70% of local public healthcare system is funded by Medicare and Medicaid dollars
Vincente Vera, Contributor
Santa Clara County supervisors voted unanimously Thursday to ask voters to approve new sales taxes that will place half the county in the double-digits.
The sales tax increase will be on the Nov. 4 ballot. Thursday was the last day for items to be added to that ballot, which will also feature a special county election for County Assessor.
The sales tax increase needs only a simple majority of county voters to be enacted, because it is an unrestricted tax that can be spent for any county government purpose.
County officials said the higher taxes are needed to close a projected billion-dollar budget shortfall they say is the result of the federal government’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The countywide sales tax will rise to 9.75%, if voters approve the plan supervisors endorsed on Thursday.
Consumer purchases made in the cities of San Jose and Milpitas, which have city sales taxes as well, would have a 10% tax. Campbell businesses would collect 10.5%, the county’s highest rate, if the plan wins voter support. Consumers in Los Gatos would pay 9.875%.
The sales tax would add $187.50 to the price of a $30,000 car, and $1.25 to a $200 non-exempt retail purchase.
More than a quarter of its
NEW CAMPBELL TECH COMPANY EMERGES FROM THE SHADOWS AFTER 2 YEARS
$20 million in seed funding raised for Oxmiq Labs from prominent names
Staff Report
Campbell-based Oxmiq Labs Inc. last week announced its all-new GPU software and IP startup to the world, after two years of keeping mum about developments.
The company is the brainchild of Los Gatos resident Raja Koduri, one of the top players in the highly-competitive global industry. It has already brought in $20 million in seed funding from prominent investors, such as AI-computing firm Tenstorrent.
“We’re excited to partner with OXMIQ on their OXPython software stack,” said Jim Keller, CEO of Tenstorrent— who’s previously held important positions at AMD, Apple and Tesla. “OXPython’s ability to bring Python workloads for CUDA to AI platforms like
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LOCAL BROADCASTER PIRATE CAT RADIO EXPANDS TO PORTLAND
Los Gatos voices will now be heard in three different communities
Staff Report
Los Gatos-based Pirate Cat Radio (KPCR-LP) has now added a third location to its growing network of low-power FM stations.
Its latest frequency is KVBE-LP 91.1 FM in Portland, Ore.
Like with its Los Gatos coverage area, the new signal is concentrated in a suburban area just to the west of the main urban center—and a short drive from the Pacific Ocean.
Pirate Cat Radio officials say the expansion will help to unite three vibrant communities—Los Gatos, Santa Cruz and Portland—under one eclectic, independent banner.
The station held a Grand Opening for its Los Gatos operation (KPCR-LP 92.9 FM) in August 2024. It simulcasts on KMRT-LP 101.9 FM Santa Cruz, which can be heard in portions of Scotts Valley, and much of Santa Cruz and Aptos—as well as online at kpcr.org.
“Pirate Cat Radio KPCR has built a reputation for fearless programming, diverse music, and authentic community storytelling,” a spokesperson for the station said in a release. “The addition of KVBELP brings a new dimension to our sound, blending the unique voices, artists and cultures of Portland, Oregon into the mix.”
Contributions from our Los Gatos and Santa Cruz audiences directly fueled the technical groundwork, licensing and infrastructure needed to launch in Portland, Pirate Cat Radio officials said “Community radio thrives when people believe in it,” said station manager Daniel Roberts. “Our supporters in Los Gatos and Santa Cruz did more than keep us on the air. They made it possible to bring Pirate Cat’s spirit to Portland, Oregon.”
OCEAN VIEW Firefighters mop-up a wildfire that spread to more than two acres just north of Davenport and into a Bureau of Land Management property where cattle outfitted with high-tech collars graze.
Weekend fires quelled before they could damage structures, remote-control cows
Responses in Davenport and along Lexington Reservoir were aided by helpful factors
Drew Penner, Editor
On Sunday afternoon, inmate firefighters battled flames that spread to just over 2 acres alongside their counterparts with Santa Cruz County, Cal Fire, Central Fire, Santa Cruz City and Bonny Doon fire departments—with help from California Highway Patrol officers—just north of Davenport, which was bustling with weekend tourists.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Bryan Whitaker, the incident commander, said the call came in after 3pm.
“What we think is that it (sparked) somewhere near the highway,” he said, in an on-scene interview between the State Responsibility Area and Bureau of Land Management property where cows were grazing in the fog. “Then it started burning this way.”
This was one of two weekend fires that broke out right near population centers and were stamped out rapidly.
On Friday, firefighters raced to a blaze along Lexington Reservoir and had it under control by the early evening.
CHP Officer Richard Ryken, of the San Jose Station, said that blaze ignited around 2pm.
He was dispatched to assist with traffic control by the dam, before being repositioned to the southern entrance to the Aldercroft Heights neighborhood.
“We had reports of flames and smoke,” he said. “Fire had an amazing response.
“They got it handled pretty quickly.”
Ryken said responders got an assist from the fact that the reservoir was right there, meaning helicopter water drops were fast and deadly to the flames.
