Los Gatan May 1 2024

FINDING PEACE AT FREEDOM REIGNS EQUINE SANCTUARY

A weekend with the horses at retreat near San Juan Bautista

By Dinah Cotton , Contributor

Along a Highway 101 frontage road near San Juan Bautista there’s a discrete wrought iron sign proclaiming, “FREEDOM REIGNS.’’ You may have driven by many times and never noticed it, or the keypad located just below to the left. We slowed down to enter the passcode and to follow the one-lane gravel road. I left what troubles I could at this gate. I’d signed up to a weekend retreat at this horse sanctuary run by a Los Gatan called, “Whispers from the Herd,’’ offered through an Illinois-based organization called Soulful Prairies.

In the distance, between the gentle rolling hills of this former cattle ranch, sat zippered tipis. We were warned the birds living at the top, in the poles, might drop various “gifts,” and to just deal with it. Also inside were: two cozy faux fur-covered queen-sized cots, an end table, two flashlights, a battery powered lamp, water and snacks. We were informed a propane heater was available if necessary.

Horse Retreat, 10

HOSPITAL OPENS NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC IN LOS GATOS

Parents say “dialectical behavior therapy” was a lifesaver for their kids

By Drew Penner , Editor

Blended with the soft guitar plucks wafting through the large courtyard of the low-rise Los Gatos building near the border with Campbell, there was plenty of optimism Saturday morning, as El Camino Health unveiled its new intensive outpatient clinic.

As Mayor Mary Badame joined health system officials to cut the ceremonial ribbon for the “ASPIRE” program expansion, much was made about how “dialectical behavior therapy”—the medical approach on which the facility is based—is backed by evidence.

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Photo by Sarah Lai Stirland / Los Gatan

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4 Bedrooms | 3 Full Bathrooms | ± 3,585 sq. ft Living Space | ± 9,583 sq. ft Lot Offered at $4,750,000

4

4 Bedrooms | 3 Full Bathrooms | ± 3,585 sq. ft Living Space | ± 9,583 sq. ft Lot Offered at $4,750,000

Offered at $4,750,000

Exquisitely remodeled traditional home located in the Glen Ridge neighborhood in downtown Los Gatos. Modern interior. Formal living room with fireplace & bay window. Gourmet chef's kitchen with cherry cabinets, slab granite counters, glass tiled backsplash, Sub-Zero refrigerator, 6-burner gas range/oven, two sinks, center island with built-in china cabinets & table, breakfast nook. Spacious family room with French doors to exterior. Three bedrooms including a 2nd primary suite on the first floor. Bathrooms with double sinks, heated floors, tile & marble surfaces. Primary suite on upper level with sitting area, bay window, office nook, private deck. Romantic bathroom with oversized tub, separate vanities, large stall shower, walk-in closet, two separate closets, mirrored closet doors. Lower level media room with built-ins & bay window.

Exquisitely remodeled traditional home located in the Glen Ridge neighborhood in downtown Los Gatos. Modern interior. Formal living room with fireplace & bay window. Gourmet chef's kitchen with cherry cabinets, slab granite counters, glass tiled backsplash, Sub-Zero refrigerator, 6-burner gas range/oven, two sinks, center island with built-in china cabinets & table, breakfast nook. Spacious family room with French doors to exterior. Three bedrooms including a 2nd primary suite on the first floor. Bathrooms with double sinks, heated floors, tile & marble surfaces. Primary suite on upper level with sitting area, bay window, office nook, private deck. Romantic bathroom with oversized tub, separate vanities, large stall shower, walk-in closet, two separate closets, mirrored closet doors. Lower level media room with built-ins & bay window. High ceilings, hardwood floors, electric skylights, closet built-ins, & plantation shutters throughout. Large lot, outdoor kitchen, spacious decks, mature landscaping, paver driveway, oversized 2+ car garage. Close proximity and strolling distance to downtown Los Gatos & Bachman Park. Daves Ave Elementary, Raymond J Fisher Middle, and Los Gatos High School.

Exquisitely remodeled traditional home located in the Glen Ridge neighborhood in downtown Los Gatos. Modern interior. Formal living room with fireplace & bay window. Gourmet chef's kitchen with cherry cabinets, slab granite counters, glass tiled backsplash, Sub-Zero refrigerator, 6-burner gas range/oven, two sinks, center island with built-in china cabinets & table, breakfast nook. Spacious family room with French doors to exterior. Three bedrooms including a 2nd primary suite on the first floor. Bathrooms with double sinks, heated floors, tile & marble surfaces. Primary suite on upper level with sitting area, bay window, office nook, private deck. Romantic bathroom with oversized tub, separate vanities, large stall shower, walk-in closet, two separate closets, mirrored closet doors. Lower level media room with built-ins & bay window. High ceilings, hardwood floors, electric skylights, closet built-ins, & plantation shutters throughout. Large lot, outdoor kitchen, spacious decks, mature landscaping, paver driveway, oversized 2+ car garage. Close proximity and strolling distance to downtown Los Gatos & Bachman Park. Daves Ave Elementary, Raymond J Fisher Middle, and Los Gatos High School.

