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MICRO NEEDLING SPECIAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL STUDENTS
INCLUDE BROADCASTING, COLLEGE FUNDING
Pirate Cat Radio’s Teen Radio Camp; Jack Kent Cook Found. scholarship
Staff Report
Pirate Cat Radio KPCR 92.9 FM is launching its first Teen Radio Camp, a new summer program where teens ages 13-17 learn how to create and broadcast original radio content.
The camp will run weekly from June 9 to Aug. 8 at the KPCR studio in downtown Los Gatos.
Campers will learn how to host live shows, conduct interviews, produce podcasts, and edit audio. Each session ends with a live on-air program, which is broadcast on KPCR 92.9 in Los Gatos, as well as KMRT 101.9fm in Santa Cruz—and online at kpcr.org.
“This is a chance for teens to build confidence, get creative and have their voices heard on the radio,” said Station Manager Daniel Roberts, in a release. “They will get hands-on experience with real broadcasting tools in a supportive, fun environment.”
Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions are available. No prior media experience is required. Scholarships are available to ensure access for all interested students.
Pirate Cat Radio is a listener-supported community radio station operated by the Central Coast Media Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
The station is run entirely by volunteers and funded by community donations.
Teen Radio Camp is part of the foundation’s broader mission to provide accessible, real world media education and foster youth creativity through community broadcasting. For more information or to register, visit kpcr.org/radiocamp.
Local Jack Kent Cook Foundation Scholarship winner
On Tuesday, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced the selection of 90 community college students as recipients of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The award will enable these Scholars to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year institutions with a significantly reduced financial burden.
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The 2025 cohort marks one of the largest in the Foundation’s 25-year history. It includes Alexander Herman, from Los Gatos, who currently attends West Valley College.
“This year’s cohort reflects the remarkable talent and determination thriving in community colleges nationwide,” said Giuseppe “Seppy” Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, in a release. “As we mark 25 years of impact, we remain committed to amplifying the successes of these students and opening doors to the opportunities they deserve.”
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provides “last-dollar funding” of up to $55,000 per year for up to three years to ease the financial burden of completing a four-year degree.
Beyond funding, Scholars receive personalized advising to guide their academic and professional journeys.
Scholars also gain access to a nationwide network of more than 3,400 Cooke Scholars and Alumni, along with opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school support–ensuring they have every tool needed to thrive beyond community college.
Kiwanis Presentation
Last week the Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos held a ceremony to congratulate its Turn-Around Scholarship recipients.
“The future is looking pretty darn bright,” a spokesperson wrote on Facebook.
In the photo accompanying the text, Club President Clay Marr is seen posing alongside 13 youth, several proudly holding up certificates.
All of your animals or pictures of animals, as well as stuffed animals, are welcome to come and be blessed at the service. If you would like a certificate for your pet, please register at the address below. There will also be other opportunities for your pet and local services information.
Please make sure that your animal is leashed or in a carrier.
The Pawrade will begin 15 minutes after the service. Please dress your pet in its special costume after the service.
YOUTH OPPORTUNITY Students pictured during an earlier training experience at Pirate Cat Radio
Courtesy of pirate Cat Radio
REMEMBERING OUR ROOTS, BUILDING OUR FUTURE GUEST VIEW
Here’s why Los Gatos needs a new community center
Jeffrey P. Blum , Contributor
It’s easy to get caught up in the present, but sometimes looking back helps us understand where we’re going. So, let’s take a trip in the wayback machine to 1966. The Beatles were dominating the charts, “Star Trek” premiered on television, and the Vietnam War was escalating. It was a time of change, social movements, and a growing sense of community in many places. In the South Bay, this spirit manifested itself in a burgeoning interest in community centers, places where people could connect and engage.
Back in 1966, Los Gatos had its own community center.
That’s back in the day when bell bottoms were hip (again, apparently)
and we knew how to really connect. Our town fathers and mothers cleverly transformed the old library at 123 Main Street into a happening hub for young and old alike. “Los Gatos Community Center”—those words weren’t just a sign, they were a statement: “We value community, people!”
