Community

With plans underway for a massive redevelopment of the sprawling Los Gatos Meadows complex, I thought it might be interesting to share a brief history of this property. In 1886, workers put the finishing touches on the first structure to occupy the site, a magnificent...

Landscape design and gardening trends change like every other sort of fashion. Several fads of the past were quite practical and justifiable. Many were not. Whether justifiable or not, many merely became old fashioned. Some evolved into a more contemporary style. Others were not...

As a young journalist, I was once invited to a meeting with Sheriff Bob Winter at a Los Gatos insurance office. At one point, one of the attendees asked the folksy sheriff if there was anything he could do to help. I remember Winter...

It seems that hardly a month goes by without the launch of a new restaurant in our historic downtown. The latest addition to the dining scene is Dar Restaurant and Bar, located in the little house that formerly housed 11 College Avenue and Nick’s...

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...

As a new school year begins, let’s take a look at what a typical school day was like in our community years ago. You’ll be astonished by how much has changed!  In 1863, a one-room schoolhouse was built to accommodate 25 or more students from...

The imminent reopening of the Los Gatos Theater is the perfect time to take a look back at the history of this major downtown site. The Los Gatos Canning Company occupied most of the block for 30 years before the construction of a movie theater....

On Sept. 22, a fleet of over 50 classic lowrider cars were driven up to the Great Lawn at Villa Montalvo for the 2nd Annual Lowrider Art Showcase. This event was in collaboration with the United Lowrider Council of San Jose, and Local Color,...

The Soul Soldiers led by Tony Lindsay and Janice Maxie Reid closed-out this year’s Jazz on the Plazz series. Lindsay and his group blew the sap right off the redwood trees. Some felt it was the perfect end to a summer lineup that was off-the-charts. Then,...

Kimberly Kay, 47, says ever since she jumped into the dramatic arts while a student at Alta Vista Elementary School in Los Gatos, theater has been a constant in her life. The Campbell resident is now gearing up to play Susan in South Bay Musical...