GOOD SAM CEO HOPES UPDATE TO FACILITIES WILL BOOST CARE QUALITY
$1.2b remodel comes amid mixed patient safety report cards
Dinah Cotton, Contributor
I had the good fortune of sitting next to Patrick Rohan, the CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital, at the Police Foundation fundraiser.
As a former Good Samaritan League volunteer I was very interested in learning about what’s going on there these days.
Rohan assured me there was plenty of news to share from the corridors of “Good Sam,” as us locals affectionately call it. We agreed to meet, so I could catch up.
Good Samaritan Hospital was established in 1965. It is a 474-bed acute care facility located at 2425 Samaritan Dr., right at the border of Los Gatos and San Jose.
Since 1996, it’s been part of the Hospital Corporation of America.
Earlier this month, Good Sam’s parent company (HCA Healthcare, Inc.) was named one of the 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, a for-profit
NEARLY SPRING Leprechaun Franklin Oliveira with Kelly Blough and Lauren Dunnett at Campo di Bocce, which became an Irish village on Monday for St. Patrick’s Day. More photos on P5.
NATIONAL JUNIOR BASKETBALL BOYS TEAMS HOOP IT UP
Two squads win national titles
Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor There’s no stopping the Los Gatos National Junior Basketball (NJB) boys program. For the second consecutive year, two teams from the Los
Gatos NJB chapter won the All Net National Tournament.
In 2024, the fourth grade and eighth grade boys teams took home titles. In the recently completed 2025 winter season, the fourth grade and fifth grade boys teams reigned supreme.
In performances that were borderline sublime, both Los Gatos
squads won their respective National Tournament championship games in dominating fashion. The fourth graders avenged their only defeat of the season, dismantling Whittier Gold 44-18 in the title contest March 9 at the Maps Sports Facility in Garden Grove.
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• Prime location near shopping, major commute routes, Bel Gatos Park, Santa Rosa trails, and award-winning Union Schools (Noddin Elementary, Union Middle, Leigh High)
VOL.4 NO.29
Dan Pulcrano Executive Editor & Publisher
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MAN ARRESTED IN LOS GATOS BY NORTH BAY POLICE ON ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE
Suspect also accused of committing vandalism, resisting officers
Drew Penner, Editor
A North Bay police department said it had arrested, March 12, a man on attempted murder, vandalism and resisting arrest charges in Los Gatos.
The Healdsburg Police Department said on Facebook it had arrested Damian Martines-Osorio in connection to an April 30, 2024 tire-slashing incident that escalated to violence.
“At about 9:45pm, Healdsburg Police received a call of a victim who had been attacked in the parking lot of the Healdsburg Community Center,” a Department spokesperson wrote in a release at the time. “Officers learned that the victim had been sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Community Center when he noticed the suspect in the parking lot slashing vehicle tires. When the victim exited his vehicle, he was confronted by the suspect who attempted to stab the victim with a knife. During the ensuing struggle the victim sustained a cut to his hand.”
After a three-hour search involving the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and a California Highway Patrol helicopter, the heat was off.
Almost a year later, HPD officials prepared for a trip to Silicon Valley. They reached out to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department to give the local force a heads-up.
"HPD advised us that they would be coming into town that morning,” said LGMSPD spokesperson Katherine Mann, of the hunt for Martines-Osorio (who police said also goes by Gael Leon). “We helped them out with perimeter in case he ran.”
He was booked in the Sonoma County Jail on a no-bail hold for the April 30 charges, as on three other warrants.
BLIND LGHS STUDENT NAMED A NATIONAL MERIT FINALIST
41
Staff Report
On Thursday, the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District announced 41 high school seniors had been recognized as National Merit Finalists, an honor awarded to less than 1% of students nationwide who demonstrate exceptional academic ability, leadership and extracurricular involvement.
One particularly notable finalist is Kyle Eldridge, a senior at Los Gatos High School, who is considered legally blind. Due to a rare genetic disorder, Eldridge started experiencing poor eyesight while in third grade.
“remarkable memory” and “determination” has allowed him to memorize the campus, including classroom locations, each year.
“He’s a shining example for our special education department and outside service providers who help make his success possible,” said guidance counselor Louis Rich. “For me, Kyle is one of the most inspirational students I have ever worked with.”