High ceilings, hardwood floors, electric skylights, closet built-ins, & plantation shutters throughout. Large lot, outdoor kitchen, spacious decks, mature landscaping, paver driveway, oversized 2+ car garage. Close proximity and strolling distance to downtown Los Gatos & Bachman Park. Daves Ave Elementary, Raymond J Fisher Middle, and Los Gatos High School.

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LOCAL EXPERTISE; PROVEN RESULTS

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LOCAL SCENE

LOS GATOS NAMES ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District announced Thursday the appointment of Michael Lozano as the new Assistant Principal of Los Gatos High School. His first day is July 1.

Michael served as assistant principal of Leland High School, principal of Virdom International Academy in Shenzhen, China, and as a Special Education teacher in Sacramento.

At Leland, Michael oversaw guidance and discipline, as well as spearheading initiatives to improve student attendance and English-learning efforts.

At Virdom, Michael partnered with several international colleges and organizations to provide pathways for graduates, in addition to providing his experience and expertise on global education initiatives at conferences. Topics included “The American Education Model in China” and “Attrition Rates of Chinese Students at Top Ranked American Universities.”

ISABELLE CAMERON INDUCTED INTO HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI

Isabelle Cameron of Los Gatos, California, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Cameron was initiated at University of California-Davis.

Cameron is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership.

FCC VOTES TO RESTORE NET NEUTRALITY

On April 25, the Federal Communications Commission voted to restore a national standard to ensure the internet, as it put it, is “fast, open, and fair.”

Dodd, a Los Gatos High School graduate, is a member of the Class of 2027.

To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must have completed at least four courses and have an academic average of 3.6 based on a 4.0 scale for the semester.

Saratoga Mayor Named Woman of the Year by State Senator

Senator Dave Cortese announced April 26 that Mayor Yan Zhao of Saratoga had been named Woman of the Year for Senate District 15. This accolade recognizes Mayor Zhao’s leadership, contributions to the community and dedication to fostering inclusivity and combating hate.

“It has been my privilege to serve our community, to advocate for equity, and to strive for a world where diversity is celebrated,” said Zhao, in a release. “This award is a testament to the collective spirit of our community and the power of coming together to make a difference.”

Cortese said Zhao impact on our community exemplifies what it means to lead with integrity, compassion, and a commitment to justice.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael Lozano to Los Gatos High School,” said Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson. “His experience, dedication, and passion for education make him an excellent addition to our leadership team. He brings to us a wealth of experience that will serve as a tremendous asset to the Los Gatos High School community.”

Michael Lozano holds degrees from UC Berkeley, National University, Harvard University, including an education doctorate from the University of Southern California.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he’s the CEO of World Class Educator, a company that’s struck deals with the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kapi’olani Community College and Macau University of Science and Technology to boost the enrollment of Chinese students at American universities.

His page on the platform notes he was involved in the initial stages of the San Quentin Prison University Project back in the early aughts.

The decision to reclassify broadband service as a Title II telecommunications service allows the agency to “protect consumers, defend national security, and advance public safety,” a spokesperson said in a release.

Through the action, the Commission establishes a national standard to ensure broadband internet service is treated as an “essential” service.

“Today’s vote also makes clear that the Commission will exercise its authority over broadband in a narrowly tailored fashion—without rate regulation, tariffing, or unbundling—to foster continued innovation and investment,” the spokesperson added Thursday.

FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel recently visited Campbell to push for the passage of the standard.

KEIRA DODD MAKES ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY DEAN’S LIST

Keira Dodd from Los Gatos has been named to St. Lawrence University’s Dean’s List for achieving academic excellence during the Fall 2023 semester.

“Her efforts to address critical issues such as public health and racial equity, coupled with her personal journey of resilience and service, make her a role model for Senate District 15 and beyond,” he said.

Mayor Zhao was elected to Saratoga City Council in 2018 and served as Mayor in 2021.

She was then re-elected for her second term in 2022 and is currently serving as mayor, again.

CYCLE AROUND TOWN FOR BIKE TO WHEREVER WEEK

The Town’s Complete Streets and Transportation Commission and Summit Bicycles have partnered to hold this year’s Bike Around Town on Friday, May 17, 2024 from 2-5pm. Part of Bike to Wherever Week, the event features an “easy ride around town,” starting at Summit Bicycles at 111 E Main St. in Los Gatos. Space is limited. www.signupgenius.com/go/409054DADA62EA4FF2-49191481-bike

For more information contact Jeff Thompson at 408-455-2784 or by email at jeffsthompson7@gmail.com

LEADERSHIP Michael Lozano is Los Gatos High School’s new assistant principal.