Zachary Ormsby, field manager with the Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field office, said Sunday’s fire in Davenport spread to BLM land just days away from the limited grand opening of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies, which is set for Aug. 15.
“In 2017, Sempervirens Fund and Conservation Lands Foundation worked with elected officials, and President Barack Obama added it to the California Coastal National Monument, which Bill Clinton designated in 2000,” he said, noting they’ve just put in fresh parking spaces there. “The parking lot was untouched by the fire; and the Bureau of Land Management had recently worked with PG&E to clear hazardous vegetation in that area.”
In total, 15 problem eucalyptus trees were eliminated from the landscape. These could have created a powerful
wind tunnel and pushed the fire into outof-control territory.
“It would have been a completely different scene if that would have happened a month ago,” he said. “We were just out there last week—and then on Saturday— giving tours of the property to Cal Fire to prepare for…an emergency.”
Around 100 head of Angus cattle graze at the location.
Through a partnership between the private lessee, the BLM, the BLM’s nonprofit Foundation for America’s Public Lands and Boulder, Colo.–based company Halter, the cows have been outfitted with technology that directs them where to chow down.
“The BLM leases the grazing right to raise cattle, which is part of our grant deed—and is also part of our vegetation management plan,” Ormsby said. “And those cows just got virtual collars installed two weeks ago, so they can be utilized more effectively for vegetation management.”
Halter’s geofencing and collar system prods the cattle by emitting an audible signal on one side of the animals, causing them to face the other direction. Then a vibration that follows encourages them to mosey along that way, he explained.
“They’re essentially remote-control cows at this point,” he said.
Drew Penner / Los Gatan
ASCENDING Pirate Cat Radio Station Manager Daniel Roberts climbs a tower in the Portland area.
Courtesy of Pirate Cat Radio
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LOS GATOS TOWN COUNCIL BACK IN SESSION AFTER SUMMER RECESS
Weed removal, an appeal of a development and federal funding cuts discussed
Emma Solomon, Contributor
The Los Gatos Town Council held its first meeting, closing out summer break, this past Tuesday, Aug. 5. In the two hour convening, among other things, Council members discussed local events that happened during the recess, debated the impact of federal funding cuts and considered the challenge of a development.
Prior to the meeting’s start at 7:30pm, Council members held a study session to discuss revisions to Code of Conduct policies for Council members and commissioners.
Since June 17, the date of the first study session following significant outcry over an initial draft many Town officials said was too restrictive, several changes have been made.
The Codes of Conduct govern how officials must act in the case of public disruptions during meetings and the right to express personal opinions to the public.
“This is a significant departure from our current code of conduct,” said Mayor Matthew Hudes. “I am very glad to see that the Town has a code of conduct. There are municipalities that do not, and they pay the price for that.”
Enforcing weed rules
The first public hearing of the night concerned the 2025 Weed Abatement Program.
“I cannot emphasize enough that the Town of Los Gatos takes wildfire risks very seriously,” said Councilmember Mary Badame. “I find it difficult to remove any properties from the list.”
In expressing more of a strict line on the policy, Badame cited the Gifford Fire, the San Luis Obispo-area fire which torched around 72,000 acres within the first five days.
After discussion, Council agreed to remove 14329 Mulberry Dr. from the delinquent list.
That’s because the Santa Clara County Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency had suggested this change due to discussions with the property owner.
Single-family-home project prevails
The more contentious of the two public hearings was Item 18: an appeal of a single-family development planned to take place at 45 Reservoir Rd.
Earlier this summer, the planning commission voted 5-1 to approve the project.
A party wanted to overturn approved construction plans, citing potential impacts to the environment and the character of the neighborhood.
“We previously communicated our concerns about the proposed development plans,” said appellant Mary Vidovich. “The 45 Reservoir Rd. lot currently proposed required multiple exceptions.”
Council members highlighted compliance efforts made by the developer, after the project was remanded to the Planning Commission—such as setting the building back further from the property line.
“I feel that responding thoughtfully to the changes that we’ve asked for is a reasonable expectation for us to ask of the applicant,” said Vice Mayor Rob Moore. “I generally believe that there have been thoughtful changes done to this application which makes me inclined to deny the appeal.”
In the end, the appeal was denied unanimously.
Federal funding cuts
The last item discussed concerned Donald Trump Administration policies and their anticipated impacts on Los Gatos.
To account for federal funding cuts authorized by the recently-passed “Big Beautiful Bill,” Santa Clara County supervisors unanimously voted Thursday to place a tax hike proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot.
And just two days before at Council, Mayor Hudes seemingly downplayed the potential effects of the Trump Admin slashing of the social safety net on Town-controlled business.
“Much of the funding that is being cut off through these federal programs is heavily administered by the County and State,” he said. “The direct funding of those services is not within the Town budget, but those are our residents.”
Hudes urged Council to work more closely with other levels of government to understand the true scope of the changes.
“I’m looking for ways to go beyond… this agenda item…to more closely work with the County and the State in understanding the impact,” he said. “In the vacuum of the Los Gatos budget and the services that we provide, we’re going to be quite limited.”
