@losgatan
vol . 5 , no. 49 : august 5-11 , 2026 : losgatan.com
music in the park p4 : more than motherhood p8 : police blotter p13 : girls volleyball p14 Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
LOCAL STABLE DENIES BEING UNDER COUNTY INVESTIGATION
SCMWA reduces firstyear projections as 1% assessment kicks-in
The troubled boarding facility was previously at the center of animal cruelty criminal case
Drew Penner, Editor
On July 30, around 170 people gathered at Testarossa’s shaded patio a few minutes from downtown Los Gatos as part of an event meant to shine a light on Santa Cruz Mountain wines. David Dockendorf, assistant winemaker at Martin Ranch in Gilroy, was coolly handling pour duties—the line never seemed to end, as attendees shifted back and forth between stations. “You never know what kind of attendance you’re gonna get,” he said, noting sometimes people are primarily focused on drinking, while other times— like at this one—grape aficionados are hoping to learn more about the liquid itself. “Love it.” Debbie Gerow, a woman in her 60s from Menlo Park is one such student of the grape. She arrived with a contingent of four from her wine-drinking group. “How are all the wineries doing down there?” she asked Dockendorf.
Drew Penner, Editor
Bear Creek Stables, a horse boarding facility that was recently at the center of a criminal animal-cruelty case, is now being probed by the County for possible code violations. But in an interview with the Los Gatan this week, the property owner, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen), denied the ongoing investigation. The Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development started looking into the 19100 Bear Creek Rd. property on July 8, according to an email obtained by the Los Gatan. Friends of Bear Creek Stables, the new nonprofit operator (aka “concessionaire”) of the location, made a splash earlier this year when it announced the location would be reopening to the public. Public programs were stopped around the time the prior manager, Chaparral Country Corporation, was prosecuted for animal cruelty. However, an official complaint contends Midpen, a public agency, isn’t even allowed to offer new public programming at Bear Creek Stables, because it hasn’t conducted needed upgrades and remains out of compliance with regulations. On July 28, Code Enforcement Program Manager Darrell ➝ Stables, 10
WINERIES AIM TO OVERCOME SALES SLUMP, CANADIAN COLD SHOULDER
➝ SCMWA, 6
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BELT IT OUT Jessica Johnson headlined the July 29 Jazz on the Plazz concert, following an opening set by the San Jose High School Jazz All-Stars. For info about upcoming events, turn to P4.
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VOL.5 NO.49 Dan Pulcrano Executive Editor & Publisher
EDITORIAL
August august 5- 11, 2 0 2 6 : los gatan.com
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August 55-11, august -11, 2202 0266 :: losgata losgatan.co n.com m Dinah Cotton / Los Gatan
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
HR decision sensationalized (Re: July 29 article, “69-year-old man claims LGS Rec rescinded job offer because of his age”)
We are surprised and disappointed that this article was published on the front page of our community newspaper, especially because Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education and Recreation (LGS Recreation) remains committed to supporting our community. If you recall, through our sole efforts, we received a $1 million grant that went on to support our older adult community members. It was not appropriate to sensationalize this routine local employment decision. Specifically, the article appears under the category of “Local News,” which misleads the public since it is in fact a thinly-veiled opinion piece by the author. Nearly the entire story contains the job applicant’s point of view, while just two paragraphs (69 of 806 words, to be exact) are dedicated to explaining LGS Recreation’s point of view. There is no attempt to create even the appearance of neutrality. In response to information provided by LGS Recreation, the author expresses his incredulity that “After receiving this message, the Los Gatan reached out to Taylor to try to understand what on earth (Human Resources Director) Chen could be referring to.” While unsuccessful job applicants customarily benefit from confidentiality over the reasons for employment decisions, it appears that you and Mr. Taylor have elected to publicly air the particulars behind Mr. Taylor’s employment search, which can only work to Mr. Taylor’s detriment. As Mr. Taylor has reportedly filed a claim with the State, LGS Recreation looks forward to sharing its full side of the story with the Civil Rights Division as a rebuttal to Mr. Taylor’s claim of age discrimination, rather than publicly airing a personal dispute as an antidote to the proverbial “slow news day.” Your article does not fully capture each step of the hiring process. It is important to note that Mr. Taylor did not receive a final offer of employment, and that Board approval is required to complete the hiring process. It appears that due diligent research was not applied and omissions and inaccuracies may harm the agency’s efforts to support our community. LGS Recreation is committed to non-discrimination on the basis of all protected classes, including age, and is proud to continue offering its “55 Plus” program for our community members over the age of 55. Jia Chen
Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation, human resources director
*Letters are edited for length and clarity
BEAT THE HEAT BentPeter got the Civic Center Lawn crowd movin’ despite the steamy temperature on Sunday.
BENTPETER OFFERS BLAST OF COOL ON SWELTERING SUNDAY Summer music calendar is in full swing in LG Dinah Cotton, Contributor
The BentPeter seven-piece band cranked things up as the mercury finally began to drop on Sunday. Dedicated Los Gatos music lovers and their families assembled later than usual. It’s no surprise the crowd was thin at first, what with the temperature above 90° around the start time of 5pm. Eventually, folks got up and started dancing, in spite of the weather. The group takes their name from the street corner that they grew up on in San Jose. Band stickers were given out along with drum sticks and glow necklaces. After 21 years together, this tight crew ignored the heat and put on a powerhouse performance. The crowd did not want to leave after the music ended. It was finally cool.
Upcoming shows
The Town of Los Gatos-sponsored Music in the Park happens each Sunday from 5-7pm. And there are just three more Sundays left. Come on down to the Civic Center Lawn area under the tall redwoods and relax outdoors to live tunes. • Aug. 9 - Lindsay and the Cheeks A five-piece band from South Lake Tahoe, combining a traditional sound with blues, rock and soul, with a dash of country and some southern smoothness. You may hear Lindsay and the
Cheeks perform originals such as “Whip World Crash,” “I Cry,” “Go Figure” and “Hippity Dippity.” • Aug. 16 - Miko Marks - Straight out of Oakland. Marks is known for sophisticated sounds. A singer-songwriter-performer, she blends country, blues, rock, gospel and a whole “lotta” of soul. Her song “Feel Like Going Home” is one of the most stirring country-soul numbers you will hear. It’s an incredible voice prefect for the church choir, coffee shops, honkytonks, juke joints and beyond. Marks sings with hard-won authority. She’s backed-up by The Resurrectors. You may leave this Sunday event of liberating music feeling inspired. • August 23 - Harry and the Hitmen This very tight and high-energy group is a favorite dance band of Los Gatans. And they will rock your socks off. This is the finale to the Music in the Park concert series. Saying goodbye to summer is hard. Dancing to live music is easy. Just do it, rock on.
Jazz on the Plazz
The weekly jazz spectacle in Town Plaza Park continues each Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm. • Aug. 5 - Full Spectrum Big Band This big band will delight jazz fans. Since 1996, they’ve been entertaining audiences with traditional and modern big band sounds. Based here in the Bay Area, this act brings together seasoned
musicians who share a passion for keeping jazz alive and current. • Aug. 12 - Smoked Out Soul - They bring a DJ’s approach to a live-musician performance. There is a synthesizer. This performance will fuse and deliver: classic soul, funk and a very “now” sound. You may hear familiar strains with fast-moving undercurrents. Wear your “mod” look with those go-go boots. Is there a mini skirt in your closet? Note: there is now bike parking available in front of the post office. Ride your bike into town to avoid parking hassles. It is requested not to ride your bikes around the immediate plaza area, as it is full of pedestrians.