Back then, the community center craze was sweeping the South Bay, and Los Gatos was an early adopter, a trendsetter, if you will. Our leaders understood the radical concept that people need a place to gather, learn, and, you know, actually talk to each other. This foresight created a community cornerstone, a place where memories were forged, friendships blossomed, and maybe a few awkward dance moves were perfected.
Fast forward to today, and…well, let’s just say things have “evolved.”
That proud “Los Gatos Communi -
ter to everyone, from energetic kids to wise seniors, making life better for all.
And Los Gatans? We’ve been dreaming of this for eighteen years. Eighteen! That’s practically a generation. The 2007 Los Gatos Civic Center Master Plan laid it all out: a new library and a fabulous 32,000-squarefoot community center. We got the library (it’s gorgeous, we admit), but the community center? It’s been stuck in “coming soon” mode for way too long. What happened? Life happened. Money got tight, other priorities popped up, and our community center dreams were, sadly, put on the back burner. But the need? It’s only gotten stronger.
So, Los Gatos, it’s time to rise and shine! We’ve waited long enough to reclaim that central gathering place, a space that reflects our town’s awesomeness. It’s time to build a spectacular new community center for generations to come, a place where memories are made, skills are honed, and community bonds are unbreakable.
But here’s the kicker: this vision needs you. A dedicated campaign is now underway to reignite the community center dream. We need your help to make this a reality.
First things first: spread the word! Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your dog walker. Let everyone know the campaign is officially ON.
ty Center” sign? Gone. Vanished. Poof! While the original building still stands, it now houses a rather cozy (read: cramped) Youth Activities Center. Our Adult Recreation Center? Also cozy and apparently having a mid-life crisis requiring extensive TLC. Our once-vibrant, unified community center? Fragmented. Scattered. It’s like trying to find all the socks after laundry day.
Meanwhile, our neighbors? They’ve been busy. They’ve been investing. Many surrounding towns and cities now boast shiny, state-of-the-art community centers that are the envy of, well, us. These aren’t just buildings; they’re destinations. Think of lightfilled spaces that practically beg for Instagram photos, cutting-edge tech, versatile rooms for everything from weddings to Zumba, and cozy corners for, you know, just chilling. They ca -
Next, head over to our website: lgcommunitycenter.org. There, you can dive into the vision, see the amazing benefits, and, most importantly, sign up for email updates. Stay in the loop on events, progress, and how you can lend your voice and support.
Finally, do yourself a favor: visit a modern community center. If you’re out and about in the Bay Area, drop in. Experience the buzz, the activities, the community. Imagine that for Los Gatos. Having done the local community centers tour, I can tell you my favorite is the one in Los Altos.
Together, we can make this new community center dream happen. Let’s channel our town’s spirit and build a future with a vibrant, modern community center. It’s time to show the world what Los Gatos is made of! The Community Center Campaign is counting on you. Let’s build this. Together.
EVENING SHOT Columnist Jeffrey Blum says it’s time to prioritize making progress on a new community recreation facility. Pictured, the current Los Gatos Adult Recreation Center at sunset.
SPORTS
TOWN FC’S EDWYN MENDOZA MODELS HEALTH, FITNESS
South Bay schools benefit from Get EQ Fit program
Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor
Six years ago, Edwyn Mendoza was an eighth grader at Ida Jew Academy in east San Jose.
A lot has happened since then for the San Jose native. Now in his second professional season playing for Town FC—the San Jose Earthquakes’ second team club—the 19-year-old Mendoza returned to Ida Jew on May
1 to give back to a place where he has fond memories.
Mendoza congratulated the school's third- and fourth-graders who recently completed the five-week Get Earthquakes (EQ) Fit wellness curriculum, a program designed to get kids on the path to a healthy and active lifestyle through games and easy-to-understand lessons.
