Los Gatan 12 1 2021 by Weeklys

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vol . I, no. 13 : december 1- 7, 2021 : losgatan.com

redistricting controversy p4 : remembering ed bersano p6 : calendar p19 : ny times crossword puzzle p21 Robert Eliason

RANGE ANXIETY: HELP IS ON WAY WITH EXPANSION OF EV CHARGING SITE NETWORK Los Gatos, county home to rising number of ports

DISPATCHERS SECURE RAISES, AS TOWN HIRING CHALLENGES CONTINUE ON Town employees get 2% pay increase across the board

Katie Lauer, Reporter

Drew Penner, Reporter

It doesn’t require a keen eye to notice the hundreds of ChargePoint, Electrify America and Tesla Supercharger electric vehicle charging ports (typically) glowing along major intersections in Santa Clara County. Los Gatos has nine EV charging stations downtown. The PlugShare website, which tracks charging stations by city, estimates Los Gatos has 66 stations throughout the town. San Jose has just shy of 1,000 ports. Santa Clara has 330, Cupertino tallies 173 and Mountain View claims 156. This isn’t a fluke. Partially thanks to a 2018 initiative from Gov. Jerry Brown, California is currently home to nearly 23,000 charging stations—one third of the nation’s supply, according to a Pew Trust study—and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District reports 9,481 public charging ports within its nine-county region. Yet feelings of “range anxiety”

Los Gatos employees who’ve been working for months without a contract have come to a short-term labor deal with the Town—and they’re getting a 2% raise. Most notably, under terms negotiated with the Town Employees’ Association (TEA), police dispatchers will receive an additional 5.4% pay increase (with the dispatcher lead Christine Crosson getting an extra 2.1% salary bump). Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve recently said it expected ➝ Raises, 13

➝EV Charging, 8

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ON THE MARK Wildcats senior point guard Arya Emarlou looks to pass during Los Gatos’ match against Del Mar. Winter sports are now in full swing. For more, turn to Sports, page 10.

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Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informationalpurposes only and is compiled from sourc-es deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracyof any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

compass.com Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

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Los Gatos real estate reimagined.

CANDIDATES ATTACK SANTA CLARA COUNTY REDISTRICTING MAP Dan Pulcrano Executive Editor and Publisher Lee May General Manager Erik Chalhoub Managing Editor Lori Lieneke Advertising Director Phaedra Strecher Production Manager Katie Lauer Drew Penner Reporters Emanuel Lee Juan Reyes Sports writers Judy Peterson Contributor Serenity Polizzi Carrie Bonato Account Executives Marie Hicks Subscriptions

WEEKLYS Stephen Buel Director of Strategic Initiatives Mike Lyon Digital Media Harry Allison Production Director Sonia Chavez Accounts Receivables Warren Giancaterino Information Technology

DEATH NOTICES Death notices with basic information that are submitted to editor@losgatan.com may be published on a space-available basis only. To place a paid, unedited obituary with a photo, call 707.353.1148 or email LifeTributes@Weeklys.com.

OPINIONS

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Email your submissions to editor@losgatan.com Letters must include the writer’s name and hometown (for publication) and phone number (for verification). Submissions may be edited, and will be published as space permits. Letters are limited to 250 words, commentaries to 500 words.

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Los Gatan Rob Rennie cut out of proposed District 1 boundaries

County of Santa Clara

VOL.1 NO.13

Eli Wolfe

As Santa Clara County lawmakers prepare to approve new political boundaries, some local politicians are raising complaints about the process. The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 in November to advance a proposal for redistricting the county's five political boundaries, choosing the so-called Yellow Map over two other options. Supervisors Mike Wasserman and Joe Simitian voted against advancing the map. If approved, the map will move Almaden Valley and Los Gatos from District 1 into District 5 and eliminate Sunnyvale from being split between Districts 3 and 5, and move it wholly into District 3. It will also retain majority-minority Asian and Hispanic districts. Supervisors are scheduled to discuss the map during a Dec. 7 meeting. As the board nears a decision on the once-in-a-decade process, there are lingering questions about the map created by a coalition of South Bay civil rights and labor organizations. Opponents of the map, including the Santa Clara County Republican Party, claim it’s gerrymandering meant to reduce conservative power in District 1. Some have also argued the process is tainted by conflicts of interest because two supervisors—Cindy Chavez and Susan Ellenberg—support candidates in the District 1 election. “It’s clearly politically motivated,” said Johnny Khamis, a former Republican running for the District 1 supervisor seat. Khamis and another candidate in the race, Los Gatos Vice Mayor Rob Rennie, would theoretically be excluded because they’ll no longer live within the new district boundaries. Khamis said he’s considering legal action if the county approves the map, citing his ethical concerns about Chavez and Ellenberg. He said he believes the map is gerrymandering and that it doesn’t comply with state and federal requirements, noting it has a high population deviation—meaning the population difference in districts is not equal—and that its boundaries are not compact.

REDISTRICTING Santa Clara County Supervisors in November voted to advance the proposed Yellow Map for new boundaries for supervisorial districts.

Diluting voices? Other South Bay politicians decried the map earlier this month, saying it will dilute Asian-American voting power. Palo Alto Councilmember Greg Tanaka, who is running for Congress, said the map will fracture the San Jose Vietnamese vote by splitting the population into several districts. “On the county side, it seems like some of this is being done for political reasons, not necessarily for representation reasons,” Tanaka said. San Jose City Council candidate Bien Doan agreed, calling the county map racist and discriminatory—but could not provide any specific examples of how it would split the Asian community. The map preserves a majority of the minority Asian-Pacific Islander population in District 3, according to county data on the redistricting proposals. Richard Konda, executive director of the Asian Law Alliance, said the Yellow Map, if approved, would mean District 3 contains all of Sunnyvale, making it a strong Asian American district. “I strongly disagree that the (Yellow) Map dilutes Asian American voters,” Konda said. He added that the Alliance has submitted maps and recommendations on the state and assembly level in previous redistricting, but this is the first year it’s submitted a map for the county. He said the process of

submitting a map is more efficient than submitting comments. Jeffrey Suzuki, head of the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition, said he doesn't see how the map will harm Asian Americans in District 5. He claims Republicans oppose the map because it will rearrange political boundaries that have allowed wealthier white residents in places like Los Gatos and Almaden Valley to politically dominate District 1. “If you don't dilute those Latinx votes down in South County, then (Republicans) don't win,” he said. It's not unusual for special interest groups to provide input during a redistricting process, including submitting maps. Jeffrey Buchanan, director of Silicon Valley Rising Action, said the organizations that helped create the Yellow Map submitted other maps in previous redistricting efforts on the state and assembly level. This is their first time submitting local county maps. Terry Christensen, a political science professor at San Jose State University, said it may be easier to submit maps now thanks to software that allows virtually anyone to draw up proposals for new political boundaries. “It doesn’t take as much work as it would have done even 10 years, and especially 20 years ago,” he said. Christensen dismissed Khamis’ ➝ Redistricting, 14

