| | This Week in Los Gatos • Fri, Oct 23 |
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| Hey news aficionados,
Halloween is just a few days away. And if you’re looking for a “wonderfully strange” story to start reading over the next week, we’ve got you covered.
Tany Sedneva, the owner of Beyond Text Books on N. Santa Cruz Ave, wrote about a variety of options—from classics, to contemporary horror, to nonfiction—that might just leave you shaking in your boots.
(Find the full stack here.)
Also on the literacy front, local student Maddy Chang became a Los Gatan writer this week, with her contribution about an effort to help get kids to fall in love with reading through a unique program.
We piloted it for two years at Bishop Elementary, and the results honestly surprised me. Kids went from below-average to above-average on standardized literacy tests, and teachers kept telling us the bigger shift was attitude; kids who used to groan at reading time were suddenly raising their hands, wanting to read out loud, asking for harder books. That part means more to me than the test scores.
Here’s where you can find the full piece.
This week, Lucille Tepperman’s photo of local chef Philippe Leroy graced our front page. It accompanied her food-and-movie-review about a Parisian night in downtown Los Gatos.
It’s her first time writing for the Los Gatan, as well, so we want to give her a very warm welcome!
And we also want to extend our hospitality to her mother Marie-Helene, who helped add some authenticity to the piece, given that she’s here visiting from France and all.
After their dinner during the Chamber’s INDULGE, Los Gatos Restaurant Week, they caught a movie across the street at the Town-owed Los Gatos Theatre.
>>Full Article<<
Dinah Cotton attended the opening of New Museum Los Gatos’ latest show, “Community Ignition Partnership and Artmaking in the Disability Arts Community,” which will run through March 21.
She notes that the exhibition was made possible, with support from the “Michael & Alyce Parsons Art Endowment Fund,” which was established a few years back. Kimberly Snyder, executive director at NUMU, explained, “This endowment helps NUMU with continuing operational expenses over the years.” |
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| | | PREPARING FOR RAIN: Getting Parkside's parklet ready for inclement weather.
Drew Penner / Los Gatan |
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| | Executive Editor Dan Pulcrano wrote about how home prices in our area are driving the residential tax windfall for the County of Santa Clara.
Demand for homes in exclusive communities like Monte Sereno and Los Altos Hills lead the charge when it comes to tax receipts, according to the annual report released this week by Assessor Neysa Fligor.
“Changes of ownership for residential properties continue to be the strongest contributor to growth in value,” Fligor said.
Accounting for 49% of the county’s value growth, residential reassessments following property transactions outstripped the commercial properties, new construction and Prop 13 inflation adjustments as a driver of revenue growth.
A DAY IN CRIME:
On Oct. 12, a woman reportedly trespassed and was feeding cats on Los Gatos Boulevard.
Later that day, baseball gear was reportedly stolen from an unlocked vehicle at Los Gatos High School.
Then, a few hours later, a caller reported his son had stolen candy from Safeway on North Santa Cruz Avenue.
Just after 5pm that day, a mobile restroom was allegedly lifted without authorization from a trailer on Los Gatos-Almaden Road.
>>>Read the police blotter for the entire week here.<<<
One week ago, we broke the news that suspicious white powder had billowed out of an envelope that was delivered to the Santa Cruz office of Congressman Jimmy Panetta, who represents a small portion of Los Gatos.
Later that day authorities confirmed that the particular substance involved posed no threat.
Tyler Brunner returns to our pages, this time writing about “Feeding Our Neighborhoods,” a nationwide initiative launched by Whole Foods Market in 2020—and how the company has teamed up with West Valley Community Services locally.
“Sometimes the challenges that we face are basically capacity challenges,” said Darrell Bosacki of West Valley Community Services. “‘Can we get this food…to people that need it quickly enough before the food itself fails’? It’s, ‘Do we have enough refrigerator and freezer space for the perishables that they can’t sit outside?’”
Find out more about the nonprofit-corporation collab here.
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| | Want to see your business or event advertised in this newsletter? Let’s talk. |
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| | SPORTS:
Emanuel Lee wrote about Bay FC’s Taylor Huff, who shared how she’s been growing both as a midfielder and on a more personal level.
The 24-year-old Huff likewise has a CV filled with plenty of accomplishments: Three-time NCAA All-American. National championship winner with Florida State. In the 2025 season, Huff was one of only two rookies in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to start every single match.
In the seventh grade, Huff began to reflect on the big questions of life. Though surrounded by Christian influences, Huff’s immediate family weren’t a part of a church. Huff said her family was experiencing difficulties, which led her to further soul searching.
It’s been a disappointing season for Bay FC, which was eliminated from the playoff race on Sept. 27. But with her faith flourishing, Huff has responded well to adversity and is focused on closing out the season on a positive note.
(Read the full story here.)
We also published a staff report about Perry Richardson, who hails from Los Gatos (anyone remember a bright “Hugger Orange” 1969 Camaro driving around town?) reaching the podium in a Wisconsin car race.
Richardson was able to qualify “on pole,” meaning he was the fastest driver on track. He started at the front and was leading the crowd by four seconds. Then a crash brought all cars to a dead stop. After 20 minutes of cleaning up debris, the cars lined up...
Find out how the photo-finish turned out here.
FROM THE MAILBAG:
There are just a few more hours to vote for a Los Gatos resident to win the Australia Zoo People’s Choice Award!
Readers shared thoughts on various candidates for local office.
And a Beverly Hills-based company founder praised the efforts of the Monte Sereno Youth Commission we told you last week are trying to make sure residents are prepared with “Go Bags” in case of emergency.
Click to check out the Letters to the Editor we published.
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| | ELECTION’S UNDERWAY: Hopefully this scarecrow doesn’t frighten citizens away from heading to the polls.
Drew Penner / Los Gatan
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| Ryan Masters writes for Good Times about an effort in Santa Cruz County to strengthen protections against oil drilling:
Measure D updates a 1986 county law that established similar protections against offshore oil infrastructure.
The proposal requires a simple majority to pass. If approved, it would mandate voter consent for zoning and land-use changes needed to construct assets associated with seabed extraction such as pipelines, processing plants, storage yards, or waste disposal sites. It also exempts existing facilities, power plants, and gas stations from new regulations.
Josie Cowden reports that the 2023 Cuvée Constantine is a delicious GSM blend (52% Grenache, 31% Syrah, 17% Mourvèdre).
Mountain Affair returns for 41st year, honors longtime volunteer:
The Oct. 30 event is scheduled for 6:30-9:30pm at Highlands Park Senior and Community Center, 8500 Highway 9 in Ben Lomond. The evening will feature food prepared by Barbara & Company Catering, wines from Alfaro Family Wines, live music and a silent auction featuring local businesses and community supporters. (Press Banner)
Hayward revoked six tobacco retail licenses, per Tri-City Voice.
Century Theatres in Mountain View is set to reopen in time for the holiday season, according to the Los Altos Town Crier.
—Drew Penner, editor |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Rock the Fox! HALLOWEEN DANCE PARTY • Oct 31 • 8pm. Celebrate Halloween at Redwood City’s Fox Theatre with Michael Jackson & David Bowie tribute dance bands. FOREVERLAND & STARMAN SF with Spooktacular light show • Two acclaimed tribute bands • Two full sets • Brought to life by The Mad Alchemy Liquid Light Show. Costumes encouraged. One Huge Halloween Dance Party • Tix from $40. Get tickets at foxrwc.showare.com.
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