CORRECTIONS The July 29 article about LGS Recreation mistakenly called the “Live Scan” identity checker “Life Scan.” Clarification: Our July 22 article about SJ Water’s annual report should have noted, when it comes to groundwater, chromium-6 was found at an average of 4.67 ppb— and ranged as high as 8.54 ppb in samples (up from an average of 2.9 ppb in 2023). The Maximum Contaminant Level allowed is 10 ppb.
August 5- 11, 2 0 2 6 : los gatan.com
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WINELOVERS GATHER AT TESTAROSSA FOR EVENT HIGHLIGHTING PRODUCERS
SCMWA, from page 1
Drew Penner / Los Gatan
SAMPLING Spirits were high during the Aug. 30 wine event at Testarossa Winery. It’s the first year that local wineries have switched to a 1%-of-sales method of collecting funds to market the region to the world. everyone wanted to sign up. But it is starting to bring in new revenue that can be deployed to talk-up our terroir. “The dues-based model wasn’t working out in the way that we needed,” McKay said. “A few other regions did pass it.” They were hoping it might generate $575,000. However, with sales down so much, it’s looking like it’ll bring in closer to $350,000 in the first year. But that’s still about double what they’d usually get in dues. “It’s not a huge windfall,” McKay acknowledged, adding she sees this as a way to make sure local growers—from Santa Cruz to Saratoga, Scotts Valley, Capitola, Watsonville, Los Gatos, Portola Valley and Woodside—have “a small seat at the table.” Dave Moulton, the owner and winemaker at Burrell School Vineyards, said it’s too early to tell how much the new assessment could help the local wine industry. “There’s a lot of contention,” said Moulton, a former SCMWA president, describing how he mulled over whether or not to disclose the new charge on their receipts. “I know in the long run it’s going to be a positive.” In the end Burrell School opted to raise the overall price 1% and not breakout the assessment as a separate line to make the sticker price artificially seem lower, he said. “It’s like a hotel tax,” he said. “It’s just more consistent funding.” Marty Mathis, the owner of Kathryn Ken-
Drew Penner / Los Gatan
“Ebbs and flows,” he replied. “I came down expecting a lot of pinot noirs,” said Gerow, who grew up in Los Gatos—having arrived from Wichita, Kansas at four years of age. “There’ve been a lot of viogniers.” The wine industry has been on the forefront of global affairs, with the day’s (July 30) edition of the top-rated “The Daily” podcast from the New York Times focusing on the risk from wildfire smoke to this year’s Bordeaux vintage over in France, and alcohol continuing to play a starring role in the cartoonish trade war with Canada. On this side of the pond, winemakers have been dealing with their own climate challenges, with record-breaking heat moving harvest timelines up. One winery rep at the event even told of a fellow winegrower who’d already begun harvesting their grapes. John Locke, co-owner and co-winemaker of Salinas-cellared, Santa Cruzbased Birichino said they lost as much as 5% of their business, when Canadian sellers stopped taking their product. “I can’t say I blame them a lot, but it is disappointing,” he said, adding he understands the We don’t want to be the 51st state sentiment. “They took the wines off the shelves (and placed them) into the warehouses.” Locke says that affected about 150 of their cases. Janice Gali, owner of Gali Vineyards— which has a tasting room on West Main Street in downtown Los Gatos—said when Canada nixed American wines, it created a backlog on shelves across the rest of the marketplace. Meanwhile, with the legalization of marijuana and younger-Gen drinkers choosing wine less frequently than older folks, the sector’s sales have tanked. Nevertheless, Locke is optimistic. He says they’ve been doing well in international markets (besides Canada)—including recently scoring a new importer in Germany. And their revenues are up for the year, if only slightly. “I don’t think it’s going to go away overnight,” he said of the changing tastes. Keikilani McKay, the executive director of the organization putting on the event, the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association, said when she was in Vancouver for the World Cup, she heard this message loud and clear: We’re not going to be buying Californian or American. SCMWA, which is in charge for marketing our local wine region to the world, just implemented a big shift, to be able to regroup and continue putting its best foot forward. They won approval for a new Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Improvement District, switching from a dues-based funding approach to a 1% charge to consumers. It’s been a little controversial, and not
PLEASANT PRESENT Local wineries have faced a series of challenges, as tastes change— and after President Donald Trump launched a trade war with Canada. However, last week’s event in Los Gatos was well-attended. nedy Winery in Saratoga said the amount of money they have to fork over was cut in half, since they don’t have a tasting room. “It reduced my contribution,” he said. Mathis explained that SCMWA often brings in media from outside the region to write about local wineries. “I’m happy with it,” he said of the job SCMWA has been doing. “We don’t have a budget to do anything like that.” McKay says even though the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is a bit of an underdog—just 1,500 acres of growing area in a 100-mile-long stretch—the region has quite the story to tell.
“Our wineries are mostly under 2,500 cases (sold annually),” she said. “We’re so micro we have to work on shouting our name out.” But as the climate continues to heat up, a region with exposure to both the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay is a big plus, she added. “The trench of the Pacific is very deep,” she said, referring to the unique geology of the Monterey Bay. This year, the improvement district plans to install wine trail signs, continue external brand work and conduct media tours.
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MORE THAN MOTHERHOOD PREPARES TO OPEN THIS FALL Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
Momtrepreneur Melissa Mancini taps her expertise to help new mothers Faizi Samadani, Contributor
Expecting mothers expect support
With one of Mancini’s kids now in elementary school and one in middle school, Mancini began to dream about a possible new business opportunity. After a few iterations of what that could look like, she landed on a wellness and fitness studio. “I realized there was a need for new moms to have a space to land,” said Mancini. In anticipation of their grand opening, they’ve been spreading the word, including by having pop-ups in Lululemon as well leading yoga at Oak Meadow Park. It was a way to build her community. Both Mancini and her husband grew up together in Turlock— they were high school sweethearts. They both then attended UCLA, followed by nursing school in Boston at Simmons University, while her husband attended MIT for his masters in engineering. While looking for wedding venues in 2012, they arrived upon Nestldown in the Santa Cruz Mountains and serendipitously came to downtown Los Gatos. They fell in love with the town immediately. In 2021, they moved to Los Gatos. More Than Milk Breastfeeding, is a business Mancini began in 2019 that helps people navigate the early feeding struggles—breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pain from breastfeeding, and other vulnerabilities with the early stages of being a parent. This firsthand experience led her towards starting More than Motherhood as a business with a physical storefront. Expecting clients of More than Motherhood can look forward to fitness classes like yoga, mat pilates and groups for moms
MORE THAN A FOUNDER Melissa Mancini stands in front of the aluminum structure for her new business More than Motherhood coming this fall. at various stages of life. It will be membership-based, with “founding memberships” to go live by the fall. “We are building a space for moms to come as they are, and bring their life with them,” said Mancini. With one of their memberships, childcare is included without any added cost, so mothers don’t have to make a decision to add on that feature. “I would love for this to be a community resource and hub that we could bring to other communities, so there are local resources outside of our area,” she added.
