Los Gatan October 25 2023 by Weeklys

@losgatan

vol . 3 , no. 8 : october 25-31 , 2023 : losgatan.com

teachers recognized p6 : police blotter p7 : upcoming events p14 : ny times crossword puzzle p17 Jonathan Natividad

CRIME FIGHTERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS RECOGNIZED

Boys water polo is dominant

Police Foundation holds luncheon

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

In the midst of what could go down as a truly historic season, Los Gatos High boys water polo coach Davor Koret said the team has yet to hit its peak in the 2023 campaign. Should that happen and the Wildcats go on to win the league tournament title and a game or two in the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs, this year’s team can rightfully lay claim as the greatest in program history. The Wildcats entered the week 23-1 overall and a perfect 10-0 to win the Santa Clara Athletic League De Anza Division regular-season round-robin championship. This was just the second time in program history they’ve won

Drew Penner, Reporter

A couple of hours before the yearly Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation luncheon, Thursday, where Chief Jamie Field was set to recognize Jiffy Mart for its contribution to community safety, a call came in to the department. Days earlier, the store had become the victim of a burglary—with windows smashed and thousands of dollars of merchandise stolen. But now, the town’s top cop had some good news: the corner store’s video cameras had helped, once again, to crack the case. “We were able to solve another case today as a result of their surveillance system,” she said. “This morning they were able to identify the suspect.” The event at St. Mary Church was an opportunity for the police department to thank the wide range of people who help keep the two Silicon Valley communities it watches over safe, from dispatchers to front-line officers to investigators to administrative staff. Field started out by putting the awards in the context of legislative moves happening in Sac➝ Luncheon, 4

WILDCATS ON A HISTORIC RUN THIS SEASON

➝ Wildcats, 12

Subscribe to receive Los Gatan home delivery every week.

PLAYMAKER Los Gatos High sophomore standout Mathijs Dirven continued his fabulous season with three goals and two assists in a 18-14 win over Harker High on Oct. 17.

LGSubs.com

T H E B I L L L I S T E R T E A M T H E B I L L L I S T E R T E A M THE BILL LISTER TEAM

Me To Discuss YourMove NextinMove Call MeCall To Discuss Your Next 2023inor2023 2024or 2024 Call Me to Discuss Your Next Move in 2023 or 2024 IVE CTIVE IVE CTIVE T T C C A A A A

Virtual Tour

17020 LOS CERRITOS LOS GATOS 1077 PORTOLA RD, PORTOLA 17020 LOS CERRITOS DR, LOSDR, GATOS Virtual Tour Virtual Tour 1077 PORTOLA RD, PORTOLA VALLEYVALLEY 5 Bedrooms | 4 Full & 1 Half Bath 5 Bedrooms Full Baths & 1 Half Baths 5 Bedrooms | 4 Full Baths & 1Baths Half Bath 5 Bedrooms | 3 Full & |13Half ± ft 4,683 sq. Space ft Living | ± 2.556 ± ft 3,600 sq. Space ft Living | ± 1.229 ± 4,683 sq. Living | ± Space 2.556 Acre Lot Acre Lot ± 3,600 sq. Living | ± Space 1.229 Acre Lot Acre Lot Offered at $5,995,000 Offered at $4,599,000 Offered at $5,995,000 Offered at $4,599,000 & Expanded Gated Estate Gated Quiet Serene Property Like Setting TastefullyTastefully Updated Updated & Expanded Gated Estate Gated Quiet & Serene & Property with Parkwith LikePark Setting

Virtual Tour

Bill Lister Bill Lister

Society ofFewer Excellence, 2022 Society2022 of Excellence, than Fewer than 1%Banker of Coldwell Banker Agents Worldwide 1% of Coldwell Agents Worldwide #1 in Small Team in the Los Gatos Office 2022 Society of Excellence, #1 Small Team the Los Gatos Office than 1% of Coldwell Voted 2022 Best Real Estate Voted 2022 Fewer Best Real Estate Agent of Los Agent Gatos of Los Gatos Banker Agents Worldwide Top Producer on theWSJ 2011-2022 WSJ List Top Producer on the 2011-2022 List 408.892.9300 | cell 408.892.9300 |Small cell Team in the B Ioriented LALresults L approach I oriented STER #1 approach matched A results matched with strongwith strong BLister@cbnorcal.com T H E L I S T E R T E A M BLister@cbnorcal.com Los Gatos Office negotiating skills and effective has marketing negotiating skills and effective marketing made has made www.BillLister.com www.BillLister.com EXCELLENT AGENTS | UNPARALLELED RESULTS Voted 2022 Best Real Estate ListerReal a national Estate leader. Bill Lister aBill national EstateReal leader. DRE# 01179611 DRE# 01179611 I T ' S S I M P L E R E A L L Y, I T ' S A L L I N T H E N A M E . . . L I S T E R Agent of Los Gatos him a call today! Give him a Give call today! ©2023 Banker RealTop Estate LLC.Coldwell All Rights Reserved. Banker® is a licensed registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Opportunity Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Producer on the is aColdwell ©2023 Coldwell Banker RealColdwell Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Banker® registered trademark to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell BankerEach Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by aOffice is Owned by a Abelieves results oriented approach matched with strong Subsidiary NRT LLC. All information rights reserved. information supplied Seller and/or sources. Broker believes information to be correct has not verified this information and assumes for no legal responsibility its accuracy. Buyers should Subsidiary of NRT LLC. All rightsofreserved. This was This supplied by Sellerwas and/or otherbysources. Brokerother this information to be this correct but has not verified thisbut information and assumes no legal responsibility its accuracy. Buyersfor should investigate these issuesinvestigate to their these issues to their 2011-2022 WSJ List satisfaction. Real Estate affiliated Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Banker Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage NRT LLC. CalBRE License # 01908304. own satisfaction. Real own Estate Agents affiliated with Agents Coldwell Bankerwith Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of are Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBREorLicense # 01908304.

O ctobe r 25- 31, 20 23 : los gatan.com

BILL LISTER

408.892.9300 cell BLister@cbnorcal.com www.BillLister.com DRE# 01179611

negotiating skills and effective marketing has made Bill Lister a national Real Estate leader. Give him a call today!

WWW.BILLLISTE R.COM WWW.BILLLISTE R.COM 408.892.9300

©2023 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. All rights reserved. This information was supplied by Seller and/or other sources. Broker believes this information to be correct but has not verified this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction. Real Estate Agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBRE License # 01908304.

WWW.BILLLISTER.COM

Exceeding families expectations, one sale at a time. AWARD-WINNING LOS GATOS SCHOOLS

Stunning Vineyard Estate $4,000,000

Rare 18th Fairway Golf Course Setting $5,150,000

Lucy Wedemeyer Broker

lucy@serenogroup.com 408-891-6861 DRE# 00640875

Keith Andry

Associate/Broker

408-891-4151 keith@serenogroup.com DRE# 01470

Private Culdesac Setting $2,850,000

Extraordinary Monte Sereno Gated Estate $6,150,000 (REP BUYER)

Extraordinary marketing expertise fueled with contagious enthusiasm de�nes Lucy Wedemeyer as a “RockStar” Real Estate Broker She’s one of the most recognized and highly respected Realtors in the Bay Area, consistently awarded Top 1% distinction Keith Andry with a BS in Finance joined his Award-Winning Mother-in-Law in 2000.

Marvelous Contemporary Close to Winery $2,300,000

lucyandkeith.com

Fabulous Remodel Near Park and Elementary $2,650,000 This information was supplied by reliable sources. Sales Associate believes this information to be correct but has not veriﬁed this information and assumes no Legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction.

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

As founding members of SERENO, they’ve curated an extensive network of professionals as an integral part of enhancing clients properties for market. Both exude unsurpassed pro-active visions as Brokers and Certi�ed Negotiation Experts; re�ective of 90% referral business as they strive to exceed expectations to accomplish client’s goals and dreams.

