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I aim for humor in my Los Gatan columns. The kind that elicits a chuckle, maybe a snort, not the kind that has readers questioning my grip on reality (though, fair point, the jury is deliberating on that one). Of course, I also try...

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

I walked out of a chemistry lab my freshman year of college, excited to call my family and update them on my newfound independence. What greeted me on the other line was not exciting news, however, it was news that crushed my soul.  “Kaitlyn,” my grandmother...

If you drove down Los Gatos-Saratoga Road this morning and felt a strange, existential chill, as if a beloved landmark had been quietly snatched in the night, you aren't alone. The horizon is flatter, the colors are duller, and the “Gateway to the Mountains”...

We hear it constantly. Talk to someone. Tell a counselor. Text a friend. Don’t bottle it up. It’s on posters in school hallways and in every assembly about mental health. But here’s what I kept noticing: The availability of someone to talk to was rarely...

As my grandkids call me, “Pop Pop,” I find myself navigating the inevitable march of time. While recent health challenges, like hernia surgery and a persistent snoring problem (these are but a few of the conditions I am having to address), have forced me...

Like many municipalities, the Town of Los Gatos constantly wrestles with how to manage a complex, high-stakes legal landscape without draining public coffers. As State mandates on housing tighten, and land-use and California Environmental Quality Act issues become more prevalent, the cost of legal counsel...

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...

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...

When we were touring our home in Saratoga, the realtor walked us through and pointed out the things that would need updating. The hand-painted ceramic backsplash in the kitchen, with its fruit baskets and trailing ivy, was dated, she said. The oak parquet floors in...