Los Gatan 11-2-2022

PARTICIPANTS OF COMMUNITY POLICE ACADEMY REACH THE FINISH LINE

First-ever program gives residents an inside look at department

Drew Penner, Reporter

It was the day after retired Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department Sgt. Tam McCar thy helped lay a long-time cop, John Pernick, to rest.

So on Oct. 27, as he gave an address at a much more cele bratory gathering—the inaugu ral Los Gatos Community Po lice Academy graduation—he shared some lessons he learned from the mentor who’d died the week before.

“Some people are good at narcotics,” he said. “He was a master of interviewing and interrogations.”

The 20 graduates, who had all just completed 10 weeks of three-hour classes covering a range of police skills and duties, were in rapt attention as McCarthy told of one of the first suspects he ever had in the hot seat.

“I had interviewed a bad guy,” he said. “I was a little hard-head ed…and he confessed.”

But he got frustrated, soon afterwards, when his aggressive tactic didn’t bear fruit in another interrogation.

LAURIE SMITH ANNOUNCES IMMEDIATE RETIREMENT

Undersheriff Ken Binder takes over as acting sheriff

City News

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith announced Oct. 31 she would retire immediately, as a jury deliberates a verdict in a civil corruption trial involving jail mismanagement and a “payto-play” scheme involving gun permits issued by her office.

The jury is still out, but San ta Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith decided she didn’t want to wait for a verdict that could have forced her removal from office, announcing Oct. 31 she was re signing immediately.

“This letter is to notify you of my retirement effective immedi ately, Monday, October 31, 2022,” Smith wrote.

Undersheriff Ken Binder will take over as acting sheriff, Smith’s office said in a brief release.

Misconduct allegations against Smith by a Santa Clara County civil grand jury include doling out concealed carry licenses to campaign donors, and of ac

The San Mateo County jury was continuing deliberations be last Friday in the three-week civil corruption trial of the sixterm sheriff on charges of jail mis management and a “pay-to-play”

➝ Sheriff, 14

Sheriff, 14

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CELEBRATION The Los Gatos High girls water polo team throws coach Don Appleton into the Lynbrook High pool after their 14-8 win over Castilleja in the SCVAL De Anza Division tournament title match on Oct. 29. For the full story, turn to page 10.

Barry Holtzclaw, Reporter

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GRADUATES DESCRIBE TRAINING

That’s when Pernick gave him some crucial advice: “Everybody’s different.”

That day McCarthy learned how important it was to moderate your technique depending on who you have in the interview chair—for example, whether you’ll give them a cigarette or discuss the movies you enjoy.

For the audience at Council Cham bers, McCarthy’s reminiscence was a glimpse into the training the grads got over the past several weeks.

Patti Perry, a retired resident who successfully completed the program, said these sorts of lessons were exactly why she signed up.

“The thing that fascinated me the most was the art of interrogation,” she said. “I was just fascinated with every thing I learned.”

Along with the other students, Per ry learned to use a Taser, practiced simulations of real-world scenarios via a virtual reality device and studied the basics of how to properly frisk someone.

They also learned about how to de-escalate tension.

“You have to build a report and a relationship,” he said. “It’s called using words vs. heavy-handed tactics.”

The class is not a direct line to a job

in the police department, however graduates can apply to help out as volunteers in a variety of roles, such as providing services to victims, prepar ing for natural disasters and checking on vulnerable residents during the holidays.

Perry has already put her name forward.

Another student, Len Connolly, 63, is the facility director of the Jewish Silicon Valley’s Levy Family Campus.

He said, even after all training, witnessing dispatchers in action the previous week was the most engaging part of the whole academy.

“These people are well-trained; they know what they’re doing,” he said. “Up until then it was shooting the Taser.”

Going through the formal train ing process is part of fostering the relationship between their campus at 14855 Oka Road and the police department.

“They protect us,” he said. “They’re our first line of defense.”

Connolly says he’s already recruited four people to participate in the next academy.

Kareem Syed, giving an address on behalf of the graduating class, said the training was humbling.

“It was honestly a privilege and an honor,” he said. “We need to be the ones who are helping our community.”

Capt. Clint Tada recalled how ea ger the students were about the DUI training session he ran.

“I think what we enjoyed was the engagement by the participants and giving them an inside look into our job,” he said. “It was a great group.”

