Los Gatan October 15, 2025

Page 1


16484

THE BILLLISTER TEAM

THE BILL LISTER TEAM

THE BILLLISTER TEAM

Call Me To Discuss Your Next Move in

16484 S. KENNEDY DR, LOS GATOS

6 Bedrooms | 6 Full Baths & 2 Half Baths

• Completely remodeled gourmet chef’s kitchen

00 S. KENNEDY DR, LOS GATOS

± 6,010 sq. ft Living Space | ± 1 Acre Lot Offered at $7,295,000

New double pane windows  • Strolling distance to Belgatos Park & Santa Rosa Trail

Custom Modern Farmhouse Estate Home

Guadalupe Elementary, Dartmouth Middle School, Leigh High School

5 Bedrooms | 5 Full Baths & 1 Half Bath ± 5,465 sq. ft Living Space | ± 1 Acre Lot Offered at $6,995,000

Custom Modern Farmhouse Estate Home

15148BEL ESCOUDR, SANJOSE

3 Bedrooms | 2 Full Baths

15148BEL

159ANNE WAY, LOS GATOS 4

1,676 sq. ft Living Space | ± 7,841 sq. ft Lot Offered at $1,995,000

Bill Lister

2022 Society of Excellence, Fewer than 1% of Coldwell Banker Agents Worldwide

#1Small Team in the Los Gatos Office

Voted 2023 Best Real Estate Agent of Los Gatos Top Producer on the2011-2023 WSJ List

408.892.9300 | cell BLister@cbnorcal.com www.BillLister.com DRE#01179611 A results oriented approach matched with strong negotiating skills and effective marketing has made Bill Lister a national Real Estate leader. Give him a call today!

Dan Pulcrano Executive Editor & Publisher

EDITORIAL

editor@losgatan.com

Drew Penner

Managing Editor

Emanuel Lee

Sports Editor

Faizi Samadani, Laura Ness, Dinah Cotton Contributors

ADVERTISING

advertising@losgatan.com

Kate Kauffman Senior Account Executive

Tiffany Birch Account Executive

PRODUCTION

Cindy Couling Director of Creative Services

Deb Fischer

Creative Services Production Manager

Zk Bradley

Editorial Production Manager

Haley Tweedell

Assistant Editorial Production Manager

Saoirse Alesandro

Editorial Production Designer, Cover Illustrator

Jen Meyer, Jackie Mujica, Elena Razgonov, Rowdy Tompkins, Graphic Designers

WEEKLYS

Mike Lyon

Digital Media

Sonia Chavez Accounts Receivables

Warren Giancaterino Information Technology

LEGAL ADS

legals@losgatan.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

subscriptions@losgatan.com

DEATH NOTICES

Death notices with basic information that are submitted to editor@losgatan.com may be published on a space-available basis only. To place a paid, unedited obituary with a photo, call 707.353.1148 or email LifeTributes@Weeklys.com.

OPINIONS

Commentaries and letters to the editor on our Opinion pages reflect the opinions of the authors. We welcome letters to the editor and commentaries on all topics of local interest. Email your submissions to editor@losgatan.com

Letters must include the writer’s name and hometown (for publication) and phone number (for verification). Submissions may be edited, and will be published as space permits. Letters are limited to 250 words, commentaries to 500 words.

CORRECTIONS

We strive to avoid errors in news and ads. Mistakes sometimes occur. To report errors, call or email; corrections will appear in the next edition and online.

WHO WE ARE

Los Gatan is published Wednesdays by Weeklys. Contents copyright ©2025. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form prohibited without written permission.

REAL ESTATE ADVERTISING

All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based upon race,

Supporting Our Community for Over 30 Years

We thank the Los Gatos Gatan Community for awarding us The Gold for the Best Commercial Bank.

Learn how we can help support your business banking needs, call Noe Munoz at 408-534-4954 or visit us at 15575 Los Gatos Boulevard, Suite B, Los Gatos, CA 95032.

ARTS ENTERTAINMENT &

BEST CHARITY EVENT

Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival

SILVER

Los Gatos Rotary Crabfest & Auction

BRONZE

Powering Hope, Jewish Silicon Valley

BEST EVENT

Los Gatos Children’s Christmas/ Holidays Parade

SILVER

Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival

BRONZE

Music in the Park (Los Gatos)

BEST FESTIVAL

Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival

SILVER

OktoberFest Los Gatos

BRONZE

The Makers Market Local Artist Fair

BEST FITNESS CLASS

Addison-Penzak JCC

SILVER

Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club

BRONZE

Breathe Together Yoga

BEST GYM OR HEALTH CLUB

Addison-Penzak JCC

SILVER

Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club

BRONZE (TIE)

Bay Club Courtside

The Club at Los Gatos

BEST HIKING TRAIL

Los Gatos Creek Trail

SILVER

Montalvo Trail, Villa Montalvo County Park

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE

Jazz on the Plazz

SILVER

Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company

BRONZE Number 1 Broadway

BEST OUTDOOR ART EVENT

Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival

SILVER NUMU ArtNow Awards Ceremony

BRONZE

The Makers Market Local Artist Fair

CIVIC CENTER PARK This year, Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival was, once again, quite the successful two-day affair breaking Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos fundraising records.

ARTS ENTERTAINMENT &

BEST OUTDOOR EVENT

Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival

SILVER

Rotary Club of Los Gatos Great Race

BRONZE

OktoberFest Los Gatos

BEST OUTDOOR

MUSIC VENUE

Los Gatos Plaza

SILVER

Los Gatos Civic Center

BEST PARK OR OPEN SPACE

Vasona Lake County Park

SILVER

Oak Meadow Park

BRONZE

Bear Creek Redwoods

Open Space Preserve

BEST PILATES STUDIO

YogaSource

SILVER

Addison-Penzak JCC

BRONZE

Premier Pilates of Los Gatos

BEST REGIONAL CASINO OR CARD ROOM

Casino M8trix

BEST THEATER COMPANY

CineLux Los Gatos Theatre

BEST YOGA STUDIO

YogaSource

SILVER

Addison-Penzak JCC

BRONZE

Breathe Together Yoga

Caring for Los Gatos Is Our Honor.

El Camino Health provides compassionate care through a comprehensive, coordinated network that puts you and Los Gatos first.

We are proud to be recognized again by the Los Gatos community as the Gold Winner for Best Healthcare Facility. Every honor reflects the trust our patients place in us, a trust that inspires our continued commitment to excellence in care.

From primary and specialty care services to advanced treatments and personalized support, we are here to help our community stay healthy and thrive.

El Camino Health. Our strength is your health.