The mayor noted that “Los Gatos is a net funder of these programs through property taxes.”
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Moore playedup the extent to which Los Gatans—particularly poorer residents—will be hurt by the cuts.
“What I think is important for us, in Los Gatos, to think about, is that this bill constitutes the most significant cuts in our nation’s history to Medicaid and food assistance since those programs were created,” said Moore. “We know there are Los Gatans who rely on those programs to access their healthcare and food.”
He said a billion dollars being erased from County’s $13-million budget will have drastic impacts on healthcare, considering 400,000 Santa Clara County residents rely on Medicaid.
Final note
Frequent Netflix critic Rob Moore—who has long lambasted a lack of community investment from the world’s largest
streamer—reported that he recently met with one of the company’s government affairs officials. He did not say whether Netflix suggested any new corporate social responsibility projects or not.
However, a few months back the global giant did sponsor a Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Nestldown, a special events venue in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
POLICE BLOTTER
SUNDAY, AUG. 3
• Two stolen vehicles were reported across the day.
• At 3:16am, a vehicle was stolen from a resident on Rushmore Lane. The reporting person heard the vehicle speeding away and called in roughly ten minutes later. No details were provided on the make and model of the stolen vehicle.
• Later in the day, at 8:52pm, a 2019 black Toyota Camry was stolen on east Main Street Street and Villa Avenue. The reporting person drove around for an hour with a friend to try and locate it to no avail.
MONDAY, AUG. 4
• Two more stolen vehicles were reported in the early hours of the morning, one at 5:59am and the other at 7:43am.
• Electric wires were down on Milbrae Lane at 3:05 pm, reporting persons saw sparking on other power lines. Trees in the nearby area were starting to smoke, but no flames were seen.
TUESDAY, AUG. 5
• Wires were reported down on Mozart Avenue at 9:01 am. The report additionally identified low hanging Xfinity wires.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6
• An incident of battery occurred at 12:55pm at the Civic Center on East Main Street. An unidentified female approached the reporting person and verbally harassed her. The subject eventually knocked the reporting person’s phone out of his hand.
• At 6:32pm, more than 100 bicyclists created a traffic hazard on Blossom Hill Road and North Santa Cruz Avenue whilst moving westbound.
THURSDAY, AUG. 7
• Four juvenile disturbances were reported throughout the day.
• Although occurring on Monday, at 4:29 pm, an incident of grand theft was reported at Blue Mercury on North Santa Cruz Avenue. The subject reportedly stole approximately $2300 of skin care products.
• At 7:29pm, a subject stole $725 worth of laundry soap from the Safeway on North Santa Cruz Avenue.
FRIDAY, AUG. 8
• Two incidents of vandalism occurred on Friday.
• The former, reported at 10:01am, occurred on Los Gatos Boulevard. The reporting person alleged their landlord cut off their mailbox and threw it into their corresponding dumpster. At 1:42pm, the latter incident took place at the Old Town Shopping Center on University Avenue.
SATURDAY,
AUG. 9
• At 3:36pm, an incident of trespassing occurred at Parlour 308 on East Main Street. A male subject was in front of the salon for over an hour, with the reporting person requesting his removal.
These reports are compiled from publicly available information released by the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.
*Prepared by Emma Solomon
FORMER BEAR CREEK STABLES MANAGER CHARGED WITH ANIMAL CRUELTY
Honey the horse was found emaciated and with intestinal worms; death was preventable
Staff Report
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has charged Chaparral Ranch, the former manager of Bear Creek Stables in Los Gatos, with criminally failing to care for a horse that died from malnutrition and heat stroke last year.
Honey the horse was found unable to stand, badly emaciated and filled with intestinal worms—a condition experts concluded could’ve been prevented.
Jennifer Bryant, 25, was arraigned Monday in Santa Clara County Superior Court on a charge of failing to give proper care and attention to an animal, a misdemeanor.
She faces up to a year in jail. Efforts by a Weeklys reporter to get a comment from Chaparral were unsuccessful.
“Honey the horse didn’t have to die like this,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “Proper care in line with a veterinarian’s recommendations could have prevented this outcome.”
In March 2024, County Animal Control officers responded to complaints about abused horses and inspected Bear Creek Stables. They encountered Honey, who had lice and was sickly, prosecutors said.
A veterinarian came the next day and said the ill horse should be given a special diet of alfalfa hay. He told the ranch there should be a follow-up appointment for Honey.
There’s no evidence the manager ordered one—Honey was simply moved to a different location and not given alfalfa, investigators say.
On July 12, 2024, County Animal Control was notified of a “downed” horse at a Chaparral Ranch property on Weller Road in Milpitas. The officer found a very thin Honey on the ground, unable to get up. Bryant said she’d noticed Honey losing weight two weeks prior, and argued the horse’s condition was due to allergies. Honey was euthanized that day.
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District voted to give Friends of Bear Creek Stables a contract from June 6 to the end of this year to manage the Los Gatos stables.
Friends President Rick Parfitt said the nonprofit has “no association” with Chaparral.