This year, Kyle is taking five Advanced Placement (AP) classes. He uses a video magnifier to see the class whiteboard and relies on accommodations such as large print materials.
Eldridge has been able to overcome unique obstacles caused by low vision, as he is self-disciplined and organized, a skill set he developed independently, school officials said, adding he’s aiming for a computer science major.
“Kyle has shown incredible resilience, and whenever he encounters an obstacle, he finds a solution,” his mom said. “I am so grateful for the staff here at Los Gatos HS, CT Middle School, and Loma Prieta Elementary who have really rallied around him to support his academic journey.”
THE OTHER NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS ARE:
“Despite the challenges of navigating a world designed for those with sight, Kyle has excelled academically, scoring a near perfect score of 1580 on his SATs, mastering incredible time management to overcome his demanding coursework and homework, and thriving as a member of Los Gatos High School’s robotics team, Iron Claw 972,” a District spokesperson wrote in a release.
Eldridge’s mother recalled her initial concerns about Kyle beginning high school.
“I was worried about him navigating the large campus,” she said in the release, noting Los Gatos High School’s varied elevation and multi-story buildings.
Administration officials said Kyle’s
Shaurya Banjara (LGHS) Katherine Berger (SHS) Akshat Bora (SHS) Rebecca Bossow (SHS) Aiden M. Chen (SHS) Richard Chung (SHS) Leo Dai (LGHS) Arshia Desarkar (SHS) Hayden Fu (SHS) Kirby Fung (SHS) Kevin Gan (LGHS) Sarah Gechlik (SHS) Leonardo Jia (SHS) Rohan Jones (LGHS) Nicole Lee (SHS) Timothy Leung (SHS) Sydney Li (SHS) Grace Liu (SHS) Alan Lu (SHS) Skyler Mao (SHS) Jack Mei (LGHS) Aryeh Ohriner (LGHS) Ruhan Periyacheri (SHS) Tatum Pyle (LGHS) Saira Ramakrishnan (SHS) Tarun Ramakrishnan (SHS) Rosa Sahandi (LGHS) Daniel Schwartz (SHS) Tanav Shankar (LGHS) Ria Sharma (LGHS) Tanuj K. Siripurapu (SHS) Angela Tan (SHS) Alexander Vash-Munoz (SHS) Andrae Wan (SHS) Brandon Wang (SHS) Timothy Wei (SHS) Sora A. Wongsonegoro (SHS) Luke Zhang (SHS) Julius Zhou (SHS) Jeremy Zhou (SHS).
“These students exemplify academic excellence, perseverance, and dedication, and we congratulate them on this well-deserved honor,” the LGSUHSD spokesperson added.
seniors recognized alongside Kyle Eldridge
ACADEMIC SUCCESS Los Gatos High School Senior Kyle Eldridge pictured during his AP Statistics class.
ST. PADDY’S DAY EVENT HELD MONDAY AT CAMPO DI BOCCE
TO THE EDITOR
Is it really bye bye to Dinah’s Log?
Bye bye to Dinah’s Weekly Log? Please no no! This little “log” provides a sense of belonging in our small town. It’s the place where we check out the delightful highlights ofthe coming week, where we’ll see our neighbors and thrive together in Los Gatos. The “calendar”? Sure, it has its place. But it’s a bit cold and one of many lists available in the Bay area.
The Los Gatan can embellish its small-town feel with the log, or simply opt for the faceless Silicon Valley calendar look. Hummmm.
Tom Picraux Los Gatos Thrives Foundation
Responding to Boy Scout’s letter about housing development concerns
I couldn’t agree more: the town is becoming a residential suburb that is crushing the very thing that was so attractive about it; and that housing developments are exploiting and trampling the town at the same time.
What if Santa Cruz tore down the boardwalk and put in seven story senior units to enjoy the town's recreational vibe?
I’m hearing from out-oftowners that Los Gatos doesn’t have all the good places it used to (Hannigan‘s, Steamers, California Café, Mountain Charlie’s). We used to protect against cookie-cutter developments, and we were like Hill Valley in “Back to the Future.”
The building inspector left in disgust about 10 years ago for seeing what was happening— bending the knee to the State.
Vincent —via LosGatan.com
Mark Harville rocks
(In response to an article about the band Beggar’s Opera)
For what its worth, I knew Mark in High School. He was talented then, and is obviously talented still.
God Bless always.