FAMILIES PETS &

BEST ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Los Gatos Dog & Cat Hospital

SILVER

Whole Pet Vet Hospital & Wellness Center

BRONZE

Adobe Animal Hospital South Bay

BEST DOG FRIENDLY RESTAURANT

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza

SILVER

Telefèric Barcelona

BRONZE

Enoteca La Storia

BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Blossom Hill Elementary School

Daves Avenue Elementary School

BRONZE

Yavneh Day School

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza

SILVER

Oren's Hummus

BRONZE

Italian Brothers Restaurant

BEST PET OR FEED STORE

Pet People

BEST PRIVATE OR CHARTER SCHOOL

APJCC Preschool

SILVER

Los Gatos Parent Nursery School

BRONZE

Hillbrook School

BEST TOY STORE The

Los Gatos Dog & Cat

FOOD DRINK &

BEST BAGELS

The Posh Bagel

SILVER

Noah's NY Bagels

BRONZE

Boichik Bagels

BEST BAKERY

Icing on the Cake

SILVER

Manresa Bread

BRONZE

Fleur De Cocoa

BEST BAR OR PUB

Wine Cellar Restaurant

SILVER

Carry Nation's

BRONZE

Gardino's Ristorante Italiano

BEST BARBECUE

Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse

SILVER

The Bywater

BRONZE

The Cats

BEST BARTENDER

Kenny Bowes, Wine Cellar Restaurant

SILVER

Zack Piellusch, Forbes Mill Steakhouse

BRONZE

Jennifer Anzalone, Black Watch

BEST BEER SELECTION

Out of the Barrel Taproom

SILVER

Loma Brewing Company

BRONZE

Hercules Draft House & Cantina

BEST BREAD

Manresa Bread

SILVER

CRUST Sourdough Deli

BEST BREAKFAST

Los Gatos Cafe

SILVER

Lou's Coffee Shop

BRONZE

Sara's Southern Kitchen

BEST BRUNCH

Los Gatos Cafe

SILVER

Wine Cellar Restaurant

BRONZE

The Bywater

BEST BURGER

The Happy Hound

SILVER

Super Duper Burgers

BRONZE

Classic Burgers of Los Gatos

BEST BURRITO

Andalé Mexican Kitchen

SILVER

Nina's Taqueria

BRONZE

Dona Maria Mexican Restaurant

BEST BUSINESS LUNCH

Wine Cellar Restaurant

SILVER

Parkside

BRONZE

Enoteca La Storia

BEST BUTCHER COUNTER

Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse

SILVER

Lunardi's Market

BEST CAKE BAKERY

Icing on the Cake

SILVER

Fleur de Cocoa

BRONZE

Nothing Bundt Cakes

BEST CATERER

Reverence Catering

SILVER

Zona Rosa

BRONZE

CRUST Sourdough Deli

AT HOME IN THE RESTAURANT Philippe Leroy, of Chez Philippe, earned the Best Chef award. Here he is pictured with his life and business partner Deena Elkassed.

FOOD DRINK &

BEST CHEF

Philippe Leroy, Chez Philippe

SILVER (TIE)

Marcelino Hernandez, ASA Restaurant

Nick Difu, La Rinconada

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT

Taba Taba China Bistro

SILVER

Tsing Tao

BEST COCKTAILS

Wine Cellar Restaurant

SILVER

The Lexington House

BRONZE

Second Story

BEST COFFEE ROASTER

Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company

SILVER

Great Bear Coffee Roasting

BEST COFFEEHOUSE

Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company

SILVER

Great Bear Coffee Roasting

BRONZE

Blvd Coffee

BEST CRAFT BEER

Hapa's Brewing Company

SILVER

Loma Brewing Co

BRONZE

Gardino's Ristorante Italiano

BEST CRAFT BEER SELECTION

Out of the Barrel Taproom

SILVER

Hapa's Brewing Company

BRONZE

Loma Brewing Company

BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS

Parkside

SILVER

The Lexington House

BRONZE

ASA Restaurant

BEST DESSERTSRESTAURANT

Fleur de Cocoa

SILVER

Forbes Mill Steakhouse

BRONZE

ASA Restaurant

BEST DINER

Los Gatos Cafe

SILVER

Diner of Los Gatos

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE

Forbes Mill Steakhouse

SILVER

Parkside

BRONZE

ASA Restaurant

BEST DIVE BAR

Black Watch

SILVER

Carry Nation's

BEST FINE DINING

Dio Deka

SILVER

Forbes Mill Steakhouse

BRONZE

Chez Philippe

BEST FRIED CHICKEN

The Bywater

SILVER

Parkside

BRONZE

Danbi Korean Restaurant

BEST FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

Loma Brewing Company

SILVER Local Kitchens

BEST GLUTEN-FREE MENU

Polenteria

SILVER

Coup De Thai

BRONZE

Gardenia

BEST GREEK RESTAURANT

Dio Deka

SILVER Opelia

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Shepherd & Sims

SILVER

Parkside

BRONZE (TIE)

Gardino's Ristorante Italiano

Zona Rosa

TENDING BAR Jennifer Anzalone is part of the family that has been operating the Black Watch for decades. She took the bronze in the Best Bartender category, while “The Watch” won Best Dive Bar.

I am truly honored to have received your votes, recognizing me with the bronze award in the local realtor category. In a community as special as ours, an honor that comes directly from you is the most meaningful compliment of all.

The trust you place in me is the foundation of my business, and for that, I am deeply grateful. My trusted partner, Granite, and I thank you for your support. It’s my privilege to serve this community, and I look forward to being your dedicated real estate resource for many years to come. To the residents of Los Gatos, my heartfelt thanks.

FOOD DRINK &

BEST HOTEL OR RESTAURANT BAR

Dio Deka, Hotel Los Gatos

SILVER

Los Gatos Tavern, Toll House Hotel

BEST INDIAN OR PAKISTANI RESTAURANT

Namaste Indian Cuisine

SILVER

Amber India

BEST ITALIAN

RESTAURANT

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER Centonove

BRONZE

The Pastaria & Market

BEST JAPANESE OR SUSHI RESTAURANT

Kamakura Sushi and Sake House

SILVER

Shiroi Sushi

BRONZE

Yoko Sushi

BEST LATIN AMERICAN RESTAURANT

Zona Rosa

SILVER

Andalé Mexican Kitchen

BEST LOCALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS

The Bywater

SILVER

ASA Restaurant

BRONZE

Parkside

BEST LUNCH VALUE

Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse

SILVER

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza

BRONZE

Chez Philippe

BEST MARGARITAS

Zona Rosa

SILVER

Wine Cellar Restaurant

BRONZE

Hercules Draft House and Cantina

BEST MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT

Dio Deka

SILVER Opelia

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Zona Rosa

SILVER

Andalé Mexican Kitchen BRONZE

Dona Maria Mexican Restaurant

BEST MICROBREWERY

Hapa's Brewing Company

SILVER

Loma Brewing Co

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Danbi Korean Restaurant

SILVER (TIE)

Gardenia

Opelia

BEST OUTDOOR DINING

Wine Cellar Restaurant

SILVER

Enoteca La Storia

BRONZE

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza

BEST PEARL TEAS

Tea Fermata

BEST PIZZA

Oak & Rye

SILVER

Pizza My Heart

BRONZE Centonove

BEST PUB

Double D's Sports Grille

BEST RESTAURANT

Forbes Mill Steakhouse

SILVER

ASA Restaurant

BRONZE

Tasting House

BEST RESTAURANT AMBIANCE

Dio Deka

SILVER

Chez Philippe

BRONZE

Tasting House

BEST RESTAURANT CARRYOUT

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza

BRONZE

Taba Taba China Bistro

FRESH ON THE SCENE Danbi Korean Restaurant earned Best New Restaurant. Pictured: traditional banchan side dishes of fermented and pickled vegetables.