“We look forward to partnering with MidPen over the next 12 years to reopen Bear Creek Stables,” he said.
*With files from Faizi Samadani and Stephanie Uchida
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PARKWORTH WEALTH MANAGEMENT SCOOPED UP BY ILLINOIS’ SAVANT
Barton reflects on the rise of AI, Trump’s tariff agenda
Drew Penner, Editor
On the day Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs for a slew of countries went into effect, Aug. 7, we reached local financial advisor Bruce Baron to get his perspective on how recent economic developments could rock the boat in his world.
That’s because the company he founded and brought to Los Gatos—Parkworth Wealth Management—was just acquired by Rockford, Ill.–based Savant Wealth Management on July 31.
“The tariffs are a headwind in the economy,” he said, in a telephone interview, adding the optimistic AI news has helped to temper this: “The silent productivity gains are offsetting it.”
Savant announced it had scooped up Barton’s tech-focused registered investment advisor Aug. 5, making it only the second California location as it rolls out a strategy of targeting niche industries and working to serve customers in particular phases of life.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.“Savant is a larger firm and has the ability to execute on some strategies that we may not be able to do,” Barton said. “We have really good alignment on our service model.”
Barton started the firm in 2003, which was based in North San Jose for many years. They started at zero and grew their outfit to one with $216 million of assets under management.
“I moved over to Los Gatos just so I could be closer to home, frankly,” he said.
Plus, he adds, they love the dining scene. Over the years, for example, they’ve treated clients to Zona Rosa and Telefèric Barcelona.
“We were at Chez Philippe, last night,” he said, noting Savant officials picked up the tab this time. “They had live music.”
That was the same day that Trump announced he would institute a 100% tariff on semiconductor imports, a topic of concern amongst many of their clients.
But, he notes, it’s really hard for companies to tell what the real impact of the various duties—particularly since the will-he-or-won’t-he drama starring the president has been playing out for months now.
“What happened was—and everybody did this—everybody went out and bought stuff ahead of the tariffs,” Barton said. “Next quarter, people stopped buying things.”
So, the decision-makers at the companies haven’t been sure what to make of the various statements coming from the White House.
“They’re not sure how long it’s going to last,” he said. “They’re not making big structural changes to how they’re getting their supply chain organized yet.”
Some are even challenging the legality of some tariffs in court.
“I think there’s a lot of uncertainty,” he said. Parkworth is no stranger to uncertainty. But that comes with the territory when you’ve signed up to serve Silicon Valley folks.
The company began right after the dot-com crash and had to navigate the Great Recession.
“Markets were way down,” he said. “It’s a volatile industry, and it’s particularly volatile for people that work in tech.”
Now he’s seeing interesting things afoot with the rise of AI.
“We have clients that work directly in the AI companies, and also in the supporting areas,” he said. “Of course, we see it in our own lives too. I’m a frequent user of generative AI.”
Barton says, given their background, they’re well-positioned to help clients navigate whatever happens next in Silicon Valley.
He even wrote a book titled Personal Finance for Tech Professionals.
“Lately we’ve had just big growth,” he said, pointing to the success employees for companies like NVIDIA, Apple and Google have experienced. “Those people wind up doing great with their personal finances, too.”
Becoming part of a larger business will offer economies of scale, Barton says.
“It was basically a perfect fit,” he said of Savant, adding the move will even take some duties off his plate. “I personally won’t have to do compliance anymore, which I’m really looking forward to.”
And, he adds, his employees now have new growth opportunities that didn’t exist before.
“We’re also going to be able to do tax preparation now,” he said.
COMPANY OFFERS NEW WAY INTO NVIDIA CHIPS
Oxmiq, from page 1
Wormhole and Blackhole is great for developer portability and ecosystem expansion. It aligns with our goal of letting developers open and own their entire AI stack.”
Oxmiq boasts it has assembled a team with 500+ years of experience and a track record of generating $100 billion in revenue at prior companies. Company officials say they’ve already amassed hundreds of patents.
The local firm argues that modern computing has “fundamentally shifted toward multimodal experiences where text, audio, video, images and 3D environments seamlessly interact,” with what’s known as “GPU architecture” now a fundamental part of driving growth for Silicon Valley companies.
“Unlike fixed-function AI accelerators that handle specific tasks, GPUs provide the general purpose computational flexibility required for these diverse modalities while maintaining deep integration with mainstream operating systems through standardized APIs and unified memory models,” a spokesperson said in the Aug. 5 release. “This architectural advantage positions GPUs as the essential compute engine for both current applications and the emerging landscape of multimodal AI, where heterogeneous workloads must be processed in harmony.”
One of its investors, MediaTek, is a Taiwanese semiconductor company that was once a unit of United Microelectronics Corporation.
“OXMIQ has an impressive bold vision and world-class team,” said Lawrence Loh, a senior vice president at MediaTek. “The company’s GPU IP and software
innovations will drive a new era of compute flexibility across devices—from mobile, to automotive, to AI on the edge.”
A key part of its system is called “OXPython,” which allows Python-based “NVIDIA CUDA AI applications” to work with non-NVIDIA hardware—all without code modifications.