Passion project turned business
“I think my own dive into parenthood that I found in early parenthood to be incredibly humbling and overwhelming. I was constantly looking for a place I could bring my kids with me, but still get movement,” said Mancini. When Mancini became a midwife and launched her business, she realized she wasn’t the only person that needed this. It wasn’t just her own experience that was craving this sense of community. “I wish I had this space when my kids were little, but also when my kids are older,” said Mancini. Her business will offer services for expectant parents all the way to parents of kids finishing high school. Mancini is deeply rooted in this community, with connections to pediatricians, midwives and community. “My husband and I eat out downtown several times a week at Centenove, Tasting House and Breaking Dawn. This is the perfect place. We searched for a year and a half to find this location,” said Mancini. Mancini has been a part of the Chamber of Commerce’s women's group
that meets once a week. Through this avenue, she’s already felt a wonderful sense of community, she says. Mancini believes her passion project of working with moms can also be a very real business. And she’s been working diligently towards this dream for years. “I would love it if my kids are growing up to see myself and other female entrepreneurs building projects,” she said. “There are so many female business owners around town. I think kids are growing up feeling, This is normal.” In addition to being a midwife, Mancini is also a healthcare provider that can care for women throughout their lives—from annual women's care, pregnancy care, and even help a woman give birth, if needed. Last year, another new business, called New Mom School, sat down with the Los Gatan. Owner Riya Dhaliwal says she’s glad to see another moms-focused company starting up. “I see it as a positive for our community,” Dhaliwal said. “The transition to parenthood is challenging, and moms benefit when there are more high-quality resources available. I think our businesses complement each other well. New Mom School specializes in supporting moms during the first year postpartum through evidence-based education, professionally facilitated support groups, and guidance from trusted maternal health and pediatric experts. I believe we’re working toward the same goal: helping moms and families in Los Gatos feel healthier, more supported and less alone. There’s plenty of room for organizations with different areas of expertise to strengthen the village for local families.” Though being an expectant mother offers the anticipation of joy of new life,
Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
Melissa Mancini is a nurse, midwife and board-certified lactation consultant, in the midst of a construction blitz. That’s because she’s getting ready to open her brand new business More than Motherhood this fall. Located on the corner of N. Santa Cruz and Ashler avenues in the old Wells Fargo mortgage center, Mancini’s business will offer fitness classes and support groups, in an attempt to aid new parents during a critical phase. “A studio for moms to exercise while their kids are playing in the studio next door” is how Mancini describes the 2,500-square-foot location. Mancini has run a business over the last seven years that focuses on the early postpartum period. When her own kids were young, she could have benefitted from a studio like hers, she said.
EXCITED Mancini says she’s already benefitted from a Chamber networking group.
Mancini also speaks to the difficulties that can come with that time, as well. Sadly, for some this will mean a miscarriage. “I think the hardest part of miscarriages is that it’s the invisible part of motherhood,” Mancini said. “Building a community, a significant number of women experience miscarriages in their life, and when you’re around other women who have been through it, that’s really powerful.” Over the course of time, More than Motherhood plans to have groups for loss, whether that’s miscarriages or still birth, so that women have a safe space to show up. While the studio will focus around positivity and joy, there will be space for people to join in community to get support. Look forward to announcements for a ribbon-cutting this fall.
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REAL ESTATE
RECENT SALES AND PRICES
When Refinancing: Proceed With Caution Long-term debt for short-term need can be costly By Janis Mara
If you’re a Bay Area homeowner, chances are you’ve received email messages along these lines: “Make the most of your mortgage! Equity options available!” or even more blatant, “Refinance and get cash now!” If you bought your home 10, 15 or 20 years ago or longer, it’s likely you have an impressive amount of equity, meaning the difference between what you owe on the home and what it would sell for. When you get a cash-out refi, you take out a new mortgage for more than you currently owe and pocket the difference in cash. This could easily get you $10,000 or more, depending on how much equity you have and how much you decide to take out.
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However, experts say tapping home equity is something to approach carefully. Sean Kenmore, a certified Bay Area financial planner, advises his clients to use other sources of capital available to them prior to refinancing their mortgage. “We never want to create a long-term debt out of a short-term need. When you refinance a home loan, you reamortize it and you are paying a disproportionate amount of interest to principal at the beginning,” Kenmore said. If there were 15 years to go to pay off your mortgage, you now usually have 30 years to go, which for many people could delay retirement significantly. (It is possible to cash out into a 15-year fixed mortgage.) There are limited circumstances under which pulling equity out of your home could be advisable. “Refinancing may make sense if you can lower your mortgage interest rate
by roughly 0.75 percent or more, plan to stay in your home past the break-even point or want to shorten your loan term,” said Ashley Cotter of Redfin, an online real estate site. Another reason: Home repairs. In this case, Kenmore suggests considering a home equity line of credit, or HELOC. “If your income allows you to pay off your HELOC without getting a mortgage, it can be a more strategic financial decision because you avoid creating a new amortization schedule and 30-year payoff.” In other words, if you can pay the loan off in a few years with a HELOC instead of over 30 years, you’ll save money, he said. Saving the money to do maintenance or repair is a possibility as well, he said. “Start with a monthly cash flow exercise and understand your budget. If there is a discretionary amount of capital at the end of the month, can I save $1,000 a month and at the end of 10 months I’ll have $10,000 for the repair,” Kenmore said. “Get those details right, and it could be a good time to refinance your mortgage,” said Cotter. “Get them wrong, and it could actually cost you more in the long run.”
In Santa Clara County, the median home is worth $1.6M, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Over the three months ending May 2026, Santa Clara County home prices were down 4.9 percent compared to the same period last year, selling for a median price of $1.6M, according to data from Redfin. On average, homes in Santa Clara County sell after 15 days on the market, compared to 14 days last year. There were 1,215 homes sold in May this year, up from 1,072 last year. 16353 Aztec Ridge Dr, Los Gatos, 95030 $4.85M, 5 beds, 6 baths, 5,400 sq ft; sold: Jul. 17, 2026 135 Creekside Village Dr, Los Gatos, 95032 $1.83M, 3 beds, 3 baths, 1,502 sq ft; sold: Jul. 17, 2026 13004 Paseo Presada, Saratoga, 95070 $2.82M, 4 beds, 3 baths, 2,384 sq ft; sold: Jul. 17, 2026 19121 Harleigh Dr, Saratoga, 95070 $5.5M, 5 beds, 4 baths, 3,476 sq ft; sold: Jul. 17, 2026 453 Alberto Way Unit D155, Los Gatos, 95032 $825,000, 3 beds, 2 baths, 1,413 sq ft; sold: Jul. 15, 2026 136 Loma Alta Ave, Los Gatos, 95030 $2.75M, 3 beds, 2 baths, 2,100 sq ft; sold: Jul. 15, 2026 232/236 University Ave, Los Gatos, 95030 $2.58M, 3 beds, 4 baths, 2,500 sq ft; sold: Jul. 15, 2026 19730 Black Rd, Los Gatos, 95033 $1.14M, 4 beds, 2 baths, 2,016 sq ft; sold: Jul. 14, 2026 23500 Sunset Dr, Los Gatos, 95033 $2.1M, 4 beds, 3 baths, 2,938 sq ft; sold: Jul. 13, 2026 17660 Vineland Ave, Monte Sereno, 95030 $4.3M, 4 beds, 4 baths, 2,900 sq ft; sold: Jul. 13, 2026
Professional Property Management Services A
tlantis Properties was founded in 2000 by Louis Melo. Atlantis Properties manages residential and commercial properties with the goal of providing high quality services to meet their clients’ real estate objectives. Louis Melo built the company on the principles of professionalism, good ethics and excellent customer service. The company has a very good reputation, with current clients being the number one source of new business referrals. Their clients count on their expertise in the rental housing industry in providing quality housing services to their tenants while maintaining their investment objectives. Before starting Atlantis Properties, Louis
10 Jackson Street, Suite 107 Los Gatos | 408.354.8910 www.atlantisproperties.net DRE-01498174 Rufus after 16 years of being our team member, has crossed the Rainbow bridge.