FOOD DRINK &

BEST RESTAURANT ENTERTAINMENT

Los Gatos Coffee

Roasting Company

SILVER

Tasting House

BRONZE

Gardino's Ristorante Italiano

BEST RESTAURANT VIEW

107 Bistro & Wine Bar,

Testarossa Winery

SILVER

Telefèric Barcelona

BRONZE

Gardenia

BEST RESTAURANT WINE LIST

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER

Dio Deka

BRONZE

Wine Cellar Restaurant

BEST SALADS

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER

Wine Cellar Restaurant

BRONZE

Purple Onion Cafe

BRONZE

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza

BEST SANDWICHES

Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse

SILVER

Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shop

BRONZE

Enoteca La Storia

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

The Bywater

SILVER

ASA Restaurant

BRONZE

Kamakura Sushi and Sake House

BEST SERVER

Tony Borgese, Forbes Mill Steakhouse

SILVER

Miha Aramburu, Enoteca La Storia

BRONZE

Charles Mourey, Wine Cellar Restaurant

BEST SOUTHERN FOOD

The Bywater

BEST SPOT TO DINE SOLO

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER

The Bywater

BRONZE

VinoVero

BEST STEAKS

Forbes Mill Steakhouse

SILVER

Dio Deka

BRONZE

Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse

BEST TAQUERIA

Andalé Mexican Kitchen

SILVER

Nina's Taqueria

BEST TEA SHOP

Tasting House

BEST THAI OR LAOTIAN RESTAURANT

Thai Spice

SILVER

Coup de Thai

BRONZE

Golden Triangle Cuisine

BEST VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN MENU

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER

Oren's Hummus

BRONZE

Namaste Indian Cuisine

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

Breaking Dawn

SILVER

First Born

BEST WINE CLUB

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER

Testarossa Winery

BRONZE

Ancora Vino

BEST WINE SHOP

Ancora Vino

SILVER

Enoteca La Storia

BRONZE

Rootstock Wine Bar

BEST WINE TASTING ROOM

Enoteca La Storia

SILVER

Testarossa Winery

BRONZE

Tasting House

AT THE CHAMPAGNE BAR Denise Thornberry, who owns the Tasting House at 368 Village Ln with husband Mike Thornberry, is pictured here with sommelier Enrique Leon.

GOODS SERVICES &

FLORAL The Terraces of Los Gatos won two awards in this year’s readers’ poll.

BEST ASSISTED

LIVING FACILITY

The Terraces of Los Gatos

SILVER

Belmont Village Senior Living

BEST AUTO BODY REPAIR

Preferred Image

BEST BUSINESS BANK

Pinnacle Bank

SILVER

Heritage Bank of Commerce

BEST CAR WASH

Classic Car Wash

BEST CARPET CLEANING

Modern Rug Area Rug & Carpet Cleaning

SILVER

Heavenly Touch Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

BEST CLOTHINGWOMEN'S

Kismet Boutique

SILVER She She Boutique

BRONZE Time Out Clothing

BEST CONSUMER BANK OR CREDIT UNION

Heritage Bank of Commerce

SILVER

Provident Credit Union

BRONZE

CommonWealth Central Credit Union

BEST CULINARY STORE Domus

BEST FLOWER SHOP

Bunches

SILVER

Centerpiece Flowers

BEST GIFT BOUTIQUE

The Butter Paddle

SILVER

Domus

BRONZE Azuca

BEST HARDWARE STORE Los Gatos ACE Hardware

SILVER

Rural Supply Hardware

BEST HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE

A-1 Heating and Cooling

SILVER

Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Solar

BRONZE

Residential Heating and Air Conditioning

BEST JEWELRY REPAIR

Blacy's Vault of LG

SILVER

Shephard Jewelers

BRONZE

The Yellow Brick Road

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Shephard Jewelers

SILVER

The Yellow Brick Road

BRONZE

Vardy's Jewelers

BEST NEW BUSINESS

Beyond Text Bookstore

Croissante

GOODS SERVICES &

GIFT

BEST NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

The Butter Paddle

SILVER

Addison-Penzak JCC

BRONZE

Los Gatos Rotary Club

BEST PLACE TO BUY A MATTRESS

Mancini’s Sleepworld

SILVER

The Natural Mattress Store

BEST PLACE TO WORSHIP

St. Mary of the Immaculate

Conception Catholic Church

SILVER

Congregation Shir Hadash

BRONZE

St. Luke's Episcopal Church

years in

this

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY

Intero Real Estate Services

SILVER

Coldwell Banker Realty

BRONZE

David Lewis Group

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

Angele Price, Compass Real Estate

SILVER

Kim Richman, Compass Real Estate

BRONZE

Shirley Frantz, Keller Williams Realty

BEST SHOE STORE

Footwear etc. Los Gatos

SILVER

She She Boutique

BEST TIRE STORE

Los Gatos Tire & Auto Repair

SILVER

Wheel Works

BEST TRAVEL AGENCY

Los Gatos Travel

BEST CHIROPRACTIC OFFICE

Los Gatos Sports Chiro

SILVER

Advanced Chiropractic BRONZE

Chiropractic Solutions

BEST DAY SPA

The Spa

BEST DENTAL PRACTICE

Los Gatos Dental Group

SILVER

Dr. Nicole Pagonis

BRONZE

Orchid Dental Care

BEST EYE DOCTOR

Dr. Martin Fishman, Spectrum Eye Physicians

SILVER (TIE)

Dr. Christopher Engelman, Spectrum Eye Physicians

Dr. Kenneth Sweeney, Los Gatos Optometry

BEST EYEWEAR

Spectrum Eye Physicians

SILVER

Eye Contact Optometry

BEST GYM OR HEALTH CLUB

Addison-Penzak JCC

SILVER

Bay Club Courtside

BRONZE

Los Gatos Swim & Racquet Club

SHOPPING The Butter Paddle is celebrating 15
Los Gatos
month. It won Best Gift Boutique and Best Nonprofit Organization.

LOCAL EXPERTISE; PROVEN RESULTS

I’m happy to share that my team and I have won the Silver Award for 2025 Best of Los Gatos in the Best Real Estate Agent category!

“A big thank you to our amazing clients and the Los Gatos community for your trust over the years! This honor reflects our commitment to going above and beyond for our clients and giving back to our community by supporting our Los Gatos Schools!”

LIVE IN, WORK IN, AND SUPPORTING LOS GATOS.