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Remembering Ed Bersano and the Villa Felice Courtesy of the Bersano family

Bersano, one of owners of historic gathering spot, dies at 93

The beginning of 1998 marked the end of a Los Gatos tradition, with the once-popular Villa Felice Restaurant closing its doors after one final New Year’s Eve party. That night, Ed Bersano sported a black tie and tux for the party, which he had emceed for decades. Bersano passed away Nov. 3 from cancer. He was 93. Bersano was well-known in town as one of the owners of the Villa Felice at 15350 Winchester Blvd. Ed Bersano ran the restaurant and adjacent lodge with his brothers Dick and Don. Their parents purchased the property in 1950, which was originally a resort with a dining hall and rustic cottages overlooking Vasona Lake. Initially, Ed labored alongside his mother in the kitchen—cooking for an ever-growing list of locals and luminaries who stopped by for dinner and ballroom dancing, including Olivia de Havilland, Rosemary Clooney, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio and Esther Williams. Los Gatos service clubs met there weekly and it was a popular wedding venue. Many locals, including former Mayor Tom Ferrito, worked there as teenagers. “When I was in high school I worked in the kitchen cleaning pots that were bigger than I was,” Ferrito recalled. “It was a good job but it was hard work.” Ed’s wife, Mary, said she misses the restaurant because now she has to cook. “Villa Felice is from an era gone by,” Mary Bersano said. “It featured the largest dance floor in the valley and people enjoyed wearing their fanciest outfits and dancing to Big Band music.” Ed and Mary met at the restaurant’s bar in 1985 and were married five years later. “I went to the Villa Felice with a girlfriend to find out about a jazz festival in town and Ed came over,” she said. “He took me to the festival the next day and the rest, as they say, is history.” The Bersanos made Los Gatos history on several occasions.

WELL-KNOWN LOCALS Mary and Ed Bersano met at the Villa Felice in 1985 and were married five years later. The Villa Felice was a popular spot with locals for dining and dancing but it gained international recognition when the Brazilian soccer team stayed there during the 1994 World Cup. In 1978, the Los Gatos Times Observer reported that the town council approved a proposal to expand the Villa Felice dining room and build 15 condominiums and 31 motel rooms. Resident Dewey Beaudette opposed the motel provision, so he collected signatures for a town-wide referendum that, if approved, would have overturned the council’s approval. In response, the Bersanos took out newspaper ads that said, “We are not promoters, developers or land speculators. Our family has owned this 8 1/2 acres on Winchester Boulevard for 28 years. We all live in our homes on this property.” The referendum failed and the expansion proceeded, with the Lodge at Villa Felice opening in 1986. The Brazilian Soccer team stayed at the lodge in 1994, when Stanford University was one of nine venues hosting the FIFA World Cup. “The team was looking at Chaminade in Santa Cruz and a place in Berkeley,” former Mayor Randy

Courtesy of the Bersano family

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Judy Peterson, Reporter

Attaway said. “They stopped at a restaurant in town and their World Cup host suggested Villa Felice. One reason they chose the Villa Felice is because the back had a steep hill facing Vasona Lake and that, added with a town-provided security team, made them feel comfortable.” Townsfolk welcomed the Brazilians with open arms, flying the bright green, yellow and blue national colors and gathering downtown with the team for an impromptu—and raucous—July Fourth celebration. Brazil went on to win the World Cup a few weeks later. “I thought it was very generous of the Bersanos to allow the team to stay there,” Attaway said. “They were good hosts.” Sadly, a family history says that by 1997 “the popularity of the Villa Felice was waning and the Bersano brothers decided it was time to retire.” The lodge remained open until 2004 and the property was sold to Robson Homes for a new housing development. In 2005, Robson petitioned the town to name a street in the development “Bersano Lane” in honor of the family “that helped put Los Gatos on the map.”

MEMORIES New Year’s Eve was a big deal at the Villa Felice, featuring dining, dancing and a midnight countdown that was led by Ed Bersano (center). “Hundreds of balloons dropped from the ceiling and we sang ‘Auld Lang Syne,’” Mary Bersano said.

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still shadow residents of this EV heaven, primarily when traveling through more rural areas. Even trekking from Sacramento to San Diego is tricky without carefully planned stops, especially for non-Tesla vehicles. Driving an EV to fishing trips in Minnesota’s boundary waters or music festivals beyond the rolling hills of Tennessee seems ludicrous. Despite being enticed by the ways electric vehicles help curb emissions connected to climate change, Kira White said she probably wouldn’t take one to visit her family three hours north in Chico. Meredith Liu says she is planning on using her husband's gas-powered vehicle if she ever needs to commute further than her daily journey from Gilroy to Mountain View; she primarily decided to join the nearly 1.2 million electric vehicle owners on U.S. roads to save on fuel and access the fast lane, after all. The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act President Joe Biden signed into law Nov. 15—the largest long-term investment of its kind in nearly a century—may convince buyers who have been on the fence. Alongside investments in projects like replacing lead water pipes, laying cables for broadband internet and expanding public transit like Amtrak trains and city buses, Biden announced a goal of increasing the nation’s roughly 50,000 public EV charging stations to half a million by 2030. California expects to receive $384 million over five years to expand its charging network. Some argue the lofty goal of crafting a ubiquitous network may be more hopeful than realistic, but the effort would attempt to solve one of the biggest reasons 1 in 5 EV drivers switch back to gas. This investment in EVs may also have ripple effects locally, as more companies are jumping into the Bay Area’s electric mobility industry. Joining Tesla’s (now former) Palo Alto headquarters and Fremont factory operations, more than 200 EV companies are sprinkled around the peninsula, including Nio, QuantumScape, ChargePoint, Boson Motors, Amply Power and Tropos Technologies in

Katie Lauer

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EV Charging, from page 1

EV PHONE HOME Electric vehicle owners in the South Bay enjoy more charging stations than many U.S. states have installed.

