Los Gatan August 30 2023

LGHS CROSS COUNTRY ON A GOOD RUN

Boys, girls teams aim for State again

Emanuel Lee, Sports Reporter

With a stable of talented runners, Los Gatos High cross country coach Paul Lawryk knows the formula for the boys and girls teams to have another successful season.

“It’s not too complicated this year. Keep them healthy and they’ll do well,” Lawryk said. “It’s just managing them properly over the course of a long season where they feel like they can optimize themselves in the invites and races. We’re spending a lot more time now paying attention, having better plyometric drills and stretching. And just managing their efforts better.”

Junior standout Aydon Stefanopoulos returns and is poised to make further history in what is shaping up to be a storied LGHS athletics career. After a spectacular track and field season last spring in which he was the only boy to finish in the top eight in the CIF State Championships for both the 1600 and 3200 meter run, Stefanopoulos enters the 2023 cross country season as one of the elite talents in California.

➝ LGHS, 12

WATER DISTRICT’S CREEK CLEANUP PROGRAM GROWS

$2.4 million spent, nine tons of trash collected in waterways

Drew

Penner, Reporter

Over the last decade, Valley Water has continued to spend more money on cleaning up homeless encampments around Silicon Valley. In fiscal year 2013-14, the regional water wholesaler put $786,085 into the initiative. That grew to $1.5 million just a few years later, then dipped to a low of $364,896 during the first year of the pandemic.

This year it soared to new heights—costing the agency $2.4 million. That’s in addition to spending $403,594.60 on litter removal (down from $1 million last year, but still up from the $130,881 it put into the task in 2013-14).

➝ Water, 6

remembering dodi gaines p4 : water polo p10 : housing element p14 : ny times crossword puzzle p17

CLEANUP EFFORT Valley Water crews are shown during a routine three-day garbage pick-up at Los Gatos Creek.

Photo courtesy of Valley Water

Bill Lister

Bill Lister

REALTOR®,

REALTOR®, Society of Excellence

Los Gatos

Society of Excellence Los Gatos

408.892.9300 | BLister@cbnorcal.com | BRE#01179611

408.892.9300 | BLister@cbnorcal.com | BRE #01179611

Bill bring over 30 years of residential real estate experience, giving his clients success whether they be buyers or sellers. He has won numerous awards for outstanding success producing over $200 million a year in Real Estate sales.

Bill brings over 30 years of residential real estate experience, giving his clients success whether they be buyers or sellers. He has won numerous awards for outstanding success producing over $200 million a year in Real Estate sales.

He has lived in this area for most of his life and began his career in a familyowned real estate business. His extensive knowledge of local real estate has let to successful sales throughout the Silicon Valley and beyond with a focus on Los Gatos. His talent to find the right price for a home comes from nearly two decades of working with home values and our local real estate cycles. Bill makes various charitable donations, supports organizations, supports local schools, local sports programs, and believes in giving back to the community One of them being the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center Silicon Valley

He has lived in this area for most of his life and began his career in a family-owned real estate business. His extensive knowledge of local real estate has let to successful sales throughout the Silicon Valley and beyond with a focus on Los Gatos. His talent to the right price for a home comes from nearly two decades of working with home values and our local real estate cycles. Bill makes various charitable donations, supports organizations, support local schools, local sports programs, and believes in giving back to the community. One of them being the Addison-Panzak Jewish Community Center Silicon Valley.

Clients should expect individual service and clear communication. Bill Lister always strives to provide the best service possible to every client.

Clients should expect individual service and clear communication. Bill Lister always strives to provide the best service possible to every client.

A results oriented approach matched with strong negotiating skills and effective marketing has made Bill Lister a national Real Estate leader.

A results oriented approach matched with strong negotiating skills and effective marketing has made Bill Lister a national Real Estate leader.

2022 Society of Excellence, Fewer than 1% of Coldwell Banker Agents Worldwide

#1 Small Team in the Los Gatos Office

2022 Society of Excellence, Fewer than 1% of Cowell Banker Agents Worldwide

#1 Small Team in the Los Gatos Office

Voted 2022 Best Real Estate Agent of Los Gatos

Top Producer on the 2011-2022 Wall Street Jour nal List

Voted 2022 Best Real Estate Agent of Los Gatos Top Producer on the 2011-2022 Wall Street Journal

Picture Perfect Single Story in Highly Desirable Cupertino/Fremont Union School District Neighborhood

Charm, elegance and a fabulous sunny open floor plan are the hallmarks of this updated charming classic single story California Ranch style home in a highly desirable neighborhood with Cupertino and Fremont Union Schools. Featuring a seamless integration of indoor/outdoor living that include mature trees, a new lawn and wonderful patio for fun and entertaining. Privately located, this wonderful home is the perfect balance of serene living just minutes from Tech campuses, distinguished schools, restaurants, shopping, and freeways for easy commute access.

VOL.2

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IN MEMORIAM The Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation and other organizations presented an Aug. 21 ceremony in honor of Dodi Brooks Gaines, a Vietnam veteran who died in July.

VETERAN HONORED AT REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

Dodi Brooks Gaines known for service

Staff Report

On Aug. 21, the Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation assisted a local family in organizing a remembrance ceremony for a Los Gatos veteran who died on July 3.

Dodi Brooks Gaines, 75, an Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient from wounds suffered in a mortar attack in Vietnam, was remembered at the site of the Veterans Memorial on Main Street for his love of family, ever-present smile and giving heart.

Gaines made more than 20 trips back to Vietnam over the years building and funding schools, water infrastructure programs, and health care clinics. He also served as an Honorary Board Director for the D.O.V.E Fund (Development of Vietnam Endeavors).