For Chief Jamie Field, it brought back memories of teaching criminolo gy at Cabrillo College in Aptos.

“Teaching is such a wonderful tool because it’s all about the communi cation,” she said, adding the academy gave her staff the opportunity to flex these muscles, too. “We really put it on them to put their fingerprint on the topic they’re presenting.”

It can be fun to see how the em ployees tackle different subject mat ters, she said, adding it also serves another function—preparing officers for the more high-stakes task of fac ing cross-examination as a witness in court.

Field says she hopes the grads will help demystify the police profession by telling neighbors about what goes into holding the thin blue line.

“Because we’ve now pulled back the curtain,” she said. “When you actually hear about it from someone you see every day at the supermarket, it piques that interest a little more.”

PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN Residents gathered in Council Chambers for Los Gatos’ inaugural Community Police Academy graduation on Oct. 27.

SAHR’S PASSAGES

Drew Penner, Reporter

He has much in common with other residents of Los Gatos: He’s a veteran who grew up in a family with mining interests overseas. He’ll buy you a cold drink on a hot day. When he’s offered a free beer at the bar he insists on paying. He waxes poetic about the virtues of “freedom” and cares deeply about the documents produced by the Founding Fathers.

But unlike the men and women living large off their IPO wealth or carefully invested savings behind iron gates on former orchard lands, Sahr (pronounced “Sah”) Gandi Mafinda Fania sleeps out side by the entrance to the highway.

Fania enjoys walking with a crossstep. Like a child who plays at avoiding the cracks, it’s his way of meander ing through life with grace. He’s trying to avoid the negative energies around him—powerful forces that seem to want to suck him back into the darker places he’s visited. “The cross-stepping is like some kind of spiritual movement,” he says. “I am going through a battle. A bat tle with some foreign forces. And, guess what? Sometimes they shed off.”

For him, this method of moving through the urban sphere is his way of summoning the proverbial white blood cells and antibodies and avoiding harm ful entanglements. “It’s a flow, and a step. You’re stepping on something to clear your passage.”

Fania knows all about passages. He grew up in Freetown, the capital of Si erra Leone. He’s his mother’s first born son to a father who served as a cabinet minister in the national parliament. He attended primary school there, before moving back to the eastern district of Kono, where their family’s from—an area whose beauty was depicted with tragic elegance in the Leonardo Di Caprio movie “Blood Diamond.” That’s where he attended a United Methodist Church school.

According to Harvard researchers— who mention his father, S.G.M. Fania, by name—their family is one of the main houses in the Kamara chiefdom. His

family had a gold and diamond mining business. His dad was once thrown in jail in the 1960s as a political prisoner ahead of an election, but contested the decision and ended up winning a by-election. That’s according to a Journal of Modern African Studies article from the ‘70s (as quoted by Wikipedia).

For secondary school, Fania moved inland to the Bombali District, attending boarding school in Makeni, at St. Francis Secondary School.

During the civil war his father was again taken prisoner and was tortured, Fania says, adding this would lead to fatal health complications a few years later. In the meantime, Fania had joined the military, where he would serve about six years.

“My dad actually warned me, ‘Don’t go into the army. Don’t join these people,’” he said. “But I didn’t listen. I decided to go there and serve diligently. But when I see my service being sabo taged by some big element I quit. I left for Nigeria.”

In Lagos, he met a woman in comput er programming class and fell in love.

“One day, I just sat on my own table and she sat by my side,” he said, ex plaining she was asking for help with an assignment. “I said, ‘The teacher is right there,’…’No, I want you.’ That’s how we started.”

They would cook and do laundry together.

“One day, I just came in,” he recalled. “She was praying for me. I didn’t even know somebody was wishing me so much.” But that bliss was short-lived. “She died just after childbirth,” he said. “Something I don’t want to think about.”

Fania worked his way up on the oil rigs to make enough money to give his daughter a good life. He remembers her asking very grown-up questions at a young age.

“She’s book smart, common sense smart,” he said. “You can teach her some thing just once.”

Fania says it’s tough being estranged, particularly because he promised his dy ing wife he would look after the girl. His message for his now-teenaged daugh ter? “I love you. I’m just going through challenging moment right now.”

While in Nigeria, Fania had begun a long-distance relationship with a wom an in Sierra Leone who was living in the

United States. They married and spent a couple years preparing the paperwork so he could immigrate legally.