Courtesy of Los Gatos Saratoga Joint Union School District

NEW BOOKSHOP INVITING READERS ‘BEYOND TEXT’

Business aims to boost culture and community in downtown Los Gatos

Sarah Lai Stirland , Contributor

This Saturday’s Grand Opening for Los Gatos’ new bookstore, a project of 38-year-old Los Gatos resident Tanya (Tatiana) Sedneva and her family, is set for May 4, from 11 am-2 pm, and will feature music and a scavenger hunt. Its name—Beyond Text—emphasizes how spending time with a physical book can feel luxurious.

“There can be more to books than just the text—such as illustrations,” Sedneva said in an afternoon chat, at the location. “And there is the physical feeling, like, the luxury of being able to slow down and see, and feel, a physical book.”

The Los Gatos opening is part of a national trend, as independent book retailers have sprouted in small towns and big cities. Young people have been discovering a love of books through digital discussion groups discussions (with the help of influencers on #BookTok on the social media app TikTok), and according to the Associated Press, there are now 2,185 bookstores signed-up with the American Booksellers Association.

Beyond Text stocks bestsellers, coffee-table books, and esoteric, illustrated encyclopedias. Sedneva’s approach to curation is to promote the useful, as well as the eclectic. Her store, previously home to Tsume Nail Salon, aims to bring the joy of serendipitous browsing to the community.

The encyclopedias, for example, tackle historical attitudes towards the concept of magic, artistic depictions of devils across cultures and historical sexual mores.

“I read it myself,” Sedneva said of the book on the sex lives of people in the Victorian era. “It’s not juicy, but actually quite funny.”

She has books on the mechanics of language, physics and biology textbooks for middle schoolers, required-reading classics for high-schoolers and graphic novels for adults.

Sedneva also has more “traditional” suggestions for those looking for a summer beach read. For example, she recommends New York Times best-selling author Emily Henry’s new one “Funny

Story;” Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk; and Robert McCammon’s “Boy’s Life,” an award-winning mystery set in 1960s Alabama.

In addition to selling board games, Sedneva is looking forward to hosting book club meets, organizing painting parties to facilitating gatherings of people playing the popular game “Mafia.”

She says it’s all part of her desire to help foster community based around the written word.

A 2020 Harvard Business School study found that the recent bookshop resurgence was being driven by local owners who “promoted the idea of consumers supporting their local communities by shopping at neighborhood businesses.” These businesses won customers back from Amazon and big box players “by stressing a strong connection to local community values,” it noted.

In the Los Gatos context, as Sedneva convenes readers through the careful curation of Beyond Text’s catalog, it represents the realization of her childhood dream.

“I used to work as a software project manager, but I’ve been impacted by the layoffs less than a year ago,” she said. “Since then, I was struggling with what I should do next.”

A discussion with her therapist about this turmoil spurred her current project.

“I was a shy kid whose only friends were books,” she recalled.

Sedneva spent a lot of time in the library with old books, wishing she could have access to new ones. She dreamed of opening her own bookstore, she said.

Her therapist asked her why she wasn’t pursuing that desire.

“I was mad, because I’m not a kid,” Sedneva said, laughing at the memory. “Because I don’t know if anybody would buy books these days.”

Doubts—such as the fact that she didn’t have any experience running a small business—raced through her mind.

But Sedneva’s 10-year-old son Konstantin’s reaction both challenged and inspired her. He declared to his mother one day that he knew how to open a bookstore.

“I was like. Hmmm, yeah, go on. What can you know about it? (Because he’s just a kid,)” Sedneva con -

INSPIRATION Tanya Sedneva’s son helped her figure out the practical steps for opening a bookstore.

tinued, again laughing at her underestimation of her son.

Konstantin punched a search query into Google and showed her a web site titled “How to open a bookstore.”

“It was one of those moments when I realized, There is help,” Sedneva said. “There are people around who might help you—you just have to ask them. That was the moment when it became more realistic for me. I started to think, Okay, why not? Let’s just check. Let’s try to figure out budget. Let’s do this step by step.” Friends of Los Gatos Library, on East Main Street, a second-hand bookstore, has served as the town’s only bookstore since the closure of Village House of Books on Village Lane

several years ago. Before that, Borders Books operated a store locally. That store closed in 2011.

British author Neil Gaiman once wrote: “What I say is, a town isn’t a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it’s got a bookstore, it knows it’s not foolin’ a soul.”

Perhaps the opening of Beyond Text will bolster Los Gatos’ reputation as a town even more people will want to live in.

Beyond Text is located at 318 N. Santa Cruz Avenue, in Los Gatos. Hours of operations: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am6pm. The grand opening takes place May 4, from 11 am-2 pm. Find them on Instagram: @_beyondtext_

Sarah Lai Stirland / Los Gatan

CAMPBELL AUTHOR’S

SOPHOMORE NOVEL IN DEMAND IN SILICON VALLEY

Zhao draws on experience writing for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, and as a tech analyst

By Drew Penner , Editor

When Amanda Brown, author of “Legally Blonde,” describes your book as “charming, compelling, and unapologetically fun,” and Balli Kaur Jaswal, author of Reese Witherspoon book club selection “Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows,” calls it “a page-turner that brims with humour, snappy dialogue, and sharp observations of an industry,” you know you’re on the right track.