After Gaines’ death in July, the call for assistance was put out to the Los Gatos Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation by his sister in Arkansas, and team members jumped into action with other local businesses to offer support.

Darling Fischer, Chapel of the Hills

organized a contingent of the California State Guard to be in attendance. A bugler played “Taps” and two other uniformed soldiers folded a flag that was given to Major General Kent Hillhouse to present to Gaines’ wife of 21 years, Ai Ngoc Ngo.

Refreshments were provided by the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company.

Rob Stephenson, a board director for the Veterans Foundation, said that it was great to see so many people and businesses come together to support the family of a local veteran.

“It really speaks to the character of the community when so many resources

and people step up without hesitation to support the family of a veteran,” he said. “It was a humbling experience to be a part of, and the Veterans Foundation was honored to have had the opportunity to organize such a meaningful memorial for Mr. Gaines.”

Gaines’ daughter, My Anh, 12, and son, Phi Anh, 10, assisted in a dove release, which was organized and sponsored by Nicholas Welzenbach of Darling Fischer.

About 25 friends and family members, many who traveled from around the Bay Area and as far away as Arkansas, attended the memorial.

Stephenson, who served six years in the Marine Corps, wants the community to know that the Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation stands ready to support veterans and their families in their time of need.

“The foundation’s goals have always been to create a world class memorial and to continuously offer support to veterans and their families,” he said. “We may no longer be in uniform, but we will always serve.”

Contributed

POLICE BLOTTER

AUG. 20

• A man was arrested for being in possession of a controlled substance on Harwood and Blossom Hill roads at 3:29am.

• A man with a yo-yo was reportedly playing loud music in a parking lot on Blossom Hill Road at 7:33am.

• A man pushing a shopping cart on N. Santa Cruz Avenue and W. Main Street was reportedly “screaming” at 8:06am.

• A wallet was reported stolen from a business on Blossom Hill Road.

• A woman was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and battery on the 100 block of La Cienega Court at 1:34pm.

AUG. 21

• An unknown suspect reportedly attempted to break into a home on El Gato Lane.

• A man who does not live at an apartment complex on Roberts Road reportedly keeps leaving flowers there.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Harding Avenue and Los Gatos Boulevard at 9:12pm.

AUG. 22

• A vehicle was reported stolen on Winchester Boulevard.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Blossom Hill Road and Regent Drive at 9:21am.

• An unknown suspect in a vehicle reportedly shot at children with a BB gun on Los Gatos Boulevard and Placer Oaks Road at 5:10pm.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Los Gatos Boulevard and Gateway Drive at 8:17pm.

• A man was arrested for vandalism on the 400 block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue at 10:45pm.

AUG. 23

• Two bikes were reported stolen from a garage that was possibly left unlocked on Frank Avenue.

• A caller thought it was suspicious that a man she described as “transient” was riding an electric bike on Los Gatos Saratoga Road and Los Gatos Boulevard at 2:29pm.

• A mailbox was reportedly broken into on Winchester Boulevard.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on University Avenue and Roberts Road at 9:22pm.

AUG. 24

• A bag was reported stolen from a business on Los Gatos Boulevard.

• Someone reportedly poured red paint in the entryway of a business on W. Main Street.

AUG. 25

• A man was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer on the 100 block of S. Santa Cruz Avenue at 12:04am.

• A man reportedly didn’t pay for his haircut at a business on Los Gatos Boulevard.

• A man was reportedly “carrying an object that looked like something you would chop a tree down with” on the Forbes Mill Foot Bridge at 1:19pm.

• A bike was reported stolen on Alberto Way.

• A man was arrested for being in possession of unlawful paraphernalia on Los Gatos Almaden Road and Union Avenue at 6:20pm.

• A group of juveniles reportedly egged a vehicle on E. Main Street and College Avenue at 11:04pm.

AUG. 26

• A vehicle was reported stolen on Massol Avenue.

WORKERS CLEAR TONS OF TRASH

Water, from page 1

Officials at the district, which manages 10 dams, say it’s a necessary part of ensuring residents have clean drinking water while contributing to the biodiversity of the Bay Area.

“Unfortunately, when these items get into the creek, they do become dirty or contaminated,” said Jen Codianne, deputy of watershed operations and maintenance at Valley Water. “They do need to be removed.”

Encampment cleanups are funded by the “Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection” Measure S, which was approved by 75% of voters in 2020. Valley Water takes care of 300 acres, attempting to prevent trash and other debris from polluting rivers and streams. It’s currently expanding its army of trash eliminators.

“We’re going to manage two encampment cleanup crews,” Codianne said. “We’re experts at this by now.”

The integrated effort includes internal staff, contract laborers and contributions from other agencies. For example, Valley Water signed a $200,000 contract with San Jose in 2019 to pay for police patrols along waterways such as Coyote Creek and the Guadalupe River. It topped this up

with a $400,000 agreement in 2021 for SJPD to police Coyote Creek Trail.

On Aug. 21, the riverside cleanup force was on full display in Los Gatos, as the Valley Water-led team descended on Los Gatos Creek—between Lee Avenue and Bascom Avenue.

“This actually is just part of our general routine maintenance,” Codianne said. “It’s really amazing to see these guys work.”

The crew forms a human chain, combing through the sloped earth, picking out the puzzle pieces that don’t belong.

“They work really well together,” she said. “It’s complicated terrain. Sometimes it’s dangerous.”

Over three days they removed 9.07 tons of encampment-related trash from the site. Valley Water explains that, just as waste management companies go door-to-door picking up trash from the homes of housed residents, it’s now the garbage-disposal service for the unhoused.