“I was just looking for someone who could be a motherly figure for my daugh ter,” he said.

He arrived in San Jose in April 2012, but right off the bat things seemed to go sideways between them.

Reached last week as he touched down for a funeral in Sierra Leone, one of Fania’s other brothers (a Sacramen to-based engineer named Sahr Mbriwa Fania) confirmed his younger sibling had legally married the woman, and went through traditional marriage rites, too. He also confirmed they’d experi enced a fair degree of marital strife in America. He says he tried to help them fix their issues. His younger brother had been raising her kids from a previous relationship as his own. But in the end it

didn’t work out. They filed for divorce in May 2013.

Since then, Fania has been facing pa perwork problems that don’t make sense to him. He claims he’s been accused of terrorism and money laundering by some officials, something he vehemently denies.

His brother wonders if they crossed all the t’s and dotted all the i’s on their immigration documents.

Fania stayed with relatives in the past (he has more than 30 siblings scattered across the globe). He was living in his car on the border with Campbell when, one day, it was towed to Los Gatos. It would’ve cost him more to get the vehicle back than it was worth, and he ended up sleeping on the street—ironically by the DMV.

“Being outside would help me to deal with a lot of things not accumulating, but it’s difficult anyway, you see?” he

losgatan.com :

2-8,

losgatan.com : november 2-8,

How did a man from a prominent Sierra Leonean family end up homeless in Los Gatos?

FINDING PEACE Sahr Fania says he has appreciated all the kindness he has received from people in Los Gatos.

LETTERS

Pellerin knows how to get things done

Please vote for Gail Pellerin for State Assembly. Why, because the legislature needs smart, dedicated members who understand how gov ernment works, and can make it more accountable to the needs of California residents.

Gail knows State and local govern ment. When I was an Assembly Mem ber, she was staff to the Speaker. She hits the ground running. When I was elected to Congress, Gail was serving as the chief elections officer in Santa Cruz County. I watched her increase voter turnout and enthusiasm for vot ing to the highest level in the State.

Vote for a proven leader, the As sembly needs people who know how to get things done. Her work will improve your community. You have a ballot mailed to you. Fill it out now, postage is paid. Your vote holds electeds accountable.

Sam Farr Retired Congressmember Pellerin has the knowhow that we need

Gail Pellerin, candidate for the 28th Assembly district, has my vote. She has worked tirelessly to learn the issues and to meet the constituents of our new Assembly district. Her long track record of exceptional public service will bring to Sacramento the engagement and the know-how that we need as our district, and our state, faces some of the toughest challenges of our lifetime. I encourage you to join me in voting for a strong leader who will fight for the issues important to our district.

A champion for the community

Dear Los Gatos voters, join me in supporting Gail Pellerin for State As

sembly. I won’t tell you about all her fantastic work as Santa Cruz County Clerk or how she would always stand up and fight for LGBTQ+ and repro ductive rights. I will tell you that Gail is the most passionate, considerate, and admirable public servant I’ve ever met.

Last week, when I was door-knock ing as I usually do with Gail, she noticed that my shoes were pretty beat up (I had been walking a lot this election season). She asked if I needed new shoes, and I said these were fine; I’d just been walking a lot.

Later that night, she sent me $100 and told me to buy myself a new pair of shoes. She’s a caring mother and will be an even more caring representative in the State Assembly.

After getting to know Gail, both during the primary and now, as we head into November, I can whole heartedly tell you that Gail will be a fighter, champion, and the best role model for our community. She cares passionately about everyone in this district, which is why you should vote for Gail!

Joe Thompson Santa Cruz

POLICE BLOTTER

OCT. 23

• A man was arrested for disorderly conduct on the first block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue at 12:35am.

• A man on a bike was reportedly “staring” at a brand new truck as he rode by on Miles Avenue at 10:25am.

• A man was arrested for causing a fire on the 100 block of W. Hed ding Street at 3pm.

OCT. 24

• Someone stole a wallet from a purse on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• A man and a woman were arrest ed for organized retail theft on Blossom Hill and Roberts roads at 12:48pm.

OCT. 25

• Petty theft was reported on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

• Someone shot out a vehicle’s window with a BB gun on Royce Street.

OCT. 26

• A vehicle was burglarized on Johnson Avenue.

• Someone stole a cellphone on Blossom Hill Road.

• A bicycle was stolen on Avery Lane.