HEALTH BEAUTY &

BEST HAIR COLORIST

Melissa Franco, Dustin David Salon

BEST HAIR SALON

Oak + Ivy Boutique Salon

SILVER

Michael Anthony Salon

SILVER

Royal Shaving Parlor

BEST HAIR STYLIST

Tiffany Vargas, Ulta Beauty

SILVER

Brent Hatfield, Nuvoux The Salon

BRONZE (TIE)

Jean Tufnell, Beaux Cheveux Salon

Liana Chetaud, Liana Chetaud Hair

BEST HEALTH CARE FACILITY

El Camino Health

SILVER

Golden State Orthopedics & Spine

BRONZE Los Gatos Orthopedic Sports Therapy

BEST MASSAGE SERVICES The Spa

SILVER Because Wellness Within

BEST NAIL SALON ANNABELLE SALON AND SPA

SILVER La Mode Nail Salon

BRONZE Tsume Salon

BEST OB-GYN

Los Olivos Women's Medical Group

SILVER

Dr. Suzanne Bovone

BEST SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY

The Terraces of Los Gatos

BEST SKIN CARE SPA

Patrick Bitter MD Advanced Aesthetic Dermatology

SILVER Skin Spirit

BRONZE Skin Maven

BEST URGENT CARE CENTER

Action Urgent Care

SILVER

Golden State Orthopedics & Spine

BEST WAXING OR SUGARING STUDIO

Kelly Esthetician

IN THE GARDEN Los Gatans love community and horticulture, as evidenced by this photo, taken outside at the Terraces of Los Gatos.

RH EXPANSION IN LOS GATOS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY

Supporters say the large commercial project will make Los Gatos a furniture shopping destination

Faizi Samadani, Contributor

On Oct. 7, Council unanimously approved a project from the interior design and food and beverage service company RH that will reshape Old Town, giving new life to spaces that once held Gap, Steamers Grillhouse and others. Topics discussed during the public hearing included the remodelling plans, the history of the building and even down to menu items for the restaurant slated to go in.

Jordan Brown, senior vp of architecture and design for RH, gave a presentation on RH’s global projects, explaining their current business model of operating restaurants and furniture showrooms at the same time. Stewart Wagner, the director of pre-development for RH, was also in attendance.

The applications that evening were: to amend the planned development ordinance; an architecture and site filing for exterior changes; and a conditional use permit for formula retail space over 10,000 square feet (including a restaurant with alcohol service). The existing PD governs for the large swath of Old Town was adopted in 1996, allowing for separate joining structures. But the applicant proposed modifying this. They wanted to go for a unified Mediterranean-style facade. It’s more consistent with the surrounding architectural context, RH officials argued.

“We don’t build retail stores, we build inspiring spaces that blur the lines between residential retail, indoors and outdoors, home and hospitality,” said Brown, explaining that RH was founded in 1979, and highlighting that they’ve had a gallery on North Santa Cruz Avenue for the past 15 years.

She outlined RH’s recent upscale projects in Napa Valley, Montecito, San Francisco, England (their first gallery outside of North America) and—most recently—Paris (which just opened last month). Brown said their purpose-built-for-Los Gatos design comes with the intentions of matching the current architectural aesthetic of Old Town.

Vice Mayor Rob Moore asked Brown about the menu, hoping to ensure a plant-based option will be offered once the restaurant is open. Brown assured him there are currently options for vegetarians and said they’re working on even more. Scot Vallee, the head of West Coast development for Federal Realty, the property owner, said he believes RH will make the building “memorable.”

The public speaks Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce CEO Jennifer Lin gave her full approval of the RH proposal and said she thinks the

HISTORY BUFF Alan Feinberg, who writes the Discover LOST Gatos history column for the Los Gatan, spoke out against the RH proposal and for the varied-façade of the current building.

location will attract visitors from across the region.

“When those guests come and visit Los Gatos, they will explore our boutiques, dine in our restaurants and discover our services,” said Lin, asserting that this proposal will broaden visibility, higher foot traffic and increase sales.

Longtime Los Gatos resident (and Discover LOST Gatos columnist) Alan Feinberg said while he agrees RH’s new storefront would benefit the town in multiple ways, he worries it would threaten the community’s small-town charm.

He said he doesn’t like the unified design, which he argued would take away from the building’s individuality.

Susan Burnett, who sits on Planning Commission and the Historic Preservation Committee, said she believes Los Gatos is at a crossroads.

“Where in Old Town is there still that feeling of what Los Gatos is known for? Why has the small-town feeling prevailed?” said Burnett, urging her fellow Town officials to protect the current stucco building.

She said she’d bristled at comments made by the RH CEO recently at Planning Commission, as he’d derided the disjointed form currently sitting vacant on the site.

And by the way Burnett said, the new RH restaurant is 4,000 square feet smaller than Steamers.

Lee Fagot, a town resident of some 30

years, also urged Council to preserve the current character of the community.

“This redesign tonight does not fit, is not needed and will only have a negative effect on our community,” he said.

But in the end, after pushback from

Councilmember Mary Badame against Vice Mayor Moore’s attempt to condition the project on including at least one plant-based menu item, Council approved the project—without any explicit menu restrictions.

PLANNING COMMISSIONER Susan Burnett said she didn't take too kindly to the RH CEO’s harsh words about the current architectural design of Old Town.

FROM ABOVE A sticking point for RH was that

A GLOBAL DESIGN POWERHOUSE STAKES ITS CLAIM IN LOS GATOS

RH brings its passion for symmetry, cream colors

Just the other day, I’d driven across the Golden Gate Bridge for an evening—and maybe more—away.

There I was sitting at a quaint little Marin County bar, after having ordered wine and ceviche.

I’d been carting around the prior weekend’s T Magazine , from the New York Times, and here I was finally getting the luxury of being able to flip through it at my leisure.

A few pages in, some bronze text—opposite a full page with an off-white and brown building (and a Vitruvian man by Leonardo da Vinci)—caught my eye.

“Dear Paris, / For 25 years, we’ve been listening and learning,” began the quote by Gary Friedman, RH’s Chairman and CEO. “We are in awe of your intellect, your elegance and your style. / You’ve inspired us to see more and to be more. / In Paris, the measure is eternity. This we know and have built accordingly.”

He ended with, “Carpe Diem.” I realized, at that moment, I was just

miles from the global design powerhouse’s headquarters in Corte Madera.

But I also was brought back to just weeks earlier, when Friedman had taken the time to speak with me in Los Gatos, after a Planning Commission meeting, where their local proposal got quite a good reception.

“It makes us feel welcomed,” he said of the positive views expressed by locals during that hearing.

He added he’d long been pushing to invest further in Los Gatos—even when others on the company’s board weren’t as enthusiastic.

“I personally felt strongly about this community,” he said. “It’s always been attractive.”

Friedman told me he was happy it seemed their pitch was going to be successful, since that would mean they wouldn’t have to move in order to expand.

“It's a great place to be,” he said. “We look forward to being a good member of the community.”

And while Friedman wasn’t able to make it to the final Council meeting that solidified their plans, last week, company officials told the Los Gatan he will be in attendance at the grand opening.

they get to create a unified design for a large section of Old Town Los Gatos.

TRANSFER RULES, SOCIAL MEDIA ARE THE TRUE GAMECHANGERS

Collegiate sports have become the wild, wild West

The college sports landscape has changed so much in the last several years, it’s hard to keep track of all the rule-swiching and court decisions. These have sent ripples throughout the NCAA.

In last week’s Los Gatan , Camryn Whitfield detailed the Division I five-year regulation, which gives student-athletes a five-year running clock to play four seasons. In this issue, we’re highlighting two other major shifts: the impact of social media and the transfer rule. These are so significant, they’ve fundamentally altered the institution itself.

In the last five years, they’ve arguably had a greater impact on college sports than any other statute-and-medium combo in history.