“When you look at the numbers, your first thought is, What if all this trash entered the waterways? Where would we be then?” she mused. “It’s an incredible amount of work that we’re

doing to make sure the waterways are as clean as they can be.”

They work hand-in-hand with municipalities and have a team of biologists who are part of developing cleanup strategies.

“We have to ensure we’re not harming any fish or wildlife,” she said. “They’re looking for nesting birds. They’re looking for endangered species.”

Those include the harvest mouse and Ridgeway’s rail in the tidal marshes along the San Francisco Bay, and the California red legged frog and California tiger salamander in Los Gatos Creek. And, Codianne adds, salmon can even be spotted, at times, in parts of that creek.

Codianne wants to make sure human activity doesn’t disrupt the natural lifecycle of these animals.

“It’s natural in the creek channel to have downed trees that have fallen in,” she said.

But when human debris comes into the picture, it can compound the challenges faced by animals.

“It’s blocking the wildlife from their habitat,” Codianne said, describing this particular landscape scourge as a “trash raft.”

“That’s what we’re trying to avoid happening,” she said.

It’s not just the physical movement constriction that they’re worried

about. Officials are also concerned about elements of the world being poisoned or choked by human waste.

“Plastics can break down,” she said. “Sometimes wildlife can eat them mistakenly.”

To get all the junk out of the natural landscape, sometimes they have to call in the big guns—hauling a trash compactor to the site or deploying a skid steer.

“Sometimes you even have a crane,” Codianne said, commending the lower-level workers for their contributions, too. “They’re handing trash off one-to-another.”

Beyond aiding the animals and protecting their water distribution chain, funding homeless encampment cleanups has an additional benefit—preventing flooding. “There’s potential for that,” Codianne said. “We really want to make sure that the debris isn’t blocking…any of these flood-protection structures.”

Recently, Los Gatos stepped up its homeless outreach program. The Town has already established a portable toilet downtown and is planning for a longer-term public restroom facility. It’s also developing an emergency hotel voucher program and has increased funding for a shower program, so residents can clean themselves twice a week in proper facilities (instead of just once).

Codianne says projects like these from their partners are really helpful.

“We really appreciate all the city efforts,” she said, noting they also have a portable restroom program, which is funded by an Environmental Protection Agency grant. “We all really do our part, and do it as best as we can.”

But will all this taxpayer money that’s now directed to homeless services and environmental protection make a difference?

“I’m very optimistic,” she said. “Obviously there are a few things that are up against us.”

She’s referring to the intense economic hardship faced by so many Silicon Valley residents, despite the massive wealth generated by many technology companies during the pandemic work-from-home boom.

“The amount of people falling into homelessness keeps increasing,” she said. “It’s hard for the community to see the benefits right now. But I think as long as we keep coming up with new initiatives and collaborating, hopefully sometime soon…we’ll see the difference.”

EFFICIENT Valley Water crews form a chain in rough terrain during the cleanup.

Photo courtesy of Valley Water

STATE PARKS ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF CASTLE ROCK STATE PARK

First land acquisitions by the state agency in the district since 2011

Staff Report

California State Parks and the Sempervirens Fund announced permanent additions to expand Castle Rock State Park in Los Gatos on Aug. 15.

The $4.21 million in acquisitions for six properties by State Parks are the first for the agency in the Santa Cruz Park District since 2011 and the first anywhere in the state since 2021. The 222 acres of properties include the Robert C. Kirkwood entrance, which Sempervirens Fund built on land it purchased from a private landowner and opened to the public in 2019, leading to an increase in visitation to the park.

“We are thrilled to be able to work with the Sempervirens Fund in order to expand what’s already an amazing park and make even more of this beautiful redwood forest available to the people of California,” California State Parks Director Armando Quintero said. “California State Parks will continue to protect and preserve these incredible landscapes for the benefit of future generations and the health of the natural systems that sustain us.”

“The purchase of the properties and the permanent expansion of Castle Rock State Park is a testament to the power and commitment of our conservation community in sustaining a vision for natural resource protection and recreation in the Santa Cruz Mountains,” Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Sara Barth said. “Castle Rock is a spectacular state park, and we are proud to have been instrumental in its conservation, now and into the future, since we helped established it in 1968.”

Since 1993, Sempervirens Fund has acquired six properties—more than 222 acres of land—along and within the park’s borders to bolster the park’s habitats and expand its trails and recreational experiences. These properties range from the land that is home to the park’s new Robert C. Kirkwood entrance on the eastern edge, to an old-growth redwood forest at the park’s southwest corner near the junction of Highways 236 and 9.

“Expanding the permanent foot-

print of Castle Rock State Park is another exciting development for our state park system,” California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said. “Thanks to the Sempervirens Fund, it’s another great example of how conservation groups and government are partnering to conserve more land and expand recreation for all Californians.”

The properties purchased by California State Parks include:

• Robert C. Kirkwood Entrance: The park’s 33-acre entrance opened in 2019 and offers parking lots, electronic pay stations, a 60-seat amphitheater, trail connections, new restrooms, bicycle racks, a native plant garden, and a picnic area. The Native Plants Garden is tended by the Muwekma Ohlone and Amah Mutsun Tribal Bands.

• Sempervirens 236: Nestled between Big Basin Redwoods and Castle Rock state parks, this 110-acre property Sempervirens Fund purchased in 2010 protects thick groves of oldgrowth and second-growth redwoods from logging. The property serves as

a restoration and wildlife monitoring laboratory in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with projects including invasive species removal, restoration forestry, and prescribed burns.