Guy —via LosGatan.com
*Letters are edited for length and clarity
BAGPIPIN’ Johnny Hannegan led the Prince Charles Pipe Band performances throughout the day. "Erin go Bragh!"
MUSIC MAKERS The Sorry Lot, from Napa, played traditional Irish folk songs as well as some original tunes.
HEALTH
NEW HOSPITAL TECH
Good Sam, from page 1
company that measures corporate standards for a fee.
In Spring 2023, Good Samaritan Hospital was given an “A” grade in The Leapfrog Group’s health care safety survey. This had dropped to a “B” in Spring 2024, and then fell to a “C” grade in Fall 2024.
In the review, the hospital did better than average in preventing MRSA infections, average for blood and C. difficile infections, but worse than average in terms of urinary tract and post-surgery infections. It got good marks for “staff working together to prevent errors,” but poor marks for communication about medicines.
According to the research, the hospital faces challenges with the responsiveness of hospital staff, but scored top marks in "effective leadership to prevent errors.” And on March 14, Good Sam got an award from Healthgrades (an initiative of RVO Health,
a partnership between Red Ventures and Optum, which is part of UnitedHealth Group), putting it in the top 5% of hospitals in America for patient safety for a second year running.
SQUEEZING IN A MEETING
Dawn Bussey, the San Jose market director and communications and community engagement person, arranged my meeting with Rohan through Farah Porria, his senior executive assistant. Porria was born in this hospital and has been employed with Good Sam for around two decades. “We are like a close-knit family here,” she said.
Heading into Rohan’s office, the first thing that I noticed was a small portrait of Hugh Laurie, who starred in the drama series “House” as Dr. Gregory House. The atmosphere of his office conveyed the get-it-done feeling Rohan exudes, while still being relaxing and welcoming.
In his previous positions, Rohan was part of significant hospital expansions. Rohan and his family came to Good Sam in October 2023. He, his wife and 4.5-year-old son now live in Los Gatos, where his son attends Kiddie Kampus.
GOOD NEWS FROM GOOD SAMARITAN
As we had a short amount of time to meet, Rohan went to the exciting news first.
“We are underway on the $1.2 billion hospital replacement project,” he said. “It will be a whole new hospital. We will first build an eight-story parking garage. That will allow us to build this hospital and have adequate parking already in place. This project is scheduled for ground-breaking this summer, with competition 2029-30.”
Rohan also mentioned they have a new technology called “focused ultrasound.” It seeks out parts of the brain that are causing tremors, he explained.
“Essentially, it will take a patient that has a central tremor, and after they are seen by a neurosurgeon as a suitable candidate, they go into a MRI machine,” he said. “The focused ultrasound will identify in the brain what is causing the tremor. The ultrasound permeates the skull to locate where the tremor is coming from and then the ultrasound will treat it so it cannot continue. The patient is
GOOD SAM DONATES $10K TO WEST VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES
Donation supports mobile food pantry program
Last month, Good Samaritan Hospital presented a $10,000 check to West Valley Community Services to combat food insecurity in the area.
“This donation is part of our broader commitment to supporting the health and well being of our neighbors,” Rohan said in a release.
“West Valley Community Services is a vital partner in fighting hunger and we are honored to contribute to their mission of ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry.”
The donation was made to support the organization’s Park-It Market, a mobile food pantry that delivers fresh, nutritious food to underserved residents across the region.
awake for this entire procedure. The results of focused ultrasound have been showing improvements from central tremors.”
Our brief meeting was coming to a close and as we began walking to the hallway, Dr. Rich Briones, chief medical officer, joined us.
I asked him about Good Sam’s recent awards and he said it “reflects the dedication of our physicians, nurses and entire care team to delivering the highest standards of safe, high-quality care to our patients every day.”
He added, “We are honored to be recognized once again as one of America’s top hospitals. These accolades are a testament to our staff’s unwavering commitment to clinical excellence and superior patient outcomes.”
Chief Financial Officer Brandon Ware joined us, and then the three chiefs ran off to their next meeting.
TRIO Good Samaritan Chiefs; Dr. Richard Briones Chief Medical Officer, Patrick Rohan Chief Executive Officer and Brandon Ware Chief Financial Officer pose proudly in front of a few recent awards presented to Good Samaritan Hospital.