• A person reportedly attempted to steal items from a delivery truck, but was unsuccessful because everything was wrapped up on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

OCT. 27

• A vehicle was burglarized on Uni versity Avenue.

• A woman was arrested for forgery on the 300 block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue at noon.

• A man was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Los Gatos Boulevard and Los Gatos Almaden Road at 5:51pm.

• A man was arrested for carrying a switchblade knife on the 200 block of Union Avenue at 9:24pm.

• Two men were reportedly digging through the trash on W. Main Street at 10:38pm.

OCT. 28

• Two men were reportedly moving furniture around on a porch on E. Main Street at 12:11am.

• A home was burglarized on Los Robles Way.

• A man was arrested for altering a vehicle’s registration on Los Ga tos Boulevard and Gateway Drive at 3:14pm.

• A caller reported “numerous” kids were running “up and down the street” on Bachman Avenue at 8:48pm.

• A caller thought a man parked on the side of the road on Arroyo Grande Way and Garden Hill Drive was “waiting to steal a catalytic converter” at 10:09pm.

OCT. 29

• A man who fell out of a chair on Villa Avenue was arrested for be ing drunk in public at 11:59am.

• Someone stole a vehicle’s cata lytic converter on Carlton Avenue.

• A caller reported a group of ju veniles playing music and bas ketball on Bachman Avenue at 9:14pm.

Information is compiled from public records released by the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.

Lora Lee Martin Santa Cruz

I will tell you that Gail is the most passionate, considerate, and admirable public servant

I’ve ever met.

Pending

231 El Cajon Way, Los Gatos

231 El Cajon Way, Los Gatos

Pending

Jan Kollenborn

DRE 01181966

01181966

jan.kollenborn@compass.com 408.828.0043

Jan Kollenborn

jankollenborn.com

DRE 01181966

Jan Kollenborn

DRE 01181966 jan.kollenborn@compass.com 408.828.0043

jankollenborn.com

jan.kollenborn@compass.com 408.828.0043 jankollenborn.com

Jan Kollenborn

DRE 01181966

jan.kollenborn@compass.com 408.828.0043

Stunning Los Gatos home expanded and rebuilt in 2019. Light and airy open floor plan brimming with gorgeous upscale accents, fixtures and skylights throughout. Spacious entryway leads to a well designed chef’s kitchen featuring fully integrated Thermador appliances, double ovens, gas range, Carrera marble backsplash, quartz countertops, walk-in pantry, wine fridge and a large island perfect for gathering. The spacious great room showcases vaulted ceilings, Velux opening skylights, a gas fireplace in a floor to ceiling stacked stone wall, ample space for large dining and a statement light fixture.

Stunning Los Gatos home expanded and rebuilt in 2019. Light and airy open floor plan brimming with gorgeous upscale accents, fixtures and skylights throughout. Spacious entryway leads to a well designed chef’s kitchen featuring fully integrated Thermador appliances, double ovens, gas range, Carrera marble backsplash, quartz countertops, walk-in pantry, wine fridge and a large island perfect for gathering. The spacious great room showcases vaulted ceilings, Velux opening skylights, a gas fireplace in a floor to ceiling stacked stone wall, ample space for large dining and a statement light fixture.

Stunning Los Gatos home expanded and rebuilt in 2019. Light and airy open floor plan brimming with gorgeous upscale accents, fixtures and skylights throughout. Spacious entryway leads to a well designed chef’s kitchen featuring fully integrated Thermador appliances, double ovens, gas range, Carrera marble backsplash, quartz countertops, walk-in pantry, wine fridge and a large island perfect for gathering. The spacious great room showcases vaulted ceilings, Velux opening skylights, a gas fireplace in a floor to ceiling stacked stone wall, ample space for large dining and a statement light fixture.

jankollenborn.com

Stunning Los Gatos home expanded and rebuilt in 2019. Light and airy open floor plan brimming with gorgeous upscale accents, fixtures and skylights throughout. Spacious entryway leads to a well designed chef’s kitchen featuring fully integrated Thermador appliances, double ovens, gas range, Carrera marble backsplash, quartz countertops, walk-in pantry, wine fridge and a large island perfect for gathering. The spacious great room showcases vaulted ceilings, Velux opening skylights, a gas fireplace in a floor to ceiling stacked stone wall, ample space for large dining and a statement light fixture.