“Launching initially on Tenstorrent's AI platform later this year with multiple vendor integrations in progress, OXPython demonstrates OXMIQ's commitment to breaking down hardware silos and accelerating the democratization of high-performance computing across the industry,” the spokesperson said.
After co-founding Mihira two years ago with Shobu Yarlagadda and SS Rajamouli, Koduri has now transitioned out of day-to-day operations there to focus on running OXMIQ full-time.
Raja now acts as a strategic advisor to Mihira Visual Labs, which is led by Yarlagadda.
OXMIQ holds a minority stake in Mihira and will continue to support its growth through foundational agentic and GPU IP technologies that power Mihira’s cinematic AI platform.
“Raja’s early contributions to Mihira helped shape our foundational vision of cinematic AI. Now, with OXMIQ, he and his team are building the deep-tech infrastructure that powers our next chapter,” said Yarlagadda—and acclaimed producer of the Baahubali Indian film series. “As we scale Mihira into a global creative platform, we’re thrilled to continue our close collaboration with OXMIQ and integrate their agentic GPU innovations into our storytelling stack.”
GLOBAL LAUNCH Los Gatos resident Raja Koduri’s latest company has attracted investment from key players like Taiwanese company MediaTek and Tenstorrent.
THE FOUNDER Bruce Barton’s Los Gatosbased firm, started in 2003, grew to $216 million of assets under management.
Contributed
JAZZ MAFIA BOSS Adam Theis rocking out on trombone in front of the packed outdoor crowd last Wednesday evening. Folks came as early as 3pm to secure space on the grass.
CAN A PLAZA BE AN ISLAND? ENJOYING OUR JAZZ OASIS
Together we support our community through music
Dinah Cotton Contributor
Is Los Gatos like San Francisco, without the bridge and the fog? Is Los Gatos like Hawaii, without the ocean and the hula? No, our exceptional town of Los Gatos, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, is uniquely just Los Gatos. And every summer it becomes an island of jazz for six weeks.
Since late June, Wednesday evenings our Town Plaza has been a center of cool jazz respite. How cool? Way cool! Hats off to all who attended and supported Los Gatos Music & Arts. This small organization did it again this summer.
The exceptional talent at Jazz on the Plazz
Beginning with Mads Tolling & the Mads Men, followed by Full Spectrum Big Band featuring Kyle Hernandez, our Ren Geisick, the outstanding youth vibrancy of the Monterey Jazz Regional All-Star Band and Vocal Ensemble, Heidi Evelyn with her Dance Orchestra, and—most recently—the Jazz Mafia. Whew, are you reading what is happening here?
TAX PLAN: LOS GATANS WOULD PAY 9.875%
Tax hike, from page 1
$14.7 billion budget comes directly or indirectly from the federal government, according to the county. More than half the expenditures are for hospitals and health care.
Santa Clara County Executive James Williams forecast Thursday that county revenue will suffer a $1.3 billion loss by the 2029-30 fiscal year.
Williams said the county can collect more than $330 million over five years from the proposed five-eighths-cent additional sales tax.
necessary for Santa Clara County to sustain service levels at the 15-hospital and clinic Valley Healthcare System, but homeless and healthcare advocates say the proposed service reductions will put low-income residents in even more dire situations.
Cool jazz on hot summer evenings right here in town.
Tonight’s act is vocalist Clairdee. And next week’s grand finale? Mr. Tony Lindsay and the Soul Soldiers. Then, Jazz on the Plazz will come to an end. Wow! Rock on, Los Gatos, with the best jazz in the area. Clairdee’s velvety smooth voice will charm your inner jazz soul, while the former Santana lead singer and his Soldiers will take you to a place you only dreamed of going. See you there.
A cool evening out
Plagued with weekend beach back-up traffic, Los Gatos rocks on Wednesday evenings. To the LGM&A’s Teri Hope (some call her St. Teri), the affable Jonathan Knowles and the vivacious Ginger Taylor McDonald, thank you. And they made it seem easy while also raising funds for youth education. Hope, with her superb organizational skills, schedules in the entertainers for the six-week series way ahead of time. After all, she has been providing our town with Jazz on the Plazz for over 20 years. St. Teri has already started on next year’s schedule and perhaps the year after. Mr. Jonathan Knowles, with
Jazz, 13
About 70% of the county’s public healthcare system, which has expanded rapidly in recent years, is funded by Medicare and Medicaid. The county’s 2025-26 budget grew by $1 billion over the FY 2024-25 budget, largely because of the County’s $150 million acquisition in April of the 1000-employee Regional Medical Center in East San Jose from HCA Healthcare.
In 2019, the county purchased San Jose’s O’Connor Hospital, along with St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy and De Paul Health Center in Morgan Hill, for a combined $235 million in a bankruptcy sale.
“It is literally a reflection at a national level, in California and in our home county, of thousands of individuals who will lose health insurance coverage,” Williams said.