• Castle Rock West: One of the last remaining inholdings of Castle Rock State Park, this 50-acre property was purchased by Sempervirens Fund in 2018. Along the western boundary of the trail runs the 31-mile Skylineto-the-Sea Trail. Plans to realign the trail following a massive slide will be augmented by this addition to the state park.

• Saratoga Toll Road Properties: Three properties—29 acres—protect the headwaters of the San Lorenzo River and along the historic Saratoga Toll Road, one of the first logging roads in the Santa Cruz Mountains. These three properties, once clear-cut over a century ago, now showcase second-growth redwoods.

California State Parks has purchased the properties for $4.21 million. Sempervirens Fund has invested more than $12 million into the properties including the construction of the

park’s Robert C. Kirkwood entrance and facilities, and stewardship and restoration programs throughout the old-growth and second-growth redwood forests and the San Lorenzo watershed properties at what is now the new southern terminus of the park.

Funding for these investments came from Sempervirens Fund donors, including The Kirkwood Family, The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation, REI Co-op, Portola and Castle Rock Foundation, and many individuals.

“Partnerships with State Parks, watershed conservation groups, the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, and many others have ensured that not only were these conservation properties protected, but they were restored and improved for forest health and resiliency,” Sempervirens Fund’s Director of Land Conservation Laura McLendon said. “In particular, we are confident we have established thriving conditions for old growth redwoods—some a thousand years old or more—that will anchor the species in the San Lorenzo watershed for generations to come.”

PROTECTING NATURE Castle Rock State Park in Los Gatos has been permanently expanded.

Mike Kahn

LOCAL SCENE

LOS GATOS STUDENT RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD

Los Gatos High School senior Najman Mahbouba was awarded the 2023 Hamilton Scholars Award for his academic accomplishments and community service.

As one of 40 students selected throughout the country, Mahbouba will participate in The Empowerment Program, a five-year leadership opportunity that aims to help students make long-term improvements in their communities.

Currently the executive director of The Policy Initiatives Institute, Mahbouba has led more than 150 high school and university students through national and international campaigns, 75-plus published articles, interviews with legislative leaders, and has received endorsements from over 10 U.S. Representatives.

With a goal of educating youth on policies their governments are enacting, and building and reinforcing civil policy debates on current affairs, Mahbouba is also passionate about academic research, having received more than $10,000 in research scholarships from institutions such as UC Santa Barbara to conduct public policy related projects. His current project focuses on the perceptions of public school teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan.

An advocate for non-carceral policy research with San Jose State Universi-

ty, mental health reforms with the Eating Disorders Coalition, and weightloss supplement regulation with the Harvard Public Health STRIPED, Mahbouba has also testified at the California Senate, Maryland Senate, and is an invited advisor for the California Department of Public Health on supplement regulation.

“Advocacy and student voice is such an important part of what we teach and support,” Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson said. “I’m incredibly proud of Najman’s accomplishments and the support he is providing his peers.”

The Hamilton Award is a national program that recognizes students for their academic, personal, service and entrepreneurial accomplishments. Winners are subsequently enrolled in the five-year Empowerment Program and receive a $500 cash award to pay for college expenses at their entrance and again at their exit from the program.

LOS GATOS TO COMMEMORATE 9/11

On Sept. 10, the Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation will celebrate the lives of 9/11 survivors, victims and local heroes at the “Remembering 9/11” event from 5-6:15pm at The Flame of Liberty Memorial on the Los

Gatos Civic Center Lawn, 110 East Main St.

Two local heroes who will be honored, Los Gatos High School alumni Mark Bingham and Todd Beamer, who were aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which, on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, departed Newark, N.J. airport destined for San Francisco. The plane left Newark with hijackers secretly on board whose plan was to crash it into the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C.

Bingham and Beamer and two additional on-board passengers—Jeremy Glick and Tom Burnett—breached the plane’s cockpit to take back control. Flight 93 crashed into an empty field in Shanksville, Penn., rather than the Capitol Building.

In addition to remembrance celebrations, the free event will include performances and musical tunes by the Summit Sisters.

Seats are limited. Individuals are encouraged to register their intent to attend at honoravet.org.

CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR CAREGIVERS

The Caregivers Count! 13th Annual Conference will be held virtually as a four-part series throughout September.

The conference aims to provide support, resources and insights to family caregivers.

“Family caregivers provide invaluable care to older adults and those with health concerns. But they often provide that care at the expense of

their own physical and emotional health,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who proposed the County’s Older Adult Caregiver study to assess caregiving needs and capacity. “Resources like the Caregivers Count conference offer caregivers vital support in taking care of themselves and learning how to navigate through long-term care.”

Throughout the conference, speakers will share their knowledge and expertise, providing insights and strategies for family caregivers to navigate the challenges they face. The sessions will cover topics that include building connections, managing anticipatory grief, caring for challenging relationships, and communicating effectively with medical professionals.

“I can affirm there is an elevated mental health crisis happening amongst family caregivers, and the urgency to support them is critical,” said Christina Irving, Client Services Director at Family Caregiver Alliance.

“That's why, for 13 years, our collaborative has come together to organize the Caregivers Count Conference to address these needs, and it speaks to the ongoing challenges that families face in navigating the health and longterm care systems, and the emotional experience of caring for someone with a chronic, progressive condition.”

Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussions and ask questions.

The Caregivers Count! 13th Annual Conference will be a virtual event held on Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30, from 10am to noon. For information and to register, visit caregiverscount.net.