DEFIBRILLATOR INSTALLED AT CREEKSIDE
Event highlights risk of youth heart problems
Dinah Cotton, Contributor
On March 8, a small group gathered at Creekside Turf Sports Park to dedicate the Automated External Defibrillator cabinet in honor of Kyle J. Taylor, who died in 2018 from an undiagnosed heart condition.
In the wake of the tragedy, his family established the Kyle J. Taylor Foun-
HEALTH OFFICER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Dr. Sara Cody led Santa Clara County, Bay Area in response to Covid-19
Staff report
Dr. Sara Cody has announced her retirement from her position as Santa Clara County’s health officer.
She served the County for more than 25 years (12 of those in this current role, and also as director of the County’s health department since 2015 ).
Cody rose to national prominence with her response to the novel coronavirus—she issued the first stay-at-home order in the country.
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dation, which aims to raise awareness of the risk for cardiac arrest among youth, boosts prevention efforts and provides free heart screenings.
The plaque at Creekside reads: “Kyle died of sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 18. This life saving AED and 24/7 saving station has been donated by his family foundation through the generous donations from the community where Kyle lived and played. He is missed by so many and will always be remembered.”
“Serving the community in this role has been an extraordinary privilege, and I am grateful for the support and guidance I’ve received along the way, from community members, staff and county leaders,” Cody said in a re lease. “Now is the right time to pass the baton.”
SAVE STATION Dedication of AED cabinet at Creekside Turf Park. Pictured are Kyle’s mom, Allison Taylor, her husband Michael Sarmento and Jennifer Sarmento, Kyle’s sister.
TOP OFFICIAL Dr. Sara Cody.
Cotton / Los Gatan
SPORTS
BASKETBALL SUCCESS
Sports, from page 1
Just a day earlier in pool play, Whittier Gold beat Los Gatos 47-44, the only blemish in a 17-1 season. How did Los Gatos manage to thoroughly dominate Whittier Gold in the rematch?
“Our kids executed everything from our offensive strategy to our defensive strategy,” coach Nathan Sanders said. "Everyone's shots were falling, we were clicking on all cylinders and we made some adjustments on defense that basically took away what they did to beat us the first time.”
Ten of the 11 Los Gatos players scored, a testament to the balance and depth of the team.
“Last year we had dominant post players, but this year’s team was faster and really deep,” Sanders said. “All 11
kids could play. Whoever I put in, we didn’t lose much on the court. There’s not many teams that can say the entire team contributed but we had that.”
The fourth grade team roster includes Chasin Chikelu, Cyrus Mortezaie, Dean Drew, Dylan Shanker, Gavin Evenson, Gus Widell, Hunter Sanders, Nathan Williams, Oz Azriel, Thomas Leitch, Vidit Noti and assistant coach Nir Azriel.
Los Gatos defeated Redwood City 26-22 in a semifinal where points were hard to come by. Evenson had two steals in overtime which led to four points, accounting for the difference in the final score. Sanders’ son, Hunter, was a stalwart throughout the season.
The point guard controlled the tempo, took care of the basketball and was superb in shutting down the opposing team’s guards. Leitch and Drew also excelled defensively,
while post player Williams controlled the boards, limiting opponents’ second-chance scoring opportunities.
Los Gatos received solid outside shooting from Widell and Noti, who knocked down 3-point shots in the championship game. Nathan Sanders said one of the best moments of the season came after the final buzzer sounded to conclude the fifth grade team’s victory.
The fourth grade squad—who had finished their game five minutes earlier and was playing on an adjacent court—ran over to congratulate the fifth graders’ victory.
“It was pretty awesome,” Sanders said. “We were able to celebrate together and it was a great bonding moment.”
Several key players from last year’s fourth grade team starred on this year’s fifth grade championship-winning team, highlighting Los Gatos’ arrival as one of the premier boys pro-
grams in NJB. The fifth graders were even more dominant than the fourth graders, going 4-0 in the National Tournament and winning every game by 15 points or more.
How dominant was the fifth grade team from start to finish? Its National Tournament title run capped a perfect 19-0 season that saw many games decided by halftime.
The fifth grade team roster includes head coach Anthony Sherman, assistant coach Matt Cossel, Solomon Petros, Jack Janda, Allen Xiang Hao, Aziz Khouzam, Parker Fanoe, Liam McDonald, Sean Garcia, Vonn Marshall, Jax Cossell, Grant Zillman, Paul Weitz and Felix Fairley.