Stunning Los Gatos home expanded and rebuilt in 2019. Light and airy open floor plan brimming with gorgeous upscale accents, fixtures and skylights throughout. Spacious entryway leads to a well designed chef’s kitchen featuring fully integrated Thermador appliances, double ovens, gas range, Carrera marble backsplash, quartz countertops, walk-in pantry, wine fridge and a large island perfect for gathering. The spacious great room showcases vaulted ceilings, Velux opening skylights, a gas fireplace in a floor to ceiling stacked stone wall, ample space for large dining and a statement light fixture.

SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Los Gatos girls water polo continues dominant play

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

Having already made some history, the Los Gatos High girls water polo team looks to take its season into rarefied air.

The Wildcats are 26-1 entering the upcoming Central Coast Section play offs after running the table in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division. They went a perfect 14-0 in the league season and followed that up with an equally dominant run in the di vision tournament, outscoring three op ponents by a combined margin of 44-12.

That included a 14-8 victory over Castilleja on Oct. 29 at Lynbrook High in a championship match which was ef fectively over by halftime. The Wildcats led 9-1 at the half and 13-2 entering the final quarter when coach Don Appleton started shuffling players in and out of the pool.

Karly Frangieh scored four goals, Lily Van Putten and Ella Ralston had three scores each and Karissa Elliott two as Los Gatos won its eighth league title in Appleton’s 12 years at the helm. This is also believed to be the first time in that span that a team has gone unbeaten in both the De Anza Division league season and tournament.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Appleton said. “We have a great athletic department and a great athletic director with Ken (Perrotti). They’ve given us everything we need to be successful. There’s been a lot of odd things that’s happened this season, with pools closing and transpor tation changes. And Ken and the rest of the school have handled everything with a smile and let us just worry about competing, and that’s where myself and the girls have really benefited.”

Now it’s on to the CCS Open Division playoffs, which starts on Nov. 5 and fea tures the eight best teams in the section. Los Gatos is ranked No. 8 in the state by Max Preps and expected to be joined in the field by No. 2 Soquel, No. 5 Sacred Heart Prep, No. 11 Menlo School, No. 14 St. Francis, and No. 16 Harker, with No. 22 Castilleja, No. 24 St. Ignatius and

No. 25 Aptos most likely filling out two of the last three spots.

Outside of Soquel, Los Gatos has a resume as good as any of the other teams in the section. Appleton said the team’s rise to the section’s elite has correlated with all of the players’ work they’ve done not just in the pool but outside the pool for the last couple of years.

Appleton said consistent video/game film sessions and communication allow the players to see what they’re doing well but more importantly what they can improve on, and those things are worked on over time in practice.

“Now they have a little more belief in what they’re doing, and they’re just really buying in,” he said. “A few years of hard work is what you’re seeing here, it’s not anything we’ve done this season.”

Entering the league tournament title game, Los Gatos had already beaten Castilleja twice, with the most recent

match being a 10-9 squeaker. Granted, it was at Castilleja’s pool, which is notice ably smaller than a regular-sized pool.

For the third meeting, the Wildcats’ plan was to jump on the Gators early and put them away, which is exactly what they did. Los Gatos scored in the open ing minute and poured it on from there.

“That first possession was exactly what we drew up on our whiteboard,” Appleton said. “It’s exactly what we did, it’s exactly how we scored that first goal, and from there it was off to the races.”

A state-level swimmer, Frangieh has diversified her game which has made the Wildcats that much more dangerous. The junior standout set up teammates in the beginning before doing what she does best: getting behind the defense for counter attacks.

“Karly does what she does,” Appleton said. “Having a kid that quick helps, but now she’s improving her game as well.

In the first quarter she was distributing a lot because everyone knows the game plan is to make sure Karly can’t score on the counter attack. So now when they’re taking care of her counter attack, she’s learning how to lay out and find free men, and so she’s come a long way.”

Even though the Wildcats found dif ferent ways to score, it’s not as if they had to plan anything special.

“So the funny thing is our offensive themes haven’t changed all season,” Appleton said. “It’s just our ability to recognize situations and execute has just gotten better and better through out the season and today they really showed it.”

Goalie Rachel Stephens had 10 saves and once again showed an acumen in the cage. Appleton said Stephens was a big reason why the team delivered a top-notch defensive performance.