But you don’t have to trust the hype from pop-culture’s literati to get a sense of the chord Campbell resident Kyla Zhao has struck with her second novel, “Valley Verified,” the Penguin Random House story released earlier this year about a woman who makes the move from working at a fashion magazine in New York to a start-up job in Silicon Valley

Just head to a Santa Clara County Library branch and see for yourself. Or, that is, you won’t see.

The fictional tale with elements pulled from her real-life transition from pumping out sartorial copy for well-respected titles, to getting down in the start-up trenches, to acclimatizing to South Bay suburbia, is in heavy demand.

On Monday, it had been checkedout from Gilroy, Campbell, Los Altos, Morgan Hill, Saratoga and Woodland libraries, with more on order for Cupertino and Milpitas, and eight holds on seven e-book copies.

It was also loaned-out from Los Gatos Library, too.

It could be that audiences, eager to read about the life of a dynamic Asian character in a category that’s historically told the stories of upwardly-mobile white fashionistas, like Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw and Shopaholic’s Rebecca Bloomwood, are responding to the decisive and humorous protagonist, Zoe Zheng.

It could also be that Zhao manages to deliver breezy prose while reaching

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for deeper truths, without hitting you over the head about it.

It’s the type of story that seems better suited as the basis for a sharp, if a little fluffy, Hulu series than a Hallmark movie with nothing much to say.

It moves at a brisk pace reminiscent of Sophie Kinsella’s writing, causing you to drop your guard, until Zhao dishes-up a well-placed metaphor that says, I know exactly what I’m doing here.

Unlike many novels, it reads less like what someone wished working for a fashion magazine or a small tech company was like, and more like someone who’s lived those realities.

And that’s because she has. Zhao grew up in Singapore and scored a prestigious internship with the Harper’s Bazaar office there while in high school.

“I’ve always been interested by how fashion is a form of storytelling,” she said, as the afternoon sun beamed off the metallic print in her book-adorned home. “Back then they didn’t even have a website. That was the heyday of print media.”

Her first assignment? A piece about getting ready for a wedding as a bride-to-be.

“I hadn’t even had my first kiss,” she said. “I felt like quite a fraud.”

She recalled how she assisted on pho toshoots and attended various functions.

“It got my foot in the door,” she said. “I think the fashion industry is very insular.”

Zhao headed to Stanford for college, where she would end up studying psychology and communications.

➝ Author, 16

WRITER Zhao says she finds Los Gatos a great place to get creative work done.

Courtesy of Kyla Zhao

THE HORSE AS HEALER

Horse Retreat, from page 1

We were “glamping,” not quite camping. Sort of an adult Scouts adventure, with catered meals. There were picnic tables beneath an ancient oak tree, with swings attached to low-lying limbs. The main gathering tipi held an indoor fire pit. At the far end was the generator-powered porta-potty.

This area is fenced in, keeping us safe, and the horses out roaming free. (There’ve been reports of the horses breaking into this enclosure on occasion.) We were allowed out only with a guide. Carrie Echezarreta or Linda Bruce would escort us.

Bruce, a certified equine gestalt practitioner, began offering this retreat last year, under the watchful eyes of Alicia Goetz, from Los Gatos, the founder of

Freedom Reigns. Carrie, along with her husband Laureano along with the son Cipriano. They protect the herds that live at the sanctuary. These caretakers served as our guides.

“Before I knew what was going on with horses, my dream was to open a dog and cat rescue,” Goetz told me.

“Once I learned what was going on with horses, I decided to try to rescue them.” It was about giving horses lives with real options, she explained. “For me, allowing a horse the freedom to choose who they socialize with and which herd they can join to feel safe and protected, is a beautiful thing,” she said. That’s not too far off from the reasons that I attended this retreat. People have an innate desire to feel safe and free, and I was hoping the

equine sanctuary would have lessons about how to pursue these. How to approach a wild horse? And how to let one of these creatures approach me? I have no idea, I was thinking when I got there. But eventually, my herd would find me. And I, in turn, refound my heart. And the amazing impact of working with horses at Freedom Reigns will stay with me for a very long time. “Saving one horse will not change the world,” Goetz said. “But it will change the world for that one horse.”

This weekend was evidence of how each one of those horses can go on to change the world for the humans close to them . I understand that a horse will even match your heartbeat from four feet away. Yours will listen for its calming pulse.The first morning dawned as a mostly-perfect spring day, with a bit of fog, some sun and a passing chill in the air. As we were late leaving the enclosure our group of eight retreaters from all over, along with Bruce, Cassie and Cipriano, headed out in the “mules,’’ an golf cart-type vehicle. At the meditatie two large lockers located on the large deck, opened and the yoga mats emerged. Could this get much better?

