Guest View

Emerging contaminants, also known as “contaminants of emerging concern,” are substances in the environment that may be detrimental to wildlife and/or human health. Some emerging contaminants are chemicals and compounds entering bodies of water like lakes and rivers, which are identified, tracked, studied, and ultimately...

“Where are you from?” It’s a common question, and one that can be quite loaded for people of diverse ethnicities. On its face, it’s a plain question based on curiosity, filled with nostalgia, or awe. But it could also carry covert racism and hatred, carrying the connotation...

Four Town officials—Town Manager Laurel Prevetti and former mayors Maria Ristow and Rob Rennie, along with Councilmember Rob Moore—have been responsible for the failure to get the Housing Element passed, despite five attempts. Ristow recently said the three of them should be recognized for...

The Community Health and Senior Services Commission (CHSSC) has spent years building programs and resources to help residents thrive. As someone who serves on the commission, I’ve witnessed the positive impact of this work. Yet this year, new rules have made progress harder to...

The loud and obnoxious squawking of crows used to bother me. I am generally a quiet person who likes to grab a book, find an empty noise-free area to sit at and read for hours at a time. I still cherish times when my...

Have you ever wondered how prominent figures like Benjamin Franklin achieved remarkable success? One key factor in his rise as a writer, publisher and politician was his mastery of “social intelligence.” What follows is my analysis of how Franklin’s lessons might apply to our...

Life, like a medical procedure, rarely goes exactly according to the script we write for ourselves. I recently found myself sitting in a recovery room, waiting for the news that I had crossed the finish line of my final colonoscopy. At nearly 75, I...

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...

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...

Homelessness is a complex issue plaguing communities across the globe, and Los Gatos is no exception. While Los Gatos boasts prosperity and scenic beauty, it also faces individuals and families struggling with housing insecurity. Transformative Mediation (TM) can be applied to bridge the divide...