“I think Rachel is having a great season,” he said. “She’s maturing into a real goalkeeper, not just a kid who gets in the way of balls. The way she’s un derstanding defense, her positioning, and we’re planning on where we want shots coming from and those are the things we go over in practice over and over again so it’s just another day in the office for her at this point.”

Van Putten had her usual huge impact, drawing five ejections and finishing with two steals. Her physical play makes a difference on both ends of the pool. Elliott and Ralston had terrific all-around games, and Julia Ernsting excelled defensively, finishing with four steals.

Maily Isaacs had a goal and two assists as she continued her comeback after suffering a concussion early in the season. Because Isaacs’ injury has forced her in and out of the lineup throughout the season, the depth of the program has shown.

“Abby Lockman is first off the bench and she’s definitely figuring out how to prevent goals,” Appleton said. “She’s been doing a lot of good work in the center.”

Freshman Eloise Moore got some valuable minutes in the three league tournament games and thrived.

“She’s been getting more minutes, and learning this level of the game now which she’ll be able to carry into her off-season training,” Appleton said. … “Focusing on this year, but you’re always looking at what’s coming down the pike.”

OFFENSE Karissa Elliott scores one of her two goals in the Wildcats’ dominating 14-8 win over Castilleja in the SCVAL De Anza Division tournament championship match at Lynbrook High on Oct. 29.

Jonathan Natividad

SPORTS

Anza Division standings, but they’re playing their best water polo of the sea son at the perfect time.

Koret has been proud of the players’ desire and energy. He said the team must continue to play hard but also be disciplined, focused and execute to make a deep run in the CCS playoffs. The win over Gunn shows the Wildcats are cer tainly getting there.

Connor Sullivan has been an impact player since last year and scored seven goals against Harker, including a high light-reel one in which he fought off a defender draped all over him, spun to gain separation and rifled a shot from point-blank range to make it 11-11 mid way through the third quarter. After stopping Harker’s ensuing possession, Sullivan scored on a 6-on-5 man ad vantage to cap a 5-1 surge and give the Wildcats the lead, 12-11.

However, Harker outscored Los Gatos 11-2 the rest of the way to close things out in emphatic fashion. Still, it was a game performance from the Wildcats, who showed flashes of brilliant play.

“I’m proud of the guys even though the score at the end doesn’t seem close,” Koret said. “Other than the last few min utes of the fourth quarter, it was a battle.

LOS GATOS BOYS WATER POLO ASCENDING

Wildcats hitting their peak at perfect time

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

After a riveting 11-10 win over Gunn High in the third-place game in the San ta Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division tournament on Oct. 29, the Los Gatos High boys water polo team is ready to make some noise in the upcom ing Central Coast Section playoffs.

The Wildcats (19-8) received six goals from Liam Amburgey and three from Mathijs Dirven in beating Gunn for the second time in three meetings this season. Los Gatos will be slotted either in the Open Division or Division I for its CCS playoff quarterfinal match on Nov. 5.

Wildcats coach Davor Koret is eagerly looking forward to the section tourna ment.

“It’ll be plenty of fun, plenty of ex citement, for the couple of games we

have left this season,” he said after the Wildcats’ 22-14 loss to Harker in the league tournament semifinals on Oct. 27. “I think what this program is missing is definitely some significant win. We’ve got some big wins this season, but in the end if it doesn’t reward you, nobody is really going to remember it. So I think clinching an Open Division spot, that No. 8 seed would be a great achieve ment, a great reward for these guys. Or going into Division I and competing for a title wouldn’t be a bad idea for them.”

Los Gatos learned some valuable les sons in the loss to Harker, things that should serve it well in the CCS playoffs. Remarkably, Harker hit buzzer-beating shots on three occasions, including twice to end a quarter. Few things deflate a water polo team more than its opponent beating the shot clock, especially on shots from long range.

“I just feel like we still need to work on playing the full quarter until the

buzzer, not allowing an extra pass or free shot especially for the shooters like Harker which has plenty of them,” Koret said. “That’s something I really hope they’re going to learn from the experi ence. Some of the guys don’t have the experience of playing the big games and that’s what they’re getting right now so I’m proud of them.”

Two days after the Harker match, Los Gatos earned a crucial win against Gunn, rallying from a two-goal deficit af ter the first quarter to post an impressive comeback victory. Jacob Weber scored the game-winning goal with a minute remaining, and Dirven played excellent defense and recorded a steal to thwart Gunn’s final attempt to send the game into overtime.

