by 4 tenths of a second in the 100-meter dash.

Don was known as the Man of the Cloth where he worked in Men’s clothing such as Patrick James, Rochester Big & Tall, Bergs Private Stock and Men’s Wearhouse.

Don loved Los Gatos where he often visited where his son resides. Don is survived by his loving wife Dori, Daughter Kelly, Son Matthew, Niece Jackie, Grandkids, Shane, Cole & Ally and Great Grandson Marcel.

LUXURIOUS This renovated Saratoga home designed by M.Designs Architects will be a part of the Silicon Valley Modern Home Tour on May 20.

Scott de Bose

Moms, Dads, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncles, Aunts, Brothers & Sisters

Is Someone You Love

Graduating In 2023?

Tell your 2023 grad just how proud you are of their accomplishment with a keepsake graduation ad & photo. They will treasure this for a lifetime.

We will run a 1/8 page color ad that includes their graduation photo in Los Gatan’s June 7 Graduation edition.

Cost is $89

Just email us the following information at Serenity@weeklys.com:

1. Graduate’s name & school graduating from

2. Photo (graduation photo or cute family photo of the graduate)

3. Text/Salutation (up to 22 max number of words)

4. Don’t forget to include the names of those extending their good wishes.

5. Please include your name, address & phone number so Serenity Polizzi can call you to confirm how you want the ad to look.

Once we recieve your email Serenity will then contact you to go over the information to refine it for you.

If you have any questions on this, please don’t hesitate to email us your contact phone number at Serenity@weeklys.com, as well.

REAL ESTATE HOME OF THE WEEK

AREAS TO ENTERTAIN

City lights and mountain views are a constant with this Los Gatos home on an oak tree-studded lot.

Located at 490 Santa Rosa Drive, the 5,265-square-foot home includes five bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms.

Living spaces include a grand living room, formal dining room, custom gourmet kitchen, family room, office and private primary suite. Red

oak floors with mahogany inlays are throughout, along with remodeled bathrooms, Victorian crown molding, fresh paint in and out and new carpet.

Outside, there are several areas to relax or entertain among the natural landscapes, patio and bocce ball court.

The home, built in 1984, is listed at $4,488,000 by Intero Real Estate Services. For information, visit bit.ly/42XIpO0.

SANTA ROSA DRIVE This Los Gatos home features mature landscaping.

INSIDE Red oak floors with mahogany inlays are throughout.