LOS GATOS HIGH ON THRESHOLD OF ELITE

Boys water polo aims for league title

Emanuel Lee, Sports Reporter

After making the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs last season signifying it as one of the best eight teams in the CCS the Los Gatos High boys water polo team knows taking the next step will be its greatest challenge yet.

That’s why the Wildcats enter the 2023 season brimming with excitement, because they’re motivated to close the gap between them and schools such as Harker, Palo Alto and St. Francis. They went a combined 0-6 against Harker and Palo Alto last year but are confident they can be more competitive against those perennial powers this season.

“Other than Bellarmine and Sacred Heart [Prep], the rest of the [best] teams are beatable,” Los Gatos coach Davor Koret said. “We packed up our schedule which is great. So it’s going to be interesting to see how we do.”

The Wildcats play their season-open-

er against fellow Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division power Palo Alto on Sept. 7. Harker and Palo Alto have been the top two teams in the league and Los Gatos is looking to dethrone them this year.

Outside of their tough league schedule, the Wildcats have non-league matches against Bellarmine, Menlo School and are entered to play in the competitive Granite Bay Tournament in late September and the Monterey Bay Invite which is hosted by Stevenson and Carmel in early October.

Los Gatos returns a bevy of talent from last year’s team, including Liam Amburgey, Henry Bakota, Mathijs Dirven, Ryan Madsen, Jacob Weber, Connor Sullivan and Eric Caplener, who was the backup goalie last year and is poised to be a breakout performer in 2023.

“Eric had a great summer, I think he’s going to surprise some teams,” Koret said. “He’s been improving, been watched by some teams for college, this is his year. He’s got a little pressure to perform but I believe he's going to be able to do his best.”

Amburgey is a true difference-maker

and possesses a terrific shot, swims and passes well and gets himself and others in position to score.

“Liam is going to have to perform which I expect to happen,” Koret said. “He’s improved two things we talked throughout in the off-season in order for him to execute his recruiting. He’s been watched by a handful of Division I teams and I’m expecting him to be the one who is going to have to step up.”

Sullivan is another game-changer, having earned 2022 De Anza Division Field MVP honors. But as of the third week of August, the senior hadn’t been cleared to play due to a concussion he sustained earlier in the summer, Koret said.

“We’re still hoping he’s going to play,” Koret said. “We’re kind of on standby, but we do have options with him in the pool or not being in the pool. Of course, we’d much rather have him in the pool. No matter what happens, he’ll be an influential part of the team. He’s always there supporting the team leading from the outside as much as possible, giving the younger ones feedback.”

Los Gatos has one of the most heralded freshmen in the CCS in Richard

Runge, a powerful and athletic center-defender whose age belies his spectacular game.

“He brings energy, is strong, tall at 6-4, 6-5, has got knowledge and experience,” Koret said. “From what I’ve seen so far, he brings good stuff and now he just needs some time to adjust to tactics and game plan. It’s exciting. He’s been on our radar and been around the game for a while even though he’s only 14.”

Runge was on a 14U club team that finished top five in the nation in the Junior Olympics, which is one of the biggest tournaments in the club water polo calendar. Young talents don’t go unnoticed as they age up to high school, especially in the CCS where the private schools particularly the West Catholic Athletic League teams tend to attract the best players.

So, it’s a big get when a player like Runge decides to stay in town he lives in Los Gatos as opposed to enrolling at one of those private school powers.

“All the coaches from the elite or West Catholic schools, they all wanted him on their team,” Koret said.

Sophomores Bakota, Dirven and Madsen will also play a huge role as they’ve all developed since their outstanding freshmen seasons.

“They are looking good and they’ve improved a lot,” Koret said. “They had a lot of playing time last year and we’re expecting much more from them this year.”

Madsen acts and plays well beyond his years.

“When you tell Ryan one time what to do, he does it straight away,” Koret said. “He’s so easy to deal with and doesn’t act like or behave like a regular 15-year-old. He’s pretty mature and his confidence brings out so much in others. Every single game or practice, this kid is spirited and comes in fired up giving 100 percent, and it makes it so much easier and enjoyable to coach a player like him.”

Weber was integral in the team’s success last season because of his consistency and work ethic.

“As he improves, the expectations go higher because he’s that type of player,” Koret said.

Los Gatos finished 19-9 last year but just 7-5 in league play. But the improvement of the returning talent with the addition of Runge has the Wildcats thinking they’re ready to make their move.

“The goal is obviously winning league and making it to the Open Division again,” Koret said. “But we want to make it a regular thing and not just a one-time deal.”

DRIVEN Liam Amburgey (top) and Mathijs Dirven contest a possession during practice on Aug. 25. The two are part of a deep and talented Los Gatos team that has SCVAL De Anza title aspirations.

Jonathan Natividad

LIVES

Janet Elizabeth Seltzer

Janet Elizabeth Seltzer

October 17, 1937 - August 13, 2023

October 17, 1937 - August 13, 2023

Janet Elizabeth Seltzer was born October 17, 1937 to Ernest and Ruth Seltzer at Stratford ON, Canada and died peacefully at home August 13, 2023 in Los Gatos, CA. Janet grew up in the village of Tavistock ON, a small town upbringing that shaped her innate values of fairness and accountability. Janet is survived by her loving husband of 30 years, Luis Gutierrez of Los Gatos CA, her dearly loved children Kirby, Heidi (Robert), Blair (Jaime), Marcy, and Hilary (Penelope) and her treasured grandchildren, Remy, Scotty, Emma (Sean), Willem, Lilie, Sawyer and Malin. She is also survived by her brother Dr. Gerald Seltzer of Toronto, ON and the father of her children, Gordon Patton of London ON. At Janet's request there will be no funeral services. She has asked that family and friends hold onto the memory of the