A ‘three-pronged approach’
Williams said his office developed a three-pronged approach to tackle the upcoming budget shortfalls—expanding partnerships with state leaders, reorganizing services within the hospital system and achieving voter approval of the sales tax measure.
As the Valley Healthcare System is the primary care provider for one in four county residents, multiple health workers turned up to Thursday’s meeting to warn county officials that any substantial service cuts will compromise care quality. Williams said the approach will be
“These federal cuts could force the county to eliminate essential programs across every area that helps stabilize individuals and prevent homelessness, even before it starts, we urge you to move forward with the proposed sales tax,” said Destination: Home community outreach and education officer Esmeralda Virelas.
“We must explore any avenue for protecting these critical services,” she said. Williams said they would not discuss specifics on spending Thursday, but said the supervisors would begin discussing details of the 2026-27 budget in October.
“This is very important to me that we make some kind of commitment today to our voters that we are going to make changes—significant changes to how we do our finances,” said District 5 Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga.
The largest portion of the sales tax rate is a state levy of 7.25%. County governments—and many cities—add additional sales taxes. In the Bay Area, the current sales tax rates vary from a low of 8.625% in San Francisco to a high of 10.25% in Alameda County, where consumers buying products in four cities—Alameda, Albany, Newark and San Leandro—pay a 10.75% sales tax.
Current sales taxes in 65 California cities are at 10% or higher—47 in Los Angeles County. The proposed new Santa Clara County property tax rate would match the current Los Angeles County rate.
Statewide, the city of Lancaster in Los Angeles County has the highest local sales tax rate, at 11.25%, according to the California Department of Tax and Revenue.
*Barry Holtzclaw contributed to this report.
BOARD PRESIDENT County Supervisor Otto Lee presided over Thursday’s meeting.
SPORTS AVERY EDSON AND TAEGAN KAEFER ROCK-SOLID ON DEFENSE
LGHS juniors propel MVLA club to national title
Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor
Few teams get an opportunity to play in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) National Finals Tournament championship. After all, the showcase event features the best club soccer teams in the nation duking it out for supremacy. Mountain View Los Altos (MVLA) has long estab-
lished itself as one of the premier programs in the West Region.
Now, it has cemented its status as one of the best clubs in the nation. MVLA’s under-16 girls team made it happen by defeating the Kansas City Athletics 3-1 on July 21 in Virginia to claim the national championship. Two members on the team—juniors Avery Edson and Teagan Kaefer—happen to be standouts at Los Gatos High School.
“This has been a big goal (for the club) for a while,” Edson said. “The last time
(MVLA won a ECNL title) was 2004, so it’s a big thing for our club. To see the community reaction has been awesome.”
MVLA beat the Utah Royals and Penn Fusion by identical 1-0 scores before playing Kansas City in the championship match.
“The competition was very hard leading up to the final,” Edson said. “I think the hardest game was vs. Penn Fusion. We scored in the first 10 minutes but the whole game was neck and neck.”
Edson, an outside back, and Kaefer, a
center back, were part of a strong defensive corps that allowed just one goal in three matches in the National Finals tournament. MVLA was equally stout in the ultra-competitive National Playoffs in San Diego, where it yielded just two goals in three matches—going 2-0-1 in the process—to earn a berth to the National Finals.
In the national championship match, MVLA stunned Kansas City with a goal midway through the first half en route to victory.
“One of our center backs took a free kick and nailed it to the top corner,” Edson said. “Just a great goal by a great player. That kind of set the tone for the game, and we had a lot of confidence from that point on.”
When the final whistle sounded, the MVLA players and coaches erupted in celebration.
“It was such an unreal experience to run to each other, dogpile, take photos, and then pour Gatorade on our coach,” Edson said. “People were crying and everyone was super excited.”
Edson and Kaefer have played together since they were 7-year-olds, with both players developing into potential fouryear college prospects.
“It’s been a dream of mine to earn a scholarship to play in college and hopefully after college,” Edson said.
The motto No rest for the weary applies to soccer club players like Edson, who took only a week off after the championship match before club training resumed Aug. 11 for the fall season. Playing year-round batters the body, so Edson prioritizes healthy eating habits, conditioning and sleep.
“I believe it’s all about balance and as long as I put in the work and take care of my body, I’ll put myself in the best position to succeed,” she said. “After such a long club season in which we played the max amount of games, I still feel fine. My ultimate goal is to keep my body in the best shape possible. I’ve never known anything different.”
Edson and Kaefer helped power the Wildcats to a Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division championship last season, the team’s first A-league title in six years. Los Gatos graduated just one senior starter and expects to add a talented freshmen class to bolster an already uber-talented lineup.
“We’re all excited for what’s ahead,” Edson said. “We’ve already got two girls committed to play D1 soccer—and a bunch of other girls who are really good.”
CHAMPIONS Avery Edson helped the MVLA under-16 girls soccer team to a prestigious ECNL National Finals championship.
FUNDRAISER FOR CASSY IS ON THE BILL
his genial demeanor, makes sure all logistics are in place, and that all are safe. In addition to this dynamic duo, Ginger Taylor McDonald, with the Morning Rotary team, keeps the VIP area running smoothly by serving up delicious local foods, wines, beers and treats. All of this while also selling tickets for the reserved seating area and the exclusive lounge. This dream team displays the meaning of “community coming together.”