Judging by the result, it seems ap parent Los Gatos got better after the loss to Harker, which is one of the top teams in the CCS. The Wildcats went 7-5 to finish in fourth place in the De

Congratulations to Harker—they were the better team tonight.”

Amburgey has been a differ ence-maker at both ends of the pool, scoring and passing well on offense and being physical on defense. Lars Schubert, Ryan Madsen, Henry Bakota and goalie Jake Cannon filled out the starting lineup against Harker, and they’ve all been instrumental through out the season.

Playing the likes of Harker, Gunn and Palo Alto—which are all ranked among the top 10 teams in the CCS—three times each has prepared Los Gatos to play its best in the section tournament. Whatever happens, this much is certain: the future looks bright as well since three freshmen and a sophomore play major minutes and a couple of other key players are projected to return next season.

“Pretty much 90% of the team is going to be returning next year with the experience I’m looking for,” Koret said. “So games like these, that’s what I think the team was missing before the season started and now they’re gaining some big-game experience they’ll need (to become one of the elite teams).”

ON FIRE Connor Sullivan scores one of his seven goals in the Wildcats’ 22-14 loss to Harker in the semifinals of the SCVAL De Anza Division tournament on Oct. 27. Los Gatos won the third-place match two days later over Gunn.

Jonathan Natividad

LOCAL SCENE

MANRESA BREAD OPENS

SECOND LOS GATOS LOCATION

Manresa Bread opened its new flagship location on Oct. 27 while ex panding its original location.

Founder and co-owner Avery Ruz icka is expected to debut a new con cept in the original Los Gatos space at 276 N. Santa Cruz Ave., with addi tional details to come.

Located in the heart of down town Los Gatos at 40 N. Santa Cruz Ave., the 1,400-square-foot flagship expands upon the former Los Gatos location with an all-day café menu (similar to the Campbell store), in door and outdoor seating, grab-andgo offerings, and more.

The Los Gatos store will be open daily at 8am with a menu including Ruzicka’s house-milled sourdough breads, laminated pastries, quiches and sandwiches.

As for beverages, it will offer graband-go drinks, tea (Stonemill Matcha supplying their matcha), and Verve coffee. Manresa Bread merchandise and at-home baking mixes made with fresh flour milled in-house (available in Mocha Rye Brownie, Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie, and Einkorn Waffle) round out the offerings.

“The Los Gatos bakery was our first ever brick-and-mortar space, and re ally an experiment as to whether there was a market for our breads. We’ve learned so much over the past seven years about not only baking in a high-quality, thoughtful way, but also how to create a welcoming neighbor hood space,” Ruzicka said. “This move is a testament to our team’s hard work and the unwavering support of the Los Gatos community.”

Designed by Oakland-based Arc sine Architecture and Design, the new store features wood inserts that aim to evoke the iconic unpaint ed homes of Sea Ranch, Calif. In addition, the design team added three ulterior skylights to flood the space with natural light. Reminis cent of the Palo Alto location—also designed by Arcsine—hints of orange are found throughout the space and, along with the blue accents of the tile, recall Manresa Bread’s original logo palette. Finally, a custom win dow graphic aligned with the shelv

ing beyond features patterns inspired by bread scoring.

For information, visit manresa bread.com or follow on @manresa bread on Instagram.

FAMILIES INVITED TO DAY OF CODE

Yavneh Day School’s ninth Annual Yavneh Day of Code will be held Nov. 6 from 11:30am to 3pm.

During the event, themed “Back to the Future,” students and their families will have the opportunity to explore STEAM experiences “from the past,” to create new tools to improve STEAM experiences in the present and near future. STEAM challenges will include working on an archeologi cal dig, building and launching a rock et, and creating a working prototype of an irrigation system. In addition, families will work together to conquer a new family challenge, and solve cod ing and robotics puzzles.

“The family day of code tinkering and play provides families an oppor tunity to get immersed into Yavneh STEAM initiative. Together, kids and adults discover the power of learn

ing new skills by experimenting with hands-on projects,” said Vanina Sand el, K-8 Yavneh STEAM director.

All sessions will be divided by age. Throughout the day, families will take part in coding or robotics sessions,

three different tinkering stations, and a family engineering challenge.

For information and to RSVP, visit yavnehdayschool.org/dayofcode.

