AUTHORITIES RELEASE THE IDENTITIES OF TWO SLAIN MEN DISCOVERED ON SKYLINE BLVD.
One left a chilling Facebook post the day before their bodies were found
D rew P enner , Editor
The names of the two men whose bodies were found in a pickup truck in the Santa Cruz Mountains a week ago were released Tuesday by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The identities of the victims, previously identified by family members, are Colter White, 53, and Sean Pfeffer, 45. Family members said both men lived in Boulder Creek.
In a Sunday telephone call from her home in Texas, Nicki Dorris, Peffer’s sister, called her younger brother a loving father who was loyal to his friends and family. She had not yet heard from detectives investigating the deaths of her brother and White.
Six days after the discovery of the two friends’ bodies at a mountain ridge turnout along Skyline Boulevard (SR 35),
GOLF COURSE EMBARKS ON LANDSCAPING REINVENTION
La Rinconada manager says they’re becoming more eco-friendly
Over the century La Rinconada Country Club has been a part of the community, it’s continued to evolve. Now, club officials say it's time to bring it back to its original look while making improvements golfers can enjoy for years to come.
“The project will result in a modern, sustainable golf course that the members, neighbors and the Town will be proud of,” said Andy Kimball, general manager of the club, in an interview.
Kimball said club management proposed a large landscaping
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• Mature landscaping with fruit trees
• Prime location near shopping, major commute routes, Bel Gatos Park, Santa Rosa trails, and award-winning Union Schools (Noddin Elementary, Union Middle, Leigh High)
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BECOMING MINDFUL OF RECYCLING IN SILICON VALLEY
How much waste are we generating anyways?
D in A h c otton , Contributor
Edward Hume, a Pulitzer Prize winner, wrote that the average American throws out three times more trash now than in 1960: “Rethinking waste as our arch-villain isn’t just a word game – it’s the secret sauce that turns anxiety and inertia into hope and action, because waste is the one big problem, anyone can do something about.” And today we have our e-waste to consider, too. But what goes where?
Answers are website clicks or phone calls away. I called West Valley Recycles and spoke with Maggie Wong, an outreach coordinator. She recommended that I go to the WVR’s website, Facebook page or Instagram accounts. Wong also suggested that I visit the official website for State agency CalRecycle. This site provides detail on “The Circular Economy” concept that the State recommends for the ultimate in recycling.
I soon learned that computer chips,
boards and integrated circuits or semiconductors are not that easy to recycle. Chemical processes are available to obtain the recyclable metals from discarded silicon chips. These toxic chemicals also must be kept from entering our landfills.
Globally, more than a trillion computer chips are produced every year; that is about 148 chips per person on Earth. (For more info you can visit semiconductors.org). Please let that sink in. That’s in addition to swallowing approximately a credit card-sized amount of plastic a week. Recycling e-waste is a critical aspect of sorting our trash—and making sure that it is going to be used again, if possible.
Since Jan. 1, 2005, a recycling fee has been assessed on certain electronic devices sold in California. These fees go to approved collectors and recyclers. According to the State, this is to encourage them to develop recycling opportunities and to offset the cost of managing these products at the end of their use.
(Read more at calrecycle.ca.gov)
CalRecycle receives and evaluates applications from prospective collectors and recyclers to participate in the program. This would include our local scout troop, which has an e-waste collection day.
In a February release, Semiconductor Industry Association CEO John Neuffer said, “Our companies are investing nearly half-a-trillion dollars to manufacture and develop more semiconductors in the U.S., create high paying American jobs,
LOS GATOS SUES PAIR OF DEVELOPERS, SEEKING CLARITY AROUND HOUSING RULES
Town wants HCD to stop extending Builder’s Remedy deadlines
D rew P enner , Editor
On Friday, the Town of Los Gatos filed a lawsuit against two developers in Santa Clara County Superior Court, seeking clarification on State housing rules about deadlines for streamlined projects.
The 19-page action against Arya Properties, LLC and Boulevard Properties, LLC seeks “declaratory relief” around builds that received special exceptions because the Town was out
secure our supply chains and win global markets.” So, it looks like there will be a lot more chips around, and they will be made in America. More chips, please?
Even solar panels have toxic materials and if not handled properly these materials can leach out and into landfills.
The government is trying to educate residents to improve upon their recycling habits. Our landfills are filling up and officials are concerned with what goes where.
They urge consumers to think twice
referral to the Attorney General to enforce their view.”
before chucking just anything into the landfill bins.
“It’s important for residents to improve recycling diversion, as landfill containers fill up with items that should be in recycle or organics,” Wong said. So, from meal prep scraps, to that high-tech broken monitor, recycling is critical for all. Every one of us can help by mindfully sorting our waste. If you do not have time for web surfing, just go to WVR online or give them a call at 408-283-9250.
of compliance with Housing Element rules for months.