A prototypical example of this came locally, when former West Valley College pitcher Nico Wagner was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 16th round (no. 487 overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft in July.

Wagner made his only season at West Valley count, having transferred in for the 2024-2025 school year after a rough freshman season at the University of Nevada-Reno. When the 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander decided to enter the transfer portal after his freshman year at Nevada-Reno, he already had a slew of highlight videos on his Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts. That’s exactly how West Valley coach Bobby Hill and his staff discovered Wagner was in search of a new place to play.

“When the four-year players transfer, the first place they usually hit is Twitter to let coaches know they’re available,” Hill said. “And now we’re all like the birds flipping-out for that worm.”

Wagner’s use of social media marked a dramatic turnaround from even a couple of years ago during his playing days at South Lake Tahoe High School.

“It’s unreal because everything now is done online, through Twitter, emails and videos,” Wagner said. “I was late to the party. When I was in high school, I didn’t

SPORTS

really use any of that to get recruited. Everything was new to me.”

Social media has revolutionized recruiting, both from an accessibility and timeliness standpoint. When Wagner hit the transfer portal, Hill and Vikings’ assistant coach Kai Haake pored over Wagner’s video highlights and statistics.

Knowing Wagner had the physical skills to become a dominant pitcher again, Hill and Haake did their due diligence and called up the Nevada-Reno coaching staff to get a full scouting report on their future ace. Once everything checked out, Hill contacted Wagner, who chose to transfer to a community college instead of another four-year institution—so he could be eligible for this year’s MLB Draft.

Under the guidance of West Valley Director of Pitching Darold Brown, Wagner regained his form and confidence, leading to a dominant season that saw the Vikings advance to the California Community College State Championship game in mid-June.

A month later, Wagner got drafted, signed a contract and shortly thereafter was assigned to the Braves’ Florida Complex League rookie-level affiliate team.

“How we find these players today, everything is through Twitter and social media,” Hill said. “My coaches do a really good job of recruiting and filling in the pieces. Social media is a gamechanger for every player and program. It’s crazy.”

How crazy? Hill said he even has high school sophomores reaching out to him

on his X account telling him they want to play at West Valley. A former standout player at the University of Miami who has transitioned into a successful coaching career, Hill can’t believe how fast the times have changed.

As recently as six years ago, Hill didn’t have an X account. But he vividly remembers a conversation with his former coach at Miami—the legendary Jim Morrison—which proved prescient.

“He told me back then I needed to get on Twitter because it was going to be a gamechanger,” Hill said.

The relaxing of transfer rules has also been a dynamic difference-maker in the college sports landscape. Since 2021, the NCAA has dramatically relaxed its transfer rules, moving from a system that heavily penalizes transfers to one that grants athletes significant freedom of movement.

In April 2021, the NCAA came down with a landmark decision, instituting a one-time transfer exception rule that allowed Division I athletes in all sports to transfer once and be immediately eligible to compete at a new school.

Previously, transfers in high-profile sports in football, basketball and baseball were required to sit out a year of competition. That ruling was just the tip of the iceberg. In April 2024, the NCAA instituted a decision with far-reaching reverberations, eliminating restrictions on the number of times academically-eligible student athletes can transfer during their

careers without losing eligibility.

The NCAA was pressured to relax its transfer rules due to mounting legal challenges, the most significant being a lawsuit brought on by the US Department of Justice and several states in 2023.

The lawsuits alleged NCAA rules amounted to an illegal restriction on Division I athletes and the market for their labor. The relaxation of transfer rules amounted to be a seminal win for athlete empowerment, allowing them to have more freedom than ever and giving them tremendous leverage to maximize their NIL (name, image, likeness) opportunities.

A separate rule change in NCAA Division I baseball will have a dramatic impact at the community college level. Effective for the current 2025-2026 school year, Division I baseball rosters are being reduced from 40 players to 34.

“Obvously, we don't have a crystal ball, but I believe community college baseball programs are going to be a lot better,” Hill said. “There’s a lot of buzz right now with the new rule changes at the four-year level, and I think junior college baseball is going to benefit. We’re all going to be loaded with four-year players. Before, some junior college teams had one to two four-year players. Now, junior college teams will potentially have five or more because they’ve lost scholarships due to the roster limitations, NIL money and transfer portal. It’s just a pecking order right now, and I think junior colleges benefit, believe it or not.”

ON THE MOVE Former West Valley College pitcher Nico Wagner parlayed one season at the Saratoga campus into becoming an MLB draftee.

CAPYBARA APPEARANCE AT AUTOMOBUILD EXCITES

LOS GATOS COMMUNITY

This past Sunday, the toy store played host to a 2-year old capybara named Tater Tot

Emma Solomon, Contributor

Although rodents are typically disdained, Automobuild welcomed the largest rodent species alive with open arms—the capybara.

This past Sunday, the toy store played host to a 2-year old capybara named Tater Tot.

“We wanted to kick off the holiday season with an educational event about capybaras,” said owner Kirsten Dryden. “We wanted to bring something to the community, because there are so many great families here.”

Tater Tot arrived at around 11:00 am and entertained guests into the afternoon. After an informational presentation, visitors were able to take photos with and meet the beloved creature.

Automobuild worked with Conservation Ambassadors, a Paso Robles-based non-profit organization, to bring Tater Tot to Los Gatos.

Joseph Kerschner, an educator and animal keeper, accompanied Tater Tot during her visit up to the Bay Area.

“Our whole premise is getting people passionate about wildlife and caring about our natural resources and protecting wild animals,” said Kershner. “She's drawn a lot of attention to that.”

Tater Tot’s mother, Spud, was sent to the Conservation Ambassadors after a capybara breeding program in Arizona failed. Spud gave birth to five babies upon arrival in California, and took care of all of them except Tater Tot. Kerschner took Tater Tot in and has since provided care for the two-year old.

“I had to become her mom,” Kerschner said. “She was raised with my two dogs.

Ad

Best Chinese Restaurant

They're good buddies, but as sweet as she is, she's still a wild animal.”

The animal has gone viral in recent years, spurring numerous internet trends and an increase in capybara themed items in toy stores.

“We all love capybaras,” Dryden said. “They’re one of the most popular toys from the toy business right now, so we have a lot of product”

Behind Tater Tot’s meet and greet, were shelves full of capybara-themed toys — including stuffed animals, blind boxes, pens and stress balls.

Dryden tied the animal’s recent virality to the business’s core goal of providing an educational toy experience for the town’s residents.

“Automobuild is a store that's centered on showing kids how things go and how things are made,” Dryden said. “We look for anything that's of great quality and that can help educate the kids.”

Founded over 15 years ago, Dryden founded Automobuild after leaving the corporate world and wanting to do something for her community. Located on North Santa Cruz Avenue, Automobuild has become a toy staple for Los Gatans of all ages.

Dryden’s emphasis on a community centric business model is reflected in the store’s fabric, with many of the employees hired from Los Gatos High School and managed by mothers from across the town.

Although the store hosts birthday parties and other events, animals have not been part of the picture until recently— something Dryden vows to change.

“We most likely will have another event or two coming this fall, and so we're super excited,” Dryden said. “Another animal, for sure, is coming our way.”