Drew Penner/Los Gatan

VOL.3 NO.8 Dan Pulcrano Executive Editor & Publisher Lee May General Manager

EDITORIAL editor@losgatan.com

Erik Chalhoub Managing Editor Drew Penner Reporter Emanuel Lee Sports Editor Jeffrey P. Blum, Alan Feinberg Contributors

ADVERTISING advertising@losgatan.com

Kate Kauffman Senior Account Executive Serenity Polizzi, Eric Bocanegra, Carrie Bonato Account Executives

PRODUCTION Sean George Production Manager Hon Truong Graphic Designer

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

LEGAL ADS legals@losgatan.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@losgatan.com

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

OPINIONS

o ctobe r 2 5 -31, 2 023 : los gatan.co m

Commentaries and letters to the editor on our Opinion pages reflect the opinions of the authors. We welcome letters to the editor and commentaries on all topics of local interest. Email your submissions to editor@losgatan.com

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

CORRECTIONS We strive to avoid errors in news and ads. Mistakes sometimes occur. To report errors, call or email; corrections will appear in the next edition and online.

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

THANK YOU Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation President Jonathan Knowles and Chief Jamie Field address attendees of an appreciation luncheon Thursday at St. Mary Church.

A SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Luncheon, from page 1

ramento that she says is making things harder for the profession. Nevertheless, the members of the department have continued to perform to a high standard, she said. “Safety is also a shared responsibility between the community, businesses and the police department,” she said. “We must take time to pause, and that’s what we’re doing today.” Field reiterated her emphasis on community policing and shared a story about how doing the groundwork of building relationships can pay off when the rubber hits the road. She described how one officer suited up in scary-looking tactical gear as part of the show of force at a recent event at the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center in the wake of the Hamas attacks in Israel. Despite his SWAT vest and long gun, some people, she said, saw through to the person inside—“Officer Bus,” who picked up this nickname during bike rodeos, where kids learned about navigating around school buses. Capt. Clint Tada spoke about the contributions of therapy dog JJ (and handler LeAnn Linenko) and Gary (and handler Manny Respicio) and Mary Cortani, the founder of Operation Freedom Paws. One unique honor was the Overtime Award, which highlighted those who the Town relied on as the police department dealt with staffing challenges. “This is certainly not a recognition that anyone strives to achieve,” Field

said. “These four individuals have the most overtime hours.” That included Officer Macey Delgado, with 549 extra hours beyond her regular shift, Mario Carrizosa, with 559 extra hours, Cpl. Respicio, with 850 additional hours, and Dispatcher Christine Crosson, with 1,227 hours. “Dang!” one departmental employee in the audience said. Field also gave them each “chief’s challenge coins” for the hours of toiling away that would be easy to overlook. “I think it’s important to humanize what that is,” she said. “I have given these coins sparingly.” In addition to Jiffy Mart, Field gave a Citizen Award to the JCC. “In just the last two years, the JCC leadership and many of the staff members have allowed the police department to engage in many ways,” Field said, noting they allowed them to set up a disaster response command post on the property. And as Israel appeared on the verge of a ground invasion of Gaza, with many worrying a rise of antisemitism could follow here in Silicon Valley, Field said they’ve been posting a police cruiser at the facility as a deterrent. Foundation President Jonathan Knowles held up a cardboard cutout of the golf cart purchased for the department’s campus safety operation (with funds from a recent bocce ball tournament) as it was a more practical way to demonstrate the new item.

Special Recognition was awarded to Officer Ryan Cronin. Knowles said Cronin was a big help at the summer jazz music series he helps produce. “One of the interesting things about Jazz on the Plazz is we have very few incidents that require significant police presence,” he said, adding Cronin takes the right approach when one is necessary. “Boy, do we feel like we hit the jackpot.” The Meritorious Award was given to Heather St. John, for her help with preparing the budget and securing grants, and Jackie Rose, for her community outreach leadership. Assistant District Attorney Jay Boyarsky said he was speaking on DA Jeff Rosen’s behalf as he was on a mission to convince Michael Bloomberg to fund a ballot initiative. “The cases that you bring us are extremely strong,” he said. “People are coming here for a reason—and it’s not just for the fancy-schmancy bread at Manresa.” Three groups of officers were recognized for their contribution to specific incidents. Merit Awards Team Incident #1: Sgt. Greg Borromeo, Sgt. David Nylander, Sgt. Bill Hoyt, Cpl. Mario Carrizosa, Officer Logan Howard, Officer Nathan Delia, Officer Zach Low, Officer James DeOcampo, Officer Andrew Demont, Officer Todd Fleming, Dispatcher Julie Burns, Dispatcher LeAnn Linenko and Dispatcher Nick Lindamood. Merit Awards Team Incident #2: Sgt. Harold Hoyt, Cpl. Manuel Respicio, Officer Andrew Demont, Officer Justine Theilen, Officer Rick Rondeau and Reserve Officer Nick Krist. Merit Awards Team Incident #3: Sgt. Richard Campbell, Officer Alexis Belligan, Officer Macey Delgado, Officer Scott Floerchinger, Dispatcher Julie Burns and Dispatcher Nick Lindamood. Officer Zach Low received the MADD Award and a Police Commendation was given to Officer Nathan Delia. During her comments to close the midday event, Mayor Maria Ristow thanked the department for keeping the town safe. “Each of you brings your best to our community,” she said, pledging to make sure no one else has to do more than 1,000 extra hours in the coming years. “I’m dedicated to making sure our department has the resources it needs.”

October 21 - November 4, 2023

170 S. Market St., San Jose

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

Enjoy a multi-day celebration with Día de Los Muertos special menus, live performances, Tickets & Info Celebration local artists & much more.

octo be r 25 - 31, 2 0 23 : losgatan.com

LOCAL SCENE

Alex Czech

Tiffany Hamm

Audrey Warmuth

TEACHERS RECOGNIZED BY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

concern through books, field trips and real-world interactions, giving students an opportunity to make a difference through an annual civic-led community service project through the Stanford Design Project. Last school year, students worked together to develop their own curriculum on how to prevent gun violence and bullying in middle schools. Students created modules, conducted empathy interviews, and researched the topic as it applied directly to the Los Gatos community. Warmuth was an integral part of launching Saratoga High School’s STEM and Engineering program, which has been developed into an interdisciplinary pathway that introduces and launches students into higher learning and careers in STEM. With each STEM project, the students have the opportunity to define the project and define what constitutes success for the outcome of the project. Czech, Hamm and Warmuth were honored with Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District’s 2023 Teacher of the Year Shariliyn Anheier, a Los Gatos High School physics teacher.

the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and California Science Test (CAST). Taken by high school juniors this past spring, this annual assessment is given to public school students in California in grades 3-8, and again in grade 11. The district’s student assessment data for the 2022-2023 school year highlights the percentage of students who met or exceeded the state standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science. “These results are just one of many indicators that we will use to help ensure our students are receiving the highest quality and most well-rounded education possible,” said Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson. “With the recent approval of our Strategic Plan, ‘We INSPIRE!,’ this assessment, along with our four focus areas, will work to ensure that our students are prepared to succeed in college, career and the global world.” Individual student score reports with information about the student’s overall progress and achievement are available in Aeries. Parents may view the information by logging into Aeries and clicking “Test Scores” and “State Test Scores Reports.” A full presentation on the district’s state assessment results will be given to the Board of Trustees at the Nov. 14 meeting.