“The State’s Builder’s Remedy law allows for development applications that don’t have to adhere to local building and zoning standards,” Mayor Matthew Hudes said when asked about the lawsuit, noting there’s been conflicting direction from Sacramento about how the laws should be applied. “State law says that if missing information is not submitted ‘within the 90-day period, then the preliminary application shall expire and have no further force or effect.’ On the other hand, Housing and Community Development stated that the time was unlimited and threatened
The Town interprets the law to mean there is a single 90-day cure period following an initial 180-day application deadline. However, in Aug. 30 and Feb. 12 letters, HCD stated that there isn’t just one 90-day period, but instead successive 90-day periods can keep getting renewed.
“By seeking the court’s help, we aim to avoid further confusion and ensure that the Town’s actions are consistent with the law. Without resolution of this issue, applications could remain incomplete indefinitely, which would only delay the construction of much needed housing,” Hudes said in a release.
More than a year after the deadline, the Town passed a Housing Element that plans for more than 2,400 new units (the initial requirement amount of 1,993 units plus a buffer).
While housing projects flooded into the Planning Department to take advantage of the fact Los Gatos was temporarily in violation of State law, some developers have been nearing— or even missed—the end of the period for accessing those benefits.
And Los Gatos is hoping the court will tell the homes ministry it can’t just continue to reopen those windows, time and time again.
“An unlimited length of time for an application to be open allows for an applicant to delay the processing of the application by submitting successive incomplete applications and extending the time for review and a decision, rather than expediting the development of much needed housing,” Hudes told the newspaper. “It is important for our Town to have clarity, so the Council authorized the pursuit of a court opinion.”
RECYCLING HABITS Maggie Wong, outreach coordinator for West Valley Recycles, explains the waste diversion sorting process. That little organics kitchen bucket is very handy.
SISTER MOURNS HER BROTHER
Pfeffer Homicide, from page 1
Dorris said, “I just want to know what happened. I want justice for whoever did this to him.” April 1 would have been Pfeffer’s 46th birthday.
Sunday would have been White’s 54th birthday.
One week after the bodies were found, the California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the double homicide, declined to discuss any details of the case, such as suspects, a murder weapon, or where or when the actual killings occurred.
In a March 26 report, the coroner officially classified the incident as a double homicide.
Pfeffer was killed by a “gunshot wound of the left chest,” while White was killed by “gunshot wounds of torso and left upper and lower extremities,” according to medical examiner records.
Over the weekend, a small roadside memorial—with photos, candles and flowers—appeared at the Highway 35 turnout where the truck and bodies were discovered.
On March 24, just after 6:50pm, the California Highway Patrol was notified of an abandoned truck located along Skyline, on the Santa Clara/
Santa Cruz County boundary.
When CHP officers arrived on scene they discovered two deceased individuals in the bed of a Ford pickup. After the bodies were examined, photographed and transported to the Santa Clara County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office in San Jose, the truck was processed for evidence and towed away on Tuesday afternoon, said Sgt. Andrew Barclay, a spokesperson for CHP’s Golden Gate Division.
Because the crime scene was next to a state route, CHP detectives are investigating the case.
One week after the grisly discovery, investigators were releasing few details about the killings. Information about the victims has been compiled from families, friends, court records, newspaper archives and social media.
Pfeffer left a chilling message on Facebook one day before his body was found. Four days before that, he’d updated his Facebook profile photo.
At 2:10pm on March 23, Pfeffer wrote on his Facebook page, “If today isn't work out know that it was (name withheld by this publication), the piece of crap that I invited to this mountain that still hasn't left it and
tion. Families have been notified, and supplied the names to local media.
Sean Pfeffer’s Gilroy childhood
In an hour-long interview Sunday, Dorris said she is devastated by the sudden loss of the “baby brother” she grew up with in Gilroy.
“I just want to find his killer —or killers.”
Dorris said that as children, she and her brother were as close as can be. Their parents were frequently away for work (their dad was a traveling plumber). So, the siblings had to rely on one another.
“He was my world,” she said. “He just knew all my secrets.”
She described Pfeffer as a somewhat of a shy kid who got embarrassed easily, but was also a jokester.
“He was so different when he was a child,” she said, adding he had “the best laugh ever.”
They attended Gilroy High School, but after a “family incident” were sent to live with their aunt in Santa Rosa.
is working the f*** out of my f****** cousin. I'm rolling down there right now (name withheld) I hope you shoot me.” It was his last social media post.
At a weekend vigil at the mountain crime scene, Janelle Sanford, who described herself as a friend of White’s, told a KTVU-TV reporter that Pfeffer and White were friends.
“It seems like he just got Colter caught up in things that he shouldn’t have been,” she speculated. She said Pfeffer “had problems with people and he wanted Colter to come be his muscle and back him up.”
Dorris posted to Facebook, “If you or someone you know lives in the Boulder Creek area in California and knows anything that can help find the people responsible for murdering my little brother, Sean Pfeffer, please call it in! He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a father and a friend to many and did not deserve this.”
The CHP would not comment on the Facebook post or any other aspect of the case.
“The investigation is active and ongoing,” Barclay said in a telephone interview on Friday. “Based on what we know at this time, there doesn’t appear to be any danger to the public.” He declined to elaborate Monday, though he said no suspect is in custody.
