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The moral will to serve
Each week, when members of the Rotary Club of Los Gatos rise to say the Pledge of Allegiance, we reaffirm our commitment to the country and our community. It is a meaningful ritual, but I believe we have room—indeed, a responsibility—for something more. After...
The North 40 Shell Game: a $250M betrayal
The Los Gatos Town Council’s 3-2 approval of North 40 Phase 2 represents more than a new direction for the town; it puts a definitive price tag on the administrative failures of Mayor Rob Moore, Vice Mayor Maria Ristow and Councilmember Rob Rennie.
This is...
The cost of Jewish joy
Walking through Town Plaza Park on a Sunday morning, it is easy to feel insulated. We live in a town that prides itself on “Small Town Service” and quiet, manicured peace. But for the Jewish community in Los Gatos and the broader Silicon Valley,...
A rewarding challenge
Timing is everything, right? Somehow, in some way, I find myself serving as the chairperson of the Community Health and Senior Services Commission as it undertakes monumental tasks.
These tasks include implementing the Senior Services Committee’s incredibly comprehensive road map for improving older adult services...
Court ruling provides a cautionary tale to our town
I am an attorney, but I am not a First Amendment free speech attorney. However, as the saying goes, I know enough to be dangerous. Moreover, I am usually pretty good at issue spotting, even in areas outside of my area of legal expertise....
Channeling Twain pt. 2: Voyaging beyond the 101
I’m still reading the biography of Mark Twain by Ron Chernow. The book is more than 1,000 pages long, so cut me some slack.
My last column channeled Twain’s propensity to write fake news stories when he was a journalist. Prior to picking up Chernow’s...
Doug Brent: Self-driving ‘hype’ becoming reality
Back in 2015, Elon Musk made this pronouncement about the future of self-driving cars, “We’re going to end up with complete autonomy, and I think we’ll have complete autonomy in about two years.” At that time, I was a technology leader at Trimble, a...
Where every generation can find their place under the sun
In the classic Bruce Springsteen song, Rosalita “(Come Out Tonight),” the protagonist pleads with his sweetheart to escape the confines of her daddy’s high expectations. He complains that “your papa says he knows that I don’t have any money.” Rosalita’s dad thinks the protagonist...
Guest View: Town should explore other ways to boost revenue
It strikes me that the major reason for allowing cannabis dispensaries in Los Gatos would be to generate more revenue. Assuming for argument’s sake that this is correct, there are options for generating revenue other than from allowing cannabis dispensaries in town. I often...
Blum: Student absences have exploded
The familiar hum of a well-oiled machine is a comforting sound. It suggests efficiency, precision, and a harmonious system. This is an analogy I provided to Town Council at a council meeting on Aug. 6, as I, along with Chair Eleanor Yick, presented the...
