During guided sound therapy, featuring Tibetan singing bowls and transcendental electronic music, stress transformed into serenity. We walked down to breakfast. After an exotic vegetarian meal, we walked to the nearest paddock where several of the “less wild” horses were corralled and waiting for us. We sat in a circle of chairs within and were shown how to approach ahow to react when one approaches us.

Horses are present and connected to surrounding energies. Here is where the gestalt magic began to reveal itself. And in the interest of confidentiality we will stop there. Let’s just say a circle of trust and healing was formed, guided by Bruce. Then, as a group, we walked back to our camp— and another delicious veggie meal.

The next day we went on a mule ride out to the open range to spend time near a herd. The 500+ horses form 37 fluid herds, and a horse may move freely between them. About half are truly wild. When Goetz rescues, her goal is to keep families together. The pregnant mares are allowed to foal. The mothers can stay, and the stallions are gelded. All newcomers are quarantined to check that they’re in good health and disease-free. Off to an early tipi bedtime as the next

day we were expecting to time near the horses—or maybe actually within a herd?

Meditation and more sound work, again before our breakfast. The meal does not disappoint. Our transportation arrives and off we go to locate a “less” wild herd. It is impossible to describe the overwhelming beauty of this area. Add-in the hundreds of majestic four-legged animals and it becomes breathtaking. My photos do not do it justice!

As we approach a herd from the side—always slowly from the side— they begin to arrive. Carrie tells us that “Frosty,” “Duke” and “Daisy” are their names. Carrie, as the horse observer. knows most all by their names, and their histories. Mares will arrive pregnant and foal here. These are the “less” wild ones, generally. Some horses are surrendered as owners die or may no longer be able to care for them, for one reason or another.

EXAMINING Carrie Echezarreta checking on a wild horse’s health.

Dinah Cotton / Los Gatan

ROAMING So wild and free.

We are in “horse luck” today, as the herd is curious. We spread blankets down on the hillside, sit calmly and wait as these huge peaceful animals head our direction. Soon, they’re surrounding us. If they spook a bit, we were told to back off. I must remain calm, my head is telling me. My heart is going out to get in rhythm with this creature. What a magical experience this is. I am full of gratitude to all who helped to make this happen. Now it’s lunchtime. I do not want to leave. Frosty is raiding the mule, taking blankets and water bottles out and flashing them around. Mischief-making is ramping-up. Time to climb back onboard and head in for lunch. And then, it will be time to rejoin society. My re-entry will be slow. But I’m taking this all with me.

To learn more about Freedom Reigns, visit their website: www. freedomreignsequinesanctuary.org

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SPORTS LGHS SOFTBALL ON TRACK TO WIN SCVAL DE ANZA

Wildcats look strong with playoffs looming

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

With just two weeks left in the regular season, the Los Gatos High softball team is in pole position to win another Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division championship.

The Wildcats entered the week 15-5 overall and 8-0 in league play, 2 ½ games up on second-place Milpitas High with four games remaining.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Los Gatos will win its second De Anza Division title in the last three years.

Since the 2018 season, the Wildcats have finished in either first or second place, a picture of consistency in a competitive “A” league. Los Gatos has been relying on a similar formula for success all year: strong pitching combined with solid defense and a potent lineup. Coach Randy Frey says the talent and depth on the team has forced him to think long and hard about lineups and position changes.

“Looking back, I probably have not put out the same exact starting lineup two times all year,” Frey said. “I’ve got 15 girls that can probably start for a CCS (Central Coast Section) playoff team. For me, it’s been a challenging year, in a good way, because I have to figure out who to play on a certain day and how to use every one of them to help the team win.”

This year has been unique in that literally everyone on the team has a role and has made a valuable contribution.

“It could be bringing somebody late in the game for defense, to pinch run, a bat off the bench,” Frey said. “In the majority of our games, I’ve used everybody to do something. That’s a real bonus to be able to do that.”

Freshman Ava Norquist has been downright sensational this season, having pitched 98 of the team’s 125 innings played entering the week. Norquist is 13-3 with a 1.71 ERA and 117 strikeouts, including 10 K’s in a 2-1 league win over Homestead High on April 26.

Norquist allowed just two hits and zero earned runs in the contest, while her older sister Annika drove in both of the team’s runs with a double.

Two days prior, in a 4-2 win over Mountain View, Frey marveled at the sisters’ ability to help each other in crucial situations.

Mountain View had just taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Annika the team’s starting catcher and Ava started talking things over.

“Ava started mixing her pitches up a little more after that and kept them off-balance,” Frey said. “She did a fabulous job the rest of the game.”

But it’s Ava Norquist’s bat and not her pitching that has surprised Frey the most.

“The great thing with Ava is, I knew about her pitching ability coming in, but I had no idea she was such a good hitter,” Frey said. “The hitting has been a huge bonus. She’s been batting fourth for us pretty much the whole season and has a high batting average, lots of RBIs and doesn’t strike out much.”

Before the season started, Frey assumed he was going to have a DP designated player hit for Norquist in the lineup.