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August 55-11, august -11, 2202 0266 :: losgata losgatan.co n.com m Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
STABLE FACES BIG HURDLES AS IT TRIES TO TURN THE PAGE
Stables, from page 1
PUBLIC MISSION Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District says it’s committed to restarting public programming at Bear Creek Stables. However, the County keeps rejecting the public agency’s Use Permit applications for the site.
says Bear Creek Stables has been around since the ‘30s. Before that, it was part of the Dr. Harry Tevis estate. The land started out as “A Exclusive Agriculture,” which allowed stables by right. When the zoning changed in 1975, that “did not impact uses that had already been legally established,” the letter reads. Lopez said the stable could continue operating without a use permit, but with a 72-horse maximum, provided there’s no “expansion or intensification” without a use permit. However, the March 26, 2025 special Midpen meeting includes a recommendation to “Review and provide feedback on the proposed milestones and framework for entering into a long-term agreement with the Friends of Bear Creek Stables to operate horse boarding at Bear Creek Stables and provide nature education, equine interaction, and stewardship programming to the broader public.” The agenda also states the board-approved Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve Plan features this as a primary goal: “Maximize public benefits of Bear Creek Stables by broadening public access and use of the facility, consistent with the lease agreement.” On Sept. 24, 2018, Midpen asked the County for clarification on how it might conduct what it called “basic” repairs, without triggering the need for a use permit. The letter included a list of potential improvements. The County replied—among other things—that a building permit is a must for each structure being fixed, that a new wastewater system would be required, and that the fire department would demand a minimum access width of 20 feet and a maximum slope of 16% within 150 feet of all portions of the proposed buildings. County staff also pointed to the need for grading permits.
Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
Revier and MaryEllen Luna, who (per the County) has “extensive equine experience,” visited the property to check if there were any immediate threats to public health or safety. They didn’t find any. “Mid-Peninsula Staff accompanied us and confirmed that although there is a new concessionaire currently overseeing the property, they are not currently open to the public for programming,” Revier wrote in a July 30 email to geographer Caitlin Dempsey, the complainant. “I made it clear to the Mid-Peninsula staff that they must comply with all County and State laws related to the operation of the stables prior to resuming public programming.” Earlier this year, Friends of Bear Creek Stables—buoyed by more than $250,000 in fresh funding (including from Netflix)—told the Los Gatan that the public would be able to return as soon as May (the article was even titled “Bear Creek Stables opening to the public this spring.”) Bear Creek Stables was shuttered in 2024 as the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office cracked down on Chaparral. Company official Jennifer Bryant was charged with failing to give proper care and attention to an animal. The case was suspended last year, pending a diversion hearing. It’s no longer visible in the public filing system. County enforcers plan to meet with Midpen staff in the near future to investigate the less time-sensitive code-related accusations. Revier wrote that they were able to verify an illegal trailer used as staff housing by Chaparral had been removed, “—so that complaint has been closed out.” But Dempsey says that was just one of Midpen’s infractions. She’s launched a website (bearcreekstables.org) to document the restrictions under which Bear Creek Stables operates, as well as Midpen’s inability to secure County approval for their development plans. This includes a Nov. 14, 2000 letter from zoning administrator Michael M. Lopez to then-manager Glenda J. Smith confirming the stables’ “legal non-conforming” status. It notes in the 1940s the land was owned by the Catholic Novitiate of Los Gatos (which was already raising and breeding horses) with 15 acres leased to Lester Porter and his wife in 1969— and that it’s been in continuous operation ever since. A sign on the property
QUAINT Bear Creek Stables is a picturesque boarding facility on the cusp of Silicon Valley. In recent years it’s been plagued by a variety of issues, from housing mistreated animals, to environmental problems, to code complaints.
In a June email obtained by the newspaper, a County planner confirms that public riding lessons, horse camps, school classes, camps and retreats generally require a use permit in the hillside district. On Monday, Leigh Ann M. Gessner, a Midpen public affairs specialist, said that Bear Creek Stables’ grandfathered status means it can restart at least some activities at the site. "The public programming went on hold under Chaparral, when they were managing the stables, because of insurance reasons,” she said. “There’s nothing precluding public programming happening again.” She attempted to deflect a question about the current investigation. “I am not aware of any official investigation going on,” she said, adding she had inquired about this with another Midpen staffer. When the Los Gatan provided the case number, she said it was just a “public inquiry” that had already been finalized.
“There’s no further action happening,” she said. “There’s no further action required.” However, in a Monday afternoon email to the Los Gatan, County Planning and Development Director Jacqueline Onciano said there are multiple complaints they’re following up on. In addition, Midpen’s Use Permit and Architectural Site Approval application for Bear Creek Stables from 2021 was recently found to still need more work, she added. “Given the complaints that are under investigation, along with the incomplete status of the UP/ASA, we are working to schedule a meeting with Midpen to understand their plans for the stables and how they wish to proceed with the UP/ ASA application,” she said. Onciano added Tuesday her department was in direct contact with Midpen officials Susanna Chan and Brian Malone about the matters.
Spotty environmental record
Bear Creek Stable’s ecological record has been less than stellar.
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Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
IN PROGRESS Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is expanding access to Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve by building a new parking lot.
A NEW BEAR CREEK ROAD PARKING LOT IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION
WOODEN FENCE A view of the small round pen in the lower area of the property, with the breezeway barn pictured behind.
On Dec. 17, 2019, Midpen was hit with a “Notice of Violation” for illegal discharges to the watershed. Garik Iosilevsky, a management analyst with the County’s Clean Water Program, told Michael Jurich that non-stormwater outflows were beyond what’s allowed under the County Discharge Prohibition. “Drainages in your locality run directly to local waterways and ultimately to San Francisco Bay, and are not filtered or treated by the storm drain system,” he wrote (underline in original). “When sediment is released into the environment it can be toxic to fish and wildlife.” Midpen’s Gessner said she was unaware of this incident. And on Feb. 23, 2023, Omar Smith, a senior property management specialist with Midpen, told the manager prior
Residents and visitors can look forward to a 44-car lot for access to surrounding trails
to Chaparral, Pamela Ashford, he’d discovered “several instances of unsanitary and unsafe conditions in the stable lease premises, including large piles of manure and debris,” earlier that month. “The unauthorized manure piles are not located in the designated manure program area,” he said. “The piles have no containment to prevent spreading into the watershed and none of the observed piles are covered to prevent runoff. These uncontained and uncovered piles create a potential health and safety hazard for the surrounding preserve and boarders at the stables.” The Midpen spokesperson said this is an example of the agency’s oversight actually
Faizi Samadani, Contributor
➝ Stables, 15 Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
CURRENT RESIDENT Bear Creek Stables is only open to private boarders and their horses at the moment. Friends of Bear Creek Stables is now managing the facility.