Yavneh Day School is a Jewish K-8 day school in Los Gatos.

FANIA SHOWS APPRECIATION FOR RESIDENTS

said. “You’re not living to your fullest po tential. Being homeless you have limited resources.”

Fania has been hanging around Los Gatos hoping to connect with a woman he met through a local church who has a therapy method he thinks he can trust. He often has trouble sleeping, but has found a lot of peace here.

“This community is made up of a lot of good people,” he said. “They taught me a lot of skills and I love them. I appreciate all their help and support.”

He’s been planning to head up into the hills to try to locate the woman he believes can help him.

But Sunday wasn’t that day. There were some “puzzle pieces” he needed to collect for a project he was working on, he said. He got up off his mattress,

cross-stepped past the proselytizing San Jose man with the Info Wars T-shirt on the corner, and headed toward the Los Gatos High School campus.

There, he examined the inscriptions on the various benches, until he found what he was looking for. It was the plaque for Mark Bingham and Todd Beamer, the 9/11 heroes who prevented terrorists aboard Flight 93 from crash ing the plane into government buildings. He considered the significant actions of those men, but was also bothered by how the terrorists could’ve been driven to do something so evil. He made some notes in a booklet, then smiled.

“I think I’ve got what I needed,” he said. “Inner peace.”

Now, he’s dreaming of visiting the ocean.

FLAGSHIP Manresa Bread opened its new location in downtown Los Gatos at 40 N. Santa Cruz Ave. on Oct. 27.

Courtesy of Manresa Bread

TRUNK OR TREAT

CINEMAS

KIWANIS BRINGS HALLOWEEN TO HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN

Drew Penner, Reporter

On Oct. 22, to get into the holiday spirit, Los Gatos Kiwanis headed to Campbell for a “Trunk or Treat” event at CHoNC Pediatric Hospital, dressing up the back portions of vehicles with spooky decorations. It all went down in the parking lot of the general acute care hospital, which treats catastrophically injured and severely disabled children, according to the group’s president of Special Olympics Nancy Pearson.

“They came out in shifts,” she said of the young patients, who generally must follow strict diets (meaning candy is out of the question). “We’d have games for them to play, little gifts to hand out.”

The Kiwanis members picked different themes for the trunks. For example, Rex and Linda Upp went with a farming theme.

“They were dressed up also, and they handed out these little rubber duckies,” she said. “The kids loved them. They could hold them.”

The theme for another trunk was spiders.

And Pearson’s vehicle was turned into a pumpkin patch, complete with a game where kids toss bean bags into one of the gourds.

She says the children seemed to enjoy her interactive display.

“They were happy and thrilled,” she said, noting one boy even asked if he could experience the collection of trunks a second time. “He was just so excited. He wanted to see it again.”

When he returned, he was greeted with applause.

Now the club is gearing up for a partner ship with the Sunday Friends Foundation.

“It was started by a woman in Los Ga

tos who was trying to teach her kids the value of community service and giving back,” Pearson said.

The organization helps families grow their assets and reduce debts while building their confidence and empow ering them to advocate for their needs.

Teaching youth the value of serving others is important, she says, noting the group has quite a few younger residents who donate their time as part of school organizations affiliated with the Kiwanis.

Those are: Los Gatos High School Key Club, Bellarmine Prep Key Club, Leigh High School Key Club, Prospect High School Key Club, Stratford Prep School Key Club, Fisher Middle School Builders Club, Daves Avenue Elementary K-Kids, Van Meter Elementary K-Kids, and Blue Hills Elementary K-Kids.

“I just got word today that they’re do ing a donation drive for Sunday Friends, purely coincidental,” she said. “They have a big K-Kids Club at that elemen tary school.”

At a recent awards dinner the club surprised two members with Dunlap Fel lowship Awards for community service.

“By awarding it to them our club gave a donation to the Kiwanis Children's Fund,” she said, “—$1,000 for each one.”

They also installed Ernie Patterson, who’s been in the club since 1960, as president.

That lined up nicely with the Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos celebrating its 100th year serving the community.

“This was his fourth term now as presi dent,” she said, adding each month a differ ent past president will get to take the reins.

“It feels great. You know, it’s funny because what I have found is there’s so many people that want to volunteer and do good.”

Los Gatos Kiwanis decorated the trunks of their vehicles in a variety of Halloween themes to bring light to children going through challenging experiences.

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