The CHP, citing standard procedure, has not formally identified the two victims, except to say they are males, deferring to the coroner for the identifica-
“I feel like that’s when everything went to shit,” she said.
She was 17 years old. After a few months, Pfeffer moved to San Jose.
“He dropped out of school,” she said. “He just started hanging out with not the best people, and just making really bad decisions.”
Dorris stayed in Santa Rosa and, after graduation, got her own place.
Pfeffer would come up for visits, staying overnight.
“Those were some of the best times,” she said, recalling their newfound independence. “He loved me and knew that I cared.”
She remembers how their mom hated purple candy, so she’d always give them the purple items to eat.
So, they joked about how now they wouldn’t have to eat the purple sweets anymore.
One day, Dorris bought Fruity Pebbles cereal (Pfeffer’s favorite) and ice cream, and left for a while.
Upon returning, she discovered her little brother had devoured all of it.
“And the milk was completely gone,” she recalls fondly. “He loved all ice cream. He loved all sweets.”
By this point, she believed that there were drugs in the picture for her brother, but she says he shielded her from what he was up to.
“He tried to just kind of protect me
SIBLINGS After Sean Pfeffer’s death, his sister Nicki Dorris posted this photo of the two of them together on her Facebook page.
➝ Pfeffer Homicide, 9
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LA RINCONADA’S RESET
La Rinconada, from page 1
project after considering the possibilities available for the golf course land. But it would mean removing and replacing upwards of 100 trees over the course of 12-14 months, something not everyone is happy about.
Kimball has been planning this project since 2021, when the club bought the land it had been leasing. The purchase opened a door to upgrades that would make the operation more environmentally sustainable.
In the 1950s and 1960s, non-native trees, such as eucalyptus, were planted as part of the trend that spread to various golf courses across the country. Over the years, these have become hazardous due to their inclination to fall during storms. The trees also use quite a lot of water, eventually depleting the quality of the soil.
While the proposed plan gets rid of many eucalyptus trees, there will be some left on the border of the club to provide a
La Rinconada believes changes to the local course will help cut down on water usage.
“Our concept involves replacing our current turf with a drought tolerant bermuda grass that requires 30% less water to survive. In water volume that is a volume savings of more than 30,000,000 gallons of irrigation water per year,” Kimball said.
The removal of trees would also open up more pockets of sunlight for the proposed bermuda grass to be able to thrive, he added.
From the project’s start in 2021, the club has kept members informed and held meetings to answer their questions and concerns regarding the project. As part of their effort to keep all members and neighbors included, Kimball told us that image renderings and construction schedules have been sent out, along with other information on the proposed project.
“The project was overwhelmingly approved by our membership in November and the equity members of the Club will be paying for the project,” Kimball said.
The club plans to start construction in March 2026, after acquiring permits and securing the necessary approvals from the Town of Los Gatos.
To speed up the growth of the new trees and grasses, the idea is to plant 60-inch box oak trees that are 10 years old—this is meant to preserve the club’s iconic look.
Course officials say they’ll work on one hole at a time, allowing a five- or six-month growing period for the grass.
The project itself has no real “construction,” save for the building of a 400 square foot restroom. Unlike many projects, there will be little noise—contained to short bursts of work in specific areas.
barrier for stray golf balls, Kimball said.
Invasive grasses have also taken over the course, creating hassles for golfers and consuming gallons upon gallons of water every year, he added. This effort to modernize is not just restricted to La Rinconada.
Courses across the country have embarked on similar projects.
Sustainability-focused Florida company The Veransa Group, for example, notes on its website that, “Some course administrators have chosen to let non-playable areas ‘go native’ with drought-resistant plants, and others employ premium turf products that reduce the need for frequent watering and support drought resilience.”
The project itself has been described as a “generational reset” that most golf courses go through at one point or another.
“Golf courses typically require major rehabilitation after a 30 year period because fairway grasses become compromised and irrigation and drainage, especially around greens and bunkers, begin to fail,” Kimball said in a letter to the Town.
The “reset” would connect holes in a new way, making the course more walkable and less disconnected, La Rinconada officials say, adding the new grass is a better choice for the hot weather that California is known for.
BLANK CANVAS This is just one of the many proposed sites where landscaping would take place in the proposed project.
Aradhita Singh / Los Gatan
MYSTERY KILLINGS
Pfeffer Homicide, from page 6
from what he was doing,” she said. “He always tried to brush things off.”
She says she never saw those darker elements at her place.
“I tried to get him to move in with me,” she said, but noted these pleas fell on deaf ears. “He’s a stubborn kid— just like myself.”
Pfeffer married his longtime girlfriend and they had a daughter together.
“He was extremely happy,” she said.
Dorris said she has this image in her head of the time he walked out of the delivery room and embraced her.
Their own father hadn’t been around so much. And now Pfeffer was going to be a dad himself.
“I was holding him,” Dorris said. “He was holding back tears.
“It’s just these little moments that are the sweetest.”
But, according to Dorris, Pfeffer was gutted by an acrimonious divorce that followed.