A 44-space parking lot—with room for an additional eight horse trailers—is being built by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District on Bear Creek Road to increase access to hiking and equestrian trails. Joseph J. Albanese Inc. won the contract with a bid of $1,904,963. Construction started in late May. The Grand Opening is tentatively scheduled for the end of the year. The lot will feature public restrooms and electric vehicle charging, and will provide access to a loop trail. Meanwhile, local nonprofit Friends of Bear Creek Stables has taken over management of nearby Bear Creek Stables. Midpen is planning to invest several million dollars into repairing the stable in the years ahead. Currently capital projects at Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve are in Phase 0, in anticipation of certain criteria being completed. Friends of Bear Creek Stables was initially required to raise $250,000 in order to get the long-term management contract for the horse boarding facility. They took over with a ribbon-cutting on July 1. Midpen, a public agency, was spearheaded by a woman named Nonette Hanko in 1972 in Palo Alto. The entire Preserve is nearly 1,500 acres, which includes Bear Creek Stables and the land where the parking lot is being built. Rick Parfitt, the president of Friends of Bear Creek Stables, attributes his success to the team of experts they’ve recruited as part of plans to launch nature-based programs and equine activities to the public. “We need parking for the preserve, because the one at Alma College is only about 53 spots,” said Melany Moore, who serves on the board of Friends of Bear Creek Stables. “A bad experience here would be if too many people showed up one day, because we have to be careful around horses,” said Parfitt. Parfitt says his main thrust is to make
Bear Creek Stables a place for the entire community, a place where people can feel safe and welcome. “One of our goals is to make all p e o p l e f e e l w e l c o m e d . We a r e a diverse population,” said Parfitt. Toni Kent, the owner of Los Gatos Farms, who attended the July 1 ribbon-cutting, said she was “so thankful to see the horse stable reopening, even in its limited scope. It will help keep the equine experience available for more people.” Kent has been tending to horses on her 30-acre lot for the last 26 years, and has been keeping up with the goings on at Bear Creek Stables over the last decade or so, with the changes in operators. In terms of things to expect, Parfitt says they’ll soon have egg-laying chickens at the stables. Midpen is currently guided by their 2017 plan for the area. Prior to the organization buying the land from Peninsula Open Space Trust, developers had plans to turn the landscape into housing and a golf course. The land was preserved in 1999. Rachael Parakh, who volunteers as the public relations director and secretary for Friends of Bear Creek Stables, says working on Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve projects has been a dream come true for her. “Spending my days advocating for rural stables, witnessing the public's joy when meeting horses, and designing print campaigns that bring awareness to nature is thrilling,” she said. Moore grew up in Monte Sereno on a small family farm with animals and has had an affinity for local history, old barns and open spaces. “I am honored to work with Friends of Bear Creek Stables, the equestrian community and Midpen to save this historic Stables, as a gem for the Bay Area.” “It has been a safe place for people to reconnect with nature and animals. I have served as the Friends’ ecological chairperson, and currently as vice president since 2014, when the founders put out a plea for the community to attend a Midpen meeting to save Bear Creek Stables.” Read the full article at LosGatan.com
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RUDY RUCKER: WRITER, MATHEMATICIAN, PAINTER Dinah Cotton / Los Gatan
Notable local invites the Los Gatan into his art studio Dinah Cotton, Contributor
Living in our midst we have some very interesting folks. One of these is Rudy Rucker, living quietly, painting away, in his outdoor studio in the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills. His studio consists of a plastic chair, a table, brushes and paints in a knapsack nearby. I headed over to his home on a warm summer afternoon. After writing 38 science fiction books, working as a professor (teaching computer science at San Jose State University for 20 years) and developing a reputation as a prominent mathematician, he’s now focused on painting. In his words, his paintings depict, “the exploratory and non-digital nature of painting, and the luscious mixing of the colors. Sometimes I have a specific scenario in mind. Other times I don’t think very much about what I’m doing. I just paint and see what comes out.” Looking at his recent works, what emerges is whimsical bright hues with amazing messages.
Transrealism
“My main career was always writing,” he said. “I have always loved the beat writers, like Jack Kerouac, Allan Ginsberg. And I love science fiction. So I always wanted to be a beat science fiction writer.” Rucker’s books are known for injecting wild mathematics and computer science into his stories. He’s known globally as one of the original founders of the cyberpunk literary movement. His “Ware” tetralogy, is a groundbreaking sci-fi novel series, pioneering a transrealism literary style. They blend real-time life and fantastic elements. I recently read, Software.
Cyberpunk classic / “Software, the one that started it all”
Software is a 1982 cyberpunk science fiction novel. This is his first book in the Ware tetralogy (series of four connected works), was celebrated as a “transrealist” novel, together with a nonfiction transrealist guide “Infinity and the Mind.” Normally, my recreational reading does not consist of sci-fi, so this was truly a journey into the unknown. The cover artwork in this paperback is by Joe Devito. A statement on the cover read, “The astonishing cyberpunk classic! The one that started it all” It also noted the novel won the 1983 Philip K. Dick award. I thought I had better read this prior to our interview. Would this book explain cyberpunk and his paintings? I was intrigued. Reading a new genre of fiction provided respite from doomsday scrolling.
ARTIST AT WORK Rudy Rucker in his Los Gatos backyard studio, contemplating what should come next in his latest painting. While reading Software, I could not help but think how much this book, written back in the 1980s, remains relevant to today’s times. Robots are mentioned. A frosty freeze ice cream truck is involved with shifting characters and new body parts. It was, to say the least, a “far out” trip to the end. And now, his paintings seem to carry out messages from beyond the fringes of imagination. He took up painting in 1999 while writing a novel about the Flemish master Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
Sci-fi lives on
Rucker says computers were always interesting to him. “But it was a day job,” he said. “It wasn’t my whole soul.” It was cool to see how graphical interfaces progressed as computers got better, he said, adding, “The main thing was writing the novels, and the nonfiction.” The spark to lead him to his current medium of painting began with his writings. “My pictures are often realistic in that they contain recognizable objects, but fantastic in their use of heightened color, cartoony simplifications and odd scenarios,” he told me in his backyard studio. “The genre is sometimes called pop surrealism. Some of my pictures seem to tell a story. The stories may relate to my novels, or they may be free-floating parables, ambiguous—with their precise meaning unknown.” Some of his paintings do tell quite a whimsical story. In his book of
paintings, Better Worlds he inserts, “Notes on the Paintings,” at the end describing his works. These are personal messages from Rucker about his unique style. These descriptions are not mundane, and your own interpretations might differ. This is what art appreciation is all about. After seeing his acrylic paintings, currently hanging downtown, I liked one piece “Kawaii,” very much (roughly translated from Japanese as something like “cute”). During our interview, I learned that prints are also available. The bright colors, unusual shapes and forms all help his paintings jump up and off the canvases. I would call it “sci-fi style.” On my visit to his home, he presented me with his book, Better Worlds, which is dedicated to his family. The book chronicles his 291 paintings.
Back to Software
On the back cover of Software, there’s a promotional blurb that reads, “The last gasp of the baby boomers.” And perhaps it is? Going on, here’s an excerpt: “It’s 2020 and the entire state of Florida has been turned over to millions of pheezers (freaky geezers), who are mostly content staying stoned on geriatric acid, grooving on old tunes and saving up for artificial organs. But one old pheezer still has big ideas. Cobb Anderson has just been contacted by the rebellious bopper robots he fathered and helped to free back in the 20th century. They made him an offer
he can’t refuse—the ultimate high—immortality!” I really enjoyed this book. Much of it has become our reality since it was first published. It tells of robots and humans that are interchangeable. Is this happening now? Shall we start with driverless cars and AI-created art? This is not an art or a book review, it is an invitation to view today with glasses on from an earlier time. Why not take a look at what a mathematician, professor, a scifi writer—and now painter—puts onto his canvas of choice. Rucker has written: 26 novels, 5 popular science books, a textbook, a book of essays, a book of short stories, a memoir, a book of journals, and a book of his 291 paintings. (End for Print) A “transreal manifesto" is available to read on Rucker’s blog page. Rucker, is indeed, an artist that is “too cool for the room,” in a Town that is “way too cool.” This is not an art or a book review, it is an invitation to view today with glasses on from an earlier time shifted into today’s time. Take a look at what a mathematician, professor, a sci-fi writer and now painter puts onto canvas. Rucker has written: 26 novels, 5 popular science books, 1 textbook, 1 book of essays, 1 book of stories, 1 memoir, 1 book of journals, and 1 book of his 291 paintings (to date)-he updates this book annually.