Santa Clara County. Mohamed Badawy, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at San Jose State University and founder of the school’s Center of Power Electronic Converters, sees Silicon Valley as the next Detroit, exporting electric vehicles and technologies until the industry becomes more accessible for all consumers. And while he says it was clear to him 10 years ago that electric mobility systems were the future, the country’s electronic grids, transit manufacturers and government programs are still far behind on supporting the growing need for EVs. “It's not going to change things a lot on the scale, but it is a step in the right direction overall for the whole nation,” Badawy said. “Even in California, which is the most advanced state in terms of EV charging, we're still far away from where we should be. Companies are not going to build charging stations if they don't see that there's enough demand for them. And the demands cannot come only from one company, which is still on the high end and not for everyday Americans.” Cost has majorly excluded people

who can’t afford these vehicles from the industry, particularly college students and budding professionals like Amelia Hain—who is one of the young adults arguably with the most years left to drive. Her boyfriend, Kole Barr, has his money on hydrogen fuel cells to combat the “lesser than two evils” debate between gas and lithium ion batteries. But cheaper solutions will likely have to be utilized to make widespread changes, since the $7.2 billion is nearly half Biden’s original hopes for a $15 billion budget. Many of the new chargers are expected to have a “Level 2” capacity, meaning an hours-long charge will replenish around 25 miles of battery power. Many EVs can drive more than 300 miles on a fully charged battery, which takes around eight hours. That’s comparable to a standard 10-gallon gasoline tank in a mid-priced internal combustion car, which usually takes less than five minutes to fill. These 240-volt contraptions— the same electricity needed to power washing machines—cost around $2,000, while their faster companions

are 50 to 100 times more expensive, racking up anywhere from $40,000 to $400,000. PG&E reported their average cost for installing Level 2 ports through 2020 was $18,384. No matter where drivers charge their electric cars, they’ll have to continue “sipping” power whenever they are at public destinations like multi-family residences, grocery stores, parks, hotels and even churches, as well as standard gas stations. Some EV advocates are even arguing that investments in 120-volt “Level 1” chargers will avoid even decades-old infrastructure to handle the power supply needed. In the meantime, EV drivers like Maria Garfias will be satisfied with the cost savings and eco-friendly benefits of their personal transportation. That is, if she can reliably find working charging stations, unlike one pesky machine at Westfield Mall. “I do wish they were as frequent as gas stations,” Garfias said, before driving away in her Mustang Mach-E—60 miles left until its battery died.

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SPORTS

Coach Nick Ward returns for second stint

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Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

A familiar face is back on the sideline for the Los Gatos High boys basketball team. Nick Ward has returned for his second stint as the Wildcats coach after a three-year absence. His first stint lasted four years and upon his return he has inherited a deep and balanced team that works hard and hustles. Nowhere was that more evident than in the Wildcats’ season-opening 76-27 win over Del Mar on Nov. 22. A slow start gave way to an explosive 32-point second quarter that blew the game wide open. Senior point guard Arya Emarlou had a game-high 26 points and senior forward Trent Steiner had 19, including a dunk with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. Emarlou and Steiner epitomize the team in that seemingly every player on the roster is capable of making a sizable contribution. That’s the good news. The tough part is figuring out the right combinations and rotations for a roster that lacks a Division I basketball prospect but has solid talent across the board. “It’s a good problem to have,” Ward said. “Everyone wants to play and there are only so many minutes in a game, and when you have the depth that we have, it’s a nice problem. It would be an easy decision if you had five guys hands down better than the others, but for us you’ve got a couple of guys that can do some little things better than the others so at different times of the game you try to get them in where they can succeed. You just kind of play those rotations and try to figure out each game because each game is a little different and the opposing team’s personnel is a little different. It’s like putting a puzzle together.” That puzzle will need to be fitted and rejigged once again once Mitty transfers Max Houghton and Tommy Ankenbrandt are eligible to play in January. “They’re worthy of getting on the floor so we’ll have 14 guys—you saw 12

PACE SETTER Senior point guard Arya Emarlou is one of the Wildcats’ top scoring threats and had 26 points in a season-opening win over Del Mar. Los Gatos aims to compete for a SCVAL El Camino Division title this season. tonight,” Ward said. “It’s a good problem to have right now. Practices are going well and we’ve got a good group of guys. We’re excited.” The Los Gatos players are tall, long and move well without the ball. The Wildcats have some big bodies in Steiner, Nolan Koch, Victor Josifovski, Randy Gan, Tyler Cowan and Trent Splaine. The team’s unselfish play and deft passing came to a head when Josifovski, Simon Estrin and Steiner all connected on passes without the ball touching the floor that led to Steiner’s layup against Del Mar. Steiner along with Luke White have already made an impact coming off standout seasons on the football team. “Trent had a heck of a game tonight and he’s still feeling his touch back out here because he didn’t play in the Covid shortened season (in the

spring),” Ward said. “Luke is super athletic, flies everywhere and plays hard. He’s been out here for a week and he’s in better defensive positioning than some of the guys who have been out here for two months.” Teams will be looking to stop Emarlou, who has the ability to hit shots from beyond the arc and get to the basket off dribble penetration. “Arya is one of our better scorers and slashers,” Ward said. “He does a lot for us offensively and makes it easier for other guys when he is going well.” Ward commended players like Splaine and Josifovski for doing a lot of the things that don’t necessarily show up in the stat sheet. “They’re not in the box score all the time, but they’re doing the dirty work,” he said. “They’re getting rebounds all the time and fighting the opposing

team’s post players and just doing a heck of a job everyday and getting better. They play tough.” Combo guard Joey Greene is also an impact player as he can drive to the basket and keep the team in system when he’s on the floor. The Wildcats got off to a slow start against Del Mar before opening things up. “Once we got going, got our feet under us and established what we wanted to do, I thought the guys did a really nice job of staying aggressive and attacking,” Ward said. Los Gatos is competing in the Santa Clara Valley League’s lower El Camino Division this season, and looks to be contenders for the championship. “That’s always in the back of your mind and that’s always the goal when January rolls around,” Ward said. “You want to be there standing at the end.”