‘He was loyal to the people he loved and cared about.’
Nicki Dorris, Sean Pfeffer's Sister
something Pfeffer had had to deal with much before.
“He was devastated,” Dorris said.
And then, there was the time Pfeffer told her he’d almost died himself.
“He got stabbed on New Year’s,” she said, when asked about some of his misadventures “on the hill” in Boulder Creek. “I’m sure there’s good people, but there’s also not great people.”
Dorris says he told her he thought he might die in the ambulance.
“It’s not like the movies,” he told her. “My brain just went completely blank.”
We “just need to get you off the hill,” she thought.
“My mom and I both tried to get him to move to either of our houses,” she said, adding it seemed there was a familiarity to the San Lorenzo Valley life for him, no matter how rough and tumble. “It was the chaos that he was accustomed to.”
A few weeks before his death, Dorris messaged Pfeffer about a painting project she’d been working on.
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“He cried many times on the phone to me,” she said. “He’s not a man who can keep his emotions inside.”
Even though she’d left California in 2015, they remained in close contact.
“He was going through stuff. I was going through stuff,” she said. “He was loyal to the people he loved and cared about.”
Over the years, a theme began to emerge: This idea that getting him “off the hill”—referring to the San Lorenzo Valley area—might not be such a bad idea.
Pfeffer had taken up residence on the property of a friend who was dying of cancer.
“He was actually helping take care of him,” Dorris said, “—until he passed away.”
The passing of this best friend was another major blow: despite their hardships over the years, death wasn’t
He complimented her on one of the dressers she’d spruced-up to flip in his own way.
“That’s sick a** furniture,” he wrote, razzing that maybe she was just passing off an item from a catalogue as her own.
“You are very sweet… All me… Who knew, right?” came her response.
White: former cause celebre
Pfeffer’s friend, Colter White, had been a local celebrity 16 years ago, gaining fans and publicity for apparently turning his life around following years of run-ins with the law.
Hundreds marched to support his release from the Santa Cruz County Jail in October 2009 where he was
➝ Pfeffer Homicide, 17
Colter White.
WILDCATS POSTING FAST TIMES ON THE TRACK
Elmore, Stefanopoulos break school records
e m A nuel l ee , Sports Editor
As the laps ticked off in the girls 3200 meter race in the star-studded Dublin Distance Fiesta on March 21, Shea Elmore knew she was on pace for a fast time.
She just didn’t know how fast. The Los Gatos High School senior
finished fourth in 10 minutes, 41.18 seconds, smashing her previous best by a whopping 37 seconds and breaking the school record in the process. Her time ranks No. 1 in the Central Coast Section this season. Elmore covered the last lap in a blistering 73 seconds, leaving her stunned.
“I felt confident coming into the race, but I had no idea I would run 10:41,” she said. “I could hear the split times during the race, but my final lap
was so much faster than I expected it to be.”
Elmore said her training, the atmosphere and the competition helped her establish a new personal-record (PR). The Dublin Distance Fiesta is one of Northern California’s premier early season races and Elmore was in a field with last year’s Nevada state champion along with Montgomery High of Santa Rosa’s Hanne Thomsen, who is ranked nationally.
“The atmosphere is great,” Elmore said. “There’s music playing throughout your race, which in the 3200 is so helpful because mentally the event is so demanding. And of course the competition definitely helped.”
In addition to being ranked No. 1 in the CCS in the 3200, Elmore has the sixth fastest time in the 800 and 1600 meters. In the latter event, she ran a PR of 5:03.75 in a duel meet with Los Altos on March 18, a race in which she had no one to push her.
Once again, Elmore was surprised with her performance—but for an entirely different reason.
“It’s always harder when you’re running
UP FRONT Wildcats senior Shea Elmore has the Central Coast Section’s fastest time in the girls 3200 meters this season.
SPORTS
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alone,” she said. “I had to really push myself in that race so that was a little harder.”
Elmore’s goal is to run in the low 10:30s in the 3200 and go sub five minutes in the 1600, times that are usually good enough to make it to the CIF State Championships. Elmore is also a member of the 4x400 relay team that ranks No. 3 in the CCS.
“I love the relays,” she said. “The 4x400 is one of my favorite events because the atmosphere is amazing, especially when we’re running it at bigger meets because it’s usually the last event.”
Elmore is part of a talented Los Gatos girls team that features sophomore sensation Madison Kohli, who ranks third in the 200 (24.82) and 400 meters (56.79), while also being one of the fastest legs for the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.
In the field events, the Wildcats have a three-time returning state qualifier in Nicole Steiner, who has a lifetime best throw of 43 feet, 6 inches in the shot put. Meanwhile, the Los Gatos boys team features distance ace Aydon Stefanopoulos and sprinters Shane Harmer and Kai Jordan.
Stefanopoulos broke his own school record in the 3200 at the Dublin Distance Fiesta, finishing in 8:57.33. That time ranks No. 2 in the CCS this season. Stefanopoulos has the top mark in the 1600 (4:10.46) and No. 3 mark in the 800 (1:54.46).
