Guest View

Jak Van Nada considers the consequences of Los Gatos failing to get its Housing Element certified, despite sending in multiple drafts.

Perhaps I’ve read too many articles and listened to too many podcasts decrying the level of vitriol and partisanship existing in Washington D.C. and in many communities throughout the country. Add to this sorry situation the scenes of conflict I’ve seen on television and...

My North Santa Cruz Avenue business, Beyond Text Bookstore, has now been open for over six months. That’s six months the place has been filled with real people—not just my dreams and hopes. Upon reflection, I wanted to share a little about what I didn’t know...

Gearing up every morning for a job built on danger just comes with being a firefighter. Yet for thousands who hold this job in the Bay Area, the greatest risk may come not from flames or collapsing walls, but from the gear meant to...

November is Family Caregiver Month, a time to shine a light on the unsung heroes among us—those incredible individuals who dedicate their lives to caring for their loved ones. In Santa Clara County, the theme “Yes, I am a caregiver” captures the often-hidden work...

For two years, I’ve organized blood drives, transforming St. Luke’s Church in Los Gatos into a hub of hope, in partnership with the American Red Cross and our dedicated Rotary Clubs.  What began as a logistical dance of appointments and volunteers has become a visceral...

I am an old geezer who likes to stay informed. This means I am a news junkie and a voracious reader. Give me a good newspaper (electronic format is OK), a good magazine (paper form only), an interesting podcast, and a good audible book...

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...

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...

In nature, water always contains dissolved minerals and nutrients. Water “hardness” is determined by the concentrations of minerals present in a particular water source—specifically calcium and magnesium. Simply put, hard water is mineral water that comes from your tap.  Water containing high amounts of calcium...