Three teachers in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District were selected to receive a 2023 Special Teacher Recognition Award at the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s (SCCOE) annual Teacher Recognition Celebration on Oct. 23. They are: • Alex Czech, Los Gatos High School Graphics Design Teacher, for winning the 2023 Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union Arts Leadership Award • Tiffany Hamm, Los Gatos High School English and Social Justice Teacher, for winning the 2023 Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union for Civic Engagement • Audrey Warmuth, Saratoga High School Engineering Teacher, for winning the 2023 SCCOE Innovation in STEM, Perseverance category An owner of a graphic design apparel brand, Czech has built a CTE (Career Technical Education) pathway for students that teaches them how to take their acquired design skills to the next level with entrepreneur and career-ready skills that focus on workplace expectations, organization and applicable advice and mentoring. Working hands-on with organizations such as Amazon, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, local realtors and more, students are often paired with internships and partnerships after high school that have led to careers in graphic design and art. A Freedom Writer Foundation Award winner, Hamm challenges her students by opening their eyes to issues of public

LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT RANKED FIRST IN STATE FOR MATH SCORES The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District (LGSUHSD) scores have outperformed both state and Santa Clara County averages, with the district ranking Number 1 in California in Mathematics for comprehensive public high school districts. The scores were unveiled Oct. 18 for

GRANT SUPPORTS MAKING HOMES WORK PROGRAM Bay Area Housing Corporation (BAHC) has received a matching grant from Santa Clara County to support its Making Homes Work program. The program provides home modifications

for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities, enabling them to stay in their homes as family support systems or their health care needs change. “Making Homes Work removes housing barriers, literally and figuratively, for individuals in our I/DD community by allowing them to stay in the home they may have grown up in, and near their community of support,” said County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who proposed County support. “By making necessary modifications to a family home, families and caregivers can rest easier about their loved one’s future housing situation.” Approximately 80% of Santa Clara County residents with I/DD live in their family homes. Those homes may no longer work for individuals’ daily lives as they age, but many with I/DD want to continue to live in their family’s home. Physical modifications are often needed to make their home safe and comfortable. Examples of accessibility modifications include installing ramps, remodeling bathrooms, or improving wheelchair access by opening spaces, hallways or widening doors. “We recognize that people with I/ DD have few housing options,” said Kris McCann, executive director of Bay Area Housing Corporation. “The cost of housing in Santa Clara County for the size of a home required for a specialized licensed home averages $2.4 million. Once the costs of rehabilitation of the home and long-term maintenance are added, the expense for opening a new specialized residential home becomes prohibitive.” The Making Homes Work program includes an intake evaluation of the home and a proposed scope of work; securing necessary approvals; gathering and evaluating estimates from vendors; determining who will pay for the modifications (family and/or landlord, San Andreas Regional Center, or BAHC’s Una Casa Mas Fund); formalizing the contract with selected vendors; and completing the work. BAHC created the Una Casa Mas Fund to provide needs-based funding for the construction costs of the necessary accessibility modifications. In the last two years, BAHC has raised $160,000 for the Una Casa Mas Fund. The County grant funding will be restricted to the Una Casa Mas Fund and require a 1:1 match, resulting in $500,000 in needs-based funding being made available and a minimum of 50 individuals with I/DD, their families, and caregivers in Santa Clara County receiving funds to make necessary accessibility modifications in their homes.

POLICE BLOTTER OCT. 15 • A vehicle was reported stolen on Oak Rim Court. • A bathroom was reportedly vandalized at Vasona Park. • A man was arrested for contempt of court on High School Court at 4:19pm.

OCT. 16 • A man and a woman were arrested for being in possession of a narcotic controlled substance on N. Santa Cruz and Andrews avenues at 9:41am. • Battery was reported on N. Santa Cruz Avenue at 1:16pm.

OCT. 17 • A business was reportedly vandalized on Los Gatos Boulevard. • A person was reportedly throwing rocks onto Highway 17 on the E. Main Street overcrossing at 3:53pm.

OCT. 18 • A man was reportedly trespassing on S. Santa Cruz Avenue at 8:24am.

• A man was arrested for inflicting injury on a cohabitant on Oak Rim Court at 1:23pm. • A man was reportedly trying to open car doors on Massol Avenue and Los Gatos Saratoga Road at 7:16pm.

OCT. 19

• A man was reportedly at a front door on Pollard Road “making strange sounds” at 3:55am.

OCT. 20

• A man has been reportedly stealing one beer from a six-pack every day for the last couple of months from a store on N. Santa Cruz Avenue. He was arrested for shoplifting at 2:14pm. • Two women reportedly stole medicine at a store on Pollard Road. • A bicycle was reported stolen on High School Court. • A man was arrested for presenting an officer with unlawful vehicle registration on the 15500 block of Union Avenue at 5:56pm. • A man was arrested on an outside warrant on Los Gatos Boulevard and Samaritan Drive at 10:31pm.

• A man, who was reportedly drunk, was laying in the roadway on S. Santa Cruz Avenue and Broadway at 11:35pm.

OCT. 21 • A man reportedly hit another man several times on Church Street at 12:58am. • A woman was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on Los Gatos Almaden Road and Union Avenue at 4:34am. • Two dogs were reportedly barking for hours on Wheeler Avenue and Yosemite Way at 10:10pm. • A woman was arrested for disorderly conduct on Winchester Boulevard and Knowles Drive at 11:04pm. Information is compiled from public records released by the Los GatosMonte Sereno Police Department.

lgsubs.com

MAN ARRESTED FOR REPORTEDLY CAUSING FATAL CRASH Staff Report

A man was arrested Oct. 19 after reportedly causing a multi-vehicle collision in Campbell that killed a man and injured others. According to Campbell Police, at about 12:52pm, officers responded to the intersection of San Tomas Expressway and Campbell Avenue for the crash. The driver of a vehicle traveling northbound on San Tomas Expressway attempted to turn right onto Campbell Avenue, lost control, and struck the cement median, police said. The vehicle then entered opposing lanes of traffic on Campbell Avenue and hit three vehicles before coming to a stop. The male adult driver of one of the vehicles struck died at the scene, while the female adult passenger of the same vehicle was transported to the hospital in critical condition, according to police. The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the vehicle that caused the collision was traveling at a high rate of speed and was unable to navigate the turn. He was identified as Fabian Andres Colorado, 37, and has been arrested and booked for vehicular manslaughter. “As our officers continue to investigate this incident to the full extent, we would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victim,” Campbell Police Chief Gary Berg said. Those with information about the crash are asked to call the non-emergency line at 408.866.2101.

los gatan .co m : o cto be r 25 - 31, 2 0 23

NEWSOM SIGNS ELECTION-REFORM BILLS WRITTEN BY PELLERIN Five were authored by local assemblymember Thomas Hughes, Bay City News

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a slew of elections-related bills into law that will allow disabled voters to vote curbside, permit mail-in ballots to be processed like in-person votes and treat double-voting as a misdemeanor, among other changes. Five of the bills were authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, D-Santa Cruz, chair of the Assembly Elections Committee and a former Santa Cruz County clerk, the position that administers elections. Pellerin’s district includes portions of northern Santa Cruz County, sections of South San Jose and Santa Clara Counties and Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley.

Among the new election laws is AB 545, which mandates that curbside voting be available at all polling places. The law also requires tables at polling places to display handheld magnifying glasses and signature cards, which help people with vision issues sign their name efficiently. AB 626 lets voters return a mail-in ballot at a polling place and have it processed like a normal ballot, which will expedite the counting of those ballots. Under the previous law, vote-by-mail ballots had a signature verification process in which the return ballot's signature is compared to one on file, a process that takes longer than the onthe-spot checks at polling places. Pellerin said in a statement she was thrilled to have the bills become law and that the laws improve the voter experience in numerous ways.

Other bills impacting voting and elections that are now law are AB 292, which provides a clearer explanation to voters with no party preference on which partisan ballots they can request to participate in for those parties' primaries without changing party affiliation, AB 398, which allows for electronic and telephone-based requests for replacement ballots, and AB 773, a bill related to elections filings. AB 773 streamlines the process of submitting arguments for and against ballot initiatives that appear on ballots in multiple counties, as well as candidate statements and filing fees. Another bill signed by Newsom sought to address "double voting." AB 1539, authored by Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, makes it a misdemeanor to vote in an election in California and also vote in an election on the

same date in another state. It does not apply to elections that allow landowners or others to vote without being a resident of the district. A change was also made to how potential tax rates are displayed on ballots. SB 798, authored by state Sen. Steven Glazer, D-Orinda, will have tax rates associated with local bond measures display the rate per $100,000 of assessed valuation of taxed property, rather than the current $100. SB 77, authored by Sen. Thomas Umberg, D-Santa Ana, requires a county clerk to notify a voter whose signature has been deemed not matching by phone text, or email, if the information is on file, at least eight days before the certification of the election, to give them a chance to explain or correct it. Previously, notice was only given by mail.