The program was expanded this year as a result of the Earthquakes’ partnership with El Camino Health, the official health care sponsor for the
storied Major League Soccer club. A 5-foot-10, 160-pound midfielder for Town FC and a U.S. Youth National Team player, Mendoza felt humbled to now be in a position where kids aspire to be like him.
“I was happy to be back to be a role model for kids,” he said. “It was kind of weird being back since I just graduated there six years ago, but it was pretty cool. There were three or four teachers I knew—two of them personally taught me during my time there—and they congratulated me, which was a nice moment.”
One of Mendoza’s eighth grade teachers, Geetha Manjunath, attended the event and expressed pride in Mendoza being an Ida Jew alumnus.
“It’s very gratifying seeing a (former) student being a role model,” Manjunath said via the Earthquakes communication team. “We’re very proud of him. I was an eighth grade math and science teacher, and he was one kid that I used to tell other students, that he’s a perfect role model who knows how to balance academics and sports. He was a very diligent and hard work-
ROLE MODEL The San Jose Earthquakes/Town FC’s Edwyn Mendoza visited Ida Jew Academy on May 1 for the El Camino Health fitness graduation.
SPORTS
ing student, getting straight-A’s and at the same time showing the same interest in sports as well.”
Manjunath added that today’s kids need role models and accessible programs like Get EQ Fit to equip them to live healthy lives.
“I think in today’s generation, the first thing kids need is good mental health,” she said. “That can be balanced with good sports and programs like Earthquakes Fit. When you get this to our schools, it’s definitely an energizing experience giving exposure to our students in how to balance academics and sports.”
Through their partnership, the Earthquakes and El Camino Health has expanded the Get EQ Fit program
to over 40 schools throughout the South Bay, providing tangible ways for students and families to incorporate health and fitness into their daily lives.
“Get EQ Fit was born out of the need of an extracurricular school program that would help teachers meet kids where they are with a wellness curriculum to educate them on the benefits of health and fitness,” said Robert Davis, the Earthquakes Vice President of Community Relations.
Mendoza talked about the importance of healthy living and goal setting, both on and off the field. His path to the pros has some familiar elements. His dad, Adalberto, had Edwyn dribbling a soccer ball when he was 3 years old and playing in a league a year later.
"It was a passion for me and dad,” Mendoza said. “My dad comes from humble beginnings in Mexico, and he would’ve wanted to be a pro soccer player as well. He told me early on that I was going to be a pro soccer player some day. I enjoy it, I love it, and I’m so happy he put me in the sport at an early age.”
Mendoza showed an aptitude for the beautiful game early, playing for venerable club teams Lobitos and Barcelona Bay Area before making the move to join the Quakes Academy when he was 12. From there, he rose through the Academy’s various age group teams before signing a Homegrown Player contract with the Earthquakes at Paypal Park on May 3, 2023—a moment Mendoza won’t soon forget.
“It was on my birthday so probably the best birthday I’ve ever had,” he said. “I had family there, brought a lot of friends, a beautiful moment for sure.”
After starting nearly every game for Town FC last season, Mendoza is currently injured so his shortterm goal is to get back on the pitch and contribute. Mendoza would love nothing more than to suit up for the Earthquakes at some point this season.
“My personal goal is to make my debut for the first team,” he said. “It would be nice to get some minutes and play for my hometown team, be the man for the team, someone they can rely on.”
DISCOVER LOST GATOS
REMEMBERING THE LOS GATOS ‘MING QUONG’ CAMPUS
A stable and nurturing home for Chinese girls
Alan Feinberg, Contributor
It was a chilly morning in January, 1953 when 11-year-old Elena Lim arrived in Los Gatos. Her widowed father decided that he was unable to care for her so he surrendered her to the missionaries at Ming Quong. Elena was unkempt, malnourished and had been abused and neglected. After her mother died when she was an infant she was shuffled among a number of Chinese families who were barely able to support themselves and their own children. She felt no love, affection, or support.