“But in our first intrasquad scrimmage, she hit a home run and I’m thinking, ‘Wow, I guess I’ll have to look for somebody else to hit for to get a designated player in there,’” he said.

The Norquist sisters have 16 RBIs apiece, tied for second on the team behind Tucker’s 20. Ava Norquist has been backed by an infield that Frey says “is the best I’ve ever had here at Los Gatos,” including shortstop Tucker, second baseman Clare Torres, first baseman Lily Young, and third basemen Robyn Young and Addie Sorto.

Los Gatos has turned several 4-6-3 double plays this season, a testament to the infield’s defensive prowess.

“The girls know how to play,” Frey said. “Addie and Robyn are both very sound defensively and heads-up ballplayers. Grace is a very slick infielder and Clare is very polished. She’s got great range, especially to her left, to go with a strong arm.”

Frey highlighted a play that Tucker made to end the Mountain View game. The Spartans’ No. 9 hitter stroked a ball in the hole just out of the reach of Sorto. Tucker fielded the ball on a backhand and rifled the ball to first base to clinch the victory with Mountain View’s leadoff hitter on deck.

“Just a big-time play,” Frey said. Junior outfielder Ria Sharma has emerged as the team’s leadoff hitter, filling a void that lasted several weeks into the season.

“I struggled for a long time trying to find a leadoff hitter,” Frey said. “I tried several different people there and remember commenting to my assistant coaches that we couldn’t seem to score in the first inning. I moved Ria to leadoff and she’s been doing a great job. She draws a lot of walks and we’ve been scoring runs in the first inning, so that’s a good thing.”

Neither Sharma nor Tessa Lilienstein were starters at the beginning

SOUND DEFENSE Los Gatos High second baseman Clare Torres fields a grounder during their 11-1 win over Wilcox High on April 5. The Wildcats are favored to win their second SCVAL De Anza title in the last three years.

MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC OPENING

Health Clinic, from page 1

“There’s always a growing need,” said Medical Director of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry Jennifer Zumarraga, with the nonprofit’s Scrivner Center for Mental Health & Addiction Services, from the podium. “Together, with our partners, we can provide hope.”

Earlier this year, the Santa Mateo County Board of Supervisors declared loneliness a public health crisis.

A systematic review published last year in Cureus, a peer reviewed journal, found “a connection between social media use and adolescent depression.”

A 2021 report from the Little Hoover Commission, an independent State oversight body, found youth struggling with stress, anxiety and trauma in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, and noted mental illness is the leading reason for hospitalization among children in California.

The shadow of the Palo Alto suicide clusters from a few years back, which led to a CDC investigation, also colored the picture.

El Camino Health brass say they’ve been deploying a model since 2010 that’s at least a partial answer, one professionals in other jurisdictions have already been learning from.

“It was so successful that other clinics and health systems duplicated it,” former Sunnyvale mayor Julia Miller, who’s been on the El Camino Health Board of Directors for 12 years, told the Los Gatan.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an integrated form of psychotherapy that uses behavior-changing techniques and teaches Zen Buddhism-related acceptance, was created by University of Washington professor Marsha Linehan following her own mental health battles. It gained widespread acceptance in the 1990s.

A 2017 article in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine found DBT is particularly useful in reducing suicide in people with borderline personality disorder, though it questioned the effectiveness on overall personality management and said more studies are needed to determine the extent to which it might outpace other structured therapies.

Maja Nelson, a Burlingame resident, said her own daughter went through the El Camino Health program and is proof of how well it works.

“It saved her life and it transformed our family,” she said, adding she has pledged to spread awareness about DBT. She wants to do everything she can to break the stigma of mental health treatment.

Nelson explained that the way the program works is—in addition to the modules the youth go through—their parents are also taught skills for how to help their children.

She found this particularly helpful, particularly given parents’ inclination to reach for, “Don’t worry about it,” or other dismissive phrases, “—where all they really want you to do is sit with them in the hall...just be with them

in that dark space without trying to solve it.”

Dr. Katherine Taylor, the interim chief medical director, said an intensive outpatient program is just what some people need.

“We’re a community hospital,” she said. “We’ve done our best to make it accessible for people.”

Reena Trivedi, one of the psychiatrists, said the ASPIRE program is an important part of ensuring El Camino Health has a comprehensive and effective continuum of care.

Patients come from 3-6pm, four days a week, she said, noting it initially launched with a high school track, but has grown to accept middle schoolers, and those in early adulthood.

“Now we have the space; we have

the manpower; we have the curriculum,” Trivedi said.

Three times a week, for 20 minutes, parents join their kids to learn right alongside.

Dr. Mallur Shreyas, El Camino Health’s associate chief medical officer, a Los Gatos resident of more than two decades, says local youth have been dealing with significant stressors.

“It’s more acute in Los Gatos and the surrounding areas,” he said. “The pandemic threw everybody off.”

He said he’s confident ASPIRE will be a force to help turn the tide.