Saying goodbye to summer is never easy
With the late summer winding down we have the Endless Summer Fund-Friendraiser to look forward to on Aug. 22, also in the Town Plaza. And on Sept. 20, the GALA will be held this year at the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center.
Since last year, Endless Summer has been held after the last performance at Jazz on the Plaza series. Say goodbye to summer while supporting students and changing lives. The Endless Summer event raises funds for the nonprofit group Counseling And Support Services for Youth (CASSY). So, you better keep that foldable lawn chair handy for this end-of-the-summer gathering. Featuring the Summit Sisters & The Hitmen, it’s a fundraising party for all ages. This event is supported by the Los Gatos Morning Rotary and generous sponsors. Raffle tickets will be available at this last plaza blast.
CASSY
mission and vision
CASSY provides mental health services for students in Bay Area schools. What the organization does is provide students with on-campus individual family intervention and treatment. In addition to this, it provides proactive mental health education and peer mediation—all while working with on campus staff and conducting parent outreach. Crisis intervention is also available. These days, with Covid lockdowns in our not-too-distant past and the computer taking over a huge portion of children’s worlds, it is more important than ever to engage with our kids, our future.
According to the organizers, “For fifteen years, CASSY has been where the need is—where kids are—in schools. We believe all young people deserve access to professional, compassionate mental health care without barriers or delays. Join us at Endless Summer Fund-FriendRaiser. Help us raise awareness and support to ensure no youth is left behind.”
Ad
trees, and other odd jobs that came their way. For four years they banded together, anticipating a European tour.
Cultures and exchange rates
Prior to the European tour this troop visited airline offices and toured San Francisco and Sacramento. They were learning how to travel together. This troop also studied the countries of Europe. This also was all prior to electronic devices.
Touring Europe with teenagers
Rasmussen is a brave soul for taking the Ambassadors to Europe. Seven teenagers and Rasmussen, along with two other chaperones, set off on this Ambassador Grand European Tour adventure. While in Switzerland they stayed at GS World Center, “Our Chalet.”
On June 25, while doing crafts as Girl Scouts do, the “girls” reflected on the eight weeks in Europe 50 years ago, to the date. At Rasmussen’s house, while reviewing the scrapbook with them, I asked Liz Crites what it meant to be in scouting, and she went back to young Brownie days remembering her uniform. Crites was in junior high school in 1975, when they traveled to Europe. Eight weeks, costing each girl around $5,000.
50-YEAR REUNION OF LOS GATOS TROOP OF AMBASSADOR GIRL SCOUTS
Never-Never Land exists; it’s behind the high school
Dinah Cotton, Contributor
In 1975 a Girl Scout Ambassadors troop in Los Gatos embarked on a big trip. At the time, the term Ambassador did not mean what it has since 2008, which is a membership category for ages 1618. In 1975, the Ambassador program encouraged girls who moved to a new
town to join Girl Scouting in their new neighborhood.
Back then, our local Ambassador GS troop took four years to plan their eightweek tour of Europe.
Ambassadors
MarLyn Rasmussen grew up in British Columbia and was a Girl Guide there before becoming a Girl Scout troop leader here. With the Scout manual, love of travel and good organizational skills, she
was a natural troop leader. Rasmussen thought, why not take the troop to Europe? So Liz (Robertson) Crites, Mary (Miller) Vickers, Michelle (Sines) Nelson, Maureen (Brennan) Duggan, Patti (Dresbach) Shore, Beth Newick and her mom, Dottie Newick, did just that.
But how to pay for a trip to Europe? In the early ’70s, these ambassador scouts began raising funds for their Europe tour: rolling up newspapers and selling them to florists, collecting Christmas
The definition of ambassador, from the Girl Scouts of America website: “They’re the ones telling the world about what we do—giving young people the skills to succeed. They broadcast to millions on TV and radio. They’ve made history walking rivers, reaching poles and travelling the world. All are committed to Scouts and none are afraid to break the mold.” And this early version of Ambassadors did that.
MarLyn Rasmussen’s camp name was “Tinker”—as in Tinker Bell, from the Peter Pan story.
Today she is still called Tinker fondly by her “girls.” When she ran for Town Council it was suggested that she drop her camp name.
Tinker refused, as so many of her supporters had girls in her troop and knew her as Tinker. She won and served on our Council and is emeritus
on the board of the Los Gatos Community Foundation.
BIG SMILES MarLyn Rasmussen with Liz Crites on Rasmussen’s front porch last week. They shared their Girl Scout Ambassador 1975 album that included the eight-week trip to Europe the troop took. Though retired from her active civic involvement, Rasmussen was commended for her ‘unerring sense of purpose, humor, dignity and responsibility,’ by the Town Council.
CRAFTS The ambassador ‘girls’ at the Never-Never Land clubhouse. What are they doing? Crafts, of course, as if 50 years hadn’t gone by.