Janet Elizabeth Seltzer was born October 17, 1937 to Ernest and Ruth Seltzer at Stratford ON, Canada and died peacefully at home August 13, 2023 in Los Gatos, CA. Janet grew up in the village of Tavistock ON, a small town upbringing that shaped her innate values of fairness and accountability. Janet is survived by her loving husband of 30 years, Luis Gutierrez of Los Gatos CA, her dearly loved children Kirby, Heidi (Robert), Blair (Jaime), Marcy, and Hilary (Penelope) and her treasured grandchildren, Remy, Scotty, Emma (Sean), Willem, Lilie, Sawyer and Malin. She is also survived by her brother Dr. Gerald Seltzer of Toronto, ON and the father of her children, Gordon Patton of London ON. At Janet's request there will be no funeral services. She has asked that family and friends hold onto the memory of the

many happy times they shared. Janet will miss her martini and champagne which she had to give up and requests family and friends toast her life and celebrate the fun, the laughter and most of all, the love. You will forever live in our hearts.

many happy times they shared. Janet will miss her martini and champagne which she had to give up and requests family and friends toast her life and celebrate the fun, the laughter and most of all, the love. You will forever live in our hearts.

Labor Day

COWELL BEACH VOLUNTEER EVENTS

TEAM ENJOYS STRONG NUMBERS

LGHS, from page 1

Last season, Stefanopoulos finished fourth in the Division II race of the Central Coast Section Championships and fifth at State. He has a PR of 15 minutes, 30.3 seconds at the 2.95-mile Crystal Springs Course in Belmont, but Lawryk said it’s entirely within reason Stefanopoulos could go sub 15 this season at Crystal, once again the site of this year’s CCS Championships.

“He’s looking amazing,” Lawryk said. “He is far ahead where he was last year so that’s the scary part.”

Stefanopoulos finished 14th in the prestigious Champs (formerly Foot Locker) Sports West Regional Championships last December, an invite-only meet that features the best runners in the nation.

“Aydon’s goal is to be in the top 5 in that meet,” Lawryk said. “That is the most elite end game now as an individual to try to be top 5 in the country.”

The Los Gatos boys team exceed-

ed expectations a year ago when it won CCS and advanced to State, but it won’t be flying under the radar in 2023. One website that covers high school cross country pegged Los Gatos No. 1 in its preseason CCS Division II rankings.

Junior Ben Klarich is looking better than ever, a byproduct of sheer determination, hard work and being able to train with a runner of Stefanopoulos’ caliber.

“Working out with Aydon has made Ben so much better,” Lawryk said. “His results from last year [when he was the team’s fourth or fifth best runner] is not a good indicator to where he is now. He is a top 10 CCS kid for sure.”

Senior Jensen Bidmead came on strong in 2022 and is projected to have another strong season.

“He’s got some really good potential,” Lawryk said. “The main goal right now is we’ve got to build a [solid] No. 4 and 5 [runners].”

The likely candidates to fill out the Nos. 4-6 positions include juniors Cooper Codding and Adam Wang and sophomore Ryan Sacco.

“This year we’ll be better, but the level of competition will be better, too,” Lawryk said. “We’ll know by mid to late season how things will transpire.”

The girls team made it to State two years ago but fell just short in 2022. However, Lawryk has reason to be optimistic for a return trip to the Championships as the trio of freshmen who excelled in 2021 are healthy again and just as important have the requisite experience to thrive in adverse situations, whether in practice or races.

Juniors Shea Elmore, Sarina Salzer-Swartz and Tatum Pyle make up three of the top five in the Los Gatos lineup, with Willow Glen-transfer and junior Taylor Chesrek and freshman Elise Greenstreet being the other two mainstays.

Lawryk refers to them as The Five, in part because they tend to get bunched up together during workouts until the last repeat when they “really start to go after each other.”

“They’ve sort of separated themselves in how they’re running which in my view is very competitive,” Lawryk said.

Elmore has a PR of 18:10.3 at Crystal Springs, Pyle a 19:11.4 and Salzer-Swartz a 19:13.9. All of their personal-bests were accomplished during their freshmen seasons, which was followed up by sophomore struggles.

“What happened like a lot of freshmen athletes, they had injury problems the next season,” Lawryk said.

“So they had to spend all last season and track season building themselves back up. The good news is they’re in really good form.”

Los Gatos landed a gem in Chesrek, who was Willow Glen’s top runner last year when she ran a PR of 19:04.1 at Crystal Springs to place sixth in the CCS D-III championship race. As an eighth-grader last year at RJ Fisher, Greenstreet was one of the top middle school runners in the area.

Beyond the top five, the Wildcats boast a fleet of talented runners including Erika Snell, Abigail Zolla, Zoe Williamson, Claire Liu and Kate Herron.

The Los Gatos girls have the fortune or misfortune depending on one’s view of being in Division II in CCS, which boasts some of the top teams in the state. That means the squads that finish fourth or fifth in this year’s Championships just three qualify for State won’t be making the trip to Woodward Park in Fresno.

“We’re in the strongest division in the state of California,” Lawryk said.

Lawryk isn’t exaggerating. The three CCS D-II teams that competed at State last year Los Altos, St. Francis and Palo Alto finished first, third and fourth, respectively, a stunning testimony to the strength of the CCS D-II squads.

“It’s a rough draw where you have to be super good at CCS in D-II and making it to State is pretty tough,” Lawryk said. “So the question going into the season is how the girls stack up and it’s going to probably end up being a battle in how our Nos. 3 through 6 stack up against those teams. Things are very promising for us as long as we keep the girls healthy.”