“We really want to make sure we support the critical needs of our community,” he said, pointing to the positive results seen with the patients who’ve already gone through the program. “They did get the coping skills.”

SOLUTIONS Dignitaries, health care workers and previous program participants attended the opening of the ASPIRE intensive mental health care program on Saturday.

Drew Penner / Los Gatan

LGHS SOFTBALL

Softball, from page 12

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of the season, but both have become key cogs in the lineup. Lilienstein, a sophomore outfielder, is hitting .462.

Senior left fielder Alexa Musser has been solid as expected as the team’s No. 2 hitter. Frey credited sophomore right fielder Olivia Sickels for persevering through an up and down season, pointing to a play she made in the fifth inning against Mountain View.

“They had a little bit of a rally going and their No. 5 batter hits a hard ground ball to the right side,” Frey said. “I was ready to mark it as an E3 (error by the first baseman) on the tracking sheet. Next thing you know, Olivia scoops it up and guns the player out at first base. Another game-saving play right there.”

If the Wildcats win the De Anza championship as expected, they would be slotted in the CCS Open Division playoffs. A win in the opening round there would vault them into the CIF NorCal tournament for the first time in program history.

“Winning the league championship is our first goal, and then to get to NorCals,” Frey said. “Hopefully, someday we’ll be strong enough where we can compete for an Open championship.”

SAFE AT HOME Wildcats junior Lily Young comes in to score during their 11-1 victory over Wilcox High on April 5. Los Gatos entered the week a perfect 8-0 in SCVAL De Anza Division play.

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LIVES

Robert “Bob or Bobby” Joe Rambo, Jr.

December 3, 1928 – April 23, 2024

Robert “Bob or Bobby” Joe Rambo, Jr. of Los Gatos, California, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, the 23rd of April, 2024.

Born on December 3, 1928 in Atlanta, Georgia, Bob was raised in nearby North Augusta, South Carolina by his father and a rotating household of doting uncles, but primarily by his beloved Aunt Lizzie.

While most of Bob’s recollections of his childhood resemble an adventurous Mark Twain novel, one of the biggest influences of his southern upbringing was his introduction to golf, undoubtedly due to the presence of the nearby Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Golf Tournament. His love for the sport was unwavering throughout his life.

While attending North Augusta High School, Bob played football, participated in the three-act farce “Mr. Beane from Lima ‘’ as Burley Bexford Beane and was voted “Most Friendly”. Bob graduated high school in 1946.

Bob left South Carolina in his twenties, hitch-hiking across the country to California. He started at the ground up in the aerospace industry, and fondly remembered attending Lawrence Welk concerts with friends at the nearby Santa Monica pier.

After pivoting into sales, his true talent, Bob temporarily left California to go back home to care for his elderly aunt and father until they passed away two years later. He then met his first wife (Janet) in Fort Worth Texas, and then moved to Seattle, Washington where they welcomed their first child. Shortly after, they moved to the Bay Area in California, where their second child was born. Bob started a manufacturer’s rep firm focusing on the building industry, which he ran successfully for decades

Married (and divorced) twice, Bob’s “southern” charm with ladies, as well as his unmatched sense of humor and loyalty to his friends, were his most defining characteristics. After his kids were grown, Bob was a fixture around town, where he and his expansive group of friends would meet for a nightly drink, shared laughs and exchanges of stories.

After the closure of his rep business, Bob continued to manage the office building he had purchased earlier in his career and delighted in greeting his tenants every day and tending to their assorted needs. He treated them like family, believing strongly in hand-shake deals. He continued this up until his death.

Bob is predeceased by his brother Charles, and is survived by his son David, his daughter Kathryn, his grandchildren, Derek, Lily, and Creighton, currently two great grandchildren, Cooper and Liviana and a list of friends too lengthy to name.

In honoring him, consider playing a round of golf, drinking a gin and tonic with good friends, or simply sitting in your easy chair while catching an old western movie. He will be sorely missed.

SOPHOMORE NOVEL IN DEMAND

Author, from page 9

“I’ve always been really interested in people,” she said. “My master’s thesis was about influencer marketing.”

She returned home country after her freshman year and did an internship with Condé Nast’s Tatler.

“I was a different person,” she said. “The second time around, I felt more confident.”

But it wasn’t long before she dipped her toes into the start-up world, working for a contract management software company in the Sawtelle area of Los Angeles.

By the time she got a job at Vogue, the entire print industry had shifted.

“The website was the dominant source of traffic,” she said, looking back on the digital responsibilities she had on top of her print duties. “I was publishing 3-4 articles a week.”

She began pitching more, but eventually chose to heed Silicon Valley’s alluring call.

“I have a lot of admiration for the advancements that are being made,” she said. “I bought a one-way ticket back to the Bay.”

Suddenly, she was surrounded by programming wizards and data engineers.

“It was a very jarring transition,” she said. “That’s what inspired me to write ‘Valley Verified.’”

Crafting Zoe “with no middle name” Zeng was a useful way to channel her experience.