A team email message said, “Fairley’s height was a clear advantage, Khouzam was an unstoppable force with rebounds, Garcia’s shooting was on point and Marshall’s offensive shooting was seamless.
CHAMPIONS The Los Gatos NJB All Net fourth grade boys basketball team was all smiles after winning the National Tournament March 9 in Garden Grove.
Derek Evenson
HUNDREDS FLOCK TO BAGGERLY FIELD FOR LITTLE LEAGUE OPENER SATURDAY
First day of the season paid homage to team from 1980s
Jonathan Natividad
Despite the rainy weather all week in town, it was a perfect Saturday morning for the Los Gatos Little League opening day ceremony.
Hundreds of little leaguers and their families were excited to head down to Baggerly Field for the start of the season.
This year’s opener honored the 1984 team that advanced to the Little League World Series.
Following the ceremony, the players sprang into action—it was time to play ball!
IT BEGINS Little leaguers take the field for the first time this season.
Photos By Jonathan Natividad
THIRD ANNUAL HITCHCOCK FILM FEST ENDEARS
DESPITE HICCUP
Scotts Valley Theater Guild sold more tickets than for last year’s edition
Drew Penner, Editor
Merrylou White, a 70-year-old resident of the Santa Cruz neighborhood of Pleasure Point, had purchased a pass for all three days of this year’s Scotts Valley Alfred Hitchcock Film Festival, held this past weekend.
She’s someone who grew up in Los Gatos, attending Los Gatos High School, where the theater was named after Olivia de Havilland, a key link in the famed director deciding to purchase a property on the Scotts Valley side of the Santa Cruz Mountains in the first place.
When she was 11 years old, White would sneak downstairs to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s television presentations.
She enjoyed hearing from Aaron Leventhal, co-author of Footsteps in the Fog: Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco, and historian Jay Topping, as well as Hitchcock’s granddaughter Tere Carrubba during the opening night ceremonies, Friday.
Next up was a panel discussion with UCSC lecturer Shelly Stamp, talking about the film techniques deployed for the movie “Rope.”
But when it came time to play the film—a snag.
“They couldn’t get sound for ‘Rope,’ but we kept waiting and hoping they’d figure that out,” she said. “I was disappointed.”
Unfortunately, explains Trish Melehan, board member of the Scotts Valley Community Theater Guild, they couldn’t show the movie.
“We did have some technical difficulties that we weren’t expecting,” she said. “The sound of the DVD wasn’t coming up on the speakers that work with the movie screen.”
Her husband, Jim, felt for her. After all, he’d personally experienced the many nights his wife would be on the phone doing everything she could to make sure the festival would go off without a hitch.
“I openly wept,” he said, exaggerating just a bit. “But people were very understanding.”
Melehan says they’re now working to confirm they have the rights to offer a make-up screening at some point in the coming weeks.
By Sunday, White confirmed she felt she’d gotten her money’s worth.
“It’s really precious to me,” she said, adding she’s proud to see a local organization was able to put on such an amazing event where she could learn more about the things Hitchcock was passionate about. “I share in his enthusiasm for the nature and the beauty of this area.”
John Billheimer, an 86-year-old from Portola Valley, presented last year. And even though that edition had fewer people in the audience than the inaugural year, he was still gung-ho about returning for the third installment.
“They appear to be thriving,” he said, noting he attended as a guest during the initial iteration. “I enjoyed being a part of it last year.”
He said he was quite impressed with the talk by Jeffrey Michael Bays, the author of Suspense: With a Camera , about Hitchcock’s television career.
“It’s interesting to see his take on it,” he said, adding he appreciated how
the speaker discussed the contributions of those who collaborated with Hitchcock on the smash-hit TV programs. “It’s nice to see that recognized. The people involved were important… He gave them full credit.”
Hitchcock’s influence continues in popular culture to this day.
For example, Warner Brothers took out a full page ad, in the Winter 202425 issue of Sight and Sound Magazine, for the remastered 4K UltraHD version of “North by Northwest.”
And, despite Friday’s hiccup, it’s clear that Scotts Valley’s celebration of Hitchcock has staying power.
It’s all thanks to the tireless efforts of their legion of volunteers, such as hospitality manager Melanie Turowski.