Whatever happens, Los Gatos will be a force for years to come. The program is humming, with a total of 100 kids in the boys and girls program.

“With those numbers there’s a lot going on [in a good way],” Lawryk said.

FLEET-FOOTED Junior standout stalwarts Aydon Stefanopoulos and Shea Elmore lead the Los Gatos High boys and girls cross country teams in their shared quest for league and CCS titles.

Jonathan Natividad

GROUP SAYS TOWN NEEDS TO ADD MORE SITES TO HOUSING LIST

Attorney says builders may see homes plan deficiencies as ticket to fast track

Drew Penner, Reporter

In an Aug. 22 letter to Los Gatos’ Community Development Director Joel Paulson, the Los Gatos Community Alliance asked for more properties to be added to—not erased from—the list of sites where residential development is encouraged.

It was a different strategy for a group that successfully fended-off densification through a referendum drive that rewound development rules to 2010 levels.

Their representative, Matthew D. Francois of Irvine-based Rutan & Tucker, LLP, said preliminary proposals for Los Gatos Lodge and Phase 2 of the North 40 suggest the assumptions in the current Housing Element won’t pan out, specifically when it comes to building homes for people in the “very low” and “moderate” income categories.

According to the group’s calculations, given what’s come in, Los Gatos is now short 141 “very low” units and 67 “moderate” units, compared to what it’s supposed to plan for under the Regional Housing Needs Allocation mandate.

“The Town’s RHNA for very low units is 537 units and for moderate units is 320,” the letter reads. “With the reductions associated with the SB 330 Preliminary Applications, the Town only has 396 very low units and 253 moderate units.”

The Alliance also pointed to a criticism in the Department of Housing and Community Development’s May 30 denial of Los Gatos’ Housing Element draft.

LGCA’s letter directed Paulson’s attention to the portion where HCD said Los Gatos must do a better job of looking at how likely it is that housing will come to fruition on parcels where it’s possible to develop the property without building any homes.

Francois also highlighted how government officials told the Town to do more work on considering if construction would occur on previously developed sites.

“When a Housing Element relies on

nonvacant sites to accommodate more than 50 percent of the RHNA for lower income households, it must demonstrate that existing uses are not an impediment to additional residential development,” he wrote. “Absent findings based on substantial evidence, the existing uses will be presumed to impede additional residential development and cannot be used to demonstrate adequate sites to accommodate the agency’s RHNA.”

According to the Rutan & Tucker missive, the Los Gatos Lodge proposal, sited on 8.81 acres of land, is moving forward under the State’s “Builder’s Remedy” fast-track system.

“Because the Town does not have a certified Housing Element, the project is subject to the ‘builder’s remedy’ and can proceed irrespective of its non-conformity with current planning and zoning designations,” it reads, adding North 40’s second phase would be able to take advantage of the same rules, too. “Town Staff has indicated that these are just preliminary applications and do not need to be factored into the analysis as to whether the capacity is realistic. Such a response significantly downplays the legal significance of the SB 330 Preliminary Applications submitted.”

Town enlists consultant for draft plan edits

Los Gatos has been shuffling its urban design deck, having allowed its contract with original consultant EMC Planning Group Inc., a Monterey-based company, to expire July 31.

The Scope of Work section of that original agreement required “Delivery of a draft and final draft housing element, including any subsequent updates to other general plan elements as required by State law.”

It’s unclear why the consultant won’t be fulfilling this aspect of the deal.

Subcontractor Root Policy Research, however, is staying on, as Pasadena-based Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. takes the lead.

Tam was tasked, in January 2022, with identifying 600 additional affordable housing units in Redondo Beach to help fix its rejected Housing Element, per Easy Reader News.

It was brought into compliance eight months later.

The Encinitas' Housing Element Update Task Force opted not to work with Tam, given previous experience with the firm, the Del Mar Times reported in 2017.

That municipality signed on with Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc., the Capitola-based company currently working with Scotts Valley on its Housing Element.

Los Gatos Town staff once referenced Encinitas as an example of community with a certified Housing Element worth learning from.

Paul McDougall, the senior program manager at HCD who has been quite critical of Los Gatos’ Housing Element drafts, to date, once noted he appreciated the “hard work and dedication” of Tam (along with a municipal planner) while rejecting Culver City’s Draft Housing Element, on Nov. 8, 2021.

In that case, it was nearly an entire year later (Oct. 10, 2022) before the Los Angeles County city got its Housing Element—due Oct. 15, 2021— approved.

Tam has also been involved in Hermosa Beach’s Housing Element process—which was recently submitted for review, nearly two years late.

“The unfortunate thing is…there are new State laws, and the nuances of the State laws are so confusing,” she commented during an Aug. 8 Hermosa Beach Council meeting, as part of explaining how minimum-density regulations currently work.

That wealthy Southern California community came up with enough locations for their Housing Element adoption by adding a church’s property and a Mitsubishi dealership as possible sites for living quarters.

Alliance says more work needed to comply

With Tam enlisted to spruce up Los Gatos’ draft, planners zeroed-in on two key aspects: the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing analysis and the Sites Inventory.

Root Policy made some edits addressing problems with segregation in Los Gatos, and even more progressive Town officials say the document is starting to look quite robust.

Tam did an evaluation of the places Los Gatos is eyeing for housing and has been working up justifications for why this is fertile ground that will bear housing fruit.

According to the Town, she’s specifically addressing questions about the likelihood of redevelopment.

Tam’s dug into the potential for “SB9” lot-splits, added up projects that have come on-line in recent months, and says she thinks Los Gatos’ Sites Inventory is still good-to-go.