Robert Eliason

BALANCE, DEPTH KEY TO LOS GATOS’ SEASON

Robert Eliason

Wildcats ranked second in CCS Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

Greg Varela is entering his third full season as the Los Gatos High wrestling coach, and he said this year’s squad could be his best one yet. The Wildcats open the season on Dec. 3 in the Chukchansi Invitational at Madera South High, the first of six ultra-competitive tournaments spanning each weekend in December and early January before they start the league dual-meet season. “We’re solid and very good,” said Varela, whose squad is No. 2 in the Central Coast Section and 28th in the state preseason rankings according to the California Wrestler/ccsrank.com. “The good thing is we have a very young team with just one or two seniors.”

‘We’re solid and very good.’ Coach Greg Varela

Which means the best is yet to come for a rising Los Gatos program. The Wildcats have eight wrestlers who are ranked in the top 10 in the section in their weight class, highlighted by junior Anthony Pavlov-Ramirez and freshman Dillon Pile. Pavlov-Ramirez is ranked second in the CCS and 14th in the state at 138 pounds, while Pile is No. 1 in the CCS and 10th in the state at 154 pounds. “Dillon is a hard-working kid who’s been with the wrestling club in town and has put in a lot of work traveling all over the country for tournaments and different training camps,” Varela said. “He’s paid his dues and is walking in as a battle-tested kid. He’s been on the bubble of the national rankings which says a lot.” Ramirez is the team’s top returner, having finished fourth the last time

MAT TIME Anthony Pavlov-Ramirez (138 pounds) and Daniil Gorshkov (170) are both ranked second in the CCS in their respective weight classes. Los Gatos kicks off the season in the Chukchansi Invitational on Dec. 3. the CCS Championships were contested, in February 2020. That season, Pavlov-Ramirez was wrestling in the 120 pound division. He’s jumped up three weight classes as he’s grown into his body, though come the end of the season, Pavlov-Ramirez could move down a weight class, depending on the circumstances. “I think 138 suits me pretty well, but who knows what happens later in the year,” he said. “Maybe I go up, maybe I go down.” Other top Los Gatos wrestlers include Timmy Murabito at 122 pounds, Peter Bowen at 128, E.J. Parco at 134, Daniil Gorshkov at 170, Sergiy Nyzhnyk at 182 and Om Shastri at 195. For the girls team, Veloria Pannell leads the way as she is ranked third in the CCS at 126 pounds. Varela said Ramirez brings a certain vibe to the wrestling room that makes all of his teammates better.

“He’s training hard but also has a healthy attitude about training,” Varela said. “He’s good to be around, people gravitate toward him and he has good energy. He helps raise the level of the room.” Ramirez has been wrestling since he was in the fifth grade and gained inspiration from his older brother Alexander, who was a standout wrestler at Los Gatos High before graduating last May. “My older brother was a big inspiration and a very strategic wrestler,” Anthony said. “He loved the sport with a true passion and I wanted to be like that as well.” Ramirez loves being on the attack and imposing his physicality on opponents. On top position, he wants to be aggressive and on the bottom he aims to utilize his quickness and agility for escapes and return to a strong position on the mat.

The standout competed in the unofficial state invitational tournament last March, scoring a couple of wins over opponents ranked above him. Ramirez’s showing gave him a lot of confidence to compete with and beat some of the best wrestlers in the state. “I remember looking at the (giant) scoreboard after one of my matches and having the biggest smile ever,” he said. “It was such an incredible experience to go there for the first time ever in a state tournament setting.” As a freshman, Ramirez took fourth in the CCS Championships at 120. Just as important, he got to watch then-teammates Thomas Mailhot and Marcus Murabito advance to the CIF State Tournament. Murabito won the third-place match at 138 pounds in a nail-biter, 2-1, while Mailhot won all five of his matches via pinfall to take the CCS title at 182 pounds—the Wildcats’ lone section champion since 2018. “They were a huge inspiration since they were the older kids on the team and had so much influence in the mat room,” Ramirez said. “That’s what I wanted to be.” Indeed, Varela said Ramirez is one of the leaders in the room and is expected to be strong throughout the season. Ramirez has lofty goals this season and aims to be a top three finisher in the state meet. To reach that goal, Ramirez said he’ll need to improve upon a variety of things, including superior technique and to be mentally sharp. “Sometimes, I don’t hear coach during the matches and that will be important for me to be more aware, especially against No. 1 seed Donte Lopez (of Gilroy High),” Ramirez said. “That is a match in CCS that I can’t wait for so I’ll need to improve on all those things drastically.” The next major point of emphasis for the Los Gatos program is to start a campaign fundraiser to renovate the wrestling room befitting of a powerhouse team Varela envisions that will challenge for CCS championships on a yearly basis. “We want to bring the wrestling room up to speed and the more the community can help, the better,” Varela said.

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LOS GATOS READY TO HIT THE MAT

The Los Gatos Town Council will hold a Dec. 7 study session on the draft 2040 General Plan. Some of the proposed changes to the plan include: • New racial, social and environmental justice element • Increased housing opportunities for mixed use developments in commercial areas and missing middle housing in neighborhoods with design requirements • New Community Place Districts to provide more objective design standards and focus on community form for all development • Shift in focus of transportation policies to street design, connectivity and mobility for all users (bicycles, pedestrians, vehicles, etc.) to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled • New goals in the environment and sustainability element • Expanded policies to prepare for wildfire, climate change and community health threats The meeting will be held at 5:30pm on Zoom. For information, visit losgatos2040.com

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SEXTON NAMED TO DEAN'S LIST AT STONEHILL COLLEGE

Alexandra Sexton of Los Gatos, a member of the Class of 2021, has been named to the Spring 2021 Dean's List at Stonehill College. To qualify for the Dean's List, students must have a semester grade point average of 3.50 or better and must have completed all courses for which they were registered. Stonehill is a Catholic college located near Boston on a 384-acre campus in Easton, Mass.

losgatan.com

Marie Staggat

STUDY SESSION SET ON DRAFT GENERAL PLAN

LOCAL SCENE

VIRTUOSO Pianist Nikolay Khozyainov will perform in a recorded program for the Steinway Society–The Bay Area.

REPRESENTATIVES RE-ELECTED TO SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE The Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization will seat three re-elected members on the Committee. An election to seat the candidates was held on Nov. 19. There are 11 seats on the County Committee—two from each of the five county supervisorial districts, and one elected at-large. One candidate each from Supervisorial Districts 1, 3 and 5: Denise Ramón Herrera was re-elected to be the representative for the committee for District 1; James Van Pernis ran unopposed and is the committee member representing District 3; Ellen Wheeler was re-elected to be the representative for the committee for District 5.