Los Gatos residents can learn more about Automobuild’s upcoming events by visiting their official Instagram account.

Cutline:
MASSIVE
MASSIVE RODENT Dryden (right) and Kirschner touch a capybara during an event at Automobuild this weekend.

HIGHSCHOOLERS FILING FOR NONPROFIT STATUS FOR ORG TEACHING AT-RISK YOUTH PRACTICAL SKILLS

Monte Sereno and West San Jose teens expand efforts across multiple states

Drew Penner, Editor

Samay Sikri is the sort of West San Jose 17-year-old who likes to walk his labradoodle and is looking forward to the endless possibilities that come with the approaching end of high school.

But, alongside friend Arnav Kodavati from Monte Sereno (who was still 16 when he spoke with the Los Gatan), he’s also growing a multi-state organization, called LIFT, that provides at-risk youth with practical skills, like financial literacy.

They’ve already teamed-up with wellknown entities such as San Jose Job Corps, the Bill Willson Center, the San Jose Downtown Youth Wellness Center, allcove San José, Unity Care, and more, with the goal of transforming the lives of youth in the community.

And now, they’ve filed the paperwork to begin formalizing their initiatives into a proper nonprofit.

“What we do is we pretty much work

with these different centers and places, and we provide workshops,” Sikri said, explaining how they try to gamify learning in a helpful way. “We have activities for any topic that we’re teaching.”

This “enjoyable and educational” model was inspired by something that happened back when Sikri was in 9th Grade.

“Four years ago, my freshman year, one of my mentors was arrested in the middle of class,” he said. “He spent a couple months fighting the case in the juvenile justice system.”

According to Sikri, the friend, who was a junior, was ultimately acquitted, but both of them got a rude awakening about the reality of America’s youth corrections landscape.

“It was really scary for him,” Sikri said.

Meanwhile, one of his mom’s close friends was fostering two boys, he recalled.

Compared to the education he was getting at Lynbrook High School, it seemed, to Sikri, those boys weren’t getting much support from the foster care system, at least as far as life skills went.

“This got me thinking,” he said, relating how he confronted his own privilege after realizing many other kids don’t get

the same amount of instruction about how to be self-sufficient. “The hard truth is, it doesn’t really happen in a lot of places. And that’s the rough part.

“It got me a little sad, at first. I was like, all these kids they don’t have the opportunities that other people have.”

He was starting to understand how some of his peers had grown up in quite an unstable environment.

“That’s what prompted me to start LIFT,” he said, explaining the name stands for Lead and Inspire Future Transformation. “We work with places that work with at-risk youth.”

For example, if they’re holding a workshop on investing, they’ll use props like bins and a basketball; to teach investing, they’ll hand out jellybeans and ask about how many to allocate to different things; they’ll turn job interview practice into a game; and to educate about the credit system, they might just invoke Drake or Taylor Swift.

“It could be a boring lecture or a dry handout,” Sikri said. “There’s very few resources that actually engage students and get them to have fun while learning.”

Kodavati, who’s a year younger than him, has been named CFO of the organization. He recalls a workforce training session they organized a few weeks ago where they demonstrated how easy it would be to create a business website using new AI tools.

“I was leading the workshop that day,” he said. “It was really cool to see how they reacted to seeing the website being built before their eyes.”

Kodavati, who also attends Lynbrook, says the idea is to help to break the cycle of poverty.

“If they don’t have the money, they can’t get the education to break out of the cycle,” he said.

Last year they began to seriously expand their project, and now count chapters in Texas, Washington State and Georg.

“And then we have a couple more starting up in New Hampshire, Connecticut and New York this coming year,” Sikri said. “Our impact just keeps on increasing.”

They’ve officially begun the registration process with the State of California. Next, will be to achieve 501(c)3 “charity” status. And they’re hoping to establish their own scholarship fund in the future.

WORKSHOP (L-R) Narain Bala and Samay Sikri, representing LIFT, at the Allcove Center in Palo Alto, with Olga Lizama, Allcove program manager, and Sierra Viscaina, Allcove education/employment specialist, after a financial literacy session in June 2024.
Courtesy

LOCAL PHOTOGS AMONG MIDPEN CONTEST WINNERS

Don Vu and Pam Hansen capture stunning moments

Staff Report

Pam Hansen, of Los Gatos, and Don Vu, of Saratoga, were honored last month for the incredible photographs they took while out in nature, winning a Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District contest that was decided by social media voting.

Each year Midpen hosts a photography contest, allowing the public to submit up to three photos taken at its preserves.

There are six categories: Wildlife, Landscapes, Plant Life, People in Nature, Trail Less Traveled and Aspiring Photographers. It was the 15th year the contest has been held.

This year, Midpen received more than 200 submissions. These were narrowed down to finalists in each category by Midpen staff. The winners were chosen by the public through Midpen’s social media accounts. Each category winner received a $100 REI gift card and a swag bag.

“The contest is a fun way for people using everyday technology, like smartphones and cameras, to connect with nature close to home,” said Midpen General Manager Ana Ruiz.

Vu, of Saratoga, won the Wildlife category for a photo of an owl taken at Rancho San Antonio.

Hansen, of Los Gatos, was the Trail Less Traveled winner, for a photo of a decomposing truck in the wild.

“I run our open space trails every morning, and what I love about being in nature is feeling calmed and rejuvenated, and also, sometimes, completely surprised!” Hansen said in the release. “This truck was one of those 'wow' moments!”

Ad

(Courtesy of Midpen)

(Courtesy of Midpen) (End for Print)

“We hope people are inspired to explore their public open spaces, perhaps for the first time, and capture those moments of awe and wonder in nature.”

"Each year, I know about this great horned owl family nesting in the middle of an aging but accommodating oak tree in Rancho San Antonio,” Vu said in a release. “On this evening, I decided to pay them a visit, having heard the owlets were prime for branching. Sure enough, there were three of them, and they moved about from branch to branch as the last rays of light dropped on them. It’s a joyful moment for me to see the young ones survived to that day for on many occasions they did not, mostly due to missteps from the nest at a younger age. What’s most amazing to me is seeing wildlife being gone then re-born every year, for their life cycle seems to go on forever."

Let us help you with your next rebranding, product launch, media campaign, digital initiative, website redesign or image refresh.

For more info: lift-co.org (Allcove Center in Palo Alto)

Cutline: WORKSHOP (L-R) Narain Bala and Samay Sikri, representing LIFT, at the Allcove Center in Palo Alto, with Olga Lizama, Allcove program manager, and Sierra Viscaina, Allcove education/ employment specialist, after a financial literacy session in June 2024. (Courtesy of LIFT)

(Midpen Photo Contest - Wildlife Winner)
ACTION SHOT Don Vu, from Saratoga, won the Wildlife category with this photo of an owl taken while at Rancho San Antonio.
(Midpen Photo Contest – Trail Less Traveled Winner)
AMID BRANCHES Pam Hansen, from Los Gatos, won the Trail Less Traveled category for this photo taken at Coal Creek Open Space Preserve.
ACTION SHOT Don Vu, from Saratoga, won the Wildlife category with this photo of an owl taken while at Rancho San Antonio.
Courtesy of Midpen

FINAL GATEWAY SCULPTURE COMPLETED AFTER 4 YEARS

Artist Matt Babcock: detractors prove your work isn’t too bland

Faizi Samadani, Contributor

It took four years to install five sculptures, designed by Matt Babcock, at Los Gatos’ entrances.