Zeng goes from writing about a brand with the slogan “Aspire, Inspire, Respire” for “Chic” magazine, to being named the “vice president of marketing” for a Palo Alto-based app.

In real life, Zhao has become an analyst for a b2b tech company.

Despite her success in the writing sphere, she isn’t chomping at the bit to follow this path full-time.

“I’m very much my own person,” she said, explaining she’d rather write the things she believes in, on her own time, rather than feeling pressured to turn out storylines that will sell. “I do a lot of writing in Los Gatos. I love the views.”

She already has her next release in the works. “May the Best Player Win,” about a girl who plays chess, is due out in September.

BOOK LIFE Kyla Zhao recently debuted her second novel, which tells the story of a young woman who moves from New York to work for a Silicon Valley start-up. She already has another coming out in a few months.

Courtesy of Kyla Zhao

PUBLIC NOTICES

Fictitious Business Name Statements

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

#704628

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. Fork N’ fingers, 4788 Hamilton Ave., San Jose, CA, 95130, Barbeku LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Alec Ku. Managing Member. #2023584114662. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/29/2024. (pub LG 04/10, 04/17, 04/24, 05/01/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #704547

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. Finch Electro-Mechanical Technical Services, 2. Femtsco, 2320 Falling Water Ct., Santa Clara, CA, 95054, Michael L Finch. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 12/01/2020. s/Michael L Finch. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/27/2024. (pub LG 04/10, 04/17, 04/24, 05/01/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #704666

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Morgan Hill Dental Studio, 17020 Condit Rd., #80, Morgan Hill, CA, 95037, Bhawna Gupta DDS Dental Group. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 04/01/2024. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Bhawna Gupta. CEO. #5994177. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 04/02/2024. (pub LG 04/10, 04/17, 04/24, 05/01/2024)

File Number: FBN703765. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: Beach Day Services , 950 E Evelyn Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. This business is conducted by: An Individual, Hesther Doblack, 950 E Evelyn Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 02/28/2024 and 03/04/2024 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Ronald Nguyen /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Hesther Doblack /s/. (Pub LGN: 04/10, 04/17, 04/24, 05/01/2024)

File Number: FBN704308 . The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: S3 Design Group, 307 Piercy Rd., San Jose, CA 95138. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, SV3 Construction, 307 Piercy Rd, San Jose, CA 95138. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2024 and 03/20/2024 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. SV3 Construction, Article/Reg # C4634316, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Nickolas Sosa /s/ CEO. (Pub LGN: 04/10, 04/17, 04/24, 05/01/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #704882

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Papeleria Card Co, 2 Pierce Avenue, San Jose, CA, 95110, Humberto Martinez. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Humberto Martinez. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 04/08/2024. (pub LG 04/17, 04/24, 05/01, 05/08/2024)

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME #704937

The following person(s) / registrant(s) has / have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name(s): Mark Butler Photography, 1311 Happy Valley Ave., San Jose, CA, 95129, Mark Butler. Filed in the Santa Clara County on 04/14/2021. under file No. 674162. This business was conducted by: A Individual. Filed on 4/09/2024. /s/Mark W. Butler (pub dates: (04/17, 04/24, 05/01, 05/08/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #704992

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. Hay Kay Services, 929 Story Rd., San Jose, CA, 95122, Hay Kay LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 04/10/2024. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Hien A Cao. Manager #202461614429. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 04/10/2024. (pub LG 04/17, 04/24, 05/01, 05/08/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #703731

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: EGR Landscape, 2152 Interbay Dr., San Jose, CA, 95122, Enrique Garcia. This business is being conducted by a Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 03/01/2024. /s/Enrique Garcia. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/04/2024. (pub Metro 04/17, 04/24, 05/01, 05/08/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #704331

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. Le Cake, 2. Le Cake by J, 19644 Ashton Ct., Saratoga, CA, 95070, Youngjoon Jeong. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 03/21/2024. /s/Youngjoon Jeong. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/21/2024. (pub LG 05/01, 05/08, 05/15, 05/22/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #704903

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: MMECSJ, 361 S Willard Ave Apt 2, San Jose, CA, 95126, Jose De Jesus Valazquez Tejeda. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 10/15/2021. /s/Jose De Jesus Velazquez Tejeda. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 04/08/2024. (pub LG 05/01, 05/08, 05/15, 05/22/2024)

File Number: FBN705352 . The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: Spine and Sports Surgery Center, 429 LLewellyn Ave, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, Spine Sports Surgery Center, LLC, 429 LLewellyn Ave, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 04/22/2024 and 04/22/2024 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. Spine Sports Surgery Center, LLC, Article/Reg # 201227610279, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Carrie Seim /s/ Administrator. (Pub LGN: 05/01, 05/08, 05/15, 05/22/2024)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #704105

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Covarrubias Creations, 906 Washington St., San Jose, CA, 95112, Josue Covarrubias. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 02/08/2024. /s/Josue Covarrubias. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/15/2024. (pub LG 04/10, 04/17, 04/24, 05/01/2024)