The primary responsibility of the County Committee is the reorganization of school districts, through territory transfers and unification. For information, visit bit.ly/3nJN4QU

RUSSIAN PIANIST PERFORMS IN RECORDED STEINWAY SOCIETY PROGRAM Russian pianist Nikolay Khozyainov will perform an All-Chopin program in Steinway Society–The Bay Area's "Home Concert Hall" series with a recorded performance available online from Dec. 10-13. The New York Times wrote that the music world was taking notice of the “stunning virtuosity and prodigious technique” of Khozyainov, and audiences agree: they have acclaimed

his performances at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow. Born in 1992 in Blagoveshchensk, a city in the Russian Far East, Khozyainov made his debut at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory at the age of 7 and went on to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Khozyainov has won first prizes in many international competitions and was awarded Distinction in the 2010 Fryderyk Chopin Competition, where he was the youngest finalist. Tickets are $25 for one viewer, or $35 for two or more attendees. Viewers may watch as often as they like during the four-day window. For information, visit steinwaysociety.com or call 408.300.5635.

Raises, from page 1 inflation to hit 4.2% for 2021 and stay at 2.2% in 2022. Mayor Marico Sayoc told the Los Gatan the deal was a “compromise,” where the Town gave away a little more than it had hoped, given uncertainty during the pandemic. “The Town supports our police dispatchers and all of our Town staff,” she said, adding Los Gatos wanted to make sure its dispatchers are paid around the same rate as those in nearby jurisdictions. “It was important to get (dispatchers) to median currently, to remain competitive.”

‘The Town supports our police dispatchers and all of our Town staff.’ Mayor Marico Sayoc The Town had previously matched median salaries during the 2018 bargaining round, Sayoc said. The new TEA contract, approved by Council during its regularly-scheduled Nov. 16 meeting, comes as the police dispatch center is operating at half-capacity due to difficulties hiring new staff, according to Los Gatos Police Officers’ Association President Bryan Paul. Frustrations over police officer pay played into disruptions at Council meetings in recent weeks, after the POA used advocacy-software platform OneClickPolitics to generate a groundswell of concern about a “public safety crisis” from right-leaning community members. Meanwhile, the Town hired two dispatch recruits, but things didn’t quite pan out as hoped, Paul said. “One of our trainees made it, and the other one did not,” he said, adding salary increases are key to attracting talent. “This is a problem. I mean, it’s a very hard job.”

Both the TEA and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) contracts expired on June 30. In August, Council approved an extension of the existing AFSCME agreement. Last week, Council voted to give that bargaining unit a 2% raise, too. The POA’s last contract was up at the end of September, and the details of a deal with officers are still being worked out. A mediator was brought in to make the TEA agreement happen. The contract the parties developed will last until June 30, next year. “Congratulations on a one-year contract,” Paul said, declining to comment about still-ongoing negotiations on behalf of his own members. “It doesn’t solve anything.” While another dispatcher is scheduled to start training in December, Los Gatos needs to up their pay further in the next round of negotiations that will start in a few months’ time, he said. “We took some duct tape and gave them a quick raise,” he said. “We’re just putting our fingers in the dam.” Dispatcher and parks officer positions will get 4.25% holiday-in-lieu premium pay in exchange for their existing annual holiday bank of hours. And TEA members will get a $1,500 tuition reimbursement increase. The agreement also provides an eight-hour floating holiday (on a onetime basis; which must be used by June 30). “What is the point of the town giving the dispatchers a floating holiday if they can’t take the holidays they already have because there’s nobody to work?” Paul said. “How are you going to take a vacation?” Sayoc said the floating holiday would add “flexibility” for staff who want to take time off. While the 2% raise was anticipated in Town budgeting, Council had to authorize staff to move $85,596 from the General Fund Capital/Special Projects Reserve to cover dispatcher and dispatcher lead pay increases in fiscal 2021/22. The contracts have already been approved by the unions and went into effect Nov. 16, Sayoc said.

December 17th-19th McAfee Center, Saratoga

Tickets at LosGatosBallet.org

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TOWN REACHES ‘COMPROMISE’

Midpen Wants Your Redistricting Map Feedback! Let us know what you think about our draft ward maps Midpen desea recibir sus comentarios acerca de los mapas de redistribución de distritos! Háganos saber lo que opina acerca del borrador de nuestros mapas de distrito electoral.

Like other public agencies, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is governed by a board of elected officials. Each board member represents a ward of approximately the same number of constituents. We’re now looking at the changes in the 5 communities within our boundaries over 4 7 the past 10 years 3 and redrawing ward boundaries 2 to ensure equitable representation. Based on new 2020 census data, we now have 11 new, draft maps that 6 Midpen Wards our Board is considering.

An easy way to provide feedback!

Midpen is offering a new online tool to get your feedback on proposed new ward boundaries.

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Midpen’s MyDistricting tool lets you add comments on an interactive map to provide input, share ideas and suggest things to consider when defining the new boundaries of each director’s ward.

Go to openspace.org/redistricting to access our Ward Redistricting website, access the MyDistricting tool and sign up for notifications. We need your feedback by Friday, December 10, to ensure your input is considered in our analysis. From the app, click “show me how” to watch an instructional video. Staff contact: GIS Program Administrator Jamie Hawk, jhawk@openspace.org or 650-691-1200.

CANDIDATES QUESTION DRAFT MAP

Redistricting, from page 4

claims of gerrymandering. “I think there are really good arguments for the way that map is drawn,” he said, noting as examples Almaden Valley and Los Gatos have more affinity with communities of interest in District 5 than Gilroy and Morgan Hill in District 1. Buchanan said the federal Fair Maps Act forbids redistricting to take into consideration where candidates or incumbents live. Silicon Valley Rising Action, Asian Law Alliance, San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP, Latino Leadership Alliance and La Raza Roundtable support the map.

‘To say it’s unprecedented for historic civil rights organizations to engage in a discussion about how redistricting lines are drawn is just a ridiculous claim.’ Jeffrey Buchanan Buchanan said the coalition that created the map engaged in extensive dialogue with county residents to figure out how to keep communities of interest together. He said organizations such as the NAACP and the Asian Law Alliance have been involved in redistricting work for decades. “To say it’s unprecedented for historic civil rights organizations to engage in a discussion about how redistricting lines are drawn is just a ridiculous claim,” he said, adding he has his own ethical concerns about candidates such as Khamis engaging so vocally in the redistricting process.