To be fair, she is dating the president of the Guild. But she also witnessed the magic of the festival last year as a spectator.
“I was fascinated by the speakers,” she said. “It just changed how you saw the films.”
She even brought her parents—her dad ended up getting pretty obsessed with all things Hitchcock afterwards.
This year, Turowsky was tasked with recruiting and managing volunteers.
“I feel so fortunate to be part of it,” she said. “This is so incredibly unique.”
Hearing a Hitchcock expert, on Sunday, discuss the director’s ability to play with comedy while not discounting the overall sense of foreboding (as parents must track down their child who is running around town with a loaded revolver)—and then watching the television episode in a landscape where gun violence has become a major societal woe—highlighted the master of suspense’s prescience for where America was headed.
On Saturday, after talks by Jason Isralowitz, author of Nothing to Fear: Alfred Hitchcock and the Wrong Men , and William Park, author of What Is Film Noir? , Kylan DeGhetaldi played piano tunes from the 1920s live, as Hitchcock’s silent movie “The Lodger” played.
Crowd sizes ranged from 80 to 130 people.
“The audiences seemed very pleased,” Melehan said. “We’re hoping to come back even stronger next year.”
SILENT FILM EXPERIENCE Kylan DeGhetaldi played piano tunes from the 1920s live, as Hitchcock’s silent movie “The Lodger” played Saturday night.
aspects of the production.
‘MAMMA MIA’ PRODUCTION
OPENS FRIDAY
Student production emphasizes teamwork
Ainsley Northrop, Contributor
With performances slated to begin this week, the Los Gatos High School cast of “Mamma Mia!” has been pouring hours into refining the musical.
Students began working on it in December.
“Our auditions were two or three days long,” said junior Morgan Lum, who plays Ali.
Rehearsals began after winter break, and the cast of nearly 40 has met almost every weekday.
This year, under the direction of Tim Nielson, the drama program has emphasized student involvement. Lum and senior Nyanna Raj were tapped as choreographers.
“We came up with a plan,” Lum said. “We really try to emphasize teamwork and everyone doing as much as they can to make the show as good as possible.”
The department chose this show, in part, because LGHS’s 2020 production of “Mamma Mia!” was cancelled due to the pandemic.
“Mamma Mia!” is a classic jukebox musical featuring Swedish group ABBA’s music.
“People should come watch because it's really a lot of fun,” Lum said.
The show will be at the Prentiss Brown Theater March 21-22 and 27-29 at 7pm.
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MUSICAL SCENE Students have taken the lead in many
BALLET PERFORMER MET HIS WIFE IN LOS GATOS
James Kopecky looks ‘Forward’ to show at Hammer Theatre
Faizi Samadani, Contributor
Many people can identify with being young and unable to find community in the world. For James Kopecky, ballet became a passion back in high school, when a mentor noted his dance skills.
“When I was younger, I couldn’t do a lot of outdoor sports because I had asthma,” Kopecky recalls. “Some of my teachers in high school told me that this was something I could pursue as a professional dancer. I had a lot of encouraging mentors along the way.”
That doesn’t mean the road is always smooth. Ballet is “not like profes-
sional sports. It doesn’t pay a lot, it’s weird hours, and it’s all up in the air,” says Kopecky.
But he kept on moving forward, applying for colleges because it allowed him to get a dance scholarship. Eventually, he outgrew his asthma as an older kid but the strong connection to dance remained.
“There isn’t something that allows you to explore your physicality as much as dance does,” Kopecky says.
“You go to baseball practice and do the drills. But with dance, it was fun to understand how I liked to move. Just the culture of dance let me understand what it meant to have a community.”
In 2010, Kopecky came to the Bay Area right out of college to seize his first job opportunity.
“I graduated from Butler University
to be doing. Then you realize your dance career will end due to wear and tear of the body,” Kopecky says. Quoting a phrase often attributed to Martha Graham, Kopecky says that “every dancer dies twice”—the first of which is when you realize you will have to give up the stage.
Kopecky talks about the joys of working as a choreographer.
“Self-discovery in an environment that's creative and spontaneous, finally being at an age where I had the tools to work in the industry,” he says.
“Most of the time, the standard way of becoming a choreographer is to dance, following other people’s leads on how to move. Then usually on your own time, there are a lot of companies that allow dancers to do their own choreographed dances on their own. Small glimpses of dance allow them to figure out how they get to tell stories.”
