Opinion

This November, Santa Clara County voters will decide on Measure A—a countywide 5/8 sales tax hike beginning April 2026. It would raise the base rate from 9.125%, with even higher rates in San José, Milpitas and Campbell. A regressive sales tax hits struggling families hardest...

You should bike short distances instead of driving because it is more environmentally friendly, is more cost effective, and is a great way to get some exercise.  Cars emit approximately three billion metric tons of carbon dioxide a year worldwide. Biking instead of driving will...

In a recent Los Gatan article, titled “Town’s effort to acknowledge earliest residents fraught with challenges,” journalist Drew Penner was attempting to shed light on the efforts of the Town of Los Gatos to acknowledge its less-than-inclusive telling of its own history. But the...

Parents want to shield their children from the dangers of the world—but fire is one thing they can’t sweep under the rug. Especially now, as our communities begin to realize fire season no longer has a beginning or end; it is a constant where...

As avid rowers of the Los Gatos Rowing Club, we frequently encounter trash floating in the Lexington Reservoir during our practices. The scope of this problem is alarming. Every year, the San Francisco Bay is overwhelmed by a staggering 7 trillion pieces of microplastics,...

Recent commentary about the renovation at La Rinconada Country Club has raised understandable questions—and, unfortunately, some misconceptions—about what is actually taking place on our grounds. As stewards of a property with nearly a century of history and deep roots in the Los Gatos community, we...

In 1950, Rotary International adopted two mottoes. One was “He Profits Most Who Serves Best” (Rotary did not officially welcome women until 1989), and the other was “Service Above Self.” To this day, Rotary continues to use the latter motto. After being a member of...

Volunteers know it is difficult to accomplish change. When I sought along with several others to get a Restorative Justice program implemented at a Los Gatos school, I initially encountered great enthusiasm for the idea. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm was followed by inaction on the...

Somehow through my years as a volunteer in many different endeavors I’ve gotten the notion that I know how to generate interest about the organizations I’ve been involved in. In many cases I did this by writing articles about the organization, such as the...

As Thanksgiving arrives, I reflect on the many things I am thankful for. I’ve managed to survive to age 73. Along the way, I’ve had many fortunate things occur. Of course, there have been horrible times too, such as when my father was killed in...