Potential conflicts Khamis believes there’s a conflict of interest in the redistricting process because Ellenberg and Chavez have

supported candidates in the District 1 election—Santa Clara County Board of Education President Claudia Rossi and Morgan Hill Mayor Rich Constantine, respectively—who would benefit from him being excluded. “I don’t like to gloat, but I think I’m the frontrunner,” Khamis said, citing his war chest of nearly $100,000, according to campaign finance records filed in October. “You take out the frontrunner and what’s left? The people who are being supported by two of the supervisors.” Asked if she should have recused herself from the vote, Ellenberg said redistricting is one of her core responsibilities. The board is not supposed to consider how redistricting will affect political candidates or incumbents. Ellenberg said she followed that rule. “I looked at what was brought forward to me and listened to the public comments, and I’m not thinking about candidates or incumbents or political races of any kind,” she said. Chavez’s spokesperson Beth Willon said the supervisor is not available for comment. Political candidates aren’t barred from moving addresses to stay in the District 1 race, Christensen added. “Johnny Khamis could always move to Morgan Hill,” Christensen said. “That’s always an option.” Khamis acknowledged he could still run if he moved. But he said the new district won’t have his political bases of support, including Almaden, Blossom Valley and Vista Park. “I could still run, but would my campaign be weaker? Most likely,” he said. Asked whether he intends to move to remain in the race, Khamis did not answer. Instead, he said, “I will not allow these people who want to gerrymander our voices to win.” Rennie, who would also be excluded from the District 1 election if the map is approved, said he would consider staying in the race if he can remain in Los Gatos. He said it would be bad form to leave the town before his term is out. “It’s disappointing to be kind of tossed out of the race,” Rennie said, noting he may wait to run for a supervisor seat in his new district in 2024. Copyright © 2021 Bay City News, Inc. This story was originally published by San Jose Spotlight.

POLICE BLOTTER Arnold Breit

• A wallet was reported stolen on North Santa Cruz Avenue. • A man was arrested for inflicting injury on a cohabitant on the 100 block of South Santa Cruz Avenue at 1:23am.

NOV. 22

• A resident on Hollycrest Drive reported that construction was happening in the neighborhood on the Thanksgiving holiday at 9:14am. • A caller reported that a transient man was sitting in front of a business on North Santa Cruz Avenue at 9:23am using the business’ electricity to “watch something.”

• A home was burglarized on Pennsylvania Avenue.

• A burglary was reported on Blossom Hill Road.

• A man was reportedly panhandling and “being aggressive” in front of a store on Blossom Hill Road at 9:44am.

NOV. 27

• Someone called police to report that a blonde woman driving a red Ferrari was “excessively revving her engine” on West Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue at 10:02am.

• A purse was stolen from a business on South Santa Cruz Avenue.

NOV. 23

• A home was burglarized on Kennedy Road.

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

• Two or three unknown suspects stole makeup from a store on Los Gatos Boulevard at 1pm.

NOV. 24

• Someone vandalized a vehicle parked on North Santa Cruz Avenue.

NOV. 25

• An unknown suspect broke a window of a business on Winchester Boulevard.

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NOV. 21

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

MAN SENTENCED TO PROBATION FOR 2019 HITAND-RUN Brian Oden ordered to pay restitution

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Drew Penner, Reporter

A driver who seriously injured a man walking his dog while merging onto Highway 85—and left the scene—was sentenced Nov. 29 to two years’ probation and community service, after initially fearing he’d have to do time in jail. As Brian Oden, who previously pled guilty, entered the Santa Clara County Superior Courthouse for his morning hearing, a petition arguing for a non-custodial sentence organized by the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition was nearing 200 signatures. “Today they’re supposed to reprimand me to 45 days,” Oden said in the hallway, explaining what he understood to be the latest from his public defender. “I’m gonna go to jail.” After a day of driving for Postmates, including delivering Apple products to Los Gatos customers, in August 2019, Oden was on his way home to San Jose, where he lives with his parents, he told the Los Gatan. He stopped for groceries at Lucky, located at Blossom Hill and Snell Avenue in Downer Square, before getting back in his vehicle, and turning onto the freeway, he said. That’s when he hit something. “It was like a ‘Boom!’” Oden said. “I’m still moving onto the freeway.” In the darkness, it was like time slowed down, he remembers, adding he did pull over, at first, but chose to continue on, feeling the situation was unsafe. “I tried to back up,” he said. “It just seemed dangerous.” Instead, he pulled off the highway, parked at the transit station by his house and collected himself, before driving home and calling 911. When police arrived, they confirmed he’d hit someone. “I was really sad,” he said. “I was very shocked.”

WAITING TO HEAR Brian Oden went into Santa Clara County Superior Court on Nov. 29 expecting the judge might affirm a jail sentence in his hit-and-run case. He was instead sentenced to two years’ probation and community service. Deputy District Attorney Mai Buell says the victim was severely injured. “He couldn’t eat or drink for months,” she said. Oden says he was charged with felony hit-and-run, which was later dropped to a misdemeanor, while he had a reckless driving charge that was increased to a felony. Buell sought a jail sentence, and Judge Robert Hawk initially did sentence him to a year in custody. But due to confusion over which crimes can go with which Santa Clara County Sheriff ’s Office program, Oden had to return to court. Meanwhile, anti-racism activists in Los Gatos—where Oden has also worked as a photojournalist— launched a campaign to compare his jail sentence with the one given to former San Jose City Council candidate Jennifer Higgins. Higgins killed Santa Cruz resident Tim Starkey while driving in Los Gatos and tested positive for benzodiazepine afterwards. She was sentenced to six months in county jail and received two years’ probation. Planning Commissioner Jeffrey Suzuki was one of the lead organizers of the petition.

“The difference with Brian is that he is not a wealthy real estate agent nor does he have the same strings to pull within the community,” reads an article on the group’s website. “The criminal justice system is far more empathetic and generous to people like Higgins,” said Oden’s mother, Sharon Oden, 65, as she waited for her son to be called into the courtroom, Nov. 29. “He takes care of me and his dad,” she said, calling the possibility he could be ordered behind bars that very day “devastating,” since his dad has cancer. Deputy Public Defender Brett Hammon submitted a letter to the court from Oden’s doctor confirming his client has Crohn’s disease. He urged the judge to keep Oden out of the Covid-19-riddled jail system. Hammon presented eight additional letters from community leaders speaking highly of Oden and noted his client had stuck to the conditions of his pre-trial monitoring. And he asked the judge to convert the remainder of his client’s sentence to home confinement, or allow him to complete the Sheriff ’s Office work program.