AUDIT SHOWS COUNTY JAIL STILL HAS HUNDREDS OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS Sheriff ’s Office has implemented about 150 identified reforms

o ctobe r 2 5- 31, 20 23 : los gatan.com

Thomas Hughes, Bay City News

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office has implemented about a quarter of the more than 600 reforms identified in a 2016 plan to improve its jail system, according to a report received Oct. 17 by the county Board of Supervisors from an independent oversight body. The board heard about reforms to the jail system from Julie Ruhlin, a representative with the county’s Office of Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring, known as OCLEM, as well as staff from the county executive’s office and the Sheriff’s Office. Some of the reforms involve reducing suicide risks, improving access to health care, and ensuring inmates have reliable ways to file complaints. Deputy County Executive Martha Wapenski also announced a new website to keep the public informed about the ongoing reform efforts, sccgov. org/jailreforms. The presentation outlined other initiatives within the Sheriff’s Office, such

as implementing a new jail monitoring system, increasing functionality of tablets assigned to inmates, and the results of a survey of incarcerated women. In addition to addressing constitutional issues that had been identified in two separate federal consent decrees, which established federal monitors for the jail system, the reform efforts are helping to inform the planning around building a new jail facility. Of the 623 recommendations made in 2016, OCLEM deemed 173 complete or no longer necessary, including 80 in its most current report. It was the fifth audit OCLEM has completed. The audit included 28 reforms that were completed and 52 that were recommended for removal from the list because they were either too broad, involved outdated advisory boards, or had been advanced through other means, such as improved access to information through federal court monitors. That leaves 450 of the recommendations to be implemented, or about 73%. All are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024. Supervisor Joe Simitian asked for the new website to include information about military equipment being used by the Sheriff’s Office, surveillance devel-

opments and information about bodyworn cameras. Supervisors Sylvia Arenas and Cindy Chavez both said that they wanted future updates to include a way to categorize the reforms by level of priority or urgency, which county Chief Operating Officer Greta Hansen agreed to implement. Arenas also noted the low response rate of 12% in the survey of incarcerated women. “We really need to make sure that that response rate and that participation level is a lot higher before I think we start interpreting what those responses mean,” Arenas said. She recommended increasing offerings of incentives like commissary credit or gift cards to participants and taking advantage of group settings when they are organized. Some of the reforms around suicide prevention involve requiring a mental health screening for all inmates during intake, a better monitoring system and having a clinician review each case to determine length of treatment, rather than having required minimums or maximums. Jail cells designed to prevent suicide at Elmwood Correctional Facility

I think it’s really a reflection of how very broken we were. Cindy Chavez

are in construction, with completion scheduled for June. Chavez said she could see that progress was being made but said that it was relative to the low status quo that existed when federal monitors were appointed. “I think it’s really a reflection of how very broken we were, and having been around at that time, just recognizing that when you’re changing institutions it takes a long time and it takes perhaps longer than it should,” said Chavez. Copyright

! w o h s trunk

Join us November 3 rd-4 th 11am-5pm

51 UNIVERSITY AVE, LOS GATOS, CA 95030 408.354.9500 | BLACYS.COM

Bar · Restaurant · Live Music

All Ages

Every Wednesday

Trivia 7pm-9pm Karaoke the rest of the night Thur 10/26 · 6pm

Isaac Schwartztet Thur 10/26 · 9:30pm

Jazz Jam Session led by Tony Peebles Heidi Evelyn's New Orleans Jazz Band Sat 10/28 • 6pm

GO GO GONE SHOW Talent Show Halloween Edition Sun 10/29 · 5pm

Salsa w/Domingo Sabrosso w/ Jeri y El Kombo Clasiko

PUB CRAWL Oct. 27, 28 and 31st

Featuring a Spooky

Good Cocktail List of: Poison Apple, Witches Brew, Jack-O-Lantern, Jello Shots & The Shot/Pint Special! *Show the bartender you tagged @thebritsj on Instagram and get a jello shot with your order!

Every Tuesday · 7pm

Open Mic Night

Sats & Suns · 10am-3pm

BOOGIE BRUNCH

Sat w/ Arturo Garces & Eddie House

374 S First St. · San Jose Downtown SoFA District MamaKinSJ.com

Downtown Britannia Arms · TheBritSJ.com 173 W Santa Clara St · 408.278.1400

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

Fri 10/27 · 9pm

HALLOWEEN

File photo

SPORTS

GAMER Los Gatos High senior AJ Minyard, seen here throwing a touchdown pass against Grant High on Sept. 8, is completing 67 percent of his passes this season for a 6-2 Wildcats team.

DREAM REALIZED Minyard goes from ball boy to QB1

o ctobe r 2 5- 31, 20 23 : los gatan.com

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

Despite being a Santa Cruz resident, AJ Minyard’s place and role was always with Los Gatos High and its football team. The senior quarterback was the Wildcats’ ball boy starting when he was 6 or 7 years old and served in that capacity all the way until his eighth-grade year. Minyard’s mom and dad are both teachers at Los Gatos High and as such AJ had the option to attend Los Gatos or a school in the Santa Cruz area. For Minyard, it was a no-brainer. “I live in Santa Cruz but I consider myself a big Los Gatos guy,” he said. “It will always hold a big place in my heart. I’ll remember Los Gatos no matter where I go [after graduating]. I spend most of my time there and pretty much grew up there.” When he attended Van Meter El-

ementary and Fisher Middle School, Minyard vividly remembers walking to Los Gatos High after his school day was over to watch the football team practice and serve as the ball boy under the Friday Night Lights. It was Minyard’s way to get involved in the game since he didn’t have the choice to play tackle football. “I always wanted to play tackle football growing up, but my mom didn’t sign me up,” said Minyard, a two-sport standout who is projected to play baseball in college. “So being a ballboy and going to practice was the closest thing I could get to be a part of a true football program. I wanted to be involved as much as I could.” Before the season started, Minyard was in a tough competition for QB1. However, the 6-foot-3, 155-pounder had the inside track as he served as Jake Boyd’s backup last year. Even though Minyard saw limited game action because Boyd was durable, the experience was invaluable. Minyard did start the Palo Alto game

in place of Boyd and spearheaded the team to a convincing victory, which gave him confidence into the off-season and for spring and summer conditioning. “It really helped having that game for me,” he said. “It helped me gain confidence going into next season. I was obviously looking forward to going into the baseball season, but also focusing on football and it was a great way to boost me into the next year.” Minyard has been a reliable presence and playmaker since the beginning of the season, a byproduct of having a clear focus and mindset as official full-contact practices started in August. “My main goal was to just work as hard as I possibly could and not leave any room or thought I could’ve done better,” he said. Minyard has produced some of his best performances in the last three games. In a recent back-to-back stretch involving wins over Sacred Heart Prep and Palo Alto, Minyard was near-perfect, completing 12-of-13 passes. While Minyard and his teammates weren’t nearly as sharp in their most recent game, a 19-6 win over Burlingame High, Minyard still excelled, completing 7-of-10 passes for 122 yards and no interceptions. The last stat is noteworthy because