PUBLIC NOTICES
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #717886
Fictitious Business Name Statements
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #717316
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Pics Del Ozz, 1725 Tampa Way., San Jose, CA, 95122, Osbaldo Navarrete. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 06/23/2025. /s/ Osbaldo Navarrete. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 06/23/2025. (pub LG 07/23, 07/30, 08/06, 08/13/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718008
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Precision Paint Supply, 1660 Monterey Hwy., San Jose, CA, 95112, ATC Colors, Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. 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/Dong Yi. CEO. #C4272280. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/17/2025. (pub LG 07/23, 07/30, 08/06, 08/13/2025)
File Number: FBN718075. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: DAD’S MOUSTACHE , 1275 Lincoln Ave Ste 4A, San Jose, CA 95125300. This business is conducted by: An Individual, MELVIN PETRALIA, 1275 Lincoln Ave Ste 4A, San Jose, CA 95125300. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/21/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Nina Khamphilath /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Melvin Petralia /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/30, 08/06, 08/13, 08/20/2025)
File Number: FBN717950. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: HAPPY TOTS, 1050 Kiely Blvd #2451, Santa Clara, CA 95051. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, TRANSPARENT LADY LLC, 4546 El Camino Real B10 #734, Los Altos, CA 94022. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/15/2025 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. Transparent Lady LLC, Article/Reg # B20250008182, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Barisere R Konne /s/ CEO. (Pub LGN: 07/30, 08/06, 08/13, 08/20/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718007
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Ramon’s Commercial Tire INC., 1815 Stone Ave., CA, 95125. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 01/01/2025. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Ramon Mora. CEO. #51336961. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/17/2025. (pub LG 07/30, 08/06, 08/13, 08/20/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718213
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Eileen Arts, 7052 Santa Teresa BLV., #1055, San Jose, CA, 95139, Eileen Yee Lim Wong Cervera. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Eileen Yee Lim Wong Cervera. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/24/2025. (pub LG 07/30, 08/06, 08/13, 08/20/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718241
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Mama’s Lien’s Kitchen, 5823 Marshwell Way, San Jose, CA, 95138, Kim Long Truong Nguyen. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Kim Long Truong Nguyen. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/24/2025. (pub Metro 08/06, 08/13, 08/20, 08/27/2025)
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: I Grow Learning Academy LLC, 1063 Fewtrell Drive, Campbell, CA, 95008. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 10/15/2020. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Svetlana Umansky. Manager. #B202050181778. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/11/2025. (pub LG 08/06, 08/13, 08/20, 08/27/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718321
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Davis Duc Nguyen Transportation, 1350 Oakland Rd., Spc #171, San Jose, CA, 95112, Duc The Nguyen. This business is being conducted by a Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Duc The Nguyen. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/25/2025. (pub LG 08/06, 08/13, 08/20, 08/27/2025)
File Number: FBN718522 . The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: TRYCATCHVIBES LABS, 3857 Via Salice, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: An Individual, DZMITRY BACHKO, 3857 Via Salice, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/04/2025 and 08/04/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Nina Khamphilath /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Dzmitry Bachko /s/. (Pub LGN: 08/13, 08/20, 08/27, 09/03/2025)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718468
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. Math Camps International, 2. Talent Search International, 823 Ames Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, 94303, American University Partners, LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 02/02/2021. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Hyongbum Kim. Member #202103610609. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/31/2025. (pub LG 08/13, 08/20, 08/27, 09/03/2025)
File Number: FBN718479. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: GymKids USA , 1875 S. Bascom Ave. Suite 2400, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: An Individual, Melinda Beason, 242 Wren Way, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 4/18/2005 and 08/01/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Mike Louie /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Melinda L. Beason /s/. (Pub LGN: 08/13, 08/20, 08/27, 09/03/2025)
File Number: FBN718595. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: LOS GATOS HAIR BAR , 114 Rotce St Ste A, Los Gatos, CA 95124. This business is conducted by: An Individual, RENEE KEARNEY, 114 Royce St Ste A, Los Gatos, CA 95124. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/06/2005 and 08/06/2025 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/ Renee Kearney /s/. (Pub LGN: 08/13, 08/20, 08/27, 09/03/2025)
File Number: FBN718027. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: PROFESSIONAL STUCCO PLASTERING , 2729 Chromite Dr Apt A, San Clara, CA 95051. This business is conducted by: An Individual, SALVADOR GUADALUPE ROMERO MANCILLA, 2729 Chromite Dr Apt A, San Clara, CA 95051. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 04/30/2025 and 07/17/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Fraulein Dominguez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Salvador Guadalupe Romero Mancilla /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/30, 08/06, 08/13, 08/20/2025)
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Imagine a true partnership with your personal doctor. As a member of Los Gatos Concierge Medicine, you’ll experience:
• In-depth appointments that focus on your goals for sleep, diet, fitness, mental health and social support.
• Easy access to your care team, even on weekends and holidays.
• Coordinated care with specialists at Sutter and beyond.
Explore more membership benefits by calling 408-523-3344 or emailing ConciergeMedicineLosGatos@sutterhealth.org.