POLICE BLOTTER JULY 26
JULY 30
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Someone reportedly burglarized a residence on Vasona Court, stealing a scooter and backpack at 12:02am.
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A caller reported their neighbor was disturbing them using electric tools on Las Miradas Drive at 5:22pm.
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Someone reported a bicyclist “down” at Blossom Hill Road and Linda Avenue after a vehicle accident at 11:32am.
Juveniles were reportedly racing around people on their motorized scooters and bikes at Vasona Park on Garden Hill Drive at 7:05pm.
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A man was reportedly driving a golf cart on Vista Del Monte at 4:54pm.
JULY 31 •
A caller reportedly chased his burglar out of his residence on Vasona Avenue after seeing a strange light downstairs at 4:04am.
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A caller reported that someone possibly had a knife at Hercules Draft House & Cantina on Los Gatos Saratoga Road at 10:47am.
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A caller reported that two juveniles kept riding by him on an e-bike and scooter and calling him names at Starbucks on Union Avenue at 12:30pm.
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Cash was reportedly taken from the caller’s vehicle when it was parked at Office Depot on Los Gatos Boulevard at 3:40pm.
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A male driver was reportedly honking, tailgating and brake-checking the caller at Blossom Hill Road and Francis Oaks Way 6:20pm.
JULY 27 •
A driver reportedly ran their vehicle into Best Western Inn on Los Gatos Saratoga Road at 6:23am.
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Someone trespassed onto a residence on Vasona Court, leaving a bike in the front, at 7:44am.
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A suspicious person was reportedly asking homeowners on Via De Tesoros to do a lidar scan for their property at 2:33pm.
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Someone reportedly tried to open the front door of a caller’s residence on Via De Tesoros at 8:59pm.
JULY 28 •
Someone reportedly broke the caller’s vehicle window and stole his tools on Blossom Valley Drive at 8:04am.
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Police arrested someone on a misdemeanor at Izorah Way and Farley Road at 1:46pm.
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A bicyclist reportedly had minor injuries after colliding with a vehicle on Los Gatos Saratoga Road and Northbound Highway 17 at 2:08pm.
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A large party of juveniles was reported drinking alcohol on Santa Rosa Drive at 9:15am.
JULY 29 •
Someone reportedly took two backpacks and a wallet from an unlocked vehicle on Bacigalupi Drive at 9:56am.
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Homeless men were reported urinating on the fence that lines the caller’s property at Live Oak Manor Park on Carlton Ave at 1:28pm.
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A caller reported juveniles screaming outside their residence on Downing Oak Court at 8:48pm.
AUG. 1 •
A cite-and-release arrest was issued after a group of juveniles were driving recklessly on Clearview Drive at 12:23am.
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A caller reported a driver texting on her phone and tailgating them on Los Gatos Boulevard at 12:51pm.
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A man reportedly entered a property on Sierra Azule, drank from the hose and took a nap behind the caller’s car at 5:46pm.
These reports are compiled from publicly available information released by the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department. Prepared by Anika Kapasi
lgsubs.com
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August august 5- 11, 2 0 2 6 : los gatan.com
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(End for Print)
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Caller reportedly chased his burglar out of his residence on Vasona Avenue (Police Blotter, 7/26-8/1)
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SPORTS Jonathan Natividad
SPIKE IT Wildcats’ senior middle blocker Sadie Bins goes up for an attack during their summer training period in July.
BUMP, SET, SPIKE: WILDCATS ON THE ATTACK Los Gatos girls volleyball gears up for another season Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor
For Nicole Ciari and the rest of the Los Gatos High School girls volleyball coaching staff, the 2025 season was filled with difficulties but also opportunities for growth. Never before had Ciari entered a season with such few returners, a big reason why the team finished 16-14 and
wasn’t a contender for the SCVAL De Anza Division championship. “As much as we had growing pains last season, it will be such a big stepping stone because the girls have a better understanding of how they can be better teammates,” said Ciari, who is entering her fourth season as the Los Gatos coach. “Even though it took time to get to this place, it will make this season so much more successful.” As a new season approaches, Ciari ex-
pects to see the experience the returning players went through last year to benefit the program going forward. Ciari had the players for a three-week summer training program in July before going on hiatus for the mandatory dead period. In that time, Ciari got a glimpse of what the 2026 campaign holds. “Those three weeks you get to know the girls, they get to know the coaches, each other, learn drills and prepare for tryouts,” said Ciari, whose team opens
league play on Sept. 17. “It is a laid-back opportunity to get better at volleyball together, but the wheels are always turning anytime you get an opportunity to see both the returning students and incoming class. You get a glimpse of where the season is headed.” The Wildcats return 13 players off last year’s team, the majority of whom saw significant time on the court. Returning junior libero Caylin Thomas and senior middle blocker Sienna McGrath are difference-makers both in their play on the court and the example they set daily. “Caylin and Sienna are probably two of our most committed athletes in our program,” Ciari said. “They’re coming in for extra reps and are involved with helping out the middle school programs. We’re very excited to see what they’re able to accomplish this year.” Sophomore outside hitter Stella Kanter is one of the most athletic players on the team, having qualified for the CIF State Track and Field Championships in the high jump last spring. Kanter is one of the few girls on the team who doesn’t play club volleyball, only because of the commitment she has made to both volleyball and track and field. “She is very excited to get back to volleyball after her phenomenal track season,” Ciari said. Ten of the 13 returners play club volleyball, a key component for skill development and experience. In fact, Sadie Bins, Kate Langner and Silvia Miletich got to play together for the same club team this summer. “It’s great when you have those players who do club during the (high school) off-season,” Ciari said. “We have girls medaling at (Junior) Nationals, and they're all very successful in their own ways. At the club level, 10 of them are competing at the highest level they can. That's a lot of experience they bring back to our program, and it really brings cohesiveness in the gym. We have so many good athletes and we’re excited to get them all back together.” Ciari described Bins’ play last year as “amazing,” highlighting the senior middle blocker’s presence at the net and ability on the attack. Ciari is also excited for returning senior Britt Melinauskas, who is fully healthy after being slowed last year by injury. Two players who were brought up for the team’s playoff run last year—sophomore Lulu Farwell and junior Emma Jin—are expected to make an impact as well. “I’m really excited to see Lulu compete for a spot on the varsity roster and Emma is a fantastic athlete but also really in pursuit of her next career,” Ciari said. “They both worked extremely hard last year and both of them are amazing.”
CRUELTY PROBE DROPPED AFTER HORSES MOVED OFF PROPERTY
August august 5- 11, 2 0 2 6 : los gatan.com
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Stables, from page 11 serving to protect the environment, adding the organization also recently cleaned up old fuel tanks found buried on the site.