Minyard has been focusing on limiting turnovers as he admittedly struggled at times with taking care of the ball in the first handful of games. Minyard has also been focusing on making the proper checkdowns and staying calm through his reads and progressions. “I’m making sure I’m not making a throw harder than it needs to be,” he said. Minyard credited his success to the entire team but in particular the offensive line, which lost its best player in Ryan Vernale in the Pittsburg game. However, Minyard said the rest of the linemen have rallied and come together nicely. They include center Matt Ludeman, guards Leo Cocchiglia and George Charles, and tackles Lyndon Bailey and Henry Anslinger. “Everyone on the O-line has stepped up since Ryan’s absence,” Minyard said. “Obviously, not having Ryan is a big blow to our O-line, but I still trust them with my life and they’ll do anything to make sure I get time to pass and Boxer [Kopcsak-Yeung] has enough room to run.” Minyard was phenomenal in the season-opener, going 16 of 21 for 244 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-14 win over Soquel. Talk about coming out guns blazing. “That game would be my personal highlight [so far],” he said. “I loved starting the season off that way and it really helped me stay confident to roll into the season and create momentum.” Though he has proven his worth on the gridiron, Minyard’s best sport is baseball. Last spring, the right-hander had a terrific junior season, going 5-3 with a 2.14 ERA, allowing just 47 hits in 49 innings while striking out 35 and limiting opponents’ batting average to .240. Minyard started T-ball when he was 4 or 5 years old and definitely has the tools to pitch in college. Interestingly enough, Minyard said all of the practice reps throwing the football last year helped him on the pitching mound. “Throwing the football the whole season really helped me gain velocity for baseball,” he said. “So I’m trusting the process again where football will help me take off again into the winter training period for the next baseball season.” For now, Minyard is focused on helping lead the Wildcats to another league championship and reach the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs. He’s literally living a dream, as he’s been stalking the Los Gatos sideline for 11 years, first as the ball boy and now as the quarterback. For Minyard, reality is better than a dream.

CLOSING SOON!

Yolanda Lopéz: Portrait of the Artist through Sunday, October 29

SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART 110 SOUTH MARKET STREET SJMUSART.ORG

Museum admission is FREE for youth, students, and teachers with ID Artwork: Yolanda López, Runner: On My Own! from the series "¿A Dónde Vas, Chicana? Getting through College," 1977. Oil and acrylic on paper, 60 × 106 inches. Courtesy of the Yolanda López Legacy Trust.

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

STANDOUT PLAYERS DELIVER

an A-league title, the first coming in the year Koret was born: in 1994, 29 years ago. Now they’re squarely focused this week on putting an exclamation mark on their regular-season dominance and winning the program’s first-ever A-league tournament championship. As the top seed, Los Gatos has a bye in the opening round and plays a semifinal contest against the GunnLos Altos winner. Should the Wildcats win that game, they’ll most likely play either Palo Alto or Harker for the title on Oct. 28 at Gunn High. Knowing he’s coaching a special group, Koret said he’s cherishing each day but at the same time knows further history is well within reach. “The year has been great so far,” he said. “I definitely think we over-accomplished in the results, at least what we were expecting performance-wise [before the season started]. But now, I still don’t think we have hit the peak, I still think we can be better. Still waiting for the game where everyone performs at their best level and I hope that will come in the next few games and the season goes on as long as possible.” Los Gatos has gone a combined 4-0 against Harker and Palo Alto; last season, it went a combined 0-5 against those two squads. The Wildcats edged Harker 12-11 on Sept. 26 and followed that up with a decisive 18-14 victory in the rematch on Oct. 17. They beat Palo Alto 17-10 and 15-9, and their lone loss of the season came to Bellarmine, 13-7, on Oct. 13. The Bells are the No. 2 team in the CCS and narrowly lost to No. 1 Sacred Heart Prep, 12-10, on Sept. 27. Los Gatos is ranked No. 3 and Koret said he wasn’t terribly disappointed in their six-goal loss to Bellarmine, noting the team fought hard and responded nicely the following week. “The Bellarmine loss was great timing,” Koret said. “If you want one game where you’re going to shake their hand and say, ‘OK, you were definitely the better team on that day,’ that Bellarmine game was it. But we got that loss out of the way and bounced back with confidence and beat Harker. And hopefully now we continue to roll.” The highlight of the season so far was the second win over Harker on Se-

nior Night. Seniors Connor Sullivan, Liam Amburgey, Joseph Lonergan, Riley Tomlin, Jake Walton, Eric Caplener and junior Jacob Weber started and ended the contest. “After three Senior Nights where we lost, finally to be able to win and really acknowledge the seniors, both in the games and outside of the pool was a great night for the team, but for the seniors especially,” Koret said. The coach noted Sullivan and sophomore standout Mathijs Dirven—“Mathijs had an amazing game,” Koret said—were the best players in the match. Sullivan had three goals and three assists, and Dirven had three goals and two assists. Another sophomore standout, Ryan Madsen, had four goals. He produces

needs to stay humble and execute, and everything is within reach. If the Wildcats win the De Anza Division tournament title, they most likely will earn a top four seed and avoid playing Sacred Heart Prep or Bellarmine—the consensus two best teams in the section—in the opening round. However, if and when Los Gatos does see one of those powerhouse squads, he’s confident with his team’s ability to compete with the best. “I think we can beat Bellarmine,” he said. “This season is very unique in that the difference between the Nos. 1 and 2 teams and Nos. 3, 4 and 5 teams isn’t as great as it was last year, where the difference was 10 goals. That’s why I don’t think it’s impossible or unrealistic to think we can beat any team. Whatever seed we get, it doesn’t really matter because I think we can compete with any of those teams. It’s there.” Jonathan Natividad

octob er 25 -31, 2 023 : losgatan.co m

Wildcats, from page 1

in numbers and in the ever-valuable intangibles category. “Ryan is always consistent and brings intensity and energy both offensively and defensively,” Koret said. “He’s an amazing player to have on the team.” As is freshman sensation Richard Runge, who tallied three goals and played well on both ends of the pool. Sophomore Henry Bakota has provided solid support both offensively and defensively all season, and junior Weber has been solid as well. Amburgey is a catalyst and big-time difference-maker and finished with four goals vs. Harker. Sullivan has a rocket for a shot and is capable of scoring from anywhere inside 7 meters. Now, potential history awaits. This year’s team can be the first in program history to win an upper division SCVAL tournament championship, a game in the Open Division and earn a CIF State Tournament berth. Koret said the team

IMPACT Wildcats sophomore Ryan Madsen scored four goals in a 18-14 win over Harker High on Oct. 17, helping Los Gatos clinch the SCVAL De Anza round-robin championship.

Exercise your well power. This Open Enrollment, choose a plan that gives you access to Dignity Health. If you’re comparing health plans this season, consider the advantages of a plan that connects you to Dignity Health, the largest physician network in Santa Cruz County. Like our more than 200 primary and specialty care providers located in more than 100 locations throughout the region. All backed up by Dominican Hospital’s nationally recognized programs for heart, cancer, obstetrics and other specialties. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/SantaCruz.

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

identity + strategy + design

GUEST VIEW

HANDYPERSON JEFF GOES TO WORK WITH REBUILDING TOGETHER

o cto be r 2 5- 31, 20 23 : los gatan.com

Jeffrey P. Blum, Contributor

My dad was an all-around handyperson. He had a well-equipped work room in our basement and the knack to take on and complete difficult home improvement projects, such as installing a central air conditioning system, vents and all, to cool our entire house. Sadly, I did not inherit his skills. Even when I take on small repair or improvement tasks, I get frustrated and confused. Oftentimes, I pick up the telephone to ask a professional to finish the project before I’ve done too much damage. Some of my failures include building an elliptical trainer that had the arms incorrectly fitted. I also managed to mess up the engine by leaving a screw or bolt in the machine’s innards. Another failure was my three-shelf bookshelf construction project. My attorney colleague/co-tenant and I so poorly botched its construction that I ended up returning the bookshelf to Target. My cooking skills are not much better. Once, I left the 3-by-5 card containing the recipe for the ole souffle casserole I made, in the casserole. My guests thought it was funny, but I was mortified. Despite this rather poor history as a handyperson, I’ve agreed with great trepidation to assist with one of Rotary’s community service projects. Rotary Club of Los Gatos and the Morning Rotary, also of Los Gatos, partner with Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, to repair and improve homes in the area. Last year, a team of us taped, cleaned and painted the entire exterior of a home. This year, volunteers will repair and improve 20 homes and nonprofits in Santa Clara County. The Los Gatos Rotary clubs are assigned to a mobile home in Campbell. Our team of more than 20 Rotarians and others will gather on a Saturday, in a few weeks, to complete our tasks, which we generally can accomplish over the span of one morning and the better part of an afternoon. Rebuilding Together is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to repair the homes of people in need and revitalize communities. Rebuilding Together works with community leaders, residents, funders and volunteers to build safe and healthy homes and communities.