All of that changed when she was admitted to Ming Quong (“radiant light”) where she found kindness, guidance, structure, and a sense of belonging. For the first time in her young life she had her own room, clean clothes, three healthy meals a day, proper medical and dental care, and her Ming Quong “sisters.” The experience changed her forever.
Elena’s story is similar to those of over 400 other Chinese, Chinese American and bi-racial girls (and later boys) who entered Ming Quong between 1925 and 1958. According to intake records, some were placed for health reasons or behavioral prob -
lems, others came from broken homes, and several were admitted by a parent or guardian who was either unable or unwilling to care for them. Some suffered from abuse and neglect. And some were placed temporarily and later returned to one or both parents or an adult sibling.
The children grew up in a stable and nurturing environment. They did their assigned housekeeping chores, attended public schools, played team sports, read books, and listened to records. Although they attended church and were raised with Christian values, they were also encouraged to maintain their Chinese culture and traditions.
The Los Gatos campus was the third of three Ming Quong homes which were established by a devout Presbyterian missionary named Donaldina Cameron for what she referred to as “innocent” young Chinese children who needed support. She first earned notoriety in the 1870s by bravely rescuing young women from the Yellow Slave Trade in San Francisco’s Chinatown. The first Ming Quong residence was built in the Oakland Hills in 1925 on land adjacent to Mills College. The stately home was designed by famed architect Julia Morgan in a Mediterranean style with Chinese motifs including traditional Foo dogs at the entrance. It housed girls of all ages. When Oakland’s Chinatown began to expand in the mid-1930s, Cameron recognized the opportunity for the older girls to get greater exposure to their Chi-
Los Gatos Library and Museum History
Project;
photo by Norman Fong
PLAYTIME Children run beneath the traditional Chinese archway at the entrance to the Ming Quong Home in Los Gatos.
HIRING TECHNICIANS AND ADMIN STAFF
the next step in the evolution of their relationship with the townspeople.
According to a 2022 Bay Area News Group report, Sand Hill Property paid $11.3 million for the Acura property at 16151 Los Gatos Blvd., which is leased to a company controlled by Penske Automotive Group.
Out of all the towns and cities that make up the Bay Area, Los Gatos is one of the areas where you’re most likely to spot a Porsche.
And, according to the economic laws of supply-and-demand, that means there’s a need for a place to have them tuned-up.
“If someone is interested in buy -
ing a car, we will connect them with the sales team to make sure that that transaction happens seamlessly at the Stevens Creek location,” Pordon said.
Recently, Penske moved the Acura dealership to 740 Capitol Expressway Automall.
An official Grand Opening is set for later in the month, and other happenings are in the cards, too.
“We're going to offer Porsche gatherings at the location, and we could also offer new vehicle launches there, because we are going to have a world class parts boutique,” he said, adding this will let “owners have access to high customer service without having to go as far as they used to.”
They will even hold an event titled “Porches and Pastries,” where customers can view cars on display, have their luxury vehicle serviced and eat a pastry or three while they wait. Meanwhile, customers can sip on a coffee and chat with other car enthusiasts.
“We want to service customers faster in the marketplace, and I think it makes a lot of sense,” Pordon said.
With more than 40,000 square feet of space, it won’t be just for Los Gatans—but also customers from Saratoga, Campbell and the surrounding areas.
In addition, Pordon said, they’re creating more than 30 new jobs, including for skilled technicians and administrative staff.
On April 30, Penske reported a record first quarter revenue increase of 2% to $7.6 billion.
In the release, Penske Corporation Chairman Roger Penske said they’d
been helped by their international transportation services division.
“I was also pleased to see retail automotive service and parts gross margin improve by 60 basis points when compared to the first quarter of 2024,” he said. “We continue to monitor the potential impact to our business from tariffs. As we look across our business, the benefits provided by our premium brand mix, geographic diversification across the North American retail commercial truck, Australian/ New Zealand commercial vehicle and power systems, and the international automotive markets, and the diversification of our gross profit across new and used vehicles, service and parts, and finance and insurance, coupled with our highly variable cost structure, provide us with opportunities to flex our business to meet the changing automotive landscape.”