The court was unclear whether Oden's offense qualified for workrelease or not. “I’m happy to take a call and check,” Buell said. In his jovial drawl, Judge Hawk said he wanted to make sure Oden didn’t get off too lightly, but noted he takes the doctor’s concerns seriously. “Although he did not mean to hit the victim and his dog…he did not stop,” he said, “He should have conducted himself differently.” He called the outpouring of support from community members “notable,” but said his original sentence was imposed to ensure justice. “The jail time was a way of accountability,” he said, then added, “I’m not going to order Mr. Oden to jail today.” Buell said the victim’s family needs closure, and said, if changes are made to the sentence, the victim should have a chance to speak in court. But as a decision was hanging in the air, Buell got a message from authorities confirming Oden’s offense does qualify for the work-release program. Instead of imposing a new sentence, the judge modified the terms of Oden’s probation. With credits, Oden only had 20 days jail left to serve. He will also have to spend two years on probation. The judge ordered him to do the remainder of his time through the Sheriff ’s work program. But he added an additional 120 hours of community service to the sentence, and also ordered him to pay restitution of $2,293 to the victim. Afterwards, Alicia Spargo, an organizer with the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition, said she’s ultimately “extremely happy” with the sentence. “We’re glad that Brian is getting the same consideration…that Jennifer Higgins did,” she said. “He didn’t do it on purpose.” Oden’s mom breathed a sigh of relief, commenting that now her son will still be able to look after the family. “Thank God,” she said. “God is good, all the time.” Oden says he’s relieved, although still nervous about what’s to come in the days ahead. He now must deal with a related civil case. “I never meant for this to happen,” Oden said, sharing his message of apology for the victim. “I hope he heals and he recovers.”

Many respondents reported discrimination, loneliness Staff Report

Although LGBTQ+ older adults in Santa Clara County are resilient with strong support systems, a new survey suggests many also experience discrimination, loneliness and significant barriers to health and aging-related services. The County of Santa Clara’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs spearheaded the survey to address a gap in data on local LGBTQ+ older adults needed to inform priorities, programs and policy to support this population. “The vision, ever since we first presented this project to the Board of Supervisors in 2019, was always about amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ older adults, who are a vibrant segment of our community in Santa Clara County,” said Maribel Martínez, program manager for the county’s Division of Equity and Social Justice. “The strong response we received to the survey, even during a pandemic, further illustrates that the community wants to be heard. It is an exciting moment to be able to share this dynamic local data.” Some of the survey’s findings include: More than 4 out of 10 had been discriminated against or treated unfairly within the past 24 months due to being perceived as LGBTQ+. • Almost one-fifth lived alone and experienced high levels of loneliness. • Despite the fact that two-thirds completed some college or more, 67% were living in poverty. • More than half (51%) of participants reported having a disability. • Approximately one-quarter of the LGBTQ+ older adult participants had not received the Covid-19 vaccine, and many experienced significant barriers in accessing health and aging related services. “These health and aging disparities reflect the historical and social context of their lives, and the serious adversity they have encountered can jeopardize their health and their willingness to seek services in old age,” said Dr. Karen

Fredriksen Goldsen, project principal. “The higher rates of aging and health disparities among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and sexual and gender diverse older adults is a major concern for public health. Effective public policy is driven by accurate data. This study paints a vivid picture of the lives of LGBTQ+ older adults, who face major and unique challenges accessing competent services and coping with the results from a lifetime of stigma.” Preliminary findings suggest that transgender, LGBTQ+ older adults of color, and those with low incomes in particular have elevated risks of adversity, heightened obstacles to securing aging and health related care, and increased experiences of negative health and aging-related outcomes.

‘The vision was always about amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ older adults.’

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There is some positive news, the report states. More than half of the respondents received the social and emotional support they needed, and three-quarters were satisfied with their lives. In addition, about one-quarter gave back to their communities by volunteering. “This survey is a significant milestone and fundamental towards better understanding our local LGBTQ+ older adult communities and their experiences, strengths and challenges. However, it is one step in an ongoing effort,” said Daniel Moretti, program manager for the county’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs. The survey, part of the LGBTQ+ Older Adults in Santa Clara County Project, was recently completed and received responses from 3,218 community members. The confidential and anonymous survey was available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog and Vietnamese and could be completed online, by paper and through the phone.

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SHOOTING INJURES TWO OUTSIDE FOOTBALL GAME IN CAMPBELL Game delayed as police investigate parking lot incident Drew Penner, Reporter

Two men were injured in a shooting outside of a football game at Westmont High School in Campbell on Nov. 26. With about two minutes left in the Central Coast Section championship game between Junipero Serra High School and Mountain View’s Saint Francis High, gunfire rang out. “I was on the sideline,” said Saint Francis President Jason Curtis. “I heard a popping sound.” He spun around and looked up toward the bleachers where about five rows of people had suddenly begun to move. “Something was going on,” he said. “Someone mentioned that they thought they heard gunfire.” Officials quickly figured out the trouble wasn’t related to activity in the stands, and administrators and coaching staff implored people to stay put. “Our students did a really good job of listening to us,” he said, adding players were instructed to “stay down and get low.” Video of the incident posted to social media appears to show Serra players streaming across the stadium, behind an endzone, while St. Francis players lie on their bellies around the 45-yard line. “Stay down; please stay calm,” an announcer says in the Twitter post by @Coach_T_Pruitt. “Please stay calm.” San Jose Police headed to the scene around 9pm. About 30 minutes later a spokesperson for the San Jose Police Department confirmed a shooting had, in fact, occurred in the parking lot outside the stadium, injuring at least one man. “If you are at the game please remain calm,” the spokesperson said on Twitter. “Officers are assisting with egress.” Police would later confirm a second

man was sent to hospital in connection with the incident. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Curtis says St. Francis conducted shooting-emergency training earlier in the year, but noted athletes and fans were in an unfamiliar environment. “Obviously, people have seen incidents happen on the news,” he said. “It can be really frightening.” Eventually, administrators consulted with public safety officials and students, and the championship continued. Saint Francis had been leading essentially until the shooting happened. But Serra ended up defeating them 16-12. “Our team, our coaches were really disappointed,” Curtis said. “It was very difficult to lose and lose in that manner.”