Rebuilding Together started in 1973 when a group of people in Midland, Texas realized homes in their community had fallen into disrepair and their neighbors were unable to fix them on their own. The group volunteered their time and skills to work together and provide repairs to their neighbors’ homes. Eventually the group’s mission expanded by bringing together partners, such as our two Los Gatos Rotary clubs. Most of the people served by Rebuilding Together come from the low-income strata. Rebuilding Together also serves veterans, people with disabilities, older adults and families with children. Eligibility for services is dependent on the homeowner’s Annual Median Income (AMI). Typically, eligibility is set at a household income at or below 80% of the local AMI. Most of Rebuilding Together’s affiliates help homeowners, although some affiliates also assist renters. Community service such as this Rebuilding Together project is one of the five Avenues of Service where Rotary believes it can make a difference. The other ones are club service, to enhance the effectiveness and engagement of Rotary, vocational service, using our skills and expertise to address community needs, international service, to collaborate on global initiatives to promote understanding and peace, and youth service, to support the development of young leaders, such as through our club’s Rotaract and Interact programs. As Rotary Club of Los Gatos heads toward its centennial anniversary, occurring in February 2024, I reflect on my role and reputation within our club. I serve as membership chair and on the board of directors for our club. I help with many other club-related projects, as do many people in our club. However, I still have hopes and aspirations to receive greater acknowledgment for my service. Perhaps it will come from my handyperson work with Rebuilding Together. When word gets out that I’ve helped in Rebuilding Together projects, will my fellow club members view me as an all-around handyperson, such as my dad was? Not likely. My fellow Rotarians know me for what I am—a soft spoken fellow who loves to write and who sometimes comes up with creative and constructive ideas, but who doesn’t know a darn thing about actual construction work. Give me a computer and time to write, but for goodness’ sake, keep the hammer and nails away from me. Jeffrey P. Blum is a family law mediator who lives in Los Gatos. He can be reached at blumesq@aol.com.

CALENDAR

For more events, visit the online calendar at losgatan.com/events-calendar

PENINSULA SYMPHONY Performance Today’s 2022 Classical Woman of the Year and an on-air presence of San Francisco’s classical radio station KDFC, American pianist Lara Downes headlines a program of the Peninsula Symphony on Oct. 28 at 8pm at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell. ➝ peninsulasymphony.org/lara.

MYSTERY LOVER’S BOOK CLUB The Los Gatos Library’s Mystery Lover’s Book Club meets the first Wednesday of every month. The next meeting is Nov. 1 at 5pm in-person and on Zoom. The club will discuss “The Last” by Hanna Jameson. ➝ losgatosca.libcal.com/ event/10996890.

ONGOING

Los Gatos Farmers Market The Los Gatos Certified Farmers’ Market offers seasonal fruits and vegetables from Santa Clara County yearround. More than 40 local farmers and food producers sell their wares Sundays from 9am to 1pm at Town Park Plaza on Main Street and N. Santa Cruz Avenue. ➝ cafarmersmkts.com/losgatosfarmers-market. Campbell Farmers Market The Downtown Campbell Farmers Market is held Sundays, rain or shine, from 9am to 1pm. ➝ uvfm.org/campbell-sundays. The Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos The club meets the first three Thursdays of the month at noon at Double D's, 354 N. Santa Cruz Ave. First two Thursdays of the month feature guest speakers. ➝ lgkiwanisgives.org.

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE Campbell’s Heritage Theatre presents “Napoleon Dynamite—A Conversation with Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez and Jon Gries” on Nov. 2 at 8pm. Individual tickets are $55, and are available now through the Box Office (408.866.2700 or walk-up), or online at HeritageTheatre.org.

AUTHOR TALK Santa Clara County Library District’s Distinguished Author Series will present a talk with author Mitch Alborn on Dec. 1 at 11am at Orchard City Banquet Hall, 1 W. Campbell Ave. in Campbell. Albom’s latest novel, “The Little Liar,” explores honesty, survival, revenge and devotion in a story set during the Holocaust. ➝ sccld.org/authorseries.

CREEKSIDE SOCIALS The Creekside Socials Block Party is held in downtown San Jose with various events through Dec. 3, including yoga classes, movie screenings, art workshops and more. ➝ creeksidesocials.com.

Rotary Club of Los Gatos The Rotary Club of Los Gatos meets Tuesdays from noon to 1:30pm at Shir Hadash Synagogue, 20 Cherry Blossom Lane. ➝ losgatosrotary.org. The Los Gatos Morning Rotary Club The Club meets every Wednesday morning 7:30-8:30am at Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road. Program includes featured guest speakers. Los Gatos Lions Club The Los Gatos Lions Club meets every Wednesday. A breakfast meeting is held at Moore Buick, 15500 Los Gatos Blvd., at 8am and a noon meeting at Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, with a guest speaker. The club has been active since 1946. Friends of Los Gatos Library Bookstore The Friends of Los Gatos Library Bookstore is open Tuesdays from 4-6pm, Wednesday through Friday from 1-5pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm at the library, 110 E. Main St. For information, email friendsoflglib@aol.com.

JEWEL THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

directed by

Art Manke

OCT18 NOV 5 thru

2023

THE COLLIGAN THEATER 1010 River Street Santa Cruz

WEDS.

(Preview)

THURS.

SUN.

(Preview)

Oct 20 7:30pm

SAT.

(Opening)

Oct 21 2pm 7:30pm

Oct 22 2pm

Oct 26 7:30pm

Oct 27 7:30pm

Oct 28 2pm 7:30pm

Oct 29 2pm

Nov 2 7:30pm

Nov 3 7:30pm

Nov 4 2pm

Nov 5 2pm

Oct 19 7:30pm

(Talk-Back)

FRI.

(Talk-Back)

7:30pm

This production is funded, in part, by grants from the following organizations:

JTC voted best theatre company in Santa Cruz!

A clever and hilarious comedy, rife with Tom Stoppard’s legendary wit. Two established playwrights hoping to refresh their careers take their show on the road. Or, rather, on the high seas, along with their two established stars. The plan is to ride the wake of a brilliant young musician – who happens to be engaged to one of the aforementioned stars – who will compose their new musical. But when the writers and composer stumble across a tryst between the actors, they’ll need to pull out all the stops to keep their young phenom from going overboard. All tickets $50 regular performances / $27 preview performances

www.JewelTheatre.net (831) 425-7506

LIVE THEATRE THRIVES IN SANTA CRUZ.

MASKS ARE OPTIONAL AT THIS TIME, HOWEVER WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL PATRONS TO BE FULLY VACCINATED/BOOSTED AND TO WEAR MASKS. See our website or call the box office for updates on this policy.

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

Oct 18 7:30pm

HORTICULTURE Contributed

AUTUMN FOLIAR COLOR APPRECIATES CHILL Ton y Tomeo, Contributor

FALL COLOR Maples perform better in cooler climates.

octob e r 2 5-31, 20 23 : losgatan.co m

Contributed

SIGN OF THE SEASON Ginkgo tree develops brilliant yellow color.