After a bout with anemia that slowed him down in 2024, Stefanopoulos is back on track and poised to contend for CCS and CIF State titles in the final season of his illustrious high school career.-
Say a word of thanks when you have a chance.
RECORD-BREAKER Los Gatos High School senior Aydon Stefanopoulos broke his own school recor in the boys 3200 meters earlier this season.
Jonathan Natividad
15885 Los Gatos Almaden Rd, Los Gatos
DISCOVER LOST GATOS
LYNDON HEIGHTS: A LOST LANDMARK
This magnificent estate was the home of the “Father of Los Gatos”
A l A n f ein B erg , Contributor
After five years of meetings, proposals, compromises, and design revisions, the Town Council has unanimously approved the new Los Gatos Meadows development.
It’ll be situated on an 11 acre property that was the home of one of our earliest and most prominent citizens, John Weldon Lyndon. While many
current Los Gatos residents may not recognize the name, J. W. Lyndon was once thought of as the “Father of Los Gatos.”
His three story Victorian home, called Lyndon Heights, was a magnificent estate with a commanding view of the entire town. It had 24 rooms, six fireplaces, and an elevator, and was painted dark red-orange on the bottom and light yellow-green above. It cost $12,000 to build in 1886 (about $350,000 today).
Lyndon’s life story is a legendary tale of a young man who arrived in Califor-
nia with only 65 cents in his pocket and amassed great wealth through sheer determination and foresight. He was born in Vermont in 1836. His parents, who were subsistence farmers, were unable to support all seven of their children so he was forced to fend for himself beginning as early as age nine.
Lyndon found employment on a large farm where he worked for room and board. At age 23, like many ambitious young men of the era, he traveled West to seek his fortune.
Lyndon was too late for the Gold Rush so he took whatever odd jobs
he could find, mostly in the San Jose area, working as a ranch hand, ox team driver, and grocery store clerk. The enterprising young man eventually started a general store of his own in the little town of Lexington (which now lies at the bottom of the reservoir). After selling his business in 1869, he had saved enough to purchase 100 acres of land which today would encompass most of the downtown Los Gatos business district. Although he had little formal education, Lyndon was a shrewd and determined businessman who continued to develop and invest wisely in local real estate. Over the years, he also became quite involved with his adopted community. He was a school trustee, major stockholder in the Los Gatos
LYNDON HEIGHTS Completed in 1886. Torn down in 1969.
Los Gatos
JOHN WELDON LYNDON (1836-1912) “The Father of Los Gatos”.
Fruit Packing Company, charter mem ber of the Los Gatos Bank, and found er of the Los Gatos Gas Company. He was one of the first five members of the Board of Trustees (now the Town Council) when Los Gatos was incorpo rated in 1887, and served as its Presi dent (now Mayor) from 1888-1892.
We know very little about Lyndon’s first wife who died at a young age. In 1872 he married Theresa Rector, daughter of W.H. Rector, one of the early settlers of Oregon. Their daughter, Irma, married J.D. Farwell in 1902 and Lyndon Heights remained in their fam ily until shortly after her death in 1964. The current generation of Farwells still owns a great deal of the commercial property in downtown Los Gatos.
J.W. Lyndon died of heart failure at age 75 in 1912, bringing to an end an
WITH A BRIDE, COMES A BUSTLE
Wedding attire adorns the showroom space at Micaela Suhr’s business
fA i Z i S A m ADA ni , Contributor
Stumbling upon one-of-a-kind places is a perk of a town like Los Gatos. On North Santa Cruz Avenue, there is a unique bridal store with a swing that pedestrians can see through the glass as they walk their dogs while holding a morning coffee. Whether one has an appointment for a fitting or is just passing by, the overpour of white gowns inside Bride and Bustle makes itself known. For owner Micaela Suhr, the fascination of weddings began at the mere age of seven.
Growing up in Monte Sereno with four brothers, finding the feminine was something Suhr did via her affinity for weddings. “I was strangely obsessed with wedding magazines and my plan was to be a wedding planner
since about seven years old,” she says. “I have owned this business since May 2019.” She acquired it from Haute Bride (it was originally started in San Francisco).
But when Suhr turned 20, she received a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which changed the trajectory of her dreams of becoming a wedding planner. “It’s a condition where your immune system attacks your nerves which paralyzes you,” she says.
“I was in the hospital for five months in the ICU, then went into an in-patient physical rehabilitation center for two months to learn how to walk, talk and get back on my feet. The condition is like a one-time incident, but one year later I got it again—and three times in total. Then it transformed into a condition called CIDP, which is a chronic form of neuropathy,” says Suhr, as she goes through the timeline of realizing her new reality. Suhr got into Santa Clara University
but wasn’t able to continue due to her health. “You can’t be flakey when you’re planning someone’s wedding. So, since I couldn’t chase that dream at the time, I got my foot in the door with working at a wedding store in town. Working retail at a wedding boutique was my way of socializing,” says Suhr, as she explains her experience of connecting with people without attending college. “I can root my fascination since I was young because my parents divorced before I turned one. So, I was raised by a single father. I was surrounded by boys all the time, so I found the girliest thing that I could find. My father owned an insurance company which got sold, named Suhr Services,” she says, going on to describe weddings as something magical.