Officials quickly figured out the trouble wasn’t related to activity in the stands, and administrators and coaching staff implored people to stay put.

But, he says, he’s just happy all of their students were OK. “We are so focused on our student safety,” he said. “Anything that threatens that—it really shakes you.” After hearing from some attendees that they were having trouble hearing updates from the announcer, during the commotion, Curtis sent out a message to the school community, signed jointly with Principal Katie Teekell. In the email they admitted there “was not sufficient communication in the stadium,” according to the Los Altos Town Crier. “We understand that communication is important,” Curtis told the Los Gatan, adding St. Francis wasn’t in charge of the loudspeaker at the event. “We can communicate more. We can share more.”

Hank Shiffman/Shutterstock

MYSTERY LOVERS BOOK CLUB

CALENDAR

The Los Gatos Library announced its new Mystery Lover’s Book Club. The club will meet the first Wednesday of every month. The first meeting is Dec. 1 at 5pm on Zoom. The club will discuss “Five Strangers” by E.V. Adamson. → losgatosca.gov/42/ Los-Gatos-Library

AINSLEY HOUSE HOLIDAY TEAS AND TOURS

→ bit.ly/3xjQFsk

TREE LIGHTING The Los Gatos Annual Tree Lighting will be held Dec. 3 from 5-7pm at Town Plaza Park. The lighting takes place at 6pm, with free photos with Santa Claus to follow.

IZZY AND THE HAZE Izzy and the Haze will perform party hits at Number 1 Broadway, 102 South Santa Cruz Ave. #B (Upstairs), on Dec. 3. Doors open at 7pm, with music starting at 9pm. → number1broadway.com

HOLIDAY PROMENADE The Promenade is a street festival that will combine the flair of the Los Gatos Summer Promenades, with a few elements of the holiday parade and a European-style artisan and crafts market. It will be held Dec. 4 on North Santa Cruz Avenue. → losgatoschamber.com

HISTORIC The Ainsley House Holiday Teas and Tours will be held Dec. 2-5 and Dec. 9-12.

CARRIAGE RIDES Horse-drawn carriages ride through the streets of Los Gatos will delight riders with lights, sights and sounds of a small town. Rides begin at Town Plaza and start Dec. 9. To book a ride, visit bit.ly/3nKUFPj

THE KIWANIS CLUB OF LOS GATOS The club meets the first three Thursdays of the month at noon at Flights Restaurant, 165 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road #5306. First two Thursdays of the month feature guest speakers. Next meetings: Dec. 2, local architect Terry Martin on accessory dwelling units). Dec. 9: Author and retired Special Ops Game Warden Lt. John Nores on environmental and wildlife protection.

Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road. Program includes featured guest speakers.

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

PUBLIC MEETINGS Town Council The Los Gatos Town Council meets virtually on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7pm. → losgatosca.gov/16/Town-Council

THE LOS GATOS MORNING ROTARY CLUB

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

The Club meets every Wednesday morning 7:30-8:30am at Los Gatos

→ losgatosca.gov/189/ Planning-Commission

Santa Clara County Supervisors The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors meets virtually on Tuesdays at 9am. → bit.ly/3oy2Zmq Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District The board meets every other Tuesday at 5pm. → bit.ly/3DaJRi9 Los Gatos Union School District Board of Trustees The board meets monthly at either 6:30pm or 4pm. → bit.ly/3oywlRA Other Town commissions The Town of Los Gatos has various committees that serve as advisory bodies for the Town Council. For information and a schedule of meetings, visit losgatosca.gov/12/ Boards-Commissions-Committees

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The annual Ainsley House Holiday Teas and Tours will be held from noon to 2pm Dec. 2-5 and Dec. 9-12. Guests will be treated to a special Ainsley House tea blend, sparkling cider or champagne, and an assortment of sandwiches and desserts. The Ainsley House is located at 300 Grant St. in Campbell. Admission to the event is $50-$60.

Our Planet’s Greatest Challenge. Our Largest New Exhibit. 15 brand-new, all-ages experiences.

• See our incredible giant interactive mural

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• Take control of the design of six Bay Area cities

• Cook up the world's most sustainable burrito

201 S. Market St., San Jose, CA 95113 1-408-294-8324 | thetech.org |

Hours: Thursday & Friday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM IN LOS GATOS Join us as a charter subscriber!

Remember Someone Special Capture the essence of a departed family member with an obituary in the Los Gatan. Your tribute will appear perpetually on our website, and that of our partner, Legacy.com. We Capture thetheessence aa canCapture write aessence tributeofofthat departed family member Capture ofthe aan departedthe family member embodies theessence spirit ofwith obituary the LosinGatan. Your with aninobituary the departed family member deceased, or publish Los Gatan. Your tribute willone tribute will appear perpetually with anwebsite, obituary in our the youappear perpetually on on ourprovide. and that of our website, andYour that oftribute our will Los Gatan. partner, Legacy.com. We can partner, Legacy.com. We appear perpetually on ourthe write tribute that embodies canawrite a tribute that spirit of theand deceased, publish website, thatofofortheour embodies the spirit one you provide. deceased, or publish one partner, Legacy.com. We you provide. can write a tribute that embodies the spirit of the deceased, or publish one you provide.

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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.

email for CallCallororemail fordetails: details: Lynda at 707.353.1148 or or Lynda at 707.353.1148 LifeTributes@Weeklys.com LifeTributes@Weeklys.com

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lgsubs.com

REAL ESTATE

HOME OF THE WEEK

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Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa Book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice

November 6 - December 4 Saratoga Civic Theater 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga

Friday & Saturday Evenings Saturday & Sunday Matinees

Coming March/April 2021

SOMETHING ROTTEN!

SMITH RANCH This Los Gatos home sits near the end of a court.

TUCKED AWAY NEAR AMENITIES This enclave in Los Gatos is located next to Bay Club and across the street from the Netflix campus. Located at 187 Smith Ranch Court, the 1,582-square-foot home features three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Amenities include a central air conditioning system, hardwood flooring and a living room with a cathedral ceiling and fireplace. The kitchen is outfitted with granite slab counter-

tops, maple cabinets and stainless steel appliances. The private rear yard has a paver patio and landscaping featuring multiple Italian cypress trees, sycamores and a lawn. The home, built in 2005, is listed at $1,998,000 by Coldwell Banker Realty. For information, visit bit.ly/3nMlqCS.

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Coldwell Banker Realty

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