Indian Summer complicates autumn. It is an imposition of pleasant weather that delays inevitable chill. Gardening is a bit more enjoyable while the weather remains summery. However, late warmth confuses a few species that should decelerate growth for autumn. Deciduous species delay dormancy. This delays the development of autumn foliar color. Consequently, autumn foliar color is somewhat late this autumn. It is only beginning to develop. Some species that eventually become spectacularly colorful remain very green. Only the most sensitive species, such as Boston ivy, are beginning to exhibit their color. Unfortunately, because of this delay, some may defoliate unusually soon after coloring. Autumn foliar color is underrated here, for various reasons. It is less common in the wild than in other regions. The color range of native deciduous species is almost exclusively simple yellow. Orange or red are uncommon. This is not much incentive for incorporation of such species within home gardens. Nor does it promote more colorful exotic species. Besides, deciduous trees are innately less popular here than within other regions. Local culture seems to promote a preponderance of broadleaf evergreen species. Penetration of warming sunlight through defoliated trees is not such a priority. Winter weather does not get very cold here. Concealment of undesirable suburban scenery is more important. Also, the misbelief that chill is inadequate here for much autumn foliar color is common. Technically, many of the most colorful species of cooler climates lack such color locally. This unfortunately includes famously colorful North American maples. Several species, however, do not need

much chill for spectacular color. They compensate for what lacks. Sweetgum develops the most vivid autumn foliar color, including yellow, orange and red. It defoliates slowly to retain its color until winter. Pistache is about as colorful, although it defoliates a bit earlier. Flowering pear provides more orange, red and dark burgundy red. Crape myrtle is a smaller tree with comparable foliar color. Ginkgo becomes vivid yellow. Of course, physical traits of each species are also important. Highlight: ginkgo Minimal chill is sufficient for ginkgo, Ginkgo biloba, to develop brilliant yellow foliar color. Mild weather actually enhances retention of foliage after it colors. Colder weather or frost accelerates efficient defoliation. Although less messy, it ruins the spectacular display too soon. Autumn foliar color is monochromatically yellow, but is the best yellow of autumn. Some old ginkgo trees produce messy fruit with objectionable aroma. This characteristic limited their practicality and popularity. Modern cultivars, though, are male and therefore fruitless. Female cultivars are very rarely available, and mostly only by online purchase. Their fruit and the nuts within are edible. However, only mature trees can be productive. Ginkgo trees grow somewhat slowly, but can eventually get taller than 50 feet. Modern cultivars are rather slender and perhaps lanky while young. They retain their elegantly irregular structure as they broaden with maturity. Leaves are about two or three inches long. Their venation radiates outward from their petioles, like fishtails, with paired lobes. Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

THE NEW YORK TIMES SUNDAY CROSSWORD

2023-24 SPOTLIGHT

Answers on page 39

SERIES HAKAN ALI TOKER

DOING DOUGHNUTS BY JEFF CHEN AND JULIANA TRINGALI GOLDEN / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ Don’t Be Spooked By Rising Utility Costs & Power Outages

ACROSS

1 Pieces of praise 5 Host

8 D-lister’s quest

15 Anjou alternative

19 Hot sauce with a reduplicative name 21 About whom an early critic said: ‘‘Can’t act, can’t sing. Balding. Can dance a little’’ 22 Opposite of baja 23 Case study? 24 ‘‘Definitely, leave it to me! 25 Japanese noodle dish 26 ‘‘I declare this doughnut to be a truly tasty treat!’’ 28 Blends 30 Egg ____ yung 31 Final opponent in many a video game 32 Source of division at a wedding 36 Download in progress? 38 Cube’s 12 41 Items of apparel in the song ‘‘My Favorite Things’’ 43 Blows past 44 Turn into a puddle, maybe 45 ‘‘Here’s one way to eat a doughnut without getting icing on your nose . . . ’’ 48 2006 Amy Winehouse hit 49 La Perla purchases 50 ____ Day, nickname for Billie Holiday 51 Dawson of ‘‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay’’ 53 Work (up) 54 Alternative to Betsy 55 Stew 56 Mark in a shell game 59 Sign of a sellout 60 One way to have something down 61 Night before 62 Pulls rank on, in a way 65 Character asked to ‘‘shine down,’’ in a children’s song 67 ____ student

68 ‘‘Let’s raise a glass to this outstanding doughnut!’’ 70 Tolkien’s Treebeard, for one 73 Mideast rulers 75 Interrupts when it’s not one’s place to do so 76 It ‘‘shines with a mournful light, like its own tear,’’ in an Andrew Marvell poem 77 Prix ____ menu 79 ‘‘Lemme think . . . ’’ 81 Originally named 82 Natural leaders, it’s said 83 Corsica, par exemple 84 Likely to offend, for short 85 Telenovela, e.g. 87 ‘‘____ everybody?’’ 88 Inventory: Abbr. 89 D.E.A. agent 91 ‘‘It is an undeniable fact that this doughnut is awesome!’’ 95 Long span of time 96 Massages 98 Downtempo electronica genre 99 Like those celebrating a day of visibility on March 31 100 Heading on a certain neighborhood poster 102 Lure in the ‘‘Odyssey’’ 103 Foofaraws 105 Certain filler words 106 Like a baseball shutout 108 ‘‘This doughnut is the talk of the town!’’ 113 Pass quickly (through) 115 Small houses in the Southwest 119 Movie featuring Mickey Mouse in a wizard’s cap 120 ‘‘Me as well!’’ 121 Magazine ‘‘real estate’’ 122 Frozen treat named for a playful animal 123 Little copper? 124 Keep going

2:00PM SUNDAY

NOVEMBER 5

Samper Recital Hall

TREAT YOURSELF TO SAVINGS & OUTAGE PROTECTION WITH

(831) 777-5881 SolarTechnologies.com

LIC#932914

Hakan is back by popular demand following his Santa Cruz Symphony piano debut last season. From Turkey, he began his musical studies in Ankara and added ethnic world music while continuing his work in the classics. Don’t miss this eclectic afternoon of music making in an intimate setting! No. 1029

125 ‘‘Get it?’’ 126 Their first five parts are often disguised, for short

16 ‘‘This doughnut would be great dipped in milk!’’

55 Two inside an ellipse

17 Game popular in Brooklyn streets

57 Treasure

92 Kid often

63 Cheer squad’s cry

93 ‘‘Rough Translation’’ podcaster

56 Garfunkel’s partner in song

88 Snickers alternatives 90 One-eyed god

nicknamed ‘‘Trey’’ UPCOMING PERFORMANCES - GET TICKETS TO ALL 3 AND $20 58 Trattoria bowlful SAVE DOWN

1 Oil-industry acronym 2 Megacelebrity, maybe 3 ‘‘Red’’ leader 4 Some blackjack wagers 5 Makes, as money 6 Pod cast?

18 What has good coverage for retirement?

DESTINY MUHAMMAD DECEMBER 17, 2023

20 Mazatlán moola

64 Numbered things in N.Y.C.

27 Symbol of freshness

66 Subway stops: Abbr.

29 Foofaraw

69 Gets ready for a Ms. Olympia contest, perhaps

33 TV ‘‘Cousin’’

34 Chateau ____ Michelle (Washington winery)

7 Response to ‘‘Cómo estás?’’

35 Headed up

8 ‘‘Come to think of it . . . ’’

38 Symbol

GWENDOLYN MOK JANUARY 7, 2024

9 When doubled, a fly

10 Symbols in social media handles 11 Clothing

12 ‘‘Bones’’

13 Sonicare competitor 14 Civil rights activist Sylvia who was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom 15 German lead-in to haus

37 Pithy review 39 Get 40 ‘‘I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts . . .’’ 41 Up-to-date 42 Doesn’t move 45 An annual vaccination can limit its spread 46 Japanese noodle joint 47 Fixed completely 52 Indeed, quaintly

71 Civil rights icon Mandela

72 Many fans of the ‘‘Enola Holmes’’ franchise 74 Hotbeds of tourist activity 77 Genre for George Clinton or Earth, Wind & Fire 78 Like rocks or clocks, but not a fox or an ox

94 Not just ‘‘a’’

97 Bit of movie-theater candy 99 Dense cake

101 A, B, C or D, but rarely E 103 Banded gemstone

104 Author of ‘‘De vulgari eloquentia’’ 107 Former governor of Georgia? 109 Popular tabloid subjects 110 Org. with ‘‘Informed Delivery’’ emails 111 The Promised Land

80 Pull up

112 Nukes

86 They’re called ‘‘white carrots’’ in Scotland

116 Mai ____

87 Gets something straight?

114 Great deal 117 Coolers, for short 118 Word with ‘‘to work’’ or ‘‘to stun’’

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

OCTOBER 25-31, 2023 | GOODTIMES.SC

FOR YOUR HOME & BUSINESS

FEATURING: DANIEL STEWART

Services Directory Auto Body Fine Rug Home Repair & Remodeling Repair Cleaning

158 pt Starling Heavy on 131 with -50 tracking

Free towing and delivery

Our services include dent removal, paint matching, mechanical repair, frame repair, alignment and adjustment.