The Bustle
For many, dreams that have been tucked away due to the bustle of life can reemerge because of one reminder or another. “I find designers on Instagram and ask them to be carried online, which is mostly by us finding them out on our own,” Suhr says. “We also have people reaching out to us directly, so it goes both ways. Bridal is
territorial, so it’s about 50 miles that another store can't carry a designer in close radius to us which is just an industry standard.” Suhr continues describing the ins-and-outs of the business. “We're a small town and we're a small team with just the owner and manager, Elizabeth here—Elizabeth has been here since day one, and I came over and made her manager when she came over,” she says. “We both love what we do. We deal with brides all the times where someone is pushing them towards a sale. And we don't do that. We want the experience more than anything. We are more unconventional because we want it to be more laid back, hence the swing.” Just like brides-to-be have been thinking of this day since they were a kid, Suhr forms long-term relationships with people she might not help for months or years. Her manager Elizabeth bought her dress from Micaela when she was working next door. This friendship was built from work, which started with a dream way back when. “In order to continue to represent a brand accurately—since they come out with a collection twice a
GARMENTS Micaela Suhr describes her approach to helping brides-to-be select the perfect wedding attire.
CW
year—you are required to carry from their newest collection.” New York bridal fashion week is in April and October, as well as in Scottsdale Arizona. “I want the store to continue to grow and bring more brides these dresses that they will wear for the rest of their lives. I will like to continue to expand the store more because we run out of space. I don't want to go too far out there, because it’s better to be good at one thing and not spread yourself too far. I would rather be really good at one aspect than multiple.”
Visitors come from all over the map to check out Bride and Bustle’s gowns and many depart with tears of joy, knowing that this one-stop shop will leave a mark of happiness on them for the rest of their lives. Suhr ends by saying, “I just want people to know that when they're going into this store, we’re happy to see people not just as our customer, but we want to be a part of making them feel better. I solely do this job because I love it.” Though dreams emerge in us at a young age, many don’t get to accomplish them due to challenges that arrive. Micaela Suhr’s story provides inspiration for all to carry on their own dreams.
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ORNAMENTAL SWING “love made me do it”
A TIME OF ‘SWEET RAIN’ IN LOS GATOS WITH NEW BIZ ARRIVAL
Danbi Korean Restaurant brings bulgogi, seafood pancakes and more to Town Plaza Park-adjacent spot
l AurA n eSS , Contributor
Finally, that former Montebello Market space next to Parkside on Montebello Way has a new owner. Entrepreneur Janet Shoh, just opened her third location of Danbi Korean BBQ, finally bringing representation of this popular ethnic cuisine to downtown Los Gatos. Shoh has two other locations of Danbi—both in San Jose—on North First Street and Danbi Korean Santa Teresa on Snell Avenue.
First of all, yes, they have fried chicken (savory, spicy and soy glazed), and Kalbi (grilled beef short ribs), grilled pork, mackerel and bulgogi (sliced soy marinated beef), but they also offer kimchi, vegetable and seafood pancakes. There’s ramen and soft tofu soups, as well as several spins on fried rice. We asked Shoh what we should not miss. “The Japchae,” she said. This is a stir-fried dish of shiny glass noodles with spinach, fragrant bulgogi beef, sweet onion and crunchy cabbages. She also recommended the hot clay pot sizzling rice, a version of bi bim bap. “This is one of my favorite dishes,” she said. “The rice cooks on the bottom and gets really crispy.” It comes in several permutations, but we chose the chicken. It came out, sizzling away in dramatic style, the rice covered by a pile of shredded carrots, bean sprouts, radish, spinach, diced chicken and a fried egg. Add a little gochujang to spice it up. I must say the cheese hot stone pot with spicy pork, bell peppers and Mozzarella is intriguing.
Accompanying any entrée dish is a set of little sides, called banchan, including spicy fish cake, pickled daikon radish, kimchee Napa cabbage, marinated bean sprouts and pickled jalapenos and carrots. The Koreans are big on cabbage. They’re also very big on vegetables. Shoh’s delightfully friendly and knowledgeable business
partner and longtime friend, Sunny Choi, who she met at De Anza College before they diverged to different schools, explains, “Korea has always been a poor country, and especially after the war. There was very little refrigeration. We had to survive through harsh winters by preserving food.” She says her grandmother, like most homemakers, would bury a big ceramic pot in the ground into which she had submerged cabbage and other vegetables in a spicy brine. “I remember she would bring in icy, almost frozen, bowls of kimchi to have with our traditional meals.”
I asked Choi about the colorful woven and embroidered mats that are set atop each table at the restaurant. “These are from Korea,” Choi explained. “They were used to cover all the condiments to keep flies and dust out. They would be left on the kitchen table, ready to accompany the meal, so you would just have to cook rice, and dinner is ready.”