They emphasize the community’s namesake felines—branding the town with mountain lions made from aluminum.

The initial sculpture went in back in May 2021; the final two debuted in August.

And in an interview with the Los Gatan this week, Babcock said he wants town residents to know that these creations were made specifically for them.

Given that Silicon Valley consists of roughly 13 towns and cities, there's a need to distinguish one from another.

The Town introduced the idea of erecting signage at designated points to welcome residents and visitors.

Babcock lives and works in Seattle, Washington, where he specializes in public art and metal sculpture.

He received his Masters in Architecture from the University of Colorado in 1995.

Prior to that he had done welding in trade school, followed by studying art history and physics at the University of Michigan. He worked as an architect for most of his career.

“When I was a little kid, I’d make all these things, and I’d think of them as being functional objects,” he said. “But the function was completely imaginary. I was 5, 6 and 7. I look back now and think, Yeah well, no wonder I became a sculptor. I’m still kind of like that, I guess.”

Babcock gave up his architecture license in 2008 during the recession and jumped into sculptural life in 2010.

He was looking for ways to make art his career.

He considers this leap of faith a “risky jump. My heart is working in the metal shop. I want stuff out that’s for everyone, not for whoever bought it or who feels like going to a museum.”

Babcock gave an interview with nowLos Gatan -editor Drew Penner three years ago, where he emphasized a design approach that highlights the way a work is constructed.

Now that all five are complete, he says he still feels the craftsmanship is a key aspect of a piece.

“I want people seeing it to have access to understand the whole artwork,” Babcock said.

He said it took four years to install all the sculptures due to Town budget constraints. Though there has been some criticism of the sculpture’s design.

And Babcock explains there was a gap after the first installation to gather opinions.

Given that there was more positive feedback than negative, this paved the way for the final four, he added.

The color schemes of the sculptures were inspired by the 1950s, with each having its own designated hue.

Babcock says he’d love to make more if people wanted them elsewhere in Los Gatos.

“It’s always a really neat day when my stuff gets installed,” he said.

Navigating art-as-career

“Put on your thick skin and be prepared to handle a lot of rejection,” said Babcock, considering the challenge of being a professional artist. “For every one thing you sell, 1,000 people looked at it and didn’t care, and 100 people didn’t like it—and some of them weren’t all that polite about it.”

Babcock says he knows a lot of artists who don’t put their work out there.

The initial criticism was just too much for them.

He says he was mindful that his Los Gatos sculptures would live in busy locations alongside fast-moving traffic.

“You need to get the Ah-ha! That’s what it is, kind of fast. People only have a second or two as they’re rushing past this. And so the abstract calligraphy of those pieces is less obvious, because I was trying to make the work legible for people going by in cars.”

Originally Los Gatos put out a call for

submissions, which is a standard process for public art.

Babcock recalled the Town was looking for something that was “more sculpture than sign.”

He submitted his resume and letter of interest alongside his previous work and became one of three finalists.

“The proposals were presented to the public art committee,” he said. “I was really impressed how many members of the public showed up to the meeting…High-five to Los Gatos for people caring about their art.”

The plan is for the sculptures to last for many years to come.

Babcock’s main concern is the potential for the paint to fade due to sun damage.

He says he’s glad that people have differing opinions about what he’s created.

“If my work didn’t cause somebody to react to it in a way that wasn’t completely positive, then my work is way too bland,” he said.

Babcock says he’s glad Los Gatos chose him to make these prominent markers.

HIGHWAY 9 Arriving from Saratoga and Monte Sereno, you are greeted by this fine feline.
THE SCULPTOR Washington State-based artist Matt Babcock pictured at the opening of the second of five mountain lion sculptures in 2022.
Drew Penner
/ Los Gatan Matt Babcock file photo

POLICE BLOTTER

SUNDAY, OCT. 5

• Following the previous day’s three burglaries, two more occurred on Sunday.

• At 4:46 pm, a residence on Westhill Drive was broken into while the reporting person was on vacation. The back door was smashed and it is still unknown what was taken from the property.

• In the early evening, at 6:45 pm, a house was broken into on Edmund Drive while the reporting person was away for the weekend.

MONDAY, OCT. 6

• At 11:56 am, an incident of petty theft occurred at Snyder on Parkside Court. The reporting person found outgoing mail stolen from their mailbox, including six separate checks — one of which the suspect attempted to cash.

• A burglary was reported at 1:59 on Farley Road, which involved several tools that were taken from the yard area.

TUESDAY, OCT. 7

• At 11:10 am, a garbage complaint was made regarding two pieces of furniture left on the corner of Escobar Avenue and Camino Del Cerro. The items in question were an unidentified round piece of furniture and a chaise lounge.

• Two vehicle accidents occurred on Los Gatos Boulevard across the day, neither of which involved injuries.

Ad

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8

• An electric bike-related juvenile disturbance was reported on the intersection of Los Gatos Boulevard and Blossom Hill Road at 6:24 pm.

• At 9:22 pm, a reckless vehicle was seen driving on the wrong side of the road heading towards the Highway 9 freeway entrance.

THURSDAY, OCT. 9

• An incident of grand theft was reported on Henning Court at 2:35 pm, where jewelry and cash was stolen from the reporting person’s residence.

FRIDAY, OCT. 10

• At 10:34 am, a duck-related noise disturbance was reported on Reservoir Road. The reporting person claimed that the neighbor’s ducks were quacking extremely loudly for most of the morning.

• The week’s fourth burglary occurred at 9:51 pm on Frank Court. The house’s rear glass door was smashed while the reporting person and their husband were upstairs.

SATURDAY, OCT. 11

• Two parking violations were reported throughout the day that concerned the same vehicle, a silver Buick Sedan. The vehicle was parked at the Icing On The Cake and failed to correctly park twice.

AT NIGHT Police speak with a motorist on South Santa Cruz Avenue on Oct. 13.

Name Change

AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME. Case No. 25CV475184. Notice of Petition of Maria Tarasevich. Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. To all interested persons: Petitioner: Maria Tarasevich filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. Maria Tarasevich to Proposed name: Maria Sara Tarasevich. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: Date: December 23, 2025, Time: 8:45 AM, Room: Probate The address of the court is: 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113, Downtown Superior Court. A copy of this Order To Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Los Gatan, 107 Dakota Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Date: September 17, 2025. /s/ Le Jacqueline Duong /s/, Judge of the Superior Court, Filed by /s/ K.Ngo /s/, Deputy Clerk. (Pub LGN: 09/24, 10/01, 10/08, 10/15/2025)

Town of Los Gatos

NOTICE AND SUMMARY OF AN ORDINANCE TITLE: AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS AMENDING PLANNED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE 2025 TO ALLOW MODIFICATIONS TO BUILDING E AT 50 UNIVERSITY (OLD TOWN CENTER)

Notice is hereby given that at its meeting on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos introduced the Ordinance titled above. The adoption of this Ordinance is scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at approximately 7:00 p.m., in person and via Teleconference.