Make your car look and run like new.

Auto Shield Collision Center Santa Clara autoshieldcollision.com 408-216-9904

& Repair 74 years in business! We clean, restore and protect your fine rugs. Our experts specialize in cleaning pure silk rugs of any size. This process involves meticulous care and expertise. We specialize in cleaning Persian, Turkish, Afghan, Indian, and Oriental rugs of all shapes and sizes. Free pick up and delivery.

Daniel Burja Construction

dburjaconst@sbcglobal.net

831.246.4346 Lic. #802148

30 pt 2 pt

Real Wood Floors

54 pt Starling Heavy on 59 with -50 tracking

Starling Roman 28 on 41

& Composite Flooring

Asphalt Services

manufacturers and pass savings on

quality, please give us a call.

Voted #1 Thrift Store 3 years in a row!

831.419.2553 Martinous Rugs Inc. 25 Union Street San Jose, CA 95110 408-294-6644 martinousrugs.com

O ctobe r 25- 31, 20 23 : los gatan.com

Window Window Washing Washing

Asphalt Sealcoating Striping

Cabanex Floors · 404 Queens Lane San Jose, CA 95112 cabanexfloorsinc.com

Unusual Builds?

R&R Window Cleaning 831 588-4243 To advertise call Serenity Polizzi 408.200.1323 Eric Bocanegra 408.200.1309

R&R Window Cleaning 831 588-4243

Josh Sladwick Engineering 831.566.3324 Santa Cruz, CA

Alvarado Landscaping

Tree cut service. Concrete. Fences Maintenance. Clean up & hauling.

(831) 818-4324 unlicensed operator

The Abbot’s Thrift

The best thrift, antiques & collectibles

Donations Accepted Daily Mon-Sat: 9am-7pm Sun: Noon - 5pm 6164 Hwy 9 | Felton, CA 95018 (831) 335-0606

EV chargers, solar, service panel upgrades and more

“You “You rest rest and and relax, relax, and and I’ll I’ll clean clean your your windows.”— windows.”— Randy Randy Sauro Sauro

Tree houses, van conversions, she-sheds and dude-shacks...

I’ve got you covered! Master craftsman with over 40 years of experience. Call Christopher 831.431.0828

Carpentry Home Repair Landscape Contact Greg Eiman by calling 831.588.1260

Los Gatos Electric, Inc. 408.458.9977 1550 Dell Ave. Unit C Campbell, CA

We do it all! Yard and Tree Work. Demolition and clean ups. Re-roofing and tear off. Dirt and poison oak removal.

Lowest cost, bonded, references

Free Estimates Call Mario or J Santos

831-252-5353 Lic. #76915

Kittricks Hauling for over 4 SLV 0y ng

rs! ea

408-218-4990

Lic # 956218

Professional. Timely. Courteous.

The Original Santos Hauling Since 1998

Find your treasure 408 568-5475 408-857-4669

Handyman Services

Santos Hauling

years. We buy direct from major

to you. If you appreciate value and

Motorcycle Towing

“You rest and relax, and I’ll clean your windows.”— Randy Sauro

Balconies. Fences. Metal Doors. Railings. Stairways. Furniture. Please visit our gallery on the web at www.yeswelding.com/projects Email sales@yeswelding.com or call 408 887-3488 or 408 533-2858 Since 1990.

We’ve installed 4,224 floors in nine

Patching, sealing, striping

Professional service by an experienced, reliable specialist.

Ornamental Iron, Welding & Custom Metal Fabrication

Ser vi

30 pt 2 pt

1. 4 1 9 . 0 0 70

Quality House Cleaning I use plant-based cleaning products and top of the line equipment. I am vaccinated for COVID-19 and follow all proper protocols for your safety.

I specialize in homes! References and insured. Lic # 108576

Call or Text Kristina: 650-703-5179

To advertise call Serenity Polizzi 408.200.1323 Eric Bocanegra 408.200.1309

Allstar Construction Innovations LLC.

Handyman

New Construction Kitchen & Bath Remodels Proudly Serving the Bay Area

•Experienced •Knowledgeable •Professional pH Home Care &Repair

www.allstar.construction

General Contractor

Local in Los Gatos

MV Construction

831-325-3166

Get an Estimate Today!

Clean Sweep House Cleaning

marvinvalle330@gmail.com CA#1100499

Feeling Overwhelmed? Organizing challenges of any kind. Home or office. Relocations, downsizing. Nonjudgemental.

Premium service and resonable rates Call today for a free estimate! 25+ years of experience, references, bonded and insured.

Kitchens Baths & More

Phillip

831.233.9449

650-400-9071

REMODELING

650-703-5179

Looking to OWC Bobcat Careful Careful Services Move from the Management Management Bay Area?

We have been providing quality service and meeting your real estate needs in both sales and property management since 1977.

Valley Got Piano? Scotts Property Management Broker, Jeanne Jensen Shada 831.438.2208 4615 Scotts Valley Dr, Suite B DRE #00606749

Call Christy Best at 831-247-0988

CLUTTERBUG

(831) 239-4645

Housing too expensive here? Now with working in place, you can live where you want for much less and keep your job. Let me find you a real estate broker out of the area or out of state. I will do the leg work. I will also give you a $100 gift certificate when you purchase through my referral!

All I need to know is the city you want to move to. The Rodino Realty Group Give me a call or text at 408.431.6640

• Pavers •WeRetaining Walls have been providing •quality Demo & Grading service and meeting •your Yard realCleanups estate needs in •both Trash salesRemoval and property management 1977. -5354 831 588since

CA Li# 837645

Scotts Valley Property Management Broker, Jeanne Jensen Shada 831.438.2208 4615 Scotts Valley Dr, Suite B DRE #00606749

losgatan.com

cleansweep1989@gmail.com clutterbug.net

Valley Heating, Moon Painting Cooling, Interior and exterior. washing Electrical and Pressure Call Saul: Solar (831) 331-0111 Scotts Valley Chiropractic The Home of Old Fashioned Service Since 1962.

Dr. Paige Thibodeau, D.C.

Mention LOS GATAN for

4736 Scotts Valley Dr, Ste B scottsvalleychiropractic.com

15% OFF Your Entire Repair Bill

408-868-5500

Lic# 258540

Designer’s Tailoring Professional Alterations for Men and Women

Third generation chiropractor, established in 1976

Over 40 years experience to serve you. New construction Remodels Water heaters Repipes and repairs

Give me a call for a free piano refinishing estimate. I have 48 years experience in the piano business as a PTG Registered Craftsman serving the Bay Area.

Call Rich at 408.260.2740. No text

831-252-5353

Doscher Painting Interior and Exterior Satisfaction guaranteed. Free estimates.

Rick Doscher (831) 335-9084

Bonded/Insured/PL, PD/CA Lic. #550327

Your Gutter & Copperworks Expert Are you looking for a way to control the rain that falls on your home or business? We do more than just gutter and downspout installations and repairs. Give us a call!

(831) 345-3490

Give us a call at 831.610.8147 or email hwy9plumbing@gmail.com

slvraingutters.com

469 N. Santa Cruz Ave Across from Safeway

408-354-8903

Lic # 1045811 Lic. #813878

losgatan.co m : Octob er 25 -31, 2 0 23

Only one per client. Offer does not include diagnosis fee. Does not apply to major equipment replacement or accessories. Valid through Dec 31, 2022

831.438.0308

I buy and sell quality used pianos or can place pianos on consignment.