Animal cruelty case
An official audit released in January shed more light on the death of a horse that was stabled at Bear Creek Stables under the prior owner. It notes that Chaparral had already been under the microscope for months for potential animal mistreatment by the time officers turned their attention to Bear Creek Stables in March 2024. “Nine days after the investigation began, Field Services received an email that all horses had been moved to another location and the case was closed ‘since the horses are no longer there and both horses of concern are under veterinary treatment,’ according to the activity report,” per the audit. On July 12, 2024, Honey the horse, which had been living at Bear Creek Stables, was found in Milpitas in such bad shape it had to be euthanized that same day. The Los Gatan asked Midpen why the horses were removed from the Los Gatos site in the midst of an animal control investigation. “Chaparral was shuffling their personal horses around,” Gessner said. “We mutually parted ways.” She declined to say if Midpen took any steps to check on the health of any of the other expelled horses.
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A new chapter
Gessner said that Midpen is excited about Friends of Bear Creek Stables taking over the management of the stables. Their contract requires them to serve “at least 1,500 individuals through programs at the Stables or in the Preserve” and “offer opportunities for diverse and underserved community residents to experience equestrian activities.” Midpen is focused on bringing the facility up to modern codes and aligning public access with environmental protection, Gessner said. “This new relationship with the Friends of Bear Creek Stables nonprofit is a new path forward and a new model for keeping these stables operating,” she said. “There’s not an intensification of site use. The public programming has been paused for a while, and it will be restarting.”
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August 55-11, august -11, 2202 0266 :: losgata losgatan.co n.com m
GUEST VIEW Los Gatos Library and Museum History Project
Why we still need the ink What early American press history teaches Los Gatos today Jeffrey P. B lum , Contributor
During a walk along North Santa Cruz Avenue, it is easy to take for granted the stack of newspapers sitting in Los Gatos Roasting Company and in other local coffee houses. In a town like ours, where debate over housing developments, Town Council budgets and school board decisions can spark heated community dialogues, it can feel as if we have always had a reliable town square. But as history reveals, a community’s voice is never a given. It must be built, page by page, issue by issue. In his book Empire of Ink: The Printers, Rogues, and Radicals Who Invented the American Newspaper, historian Alex Wright traces the origins of the American press. Between the Revolutionary War and the dawn of the 20th century, the number of newspapers across the nation expanded exponentially. It was a bottom-up media explosion driven by local printers, reformers and independent observers who set up shops on main streets across the nation. Wright recounts how itinerant tradespeople carrying little more than pocket toolkits, would arrive in frontier settlements, set up handcranked presses and immediately give a community its first formal voice. What Wright makes clear in Empire of Ink is that early American journalism was about relaying factual updates and serving as the glue that bound new towns together. Long before national wire syndicates existed, local editors relied on a “postal exchange” system, exchanging free copies with neighboring towns so citizens could track nearby developments, debate regional policies and keep a watchful eye on power. Local papers gave citizens a shared reality. They offered a place where neighbors could argue about local governance and celebrate community milestones. The early press was noisy, imperfect and local, but it laid the bedrock for American democracy. Fast-forward to today, and the media landscape looks different, yet similar in its challenges. We live in an era dominated by global digital platforms, nationalized partisan outrage, and algorithmic feeds designed to keep our eyes glued to national controversies. Over the last two decades, thousands of local newspapers across the United States have shuttered, creating
RICH PRESS HISTORY The Los Gatos Mail newspaper building on W. Main Street, pictured in the early 1890s. The paper was established in 1883 by H. H. Main, former editor of the San Jose Herald. vast “news deserts” where local corruption goes unchecked, school board elections pass without coverage and public engagement plummets. When a town loses its paper, it loses its mirror. That is precisely why local publications like the Los Gatan matter. While national headlines dominate television screens, local journalism is where national ideals meet real life. The decisions that most directly affect our daily lived experience, such as the preservation of our open spaces, fire safety, traffic planning along Highway 17 and the funding of our local schools, happen right here in our backyard. Without independent, on-the-ground reporting, who holds public officials accountable? Who tells the story of the high school athlete, the merchant celebrating 30 years on Main Street or grassroots efforts like Los Gatos Thrives
engages in, as they work to build a new community center? Empire of Ink reminds us that journalism has always been a public trust, driven by people who believe that an informed public is the prerequisite for a healthy community. Early American townspeople read and championed their local papers. They understood that supporting the local press was an investment in their own self-governance. Today, supporting local journalism requires that same commitment from us. It means taking ten minutes out of a busy morning to read local reporting. It means engaging thoughtfully in town debates armed with verified facts rather than social media rumors. And for local business owners, it means recognizing that advertising in a community paper is marketing and is sustaining the civic infrastructure of the town you do business in.
We often think of freedom of the press as an abstract constitutional right guarded by national newsrooms in Washington or New York. But as Alex Wright’s history demonstrates, the real engine of American journalism has always been local. It lives in the small-town newsrooms, the dedicated reporters attending latenight planning commission meetings and the readers who care enough to stay informed. The technology of news delivery will continue to evolve, but the core principle behind Empire of Ink remains unchanged: a community cannot govern itself if it does not know itself. So, the next time you pick up a copy of the Los Gatan, remember that you are reading news and participating in a long tradition of self-governance. Let’s make sure we keep the ink flowing.
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PUBLIC NOTICES Fictitious Business Name Statements FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #727686 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Pleasant Ridge Home, 1939 Mt Pleasant Rd, San Jose, CA, 95148, Kathleen Anne Reboton. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Kathleen Anne Reboton. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 06/12/2026. (pub LG 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, 08/05/2026) File Number: FBN728247. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. TRIAL|ERROR, 368 Campbell Ave, #100, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, WATERMARK RESTAURANT LLC, 14878 Donner Drive, San Jose, CA 95124. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/02/2026 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Elaine Fader /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. WATERMARK RESTAURANT LLC, Article/Reg # 202360212354, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Andrew Morse /s/ Manager. (Pub LGN: 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, 8/05/2026) File Number: FBN728268. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. STAR LIMOUSINE, 1380 Gazdar Ct., Santa Clara, CA 95051. This business is conducted by: An Individual, JONG HOON KIM, 1380 Gazdar Ct., Santa Clara, CA 95051. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/13/2016 and 07/06/2026 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Elaine Fader /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Jong Hoon Kim /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, 8/05/2026) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #728413 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: The Cardboard Arc, 5218 Makati Cir, San Jose, CA 95123, Justin Singleton. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 05/31/2026. /s/Justin Singleton. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/10/2026. (pub LG 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, 08/05/2026) File Number: FBN727427. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. CRESCO GROUP, 760 Newhall Drive #1020, San Jose, CALI 95110. This business is conducted by: An Individual, JEFFREY URENO GALLEGOS, 760 Newhall Drive #1020, San Jose, CALI 95110. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 06/04/2026 and 06/04/2026 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/ Jeffrey Ureno Gallegos /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, 8/05/2026) File Number: FBN728415. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. LGIAS, PO BOX 272, Los Gatos, CA 95031. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, LOS GATOS INTEGRATED APPLIED SYSTEMS LLC, PO BOX 272, Los Gatos, CA 95031. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/10/2026 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. LOS GATOS INTEGRATED APPLIED SYSTEMS LLC, Article/Reg # B20260306050, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Marko Milivojevic /s/ Owner. (Pub LGN: 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, 8/05/2026) File Number: FBN728219. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. DAL ELECTRIC, 68 E Rincon, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: An Individual, FEREYDOON DEMEHRI, 68 E Rincon Ave, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 06/01/2026 and 07/01/2026 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Elaine Fader /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Fereydoon Demehri /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, 8/05/2026) File Number: FBN728118. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. K1 strategic partners, 1140 Blair Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. This business