After Shoh graduated from San Jose State, she immediately dove into the world of food. Her first franchise was a Baskin Robbins. Asked for her favorite
flavor, she replied, “Pistachio almond,” which didn’t surprise, as she was wearing a beautiful fan-shaped pendant carved of malachite and edged with diamonds. She then purchased the first of her Togo franchises, which she says have been amazingly consistent performers, due to the quality of the food and strength of top management. “That fresh-baked bread comes in every morning. It’s what keeps people coming back.” And yes, pastrami is the number one seller.
After De Anza, Choi went to UC Irvine, and lived in southern California for 21 years. Then Shoh contacted her and said it was time to get into business together: they had talked about it for a long time. So now, in addition to the Korean fried chicken restaurant she owns near Pioneer High School, she is proudly serving up her Korean heritage at Danbi. She says Shoh had long been scouting for a Los Gatos location, but all the vacant spaces required the installation of a kitchen. Then, one night, Shoh was scrolling through business listings and discovered this very space. She excitedly
called Choi. The next day, Shoh met with former lessee, Yvonne Khananis, saw the place and fell in love. It was perfect. The deal was done quickly, but the ABC license will take a little longer. They hope to be able to offer beer and wine soon.
As for other items on the menu, there are many signature Korean soups and stews, including Galbi Tang, a beef short rib soup with glass noodles, rice, vegetables and egg. Intriguing and reminiscent of the Korean War, which is still technically ongoing, is the Army Stew, known as Budae Jjigae. This dish contains some of America’s more questionable exports, including spam and American cheese, along with kimchi, ramen, sausage, pork and tofu.
There’s also a spicy calamari stir fry, to which you can add rice cake or udon noodles. There’s also a Danbi stir fry—with vegetables and a choice of spicy pork, beef, chicken or tofu (over rice, of course).
I asked Choi the meaning of Danbi. “It’s a Korean word for sweet rain,” she said. “More like that wonderful first rain after a long drought.”
JAPCHAE Stir-fried glass noodles with cabbages, spinach, onions and bulgogi.
Laura Ness
RECENT COURT APPEARANCES
Pfeffer Homicide, from page 9
BOULDER CREEK RESIDENT
Sean Pfeffer’s sister told the newspaper she tried to convince him to leave the San Lorenzo Valley and move in with her.
serving a month for parole violation. He was freed, and the violation dismissed, thanks in part to letters of recommendation from the then-Cabrillo College President Brian King, and popular politician Fred Keeley—now mayor of Santa Cruz—and hundreds of students and faculty. There was even a Press Banner editorial written in support of White.
At the time it was reported that he’d spent most of his adult life in trouble with the law, and had been in prison for battery with great bodily injury during a bar fight. In 2004, while serving his sentence, White earned a GED and started college courses. White spent 15 years in prison.
After his parole, White lived with relatives in Boulder Creek, worked construction and earned A’s at Cabrillo College. He transferred to Santa Clara University in 2009, and graduated with a communications degree in 2012. Two student filmmakers, SCU classmates, made a 2012 documentary film about White’s turnaround.
But in recent months he was back in trouble with the law. On Jan. 14 he pleaded not guilty to felony grand theft and five enhancements.
“Colter White did unlawfully take money and personal property of a value exceeding Nine Hundred Fifty Dollars ($950), to wit a boat the property of Jarred Sumida,” reads the Nov. 6 Complaint.
The next day prosecutors successfully argued for stolen property terms to be added to his $10,000 surety bail.
According to another Complaint filed Feb. 4, White “did unlawfully bring and possess a weapon, to wit, knife…upon the grounds of, and within a public and private school providing instruction in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12” on Jan. 23.
In addition to $5,000 bail for this case, on Feb. 6, Superior Court Judge Nancy de la Pena told him to “Stay Away, from Boulder Creek Elementary,” according to court minutes, also ordering him, “Do not own or possess any firearm, body armor, ammunition, or any other dangerous weapon, firearm or ammunition.”
On March 7 he pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing a weapon at a school and denied the several enhancements that came along with it.
Final frantic post
Pfeffer faced felony vandalism and misdemeanor domestic violence charges in 2023.
However, it was the DA’s Office that requested this be dismissed due to “insufficient evidence.”
Pfeffer’s final Facebook post on March 23 shocked his friends and family. Dorris said she was so alarmed she tried to reach out to see if he was okay.
“Sean, just pick up your fricking phone,” she thought.
She says she even tried—unsuccessfully—to crack his T-Mobile account to see if she could intercept messages that might give her a clue about what was going on. Dorris even went as far as to file a missing persons report with local authorities here.
And then her mom called with the tragic news. Her little brother was dead.
“That was a blur moment. I just remember pleading with her that she was wrong,” Dorris said. “It was awful. It was terrible.”
She says at that point she flipped into robotic mode: notifying their father, their stepdad and others about the killing. Dorris says she’s frustrated with the pace of the investigation.
“I don’t want this to go in the back page of the newspaper,” she said. “There’s a murderer out there.”
Barry Holtzclaw contributed to this report.