But during the Aug. 24 Housing Element Advisory Board Meeting, Jak Van Nada of the Los Gatos Community Alliance strongly disagreed.

No one really believes Los Gatos’ plan complies with State law, he argued.

“We are all in uncharted waters,” he said. “I’m concerned that the leadership of the Town has severely failed us for the past two years.”

That’s when HEAB member Ryan Rosenberg called Van Nada out for his apparently flip-flopping position.

“I know that at one point—and maybe at many points—you were opposed, I think, to trying to increase the number of units that we targeted. Right?” he said, referring to an early figure that was higher than the 1,993 required by the ➝ Housing, 17

We are all in uncharted waters. I’m concerned that the leadership of the Town has severely failed us for the past two years.

Jak Van Nada

IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY CAN GET COMPLICATED

Old fashioned irrigation systems were quite thorough, and technically sustainable. They broadcast generous volumes of water over any vegetation that required it. Their systems were too simple to need much adjustment. Their metallic composition was very resilient. That is why so many old systems were in service for so long. Some continue to function.

However, such old fashioned irrigation systems were not perfect. Their consumption was not as sustainable as their plumbing. They wasted water on vegetation that needed less, and pavement. Some of the broadcast

water evaporated before reaching any vegetation. Without automation, old irrigation systems operated when convenient for their operators.

Modern irrigation systems are typically more efficient. Automation allows them to operate prior to sunrise to limit evaporation. Most modern systems apply water directly to the soil. This leaves no irrigation water to evaporate from foliar or other surfaces. Also, it prevents evaporation from airborne broadcast irrigation water. Evaporation innately wastes water.

Of course, modern irrigation systems are no more perfect than old systems. Groundcover and lawns still

rely on broadcast irrigation. Such systems still waste water on pavement. Automation can actually waste water if not adjusted manually for rain and other weather. Only the most modern automation adapts to weather. No system responds to vegetation.

Consequently, irrigation can become either deficient or excessive as vegetation matures. Many native species need regular irrigation only as they disperse roots after installation. They are likely to rot with the same irrigation as they mature. Many tropical species need more water as they grow. Some vegetation, as it grows, can obstruct broadcast irrigation.

The complexity of modern irrigation systems complicates their maintenance. Automation is merely one component of the infrastructure. Emitters of drip irrigation sometimes need relocation or replacement. They are sometimes difficult to find below healthy vegetation. Because components are plastic, they are not as durable as old fashioned components.

Highlight: gaura

Although not native, gaura, Oenothera lindheimeri, can almost naturalize as if it were. All it needs is occasional watering through summer. It performs better with regular watering. Individual specimens live for only about four years. Some may last for only a single year. However, their abundant progeny are likely to replace and perhaps overwhelm them first.

Gaura prefers sunny and warm exposure. Shade causes sloppy form. Naturalized gaura has the potential to become weedy or invade other vegetation. Seedlings relocate efficiently. Cutting back old growth as it deteriorates through winter promotes vibrant spring growth. Concurrent removal of the shabbiest old specimens favors vigorous younger specimens.

Collective growth is mostly less than five feet deep, with wispy and lightly foliated stems. Basal leaves are bigger than tiny upper leaves. Airy flowers are only about an inch wide. Floral color is mostly pale pink. Seedlings of cultivars with white or richer pink bloom are not necessarily true to type. Neither are seedlings of cultivars with richly bronzed foliage. Bloom continues from very early spring until cooler wintry weather.

Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

Tony Tomeo, Contributor

ABUNDANT Gaura seems to be a wildflower.

SHORT-LIVED Modern irrigation does not age well.

HCD MEETING SET

Housing, from page 14

housing ministry. “Because there was the ‘1,993—stick with whatever HCD gives us.’ But now, if I’m understanding, you’re asking…HEAB to greatly increase the number of units. So, how do you square those two things? That’s the part I didn’t quite understand.”

Van Nada said he was “always” supportive of around 2,500 units (the 1,993 mandated under RHNA, plus a buffer).

“We are not—absolutely not—for up-zoning the whole town,” he said. “That’s why we created the referendum.”

In an Oct. 11, 2021 blog post on the LGCA website, the group railed against staff’s proposal for around 4,000 homes over the next two decades, advocating instead to simply put just 1,993 units “plus a slight buffer” in the General Plan. This should only be increased later, at the time of the next Housing Element cycle, the LGCA wrote.

Their efforts put enough pressure on local politicians that Los Gatos ultimately committed to around 25% less residential growth over the next 20 years.

However, the Alliance deployed a referendum drive that suspended the Land Use and Community Design elements of the 2040 General Plan and forced the Town to spend time updating these portions of the prior General Plan as a stop-gap measure.

The fact the Housing Element wasn’t certified has given developers a leg to stand on when it comes to claiming the Town is required to essentially rubber-stamp their proposals.

Town Attorney Gabrielle Whelan said there are already projects on the table whose proponents may argue must be allowed to bypass Town processes.

“The fact is, four applicants have submitted SB330 pre-applications, and SB330 pre-applications vest a developer to the zoning standards that were in effect at the time that it was deemed submitted,” Whelan said, noting the Town’s position is that Los Gatos’ Housing Element was successfully adopted (though not certified) by the deadline. “And so there probably will be applicants who will say, ‘I vested to the status of the Town having a non-certified Housing Element.’ And so, we’ll just have to see how that plays out.”

Tam set up a meeting with HCD for the first week of September to get a sense of just how on-track Los Gatos is with its Housing Element.

Cruz Sentinel Readers Choice 2022 ―Good

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408-891-6861

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