Porsche, from page 1
INTERIOR SCENE The Los Gatan dropped by the sleek new Porsche service center in Los Gatos during the soft opening on Monday.
SUPPORTIVE MESSAGING The County rolled-out a new pro-immigrant media campaign on Monday.
COUNTY LAUNCHES MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS
Staff Report
The County of Santa Clara launched a multilingual media campaign on Monday to reaffirm its support for immigrants and those under threat from the Donald Trump Administration’s policies to information and resources.
The “One County One Future” campaign reflects the County’s commitment to the safety and well-being of all residents, regardless of immigration status, a spokesperson said.
It will feature print, digital, TV, radio and transit (VTA) advertising in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Tagalog.
The campaign conveys that immigrants are a vital part of Santa Clara County and that, no matter where you were born or what language you speak, everyone shares the same dreams. It also serves to assure members of the immigrant community that County services remain available to them and have been reinforced to provide additional layers of support.
Santa Clara County is incredibly diverse, with a population that speaks more than 100 languages and dialects. Immigrants comprise 40.6% of the population and are essential to the vibrancy of our culture and economy, County officials said.
The County provides a range of programs and services to the nearly 2 million people who call the place home. One of the County’s roles is assisting immigrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.
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THE MAN WHO KILLED HOLMES AND BELIEVED IN FAIRIES
This literary figure even prescribed books for the liver
Tanya Sedneva, Special to the Los Gatan May 22 marks the 165th birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—the man who gave us Sherlock Holmes…and then tried to get rid of him.
He was never particularly fond of his most famous creation. Holmes, he once said, was “a thinking machine without a heart,” and Doyle dreamed of being known for something more “serious”—historical novels, philosophical reflections, or at the very least, some science fiction involving dinosaurs (which, by the way, he actually wrote).
But the truth was—Sherlock paid well. Really well. Especially in the United States, where magazines paid Doyle several times what he earned back home for every new Holmes story. He was one of the first internationally famous authors, long before book tours and hashtags.
In the 1893 story ‘The Final Problem,’ Doyle "killed" Holmes in dramatic fashion.
Eventually, Doyle had had enough. In the 1893 story “The Final Problem,” he threw Holmes off the Reichenbach Falls. That was it. The end. Full stop.
The public did not take it well. Black armbands were worn in mourning. Readers flooded newspaper offices with letters begging for Holmes’s return. One outraged fan even struck Doyle with a walking stick.
And—spoiler—Holmes did return.
People didn’t just read Holmes — they wrote to him. Real letters arrived at Baker Street: "Help me find my lost dog." "Someone’s stealing my mail." "Please solve my romantic crisis."
Indeed, Conan Doyle himself was solving real-life mysteries. He helped clear the names of at least two men wrongly convicted of murder, one of whom—George Edalji—had been the victim of police prejudice and incompetence. Doyle’s stories often described investigative methods not yet in use at the time, and ironically, those very books inspired the police to start adopting them.
He also loved a good prank. Once, he sent anonymous telegrams to five upstanding gentlemen: “All is discovered. Flee at once.” One of them reportedly vanished that very night. But even the master of deduction could be fooled — and spectacularly so.
The “fairies” that fooled Sherlock's creator
In 1917, two girls—Elsie and Frances from
Yorkshire—claimed they were playing with fairies by a stream. Their parents were skeptical. So the girls took a photograph. And there it was: a fairy with delicate wings, hovering in the grass. The image was picked up by a theosophical magazine…and spotted by Arthur Conan Doyle. He was ecstatic. He wrote an article titled “Fairies Photographed!” , then another, and finally an entire book called The
MAIN LIVING ROOM Sherlock Holmes Museum, 221 Baker St., London. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional private detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