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PUBLIC NOTICES
Fictitious Business Name Statements
File Number: FBN713835. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: LiButti Capital 6203 San Ignacio Ave # 110, San Jose, CA 95119. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, Grenadicci LLC, 6203 San Ignacio Ave # 110, San Jose, CA 95119. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 02/19/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Patty Camarena /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Grenadicci LLC, Article/Reg # 202250419517, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Anthony LiButti /s/ Managing Member. (Pub LGN: 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
File Number: FBN714156. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: A HERO DRIVING SCHOOL , 80 Gilman Ave Suite 31 A, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: An Individual, TAWFIQ ASAD, 17298 Reunion St, Lathrop, CA 95330. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 02/28/2025 and 02/28/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Corinne Vasquez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Tawfiq Asad /s/. (Pub LGN: 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714227
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Rapid Baths & Showers, 7052 Santa Teresa Blvd., San Jose, CA, 95139, Kory E Rushing. This business is being conducted by a Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 03/04/2025. /s/ Kory Rushing. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/04/2025. (pub Metro 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713954
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Tricore Panels, 2175 De La Cruz Blvd Suite 3, Santa Clara, CA, 95050, Mish-Ra Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 08/21/2013. /s/Hellia Misha Homara. CEO. #3490622. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/21/2025. (pub LG 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #713603
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: CG Therapy, 1930 Camden Ave Suite 1A, San Jose, CA, 95124, Cheryl Ann Gittens. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 02/10/2025. /s/Cheryl Ann Gittens. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/10/2025. (pub LG 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714292
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Jojoba Arts&Crafts, 3355 Octavius Drive Apt 255, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, Xiaodong Huang. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/ Xiaodong Huang. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/06/2025. (pub LG 03/12, 03/19, 03/26, 04/02/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714405
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LaVoie Acupuncture, 1054 Courtland Ave., Milpitas, CA, 95035, Derek K. Lavoie. This business is being conducted by an individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Derek K. Lavoie. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/11/2025. (pub LG 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714327
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: PMI Willow Glen, 4414 Stone Canyon Drive, San Jose, CA, 95136, Willow Glen Corp. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant began
business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 3/7/25. /s/Nabeel William Khashan. President. #6454803 This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/07/2025. (pub LG 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714475
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 2 The Core Cleaning Services, 1990 Lavender Way, Gilroy, CA, 95020, Lucia C Franco. This business is being conducted by a, Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 03/12/2025. /s/ Lucia C Franco. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/12/2025. (pub LG 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714301
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Loan Factory, 2195 Tully Road, San Jose, CA, 95122, Loan Factory Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 10/01/2016. /s/Thuan Nguyen. President. #2887317. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/06/2025. (pub Metro 03/19, 03/26, 04/02, 04/09/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714496
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Best-2-own Homes, 20035 Orchard Meadow, Saratoga, CA, 95070, Summit Solutions Team Corp. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant has not begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Mehran Aminzadeh. President. #C3189805. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/12/2025. (pub Metro 03/26, 04/02, 04/09, 04/16/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714139
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Carlos Garage Door Services, 1064 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, CA, 95125, DA General Contractors Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Above entity was formed in the state of California. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Danny Atar. Owner. #C4717496. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/28/2025. (pub Metro 03/26, 04/02, 04/09, 04/16/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714696
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Mike’s Signs, 308 N. Abbott Ave., Milpitas, CA, 95035, Michael J. Macias. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 03/18/2025. /s/Michael J. Macias. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/19/2025. (pub Metro 03/26, 04/02, 04/09, 04/16/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714061
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: The Michelada Lady, 701 Vine St., San Jose, CA, 95111, Katelynn Marie Dawson. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Katelynn Marie Dawson. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 02/25/2025. (pub LG 03/26, 04/02, 04/09, 04/16/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714755
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Baguinon Trucking, 1967 Anders Pl., Manteca, CA, 95337, Ryan Anas Baguinon. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 01/29/2020. /s/Ryan Anas Baguinon. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/20/2025. (pub Metro 03/26, 04/02, 04/09, 04/16/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #714946
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Stuffy Puffy Burger, 1670 Rogers Ave., San Jose, CA, 95112, Islam Elegiry. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/ Islam Elegiry. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 03/26/2025. (pub Metro 04/02, 04/09, 04/16, 04/23/2025)
17705 VISTA AVE, MONTE SERENO, CA 95030
This classic Cape Cod-style home sits on a quiet street in highly desirable Monte Sereno. The main level features a spacious bedroom and full bath, a formal living and dining room, and a well-appointed kitchen with a walk-in pantry, dining area, and premium stainless-steel appliances, including a Wolf gas range. A separate family room and home office nook offer versatility, with a charming bay window overlooking the lush backyard.
Upstairs, two beautifully remodeled ensuite bedrooms feature vaulted ceilings, recessed lighting, and French doors leading to a shared balcony with serene views of the manicured backyard and towering redwoods. The primary suite boasts a double vanity and luxurious shower, while the second ensuite offers a sleek bath and shower. With no rear neighbors, enjoy privacy and year-round outdoor living, enhanced by a patio ceiling heat lamp. Welcome home to timeless charm and effortless elegance!
