Prevent fires and injuries this Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving near, Cal Fire is warning residents about the many dangers that the holiday can pose.
Thanksgiving remains the leading day for home cooking fires with three times as many cooking fires as an average day, according to statistics by the National Fire Protection Association.
To help reduce the chance of fire and injuries associated with holiday cooking, follow these tips:
• Never leave cooking food unattended. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food.
• If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Cooking food should always be supervised by an adult.
• Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and other
material that can burn. Never use on wooden decks or in garages.
• Children should not be permitted near a turkey fryer since hot oil can cause serious burn injuries.
• Provide a level surface that is free of ignitable materials when using turkey fryers.
• Make sure a fire extinguisher is always handy. Never use water to put out a grease fire.
• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles.
Town extends General Plan commenting period
The Town of Los Gatos is reopening the public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the 2040 General Plan Update.
The General Plan is the town’s long-term guiding document that guides development, transportation and other topics.
A draft traffic analysis was added to the draft EIR, which makes slight text changes. No other sections of the draft EIR have been updated, according to town officials.
The public can submit comments until 5pm on Jan. 7.
For information, visit losgatos2040.com. Comments can also be emailed to GP****@lo********.gov.
Town recruiting for open commission seats
The Town of Los Gatos is currently recruiting adult members for its various boards, commissions and committees.
The following commissions have openings:
• Arts and Culture Commission
• Building Board of Appeals
• Community Health and Senior Services Commission
• Complete Streets and Transportation Commission
• Finance Commission
• General Plan Committee
• Library Board
• Parks Commission
• Personnel Board
• Planning Commission
The deadline to apply is Dec. 3. Interviews will be held Dec. 14, 2021, tentatively scheduled to start at 7pm.
For information, visit losgatosca.gov/385/Application-Process.
VTA recruiting advisory committee members
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is intensifying its efforts to fill seats on two committees that advise the Board of Directors on transportation policy.
This includes infrastructure projects such as the BART Silicon Valley Extension and decisions on transit service operations.
VTA encourages applications for the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and the Committee for Transportation Mobility & Accessibility (CTMA).
The CAC provides input, analysis, perspective and recommendations to the VTA Board of Directors on transportation policy issues and initiatives. The committee also oversees the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars as the independent Citizens Watchdog Committee for the 2000 Measure A Transit Sales Tax. Meetings are once a month.
CTMA members advise the board on transportation, mobility and accessibility issues for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Meetings are every other month.
Committee members must be at least 18 years of age and reside in Santa Clara County. A background in transportation and/or relevant experience is preferred but not necessary.
To apply for the CAC, visit vta.org/apply-cac. Applications for the CTMA can be found at vta.org/apply-ctma.
For information, email bo*************@vt*.org or call 408.321.5680.
Fire department offering webinar on evacuation system
In the event of a wildfire or public safety emergency, fire department and law enforcement agencies will issue evacuation orders and other protective actions for impacted areas using Zonehaven, a web-based platform that provides real-time updates.
The Santa Clara County Fire Department is offering a series of free webinars to learn more, covering the following topics:
• The Zonehaven platform
• Alerting and notifications
• How to evacuate safely
• Standardized evacuation terminology
Free webinars are being offered from 6:30-7:30pm on Jan. 11, Feb. 3 and March 9.
For information, visit sccfd.eventbrite.com or call 408.341.4425.