For his choreography, Kopecky says he approaches it like he’s writing a thesis paper. “I pick out parts of my psyche, like the current ballet I’ve finished, Pivot, as it’s about someone who is pushing pavement. Then through a daydream, she fantasizes about how life could be. A lot of us have dreams, but many of us don’t pursue them.
“However, your life is still lingering and you aren’t dead,” he says. “If you don’t take the initiative to do what you want, it will never happen.”
“I have a Pinterest board, a Spotify playlist, and setbacks in the current news and politics help create a drive,” Kopecky says. Although he draws from his own experiences, he sees something every now and then in the news that inspires him to respond.
in Indianapolis, then worked at Ballet San Jose for five years. This was my time on my own with no safety net, no university with friends. Being in a ballet company is a very interesting experience because you are on contract… usually around a nine-month contract like college semesters.”
Eventually his journey in ballet took him to North Carolina, where he works as a freelance choreographer. Local audiences can see one of his pieces in New Ballet’s upcoming Fast Forward dance concert, with two evenings of contemporary ballet featuring world premieres by seven choreographers.
“I’ve dabbled with choreography for my entire career, especially when I was in San Jose. When you're four years into dancing, that's all you want
Kopecky says that it was cathartic coming back to the Bay Area after nine years, as there were a lot of new things in places such as Los Gatos, where he met his wife.
“It was interesting to be a different person now walking around in familiar places. The experience of seeing these things inspired some movement. It made me reminisce on certain things, like when I did performances at the Performing Arts Center in San Jose. Old choreography and movements started coming back into my mind as I walked the streets of where I once lived.”
You can catch New Ballet’s “Fast Forward” March 21 at 7pm and Mar 22 at 2pm at the Hammer Theatre Center in San Jose.
PHYSICAL EXPRESSION James Kopecky says returning to the Bay Area helped him become a better performer.
Notice of Provisional Appointment
PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LOS GATOS-SARATOGA UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
PUBLIC NOTICE
March 11, 2025
Pursuant to Government Code 6061 and Education Code 5092
On January 24, 2025, a vacancy was created on the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Board of Trustees following the resignation of Board member Alex Shultz.
The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Board of Trustees has appointed Shawn Mortensen to assume the vacant seat on the Board.
The date for the appointment of Shawn Mortensen to the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Board of Trustees was March 11, 2025.
Unless a petition calling for a special election pursuant to Education Code 5091 is filed in the Office of the Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools within 30 days of this provisional appointment, it shall become an effective appointment.
Publication dates: March 21, 2025.(PC502) (Pub LGN 3/19)
Name Change
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME. CASE NO. 25CV456603
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petition of: Joshua Ushik Choe for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Joshua Ushik Choe. Proposed name: Joshua Choe Tran. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name change described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: March 5, 2025 at 8:45 am, room: Probate. filed on: January 15, 2025 (pub dates: 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025)
Fictitious Business
Name Statements
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713714
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Mochiholic.Milpitas, 1535 Landess Ave., #147, Milpitas, CA, 95035, GL USA, Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant has not begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Fu Cheun Fung. Vice President. #C6460738. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/12/2025.(pub LG 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713580
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Lulu And Lavender, 1574 Monteval Lane, San Jose, CA, 95120, Laura Gayle Taylor. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Laura Gayle Taylor. This
PUBLIC NOTICES
statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/10/2025. (pub LG 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713899
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Velvet Head Spa, 1961 Rivermark Prwy, Santa Clara, CA, 94054, Velvet Group Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 01/01/2025. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Phung Tran. Owner. #6567344. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/20/2025. (pub LG 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713856
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Hayden Isaac’s Media, 136 Magneson Terrace, Los Gatos, CA, 95032, Hayden Taylor Isaacs. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 02/19/2025. /s/Hayden Isaacs. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/19/2025. (pub LG 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025
File Number: FBN713828 . The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: C28 Folsom 14830 Los Gatos Blvd. Ste. 201, Los Gatos, CA 95032. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, Cilker 08 Folsom LLC, 14830 Los Gatos Blvd. Ste. 201, Los Gatos, CA 95032. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2025 and 02/19/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Corinne Vasquez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Cilker 08 Folsom, LLC, Article/Reg # 202565714484, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Keyston Smith /s/ President of Manager (Pub LGN: 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713396
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Lunardi Moving Services And Storage LLC, 1670 S. 7th Street, San Jose, CA, 95112. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 01/01/2023. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Fabricio Lunardi. Owner. #202108310735. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/03/2025/2023. (pub LG 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025
File Number: FBN713910. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. AA ADVISORY CA, 2. ATLAS BAKERY & MORE , 67 Fairview Plz Apt 5, Los Gatos, CA 95030. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, ATLAS ARYA LLC, 67 Fairview Plz Apt 5, Los Gatos, CA 95030. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 10/18/2024 and 02/21/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Corinne Vasquez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Atlas Arya LLC, Article/Reg # 202464217372, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Mustafa Yanarkaya /s/ Managing Member. (Pub LGN: 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #712795
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Bay Area Design And Wear, 1850 Norseman Drive, San Jose, CA, 95133, Miguel Angel Hernandez Juarez. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 01/01/2025.