is conducted by: An Individual, Kanav Mittal, 1140 Blair Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 06/21/2026 and 06/26/2026 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/ Kanav Mittal /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/22, 07/29, 8/05, 08/12/2026) File Number: FBN728069. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. TYPE2 PERFORMANCE, 3411 Casalino Ct, San Jose, CA 94148. This business is conducted by: An Individual, MICHAEL ROCHE ASUNCION SADSAD, 3411 Casalino Ct, San Jose, CA 94148. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 06/25/2026 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. /s/ Michael Roche Asuncion Sadsad /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/22, 07/29, 8/05, 08/12/2026) File Number: FBN728439. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. LOS GATOS DENTAL ARTS - LETICIA LOZADA ORTEGA DDS, 14515 S Bascom Ave, Suite F, Los Gatos, CA 95032. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, LETICIA LOZADA ORTEGA DDS INC, 14515 S Bascom Ave, Suite F, Los Gatos, CA 95032. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 12/15/2025 and 07/13/2026 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. LETICIA LOZADA ORTEGA DDS INC, Article/Reg # B20250222046, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Aldo Napoleon Ortega /s/ CFO. (Pub LGN: 07/22, 07/29, 8/05, 08/12/2026) File Number: FBN728445. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. WAVELENGTH SOCIAL COMMUNICATION, 1857 Brixton Court, San Jose, CA 95132. This business is conducted by: An Individual, JENNIFER SALMON, 1857 Brixton Court, San Jose, CA 95132. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 07/05/2026 and 07/13/2026 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/ Jennifer Salmon /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/22, 07/29, 8/05, 08/12/2026) File Number: FBN728368. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. PET PEOPLE, 2. PET PEOPLE OF LOS GATOS, 514 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95030. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, DOS REALES INC, 2341 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 04/08/2026 and 07/08/2026 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.. DOS REALES INC, Article/Reg # B20260101885, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Santiago Oliva /s/ President. (Pub LGN: 07/22, 07/29, 8/05, 08/12/2026) File Number: FBN728504. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. SUGAR AND FLOWER BAKERY, 102 Greendale Dr, Los Gatos, CA 95032. This business is conducted by: An Individual, CAITLIN ULLESEIT, 102 Greendale Dr, Los Gatos, CA 95032. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/15/2026 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/ Caitlin Ulleseit /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/22, 07/29, 8/05, 08/12/2026) File Number: FBN728570. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. NICU COMPASS, 945 Castlewood Dr. Apt 2, Los Gatos, CA 95032. This business is conducted by: An Individual, ASHLEY MICHELLE GRIFFIN, 945 Castlewood Dr. Apt 2, Los Gatos, CA 95032. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/17/2026 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. /s/ Ashley Michelle Griffin /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/29, 8/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) File Number: FBN728360. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. LM PHYSIATRY, 355 Dardanelli Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95032. This business is conducted by: An Individual, LEYTON J GALAPIA, 3964 Rivermark
Plaza, Unit #2595, Santa Clara, CA 95054. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 12/15/2025 and 07/08/2026 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/ Leyton J Galapia /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/29, 8/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) File Number: FBN728526. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. MICHELE ROOT, LCSW, 307 Orchard City Drive, Suite 310, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, MR THERAPY, A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, 307 Orchard City Drive, Suite 310, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/15/2026 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. MR THERAPY, A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, Article/Reg # 6331821, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Michele Root /s/ President. (Pub LGN: 07/29, 8/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) File Number: FBN728561. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. WITH HONOR, 550 W Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. This business is conducted by: An Individual, JONATHAN INDY MACAREWA, 550 W Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2026 and 07/16/2026 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Elaine Fader /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Jonathan Indy Macarewa /s/. (Pub LGN: 07/29, 8/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) File Number: FBN728572. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. MEDVIRO OF SAN JOSE, 976 Hanson Ct, Milpitas, CA 95035. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, OZ REMEDIATION SERVICES, INC, 976 Hanson Ct, Milpitas, CA 95035. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 07/16/2026 and 07/17/2026 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. OZ REMEDIATION SERVICES, INC, Article/Reg # B20250335345, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Osmin Zelaya /s/ President. (Pub LGN: 07/29, 8/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) File Number: FBN728649. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, 2195 Conway Street, Milpitas, CA 95035. This business is conducted by: An Individual, TERRY RIECKEN, PO Box 860, Los Gatos, CA 95031. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/13/1998 and 07/21/2026 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/ Terry Riecken /s/ (Pub LGN: 07/29, 8/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #728675 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Out Of The Box Creativity, 845 Ramona St Apt 514, Palo Alto, CA 94301, Arin Middendorp. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Arin Middendorp. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/21/2026. (pub Metro 07/29, 08/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) File Number: FBN728745. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. LEASH RETRIEVERS, 1186 Smith Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: An Individual, SHELBY STROBERG, 1186 Smith Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/23/2026 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/ Shelby Stoberg /s/ (Pub LGN: 07/29, 8/05, 08/12, 08/19/2026) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #728897 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Hidden Talent Art Studio, 4846 Pine Forest Place, San Jose, CA 95118, Jean Skamra. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 10/01/2006. /s/ Jean Skamra. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/28/2026. (pub Metro 08/05, 08/12, 08/19, 08/26/2026)
legals@losgatan.com FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #728793 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Rootandring Woodworks, 3504 Kenyon Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95051, Patrick John Connor. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Patrick John Connor. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/24/2026. (pub LG 08/05, 08/12, 08/19, 08/26/2026) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #728938 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Treezus, 847 Spindrift Way, San Jose, CA 95134, Zetaquest Industries LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. 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/Merlin Law. Owner. B20260326492. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/29/2026. (pub LG 08/05, 08/12, 08/19, 08/26/2026) File Number: FBN728932. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. REGPRO, 25 S Central Ave, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: An Individual, BILLIE JOE LOWE, 25 S Central Ave, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 07/29/2026 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/ Billie Joe Lowe /s/ (Pub LGN: 8/05, 08/12, 08/19, 08/26/2026) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #728947 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Glam Medspa, 200 W. Mckinley Ave, Suite 103, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, Quan Nguyen MD 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 07/29/2026. /s/Quan Nguyen. President. B20260104540. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 07/29/2026. (pub LG 08/05, 08/12, 08/19, 08/26/2026)
Two Easy Steps To Keeping Your Business Name Up To Date 1
File Fictitious Business Name paperwork with the clerk of the county
2
Use your mobile phone or scanner and this QR code to upload the document and publish your statement in a newspaper of general circulation
Note: If you filed your fictitious business name more than five years ago, you must file a renewal and re-publish to remain compliant.
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From Captivating Cottages to Palatial Estates — Expertise That Brings Multiple Offers
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Extraordinary marketing expertise fueled with contagious enthusiasm defines Lucy Wedemeyer as a “RockStar” Real Estate Broker. She’s one of the most recognized and highly respected Realtors in the Bay Area, consistently awarded Top 1% distinction Keith Andry with a BS in Finance joined his Award-Winning Mother-in-Law in 2000. As founding members of SERENO, they’ve curated an extensive network of professionals as an integral part of enhancing clients properties for market. Both exude unsurpassed pro-active visions as Brokers and Certified Negotiation Experts; reflective of 90% referral business as they strive to exceed expectations to accomplish client’s goals and dreams.
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