The following is a summary of the Ordinance: An Ordinance of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos amending Planned Development Ordinance 2025 to allow modifications to Building E at 50 University Avenue (Old Town Center) for property located at 31 University Avenue (APN 529-02-044). The Ordinance will amend Planned Development Ordinance 2025 to remove the requirement that Building E appear to be a collective of individual structures that abut each other, as well as eliminate an antiquated requirement.

Please note that the above is a summary of the Ordinance. To obtain a full understanding of the Ordinance, it should be read in its entirety. A copy of the full text of the Ordinance is available in the Town Clerk’s office at Los Gatos Town Hall, 110 E. Main Street, Los Gatos, CA 95030.

Wendy Wood Los Gatos Town Clerk

Published: 10/15/2025 (Pub LGN 10/15)

Fictitious Business Name Statements

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #719808

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Autobuses Y Paqueteria Services, 704 N 13th Street, San Jose, CA, 95112, Leticia Corro. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 09/16/2025. /s/Leticia Corro. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 09/16/2025. (pub LG 09/24, 10/01, 10/08, 10/15/2025)

File Number: FBN719845. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. SOPHIA’S BAKERY, 4950 Cherry Ave Unit 96, San Jose, CA 95118. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, SOPHIA & R LLC, 4950 Cherry Ave Unit 96, San Jose, CA 95118. The registrant

PUBLIC NOTICES

commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 09/17/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Corinne Vasquez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. SOPHIA & R LLC, Article/Reg # B20250262917, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Elena Trofimova Najera /s/ Owner. (Pub LGN: 09/24, 10/01, 10/08, 10/15/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #719879

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Pactech Computer, 675 Sycamore Drive #200, Milpitas, CA, 95035, JPCPT Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 06/15/2007. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/ Eva Hsu. General Manager. #3015237. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 09/18/2025. (pub LG 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 10/22/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #719880

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Pactech, 675 Sycamore Drive #200, Milpitas, CA, 95035, JPCPT Inc. This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 01/01/2008. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Eva Hsu. General Manager. #3015237. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 09/18/2025. (pub LG 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 10/22/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #719851

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: San Jose Mailing, 1445 Monterey Hwy, San Jose, CA, 95110, SJ Mail Group This business is being conducted by a Corporation. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 12/1/15. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Andrew Goett. President. #C38551995. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 09/17/2025. (pub LG 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 10/22/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #719571

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Quality Inn San Jose Airport / Silicon Valley, 2390 Harris Way, San Jose, CA, 95131, Reno Investments LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Partnership. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 09/14/2025. Above entity was formed in the state of California. /s/Pratima Patel. Managing Member. #201525900004. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 09/09/2025. (pub LG 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 10/22/2025)

File Number: FBN719948 . The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. YOKOHAMA , 336 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95032. This business is conducted by: An Individual, Ki Su Kim, 336 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95032. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/17/2025 and 09/22/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Fraulein Dominguez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Ki Su Kim /s/. (Pub LGN: 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 10/22/2025).

File Number: FBN719903. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. WEI STUDIO, 15391 Winchester Blvd, Monte Sereno, CA 95030. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, WEI SHI STUDIO LLC, 15391 Winchester Blvd, Monte Sereno, CA 95030. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/15/2025 and 09/19/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Corinne Vasquez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. WEI SHI STUDIO LLC, Article/Reg #B20250299589, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Wei Shi /s/ Owner. (Pub LGN: 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29/2025)

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME #719942

The following person(s) / registrant(s) has / have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name(s): Diamonds Beauty Shop 1201 E Julian Street, Suite #6, San Jose, CA, 95116, Susan Santamaria, Ana C Gonzalaz. Filed in the Santa Clara County on 08/02/2021. under file No. 677541. This business was conducted by: A General Partnership. Filed on 09/22/2025. /s/Susan Santamaria. (pub dates: (10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/’29/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #719642

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. Danvingit Party Services LLC, 2. Gomez Handyman, 65 Rio Robles East,Unit #1210, San Jose, CA, 95134, Danvingit Part Services LLC. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 08/26/2025. Above entity was formed in the

state of California. /s/Rosa Elvia Maldonado Boria. CEO. #202359414985. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 09/10/2025. (pub LG 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718530

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 11 Little Giants Montessori Daycare, 443 Woodcock Ct., Milpitas, CA, 95035, Silvia Ortega. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/Silvia Ortega. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 08/04/2025. (pub LG 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718531

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 11 Concrete And Paving, 443 Woodcock Ct., Milpitas, CA, 95035, Silvia Ortega. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant began business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 02/19/2020. /s/ Silvia Ortega. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 08/04/2025. (pub LG 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29/2025)

File Number: FBN719477. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. SANTA CRUZ RUG CLEANERS, 2. SANTA CRUZ RUG, CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANERS, 61 Lost Lost Lake Lane, Campbell, CA 95008. This business is conducted by: A Married Couple, BILL HENRY CORRIDAN, 61 Lost Lost Lake Lane, Campbell, CA 95008 and THERESA ZUNIGA CORRIDAN, 61 Lost Lost Lake Lane, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/01/2025 and 09/04/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Corinne Vasquez /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. /s/ Bill Henry Corridan /s/. (Pub LGN: 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29/2025).

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #718981

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Hannah Food Togo, 3330 Lantern Way, San Jose, CA, 95111, Vinh Nguyen Nguyen. This business is being conducted by a Limited Liability Company. Registrant began business

under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 05/01/2025. /s/Vinh Nguyen Nguyen. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 09/10/2025. (pub LG 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 10/22/2025)

File Number: FBN720185. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. PLU2O, 2. PLU2O WELLNESS, 3. PLU2O COLLECTIVE, 4. PLU2O FARMS, 5. PLU2O CANNABIS DISPENSARY, 3100 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95117. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, UTOPIA SJ INC, 1415 Oakland Blvd Suite 215, Walnut Creek, CA 94596. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 10/01/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Patty Camarena /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Utopia SJ Inc, Article/Reg # 6343321, Above Entity was Formed in the State of CA. /s/ Anas Mahmoud /s/ CEO. (Pub LGN: 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29/2025)

File Number: FBN720244. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: 1. Los Gatos Smiles Dental Practice of Ghuman Dental Care, Inc. , 540 N Santa Cruz Ave., Suite B1, Los Gatos, CA 95030. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, Ghuman Dental Care, Inc., 540 N Santa Cruz Ave., Suite B1, Los Gatos, CA 95030. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable and 10/03/2025 is the file date. Statement filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara: /s/ Mike Louie /s/ Deputy, 110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Ghuman Dental Care, Inc., Article/Reg #B20250067856, Above Entity was Formed in the State of California. /s/ Jaswinder Ghuman /s/ President. (Pub LGN: 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29/2025)

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #720219 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: MP Fast Cleaning House, 115 Phelan Ave #5. San Jose, CA, 95112, Mario Gomez Barajas. This business is being conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. /s/ Mario Gomez Barajas. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 10/02/2025. (pub LG 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/05/2025)

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.