/s/Miguel Angel Hernandez Juarez. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 01/16/2025. (pub LG 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713508
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Vuelo Barber Studios, 7787 Suite A Monterey St., Gilroy, CA, 95020, Reyly Alvarado. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 02/06/2025. /s/Reyly Alvarado. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/06/2025. (pub LG 03/05, 03/12, 03/19, 03/26/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714041
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Derma Corrections, 2986 Meridian Ave., San Jose, CA, 95124, Vanessa Christine Loque. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Vanessa C Loque. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/25/2025. (pub Metro 03/05, 03/12, 03/19, 03/26/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713999
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Pro Realty, 18312 Swarthmore Drive, Saratoga, CA, 95070, Monte Tajik. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/ Monte Tajik. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/24/2025. (pub LG 03/05, 03/12, 03/19, 03/26/2025)
File Number: FBN714156. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: A HERO DRIVING SCHOOL , 80 Gilman Ave Suite 31 A, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: An Individual, TAWFIQ ASAD, 17298 Reunion St, Lathrop, CA 95330. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 02/28/2025 and 02/28/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Corinne Vasquez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Tawfiq Asad /s/. (Pub LGN: 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714227
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Rapid Baths & Showers, 7052 Santa Teresa Blvd., San Jose, CA, 95139, Kory E Rushing. This business is being conducted by a Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 03/04/2025. /s/Kory Rushing. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/04/2025. (pub Metro 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713954
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Tricore Panels, 2175 De La Cruz Blvd Suite 3, Santa Clara, CA, 95050, Mish-Ra Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 08/21/2013. /s/Hellia Misha Homara. CEO. #3490622. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/21/2025. (pub LG 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713603
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: CG Therapy, 1930 Camden Ave Suite 1A, San Jose, CA, 95124, Cheryl Ann Gittens. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed
herein on 02/10/2025. /s/Cheryl Ann Gittens. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/10/2025. (pub LG 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714292
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Jojoba Arts&Crafts, 3355 Octavius Drive Apt 255, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, Xiaodong Huang. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/ Xiaodong Huang. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/06/2025. (pub LG 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714405
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LaVoie Acupuncture, 1054 Courtland Ave., Milpitas, CA, 95035, Derek K. Lavoie. This business is being conducted by an individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Derek K. Lavoie. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/11/2025. (pub LG 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714327
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: PMI Willow Glen, 4414 Stone Canyon Drive, San Jose, CA, 95136, Willow Glen Corp. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 3/7/25. /s/Nabeel William Khashan. President. #6454803 This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/07/2025. (pub LG 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714475
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 2 The Core Cleaning Services, 1990 Lavender Way, Gilroy, CA, 95020, Lucia C Franco. This business is being conducted by a, Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 03/12/2025. /s/Lucia C Franco. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/12/2025. (pub LG 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714301
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Loan Factory, 2195 Tully Road, San Jose, CA, 95122, Loan Factory Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 10/01/2016. /s/Thuan Nguyen. President. #2887317. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/06/2025. (pub Metro 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
File Number: FBN713835. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: LiButti Capital 6203 San Ignacio Ave # 110, San Jose, CA 95119. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, Grenadicci LLC, 6203 San Ignacio Ave # 110, San Jose, CA 95119. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 02/19/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Patty Camarena /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Grenadicci LLC, Article/Reg # 202250419517, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Anthony LiButti /s/ Managing Member. (Pub LGN: 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
